Wall Street Ends Week Mostly Higher 05/22 16:52
Wall Street Ends Week Mostly Higher 05/22 16:52
(AP) -- Stock indexes finished mostly higher Friday as Wall Street shook off
an early slide, closing out a solid week of gains for the market.
The S&P 500 index inched up 0.2% after having been down 0.5%. It ended the
week with a 3.2% gain, largely due to a big rally on Monday that offset all of
the benchmark index's losses from earlier in the month.
Strength in technology, communications and real estate stocks helped reverse
much of the market's early slide. Energy stocks fell the most as crude oil
prices closed lower after six straight gains. Bond yields were mixed. Trading
was choppy for much of the day ahead of the long holiday weekend. Markets in
the U.S. will be closed Monday for Memorial Day.
Fresh hopes for a U.S. economic recovery in the second half of the year and
optimism about a potential vaccine for COVID-19 helped spur stocks higher for
much of the week. Investors are betting that the economy and corporate profits
will begin to recover from the coronavirus pandemic as the U.S. and countries
around the world slowly open up again.
Traders remain wary, however, that the reopening of businesses could lead to
another surge in infections, potentially hobbling efforts to get the nation's
battered economy growing again.
"We're in a bit of a hold right now looking for the next catalyst," said
Brian Levitt, global market strategist at Invesco. "There's still an awful lot
of uncertainty we have to work though."
The S&P 500 rose 6.94 points to 2,955.45. The index is still down 12.7% from
its all-time high in February. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 8.96
points, or less than 0.1%, to 24,465.16. The Nasdaq composite added 39.71
points, or 0.4%, to 9,324.59.
Despite the uneven finish, the three major stock indexes each ended the week
more than 3% higher. Those gains were blown away by the rally in small company
stocks, which drove the Russell 2000 index 7.8% higher for the week, a bullish
signal suggesting that investors expect that the economy is on the path to
recovery. On Friday, the Russell 2000 gained 7.97 points, or 0.6%, to 1,355.53.
Fears of a crushing recession due to the coronavirus sent the S&P 500 into a
skid of more than 30% from its high in February. Hopes for a relatively quick
rebound and unprecedented moves by the Federal Reserve and Congress to stem the
economic pain drove a historic rebound for stocks in April and have bolstered
optimism that the market won't return to the depths its experienced in March.
Investors are now keenly focused on the process of reopening the U.S.
economy, which is likely to continue accelerating as the summer progresses.
"The markets are expecting a reasonable resumption of economic activity, a
manageable increase in coronavirus cases and a manageable situation when it
comes to our health care system," said Mike Zigmont, head of trading and
research at Harvest Volatility Management. "If we have a second freezing of the
economy, then this market is grossly overvalued and the only people that are
right now are the bears."
Oil prices fell, snapping a six-day winning streak. Benchmark U.S. crude oil
fell 2% to settle at $33.25 a barrel. Brent crude oil, the international
standard, fell 2.6% to settle at $35.13 a barrel.
Crude oil started the year at about $60 a barrel, but plummeted earlier this
year as demand sank due to widespread travel and business shutdowns related to
the coronavirus. The price has risen this month as oil producing nations cut
back on output and the gradual reopening of economies around the globe have
driven up demand.
Bonds yields were mixed. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note, a benchmark
for interest rates on many consumer loans, fell to 0.66% from 0.67% late
Thursday.
The choppy trading on Wall Street followed a downbeat day in Asia. Hong
Kong's main index dropped 5.6% after China made more moves to limit political
opposition in the former British colony. Beijing also abandoned its
longstanding practice of setting economic growth targets. European markets
shook off some early weakness and ended mixed.
Beijing's move to take over long-stalled efforts to enact national security
legislation in semi-autonomous Hong Kong spooked investors in Asian markets who
have endured months of pro-democracy demonstrations last year that at times
descended into violence between police and protesters.
The proposed bill is aimed at forbidding secessionist and subversive
activity, as well as foreign interference and terrorism. The move has drawn
strong rebukes from the U.S. government and rights groups.
