LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Police in Lincoln say a 16-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer and other counts after he was accused of having a stolen handgun and punching an officer several times in the face as he was being arrested. 

The Lincoln Journal Star says the incident happened Saturday night, when police confronted the teen who had a warrant out for his arrest.

 Police say the teen punched the officer in an attempt to get away. 

Police say they found a stolen 9 mm handgun and four magazines of ammunition in his backpack. 

In addition to the assault charge, the teen faces charges of carrying a concealed weapon and vandalism.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Police in Lincoln say a 16-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer and other counts after he was accused of having a stolen handgun and punching an officer several times in the face as he was being arrested. The Lincoln Journal Star says the incident happened Saturday night, when police confronted the teen who had a warrant out for his arrest. Police say the teen punched the officer in an attempt to get away. Police say they found a stolen 9 mm handgun and four magazines of ammunition in his backpack. In addition to the assault charge, the teen faces charges of carrying a concealed weapon and vandalism.

Lincoln police: Teen found with stolen gun punched officer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department on Monday urged Americans reconsider any international travel they may have planned and said it would issue specific warnings not to visit roughly 80% of the world’s countries due to risks from the coronavirus pandemic.

The United States hasn’t had a global advisory warning against international travel since August, when guidance was revoked by the Trump administration.

The advice issued by the department isn’t a formal global advisory. Instead, it says the State Department will start using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention standards as it prepares health and safety guidelines for individual countries. Because of those standards, about 80% of countries will be classified as “Level 4” or “do not travel.”

Travel is also discouraged for the remaining 20%, though not as emphatically. It says people with plans to visit those countries should reconsider before proceeding.

The department did not reveal which countries will fall under which category. That will become known as guidance is issued individually for each country in the coming week.

“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose unprecedented risks to travelers. In light of those risks, the Department of State strongly recommends U.S. citizens reconsider all travel abroad,” it said.

The department said the new classifications don’t necessarily reflect changes in the countries’ health situations, but rather an adjustment in the criteria on which it bases the alerts.

The State Department’s assessments for COVID-19 include infection rates as well as the availability of local testing and treatment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618925513372.png" alt="The State Department’s assessments for COVID-19 include infection rates as well as the availability of local testing and treatment-photo Denver International Airport" />
 <figcaption>The State Department’s assessments for COVID-19 include infection rates as well as the availability of local testing and treatment-photo Denver International Airport</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department on Monday urged Americans reconsider any international travel they may have planned and said it would issue specific warnings not to visit roughly 80% of the world’s countries due to risks from the coronavirus pandemic.The United States hasn’t had a global advisory warning against international travel since August, when guidance was revoked by the Trump administration.The advice issued by the department isn’t a formal global advisory. Instead, it says the State Department will start using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention standards as it prepares health and safety guidelines for individual countries. Because of those standards, about 80% of countries will be classified as “Level 4” or “do not travel.”Travel is also discouraged for the remaining 20%, though not as emphatically. It says people with plans to visit those countries should reconsider before proceeding.The department did not reveal which countries will fall under which category. That will become known as guidance is issued individually for each country in the coming week.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618925544398.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose unprecedented risks to travelers. In light of those risks, the Department of State strongly recommends U.S. citizens reconsider all travel abroad,” it said.The department said the new classifications don’t necessarily reflect changes in the countries’ health situations, but rather an adjustment in the criteria on which it bases the alerts.The State Department’s assessments for COVID-19 include infection rates as well as the availability of local testing and treatment.

US warns against travel to 80% of world due to COVID-19

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded taxpayers to
 check their tax returns for common errors that could delay refunds or 
otherwise affect normal processing. Here are some ways to avoid tax 
return slipups as the May 17 due date gets closer.

Use electronic filing. Filing electronically, whether through IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">Free File</a> or other <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">e-file</a>
 service providers, is a great way to cut the chances for many tax 
return mistakes and maximize deductions to reduce tax owed at the same 
time. The tax software automatically applies the latest tax laws, checks
 for available credits or deductions, does the calculations, and asks 
taxpayers for all required information.

Report all taxable income. Be sure to have income 
documents on hand before starting the tax return. Examples are Forms 
W-2, 1099-MISC or 1099-NEC. Underreporting income may lead to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/understanding-penalties-and-interest">penalties and interest</a>.

Get names and Social Security numbers right. Enter 
each Social Security number (SSN) and individual's name on a tax return 
exactly as printed on the Social Security card. Persons generally must 
list on their individual income tax return the SSN of any person they 
claim as a dependent. If a dependent or spouse does not have and is not 
eligible to get a SSN, list the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/taxpayer-identification-numbers-tin">Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN)</a> instead of a SSN.

Learn about filing status. If taxpayers are unsure about their filing status, the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita">Interactive Tax Assistant</a>
 on IRS.gov can help them choose the correct status, especially if more 
than one filing status applies. Tax software, including IRS Free File, 
also helps prevent mistakes with filing status.

Correctly answer the virtual currency question. The 
2020 Form 1040 asks whether at any time during 2020, a person received, 
sold, sent, exchanged or otherwise acquired any financial interest in 
any virtual currency. If a taxpayer's only transactions involving 
virtual currency during 2020 were purchases of virtual currency, they 
are not required to answer "yes"&nbsp;to the question.

Mail paper returns to the right address. Paper filers should check the right address for <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/where-to-file-paper-tax-returns-with-or-without-a-payment">where to file</a>
 on IRS.gov or on form instructions to avoid processing delays. Note 
that due to staffing issues related to COVID-19, processing paper tax 
returns could take much longer than usual. Taxpayers and tax 
professionals are encouraged to file electronically if possible.

Use the right routing and account numbers. 
Requesting direct deposit of a federal refund into one, two or even 
three accounts is convenient and allows the taxpayer access to his or 
her money faster. Make sure the financial institution routing and 
account numbers entered on the return are accurate. Incorrect numbers 
can cause a refund to be delayed or deposited into the wrong account. 
Taxpayers can also use their refund to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/now-you-can-buy-us-series-i-savings-bonds-for-anyone-with-your-tax-refund">purchase U.S. Savings Bonds</a>.

Sign and date the return. If filing a joint return, 
both spouses must sign and date the return. E-filers can sign using a 
self-selected personal identification number (PIN).

Keep a copy. When ready to file, taxpayers should make a copy of their signed return and all schedules for their records.

