washingtontimes--2020-05-09--Being ostracized: Virus leaves its mark for UK's elderly

LONDON ( AP ) - From resounding applause to ostracization and isolation .
That ’ s essentially the journey Lt. Cmdr .
Robert Embleton , who served 34 years in Britain ’ s Royal Navy , took by ambulance when discharged from Derriford Hospital in Plymouth , southwestern England , on April 8 following his near-month sickness with COVID-19 .
Arriving at his retirement home , he immediately went into self-isolation with his wife of 55 years , Jean , who has shown no symptoms of the virus .
Soon after , Embleton realized he was carrying some new baggage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He even considered buying a bell to warn of his presence .
“ I was regarded as a sort of leper , a plague carrier .
Some people when they spotted me , they recoiled , ” the 79-year-old told The Associated Press .
“ I was particularly regarded as a menace.
” That ’ s some contrast to his final moments at Derriford Hospital , when the “ somewhat embarrassed ” Embleton received a round of applause from all the front-line staff from the cleaners to the doctors .
Embleton , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ II in 1993 for outstanding service to the Royal Navy , thinks the lockdown rules are too strict for some elderly people .
He understands the need to shield those elderly with underlying health conditions , but says others should be treated with much more “ common sense.
” The prospect of this type of stigmatization was something he had discussed in Derriford with the 57-year-old Poorna Gunasekera when they were in a ward together recovering from the virus .
Gunasekera , who unbeknownst to Embleton was a doctor and had been treated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thanks the former naval officer for “ single-handedly ” lifting his spirits .
The fact that Embleton had visited Gunasekera ’ s hometown of Kandy , Sri Lanka , forged a connection , and the two have reconnected on Facebook since their brushes with death .
Gunasekera remembers that all four in the ward shared the same anxiety - of becoming fresh sources of outbreaks after leaving the hospital .
“ It is a dreadful fear and we expected to be somewhat stigmatized , and that would be normal because I suppose I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were reversed , ” he said .
Time is a great healer and the stigma slowly abates .
On a gloriously sunny early spring Sunday afternoon , there was a breakthrough .
As is his wont for a traditional Sunday lunch , Embleton decided to open one of his finest bottles of wine - a Châteauneuf-du-Pape - and offered a glass to the lady next door , who is also 79 .
“ Then , blinking in the sunshine , all along the top floor , the others came out with their glasses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a smile , ” he said .
“ Cheer and optimism.
” British charities for the elderly , like Age U.K. , have heard similar tales and hope that a ramped-up testing program will provide some reassurance .
“ It just adds another layer of tragedy to the situation that residents who recover - something that should be celebrated as a much-needed piece of good news - are feeling isolated and ostracized as a result , ” said Ruthe Isden , head of health influencing at Age U.K .
The ostracization may now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be in its infancy , especially if social distancing restrictions on the elderly remain in place for longer , until a vaccine is , if ever , produced .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson , who has also recovered from COVID-19 , is set to extend the lockdown restrictions on Sunday , bar a couple of minor tweaks .
Embleton says the lockdown is “ sapping the equanimity and self-confidence ” of most elderly people and is “ increasingly intolerable ” for those like him who have no underlying health conditions and who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It is not right to treat all old people as children , incapable of assessing risk , ” he said .
Luckily , both he and Jean have the upheavals and separation of the naval years to help them get through the weeks and months ahead .
Embleton said the isolation reminds him of the time he spent aboard the HMS Galatea , a Leander-class frigate , near the Arctic Circle , during the Cod War of 1976 - confrontations between Britain and Iceland over North Atlantic fishing rights .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the year in the Arctic , just you and your ship , it ’ s rather like being in the over-70s lockdown for COVID-19 , ” he said .
“ You start thinking differently , you ’ ve got to get on with it , you won ’ t be going home , you won ’ t be seeing your family.
” The same applies for Jean , who endured her husband ’ s brush with death in self-isolation at home .
“ It ’ s not pleasant but as a serviceman ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , then you get used to these periods of time that you are on your own so I probably weathered it rather better than some people , ” she said .
“ I was brought up to think that husbands went away and that they came back.
” Well , Lt. Cmdr .
Robert Embleton did come back and he ’ s planning a lot more long walks , gym workouts and drinking fine wines .
And hopefully before he turns 80 in November .
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at @ @ @ @ @ @ @

LONDON (AP) - From resounding applause to ostracization and isolation.
That’s essentially the journey Lt. Cmdr. Robert Embleton, who served 34 years in Britain’s Royal Navy, took by ambulance when discharged from Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, southwestern England, on April 8 following his near-month sickness with COVID-19.
Arriving at his retirement home, he immediately went into self-isolation with his wife of 55 years, Jean, who has shown no symptoms of the virus. Soon after, Embleton realized he was carrying some new baggage - the stigma of the virus. He even considered buying a bell to warn of his presence.
“I was regarded as a sort of leper, a plague carrier. Some people when they spotted me, they recoiled,” the 79-year-old told The Associated Press. “I was particularly regarded as a menace.”
That’s some contrast to his final moments at Derriford Hospital, when the “somewhat embarrassed” Embleton received a round of applause from all the front-line staff from the cleaners to the doctors.
Embleton, who received an MBE honor from Queen Elizabeth II in 1993 for outstanding service to the Royal Navy, thinks the lockdown rules are too strict for some elderly people. He understands the need to shield those elderly with underlying health conditions, but says others should be treated with much more “common sense.”
The prospect of this type of stigmatization was something he had discussed in Derriford with the 57-year-old Poorna Gunasekera when they were in a ward together recovering from the virus.
Gunasekera, who unbeknownst to Embleton was a doctor and had been treated by three of his former students, thanks the former naval officer for “single-handedly” lifting his spirits. The fact that Embleton had visited Gunasekera’s hometown of Kandy, Sri Lanka, forged a connection, and the two have reconnected on Facebook since their brushes with death.
“I’ve always been a morale officer,” Embleton explains.
Gunasekera remembers that all four in the ward shared the same anxiety - of becoming fresh sources of outbreaks after leaving the hospital.
“It is a dreadful fear and we expected to be somewhat stigmatized, and that would be normal because I suppose I would do the same if the roles were reversed,” he said.
Time is a great healer and the stigma slowly abates. On a gloriously sunny early spring Sunday afternoon, there was a breakthrough.
As is his wont for a traditional Sunday lunch, Embleton decided to open one of his finest bottles of wine - a Châteauneuf-du-Pape - and offered a glass to the lady next door, who is also 79.
“Then, blinking in the sunshine, all along the top floor, the others came out with their glasses filled and gave all a wave and a smile,” he said. “Cheer and optimism.”
British charities for the elderly, like Age U.K., have heard similar tales and hope that a ramped-up testing program will provide some reassurance.
“It just adds another layer of tragedy to the situation that residents who recover - something that should be celebrated as a much-needed piece of good news - are feeling isolated and ostracized as a result,” said Ruthe Isden, head of health influencing at Age U.K.
The ostracization may now have gone, but the isolation may be in its infancy, especially if social distancing restrictions on the elderly remain in place for longer, until a vaccine is, if ever, produced. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has also recovered from COVID-19, is set to extend the lockdown restrictions on Sunday, bar a couple of minor tweaks.
Embleton says the lockdown is “sapping the equanimity and self-confidence” of most elderly people and is “increasingly intolerable” for those like him who have no underlying health conditions and who are hugely active members of their local communities.
“It is not right to treat all old people as children, incapable of assessing risk,” he said.
Luckily, both he and Jean have the upheavals and separation of the naval years to help them get through the weeks and months ahead.
Embleton said the isolation reminds him of the time he spent aboard the HMS Galatea, a Leander-class frigate, near the Arctic Circle, during the Cod War of 1976 - confrontations between Britain and Iceland over North Atlantic fishing rights.
“Doing things like a best part of the year in the Arctic, just you and your ship, it’s rather like being in the over-70s lockdown for COVID-19,” he said.
“You start thinking differently, you’ve got to get on with it, you won’t be going home, you won’t be seeing your family.”
The same applies for Jean, who endured her husband’s brush with death in self-isolation at home.
“It’s not pleasant but as a serviceman’s wife, particularly a naval wife, then you get used to these periods of time that you are on your own so I probably weathered it rather better than some people,” she said.
“I was brought up to think that husbands went away and that they came back.”
Well, Lt. Cmdr. Robert Embleton did come back and he’s planning a lot more long walks, gym workouts and drinking fine wines.
And hopefully before he turns 80 in November.
___
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-05-09--Friday's Sports in Brief