Americans Divided on Holiday Activities05/24 09:44
Americans Divided on Holiday Activities05/24 09:44 President Donald Trump played golf at one of his courses Saturday during the Memorial Day weekend as he urged U.S. states to reopen after coronavirus-related lockdowns. Yet many Americans remained cautious as the number of confirmed cases nationwide passed 1.6 million. NEW YORK (AP) -- President Donald Trump played golf at one of his courses Saturday during the Memorial Day weekend as he urged U.S. states to reopen after coronavirus-related lockdowns. Yet many Americans remained cautious as the number of confirmed cases nationwide passed 1.6 million. In California, where many businesses and recreational activities are reopening, officials in Los Angeles County said they would maintain tight restrictions until July 4. Some religious leaders took issue with Trump's declaration that houses of worship are "essential" and should resume in-person services this weekend. "Being at the epicenter of this pandemic and in order to protect our flock, we advise that congregations remain closed until more accurate and uniform information is provided," said Bishop Paul Egensteiner, who oversees the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's congregations in the hard-hit New York City region. Statewide, New York reported its lowest number of daily coronavirus deaths 84 in many weeks in what Gov. Andrew Cuomo described as a critical benchmark. The daily death tally peaked at 799 on April 8. "For me, it's a sign that we're making real progress," Cuomo said. Rain dampened the start of the holiday weekend in the northeastern U.S., where newly reopened beaches were expected to attract throngs of people and test the effectiveness of social distancing rules. At Orchard Beach in the Bronx, which was crowded a weekend earlier, parking lots were mostly empty except for large puddles. To the south, Trump played golf at one of his private clubs for the first time during the pandemic the Trump National Golf Club in Virginia. He has been pushing for state and local leaders to fully reopen after months of closures and tight restrictions. Parts of New Orleans stirred to back life, with some restaurants and businesses opening for the first time in over two months. Some remained closed, especially in the French Quarter, which relies largely on tourist dollars. At least a few out-of-towners trickled in. Greer Falls of Augusta, Georgia, wore a mask as he entered the Royal House restaurant for lunch. After weeks at home, he said he was ready for a change of scenery and didn't want to miss a birthday celebration with friends he's known for decades. Some amusement parks, such as Mt. Olympus in the Wisconsin Dells and Lagoon amusement park in Farmington, Utah, opened for the first time in months. The Facebook sites for both parks were flooded with comments from visitors excited to ride go-karts or roller coasters, though some complained about Lagoon's policy of requiring masks. Andrew Young, 29, said Lagoon has been a lifelong summer staple and when he learned the park would be open Saturday, he went online immediately to make a reservation for himself, his wife and 2-year-old daughter. Because a limited number of people were allowed entry, they found short lines and there always seemed to be just one other family on each ride. There were also sanitation stations and other measures to keep people distanced and feeling safe. "It was a lot of fun," Young said. "Finally going, having some feeling of normalcy. ... We had a very enjoyable morning." Overseas, there was mixed news. New coronavirus cases reported in China were zero Saturday for the first time since the outbreak began but surged in India and overwhelmed hospitals across Latin America. Many governments are easing restrictions as they face a political backlash and historic economic recessions. In just a few months, the pandemic has killed at least 340,000 people worldwide and infected about 5.3 million, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. As the United States closed in on 100,000 confirmed COVID-19 deaths, the New York Times devoted Sunday's entire, photo-less front page to a list of nearly 1,000 names of pandemic victims with a few words in memorial for each, culled from obituaries published around the country. "Continued on Page 12," it read at bottom right. Turkey, which has recorded over 155,000 infections, imposed its toughest lockdown measures yet for the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of Ramadan. Yemen's Houthi rebels urged believers to use masks and stay inside, as authorities try to contain infections at a time usually marked by multigenerational feasting and collective prayer. In Germany, which has drawn praise for its handling of the virus, seven people appear to have been infected at a restaurant in the northwest of the country. It would be the first such known case since restaurants started