AP-Breaking
Chelsea-Man City CL final moves to Porto with 12,000 fans
The all-English Champions League final will be held in Porto with 12,000 fans from Chelsea and Manchester City, UEFA confirmed Thursday.The May 29 showpiece was moved from Istanbul to the 50,000-capacity Est dio do Drag o due to England imposing tougher pandemic travel restrictions on Turkey that would have prevented fans flying in.The initial alternative had been to use Wembley Stadium in London, but talks with the British government stalled on Monday over being able to secure quarantine waivers for the guests and broadcasters required by UEFA to attend the game.But Portugal is among the 12 territories that England is allowing people to return from without quarantine beginning next week. UEFA said 6,000 tickets to both Chelsea and City fans would go on sale on Thursday.Fans have had to suffer more than twelve months without the ability to see their teams live and reaching a Champions League final is the pinnacle of club football, UEFA President Aleksander eferin said. To deprive those supporters of the chance to see the match in person was not an option and I am delighted that this compromise has been found.After the year that fans have endured, it is not right that they don t have the chance to watch their teams in the biggest game of the season.Last year s final, which was also moved from Istanbul to Portugal, was played without fans in Lisbon as Bayern Munich won.We accept that the decision of the British Government to place Turkey on the red list for travel was taken in good faith and in the best interests of protecting its citizens from the spread of the virus but it also presented us with a major challenge in staging a final featuring two English teams, Ceferin said.___More AP soccer: https: apnews.com hub soccer and https: twitter.com AP_Sports
Biden team moves swiftly to tackle pipeline political peril
The Biden administration swung aggressively into action after a primary gasoline pipeline fell prey to a cyberattack understanding that the situation posed a possible series of political and economic risks.The pipeline shutdown was an all-hands-on-deck situation for a young presidency that has also had to deal with a pandemic, a recession, an influx of unaccompanied children at the southern border, a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and high-stakes showdowns globally that carry the specter of war.The administration devoted the first half of the week to showcasing all the steps it was taking to get gas back to service stations in affected areas. It scrambled into action after ransom-seeking hackers on Friday shut down the pipeline, which delivers about 45% of the East Coast s gas. The shutdown caused a supply crunch and spiking prices all of which the administration was preparing to address.Then, hours before the Colonial Pipeline was restarted, President Joe Biden signaled Wednesday that there were reasons for optimism.We have been in very, very close contact with Colonial Pipeline, Biden said. I think you re going to hear some good news in the next 24 hours and I think we ll be getting that under control.The president followed up later Wednesday with an executive order to improve cybersecurity. Biden s team seized on the shutdown as an argument for approving the president s $2.3 trillion infrastructure package. Keeping up Biden s focus, the White House said the president would deliver remarks on the pipeline incident Thursday morning.Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the cyberattack was a reminder that infrastructure is a national security issue and investments for greater resilience are needed.This is not an extra, this is not a luxury, this is not an option, Buttigieg told reporters at the White House on Wednesday. This has to be core to how we secure critical infrastructure.The administration took a variety of steps to address the gasoline situation. The Department of Homeland Security issued a temporary waiver of a federal law overseeing maritime commerce to an individual company, not identified by the department, to allow the transport of additional gas and jet fuel between Gulf Coast and East Coast ports.The Transportation Department was surveying how many vessels could carry fossil fuels to the Gulf of Mexico and Eastern Seaboard to provide gasoline. Waivers were issued to expand the hours that fuel can be transported by roadways. The Environmental Protection Agency issued waivers on gas blends and other regulations to ease any supply challenges.The technology firm Gasbuddy.com found that 28% of stations were out of fuel in North Carolina. In Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia, more than 16% of stations were without gas.The sudden supply crunch after Friday s hack showed the challenges that can pop up for a White House that must constantly respond to world events. Republican lawmakers were quick to criticize the administration for previously canceling plans to construct the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada. Biden had canceled its permit over risks of spills and worries that climate change would worsen by burning the oil sands crude that would have flowed through the pipeline.The Colonial Pipeline crisis shows that we need more American energy to fuel our economy, not less, House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday on Twitter, adding that Biden had left our energy supply more vulnerable to attacks by blocking the Keystone XL pipeline.The cyberattack was but one of many challenges confronting the president.Within just a few days, the Biden administration has also been dealt a disappointing monthly jobs report, a potentially worrisome increase in inflation and lethal violence in Israel. It is still trying to vaccinate the country against the coronavirus, send out hundreds of billions of dollars in economic aid and pass its own sweeping jobs and education agenda.You have to be prepared to juggle multiple challenges, multiple crises at one time, and that s exactly what we re doing at this moment, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday.Higher energy prices often have political fallout, complicating reelection campaigns for incumbents outside oil-producing regions. The 1979 fuel shortage famously crushed Jimmy Carter s presidential reelection efforts and helped usher in the Reagan era.Research published last year by the World Bank looked at 207 elections across 50 democracies and found an oil price spike a year before the election systematically lower the odds of incumbents being reelected. The findings applied to both conservatives and liberals, showing a degree of pragmatism by voters.The best way for Biden to respond was probably to show that he understands how rising gas prices can hurt family budgets and to move quickly to help fix the pipeline problem.It s important for the president to show empathy and recognize the position that the average American is in vis- -vis gas prices, said Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice University in Houston. Gas prices are something that don t affect the elite and our politicians are all among the elite.
