upi--2020-01-23--Watch: Brewery using beer cans to find homes for shelter dogs

Jan. 23 ( UPI ) -- A Florida brewery is finding homes for local shelter dogs by putting photos of @ @ @ @ @ beer .
Motorworks Brewing teamed with Manatee County Animal Services to put photos of dogs @ @ @ @ @ of Cruiser golden lager .
The brewery said proceeds from sales of lager 4-packs are @ @ @ @ @ Animal Services to help build a new shelter .
MCAS officials said they are currently @ @ @ @ @ of their current shelter .
`` It has been a constant problem , being the @ @ @ @ @ , we take in nearly 15-20 animals every day , '' Hans Wohlgefahrt , the @ @ @ @ @ specialist , told WFTS-TV .
Wohlgefahrt said two of the dogs featured on the cans @ @ @ @ @ but two others are still awaiting homes along with dozens of other dogs .

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Jan. 23 (UPI) -- A Florida brewery is finding homes for local shelter dogs by putting photos of adoptable canines on cans of beer.
Motorworks Brewing teamed with Manatee County Animal Services to put photos of dogs from the shelter on cans of Cruiser golden lager.
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The brewery said proceeds from sales of lager 4-packs are being donated to Manatee County Animal Services to help build a new shelter.
MCAS officials said they are currently at nearly twice the capacity of their current shelter.
"It has been a constant problem, being the county's only open-admission shelter, we take in nearly 15-20 animals every day," Hans Wohlgefahrt, the shelter's outreach and event specialist, told WFTS-TV.
Wohlgefahrt said two of the dogs featured on the cans have already been adopted, but two others are still awaiting homes along with dozens of other dogs.


upi--2020-01-23--Pope Francis appoints Philadelphia diocese's first Hispanic archbishop

Jan. 23 ( UPI ) -- Pope Francis named Bishop Nelson Perez as the archbishop of the Philadelphia Archdioceses , making him the first Hispanic to assume the role .
Perez , 58 , was born to a Cuban immigrant in Miami and served as a parish priest in sections of Philadelphia for more than 20 years before being elevated to the role of an auxiliary bishop in Long Island , N.Y. , in 2012 and being installed as a bishop in Cleveland in 2017 .
`` I 'm back to the church , the Archdiocese that formed me and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said .
`` I come back really with a great sense of gratitude and joy to serve alongside great bishops . ''
Perez was appointed to replace Archbishop Charles Chaput , who announced his retirement in September before turning 75 , the traditional retirement age for Catholic bishops .
Chaput served as leader of the diocese for eight years , overseeing the church through a financial crisis and a grand jury report that implicated the diocese of covering up sexual abuse .
`` I asked for a successor that would care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the truth with charity and conviction , '' Chaput said .
`` He is exactly the man with exactly the abilities that our church needs and I 'm very grateful to Pope Francis for sending him home to us in Philadelphia . ''
Perez 's mass of installation will take place on Feb. 18 at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul .
He will take on the day-to-day management of Philadelphia 's Catholic infrastructure which includes more than 215 parishes , 460 diocesan priests and a network of universities and schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Pope Francis named Bishop Nelson Perez as the archbishop of the Philadelphia Archdioceses, making him the first Hispanic to assume the role.
Perez, 58, was born to a Cuban immigrant in Miami and served as a parish priest in sections of Philadelphia for more than 20 years before being elevated to the role of an auxiliary bishop in Long Island, N.Y., in 2012 and being installed as a bishop in Cleveland in 2017.
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"I'm back to the church, the Archdiocese that formed me and ordained me and walked with me," he said. "I come back really with a great sense of gratitude and joy to serve alongside great bishops."
Perez was appointed to replace Archbishop Charles Chaput, who announced his retirement in September before turning 75, the traditional retirement age for Catholic bishops.
Chaput served as leader of the diocese for eight years, overseeing the church through a financial crisis and a grand jury report that implicated the diocese of covering up sexual abuse.
"I asked for a successor that would care for and guide our people, speak the truth with charity and conviction," Chaput said. "He is exactly the man with exactly the abilities that our church needs and I'm very grateful to Pope Francis for sending him home to us in Philadelphia."
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Perez's mass of installation will take place on Feb. 18 at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul.
He will take on the day-to-day management of Philadelphia's Catholic infrastructure which includes more than 215 parishes, 460 diocesan priests and a network of universities and schools that serve more than 141,000 students.


upi--2020-01-23--As sea level rise reshapes U.S. coast, residents will be pushed inland

Jan. 23 ( UPI ) -- Scientists have used a new machine learning model to predict the migration patterns likely to result from sea level rise along the coasts of the United States .
The study , the first to use machine learning to study sea-level rise displacement , showed rising seas wo n't just affect those on the coast , but also those farther inland living in flood-prone areas .
According to the simulations , detailed this week in the journal PLOS One , as many as 13 million people could be forced to relocate as a result of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of the century .
The relocation of coastal communities will have a significant impact on inland communities , too .
According to researchers , the addition of new residents will increase the competition for jobs , exacerbate roadway congestion and put added pressures on inland housing stock .
`` Sea level rise will affect every county in the U.S. , including inland areas , '' study co-author Bistra Dilkina , assistant professor of computer science at the University of Southern California , said in a news release .
`` We hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local decision-makers to prepare to accept populations displaced by sea-level rise .
Our findings indicate that everybody should care about sea level rise , whether they live on the coast or not .
This is a global impact issue . ''
Atlanta , Houston , Dallas , Denver and Las Vegas will see the largest influx of residents displaced by sea level rise , according to the machine learning model .
Suburbs and small towns in the Midwest will also likely receive a disproportionate share of newcomers .
The model looked at what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global warming continue unabated and sea levels rise several feet .
The simulation combined flood models with population predictions , while the machine learning algorithm used the impacts of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita to predict future migration patterns .
`` We talk about rising sea levels , but the effects go much further than those directly affected on the coasts , '' said Caleb Robinson , a visiting doctoral researcher from Georgia Tech advised by Dilkina and the study 's first author .
`` We wanted to look not only at who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they would go . ''
Like previous studies that have looked at likely relocation destinations , the study found cities slightly farther inland would be immediately impacted .
However , the model showed a surprising number of displaced residents from across the Southeast are likely to move to Austin , Dallas and Houston as sea levels rise .
Authors of the new study hope their findings will help policy makers and urban planners prepare for the effects of an influx of people on infrastructure , including added pressure on housing , transportation , @ @ @ @

Most of the people displaced by rising seas in the United States are likely to relocate to Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Denver and Las Vegas. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Scientists have used a new machine learning model to predict the migration patterns likely to result from sea level rise along the coasts of the United States. The study, the first to use machine learning to study sea-level rise displacement, showed rising seas won't just affect those on the coast, but also those farther inland living in flood-prone areas. Advertisement
According to the simulations, detailed this week in the journal PLOS One, as many as 13 million people could be forced to relocate as a result of rising seas and increased flood risks by the end of the century.
The relocation of coastal communities will have a significant impact on inland communities, too. According to researchers, the addition of new residents will increase the competition for jobs, exacerbate roadway congestion and put added pressures on inland housing stock.
"Sea level rise will affect every county in the U.S., including inland areas," study co-author Bistra Dilkina, assistant professor of computer science at the University of Southern California, said in a news release. "We hope this research will empower urban planners and local decision-makers to prepare to accept populations displaced by sea-level rise. Our findings indicate that everybody should care about sea level rise, whether they live on the coast or not. This is a global impact issue."
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Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Denver and Las Vegas will see the largest influx of residents displaced by sea level rise, according to the machine learning model. Suburbs and small towns in the Midwest will also likely receive a disproportionate share of newcomers.
The model looked at what would happen to the U.S. coast should global warming continue unabated and sea levels rise several feet. The simulation combined flood models with population predictions, while the machine learning algorithm used the impacts of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita to predict future migration patterns.
"We talk about rising sea levels, but the effects go much further than those directly affected on the coasts," said Caleb Robinson, a visiting doctoral researcher from Georgia Tech advised by Dilkina and the study's first author. "We wanted to look not only at who would be displaced, but also where they would go."
Like previous studies that have looked at likely relocation destinations, the study found cities slightly farther inland would be immediately impacted. However, the model showed a surprising number of displaced residents from across the Southeast are likely to move to Austin, Dallas and Houston as sea levels rise.
Authors of the new study hope their findings will help policy makers and urban planners prepare for the effects of an influx of people on infrastructure, including added pressure on housing, transportation, hospitals and more.
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upi--2020-01-23--Use of opioid addiction drug declines among younger people

Treatment with the opioid addiction drug buprenorphine is on the rise among most age groups in the United States , but falling among 15- to 24-year-olds , a new study finds .
`` While it 's encouraging to see an overall increase in prescription rates for buprenorphine , the data suggest that the youngest group is having difficulty accessing this potentially lifesaving treatment , '' said study leader Dr. Mark Olfson .
He 's a professor of psychiatry , medicine and law at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City .
`` These findings for young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their decrease in buprenorphine treatment occurred during a period when there was an increase in opioid-related overdose deaths for this age group , '' Olfson said in a university news release .
Buprenorphine is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved treatment for opioid addiction .
The analysis of national data showed that its overall use more than doubled between 2009 and 2018 -- from 1.97 per 1,000 people to 4.43 per 1,000 people .
However , use of the medication fell by about 20 percent in the youngest group -- from 1.76 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buprenorphine treatment and prescription strength were also lower among those aged 15 to 24 than among older Americans , the findings showed .
There are well-known barriers to getting the medication .
To prescribe buprenorphine , providers have to go through training , apply for a waiver and agree to limits on the number of patients they will treat .
While overall rates of buprenorphine use are on the rise , they 're still lower than national estimates of people addicted to opioids ( including oxycodone and heroin ) , the study authors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ die every day from an opioid overdose , according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
`` Our results highlight the critical need to improve buprenorphine treatment services , especially for the youngest with opioid use disorder , '' Olfson said .
The study was published Jan. 21 in the Journal of the American Medical Association .
The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has more on buprenorphine .

