WASHINGTON (AP) — As the world races to find a vaccine and a treatment for COVID-19, there is seemingly no antidote in sight for the burgeoning outbreak of coronavirus conspiracy theories, hoaxes, anti-mask myths and sham cures.

The phenomenon, unfolding largely on social media, escalated this week when President Donald Trump retweeted a false video about an anti-malaria drug being a cure for the virus and it was revealed that Russian intelligence is spreading disinformation about the crisis through English-language websites.

Experts worry the torrent of bad information is dangerously undermining efforts to slow the virus, whose death toll in the U.S. hit 150,000 Wednesday, by far the highest in the world, according to the tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. Over a half-million people have died in the rest of the world.

Hard-hit Florida reported 216 deaths, breaking the single-day record it set a day earlier. Texas confirmed 313 additional deaths, pushing its total to 6,190, while South Carolina’s death toll passed 1,500 this week, more than doubling over the past month. In Georgia, hospitalizations have more than doubled since July 1.

“It is a real challenge in terms of trying to get the message to the public about what they can really do to protect themselves and what the facts are behind the problem,” said Michael Osterholm, head of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.

He said the fear is that “people are putting themselves in harm’s way because they don’t believe the virus is something they have to deal with.”

Rather than fade away in the face of new evidence, the claims have flourished, fed by mixed messages from officials, transmitted by social media, amplified by leaders like Trump and mutating when confronted with contradictory facts.

“You don’t need masks. There is a cure,” Dr. Stella Immanuel promised in a video that promoted hydroxychloroquine. “You don’t need people to be locked down.”

The truth: Federal regulators last month revoked their authorization of the drug as an emergency treatment amid growing evidence it doesn’t work and can have deadly side effects. Even if it were effective, it wouldn’t negate the need for masks and other measures to contain the outbreak.

None of that stopped Trump, who has repeatedly praised the drug, from retweeting the video. Twitter and Facebook began removing the video Monday for violating policies on COVID-19 misinformation, but it had already been seen more than 20 million times.

Many of the claims in Immanuel’s video are widely disputed by medical experts. She has made even more bizarre pronouncements in the past, saying that cysts, fibroids and some other conditions can be caused by having sex with demons, that McDonald’s and Pokemon promote witchcraft, that alien DNA is used in medical treatments, and that half-human “reptilians” work in the government.

Other baseless theories and hoaxes have alleged that the virus isn’t real or that it’s a bioweapon created by the U.S. or its adversaries. One&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4ac3679b6f39e8bd2561c1c8eeafd855">hoax&nbsp;</a>from the outbreak’s early months claimed new 5G towers were spreading the virus through microwaves. Another popular story held that Microsoft founder Bill Gates plans to use COVID-19 vaccines to implant&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/3287934e9316b008e2a6c7735b7b01df">microchips&nbsp;</a>in all 7 billion people on the planet.

Then there are the political theories — that doctors, journalists and federal officials are conspiring to lie about the threat of the virus to hurt Trump politically.

Social media has amplified the claims and helped believers find each other. The flood of misinformation has posed a challenge for Facebook, Twitter and other platforms, which have found themselves accused of censorship for taking down virus misinformation.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was questioned about Immanuel’s video during an often-contentious&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/25a4d18ae3989402f0ad23f38d8cfa23">congressional hearing</a>&nbsp;Wednesday.

“We did take it down because it violates our policies,” Zuckerberg said.

U.S. Rep. David Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat leading the hearing, responded by noting that 20 million people saw the video before Facebook acted.

“Doesn’t that suggest that your platform is so big, that even with the right policies in place, you can’t contain deadly content?” Cicilline asked Zuckerberg.

It wasn’t the first video containing misinformation about the virus, and experts say it’s not likely to be the last.

A professionally made 26-minute video that alleges the government’s top infectious-disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, manufactured the virus and shipped it to China was watched more than 8 million times before the platforms took action. The video, titled “Plandemic,” also warned that masks could make you sick — the false claim Facebook cited when it removed the video down from its site.

Judy Mikovits, the discredited doctor behind “Plandemic,” had been set to appear on the show “America This Week” on the Sinclair Broadcast Group. But the company, which operates TV stations in 81 U.S. markets,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/36c9e59603c007df13702c0dc4095c7d">canned&nbsp;</a>the segment, saying it was “not appropriate” to air.

This week, U.S. government officials speaking on condition of anonymity cited what they said was a clear link between Russian intelligence and websites with stories designed to spread disinformation on the coronavirus in the West. Russian officials rejected the accusations.

Of all the bizarre and myriad claims about the virus, those regarding masks are proving to be among the most stubborn.

New York City resident Carlos Lopez said he wears a mask when required to do so but doesn’t believe it is necessary.

“They’re politicizing it as a tool,” he said. “I think it’s more to try to get Trump to lose. It’s more a scare tactic.”

He is in the minority. A recent AP/NORC&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9126a38ef22c244f9ca18f9584061f8d">poll</a>&nbsp;said 3 in 4 Americans — Democrats and Republicans alike — support a national mask mandate.

Still, mask skeptics are a vocal minority and have come together to create social media pages where many false claims about mask safety are shared. Facebook has removed some of the pages — such as the group Unmasking America!, which had nearly 10,000 members — but others remain.

Early in the pandemic, medical authorities themselves were the source of much confusion regarding masks. In February, officials like the&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Surgeon_General/status/1233725785283932160" target="_blank">U.S. surgeon general</a>&nbsp;urged Americans not to stockpile masks because they were needed by medical personnel and might not be effective in everyday situations.

Public health officials changed their tune when it became apparent that the virus could spread among people showing no symptoms.

Yet Trump remained reluctant to use a mask, mocked his rival Joe Biden for wearing one and suggested people might be covering their faces just to hurt him politically. He did an abrupt about-face this month, claiming that he had always supported masks — then later retweeted Immanuel’s video against masks.

The mixed signals hurt, Fauci acknowledged in an interview with NPR this month.

“The message early on became confusing,” he said.

Many of the claims around masks allege harmful effects, such as blocked oxygen flow or even a greater chance of infection. The claims have been widely debunked by doctors.

Dr. Maitiu O Tuathail of Ireland grew so concerned about mask misinformation he posted an online video of himself comfortably wearing a mask while measuring his oxygen levels. The video has been viewed more than 20 million times.

“While face masks don’t lower your oxygen levels. COVID definitely does,” he warned.

Yet trusted medical authorities are often being dismissed by those who say requiring people to wear masks is a step toward authoritarianism.

“Unless you make a stand, you will be wearing a mask for the rest of your life,” tweeted Simon Dolan, a British businessman who has sued the government over its COVID-19 restrictions.

Trump’s reluctant, ambivalent and late embrace of masks hasn’t convinced some of his strongest supporters, who have concocted ever more elaborate theories to explain his change of heart. Some say he was actually speaking in code and doesn’t really support masks.

O Tuathail witnessed just how unshakable COVID-19 misinformation can be when, after broadcasting his video, he received emails from people who said he cheated or didn’t wear the mask long enough to feel the negative effects.

That’s not surprising, according to University of Central Florida psychology professor Chrysalis Wright, who studies misinformation. She said conspiracy theory believers often engage in mental gymnastics to make their beliefs conform with reality.