Friday's Sports in Brief

MIAMI ( AP ) - The NBA took tiny steps toward a return to normalcy as a small number of practice facilities reopened for workouts and at least one team received permission from the league to test players and staff for the coronavirus .
Meanwhile , NBA Commissioner Adam Silver took part in a teleconference with members of the National Basketball Players Association .
Silver , according to a person familiar with the call ’ s details , told players that the league is still aiming to hold full best-of-seven playoff series should the season resume and that playing without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also spoke about the well-known notion of having the season resume in a centralized location , though cautioned that no decisions may be made for another several weeks , according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details of the call were not publicly released .
Cleveland and Portland were open for players who wanted to get voluntary workouts in , with Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman among the first to be back on an NBA practice court since the league ordered those facilities closed seven weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - Major League Baseball will cut its amateur draft from 40 rounds to five this year , a move that figures to save teams about $ 30 million .
Clubs gained the ability to reduce the draft as part of their March 26 agreement with the players ’ association and MLB plans to finalize a decision next week to go with the minimum , a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press .
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no decision was announced .
There will be just 160 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the annual selection started in 1965 , and the combined value of their signing bonus pools is $ 235,906,800 .
The amount of signing bonus pool money eliminated is $ 29,578,100 .
DENVER ( AP ) - At least 70 percent of U.S. Olympic sports organizations have applied for government funds during the coronavirus pandemic , a stark financial reality that underscores the frailties within the world ’ s most dominant Olympic sports system .
The Associated Press surveyed 44 of the country ’ s national governing bodies ( NGBs ) - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the grassroots through the Olympic levels in sports that run the gamut from badminton to basketball .
All but four of the 36 NGBs that responded said they had applied for assistance from the Paycheck Protection Program .
Not all the organizations revealed how much they received , but those who did have been approved for a cumulative total of about $ 12 million .
NCAA President Mark Emmert says the coronavirus is making it unlikely all schools will be ready to begin competing in college sports at the same time .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every team to have an equal amount of preparation time before its season starts , and there could be some competitive inequities caused by schools having varied timelines for re-opening campuses .
Emmert appeared with Dr. Brian Hainline , the NCAA ’ s chief medical officer , in an interview shown on the NCAA ’ s official Twitter account .
Major football conference commissioners have stated their goal is for all 130 teams in 10 conferences across 41 states to begin the season at the same time .
As states impacted differently by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the possibility rises that the season will lack a uniform start date and number of games .
ANN ARBOR , Mich. ( AP ) - Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is pushing for a change that would allow football players to enter the NFL draft after one year in college .
“ My first proposal is that we put this decision to ` go or stay ’ in the hands of the individual and his family , not in the form of an NFL , NFLPA or NCAA rule while allowing the player @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not sign , ” Harbaugh wrote in an open letter to the football community Thursday .
Currently , players are not eligible until three NFL regular seasons have begun and ended following either their graduation from high school or graduation of the class with which they entered high school , whichever is earlier .
A policy in the collective bargaining agreement - which runs through the 2030 season - between the NFL and the players ’ union prohibits players who have completed only their first or second years in college to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenged for nearly 17 years .
The league and the union , meanwhile , have shown no inclination of revising the rule .
MILWAUKEE ( AP ) - Brett Favre disputed a Mississippi state auditor ’ s report that said the Hall of Fame quarterback received $ 1.1 million in welfare money for multiple speaking engagements that he didn ’ t actually attend .
Favre told ESPN Wisconsin ’ s “ Wilde & Tausch ” radio show he instead was being paid for his role in radio public service announcements and advertisements that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Favre reiterated that he is paying back the money .
An audit released Monday said Favre Enterprises received $ 500,000 in December 2017 and $ 600,000 in June 2018 from the Mississippi Community Education Center , a nonprofit group whose former leader has been indicted in an alleged welfare embezzlement scheme .
The Players Coalition and dozens of professional athletes sent a letter to Attorney General William Barr and FBI Director Christopher Wray requesting an immediate federal investigation into the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia .
The letter was also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general for the civil rights division .
It was signed by such sports stars as Tom Brady , Steve Kerr and Players Coalition co-founders Anquan Boldin and Malcolm Jenkins .
The letter requested that the FBI and the Department of Justice ’ s Civil Rights Division lead the investigation into the shooting of Arbery , a black man , on Feb. 23 .
Two white men , Travis and Greg McMichael , were charged this week with murder and aggravated assault after a video of the shooting was leaked .
American women ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial until after an appellate court reviews last week ’ s decision to throw out their claim of unequal pay while allowing allegations of discriminatory work conditions to move forward .
Lawyers for the women filed a motion asking U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner in Los Angeles to enter a final judgment on his decision to dismiss their pay claim , which would allow them to take the case to the 9th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco .
Players asked Klausner to stay the trial , currently set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Soccer Federation agreed not to oppose the requests but did not agree with some of the characterizations made by the players ’ lawyers .
If Klausner signs the order , a trial probably would be delayed until 2021 at the earliest .
The resurrection of Kyle Larson ’ s career began with a 25-hour drive from California to Iowa for a $ 15,000-to-win World of Outlaws race .
Larson hitched a ride with the team that fielded a car for him at Knoxville Raceway .
It ’ s a total reset for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the top free agent in NASCAR .
His career came to a sudden halt when he was fired by Chip Ganassi Racing for using a racial slur in an iRacing event late Easter Sunday .
Back to his beginnings - and arguably the type of racing he ’ s always favored - Larson was one of 24 drivers to advance to the main event .
He started 18th , one position ahead of brother-in-law and reigning series champion Brad Sweet , and moved to 11th in just five laps .
ARLINGTON , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Capitals placed Brendan Leipsic on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract after he made disparaging comments about women and teammates in a private social media chat .
In a conversation involving his brother and Florida Panthers minor leaguer Jack Rodewald , Leipsic commented on the physical appearances of Vancouver forward Tanner Pearson ’ s wife and Edmonton captain Connor McDavid ’ s girlfriend .
He also called Capitals linemates Garnet Hathaway and Nick Dowd losers .
Screenshots of the conversation were leaked Wednesday , and a team spokesman said the matter would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ inexcusable conduct ” and said it would address the matter with the Capitals and Panthers .
Leipsic apologized , saying a friend ’ s Instagram account was hacked and taking responsibility for his comments .

