upi--2020-06-11--Analyst: North Korea mentions Black Lives Matter as distraction

NEW YORK , June 11 ( UPI ) -- North Korea 's rare mention of Black Lives Matter protests in the United States has no relation to authentic concern for basic human rights of marginalized groups , a North Korean analyst from a Japanese university said Thursday .
Pyongyang could be trying to distract from its own record of rights abuses , Sandra Fahy , an associate professor of anthropology at Sophia University in Tokyo , said during a webcast hosted by The Korea Society .
North Korea has used movements like Black Lives Matter to blame the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` North Korea does not believe in Black Lives Matter , '' Fahy said .
`` North Korea is interested in operationalizing the movement of Black Lives Matter '' to bring attention to its own position .
The Kim Jong Un regime wants the world to believe they are in the predicament they are in , because of `` U.S. imperialism , '' Fahy said .
Last month during a regular evening news program , North Korea 's KCTV reported a `` murder of a black person by a white police officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said protests had erupted to condemn the police 's `` racist behavior against black people , '' and that as protests grew in size the governor of Minnesota had declared a state of emergency .
North Korea , a country where ordinary people are not given opportunities to demonstrate against the state , has not referred to the protests again .
North Korea `` needs human rights violations '' to sustain itself , Fahy said .
`` Violations are intrinsic to the state . ''
Fahy 's latest book , Dying for Rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Record , comes five years after the publication of the United Nations ' Commission of Inquiry report into North Korea human rights .
The report concluded Pyongyang systematically violated people 's rights and that ordinary North Koreans were unprotected from crimes against humanity , including `` extermination , murder , enslavement , torture , imprisonment , rape , forced abortions and other sexual violence ; persecution on political , religious , racial and gender grounds . ''
Sung-Yoon Lee , a professor at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of North Korea 's crimes has `` no parallel in the contemporary world . ''
North Korea is unique , Lee said , because it is the only country that claims no human rights violations within its borders .
Fahy , who interviewed North Korean defectors and viewed hours of North Korean videos and speeches at institutions like the U.N. , said her findings were `` enraging , depressing . ''
As North Korea launched a `` campaign of denial '' despite evidence of systematic abuses , defectors told Fahy of what she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's ongoing campaign of terror against its own citizens .
Ordinary North Koreans are summoned to witness events like public executions such that they feel disempowered and unable to mobilize against authorities , according to Fahy .
`` Children are [ also ] drawn to bear witness to these horrific scenes , '' Lee said , referring to a chapter in Fahy 's book .
North Korea is able to engage in rampant human rights abuses for other reasons .
Its citizens are `` quite unaware their rights are being violated , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food or banned from moving to a different part of the country , Fahy said .
`` Even though they claim to have laws , you ca n't really live and survive according to the law . ''
Fahy , who launched bottles of rice into waters near the Korean demilitarized zone with defectors before the practice drew intense scrutiny , said recent pressure from Pyongyang to end the distribution of leaflets and other material across the border reflects North Korea 's insecurities .
Fahy also said the administration of South Korean President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defectors by prohibiting freedom of expression .
Seoul said this week it is moving forward with charges against defectors for leaflet distribution and related activities , following complaints from Pyongyang .
`` The fact that the Moon administration is bowing to the wishes of Kim Jong Un and [ his sister ] Kim Yo Jong must make them react with such glee , as well . ''

North Korea has condemned racism in the United States amid mounting evidence of rampant human rights abuses within its borders. Pyongyang has claimed there are no rights violations in the country. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
NEW YORK, June 11 (UPI) -- North Korea's rare mention of Black Lives Matter protests in the United States has no relation to authentic concern for basic human rights of marginalized groups, a North Korean analyst from a Japanese university said Thursday. Pyongyang could be trying to distract from its own record of rights abuses, Sandra Fahy, an associate professor of anthropology at Sophia University in Tokyo, said during a webcast hosted by The Korea Society. Advertisement
North Korea has used movements like Black Lives Matter to blame the United States for Pyongyang's setbacks, she said.
"North Korea does not believe in Black Lives Matter," Fahy said. "North Korea is interested in operationalizing the movement of Black Lives Matter" to bring attention to its own position.
The Kim Jong Un regime wants the world to believe they are in the predicament they are in, because of "U.S. imperialism," Fahy said.
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Last month during a regular evening news program, North Korea's KCTV reported a "murder of a black person by a white police officer" in Minneapolis.
State media also said protests had erupted to condemn the police's "racist behavior against black people," and that as protests grew in size the governor of Minnesota had declared a state of emergency. North Korea, a country where ordinary people are not given opportunities to demonstrate against the state, has not referred to the protests again.
North Korea "needs human rights violations" to sustain itself, Fahy said.
"Violations are intrinsic to the state."
Fahy's latest book, Dying for Rights: Putting North Korea's Rights Abuses on the Record, comes five years after the publication of the United Nations' Commission of Inquiry report into North Korea human rights.
The report concluded Pyongyang systematically violated people's rights and that ordinary North Koreans were unprotected from crimes against humanity, including "extermination, murder, enslavement, torture, imprisonment, rape, forced abortions and other sexual violence; persecution on political, religious, racial and gender grounds."
Sung-Yoon Lee, a professor at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, said Thursday the scope of North Korea's crimes has "no parallel in the contemporary world."
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North Korea is unique, Lee said, because it is the only country that claims no human rights violations within its borders.
Fahy, who interviewed North Korean defectors and viewed hours of North Korean videos and speeches at institutions like the U.N., said her findings were "enraging, depressing."
As North Korea launched a "campaign of denial" despite evidence of systematic abuses, defectors told Fahy of what she describes in the book as the state's ongoing campaign of terror against its own citizens.
Ordinary North Koreans are summoned to witness events like public executions such that they feel disempowered and unable to mobilize against authorities, according to Fahy.
"Children are [also] drawn to bear witness to these horrific scenes," Lee said, referring to a chapter in Fahy's book.
North Korea is able to engage in rampant human rights abuses for other reasons. Its citizens are "quite unaware their rights are being violated," even when they are denied access to food or banned from moving to a different part of the country, Fahy said.
"Even though they claim to have laws, you can't really live and survive according to the law."
Fahy, who launched bottles of rice into waters near the Korean demilitarized zone with defectors before the practice drew intense scrutiny, said recent pressure from Pyongyang to end the distribution of leaflets and other material across the border reflects North Korea's insecurities.
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"North Korea doesn't fear information. They fear the truth."
Fahy also said the administration of South Korean President Moon Jae-in is violating the rights of defectors by prohibiting freedom of expression. Seoul said this week it is moving forward with charges against defectors for leaflet distribution and related activities, following complaints from Pyongyang.
"The fact that the Moon administration is bowing to the wishes of Kim Jong Un and [his sister] Kim Yo Jong must make them react with such glee, as well."


upi--2020-06-11--Lower chance of El Niño this year means higher risk of busy hurricane season

June 11 ( UPI ) -- Federal forecasters predicted Thursday there 's less of a chance that an El Niño will form this year , bumping up the chances that an already-above-average Atlantic hurricane season will be more active .
El Niño conditions mean sea water in the Pacific Ocean is warmer than average , suppressing hurricane activity .
On the other end of the spectrum , La Niña conditions mean colder sea water and an increased hurricane activity .
Both fall under what 's known as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation climate pattern .
When that pattern does n't include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ water , it 's known as ENSO-neutral .
The Climate Prediction Center said there 's a 60 percent chance the Pacific Ocean will be ENSO-neutral during the summer months .
And there 's an equal chance of La Niña and ENSO-neutral conditions during the autumn in the northern hemisphere , potentially making for a more active Atlantic hurricane season .
The season has already included three named storms -- Arthur , Bertha and Cristobal -- all three of which formed before the official start of the season on June 1 .
The Climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hurricane season in May .
The agency , operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , said there will be between 13 and 19 named storms this year , six to 10 of which will become hurricanes .
Of those , three to six will strengthen to major hurricanes -- Category 3 or higher .
A typical hurricane season produces 12 named storms , six of which become hurricanes , including three major hurricanes .
The NOAA predictions fall in line with forecasts by Colorado State University and AccuWeather scientists .