Request an extension, if needed. Taxpayers who 
cannot meet the May 17 deadline can easily request an automatic filing 
extension to October&nbsp;15 and prevent late filing <a href="https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc653">penalties</a>. Use Free File or <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-4868">Form 4868</a>. But keep in mind that while an extension grants additional time to file, tax payments are still due May 17.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded taxpayers to
 check their tax returns for common errors that could delay refunds or 
otherwise affect normal processing. Here are some ways to avoid tax 
return slipups as the May 17 due date gets closer.Use electronic filing. Filing electronically, whether through IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">Free File</a> or other <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/e-file-options">e-file</a>
 service providers, is a great way to cut the chances for many tax 
return mistakes and maximize deductions to reduce tax owed at the same 
time. The tax software automatically applies the latest tax laws, checks
 for available credits or deductions, does the calculations, and asks 
taxpayers for all required information.Report all taxable income. Be sure to have income 
documents on hand before starting the tax return. Examples are Forms 
W-2, 1099-MISC or 1099-NEC. Underreporting income may lead to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/understanding-penalties-and-interest">penalties and interest</a>.Get names and Social Security numbers right. Enter 
each Social Security number (SSN) and individual's name on a tax return 
exactly as printed on the Social Security card. Persons generally must 
list on their individual income tax return the SSN of any person they 
claim as a dependent. If a dependent or spouse does not have and is not 
eligible to get a SSN, list the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/taxpayer-identification-numbers-tin">Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN)</a> instead of a SSN.Learn about filing status. If taxpayers are unsure about their filing status, the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita">Interactive Tax Assistant</a>
 on IRS.gov can help them choose the correct status, especially if more 
than one filing status applies. Tax software, including IRS Free File, 
also helps prevent mistakes with filing status.Correctly answer the virtual currency question. The 
2020 Form 1040 asks whether at any time during 2020, a person received, 
sold, sent, exchanged or otherwise acquired any financial interest in 
any virtual currency. If a taxpayer's only transactions involving 
virtual currency during 2020 were purchases of virtual currency, they 
are not required to answer "yes"&nbsp;to the question.Mail paper returns to the right address. Paper filers should check the right address for <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/where-to-file-paper-tax-returns-with-or-without-a-payment">where to file</a>
 on IRS.gov or on form instructions to avoid processing delays. Note 
that due to staffing issues related to COVID-19, processing paper tax 
returns could take much longer than usual. Taxpayers and tax 
professionals are encouraged to file electronically if possible.Use the right routing and account numbers. 
Requesting direct deposit of a federal refund into one, two or even 
three accounts is convenient and allows the taxpayer access to his or 
her money faster. Make sure the financial institution routing and 
account numbers entered on the return are accurate. Incorrect numbers 
can cause a refund to be delayed or deposited into the wrong account. 
Taxpayers can also use their refund to <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/now-you-can-buy-us-series-i-savings-bonds-for-anyone-with-your-tax-refund">purchase U.S. Savings Bonds</a>.Sign and date the return. If filing a joint return, 
both spouses must sign and date the return. E-filers can sign using a 
self-selected personal identification number (PIN).Keep a copy. When ready to file, taxpayers should make a copy of their signed return and all schedules for their records.Request an extension, if needed. Taxpayers who 
cannot meet the May 17 deadline can easily request an automatic filing 
extension to October&nbsp;15 and prevent late filing <a href="https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc653">penalties</a>. Use Free File or <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-4868">Form 4868</a>. But keep in mind that while an extension grants additional time to file, tax payments are still due May 17.

IRS: Common tax return errors as May 17 deadline looms

News Release Clay County Emergency Management

Last night near midnight, Aaron Ackerman was driving home from work and observed an active fire on the east end of a home in the 300 block of Clay Ave in Clay Center. 

 Aaron reacted well and quickly.  He called 911 reporting the fire and began pounding on the front door of the home to alert them of the fire. 

After some tense moments the occupants, who were asleep, came to the door and Ackerman alerted them to the fire.  He helped the two 74-year-old homeowners and their 18-year-old grandson who had been asleep until his pounding on the door brought them to the door evacuate with the family's two dogs.  There were no injuries. 

 On duty Clay County Deputies responded to aid on this call.  

Clay Center Fire and EMS responded as did Fairfield, Sutton, Edgar, and Harvard Fire Departments. 

 Neighbors and friends helped the family find shelter overnight.  The American Red Cross Grand Island office which serves Clay County was put in contact with the homeowners and is providing outreach as well.  

There was extensive damage to the home, but due to Ackerman's actions, there were no injuries or loss of life.

Fires may not happen to you, but this is a good reminder to make sure your fire alarms are working and properly placed.  We ask you to check them twice a year.  Emergency Managers have partnered with the American Red Cross to provide 10-year fire alarms for homes who want them.  They only need to be tested as the batteries are good for 10 years.  The life of the detector.  

Please make sure you have working fire detectors in your home, on each floor of the home and outside of each bedroom.   We have provided several to households in Clay County in the last year.   Let's all work together to keep our homes prepared and safe for all potential disasters.  Don't fall into the trap of "this will never happen to me".  It can and it does. 

Our county is lucky to have had Mr. Ackerman in the area and take such quick and direct action to help a family.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618881032609.png" alt="Photo: Clay County Emergency Management" />
 <figcaption>Photo: Clay County Emergency Management</figcaption>
 </figure>News Release Clay County Emergency ManagementLast night near midnight, Aaron Ackerman was driving home from work and observed an active fire on the east end of a home in the 300 block of Clay Ave in Clay Center. Aaron reacted well and quickly. He called 911 reporting the fire and began pounding on the front door of the home to alert them of the fire. After some tense moments the occupants, who were asleep, came to the door and Ackerman alerted them to the fire. He helped the two 74-year-old homeowners and their 18-year-old grandson who had been asleep until his pounding on the door brought them to the door evacuate with the family's two dogs. There were no injuries. On duty Clay County Deputies responded to aid on this call. Clay Center Fire and EMS responded as did Fairfield, Sutton, Edgar, and Harvard Fire Departments. Neighbors and friends helped the family find shelter overnight. The American Red Cross Grand Island office which serves Clay County was put in contact with the homeowners and is providing outreach as well. There was extensive damage to the home, but due to Ackerman's actions, there were no injuries or loss of life.Fires may not happen to you, but this is a good reminder to make sure your fire alarms are working and properly placed. We ask you to check them twice a year. Emergency Managers have partnered with the American Red Cross to provide 10-year fire alarms for homes who want them. They only need to be tested as the batteries are good for 10 years. The life of the detector. Please make sure you have working fire detectors in your home, on each floor of the home and outside of each bedroom. We have provided several to households in Clay County in the last year. Let's all work together to keep our homes prepared and safe for all potential disasters. Don't fall into the trap of "this will never happen to me". It can and it does. Our county is lucky to have had Mr. Ackerman in the area and take such quick and direct action to help a family.

Passerby saves Clay County residents, 2 dogs from house fire

What is a COVID-19 vaccine passport, and will I need one?

“Vaccine passports,” or vaccine certificates, are documents that show you were vaccinated against COVID-19 or recently tested negative for the virus. They could help you get into places such as stadiums or even countries that are looking to reopen safely.

The certificates are still being developed, and how and whether they’ll be used could vary widely around the world. Experts say they should be free and available on paper, not just on apps, since not everyone has a smartphone.

In the U.S., federal officials say there are no plans to make them broadly mandatory. In some states, Republican governors have issued orders barring businesses or state agencies from asking people to show proof of vaccination.

Objections revolve mostly around privacy and security — how people’s personal information will be stored — and fairness. Critics say the passports will benefit people and countries with more access to vaccines.

Supporters say they could make reopenings faster and easier. Proof of vaccination or a negative test could be a way for businesses and schools to reassure customers, students and parents that steps are being taken to limit transmission of the virus.

