Saudi Arabia intercepts two missiles fired by Yemen's Houthis - Reuters

CAIRO (Reuters) - The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said early on Sunday that the kingdom’s air defenses intercepted two ballistic missiles on Saturday night launched by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group toward Riyadh and the city of Jizan, Saudi state news agency (SPA) said citing the coalition’s spokesman.

The coalition’s spokesman, Colonel Turki al-Malki, said in a statement that no fatalities had been recorded so far. He said destroying the missiles caused some shrapnel to fall on residential neighborhoods in the two cities, SPA reported.

The spokesman added that firing missiles at this time by the Houthis and Iranian Revolutionary Guards showed the real threat the group and Iranian regime supporting it pose, adding that this escalation does not reflect the group’s announcement that it is welcoming a ceasefire.

Reporting by Nayera Abdallah; Editing by Daniel Wallis

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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2020-03-29 08:51:45Z
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Stunning photos show Pope Francis praying to an empty St. Peter's Square amid the coronavirus - USA TODAY

Joshua Bote USA TODAY

Published 5:35 PM EDT Mar 28, 2020

As Easter approaches, images from an empty St. Peter's Square during a prayer Friday paint a stark portrait of the Vatican, which, along with surrounding Italy, has been afflicted by coronavirus.

During the Urbi and Orbi prayer, Pope Francis stood underneath a canopy as he spoke to an empty St. Peter's Square.

The Pope likened the coronavirus pandemic to an "unexpected, turbulent storm" that brings us on "the same boat."

He also expressed gratitude for the "ordinary people ... who do not appear in newspaper and magazine headlines" – doctors, nurses, grocery store workers and cleaners, among other essential employees working at the frontline of the pandemic.

'How we can show love for the most vulnerable': Churches cancel in-person Easter services

This moment of prayer provides an example of how the pope will celebrate many of the Catholic Church's largest masses amid this crisis. He will celebrate Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Easter vigil and Easter Sunday at the basilica's central altar.

Italy’s outbreak includes the world’s highest number of deaths for a single nation. The Vatican has four confirmed cases.

Contributing: The Associated Press. Follow Joshua Bote on Twitter: @joshua_bote

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2020-03-28 21:23:32Z
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Brazil's Bolsonaro questions coronavirus deaths, says 'sorry, some will die' - Reuters

RIO DE JANEIRO/SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro on Friday cast doubt on Sao Paulo’s death toll from the coronavirus outbreak and accused the state governor of manipulating the numbers for political ends, without giving evidence for his claims.

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro speaks at media statement announcing economic measures during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Brasilia, Brazil, March 27, 2020. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino

Bolsonaro’s accusations were the latest broadside in an ugly battle with Brazil’s governors, who have chafed at the president’s view that protecting the economy takes priority over social distancing measures to combat the spread of the highly contagious virus.

Following the advice of public health experts, the vast majority of the country’s 26 governors have banned non-essential commercial activities and public services to contain the outbreak in their states.

“I’m sorry, some people will die, they will die, that’s life,” Bolsonaro said in a television interview on Friday night. “You can’t stop a car factory because of traffic deaths.”

Bolsonaro said that in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil’s economic powerhouse, the death toll seemed “too large.” Sao Paulo has the most cases and deaths so far of coronavirus in Brazil, at 1,223 cases and 68 deaths.

“We need to look at what is happening there, this cannot be a numbers game to favor political interests,” Bolsonaro said.

Earlier on Friday, Sao Paulo Governor Joao Doria, a former Bolsonaro ally who many expect to be a rival in the 2022 presidential election, accused Bolsonaro of promoting “disinformation” by launching a TV ad campaign criticizing the restrictions, featuring the slogan “#BrazilCannotStop.”

The slogan is similar to a campaign in Milan before deaths in Italy soared.

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Brazil’s justice ministry on Friday barred all non-resident foreigners from entering the country via its airports. The travel ban goes into effect on Monday and follows similar measures in several other South American nations.