“People only want to hear what they already think they know,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596107178939.png" alt="Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg during his testimony before a congressional committee Wednesday-image courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg during his testimony before a congressional committee Wednesday-image courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — As the world races to find a vaccine and a treatment for COVID-19, there is seemingly no antidote in sight for the burgeoning outbreak of coronavirus conspiracy theories, hoaxes, anti-mask myths and sham cures.The phenomenon, unfolding largely on social media, escalated this week when President Donald Trump retweeted a false video about an anti-malaria drug being a cure for the virus and it was revealed that Russian intelligence is spreading disinformation about the crisis through English-language websites.Experts worry the torrent of bad information is dangerously undermining efforts to slow the virus, whose death toll in the U.S. hit 150,000 Wednesday, by far the highest in the world, according to the tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. Over a half-million people have died in the rest of the world.Hard-hit Florida reported 216 deaths, breaking the single-day record it set a day earlier. Texas confirmed 313 additional deaths, pushing its total to 6,190, while South Carolina’s death toll passed 1,500 this week, more than doubling over the past month. In Georgia, hospitalizations have more than doubled since July 1.“It is a real challenge in terms of trying to get the message to the public about what they can really do to protect themselves and what the facts are behind the problem,” said Michael Osterholm, head of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.He said the fear is that “people are putting themselves in harm’s way because they don’t believe the virus is something they have to deal with.”Rather than fade away in the face of new evidence, the claims have flourished, fed by mixed messages from officials, transmitted by social media, amplified by leaders like Trump and mutating when confronted with contradictory facts.“You don’t need masks. There is a cure,” Dr. Stella Immanuel promised in a video that promoted hydroxychloroquine. “You don’t need people to be locked down.”The truth: Federal regulators last month revoked their authorization of the drug as an emergency treatment amid growing evidence it doesn’t work and can have deadly side effects. Even if it were effective, it wouldn’t negate the need for masks and other measures to contain the outbreak.None of that stopped Trump, who has repeatedly praised the drug, from retweeting the video. Twitter and Facebook began removing the video Monday for violating policies on COVID-19 misinformation, but it had already been seen more than 20 million times.Many of the claims in Immanuel’s video are widely disputed by medical experts. She has made even more bizarre pronouncements in the past, saying that cysts, fibroids and some other conditions can be caused by having sex with demons, that McDonald’s and Pokemon promote witchcraft, that alien DNA is used in medical treatments, and that half-human “reptilians” work in the government.Other baseless theories and hoaxes have alleged that the virus isn’t real or that it’s a bioweapon created by the U.S. or its adversaries. One&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4ac3679b6f39e8bd2561c1c8eeafd855">hoax&nbsp;</a>from the outbreak’s early months claimed new 5G towers were spreading the virus through microwaves. Another popular story held that Microsoft founder Bill Gates plans to use COVID-19 vaccines to implant&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/3287934e9316b008e2a6c7735b7b01df">microchips&nbsp;</a>in all 7 billion people on the planet.Then there are the political theories — that doctors, journalists and federal officials are conspiring to lie about the threat of the virus to hurt Trump politically.Social media has amplified the claims and helped believers find each other. The flood of misinformation has posed a challenge for Facebook, Twitter and other platforms, which have found themselves accused of censorship for taking down virus misinformation.Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was questioned about Immanuel’s video during an often-contentious&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/25a4d18ae3989402f0ad23f38d8cfa23">congressional hearing</a>&nbsp;Wednesday.“We did take it down because it violates our policies,” Zuckerberg said.U.S. Rep. David Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat leading the hearing, responded by noting that 20 million people saw the video before Facebook acted.“Doesn’t that suggest that your platform is so big, that even with the right policies in place, you can’t contain deadly content?” Cicilline asked Zuckerberg.It wasn’t the first video containing misinformation about the virus, and experts say it’s not likely to be the last.A professionally made 26-minute video that alleges the government’s top infectious-disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, manufactured the virus and shipped it to China was watched more than 8 million times before the platforms took action. The video, titled “Plandemic,” also warned that masks could make you sick — the false claim Facebook cited when it removed the video down from its site.Judy Mikovits, the discredited doctor behind “Plandemic,” had been set to appear on the show “America This Week” on the Sinclair Broadcast Group. But the company, which operates TV stations in 81 U.S. markets,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/36c9e59603c007df13702c0dc4095c7d">canned&nbsp;</a>the segment, saying it was “not appropriate” to air.This week, U.S. government officials speaking on condition of anonymity cited what they said was a clear link between Russian intelligence and websites with stories designed to spread disinformation on the coronavirus in the West. Russian officials rejected the accusations.Of all the bizarre and myriad claims about the virus, those regarding masks are proving to be among the most stubborn.New York City resident Carlos Lopez said he wears a mask when required to do so but doesn’t believe it is necessary.“They’re politicizing it as a tool,” he said. “I think it’s more to try to get Trump to lose. It’s more a scare tactic.”He is in the minority. A recent AP/NORC&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9126a38ef22c244f9ca18f9584061f8d">poll</a>&nbsp;said 3 in 4 Americans — Democrats and Republicans alike — support a national mask mandate.Still, mask skeptics are a vocal minority and have come together to create social media pages where many false claims about mask safety are shared. Facebook has removed some of the pages — such as the group Unmasking America!, which had nearly 10,000 members — but others remain.Early in the pandemic, medical authorities themselves were the source of much confusion regarding masks. In February, officials like the&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Surgeon_General/status/1233725785283932160" target="_blank">U.S. surgeon general</a>&nbsp;urged Americans not to stockpile masks because they were needed by medical personnel and might not be effective in everyday situations.Public health officials changed their tune when it became apparent that the virus could spread among people showing no symptoms.Yet Trump remained reluctant to use a mask, mocked his rival Joe Biden for wearing one and suggested people might be covering their faces just to hurt him politically. He did an abrupt about-face this month, claiming that he had always supported masks — then later retweeted Immanuel’s video against masks.The mixed signals hurt, Fauci acknowledged in an interview with NPR this month.“The message early on became confusing,” he said.Many of the claims around masks allege harmful effects, such as blocked oxygen flow or even a greater chance of infection. The claims have been widely debunked by doctors.Dr. Maitiu O Tuathail of Ireland grew so concerned about mask misinformation he posted an online video of himself comfortably wearing a mask while measuring his oxygen levels. The video has been viewed more than 20 million times.“While face masks don’t lower your oxygen levels. COVID definitely does,” he warned.Yet trusted medical authorities are often being dismissed by those who say requiring people to wear masks is a step toward authoritarianism.“Unless you make a stand, you will be wearing a mask for the rest of your life,” tweeted Simon Dolan, a British businessman who has sued the government over its COVID-19 restrictions.Trump’s reluctant, ambivalent and late embrace of masks hasn’t convinced some of his strongest supporters, who have concocted ever more elaborate theories to explain his change of heart. Some say he was actually speaking in code and doesn’t really support masks.O Tuathail witnessed just how unshakable COVID-19 misinformation can be when, after broadcasting his video, he received emails from people who said he cheated or didn’t wear the mask long enough to feel the negative effects.That’s not surprising, according to University of Central Florida psychology professor Chrysalis Wright, who studies misinformation. She said conspiracy theory believers often engage in mental gymnastics to make their beliefs conform with reality.“People only want to hear what they already think they know,” she said.___

Misinformation on coronavirus is proving highly contagious

By DAN MARGOLIES <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-07-29/ku-med-and-childrens-mercy-to-lead-clinical-trials-of-promising-covid-19-vaccine">Kansas News Service</a>

A COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and pharmaceutical 
giant AstraZeneca will be tested locally as part of a clinical trial 
seeking to enroll 30,000 participants nationwide.

The University 
of Kansas Medical Center and Children’s Mercy Hospital will lead the 
local effort, which calls for the recruitment of 1,500 participants in 
Kansas and Missouri.

Known as AZD1222, the vaccine generated an immune response in a study of 1,077 patients, according to interim results <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31604-4/fulltext" target="_blank">published in The Lancet</a> medical journal on July 20.

