upi--2020-05-14--WTO chief Roberto Azevêdo announces resignation

May 14 ( UPI ) -- World Trade Organization Director-General Roberto Azevêdo on Thursday announced plans to step down later this year , one year before his term 's expiration .
In a statement to the WTO 's members , he said he 'll resign Aug. 31 , three years into his second four-year term .
`` This is a decision that I do not take lightly , '' he said .
`` Between the lockdown and my recent knee surgery , I have had more time than usual for reflection .
`` And I reached this decision only after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wife here in Geneva , [ Switzerland ] , and my daughters and my mother in Brasilia , [ Brazil ] .
It is a personal decision -- a family decision -- and I am convinced that this decision serves the best interests of this organization . ''
Azevêdo said that despite his recent surgery , his decision is n't health-related .
He said he 's also not planning to pursue a political career .
Josh Lipsky , director of the global business and economics program at the Atlantic Council , told The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the crippling economic impact of the coronavirus is n't ideal .
`` To lose the leader of the WTO is a serious blow , '' he said .
`` There is a broken global trading system , and it needs leadership to fix it . ''
In October , the WTO cut its global growth forecast to the lowest level in a decade , warning additional tariffs in the U.S.-China trade war could lead to a `` destructive cycle of recrimination . ''
`` The darkening outlook for trade is discouraging but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time .
`` Trade conflicts heighten uncertainty , which is leading some businesses to delay the productivity-enhancing investments that are essential to raising living standards .
Job creation may be hampered as firms employ fewer workers to produce goods and services for export . ''

World Trade Organization Director-General Roberto Azevedo said his resignation is not health or politically motivated. File Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI | License Photo
May 14 (UPI) -- World Trade Organization Director-General Roberto Azevêdo on Thursday announced plans to step down later this year, one year before his term's expiration. In a statement to the WTO's members, he said he'll resign Aug. 31, three years into his second four-year term. Advertisement
"This is a decision that I do not take lightly," he said. "Between the lockdown and my recent knee surgery, I have had more time than usual for reflection.
"And I reached this decision only after long discussions with my family -- my wife here in Geneva, [Switzerland], and my daughters and my mother in Brasilia, [Brazil]. It is a personal decision -- a family decision -- and I am convinced that this decision serves the best interests of this organization."
Azevêdo said that despite his recent surgery, his decision isn't health-related. He said he's also not planning to pursue a political career.
Josh Lipsky, director of the global business and economics program at the Atlantic Council, told The New York Times that Azevêdo's departure during the crippling economic impact of the coronavirus isn't ideal.
"To lose the leader of the WTO is a serious blow," he said. "There is a broken global trading system, and it needs leadership to fix it."
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In October, the WTO cut its global growth forecast to the lowest level in a decade, warning additional tariffs in the U.S.-China trade war could lead to a "destructive cycle of recrimination."
"The darkening outlook for trade is discouraging but not unexpected," Azevêdo said at the time. "Trade conflicts heighten uncertainty, which is leading some businesses to delay the productivity-enhancing investments that are essential to raising living standards. Job creation may be hampered as firms employ fewer workers to produce goods and services for export."


upi--2020-05-14--Boeing nabs $3.1B in cruise missile deals for Saudi Arabia, other partners

May 14 ( UPI ) -- The Navy awarded Boeing with a combined $ 3.1 billion in contracts this week for cruise missile weapon systems for foreign partners , including Saudi Arabia .
`` We are pleased to continue our long legacy of partnering with the Navy to build weapons that defend America and its international partners , '' Cindy Gruensfelder , vice president , Boeing Weapons , said in a press statement .
The first of the two contracts -- a $ 1.9 billion deal for work on the Stand-off Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response , or SLAM-ER -- will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as production and delivery of 650 SLAM-ERs to Saudi Arabia through the Pentagon 's Foreign Military Sales Program .
The second is a $ 657 million contract modification that procures and delivers 467 Harpoon full rate production Lot 91 Block II missiles , as well as support equipment , for various Foreign Military Sales customers .
Among the customers are Saudi Arabia , Thailand , Brazil , Japan , the Netherlands , India and South Korea .
`` These awards will not only extend production of the Harpoon program through 2026 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line for SLAM-ER and ensure deliveries through 2028 , '' Gruensfelder said .
Boeing last delivered the SLAM-ER weapon system in 2008 , but signed a $ 64 million contract to restart the program in April 2018 and received a contract modification to procure the missiles for Saudi Arabia in April 2019 .
In October 2019 , Boeing began constructing a new 35,000 manufacturing facility to support increased production for the Harpoon and SLAM-ER programs , with an expected completion date of 2021 .

Two aviation ordnancemen load an AGM-84K SLAM-ER missile on a P-8A Poseidon at Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Florida in April 2014. Photo by Jason Kofonow/U.S. Navy
May 14 (UPI) -- The Navy awarded Boeing with a combined $3.1 billion in contracts this week for cruise missile weapon systems for foreign partners, including Saudi Arabia. "We are pleased to continue our long legacy of partnering with the Navy to build weapons that defend America and its international partners," Cindy Gruensfelder, vice president, Boeing Weapons, said in a press statement. Advertisement
The first of the two contracts -- a $1.9 billion deal for work on the Stand-off Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response, or SLAM-ER -- will support a redesign of the missiles, as well as production and delivery of 650 SLAM-ERs to Saudi Arabia through the Pentagon's Foreign Military Sales Program.
The second is a $657 million contract modification that procures and delivers 467 Harpoon full rate production Lot 91 Block II missiles, as well as support equipment, for various Foreign Military Sales customers. Among the customers are Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Brazil, Japan, the Netherlands, India and South Korea.
"These awards will not only extend production of the Harpoon program through 2026, they will also restart the production line for SLAM-ER and ensure deliveries through 2028," Gruensfelder said.
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Boeing last delivered the SLAM-ER weapon system in 2008, but signed a $64 million contract to restart the program in April 2018 and received a contract modification to procure the missiles for Saudi Arabia in April 2019.
In October 2019, Boeing began constructing a new 35,000 manufacturing facility to support increased production for the Harpoon and SLAM-ER programs, with an expected completion date of 2021.


upi--2020-05-14--Just talking could spread COVID-19, study suggests

Small respiratory droplets produced while talking can hang in the air for at least eight minutes and perhaps even longer , researchers report .
The finding could explain why new coronavirus infections are more common in nursing homes , cruise ships and other confined locations with limited ventilation , the Washington Post reported .
The researchers used laser light to assess levels of small respiratory droplets that leave people 's mouths when they speak .
The study was published May 13 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences .
`` Highly sensitive laser light scattering observations have revealed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oral fluid droplets per second , '' the researchers at the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the University of Pennsylvania wrote .
It 's been suspected that small droplets can spread the new coronavirus , but there are conflicting opinions among experts .
There is widespread agreement that the virus is typically spread through large respiratory droplets , the Post reported .
This new study did not involve the coronavirus or any other virus , but instead just looked at how people generate respiratory droplets when they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experiment focused on small droplets that can linger in the air much longer .
These droplets could contain enough virus particles to infect someone , the authors said , the Post reported .
Louder speech produces even more droplets , the scientists added .
Just one minute of `` loud speaking '' could generate almost 1,000 virus-containing droplets that stay in the air for more than eight minutes .
`` This study is the most accurate measure of the size , number and frequency of droplets that leave the mouth during a normal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Benjamin Neuman , a virologist at Texas A & M University-Texarkana , told the Post .
The research `` does n't directly test whether the virus can be transmitted by talking , but it builds a strong circumstantial case that droplets produced in a normal close conversation would be large enough and frequent enough to create a high risk of spreading SARS-CoV-2 or any other respiratory virus between people who are not wearing face masks , '' Neuman told the newspaper .
Andrew Noymer , a University of California at Irvine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` speech creates droplets that breathing alone does not .
That much is clear .
Big mouths of the world , beware .
You 're putting the rest of us at risk . ''
Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more on COVID-19 .

Pixabay Small droplets emitted when talking can linger in the air and could contain enough virus particles to infect someone, researchers say. Photo by Anastasia Gepp
Small respiratory droplets produced while talking can hang in the air for at least eight minutes and perhaps even longer, researchers report. The finding could explain why new coronavirus infections are more common in nursing homes, cruise ships and other confined locations with limited ventilation, the Washington Post reported. Advertisement
The researchers used laser light to assess levels of small respiratory droplets that leave people's mouths when they speak. The study was published May 13 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
"Highly sensitive laser light scattering observations have revealed that loud speech can emit thousands of oral fluid droplets per second," the researchers at the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the University of Pennsylvania wrote.
It's been suspected that small droplets can spread the new coronavirus, but there are conflicting opinions among experts. There is widespread agreement that the virus is typically spread through large respiratory droplets, the Post reported.
This new study did not involve the coronavirus or any other virus, but instead just looked at how people generate respiratory droplets when they talk, the Post reported.
The experiment focused on small droplets that can linger in the air much longer. These droplets could contain enough virus particles to infect someone, the authors said, the Post reported.
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Louder speech produces even more droplets, the scientists added. Just one minute of "loud speaking" could generate almost 1,000 virus-containing droplets that stay in the air for more than eight minutes.
"This study is the most accurate measure of the size, number and frequency of droplets that leave the mouth during a normal conversation and shower any listeners within range," Benjamin Neuman, a virologist at Texas A&M University-Texarkana, told the Post.
The research "doesn't directly test whether the virus can be transmitted by talking, but it builds a strong circumstantial case that droplets produced in a normal close conversation would be large enough and frequent enough to create a high risk of spreading SARS-CoV-2 or any other respiratory virus between people who are not wearing face masks," Neuman told the newspaper.
Andrew Noymer, a University of California at Irvine epidemiologist, told the Post that, "speech creates droplets that breathing alone does not. That much is clear. Big mouths of the world, beware. You're putting the rest of us at risk."
More information
Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more on COVID-19.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-05-14--Typhoon Ambo makes first landfall in Philippines

