Thailand warns anti-government protesters calling for royal reform

Pro-democracy demonstrators raise their hands with a three-finger protest salute, inspired by the "Hunger Games" films, during an anti-government rally at Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday. Photo by Diego Azubel/EPA-EFE

Aug. 11 (UPI) -- Authorities in Thailand are warning anti-government protesters against pushing too hard for reform, as rallies grow in number amid economic hardship and dissatisfaction with the military-backed government.

The protesters' calls to limit the power of the monarchy are also being followed by quick apologies from a university, the site of the most recent rally.

Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said Tuesday he is not happy with the calls for reforms from students and activists, as pro-government allies slammed the protests as "hurtful" to the Thai people.

"I'm monitoring every development and I'm not comfortable," Prayuth said, according to Khaosod English. "It's their right to protest, but this one has gone out of line."

On Monday night, an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 people gathered at Thammasat University outside Bangkok, chanting "Long live democracy," while urging the resignation of the prime minister, who seized power during a military coup in 2014.

The protest was marked by calls to check the power of the Thai monarchy, led by King Maha Vajiralongkorn. Local media were unable to publish the demands, citing laws in Thailand against "royal defamation."

Royalists held counter-protests on Monday outside the nation's parliament. Thailand's lawmakers condemned the Monday rally.

Sen. Suwaphan Tanyuvardhana said Tuesday the unpublished comments by activists at Thammasat hurt the rights and feelings of "tens of millions of Thai people who are loyal to the royal institution and the tradition of peaceful co-existence based on the mercy of the royal institution," the Bangkok Post reported.

Anger is growing in Thailand over the constitution, which has allowed the military to appoint 250 of the country's senators, according to Nikkei Asian Review.

THE MILITARY CONTROL THAILAND, THE GOVERNMENT IS A SOCK PUPPET, 

THE THAI MILITARY HAVE CLOSE RELATIONS WITH THE BURMESE MILITARY 

IN CONTROL OF MYANMAR.

Young people in Thailand are growing restless amid the economic aftermath of the global coronavirus pandemic. Unemployment climbed to 4 percent in June, up from a rate of 1 percent pre-pandemic.

RELATED Charges dropped against Thailand's Red Bull heir in deadly car crash

RED BULL GIVES YOU WINGS  

A majority of respondents to a July survey have also said the Thai judicial system was unreliable, following the acquittal of Red Bull heir Vorayuth Yoovidhya of all charges in a deadly car crash in 2012, according to the report.

https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/2020/08/thousands-join-thai-anti-government.html

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Parallels in Fandom: Three Finger Salute; The Hunger Games In Real Life

Nigerian gospel singer, 22, sentenced to death for blasphemy in Sharia court

WHY WE NEED SECULAR PLURALISTIC NON RELIGIOUS CIVIL SOCIETY

KEEP YOUR RELIGION LIKE YOUR SEXUAL RELATIONS; PRIVATE


A Nigerian Sharia court in the state of Kano handed down a death sentence for blasphemy for a young gospel singer who allegedly insulted the Prophet Muhammed in a song. File Photo by Akintunde Akinleye/EPA-EFE

Aug. 10 (UPI) -- A Nigerian Sharia court in Kano sentenced a 22-year-old gospel singer to death by hanging for alleged blasphemy in a song the singer wrote and circulated on WhatsApp.

The Hausawa Filin Hockey upper-Sharia court found Yahaya Sharif-Aminu guilty of blaspheming the Prophet Muhammed by praising a local imam from the Tijaniya Muslim brotherhood in one line of a song circulated by Sharif-Aminu in March.

Sharif-Aminu did not deny the charges.

Sharia Judge Aliyu Muhammad Kani said Sharif-Aminu could appeal the ruling within 90 days.

The prosecutor, Inspector Aminu Yargoje, said the verdict was fair because it would deter future blasphemy in the state.

The Sharia courts are a separate Muslim-only court system used along with civil courts in majority-Muslim areas of Nigeria. Death sentences handed down in Sharia courts have rarely been carried out, with the most recent execution happening in 1999, according to BBC News.

The civil supreme court can overturn a death conviction of the Sharia courts.

Sharif-Aminu went into hiding after his song was released, but angry youth protesters burned down his family's home and demanded action from the Islamic police, called the Hisbah.