Ex-Maldives president flies to Germany to treat blast wounds
MALE, Maldives (AP) Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed, who was critically wounded in an explosion, was released from the hospital on Thursday and flown to Germany for further treatment, his family and the hospital said.Nasheed, 53, was wounded in the blast last week that authorities blamed on Muslim extremists. Two of his bodyguards and two apparent bystanders, including a British citizen, were also wounded by what police say was a homemade explosive device containing ball bearings attached to a motorbike parked near the ex-president s car.He underwent surgeries to his head, chest, abdomen and limb.On Thursday, ADK Hospital in Male said Nasheed was released and was traveling overseas for rehabilitation and recovery. His brother, Nazim Sattar, said Nasheed flew to Germany.Under heavy security, Nasheed was brought to the airport in an ambulance and left on a special flight.He was the first democratically elected president of the Maldives, serving from 2008 to 2012, when he resigned amid protests. He was defeated in the subsequent presidential election, and was ineligible for the 2018 race due to a prison sentence, but has remained an influential political figure.He currently serves as speaker of Parliament.Nasheed has been an outspoken critic of religious extremism in the predominantly Sunni Muslim nation, where preaching and practicing other faiths are banned by law. He has been criticized by religious hard-liners for his closeness to the West and liberal policies.Police say they have arrested three out of four suspects in connection with the blast and are searching for the remaining one.Officials blamed Islamic extremists for the attack, although investigators didn t identify any group.The Indian Ocean archipelago is known for its luxury resorts but has experienced occasional violent attacks. In 2007, a blast in a park in the capital wounded 12 foreign tourists, and was also blamed on religious extremists.
Dutch cyclist Tom Dumoulin returns to professional racing
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) Dutch cyclist Tom Dumoulin is returning to racing next month, six months after taking a break from the sport to consider his future.The 30-year-old former time-trial world champion will begin his comeback at the Tour de Suisse on June 6, the Jumbo-Visma team said Thursday.Dumoulin also has the ambition to go to the Olympic Games in Tokyo, the team said.Dumoulin s decision to return to the professional ranks came after he recently found the joy in cycling again, Jumbo-Visma said.Dumoulin, a time-trial specialist who also is a strong multi-stage tour rider, won the 2017 Giro d Italia and finished second in the Tour de France a year later. But he struggled with injuries in recent seasons and said when he announced his break from cycling in January that he also was weighed down by the pressure to perform.____More AP sports: https: apnews.com hub apf-sports and https: twitter.com AP_Sports
The Latest: Sri Lanka banned travel throughout country
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka Sri Lanka s government has banned travel throughout the country for three days in an effort to contain rapidly increasing COVID-19 cases.The ban is effective from Thursday night until Monday morning. It does not apply to people engaged in essential services such as health, food supply and power. Those going to the airport for air travel or seeking medical treatment will also be allowed on the roads.All others are banned from leaving their houses and traveling on the roads, said Gen. Shavendra Silva, the army commander and head of the National Operation Center for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak.Health officials are grappling with a surge in cases since last month. The country has already banned public gatherings and parties, and has closed schools and restricted public transport.Officials warn that cases could rise further in the next two weeks because of celebrations and shopping by people last month to mark the traditional new year.The health ministry has confirmed 131,098 cases, including 850 fatalities.___THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:US coronavirus deaths hit lowest level in 10 monthsCNN s Dr. Sanjay Gupta worries about muddled pandemic messageBritain PM Boris Johnson: Inquiry into UK s handling of virus to start next yearAn 88-year-old American artist finishes year of pandemic daily doodlesFollow more of AP s pandemic coverage at https: apnews.com hub coronavirus-pandemic and https: apnews.com hub coronavirus-vaccine___HERE S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:F TIMA, Portugal - The Catholic shrine at F tima in Portugal has allowed 7,500 worshippers to attend two annual Masses marking the day when three illiterate shepherd children first reported seeing visions of the Madonna.Traditionally, around 100,000 people come for the two Masses at the small rural town s huge shrine on the night of May 12 and morning of May 13, though last year it remained closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.The capacity was quickly reached on both Wednesday and Thursday, leaving hundreds outside the shrine s gates, which were guarded by police.Like the shrine at Lourdes, France, Fatima draws millions of pilgrims from around the world every year to give thanks to Our Lady of Fatima, or to pray for help.Portuguese Cardinal Jos Tolentino Mendon a presided over the ceremonies and told the faithful he hoped that the suffering over the past year of the pandemic can help to make us better: more spiritual, more human and more fraternal.