upi--2020-01-07--Impeachment: McConnell says he has votes to proceed with trial, decide on witnesses later

Jan. 7 ( UPI ) -- Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday said he has the votes to proceed with President Donald Trump 's impeachment trial without first making a decision on whether to call witnesses sought by Democrats .
He said the question of witnesses will be decided after opening arguments in the case .
`` We have the votes , '' McConnell told reporters , to proceed with the trial in a similar fashion to former President Bill Clinton 's impeachment trial .
`` What 's good for President Clinton is good for President Trump , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around to a discussion of witnesses . ''
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said the chamber should hear from witnesses and view evidence before hearing arguments .
`` There will be votes on the four witnesses we have asked for , '' he said .
Earlier Tuesday , McConnell criticized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for continuing to hold onto both articles of impeachment that were passed by the lower chamber almost three weeks ago .
House Democrats are withholding the articles from the Senate -- and , thus , delaying the start of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negotiate with upper chamber Republicans on certain `` fair '' provisions of the proceeding .
McConnell has said repeatedly he 'd like a speedy trial and is working with Trump 's attorneys on the matter -- a move that 's drawn heavy criticism from Democrats due to the impartiality oath all senators must take before participating in the trial .
`` How inappropriate and how embarrassing to rush forward on a partisan basis and then treat ... what you 've done like a political toy , '' he said .
`` How contemptuous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported Tuesday McConnell had secured the 51 votes to move ahead with planning the trial without help from Democrats .
Key Republican Sens .
Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska , however , have both indicated they favor delaying a decision on witnesses , which would be a victory for Democrats .
Both senators are considered `` swing '' voters .
Democrats have demanded the inclusion of multiple key administration witnesses and certain documents that were n't presented at the House impeachment inquiry .
Schumer said he plans to force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the trial .
`` Make no mistake , on the question of witnesses and documents , Republicans may run but they ca n't hide , '' he said .
`` There will be votes at the beginning on whether to call the four witnesses we 've proposed and subpoena the documents we 've identified .
`` If every Republican senator votes for a rigged trial that hides the truth , the American people will see that the Republican Senate is part of a large and awful cover-up . ''
McConnell and Schumer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over Democrats ' demands for the new evidence and four witnesses -- including former national security adviser John Bolton , who said Monday he 's willing to testify if subpoenaed .
When asked on Tuesday if he would be OK with Bolton testifying , Trump said that decision will be `` up to the lawyers '' and the Senate , while also noting comments by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that he felt no pressure from Trump to carry out investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son , Hunter Biden .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ we 're talking about , '' Trump said of Bolton .
`` Because as you know the Ukranian government came out with a very strong statement -- 'no pressure , no anything ' -- and this is from the boss .
That 's from the president of Ukraine .
The foreign minister came out with a statement that was equally as strong . ''
In his remarks Tuesday , McConnell denounced the House impeachment process as `` most rushed , least thorough and most unfair '' in the nation 's history .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ formally making Trump the third U.S. president to be impeached by the lower chamber .
The articles accuse him of abusing his power and obstruction of Congress for resisting efforts to aid in the House inquiry .
McConnell is seeking two resolutions on the matter -- one defining the trial procedures and one to determine whether any witnesses should be called .

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Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi called for Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell to immediately release the guidelines of the Senate's impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi dug her heels into the sand late Tuesday saying she won't send articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the Senate until Democrats know what a trial in the upper chamber will look like. Pelosi, D-Calif., reiterated her stance to Democratic colleagues in a letter insisting that Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell unveil the resolution detailing the guidelines for the trial. Advertisement
"It is important that he immediately publish this resolution, so that, as I have said before, we can see the arena in which we will be participating, appoint managers and transmit articles to the Senate," she wrote.
The letter came as an argument against McConnell, R-Ky., who earlier Tuesday said he has the votes to proceed with President Donald Trump's impeachment trial without first making a decision on whether to call witnesses sought by Democrats.
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He said the question of witnesses will be decided after opening arguments in the case.
"We have the votes," McConnell told reporters, to proceed with the trial in a similar fashion to former President Bill Clinton's impeachment trial.
"What's good for President Clinton is good for President Trump," he said. "We'll get around to a discussion of witnesses."
In her letter, Pelosi said calling this process similar to that of Clinton's trial is "simply not true," accusing the Republicans of designing a process that is "not only unfair but designed to deprive Senators and the American people of crucial documents and testimony."
"Under the Clinton trial, witnesses were deposed," she wrote.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the chamber should hear from witnesses and view evidence before hearing arguments.
"There will be votes on the four witnesses we have asked for," he said.
Earlier Tuesday, McConnell criticized Pelosi for continuing to hold onto both articles of impeachment that were passed by the lower chamber almost three weeks ago. House Democrats are withholding the articles from the Senate -- and, thus, delaying the start of the trial -- in a bid to negotiate with upper chamber Republicans on certain "fair" provisions of the proceeding.
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McConnell has said repeatedly he'd like a speedy trial and is working with Trump's attorneys on the matter -- a move that's drawn heavy criticism from Democrats due to the impartiality oath all senators must take before participating in the trial.
"How inappropriate and how embarrassing to rush forward on a partisan basis and then treat ... what you've done like a political toy," he said. "How contemptuous of the American people."
Politico reported Tuesday McConnell had secured the 51 votes to move ahead with planning the trial without help from Democrats. Key Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, however, have both indicated they favor delaying a decision on witnesses, which would be a victory for Democrats. Both senators are considered "swing" voters.
Democrats have demanded the inclusion of multiple key administration witnesses and certain documents that weren't presented at the House impeachment inquiry. Schumer said he plans to force votes concerning potential witnesses at the start of the trial.
"Make no mistake, on the question of witnesses and documents, Republicans may run but they can't hide," he said. "There will be votes at the beginning on whether to call the four witnesses we've proposed and subpoena the documents we've identified.
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"If every Republican senator votes for a rigged trial that hides the truth, the American people will see that the Republican Senate is part of a large and awful cover-up."
McConnell and Schumer have been at an impasse for weeks over Democrats' demands for the new evidence and four witnesses -- including former national security adviser John Bolton, who said Monday he's willing to testify if subpoenaed.
When asked on Tuesday if he would be OK with Bolton testifying, Trump said that decision will be "up to the lawyers" and the Senate, while also noting comments by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that he felt no pressure from Trump to carry out investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden.
"He would know nothing about what we're talking about," Trump said of Bolton. "Because as you know the Ukranian government came out with a very strong statement -- 'no pressure, no anything' -- and this is from the boss. That's from the president of Ukraine. The foreign minister came out with a statement that was equally as strong."
In his remarks Tuesday, McConnell denounced the House impeachment process as "most rushed, least thorough and most unfair" in the nation's history.
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The House approved the articles Dec. 18, formally making Trump the third U.S. president to be impeached by the lower chamber. The articles accuse him of abusing his power and obstruction of Congress for resisting efforts to aid in the House inquiry.
McConnell is seeking two resolutions on the matter -- one defining the trial procedures and one to determine whether any witnesses should be called.


upi--2020-01-07--Ace Electronics nabs $64.4M for upgrade to Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System

Jan. 7 ( UPI ) -- Ace Electronics received a five-year , $ 64.4 million contract for an upgrade of the Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System for the Navy , the Pentagon has announced .
The deal , announced Monday by the Department of Defense , funds production and delivery of manufacturing kits , spare parts and testing for the Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System , or TTWCS , for the Maritime Strike Tomahawk .
The Tomahawk Land Attack Missile is a subsonic cruise missile .
The TTWCS allows commanders to redirect the missile to an alternative target if required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ status back to the commander .
According to the Pentagon 's announcement , this upgrade will offer new offensive capabilities to upgraded ships in support of the Maritime Strike Tomahawk , which allows the Tomahawk to engage a moving target at sea and upgrades the system hardware .
Work on the contract will be performed at Aberdeen Proving Ground , Md.
, with the ordering period ending in January 2025 .
Navy funds in the amount of $ 259,118 were obligated at the time of the award .
Ace Electronics Defense Systems specializes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for military branches throughout the world , according to its website .

The guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey fires a Tomahawk land attack missile on April 14, 2018, at chemical weapons-related targets in Syria. Photo by LTJG Matthew Daniels/U.S. Navy/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Ace Electronics received a five-year, $64.4 million contract for an upgrade of the Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System for the Navy, the Pentagon has announced. The deal, announced Monday by the Department of Defense, funds production and delivery of manufacturing kits, spare parts and testing for the Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System, or TTWCS, for the Maritime Strike Tomahawk. Advertisement
The Tomahawk Land Attack Missile is a subsonic cruise missile. The TTWCS allows commanders to redirect the missile to an alternative target if required, and to send data about its status back to the commander.
According to the Pentagon's announcement, this upgrade will offer new offensive capabilities to upgraded ships in support of the Maritime Strike Tomahawk, which allows the Tomahawk to engage a moving target at sea and upgrades the system hardware.
Work on the contract will be performed at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., with the ordering period ending in January 2025.
Navy funds in the amount of $259,118 were obligated at the time of the award.
Ace Electronics Defense Systems specializes in electronic manufacturing and engineering support services for military branches throughout the world, according to its website.


upi--2020-01-07--At least 50 dead in stampede during funeral for Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani

Jan. 7 ( UPI ) -- A stampede during a funeral procession Tuesday for slain Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani in his hometown of Kerman , lran , killed more than three dozen people , officials said .
The stampede began as millions of mourners carried Soleimani 's body from Kerman 's Azadi Square to his burial site in a martyrs ' cemetery .
The Iranian Students ' News Agency reported at least 50 people died in the crowd and more than 200 were injured .
Soleimani 's burial ceremony , which was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon , was canceled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ massive crowds in Kerman , about 615 miles southeast of Tehran , mirrored others Sunday and Monday in the capital and elsewhere that honored the slain Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps commander .
The rallies also condemned the United States with crowd chants of `` down with the U.S. '' and `` down with Israel . ''
Soleimani , the head of IRGC 's Quds Force , was killed Thursday in an airstrike near Baghdad 's international airport in Iraq .
Iraqi paramilitary commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis , an adviser to Soleimani , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Donald Trump ordered the attack after protesters angered by deadly Dec. 29 U.S. airstrikes against the Iranian-backed Iraqi paramilitary group Kataib Hezbollah stormed the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad .
Trump vowed in a tweet Sunday to hit 52 targets in Iran `` very hard '' if Tehran retaliates for the death of Soleimani , including some targets `` at a very high level '' that are `` important to Iran and the Iranian culture . ''
Trump 's threats toward non-military sites in Iran drew swift and widespread criticism , and Pentagon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be targeted .
Gen. Mark Milley , chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , told reporters Monday the United States has no intention of targeting the sites Trump mentioned -- as doing so would amount to a war crime .
`` We will follow the laws of armed conflict , '' Milley said .
On Tuesday , Trump said that he likes to `` obey the law '' but questioned the protection of cultural sites .
He also maintained threats that the United States will respond to Iranian actions it deems provocative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they blow up our people and then we have to be very gentle with their cultural institutions ? ''
Trump said .
`` But I 'm OK with it .
It 's OK with me .
If Iran does anything they should n't be doing , they are going to be suffering the consequences and very strongly . ''
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Tuesday that Iran will respond to Soleimani 's slaying , telling CNN the move amounted to `` state terrorism . ''
`` This is an act of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ armed attack against Iran , and we will respond , '' he said .
`` But we will respond proportionally not disproportionately .
We will respond lawfully , we are not lawless people like President Trump . ''
Zarif told ABC News that Tehran is `` very patient '' and will respond after `` necessary deliberation '' at a `` time of our choosing . ''
He said the United States has violated Iraq 's sovereignty with the attack on Soleimani , stirred anti-American sentiment in the region and `` murdered '' a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay for all three mistakes , '' Zarif said .

Thousands of mourners pay tribute to Iranian Revolutionary Guards Commander Qassem Soleimani during his funeral Monday in Tehran. Photo by Majid Asgaripour/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 7 (UPI) -- A stampede during a funeral procession Tuesday for slain Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani in his hometown of Kerman, lran, killed more than three dozen people, officials said. The stampede began as millions of mourners carried Soleimani's body from Kerman's Azadi Square to his burial site in a martyrs' cemetery. Advertisement
The Iranian Students' News Agency reported at least 50 people died in the crowd and more than 200 were injured.
Soleimani's burial ceremony, which was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, was canceled in light of the stampede.
The massive crowds in Kerman, about 615 miles southeast of Tehran, mirrored others Sunday and Monday in the capital and elsewhere that honored the slain Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps commander. The rallies also condemned the United States with crowd chants of "down with the U.S." and "down with Israel."
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Soleimani, the head of IRGC's Quds Force, was killed Thursday in an airstrike near Baghdad's international airport in Iraq. Iraqi paramilitary commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an adviser to Soleimani, was also killed in the attack.
U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the attack after protesters angered by deadly Dec. 29 U.S. airstrikes against the Iranian-backed Iraqi paramilitary group Kataib Hezbollah stormed the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
Trump vowed in a tweet Sunday to hit 52 targets in Iran "very hard" if Tehran retaliates for the death of Soleimani, including some targets "at a very high level" that are "important to Iran and the Iranian culture."
Trump's threats toward non-military sites in Iran drew swift and widespread criticism, and Pentagon officials later said no cultural sites will be targeted.
Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Monday the United States has no intention of targeting the sites Trump mentioned -- as doing so would amount to a war crime.
"We will follow the laws of armed conflict," Milley said.
On Tuesday, Trump said that he likes to "obey the law" but questioned the protection of cultural sites. He also maintained threats that the United States will respond to Iranian actions it deems provocative.
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"They kill our people, they blow up our people and then we have to be very gentle with their cultural institutions?" Trump said. "But I'm OK with it. It's OK with me. If Iran does anything they shouldn't be doing, they are going to be suffering the consequences and very strongly."
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Tuesday that Iran will respond to Soleimani's slaying, telling CNN the move amounted to "state terrorism."
"This is an act of aggression against Iran and amounts to an armed attack against Iran, and we will respond," he said. "But we will respond proportionally not disproportionately. We will respond lawfully, we are not lawless people like President Trump."
Zarif told ABC News that Tehran is "very patient" and will respond after "necessary deliberation" at a "time of our choosing."
He said the United States has violated Iraq's sovereignty with the attack on Soleimani, stirred anti-American sentiment in the region and "murdered" a high-ranking Iranian official.
"They will pay for all three mistakes," Zarif said.


upi--2020-01-07--Fotis Dulos charged with felony murder of missing Conn. mom

Jan. 7 ( UPI ) -- Fotis Dulos , 52 , the estranged husband of Jennifer Farber Dulos , a Connecticut mom presumed dead after being missing for more than seven months , was arrested Tuesday and charged with murder , felony murder and kidnapping .
Dulos ' bond has been set at $ 6 million , Trooper First Class Christine Jeltema announced at a news conference Tuesday .
He is among three charged in connection to the case .
His girlfriend , Michelle Troconis , 45 , has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder with bond set at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Local attorney , Kent Mawhinney was also charged with conspiracy to commit murder with bond set at $ 2 million .
Dulos will be arraigned Wednesday , according to his attorney , Norm Pattis .
This is the third time Dulos has been charged in connection with the case , and the first time he has been charged with murder of Farber Dulos , who was last seen in May at age 50 .
Police later found her vehicle .
They still have n't found her body , but they found blood stains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vehicle located in the garage , according to an arrest warrant , which led police to believe the home was the crime scene and there was evidence of attempts to clean it up .
Dulos was in a two-year custody battle with the New Canaan mother of five when she was last seen on May 24 after dropping her children off at school .
Dulos was charged the next month with hindering the prosecution and tampering with evidence , along with his girlfriend , Troconis .
Dulos and Troconis pleaded not guilty to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was charged on a second count of tampering with evidence , which he also pleaded not guilty to .
Original charges were based on surveillance videos appearing to show Dulos making multiple stops on a 4-mile stretch of Albany Avenue in Hartford as he tossed out garbage bags later found to contain Farber Dulos ' blood .
A woman resembling Troconis was with him at the time , according to police .

Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Fotis Dulos, 52, the estranged husband of Jennifer Farber Dulos, a Connecticut mom presumed dead after being missing for more than seven months, was arrested Tuesday and charged with murder, felony murder and kidnapping.
Dulos' bond has been set at $6 million, Trooper First Class Christine Jeltema announced at a news conference Tuesday.
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He is among three charged in connection to the case. His girlfriend, Michelle Troconis, 45, has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder with bond set at $2 million, Jeltema added. Local attorney, Kent Mawhinney was also charged with conspiracy to commit murder with bond set at $2 million.
Dulos will be arraigned Wednesday, according to his attorney, Norm Pattis.
This is the third time Dulos has been charged in connection with the case, and the first time he has been charged with murder of Farber Dulos, who was last seen in May at age 50.
Police later found her vehicle. They still haven't found her body, but they found blood stains on the garage floor and on a vehicle located in the garage, according to an arrest warrant, which led police to believe the home was the crime scene and there was evidence of attempts to clean it up.
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Dulos was in a two-year custody battle with the New Canaan mother of five when she was last seen on May 24 after dropping her children off at school. Dulos was charged the next month with hindering the prosecution and tampering with evidence, along with his girlfriend, Troconis.
Dulos and Troconis pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In September, Dulos was charged on a second count of tampering with evidence, which he also pleaded not guilty to.
Original charges were based on surveillance videos appearing to show Dulos making multiple stops on a 4-mile stretch of Albany Avenue in Hartford as he tossed out garbage bags later found to contain Farber Dulos' blood. A woman resembling Troconis was with him at the time, according to police.


upi--2020-01-07--Joe Biden calls for diplomacy in dealing with Iran

Jan. 7 ( UPI ) -- Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on Tuesday called for greater diplomacy to avoid war with Iran less than a week after a U.S. airstrike killed senior Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani .
The former vice president criticized President Donald Trump for inflaming tensions with Iran , which said Sunday it no longer plans to abide by a 2015 nuclear deal after the airstrike Thursday at Baghdad 's international airport in Iraq .
The deal blocked Iran from possessing enough material to create an atomic weapon .
Biden accused Trump of having no strategy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Iran , which he said has left the United States with limited options .
`` I have no illusions about Iran .
The regime has long sponsored terrorism and threatened our interests .
They 've ruthlessly killed hundreds of protesters , and they should be held accountable for their actions , '' Biden said .
`` But there is a smart way to counter them -- and a self-defeating way .
Trump 's approach is demonstrably the latter . ''
Trump further escalated tensions Sunday when he voted to hit 52 targets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tehran retaliates for the death of Soleimani , including some targets `` at a very high level '' that are `` important to Iran and the Iranian culture . ''
Trump 's threats toward non-military sites in Iran drew swift and widespread criticism , and Pentagon officials later said no cultural sites will be targeted .
Gen. Mark Milley , chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , told reporters Monday the United States has no intention of targeting the sites Trump mentioned -- as doing so would amount to a war crime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more violence .
`` No one wants war , '' Biden said during a foreign policy speech in New York City .
`` We need to restore the balance of powers between the branches of government .
We need checks and balances that actually serve to check and balance the worst impulses of our leaders -- in any branch , '' he added .
`` We need to use our system to bring us together as a nation -- not abuse it to rip us apart .
Fellow candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ balances on the conflict with Iran .
On Friday , he and Rep. Ro Khanna , D-Calif. , introduced legislation to block Pentagon funding for military action against Iran without congressional approval .
Sanders said that in addition to preventing war with Iran , the United States must end its presence in the Middle East , bring home troops from Afghanistan and end its involvement in Yemen 's civil war .
`` As the former chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs , I have seen up close the pain , death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he tweeted .
`` And I know that it is rarely the children of the billionaire class who face the agony of reckless foreign policy . ''
Much of the Democratic field 's discussion of the killing of Soleimani has been about whether the targeted strike is considered an assassination .
Sanders is the only candidate to have described it as such -- during a speech in Anamosa , Iowa , on Friday , calling it a `` dangerous escalation . ''
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg disagreed with Sanders ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , calling it `` inappropriate . ''
`` If he was talking about killing the general ... this is a guy who had an awful amount of American blood on his hands .
I think that 's an outrageous thing to say .
`` Nobody that I know of would think that we did something wrong in getting the general . ''
Like Bloomberg , former South Bend , Ind.
, Mayor Pete Buttigieg told CNN he 's `` not interested in the terminology '' despite characterizing Soleimani 's slaying as an `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ network on Sunday that he 's more interested in the consequences of the airstrike .
`` Did the president have legal authority to do this ?
Why was n't Congress consulted ?
It seems like more people at Mar-a-Lago heard about this than people in the United States Congress who are a coequal branch of government with a responsibility to consult , '' he said .
`` Which of our allies were consulted ?
The real world effects of this are going to go far beyond the things that we are debating today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. Elizabeth Warren , D-Mass.
, also questioned what the `` right response '' was to dealing with Soleimani during an appearance Tuesday on ABC 's The View .
`` The response that Donald Trump has picked is the most incendiary and has moved us right to the edge of war , and that is not in our long-term interests , '' she said .