Also on Friday, Brazil’s central bank called for emergency bond-buying powers in line with ‘quantitative easing’ policies in other countries, while unveiling a 40 billion reais credit line to help smaller companies with payroll.

Economy Minister Paulo Guedes said the government will offer 45 billion reais to self-employed and informal workers, adding that all the government’s coronavirus-fighting measures will total 700 billion reais over three months.

Confirmed coronavirus cases in the country jumped to 3,417 on Friday from 1,891 on Monday, as related deaths climbed to 92, according to the Health Ministry.

Bolsonaro’s popularity has slipped during the crisis, and many people across Brazil bang pots and pans in their windows nightly in protest at his handling of it.

In counterprotests on Friday, Bolsonaro supporters drove honking caravans through major cities to oppose the lockdowns, sharing social media videos with the #BrazilCannotStop hashtag.

The TV advertisement, shared on social media by Bolsonaro allies including his son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, was commissioned by the president’s office at a cost of 4.9 million reais ($1 million) without consulting the Health Ministry, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.

“For the neighborhood salesmen, for the shop owners in city centers, for domestic employees, for millions of Brazilians, Brazil cannot stop,” said the ad, which shows scenes of crowded classrooms and street markets.

The slogan is similar to #MilanWillNotStop, which became popular in northern Italy in February. Italy went on to become a global epicenter of the outbreak, with more deaths than China.

Slideshow (14 Images)

The mayor of Milan, Beppe Sala, has said he regrets sharing the hashtag.

“Many have referred to that video with a hashtag #MilanWillNotStop. It was a video which went viral on the internet. Everyone was sharing it, I also shared it, rightly or wrongly, probably wrongly,” Sala said in a television interview.

A Health Ministry official told reporters the ministry would not comment on Bolsonaro and that guidelines recommending social distancing remained the same.

Additional reporting by Tatiana Bautzer and Angelo Amante; Editing by Gabriel Stargardter, Brad Haynes and Sonya Hepinstall

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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2020-03-28 20:36:56Z
CAIiEPap-_-FQsZJfV91PjuIU44qFQgEKg0IACoGCAowt6AMMLAmMJSCDg

Italy's coronavirus death toll passes 10,000. Many are asking why the fatality rate is so high - CNN

"We were told we cannot both sit in the front," said the CNN journalist, who was on her way to hospital with her husband to visit a sick relative.

"We have a special certificate giving us permission to go to the hospital," she said, adding that the relative does not have coronavirus.

Such are the tight restrictions on Italians now living in the deadliest hotspot of the global coronavirus pandemic.

Italy's death toll is now the highest in the world at 10,023. Fatalities passed the grim milestone on Saturday, with an increase of 889 since the last figures were released on Friday, according to Italy's Civil Protection Agency.

With 92,472 confirmed cases, Italy appears to have the highest death rate on the planet. Compare it to China, the epicenter of the pandemic, which has a roughly similar number of confirmed cases at 81,997, but under a third as many deaths, at 3,299, according to Johns Hopkins University and Medicine.

Indeed Italy now has the second-highest number of confirmed cases in the world after the United States, which stands at 105,470. But the US has a fraction of the deaths, at just over 1,700.

As Italy enters its sixth week of restrictions, many are asking: why does its death rate seem so much higher than other countries?

Experts say it's down to a combination of factors, like the country's large elderly population which is more susceptible to the virus, and the method of testing that's not giving the full picture about infections.

Distorted numbers

Italy's number of confirmed cases is "not representative of the entire infected population," said Dr. Massimo Galli, head of the infectious disease unit at Sacco Hospital in Milan. The real figure was "much much more."

Only the most severe cases are being tested, added Galli, and not the entire population -- which in turn, skews the death rate.

In the northern Lombardy region, which has the majority of cases, about 5,000 swabs are being carried out daily, said Galli. He added this was "much lower than needed, with "thousands of people waiting for diagnosis at their home."