The Climate Prediction Center already expects an above-normal hurricane season this year. File Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo
June 11 (UPI) -- Federal forecasters predicted Thursday there's less of a chance that an El Niño will form this year, bumping up the chances that an already-above-average Atlantic hurricane season will be more active. El Niño conditions mean sea water in the Pacific Ocean is warmer than average, suppressing hurricane activity. On the other end of the spectrum, La Niña conditions mean colder sea water and an increased hurricane activity. Advertisement
Both fall under what's known as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation climate pattern. When that pattern doesn't include either unusually warm or unusually cold sea water, it's known as ENSO-neutral.
The Climate Prediction Center said there's a 60 percent chance the Pacific Ocean will be ENSO-neutral during the summer months. And there's an equal chance of La Niña and ENSO-neutral conditions during the autumn in the northern hemisphere, potentially making for a more active Atlantic hurricane season.
The season has already included three named storms -- Arthur, Bertha and Cristobal -- all three of which formed before the official start of the season on June 1.
The Climate Prediction Center predicted an above-normal 2020 Atlantic hurricane season in May. The agency, operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said there will be between 13 and 19 named storms this year, six to 10 of which will become hurricanes. Of those, three to six will strengthen to major hurricanes -- Category 3 or higher.
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A typical hurricane season produces 12 named storms, six of which become hurricanes, including three major hurricanes.
The NOAA predictions fall in line with forecasts by Colorado State University and AccuWeather scientists.


upi--2020-06-11--Measuring speed of solar storms arriving at Earth can help predict severity

June 11 ( UPI ) -- To protect astronauts and satellites from dangerous and disruptive solar radiation , space weather forecasters need to pay closer attention to the speed of solar eruptions as they approach Earth , researchers say .
Solar storms are caused by solar phenomena called coronal mass ejections .
According to a new study , published this week in the journal Space Weather , measuring the speed at which solar storms are traveling when they hit Earth can help researchers predict the storm 's threat to astronauts and space-based communication systems .
By measuring the speed at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sun 's surface , forecasters can more accurately predict when storms will hit Earth .
But not all solar storms harm satellites .
Simply predicting when Earth-bound solar storms will arrive is sure to trigger plenty of false alarms .
`` Not all solar storms trigger severe space weather at Earth , '' lead study author Mathew Owens , professor and space scientist at the University of Reading , told UPI in an email .
`` Therefore just predicting when a storm will arrive at Earth is of limited use for predicting space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having a forecast of when there 'll be a cloud overhead and hoping to use that to predict when it will rain . ''
To determine how useful it is to know when coronal mass ejections will hit Earth , Owens and his colleagues turned to historic solar storm measurements .
`` We have a database of around 20 years of observations of solar storms both close to the sun and just moments before they reach the Earth , '' Owens said .
`` This database was used to perform 'hindcasts ' -- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact -- and test how useful it is to know when a solar storm will arrive . ''
The data showed that accurately predicting the arrival of solar storms is of limited use .
However , the analysis showed the speed solar storms are moving at when they arrive at Earth can help forecasters better predict which storms are most likely to pose a risk to astronauts and satellites .
`` We 're hoping to use the same approach and data set to determine 'how good is good enough ' for space weather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How accurately do you need to know when a solar storm will arrive at Earth , or how precisely do you need to know how fast it will be moving when it gets here , in order for it to be useful . ''

The speed at which a coronal mass ejection leaps from the sun can help scientists predict when it will hit Earth, but the data isn't particularly useful for predicting a solar storm's severity. Photo by NASA
June 11 (UPI) -- To protect astronauts and satellites from dangerous and disruptive solar radiation, space weather forecasters need to pay closer attention to the speed of solar eruptions as they approach Earth, researchers say. Solar storms are caused by solar phenomena called coronal mass ejections. According to a new study, published this week in the journal Space Weather, measuring the speed at which solar storms are traveling when they hit Earth can help researchers predict the storm's threat to astronauts and space-based communication systems. Advertisement
By measuring the speed at which coronal mass ejections leap from the sun's surface, forecasters can more accurately predict when storms will hit Earth.
But not all solar storms harm satellites. Simply predicting when Earth-bound solar storms will arrive is sure to trigger plenty of false alarms.
"Not all solar storms trigger severe space weather at Earth," lead study author Mathew Owens, professor and space scientist at the University of Reading, told UPI in an email. "Therefore just predicting when a storm will arrive at Earth is of limited use for predicting space weather. It's a bit like having a forecast of when there'll be a cloud overhead and hoping to use that to predict when it will rain."
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To determine how useful it is to know when coronal mass ejections will hit Earth, Owens and his colleagues turned to historic solar storm measurements.
"We have a database of around 20 years of observations of solar storms both close to the sun and just moments before they reach the Earth," Owens said. "This database was used to perform 'hindcasts' -- that is, make forecasts after the fact -- and test how useful it is to know when a solar storm will arrive."
The data showed that accurately predicting the arrival of solar storms is of limited use. However, the analysis showed the speed solar storms are moving at when they arrive at Earth can help forecasters better predict which storms are most likely to pose a risk to astronauts and satellites.
Researchers plan to conduct similar hindcast surveys to improve solar storm warning systems.
"We're hoping to use the same approach and data set to determine 'how good is good enough' for space weather forecasting?" Owens said. "How accurately do you need to know when a solar storm will arrive at Earth, or how precisely do you need to know how fast it will be moving when it gets here, in order for it to be useful."


upi--2020-06-11--Senate Armed Services Committee advances $740B defense policy bill

June 11 ( UPI ) -- The Senate Armed Services Committee said Thursday that it has advanced a $ 740.5 billion defense policy bill in a bipartisan vote .
The panel voted 25-2 for the National Defense Authorization Act , supporting $ 740.5 billion in fiscal year 2021 funding for national defense , in a closed-door meeting Wednesday .
The committee 's approval means that the bill will head to the Senate floor .
The vote was `` overwhelmingly bipartisan , '' the Senate Committee on Armed Services Chairman Jim Inhofe , R-Okla. , and ranking member , Sen. Jack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
The committee adopted 229 bipartisan amendments after considering 391 , according to the statement .
Among those amendments , was one requiring the Pentagon to rename military bases that were named after Confederate leaders .
The naming of the bases after Confederate leaders has come under renewed national scrutiny after the killing of George Floyd , 46 , on Memorial Day , during an arrest by Minneapolis police officers , responding to a report of a man passing a counterfeit bill at a store .
Video of a white officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black man for nearly nine minutes as he was dying sparked worldwide protests against systemic racism and police brutality .
U.S. Army posts in question were named decades after the end of the Civil War .
Earlier this month , the Pentagon moved about 1,600 active-duty Army troops to help authorities respond to protests sparked after Floyd was killed if needed .
The threat to deploy the military in response to protesters has sparked backlash , reflected in another amendment to the NDAA , which bars the use of troops against protesters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ funding is designated for the usual defense issues , including a base defense budget of 636.4 billion within the Department of Defense .
Other funds designated include $ 25.9 billion for national security programs within the Department of Energy , $ 69 billion for Overseas Contingency Operation and $ 8.15 billion for military construction .
The bill also includes a 3 percent pay raise for troops that the administration requested .
`` The bipartisan NDAA is a needed step toward strengthening national security and prioritizing national defense resources , '' the ranking member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It provides our troops with a well-deserved pay raise and tools to protect the health and well-being of our forces and their families .
I commend Chairman Inhofe for his bipartisan leadership , collaboration , and commitment to ensuring our troops have a budget and policies to match their extraordinary courage and sacrifice . ''

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman James Inhofe (L) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (R) said Thursday that the committee has advanced the 2021 defense policy bill. File Pool Photo by Shawn Thew/UPI | License Photo
June 11 (UPI) -- The Senate Armed Services Committee said Thursday that it has advanced a $740.5 billion defense policy bill in a bipartisan vote. The panel voted 25-2 for the National Defense Authorization Act, supporting $740.5 billion in fiscal year 2021 funding for national defense, in a closed-door meeting Wednesday. Advertisement
The committee's approval means that the bill will head to the Senate floor.
The vote was "overwhelmingly bipartisan," the Senate Committee on Armed Services Chairman Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., and ranking member, Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, said in a statement.
The committee adopted 229 bipartisan amendments after considering 391, according to the statement.
Among those amendments, was one requiring the Pentagon to rename military bases that were named after Confederate leaders.
The naming of the bases after Confederate leaders has come under renewed national scrutiny after the killing of George Floyd, 46, on Memorial Day, during an arrest by Minneapolis police officers, responding to a report of a man passing a counterfeit bill at a store. Video of a white officer kneeling on the neck of the unarmed black man for nearly nine minutes as he was dying sparked worldwide protests against systemic racism and police brutality.
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U.S. Army posts in question were named decades after the end of the Civil War.
Earlier this month, the Pentagon moved about 1,600 active-duty Army troops to help authorities respond to protests sparked after Floyd was killed if needed.
The threat to deploy the military in response to protesters has sparked backlash, reflected in another amendment to the NDAA, which bars the use of troops against protesters.
Still, most of the bill's funding is designated for the usual defense issues, including a base defense budget of 636.4 billion within the Department of Defense. Other funds designated include $25.9 billion for national security programs within the Department of Energy, $69 billion for Overseas Contingency Operation and $8.15 billion for military construction.
The bill also includes a 3 percent pay raise for troops that the administration requested.
"The bipartisan NDAA is a needed step toward strengthening national security and prioritizing national defense resources," the ranking member, Reed said in the statement. "It provides our troops with a well-deserved pay raise and tools to protect the health and well-being of our forces and their families. I commend Chairman Inhofe for his bipartisan leadership, collaboration, and commitment to ensuring our troops have a budget and policies to match their extraordinary courage and sacrifice."


upi--2020-06-11--Marijuana concentrates raise THC levels, but not the 'high,' analysis finds

