mercurynews--2020-05-25--Jill Schlesinger: Powell to Congress: Just Do It!

So much for a “ V ” -shaped economic recovery , where output collapses quickly and then shoots back up .
As the U.S. entered its third month of the pandemic-induced lockdown economy , analysts have replaced the hopes/predictions of a quick turnaround ( and its slower cousin , the “ U-shaped ” recovery ) with a new image : the Nike Swoosh recovery , where the economy crawls out of the cataclysmic hole and takes two or three years to return to where it was prior to the outbreak .
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell could have channeled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ message to Congress and the Administration recently : JUST DO IT !
Powell warned that the current recession could be deeper , more painful and longer lasting , unless lawmakers and the president come up with more relief money .
He reiterated comments from his press conference following the last Federal Open Market Committee meeting , urging/begging for more fiscal stimulus to blunt the impact of “ a level of pain that is hard to capture in words.
” While the Fed would continue to open the spigots , it only has the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Writing checks is the job of Congress and unless the legislative branch adds to the $ 3 trillion in aid already provided , “ the passage of time can turn liquidity problems into solvency problems.
” Translation : Just Do It , or else we are going to see a wave of personal and business bankruptcies that will amount to an L-shaped recovery : one in which the economy never fully recovers .
Some lawmakers have expressed doubt about spending more , due to debt and deficit concerns , but Powell believes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can think about a long-term way to get our fiscal house in order… But this is not the time…to let that get in the way of us winning this battle.
” Economist Diane Swonk put it more bluntly , when she wrote , “ Either we tame the COVID-19 virus and provide more support for households and firms ravaged by the humanitarian and economic effects , or we will suffer a deeper and longer recession…We will never look back and say we did too much .
We could look back with regret and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t we do more when we had the chance ?
” Fresh Fed research underscored the need for action : “ 40 percent of those in households making less than $ 40,000 a year had lost a job in March.
” A separate report from the NY Fed found nearly one-third of Americans expect their own household financial situation will be worse in a year , the highest level on record .
The pandemic has also caused a spike in fear of job loss ; historically low expectations for income and spending ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job losses pile up , economists fear that many of these millions of workers will not be temporarily sidelined .
The National Bureau of Economic Research predicts 42 % of recent layoffs will become permanent .
In an interview with Scott Pelley on “ 60 Minutes , ” Powell said “ There ’ s a real risk that if people are out of work for long periods of time , that their skills atrophy…longer and deeper recessions tend to leave behind damage to people ’ s careers .
And that weighs on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to take some time for full recovery – Powell cautioned , “ It could stretch through the end of next year .
We really don ’ t know , ” but he also reminded us , “ In the long run , and even in the medium run , you wouldn ’ t want to bet against the American economy .
This economy will recover .
And that means people will go back to work .
Unemployment will get back down .
We ’ ll get through this.
” Jill Schlesinger , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analyst .
A former options trader and CIO of an investment advisory firm , she welcomes comments and questions at askjill @ jillonmoney.com .
Check her website at www.jillonmoney.com .

So much for a “V”-shaped economic recovery, where output collapses quickly and then shoots back up. As the U.S. entered its third month of the pandemic-induced lockdown economy, analysts have replaced the
hopes/predictions of a quick turnaround (and its slower cousin, the “U-shaped” recovery) with a new image: the Nike Swoosh recovery, where the economy crawls out of the cataclysmic hole and takes two or three years to return to where it was prior to the outbreak.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell could have channeled the sneaker and apparel giant when delivering a message to Congress and the Administration recently: JUST DO IT! Powell warned that the current recession could be deeper, more painful and longer lasting, unless lawmakers and the president come up with more relief money.
He reiterated comments from his press conference following the last Federal Open Market Committee meeting, urging/begging for more fiscal stimulus to blunt the impact of “a level of pain that is hard to capture in words.” While the Fed would continue to open the spigots, it only has the authority to lend, not to spend. Writing checks is the job of Congress and unless the legislative branch adds to the $3 trillion in aid already provided, “the passage of time can turn liquidity problems into solvency problems.” Translation: Just Do It, or else we are going to see a wave of personal and business bankruptcies that will amount to an L-shaped recovery: one in which the economy never fully recovers.
Some lawmakers have expressed doubt about spending more, due to debt and deficit concerns, but Powell believes “The time will come… where we can think about a long-term way to get our fiscal house in order… But this is not the time…to let that get in the way of us winning this battle.”
Economist Diane Swonk put it more bluntly, when she wrote, “Either we tame the COVID-19 virus and provide more support for households and firms ravaged by the humanitarian and economic effects, or we will suffer a deeper and longer recession…We will never look back and say we did too much. We could look back with regret and grief, wondering: Why didn’t we do more when we had the chance?”
Fresh Fed research underscored the need for action: “40 percent of those in households making less than $40,000 a year had lost a job in March.” A separate report from the NY Fed found nearly one-third of Americans expect their own household financial situation will be worse in a year, the highest level on record. The pandemic has also caused a spike in fear of job loss; historically low expectations for income and spending; and uncertainty about getting credit.
As job losses pile up, economists fear that many of these millions of workers will not be temporarily sidelined. The National Bureau of Economic Research predicts 42% of recent layoffs will become permanent. In an interview with Scott Pelley on “60 Minutes,” Powell said “There’s a real risk that if people are out of work for long periods of time, that their skills atrophy…longer and deeper recessions tend to leave behind damage to people’s careers. And that weighs on the economy going forward.”
It’s going to take some time for full recovery – Powell cautioned, “It could stretch through the end of next year. We really don’t know,” but he also reminded us, “In the long run, and even in the medium run, you wouldn’t want to bet against the American economy. This economy will recover. And that means people will go back to work. Unemployment will get back down. We’ll get through this.”
Jill Schlesinger, CFP, is a CBS News business analyst. A former options trader and CIO of an investment advisory firm, she welcomes comments and questions at askjill@jillonmoney.com. Check her website at www.jillonmoney.com.


mercurynews--2020-05-25--Critter Corner: Are you ready for cat ownership?

Dear Miss Behavin ’ : I am planning on adopting a kitten next week !
I know they can be high energy and a lot of work .
What are some things I should know about having a kitten ?
Kittens bring entertainment , companionship , and a whole lot of fun .
Set up a smaller room that ’ s just for the kitten , like a bedroom or bathroom .
Have a litterbox , food , water , toys , blankets , etc .
set up in the room .
Your kitten might be nervous or shy in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a smaller space will help them acclimate and feel more comfortable .
Gently pet and touch your kitten so they get used to handling .
Touch their paws , ears , tail , etc .
This will make it easier for vet checks and personal checks in the future , like clipping nails .
Kittens are rambunctious so make sure to set aside playtime for them to get their wiggles out and learn that toys are for biting and playing , not hands .
When your kitten ventures out into the rest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kitten proof !
Loose strings , cables , rubber bands , toothpicks , etc .
can all be ingested and dangerous to a curious kitten ( and an adult cat ) .
Make sure windows and screens are secure and be careful opening and closing things like drawers , cupboards , and your washer and dryer .
Kittens can find their way in to very small spaces .
Keep your kitten inside where it is safe as outside has disease , wild animals , cars , poison , and other dangers .
Every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have assumptions about how cats act based on previous experiences .
Watch your kitten ’ s personality emerge and learn their preferences .
The more you know the happier you ’ ll be with one another .
Alex Elias is the Assistant for the Behavior and Training Department at the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA .
For more information , visit www.PHS-SPCA.org , call 650-340-7022 , ext .
416 , or e-mail aelias @ phs-spca.org .

Dear Miss Behavin’: I am planning on adopting a kitten next week! I know they can be high energy and a lot of work. What are some things I should know about having a kitten?
A. Kittens bring entertainment, companionship, and a whole lot of fun. Set up a smaller room that’s just for the kitten, like a bedroom or bathroom. Have a litterbox, food, water, toys, blankets, etc. set up in the room. Your kitten might be nervous or shy in their first few days. Having them in a smaller space will help them acclimate and feel more comfortable. Gently pet and touch your kitten so they get used to handling. Touch their paws, ears, tail, etc. This will make it easier for vet checks and personal checks in the future, like clipping nails.
Kittens are rambunctious so make sure to set aside playtime for them to get their wiggles out and learn that toys are for biting and playing, not hands. When your kitten ventures out into the rest of the house make sure it is kitten proof! Loose strings, cables, rubber bands, toothpicks, etc. can all be ingested and dangerous to a curious kitten (and an adult cat). Make sure windows and screens are secure and be careful opening and closing things like drawers, cupboards, and your washer and dryer. Kittens can find their way in to very small spaces.
Keep your kitten inside where it is safe as outside has disease, wild animals, cars, poison, and other dangers. Every cat has a different personality – don’t have assumptions about how cats act based on previous experiences. Watch your kitten’s personality emerge and learn their preferences. The more you know the happier you’ll be with one another.
Alex Elias is the Assistant for the Behavior and Training Department at the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA. For more information, visit www.PHS-SPCA.org, call 650-340-7022, ext. 416, or e-mail aelias@phs-spca.org.


mercurynews--2020-05-25--Boxing: Evander Holyfield open to fighting Mike Tyson for charity

Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield is open to tangling with Mike Tyson in a trilogy fight for charity , provided the latter asks for the bout .
Holyfield , 57 , and Tyson , 53 , are no strangers to each other , as the two had a pair of encounters during an eight-month stretch in 1996 and 1997 .
Holyfield won the WBA heavyweight title in an 11th-round TKO in the first encounter before the latter contest ended when Tyson controversially bit a chunk of the then-champion ’ s ear .
Fast forward to the present , as Holyfield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tyson in a three-round bout for charity .
“ I don ’ t want pressure on me that ‘ You just want to fight Mike because you know you can beat him , ’ ” Holyfield said .
“ If he hits me I ’ m going to hit back .
I ’ m going to be 58 , he ’ ll be 54 , you talk about being in good health and doing things the proper way that respects it .
I don ’ t have no problem with it.
” Tyson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ losing to Kevin McBride in 2005 .
Holyfield ( 44-10-2 ) last competed in 2011 when he defeated Danish heavyweight Brian Nielsen by TKO .

Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield is open to tangling with Mike Tyson in a trilogy fight for charity, provided the latter asks for the bout.
Holyfield, 57, and Tyson, 53, are no strangers to each other, as the two had a pair of encounters during an eight-month stretch in 1996 and 1997. Holyfield won the WBA heavyweight title in an 11th-round TKO in the first encounter before the latter contest ended when Tyson controversially bit a chunk of the then-champion’s ear.
Fast forward to the present, as Holyfield told BBC that he would take on Tyson in a three-round bout for charity.
“I don’t want pressure on me that ‘You just want to fight Mike because you know you can beat him,’ ” Holyfield said.
“If he hits me I’m going to hit back. I’m going to be 58, he’ll be 54, you talk about being in good health and doing things the proper way that respects it. I don’t have no problem with it.”
Tyson (50-6) has not fought since losing to Kevin McBride in 2005. Holyfield (44-10-2) last competed in 2011 when he defeated Danish heavyweight Brian Nielsen by TKO.


mercurynews--2020-05-25--Remembering Bob Kieve, a champion for San Jose

San Jose truly has lost one of its greatest community champions with the passing of Bob Kieve , who died Sunday morning at age 98 with his daughter , Lenoir , at his side .
If anyone could be described as “ civic minded ” it was Kieve .
His career was in radio but his true calling seemed to be making San Jose a better place to live .
It ’ s no wonder the San Jose City Council honored him in 2018 , declaring December 9 , his birthday , as Bob Kieve Day .
Bespectacled — he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whom bespectacled is a perfect description — and known for wearing bow ties with his suits , Kieve was never one to boast .
And he had a life worth boasting about .
Born in Jersey City , N.J. , he grew up in various parts of the state as his family moved around .
He was accepted at Harvard , where he started working at the nascent college radio station started by the Crimson newspaper .
By his junior year , he was running the station and knew he ’ d have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1943 , a heart murmur kept him from serving in the U.S. military .
Instead he worked in the Office of War Information for the State Department in Madrid , Spain , and later got involved in radio there .
In the 1950s , Kieve was a speechwriter for President Dwight Eisenhower , but he often downplayed his role in the administration by pointing out he was just one member of a writing team .
But his office had photographs and other mementos from that time , including typed speeches with changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself made in red pen .
After running radio stations in Rochester , N.Y. , Kieve arrived in San Jose in 1967 .
He bought AM radio station KLIV , which became a major Top 40 station in the Bay Area and launched several radio careers .
Over the decades , Kieve ’ s Empire Broadcasting Company purchased easy listening station KARA — which he later sold — and country music favorite KRTY .
General Manager Nate Deaton said had Kieve not rescued KRTY from a financial mess when he bought it in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t exist today .
“ His leadership turned it around and it became a successful station , ” said Deaton , who worked for Kieve for 27 years .
“ He was an innovator and loved to be in the forefront of the next thing.
” Indeed , Kieve ’ s curiosity and desire to know how things worked was a hallmark well into his 90s .
He was an early adopter when it came to tech products and was always interested in questioning the status quo .
I can ’ t remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Kieve about something in the city only to have him reply , “ Really ?
Why do you think that is ?
” He pushed me — and others — to dig deeper and perhaps question assumptions .
One of those assumptions might be that an East Coast transplant wouldn ’ t be open to new , diverse voices in our community .
But that wasn ’ t Kieve , who was an early supporter of the political career of Madison Nguyen , the city ’ s first Vietnamese city council member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friend and said in an email she was “ beyond heartbroken ” about his death .
“ He was so young and full of energy and passion for life , ” said Nguyen , now executive vice president at the Silicon Valley Organization .
“ His love for people and for our city is immeasurable.
” A sports fan who grew up loving baseball in New York , Kieve quickly became a hockey fan when the Sharks came to town .
He often traveled to see the team play on the road and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game for his 90th birthday .
And his commitment to civic life went far beyond rooting at SAP Center .
He served on several boards , including the San Jose Symphony , the Silicon Valley Leadership Group , Regional Medical Center and the Rotary Club of San Jose , where he was president and pushed for the inclusion of women to the club in the 1980s .
In 2007 , he was inducted to the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame , which also bestowed “ legendary station ” status to KLIV in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miss most during shelter-in-place • It ’ s going to be a quiet summer in San Jose because of COVID-19 • Pizarro : What I ’ m missing most during shelter-in-place • Can this San Jose building be historic if people think it ’ s ugly ?
He kept KLIV an all-news station for years , adding community-oriented programs like “ The CEO Show , ” a business interview show hosted by Silicon Valley Leadership Group CEO Carl Guardino .
When KLIV — then an oldies station — became too much of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Broadcasting Company , he reluctantly sold the station ’ s land and dismantled its antenna towers .
But what he really wanted was to donate the signal to the city of San Jose to broadcast city meeting and important alerts .
“ Bob reminds us that you can be civically engaged and still civility-minded , ” Guardino said .
“ He held political views without ever demonizing anyone .
He touched , in a positive way , hundreds of thousands of people and if each of those are seed plants , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that lives on .
”

San Jose truly has lost one of its greatest community champions with the passing of Bob Kieve, who died Sunday morning at age 98 with his daughter, Lenoir, at his side.
If anyone could be described as “civic minded” it was Kieve. His career was in radio but his true calling seemed to be making San Jose a better place to live. It’s no wonder the San Jose City Council honored him in 2018, declaring December 9, his birthday, as Bob Kieve Day.
Bespectacled — he was one of the few people for whom bespectacled is a perfect description — and known for wearing bow ties with his suits, Kieve was never one to boast. And he had a life worth boasting about.
Born in Jersey City, N.J., he grew up in various parts of the state as his family moved around. He was accepted at Harvard, where he started working at the nascent college radio station started by the Crimson newspaper. By his junior year, he was running the station and knew he’d have a future in radio. After graduation in 1943, a heart murmur kept him from serving in the U.S. military. Instead he worked in the Office of War Information for the State Department in Madrid, Spain, and later got involved in radio there.
In the 1950s, Kieve was a speechwriter for President Dwight Eisenhower, but he often downplayed his role in the administration by pointing out he was just one member of a writing team. But his office had photographs and other mementos from that time, including typed speeches with changes — very few changes — that Ike himself made in red pen.
After running radio stations in Rochester, N.Y., Kieve arrived in San Jose in 1967. He bought AM radio station KLIV, which became a major Top 40 station in the Bay Area and launched several radio careers. Over the decades, Kieve’s Empire Broadcasting Company purchased easy listening station KARA — which he later sold — and country music favorite KRTY. General Manager Nate Deaton said had Kieve not rescued KRTY from a financial mess when he bought it in the early 1990s, it wouldn’t exist today.
“His leadership turned it around and it became a successful station,” said Deaton, who worked for Kieve for 27 years. “He was an innovator and loved to be in the forefront of the next thing.”
Indeed, Kieve’s curiosity and desire to know how things worked was a hallmark well into his 90s. He was an early adopter when it came to tech products and was always interested in questioning the status quo. I can’t remember how many times I made an observation to Kieve about something in the city only to have him reply, “Really? Why do you think that is?” He pushed me — and others — to dig deeper and perhaps question assumptions.
One of those assumptions might be that an East Coast transplant wouldn’t be open to new, diverse voices in our community. But that wasn’t Kieve, who was an early supporter of the political career of Madison Nguyen, the city’s first Vietnamese city council member. Nguyen considered Kieve a mentor and friend and said in an email she was “beyond heartbroken” about his death.
“He was so young and full of energy and passion for life,” said Nguyen, now executive vice president at the Silicon Valley Organization. “His love for people and for our city is immeasurable.”
A sports fan who grew up loving baseball in New York, Kieve quickly became a hockey fan when the Sharks came to town. He often traveled to see the team play on the road and even rode on the Zamboni at a game for his 90th birthday. And his commitment to civic life went far beyond rooting at SAP Center.
He served on several boards, including the San Jose Symphony, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, Regional Medical Center and the Rotary Club of San Jose, where he was president and pushed for the inclusion of women to the club in the 1980s. In 2007, he was inducted to the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame, which also bestowed “legendary station” status to KLIV in 2017.
Related Articles Local News | Downtown San Jose could use Summer Fest’s energy all year long
Downtown San Jose could use Summer Fest’s energy all year long Local News | Cinequest film festival is back and adding a new Bay Area venue
Cinequest film festival is back and adding a new Bay Area venue Local News | San Jose Jazz Summer Fest bringing back downtown’s coolest weekend
San Jose Jazz Summer Fest bringing back downtown’s coolest weekend Local News | San Jose’s lofty barbecue ranking cools off considerably
San Jose’s lofty barbecue ranking cools off considerably Local News | Will removal ceremony close San Jose’s Fallon statue saga? He kept KLIV an all-news station for years, adding community-oriented programs like “The CEO Show,” a business interview show hosted by Silicon Valley Leadership Group CEO Carl Guardino. When KLIV — then a classic country station — became too much of a financial drain on Kieve’s Empire Broadcasting Company, he reluctantly sold the station’s land and dismantled its antenna towers. But what he really wanted was to donate the signal to the city of San Jose to broadcast city meeting and important alerts.
“Bob reminds us that you can be civically engaged and still civility-minded,” Guardino said. “He held political views without ever demonizing anyone. He touched, in a positive way, hundreds of thousands of people and if each of those are seed plants, it’ll be much more than his memory that lives on.”


