washingtontimes--2020-05-25--NASA astronauts go back to the future with capsule launch

CAPE CANAVERAL , Fla. ( AP ) — It ’ s back to the future as NASA astronauts launch again from the U.S. — aboard a retro-style “ Right Stuff ” capsule .
Make no mistake : This is not your father ’ s — or grandfather ’ s — capsule .
SpaceX ’ s Dragon crew capsule outshines NASA ’ s old Apollo spacecraft in virtually every way .
The Dragon ’ s clean lines and minimalist interior , with touchscreens instead of a mess of switches and knobs , make even the space shuttles seem yesteryear .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be on full display Wednesday when SpaceX plans to launch NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the International Space Station — a first for a private company .
It will be the first astronaut launch from Florida since Atlantis closed out the space shuttle program in 2011 , and the first American-made capsule to carry people into orbit since the Apollo-Soyuz mission in 1975 .
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket — with the crew capsule atop — will soar from the same pad used for both of those earlier missions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ still in use after a half-century plus , have kept NASA astronauts flying to the space station .
While reliable , the Soyuz looks dated compared with the snappy Dragon .
“ We want it to not only be as safe and reliable as you ’ d expect from the most advanced spacecraft in the world … we also want it to look amazing and look beautiful , ” said Benji Reed , a SpaceX mission director .
SpaceX and Boeing , NASA ’ s other commercial crew provider , opted for capsules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sierra Nevada Corp. , proposed a small space plane for astronauts , but did not make the final cut .
NASA has since hired the company to haul space station supplies aboard its mini shuttle starting as soon as next year .
There was no need for another flying machine like the shuttle , which was built to haul hefty satellites and space station parts , said retired NASA manager Steve Payne .
“ What we ’ re trying to do now is just taxi service up and down , and you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anymore .
You can use a sedan , ” Payne told The Associated Press .
“ Yes , wings are nice .
They give you more options as to where to land and a little more control , ” said Payne , a former Navy fighter pilot .
“ But they ’ re not absolutely necessary .
And since we ’ re trying to make this inexpensive and reusable and as simple as we can make it so that it ’ s cost effective , capsules work.
” SpaceX based its crew capsule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also named Dragon and ending space station missions with old-fashioned splashdowns .
The two astronauts were deeply involved in the new capsule ’ s development over the past five years .
In true test flight fashion , they offered suggestions and tweaked here and there , to benefit not just themselves but future crews .
“ Our goal through this entire process is to not turn the spacecraft into Bob and Doug ’ s excellent machine , with a bunch of things that only Doug likes or only Bob likes , ” Behnken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has four seats lined up in a row , only the center two will be occupied for this especially risky test flight .
A test dummy soloed on last year ’ s Dragon crew capsule debut .
This Dragon now has a name , courtesy of its crew .
Hurley and Behnken promise to reveal it on launch day , one of many traditions they ’ re setting into motion as NASA ’ s commercial crew program finally takes wing .
The practice hearkens back to NASA ’ s early days : Project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first American to circle the Earth aboard Friendship 7 ; Gemini 3′s Gus Grissom and John Young sailed into orbit aboard Molly Brown ; and Apollo 11′s Neil Armstrong , Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins flew to the moon aboard Columbia .
“ We have to save some suspense for the mission itself , ” Behnken said .
“ We ’ ve got something for you to look forward to on launch day.
” The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsible for all content .

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — It’s back to the future as NASA astronauts launch again from the U.S. — aboard a retro-style “Right Stuff” capsule.
Make no mistake: This is not your father’s — or grandfather’s — capsule.
SpaceX’s Dragon crew capsule outshines NASA’s old Apollo spacecraft in virtually every way. The Dragon’s clean lines and minimalist interior, with touchscreens instead of a mess of switches and knobs, make even the space shuttles seem yesteryear.
This fresh take on a vintage look will be on full display Wednesday when SpaceX plans to launch NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the International Space Station — a first for a private company.
It will be the first astronaut launch from Florida since Atlantis closed out the space shuttle program in 2011, and the first American-made capsule to carry people into orbit since the Apollo-Soyuz mission in 1975.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket — with the crew capsule atop — will soar from the same pad used for both of those earlier missions.
Russia’s workhorse Soyuz capsules, still in use after a half-century plus, have kept NASA astronauts flying to the space station. While reliable, the Soyuz looks dated compared with the snappy Dragon.
“We want it to not only be as safe and reliable as you’d expect from the most advanced spacecraft in the world … we also want it to look amazing and look beautiful,” said Benji Reed, a SpaceX mission director.
SpaceX and Boeing, NASA’s other commercial crew provider, opted for capsules from the start.
Another early competitor, Sierra Nevada Corp., proposed a small space plane for astronauts, but did not make the final cut. NASA has since hired the company to haul space station supplies aboard its mini shuttle starting as soon as next year.
There was no need for another flying machine like the shuttle, which was built to haul hefty satellites and space station parts, said retired NASA manager Steve Payne.
“What we’re trying to do now is just taxi service up and down, and you don’t need the huge semi anymore. You can use a sedan,” Payne told The Associated Press.
“Yes, wings are nice. They give you more options as to where to land and a little more control,” said Payne, a former Navy fighter pilot. “But they’re not absolutely necessary. And since we’re trying to make this inexpensive and reusable and as simple as we can make it so that it’s cost effective, capsules work.”
SpaceX based its crew capsule on its long-running reusable cargo capsule, also named Dragon and ending space station missions with old-fashioned splashdowns.
The two astronauts were deeply involved in the new capsule’s development over the past five years. In true test flight fashion, they offered suggestions and tweaked here and there, to benefit not just themselves but future crews.
“Our goal through this entire process is to not turn the spacecraft into Bob and Doug’s excellent machine, with a bunch of things that only Doug likes or only Bob likes,” Behnken said.
Although the full automated Dragon has four seats lined up in a row, only the center two will be occupied for this especially risky test flight. A test dummy soloed on last year’s Dragon crew capsule debut.
This Dragon now has a name, courtesy of its crew. Hurley and Behnken promise to reveal it on launch day, one of many traditions they’re setting into motion as NASA’s commercial crew program finally takes wing.
The practice hearkens back to NASA’s early days: Project Mercury’s John Glenn became the first American to circle the Earth aboard Friendship 7; Gemini 3′s Gus Grissom and John Young sailed into orbit aboard Molly Brown; and Apollo 11′s Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins flew to the moon aboard Columbia.
“We have to save some suspense for the mission itself,” Behnken said. “We’ve got something for you to look forward to on launch day.”
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.


washingtontimes--2020-05-25--Religious leaders say gatherings are still too risky

MINNEAPOLIS ( AP ) - Religious leaders in Minnesota are free to open their doors to worshippers once again with some precautions due to the coronavirus , but many believe it ’ s too soon to resume services .
Gov .
Tim Walz is allowing places of worship to reopen at 25 % capacity Wednesday .
While the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis made plans to reopen its parishes , other religious leaders say the risks of such gatherings are still too great .
“ It is irresponsible to be inviting people right now to worship within the walls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the Rev .
Timothy Hart-Andersen , senior pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in downtown Minneapolis , wrote in an e-mail .
The Star Tribune reports the 42 rabbis of the Minnesota Rabbinical Association were unanimous in saying they will not yet open their religious facilities since “ the peak of COVID-19 has yet to come.
” And , the Muslim American Society of Minnesota said it ’ s keeping its places of worship closed “ until infection rates are reliably reported to decline in Minnesota.
” Minnesota health officials on Sunday confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raising the statewide total to more than 20,500 .
The updated report includes 17 deaths from COVID-19 , for a statewide total of 869 .

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Many religious leaders in Minnesota say it’s too soon to throw open their doors to the faithful, despite the governor’s recent decision to lift some coronavirus restrictions on places of worship.
Gov. Tim Walz said Saturday that the state will allow them to reopen starting Wednesday at 25% capacity, or a maximum of 250 people, whichever is lower. While the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, other Catholic dioceses and some other churches across Minnesota are making plans to resume services, other faith communities say the risks are still too great.
“It is irresponsible to be inviting people right now to worship within the walls of our congregation’s building,” the Rev. Timothy Hart-Andersen, senior pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in downtown Minneapolis, told the Star Tribune.
The 42 rabbis of the Minnesota Rabbinical Association were unanimous in saying in a statement that they will not yet open their synagogues because “the peak of COVID-19 has yet to come,” They said they’ll follow the state’s updated guidance issued Saturday “that it is much safer to continue worshiping and celebrating life cycle events from home at this time.”
And, the Muslim American Society of Minnesota said in a social media post that its affiliated places of worship would remain closed “until infection rates are reliably reported to decline in Minnesota.”
The Minnesota Department of Health on Monday reported 12 new deaths and 745 new confirmed cases to raise the state’s death toll to 881 and its confirmed case count to 21,315. It said 605 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Monday, with 248 in intensive care; both figures were new one-day highs.
Archbishop Bernard Hebda, who leads the Twin Cities archdiocese, said in a letter that parishes don’t have to resume Mass on Wednesday, and that parishioners over the age of 65 or who are especially vulnerable should stay home.
“The bishops of Minnesota have repeatedly told our pastors and parishes that they should only return to public Mass when they are able and willing to follow the many protocols that have been put in place - including sanitization and a few changes to the liturgy, particularly regarding the reception of Holy Communion,” he wrote. “If a parish is not confident they are ready, they should not open. Period. And if the faithful feel safer at home, the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days continues to be dispensed.”
Starting Tuesday, it will be mandatory in Minneapolis to wear masks or other cloth face coverings inside stores, hotels, recreation centers, the skyway system and other government buildings. Businesses won’t be required to provide masks to customers or employees, though employers will be required to mandate the use of masks by their workers. Violations could be punished by fines of up to $1,000.
“With more commercial activity set to resume, it’s important that we right-size our approach to public health regulations given our city’s outsized footprint in the state,” Mayor Jacob Frey said in a statement last week. “Wearing a cloth mask is not a substitute for the measures like safe physical distancing that have already helped us extend the curve, but it will help keep Minneapolis safer.”