___MULTAN, Pakistan Pakistan s foreign minister is warning that the next two months are very crucial for the country s coronavirus outbreak and that people must continue observing social distancing.Shah Mahmood Qureshi made the comments Thursday after Eid al-Fitr prayers in the city of Multan.He noted that the COVID-19 situation is very bad in neighboring India, where record numbers of infections were reported in recent weeks.He said Pakistan has had a decline in cases since last month, when troops were deployed to force people to adhere to social distancing rules.Qureshi praised troops and police for playing a key role along with health workers in combatting the coronavirus.Earlier, Muslims thronged mosques for Eid al-Fir prayers across the country.Although some worshippers were carefully spaced one meter (three feet) apart, most violated social distancing rules.Authorities reported 126 new deaths and 3,235 new infections on Thursday.Pakistan has reported 19,336 deaths and 870,703 coronavirus cases since last year.___NEW ORLEANS Children as young as 12 can expect to start getting Pfizer s coronavirus vaccine Thursday in Louisiana.The state health officer made the announcement Wednesday after federal advisers endorsed the vaccine for children aged 12 to 15. Dr. Joseph Kanter said that we are very excited about the opportunity to protect additional age groups and their families with this highly safe and effective vaccine.Kanter says the health department expects to release its formal notice Thursday morning and any clinic or other outlet that has Pfizer vaccine can start giving it to kids 12 and up immediately after that.More than 1,500 clinics, hospitals and pharmacies in Louisiana have the Pfizer vaccine. It is the only coronavirus vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for people this young.___CANBERRA, Australia -- Australia has reached a supply agreement for 25 million doses of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine.Moderna said Thursday that the deal includes 10 million doses of vaccine against the initial coronavirus strain to be delivered in 2021 and 15 million doses of an updated variant booster to be delivered in 2022.The vaccines have yet to be approved by the Australian regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration. Pfizer and AstraZeneca are the only coronavirus vaccines approved for use in Australia so far.All three vaccines require two doses.Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he expects the first Moderna vaccines to arrive in Australia in the last three months of 2021.___ANNAPOLIS, Md. Maryland is allowing all Indoor and outdoor venues to resume normal operations this weekend.Gov. Larry Hogan Hogan says the remaining capacity and distancing restrictions for the COVID-19 pandemic will be lifted on indoor and outdoor dining Saturday.Hogan says the restrictions also will end for all other indoor entertainment venues and conventions and for outdoor entertainment, art and sports venues, though the mandate for mask use remains in place.The governor said Wednesday that the state s indoor mask mandate will be lifted when 70% of Maryland adults receive at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine. As of Tuesday, the state had 65.4% vaccinated.The governor says that our plan is to get everything back to normal by Memorial Day.___NEW YORK U.S. health advisers have endorsed use of Pfizer s COVID-19 vaccine in kids as young as 12.The Food and Drug Administration earlier in the week cleared the expanded use of Pfizer s shots, citing evidence the shots worked as well in those 12 to 15 years old as those 16 and older.Kids in some places are already rolling up their sleeves.But much of the nation was waiting for Wednesday s recommendations from advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many states will be shipping doses to pediatricians and even to schools.Pfizer is not the only company seeking to lower the age limit for its vaccine. Moderna recently said preliminary results from its study in 12- to 17-year-olds show strong protection and no serious side effects, data the FDA will need to scrutinize.___TOPEKA, Kan. Gov. Laura Kelly says Kansas state government offices will return to normal operations in mid-June after more than a year of having many employees work remotely because of the coronavirus pandemic.Kelly said Wednesday that state employees and visitors to their offices still will be required to wear masks and maintain social distancing. She says agency directors can allow people to work from home, particularly when social distancing is not possible.The changes take effect the week of June 13, which means Monday, June 14 for most workers.The largest union for state employees expressed support for Kelly s move, saying her policy would be flexible and contained safety measures. Kansas House Speaker and Olathe Republican Ron Ryckman Jr. responded to the Democratic governor s move by saying, It s about time.___SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah will terminate its participation in the federal government s pandemic-related unemployment assistance program.Utah is the latest of several states ending the $300 weekly federal benefit paid on top of state benefits.Gov. Spencer Cox said Wednesday that those extra federal benefits will end in Utah on June 26.About 28,000 Utah residents are receiving the $300 benefit, and $12.4 million is being paid out by the federal government each week.Utah has one of the nation s lowest unemployment rates of 2.9%. The Department of Workforce Services says there are at least 50,000 job openings in the state.___HONOLULU A former CEO of a Hawaii company accused of defrauding banks of money meant to assist businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic is pleading not guilty.Martin Kao, ex-CEO of Martin Defense Group LLC, formerly known as Navatek LLC, is charged with bank fraud and money laundering.A spokeswoman says he stepped down in November.Authorities say he defrauded banks of more than $12.8 million through the Paycheck Protection Program. According to an indictment, Kao transferred more than $2 million into his own personal accounts.Congress authorized the program to provide emergency financial assistance through forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and other expenses.Defense attorney Michael Green entered the not guilty plea during a brief arraignment via telephone Wednesday.Trial is scheduled for July. Green says he anticipates the trial will be postponed because the case involves thousands of pages of discovery.___LAS VEGAS -- The Las Vegas area has been added to places in Nevada where authorities have detected cases of a potentially worrisome strain of the coronavirus found in India.The Southern Nevada Health District reported Tuesday that a woman in her 20s who had not traveled recently and was not vaccinated against COVID-19 tested positive for the variant subtype. She didn t require hospitalization.A district spokeswoman said Wednesday there were no additional cases to report.Eight other cases of the Indian variant were previously identified in northern Nevada, including four confirmed last week in the Reno area.___SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom says the state will not require people to wear masks in almost all circumstances after June 15.Newsom s comments came in an interview with Fox 11 s Elex Michaelson.Newsom announced last month the state would lift nearly all of its coronavirus restrictions on June 15 if the state s case numbers continued to improve. But at the time, Newsom said the mask mandate would stay.On Tuesday, Newsom said there would be no mandates for wearing masks, except for large indoor gatherings where people from around the world are mingling. California has required people to wear masks in public places since June 18, 2020.___ATLANTA Dozens of school districts around the country have eliminated requirements for students to wear masks, and many more are likely to ditch them before the next academic year.Where many see a continued need to protect children and teachers who aren t vaccinated against COVID-19, opponents argue that masks make students uncomfortable and mandates impinge on freedom.At some school board meetings, there s been emotional and highly divisive debates. Most public health experts say it s too early to relax mask rules since few children are vaccinated and they spend hours indoors at school.Even as some U.S. schools remain closed to minimize infections, districts in states from Alabama to Wyoming decided to ditch student mask mandates. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention s guidance says schools should prioritize universal and correct use of masks and physical distancing.___ALBANY, N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo expects youth ages 12 to 15 in New York could get vaccinated this week.Cuomo says the state s vaccine advisory task force and state health commissioner will have to review safety data and decide whether to recommend the vaccine. It s unclear when exactly New York s task force will make its decision.But Cuomo says, we could have full authorization for vaccinations to begin for 12 to 15 year olds here in New York as early as Thursday.New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also says health officials plan to start vaccinating children age 12 to 15 on Thursday.In California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup is reviewing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration s emergency use authorization for children ages 12 to 15. It s expected to make its decision Wednesday.___NEW YORK Deaths from the coronavirus in the U.S. have tumbled to an average of about 600 per day, the lowest level in 10 months.In more than half the states, the number of lives lost per day has dropped to single digits on average and hit zero on some days. Kansas reported no new deaths Friday through Monday. Massachusetts recently had a day of no reported deaths.Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease specialist at Johns Hopkins University, says vaccinations have been crucial even as the nation struggles to reach herd immunity.Confirmed infections have fallen to about 38,000 daily on average, the lowest mark since mid-September. They have plummeted 85% from a peak of more than a quarter-million cases per day in early January.The last time deaths were this low was early July. The coronavirus deaths in the U.S. topped out in mid-January at an average of more than 3,400 a day, just a month into the biggest vaccination drive in the nation s history.The U.S. has reported 32.7 million cases and more than 582,000 confirmed deaths, the most in the world.