June 11 ( UPI ) -- High-potency marijuana flower and concentrates do n't get users any more intoxicated than lower potency forms , according to a study published Thursday by JAMA Psychiatry .
While users of marijuana concentrates have blood levels of tetrahydrocannabinol , or THC , more than twice those of who smoke flower , their self-reports of intoxication , or `` feeling high , '' were remarkably similar .
So were their measures of balance and cognitive impairment , the authors found .
THC is the main psychoactive component of marijuana .
`` Surprisingly , we found that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' study co-author Cinnamon Bidwell , an assistant professor in the University of Colorado-Boulder 's Institute of Cognitive Science , said in a statement .
`` While we saw striking differences in blood levels between the two groups , they were similarly impaired , '' Bidwell said .
In all , 33 states have legalized medicinal marijuana use , and 11 have legalized recreational use of the drug , although it remains illegal at the federal level , according to Bidwell and her colleagues .
Researchers are prohibited from handling or administering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supplied by the government , which contain far less THC than real-world products , they said .
To test the marijuana products people really use , Bidwell and her colleagues employed two Dodge Sprinter vans they call `` cannavans '' as mobile laboratories .
They drove the vans to the residences of study subjects who purchased cannabis on their own , consumed it and then walked outside for tests , they said .
For the current study , funded in part by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment , the team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the researchers .
Half typically used concentrates -- oils , extracts and waxes that include the active ingredients without leaves or stems -- while rest used flower from the plant , with leaves and stems , they said .
Flower users purchased a product containing either 16 percent or 24 percent THC , while concentrate users were assigned to a product containing either 70 percent or 90 percent THC , the researchers noted .
On test day , Bidwell and her team drew the participants ' blood , measured their mood and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and balance at three points -- before , directly after and one hour after they used marijuana .
Those who used concentrates had much higher THC levels at all three points , with levels spiking to 1,016 micrograms per milliliter in the few minutes after use , while flower users peaked at 455 micrograms per milliliter , the analysis found .
Among all users , balance was about 11 percent worse after using cannabis , and memory was compromised up to one hour after use , the researchers said .
The researchers are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have such high THC levels without greater intoxication , but they suspect that regular users of concentrates likely develop a tolerance over time .
Genetic or biological differences that make some people metabolize THC more quickly might exist , too , they said .
Also , once compounds in marijuana , called cannabinoids , fill receptors in the brain that spark intoxication , additional cannabinoids might have little impact , the researchers said .
The findings also raise concern that using concentrates could unnecessarily put people at greater long-term risk of side effects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the researchers hope to learn what , if any , long-term health risks concentrates pose .
`` It raises a lot of questions about how quickly the body builds up tolerance to cannabis and whether people might be able to achieve desired results at lower doses , '' Bidwell said .

Users of marijuana concentrates get more THC, but the same high, a new study has found. Photo by Julia Teichmann/Pixabay
June 11 (UPI) -- High-potency marijuana flower and concentrates don't get users any more intoxicated than lower potency forms, according to a study published Thursday by JAMA Psychiatry. While users of marijuana concentrates have blood levels of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, more than twice those of who smoke flower, their self-reports of intoxication, or "feeling high," were remarkably similar. So were their measures of balance and cognitive impairment, the authors found. Advertisement
THC is the main psychoactive component of marijuana.
"Surprisingly, we found that potency did not track with intoxication levels," study co-author Cinnamon Bidwell, an assistant professor in the University of Colorado-Boulder's Institute of Cognitive Science, said in a statement.
"While we saw striking differences in blood levels between the two groups, they were similarly impaired," Bidwell said.
In all, 33 states have legalized medicinal marijuana use, and 11 have legalized recreational use of the drug, although it remains illegal at the federal level, according to Bidwell and her colleagues.
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Researchers are prohibited from handling or administering marijuana, although some have used strains supplied by the government, which contain far less THC than real-world products, they said.
To test the marijuana products people really use, Bidwell and her colleagues employed two Dodge Sprinter vans they call "cannavans" as mobile laboratories. They drove the vans to the residences of study subjects who purchased cannabis on their own, consumed it and then walked outside for tests, they said.
For the current study, funded in part by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the team assessed 121 regular cannabis users, according to the researchers.
Half typically used concentrates -- oils, extracts and waxes that include the active ingredients without leaves or stems -- while rest used flower from the plant, with leaves and stems, they said.
Flower users purchased a product containing either 16 percent or 24 percent THC, while concentrate users were assigned to a product containing either 70 percent or 90 percent THC, the researchers noted.
On test day, Bidwell and her team drew the participants' blood, measured their mood and intoxication level and assessed their cognitive function and balance at three points -- before, directly after and one hour after they used marijuana.
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Those who used concentrates had much higher THC levels at all three points, with levels spiking to 1,016 micrograms per milliliter in the few minutes after use, while flower users peaked at 455 micrograms per milliliter, the analysis found.
Among all users, balance was about 11 percent worse after using cannabis, and memory was compromised up to one hour after use, the researchers said.
The researchers aren't sure how the concentrate group could have such high THC levels without greater intoxication, but they suspect that regular users of concentrates likely develop a tolerance over time.
Genetic or biological differences that make some people metabolize THC more quickly might exist, too, they said.
Also, once compounds in marijuana, called cannabinoids, fill receptors in the brain that spark intoxication, additional cannabinoids might have little impact, the researchers said.
The findings also raise concern that using concentrates could unnecessarily put people at greater long-term risk of side effects, the authors said. Ultimately, the researchers hope to learn what, if any, long-term health risks concentrates pose.
"It raises a lot of questions about how quickly the body builds up tolerance to cannabis and whether people might be able to achieve desired results at lower doses," Bidwell said.
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upi--2020-06-11--'Aggressive outreach' needed to get stimulus funds to 12M who don't file taxes

June 11 ( UPI ) -- State and local leaders must carry out `` an aggressive outreach program '' to ensure stimulus payments reach some 12 million Americans who did n't file tax returns in the past two years , a public policy think tank said Thursday .
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities said those who did n't file taxes in 2018 or 2019 risk losing out on the stimulus payments under the CARES Act .
The law , passed in March , gave direct stimulus payments to individuals based on their income during the 2018 and 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardship brought on by the coronavirus pandemic .
The Internal Revenue Service automatically sent the payments -- either through direct deposit or by a check in the mail -- to those who filed and met the income requirements , and those who did n't have to file taxes because they receive Social Security or other benefits .
That left about 12 million Americans who qualify to receive the stimulus checks but do n't make enough money to file taxes .
The IRS directed these individuals to use a website to enter their information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` An aggressive outreach program is needed at the state and local levels to inform eligible individuals , who by definition have very low incomes , that they are eligible and to help them undertake the required steps , '' said the think tank , which calls itself non-partisan , though critics have described it as left-leaning .
`` These funds would go to extremely low-income individuals and families at a time when need is rising due to the pandemic .
And ensuring these people apply for and receive the payments for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and state economies , in which much of the money will be spent . ''
The CBPP said the group of non-filers is disproportionately people of color ; 27 percent are black , twice that of the overall population .
Nineteen percent are Latino .
`` Ensuring that low-income people of color receive the payments for which they qualify is especially important given emerging evidence that they are being hit hardest by both the economic and health effects of the pandemic , '' the think tank said .
The CBPP said about 75 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Program benefits and/or Medicaid .
The organization suggested state and local leaders perform outreach to non-filers through those two programs .
Others can be reached through public education efforts with other groups , including those that work with people who are homeless .

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities said people of color disproportionately don't have to file taxes because of lower incomes, putting them at risk of not receiving a stimulus payment. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
June 11 (UPI) -- State and local leaders must carry out "an aggressive outreach program" to ensure stimulus payments reach some 12 million Americans who didn't file tax returns in the past two years, a public policy think tank said Thursday. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities said those who didn't file taxes in 2018 or 2019 risk losing out on the stimulus payments under the CARES Act. Advertisement
The law, passed in March, gave direct stimulus payments to individuals based on their income during the 2018 and 2019 filing years in response to the economic hardship brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. The Internal Revenue Service automatically sent the payments -- either through direct deposit or by a check in the mail -- to those who filed and met the income requirements, and those who didn't have to file taxes because they receive Social Security or other benefits.
That left about 12 million Americans who qualify to receive the stimulus checks but don't make enough money to file taxes. The IRS directed these individuals to use a website to enter their information by Oct. 15 to receive the payments.
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"An aggressive outreach program is needed at the state and local levels to inform eligible individuals, who by definition have very low incomes, that they are eligible and to help them undertake the required steps," said the think tank, which calls itself non-partisan, though critics have described it as left-leaning.
"These funds would go to extremely low-income individuals and families at a time when need is rising due to the pandemic. And ensuring these people apply for and receive the payments for which they qualify will also benefit local and state economies, in which much of the money will be spent."
The CBPP said the group of non-filers is disproportionately people of color; 27 percent are black, twice that of the overall population. Nineteen percent are Latino.
"Ensuring that low-income people of color receive the payments for which they qualify is especially important given emerging evidence that they are being hit hardest by both the economic and health effects of the pandemic," the think tank said.
The CBPP said about 75 percent of non-filers receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits and/or Medicaid. The organization suggested state and local leaders perform outreach to non-filers through those two programs. Others can be reached through public education efforts with other groups, including those that work with people who are homeless.


