upi--2020-05-29--Quest for COVID-19 vaccines: Where they stand

May 29 ( UPI ) -- As the worldwide death toll from the novel coronavirus continues to rise , scientists across the globe are racing to find a vaccine .
It often takes years to secure funding , research and develop a vaccine candidate , test it on humans and get regulatory approval .
And that 's all before pharmaceutical companies can begin the task of actually manufacturing millions of doses for distribution .
A New York Times analysis indicates that under a normal timeline , a COVID-19 vaccine would n't be ready for distribution until May 2036 .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to a Johns Hopkins University tracker , and the global economy struggling under mitigation efforts , world leaders are eager to speed up the process .
U.S. President Donald Trump in May announced Operation Warp Speed , an effort to shorten the time frame in which a vaccine goes from concept to distribution .
He 's called for a vaccine to be available for use within about 18 months , a goal some experts warn is too optimistic .
With more than 100 vaccine trials underway , scientists are hoping at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough to hit that 18-month goal .
Here are a handful of the more notable research efforts underway : Pfizer partnered with German company BioNTech in early May to administer a vaccine candidate known as BNT162 on human test subjects .
Tests were carried out at New York University , the University of Maryland and Cincinnati Children 's Hospital as part of a Phase I/II clinical trial .
The initial trial is designed to determine the safety , immunogenicity and optimal dose level of four versions of Pfizer 's vaccine candidate , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the body to produce antibodies that fight the coronavirus .
The companies have yet to report results .
They aid they 're preparing a large-scale rollout that will produce millions of vaccine doses this year and hundreds of millions next year .
This Ad5-nCoV vaccine candidate produced in China was the first to be tested in humans -- a study of which found that it appears to be safe and able to generate an immune response against COVID-19 .
It uses a weakened common cold virus , adenovirus , which infects human cells @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to deliver genetic material that codes for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to the cells .
They then produce the spike protein and allow the immune system to create antibodies to fight the coronavirus .
A study , released May 22 , found that low , medium and high doses of the vaccine produced some level of both COVID-19 antibodies and T-cell response .
The vaccine will need to pass through Phase II and Phase III clinical trials in humans with similar positive results before widespread use .
Moderna said on May 18 that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible vaccine indicated a `` potential to prevent '' COVID-19 .
The vaccine succeeded in producing antibodies to attack the virus in all 45 test subjects in quantities `` of the magnitude caused by natural infection . ''
Moderna is conducting the trial in partnership with the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health .
U.S. regulators cleared mRNA-1273 for a second phase earlier this month , which officials said should begin `` shortly . ''
Moderna 's Phase I results announcements caused stocks to soar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ markets .
Oxford Vaccine Group and the Jenner Institute have entered Phase I/II human trials for their potential vaccine AZD1222 .
Researchers are enrolling volunteers to test the vaccine , which is made from a weakened version of the adenovirus .
In May , Oxford announced it received more than $ 1 billion from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority , a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services .
The British government has also supplied $ 79 million for the AstraZeneca/Oxford collaboration .
AstraZeneca plans at least 400 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capacity for 1 billion doses with first deliveries set for September .
Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech began Phase II clinical trials of its CoronaVac vaccine candidate in May .
The study is evaluating the immunogenicity and safety of the potential vaccine in a larger population .
In preclinical studies in macaque monkeys , the inactivated vaccine proved to be safe and provide immunity .
The company is constructing its own production plant to manufacture up to 100 million doses of the vaccine each year .
Sinovac received $ 15 million on May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In late March , Johnson & Johnson said it identified a lead candidate for development for a vaccine and planned to start human testing in September .
The company also identified two backup options .
It plans to use funding from the federal Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to scale up manufacturing with the goal of producing more than 1 billion doses .
Johnson & Johnson plans to collaborate with Emergent BioSolution to manufacture the vaccine .
French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline partnered together in April to create an adjuvanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requires a smaller amount of vaccine protein per dose , allowing more doses to be produced more quickly .
Sanofi paired its S-protein COVID-19 antigen -- based on recombinant DNA technology -- with GSK 's adjuvant technology to create the vaccine candidate .
This vaccine is in the pre-clinical phase , but GSK announced May 28 that it plans to make 1 billion doses of a vaccine adjuvant system through 2021 .
This vaccine candidate , now in pre-clinical studies , is being designed and engineered by International AIDS Vaccine Initiative scientists .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It uses the same recombinant viral vectoring , or rVSV , technology as Merck 's successful Ebola Zaire virus vaccine , Ervebo .
Merck is also working on two other vaccines -- one with biotechnology company Themis and another with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics .
U.S. biotechnology company Novavax said Monday it 's entered clinical trials for a potential vaccine called NVX‑CoV2373 .
Researchers began a combined Phase I/II preliminary immunogenicity and safety trial .
Novavax said NVX‑CoV2373 demonstrated `` high immunogenicity and high levels of neutralizing antibodies '' during pre-clinical tests and showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effective in fighting COVID‑19 in humans .