A major obstacle for health workers carrying out tests, was limited protective gear available, he said.

In a stark warning to other countries, Galli said: "We have a national healthcare system that works very well, especially in Lombardy -- but even our system has been hit by this.

"Miracles have been done in multiplying the numbers of beds in hospitals," said the health expert. But medicine "has been lacking -- and this is a big problem that will be felt by other countries."

Elderly at risk

Another factor in the seemingly high death rate is Italy's elderly population, which is the largest in the world behind Japan.

The average age of Italian patients who have died after testing positive for the virus was 78, the country's Health Institute said Friday.

Galli said that until now, Italy's public healthcare system was able to keep a lot of elderly people with pre-existing medical conditions alive.

But these patients were in "a really fragile situation that can be broken by a virus like coronavirus," he added.

Still, there have been some stories of hope. Like 102-year-old woman Italica Grondona, who recovered from coronavirus in the northern city of Genoa after spending more than 20 days in hospital, doctors who treated the woman and her nephew told CNN.

'We nicknamed her Highlander -- the immortal," said doctor Vera Sicbaldi. "Italica represents a hope for all the elderly facing this pandemic."

Severity of sanctions

Meanwhile, some experts have questioned whether Italy's restrictions have gone far enough in halting the virus spread.

China's Wuhan city was the first to impose a sweeping lockdown on its 11 million citizens back in January, with all flights, trains and buses canceled and highway entrances blocked.

Now, more than two months later, officials in the pandemic epicenter are looking to ease those restrictions as new cases dry up. Italy meanwhile, is steadily ramping things up.

Italians now face steep fines of up to 3,000 euros ($3,350) for defying government orders of only going outside for essential items like food, Reuters reported.

But Dr. Giorgio Palu, former president of the European and Italian Society for Virology and a professor of virology and microbiology of the University of Padova, told CNN that the Italian measures are "not so forceful or strict like the Chinese ones."

"But this is the best you can do in a democracy," he added, pointing to the draconian restrictions implemented by China's communist state.

That said, "some constitutional rights are taken from us," Palu said of Italians' freedom. "We can't have public gatherings now."

But with the death toll continuing to rise, Italy's restrictions don't look like easing up any time soon.

CNN's Nicola Ruotolo in Rome and Sharon Braithwaite in London contributed to this report.

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2020-03-28 19:15:00Z
52780695185686

Italy’s Coronavirus Deaths Surpass 10,000 With New Cases Stable - Bloomberg

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

1. Italy’s Coronavirus Deaths Surpass 10,000 With New Cases Stable  Bloomberg
2. Italy reports record 919 COVID-19 deaths in a day  Al Jazeera English
3. Lombardy Coronavirus Deaths Near 6000 as Italy Mulls Extending Lockdown  U.S. News & World Report
4. Italy’s Death Toll Tops 10,000 in a Europe Divided by Virus  Bloomberg
5. Coronavirus deaths in Italy pass 10,000 with 889 new fatalities  The Guardian
6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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2020-03-28 18:52:32Z
52780695080443

Italy's coronavirus death toll passes 10,000. Many are asking why the fatality rate is so high - CNN

"We were told we cannot both sit in the front," said the CNN journalist, who was on her way to hospital with her husband to visit a sick relative.

"We have a special certificate giving us permission to go to the hospital," she said, adding that the relative does not have coronavirus.

Such are the tight restrictions on Italians now living in the deadliest hotspot of the global coronavirus pandemic.

Italy's death toll is now the highest in the world at 10,023. Fatalities passed the grim milestone on Saturday, with an increase of 889 since the last figures were released on Friday, according to Italy's Civil Protection Agency.

With 92,472 confirmed cases, Italy appears to have the highest death rate on the planet. Compare it to China, the epicenter of the pandemic, which has a roughly similar number of confirmed cases at 81,997, but under a third as many deaths, at 3,299, according to Johns Hopkins University and Medicine.