upi--2020-06-11--Watch: BTS shares animated 'We Are Bulletproof: The Eternal' video

The K-pop group shared a video Thursday for the song `` We Are Bulletproof : The Eternal . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ video shows animated versions of the BTS members undergoing a journey .
The group sings @ @ @ @ @ together and with its fans , known as Army .
BTS released `` We Are @ @ @ @ @ BTS Festa 2020 .
The series of events celebrates the seventh anniversary of BTS ' @ @ @ @ @ Cool 4 Skool , which officially falls Friday .
On Wednesday , BTS shared a @ @ @ @ @ recreating their first birthday party .
The group released a special family portrait last week @ @ @ @ @ on social causes , voicing its support for the Black Lives Matter movement last week @ @ @ @ @ Floyd 's death .
BTS fans have helped raise more than $ 1 million for @ @ @ @ @

June 11 (UPI) -- South Korean boy band BTS has released a new, animated music video.
The K-pop group shared a video Thursday for the song "We Are Bulletproof: The Eternal."
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The "We Are Bulletproof" video shows animated versions of the BTS members undergoing a journey. The group sings about how it is stronger together and with its fans, known as Army.
BTS released "We Are Bulletproof" as part of BTS Festa 2020. The series of events celebrates the seventh anniversary of BTS' debut single album, 2 Cool 4 Skool, which officially falls Friday.
On Wednesday, BTS shared a video that shows the group recreating their first birthday party. The group released a special family portrait last week.
BTS is also focused on social causes, voicing its support for the Black Lives Matter movement last week in the wake of George Floyd's death. BTS fans have helped raise more than $1 million for BLM since June 1.
BTS performs on 'Good Morning America'


upi--2020-06-11--Kelly Clarkson files for divorce from Brandon Blackstock

June 11 ( UPI ) -- Kelly Clarkson and her husband , Brandon Blackstock , are headed for divorce .
@ @ @ @ @ 38 , filed for divorce from Blackstock June 4 in Los Angeles after nearly seven @ @ @ @ @ Weekly confirmed the split Thursday .
The Blast said Clarkson and Blackstock recently put their @ @ @ @ @ .
Clarkson and Blackstock married in October 2013 and have two children together , daughter @ @ @ @ @ and son Remy Alexander , 4 .
Blackstock has two other children , daughter Savannah @ @ @ @ @ Seth , 13 , from his previous marriage .
Blackstock , River , Remy and @ @ @ @ @ birthday in a sweet video message in April .
`` Happy birthday , baby .
@ @ @ @ @ you 'll ever know , '' Blackstock said in the clip .
Clarkson has been @ @ @ @ @ The Kelly Clarkson Show , from home amid the coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ July 3 as part of the Today concert series .

1/3
Kelly Clarkson (R) filed for divorce from Brandon Blackstock after nearly seven years of marriage. File Photo by Dennis Van Tine/UPI | License Photo
June 11 (UPI) -- Kelly Clarkson and her husband, Brandon Blackstock, are headed for divorce. Entertainment Tonight reported Clarkson, 38, filed for divorce from Blackstock June 4 in Los Angeles after nearly seven years of marriage. Advertisement
Us Weekly confirmed the split Thursday. The Blast said Clarkson and Blackstock recently put their family home up for sale.
Clarkson and Blackstock married in October 2013 and have two children together, daughter River Rose, 5, and son Remy Alexander, 4. Blackstock has two other children, daughter Savannah, 18, and son Seth, 13, from his previous marriage.
Blackstock, River, Remy and Seth wished Clarkson a happy birthday in a sweet video message in April.
"Happy birthday, baby. I love you more than you'll ever know," Blackstock said in the clip.
Clarkson has been filming her talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, from home amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. She is slated to perform July 3 as part of the Today concert series.
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upi--2020-06-12--Mets draft two-time cancer survivor Eric Orze

June 12 ( UPI ) -- The New York Mets selected two-time cancer survivor Eric Orze in the fifth round of the 2020 MLB Draft .
Orze , 22 , is a right-handed pitcher from the University of New Orleans .
The 6-foot-4 , 195-pound prospect was the No .
150 overall pick in Thursday 's final round .
Orze missed most of the 2018 season and the entire 2019 season after he was diagnosed with testicular cancer and melanoma .
He posted a 2.75 ERA with a 3-0 record and had 29 strikeouts in 19.2 innings in 2020 before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic .
The Elk Grove , Ill. , native had just four college starts but has a fastball that can reach 95 mph .
He also has a splitter and a slider .
Baseball American named Orze as one of the Top 10 biggest sleepers in the 2020 MLB Draft .
`` Cancer survivor ...
This is a kid that will not quit , '' Mets vice president of international and amateur scouting Tommy Tanous told reporters .
`` He really wo n't .
Our scouts fell in love with his split @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Orze also had a 5.18 ERA with 61 strikeouts and 55 walks in 15 games in 2017 at Northwest Florida State Junior College before he transferred to New Orleans .
The Mets began the draft with the selection of outfielder Pete Crow with the No .
19 overall pick in the first round .
They then took right-handed pitcher J.T .
Ginn at No .
52 overall .
The Mets also drafted outfielder Isaiah Greene , shortstop Anthony Walkers and catcher Matthew Dyer .
The Houston Astros selected University of California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ final pick of the draft .

June 12 (UPI) -- The New York Mets selected two-time cancer survivor Eric Orze in the fifth round of the 2020 MLB Draft.
Orze, 22, is a right-handed pitcher from the University of New Orleans. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound prospect was the No. 150 overall pick in Thursday's final round.
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Orze missed most of the 2018 season and the entire 2019 season after he was diagnosed with testicular cancer and melanoma. He posted a 2.75 ERA with a 3-0 record and had 29 strikeouts in 19.2 innings in 2020 before the campaign was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Elk Grove, Ill., native had just four college starts but has a fastball that can reach 95 mph. He also has a splitter and a slider. Baseball American named Orze as one of the Top 10 biggest sleepers in the 2020 MLB Draft.
"Cancer survivor ... This is a kid that will not quit," Mets vice president of international and amateur scouting Tommy Tanous told reporters. "He really won't. Our scouts fell in love with his split finger, to tell you the truth."
Orze also had a 5.18 ERA with 61 strikeouts and 55 walks in 15 games in 2017 at Northwest Florida State Junior College before he transferred to New Orleans.
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The Mets began the draft with the selection of outfielder Pete Crow with the No. 19 overall pick in the first round. They then took right-handed pitcher J.T. Ginn at No. 52 overall. The Mets also drafted outfielder Isaiah Greene, shortstop Anthony Walkers and catcher Matthew Dyer.
The Houston Astros selected University of California San Diego shortstop Shay Whitcomb with the final pick of the draft.


upi--2020-06-12--Save democracy: Expand Congress, limit Supreme Court terms, mandate voting