washingtontimes--2020-05-25--UN: Libya coast guard intercepts, detains about 400 migrants

CAIRO ( AP ) - Libya ’ s coast guard intercepted about 400 Europe-bound migrants off the country ’ s Mediterranean coast over the past two days , and brought them to the capital of Tripoli from where they were taken to a detention center , the U.N. migration agency said Monday .
Safa Msehli , a spokeswoman for the International Organization for Migration said the migrants were taken to the al-Nasser detention center in the town of Zawya , west of Tripoli , she said .
Mselhi said departures from Libya have increased , which is “ especially worrying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and rescue capacity.
” Libya , which descended into chaos following the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi , has emerged as a major transit point for African and Arab migrants fleeing war and poverty to Europe .
Most migrants make the perilous journey in ill-equipped and unsafe rubber boats .
The IOM said last month that its estimated death toll among migrants who have tried to cross the Mediterranean Sea since 2014 has surpassed 20,000 .
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic , major maritime rescue charities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , have suspended migrant rescue operations .
Also , travel disruptions have forced the U.N. refugee and migration agencies to halt their resettlement flights for the most vulnerable people .
In recent years , the European Union has partnered with the coast guard and other Libyan forces to stop the flow of migrants .
Rights groups say those efforts have left migrants at the mercy of brutal armed groups or confined in squalid and overcrowded detention centers that lack adequate food and water .
The EU agreed earlier this year to end an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and instead deploy military ships to concentrate on upholding a widely flouted U.N. arms embargo that ’ s considered key to winding down Libya ’ s relentless war .

CAIRO (AP) - Libya’s coast guard intercepted about 400 Europe-bound migrants off the country’s Mediterranean coast over the past two days, and brought them to the capital of Tripoli from where they were taken to a detention center, the U.N. migration agency said Monday.
Safa Msehli, a spokeswoman for the International Organization for Migration said the migrants were taken to the al-Nasser detention center in the town of Zawya, west of Tripoli, she said.
Mselhi said departures from Libya have increased, which is “especially worrying amid a sharp decrease in … search and rescue capacity.”
The U.N. refugee agency in Libya said two people had died of the 315 migrants who were intercepted and returned to Tripoli early on Monday. Their bodies were recovered, it added.
The other migrants, totaling around 85 persons, were intercepted earlier by the Libyan coast guard.
Libya, which descended into chaos following the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi, has emerged as a major transit point for African and Arab migrants fleeing war and poverty to Europe.
Most migrants make the perilous journey in ill-equipped and unsafe rubber boats. The IOM said last month that its estimated death toll among migrants who have tried to cross the Mediterranean Sea since 2014 has surpassed 20,000.
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, major maritime rescue charities, such as Ocean Viking and Sea-Watch, have suspended migrant rescue operations. Also, travel disruptions have forced the U.N. refugee and migration agencies to halt their resettlement flights for the most vulnerable people.
In recent years, the European Union has partnered with the coast guard and other Libyan forces to stop the flow of migrants. Rights groups say those efforts have left migrants at the mercy of brutal armed groups or confined in squalid and overcrowded detention centers that lack adequate food and water.
The EU agreed earlier this year to end an anti-migrant smuggler operation involving only surveillance aircraft and instead deploy military ships to concentrate on upholding a widely flouted U.N. arms embargo that’s considered key to winding down Libya’s relentless war.


washingtontimes--2020-05-25--Florida baseball team lists stadium on AirBnB for $1500

PENSACOLA , Fla. ( AP ) - A Florida team is selling people the “ ultimate baseball experience ” by @ @ @ @ @ for rent on AirBnB for $ 1,500 a night .
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos says @ @ @ @ @ the clubhouse , a large bedroom , the batting cage and the field .
“ @ @ @ @ @ from home plate , play catch in the outfield , run the bases , enjoy @ @ @ @ @ , or find other creative uses for the field , ” the listing said .
@ @ @ @ @ no reviews , the stadium has been fully booked through July .
The team said @ @ @ @ @ it was waiting to hear more on the schedule for the 2020 season from league @ @ @ @ @ for vacation rentals between July and October .
The Minor League Baseball delayed the start @ @ @ @ @ a result of the coronavirus pandemic .

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) - A Florida team is selling people the “ultimate baseball experience” by putting their oceanview stadium up for rent on AirBnB for $1,500 a night.
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos says guests will have access to the clubhouse, a large bedroom, the batting cage and the field.
“Guests are welcome to hit from home plate, play catch in the outfield, run the bases, enjoy a picnic in the outfield, or find other creative uses for the field,” the listing said.
And although the listing had no reviews, the stadium has been fully booked through July.
The team said on a Facebook post that it was waiting to hear more on the schedule for the 2020 season from league officials before opening more dates for vacation rentals between July and October.
The Minor League Baseball delayed the start of the 2020 season as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.


washingtontimes--2020-05-25--Poland's president appoints new head of embattled top court

WARSAW , Poland ( AP ) - Polish President Andrzej Duda on Monday appointed a judge backed by the right-wing ruling party to be the new head of the Supreme Court , marking apparent victory in years of government efforts to take control of the court .
The new head , Malgorzata Manowska , 55 , is also head of the state school for judges and prosecutors .
She is under disciplinary investigation for keeping the school job after being appointed to the Supreme Court in 2018 .
The school itself is also under criminal investigation after personal data of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was leaked .
Manowska also served as deputy justice minister in 2007 , when the Law and Justice party was previously in power .
Monday ’ s appointment was announced by Duda ’ s spokesman , Blazej Spychalski on Twitter .
A formal ceremony is still pending .
Manowska was selected from five candidates proposed by the court .
The previous court head , Malgorzata Gersdorf , who had resisted government pressure and efforts to make her leave early , retired last month after completing her six-year term .
Duda also appointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the top court ’ s spokesman under Gersdorf , to head the court ’ s Criminal Chamber .
The government ’ s moves to take controls of the Supreme Court have led the European Union to threaten sanctions on the government .

WARSAW, Poland (AP) - Polish President Andrzej Duda on Monday appointed a judge backed by the right-wing ruling party to be the new head of the Supreme Court, marking apparent victory in years of government efforts to take control of the court.
The new head, Malgorzata Manowska, 55, is also head of the state-run National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution. She is under disciplinary investigation for keeping the school job after being appointed to the Supreme Court in 2018.
The school itself is also under criminal investigation after personal data of its employees, including judges and prosecutors, was leaked.
Manowska also served as deputy justice minister in 2007, when the Law and Justice party was previously in power.
On winning power again in 2015, the party started to make deep changes to the justice system, saying they were needed to put an end to the legacy of the communist era. The moves are gradually putting the judiciary under political control.
Monday’s appointment was announced by Duda’s spokesman, Blazej Spychalski on Twitter. A formal ceremony is still pending. Manowska was selected from five candidates proposed by the court.
Critics said there were procedural flaws in the process of choosing Manowska for 1st President of the Supreme Court that will weaken her position. One of them was a lack of a formal court resolution naming her and other candidates.
The former head of the top constitutional court, Andrzej Zoll, said Duda was “taking into account the ruling party’s interests more than the interest of the state.”
The previous court head, Malgorzata Gersdorf, who had resisted government pressure and efforts to make her leave early, retired last month after completing her six-year term.
Duda also appointed Judge Michal Laskowski, who served as the top court’s spokesman under Gersdorf, to head the court’s Criminal Chamber.
Laskowski said he was not sure he would accept the appointment which he saw as Duda’s attempt to balance the situation at the court, which is deeply divided over the changes the government is making there and in the whole justice system.
He said all effort should be made to prevent the Supreme Court from becoming “another body that fulfills political will.”
The government’s moves to take control of the Supreme Court have led the European Union to threaten sanctions on the government.


washingtontimes--2020-05-25--Maine encourages absentee voting in July primary election

