upi--2020-04-17--Navajo Nation positive COVID-19 cases, deaths continue to rise

April 17 ( UPI ) -- The number of positive tests for COVID-19 continue to climb this week on the Navajo Nation reservation , and the tribal government extended weekend lockdowns for two more weeks to try to stop the spread of the virus .
The number of positive cases rose to 1,042 Thursday with an increase of 121 cases in a single day , the Navajo Epidemiology Center reported .
The number of deaths reached 41 .
Health agencies said 3,440 total negative test results had been tallied as of Thursday .
`` Our warriors are on the front @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a monster called COVID-19 , '' Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said Friday at an online tribal roundtable in Indian Country sponsored by U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva , D-Ariz. '' A couple of weeks ago , it was stated that COVID-19 would wipe us all out , '' Nez said .
`` I want to tell everyone that native people are resilient .
We are overcomers and we will get through this together . ''
The newest figures show the highest numbers of confirmed cases in five counties , with the most , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Other high numbers Arizona include 147 cases in Apache County and 199 in Coconino County .
In New Mexico , health officials reported 203 cases in McKinley County and 140 in San Juan County .
Along with a weekend curfew , new health rules require that anyone who enters a public facility will be required to wear a protective mask and gloves , Nez said .
Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer urged members of the Navajo Nation to be `` prudent with their stimulus funds '' and to save money going forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Nez and Lizer have both voluntarily self-quarantined for two weeks after being exposed to a first responder with the virus .
About 175,000 people live on the reservation , which overlaps the state boundaries of Arizona , New Mexico , Utah and Colorado .
About 40 percent of residents have no access to running water , which makes hand washing difficult .
Many tribal residents are older and many have chronic health conditions that make them more vulnerable to the virus , including asthma , cancer , diabetes , and heart disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order in March blocking non-residents from visiting .
Tribe-operated casinos also closed in New Mexico and Arizona .
`` Please utilize local Navajo businesses as much as possible -- they might not offer all of the products you need , but please consider buying local before traveling to border towns and putting yourselves at greater risk due to greater exposure to others , '' Lizer said earlier this week .
`` We will win this fight with COVID-19 , but we have to do it together and everyone must be a part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @

More positive COVID-19 cases were reported on the Navajo Nation reservation Thursday, but President Jonathan Nez said the residents would "get through this together." Screenshot courtesy U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva
April 17 (UPI) -- The number of positive tests for COVID-19 continue to climb this week on the Navajo Nation reservation, and the tribal government extended weekend lockdowns for two more weeks to try to stop the spread of the virus. The number of positive cases rose to 1,042 Thursday with an increase of 121 cases in a single day, the Navajo Epidemiology Center reported. The number of deaths reached 41. Advertisement
Health agencies said 3,440 total negative test results had been tallied as of Thursday.
"Our warriors are on the front lines once again, battling and fighting a monster called COVID-19," Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said Friday at an online tribal roundtable in Indian Country sponsored by U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz.
"A couple of weeks ago, it was stated that COVID-19 would wipe us all out," Nez said. "I want to tell everyone that native people are resilient. We are overcomers and we will get through this together."
The newest figures show the highest numbers of confirmed cases in five counties, with the most, 306, in Navajo County, Ariz. Other high numbers Arizona include 147 cases in Apache County and 199 in Coconino County. In New Mexico, health officials reported 203 cases in McKinley County and 140 in San Juan County.
Advertisement
Along with a weekend curfew, new health rules require that anyone who enters a public facility will be required to wear a protective mask and gloves, Nez said.
Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer urged members of the Navajo Nation to be "prudent with their stimulus funds" and to save money going forward through the uncertain times of the pandemic.
Nez and Lizer have both voluntarily self-quarantined for two weeks after being exposed to a first responder with the virus.
About 175,000 people live on the reservation, which overlaps the state boundaries of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado.
About 40 percent of residents have no access to running water, which makes hand washing difficult. Many tribal residents are older and many have chronic health conditions that make them more vulnerable to the virus, including asthma, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
The tribe's government signed an order in March blocking non-residents from visiting. Tribe-operated casinos also closed in New Mexico and Arizona.
"Please utilize local Navajo businesses as much as possible -- they might not offer all of the products you need, but please consider buying local before traveling to border towns and putting yourselves at greater risk due to greater exposure to others," Lizer said earlier this week.
Advertisement
"We will win this fight with COVID-19, but we have to do it together and everyone must be a part of the process," he said.


upi--2020-04-17--Look: Entangled deer rescued from garden netting

April 17 ( UPI ) -- Animal rescuers in Britain came to the assistance of a deer found with its antlers caught in a large piece of netting .
The RSPCA said Inspector Charlotte Coggins and Inspector Jo Story responded on Easter Sunday , after a witness reported a deer entangled in netting in a Sherborne , Dorset , garden .
`` This is such a stressful situation for any animal , particularly a wild animal , to find themselves in so it was great to be able to provide the assistance this deer desperately needed , '' Coggins said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that was around his antlers it was great to see him stand up and dart off . ''
Coggins urged homeowners to be responsible with netting .
`` Fences using netting like this , which had been installed to try to deter deer , and netting used for gardening or sports , can be really dangerous for animals and also poses a risk for those of us who are trying to rescue any entangled animal , '' she said .
`` Every year , we rescue hundreds of animals tangled in netting .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ many animals suffer fatal injuries , often as a result of struggling to get free , '' Coggins said .
`` We 'd encourage anyone with removable nets to take them down after use and store them safely away , and where netting ca n't be removed , such as pond , fruit netting , or fencing , we recommend replacing them with solid metal mesh . ''

Animal rescuers were called to a garden in Britain when a deer ended up with its antlers entangled in netting. Photo courtesy of the RSPCA
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe April 17 (UPI) -- Animal rescuers in Britain came to the assistance of a deer found with its antlers caught in a large piece of netting. The RSPCA said Inspector Charlotte Coggins and Inspector Jo Story responded on Easter Sunday, after a witness reported a deer entangled in netting in a Sherborne, Dorset, garden. Advertisement
"This is such a stressful situation for any animal, particularly a wild animal, to find themselves in so it was great to be able to provide the assistance this deer desperately needed," Coggins said. "After we removed the netting that was around his antlers it was great to see him stand up and dart off."
Coggins urged homeowners to be responsible with netting.
"Fences using netting like this, which had been installed to try to deter deer, and netting used for gardening or sports, can be really dangerous for animals and also poses a risk for those of us who are trying to rescue any entangled animal," she said.
"Every year, we rescue hundreds of animals tangled in netting. Some animals survive, but very sadly many animals suffer fatal injuries, often as a result of struggling to get free," Coggins said.
Advertisement
"We'd encourage anyone with removable nets to take them down after use and store them safely away, and where netting can't be removed, such as pond, fruit netting, or fencing, we recommend replacing them with solid metal mesh."


upi--2020-04-17--Building, testing of 5th Ford weapons elevator finished, Navy says

April 17 ( UPI ) -- The Navy and Newport News Shipbuilding have finished building and testing the first lower elevator on the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford and will likely be turned over to the ship 's crew soon , James Geurts , the assistant navy secretary for Research , Development and Acquisition , told reporters this week .
The Ford has been operating at sea part-time over the past several weeks , Geurts said during a Thursday briefing on COVID-19 's impact on the branch 's acquisition and development work .
The recently-completed elevator is the fifth overall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first that goes all the way from the flight deck to the magazines in the ship .
Geurts said he wants to get one forward and one aft lower elevator certified and turned over to the crew as soon as possible .
`` My main focus is getting these first two lower elevators turned over because that will allow full access from the magazine all the way to the flight deck -- and why that 's important is then the ship can train and start exercising the full cycle of cyclic operations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaves the remaining five elevators planned to be done ahead of the ship 's shock trials in 2021 .
Last week the Navy announced that the Ford had completed tests of its combat system capabilities while deployed in the Atlantic .
According to Geurts , during the Ford 's 32-day at-sea period , it conducted 1,352 catapult launches and arrested landings with crews from Newport News Shipbuilding working on construction while aboard .
The Ford , the first in a new class of carriers intended to replace the Nimitz class of carriers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delays -- notably with its electromagnetic elevators .

In this February photo, Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding Division contractors aboard USS Gerald R. Ford conduct phase 2 testing on a lower stage weapons elevator. Photo by Riley McDowell/U.S. Navy
April 17 (UPI) -- The Navy and Newport News Shipbuilding have finished building and testing the first lower elevator on the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford and will likely be turned over to the ship's crew soon, James Geurts, the assistant navy secretary for Research, Development and Acquisition, told reporters this week. The Ford has been operating at sea part-time over the past several weeks, Geurts said during a Thursday briefing on COVID-19's impact on the branch's acquisition and development work. Advertisement
The recently-completed elevator is the fifth overall Advanced Weapons Elevator on the ship and the first that goes all the way from the flight deck to the magazines in the ship.
Geurts said he wants to get one forward and one aft lower elevator certified and turned over to the crew as soon as possible.
"My main focus is getting these first two lower elevators turned over because that will allow full access from the magazine all the way to the flight deck -- and why that's important is then the ship can train and start exercising the full cycle of cyclic operations," Geurts said.
Advertisement
That plan leaves the remaining five elevators planned to be done ahead of the ship's shock trials in 2021.
Last week the Navy announced that the Ford had completed tests of its combat system capabilities while deployed in the Atlantic.
According to Geurts, during the Ford's 32-day at-sea period, it conducted 1,352 catapult launches and arrested landings with crews from Newport News Shipbuilding working on construction while aboard.
The Ford, the first in a new class of carriers intended to replace the Nimitz class of carriers, has been troubled by cost overruns and delays -- notably with its electromagnetic elevators.