June 12 ( UPI ) -- Expand the size of Congress .
Place term limits on Supreme Court justices .
Make voting mandatory .
These are just some of the more provocative recommendations for revitalizing our democracy from the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences .
The 31 proposals , unveiled Thursday , come after two years of research into the system 's dysfunction and deliberation about how to make it work better .
But the unveiling , as the 84-page report notes , also comes at a particularly stressful moment for an American democracy in which extreme partisanship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address important national problems .
That gridlock is magnified by a president who 's repeatedly challenged decades of governing norms standing for re-election in five months ; by a pandemic that has killed more than 100,000 Americans and propelled the country into deep recession this spring ; and by weeks of nationwide protests demanding rapid systemic change to salve decades of anger and anguish at police brutality and systemic racism .
The recommendations `` touch all sectors of American life and offer a bold path that will require all of us to commit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' David Oxtoby , president of the 240-year-old academy , said in releasing the report .
`` A disruptive media and information environment , outdated political institutions , economic and social inequality and hyperpartisan political leadership have laid bare the urgency of this imperative . ''
The report outlines a bleak picture of the current state of democracy -- its condition hobbled by such ailments as low voter turnout , a loss of trust in Congress and other governing institutions , and the one-third of millennials who say they do n't consider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ institutions has collapsed , '' the report concludes , `` while an online culture of gleeful , nihilistic cynicism thrives . ''
Still , the commission found reasons to be optimistic that `` reinvention of our constitutional democracy remains entirely within reach -- and urgently needed . ''
The recommendations include a raft of policy proposals from the mainstream democracy reform agenda -- and many of them were embraced by the Democratic House last year with passage of the comprehensive package dubbed HR 1 , which the Republican Senate will never touch .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the box .
And , notably , the academy does not join the chorus forming this year behind making voting-by-mail the nationwide norm -- although it does say absentee balloting should be encouraged nationwide this fall , along with money to count votes reliably and fast , because of the coronavirus crisis .
These are some of the most prominent proposals , which the report puts in six categories : • Substantially enlarging the House of Representatives from its current 435 seats so that each member has fewer constituents than today 's average @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not specified .
• Using ranked-choice voting for presidential , congressional and state elections .
This process allows voters to rate candidates for each position in order of preference , with automatic runoffs weeding out the least popular until a single person backed by a majority emerges .
• Turning the drawing of legislative district boundaries over to citizen redistricting commissions in all 50 states , as a way to end gerrymandering by political parties driven to preserve their power .
• Amending the Constitution to effectively overturn the Citizens United v. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decade ago , thereby permitting stricter state and federal laws to control campaign contributions and spending .
• Restricting justices to 18 years on the Supreme Court , with appointments staggered so one seat comes open in each two-year term of Congress .
• Giving them more choices about where to vote through vote centers and early in-person voting .
• Conducting federal elections on Veterans Day so that voting occurs when many have the day off .
• Allowing every person to register as late as Election Day and be automatically registered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ driver 's license agency .
• Permitting 16-year-olds to preregister and giving them options to practice voting for two years .
• Requiring people to vote in federal elections unless they provide a valid reason , similar to what 's required in more than a dozen other countries , including such functional democracies as Australia and Belgium .
Those who do n't vote would face a small fine .
• Creating orientation for voters participating in their first federal elections .
• Experimenting with citizens ' assemblies to allow members of the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their policy proposals hold sway in Congress .
• Establishing a National Trust for Civic Infrastructure to subsidize local groups that promote community engagement and better citizenship .
It would be funded from private sources at first , but the panel said Congress should consider chipping in .
• Subsidizing innovative efforts to replenish the news delivery system displaced in recent years by social media .
One idea is taxing digital advertising and using the revenue to support experimental media platforms and expand local and regional investigative journalism .
• Establishing an expectation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to some form of public service and expanding funding for service programs and fellowships .
• Investing more in civic education at all grade levels .
`` We have no time to waste , '' the report concludes .
`` For love of freedom and equality , for love of country , for love of one another , and out of hope for a better future , we need to reclaim our bond . ''
The report was produced by a Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship , which convened 49 public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its own research after it was established two years ago by the AAAS .
The academy -- created by several of the Founders in 1790 to highlight the finest minds in science , scholarship , business , public affairs and the arts -- is focused now on conducting policy studies in response to societal challenges .

Extreme partisanship has crippled the U.S. government's ability to address important national problems. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
June 12 (UPI) -- Expand the size of Congress. Place term limits on Supreme Court justices. Make voting mandatory. These are just some of the more provocative recommendations for revitalizing our democracy from the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The 31 proposals, unveiled Thursday, come after two years of research into the system's dysfunction and deliberation about how to make it work better. Advertisement
But the unveiling, as the 84-page report notes, also comes at a particularly stressful moment for an American democracy in which extreme partisanship has crippled the government's ability to address important national problems.
That gridlock is magnified by a president who's repeatedly challenged decades of governing norms standing for re-election in five months; by a pandemic that has killed more than 100,000 Americans and propelled the country into deep recession this spring; and by weeks of nationwide protests demanding rapid systemic change to salve decades of anger and anguish at police brutality and systemic racism.
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The recommendations "touch all sectors of American life and offer a bold path that will require all of us to commit to reinventing aspects of our constitutional democracy," David Oxtoby, president of the 240-year-old academy, said in releasing the report. "A disruptive media and information environment, outdated political institutions, economic and social inequality and hyperpartisan political leadership have laid bare the urgency of this imperative."
The report outlines a bleak picture of the current state of democracy -- its condition hobbled by such ailments as low voter turnout, a loss of trust in Congress and other governing institutions, and the one-third of millennials who say they don't consider democracy as essential.
"Trust in institutions has collapsed," the report concludes, "while an online culture of gleeful, nihilistic cynicism thrives."
Still, the commission found reasons to be optimistic that "reinvention of our constitutional democracy remains entirely within reach -- and urgently needed."
The recommendations include a raft of policy proposals from the mainstream democracy reform agenda -- and many of them were embraced by the Democratic House last year with passage of the comprehensive package dubbed HR 1, which the Republican Senate will never touch.
But several of them are relatively outside the box. And, notably, the academy does not join the chorus forming this year behind making voting-by-mail the nationwide norm -- although it does say absentee balloting should be encouraged nationwide this fall, along with money to count votes reliably and fast, because of the coronavirus crisis.
Advertisement
These are some of the most prominent proposals, which the report puts in six categories:
Boosting equality by:
Substantially enlarging the House of Representatives from its current 435 seats so that each member has fewer constituents than today's average of 750,000, although the exact number is not specified.
Using ranked-choice voting for presidential, congressional and state elections. This process allows voters to rate candidates for each position in order of preference, with automatic runoffs weeding out the least popular until a single person backed by a majority emerges.
Turning the drawing of legislative district boundaries over to citizen redistricting commissions in all 50 states, as a way to end gerrymandering by political parties driven to preserve their power.
Amending the Constitution to effectively overturn the Citizens United v. FEC decision by the Supreme Court a decade ago, thereby permitting stricter state and federal laws to control campaign contributions and spending.
Restricting justices to 18 years on the Supreme Court, with appointments staggered so one seat comes open in each two-year term of Congress.
Empowering voters by:
Giving them more choices about where to vote through vote centers and early in-person voting.
Conducting federal elections on Veterans Day so that voting occurs when many have the day off.
Allowing every person to register as late as Election Day and be automatically registered when they do business with their state driver's license agency.
Permitting 16-year-olds to preregister and giving them options to practice voting for two years.
Requiring people to vote in federal elections unless they provide a valid reason, similar to what's required in more than a dozen other countries, including such functional democracies as Australia and Belgium. Those who don't vote would face a small fine.
Creating orientation for voters participating in their first federal elections.
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Enhancing governmental responsiveness by:
Experimenting with citizens' assemblies to allow members of the public to convene in blocs big enough that their policy proposals hold sway in Congress.
Expanding civic engagement by:
Establishing a National Trust for Civic Infrastructure to subsidize local groups that promote community engagement and better citizenship. It would be funded from private sources at first, but the panel said Congress should consider chipping in.
Improving communication by:
Subsidizing innovative efforts to replenish the news delivery system displaced in recent years by social media. One idea is taxing digital advertising and using the revenue to support experimental media platforms and expand local and regional investigative journalism.
Bolstering commitment to democracy by:
Establishing an expectation that every American would devote a year to some form of public service and expanding funding for service programs and fellowships.
Investing more in civic education at all grade levels.
"We have no time to waste," the report concludes. "For love of freedom and equality, for love of country, for love of one another, and out of hope for a better future, we need to reclaim our bond."
The report was produced by a Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship, which convened 49 public listening sessions across the country and commissioned its own research after it was established two years ago by the AAAS. The academy -- created by several of the Founders in 1790 to highlight the finest minds in science, scholarship, business, public affairs and the arts -- is focused now on conducting policy studies in response to societal challenges.


upi--2020-06-12--Watch: Keke Palmer says 'we all need to come together' on 'Kimmel'

June 12 ( UPI ) -- Keke Palmer appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live to discuss the protests surrounding the death of George Floyd and the viral video of herself speaking with National Guardsmen .
Palmer was recently filmed asking National Guardsmen to march with protesters .
The clip , which has garnered 25 million views , shows the National Guardsmen deciding not to march , but they do take a knee alongside protesters .
`` I just felt like why ca n't they be with us , marching with us , '' Palmer said Thursday about her decision to speak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel like there 's such a division being created in society right now from every angle whether you 're in the military , whether you 're black , white whatever .
I just felt like we all need to come together and I think I just was really overwhelmed .
I did n't know really what I was saying , I was just really speaking from my heart , '' she continued .
Floyd , 46 , was an unarmed black man who died while handcuffed and pinned to the ground by police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Derek Chauvin was videotaped placing his knee on Floyd 's neck who said `` I ca n't breathe . ''
Chauvin and the three other officers involved have been fired and charged .