PORTLAND , Maine ( AP ) - Maine ’ s top election official is encouraging people to vote via absentee ballot during the July primary election to limit the exposure voters and polling workers have to the coronavirus .
The state will still hold in-person balloting July 14 with new social distancing protocols , but it ’ s easier - and safer - to vote via absentee ballot , Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap said this week .
“ It ’ s a simple way to cast your vote from the safety of your own home , ” Dunlap said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The primary elections , originally scheduled for June 8 , were delayed by Democractic Gov .
Janet Mills because of the coronavirus pandemic .
On the delayed July 14 ballot are primary races for the U.S. Senate and House , along with primaries for all 186 legislative seats .
Those elections will determine who is on the November ballot .
Also on the statewide ballot are two bond questions totaling $ 120 million .
That includes $ 105 million for transportation improvement projects and $ 15 million to expand high-speed internet in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request an absentee ballot for any reason , amounting to an early voting system in the state .
Last week , President Donald Trump stepped up his attacks on mail voting , accusing Michigan and Nevada of engaging in voter fraud and suggesting that federal funds could be withheld from those states .
Like Maine , Michigan provides no-excuse absentee balloting .
And Nevada is holding an all-mail primary election on June 9 .
Nevada election officials mailed absentee ballots to all registered voters .
In Maine , absentee ballots will be mailed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election , but voters can go ahead and place their requests now via the state ’ s online website or through local clerks .
Some cities , like Lewiston , have asked to consolidate polling places to reduce the need for workers and to reduce exposure .
Some clerks are scrambling to line up polling workers , many of whom are retirees whose age makes them vulnerable to the coronavirus .
They ’ re also looking at safety guidelines .
By using absentee ballots , voters and polling workers will be safer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polling places the day of the primary election , said Lewiston City Clerk Kathy Montejo .
“ We ’ re asking people to consider voting via absentee for basically the health of the entire community , ” she said .
In Maine ’ s largest city , City Clerk Kathy Jones said her biggest worry is simply ensuring there are enough polling place workers in Portland .
Expanded absentee voting would reduce lines on Election Day and help ensuring the election runs smoothly , she said .
The state has requested $ 3.2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gloves and masks for election workers , to print additional absentee ballots and make other adjustments .

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Maine’s top election official is encouraging people to vote via absentee ballot during the July primary election to limit the exposure voters and polling workers have to the coronavirus.
The state will still hold in-person balloting July 14 with new social distancing protocols, but it’s easier - and safer - to vote via absentee ballot, Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap said this week.
“It’s a simple way to cast your vote from the safety of your own home,” Dunlap said in a video posted on social media.
The primary elections, originally scheduled for June 9, were delayed by Democractic Gov. Janet Mills because of the coronavirus pandemic.
On the delayed July 14 ballot are primary races for the U.S. Senate and House, along with primaries for all 186 legislative seats. Those elections will determine who is on the November ballot.
Also on the statewide ballot are two bond questions totaling $120 million. That includes $105 million for transportation improvement projects and $15 million to expand high-speed internet in underserved areas.
Maine allows voters to request an absentee ballot for any reason, amounting to an early voting system in the state.
Last week, President Donald Trump stepped up his attacks on mail voting, accusing Michigan and Nevada of engaging in voter fraud and suggesting that federal funds could be withheld from those states.
Like Maine, Michigan provides no-excuse absentee balloting. And Nevada is holding an all-mail primary election on June 9. Nevada election officials mailed absentee ballots to all registered voters.
In Maine, absentee ballots will be mailed to municipal clerks 30 days before the election, but voters can go ahead and place their requests now via the state’s online website or through local clerks.
Some cities, like Lewiston, have asked to consolidate polling places to reduce the need for workers and to reduce exposure.
Some clerks are scrambling to line up polling workers, many of whom are retirees whose age makes them vulnerable to the coronavirus. They’re also looking at safety guidelines.
By using absentee ballots, voters and polling workers will be safer, and there will be less strain on polling places the day of the primary election, said Lewiston City Clerk Kathy Montejo.
“We’re asking people to consider voting via absentee for basically the health of the entire community,” she said.
In Maine’s largest city, City Clerk Kathy Jones said her biggest worry is simply ensuring there are enough polling place workers in Portland.
Expanded absentee voting would reduce lines on Election Day and help ensuring the election runs smoothly, she said.
The state has requested $3.2 million from the federal government to provide gloves and masks for election workers, to print additional absentee ballots and make other adjustments.
___
This story has been corrected to show that the original date for Maine’s primary was June 9, not June 8.


washingtontimes--2020-05-25--China demands US withdraw sanctions on tech suppliers

BEIJING ( AP ) - China demand Monday that Washington withdraw export sanctions imposed on Chinese companies in the latest round of a worsening conflict over technology , security and human rights .
The foreign ministry accused the Trump administration of interfering in China ’ s affairs by adding eight companies accused of playing roles in a crackdown in its Muslim northwestern region of Xinjiang to an export blacklist .
Washington also imposed controls on access to American technology for 24 companies and government-linked entities it said might be involved in obtaining goods with potential military uses .
The U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relations ” and “ harmed China ’ s interests , ” said a ministry spokesman , Zhao Lijian .
“ We urge the United States to correct its mistakes , revoke the relevant decision and stop interfering in China ’ s internal affairs , ” Zhao said .
The measures announced Friday expand a U.S. campaign against Chinese companies including tech giant Huawei that Washington says might be security threats .
Beijing criticized curbs imposed earlier on Huawei Technologies Ltd. and other companies including Hikvision Digital Technology Ltd. , a supplier of video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say whether it will retaliate .
One company cited Friday in connection with Xinjiang is accused of “ engaging in human rights violations , ” the Commerce Department said .
The rest are accused of “ enabling China ’ s high-technology surveillance ” in the region .
One of the technology suppliers , CloudWalk Technology Ltd. , which makes facial recognition systems , said in a statement such “ unfair treatment ” will hurt American companies and global development .
China ’ s fledgling tech industries are developing their own processor chips , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need U.S. , European and Japanese components and technology for smartphones and other devices , as well as for manufacturing processes .
The company accused of human rights violations , Aksu Huafu Textiles Co. , said in a statement the U.S. decision “ recklessly disregards facts.
” The company said it won ’ t be affected because any American materials can be replaced by Chinese sources .
Other companies didn ’ t respond Monday to questions about how they might be affected .
The decision to add the companies to the Commerce Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to U.S. components and technology by requiring government permission for exports .
American officials complain Beijing ’ s technology development is based at least in part on stolen foreign know-how and might erode U.S. industrial leadership or threaten the security of its neighbors .
Complaints about Beijing ’ s technology ambitions prompted President Donald Trump to raise duties on Chinese imports in 2018 , triggering a tariff war that weighs on global trade .
The two governments signed a truce in January but Trump has threatened to back out if China fails to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cited Friday “ represent a significant risk of supporting procurement of items for military end-use in China , ” the Commerce Department said .
The most prominent name on that list is Qihoo 360 , a major supplier of anti-virus software and a web browser .
On its social media account , Qihoo 360 accused the Commerce Department of “ politicizing business ” and commercial research and development .
Companies including Huawei that were targeted by earlier U.S. sanctions deny they are a threat .
Chinese officials accuse Washington of using phony security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tech industries .
Another blacklisted company , CloudMinds Technology Co. , a maker of internet-linked robots , said all its products “ are designed for civilian use.
” It appealed to the U.S. government on its social media account to “ stop this unfair treatment .
”

BEIJING (AP) - China demand Monday that Washington withdraw export sanctions imposed on Chinese companies in the latest round of a worsening conflict over technology, security and human rights.
The foreign ministry accused the Trump administration of interfering in China’s affairs by adding eight companies accused of playing roles in a crackdown in its Muslim northwestern region of Xinjiang to an export blacklist.
Washington also imposed controls on access to American technology for 24 companies and government-linked entities it said might be involved in obtaining goods with potential military uses.
The U.S. decision “violated basic norms of international relations” and “harmed China ’s interests,” said a ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian.
“We urge the United States to correct its mistakes, revoke the relevant decision and stop interfering in China’s internal affairs,” Zhao said.
The measures announced Friday expand a U.S. campaign against Chinese companies including tech giant Huawei that Washington says might be security threats.
Beijing criticized curbs imposed earlier on Huawei Technologies Ltd. and other companies including Hikvision Digital Technology Ltd., a supplier of video security products. It has yet to say whether it will retaliate.
One company cited Friday in connection with Xinjiang is accused of “engaging in human rights violations,” the Commerce Department said. The rest are accused of “enabling China’s high-technology surveillance” in the region.
One of the technology suppliers, CloudWalk Technology Ltd., which makes facial recognition systems, said in a statement such “unfair treatment”will hurt American companies and global development.
China’s fledgling tech industries are developing their own processor chips, software and other products. But they need U.S., European and Japanese components and technology for smartphones and other devices, as well as for manufacturing processes.
The company accused of human rights violations, Aksu Huafu Textiles Co., said in a statement the U.S. decision “recklessly disregards facts.” The company said it won’t be affected because any American materials can be replaced by Chinese sources.
Other companies didn’t respond Monday to questions about how they might be affected.
The decision to add the companies to the Commerce Department’s Entity List limits their access to U.S. components and technology by requiring government permission for exports.
American officials complain Beijing’s technology development is based at least in part on stolen foreign know-how and might erode U.S. industrial leadership or threaten the security of its neighbors.
Complaints about Beijing’s technology ambitions prompted President Donald Trump to raise duties on Chinese imports in 2018, triggering a tariff war that weighs on global trade. The two governments signed a truce in January but Trump has threatened to back out if China fails to buy more American exports.
Other companies cited Friday “represent a significant risk of supporting procurement of items for military end-use in China,” the Commerce Department said.
The most prominent name on that list is Qihoo 360, a major supplier of anti-virus software and a web browser.
On its social media account, Qihoo 360 accused the Commerce Department of “politicizing business” and commercial research and development.
Companies including Huawei that were targeted by earlier U.S. sanctions deny they are a threat. Chinese officials accuse Washington of using phony security warnings to block rising competitors of U.S. tech industries.
Another blacklisted company, CloudMinds Technology Co., a maker of internet-linked robots, said all its products “are designed for civilian use.” It appealed to the U.S. government on its social media account to “stop this unfair treatment.”