Indeed Italy now has the second-highest number of confirmed cases in the world after the United States, which stands at 105,470. But the US has a fraction of the deaths, at just over 1,700.

As Italy enters its sixth week of restrictions, many are asking: why does its death rate seem so much higher than other countries?

Experts say it's down to a combination of factors, like the country's large elderly population which is more susceptible to the virus, and the method of testing that's not giving the full picture about infections.

Distorted numbers

Italy's number of confirmed cases is "not representative of the entire infected population," said Dr. Massimo Galli, head of the infectious disease unit at Sacco Hospital in Milan. The real figure was "much much more."

Only the most severe cases are being tested, added Galli, and not the entire population -- which in turn, skews the death rate.

In the northern Lombardy region, which has the majority of cases, about 5,000 swabs are being carried out daily, said Galli. He added this was "much lower than needed, with "thousands of people waiting for diagnosis at their home."

A major obstacle for health workers carrying out tests, was limited protective gear available, he said.

In a stark warning to other countries, Galli said: "We have a national healthcare system that works very well, especially in Lombardy -- but even our system has been hit by this.

"Miracles have been done in multiplying the numbers of beds in hospitals," said the health expert. But medicine "has been lacking -- and this is a big problem that will be felt by other countries."

Elderly at risk

Another factor in the seemingly high death rate is Italy's elderly population, which is the largest in the world behind Japan.

The average age of Italian patients who have died after testing positive for the virus was 78, the country's Health Institute said Friday.

Galli said that until now, Italy's public healthcare system was able to keep a lot of elderly people with pre-existing medical conditions alive.

But these patients were in "a really fragile situation that can be broken by a virus like coronavirus," he added.

Still, there have been some stories of hope. Like 102-year-old woman Italica Grondona, who recovered from coronavirus in the northern city of Genoa after spending more than 20 days in hospital, doctors who treated the woman and her nephew told CNN.

'We nicknamed her Highlander -- the immortal," said doctor Vera Sicbaldi. "Italica represents a hope for all the elderly facing this pandemic."

Severity of sanctions

Meanwhile, some experts have questioned whether Italy's restrictions have gone far enough in halting the virus spread.

China's Wuhan city was the first to impose a sweeping lockdown on its 11 million citizens back in January, with all flights, trains and buses canceled and highway entrances blocked.

Now, more than two months later, officials in the pandemic epicenter are looking to ease those restrictions as new cases dry up. Italy meanwhile, is steadily ramping things up.

Italians now face steep fines of up to 3,000 euros ($3,350) for defying government orders of only going outside for essential items like food, Reuters reported.

But Dr. Giorgio Palu, former president of the European and Italian Society for Virology and a professor of virology and microbiology of the University of Padova, told CNN that the Italian measures are "not so forceful or strict like the Chinese ones."

"But this is the best you can do in a democracy," he added, pointing to the draconian restrictions implemented by China's communist state.

That said, "some constitutional rights are taken from us," Palu said of Italians' freedom. "We can't have public gatherings now."

But with the death toll continuing to rise, Italy's restrictions don't look like easing up any time soon.

CNN's Nicola Ruotolo in Rome and Sharon Braithwaite in London contributed to this report.

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2020-03-28 18:24:51Z
CAIiEE83XyExRp38ykr7VcXrvYwqGQgEKhAIACoHCAowocv1CjCSptoCMPrTpgU

Coronavirus live updates: Trump to send off hospital ship; US infections pass 100,000; all Disney parks stay closed - USA TODAY

USA TODAY

Published 2:24 PM EDT Mar 28, 2020

President Donald Trump travels to Norfolk, Va. on Saturday to give a send-off for a naval hospital ship bound for New York City and a new coronavirus test was approved that could be a "game changer." 

Trump said Saturday he is considering imposing a two-week quarantine on New York and parts of New Jersey and Connecticut to deal with the rapid spread of the coronavirus.

"We'd like to see New York quarantined because it's a hot spot," Trump told reporters from the White House South Lawn as he departed for Norfolk. "I'm thinking about that right now. We might not have to do it, but there's a possibility that sometime today we'll do a quarantine."