International travel bans by countries could also be eased if people are able to show proof they’re vaccinated. Some countries have long had requirements to prove vaccination against yellow fever.

Still, a challenge is creating certification systems that work across vaccine providers and businesses. More than a dozen initiatives are underway to develop a credential that could be stored on a smartphone or printed on paper, using a QR code.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617326081667.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID KOENIG, Associated PressWhat is a COVID-19 vaccine passport, and will I need one?“Vaccine passports,” or vaccine certificates, are documents that show you were vaccinated against COVID-19 or recently tested negative for the virus. They could help you get into places such as stadiums or even countries that are looking to reopen safely.The certificates are still being developed, and how and whether they’ll be used could vary widely around the world. Experts say they should be free and available on paper, not just on apps, since not everyone has a smartphone.In the U.S., federal officials say there are no plans to make them broadly mandatory. In some states, Republican governors have issued orders barring businesses or state agencies from asking people to show proof of vaccination.Objections revolve mostly around privacy and security — how people’s personal information will be stored — and fairness. Critics say the passports will benefit people and countries with more access to vaccines.Supporters say they could make reopenings faster and easier. Proof of vaccination or a negative test could be a way for businesses and schools to reassure customers, students and parents that steps are being taken to limit transmission of the virus.International travel bans by countries could also be eased if people are able to show proof they’re vaccinated. Some countries have long had requirements to prove vaccination against yellow fever.Still, a challenge is creating certification systems that work across vaccine providers and businesses. More than a dozen initiatives are underway to develop a credential that could be stored on a smartphone or printed on paper, using a QR code.___

What is a COVID-19 vaccine passport, and will you need one?

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have arrested a man they accuse of firing a gun from a car at police officers in Omaha. 

Police say the incident happened early Sunday morning, when officers responded to reports of shots fired in a north Omaha neighborhood.

 Police say gang unit officers began following what police deemed a suspicious car when at least one passenger leaned out of the vehicle and fired on police. Officials say no officers were injured in the gunfire. 

Police say later arrested two men following a short chase, but a third man and the driver got away. 

Police arrested 19-year-old D’Tavionte White-Perry on suspicion firing a gun from a vehicle and other counts. 

Police also arrested 19-year-old Wuanya Smith on suspicion of obstructing an officer and criminal mischief.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have arrested a man they accuse of firing a gun from a car at police officers in Omaha. Police say the incident happened early Sunday morning, when officers responded to reports of shots fired in a north Omaha neighborhood. Police say gang unit officers began following what police deemed a suspicious car when at least one passenger leaned out of the vehicle and fired on police. Officials say no officers were injured in the gunfire. Police say later arrested two men following a short chase, but a third man and the driver got away. Police arrested 19-year-old D’Tavionte White-Perry on suspicion firing a gun from a vehicle and other counts. Police also arrested 19-year-old Wuanya Smith on suspicion of obstructing an officer and criminal mischief.

Police arrest man accused of firing gun at officers in Omaha

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A boy shot over the weekend at a hotel near a Kansas City theme park has died from his injuries, police said.

The shooting happened around 7 p.m. Saturday inside Hometowne Studios, which sits west of Interstate 435 across from Worlds of Fun, according to a police news release.

The teen was taken to a hospital in critical condition, where he underwent surgery, police said. The teen died of his injuries on Sunday, police said. His name had not been released by Monday morning.

Police said homicide detectives have a person of interest in the case but are still looking for more information on the shooting from the public.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A child was shot and critically hurt Saturday evening in north Kansas City.

Police said officers were called to a hotel near Worlds of Fun shortly before 7 p.m. Saturday. At the Hometowne Studios hotel, they found a boy with a gunshot wound.

The boy was taken to a hospital where he underwent surgery. Police said he remained in critical condition Sunday morning.

Police did not release any details of the shooting, and no arrests were reported immediately Sunday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A boy shot over the weekend at a hotel near a Kansas City theme park has died from his injuries, police said.The shooting happened around 7 p.m. Saturday inside Hometowne Studios, which sits west of Interstate 435 across from Worlds of Fun, according to a police news release.The teen was taken to a hospital in critical condition, where he underwent surgery, police said. The teen died of his injuries on Sunday, police said. His name had not been released by Monday morning.Police said homicide detectives have a person of interest in the case but are still looking for more information on the shooting from the public.---------KANSAS CITY (AP) — A child was shot and critically hurt Saturday evening in north Kansas City.Police said officers were called to a hotel near Worlds of Fun shortly before 7 p.m. Saturday. At the Hometowne Studios hotel, they found a boy with a gunshot wound.The boy was taken to a hospital where he underwent surgery. Police said he remained in critical condition Sunday morning.Police did not release any details of the shooting, and no arrests were reported immediately Sunday.

Police: Boy shot near Worlds of Fun has died

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota is among the best states in the nation for the percentage of people who have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. 

Now health officials are turning their focus toward those who are hesitant to get the shots. 

A map published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows rural states like South Dakota, North Dakota and Wyoming with some of the highest concentrations of vaccine hesitancy in the country.

 The Rapid City Journal reports that in central South Dakota, the most rural part of the state, about 29% of people surveyed had reservations about getting vaccinated. 

Health officials say they're trying to steer people toward trusted sources to get information about the vaccines.

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota is among the best states in the nation for the percentage of people who have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Now health officials are turning their focus toward those who are hesitant to get the shots. A map published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows rural states like South Dakota, North Dakota and Wyoming with some of the highest concentrations of vaccine hesitancy in the country. The Rapid City Journal reports that in central South Dakota, the most rural part of the state, about 29% of people surveyed had reservations about getting vaccinated. Health officials say they're trying to steer people toward trusted sources to get information about the vaccines.

South Dakota health officials focus on vaccine hesitancy

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s experimental Mars helicopter rose from the dusty red surface into the planet’s thin air on Monday, achieving the first powered flight on another planet.

The triumph was hailed as a Wright Brothers moment. The mini 4-pound copter named Ingenuity, in fact, carried a bit of wing fabric from the 1903 Wright Flyer, which made similar history at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

“Altimeter data confirms that Ingenuity has performed its first flight, the first flight of a powered aircraft on another planet,” said the helicopter’s chief pilot back on Earth, Havard Grip, his voice breaking as his teammates erupted in cheers.

Flight controllers in California confirmed Ingenuity’s brief hop after receiving data via the Perseverance rover, which stood watch more than 200 feet away. Ingenuity hitched a ride to Mars on Perseverance, clinging to the rover’s belly upon their arrival in an ancient river delta in February.

The $85 million helicopter demo was considered high risk, yet high reward.

“Each world gets only one first flight,” project manager MiMi Aung noted earlier this month. Speaking on a NASA webcast early Monday, she called it the “ultimate dream.”

Aung and her team had to wait more than three excruciating hours before learning whether the pre-programmed flight had succeeded 178 million miles away. Adding to their anxiety: A software error prevented the helicopter from lifting off a week earlier and had engineers scrambling to come up with a fix.