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Democratic candidate for president Joe Biden delivers a foreign policy statement at Current at Chelsea Piers, Pier 59 on Tuesday in New York City. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on Tuesday called for greater diplomacy to avoid war with Iran less than a week after a U.S. airstrike killed senior Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani. The former vice president criticized President Donald Trump for inflaming tensions with Iran, which said Sunday it no longer plans to abide by a 2015 nuclear deal after the airstrike Thursday at Baghdad's international airport in Iraq. The deal blocked Iran from possessing enough material to create an atomic weapon. Advertisement
Biden accused Trump of having no strategy and "no endgame" in his dealings with Iran, which he said has left the United States with limited options.
"I have no illusions about Iran. The regime has long sponsored terrorism and threatened our interests. They've ruthlessly killed hundreds of protesters, and they should be held accountable for their actions," Biden said.
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"But there is a smart way to counter them -- and a self-defeating way. Trump's approach is demonstrably the latter."
Trump further escalated tensions Sunday when he voted to hit 52 targets in Iran "very hard" if Tehran retaliates for the death of Soleimani, including some targets "at a very high level" that are "important to Iran and the Iranian culture."
Trump's threats toward non-military sites in Iran drew swift and widespread criticism, and Pentagon officials later said no cultural sites will be targeted.
Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Monday the United States has no intention of targeting the sites Trump mentioned -- as doing so would amount to a war crime.
Biden called for diplomacy, not more violence.
"No one wants war," Biden said during a foreign policy speech in New York City.
"We need to restore the balance of powers between the branches of government. We need checks and balances that actually serve to check and balance the worst impulses of our leaders -- in any branch," he added. "We need to use our system to bring us together as a nation -- not abuse it to rip us apart.
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Fellow candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., also is seeking checks and balances on the conflict with Iran. On Friday, he and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., introduced legislation to block Pentagon funding for military action against Iran without congressional approval.
Sanders said that in addition to preventing war with Iran, the United States must end its presence in the Middle East, bring home troops from Afghanistan and end its involvement in Yemen's civil war.
"As the former chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, I have seen up close the pain, death and despair caused by war," he tweeted. "And I know that it is rarely the children of the billionaire class who face the agony of reckless foreign policy."
Much of the Democratic field's discussion of the killing of Soleimani has been about whether the targeted strike is considered an assassination. Sanders is the only candidate to have described it as such -- during a speech in Anamosa, Iowa, on Friday, calling it a "dangerous escalation."
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg disagreed with Sanders' descriptor during a speech the same day, calling it "inappropriate."
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"If he was talking about killing the general ... this is a guy who had an awful amount of American blood on his hands. I think that's an outrageous thing to say.
"Nobody that I know of would think that we did something wrong in getting the general."
Like Bloomberg, former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg told CNN he's "not interested in the terminology" despite characterizing Soleimani's slaying as an "assassination" on Saturday. He told network on Sunday that he's more interested in the consequences of the airstrike.
"Did the president have legal authority to do this? Why wasn't Congress consulted? It seems like more people at Mar-a-Lago heard about this than people in the United States Congress who are a coequal branch of government with a responsibility to consult," he said.
"Which of our allies were consulted? The real world effects of this are going to go far beyond the things that we are debating today and we need answers quickly."
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., also questioned what the "right response" was to dealing with Soleimani during an appearance Tuesday on ABC's The View.
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"The response that Donald Trump has picked is the most incendiary and has moved us right to the edge of war, and that is not in our long-term interests," she said.


upi--2020-01-07--'Party of Five' finds new drama in immigration story

Jan. 7 ( UPI ) -- The creators of Party of Five have rebooted the series with a new family in a new crisis .
The original Fox drama dealt with the death of the Salinger parents .
In the reboot by Amy Lippman and Christopher Keyser , the U.S. deports Javier ( Bruno Bichir ) and Gloria Acosta ( Fernanda Urrejola ) to Mexico while their children remain in the states .
In updating Party of Five to address immigration , Lippman and Keyser also could incorporate some of the issues facing immigrant families .
They sought out Latinx @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mary Molina and Mike Skerrett -- to help address those specific nuances .
`` I knew it would be valuable to work with writers who had particular insight , not only into the immigration story that we 're telling , '' Lippman told UPI in a phone interview .
`` They would also have insight about gender roles in a Latinx family .
What are the familial expectations of girls that are different from boys ? ''
The Acostas also are bilingual and have some conversations in Spanish , with English subtitles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , '' Lippman said .
`` I think you ca n't tell a story about a bicultural family without authentically representing half of their culture . ''
Having native Spanish speakers on the writing staff helped make those Spanish conversations more natural .
`` I , as a non-Spanish speaker , really needed to rely on our staff to make sure that when translating something that was written in English that it felt authentic being spoken in Spanish , '' Lippman said .
`` The show ca n't simply be a slavish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work as dialogue that Spanish speakers would speak with each other . ''
Bilingualism brings up an issue for one of the Acosta children .
Beto Acota ( Niko Guardado ) is so Americanized that he never learned his parents ' language .
Coincidentally , Gaurdado is the only cast member who ca n't speak Spanish .
`` My grandparents came to America and they were like , 'We 're in America now .
We speak English , ' '' Guardado said in a separate phone interview .
`` [ They ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they spoke Spanish and looked down upon so that 's the side of culture that my grandparents knew . ''
Emilio Acosta ( Brandon Larracuente ) is the oldest and comes back to the family home to care for his siblings and keep the family restaurant running .
`` It 's a bit of a power struggle also because Emilio is now going to be the father figure in the house , '' Larracuente said in a separate phone interview .
`` He 's basically following in his dad 's footsteps .
His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him to this country to get a better life . ''
Lucia Acosta ( Emily Tosta ) was a straight-A student .
Her parents ' deportation thrusts her in new familial roles before she 's ready .
The situation also presents her an opportunity to get involved in social activism , a subplot the original series never explored .
`` At the beginning , she did n't really want to accept this motherly role , '' Tosta said in a separate phone interview .
`` This season , I think she starts learning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of her responsibilities , being that motherly figure now and also her social activism so trying to stay attentive and studious at school . ''
The older Acostas are old enough to care for themselves , although they 'd prefer to have their parents for backup .
The infant their parents left behind and younger sister Valentina ( Elle Paris Legaspi ) require the elders to become caretakers .
`` She 's really the heart of the family , '' Legaspi told UPI in a separate phone interview .
`` She 's becoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mom there to help her go through all of the things , but she is n't there .
Her parents are n't there so she has to rely on her siblings . ''
Casting the Acosta family reminded Lippman of casting the Salingers , she said , with one difference .
When casting the original Party of Five , Lippman and Keyser had n't written the second episode yet .
With this Party of Five , they know what stories they told the first time and have some ideas of new stories for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the advantages of using the original as a blueprint is that we knew what we were going to call upon these kids to do in some way , '' Lippman said .
`` We cast people who we knew were capable of telling stories that we had n't yet written . ''
The Acostas have a family restaurant just like the Salingers did , but this provided new opportunities for the drama .
Lippman said the restaurant was just a central location for the Salinger family .
However , she and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Acosta family 's restaurant .
`` In a Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles , a lot of those employees are going to be undocumented , '' Lippman said .
`` That becomes very relevant .
The fact that these places are often raided by ICE is something that we look at in our series . ''
Party of Five premieres Wednesday at 9 p.m. on Freeform .

