upi--2020-08-13--Jonathan Pryce to play Prince Philip in 'The Crown' Season 5, 6

Aug. 13 ( UPI ) -- The Crown has found its Prince Philip for Seasons 5 and 6 .
Netflix confirmed Thursday that British actor Jonathan Pryce , 73 , will play Philip in the show 's final two seasons .
Pryce joins Imelda Staunton , who will portray Queen Elizabeth II , and Lesley Manville , who will play Princess Margaret , in Seasons 5 and 6 .
Pryce previously collaborated with Netflix on the film The Two Popes .
The movie , released in November , starred Pryce and Anthony Hopkins as the future Pope Francis and Pope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be working with Netflix again , '' Pryce said in statement .
`` The positive experience I had making 'The Two Popes ' has given me the confidence to tackle the daunting prospect of portraying Prince Philip . ''
`` To be doing so with [ series creator ] Peter Morgan in the company of Imelda and Lesley will be a joy , '' he added .
Pryce will take over the role of Philip from Tobias Menzies , who played the prince in Season 3 and will return in the upcoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Seasons 1 and 2 .
Netflix confirmed in July that The Crown will air for a sixth and final season .
The series was originally to have a six-season run , but Morgan said in January that the show would end after Season 5 .
`` As we started to discuss the rich storylines for Series 5 , it soon became clear that in order to do justice to the richness of the story we should go back to the original plan and do six seasons , '' Morgan said in July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Britain 's Queen Elizabeth II throughout the decades .
Claire Foy played the queen in Seasons 1 and 2 , while Olivia Colman portrays the monarch in Seasons 3 and 4 .
Netflix released Season 3 of The Crown in November .
The streaming service has yet to announce a premiere date for Season 4 , which will feature Josh O'Connor as Prince Charles and Emma Corrin as Princess Diana .
Pryce is known for such films as Glengarry Glen Ross , Evita and Tomorrow Never Dies .
He played the High Sparrow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Jonathan Pryce will play Prince Philip in the final two seasons of The Crown (Seasons 5 and 6), alongside Imelda Staunton and Lesley Manville. pic.twitter.com/zI7NotOfc4— The Crown (@TheCrownNetflix) August 13, 2020
Aug. 13 (UPI) -- The Crown has found its Prince Philip for Seasons 5 and 6.
Netflix confirmed Thursday that British actor Jonathan Pryce, 73, will play Philip in the show's final two seasons.
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Pryce joins Imelda Staunton, who will portray Queen Elizabeth II, and Lesley Manville, who will play Princess Margaret, in Seasons 5 and 6.
Pryce previously collaborated with Netflix on the film The Two Popes. The movie, released in November, starred Pryce and Anthony Hopkins as the future Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI.
"I'm delighted to be working with Netflix again," Pryce said in statement. "The positive experience I had making 'The Two Popes' has given me the confidence to tackle the daunting prospect of portraying Prince Philip."
"To be doing so with [series creator] Peter Morgan in the company of Imelda and Lesley will be a joy," he added.
Pryce will take over the role of Philip from Tobias Menzies, who played the prince in Season 3 and will return in the upcoming fourth season. Matt Smith portrayed Philip in Seasons 1 and 2.
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Netflix confirmed in July that The Crown will air for a sixth and final season. The series was originally to have a six-season run, but Morgan said in January that the show would end after Season 5.
"As we started to discuss the rich storylines for Series 5, it soon became clear that in order to do justice to the richness of the story we should go back to the original plan and do six seasons," Morgan said in July.
The Crown follows the reign of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II throughout the decades. Claire Foy played the queen in Seasons 1 and 2, while Olivia Colman portrays the monarch in Seasons 3 and 4.
Netflix released Season 3 of The Crown in November. The streaming service has yet to announce a premiere date for Season 4, which will feature Josh O'Connor as Prince Charles and Emma Corrin as Princess Diana.
Pryce is known for such films as Glengarry Glen Ross, Evita and Tomorrow Never Dies. He played the High Sparrow on the HBO series Game of Thrones.


upi--2020-08-13--Bird, reptile tears similar to human tears, study says

Aug. 13 ( UPI ) -- The tears shed by birds and reptiles are surprisingly similar to human tears , according to a new study .
However , researchers also identified key differences .
The study , published Thursday in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science , also identified key differences and could help scientists better understand the evolution of tears among animal groups .
The findings , researchers say , could help the develop of new ophthalmic treatments for humans and animals .
`` Discovering how tears are able to maintain the ocular homeostasis , even in different species @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understanding the evolution and adaptation processes , and is essential for the discovery of new molecules for ophthalmic drugs , '' first author Arianne P. Oriá , an associate professor of veterinary sciences a the Federal University of Bahia , in Salvador , Brazil , said in a news release .
Tears help keep eyes moist and clear of debris .
They are essential to healthy vision , but the study of tears has been limited to just a few mammal groups -- humans , dogs , horses , monkeys and camels .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been leading an effort to document the tears of other types of animals , including reptiles and birds .
Her latest paper offers insights into the tears produced by seven species of birds and reptiles .
`` Although birds and reptiles have different structures that are responsible for tear production , some components of this fluid -- electrolytes -- are present at similar concentrations as what is found in humans , '' said Oriá .
`` But the crystal structures are organized in different ways so that they guarantee the eyes´ health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
With the help of veterinarians and caretakers at a conservation center and wild animal care center , as well as a commercial animal breeder , researchers were able to collect tears from healthy captive animals , including macaws , hawks , owls , parrots , tortoises , caimans and sea turtles .
When scientists analyzed the chemical composition of the tears , they found levels of electrolytes , such as sodium and chloride , similar to those found in human tears .
The researchers measured slightly higher levels of urea and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of owls and sea turtles .
Researchers also studied the crystals that form as tears dry out .
In addition to pinpointing differences in tears , crystallization patterns can also reveal the presence of different eye diseases .
Despite the similarities in chemical composition , the tears of the different birds and reptile species showed a surprising amount of variation , the researchers said .
The crystallization patterns observed in the tears of sea turtles and caimans were especially unique -- they must produce special tears to protect their eyes underwater .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and studying the composition of the tears produced by a wider and wider variety of animal species .
In the future , scientists hope to study tears produced by wild animals .
`` This knowledge helps in the understanding of the evolution and adaption of these species , as well as in their conservation , '' said Oriá .

Researchers collected and analyzed tears from several bird and reptile species, including the broad-snouted caiman. Photo by Arianne P. Oriá
Aug. 13 (UPI) -- The tears shed by birds and reptiles are surprisingly similar to human tears, according to a new study. However, researchers also identified key differences. The study, published Thursday in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science, also identified key differences and could help scientists better understand the evolution of tears among animal groups. Advertisement
The findings, researchers say, could help the develop of new ophthalmic treatments for humans and animals.
"Discovering how tears are able to maintain the ocular homeostasis, even in different species and environmental conditions, is crucial for understanding the evolution and adaptation processes, and is essential for the discovery of new molecules for ophthalmic drugs," first author Arianne P. Oriá, an associate professor of veterinary sciences a the Federal University of Bahia, in Salvador, Brazil, said in a news release.
Tears help keep eyes moist and clear of debris. They are essential to healthy vision, but the study of tears has been limited to just a few mammal groups -- humans, dogs, horses, monkeys and camels.
For the last several years, Oriá has been leading an effort to document the tears of other types of animals, including reptiles and birds. Her latest paper offers insights into the tears produced by seven species of birds and reptiles.
Advertisement
"Although birds and reptiles have different structures that are responsible for tear production, some components of this fluid -- electrolytes -- are present at similar concentrations as what is found in humans," said Oriá. "But the crystal structures are organized in different ways so that they guarantee the eyes´ health and an equilibrium with the various environments."
With the help of veterinarians and caretakers at a conservation center and wild animal care center, as well as a commercial animal breeder, researchers were able to collect tears from healthy captive animals, including macaws, hawks, owls, parrots, tortoises, caimans and sea turtles.
When scientists analyzed the chemical composition of the tears, they found levels of electrolytes, such as sodium and chloride, similar to those found in human tears. The researchers measured slightly higher levels of urea and protein, however, in the tears of owls and sea turtles.
Researchers also studied the crystals that form as tears dry out. In addition to pinpointing differences in tears, crystallization patterns can also reveal the presence of different eye diseases.
Despite the similarities in chemical composition, the tears of the different birds and reptile species showed a surprising amount of variation, the researchers said.
The crystallization patterns observed in the tears of sea turtles and caimans were especially unique -- they must produce special tears to protect their eyes underwater.
Advertisement
The researchers said they plan to continue collecting and studying the composition of the tears produced by a wider and wider variety of animal species. In the future, scientists hope to study tears produced by wild animals.
"This knowledge helps in the understanding of the evolution and adaption of these species, as well as in their conservation," said Oriá.


upi--2020-08-13--Gallup: Fewer in U.S. satisfied with treatment of women

Aug. 13 ( UPI ) -- While slightly more than half of Americans say they 're satisfied with society 's treatment of women , a new survey Thursday showed the share is way down from where it was five years ago -- especially among females .
According to the Gallup poll , conducted from June 8 to July 24 , 54 % of respondents said they 're `` very '' or `` somewhat '' satisfied with the treatment of women -- a decline of 10 % from 2015 .
The share is also well below record highs in the upper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2001 and 2013 .
Gallup 's record low for satisfaction was 53 % in 2018 .
`` Three years after the # MeToo movement brought sexual assault and harassment against women into the open and contributed to a historically large number of women being elected to Congress in 2018 , there has been no rebound in Americans ' satisfaction with how women are treated , '' Gallup wrote .
The survey showed that more men ( 62 % ) are satisfied with the treatment of females than are women ( 46 % ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was 66 % /61 % .
Thursday 's poll found significant divides politically ; 80 % of Republican women and 83 % of Republican men said they 're satisfied -- compared to 26 % and 33 % for Democratic women and men , respectively , and 51 % and 63 % among independents .
`` While the slight majority of all Americans are satisfied , this is owing to the majority of men feeling this way versus less than half of women , '' Gallup noted .
`` But there is also a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most Republican women satisfied , but not politically independent or Democratic women . ''
Gallup polled more than 1,200 U.S. adults for the survey , which has a margin of error between 4 and 5 points .
The survey included an oversample of Black adults , weighted to represent racial and ethnic groups proportionately to their share of the U.S. population , the pollster noted .