Overall use of buprenorphine more than doubled between 2009 and 2018 but fell by 20 percent among 15- to 24-year-olds. Photo by LizM/Pixabay
Treatment with the opioid addiction drug buprenorphine is on the rise among most age groups in the United States, but falling among 15- to 24-year-olds, a new study finds. "While it's encouraging to see an overall increase in prescription rates for buprenorphine, the data suggest that the youngest group is having difficulty accessing this potentially lifesaving treatment," said study leader Dr. Mark Olfson. He's a professor of psychiatry, medicine and law at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. Advertisement
"These findings for young people are particularly worrisome, given that their decrease in buprenorphine treatment occurred during a period when there was an increase in opioid-related overdose deaths for this age group," Olfson said in a university news release.
Buprenorphine is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved treatment for opioid addiction. The analysis of national data showed that its overall use more than doubled between 2009 and 2018 -- from 1.97 per 1,000 people to 4.43 per 1,000 people.
However, use of the medication fell by about 20 percent in the youngest group -- from 1.76 to 1.40 per 1,000 people.
Length of buprenorphine treatment and prescription strength were also lower among those aged 15 to 24 than among older Americans, the findings showed.
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There are well-known barriers to getting the medication. To prescribe buprenorphine, providers have to go through training, apply for a waiver and agree to limits on the number of patients they will treat.
While overall rates of buprenorphine use are on the rise, they're still lower than national estimates of people addicted to opioids (including oxycodone and heroin), the study authors noted.
On average, 130 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Our results highlight the critical need to improve buprenorphine treatment services, especially for the youngest with opioid use disorder," Olfson said.
The study was published Jan. 21 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
More information
The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has more on buprenorphine.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-01-23--E-cigarettes don't help smokers quit, U.S. Surgeon General says

Jan. 23 ( UPI ) -- United States Surgeon General Jerome Adams has declared that e-cigarette use does n't help smokers quit -- but it may get non-smokers to start .
Adams made the remarks Thursday as he presented his office 's 2020 report on tobacco .
He noted that despite the fact that many e-cigarette -- or vaping -- products are promoted as a tool to help smokers quit , scientific evidence supporting these claims remains mixed .
The 2020 report -- the 34th overall -- was the first in roughly three decades to address smoking cessation specifically , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ongoing debate in Congress and elsewhere about flavored vaping products and their appeal , particularly among young people .
Earlier this month , the Food and Drug Administration announced a ban on flavored e-cigarette products , but exempted menthol and tobacco-flavored pods .
The Surgeon General 's report found that vaping is often effectively a gateway to tobacco use , with one in four tobacco users saying that they started with e-cigarettes .
Although some studies have found that e-cigarettes can help people quit tobacco , many of them focused on the use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't be generalized to include all products on the market , Adams said .
Still , while research findings to date have been mixed , Adams added that he supports maintaining access to the devices for adult smokers who want to quit .
According to the report , smoking has been linked with approximately 20 percent of all deaths in the U.S. , making it the largest preventable cause of death , disease and disability in the country .
An estimated 34 million Americans smoke cigarettes , but the vast majority -- 70 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and roughly half try to do so annually .

Jan. 23 (UPI) -- United States Surgeon General Jerome Adams has declared that e-cigarette use doesn't help smokers quit -- but it may get non-smokers to start.
Adams made the remarks Thursday as he presented his office's 2020 report on tobacco.
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He noted that despite the fact that many e-cigarette -- or vaping -- products are promoted as a tool to help smokers quit, scientific evidence supporting these claims remains mixed.
The 2020 report -- the 34th overall -- was the first in roughly three decades to address smoking cessation specifically, and it comes in the midst of ongoing debate in Congress and elsewhere about flavored vaping products and their appeal, particularly among young people.
Earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration announced a ban on flavored e-cigarette products, but exempted menthol and tobacco-flavored pods. The Surgeon General's report found that vaping is often effectively a gateway to tobacco use, with one in four tobacco users saying that they started with e-cigarettes.
Although some studies have found that e-cigarettes can help people quit tobacco, many of them focused on the use of specific products, so they can't be generalized to include all products on the market, Adams said.
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Still, while research findings to date have been mixed, Adams added that he supports maintaining access to the devices for adult smokers who want to quit.
According to the report, smoking has been linked with approximately 20 percent of all deaths in the U.S., making it the largest preventable cause of death, disease and disability in the country.
An estimated 34 million Americans smoke cigarettes, but the vast majority -- 70 percent -- say they want to quit, and roughly half try to do so annually.


upi--2020-01-23--Virginia man's long-lost class ring found after 14 years

Jan. 23 ( UPI ) -- A Virginia man who lost his class ring while a high school senior was reunited with his long-lost possession 14 years later .
Turner King said he was playing on the Roanoke Catholic basketball team in 2005 when the team 's bus broke down near Charlottesville and he and his teammates were stranded for hours at a hotel in Charlottesville .
King said he used the restroom and took off his ring to wash his hands , only later discovering that he had left it behind .
He said he called the hotel multiple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but they told him each time that no one had turned in his lost ring .
Debbie Stump , who has worked for 25 years as a director of development for Roanoke Catholic , said she took a call in October from a woman seeking to reunite a class ring with its rightful owner .
The woman told Stump she had found the ring at a store in Nellysford and decided to track down its owner .
She was able to identify the school and the graduation year from engravings on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who the ring belonged to and informed King 's wife , Blake , who now works as a second grade teacher at the school .
The woman mailed the ring to Blake King , who wrapped the ring and presented it to her husband as a gift on Christmas Eve .
The Kings said the woman who found the ring said in a letter that the only reward she wanted was a donation to a local hospice that had cared for a loved one .

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Jan. 23 (UPI) -- A Virginia man who lost his class ring while a high school senior was reunited with his long-lost possession 14 years later.
Turner King said he was playing on the Roanoke Catholic basketball team in 2005 when the team's bus broke down near Charlottesville and he and his teammates were stranded for hours at a hotel in Charlottesville.
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King said he used the restroom and took off his ring to wash his hands, only later discovering that he had left it behind.
He said he called the hotel multiple times, even months and years later, but they told him each time that no one had turned in his lost ring.
Debbie Stump, who has worked for 25 years as a director of development for Roanoke Catholic, said she took a call in October from a woman seeking to reunite a class ring with its rightful owner.
The woman told Stump she had found the ring at a store in Nellysford and decided to track down its owner. She was able to identify the school and the graduation year from engravings on the item.
Stump said she immediately knew who the ring belonged to and informed King's wife, Blake, who now works as a second grade teacher at the school.
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The woman mailed the ring to Blake King, who wrapped the ring and presented it to her husband as a gift on Christmas Eve.
The Kings said the woman who found the ring said in a letter that the only reward she wanted was a donation to a local hospice that had cared for a loved one.


upi--2020-01-23--Look: Maryland woman collects her second lottery jackpot

Jan. 23 ( UPI ) -- A scratch-off lottery ticket sent a Maryland woman to the winner 's circle to @ @ @ @ @ the second time .
The 61-year-old Indian Head woman told Maryland Lottery officials she 's @ @ @ @ @ selected a $ 5 Super Ca $ h ticket during a recent visit to her @ @ @ @ @ in Indian Head .
The woman said she took the ticket home and scratched it @ @ @ @ @ 50,000 prize .
The winner said she knew exactly what to do after revealing the @ @ @ @ @ Maryland Lottery headquarters about five years ago to collect a $ 10,000 jackpot .
The @ @ @ @ @ n't decided what to do with her latest prize yet , but she plans to @ @ @ @ @ . ''

A Maryland woman scored a $50,000 jackpot from a scratch-off lottery ticket about five years after collecting a $10,000 prize. Photo courtesy of the Maryland Lottery
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe Jan. 23 (UPI) -- A scratch-off lottery ticket sent a Maryland woman to the winner's circle to collect a jackpot -- for the second time. The 61-year-old Indian Head woman told Maryland Lottery officials she's a devoted scratch-off player and selected a $5 Super Ca$h ticket during a recent visit to her favorite retailer, Mutts Liquor in Indian Head. Advertisement
The woman said she took the ticket home and scratched it off, revealing the $50,000 prize.
The winner said she knew exactly what to do after revealing the top prize because she visited Maryland Lottery headquarters about five years ago to collect a $10,000 jackpot.
The lottery devotee said she hasn't decided what to do with her latest prize yet, but she plans to buy herself "something special."