1/3
From left to right, Brandon Larracuente, Elle Paris Legaspi, Niko Guardado holding baby Rafa and Emily Tosta star in "Party of Five." Photo courtesy of Freeform
Jan. 7 (UPI) -- The creators of Party of Five have rebooted the series with a new family in a new crisis. The original Fox drama dealt with the death of the Salinger parents. In the reboot by Amy Lippman and Christopher Keyser, the United States deports Javier (Bruno Bichir) and Gloria Acosta (Fernanda Urrejola) to Mexico while their children remain in the States. Advertisement
In updating Party of Five to address immigration, Lippman and Keyser also could incorporate some of the issues facing immigrant families. They sought out Latinx writers -- Michal Zebede, Gabe Llanes, Mary Molina and Mike Skerrett -- to help address those specific nuances.
"I knew it would be valuable to work with writers who had particular insight, not only into the immigration story that we're telling," Lippman told UPI in a phone interview. "They would also have insight about gender roles in a Latinx family. What are the familial expectations of girls that are different from boys?"
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The Acostas also are bilingual and have some conversations in Spanish, with English subtitles.
"There's no series without that," Lippman said. "You can't tell a story about a bicultural family without authentically representing half of their culture."
Having native Spanish speakers on the writing staff helped make those conversations more natural.
"I, as a non-Spanish speaker, really needed to rely on our staff to make sure that when translating something that was written in English that it felt authentic being spoken in Spanish," Lippman said. "The show can't simply be a slavish interpretation of English dialogue. It needs to work as dialogue that Spanish speakers would speak with each other."
Bilingualism brings up an issue for one of the Acosta children. Beto Acota (Niko Guardado) is so Americanized that he never learned his parents' language. Coincidentally, Guardado is the only cast member who can't speak Spanish.
"My grandparents came to America and they were like, 'We're in America now. We speak English,'" Guardado said in a separate phone interview. "[They] were bullied at a young age if they spoke Spanish and looked down upon, so that's the side of culture that my grandparents knew."
Emilio Acosta (Brandon Larracuente) is the oldest and comes back to the family home to care for his siblings and keep the family restaurant running.
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"It's a bit of a power struggle also because Emilio is now going to be the father figure in the house," Larracuente said in a separate phone interview. "He's basically following in his dad's footsteps. His dad made tons of sacrifices to get him to this country to get a better life."
Lucia Acosta (Emily Tosta) was a straight-A student. Her parents' deportation thrusts her in new familial roles before she's ready. The situation also presents her an opportunity to get involved in social activism, a subplot the original series never explored.
"At the beginning, she didn't really want to accept this motherly role," Tosta said in a separate phone interview. "This season, I think she starts learning how to create a balance between all of her responsibilities, being that motherly figure now and also her social activism so trying to stay attentive and studious at school."
The older Acostas are old enough to care for themselves, although they'd prefer to have their parents for backup. The infant their parents left behind and younger sister Valentina (Elle Paris Legaspi) require the elders to become caretakers.
"She's really the heart of the family," Legaspi told UPI in a separate phone interview. "She's becoming a woman, so she needs her mom there to help her go through all of the things, but she isn't there. Her parents aren't there, so she has to rely on her siblings."
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Casting the Acosta family reminded Lippman of casting the Salingers, she said, with one difference. When casting the original Party of Five, Lippman and Keyser hadn't written the second episode yet. With this Party of Five, they know what stories they told the first time and have some ideas of new stories for this series.
"Some of the advantages of using the original as a blueprint is that we knew what we were going to call upon these kids to do in some way," Lippman said. "We cast people who we knew were capable of telling stories that we hadn't yet written."
The Acostas have a family restaurant just like the Salingers did, but this provided new opportunities for the drama. Lippman said the restaurant was just a central location for the Salinger family. However, she and the writers discovered more relevant storylines with the Acosta family's restaurant.
"In a Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles, a lot of those employees are going to be undocumented," Lippman said. "That becomes very relevant. The fact that these places are often raided by ICE is something that we look at in our series."
Party of Five premieres Wednesday at 9 p.m. on Freeform.


upi--2020-01-07--Longtime friends collect lottery jackpots at the same time

Jan. 7 ( UPI ) -- A pair of longtime friends visited Maryland Lottery headquarters together when they both scored jackpots from scratch-off tickets .
One of the friends , identified as Maite , told Maryland Lottery officials the saga began in October 2019 , when she scratched off a Power 8s ticket .
Maite said she did n't want to cash in the ticket 's $ 100,000 prize until after the New Year , so she kept it a secret from everyone except her husband .
`` My husband knows I have won $ 10,000 before on a scratch-off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a couple of weeks after my $ 100,000 Power 8s win , I won another $ 1,800 in prizes at a local casino .
In total , I would say I have won over $ 200,000 playing the Lottery and casino games . ''
After winning her casino prize , Maite spilled the beans on her scratch-off luck to a longtime friend identified as Kelly Girl .
Kelly Girl said she does n't play lottery games as often as Maite , but her friend 's good luck led her to buy some tickets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ La Plata to buy champagne for New Year 's Eve .
`` I did n't even think about which tickets I picked , '' said `` Kelly Girl , '' a mother of one .
`` I just asked for the tickets that happened to be in boxes with my favorite numbers .
By asking the cashier for scratch-offs in the boxes labeled 3 and 6 , I was given the $ 10 Winter Cash Tripler and $ 20 2020 Cash tickets . ''
The friends of 20 years traveled together to lottery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their respective jackpots .

Two Maryland woman who have been friends for 20 years visited state lottery headquarters together when they both won jackpots from scratch-off tickets. Photo courtesy of the Maryland Lottery
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe Jan. 7 (UPI) -- A pair of longtime friends visited Maryland Lottery headquarters together when they both scored jackpots from scratch-off tickets. One of the friends, identified as Maite, told Maryland Lottery officials the saga began in October 2019, when she scratched off a Power 8s ticket. Advertisement
Maite said she didn't want to cash in the ticket's $100,000 prize until after the New Year, so she kept it a secret from everyone except her husband.
"My husband knows I have won $10,000 before on a scratch-off," she said. "Just a couple of weeks after my $100,000 Power 8s win, I won another $1,800 in prizes at a local casino. In total, I would say I have won over $200,000 playing the Lottery and casino games."
After winning her casino prize, Maite spilled the beans on her scratch-off luck to a longtime friend identified as Kelly Girl.
Kelly Girl said she doesn't play lottery games as often as Maite, but her friend's good luck led her to buy some tickets during a trip to Colonial Liquors in La Plata to buy champagne for New Year's Eve.
"I didn't even think about which tickets I picked," said "Kelly Girl," a mother of one. "I just asked for the tickets that happened to be in boxes with my favorite numbers. By asking the cashier for scratch-offs in the boxes labeled 3 and 6, I was given the $10 Winter Cash Tripler and $20 2020 Cash tickets."
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The 2020 Cash ticket earned Kelly Girl a $20,200 top prize.
The friends of 20 years traveled together to lottery headquarters in Baltimore this week to collect their respective jackpots.


upi--2020-01-07--Study links vaping, risk for stroke

Study links vaping, risk for stroke

Jan. 7 -- E-cigarettes are not a safer alternative to tobacco as far as strokes are concerned , according to a new study .
Young adults who use tobacco and e-cigarettes are nearly twice as likely to have a stroke as those who smoke only traditional cigarettes and almost three times as likely as nonsmokers , researchers say .
`` While we already know that combustible cigarette use is one of the most important risk factors for stroke , [ dual use ] of e-cigarettes could potentially have an additive effect that may lead to stroke at a younger age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Parekh , a researcher at George Mason University in Fairfax , Va. '' In terms of a healthy alternative , if smokers were to switch to an e-cigarette , stroke risk does not change , '' he added .
The study is one of the first aimed at gauging the potential stroke risk associated with use of e-cigarettes , said Dr. Larry Goldstein , chairman of neurology at the University of Kentucky in Lexington .
He reviewed the findings .
Because e-cigarettes are relatively new , Goldstein said it 's not surprising that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stroke risk is not yet apparent .
`` But in no way should this be considered reassuring , as the impact on stroke risk may require longer periods of exposure and because of the study design , there are likely other unmeasured factors that could not be addressed that could affect risk , '' Goldstein added .
Most concerning , he said , is that nearly 70 percent of sole e-cigarette users studied were 18 to 24 years old .
`` This underscores the importance of restricting access to that population and removing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this age group , such as flavored products , '' Goldstein said .
Also concerning is the increased risk among those who both vape and smoke regular cigarettes , as well as the risk among traditional smokers who switch to e-cigarettes , Goldstein said .
`` Studies assessing the stroke , cardiovascular and other health risks of e-cigarettes and vaping are just beginning , and the long-term effects of exposure are largely unknown , '' he said .
`` The relative lack of data should not be viewed as evidence of safety .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ his team collected data on nearly 162,000 people between 18 and 44 who took part in a nationwide government health survey in 2016 and 2017 .
Besides smoking , researchers took into account factors such as how often people used e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes and if they had high blood pressure , diabetes or high cholesterol .
They also considered weight , physical activity and alcohol use .
They found that people who used e-cigarettes , tobacco cigarettes or both were more likely to be college dropouts or have only a high-school diploma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be single , obese and binge drinkers .
Stanton Glantz , director of the Center for Tobacco Control , Research and Education at the University of California , San Francisco , said most people do n't give up tobacco cigarettes for vaping .
They 're likely to use both , which boosts their risk for both strokes and heart attacks .
Some proponents of vaping suggest that if people had used e-cigarettes all along instead of tobacco , there would have been fewer strokes and heart attacks , he said .
`` But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Glantz said .
`` The world is smoking tobacco and adding e-cigarettes .
Long-term , they 're worse off than if they switch and no better off than if they use both . ''
The best strategy for your health is to not smoke or vape , Glantz said .
The report was published Jan. 7 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine .
For more about e-cigarettes , visit the U.S .
Surgeon General .