1 Swiss, 1 American die on Everest in year s 1st fatalities
KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) A Swiss climber and an American have died on Mount Everest in the season s first casualties on the world s highest mountain, expedition organizers said Thursday.The Swiss climber, Abdul Waraich, 41, reached the peak before having difficulties, said Chhang Dawa of the expedition organizer, Seven Summit Treks in Nepal.Abdul successfully reached the summit but began experiencing issues during his descent, he said. We sent two additional Sherpas with oxygen and food. Unfortunately, the Sherpas couldn t save him.U.S. national Puwei Liu, 55, also died at the highest camp on the mountain at South Col. He had reached the climbing feature named the Hillary Step, located between South Col and the summit, but had to return because of snow blindness and exhaustion.With the help of support team members and additional oxygen, he was brought back to the camp at South Col but died on Wednesday evening, the organizers said.No other details were given on the dead climbers and when their bodies would be brought down. Bad weather conditions have forced climbers to descend to lower altitudes for now.Carrying bodies down the icy and slippery slopes from the highest altitudes is a difficult task that takes lots of time, requires several Sherpa workers and is generally very costly.Nepal and China both canceled climbing seasons last year on the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) -high mountain, which is divided between them. China is allowing only Chinese climbers on the north side of the mountain this year.Nepal allowed foreigners to return this year and the government issued permits to 408 climbers to attempt to scale the peak during the popular spring climbing season.The month of May usually has the best weather for climbing Everest. Scores reached the summit this week and more are expected to make their attempts later this month once the weather improves.
On Eid, Xinjiang imams defend China against US criticism
BEIJING (AP) Muslim leaders from the Xinjiang region rejected Western allegations that China is suppressing religious freedom, speaking at a reception Thursday for foreign diplomats and media at the end of the holy month of Ramadan.The event was the latest in a series of moves by the Chinese government to counter accusations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang. It came a day after human rights groups and Western nations demanded unfettered access for U.N. human rights experts to the region and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned China for crimes against humanity and genocide against Muslim Uyghurs during the release of an annual report on international religious freedom.The Uyghurs are a mostly Muslim ethnic group in Xinjiang, a remote northwest region where China has been accused of mass incarcerations, forced labor and forced sterilization in recent years as it imposed a strict security regime after a series of terrorist attacks.Echoing the government line, the president of the Xinjiang Islamic Association said China had eradicated the breeding ground for extremism by improving livelihoods, teaching people about the law and setting up vocational training and education centers. Foreign analysts say the centers are part of a detention system that has locked up an estimated 1 million people or more over time.Abdureqip Tomurniyaz, who heads the association and the school for Islamic studies in Xinjiang, accused anti-China forces in the U.S. and other Western nations of spreading rumors and lies.They want to sabotage Xinjiang s harmony and stability, contain China s rise and alienate relations between China and Islamic countries, he said.He also said the U.S. is turning a blind eye to its own human rights violations, citing the U.S. involvement in conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and other Muslim countries and anti-Muslim discrimination at home.Religious leaders from five mosques spoke at the 90-minute presentation, three in person and two on video. They all described prayers and feasting for Eid al-Fitr and rejected criticism of China s religious policies. Videos showed men praying inside mosques and people dancing in squares outside.Mamat Juma, the imam of the historic Id Kah mosque in the city of Kashgar, said that all ethnic groups in Xinjiang support the steps taken to combat terrorism. He said that people are grateful to the ruling Communist Party for restoring stability and promoting economic growth.
Mack Horton on swim rival Sun Yang: let s change the subject
SYDNEY (AP) Two years after his controversial podium move at the world swimming championships, Australian Mack Horton still can t seem to shake off questions about the guy he intended to snub.Horton refused to stand on the podium next to Sun Yang at Gwangju, South Korea in 2019 after the Chinese swimmer won his fourth consecutive 400-meter world championship gold medal. Horton placed second, taking silver in a reversal of their Olympic final in 2016 when the Australian won gold.That followed Horton branding him a drug cheat at Rio in 2016.Questions about Sun persist as Horton prepares for the Tokyo Olympics in late July.It bothers me when I keep getting asked about it, Horton said Thursday. I don t really think about it to be honest. We haven t qualified. There is so much focus on just trying to make the team, there is no mental capacity for all that peripheral stuff.Whether Sun will be allowed to compete in Tokyo will be determined by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) later this month. CAS last year suspended Sun for eight years for refusing to give samples during a surprise doping test, where a vial of his blood was smashed with a hammer.But the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland in December ordered a retrial, saying doubts as to the impartiality of an arbitrator were objectively justified after a CAS judge, Italian Franco Frattini, had made anti-Chinese posts on social media.Frattini has been barred from ruling on Sun s re-trial scheduled for May 24-28, just two months before the Tokyo Olympics are scheduled to begin.Horton is more concerned with securing his spot on Australia s Olympic team following poor swims at last month s nationals.Horton ranked 35th in the 200-meter freestyle, seventh in the 800 freestyle and then withdrew from his pet event over 400 meters.It s really reflective probably of what I can do in training, Horton said. It doesn t really phase me.Horton said he s confident about rediscovering peak form at the Australian Olympic trials in Adelaide next month.I m just trying to swim as fast as I can and trials is a high-pressure environment, he said. Everyone wants to get through that and then it s just a refocus for the Olympics.With trials being closer to the Olympics as well, the pressure builds because there is already so much focus already on the Olympics, particularly with the media.___More AP Olympics: https: apnews.com hub olympic-games and https: twitter.com AP_Sports
Virus, Mideast turmoil stifle Eid al-Fitr celebrations
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) Muslims celebrated Eid al-Fitr in a subdued mood for a second year Thursday as the COVID-19 pandemic again forced mosque closings and family separations on the holiday marking the end of Ramadan.In the embattled Gaza Strip, the call to prayer echoed over pulverized buildings and heaps of rubble as Israeli warplanes continued to pound the territory in the worst outbreak of violence since the 2014 war.Hamas, the Islamic militant group ruling Gaza, urged the faithful to mark communal prayers inside their homes or the nearest mosques and avoid being out in the open.It is all airstrikes, destruction and devastation, said Hassan Abu Shaaban, who tried to lighten the mood by passing out chocolates to passersby.Worshippers wearing masks joined communal prayers in the streets of Indonesia s capital, Jakarta. The world s most populous Muslim-majority nation allowed mosque prayers in low-risk areas, but mosques in areas where there was more risk of the virus spreading closed their doors, including Jakarta s Istiqlal Grand Mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia.Indonesians and Malaysians were banned for a second year from traveling to visit relatives in the traditional Eid homecoming.In Bangladesh, however, tens of thousands of people were leaving the capital, Dhaka, to join their families back in their villages for Eid celebrations despite a nationwide lockdown and road checkpoints. Experts fear a surge in cases in a country grappling with a shortage of vaccines and fear of Indian variants of the coronavirus spreading.I understand that we all miss our relatives at times like this, especially in the momentum of Eid, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said in televised remarks. But let s prioritize safety together by not going back to our hometowns.Despite the similar ban a year ago, the number of daily cases in Indonesia had picked up by 37% three weeks after the holiday. Similar patterns followed other holidays in the country that has counted 1.7 million infections and more than 47,600 fatalities from COVID-19.The Jakarta governor also ordered malls, restaurants and leisure destinations usually packed during the holiday period to shut.With no congregational prayers at mosques, no family reunions, no relatives bearing gifts and