washingtontimes--2020-05-25--Car convoys, small ceremonies to mark Memorial Day in NYC

NEW YORK ( AP ) - Memorial Day in New York City is being marked with car convoys and small ceremonies instead of parades , as those looking to honor fallen military members have to contend with coronavirus restrictions .
“ It ’ s something we ’ re upset about , but we understand , ” said Raymond Aalbue , chairman of the United Military Veterans of Kings County , which usually puts on a parade in Brooklyn .
There ’ s “ no reason to put anybody in harm ’ s way , ” he said .
Still , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the heart of all the veterans.
” His organization will have a convoy of 10 cars leaving from the Bay Ridge spot where the parade usually starts and then ending up at the Brooklyn veterans affairs hospital , where participants will line up next to their cars for a salute and a wreath-laying ceremony .
In Queens , the group behind the Little Neck-Douglaston Memorial Day Parade will have a few people at the site where they normally end their parade , said executive director Victor Mimoni .
One person will lay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flag ceremony and a third will play “ Taps ” while some others watch , he said , a far cry from the crowds that usually attend the event .
But “ we felt the need to do something , ” Mimoni said .
On Staten Island , another convoy of cars , led by motorcycles , will take off in a procession after a wreath-laying ceremony at Hero Park .
In Manhattan , there will be a private ceremony at the Intrepid Sea , Air & Space Museum featuring a ceremonial wreath-laying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that will be recorded and broadcast online Monday afternoon .

NEW YORK (AP) - New Yorkers marked Memorial Day with car convoys and small ceremonies instead of big parades as the coronavirus reshaped the solemn holiday, blending tributes to virus victims and frontline workers with the traditional remembrance of the nation’s war dead.
In a year that marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, veterans wore masks and saluted while standing at social-distancing intervals at observances shrunk by virus precautions.
At the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in Manhattan - the former aircraft carrier USS Intrepid - Gov. Andrew Cuomo honored both veterans and essential workers on a Memorial Day he called “especially poignant and powerful.”
“We know something about loss, and we’re living it again,” the Democratic governor said.
In Rochester, officials looked ahead to the construction of the city’s War on Terror Memorial. In Long Island’s Nassau County, a small group of veterans in masks saluted flag-bedecked vehicles at a car parade and wreath-laying that was closed to the public but streamed online.
In Brooklyn, about 30 to 40 cars, including an old-style checkered cab, rode along the route usually covered by marchers at the United Military Veterans of Kings County parade.
They finished by circling a Veterans Affairs hospital, many honking their horns, and laying a wreath near monuments at the hospital’s fence.
“We weren’t sure if we were going to be able to do anything,” said parade chairman Raymond Aalbue. But he said he didn’t want the parade “to die on my watch.”
He said this year’s Memorial Day observance also honored people working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 virus fight.
“All day long we’re thinking about these health care workers and first responders and essential workers who are putting their lives on the line, daily, and have been doing that for a couple of months now to keep us safe,” said Allbue. “We owe them a very deep debt of gratitude for all they’ve done all these months.”
Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, joined a wreath-laying at the Brooklyn War Memorial, saying it was “a different kind of Memorial Day, but our appreciation for the heroes who gave their lives for our country has never been stronger.”
More celebratory Memorial Day traditions also were altered by rules meant to keep the virus in check.
Police kept a watchful eye over lighter-than-usual crowds at Jones Beach on Long Island. A group of teenagers was ordered to leave because they weren’t wearing masks and keeping the required distance from one another.
Brianna Paredes said she was “just trying to have a nice day” with her friends after the pandemic upended their senior year in high school.
“I understand. I work and I wear my mask and my gloves,” the Levittown resident said. But outside at the beach?
“I’m over it by now. I feel like a lot of people are. I think that it’s kind of annoying,” she said while being escorted off the beach.
While the virus crisis has eased in New York, COVID-19 is still killing roughly 100 people a day statewide. There were 96 deaths Sunday, according to figures released Monday.
As the holiday approached, Cuomo loosened coronavirus-related restrictions last week to allow small public gatherings - initially just for Memorial Day observances and religious services. He extended the eased rules Friday to all gatherings after the New York Civil Liberties Union sued, saying that if it was safe to gather to honor veterans and practice religion, the Constitution requires the same right be extended to other gatherings.
The rules now allow get-togethers of as many as 10 people, provided that participants stay at least 6 feet (2 meters) away from one another or cover their faces when unable to maintain that distance.
At a news briefing after a ceremony at the Intrepid, Cuomo remembered veterans killed in combat and, more recently, by the coronavirus. He also emphasized “our heroes of today” - health care, emergency and other essential workers “who showed up and did their duty, lost their lives, to keep others of us safe.”
“In many ways, that is a microcosm of what we’re here talking about today on Memorial Day,” he said, announcing that the state would make sure that public workers on the frontlines who died of COVID-19 got death benefits through state and local pension plans. His office didn’t immediately provide further details.
While many Memorial Day ceremonies this year reflected the World War II anniversary, officials in Rochester held a ceremonial groundbreaking for a memorial that commemorates Americans killed in more recent conflicts.
The city’s forthcoming War on Terror Memorial will honor local members of the military who have died in wars since the 1990s. Construction is due to start next year.
Monroe County Executive Adam Bello, a Democrat, called the planned memorial an enduring reminder “of what it takes to be the land of the free,” WROC-TV reported.
In Queens, the group behind the Little Neck-Douglaston Memorial Day Parade arranged for one person to lay a wreath, another to do a flag ceremony and a third to play “Taps” while some others watched. It was a far cry from the crowds that usually attend the event.
But “we felt the need to do something,” executive director Vincent Mimoni said.
On Staten Island, another convoy of cars, led by motorcycles, took off in a procession after a wreath-laying ceremony at Hero Park.
___
Associated Press video journalist Robert Bumsted and writer Deepti Hajela contributed.


washingtontimes--2020-05-25--UK's Johnson struggles to shift attention from aide's trip

LONDON ( AP ) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson ’ s plans to announce further lockdown-easing measures were being overshadowed Monday by an outcry over the movements of a senior aide who allegedly flouted restrictions imposed during the coronavirus pandemic .
Conservative leader Johnson is standing by adviser Dominic Cummings , who drove 250 miles ( 400 kms ) from his London home to his parents ’ house while he was infected with the virus .
Johnson said Cummings “ followed the instincts of every father and every parent , ” traveling so that extended family could care for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wife both fell ill .
But many Britons saw the trip as a clear breach of the government ’ s national “ stay at home ” order , introduced on March 23 .
Cummings was heckled with calls of “ hypocrite ” as he returned to his London home Sunday after spending the day in 10 Downing St. Stephen Reicher , a social psychologist who sits on a group advising the government , said “ more people are going to die ” because the episode would undermine adherence to the lockdown rules .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the criticism .
Bishop of Leeds Nick Baines said the public had been “ lied to , patronized and treated … as mugs.
” Bishop of Manchester David Walker tweeted : “ Unless very soon we see clear repentance , including the sacking of Cummings , I no longer know how we can trust what ministers say sufficiently for @ churchofengland to work together with them on the pandemic.
” A self-styled political disruptor who disdains the media and civil service , Cummings has been essential to Johnson ’ s rise to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ architects of the successful campaign to take Britain out of the European Union , and orchestrated Brexit champion Johnson ’ s thumping election victory in December .
Five months on from that triumph , Johnson ’ s government is facing criticism for its response to a pandemic that has hit Britain harder than any other European country .
Britain ’ s official coronavirus death toll stands at 36,793 , the second-highest confirmed total in the world after the United States .
The coronavirus laid low a swath of senior U.K. officials , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johnson himself , who spent several days in intensive care at a London hospital in April .
The U.K. is gradually easing its lockdown , allowing more outdoor recreation and letting some shops and businesses reopen .
But as Johnson gathered his Cabinet on Monday to discuss plans to reopen schools and more stores starting June 1 , the Cummings scandal showed no signs of dying down .
Ominously for Johnson , a growing number of Conservative lawmakers have joined the opposition in criticizing Cummings .
Member of Parliament Paul Maynard said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ classic case of ‘ do as I say , not as I do ’ … It seems to me to be utterly indefensible and his position wholly untenable.
” The conservative Daily Mail newspaper , usually supportive of Johnson , blared “ What planet are they on ?
” in a headline about Cummings and the prime minister .
In a front-page editorial , the newspaper said “ for the good of the government and the nation , Mr. Cummings must resign .
Or the prime minister must sack him .
No ifs @ @ @ @ @