Young adults who smoke or use nicotine-containing vape devices are at increased risk for stroke, according to new research. Photo by kevsphotos /Pixabay
Jan. 7 -- E-cigarettes are not a safer alternative to tobacco as far as strokes are concerned, according to a new study. Young adults who use tobacco and e-cigarettes are nearly twice as likely to have a stroke as those who smoke only traditional cigarettes and almost three times as likely as nonsmokers, researchers say. Advertisement
"While we already know that combustible cigarette use is one of the most important risk factors for stroke, [dual use] of e-cigarettes could potentially have an additive effect that may lead to stroke at a younger age," said lead author Dr. Tarang Parekh, a researcher at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.
"In terms of a healthy alternative, if smokers were to switch to an e-cigarette, stroke risk does not change," he added.
The study is one of the first aimed at gauging the potential stroke risk associated with use of e-cigarettes, said Dr. Larry Goldstein, chairman of neurology at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. He reviewed the findings.
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Because e-cigarettes are relatively new, Goldstein said it's not surprising that the effect of their sole use on stroke risk is not yet apparent.
"But in no way should this be considered reassuring, as the impact on stroke risk may require longer periods of exposure and because of the study design, there are likely other unmeasured factors that could not be addressed that could affect risk," Goldstein added.
Most concerning, he said, is that nearly 70 percent of sole e-cigarette users studied were 18 to 24 years old.
"This underscores the importance of restricting access to that population and removing incentives that could attract new users in this age group, such as flavored products," Goldstein said.
Also concerning is the increased risk among those who both vape and smoke regular cigarettes, as well as the risk among traditional smokers who switch to e-cigarettes, Goldstein said.
"Studies assessing the stroke, cardiovascular and other health risks of e-cigarettes and vaping are just beginning, and the long-term effects of exposure are largely unknown," he said. "The relative lack of data should not be viewed as evidence of safety."
For the study, Parekh and his team collected data on nearly 162,000 people between 18 and 44 who took part in a nationwide government health survey in 2016 and 2017.
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Besides smoking, researchers took into account factors such as how often people used e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes and if they had high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol. They also considered weight, physical activity and alcohol use.
They found that people who used e-cigarettes, tobacco cigarettes or both were more likely to be college dropouts or have only a high-school diploma. They were also more likely to be single, obese and binge drinkers.
Stanton Glantz, director of the Center for Tobacco Control, Research and Education at the University of California, San Francisco, said most people don't give up tobacco cigarettes for vaping. They're likely to use both, which boosts their risk for both strokes and heart attacks.
Some proponents of vaping suggest that if people had used e-cigarettes all along instead of tobacco, there would have been fewer strokes and heart attacks, he said.
"But that's not what the world is," Glantz said. "The world is smoking tobacco and adding e-cigarettes. Long-term, they're worse off than if they switch and no better off than if they use both."
The best strategy for your health is to not smoke or vape, Glantz said.
The report was published Jan. 7 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
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More information
For more about e-cigarettes, visit the U.S. Surgeon General.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-01-07--Watch: Railroad tracks covered in corn from apparent train spill

Jan. 7 ( UPI ) -- A 2,000-foot stretch of railroad tracks in Minnesota is going viral thanks to a @ @ @ @ @ corn that apparently spilled from a freight train .
The photo went viral Monday after @ @ @ @ @ the picture , which shows the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks filled with corn kernels in @ @ @ @ @ users questioned the authenticity of the photo , but the presence of the corn was @ @ @ @ @ estimated about 900 bushels of corn , worth about $ 3,436 , had spilled onto @ @ @ @ @ Pacific Railway did not comment on the corn , which observers said likely resulted from @ @ @ @ @ train , but crews were on the scene Tuesday working to clean up the spill @

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Jan. 7 (UPI) -- A 2,000-foot stretch of railroad tracks in Minnesota is going viral thanks to a photo showing them filled with corn that apparently spilled from a freight train.
The photo went viral Monday after Twitter user @380kmh posted the picture, which shows the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks filled with corn kernels in Crystal.
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Twitter and Reddit users questioned the authenticity of the photo, but the presence of the corn was confirmed Tuesday, and observers estimated about 900 bushels of corn, worth about $3,436, had spilled onto the tracks.
The Canada Pacific Railway did not comment on the corn, which observers said likely resulted from a leak in a freight train, but crews were on the scene Tuesday working to clean up the spill.


upi--2020-01-07--Large study shows no strong link between baby powder, ovarian cancer

Jan. 7 -- There 's been a longstanding debate -- and a slew of lawsuits -- over whether baby powder containing talc plays any role in the development of some cancers .
A large new study is n't likely to settle the controversy any time soon .
The latest research included more than 250,000 women and failed to find a statistically significant connection between talc-based powders and ovarian cancer .
But study author Katie O'Brien , an epidemiologist with the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences , said the findings are `` not definitive . ''
`` We found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk .
We can not establish causality .
If there is a true association [ between talc powder use and ovarian cancer ] , the increase would likely be very small , '' she explained .
Talc is a mineral that is sometimes found naturally in areas that also contain asbestos .
Asbestos is a known cancer-causing substance .
But U.S. manufacturers of cosmetic talc products agreed to ban asbestos in 1976 , according to the study .
Since that time , the International Agency for Research on Cancer has said there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use of talc-based body powder may be linked to cancer .
The use of talc powder has been linked to other types of cancer , such as mesothelioma .
Mesothelioma affects the tissue that lines the lungs and other organs .
A jury recently awarded a California couple nearly $ 30 million from Johnson & Johnson for the wife 's mesothelioma , according to a CNN report .
And just last week , the state of New Mexico filed a lawsuit against the company , accusing it of misleading consumers , especially children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the safety of its talc products .
The New Mexico lawsuit , the first to be filed by a state , is the latest in an avalanche of legal claims against the consumer products giant .
More than 16,800 other talc-related lawsuits have been filed on behalf of individuals , according to The New York Times .
How might talc powder cause ovarian cancer ?
The study authors explained that when women use talc-based powders in their genital area , the powder may enter the body and irritate tissue in the fallopian tubes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cause inflammation , and start a cascade of responses in the body that could contribute to the development of cancer .
But it 's not easy to prove that talc powders might lead to cancer with any certainty .
One reason why is that ovarian cancer is an uncommon cancer .
In this large group of more than a quarter million women , ovarian cancers were found in just under 2,200 women -- that 's less than 1 percent .
Plus , only 38 percent of women said they used powder in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 percent reported long-term use , and 22 percent reported frequent use .
Past studies that have found a link were `` case-control '' studies .
Dr. Dana Gossett , author of an editorial accompanying the study , explained that these type of studies compared people who have a disease with people who do n't .
`` If you 've just given someone a devastating diagnosis , they are far more likely to report using all sorts of things .
That 's because they 're looking for reasons why they have the condition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bias , '' Gossett explained , adding it 's a known concern with that type of study .
This latest research , published Jan. 7 in the Journal of the American Medical Association , combined four different prospective studies .
Those are studies that follow people over time , gathering information as they go .
`` This is the best study of this topic done to date , '' Gossett said .
`` They found no clear association to ovarian cancer with genital powder use at all . ''
She added that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who regularly used powder in the past .
`` This study is large enough and designed well enough that if there was a substantial risk , we would see it , '' Gossett said .
In a statement , Johnson & Johnson said , `` Another study has found there is no statistically significant association between use of talc for feminine hygiene and ovarian cancer .
This study drew from data already gathered on tens of thousands of women followed over many years and reaches a conclusion that is consistent with the more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clinical evidence that supports the safety of talc . ''
Study author O'Brien said the new research `` does n't give firm evidence one way or the other '' when it comes to the association between ovarian cancer and genital-area talc powder use .
She also noted that this study only looked at ovarian cancer , so it ca n't address any possible links between talc powder and any other type of cancer .
Read more about the debate over the talcum powder and cancer association from the American Cancer Society .

Jan. 7 -- There's been a longstanding debate -- and a slew of lawsuits -- over whether baby powder containing talc plays any role in the development of some cancers.
A large new study isn't likely to settle the controversy any time soon.
Advertisement
The latest research included more than 250,000 women and failed to find a statistically significant connection between talc-based powders and ovarian cancer.
But study author Katie O'Brien, an epidemiologist with the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, said the findings are "not definitive."
"We found a small, but nonstatistically significant, risk. We cannot establish causality. If there is a true association [between talc powder use and ovarian cancer], the increase would likely be very small," she explained.
Talc is a mineral that is sometimes found naturally in areas that also contain asbestos. Asbestos is a known cancer-causing substance. But U.S. manufacturers of cosmetic talc products agreed to ban asbestos in 1976, according to the study. Since that time, the International Agency for Research on Cancer has said there is only "possible" evidence that genital use of talc-based body powder may be linked to cancer.
Advertisement
The use of talc powder has been linked to other types of cancer, such as mesothelioma. Mesothelioma affects the tissue that lines the lungs and other organs. A jury recently awarded a California couple nearly $30 million from Johnson & Johnson for the wife's mesothelioma, according to a CNN report.
And just last week, the state of New Mexico filed a lawsuit against the company, accusing it of misleading consumers, especially children and black and Hispanic women, about the safety of its talc products.
The New Mexico lawsuit, the first to be filed by a state, is the latest in an avalanche of legal claims against the consumer products giant. More than 16,800 other talc-related lawsuits have been filed on behalf of individuals, according to The New York Times.
How might talc powder cause ovarian cancer? The study authors explained that when women use talc-based powders in their genital area, the powder may enter the body and irritate tissue in the fallopian tubes or ovaries. This irritation might then cause inflammation, and start a cascade of responses in the body that could contribute to the development of cancer.
But it's not easy to prove that talc powders might lead to cancer with any certainty. One reason why is that ovarian cancer is an uncommon cancer. In this large group of more than a quarter million women, ovarian cancers were found in just under 2,200 women -- that's less than 1 percent. Plus, only 38 percent of women said they used powder in their genital area. Of those, just 10 percent reported long-term use, and 22 percent reported frequent use.
Advertisement
Past studies that have found a link were "case-control" studies. Dr. Dana Gossett, author of an editorial accompanying the study, explained that these type of studies compared people who have a disease with people who don't.
"If you've just given someone a devastating diagnosis, they are far more likely to report using all sorts of things. That's because they're looking for reasons why they have the condition they have. It's called recall bias," Gossett explained, adding it's a known concern with that type of study.
This latest research, published Jan. 7 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, combined four different prospective studies. Those are studies that follow people over time, gathering information as they go.
"This is the best study of this topic done to date," Gossett said. "They found no clear association to ovarian cancer with genital powder use at all."
She added that this study may provide some reassurance to women who regularly used powder in the past. "This study is large enough and designed well enough that if there was a substantial risk, we would see it," Gossett said.
In a statement, Johnson & Johnson said, "Another study has found there is no statistically significant association between use of talc for feminine hygiene and ovarian cancer. This study drew from data already gathered on tens of thousands of women followed over many years and reaches a conclusion that is consistent with the more than 40 years of independent research and clinical evidence that supports the safety of talc."
Advertisement
Study author O'Brien said the new research "doesn't give firm evidence one way or the other" when it comes to the association between ovarian cancer and genital-area talc powder use. She also noted that this study only looked at ovarian cancer, so it can't address any possible links between talc powder and any other type of cancer.
More information
Read more about the debate over the talcum powder and cancer association from the American Cancer Society.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-01-07--Watch: Doorbell camera records cow's late night front porch visit

