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PARIS (AP) -- The Latest from soccer's European Championship (all times local): --- 5:50 p.m. The match between Italy and Spain at the European Championship is one for the veterans. Six players in the starting lineups have made more than 100 international appearances. And on the Spain bench is goalkeeper Iker Casillas, whose 167 caps is the most of all. Gianluigi Buffon, making his 159th appearance in Italy's goal, is joined by midfielder Daniele De Rossi (106) in the centurion club. Spain has defender Sergio Ramos (135), midfielders Andres Iniesta (112) and Cesc Fabregas (110), and forward David Silva (103). --- 5:05 p.m. Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque will use the same starting lineup for the fourth straight time when his team faces Italy in the round of 16 at the European Championship. The coach didn't make any changes despite losing to Croatia 2-1 in Spain's final group game, a result that set up the early encounter with the Italians. Italy coach Antonio Conte is using his regular starters again after resting them in the final group game against Ireland. He won't be able to count on winger Antonio Candreva, who is being replaced by Mattia de Sciglio at Stade de France. --- 5 p.m. Here are the lineups for the match between Italy and Spain at Stade de France: Italy: Gianluigi Buffon, Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, Alessandro Florenzi, Marco Parolo, Daniele De Rossi, Emanuele Giaccherini, Mattia de Sciglio, Graziano Pelle, Eder. Spain: David De Gea, Juanfran Torres, Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, David Silva, Manuel "Nolito" Agudo, Alvaro Morata. --- 2:45 p.m. UEFA will take no action against the Portuguese soccer federation for a fan running across the field to take a selfie with Cristiano Ronaldo. The man evaded security lines to run across half the field from behind one goal at Parc des Princes after Portugal drew 0-0 with Austria on June 18. He found Ronaldo near the halfway line, and the Portugal forward gestured to security officials to stay back until the picture was taken. UEFA says it "decided to close the proceedings" which had been opened against the Portuguese body for a "field invasion." UEFA rules make federations responsible for fans' behavior fans inside a stadium. --- 11 a.m. On any given Sunday, a rested France team will play at the European Championship. In tournament soccer where a team's matches typically come every four days, France's schedule is more like a club team. On Sunday, June 19, France drew 0-0 with Switzerland to ensure first place in its group. That earned France a match against Ireland in the round of 16 exactly one week later. The hosts won 2-1. Next Sunday, France will return to Stade de France for a quarterfinal match against either England or Iceland.

Newswise — Despite being held to stringent weight and body fat standards, newly published research shows that one in five individuals from a sample of U.S. military personnel from 2001 – 2008 have obesity. Further, shortly after separating from active duty, U.S. military veterans are as likely to have obesity as civilians. Data from the research also showed an association between military personnel who have obesity – including both active duty and veterans – and mental health conditions like depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The research led by Toni Rush, MPH, is published in the July issue of Obesity, the scientific journal of The Obesity Society. The study comes at a time when the military is already presented with significant recruiting challenges and names obesity as one of the top reasons for military ineligibility among people ages 17 to 24. “These individuals are frequently put in harm’s way to protect our nation,” said Catherine Champagne, PhD, RD, member of The Obesity Society’s Advocacy Committee. “We count on our military to be in the best shape both physically and mentally, and these data show there is a need to improve efforts to maintain a healthy weight within our Armed Forces.” Researchers who conducted the study say the benefits of learning to maintain a healthy weight and proper nutrition go beyond time spent serving our country. “Establishing lifelong healthy behaviors for active duty and veteran military personnel could not only ensure a fit force, but also reduce post-service-related costs for the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. healthcare system,” said Toni Rush, MPH, lead author of the study. “More importantly, it could enhance the quality of life for thousands of veterans.” To conduct the study, Rush and colleagues examined data from 42,200 current and former military personnel from 2001 – 2008 as part of the Millennium Cohort Study. Of the 42,200 individuals, rates of obesity were significantly higher among veterans (32%) compared to service members (20%). Percentage of veterans with obesity did not change significantly between less than one year and more than three years after military separation, suggesting that the increase in obesity may occur shortly after separation. In a cross-sectional analysis of the data, the researchers found that military personnel who had obesity had higher rates of depression and PTSD than individuals with normal weight (all p < 0.05). Hypertension, diabetes and sleep apnea were also significantly more common among individuals with obesity (all p < 0.05). The study authors said they hope their study can be used to inform programs and policies that address obesity and overall health among U.S. service members and veterans. “Because military personnel – and especially veterans – make up a sizable portion of the U.S. population, this research is important to the overall health of the country,” continued Dr. Champagne, of The Obesity Society. “The findings show that even when equipped with the knowledge of how to implement healthy behaviors, it can be difficult to maintain a healthy weight when motivational drivers change. Given the associations of obesity and its complications, this should be seen as a national priority both for the American people and its military.” Study limitations include that the analysis relies on self-reported data and that data was based on a random sample of Service members serving in 2000 (individuals who are now likely in their 30s and 40s), which may not be entirely representative of today’s military profile. Additionally, in a commentary accompanying the paper, Van Hubbard, PhD, MD and Karl Friedl, PhD, mention that greater muscle mass in fitness-oriented service members, which is so prevalent in the military, may have affected some of the data related to individuals, especially the individuals classified as overweight. “This Millennium Cohort Study dataset, with its longitudinal and prospective design, offers many opportunities for further analyses,” concluded Dr. Hubbard. Read the paper and the accompanying commentary in Obesity, the scientific journal of The Obesity Society. ###