PRO BASKETBALL
MIAMI (AP) - The NBA took tiny steps toward a return to normalcy as a small number of practice facilities reopened for workouts and at least one team received permission from the league to test players and staff for the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver took part in a teleconference with members of the National Basketball Players Association. Silver, according to a person familiar with the call’s details, told players that the league is still aiming to hold full best-of-seven playoff series should the season resume and that playing without fans is an obvious possibility.
Silver also spoke about the well-known notion of having the season resume in a centralized location, though cautioned that no decisions may be made for another several weeks, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details of the call were not publicly released.
Cleveland and Portland were open for players who wanted to get voluntary workouts in, with Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman among the first to be back on an NBA practice court since the league ordered those facilities closed seven weeks ago.
BASEBALL
NEW YORK (AP) - Major League Baseball will cut its amateur draft from 40 rounds to five this year, a move that figures to save teams about $30 million.
Clubs gained the ability to reduce the draft as part of their March 26 agreement with the players’ association and MLB plans to finalize a decision next week to go with the minimum, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no decision was announced.
There will be just 160 players drafted, by far the fewest since the annual selection started in 1965, and the combined value of their signing bonus pools is $235,906,800. The amount of signing bonus pool money eliminated is $29,578,100.
OLYMPICS
DENVER (AP) - At least 70 percent of U.S. Olympic sports organizations have applied for government funds during the coronavirus pandemic, a stark financial reality that underscores the frailties within the world’s most dominant Olympic sports system.
The Associated Press surveyed 44 of the country’s national governing bodies (NGBs) - the organizations charged with operating programs from the grassroots through the Olympic levels in sports that run the gamut from badminton to basketball.
All but four of the 36 NGBs that responded said they had applied for assistance from the Paycheck Protection Program. Not all the organizations revealed how much they received, but those who did have been approved for a cumulative total of about $12 million.
COLLEGE ATHLETICS
NCAA President Mark Emmert says the coronavirus is making it unlikely all schools will be ready to begin competing in college sports at the same time.
The goal, he said, is for every team to have an equal amount of preparation time before its season starts, and there could be some competitive inequities caused by schools having varied timelines for re-opening campuses. Emmert appeared with Dr. Brian Hainline, the NCAA’s chief medical officer, in an interview shown on the NCAA’s official Twitter account.
Major football conference commissioners have stated their goal is for all 130 teams in 10 conferences across 41 states to begin the season at the same time. As states impacted differently by the COVID-19 pandemic re-open on different schedules, the possibility rises that the season will lack a uniform start date and number of games.
PRO FOOTBALL
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) - Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is pushing for a change that would allow football players to enter the NFL draft after one year in college.
“My first proposal is that we put this decision to `go or stay’ in the hands of the individual and his family, not in the form of an NFL, NFLPA or NCAA rule while allowing the player to return to college football if he does not sign,” Harbaugh wrote in an open letter to the football community Thursday.
Currently, players are not eligible until three NFL regular seasons have begun and ended following either their graduation from high school or graduation of the class with which they entered high school, whichever is earlier.
A policy in the collective bargaining agreement - which runs through the 2030 season - between the NFL and the players’ union prohibits players who have completed only their first or second years in college to be drafted. That rule has not been challenged for nearly 17 years. The league and the union, meanwhile, have shown no inclination of revising the rule.
MILWAUKEE (AP) - Brett Favre disputed a Mississippi state auditor’s report that said the Hall of Fame quarterback received $1.1 million in welfare money for multiple speaking engagements that he didn’t actually attend.
Favre told ESPN Wisconsin’s “Wilde & Tausch” radio show he instead was being paid for his role in radio public service announcements and advertisements that ran for a few years in Mississippi. Favre reiterated that he is paying back the money.
An audit released Monday said Favre Enterprises received $500,000 in December 2017 and $600,000 in June 2018 from the Mississippi Community Education Center, a nonprofit group whose former leader has been indicted in an alleged welfare embezzlement scheme.
SPORTS & LAW
The Players Coalition and dozens of professional athletes sent a letter to Attorney General William Barr and FBI Director Christopher Wray requesting an immediate federal investigation into the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia.
The letter was also sent to Eric Dreiband, assistant attorney general for the civil rights division. It was signed by such sports stars as Tom Brady, Steve Kerr and Players Coalition co-founders Anquan Boldin and Malcolm Jenkins.
The letter requested that the FBI and the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division lead the investigation into the shooting of Arbery, a black man, on Feb. 23. Two white men, Travis and Greg McMichael, were charged this week with murder and aggravated assault after a video of the shooting was leaked.
SOCCER
American women’s soccer players want to delay a trial until after an appellate court reviews last week’s decision to throw out their claim of unequal pay while allowing allegations of discriminatory work conditions to move forward.
Lawyers for the women filed a motion asking U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner in Los Angeles to enter a final judgment on his decision to dismiss their pay claim, which would allow them to take the case to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.
Players asked Klausner to stay the trial, currently set to start June 16. The U.S. Soccer Federation agreed not to oppose the requests but did not agree with some of the characterizations made by the players’ lawyers. If Klausner signs the order, a trial probably would be delayed until 2021 at the earliest.
AUTO RACING
The resurrection of Kyle Larson’s career began with a 25-hour drive from California to Iowa for a $15,000-to-win World of Outlaws race.
Larson hitched a ride with the team that fielded a car for him at Knoxville Raceway. It’s a total reset for a driver who less than a month ago was the top free agent in NASCAR. His career came to a sudden halt when he was fired by Chip Ganassi Racing for using a racial slur in an iRacing event late Easter Sunday.
Back to his beginnings - and arguably the type of racing he’s always favored - Larson was one of 24 drivers to advance to the main event. He started 18th, one position ahead of brother-in-law and reigning series champion Brad Sweet, and moved to 11th in just five laps.
HOCKEY
ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) - The Washington Capitals placed Brendan Leipsic on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract after he made disparaging comments about women and teammates in a private social media chat.
In a conversation involving his brother and Florida Panthers minor leaguer Jack Rodewald, Leipsic commented on the physical appearances of Vancouver forward Tanner Pearson’s wife and Edmonton captain Connor McDavid’s girlfriend. He also called Capitals linemates Garnet Hathaway and Nick Dowd losers.
Screenshots of the conversation were leaked Wednesday, and a team spokesman said the matter would be handled internally. The NHL called it “inexcusable conduct” and said it would address the matter with the Capitals and Panthers. Leipsic apologized, saying a friend’s Instagram account was hacked and taking responsibility for his comments.


washingtontimes--2020-05-09--22 threatened eastern indigo snakes released in Florida

TALLAHASSEE , Fla. ( AP ) - Another 22 threatened eastern indigo snakes have been released in northern Florida , wildlife officials said .
The reptiles were set loose Friday at The Nature Conservancy ’ s Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve west of Tallahassee , the group said in a news release .
It ’ s the fourth year in a 10-year effort to return the native , nonvenomous apex predator to the region .
Similar releases were conducted the past three years .
“ Today ’ s eastern indigo snakes release furthers the collaborative effort to bring this beautiful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ belongs in north Florida , and to secure its future here , ” said Steve Coates , with The Nature Conservancy in Florida .
“ We continue to protect and restore the species and landscapes that are critical to supporting nature across our state.
” The snakes released this years were bred and hatched in 2018 by the Central Florida Zoo ’ s Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation .
Previously released snakes have been observed in good health .
The eastern indigo snake is the longest snake native to North America , growing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meters ) .
Scientists say it serves a critical function in its environment , consuming a variety of small animals .
The snakes were historically found in Georgia , Alabama , Mississippi and Florida , though their range is now more restricted .