Applause, cheers and laughter erupted in the operations center when success was finally declared. More followed when the first black and white photo from Ingenuity appeared on their screens, showing its shadow as it hovered above the surface of Mars. Next came the stunning color images of the helicopter descending back to the surface, taken by Perseverance, “the best host little Ingenuity could ever hope for,” Aung said in thanking everyone.

NASA had been aiming for a 40-second flight, and while details were initially sparse, the craft hit all its targets: spin-up, takeoff, hover, descent and landing.

To accomplish all that, the helicopter’s twin, counter-rotating rotor blades needed to spin at 2,500 revolutions per minute — five times faster than on Earth. With an atmosphere just 1 percent the thickness of Earth’s, engineers had to build a helicopter light enough — with blades spinning fast enough — to generate this otherworldy lift. At the same time, it had to be sturdy enough to withstand the Martian wind and extreme cold.

More than six years in the making, Ingenuity is a barebones 1.6 feet tall, a spindly four-legged chopper. Its fuselage, containing all the batteries, heaters and sensors, is the size of a tissue box. The carbon-fiber, foam-filled rotors are the biggest pieces: Each pair stretches 4 feet&nbsp; tip to tip.

The helicopter is topped with a solar panel for recharging the batteries, crucial for its survival during the minus-130 degree Fahrenheit (minus-90 degree-Celsius) Martian nights.

NASA chose a flat, relatively rock-free patch for Ingenuity’s airfield, measuring 33 feet by 33 feet It turned out to be less than 100 feet from the original landing site in Jezero Crater. The helicopter was released from the rover onto the airfield on April 3. Flight commands were sent Sunday, after controllers sent up a software correction for the rotor blade spin-up.

The little chopper with a giant job attracted attention from around the world, from the moment it launched with Perseverance last July until now. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger joined in the fun, rooting for Ingenuity over the weekend via Twitter. “Get to the chopper!” he shouted, re-enacting a line from his 1987 sci-fi film “Predator.”

Up to five helicopter flights are planned, each one increasingly ambitious. If successful, the demo could lead the way to a fleet of Martian drones in decades to come, providing aerial views, transporting packages and serving as scouts for astronauts. High-altitude helicopters here on Earth could also benefit — imagine choppers easily navigating the Himalayas.

Ingenuity’s team has until the beginning of May to complete the test flights. That’s because the rover needs to get on with its main mission: collecting rock samples that could hold evidence of past Martian life, for return to Earth a decade from now.

Until then, Perseverance will keep watch over Ingenuity. Flight engineers affectionately call them Percy and Ginny. “Big sister’s watching,” said Malin Space Science Systems’ Elsa Jensen, the rover’s lead camera operator.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618833026464.png" alt="NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter took this shot while hovering over the Martian surface on April 19, 2021, during the first instance of powered, controlled flight on another planet. It used its navigation camera, which autonomously tracks the ground during flight-image courtesy NASA" />
 <figcaption>NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter took this shot while hovering over the Martian surface on April 19, 2021, during the first instance of powered, controlled flight on another planet. It used its navigation camera, which autonomously tracks the ground during flight-image courtesy NASA</figcaption>
 </figure>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s experimental Mars helicopter rose from the dusty red surface into the planet’s thin air on Monday, achieving the first powered flight on another planet.The triumph was hailed as a Wright Brothers moment. The mini 4-pound copter named Ingenuity, in fact, carried a bit of wing fabric from the 1903 Wright Flyer, which made similar history at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.“Altimeter data confirms that Ingenuity has performed its first flight, the first flight of a powered aircraft on another planet,” said the helicopter’s chief pilot back on Earth, Havard Grip, his voice breaking as his teammates erupted in cheers.Flight controllers in California confirmed Ingenuity’s brief hop after receiving data via the Perseverance rover, which stood watch more than 200 feet away. Ingenuity hitched a ride to Mars on Perseverance, clinging to the rover’s belly upon their arrival in an ancient river delta in February.The $85 million helicopter demo was considered high risk, yet high reward.“Each world gets only one first flight,” project manager MiMi Aung noted earlier this month. Speaking on a NASA webcast early Monday, she called it the “ultimate dream.”Aung and her team had to wait more than three excruciating hours before learning whether the pre-programmed flight had succeeded 178 million miles away. Adding to their anxiety: A software error prevented the helicopter from lifting off a week earlier and had engineers scrambling to come up with a fix.Applause, cheers and laughter erupted in the operations center when success was finally declared. More followed when the first black and white photo from Ingenuity appeared on their screens, showing its shadow as it hovered above the surface of Mars. Next came the stunning color images of the helicopter descending back to the surface, taken by Perseverance, “the best host little Ingenuity could ever hope for,” Aung said in thanking everyone.NASA had been aiming for a 40-second flight, and while details were initially sparse, the craft hit all its targets: spin-up, takeoff, hover, descent and landing.To accomplish all that, the helicopter’s twin, counter-rotating rotor blades needed to spin at 2,500 revolutions per minute — five times faster than on Earth. With an atmosphere just 1 percent the thickness of Earth’s, engineers had to build a helicopter light enough — with blades spinning fast enough — to generate this otherworldy lift. At the same time, it had to be sturdy enough to withstand the Martian wind and extreme cold.More than six years in the making, Ingenuity is a barebones 1.6 feet tall, a spindly four-legged chopper. Its fuselage, containing all the batteries, heaters and sensors, is the size of a tissue box. The carbon-fiber, foam-filled rotors are the biggest pieces: Each pair stretches 4 feet&nbsp; tip to tip.The helicopter is topped with a solar panel for recharging the batteries, crucial for its survival during the minus-130 degree Fahrenheit (minus-90 degree-Celsius) Martian nights.NASA chose a flat, relatively rock-free patch for Ingenuity’s airfield, measuring 33 feet by 33 feet It turned out to be less than 100 feet from the original landing site in Jezero Crater. The helicopter was released from the rover onto the airfield on April 3. Flight commands were sent Sunday, after controllers sent up a software correction for the rotor blade spin-up.The little chopper with a giant job attracted attention from around the world, from the moment it launched with Perseverance last July until now. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger joined in the fun, rooting for Ingenuity over the weekend via Twitter. “Get to the chopper!” he shouted, re-enacting a line from his 1987 sci-fi film “Predator.”Up to five helicopter flights are planned, each one increasingly ambitious. If successful, the demo could lead the way to a fleet of Martian drones in decades to come, providing aerial views, transporting packages and serving as scouts for astronauts. High-altitude helicopters here on Earth could also benefit — imagine choppers easily navigating the Himalayas.Ingenuity’s team has until the beginning of May to complete the test flights. That’s because the rover needs to get on with its main mission: collecting rock samples that could hold evidence of past Martian life, for return to Earth a decade from now.Until then, Perseverance will keep watch over Ingenuity. Flight engineers affectionately call them Percy and Ginny. “Big sister’s watching,” said Malin Space Science Systems’ Elsa Jensen, the rover’s lead camera operator.

NASA's Mars helicopter takes flight, 1st on another planet

WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing swift blowback from allies and aid groups, the White House said President Joe Biden plans to lift his predecessor’s historically low cap on refugees by next month, after initially moving only to expand the eligibility criteria for resettlements.