Jan. 7 ( UPI ) -- A British Columbia couple whose doorbell camera issued an unusual number of overnight alerts checked the footage and identified the late night visitor to their front porch : an escaped cow .
James Bailey said he and his wife installed a doorbell camera at their Sooke home a few months ago to help with package deliveries , but they were surprised when it gave an unusual number of overnight alerts Dec. 14 .
Bailey said he was surprised when he checked the footage the following day .
`` It was foggy and we could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sudden I see this little tiny light and that changed into two lights and then into a head and a whole body , '' he told CTV Vancouver .
The culprit was a cow standing on the front porch , with another bovine nearby .
`` It was like creatures coming out of the mist , '' Bailey said .
Bailey said the cows turned out to have escaped from a neighbor 's enclosure .
`` Apparently a bear knocked down the fence and that 's how they got out , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up by police and returned home .

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Jan. 7 (UPI) -- A British Columbia couple whose doorbell camera issued an unusual number of overnight alerts checked the footage and identified the late night visitor to their front porch: an escaped cow.
James Bailey said he and his wife installed a doorbell camera at their Sooke home a few months ago to help with package deliveries, but they were surprised when it gave an unusual number of overnight alerts Dec. 14.
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Bailey said he was surprised when he checked the footage the following day.
"It was foggy and we couldn't see anything and then all of a sudden I see this little tiny light and that changed into two lights and then into a head and a whole body," he told CTV Vancouver.
The culprit was a cow standing on the front porch, with another bovine nearby.
"It was like creatures coming out of the mist," Bailey said.
Bailey said the cows turned out to have escaped from a neighbor's enclosure.
"Apparently a bear knocked down the fence and that's how they got out," Bailey said.
The cows were rounded up by police and returned home.


upi--2020-01-07--In photos: See creation of SAG award statuettes

Finished statuettes for the upcoming Screen Actors Guild Awards are on display at the American Fine Arts Foundry .
Each @ @ @ @ @ engraved at its base .
Over 1,000 statuettes have been awarded since the award was @ @ @ @ @ Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI

Finished statuettes for the upcoming Screen Actors Guild Awards are on display at the American Fine Arts Foundry. Each statuette carries a serial number engraved at its base. Over 1,000 statuettes have been awarded since the award was first presented in 1995. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI


upi--2020-01-07--BTS to release 'Map of the Soul: 7' on Feb. 21

Jan. 7 ( UPI ) -- South Korean boy band BTS will release a new album in February .
The K-pop group 's agency , Big Hit Entertainment , announced Tuesday on WeVerse that BTS will release the album Map of the Soul : 7 on Feb. 21 .
Pre-orders for the album begin Thursday , with additional details to be announced on WeVerse and Fan Cafe .
`` We look forward to continued interest and support from all of our ARMY , '' Big Hit Entertainment said , referencing BTS fans , known as ARMY .
Map of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Soul : Persona , released in April .
`` Anticipation remains high as BTS continues the Map of the Soul series , '' a BTS rep said in a statement .
`` Global fans are eager to discover how the story will continue on from the previous installment , which explored the message of finding joy in love and reaching out to the world . ''
BTS had teased new music in an interview with Paper magazine in November .
`` We are currently practicing and working on new songs so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ourselves .
Please look forward to it , '' the group said .
BTS wished its fans a happy new year ahead of its performance Dec. 31 on New Year 's Eve during the Dick Clark 's New Year 's Rockin ' Eve special .
BTS consists of Jin , Suga , J-Hope , RM , Jimin , V and Jungkook , and debuted as a group in 2013 .
The group is known for the singles `` Spring Day , '' `` DNA , '' `` Fake Love , '' `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''

1/3
BTS will release "Map of the Soul: 7," a followup to "Map of the Soul: Persona," on February 21. File Photo by Corey Sipkin/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 7 (UPI) -- South Korean boy band BTS will release a new album in February. The K-pop group's agency, Big Hit Entertainment, announced Tuesday on WeVerse that BTS will release the album Map of the Soul: 7 on Feb. 21. Advertisement
Pre-orders for the album begin Thursday, with additional details to be announced on WeVerse and Fan Cafe.
"We look forward to continued interest and support from all of our ARMY," Big Hit Entertainment said, referencing BTS fans, known as ARMY.
Map of the Soul: 7 follows the EP Map of the Soul: Persona, released in April.
"Anticipation remains high as BTS continues the Map of the Soul series," a BTS rep said in a statement. "Global fans are eager to discover how the story will continue on from the previous installment, which explored the message of finding joy in love and reaching out to the world."
BTS had teased new music in an interview with Paper magazine in November.
"We are currently practicing and working on new songs so we can show you the best sides of ourselves. Please look forward to it," the group said.
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BTS wished its fans a happy new year ahead of its performance Dec. 31 on New Year's Eve during the Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve special.
BTS consists of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jungkook, and debuted as a group in 2013. The group is known for the singles "Spring Day," "DNA," "Fake Love," "Idol" and "Boy with Luv."


upi--2020-01-07--French government, unions resume pension talks amid transit strike

Jan. 7 ( UPI ) -- The French government and union representatives restarted negotiations Tuesday with the aim of ending the longest transportation strike in decades and coming to terms on reforms for the country 's pension programs .
The talks began as the protests against President Emmanuel Macron 's pension plan became the longest work strike since 1968 .
The transportation stoppage , which began Dec. 5 , is the longest in the train service 's nine-decade history .
Protests and the off-and-on public transit strikes have been ongoing for months since Macron announced plans to combine France 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His attempt to even out the retirement age across all systems to 64 has been a main source of contention for workers .
Currently , the official retirement age to receive a full pension in France is 62 .
Prime Minister Édouard Philippe said he believes the government and unions can come to an agreement .
Still , transit workers have n't called off the strikes , which have led to more than $ 650 million in lost ticket sales .
Rail systems expect to be about 75 percent operational overall Wednesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while the international Eurostar is about 90 percent operational .

Access to a subway station is closed during a strike in Paris on Sept. 13. File Photo by Ian Langsdon/EPA-EFE
Jan. 7 (UPI) -- The French government and union representatives restarted negotiations Tuesday with the aim of ending the longest transportation strike in decades and coming to terms on reforms for the country's pension programs. The talks began as the protests against President Emmanuel Macron's pension plan became the longest work strike since 1968. The transportation stoppage, which began Dec. 5, is the longest in the train service's nine-decade history. Advertisement
Protests and the off-and-on public transit strikes have been ongoing for months since Macron announced plans to combine France's various pension plans into one system. His attempt to even out the retirement age across all systems to 64 has been a main source of contention for workers. Currently, the official retirement age to receive a full pension in France is 62.
Prime Minister Édouard Philippe said he believes the government and unions can come to an agreement. Still, transit workers haven't called off the strikes, which have led to more than $650 million in lost ticket sales.
Rail systems expect to be about 75 percent operational overall Wednesday. The Channel Tunnel service is fully operational, while the international Eurostar is about 90 percent operational.
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upi--2020-01-07--GM China warns of 2020 challenges after 15.1 percent drop in sales

Jan. 7 ( UPI ) -- General Motors China said Tuesday it expects a tough market in 2020 after sales there declined 15.1 percent last year .
In 2019 , China full-year sales dropped to nearly 3.1 million vehicles compared with 3.6 million in 2018 , including a 13.3 percent drop in the fourth quarter alone , a report released Tuesday showed .
The decline is in its second consecutive year .
In 2018 , sales slumped about 10 percent , its first ever decline from the previous year , plunging more than 25 percent in the fourth quarter alone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downturn comes amid a weakening Chinese economy and the U.S.-China trade war .
`` During the downturn , we are focused on bolstering our product lineup and improving cost efficiency to position our company for strong performance in China over the long term , '' GM China President Matt Tsien said in the press release .
`` We expect the market downturn to continue in 2020 , and anticipate headwinds in our China business . ''
GM sales by brands in China , including Buick , Chevrolet , Wuling and Baojun , each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ digits -- with the exception of Wuling falling by 5 percent -- the report showed .
On the bright side , Cadillac sales in China hit an all-time high of 213,717 units in 2019 , a 3.9 percent increase over the previous year , a GM news release said .
The company said that it 's also on track to introduce at least 10 electric vehicles , known as new energy vehicles , in China , between 2016 and 2020 .