Activists march in the streets toward Bryant Park in New York City on August 25, 2019, at the Go Topless Day Parade, which encouraged women to proudly bare their chests in support of gender equality. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 13 (UPI) -- While slightly more than half of Americans say they're satisfied with society's treatment of women, a new survey Thursday showed the share is way down from where it was five years ago -- especially among females. According to the Gallup poll, conducted from June 8 to July 24, 54% of respondents said they're "very" or "somewhat" satisfied with the treatment of women -- a decline of 10% from 2015. Advertisement
The share is also well below record highs in the upper 60s and low 70s Gallup found between 2001 and 2013.
Gallup's record low for satisfaction was 53% in 2018.
"Three years after the #MeToo movement brought sexual assault and harassment against women into the open and contributed to a historically large number of women being elected to Congress in 2018, there has been no rebound in Americans' satisfaction with how women are treated," Gallup wrote.
The survey showed that more men (62%) are satisfied with the treatment of females than are women (46%). Four years ago, that split was 66%/61%.
Thursday's poll found significant divides politically; 80% of Republican women and 83% of Republican men said they're satisfied -- compared to 26% and 33% for Democratic women and men, respectively, and 51% and 63% among independents.
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"While the slight majority of all Americans are satisfied, this is owing to the majority of men feeling this way versus less than half of women," Gallup noted. "But there is also a strong partisan aspect to this, with most Republican women satisfied, but not politically independent or Democratic women."
Gallup polled more than 1,200 U.S. adults for the survey, which has a margin of error between 4 and 5 points. The survey included an oversample of Black adults, weighted to represent racial and ethnic groups proportionately to their share of the U.S. population, the pollster noted.


upi--2020-08-13--Report: North Korea laborers still deployed overseas

Aug. 13 ( UPI ) -- North Korea 's state-sanctioned guest workers continue to be deployed to overseas sites in violation of international sanctions , according to a Japanese press report .
Workers remain in countries like China , Syria , Vietnam and Russia , partly due to the global coronavirus pandemic , the Sankei Shimbun reported Thursday .
North Korea closed its borders in late January .
Other countries have restricted movement across borders .
The report of violations were mentioned in an interim report by an independent panel of experts monitoring U.N. sanctions on Monday , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold various occupations , including in food services , medicine , and construction .
U.N. member states like Russia may be retaining the services of North Korean laborers for reasons other than COVID-19 .
They represent a cheap and efficient workforce , experts tell the Sankei .
All U.N. member states were required to repatriate North Korean workers at the end of 2019 .
They were also required to submit a status report at the end of March , but less than 20 % of member states , 40 countries in total , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China and Syria , some workforce contracts have been renewed .
A firm in Syria reportedly requested the dispatch of at least 800 North Korean workers to construction sites in October 2019 , according to the Sankei .
North Korean workers , a critical source of foreign currency , were estimated to bring in hundreds of millions of dollars for the Kim Jong Un regime in 2015 before sanctions .
North Korea 's economy has been severely impacted by COVID-19 , according to new research from Seoul 's Korea Institute for National Unification @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimates North Korea exported only $ 27 million of goods to China , its principal trading partner , in the first half of the year , while importing $ 383 million of goods , in the first half of 2020 .

North Korean guest workers remain in countries like China in violation of international sanctions, according to a copy of an interim U.N. report obtained by a Japanese newspaper. File Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 13 (UPI) -- North Korea's state-sanctioned guest workers continue to be deployed to overseas sites in violation of international sanctions, according to a Japanese press report. Workers remain in countries like China, Syria, Vietnam and Russia, partly due to the global coronavirus pandemic, the Sankei Shimbun reported Thursday. North Korea closed its borders in late January. Other countries have restricted movement across borders. Advertisement
The report of violations were mentioned in an interim report by an independent panel of experts monitoring U.N. sanctions on Monday, according to the Sankei.
North Korean guest workers hold various occupations, including in food services, medicine, and construction.
U.N. member states like Russia may be retaining the services of North Korean laborers for reasons other than COVID-19. They represent a cheap and efficient workforce, experts tell the Sankei.
All U.N. member states were required to repatriate North Korean workers at the end of 2019. They were also required to submit a status report at the end of March, but less than 20% of member states, 40 countries in total, have submitted reports.
In countries like China and Syria, some workforce contracts have been renewed. A firm in Syria reportedly requested the dispatch of at least 800 North Korean workers to construction sites in October 2019, according to the Sankei.
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North Korean workers, a critical source of foreign currency, were estimated to bring in hundreds of millions of dollars for the Kim Jong Un regime in 2015 before sanctions.
North Korea's economy has been severely impacted by COVID-19, according to new research from Seoul's Korea Institute for National Unification, Yonhap reported Thursday.
The report estimates North Korea exported only $27 million of goods to China, its principal trading partner, in the first half of the year, while importing $383 million of goods, in the first half of 2020.


upi--2020-08-13--Watch: Ciara celebrates 'Black excellence,' shows baby bump in 'Rooted' video

Aug. 13 ( UPI ) -- Ciara celebrates `` Black excellence '' in her new music video .
The 34-year-old singer released a video Thursday for her song `` Rooted , '' featuring Ester Dean , that was filmed just days before she gave birth to Win Harrison , her son with her husband , NFL star Russell Wilson .
`` ATL bred I 'm # Rooted .
Shot this video 2 days before delivery , Covid style ! ''
Ciara wrote on Instagram .
In the `` Rooted '' video , Ciara bares her baby bump while dancing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wilson , and Future Zahir , her 6-year-old son with Future , make cameos in the video .
`` All my songs come with melanin / Got the heart , got the soul like Harriett / A queen since she born , that was evident / That 's evidence , of Black excellence , '' Ciara sings .
The video features several other Black dancers and families , as well as a young person wearing a shirt with Breonna Taylor 's image and the phrase `` Say Her Name . ''
Ciara ended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black people to `` stay rooted . ''
`` To all my young Rosa 's and young Luther 's , keep marching .
Do n't stop fighting for what you believe in , '' the singer wrote .
`` To all my Black queens and kings , continue to plant and spread seeds of love , hope and pride in your tribe .
Everything you need to survive and thrive is rooted in you , '' she said .
`` Rooted '' is Ciara 's first single of 2020 .
She released her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in May 2019 .

Aug. 13 (UPI) -- Ciara celebrates "Black excellence" in her new music video.
The 34-year-old singer released a video Thursday for her song "Rooted," featuring Ester Dean, that was filmed just days before she gave birth to Win Harrison, her son with her husband, NFL star Russell Wilson.
Advertisement
"ATL bred I'm #Rooted. Shot this video 2 days before delivery, Covid style!" Ciara wrote on Instagram.
In the "Rooted" video, Ciara bares her baby bump while dancing. Sienna Princess, her 3-year-old daughter with Wilson, and Future Zahir, her 6-year-old son with Future, make cameos in the video.
"All my songs come with melanin / Got the heart, got the soul like Harriett / A queen since she born, that was evident / That's evidence, of Black excellence," Ciara sings.
The video features several other Black dancers and families, as well as a young person wearing a shirt with Breonna Taylor's image and the phrase "Say Her Name."
Ciara ended the video by urging activists and other Black people to "stay rooted."
"To all my young Rosa's and young Luther's, keep marching. Don't stop fighting for what you believe in," the singer wrote.
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"To all my Black queens and kings, continue to plant and spread seeds of love, hope and pride in your tribe. Everything you need to survive and thrive is rooted in you," she said.
"Rooted" is Ciara's first single of 2020. She released her seventh studio album, Beauty Marks, in May 2019.
Ciara gave birth to Win in July.
Ciara's career: Music, red carpets, family