June 12 (UPI) -- Keke Palmer appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live to discuss the protests surrounding the death of George Floyd and the viral video of herself speaking with National Guardsmen.
Palmer was recently filmed asking National Guardsmen to march with protesters. The clip, which has garnered 25 million views, shows the National Guardsmen deciding not to march, but they do take a knee alongside protesters.
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"I just felt like why can't they be with us, marching with us," Palmer said Thursday about her decision to speak with the National Guardsmen.
"I feel like there's such a division being created in society right now from every angle whether you're in the military, whether you're black, white whatever. I just felt like we all need to come together and I think I just was really overwhelmed. I didn't know really what I was saying, I was just really speaking from my heart," she continued.
Floyd, 46, was an unarmed black man who died while handcuffed and pinned to the ground by police in Minneapolis on Memorial Day. Officer Derek Chauvin was videotaped placing his knee on Floyd's neck who said "I can't breathe." Chauvin and the three other officers involved have been fired and charged.


upi--2020-06-12--Ravens' John Harbaugh says NFL's COVID-19 rules 'humanly impossible'

June 12 ( UPI ) -- Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh says the NFL 's new coronavirus pandemic safety guidelines for facilities are `` humanly impossible '' to follow .
Harbaugh made the comments during a radio interview Thursday on Baltimore 's 105.7 The Fan .
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell issued the protocols Sunday in a memo sent to teams .
The rules will be enforced when all players are allowed to return to team facilities , which have been closed to most players and coaches since March .
`` I 've seen all the memos on that , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's impossible what they 're asking us to do .
Humanly impossible , '' Harbaugh said .
`` So , we 're going to do everything we can do .
We 're going to space , we 're going to have masks .
`` But , you know , it 's a communication sport .
We have to be able to communicate with each other in person .
We have to practice . ''
NFL facilities were permitted to reopen to players for treatments on May 19 .
Teams will be required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans as part of the new guidelines .
Players and team staff must wear masks at all times while at facilities , unless they ca n't wear a mask due to athletic activity .
Teams must also provide an adequate supply of surgical and cloth masks for players and staff and provide goggles , full face shields , gowns and gloves for medical staffers .
Those at the facilities must replace surgical masks and wash cloth masks daily and players must rotate team-provided cloth masks every three days .
Access will also be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff must undergo daily screening and testing before entrance .
Teams are required to create protocols for players to maintain 6 feet of distance when at facilities , which includes locker rooms .
`` I 'm pretty sure the huddle is not going to be 6-feet spaced , '' Harbaugh said .
`` Are guys going to shower one at a time all day ?
Are guys going to lift weights one at a time all day ?
`` These are things the league and the [ players ' association ] needs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get agreed with some common sense so we can operate in a 13-hour day in training camp that they 're giving us and get our work done .
`` That 's the one thing , you can tell by my voice , I 'm a little frustrated with what I 'm hearing there .
And I think they need to get that pinned down a little better . ''
The NFL has canceled in-person minicamps but training camps are scheduled to start in July .
Teams will meet virtually until at least June @ @

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh doesn't think it will be possible for teams to follow the NFL's COVID-19 safety guidelines for six feet of distance at team facilities. File Photo by David Tulis/UPI | License Photo
June 12 (UPI) -- Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh says the NFL's new coronavirus pandemic safety guidelines for facilities are "humanly impossible" to follow. Harbaugh made the comments during a radio interview Thursday on Baltimore's 105.7 The Fan. Advertisement
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell issued the protocols Sunday in a memo sent to teams. The rules will be enforced when all players are allowed to return to team facilities, which have been closed to most players and coaches since March.
"I've seen all the memos on that, and to be quite honest with you, it's impossible what they're asking us to do. Humanly impossible," Harbaugh said. "So, we're going to do everything we can do. We're going to space, we're going to have masks.
"But, you know, it's a communication sport. We have to be able to communicate with each other in person. We have to practice."
NFL facilities were permitted to reopen to players for treatments on May 19. Teams will be required to submit a copy of infectious disease plans as part of the new guidelines.
Players and team staff must wear masks at all times while at facilities, unless they can't wear a mask due to athletic activity. Teams must also provide an adequate supply of surgical and cloth masks for players and staff and provide goggles, full face shields, gowns and gloves for medical staffers.
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Those at the facilities must replace surgical masks and wash cloth masks daily and players must rotate team-provided cloth masks every three days.
Access will also be restricted throughout the facilities. Players and staff must undergo daily screening and testing before entrance. Teams are required to create protocols for players to maintain 6 feet of distance when at facilities, which includes locker rooms.
"I'm pretty sure the huddle is not going to be 6-feet spaced," Harbaugh said. "Are guys going to shower one at a time all day? Are guys going to lift weights one at a time all day?
"These are things the league and the [players' association] needs to get a handle on and needs to get agreed with some common sense so we can operate in a 13-hour day in training camp that they're giving us and get our work done.
"That's the one thing, you can tell by my voice, I'm a little frustrated with what I'm hearing there. And I think they need to get that pinned down a little better."
The NFL has canceled in-person minicamps but training camps are scheduled to start in July. Teams will meet virtually until at least June 26.


upi--2020-06-12--British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair ask High Court to nix quarantine

Stylist Katie Winston ( R ) cuts the hair of customer Dee Broderick on the sidewalk outside the 7-0-3 Salon @ @ @ @ @ on May 26 .
Although stylists and customers wear masks , the salon has offered @ @ @ @ @ outdoors for those who may have coronavirus concerns .
Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | Dentist @ @ @ @ @ drill at his office in Chesterfield , Mo.
, on May 19 .
Sherstoff has @ @ @ @ @ that destroys airborne viruses that could be transmitted by the drill , and all staff @ @ @ @ @ masks , gloves and face shields to protect themselves .
Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI |

A British Airways Airbus A380 arrives at Washington Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C. The carrier joined two others Friday in appealing a new quarantine rule imposed by the British government. File Photo by Molly Riley/UPI | License Photo
June 12 (UPI) -- British Airways, easyJet and Ryanair asked Britain's High Court Friday to take action against the government's new quarantine rule that requires passengers arriving from abroad to self-isolate for two weeks. In a court filing, the airlines complained that the rule, which has been in effect for five days, has had a severe impact on tourism and the British economy and needs immediate judicial review. Advertisement
The three carriers argue that London should instead re-introduce a March 10 policy that singled out only travelers from high-risk nations for quarantine.
"This would be the most practical and effective solution, and enables civil servants to focus on other, more significant issues arising from the pandemic while bringing the U.K. in line with much of Europe, which is opening its borders mid-June," the group said in a joint statement.
The carriers said the new rule is more strict than even restrictions applied to coronavirus patients, and complained that they were never consulted by the government before it was introduced. They also said there is no scientific evidence indicating the quarantine rule is necessary.
When the rule took effect Monday, the carriers said the restrictions will likely lead to more job losses for the aviation industry. They worry it might lead international travelers and Britons leaving the country to delay or cancel plans.
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World moves to reopen amid COVID-19 pandemic


upi--2020-06-12--New COVID-19 cases confirmed near Xi Jinping residence

June 12 ( UPI ) -- Chinese authorities are reporting a spike in cases of COVID-19 in Beijing , two weeks after the country declared `` victory '' over the deadly virus at the National People 's Congress .
The cases represent a new cluster at the China Meat Research Center , Beijing city authorities said , according to China Central Television on Thursday .
The group of infections is being reported after a COVID-19 patient was reported on Thursday , in an area less than 2 miles from Zhongnanhai , where top officials , including Chinese President Xi Jinping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a press briefing Beijing city authorities said two new cases were confirmed , referring to the group at the meat research center .
`` They are all employees of the same company , '' Chinese authorities said .
The Chinese capital has been placed on high alert , according to reports .
Beijing city has not confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus since mid-April .
On Thursday , when the city reported its first case in 57 days , authorities said they were unable to trace the origins of the disease .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed at an afternoon press briefing .
It is the first reported case in China , since authorities in the province of Hainan in the South confirmed a new case on June 6 .
The patient confirmed for the virus on Thursday was identified as a 52-year-old man residing in the Xicheng district of Beijing .
His residence is located less than half a mile from key government buildings on Changan Avenue , a major thoroughfare .
The patient is being treated and has been quarantined at Beijing Ditan Hospital , authorities said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were placed on high alert , following a second wave of novel coronavirus infections .

China's capital is reporting a surge in new cases of COVID-19. File Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI | License Photo
June 12 (UPI) -- Chinese authorities are reporting a spike in cases of COVID-19 in Beijing, two weeks after the country declared "victory" over the deadly virus at the National People's Congress. The cases represent a new cluster at the China Meat Research Center, Beijing city authorities said, according to China Central Television on Thursday. Advertisement
The group of infections is being reported after a COVID-19 patient was reported on Thursday, in an area less than 2 miles from Zhongnanhai, where top officials, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, live and work.
On Friday at a press briefing Beijing city authorities said two new cases were confirmed, referring to the group at the meat research center.
"They are all employees of the same company," Chinese authorities said.
The Chinese capital has been placed on high alert, according to reports. Beijing city has not confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus since mid-April.
On Thursday, when the city reported its first case in 57 days, authorities said they were unable to trace the origins of the disease.
Pengpai News reported the Thursday case was confirmed at an afternoon press briefing. It is the first reported case in China, since authorities in the province of Hainan in the South confirmed a new case on June 6.
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The patient confirmed for the virus on Thursday was identified as a 52-year-old man residing in the Xicheng district of Beijing. His residence is located less than half a mile from key government buildings on Changan Avenue, a major thoroughfare. The patient is being treated and has been quarantined at Beijing Ditan Hospital, authorities said.
In April, northeastern Chinese provinces were placed on high alert, following a second wave of novel coronavirus infections.


upi--2020-06-12--Minnesota begins special legislative session to mull police reforms