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he had no idea what Trump was talking about: "I don’t even know what means. I don’t know how that could be legally enforceable."

A five-minute, point-of-care coronavirus test could be coming to urgent care clinics next week, and experts say it could be "game-changing."

The U.S. counted more than 105,000 cases of coronavirus early Saturday, with at least 1,700 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University data dashboard. More confirmations are expected as the U.S. ramps up testing. 

More than 600,000 people are known to have been infected globally, and roughly 27,000 have died. 

Our live blog is being updated throughout the day. Refresh for the latest news. More headlines:

• Q&A: How could the historic $2 trillion coronavirus economic recovery package benefit you?

• When will stores reopen in coronavirus pandemic? Not soon. Some are closed indefinitely.

• This is a stunning photo of Pope Francis praying to an empty St. Peter's Square.

• How is coronavirus spreading so fast? A math lesson you probably forgot holds the answer.

• The basics on the coronavirus: What you need to know as the US becomes the new epicenter of the pandemic. 

Trump to give send-off to naval hospital ship bound for NYC

President Donald Trump travels to Norfolk, Virginia, to give a ceremonial send-off to a naval hospital ship departing for New York City to help with the response to the rapid spread of the virus.

The USNS Comfort is equipped with 1,000 hospital beds and will carry more than 1,200 medical personnel and supplies to New York, which has become the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S.

The doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists, x-ray technicians, orderlies and other medical staff aboard the vessel will support New York City’s medical community and conserve hospital capacity by treating some virus patients aboard the ship, the White House said.

The ship was not scheduled to leave for New York Harbor for another three weeks, but officials pushed up its departure date because of the rapid spread of the virus.

The USNS Mercy, another naval hospital ship, arrived Friday in Los Angeles to help in the city's response to the global pandemic.

– Michael Collins

Trump signs historic relief package into law

A bipartisan $2 trillion aid package was approved by the House of Representatives and signed by President Donald Trump on Friday, as the nation wrestles with unemployment and health threats from the coronavirus.

The stimulus provides $1,200 to most Americans along with funds for small businesses and unemployment insurance.

"I want to thank Democrats and Republicans for coming together and putting America first," Trump said at the signing.

While the president’s signature ended the legislative effort on Capitol Hill, it marked a beginning to the government’s work managing the crisis. Now the Trump administration must rapidly pump hundreds of billions of dollars into the economy in the form of direct payments, loans and grants to hard-hit industries such as the airlines.

– Christal Hayes

Daily coronavirus updates: Get USA TODAY's Daily Briefing in your inbox.

New coronavirus test could be a 'game changer'

A five-minute, point-of-care coronavirus test could be coming to hospitals next week.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued Emergency Use Authorization to Abbott Labs on Friday for a coronavirus test that delivers positive results in as little as five minutes and negative results in 13 minutes, the company said.

The company expects the tests to be available next week and expects to ramp up manufacturing to deliver 50,000 tests per day.

"I am pleased that the FDA authorized Abbott's point of care test yesterday. This is big news and will help get more of these tests out in the field rapidly," said FDA Commissioner Steve Hahn in a statement. "We know how important it is to get point of care tests out in the field quickly. These tests that can give results quickly can be a game changer in diagnosing COVID-19."

– Grace Hauck

Could MLB season go to Thanksgiving?

No one knows when the Major League Baseball season will start this year, or if it is played at all.

If there is a season, there’s no telling whether games will be played in front of fans, in empty stadiums or at neutral sites.

There could be more scheduled doubleheaders than ever before, prolonged stretches with no days off, and for the first time since World War II, no All-Star Game.

No one has the answers yet, but players union chief Tony Clark said Friday that no matter what the conditions – provided it’s safe – the players want to play baseball as soon and for long as possible.

Yes, even up until Thanksgiving.