reopening two weeks ago. And in Frankfurt, more than 40 people tested positive after a church service of the Evangelical Christian Baptist congregation May 10. A church leader said the congregation has canceled gatherings and is now holding services online. Authorities in nearby Hanau called off Muslim prayers planned for a stadium Sunday as a precaution. Religious events helped spread the virus early in the pandemic; resuming such gatherings is an especially thorny issue. Mindful of evangelical Christians who are key to his base ahead of November's election, Trump on Friday called houses of worship "essential" and urged governors to let them reopen this weekend. However, leaders of many denominations said they plan to move gradually and cautiously. In Minnesota, Gov. Tim Walz said he is scrapping a 10-person limit on gatherings and letting houses of worship open at 25% occupancy if safety guidelines are met. Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis welcomed the change but said priests should not reopen their churches if they can't comply with safety measures. France allowed in-person services to resume Saturday after a legal challenge to a ban on gatherings in places of worship. One of the world's major pilgrimage sites is reopening Sunday: the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, built on the site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. Latin America is the latest epicenter of the virus, and experts note the limitations of government action in a region where millions have informal jobs and many police forces are unable to enforce restrictions. Brazil and Mexico reported record numbers of infections and deaths almost daily this week, fueling criticism of their presidents for limited lockdowns. But infections also rose and intensive care units were swamped in Peru, Chile and Ecuador, all lauded for imposing early and aggressive business shutdowns and quarantines. Concerns are rising in India, where new cases showed another record jump Saturday, topping 6,000 for a second consecutive day as a two-month lockdown has eased. While some countries are facing a second wave of infections, badly hit Russia is still struggling with its first and reported more than 9,000 new cases Saturday.
Sessions Rejects Trump's Criticism 05/24 09:49
Sessions Rejects Trump's Criticism 05/24 09:49 MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) -- Jeff Sessions pushed back at President Donald Trump's criticism Saturday, telling Trump that he was "damn fortunate" Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation. Sessions responded pointedly on Twitter after Trump called Sessions untrustworthy and reiterated his endorsement of Sessions' Republican primary rival for U.S. Senate, former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville. "Look, I know your anger, but recusal was required by law. I did my duty & you're damn fortunate I did. It protected the rule of law & resulted in your exoneration," Sessions tweeted in response to Trump. Sessions added, "your personal feelings don't dictate who Alabama picks as their senator." Trump fired back Saturday evening, tweeting that Sessions should "drop out of the race." "Jeff, you had your chance & you blew it," Trump tweeted. "Recused yourself ON DAY ONE (you never told me of a problem), and ran for the hills. You had no courage, & ruined many lives." Sessions has long defended the recusal but had largely avoided engaging Trump's tweeted scorn as he emphasizes his continuing loyalty to Trump and his agenda. Sessions has gone on the offensive about the recusal, which drew Trump's ire and has been a lingering obstacle as Sessions seeks the U.S. Senate seat that he held for two decades. "3 years ago, after Jeff Sessions recused himself, the Fraudulent Mueller Scam began. Alabama, do not trust Jeff Sessions. He let our Country down. That's why I endorsed Coach Tommy Tuberville (@TTuberville), the true supporter of our #MAGA agenda!" Trump tweeted. Sessions was Trump's first attorney general, a position he was forced to resign when his recusal from the Russia inquiry prompted a fallout with Trump. Sessions said he was required by law to recuse because he was a potential subject and witness since he had participated in Trump's 2016 campaign. Sessions faces Tuberville in the July 14 Republican primary runoff. The winner will face U.S. Sen. Doug Jones in November. Tuberville has made Trump's belittling of Sessions a focal point of his campaign. Tuberville has begun airing ads featuring Trump's criticisms of Sessions. One includes a clip of Trump saying if he could have one presidential do-over it would be to not appoint Sessions as attorney general. "Jeff Sessions quit on the President and he failed Alabama. I'll always have President Trump's back," Tuberville says in the ad. Sessions, in a follow-up tweet, called Tuberville a coward for refusing to debate him and criticized his stance on immigration.