mercurynews--2020-05-25--The Latest: Brazil travel ban set to start on Tuesday

By The Associated Press The Latest on the coronavirus pandemic .
The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness or death .
— World Health Organization warns Brazil against reopening its economy before it can perform enough testing .
— California : churches can resume in-person services but congregations will be limited to less than 100 .
— Vast majority of shops in England will be allowed to reopen next month — British PM ’ s aide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drive during lockdown .
WASHINGTON — A ban on foreign travelers arriving in the U.S. from Brazil due to the surge in coronavirus cases there will now take effect late Tuesday , two days earlier than previously announced .
The ban had been set to go into effect late Thursday .
The White House announced the change Monday without explanation .
Brazil is second to the U.S. in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases , according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University , and has seen cases surge in recent days .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ status as Latin America ’ s hardest-hit country on Sunday when it announced the ban , saying it would prevent additional infections in the U.S. Foreign nationals who have been to Brazil in the two weeks before they attempt to enter the U.S. are to be turned back under the ban .
The ban does not apply to U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents , and their spouses , parents or children .
RIO DE JANEIRO — The World Health Organization warned Brazil on Monday against reopening its economy before it can perform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic .
The organization ’ s executive director , Michael Ryan , said in a news conference that Brazil ’ s “ intense ” transmission rates meant it should keep some sort of stay-at-home measures in place , regardless of negative impacts on the economy .
Rio de Janeiro ’ s Mayor Marcelo Crivella , an evangelical bishop , announced Monday he was including religious institutions in the list of “ essential services.
” This means churches would be able to open their doors , while keeping a minimum two meters between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for people to stay at home and most businesses remaining shut .
Meanwhile , Sao Paulo Gov .
João Doria , ruled out a full-on lockdown in Brazil ’ s largest state economy and said he would start loosening restrictions on June 1 .
LOS ANGELES — California says churches can resume in-person services but the congregations will be limited to less than 100 and worshippers should wear masks , avoid sharing prayer books and skip the collection plate .
The state Department of Public Health released a framework Monday for county health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen .
Most have been limited to online and remote services since March , when Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s stay-at-home order took effect to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
With progress being made , Newsom has been relaxing those restrictions for restaurants , stores and other businesses .
Several thousand churches had vowed to defy Newsom ’ s order on May 31 , which is Pentacost Sunday , a major holiday for many Christians .
LONDON — The vast majority of shops in England will be allowed to reopen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus lockdown restrictions .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson says outdoor markets and spacious car showrooms can open from June 1 because the likelihood of transmission is low there .
Clothes stores , bookshops , tailors , auctioneers and other retailers will follow on June 15 , as long as the number of infections continues to fall and the businesses can be made “ COVID-19 secure.
” The other parts of the U.K. — Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland — can set their own timetables .
Since a nationwide lockdown was imposed on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ essential , ” such as supermarkets , have been allowed to operate .
MADRID — In a surprise announcement , Spain has corrected its official death toll from COVID-19 , saying that almost 2,000 fewer people than previously thought have died from the disease caused by the new coronavirus .
A Health Ministry statement Monday said the death toll stands at 26,834 — down from the death toll published a day earlier of 28,752 .
Fernando Simón , the director of Spain ’ s health alerts and emergency center , said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and corrected data collected since the pandemic reached Spain .
Officials have deleted deaths counted twice and deceased people who were not cases confirmed by tests , for example .
The quality of data being gathered has improved considerably , he said , adding that automated data collection had introduced errors .
However , the figures do not include the thousands of people who are believed to have died , especially in nursing homes , with symptoms attributable to the coronavirus , though unconfirmed .
Spanish regions have reported that the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed and suspected coronavirus cases , is close to 19,000 .
The Health Ministry said 50 people died Monday , one of the lowest daily tolls in weeks .
Spain has officially recorded 235,400 cases , 246 of them new .
COLUMBUS , Ga. — A 34-year-old Guatemalan detainee has become the second person reported to have died from COVID-19 while in federal immigration custody .
Santiago Baten-Oxlaj , who died Sunday in a Georgia hospital , had been awaiting his voluntary departure to his native country , U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been held inside Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin , Georgia , where at least 16 detainees have tested positive for COVID-19 , according to ICE .
DAMASCUS , Syria — Syria ’ s state media says authorities have decided to lift a nighttime curfew imposed in March to limit the spread of coronavirus .
State news agency SANA reported late Monday that the curfew will be lifted as of Tuesday .
It added that travel between the country ’ s governorates will be allowed to resume as well .
It said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if needed .
Syria has registered 106 cases of coronavirus and four deaths .
Earlier Monday , the Health Ministry reported 20 new cases of coronavirus in the country , the highest daily toll since the new virus was first reported here in late March .
It said all the new cases were of Syrians who had returned from abroad .
RICHMOND , Va. — The Virginia Department of Health has reported the second confirmed case in the state of a pediatric inflammatory illness associated with the new coronavirus .
The department ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children in the Fairfax Health District , which includes Fairfax County and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church .
No other details , including the age of the child , were provided .
Officials confirmed the first case in the same district last week , saying at the time that the child was recovering at home .
While children have generally not experienced severe cases of COVID-19 , health officials have warned recently of the new inflammatory illness related to the virus .
The Centers for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ syndrome May 14 , warning of symptoms including fever , abdominal pain without another explanation , diarrhea , vomiting , rash , red or cracked lips , bumpy tongue , and swollen hands and feet .
BRATISLAVA , Slovakia — Slovak citizens will be allowed to travel to eight countries , and not to face a mandatory quarantine and tests for the coronavirus if they return in 48 hours .
Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovic says the move will become effective on Wednesday .
Those countries include the Czech Republic , Poland , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Germany and Switzerland .
Previously , the Slovaks had to return in 24 hours if they traveled to those countries .
Matovic said Monday that Slovakia has been negotiating with those countries reciprocal deals to enable the Slovaks travel there without a negative test on the coronavirus or get quarantined and the citizens of the eight countries would also be able to travel to Slovakia without restrictions .
The first such deal between Slovakia and the neighboring Czech Republic becomes effective on Wednesday , Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said .
Slovakia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases while 28 people died of COVID-19 .
ISTANBUL — Turkey ’ s health minister announced 29 new deaths from COVID-19 , bringing the death toll to 4,369 .
Fahrettin Koca also tweeted Monday 987 new infections were confirmed in the past 24 hours .
The total number of infections has reached 157,814 .
More than 120,000 people have recovered and people needing intensive care continued on a downward trend , according to the health ministry statistics .
The ministry has said its treatment protocol includes the early use of antivirals hydroxychloroquin and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ azithromycin , along with high frequency oxygen .
Turkey ranks ninth in a tally by Johns Hopkins University , but experts believe the number of infections globally could be much higher than reported .
Turkey ’ s 83 million citizens are on the third day of a four-day nationwide lockdown .
LONDON — The World Health Organization said that it will temporarily drop hydroxychloroquine — the malaria drug U.S. President Trump said he is taking — from its global study into experimental COVID-19 treatments , saying that its experts need to review all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news briefing on Monday , WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that in light of a paper published last week in the Lancet , that showed people taking hydroxychloroquine were at higher risk of death and heart problems than those that were not , there would be “ a temporary pause ” on the hydroxychloroquine arm of its global clinical trial .
“ This concern relates to the use of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine in COVID-19 , ” Tedros said , adding that the drugs are accepted treatments for people with malaria or auto-immune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including the experimental drug remdesivir and an HIV combination therapy , are still being pursued .
MILAN — The number of confirmed new cases of coronavirus in Italy jumped by just 300 in the past 24 hours while deaths rose by 92 , according to new figures by the civil protection agency on Monday .
Only hard-hit Lombardy , the epicenter of Italy ’ s epidemic , reported new cases in the triple digits , but significantly lower than recent days at 148 , and with just 34 deaths .
Five regions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The numbers of confirmed cases in Italy are believed to be a fraction of the actual , as the testing regime covers only those hospitalized , those who show severe symptoms or those who have been in contact with someone who tested positive .
The number of known people currently positive is 55,300 .
It will be at least another week until it is seen if Italy ’ s easing of the lockdown — with restaurants , bars and shops open now for the second week — will provoke any new outbreaks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of lax distancing practices and mask habits among people indulging in their newly reclaimed freedoms .
LONDON — U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson ’ s aide Dominic Cummings says he was in an “ exceptional situation ” and broke no rules when he drove 250 miles ( 400 km ) to his parents ’ house during a nationwide lockdown .
In an exceptionally rare televised statement , Cummings gave a detailed account of his movements in late March and early April , which have caused an intense political storm .
Cummings said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his 4-year-old son if he and his wife , who were infected with the coronavirus , both fell ill. His trip came after the government imposed a strict “ stay home ” order , and Cummings is being accused of flouting the rules he helped impose on the rest of the country .
Cummings insisted that “ the rules … allowed me to exercise my judgment.
” He said “ I don ’ t regret what I did , ” though he acknowledged that “ reasonable people ” might disagree with his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shinzo Abe on Monday said the swift development of vaccines and effective treatments for COVID-19 are priorities towards achieving the Tokyo Olympics next year .
Abe said recovery from the coronavirus pandemic only in Japan would not be enough to hold the Games , because it involves spectators and athletes from around the world .
Abe reiterated that the government hopes to hold the Tokyo Games “ in a complete form ” — with spectators — as a proof of human victory against the coronavirus .
In late March , when the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the International Olympic Committee agreed to postpone the Games by one year to July 2021 .
Experts say developing an effective and safe vaccine by the Games next year would be difficult .
Abe acknowledged Monday that the fight against the virus “ would be an endurance battle.
” Abe made the remark at a news conference Monday as he declared an end to a state of emergency across the nation .
Japan , with about 16,600 confirmed cases and about 850 deaths , has so far avoided a large outbreak like those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite its softer restrictions .
Follow AP news coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