upi--2020-01-23--Snake's venom glands grown in lab for first time

Jan. 23 ( UPI ) -- Scientists have successfully grown organoids composed of snake venom gland cells in the lab .
The mini glands successfully produced the active toxins that compose snake venom .
The breakthrough , described Thursday in the journal Cell , could help researchers develop new antivenom and discover new medicines .
Every year , 100,000 people die from snake bites .
Another 400,000 are permanently disabled .
But snake venom has also helped save lives .
The unique molecules found in venom have inspired a variety of human drugs , including anticoagulants and medicines to lower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of snake venom is n't easy , as it requires the collection of venom from live specimens .
Working with snakes is stressful , and the reptiles only produce so much venom at a time .
The newly developed venom gland organoids could eliminate the difficult and dangerous process of milking snakes .
For the study , scientists at the Hubrecht Institute in Utrecht , the Netherlands , recruited snake experts in Leiden , Liverpool and Amsterdam to help them collect venom gland cells from nine different different snake species and cultivate them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweak the conditions used to grow human organoids , but they settled on a recipe for snake organoid growth .
`` The similarity between the growth conditions for human and snake tissues was staggering , with the main difference being the temperature , '' Hubrecht researcher Jens Puschhof said in a news release .
As reptiles are cold blooded , scientists found the venom gland organoids only grew at 32 degrees Celsius .
Human organoids are grown at 37 degrees .
As they grew , scientists studied the organoids under a microscope , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the venom glands of snakes .
The organoids produced a wide variety of toxins found in snake venom .
`` We know from other secretory systems such as the pancreas and intestine that specialized cell types make subsets of hormones , '' said Hubrecht scientist Joep Beumer .
`` Now we saw for the first time that this is also the case for the toxins produced by snake venom gland cells . ''
Scientists found that by tweaking the growing conditions , they could influence the types of toxins produced by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the organoids and found they successfully blocked nerve firing in model cell systems .
Researchers plan to develop 50 different organoids from the venom gland cells of various snakes and reptiles and begin work to study the various venom components .
The work could ultimately lead to the development of new drugs and antivenom .
`` It was amazing to see that what started with our curiosity about potential snake venom gland organoids transformed into a technology with many potential applications affecting human healthcare , '' said Hubrecht researcher Yorick Post .

Scientists have developed a new way to grow venom-producing organoids in the lab, using venom gland cells from snakes. Photo by Foto-Rabe/Pixabay
Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Scientists have successfully grown organoids composed of snake venom gland cells in the lab. The mini glands successfully produced the active toxins that compose snake venom. The breakthrough, described Thursday in the journal Cell, could help researchers develop new antivenom and discover new medicines. Advertisement
Every year, 100,000 people die from snake bites. Another 400,000 are permanently disabled. But snake venom has also helped save lives. The unique molecules found in venom have inspired a variety of human drugs, including anticoagulants and medicines to lower blood pressure.
Studying the unique components of snake venom isn't easy, as it requires the collection of venom from live specimens. Working with snakes is stressful, and the reptiles only produce so much venom at a time.
The newly developed venom gland organoids could eliminate the difficult and dangerous process of milking snakes.
For the study, scientists at the Hubrecht Institute in Utrecht, the Netherlands, recruited snake experts in Leiden, Liverpool and Amsterdam to help them collect venom gland cells from nine different different snake species and cultivate them in dishes.
The researchers had to tweak the conditions used to grow human organoids, but they settled on a recipe for snake organoid growth.
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"The similarity between the growth conditions for human and snake tissues was staggering, with the main difference being the temperature," Hubrecht researcher Jens Puschhof said in a news release.
As reptiles are cold blooded, scientists found the venom gland organoids only grew at 32 degrees Celsius. Human organoids are grown at 37 degrees.
As they grew, scientists studied the organoids under a microscope, observing dense structures resembling the vesicles found in the venom glands of snakes. The organoids produced a wide variety of toxins found in snake venom.
"We know from other secretory systems such as the pancreas and intestine that specialized cell types make subsets of hormones," said Hubrecht scientist Joep Beumer. "Now we saw for the first time that this is also the case for the toxins produced by snake venom gland cells."
Scientists found that by tweaking the growing conditions, they could influence the types of toxins produced by the organoids. They also tested neurotoxins produced by the organoids and found they successfully blocked nerve firing in model cell systems.
Researchers plan to develop 50 different organoids from the venom gland cells of various snakes and reptiles and begin work to study the various venom components. The work could ultimately lead to the development of new drugs and antivenom.
Advertisement
"It was amazing to see that what started with our curiosity about potential snake venom gland organoids transformed into a technology with many potential applications affecting human healthcare," said Hubrecht researcher Yorick Post.


upi--2020-01-23--Census Bureau aims to improve response rates

Jan. 23 ( UPI ) -- As Census Day draws near , on-the-ground partners with a trusted voice in the community will be vital to ensuring an accurate count , especially among traditionally undercounted populations , experts on the decennial count say .
For the first time , the Census Bureau is asking a majority of Americans to complete the census online in 2020 , saying this technological facelift is easier , greener and more cost-effective .
Ninety-five percent of households will receive a census invitation in the mail by March .
About 78 percent of these households will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone , deeming them as `` Internet first . ''
The remaining households , or `` Internet choice '' households , will receive a paper questionnaire as well as an invitation to respond online .
The 5 percent of households that do not get an invitation in their mailbox will receive it when a census worker physically drops it off .
These Internet choice households were chosen because they have a low response rate to the Census Bureau 's yearly American Community Survey , as well as low Internet response rates , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subscription rates .
The bureau randomly selects 3.5 million addresses each year to respond to the survey .
Because of this new strategy , the bureau is devoting fewer resources to in-person enumeration based on the assumption that most people will fill out their forms online and to save money .
The bureau is hiring 500,000 temporary workers for 2020 , compared with 635,000 in 2010 .
One in 10 Americans do not use the Internet at all , according to the Pew Research Center , and the share is higher among rural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is only achievable through human enumerators is crucial among many hard-to-count populations ; in a 2018 census test in Rhode Island , only 39 percent of African Americans self-responded online .
In that test , 52.3 percent of participants self-responded : 61.2 percent of them online , 7.5 percent by phone , and 31.3 percent with the paper questionnaire .
Dr. Ron Jarmin , the deputy director of the Census Bureau , wrote in a 2018 blog post that he was `` encouraged '' by the Rhode Island results and by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] put in place for the public to safely and securely respond to the 2020 Census . ''
Enumerators used iPhones to receive assignments and transmit data , which allowed them to complete 1.56 houses per hour compared with 1.05 houses per hour in 2010 , according to Jarmin .
Although census officials cite savings as one reason for going online , the slimmer budget of conducting the 10-question census online has yet to be proven : While the 2010 census ended up costing $ 13 billion , the Government Accountability Office estimated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion .
Part of that cost , the office said , has to do with implementing various IT systems for the online count .
The goal of these logistical acrobatics is to get an accurate count of every person living in the country , as mandated by the Constitution .
The census determines how federal funding is parceled out and the number of representatives each state gets in Congress .
By the bureau 's estimate , the 2020 census will determine the distribution of over $ 675 billion in federal money for health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infrastructure and many other programs .
Populations such as children , people of color and immigrants , however , tend to be undercounted in the census .
The Census Bureau undercounted almost 1 million children in 2010 , many of them black or Hispanic , according to an analysis from the bureau .
They undercounted 2.1 percent of the overall black population , 1.5 percent of the overall Hispanic population , and 4.9 percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives living on a reservation .
Undercounting Latinos `` would severely diminish the accuracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to allocate federal spending and policy , said Arturo Vargas , CEO of the NALEO Education Fund , during a House Oversight Committee hearing on Jan. 9 .
Latinos are the nation 's largest minority group making up 18.1 percent of the population , Census data show .
`` Our communities need resources , and the only way we can get those resources is to be counted , '' said Marla Bilonick , the executive director of the Latino Economic Development Center , a non-profit that serves the Washington , D.C.-area Hispanic population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Committees to educate and motivate residents , especially hard-to-count populations , to participate in the census .
Member organizations of Complete Count Committees already have the `` knowledge , influence , and resources to educate the public and promote the census , '' according to the bureau .
`` It 's impactful to have a local committee that is extremely diverse that can speak to different segments of the population to explain to them what the census is , what is is not , and how it 's important for them and their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the executive director at the Center for South Georgia Regional Impact at Valdosta State University .
The center studies 41 rural counties in Georgia and partners with community leaders to encourage economic growth .
The LEDC is part of Washington D.C. 's Complete Count Committee and received funding from the city to spread awareness of the census .
The organization plans to integrate census education into current programming , which relies heavily on door knocking and person-to-person contact .
`` Our organization has a credibility in the community , '' Bilonick said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of having power to encourage someone . ''
Physical interaction is essential , even if it 's more labor intensive , Bilonick said .
`` It 's about integrating that messaging into everything we do that touches human beings . ''
The hard-to-count population overlaps partially with populations least likely to have Internet access .
The 2015 American Community Survey found that 36.4 percent of black households and 30.3 percent of Hispanic households do not have a broadband Internet subscription or a computer of any type .
By comparison , 21.2 percent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a computer .
Moore said that broadband access in rural America may impact census participation , but a lot of his work is dedicated to educating community members about the resources available .
Twelve percent of Lowndes County , where Valdosta State University is , does not have adequate broadband Internet services , according to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs .
Moore said that a key strategy in Georgia is making sure people know about all three options for census participation : online , over the phone , and in person .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ others that we 're working with have a really good plan to try and reach everybody in the county , '' he said .
`` I 'm hopeful that everyone is doing that . ''
Public libraries may offer a solution for households without Internet access , as many libraries across the country are already reliable alternatives for households without computers ; minorities and adults with low incomes are most likely to use computers at a library , according to a 2015 Pew Research Center report .
Almost 100 percent of Americans and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within 5 miles of a public library , according to the Center for Urban Research .
Libraries have `` long played a role '' in the census , according to Public Library Association Deputy Director Larra Clark .
Not only did libraries support the 2010 Census by hosting workers and acting as outreach sites , but they also used the collected data afterward to better serve their cities .
`` In 2020 , this coordinating role that libraries have played is even more important with the online response option , '' Clark said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government service that moves online either partially or completely , libraries tend to see an impact from that .
We know that millions of Americans do not have high-speed Internet at home and we also know that libraries are the leading source of no-fee access to the Internet . ''
In December , the American Library Association awarded 59 `` mini-grants '' of $ 2,000 so libraries could better serve hard-to-count populations .
The money will be used to purchase additional computers and mobile hotspots , educate families about undercounts , and equip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ option in geographically isolated communities .
`` The efforts of these 59 libraries will shine a light on all the library workers across the country who are shouldering efforts to reach and inform their communities -- especially vulnerable and hard-to-count populations -- about the importance of a full and inclusive count , '' ALA President Wanda Brown said in a press release .
Clark said that 90 percent of the 500 library applicants for the grant reported not receiving any funding whatsoever for census support .
She stressed the importance for those libraries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , non-profits , and local businesses so that they can be at a maximum supportive capacity .
`` A complete count is really about equity and it 's about accuracy , '' she said .
`` Librarians believe that everyone counts , so that means everyone should be counted . ''
Partnerships at the national , regional and local level share the common goal of making sure every resident gets counted this census .
`` It 's not political .
It 's not anything else , '' Moore said .
`` You 've @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trust to compel them to participate in the census .
You can have all these plans , but if you do n't have an active local group that has local stakeholders that those people respond to and they trust , you 're not going to be as effective as what we 'd like to be . ''