Typhoon Ambo , also known as Vongfong , has made the first of numerous expected landfalls over the eastern Philippines on Thursday .
Although the tropical system has begun weakening , it will still forge a path of destruction over the country 's northern islands through the weekend .
Ambo gradually strengthened throughout the week as it tracked over the warm waters of the Philippine Sea .
On Thursday , the typhoon had wind speeds around 96 mph , making it equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane in the Atlantic and East Pacific basins .
After developing over the weekend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ambo by the Philippine Atmospheric , Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration .
The Japan Meteorological Agency is also monitoring this typhoon and is using the name Vongfong .
According to PAGASA , Typhoon Ambo made landfall over San Policarpo , in the province of Eastern Samar , at 12:15 p.m. local time .
A few residents of Samar braved the streets as damaging winds and torrential rain spread over the island .
Boats in other parts of the region were brought ashore as the typhoon stirred seas .
Ambo has begun to lose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interacts with land .
As of Thursday night local time , the JMA is reporting wind speeds equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane .
In preparation of the storm , towns forecast to be in the path of the typhoon issued evacuations and distribution of relief packages .
A total of 515 families were evacuated from the communities of Maninila , Tandarora and Muladbucad Grande , all located in the Albay province between the cities of Naga and Legazpi City .
Given the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic , evacuees were required to wear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only ones preparing for the storm .
There have been reports of at least 20 cruise ships that will be moving out to sea to avoid bumping into each other while anchored .
The Samar province of the Philippines will continue to feel the brunt of the storm through Thursday night as Ambo tracks across the island .
By Friday , the storm is expected to move over the southernmost portion of Luzon with typhoon-strength winds and heavy rainfall likely .
Due to the shape and number of islands in the northern Philippines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each one that Ambo makes will increase the chances that the storm will weaken .
According to AccuWeather meteorologist Dave Houk , the more time Ambo remains over the islands , the faster it will weaken .
`` The mountains on each of the islands have the potential to rip Ambo apart and weaken it considerably , '' Houk added .
Regardless of the strength of the storm , heavy tropical downpours throughout the second half of the week can increase the risk of flooding and mudslides across the area .
`` There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with this system , which will help to create a wide swath of heavy rain across the central and northern Philippines through the weekend , '' said Houk .
As much as 2-4 inches is possible across the northern Philippines , including in the capital city of Manila .
The heaviest rain is likely to follow the center and just east of the storm 's path , as moisture is pulled in from the warm Philippine Sea .
The steadiest downpours are expected to remain north and east of Manila , but should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heavier downpours may reach the suburbs , as well as Quezon City and Caloocan .
As Ambo continues to track to the north then northeast this weekend , it will bring some rain and gusty thunderstorms to parts of Taiwan and the southern islands of Japan .
The exact track of the storm will determine the extent of the impact .
Ambo is forecast to continue to weaken into the beginning of next week as it moves over cooler water and is absorbed by a nontropical system that will be tracking farther north @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tropical low over the southern Philippine Sea last week .
As the low gradually organized over the weekend , it brought heavy rain and thunderstorms to Palau .
Late in the day on Sunday , the low developed into a tropical depression and was given the name Ambo by the Philippine Atmospheric , Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration .
The system was upgraded to a tropical storm on Tuesday then to a severe tropical storm on Wednesday .
Ambo became the first named tropical system in the Northern Pacific Ocean of 2020 .

Typhoon Ambo, also known as Vongfong, has made the first of numerous expected landfalls over the eastern Philippines on Thursday. Although the tropical system has begun weakening, it will still forge a path of destruction over the country's northern islands through the weekend.
Ambo gradually strengthened throughout the week as it tracked over the warm waters of the Philippine Sea. On Thursday, the typhoon had wind speeds around 96 mph, making it equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane in the Atlantic and East Pacific basins.
This satellite image shows a slight increase in thunderstorm activity near the center of Typhoon Ambo, also known as Vongfong, as the destructive storm moves between the Samar and Luzon islands of the Philippines Thursday night, local time. Photo courtesy of RAMMB
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After developing over the weekend, the storm was given the name Ambo by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. The Japan Meteorological Agency is also monitoring this typhoon and is using the name Vongfong.
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According to PAGASA, Typhoon Ambo made landfall over San Policarpo, in the province of Eastern Samar, at 12:15 p.m. local time.
A few residents of Samar braved the streets as damaging winds and torrential rain spread over the island. Boats in other parts of the region were brought ashore as the typhoon stirred seas.
Ambo has begun to lose strength as the center of the storm interacts with land. As of Thursday night local time, the JMA is reporting wind speeds equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane.
In preparation of the storm, towns forecast to be in the path of the typhoon issued evacuations and distribution of relief packages. A total of 515 families were evacuated from the communities of Maninila, Tandarora and Muladbucad Grande, all located in the Albay province between the cities of Naga and Legazpi City.
Given the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, evacuees were required to wear face masks.
Towns are not the only ones preparing for the storm. There have been reports of at least 20 cruise ships that will be moving out to sea to avoid bumping into each other while anchored.
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The Samar province of the Philippines will continue to feel the brunt of the storm through Thursday night as Ambo tracks across the island. By Friday, the storm is expected to move over the southernmost portion of Luzon with typhoon-strength winds and heavy rainfall likely.
Due to the shape and number of islands in the northern Philippines, several landfalls are possible, and each one that Ambo makes will increase the chances that the storm will weaken.
According to AccuWeather meteorologist Dave Houk, the more time Ambo remains over the islands, the faster it will weaken.
"The mountains on each of the islands have the potential to rip Ambo apart and weaken it considerably," Houk added.
Regardless of the strength of the storm, heavy tropical downpours throughout the second half of the week can increase the risk of flooding and mudslides across the area.
"There will be a lot of moisture associated with this system, which will help to create a wide swath of heavy rain across the central and northern Philippines through the weekend," said Houk.
As much as 2-4 inches is possible across the northern Philippines, including in the capital city of Manila.
The heaviest rain is likely to follow the center and just east of the storm's path, as moisture is pulled in from the warm Philippine Sea.
Advertisement
The steadiest downpours are expected to remain north and east of Manila, but should Ambo wobble moving over Luzon, some heavier downpours may reach the suburbs, as well as Quezon City and Caloocan.
As Ambo continues to track to the north then northeast this weekend, it will bring some rain and gusty thunderstorms to parts of Taiwan and the southern islands of Japan. The exact track of the storm will determine the extent of the impact.
Ambo is forecast to continue to weaken into the beginning of next week as it moves over cooler water and is absorbed by a nontropical system that will be tracking farther north over Japan.
Forecasters began monitoring a tropical low over the southern Philippine Sea last week. As the low gradually organized over the weekend, it brought heavy rain and thunderstorms to Palau.
Late in the day on Sunday, the low developed into a tropical depression and was given the name Ambo by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. The system was upgraded to a tropical storm on Tuesday then to a severe tropical storm on Wednesday. Ambo became the first named tropical system in the Northern Pacific Ocean of 2020.


upi--2020-05-14--In photos: Protesters rally against Israel government

Gantz will serve as the defense minister before he takes over as prime minister in November 2021 , succeeding Netanyahu @ @ @ @ @

Protesters lay on the street outside the Knesset in Jerusalem on May 14. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI


upi--2020-05-14--Woman wins $2M lottery prize with same numbers that won her $50,000

May 14 ( UPI ) -- A North Carolina woman won a $ 2 million Powerball prize using the same number combination that won her $ 50,000 just three years earlier .
Shanika Miller of Durham told North Carolina Education Lottery officials the Powerball ticket she bought using the lottery website 's Online Play option bore the same numbers she always uses -- her children 's birthdays .
`` I keep my same numbers , '' Miller said .
`` I never switch them up . ''
The numbers earned Miller a $ 2 million prize in the April 4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the morning around 6 and looked , and I was crying , '' Miller said .
`` I said , 'No , this ca n't be real . '
I kept checking it and checking it and checking it . ''
She said the lucky digits previously earned her a $ 50,000 jackpot in a 2017 drawing .
The winner said her plans for the money include buying her son a car .
`` I 'm gon na buy my family a house and pay all my bills off , '' she said @

A North Carolina woman scored a $2 million lottery jackpot using the same number combination that won her a $50,000 prize in 2017. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe May 14 (UPI) -- A North Carolina woman won a $2 million Powerball prize using the same number combination that won her $50,000 just three years earlier. Shanika Miller of Durham told North Carolina Education Lottery officials the Powerball ticket she bought using the lottery website's Online Play option bore the same numbers she always uses -- her children's birthdays. Advertisement
"I keep my same numbers," Miller said. "I never switch them up."
The numbers earned Miller a $2 million prize in the April 4 drawing.
"I woke up in the morning around 6 and looked, and I was crying," Miller said. "I said, 'No, this can't be real.' I kept checking it and checking it and checking it."
She said the lucky digits previously earned her a $50,000 jackpot in a 2017 drawing.
The winner said her plans for the money include buying her son a car.
"I'm gonna buy my family a house and pay all my bills off," she said.


upi--2020-05-14--Millions of older Americans face food insecurity

Older Americans were going hungry even before the coronavirus pandemic short-circuited the nation 's food supply , a new poll finds .
Before the COVID crisis , 1 in 7 adults ages 50 to 80 had difficulty getting enough food because of high costs or other factors , according to the National Poll on Healthy Aging conducted by the University of Michigan .
The number unable to obtain needed food in the past year was even higher among blacks , Hispanics and those not yet getting Medicare , researchers said .
`` Access to nutritious food and health status are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major disparities in that access , '' said poll director Dr. Preeti Malani , a professor of internal medicine at Michigan Medicine .
`` Even as we focus on preventing the spread of coronavirus , we must also ensure that older adults can get food that aligns with any health conditions they have , so we do n't exacerbate diabetes , hypertension , digestive disorders and other conditions further , '' she said in a university news release .
The poll involved 2,000 adults , aged 50 to 80 , who answered questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 .
Older poor people and those with lower levels of education were more likely than others to have trouble getting food , the poll found .
Despite the extent of the problem , only a third of these Americans were receiving government food aid through SNAP ( Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program , commonly known as food stamps ) .
Also , less than 2 percent of those over 60 received free meals at senior centers or from Meals on Wheels .
Disruptions to food supply chains , employment and social services from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the experts who designed the poll for the U-M Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation .
`` These data suggest an important opportunity , which is likely even more urgent now , to connect older adults with resources they may not know about , and to explore public policies that could improve access , '' said researcher Cindy Leung , an assistant professor of nutritional sciences at the U-M School of Public Health .
Older adults who had trouble getting food were three times more likely to say their health was poor .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to report having fair or poor mental health , the researchers found .
For more on food insecurity , visit Feeding America .

