upi--2020-09-18--Tatiana Maslany to star in 'She-Hulk' series

Sept. 18 ( UPI ) -- Orphan Black alum Tatiana Maslany is to play the lead role in the Disney+ @ @ @ @ @ Welcome to the family , cuz !
@ tatianamaslany # SheHulk , '' Mark Ruffalo @ @ @ @ @ -- whose credits include Dead to Me and Modern Family -- is to direct the @ @ @ @ @ several other episodes .
Rick and Morty scribe Jessica Gao is the lead writer for @ @ @ @ @ Jennifer Walters , who in Marvel comic books is an attorney who gains superpowers after @ @ @ @ @ cousin , Banner .

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Tatiana Maslany is to play the titular superheroine in the Disney+ series, "She-Hulk." File Photo by Christine Chew/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Orphan Black alum Tatiana Maslany is to play the lead role in the Disney+ series, She-Hulk. "Welcome to the family, cuz! @tatianamaslany #SheHulk," Mark Ruffalo tweeted Thursday. Advertisement
Ruffalo plays Bruce Banner/The Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Kat Coiro -- whose credits include Dead to Me and Modern Family -- is to direct the upcoming show's pilot and several other episodes.
Rick and Morty scribe Jessica Gao is the lead writer for She-Hulk.
The drama follows Jennifer Walters, who in Marvel comic books is an attorney who gains superpowers after a blood transfusion from her cousin, Banner.


upi--2020-09-18--NeNe Leakes exits 'Real Housewives of Atlanta'

Sept. 18 ( UPI ) -- Actress and TV personality NeNe Leakes has announced she wo n't be a part of The Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 13 .
`` It was n't an easy decision for me , '' Leakes said in a video posted on social media Thursday .
In the 5-minute clip , she explained she decided to leave after an `` extremely long , exhausting , tiring , emotional negotiation '' with Bravo , the cable network that airs the series .
Leakes , 52 , started on the show in 2008 .
`` I 'm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I was a part of a genre that opened up doors for Black ensemble reality shows , to step up and be a part of what we all now love so much -- reality TV , '' she said .
Leakes also thanked Bravo and the cast for years of good memories and her fans for their love and support .
`` We wish NeNe all the best in her future endeavors and thank her for sharing her journey for over a decade with the fans of The Real Housewives of Atlanta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start and will truly be missed , and maybe one day she 'll hold the peach again , '' Bravo said , confirming Leakes ' departure .

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NeNe Leakes has announced she is leaving "The Real Housewives of Atlanta." File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Actress and TV personality NeNe Leakes has announced she won't be a part of The Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 13. "It wasn't an easy decision for me," Leakes said in a video posted on social media Thursday. Advertisement
In the 5-minute clip, she explained she decided to leave after an "extremely long, exhausting, tiring, emotional negotiation" with Bravo, the cable network that airs the series.
Leakes, 52, started on the show in 2008.
"I'm just so happy that I can say that I was a part of a genre that opened up doors for Black ensemble reality shows, to step up and be a part of what we all now love so much -- reality TV," she said.
Leakes also thanked Bravo and the cast for years of good memories and her fans for their love and support.
"We wish NeNe all the best in her future endeavors and thank her for sharing her journey for over a decade with the fans of The Real Housewives of Atlanta. She's been instrumental since the start and will truly be missed, and maybe one day she'll hold the peach again," Bravo said, confirming Leakes' departure.
Advertisement Listen closely...I got something to tell you https://t.co/9Sqk6lj10K— NeNe Leakes (@NeNeLeakes) September 17, 2020


upi--2020-09-18--Hulu: What's coming and going in October 2020

Sept. 18 ( UPI ) -- Hulu subscribers can watch Books of Blood , a new film based on Clive @ @ @ @ @ stories , and Helstrom , a new series centering on the Marvel Comics characters Daimon @ @ @ @ @ October .
The streaming service released a list of the movies , TV shows , @ @ @ @ @ going next month .
Here 's the full list of what 's being added to @ @ @ @ @ Feet Are Killing Me Season 1 It Came from the Desert Who Wants to Be @ @ @ @ @ What to Expect When You 're Expecting Here 's the full list of what 's @ @ @ @ @ An Eye for an Eye Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell Legend of the Guardians @ @ @ @ @ The Man Who Could Cheat Death Master and Commander : The Far Side of the @

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Blake Shelton (R) and Gwen Stefani will return as coaches in "The Voice" Season 19, coming to Hulu in October. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Hulu subscribers can watch Books of Blood, a new film based on Clive Barker's series of short stories, and Helstrom, a new series centering on the Marvel Comics characters Daimon and Satana Helstrom, in October. The streaming service released a list of the movies, TV shows, documentaries and specials coming and going next month. Advertisement
Here's the full list of what's being added to Hulu in October:
Oct. 1
90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days Season 4
90 Day Fiancé Season 7
All-Star Halloween Spectacular Special
Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern Seasons 9-10
10
Bride Killa Season 1
Cutthroat Kitchen Season 13
Dr. Pimple Popper Season 4
Going for Sold Season 1
Guy's Grocery Games Seasons 18-20
Halloween Baking Championship Seasons 1-4
Halloween Wars Seasons 3-8
Hell's Kitchen Season 18
Homicide City: Charlotte Season 1
Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda Season 9
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Man with a Van Season 1
Moonshiners: Master Distiller Season 1
Murder Comes Home Season 1
My 600-lb Life Season 8
My Feet Are Killing Me Season 1
Property Virgins Season 18
Supermarket Stakeout Season 1
Sweet 15: Quinceañera
The Flay List Season 1
Twisted Love Season 1
31
A Beautiful Mind
Across the Line
After Life
Anti-Trust
Blade
Blade 2
Blade: Trinity
Blood Ties
Blue City
The Curse of Downers Grove
Deep Blue Sea
The Do-Deca-Pentathlon
Double, Double, Toil and Trouble
Drugstore Cowboy
The Executioners
The Express
The Eye
Fallen
Girls Against Boys
Good Hair
Guess Who
Hostel
Hostel: Part II
House of 1000 Corpses
The Hurt Locker
Ice Age: The Meltdown
Interview with the Vampire
Joe
Judy & Punch
Kicking & Screaming
Killers
Lady in a Cage
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Martyrs
Mud
Nurse 3D
The Pirates! Band of Misfits
The Portrait of a Lady
The Quiet Ones
Raging Bull
The Sandman
Senorita Justice
Sk8 Dawg
Snakes on a Plane
Spaceballs
Species
Superbad
Thanks for Sharing
Tooth Fairy
Triumph of the Spirit
Vampire
Wayne's World 2
When a Stranger Calls
William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet
Zombie Killers: Elephant's Graveyard
Oct. 2
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Monsterland Season 1 (Hulu Original)
Connecting Series Premiere
Oct. 3
Ma Ma
Oct. 4
Saturday Night Live Season 46 Premiere
Oct. 5
Dragon Ball Super Episodes 1-131
Oct. 7
Books of Blood (Hulu Original)
Ellen's Game of Games Season 4 Premiere
Next Series Premiere
Oct. 8
Scream 4
Oct. 9
Terminator: Dark Fate
Oct. 11
Infamous
Savage Youth
Scotch: A Golden Dream
Oct. 12
The Swing of Things
Oct. 14
The Bachelorette Season 16 Premiere
Oct. 15
The Purge Season 2
Treadstone Season 1
Bad Roomies
High Strung
It Came from the Desert
Life After Basketball
Playing with Fire
The Escort
Oct. 16
Helstrom Season 1 (Hulu Original)
The Painted Bird
Oct. 17
Shark Tank Season 12 Premiere
Momma Named Me Sheriff Season 1
Mr. Pickles Finale Episode
Oct. 18
Friend Request
Oct. 19
America's Funniest Home Videos Season 31 Premiere
Card Sharks Series Premiere
Supermarket Sweep Series Premiere
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Season 2 Premiere
Oct. 20
The Voice Season 19 Premiere
F*ck That's Delicious Season 4
Oct. 21
Cyrano, My Love
Oct. 21
Black-ish Season 7 Premiere
The Conners Season 3 Premiere
The Goldbergs Season 8 Premiere
Oct. 23
Bad Hair (Hulu Original)
Superstore Season 6 Premiere
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Oct. 26
Homeland Season 8
What to Expect When You're Expecting
Oct. 29
American Housewife Season 5 Premiere
Bad Therapy
Here's the full list of what's leaving Hulu in October:
Oct. 31
31
52 Pick-Up
A Good Woman
After Life
An American Haunting
An Eye for an Eye
Any Given Sunday
Australia
The Bellboy
Blade: Trinity
The Bounty
The Brothers McMullen
Bug
Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter
Cheech & Chong's Still Smokin'
Cinderfella
The Curse of Downers Grove
Downhill Racer
The Executioners
Footloose
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell
Girls Against Boys
Girls! Girls! Girls!
Gloria
Hellraiser
Hostel
Hostel: Part II
Hot Rod
The Impossible
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole
Life of Pi
The Man Who Could Cheat Death
Margin Call
Martyrs
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
The Patsy
The Pawnbroker
Phase IV
Psycho Granny
The Quiet Ones
Red
The Sandman
Sleeping with the Enemy
Sliver
Spaceballs
Stuck On You
The Tenant
The Terminator
Trapped Model
Trapped: The Alex Cooper Story
Twilight
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1
Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2
Ultraviolet
Vampire
Victoria Gotti: My Father's Daughter
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Walking Tall
When a Stranger Calls
Zombie Killers: Elephant's Graveyard


upi--2020-09-18--Mail voting: What experts say about fraud and how to send ballot