More
 than 100 COVID-19 vaccines are currently in development, but AZD1222 
has been one of the first to move into large-scale clinical trials. 

The
 data published in The Lancet showed that the vaccine caused a variety 
of side effects in 60% of the participants. But those side effects — 
including fever, headaches, muscle aches and fatigue — were deemed mild 
or moderate.

“This vaccine is very exciting,” said Dr. Mario 
Castro, a pulmonologist with the KU School of Medicine. “There’s been so
 much thrown at this coronavirus in terms of treatment and prevention, 
and we ultimately know that the best strategy for this virus is a 
vaccine.”

Castro and Dr. Barbara Pahud, an infectious disease 
specialist at Chidren’s Mercy, will serve as co-principal investigators 
for the local trials.

AZD1222 is entering Phase 3 of clinical 
trials, meaning the vaccine — having cleared earlier stages of 
investigation — is given to thousands of people to see how many become 
infected compared with volunteers who receive a placebo. 

The 
Phase 3 trials are expected to begin in mid- or late August. 
Participants must be over the age of 18 and considered to be at high 
risk of coming into contact with the novel coronavirus that causes 
COVID-19. The participants will be randomized; two out of three will get
 the vaccine and the rest will get a placebo.

According to <a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/phase-3-clinical-trial-investigational-vaccine-covid-19-begins" target="_blank">the National Institutes of Health</a>,
 Phase 3 clinical trials for another vaccine under development by 
Moderna Inc., a biotechnology company in Cambridge, Massachusetts, have 
also begun across the country. Like the AZD1222 trials, those trials are
 expected to enroll approximately 30,000 adult volunteers nationwide.

The
 Washington University School of Medicine and the St. Louis University 
Center for Vaccine Development are leading regional clinical trials for 
the Moderna vaccine.

That vaccine, which has also shown promise, 
uses messenger RNA, or mRNA, to prompt cells to make a fragment of the 
virus, which primes the immune system to attack if it encounters the 
real coronavirus.

By contrast, AZD1222 uses a genetically 
engineered virus taken from chimpanzees that carries a gene for one 
protein in the coronavirus. The virus is inserted into patients’ cells, 
causing them to manufacture that protein, which in turn triggers an 
immune response.

"Safety is our No. 1 priority," said Pahud of 
Children's Mercy Hospital. "I would not offer this vaccine if I were not
 ready to take it myself." 

People wanting to be considered for 
the AZD1222 clinical trial and receive the vaccine can register using 
the Coronavirus Prevention Network website or by calling 913-574-3006 in
 Kansas City, 316-293-1833 in Wichita.

Dan Margolies is senior reporter and editor at KCUR. He can be reached by email at dan@kcur.org or on Twitter @DanMargolies.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/10/1571089976044.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By DAN MARGOLIES <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-07-29/ku-med-and-childrens-mercy-to-lead-clinical-trials-of-promising-covid-19-vaccine">Kansas News Service</a>A COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and pharmaceutical 
giant AstraZeneca will be tested locally as part of a clinical trial 
seeking to enroll 30,000 participants nationwide.The University 
of Kansas Medical Center and Children’s Mercy Hospital will lead the 
local effort, which calls for the recruitment of 1,500 participants in 
Kansas and Missouri.Known as AZD1222, the vaccine generated an immune response in a study of 1,077 patients, according to interim results <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31604-4/fulltext" target="_blank">published in The Lancet</a> medical journal on July 20.More
 than 100 COVID-19 vaccines are currently in development, but AZD1222 
has been one of the first to move into large-scale clinical trials. The
 data published in The Lancet showed that the vaccine caused a variety 
of side effects in 60% of the participants. But those side effects — 
including fever, headaches, muscle aches and fatigue — were deemed mild 
or moderate.“This vaccine is very exciting,” said Dr. Mario 
Castro, a pulmonologist with the KU School of Medicine. “There’s been so
 much thrown at this coronavirus in terms of treatment and prevention, 
and we ultimately know that the best strategy for this virus is a 
vaccine.”Castro and Dr. Barbara Pahud, an infectious disease 
specialist at Chidren’s Mercy, will serve as co-principal investigators 
for the local trials.AZD1222 is entering Phase 3 of clinical 
trials, meaning the vaccine — having cleared earlier stages of 
investigation — is given to thousands of people to see how many become 
infected compared with volunteers who receive a placebo. The 
Phase 3 trials are expected to begin in mid- or late August. 
Participants must be over the age of 18 and considered to be at high 
risk of coming into contact with the novel coronavirus that causes 
COVID-19. The participants will be randomized; two out of three will get
 the vaccine and the rest will get a placebo.According to <a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/phase-3-clinical-trial-investigational-vaccine-covid-19-begins" target="_blank">the National Institutes of Health</a>,
 Phase 3 clinical trials for another vaccine under development by 
Moderna Inc., a biotechnology company in Cambridge, Massachusetts, have 
also begun across the country. Like the AZD1222 trials, those trials are
 expected to enroll approximately 30,000 adult volunteers nationwide.The
 Washington University School of Medicine and the St. Louis University 
Center for Vaccine Development are leading regional clinical trials for 
the Moderna vaccine.That vaccine, which has also shown promise, 
uses messenger RNA, or mRNA, to prompt cells to make a fragment of the 
virus, which primes the immune system to attack if it encounters the 
real coronavirus.By contrast, AZD1222 uses a genetically 
engineered virus taken from chimpanzees that carries a gene for one 
protein in the coronavirus. The virus is inserted into patients’ cells, 
causing them to manufacture that protein, which in turn triggers an 
immune response."Safety is our No. 1 priority," said Pahud of 
Children's Mercy Hospital. "I would not offer this vaccine if I were not
 ready to take it myself." People wanting to be considered for 
the AZD1222 clinical trial and receive the vaccine can register using 
the Coronavirus Prevention Network website or by calling 913-574-3006 in
 Kansas City, 316-293-1833 in Wichita.Dan Margolies is senior reporter and editor at KCUR. He can be reached by email at dan@kcur.org or on Twitter @DanMargolies.&nbsp;

KU Med, Children’s Mercy to lead clinical trials of promising COVID-19 vaccine

ATLANTA (AP) — Herman Cain, former Republican presidential candidate and former CEO of a major pizza chain who went on to become an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump, has died of complications from the coronavirus. He was 74.

A post on Cain’s Twitter account on Thursday announced the death. Cain had been ill with the virus for several weeks. It’s not clear when or where he was infected, but he was hospitalized less than two weeks after attending Trump’s campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in June. Cain had been co-chair of Black Voices for Trump.

“We knew when he was first hospitalized with COVID-19 that this was going to be a rough fight,” read an article posted on the Twitter account. “He had trouble breathing and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. We all prayed that the initial meds they gave him would get his breathing back to normal, but it became clear pretty quickly that he was in for a battle.”

Cain, who had hoped to become the first Black to win the GOP nomination, was initially considered a long-shot candidate. His bid was propelled forward in September 2011 when he won a straw poll vote in Florida, instantly becoming an alternative candidate for Republican voters concerned that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was not conservative enough.

But Cain struggled to respond to accusations that he had sexually harassed several women and — in a video that went viral on the Internet — rambled uncomfortably when asked whether he supported or opposed President Barack Obama’s policies in Libya. There were also gaffes on abortion and torture that led Cain’s critics to question whether he was ready for the White House.

Just as Cain started surging in the polls, Politico reported that the National Restaurant Association paid settlements to two former employees who claimed Cain sexually harassed them while he was CEO and president of the lobbying group from 1996 to 1999. Another woman, Sharon Bialek, said that Cain, an acquaintance, groped her in a car in July 1997 after they’d had dinner in Washington. Bialek, who was then unemployed, said she had contacted Cain seeking job advice.

Cain said he could not remember Bialek and denied sexually harassing anyone.

“I don’t even know who this woman is,” Cain said during a news conference in Arizona that he called to quell the controversy. “I tried to remember if I recognized her and I didn’t.”

Polls in the weeks afterward showed Cain’s popularity had slipped considerably.

Cain honed his speaking skills in the corporate world, then hosted a radio talk show in Atlanta that introduced his political views and up-by-the-bootstraps life story to many Tea Party supporters and other conservatives.

But he repeatedly fumbled under the scrutiny that follows a front-runner for the presidency. He gave a rambling response when asked by the editorial board of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel whether he supported or opposed Obama’s policies in Libya. The videotaped interview went viral on the internet.

He first ventured into national politics in 1994 when he publicly challenged President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, on his proposal to force employers to buy health insurance for their employees. “For many, many businesses like mine, the cost of your plan is simply a cost that will cause us to eliminate jobs,” Cain told Clinton. “What will I tell those people whose jobs I will have to eliminate?”

Afterward, the restaurant industry used Cain as a spokesman as it campaigned against Clinton’s plan, which ultimately failed.

Cain served as a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City from 1992 to 1996. His colleagues said they believed he left the nonpartisan board so he could be more active politically.

“We were already among ourselves as directors having discussions and kidding him about running for president,” said Jo Marie Dancik, who served on the board with Cain. “We were serious. He laughed it off at that point. I think it was probably the first time he had every really considered.”

Cain moved back to his native Georgia and in 2004 ran for U.S. Senate as a Republican. He lost to Rep. Johnny Isakson in the primary.

Less than two years later, Cain was diagnosed with late-stage cancer in his colon that had spread to his liver. He recovered and later said he believed his survival showed that God had other plans for him. He credited God with persuading him to run for president after Obama, a Democrat, took office in early 2009.

“That’s when I prayed and prayed and prayed. I’m a man of faith — I’ve had to do a lot of praying for this one,” Cain told an audience of young Republicans in Atlanta. “More praying than I’ve ever done before in my life. And when I finally realized that it was God saying that this is what I needed to do, I was like Moses. ‘You’ve got the wrong man, Lord. Are you sure?’”

Cain projected a self-confident image that at times bordered on arrogance. He referred to himself in the third person. His motivations speaking company was named T.H.E. New Voice Inc. The acronym stood for The Hermanator Experience.

His run for the presidency was unlikely, considering his origins. Born in the segregated South, Cain joked that his family was so poor it was “po.” His father worked three jobs as a janitor, barber and chauffeur, while his mother was a servant. He graduated from Morehouse College, a historically black college for men in Atlanta, received a master’s degree from Purdue University and worked as a civilian mathematician in the U.S. Navy.

While it was a good job, Cain said his ambitions were in the corporate world. He wanted to be president of “something ... somewhere,” he later wrote.

He worked first for Coca-Cola, became a vice president with Pillsbury, then was appointed to run its struggling Burger King unit in the Philadelphia area. His success prompted Pillsbury officials to ask Cain to take over its floundering Godfather’s Pizza chain. Cain said he returned the franchise to profitability. One of his strategies was shuttering under-performing stores.

Cain is survived by his wife, Gloria Etchison, their children and grandchildren.

The centerpiece of Cain’s campaign was his 9-9-9 plan, which would have replaced the current tax code with a 9% tax on personal and corporate income and a 9% national sales tax. Cain said the plan’s simplicity would stimulate the economy by giving investors certainty. A Baptist preacher who made money giving motivational speeches, Cain had a talent for selling his ideas to conservative audiences with a straightforward style.

“If 10% is good enough for God, 9% ought to be good enough for the federal government,” he told crowds.

Acknowledging Cain's death in a tweet Thursday, Romney wrote, “Saddened that Herman Cain—a formidable champion of business, politics and policy—has lost his battle with Covid. St. Peter will soon hear ‘999!’ Keep up the fight, my friend.”

<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Herman_Cain_by_Gage_Skidmore_4.jpg">Cover photo by Gage Skidmore</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596123749903.png" alt="Herman Cain speaking at a fundraiser in Richmond, Virginia on October 17, 2011. <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Herman_Cain_by_Gage_Skidmore_4.jpg">Photo by Gage Skidmore</a>" />
 <figcaption>Herman Cain speaking at a fundraiser in Richmond, Virginia on October 17, 2011. <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Herman_Cain_by_Gage_Skidmore_4.jpg">Photo by Gage Skidmore</a></figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) — Herman Cain, former Republican presidential candidate and former CEO of a major pizza chain who went on to become an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump, has died of complications from the coronavirus. He was 74.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">You&#39;re never ready for the kind of news we are grappling with this morning. But we have no choice but to seek and find God&#39;s strength and comfort to deal... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HermanCain?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HermanCain</a> <a href="https://t.co/BtOgoLVqKz">https://t.co/BtOgoLVqKz</a>&mdash; Herman Cain (@THEHermanCain) <a href="https://twitter.com/THEHermanCain/status/1288843301722890240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A post on Cain’s Twitter account on Thursday announced the death. Cain had been ill with the virus for several weeks. It’s not clear when or where he was infected, but he was hospitalized less than two weeks after attending Trump’s campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in June. Cain had been co-chair of Black Voices for Trump.“We knew when he was first hospitalized with COVID-19 that this was going to be a rough fight,” read an article posted on the Twitter account. “He had trouble breathing and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. We all prayed that the initial meds they gave him would get his breathing back to normal, but it became clear pretty quickly that he was in for a battle.”Cain, who had hoped to become the first Black to win the GOP nomination, was initially considered a long-shot candidate. His bid was propelled forward in September 2011 when he won a straw poll vote in Florida, instantly becoming an alternative candidate for Republican voters concerned that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was not conservative enough.But Cain struggled to respond to accusations that he had sexually harassed several women and — in a video that went viral on the Internet — rambled uncomfortably when asked whether he supported or opposed President Barack Obama’s policies in Libya. There were also gaffes on abortion and torture that led Cain’s critics to question whether he was ready for the White House.Just as Cain started surging in the polls, Politico reported that the National Restaurant Association paid settlements to two former employees who claimed Cain sexually harassed them while he was CEO and president of the lobbying group from 1996 to 1999. Another woman, Sharon Bialek, said that Cain, an acquaintance, groped her in a car in July 1997 after they’d had dinner in Washington. Bialek, who was then unemployed, said she had contacted Cain seeking job advice.Cain said he could not remember Bialek and denied sexually harassing anyone.“I don’t even know who this woman is,” Cain said during a news conference in Arizona that he called to quell the controversy. “I tried to remember if I recognized her and I didn’t.”Polls in the weeks afterward showed Cain’s popularity had slipped considerably.Cain honed his speaking skills in the corporate world, then hosted a radio talk show in Atlanta that introduced his political views and up-by-the-bootstraps life story to many Tea Party supporters and other conservatives.But he repeatedly fumbled under the scrutiny that follows a front-runner for the presidency. He gave a rambling response when asked by the editorial board of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel whether he supported or opposed Obama’s policies in Libya. The videotaped interview went viral on the internet.He first ventured into national politics in 1994 when he publicly challenged President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, on his proposal to force employers to buy health insurance for their employees. “For many, many businesses like mine, the cost of your plan is simply a cost that will cause us to eliminate jobs,” Cain told Clinton. “What will I tell those people whose jobs I will have to eliminate?”Afterward, the restaurant industry used Cain as a spokesman as it campaigned against Clinton’s plan, which ultimately failed.Cain served as a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City from 1992 to 1996. His colleagues said they believed he left the nonpartisan board so he could be more active politically.“We were already among ourselves as directors having discussions and kidding him about running for president,” said Jo Marie Dancik, who served on the board with Cain. “We were serious. He laughed it off at that point. I think it was probably the first time he had every really considered.”Cain moved back to his native Georgia and in 2004 ran for U.S. Senate as a Republican. He lost to Rep. Johnny Isakson in the primary.Less than two years later, Cain was diagnosed with late-stage cancer in his colon that had spread to his liver. He recovered and later said he believed his survival showed that God had other plans for him. He credited God with persuading him to run for president after Obama, a Democrat, took office in early 2009.“That’s when I prayed and prayed and prayed. I’m a man of faith — I’ve had to do a lot of praying for this one,” Cain told an audience of young Republicans in Atlanta. “More praying than I’ve ever done before in my life. And when I finally realized that it was God saying that this is what I needed to do, I was like Moses. ‘You’ve got the wrong man, Lord. Are you sure?’”Cain projected a self-confident image that at times bordered on arrogance. He referred to himself in the third person. His motivations speaking company was named T.H.E. New Voice Inc. The acronym stood for The Hermanator Experience.His run for the presidency was unlikely, considering his origins. Born in the segregated South, Cain joked that his family was so poor it was “po.” His father worked three jobs as a janitor, barber and chauffeur, while his mother was a servant. He graduated from Morehouse College, a historically black college for men in Atlanta, received a master’s degree from Purdue University and worked as a civilian mathematician in the U.S. Navy.While it was a good job, Cain said his ambitions were in the corporate world. He wanted to be president of “something ... somewhere,” he later wrote.He worked first for Coca-Cola, became a vice president with Pillsbury, then was appointed to run its struggling Burger King unit in the Philadelphia area. His success prompted Pillsbury officials to ask Cain to take over its floundering Godfather’s Pizza chain. Cain said he returned the franchise to profitability. One of his strategies was shuttering under-performing stores.Cain is survived by his wife, Gloria Etchison, their children and grandchildren.The centerpiece of Cain’s campaign was his 9-9-9 plan, which would have replaced the current tax code with a 9% tax on personal and corporate income and a 9% national sales tax. Cain said the plan’s simplicity would stimulate the economy by giving investors certainty. A Baptist preacher who made money giving motivational speeches, Cain had a talent for selling his ideas to conservative audiences with a straightforward style.“If 10% is good enough for God, 9% ought to be good enough for the federal government,” he told crowds.Acknowledging Cain's death in a tweet Thursday, Romney wrote, “Saddened that Herman Cain—a formidable champion of business, politics and policy—has lost his battle with Covid. St. Peter will soon hear ‘999!’ Keep up the fight, my friend.”<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Herman_Cain_by_Gage_Skidmore_4.jpg">Cover photo by Gage Skidmore</a>

Herman Cain dies at 74 after battling COVID-19

PHOENIX (AP) — Officials say a freight train derailed on a bridge that spans a lake in a Phoenix suburb, setting the bridge ablaze and partially collapsing it. 

Video of the incident Wednesday showed huge flames, thick black smoke and train cars in a park next to the lake. 

One witness said it looked like a scene from hell.

 A spokesman for Union Pacific Railroad says none of the train’s crew members were hurt but there was a report of someone suffering from smoke inhalation. 

Some of the train cars carried lumber and others were tank cars. 

Crews were working to contain a leak from one derailed train car into a dry bed.

PHOENIX (AP) — Officials say a freight train derailed on a bridge that spans a lake in a Phoenix suburb, setting the bridge ablaze and partially collapsing it. Video of the incident Wednesday showed huge flames, thick black smoke and train cars in a park next to the lake. One witness said it looked like a scene from hell. A spokesman for Union Pacific Railroad says none of the train’s crew members were hurt but there was a report of someone suffering from smoke inhalation. Some of the train cars carried lumber and others were tank cars. Crews were working to contain a leak from one derailed train car into a dry bed.

Train derails on Arizona bridge that collapses, catches fire

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police say two people have been shot to death outside an Omaha motel.

 Officials say the shooting happened around 7:30 a.m. Thursday, when police were called to a Best Western motel in southwestern Omaha. 

Arriving officers found two people — a man and a woman — with gunshot wounds outside the building. 

Their names were not immediately released. 

A motel clerk who answered to phone told the Omaha World-Herald that the two people killed had been guests at the motel.

 Police were questioning potential witnesses, but have not released other details of the shooting or whether police have any suspects.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police say two people have been shot to death outside an Omaha motel. Officials say the shooting happened around 7:30 a.m. Thursday, when police were called to a Best Western motel in southwestern Omaha. Arriving officers found two people — a man and a woman — with gunshot wounds outside the building. Both were declared dead at the scene. Their names were not immediately released. A motel clerk who answered to phone told the Omaha World-Herald that the two people killed had been guests at the motel. Police were questioning potential witnesses, but have not released other details of the shooting or whether police have any suspects.

Two killed in shooting outside Omaha motel on Thursday

United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Nathan Goulding, 28, of Paxton, Nebraska, was sentenced today to 37 months in prison by United States District Judge&nbsp;Brian C. Buescher for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. There is no parole in the federal system. Upon his release from prison, Goulding will serve four years of supervised release.

On or about April 9, 2019, Nebraska State Patrol investigators and the CODE (Central Nebraska Cooperative Operation for Drug Enforcement) Task Force contacted Goulding and Logan Anderson at their residence in Paxton. A distinct odor of marijuana was coming from the residence.&nbsp; Officers applied for and received a signed search warrant for the property and vehicles on the property. Evidence taken from the search warrant included approximately 65 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, and numerous devices used to consume drugs.&nbsp;

Anderson pleaded guilty in December, 2019, for the same offense.&nbsp; She is awaiting sentencing, which is currently scheduled for August 12, 2020.&nbsp;

This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the CODE Task Force.

United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Nathan Goulding, 28, of Paxton, Nebraska, was sentenced today to 37 months in prison by United States District Judge&nbsp;Brian C. Buescher for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. There is no parole in the federal system. Upon his release from prison, Goulding will serve four years of supervised release.On or about April 9, 2019, Nebraska State Patrol investigators and the CODE (Central Nebraska Cooperative Operation for Drug Enforcement) Task Force contacted Goulding and Logan Anderson at their residence in Paxton. A distinct odor of marijuana was coming from the residence.&nbsp; Officers applied for and received a signed search warrant for the property and vehicles on the property. Evidence taken from the search warrant included approximately 65 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, and numerous devices used to consume drugs.&nbsp;Anderson pleaded guilty in December, 2019, for the same offense.&nbsp; She is awaiting sentencing, which is currently scheduled for August 12, 2020.&nbsp;This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the CODE Task Force.

Paxton man sentenced to federal prison for meth distribution

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The coronavirus has prompted cancellation of a charity antelope hunt that has drawn teams of famous, powerful men to Wyoming and has been facing growing criticism that its ceremonies crudely and inaccurately appropriate Native American culture. 

The Lander One Shot Antelope Hunt has been held every year since 1944. Past participants include Peter Fonda, 16 astronauts and the governors of 30 states.

 The hunt raises millions of dollars for conservation-oriented causes but now faces criticism for associated ceremonies in which politicians have worn indigenous women’s headscarves designating them as “losers” of the event.&nbsp;

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The coronavirus has prompted cancellation of a charity antelope hunt that has drawn teams of famous, powerful men to Wyoming and has been facing growing criticism that its ceremonies crudely and inaccurately appropriate Native American culture. The Lander One Shot Antelope Hunt has been held every year since 1944. Past participants include Peter Fonda, 16 astronauts and the governors of 30 states. The hunt raises millions of dollars for conservation-oriented causes but now faces criticism for associated ceremonies in which politicians have worn indigenous women’s headscarves designating them as “losers” of the event.&nbsp;

COVID-19 cancels Wyoming hunt amid Native American criticism

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The biggest, most sophisticated Mars rover ever built — a car-size vehicle bristling with cameras, microphones, drills and lasers — blasted off Thursday as part of an ambitious, long-range project to bring the first Martian rock samples back to Earth to be analyzed for evidence of ancient life.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21X5lGlDOfg&amp;feature=emb_logo">Click here to watch </a>a replay of the launch

NASA’s Perseverance rode a mighty Atlas V rocket into the morning sky in the world’s third and final Mars launch of the summer. China and the United Arab Emirates got a head start last week, but all three missions should reach the red planet in February after a journey of seven months and 300 million miles (480 million kilometers).

The plutonium-powered, six-wheeled rover will drill down and collect tiny geological specimens that will be brought home in about 2031 in a sort of interplanetary relay race involving multiple spacecraft and countries. The overall cost: more than $8 billion.

In addition to addressing the life-on-Mars question, the mission will yield lessons that could pave the way for the arrival of astronauts as early as the 2030s.

“There’s a reason we call the robot Perseverance. Because going to Mars is hard,” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said just before liftoff. “It is always hard. It’s never been easy. In this case, it’s harder than ever before because we’re doing it in the midst of a pandemic.”

The U.S., the only country to safely put a spacecraft on Mars, is seeking its ninth successful landing on the planet, which has proved to be the Bermuda Triangle of space exploration, with more than half of the world's missions there burning up, crashing or otherwise ending in failure.

China is sending both a rover an orbiter. The UAE, a newcomer to outer space, has an orbiter en route.

It’s the biggest stampede to Mars in spacefaring history. The opportunity to fly between Earth and Mars comes around only once every 26 months when the planets are on the same side of the sun and about as close as they can get.

Launch controllers wore masks and sat spaced apart at the Cape Canaveral control center because of the coronavirus outbreak, which kept hundreds of scientists and other team members away from Perseverance’s liftoff.

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” said Alex Mather, the 13-year-old Virginia schoolboy who proposed the name Perseverance in a NASA competition and traveled to Cape Canaveral for the launch.

If all goes well, the rover will descend to the Martian surface on Feb. 18, 2021, in what NASA calls seven minutes of terror, in which the craft goes from 12,000 mph (19,300 kph) to a complete stop, with no human intervention whatsoever. It is carrying 25 cameras and a pair of microphones that will enable Earthlings to vicariously tag along.

Perseverance will aim for treacherous unexplored territory: Jezero Crater, a dusty expanse riddled with boulders, cliffs, dunes and possibly rocks bearing signs of microbes from what was once a lake more than 3 billion years ago. The rover will store half-ounce (15-gram) rock samples in dozens of super-sterilized titanium tubes.

It also will release a mini helicopter that will attempt the first powered flight on another planet, and test out other technology to prepare the way for future astronauts, including equipment for extracting oxygen from Mars' thin carbon-dioxide atmosphere.

The plan is for NASA and the European Space Agency to launch a dune buggy in 2026 to fetch the rock samples, along with a rocket ship that will put the specimens into orbit around Mars. Then another spacecraft will capture the orbiting samples and bring them home.

Samples actually brought home from Mars, not drawn from meteorites discovered on Earth, have long been considered “the Holy Grail of Mars science,” according to NASA’s original and now-retired Mars czar, Scott Hubbard.

To definitively answer the profound question of whether life exists — or ever existed — beyond Earth, the samples must be analyzed by the best electron microscopes and other instruments, far too big to fit on a spacecraft, he said.

“I’ve wanted to know if there was life elsewhere in the universe since I was 9 years old. That was more than 60 years ago,” the 71-year-old Hubbard said from his Northern&nbsp;California&nbsp;cabin. “But just maybe, I’ll live to see the fingerprints of life come back from Mars in one of those rock samples.”

Said Bridenstine: "There is nothing better than bringing samples back to Earth where we can put them in a lab and we can apply every element of technology against those samples to make determinations as to whether or not there was, at one time, life on the surface of Mars.”

Two other NASA landers are also operating on Mars: 2018′s InSight and 2012′s Curiosity rover. Six other spacecraft are exploring the planet from orbit: three from the U.S., two from Europe and one from India.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596110942258.png" alt="NASA Mars Rover weighs about 2,260 pounds including a robotic arm&nbsp;with a 99-pound turret at the end. It is about 10 feet long (not including the arm), 9 feet wide and 7 feet tall with&nbsp;with a robotic arm that is about 7 feet long-image courtesy NASA&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>NASA Mars Rover weighs about 2,260 pounds including a robotic arm&nbsp;with a 99-pound turret at the end. It is about 10 feet long (not including the arm), 9 feet wide and 7 feet tall with&nbsp;with a robotic arm that is about 7 feet long-image courtesy NASA&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The biggest, most sophisticated Mars rover ever built — a car-size vehicle bristling with cameras, microphones, drills and lasers — blasted off Thursday as part of an ambitious, long-range project to bring the first Martian rock samples back to Earth to be analyzed for evidence of ancient life.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596110726328.png" alt="Successful Thursday morning launch image courtesy NASA" />
 <figcaption>Successful Thursday morning launch image courtesy NASA</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21X5lGlDOfg&amp;feature=emb_logo">Click here to watch </a>a replay of the launchNASA’s Perseverance rode a mighty Atlas V rocket into the morning sky in the world’s third and final Mars launch of the summer. China and the United Arab Emirates got a head start last week, but all three missions should reach the red planet in February after a journey of seven months and 300 million miles (480 million kilometers).The plutonium-powered, six-wheeled rover will drill down and collect tiny geological specimens that will be brought home in about 2031 in a sort of interplanetary relay race involving multiple spacecraft and countries. The overall cost: more than $8 billion.In addition to addressing the life-on-Mars question, the mission will yield lessons that could pave the way for the arrival of astronauts as early as the 2030s.“There’s a reason we call the robot Perseverance. Because going to Mars is hard,” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said just before liftoff. “It is always hard. It’s never been easy. In this case, it’s harder than ever before because we’re doing it in the midst of a pandemic.”The U.S., the only country to safely put a spacecraft on Mars, is seeking its ninth successful landing on the planet, which has proved to be the Bermuda Triangle of space exploration, with more than half of the world's missions there burning up, crashing or otherwise ending in failure.China is sending both a rover an orbiter. The UAE, a newcomer to outer space, has an orbiter en route.It’s the biggest stampede to Mars in spacefaring history. The opportunity to fly between Earth and Mars comes around only once every 26 months when the planets are on the same side of the sun and about as close as they can get.Launch controllers wore masks and sat spaced apart at the Cape Canaveral control center because of the coronavirus outbreak, which kept hundreds of scientists and other team members away from Perseverance’s liftoff.“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” said Alex Mather, the 13-year-old Virginia schoolboy who proposed the name Perseverance in a NASA competition and traveled to Cape Canaveral for the launch.If all goes well, the rover will descend to the Martian surface on Feb. 18, 2021, in what NASA calls seven minutes of terror, in which the craft goes from 12,000 mph (19,300 kph) to a complete stop, with no human intervention whatsoever. It is carrying 25 cameras and a pair of microphones that will enable Earthlings to vicariously tag along.Perseverance will aim for treacherous unexplored territory: Jezero Crater, a dusty expanse riddled with boulders, cliffs, dunes and possibly rocks bearing signs of microbes from what was once a lake more than 3 billion years ago. The rover will store half-ounce (15-gram) rock samples in dozens of super-sterilized titanium tubes.It also will release a mini helicopter that will attempt the first powered flight on another planet, and test out other technology to prepare the way for future astronauts, including equipment for extracting oxygen from Mars' thin carbon-dioxide atmosphere.The plan is for NASA and the European Space Agency to launch a dune buggy in 2026 to fetch the rock samples, along with a rocket ship that will put the specimens into orbit around Mars. Then another spacecraft will capture the orbiting samples and bring them home.Samples actually brought home from Mars, not drawn from meteorites discovered on Earth, have long been considered “the Holy Grail of Mars science,” according to NASA’s original and now-retired Mars czar, Scott Hubbard.To definitively answer the profound question of whether life exists — or ever existed — beyond Earth, the samples must be analyzed by the best electron microscopes and other instruments, far too big to fit on a spacecraft, he said.“I’ve wanted to know if there was life elsewhere in the universe since I was 9 years old. That was more than 60 years ago,” the 71-year-old Hubbard said from his Northern&nbsp;California&nbsp;cabin. “But just maybe, I’ll live to see the fingerprints of life come back from Mars in one of those rock samples.”Said Bridenstine: "There is nothing better than bringing samples back to Earth where we can put them in a lab and we can apply every element of technology against those samples to make determinations as to whether or not there was, at one time, life on the surface of Mars.”Two other NASA landers are also operating on Mars: 2018′s InSight and 2012′s Curiosity rover. Six other spacecraft are exploring the planet from orbit: three from the U.S., two from Europe and one from India.___

NASA launches Mars rover to look for signs of ancient life

PLATTSMOUTH, Neb. (AP) — An eastern Nebraska man has been sentenced to up to nine years in prison for causing a crash last year that led to the death of a Louisville woman. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that 36-year-old Jade Gunn, of Murray, was sentenced this week to seven to nine years in prison after earlier pleading guilty to being drunk when he committed motor vehicle homicide and for failing to stop at the scene of a crash with injuries. 

Investigators say Gunn was drunk on June 30, 2019, when he failed to stop at a stop sign and collided with a sport utility vehicle. 

The driver of the SUV, 58-year-old Tammy Martin, was taken to an Omaha hospital, where she died of her injuries 18 days later.

PLATTSMOUTH, Neb. (AP) — An eastern Nebraska man has been sentenced to up to nine years in prison for causing a crash last year that led to the death of a Louisville woman. The Omaha World-Herald reports that 36-year-old Jade Gunn, of Murray, was sentenced this week to seven to nine years in prison after earlier pleading guilty to being drunk when he committed motor vehicle homicide and for failing to stop at the scene of a crash with injuries. Investigators say Gunn was drunk on June 30, 2019, when he failed to stop at a stop sign and collided with a sport utility vehicle. The driver of the SUV, 58-year-old Tammy Martin, was taken to an Omaha hospital, where she died of her injuries 18 days later.

Nebraska man gets prison for fatal 2019 crash

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s meatpacking plants won’t have to worry about any new state-mandated safety restrictions this year, despite outbreaks of the coronavirus among their workers. 

A Nebraska lawmaker who wanted to add more protections on Wednesday failed to secure sufficient support for the idea. 

Sen. Tony Vargas, of Omaha, fell two votes short of the 30 he needed to introduce a bill this session. 

Bills can only be introduced during the first 10 days of each session, unless a super-majority of lawmakers agrees to suspend the rule. 

Nebraska’s meatpacking plants were among the nation’s biggest coronavirus hot spots earlier this year. 

Many had to temporarily shutter their operations.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s meatpacking plants won’t have to worry about any new state-mandated safety restrictions this year, despite outbreaks of the coronavirus among their workers. A Nebraska lawmaker who wanted to add more protections on Wednesday failed to secure sufficient support for the idea. Sen. Tony Vargas, of Omaha, fell two votes short of the 30 he needed to introduce a bill this session. Bills can only be introduced during the first 10 days of each session, unless a super-majority of lawmakers agrees to suspend the rule. Nebraska’s meatpacking plants were among the nation’s biggest coronavirus hot spots earlier this year. Many had to temporarily shutter their operations.

Nebraska lawmakers reject push for meatpacking restrictions

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska schools are still scrambling to set attendance and safety policies in the wake of a global pandemic, with the start of the new school year less than a month away. 

Westside Community Schools in Omaha announced Tuesday that students will attend in-person classes only part of the week while distance-learning from home the rest of the week. 

Westside's school year is set to begin Aug. 18. 

Other schools, such as Papillion La Vista Community Schools, plan a full reopening of schools. 

On Wednesday, state health numbers showed coronavirus cases continued to rise. 

Nebraska has now seen more than 25,000 confirmed cases and 321 COVID-19 deaths.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska schools are still scrambling to set attendance and safety policies in the wake of a global pandemic, with the start of the new school year less than a month away. Westside Community Schools in Omaha announced Tuesday that students will attend in-person classes only part of the week while distance-learning from home the rest of the week. Westside's school year is set to begin Aug. 18. Other schools, such as Papillion La Vista Community Schools, plan a full reopening of schools. On Wednesday, state health numbers showed coronavirus cases continued to rise. Nebraska has now seen more than 25,000 confirmed cases and 321 COVID-19 deaths.

Eastern Nebraska schools still setting virus plans as August looms

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming officials plan to distribute 500,000 face masks to school districts around the state to help schools reopen during the coronavirus pandemic. 

State officials said Monday the cloth face coverings will be washable and help school districts to meet safety standards for reopening schools this fall. 

The Wyoming Department of Health and Wyoming Office of Homeland Security obtained the face masks through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

 Schools will get the face masks in early August. 

State health officials urge people to use face masks in public where it’s not possible or reasonable for people to stay at least 6 feet (2 meters) apart.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming officials plan to distribute 500,000 face masks to school districts around the state to help schools reopen during the coronavirus pandemic. State officials said Monday the cloth face coverings will be washable and help school districts to meet safety standards for reopening schools this fall. The Wyoming Department of Health and Wyoming Office of Homeland Security obtained the face masks through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Schools will get the face masks in early August. State health officials urge people to use face masks in public where it’s not possible or reasonable for people to stay at least 6 feet (2 meters) apart.

Wyoming to distribute 500,000 face masks to schools

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — U.S. energy consumption plummeted to its lowest level in more than 30 years this spring as the economy largely shut down due to the coronavirus.

 The decline reported Wednesday by the U.S. Energy Information Administration was driven by less demand for coal to produce electricity and oil that’s refined into gasoline and jet fuel. 

Overall energy consumption dropped 14 percent during April. 

That’s the lowest monthly level since 1989 and the largest decrease that’s been recorded by the energy administration in records dating to 1973. 

Natural gas bucked the trend and increased 15 percent during the April lockdown as residential consumption increased amid stay-at-home orders.

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — U.S. energy consumption plummeted to its lowest level in more than 30 years this spring as the economy largely shut down due to the coronavirus. The decline reported Wednesday by the U.S. Energy Information Administration was driven by less demand for coal to produce electricity and oil that’s refined into gasoline and jet fuel. Overall energy consumption dropped 14 percent during April. That’s the lowest monthly level since 1989 and the largest decrease that’s been recorded by the energy administration in records dating to 1973. Natural gas bucked the trend and increased 15 percent during the April lockdown as residential consumption increased amid stay-at-home orders.

US energy use hit 30-year low during pandemic shutdowns

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Firefighters in south-central Nebraska say a woman has been injured in a Grand Island house fire. 

Battalion Chief Bryan Stutzman says firefighters were called to the house for a fire just after 6 a.m. Tuesday, and arriving crews found the front of the home fully engulfed in flames. 

Stutzman says a woman who lived at the home was found lying in the front yard when crews arrived. 

She was taken to a local hospital for treatment of undisclosed injuries. 

All four Grand Island station responded to the fire, which was left uninhabitable. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Firefighters in south-central Nebraska say a woman has been injured in a Grand Island house fire. Battalion Chief Bryan Stutzman says firefighters were called to the house for a fire just after 6 a.m. Tuesday, and arriving crews found the front of the home fully engulfed in flames. Stutzman says a woman who lived at the home was found lying in the front yard when crews arrived. She was taken to a local hospital for treatment of undisclosed injuries. All four Grand Island station responded to the fire, which was left uninhabitable. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Woman injured in Grand Island house fire

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) — Authorities in central Nebraska say a North Platte man has died in the crash of a motorcycle and a pickup truck. 

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office says the crash happened Friday night on U.S. Highway 30 near Game Trail Road. 

Investigators say the truck pulled out onto the highway in front of the motorcycle, causing the crash that killed 23-year-old Alexander Heiser. 

Heiser was rushed to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead. 

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) — Authorities in central Nebraska say a North Platte man has died in the crash of a motorcycle and a pickup truck. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office says the crash happened Friday night on U.S. Highway 30 near Game Trail Road. Investigators say the truck pulled out onto the highway in front of the motorcycle, causing the crash that killed 23-year-old Alexander Heiser. Heiser was rushed to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The driver of the truck was not injured.

North Platte man killed in collision of motorcycle, truck

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Warren Buffett’s company has purchased another $400 million of Bank of America stock less than a week after buying roughly $800 million of the bank’s stock. 

Berkshire Hathaway said Monday it held 998 million Bank of America shares after the latest purchases, which represents roughly 11.5% of the bank’s stock.

 Berkshire bought 16.4 million shares of Bank of America stock between Thursday and Monday. 

Last week, Berkshire reported buying 33.9 million shares of Bank of America stock worth about $818 million.

 Investors follow what Berkshire buys and sells closely because of Buffett’s successful track record.&nbsp;

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Warren Buffett’s company has purchased another $400 million of Bank of America stock less than a week after buying roughly $800 million of the bank’s stock. Berkshire Hathaway said Monday it held 998 million Bank of America shares after the latest purchases, which represents roughly 11.5% of the bank’s stock. Berkshire bought 16.4 million shares of Bank of America stock between Thursday and Monday. Last week, Berkshire reported buying 33.9 million shares of Bank of America stock worth about $818 million. Investors follow what Berkshire buys and sells closely because of Buffett’s successful track record.&nbsp;

Buffett's firm buys another $400M of Bank of America stock

CHICAGO (AP) — The Trump administration said Tuesday that it will reject new applications and shorten renewal periods for an Obama-era program that shields young people from deportation, taking a defiant stance after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to let it be scrapped completely.

The move, detailed in a memo from Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, ended a month of uncertainty about how the administration would respond to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4d9ce48241c4a881adea4849b50b7f83">its Supreme Court defeat&nbsp;</a>in an election year that has President Donald Trump looking for ways to energize his base.

Wolf said the administration may try to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program again, casting it as a law enforcement issue that could contribute to illegal immigration. He said the federal government needs more time to consider next steps, presenting the measures as a temporary change.

“DACA makes clear that, for certain large classes of individuals, DHS will at least tolerate, if not affirmatively sanction, their ongoing violation of the immigration laws,” Wolf wrote in the memo.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596018857437.png" alt="President Trump during Tuesday's press briefing -photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump during Tuesday's press briefing -photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>CHICAGO (AP) — The Trump administration said Tuesday that it will reject new applications and shorten renewal periods for an Obama-era program that shields young people from deportation, taking a defiant stance after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to let it be scrapped completely.The move, detailed in a memo from Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, ended a month of uncertainty about how the administration would respond to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4d9ce48241c4a881adea4849b50b7f83">its Supreme Court defeat&nbsp;</a>in an election year that has President Donald Trump looking for ways to energize his base.Wolf said the administration may try to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program again, casting it as a law enforcement issue that could contribute to illegal immigration. He said the federal government needs more time to consider next steps, presenting the measures as a temporary change.“DACA makes clear that, for certain large classes of individuals, DHS will at least tolerate, if not affirmatively sanction, their ongoing violation of the immigration laws,” Wolf wrote in the memo.About 650,000 people are part of DACA, which allows young immigrants who were brought to the country illegally as children to work and shields them from deportation. Roughly 66,000 people meet age requirements to apply, according to the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute.The government will deny all new applications, limit renewals to one year instead of two, and deny requests by DACA recipients to visit their home countries unless there are “exceptional circumstances.” Recipients may seek permission to return home for family events, such as funerals or weddings, and other reasons, though the Trump administration has generally denied them.The Supreme Court ruled last month that Trump failed to follow rule-making procedures when he tried to end the program, but the justices kept a window open for him to try again.The White House has been devising plans to make another push to end DACA, though it was not immediately clear whether he would make the politically sensitive move before November’s election. Democratic rival Joe Biden wants to keep DACA unconditionally.A federal judge in Maryland ruled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/5b777a116e297c63b8ee83ba2119eebf">earlier this month that the program&nbsp;</a>should be restored to its original form, but the administration was mum until Tuesday on whether it would start accepting new applications. The White House anticipates legal challenges.The administration’s monthlong silence had unnerved many DACA recipients and those who wanted to join. U.S. District Judge Paul Grimm of Maryland, an appointee of President Barack Obama, has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/5b777a116e297c63b8ee83ba2119eebf">given the administration until the end of Friday</a>&nbsp;to update the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ website and start adequately explaining why applications are rejected.Legal experts were skeptical of the Trump administration’s authority to roll back parts of the program.“This is a move that is in defiance of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling and a federal court ruling,” said Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia, an immigration law professor at Penn State Law in University Park, Pennsylvania. “It’s a lawless landscape that we are in.”Immigrant rights advocates blasted the move as cruel.The Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition accused the administration of further marginalizing immigrants. The American Business Immigration Coalition called it economically harmful. And the American Civil Liberties Union vowed to continue its yearslong fight to prevent the program’s demise.Laura Mendoza, a program manager at The Resurrection Project in Chicago, joined DACA in 2013 and will have to renew next year. She said the $495 annual renewal fee would be difficult for many to pay.“It’s infuriating that we continue to be the punching bag for the administration,” she said of fellow DACA recipients. “The administration is slowly dismantling the program.”Wolf, the Homeland Security chief, acknowledged that the $495 renewal fee will be a burden on DACA recipients who will have to apply annually instead of every other year, effectively doubling the cost. He said the department would consider lowering the fee.Trump has tried unsuccessfully to work with Congress on a broader immigration package that would couple DACA with tougher enforcement measures. He has said lately that he would announce sweeping new steps on immigration, a promise he reiterated Tuesday.“We’re going to work with a lot of people on DACA,” Trump told reporters. “And we’re also working on an immigration bill, a merit-based system, which is what I’ve wanted for a long time.”Trump said he would make DACA recipients “happy” without saying how.Top Democrats urged for a legislative solution that would allow for a pathway to U.S. citizenship.“With the presidential election just three months away, it’s clear the president will do everything possible to rally his supporters at the expense of Dreamers,” according to a statement from U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, referring to the name often used for DACA recipients. “They shouldn’t have to live under the constant fear that DACA protections will be ripped away at any moment.”___