upi--2020-08-13--Other Black women aimed for White House before Kamala Harris

Aug. 13 ( UPI ) -- U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris , the American daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants , is Joe Biden 's choice for vice president .
If Biden wins in November , Harris would break three centuries-old barriers to become the nation 's first female vice president , first Black vice president and first Black female vice president .
Geraldine Ferraro was the first female vice-presidential candidate on a major party ticket , in 1984 .
In 2008 , Alaska 's then-governor Sarah Palin was Republican John McCain 's running mate .
Before Harris was picked as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his competitor for the Democratic presidential nomination .
She is one of many Black American women who have aimed for the highest office in the land despite great odds .
Biden , himself a former vice president , understands the significance of the role .
African Americans have endured many hurdles to political power in the United States , among them slavery , Jim Crow and disenfranchisement .
Black women , in particular , have hit barrier upon barrier .
Women did n't gain the right to vote in the U.S. until 1920 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women among them - still could n't vote in most of the South .
In the 1960s , Black women helped organize the civil rights movement but were kept out of leadership positions .
As a political science professor , I address issues like these in my government and minority politics classes .
But I also teach my students that Black women have a history of political ambition and achievement .
As the Rev .
Jesse Jackson Sr. said in 1984 about the progress Black voters made last century , `` Hands that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president . ''
Today , Black female mayors lead several of the United States ' biggest cities , including Atlanta , Chicago and San Francisco .
Black women are police chiefs , gubernatorial candidates , and , in growing numbers , congresswomen .
Now , Black women , who once had no chance of even voting for president - much less being president - will see one of their own a step away from the Oval Office .
Biden allies have reportedly suggested that he would only serve one term if elected because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 78 on Inauguration Day - but his campaign officially denies that possibility .
Either way , his vice president would be in a powerful position for the 2024 campaign .
Harris is also of Indian descent , making her place on the ticket a meaningful first for two communities of color .
Kamala Harris is a registered Democrat who served as California 's attorney general and later one of the state 's U.S. senators .
But , historically , most Black female presidential candidates have run as independents .
In 1968 , 38-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black woman to run for president , as a communist .
Like many other African Americans born in the 1930s , Mitchell joined the Communist Party because of its emphasis on racial and gender equality .
Black female communists fought Jim Crow , lynchings and unfair labor practices for men and women of all races .
Mitchell 's presidential campaign , which focused on civil rights and poverty , was probably doomed from the start .
In 1968 , many states did n't allow communists on the ballot .
Media outlets from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussed Mitchell 's `` unsuitability '' as a candidate because she was both Black and female .
Mitchell received just 1,075 votes .
Other independent Black female presidential candidates include community organizer Margaret Wright , who ran on the People 's Party ticket in 1976 ; Isabell Masters , a teacher who created her own third party , called Looking Back and ran in 1984 , 1992 and 2004 ; and teacher Monica Moorehead of the Workers World Party ticket , who ran in 1996 , 2000 and 2016 .
In 2008 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Cynthia McKinney , a former U.S. representative from Georgia , was a nominee of the Green Party .
And in 2012 , Peta Lindsay ran to unseat President Obama from the left , on the Party for Socialism and Liberation ticket .
Only one Black woman has ever pursued the Republican nomination : Angel Joy Charvis , a religious conservative from Florida , who wanted to use her 1999 candidacy to `` to recruit a new breed of Republican . ''
These Black female presidential candidates were little known .
But as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Shirley Chisholm had years of experience in public office and a national reputation when she became the first Black American and the first woman to seek the Democratic presidential nomination in 1972 .
Chisholm 's campaign slogan : `` Unbought and Unbossed . ''
Chisholm , who mostly paid for her campaign on her credit card , focused on civil rights and poverty .
She became the target of vehement sexism .
One New York Times article from June 1972 described her appearance as , `` [ Not ] beautiful .
Her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nose wide and flat , her eyes small almost to beadiness , her neck and limbs scrawny .
Her protruding teeth probably account in part for her noticeable lisp . ''
[ Get the best of The Conversation , every weekend .
Sign up for our weekly newsletter . ]
Chisholm received little support from either Black or female voters and won not a single primary .
The Black women who followed in Chisholm 's footsteps from Congress to the Democratic presidential primary , including Illinois Sen. Carol Moseley Braun and Harris herself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris was among the first 2020 Democratic primary candidates to drop out , in December 2019 .
Why did these candidacies and those of other Black women who aimed for high office fail ?
In most cases , my research finds , America 's Black female presidential candidates have n't made the ballot .
Those who did had trouble raising funds .
And because their candidacies were n't taken seriously by the media , they had trouble getting their messages heard .
Historically Black female presidential candidates have received no real support from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African Americans and women .
Generally , people - even those who might have been heartened by the idea that someone who looked like them could aspire to the White House - thought they could n't win .
As a vice president for two terms who had a major role in governing under Barack Obama , Joe Biden knows what the office entails .
He has now selected a woman who he believes can not only help him win the election but also to govern if he is elected .
It is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans and women who 've so long been excluded from so many aspects of politics .
Sharon Austin is a professor of political science at University of Florida .
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden chose Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., seen in this file photo, as his running mate for the 2020 presidential election. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 13 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, the American daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, is Joe Biden's choice for vice president. If Biden wins in November, Harris would break three centuries-old barriers to become the nation's first female vice president, first Black vice president and first Black female vice president. Geraldine Ferraro was the first female vice-presidential candidate on a major party ticket, in 1984. In 2008, Alaska's then-governor Sarah Palin was Republican John McCain's running mate. Advertisement
Before Harris was picked as Biden's running mate, she was his competitor for the Democratic presidential nomination. She is one of many Black American women who have aimed for the highest office in the land despite great odds.
Advertisement
Biden, himself a former vice president, understands the significance of the role.
Hands that once picked cotton
African Americans have endured many hurdles to political power in the United States, among them slavery, Jim Crow and disenfranchisement.
Black women, in particular, have hit barrier upon barrier. Women didn't gain the right to vote in the U.S. until 1920, and even then Black people - women among them - still couldn't vote in most of the South. In the 1960s, Black women helped organize the civil rights movement but were kept out of leadership positions.
As a political science professor, I address issues like these in my government and minority politics classes. But I also teach my students that Black women have a history of political ambition and achievement. As the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. said in 1984 about the progress Black voters made last century, "Hands that once picked cotton will now pick a president."
Today, Black female mayors lead several of the United States' biggest cities, including Atlanta, Chicago and San Francisco. Black women are police chiefs, gubernatorial candidates, and, in growing numbers, congresswomen.
Now, Black women, who once had no chance of even voting for president - much less being president - will see one of their own a step away from the Oval Office.
Advertisement
Biden allies have reportedly suggested that he would only serve one term if elected because of his age - Biden would be 78 on Inauguration Day - but his campaign officially denies that possibility. Either way, his vice president would be in a powerful position for the 2024 campaign.
Harris is also of Indian descent, making her place on the ticket a meaningful first for two communities of color.
'Unsuitable' for the job?
Kamala Harris is a registered Democrat who served as California's attorney general and later one of the state's U.S. senators. But, historically, most Black female presidential candidates have run as independents.
In 1968, 38-year-old Charlene Mitchell of Ohio became the first Black woman to run for president, as a communist. Like many other African Americans born in the 1930s, Mitchell joined the Communist Party because of its emphasis on racial and gender equality. Black female communists fought Jim Crow, lynchings and unfair labor practices for men and women of all races.
Mitchell's presidential campaign, which focused on civil rights and poverty, was probably doomed from the start. In 1968, many states didn't allow communists on the ballot. Media outlets from the Boston Globe to the Chicago Tribune also discussed Mitchell's "unsuitability" as a candidate because she was both Black and female. Mitchell received just 1,075 votes.
Advertisement
Other independent Black female presidential candidates include community organizer Margaret Wright, who ran on the People's Party ticket in 1976; Isabell Masters, a teacher who created her own third party, called Looking Back and ran in 1984, 1992 and 2004; and teacher Monica Moorehead of the Workers World Party ticket, who ran in 1996, 2000 and 2016.
In 2008, the year Barack Obama was elected president, Cynthia McKinney, a former U.S. representative from Georgia, was a nominee of the Green Party. And in 2012, Peta Lindsay ran to unseat President Obama from the left, on the Party for Socialism and Liberation ticket.
Only one Black woman has ever pursued the Republican nomination: Angel Joy Charvis, a religious conservative from Florida, who wanted to use her 1999 candidacy to "to recruit a new breed of Republican."
Unbought and unbossed
These Black female presidential candidates were little known. But as the first Black female member of Congress, Shirley Chisholm had years of experience in public office and a national reputation when she became the first Black American and the first woman to seek the Democratic presidential nomination in 1972. Chisholm's campaign slogan: "Unbought and Unbossed."
Advertisement
Chisholm, who mostly paid for her campaign on her credit card, focused on civil rights and poverty.
She became the target of vehement sexism. One New York Times article from June 1972 described her appearance as, "[Not] beautiful. Her face is bony and angular, her nose wide and flat, her eyes small almost to beadiness, her neck and limbs scrawny. Her protruding teeth probably account in part for her noticeable lisp."
[Get the best of The Conversation, every weekend. Sign up for our weekly newsletter.]
Chisholm received little support from either Black or female voters and won not a single primary.
The Black women who followed in Chisholm's footsteps from Congress to the Democratic presidential primary, including Illinois Sen. Carol Moseley Braun and Harris herself, have seen little more success. Harris was among the first 2020 Democratic primary candidates to drop out, in December 2019.
Challenges for Black women
Why did these candidacies and those of other Black women who aimed for high office fail?
In most cases, my research finds, America's Black female presidential candidates haven't made the ballot. Those who did had trouble raising funds.
Advertisement
And because their candidacies weren't taken seriously by the media, they had trouble getting their messages heard. Historically Black female presidential candidates have received no real support from any segment of American voters, including African Americans and women. Generally, people - even those who might have been heartened by the idea that someone who looked like them could aspire to the White House - thought they couldn't win.
As a vice president for two terms who had a major role in governing under Barack Obama, Joe Biden knows what the office entails. He has now selected a woman who he believes can not only help him win the election but also to govern if he is elected. It is a watershed moment for African Americans, Asian Americans and women who've so long been excluded from so many aspects of politics.
Sharon Austin is a professor of political science at University of Florida. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


upi--2020-08-13--Watch: Nathan Fillion surprises firefighter who recovered from COVID-19 on 'Kimmel'

Aug. 13 ( UPI ) -- Nathan Fillion surprised a firefighter from Brownsburg , Ind.
, who recovered from COVID-19 on Jimmy Kimmel Live , which was hosted by Rob Lowe .
The firefighter , Kevin Byron was chosen as the show 's next # HealthCareHero on Thursday .
Byron spent weeks in the hospital with COVID-19 complications and was placed into a medically induced coma .
Byron explained to Lowe that he is a fan of Fillion and enjoys his shows Firefly and The Rookie .
The actor , who was sporting a thick mustache , then joined the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I just heard that you 're a huge fan so not only have you suffered from COVID , now I realize you also suffer from excellent taste , '' Fillion joked .
Fillion gifted Byron swag from The Rookie and Lowe announced that he will be receiving $ 10,000 from telehealth company Hims & Hers .
Fillion then announced that he will match the donation .
Smokey Robinson , Mark Hamill , Kevin Hart , Jennifer Aniston and more have also surprised healthcare workers and those affected by COVID-19 on Jimmy Kimmel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kimmel who has taken the summer off to spend time with family .