General Motors expects challenges in the China market in 2020 after sales there declined 15.1 percent last year. Photo by Brian Kersey/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 7 (UPI) -- General Motors China said Tuesday it expects a tough market in 2020 after sales there declined 15.1 percent last year. In 2019, China full-year sales dropped to nearly 3.1 million vehicles compared with 3.6 million in 2018, including a 13.3 percent drop in the fourth quarter alone, a report released Tuesday showed. Advertisement
The decline is in its second consecutive year. In 2018, sales slumped about 10 percent, its first ever decline from the previous year, plunging more than 25 percent in the fourth quarter alone, a company report shows.
The downturn comes amid a weakening Chinese economy and the U.S.-China trade war.
"During the downturn, we are focused on bolstering our product lineup and improving cost efficiency to position our company for strong performance in China over the long term," GM China President Matt Tsien said in the press release. "We expect the market downturn to continue in 2020, and anticipate headwinds in our China business."
GM sales by brands in China, including Buick, Chevrolet, Wuling and Baojun, each fell last year, mostly in double digits -- with the exception of Wuling falling by 5 percent -- the report showed.
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On the bright side, Cadillac sales in China hit an all-time high of 213,717 units in 2019, a 3.9 percent increase over the previous year, a GM news release said. The company said that it's also on track to introduce at least 10 electric vehicles, known as new energy vehicles, in China, between 2016 and 2020.


upi--2020-01-07--Chase cardholders eligible for free DoorDash delivery in new perk

Jan. 7 ( UPI ) -- Credit card issuer Chase said Tuesday it has tapped the growing restaurant delivery space by partnering with DoorDash to provide a new perk for certain cardholders .
Under the new partnership , Chase customers holding Sapphire , Freedom , and Slate cards will be eligible for complimentary DashPass subscriptions , which normally cost $ 9.99 per month .
The subscriptions offer unlimited free restaurant delivery and reduced service fees on orders of $ 12 or more from DoorDash .
Chase said the DashPass has become the largest subscription service in the industry with more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using it , members can save an average of $ 4-5 per order from an extensive roster of restaurants such as the Cheesecake Factory , Burger King and Chipotle nationwide as well as local favorites like Bay Cities in Los Angeles and Portillo 's in Chicago .
Under the promotion , Chase Sapphire Reserve and Preferred cardholders will receive a one-year complimentary DashPass , while Freedom , Freedom Unlimited , Freedom Student and Slate cardholders will receive complimentary DashPass for three months followed by a 50 percent discount price for the next nine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chase Branded Cards , said the move to partner with DoorDash is logical given the quickly increasing spending on restaurant delivery by cardholders .
`` Across Chase branded cards , we 've seen spending with food delivery more than double in the last year , and the majority of those cardmembers are ordering-in on average at least one time per month , '' she said .
The restaurant trade website Restaurant Dive said the partnership appeared to be the first in which a credit card provider has tied member benefits to a restaurant @ @ @

Chase is offering a new DoorDash perk for cardholders. File photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Credit card issuer Chase said Tuesday it has tapped the growing restaurant delivery space by partnering with DoorDash to provide a new perk for certain cardholders. Under the new partnership, Chase customers holding Sapphire, Freedom, and Slate cards will be eligible for complimentary DashPass subscriptions, which normally cost $9.99 per month. The subscriptions offer unlimited free restaurant delivery and reduced service fees on orders of $12 or more from DoorDash. Advertisement
Chase said the DashPass has become the largest subscription service in the industry with more than 1.5 million active subscribers. By using it, members can save an average of $4-5 per order from an extensive roster of restaurants such as the Cheesecake Factory, Burger King and Chipotle nationwide as well as local favorites like Bay Cities in Los Angeles and Portillo's in Chicago.
Under the promotion, Chase Sapphire Reserve and Preferred cardholders will receive a one-year complimentary DashPass, while Freedom, Freedom Unlimited, Freedom Student and Slate cardholders will receive complimentary DashPass for three months followed by a 50 percent discount price for the next nine months.
Catherine Hogan, president of Chase Branded Cards, said the move to partner with DoorDash is logical given the quickly increasing spending on restaurant delivery by cardholders.
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"Across Chase branded cards, we've seen spending with food delivery more than double in the last year, and the majority of those cardmembers are ordering-in on average at least one time per month," she said.
The restaurant trade website Restaurant Dive said the partnership appeared to be the first in which a credit card provider has tied member benefits to a restaurant delivery service.


upi--2020-01-07--'The Masked Dancer' series coming to Fox

Jan. 7 ( UPI ) -- The Masked Dancer , a new series produced by Ellen DeGeneres , is coming to Fox .
The network said in a press release Tuesday that it is teaming with DeGeneres on the reality competition featuring celebrities in costume .
The Masked Dancer is inspired by The Masked Singer , which completed a second season on Fox in December .
On the new series , celebrity contestants will perform dances in head-to-toe costumes as the audience tries to guess their identities .
`` The Masked Dancer '' started as a segment on The Ellen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mandel , Sean Hayes , Derek Hough and The Masked Singer judge Ken Jeong competed on the show .
`` We 're still blown away by The Masked Singer 's massive impact on pop culture , but when Ellen debuted her own inventive segment , 'The Masked Dancer , ' on her show , we were truly amazed , '' Fox Entertainment president of alternative entertainment and specials Rob Wade said in a statement .
`` We are thrilled to partner with Ellen on this new format and take The Masked Dancer to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` This is gon na be just as fun and suspenseful as The Masked Singer , but with a lot more Kruming , '' DeGeneres said .
`` And I can not wait ! ''
The Masked Singer , which originated as a South Korean game show , has iterations in countries around the world .
The U.S. version features Jeong , Robin Thicke , Jenny McCarthy and Nicole Scherzinger as judges , and will premiere a third season Feb. 2 following Super Bowl LIV .
Celebrities including Donny Osmond , Gladys Knight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Patti LaBelle have competed in the U.S. version of The Masked Singer .
Singer T-Pain won Season 1 , while actor Wayne Brady won Season 2 .

Ellen DeGeneres will produce "The Masked Singer" spinoff "The Masked Dancer," a reality competition featuring celebrities in costume. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 7 (UPI) -- The Masked Dancer, a new series produced by Ellen DeGeneres, is coming to Fox. The network said in a press release Tuesday that it is teaming with DeGeneres on the reality competition featuring celebrities in costume. Advertisement
The Masked Dancer is inspired by The Masked Singer, which completed a second season on Fox in December. On the new series, celebrity contestants will perform dances in head-to-toe costumes as the audience tries to guess their identities.
"The Masked Dancer" started as a segment on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in January 2019. Howie Mandel, Sean Hayes, Derek Hough and The Masked Singer judge Ken Jeong competed on the show.
"We're still blown away by The Masked Singer's massive impact on pop culture, but when Ellen debuted her own inventive segment, 'The Masked Dancer,' on her show, we were truly amazed," Fox Entertainment president of alternative entertainment and specials Rob Wade said in a statement. "We are thrilled to partner with Ellen on this new format and take The Masked Dancer to a whole new creative level."
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"This is gonna be just as fun and suspenseful as The Masked Singer, but with a lot more Kruming," DeGeneres said. "And I cannot wait!"
The Masked Singer, which originated as a South Korean game show, has iterations in countries around the world. The U.S. version features Jeong, Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy and Nicole Scherzinger as judges, and will premiere a third season Feb. 2 following Super Bowl LIV.
Celebrities including Donny Osmond, Gladys Knight, Tori Spelling, Michelle Williams and Patti LaBelle have competed in the U.S. version of The Masked Singer. Singer T-Pain won Season 1, while actor Wayne Brady won Season 2.


upi--2020-01-07--Pink, Carey Hart give thanks on 14th wedding anniversary

Jan. 7 ( UPI ) -- Pink and Carey Hart are feeling grateful on their 14th wedding anniversary .
The 40-year-old singer and 44-year-old former motocross competitor marked the occasion Tuesday by dedicating sweet posts to each other on Instagram .
Pink shared a slideshow of photos from throughout her relationship with Hart , including pictures with the couple 's two kids , daughter Willow , 8 , and son Jameson , 3 .
`` So many years , So many hairstyles @ hartluck , '' Pink wrote .
`` We 've been at this thing a long time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I 'm grateful it 's ours .
I love our family . ''
`` Thank you for walking in front of me , beside me , and right behind me at times .
'You 're a real man , carey hart . '
# agreetodisagree # fightnice # wehatethesamepeople # myrock # noonemakesmeangrierthanyou # butyouresuperhot , '' she added .
Hart expressed his gratitude in a post on his own account .
`` 14 years married to this amazing woman , '' Hart wrote .
`` I 'm so proud of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Both of us came from broken homes , yet we made the choice to work hard at our relationship .
And look at us now !
Two misfits when we met , we have grown together and now have an amazing family . ''
`` Thank you for being my best friend ( I know you do n't like that ) , and amazing mother to our wild kids , '' he added .
`` I love you so much . ''
NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson , former motocross racer Ricky Carmichael and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to congratulate Pink and Hart in the comments .
`` Bring back the frosted bangs ! ''
Johnson joked .
`` Congrats to you both . ''
`` Congrats you guys .
@ pink you got a lot of patience sticking with this clown for 14 years .
ALl the best you two , '' Carmichael said .
`` Happy Anniversary .
I love you two together .
So beautiful , '' Jenkins added .
Pink and Hart also recently celebrated son Jameson 's third birthday in December .
`` You bring so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boy , '' Pink wrote in a tribute on Instagram .
`` You are such an amazing kid , and I love you so much , '' Hart said .
`` You are a constant crack up , and enjoy every moment with you . ''
Pink announced Sunday that she donated $ 500,000 on behalf of herself and her family to help fight the bushfires in Australia .
`` I am totally devastated watching what is happening in Australia right now with the horrific bushfires , '' she said .
`` My @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family in Oz . ''
Pink last released her eighth studio album , Hurts 2B Human , in April .