"When I heard about the judgment I was so happy because it showed our protest wasn't in vain," the leader of the protesters, Idris Ibrahim, said Monday.

But other young Nigerians were upset by the ruling.

"No one should ever be sentenced to death for blasphemy," youth film director Enioluwa Adeoluwa tweeted. "This is an extreme violation of human rights and the FG must act to stop the sentence from being carried out. It is Sharif-Aminu today it may be you tomorrow."

Sharif-Aminu is not a well-known singer in Nigeria, being one of many gospel musicians within the Tijaniya Muslim brotherhood sect, the BBC reported. He is currently being held in jail.

Another member of the Tijaniya sect was sentenced to death in Sharia courts in 2016 and remains in prison. Abdulazeez Inyass was convicted of blasphemy in Kano after a secret trial for allegedly proclaiming that Tijaniya founder Sheikh Ibrahim Niasse "was bigger than Prophet Muhammad" during a sermon.

Outraged protesters at Inyass's trial set the courthouse on fire, BBC reported.

Report: Humanists and non-religious people face discrimination in 8 countries

President of the Humanist Association in Nigeria Mubarak Bala, who was arrested for blasphemy in April, is among those listed as subject to discrimination in a report published Thursday. File Photo courtesy of Humanists International

June 25 (UPI) -- Humanists and other non-religious people are targets of discrimination and persecution in eight countries, a Humanists International report published Thursday said.

Humanists International is a global non-governmental organization, championing secularism and human dignity. The organization's Humanists at Risk Action Report 2020 published Thursday focused on human rights conditions in Colombia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines and Sri Lanka.

The report found humanists and other non-religious people were discriminated against in government policies, including blasphemy and apostasy laws and education systems with no secular alternative.

Incidents include two police officers arresting the president of the Humanist Association in Nigeria, Mubarak Bala, for blasphemy in April. Bala was arrested in connection with a Facebook post, where he allegedly insulted the Prophet Muhammad. The police officers took Bala from his home in Kaduna, northern Nigeria, to Nigeria's northern Kano State, where blasphemy is punishable by death.

Since Bala renounced Islam in 2014, he has been subject to death threats and harassment, according to the report.

"To speak out and say you're an atheist or humanist in Nigeria can be dangerous, but Bala is very passionate about creating a space for those who do not subscribe to Islam or religion," said Leo Igwe, a fellow Nigerian humanist and human rights advocate.

In Colombia, Jaime Augusto Sanchez, a professor of religion, was attacked last year because he identified as an atheist and discussed various religious worldviews other than the dominant Roman Catholic one, the report said.


In Malaysia, authorities have repeatedly harassed Eric Paulsen, a non-religious person who has criticized the government and Islamist extremism, according to the report.

The report noted that non-religious minorities in Pakistan, which is approximately 97 percent Muslim, also face condemnation when they speak out.

"The legal environment in Pakistan is notably repressive; it has brutal blasphemy laws, systemic and legislative discrimination and often allows vigilante violence on religious grounds to occur with impunity," the report said.

In India, the report voiced concern about the new Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, and recommended that the act be amended to include non-religious people, humanists and atheists.

The report recommended across the eight countries that local laws or policies criminalizing blasphemy should be repealed and government schools should provide secular education for all children.

The report funded by the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office is based on testimony from 76 survey respondents in the eight countries.
RELATED Survey: Atheists face discrimination, rejection in many areas of life

"This report shines a light on the targeted violence, continued harassment and social discrimination faced by humanists in many countries and opens the door to conversations on how best to protect humanists worldwide," Chief Executive of Humanists International Gary McLelland said. "What is clear is that all laws and policies which criminalize ' blasphemy' should be repealed."

upi.com/7017481

Space Force defines 'spacepower' as essential to U.S. security, prosperity

US IMPERIALISM IN SPACE 
FULFILLING RONALD REAGAN'S
SPACE OPERA WAR WET DREAM 

Chief of Space Operations at US Space Force General John Raymond testifies before a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., in May. Pool photo by Shawn Thew/UPI | License Photo

Aug. 10 (UPI) -- The U.S. Space Force published Monday its first capstone doctrine, Spacepower, eight months after its creation, outlining what the new military branch calls a guidepost for its mission.

The doctrine "elevates spacepower as a distinct formulation of military power on par with landpower, seapower, airpower and cyberpower," according to the Space Capstone Publication, called Spacepower.

"One of the principles of an independent service is the creation of doctrine," Gen. Jay Raymond, chief of space operations at U.S. Space Force, said in a statement.

"The Space Capstone Publication explains why spacepower is a vital element of U.S. prosperity and security -- now and in the future -- and guides its employment in multidomain operations. As the USSF continues to grow and mature, we will continue to evolve our doctrine to stay on the cutting edge of defending our interests in space."

According to the statement, space was once regarded as a "benign domain," for exploration of the cosmos, but that has changed.

"Humankind has changed, and our potential adversaries' actions have significantly increased the likelihood of warfare in the space domain," the doctrine said.

"Agility, innovation, and boldness have always been the touchstone of military space forces," Raymond wrote in the doctrine's forward. "Today, we must harness these traits to pioneer a new service and a new professional body of knowledge."

Raymond added that given that the doctrine is in its early stages and will evolve as it is tested over time.

President Donald Trump signed a $738 billion defense bill into law in December establishing the Space Force in a compromise with Democrats, who signed off on the Space Force in exchange for the bill also including granting federal employees 12 weeks of paid parental leave.

Last month, the Space Force announced administration realignments to unify command, including inactivating three space wings and eight lower echelon commands, and then activating Space Training and Readiness Delta Provisional, two garrison commands and eight mission deltas.

The Space Force also unveiled its official logo and motto last month, "Semper Supra," or "Always Above."

U.S. Space Force unveils official logo, sets motto as 'Semper Supra'


The United States Space Force on Wednesday unveiled its official logo. Illustration by Staff Sgt. James Richardson/U.S. Space Force

July 22 (UPI) -- The 7-month-old U.S. Space Force revealed its official logo and motto, "Semper Supra," or "Always Above," in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.

The logo features a stylized Greek delta design, and although it has been compared to the emblem of Star Trek's Starfleet Academy, Space Force officials have noted the delta sign has been used by the U.S. Air Force since 1942.

It includes an outer border signifying "defense and protection from all adversaries," officials said, and two spires with the delta sign signifying a rocket launch.

The logo was created by GSD&M, the Austin, Texas, advertising agency contracted to create recruiting and branding advertising for the Space Force.

An early version of the logo was seen on a U.S. Space Force flag unveiled at the White House in May.

The motto is in the tradition of two U.S. service branches, "Semper Fidelis," or "Always Faithful," of the Marine Corps, and "Semper Paratus," or "Always Ready," of the Coast Guard.

Illustration by Staff Sgt. James Richardson/U.S. Space Force

1961 WAS THE HEIGHT OF THE COLD WAR
AND THE SPACE RACE WAS BEGINNING

KAMALA HARRIS THROWS DOWN THE GAUNTLET AGAINST MIKE PENCE WITH THIS IN YOUR FACE
STATEMENT.

SHE HAS EQUATED A WOMAN'S ABORTION RIGHT/THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE AS A CIVIL RIGHT 

Read Kamala Harris's First Speech as Vice President Nominee

"We're experiencing a moral reckoning with racism and systemic injustice that has brought a new coalition of conscience to the streets of our country."

"But let's be clear: This election isn't just about defeating Donald Trump or Mike Pence. It's about building this country back better. And that's exactly what Joe and I will do. We'll create millions of jobs and fight climate change through a clean energy revolution, bring back critical supply chains so the future is made in America, build on the Affordable Care Act so everyone has a peace of mind that comes with health insurance, and finally, offer caregivers the dignity, the respect, and the pay they deserve. We'll protect a woman's right to make her own decisions about her own body, root out systemic racism in our justice system, and pass a new Voting Rights Act–a John Lewis Voting Rights Act–that will ensure every voice is heard and every voice is counted."

KAMALA SHOULD QUOTE THIS FIRST LADY

QUOTE FROM SUSAN PAGE'S; BARBARA BUSH BIOGRAPHY

Rare 1794 silver dollar to be auctioned; last sold for $10M



The rare Flowing Hair Dollar will be the centerpiece of an auction of the Bruce Morelan Collection in Las Vegas in October. Photo courtesy of Professional Coin Grading Services

Aug. 11 (UPI) -- A New Jersey coin dealer is selling a 1794 U.S. silver dollar that is believed to be the first one minted.

Bruce Morelan, a coin collector and partner at Legend Rare Auctions in New Jersey, purchased the 1794 Flowing Hair Dollar at a 2013 Stack's Bowers auction for more than $10 million, the highest price ever paid for a rare coin.

The coin, which was also displayed last month at a private show for members of the Professional Coin Grading Services, features Lady Liberty with ringed stars on one side and an eagle on the other.

It will be sold at Legend Rare Coin Auctions Regency Auction on Oct. 8 at The Venetian in Las Vegas.

RELATED Treasure hunters find $130,000 worth of silver coins behind British pub

"The 1794 Dollar has been a lifelong dream coin and I'm truly blessed to have owned it," Morelan said in a statement. "I can only hope the new owner has as much joy, pride and satisfaction as I did in having it in my collection. Now that the set is complete and nothing else can be added, I've decided it's time for other collectors to enjoy these magnificent coins."

The 1794 Flowing Hair Dollars were the very first U.S. silver dollars ever produced, according to the USA Coin Book.

While Morelan's rare Flowing Hair Dollar is the major attraction, the auction will also sell other coins from the early period of U.S. history in his collection valued in total at over $20 million

Among the other rare coins being sold is the 1804 Class 1 Draped Bust Dollar, of which only eight were ever minted, according to the PCGS.

"This is the finest collection of Mint State Dollars ever assembled," Legend Rare Coin Auctions owner Laura Sperber said in a statement. "Bruce never settled for second best, even if a coin was only a fraction better that is what he wanted. This could not have been clearer than when he bought the 1794 Dollar. Unquestionably, the coin is one of a kind, both due to its incredible qualities and the fact that it is the very first dollar ever struck by the U.S. Mint."

use-value and the exchange value

https://cla.purdue.edu › academic › english › theory › marxism › terms › u...

Marx distinguishes between the use-value and the exchange value of the commodity. Use-value is inextricably tied to "the physical properties of the commodity" ( ...

Bill targeting Trump 'travel ban' would prohibit religious discrimination


Activists attend a "#NoMuslimBanEver" rally in Lafayette Park in front of the White House on October 18, 2017 sponsored by The Council on American-Islamic Relations. File Photo by Pete Marovich/UPI | License Photo


Aug. 11 (UPI) -- The U.S. House of Representatives is moving to end the Trump administration's restrictions on entry into the United States by people from 13 countries, many of them Muslim-majority -- and limit the authority of future presidents to issue similar travel bans.

The National Origin-Based Anti-discrimination for Non-immigrants (NO BAN) Act, which passed 233-183 on July 22, also would prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion in issuing permanent visas. Current protected categories in the Immigration and Nationality Act are race, sex, nationality, place of birth and place of residence.

The legislation -- targeting what opponents refer to as the Muslim and African ban -- was the first Muslim civil rights bill passed by a chamber of Congress.

Trump began restricting entry soon after he took office, citing concerns about terrorism and national security.

Muslim Advocates, a Washington, D.C., civil rights organization, describes the House vote as the beginning of the end of the travel limits.

"It brings us one step closer to repealing the ban," said Madihha Ahussain, special counsel for anti-Muslim bigotry.

The passage of the bill before the November election sends a strong message that the legislation is a priority for the House, Ahussain said, who pointed out that two Republicans voted in favor of the measure.

"That was great to see and I think that's encouraging," she said.

A 'moral stain'

The NO BAN Act was introduced in April 2019 by Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., introduced a companion bill in the U.S. Senate. They call the ban discriminatory and claim it tears families apart because of their religion

The bill had been scheduled for a vote in March, but was pushed back so the House could take action on emergency relief legislation to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The NO BAN Act had near universal support from the Democratic caucus, with 220 co-sponsors in the House.

Chu said in an email to UPI that she is proud the act (H.R. 2486, formerly H.R. 2214) passed with bipartisan support in the House. The measure now goes to the Senate.

The demonstrations against systemic racism following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis might have given a boost to the legislation, which was supported by hundreds of civil rights, faith-based and community groups.

"The massive protests across the country for racial justice this summer have reinforced the need for ending discrimination in the United States, including the Muslim bans," Chu said. "The burden is now on the Senate to act and help make the NO BAN Act law."

Coons said in a statement the ban is a "moral stain" on the United States that has damaged the country's national security and its reputation around the world. Passage of the NO BAN Act would make clear that "we do not discriminate based on religion or nationality."

An accompanying bill, the Access to Counsel Act, introduced by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., passed 231-184 on July 22. The bill would require the Department of Homeland Security to allow U.S. nationals and some immigrants to consult with legal counsel and an interested party, such as a relative, if they are stopped for additional questioning when coming into the United States through a port of entry.

National security

In early 2017, President Donald Trump issued an order banning or limiting entry from eight countries. (One of them, Chad, was later dropped after the administration said it had improved its security measures.) The policy was revised through subsequent orders and proclamations, with restrictions to an additional six countries added in January.

The current version covers travelers from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Venezuela, North Korea, Sudan, Tanzania, Nigeria, Eritrea, Myanmar and Kyrgyzstan.

Depending on the country, people can be barred from applying for visas or cannot participate in the diversity visa lottery, which offers green cards to people in countries with low levels of immigration to the United States. Citizens from some of the countries can get non-immigrant visas, which are typically issued to tourists and students, but can't stay in the United States permanently.

"It is fundamental to national security, and the height of common sense, that if a foreign nation wishes to receive the benefits of immigration and travel to the United States, it must satisfy basic security conditions outlined by America's law-enforcement and intelligence professionals," then-White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement when the ban was expanded in January.

Opponents challenged the legality of the travel restrictions in 2017 and after the ban was blocked in federal district courts, the case went to the U.S. Supreme Court. In a 5-4 ruling in June 2018, the justices reversed the lower court decisions that struck down the ban.

Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts said the president has the authority to impose restrictions and there was persuasive evidence the entry suspension "has a legitimate grounding in national security concerns."

The opinion also rejected claims of anti-Islam bias and said the ban does not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which says one religion cannot be officially preferred over another.

"The proclamation is expressly premised on legitimate purposes: preventing entry of nationals who cannot be adequately vetted and inducing other nations to improve their practices," the opinion says. "The text says nothing about religion."

The Supreme Court ruling led to a campaign to repeal the restrictions and nearly 400 organizations argued for the NO BAN Act's passage in a letter sent to members of Congress in April 2019, shortly after the bill's introduction.

"Regrettably, the Muslim ban validates the worst stereotypes about Muslims -- that they are inherently foreign and violent and pose such a threat to the United States they should be banned," the letter says. "The ban on Muslims comes after generations of politicians hostile to religious minorities have attempted to ban Jews, Catholics and Latter-day Saints. Congress now has an opportunity to take action against the Muslim ban and this troubling history by sending a strong message that our nation rejects religious bigotry."

Business support

The Trump administration sent a statement to the House in March saying the president's advisers would recommend he veto the bill if it passed.

According to the statement, the NO Ban Act would harm national security and hamper efforts to safeguard Americans from the spread of COVID-19. The administration also opposes the attorney consultation provision.

"Implementing this requirement would divert government resources, including personnel, technology and facilities, from their mission of facilitating lawful trade and travel, slowing processing times at our ports of entry," the statement says.

Some businesses disagree with the administration's position. In a letter to Congress, 13 companies -- including Postmates, AirBnB, Lyft and Twitter -- wrote that global mobility is critical to businesses that have customers, suppliers, users and work forces spread around the world.

"The travel limitations set by the travel ban make it challenging for U.S. workers to travel for work, leading to missed opportunities for employees to develop new skills and contribute to company growth," the September letter says. "Additionally, U.S. companies are less likely to attract global talent when those seeking work know they will have a harder time traveling internationally while working for an American company."

Amanda Tyler, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, one of the groups backing the NO BAN Act, said the bill would not affect the ability of the government to protect the country from the coronavirus. The bill has an exception that allows the president to block travel during public health emergencies.

"Protecting the health of Americans is an important and compelling interest," Tyler said. "That's very different from discriminating on the basis of religion. Our immigration policy should never be based on religious bias."

In February, during a House Judiciary Committee meeting, Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., the only Eritrean American in Congress, encouraged his colleagues to vote for the NO BAN Act. He said Congress eliminated country bans more than 50 years ago "because those policies in particular were undeniably discriminatory."

"In my view, the ban is an attack on our core American values," said Neguse, whose parents immigrated to the United States from Eritrea nearly 40 years ago. "In America, immigrants are integral parts of each of our communities. They are our friends, they are our neighbors, they are our colleagues and it is un-American to discriminate against them as immigrants solely because of how they pray."

upi.com/7028219

Asymptomatic COVID-19 patients as contagious as those with symptoms

TRUMP IS AN ASYMPTOMATIC SPREADER
People who have COVID-19 without symptoms may be as contagious as those with symptoms, a study says. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo

Aug. 6 (UPI) -- People with confirmed COVID-19 who don't have symptoms of the disease are as contagious as those with symptoms and may need to be isolated to prevent spread of the virus, according to a study published Thursday by JAMA Internal Medicine.

Asymptomatic COVID-19 patients included in the analysis continued to test positive for the virus for up to 18 days after diagnosis, slightly less than the 20 days for those with symptoms, the researchers said.

Viral loads -- the amount of virus in an infected person -- in samples collected from the lower respiratory tract of patients also declined more slowly in those without symptoms than in those with them, they said.

Many asymptomatic patients also had evidence of "viral shedding" -- meaning they were contagious -- for at least 30 days after confirmed diagnosis, according to the researchers.

"Little is known about the infectiveness of asymptomatic patients," South Korean researchers wrote in the study. "Our findings ... nevertheless offer biological plausibility ... of transmission by asymptomatic people."

The findings were based on an analysis of 303 patients with confirmed COVID-19, 81% of whom didn't have symptoms at the time of diagnosis.

Patients included in the study ranged in age from 22 to 36, and 110 -- or roughly 36% -- were asymptomatic at the start of the analysis, the researchers said.

All of the patients were isolated in the COVID-19 ward of a South Korean hospital, and 21 -- about 19% -- of the asymptomatic patients developed symptoms while in isolation.

Seventy-five percent of the asymptomatic patients tested negative for the virus -- an indication of recovery -- 21 days after diagnosis, compared to just under 70% of symptomatic patients, the researchers said.

"Viral molecular shedding was prolonged," the researchers wrote. "Because transmission by asymptomatic patients with [COVID-19] may be a key factor in community spread, population-based surveillance and isolation of asymptomatic patients may be required."

Thunderstorms linked to 3,000 ER visits a year in seniors with asthma, COPD

Thunderstorms could aggravate symptoms of asthma and COPD in older adults, causing an increase in emergency-room visits, a new study has found.

 Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo

Aug. 10 (UPI) -- Thunderstorms are associated with an average of more than 3,000 additional emergency room visits annually among older adults with asthma and COPD in the United States, according to a study published Monday by JAMA Internal Medicine.

Based on the analysis of weather patterns and health information for Medicare beneficiaries 65 and older, more than 50,000 additional ER visits occurred among seniors with the respiratory conditions over a 14-year period between the 1999 and 2012, the researchers said.

Temperature rises and increases in air pollution in the days leading up to these storms could have aggravated breathing-related symptoms, causing people to seek emergency medical care, the researchers said.

"The environment and climate can affect our health, and with the changing climate, we will need to anticipate changes in healthcare needs," study co-author Dr. Christopher Worsham told UPI.

RELATED Even as air pollution declines, disparities in exposure remain

"With the expectation that storms will be more severe with rising global temperatures, we should expect a modest, but real, increase in care needs among older adults, particularly those with asthma and COPD," said Worsham, a pulmonologist and critical care physician at Harvard Medical School.

About 7% of all U.S. adults 65 and older have asthma, and roughly 14% have COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates.

Both conditions cause breathing difficulty and can lead to severe illness and death, particularly in older adults, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

Earlier studies have identified a phenomenon known as "thunderstorm asthma" in which outbreaks of older adults with worsening breathing problems occur, Worsham said.