Volunteers pack food supplies for shut-in seniors at St. Louis Area Foodbank in Bridgeton, Mo., on March 23. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Older Americans were going hungry even before the coronavirus pandemic short-circuited the nation's food supply, a new poll finds. Before the COVID crisis, 1 in 7 adults ages 50 to 80 had difficulty getting enough food because of high costs or other factors, according to the National Poll on Healthy Aging conducted by the University of Michigan. Advertisement
The number unable to obtain needed food in the past year was even higher among blacks, Hispanics and those not yet getting Medicare, researchers said.
"Access to nutritious food and health status are closely linked, yet this poll reveals major disparities in that access," said poll director Dr. Preeti Malani, a professor of internal medicine at Michigan Medicine.
"Even as we focus on preventing the spread of coronavirus, we must also ensure that older adults can get food that aligns with any health conditions they have, so we don't exacerbate diabetes, hypertension, digestive disorders and other conditions further," she said in a university news release.
The poll involved 2,000 adults, aged 50 to 80, who answered questions about their so-called food security in December 2019.
Older poor people and those with lower levels of education were more likely than others to have trouble getting food, the poll found.
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Despite the extent of the problem, only a third of these Americans were receiving government food aid through SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps).
Also, less than 2 percent of those over 60 received free meals at senior centers or from Meals on Wheels.
Disruptions to food supply chains, employment and social services from COVID-19 may have worsened disparities, said the experts who designed the poll for the U-M Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation.
"These data suggest an important opportunity, which is likely even more urgent now, to connect older adults with resources they may not know about, and to explore public policies that could improve access," said researcher Cindy Leung, an assistant professor of nutritional sciences at the U-M School of Public Health.
Older adults who had trouble getting food were three times more likely to say their health was poor. They were also nearly five times as likely to report having fair or poor mental health, the researchers found.
More information
For more on food insecurity, visit Feeding America.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-05-14--Restaurant using blow-up dolls to enforce social distancing

May 14 ( UPI ) -- A South Carolina restaurant partially reopening for dine-in customers is keeping the tables compliant with social distancing guidelines by filling the dining room with blow-up dolls .
The Open Hearth restaurant in Taylors closed its dining room due to the COVID-19 pandemic March 17 and was allowed to reopen this week with a reduced capacity and a requirement that customers are seated 6 feet apart .
The owners of the eatery , Paula Starr Melehes and her husband , Jimmy , said they did n't want the restaurant to look empty when customers came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using scary , yellow tape or roping off the empty tables , I thought , 'We 're going to make this restaurant look full , ' '' Melehes told WYFF-TV .
Melehes said she ordered `` the G-rated kind '' of inflatable dolls from Amazon , dressed them up like customers and seated them at tables that would be off-limits to diners .
`` My grandson told me they look kind of creepy , '' Melehes said .
`` But , I think , when people walk in , they 're going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is being careful to observe all of the state 's guidelines to remain open to customers .
`` We 're doing everything we can to make sure we do this right , '' Melehes said .
`` We just did n't want the virus to be what shuts us down . ''

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May 14 (UPI) -- A South Carolina restaurant partially reopening for dine-in customers is keeping the tables compliant with social distancing guidelines by filling the dining room with blow-up dolls.
The Open Hearth restaurant in Taylors closed its dining room due to the COVID-19 pandemic March 17 and was allowed to reopen this week with a reduced capacity and a requirement that customers are seated 6 feet apart.
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The owners of the eatery, Paula Starr Melehes and her husband, Jimmy, said they didn't want the restaurant to look empty when customers came in to eat.
"Instead of using scary, yellow tape or roping off the empty tables, I thought, 'We're going to make this restaurant look full,'" Melehes told WYFF-TV.
Melehes said she ordered "the G-rated kind" of inflatable dolls from Amazon, dressed them up like customers and seated them at tables that would be off-limits to diners.
"My grandson told me they look kind of creepy," Melehes said. "But, I think, when people walk in, they're going to laugh."
Melehes said the restaurant is being careful to observe all of the state's guidelines to remain open to customers.
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"We're doing everything we can to make sure we do this right," Melehes said. "We just didn't want the virus to be what shuts us down."
World moves to reopen amid COVID-19 pandemic


upi--2020-05-15--N.Y. Stock Exchange trading floor to reopen May 26 under new COVID-19 restrictions

May 15 ( UPI ) -- The physical trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange will reopen after Memorial Day with new COVID-19 protective measures .
The historic floor , which has been closed since March 20 , will reopen on May 26 , the Tuesday after Memorial Day , NYSE President Stacey Cunningham wrote in an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal Friday .
However , she added , the well-known crowds of traders jamming the floor will not return yet .
Only a `` subset of floor brokers '' with face masks will be admitted at first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ credentialed members will continue working remotely .
`` Bringing our physical trading floor back online will begin the process of returning the NYSE to the highest level of service for investors and listed companies , '' Cunningham wrote .
`` This is important because stocks trade better when the floor is open , with reduced volatility and fairer prices . ''
Under the new rules , brokers on the trading floor can not use public transportation and will be subject to temperature checks .
`` It is n't clear when America will resume @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The virus will remain a stubborn reality but we ca n't keep the country closed indefinitely . ''
The NYSE moved to all-electronic trading for the first time in history on March 23 .

A mostly empty trading floor is seen on March 20 at the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street in New York City, its final day before it went to all-electronic trading for the first time in its history. The trading floor will reopen to a limited number of brokers on May 26. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
May 15 (UPI) -- The physical trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange will reopen after Memorial Day with new COVID-19 protective measures. The historic floor, which has been closed since March 20, will reopen on May 26, the Tuesday after Memorial Day, NYSE President Stacey Cunningham wrote in an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal Friday. Advertisement
However, she added, the well-known crowds of traders jamming the floor will not return yet. Only a "subset of floor brokers" with face masks will be admitted at first and most of the NYSE's 2,200 credentialed members will continue working remotely.
"Bringing our physical trading floor back online will begin the process of returning the NYSE to the highest level of service for investors and listed companies," Cunningham wrote. "This is important because stocks trade better when the floor is open, with reduced volatility and fairer prices."
Under the new rules, brokers on the trading floor cannot use public transportation and will be subject to temperature checks.
"It isn't clear when America will resume business as usual," Cunningham added. "The virus will remain a stubborn reality but we can't keep the country closed indefinitely."
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The NYSE moved to all-electronic trading for the first time in history on March 23.


upi--2020-05-15--NASCAR: Brad Keselowski wins pole for Sunday race in random draw

May 15 ( UPI ) -- Brad Keselowski did n't need to start his engine to claim the pole for Sunday 's the Real Heroes 400 race .
He claimed the role of starter after NASCAR performed a random draw .
The draw was held Thursday at the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord , N.C. Alex Bowman will also line up his No .
88 Chevrolet in the front row and start second Sunday at Darlington Raceway in Darlington , S.C .
The Cup Series stars will race in their first event since the NASCAR season was suspended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
No fans will be allowed to attend the event .
Matt DiBenedetto , Kyle Busch , Aric Almirola , Kevin Harvick , Ryan Blaney , Jimmie Johnson , Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin round out the top-10 starters for Sunday 's 400-mile event .
Matt Kenseth will come out of retirement and start in the No .
12 spot .
Ryan Newman will start 21st in his first race since he was hospitalized after a wreck in February 's Daytona 500 .
Positions 1 through 12 were determined from a field of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owner points .
Positions 13 through 24 and 25 through 36 were determined in the same fashion for those respective fields .
Positions 37 through 40 were filled out by open , non-chartered teams .
Harvick leads the Cup Series standings by one point over Logano .
Chase Elliott -- who will start 11th -- is in third place .
Bowman and Johnson round out the top-5 in the Cup Series standings .
Keselowski sits in 10th place and has two top-10 finishes and one top-5 finish in four starts .
The Real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EDT Sunday on Fox .