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Another 22 threatened eastern indigo snakes have been released in northern Florida, wildlife officials said.
The reptiles were set loose Friday at The Nature Conservancy’s Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve west of Tallahassee, the group said in a news release. It’s the fourth year in a 10-year effort to return the native, nonvenomous apex predator to the region. Similar releases were conducted the past three years.
“Today’s eastern indigo snakes release furthers the collaborative effort to bring this beautiful and important snake back to where it belongs in north Florida, and to secure its future here,” said Steve Coates, with The Nature Conservancy in Florida. “We continue to protect and restore the species and landscapes that are critical to supporting nature across our state.”
The snakes released this years were bred and hatched in 2018 by the Central Florida Zoo’s Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation. Previously released snakes have been observed in good health.
The eastern indigo snake is the longest snake native to North America, growing to over 8 feet long (2.4 meters). Scientists say it serves a critical function in its environment, consuming a variety of small animals. The snakes were historically found in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida, though their range is now more restricted.


washingtontimes--2020-05-09--Turtle transmitter continues to work a year after release

MARATHON , Fla. ( AP ) - An adult loggerhead sea turtle , released off the Florida Keys a year ago , is still being tracked via satellite .
“ Mr .
T ” was named by staff at the Turtle Hospital after he was admitted there in February 2019 for several surgeries to remove a fishhook .
He was returned to the ocean May 7 , 2019 , fitted with a satellite tag that was epoxied to his shell by Mote Marine Laboratory staff to track migratory patterns of male loggerheads .
Since the release , the turtle has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has spent time in the Atlantic Ocean off the Keys , but also swam in Gulf of Mexico waters off southwest Florida .
Currently the marine reptile is off Key Largo .
Turtle Hospital Manager Bette Zirkelbach said Friday that its unusual for the small transmitter to remain on a sea turtle for so long and to keep working .
“ Typically , they ( transmitters ) fall off in about four to six months , but because ‘ Mr .
T ’ is an adult , his continued growth is very slow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shell does not shed as much as a younger turtle.
” Eventually , the transmitter will fall off the turtle , Zirkelbach said .

MARATHON, Fla. (AP) - An adult loggerhead sea turtle, released off the Florida Keys a year ago, is still being tracked via satellite.
“Mr. T” was named by staff at the Turtle Hospital after he was admitted there in February 2019 for several surgeries to remove a fishhook. He was returned to the ocean May 7, 2019, fitted with a satellite tag that was epoxied to his shell by Mote Marine Laboratory staff to track migratory patterns of male loggerheads.
Since the release, the turtle has traveled more than 1,600 miles. He has spent time in the Atlantic Ocean off the Keys, but also swam in Gulf of Mexico waters off southwest Florida. Currently the marine reptile is off Key Largo.
Turtle Hospital Manager Bette Zirkelbach said Friday that its unusual for the small transmitter to remain on a sea turtle for so long and to keep working.
“Typically, they (transmitters) fall off in about four to six months, but because ‘Mr. T’ is an adult, his continued growth is very slow,” she said. “His shell does not shed as much as a younger turtle.”
Eventually, the transmitter will fall off the turtle, Zirkelbach said.


washingtontimes--2020-05-09--'Fear kills:' WWII vets recall war, reject panic over virus

YAKUTSK , Russia ( AP ) - On the 75th anniversary of the allied victory in the World War II , The Associated Press spoke to veterans in ex-Soviet countries and discovered that lessons they learned during the war are helping them cope with a new major challenge - the coronavirus pandemic .
As they recalled the horrors of the war , they also talked about how strength and tenacity were key to survival both then and now .
Here is some of their testimony .
‘ GIVING IN TO PANIC IS LIKE SURRENDERING TO THE ENEMY ’ For Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic is like going through the war all over again .
After the war , the 96-year-old said , “ our lives were improving , year after year .
And suddenly there ’ s this pandemic , which is like another war … this time , a biological one.
” But Efremova knows better than to panic and believes the outbreak - just like the Nazis back in the 1940s - will be defeated in the end .
“ Giving in to panic is like surrendering to the enemy , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nurse in field hospitals on the front lines of the Red Army throughout the war and the apartment she shares with her daughter in Russia ’ s Far Eastern city of Yakutsk is decorated with numerous war-time photos .
Dozens of medals weigh heavily on her jacket .
A 17-year-old high school student , she lived with her family in a small town north of Moscow when the Nazis attacked the Soviet Union in June 1941 .
It was a nice summer , she recalls , and everyone was planning their vacations .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Molotov ’ s ( the USSR ’ s foreign minister ) announcement came : On June 22 , at 4 a.m. , the war started .
Hitler attacked us , ” Efremova said .
Efremova was first drafted to dig trenches outside Moscow .
After several weeks , she volunteered to help out the army medics and started working in field hospitals .
“ I ’ d never had anything to do with medicine , not to mention the horror of seeing mutilated men - both young and old , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nurse for the next four years , moving around the country with her division .
She tended wounds , fed and dressed soldiers , played guitar and sang to her patients .
“ They would sing along , ” she said .
“ They seemed no longer in as much pain .
They seemed at home.
” By the end of the war , she carried three war wounds , including one that makes her limp to this day .
Efremova was having lunch not far from Kaliningrad in Western Russia on May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gun shots .
Efremova ’ s first thought was that it was yet another Nazi attack , but it turns out it was Russian officers firing shots into the air , celebrating victory .
Efremova remembers the joyous moment to this day and says that marking the 75th anniversary of Victory Day is important to Russian veterans .
For many of them , it could be the last one .
She is used to celebrating the occasion with lots of guests in the house .
On Saturday , they are planning a small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there might not be that many such celebrations left .
“ We ’ re the last remaining veterans , ” she said .
The coronavirus does not scare Anatoly Grakovich .
The 91-year-old who fought the Nazis as a teenage member of partisan formations in Soviet Belarus intends to take part in Belarus ’ Victory Day commemorations on Saturday .
The country has not imposed restrictions despite a growing number of confirmed infections and will hold a large parade in Minsk to mark the 75th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1942 at the age of 13 , first as a courier for weapons and eventually as a fighter .
“ Children are less afraid of death .
I did not feel fear , there was excitement .
Only after the war , I began to realize that I was walking along the edge , ” Grakovich said .
In 1943 , he was wounded in his hand during an operation to attack Nazis near the village of Oputok .
“ The partisans were hungry and ate the bark of trees all the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and pain helped me to forget about food .
Then I realized that there can only be one pain , ” he recalled .
Grakovich said he never counted how many Germans he killed , but said he “ cried with joy ” at saving villages from the occupiers .
“ There was a lot of death and filth in the war , but more often it ’ s the bright moments that come to mind , ” he said .
On participation in the parade , he said that “ our president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be afraid of the virus , it ’ s all panic.
” “ War teaches us that fear kills worse than disease .
I was not afraid of diseases then , I ’ m not afraid even now , ” he said .
Follow AP ’ s coverage marking the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe at https : //apnews.com/WorldWarII