cookies for children, Eid is not a grand event anymore, Jakarta resident Maysa Andriana said. The pandemic has changed everything... this is too sad! she said.While police set up highway checkpoints and domestic flights and other modes of transportation were suspended, anxiety lingers that people will defy the prohibition. Television reports showed city dwellers hiding on disguised trucks or fishing boats and officers at roadblocks being overwhelmed by desperate motorists.We followed the government decision that banned us visiting my parents for Eid last year, it s enough! Nothing can stop me now, said factory worker Askari Anam, who used alleys and shortcuts to avoid being stopped from visiting his hometown.Of course I m worried, he said when asked about possibly contracting the virus. But I leave it to God.Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin expressed concern of a virus spike and feared people would travel despite the ban.In the southern Philippines, coronavirus outbreaks and new fighting between government forces and Muslim insurgents in one province prevented people from holding large public prayers. Instead, most hunkered down in their homes, while in Maguindanao province, many families displaced by recent fighting marked the holiday in evacuation camps.In Malaysia, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin unexpectedly announced another nationwide lockdown from Wednesday until June 7 to curb a spike in cases. Inter-state travel and all social activities are banned, which means that like in Indonesia, Muslims cannot visit each other or family graves.Muhyiddin acknowledged that many are angry with the lockdown but defended the need for drastic measures, saying hospitals have almost reached their capacity.Malaysia reported 4,765 cases on Wednesday, pushing its tally to 453,222, nearly fourfold from the start of the year. Deaths also rose to 1,761.Is this government tyrannical? But I am not a tyrant, Muhyiddin said, Imagine if you have guests over, then the virus will spread. ... If the guest visits 10 homes, then 10 families will be infected with COVID-19 and in the end as soon as (Eid) ends, the number of positive cases in the country could jump to tens of thousands daily.____Associated Press writers Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines, Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Julhas Alam in Dhaka, Bangladesh, contributed to this report.
NYC mayoral race heats up with 6 weeks to go before primary
NEW YORK (AP) With less than six weeks to go, the Democratic primary that may decide the next mayor of New York City has reached a new stage of unpredictability.Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang is clinging to front-runner status while City Comptroller Scott Stringer fights off a sexual misconduct allegation.Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, a former police officer and founder of a law enforcement reform group, has seen his standing rise amid concern over a spike in shootings during the coronavirus pandemic including gunfire that injured three bystanders in Times Square.And The New York Times has given its coveted endorsement to a candidate who has been polling in the mid-single digits: Kathryn Garcia, a former city sanitation commissioner and veteran of several other city departments.The race to succeed the term-limited Mayor Bill de Blasio, also a Democrat, chugged along for months with many New Yorkers too consumed by the coronavirus pandemic and the 2020 presidential election to notice.But it is grabbing more attention now, with the June 22 Democratic primary looming, television advertisements starting to air and candidates increasingly meeting voters in person after a year of campaigning online because of the pandemic.Eight top-tier candidates, of the more than two dozen who entered the race, were set to participate in their first televised debate Thursday.In addition to Yang, Adams, Stringer and Garcia, they are civil rights attorney Maya Wiley, former Citigroup executive Ray McGuire, former Obama housing secretary Shaun Donovan and former nonprofit executive Dianne Morales.Adding to the complexity, the primary will be New York City s first mayoral race to be determined by ranked choice voting, a system that lets voters pick up to five candidates and rank them in order of preference.Under the system, a candidate who trails in an initial round of vote tallying could still win the race, if enough people selected them as their second choice.Yang has narrowly led in most polls, lifted by supporters who like his proposal for a universal basic income, but has has been criticized by the left.U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slammed him this week over a tweet in which he said he was standing with the people of Israel who are coming under bombardment attacks from the militant group Hamas, but didn t mention Palestinian victims of