upi--2020-04-17--Fog harp can harvest water from even the lightest of fogs

April 17 ( UPI ) -- Engineers at Virginia Tech University have developed a new , more efficient fog harp capable of harvesting water from even a light fog .
Previous iterations of the technology , first unveiled in 2018 , required dense fog to work , but the latest tests suggest the improved harp is viable in a variety of fog conditions .
The improved efficiency could allow the harp to be deployed as a sustainable water harvesting device in new parts of the world .
`` Billions of people face water scarcity worldwide , '' Brook Kennedy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Virginia Tech , said in a news release .
`` We feel that the fog harp is a great example of a relatively simple , low-tech invention that leverages insight from nature to help communities meet their most basic needs . ''
The fog harp looks like a harp , with parallel wires that collect the fog 's ambient water droplets .
Similar devices use screen mesh , but analysis by engineers at Virginia Tech showed parallel wires more efficiently collected water and encourage drainage into the collector .
In dense fog produced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outperformed mesh screens by a factor of two .
In field tests , scientists pitted the fog harp against other fog harvesting devices , some with wires closer together and others with mesh screens .
Fog conditions in the field were considerably lighter than the fog in the lab , but the fog harp still outperformed the competitors .
Even when fog was too light to produce water on the wires of the other devices , the fog harp was able to harvest ambient water .
Scientists described the success of their water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Advanced Sustainable Systems .
`` We already knew that in heavy fog , we can get at least two times as much water , '' said Jonathan Boreyko , an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Virginia Tech .
`` But realizing in our field tests that we can get up to 20 times more water on average in a moderate fog gives us hope we can dramatically enhance the breadth of regions where fog harvesting is a viable tool for getting decentralized , fresh water . ''

1/2
Virginia Tech researchers Jonathan Boreyko and Brook Kennedy inspect their fog harp at Kentland Farm, where they pitted the water harvesting device against similar devices. Photo by Peter Means/Virginia Tech
April 17 (UPI) -- Engineers at Virginia Tech University have developed a new, more efficient fog harp capable of harvesting water from even a light fog. Previous iterations of the technology, first unveiled in 2018, required dense fog to work, but the latest tests suggest the improved harp is viable in a variety of fog conditions. Advertisement
The improved efficiency could allow the harp to be deployed as a sustainable water harvesting device in new parts of the world.
"Billions of people face water scarcity worldwide," Brook Kennedy, an associate professor of industrial design at Virginia Tech, said in a news release. "We feel that the fog harp is a great example of a relatively simple, low-tech invention that leverages insight from nature to help communities meet their most basic needs."
The fog harp looks like a harp, with parallel wires that collect the fog's ambient water droplets. Similar devices use screen mesh, but analysis by engineers at Virginia Tech showed parallel wires more efficiently collected water and encourage drainage into the collector.
In dense fog produced in the lab, the parallel wires outperformed mesh screens by a factor of two. In field tests, scientists pitted the fog harp against other fog harvesting devices, some with wires closer together and others with mesh screens. Fog conditions in the field were considerably lighter than the fog in the lab, but the fog harp still outperformed the competitors.
Advertisement
Even when fog was too light to produce water on the wires of the other devices, the fog harp was able to harvest ambient water.
Scientists described the success of their water harvesting device this week in the journal Advanced Sustainable Systems.
"We already knew that in heavy fog, we can get at least two times as much water," said Jonathan Boreyko, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Virginia Tech. "But realizing in our field tests that we can get up to 20 times more water on average in a moderate fog gives us hope we can dramatically enhance the breadth of regions where fog harvesting is a viable tool for getting decentralized, fresh water."


upi--2020-04-17--Nebraska Supreme Court upholds death penalty for Patrick Schroeder

April 17 ( UPI ) -- The Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday upheld the conviction and death sentence of a @ @ @ @ @ in 2017 .
The state 's highest court ruled against Patrick Schroeder , 42 , @ @ @ @ @ all death row inmates in Nebraska .
Schroeder was serving a life sentence at Tecumsah @ @ @ @ @ 75-year-old Pawnee County farmer in 2006 when he choked his cellmate .
Terry Berry , @ @ @ @ @ later in the hospital .
Schroeder confessed to killing Berry in a written statement , @ @ @ @ @ .
`` If given another life term , I will kill again and we will @ @ @ @ @ doing this all over again , '' he said .
Schroeder represented himself in his @ @ @ @ @ he wanted to face the death penalty .

April 17 (UPI) -- The Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday upheld the conviction and death sentence of a man who killed his cellmate in 2017.
The state's highest court ruled against Patrick Schroeder, 42, in the automatic appeal afforded all death row inmates in Nebraska.
Advertisement
Schroeder was serving a life sentence at Tecumsah State Prison for killing a 75-year-old Pawnee County farmer in 2006 when he choked his cellmate. Terry Berry, 22, died four days later in the hospital.
Schroeder confessed to killing Berry in a written statement, saying Berry talked too much.
"If given another life term, I will kill again and we will be right back in court doing this all over again," he said.
Schroeder represented himself in his first-degree murder case and said he wanted to face the death penalty.


upi--2020-04-17--'Smart toilet' tracks health by analyzing urine, stool

Few think of the toilet as a font of valuable information , outside what you might read while you 're sitting on the throne .
But a `` smart toilet '' is being developed that will help track your health by analyzing your excretions , researchers say .
The toilet would be fitted with technology that can detect a range of disease markers in stool and urine , said Seung-min Park , a senior research scientist with the Stanford University School of Medicine , in California .
That data could be forwarded to your doctor , who would track changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as cancer , kidney failure , diabetes or irritable bowel syndrome .
`` We 're trying to monitor every aspect of human health that can be detected from human excretion , '' Park said .
It might sound far-fetched , but such information would prove a boon to doctors and the patients they treat , said Dr. Brian Rubin , chair of the Cleveland Clinic 's Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute .
`` We currently do n't have access to continuous genetic data that 's pouring out of feces and urine , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know that a variety of nucleic acids and proteins are secreted in urine and fecal material , and they do provide insight into what 's going on in the human body .
It 's the kind of thing that could really take medicine to the next level . ''
Stanford 's smart toilet design uses cameras , motion sensors and chemical tests to check different indicators of your health : • Stool shape and consistency could show whether someone has a bowel disorder .
• Urinalysis tests your urine for signs of infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other illnesses .
Nearly two dozen volunteers have tested the toilet over the course of several months , according to a report published April 6 in Nature Biomedical Engineering .
The research team also surveyed 300 prospective smart-toilet users , and found that a little over half were comfortable with the idea of a toilet that analyzed them at their most vulnerable .
One potential reason for reluctance : to make sure your health markers are accurately tracked , the toilet has a couple of ways of identifying who is using it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lever provides one way to make sure no one mistakes your excretion for someone else 's , Park said .
The other way the toilet tells you apart from family members and house guests is more potentially unnerving .
There 's no other way to say it -- a small camera scans your anus .
`` We know it seems weird , but as it turns out , your anal print is unique , '' Dr. Sanjiv `` Sam '' Gambhir , senior researcher and chair of radiology at Stanford School of Medicine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gambhir pledges that no one , not you or your doctor , will see either the fingerprint or the anus scans , which are used solely to match you with your data .
Park said his group is working with toilet companies to get this `` smart toilet '' to market within a year or two .
The `` smart '' aspect could either come with a toilet or be an add-on , something that you or a plumber would retrofit onto your own commode .
`` It 's sort of like buying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right into your existing toilet , '' Gambhir said .
`` And like a bidet , it has little extensions that carry out different purposes . ''
Right now the team is testing the toilet on more volunteers and refining the technologies equipped in the device .
They hope to individualize the tests deployed by the toilet , so that people with specific health problems like diabetes or cancer will get an analysis focused on their illness .
The National Kidney Foundation has more about urinalysis .

The "smart toilet" will help track your health by analyzing stool and urine for a range of disease markers. Photo courtesy of HealthDay News
Few think of the toilet as a font of valuable information, outside what you might read while you're sitting on the throne. But a "smart toilet" is being developed that will help track your health by analyzing your excretions, researchers say. Advertisement
The toilet would be fitted with technology that can detect a range of disease markers in stool and urine, said Seung-min Park, a senior research scientist with the Stanford University School of Medicine, in California.
That data could be forwarded to your doctor, who would track changes that might provide clues to such diseases as cancer, kidney failure, diabetes or irritable bowel syndrome.
"We're trying to monitor every aspect of human health that can be detected from human excretion," Park said.
It might sound far-fetched, but such information would prove a boon to doctors and the patients they treat, said Dr. Brian Rubin, chair of the Cleveland Clinic's Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute.
Advertisement
"We currently don't have access to continuous genetic data that's pouring out of feces and urine," Rubin said. "But we do know that a variety of nucleic acids and proteins are secreted in urine and fecal material, and they do provide insight into what's going on in the human body. It's the kind of thing that could really take medicine to the next level."
Stanford's smart toilet design uses cameras, motion sensors and chemical tests to check different indicators of your health:
Urine flow rate provides information about a man's prostate health.
Stool shape and consistency could show whether someone has a bowel disorder.
Urinalysis tests your urine for signs of infection, bladder cancer, kidney failure and other illnesses.
Nearly two dozen volunteers have tested the toilet over the course of several months, according to a report published April 6 in Nature Biomedical Engineering.
The research team also surveyed 300 prospective smart-toilet users, and found that a little over half were comfortable with the idea of a toilet that analyzed them at their most vulnerable.
One potential reason for reluctance: to make sure your health markers are accurately tracked, the toilet has a couple of ways of identifying who is using it.
A fingerprint identification system on the flush lever provides one way to make sure no one mistakes your excretion for someone else's, Park said.
Advertisement
The other way the toilet tells you apart from family members and house guests is more potentially unnerving. There's no other way to say it -- a small camera scans your anus.
"We know it seems weird, but as it turns out, your anal print is unique," Dr. Sanjiv "Sam" Gambhir, senior researcher and chair of radiology at Stanford School of Medicine, said in a school statement.
Gambhir pledges that no one, not you or your doctor, will see either the fingerprint or the anus scans, which are used solely to match you with your data.
Park said his group is working with toilet companies to get this "smart toilet" to market within a year or two.
The "smart" aspect could either come with a toilet or be an add-on, something that you or a plumber would retrofit onto your own commode.
"It's sort of like buying a bidet add-on that can be mounted right into your existing toilet," Gambhir said. "And like a bidet, it has little extensions that carry out different purposes."
Right now the team is testing the toilet on more volunteers and refining the technologies equipped in the device.
They hope to individualize the tests deployed by the toilet, so that people with specific health problems like diabetes or cancer will get an analysis focused on their illness.
Advertisement
More information
The National Kidney Foundation has more about urinalysis.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-04-17--UCSF test for COVID-19 may provide results in under 45 minutes

April 17 ( UPI ) -- A 30- to 45-minute test to identify and diagnose the COVID-19 virus is under development , University of California at San Francisco scientists announced .
The `` SARS-CoV-2 DETECTR '' test , developed by the school and Mammoth Biosciences of San Francisco , is easy to implement and to interpret , and requires no specialized equipment , the school said in a statement this week .
UCSF researchers are clinically validating the test in an effort to fast-track the approval process through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 's emergency use authorization .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats -- gene-targeting technology to seek the presence of the COVID-19 virus .
It searches for two target regions in the genome of the virus in samples from respiratory swabs , with results available within 45 minutes .
Tests in current use , using polymerase chain reaction techniques , and take around four hours for a diagnosis .
The new test can also be performed in the simplest laboratories and its results can be analyzed much the way a store-bought pregnancy test interpreted , with dark lines on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viral genes .
In a study published Thursday in Nature Biotechnology , researchers report the test was 95 percent effective at locating positives and 100 percent effective at finding negatives .
The test does not seek the virus itself , but certain genes that provide a response to the presence of the virus in cells in a patient 's nose and throat .
Saliva , obtained by spitting in a cup , is all that is required .
`` I can run it now myself at home , '' said Dr. Charles Chiu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , of the simplicity of the procedure , told NPR .
`` What we really want to develop is something like a handheld , pocket-sized device using disposable cartridges . ''
He added that such a test could be used by non-experts at home , and manufactured at a scale making them widely available .

A test for the presence of the COVIF-19 virus, offering results in 45 minutes, is under development by Mammoth Biosciences and the University of California at San Francisco. Photo courtesy of Mammoth Biosciences/Facebook
April 17 (UPI) -- A 30- to 45-minute test to identify and diagnose the COVID-19 virus is under development, University of California at San Francisco scientists announced. The "SARS-CoV-2 DETECTR" test, developed by the school and Mammoth Biosciences of San Francisco, is easy to implement and to interpret, and requires no specialized equipment, the school said in a statement this week. Advertisement
UCSF researchers are clinically validating the test in an effort to fast-track the approval process through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's emergency use authorization.
The test process involves the commonly-used CRISPR -- clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats -- gene-targeting technology to seek the presence of the COVID-19 virus. It searches for two target regions in the genome of the virus in samples from respiratory swabs, with results available within 45 minutes. Tests in current use, using polymerase chain reaction techniques, and take around four hours for a diagnosis.
The new test can also be performed in the simplest laboratories and its results can be analyzed much the way a store-bought pregnancy test interpreted, with dark lines on a test strip indicating the presence of viral genes.
Advertisement
In a study published Thursday in Nature Biotechnology, researchers report the test was 95 percent effective at locating positives and 100 percent effective at finding negatives.
The test does not seek the virus itself, but certain genes that provide a response to the presence of the virus in cells in a patient's nose and throat. Saliva, obtained by spitting in a cup, is all that is required.
"I can run it now myself at home," said Dr. Charles Chiu, co-lead developer of the new test, of the simplicity of the procedure, told NPR. "What we really want to develop is something like a handheld, pocket-sized device using disposable cartridges."
He added that such a test could be used by non-experts at home, and manufactured at a scale making them widely available.


upi--2020-04-17--Taylor Swift cancels 2020 performances, will reschedule U.S., Brazil tour

April 17 ( UPI ) -- Taylor Swift announced Friday that she is canceling all scheduled 2020 live performances .
She will reschedule the U.S. and Brazil legs of her tour for 2021 .
In a tweet , Swift expressed her regret but encouraged her fans to continue supporting the stay-at-home orders in many states , social distancing and other quarantine measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus .
`` I 'll see you on stage as soon as I can but right now what 's important is committing to this quarantine , for the sake of all of us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attached a screenshot of a larger statement from her tour citing the recommendations of Health organizations and governments as the reason for canceling Swift 's live appearances and tours .
They said tickets for U.S. and Brazil shows would transfer to the new dates when they are announced later this year .
Ticketmaster will issue refunds upon request beginning May 1 .
Swift will perform on One World : Together at Home concert Saturday .
Other acts include Jennifer Lopez , Celine Dion , Lady Gaga , Billie Eilish , Eddie Vedder , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One World : Together At Home begins at 8 p.m. EDT and airs simultaneously on NBC , CBS , ABC , ViacomCBS Networks , The CW , the BBC , iHeartMedia and other global networks and platforms .

Taylor Swift has canceled all of her 2020 performances due to the coronavirus pandemic. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
April 17 (UPI) -- Taylor Swift announced Friday that she is canceling all scheduled 2020 live performances. She will reschedule the U.S. and Brazil legs of her tour for 2021. In a tweet, Swift expressed her regret but encouraged her fans to continue supporting the stay-at-home orders in many states, social distancing and other quarantine measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Advertisement
"I'll see you on stage as soon as I can but right now what's important is committing to this quarantine, for the sake of all of us," Swift wrote.
Swift also attached a screenshot of a larger statement from her tour citing the recommendations of Health organizations and governments as the reason for canceling Swift's live appearances and tours. They said tickets for U.S. and Brazil shows would transfer to the new dates when they are announced later this year. Ticketmaster will issue refunds upon request beginning May 1.
I'm so sad I won't be able to see you guys in concert this year, but I know this is the right decision. Please, please stay healthy and safe. I'll see you on stage as soon as I can but right now what's important is committing to this quarantine, for the sake of all of us. pic.twitter.com/qeiMk2Tgon— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) April 17, 2020 Advertisement
Swift will perform on One World: Together at Home concert Saturday. Other acts include Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion, Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Eddie Vedder, Elton John, Paul McCartney and more.
One World: Together At Home begins at 8 p.m. EDT and airs simultaneously on NBC, CBS, ABC, ViacomCBS Networks, The CW, the BBC, iHeartMedia and other global networks and platforms.
Taylor Swift's career: awards, No. 1 hits and red carpets


upi--2020-04-17--U.N. Rights chief Rupert Colville condemns deaths of 32 in Myanmar ethnic fighting

April 17 ( UPI ) -- At least 32 deaths , mainly women and children , were attributed to fighting in Myanmar on Friday , the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said .
The fighting in Myanmar 's Rakhine and Chin states , between government forces and the Arakan Army , which seeks greater autonomy for ethnic Rakhine people , has been ongoing for over a year .
`` There has been a spike in violence between the ethnic Arakan Army armed group and the Myanmar army , impacting civilians of all ethnic groups living in the area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mro , Daignet and others , '' High Commissioner Rupert Colville said in a statement .
`` Myanmar 's military has been carrying out almost daily airstrikes and shelling in populated areas resulting in at least 32 deaths and 71 injuries since 23 March , the majority women and children , and destroying and burning schools and homes . ''
He added that a proposed cease-fire to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic has been ignored , although Myanmar has reported four deaths and 85 cases of the virus .
Colville also said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nine towns since June 2019 , it is `` difficult to get precise information from Rakhine . ''
The Arakan Army declared an April cease-fire because of the pandemic , but a government spokesman said that since a prior truce was ignored by the insurgents , the Myanmar military rejected it .
Colville 's statement also mentioned the discovery of 30 dead Rohingya refugees from Myanmar found aboard a boat in the Bay of Bengal , as well as nearly 400 more refugees , alive but severely dehydrated and malnourished after two months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Malaysia but not permitted to arrive in port , turned up in Bangladesh on Thursday .
`` All states should ensure that their responses to migrants in distress at sea are based on international human rights and refugee law , and that they are permitted safe disembarkation , '' said Colville .

Hundreds of Rohingya enter Bangladesh from Budichong, Myanmar. On Friday, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Rupert Colville decried the deaths of 32 people in Rakhine and Chin states, Myanmar, in fighting between government troops and the ethnic Arakan Army. File Photo by Abir Abdullah/EPA-EFE
April 17 (UPI) -- At least 32 deaths, mainly women and children, were attributed to fighting in Myanmar on Friday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said. The fighting in Myanmar's Rakhine and Chin states, between government forces and the Arakan Army, which seeks greater autonomy for ethnic Rakhine people, has been ongoing for over a year. Advertisement
"There has been a spike in violence between the ethnic Arakan Army armed group and the Myanmar army, impacting civilians of all ethnic groups living in the area, including Rohingya, Rakhine, Chin, Mro, Daignet and others," High Commissioner Rupert Colville said in a statement. "Myanmar's military has been carrying out almost daily airstrikes and shelling in populated areas resulting in at least 32 deaths and 71 injuries since 23 March, the majority women and children, and destroying and burning schools and homes."
He added that a proposed cease-fire to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic has been ignored, although Myanmar has reported four deaths and 85 cases of the virus. Colville also said that because of an Internet blackout in nine towns since June 2019, it is "difficult to get precise information from Rakhine."
Advertisement
The Arakan Army declared an April cease-fire because of the pandemic, but a government spokesman said that since a prior truce was ignored by the insurgents, the Myanmar military rejected it.
Colville's statement also mentioned the discovery of 30 dead Rohingya refugees from Myanmar found aboard a boat in the Bay of Bengal, as well as nearly 400 more refugees, alive but severely dehydrated and malnourished after two months at sea. The ship, bound for Malaysia but not permitted to arrive in port, turned up in Bangladesh on Thursday.
"All states should ensure that their responses to migrants in distress at sea are based on international human rights and refugee law, and that they are permitted safe disembarkation," said Colville.


upi--2020-04-17--Busch offering a year of free beer to couple with postponed wedding

April 17 ( UPI ) -- Couples forced to postpone their weddings due to the COVID-19 pandemic are being given @ @ @ @ @ year 's worth of free beer from Busch .
The beer company announced the Busch @ @ @ @ @ a year 's supply of Busch Beer to a couple whose 2020 wedding was postponed @ @ @ @ @ of the coronavirus .
The company said participating couples must post a photo of themselves @ @ @ @ @ a description of how they plan to celebrate their eventual nuptials .
The posts must @ @ @ @ @ BuschWeddingGift '' and `` # Sweepstakes . ''
The winning pair will be chosen in @ @ @ @ @ , Busch said .
Fifty smaller prizes will also be awarded to people who tag @ @ @ @ @ hashtag `` # MyFriendsWedding . ''
`` Your wedding plans may be on ice for @ @ @ @ @ we wan na give you a wedding gift of ice-cold Busch , '' the company @ @

Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe
April 17 (UPI) -- Couples forced to postpone their weddings due to the COVID-19 pandemic are being given the chance to win a year's worth of free beer from Busch.
The beer company announced the Busch Wedding Gift competition will award a year's supply of Busch Beer to a couple whose 2020 wedding was postponed or canceled as a result of the coronavirus.
Advertisement
The company said participating couples must post a photo of themselves on social media along with a description of how they plan to celebrate their eventual nuptials. The posts must contain the hashtags "#BuschWeddingGift" and "#Sweepstakes."
The winning pair will be chosen in a random drawing May 2, Busch said. Fifty smaller prizes will also be awarded to people who tag a friend and use the hashtag "#MyFriendsWedding."
"Your wedding plans may be on ice for the time being, but we wanna give you a wedding gift of ice-cold Busch," the company tweeted.


upi--2020-04-17--Adjusting a key brain receptor could control binge drinking

April 17 ( UPI ) -- Deactivation of a stress-signaling system in the brain , the opioid receptor system , can decrease binge drinking , scientists at the Medical University of South Carolina say , according to a study published in the May edition of Neuropharmacology .
Binge-drinking is scientifically defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism as drinking to the legal limit of intoxication within two hours .
One in six U.S. adults binge drinks about four times per month , consuming about seven drinks per binge , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ common among those age 18 to 35 .
Those who consistently binge drink , particularly during adolescent and college years , have almost 10 times the risk of developing an alcohol use disorder , said Howard Becker , research leader and co-author of the study .
`` Through our investigation , we found a brain region and a system that we can manipulate to decrease binge drinking , '' study co-author J.R. Haun said in a press release .
The opioid receptor system is well-recognized in the addiction field .
Morphine , heroin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to produce the pleasurable effects that making the drugs addictive .
One receptor in the system , though , called the kappa , produces discontent and is activated during the stress of hangovers and withdrawal .
`` The kappa opioid-receptor system is the antithesis to other opioid receptors , '' explained Haun .
`` It 's often referred to as an anti-reward system . ''
The researchers , using binge drinking mice as test subjects , studied the extended amygdala , a part of the brain involved in motivational behavior and containing significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they inactivated the kappa opioid receptors .
`` Haun actually introduced a drug that blocks kappa opioid receptors right into the extended amygdala , '' explained Becker , which resulted in diminished voluntary alcohol consumption .
The study indicates that blocking the kappa opioid receptors could be part of therapy to reduce binge drinking .
The study suggests the urge to binge drink could also eventually be controlled through medication , the researchers said .
`` I think the ultimate goal is to better understand new potential treatment targets and how new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to quell the desire and motivation to drink excessively in those who have developed an alcohol use disorder or are on the threshold of doing so , '' Becker said .

Binge drinking may be controllable with medication affecting the brain's opioid receptor system, according to new research. Photo by kaicho20/Pixabay
April 17 (UPI) -- Deactivation of a stress-signaling system in the brain, the opioid receptor system, can decrease binge drinking, scientists at the Medical University of South Carolina say, according to a study published in the May edition of Neuropharmacology. Binge-drinking is scientifically defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism as drinking to the legal limit of intoxication within two hours. Advertisement
One in six U.S. adults binge drinks about four times per month, consuming about seven drinks per binge, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, adding that the practice is most common among those age 18 to 35.
Those who consistently binge drink, particularly during adolescent and college years, have almost 10 times the risk of developing an alcohol use disorder, said Howard Becker, research leader and co-author of the study.
"Through our investigation, we found a brain region and a system that we can manipulate to decrease binge drinking," study co-author J.R. Haun said in a press release.
The opioid receptor system is well-recognized in the addiction field. Morphine, heroin, oxycontin and oxycodone act on system to produce the pleasurable effects that making the drugs addictive. One receptor in the system, though, called the kappa, produces discontent and is activated during the stress of hangovers and withdrawal.
Advertisement
"The kappa opioid-receptor system is the antithesis to other opioid receptors," explained Haun. "It's often referred to as an anti-reward system."
The researchers, using binge drinking mice as test subjects, studied the extended amygdala, a part of the brain involved in motivational behavior and containing significant kappa opioid receptors. Using a drug, they inactivated the kappa opioid receptors.
"Haun actually introduced a drug that blocks kappa opioid receptors right into the extended amygdala," explained Becker, which resulted in diminished voluntary alcohol consumption. The study indicates that blocking the kappa opioid receptors could be part of therapy to reduce binge drinking.
The study suggests the urge to binge drink could also eventually be controlled through medication, the researchers said.
"I think the ultimate goal is to better understand new potential treatment targets and how new therapeutics may have some value in helping to quell the desire and motivation to drink excessively in those who have developed an alcohol use disorder or are on the threshold of doing so," Becker said.


upi--2020-04-18--Famous birthdays for April 18: Britt Robertson, Maria Bello

April 18 ( UPI ) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Aries .

1/3
Britt Robertson attends the premiere of "I Still Believe" at the ArcLight Cinema Dome in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles on March 7. The actor turns 30 on April 18. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
April 18 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Aries. They include: Advertisement
-- Italian Duchess Lucrezia Borgia in 1480
-- Lawyer Clarence Darrow in 1857
-- Musician Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown in 1924
-- Actor Barbara Hale in 1922
-- Actor Hayley Mills in 1946 (age 74)
File Photo by Laura Cavanaugh/UPI
-- Actor James Woods in 1947 (age 73)
-- Actor Rick Moranis in 1953 (age 67)
-- Actor Eric Roberts in 1956 (age 64)
-- Actor Jane Leeves in 1961 (age 59)
-- Talk show host Conan O'Brien in 1963 (age 57)
-- Actor Eric McCormack in 1963 (age 57)
-- Actor Maria Bello in 1967 (age 53)
File Photo by Christine Chew/UPI
-- Actor David Tennant in 1971 (age 49)
-- Actor Melissa Joan Hart in 1976 (age 44)
-- TV personality Kourtney Kardashian in 1979 (age 41)
-- Actor America Ferrera in 1984 (age 36)
-- Actor Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in 1987 (age 33)
Advertisement
-- Actor Britt Robertson in 1990 (age 30)
-- Actor Chloe Bennet in 1992 (age 28)
-- Actor Moises Arias in 1994 (age 26)


upi--2020-04-18--On This Day, April 18: Ireland formally declares independence

April 18 ( UPI ) -- On this date in history : In 1506 , the cornerstone was placed for St. Peter 's Basilica in Rome .
In 1775 , U.S. patriot Paul Revere began his famous ride through the Massachusetts countryside , crying out `` The British are coming ! ''
to rally the minutemen .
In 1906 , an earthquake estimated at magnitude-7.8 struck San Francisco , collapsing buildings and igniting fires that destroyed much of what remained of the city .
Researchers and historians concluded that about 3,000 people died in the quake and its aftermath , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 1912 , three days after the sinking of Titanic , her survivors arrived in New York City aboard the RMS Carpathia .
In 1923 , Yankee Stadium opened in New York .
In 1942 , Lt. Col. James Doolittle led a squadron of B-25 bombers in a surprise raid against Tokyo in response to the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7 , 1941 .
In 1945 , U.S. journalist Ernie Pyle , a popular World War II correspondent , was killed by Japanese machine-gun fire on the island of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1949 , the Republic of Ireland formally declared itself independent from Britain .
In 1968 , McCulloch Oil Corp. paid $ 2.24 million to buy London Bridge , which was sinking into the Thames under the weight of 20th century traffic .
The oil company rebuilt the bridge bloc by block over Lake Havasu in Arizona .
In 1980 , Rhodesia became the independent African nation of Zimbabwe .
In 1983 , the U.S. Embassy in Beirut , Lebanon , was severely damaged by a car-bomb explosion that killed 63 people , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11-year-old Florida boy sued to `` divorce '' his natural parents and remain with his foster parents .
The boy eventually won his lawsuit .
In 2002 , former U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey , D-Neb.
, revealed that at least 13 civilians were killed by his U.S. Navy unit in a Vietnamese village in 1969 .
In 2007 , more than 125 people were killed in a suicide car-bomb explosion near a Baghdad market .
In 2014 , an avalanche on what is known as a particularly dangerous route to the top of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sherpa guides .
In 2018 , the first movie theaters in Saudi Arabia opened with a public screening of Black Panther .
In 2019 , Northern Irish journalist Lyra McKee was shot to death while covering riots in Belfast .
The New IRA claimed responsibility .

1/3
On April 18, 1949, the Republic of Ireland formally declared itself independent from Britain. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
April 18 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1506, the cornerstone was placed for St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Advertisement
In 1775, U.S. patriot Paul Revere began his famous ride through the Massachusetts countryside, crying out "The British are coming!" to rally the minutemen.
In 1906, an earthquake estimated at magnitude-7.8 struck San Francisco, collapsing buildings and igniting fires that destroyed much of what remained of the city. Researchers and historians concluded that about 3,000 people died in the quake and its aftermath, and roughly 250,000 were left homeless.
In 1912, three days after the sinking of Titanic, her survivors arrived in New York City aboard the RMS Carpathia.
In 1923, Yankee Stadium opened in New York.
In 1942, Lt. Col. James Doolittle led a squadron of B-25 bombers in a surprise raid against Tokyo in response to the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.
In 1945, U.S. journalist Ernie Pyle, a popular World War II correspondent, was killed by Japanese machine-gun fire on the island of Ie Shima in the Pacific.
Advertisement
In 1949, the Republic of Ireland formally declared itself independent from Britain.
In 1968, McCulloch Oil Corp. paid $2.24 million to buy London Bridge, which was sinking into the Thames under the weight of 20th century traffic. The oil company rebuilt the bridge bloc by block over Lake Havasu in Arizona.
In 1980, Rhodesia became the independent African nation of Zimbabwe.
In 1983, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, was severely damaged by a car-bomb explosion that killed 63 people, including 17 Americans.
In 1992, an 11-year-old Florida boy sued to "divorce" his natural parents and remain with his foster parents. The boy eventually won his lawsuit.
In 2002, former U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey, D-Neb., revealed that at least 13 civilians were killed by his U.S. Navy unit in a Vietnamese village in 1969.
File Photo by Ezio Petersen/UPI
In 2007, more than 125 people were killed in a suicide car-bomb explosion near a Baghdad market.
In 2014, an avalanche on what is known as a particularly dangerous route to the top of Mount Everest in the Himalayas killed 16 Sherpa guides.
Advertisement
In 2018, the first movie theaters in Saudi Arabia opened with a public screening of Black Panther.
In 2019, Northern Irish journalist Lyra McKee was shot to death while covering riots in Belfast. The New IRA claimed responsibility.


upi--2020-04-17--Chicago Bears release veteran TE Trey Burton

April 17 ( UPI ) -- The Chicago Bears parted ways with veteran tight end Trey Burton after only two seasons , the team announced Friday .
Burton , 28 , signed a four-year deal with the Bears before the 2018 season that contained $ 22 million in guarantees , according to Spotrac .
Burton played only eight games last season because of a season-ending calf injury .
He also underwent hip surgery to address a labrum issue in December .
He finished the 2019 season with only 14 catches for 84 yards and no touchdowns .
Despite the recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be ready before training camp , according to ESPN .
During his first season with the Bears , Burton started all 16 regular-season games and set career highs in catches ( 54 ) , receiving yards ( 569 ) and touchdowns ( six ) .
He was a surprise inactive for Chicago 's wild-card loss to the Philadelphia Eagles with a groin ailment .
Burton later had sports hernia surgery before the 2019 campaign , but he was recovering slowly and experienced a setback in training camp .
The Eagles signed Burton as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2014 .
In 85 career games between the Eagles and Bears , he has recorded 131 receptions for 1,282 yards and 12 touchdowns .

Chicago Bears tight end Trey Burton (80) played only eight games last season due to a season-ending calf injury. File Photo by Kamil Krzaczynski/UPI | License Photo
April 17 (UPI) -- The Chicago Bears parted ways with veteran tight end Trey Burton after only two seasons, the team announced Friday. Burton, 28, signed a four-year deal with the Bears before the 2018 season that contained $22 million in guarantees, according to Spotrac. Advertisement
Burton played only eight games last season because of a season-ending calf injury. He also underwent hip surgery to address a labrum issue in December. He finished the 2019 season with only 14 catches for 84 yards and no touchdowns.
Despite the recent hip procedure, Burton is expected to be ready before training camp, according to ESPN.
During his first season with the Bears, Burton started all 16 regular-season games and set career highs in catches (54), receiving yards (569) and touchdowns (six). He was a surprise inactive for Chicago's wild-card loss to the Philadelphia Eagles with a groin ailment.
Burton later had sports hernia surgery before the 2019 campaign, but he was recovering slowly and experienced a setback in training camp.
We have signed four players to one-year contracts - OL Jason Spriggs, K Ramiz Ahmed, OL Rashaad Coward and TE J.P. Holtz. We have released TE Trey Burton. Advertisement DETAILS.— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) April 17, 2020
The Eagles signed Burton as an undrafted free agent out of Florida in 2014. In 85 career games between the Eagles and Bears, he has recorded 131 receptions for 1,282 yards and 12 touchdowns.


upi--2020-04-18--Myanmar refuses entry to 200 Rohingya refugees, citing COVID-19

April 18 ( UPI ) -- On Friday Malaysia 's air force confirmed it had denied entry to a boat carrying about 200 Rohingya people , days after it was reported that dozens of people died onboard a boat that was refused entry to the country and left adrift .
Officials said Friday 's move was made to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country .
On Wednesday the Bangladesh Coast Guard said it had rescued nearly 400 Rohingya refugees in the Bay of Bengal , on a boat that had left Bagladesh for Myanmar but was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At least 32 people died aboard the ship , according to Bangladesh Coast Guard spokesman Hamidul Islam .
Their bodies were thrown overboard .
According to Bangladesh authorities , rescued refugees -- most of whom were women and children and many of whom were starving or dehydrated -- have been handed to United Nations Refugee Agency to be quarantined for 14 days .
According to Amnesty International , there may be additional boats full of Rohingya stuck at sea this week , and they fear more refugees will remain trapped at sea and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spread of the novel coronavirus to justify refusing to allow them entry .

Rohingya migrants receive first aid and food after being rescued at sea, near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, Thursday. Activists fear hundreds of Rohingya refugees remain stuck at sea as more countries cite the COVID-19 pandemic as a reason to refuse them entry. Photo courtesy of Bangladesh Coast Guard
April 18 (UPI) -- On Friday Malaysia's air force confirmed it had denied entry to a boat carrying about 200 Rohingya people, days after it was reported that dozens of people died onboard a boat that was refused entry to the country and left adrift. Officials said Friday's move was made to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country. Advertisement
On Wednesday the Bangladesh Coast Guard said it had rescued nearly 400 Rohingya refugees in the Bay of Bengal, on a boat that had left Bagladesh for Myanmar but was also turned away from the country.
At least 32 people died aboard the ship, according to Bangladesh Coast Guard spokesman Hamidul Islam. Their bodies were thrown overboard.
According to Bangladesh authorities, rescued refugees -- most of whom were women and children and many of whom were starving or dehydrated -- have been handed to United Nations Refugee Agency to be quarantined for 14 days.
According to Amnesty International, there may be additional boats full of Rohingya stuck at sea this week, and they fear more refugees will remain trapped at sea and unable to disembark anywhere as countries cite the spread of the novel coronavirus to justify refusing to allow them entry.


upi--2020-04-18--Pence encourages Air Force Academy graduates to 'rise to the challenge'

April 18 ( UPI ) -- Vice President Mike Pence , Defense Secretary Mike Esper and Army Gen. Mark A. Milley , the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , addressed the Air Force Academy 's first virtual graduation Saturday .
Esper and Milley addressed the graduating cadets remotely from the Pentagon , but Pence traveled to Colorado Springs to speak to cadets in person .
Family and friends were not allowed to attend the event due to social distancing guidelines guidelines necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic .
`` I know we gather at a time of great challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and you all here in the pursuit of your commission and the service of this nation have been through a lot .
And while we do n't quite look like the usual graduation at the Air Force Academy , let me tell you this is an awesome sight , '' said Pence , who heads the White House 's coronavirus task force .
The event was moved up several weeks from its original date in May , and relocated from Falcon Stadium to a larger venue to allow more space for social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ graduated cadets will commission as second lieutenants , and 90 will enter the United States ' new Space Force .
President Donald Trump said Friday that he supported Pence 's decision to appear at the ceremony , and also said he plans to speak at a socially distanced commencement at the U.S. Military Academy next month .
Pence encouraged the graduates to rise to address the difficulties presented by the pandemic .
`` America is being tested , '' Pence said .
`` But as each of you has shown , and as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when hardship comes , Americans come together .
We rise to the challenge . ''
Milley also directly referenced the ongoing pandemic in their remarks .
`` Your target is indeed in sight , '' Milley said , `` but your journey is just beginning .
You will serve your country in a time of incredible challenge and increased complexity in the global strategic environment . ''
Thunderbirds flew over the ceremony as the graduates tossed their hats in keeping with an Air Force Academy tradition -- but following cheers of celebration , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

1/3
Cadets celebrate at the conclusion of the 2020 Air Force Academy graduation ceremony on the terrazzo of the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado on on Saturday, April 18, 2020. The graduation was a closed ceremony at the center of campus rather than Falcon Stadium to allow the cadets to stay 8 feet apart. The cadets didn't march on stage to receive their diplomas and high fives and hugs are banned. The academy graduated 967 cadets. Pool Photo by Christian Murdock/UPI | License Photo
April 18 (UPI) -- Vice President Mike Pence, Defense Secretary Mike Esper and Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addressed the Air Force Academy's first virtual graduation Saturday. Esper and Milley addressed the graduating cadets remotely from the Pentagon, but Pence traveled to Colorado Springs to speak to cadets in person. Advertisement
Family and friends were not allowed to attend the event due to social distancing guidelines guidelines necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic.
"I know we gather at a time of great challenge in the life of our nation, and you all here in the pursuit of your commission and the service of this nation have been through a lot. And while we don't quite look like the usual graduation at the Air Force Academy, let me tell you this is an awesome sight," said Pence, who heads the White House's coronavirus task force.
The event was moved up several weeks from its original date in May, and relocated from Falcon Stadium to a larger venue to allow more space for social distancing for the 984 cadets.
The newly graduated cadets will commission as second lieutenants, and 90 will enter the United States' new Space Force.
Advertisement
President Donald Trump said Friday that he supported Pence's decision to appear at the ceremony, and also said he plans to speak at a socially distanced commencement at the U.S. Military Academy next month.
Pence encouraged the graduates to rise to address the difficulties presented by the pandemic.
"America is being tested," Pence said. "But as each of you has shown, and as Americans always shows in challenging times, when hardship comes, Americans come together. We rise to the challenge."
Milley also directly referenced the ongoing pandemic in their remarks.
"Your target is indeed in sight," Milley said, "but your journey is just beginning. You will serve your country in a time of incredible challenge and increased complexity in the global strategic environment."
Thunderbirds flew over the ceremony as the graduates tossed their hats in keeping with an Air Force Academy tradition -- but following cheers of celebration, the graduates put masks over their faces.


upi--2020-04-18--Watch: NYPD rescues stranded kayaker who spelled out 'HELP' in sticks

April 18 ( UPI ) -- The New York Police Department said it rescued a man stranded on a remote @ @ @ @ @ .
The Aviation Unit found the man , who was not named , by helicopter @ @ @ @ @ in Jamaica Bay , Queens on Friday .
The man had no injuries after being @ @ @ @ @ hours , according to NYPD .
NYPD spokeswoman Sgt .
Jessica McRorie told NBC News @ @ @ @ @ his kayak took on water and went under . ''
He started a fire to @ @ @ @ @ spelled out `` HELP '' using nearby sticks and waved his hands to signal for @ @ @ @ @ the rescue shows .

April 18 (UPI) -- The New York Police Department said it rescued a man stranded on a remote island after his kayak sunk.
The Aviation Unit found the man, who was not named, by helicopter, on a remote island in Jamaica Bay, Queens on Friday. The man had no injuries after being missing for more than 12 hours, according to NYPD.
Advertisement
NYPD spokeswoman Sgt. Jessica McRorie told NBC News he became stranded after "his kayak took on water and went under."
He started a fire to alert authorities. He also spelled out "HELP" using nearby sticks and waved his hands to signal for help, video footage from the rescue shows.
A kayaker takes social distancing to the next level. #NYPD Aviation found the uninjured male stranded on a remote island in Jamaica Bay, Queens. Missing for over 12 hours the male signaled for help by starting a fire & spelling out help using nearby sticks before being found. pic.twitter.com/cqYqz8tLFG— NYPD Special Ops (@NYPDSpecialops) April 17, 2020


upi--2020-04-18--Orthodox Christians observe Easter amid coronavirus lockdown

1/2
Cathedral of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox church is closed to parishioners on Easter Sunday of Orthodox Easter weekend in New York City on Sunday, April 19, 2020. The world's Orthodox Christians are celebrating Easter through a series of restrictions and bans including closures of churches due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
April 18 (UPI) -- Orthodox Christians plan to celebrate Easter this weekend amid coronavirus restrictions hindering traditional services. The holiday for the world's roughly 300 million Orthodox Christians is based on the Julian calendar, instead of the Gregorian calendar, and often falls on a later date than Easter observed elsewhere. Advertisement
Though the traditional Holy Fire Ceremony at the Church of Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem was held on Saturday, only a handful of clergy, some wearing black masks, were allowed to take part in the ceremony.
During the ceremony, Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III traditionally lights a candle with the Holy Fire in the crypt to symbolize Jesus' resurrection. Eastern Orthodox Christians believe a miraculous Holy Fire emanates from within the tomb of Christ.
Traditionally, the ceremony attracts thousands of pilgrims to pass on the flame, but only the Armenian Orthodox patriarch, four assistants, and Coptic and Syrian archbishops attended the ceremony this year.
After the church bells tolled, Theophilos III and other clergy carried out the flame to be taken to Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv and flown to 10 countries.
Advertisement
In the Middle East and Eastern Europe, authorities have told congregations not to attend services.
Russia's Orthodox church also urged worshipers, who usually attend late-night processions, to stay home.
In the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, police patrolled 179 churches and monasteries to enforce social distancing.
In Greece, church services were banned and thousands of police worked to prevent residents visiting relatives or second homes on the holiday.
Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II held a televised Good Friday service absent a congregation with deacons and priests present observing social distancing to prevent COVID-19 spread.
In Romania, worshipers can still receive the Holy Fire on Easter night or take bread splashed with holy water and wine as they do traditionally, but only by request, and they're still urged to social distance.
Bulgaria's capital Sofia has a curfew imposed.
Serbia and Montenegro churches have told their congregations to stay home.
In one Eastern European country though, Georgia, worshipers were still allowed to attend churches.
And in, North Macedonia's Orthodox Church said force would not be used to stop people going to church.
Pandemic empties streets, public spaces around the world


upi--2020-04-18--Air quality levels in Ukraine dip to 'moderate' as fires continue to burn

April 18 ( UPI ) -- Multiple wildfires spreading across Ukraine have burned 38 homes and 15.4 square miles of forest and forced residents to keep their windows shut due to air pollution .
On Friday and Saturday the concentration of dust and burning residues have at least doubled and may have increased fourfold , with concentrations of nitrogen dioxide , sulfur dioxide and formaldehyde increasing by two or three times over typical amounts , the Kyiv Post reported .
Air quality levels in Ukraine this week have registered as the worst in the world .
As of Saturday morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 360 and 499 in different parts of the city , rated `` hazardous , '' though markers had returned to a `` moderate '' rating by Saturday evening .
Meteorologists say air quality in Kiev , the country 's capital and largest city , may improve early next week due to a predicted change in wind direction .
Kiev officials initially said smoke in the city was caused by fires in the Chernobyl exclusion zone , but Anatoly Prokopenko , deputy director of the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center , said fires in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the north of Ukraine -- had caused Kiev to be blanketed in smoke since Thursday night .
By Saturday evening , six of 15 fires in the Zhytomyr Oblast forests had been extinguished and five more had been contained , said Volodymyr Demchuk , director of the emergency response at the State Emergency Service .
Firefighters were also trying to extinguish four fires in the Chernobyl exclusion zone .
The Chernobyl fires broke out April 4 and were considered contained by Tuesday , but flared up again Thursday due to high winds in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the French Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety Institute found elevated levels of radiation in the area , but Demchuk was quoted in the Kyiv Post on Saturday saying radiation was at a normal level .

Smog haze hangs over Kiev, Ukraine, on Friday. This week air quality in Ukraine ranked as worst in the world due to multiple fires burning in the country, including in the Chernobyl exclusion zone. Photo by Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA-EFE
April 18 (UPI) -- Multiple wildfires spreading across Ukraine have burned 38 homes and 15.4 square miles of forest and forced residents to keep their windows shut due to air pollution. On Friday and Saturday the concentration of dust and burning residues have at least doubled and may have increased fourfold, with concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and formaldehyde increasing by two or three times over typical amounts, the Kyiv Post reported. Advertisement
Air quality levels in Ukraine this week have registered as the worst in the world.
As of Saturday morning, Kiev's Air Quality Index ranged from 360 and 499 in different parts of the city, rated "hazardous," though markers had returned to a "moderate" rating by Saturday evening.
Meteorologists say air quality in Kiev, the country's capital and largest city, may improve early next week due to a predicted change in wind direction.
Kiev officials initially said smoke in the city was caused by fires in the Chernobyl exclusion zone, but Anatoly Prokopenko, deputy director of the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center, said fires in the Zhytomyr Oblast -- a large province in the north of Ukraine -- had caused Kiev to be blanketed in smoke since Thursday night.
Advertisement
By Saturday evening, six of 15 fires in the Zhytomyr Oblast forests had been extinguished and five more had been contained, said Volodymyr Demchuk, director of the emergency response at the State Emergency Service.
Firefighters were also trying to extinguish four fires in the Chernobyl exclusion zone. The Chernobyl fires broke out April 4 and were considered contained by Tuesday, but flared up again Thursday due to high winds in the area.
A report released Wednesday by the French Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety Institute found elevated levels of radiation in the area, but Demchuk was quoted in the Kyiv Post on Saturday saying radiation was at a normal level.


upi--2020-04-18--Los Angeles deploys medical street teams to help homeless

April 18 ( UPI ) -- Los Angeles plans to deploy medical street teams to help the homeless amid efforts nationwide to curb COVID-19 spread .
Los Angeles County has confirmed 11,391 cases of coronavirus and 495 deaths , health officials said Saturday .
As of Thursday , at least 33 people , who were mostly living outdoors , tested COVID-19 positive , Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said .
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Friday that medical street teams will be deployed to homeless encampments starting next week .
The street teams will conduct rapid-result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counseling on effective social distancing .
The teams will also set up trailers across the city , which will be used for at-risk homeless people , age 65 or older or those with pre-existing health conditions .
`` With this virus touching every part of our community , we 're doing whatever we can to keep those without a home safe , '' Garcetti said .
The mayor said he expects 300 trailers to be available in coming weeks .
The Los Angeles Fire Department also set up a pop-up testing clinic in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large homeless population .
Garcetti added that there will also be transportation from Skid Row to isolation and quarantine beds for people testing positive .
`` Individuals experiencing homelessness often lack a safe space to self-isolate or practice physical distancing , and many are older adults or suffer from underlying medical conditions that would leave them particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 , '' Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis said .
`` Through this coordinated effort ... we will make sure no one is forgotten during this public health crisis . ''
Garcetti also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owners to participate in Project Roomkey , an initiative California Gov .
Gavin Newsom launched earlier this month to provide shelter to those experiencing homelessness .
The project set an initial goal of securing 15,000 rooms for this purpose .
So far , Los Angeles County has secured 2,400 rooms , Garcetti said , and negotiations continue with more than 24 other hotels and motels .
On Friday night , advocates from Housing is a Human Right held a socially distant car protest at the Sunset Gordon tower in the Hollywood neighborhood of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complex be turned into a homeless shelter .
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo announced in a briefing Saturday that total hospitalization numbers are down from around 18,000 to almost 17,000 .
`` If you look at the past three days , you could argue that we are past the plateau , and we 're starting to descend which would be very good news , '' Cuomo said .
The hospital rooms were at `` manic , max capacity for a very long period of time , '' he said , and `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that capacity was overwhelmed . ''
Intensive care unit admissions were also down along with the number of people being put on ventilators , Cuomo said .
He added that the infection rate has decreased from one person infecting 1.4 other people to one person infecting to 0.9 people , thanks to mitigation efforts .
Still , there were about 2,000 new admissions to hospitals Friday , Cuomo added .
`` That is still an overwhelming number , 2,000 new , '' Cuomo said .
`` This was where we were at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths in New York Friday were 540 , down from 630 the previous day .
`` Testing is how you monitor the rate of infection and how you control for it , '' Cuomo said in discussing the possibility of reopening the state .
`` The more you test , the more information , the more you can reopen society . ''
He also announced that the state received 1.5 million cloth masks from the federal government Friday .
`` I 'm going to thank them for that , '' Cuomo said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ can distribute to people to help implement our policy where , if you are in public , you have to wear a mask .
It 's not a surgical mask .
It 's a cloth mask ... We 're asking people to wear masks and this is going to be very helpful because we 're going to have additional masks to distribute to the public . ''
On Wednesday , Cuomo announced an executive order requiring everyone across the state to wear a face covering over the mouth and nose in situations where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including public transportation .
On Saturday , New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said residents could report people who are not social distancing .
In a tweet , he urged residents to take a photo with the location noted in it if they see people crowding in defiance of social distancing guidelines and text it to 311-692 to alert authorities .
New York has the most cases and deaths nationwide , reporting 229,642 cases and 12,822 deaths followed by New Jersey with 78,467 cases and 3,840 deaths .
Some residents in Maryland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next to announce a reopening of business less than three weeks after Gov .
Larry Hogan issued a stay-at-home order .
Supports of a group called ReOpen Maryland paraded in their cars through downtown Annapolis on Saturday to protest the order and call for restrictions to be lifted .
Hogan issued the order March 30 , calling for all non-essential businesses , churches and schools to stay closed amid the pandemic .
Governors in Florida and Texas announced plans this week to start slowly reopening the economies .
`` I completely understand why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Hogan said Friday .
`` I want to get our economy back and get things opened up as quickly as possible just as much as anybody does .
`` But we 're also going to have to do that in a safe manner . ''
Michigan residents held a similar protest Wednesday in Lansing , snarling traffic around the state Capitol for hours .
At the federal level , Defense Secretary Mark Esper extended current travel restrictions for most military forces and their families , preventing them from moving to new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions are `` driven by science by what the scientists and doctors are telling us about how this virus moves because protecting our people , protecting our communities will be task number one , '' Esper said at Pentagon briefing earlier this week .

1/3
Protesters from Housing Is A Human Right staged a car-protest near the vacant Sunset Gordon tower in Los Angeles to demand the apartment building be used for the homeless. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
April 18 (UPI) -- Los Angeles plans to deploy medical street teams to help the homeless amid efforts nationwide to curb COVID-19 spread. Los Angeles County has confirmed 11,391 cases of coronavirus and 495 deaths, health officials said Saturday. Advertisement
As of Thursday, at least 33 people, who were mostly living outdoors, tested COVID-19 positive, Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Friday that medical street teams will be deployed to homeless encampments starting next week.
The street teams will conduct rapid-result COVID-19 tests, other health screenings and counseling on effective social distancing. The teams will also set up trailers across the city, which will be used for at-risk homeless people, age 65 or older or those with pre-existing health conditions.
"With this virus touching every part of our community, we're doing whatever we can to keep those without a home safe," Garcetti said.
Advertisement
The mayor said he expects 300 trailers to be available in coming weeks.
The Los Angeles Fire Department also set up a pop-up testing clinic in Skid Row, known for having a large homeless population.
Garcetti added that there will also be transportation from Skid Row to isolation and quarantine beds for people testing positive.
"Individuals experiencing homelessness often lack a safe space to self-isolate or practice physical distancing, and many are older adults or suffer from underlying medical conditions that would leave them particularly vulnerable to COVID-19," Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis said. "Through this coordinated effort ... we will make sure no one is forgotten during this public health crisis."
Garcetti also called on Friday for hotel and motel owners to participate in Project Roomkey, an initiative California Gov. Gavin Newsom launched earlier this month to provide shelter to those experiencing homelessness.
The project set an initial goal of securing 15,000 rooms for this purpose.
So far, Los Angeles County has secured 2,400 rooms, Garcetti said, and negotiations continue with more than 24 other hotels and motels.
On Friday night, advocates from Housing is a Human Right held a socially distant car protest at the Sunset Gordon tower in the Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles to demand the vacant apartment complex be turned into a homeless shelter.
Advertisement
Statewide, California has reported 29,398 cases and 1,050 deaths.
California life in the COVID-19 pandemic
A pedestrian walks past a bar established in 1933 after Los Angeles County officials closed it for the second time following a spike in COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles on August 10. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
New York
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced in a briefing Saturday that total hospitalization numbers are down from around 18,000 to almost 17,000.
"If you look at the past three days, you could argue that we are past the plateau, and we're starting to descend which would be very good news," Cuomo said.
The hospital rooms were at "manic, max capacity for a very long period of time," he said, and "hospital capacity was increased by 50 percent and that capacity was overwhelmed."
Intensive care unit admissions were also down along with the number of people being put on ventilators, Cuomo said.
He added that the infection rate has decreased from one person infecting 1.4 other people to one person infecting to 0.9 people, thanks to mitigation efforts.
Still, there were about 2,000 new admissions to hospitals Friday, Cuomo added.
"That is still an overwhelming number, 2,000 new," Cuomo said. "This was where we were at in March."
The number of deaths in New York Friday were 540, down from 630 the previous day.
"Testing is how you monitor the rate of infection and how you control for it," Cuomo said in discussing the possibility of reopening the state. "The more you test, the more information, the more you can reopen society."
Advertisement
He also announced that the state received 1.5 million cloth masks from the federal government Friday.
"I'm going to thank them for that," Cuomo said. "These are cloth masks that we can distribute to people to help implement our policy where, if you are in public, you have to wear a mask. It's not a surgical mask. It's a cloth mask ... We're asking people to wear masks and this is going to be very helpful because we're going to have additional masks to distribute to the public."
On Wednesday, Cuomo announced an executive order requiring everyone across the state to wear a face covering over the mouth and nose in situations where social distancing cannot be maintained, including public transportation.
On Saturday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said residents could report people who are not social distancing.
In a tweet, he urged residents to take a photo with the location noted in it if they see people crowding in defiance of social distancing guidelines and text it to 311-692 to alert authorities.
New York has the most cases and deaths nationwide, reporting 229,642 cases and 12,822 deaths followed by New Jersey with 78,467 cases and 3,840 deaths.
Advertisement
Maryland
Some residents in Maryland are hoping their state will be the next to announce a reopening of business less than three weeks after Gov. Larry Hogan issued a stay-at-home order.
Supports of a group called ReOpen Maryland paraded in their cars through downtown Annapolis on Saturday to protest the order and call for restrictions to be lifted. Hogan issued the order March 30, calling for all non-essential businesses, churches and schools to stay closed amid the pandemic.
Governors in Florida and Texas announced plans this week to start slowly reopening the economies.
"I completely understand why people are anxious to get things going," Hogan said Friday. "I want to get our economy back and get things opened up as quickly as possible just as much as anybody does.
"But we're also going to have to do that in a safe manner."
Michigan residents held a similar protest Wednesday in Lansing, snarling traffic around the state Capitol for hours.
At the federal level, Defense Secretary Mark Esper extended current travel restrictions for most military forces and their families, preventing them from moving to new assignments worldwide.
Advertisement
Decisions on the travel restrictions are "driven by science by what the scientists and doctors are telling us about how this virus moves because protecting our people, protecting our communities will be task number one," Esper said at Pentagon briefing earlier this week.


upi--2020-04-18--Cedric the Entertainer to host viral video special for CBS

April 18 ( UPI ) -- The Neighborhood star Cedric the Entertainer is set to host a CBS special in @ @ @ @ @ Global Phenomenon .
A press release said it will feature viral home-video moments created while @ @ @ @ @ sheltering in place due to the coronavirus pandemic .
`` This special is a true @ @ @ @ @ , '' Jodi Roth , senior vice president of specials for CBS , said Friday @ @ @ @ @ creativity displayed in these videos is impressive , while also highlighting our spirit and resilience @ @ @ @ @ unique moment in time . ''
Cedric the Entertainer also recently gathered together his comedian @ @ @ @ @ show to raise money for essential workers affected by the pandemic .

Cedric the Entertainer is to host "Homevideos: A Global Phenomenon" for CBS next month. File Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI | License Photo
April 18 (UPI) -- The Neighborhood star Cedric the Entertainer is set to host a CBS special in May called Homevideos: A Global Phenomenon. A press release said it will feature viral home-video moments created while people are social distancing and sheltering in place due to the coronavirus pandemic. Advertisement
"This special is a true celebration of the human spirit," Jodi Roth, senior vice president of specials for CBS, said Friday. "The ingenuity and creativity displayed in these videos is impressive, while also highlighting our spirit and resilience as a community during this unique moment in time."
Cedric the Entertainer also recently gathered together his comedian friends for an online stand-up show to raise money for essential workers affected by the pandemic.


upi--2020-04-18--DoD extends travel restrictions for troops, families through June 30

April 18 ( UPI ) -- Travel restrictions affecting military personnel will be extended to June 30 , the Defense Department announced Saturday .
Matthew Donovan , undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness , said Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Joint Chiefs Chairman Army Gen. Mark Milley made the decision `` after careful consideration and assessment . ''
`` We understand the impact this has on our service members and their families .
However , this is a necessary measure to keep our people safe and our military ready , '' Donovan told reporters .
In mid-March Esper ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troops and their families which were to last 60 days -- meaning they were set to expire May 11 .
Esper hinted earlier this week that restrictions could be extended but did not specify a date .
Donovan did not rule out the possibility of an extension beyond the end of June , but also said restrictions will be reviewed every 15 days , which could result in the ban being lifted earlier .
Esper is not expected to sign the documents -- which will include more detail on the particulars on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He did say the new guidelines are `` a little more liberal '' and include exceptions for troop deployments and returns , recruiting and basic training , temporary duty travel or changes of station , travel needed for medical treatment , and travel for people leaving the military .

Matthew P. Donovan, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, told reporters Saturday that travel restrictions on troops and their families will remain in place through June 30. File Photo by Andy Morataya/U.S. Air Force
April 18 (UPI) -- Travel restrictions affecting military personnel will be extended to June 30, the Defense Department announced Saturday. Matthew Donovan, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, said Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Joint Chiefs Chairman Army Gen. Mark Milley made the decision "after careful consideration and assessment." Advertisement
"We understand the impact this has on our service members and their families. However, this is a necessary measure to keep our people safe and our military ready," Donovan told reporters.
In mid-March Esper ordered restrictions on domestic and international travel for troops and their families which were to last 60 days -- meaning they were set to expire May 11.
Esper hinted earlier this week that restrictions could be extended but did not specify a date.
Donovan did not rule out the possibility of an extension beyond the end of June, but also said restrictions will be reviewed every 15 days, which could result in the ban being lifted earlier.
Esper is not expected to sign the documents -- which will include more detail on the particulars on the restrictions -- until Monday, Donovan said.
Advertisement
He did say the new guidelines are "a little more liberal" and include exceptions for troop deployments and returns, recruiting and basic training, temporary duty travel or changes of station, travel needed for medical treatment, and travel for people leaving the military.


upi--2020-04-18--HBO Max orders 'Justice League Dark,' 'Overlook' series

April 18 ( UPI ) -- J.J. Abrams and Katie McGrath 's Bad Robot Productions is working on three new shows for the soon-to-launch HBO Max streaming service .
The partnership includes Duster , an original drama about a getaway driver for a crime syndicate in in the 1970s Southwest .
It is being co-written by Abrams and LaToya Morgan .
Overlook is a horror-thriller series inspired by characters from Stephen King 's haunted hotel tale , The Shining , and Justice League Dark will re-imagine some famous characters from the DC Comics universe .
No casting for the projects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amazing start to our association with the wildly imaginative Bad Robot team under J.J. and Katie , '' Kevin Reilly , chief content officer for HBO Max and president of TNT , TBS and truTV , said in a press release .
`` What could be better than an original J.J. idea and then Warner Bros. letting them loose on iconic I.P .
from Stephen King and the DC Universe and to provide more must-have programming on HBO Max . ''
HBO Max is launching next month with a library of new and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bad Robot is known for its work on the Star Trek , Star Wars , Cloverfield and Mission : Impossible film franchises , as well as the TV shows Westworld , Lost and Alias .

J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot Production is working on three new shows for HBO Max. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
April 18 (UPI) -- J.J. Abrams and Katie McGrath's Bad Robot Productions is working on three new shows for the soon-to-launch HBO Max streaming service. The partnership includes Duster, an original drama about a getaway driver for a crime syndicate in in the 1970s Southwest. It is being co-written by Abrams and LaToya Morgan. Advertisement
Overlook is a horror-thriller series inspired by characters from Stephen King's haunted hotel tale, The Shining, and Justice League Dark will re-imagine some famous characters from the DC Comics universe.
No casting for the projects has been announced.
"What an amazing start to our association with the wildly imaginative Bad Robot team under J.J. and Katie," Kevin Reilly, chief content officer for HBO Max and president of TNT, TBS and truTV, said in a press release. "What could be better than an original J.J. idea and then Warner Bros. letting them loose on iconic I.P. from Stephen King and the DC Universe and to provide more must-have programming on HBO Max."
HBO Max is launching next month with a library of new and classic WarnerMedia films and TV shows.
Advertisement
Bad Robot is known for its work on the Star Trek, Star Wars, Cloverfield and Mission: Impossible film franchises, as well as the TV shows Westworld, Lost and Alias.


upi--2020-04-18--Comic-Con International: San Diego canceled for 2020

April 18 ( UPI ) -- The 2020 edition of Comic-Con International : San Diego has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic , which has killed more than 150,000 worldwide .
The event at the San Diego Convention Center was to have included screenings , celebrity panel discussions , artist and author meet-and-greets , a marketplace , and thousands of costumed fans July 23-26 .
`` For the first time in its 50-year history San Diego Comic Convention ( SDCC ) , the organizers behind the annual pop culture celebration , announced today with deep regret that there will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the event 's website said Friday .
`` Recognizing that countless attendees save and plan for its conventions each year , and how many exhibitors and stakeholders rely upon its events for a major portion of their livelihood , they had hoped to delay this decision in anticipation that COVID-19 concerns might lessen by summer .
Continuous monitoring of health advisories and recent statements by the governor of California have made it clear that it would not be safe to move forward with plans for this year . ''
The dates for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2021 .
Most live performances , large gatherings and festivals have been canceled or postponed in the United States and Europe this spring and summer due to social-distancing efforts intended to slow the spread of COVID-19 .

This year's Comic-Con: International gathering in San Diego has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. File Photo by Howard Shen/UPI | License Photo
April 18 (UPI) -- The 2020 edition of Comic-Con International: San Diego has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 150,000 worldwide. The event at the San Diego Convention Center was to have included screenings, celebrity panel discussions, artist and author meet-and-greets, a marketplace, and thousands of costumed fans July 23-26. Advertisement
"For the first time in its 50-year history San Diego Comic Convention (SDCC), the organizers behind the annual pop culture celebration, announced today with deep regret that there will be no Comic-Con in 2020," the event's website said Friday.
"Recognizing that countless attendees save and plan for its conventions each year, and how many exhibitors and stakeholders rely upon its events for a major portion of their livelihood, they had hoped to delay this decision in anticipation that COVID-19 concerns might lessen by summer. Continuous monitoring of health advisories and recent statements by the governor of California have made it clear that it would not be safe to move forward with plans for this year."
The dates for the next event were announced for July 22-25, 2021.
Most live performances, large gatherings and festivals have been canceled or postponed in the United States and Europe this spring and summer due to social-distancing efforts intended to slow the spread of COVID-19.


upi--2020-04-18--COVID-19: Survivors test positive again in S. Korea; global deaths hit 150K

Pope Francis , isolated in front of an empty square from the sagrato of St. Peter 's Basilica in St. @ @ @ @ @ City , offers an extraordinary moment of prayer in time of pandemic , the adoration @ @ @ @ @ on March 27 .
The `` Salus Populi Romani '' icon and the crucifix of @ @ @ @ @ in front of the central door of the basilica .
Vatican media broadcast the ceremony @ @ @ @ @ it could also be followed in several languages on Facebook and YouTube .
Photo by @ @ @

A voter has his temperature taken before entering a polling station in Seoul to vote in South Korea's parliamentary elections on Wednesday. Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI | License Photo
April 18 (UPI) -- Some 163 South Koreans who recovered from COVID-19 have tested positive again for the virus, public health officials said as the global death toll surpassed 150,000 Saturday. The Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention said it's trying to understand why the patients retested positive for COVID-19 despite previous negative tests. Advertisement
Similarly, in China, some patients retested positive after they seemed to have recovered.
The issue raises the question of whether people are getting reinfected with the virus, there's a possible a test error or the virus has been reactivated. For now, Korea CDC Deputy Director Kwon Joon-wook says the most likely explanation appears to be that the test is picking up remnants of the virus' genetic information leftover in the body.
He added that remnants can be there without any live virus present. For example, scientists attempted to incubate the virus in individuals from the same family in which three retested positive after recovering. But they weren't able to incubate it, which indicated no live virus was present.
Advertisement
Kwon also said that so far there has been no indication that patients who retest positive are contagious even with 44 percent showing mild symptoms.
"At the moment, we think there is no danger of further secondary or tertiary transmission," Kwon said.
Still, he warned that scientists still don't know much about naturally acquired immunity from the virus.
"COVID-19 is the most challenging pathogen we may have faced in recent decades," Kwon said. "It is a very difficult and challenging enemy."
South Korea has 10,653 cases and 232 deaths, the Johns Hopkins University global tracker reported Saturday
Globally, COVID-19 has sickened more than 2.2 million people and killed 154,789, the same tracker shows.
The United States has the leading number of cases at 706,779 and the most deaths at 37,079, followed by Spain, which has 191,726 cases and 20,043 deaths.
Italy has the third-highest number of cases at 172,434 and the second-highest number of deaths at 22,745. The number of patients in intensive care units has sharply dropped.
The number of intensive care patients dropped to 2,812 by Friday from more than 4,000 two weeks ago.
A nationwide lockdown has decreased the spread of the virus resulting in the decline, experts said.
Advertisement
In Nigeria, the president's chief of staff, Abba Kyari, died Friday from the coronavirus, a presidential spokesman Garba Shehu said on Twitter, as the death toll across the African continent has surpassed 1,000.
Kyari was in his 70s and had underlying health conditions, including diabetes. He was the top official aide to Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.
Nigeria has reported 493 cases and 17 deaths.
Across the contintent, cases have neared 20,000.
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned Friday that "it's likely the real numbers are higher than reported," because of a shortage of testing on the continent.
In Syria, the country's northeast Kurdish region reported its first case Friday.
The first cased was confirmed in a 53-year-old patient who died April 2.
Samples were sent to the Syrian capital of Damascus earlier this month for testing.
A WHO regional spokesperson said active surveillance will be used to look for other possible cases.
The Kurdish-led administration said in a statement that it was't informed directly about the positive test, something it called "dangerous."
With the ravages of war already shattering health infrastructure and limiting medical supplies, relief organizations have been concerned about the pandemic hitting northeast Syria.
Advertisement
Scenes from a pandemic: World copes with COVID-19