JOHANNESBURG (AP) -- A group of American military veterans with experience in Iraq and Afghanistan plans to train rangers at some private wildlife areas in South Africa, where poachers have killed large numbers of rhinos for their horns. The small conservation group called Vetpaw previously operated in Tanzania, which ordered the group to leave last year, partly because of a video in which a member talked about killing poachers. Ryan Tate, a former U.S. Marine and head of Vetpaw, said Tuesday that the member didn't speak for Vetpaw and that he has sought to "rebrand" the organization. Tate and Shea Peaton, a U.S. Navy veteran, have spent about a month in South Africa, assessing security needs in several wildlife parks. Training will include marksmanship, field medicine and maneuvering at night, Tate said. "People are desperate and want to try anything and everything that they can," he said, referring to operators of private wildlife areas that lack the resources that some state-run parks receive. On Friday, suspected poachers fatally shot a ranger and killed a rhino at a private reserve in Bela-Bela, north of Johannesburg, South African media reported. Separately, the national parks service said Monday that two rangers at the state-run Kruger National Park were arrested for alleged involvement in rhino poaching. Tate and Peaton are both 31 and from Tampa, Florida. Peaton said he has suffered post-traumatic stress disorder and that working with Vetpaw provides a sense of purpose. "A lot of guys don't find that" after returning to the United States from deployments, he said. BY CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA

HOUSTON (AP) -- Staff at Houston-area Veterans Affairs facilities improperly manipulated wait times for Texas veterans wishing to make a medical appointment, according to a federal report released Monday. The Department of Veterans Affairs' Office of Inspector General said more than 200 appointments were incorrectly recorded for the year that ended in June 2015. Two former scheduling supervisors and a current director of two VA clinics instructed staff to incorrectly record cancellations as being canceled by the patient, the report shows. Veterans in many instances then encountered average wait times of nearly three months when the appointments were rescheduled. "These issues have continued despite the Veterans Health Administration ... having identified similar issues during a May and June 2014 system-wide review of access," according to the report. "These conditions persisted because of a lack of effective training and oversight." Federal inspectors also determined that wait times for other veterans were understated by more than two months. As a result, wait times "did not reflect the actual wait experienced by the veterans and the wait time remained unreliable and understated." VA officials in the Houston area were directed to provide additional training for staff, improve scheduling audit procedures and take other steps to correct the lingering issue. Similar problems have been found in other states. Scandal erupted in Phoenix nearly two years ago, following complaints that as many as 40 patients died while awaiting care at the city's VA hospital. VA employees in Texas have previously reported to investigators that they sometimes engaged in misleading scheduling at the behest of their supervisors. But supervisors and administrators at many facilities denied there was a systematic effort to manipulate wait time data. Some told investigators that schedulers may have misunderstood directives, while others said employees had since been retrained to correct the practice.  