Jan. 23 (UPI) -- As Census Day draws near, on-the-ground partners with a trusted voice in the community will be vital to ensuring an accurate count, especially among traditionally undercounted populations, experts on the decennial count say.
For the first time, the Census Bureau is asking a majority of Americans to complete the census online in 2020, saying this technological facelift is easier, greener and more cost-effective.
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Ninety-five percent of households will receive a census invitation in the mail by March. About 78 percent of these households will be asked to immediately respond online or by phone, deeming them as "Internet first." The remaining households, or "Internet choice" households, will receive a paper questionnaire as well as an invitation to respond online. The 5 percent of households that do not get an invitation in their mailbox will receive it when a census worker physically drops it off.
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These Internet choice households were chosen because they have a low response rate to the Census Bureau's yearly American Community Survey, as well as low Internet response rates, a high elderly population, or low Internet subscription rates. The bureau randomly selects 3.5 million addresses each year to respond to the survey.
Because of this new strategy, the bureau is devoting fewer resources to in-person enumeration based on the assumption that most people will fill out their forms online and to save money. The bureau is hiring 500,000 temporary workers for 2020, compared with 635,000 in 2010.
One in 10 Americans do not use the Internet at all, according to the Pew Research Center, and the share is higher among rural and minority residents. The person-to-person contact that is only achievable through human enumerators is crucial among many hard-to-count populations; in a 2018 census test in Rhode Island, only 39 percent of African Americans self-responded online. In that test, 52.3 percent of participants self-responded: 61.2 percent of them online, 7.5 percent by phone, and 31.3 percent with the paper questionnaire.
Dr. Ron Jarmin, the deputy director of the Census Bureau, wrote in a 2018 blog post that he was "encouraged" by the Rhode Island results and by the "systems and technology [they've] put in place for the public to safely and securely respond to the 2020 Census." Enumerators used iPhones to receive assignments and transmit data, which allowed them to complete 1.56 houses per hour compared with 1.05 houses per hour in 2010, according to Jarmin.
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Although census officials cite savings as one reason for going online, the slimmer budget of conducting the 10-question census online has yet to be proven: While the 2010 census ended up costing $13 billion, the Government Accountability Office estimated this go-around will cost about $15.6 billion. Part of that cost, the office said, has to do with implementing various IT systems for the online count.
The goal of these logistical acrobatics is to get an accurate count of every person living in the country, as mandated by the Constitution. The census determines how federal funding is parceled out and the number of representatives each state gets in Congress. By the bureau's estimate, the 2020 census will determine the distribution of over $675 billion in federal money for health care, education, social services, infrastructure and many other programs.
Populations such as children, people of color and immigrants, however, tend to be undercounted in the census. The Census Bureau undercounted almost 1 million children in 2010, many of them black or Hispanic, according to an analysis from the bureau. They undercounted 2.1 percent of the overall black population, 1.5 percent of the overall Hispanic population, and 4.9 percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives living on a reservation.
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Undercounting Latinos "would severely diminish the accuracy and value" of any data used to allocate federal spending and policy, said Arturo Vargas, CEO of the NALEO Education Fund, during a House Oversight Committee hearing on Jan. 9. Latinos are the nation's largest minority group making up 18.1 percent of the population, Census data show.
"Our communities need resources, and the only way we can get those resources is to be counted," said Marla Bilonick, the executive director of the Latino Economic Development Center, a non-profit that serves the Washington, D.C.-area Hispanic population.
Many communities have formalized Complete Count Committees to educate and motivate residents, especially hard-to-count populations, to participate in the census. Member organizations of Complete Count Committees already have the "knowledge, influence, and resources to educate the public and promote the census," according to the bureau.
"It's impactful to have a local committee that is extremely diverse that can speak to different segments of the population to explain to them what the census is, what is is not, and how it's important for them and their family," said Darrell Moore, the executive director at the Center for South Georgia Regional Impact at Valdosta State University. The center studies 41 rural counties in Georgia and partners with community leaders to encourage economic growth.
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The LEDC is part of Washington D.C.'s Complete Count Committee and received funding from the city to spread awareness of the census. The organization plans to integrate census education into current programming, which relies heavily on door knocking and person-to-person contact.
"Our organization has a credibility in the community," Bilonick said. "That goes very far in terms of having power to encourage someone."
Physical interaction is essential, even if it's more labor intensive, Bilonick said. "It's about integrating that messaging into everything we do that touches human beings."
The hard-to-count population overlaps partially with populations least likely to have Internet access. The 2015 American Community Survey found that 36.4 percent of black households and 30.3 percent of Hispanic households do not have a broadband Internet subscription or a computer of any type. By comparison, 21.2 percent of white households do not have broadband or a computer.
Moore said that broadband access in rural America may impact census participation, but a lot of his work is dedicated to educating community members about the resources available. Twelve percent of Lowndes County, where Valdosta State University is, does not have adequate broadband Internet services, according to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. Moore said that a key strategy in Georgia is making sure people know about all three options for census participation: online, over the phone, and in person.
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"I just know our community and others that we're working with have a really good plan to try and reach everybody in the county," he said. "I'm hopeful that everyone is doing that."
Public libraries may offer a solution for households without Internet access, as many libraries across the country are already reliable alternatives for households without computers; minorities and adults with low incomes are most likely to use computers at a library, according to a 2015 Pew Research Center report. Almost 100 percent of Americans and almost 99 percent of hard-to-count populations live within 5 miles of a public library, according to the Center for Urban Research.
Libraries have "long played a role" in the census, according to Public Library Association Deputy Director Larra Clark. Not only did libraries support the 2010 Census by hosting workers and acting as outreach sites, but they also used the collected data afterward to better serve their cities.
"In 2020, this coordinating role that libraries have played is even more important with the online response option," Clark said. "Every time there is a government service that moves online either partially or completely, libraries tend to see an impact from that. We know that millions of Americans do not have high-speed Internet at home and we also know that libraries are the leading source of no-fee access to the Internet."
Advertisement
In December, the American Library Association awarded 59 "mini-grants" of $2,000 so libraries could better serve hard-to-count populations. The money will be used to purchase additional computers and mobile hotspots, educate families about undercounts, and equip mobile libraries to offer the online response option in geographically isolated communities.
"The efforts of these 59 libraries will shine a light on all the library workers across the country who are shouldering efforts to reach and inform their communities -- especially vulnerable and hard-to-count populations -- about the importance of a full and inclusive count," ALA President Wanda Brown said in a press release.
Clark said that 90 percent of the 500 library applicants for the grant reported not receiving any funding whatsoever for census support. She stressed the importance for those libraries to seek funding opportunities through city governments, non-profits, and local businesses so that they can be at a maximum supportive capacity.
"A complete count is really about equity and it's about accuracy," she said. "Librarians believe that everyone counts, so that means everyone should be counted."
Partnerships at the national, regional and local level share the common goal of making sure every resident gets counted this census.
"It's not political. It's not anything else," Moore said. "You've got to have someone that person can trust to compel them to participate in the census. You can have all these plans, but if you don't have an active local group that has local stakeholders that those people respond to and they trust, you're not going to be as effective as what we'd like to be."


upi--2020-01-23--'PBS NewsHour' co-founder Jim Lehrer, anchor for 36 years, dies at 85

