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Take 2 for SpaceX's 1st astronaut launch with more storms

The Falcon 9, with the Crew Dragon spacecraft on top of the rocket, is scheduled to liftoff from Launch Pad 39-A Saturday. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. SpaceX pressed ahead with its second attempt to launch astronauts for NASA a historic first for a private company but more stormy weather threatened more delays. Elon Musks company came within 17 minutes Wednesday of launching a pair of NASA astronauts for the first time in nearly a decade from the U.S., before the threat of lightning forced a delay. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said managers were debating whether to bump the next launch attempt from Saturday to Sunday to take advantage of a slightly improved forecast at Kennedy Space Center. The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex reopened Thursday, after a 2 1/2-month shutdown, and within a few hours, all 4,000 tickets were snapped up for Saturdays launch attempt.

Hypocrisy gone viral? Officials set bad COVID-19 examples

From U.S. President Donald Trump to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, global decision-makers have frequently set bad examples, whether it's refusing to wear masks or breaking confinement rules aimed at protecting their citizens from COVID-19. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said normally she would fire Clark but that the country couldnt afford massive disruption in its health sector while it was fighting the virus. He and others didnt wear masks during those meetings, and Putin also didnt cover his face for events marking Nazi Germanys defeat in World War II. The prime minister has respected all guidelines, according to a statement read by a spokesman. And as such the prime minister was with her during her last night."

SpaceX ready to launch NASA astronauts, back on home turf

(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. A SpaceX rocket is ready to boost two NASA astronauts into orbit Wednesday, the first launch of Americans from the U.S. in nearly a decade. Riding aboard the brand new SpaceX Dragon capsule for the historic flight: veteran NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken. SpaceX is controlling the vehicle, theres no fluff about that, said Norm Knight, a NASA flight operations manager. The last time astronauts launched from Florida was on NASAs final space shuttle flight in July 2011. Development of SpaceXs Dragon and Boeings Starliner capsules took longer than expected, however, and the U.S. has been paying Russia to launch NASA astronauts in the interim.

For launch spectators, storms more worrisome than virus

The two astronauts are set to travel on the SpaceX test flight to the International Space Station. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)TITUSVILLE, Fla. For the spectators gathered along the Space Coast on Wednesday for an astronaut launch, the rumbling thunder and darkening clouds were more worrisome than any pandemic. They turned out to watch the first launch with astronauts from Florida in almost a decade, and the first by a private company, SpaceX. About half of the spectators at the Titusville park wore masks as encouraged by health officials to stop the spread of the new coronavirus. I wanted them to see the flip side and get to see the next era of space travel," said Gatz, who lives about an hour away in Deltona.

Trump, Pence tag team battleground state for SpaceX launch

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)WASHINGTON President Donald Trump is hoping the first launch of American astronauts from U.S. soil in nearly a decade will give the nations spirit a boost after months of battling the coronavirus. Its the latest visit to an important 2020 battleground state as the president emerges from his White House bubble and expands his travel itinerary. Trump is encouraging states to loosen restrictions on economic activity put into place to slow the spread of the coronavirus. A Quinnipiac University poll last month found older Florida voters divided on Trumps handling of the coronavirus outbreak, with 47% saying they approved and 50% disapproving. Vice President Mike Pence got to Florida ahead of Trump and was to meet with the astronauts families and NASA officials before the launch.

Weather better for historic SpaceX launch of NASA astronauts

Veteran NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken were set to make history Wednesday afternoon, riding SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule to the International Space Station on a test flight. On the eve of the launch, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said from Kennedy Space Center that both the space agency and SpaceX have been diligent about making sure everyone in the launch loop knows they're free to halt the countdown if there's a concern. SpaceX has been launching cargo capsules to the space station since 2012. NASA hired SpaceX and Boeing in 2014 to transport astronauts to the space station, after commercial cargo shipments had taken off. Development of SpaceX's Dragon and Boeing's Starliner capsules took longer than expected, however, and the U.S. has been paying Russia to launch NASA astronauts in the interim.

Pence aide who had COVID-19 returns to work

FILE - In this Sept. 20, 2019, file photo President Donald Trump's White House Senior Adviser Stephen Miller, left, and Katie Waldman, now Miller, arrive for a State Dinner with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)WASHINGTON Vice President Mike Pences chief spokeswoman said Tuesday that she has recovered from coronavirus and is back at work. President Donald Trump confirmed on May 8 that Katie Miller, Pences press secretary, had tested positive for COVID-19. She is one of two people working at the White House complex known to have tested positive for the virus. The White House has not reported any additional officials infected by the virus.