YAKUTSK, Russia (AP) - On the 75th anniversary of the allied victory in the World War II, The Associated Press spoke to veterans in ex-Soviet countries and discovered that lessons they learned during the war are helping them cope with a new major challenge - the coronavirus pandemic. As they recalled the horrors of the war, they also talked about how strength and tenacity were key to survival both then and now. Here is some of their testimony.
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‘GIVING IN TO PANIC IS LIKE SURRENDERING TO THE ENEMY’
For Russian World War II veteran Valentina Efremova, the coronavirus pandemic is like going through the war all over again.
After the war, the 96-year-old said, “our lives were improving, year after year. And suddenly there’s this pandemic, which is like another war … this time, a biological one.”
But Efremova knows better than to panic and believes the outbreak - just like the Nazis back in the 1940s - will be defeated in the end. “Giving in to panic is like surrendering to the enemy,” she said.
Efremova served as a nurse in field hospitals on the front lines of the Red Army throughout the war and the apartment she shares with her daughter in Russia’s Far Eastern city of Yakutsk is decorated with numerous war-time photos. Dozens of medals weigh heavily on her jacket.
A 17-year-old high school student, she lived with her family in a small town north of Moscow when the Nazis attacked the Soviet Union in June 1941. It was a nice summer, she recalls, and everyone was planning their vacations.
“And then, like a bombshell, Molotov’s (the USSR’s foreign minister) announcement came: On June 22, at 4 a.m., the war started. Hitler attacked us,” Efremova said.
Efremova was first drafted to dig trenches outside Moscow. After several weeks, she volunteered to help out the army medics and started working in field hospitals. “I’d never had anything to do with medicine, not to mention the horror of seeing mutilated men - both young and old,” she said.
She worked as a military nurse for the next four years, moving around the country with her division. She tended wounds, fed and dressed soldiers, played guitar and sang to her patients. “They would sing along,” she said. “They seemed no longer in as much pain. They seemed at home.”
By the end of the war, she carried three war wounds, including one that makes her limp to this day.
Efremova was having lunch not far from Kaliningrad in Western Russia on May 9, 1945, when she heard gun shots. Efremova’s first thought was that it was yet another Nazi attack, but it turns out it was Russian officers firing shots into the air, celebrating victory.
Efremova remembers the joyous moment to this day and says that marking the 75th anniversary of Victory Day is important to Russian veterans. For many of them, it could be the last one.
She is used to celebrating the occasion with lots of guests in the house. On Saturday, they are planning a small parade outside her window. She realizes there might not be that many such celebrations left.
“We’re the last remaining veterans,” she said.
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FIGHTING SPIRIT HASN’T DIMMED
The coronavirus does not scare Anatoly Grakovich.
The 91-year-old who fought the Nazis as a teenage member of partisan formations in Soviet Belarus intends to take part in Belarus’ Victory Day commemorations on Saturday.
The country has not imposed restrictions despite a growing number of confirmed infections and will hold a large parade in Minsk to mark the 75th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany.
Grakovich began working with the partisans in 1942 at the age of 13, first as a courier for weapons and eventually as a fighter.
“Children are less afraid of death. I did not feel fear, there was excitement. Only after the war, I began to realize that I was walking along the edge,” Grakovich said.
In 1943, he was wounded in his hand during an operation to attack Nazis near the village of Oputok.
“The partisans were hungry and ate the bark of trees all the time, but a wound in the arm and pain helped me to forget about food. Then I realized that there can only be one pain,” he recalled.
Grakovich said he never counted how many Germans he killed, but said he “cried with joy” at saving villages from the occupiers.
“There was a lot of death and filth in the war, but more often it’s the bright moments that come to mind,” he said.
On participation in the parade, he said that “our president says that we don’t need to be afraid of the virus, it’s all panic.”
“War teaches us that fear kills worse than disease. I was not afraid of diseases then, I’m not afraid even now,” he said.
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Karmanau reported from Minsk, Belarus,
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Follow AP’s coverage marking the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe at https://apnews.com/WorldWarII


washingtontimes--2020-05-09--Coronavirus takes a toll in Sweden's immigrant community

STOCKHOLM ( AP ) - The flight from Italy was one of the last arrivals that day at the Stockholm airport .
A Swedish couple in their 50s walked up and loaded their skis into Razzak Khalaf ’ s taxi .
It was early March and concerns over the coronavirus were already present , but the couple , both coughing for the entire 45-minute journey , assured Khalaf they were healthy and just suffering from a change in the weather .
Four days later , the Iraqi immigrant got seriously ill with COVID-19 .
Still not able to return to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growing evidence that those in immigrant communities in the Nordic nations are being hit harder by the pandemic than the general population .
Sweden took a relatively soft approach to fighting the coronavirus , one that attracted international attention .
Large gatherings were banned but restaurants and schools for younger children have stayed open .
The government has urged social distancing , and Swedes have largely complied .
The country has paid a heavy price , with 3,175 fatalities from COVID-19 .
That ’ s more than 31 deaths per 100,000 population , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighboring Denmark , which imposed a strict lockdown early on that is only now being slowly lifted .
Inside Sweden ’ s immigrant communities , anecdotal evidence emerged early in the outbreak that suggested that some - particularly those from Somalia and Iraq - were hit harder than others .
Last month , data from Sweden ’ s Public Health Agency confirmed that Somali Swedes made up almost 5 percent of the country ’ s COVID-19 cases , yet represented less than 1 percent of its 10 million people .
Many in these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowded , multigeneration households and are unable to work remotely .
“ No one cares for taxi drivers in Sweden , ” said Khalaf , who tested positive and was admitted to a hospital when his condition deteriorated .
Despite difficulties breathing , the 49-year-old says he was sent home after six hours and told his body was strong enough to “ fight it off.
” In Finland , Helsinki authorities warned of a similar over-representation among Somali immigrants in the capital - some 200 cases , or about 14 % , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where immigrants make up nearly 15 % of the general population , they represent about 25 % of confirmed coronavirus cases .
“ I think a pandemic like this one , or any crisis will hit the most vulnerable people in society the most wherever in the world , and we see this in many many countries , ” said Isabella Lovin , Sweden ’ s deputy prime minister , in an interview with The Associated Press .
Noting that the virus was spreading faster in some crowded Stockholm suburbs , Lovin said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to some people whose relatives are vulnerable .
Sweden , Norway and Finland recognized early failings in community outreach in minority languages and are seeking to fix this .
The town of Jarfalla , outside Stockholm , has had high school students hand out leaflets in Somali , Persian , French and other languages , urging people to wash their hands and stay home if sick .
With Sweden ’ s relatively low-key approach to fighting the virus that relies mainly on voluntary social distancing , there are concerns the message has not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s important that everyone living here who has a different mother tongue gets the right information , ” said Warda Addallah , a 17-year-old Somali Swede .
Anders Wallensten , Sweden ’ s deputy state epidemiologist , said officials have worked harder on communicating with such groups “ to make sure they have the knowledge to protect themselves and avoid spreading the disease to others.
” But teacher and community activist Rashid Musa says the problem runs much deeper .
“ I wish it were that easy - that you needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ We need to look at the more fundamental issue , which is class , which is racism , which is social status , which is income.
” “ The rich have the opportunity to put themselves into quarantine , they can go to their summer houses , ” Musa said .
A key government recommendation for individuals to work from home if possible is harder in marginalized areas where many have jobs in the service sector .
“ How can a bus driver or a taxi driver work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Evidence of this disparity can be found in anonymous data aggregated by mobile phone operator Telia , which has given the Swedish Health Authority information about population mobility .
By comparing the number of people in an area early in the morning with those who traveled to another area for at least an hour later in the day , Telia estimates how many go to work and how many stay home .
“ We do see certain areas that are maybe more affluent with a bigger number of people working from home , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of data insights for Telia .
Data shows a 12 percentage point difference between Danderyd , one of Stockholm ’ s most affluent suburbs , and Botkryka , one with the highest percentage of first- and second-generation immigrants .
“ Many of our members have contracted the coronavirus , ” said Akil Zahiri , who helps administer the mosque on the outskirts of Stockholm .
“ But you do the best you can.
” Zahiri spoke to the AP as he sat alone in Sweden ’ s largest Shiite mosque coordinating a video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a member who died of COVID-19 .
The sound of prayer crackled through the computer , breaking the silence in the empty hall .
During Ramadan , the month when Muslims fast during the day , the mosque canceled all public events .
Zahiri reminded the congregation to take part in social distancing , urging them to stay home for the Iftar , the daily breaking of the fast after sunset , and to avoid sharing food with friends .
Associated Press writers Jari Tanner in Helsinki , Finland , and Mark Lewis @ @ @ @ @ @ @