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Pink (second from right) and Carey Hart (L), pictured with son Jameson (L) and daughter Willow, voiced their gratitude for their marriage and their family on their wedding anniversary. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Pink and Carey Hart are feeling grateful on their 14th wedding anniversary. The 40-year-old singer and 44-year-old former motocross competitor marked the occasion Tuesday by dedicating sweet posts to each other on Instagram. Advertisement
Pink shared a slideshow of photos from throughout her relationship with Hart, including pictures with the couple's two kids, daughter Willow, 8, and son Jameson, 3.
"So many years, So many hairstyles @hartluck," Pink wrote. "We've been at this thing a long time, babe. It isn't perfect, but I'm grateful it's ours. I love our family."
"Thank you for walking in front of me, beside me, and right behind me at times. 'You're a real man, carey hart.' #agreetodisagree #fightnice #wehatethesamepeople #myrock #noonemakesmeangrierthanyou #butyouresuperhot," she added.
Hart expressed his gratitude in a post on his own account.
"14 years married to this amazing woman," Hart wrote. "I'm so proud of the life that we have built together. Both of us came from broken homes, yet we made the choice to work hard at our relationship. And look at us now! Two misfits when we met, we have grown together and now have an amazing family."
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"Thank you for being my best friend (I know you don't like that), and amazing mother to our wild kids," he added. "I love you so much."
NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson, former motocross racer Ricky Carmichael and personal trainer Jeanette Jenkins were among those to congratulate Pink and Hart in the comments.
"Bring back the frosted bangs!" Johnson joked. "Congrats to you both."
"Congrats you guys. @pink you got a lot of patience sticking with this clown for 14 years. ALl the best you two," Carmichael said.
"Happy Anniversary. I love you two together. So beautiful," Jenkins added.
Pink and Hart also recently celebrated son Jameson's third birthday in December.
"You bring so much light to the world, my boy," Pink wrote in a tribute on Instagram.
"You are such an amazing kid, and I love you so much," Hart said. "You are a constant crack up, and enjoy every moment with you."
Pink announced Sunday that she donated $500,000 on behalf of herself and her family to help fight the bushfires in Australia.
"I am totally devastated watching what is happening in Australia right now with the horrific bushfires," she said. "My heart goes out to our friends and family in Oz."
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Pink last released her eighth studio album, Hurts 2B Human, in April.


upi--2020-01-08--Stephen Fry to host BBC's 'Fantastic Beasts' special

Jan. 8 ( UPI ) -- BBC One is working with Warner Bros. and London 's Natural History Museum on a one-hour , television special called Fantastic Beasts : A Natural History .
Comedian and television personality Stephen Fry will host the documentary .
`` Footage from the BBC Natural History Unit 's extensive treasure trove of archive content , alongside spellbinding scenes from the Fantastic Beasts films will show how closely real world animals , mythological creatures and wizarding world beasts are intertwined , '' a network press release said .
The movies are based on the magical stories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rowling .
`` I could not be more delighted to be a part of this magnificent opportunity for us Muggles to show the wizarding world that the fantastic beasts in our world are more than a match for theirs , '' Fry , who also narrated the Harry Potter audio books , said in a statement Wednesday .
`` Joining forces with the combined powers of the fabulous BBC , its legendary Natural History Unit and the magical Natural History Museum we hope to be able to bring you closer than you 've @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spectacular and extraordinary creatures ever seen . ''
A related exhibition called Fantastic Beasts : The Wonder of Nature is slated to open at the museum this spring .
Rowling 's Harry Potter books have been adapted as eight blockbuster movies , which were released theatrically 2001-11 .
They were followed by the prequels Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in 2016 and Fantastic Beasts : The Crimes of Grindelwald in 2018 .

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Comedian Stephen Fry is set to host the BBC's "Fantastic Beasts: A Natural History" special. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 8 (UPI) -- BBC One is working with Warner Bros. and London's Natural History Museum on a one-hour, television special called Fantastic Beasts: A Natural History. Comedian and television personality Stephen Fry will host the documentary. Advertisement
"Footage from the BBC Natural History Unit's extensive treasure trove of archive content, alongside spellbinding scenes from the Fantastic Beasts films will show how closely real world animals, mythological creatures and wizarding world beasts are intertwined," a network press release said.
The movies are based on the magical stories and creatures of Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.
"I could not be more delighted to be a part of this magnificent opportunity for us Muggles to show the wizarding world that the fantastic beasts in our world are more than a match for theirs," Fry, who also narrated the Harry Potter audio books, said in a statement Wednesday. "Joining forces with the combined powers of the fabulous BBC, its legendary Natural History Unit and the magical Natural History Museum we hope to be able to bring you closer than you've ever been to some of the most spectacular and extraordinary creatures ever seen."
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A related exhibition called Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature is slated to open at the museum this spring.
Rowling's Harry Potter books have been adapted as eight blockbuster movies, which were released theatrically 2001-11. They were followed by the prequels Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in 2016 and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald in 2018.


upi--2020-01-08--Watch: Rachel Brosnahan says 'Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' fans are 'disappointed' with her blonde hair on

Watch: Rachel Brosnahan says 'Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' fans are 'disappointed' with her blonde hair on 'Kimmel'

Jan. 8 ( UPI ) -- Rachel Brosnahan said on Jimmy Kimmel Live that fans of her show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel get disappointed when they realize she has blonde hair .
Brosnahan , who is naturally blonde , stars as the title character on Amazon 's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel where she dons a brunette wig .
`` We have an incredible hair and makeup team who make the wig seem so seamless that in real life people do n't know that I am blonde and get very confused and somewhat disappointed upon meeting me , '' the actress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a constant disappointment these days , I 'm getting accustomed to it , '' she continued before detailing an encounter she had with a disappointed fan at a Marvelous Mrs. Maisel meet-and-greet .
`` There was a woman who waited in the line and she got up to the front and goes , 'You do n't look anything like Mrs. Maisel , ' '' Brosnahan said .
The fan also commented on how Brosnahan does n't sound like her character either .
Brosnahan also detailed how Rami Malek and Amy Poehler helped her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clip-on bowtie at the Golden Globes .
`` People say celebrities are mean , that Hollywood 's kind of a toxic place .
We felt very supported , '' she said .
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 3 arrived in December .
A fourth season is also planned .

Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Rachel Brosnahan said on Jimmy Kimmel Live that fans of her show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel get disappointed when they realize she has blonde hair.
Brosnahan, who is naturally blonde, stars as the title character on Amazon's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel where she dons a brunette wig.
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"We have an incredible hair and makeup team who make the wig seem so seamless that in real life people don't know that I am blonde and get very confused and somewhat disappointed upon meeting me," the actress said on Tuesday.
"I'm a constant disappointment these days, I'm getting accustomed to it," she continued before detailing an encounter she had with a disappointed fan at a Marvelous Mrs. Maisel meet-and-greet.
"There was a woman who waited in the line and she got up to the front and goes, 'You don't look anything like Mrs. Maisel,'" Brosnahan said. The fan also commented on how Brosnahan doesn't sound like her character either.
Brosnahan also detailed how Rami Malek and Amy Poehler helped her husband Jason Ralph fix his broken, clip-on bowtie at the Golden Globes.
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"People say celebrities are mean, that Hollywood's kind of a toxic place. We felt very supported," she said.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 3 arrived in December. A fourth season is also planned.


upi--2020-01-08--Major airlines to avoid Iranian airspace after missile attack

Jan. 8 ( UPI ) -- Several major international airlines announced Wednesday they will divert flights around Iranian airspace after a missile attack by Tehran that targeted U.S. bases in Iraq , and a government ban on American flights in the Persian Gulf region .
Malaysia Airlines , Lufthansa , Singapore Airlines , China Airlines and Qantas were among the carriers who said they will avoid Iranian airspace amid the escalating conflict between Iran and the United States .
Iran fired more than a dozen missiles at two U.S. bases in Iraq early Wednesday where U.S. and coalition forces were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strike in Baghdad last week that killed Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander Qassem Soleimani .
Many air routes connecting Southeast Asia and Europe pass over Iran .
Singapore Airlines said it is `` monitoring the situation closely '' and will make `` appropriate adjustments to our routes if necessary . ''
Taiwan 's EVA Air said it had already begun avoiding Iran as a precautionary move .
Major U.S. commercial airlines do not fly over Iran , but the Federal Aviation Administration issued flight restrictions Tuesday barring U.S. civil aviation operators from airspace over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gulf and Gulf of Oman .
`` The FAA will continue closely monitoring events in the Middle East .
We continue coordinating with our national security partners and sharing information with U.S. air carriers and foreign civil aviation authorities , '' the agency said .
A Ukrainian Boeing 737 taking off from Iran crashed Wednesday near Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran , killing all 176 people on board , Iranian state news media said .
The Ukraine International Airlines flight was headed for Kiev with 167 passengers and nine crew when it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ southwest of Tehran .
Iranian and Ukrainian officials said the crash was likely the result of a technical failure .
U.S. President Donald Trump said he will respond to the missile attack Wednesday morning .

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Germany-based Lufthansa is one of several international carriers that said it will go around Iranian airspace following a missile attack on U.S. bases in Iraq Wednesday. File Photo by Jim Bryant/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Several major international airlines announced Wednesday they will divert flights around Iranian airspace after a missile attack by Tehran that targeted U.S. bases in Iraq, and a government ban on American flights in the Persian Gulf region. Malaysia Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, China Airlines and Qantas were among the carriers who said they will avoid Iranian airspace amid the escalating conflict between Iran and the United States. Advertisement
Iran fired more than a dozen missiles at two U.S. bases in Iraq early Wednesday where U.S. and coalition forces were stationed -- retaliation for a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad last week that killed Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander Qassem Soleimani.
Many air routes connecting Southeast Asia and Europe pass over Iran.
Singapore Airlines said it is "monitoring the situation closely" and will make "appropriate adjustments to our routes if necessary." Taiwan's EVA Air said it had already begun avoiding Iran as a precautionary move.
Major U.S. commercial airlines do not fly over Iran, but the Federal Aviation Administration issued flight restrictions Tuesday barring U.S. civil aviation operators from airspace over Iraq and the waters of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.
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"The FAA will continue closely monitoring events in the Middle East. We continue coordinating with our national security partners and sharing information with U.S. air carriers and foreign civil aviation authorities," the agency said.
A Ukrainian Boeing 737 taking off from Iran crashed Wednesday near Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran, killing all 176 people on board, Iranian state news media said.
The Ukraine International Airlines flight was headed for Kiev with 167 passengers and nine crew when it crashed near Parand, about 35 miles southwest of Tehran.
Iranian and Ukrainian officials said the crash was likely the result of a technical failure.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he will respond to the missile attack Wednesday morning.