Biden aims to move left without abandoning centrist roots

But they left many of the partys strongest liberals worried that little progress would be made toward their sweeping goals. Asked whether his recent moves mean hell govern as a progressive, Biden retorted on CNBC: Im going to be Joe Biden. Biden aides say hes uniquely positioned for a wide Biden coalition because voters prioritize experience and temperament, along with policy. Republicans who dislike Trump the kind who cut deals with Sen. Biden or Vice President Biden arent likely to back President Biden's proposed public option health insurance expansion when theyve never embraced the Affordable Care Act. Winning back just that cohort back could be enough to secure Biden to the presidency alone this cycle, he said.

Trump threatens to move RNC without assurances from governor

FILE - In this Sept. 9, 2019, file photo, President Donald Trump participates in a briefing about Hurricane Dorian with North Carolina Gov. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)President Donald Trump threatened Monday to pull the Republican National Convention out of North Carolina if the state's Democratic governor doesn't immediately sign off on allowing a full-capacity gathering in August despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Trump's tweets about the upcoming RNC in Charlotte come two days after North Carolina's largest daily increase in virus cases yet. Unfortunately, Democrat Governor, @RoyCooperNC is still in Shutdown mood & unable to guarantee that by August we will be allowed... full attendance in the Arena, Trump tweeted Monday. Cooper narrowly beat an incumbent Republican in 2016 while Trump won the state.

White House goal on testing nursing homes unmet

I think its 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. More than 36,000 residents and staff have died from outbreaks at the nations nursing homes and long-term care facilities, according to an AP tally. Even with the tests, nursing homes struggle to find people to administer them and carve out enough time to perform them. 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.

Trump to attend Wednesday's NASA astronaut launch in Florida

(Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)STERLING, Va. President Donald Trump plans to be on the Florida coast Wednesday to watch American astronauts blast into orbit from the Kennedy Space Center for the first time in nearly a decade. It will be the first time since the space shuttle program ended in 2011 that U.S. astronauts will launch into space aboard an American rocket from American soil. Elon Musks SpaceX is the conductor and NASA the customer as businesses begin chauffeuring astronauts to the International Space Station. The NASA/SpaceX Commercial Crew flight test launch will carry NASAs newest test pilots, Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Vice President Mike Pence, who is chairman of the National Space Council, also plans to attend Wednesday's launch.

Naval Academy holds its first-ever virtual graduation event

On Thursday, the Senate confirmed Kenneth Braithwaite, a former U.S. ambassador to Norway and a 1984 graduate of the Naval Academy, as Navy secretary. The decision not to have a live Naval Academy graduation ceremony reflects concern about the coronavirus pandemic. It stands in contrast to the Air Force, which held a scaled-back live graduation ceremony in Colorado Springs, Colorado on April 18. The Army is scheduled to hold a U.S. Military Academy live graduation ceremony at West Point, New York, on June 13 with President Donald Trump as the commencement speaker. In the virtual spirit of Friday's Naval Academy event, Milley, chimed in with a Twitter note of encouragement to the graduates.

NASA, SpaceX bringing astronaut launches back to home turf

Elon Musk's SpaceX is the conductor and NASA the customer as businesses begin chauffeuring astronauts to the International Space Station. The drama unfolds from the exact spot where men flew to the moon and the last space shuttle soared from Kennedy Space Center. NASAs newest test pilots, Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, are launching from home turf with SpaceX presiding over the countdown. Plagued with software problems, Boeings Starliner capsule is still a year from launching with Ferguson and two NASA astronauts. In terms of launch power, the relatively small Falcon 9 has far less than the space shuttle did, another layer of safety.

Will virus keep Florida spectators from astronaut launch?

In ordinary times, the beaches and roads along Floridas Space Coast would be packed with hundreds of thousands of spectators, eager to witness the first astronaut launch from Florida in nine years, scheduled for May 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)ORLANDO, Fla. In ordinary times, the beaches and roads along Floridas Space Coast would be packed with hundreds of thousands of spectators, eager to witness the first astronaut launch from Florida in nine years. Earlier this month, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine asked potential spectators to watch the launch online or on TV from home. NASA astronauts have not launched from the U.S. since the space shuttle program ended in 2011. Although crowd sizes varied, a high-profile space shuttle launch could attract a half million visitors to the Space Coast.

Universal Orlando seeks to reopen theme parks in early June

ORLANDO, Fla. Universal Orlando is aiming to reopen its theme parks in early June, a resort official said Thursday, more than two months after the company joined crosstown rivals Disney World and SeaWorld in closing their gates to stop the spread of the new coronavirus. Universal Orlando executive John Sprouls asked Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings for approval to open the companys theme parks as early as June 5, the Orlando Sentinel reported. Universal, Disney World and SeaWorld have been closed since mid-March in an effort to stop the virus's spread. Officials with Disney World havent said when they plan to reopen. Many of those same protocols will be implemented at the theme parks.