The research and testing that goes into creating a new vaccine normally takes years, a process world leaders are hoping can be safely and effectively shortened to 18 months or less. File Photo by John Keith/Wikimedia Commons
May 29 (UPI) -- As the worldwide death toll from the novel coronavirus continues to rise, scientists across the globe have spent the year racing to find a vaccine. It often takes years to secure funding, research and develop a vaccine candidate, test it on humans and get regulatory approval. And that's all before pharmaceutical companies can begin the task of actually manufacturing millions of doses for distribution. Advertisement
A New York Times analysis indicates that under a normal timeline, a COVID-19 vaccine wouldn't be ready for distribution until May 2036.
But with the number of dead growing worldwide, and the global economy struggling under mitigation efforts, world leaders have been eager to speed up the process.
U.S. President Donald Trump in May announced Operation Warp Speed, an effort to shorten the time frame in which a vaccine goes from concept to distribution. He'd called for a vaccine to be available for use within about 18 months, a goal some experts warned was too optimistic.
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More than 100 vaccine trials are ongoing, but scientists have hit that 18-month goal early -- one vaccine, from Moderna, was approved in early December by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is now being distributed.
Here are a handful of the more notable research efforts underway:
BioNTech and Pfizer
Pfizer partnered with German company BioNTech in early May to administer a vaccine candidate known as BNT162 on human test subjects. Tests were carried out at New York University, the University of Maryland and Cincinnati Children's Hospital as part of a Phase I/II clinical trial.
The initial trial is designed to determine the safety, immunogenicity and optimal dose level of four versions of Pfizer's vaccine candidate, which uses "messenger DNA" to spur the body to produce antibodies that fight the coronavirus.
All 24 participants in an early trial of the vaccine candidate generated antibodies against the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, the companies reported on July 1. The level of antibodies needed to provide immunity will be determined in a larger safety and efficacy trial scheduled to start this month.
They company also said they're preparing a large-scale rollout that will produce millions of vaccine doses this year and hundreds of millions next year.
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The companies said on July 20 that one of four vaccine candidates they are testing, BNT162b1, produced "robust" T cell and antibody responses in patients participating in the study.
On Nov. 9, the two companies announced that a stage 3 trial showed their vaccine can block infection with the coronavirus. Just 10% of the 100 participants who tested positive for COVID-19 had received the vaccine rather than a placebo, the trial results showed.
The companies said an interim analysis of the trial data shows the two-dose vaccine provides protection beginning seven days after the second dose and 28 days after the first dose. They will now seek an emergency use authorization from the FDA once "the required safety milestone is achieved" -- which may happen before the end of November.
Pfizer officially requested an emergency use authorization from the FDA on Nov. 20, which the company said could allow it to start shipping its vaccine to high-risk groups by the middle of December.
The British government on Wednesday became the first Western nation to approve a COVID-19 vaccine, with Pfizer receiving the approval and officials expecting it to become available as soon as next week.
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Pfizer's vaccine was approved by the U.S. government on Dec. 11 and distributed across the country over the weekend, with the first shots given to front-line health workers on Dec. 14.
Moderna and NIAID
Moderna said on May 18 that a Phase I trial of its mRNa-1273 possible vaccine indicated a "potential to prevent" COVID-19. The vaccine succeeded in producing antibodies to attack the virus in all 45 test subjects in quantities "of the magnitude caused by natural infection."
It announced on June 11 that it plans to enter its third and final clinical stage of testing in July using 30,000 participants.
Moderna is conducting the trial in partnership with the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. The company said it plans to deliver between 500 million and 1 billion doses per year starting in 2021 in collaboration with drugmaker Lonza.
Moderna's Phase I results announcements caused stocks to soar after a tumultuous two months in the markets.
On July 15, Moderna announced the Phase 1 trial saw a "rapid and strong" immune response against COVID-19, and that the vaccine was "generally safe and well-tolerated" among the 45 study participants.
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Moderna announced on July 27 that it started a 30,000 patient Phase 3 trial for it's vaccine candidate, with the first study participants already having been dosed. The primary endpoint for this trial, titled COVE, is prevention of COVID-19.
An update on data from the Phase I trial on Aug. 25 showed older adults that received the vaccine displayed higher levels of COVID-19 antibodies than patients who had recovered from it.
Moderna on Nov. 16 published an interim analysis of data in its Phase III trail showing its COVID-19 vaccine candidate is 94.5% effective at preventing infection. No serious side effects have been detected in study participants.
The company's CEO said it will pursue an emergency use authorization from the FDA later this month once it has finished compiling safety data on the vaccine.
On Nov. 30, Moderna said it would be applying to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for an emergency use authorization after further trial data showed the company's vaccine is 94% effective.
With an expected FDA approval, the vaccine could become available within weeks, officials said.
The FDA on Dec. 15 said in a 45-page report that Moderna's vaccine is safe and effective enough for use. The agency's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee meets this week to consider approval of an emergency use authorization for the vaccine.
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Oxford University and AstraZeneca
Oxford Vaccine Group and the Jenner Institute have entered Phase I/II human trials for their potential vaccine AZD1222. Researchers are enrolling volunteers to test the vaccine, which is made from a weakened version of the adenovirus.
In May, Oxford announced it received more than $1 billion from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The British government has also supplied $79 million for the AstraZeneca/Oxford collaboration.
AstraZeneca plans at least 400 million doses and has lined up manufacturing capacity for 1 billion doses with first deliveries set for September.
Oxford and AstraZenaca on July 20 announced that their vaccine candidate, also referred to as ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, induced an immune response in 91 percent of study participants within 28 days of receiving a shot.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Aug. 19 announced a deal with AstraZeneca to provide enough doses for every person in Australia to receive one, should the vaccine be approved.
AstraZeneca on Sept. 1 announced it was starting a Phase III trial in the United States, with the goal of enrolling up to 30,000 adults in order to assess safety, efficacy and immunogenicity of AZD1222. The company also has separate late-stage trials ongoing in Britain, Brazil and South Africa, with trials planned for Japan and Russia, which will bring the total number of participants to 50,000, officials said.
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Global trials of the vaccine candidate were paused on Sept. 9 after an unexplained illness in a participant. The company said an independent review of the illness was being conducted, and Matt Hancock, Britain's health secretary, said the concern should not yet be considered a setback.
The company said on Nov. 5 that late-stage trial results are expected for its vaccine before the end of 2020, raising hopes that the vaccine could be available by the end of the year or early 2021.
AstraZeneca on Nov. 23 announced its vaccine has 70% efficacy, based on an interim analysis of clinical trial data. The company said it has tried a number of dosing regimens, including one that reaches 90% efficacy within one month of vaccination.
The company is currently preparing to submit for regulatory approval and emergency approval from the WHO, with a full analysis of the interim trial data also being submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.
Imperial College and British government
British researchers announced June 16 plans to start Phase II human trials for a potential vaccine. Three-hundred healthy participants will receive two doses of the vaccine candidate.
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The candidate uses synthetic strands of genetic code called RNA. This genetic material will self-replicate once injected into the test subject, and will instruct the body's cells to create copies of the virus' spiky protein.
If the Phase II trial is successful, researchers will be move on to Phase III involving 6,000 test subjects.
Imperial College London's research is funded by $50 million from the British government.
Johnson & Johnson
In late July, Johnson & Johnson said its lead candidate, Ad26.COV2-S, produced a "robust immune response" in monkeys during trials. The trials in animals came simultaneously while the company tested the experimental vaccine in humans in both single and double doses.
The experimental vaccine is vector-based and uses an Ad26 virus to take the coronavirus spike protein gene to human cells. The cells then use the spike gene to replicate the coronavirus proteins and protect themselves from the virus.
The company said it plans to begin Phase III trials in September. It has also identified two backup options.
It plans to use funding from the federal Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to scale up manufacturing with the goal of producing more than 1 billion doses.
Johnson & Johnson plans to collaborate with Emergent BioSolution to manufacture the vaccine.
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The company said on August 5 that it has come to an agreement with the U.S. government to provide 100 million doses of its vaccine after it is approved on a "not-for-profit basis."
CanSino Biologics and China's Institute of Biotechnology
This Ad5-nCoV vaccine candidate produced in China was the first to be tested in humans -- a study of which found that it appears to be safe and able to generate an immune response against COVID-19.
It uses a weakened common cold virus, adenovirus, which infects human cells but is incapable of causing disease, to deliver genetic material that codes for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to the cells. They then produce the spike protein and allow the immune system to create antibodies to fight the coronavirus.
A study, released May 22, found that low, medium and high doses of the vaccine produced some level of both COVID-19 antibodies and T-cell response.
The vaccine will need to pass through Phase II and Phase III clinical trials in humans with similar positive results before widespread use.
Chinese officials on June 29 approved the vaccine candidate for immediate use by military personnel, though it was unclear how many of the 2.2 million members of China's military would receive it.
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On July 20, results from a Phase II trial showed 95% of patients receiving a higher dose and 91% given a lower dose had immune responses to the vaccine candidate within 28 days of receiving the shot. About 70% of participants in the study reported mild side effects, researchers reported.
Sinopharm and China National Pharmaceutical Group
Sinopharm on Aug. 18 announced it has started international Phase III trials for it's coronavirus vaccine candidate, and plans to enter the screening and approval phase at an accelerated rate.
Phase I and II trials of the potential vaccine showed it is safe and generated an immune response, according to a paper published earlier in August.
Sinopharm said it expects the vaccine to be approved and publicly available by the end of December.
Sinovac Biotech
Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech began Phase II clinical trials of its CoronaVac vaccine candidate in May. The study is evaluating the immunogenicity and safety of the potential vaccine in a larger population.
In preclinical studies in macaque monkeys, the inactivated vaccine proved to be safe and provide immunity.
The company is constructing its own production plant to manufacture up to 100 million doses of the vaccine each year.
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Sinovac received $15 million on May 22 to accelerate the development of CoronaVac.
Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline
French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline partnered together in April to create an adjuvanted vaccine, a type of vaccine that requires a smaller amount of vaccine protein per dose, allowing more doses to be produced more quickly.
Sanofi paired its S-protein COVID-19 antigen -- based on recombinant DNA technology -- with GSK's adjuvant technology to create the vaccine candidate.
This vaccine is in the pre-clinical phase, but GSK announced May 28 that it plans to make 1 billion doses of a vaccine adjuvant system through 2021.
Merck and IAVI
This vaccine candidate, now in pre-clinical studies, is being designed and engineered by International AIDS Vaccine Initiative scientists. Merck will manage its regulatory approval process. It uses the same recombinant viral vectoring, or rVSV, technology as Merck's successful Ebola Zaire virus vaccine, Ervebo.
Merck is also working on two other vaccines -- one with biotechnology company Themis and another with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.
Novavax
Biotechnology company Novavax announced Aug. 4 that a Phase I clinical trial of a potential vaccine called NVX‑CoV2373 generated favorable immune response results. Researchers began a combined Phase I/II preliminary immunogenicity and safety trial.
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The vaccine candidate produced neutralizing antibodies in the subjects at a higher rate than observed in people who have recovered from COVID-19. Novavax said immune response for those who received an adjuvant was also stronger.
On Aug. 17, the company announced it was starting a Phase II trial for it's vaccine candidate in South Africa, where they will enroll 2,600 participants. The company also said it plans to start a 1,500-participant Phase II trial in the United States and Australia "in the near future."
Novavax on Sept. 3 published results from the Phase I trial of its vaccine candidate showing it is safe and well-tolerated by patients. The vaccine produced immune responses greater than that found in convalescent plasma and induced T cell responses in patients during the randomized, placebo-controlled trial, the company reported.
World moves to reopen amid COVID-19 pandemic


upi--2020-05-29--1,000-year-old Viking boat found buried on Norwegian island

May 29 ( UPI ) -- Officials in a Norwegian county announced a 1,000-year-old Viking ship has been found buried @ @ @ @ @ a ship of similar vintage was found six months earlier .
The More and Romsdal @ @ @ @ @ vessel measuring just under 40 feet long was found buried on the island of Edoya @ @ @ @ @ from where a Viking ship from the same time period was found buried in late @ @ @ @ @ located via georadar survey , officials said .
The survey also identified two houses and @ @ @ @ @ This helps strengthen our impression of Edoya as a power center in the Iron Age @ @ @ @ @ county conservator for More and Romsdal , said in a news release .
Ringstad said @ @ @ @ @ was part of a funeral tradition for the wealthiest members of a community .
`` @ @ @ @ @ a boat with them into their tomb , '' he said .

The georadar system pictured here in front of the Edoy Old Church on the island of Edoy, Norway, discovered a 1,000-year-old Viking ship buried on the island. Photo by Manuel Gabler/Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe May 29 (UPI) -- Officials in a Norwegian county announced a 1,000-year-old Viking ship has been found buried on the same island where a ship of similar vintage was found six months earlier. The More and Romsdal County Council said the eight-oared vessel measuring just under 40 feet long was found buried on the island of Edoya, less than 500 feet from where a Viking ship from the same time period was found buried in late 2019. Advertisement
The ship was located via georadar survey, officials said. The survey also identified two houses and five burial mounds.
"This helps strengthen our impression of Edoya as a power center in the Iron Age," Bjorn Ringstad, county conservator for More and Romsdal, said in a news release.
Ringstad said the burying of Viking boats was part of a funeral tradition for the wealthiest members of a community.
"They took a ship or a boat with them into their tomb," he said.


upi--2020-05-29--Solution to century-old math problem may predict infectious disease transmission

May 29 ( UPI ) -- The solution to a century-old math problem could help modelers predict infectious disease transmission without relying on time-intensive computer models .
The solution , discovered by Luca Giuggioli , a senior lecturer in the engineering mathematics department at the University of Bristol , calculates the probability of occupation of a diffusing particle or entity in a confined space at a specific time and space .
Until now , such computational predictions required cumbersome computer models .
`` The diffusion equation models random movement and is one of the fundamental equations of physics , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The analytic solution of the diffusion equation in finite domains , when time and space is continuous , has been known for a long time . ''
`` However , to compare model predictions with empirical observations , one needs to study the diffusion equation in finite space , '' said Giuggioli .
`` Despite the work of illustrious scientists such as Smoluchowski , Pólya , and other investigators of yore , this has remained an outstanding problem for over a century -- until now . ''
Running powerful computer models requires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resources that limits the kinds of problems can be solved .
`` The discovery of this exact analytic solution allows us to tackle problems that were almost impossible in the past , '' said Giuggioli .
In addition to predicting the transmission of infectious disease within a crowd of individuals , the solution could help scientists predict the diffusion of molecules within a cell , the movement of bacteria in a petri dish or the foraging patterns of animals within the limits of their range .
According to Giuggioli , two mathematical concepts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chebyshev polynomials and an analytical method invented to resolve electrostatic problems , what researchers call the method of images .
Giuggioli described his solution and his methodology in a new paper , published this week in the journal Physical Review X .