Trump's Pitch:Economy Will Soar in 202105/24 09:51
Trump's Pitch:Economy Will Soar in 202105/24 09:51 As the economy faces a once-in-a-century recession, with more than 38 million people out of work, Trump is increasingly talking up a future recovery that probably won't materialize until after the November election. He's asking voters to look past the pain being felt across the nation and give him another four-year term on the promise of an economic comeback in 2021. WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump has a new pitch to voters for this fall: Trust me. As the economy faces a once-in-a-century recession, with more than 38 million people out of work, Trump is increasingly talking up a future recovery that probably won't materialize until after the November election. He's asking voters to look past the pain being felt across the nation and give him another four-year term on the promise of an economic comeback in 2021. "It's a transition to greatness," Trump says over and over, predicting a burgeoning economy come the fall. "You're going to see some great numbers in the fourth quarter, and you're going to end up doing a great year next year." His chief economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, echoes the wait-until-next-year sentiment, holding out hope for a "big bang 2021." It's a delayed-reward tactic Trump was using long before the global pandemic gut-punched the country. He has turned to it with new urgency as the coronavirus has robbed him of the booming economy that was to be the core of his reelection message. Trump had already pledged to finally release a Republican health care plan after the polls closed despite having served more than three years in office along with a postelection tax cut and a "Phase 2" trade deal with China. Now, Trump is making the case to voters that if he helped bolster the economy once, he can do it again. "We built the greatest economy in the world," Trump says frequently. "I'll do it a second time." It's not just next year that will be a mystery to voters on Election Day. Trump and his team have been talking up the fourth quarter October through December but economic reports on that period won't be released until 2021. Preliminary figures for the third quarter will be released Oct. 29, days before the Nov. 3 election. Still, Trump and his campaign are hoping they can convince the public that Trump, not Democrat Joe Biden, is the candidate who can turn things around, even as they push the recovery timeline into next year. "The president has a clear record of building the economy to unprecedented heights before it was artificially interrupted by the coronavirus, and they know he will build it a second time," said Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh. Economists, however, warn that the "snap back" Trump's advisers have been talking up is unlikely, given the severity of the recession. It will take years for the economy to recover, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Polling data suggests Trump has some work to do to persuade Americans that all will be well next year. Americans are split on whether they think the economy will improve (41%) or worsen (40%) over the coming year, according to a poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Their opinions differ based on their politics. A majority of Republicans (62%) think the economy will get better in the coming year, while a majority of Democrats (56%) think it will get worse. The poll finds that only 49% of Americans now approve of how Trump is handling the economy, compared with 56% in March, though the numbers remain split largely on party lines. While a majority of Americans in households that lost a job do think it's at least probable that the job will return, 70% now describe the state of the nation's economy as poor, versus just 29% who say it's good down from 67% in January. Trump has been encouraging states to begin easing restrictions and reopening their economies. But that doesn't necessarily mean jobs will return. While most of those who say they got a haircut at least monthly before the outbreak or shopped regularly in person for nonessential items would definitely or probably do so in the next few weeks if they were allowed, Americans may be wary to return to life as normal. Only about half of those who did so at least monthly before the outbreak say they'd travel, go to bars and restaurants, use public transportation, or exercise at a gym or studio. Just 42% of those who went to concerts, movies, or theater or sporting events at least monthly say they'd do so in the next few weeks if they could. Still, the poll shows that 66% of Americans continue to say that their personal financial situation is good a number that has remained steady since before the outbreak began. Americans are also more likely to expect their personal finances to improve than worsen in the next year, 37% to 17%. In the end, that's what is going to matter most, said Michael Steel, a Republican political strategist. "This election will turn on facts more than messages," he said. "The president is placing a bet by reopening the economy before public health officials believe it is safe. If the economy recovers sharply and infection rates remain steady or go down, then voters will reward his boldness, but if we continue to see massive unemployment and a spike in new infections and deaths, all the political wordsmithery the world will offer won't help him."