LONDON (AP) — British leader Boris Johnson’s powerful chief aide insisted Monday that he wouldn’t resign for driving the length of England while the country was under strict lockdown — a trip he made without informing the prime minister first.
The government is facing a tide of anger from politicians and the public over the revelation that Dominic Cummings traveled more than 250 miles (400 kilometers) from London to his parents’ home in Durham, northeast England at the end of March.
Cummings says he traveled so that extended family could care 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 expected the rest of the country to follow. Many Britons have taken to social media and radio phone-ins to recount how the lockdown had prevented them from visiting elderly relatives, comforting dying friends or attending the funerals of loved ones.
In a televised news conference in the garden of 10 Downing St. — all but unheard of for an unelected adviser — Cummings tried to quash the controversy with a detailed but unrepentant account of his movements.
Cummings insisted that “the rules … allowed me to exercise my judgment” and that his need to ensure childcare for his son was an “exceptional situation.”
“I don’t regret what I did,” he said, though he acknowledged that “reasonable people” might disagree with his actions.
Cummings said he didn’t tell the prime minister, who had just been diagnosed with COVID-19, about his decision to leave London, because “he was ill himself and he had huge problems to deal with.”
“Arguably this was a mistake,” Cummings said.
Johnson has stood by Cummings, saying he “followed the instincts of every father and every parent.”
A self-styled political disrupter who disdains the media and civil service, the 48-year-old Cummings has been essential to Johnson’s rise to power. He was one of the architects of the successful campaign to take Britain out of the European Union, and orchestrated Brexit champion Johnson’s thumping election victory in December.
Five months on from that triumph, Johnson’s government is facing criticism for its response to a pandemic that has hit Britain harder than any other European country. Britain’s official coronavirus death toll stands at 36,793, the second-highest confirmed total in the world after the United States.
The coronavirus laid low a swath of senior U.K. officials, including Cummings, Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Johnson himself, who spent several days in intensive care at a London hospital in April.
The U.K. is gradually easing its lockdown, allowing more outdoor recreation and letting some shops and businesses reopen.
But as Johnson gathered his Cabinet on Monday to discuss plans to reopen schools and more stores starting June 1, the Cummings scandal showed no signs of dying down.
Stephen Reicher, a social psychologist who sits on a group advising the government, said “more people are going to die” because the episode would undermine adherence to the lockdown rules.
Several senior Church of England clergy joined in the criticism. Bishop of Manchester David Walker called for “clear repentance, including the sacking of Cummings.”
Ominously for Johnson, a growing number of Conservative lawmakers also criticized Cummings. Member of Parliament Paul Maynard said the aide’s actions were “a classic case of ‘do as I say, not as I do’ … It seems to me to be utterly indefensible and his position wholly untenable.”
Conservative lawmaker Tracey Crouch said on Facebook that during a decade in Parliament “I am not sure I have felt … so frustrated, cross, confused or impotent as I do now.”
The conservative Daily Mail newspaper, usually supportive of Johnson, blared “What planet are they on?” in a headline about Cummings and the prime minister.”
Cummings, who usually exerts power from the sidelines, looked uncomfortable but didn’t admit fault during a live media grilling that lasted more than an hour.
He said that people felt “understandable anger,” but insisted much of it was “based on reports in the media that haven’t been true.” However, he confirmed most of the details in media reports of his travels, including the journey to Durham and a later drive to a nearby town on April 12.
“I don’t think there is one rule for me and one rule for other people,” he said, insisting he had done what he thought was right at the time.
He said he hadn’t considered resigning. Asked whether Johnson should consider sacking him, Cummings said: “That’s not for me to decide. It’s up to him to decide.”


washingtontimes--2020-05-25--Germany divided over plans to nix rules despite outbreaks

BERLIN ( AP ) - A spat is brewing between Germany ’ s federal government and state governors over plans by some regional leaders to end pandemic-related restrictions despite fresh clusters of cases across the country .
The country has seen a steady decline in the overall number of COVID-19 cases thanks to measures imposed 10 weeks ago to limit personal contacts .
But as restrictions have slowly been lifted there have also been case spikes across Germany linked to slaughterhouses , restaurants , religious services , nursing homes and refugee shelters .
The governor of Thuringia state , Bodo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lift the remaining statewide lockdown rules on June 6 and tackle outbreaks locally .
The neighboring state of Saxony said Monday that it , too , is aiming for a “ paradigm change ” on pandemic rules from June 6 if infections remain low .
Federal and state officials agreed earlier this month that restrictions would be re-imposed if there are more than 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in a city or county within a week .
German Health Minister Jens Spahn cautioned Monday against giving the impression that the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bild that “ on the one hand we are seeing whole regions where there are no new reported infections for days .
And on the other hand local and regional outbreaks in which the virus is spreading quickly again and immediate intervention is required.
” Germany has reported more than 180,000 cases of the coronavirus and nearly 8,300 deaths , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .

BERLIN (AP) - Germany’s federal government and state governors squared up Monday for a battle over plans to end pandemic-related restrictions despite fresh clusters of cases across the country.
The country has seen a steady decline in the overall number of COVID-19 cases thanks to measures imposed 10 weeks ago to limit personal contacts.
But as restrictions have slowly been lifted there have also been case spikes across Germany linked to slaughterhouses, restaurants, religious services, nursing homes and refugee shelters.
The country’s current raft of coronavirus measures is due to expire on June 5. Over the weekend, the governor of the state of Thuringia, Bodo Ramelow, said he hopes to lift the blanket rules on social distancing on June 6 and replace them with more targeted measures.
Germany’s 16 states are responsible for imposing and lifting restrictions and all currently have physical distancing requirements and an obligation to wear masks on public transit and shops. Thuringia’s new approach would raise pressure on other states to ease their rules further.
Government spokesman, Steffen Seibert, told reporters that Chancellor Angela Merkel wants to continue “bravely, and carefully” with easing restrictions, but pushed back against the idea that all measures will be lifted.
“We want to hold onto the fundamental rules for distancing, hygiene and contact restrictions,” he said, adding that Merkel favors “binding orders.” Seibert cited recent outbreaks following a Baptist service in Frankfurt and at a restaurant in the country’s northwest as examples of what can happen if rules aren’t followed.
Following Ramelow’s announcement, the neighboring state of Saxony said Monday that it, too, is aiming for a “paradigm change” on pandemic rules from June 6 if infections remain low.
At the same time, the interior minister of Bavaria, the state that has seen the most coronavirus infections and borders Thuringia to the south, called Ramelow’s plans “irresponsible.”
“We will certainly not stand by and watch Ramelow carelessly destroy great successes in the fight against the highly dangerous coronavirus,” Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann told the Funke media group.
Merkel is due to hold talks with governors Wednesday.
Federal and state officials agreed earlier this month that restrictions would be re-imposed if there are more than 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in a city or county within a week.
As it stands, Germany’s public health agency, the Robert Koch Institute, said Monday that several states reported no new cases overnight, and that the overall total grew by only 289. The seven-day reproduction factor, defined as the mean number of people infected by an infected person, remained under 1 at 0.93, indicating a contraction of new cases.
Health Minister Jens Spahn cautioned, however, against giving the impression that the pandemic is over.
Spahn told tabloid paper Bild that “on the one hand we are seeing whole regions where there are no new reported infections for days. And on the other hand local and regional outbreaks in which the virus is spreading quickly again and immediate intervention is required.”
As the pandemic ebbs, officials across Europe are on the lookout for any spike in the number of infections that could indicate a second wave.
There have been several clusters of COVID-19 among slaughterhouse workers in Germany in recent weeks, prompting a government pledge to crack down on conditions in the industry.
Many workers in German abattoirs are migrants from Eastern Europe employed by subcontractors. They often live in shared housing and are transported to and from the slaughterhouses by shuttle bus, increasing the likelihood of infection.
On Monday, Dutch regional health authorities said tests showed 147 of 657 employees at a meat processing plant across the border in the Netherlands were positive for COVID-19.
They said 79 of those infected live in Germany, while 68 are residents of the Netherlands.
In other, non-connected outbreaks in Europe, a mine in the Czech Republic stopped work after tests of about 2,400 people revealed 212 with the coronavirus, mostly miners and their family members.
And across the continent in Portugal, health officials said tests of 346 people at the warehouse near Lisbon returned 121 positive cases.
Wary of a new resurgence of the coronavirus, authorities said they are carefully monitoring the outbreak at the warehouse, a national distribution center for supermarket goods.
___
Follow AP pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-05-25--2020 Watch: Differing views on remaking post-virus economy