Brad Keselowski will line up his No. 2 Ford in the first position while Alex Bowman's No. 88 Chevrolet will start second in the Real Heroes 400 Sunday at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C. File Photo by Edwin Locke/UPI | License Photo
May 15 (UPI) -- Brad Keselowski didn't need to start his engine to claim the pole for Sunday's the Real Heroes 400 race. He claimed the role of starter after NASCAR performed a random draw. The draw was held Thursday at the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C. Alex Bowman will also line up his No. 88 Chevrolet in the front row and start second Sunday at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C. Advertisement
The Cup Series stars will race in their first event since the NASCAR season was suspended in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. No fans will be allowed to attend the event.
Matt DiBenedetto, Kyle Busch, Aric Almirola, Kevin Harvick, Ryan Blaney, Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin round out the top-10 starters for Sunday's 400-mile event.
Matt Kenseth will come out of retirement and start in the No. 12 spot. Ryan Newman will start 21st in his first race since he was hospitalized after a wreck in February's Daytona 500.
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Positions 1 through 12 were determined from a field of chartered teams in the top-12 in team owner points. Positions 13 through 24 and 25 through 36 were determined in the same fashion for those respective fields. Positions 37 through 40 were filled out by open, non-chartered teams.
Harvick leads the Cup Series standings by one point over Logano. Chase Elliott -- who will start 11th -- is in third place. Bowman and Johnson round out the top-5 in the Cup Series standings.
Keselowski sits in 10th place and has two top-10 finishes and one top-5 finish in four starts.
The Real Heroes 400 will start at 3:30 p.m. EDT Sunday on Fox.


upi--2020-05-15--Watch: Adam Levine surprises wellness nurse on 'Kimmel'

May 15 ( UPI ) -- Adam Levine surprised a wellness nurse who works at an assisted living facility in @ @ @ @ @ on Jimmy Kimmel Live .
Samantha Brown was chosen as Kimmel 's latest # HealthCareHero @ @ @ @ @ fan of Levine .
The Maroon 5 frontman joined the webcam chat between Kimmel and @ @ @ @ @ the process .
Brown told Levine that she missed seeing him on The Voice and @ @ @ @ @ with Blake Shelton .
`` You know , I miss him too .
As much @ @ @ @ @ like to admit it , I miss him very much , '' Levine said about @ @ @ @ @ $ 10,000 and food delivery gift cards for every nurse in her department from Adobe @ @ @ @ @ nurses with appearances by Dave Grohl and Jennifer Aniston .
Levine and his Maroon 5 @ @ @ @ @ James Valentine , recently appeared on The Tonight Show and performed their song `` Memories @ @ @ @ @ .

May 15 (UPI) -- Adam Levine surprised a wellness nurse who works at an assisted living facility in New Milford, Conn., on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Samantha Brown was chosen as Kimmel's latest #HealthCareHero on Thursday and is a fan of Levine.
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The Maroon 5 frontman joined the webcam chat between Kimmel and Brown, shocking her in the process. Brown told Levine that she missed seeing him on The Voice and the interactions he would have with Blake Shelton.
"You know, I miss him too. As much as I really don't like to admit it, I miss him very much," Levine said about Shelton.
Brown was gifted $10,000 and food delivery gift cards for every nurse in her department from Adobe.
Kimmel has previously surprised nurses with appearances by Dave Grohl and Jennifer Aniston.
Levine and his Maroon 5 bandmates, PJ Morton and James Valentine, recently appeared on The Tonight Show and performed their song "Memories" remotely from their homes.


upi--2020-05-15--Watchdog: Hong Kong police responded to violence with violence

May 15 ( UPI ) -- An official Hong Kong police watchdog said in a long-awaited report Friday that officers resorted to violence during 10 months of anti-government protests only when responding to the same by demonstrators , but recommended improvements .
The Independent Police Complaint Council made 52 recommendations in its 999-page report examining police reaction to the protests .
Police shot at protesters and used tear gas as violence escalated during the demonstrations last year .
The council noted that police fired live rounds on 12 occasions when faced `` reasonable suspicion of lethal force '' from activists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 months have metamorphasized from initial peaceful processions and public meetings to extreme forms of violent protests in the streets , resulting in the destruction of public and private property , disruption of our transport infrastructure , and serious injury ( and in one case death ) of many citizens holding different views to those of the protesters , '' Council Chair Anthony Neoh said in a statement .
`` Under the violence they had to face in performance of their duty , the police had found it necessary to resort on occasions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is hoped that this study will enable a better understanding of the role of the police in the face of such violence and their accountability under the law . ''
Recommendations include a review of the police force 's operational command structure , an increase in officer training and establishing clearer guidelines on the use of weapons during demonstrations .
The council said it lacked power to investigate an incident last July 21 when police arrived after activists were attacked by a mob carrying sticks and rods .
Some suggested police worked with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which sent 45 people to the hospital .
The report said , however , that police had received enough information to know a confrontation was brewing and officers could have intervened with the help of lawmakers and rural leaders .
The protests were initially motivated by opposition to a potential new law that would have allowed mainland China to extradite criminals from Hong Kong .
The proposal was ultimately withdrawn but the activists later turned their attention to other causes , like police brutality .

Police charge down the street in Hong Kong during clashes with protesters on October 1, 2019. File Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI | License Photo
May 15 (UPI) -- An official Hong Kong police watchdog said in a long-awaited report Friday that officers resorted to violence during 10 months of anti-government protests only when responding to the same by demonstrators, but recommended improvements. The Independent Police Complaint Council made 52 recommendations in its 999-page report examining police reaction to the protests. Police shot at protesters and used tear gas as violence escalated during the demonstrations last year. Advertisement
The council noted that police fired live rounds on 12 occasions when faced "reasonable suspicion of lethal force" from activists.
"The protests of the last 10 months have metamorphasized from initial peaceful processions and public meetings to extreme forms of violent protests in the streets, resulting in the destruction of public and private property, disruption of our transport infrastructure, and serious injury (and in one case death) of many citizens holding different views to those of the protesters," Council Chair Anthony Neoh said in a statement.
"Under the violence they had to face in performance of their duty, the police had found it necessary to resort on occasions to the use of force. It is hoped that this study will enable a better understanding of the role of the police in the face of such violence and their accountability under the law."
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Recommendations include a review of the police force's operational command structure, an increase in officer training and establishing clearer guidelines on the use of weapons during demonstrations.
The council said it lacked power to investigate an incident last July 21 when police arrived after activists were attacked by a mob carrying sticks and rods. Some suggested police worked with the unidentified white-dressed mob in the assault, which sent 45 people to the hospital.
The report said, however, that police had received enough information to know a confrontation was brewing and officers could have intervened with the help of lawmakers and rural leaders.
The protests were initially motivated by opposition to a potential new law that would have allowed mainland China to extradite criminals from Hong Kong. The proposal was ultimately withdrawn but the activists later turned their attention to other causes, like police brutality.
Protesters clash with police in Hong Kong


upi--2020-05-15--In photos: Palestinians celebrate Ramadan 2020

Palestinians receive a portion of soup passed out to families in need on May 5 during the Islamic holy month @ @ @ @ @ the southern Gaza Strip .
Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI

Men help one another put on masks for the last Friday prayer of Ramadan. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI


upi--2020-05-15--Russia reports another 10,000 cases; Italy eyes lifting travel ban

May 15 ( UPI ) -- Russian officials said Friday more than 10,000 new coronavirus cases have been reported and the central Italian government is set to end inter-regional travel restrictions .
Friday was the 12th consecutive day at least 10,000 new cases were reported in Russia , according to Johns Hopkins University .
Moscow 's anti-coronavirus crisis center said the new figure is 10,598 , which pushed the total count to nearly 263,000 -- the world 's second-highest count .
Almost half of the new cases are in Moscow , where Mayor Sergei Sobyanin warned that lifting lockdown restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak .
`` A premature withdrawal of the restrictions carries a genuine risk of another wave of the pandemic , '' Sobyanin wrote in a blog post .
`` Unjustified prolongation [ of the restrictions ] would also impact people in the roughest way . ''
Russian President Vladimir Putin this week ended a nationwide `` non-working period '' but extended the authority of regional governors to impose local restrictions as health conditions dictate .
More than 4.4 million cases and 302,000 deaths have been reported worldwide since the start of the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be allowed after June 3 , according to a draft decree to be considered by government ministers on Friday .
It declares that nationwide restrictions will be removed , with only local rules in various parts to remain , the daily Corriere della Sera reported .
Germany officially entered a recession Friday as the Federal Statistics Office published first-quarter economic data showing the nation 's economy shrank by 2.2 percent .
The sizable contraction -- the largest since the financial crisis -- was blamed on the coronavirus pandemic and follows a contraction of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 .
China on Friday marked a full month without a single death due to the coronavirus ; the last reported death was April 14 .
Four new cases were reported , all locally transmitted within a cluster in northeastern Jilin province .

A Russian man walks along a deserted street in Moscow, Russia, on Thursday. Photo by Yuri Kochetkov/EPA-EFE
May 15 (UPI) -- Russian officials said Friday more than 10,000 new coronavirus cases have been reported and the central Italian government is set to end inter-regional travel restrictions. Friday was the 12th consecutive day at least 10,000 new cases were reported in Russia, according to Johns Hopkins University. Moscow's anti-coronavirus crisis center said the new figure is 10,598, which pushed the total count to nearly 263,000 -- the world's second-highest count. Advertisement
Almost half of the new cases are in Moscow, where Mayor Sergei Sobyanin warned that lifting lockdown restrictions too quickly could lead to a second outbreak.
"A premature withdrawal of the restrictions carries a genuine risk of another wave of the pandemic," Sobyanin wrote in a blog post. "Unjustified prolongation [of the restrictions] would also impact people in the roughest way."
Russian President Vladimir Putin this week ended a nationwide "non-working period" but extended the authority of regional governors to impose local restrictions as health conditions dictate.
More than 4.4 million cases and 302,000 deaths have been reported worldwide since the start of the pandemic.
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In Italy, domestic travel will be allowed after June 3, according to a draft decree to be considered by government ministers on Friday. It declares that nationwide restrictions will be removed, with only local rules in various parts to remain, the daily Corriere della Sera reported.
Germany officially entered a recession Friday as the Federal Statistics Office published first-quarter economic data showing the nation's economy shrank by 2.2 percent.
The sizable contraction -- the largest since the financial crisis -- was blamed on the coronavirus pandemic and follows a contraction of 0.1 percent in the last quarter of 2019.
China on Friday marked a full month without a single death due to the coronavirus; the last reported death was April 14.
Four new cases were reported, all locally transmitted within a cluster in northeastern Jilin province.
World moves to reopen amid COVID-19 pandemic


upi--2020-05-15--Watch: Chris Evans, Scott Evans take Bro Couples Challenge on 'Tonight Show'

May 15 ( UPI ) -- Chris Evans took the Bro Couples Challenge with this brother , Scott Evans , on The Tonight Show .
The Captain America star is social distancing with his brother during the COVID-19 pandemic .
They were tasked with answering questions Thursday about each other 's pandemic behavior by pointing with their eyes closed to test how well they know each other .
Chris and Scott Evans earned a perfect score in the first round , but in the second round , said the other went the longest without showering during a pandemic .
Chris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to groom his dog , a mishap that was seen on his newly launched Instagram account .
The actor recently posted a popular photo of his dog 's new spotty , shaven look .
`` I had done it once before , right when quarantine began .
I gave him just a little bit of a trim , just you know , with a little bit of timidity and it went great .
So , I got a little confident and put on a shorter attachment , '' Evans said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I kept trying to fix it .
Eventually I was like , 'Alright , got to cut my losses , ' '' he continued .
Chris Evans said that his first grooming session went well since it was after a walk and his dog was tired .
The second time , however , he did it in the morning when his dog had a lot of energy , which affected his ability to groom him .

May 15 (UPI) -- Chris Evans took the Bro Couples Challenge with this brother, Scott Evans, on The Tonight Show.
The Captain America star is social distancing with his brother during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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They were tasked with answering questions Thursday about each other's pandemic behavior by pointing with their eyes closed to test how well they know each other.
Chris and Scott Evans earned a perfect score in the first round, but in the second round, said the other went the longest without showering during a pandemic.
Chris Evans also discussed how he messed up trying to groom his dog, a mishap that was seen on his newly launched Instagram account.
The actor recently posted a popular photo of his dog's new spotty, shaven look.
"I had done it once before, right when quarantine began. I gave him just a little bit of a trim, just you know, with a little bit of timidity and it went great. So, I got a little confident and put on a shorter attachment," Evans said.
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"It just exploded in my face and I kept trying to fix it. Eventually I was like, 'Alright, got to cut my losses,'" he continued.
Chris Evans said that his first grooming session went well since it was after a walk and his dog was tired. The second time, however, he did it in the morning when his dog had a lot of energy, which affected his ability to groom him.


upi--2020-05-15--Russia delivered 25,000 tons of wheat to North Korea, Embassy says

May 15 ( UPI ) -- Russia has donated 25,000 tons of wheat to North Korea amid international assessments of a food shortage in the country .
The Russian Embassy in Pyongyang said in a Facebook post on Thursday Amb .
Aleksandr Matsegora visited the North Korean port of Nampo at the time of delivery .
Citing reports from the World Food Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization , the Russian Embassy said on social media more than 10 million North Koreans are experiencing food shortages .
In April , the FAO said 10.1 million North Koreans are food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Korean infants between 6 and 23 months of age are not receiving adequate nutrition .
Additionally , 20 percent of children experience stunted growth , the FAO had said .
On Thursday , the Russian Embassy said `` bad weather '' had caused droughts that affected North Korea 's rice sowing regions in 2019 .
The Russian wheat was shipped from Novorossiysk , and arrived on a Sierra Leone-flagged ship .
The Embassy also said the ship 's crew was placed under quarantine during unloading , a reference to North Korea policy amid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Korea have promoted closer ties following the one-year anniversary of a historic summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un .
Matsegora has played a key role in strengthening the connection between the two leaders .
Earlier this month , the Russian diplomat delivered a commemorative medal and a certificate from Putin to North Korea 's foreign minister , in honor of the North Korean leader .
Russia is delivering food aid to North Korea at a time when the country could be facing a shortage of building supplies for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Pyongyang , Yonhap reported Friday .
Korean Workers ' Party paper Rodong Sinmun said Friday North Korean builders are `` tackling the challenges and difficulties '' of the project , ordered by Kim Jong Un in March , with a `` spirit of determination to push onward to raise the speed of construction . ''
The statement could mean the regime is facing significant difficulties in importing construction material during the pandemic , according to Yonhap .

Russian Amb. to North Korea Aleksandr Matsegora (R) inspected the delivery of food aid to North Korea at the port of Nampo, according to the Russian Embassy's Facebook page. Photo courtesy of Russian Federation Embassy in DPRK
May 15 (UPI) -- Russia has donated 25,000 tons of wheat to North Korea amid international assessments of a food shortage in the country. The Russian Embassy in Pyongyang said in a Facebook post on Thursday Amb. Aleksandr Matsegora visited the North Korean port of Nampo at the time of delivery. Advertisement
Citing reports from the World Food Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Russian Embassy said on social media more than 10 million North Koreans are experiencing food shortages.
In April, the FAO said 10.1 million North Koreans are food insecure, and that one-third of North Korean infants between 6 and 23 months of age are not receiving adequate nutrition.
Additionally, 20 percent of children experience stunted growth, the FAO had said.
On Thursday, the Russian Embassy said "bad weather" had caused droughts that affected North Korea's rice sowing regions in 2019. The Russian wheat was shipped from Novorossiysk, and arrived on a Sierra Leone-flagged ship. The Embassy also said the ship's crew was placed under quarantine during unloading, a reference to North Korea policy amid the global coronavirus pandemic.
Russia and North Korea have promoted closer ties following the one-year anniversary of a historic summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un.
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Matsegora has played a key role in strengthening the connection between the two leaders. Earlier this month, the Russian diplomat delivered a commemorative medal and a certificate from Putin to North Korea's foreign minister, in honor of the North Korean leader.
Russia is delivering food aid to North Korea at a time when the country could be facing a shortage of building supplies for the construction of a new general hospital in Pyongyang, Yonhap reported Friday.
Korean Workers' Party paper Rodong Sinmun said Friday North Korean builders are "tackling the challenges and difficulties" of the project, ordered by Kim Jong Un in March, with a "spirit of determination to push onward to raise the speed of construction."
The statement could mean the regime is facing significant difficulties in importing construction material during the pandemic, according to Yonhap.


upi--2020-05-15--Elle Fanning, Nicholas Hoult find comedy in Cathering 'The Great'

LOS ANGELES , May 15 ( UPI ) -- The legacy of Catherine the Great might not strike historians as humorous .
For The Favourite screenwriter Tony McNamara , her story provides the material for his historical comedy , The Great .
Elle Fanning plays Catherine and Nicholas Hoult plays Peter III .
Catherine ultimately would overthrow Peter to become empress of Russia and transform her country into a global superpower .
When The Great begins , Catherine is a young woman considering marrying an insufferable dolt to advance her station in life .
Fanning never had been in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel more vulnerable than any of her dramatic performances .
`` With comedy , there 's no hiding behind anything , '' Fanning said on a recent Television Critics Association panel .
`` You have to be bare and you have to be really in the scene and reacting . ''
The mechanics of comedy proved more daunting to Fanning than straight drama .
Omitting a word like `` and '' or `` the '' could ruin the rhythm of a joke , she said .
`` I have never done Shakespeare , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be word perfect , very specific , '' Fanning said .
`` So memorizing the lines is something that is of the utmost importance . ''
McNamara wrote Peter as such an imbecile that he pronounces `` touche '' as `` toosh . ''
Hoult also co-starred in The Favourite , so he was happy to have more McNamara dialogue .
`` There 's all those brilliant turns of phrase and lines of dialogue , '' Hoult said during the panel .
`` They 're all underpinned with these really emotionally charged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions changed the course of history .
McNamara saw in them a universal story of young relationships .
`` It 's about a woman who marries the wrong person and then has to go , 'What do I do ?
Do I kill him ? '
'' McNamara said during the panel .
`` That seemed a contemporary question . ''
Until Peter 's death , Catherine will play him like a fiddle .
`` I think Catherine is a great manipulator of Peter , '' Fanning said .
Historically , McNamara was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beyond taking the throne .
He discovered she invented the roller coaster and championed female education among her many accomplishments .
The Great promises to honor her achievements while playing fast and loose with historical accuracy .
`` It seems more important to tell a great story about a young woman and her rise , '' McNamara said .
`` It is n't a perfectly historically accurate document . ''
Fanning feels The Great frames Catherine in a positive light .
McNamara 's lighthearted touch gives the political intrigue a positive spin .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ when I read the script is her optimism and her hopefulness , '' Fanning said .
`` She does n't lose that . ''
Hoult likens the tone of The Great to the BBC comedy Blackadder , which found humor in the political schemings of a medieval prince ( Rowan Atkinson ) .
He thinks American political comedies like Veep and In the Loop walk a similar line between comedy and politics .
`` It does have that ability to be very fun , and you can just enjoy the ride , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occasionally , it just kind of sucker punches you into all the emotional depths of the characters . ''
For McNamara , that tone comes more from real life than any of his television predecessors .
`` As long as everything 's truthful and is coming from a true place , then it 's sort of exactly like life , '' McNamara said .
`` It 's incredibly funny and it 's incredibly tragic moment to moment . ''
Viewers familiar with Russian history can expect to see comedic twists on those events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but he says he is following their spirit .
As such , Fanning remains impressed by Catherine 's dogged nature .
`` She always has a plan B , which I really admire , '' Fanning said .
Catherine is resilient , too .
The Great will show many setbacks before she becomes empress .
`` I think seeing a female character make mistakes and not be perfect is really exciting and challenging to play , '' Fanning said .
As much as The Great trades historical accuracy for comedy and character @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the show are indeed accurate .
`` Odd methods of contraception and odd methods of pregnancy testing are so bizarre you think we made them up , '' McNamara said .
`` They 're all accurate . ''

1/4
Elle Fanning plays Catherine before she becomes "The Great." File Photo by Rune Hellestad/UPI | License Photo
LOS ANGELES, May 15 (UPI) -- The legacy of Catherine the Great might not strike historians as humorous. For The Favourite screenwriter Tony McNamara, her story provides the material for his historical comedy, The Great. Elle Fanning plays Catherine and Nicholas Hoult plays Peter III. Catherine ultimately would overthrow Peter to become empress of Russia and transform her country into a global superpower. When The Great begins, Catherine is a young woman considering marrying an insufferable dolt to advance her station in life. Advertisement
Fanning never had been in a comedy. She said comedy made her feel more vulnerable than any of her dramatic performances.
"With comedy, there's no hiding behind anything," Fanning said on a recent Television Critics Association panel. "You have to be bare and you have to be really in the scene and reacting."
The mechanics of comedy proved more daunting to Fanning than straight drama. Omitting a word like "and" or "the" could ruin the rhythm of a joke, she said.
Advertisement
"I have never done Shakespeare, but I'm assuming it would have to be word perfect, very specific," Fanning said. "So memorizing the lines is something that is of the utmost importance."
McNamara wrote Peter as such an imbecile that he pronounces "touche" as "toosh." Hoult also co-starred in The Favourite, so he was happy to have more McNamara dialogue.
"There's all those brilliant turns of phrase and lines of dialogue," Hoult said during the panel. "They're all underpinned with these really emotionally charged and dynamic characters."
Catherine's actions changed the course of history. McNamara saw in them a universal story of young relationships.
"It's about a woman who marries the wrong person and then has to go, 'What do I do? Do I kill him?'" McNamara said during the panel. "That seemed a contemporary question."
Until Peter's death, Catherine will play him like a fiddle.
"I think Catherine is a great manipulator of Peter," Fanning said.
Historically, McNamara was impressed by Catherine the Great's accomplishments beyond taking the throne. He discovered she invented the roller coaster and championed female education among her many accomplishments. The Great promises to honor her achievements while playing fast and loose with historical accuracy.
"It seems more important to tell a great story about a young woman and her rise," McNamara said. "It isn't a perfectly historically accurate document."
Advertisement
Fanning feels The Great frames Catherine in a positive light. McNamara's lighthearted touch gives the political intrigue a positive spin.
"What I fell in love with when I read the script is her optimism and her hopefulness," Fanning said. "She doesn't lose that."
Hoult likens the tone of The Great to the BBC comedy Blackadder, which found humor in the political schemings of a medieval prince (Rowan Atkinson). He thinks American political comedies like Veep and In the Loop walk a similar line between comedy and politics.
"It does have that ability to be very fun, and you can just enjoy the ride," Hoult said. "Then suddenly, occasionally, it just kind of sucker punches you into all the emotional depths of the characters."
For McNamara, that tone comes more from real life than any of his television predecessors.
"As long as everything's truthful and is coming from a true place, then it's sort of exactly like life," McNamara said. "It's incredibly funny and it's incredibly tragic moment to moment."
Viewers familiar with Russian history can expect to see comedic twists on those events. McNamara may be eschewing historical detail, but he says he is following their spirit. As such, Fanning remains impressed by Catherine's dogged nature.
Advertisement
"She always has a plan B, which I really admire," Fanning said.
Catherine is resilient, too. The Great will show many setbacks before she becomes empress.
"I think seeing a female character make mistakes and not be perfect is really exciting and challenging to play," Fanning said.
As much as The Great trades historical accuracy for comedy and character, viewers may be surprised which aspects of the show are indeed accurate.
"Odd methods of contraception and odd methods of pregnancy testing are so bizarre you think we made them up," McNamara said. "They're all accurate."
The Great premieres Friday on Hulu.


upi--2020-05-15--90th anniversary of 1st female flight attendant marked as industry faces uncertain future

1/4
Ellen Church poses standing in doorway of United Airlines Douglas DC-3 wearing an original stewardess uniform, circa 1930. File Photo courtesy of Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum
May 15 (UPI) -- As flight attendants learn to navigate new working conditions -- and potential job losses -- amid the coronavirus pandemic, Friday marks the anniversary of the flight that in many ways gave birth to the job as we know it today. Ninety years ago on May 15, 1930, Ellen Church led the first group of what were then called "stewardesses" on a Boeing Air Transport -- now United Airlines -- flight. Church and three other young women served as flight attendants on the trek from San Francisco to Chicago, which took 20 hours and 13 stops for 14 passengers. Advertisement
Four fresh flight attendants took over the flight during its leg from Cheyenne, Wyo., to Chicago.
Church wasn't just an ordinary flight attendant, though. Her desire to put her expertise and background as a pilot and nurse to use in the skies is part of what led to women taking over the flight attendant role.
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Before she and the seven other inaugural flight attendants came into the picture, only men served the friendly skies -- both as pilots and in some cases, stewards. Sometimes pilots performed dual roles, flying the plane and handing out coffee and sandwiches.
Church initially wanted to be a pilot on commercial flights, but at the time, airlines only allowed men behind the yoke. Instead, she suggested women -- specifically nurses -- take over the role of flight attendants. She told BAT that nurses could better help new fliers through airsickness and be useful during any medical emergencies.
Having women in the role could also help put businessmen's fears of flying at ease -- perhaps 1930s-era men would put on a better show of bravery if a handful of fearless women hauled their luggage and served them coffee.
Church's argument was bolstered by a simultaneous suggestion by BAT official Steve Stimpson after a particularly rough flight. The turbulence meant the pilots were too busy to serve refreshments during the flight, so Stimpson took over the job of handing out drinks and sandwiches.
When he got back to the office, he told BAT management it needed to hire dedicated stewards.
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Top brass took both ideas and began a trial program to have women serve as stewardesses. Church was tasked with training the new attendants and eventually wrote a manual on the position.
At the time, she was to ensure that all flight attendants weighed no more than 115 pounds and be no taller than 5 feet 4 inches. They also had to be registered nurses.
And while the job was a major step forward for women in the aviation industry, it still reeked of the patriarchy. Women couldn't be older than 25 and they had to quit if they got married.
After a three-month trial period, BAT decided to keep the flight attendants permanently and other airlines began hiring their own. For decades, the role was purely a female one, as is evidenced by the fact that the use of "stewardess" hung around until the 1970s, when airlines began hiring men again.
Church would only continue working for BAT for another 18 months, when a car crash ended her career. She later earned a nursing degree and served in the Army Nurse Corps during World War II. She died in 1965 from injuries sustained in a horseback riding fall, one month after she received the Amelia Earhart Memorial Award for her contribution to aviation.
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Friday's milestone anniversary comes at a time modern flight attendants face an uncertain and potentially dangerous future. The head of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA union last month called on the Trump administration to ban all leisure flights until the novel coronavirus has been contained.
"While this global system is integral to our modern economy, its essential inter-connectedness also provides a convenient pathway for opportunistic pathogens to hitch rides on unsuspecting crewmembers and travelers and spread all over the world," AFA International President Sara Nelson wrote in a letter to the administration.
"As some of the most frequent travelers, flight attendants feel a deep responsibility to ensure that our workplace risks of acquiring and spreading communicable diseases are minimized as much as possible."
Most flight attendants have held onto their jobs despite a sharp decline in air travel in recent months, thanks to a government bailout. Under the terms of the aid, airlines are required to keep employees on the payroll until at least October. After that, executives predict up to one-third of the sector's job could disappear.
"We have a lot of cash today, but we burned through about almost a billion dollars in the month of April as an example," Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly told CNN this week.
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Helene Becker, an airline analyst with financial services firm Cowen, said the industry could lose as many as 105,000 jobs out of roughly 750,000 pilots, flight attendants, baggage handlers and mechanics.
U.S. copes with COVID-19 pandemic


upi--2020-05-15--Drug combo may be effective against metastatic bladder cancer

A combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy may slow the progress of metastatic bladder cancer and extend survival , a clinical trial suggests .
Current treatment for advanced bladder cancer is chemotherapy , but adding the immunotherapy drug atezolizumab , or Tecentriq , appears to help more patients fight this disease .
It strikes 81,000 Americans a year and kills 18,000 .
`` This is the first study that 's been reported combining chemotherapy and immunotherapy for metastatic bladder cancer , and showing that there 's a significant delay in the time that cancer grows and spreads with the combination approach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using by itself for many years , '' said lead researcher Dr. Matthew Galsky .
He 's a professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City .
`` Whether or not this regimen leads to patients living longer , we 'll have to wait for the final results of this study .
And if that is the case , then this would represent a new treatment standard , '' he said .
Michael Morigi , 59 , of Staten Island , N.Y. , is a participant in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug makers F. Hoffmann-La Roche and Genentech .
Morigi receives immunotherapy treatment once a month .
`` I 'm responding to it , amazingly , no side effects , '' he said .
The trial is just his latest chapter in his long-running battle with cancer , including kidney and bladder cancer .
He 's been fortunate , Morigi said .
`` According to the American Cancer Society , I was only supposed to live five years , '' Morigi said .
`` But I 'm going roughly 11 years , and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
His advice to other patients : Learn as much as you can about your cancer and treatment options , and seek out second and third opinions , because treatment varies according to the hospitals and doctors a patient chooses .
Then , try to maintain a positive outlook , he added .
`` I 'm not saying I 'm Superman , because I 'm not , believe me , '' Morigi said .
`` I cried plenty of nights , and I was scared to death plenty at night .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you got to try your best to stay strong mentally . ''
Chemo is designed to kill dividing cancer cells .
Immunotherapy aims to unmask their natural camouflage , making cancer cells visible to the immune system so it can mount a counterattack .
But both approaches have drawbacks : Some patients do n't respond to one or both , Galsky said .
Because it 's not yet possible to tell which patients will respond to which treatment , a combination approach is more likely to succeed , he noted .
Atezolizumab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cancers , such as lung , breast and some bladder cancers .
As with any new cancer drug , it 's costly : about $ 12,500 a month .
As long as it 's used within guidelines from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration , however , it 's covered by insurance , Galsky said .
For the phase 3 trial , more than 1,200 patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups .
One received chemotherapy and atezolizumab another was treated with only atezolizumab and the third group got chemotherapy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had the combo treatment survived a median of 16 months -- meaning half lived longer , half for a shorter time , the trial found .
Median survival for chemo-only patients was 13 months .
Those on the combo treatment had no disease progression for a median 8 months , compared to 6 months for chemo patients .
While combo therapy reduced the risk of death 17 percent to 18 percent during follow-up versus chemo alone , the results are preliminary , Galsky said .
`` This did not yet reach statistical significance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confident that this is a true result versus something that would occur at random , '' he said .
`` The trial is proceeding to the final analysis for overall survival , which will be some point in the future . ''
Thirty-four percent of the combo group left the trial due to side effects as did 6 percent of those on atezolizumab and 34 percent of those on chemo alone .
Side effects from atezolizumab can include fatigue , diarrhea , nausea , vomiting , colitis and urinary tract or other infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professor of genitourinary oncology at Barts Cancer Center in London , co-authored an editorial that accompanied the findings , which were published online May 14 in The Lancet .
`` It 's a big step in the right direction , because it has achieved one of its goals , which is delayed times for the cancer to grow , '' Powles said .
But , he added , `` that 's not yet translated into overall survival .
And only when it does translate to overall survival should we really be recommending this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bladder cancer from the American Cancer Society .

A combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy may slow the progress of metastatic bladder cancer and extend survival, a clinical trial suggests.
Current treatment for advanced bladder cancer is chemotherapy, but adding the immunotherapy drug atezolizumab, or Tecentriq, appears to help more patients fight this disease. It strikes 81,000 Americans a year and kills 18,000.
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"This is the first study that's been reported combining chemotherapy and immunotherapy for metastatic bladder cancer, and showing that there's a significant delay in the time that cancer grows and spreads with the combination approach versus the chemotherapy that we've been using by itself for many years," said lead researcher Dr. Matthew Galsky. He's a professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.
"Whether or not this regimen leads to patients living longer, we'll have to wait for the final results of this study. And if that is the case, then this would represent a new treatment standard," he said.
Advertisement
Michael Morigi, 59, of Staten Island, N.Y., is a participant in the trial, which was funded by drug makers F. Hoffmann-La Roche and Genentech. Morigi receives immunotherapy treatment once a month.
"I'm responding to it, amazingly, no side effects," he said.
The trial is just his latest chapter in his long-running battle with cancer, including kidney and bladder cancer. He's been fortunate, Morigi said.
"According to the American Cancer Society, I was only supposed to live five years," Morigi said. "But I'm going roughly 11 years, and I do basically everything that everybody else does."
His advice to other patients: Learn as much as you can about your cancer and treatment options, and seek out second and third opinions, because treatment varies according to the hospitals and doctors a patient chooses. Then, try to maintain a positive outlook, he added.
"I'm not saying I'm Superman, because I'm not, believe me," Morigi said. "I cried plenty of nights, and I was scared to death plenty at night. I would tell them, it's hard, you got to try your best to stay strong mentally."
Advertisement
Chemo is designed to kill dividing cancer cells. Immunotherapy aims to unmask their natural camouflage, making cancer cells visible to the immune system so it can mount a counterattack.
But both approaches have drawbacks: Some patients don't respond to one or both, Galsky said. Because it's not yet possible to tell which patients will respond to which treatment, a combination approach is more likely to succeed, he noted.
Atezolizumab is already being used to treat other cancers, such as lung, breast and some bladder cancers. As with any new cancer drug, it's costly: about $12,500 a month. As long as it's used within guidelines from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, however, it's covered by insurance, Galsky said.
For the phase 3 trial, more than 1,200 patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups. One received chemotherapy and atezolizumab another was treated with only atezolizumab and the third group got chemotherapy and a placebo.
Overall, patients who had the combo treatment survived a median of 16 months -- meaning half lived longer, half for a shorter time, the trial found. Median survival for chemo-only patients was 13 months.
Those on the combo treatment had no disease progression for a median 8 months, compared to 6 months for chemo patients.
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While combo therapy reduced the risk of death 17 percent to 18 percent during follow-up versus chemo alone, the results are preliminary, Galsky said.
"This did not yet reach statistical significance, and we can't be totally confident that this is a true result versus something that would occur at random," he said. "The trial is proceeding to the final analysis for overall survival, which will be some point in the future."
Thirty-four percent of the combo group left the trial due to side effects as did 6 percent of those on atezolizumab and 34 percent of those on chemo alone. Side effects from atezolizumab can include fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, colitis and urinary tract or other infection.
Dr. Thomas Powles, a clinical professor of genitourinary oncology at Barts Cancer Center in London, co-authored an editorial that accompanied the findings, which were published online May 14 in The Lancet.
"It's a big step in the right direction, because it has achieved one of its goals, which is delayed times for the cancer to grow," Powles said.
But, he added, "that's not yet translated into overall survival. And only when it does translate to overall survival should we really be recommending this for patients."
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More information
Learn more about bladder cancer from the American Cancer Society.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-05-15--N.Y.'s lockdown extended to June 13; N.J., Delaware to open beaches

May 15 ( UPI ) -- In an executive order signed Thursday night , New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo extended the statewide stay-at-home order to June 13 for most regions as the governors of New Jersey and Delaware plan to open their beaches ahead of Memorial Day weekend .
The order was issued as New York 's lockdown put in place in March to curb coronavirus infections was set to expire on Friday .
In a tweet , he said five regions including Central New York had hit health benchmarks and were ready to begin phase one of reopening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state will be `` un-paused '' when they do the same .
`` New Yorkers , be proud , '' he tweeted .
`` Your actions bent the curve . ''
Other regions may also reopen prior to the Executive Order expiring mid-June if they hit all seven of the metrics mandated by the state , he said .
News of the executive order came hours after he announced Central New York joined North Country , Finger Lakes , Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley Region in hitting the reopening requirements .
`` All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direction and now the question becomes focused on reopening -- people have to get back to work and the state needs an economy -- but we have to make sure we do n't reopen too soon , '' Cuomo said in a statement .
`` We are doing this in a calibrated way and monitoring the data , facts and metrics every single day and using the lessons we 've learned from others who have already gone through this . ''
Cuomo had announced the other regions had qualified for reopening on Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the metrics include recording a 14-day decline in both net hospitalizations and hospital deaths and a 30 percent share of both total hospital beds and intensive care unit beds available , among other metrics .
Nationwide , New York has the highest number of confirmed cases with more than 340,000 and more than 27,000 deaths .
Meanwhile , Delaware Gov .
John Carney announced Thursday lockdown restrictions on beaches and community pools will be lifted the evening of May 22 with social distancing guidelines still in place .
From Friday , ice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business , the Democratic governor said .
`` Summer at the beach and the pool is a huge part of life for so many Delawareans , '' he said in a statement .
`` As we ease our way into a new normal , we 're trying to find ways for Delawareans to enjoy the outdoors and the company of their families . ''
For out-of-state beachgoers , the mandatory 14-day quarantine period will still be active , he said , adding , residents must maintain at least 6 feet distance from others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the boardwalk and they are encouraged at the beach .
According to the Delaware Divison of Public Health , the state has recorded more than 7,200 cases of COVID-19 and 260 deaths .
In New Jersey , Gov .
Phil Murphy signed an Executive Order reopening beaches , boardwalks , lakes and lakeshores for Friday of the Memorial Day weekend .
`` Memorial Day weekend is still more than a week away , but the data tells us we can make this announcement now , '' he said during a press conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and physical interactions are to be limited , the governor 's office said in a statement .
With more than 140,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 , New Jersey is the second hardest-hit state in the country .

A man wears a plastic face guard and protective face mask as he walks on the street near Lincoln Center which remains closed due to the pandemic in New York City on Wednesday. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
May 15 (UPI) -- In an executive order signed Thursday night, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo extended the statewide stay-at-home order to June 13 for most regions as the governors of New Jersey and Delaware plan to open their beaches ahead of Memorial Day weekend. The order was issued as New York's lockdown put in place in March to curb coronavirus infections was set to expire on Friday. Advertisement
In a tweet, he said five regions including Central New York had hit health benchmarks and were ready to begin phase one of reopening from Friday while the rest of the state will be "un-paused" when they do the same.
"New Yorkers, be proud," he tweeted. "Your actions bent the curve."
The Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, Mohawk Valley, the North Country, and Central NY are ready to begin Phase 1 of reopening tomorrow. Advertisement The others can be UN-PAUSED the moment they hit their benchmarks. New Yorkers be proud. Your actions bent the curve. pic.twitter.com/zSJ5YpyTGY— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) May 15, 2020
Other regions may also reopen prior to the Executive Order expiring mid-June if they hit all seven of the metrics mandated by the state, he said.
News of the executive order came hours after he announced Central New York joined North Country, Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley Region in hitting the reopening requirements.
"All the arrows are pointed in the right direction and now the question becomes focused on reopening -- people have to get back to work and the state needs an economy -- but we have to make sure we don't reopen too soon," Cuomo said in a statement. "We are doing this in a calibrated way and monitoring the data, facts and metrics every single day and using the lessons we've learned from others who have already gone through this."
Cuomo had announced the other regions had qualified for reopening on Wednesday.
According to the government's website, the metrics include recording a 14-day decline in both net hospitalizations and hospital deaths and a 30 percent share of both total hospital beds and intensive care unit beds available, among other metrics.
Advertisement
Nationwide, New York has the highest number of confirmed cases with more than 340,000 and more than 27,000 deaths.
Meanwhile, Delaware Gov. John Carney announced Thursday lockdown restrictions on beaches and community pools will be lifted the evening of May 22 with social distancing guidelines still in place.
From Friday, ice cream shops and trucks may reopen for business, the Democratic governor said.
"Summer at the beach and the pool is a huge part of life for so many Delawareans," he said in a statement. "As we ease our way into a new normal, we're trying to find ways for Delawareans to enjoy the outdoors and the company of their families."
For out-of-state beachgoers, the mandatory 14-day quarantine period will still be active, he said, adding, residents must maintain at least 6 feet distance from others outdoors and face coverings must be worn on the boardwalk and they are encouraged at the beach.
According to the Delaware Divison of Public Health, the state has recorded more than 7,200 cases of COVID-19 and 260 deaths.
In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy signed an Executive Order reopening beaches, boardwalks, lakes and lakeshores for Friday of the Memorial Day weekend.
Advertisement
"Memorial Day weekend is still more than a week away, but the data tells us we can make this announcement now," he said during a press conference.
Social distancing will still be required and physical interactions are to be limited, the governor's office said in a statement.
With more than 140,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, New Jersey is the second hardest-hit state in the country.
COVID-19 pandemic alters life in New York City


upi--2020-05-15--UPI News Quiz: 'Hamilton,' pandemic, grocery prices

U.S. News // 6 hours ago
Search for victims of Maui wildfire ongoing as death toll climbs to 101
Aug. 15 (UPI) -- The death toll from the Maui wildfires has risen to 101, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said Tuesday night, as he announced plans to reopen the Lahaina Bypass for several hours a day to "reunite the pieces of Maui."


upi--2020-05-15--Kyle MacLachlan: Ailing Al Capone 'was difficult to watch'

LOS ANGELES , May 15 ( UPI ) -- Al Capone was a leader in organized crime , who ultimately went to prison for tax evasion .
Capone , now available on video-on-demand , depicts the final year of his life .
Kyle MacLachlan plays Capone 's ( Tom Hardy ) doctor and said he could feel empathy for Capone in this state .
Only 47 , Capone suffers from dementia , is unable to control his bodily functions and speaks in a ravaged vocal growl .
Hardy portrayed the ailing Capone so intensely that MacLachlan found their scenes together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It was difficult just to watch , to be in there , to watch this character go through this experience , '' MacLachlan told UPI in a recent phone interview .
`` The doctor has a lot of empathy for the character just because he 's suffering as a human . ''
It was n't quite enough to make MacLachlan empathize with the gangster .
He could appreciate a human being suffering , though .
`` You felt for what he was struggling with , '' MacLachlan said .
`` No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Capone is writer/director Josh Trank 's first film since his ill-fated Fantastic Four movie in 2015 .
MacLachlan said Trank asked him to play Capone 's doctor because he was a fan of the actor 's work .
`` [ Trank ] said he was a fan of my work with David Lynch , '' MacLachlan said .
`` I think there was an appreciation for that and some of the characters that I 've done with David . ''
MacLachlan 's first movie was Lynch 's adaptation of Frank Herbert 's Dune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Velvet , which stands out for MacLachlan to this day .
`` The experience working in Blue Velvet was really , for me , not only an extraordinary working situation , but the film turned out to be so special , '' MacLachlan said .
Lynch called his Dune a `` total failure '' because producer Dino De Laurentiis and the studio took over the film .
Denis Villeneuve will have another chance to tell Herbert 's story .
The first of his proposed two-part Dune film is scheduled for release Dec. 18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see another adaptation .
`` I was a fan of the books when I was a young man , '' MacLachlan said .
`` They are so rich and full of stories .
I 'm looking forward to seeing what Denis does . ''
Timothee Chalamet will play the role of Paul Atreides , whom MacLachlan played in Lynch 's film .
`` I think Timothee is such an amazing actor , '' MacLachlan said .
`` I 'm sure it 's going to be a terrific ride .
Capone 's release follows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Carol 's Second Act .
He played a doctor at a hospital where Carol ( Patricia Heaton ) interned at the start of her medical career .
MacLachlan said he will miss his co-stars the most .
He connected with them via Zoom once CBS made the decision to cancel it .
`` They become like family , '' MacLachlan said .
`` That 's the most difficult part , I think . ''
MacLachlan had hoped for a second season , with Kelsey Grammer joining the cast .
Grammer guest-starred on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ series finale .
`` I was really looking forward to working with him , '' MacLachlan said .
`` His ability to work in that half-hour world , he 's one of the best . ''
MacLachlan will be on television again soon in the historical drama , Atlantic Crossing .
He plays Franklin Delano Roosevelt in a World War II story from the perspective of Crown Princess Martha ( Sofia Helin ) .
He also played Thomas Edison in the film Tesla , which premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ research , MacLachlan said .
Although Capone had a doctor by his side at the end of his life , Trank 's script departed from historical fact .
MacLachlan said FDR `` required a lot of research '' as did the role of Edison .
`` I feel like I 'm in the middle of a historical resurgence here , '' MacLachlan said .
In between MacLachlan 's work with David Lynch and his current and upcoming historical roles were some pivotal TV appearances .
On Desperate Housewives , he played Bree Van @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second husband after her first was murdered .
`` I 'm in touch with Marcia Cross a little bit , but I have n't really had much contact with the guys since then , '' MacLachlan said .
Sex and the City still plays in repeats , and is available to stream on Amazon Prime , HBO and DirecTV .
MacLachlan played Charlotte ( Kristin Davis ) 's fiance and short-lived husband Trey MacDougal .
`` In New York , it 's still such a popular show , '' MacLachlan said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
I 'll see [ Mr. Big actor ] Chris Noth occasionally . ''
MacLachlan reunited with David Lynch when Lynch revived his TV series , Twin Peaks , on Showtime .
MacLachlan not only reprised his original role of Agent Cooper , but Lynch invented the new character Dougie .
Dougie was a duplicate of Cooper , so retained MacLachlan 's appearance .
However , Dougie could barely speak , dressed in oversized clothes , and acted childish .
`` I do n't think , if it were anyone else but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had the opportunity to do something like that , '' MacLachlan said .

Kyle MacLachlan follows "Capone" with roles as FDR and Thomas Edison. Photo courtesy of Vertical Entertainment
LOS ANGELES, May 15 (UPI) -- Al Capone was a leader in organized crime who ultimately went to prison for tax evasion. Capone, now available on video-on-demand, depicts the final year of his life. Kyle MacLachlan plays Capone's (Tom Hardy) doctor and said he could feel empathy for Capone in this state. Advertisement
Only 47, Capone suffers from dementia, is unable to control his bodily functions and speaks in a ravaged growl. Hardy portrayed the ailing Capone so intensely that MacLachlan found their scenes together uncomfortable, but productive for the film.
"It was difficult just to watch, to be in there, to watch this character go through this experience," MacLachlan told UPI in a recent phone interview. "The doctor has a lot of empathy for the character just because he's suffering as a human."
It wasn't quite enough to make MacLachlan empathize with the gangster. He could appreciate a human being suffering, though.
Advertisement
"You felt for what he was struggling with," MacLachlan said. "No one likes to see that."
Capone is writer/director Josh Trank's first film since his ill-fated Fantastic Four in 2015. MacLachlan said Trank asked him to play Capone's doctor because he was a fan of the actor's work.
"[Trank] said he was a fan of my work with David Lynch," MacLachlan said. "I think there was an appreciation for that and some of the characters that I've done with David."
MacLachlan's first movie was Lynch's adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune. His second was Lynch's Blue Velvet, which stands out for MacLachlan to this day.
"The experience working in Blue Velvet was really, for me, not only an extraordinary working situation, but the film turned out to be so special," MacLachlan said.
Lynch called his Dune a "total failure" because producer Dino De Laurentiis and the studio took over the film. Denis Villeneuve will have another chance to tell Herbert's story. The first of his proposed two-part Dune film is scheduled for release Dec. 18, and MacLachlan can't wait to see another adaptation.
"I was a fan of the books when I was a young man," MacLachlan said. "They are so rich and full of stories. I'm looking forward to seeing what Denis does."
Advertisement
Timothee Chalamet will play the role of Paul Atreides, whom MacLachlan played in Lynch's film.
"Timothee is such an amazing actor," MacLachlan said. "I'm sure it's going to be a terrific ride.
Hello to Thomas Edison, FDR
Capone's release follows the end of MacLachlan's CBS sitcom, Carol's Second Act. He played a doctor at a hospital where Carol (Patricia Heaton) interned at the start of her medical career. MacLachlan said he will miss his co-stars the most. He connected with them via Zoom once CBS made the decision to cancel it.
"They become like family," MacLachlan said. "That's the most difficult part, I think."
MacLachlan had hoped for a second season, with Kelsey Grammer joining the cast. Grammer guest-starred on the season finale, which became the series finale.
"I was really looking forward to working with him," MacLachlan said. "His ability to work in that half-hour world, he's one of the best."
MacLachlan will be on television again soon in the historical drama Atlantic Crossing. He plays Franklin Delano Roosevelt in a World War II story from the perspective of Crown Princess Martha (Sofia Helin). He also played Thomas Edison in the film Tesla, which premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.
Advertisement
Capone's physician did not require historical research, MacLachlan said. Although Capone had a doctor by his side at the end of his life, Trank's script departed from historical fact. MacLachlan said FDR "required a lot of research" as did the role of Edison.
"I feel like I'm in the middle of a historical resurgence here," MacLachlan said.
Classic TV roles
Between MacLachlan's work with David Lynch and his current and upcoming historical roles were some pivotal TV appearances. On Desperate Housewives, he played Bree Van De Kamp (Marcia Cross's) second husband after her first was murdered.
Sex and the City still plays in repeats and is available to stream on Amazon Prime, HBO and DirecTV. MacLachlan played Charlotte (Kristin Davis') fiance and short-lived husband Trey MacDougal.
"In New York, it's still such a popular show," MacLachlan said. "People love referring to it and remember it. I'll see [Mr. Big actor] Chris Noth occasionally."
MacLachlan reunited with Lynch when Lynch revived his TV series, Twin Peaks, on Showtime. MacLachlan not only reprised his original role of Agent Cooper, but Lynch invented the new character Dougie.
Dougie was a duplicate of Cooper, so retained MacLachlan's appearance. However, Dougie could barely speak, dressed in oversize clothes, and acted childish.
Advertisement
"I don't think, if it were anyone else but David Lynch, that I would have had the opportunity to do something like that," MacLachlan said.