Aug. 13 (UPI) -- Nathan Fillion surprised a firefighter from Brownsburg, Ind., who recovered from COVID-19 on Jimmy Kimmel Live, which was hosted by Rob Lowe.
The firefighter, Kevin Byron was chosen as the show's next #HealthCareHero on Thursday. Byron spent weeks in the hospital with COVID-19 complications and was placed into a medically induced coma.
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Byron explained to Lowe that he is a fan of Fillion and enjoys his shows Firefly and The Rookie. The actor, who was sporting a thick mustache, then joined the video chat to surprise the firefighter.
"I just heard that you're a huge fan so not only have you suffered from COVID, now I realize you also suffer from excellent taste," Fillion joked.
Fillion gifted Byron swag from The Rookie and Lowe announced that he will be receiving $10,000 from telehealth company Hims & Hers. Fillion then announced that he will match the donation.
Smokey Robinson, Mark Hamill, Kevin Hart, Jennifer Aniston and more have also surprised healthcare workers and those affected by COVID-19 on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
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Lowe is stepping in for Kimmel who has taken the summer off to spend time with family.


upi--2020-08-13--For the 1st time in months, U.S. unemployment claims under 1 million

Aug. 13 ( UPI ) -- Fewer than 1 million U.S. workers have filed for new unemployment benefits , the first time in months the figure has been that low , the Labor Department said in its weekly report Thursday .
The report listed 963,000 new claims for the week ending Aug. 8 , a decrease of 228,000 from the previous week .
It listed the unemployment rate at 10.6 % .
Thursday 's report also revised up last week 's claims by 5,000 .
Most economists expected about 1.1 million new claims .
The department said there are 15.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic began .
Continuing claims lag initial claims by a week .
Thursday 's report ended a streak of 20 consecutive weeks , dating back to the middle of March , in which initial claims exceeded 1 million .
More than 55 million U.S. workers have submitted unemployment insurance claims during that period .
`` We 're just running a lot of layoffs week after week even as a lot of people are coming back to work , '' said LinkedIn economist Guy Berger told MarketWatch .
`` There 's still a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 's emerging . ''
More layoffs occurring now are permanent rather than temporary , as was the case at the onset of the health crisis , he added .
The Labor Department 's July jobs report last week showed the U.S. economy added 1.8 million payrolls for the month .

A pedestrian carries an American flag outside of The New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street in New York City on July 13. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 13 (UPI) -- Fewer than 1 million U.S. workers have filed for new unemployment benefits, the first time in months the figure has been that low, the Labor Department said in its weekly report Thursday. The report listed 963,000 new claims for the week ending Aug. 8, a decrease of 228,000 from the previous week. It listed the unemployment rate at 10.6%. Advertisement
Thursday's report also revised up last week's claims by 5,000.
Most economists expected about 1.1 million new claims. The department said there are 15.5 million continuing claims, the lowest since the pandemic began. Continuing claims lag initial claims by a week.
Thursday's report ended a streak of 20 consecutive weeks, dating back to the middle of March, in which initial claims exceeded 1 million. More than 55 million U.S. workers have submitted unemployment insurance claims during that period.
"We're just running a lot of layoffs week after week even as a lot of people are coming back to work," said LinkedIn economist Guy Berger told MarketWatch. "There's still a lot of labor market distress out there that's emerging."
More layoffs occurring now are permanent rather than temporary, as was the case at the onset of the health crisis, he added.
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The Labor Department's July jobs report last week showed the U.S. economy added 1.8 million payrolls for the month.


upi--2020-08-13--Marlins allow 7 home runs, still beat Blue Jays

Aug. 13 ( UPI ) -- The Miami Marlins surrendered an 8-0 lead and allowed seven home runs , but managed to hang on for a win against the Toronto Blue Jays in the finale of a 23-day road trip .
Star shortstop Bo Bichette went 5 for 5 with a home run in the Blue Jays ' 14-11 loss Wednesday at Sahlen Field in Buffalo , N.Y. Toronto has played home games in Buffalo this season after the team was denied permission to play in its home city in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The Marlins were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schedule alterations , which were the result of a team COVID-19 outbreak .
`` It seems like the perfect game to end this trip with , a game that is out of the ordinary , every bit of it , '' Marlins manager Don Mattingly told reporters .
`` You never could get comfortable . ''
Marlins first baseman Aguilar went 3 for 6 with four RBIs in Wednesday 's win .
The game featured 32 hits and the Blue Jays left 24 runners on base .
Travis Shaw homered twice for Toronto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rowdy Tellez and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. joined Shaw and Bichette in the Blue Jays ' home run barrage .
The Marlins ( 8-4 ) took a 3-0 lead on a three-run Brian Anderson homer in the top of the first inning .
They pushed their advantage to 4-0 when Eddy Alvarez drew a bases-loaded walk in the top of the third inning .
The Marlins added four more runs in the third frame to push their lead to 8-0 as they entered the bottom of the inning .
Hernandez smacked a two-run homer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Tellez added another two-run homer for Toronto in the next inning to cut the Marlins lead in half .
The Marlins responded with three runs in the top of the fifth inning before the Blue Jays jumped back into the game .
Shaw hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth frame .
Jansen hit another two-run homer for the Blue Jays in the bottom of the sixth inning .
Guerrero then hit a solo homer in the bottom of the seventh frame to cut the Marlins lead to two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solo home runs for the Blue Jays to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning and tie the score at 11-11 .
Both bullpens held up in the ninth inning , which resulted in extra innings .
MLB 's new rules allowed for the Marlins to start the 10th frame with Alvarez on second base .
Jon Berti began the inning with a single to push Alvarez to third base .
Magneuris Sierra followed with a single to plate Alvarez and Berti and give Miami a 13-11 edge .
Marlins slugger Jesus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the final run of the game .
Marlins relief pitcher Josh A. Smith took the mound in the bottom of the inning and earned a save for Miami .
The Marlins will play their first home game of 2020 when they host the Atlanta Braves at 7:10 p.m. EDT Friday at Marlins Park in Miami .
The Blue Jays ( 6-9 ) will host the Tampa Bay Rays at 6:37 p.m. EDT Friday in Buffalo .

Francisco Cervelli and the Miami Marlins improved to 8-4 on the season with a 14-11 win against the Toronto Blue Jays Wednesday in Buffalo, N.Y. Photo by David Tulis/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 13 (UPI) -- The Miami Marlins surrendered an 8-0 lead and allowed seven home runs, but managed to hang on for a win against the Toronto Blue Jays in the finale of a 23-day road trip. Star shortstop Bo Bichette went 5 for 5 with a home run in the Blue Jays' 14-11 loss Wednesday at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, N.Y. Advertisement
Toronto has played home games in Buffalo this season after the team was denied permission to play in its home city in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Marlins were on the lengthy road trip due to schedule alterations, which were the result of a team COVID-19 outbreak.
"It seems like the perfect game to end this trip with, a game that is out of the ordinary, every bit of it," Marlins manager Don Mattingly told reporters. "You never could get comfortable."
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Marlins first baseman Aguilar went 3 for 6 with four RBIs in Wednesday's win. The game featured 32 hits and the Blue Jays left 24 runners on base. Travis Shaw homered twice for Toronto.
Teoscar Hernandez, Danny Jansen, Rowdy Tellez and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. joined Shaw and Bichette in the Blue Jays' home run barrage.
The Marlins (8-4) took a 3-0 lead on a three-run Brian Anderson homer in the top of the first inning. They pushed their advantage to 4-0 when Eddy Alvarez drew a bases-loaded walk in the top of the third inning. The Marlins added four more runs in the third frame to push their lead to 8-0 as they entered the bottom of the inning.
Then the Blue Jays rallied.
Hernandez smacked a two-run homer in the bottom of the third frame. Tellez added another two-run homer for Toronto in the next inning to cut the Marlins lead in half.
The Marlins responded with three runs in the top of the fifth inning before the Blue Jays jumped back into the game.
Shaw hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth frame. Jansen hit another two-run homer for the Blue Jays in the bottom of the sixth inning. Guerrero then hit a solo homer in the bottom of the seventh frame to cut the Marlins lead to two runs.
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Bichette and Shaw hit back-to-back solo home runs for the Blue Jays to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning and tie the score at 11-11. Both bullpens held up in the ninth inning, which resulted in extra innings.
MLB's new rules allowed for the Marlins to start the 10th frame with Alvarez on second base. Jon Berti began the inning with a single to push Alvarez to third base. Magneuris Sierra followed with a single to plate Alvarez and Berti and give Miami a 13-11 edge.
Marlins slugger Jesus Aguilar plated Sierra two at-bats later for the final run of the game.
Marlins relief pitcher Josh A. Smith took the mound in the bottom of the inning and earned a save for Miami.
The Marlins will play their first home game of 2020 when they host the Atlanta Braves at 7:10 p.m. EDT Friday at Marlins Park in Miami. The Blue Jays (6-9) will host the Tampa Bay Rays at 6:37 p.m. EDT Friday in Buffalo.
This week in Major League Baseball


upi--2020-08-13--WWE NXT: Keith Lee hit with a fireball from Karrion Kross

Aug. 13 ( UPI ) -- NXT Champion Keith Lee was hit by a fireball courtesy of the sinister Karrion Kross on WWE NXT .
Kross , who has demanded a championship match against Lee for weeks , was in action against Danny Burch on Wednesday .
Burch gave Kross his toughest challenge yet in NXT , hitting the towering foe with everything that he had .
Kross survived Burch 's offense and won the match after he applied his Kross Jacket submission hold .
Lee then arrived onto the scene and stated that he begged NXT general manager William @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at NXT TakeOver : XXX on Aug. 22.The champ brought a contract with him for the match that he already signed .
Lee gave the contract to Kross ' partner Scarlett who then had the grappler sign , making the bout official .
Scarlett handed the contract back to Lee who upon opening it , was hit by a fireball attack .
The contract had erupted into flames and damaged Lee 's eyes .
Lee was left blind and was attended to by doctors as Kross and Scarlett looked on .
Also on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a surprise return and competed against Cameron Grimes and Kushida to earn a spot in the North American Title Ladder Match at NXT TakeOver : XXX .
Kushida seemed poised to win after he locked in the Hoverboard Lock on Dream but Grimes interfered and took out Kushida with the Cave-In .
Grimes then pushed Dram out of the ring and pinned Kushida to win the match .
Dream , afterwards , was frustrated and started to viciously assault Kushida .
Finn Balor entered the fray and stared down Dream after he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off next week in a second-chance match to see who else will compete in the North American Title Ladder Match .
Adam Cole and The Undisputed Era interrupted a match between Drake Maverick and Killian Dain , taking out both men so that Cole could speak .
Cole , last week , was taken out by former NFL star and ESPN analyst Pat McAfee .
Cole dared McAfee to appear next week so that they can meet face-to-face before their match at NXT TakeOver : XXX .
Other moments from WWE NXT included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Breeze ; Mia Yim defeating Indi Hartwell ; Bronson Reed defeating Damian Priest ; Mercedes Martinez and Aliyah defeating Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter ; and Rhea Ripley and Shotzi Blackeart joining forces to take out Martinez and Catanzaro .