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - Presidential politics move fast .
What we ’ re watching heading into a new week on the 2020 campaign : As some parts of the nation continue to ease stay-at-home orders meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus , the economy remains in free fall .
And , with the U.S. death toll now climbing toward 100,000 , a conundrum is emerging : Even if people are allowed to resume their daily routines , will they feel safe enough to do so ?
President Donald Trump says that the country is anxious to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demand can turn things around in a hurry .
Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden counters by urging caution and heeding medical and scientific experts , many of whom say it ’ s much too early to return to normal .
Which one is correct may ultimately not be clear until after November ’ s election - but will nonetheless almost certainly be the determining factor in who wins it .
Does Biden have no choice but to choose an African American running mate ?
Black leaders have for weeks argued that the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his vice president is the only way to reflect the Democratic Party ’ s deep diversity and to repay a community that helped Biden overcome a disastrous start to dominate in the South and win the primary .
But the issue may have come to a head on Friday when Biden endured a testy exchange with prominent black radio personality Charlamagne Tha God before declaring , “ If you ’ ve got a problem figuring out whether you ’ re for me or for Trump , then you ain ’ t black.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been so “ cavalier , ” but not before sparking a social media firestorm and prompting the president ’ s reelection campaign to decry it as the kind of race-baiting it often gets accused of .
“ It is clear now more than ever , following these racist and dehumanizing remarks , that Joe Biden believes black men and women are incapable of being independent or free thinking , ” Black Voices for Trump said in a statement .
Biden has refused to publicly discuss his running mate finalists , but they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women , including Sens .
Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota .
He figures to do well with African American voters in November no matter whom he picks , but a lack of enthusiasm in the black community hurt Hillary Clinton in the battleground state of Michigan and elsewhere in 2016 .
That ’ s a calculation Biden may be unable to ignore , even as his campaign insists his choice will have more to do with personal relationships than skin color .
How much more political will science get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ base by rejecting climate change and academic intellectualism but lately has begun suggesting the institution of science is out to undermine him .
The president insisted on taking the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to guard against the coronavirus despite federal warnings against doing so .
He also rejected as politically motivated a study showing that nearly 36,000 Americans ’ lives might have been saved if social distancing measures had been put in place one week sooner .
Polling has already shown that issues like wearing face masks in public are becoming increasingly partisan .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that could hinder evolving efforts to slow the virus - potentially producing results deadly enough to go well beyond the political .
How much more political will voting by mail get ?
Trump has intensified his opposition to expanding mail-in balloting amid the pandemic , even threatening federal funding to the battleground states of Michigan and Nevada before later suggesting that might not be necessary .
Many Democratic-led states are nonetheless looking to ease rules on absentee voting , saying the coronavirus may make it a matter of life and death .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s insistence that doing so is undemocratic and federal court cases on the issue already raging in places like Texas , how the nation votes may prove as pivotal to November ’ s outcome as for whom it votes .
Are political conventions possible in the age of the coronavirus ?
The Republican National Committee marked 100 days until the scheduled start of its convention in Charlotte , North Carolina , by proudly suggesting last weekend that nearly 50,000 attendees would soon be descending on that city .
Its chair , Ronna McDaniel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gathering going off exactly as planned and beginning Aug. 24 amid the pandemic .
But she vowed that it will happen at least partly in person , saying , “ We will not be holding a virtual convention.
” Democrats have already delayed their convention from July until August and have been more open to the idea of it unfolding virtually - taking steps to grant organizers the authority to design an event that won ’ t require delegates attending in person .
A bigger question than if some in-person activities remain intact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though , is whether attendees will want to go - especially given the low political stakes since the presidential nominee on both sides isn ’ t in doubt .
Trump ’ s reelection chances likely hinge on convincing the country he built a sustained economic boom once and can do so again , leading an equally speedy and robust recovery after the coronavirus sparked an unprecedented bust .
Biden has taken a different approach , promising to use the crisis to build a new economy that will embrace progressive proposals designed to lift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how long that might take .
Amid what may prove to be the nation ’ s worst downturn , whether voters can look past the “ when ” to the “ how ” of a recovery is an open question .
Still , it ’ s one that can ’ t be answered until a recovery actually begins to materialize .
2020 Watch runs every Monday and provides a look at the week ahead in the 2020 election .
Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics @ @ @ @ @ @ @

WASHINGTON (AP) - Presidential politics move fast. What we’re watching heading into a new week on the 2020 campaign:
Days to general election: 162 ___
THE NARRATIVE
As some parts of the nation continue to ease stay-at-home orders meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the economy remains in free fall. And, with the U.S. death toll now climbing toward 100,000, a conundrum is emerging: Even if people are allowed to resume their daily routines, will they feel safe enough to do so? President Donald Trump says that the country is anxious to get back to work and that pent-up consumer demand can turn things around in a hurry. Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden counters by urging caution and heeding medical and scientific experts, many of whom say it’s much too early to return to normal. Which one is correct may ultimately not be clear until after November’s election - but will nonetheless almost certainly be the determining factor in who wins it.
___
THE BIG QUESTIONS
Does Biden have no choice but to choose an African American running mate?
Black leaders have for weeks argued that the former vice president picking an African American as his vice president is the only way to reflect the Democratic Party’s deep diversity and to repay a community that helped Biden overcome a disastrous start to dominate in the South and win the primary. But the issue may have come to a head on Friday when Biden endured a testy exchange with prominent black radio personality Charlamagne Tha God before declaring, “If you’ve got a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or for Trump, then you ain’t black.”
He later said he shouldn’t have been so “cavalier,” but not before sparking a social media firestorm and prompting the president’s reelection campaign to decry it as the kind of race-baiting it often gets accused of. “It is clear now more than ever, following these racist and dehumanizing remarks, that Joe Biden believes black men and women are incapable of being independent or free thinking,” Black Voices for Trump said in a statement.
Biden has refused to publicly discuss his running mate finalists, but they are thought to include several prominent white women, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. He figures to do well with African American voters in November no matter whom he picks, but a lack of enthusiasm in the black community hurt Hillary Clinton in the battleground state of Michigan and elsewhere in 2016. That’s a calculation Biden may be unable to ignore, even as his campaign insists his choice will have more to do with personal relationships than skin color.
How much more political will science get?
Trump has long energized his conservative base by rejecting climate change and academic intellectualism but lately has begun suggesting the institution of science is out to undermine him. The president insisted on taking the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to guard against the coronavirus despite federal warnings against doing so. He also rejected as politically motivated a study showing that nearly 36,000 Americans’ lives might have been saved if social distancing measures had been put in place one week sooner. Polling has already shown that issues like wearing face masks in public are becoming increasingly partisan. If science itself follows a similar path, that could hinder evolving efforts to slow the virus - potentially producing results deadly enough to go well beyond the political.
How much more political will voting by mail get?
Trump has intensified his opposition to expanding mail-in balloting amid the pandemic, even threatening federal funding to the battleground states of Michigan and Nevada before later suggesting that might not be necessary. Many Democratic-led states are nonetheless looking to ease rules on absentee voting, saying the coronavirus may make it a matter of life and death. With top Republicans rallying behind Trump’s insistence that doing so is undemocratic and federal court cases on the issue already raging in places like Texas, how the nation votes may prove as pivotal to November’s outcome as for whom it votes.
Are political conventions possible in the age of the coronavirus?
The Republican National Committee marked 100 days until the scheduled start of its convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, by proudly suggesting last weekend that nearly 50,000 attendees would soon be descending on that city. Its chair, Ronna McDaniel, was subsequently less committal about the gathering going off exactly as planned and beginning Aug. 24 amid the pandemic. But she vowed that it will happen at least partly in person, saying, “We will not be holding a virtual convention.” Democrats have already delayed their convention from July until August and have been more open to the idea of it unfolding virtually - taking steps to grant organizers the authority to design an event that won’t require delegates attending in person. A bigger question than if some in-person activities remain intact for one party or the other, though, is whether attendees will want to go - especially given the low political stakes since the presidential nominee on both sides isn’t in doubt.
___
THE FINAL THOUGHT
Trump’s reelection chances likely hinge on convincing the country he built a sustained economic boom once and can do so again, leading an equally speedy and robust recovery after the coronavirus sparked an unprecedented bust. Biden has taken a different approach, promising to use the crisis to build a new economy that will embrace progressive proposals designed to lift all Americans - but without really saying how long that might take. Amid what may prove to be the nation’s worst downturn, whether voters can look past the “when” to the “how” of a recovery is an open question. Still, it’s one that can’t be answered until a recovery actually begins to materialize.
___
2020 Watch runs every Monday and provides a look at the week ahead in the 2020 election.
___
Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast, “Ground Game.”