retaliatory Israeli strikes.Adams, 60, edged Yang for the first time in a poll of 500 likely Democratic voters, first reported on by Politico.Adams is campaigning as both a tough-talking former police detective and a Black man who was himself victimized by police brutality as a youth and later founded the reform group 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement.We re not going to recover as a city if we turn back time and see an increase in violence, particularly gun violence, Adams said at a Times Square campaign event after Saturday s shooting.It remains to be seen whether Adams message resonates in a city that was convulsed by Black Lives Matter protests following last year s murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police but is fearful of crime and disorder after a year of lockdown.The biggest twist in the race has involved a misconduct allegation against Stringer, who has held elective office since 1993 as a state Assembly member, Manhattan borough president and now city comptroller.Stringer, 61, appeared to be gaining ground when lobbyist Jean Kim accused him in late April of unwanted groping and sexual advances when she was working on his unsuccessful campaign for public advocate in 2001.Stringer denied the allegation and said the two had had a brief, consensual relationship.Elected officials and organizations that had endorsed Stringer rushed to withdraw their backing, though some unions, including the American Federation of Teachers, are sticking with him.State Sen. Jessica Ramos, a Queens Democrat, said she rescinded her endorsement even though she doesn t know whether Stringer or Kim is telling the truth.For me the issue here is that we re talking about an incident that took place 20 years ago that will likely not have any sort of conclusive investigation certainly not within the time frame of the primary election and I strongly believe will forever be stuck in a he said-she said, Ramos said. To me it s about New Yorkers deserving a mayor that is not distracted or marred by a scandal, especially one of this size.For some, the misconduct accusation points to the need for more women in high office. Unlike other American cities such as Chicago, Atlanta, New Orleans or San Francisco, New York City has never elected a female mayor. Nor has New York state had a female governor.There s no question it s way over time for a woman mayor, and something like this allegation of sexual harassment as it relates to a candidate only makes you nod your head more aggressively that yes, we need a woman mayor, we need women in high executive positions, said Christine Quinn, a former City Council speaker who lost in a 2013 Democratic mayoral primary to de Blasio.None of the women running for mayor in 2021 has cracked the top tier of candidates, with Yang, Adams and Stringer taking the top spots in every poll.Wiley, a former MSNBC analyst and de Blasio administration lawyer, has sought to brand herself as a champion of women, with endorsements from Gloria Steinem and the feminist political action committee EMILY s List.Garcia long lauded as a problem solver in city government released a TV ad that shows her inside a red box labeled in case of emergency, break glass. In the ad, she lists a few of her managerial credentials and says, When there s a crisis, sometimes you ve got to break glass to solve it. The reference to women breaking the glass ceiling is clear.New York City mayoral races are often unpredictable. De Blasio vaulted over a large field in the 2013 primary thanks to campaign ads featuring his biracial son, Dante, and former congressman Anthony Weiner s sexting scandal.Stringer appears committed to staying in the race, with a busy campaign schedule including stops at five churches last Sunday. Some think he still has a chance.We know who Scott is, we ve seen him for, you know, 30 years as an Assembly member, a borough president, a comptroller. He s established who he is, and now he s gotta go back and defend himself, said Sid Davidoff, a lawyer and former aide to New York City Mayor John Lindsay.Yang recently picked up endorsements by Rep. Grace Meng, a Queens Democrat who is the first Asian American to be elected to Congress from New York, and Rep. Ritchie Torres, a Democrat who is the Bronx s first openly gay Congress member. Comedian Dave Chappelle also endorsed Yang this past week.The winner of the primary will be strongly favored to win the November general election in the overwhelmingly Democratic city, but there will also be a Republican primary featuring Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa and businessman Fernando Mateo.Voter turnout tends to be low in New York City primaries, so a relatively small number of people could pick the leader who will guide the city out of a once-in-a-century pandemic.About 700,000 New Yorkers voted in the 2013 primaries, or 20% of registered Democrats and Republicans.