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Some five decades after he led a platoon credited with rescuing dozens of soldiers pinned down by enemy fire, a Vietnam War veteran will be awarded the nation's highest military honor for valor, the White House announced on Tuesday. In May 1967, Army Maj. Charles Kettles led several helicopter trips to help evacuate wounded soldiers near the district of Duc Pho. He returned to the landing zone without additional aerial support to rescue stranded soldiers pinned down by enemy fire. The White House says Kettles helped save the lives of 40 soldiers. Kettles retired from the Army in 1978 as a lieutenant colonel. He resides in Ypsilanti, Michigan, with his wife, Ann. The Army said next month's White House ceremony is the culmination of an effort that began in 2012. William Vollano of the Veterans History Project launched a formal campaign to upgrade Kettles' Distinguished Service Cross to the Medal of Honor. As part of that review, several men from his company and the 101st Airborne Division sent letters validating Kettles' actions. Lawmakers also got involved. Longtime Democratic Rep. John Dingell of Michigan sent a letter to the Pentagon asking for reconsideration so that Kettles could be awarded the Medal of Honor. Then, after Defense Secretary Ashton Carter determined that Kettles' actions merited the nation's highest military honor, Rep. Debbie Dingell and Sens. Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow, all of Michigan, introduced legislation waiving a time limitation for the award and paving the way for President Barack Obama to make the final decision. The Army also announced that Kettles will be inducted into the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes on July 19, one day after the White House ceremony. The Army said that despite a heavily damaged helicopter, Kettles was relentless in his efforts to ensure that every soldier was extracted. On one particular flight out of the landing zone, a machine gun sprayed the helicopter Kettles was flying, but "Maj. Kettles coaxed the helicopter and managed to fly us back to base camp," said Roland J. Scheck, an Army specialist who was serving as a door-gunner on Kettles' crew. "Kettles personifies the Army's 'Warrior Ethos' - never leave any soldier behind," said Secretary of the Army Eric K. Fanning. BY KEVIN FREKING

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Veterans whose injuries have left them unable to conceive children may soon be getting long-sought help as congressional negotiations on legislation funding the Department of Veterans Affairs near a close. At issue is a Senate-passed measure that would lift a 1992 law that prohibits the VA from paying for infertility treatments, such as in-vitro fertilization. The measure, by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., enjoys bipartisan support but there appears to be lingering resistance from anti-abortion forces who are opposed because IVF treatments result in the destruction of fertilized embryos. Though the Pentagon covers infertility treatments such as in-vitro fertilization for active duty personnel at seven hospitals, IVF treatments are banned for those in the VA health care system under a law enacted in 1992. But thousands of veterans have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan with injuries to their sexual organs, spinal cords or brains that have rendered them unable to conceive a child, prompting veterans groups like the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Disabled American Veterans to press to lift the law. Murray has drafted legislation to permanently lift the ban but has been stymied in the Veterans Affairs Committee after Republicans indicated they would offer controversial abortion-related amendments. Instead, the provision under consideration would lift the ban for two years and provide $88 million to fund the treatments over that span. Murray won a bipartisan 23-7 vote on her measure at a Senate Appropriations panel session in April that included support from powerful Republicans such as Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Appropriations Chairman Thad Cochran of Mississippi. The Senate later passed the VA funding bill, which also includes $1.1 billion to battle the Zika virus, by a sweeping 89-8 vote. "This issue shouldn't be about politics. It shouldn't be about partisanship," Murray said at the time. "And we shouldn't cut corners when it comes to our veterans and their families. This is a chance to support our veterans." Despite widespread backing in the Senate, House negotiators have yet to agree to Murray's measure, Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, said at a Wednesday meeting of House and Senate negotiators on the measure. While in-vitro fertilization can cost $20,000 or more, other treatments such as sophisticated artificial limbs, can cost even more. "This is a widely used medical procedure that vets should have access to," Mikulski said. "The VA provides treatments for other injuries sustained in war - infertility treatments should be no different." It's unclear how the issue will be resolved next week, when negotiators promise to produce an agreement. There may be some reluctance by lawmakers on Capitol Hill's Veterans Affairs committees to cede their turf. And Murray has tried for years to pass the measure only to come up empty in the face of anti-abortion forces and lawmakers concerned about cost. On the other hand, wounded veterans elicit sympathy and support in Congress, especially during election years. And the profile of the issue has been raised this year, in part because the VA funding measure is advancing as a stand-alone bill - along with the Zika funding - instead of being buried inside an omnibus spending measure.   BY ANDREW TAYLOR