Hong Kong Police, Protesters Clash 05/24 09:54
Hong Kong Police, Protesters Clash 05/24 09:54 HONG KONG (AP) -- Hong Kong police fired tear gas and a water cannon at protesters in a popular shopping district Sunday, as thousands took to the streets to march against China's move to impose national security legislation on the city. Pro-democracy supporters have sharply criticized a proposal, set to be approved by China's rubber-stamp parliament this week, that would ban secessionist and subversive activity, as well as foreign interference, in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory. The pro-democracy camp says the proposal goes against the "one country, two systems" framework that promises Hong Kong freedoms not found in mainland China. Crowds of demonstrators dressed in black gathered in the Causeway Bay district on Sunday, chanting slogans such as "Stand with Hong Kong," "Liberate Hong Kong" and "Revolution of our times." The protest was a continuation of a monthslong pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong that began last year and has at times descended into violence between police and protesters. Police raised blue flags, warning protesters to disperse, before firing multiple rounds of tear gas. They later fired a water cannon at the demonstrators. At least 180 people were arrested, mostly on charges of unlawful assembly, police said. They also said that some of the protesters threw bricks and splashed unidentified liquid at officers, injuring at least four members of the police media liaison team. They warned that such behavior is against the law and that police would pursue the matter. Earlier in the afternoon, prominent activist Tam Tak-chi was arrested during the protest for what police said was unauthorized assembly. Tam said he was giving a "health talk" and was exempt from social-distancing measures that prohibit gatherings of more than eight people. The bill that triggered Sunday's rally was submitted at the opening of China's national legislative session on Friday. It would bypass Hong Kong's legislature and could allow mainland agencies to be set up in the city, sparking concern that Chinese agents could arbitrarily arrest people for activities deemed to be pro-democracy. Speaking at an annual news conference during the legislative session, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Sunday that Hong Kong affairs were an internal matter for China, and that "no external interference will be tolerated." "Excessive unlawful foreign meddling in Hong Kong affairs has placed China's national security in serious jeopardy," Wang said, adding that the proposed legislation "does not affect the high degree of autonomy in Hong Kong." "It does not affect the rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents. And it does not affect the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investors in Hong Kong," he said. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called the proposal "a death knell for the high degree of autonomy" that Beijing promised the former British colony when it was returned to China in 1997. Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong prior to its handover to China, lamented what he called "a new Chinese dictatorship." "I think the Hong Kong people have been betrayed by China, which has proved once again that you can't trust it further than you can throw it," Patten said in an interview with The Times of London. Patten is leading a coalition of at least 204 international lawmakers and policymakers who are decrying the proposed legislation. In a statement, the coalition called it a "flagrant breach" of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, a 1984 treaty that promised Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy even after the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997. President Donald Trump's national security adviser, Robert O'Brien, said it appeared that China was violating the 1984 treaty. "And I can't see how Hong Kong remains the Asian financial center if the Chinese Communist Party goes through and implements this national security law and takes over Hong Kong," O'Brien said Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation." "That would be a tragedy for the people of Hong Kong, but it will also be very bad for China," he said. Bernard Chan, a top-level Hong Kong politician and delegate to the National People's Congress in Beijing, defended the national security legislation pushed by China, saying it was written into Hong Kong's Basic Law the city's mini-constitution but never enacted. Chan expressed concern that Hong Kong would inevitably face economic hardship given trade frictions between the U.S. and China. "I think we are definitely the collateral damage being dragged into this thing. But then, I don't think there's any alternatives," he said. "But with or without this law, honestly, the U.S. and China are always going to be continuing this loggerhead for quite some time to come," Chan said. "China will remain as a threat to the U.S. in terms of the ... world economic dominance."