In an emergency determination signed by Biden earlier Friday, he stated the admission of up to 15,000 refugees set by former President Donald Trump this year “remains justified by humanitarian concerns and is otherwise in the national interest.” But if the cap is reached before the end of the current budget year and the emergency refugee situation persists, then a presidential determination may be issued to raise the ceiling.

That set off a deluge of criticism from top allies on Capitol Hill such as the second-ranking Senate Democrat, Dick Durbin of Illinois, who called that initial limit “unacceptable.”

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said later that Biden is expected to increase the refugee cap by May 15, though she didn’t say by how much.

Biden has been consulting with his advisers to determine what number of refugees could realistically be admitted to the United States between now and Oct. 1, the end of the fiscal year, Psaki said. “Given the decimated refugee admissions program we inherited,” she said it’s now “unlikely” Biden will be able to boost that number to 62,500, as he had proposed in his plan to Congress two months ago.

But Biden, she said, was urged by advisers to “take immediate action to reverse the Trump policy that banned refugees from many key regions, to enable flights from those regions to begin within days; today’s order did that.”

The new allocations provide more slots for refugees from Africa, the Middle East and Central America and lift Trump’s restrictions on resettlements from Somalia, Syria and Yemen.

Critics from both sides of the political spectrum had accused the president of bowing to political pressure that has been mounting over the record pace of unaccompanied migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Stephen Miller, a key architect of Trump’s immigration policies, tweeted that keeping Trump’s cap “reflects Team Biden’s awareness that the border flood will cause record midterm losses.”

The White House indicated the border situation was partly why Biden had not acted before now, even though migrants at the border do not go through the same vetting process as refugees.

“It is a factor,” said Psaki, noting that the Office of Refugee Resettlement “has personnel working on both issues and so we have to ensure that there is capacity and ability to manage both.”

Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal said he didn’t buy that.

“This cruel policy is no more acceptable now than it was during the Trump Administration,” Blumenthal said. “To be clear: the asylum process at the southern border and the refugee process are completely separate immigration systems. Conflating the two constitutes caving to the politics of fear.”

Since the fiscal year began last Oct. 1, just over 2,000 refugees have been resettled in the U.S.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken notified Congress on Feb. 12 of a plan to raise the ceiling on admissions to 62,500, but no presidential determination followed. The law does not require congressional approval and past presidents have issued such presidential determinations that set the cap on refugee admissions shortly after the notification to Congress.

New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told Biden in a letter Friday that his inaction “undermines your declared purpose to reverse your predecessor’s refugee policies.”

Menendez said it also makes it unlikely that the program can hit its target next budget year of 125,000, which Biden has pledged to do.

Refugee resettlement agencies said it was important that admissions go higher even if it’s not possible to meet the target to send a message that America will be a leader again in offering safe haven to the world’s oppressed.

Some 35,000 refugees have been cleared to go to the United States, and 100,000 remain in the pipeline and their lives remain in limbo, said David Miliband, president and CEO of the International Rescue Committee.

“This leadership is sorely needed,” he said.

Under Biden’s new allocation, 7,000 slots are reserved for refugees from Africa, 1,000 from East Asia, 1,500 from Europe and Central Asia, 3,000 from Latin America and the Caribbean and 1,500 from the Near East and South Asia. A reserve of about 1,000 slots can be used as needed.

The State Department, which coordinates flights with resettlement agencies, booked 715 refugees to come to the United States with the anticipation that Biden would have acted by March, but those flights were canceled since the refugees were not eligible under Trump’s rules, according to resettlement agencies.

Most of the refugees are from Africa and fleeing armed conflict or political persecution. Trump limited most spots to people fleeing religious persecution, Iraqis who have assisted U.S. forces there, and people from Central America’s Northern Triangle.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618396418186.png" alt="Children housed at the U.S. Mexican border this month-photo courtesy&nbsp; Congressman Tracey Mann" />
 <figcaption>Children housed at the U.S. Mexican border this month-photo courtesy&nbsp; Congressman Tracey Mann</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing swift blowback from allies and aid groups, the White House said President Joe Biden plans to lift his predecessor’s historically low cap on refugees by next month, after initially moving only to expand the eligibility criteria for resettlements.In an emergency determination signed by Biden earlier Friday, he stated the admission of up to 15,000 refugees set by former President Donald Trump this year “remains justified by humanitarian concerns and is otherwise in the national interest.” But if the cap is reached before the end of the current budget year and the emergency refugee situation persists, then a presidential determination may be issued to raise the ceiling.That set off a deluge of criticism from top allies on Capitol Hill such as the second-ranking Senate Democrat, Dick Durbin of Illinois, who called that initial limit “unacceptable.”White House press secretary Jen Psaki said later that Biden is expected to increase the refugee cap by May 15, though she didn’t say by how much.Biden has been consulting with his advisers to determine what number of refugees could realistically be admitted to the United States between now and Oct. 1, the end of the fiscal year, Psaki said. “Given the decimated refugee admissions program we inherited,” she said it’s now “unlikely” Biden will be able to boost that number to 62,500, as he had proposed in his plan to Congress two months ago.But Biden, she said, was urged by advisers to “take immediate action to reverse the Trump policy that banned refugees from many key regions, to enable flights from those regions to begin within days; today’s order did that.”The new allocations provide more slots for refugees from Africa, the Middle East and Central America and lift Trump’s restrictions on resettlements from Somalia, Syria and Yemen.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618396445966.png" alt="Immigrant children housed at the U.S. Border-photo Congressman Tracey Mann" />
 <figcaption>Immigrant children housed at the U.S. Border-photo Congressman Tracey Mann</figcaption>
 </figure>Critics from both sides of the political spectrum had accused the president of bowing to political pressure that has been mounting over the record pace of unaccompanied migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Stephen Miller, a key architect of Trump’s immigration policies, tweeted that keeping Trump’s cap “reflects Team Biden’s awareness that the border flood will cause record midterm losses.”The White House indicated the border situation was partly why Biden had not acted before now, even though migrants at the border do not go through the same vetting process as refugees.“It is a factor,” said Psaki, noting that the Office of Refugee Resettlement “has personnel working on both issues and so we have to ensure that there is capacity and ability to manage both.”Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal said he didn’t buy that.“This cruel policy is no more acceptable now than it was during the Trump Administration,” Blumenthal said. “To be clear: the asylum process at the southern border and the refugee process are completely separate immigration systems. Conflating the two constitutes caving to the politics of fear.”Since the fiscal year began last Oct. 1, just over 2,000 refugees have been resettled in the U.S.Secretary of State Antony Blinken notified Congress on Feb. 12 of a plan to raise the ceiling on admissions to 62,500, but no presidential determination followed. The law does not require congressional approval and past presidents have issued such presidential determinations that set the cap on refugee admissions shortly after the notification to Congress.New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told Biden in a letter Friday that his inaction “undermines your declared purpose to reverse your predecessor’s refugee policies.”Menendez said it also makes it unlikely that the program can hit its target next budget year of 125,000, which Biden has pledged to do.Refugee resettlement agencies said it was important that admissions go higher even if it’s not possible to meet the target to send a message that America will be a leader again in offering safe haven to the world’s oppressed.Some 35,000 refugees have been cleared to go to the United States, and 100,000 remain in the pipeline and their lives remain in limbo, said David Miliband, president and CEO of the International Rescue Committee.“This leadership is sorely needed,” he said.Under Biden’s new allocation, 7,000 slots are reserved for refugees from Africa, 1,000 from East Asia, 1,500 from Europe and Central Asia, 3,000 from Latin America and the Caribbean and 1,500 from the Near East and South Asia. A reserve of about 1,000 slots can be used as needed.The State Department, which coordinates flights with resettlement agencies, booked 715 refugees to come to the United States with the anticipation that Biden would have acted by March, but those flights were canceled since the refugees were not eligible under Trump’s rules, according to resettlement agencies.Most of the refugees are from Africa and fleeing armed conflict or political persecution. Trump limited most spots to people fleeing religious persecution, Iraqis who have assisted U.S. forces there, and people from Central America’s Northern Triangle._____