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Department of Veterans Affairs will no longer use its authority to fire senior executives in an expedited manner - dropping a key portion of a law Congress passed two years ago in response to a nationwide scandal over long wait times for veterans seeking medical care. Deputy VA Secretary Sloan Gibson said the agency was forced to abandon the new authority after the Justice Department said it would no longer defend the provision in court. "Under these circumstances, I believe it would be irresponsible to continue using that authority when other methods for disciplining senior executives exist," Gibson said late Friday. Using the expedited authority against Justice Department advice "would only hinder VA's ability to hold senior officials accountable...and make those actions stick," Gibson said. The Justice Department told Congress last month that it was not contesting a legal argument by a fired VA official at the center of the scandal. Sharon Helman, the former director of the Phoenix VA Health Care System, argues in court papers that the 2014 law is unconstitutional and denies her right to appeal her firing. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said in a May 31 letter that the Justice Department essentially agrees with Helman's argument, citing a law that requires appeals of high-level firings to go to the Merit Systems Protection Board, a quasi-judicial agency that reviews personnel actions by the executive branch. The 2014 law sends an employee's appeal directly to an administrative judge, whose ruling is final. Congress adopted the law amid frustration by lawmakers of both parties, who said the VA and other federal agencies were too slow to fire employees for wrongdoing. Lawmakers were incensed by reports that veterans on secret waiting lists in Phoenix and other cities faced scheduling delays of up to a year. As many as 40 veterans died while awaiting care at the Phoenix VA hospital, according to an investigation by the VA's inspector general. The inspector general found that workers at the Phoenix hospital falsified waiting lists while their supervisors looked the other way or even directed it, resulting in chronic delays for veterans seeking care. Similar problems were soon discovered nationwide. Republicans called the agency's decision to abandon the expedited firings outrageous. "It is unconscionable that the VA is choosing to blatantly ignore all of the accountability reforms set in place by the Veterans Choice Act" adopted by Congress in 2014 and signed by President Barack Obama, said Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. "Two years ago, veterans were forced to wait far too long for care because of incompetent executives. Since then, we've seen scandal after scandal emerge at the department," Isakson said. "I am not going to stand by and watch the VA continue to look the other way while another one of its own gets away with egregious misconduct." Isakson urged Congress to pass a bipartisan bill giving VA even greater authority to fire executives quickly - a provision Isakson said would stand up to a constitutional challenge. "Everyone knows VA isn't very good at disciplining employees, but this decision calls into question whether department leaders are even interested in doing so," said Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., chairman of the House veterans panel.   BY MATTHEW DALY

NIANTIC, Conn. (AP) -- After losing sight in his right eye from a 2013 rocket attack in Afghanistan, retired U.S. Army Maj. Dan Thomas recovered with help from an equine therapy program at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Hoping to help other veterans, he and his wife traveled from their home in Alabama to Connecticut last week to purchase two massive, jet black carriage horses, animals that were put up for auction by the state after they were seized from a breeder in February as part of an animal abuse investigation and rehabilitated through a state program involving female prison inmates who help with the care. Thomas said the two Friesian mares, among 32 emaciated and depressed horses taken from the farm, are the perfect animals to help veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. "They know what it's like to go through hell and come out the other side," said Thomas, who plans to create a program similar to the one he experienced at the couple's 160-acre ranch in Black, Alabama. The Friesians, 1,400-pound Francisca and 1,000-pound Rosalind, will join seven other horses the couple previously rescued. Considered a "war horse" in the Middle Ages, Friesians are a highly sought-after breed, recognized for being gentle and intelligent. Thomas knows firsthand that such a demeanor in a horse can be a calming influence for returning combat veterans. "I've been through lots and lots of things. After being blown up, it's quite a traumatic experience for you. The horses are what works for me. So I know it's out there and works for other people because I've seen it," Thomas said, explaining how there's peace in being around such a powerful creature that could hurt you but doesn't. The 32 horses seized by Connecticut officials in February from the Fairy Tail Equine breeding center in East Hampton have attracted great attention from across the country because of the type of horses involved. The Department of Agriculture received inquiries from as far away as Alaska about the sealed, monthlong auction. Besides Friesians, Andalusian and Gypsy Vanner horses were also seized. Adam and Tracy Erickson, owners of Skywalker Stables in Jamestown, New York, were visibly thrilled to take home Voruke, another Friesian. The couple has rescued horses from the slaughterhouse, buying the animals from meat buyers at the eleventh-hour. They rehabilitate the horses and find them good homes. Tracy Erickson said she's never come across a Friesian and plans to keep Voruke. "It's just a wonderful, gentle breed of horse," she said. Money raised from the state's auction will help offset the cost of caring for the horses, which has exceeded $100,000, not including staff time. Raymond Connors, supervisor of the department's animal control division, said winning bidders were screened to make sure the animals will go to a suitable place. As the buyers coaxed their new horses into trailers, Connors remarked how the animals look "1,000 percent better" than the day when they were seized. The owners of the breeding center were arrested on animal cruelty charges. Their case is still pending in court. Dan Thomas saw photos of Francisca and Rosalind after they were seized. "I'm just really impressed with what the state of Connecticut has done here because these horses are beautiful now," he said. "It looks like the state of Connecticut has saved some lives."   BY SUSAN HAIGH