Jan. 23 ( UPI ) -- PBS NewsHour co-founder Jim Lehrer , who anchored for 36 years before retiring in 2011 , has died at age 85 .
Lehrer died Thursday in his sleep at home , the public television network announced .
`` I 'm heartbroken at the loss of someone who was central to my professional life , a mentor to me and someone whose friendship I 've cherished for decades , '' said PBS NewsHour anchor Judy Woodruff .
`` I 've looked up to him as the standard for fair , probing and thoughtful journalism , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same way . ''
Lehrer was born in 1934 in Wichita , Kan. , the son of a bank clerk , Lois , and a bus station manager , Harry .
He attended Victoria College in Texas and studied journalism at the University of Missouri .
He was known for his fairness in reporting and selflessness , which came from his service in the U.S. Marine Corps , where he served three years as a infantry officer in the late 1950s , including time in the Pacific .
His father and brother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Though Lehrer saw no combat , he often said the experience shaped him .
`` I am grateful my country forced me to serve my country .
Not for my country 's sake , but for my own .
In that diverse company , I learned to be responsible for others , '' he said in a 2006 commencement speech at Harvard .
`` I learned to be dependent on others .
I learned there was more to life than me , me , me , me . ''
His journalism career began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times-Herald reporter .
He was assigned to cover John F. Kennedy 's arrival at Dallas ' Love Field on Nov. 22 , 1963 , the day Kennedy was assassinated .
He shouted out `` Did you shoot the president ? ''
as suspect Lee Harvey Oswald was taken to a Dallas police station .
`` What the Kennedy assassination did for me was forever keep me aware of the fragility of everything , that , on any given moment , something could happen , '' Lehrer said .
`` When I later became @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] , I had a rule that every phone that rang in that newsroom got answered because you never knew who was on the other line . ''
Lehrer shifted to television news in Dallas , working as executive director of public affairs , on-air host and editor of nightly news program KERA-TV , before joining NewsHour co-founder Robert McNeil on the national stage .
They worked together for two decades , including covering the Senate Watergate hearings in 1973 , for which they earned an Emmy .
`` We began life in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Lehrer said while reminiscing on the 40th anniversary of the Watergate hearing .
`` And months later became The MacNeil/Lehrer Report .
In those days , we dealt with one story for half an hour . ''
The half-hour report would morph into The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour , in 1983 , an hour-long news program on important stories of the day .
In October 1995 , when MacNeil retired , the show was renamed The News Hour with Jim Lehrer with Lehrer as the sole anchor .
The show 's name was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retirement to PBS NewsHour .
Lehrer left the program in June 2011 after some 8,000 broadcasts .
`` Jim Lehrer embodies the best , timeless ideals of journalism , '' said Mark Hamrick , who was serving as president of the National Press Club when Lehrer was awarded the Fourth Estate Award in 2011 .
`` He is a remarkable example of how one can be both selfless and supremely successful and universally admired . ''
Lehrer interviewed leading figures worldwide , including Margaret Thatcher and Yasser Arafat in the 1980s , South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jiang Zemin in the 1990s .
He also interviewed Jordan 's King Abdullah and Afghan President Hamid Karzai in the 2000s .
Domestically , he was known for interviewing President Bill Clinton about accusations regarding his sexual relationship with intern Monica Lewinsky .
Lehrer was also known for staying calm in times of crisis as he covered the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks .
`` I 'm Jim Lehrer .
Terrorists used hijacked airliners to kill Americans on this , Sept. 11 , 2001 , '' he reported .
`` Another day of infamy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Lehrer received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Press Club of St. Louis , in Maryland Heights , Mo.
, in 2018 .
MacNeil described his focus as `` laser-like . ''
`` Jim 's intelligence is so laser-like , no matter what he 's applying it to , that 's how he treats any situation , no matter how we treat a certain news story or what a news story means , '' MacNeil said .
`` I learned a lot from him about his very direct manner of interviewing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ say you do n't understand or you do n't know .
But also his extraordinary ability to listen .
You know the hardest thing to do on TV is to listen . ''
In particular , MacNeil pointed out his ability to moderate 12 presidential debates and not lose focus .
The first debate he moderated was in 1988 and the last was between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney in 2012 .
`` He 's brilliant at that , '' MacNeil said .
`` Nobody does it better than he does .
Brilliant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fundamental meaning of fairness . ''
Lehrer was also a writer outside of his journalism career , as an author of some 20 novels , three memoirs and several screenplays , which drew on his interest in history and politics .
Survivors include his wife , Kate , daughters Amanda , Lucy and Jamie and six grandchildren .

Longtime television news host Jim Lehrer receives a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Press Club of St. Louis in 2018. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 23 (UPI) -- PBS NewsHour co-founder Jim Lehrer, who anchored for 36 years before retiring in 2011, has died at age 85. Lehrer died Thursday in his sleep at home, the public television network announced. Advertisement
"I'm heartbroken at the loss of someone who was central to my professional life, a mentor to me and someone whose friendship I've cherished for decades," said PBS NewsHour anchor Judy Woodruff. "I've looked up to him as the standard for fair, probing and thoughtful journalism, and I know countless others who feel the same way."
Lehrer was born in 1934 in Wichita, Kan., the son of a bank clerk, Lois, and a bus station manager, Harry. He attended Victoria College in Texas and studied journalism at the University of Missouri.
He was known for his fairness in reporting and selflessness, which came from his service in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served three years as a infantry officer in the late 1950s, including time in the Pacific. His father and brother enlisted in the Marines before him. Though Lehrer saw no combat, he often said the experience shaped him.
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"I am grateful my country forced me to serve my country. Not for my country's sake, but for my own. In that diverse company, I learned to be responsible for others," he said in a 2006 commencement speech at Harvard. "I learned to be dependent on others. I learned there was more to life than me, me, me, me."
His journalism career began as a Dallas Morning News and Dallas Times-Herald reporter. He was assigned to cover John F. Kennedy's arrival at Dallas' Love Field on Nov. 22, 1963, the day Kennedy was assassinated.
He shouted out "Did you shoot the president?" as suspect Lee Harvey Oswald was taken to a Dallas police station.
"What the Kennedy assassination did for me was forever keep me aware of the fragility of everything, that, on any given moment, something could happen," Lehrer said. "When I later became city editor of [The Dallas Times-Herald], I had a rule that every phone that rang in that newsroom got answered because you never knew who was on the other line."
Lehrer shifted to television news in Dallas, working as executive director of public affairs, on-air host and editor of nightly news program KERA-TV, before joining NewsHour co-founder Robert McNeil on the national stage.
Advertisement
They worked together for two decades, including covering the Senate Watergate hearings in 1973, for which they earned an Emmy.
"We began life in October 1975 as The Robert MacNeil Report," Lehrer said while reminiscing on the 40th anniversary of the Watergate hearing. "And months later became The MacNeil/Lehrer Report. In those days, we dealt with one story for half an hour."
The half-hour report would morph into The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour, in 1983, an hour-long news program on important stories of the day. In October 1995, when MacNeil retired, the show was renamed The News Hour with Jim Lehrer with Lehrer as the sole anchor. The show's name was changed again in 2009 as Lehrer considered retirement to PBS NewsHour. Lehrer left the program in June 2011 after some 8,000 broadcasts.
"Jim Lehrer embodies the best, timeless ideals of journalism," said Mark Hamrick, who was serving as president of the National Press Club when Lehrer was awarded the Fourth Estate Award in 2011. "He is a remarkable example of how one can be both selfless and supremely successful and universally admired."
Lehrer interviewed leading figures worldwide, including Margaret Thatcher and Yasser Arafat in the 1980s, South Korean President Kim Daejung and Chinese leader Jiang Zemin in the 1990s. He also interviewed Jordan's King Abdullah and Afghan President Hamid Karzai in the 2000s.
Advertisement
Domestically, he was known for interviewing President Bill Clinton about accusations regarding his sexual relationship with intern Monica Lewinsky.
Lehrer was also known for staying calm in times of crisis as he covered the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
"I'm Jim Lehrer. Terrorists used hijacked airliners to kill Americans on this, Sept. 11, 2001," he reported. "Another day of infamy for the United States of America."
Lehrer received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Press Club of St. Louis, in Maryland Heights, Mo., in 2018.
MacNeil described his focus as "laser-like."
"Jim's intelligence is so laser-like, no matter what he's applying it to, that's how he treats any situation, no matter how we treat a certain news story or what a news story means," MacNeil said. "I learned a lot from him about his very direct manner of interviewing . . . And not being afraid to say you don't understand or you don't know. But also his extraordinary ability to listen. You know the hardest thing to do on TV is to listen."
In particular, MacNeil pointed out his ability to moderate 12 presidential debates and not lose focus. The first debate he moderated was in 1988 and the last was between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney in 2012.
Advertisement
"He's brilliant at that," MacNeil said. "Nobody does it better than he does. Brilliant. I learned a lot about the fundamental meaning of fairness."
Lehrer was also a writer outside of his journalism career, as an author of some 20 novels, three memoirs and several screenplays, which drew on his interest in history and politics.
Survivors include his wife, Kate, daughters Amanda, Lucy and Jamie and six grandchildren.
Notable deaths of 2020


upi--2020-01-23--Former Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf fined $17.5M in customer account scandal

Jan. 23 ( UPI ) -- John Stumpf , the former CEO of Wells Fargo , must pay a $ 17.5 million fine for the bank 's creation of thousands of fake customer accounts , the U.S. government announced Thursday .
The Treasury Department 's Office of the Comptroller of the Currency also barred Stumpf from ever working for a bank again .
Stumpf resigned as CEO of Wells Fargo in October 2016 after it was discovered bank associates opened accounts without customers ' knowledge to fill quotas .
Employees created thousands of phony accounts and manipulated some real accounts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The bank responded by firing more than 5,000 workers and pledged to end sales goals .
In addition to Stumpf 's punishment Thursday , the OCC announced charges against five other former Wells Fargo senior executives for their role in the scandal .
`` The actions announced by the OCC today reinforce the agency 's expectations that management and employees of national banks and federal savings associations provide fair access to financial services , treat customers fairly , and comply with applicable laws and regulations , '' Comptroller of the Currency Joseph @ @ @