President Biden will lift cap on number of refugees

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (AP) — Park officials in Yellowstone National Park report that efforts to protect threatened native cutthroat trout have progressed but that but concerns remain after officials discovered another invasive fish species. 

Yellowstone fisheries biologist Todd Koel said officials first discovered a small cisco fish native to the Great Lakes two years ago. 

Officials said it is unclear how the fish arrived in the park because the park has no natural connections to the lakes. 

The discovery came as the park has made significant progress in suppressing invasive lake trout. 

The trout population has declined more than 80% because of the efforts but officials now worry about the ciscos.

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (AP) — Park officials in Yellowstone National Park report that efforts to protect threatened native cutthroat trout have progressed but that but concerns remain after officials discovered another invasive fish species. Yellowstone fisheries biologist Todd Koel said officials first discovered a small cisco fish native to the Great Lakes two years ago. Officials said it is unclear how the fish arrived in the park because the park has no natural connections to the lakes. The discovery came as the park has made significant progress in suppressing invasive lake trout. The trout population has declined more than 80% because of the efforts but officials now worry about the ciscos.

Yellowstone officials work to remove invasive fish species

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The federal agency which oversees Haskell Indian Nations University plans to send a team to the Lawrence campus following a faculty no-confidence vote in its president. 

The Bureau of Indian Education said in a message to university employees that an “impartial administrative review team” would arrive Monday to gather information on student and staff concerns. 

The Faculty Senate unanimously declared earlier this month that it had no confidence in Haskell President Ronald Graham, alleging he has shown disdain for the free speech rights of students and faculty and a disregard for academic freedom. Graham did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617226828106.png" alt="Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas. Google Maps" />
 <figcaption>Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas. Google Maps</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The federal agency which oversees Haskell Indian Nations University plans to send a team to the Lawrence campus following a faculty no-confidence vote in its president. The Bureau of Indian Education said in a message to university employees that an “impartial administrative review team” would arrive Monday to gather information on student and staff concerns. The Faculty Senate unanimously declared earlier this month that it had no confidence in Haskell President Ronald Graham, alleging he has shown disdain for the free speech rights of students and faculty and a disregard for academic freedom. Graham did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Federal agency to begin review at university in Kansas

Omaha police say Makhi Woolridge-Jones has been located and taken into custody.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police say a murder warrant has been issued for a teenage boy suspected in a shooting at a Nebraska mall that left one man dead and a woman injured. 

Omaha police said Sunday that 16-year-old Makhi Woolridge-Jones is wanted on a charge of first-degree murder in the shooting Saturday at the Westroads Mall in Omaha. 

Eighteen-year-old Brandon Woolridge-Jones has been arrested on a charge of being an accessory to the shooting. Police haven't described the relationship between the two. 

Police have not released the name of a third man they consider a person of interest in the shooting. 

Police say 21-year-old Trequez Swift was shot and died at an Omaha hospital.

On Saturday, April 17th, at 12:00 pm Officers responded to the Westroads Mall at 10000 California St for a shooting. 

Initial reports were shots fired near JcPenney on the 1st floor. Upon arrival Officers found an adult male victim suffering from apparent gunshot injuries. 

The adult male was transported by ambulance to CHI Bergan Mercy Hospital in critical condition where he later succumbed to his injuries and died.&nbsp; 

An adult female later walked into Immanuel Hospital with non-life-threatening gunshot injures. The female said she was shot during the incident at Westroads.&nbsp;

The investigation indicates this was an isolated incident and not a random attack. 

The suspects fled the scene immediately after the shooting. Law Enforcement from multiple agencies arrived to assist with securing the scene and searching the entire mall as a precaution.&nbsp;

The identities of the victims will be released at a later time pending notification of the next of kin.&nbsp;

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact Omaha Crime Stoppers at (402) 444-STOP, at&nbsp;<a href="http://police.cityofomaha.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&amp;ctrl=url&amp;subid=&amp;urlid=3458&amp;mailid=2575">www.omahacrimestoppers.org</a>&nbsp;or on the P3 Tips mobile app.

OMAHA, Neb.-Police in Omaha are investigating a shooting incident at Westroads Mall.

Police said at around 1:00 pm that officers were investigating a shooting at the mall.

Authorities said one person was transported to the hospital in critical condition.

The suspects fled the scene and are at large.

The mall is currently on lockdown as police search the entire structure as a precaution.

A news release from Omaha police is expected later today.

Westroads Mall was the scene of the December 2007 shooting at Von Maur that left eight people dead.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618761232877.png" alt="Makhi Woolridge-Jones" />
 <figcaption>Makhi Woolridge-Jones</figcaption>
 </figure>April 18 ,2021 12:11 p.m.Omaha police say Makhi Woolridge-Jones has been located and taken into custody.April 18, 2021 10:52 a.m.From the Associated PressOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police say a murder warrant has been issued for a teenage boy suspected in a shooting at a Nebraska mall that left one man dead and a woman injured. Omaha police said Sunday that 16-year-old Makhi Woolridge-Jones is wanted on a charge of first-degree murder in the shooting Saturday at the Westroads Mall in Omaha. Eighteen-year-old Brandon Woolridge-Jones has been arrested on a charge of being an accessory to the shooting. Police haven't described the relationship between the two. Police have not released the name of a third man they consider a person of interest in the shooting. Police say 21-year-old Trequez Swift was shot and died at an Omaha hospital.News Release Omaha PoliceOn Saturday, April 17th, at 12:00 pm Officers responded to the Westroads Mall at 10000 California St for a shooting. Initial reports were shots fired near JcPenney on the 1st floor. Upon arrival Officers found an adult male victim suffering from apparent gunshot injuries. The adult male was transported by ambulance to CHI Bergan Mercy Hospital in critical condition where he later succumbed to his injuries and died.&nbsp; An adult female later walked into Immanuel Hospital with non-life-threatening gunshot injures. The female said she was shot during the incident at Westroads.&nbsp;The investigation indicates this was an isolated incident and not a random attack. The suspects fled the scene immediately after the shooting. Law Enforcement from multiple agencies arrived to assist with securing the scene and searching the entire mall as a precaution.&nbsp;The identities of the victims will be released at a later time pending notification of the next of kin.&nbsp;The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact Omaha Crime Stoppers at (402) 444-STOP, at&nbsp;<a href="http://police.cityofomaha.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&amp;ctrl=url&amp;subid=&amp;urlid=3458&amp;mailid=2575">www.omahacrimestoppers.org</a>&nbsp;or on the P3 Tips mobile app.By Scott Carlson-NP PostOMAHA, Neb.-Police in Omaha are investigating a shooting incident at Westroads Mall.Police said at around 1:00 pm that officers were investigating a shooting at the mall.Authorities said one person was transported to the hospital in critical condition.The suspects fled the scene and are at large.The mall is currently on lockdown as police search the entire structure as a precaution.This is a developing story.A news release from Omaha police is expected later today.Westroads Mall was the scene of the December 2007 shooting at Von Maur that left eight people dead.