Illinois National Guard member Hannah Gonder inspects a test swab at a COVID-19 testing site, in East St. Louis on Thursday. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
May 29 (UPI) -- The solution to a century-old math problem could help modelers predict infectious disease transmission without relying on time-intensive computer models. The solution, discovered by Luca Giuggioli, a senior lecturer in the engineering mathematics department at the University of Bristol, calculates the probability of occupation of a diffusing particle or entity in a confined space at a specific time and space. Advertisement
Until now, such computational predictions required cumbersome computer models.
"The diffusion equation models random movement and is one of the fundamental equations of physics," Giuggioli said in a news release. "The analytic solution of the diffusion equation in finite domains, when time and space is continuous, has been known for a long time."
"However, to compare model predictions with empirical observations, one needs to study the diffusion equation in finite space," said Giuggioli. "Despite the work of illustrious scientists such as Smoluchowski, Pólya, and other investigators of yore, this has remained an outstanding problem for over a century -- until now."
Running powerful computer models requires time, energy and money -- finite resources that limits the kinds of problems can be solved.
"The discovery of this exact analytic solution allows us to tackle problems that were almost impossible in the past," said Giuggioli.
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In addition to predicting the transmission of infectious disease within a crowd of individuals, the solution could help scientists predict the diffusion of molecules within a cell, the movement of bacteria in a petri dish or the foraging patterns of animals within the limits of their range.
According to Giuggioli, two mathematical concepts were key to his problem-solving: the Chebyshev polynomials and an analytical method invented to resolve electrostatic problems, what researchers call the method of images.
Giuggioli described his solution and his methodology in a new paper, published this week in the journal Physical Review X.


upi--2020-05-29--Coronavirus stimulus payments mistaken for junk mail; IRS issues clarification

May 29 ( UPI ) -- The U.S. Treasury has alerted taxpayers that some coronavirus stimulus payments are being sent out as a prepaid debit cards in plain white envelopes , following reports of recipients mistaking them for junk mail .
The Internal Revenue Service issued a statement Wednesday clarifying that 4 million taxpayers are receiving delivery of Economic Impact Payments as debit cards rather than as paper checks or direct deposits -- and that they are being sent in plain white envelopes bearing no official U.S. government markings .
`` The debit cards arrive in a plain envelope from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the IRS said .
The agency made the clarification after recipients reported on social media they had mistakenly thrown the cards away as unwanted junk mail .
Zack Stanton , digital editor of the Washington news website Politico , said in a Twitter post he nearly discarded his debit card with $ 2,400 on it .
`` No idea if this is any indication of others ' experiences with their coronavirus stimulus money , but I almost threw mine out with the junk mail , '' he said , adding that his name @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were incorrect .
Lisa Boscala , a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate , warned her Twitter followers , `` IT IS NOT A SCAM !
Pay attention if you get a plain envelope in the mail that 's marked 'Money Network Cardholder Services . '
THIS IS YOUR ECONOMIC IMPACT PAYMENT ! ''

About 4 million Americans are receiving their Economic Impact Payment funds via debit cards sent in plain white envelopes, rather than checks or direct deposits. Some recipients have mistakenly thrown the cards out as junk mail. File photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
May 29 (UPI) -- The U.S. Treasury has alerted taxpayers that some coronavirus stimulus payments are being sent out as a prepaid debit cards in plain white envelopes, following reports of recipients mistaking them for junk mail. The Internal Revenue Service issued a statement Wednesday clarifying that 4 million taxpayers are receiving delivery of Economic Impact Payments as debit cards rather than as paper checks or direct deposits -- and that they are being sent in plain white envelopes bearing no official U.S. government markings. Advertisement
"The debit cards arrive in a plain envelope from 'Money Network Cardholder Services,'" the IRS said.
The agency made the clarification after recipients reported on social media they had mistakenly thrown the cards away as unwanted junk mail.
Zack Stanton, digital editor of the Washington news website Politico, said in a Twitter post he nearly discarded his debit card with $2,400 on it.
"No idea if this is any indication of others' experiences with their coronavirus stimulus money, but I almost threw mine out with the junk mail," he said, adding that his name printed on the envelope and the card were incorrect.
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Lisa Boscala, a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, warned her Twitter followers, "IT IS NOT A SCAM! Pay attention if you get a plain envelope in the mail that's marked 'Money Network Cardholder Services.' THIS IS YOUR ECONOMIC IMPACT PAYMENT!"


upi--2020-05-29--Roger Federer named highest-paid athlete with $106M income

May 29 ( UPI ) -- Roger Federer became the first tennis player in the history to land the top spot in Forbes ' annual rankings of the world 's highest-paid athletes after he earned $ 106.3 million from June 1 , 2019 to June 1 , 2020 .
The 20-time Grand Slam champion earned about $ 100 million from endorsements and appearance fees from 13 partners .
The Swiss tennis star made $ 6.3 million on the tennis court .
Federer , 38 , jumped into the top spot as many other athletes had their salaries slashed due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rival soccer stars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are usually at the top of the list .
Messi was No .
1 with $ 127 million in income in 2019 .
Ronaldo was No .
2 in 2019 with $ 109 million in income .
Federer ranked No .
5 on last year 's list .
Boxer Floyd Mayweather topped the list in 2018 with $ 285 million in income .
Mayweather also topped the list in 2015 ( $ 300M ) , 2014 ( $ 105M ) and 2012 ( $ 85M @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , bonuses , salaries and endorsements in compiling the list .
Forbes also reduced NBA salary numbers by 25 percent , slashed soccer star salaries by 70 percent and gave veteran MLB players $ 286,500 for April and May , based on estimates and league agreements of salary reductions .
The 2020 list includes 35 basketball players , 31 football players , 14 soccer players , six soccer players , five boxers/mixed martial arts athletes , four golfers , three race car drivers , a baseball player and a cricket player .
Ronaldo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with $ 105 million in earnings .
The Juventus star made $ 60 million in salary/winnings and $ 45 million from endorsements .
Messi , 32 , ranks No .
3 with $ 104 million in income .
He made $ 40 million more in salary/winnings than he did in endorsements .
Paris Saint Germain soccer star Neymar is No .
4 , followed by LeBron James , Stephen Curry , Kevin Durant , Tiger Woods , Kirk Cousins and Carson Wentz .
James was the highest-paid NBA star at $ 88.2 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ income .
Cousins was the highest-paid NFL player with $ 58 million in salary from the Minnesota Vikings and $ 2.5 million in endorsements .
Tennis star Naomi Osaka is the highest-paid female athlete on the list .
Osaka , 22 , had an income of $ 37.4 million and was the youngest athlete in the top 35 .
Two women are on the list for the first time since 2016 , with Serena Williams ranked No .
33 .
Los Angeles Dodgers star Clayton Kershaw is the only MLB player on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Kershaw landed at No .
57 with an income of $ 27.3 million .

Switzerland's Roger Federer ranked No. 1 on Forbes' highest-paid athletes list of 2020 after he made $100 million from endorsements and $6.3 million on the tennis court in the last year. Photo by Dave Hunt/EPA-EFE
May 29 (UPI) -- Roger Federer became the first tennis player in the history to land the top spot in Forbes' annual rankings of the world's highest-paid athletes after he earned $106.3 million from June 1, 2019 to June 1, 2020. The 20-time Grand Slam champion earned about $100 million from endorsements and appearance fees from 13 partners. The Swiss tennis star made $6.3 million on the tennis court. Advertisement
Federer, 38, jumped into the top spot as many other athletes had their salaries slashed due to season suspensions from the coronavirus pandemic. Rival soccer stars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are usually at the top of the list. Messi was No. 1 with $127 million in income in 2019. Ronaldo was No. 2 in 2019 with $109 million in income.
Federer ranked No. 5 on last year's list. Boxer Floyd Mayweather topped the list in 2018 with $285 million in income. Mayweather also topped the list in 2015 ($300M), 2014 ($105M) and 2012 ($85M).
Forbes included all prize money, bonuses, salaries and endorsements in compiling the list. Forbes also reduced NBA salary numbers by 25 percent, slashed soccer star salaries by 70 percent and gave veteran MLB players $286,500 for April and May, based on estimates and league agreements of salary reductions.
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The 2020 list includes 35 basketball players, 31 football players, 14 soccer players, six soccer players, five boxers/mixed martial arts athletes, four golfers, three race car drivers, a baseball player and a cricket player.
Ronaldo, 35, ranks No. 2 with $105 million in earnings. The Juventus star made $60 million in salary/winnings and $45 million from endorsements. Messi, 32, ranks No. 3 with $104 million in income. He made $40 million more in salary/winnings than he did in endorsements.
Paris Saint Germain soccer star Neymar is No. 4, followed by LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Tiger Woods, Kirk Cousins and Carson Wentz. James was the highest-paid NBA star at $88.2 million. Woods had a $62.3 million income. Cousins was the highest-paid NFL player with $58 million in salary from the Minnesota Vikings and $2.5 million in endorsements.
Tennis star Naomi Osaka is the highest-paid female athlete on the list. Osaka, 22, had an income of $37.4 million and was the youngest athlete in the top 35. Two women are on the list for the first time since 2016, with Serena Williams ranked No. 33.
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Los Angeles Dodgers star Clayton Kershaw is the only MLB player on the list, due to the salary adjustments. Kershaw landed at No. 57 with an income of $27.3 million.