“Players want to play,’’ Clark said, “That’s what we do. Being able to get back on the field and being able to play, even if that means their fans are watching at home."

– Bob Nightengale

Last-minute revision allows more low-income Americans to get $1,200 checks

Americans with little or no tax liability will now be able to receive $1,200 ($2,400 for joint tax returns) under the historic, $2 trillion economic recovery package.

The original legislation had directed that one-time payments of up to $1,200 be made to most Americans who file individual tax returns but included a $2,500 minimum income threshold to earn any rebate. That meant that individuals with little income tax liability would have gotten a minimum of $600 ($1,200 for joint filers).

But a subsequent version of the bill – approved by the Senate on Wednesday and the House on Friday – dropped the minimum income threshold so that all low-income individuals will now be eligible for the full $1,200 ($2,400 for joint returns).

A caveat: To qualify, they must have filed tax returns in either 2018 or 2019 or receive Social Security or veterans’ benefits so the Internal Revenue Service can calculate their rebate, said Garrett Watson of the Tax Foundation, a Washington-based think tank. Read more here. 

- Michael Collins

New Yorkers pulled over in Rhode Island over quarantining

The welcome mat is not out for New Yorkers. Governors in Texas, Florida, Maryland and South Carolina this week ordered people arriving from the New York area – including New Jersey and Connecticut – and other virus hot spots to self-quarantine for at least 14 days upon arrival.

Connecticut officials have also pleaded with New Yorkers and others from out of state to avoid visiting unless absolutely necessary.

But, in the most dramatic steps taken to date, Rhode Island State Police on Friday began pulling over drivers with New York plates so that National Guard officials can collect contact information and inform them of a mandatory, 14-day quarantine.

The state police are setting up a "welcome center" to make sure that they get information for tracking people in cars with New York license plates. Police are patrolling the beach. Meanwhile, the ACLU is warning this it's not constitutional to stop cars simply because they have New York plates. 

Gov. Gina Raimondo ratcheted up the measures Friday afternoon, announcing she’ll also order the state National Guard to go door-to-door in coastal communities starting this weekend to find out whether any of the home’s residents have recently arrived from New York and inform them of the quarantine order.

– Providence Journal

Dozens of most popular stores say they will be closed for weeks – or more

Some of America's most iconic stores that temporarily shut down are now saying closures will last for many weeks – and possibly indefinitely.

The latest casualties from the coronavirus economic deluge include Apple, Express, Urban Outfitters and Guess? stores, all of which are closed "until further notice." Nike, meanwhile, says company stores "will remain temporarily closed in multiple countries around the world." 

L Brands, parent company of Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works, announced Friday it "is not currently able to predict the timing of store reopening."

Nordstrom extended its two-week closures "for at least one week, through April 5," the department store chain said March 25. Kate Spade and Coach stores will stay closed an "additional two weeks" through April 10 while Men's Wearhouse locations are closed "until at least May 4."

– Kelly Tyko

Coronavirus cases soar in rural America

Metropolises like New York City and New Orleans have seen a recent explosion of coronavirus cases. But rural counties in Georgia, Colorado, Utah and Idaho are also experiencing some of the highest rates of coronavirus cases per capita in the nation, threatening to overwhelm local hospitals and challenging perceptions of the virus’ reach. 

In Dougherty County, Georgia,, the rate of confirmed cases was the nation’s 12th highest at 179.7 per 100,000 people, higher than many metro areas, with 164 testing positive for the illness and six deaths. The county is about three hours south of Atlanta and has a population of about 90,000. 

Its local hospital, Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, is maxed out of intensive care beds and on Thursday only had four remaining hospital beds, said Chief Medical Officer Dr. Steven Kitchen. Patients who come into the emergency room and require an ICU bed are being directed to other facilities in the state.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers Dougherty County “extremely vulnerable” on the Social Vulnerability Index. The federal Health Resources & Services Administration also nationally ranked the county in the worst third of counties in a list of medically underserved areas.