Warrant issued for teen in Westroads Mall homicide, 1 arrested

KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) — A sheriff's department official in Wisconsin says three people are dead and two are seriously injured following a shooting early Sunday at a tavern. 

Kenosha County Sgt. David Wright says the shooting happened at Somers House Tavern in the Village of Somers. 

The suspected shooter has not been captured. 

Wright says the shooting appears to be a “targeted and isolated incident.” 

Authorities don't believe the general public is in danger. Officials have not yet determined the identities of the three people who died. The two people who were wounded have been taken to area hospitals. 

The road leading up to the tavern is closed while officials investigate.

KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) — A sheriff's department official in Wisconsin says three people are dead and two are seriously injured following a shooting early Sunday at a tavern. Kenosha County Sgt. David Wright says the shooting happened at Somers House Tavern in the Village of Somers. The suspected shooter has not been captured. Wright says the shooting appears to be a “targeted and isolated incident.” Authorities don't believe the general public is in danger. Officials have not yet determined the identities of the three people who died. The two people who were wounded have been taken to area hospitals. The road leading up to the tavern is closed while officials investigate.

Official: 3 dead, 2 wounded in shooting at Wisconsin tavern

WASHINGTON (AP) — The global death toll from the coronavirus topped a staggering 3 million people Saturday amid repeated setbacks in the worldwide vaccination campaign and a deepening crisis in places such as Brazil, India and France.

The number of lives lost, <a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html">as compiled by Johns Hopkins University</a>, is about equal to the population of Kyiv, Ukraine; Caracas, Venezuela; or metropolitan Lisbon, Portugal. It is bigger than Chicago (2.7 million) and equivalent to Philadelphia and Dallas combined.

And the true number is believed to be significantly higher because of possible government concealment and the many cases overlooked in the early stages of the outbreak that began in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019.

When the world back in January passed the bleak threshold of 2 million deaths, immunization drives had just started in Europe and the United States. Today, they are underway in more than 190 countries, though progress in bringing the virus under control varies widely.

While the campaigns in the U.S. and Britain have hit their stride and people and businesses there are beginning to contemplate life after the pandemic, other places, mostly poorer countries but some rich ones as well, are lagging behind in putting shots in arms and have imposed new lockdowns and other restrictions as virus cases soar.

Worldwide, deaths are on the rise again, running at around 12,000 per day on average, and new cases are climbing too, eclipsing 700,000 a day.

“This is not the situation we want to be in 16 months into a pandemic, where we have proven control measures,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, one of the World Health Organization’s leaders on COVID-19.

In Brazil, where deaths are running at about 3,000 per day, accounting for one-quarter of the lives lost worldwide in recent weeks, the crisis has been likened to a “raging inferno” by one WHO official. A more contagious variant of the virus has been rampaging across the country.

As cases surge, hospitals are running out of critical sedatives. As a result, there have been reports of some doctors diluting what supplies remain and even tying patients to their beds while breathing tubes are pushed down their throats.

The slow vaccine rollout has crushed Brazilians’ pride in their own history of carrying out huge immunization campaigns that were the envy of the developing world.

Taking cues from President Jair Bolsonaro, who has likened the virus to little more than a flu, his Health Ministry for months bet big on a single vaccine, ignoring other producers. When bottlenecks emerged, it was too late to get large quantities in time.

Watching so many patients suffer and die alone at her Rio de Janeiro hospital impelled nurse Lidiane Melo to take desperate measures.

In the early days of the pandemic, as sufferers were calling out for comfort that she was too busy to provide, Melo filled two rubber gloves with warm water, knotted them shut, and sandwiched them around a patient’s hand to simulate a loving touch.

Some have christened the practice the “hand of God,” and it is now the searing image of a nation roiled by a medical emergency with no end in sight.

“Patients can’t receive visitors. Sadly, there’s no way. So it’s a way to provide psychological support, to be there together with the patient holding their hand,” Melo said. She added: “And this year it’s worse, the seriousness of patients is 1,000 times greater.”

This situation is similarly dire in India, where cases spiked in February after weeks of steady decline, taking authorities by surprise. In a surge driven by variants of the virus, India saw over 180,000 new infections in one 24-hour span during the past week, bringing the total number of cases to over 13.9 million.

Problems that India had overcome last year are coming back to haunt health officials. Only 178 ventilators were free Wednesday afternoon in New Delhi, a city of 29 million, where 13,000 new infections were reported the previous day.

The challenges facing India reverberate beyond its borders since the country is the biggest supplier of shots to COVAX, the U.N.-sponsored program to distribute vaccines to poorer parts of the world. Last month, India said it would suspend vaccine exports until the virus’s spread inside the country slows.

The WHO recently described the supply situation as precarious. Up to 60 countries might not receive any more shots until June, by one estimate. To date, COVAX has delivered about 40 million doses to more than 100 countries, enough to cover barely 0.25% of the world’s population.

Globally, about 87% of the 700 million doses dispensed have been given out in rich countries. While 1 in 4 people in wealthy nations have received a vaccine, in poor countries the figure is 1 in more than 500.

In recent days, the U.S. and some European countries put the use of Johnson &amp; Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine on hold while authorities investigate extremely rare but dangerous blood clots. AstraZeneca’s vaccine has likewise been hit with delays and restrictions because of a clotting scare.

Another concern: Poorer countries are relying on vaccines made by China and Russia, which some scientists believe provide less protection than those made by Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca.

Last week, the director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledged the country’s vaccines offer low protection and said officials are considering mixing them with other shots to improve their effectiveness.

In the U.S., where over 560,000 lives have been lost, accounting for more than 1 in 6 of the world’s COVID-19 deaths, hospitalizations and deaths have dropped, businesses are reopening, and life is beginning to return to something approaching normalcy in several states. The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits tumbled last week to 576,000, a post-COVID-19 low.

But progress has been patchy, and new hot spots — most notably Michigan — have flared up in recent weeks. Still, deaths in the U.S. are down to about 700 per day on average, plummeting from a mid-January peak of about 3,400.