upi--2020-05-30--Researchers unsure about COVID-19 reinfection

Let 's say you 're one of the more than 1.7 million people in the United States who 've contracted COVID-19 , and you 've been fortunate enough to shake off the virus and recover .
What happens when you encounter the COVID-19 coronavirus again ?
Reinfection is a major concern among public health officials as the nation moves toward reopening the economy .
`` We 'd love to think we 're basically one-and-done with this virus , so that if you 're infected with the virus , you develop antibodies and the next time you encounter the virus it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your body , '' Jeffrey Shaman , director of the Columbia University Climate and Public Health Program , said during a HealthDay Live !
interview .
Researchers wonder whether a recovered COVID-19 patient could contract the virus again and , if so , whether a second round of infection would be milder -- or even more debilitating .
At this point , these are questions `` I need to answer by looking at my crystal ball , '' said Dr. Waleed Javaid , director of infection prevention and control at Mount Sinai Downtown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really reinfection ?
Scattered studies have found the presence of COVID-19 in the bloodstream of people who appeared to have recovered , Shaman said .
But it 's not clear whether this is an actual reinfection or something else .
`` We 've seen this over and over again , where people who we really thought were cleared and had tested negative are testing positive subsequently , '' Shaman said .
`` We have n't found really definitive evidence it is a repeat infection for these individuals . ''
There are a couple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to be ruled out before one can say people are being reinfected with COVID-19 , said Dr. Greg Poland , director of the Vaccine Research Group at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester , Minn .
The virus tests people are using might be picking up on residual genetic material from the defeated coronavirus , rather than actual infection , Poland said .
It also might be that the coronavirus lingers longer in the system than previously known , and later tests detect viral evidence not found right after a person 's recovery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can say that is our knowledge of immunity to COVID-19 is only 18-ish weeks long , '' Poland said .
`` We have no mid- or long-term data .
None . ''
Looking at the six other known coronaviruses for clues about COVID-19 can be frustrating because immune responses vary widely .
The four coronaviruses that cause the common cold can flout your immune system relatively easily .
`` With the four seasonal coronaviruses that circulate most every winter , protection lasts as little as 80 days to as long as a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Poland said .
`` About 90 percent of the population has antibodies for each of those four coronaviruses , but we get them repeatedly , '' Shaman said .
`` We have evidence to show that people get repeat infections by these coronaviruses , which is very concerning .
It means they 're getting them over and over again in spite of some antibodies that have developed . ''
The two pandemic coronaviruses , SARS and MERS , do prompt the creation of antibodies that linger in the bloodstream for two to three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these coronaviruses petered out before researchers could gain a clear understanding of whether the antibodies would protect people against future infections , Poland added .
Studies of COVID-19 survivors have found the presence of neutralizing antibodies in their blood , the kind that would block the virus from infecting human cells .
But it 's not known whether there are enough antibodies created to fend off future coronavirus attacks .
`` Is reinfection likely ?
I think yes , '' Poland said .
`` It is likely to be as severe ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ unless -- and this is the big boogeyman -- the virus mutates .
And it does slowly mutate . ''
A mutated form of the COVID-19 coronavirus would be able to brush past antibodies created to fight off the current strains sweeping the nation .
The good news is that the coronavirus is genetically very unlikely to mutate in the way that the flu does , Javaid said .
The flu virus has broken RNA that promotes rapid mutation , which is why annual flu shots are needed to provide even partial protection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the genetic material is a single strand , '' Javaid said .
`` The ability for the flu virus to mutate is much higher . ''
`` What we do n't know about this specific virus is if it would change enough that we would n't have any protection , '' Javaid said .
`` If it does n't change , we will be protected for the time that our antibodies stay with our bodies .
If it changes substantially , we may be subject to reinfection and severe illness , although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less . ''
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have more about COVID-19 .

A man wears a protective face mask while riding a bicycle on the Upper West Side of Manhattan on Wednesday in New York City as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Let's say you're one of the more than 1.7 million people in the United States who've contracted COVID-19, and you've been fortunate enough to shake off the virus and recover. What happens when you encounter the COVID-19 coronavirus again? Advertisement
Reinfection is a major concern among public health officials as the nation moves toward reopening the economy.
"We'd love to think we're basically one-and-done with this virus, so that if you're infected with the virus, you develop antibodies and the next time you encounter the virus it takes it and it removes it from your body," Jeffrey Shaman, director of the Columbia University Climate and Public Health Program, said during a HealthDay Live! interview.
Researchers wonder whether a recovered COVID-19 patient could contract the virus again and, if so, whether a second round of infection would be milder -- or even more debilitating.
Advertisement
At this point, these are questions "I need to answer by looking at my crystal ball," said Dr. Waleed Javaid, director of infection prevention and control at Mount Sinai Downtown in New York City.
Is it really reinfection?
Scattered studies have found the presence of COVID-19 in the bloodstream of people who appeared to have recovered, Shaman said.
But it's not clear whether this is an actual reinfection or something else.
"We've seen this over and over again, where people who we really thought were cleared and had tested negative are testing positive subsequently," Shaman said. "We haven't found really definitive evidence it is a repeat infection for these individuals."
There are a couple of alternative explanations for these cases that have to be ruled out before one can say people are being reinfected with COVID-19, said Dr. Greg Poland, director of the Vaccine Research Group at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
The virus tests people are using might be picking up on residual genetic material from the defeated coronavirus, rather than actual infection, Poland said.
It also might be that the coronavirus lingers longer in the system than previously known, and later tests detect viral evidence not found right after a person's recovery, he added.
Advertisement
"What we can say that is our knowledge of immunity to COVID-19 is only 18-ish weeks long," Poland said. "We have no mid- or long-term data. None."
Looking at the six other known coronaviruses for clues about COVID-19 can be frustrating because immune responses vary widely.
The four coronaviruses that cause the common cold can flout your immune system relatively easily.
"With the four seasonal coronaviruses that circulate most every winter, protection lasts as little as 80 days to as long as a year or two, maybe three," Poland said.
"About 90 percent of the population has antibodies for each of those four coronaviruses, but we get them repeatedly," Shaman said. "We have evidence to show that people get repeat infections by these coronaviruses, which is very concerning. It means they're getting them over and over again in spite of some antibodies that have developed."
Does mutation matter?
The two pandemic coronaviruses, SARS and MERS, do prompt the creation of antibodies that linger in the bloodstream for two to three years, Poland said.
But both of these coronaviruses petered out before researchers could gain a clear understanding of whether the antibodies would protect people against future infections, Poland added.
Studies of COVID-19 survivors have found the presence of neutralizing antibodies in their blood, the kind that would block the virus from infecting human cells. But it's not known whether there are enough antibodies created to fend off future coronavirus attacks.
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"Is reinfection likely? I think yes," Poland said. "It is likely to be as severe? I'm going to guess no, unless -- and this is the big boogeyman -- the virus mutates. And it does slowly mutate."
A mutated form of the COVID-19 coronavirus would be able to brush past antibodies created to fight off the current strains sweeping the nation.
The good news is that the coronavirus is genetically very unlikely to mutate in the way that the flu does, Javaid said.
The flu virus has broken RNA that promotes rapid mutation, which is why annual flu shots are needed to provide even partial protection, Javaid said.
"For coronavirus, the genetic material is a single strand," Javaid said. "The ability for the flu virus to mutate is much higher."
"What we don't know about this specific virus is if it would change enough that we wouldn't have any protection," Javaid said. "If it doesn't change, we will be protected for the time that our antibodies stay with our bodies. If it changes substantially, we may be subject to reinfection and severe illness, although the likelihood of this scenario is substantially less."
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have more about COVID-19.
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Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-05-30--On This Day, May 30: Mariner 9 launched toward Mars

On this date in history : In 1431 , Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in Rouen , France , at age 19 .
She had been convicted of wearing men 's clothing .
In 1783 , the Pennsylvania Evening Post became the first daily newspaper published in the United States .
In 1806 , future U.S. President Andrew Jackson took part in a duel , killing Charles Dickinson , a Kentucky lawyer who had called Jackson 's wife a bigamist .
In 1868 , the first major Memorial Day observance was held to honor those killed during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known to some as Decoration Day .
In 1911 , Ray Harroun won the first Indianapolis 500 with an average speed of 74.6 mph .
In 1922 , the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated in Washington .
In 1943 , the Aleutian Islands of Kiska and Attu off the Alaskan coast were retaken by U.S. forces after being occupied by Japanese troops .
In 1971 , the unmanned U.S. space probe Mariner 9 was launched on a mission to gather scientific data on Mars .
It was the first spacecraft to orbit a planet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three Japanese terrorists used automatic weapons to kill 24 people at the airport in Tel Aviv , Israel .
In 1998 , Pakistan conducted an underground nuclear test despite condemnation from many countries and the imposition of U.S. economic sanctions .
In 2002 , U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft announced the FBI would have expanded powers to monitor religious , political and other organizations as well as the Internet as a guard against terrorist attacks .
In 2012 , former Liberian President Charles Taylor , convicted of aiding war crimes , was sentenced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 , prosecutors in Cook County , Ill. , filed 11 new charges related to sexual assault against singer R. Kelly .

