YONKERS, N.Y. (AP) — A nurse furiously pushes down on a man’s chest as five other staff in full protective gear surround the patient’s bed. Suddenly, one throws up his arms and steps backward. “OK, move! Everybody move!” are the instructions. Moments after they back away, the patient’s heart is shocked, his arm spasms and he shakes on the bed. Soon after, he is placed on a ventilator. He has been saved — for now. Many more at Saint Joseph’s Medical Center have not. “It’s been a nightmare. We have a volume of sick people like you can’t believe. In one shift, I pronounced six people dead,” said Dr.
An unplanned grand experiment is changing Earth. As people across the globe stay home to stop the spread of the new coronavirus, the air has cleaned up, albeit temporarily. Smog stopped choking New Delhi, one of the most polluted cities in the world, and India’s getting views of sights not visible in decades. Nitrogen dioxide pollution in the northeastern United States is down 30%. Rome air pollution levels from mid-March to mid-April were down 49% from a year ago. Stars seems more visible at night. People are also noticing animals in places and at times they don’t usually. Coyotes have meandered along downtown Chicago’s Michigan Avenue and near San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.
BERLIN (AP) — Small shops reopened Wednesday in Berlin as a few nations began easing coronavirus restrictions to restart their economies, but trepidation expressed by some workers and customers indicated a return to normality is still a long way off. Restrictions were also being eased in Denmark and Austria. In France, long lines built up outside the few McDonald’s drive-thrus that started serving customers again. In the U.S., some states were relaxing restrictions amid vocal protests by those demanding to return to work. Although some former virus hot spots like Italy, Spain, China and New York have seen a reduction in their daily death tolls and new hospitalizations, other areas are facing a resurgence of the new coronavirus.
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said Wednesday it put the Islamic Republic’s first military satellite into orbit, dramatically unveiling what experts described as a secret space program with a surprise launch that came amid wider tensions with the United States. There was no immediate independent confirmation of the launch of the satellite, which the Guard called “Noor,” or light. The U.S. State Department and the Pentagon, as well as Israeli officials, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. However, such a launch immediately raised concerns among experts on whether the technology used could help Iran develop intercontinental ballistic missiles.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — With North Korea saying nothing so far about outside media reports that leader Kim Jong Un may be unwell, there’s renewed worry about who’s next in line to run a nuclear-armed country that’s been ruled by the same family for seven decades. Questions about Kim’s health flared after he skipped an April 15 commemoration of the 108th birthday of his grandfather, North Korea founder Kim Il Sung. It’s North Korea’s most important event, and Kim, 36, hadn’t missed it since inheriting power from his father in late 2011. North Korea’s state media on Wednesday published some past comments by Kim but didn’t report any new activities, while rival South Korea repeated that no unusual developments had been detected in the North.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Seeking to unite Democrats, Joe Biden has raced to line up supporters ranging from progressive icon Bernie Sanders to former President Barack Obama, whose administration sometimes irked liberals. But the person with the most influence may be Michelle Obama. The former first lady is a unique figure in a deeply polarizing political environment, exceedingly popular with the party faithful while also having some appeal with Republicans and independents. She left the White House with a 68% approval rating, according to Gallup polling. She also was named “the most admired woman” in the world for the second year in a row in a Gallup poll from December.
There are over 70 million people worldwide who have been driven from their homes by war and unrest, up to 10 million are packed into refugee camps and informal settlements, and almost none have been tested for the coronavirus. While the relative isolation of many camps may have slowed the virus’ spread, none is hermetically sealed. Without testing, as the world has seen repeatedly, the virus can spread unchecked until people start showing symptoms. That could have catastrophic results among the world’s refugees: There will be few if any intensive care beds or ventilators for them. There might not even be gloves or masks.
BEIJING (AP) — China on Wednesday slammed a lawsuit brought against it by the U.S. state of Missouri over the coronavirus pandemic as “very absurd.” Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the legal action has “no factual and legal basis at all” and repeated China’s defense of its response to the outbreak, which has largely subsided in the country where it was first detected. The ministry and other Chinese government departments have strenuously denied accusations that officials delayed reporting on the extent of the outbreak in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, despite reports that worries over political stability were placed above public health concerns.
Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that are being talked about today: 1. IRAN LAUNCHES SATELLITE AMID US TENSIONS The military launch immediately raises concerns among experts on whether the technology used could help Iran develop intercontinental ballistic missiles. 2. MICHELLE OBAMA’S STAR POWER COULD HELP BIDEN The former first lady is exceedingly popular with the Democratic Party faithful while also having some appeal with Republicans and independents. 3. WHO WANTS TO BUY THE METS Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez retain J.P. Morgan to represent them in raising capital for a possible bid to buy the Major League Baseball franchise.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — On a Friday night in late February, 17-year-old Amanda Reynolds raced into a department store on Florida’s Gulf coast. She’d been on a mission for weeks, and after countless hours shopping online and in stores, there it was. Off the shoulder, blue lace, with crystal accents. Her perfect prom dress. For decades, the prom has represented a cornerstone of American teenage life. Shopping for the dress, finding a date, posing for photos, dancing awkwardly in a low-lit gym – it’s all enshrined in movies, books, television and the memories of generations of Americans. Combine prom with graduation and an 18th birthday.
AP Exclusive: ER staff saves lives, suffers in hot spot
As people stay home, Earth turns wilder and cleaner
Nations ease some virus restrictions yet public still wary
Iran’s Guard says it launched satellite amid US tensions
NKorea silence on Kim’s health raises succession speculation
Michelle Obama’s star power could help Biden unite Democrats
Lack of virus testing stokes fears in world’s refugee camps
China calls virus lawsuit brought by US state ‘very absurd’
5 things to know today – that aren’t about the virus
No prom? For this teen, it’s a trifecta of missed milestones