– Adrianna Rodriguez, Rick Jervis, Deborah Berry, Matt Wynn

USA TODAY investigates 

• Chloroquine treats malaria: Will it work against coronavirus? The side effects are risky, experts say

• The US had a chance to learn from anthrax, SARS, H1N1 and Ebola. So why is the federal coronavirus response so messy?

• 'On-the-job emergency training': Hospitals may run low on staff to run ventilators for coronavirus patients.

• A secretive cache of medical supplies to save Americans from deadly disasters for years lacked the funding to prepare for a pandemic, former managers of the stockpile told USA TODAY.

• Americans are suffering today because officials botched the rollout of testing, derailing containment. Federal officials misled scientists about problems with their test, wasting weeks before letting others fix. Hospitals and labs are paying the price. Read our investigation.

Stranded Americans brought home on US immigration jets

Nearly 300 Americans stranded in Central America have returned to the U.S. this week aboard flights used by U.S. immigration authorities to deport people back to their home countries.

The Americans have been brought back to the U.S. on the return legs of three separate removal flights to Central America, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said. Those return flights usually are empty except for pilots and staff.

Since Sunday, 273 Americans have flown back to the U.S. on removal flights, said Mary Houtmann, an ICE spokesperson.

The total includes 128 Americans flown back from Honduras to Alexandria, Louisiana on Sunday, 81 Americans flown back from El Salvador to San Antonio, Texas on Tuesday and 64 Americans flown back from El Salvador to Mesaon Wednesday. 

– The Arizona Republic

Disney parks to stay closed indefinitely

Citing an "increasingly complex crisis," Disneyland and Disney World are going to stay closed "until further notice" due to the pandemic, the Walt Disney Company said Friday.

The decision dashes hopes that the theme parks would reopen by next month, as had been previously announced. Earlier this week, Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood announced they were extending their closures through April 19. 

"The safety and well-being of our guests and employees remains the Walt Disney Company’s top priority," Disney said in a statement.

The company said the decision was "in line with direction provided by health experts and government officials."

– Bryan Alexander and Chris Woodyard

British PM Boris Johnson is self-isolating after testing positive

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is self-isolating after announce he tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday. He's the first world leader to contract COVID-19.

Johnson, 55, said he developed mild symptoms over the last 24 hours. "I am now self-isolating, but I will continue to lead the government’s response via video-conference as we fight this virus," he said.

Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II's son and heir to the British throne, tested positive for the coronavirus this week and was self-isolating in Scotland, according to his office. He only displayed mild symptoms, his office said.

– Kim Hjelmgaard

More on the coronavirus 

• What it's like to be Asian during the coronavirus pandemic: 'They look at me and think I'm some kind of virus.'

• 8 strains of the coronavirus are circling the globe. Here's what clues they're giving scientists.

• Can sports avoid deadly 'biological bomb' when play resumes? A European soccer match is being blamed for spreading the coronavirus in two countries. Now U.S. leagues are considering how to avoid similar results.

• Easter: How will it be different this year amid coronavirus?

• Quarantine TV: Our list of 100 shows to watch.

• On the lighter side: Watch puppies roam free at aquarium closed to public during coronavirus outbreak.

• 'Reckless' Gen Z got bad information on coronavirus. Here's what experts want them to know.

• Some good news: 101-year-old Italian man, born amid Spanish flu pandemic, survives coronavirus illness, official says.

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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiiQFodHRwczovL3d3dy51c2F0b2RheS5jb20vc3RvcnkvbmV3cy9oZWFsdGgvMjAyMC8wMy8yOC9jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy11cGRhdGUtdHJ1bXAtc2lnbnMtc3RpbXVsdXMtZGlzbmV5LXBhcmtzLWNsb3NlLWluZGVmaW5pdGVseS8yOTI4MDU3MDAxL9IBJ2h0dHBzOi8vYW1wLnVzYXRvZGF5LmNvbS9hbXAvMjkyODA1NzAwMQ?oc=5

2020-03-28 18:24:22Z
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