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Patricia "Patsy" Conklin, an employee in the Bioscience and Planetology Section at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory assembles Mariner 9 photos into large mosaics. On May 30, 1972, the unmanned U.S. space probe Mariner 9 was launched on a mission to gather scientific data on Mars. It was the first spacecraft to orbit a planet other than Earth. File Photo courtesy of NASA | License Photo
On this date in history: In 1431, Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in Rouen, France, at age 19. She had been convicted of wearing men's clothing. Advertisement
In 1783, the Pennsylvania Evening Post became the first daily newspaper published in the United States.
In 1806, future U.S. President Andrew Jackson took part in a duel, killing Charles Dickinson, a Kentucky lawyer who had called Jackson's wife a bigamist.
In 1868, the first major Memorial Day observance was held to honor those killed during the Civil War. It was originally known to some as Decoration Day.
Photo by Tasos Katopodis/UPI
In 1911, Ray Harroun won the first Indianapolis 500 with an average speed of 74.6 mph.
In 1922, the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated in Washington.
In 1943, the Aleutian Islands of Kiska and Attu off the Alaskan coast were retaken by U.S. forces after being occupied by Japanese troops.
In 1971, the unmanned U.S. space probe Mariner 9 was launched on a mission to gather scientific data on Mars. It was the first spacecraft to orbit a planet other than Earth.
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In 1972, three Japanese terrorists used automatic weapons to kill 24 people at the airport in Tel Aviv, Israel.
In 1998, Pakistan conducted an underground nuclear test despite condemnation from many countries and the imposition of U.S. economic sanctions.
In 2002, U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft announced the FBI would have expanded powers to monitor religious, political and other organizations as well as the Internet as a guard against terrorist attacks.
File Photo by Michael Kleinfeld/UPI
In 2012, former Liberian President Charles Taylor, convicted of aiding war crimes, was sentenced to 50 years in prison.
In 2019, prosecutors in Cook County, Ill., filed 11 new charges related to sexual assault against singer R. Kelly.


upi--2020-05-30--NASA, SpaceX expect to battle storms again for Saturday launch

ORLANDO , Fla. , May 30 ( UPI ) -- NASA and SpaceX will battle storm clouds again in Florida on Saturday during a second attempt in four days to launch astronauts to the International Space Station .
Elon Musk 's SpaceX aims to be the first private company to launch astronauts into orbit , while NASA hopes Saturday will mark a return to human spaceflight from U.S. soil for the first time in nine years .
At the scheduled liftoff time of 3:22 p.m. EDT , there will be 50 percent chance of poor launch weather , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ timing is everything in catching up to the space station , the launch must occur precisely on time .
There is no wiggle room for even the slightest delay .
Storm clouds and precipitation are likely , which are the same conditions that forced a postponement of the launch Wednesday afternoon .
NASA and SpaceX launch controllers met for more than an hour Friday afternoon to determine whether to move ahead with the mission Saturday or wait another day or longer for better weather .
In the end , they could not decide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday morning , at which point mission directors decided to try to launch .
`` We 're moving forward with launch today .
Weather challenges remain a 50 % chance of cancellation , '' NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine tweeted just before 8 a.m. EDT.. After Wednesday 's scrub , astronaut Doug Hurley posted thanks to SpaceX and NASA teams on Twitter after he spent three hours in the Crew Dragon capsule atop the rocket waiting for launch .
`` It can be frustrating , but also a very real part of getting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding , `` We go again Saturday ! ''
On Friday , his partner on the planned flight , Bob Behnken , tweeted that `` Scrubs are part of conducting spaceflight safely and successfully .
... We 're ready for the next launch opportunity ! ''
If Saturday 's launch postponed , a launch Sunday would be a possibility , with the probability of violating weather constraints dropping slightly to 40 percent .
NASA has n't announced potential launch dates beyond that .
Bridenstine praised Wednesday 's attempt as a flawless rehearsal .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the weather forced a halt minutes from liftoff .
Hurley and astronaut Bob Behnken will launch atop a Falcon 9 rocket , which has proven to be a reliable workhorse for carrying supplies to the space station 250 miles above Earth .
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence traveled to the space center Wednesday , but it was not clear whether either would return this weekend .
`` I want to thank everybody down here .
And this is something the first lady and I looked very much forward to seeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 's going to be a liftoff , '' Trump told Bridenstine and Musk before the countdown was called off .
Musk , speaking to family members of both astronauts on Wednesday , said he felt a strong sense of responsibility for their safety .
`` I said we 've done everything we can to make sure your dads come back OK , '' he recalled telling each astronaut 's only child Wednesday before the launch was called off .
Once launched , the capsule would head east over the Atlantic Ocean and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might see it 15 or 20 minutes after liftoff , according to the website MeteorWatch.org .
At the 12-minute mark after liftoff , the Crew Dragon capsule is designed to separate from the second-stage booster and the capsule 's nose cone would open to prepare for docking at the space station .
After the capsule reaches the same altitude as the space station and catches up to it , Crew Dragon will inch closer and dock slowly .
The capsule can dock autonomously , but Hurley will demonstrate flying it manually for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the space station Sunday , with docking planned for 10 : 29 a.m. EDT .
Hurley and Behnken are to remain in the capsule for almost two hours as it is locked in place and checks are made on its systems .
Once the hatch opens , astronaut Chris Cassidy -- already on board the space station -- will greet the new arrivals .
He and Russians Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner arrived in April and are to stay there until October .
During the mission , called Demo 2 , Behnken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Crew Dragon capsule before it is certified for regular ferry service to the space station .
One of the biggest tests will be flying the capsule manually for brief periods , using Crew Dragon 's touchscreen controls .
`` We 've longed to be a part of a test mission , a test spaceflight , '' Behnken said during a brief press conference Friday .
`` It 's something we dreamed about , flying something other than the space shuttle '' to carry people into space .
Behnken and Hurley do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the space station .
NASA has said it could be as little as six weeks and as much as 16 weeks , depending on how quickly the crew completes necessary maintenance on the space station and how favorable weather conditions are for spacecraft splashdown .
If the mission ultimately is successful , NASA plans to launch another SpaceX capsule to the space station Aug. 30 , Bridenstine , the NASA administrator , said Tuesday .
Crew members for that mission are NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins , Victor Glover and Shannon Walker , along @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency .
The return to Earth for the Demo 2 mission would mark the first splashdown of a U.S. space capsule carrying astronauts since the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975 .
SpaceX is more than two years behind schedule for the launch .
NASA awarded two finalist contracts in 2014 to certify new spacecraft to carry people by 2017 -- Boeing received $ 4.2 billion for its Starliner capsule and SpaceX received $ 2.6 billion for Crew Dragon .
Starliner failed to reach the space station during a test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for another attempt in the third quarter of this year .
Over the past decade , NASA astronauts only used Russian Soyuz rockets and capsules to reach the space station , at a cost of more than $ 70 million per seat .
Behnken , 49 , and Hurley , 53 , have been astronauts since their selection in 2000 .
They worked closely with SpaceX to develop the new spacecraft systems .
The two men share similar life experiences .
Both are married to female astronauts who have traveled into space , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were military test pilots and hold the rank of colonel -- Behnken with the U.S. Air Force and Hurley with the U.S. Marine Corps .
Behnken , originally from the St. Louis area , was a former chief of NASA 's Astronaut Office .
Hurley , originally from upstate New York , flew on the last shuttle mission in 2011 and was the first Marine pilot to fly the F/A‐18 E/F Super Hornet .
SpaceX 's Falcon 9 rocket is the first orbital launch vehicle to be fully reusable , although the rocket @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Falcon 9 is just short of 230 feet tall , with a 12-foot diameter .
Nine of SpaceX 's Merlin engines provide thrust of 1.7 million pounds upon liftoff .
By comparison , a typical F-16 fighter jet emits 32,000 pounds of thrust .
NASA has urged the public to watch the launch on TV or online , while the agency restricts access to the launch site at Kennedy Space Center to essential personnel only during the COVID-19 pandemic .