Aug. 13 (UPI) -- NXT Champion Keith Lee was hit by a fireball courtesy of the sinister Karrion Kross on WWE NXT.
Kross, who has demanded a championship match against Lee for weeks, was in action against Danny Burch on Wednesday.
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Burch gave Kross his toughest challenge yet in NXT, hitting the towering foe with everything that he had. Kross survived Burch's offense and won the match after he applied his Kross Jacket submission hold.
Lee then arrived onto the scene and stated that he begged NXT general manager William Regal to defend his title against Kross at NXT TakeOver: XXX on Aug. 22.The champ brought a contract with him for the match that he already signed.
Lee gave the contract to Kross' partner Scarlett who then had the grappler sign, making the bout official. Scarlett handed the contract back to Lee who upon opening it, was hit by a fireball attack.
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The contract had erupted into flames and damaged Lee's eyes. Lee was left blind and was attended to by doctors as Kross and Scarlett looked on.
Also on WWE NXT, The Velveteen Dream made a surprise return and competed against Cameron Grimes and Kushida to earn a spot in the North American Title Ladder Match at NXT TakeOver: XXX.
Kushida seemed poised to win after he locked in the Hoverboard Lock on Dream but Grimes interfered and took out Kushida with the Cave-In. Grimes then pushed Dram out of the ring and pinned Kushida to win the match.
Dream, afterwards, was frustrated and started to viciously assault Kushida. Finn Balor entered the fray and stared down Dream after he was done. Balor and Dream will face off next week in a second-chance match to see who else will compete in the North American Title Ladder Match.
Adam Cole and The Undisputed Era interrupted a match between Drake Maverick and Killian Dain, taking out both men so that Cole could speak.
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Cole, last week, was taken out by former NFL star and ESPN analyst Pat McAfee.
Cole dared McAfee to appear next week so that they can meet face-to-face before their match at NXT TakeOver: XXX.
Other moments from WWE NXT included NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar defeating Tyler Breeze; Mia Yim defeating Indi Hartwell; Bronson Reed defeating Damian Priest; Mercedes Martinez and Aliyah defeating Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter; and Rhea Ripley and Shotzi Blackeart joining forces to take out Martinez and Catanzaro.


upi--2020-08-13--U.S. records highest one-day COVID-19 death toll in 7 weeks

Aug. 13 ( UPI ) -- There were more than 1,500 COVID-19 deaths in the United States on Wednesday , the highest national toll in nearly two months , according to new figures Thursday .
A total of 1,504 patients died of the coronavirus disease , according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University -- the most in a single day since June 27 .
New figures from Johns Hopkins on Thursday also showed there were 55,900 U.S. cases on Wednesday , which snapped a three-day streak with fewer than 50,000 per day nationwide .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ there have been 5.197 million cases and 166,000 deaths in the United States , Johns Hopkins data showed .
Since a peak of 77,000 cases in mid-July , there has been a gradual general decline in new U.S. cases .
New U.S. cases averaged about 53,000 for the week ending Tuesday , an 11 % decline from previous seven-day period .
Georgia and Florida had the most cases per-capita during the span , followed by Alabama and Mississippi , according to the Harvard Global Health Institute .
In Los Angeles , Mayor Eric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making progress '' after key metrics showed signs of stabilization .
`` While our gains might feel slow , and our future remains fragile , our success over the last three weeks is real .
It 's tangible and it 's reflected in our numbers , '' Garcetti said in an update .
A day earlier , Los Angeles County health director Barbara Ferrer said key indicators were stabilizing .
The county has seen an average of 37 deaths per day for the last two weeks .
Garcetti attributed the improvement to more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommendations .
`` We have to keep going , '' he added .
`` And I know we can get there . ''
In Florida , there were more than 8,000 new cases Wednesday -- a significant increase over recent days , especially in Miami-Dade County .
The total , however , was inflated by the addition of thousands of backlogged cases that dated as far back as late June , Gov .
Ron DeSantis said .
`` The data was stale .
It 's not indicative of current trends , much less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Miami , '' he said .
`` Stale test results should n't be used by policymakers to determine the way forward for students , parents , workers and businesses in the here and now . ''
The state 's positivity rate rose to about 12 % , the highest since 12.1 % was measured in late July .
The rate in Miami-Dade County was 18.3 % , officials said .
In Georgia , there were more than 100 new deaths Wednesday , for the second day in a row .
A day earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths .
Georgia has seen a slight decline in new cases over the last three weeks , after they peaked in mid-July .
Its rolling seven-day average , however , is still five times higher than it was two months ago .

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters during a briefing Wednesday at the White House in Washington, D.C. Warning signs posted to chairs in the briefing room caution journalists to observe measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Photo by Chris Kleponis/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 13 (UPI) -- There were more than 1,500 COVID-19 deaths in the United States on Wednesday, the highest national toll in nearly two months, according to new figures Thursday. A total of 1,504 patients died of the coronavirus disease, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University -- the most in a single day since June 27. Advertisement
New figures from Johns Hopkins on Thursday also showed there were 55,900 U.S. cases on Wednesday, which snapped a three-day streak with fewer than 50,000 per day nationwide.
Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 5.197 million cases and 166,000 deaths in the United States, Johns Hopkins data showed. Since a peak of 77,000 cases in mid-July, there has been a gradual general decline in new U.S. cases.
New U.S. cases averaged about 53,000 for the week ending Tuesday, an 11% decline from previous seven-day period. Georgia and Florida had the most cases per-capita during the span, followed by Alabama and Mississippi, according to the Harvard Global Health Institute.
In Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti said Wednesday the city is "making progress" after key metrics showed signs of stabilization.
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"While our gains might feel slow, and our future remains fragile, our success over the last three weeks is real. It's tangible and it's reflected in our numbers," Garcetti said in an update.
A day earlier, Los Angeles County health director Barbara Ferrer said key indicators were stabilizing. The county has seen an average of 37 deaths per day for the last two weeks.
Garcetti attributed the improvement to more residents wearing face masks and following distancing recommendations.
"We have to keep going," he added. "And I know we can get there."
In Florida, there were more than 8,000 new cases Wednesday -- a significant increase over recent days, especially in Miami-Dade County. The total, however, was inflated by the addition of thousands of backlogged cases that dated as far back as late June, Gov. Ron DeSantis said.
"The data was stale. It's not indicative of current trends, much less a record day of fresh infections in Miami," he said. "Stale test results shouldn't be used by policymakers to determine the way forward for students, parents, workers and businesses in the here and now."
The state's positivity rate rose to about 12%, the highest since 12.1% was measured in late July. The rate in Miami-Dade County was 18.3%, officials said.
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In Georgia, there were more than 100 new deaths Wednesday, for the second day in a row. A day earlier, health officials reported a record 122 deaths.
Georgia has seen a slight decline in new cases over the last three weeks, after they peaked in mid-July. Its rolling seven-day average, however, is still five times higher than it was two months ago.


upi--2020-08-13--Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant lead Cubs over Indians

Aug. 13 ( UPI ) -- Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant each homered to help the Chicago Cubs beat the Cleveland Indians and improve to 12-3 on the season .
Rizzo led the Cubs with two hits in the 7-2 triumph Wednesday at Progressive Field in Cleveland .
The Cubs now have won eight of their last nine games after the two-game sweep of the Indians .
Chicago 's .800 winning percentage is the best in Major League Baseball .
Rizzo gave the Cubs their initial lead in the top of the third inning .
The All-Star first baseman settled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead off the inning .
Carrasco fell behind 2-0 in the count before he got two called strikes on Rizzo .
The Cubs infielder then connected on a 2-2 sinker and sent the pitch over the right field fence .
The 353-foot laser long ball carried just 39 feet above the field as it traveled 108-mph and left the ballpark in 3.4 seconds , according to Statcast .
Jason Heyward gave the Cubs a 2-0 lead on an RBI sacrifice fly in the to pof the fifth frame .
Cubs third baseman David @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a two-run single in the same frame .
Indians star Jose Ramirez got his team on the scoreboard with an RBI sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth inning .
Bryant then stepped up to the plate to push the Cubs ' lead back to four runs in the top of the sixth inning .
The Indians replaced relief pitcher Oliver Perez with Adam Cimber to face the Cubs outfielder .
Cimber threw a slider for a strike before he tossed an 85-mph sinker to the Cubs star .
Bryant belted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 430-foot solo homer .
Francisco Lindor plated the Indians ' second run with an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning .
Jason Kipnis and Heyward each added RBI doubles down the stretch for Chicago 's final two runs .
Kyle Hendricks allowed seven hits and one run in six innings to earn his third win of the season for the Cubs .
Carrasco allowed four hits and three runs in 4 1/3 innings and took his second loss of 2020 .
The Cubs host the Milwaukee Brewers at 7:15 p.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Indians ( 10-9 ) battle the Detroit Tigers at 7:10 p.m. EDT Friday at Comerica Park in Detroit .