STOCKHOLM (AP) - The flight from Italy was one of the last arrivals that day at the Stockholm airport. A Swedish couple in their 50s walked up and loaded their skis into Razzak Khalaf’s taxi.
It was early March and concerns over the coronavirus were already present, but the couple, both coughing for the entire 45-minute journey, assured Khalaf they were healthy and just suffering from a change in the weather. Four days later, the Iraqi immigrant got seriously ill with COVID-19.
Still not able to return to work, Khalaf is part of the growing evidence that those in immigrant communities in the Nordic nations are being hit harder by the pandemic than the general population.
Sweden took a relatively soft approach to fighting the coronavirus, one that attracted international attention. Large gatherings were banned but restaurants and schools for younger children have stayed open. The government has urged social distancing, and Swedes have largely complied.
The country has paid a heavy price, with 3,175 fatalities from COVID-19. That’s more than 31 deaths per 100,000 population, compared with about 8 per 100,000 in neighboring Denmark, which imposed a strict lockdown early on that is only now being slowly lifted.
Inside Sweden’s immigrant communities, anecdotal evidence emerged early in the outbreak that suggested that some - particularly those from Somalia and Iraq - were hit harder than others. Last month, data from Sweden’s Public Health Agency confirmed that Somali Swedes made up almost 5 percent of the country’s COVID-19 cases, yet represented less than 1 percent of its 10 million people.
Many in these communities are more likely to live in crowded, multigeneration households and are unable to work remotely.
“No one cares for taxi drivers in Sweden,” said Khalaf, who tested positive and was admitted to a hospital when his condition deteriorated. Despite difficulties breathing, the 49-year-old says he was sent home after six hours and told his body was strong enough to “fight it off.”
In Finland, Helsinki authorities warned of a similar over-representation among Somali immigrants in the capital - some 200 cases, or about 14%, of all confirmed infections. In Norway, where immigrants make up nearly 15% of the general population, they represent about 25% of confirmed coronavirus cases.
“I think a pandemic like this one, or any crisis will hit the most vulnerable people in society the most wherever in the world, and we see this in many many countries,” said Isabella Lovin, Sweden’s deputy prime minister, in an interview with The Associated Press.
Noting that the virus was spreading faster in some crowded Stockholm suburbs, Lovin said said the city is providing short-term accommodation to some people whose relatives are vulnerable.
Sweden, Norway and Finland recognized early failings in community outreach in minority languages and are seeking to fix this. The town of Jarfalla, outside Stockholm, has had high school students hand out leaflets in Somali, Persian, French and other languages, urging people to wash their hands and stay home if sick.
With Sweden’s relatively low-key approach to fighting the virus that relies mainly on voluntary social distancing, there are concerns the message has not reached everyone in immigrant neighborhoods.
“It’s important that everyone living here who has a different mother tongue gets the right information,” said Warda Addallah, a 17-year-old Somali Swede.
Anders Wallensten, Sweden’s deputy state epidemiologist, said officials have worked harder on communicating with such groups “to make sure they have the knowledge to protect themselves and avoid spreading the disease to others.”
But teacher and community activist Rashid Musa says the problem runs much deeper.
“I wish it were that easy - that you needed to just translate a few papers,” he said. “We need to look at the more fundamental issue, which is class, which is racism, which is social status, which is income.”
“The rich have the opportunity to put themselves into quarantine, they can go to their summer houses,” Musa said.
A key government recommendation for individuals to work from home if possible is harder in marginalized areas where many have jobs in the service sector.
“How can a bus driver or a taxi driver work from home?” Musa asked.
Evidence of this disparity can be found in anonymous data aggregated by mobile phone operator Telia, which has given the Swedish Health Authority information about population mobility. By comparing the number of people in an area early in the morning with those who traveled to another area for at least an hour later in the day, Telia estimates how many go to work and how many stay home.
“We do see certain areas that are maybe more affluent with a bigger number of people working from home,” said Kristofer Agren, the head of data insights for Telia. Data shows a 12 percentage point difference between Danderyd, one of Stockholm’s most affluent suburbs, and Botkryka, one with the highest percentage of first- and second-generation immigrants.
“Many of our members have contracted the coronavirus,” said Akil Zahiri, who helps administer the mosque on the outskirts of Stockholm. “But you do the best you can.”
Zahiri spoke to the AP as he sat alone in Sweden’s largest Shiite mosque coordinating a video call with the congregation to pray for a member who died of COVID-19. The sound of prayer crackled through the computer, breaking the silence in the empty hall.
During Ramadan, the month when Muslims fast during the day, the mosque canceled all public events. Zahiri reminded the congregation to take part in social distancing, urging them to stay home for the Iftar, the daily breaking of the fast after sunset, and to avoid sharing food with friends.
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Associated Press writers Jari Tanner in Helsinki, Finland, and Mark Lewis in Stavanger, Norway, contributed.


washingtontimes--2020-05-09--The Latest: Belarus hosts military parade despite virus