By The Associated Press
The Latest on the coronavirus pandemic. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.
TOP OF THE HOUR:
— India reports biggest jump in virus cases for 7th straight day.
— Philippines trying to ease quarantine congestion.
— South Korea reports 19 new virus cases, China 7.
— Ban on foreign travelers arriving in U.S. from Brazil to start Tuesday.
— California churches can resume in-person services but congregations will be limited to less than 100.
___
NEW DELHI — For a seventh consecutive day, India has reported its biggest jump in coronavirus cases.
The country’s health ministry reported 145,380 new infections, an increase of 6,535 from the day before, and 4,167 deaths.
Officials say the recovery rate has also risen above 40%.
Most of the cases are concentrated in two neighboring states in central India, Maharashtra, home to financial hub Mumbai, and Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state. An uptick in cases has also been reported in some of India’s poorest eastern states as migrant workers returning to native villages from India’s largest cities have begun arriving home on special trains.
India’s virus caseload has been climbing as pandemic lockdown restrictions have eased. Domestic flights resumed Monday after a two-month hiatus, though at a fraction of normal.
___
CANBERRA, Australia — Tensions are rising between federal and state leaders in Australia over differing approaches to lifting pandemic restrictions.
Australia recorded nine new coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour period. The nation has reported 7,118 infections, and 102 deaths.
Nearby neighbor New Zealand has had similar success in slowing the virus spread. New Zealand has gone four days without detecting a new infection and has recorded a single new case in the past week.
New Zealand has treated 1,504 cases, including 21 deaths.
Australia’s population is five times larger than New Zealand’s 5 million people.
___
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine president has ordered about 24,000 workers who have lost their jobs abroad due to the COVID-19 pandemic to be transported by land, sea or air to their provincial homes and warned local officials not to refuse them entry.
The workers returned to the country in recent months but had to undergo two weeks of quarantine in hospitals, hotels and makeshift isolation centers in metropolitan Manila in a chaotic situation that delayed their trip home and sparked a myriad of complaints. Some had to wait weeks to be tested for the coronavirus and receive results.
President Rodrigo Duterte said in televised remarks Monday night that some provincial officials have refused entry to returning workers from abroad as a precaution and warned them of possible lawsuits. Authorities have been scrambling to unclog quarantine facilities in the capital with about 300,000 more displaced Filipino workers slated to come home soon.
“I’m ordering you to accept them, open the gates of your territories,” Duterte said. “Do not impede it. Do not obstruct the movement of people because you run the risk of getting sued criminally.”
Thousands of workers who have tested negative for the virus began boarding buses, ships and planes back to their provinces on Monday in homecomings that are expected to be completed in a week.
___
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea has reported 19 new cases of the coronavirus, most from the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area, where officials have been actively tracing transmissions linked to nightclubs and other entertainment venues.
South Korea’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday also reported two more deaths, bringing national totals to 11,225 cases and 269 fatalities. Officials linked three of the new cases to international arrivals.
South Korea has been reporting around 20 new cases per day over the past two weeks after health workers found hundreds of infections linked to club goers who went out in early May as the country eased social distancing measures.
The new infections in the greater capital area have caused concern as authorities proceed with a phased reopening of schools, which began with high school seniors last week.
Around 2.4 million high school juniors, middle school seniors, first and second graders and kindergarten students will be returning to school on Wednesday.
Health Minister Park Neung-hoo urged school officials to double check their preventive measures. He called for authorities to strengthen monitoring on some 390,000 undocumented foreign nationals who may have poor access to medical services and tests, but related measures weren’t immediately announced.
___
BEIJING — China reported seven new coronavirus cases Tuesday, all brought into the country by Chinese citizens returning from abroad.
Just 81 patients remain hospitalized with COVID-19, and another 408 are in isolation and being monitored for either suspected cases or after testing positive for the virus without showing any symptoms. China has reported a total of 4,634 deaths from the disease among 82,992 cases.
With the decline in numbers, students have gradually returned to class and some international schools in the capital Beijing are preparing to re-open on June 1. China is proceeding this week with the annual session of its ceremonial parliament, which is being held under social distancing restrictions.
___
WASHINGTON — A ban on foreign travelers arriving in the U.S. from Brazil due to the surge in coronavirus cases there will now take effect late Tuesday, two days earlier than previously announced.
The ban had been set to go into effect late Thursday. The White House announced the change Monday without explanation.
Brazil is second to the U.S. in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University, and has seen cases surge in recent days.
The White House cited Brazil’s status as Latin America’s hardest-hit country on Sunday when it announced the ban, saying it would prevent additional infections in the U.S.
Foreign nationals who have been to Brazil in the two weeks before they attempt to enter the U.S. are to be turned back under the ban. The ban does not apply to U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents, and their spouses, parents or children.
___
RIO DE JANEIRO — The World Health Organization warned Brazil on Monday against reopening its economy before it can perform enough testing to control the spread of the pandemic.
The organization’s executive director, Michael Ryan, said in a news conference that Brazil’s “intense” transmission rates meant it should keep some sort of stay-at-home measures in place, regardless of negative impacts on the economy.
Rio de Janeiro’s Mayor Marcelo Crivella, an evangelical bishop, announced Monday he was including religious institutions in the list of “essential services.”
This means churches would be able to open their doors, while keeping a minimum two meters between attendees, in spite of existing recommendations for people to stay at home and most businesses remaining shut.
Meanwhile, Sao Paulo Gov. João Doria, ruled out a full-on lockdown in Brazil’s largest state economy and said he would start loosening restrictions on June 1.
___
LOS ANGELES — California says churches can resume in-person services but the congregations will be limited to less than 100 and worshippers should wear masks, avoid sharing prayer books and skip the collection plate.
The state Department of Public Health released a framework Monday for county health officials to permit houses of worship to reopen. Most have been limited to online and remote services since March, when Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order took effect to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
With progress being made, Newsom has been relaxing those restrictions for restaurants, stores and other businesses.
Several thousand churches had vowed to defy Newsom’s order on May 31, which is Pentacost Sunday, a major holiday for many Christians.
___
LONDON — The vast majority of shops in England will be allowed to reopen next month as the government gradually eases coronavirus lockdown restrictions.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson says outdoor markets and spacious car showrooms can open from June 1 because the likelihood of transmission is low there.
Clothes stores, bookshops, tailors, auctioneers and other retailers will follow on June 15, as long as the number of infections continues to fall and the businesses can be made “COVID-19 secure.”
The other parts of the U.K. — Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — can set their own timetables.
Since a nationwide lockdown was imposed on March 23, only shops classed as “essential,” such as supermarkets, have been allowed to operate.
___
MADRID — In a surprise announcement, Spain has corrected its official death toll from COVID-19, saying almost 2,000 fewer people than previously thought have died from the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
A Health Ministry statement Monday said the death toll stands at 26,834 — down from the number published a day earlier of 28,752.
Fernando Simón, the director of Spain’s health alerts and emergency center, said the discrepancy was detected as officials sifted through and corrected data collected since the pandemic reached Spain.
Officials have deleted deaths counted twice and deceased people who were not cases confirmed by tests, for example. The quality of data being gathered has improved considerably, he said, adding that automated data collection had introduced errors.
However, the figures do not include the thousands of people who are believed to have died, especially in nursing homes, with symptoms attributable to the coronavirus, though unconfirmed.
Spanish regions have reported that the number of deaths in nursing homes, of both confirmed and suspected coronavirus cases, is close to 19,000.
The Health Ministry said 50 people died Monday, one of the lowest daily tolls in weeks.
Spain has officially recorded 235,400 cases, 246 of them new.
___
BEIJING — The Chinese city of Wuhan has conducted more than 6.5 million coronavirus tests over a 10-day period in a bid to test all of its 11 million residents, state media said Monday.
The city’s health commission, in a post on its website, asked anyone who hasn’t been tested to come forward by the end of Tuesday.
One COVID-19 case has been confirmed since the 10-day campaign started, and some people with no symptoms also tested positive. More than 3 million people were tested prior to the campaign, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
The campaign was launched after a cluster of six cases was discovered in one residential compound. Wuhan, where the pandemic is believed to have started late last year, was by far the city hit hardest in China.
— This item corrects an earlier version that indicated no new cases had been confirmed. One new case has been confirmed.
___
COLUMBUS, Ga. — A 34-year-old Guatemalan detainee has become the second person reported to have died from COVID-19 while in federal immigration custody.
Santiago Baten-Oxlaj, who died Sunday in a Georgia hospital, had been awaiting his voluntary departure to his native country, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a news release.
Baten-Oxlaj had been held inside Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, where at least 16 detainees have tested positive for COVID-19, according to ICE.
___
DAMASCUS, Syria — Syria’s state media says authorities have decided to lift a nighttime curfew imposed in March to limit the spread of coronavirus.
State news agency SANA reported late Monday that the curfew will be lifted as of Tuesday. It added that travel between the country’s governorates will be allowed to resume as well.
It said that it is possible to re-impose the curfew if needed.
Syria has registered 106 cases of coronavirus and four deaths.
Syria began recently easing restrictions imposed over the past weeks.
Earlier Monday, the Health Ministry reported 20 new cases of coronavirus in the country, the highest daily toll since the new virus was first reported here in late March. It said all the new cases were of Syrians who had returned from abroad.
___
RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia Department of Health has reported the second confirmed case in the state of a pediatric inflammatory illness associated with the new coronavirus.
The department’s website on Monday showed a second case of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children in the Fairfax Health District, which includes Fairfax County and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church. No other details, including the age of the child, were provided.
Officials confirmed the first case in the same district last week, saying at the time that the child was recovering at home.
While children have generally not experienced severe cases of COVID-19, health officials have warned recently of the new inflammatory illness related to the virus.
The Centers for Disease Control issued an advisory about the syndrome May 14, warning of symptoms including fever, abdominal pain without another explanation, diarrhea, vomiting, rash, red or cracked lips, bumpy tongue, and swollen hands and feet.
___
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — Slovak citizens will be allowed to travel to eight countries, and not to face a mandatory quarantine and tests for the coronavirus if they return in 48 hours.
Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovic says the move will become effective on Wednesday.
Those countries include the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Germany and Switzerland.
Previously, the Slovaks had to return in 24 hours if they traveled to those countries.
Matovic said Monday that Slovakia has been negotiating with those countries reciprocal deals to enable the Slovaks travel there without a negative test on the coronavirus or get quarantined and the citizens of the eight countries would also be able to travel to Slovakia without restrictions.
The first such deal between Slovakia and the neighboring Czech Republic becomes effective on Wednesday, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said.
Slovakia has only a total of 1,511 positive cases while 28 people died of COVID-19.
___
ISTANBUL — Turkey’s health minister announced 29 new deaths from COVID-19, bringing the country’s toll to 4,369.
Fahrettin Koca also tweeted Monday 987 new infections were confirmed in the past 24 hours.
The total number of infections has reached 157,814.
More than 120,000 people have recovered and people needing intensive care continued on a downward trend, according to the health ministry statistics. The ministry has said its treatment protocol includes the early use of antivirals hydroxychloroquin and favipiravir, as well as the antibiotic azithromycin, along with high frequency oxygen.
Turkey ranks ninth in a tally by Johns Hopkins University, but experts believe the number of infections globally could be much higher than reported.
Turkey’s 83 million citizens are on the third day of a four-day nationwide lockdown.
___
LONDON — The World Health Organization said it will temporarily drop hydroxychloroquine — the malaria drug U.S. President Trump said he is taking — from its global study into experimental COVID-19 treatments, saying that its experts need to review all available evidence to date.
In a news briefing on Monday, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that in light of a paper published last week in the Lancet, that showed people taking hydroxychloroquine were at higher risk of death and heart problems than those that were not, there would be “a temporary pause” on the hydroxychloroquine arm of its global clinical trial.
“This concern relates to the use of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine in COVID-19,” Tedros said, adding that the drugs are accepted treatments for people with malaria or auto-immune diseases.
Other treatments in the study, including the experimental drug remdesivir and an HIV combination therapy, are still being pursued.
___
Follow AP news coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


mercurynews--2020-05-25--Jimmy Cobb, ‘Kind of Blue’ drummer for Miles Davis, dies

Jimmy Cobb , a percussionist and the last surviving member of Miles Davis ’ 1959 “ Kind of Blue ” groundbreaking jazz album which transformed the genre and sparked several careers , died Sunday .
His wife , Eleana Tee Cobb , announced on Facebook that her husband died at his New York City home from lung cancer .
He was 91 .
Born in Washington , D.C. , Cobb told The Associated Press in 2019 he listened to jazz albums and stayed up late to hear disc jockey Symphony Sid playing jazz in New York City before launching his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saxaphonist Cannonball Adderley who recommended him to Davis , and he ended up playing on several Davis recordings .
But Cobb ’ s role as a drummer on the “ Kind of Blue ” jam session headed by Davis would forever change his career .
That album also featured Adderley and John Coltrane .
The album , released on Aug. 17 , 1959 , captured a moment when jazz was transforming from bebop to something newer , cooler and less structured .
The full takes of the songs were recorded only once , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Freddie Freeloader ” needed to be played twice because Davis didn ’ t like a chord change on the first attempt , he said .
Davis , who died in 1991 , had some notes jotted down , but there weren ’ t pages of sheet music .
It was up to the improvisers to fill the pages .
“ He ’ d say this is a ballad .
I want it to sound like it ’ s floating .
And I ’ d say , ‘ OK , ’ and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cobb recalled .
The album received plenty of acclaim at the time , yet the critics , the band and the studio couldn ’ t have known it would enjoy such longevity .
He and his bandmates knew the album would be a hit but didn ’ t realize at the time how iconic it would become .
It has sold more than 4 million copies and remains the best selling jazz album of all time .
It also served as a protest album for African American men who looked to Davis and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jazz and black humanity .
Cobb would also work with such artists as Dinah Washington , Pearl Bailey , Clark Terry , Dizzy Gillespie , Sarah Vaughan , Billie Holiday , Wynton Kelly and Stan Getz .
He ’ d also release a number of albums on his own .
He performed well into his late 80s and played in Albuquerque , New Mexico , in 2017 , as part of the New Mexico Jazz Festival .
Jazz fans from throughout the American Southwest came to pay their respects in what many felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Masked Singer ’ : And the winner is … • Ryan Seacrest returns : ‘ I ’ m doing well , thank you ’ • Did Ryan Seacrest have an on-air stroke ?
‘ No , ’ says his rep Cobb released his last album , This I Dig of You , with Smoke Sessions Records in August 2019 .

By Russell Contreras | Associated Press
Jimmy Cobb, a percussionist and the last surviving member of Miles Davis’ 1959 “Kind of Blue” groundbreaking jazz album which transformed the genre and sparked several careers, died Sunday.
His wife, Eleana Tee Cobb, announced on Facebook that her husband died at his New York City home from lung cancer. He was 91.
Born in Washington, D.C., Cobb told The Associated Press in 2019 he listened to jazz albums and stayed up late to hear disc jockey Symphony Sid playing jazz in New York City before launching his professional career. He said it was saxaphonist Cannonball Adderley who recommended him to Davis, and he ended up playing on several Davis recordings.
But Cobb’s role as a drummer on the “Kind of Blue” jam session headed by Davis would forever change his career. That album also featured Adderley and John Coltrane.
The album, released on Aug. 17, 1959, captured a moment when jazz was transforming from bebop to something newer, cooler and less structured.
The full takes of the songs were recorded only once, with one exception, Cobb said. “Freddie Freeloader” needed to be played twice because Davis didn’t like a chord change on the first attempt, he said.
Davis, who died in 1991, had some notes jotted down, but there weren’t pages of sheet music. It was up to the improvisers to fill the pages. “He’d say this is a ballad. I want it to sound like it’s floating. And I’d say, ‘OK,’ and that’s what it was,” Cobb recalled.
The album received plenty of acclaim at the time, yet the critics, the band and the studio couldn’t have known it would enjoy such longevity. He and his bandmates knew the album would be a hit but didn’t realize at the time how iconic it would become.
“We knew it was pretty damned good,” Cobb joked.
It has sold more than 4 million copies and remains the best selling jazz album of all time. It also served as a protest album for African American men who looked to Davis and the jazz musicians to break stereotypes about jazz and black humanity.
Cobb would also work with such artists as Dinah Washington, Pearl Bailey, Clark Terry, Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Wynton Kelly and Stan Getz. He’d also release a number of albums on his own.
He performed well into his late 80s and played in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 2017, as part of the New Mexico Jazz Festival. Jazz fans from throughout the American Southwest came to pay their respects in what many felt was a goodbye.
Cobb released his last album, This I Dig of You, with Smoke Sessions Records in August 2019.


mercurynews--2020-05-25--WHO pauses hydroxychloroquine study due to safety concerns

The World Health Organization has temporarily halted studying hydroxychloroquine as a potential Covid-19 treatment due to safety concerns , WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a media briefing in Geneva on Monday .
The decision was made after an observational study published Friday in the medical journal The Lancet described how seriously ill Covid-19 patients who were treated with hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine were more likely to die .
Tedros said that an independent executive group is now reviewing the use of hydroxychloroquine in WHO ’ s Solidarity Trial .
The executive group represents 10 of the participating countries in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consider data collected so far in the Solidarity Trial and , in particular robust randomized available data , to adequately evaluate the potential benefits and harms from this drug , ” Tedros said .
“ The Executive Group has implemented a temporary pause of the hydroxychloroquine arm within the Solidarity Trial while the data is reviewed by the Data Safety Monitoring Board.
” The trial , which involves actively recruiting patients from more than 400 hospitals in 35 countries , is a global research effort to find safe and effective therapeutics for Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the trial are continuing .
“ This concern relates to the use of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine in Covid-19 , ” he said .
“ I wish to reiterate that these drugs are accepted as generally safe for use in patients with autoimmune diseases or malaria.
” Dr. Soumya Swaminathan , WHO chief scientist , said Monday the trial has only been using hydroxychloroquine , not the more toxic chloroquine .
President claims he took the drug President Donald Trump claimed on May 18 that he was taking daily doses of hydroxychloroquine .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug after consulting the White House doctor , though stopped short of saying his physician had actually recommended the drug .
“ A couple of weeks ago , I started taking it , ” Trump said .
He later said he ’ d been taking it every day for a week and a half .
Trump said he hadn ’ t been exposed to coronavirus , and he started taking the drug because he had heard from frontline responders who sent him letters saying they were taking it preventatively .
“ Here ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of positive calls about it , ” Trump said .
Asked if the White House doctor recommended he begin taking hydroxychloroquine , Trump told reporters he “ asked him what do you think , he said , ‘ Well if you ’ d like it . '
” Navy Cmdr .
Sean Conley , the President ’ s physician , said Trump had taken multiple tests for coronavirus , which all came out negative .
The President remains symptom free , Conley said .
“ After numerous discussions , he and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the use of hydroxychloroquine , we concluded the potential benefit from treatment outweighed the relative risks , ” Conley said .
• Coronavirus : Alameda County continues to lead Bay Area for total cases ; 1 death in Contra Costa County • In Bolsonaro ’ s Brazil , everyone else is to blame for virus • Flags in Boston Common honor vets ; Some beaches reopen in RI Trump ’ s comments about hydroxychloroquine have led to the soaring sales of the drug .

The World Health Organization has temporarily halted studying hydroxychloroquine as a potential Covid-19 treatment due to safety concerns, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a media briefing in Geneva on Monday.
The decision was made after an observational study published Friday in the medical journal The Lancet described how seriously ill Covid-19 patients who were treated with hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine were more likely to die. Tedros said that an independent executive group is now reviewing the use of hydroxychloroquine in WHO’s Solidarity Trial. The executive group represents 10 of the participating countries in the trial.
“The review will consider data collected so far in the Solidarity Trial and, in particular robust randomized available data, to adequately evaluate the potential benefits and harms from this drug,” Tedros said. “The Executive Group has implemented a temporary pause of the hydroxychloroquine arm within the Solidarity Trial while the data is reviewed by the Data Safety Monitoring Board.”
The trial, which involves actively recruiting patients from more than 400 hospitals in 35 countries, is a global research effort to find safe and effective therapeutics for Covid-19.
Tedros added that the other arms of the trial are continuing.
“This concern relates to the use of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine in Covid-19,” he said. “I wish to reiterate that these drugs are accepted as generally safe for use in patients with autoimmune diseases or malaria.”
Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, WHO chief scientist, said Monday the trial has only been using hydroxychloroquine, not the more toxic chloroquine.
President claims he took the drug
President Donald Trump claimed on May 18 that he was taking daily doses of hydroxychloroquine.
Trump said he has taken the antimalarial drug after consulting the White House doctor, though stopped short of saying his physician had actually recommended the drug.
“A couple of weeks ago, I started taking it,” Trump said. He later said he’d been taking it every day for a week and a half.
[vemba-video id=”health/2020/05/22/dr-jorge-rodriguez-hydroxychloroquine-lancet-study-cohen-sot-nr-vpx.cnn”]
Trump said he hadn’t been exposed to coronavirus, and he started taking the drug because he had heard from frontline responders who sent him letters saying they were taking it preventatively.
“Here’s my evidence: I get a lot of positive calls about it,” Trump said.
Asked if the White House doctor recommended he begin taking hydroxychloroquine, Trump told reporters he “asked him what do you think, he said, ‘Well if you’d like it.'”
Navy Cmdr. Sean Conley, the President’s physician, said Trump had taken multiple tests for coronavirus, which all came out negative. The President remains symptom free, Conley said.
“After numerous discussions, he and I had regarding the evidence for and against the use of hydroxychloroquine, we concluded the potential benefit from treatment outweighed the relative risks,” Conley said.
Related Articles Health | San Jose office building wobbles into default — again
San Jose office building wobbles into default — again Health | College students blocked from campus when COVID hit want money back. Some are getting refunds
College students blocked from campus when COVID hit want money back. Some are getting refunds Health | One controversial East Bay parklet reveals dilemmas of pandemic dining
One controversial East Bay parklet reveals dilemmas of pandemic dining Health | Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms
Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms Health | COVID Q&A: Can I use an expired test? Time to get boosted? How to cope with California’s sneaky summer surge Trump’s comments about hydroxychloroquine have led to the soaring sales of the drug.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2020 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.


mercurynews--2020-05-25--Coronavirus: Alameda County continues to lead Bay Area for total cases; 1 death in Contra Costa Coun

Coronavirus: Alameda County continues to lead Bay Area for total cases; 1 death in Contra Costa County

As data showed that more than 94,000 people across California have tested positive for coronavirus , Bay Area counties also reported new cases on Memorial Day , but only one new death — in Contra Costa County .
Since last Tuesday , Alameda County also has become the hardest hit county in the Bay Area , in terms of the total number of COVID-19 cases , according to data compiled by this news organization .
Alameda County public health officials reported Monday that 2,874 people have tested positive for COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic , with 26 new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alameda County also has recorded 93 fatalities from coronavirus , with an additional death reported on Saturday .
In Alameda County , 88 people are hospitalized for COVID-19 , with 44 of those patients in intensive-care units .
Santa Clara County , originally the epicenter of the Bay Area ’ s pandemic , reported the Bay Area ’ s second highest number of total cases Monday — 2,652 .
That ’ s 36 more reported cases than the day before .
The county also has recorded 139 deaths , with 54 currently hospitalized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the start of the pandemic , Santa Clara has conducted more than 64,000 tests , with 2,652 tests — or 4 % – coming back positive .
San Francisco County currently has the third highest number of cases , with public health authorities reporting 2,367 cases Monday .
San Francisco also has recorded 40 deaths and 54,839 tests .
San Mateo County , which has the fourth highest number of cases , reported no new data Sunday .
On Saturday , the county reported 1,833 cases , 50 more than the day before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Costa was the only county to report a new death Monday , bringing its total number of fatalities to 37 .
Contra Costa also reported that its total number of coronavirus cases had reached 1,336 by the end of Sunday , with 15 new cases from the day before .
Contra Costa County ’ s testing numbers also have been climbing steadily , to a total of 30,657 , up from 29,667 the day before .

As data showed that more than 94,000 people across California have tested positive for coronavirus, Bay Area counties also reported new cases on Memorial Day, but only one new death — in Contra Costa County.
Since last Tuesday, Alameda County also has become the hardest hit county in the Bay Area, in terms of the total number of COVID-19 cases, according to data compiled by this news organization. Alameda County public health officials reported Monday that 2,874 people have tested positive for COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, with 26 new cases reported from the day before.
Alameda County also has recorded 93 fatalities from coronavirus, with an additional death reported on Saturday. In Alameda County, 88 people are hospitalized for COVID-19, with 44 of those patients in intensive-care units.
Santa Clara County, originally the epicenter of the Bay Area’s pandemic, reported the Bay Area’s second highest number of total cases Monday — 2,652. That’s 36 more reported cases than the day before. The county also has recorded 139 deaths, with 54 currently hospitalized and 19 patients in ICUs. Since the start of the pandemic, Santa Clara has conducted more than 64,000 tests, with 2,652 tests — or 4%– coming back positive.
San Francisco County currently has the third highest number of cases, with public health authorities reporting 2,367 cases Monday. San Francisco also has recorded 40 deaths and 54,839 tests.
San Mateo County, which has the fourth highest number of cases, reported no new data Sunday. On Saturday, the county reported 1,833 cases, 50 more than the day before, and 76 total fatalities.
Contra Costa was the only county to report a new death Monday, bringing its total number of fatalities to 37. Contra Costa also reported that its total number of coronavirus cases had reached 1,336 by the end of Sunday, with 15 new cases from the day before.
Contra Costa County’s testing numbers also have been climbing steadily, to a total of 30,657, up from 29,667 the day before.


mercurynews--2020-05-25--Ex-49ers coach Mike Singletary resigns high school job after one win in two years

Mike Singletary was a Hall of Famer on the football field , but duplicating that success while standing on the sideline has been difficult for the former 49ers head coach .
The 61-year-old ’ s latest coaching struggles ended with him resigning as a high school head coach in Texas after leading Trinity Christian-Addison to a 1-21 record over two seasons .
The Dallas Morning News reported Singletary tendered his resignation in December to focus on motivational speaking and consulting opportunities .
Unfortunately for Singletary , he wasn ’ t able to coax much success out of his private school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went 0-11 last year after a 1-10 finish in 2018 .
The Houston native also doubled as a head coach last season for the Memphis Express of the Alliance of American Football , with the Express going 2-6 in what turned out to be the league ’ s only season .
Comparatively speaking , Singletary ’ s time in San Francisco now doesn ’ t seem so bad — aside from a rant or two .
He coached the 49ers for 2 1/2 seasons , leading them to an 18-22 record from 2008-10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the 49ers will mostly be remembered for him banishing tight end Vernon Davis to the locker room after an egregious penalty .
Oh , and for Singletary dropping his pants in front of the 49ers during a bombastic halftime speech .
• Ex-49ers , Raiders pass rusher Aldon Smith reinstated by NFL , working out with Cowboys • Coronavirus : 49ers Raheem Mostert says ‘ we still have to defeat ’ COVID-19 • 49ers Dre Greenlaw ready for more after his epic stop in Seattle Singletary ’ s last coaching stint in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rams when he was a defensive assistant for 4-12 Los Angeles .
The former linebacker enjoyed an immensely successful NFL career with the Chicago Bears from 1981-92 .
The 10-time Pro Bowler and two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998 .

Mike Singletary was a Hall of Famer on the football field, but duplicating that success while standing on the sideline has been difficult for the former 49ers head coach.
The 61-year-old’s latest coaching struggles ended with him resigning as a high school head coach in Texas after leading Trinity Christian-Addison to a 1-21 record over two seasons.
The Dallas Morning News reported Singletary tendered his resignation in December to focus on motivational speaking and consulting opportunities. Unfortunately for Singletary, he wasn’t able to coax much success out of his private school team at Trinity Christian — the Trojans went 0-11 last year after a 1-10 finish in 2018.
The Houston native also doubled as a head coach last season for the Memphis Express of the Alliance of American Football, with the Express going 2-6 in what turned out to be the league’s only season.
Comparatively speaking, Singletary’s time in San Francisco now doesn’t seem so bad — aside from a rant or two. He coached the 49ers for 2 1/2 seasons, leading them to an 18-22 record from 2008-10.
However, Singletary’s time with the 49ers will mostly be remembered for him banishing tight end Vernon Davis to the locker room after an egregious penalty. Oh, and for Singletary dropping his pants in front of the 49ers during a bombastic halftime speech.
Singletary’s last coaching stint in the NFL came in 2016 with the Rams when he was a defensive assistant for 4-12 Los Angeles.
The former linebacker enjoyed an immensely successful NFL career with the Chicago Bears from 1981-92. The 10-time Pro Bowler and two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998.


mercurynews--2020-05-25--Patients use imagination to control pain with virtual reality program at SoCal hospital

Teresa Lipot enjoys swimming as a way to connect with nature .
Unfortunately , a medical condition has rendered the 62-year-old woman unable to go in the water for the past several years .
The same medical condition also causes Lipot chronic pain .
Virtual reality technology , or VR , recently introduced by Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach has allowed Lipot to experience an underwater swim in the ocean while reducing pain and stress at the same time .
Hoag , which in 2015 introduced VR technology in operating rooms , has begun using the technology with patients to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sensations such as pain , said Dr. Robert Louis , chair of neurosurgery .
Hoag is one of the first hospitals in the nation to offer this VR treatment outside of clinical trial settings .
The hospital is seeing positive results , Louis said .
“ It decreases the person ’ s thinking and worrying about the pain , ” Louis said .
“ It decreases the emotional unpleasantness of the pain , as well as the physical sensation of the pain .
“ We can see that all on functional MRIs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see the before and after , it ’ s amazing.
” While in the hospital in May , two nurses introduced Lipot to the technology , which involves wearing a headset nearly identical to those used by gamers .
“ I was more than happy to try it , ” Lipot said .
“ I would probably equate it to very affordable hypnotherapy.
” In 2018 , Cedar-Sinai Health Systems in Los Angeles conducted a study involving 120 subjects .
“ VR significantly reduces pain versus an active control condition in hospitalized patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ VR is most effective for severe pain.
” On a scale of one to 10 , with 10 being the worst pain , pain can be reduced by five points through the use of VR experiences , Louis said .
With such significant reductions in pain , there is less need to use opioids to help reduce pain – thereby reducing the possibility of opioid addiction .
“ We ’ re hearing some patients with a pain score going from an eight to a three , ” Louis said .
“ If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eight , the normal prescription would be for morphine or fentanyl .
When you have a pain score of three , the normal prescription is Tylenol .
“ Each time we can lower the dose of opioids , we can prevent maybe one more person from becoming addicted , ” Louis added .
“ We ’ re losing 50,000 a year in the US to opioid overdoses .
While a significant number of patients have experienced a “ substantial reduction in pain , ” the technology doesn ’ t work on everyone , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ VR technology used by Hoag involves educational video games that center around how pain works , Louis said .
“ Understanding pain is one of the key features , ” he said .
In another VR program , patients wearing a headset are shown a dead tree .
They are instructed to take long , deep breaths as a microphone that records the depth of the breaths .
As the patient ’ s breathing relaxes , the tree begins to grow and blossom and come back to life .
Lipot calls swimming her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t been able to enjoy the therapeutic activity for 10 years .
When she made eye contact with a whale in the VR setting , she found herself “ literally crying.
” “ I was really pleased that I was able to experience swimming under the water , ” Lipot said , “ without swimming underwater .
”

Teresa Lipot enjoys swimming as a way to connect with nature.
Unfortunately, a medical condition has rendered the 62-year-old woman unable to go in the water for the past several years.
The same medical condition also causes Lipot chronic pain.
Virtual reality technology, or VR, recently introduced by Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach has allowed Lipot to experience an underwater swim in the ocean while reducing pain and stress at the same time.
Hoag, which in 2015 introduced VR technology in operating rooms, has begun using the technology with patients to reach areas of the brain that affect sensations such as pain, said Dr. Robert Louis, chair of neurosurgery.
Hoag is one of the first hospitals in the nation to offer this VR treatment outside of clinical trial settings. The hospital is seeing positive results, Louis said.
“It decreases the person’s thinking and worrying about the pain,” Louis said. “It decreases the emotional unpleasantness of the pain, as well as the physical sensation of the pain.
“We can see that all on functional MRIs,” he said. “When you see the before and after, it’s amazing.”
While in the hospital in May, two nurses introduced Lipot to the technology, which involves wearing a headset nearly identical to those used by gamers.
“I was more than happy to try it,” Lipot said. “I would probably equate it to very affordable hypnotherapy.”
In 2018, Cedar-Sinai Health Systems in Los Angeles conducted a study involving 120 subjects. “VR significantly reduces pain versus an active control condition in hospitalized patients,” the study found. “VR is most effective for severe pain.”
On a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the worst pain, pain can be reduced by five points through the use of VR experiences, Louis said.
With such significant reductions in pain, there is less need to use opioids to help reduce pain – thereby reducing the possibility of opioid addiction.
“We’re hearing some patients with a pain score going from an eight to a three,” Louis said. “If you start off with a pain score of eight, the normal prescription would be for morphine or fentanyl. When you have a pain score of three, the normal prescription is Tylenol.
“Each time we can lower the dose of opioids, we can prevent maybe one more person from becoming addicted,” Louis added. “We’re losing 50,000 a year in the US to opioid overdoses.
While a significant number of patients have experienced a “substantial reduction in pain,” the technology doesn’t work on everyone, Louis said.
Some of the new VR technology used by Hoag involves educational video games that center around how pain works, Louis said.
“Understanding pain is one of the key features,” he said.
In another VR program, patients wearing a headset are shown a dead tree. They are instructed to take long, deep breaths as a microphone that records the depth of the breaths. As the patient’s breathing relaxes, the tree begins to grow and blossom and come back to life.
Lipot calls swimming her “happy place,” but hasn’t been able to enjoy the therapeutic activity for 10 years.
When she made eye contact with a whale in the VR setting, she found herself “literally crying.”
“I was really pleased that I was able to experience swimming under the water,” Lipot said, “without swimming underwater.”


mercurynews--2020-05-25--Trump honors war dead in events colored by pandemic’s threat

BALTIMORE — President Donald Trump honored America ’ s war dead Monday in back-to-back Memorial Day appearances colored by an epic struggle off the battlefield , against the coronavirus .
Eager to demonstrate national revival from the pandemic , Trump doubled up on his Memorial Day public schedule , while threatening to pull the Republican National Convention out of Charlotte in August unless North Carolina ’ s Democratic governor gives a quick green light to the party ’ s plans to assemble en masse .
The U.S. death toll from the pandemic approached 100,000 ; North Carolina two days earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 sickness .
Trump first honored the nation ’ s fallen at Arlington National Cemetery .
Presidents on Memorial Day typically lay a wreath and speak at the hallowed burial ground in Virginia .
But the coronavirus crisis made this year different .
Many attendees arrived wearing masks but removed them for the outdoor ceremony in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier .
Trump , maskless as always in public , gave no remarks .
He approached a wreath already in place , touched it and saluted .
Trump then traveled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where he declared : “ Together we will vanquish the virus and America will rise from this crisis to new and even greater heights .
No obstacle , no challenge and no threat is a match for the sheer determination of the American people.
” He praised the tens of thousands of service members and national guard personnel “ on the front lines of our war against this terrible virus.
” His Democratic opponent , Joe Biden , chose Memorial Day to make his first public appearance in the two months since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Biden emerged unannounced from his Delaware home to lay a wreath at a nearby park , with no crowd gathered to greet him .
It was a milestone in a presidential campaign that has largely been frozen .
Biden ’ s words were muffled through a black cloth face mask .
“ Never forget the sacrifices that these men and women made , ” he said after .
“ Never , ever , forget.
” The U.S. leads the world with more than 1.6 million confirmed coronavirus cases and nearly 98,000 deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hopkins University .
Trump tweeted his frustration with North Carolina Gov .
Roy Cooper , who has been moving his state into a cautious reopening that will keep indoor entertainment venues , like its NBA arena , closed for the time being .
The state reported a daily high of 1,100 new cases Saturday and has suffered about 750 deaths in the pandemic .
The president said Republicans will be “ reluctantly forced ” to find a convention site in another state unless Cooper can guarantee that the GOP will be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arena in Charlotte .
Cooper ’ s office said state officials are working with the GOP on convention decisions .
Changing sites would be difficult for reasons including the contract between Republican officials and Charlotte leaders to hold the gathering there .
Trump is intent on accelerating his own schedule as he urges the country to get to work .
This month , Trump has toured factories in Arizona , Pennsylvania and Michigan that make pandemic supplies .
He plans to be in Florida on Wednesday to watch two NASA astronauts rocket into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his private club in Virginia on Saturday and Sunday .
The Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine is where a poem , written after a huge American flag was hoisted to celebrate an important victory over the British during the War of 1812 , became “ The Star-Spangled Banner.
” The fort is closed to the public because of the pandemic .
Baltimore Mayor Bernard C. “ Jack ” Young objected to Trump ’ s visit in advance , saying it sends the wrong message about stay-at-home directives and the city can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him when it is losing $ 20 million a month because of the pandemic .
He cited the disproportionate effect the virus has had on his city and called on Trump to “ set a positive example ” by not traveling during the holiday weekend .
“ The brave men and women who have preserved our freedoms for generations did not stay home and the president will not either as he honors their sacrifice by visiting such a historic landmark in our nation ’ s history , ” White House spokesman Judd Deere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Biden says he was too ‘ cavalier ’ about black Trump supporters Trump last summer described a congressional district that includes Baltimore as a “ disgusting , rat and rodent-infested mess ” where “ no human being would want to live.
” He visited Baltimore months later to address a meeting of congressional Republicans , and a giant inflatable rat adorned with Trump-style hair and a red necktie taunted him from a few blocks away .
Trump did not visit any Baltimore neighborhoods .
Associated Press writer Jill Colvin in Arlington , @ @ @ @ @ @ @

By Darlene Superville | Associated Press
BALTIMORE — President Donald Trump honored America’s war dead Monday in back-to-back Memorial Day appearances colored by an epic struggle off the battlefield, against the coronavirus.
Eager to demonstrate national revival from the pandemic, Trump doubled up on his Memorial Day public schedule, while threatening to pull the Republican National Convention out of Charlotte in August unless North Carolina’s Democratic governor gives a quick green light to the party’s plans to assemble en masse.
The U.S. death toll from the pandemic approached 100,000; North Carolina two days earlier reported its largest daily increase yet in COVID-19 sickness.
Trump first honored the nation’s fallen at Arlington National Cemetery. Presidents on Memorial Day typically lay a wreath and speak at the hallowed burial ground in Virginia. But the coronavirus crisis made this year different.
Many attendees arrived wearing masks but removed them for the outdoor ceremony in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Trump, maskless as always in public, gave no remarks. He approached a wreath already in place, touched it and saluted.
Trump then traveled to Baltimore’s historic Fort McHenry, where he declared: “Together we will vanquish the virus and America will rise from this crisis to new and even greater heights. No obstacle, no challenge and no threat is a match for the sheer determination of the American people.”
[vemba-video id=”politics/2020/05/25/trump-visits-arlington-cemetery-for-wreath-laying-ceremony-vpx.cnn”]
He praised the tens of thousands of service members and national guard personnel “on the front lines of our war against this terrible virus.”
His Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, chose Memorial Day to make his first public appearance in the two months since the pandemic opened up on the country. Biden emerged unannounced from his Delaware home to lay a wreath at a nearby park, with no crowd gathered to greet him. It was a milestone in a presidential campaign that has largely been frozen.
Biden’s words were muffled through a black cloth face mask. “Never forget the sacrifices that these men and women made,” he said after. “Never, ever, forget.”
The U.S. leads the world with more than 1.6 million confirmed coronavirus cases and nearly 98,000 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
Trump tweeted his frustration with North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, who has been moving his state into a cautious reopening that will keep indoor entertainment venues, like its NBA arena, closed for the time being. The state reported a daily high of 1,100 new cases Saturday and has suffered about 750 deaths in the pandemic.
The president said Republicans will be “reluctantly forced” to find a convention site in another state unless Cooper can guarantee that the GOP will be able to fill its convention spaces, including the arena in Charlotte.
Cooper’s office said state officials are working with the GOP on convention decisions.
Changing sites would be difficult for reasons including the contract between Republican officials and Charlotte leaders to hold the gathering there.
Trump is intent on accelerating his own schedule as he urges the country to get to work. This month, Trump has toured factories in Arizona, Pennsylvania and Michigan that make pandemic supplies. He plans to be in Florida on Wednesday to watch two NASA astronauts rocket into space, and he played golf at his private club in Virginia on Saturday and Sunday.
The Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine is where a poem, written after a huge American flag was hoisted to celebrate an important victory over the British during the War of 1812, became “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The fort is closed to the public because of the pandemic.
Baltimore Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young objected to Trump’s visit in advance, saying it sends the wrong message about stay-at-home directives and the city cannot afford the added cost of hosting him when it is losing $20 million a month because of the pandemic.
He cited the disproportionate effect the virus has had on his city and called on Trump to “set a positive example” by not traveling during the holiday weekend.
Trump was not dissuaded.
“The brave men and women who have preserved our freedoms for generations did not stay home and the president will not either as he honors their sacrifice by visiting such a historic landmark in our nation’s history,” White House spokesman Judd Deere said in an emailed statement Sunday.
Related Articles Politics | Opinion: Every American has a stake in seeing Trump’s trial on TV
Opinion: Every American has a stake in seeing Trump’s trial on TV Politics | Mar-a-Lago property manager De Oliveira pleads not guilty
Mar-a-Lago property manager De Oliveira pleads not guilty Politics | Giuliani: Legal quagmires have left him broke
Giuliani: Legal quagmires have left him broke Politics | Prosecutors, defense spar over fate of Hunter Biden gun deal
Prosecutors, defense spar over fate of Hunter Biden gun deal Politics | GOP rivals prepare for possible Trump-less debate Trump last summer described a congressional district that includes Baltimore as a “disgusting, rat and rodent-infested mess” where “no human being would want to live.” He visited Baltimore months later to address a meeting of congressional Republicans, and a giant inflatable rat adorned with Trump-style hair and a red necktie taunted him from a few blocks away. Trump did not visit any Baltimore neighborhoods.
Associated Press writer Jill Colvin in Arlington, Virginia, contributed to this report.


mercurynews--2020-05-26--Letter: Appalling racism, discrimination rearing their ugly heads

UCSF Nursing Professor Linda Park is absolutely correct when she writes in her commentary : “ We are interwoven across @ @ @ @ @ choose how to stand together with our own world citizens.
” Rightly so , Professor @ @ @ @ @ and appalling acts of discrimination rearing their ugly heads in our land of justice and @ @ @ @ @ in my hometown of San Francisco , I saw a big billboard at the corner @ @ @ @ @ Street .
It read “ Humanity will light the way.
” Professor Park pleads for @ @ @ @ @ humanity written on the civic billboard .
Some of our personally troubled fellow citizens need @ @ @ @ @ to interact respectfully and compassionately with each other .
• Letter : Leaders aren ’ @ @ @ @ @ they think best • Letter : Think there ’ s a housing crisis now ?
@ @ @ @ @ relief plan Thank you , Professor Park , for your truthful and noble words .
@ @ @ @ @ editor via this form Read more Letters to the Editor

Re: “Asian Americans facing COVID-19-related prejudices” (Opinion section, Eastbaytimes.com, May 19):
UCSF Nursing Professor Linda Park is absolutely correct when she writes in her commentary: “We are interwoven across the world. We can choose how to stand together with our own world citizens.”
Rightly so, Professor Park also laments the racism and appalling acts of discrimination rearing their ugly heads in our land of justice and liberty for all.
Today in my hometown of San Francisco, I saw a big billboard at the corner of Geary Boulevard and Spruce Street. It read “Humanity will light the way.”
Professor Park pleads for better understanding and the selfsame humanity written on the civic billboard.
Some of our personally troubled fellow citizens need to find the right way to interact respectfully and compassionately with each other.
Related Articles Letters to the Editor | Letters: Escape Bay Area | CASA program | Feinstein replacement | Faulty comparison | Not conservatives
Letters: Escape Bay Area | CASA program | Feinstein replacement | Faulty comparison | Not conservatives Letters to the Editor | Letters: Psychiatric beds | SJSU neglect | Squandering cash | Overdoing coverage | Pac-12 negotiations | For climate’s sake | Electric appliances
Letters: Psychiatric beds | SJSU neglect | Squandering cash | Overdoing coverage | Pac-12 negotiations | For climate’s sake | Electric appliances Letters to the Editor | Letters: Abandoning tenants | Deaf culture | Western contributions | Conservative alienation | Precise language
Letters: Abandoning tenants | Deaf culture | Western contributions | Conservative alienation | Precise language Letters to the Editor | Letters: Insulate wires | CDE was wrong | Functional Chromebooks | Trump’s ego | Healthy debate | A new path
Letters: Insulate wires | CDE was wrong | Functional Chromebooks | Trump’s ego | Healthy debate | A new path Letters to the Editor | Letters: Local solar | Titan resources | Activism helps Thank you, Professor Park, for your truthful and noble words.
Victor Turks
San Francisco
Submit your letter to the editor via this form
Read more Letters to the Editor


mercurynews--2020-05-26--Letter: We’ll cherish Bob Kieve’s warmth, wisdom, caring

For just shy of a century , our world was made better by a legendary leader named Bob Kieve .
White House speechwriter to President Dwight D. Eisenhower , Bob came to San Jose to create Empire Broadcasting in the 1960s .
His bow ties and broad smile were two of his trademarks , but we will always cherish his warmth and wisdom , caring and kindness .
Bob served on our Silicon Valley Leadership Group Foundation Board for a decade , and graciously allowed me to serve on his Empire Broadcasting Board for the past five .
I will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to air “ The CEO Show ” on KLIV for eight years until the station was sold , providing me insights and feedback after numerous weekly shows .
Last year , Bob ’ s family , and his Empire Broadcasting Family , allowed us to approach San Jose to declare a “ Bob Kieve Day ” and present him with the Key to the City .
Last Sunday morning , Bob was given the Key to Heaven .
• Letter : Leaders aren ’ t elected to do what they think best • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ housing crisis now ?
Just wait for the rent relief plan RIP Bob .
You touched thousands of us in ways large and small , always for our good .
Submit your letter to the editor via this form Read more Letters to the Editor

For just shy of a century, our world was made better by a legendary leader named Bob Kieve.
White House speechwriter to President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Bob came to San Jose to create Empire Broadcasting in the 1960s.
His bow ties and broad smile were two of his trademarks, but we will always cherish his warmth and wisdom, caring and kindness. Bob served on our Silicon Valley Leadership Group Foundation Board for a decade, and graciously allowed me to serve on his Empire Broadcasting Board for the past five.
I will always cherish the opportunity Bob afforded me to air “The CEO Show” on KLIV for eight years until the station was sold, providing me insights and feedback after numerous weekly shows.
Last year, Bob’s family, and his Empire Broadcasting Family, allowed us to approach San Jose to declare a “Bob Kieve Day” and present him with the Key to the City.
Last Sunday morning, Bob was given the Key to Heaven.
Related Articles Letters to the Editor | Letters: Escape Bay Area | CASA program | Feinstein replacement | Faulty comparison | Not conservatives
Letters: Escape Bay Area | CASA program | Feinstein replacement | Faulty comparison | Not conservatives Letters to the Editor | Letters: Psychiatric beds | SJSU neglect | Squandering cash | Overdoing coverage | Pac-12 negotiations | For climate’s sake | Electric appliances
Letters: Psychiatric beds | SJSU neglect | Squandering cash | Overdoing coverage | Pac-12 negotiations | For climate’s sake | Electric appliances Letters to the Editor | Letters: Abandoning tenants | Deaf culture | Western contributions | Conservative alienation | Precise language
Letters: Abandoning tenants | Deaf culture | Western contributions | Conservative alienation | Precise language Letters to the Editor | Letters: Insulate wires | CDE was wrong | Functional Chromebooks | Trump’s ego | Healthy debate | A new path
Letters: Insulate wires | CDE was wrong | Functional Chromebooks | Trump’s ego | Healthy debate | A new path Letters to the Editor | Letters: Local solar | Titan resources | Activism helps RIP Bob. You touched thousands of us in ways large and small, always for our good.
Carl Guardino
CEO
Silicon Valley Leadership Group
Submit your letter to the editor via this form
Read more Letters to the Editor