washingtontimes--2020-05-25--Japan lifts coronavirus emergency in all remaining areas

TOKYO ( AP ) — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lifted a coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo and four other remaining areas on Monday , ending the restrictions nationwide as businesses begin to reopen .
Experts on a government-commissioned panel approved the lifting of the emergency in Tokyo , neighboring Kanagawa , Chiba and Saitama prefectures , and in Hokkaido to the north , which had more cases and remained under the emergency declaration after it was removed in most of Japan earlier this month .
Abe said the lifting of the emergency does not mean the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is to balance preventive measure and the economy until vaccines and effective drugs become available .
Japan , with about 16,600 confirmed cases and about 850 deaths , has so far avoided a large outbreak like those experienced in the U.S. and the Europe despite its softer restrictions .
But the world ’ s third largest economy is fallen into a recession , and public discontent over Abe ’ s handling of the coronavirus has sent his support ratings tumbling .
Recent media surveys show public support for his Cabinet has plunged below @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returned to office in December 2012 .
Abe declared the state of emergency on April 7 in several parts of Japan including Tokyo , expanded it to the entire nation later in the month , and then extended it until the end of May .
Under the emergency , people were asked to stay at home and non-essential businesses were requested to close or reduce operations , but there was no enforcement .
Since May 14 , when the measures were lifted in most of Japan , more people have left their homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said recent data suggest that infections have slowed enough and pressure on the medical system has fallen enough to allow a gradual resumption of social and economic activity .
He said Tokyo , Kanagawa and Hokkaido , where the number of infections is still fluctuating , need to be watched closely .
On Monday , Matsuya department store , a landmark in Tokyo ’ s posh Ginza shopping district , resumed operation .
Sales staff wearing plastic face shields welcomed customers with bows but no verbal greetings under new guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their own measures .
Tokyo Gov .
Yuriko Koike said last week that the capital will reopen in three phases starting with schools , libraries , museums , and longer service hours for restaurants .
She said theaters , sports facilities and other commercial establishments will be next , with nightclubs , karaoke and live music houses in the final phase .

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lifted a coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo and four other remaining areas on Monday, ending the restrictions nationwide as businesses begin to reopen.
Experts on a government-commissioned panel approved the lifting of the emergency in Tokyo, neighboring Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama prefectures, and in Hokkaido to the north, which had more cases and remained under the emergency declaration after it was removed in most of Japan earlier this month.
Abe said the lifting of the emergency does not mean the end of the outbreak. He said the goal is to balance preventive measure and the economy until vaccines and effective drugs become available.
Japan, with about 16,600 confirmed cases and about 850 deaths, has so far avoided a large outbreak like those experienced in the U.S. and the Europe despite its softer restrictions.
But the world’s third largest economy is fallen into a recession, and public discontent over Abe’s handling of the coronavirus has sent his support ratings tumbling. Recent media surveys show public support for his Cabinet has plunged below 30%, the lowest since he returned to office in December 2012.
Abe declared the state of emergency on April 7 in several parts of Japan including Tokyo, expanded it to the entire nation later in the month, and then extended it until the end of May.
Under the emergency, people were asked to stay at home and non-essential businesses were requested to close or reduce operations, but there was no enforcement. Since May 14, when the measures were lifted in most of Japan, more people have left their homes and stores have begun reopening.
Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said recent data suggest that infections have slowed enough and pressure on the medical system has fallen enough to allow a gradual resumption of social and economic activity. He said Tokyo, Kanagawa and Hokkaido, where the number of infections is still fluctuating, need to be watched closely.
On Monday, Matsuya department store, a landmark in Tokyo’s posh Ginza shopping district, resumed operation. Sales staff wearing plastic face shields welcomed customers with bows but no verbal greetings under new guidelines.
Individual prefectures are allowed to impose their own measures. Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said last week that the capital will reopen in three phases starting with schools, libraries, museums, and longer service hours for restaurants. She said theaters, sports facilities and other commercial establishments will be next, with nightclubs, karaoke and live music houses in the final phase.


washingtontimes--2020-05-25--Japanese baseball season to start on June 19 without fans

TOKYO ( AP ) - Japan ’ s professional baseball season will open on June 19 under a plan that excludes fans .
League commissioner Atsushi Saito made the announcement on Monday after an online meeting with representatives of the league ’ s 12 teams .
“ I hope we can provide some guidance for sports other than professional baseball , ” Saito said .
“ It is important to operate cautiously according to our guidelines ” .
The announcement came as the state of emergency was lifted in Tokyo and on the northern island of Hokkaido by Prime Minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was lifted earlier this month for other parts of the country .
Teams can being practice games on June 2 .
The season was to have begun on March 20 but the start was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Japan has reported about 850 deaths from COVID-19 .
“ It is with great joy that we have been able to decide on opening the season .
But we believe it is from now that we must make thorough preparations without fail , and it remains crucial our efforts move forward cautiously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involved and their families , ” Saito added .
Japan joins South Korea and Taiwan whose leagues are open and playing largely without fans .

TOKYO (AP) - Japan’s professional baseball season will open on June 19 under a plan that excludes fans.
League commissioner Atsushi Saito made the announcement on Monday after an online meeting with representatives of the league’s 12 teams.
“I hope we can provide some guidance for sports other than professional baseball,” Saito said. “It is important to operate cautiously according to our guidelines”.
The announcement came as the state of emergency was lifted in Tokyo and on the northern island of Hokkaido by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The state of emergency was lifted earlier this month for other parts of the country.
Teams can being practice games on June 2.
The season was to have begun on March 20 but the start was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Japan has reported about 850 deaths from COVID-19.
“It is with great joy that we have been able to decide on opening the season. But we believe it is from now that we must make thorough preparations without fail, and it remains crucial our efforts move forward cautiously while protecting our players, other people involved and their families,” Saito added.
Japan joins South Korea and Taiwan whose leagues are open and playing largely without fans.
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


washingtontimes--2020-05-25--German activity picks up, can't escape official recession

FRANKFURT , Germany ( AP ) - A key indicator of German business outlooks bounced upward in May as more businesses and activities re-opened - but the index remained far below normal readings as Germany faced a long journey toward full recovery from the coronavirus downturn .
Revised official figures released separately Monday showed the economy has now recorded two straight quarters of falling output , meeting a commonly used definition of recession .
The Ifo institute index based on surveys of businesses rose to 79.5 from 74.2 in April , a strong increase but still far below normal .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ offers a glimmer of hope , ” said Ifo President Clemens Fuest .
Carsten Brzeski , chief eurozone economist at ING , said in a research note that “ today ’ s Ifo index echoes more real-time signals that economic and social activity has started to pick up significantly since the first lifting of the lockdown measures in late April.
” He said the upturn from historic lows was “ highly welcome ” but “ no reason for complacency or even hubris.
” He said the German economy is unlikely to return to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is no second wave of the virus outbreak .
Official statistics released Monday confirmed an earlier reading that the German economy shrank by 2.2 % in the first quarter of the year compared with the same period in 2019 .
That was the biggest quarterly decline since the 2008-2009 global financial crisis .
The more detailed figures in the second release showed that private consumption and exports were the hardest hit .
Investments in the engineering sector , construction and public expenditure helped prevent an even bigger downturn .
The figures revised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to minus 0.1 % , meaning the country has recorded two straight quarters of falling output .
Figures for the second quarter should show an even deeper downturn since the first-quarter figures only captured part of the lockdowns .

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) - A key indicator of German business outlooks bounced upward in May as more businesses and activities re-opened - but the index remained far below normal readings as Germany faced a long journey toward full recovery from the coronavirus downturn.
Revised official figures released separately Monday showed the economy has now recorded two straight quarters of falling output, meeting a commonly used definition of recession.
The Ifo institute index based on surveys of businesses rose to 79.5 from 74.2 in April, a strong increase but still far below normal. “The gradual easing of the lockdown offers a glimmer of hope,” said Ifo President Clemens Fuest.
Carsten Brzeski, chief eurozone economist at ING, said in a research note that “today’s Ifo index echoes more real-time signals that economic and social activity has started to pick up significantly since the first lifting of the lockdown measures in late April.”
He said the upturn from historic lows was “highly welcome” but “no reason for complacency or even hubris.” He said the German economy is unlikely to return to its pre-crisis level before 2022 even if there is no second wave of the virus outbreak.
Official statistics released Monday confirmed an earlier reading that the German economy shrank by 2.2% in the first quarter of the year compared with the same period in 2019. That was the biggest quarterly decline since the 2008-2009 global financial crisis.
The more detailed figures in the second release showed that private consumption and exports were the hardest hit. Investments in the engineering sector, construction and public expenditure helped prevent an even bigger downturn.
The figures revised growth for the last quarter of 2019 to minus 0.1%, meaning the country has recorded two straight quarters of falling output. Figures for the second quarter should show an even deeper downturn since the first-quarter figures only captured part of the lockdowns.


washingtontimes--2020-05-25--The Latest: Tencent gives masks, goggles to PSG foundation