Newswise — Philadelphia – David Rubin, MD, director of PolicyLab, a research center at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), was recently appointed to the United States Department of Defense (DoD) Military Family Readiness Council (MFRC). Established in 2008 as a Federal Advisory Council, the MFRC makes recommendations to the Secretary of Defense about policies and programs around military family readiness. The MFRC also monitors requirements on DoD’s support of military family readiness and evaluates and assesses the effectiveness of military family readiness programs. Military family readiness is the concept that military families must be well-supported so that the servicemen and servicewomen can focus on their mission. In keeping with its continuing commitment to ensuring that military families have the health care services and supports they need for their children, including children with special needs, the MFRC reached out to the Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) to provide perspective from the pediatric health care arena and to nominate a representative to serve on the Council. “Adding a representative from a children’s hospital underscores the DoD’s recognition that the family’s health care is an essential component of ensuring military family readiness and well-being,” CHA Vice President of Public Policy Jim Kaufman said. “Children’s hospitals have a longtime commitment to ensuring that children of military families have access to the care they need at the right time, in the right place and from the right provider.” While all children have unique health care needs as compared to adults, children of military families face special circumstances as a result of their parents' service. “The known effects of deployments and frequent relocations on children must be taken into consideration when developing the medical and social support systems necessary to serve these families in a timely and efficient manner,” Dr. Rubin said. Dr. Rubin’s team at PolicyLab has been conducting research for the DoD’s Defense Health Program (DHP) since 2011. Their work specifically examines the stress families experience when soldiers return home from deployment. The team’s recent findings in the American Journal of Public Health illustrate the need to support families throughout the deployment cycle, especially during high-risk time periods such as the 6 months following deployment. CHOP is also a champion of the TRICARE for Kids Coalition, which advocates for DoD policy and practice to address the needs of children. “With his demonstrated commitment to the comprehensive needs of children from military families, and with CHOP being one of the largest providers of care and treatment to military children from all around the globe, Dr. Rubin’s appointment to the Council was fitting,” Kaufman said. As Director of PolicyLab, Dr. Rubin works to develop evidence-based solutions for the most challenging health-related issues affecting children. In addition to his role at PolicyLab, Dr. Rubin is a professor of pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and a senior fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics. In 2013, Dr. Rubin was appointed to the federal Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse & Neglect Fatalities. Dr. Rubin is also a past member of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Task Force on Foster Care and the Committee for Early Education, Adoption & Dependent Care. “As a pediatrician at CHOP, I care for children from all different kinds of families, including those in the military,” said Dr. Rubin. “And as a researcher, I know that these children face unique challenges and are greatly affected by the deployment of their parent. I look forward to serving military families as a member of the Military Family Readiness Council.”

WASHINGTON – Sometimes play is the best medicine.  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is announcing a partnership with the national non-profit organization KaBOOM!  to make play more accessible to children visiting VA Medical Centers and VA Fisher Houses. KaBOOM! is one of a number of partnerships formed under the MyVAinitiative, the largest transformation in VA’s history, which focuses squarely on the needs of Veterans through customer service and strong community partnerships. Under the agreement, KaBOOM! will provide their signature Imagination Playground™ and Rigamajigs to VA locations across the nation. These portable, scalable play systems create safe, fun-filled environments for children to play in.   KaBOOM! will work with VA to select sites across the country that have the greatest need for play spaces. VA medical centers and VA Fisher Houses, which are built by Fisher House Foundation to provide temporary accommodations for families of Veterans receiving treatment at a VA medical center or military hospital, have been identified as ideal locations for these play environments.  “When Veterans are dealing with a serious illness or injury, it can be incredibly stressful for their families, especially those with young children,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald.  “Our partnership with KaBOOM! will enable us to use the simple art of play to help keep the children and families of Veterans happy and healthy. These types of partnerships are a great way for the VA to provide support for families – an important component of taking care of Veterans.” CarMax is the KaBOOM! corporate sponsor for this playground project.  As a part of its ongoing multi-million dollar commitment to KaBOOM!, CarMax will build four playgrounds and provide 30 grants for Imagination Playgrounds™ and Rigamajigs to select VA medical centers, Fisher Houses and other organizations that serve Veterans and military families.  It is expected that through this project, VA, KaBOOM! and CarMax will help reach 85,000 children over the next three years.  The first donations were made to facilities located in Gainesville, Florida, and Salt Lake City, Utah. “We are grateful to our Armed Forces who inspire us with their dedication to protecting our country,” said James Siegal, CEO of KaBOOM!  “Through our partnership VA, together we are honoring and showing commitment to Veterans and military families by encouraging play, particularly for kids who need it most.  Creating play spaces in Fisher Houses and VA facilities will help ensure kids can experience balanced and active play so they can thrive and enjoy the childhood they deserve.”