NASA astronaut Douglas Hurley (C) waves to onlookers as he boards a plane at Naval Air Station Pensacola to return him and NASA astronaut Robert Behnken home to Houston a few hours after the duo landed in their SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft off the coast of Pensacola, Fla,, on August 2, 2020. Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA | License Photo
ORLANDO, Fla., May 30 (UPI) -- NASA and SpaceX ended a nine-year absence of human spaceflight from U.S. soil Saturday when two astronauts lifted off toward a rendezvous with the International Space Station. The 3:22 p.m. EDT launch, under overcast skies, from Kennedy Space Center in Florida marked the first time since the final space shuttle mission in 2011 that NASA astronauts didn't have to rely on Russia to get into space. Advertisement
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, in comments earlier this week, called the launch a beacon of hope to a nation troubled by the COVID-19 pandemic and social strife, much in the same way the Apollo moon program boosted the nation's morale.
The successful launch began a 19-hour journey for astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, who are to dock with the International Space Station. It also is a final test for the Crew Dragon space capsule made by Elon Musk's SpaceX.
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SpaceX confirmed the capsule successfully reached orbit, and separated from the second stage booster. The first-stage rocket booster landed successfully on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean.
"It was incredible. Appreciate all the hard work and thanks for the great ride into space," Behnken said over the communication link to ground crews.
Bridenstine said he'd been praying for the astronauts and their families at liftoff.
"I've felt that rumble before, but it's a whole different feeling when you've got your own team on that rocket," Bridenstine said. "And they are our team, they are America's team. ... This is everything that America has to offer in its purest form."
Both President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence returned for the launch after Wednesday's postponement.
In a speech at the space center's Vehicle Assembly Building after the launch, President Donald Trump called for an end to violence following the death of Minnesotan George Floyd during an arrest Monday.
He then praised NASA and SpaceX for recent advances, as well as plans to return to the moon and eventually Mars.
"Today as we mark a new commitment to an American future in space -- a tremendous commitment it is -- let us all commit to a brighter future for all our citizens right here on Earth," Trump said.
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NASA and SpaceX defied iffy weather forecasts to begin the mission. Storms in the east-central Florida area created "no go" conditions about two hours before launch. But the weather cleared as the countdown neared liftoff time.
Storm clouds and precipitation had forced a postponement of the launch Wednesday afternoon.
Astronauts Behnken and Hurley announced from the capsule that they had chosen the name Endeavour for it, which was the name of Behnken's first space vehicle, the space shuttle Endeavour.
The launch is the first time a private company has sent astronauts into orbit, under NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
SpaceX secured a contract to provide ferry service to the space station for a fixed cost, and developed the rocket and capsule with NASA's cooperation.
The Falcon 9 rocket had already been proven as a reliable workhorse for carrying supplies to the space station 250 miles above Earth.
Musk, speaking to family members of both astronauts on Wednesday, said he felt a strong sense of responsibility for their safety.
"I said we've done everything we can to make sure your dads come back OK," he recalled telling each astronaut's only child Wednesday before the launch was called off.
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Heading east
After launch, the capsule headed east over the Atlantic Ocean and toward the United Kingdom.
The capsule was to orbit the Earth until it reaches the altitude of the space station and catches up to it.
Crew Dragon will inch closer and dock slowly. The capsule is to dock autonomously, but Hurley will demonstrate flying it manually for a brief test.
The spacecraft is scheduled to arrive at the space station Sunday, with docking planned for 10:29 a.m. EDT. Hurley and Behnken are to remain in the capsule for almost two hours as it is locked in place and checks are made on its systems.
Once the hatch opens, astronaut Chris Cassidy -- already on board the space station -- will greet the new arrivals. He and Russians Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner arrived in April and are to stay there until October.
During the mission, called Demo 2, Behnken and Hurley will conduct final tests of the Crew Dragon capsule before it is certified for regular ferry service to the space station.
Flying manually
One of the biggest tests will be flying the capsule manually for brief periods, using Crew Dragon's touchscreen controls.
"We've longed to be a part of a test mission, a test spaceflight," Behnken said during a brief press conference in the days before the launch. "It's something we dreamed about, flying something other than the space shuttle" to carry people into space.
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Behnken and Hurley don't know how long they will be on the space station. NASA has said it could be as little as six weeks and as much as 16 weeks, depending on how quickly the crew completes necessary maintenance on the space station and how favorable weather conditions are for spacecraft splashdown.
If the mission ultimately is successful, NASA plans to launch another SpaceX capsule to the space station Aug. 30, Bridenstine, the NASA administrator, said Tuesday.
Crew members for that mission are NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover and Shannon Walker, along with Soichi Noguchi, an astronaut with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.
The return to Earth for the Demo 2 mission would mark the first splashdown of a U.S. space capsule carrying astronauts since the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975.
SpaceX is more than two years behind schedule for the launch. NASA awarded two finalist contracts in 2014 to certify new spacecraft to carry people by 2017 -- Boeing received $4.2 billion for its Starliner capsule and SpaceX received $2.6 billion for Crew Dragon.
Starliner failed to reach the space station during a test flight in December, and is scheduled for another attempt in the third quarter of this year.
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Over the past decade, NASA astronauts only used Russian Soyuz rockets and capsules to reach the space station, at a cost of more than $70 million per seat.
Veteran astronauts
Behnken, 49, and Hurley, 53, have been astronauts since their selection in 2000. They worked closely with SpaceX to develop the new spacecraft systems.
The two men share similar life experiences. Both are married to female astronauts who have traveled into space, and both have one child. Both were military test pilots and hold the rank of colonel -- Behnken with the U.S.Air Force and Hurley with the U.S. Marine Corps.
Behnken, originally from the St. Louis area, was a former chief of NASA's Astronaut Office. He flew aboard two space shuttle flights as a mission specialist.
Hurley, originally from upstate New York, flew on the last shuttle mission in 2011 and was the first Marine pilot to fly the F/A‐18 E/F Super Hornet.
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket is the first orbital launch vehicle to be fully reusable, although the rocket for this launch was brand new.
The Falcon 9 is just short of 230 feet tall, with a 12-foot diameter. Nine of SpaceX's Merlin engines provide thrust of 1.7 million pounds upon liftoff. By comparison, a typical F-16 fighter jet emits 32,000 pounds of thrust.


upi--2020-05-30--Famous birthdays for May 30: Remy Ma, Colm Meaney

May 30 ( UPI ) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Gemini .
-- Publisher @ @ @ @ @ the creators of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles , in 1962 ( age 58 )

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Remy Ma accepts the award for Best Female Hip Hop Artist during the 17th annual BET Awards at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on June 25, 2017.The rapper turns 40 on May 30. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
May 30 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Gemini. They include: Advertisement
-- Russian jeweler Peter Carl Fabergé in 1846
-- Film director Howard Hawks in 1896
-- Voice actor Mel Blanc in 1908
-- Band leader/clarinet virtuoso Benny Goodman in 1909
-- Restaurant executive Bob Evans in 1918
-- Christine Jorgensen, author/first person to undergo successful sex-change operation, in 1926
-- Actor Clint Walker in 1927
-- Actor Keir Dullea in 1936 (age 84)
-- Actor Michael J. Pollard in 1939
-- NFL Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers in 1943 (age 77)
-- Actor Colm Meaney in 1953 (age 67)
File Photo by Rune Hellestad/UPI
-- Actor Ted McGinley in 1958 (age 62)
-- Publisher Kevin Eastman, one of the creators of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, in 1962 (age 58)
-- First British astronaut Helen Sharman in 1963 (age 57)
-- Country singer Wynonna Judd in 1964 (age 56)
-- Musician Tom Morello in 1964 (age 56)
-- Actor Mark Sheppard in 1964 (age 56)
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-- Actor/singer Idina Menzel in 1971 (age 49)
-- Director Duncan Jones in 1971 (age 49)
-- Musician Cee-Lo Green, born Thomas DeCarlo Callaway, in 1974 (age 46)
File Photo by Phil McCarten/UPI
-- Businesswoman Marissa Mayer in 1975 (age 45)
-- Soccer player Steven Gerrard in 1980 (age 40)
-- Rapper Remy Ma, born Reminisce Mackie, in 1980 (age 40)
-- Model/actor Jennifer Ellison in 1983 (age 37)
-- Actor Sean Giambrone in 1999 (age 21)
File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
-- Actor Jared S. Gilmore in 2000 (age 20)


upi--2020-05-29--Massachusetts governor says pro teams can reopen facilities June 6

May 29 ( UPI ) -- Massachusetts Gov .
Charlie Baker announced Friday that the state 's five professional sports teams can reopen their respective practice facilities beginning in early June .
The Boston Red Sox , New England Patriots , Boston Celtics , Boston Bruins and New England Revolution can resume practicing at their respective facilities starting June 6 , Baker said .
Baker noted the reopening of those training facilities must be done in accordance with the health and safety protocols that each of the leagues is currently implementing .
`` We 've also had very positive conversations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Bruins , the Patriots , the Red Sox and the Revolution , '' Baker said .
`` And this order will also allow professional sports teams to begin practicing at their facilities in compliance with the health and safety rules that all the leagues are developing .
Facilities are still closed to the public at this time .
`` I know we still are n't to the point where we 'll have our pro sports teams back playing anything yet .
The leagues are obviously working hard to host games again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at some point opening practice facilities will help make that happen a little sooner . ''
Later Friday , the Celtics announced they will begin voluntary individual player workouts at their facility Monday .
Under NBA guidelines , only four players will be allowed to work out at a time .

The Boston Red Sox, along with the other four Massachusetts professional sports teams, can resume practicing at their respective facilities starting June 6. File Photo by Matthew Healey/UPI | License Photo
May 29 (UPI) -- Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced Friday that the state's five professional sports teams can reopen their respective practice facilities beginning in early June. The Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots, Boston Celtics, Boston Bruins and New England Revolution can resume practicing at their respective facilities starting June 6, Baker said. Advertisement
Baker noted the reopening of those training facilities must be done in accordance with the health and safety protocols that each of the leagues is currently implementing.
"We've also had very positive conversations with our sports teams, the Celtics, the Bruins, the Patriots, the Red Sox and the Revolution," Baker said. "And this order will also allow professional sports teams to begin practicing at their facilities in compliance with the health and safety rules that all the leagues are developing. Facilities are still closed to the public at this time.
"I know we still aren't to the point where we'll have our pro sports teams back playing anything yet. The leagues are obviously working hard to host games again. And I think we all hope at some point opening practice facilities will help make that happen a little sooner."
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Later Friday, the Celtics announced they will begin voluntary individual player workouts at their facility Monday. Under NBA guidelines, only four players will be allowed to work out at a time.


upi--2020-05-29--NBA owners expected to approve Orlando restart plan; July 31 target date to return

May 29 ( UPI ) -- NBA owners on Thursday are expected to formally approve league commissioner Adam Silver 's proposal on a format to restart the 2019-20 season at the end of July in Orlando , Fla. League sources told ESPN and The Athletic on Friday that the league has been looking at multiple return-to-play plans , but there is growing support among NBA owners to resume the season with 22 teams at Disney 's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex .
According to The Athletic , Silver and the league office informed owners that July 31 is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The NBA needs three-fourths of owners to approve the plan , and a majority of owners expressed a desire to do that on a conference call Friday , according to ESPN .
The league , which is considering four different formats , has yet to endorse a restart plan .
According to ESPN , only one of the four scenarios -- bringing back all 30 teams -- is no longer being considered .
The 22-team format likely would consist of regular-season contests and play-in games to determine playoff berths in both the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ESPN .
It would include teams that are currently within six games of the final spots in each conference .
Under the 22-team proposal , the New Orleans Pelicans , Phoenix Suns , Portland Trail Blazers , Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs would make it to Orlando , with the Washington Wizards joining them as the only team within six games of the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference .
The other two ideas being discussed are 16 teams advancing directly to the playoffs and 20 teams competing in group play before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Athletic , the 20-team proposal remains alive , and that format would include the Pelicans , Trail Blazers , Spurs and Kings .
The NBA suspended its season in mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic .

NBA owners are expected to approve league commissioner Adam Silver's recommendation on a format to restart the 2019-20 season at the end of July in Orlando, Fla. File Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI | License Photo
May 29 (UPI) -- NBA owners on Thursday are expected to formally approve league commissioner Adam Silver's proposal on a format to restart the 2019-20 season at the end of July in Orlando, Fla. League sources told ESPN and The Athletic on Friday that the league has been looking at multiple return-to-play plans, but there is growing support among NBA owners to resume the season with 22 teams at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. According to The Athletic, Silver and the league office informed owners that July 31 is the target date for a return to competition. Advertisement
The NBA needs three-fourths of owners to approve the plan, and a majority of owners expressed a desire to do that on a conference call Friday, according to ESPN.
The league, which is considering four different formats, has yet to endorse a restart plan. According to ESPN, only one of the four scenarios -- bringing back all 30 teams -- is no longer being considered.
The 22-team format likely would consist of regular-season contests and play-in games to determine playoff berths in both the Eastern and Western Conferences, according to ESPN. It would include teams that are currently within six games of the final spots in each conference.
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Under the 22-team proposal, the New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs would make it to Orlando, with the Washington Wizards joining them as the only team within six games of the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.
The other two ideas being discussed are 16 teams advancing directly to the playoffs and 20 teams competing in group play before moving to postseason competition. According to The Athletic, the 20-team proposal remains alive, and that format would include the Pelicans, Trail Blazers, Spurs and Kings.
The NBA suspended its season in mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic.


upi--2020-05-30--Trump says military is 'ready' to deploy to Minneapolis protests

May 30 ( UPI ) -- President Donald Trump said Saturday that military police could deploy to Minneapolis to respond to protests in the wake of George Floyd 's death this week .
`` We have our military ready , willing and able , if they ever want to call our military .
We can have troops on the ground very quickly , '' Trump told reporters as he left the White House to travel to Florida for the SpaceX launch Saturday .
`` They 're using their National Guard right now , as you know . ''
Pentagon spokesman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to CNN Saturday that Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley `` have personally spoken with [ Minnesota ] Governor [ Tim ] Walz twice in the last 24-hours and expressed the department 's readiness to provide support to local and state authorities as requested . ''
Protests broke out in dozens of American cities Friday night calling for justice in the death of George Floyd Monday .
Derek Chauvin , a former Minneapolis police officer seen on video standing on Floyd 's neck as Floyd gasped for air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in connection with his death .
Friday 's protests began peacefully , but many -- including demonstrations in Minneapolis -- took a turn toward looting and vandalism as the night progressed .
Trump added that Minnesota government officials , who have already activated the state 's National Guard , have `` got to be tough '' and that protesters need to be `` taught '' that they `` ca n't do this . ''
The military is prohibited from acting as domestic law enforcement , but under the Insurrection Act of 1807 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for military assistance .
On Saturday afternoon protesters converged near the White House , as law enforcement law officers used batons and tear gas to push back the crowd .
Trump had previously criticized Washington , D.C. , mayor Muriel Bowser on Twitter , saying she had not allowed police to get involved in a clash between protesters and the Secret Service Friday night .
By that time governors in Georgia , Kentucky , Wisconsin , Colorado and Ohio had also activated the National Guard in their states .
On Saturday evening at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Jay Inslee announced activated 200 members of the Washington National Guard Saturday night to respond to protests in Seattle .
Officials in several cities , including Seattle , as well as Los Angeles , Atlanta , Louisville , Denver and Milwaukee , enacted curfews Saturday night as they anticipated protests and potential riots .
Protesters in Georgia convened on Gov .
Brian Kemp 's mansion and some were arrested on unspecified charges .
Kemp was not home at the time .
Six people were arrested in Philadelphia Saturday night in connection with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Danielle Outlaw .
Outlaw said at least 13 police officers were injured and that some civilians were hurt too , but she did not have exact numbers regarding the latter .

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A protester yells at police when Black Lives Matter protesters clashed with New York Police Department officers as protests continue over the death of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis police, in New York City on Saturday. Photo by Corey Sipkin/UPI | License Photo
May 30 (UPI) -- Protests -- some violent and in defiance of curfews -- erupted again across the United States on Saturday night in the wake of the death of an unarmed man, George Floyd, in Minnesota earlier in the week. Officials in at least two dozen cities, including Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Louisville, Denver, Miami and Milwaukee, enacted curfews Saturday night in anticipation of protests and potential riots. Advertisement
At least 13 states and the District of Columbia have activated the National Guard to respond to the unrest, a defense official told CNN.
And President Donald Trump has offered to send members of the military.
Cable television networks displayed live video and the eyewitness accounts of reporters, many wearing masks because of the pandemic, throughout the night.
Like Friday, Saturday's protests began peacefully, but many took a turn toward looting and vandalism as the night progressed in Minneapolis as well as cities nationwide.
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Some chanted, "No justice, no peace."
Many held signs that were Floyd's last words, "I can't breathe."
Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer seen on video standing on Floyd's neck as Floyd gasped for air, was charged with third-degree murder Friday in connection with his death Monday. The fired officer's bail has been set at $500,000.
Protesters are seeking an even more serious charge -- first-degree murder -- and want three other officers on the scene at the time to be arrested.
Earlier this week, demonstrators burned a police precinct building in Minneapolis.
Protesters remained out on the streets past the 8 p.m. curfew set earlier by the governor.
Demonstrators were tear gassed by police as they tried marching through a bridge from Minneapolis to St. Paul. The National Guard announced it was sending a total of 10,800 members to respond to the protests.
In New York City, about 120 people had been arrested and "there's a lot more coming in," according to one law enforcement official.
In downtown Indianapolis, at least three people were shot, including one fatally, Police Chief Randal Taylor said. Authorities advised residents to avoid the area.
In Missouri, a police department building was damaged and evacuated as protesters threw bricks, fireworks, rocks and bottles at officers during protests in Ferguson -- the site of violent protests in 2014 after Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black man, was shot and killed during a confrontation with a white police officer in August of that year.
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In Chicago, former police Supt. Garry McCarthy told WGN-TV that Saturday's events are a "full scale riot" despite a curfew implemented at 9 p.m. though Mayor said there were no plans to bring in the National Guard.
Officers were hit with Moltov cocktails, Chicago Supt. David Brown said, and several building downtown were vandalized. Lake Shore Drive was closed in both directions to avoid peoplecoming into downtown.
In Nashville, Tenn., officers used tear gas to disperse a crowd that turned violent despite a 10 p.m. curfew. The town's historic courthouse was set on fire, according to police, and several businesses were damaged.
"Additional gas is being deployed outside the courthouse. The crowd is being warned of their unlawful assembly," the city's police department tweeted Saturday night.
In Salt Lake City, protesters vandalized stores, burned vehicles and threw objects despite a citywide curfew. Protesters and officers were injured and many protesters were in police custody, KSL reported. Law enforcement officers from across northern Utah gathered near the Salt Lake City Library, armed with shields and batons and dispersed crowds.
In Miami, stores at Bayside Marketplace and other parts of downtown Miami were looted after clashes between protesters and police officers blocks away. WSVN-TV captured footage of a damaged storefront. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez ordered a countywide curfew.
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Protesters in Georgia convened on Gov. Brian Kemp's mansion and some were arrested on unspecified charges. Kemp was not home at the time. Kemp authorized at least 3,000 National Guard troops ahead of protests expected Sunday.
Six people were arrested in Philadelphia on Saturday night in connection with protests, according to Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw.
Outlaw said at least 13 police officers were injured and that some civilians were hurt too, but she did not have exact numbers regarding the latter.
Around 3,000 protesters gathered Saturday, Mayor Jim Kenney said, adding the majority of those demonstrators were peaceful and expressed "our collective grief."
"The people that were doing the actual protests were not the problem," Kenney said. "The people who were actually marching for a purpose were not the problem. It was this ragtag group of people who were destructive folks, who were doing the things to our officers, to the buildings, setting cars on fire, those type of things."
Trump, who has been critical of the response, said military personnel could be deployed in Minnesota.
"We have our military ready, willing and able, if they ever want to call our military. We can have troops on the ground very quickly," Trump told reporters as he left the White House to travel to Florida for the SpaceX launch Saturday. "They're using their National Guard right now, as you know."
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Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Rath Hoffman said in a statement to CNN Saturday that Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley "have personally spoken with [Minnesota] Governor [Tim] Walz twice in the last 24 hours and expressed the department's readiness to provide support to local and state authorities as requested."
Later Saturday, Trump posted on Twitter after arriving back at the White House: "The National Guard has been released in Minneapolis to do the job that the Democrat Mayor couldn't do. Should have been used 2 days ago & there would not have been damage & Police Headquarters would not have been taken over & ruined. Great job by the National Guard. No games!"
Earlier this week demonstrators burned a police precinct building in Minneapolis.
Trump added that Minnesota government officials, who have already activated the state's National Guard, have "got to be tough" and that protesters need to be "taught" that they "can't do this."
The military is prohibited from acting as domestic law enforcement, but under the Insurrection Act of 1807, state officials have the ability to call for military assistance.
Trump had criticized Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser on Twitter, saying she had not allowed police to get involved in a clash between protesters and the Secret Service on Friday night.
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Bowser disputed that claim.
On Saturday afternoon, protesters converged near the White House, as law enforcement law officers used batons and tear gas to push back the crowd.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced activated 200 members of the Washington National Guard on Saturday night to respond to protests in Seattle.
In Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti, after setting an 8 p.m. curfew and deploying the National Guard to assist Saturday night, said, "I'm asking all of Los Angeles to take a deep breath and to step back for a moment to allow our firefighters to put out the flames, to allow our peace officers to reestablish some order," according to KTLA-TV.
Governors in Kentucky, Wisconsin, Colorado and Ohio had also activated the National Guard in their states.


upi--2020-05-30--Astronauts poised to return to space from U.S. soil

Astronauts poised to return to space from U.S. soil SpaceX 's first mission with astronauts on board is scheduled to @ @ @ @ @ on May 30 , 2020 , from Kennedy Space Center in Florida .
This will @ @ @ @ @ from U.S. soil since the space shuttle era ended in 2011 .
The launch was @ @ @ @ @ May 27 , but was scrubbed minutes before liftoff due to bad weather .

NASA astronaut Douglas Hurley (C) waves to onlookers as he boards a plane at Naval Air Station Pensacola to return him and NASA astronaut Robert Behnken home to Houston a few hours after the duo landed in their SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft off the coast of Pensacola, Fla,, on August 2, 2020. Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA


upi--2020-05-30--COVID-19: New York's frontline families to get death benefits; Trump criticized for WHO withdrawal

May 30 ( UPI ) -- New York Gov .
Cuomo said Saturday he signed a bill giving death benefits to families of frontline workers who died while fighting the COVID-19 pandemic .
`` It is the least we can do to say thank you , and we honor you , and we remember you .
You gave your lives for us .
We will be there to support your families going forward , '' Cuomo told reporters Saturday .
Cuomo said the number of hospitalizations and intubations associated with coronavirus , and the number of deaths Friday -- 67 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before .
New York is the epicenter of the outbreak in the United States , with more than 370,000 confirmed cases and nearly 30,000 deaths , according to The New York Times .
Across the country , there have been more than 1.7 million cases and some 103,000 deaths .
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also cautioned Saturday that large gatherings are `` inherently dangerous '' and urged New Yorkers to avoid large public demonstrations -- like those that have erupted in New York , Minneapolis and other cities this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd .
De Blasio urged people to take precautions if they decide to join demonstrations .
`` I would still wish that everyone would realize that when people gather it 's inherently dangerous in the context of this pandemic and I 'm going to keep urging people not to use that approach and if they do they focus on social distancing and wearing face coverings , '' he said .
Also on Saturday , President Donald Trump was criticized by both domestic and international leaders for his Friday announcement that the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Organization .
`` Global cooperation and solidarity through multilateral efforts are the only effective and viable avenues to win this battle the world is facing , '' said a joint statement by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and top European Union diplomat Josep Borrell , released by the EU Saturday .
Sens .
Lamar Alexander , R-Tenn. , and Elizabeth Warren , D-Mass.
, also criticized the move , with Alexander saying `` there needs to be a good , hard look at mistakes the World Health Organization might have made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time to do that is after the crisis has been dealt with , not in the middle of it . ''
Warren tweeted that the decision `` alienates our allies , undermines our global leadership , and threatens the health of the American people . ''
The official U.S. coronavirus death toll passed 100,000 this week , but an analysis performed by the Yale School of Public Health for the Washington Post and published Saturday suggests the United States may have passed that milestone three weeks ago .
The analysis , which employs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determine the true toll of epidemics , compared the number of total deaths so far in 2020 to the number recorded last year during the same time period .
It found 26,000 excess deaths not attributed to COVID-19 on death certificates .
Many of those may have been individuals who never received a COVID-19 diagnosis , but others may have been reluctant to seek help for other illnesses due to concerns about visiting emergency rooms or doctors ' offices .

A healthcare worker wheels the body of a deceased person to a refrigerated truck at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in New York City in this April 6 file photo. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Saturday that families of frontline workers who've died fighting the COVID-19 pandemic will receive death benefits. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
May 30 (UPI) -- New York Gov. Cuomo said Saturday he signed a bill giving death benefits to families of frontline workers who died while fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. "It is the least we can do to say thank you, and we honor you, and we remember you. You gave your lives for us. We will be there to support your families going forward," Cuomo told reporters Saturday. Advertisement
Cuomo said the number of hospitalizations and intubations associated with coronavirus, and the number of deaths Friday -- 67 -- was the same as the day before.
New York is the epicenter of the outbreak in the United States, with more than 370,000 confirmed cases and nearly 30,000 deaths, according to The New York Times. Across the country, there have been more than 1.7 million cases and some 103,000 deaths.
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New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also cautioned Saturday that large gatherings are "inherently dangerous" and urged New Yorkers to avoid large public demonstrations -- like those that have erupted in New York, Minneapolis and other cities this week in response to the death of George Floyd. De Blasio urged people to take precautions if they decide to join demonstrations.
"I would still wish that everyone would realize that when people gather it's inherently dangerous in the context of this pandemic and I'm going to keep urging people not to use that approach and if they do they focus on social distancing and wearing face coverings," he said.
Also on Saturday, President Donald Trump was criticized by both domestic and international leaders for his Friday announcement that the United States is cutting ties with the World Health Organization.
"Global cooperation and solidarity through multilateral efforts are the only effective and viable avenues to win this battle the world is facing," said a joint statement by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and top European Union diplomat Josep Borrell, released by the EU Saturday.
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Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., also criticized the move, with Alexander saying "there needs to be a good, hard look at mistakes the World Health Organization might have made in connection with coronavirus, but the time to do that is after the crisis has been dealt with, not in the middle of it."
Warren tweeted that the decision "alienates our allies, undermines our global leadership, and threatens the health of the American people."
The official U.S. coronavirus death toll passed 100,000 this week, but an analysis performed by the Yale School of Public Health for the Washington Post and published Saturday suggests the United States may have passed that milestone three weeks ago.
The analysis, which employs a standard tool used by epidemiologists to determine the true toll of epidemics, compared the number of total deaths so far in 2020 to the number recorded last year during the same time period.
It found 26,000 excess deaths not attributed to COVID-19 on death certificates.
Many of those may have been individuals who never received a COVID-19 diagnosis, but others may have been reluctant to seek help for other illnesses due to concerns about visiting emergency rooms or doctors' offices.
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COVID-19 pandemic alters life in New York City


upi--2020-05-30--Poll: Most Americans say economy is in a recession or depression

May 30 ( UPI ) -- Since mid-April , most Americans have said they believe the country is in a recession or depression , a new poll shows .
Seven out of 10 U.S. adults surveyed for the Gallup Poll released Friday said they believe the U.S. economy is in a depression or recession .
At or above 70 percent of U.S. adults have said the same since mid-April .
In the latest poll , 41 percent said the economy is in a recession and 30 percent said it is in a depression .
The figure has risen from March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy was in a recession and 20 percent said it was in a depression .
Democrats were much more likely than Republicans to say the U.S. economy was in a depression or a recession .
Only 48 percent of Republicans say the country is in a depression or recession compared to 87 percent of Democrats .
Still , both parties are 12 to 18 percentage points more likely now to say the country is in a depression or recession than they were in late March , polls show .
The poll comes amid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months after stay-at-home to reduce the spread of COVID-19 were lifted .
Results were based on web surveys , May 18-24 , of a random sample of 3,892 adults with a margin of error of 3 percentage points .

A new poll shows 71 percent of Americans believe that the U.S. economy is in a recession or depression after businesses started reopening in recent months after COVID-19 stay-at-home orders were lifted. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
May 30 (UPI) -- Since mid-April, most Americans have said they believe the country is in a recession or depression, a new poll shows. Seven out of 10 U.S. adults surveyed for the Gallup Poll released Friday said they believe the U.S. economy is in a depression or recession. At or above 70 percent of U.S. adults have said the same since mid-April. Advertisement
In the latest poll, 41 percent said the economy is in a recession and 30 percent said it is in a depression.
The figure has risen from March, when 37 percent said the U.S. economy was in a recession and 20 percent said it was in a depression.
Democrats were much more likely than Republicans to say the U.S. economy was in a depression or a recession. Only 48 percent of Republicans say the country is in a depression or recession compared to 87 percent of Democrats.
Still, both parties are 12 to 18 percentage points more likely now to say the country is in a depression or recession than they were in late March, polls show.
The poll comes amid businesses across the country reopening in recent months after stay-at-home to reduce the spread of COVID-19 were lifted.
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Results were based on web surveys, May 18-24, of a random sample of 3,892 adults with a margin of error of 3 percentage points.