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world : Chinese technology company Tencent has donated 150,000 face masks and 10,000 pairs of protective goggles to Paris Saint-Germain ’ s foundation .
The foundation will dispatch them to organizations and charities in need of equipment to help fight the spread of the coronavirus .
The shipment was delivered last week and is being stored at PSG ’ s Parc des Princes .
The stadium has been operating as a logistics support base in the Greater Paris region .
Sabrina Delannoy , the deputy director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday that the donation “ will enable our many partner charities to continue working in safe conditions and to pass on this equipment in turn to the people who need it most.
” PSG and Tencent sealed a partnership during the French club ’ s Tour in China last year .
The chief executive of West Indies ’ cricket team says a plan is in place to fly a 25-man squad to England around June 8 ahead of a three-test series starting a month later in bio-secure stadiums with no spectators .
Johnny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the England and Wales Cricket Board for the past six weeks and that Cricket West Indies is expecting a formal offer to go ahead with the tour in the coming days .
Grave says in an interview with espncricinfo.com the players would take privately sourced tests for COVID-19 three or four days before the departure date .
They would then convene at a base in Antigua and fly out in one aircraft on the same day , before being transported to their quarantine and training venue where they would spend about three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan is for the test matches to start July 8 , July 16 and July 24 .
The tour was due to start on June 4 but no professional cricket can be played in England before July 1 because of the coronavirus outbreak .
Grave says there is still some apprehension among players and support staff about leaving their families for seven weeks , travelling to Britain and playing in bio-secure venues , but that no player has said formally he does not want to tour .
The Italian Winter Sports Federation ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year ’ s Alpine skiing world championships in Cortina d ’ Ampezzo until March 2022 .
Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malagò revealed the plans during an interview with RAI state TV on Sunday night .
Malagò says “ this is the best solution ” in order to avoid the championships being canceled or shortened after the fallout in Italy from the coronavirus pandemic .
Malagò says FISI would officially send the request to the International Ski Federation ’ s ( FIS ) board on Monday .
Cortina was already forced to cancel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year due to the advancing virus .
Moving the worlds to March 2022 would put the event one month after the 2022 Beijing Olympics and likely force FIS to cancel that season ’ s finals in Méribel and Courchevel , France .
The Cortina worlds are currently scheduled for Feb. 7-21 , 2021 .
Worlds are usually held every other winter , in odd years .

The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:
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The National Women’s Soccer League says players may start training in small groups, provided it is done under league protocols and meets the requirements of local authorities.
Teams will be able to progress to full team training on May 30 once they complete five days of small group training.
“Following the advice and counsel of our medical advisers, the NWSL is pleased to be taking the next steps to safely return to competition,” Commissioner Lisa Baird said Monday in a statement.
The small groups cannot exceed eight players during Phase 2 of the nine-team league’s return to play protocol. Players must complete a pre-training assessment and undergo daily symptom and temperature screenings as well as other tests.
Players will have to arrive in their training gear and wear masks when arriving and leaving the facility. They will be allowed to use weight rooms, training rooms and meeting rooms.
The NWSL season was originally scheduled to start April 18. The league allowed voluntary individual outdoor workouts on May 6.
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The German soccer federation says it faces heavy losses this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Treasurer Stephan Osnabrügge has presented figures to a general meeting showing a possible loss of nearly 77 million euros ($83 million) in the worst-case scenario. The deficit would be smaller if national-team games can resume in the second half of 2020.
Osnabrügge says that means the “deepest economic crisis” in the DFB’s history but that it is not facing insolvency.
In a meeting held over video conferencing the DFB ended the season for all junior competitions and for the women’s second division.
The DFB confirmed the men’s third division will resume Saturday despite objections from some clubs and state federations. The first and second divisions restarted earlier this month.
The top women’s league will resume Friday.
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Barcelona has launched a line of protective masks for its fans during the coronavirus pandemic.
The club says the masks are available in three different models with exclusive designs using Barcelona’s colors. They can be found online or in physical stores as they gradually reopen to the public beginning on Monday.
The masks are made in Catalonia using 100% ecological cotton. Barcelona says they comply with all “health requirements and regulations.”
The masks are reusable and guaranteed to up to 40 washes.
Spain was one of the hardest hit countries by the coronavirus pandemic with nearly 30,000 deaths. Masks are now obligatory for the entire population in most situations.
Barcelona and most Spanish clubs sustained heavy financial losses and reduced the salaries of its players during the pandemic.
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The top women’s soccer league in England has been canceled because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The Football Association says a decision was taken to end the Women’s Super League with immediate effect following “overwhelming feedback from the clubs” and to give them the chance to “prepare and focus on next season.”
Manchester City was leading the league by a point from Chelsea, which had a game in hand.
Arsenal was a further three points behind and also had a game in hand on City.
Recommendations for sporting outcomes such as which team should represent England in the Women’s Champions League next season will be sent to the FA board.
The second-tier Women’s Championship has also been canceled.
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Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says the swift development of vaccines and effective treatments for COVID-19 are priorities towards achieving the Tokyo Olympics next year.
Abe says 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.
He reiterates that the government hopes to hold the Tokyo Games “in a complete form” with spectators as a proof of human victory against the coronavirus.
Japan and the International Olympic Committee have agreed to postpone the Games by one year to July 2021.
Experts say developing an effective and safe vaccine by the Games next year will be difficult.
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The French tennis federation will set aside nine million euros ($9.8 million) for its players who financially struggle as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The money will come from a larger 35-million euro ($38.1 million) support plan for French tennis as a whole. It will go to the players ranked outside the Top 100 who won’t receive any compensation from tennis’ international governing bodies.
Bernard Giudicelli, the president of the French tennis federation, told a conference call Monday that 66 male players and 39 female professionals will benefit from the allocation. Beach tennis and paddle tennis players, as well as wheelchair professionals and players with disabilities, can also sign up to the scheme.
The support plan will be operational from June 3 and will last until Aug. 31, 2021. It will also help clubs, coaches, instructors, umpires, other officials and tournament organizers affected by the health crisis.
The men’s and women’s professional tours are suspended until at least July 13.
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The Euroleague basketball season has been canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic and no championship will be awarded.
The league says it considered and rejected various plans for continuing the season, including proposals from many cities to hold remaining games. It instead opted to focus on the 2020-21 season.
The league adds that “for reasons of sporting integrity, all competition system modifications including a reduced number of teams were discarded.”
The Euroleague has 18 teams across 10 European nations. The different lockdown and border restrictions in those countries made it difficult to continue games.
The season was suspended March 12. Turkish club Anadolu Efes Istanbul was leading with a 24-4 regular season record.
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Chinese technology company Tencent has donated 150,000 face masks and 10,000 pairs of protective goggles to Paris Saint-Germain’s foundation.
The foundation will dispatch them to organizations and charities in need of equipment to help fight the spread of the coronavirus.
The shipment was delivered last week and is being stored at PSG’s Parc des Princes. The stadium has been operating as a logistics support base in the Greater Paris region.
Sabrina Delannoy, the deputy director of the Paris Saint-Germain Foundation, said on Monday that the donation “will enable our many partner charities to continue working in safe conditions and to pass on this equipment in turn to the people who need it most.”
PSG and Tencent sealed a partnership during the French club’s Tour in China last year.
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The chief executive of West Indies’ cricket team says a plan is in place to fly a 25-man squad to England around June 8 ahead of a three-test series starting a month later in bio-secure stadiums with no spectators.
Johnny Grave says he has been in discussions with the England and Wales Cricket Board for the past six weeks and that Cricket West Indies is expecting a formal offer to go ahead with the tour in the coming days.
Grave says in an interview with espncricinfo.com the players would take privately sourced tests for COVID-19 three or four days before the departure date. They would then convene at a base in Antigua and fly out in one aircraft on the same day, before being transported to their quarantine and training venue where they would spend about three weeks.
He adds that the current plan is for the test matches to start July 8, July 16 and July 24. The tour was due to start on June 4 but no professional cricket can be played in England before July 1 because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Grave says there is still some apprehension among players and support staff about leaving their families for seven weeks, travelling to Britain and playing in bio-secure venues, but that no player has said formally he does not want to tour.
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The Italian Winter Sports Federation (FISI) would like to postpone next year’s Alpine skiing world championships in Cortina d’Ampezzo until March 2022.
Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malagò revealed the plans during an interview with RAI state TV on Sunday night.
Malagò says “this is the best solution” in order to avoid the championships being canceled or shortened after the fallout in Italy from the coronavirus pandemic.
Malagò says FISI would officially send the request to the International Ski Federation’s (FIS) board on Monday.
Cortina was already forced to cancel the World Cup finals in March this year due to the advancing virus.
Moving the worlds to March 2022 would put the event one month after the 2022 Beijing Olympics and likely force FIS to cancel that season’s finals in Méribel and Courchevel, France.
The Cortina worlds are currently scheduled for Feb. 7-21, 2021.
Worlds are usually held every other winter, in odd years.
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More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports