thetorontostar--2020-04-19--Iraq lifts Reuters news agency suspension over virus report

BAGHDAD - Iraq will allow the Reuters news agency to go back to work after its license was suspended earlier this month over a report that the government was underreporting coronavirus cases , the news agency said Sunday .
The agency ’ s suspension came after an April 3 story cited multiple sources who said the government was misreporting coronavirus cases , and that the true number of infected nationwide was in the thousands .
Iraq was reporting cases in the hundreds at the time .
The news agency was also fined 25 million Iraqi dinars , or about $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the agency said it was informed by the Iraqi Communications and Media Commission , the country ’ s media regulator , that the suspension was being lifted “ to allow transparent and impartial work by the media.
” Reuters said it appreciated the efforts made by Iraqi authorities and the CMC to resolve the matter .
Iraq ’ s President Barham Saleh had said his office had been working to revoke the suspension in remarks to CNN last week .
According to official Health Ministry figures , Iraq has 1,539 confirmed coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died of the virus and 1,009 had recovered .
The Reuters report had said the true number of virus cases ranged from 3,000 to 9,000 .
The incident was the second time journalists have come under fire for challenging the official count of coronavirus cases in the Middle East .
In late March , Egypt expelled a correspondent for The Guardian over a report citing a study that suggested cases in Egypt were higher than authorities had reported .


thetorontostar--2020-04-19--Coronavirus deaths down in NY, but officials urge vigilance

NEW YORK - The coronavirus death toll in New York dropped again , a sign that Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said Sunday means the state is “ on the other side of the plateau “ and that ongoing social distancing practices are working to stem the spread of the virus .
Cuomo said 507 people died on Saturday , down 33 from the previous day and by 271 since last Monday .
Other indicators were going in the right direction , the governor said .
Hospitalizations were down by more than 750 , to 16,213 .
But Cuomo and Mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in New York City and the rest of the state need to stay vigilant to curb the spread of the virus .
“ We showed that we can control the beast and when you close down , you can actually slow that infection rate , but this is only halftime , ” Cuomo said Sunday at a briefing .
“ We still have to make sure that we keep that beast under control , we keep that infection rate down , we keep that hospitalization rate down as we all get very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move on.
” Here are the latest coronavirus developments in New York : The drop in the death toll in New York reported Sunday prompted Cuomo to say , “ We are on the other side of the plateau.
” But both Cuomo and de Blasio said the crisis is far from over , cautioning that the temptation for cooped-up New Yorkers to take advantage of the spring weather presents new challenges to keep the outbreak in check .
Police and park officers will be out in force to break up outdoor gatherings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facing potential fines of up to $ 1,000 , the mayor said .
The city is encouraging people to text authorities photos when they spot the gatherings .
“ We do not want to see this disease boomerang , ” he said .
“ We do not want to see it come back with a vengeance.
” Nearly 14,000 New Yorkers in all have died since the state ’ s first coronavirus case was reported March 1 , according to state data .
The state total doesn ’ t include more than 4,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the virus on death certificates but weren ’ t confirmed by a lab test .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
For some , especially older adults and people with underlying health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia , and death .
President Donald Trump is betraying his fellow New Yorkers by failing to push for billions of dollars in additional federal aid needed to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis , de Blasio said Sunday .
The mayor had harsh words for the Queens-born president , claiming both he and Vice-President Mike Pence have ignored his overtures on the stimulus funds .
“ Right now you are failing to protect the very people you grew up around , “ de Blasio said of Trump .
” When New York City is in need , where are you ?
” De Blasio even referenced an infamous tabloid headline — “ FORD TO CITY : DROP DEAD ” — from 1975 when then-President Gerald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from bankruptcy .
“ Are you going to save New York City , ” the mayor said , “ or are you saying to New York City ’ drop dead ?
’ ” Cuomo chimed in by saying the states needed money from the federal government to ramp up testing that has not been provided so far .
“ You have the president saying 15 times , ‘ It ’ s up to the governors , it ’ s up to the governors , it ’ s up to the governors.
’ And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a piece of legislation that gives you know what to states : zero , zilch , nada , niente , “ he said .
The number of New York Police Department officers calling out sick is declining .
The nation ’ s largest police department reported that 5,324 uniformed members — about 15 % of the force — were out sick on Saturday .
That ’ s down from a high of 7,155 officers — nearly 20 % of the force — on April 9 .
So far , more than 2,000 members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full duty after recovering from a positive test for the coronavirus , police officials said .
1 .
Tony Award-nominated actor Nick Cordero had his right leg amputated after having complications from the coronavirus , his wife said .
Cordero has been on a ventilator and unconscious since March 31 .
This story has been corrected to show that the amount of people who died on Saturday was down 33 from Friday , not 43 .

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thetorontostar--2020-04-19--Storms hit South in prelude to tornado threat later Sunday

MONTGOMERY , Ala. - High winds , hail and heavy rain pounded parts of Alabama on Sunday , as forecasters warned residents to brace for possible tornadoes and flooding later in the day across a wide swatch of the southern United States .
Tornado watches covered a swath of east Texas and large parts of Louisiana and Mississippi on Sunday afternoon .
More than 24,000 customers were without electricity early Sunday , according to www.poweroutage.us .
It was the second Sunday in a row that the South was hit with severe weather .
Four Alabama counties were under a flash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of heavy rain : Bibb , Chilton , Coosa and Shelby , the National Weather Service said .
High winds had uprooted trees and left blankets of hail on the ground in some areas , the National Weather Service reported .
“ Two to three inches of rain has already fallen and an additional one to two inches is possible , ” the agency said on its website .
A second wave of storms was expected to develop Sunday afternoon and bring the risk of strong tornadoes into the evening , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were a possibility for parts of Louisiana , Mississippi and Alabama .
A zone from the Texas-Louisiana line that extends eastward across the southern parts of Mississippi , Alabama and into Georgia will be at greatest risk of severe weather and tornadoes , the national Storm Prediction Center projected .
The area is home to more than 5 million people and includes cities such as Jackson , Mississippi ; Montgomery , Alabama ; and Macon , Georgia .
A swath of damaging winds and a continued tornado threat will also extend across Georgia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night .
The storm threat comes a week after Easter storms pounded the Deep South .
The National Weather Service said more than 100 tornadoes struck the South that Sunday and Monday .
Officials said at least 36 people were killed in the two-day outbreak of storms .


thetorontostar--2020-04-19--Chief: Man ambushed 3 Texas officers in his home, killing 1

SAN MARCOS , Texas - A man who killed one Texas police officer and wounded two others before killing himself was wearing body armour and waiting to ambush them when they arrived at his home in response to a domestic violence call , authorities said Sunday .
The attack Saturday in San Marcos , a college town 45 miles ( 72 kilometres ) northeast of San Antonio , left 31-year-old Officer Justin Putnam dead and two other officers in critical but stable condition , the city ’ s interim police chief , Bob Klett , said at a news conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ready for them to come in and started shooting immediately , and there was nothing they could do to escape the gunfire , ” said Klett .
He tentatively identified the shooter as a 45-year-old local man , Alfredo Perez de la Cruz , but he said he and the Texas Rangers were still working to confirm the man ’ s identity because he apparently went by different names .
His criminal record was not immediately available .
He said that the man wore body armour “ as part of his preparation for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responded to a 911 call about a man in the apartment who had hit is wife and was threatening other family members who were there .
After speaking with a family member in the parking lot , the officers decided to enter the building because they believed people inside were still in danger , Klett said .
The suspect fired on them with a rifle as soon as they entered , he said .
After the initial shooting , a tactical team went into the apartment to confront the attacker and found him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Klett said .
None of the other family members were seriously hurt .
Putnam , who died at the scene , is survived by his fiancee , said Klett , who paused to hold back tears .
“ We lost a fine young man , a faithful officer and friend last night , “ the chief said .
“ He understood what it took to police a wonderfully diverse community like San Marcos.
” San Marcos , with a population of about 63,000 , is a fast-growing city between San Antonio and Austin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University and is known for its outdoor recreational opportunities and its scenic springs and rivers .
Putnam was the second San Marcos officer to die in the line-of-duty , according to city officials .
Sgt .
Kenneth Copeland was shot and killed while serving a warrant in 2017 .
Attanasio reported from El Paso .
Associated Press writer Paul J. Weber in Austin contributed to this report .

Eric Gay And Cedar Attanasio - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-19--Biden wins mail-in Wyoming Democratic presidential caucus

CHEYENNE , Wyo .
- Joe Biden has won Wyoming ’ s Democratic presidential caucus , which had been postponed for two weeks and scaled back to just mail-in ballots because of the coronavirus pandemic , state party officials said Sunday .
The results come less than two weeks after Bernie Sanders dropped out and endorsed Biden , who is the only candidate still actively seeking the Democratic nomination .
Voting began when it was still a two-candidate race .
Biden beat Sanders 72 % to 28 % .
A total of 15,428 votes were cast .
Biden gets 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules make Sanders ineligible to win delegates based on the statewide vote .
He is , however , still eligible to win delegates based on vote totals in individual congressional districts — Wyoming has one at-large district — which is why The Associated Press allocated two delegates to the Vermont senator .
Biden led Sanders in the delegate count 1,305 to 939 .
The Biden and Sanders campaigns are in talks over allowing Sanders to keep some of his statewide delegates .
The race for the nomination may be moot , but Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help shape the party ’ s platform .
The Wyoming Democratic Party announced the results after tabulating votes Saturday and auditing the results overnight .
What was originally to be a combination of in-person caucusing , drop-off and mail-in vote tabulation on April 4 was scaled back to just drop-off and mail-in — and finally just mail-in voting .
Party officials then pushed back the due date for mailed ballots and tabulation to help ensure participation .
The mailed-in ballots were due at Wyoming Democratic Party headquarters Friday .
Party officials used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Denver for tabulation .
The party for the first time used ranked-choice voting to allocate delegates to the Democratic National Convention in August .
Voters could rank up to five candidates according to their preference .
Besides Biden and Sanders , Hawaii U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard ; former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg ; former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg ; Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren ; Minnesota U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar ; and investor Tom Steyer , of San Francisco ; were on the ballot .


thetorontostar--2020-04-19--North Korea denies that Kim sent Trump ‘a nice note’

SEOUL , KOREA , REPUBLIC OF—North Korea on Sunday dismissed as “ ungrounded ” U.S. President Donald Trump ’ s comment that he recently received “ a nice note ” from the North ’ s leader , Kim Jong Un .
Trump said during a press briefing on the coronavirus pandemic Saturday that “ I received a nice note from him recently .
It was a nice note .
I think we ’ re doing fine.
” Trump also defended now-stalled nuclear diplomacy with Kim , saying the U.S. would have been at war with North Korea if he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that there was no letter addressed to Trump recently by “ the supreme leadership , ” a reference to Kim .
It said it would examine why the U.S. leadership released “ the ungrounded story ” to the media .
“ The relations between the top leaders of ( North Korea ) and the U.S. are not an issue to be taken up just for diversion nor it should be misused for meeting selfish purposes , ” the statement said .
Kim and Trump have met @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on many occasions since 2018 , when they began talks on North Korea ’ s nuclear weapons program .
The two leaders have built some personal relationships , and Trump once said that he and Kim “ fell in love.
” The nuclear diplomacy has made little headway since the breakdown of their second summit in Vietnam in early 2019 , when Trump rebuffed Kim ’ s calls for sweeping sanctions relief in return for a partial denuclearization step .
In March , North Korea said Trump sent a personal letter to Kim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer co-operation in fighting the coronavirus pandemic .
At the time , Kim ’ s sister and senior official , Kim Yo Jong , said that Trump ’ s letter showed how special the relationship between the two leaders was , but that it wasn ’ t a good idea to be optimistic about the prospects for bilateral relations between their countries .
A senior Trump administration official confirmed that Trump sent a letter to Kim , saying it was consistent with Trump ’ s efforts to engage world leaders during the pandemic @


thetorontostar--2020-04-19--AP FACT CHECK: Trump falsely blames governors for virus test

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump is wrongly casting blame on governors and the Obama administration for shortages in coronavirus testing and declaring victory over what he calls relatively low death rates in the U.S. That ’ s too soon to tell .
A look at his claims over the weekend , also covering the economy : TRUMP , on governors urging wider availability of virus tests : “ They don ’ t want to use all of the capacity that we ’ ve created .
We have tremendous capacity .
...
They know that .
The governors know that .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re the ones that are complaining.
” — news briefing Saturday .
THE FACTS : Trump ’ s assertion that governors are not using already available testing capacity is contradicted by one of his top health advisers .
He ’ s also wrong that Democrats are the only ones expressing concerns about the adequacy of COVID-19 testing ; several Republican governors also point to problems .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the federal government ’ s top infectious disease expert , told The Associated Press that the U.S. does not yet have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begin reopening the nation ’ s economy .
“ We have to have something in place that is efficient and that we can rely on , and we ’ re not there yet , ” Fauci , a member of the White House ’ s coronavirus task force , said Tuesday .
Among Fauci ’ s top concerns : that there will be new outbreaks in locations where social distancing has eased , but public health officials don ’ t yet have the capabilities to rapidly test for the virus , isolate any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an infected person came into contact with .
His concerns are echoed by several Republicans .
Wyoming Gov .
Mark Gordon , a Republican , on Friday said his state ’ s testing capacity was inadequate and urged a larger role for the federal government .
He said states have been competing with each other to try to get more testing supplies , a process he described as “ a slog.
” “ It ’ s a perilous set of circumstances trying to figure out how to make this work , and until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to speed — which has got to be part of the federal government stepping in and helping — we ’ re just not going to be there.
” Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine , a Republican , plans to keep applying pressure on the Food and Drug Administration to address the rationing of a key component that is necessary to produce tests .
He said full testing capacity can ’ t be reached unless it is more widely distributed .
Republican Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan on Sunday called the lack of virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in America , and has been from the beginning of this crisis.
“ “ And I can tell you , I talk to governors on both sides of the aisle nearly every single day , ” he said on CNN ’ s “ State of the Union.
” “ The administration , I think , is trying to ramp up testing , and trying — they are doing some things with respect to private labs .
But to try to push this off to say that the governors have plenty of testing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on testing , somehow we aren ’ t doing our job , is just absolutely false .
” TRUMP : “ Some partisan voices are attempting to politicize the issue of testing , which they shouldn ’ t be doing , because I inherited broken junk.
” — news briefing Saturday .
THE FACTS : His repeated insistence that the Obama administration is to blame for initial delays in testing is wrong .
The novel coronavirus did not exist until late last year , so there was no test to inherit .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggled to develop its own test for the coronavirus in January , later discovering problems in its kits sent to state and county public health labs in early February .
It took the CDC more than two weeks to come up with a fix to the test kits , leading to delays in diagnoses through February , a critical month when the virus took root in the U.S. Not until Feb. 29 did the FDA decide to allow labs to develop and use their own coronavirus diagnostic tests before the agency reviews them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the FDA had only authorized use of a government test developed by the CDC .
Meantime the U.S. bypassed a test that the World Health Organization quickly made available internationally .
Trump has said that test was flawed ; it wasn ’ t .
TRUMP : “ The United States has produced dramatically better health outcomes than any other country .
... On a per capita basis , our mortality rate is far lower than other nations of Western Europe , with the lone exception of possibly Germany .
... You hear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re a much bigger country than any of those countries by far.
“ — news briefing Saturday .
THE FACTS : His suggestion that the U.S. response to the coronavirus has been better than many other countries ’ because its mortality rate is “ far lower ” is unsupported and misleading .
In each country , for instance , the age and overall health of the population are important factors .
Many countries in western Europe such as Italy have an older population than the U.S. , and seniors are at an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Beyond age , underlying health conditions increase risk , too .
Indeed , an AP analysis of available state and local data found nearly one-third of U.S. deaths are among African Americans , with black people representing about 14 % of the population in the areas covered in the analysis .
Health conditions such as obesity , diabetes and asthma are more common in the black community .
But more broadly , it ’ s too early to know the real death rate from COVID-19 in any country .
Look at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and you can divide the number of recorded deaths with the number of reported cases .
The math nevertheless provides a completely unreliable measurement of death rates , and the Johns Hopkins tally is not intended to be that .
First , the count changes every day as new infections and deaths are recorded .
More important , every country is testing differently .
Knowing the real denominator , the true number of people who become infected , is key to determining what portion of them die .
Some countries , the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough tests available .
When there ’ s a shortage of tests , the sickest get tested first .
Even with a good supply of tests , someone who ’ s otherwise healthy and has mild symptoms may not be tested and thus go uncounted .
The only way to tell how many went uncounted early on is to do a completely different kind of testing — blood tests of the population to find how many people bear immune system antibodies to the virus , something only now starting in selected places .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ catch us .
... For years , I ’ ve heard , ‘ By 2019 , China will catch us.
’ There ’ s only one problem : Trump got elected in 2016 .
That was a big difference .
And we were going leaps and bounds above China.
” — news briefing Saturday .
THE FACTS : No matter who got elected in 2016 — Trump or Democrat Hillary Clinton — China ’ s economy could not have caught up to America ’ s .
Even if the U.S. economy had not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s gross domestic product — the broadest measure of economic output — would have had to have surged by 79 % in three years to pull even with America ’ s .
That comes to growth of more than 21 % a year — something even China ’ s super-charged economy has never approached .
Before the coronavirus outbreak , the Chinese economy had been slowly narrowing the gap because every year it grows much faster than America ’ s .
In 2019 , for example , the International Monetary Fund predicted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than double the 2.6 % growth it expects for the United States .
The global pandemic isn ’ t expected to change that trend line : last week , the IMF said the U.S economy will fall 5.9 % this year and China ’ s will manage to grow 1.2 % .
That means China has got a long way to go to surpass the U.S. , whether Trump is president or not .
Associated Press writers Lauran Neergaard and Paul Wiseman in Washington , Mead Gruver in Cheyenne , Wyoming , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ohio , contributed to this report .
EDITOR ’ S NOTE — A look at the veracity of claims by political figures .


thetorontostar--2020-04-19--Israelis accuse Netanyahu of endangering democracy

TEL AVIV , Israel - More than 2,000 Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv on Sunday , demonstrating against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ’ s attempts to form an “ emergency ” government with his chief rival and accusing him of using the coronavirus crisis to escape prosecution on corruption charges .
Demonstrators wore face masks and largely kept their distance from one another , in line with social-distancing rules , as speakers criticized Netanyahu ’ s possible partnership with rival Benny Gantz .
Some held black flags , which have become the symbol of their campaign in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three bitter election campaigns over the past year vowed never to sit in a government with Netanyahu due to his legal problems , announced last month that he had accepted the prime minister ’ s suggestion to form an “ emergency ” government to deal with the coronavirus crisis .
The announcement infuriated many of Gantz ’ s supporters and caused his Blue and White party to fracture .
“ You don ’ t fight corruption from within .
If you ’ re inside , you ’ re part of it , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former political partner , who withdrew from the Blue and White alliance last month .
Netanyahu has been charged with fraud , breach of justice and accepting bribes .
He denies the charges and says he is the victim of a hostile media and aggressive police and prosecutors .
Protesters on Sunday accused Netanyahu of exploiting the crisis to evade his looming trial and cement his lengthy rule .
Citing the pandemic , Netanyahu ’ s hand-picked justice minister delayed the prime minister ’ s trial just two days before it was to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Netanyahu ’ s coalition talks with Gantz have reportedly stalled due to demands by the prime minister to gain more control over judicial appointments and assurances that he can remain in office even if he gives up the prime minister ’ s job in a proposed power-sharing arrangement with Gantz .
Under Israeli law , public officials , with the exception of the prime minister , must resign if charged with a crime .
Demonstrators repeatedly chanted “ democracy ” and accused the prime minister of endangering the country ’ s democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the service of a dictator , “ said one sign .


thetorontostar--2020-04-19--The Latest: Minnesota reports 143 new cases, 13 more deaths

ST. PAUL , Minn. - The Latest on the coronavirus outbreak in Minnesota ( all times local ) : Minnesota has reported 143 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 13 additional deaths .
The new cases bring the total confirmed in Minnesota to 2,356 since testing began in early March , according to the Minnesota Department of Health .
Health officials said Sunday a total of 134 people have died in Minnesota from the virus .
In southwestern Minnesota , 60 people have tested positive in Nobles County where many workers have been sickened at a meatpacking plant .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is unclear how many of the new cases in the county are tied to the outbreak at the JBS pork plant in Worthington .
About three dozen residents have been moved from a Minneapolis area senior living facility after an outbreak of the coronavirus made many staff members too sick to care for residents .
The Minnesota Department of Health tells the Star Tribune that the decision to relocate residents from Meridian Manor in Wayzata on Saturday came in consultation with state and local officials .
The department said a majority of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facility became sick and were unable to care for residents .
Five residents were sent to a hospital , some residents were relocated with family and others were being moved to a nearby long-term care facility .
In a statement , Meridian Manor said residents began testing positive for the coronavirus at the hospital on April 7 .
The findings prompted the facility to test all residents .
As of Saturday , 18 of 55 had tested positive .
On Friday , one resident died because of complications with COVID-19 , the facility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directed the facility “ to transition all residents not affected by COVID-19 to other providers while residents with COVID-19 continue to be treated in hospitals.
” For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia .


thetorontostar--2020-04-19--Video tribute honours Oklahoma bombing victims amid outbreak

OKLAHOMA CITY - Survivors and loved ones of the 168 people who were killed in the Oklahoma City bombing were not able to gather Sunday to mark the 25th anniversary of the attack , but that did not stop them from remembering .
Because the annual remembrance ceremony was cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions , those the victims instead were honoured with a video tribute that included the reading of the names of those who died followed by 168 seconds of silence .
Ordinarily , the city would have gathered Sunday at the memorial where the Alfred P. Murrah Federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a truck bomb on April 19 , 1995 .
Gates to the memorial mark time , 9:01 and 9:03 a.m. , with a reflection pond between them representing 9:02 , the minute the explosion permanently altered lives and the nation .
Stylized , empty metal chairs represent each person who died , and the “ Survivor Tree , ” a gnarled American elm that withstood the blast , now stands on a small hill and shades the memorial below .
It was “ extremely difficult ” to not be able to attend in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ father , U.S. Secret Service Agent Alan Whicher , was killed in the bombing .
“ I ’ m not with my sisters today , I ’ m not with my mother today , ” in Oklahoma City , he said by phone from Baltimore , where he now lives .
“ But it ’ s all for the right reasons .
... Everyone is making sacrifices .
I don ’ t think it ’ s fair for us in this coronavirus ( environment ) to feel we should be treated any differently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video , which included remarks by former President Bill Clinton , who was president at the time of the bombing , U.S. Sen. James Lankford , Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt and Tony award-winning actress and singer Kristin Chenowith , an Oklahoma native , drew praise from Whicher and state District Judge Cindy Ferrell Ashwood , whose sister , U.S. Housing and Urban Development attorney Susan Ferrell , died in the blast .
“ They did just an extraordinary ceremony under extraordinary circumstances , it was just remarkable , ” Ashwood said of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City National Memorial and Museum .
“ The main thing I missed today was not being with our family ” in Oklahoma City said Ashwood , who lives about 40 miles ( 64 kilometres ) east of the city , in Chandler .
Kari Watkins , the director of the memorial , said this year ’ s social distancing restrictions are necessary but unfortunate , as survivors and victims ’ family members often only see each this one time each year .
“ It ’ s just a nice time for them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
” They ’ ll miss that , but they ’ ll have another time when it ’ s safe to gather and we ’ ll come back together and do something , whenever that day is.
” The city ’ s mayor , Holt , said in the video that bombing “ was , ultimately , an act of extremist political violence .
I ask you to consider this morning that this sacred place is a sober reminder that humanity is capable of such evil things.
” He told The Associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 25th anniversary of the attack was particularly notable because it marked a transition of the event from one of personal experience to one of historical significance .
“ The march of time is relentless , and every year that passes , fewer and fewer people have a direct connection to it , “ Holt said .
“ The 25th is another time for us here in Oklahoma City to refocus on what makes the event and the site relevant in the decades to come.
” For Holt , that meant spreading the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answer .
“ People in Oklahoma City sort of have a special obligation to stand for the idea that we have much more in common than we have different , “ he said .
The attack was carried out by two U.S. citizens — former Army soldier Timothy McVeigh and his co-conspirator , Terry Nichols — who hated the federal government .
It occurred two years to the day after the federal raid on the Branch Davidian compound near Waco , Texas , that left at least 76 members of the religious sect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McVeigh was ultimately convicted , sentenced to death and executed by lethal injection in 2001 .
Nichols was sentenced to life in prison for his role in what many experts refer to as the deadliest act of domestic terrorism on U.S. soil .

Sean Murphy And Ken Miller - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--Iran opens up as economic woes trump virus infection fears

TEHRAN , Iran - Iran on Monday began opening intercity highways and major shopping centres to stimulate its sanctions-choked economy , gambling that it has brought under control its coronavirus outbreak — one of the worst in the world — even as some fear it could lead to a second wave of infections .
Stores from high-end malls to the meandering alleyways of Tehran ’ s historic Grand Bazaar opened doors , though the government limited their working hours until 6 p.m .
Restaurants , gyms and other locations remain closed .
There are still lingering questions over Iran ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returning to work .
Taxi drivers partitioned their seats from the customers with plastic shields and wore masks , having seen colleagues sickened and killed by the virus and the COVID-19 illness it causes .
“ We , the taxi drivers , are at higher risk than anybody else because we are constantly in touch with people , “ cab driver Nemat Hassanzadeh said .
“ We have no choice but to work because we can not afford to sleep at home and not to work with these high prices.
” Iran is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , though even Iran ’ s parliament suggests the death toll is nearly double that and overall cases remain vastly underreported .
Iranian state TV quoted Health Ministry spokesman Kinoush Jahanpour as saying Monday that another 91 people died of the virus , bringing the country ’ s death toll to 5,209 amid over 83,500 confirmed cases .
Iran downplayed the crisis for weeks , even as top officials found themselves sick with the virus .
The country ’ s civilian government , led by President Hassan Rouhani , has declined to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mideast nations .
Authorities have defended their response by outpointing the harsh economic impact such a lockdown would have .
Iran already struggles under severe U.S. sanctions blocking the sale of its crude oil abroad , measures imposed after President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from Tehran ’ s nuclear deal with world powers in 2018 .
That has led to a monthslong period of increasing tensions between the nations — tensions that have persisted through the pandemic .
The state-owned polling centre ISPA found the virus has hurt the income of 50 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % saying their businesses closed as a result .
Of those polled this month , 13.5 % said the outbreak left them jobless .
The survey interviewed 1,563 people and offered no margin of error .
Iran ’ s economy suffered from over 20 % unemployment among its youth and over 40 % inflation even before the outbreak .
“ I only pick passengers with masks .
I can not put my health at risk , “ said Ali Qomi , who uses his personal car as a gypsy cab , like many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people have no way except working to afford the increasing prices of our daily needs.
” That need has put drivers at risk .
In Tehran , taxi officials say over a dozen cab drivers died from the virus and more than 300 contracted it .
But distancing and government decisions have seen more people drive themselves , taking away from the cabbies ’ possible fares .
Meanwhile , some worry the plastic guard shield they put up may not be enough protection .
“ Its presence is better than its absence , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taxi passenger , said of the shield .
Ali Reza Zali , who is leading the campaign against the outbreak in Tehran , warned that re-opening of businesses may spread the infection , Iranian media reported .
“ The significant point is that more commuting , especially through public transportation , adds to the possibility of contracting “ the virus , he said .
Mosques and shrines remain closed after earlier being suspected of being a transmission source for the virus .
That ’ s even as the holy Muslim fasting month of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , based on the sighting of the crescent moon .
Rouhani said some sites will likely open May 4 , around 10 days into Ramadan .
But Iran ’ s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , who has final say on all state matters , has already suggested that mass gatherings may be barred throughout Ramadan over the virus .
In Saudi Arabia , home to the holiest sites in Islam and ruled by the Sunni Al Saud family , a top council of clerics has called on people in the kingdom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The council advised Muslims to conduct nightly prayers at home “ in order to preserve the lives of people and grow closer to the Almighty God.
“ Clerics in the United Arab Emirates issued a similar order , or fatwa , saying Ramadan evening prayers can be performed individually outside of mosques .
They also said Eid prayers , which take place at the end of the holy month , could be performed from home if the current situation continues .
Meanwhile in Afghanistan , at least 20 employees at the presidential palace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a senior government official who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to talk to journalists .
It wasn ’ t clear whether President Ashraf Ghani had been in contact with any of the employees or whether he had been tested himself .
The presidential palace has refused to comment .
Ghani reportedly has been self-isolating , although he still meets daily with some senior officials .
A 70-year-old cancer survivor , Ghani is considered in the higher risk category .
Afghanistan has reported over 1,000 cases of coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amir Vahdat in Tehran , Iran ; Aya Batrawy and Jon Gambrell in Dubai , United Arab Emirates ; Rahim Faiez in Kabul , Afghanistan , and Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--’Under siege’: Overwhelmed Brooklyn care home tolls 55 dead

NEW YORK - As residents at a nursing home in Kirkland , Washington , began dying in late February from a coronavirus outbreak that would eventually take 43 lives , there was little sign of trouble at the Cobble Hill Health Center , a 360-bed facility in an upscale section of Brooklyn .
Its Facebook page posted a cheerful story encouraging relatives to quiz their aging loved ones about their lives , and photos of smiling third graders at a nearby school making flower arrangements for residents .
That quickly changed .
By the middle of March , the CEO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visitors , screening staff , confining residents , wiping down all surfaces , and having all-hands-on-deck meetings to prepare everyone for the coming coronavirus “ freight train.
“ “ I ’ ll be darned if I ’ m not going to do everything in my power to protect them , ” Donny Tuchman wrote before things got worse .
More than 100 staffers , nearly a third of the workforce , went out sick .
Those left began wearing garbage bags because of a shortage of protective gear .
Not a single resident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus to this day .
Now listed with 55 deaths it can only assume were caused by COVID-19 , among the most of any such facility in the country , Cobble Hill Health Center has become yet another glaring example of the nation ’ s struggle to control the rapid spread of the coronavirus in nursing homes that care for the most frail and vulnerable .
Cobble Hill ’ s grim toll surpasses not only Kirkland ’ s but the 49 deaths at a home outside of Richmond , Virginia , 48 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Holyoke , Mass.
, and five other homes in outer boroughs of New York City that have at least 40 deaths each .
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday that the situation at Cobble Hill and other nursing homes in the city where the virus has claimed many lives shows that “ something really has not worked out the right way.
” “ It ’ s horrifying and it kind of reminds you this crisis has taken us places you could not have imagined in modern America where so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ De Blasio said on MSNBC ’ s “ Morning Joe “ .
” But it ’ s also a warning of : you can not pretend that this ferocious disease is simply going to walk away at one point or just flick a switch and it ’ s gone.
“ Out of an Associated Press tally of 8,003 nursing home deaths nationwide , a third of them are in New York state .
AP interviews with friends and relatives who have visited the Cobble Hill Health Center in recent weeks , as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , paint a picture of a facility overwhelmed and unequipped to deal with its coronavirus outbreak , with shortages of staff , personal protective equipment and the availability of reliable testing .
“ They were under siege , ” said Daniel Arbeeny , who brought his ailing 88-year-old father from a hospital to the home in late March .
“ They were doing the best they could , as far as we could tell at arm ’ s length , under siege.
” Tuchman told the AP on Sunday that he believes many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hill but his has been singled out for its honesty .
He said it responded to the state ’ s voluntary survey with cases in which it was “ possible ” COVID-19 could be a factor , since his home wasn ’ t able to test any due to the lack of available kits .
He also said he reported 50 deaths , not 55 , though the state repeated that tally Sunday .
“ There ’ s been a lot of lip service about how vulnerable nursing homes have been , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it didn ’ t materialize , ” Tuchman said .
“ The PPE didn ’ t materialize , the staffing surge didn ’ t materialize , the testing didn ’ t materialize .
... How did we expect this not to spread ?
“ Though Tuchman doesn ’ t know for sure how the virus got into Cobble Hill , he noted there has been a parade of paramedics and staffers allowed into the building each day who were screened with health questions and temperature checks , not enough to keep out those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Soon after news broke of Cobble Hill ’ s death toll , Steven Vince went there to talk to administrators about his recently passed uncle , whose death certificate listed him possibly having COVID .
An administrator told him they were confident his uncle did not have the virus .
“ It ’ s very surprising because I don ’ t think anyone from the facility contacted us to tell us anything like this or basically bring this to our attention in any way , ” he said .
Eva Buchmuller , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friend has lived in Cobble Hill with Alzheimer ’ s for three years , said she wasn ’ t that surprised the virus spread in the nursing home ’ s cramped quarters , with small rooms tightly packed along narrow corridors and residents not allowed to open windows .
She believes it ’ s highly likely her friend is infected .
“ How could you avoid not getting the virus ?
“ she said , adding that it ’ s not overcrowded but “ always , always filled up.
” Built in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 19th-century hospital , Cobble Hill was most recently rated three out of five stars by the federal government for overall quality and the facility has a complaint rate that ’ s half that of the statewide average for nursing homes .
Its beds are in high demand — it has 98 per cent occupancy , according to the state — in a city that has seen closures in nursing homes that developers have eyed for apartments .
Over the years , it ’ s shown signs of innovation .
It has , at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nursing assistants , housed a small alternative public high school , brought local artists in to teach residents dance , offered music therapy and was at the forefront of nursing homes setting up Alzheimer ’ s units and cutting reliance on antipsychotics that can leave residents with dementia .
In early 2018 , Cobble Hill boasted on its website that it was hosting a delegation of 18 physicians and hospital administrators from Hubei Province , China — which would become the global epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak — “ to see best practices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daniel Arbeeny and his family decided to move his elderly father — who was not believed to have COVID-19 — from the Cobble Hill facility to the family ’ s home on a nearby block .
After he left , the family helped co-ordinate a donation of face shields and doesn ’ t blame the nursing home for the outbreak or its outcome .
“ To me , it ’ s just a bad situation , “ he said .
” They were dealt a bad set of cards.
” AP reporters Candice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Martin , Anthony Izaguirre and investigative news researcher Randy R. Herschaft contributed to this report .

Bernard Condon, Matt Sedensky And Jennifer Peltz - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--Police: Man who hijacked Texas bus was sought in slaying

ROWLETT , Texas - A man who hijacked a Dallas-area bus before being killed in a shootout had been wanted for questioning in the fatal stabbing of his girlfriend , authorities said .
Ramon Thomas Villagomez , 31 , got on the Dallas Area Rapid Transit bus with two people aboard in Richardson , just north of Dallas , at around 11 a.m. Sunday and opened fire , shattering windows , DART officials said .
Police said Villagomez then took the driver hostage and fired at DART officers who tried to stop the bus , which had one other passenger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through several cities and eventually ended when spike strips were used to stop the bus , Garland Police Lt. Pedro Barineau said .
Villagomez continued firing after he got out of the bus and officers returned fire , killing him , police said .
A DART officer and a Garland police officer were shot and wounded , but their injuries weren ’ t considered life-threatening , Barineau said .
The bus driver and passenger weren ’ t injured .
“ You could not have asked for a worse situation , ” Barineau said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ driver of a bus hostage , is shooting at the police as we are pursuing them , and there are people around all over the roads .
We were very fortunate — as of now , we have not received any reports that anyone else was injured.
” Villagomez was wanted for questioning in San Antonio for the death of his girlfriend , and also had an arrest warrant for aggravated assault in Brazoria County , police said .
Villagomez ’ s girlfriend , Catherine Menendez , was found stabbed to death on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported .


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--As mail voting pushed, some fear loss of in-person option

ATLANTA - Scrambling to address voting concerns during a pandemic , election officials across the country are eliminating polling places or scaling back opportunities for people to cast ballots in person — a move raising concerns among voting rights groups and some Democrats who say some voters could be disenfranchised .
In Nevada , election officials will open only one polling place per county for its June primary .
In Florida , county officials warn they may have to consolidate polling places across the state .
In Ohio ’ s primary next week , only the disabled and the homeless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The closures come as many state officials are encouraging voters to vote by mail — and expanding opportunities to do so .
Many election officials and health experts see mail-in and absentee voting as the best way to keep voters from spreading the coronavirus and to address a shortage of poll workers who are able to work without risking their health .
But advocates say some states are moving so quickly to embrace the shift to mail that they are not doing enough to accommodate certain voters , including the disabled , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups with little history of absentee voting or those who are simply unable to keep up with last-minute election changes and mail-in deadlines .
“ Not everyone can or should vote by mail , ” said Stacey Abrams , a former Democratic candidate for Georgia governor who now runs Fair Fight Action , a voting rights group .
The concerns over polling places largely have been overlooked in the fight over voting rights , which has so far centred on partisan disputes over mail-in and absentee voting .
Democrats and voting rights groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and absentee voting options and pushed for an extra $ 2 billion to help states adjust their election systems .
National Republicans are fighting those efforts , while President Donald Trump claims without evidence that mail-in voting is vulnerable to fraud .
But the challenge of securing in-person voting may prove just as contentious and just as likely to curb voter participation in the upcoming primaries , which are largely viewed as a dry run for November .
In the chaotic recent Wisconsin election , where voters waited for hours to cast ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of polling sites in Milwaukee and other cities may have kept as many as 100,000 people from casting ballots .
Last week , Democrats sued Nevada ’ s top election official , a Republican , for limiting each county to a single polling location during the state ’ s June 9 primary , alleging that will channel 87 % of the state ’ s voters into only two locations .
Democrats , who count on big turnout at the polls in the populous county that contains Las Vegas , sought changes to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the overwhelming majority normally vote in person .
A conflict is also brewing in swing state Florida , where the nonpartisan county election co-ordinators have asked Republican Gov .
Ron DeSantis to loosen rules on early voting and allow consolidation of precinct polling stations for elections in August and November .
Democrats fear polling places may close in Palm Beach and Broward counties , two dense areas that are their bases .
But the rush to eliminate in-person voting can be bipartisan .
Democrats ’ party-run primary in Wyoming was conducted exclusively by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alaska .
Party officials said they took steps like allowing same-day registration that help compensate for lack of in-person options .
Kansas Democrats agreed to eliminate polling places for their May primary .
Party chairwoman Vicki Hiatt said in-person voting sites were “ going to be too risky.
” Ohio , Hawaii , Idaho and New Jersey are also sharply limiting or abolishing in-person voting .
Advocates acknowledge election officials are in a difficult position and support an increase in vote by mail for those who want it .
But in-person voting , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fail-safe ” in the event of errors or mail delivery issues .
According to a report from the liberal Center for American Progress and the NAACP , African-Americans are particularly reliant on in-person voting .
In 2018 , only 11 % cast a ballot by mail — less than half the rate of whites and Latinos .
“ There are going to be people who are going to be disenfranchised by moving entirely to a vote-by-mail system , ” warned Center for American Progress ’ Danielle Root .
Ohio ’ s April 28 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those with disabilities or those without a home address .
Anyone who fails to request an absentee ballot before the deadline or whose absentee ballot doesn ’ t arrive in time would not be able to vote in person .
That may include Katie Brickner , 39 , who lives in a Cleveland suburb .
Her absentee ballot application was returned to her last week as undeliverable after water somehow damaged the front of the envelope after she dropped it off with the post office .
She immediately mailed another but is worried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking a few weeks for applications to be processed .
“ I will have no voice in the election and it ’ s really important to me this year , ” she said .
In Maryland , state election officials were poised to cancel in-person voting but decided to keep at least one polling place open in each of the state ’ s 24 counties after voting rights groups raised concerns .
In Idaho , state election officials said it “ simply was not safe for voters , election workers or the larger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the May 19 primary .
The state is mailing absentee ballot applications to voters who haven ’ t requested one and has partnered with local grocery stores who will be providing stamps for those who need them .
Still , the decision to eliminate in-person voting could pose a barrier for some tribal members .
One county reported the number of absentee ballot requests coming from the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes in southeastern Idaho as “ critically low , ” said to Randy ’ L Teton , tribal spokeswoman .
Teton worries that requesting an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those used to voting in person .
“ We ’ re going to need to explain this or delegate a family member that can help their grandma or grandpa on how to get through this , ” Teton said .
Associated Press writer Bobby Caina Calvan in Tallahassee , Florida , contributed to this report .

Christina A. Cassidy And Nicholas Riccardi - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--Medics sharply criticize UK govt efforts on PPE supplies

LONDON - Hospitals on Monday slammed Britain ’ s government for its failure to give medical staff appropriate clothing and equipment to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak , arguing that it is time for action and not words .
British medical personnel have complained for weeks that the ongoing debacle in getting the right equipment to the right people is forcing doctors to put their own lives in danger to treat the sick in an outbreak that has already claimed 16,060 lives in the U.K .
Some hospitals suggest they will soon run out of surgical gowns , and report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as eye protection .
With shortages evident , the failure of a shipment of some 400,000 surgical gowns to arrive as promised over the weekend has exacerbated tensions in a system under strain , said Niall Dickson , the CEO of the NHS Confederation , which represents organizations across healthcare .
“ There was already a loss of confidence and real anxiety across the NHS and care system around PPE supply — this will have been further eroded by what has happened this weekend , ’ ’ Dickson said .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a stable supply chain and certainty that staff will be given what they need when they need it .
At the moment we are a long way from that point.
’ ’ Fresh advice has been issued to doctors on using — or reusing — gowns until the bleak scenario can improve .
Arguing that such vital equipment is in high demand globally , Britain ’ s government has been promising to get supplies moving .
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden told the BBC he ’ s hopeful “ that later today that flight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those gowns.
“ The British government signalled over the weekend that new efforts were being established to secure a more reliable supply chain .
Paul Deighton , the former 2012 London Olympics chief executive , has been appointed to lead the national effort .
Doctors , meanwhile , are increasingly agitated , and some are even daring to speak out despite pressure from some hospitals to be more guarded on their social media accounts and not to speak to the press .
Dr. Meenal Viz staged a one-woman protest on Sunday to express @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Viz , who is six months pregnant , said she was motivated to speak out amid the deaths of dozens of health workers .
“ I have never felt a fear like this ever in my life .
I ’ ve never lost so much sleep in my life , ’ ’ she said of working in such conditions .
“ Our job is to save lives .
Our job is not to source protective equipment for ourselves .
”


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--The Latest: Bobcat resuming production after COVID-19 break

WEST FARGO , N.D. - The Latest on the coronavirus outbreak in North Dakota ( all times local ) : @ @ @ @ @ in North Dakota and Minnesota after a two-week shutdown to deal with the coronavirus outbreak @ @ @ @ @ effect on April 6th at its operations in Gwinner , Bismarck and Wahpeton , North @ @ @ @ @ .
The company also has administrative offices in West Fargo .
The equipment manufacturer says @ @ @ @ @ disinfecting at its facilities , has implemented social distancing , limited visitors and encouraged working @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s closely monitoring inventory levels , though the supply of available products is @ @ @ @ @ and market demand .
Get more of the Star in your inbox Never miss the @ @ @ @ @ .
Sign up for our free newsletters to get today 's top stories , your @ @ @ @ @ in your email inbox Sign Up Now


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--Asia Today: India, Singapore see record numbers of new cases

BANGKOK - India and Singapore announced their biggest single-day spikes in new coronavirus cases on Monday , as the crisis intensifies in parts of Asia .
India ’ s spike came after the government eased one of the world ’ s strictest lockdowns to allow some manufacturing and agricultural activity to resume .
An additional 1,553 cases were reported over 24 hours in India , raising the national total past 17,000 .
At least 543 people have died in the country from COVID-19 , the disease caused by the virus , and epidemiologists forecast the peak may not be reached @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in India on March 24 halted all but essential services , sparking an exodus of migrant workers and people who survive on daily wages out of India ’ s cities to villages in rural areas .
Authorities picked up travellers in a fleet of buses and quarantined many of them in empty schools and other public buildings for 14 days .
Starting Monday , limited industry and farming were allowed to resume where employers could meet social distancing and hygiene norms , and migrant workers were allowed to travel within states to factories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meanwhile , Singapore ’ s confirmed cases shot up to nearly 8,000 after 1,426 infections were reported Monday , a single-day high for the tiny Southeast Asian city-state .
Singapore now has the highest number of cases in Southeast Asia at 7,984 , a massive surge from just 200 on March 15 .
Authorities say most of the new cases were again linked to foreign workers .
More than 200,000 low-wage workers from Asia live in tightly packed dormitories that became virus hotspots after they were overlooked earlier by the government .
Officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rise as testing continues at the dorms , but are hoping that a partial lockdown until May 4 , mandatory wearing of masks and strict social distancing measures will help curb the spread of the virus .
In other developments in the Asia-Pacific region : — NO NEW CASES IN HONG KONG : Hong Kong reported no new cases on Monday for the first time in nearly seven weeks .
Prior to Monday , the city had seen eight consecutive days of single-digit infections , dwindling from a surge in cases in March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. and Europe outbreaks .
Hong Kong ’ s current tally stands at 1,026 cases , including four deaths .
— SRI LANKA PARTIALLY LIFTS CURFEW : Sri Lanka ’ s government has partially lifted a monthlong curfew , with the country ’ s top health official declaring that COVID-19 is “ under control ” in the Indian Ocean island nation .
Sri Lanka had been under a 24-hour curfew since March 20 .
It was lifted during daytime hours in more than two thirds of the country Monday and will continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Colombo , until Wednesday .
The curfew will remain in effect from 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. until further notice .
Sri Lanka had confirmed 271 cases and seven deaths as of Sunday .
— NEW ZEALAND ’ S LOCKDOWN EXTENDED : Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that New Zealand ’ s lockdown will last another week .
For nearly four weeks , nonessential workers have been able to leave their homes only to buy groceries or to exercise .
Starting next week , construction and manufacturing can resume , and some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be encouraged .
— SOUTH KOREA ’ S INFECTIONS WANE : South Korea reported 13 new virus cases Monday as infections continue to wane in the hardest-hit city of Daegu .
The new figures brought the national totals to 10,674 cases and 236 deaths .
With its caseload slowing , South Korea has relaxed some of its social distancing guidelines , including lifting administrative orders that advised churches , gyms and bars to close .
— JAPANESE EXPORTS SINK : Japanese exports sank 11.7 % in March as the pandemic slammed auto shipments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said exports to the U.S. fell 16.5 % , while those to China declined 8.7 % .
Trade has slowed precipitously , and the International Monetary Fund forecasts that the world economy is heading into its worst slowdown since the Great Depression in the 1930s .
— JAPAN TULIPS RAZED : Tens of thousands of tulips in full bloom were razed at a Japanese park to prevent crowds from gathering .
The flowers were the centerpiece of a popular annual festival in Sakura city , east of Tokyo , that was cancelled this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the flowers , however , making social distancing difficult .
“ We , of course , wish for many people to see our flowers , but this situation is now about human life .
It was a heart-wrenching decision , but we had to do it , ” said Takahiro Kogo , a city official overseeing the park .
— BANGKOK EXTENDS ALCOHOL BAN : Thailand ’ s capital , Bangkok , has extended a ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages to the end of April as efforts continue to contain the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for April 10-20 , when Thais would normally celebrate the Songkran New Year festival with drink-fueled merrymaking at large public gatherings .
Celebrations of the holiday were also postponed .
Alcohol sales bans were separately ordered in all 76 of Thailand ’ s provinces , which are likely to be extended .
A Bangkok official said people with alcohol dependency problems could be treated for free at the city ’ s medical facilities .
— AUSTRALIAN SOAP OPERA RESUMES : The long-running Australian soap opera “ Neighbours ” returned from a three-week production @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full production next week with new coronavirus safeguards .
“ Neighbours “ production company Fremantle Australia said it is one of the few TV dramas in the English-speaking world to resume production during the pandemic .
“ Neighbours ” first screened in 1985 .
It has been sold to more than 60 countries and has a larger following in Britain than Australia .
Its Melbourne studio will be separated into three scene areas with no crews allowed to cross between the areas , Fremantle said .


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--N.C. farm rents out miniature donkey to crash video calls

INDIAN TRAIL , N.C. - A miniature donkey named Mambo is getting some online love in North Carolina , where a farm is getting in on the idea of having animals spice up tedious virtual meetings during the coronavirus pandemic .
Peace N Peas Farm will rent Mambo , the 8-year-old miniature donkey , and his friends to crash company conference calls , The Charlotte Observer reported .
This camera crowding donkey is “ like a pesky little brother ” that “ doesn ’ t let anyone relax too long , ” Francie Dunlap , Mambo ’ s owner , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ animals they want to invite as guests on their video calls .
According to the farm animal ’ s meeting registration website , they include three horses , Heiren , Zeus and Eddie , along with some chickens and ducks .
“ I think it would get some laughs , ” Dunlap said .
Customers can reserve 10 minutes with the animals for $ 50 , and Dunlap said co-workers can also choose a virtual meeting name for the farm animal .
Since she created the website on Saturday , Dunlap said she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want the animals to crash their virtual classrooms .


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--Afghan officials: Taliban attacks on checkpoints kill 29

KABUL - A wave of Taliban attacks on checkpoints across Afghanistan has killed 29 members of the security forces , officials said Monday .
In northern Takhar province , 19 security personnel were killed in a battle Sunday night in the district of Khwaja Ghor , according to Jawad Hajri , spokesman for the provincial governor .
The Taliban fled the scene after reinforcement arrived , Hajri added .
Meanwhile , in northern Balkh province , a Taliban attack on Sunday morning in the Sholgara district killed seven , according to Adil Shah Adil , spokesman for the provincial police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crossfire and wounded during the attack , which also killed five Taliban , he added .
And in western Badghis province , the Taliban struck an army checkpoint early on Sunday morning , killing three soldiers and wounding 10 , said Tahsel Haideri , spokesman for the provincial police chief .
The Taliban , who have not claimed responsibility for the attacks , and President Ashraf Ghani ’ s government in Kabul are in the process of exchanging prisoners as part of a peace deal signed by the U.S. and the Taliban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Qatar .
The release of up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners and 1,000 government officials held captive by the insurgents ahead of intra-Afghan negotiations is a condition of the U.S.-Taliban deal .
At the heart of most of the talks , say Taliban and U.S. officials , is the demand for a reduction of violence .
The Taliban have not been attacking U.S. and NATO troops since the agreement was signed but have struck Afghan forces in outlying areas .
Washington wants a reduction in those attacks .


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--Sri Lanka in quandary over holding elections amid virus

COLOMBO , Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka ’ s election commission is meeting with government officials on Monday to discuss ways to avoid a possible constitutional crisis if the country fails to hold parliamentary elections before a mandated deadline of June 2 because of the coronavirus .
The commission must decide whether to hold the polls , which could expose more people to the virus , or let the country plunge into its second constitutional crisis in less than two years .
Sri Lanka reported 24 new infections on Monday , its most in a single day .
It now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with seven deaths and 96 recoveries .
“ We will be dealing with legal questions and whether it is safe , ” said Ratnajeevan Hoole , one of three election commissioners .
“ I don ’ t think we have the right to ask the people to go and expose themselves to the virus without expert opinion , ” he said .
Also on Monday , the government lifted a daytime curfew in many areas of the country , except ones identified as high risk , to restart the economy .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standstill for 52 days after then President Maithripala Sirisena sacked his prime minister .
The crisis was ended by a Supreme Court decision that restored the prime minister .
Last month , President Gotabaya Rajapaksa dissolved the opposition-controlled Parliament six months early , hoping his party could win a majority in new elections .
He has complained that a 2015 constitutional change curtailed presidential powers and wants a constitutional amendment to strengthen his office , which would require the support of two-thirds of Parliament .
Rajapaksa announced elections for April 25 , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the coronavirus spread and the government declared an island-wide curfew .
The constitution stipulates that a dissolved Parliament must be replaced within three months .
“ There will be a constitutional crisis , because the Parliament has to meet within three months of the dissolution .
If by the second of June the Parliament is not in a position to meet , there is a crisis , “ said Naganathan Selvakumaran , former dean of the college of law at the University of Colombo .
“ The constitution has not provided an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it has not anticipated such a situation , ” he said .
Rajapaksa rejected the election commission ’ s suggestion that the Supreme Court be asked to help find a solution .
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa , the president ’ s brother , said the election commission could not ignore its legal duty to schedule a new election because of “ imaginary situations that may or may not come in the coming weeks or months.
” The government has also rejected suggestions by the opposition that presidential powers be used to recall the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election during the pandemic poses too much risk since candidates typically rely upon large public rallies and door-to-door campaigning .
“ Yes , we need an election and we want to have it as early as possible .
However , it should be done in a responsible way without putting people at risk , “ said former opposition lawmaker Harsha de Silva .
Health authorities say they have managed to keep the spread of the virus under control , limiting its spread within the community through identification and isolation of patients and their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health official , said 12 of the country ’ s 25 districts have not reported any patients and that the lockdown could be gradually eased .
Associated Press writer Bharatha Mallawarachi contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--Singapore reports a record 1,426 new cases, total near 8,000

Singapore reported a record 1,426 new coronavirus cases on Monday , mostly among foreign workers , pushing its total number of confirmed infections to 7,984 .
The tiny city-state now has the highest number of cases in Southeast Asia , a massive increase from just 200 infections on March 15 , when its outbreak appeared to be nearly under control .
About 3,000 cases have been reported in just the past three days .
Low-wage migrant workers , a vital part of Singapore ’ s workforce , now account for at least 60 % of its infections .
More than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other poorer Asian countries live in tightly packed dormitories .
Clusters of infections have expanded rapidly in the dorms after they were overlooked in the government ’ s earlier health measures .
Social distancing is impossible in the dormitories , which house up to 20 men per room with a shared kitchen , toilets and other facilities .
Most work in construction , shipping and maintenance jobs .
Over half of the 43 registered dormitories have been declared isolation areas where workers have been quarantined .
Several thousand other workers have been moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The government expects cases to rise further as testing at the dorms continues , but hopes that the country ’ s partial lockdown until May 4 , mandatory wearing of masks and strict social distancing will help curb the spread of the virus .
National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said Sunday that many of the workers in the affected dormitories work in construction .
He said in a Facebook post that there was evidence that transmission across multiple dormitories could have occurred at work sites or at places where the workers congregate on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Wong said the government has ordered construction workers who live outside the dorms to be quarantined at home until May 4 .
Labour advocates earlier warned that confinement en mass in dormitories may put the workers at greater risk .
Some also say the pace of testing , reportedly less than 3,000 a day , can not keep up with infections and that many thousands of workers live outside the 43 registered dormitories .
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Saturday it will take time to break the chain of transmission in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vast majority of cases among migrant workers are mild since most of the men are young .
Despite the high number of cases , Singapore has only recorded 11 deaths , among the lowest in the region .
Lee said the government is preparing more health care and isolation facilities to handle a greater number of infections .
He also vowed to take care of the workers ’ welfare .


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--2020 Watch: Why is Trump going to war with governors?

MONTCLAIR , N.J. - Presidential politics move fast .
What we ’ re watching heading into a new week on the 2020 campaign : The inconsistencies in President Donald Trump ’ s coronavirus response are evident as Democrats show new signs of unifying behind presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden .
Heading into the weekend , the Republican president actively encouraged people to protest stay-at-home orders in a handful of battleground states led by Democratic governors .
It could well exacerbate a political divide across America in the coming days .
Democrats , meanwhile , are showing new signs of unifying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bernie Sanders , Elizabeth Warren and former President Barack Obama .
Biden still has glaring political liabilities , but as the coronavirus continues to define the political landscape , Democrats and Republicans seem to be moving in opposite directions .
Why is Trump going to war with governors in the midst of a pandemic ?
The president is a well-known counter-puncher .
On Thursday , he issued guidelines for reopening the government , but on Friday he issued tweets that seemed to undermine those very guidelines , encouraging protesters in Minnesota , Michigan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling to “ LIBERATE MINNESOTA , “ “ LIBERATE MICHIGAN ” and “ LIBERATE VIRGINIA , ” warning that Virginia was literally “ under siege ” for unrelated Second Amendment issues .
There is already evidence that his supporters are ramping up protests against strict social distancing guidelines .
What will be the political consequences ?
Is the Democratic Party already unified behind Biden ?
This may be the best of times politically for Biden , who won three critical endorsements over the last week , none bigger than that of former rival @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sharp message to his supporters , telling The Associated Press in an interview that it would be “ irresponsible ” to not support Biden .
At the same time , Obama stepped off the sidelines to publicly endorse Biden , and the former president and his wife are expected to do much , much more to help unify the party in the coming months .
While all that was certainly good news for Biden , a significant segment of the progressive base remains unhappy with his emergence as the presumptive nominee — including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And it ’ s far from guaranteed they ’ ll show up for him come November .
This week , Biden should offer some new clues about how seriously he ’ s taking the urgent need to unify his party .
Will another massive stimulus bill save the economy ?
The Trump administration and Senate Democrats agreed on Sunday that they are close to finalizing another massive coronavirus spending bill .
Less than a month after Trump signed a $ 2 trillion rescue package , Congress is expected this week to approve legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollars .
Most of it is intended for small businesses , which complained the initial infusion was insufficient , although Democrats appear to have won tens of billions of dollars more for hospitals and expanded testing .
Nothing will matter more to Trump ’ s reelection than the state of the economy this fall .
With record surges in unemployment in recent weeks , the president needs to find a way to stop the bleeding .
He ’ s hoping this new package is another big step in that direction .
How do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Trump ’ s team promised again in recent days that it would continue to highlight allegations of a decades-old sexual assault against Biden .
While Biden ’ s campaign has denied any wrongdoing , the president ’ s daughter-in-law and senior campaign adviser Lara Trump told us it was “ fair game.
“ Most Democrats seem to be trying to ignore it , but New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said last week it is “ legitimate to talk about.
” Trump , of course , has faced more than a dozen allegations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political debate over social distancing by openly calling on his supporters to defy elected officials in at least three states .
In doing so , he smashed the hopes of anyone who believed he might emerge as a compassionate consoler-in-chief willing to rise above petty politics to lead a frightened nation .
Trump ’ s poll numbers are already slipping , but this is bigger than politics .
Health experts are warning of deadly consequences should people begin moving away from social distancing recommendations too soon .
Catch up on the 2020 election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politics podcast , “ Ground Game .
”


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--Experts: Coronvirus brings spike in anti-Semitic sentiments

TEL AVIV , Israel - Israeli researchers reported Monday that the global coronavirus outbreak has sparked a rise in anti-Semitic expression blaming Jews for the spread of the disease and the economic recession it has caused .
The findings , which came in an annual report by Tel Aviv University researchers on anti-Semitism , show an 18 % spike in attacks against Jews last year .
The report warns that the pandemic has threatened to amp up incitement even more .
Although they did not include 2020 statistics , the researchers said the hatred has come from sources as varied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pastors , anti-Zionist intellectuals and Iranian state authorities .
“ Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic , there has been a significant rise in accusations that Jews , as individuals and as a collective , are behind the spread of the virus or are directly profiting from it , ” said Moshe Kantor , president of the European Jewish Congress , an umbrella group representing Jewish communities across the continent .
“ The language and imagery used clearly identifies a revival of the medieval ‘ blood libels ’ when Jews were accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controlling economies.
” Tel Aviv University ’ s Kantor Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry releases its report every year on the eve of Israel ’ s Holocaust Remembrance Day , which begins Monday at sundown .
Researchers said the 18 % increase in anti-Semitic violence in 2019 continued a steady rise of recent years .
Seven Jews were killed in 2019 in more than 450 attacks across the globe against synagogues , community centres and other Jewish targets .
The researchers said the hateful response to the novel coronavirus — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the continuation of an ancient form of anti-Semitism that involves blaming Jews when “ things go wrong.
” They recorded expressions such as pinning the source of the virus on Jews rejecting Christ , to accusing Jews of perpetrating the virus ’ s spread in order to profit from vaccines they would ultimately create to combat it .
The FBI also warned against calls coming from neo-Nazis and white supremacists to spread contagion among Jews .
Kantor warned that the virus had the potential to spark populist extremism , similar to what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the rise of Nazism .
The dire warning comes on the heels of another difficult year for Jews , capped by the October shooting attack on Yom Kippur against a synagogue in the German city of Halle .
Germany averaged five anti-Semitic incidents a day in 2019 .
Overall , at least 169 Jews were physically attacked in the world in 2019 , some close to or even in their homes .
A recent survey , led by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights , found that four out of 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have considered emigrating because of the rise in anti-Semitism .
It doesn ’ t say where they want to emigrate .
Also , the survey said eight out of 10 feel anti-Semitism is a problem in their countries .
Several governments have taken additional measures to protect Jews , with more than 20 countries adopting the working definition of anti-Semitism as outlined by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance .
A Code of Conduct against illegal hate speech on the web was also signed in 2019 with internet platforms such as Facebook , Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as such and remove it within 24 hours .
In January , Israel hosted dozens of world leaders for the largest-ever gathering focused on combating anti-Semitism .


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--Japan scientist ‘very pessimistic’ Olympics will happen

TOKYO - A Japanese professor of infectious disease says he is “ very pessimistic ” the postponed Tokyo Olympics can open in 15 months .
“ To be honest with you , I don ’ t think the Olympics is likely to be held next year , ” Kentaro Iwata , a professor of infectious disease at Kobe University , said Monday speaking in English on a teleconference .
“ Holding the Olympics needs two conditions ; one , controlling COVID-19 in Japan , and controlling COVID-19 everywhere.
” Toshiro Muto , the CEO of the Tokyo organizing committee , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Since then , the organizing committee and the International Olympic Committee have said there is no “ Plan B ’ ’ other than working for the Olympics to open on July 23 , 2021 .
“ I am very pessimistic about holding the Olympic Games next summer unless you hold the Olympic Games in a totally different structure such as no audience , or a very limited participation , “ Iwata said , speaking at a forum arranged by the Foreign Correspondents ’ Club of Japan in Tokyo .
“ You have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many places , which is not very compatible with this COVID-19 infection that is causing a pandemic .
Japan might be able to control this disease by next summer .
And I wish we could .
But I don ’ t think that will happen everywhere on earth.
” Japan was spared during the initial stage of the coronavirus outbreak .
But cases are now spiking , particularly in Tokyo and other large cities .
As of Monday , there were about 12,000 detected infections in Japan and about 250 deaths .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the University of Edinburgh , told the BBC that the Olympics may hinge on finding a vaccine .
“ If we do get a vaccine within the next year then actually I think that ( Olympics ) is realistic , ” she said .
“ The vaccine will be the game-changer — an effective , affordable , available vaccine .
“ If we don ’ t get a scientific breakthrough then I think that looks very unrealistic.
“ Dr. Ali S. Khan , the dean of the College of Public Health at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Associated Press in an email that even without a vaccine it may be possible to go ahead .
“ Fifteen months is plenty of time for public health to wrap around this problem even without a vaccine or drug , ” Khan said , suggesting the creativity of the “ medicoindustrial complex “ would tackle the problem .
“ Think handheld personal testing devices the way we test for blood sugar , ” Khan said .
He also said it might take some “ rethinking ” of the Olympics in terms “ venues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The Olympics draw 11,000 athletes , with 4,400 Paralympians also attending — all the athletes with large staffs of trainers , coaches and support teams .
Athletes are to stay in a sprawling housing complex on Tokyo Bay .
The Olympics draw thousands of foreign visitors , and depend on air travel and hundreds of hotels .
IOC member John Coates , who has overseen the preparations of the Tokyo Olympics , said last week the IOC believes it has given itself “ as much time as possible.
” But he acknowledged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be there is still an issue about the number of people congregating and those things , testing on athletes , “ Coates said .
“ It ’ s too early to say.
” Japan is officially spending $ 12.6 billion or organize the Olympics , although a government audit board put the figure at twice that .
All but $ 5.6 billion is taxpayer money .
Local estimates say the postponement will cost between $ 2 billion and $ 6 billion with Japanese governments picking up almost all the bills .


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--India reports biggest one-day virus spike as lockdown eased

NEW DELHI - India recorded its biggest single-day spike in coronavirus cases on Monday as the government eased one of the world ’ s strictest lockdowns to allow some manufacturing and agricultural activity to resume .
An additional 1,553 cases were reported over 24 hours , raising the national total past 17,000 .
At least 543 people have died from COVID-19 , the respiratory disease caused by the virus , and epidemiologists forecast the peak may not be reached before June .
The shelter-in-place orders imposed in India on March 24 halted all but essential services , sparking an exodus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on daily wages out of India ’ s cities and toward villages in rural areas .
Authorities picked up travellers in a fleet of buses and quarantined many of them in empty schools and other public buildings for 14 days .
Starting Monday , limited industry and farming were allowed to resume where employers could meet social distancing and hygiene norms , and migrant workers were allowed to travel within states to factories , farms and other work sites .
“ In the event a group of migrants wish to return to their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are presently located , they would be screened and those who are asymptomatic would be transported to their respective places of work , ” India ’ s home ministry said in a letter to state governments .
However , government surveys in the central Indian state of Maharashtra , the worst-hit by the virus , have suggested few companies eligible to restart operations can do so because they are required to transport and shelter workers as a virus-prevention measure .
While a partial lifting of a curfew permitted the restart of coal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and agro-industry , and other labour-intensive manufacturing such as brick kilns , much of the country remained under lockdown .
India ’ s airspace was closed to commercial traffic , its passenger rail system , buses and metros were halted , e-commerce was restricted to food and other essentials , and schools , stadiums and houses of worship remained closed until May 3 .
India is also continuing to ramp up testing , build up stocks of ventilators and personal protective equipment and prepare makeshift isolation wards and dedicated COVID-19 hospitals .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home to Asia ’ s largest slum , city authorities were planning to administer hydroxycloroquine to thousands of slum-dwellers over 14 days to gauge whether the drug helped to slow the spread of the disease in a place where social distancing norms aren ’ t possible to achieve .
It was unclear how many people would participate in the experiment , or when it would begin .
President Donald Trump has touted the malaria drug to treat COVID-19 , though its efficacy against the disease is unproven .


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--Lockdown tensions grow as people seek to resume work or play

WASHINGTON - The coronavirus is touching all levels of society and increasing tensions as governments start to ease restrictions that health experts warn should be done gradually to avoid a resurgence of the illness that has killed more than 165,000 people .
The mounting pressure was evident in the United States .
The Trump administration says parts of the nation are ready to begin a gradual return to normalcy .
Yet some state leaders say woefully inadequate federal action , like a lack of testing supplies , is hindering their response to the illness .
After insisting the country ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , President Donald Trump said Sunday evening he would be using the Defence Production Act to compel increased manufacturing of testing swabs .
He also remained defensive , however , vowing that there were enough swabs to go around .
“ Swabs are easy , ” the president said , bringing one to his news briefing and waving it in front of reporters .
Trump also defended protests by his supporters , who have been gathered to demand state governors lift controls on public activity that were meant to stop the spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their rallying cry and said Sunday night , “ these people love our country .
They want to go back to work.
” Shutdowns have disrupted economic , social , cultural and religious life and plunged the world into an economic slump unseen since the Great Depression in the 1930s .
The International Monetary Fund expects the global economy to contract 3 % this year .
Tens of millions of workers have lost their jobs and millions more fear they ’ ll be next .
A few countries are acting to ease restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the world agrees the steps must be gradual .
China , where the pandemic began , has lifted travel and other restrictions , but customer traffic has been slow to return .
And masks and temperature checks are routine .
India eased the world ’ s largest lockdown to allow some manufacturing and agricultural activity to resume — if employers can meet social distancing and hygiene standards .
Companies are required to transport and shelter their workers , which few of them are able to do .
India also recorded its biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 1,500 as it works to increase testing , stock up equipment and prepare hospital beds for more patients .
Germany intends to begin allowing some small stores , like those selling furniture and baby goods , to reopen .
Albania plans to let its mining and oil industries reopen , along with hundreds of businesses .
New Zealand extended its lockdown another week , but workers at some businesses such as construction and manufacturing will be able to resume their jobs soon .
The number of confirmed infections with the new coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tally by Johns Hopkins University .
The true figures are likely significantly higher since mild infections can be missed , testing is limited and some countries tried to underplay their outbreaks or were too overwhelmed to effectively count them .
The death toll in the U.S. , the worst-hit country by far , was more than 40,000 with over 750,000 confirmed infections .
The virus has reached all levels of society .
At least 20 employees at Afghanistan ’ s presidential palace have tested positive , said a senior government official who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not authorized to comment on the subject .
It wasn ’ t clear whether President Ashraf Ghani had been in contact with any of the employees or whether he had been tested himself .
Ghani has reportedly been self-quarantining .
At 70 and a cancer survivor , Ghani is at a high risk for serious illness .
The virus claimed an unlikely victim , as well : tens of thousands of tulips in full bloom in Japan .
They were a centerpiece of an annual festival near Tokyo that was cancelled this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admire the flowers , so the decision was made to raze them .
All that remains are red and yellow petals lying smashed on the ground .
“ This situation is now about human life , “ said Takahiro Kogo , a city official overseeing the park .
“ It was a heart-wrenching decision , but we had to do it.
” Perry reported from Wellington , New Zealand .
AP journalist Rahim Faiez in Kabul , Afghanistan , contributed to this report as did AP writers worldwide .
Follow AP coverage of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

Nick Perry And Will Weissert - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--Pakistan says militant attack in northwest kills soldier

PESHAWAR , Pakistan - Militants armed with assault rifles attacked a Pakistani army security post in a former Taliban stronghold in the country ’ s northwest early on Monday , triggering a shootout that killed a soldier , the military said .
Five insurgents were also killed , it said .
The military says the attack took place near the town of Miran Shah , the main urban centre in the North Waziristan district that borders Afghanistan .
Three troops were also wounded in the shootout .
North Waziristan was a militant base until recent years when the Pakistani military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the area of the Taliban .
However , violence has increased there in recent weeks , spreading fear among residents that the military might carry out more operations .
“ Troops effectively engaged the terrorists , “ a military statement said , adding that troops subsequently launched a search operation in the area .
The Pakistani army in recent weeks deployed thousand of troops across the country to help the government enforce a lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak .
But , it was unclear whether troops engaged in that mission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Afghan border .
Pakistan on Monday said 17 more had died from the virus over the past 24 hours .
The country has so far recorded 8,418 cases while 1,970 people have recovered .
The government hasn ’ t said whether any of the troops enforcing the lockdown have been infected with the virus .


thetorontostar--2020-04-20--Syria’s divisions damage efforts to mobilize against virus

BEIRUT - After nine years of war , Syria is broken into three rival parts unable to work together and ill-prepared to cope with the coronavirus , an enemy that knows no conflict lines .
Medical personnel in Kurdish-run northeastern Syria have resorted to making protective gear out of garbage bags .
The territory has been cut off from outside aid , including U.N. shipments that used to arrive from Iraq but were vetoed by Syrian government ally Russia .
In the last opposition-held enclave in Syria ’ s northwest , health officials are cobbling together what little they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a territory buckling under repeated government offensives .
Promises by the World Health Organization to deliver ventilators , protection equipment and other supplies have mostly not materialized .
President Bashar Assad controls the rest of the country , including the main cities .
WHO has steered most of its anti-coronavirus help through his government , forcing the U.N. agency to work with an opaque system that hasn ’ t extended help to non-government areas .
Hardin Lang , a former U.N. official and vice-president of Refugee International , said the more vulnerable territories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that working with a government that often distributes aid based on political considerations “ could be questionable when you have a population that is completely dependent on you and cross-border assistance.
” Syrian authorities have conducted coronavirus tests only in Damascus ’ central lab , making it hard to track infections .
The Kurdish-run northeast , also home to 4 million people , has had to send its samples by plane to the capital .
The flaws of the system emerged last week when Kurdish officials found out two weeks after the fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from COVID-19 , the illness caused by the virus .
The Damascus government did not officially announce it or inform local authorities — nor did WHO , prompting accusations by Kurdish authorities of a coverup .
WHO says it is dealing with a global shortage and is working to raise resources for Syria , which it calls a priority area .
So far , Syria ’ s official count is 39 infections and two deaths , all in or around Damascus .
The civil war has devastated Syria ’ s health system .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ such a virus .
So imagine a region that has faced a destructive war for nine years , ” said Ciwan Mustafa , northeast ’ s health director .
Hundreds of medical facilities have been bombed , mostly in government airstrikes ; half the hospitals and health centres are functioning only partially or not at all , while 70 % of the medical personnel have fled the country .
More than 80 % of the population live in poverty , millions have been displaced and hundreds of thousands are crammed into overcrowded camps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the danger .
Shiite pilgrims from Iran and Iraq continued to visit shrines near Damascus .
Fighters , allied with the Syrian military , travelled back and forth from those countries .
By early March , restrictions began with a partial closure of borders and shrines .
When the first case was announced on March 22 , the government enforced a curfew and suspended military conscription .
Several towns were isolated and over a dozen quarantine centres set up .
WHO is providing the Health Ministry with medical and lab equipment , testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Dr. Nima Abid , the agency ’ s acting representative in Damascus .
It is setting up testing labs in the regions of Aleppo , Homs and Latakia .
Abid cited global shortages when asked about the obstacles to aid reaching non-governmental areas , adding that such deliveries require government permission .
Elizabeth Tsurkov , a Syria researcher , said that since the uprising began in 2011 , Damascus has had a policy of denying aid to rebel-held areas and to the Kurdish-run northeast , in hopes of weakening the population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partially blamed on the government denying vaccinations to areas outside its control .
So far , WHO airlifted from Damascus 20 tons of supplies , including ventilators and protective gear , mostly to a hospital in a government-controlled pocket in the northeastern city of Qamishli .
Those trying to reach the hospital risk arrest as they cross military checkpoints , Tsurkov said .
The northeast ’ s medical sector was further crippled by the war against the Islamic State group and Turkey ’ s military campaign , which restricted water supply .
Tens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are crammed in camps and detention facilities in the area .
U.N. aid deliveries from Iraq were halted in early 2020 after Russia vetoed a resolution allowing continued shipments across that border .
The pandemic then forced the closure of the Iraqi border to almost everyone .
Many aid workers left .
Those remaining have negotiated only sporadic border openings with Iraq ’ s northern Kurdish semi-autonomous region , bringing in some supplies , including finally two testing machines .
In Syria ’ s rebel-held northwest , authorities have closed schools and mosques @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s a challenge , when nearly 1 million people displaced in the latest government offensive now live in tents or temporary shelters without water or electricity .
WHO , consulting with Idlib authorities , drew up a $ 30 million plan to create 28 isolation units and prepare three new facilities for coronavirus patients .
But the agency has yet to bring the supplies .
Thirty ventilators are sitting in Turkey , awaiting budget approval .
WHO sent Idlib 5,900 test kits , and they are being closely rationed , used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far , all negative .
The WHO plan “ is still mere words on paper , “ the top health official in Idlib , Munzer al-Khalil , wrote in an open letter , accusing the U.N. of discrimination .
“ Even if northwest Syria is not an official state , its citizens are Syrians , first and foremost they are human beings and deserve an adequate response.
” He said WHO now wants to refit existing hospitals for COVID-19 cases instead of setting up new facilities , a change he feared would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns , the U.N. resolution that allows cross-border aid from Turkey expires in June .
Al-Khalil used available resources to set up the only ward in the territory for suspected virus cases .
The ward in an Idlib city hospital has only two doctors , four nurses , 32 beds and four ventilators , said hospital director , Dr. Khaled al-Yassin .
As al-Yassin spoke to The Associated Press , a father tried to bring in his 10-year-old son , feverish with a chest infection suspected of being coronavirus .
Al-Yassin had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have isolation wards for children , ” he told the distraught parent .
Al-Khalil said that over the course of the war , he has treated victims of chemical attacks and made life-or-death decisions about evacuating hospitals before a government attack .
The virus has brought new levels of stress , he said .
“ This time I feel it is much bigger than us .
”