These "outbreaks" are believed to be caused by ruptures of pollen spores in the days leading up to a storm, he said. These spores get blown around by a storm, causing sensitive people to have asthma attacks both during and shortly after the weather events.
For the research, Worsham and colleagues used publicly available atmospheric and lightning data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for all 3,127 counties nationwide from January 1999 to December 2012.

RELATED Small reductions in air pollution can reduce heart disease threat

They combined this data with insurance claims and health information for more than 46 million Medicare beneficiaries older than 65 to identify emergency room visits with acute respiratory diagnoses, they said.

Just over 10% of those included in the analysis had chronic asthma, while more than 26% had COPD and 6.6% had both, researchers said.

More than 22.1 million ER visits related to respiratory problems occurred across 822,000 days with "major thunderstorms," defined as weather events that included lightning, precipitation and above-median wind speeds, during the 14-year study period, the researchers said.

Approximately 52,000 of these visits involved older adults with asthma and COPD, which equates to more than 3,700 per year.

"We saw that it is the weather changes before the storm that seem to drive emergency department visits," Worsham said.

"Anyone with asthma or COPD who typically has worsening symptoms around storms should make sure to use their inhalers as recommended by their physician, and make sure a rescue inhaler is available to them when a storm is in the forecast," he said.

upi.com/7028032

British economy sinks into deepest recession of any nation


The Bank of England is seen in London, Britain. Before this year, Britain's last recession occurred in 2008 and lasted for more than a year. File Photo by Andy Rain/EPA-EFE

Aug. 12 (UPI) -- The British economy has fallen into the deepest recession of any country in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, government figures showed Wednesday.

The statistics said Britain's gross domestic product declined in the second quarter by 20.4%, the nation's worst quarterly plunge in history.

The Office for National Statistics said the second-quarter decline came on top of the 2.2% decline in the first quarter. Economists define a recession as two consecutive quarters of contracting gross domestic product.

Britain is now in the most severe recession of any major economy.

"There have been record quarterly falls in services, production and construction output in Quarter 2, which have been particularly prevalent in those industries that have been most exposed to government restrictions," the ONS said in a statement.

"This [data] captures the direct effects of the coronavirus pandemic and the government measures taken to reduce transmission of the virus."

Britain's last recession occurred in 2008 and lasted for more than a year.

The opposition Labor Party blamed Prime Minister Boris Johnson for the economy's misfortunes.

"I've said before that hard times were ahead and today's figures confirm that hard times are here," Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said. "Hundreds of thousands of people have already lost their jobs and, sadly, in the coming months many more will.

"While there are difficult choices to be made ahead, we will get through this and I can assure people that nobody will be left without hope or opportunity."

Data showed Britain's construction and service sectors saw the steepest declines, falling 35% and 20%, respectively.

CEO group pledges to hire 100K minority, poor workers in NYC

POSTMODERN ROBBER BARON PHILANTHROPISTS

New Yorkers pass JPMorgan Chase headquarters on Park Avenue in New York City. CEO Jamie Dimon is one of 27 CEOs involved in the initiative announced Tuesday. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

Aug. 11 (UPI) -- CEOs from dozens of New York City's largest companies announced an initiative Tuesday to hire 100,000 of the city's minority and poor workers by 2030.

Organizers for the New York Jobs CEO Council said the program will aid low-income residents and underserved Black, Latino and Asian communities. The coalition also plans to provide apprenticeships and job opportunities for students at the City University of New York.

"Access to quality education and training for in-demand jobs is key to creating economic opportunity for youth and workers in New York," Gail Mellow, former president of LaGuardia Community College and the CEO council's leader, said in a statement.

"Our mission is to ensure people in New York's most vulnerable communities can access the skills that they need to pursue promising career pathways and benefit from the city's economic recovery."

The council has attracted some top business CEOs, including Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase, Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Sundar Pichai of Google and Hans Vestberg of Verizon.

The Federal Reserve said in May nearly 40% of U.S. job losses brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic affected low-income residents.

"Underserved communities too often pay the highest price," New York Gov, Andrew Cuomo said in a statement. "As we work to build back better from this virus, New York is confronting this injustice head-on.

"The new initiative will play an important role connecting underserved communities with career resources and access to New York's world-class educational institutions, helping ensure economic prosperity is a dream anyone can realize, no matter their zip code."