A man holds a sign displaying a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. outside of the Fountain of Praise church in Houston on Tuesday following the funeral for George Floyd. Photo by Jemal Countess/UPI | License Photo
June 12 (UPI) -- A special session of the Minnesota Legislature will convene Friday after Gov. Tim Walz and Democratic lawmakers proposed sweeping measures to reform policing after the killing of George Floyd nearly three weeks ago. Walz and the legislature's People of Color and Indigenous Caucus spearheaded the proposals, which call for redefining when law enforcement officers are justified in using deadly force, provide funding for community-based alternatives to traditional policing and reforms how Minnesota officers are disciplined. Advertisement
Walz said in a statement Thursday the reforms are partly based on recommendations from a police violence working group chaired by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Department of Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington.
"Minnesotans are demanding real change," Walz said in the statement. "We stand united with House and Senate leaders and the People of Color and Indigenous Caucus, ready to get to work during the upcoming special session. I stand with the legislators who have coordinated a powerful set of reforms to make meaningful changes to our law enforcement system in Minnesota."
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, 44, and three other former officers have been charged in connection with Floyd's May 25 death. Chauvin faces the most serious charge, second-degree murder.
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The police reform proposals, many of which have been around for years, come after widespread national protests grew into a global anti-racism and anti-police brutality movement. The unrest also produced looting and violence that damaged hundreds of Twin Cities businesses, including 67 which were destroyed by fires.
Walz said he will work closely with the Democratic-controlled Minnesota House during the special session, while the reform package is being eyed warily in the Republican-held Senate.
Minnesota Senate Republican leader Paul Gazelka voiced a preference to put off the proposals until the legislature's next regular session in January, warning that Minnesotans should not expect reforms "to be done in the next week."
"We fully vet issues to make sure we get it right, because it's not just for now. This is for a generation to come," he said.
Democrats rejected that argument Wednesday.
"It's 2020. If you're not going to listen to us today, you're never going to listen to us," said Rep. Ruth Richardson, an African-American legislator representing suburban St. Paul.
Protesters demand justice in police killing of George Floyd


upi--2020-06-12--E! renews 'Total Bellas,'  Nikki Bella announces she is having a boy

June 12 ( UPI ) -- E !
has renewed reality series Total Bellas for a sixth season following the @ @ @ @ @ Total Bellas follows the lives of former WWE stars and entrepreneurs Nikki and Brie Bella @ @ @ @ @ spinoff of WWE reality series Total Divas .
The fifth season , which ended Thursday @ @ @ @ @ engaged to dancer Artem Chigvintsev and how she and her sister got pregnant around the @ @ @ @ @ also announced on the Season 5 finale that she will be having a baby boy @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We ca n't wait for our little boy to arrive in August !
@ @ @ @ @ said on Twitter alongside a photo of herself kissing Chigvintsev .
Total Bellas Season 6 @ @ @ @ @ fall and will focus on Nikki Bella becoming a mother for the first time and @ @ @ @ @ a mother of two with her husband , WWE star Daniel Bryan .
Nikki and @ @ @ @ @ competition in WWE in 2019 .

"Total Bellas" stars Nikki Bella (L) and Brie Bella arrive for the 44th annual E! People's Choice Awards on November 2018. The series will return for a sixth season. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
June 12 (UPI) -- E! has renewed reality series Total Bellas for a sixth season following the conclusion of Season 5. Total Bellas follows the lives of former WWE stars and entrepreneurs Nikki and Brie Bella. The series is a spinoff of WWE reality series Total Divas. Advertisement
The fifth season, which ended Thursday, explored Nikki Bella becoming engaged to dancer Artem Chigvintsev and how she and her sister got pregnant around the same time.
Nikki Bella also announced on the Season 5 finale that she will be having a baby boy at a gender reveal party.
"We can't wait for our little boy to arrive in August!!!" Nikki Bella said on Twitter alongside a photo of herself kissing Chigvintsev.
We can't wait for our little boy to arrive in August!!! N #TotalBellas pic.twitter.com/9xrXjHRYev— Nikki & Brie (@BellaTwins) June 12, 2020
Total Bellas Season 6 is set to premiere this fall and will focus on Nikki Bella becoming a mother for the first time and how Brie Bella handles becoming a mother of two with her husband, WWE star Daniel Bryan.
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Nikki and Brie Bella retired from in-ring competition in WWE in 2019.


upi--2020-06-12--Forecasters watching tropical wave disturbance in Caribbean

June 12 -- AccuWeather meteorologists are monitoring an area of disturbed weather , called a tropical wave , that is forecast to pass through the Windward Islands late this week prior to moving westward across the Caribbean Sea this weekend .
Tropical waves are weak weather systems that kick up storms and dust while traveling westward over central and northern Africa and then move westward over the tropical Atlantic .
The tropical wave or Cabo Verde season , as it is often called , is in the early stages but reaches a peak during late August and September .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ develop into tropical storms and hurricanes .
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season has already experienced its earliest third-named storm on record when Cristobal formed near the coast of southeastern Mexico on June 2 .
None of the first three storms , Arthur , Bertha and Cristobal , were Cabo Verde systems as it was too early in the season .
Having four tropical storms by the end of June would be extremely rare .
According to records from the National Hurricane Center , the month of June has only produced two other D-named @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Tropical Storm Danielle from 2016 .
Should a system develop in either basin at some point , the next names on the list in the Atlantic and the East Pacific are Dolly and Boris , respectively .
`` The feature near the Windward Islands has a low chance of tropical development over the next couple of days , but will struggle with dry air surrounding it and will be negatively affected by moderate wind shear in the region , '' AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Rob Miller said .
Wind shear is the increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or over a distance in the horizontal .
As this feature moves westward over the Windward Islands through Friday , locally drenching and gusty showers and thunderstorms are in store .
`` Local rainfall amounts of 1-2 inches are possible with a slight risk of urban flooding , '' Miller said .
`` But rainfall would generally be beneficial in this case . ''
Water is sufficiently warm in the region to support development -- typically critical sea surface temperatures of 80 degrees Fahrenheit are needed to sustain tropical systems .
But , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pass close to the large land mass of South America , which will put a drag on any circulation the feature can muster .
The feature is forecast to drift over the western part of the Caribbean Sea and may get strung out from near Cuba to Central America next week .
During next week , another gyre , or a large slowly spinning area of low pressure , may try to form around Central America .
The lower pressure , slight spin and moisture a gyre produces can aid in tropical development @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the late summer and autumn over Central America .
Cristobal 's formation during early June was aided by a large gyre over Central America and the old moisture and faint , leftover circulation from Amanda on the Eastern Pacific side .
Amanda moved inland over Central America and diminished but some of its energy remained as Cristobal took shape as a rare crossover storm .
`` It is possible with some of the energy from the tropical wave coming in and perhaps , if gyre takes shape , there could be slow development @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the eastern side of the Pacific around Central America next week , but perhaps a slightly better chance late next week or next weekend , '' AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski said .
Still , development factors near Central America are not nearly as impressive for next week as they were with Cristobal .
Part of Central America was hit with torrential rain and flooding from the one-two-punch from Amanda and Cristobal .
There may be an uptick in rain in the region next week in lieu of any definable tropical feature .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of several favored areas for tropical development during the month of June .
Wind shear would likely restrict development areas over the Gulf of Mexico and off the southern Atlantic coast next week .
There is an area over the Eastern Pacific AccuWeather meteorologists are watching for development later this weekend to next week .
However , that area of disturbed weather is hundreds of miles off the coast of Central America and is forecast to drift slowly westward in the coming days .
Thus , it is not likely to be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days , even if it does develop .
In 2012 , Debby formed over the south-central Gulf of Mexico before slamming into the Big Bend area of Florida on June 26 .
The system weakened soon after moving inland , but it produced a considerable amount of flooding across northern and central portions of the state .
Danielle formed in a similar area and was a short-lived tropical storm that developed over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico .
The weak tropical storm made landfall near Tamiahua in eastern Mexico on June 20 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Editor and Meteorologist Jesse Ferrell , there have been 69 D-named storms in the Atlantic since storms were officially named starting in 1950 .
The most common of those names are Dolly at eight times and the aforementioned Debby and Danielle at seven times apiece .
Danielle 's formation on June 20 , 2016 , just prior to landfall holds the record for the earliest formation of the fourth tropical storm of the season .
So far , eight D-named storms have been retired , including Hurricane Diane in 1955 and Hurricane Dean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is expected to be retired sometime this year .
Ferrell said all of the retired D-named storms formed in August , with the exception of Dennis , which formed the earliest on July 4 , 2005 .

Forecasters are monitoring a weather disturbance, the patch of clouds just to the right of center in this image, which could potentially develop into Tropical Storm Dolly. Image courtesy NOAA
June 12 -- AccuWeather meteorologists are monitoring an area of disturbed weather, called a tropical wave, that is forecast to pass through the Windward Islands late this week prior to moving westward across the Caribbean Sea this weekend. A tropical wave, noted by a patch of clouds and showers and thunderstorms, was located about 275 miles east of the Windward Islands Thursday. Dust around the feature indicates a vast amount of dry air. Image by NOAA/GOES-East
Tropical waves are weak weather systems that kick up storms and dust while traveling westward over central and northern Africa and then move westward over the tropical Atlantic.
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The tropical wave or Cabo Verde season, as it is often called, is in the early stages but reaches a peak during late August and September. Some of these disturbances can go on to develop into tropical storms and hurricanes.
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The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season has already experienced its earliest third-named storm on record when Cristobal formed near the coast of southeastern Mexico on June 2.
None of the first three storms, Arthur, Bertha and Cristobal, were Cabo Verde systems as it was too early in the season. Having four tropical storms by the end of June would be extremely rare.
According to records from the National Hurricane Center, the month of June has only produced two other D-named storms: Tropical Storm Debby from 2012 and Tropical Storm Danielle from 2016.
Should a system develop in either basin at some point, the next names on the list in the Atlantic and the East Pacific are Dolly and Boris, respectively.
"The feature near the Windward Islands has a low chance of tropical development over the next couple of days, but will struggle with dry air surrounding it and will be negatively affected by moderate wind shear in the region," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Rob Miller said. Wind shear is the increase in wind speed or direction with altitude or over a distance in the horizontal.
As this feature moves westward over the Windward Islands through Friday, locally drenching and gusty showers and thunderstorms are in store.
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"Local rainfall amounts of 1-2 inches are possible with a slight risk of urban flooding," Miller said. "But rainfall would generally be beneficial in this case."
Water is sufficiently warm in the region to support development -- typically critical sea surface temperatures of 80 degrees Fahrenheit are needed to sustain tropical systems. But, during the weekend, the system will pass close to the large land mass of South America, which will put a drag on any circulation the feature can muster.
The feature is forecast to drift over the western part of the Caribbean Sea and may get strung out from near Cuba to Central America next week.
During next week, another gyre, or a large slowly spinning area of low pressure, may try to form around Central America. The lower pressure, slight spin and moisture a gyre produces can aid in tropical development. This feature is more common in the late summer and autumn over Central America.
Cristobal's formation during early June was aided by a large gyre over Central America and the old moisture and faint, leftover circulation from Amanda on the Eastern Pacific side. Amanda moved inland over Central America and diminished but some of its energy remained as Cristobal took shape as a rare crossover storm.
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"It is possible with some of the energy from the tropical wave coming in and perhaps, if gyre takes shape, there could be slow development either on the western Caribbean side or the eastern side of the Pacific around Central America next week, but perhaps a slightly better chance late next week or next weekend," AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski said.
Still, development factors near Central America are not nearly as impressive for next week as they were with Cristobal.
Part of Central America was hit with torrential rain and flooding from the one-two-punch from Amanda and Cristobal. There may be an uptick in rain in the region next week in lieu of any definable tropical feature.
The area around Central America is one of several favored areas for tropical development during the month of June.
Wind shear would likely restrict development areas over the Gulf of Mexico and off the southern Atlantic coast next week.
There is an area over the Eastern Pacific AccuWeather meteorologists are watching for development later this weekend to next week. However, that area of disturbed weather is hundreds of miles off the coast of Central America and is forecast to drift slowly westward in the coming days. Thus, it is not likely to be a threat to any land in the coming days, even if it does develop.
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In 2012, Debby formed over the south-central Gulf of Mexico before slamming into the Big Bend area of Florida on June 26. The system weakened soon after moving inland, but it produced a considerable amount of flooding across northern and central portions of the state.
Danielle formed in a similar area and was a short-lived tropical storm that developed over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. The weak tropical storm made landfall near Tamiahua in eastern Mexico on June 20, 2016.
According to AccuWeather Senior Weather Editor and Meteorologist Jesse Ferrell, there have been 69 D-named storms in the Atlantic since storms were officially named starting in 1950. The most common of those names are Dolly at eight times and the aforementioned Debby and Danielle at seven times apiece.
Danielle's formation on June 20, 2016, just prior to landfall holds the record for the earliest formation of the fourth tropical storm of the season.
On June 19, 2016, Tropical Depression Four was spinning in the Bay of Campeche, located in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. The system went on to strengthen into Tropical Storm Danielle on June 20, 2016. Image by NASA/NOAA/DOD
So far, eight D-named storms have been retired, including Hurricane Diane in 1955 and Hurricane Dean in 2007. Hurricane Dorian from 2019 is expected to be retired sometime this year. Ferrell said all of the retired D-named storms formed in August, with the exception of Dennis, which formed the earliest on July 4, 2005.


upi--2020-06-12--Britain's economy shrinks by record 20% in April amid coronavirus lockdown

June 12 ( UPI ) -- Britain 's economy during its first full month under lockdown contracted by more than 20 percent in April , its worst drop ever recorded , according to figures released by the government early Friday .
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered the country under strict lockdown during the last full week of March , informing the public to stay home unless absolutely necessary to prevent the spread of the infectious and deadly coronavirus .
Stores , industry , schools and all but essential businesses closed until May when Johnson began to slowly ease restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5.8 percent , largely attributable to the near week-and-a-half lockdown .
In April , gross domestic product contracted 20.4 percent , or one-fifth , due to widespread drops across the entire economy , the Office for National Statistics said Friday .
`` April 's fall in GDP is the biggest the UK has ever seen , more than three times larger than last month and almost 10 times the steepest pre-COVID-19 fall , '' Jonathan Athow , deputy national statistician for Economic Statistics , said in a statement .
`` In April , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than in February . ''
For the three months ending with the end of April , GDP dropped 10.4 percent as the drastic restrictions on movement reduced economic activity , the ONS reported .
All sectors of the economy were hit , with accommodation and food services shrinking 40.9 percent , by far the most of any segment .
Other services , a term grouping together businesses that do n't fall under the main categories , experienced the second tightest squeeze of 20.5 percent followed by education at 18.8 percent and construction at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all areas of the economy were hit , with pubs , education , health and car sales all giving the biggest contributions to this historic fall , '' Athow said .
`` Manufacturing and construction also saw significant falls with manufacture of cars and housebuilding particularly badly affected . ''
Among record falls , services experienced its largest contraction since the series began in 1997 , production and manufacturing had their tightest squeezes since the series began in 1968 and construction had its largest fall since the series began in 2010 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public administration and defense , which expanded by a marginal 0.2 percent .
The figures were published two days after the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development forecast the world 's economy to experience its `` most severe recession in nearly a century , '' potentially contracting by as much as 7.6 percent by year 's end .
The forecast shows Britain 's GDP contracting by 14 percent in 2020 from a year previous if a second wave of infections sweeps across the nation and 11.5 percent if there is only the single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world in coronavirus cases behind the United States , Brazil , Russia and India but first in Europe with more than 292,000 infections resulting in more than 41,000 deaths , according to a live tracker of the virus by Johns Hopkins University .

A cyclist in a protective mask rides in The Mall, London, Britain, on May 10. Photo by Will Oliver/EPA-EFE
June 12 (UPI) -- Britain's economy during its first full month under lockdown contracted by more than 20 percent in April, its worst drop ever recorded, according to figures released by the government early Friday. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered the country under strict lockdown during the last full week of March, informing the public to stay home unless absolutely necessary to prevent the spread of the infectious and deadly coronavirus. Advertisement
Stores, industry, schools and all but essential businesses closed until May when Johnson began to slowly ease restrictions.
In March, the economy shrank 5.8 percent, largely attributable to the near week-and-a-half lockdown. In April, gross domestic product contracted 20.4 percent, or one-fifth, due to widespread drops across the entire economy, the Office for National Statistics said Friday.
"April's fall in GDP is the biggest the UK has ever seen, more than three times larger than last month and almost 10 times the steepest pre-COVID-19 fall," Jonathan Athow, deputy national statistician for Economic Statistics, said in a statement. "In April, the economy was around 25 percent smaller than in February."
For the three months ending with the end of April, GDP dropped 10.4 percent as the drastic restrictions on movement reduced economic activity, the ONS reported.
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All sectors of the economy were hit, with accommodation and food services shrinking 40.9 percent, by far the most of any segment. Other services, a term grouping together businesses that don't fall under the main categories, experienced the second tightest squeeze of 20.5 percent followed by education at 18.8 percent and construction at an 18.2 percent drop.
"Virtually all areas of the economy were hit, with pubs, education, health and car sales all giving the biggest contributions to this historic fall," Athow said. "Manufacturing and construction also saw significant falls with manufacture of cars and housebuilding particularly badly affected."
Among record falls, services experienced its largest contraction since the series began in 1997, production and manufacturing had their tightest squeezes since the series began in 1968 and construction had its largest fall since the series began in 2010.
The only sector to grow in April was public administration and defense, which expanded by a marginal 0.2 percent.
The figures were published two days after the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development forecast the world's economy to experience its "most severe recession in nearly a century," potentially contracting by as much as 7.6 percent by year's end.
The forecast shows Britain's GDP contracting by 14 percent in 2020 from a year previous if a second wave of infections sweeps across the nation and 11.5 percent if there is only the single wave.
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Britain sits fifth in the world in coronavirus cases behind the United States, Brazil, Russia and India but first in Europe with more than 292,000 infections resulting in more than 41,000 deaths, according to a live tracker of the virus by Johns Hopkins University.