Colleges plan fall opening, but campuses wont look the same

And at some smaller schools, students may be barred from leaving campus. At West Virginia University, President E. Gordon Gee said students dont want to wait for a vaccine, and the school cant afford to. Some plan to make decisions this summer, including Princeton University, where officials say it's too soon to make a call. At many schools, students who test positive would be placed in dorm rooms reserved as quarantine space. Some research universities say they have the lab equipment to analyze virus tests, but not enough swabs and testing chemicals.

NASA, SpaceX bringing astronaut launches back to home turf

Elon Musk's SpaceX is the conductor and NASA the customer as businesses begin chauffeuring astronauts to the International Space Station. The drama unfolds from the exact spot where men flew to the moon and the last space shuttle soared from Kennedy Space Center. NASAs newest test pilots, Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, are launching from home turf with SpaceX presiding over the countdown. Plagued with software problems, Boeings Starliner capsule is still a year from launching with Ferguson and two NASA astronauts. In terms of launch power, the relatively small Falcon 9 has far less than the space shuttle did, another layer of safety.

Trump to mark Memorial Day at ceremony at Baltimore monument

WASHINGTON Many Americans may be staying in this Memorial Day weekend, but President Donald Trump is hitting the road, set to visit Baltimores Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine. The Trumps are to be joined by Defense Secretary Mark Esper; Interior Secretary David Bernhardt; Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and military ceremonial units. Trump was also considering travel next week to Florida to view the launch of the first U.S. manned spaceflight since the retirement of the space shuttle, Florida Gov. I think the big guy is going to be there.Trump marked Memorial Day last year aboard a U.S. aircraft carrier in Japan, where he was on a state visit. He participated in ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery in his first two years in office.

Trump urges Senate Republicans to 'be tough' on Democrats

He touted his poll numbers, dismissed rival Joe Biden and implored Republicans to be tough against Democrats this fall. They had a giant pep rally and got all fired up to do nothing," said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. While House Speaker Nancy Pelosi led Democrats in approving an aid package last week, Senate Republicans say theyre not interested in providing more funds until they gauge how the $2 trillion in already-approved relief is being spent. Since March, one GOP senator, several House members and dozens of Capitol Hill workers and staff have tested positive for the virus. Tuesday brought a full day of administration appearances on Capitol Hill.

Nancy Pelosi says morbidly obese Trump should not be taking hydroxychloroquine

President Donald Trump tells reporters that he is taking zinc and hydroxychloroquine during a meeting with restaurant industry executives about the coronavirus response, in the State Dining Room of the White House, Monday, May 18, 2020, in Washington. Trump's revelation a day earlier that he was taking hydroxychloroquine caught many in his administration by surprise and set off an urgent effort by officials to justify his action. Two large observational studies, each involving around 1,400 patients in New York, recently found no COVID benefit from hydroxychloroquine. Trump said his doctor did not recommend hydroxychloroquine to him, but that he requested it from the White House physician. But his private hopes had not, according to three White House officials and Republicans close to the White House not authorized to speak publicly about private discussions.

Biden's VP search puts spotlight on how long he'll serve

FILE - In this March 7, 2020, file photo Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden acknowledges the crowd during a campaign rally in Kansas City, Mo. But the question of his long-term prospects looms over his candidacy, especially as he considers his options for vice president. None has passed up a chance at a second term after just four years in the White House since shortly after Reconstruction. If Trump secures a second term, Vice President Mike Pence would seem to be a natural successor. Bush is the only sitting vice president in modern history to be elected president.

Obama emerges as central figure in 2020 presidential race

Nearly eight years after he was last on the ballot, Obama is emerging as a central figure in the 2020 presidential election. Democrats are eagerly embracing Obama as a political wingman for Joe Biden, who spent two terms by his side as vice president. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)WASHINGTON Nearly eight years after he was last on the ballot, Barack Obama is emerging as a central figure in the 2020 presidential election. Democrats are eagerly embracing Obama as a political wingman for Joe Biden, who spent two terms by his side as vice president. ___Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast, Ground Game.

VP Pence agrees lawmakers to be notified of child migrant deaths

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Vice President Mike Pence arrives at the White House in Washington D.C., U.S. June 17, 2019. REUTERS/Carlos BarriaWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Michael Pence, in a telephone conversation with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, agreed on Thursday that lawmakers would be notified within 24 hours after the death of a child migrant held in custody at the U.S.-Mexico border, a source familiar with the conversation said. Pence also agreed to a 90-day limit on the amount of time migrant children can spend in a border intake facility, the source said. Both of these conditions had been proposed by House Democratic leaders in amendments that they abandoned earlier Thursday after opposition from the White House, the Senate and some moderate Democrats.

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