Taliban, Ghani Declare Eid Cease Fire 05/24 09:55
Taliban, Ghani Declare Eid Cease Fire 05/24 09:55 ISLAMABAD (AP) -- The Taliban and Afghanistan's president announced late Saturday a three-day cease-fire ahead of a major Islamic holiday that begins Sunday to mark the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan. The Taliban order, which was soon followed by an announcement via Twitter from Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announcing the government "extends the offer of peace," comes just days after U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad was in Kabul and Doha. Khalilzad on his trip urged both the Taliban and the Afghan government to reduce violence and move ahead with intra-Afghan negotiations, a key pillar of a U.S. peace deal with the Taliban signed in February to allow American troops to leave Afghanistan. The deal was also touted at the time as Afghanistan's best chance for peace after nearly four decades of war. The Taliban's cease-fire announcement follows an Eid al-Fitr message from the Taliban leader which said the insurgent group was committed to the peace deal, was not seeking to monopolize power and promised to guarantee the rights of women and men under an Islamic system. The directive ordered Taliban fighters not to fight but also not to fraternize with Afghan national security forces. The instructions seemed intended to avoid images that circulated during the last cease-fire in 2018, also during Eid celebrations, including Taliban fighters sharing ice cream and laughing with Afghan national security force soldiers. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the announcement and urged all parties "to seize the opportunity and embrace an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. Guterres, who called for a cease-fire in all global conflicts on March 23 to tackle the coronavirus pandemic stressed that "only a peace settlement can bring an end to the suffering in Afghanistan" and said that "the United Nations is committed to supporting the people and government of Afghanistan in this important endeavor," the spokesman said. In instructions issued Saturday, Taliban fighters were told "not to attack the enemy in any place but if there is attack from enemy in any place then a befitting defensive response shall be given." The order also warned Taliban fighters against entering "enemy" territory. Since signing the peace deal with the United States, the Taliban have not attacked U.S. and NATO troops but have staged numerous attacks against Afghan National Security forces. The peace deal calls for the full withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops by the end of next year but only if the Taliban honor their commitment to fight against terrorist groups and guarantee that Afghanistan cannot be used as a staging ground of attacks against the United States and its allies. The agreement also calls for talks between Taliban and the often-bickering political leadership in Kabul to decide the future of a post-war Afghanistan. It also calls for the release of prisoners by both the government and Taliban as a good will gesture ahead of the talks. An increase in attacks claimed by the Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan, including a horrific attack on a maternity hospital in the Afghan capital last week, blamed on the IS affiliate, has given an urgency to finding a settlement between the government and Taliban. U.S. Department of Defense officials speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media, said the Taliban is seen as an asset in the fight against IS in Afghanistan. The U.S. military in Afghanistan welcomed the cease-fire announcement saying "we reiterate our call for the militaries of all sides to reduce violence to allow the peace process to take hold."
WH Nursing Home Testing Goal Not Met 05/24 10:00
WH Nursing Home Testing Goal Not Met 05/24 10:00 RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Nearly two weeks ago the White House urged governors to ensure that every nursing home resident and staff member be tested for the coronavirus within 14 days. It's not going to happen. A review by The Associated Press found that at least half of the states are not going to meet White House's deadline and some aren't even bothering to try. Only a handful of states, including West Virginia and Rhode Island, have said they've already tested every nursing home resident. Many states said the logistics, costs and manpower needs are too great to test all residents and staff in a two-week window. Some say they need another week or so, while others say they need much more time. California, the most populous state, said it is still working to release a plan that would ensure testing capacity for all residents and staff at skilled nursing facilities statewide. And still other states are questioning whether testing every nursing home resident and staff, regardless of any other factors, is a good use of time and money. "At this time it would be fairly useless to do that," said Nebraska Chief Medical Officer Dr. Gary Anthone, adding that the state would have to repeat the tests almost daily to get more than a snapshot in time, and the state doesn't have the capacity when there are others who need to be tested. Anthone said the state was going to stick with the CDC's guidelines, which call for testing individually when nursing home residents show symptoms or collectively if there is a new confirmed case of COVID-19 in a home. The varying responses by states to nursing home testing is another example of the country's patchwork response to the pandemic that also underscores the Trump administration's limited influence. The president has preferred to offload key responsibilities and decisions to states and governors, despite calls for a coordinated national response. "All of this is probably not as well thought out as it could have been." said Dr. Jim Wright, the medical director at a Virginia nursing home where dozens of residents have died. "It sounds more like an impulsive type of directive rather than one that has been completely vetted by providers on the ground." On May 11, Trump heralded his administration's efforts to boost coronavirus testing and said the U.S. had developed the "most advanced robust testing system in the world, by far." That