1/3
Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo went 2 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI in a win over the Cleveland Indians Wednesday in Cleveland. Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 13 (UPI) -- Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant each homered to help the Chicago Cubs beat the Cleveland Indians and improve to 12-3 on the season. Rizzo led the Cubs with two hits in the 7-2 triumph Wednesday at Progressive Field in Cleveland. The Cubs now have won eight of their last nine games after the two-game sweep of the Indians. Advertisement
Chicago's .800 winning percentage is the best in Major League Baseball.
Rizzo gave the Cubs their initial lead in the top of the third inning. The All-Star first baseman settled in against Indians starter Carlos Carrasco to lead off the inning. Carrasco fell behind 2-0 in the count before he got two called strikes on Rizzo.
The Cubs infielder then connected on a 2-2 sinker and sent the pitch over the right field fence. The 353-foot laser long ball carried just 39 feet above the field as it traveled 108-mph and left the ballpark in 3.4 seconds, according to Statcast.
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Jason Heyward gave the Cubs a 2-0 lead on an RBI sacrifice fly in the to pof the fifth frame. Cubs third baseman David Bote plated Javier Baez and Ian Happ with a two-run single in the same frame.
Indians star Jose Ramirez got his team on the scoreboard with an RBI sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth inning. Bryant then stepped up to the plate to push the Cubs' lead back to four runs in the top of the sixth inning.
The Indians replaced relief pitcher Oliver Perez with Adam Cimber to face the Cubs outfielder. Cimber threw a slider for a strike before he tossed an 85-mph sinker to the Cubs star. Bryant belted the pitch to center field for a 430-foot solo homer.
Francisco Lindor plated the Indians' second run with an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning. Jason Kipnis and Heyward each added RBI doubles down the stretch for Chicago's final two runs.
Kyle Hendricks allowed seven hits and one run in six innings to earn his third win of the season for the Cubs. Carrasco allowed four hits and three runs in 4 1/3 innings and took his second loss of 2020.
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The Cubs host the Milwaukee Brewers at 7:15 p.m. EDT Thursday at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The Indians (10-9) battle the Detroit Tigers at 7:10 p.m. EDT Friday at Comerica Park in Detroit.
This week in Major League Baseball


upi--2020-08-13--AEW Dynamite: Orange Cassidy gets rematch against Chris Jericho

Aug. 13 ( UPI ) -- Orange Cassidy and Chris Jericho 's heated rivalry continued as they battled each other in the main event of Dynamite .
The bout on Wednesday was a $ 7,000 obligation match with Jericho demanding that Cassidy pay for his ruined jacket if he loses .
Le Champion 's jacket was ruined weeks ago when Cassidy had orange juice fall onto Jericho from the top of the arena .
Jericho 's group The Inner Circle and Cassidy 's partners Best Friends were banned from ringside .
Cassidy started the match by going right after Jericho @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , after having placed Cassidy in the Lion Tamer and used the Code Breaker , grabbed his signature baseball bat from the announce desk and demanded that referee Mike Chioda turn the other way .
Jericho , earlier in the night , had reminded Chioda that he once saved his job years ago and now it was time to repay the favor .
Chioda ultimately decided to take the baseball bat away as Cassidy responded with a Falcon Arrow .
Santana and Ortiz or Inner Circle then started to head towards the ring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friends .
This allowed Inner Circle 's Jake Hager to slip through and slam Cassidy while the referee was n't looking .
Cassidy somehow survived the attack and Jericho then missed The Judas Effect .
Cassidy rolled up Jericho for a unique pin and won the match in surprising fashion as AEW went off the air .
Also on Dynamite , MJF continued his presidential-like campaign to face Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship at the All Out pay-per-view event on Sept. 5 .
MJF spoke from a podium and said fans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moxley is n't a leader .
The champion 's music came on and MJF sent his entourage including his bodyguard Wardlow to block the arena entrances that Moxley normally comes through .
Moxley instead came through the front and was able to quickly take out MJF with a Paradigm Shift .
Moxley then promised to teach MJF a lesson at All Out .
Cody was in action to defend his TNT Championship against Scorpio Sky of SCU .
The grapplers had a highly-competitive match that at times seemed to favor Sky .
Cody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and responded with a CrossRhodes , but Sky stayed in the match .
Sky , later , attempted a Cutter but Cody dodged that and delivered his second CrossRhodes of the match to win and remain TNT Champion .
Mr. Brodie Lee , the leader of The Dark Order , appeared on the big screen afterwards and challenged Cody for the TNT Championship on next week 's Dynamite , which will be taking place on Aug. 22 due to the NBA playoffs .
Other moments from Dynamite included The Young Bucks defeating Evil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Order ; AEW World Tag Team Champions Kenny Omega and Hangman Adam Page successfully defending their titles against Jurassic Express ; AEW Women 's Champion Hikaru Shida defeating Heather Monroe and The Young Bucks and FTR celebrating Tag Team Appreciation Night with professional wrestling legends The Rock ' N Roll Express , Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard .
The meeting between current stars and legends went south when Blanchard mentioned how the only great tag teams are the ones holding championship gold .
A fight broke out between Blanchard and Ricky Morton of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led to FTR attacking his partner Robert Gibson .
FTR then took out Morton with a Spiked Piledriver .
Omega and Page came down to the ring to stop the fighting .

Aug. 13 (UPI) -- Orange Cassidy and Chris Jericho's heated rivalry continued as they battled each other in the main event of Dynamite.
The bout on Wednesday was a $7,000 obligation match with Jericho demanding that Cassidy pay for his ruined jacket if he loses. Le Champion's jacket was ruined weeks ago when Cassidy had orange juice fall onto Jericho from the top of the arena.
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Jericho's group The Inner Circle and Cassidy's partners Best Friends were banned from ringside. Cassidy started the match by going right after Jericho, unleashing a Superman Punch.
Jericho, after having placed Cassidy in the Lion Tamer and used the Code Breaker, grabbed his signature baseball bat from the announce desk and demanded that referee Mike Chioda turn the other way. Jericho, earlier in the night, had reminded Chioda that he once saved his job years ago and now it was time to repay the favor.
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Chioda ultimately decided to take the baseball bat away as Cassidy responded with a Falcon Arrow. Santana and Ortiz or Inner Circle then started to head towards the ring, but they were stopped by Best Friends. This allowed Inner Circle's Jake Hager to slip through and slam Cassidy while the referee wasn't looking.
Cassidy somehow survived the attack and Jericho then missed The Judas Effect. Cassidy rolled up Jericho for a unique pin and won the match in surprising fashion as AEW went off the air.
Also on Dynamite, MJF continued his presidential-like campaign to face Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship at the All Out pay-per-view event on Sept. 5.
MJF spoke from a podium and said fans deserve a better champion and described how Moxley isn't a leader. The champion's music came on and MJF sent his entourage including his bodyguard Wardlow to block the arena entrances that Moxley normally comes through.
Moxley instead came through the front and was able to quickly take out MJF with a Paradigm Shift. Moxley then promised to teach MJF a lesson at All Out.
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Cody was in action to defend his TNT Championship against Scorpio Sky of SCU. The grapplers had a highly-competitive match that at times seemed to favor Sky.
Cody was able to counter Sky's TKO and responded with a CrossRhodes, but Sky stayed in the match. Sky, later, attempted a Cutter but Cody dodged that and delivered his second CrossRhodes of the match to win and remain TNT Champion.
Mr. Brodie Lee, the leader of The Dark Order, appeared on the big screen afterwards and challenged Cody for the TNT Championship on next week's Dynamite, which will be taking place on Aug. 22 due to the NBA playoffs.
Other moments from Dynamite included The Young Bucks defeating Evil Uno and Stu Grayson of The Dark Order; AEW World Tag Team Champions Kenny Omega and Hangman Adam Page successfully defending their titles against Jurassic Express; AEW Women's Champion Hikaru Shida defeating Heather Monroe and The Young Bucks and FTR celebrating Tag Team Appreciation Night with professional wrestling legends The Rock 'N Roll Express, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard.
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The meeting between current stars and legends went south when Blanchard mentioned how the only great tag teams are the ones holding championship gold.
A fight broke out between Blanchard and Ricky Morton of The Rock 'N Roll Express which led to FTR attacking his partner Robert Gibson. FTR then took out Morton with a Spiked Piledriver. Omega and Page came down to the ring to stop the fighting.


upi--2020-08-13--IEA lowers global oil demand forecast for 2020 and 2021

Aug. 13 ( UPI ) -- The International Energy Agency lowered expectations on Thursday for world oil demand for the rest of this year and next .
The IEA downgraded its demand forecast for all of 2020 to 91.1 million barrels per day , 8.1 million per day fewer than 2019 and 140,000 per day lower than its previous assessment .
For 2021 , the agency lowered its demand estimate by 240,000 barrels per day .
The IEA said the downgrade reflects `` stalling mobility '' brought on by the COVID-19 crisis and `` weakness in the aviation sector .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` major source '' of weakness .
The downgrade follows reported losses by the largest oil and gas companies in the second quarter .
The global energy sector has so far declined by 36 % , making it the most underperforming sector on the S & P 500 .
`` Global refinery intake is recovering , but the pace will lag behind the demand rebound as product inventory levels are very high , '' the IEA said in its report .
`` In 2020 , runs will decline ... but in 2021 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barrels per day . ''
The IEA attributed the revised forecast to a resurgence of cases worldwide , forcing many nations to slow reopening their economies and keep travel restrictions in place .
`` Easing of the first wave of confinement measures was bound to lead to a resurgence of cases as normal activity resumed , '' the IEA report added .
`` It remains to be seen if the increase in cases heralds a second wave or it is merely a regular fluctuation that we will see over time . ''

Grounded commercial aircraft are seen parked at Victorville Logistics Airport in Victorville, Calif., on April 22. The IEA report cited low demand for aviation fuel as a major factor in its revised forecasts. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 13 (UPI) -- The International Energy Agency lowered expectations on Thursday for world oil demand for the rest of this year and next. The IEA downgraded its demand forecast for all of 2020 to 91.1 million barrels per day, 8.1 million per day fewer than 2019 and 140,000 per day lower than its previous assessment. Advertisement
For 2021, the agency lowered its demand estimate by 240,000 barrels per day.
The IEA said the downgrade reflects "stalling mobility" brought on by the COVID-19 crisis and "weakness in the aviation sector." It listed jet fuel demand as a "major source" of weakness.
The downgrade follows reported losses by the largest oil and gas companies in the second quarter.
The global energy sector has so far declined by 36%, making it the most underperforming sector on the S&P 500.
"Global refinery intake is recovering, but the pace will lag behind the demand rebound as product inventory levels are very high," the IEA said in its report.
"In 2020, runs will decline ... but in 2021 they will rebound by only 4.5 million barrels per day."
The IEA attributed the revised forecast to a resurgence of cases worldwide, forcing many nations to slow reopening their economies and keep travel restrictions in place.
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"Easing of the first wave of confinement measures was bound to lead to a resurgence of cases as normal activity resumed," the IEA report added. "It remains to be seen if the increase in cases heralds a second wave or it is merely a regular fluctuation that we will see over time."


upi--2020-08-13--D.J. LeMahieu boosts average to .431, Yankees beat Braves

Aug. 13 ( UPI ) -- D.J .
LeMahieu had four hits to raise his season average to .431 and help the New York Yankees beat the Atlanta Braves at Yankee Stadium .
LeMahieu went 4 for 5 with two runs scored and an RBI in the 6-3 victory Wednesday in New York City .
The Yankees also got home runs from Gary Sanchez and Clint Frazier .
The win gave New York a two-game sweep over Atlanta .
`` He 's a special hitter , '' Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of LeMahieu .
`` He 's a guy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pop , handles righties and lefties .
`` He has tremendous bat-to-ball skills and does a great job of just laying the bat head in the zone for a really long time . ''
The Braves took an early lead on a two-run homer from Johan Camargo in the top of the second inning .
Sanchez and Frazier then hit back-to-back solo home runs in the bottom of the second inning to tie the score at 2-2 .
The Yankees added two more runs to take the lead in the bottom of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bottom of the fifth frame .
LeMahieu made the score 5-2 with an RBI single for the first score of the inning .
Luke Voit then plated LeMahieu with another RBI single to give the Yankees a 6-2 edge .
Braves catcher Travis d'Arnaud brought in the final run of the game with an RBI single in the top of the ninth inning .
Masahiro Tanaka allowed five hits and two runs in four innings for the Yankees , but was not on the record for a decision .
Braves starter Huascar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in one inning .
Frazier went 3 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI in the win .
Voit went 2 for 5 with an RBI for the Yankees .
Shortstop Dansby Swanson went 3 for 5 for the Braves .
Nick Markakis and Camargo each collected two hits in the loss .
The Braves ( 11-9 ) face the Miami Marlins at 7:10 p.m. EDT Friday at Marlins Park in Miami .
The Yankees ( 12-6 ) host the Boston Red Sox at 7:05 p.m. EDT Friday at Yankee Stadium @

New York Yankees second baseman D.J. LeMahieu went 4 for 5 with two runs scored and an RBI in a win over the Atlanta Braves Wednesday at Yankee Stadium in New York City. Photo by Corey Sipkin/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 13 (UPI) -- D.J. LeMahieu had four hits to raise his season average to .431 and help the New York Yankees beat the Atlanta Braves at Yankee Stadium. LeMahieu went 4 for 5 with two runs scored and an RBI in the 6-3 victory Wednesday in New York City. The Yankees also got home runs from Gary Sanchez and Clint Frazier. Advertisement
The win gave New York a two-game sweep over Atlanta.
"He's a special hitter," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of LeMahieu. "He's a guy that uses the whole field, has pop, handles righties and lefties.
"He has tremendous bat-to-ball skills and does a great job of just laying the bat head in the zone for a really long time."
The Braves took an early lead on a two-run homer from Johan Camargo in the top of the second inning. Sanchez and Frazier then hit back-to-back solo home runs in the bottom of the second inning to tie the score at 2-2.
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The Yankees added two more runs to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning before they added insurance in the bottom of the fifth frame. LeMahieu made the score 5-2 with an RBI single for the first score of the inning. Luke Voit then plated LeMahieu with another RBI single to give the Yankees a 6-2 edge.
Braves catcher Travis d'Arnaud brought in the final run of the game with an RBI single in the top of the ninth inning.
Masahiro Tanaka allowed five hits and two runs in four innings for the Yankees, but was not on the record for a decision. Braves starter Huascar Ynoa allowed four hits and two runs in one inning.
Frazier went 3 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI in the win. Voit went 2 for 5 with an RBI for the Yankees.
Shortstop Dansby Swanson went 3 for 5 for the Braves. Nick Markakis and Camargo each collected two hits in the loss.
The Braves (11-9) face the Miami Marlins at 7:10 p.m. EDT Friday at Marlins Park in Miami. The Yankees (12-6) host the Boston Red Sox at 7:05 p.m. EDT Friday at Yankee Stadium.
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This week in Major League Baseball


upi--2020-08-13--India reports record 67K cases; New Zealand fights new outbreak

Aug. 13 ( UPI ) -- India on Thursday reported nearly 67,000 new cases of COVID-19 , its largest single-day increase on record , and New Zealand is fighting a new outbreak after more than 100 days without a local transmission .
The Ministry of Health for the world 's second-most populated country at 1.35 billion people reported that 66,999 cases were confirmed over Wednesday , lifting its total number of infections to 2.39 million .
The new tally continues an upward trajectory in cases that have climbed unabated since India confirmed its first infections at the end of January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 50,000 infections in a 24-hour period was on July 27 .
India only trails the United States and Brazil in infections and deaths as it reported 47,033 lives lost to the virus , with 942 on Wednesday alone .
Brazil at 55,155 cases and the United States at 55,910 rounded out the countries on Wednesday to have registered more than 50,000 infections , according to a real-time tracker of the virus at Johns Hopkins University .
The next highest country was Colombia with 12,000 .
In total , the United States leads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases and 166,00 deaths and Brazil follows with 3.1 million infections and 104,000 lives lost .
In New Zealand , chief medical officer Dr. Ashley Bloomfield warned Thursday that a COVID-19 cluster in the largest city of Auckland will continue to grow after 13 new cases were diagnosed in the past 24 hours -- the country 's biggest increase since April .
During a press conference , Bloomfield announced 14 new cases of COVID-19 , one of which was diagnosed in managed isolation and 13 linked to four cases diagnosed a day earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all these cases are linked , we are treating them as a cluster and what we know about clusters as we 've found out in the past is that they do continue to grow , so we fully expect that there will be further cases , '' Bloomfield said .
Bloomfield said one of the cases was a student at Mt .
Albert Grammar School , three are employees at U.S. business AmeriCold and seven are family members of those employees .
Another case is an employee of a Finance Now , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a family member of one of the employees .
One of the positive cases visited an unnamed residential care facility , and medical staff are testing all those in the building , the Ministry of Health said in a release .
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern warned the situation in Auckland will get worse before it gest better .
`` As we all learned with our previous experience with COVID , once you identify a cluster it grows before it slows , '' she said .
`` We should expect that to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a city of 1.6 million people , was placed under Level 3 lockdown on Wednesday and New Zealand was placed under Level 2 , which will help contain the virus ' spread , the prime minister said .
`` Once again , we are reminded of how tricky this virus is and how easily it can spread , '' she said .
Wednesday 's cases ended a streak of 102 days for New Zealand without a local transmission as the nation has been lauded for its response to the coronavirus pandemic .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ardern ordered a stringent lockdown that lasted 75 days .
The new cases increase New Zealand 's total confirmed infections to 1,239 , of which 36 are active .

An Indian man wears a protective face mask while walking on a deserted street in Bhopal, India, on July 28. Photo by Sanjeev Gupta/EPA-EFE
Aug. 13 (UPI) -- India on Thursday reported nearly 67,000 new cases of COVID-19, its largest single-day increase on record, and New Zealand is fighting a new outbreak after more than 100 days without a local transmission. The Ministry of Health for the world's second-most populated country at 1.35 billion people reported that 66,999 cases were confirmed over Wednesday, lifting its total number of infections to 2.39 million. Advertisement
The new tally continues an upward trajectory in cases that have climbed unabated since India confirmed its first infections at the end of January. The last time India reported fewer than 50,000 infections in a 24-hour period was on July 27.
India only trails the United States and Brazil in infections and deaths as it reported 47,033 lives lost to the virus, with 942 on Wednesday alone.
Brazil at 55,155 cases and the United States at 55,910 rounded out the countries on Wednesday to have registered more than 50,000 infections, according to a real-time tracker of the virus at Johns Hopkins University.
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The next highest country was Colombia with 12,000.
In total, the United States leads the world with more than 5.1 million cases and 166,00 deaths and Brazil follows with 3.1 million infections and 104,000 lives lost.
In New Zealand, chief medical officer Dr. Ashley Bloomfield warned Thursday that a COVID-19 cluster in the largest city of Auckland will continue to grow after 13 new cases were diagnosed in the past 24 hours -- the country's biggest increase since April.
During a press conference, Bloomfield announced 14 new cases of COVID-19, one of which was diagnosed in managed isolation and 13 linked to four cases diagnosed a day earlier among one family.
"Given that all these cases are linked, we are treating them as a cluster and what we know about clusters as we've found out in the past is that they do continue to grow, so we fully expect that there will be further cases," Bloomfield said.
Bloomfield said one of the cases was a student at Mt. Albert Grammar School, three are employees at U.S. business AmeriCold and seven are family members of those employees. Another case is an employee of a Finance Now, the workplace of a previously reported case, and a family member of one of the employees.
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One of the positive cases visited an unnamed residential care facility, and medical staff are testing all those in the building, the Ministry of Health said in a release.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern warned the situation in Auckland will get worse before it gest better.
"As we all learned with our previous experience with COVID, once you identify a cluster it grows before it slows," she said. "We should expect that to be the case here."
Auckland, a city of 1.6 million people, was placed under Level 3 lockdown on Wednesday and New Zealand was placed under Level 2, which will help contain the virus' spread, the prime minister said.
"Once again, we are reminded of how tricky this virus is and how easily it can spread," she said.
Wednesday's cases ended a streak of 102 days for New Zealand without a local transmission as the nation has been lauded for its response to the coronavirus pandemic.
In March, as cases began to grow, Ardern ordered a stringent lockdown that lasted 75 days.
The new cases increase New Zealand's total confirmed infections to 1,239, of which 36 are active.


upi--2020-08-13--USDA: 60% of North Koreans are food insecure

Aug. 13 ( UPI ) -- Some 60 % of North Koreans are suffering food insecurity , according to a new report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture 's Economic Research Service , with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic slightly exacerbating the already dire situation .
The report , `` International Food Security Assessment , 2020-30 , '' found that 15.3 million North Koreans , or 59.8 % of the population , are food-insecure in 2020 .
`` An estimated 59.2 % of North Korea 's population is food-insecure in 2020 , rising slightly to 59.8 % when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are taken into account , '' the report said .
The total for 2020 represents an increase of 700,000 people from last year 's assessment , which found 57.3 % of North Korea 's population , or 14.6 million people , to be food-insecure in 2019 .
North Korea ranks alongside Afghanistan and Yemen as the most food-insecure countries in Asia , according to the report , which was released this week .
The USDA assessment defines a daily intake of 2,100 calories as necessary to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per capita deficit of 430 calories .
In June , a United Nations human rights expert on North Korea expressed concern over `` a further deepening of food shortages and widespread food insecurity '' worsened by border closures with China that began in January due to COVID-19 .
`` [ North Korea 's ] trade with China in March and April declined by over 90 % following the border shutdown , '' said Tomas Ojea Quintana , special rapporteur on human rights in North Korea , in a statement .
Quintana said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only twice a day , or eat only corn , and there are reports that some are starving . ''
The human rights expert also pointed to `` the detrimental impact '' of international sanctions placed on North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and urged the U.N. Security Council to reconsider the sanctions .
Recent flooding following weeks of heavy downpours has also raised concerns over food supplies in North Korea , as miles of crops were reported submerged .
The U.N. 's World Food Programme said in a report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were in need of humanitarian assistance and found that only 7 % of households in the country had an acceptable diet with a frequent intake of high-protein foods and fruits .
North Korea faces chronic food shortages and suffered a devastating famine in the 1990s that some estimates claim resulted in the deaths of more than 3 million people .
The new USDA assessment projects that North Korea 's food-insecure population would decline to 44.9 % in 2030 , due to factors such as falling grain prices and slowing population growth .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2020 to 368 to 2030 , the report said .
Overall , the number of food-insecure people across the 76 low-and middle-income countries covered in the report was estimated at 844.3 million , an increase of 83.5 million , or 11 % , due to COVID-19 income shock .

Some 60 percent of North Koreans are food-insecure according to a new assessment by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Photo by KCNA/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 13 (UPI) -- Some 60% of North Koreans are suffering food insecurity, according to a new report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service, with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic slightly exacerbating the already dire situation. The report, "International Food Security Assessment, 2020-30," found that 15.3 million North Koreans, or 59.8% of the population, are food-insecure in 2020. Advertisement
"An estimated 59.2% of North Korea's population is food-insecure in 2020, rising slightly to 59.8% when the effects of the COVID-19 macro shock are taken into account," the report said.
The total for 2020 represents an increase of 700,000 people from last year's assessment, which found 57.3% of North Korea's population, or 14.6 million people, to be food-insecure in 2019.
North Korea ranks alongside Afghanistan and Yemen as the most food-insecure countries in Asia, according to the report, which was released this week.
The USDA assessment defines a daily intake of 2,100 calories as necessary to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle and said that North Korea is running a per capita deficit of 430 calories.
In June, a United Nations human rights expert on North Korea expressed concern over "a further deepening of food shortages and widespread food insecurity" worsened by border closures with China that began in January due to COVID-19.
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"[North Korea's] trade with China in March and April declined by over 90% following the border shutdown," said Tomas Ojea Quintana, special rapporteur on human rights in North Korea, in a statement.
Quintana said that "an increasing number of families eat only twice a day, or eat only corn, and there are reports that some are starving."
The human rights expert also pointed to "the detrimental impact" of international sanctions placed on North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and urged the U.N. Security Council to reconsider the sanctions.
Recent flooding following weeks of heavy downpours has also raised concerns over food supplies in North Korea, as miles of crops were reported submerged.
The U.N.'s World Food Programme said in a report last year that 10.1 million North Koreans were in need of humanitarian assistance and found that only 7% of households in the country had an acceptable diet with a frequent intake of high-protein foods and fruits.
North Korea faces chronic food shortages and suffered a devastating famine in the 1990s that some estimates claim resulted in the deaths of more than 3 million people.
The new USDA assessment projects that North Korea's food-insecure population would decline to 44.9% in 2030, due to factors such as falling grain prices and slowing population growth. The caloric gap would also diminish from 430 in 2020 to 368 to 2030, the report said.
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Overall, the number of food-insecure people across the 76 low-and middle-income countries covered in the report was estimated at 844.3 million, an increase of 83.5 million, or 11%, due to COVID-19 income shock.


upi--2020-08-13--Elderly patient dies of West Nile virus in Southern California

Aug. 13 ( UPI ) -- Health officials in Los Angeles County have confirmed the region 's first death to the West Nile virus of the 2020 season .
In a statement Wednesday , the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said the patient , an elderly resident of South Los Angeles , was hospitalized and died from West Nile virus-associated neuro-invasive disease .
A total of five cases have been reported in Los Angeles County this year , the statement said .
`` West Nile virus continues to be a serious health threat to residents in Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles County health officer , said .
`` We encourage residents to check for items that can hold water and breed mosquitoes , both inside and outside their homes , and to cover , clean or clear out those items . ''
Peak mosquito season in Los Angeles County lasts from June to November , Davis said , suggesting residents should protect themselves from disease by using EPA-registered mosquito repellent products .
Health officials said West Nile virus-infected mosquitoes , chickens and dead birds have been identified across the county .
West @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States , according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
As of Tuesday , 22 people have been infected with the West Nile virus this year with 29 states reporting infections in people , birds and mosquitoes , the CDC said .

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevent said there have been 22 cases of West Nile virus in 2020. Photo courtesy of the CDC
Aug. 13 (UPI) -- Health officials in Los Angeles County have confirmed the region's first death to the West Nile virus of the 2020 season. In a statement Wednesday, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said the patient, an elderly resident of South Los Angeles, was hospitalized and died from West Nile virus-associated neuro-invasive disease. Advertisement
A total of five cases have been reported in Los Angeles County this year, the statement said.
"West Nile virus continues to be a serious health threat to residents in Los Angeles County," Muntu Davis, the Los Angeles County health officer, said. "We encourage residents to check for items that can hold water and breed mosquitoes, both inside and outside their homes, and to cover, clean or clear out those items."
Peak mosquito season in Los Angeles County lasts from June to November, Davis said, suggesting residents should protect themselves from disease by using EPA-registered mosquito repellent products.
Health officials said West Nile virus-infected mosquitoes, chickens and dead birds have been identified across the county.
West Nile virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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As of Tuesday, 22 people have been infected with the West Nile virus this year with 29 states reporting infections in people, birds and mosquitoes, the CDC said.


upi--2020-08-13--Formal education benefits brain later in life, study says

A new study confirms what your parents always told you : Getting an education opens the door to career opportunities and higher salaries .
But it may also benefit your well-being in old age .
`` The total amount of formal education that people receive is related to their average levels of cognitive [ mental ] functioning throughout adulthood , '' said researcher Elliot Tucker-Drob , from the University of Texas , Austin .
`` However , it is not appreciably related to their rates of aging-related cognitive declines , '' he added in a news release from the Association @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that people with more education have a higher level of mental function in early and middle adulthood , so the effects of brain aging are less obvious initially .
In other words , people who go further in school may have a longer period of mental impairment before going below the `` functional threshold '' -- the point when brain decline becomes so obvious it interferes with daily activities , the study authors explained .
This finding disputes the theory that formal education in childhood and early adulthood protects against cognitive aging .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden , `` Individuals vary in their rates of aging-related cognitive declines , but these individual differences are not appreciably related to educational attainment . ''
For the study , the researchers looked at data from dozens of previously published studies .
They found that adults with more years of formal schooling have higher mental functioning , on average , than those with fewer years of schooling .
The study emphasizes the importance of formal education for the well-being of individuals and societies throughout life , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This message may be particularly relevant as governments decide if , when , and how to reopen schools during the COVID-19 pandemic .
Such decisions could have consequences for many decades to come , '' he said .
The report was published Aug. 10 in Psychological Science in the Public Interest .
For more on brain health , head to the U.S. National Institute on Aging .

A new study confirms what your parents always told you: Getting an education opens the door to career opportunities and higher salaries.
But it may also benefit your well-being in old age.
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"The total amount of formal education that people receive is related to their average levels of cognitive [mental] functioning throughout adulthood," said researcher Elliot Tucker-Drob, from the University of Texas, Austin. "However, it is not appreciably related to their rates of aging-related cognitive declines," he added in a news release from the Association for Psychological Science.
The researchers said that people with more education have a higher level of mental function in early and middle adulthood, so the effects of brain aging are less obvious initially.
In other words, people who go further in school may have a longer period of mental impairment before going below the "functional threshold" -- the point when brain decline becomes so obvious it interferes with daily activities, the study authors explained.
This finding disputes the theory that formal education in childhood and early adulthood protects against cognitive aging.
According to study co-author Martin Lövdén, from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, "Individuals vary in their rates of aging-related cognitive declines, but these individual differences are not appreciably related to educational attainment."
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For the study, the researchers looked at data from dozens of previously published studies. They found that adults with more years of formal schooling have higher mental functioning, on average, than those with fewer years of schooling.
The study emphasizes the importance of formal education for the well-being of individuals and societies throughout life, including old age, Tucker-Drob noted.
"This message may be particularly relevant as governments decide if, when, and how to reopen schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such decisions could have consequences for many decades to come," he said.
The report was published Aug. 10 in Psychological Science in the Public Interest.
More information
For more on brain health, head to the U.S. National Institute on Aging.
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