Sept. 18 ( UPI ) -- With 46 days left until the 2020 presidential election , a dozen states have begun voting by mail -- a method that 's been around for decades and will play a much greater role this year due to COVID-19 .
Mail ballots are available to any registered voters who ask for them in all but six states -- Indiana , Louisiana , Mississippi , South Carolina , Tennessee and Texas .
In those states , voters must have a valid reason not related to the pandemic .
North Carolina was the first state to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began Thursday .
Friday began the process in Arkansas , Georgia , Kentucky , Minnesota , New York , South Dakota , Virginia , West Virginia and Wyoming .
Because of the large leap that mail voting is taking this year -- combined with President Donald Trump and some Republicans trying to discourage the practice -- many people are confused about when , how and if they can participate in the democratic process via the U.S .
Postal Service .
Most experts have sought to reassure the public that voting by mail has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ integrity .
Multiple studies have reached the same conclusion -- instances of voter fraud are rare in mail voting .
The president -- who himself votes by mail in Florida -- and others who argue the method is compromised have yet to provide evidence to support their claims .
They have , however , pointed to a database of voter fraud cases compiled by the Heritage Foundation , a conservative think tank .
The group announced in May that its database had `` swollen '' to 1,285 proven instances of mail voter fraud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says , `` is intended to demonstrate the vulnerabilities in the election system and the many ways in which fraud is committed . ''
Despite the low number of documented cases , the foundation contends that those are the tip of the iceberg .
The notion repeated by Trump that mail voting poses a `` reasonable '' suspicion of abuse is shared by James Campbell , a political science professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo .
He has written several books on politics , including Polarized : Making Sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Mail-in balloting is a terrible idea , '' he told UPI in an email .
`` It is far too open to abuse and to allegations of abuse .
`` If one wanted to undermine the legitimacy of the election , mail-in balloting would be the route to take . ''
The main problem with mail ballots , he says , is the `` chain of custody '' from voters to the official , supervised counters is broken -- unlike traditional , in-person voting during which voters insert their ballots into a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections official .
The break in the chain invites possible fraud , tampering and misplaced ballots , Campbell argues .
`` There are far too many stories and some convictions of abuse , '' he said .
During a time of hyper-polarization in the political sphere , Campbell said mail ballots simply raise `` reasonable questions about the integrity '' of the vote count and `` threaten the acceptance '' of the official results .
Despite such concerns about perceptions of fraud among the public , however , most studies show that proven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail voting picture .
The Brookings Institute , for example , examined the fraud cases cited in the Heritage Foundation database for the United States ' five universal all-vote-by-mail states -- Oregon , Utah , Colorado , Washington and Hawaii , where all residents are automatically sent a ballot through the mail .
The institute compared the fraud cases to the total number of votes cast in those states since they began all-mail voting .
The result -- just 29 cases of fraud out of nearly 50 million ballots .
That works out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ An analysis by The Washington Post of data collected by universal vote-by-mail states Colorado , Oregon and Washington found that officials identified just 372 possible cases of fraud out of 14.6 million mail ballots in the 2016 and 2018 elections , or 0.0025 % .
In Colorado , officials say their system is nearly tamper-proof and has played a key role in making the state No .
2 in the nation in voter turnout .
A record number of voters participated in Colorado 's primary election in June , even with the climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chose to return their ballots by mail , according to government figures .
`` Despite misleading attacks , disinformation and attempts to make vote-by-mail a partisan issue , Colorado 's election proves that mail ballots are the key to accessible voting during this health crisis , '' Secretary of State Jena Griswold said in a statement .
A study by the Brennan Center for Justice three years ago examined several and varying cases of alleged fraud and found incident rates between 0.0003 % and 0.0025 % .
Given such a tiny fraction of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it 's more likely that a voter somewhere will be struck by lightning than try and assume some other identity at the polls .
Myrna Perez , director of the Brennan Center 's voting rights and elections program , told House lawmakers in June that voting by mail is a necessary process to ensure that Americans do n't end up risking their health during a pandemic to choose their leaders and representatives .
`` Americans from all walks of life want to vote by mail .
We know this because of polls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amount of requests for mail ballots , '' she said .
`` Despite some incendiary and untrue rhetoric , vote by mail is a necessary , sensible and secure option -- especially now . ''
Perez said she has `` zero dispute '' with critics who insist that appropriate safeguards be put in place .
She said they already have been .
`` In fact , there are multiple layers of security for each ballot , '' she said .
`` That 's why the instances of fraud are so rare . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to accept mail ballots between now and Oct. 16 .
Eight are scheduled to begin Saturday .
Many websites have information on all states ' early voting and mail voting procedures and deadlines , such as Vote.org , the largest nonprofit , nonpartisan voting registration and get-out-the-vote technology platform in the United States .
Click here to request a mail ballot from your state and see deadlines , dates and rules for every state .
Click here to find out if you are registered to vote in your state .

A carrier pulls crates of mail to a U.S. Postal Service truck in New York City on August 17. Voting by mail is expected to increase substantially for the November election due to the coronavirus pandemic. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 18 (UPI) -- With 46 days left until the 2020 presidential election, a dozen states have begun voting by mail -- a method that's been around for decades and will play a much greater role this year due to COVID-19. Mail ballots are available to any registered voters who ask for them in all but six states -- Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. In those states, voters must have a valid reason not related to the pandemic. Advertisement
North Carolina was the first state to mail ballots this month, and Wisconsin began Thursday. Friday began the process in Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Minnesota, New York, South Dakota, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.
Because of the large leap that mail voting is taking this year -- combined with President Donald Trump and some Republicans trying to discourage the practice -- many people are confused about when, how and if they can participate in the democratic process via the U.S. Postal Service.
Advertisement
Most experts have sought to reassure the public that voting by mail has a long, proven track record of integrity. Multiple studies have reached the same conclusion -- instances of voter fraud are rare in mail voting.
The president -- who himself votes by mail in Florida -- and others who argue the method is compromised have yet to provide evidence to support their claims. They have, however, pointed to a database of voter fraud cases compiled by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.
The group announced in May that its database had "swollen" to 1,285 proven instances of mail voter fraud since 1982.
The database, it says, "is intended to demonstrate the vulnerabilities in the election system and the many ways in which fraud is committed." Despite the low number of documented cases, the foundation contends that those are the tip of the iceberg.
The notion repeated by Trump that mail voting poses a "reasonable" suspicion of abuse is shared by James Campbell, a political science professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo. He has written several books on politics, including Polarized: Making Sense of a Divided America in 2016.
"Mail-in balloting is a terrible idea," he told UPI in an email. "It is far too open to abuse and to allegations of abuse.
Advertisement
"If one wanted to undermine the legitimacy of the election, mail-in balloting would be the route to take."
The main problem with mail ballots, he says, is the "chain of custody" from voters to the official, supervised counters is broken -- unlike traditional, in-person voting during which voters insert their ballots into a computer or physically hand them to an elections official.
The break in the chain invites possible fraud, tampering and misplaced ballots, Campbell argues.
"There are far too many stories and some convictions of abuse," he said.
During a time of hyper-polarization in the political sphere, Campbell said mail ballots simply raise "reasonable questions about the integrity" of the vote count and "threaten the acceptance" of the official results.
Despite such concerns about perceptions of fraud among the public, however, most studies show that proven cases represent a fraction of the overall mail voting picture.
The Brookings Institute, for example, examined the fraud cases cited in the Heritage Foundation database for the United States' five universal all-vote-by-mail states -- Oregon, Utah, Colorado, Washington and Hawaii, where all residents are automatically sent a ballot through the mail.
Advertisement
The institute compared the fraud cases to the total number of votes cast in those states since they began all-mail voting. The result -- just 29 cases of fraud out of nearly 50 million ballots. That works out to a share of 0.000058%.
An analysis by The Washington Post of data collected by universal vote-by-mail states Colorado, Oregon and Washington found that officials identified just 372 possible cases of fraud out of 14.6 million mail ballots in the 2016 and 2018 elections, or 0.0025%.
In Colorado, officials say their system is nearly tamper-proof and has played a key role in making the state No. 2 in the nation in voter turnout.
A record number of voters participated in Colorado's primary election in June, even with the climate of the pandemic. Nearly all voters chose to return their ballots by mail, according to government figures.
"Despite misleading attacks, disinformation and attempts to make vote-by-mail a partisan issue, Colorado's election proves that mail ballots are the key to accessible voting during this health crisis," Secretary of State Jena Griswold said in a statement.
A study by the Brennan Center for Justice three years ago examined several and varying cases of alleged fraud and found incident rates between 0.0003% and 0.0025%.
Advertisement
Given such a tiny fraction of voter impersonation fraud, the researchers concluded that it's more likely that a voter somewhere will be struck by lightning than try and assume some other identity at the polls.
Myrna Perez, director of the Brennan Center's voting rights and elections program, told House lawmakers in June that voting by mail is a necessary process to ensure that Americans don't end up risking their health during a pandemic to choose their leaders and representatives.
"Americans from all walks of life want to vote by mail. We know this because of polls and because of the increase in the amount of requests for mail ballots," she said. "Despite some incendiary and untrue rhetoric, vote by mail is a necessary, sensible and secure option -- especially now."
Perez said she has "zero dispute" with critics who insist that appropriate safeguards be put in place. She said they already have been.
"In fact, there are multiple layers of security for each ballot," she said. "That's why the instances of fraud are so rare."
The rest of the states will begin to accept mail ballots between now and Oct. 16. Eight are scheduled to begin Saturday.
Many websites have information on all states' early voting and mail voting procedures and deadlines, such as Vote.org, the largest nonprofit, nonpartisan voting registration and get-out-the-vote technology platform in the United States. Click here to request a mail ballot from your state and see deadlines, dates and rules for every state. Click here to find out if you are registered to vote in your state.


upi--2020-09-18--Tropical Depression 22 forms in the Gulf of Mexico

Sept. 17 ( UPI ) -- A disturbance over the Gulf of Mexico that meteorologists have been monitoring for over a week developed into Tropical Depression 22 on Thursday , with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph .
The tropical depression was located about 245 miles east of Tampico , Mexico , 285 miles southeast of the mouth of the Rio Grande and is traveling north-northeast at 6 mph , the National Hurricane Center said in its 4 a.m. CDT Friday advisory .
`` Strengthening is forecast during the next few days , and the depression is expected to become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the NHC said .
`` The system could be near or at hurricane strength by Sunday . ''
The system could further strengthen into the next named storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season at any time over the next couple of days .
The next storm to form will be given the name Wilfred , the last name on the season 's designated list before Greek letters will be used to identify tropical storms .
If the system strengthens further and becomes named , it would become the earliest-21st named storm on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out Vince , which formed on Oct. 8 , 2005 , according to Philip Klotzbach , a meteorologist at Colorado State University .
An unnamed storm identified in post-season analysis of the 2005 season is the reason that Wilfred could break the record of a storm that starts with the letter `` V , '' Klotzbach said .
Weak steering breezes could result in the budding tropical system to remain nearly stationary or meander over the western Gulf of Mexico over the next few days .
It is quite possible that this system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
A slow-moving storm such as this can disrupt oil and gas production in the western Gulf of Mexico for several days , AccuWeather meteorologists warned .
But , at some point this weekend to early next week , the system will begin to move .
The storm could take a path toward the coast of Mexico or toward the northwestern or central part of the United States Gulf Coast .
`` We are getting to the time of the year where it is difficult , due to prevailing steering winds , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas , '' according to AccuWeather 's top hurricane expert , Dan Kottlowski .
`` However , we are not fully into that part of the season just yet , and we will have to monitor the behavior of those steering winds and how much an area of high pressure builds across the central and eastern U.S. , which could partially block the northward path , '' Kottlowski cautioned .
Kottlowski and others at AccuWeather are concerned the system may wander westward toward Texas this weekend .
`` How strong the system gets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tropical storm tends to poke higher up into the atmosphere and might get steered westward toward Texas , while a weaker system may hover in the lowest part of the atmosphere , where it avoids the stronger winds aloft and then hovers over the Gulf for days , '' Kottlowski said .
As a result , there is a chance the system could wander close enough to Texas to bring heavy rainfall to coastal areas of the state .
There is also the potential for some moisture to be sheared off to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could produce heavy rainfall in the Southeast states .
`` Any torrential rain could add to the flooding problems from Sally , which are still ramping up as runoff from urban and small streams works into the larger river systems in the Southeast , '' AccuWeather meteorologist Courtney Travis said .
`` Texas could take a reasonable amount of rain , while areas farther to the east in the South would have trouble , '' she added .
Another possibility is that the storm may make several landfalls but never venture far inland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its lifespan over the western Gulf of Mexico and diminish after initially ramping up .
In this scenario , the center could bump or brush multiple points of land along a meandering path .
`` Gusty winds and rain could reach the south coast of Texas as early as Sunday , '' Kottlowski said .
If the system makes landfall as a named storm in the United States , it would be the ninth system to do so this season .
Should the center wander onshore , it could continue to move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , potentially leading to flooding rainfall on a broad scale .
As the system develops and begins to move northward initially , exact details on the system 's track will become more clear in the coming days , even if it will just prowl around the Gulf for a time .
Regardless of the meandering nature of the storm , there will be substantial coastal impacts .
Heavy rain and flooding downpours could frequent coastal areas of the western and central Gulf Coast .
The storm is likely to get large enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , pounding surf and dangerous rip currents over the Gulf of Mexico , especially over the central and western Gulf .
There is a 40 % chance this system can reach hurricane strength later in the weekend or early next week , forecasters said .
All interests along the western and central Gulf coast should monitor the evolution and progress of this system .
Beyond Wilfred , there are several other areas that forecasters are monitoring for tropical development in the Atlantic .
Greek letters are likely to be used as AccuWeather meteorologists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of total storms to 28 , which would tie the record number of named storms in the basin set in the notorious 2005 season .

Tropical Storm Beta is seen over southeastern Texas early Tuesday. The storm is expected to move slowly to the northeast Tuesday and Wednesday, ultimately weakening to a depression. Image courtesy NOAA/NHC
Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Tropical Storm Beta made landfall along the Texas Gulf Coast late Monday, becoming the ninth named storm to hit the United States this year. The National Hurricane Center said in its 4 a.m. CDT update Tuesday, the center of the storm was 35 miles northwest of Port O'Connor, Texas, and 45 miles northwest of Matagorda, Texas. It had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and was moving northwest at 3 mph. Advertisement
"On the forecast track, the center of Beta will move inland over southeastern Texas through Wednesday and then over Louisiana and Mississippi Wednesday night through Friday," the NHC said.
The center said the storm is expected to stall over land on Tuesday as it moves to the northeast toward the Louisiana coast. It's forecast to weaken to a depression late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
Communities that were devastated by Hurricane Laura, and to some extent more recently by Hurricane Sally, could face strong winds and downpours that could hinder ongoing recovery efforts.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 29 counties in Texas on Monday as Beta churned toward the coast.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency on Monday, opening up state resources to aid in local government response. He warned that the storm's slow movement puts the southwestern part of the state at risk for flooding through at least the middle of the week.
Widespread rainfall totals of 4-8 inches are expected across southeastern Texas and into southern Louisiana.
Heavy rainfall and the risk for flash flooding are likely even if the storm wobbles back over the water and lingers just offshore of the Texas coast as currently forecast.
"This rainfall can lead to significant, life-threatening flooding, which may last for several days," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Rob Miller said.
Even though Beta is not nearly as strong as Hurricane Harvey, which exploded into a Category 4 storm in 2017, it is expected to crawl across the region, and forecasters warn that it will have enough fuel to produce torrential rainfall along its path. In 2017, Harvey unloaded up to 61 inches of rain as it spent days spinning over eastern Texas.
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In 2001, Tropical Storm Allison unleashed disastrous flooding across southeastern Texas, due to its slow movement.
Should the storm stall near the Texas coast, rainfall amounts could be higher and may even exceed 24 inches. Conversely, should Beta move along at a quicker pace or more drier air get pulled into the storm, total rainfall amounts could be cut in half for some locations, though flooding would still remain a threat.
Waterspouts and isolated tornadoes can occur in Beta's outer bands to the northeast of the center of the storm.
Depending on the exact track of Beta, drenching downpours could reach the Southeast later in the week, including areas recently impacted by Hurricane Sally.
Weak steering winds have resulted in Beta meandering over the Gulf of Mexico since last week.
The tropical storm claimed the second letter in the Greek alphabet on Friday, following Wilfred and Alpha. Once the last name on the Atlantic hurricane season's designated list is exhausted, Greek letters are used to identify tropical storms.
Prior to Beta, eight storms had made landfall in the U.S. during the hyperactive 2020 hurricane season. In comparison, 3 to 4 storms typically strike the country during an entire hurricane season.


upi--2020-09-18--Pandemic tops 30M cases; WHO warns of 'serious situation' in Europe

Sept. 18 ( UPI ) -- The global tally of coronavirus cases surpassed 30 million Thursday as the World Health Organization warned COVID-19 was surging again in Europe .
According to researchers at Johns Hopkins University , 314,834 people were diagnosed with the coronavirus in the past 24 hours to cross the 30 million milestone .
The United States still leads the world with more than 6.6 million infections , but India , which leapfrogged Brazil earlier this month into second place , was quickly catching up .
On Friday , India 's Ministry of Health reported 96,424 cases over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total to 5.2 million .
In eight of the last nine days , India has recorded more than 90,000 infections , including a record 97,894 infections reported Thursday .
Cases have also been on the rise in Europe .
Dr. Hans Kluge , regional director of WHO in Europe , warned during a virtual news conference Thursday that at 300,000 patients , the weekly case tally in the region has surpassed previous highs seen during a March peak .
`` We do have a very serious situation unfolding before us , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and early summer paid dividends with cases hitting an all-time low in June , he said .
But over the past two weeks , more than half of European countries reported a greater than 10 % increase in cases , with seven of those countries experiencing a more than two-fold increase .
`` The September case numbers should serve as a wake-up call for all of us , '' he said .
Kluge noted that the jump reflects an increase in testing but said that it also shows the coronavirus is spreading at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with the largest proportion of infections concentrated among those between the ages of 25 and 49 .
Since the pandemic began late last year , Europe has diagnosed 4.8 million people with COVID-19 and has suffered a death toll of more than 226,000 .
Kluge said that the case numbers only show a portion of the pandemic 's consequences .
`` The impact on our mental health , economies , livelihoods and society has been monumental , '' he said .
Once the epicenter of the virus , Europe had been able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ renewed regional cooperation and an amplified collective effort by all European nations .
He warned that the virus has been `` merciless whenever partisanship and disinformation prevailed . ''
`` Where the pandemic goes from here is in our hands , '' he said .
`` We have fought it back before and we can fight it back again . ''

Dr. Hans Kluge, regional director of WHO in Europe, said Europe needs a collective response to the coronavirus if it is going to again stabilize infections. Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 18 (UPI) -- The global tally of coronavirus cases surpassed 30 million Thursday as the World Health Organization warned COVID-19 was surging again in Europe. According to researchers at Johns Hopkins University, 314,834 people were diagnosed with the coronavirus in the past 24 hours to cross the 30 million milestone. Advertisement
The United States still leads the world with more than 6.6 million infections, but India, which leapfrogged Brazil earlier this month into second place, was quickly catching up.
On Friday, India's Ministry of Health reported 96,424 cases over the previous 24 hours, lifting its total to 5.2 million. In eight of the last nine days, India has recorded more than 90,000 infections, including a record 97,894 infections reported Thursday.
Cases have also been on the rise in Europe. Dr. Hans Kluge, regional director of WHO in Europe, warned during a virtual news conference Thursday that at 300,000 patients, the weekly case tally in the region has surpassed previous highs seen during a March peak.
"We do have a very serious situation unfolding before us," he said.
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Lockdown measures of the spring and early summer paid dividends with cases hitting an all-time low in June, he said. But over the past two weeks, more than half of European countries reported a greater than 10% increase in cases, with seven of those countries experiencing a more than two-fold increase.
"The September case numbers should serve as a wake-up call for all of us," he said.
Kluge noted that the jump reflects an increase in testing but said that it also shows the coronavirus is spreading at "alarming rates" throughout the region, with the largest proportion of infections concentrated among those between the ages of 25 and 49.
Since the pandemic began late last year, Europe has diagnosed 4.8 million people with COVID-19 and has suffered a death toll of more than 226,000.
Kluge said that the case numbers only show a portion of the pandemic's consequences.
"The impact on our mental health, economies, livelihoods and society has been monumental," he said.
Once the epicenter of the virus, Europe had been able to stabilize infections and Kluge called for renewed regional cooperation and an amplified collective effort by all European nations. He warned that the virus has been "merciless whenever partisanship and disinformation prevailed."
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"Where the pandemic goes from here is in our hands," he said. "We have fought it back before and we can fight it back again."


upi--2020-09-18--Teddy may approach New England, Atlantic Canada as hurricane

Sept. 18 ( UPI ) -- Less than one week after feeling the full force of Hurricane Paulette , residents of Bermuda are preparing for a strike from powerful Hurricane Teddy , which unlike Paulette , may take a path that could eventually bring impacts to Atlantic Canada and perhaps the northeastern United States .
Paulette brought a wind gust of 117 mph to Bermuda and an island-wide power outage when it passed directly overhead Sunday night into early Monday .
More than 20,000 customers were without power following Paulette 's approach .
Teddy first developed in the central Atlantic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a Category 4 major hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale .
Laura is the only other Atlantic storm to achieve major hurricane status so far this season .
As of 5 a.m. AST on Friday , the storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 130 mph and was located 935 miles southeast of Bermuda and 550 miles east-northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands while moving northwest at a speed of 12 mph .
Teddy is currently forecast to be more intense than Paulette as it makes its closest approach to Bermuda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Teddy to pass near Bermuda late Sunday night into Monday as a Category 2 or 3 hurricane .
The impacts , however , will depend on how close the center of the storm passes to the islands .
The closer the center of the storm , the greater the impacts will be .
AccuWeather 's current Eye Path takes Teddy nearly right across the islands .
Similar to Paulette , this would bring Teddy 's worst conditions to Bermuda .
On this track , Teddy would bring another round of damaging winds and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glancing blow by Teddy can still have significant impact on the islands due the hurricane 's current large size .
As of the mid-afternoon hours on Thursday , tropical-storm-force winds of at least 39 mph extended outward by up to 255 miles from the center .
After passing Bermuda , Teddy is expected to continue on a north-northwesterly track which would cause the hurricane to approach Atlantic Canada or northern New England around the middle of next week .
`` If Teddy takes a northerly track , areas from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impacts .
Teddy may still be a hurricane at this time with impacts including potentially damaging wind gusts , heavy rainfall and pounding surf , '' Miller explained .
Another scenario would have Teddy track farther to the east and miss Atlantic Canada on the storm 's trek into the North Atlantic .
These appear to be the two most likely scenarios .
`` There remains the chance that Teddy is pulled more to the northwest and could impact northern New England before curving across Atlantic Canada and into the North Atlantic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strong winds , heavy rain and coastal flooding to much of the New England coastline .
A hurricane has never hit Maine from any direction other than from the southwest , according to AccuWeather Senior Weather Editor Jesse Ferrell .
`` Only eight hurricanes have hit Maine on record with only three of those since 1950 , '' Ferrell said .
`` Bob in 1991 was the most recent and only the Unnamed 1869 hurricane , Bob and Gerda from 1969 were Category 2 when they hit with the remaining storms being Category @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State University Meteorologist Phil Klotzbach , the average date for the second major hurricane formation in the Atlantic is Oct. 3 .
Regardless of the final track and impacts from Teddy , even if the hurricane remains out to sea , forecasters warn that rough surf and dangerous rip currents are possible along the New England and mid-Atlantic coasts this weekend and early next week .
Small craft should avoid venturing too far offshore as monstrous waves could develop from and propagate toward the coast from the large hurricane .

The powerful Hurricane Teddy is forecast to hit Atlantic Canada later this week. Image courtesy of NOAA
Sept. 22 (UPI) -- After passing Bermuda a day prior, powerful Hurricane Teddy was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone as it was heading for Atlantic Canada on Tuesday. The storm is still expected to produce potentially life-threatening surf and rip current conditions along the way, forecasters said. Advertisement
As of 11 p.m. AST Tuesday, the storm was about 125 miles south of the Nova Scotian capital of Halifax, packing maximum sustained winds of 80 mph. It was traveling north at 18 mph.
Large swells generated by the system were affecting Bermuda, the Lesser Antilles, the Greater Antilles, the Bahamas, the eastern coast of the United States and Atlantic Canada, the advisory said.
"These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions," it said.
Teddy first developed in the central Atlantic on Saturday, Sept. 12. On Friday night, Teddy strengthened into a Category 4 major hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Laura is the only other Atlantic storm to achieve major hurricane status so far this season.
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According to Colorado State University Meteorologist Phil Klotzbach, the average date for the second major hurricane formation in the Atlantic is Oct. 3.
"Teddy will interact with an upper-level storm system moving across eastern Canada early in the week, and become an extratropical storm before making landfall in Nova Scotia Wednesday morning. However, this is really just a technicality, as the impacts will still match those of a hurricane," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty explained.
The Canadian Hurricane Centre has issued a tropical storm warning for the southern coast of Nova Scotia and a tropical storm watch for the province's northern coast. The watch also extends westward into Prince Edward Island. Tropical storm watches were also issued for portions of the southwestern coast of Newfoundland.
One of those impressive aspects of Teddy will be its expansive wind field. Wind gusts of 40-60 mph will stretch all the way from the eastern shores of Labrador and Newfoundland to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The strongest wind gusts, near where the center moves across Nova Scotia, are expected to reach 80-90 mph with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 100 mph.
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"Teddy is already a large hurricane. When it undergoes extratropical transition, the wind field will expand even further," Douty explained. "Even the New England coast will be quite gusty for a time, despite the storm being around 300 miles east of Boston at its closest approach."
Power outages and tree damage could be widespread across Atlantic Canada. While powerful winter storms that can reach hurricane strength are not particularly uncommon across this region, a storm of this strength striking this time of year, when all the leaves are still on the trees, can lead to more damage.
Winds of this magnitude are also capable of some structural damage, especially to any weaker buildings. Loose objects like yard furniture, toys, planters and trash cans can easily become projectiles in the wind.
Dorian tracked across Atlantic Canada in early September of 2019 and brought widespread wind damage to Atlantic Canada. Teddy has the potential to bring similar results should it remain on its current forecast track.
Residents should begin to make appropriate preparations as this appears to be the most likely scenario.
On this track, 2-4 inches of rain would be widespread across Nova Scotia, with 1-2 inches stretching from eastern New Brunswick to the southeast coast of Labrador. Locally heavier rainfall could fall where the center of the storm tracks, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 6 inches.
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Heavy rain will also accompany the howling winds across Atlantic Canada. However, heavy rain will be in and out relatively quickly due to the fast-forward motion of the storm.
This can lead to some localized flooding, especially on streets and poor-drainage areas. Most leaves across the region are only just starting to change, but with such strong winds, it's also possible that enough leaves are blown down to clog some storm drains and cause more street flooding in urban areas.
Taking these impacts into consideration, Teddy is forecast to be a 1 on the AccuWeather RealImpact Scale for Hurricanes in Atlantic Canada.
In comparison to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which has been used by meteorologists for decades and classifies storms by wind speed only, the AccuWeather RealImpact Scale is based on a broad range of important factors. The scale covers not only wind speed but flooding rain, storm surge as well as economic damage and loss. This communicates a more comprehensive representation of the potential impact of a storm to lives and livelihoods.
Meanwhile, Teddy has been kicking up some significant waves as the storm mowed its way across the Atlantic Ocean. Wave heights near Teddy's center of circulation have been in excess of 20 feet and, up and down the shores of the East Coast, wave heights have been in the 5-foot to 7-foot range.
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Even with Teddy several hundred miles off the coast, some coastal flooding and beach erosion was already being seen and will continue for the first part of the week along many portions of the East Coast, especially at times of high tide.
"During the weekend, an area of high pressure over the interior Northeast helped to increase northeasterly winds, which enraged seas along the immediate Atlantic coast, well away from Teddy," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
According to the NCDOT, portions of Route 12 along the Outer Banks in North Carolina are closed until at least Tuesday afternoon due to overwash. Residents of the Outer Banks have been urged not to travel unless absolutely necessary. Flooding along the Outer Banks could get worse over the next couple of days as surf continues to build and more and more of the protective dunes get worn down or washed away.
Because of the exceptionally rough seas churned up by Teddy, coastal impacts will also be quite expansive. Nova Scotia and the southern coast of Newfoundland will bear the brunt of massive surf and dangerous storm surge.
Wave heights are forecast to reach an incredible 50-75 feet Tuesday on the open sea off the coasts of New England and Nova Scotia. This will have a major impact on shipping, as any sea-going vessels that dare to enter this region will face extreme danger.
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While the most fearsome seas will remain offshore, coastal areas will still have to be prepared for storm surge and significant wave action.
"The southern coast of Nova Scotia is no stranger to angry seas, and most of the towns sit in coves protected by rocky cliffs and barrier islands," explained AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist and Lead Canada Forecaster Brett Anderson.
"However, with 30 foot seas even right to the coast and a large storm surge, any locations that are exposed and not sitting well above normal sea level could quickly become very dangerous to anyone caught there once Teddy arrives."
The entire Eastern Seaboard of the United States will also see rough surf and large swells propagating out from Teddy into midweek. Persistent, gusty onshore flow along much of the East Coast will also add to the angry seas and rising water levels.
"As the area of high pressure weakens, and Teddy moves toward Nova Scotia on Tuesday and Wednesday, wave action along the immediate coast south of the Carolinas will ease, but there can still be occasional large swells that catch bathers and boaters by surprise through the latter part of this week," Sosnowski said.
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Teddy joins Beta currently spinning in the Atlantic, as well as Paulette, which regenerated into a tropical storm south of the Azores on Monday night.
With months still left in the Atlantic hurricane season, more Greek letters are likely to be used. Last week, AccuWeather meteorologists upped their 2020 season predictions for the number of total storms to 28, which would tie the record number of named storms in the basin set in the notorious 2005 season.


upi--2020-09-18--Blue Bell to pay $17M penalty for 2015 listeria outbreak

Sept. 18 ( UPI ) -- Blue Bell Creameries has been ordered to pay more than $ 17 million in penalties for shipping products connected to a listeria outbreak in 2015 .
The Justice Department announced Thursday that the Brenham , Texas , -based ice cream maker was sentenced to pay $ 17.25 million by U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman in Austin after pleading guilty in May to two misdemeanor counts of distributing adulterated ice cream products .
The penalty was consistent with the terms of the plea agreement , prosecutors said .
`` American consumers must be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe to eat , '' said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Justice Department 's Civil Division .
`` The sentence imposed today sends a clear message to food manufacturers that the Department of Justice will take appropriate actions when contaminated food products endanger consumers . ''
The plea deal said Blue Bell distributed ice cream products that were manufactured under unsanitary conditions and contaminated with listeria .
Texas officials notified the company in February 2015 that samples of its products tested positive for the foodborne bacterial illness , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the affected products it did not initiate a recall or inform customers of the potential contamination , prosecutors said .
Blue Bell ordered a recall in March 2015 but after a strain of listeria connected to its product had been confirmed to have sickened five people at a Kansas hospital , according to the Justice Department .
`` The health of American consumers and the safety of our food are too important to be thwarted by the criminal acts of any individual or company , '' Judy McMeekin of the U.S. Food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expect and deserve the highest standards of food safety and integrity . ''
After pleading guilty in May , Blue Bell issued a statement apologizing to those affected .
`` We face a situation our company had never dealt with before , and our agreement with the government reflects that we should have handled many things differently and better , '' it said .
`` We apologize to everyone who was impacted , including our customers , employees and the communities where we live and work . ''
The penalty imposed Thursday is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a food safety case .
In April , Chipotle Mexican Grill agreed to pay a $ 25 million fine , which is the largest to be issued , due to being connected to several foodborne illness outbreaks that sickened more than 1,100 customers between 2015 and 2018 .

Blue Bell Creameries is penalized more than $17 million in connection to a listeria outbreak in 2015. UPI/Gary C. Caskey | License Photo
Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Blue Bell Creameries has been ordered to pay more than $17 million in penalties for shipping products connected to a listeria outbreak in 2015. The Justice Department announced Thursday that the Brenham, Texas,-based ice cream maker was sentenced to pay $17.25 million by U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman in Austin after pleading guilty in May to two misdemeanor counts of distributing adulterated ice cream products. The penalty was consistent with the terms of the plea agreement, prosecutors said. Advertisement
"American consumers must be able to trust that the foods they purchase are safe to eat," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Justice Department's Civil Division. "The sentence imposed today sends a clear message to food manufacturers that the Department of Justice will take appropriate actions when contaminated food products endanger consumers."
The plea deal said Blue Bell distributed ice cream products that were manufactured under unsanitary conditions and contaminated with listeria. Texas officials notified the company in February 2015 that samples of its products tested positive for the foodborne bacterial illness, and while the company removed its remaining stock of the affected products it did not initiate a recall or inform customers of the potential contamination, prosecutors said.
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Blue Bell ordered a recall in March 2015 but after a strain of listeria connected to its product had been confirmed to have sickened five people at a Kansas hospital, according to the Justice Department.
"The health of American consumers and the safety of our food are too important to be thwarted by the criminal acts of any individual or company," Judy McMeekin of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said. "Americans expect and deserve the highest standards of food safety and integrity."
After pleading guilty in May, Blue Bell issued a statement apologizing to those affected.
"We face a situation our company had never dealt with before, and our agreement with the government reflects that we should have handled many things differently and better," it said. "We apologize to everyone who was impacted, including our customers, employees and the communities where we live and work."
The penalty imposed Thursday is one of the largest ever issued in a food safety case. In April, Chipotle Mexican Grill agreed to pay a $25 million fine, which is the largest to be issued, due to being connected to several foodborne illness outbreaks that sickened more than 1,100 customers between 2015 and 2018.
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upi--2020-09-18--European lawmakers vote to sanction Belarus' president

Sept. 18 ( UPI ) -- Members of the European Parliament called for sanctions to be imposed against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko , while nearly 30 nations including the United States condemned his government 's use of Internet shutdowns to stifle ongoing protests against his rule .
In the European Parliament , lawmakers overwhelmingly voted to reject the Aug. 9 re-election of Lukashenko , condemning it in a resolution as a `` flagrant violation of all internationally recognized standards . ''
Lukashenko 's term ends on Nov. 5 , and the resolution , which was passed by a vote of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 82 abstaining , will see the European Parliament no longer recognize his presidency past that point .
The resolution calls for EU sanctions against Lukashenko and others responsible for falsifying the election results and for the violent repression of protesters who took to the streets of Belarus following the announcement he had won a sixth term in office .
Belarus ' Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the resolution , accusing EU lawmakers of not understanding the ongoing situation .
`` We are disappointed by the failure of the European Parliament that poses itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organization to find enough political will to see farther than the end of its noise , to overcome unilateralism and not to succumb to common cliches , '' it said in a statement reported by Belarus ' state-owned Belta news agency .
The ministry called the resolution `` aggressive '' and lacking `` a single constructive or sensible point , '' and claimed that the call for sanctions was detrimental to the interests of Europe .
`` It is clear that the MEPs , unlike businesses and ordinary people , will not face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with these things , '' the statement said .
`` However , history will judge them . ''
The capital of Minsk has been the site of mass demonstrations against the election results as protesters contend opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya , who officially received some 10 % of cast ballots , actually won the presidency .
Activists and rights organizations have accused Lukashenko of using oppressive tactics to squelch otherwise peaceful demonstrations by detaining thousands of people .
Authorities have also been accused of kidnapping opposition activist Maria Kolesnikova -- who has since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and attempting to force her into Ukraine .
`` There has been an outpouring of graphic images and compelling testimonies of the excessive use of force against peaceful protesters by police , widespread torture or other ill-treatment of detainees and fabrication of criminal charges against leading activists , including most recently Maria Kolesnikova , '' Amnesty International said in a statement .
Belarusian authorities have also been accused of censoring the Internet or outright shutting it down since the protests began .
Human Rights Watch , a human rights monitor based in New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country has been interfered with and online content restricted in an attempt to silence information about protests and police brutality .
On Thursday , the United States , Canada , Britain and 26 other Western countries issued a statement condemning the partial and complete Internet shutdowns as well as content blocking by the Belarusian government .
`` We will continue to stand with the people of Belarus , who are making their voices heard in spite of these oppressive measures , '' they said in a statement .
`` We call on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and blocking or filtering of services and to respect Belarus ' international human rights obligations ... We call on the government of Belarus to respect civic space , including respect for human rights and fundamental freedom , democracy and the rule of law . ''
Seventeen member states of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe also launched an independent investigation on Thursday into the reports of human rights violations .
`` Basically , the mission is to hold the Belarussian authorities accountable for their gross violations of the right of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , fundamental freedoms and a well-functioning rule of law , '' Jeppe Kofod , Denmark 's foreign minister , said in a statement .

European lawmaker voted to reject the Aug. 9 re-election of Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko. Photo by Tatyana Zenkovich/EPA-EFE
Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Members of the European Parliament called for sanctions to be imposed against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, while nearly 30 nations including the United States condemned his government's use of Internet shutdowns to stifle ongoing protests against his rule. In the European Parliament, lawmakers overwhelmingly voted to reject the Aug. 9 re-election of Lukashenko, condemning it in a resolution as a "flagrant violation of all internationally recognized standards." Advertisement
Lukashenko's term ends on Nov. 5, and the resolution, which was passed by a vote of 574 in favor, 37 against and 82 abstaining, will see the European Parliament no longer recognize his presidency past that point.
The resolution calls for EU sanctions against Lukashenko and others responsible for falsifying the election results and for the violent repression of protesters who took to the streets of Belarus following the announcement he had won a sixth term in office.
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Belarus' Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the resolution, accusing EU lawmakers of not understanding the ongoing situation.
"We are disappointed by the failure of the European Parliament that poses itself as a serious, objective and democratic organization to find enough political will to see farther than the end of its noise, to overcome unilateralism and not to succumb to common cliches," it said in a statement reported by Belarus' state-owned Belta news agency.
The ministry called the resolution "aggressive" and lacking "a single constructive or sensible point," and claimed that the call for sanctions was detrimental to the interests of Europe.
"It is clear that the MEPs, unlike businesses and ordinary people, will not face the consequences, therefore they easily play with these things," the statement said. "However, history will judge them."
The capital of Minsk has been the site of mass demonstrations against the election results as protesters contend opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who officially received some 10% of cast ballots, actually won the presidency.
Activists and rights organizations have accused Lukashenko of using oppressive tactics to squelch otherwise peaceful demonstrations by detaining thousands of people. Authorities have also been accused of kidnapping opposition activist Maria Kolesnikova -- who has since been charged for undermining national security -- and attempting to force her into Ukraine.
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"There has been an outpouring of graphic images and compelling testimonies of the excessive use of force against peaceful protesters by police, widespread torture or other ill-treatment of detainees and fabrication of criminal charges against leading activists, including most recently Maria Kolesnikova," Amnesty International said in a statement.
Belarusian authorities have also been accused of censoring the Internet or outright shutting it down since the protests began.
Human Rights Watch, a human rights monitor based in New York City, said Internet access in the country has been interfered with and online content restricted in an attempt to silence information about protests and police brutality.
On Thursday, the United States, Canada, Britain and 26 other Western countries issued a statement condemning the partial and complete Internet shutdowns as well as content blocking by the Belarusian government.
"We will continue to stand with the people of Belarus, who are making their voices heard in spite of these oppressive measures," they said in a statement. "We call on Belarusian authorities to refrain from Internet shutdowns and blocking or filtering of services and to respect Belarus' international human rights obligations... We call on the government of Belarus to respect civic space, including respect for human rights and fundamental freedom, democracy and the rule of law."
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Seventeen member states of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe also launched an independent investigation on Thursday into the reports of human rights violations.
"Basically, the mission is to hold the Belarussian authorities accountable for their gross violations of the right of the Belarusian people to free and fair elections, fundamental freedoms and a well-functioning rule of law," Jeppe Kofod, Denmark's foreign minister, said in a statement.


upi--2020-09-18--Houston-Baylor, FAU-Georgia Southern games postponed due to COVID-19

Sept. 18 ( UPI ) -- The Houston-Baylor and Florida Atlantic-Georgia Southern football games scheduled for Saturday have been postponed because of the coronavirus , the schools announced Friday .
Baylor said that one of its position groups did n't meet the Big 12 Conference COVID-19 thresholds for competition , forcing the game 's cancellation .
Houston and Baylor agreed to honor their home-and-home agreement and will monitor dates for future scheduling opportunities .
`` The loss of this game is a devastating blow , but in the interest of the health and safety of our student-athletes , we believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baylor athletic director Mack B. Rhoades said in a statement Friday .
`` We are incredibly disappointed with the continued delay to the start of our season and empathize with our student-athletes , fans , coaches and administrative staff .
We are grateful for the support and understanding of the University of Houston , athletic director Chris Pezman and Chancellor [ Renu ] Khator .
We look forward to a future home-and-home matchup . ''
Both schools worked quickly to schedule the game last week after previous postponements .
Houston was set to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the contest was scrapped due to a rise in positive coronavirus tests at Memphis .
Baylor 's initial opener -- a Sept. 12 meeting against Louisiana Tech -- was postponed because of a COVID-19 outbreak at Louisiana Tech .
Earlier Friday , FAU 's opener against Georgia Southern was postponed following the results of the Owls ' coronavirus testing Thursday .
An FAU spokesperson told the Sun Sentinel that 18 members of the football program -- 12 student-athletes , four staff members and two student-staff members -- tested positive for COVID-19 this week @

Sept. 18 (UPI) -- The Houston-Baylor and Florida Atlantic-Georgia Southern football games scheduled for Saturday have been postponed because of the coronavirus, the schools announced Friday.
Baylor said that one of its position groups didn't meet the Big 12 Conference COVID-19 thresholds for competition, forcing the game's cancellation.
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Houston and Baylor agreed to honor their home-and-home agreement and will monitor dates for future scheduling opportunities.
"The loss of this game is a devastating blow, but in the interest of the health and safety of our student-athletes, we believe we made the necessary decision," Baylor athletic director Mack B. Rhoades said in a statement Friday.
"We are incredibly disappointed with the continued delay to the start of our season and empathize with our student-athletes, fans, coaches and administrative staff. We are grateful for the support and understanding of the University of Houston, athletic director Chris Pezman and Chancellor [Renu] Khator. We look forward to a future home-and-home matchup."
Both schools worked quickly to schedule the game last week after previous postponements. Houston was set to face Memphis on Friday night, but the contest was scrapped due to a rise in positive coronavirus tests at Memphis. Baylor's initial opener -- a Sept. 12 meeting against Louisiana Tech -- was postponed because of a COVID-19 outbreak at Louisiana Tech.
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Earlier Friday, FAU's opener against Georgia Southern was postponed following the results of the Owls' coronavirus testing Thursday.
An FAU spokesperson told the Sun Sentinel that 18 members of the football program -- 12 student-athletes, four staff members and two student-staff members -- tested positive for COVID-19 this week.


upi--2020-09-18--Patrick Reed takes 1-shot lead at U.S. Open; Tiger Woods misses cut

Sept. 18 ( UPI ) -- Patrick Reed surged to the lead in a challenging second round at the 2020 U.S. Open in Mamaroneck , N.Y. Reed , who had a hole-in-one Thursday and opened with a 66 , shot an even-par 70 in Friday 's second round at Winged Foot to grab a one-stroke lead over Bryson DeChambeau .
Reed started on hole No .
10 and had two birdies and three bogeys over his first nine .
He opened his last nine with a birdie on hole No .
1 and offset two bogeys with two birdies the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ round of the tournament proved to be much different than the surprisingly soft first day , as only Hideki Matsuyama ( 69 ) , Bubba Watson ( 69 ) and DeChambeau ( 68 ) shot below 70 on Friday .
Nine other players shot an even-par 70 , while the rest of the field struggled .
On Thursday , 21 players finished under par -- the most in an opening round of a U.S. Open at Winged Foot -- and 32 golfers were at least even .
Rafael Cabrera Bello and Harris English @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a third-place tie with Justin Thomas at 2-under par .
Thomas , who led after the first round , carded a 3-over 73 to slip two spots .
Jason Kokrak ( 71 ) was a shot back of that group at 1-under par .
Thomas Pieters ( 74 ) , Xander Schauffele ( 72 ) , Matthew Wolff ( 74 ) , Brendon Todd ( 72 ) and Matsuyama were tied for seventh at even-par 140 .
Dustin Johnson -- the top-ranked player in the world -- and Rory McIlroy were at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Rickie Fowler was at 6-over but managed to make the cut line .
Meanwhile , Tiger Woods failed to make the cut at Winged Foot after another disappointing day .
He followed up his first-round 73 with a 7-over 77 and will miss the third and fourth rounds at the U.S. Open for only the fourth time in his career .
`` On this golf course it 's imperative that you hit fairways , and I did not do that , '' Woods said .
`` The whole goal of entering an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I do n't give myself that opportunity over the weekend , it does n't feel good .
`` ...
It was frustrating that I did n't drive the ball as well as I needed to .
It 's frustrating that I 'm not going to be here for the weekend and be able to compete for this great championship .
It feels like the way the golf course is changing -- is turning -- that anybody who makes the cut has the opportunity to win this championship .
I did n't get myself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 71 ) , Phil Mickelson ( 74 ) , Jordan Spieth ( 81 ) , Sergio Garcia ( 81 ) , Tommy Fleetwood ( 74 ) , Gary Woodland ( 74 ) and Justin Rose ( 77 ) also did n't make the cut .

Patrick Reed (pictured) shot an even-par 70 in Friday's second round at Winged Foot to grab a one-stroke lead over Bryson DeChambeau. File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Patrick Reed surged to the lead in a challenging second round at the 2020 U.S. Open in Mamaroneck, N.Y. Reed, who had a hole-in-one Thursday and opened with a 66, shot an even-par 70 in Friday's second round at Winged Foot to grab a one-stroke lead over Bryson DeChambeau. Advertisement
Reed started on hole No. 10 and had two birdies and three bogeys over his first nine. He opened his last nine with a birdie on hole No. 1 and offset two bogeys with two birdies the rest of the way.
The second round of the tournament proved to be much different than the surprisingly soft first day, as only Hideki Matsuyama (69), Bubba Watson (69) and DeChambeau (68) shot below 70 on Friday. Nine other players shot an even-par 70, while the rest of the field struggled.
On Thursday, 21 players finished under par -- the most in an opening round of a U.S. Open at Winged Foot -- and 32 golfers were at least even.
Rafael Cabrera Bello and Harris English both shot 70s to enter the weekend in a third-place tie with Justin Thomas at 2-under par. Thomas, who led after the first round, carded a 3-over 73 to slip two spots.
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Jason Kokrak (71) was a shot back of that group at 1-under par. Thomas Pieters (74), Xander Schauffele (72), Matthew Wolff (74), Brendon Todd (72) and Matsuyama were tied for seventh at even-par 140.
Dustin Johnson -- the top-ranked player in the world -- and Rory McIlroy were at 3-over par going into the third round. Rickie Fowler was at 6-over but managed to make the cut line.
Meanwhile, Tiger Woods failed to make the cut at Winged Foot after another disappointing day. He followed up his first-round 73 with a 7-over 77 and will miss the third and fourth rounds at the U.S. Open for only the fourth time in his career.
"On this golf course it's imperative that you hit fairways, and I did not do that," Woods said. "The whole goal of entering an event is to win, and when I don't give myself that opportunity over the weekend, it doesn't feel good.
"... It was frustrating that I didn't drive the ball as well as I needed to. It's frustrating that I'm not going to be here for the weekend and be able to compete for this great championship. It feels like the way the golf course is changing -- is turning -- that anybody who makes the cut has the opportunity to win this championship. I didn't get myself that opportunity."
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Collin Morikawa (71), Phil Mickelson (74), Jordan Spieth (81), Sergio Garcia (81), Tommy Fleetwood (74), Gary Woodland (74) and Justin Rose (77) also didn't make the cut.
Tiger Woods turns 47: a look back


upi--2020-09-18--Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies at 87

Sept. 18 ( UPI ) -- Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died Friday surrounded by her family at home in Washington , D.C. , the Supreme Court announced .
She was 87 .
The court said the liberal justice died of complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer .
Her death comes two months after she announced her cancer had returned after receiving treatment for the disease in 2019 .
`` Our nation has lost a jurist of historic stature , '' Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. said .
`` We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague .
Today we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her -- a tireless and resolute champion of justice . ''
Former President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush also offered their condolences .
`` She dedicated many of her 87 remarkable years to the pursuit of justice and equality , and she inspired more than one generation of women and girls .
Justice Ginsburg loved our country and the law .
Laura and I are fortunate to have known this smart and humorous trailblazer . ''
Ginsburg was first diagnosed with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ August 2019 said she was doing `` very well '' after undergoing radiation treatment .
In July , she said doctors discovered new lesions on her liver , for which she received chemotherapy .
Despite the diagnoses and a number of other health ailments in recent years , she has continued to serve on the high court bench .
In her long career , Ginsburg consistently broke through glass ceilings , challenging social norms and using her intellect to win consensus among her peers -- even when her peers were fellow Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ female professor at Columbia University , the first woman to join the Harvard Law Review and the second woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1993 by President Bill Clinton .
`` Justice Ginsburg paved the way for so many women , including me .
There will never be another like her .
Thank you RBG , '' said former first lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton .
Ginsburg 's passion for advocacy continued in her 27-plus years on the U.S. Supreme Court .
From gay marriage to Obamacare , Ginsburg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the 21st Century .
She was born Ruth Joan Bader on March 15 , 1933 , in Brooklyn , N.Y. , to Nathan and Cecelia Bader .
She went to James Madison High School in Brooklyn , where she excelled in her studies .
Her mother battled cancer for several years and died the day before Ginsburg graduated from high school .
Ginsburg attended Cornell University , where she finished first in her class in 1954 .
She married Martin Ginsburg that same year .
They had a daughter , Jane , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was drafted into the military in 1954 , leaving Ruth Bader Ginsburg to raise their daughter alone .
Martin Ginsburg served two years before he was discharged .
Then the couple enrolled in Harvard University 's law school , a male-dominated environment with eight women out of 500 students .
In 1956 , her husband got testicular cancer , which required treatment and rehabilitation that forced him to miss class .
Ruth Bader Ginsburg attended classes for both of them , taking notes and typing papers .
When Martin recovered , he graduated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of his wife 's help .
The story is depicted in the film On the Basis of Sex .
After law school , she clerked for U.S. District Judge Edmund L. Palmieri and taught at the Rutgers University Law School and at Columbia .
The discrimination that Ruth Bader Ginsburg experienced in her early years drove her to push boundaries and take on gender discrimination .
In the 1970s , she was the director of the Women 's Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union .
There , she argued six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before she would sit on that bench .
President Jimmy Carter appointed Ginsburg to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in 1980 .
She served there until 1993 when President Bill Clinton appointed her to the U.S. Supreme Court to replace the seat vacated by Justice Byron White .
She was confirmed by the Senate 96-3 .
On the Supreme Court , Ginsburg continued to advocate for gender equality , the rights of workers and separation of church and state .
She wrote the Supreme Court 's landmark decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Virginia Military Institute could n't refuse women .
In 1999 , she won the American Bar Association 's Thurgood Marshall Award for her contributions to gender equality and civil rights .
She also famously objected to the majority opinion in Bush vs. Gore case that decided the 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore .
She said `` I dissent , '' noticeably leaving out the word `` respectfully . ''
In 2015 , Ginsburg sided with the majority in the King vs. Burwell case that allowed the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Care Act .
The next day , she cast the deciding vote in the Obergefell v. Hodges case that legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states .
Her granddaughter Clara Spera was inspired by her `` Bubbie 's '' determination and was taught from a young age that she could get any job she wanted .
She celebrated her 3rd birthday at the Supreme Court in 1993 , shortly after Ginsburg had been confirmed .
In May 2018 , Spera became a lawyer in New York .
In her mid-80s , Ginsburg said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court for at least another five years even as fellow liberal Justice Anthony Kennedy retired .
In a show of defiance in 2018 , she hired law clerks through 2020 .
`` I 'm now 85 , '' Ginsburg told CNN in August 2018 .
`` My senior colleague , Justice Paul Stevens , he stepped down when he was 90 , so I think I have about at least five more years . ''
She 's a three-time cancer survivor and dealt with a number of other health problems over the years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down .
She had surgery for colon cancer in 1999 and underwent chemotherapy treatment .
In 2009 , she had treatment for pancreatic cancer and went through chemotherapy treatments again .
In 2014 , she had a stent placed in her right coronary artery .
In November 2018 , Ginsburg fractured three ribs when she fell in her office .
She left the hospital the next day .
A few weeks later , Ginsburg greeted 31 new U.S. citizens at the National Archives .
She gave a stirring speech about her own father @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia at age 13 .
She was hospitalized again in December to remove cancerous lung nodules that were found while doctors were treating her for the fall the previous month .
She continued to work from her hospital bed just days after the treatment .
The cancer was contained and did n't spread , doctors said .
Ginsburg is the second Supreme Court justice to die in office since 2016 -- the other being Antonin Scalia .
Ginsburg 's death gives President Donald Trump the chance to nominate a third justice to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50 days before a presidential election .
President Barack Obama faced a roadblock by the Republican-led Senate when Scalia died nine months before the 2016 election .
The Senate insisted the next president should nominate Scalia 's replacement .
`` The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice .
Therefore , this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president , '' Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said at the time .
The senator from Kentucky released a statement late Friday saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Trump 's nominee when he announces one .
`` In the last midterm election before Justice Scalia 's death in 2016 , Americans elected a Republican Senate majority because we pledged to check and balance the last days of a lame-duck president 's second term .
We kept our promise .
Since the 1880s , no Senate has confirmed an opposite-party president 's Supreme Court nominee in a presidential election year , '' McConnell said .
`` By contrast , Americans re-elected our majority in 2016 and expanded it in 2018 because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and support his agenda , particularly his outstanding appointments to the federal judiciary .
Once again , we will keep our promise . ''
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called on the country `` to fight as hard as we can to preserve her legacy . ''
`` Tonight , we mourn the passing of a giant in American history , a champion for justice , a trailblazer for women , '' he tweeted .
Spera , Ginsburg 's granddaughter , said that days before her death , the justice dictated a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed , '' she said , according to NPR .
Ginsburg 's husband , Martin Ginsburg , died of cancer in 2010 .
Ruth Bader Ginsburg described her husband of 56 years as her biggest booster and `` the only young man I dated who cared that I had a brain . ''
She is survived by her children , attorney Jane Carol , 63 , and music producer James Steven , 53 .
She ranked in the top 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gallup Survey .

1/9
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died two months after announcing her liver cancer had returned. She was 87. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died Friday surrounded by her family at home in Washington, D.C., the Supreme Court announced. She was 87. The court said the liberal justice died of complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer. Her death comes two months after she announced her cancer had returned after receiving treatment for the disease in 2019. Advertisement
"Our nation has lost a jurist of historic stature," Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. said. "We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague. Today we mourn, but with confidence that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her -- a tireless and resolute champion of justice."
Former President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush also offered their condolences.
Advertisement
"She dedicated many of her 87 remarkable years to the pursuit of justice and equality, and she inspired more than one generation of women and girls. Justice Ginsburg loved our country and the law. Laura and I are fortunate to have known this smart and humorous trailblazer."
Ginsburg was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year, but in August 2019 said she was doing "very well" after undergoing radiation treatment. In July, she said doctors discovered new lesions on her liver, for which she received chemotherapy.
Despite the diagnoses and a number of other health ailments in recent years, she has continued to serve on the high court bench.
In her long career, Ginsburg consistently broke through glass ceilings, challenging social norms and using her intellect to win consensus among her peers -- even when her peers were fellow Supreme Court justices.
She was the first tenured female professor at Columbia University, the first woman to join the Harvard Law Review and the second woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1993 by President Bill Clinton.
"Justice Ginsburg paved the way for so many women, including me. There will never be another like her. Thank you RBG," said former first lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Advertisement
Ginsburg's passion for advocacy continued in her 27-plus years on the U.S. Supreme Court.
From gay marriage to Obamacare, Ginsburg tackled some of the biggest social issues of the 21st Century.
She was born Ruth Joan Bader on March 15, 1933, in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Nathan and Cecelia Bader. She went to James Madison High School in Brooklyn, where she excelled in her studies. Her mother battled cancer for several years and died the day before Ginsburg graduated from high school.
Ginsburg attended Cornell University, where she finished first in her class in 1954. She married Martin Ginsburg that same year.
They had a daughter, Jane, who was born shortly before Martin Ginsburg was drafted into the military in 1954, leaving Ruth Bader Ginsburg to raise their daughter alone. Martin Ginsburg served two years before he was discharged.
Then the couple enrolled in Harvard University's law school, a male-dominated environment with eight women out of 500 students.
In 1956, her husband got testicular cancer, which required treatment and rehabilitation that forced him to miss class. Ruth Bader Ginsburg attended classes for both of them, taking notes and typing papers. When Martin recovered, he graduated from law school, in large part because of his wife's help. The story is depicted in the film On the Basis of Sex.
Advertisement
After law school, she clerked for U.S. District Judge Edmund L. Palmieri and taught at the Rutgers University Law School and at Columbia.
The discrimination that Ruth Bader Ginsburg experienced in her early years drove her to push boundaries and take on gender discrimination. In the 1970s, she was the director of the Women's Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union. There, she argued six cases before the U.S. Supreme Court decades before she would sit on that bench.
President Jimmy Carter appointed Ginsburg to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in 1980. She served there until 1993 when President Bill Clinton appointed her to the U.S. Supreme Court to replace the seat vacated by Justice Byron White.
She was confirmed by the Senate 96-3.
On the Supreme Court, Ginsburg continued to advocate for gender equality, the rights of workers and separation of church and state. She wrote the Supreme Court's landmark decision in United States vs. Virginia that said the Virginia Military Institute couldn't refuse women.
In 1999, she won the American Bar Association's Thurgood Marshall Award for her contributions to gender equality and civil rights.
Advertisement
She also famously objected to the majority opinion in Bush vs. Gore case that decided the 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore. She said "I dissent," noticeably leaving out the word "respectfully."
In 2015, Ginsburg sided with the majority in the King vs. Burwell case that allowed the federal government to offer subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. The next day, she cast the deciding vote in the Obergefell v. Hodges case that legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states.
Her granddaughter Clara Spera was inspired by her "Bubbie's" determination and was taught from a young age that she could get any job she wanted. She celebrated her 3rd birthday at the Supreme Court in 1993, shortly after Ginsburg had been confirmed. In May 2018, Spera became a lawyer in New York.
In her mid-80s, Ginsburg said she intended to remain on the Supreme Court for at least another five years even as fellow liberal Justice Anthony Kennedy retired. In a show of defiance in 2018, she hired law clerks through 2020.
"I'm now 85," Ginsburg told CNN in August 2018. "My senior colleague, Justice Paul Stevens, he stepped down when he was 90, so I think I have about at least five more years."
Advertisement
She's a three-time cancer survivor and dealt with a number of other health problems over the years, but never let that slow her down.
She had surgery for colon cancer in 1999 and underwent chemotherapy treatment. In 2009, she had treatment for pancreatic cancer and went through chemotherapy treatments again. In 2014, she had a stent placed in her right coronary artery.
In November 2018, Ginsburg fractured three ribs when she fell in her office. She left the hospital the next day. A few weeks later, Ginsburg greeted 31 new U.S. citizens at the National Archives. She gave a stirring speech about her own father who moved to the United States from Russia at age 13.
She was hospitalized again in December to remove cancerous lung nodules that were found while doctors were treating her for the fall the previous month. She continued to work from her hospital bed just days after the treatment. The cancer was contained and didn't spread, doctors said.
Ginsburg is the second Supreme Court justice to die in office since 2016 -- the other being Antonin Scalia. Ginsburg's death gives President Donald Trump the chance to nominate a third justice to the Supreme Court, this time less than 50 days before a presidential election.
Advertisement
President Barack Obama faced a roadblock by the Republican-led Senate when Scalia died nine months before the 2016 election. The Senate insisted the next president should nominate Scalia's replacement.
"The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice. Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president," Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said at the time.
The senator from Kentucky released a statement late Friday saying he planned to hold a floor vote for Trump's nominee when he announces one.
"In the last midterm election before Justice Scalia's death in 2016, Americans elected a Republican Senate majority because we pledged to check and balance the last days of a lame-duck president's second term. We kept our promise. Since the 1880s, no Senate has confirmed an opposite-party president's Supreme Court nominee in a presidential election year," McConnell said.
"By contrast, Americans re-elected our majority in 2016 and expanded it in 2018 because we pledged to work with President Trump and support his agenda, particularly his outstanding appointments to the federal judiciary. Once again, we will keep our promise."
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called on the country "to fight as hard as we can to preserve her legacy."
Advertisement
"Tonight, we mourn the passing of a giant in American history, a champion for justice, a trailblazer for women," he tweeted.
Spera, Ginsburg's granddaughter, said that days before her death, the justice dictated a statement to her:
"My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed," she said, according to NPR.
Ginsburg's husband, Martin Ginsburg, died of cancer in 2010. Ruth Bader Ginsburg described her husband of 56 years as her biggest booster and "the only young man I dated who cared that I had a brain."
She is survived by her children, attorney Jane Carol, 63, and music producer James Steven, 53.
She ranked in the top 10 Most Admired Women of 2018 on a Gallup Survey.
Notable deaths of 2020


upi--2020-09-18--In photos: Notable deaths of 2020

In photos: Notable deaths of 2020

National Baseball Hall of Fame member Lou Brock waves to the fans as he rides in a car around the @ @ @ @ @ Day in St. Louis on April 5 , 2019 .
The former St. Louis player @ @ @ @ @ to two World Series titles , died on September 6 at the age of 81 @ @ @ @ @

Dawn Wells
Dawn Wells poses with the original, fully restored S.S. Minnow from "Gilligan's Island" to meet and greet fans and visitors at the Vancouver International Boat Show in Vancouver on January 23, 2014. Best known for her role as Mary Ann from "Gilligan's Island," Wells died of COVID-19 on December 30 at the age of 82. Photo by Heinz Ruckemann/UPI


upi--2020-09-18--Celtics coach Brad Stevens meets with team leaders after locker room incident

Sept. 18 ( UPI ) -- Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens on Thursday held a late-night meeting with team leaders to clear the air after a Game 2 loss to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals .
League sources told ESPN and The Athletic on Friday that Celtics guards Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown needed to be separated by teammates after a heated confrontation inside the locker room following the Game 2 loss .
According to ESPN , Stevens met with Jayson Tatum , Kemba Walker , Brown and Smart to talk through the issues that led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room spat and the late meeting between Stevens and the players , Smart 's focus had been on increasing the urgency among the team , according to the outlets .
Boston has blown double-digit leads in both games of the East finals and trail the Heat 2-0 in the best-of-seven series .
Another part of the discussion in the late-night meeting was about making sure the team smoothly integrated All-Star forward Gordon Hayward back into the lineup , according to ESPN .
The Celtics upgraded Hayward -- who has been dealing with an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are hopeful he can play a role off the bench in Saturday 's Game 3 .
After the meeting , the coaching staff and players believed the issues were resolved and preparations could begin for the next game , according to ESPN .
Game 3 of the series is set for 8:30 p.m. EST inside the NBA bubble near Orlando , Fla .

Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens (pictured) met with Jayson Tatum, Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart to talk through the issues that led to a locker room incident after the team's Game 2 loss to the Miami Heat. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens on Thursday held a late-night meeting with team leaders to clear the air after a Game 2 loss to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals. League sources told ESPN and The Athletic on Friday that Celtics guards Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown needed to be separated by teammates after a heated confrontation inside the locker room following the Game 2 loss. According to ESPN, Stevens met with Jayson Tatum, Kemba Walker, Brown and Smart to talk through the issues that led to the incident. Advertisement
During the locker room spat and the late meeting between Stevens and the players, Smart's focus had been on increasing the urgency among the team, according to the outlets. Boston has blown double-digit leads in both games of the East finals and trail the Heat 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.
Another part of the discussion in the late-night meeting was about making sure the team smoothly integrated All-Star forward Gordon Hayward back into the lineup, according to ESPN. The Celtics upgraded Hayward -- who has been dealing with an ankle injury -- to questionable Friday and are hopeful he can play a role off the bench in Saturday's Game 3.
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After the meeting, the coaching staff and players believed the issues were resolved and preparations could begin for the next game, according to ESPN.
Game 3 of the series is set for 8:30 p.m. EST inside the NBA bubble near Orlando, Fla.


upi--2020-09-18--Trump announces $13B in Hurricane Maria relief for Puerto Rico

Sept. 18 ( UPI ) -- The Trump administration on Friday said it 's awarding $ 13 billion in funding to Puerto Rico to rebuild infrastructure three years after Hurricane Maria devastated the island territory .
President Donald Trump announced the funding during a press briefing at the White House .
Of the Federal Emergency Management Agency funding , $ 9.6 billion will go to the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority , which took a major hit during the 2017 hurricane .
The entire island lost power , some areas for months .
Another $ 2 billion will go toward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Education .
Hurricane Maria made landfall on Puerto Rico on Sept. 20 , 2017 , as a Category 4 storm , dumping up to 3 feet of rain in some areas and bringing up to 155 mph winds .
The deluge caused dozens of landslides and left about 3,000 people dead .
`` We 've done more for Puerto Rico than anybody , '' Trump said during the briefing .
When asked why the administration did n't grant the funding three years ago , immediately after the natural disaster , Trump said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is we 've been working on it for a long time . ''
In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria , Trump frequently took aim at local leadership there , blaming the island 's existing poor infrastructure for the damage it took during the storm .
He repeatedly traded barbs with San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz , saying she showed `` poor leadership ability '' in response to the storm .
Cruz said Trump had a lack of compassion for the people of Puerto Rico .
`` This will be a stain on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives , '' she said in August 2018 .
`` Because rather than come here to support us , he came here to throw paper towels at us , and we will never forget and we will always remember . ''
The White House said that collectively , the U.S. government has obligated about $ 26 billion to Puerto Rico in response to Hurricane Maria .

A man participates in a protest calling on Congress and the White House for a recovery package in response to Hurricane Maria on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on October 18, 2017. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Sept. 18 (UPI) -- The Trump administration on Friday said it's awarding $13 billion in funding to Puerto Rico to rebuild infrastructure three years after Hurricane Maria devastated the island territory. President Donald Trump announced the funding during a press briefing at the White House. Advertisement
Of the Federal Emergency Management Agency funding, $9.6 billion will go to the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, which took a major hit during the 2017 hurricane. The entire island lost power, some areas for months. Another $2 billion will go toward restoring school buildings and boosting the Department of Education.
Hurricane Maria made landfall on Puerto Rico on Sept. 20, 2017, as a Category 4 storm, dumping up to 3 feet of rain in some areas and bringing up to 155 mph winds. The deluge caused dozens of landslides and left about 3,000 people dead.
"We've done more for Puerto Rico than anybody," Trump said during the briefing.
When asked why the administration didn't grant the funding three years ago, immediately after the natural disaster, Trump said, "because what we're doing is we've been working on it for a long time."
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In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, Trump frequently took aim at local leadership there, blaming the island's existing poor infrastructure for the damage it took during the storm. He repeatedly traded barbs with San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz, saying she showed "poor leadership ability" in response to the storm.
Cruz said Trump had a lack of compassion for the people of Puerto Rico.
"This will be a stain on his presidency for as long as he lives," she said in August 2018. "Because rather than come here to support us, he came here to throw paper towels at us, and we will never forget and we will always remember."
The White House said that collectively, the U.S. government has obligated about $26 billion to Puerto Rico in response to Hurricane Maria.