The Latest on the coronavirus pandemic .
The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness or death .
- Germany says Europe must acknowledge it wasn ’ t well-prepared - Seoul shuts down nightclubs , bars and discos after spread of virus linked to clubgoers - Pakistan begins lifting weeks-long lockdown despite another big jump in virus cases MINSK , Belarus - Tens of thousands of people have turned out in the capital of Belarus despite sharply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parade celebrating the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II .
Belarus has not imposed wide-ranging restrictions to halt the virus ’ spread and authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko has dismissed concerns about it as a “ psychosis.
” At Saturday ’ s parade of some 3,000 soldiers , Lukashenko said Belarus ’ ordeal in the war “ is incomparable with any difficulties of the present day.
” Some aged war veterans in the stands at the parade wore masks , but in general there were few masks to be seen in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country of about 9 million , has recorded more than 21,000 cases of coronavirus infection .
BERLIN - German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas says Europe must acknowledge that it “ wasn ’ t well-prepared ” for the coronavirus pandemic .
In a statement marking Europe Day , Maas said that initially most countries , including Germany , were focused on coping with the outbreak at home .
While defending the national response as “ necessary , in order to safeguard our ability to act and then also help other , ” Maas said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crisis.
” The EU ’ s sluggish response has given way to cross-border medical aid , a massive financial support package and coordinated scientific research programs .
Maas called the solidarity provided by EU member states “ unique in the world , ” adding that Germany wants the bloc to emerge from the crisis stronger .
Berlin takes over the six-month rotating presidency of the 27-nation EU on July 1 .
MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin has marked the anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parade and pomp by the coronavirus pandemic .
Putin laid flowers at the tomb of the unknown soldier just outside the Kremlin walls and gave a short address honoring the valor and suffering of the Soviet army during the war .
Victory Day is Russia ’ s most important secular holiday .
This year ’ s observance had been expected to be especially large because it is the 75th anniversary .
The Red Square military parade and a mass procession called The Immortal Regiment were postponed as part of measures to stifle the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vestige of the conventional show of military might was a flyover of central Moscow by 75 warplanes and helicopters .
SEOUL , South Korea - Seoul has shut down more than 2,100 nightclubs , hostess bars , and discos after dozens of infections were linked to clubgoers who went out last weekend as the country relaxed social distancing guidelines .
The measures imposed by Mayor Park Won-soon on Saturday came after the national government urged entertainment venues around the nation to close or otherwise enforce anti-virus measures , including distancing , temperature checks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to wear masks .
Park said that the entry bans on the facilities will be maintained until the city concludes the infections risks as meaningfully lowered .
South Korea ’ s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier said 18 fresh cases were reported in the 24 hours to midnight Friday , all but one of them linked to a 29-year-old man who visited three clubs in Seoul ’ s Itaewon district last Saturday before testing positive on Tuesday .
But Park said 16 more cases were confirmed in Seoul alone in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brought the total number of infections linked to clubgoers to 40 - 27 in Seoul , 12 in neighboring Incheon and Gyeonggi province towns , and one in the southern port city of Busan .
The KCDC , which complies data from local governments , couldn ’ t immediately confirm Park ’ s numbers .
FRANKFORT , Ky. - A federal court has halted the Kentucky governor ’ s temporary ban on mass gatherings from applying to in-person religious services .
The temporary restraining order issued Friday prevents Democratic Gov .
Andy Beshear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on mass gatherings at “ any in-person religious service which adheres to applicable social distancing and hygiene guidelines.
” The ruling sided with the Tabernacle Baptist Church , but applies statewide .
Two other federal judges had previously ruled the ban was constitutional .
But also on Friday , one of those judges in a separate order granted Maryville Baptist Church an injunction allowing in-person services at that specific church .
Beshear had previously announced that places of worship could hold in-person services starting May 20 , as part of a broader plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy .
Earlier Friday , he outlined reopening requirements , including limiting attendance at in-person services to 33 % of building occupancy capacity .
Beshear ’ s office had not issued a statement on the injunctions as late Friday ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has begun lifting the weeks-long lockdown that was enforced to curb the spread of the coronavirus , as authorities reported another big jump of 1,637 cases which rose to 27,474 with 24 new fatalities .
Army soldiers who manned roadside checkpoints along with police since late March when the lockdown was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barracks in the capital , Islamabad and elsewhere in the country on Saturday .
The latest development comes two days after the prime minister Imran Khan said he was ending the lockdown in phases because his government was unable to financially help those millions of people who rely on their daily earnings to survive and feed their families .
Khan says he tried to financially help the country ’ s poor amid the pandemic , but he was unable to support all those who lost their jobs due to the lockdown .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the country ’ s powerful clerical establishment by allowing mosques to remain open , even as the number of new cases has recently increased .
So far , Pakistan has reported 618 coronavirus-related deaths , although it had its first case in February .
Pakistan has warned that it will reimpose the lockdown if people do not adhere to social distancing guidelines , which experts say could cause a peak later this month .
Although Pakistan has lifted curbs on several economic sectors and allowed business activities to reopen , schools will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brazil — A funeral home business leader for Brazil ’ s state that covers much of the Amazon region says emergency coffin shipments have started to arrive for people who have died of COVID-19 .
Manuel Viana is president of the Amazonas Union of Funeral Companies and said Friday that more than 500 coffins were delivered by ship to Manaus , the largest city in Amazonas state .
He says hundreds more are on the way and will be distributed in Manaus and other cities in the region .
Manaus is one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths and Viana says there are predictions that the city of more than 2 million could have more than 4,300 deaths in May .
A Johns Hopkins University count says there have been more than 10,000 COVID-19 deaths so far in Latin America ’ s largest and most populous country .
A Brazil funeral home association last week requested an airlift of coffins to Manaus .
SEOUL , South Korea - North Korea says leader Kim Jong Un sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin to congratulate him on the 75th anniversary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ II and wishing Russia success in fighting its coronavirus outbreak .
The report by Pyongyang ’ s official Korean Central News Agency on Saturday came a day after it reported Kim sent a personal message to Chinese President Xi Jinping to praise what he described as China ’ s success in getting its COVID-19 epidemic under control .
Some experts say the North could intensify its diplomatic outreach to neighbors , particularly China , as it seeks economic help after closing its border for months to fend off the virus .
KCNA says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president and people of Russia sure victory in their struggle to build a powerful Russia by carrying forward the tradition of the great victory in the war and to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection.
” HONOLULU - Hawaii is reporting no new cases of the coronavirus for the first time in nearly two months .
The state Department of Health said the number of positive cases remained at 629 .
The last time there was no new case was on March 13 .
At that point , Hawaii had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hawaii has been under a statewide stay-at-home order since the last week of March to slow the spread of the virus .
Gov .
David Ige has begun relaxing some restrictions .
Hawaii also requires those arriving in the state and traveling between the islands to observe 14 days of quarantine .
ASHLAND , Ore. - The Oregon Shakespeare Festival , a major tourist draw in southern Oregon , is cancelling its fall season due to the coronavirus outbreak .
In a statement the festival noted Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown recently said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the state until at least late September .
The company ’ s season was to begin Sept. 8 .
The festival urged 2020 ticketholders to donate tickets or consider a voucher for use in 2021 .
The Tony Award-winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival is among the oldest and largest professional nonprofit theaters in the nation .
It prides itself on offering outdoor showings of Shakespeare ’ s plays performed in a venue similar to what his contemporary audiences would have experienced , but it also offers other types of theater in indoor performance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s governor says the state will have 250 workers in place by the end of next week to contact people infected with the new coronavirus and track down people they have been in close contact with .
Such “ contact tracing ” is a key factor in whether the state will be able to start easing restrictions and closures of businesses .
Democratic Gov .
John Bel Edwards is under increasing pressure from Republican officials to restart Louisiana ’ s economy .
Increased testing is also a factor , and Edwards said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 200,000 tests for the month of May .
Edwards said the state has signed contracts with two companies that will establish the contact tracing system .
That will bolster the 70 contact tracers currently working .
The state expects to eventually hire as many as 700 contract tracers if needed .
Edwards ’ current emergency order , banning gatherings of more than 10 people and closing many nonessential businesses , expires May 15 .
He plans to announce Monday whether the restrictions will be extended .
Follow AP news coverage of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak .

The Latest on the coronavirus pandemic. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.
TOP OF THE HOUR:
- South Korea president says citizens shouldn’t panic over rise in new virus cases.
- 3 members of White House coronavirus task force place themselves in quarantine.
- Obama criticizes Trump on handling of coronavirus.
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SEOUL, South Korea - South Korea’s president is urging citizens not to lower their guard down, but said there’s no reason to be panicked amid worries about a new surge in the coronavirus outbreak in the country.
President Moon Jae-in made the comments in a speech Sunday as his health authorities detected a slew of new cases linked to nightclubs in Seoul’s Itaewon district in recent days. Earlier, South Korea’s caseload had been waning for weeks, prompting authorities to relax their social distancing rules.
“The infection cluster which recently occurred in entertainment facilities,” Moon said, “has raised awareness that, even during the stabilization phase, similar situations can arise again anytime, anywhere in an enclosed, crowded space.”
Moon added that, “We must never lower our guard regarding epidemic prevention.” But he also said “there’s no reason to stand still out of fear. “
Moon says South Korea has “the right quarantine and medical systems combined with experience to respond quickly to any unexpected infection clusters that might occur.”
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SEOUL, South Korea - South Korea reported 34 additional cases of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours as a spate of transmissions linked to clubgoers threatens the country’s hard-won gains in its fight against the virus.
Figures released Sunday by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention increased national totals to 10,874 with 256 deaths. The agency said 9,610 have recovered and 10,128 others were undergoing tests to determine whether they’ve contracted the virus.
The agency said a tentative assessment showed 26 of the 34 new patients were locally transmitted cases, while the rest were imported. South Korean media reported it was the first time that South Korea’s daily jump has marked above 30 in about a month.
The agency didn’t immediately provide further details. But most of the new cases in the past few days were linked to nightclubs in Seoul’s Itaewon entertainment neighborhood.
Officials on Friday said they detected at least 15 infections linked to a 29-year-old man who had visited three Itaewon clubs before testing positive Wednesday.
The infections raised worries about a new surge in South Korea, which had for weeks recorded a continuously declining number of new cases after having once had hundreds of new cases each day until early March.
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CANBERRA, Australia - Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt says the government supports a European Union motion for an independent investigation into the origins of COVID-19 in China.
The Australian government has called for such an inquiry for some weeks to better understand how the coronavirus started in Wuhan, China, to be able counter such pandemics in the future. The move has resulted in a critical response from China, Australia’s No. 1 trading partner.
“We support the EU motion which includes an independent investigation, regulatory work on wet markets and also the potential for independent inspection powers,” Hunt told Sky News on Sunday.
Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the EU’s executive arm, said last week she would like to see China work together with her organization, and others, to determine how the virus emerged.
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BEIJING - China reported its first double-digit rise in new rises cases in 10 days Sunday, saying 14 new cases had been detected, 12 of them domestic infections and two brought from abroad.
Eleven of those domestic cases were in the northeastern province of Jilin and 1 in Hubei province, whose capital Wuhan is considered to have been the epicenter of the global pandemic. Jilin shares a border with North Korea, where the virus situation is unclear but whose vastly inadequate health system has been offered help by China in dealing with any outbreak.
No new virus deaths have been reported in China for almost 1 month and the number of people in treatment for COVID-19 nationwide fell to 148, with another 798 people under isolation and observation as either suspected cases or for having tested positive for the virus while showing no symptoms. China has reported a total of 4,633 total death 82,901 cases.
The jump in new cases could fuel concerns over how quickly to lift strict social distancing measures and re-open schools and other public institutions. Widely disseminated photos of people socializing in Shanghai’s bar district over the weekend drew some criticism online. China last reported more than 10 cases on May, with 12, half of them imported. Reports cover the number of new cases recorded over the previous 24 hours.
Having downgraded all counties in districts to low risk from the virus, China has raised one of them, Shulan, in Jilin, after the province on May 10 reported a jump in cases to 11, bringing a tightening of social distancing and quarantine measures.
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WASHINGTON - Three members of the White House coronavirus task force, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, placed themselves in quarantine after contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, another stark reminder that not even one of the nation’s most secure buildings is immune from the virus.
Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a leading member of the task force, has become nationally known for his simple and direct explanations to the public about the coronavirus and COVID-19, the disease it causes. Also quarantining are Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, Stephen Hahn.
Fauci’s institute said he has tested negative for COVID-19 and will continue to be tested regularly. It added that he is considered at “relatively low risk” based on the degree of his exposure, and that he would be “taking appropriate precautions” to mitigate the risk to personal contacts while still carrying out his duties. While he will stay at home and telework, Fauci will go to the White House if called and take every precaution, the institute said.
Redfield will be “teleworking for the next two weeks” after it was determined he had a “low risk exposure” to a person at the White House, the CDC said in a statement Saturday evening. The statement said he felt fine and has no symptoms.
Just a few hours earlier, the Food and Drug Administration confirmed that Hahn had come in contact with someone who tested positive and was in self-quarantine for the next two weeks. He tested negative for the virus.
Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary tested positive for the coronavirus Friday, making her the second person who works at the White House complex known to test positive for the virus this week. White House officials had confirmed Thursday that a member of the military serving as one of Trump’s valets tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday.
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OLYMPIA, Wash. - Opponents of Washington’s stay-at-home order to slow the coronavirus rallied again Saturday at the state Capitol.
Meanwhile, some residents who reported stay-at-home violators said they’ve received threats after far-right groups posted their personal information on Facebook.
Some of the complainants who reported to the state businesses allegedly violating the order say the Facebook posts have generated threats of violence and harassment against them, The Seattle Times reported. One group publicizing the names, the far-right Washington Three Percenters, has promoted the stay-at-home protests and one of its leaders spoke at Saturday’s demonstration.
State officials said the groups likely acquired the information through public records requests. Saturday’s rally drew roughly 1,500 people, according to the Washington State Patrol. That was fewer than the more than 2,000 who attended a similar protest last month.
Gov. Jay Inslee has extended stay-at-home restrictions, but has been allowing some retail and recreational activity to resume with modifications designed to impede the spread of COVID-19.
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LOS ANGELES - Hiking to the Hollywood sign and hitting the links is being allowed Saturday as the California county hardest hit by the coronavirus cautiously reopened some sites to recreation-starved stay-at-homers.
Los Angeles County permitted the reopening of trails and golf courses, but with social distancing restrictions. For those interested in retail therapy, there was even better news as Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday allowed tens of thousands of stores to reopen, including florist shops, just in time for Mother’s Day.
The city of Los Angeles announced it also was reopening some public spaces, including sprawling Griffith Park, which includes popular paths to the Hollywood sign.
But mounted police and park rangers would be keeping hikers to small, distant groups wearing face coverings. Mayor Eric Garcetti urged “good judgment” and said the city would rely on education and encouragement rather than heavy-handed enforcement.
It was “not our vision to make this like a junior high school dance with people standing too close to each other,” he said.
County beaches could reopen next week with restrictions designed to keep people from thronging the shore and possibly spreading COVID-19.
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DENVER — Colorado has reached 967 deaths from the coronavirus, and more than 19,300 people have tested positive for the illness, state health officials said.
The state Department of Public Health and Environment said Saturday more than 100,000 have been tested for COVID-19.
State data show more than 3,600 have been hospitalized since the outbreak. Fewer than 600 people were in Colorado hospitals with symptoms of the illness as of Friday.
On Saturday, a host of Denver businesses - from clothing stores to hair salons - opened their doors for the first time in nearly two months as Mayor Michael Hancock’s stay-at-home order expired, The Denver Post reported. Business owners who have been hard hit financially say it’s the only way to stay afloat as they try to recoup lost sales while giving their employees a much-needed paycheck.
But despite the go-ahead from city leaders, many business owners are choosing to keep their stores shut for now. Those who have made the choice not to resume walk-in business say there is simply not enough evidence yet that bringing workers and customers back into their spaces is safe and won’t contribute to the spread of COVID-19.
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RIO RANCHO, N.M. — New Mexico Republicans and sheriffs are asking U.S. Attorney General William Barr to look into Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s health orders aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19.
State Republican Party Chairman Steve Pearce and New Mexico Sheriffs’ Association President Tony Mace each sent letters to Barr last week seeking a review into the health orders that have shuttered some businesses since late March. They say the orders, which have closed several small businesses, violate residents’ civil rights.
“We want to express our fears and frustrations regarding New Mexico Gov. Lujan Grisham’s public health order, a policy many in our state believe to be a blatant violation of peoples’ civil rights, liberties and their right to conduct free commerce,” Pearce wrote. “The situation in New Mexico is one that is unjust and inequitable.”
Mace, the Cibola County sheriff and a frequent critic of fellow Democrat Lujan Grisham, said the health order was unfairly hurting residents.
“The governor has been discriminatory in her policies, keeping big box corporate giants open - draining New Mexico dollars out of state - while shutting down mom and pop locally owned establishments,” Mase wrote. “This is not only preferential treatment for the big box stores but a violation of the civil rights of our small business owners whose livelihoods are now in free fall.”
In an interview with The Associated Press, Pearce said he wanted Barr to look at New Mexico to see if the U.S. Constitution “is being respected” during the health order.
A spokeswoman for Lujan Grisham declined to comment.
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GATLINBURG, Tenn. — The reopening of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was a little too tempting a draw Saturday as scores of nature lovers from dozens of states crowded trails and trekked into blocked-off areas, a spokeswoman said.
Even with some of the most popular trails closed, parking lots were packed and lines of cars snaked down tree-lined streets, in one case for about a mile leading up to a waterfall path, according to park spokeswoman Dana Soehn. Many people did not wear masks.
“It seemed like people were not respecting our suggestion that they avoid crowded areas,” said Soehn, adding that she counted license plates from 24 states in one visitor center parking lot.
Visitors also walked past heavy barricades on one of the park’s most trafficked trails, Laurel Falls, which was closed off to heed federal social distancing guidelines, she said.
On the Tennessee-North Carolina border, the Great Smoky Mountains is the county’s most visited national park. It was closed March 24 after officials said it was becoming too congested during the coronavirus pandemic.
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WASHINGTON — Former President Barack Obama harshly criticized President Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic as an “absolute chaotic disaster” during a conversation with ex-members of his administration, according to a recording obtained by Yahoo News.
Obama’s comments Friday came during a call with 3,000 people who served in his administration. He said combating the virus would have been bad even for the best of governments, but it’s been “an absolute chaotic disaster” when the mindset of “what’s in it for me” infiltrates government.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said that President Trump’s response “has been unprecedented and saved American lives.”
The United States has suffered nearly 80,000 deaths from COVID-19, the most of any nation.
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Follow AP news coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.