same day, Vice President Mike Pence hosted a private conference call with the state's governors, where White House adviser Dr. Deborah Birx requested that each state target nursing homes to help lower the virus' death toll. "Start now," Pence added, according to a recording of the call obtained by the AP. Trump said later that day at a news conference that he was thinking of making it a mandatory requirement. "I think it's very important to do and I think, frankly, some of the governors were very lax with respect to nursing homes," Trump said. Birx acknowledged Friday that the two-week recommendation was a challenge but said it was needed because of the particular vulnerability of nursing homes. "We should never be discouraged by those who can't get it done," she said. "We should be encouraged by those who have shown us that it can be done." Nursing homes residents, who are typically older and often have underlying medical conditions, have been particularly hard hit by the virus. More than 36,000 residents and staff have died from outbreaks at the nation's nursing homes and long-term care facilities, according to an AP tally. . That is more than a third of all deaths in the U.S. that have been attributed to the virus. Nursing home operators have said the lack of testing kits and other resources have left them nearly powerless to stop the virus from entering their facilities because they haven't been able to identity silent spreaders not showing symptoms. The American Health Care Association, the main nursing home trade group, said more than half of its members said they were unable to test all residents and staff within two weeks because of a lack of access to testing. The group also estimates that testing every nursing home resident and staff member would involving testing nearly 3 million people at a cost of $440 million. Even with the tests, nursing homes struggle to find people to administer them and carve out enough time to perform them. New York, the nation's leader in nursing home deaths, said this past week it has sent out enough kits to all nursing homes to test every resident though it remains unclear whether they will be done by the deadline. Delaware Gov. John Carney announced a plan May 5 for universal testing of all residents and staff in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, but the testing program is voluntary. On Friday, the state said three-quarters of long-term care facilities had requested testing kits, and that weekly testing of staff would be mandatory starting in June. Alabama State Health Officer Scott Harris said meeting the White House's recommendation would mean testing 50,000 people in two weeks when it took three months for the state to test 150,000 people. "It's just not possible," he said.
NKorea's Kim Holds Nuclear Meeting 05/24 10:02
NKorea's Kim Holds Nuclear Meeting 05/24 10:02 North Korean leader Kim Jong Un convened a key military meeting to discuss bolstering the country's nuclear arsenal and putting its armed forces on high alert, state media reported Sunday, in Kim's first known public appearance in about 20 days. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un convened a key military meeting to discuss bolstering the country's nuclear arsenal and putting its armed forces on high alert, state media reported Sunday, in Kim's first known public appearance in about 20 days. Kim earlier this month quelled intense rumors about his health by attending a ceremony marking the completion of a fertilizer factory in what at the time was his first public appearance in 20 days. But he hadn't made another public appearance for around 20 more days until the North's official news agency said Sunday that he led a meeting of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party. "Set forth at the meeting were new policies for further increasing the nuclear war deterrence of the country and putting the strategic armed forces on a high alert operation," the Korean Central News Agency, or KCNA, said, without mentioning when the meeting was held. The meeting discussed increasing the capabilities for deterring "the threatening foreign forces," the report said, an apparent reference to the U.S. and South Korean militaries. Kim, who heads the military commission, also used the meeting to promote the ranks of dozens of army generals and others in an apparent effort to boost military morale. Among them is military chief Pak Jong Chon, who was made a vice marshal, and Ri Pyong Chol, a senior party official in charge of weapons development, who became a deputy head of the military commission, according to KCNA. Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said that Kim's "public appearances have more to do with domestic politics than international signaling, but it is interesting for him to reappear in state media about the time the world started noticing he'd been gone for three weeks again." The meeting was held amid a prolonged deadlock in negotiations with the United States over the North's nuclear program. The two countries' diplomacy faltered when a second summit between Kim and President Donald Trump in February 2019 ended without any agreement due to disputes over U.S.-led sanctions on North Korea. Frustrated over the lack of progress, Kim later said he would unveil "a new strategic weapon" and would no longer be bound by a self-imposed moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests. Kim hasn't followed through with those threats, though he did conduct a slew of short-range missile tests. On Sunday, the North's main Rodong Sinmun newspaper released photos showing Kim clad in his trademark dark Mao suit delivering a speech, writing on a document and pointing a stick at a board on the podium. Elderly military generals wearing olive green uniforms were seen taking notes as Kim, 36, spoke something that's typical in North Korean state media-distributed photos. Despite lingering rumors about Kim's health, South Korean officials have said he didn't undergo surgery or any other medical procedure. South Korea's spy agency recently told lawmakers that it believes the coronavirus pandemic had led Kim to avoid public activities, saying he appeared in public 17 times this year, compared with an average of 50 appearances in the same time period each year since he took power in late 2011.