In addition to the fine, former Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf was barred from ever working at a bank again. File Photo by Pete Marovich/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 23 (UPI) -- John Stumpf, the former CEO of Wells Fargo, must pay a $17.5 million fine for the bank's creation of thousands of fake customer accounts, the U.S. government announced Thursday. The Treasury Department's Office of the Comptroller of the Currency also barred Stumpf from ever working for a bank again. Advertisement
Stumpf resigned as CEO of Wells Fargo in October 2016 after it was discovered bank associates opened accounts without customers' knowledge to fill quotas. Employees created thousands of phony accounts and manipulated some real accounts to boost sales figures and earn bonuses. The bank responded by firing more than 5,000 workers and pledged to end sales goals.
In addition to Stumpf's punishment Thursday, the OCC announced charges against five other former Wells Fargo senior executives for their role in the scandal.
"The actions announced by the OCC today reinforce the agency's expectations that management and employees of national banks and federal savings associations provide fair access to financial services, treat customers fairly, and comply with applicable laws and regulations," Comptroller of the Currency Joseph Otting said.


upi--2020-01-23--Coronavirus: WHO declines to declare international emergency

Jan. 23 ( UPI ) -- World Health Organization officials announced Thursday that they will not be declaring a public health emergency of international concern , or PHEIC , in response to the coronavirus outbreak in China , despite the fact that isolated cases have surfaced in several other countries .
`` Do not take this decision today as a sign that WHO does n't take this outbreak seriously , '' Tedros Adhanom , the organization 's Director-General , said .
`` Nothing could be further from the truth . ''
Adhanom said the international organization remains concerned about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some in the region of the country that has been particularly affected already consider it a health emergency .
However , it still does n't meet the criteria for an `` international '' emergency -- although that could change as soon as Friday , as more data comes in .
Officials noted the outbreak is `` still evolving , '' and they do n't yet know the source of the virus or how it spreads .
The WHO made the decision following an all-day meeting of its Emergency Committee .
According to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members were `` split 50/50 '' on whether or not to declare a PHEIC , but collectively the group opted for a cautious approach -- for now .
`` We are committed to ending the outbreak as soon as possible , '' Adhanom said , adding that he could reconvene the emergency committee within days to reconsider declaring PHEIC , if the outbreak continues to worsen .
According to the committee , to date , all of the cases in areas outside China , where the virus was first identified , occurred in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation .
There have been no reports of human-to-human transmission outside of China , and all of the cases of human-to-human transmission there have involved family members and health workers caring for people already sickened with the virus , the added .
They also noted that Chinese officials have taken important steps to contain the virus .
Adhanom lauded the country 's surveillance system for lower respiratory tract infections , which first identified the coronavirus outbreak and enabled healthy authorities in the affected region to quickly implement containment measures .
However , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sharing data with the WHO and other nations , particularly if the outbreak spread .
Chinese officials on Thursday effectively placed three cities -- including Wuhan , where the outbreak began -- on lockdown .
While the WHO did n't feel `` travel and trade restrictions '' were necessary at this time , they did strongly recommend exit screenings of travelers at international airports .
The WHO has also provided health authorities in its member nations with guidance as to surveillance for coronavirus , and the organization is allocating resources to fund accelerated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug treatments and vaccines against the disease .
Huanggang , 30 miles east of Wuhan , is home to 7 million people and Ezhou 1 million .
To date , 584 cases of coronavirus have been reported to WHO , with 575 of them in China .
All 17 deaths linked with the disease have been in China , and all of them occurred in people with compromised immune systems due to underlying health conditions , including diabetes , heart disease and high blood pressure .
Vietnam and Singapore also reported their first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the coronavirus may have originated with a snake .
The researchers published the findings in the Journal of Medical Virology , which says the virus most likely transferred to humans from the snake -- a many-banded krait or Chinese cobra .
Scientists conducted a sequence analysis of the virus isolated from a patient and compared it to other animals , determining the two snakes -- which are common in southeastern China -- are most likely the source .

Chinese wear protective respiratory masks in Beijing, China, on Wednesday. Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 23 (UPI) -- World Health Organization officials announced Thursday that they will not be declaring a public health emergency of international concern, or PHEIC, in response to the coronavirus outbreak in China, despite the fact that isolated cases have surfaced in several other countries. "Do not take this decision today as a sign that WHO doesn't take this outbreak seriously," Tedros Adhanom, the organization's Director-General, said. "Nothing could be further from the truth." Advertisement
Adhanom said the international organization remains concerned about the outbreak in China, and understands that some in the region of the country that has been particularly affected already consider it a health emergency. However, it still doesn't meet the criteria for an "international" emergency -- although that could change as soon as Friday, as more data comes in.
Officials noted the outbreak is "still evolving," and they don't yet know the source of the virus or how it spreads.
Advertisement
The WHO made the decision following an all-day meeting of its Emergency Committee. According to the committee's chair, Didier Houssin, members were "split 50/50" on whether or not to declare a PHEIC, but collectively the group opted for a cautious approach -- for now.
"We are committed to ending the outbreak as soon as possible," Adhanom said, adding that he could reconvene the emergency committee within days to reconsider declaring PHEIC, if the outbreak continues to worsen.
According to the committee, to date, all of the cases in areas outside China, where the virus was first identified, occurred in people who had traveled to the Asian nation. There have been no reports of human-to-human transmission outside of China, and all of the cases of human-to-human transmission there have involved family members and health workers caring for people already sickened with the virus, the added.
They also noted that Chinese officials have taken important steps to contain the virus. Adhanom lauded the country's surveillance system for lower respiratory tract infections, which first identified the coronavirus outbreak and enabled healthy authorities in the affected region to quickly implement containment measures. However, he urged officials in the country to continue sharing data with the WHO and other nations, particularly if the outbreak spread.
Advertisement
Chinese officials on Thursday effectively placed three cities -- including Wuhan, where the outbreak began -- on lockdown. While the WHO didn't feel "travel and trade restrictions" were necessary at this time, they did strongly recommend exit screenings of travelers at international airports. The WHO has also provided health authorities in its member nations with guidance as to surveillance for coronavirus, and the organization is allocating resources to fund accelerated research and development into diagnostic tests, drug treatments and vaccines against the disease.
Huanggang, 30 miles east of Wuhan, is home to 7 million people and Ezhou 1 million.
To date, 584 cases of coronavirus have been reported to WHO, with 575 of them in China. All 17 deaths linked with the disease have been in China, and all of them occurred in people with compromised immune systems due to underlying health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.
Vietnam and Singapore also reported their first cases Thursday.
Earlier, Chinese scientists said the coronavirus may have originated with a snake. The researchers published the findings in the Journal of Medical Virology, which says the virus most likely transferred to humans from the snake -- a many-banded krait or Chinese cobra.
Advertisement
Scientists conducted a sequence analysis of the virus isolated from a patient and compared it to other animals, determining the two snakes -- which are common in southeastern China -- are most likely the source.


upi--2020-01-23--U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq could endanger minority communities

WASHINGTON , Jan. 23 ( UPI ) -- A vote by the Iraqi parliament to expel U.S. troops in the country raises concerns about whether their absence will leave minority communities vulnerable to attacks by the Islamic State .
`` These communities can least afford instability and violence because they 're hanging on by a thread as it is and desperately need a focus on rebuilding , returning and resettling in their towns , '' Peter Burns , director of government relations and policy for the advocacy group In Defense of Christians , told Medill News Service .
`` Another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last straw . ''
The Jan. 5 vote by parliament came two days after the killing by the United States of Gen. Qassem Soleimani , commander of Iran 's Quds Force , and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis , the deputy head of Iraq 's Popular Mobilization Units .
The resolution passed Iraq 's assembly 170-0 , with 158 members , mostly Sunni lawmakers including the Kurds , boycotting the vote .
The decision is non-binding but puts pressure on Iraq 's temporary Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi to expel foreign influence .
Mahdi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that began in October over political corruption , continues to serve in his role until a new prime minister is selected .
Mahdi supported parliament 's decision but has privately said he does not want U.S. troops to withdraw , according to a report from Al Monitor .
The 5,500 U.S. troops in the country do not directly provide security for Iraq 's Assyrian Christian and Yazidi communities , but they do provide training and support to Iraqi forces and fight alongside coalition partners against the Islamic State .
Assyrians and Yazidis are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Turkey , Syria and Iran and make up nearly 2 percent of Iraq 's total population .
A strong coalition presence in Iraq makes Yazidis feel safer , especially with the continued risk of radical groups that have not been fully terminated , said Murad Ismail , executive director of Yazidi-relief organization YAZDA .
`` Withdrawal will mostly likely create a vacuum that will be filled either by internal armed groups or give regional powers opportunity to intervene , '' Ismail said .
`` Sinjar in particular will be at risk .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was attacked by IS in August 2014 and led to the killing and abduction of thousands of Yazidis .
In December 2011 , under an agreement with the Iraqi government , U.S. troops withdrew from the country .
The Iraqi government failed to properly fill the gap in their absence , said Omar Mohammed , an Iraqi journalist formerly based in Mosul , adding that the people of the city lost their faith in the government .
`` We were abandoned by the government , '' he said during a panel discussion earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We were left out . ''
Forces assigned to protect the city began to feel the battle was not theirs to fight , Mohammed said , leading to IS capturing the city in the summer of 2014 .
U.S.-led coalition forces , including Iraqi troops , liberated the city in 2017 .
IS still has pockets of insurgents in the country because many retreating IS fighters are now fighting for Iran-backed militias , Mohammed said .
These groups include not only Shiite militias but also militias formed by Sunni tribes .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over cities like Mosul .
`` This is what we are afraid of , not that ISIS still has pockets but of those that are still controlling the public scene , '' he said .
The city of Bartella , 20 miles east of Mosul , has soldiers from the Nineveh Plain Protection Units , a Christian mobilization force founded in 2014 to protect Assyrian communities .
But leaders in Bartella said they need more protection because these soldiers are significantly outnumbered by Iran-backed militia forces .
The Trump administration has expressed they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A statement by the U.S. State Department said that any delegation sent to Iraq would discuss recommitting to a strategic partnership .
A NATO delegation has discussed increasing its role in the country .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo added at a press briefing that the U.S. military mission in Iraq is very clear and will continue : Train Iraqi security forces and fight the Islamic State .
Shamiran Mako , an associate professor of international relations at Boston University 's school of global studies , said Assyrians are unsafe whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been in Iraq since 2003 , and Assyrian numbers have dwindled drastically since the invasion , '' she said .
Bahra Dawood , who lives in Erbil 's Assyrian suburb of Ankawa , said decisions on either side are rarely made for the people .
`` As long as our nation is not one hand , we will never survive , '' she said .
`` The power is in our own hands . ''

The 5,500 U.S. troops in Iraq do not directly provide security for Assyrian Christian and Yazidi communities, but they do provide training and support to Iraqi forces and fight alongside coalition partners against the Islamic State. Photo by Staff Sgt. Desmond Cassell/U.S. Army | License Photo
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- A vote by the Iraqi parliament to expel U.S. troops in the country raises concerns about whether their absence will leave minority communities vulnerable to attacks by the Islamic State. "These communities can least afford instability and violence because they're hanging on by a thread as it is and desperately need a focus on rebuilding, returning and resettling in their towns," Peter Burns, director of government relations and policy for the advocacy group In Defense of Christians, told Medill News Service. "Another round of violence in Iraq may be the last straw." Advertisement
The Jan. 5 vote by parliament came two days after the killing by the United States of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, commander of Iran's Quds Force, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy head of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units.
The resolution passed Iraq's assembly 170-0, with 158 members, mostly Sunni lawmakers including the Kurds, boycotting the vote. The decision is non-binding but puts pressure on Iraq's temporary Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi to expel foreign influence.
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Mahdi, who resigned in November amid protests that began in October over political corruption, continues to serve in his role until a new prime minister is selected. Mahdi supported parliament's decision but has privately said he does not want U.S. troops to withdraw, according to a report from Al Monitor.
The 5,500 U.S. troops in the country do not directly provide security for Iraq's Assyrian Christian and Yazidi communities, but they do provide training and support to Iraqi forces and fight alongside coalition partners against the Islamic State.
Assyrians and Yazidis are ethnic communities indigenous to parts of Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Iran and make up nearly 2 percent of Iraq's total population.
A strong coalition presence in Iraq makes Yazidis feel safer, especially with the continued risk of radical groups that have not been fully terminated, said Murad Ismail, executive director of Yazidi-relief organization YAZDA.
"Withdrawal will mostly likely create a vacuum that will be filled either by internal armed groups or give regional powers opportunity to intervene," Ismail said. "Sinjar in particular will be at risk."
The Sinjar District in northern Iraq was attacked by IS in August 2014 and led to the killing and abduction of thousands of Yazidis.
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In December 2011, under an agreement with the Iraqi government, U.S. troops withdrew from the country. The Iraqi government failed to properly fill the gap in their absence, said Omar Mohammed, an Iraqi journalist formerly based in Mosul, adding that the people of the city lost their faith in the government.
"We were abandoned by the government," he said during a panel discussion earlier this month at George Washington University. "We were left out."
Forces assigned to protect the city began to feel the battle was not theirs to fight, Mohammed said, leading to IS capturing the city in the summer of 2014. U.S.-led coalition forces, including Iraqi troops, liberated the city in 2017.
IS still has pockets of insurgents in the country because many retreating IS fighters are now fighting for Iran-backed militias, Mohammed said. These groups include not only Shiite militias but also militias formed by Sunni tribes. They now have significant financial and political control over cities like Mosul.
"This is what we are afraid of, not that ISIS still has pockets but of those that are still controlling the public scene," he said.
The city of Bartella, 20 miles east of Mosul, has soldiers from the Nineveh Plain Protection Units, a Christian mobilization force founded in 2014 to protect Assyrian communities. But leaders in Bartella said they need more protection because these soldiers are significantly outnumbered by Iran-backed militia forces.
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The Trump administration has expressed they do not intend to leave the country. A statement by the U.S. State Department said that any delegation sent to Iraq would discuss recommitting to a strategic partnership.
A NATO delegation has discussed increasing its role in the country. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo added at a press briefing that the U.S. military mission in Iraq is very clear and will continue: Train Iraqi security forces and fight the Islamic State.
Shamiran Mako, an associate professor of international relations at Boston University's school of global studies, said Assyrians are unsafe whether Americans stay or leave.
"Americans have been in Iraq since 2003, and Assyrian numbers have dwindled drastically since the invasion," she said.
Bahra Dawood, who lives in Erbil's Assyrian suburb of Ankawa, said decisions on either side are rarely made for the people.
"As long as our nation is not one hand, we will never survive," she said. "The power is in our own hands."


upi--2020-01-24--Australian Open: 'Coco' Gauff upsets Naomi Osaka; Serena Williams loses

Jan. 24 ( UPI ) -- Two major upsets headlined the third round of the 2020 Australian Open on Friday in Melbourne : Cori `` Coco '' Gauff upset defending champion Naomi Osaka , and Qiang Qang knocked out 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams .
`` What is my life ?
Oh my gosh , '' Coco said after the match .
Coco beat Osaka 6-3 , 6-4 in 67 minutes at Rod Laver Arena to advance to the fourth round .
The 15-year-old from Delray Beach , Fla. , has now advanced to the fourth round in two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fourth round of Wimbledon 2019 .
Osaka , 22 , beat Coco in the third round of the 2019 U.S. Open .
`` I was just telling myself 'one point at a time ' and to just 'keep fighting , ' '' Coco said .
Coco lost to Simona Halep in the fourth round at Wimbledon .
She 'll battle American Sofia Kenin or Zhang Shuai in the fourth round in Melbourne .
The teen tennis phenom fired just one ace in her win over Osaka .
She had half the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 .
`` To do things differently , I would have had to expect that she [ Coco ] would play like that , '' Osaka said .
`` I was n't really expecting it .
I felt like I had to deal with the situation at hand . ''
Osaka and Coco exchanged game points in the first set before Osaka tied the set at 3-3 .
Coco won the seventh game on an Osaka forehand forced error .
She claimed the eighth game on an Osaka unforced error .
Osaka had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game , giving Coco the early edge .
Coco won the first game of the second set , before Osaka rallied by winning three of the next four games .
Coco responded by winning the sixth , seventh and eighth games before Osaka fired a forehand winner to claim the ninth game .
Coco won match point when Osaka hit a ball into the net for a forehand unforced error .
`` You do n't want to lose to a 15-year-old , you know , '' Osaka said .
`` But I guess @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a reality check .
It does n't really matter the age of the opponent .
Of course she deserves to be here .
She played her matches .
I just have to work harder .
`` I love her , but I do n't like this feeling of losing to her . ''
Wang beat Williams 6-4 , 6-7 ( 7 ) , 7-5 in the match before Coco 's victory at Rod Laver Arena .
Wang will face Ons Jabeur in the fourth round in Melbourne .
Jabeur knocked off Caroline Wozniacki @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matchup against Wang .
`` I 'm definitely going to be training tomorrow , '' Williams said .
`` That 's first and foremost , to make sure I do n't do this again . ''
Wang had just one double fault and 20 unforced errors in the 2:41 match .
Williams fired eight aces and 43 winners in the loss .
Williams took a 4-3 lead in the seventh game of the first set before Wang won the final three games to win the set .
Wang would not go away in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 23-time Grand Slam champion until Williams took a 6-5 lead in the set .
Wang claimed the 12th game on a Williams unforced error , before Williams claimed the second set on a Wang forced error .
The tennis foes once again played a close set down the stretch , with Williams firing an ace to tie the match at 5-5 in the third set .
Williams had a backhand forced error to give Wang the 11th game .
She gave Wang match point on a backhand unforced error in the final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made a lot of errors , '' Williams said .
`` I have n't hit any of those shots in New York [ U.S. Open ] or in general in a really long time , so that 's good news .
I just made far too many errors to be a professional athlete today . ''
No .
2 Novak Djokovic headlined the men 's circuit by advancing to the fourth round .
The defending champion will face Argentine Diego Schwartzman in the fourth round in Melbourne .
Other men 's fourth-round matchups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marton Fucsovics against Roger Federer or Jon Millman ; and Fabio Fogini against Tennys Sandgren .
Women 's No .
1 Ashleigh Barty beat Kazakhstan 's Elina Rybakina in the third round to advance to a fourth-round clash against American Allison Riske .
Other women 's fourth-round matches include : Petra Kvitova against Maria Sakkari ; Coco against Kenin or Zhang ; and Wang against Jabeur .

Cori "Coco" Gauff, 15, clinched a spot in the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the second time in her career by knocking off No. 3 Naomi Osaka Friday in Melbourne. Photo by Dave Hunt/EPA-EFE
Jan. 24 (UPI) -- Two major upsets headlined the third round of the 2020 Australian Open on Friday in Melbourne: Cori "Coco" Gauff upset defending champion Naomi Osaka, and Qiang Qang knocked out 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams. "What is my life? Oh my gosh," Coco said after the match. Advertisement
Coco beat Osaka 6-3, 6-4 in 67 minutes at Rod Laver Arena to advance to the fourth round. The 15-year-old from Delray Beach, Fla., has now advanced to the fourth round in two Grand Slams after also playing into the fourth round of Wimbledon 2019. Osaka, 22, beat Coco in the third round of the 2019 U.S. Open.
"I was just telling myself 'one point at a time' and to just 'keep fighting,'" Coco said.
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Coco lost to Simona Halep in the fourth round at Wimbledon. She'll battle American Sofia Kenin or Zhang Shuai in the fourth round in Melbourne.
The teen tennis phenom fired just one ace in her win over Osaka. She had half the number of unforced errors as the world No. 3.
"To do things differently, I would have had to expect that she [Coco] would play like that," Osaka said. "I wasn't really expecting it. I felt like I had to deal with the situation at hand."
Osaka and Coco exchanged game points in the first set before Osaka tied the set at 3-3. Coco won the seventh game on an Osaka forehand forced error. She claimed the eighth game on an Osaka unforced error. Osaka had a backhand forced error in the final game, giving Coco the early edge.
Coco won the first game of the second set, before Osaka rallied by winning three of the next four games. Coco responded by winning the sixth, seventh and eighth games before Osaka fired a forehand winner to claim the ninth game. Coco won match point when Osaka hit a ball into the net for a forehand unforced error.
"You don't want to lose to a 15-year-old, you know," Osaka said. "But I guess that's for me, like, a reality check. It doesn't really matter the age of the opponent. Of course she deserves to be here. She played her matches. I just have to work harder.
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"I love her, but I don't like this feeling of losing to her."
Serena Williams squashed
Wang beat Williams 6-4, 6-7 (7), 7-5 in the match before Coco's victory at Rod Laver Arena. Wang will face Ons Jabeur in the fourth round in Melbourne. Jabeur knocked off Caroline Wozniacki in three sets to advance to her matchup against Wang.
"I'm definitely going to be training tomorrow," Williams said. "That's first and foremost, to make sure I don't do this again."
Wang had just one double fault and 20 unforced errors in the 2:41 match. Williams fired eight aces and 43 winners in the loss. Williams took a 4-3 lead in the seventh game of the first set before Wang won the final three games to win the set. Wang would not go away in the second set, exchanging points with the 23-time Grand Slam champion until Williams took a 6-5 lead in the set. Wang claimed the 12th game on a Williams unforced error, before Williams claimed the second set on a Wang forced error.
The tennis foes once again played a close set down the stretch, with Williams firing an ace to tie the match at 5-5 in the third set. Williams had a backhand forced error to give Wang the 11th game. She gave Wang match point on a backhand unforced error in the final game of the match.
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"I made a lot of errors," Williams said. "I haven't hit any of those shots in New York [U.S. Open] or in general in a really long time, so that's good news. I just made far too many errors to be a professional athlete today."
Others to advance
No. 2 Novak Djokovic headlined the men's circuit by advancing to the fourth round. The defending champion will face Argentine Diego Schwartzman in the fourth round in Melbourne. Other men's fourth-round matchups include Marin Cilic against Milos Raonic; Marton Fucsovics against Roger Federer or Jon Millman; and Fabio Fogini against Tennys Sandgren.
Women's No. 1 Ashleigh Barty beat Kazakhstan's Elina Rybakina in the third round to advance to a fourth-round clash against American Allison Riske. Other women's fourth-round matches include: Petra Kvitova against Maria Sakkari; Coco against Kenin or Zhang; and Wang against Jabeur.


upi--2020-01-24--Coronavirus: Chinese officials say 26 dead among over 900 verified cases

Jan. 24 ( UPI ) -- Chinese health officials said Friday at least 26 people have now died from the outbreak of a coronavirus , which has led authorities to lock down a number of cities in a desperate bid to keep it from spreading .
Beijing 's National Health Commission said there are more than 900 documented cases and more than 1,000 suspected cases of the virus worldwide .
Most are in mainland China , with a smattering of cases in Thailand , Singapore , Hong Kong , South Korea , Japan , Vietnam , Taiwan and the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases are believed to have originated in Wuhan , China .
Officials said most of the deaths have occurred in the outbreak 's epicenter of Hubei province in central China .
One was recorded in Hebei province .
Chinese officials said they have tracked down 9,500 close contacts of the carriers -- of which some 8,400 were under medical observation .
Hundreds of others have since been discharged .
Teams of scientists are working to find some medical means to control the virus -- and Chinese officials are rushing to build a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One official told BBC News a vaccine is being developed in labs at Johnson & Johnson , but is probably still a year away .
The Ministry of Science and Technology said Friday it 's assembled a team of 14 researchers to control and prevent spread of the virus .
The team 's leader , scientist Zhong Nanshan , is known for his work in fighting a SARS outbreak in China nearly 20 years ago .
Efforts to control the outbreak intensified in China Friday .
At least eight cities , including Wuhan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus from spreading -- meaning transportation into and out of the cities is restricted .
Several nations , including the United States , have issued advisories against traveling to China in the interim .
Officials estimate more than 20 million people in China are affected by the coronavirus-related restrictions .
Chinese media reported health authorities are racing to set up a 1,000-bed hospital in Wuhan reserved for coronavirus patients , while science officials have established a team of 14 experts to help prevent and control the outbreak , including the development of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese Lunar New Year this week , a time when many travel around the nation , has increased the risk of further spreading the virus .
The World Health Organization declined Thursday to declare a health emergency of international concern , saying the outbreak has not yet met parameters for such a step .

A Chinese police officer wears a protective masks in Beijing on Thursday to guard against an outbreak of a coronavirus. Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 24 (UPI) -- French health officials announced two cases of the deadly coronavirus Friday, the first two confirmed diagnoses in Europe, as China moved to lock down several cities in a desperate bid to keep it from spreading. French Health Minister Agnes Buzyn said both cases involved people who traveled to China, where the virus originated. Advertisement
"We have two cases," she told reporters. "We will probably have other cases."
One case involves a 48-year-old French man of Chinese origin who had flu-like symptoms in Bordeaux. The second involves a patient in Paris.
Chinese health officials said earlier Friday at least 26 people have died in the outbreak.
Beijing's National Health Commission said there are more than 900 documented cases and more than 1,000 suspected cases of the virus worldwide. Most are in mainland China, with a smattering of cases in Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Taiwan, the United States and now France. The virus in all confirmed cases are believed to have originated in Wuhan, China.
The United States confirmed its second diagnosis of the virus in Chicago involving a woman in her 60s who had traveled to Wuhan.
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Officials said most of the deaths have occurred in the outbreak's epicenter of Hubei province in central China. One was recorded in Hebei province.
Chinese officials said they have tracked down 9,500 close contacts of the carriers -- of which some 8,400 were under medical observation. Hundreds of others have since been discharged.
Efforts to control the outbreak intensified in China Friday. At least eight cities, including Wuhan, have been locked down to keep the virus from spreading -- meaning transportation into and out of the cities is restricted. Several nations, including the United States, have issued advisories against traveling to China in the interim.
Officials estimate more than 20 million people in China are affected by the coronavirus-related restrictions.
Chinese media reported health authorities are racing to set up a 1,000-bed hospital in Wuhan reserved for coronavirus patients, while science officials have established a team of 14 experts to help prevent and control the outbreak, including the development of a vaccine.
The start of the Chinese Lunar New Year this week, a time when many travel around the nation, has increased the risk of further spreading the virus.


upi--2020-01-24--Watch: 'Irresistible': Steve Carell helps an ex-Marine run for office in first trailer

Jan. 24 ( UPI ) -- Steve Carell is a Democratic political consultant trying to help Chris Cooper run for @ @ @ @ @ for Jon Stewart 's upcoming comedy , Irresistible .
The clip , released on Friday @ @ @ @ @ help the Democratic party appeal to rural voters and notices a rousing speech Cooper 's @ @ @ @ @ town hall meeting .
Carell then starts to help Cooper become mayor in his small @ @ @ @ @ out of his element in Wisconsin and must learn how to relate to the town @ @ @ @ @ stars as a rival political consultant for the Republican party who is attempting to derail @ @ @ @ @ is written , directed and produced by Stewart , the former host of The Daily @ @ @ @ @ set to arrive in theaters on May 29 .
Topher Grace , Natasha Lyonne , @ @ @ @ @ and Will Sasso also star .

Jan. 24 (UPI) -- Steve Carell is a Democratic political consultant trying to help Chris Cooper run for mayor in the new trailer for Jon Stewart's upcoming comedy, Irresistible.
The clip, released on Friday, features Carell trying to help the Democratic party appeal to rural voters and notices a rousing speech Cooper's ex-Marine colonel gives at a town hall meeting.
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Carell then starts to help Cooper become mayor in his small Wisconsin town. Carell is out of his element in Wisconsin and must learn how to relate to the town's citizens.
Rose Byrne stars as a rival political consultant for the Republican party who is attempting to derail Carell's mission.
Irresistible is written, directed and produced by Stewart, the former host of The Daily Show. The film is set to arrive in theaters on May 29.
Topher Grace, Natasha Lyonne, Mackenzie Davis, CJ Wilson and Will Sasso also star.