In Europe, countries are feeling the brunt of a more contagious variant that first ravaged Britain and has pushed the continent’s COVID-19-related death toll beyond 1 million.

Close to 6,000 gravely ill patients are being treated in French critical care units, numbers not seen since the first wave a year ago.

Dr. Marc Leone, head of intensive care at the North Hospital in Marseille, said exhausted front-line staff members who were feted as heroes at the start of the pandemic now feel alone and are clinging to hope that renewed school closings and other restrictions will help curb the virus in the coming weeks.

“There’s exhaustion, more bad tempers. You have to tread carefully because there are a lot of conflicts,” he said. “We’ll give everything we have to get through these 15 days as best we can.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618692413792.png" alt="John Hopkins -Number of Daily Deaths" />
 <figcaption>John Hopkins -Number of Daily Deaths</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The global death toll from the coronavirus topped a staggering 3 million people Saturday amid repeated setbacks in the worldwide vaccination campaign and a deepening crisis in places such as Brazil, India and France.The number of lives lost, <a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html">as compiled by Johns Hopkins University</a>, is about equal to the population of Kyiv, Ukraine; Caracas, Venezuela; or metropolitan Lisbon, Portugal. It is bigger than Chicago (2.7 million) and equivalent to Philadelphia and Dallas combined.And the true number is believed to be significantly higher because of possible government concealment and the many cases overlooked in the early stages of the outbreak that began in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019.When the world back in January passed the bleak threshold of 2 million deaths, immunization drives had just started in Europe and the United States. Today, they are underway in more than 190 countries, though progress in bringing the virus under control varies widely.While the campaigns in the U.S. and Britain have hit their stride and people and businesses there are beginning to contemplate life after the pandemic, other places, mostly poorer countries but some rich ones as well, are lagging behind in putting shots in arms and have imposed new lockdowns and other restrictions as virus cases soar.Worldwide, deaths are on the rise again, running at around 12,000 per day on average, and new cases are climbing too, eclipsing 700,000 a day.“This is not the situation we want to be in 16 months into a pandemic, where we have proven control measures,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, one of the World Health Organization’s leaders on COVID-19.In Brazil, where deaths are running at about 3,000 per day, accounting for one-quarter of the lives lost worldwide in recent weeks, the crisis has been likened to a “raging inferno” by one WHO official. A more contagious variant of the virus has been rampaging across the country.As cases surge, hospitals are running out of critical sedatives. As a result, there have been reports of some doctors diluting what supplies remain and even tying patients to their beds while breathing tubes are pushed down their throats.The slow vaccine rollout has crushed Brazilians’ pride in their own history of carrying out huge immunization campaigns that were the envy of the developing world.Taking cues from President Jair Bolsonaro, who has likened the virus to little more than a flu, his Health Ministry for months bet big on a single vaccine, ignoring other producers. When bottlenecks emerged, it was too late to get large quantities in time.Watching so many patients suffer and die alone at her Rio de Janeiro hospital impelled nurse Lidiane Melo to take desperate measures.In the early days of the pandemic, as sufferers were calling out for comfort that she was too busy to provide, Melo filled two rubber gloves with warm water, knotted them shut, and sandwiched them around a patient’s hand to simulate a loving touch.Some have christened the practice the “hand of God,” and it is now the searing image of a nation roiled by a medical emergency with no end in sight.“Patients can’t receive visitors. Sadly, there’s no way. So it’s a way to provide psychological support, to be there together with the patient holding their hand,” Melo said. She added: “And this year it’s worse, the seriousness of patients is 1,000 times greater.”This situation is similarly dire in India, where cases spiked in February after weeks of steady decline, taking authorities by surprise. In a surge driven by variants of the virus, India saw over 180,000 new infections in one 24-hour span during the past week, bringing the total number of cases to over 13.9 million.Problems that India had overcome last year are coming back to haunt health officials. Only 178 ventilators were free Wednesday afternoon in New Delhi, a city of 29 million, where 13,000 new infections were reported the previous day.The challenges facing India reverberate beyond its borders since the country is the biggest supplier of shots to COVAX, the U.N.-sponsored program to distribute vaccines to poorer parts of the world. Last month, India said it would suspend vaccine exports until the virus’s spread inside the country slows.The WHO recently described the supply situation as precarious. Up to 60 countries might not receive any more shots until June, by one estimate. To date, COVAX has delivered about 40 million doses to more than 100 countries, enough to cover barely 0.25% of the world’s population.Globally, about 87% of the 700 million doses dispensed have been given out in rich countries. While 1 in 4 people in wealthy nations have received a vaccine, in poor countries the figure is 1 in more than 500.In recent days, the U.S. and some European countries put the use of Johnson &amp; Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine on hold while authorities investigate extremely rare but dangerous blood clots. AstraZeneca’s vaccine has likewise been hit with delays and restrictions because of a clotting scare.Another concern: Poorer countries are relying on vaccines made by China and Russia, which some scientists believe provide less protection than those made by Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca.Last week, the director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledged the country’s vaccines offer low protection and said officials are considering mixing them with other shots to improve their effectiveness.In the U.S., where over 560,000 lives have been lost, accounting for more than 1 in 6 of the world’s COVID-19 deaths, hospitalizations and deaths have dropped, businesses are reopening, and life is beginning to return to something approaching normalcy in several states. The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits tumbled last week to 576,000, a post-COVID-19 low.But progress has been patchy, and new hot spots — most notably Michigan — have flared up in recent weeks. Still, deaths in the U.S. are down to about 700 per day on average, plummeting from a mid-January peak of about 3,400.In Europe, countries are feeling the brunt of a more contagious variant that first ravaged Britain and has pushed the continent’s COVID-19-related death toll beyond 1 million.Close to 6,000 gravely ill patients are being treated in French critical care units, numbers not seen since the first wave a year ago.Dr. Marc Leone, head of intensive care at the North Hospital in Marseille, said exhausted front-line staff members who were feted as heroes at the start of the pandemic now feel alone and are clinging to hope that renewed school closings and other restrictions will help curb the virus in the coming weeks.“There’s exhaustion, more bad tempers. You have to tread carefully because there are a lot of conflicts,” he said. “We’ll give everything we have to get through these 15 days as best we can.”

Global COVID deaths on the rise again, top 3 million

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is setting up a $1.7 billion national network to identify and track worrisome&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-mutations-rising-f471eca388965ee95cd1e324c4e239d8">coronavirus mutations</a>&nbsp;whose spread could trigger another pandemic wave, the Biden administration announced Friday.

White House officials unveiled a strategy that features three components: a major funding boost for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health departments to ramp up coronavirus gene-mapping; the creation of six “centers of excellence” partnerships with universities to conduct research and develop technologies for gene-based surveillance of pathogens, and building a data system to better share and analyze information on emerging disease threats, so knowledge can be turned into action.

“Even as we accelerate our efforts to get shots into arms, more dangerous variants are growing, causing increases in cases in people without immunity,” White House coronavirus adviser Andy Slavitt told reporters. That “requires us to intensify our efforts to quickly test for and find the genetic sequence of the virus as it spreads.”

The new effort relies on money approved by Congress as part of President Joe Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-inside-covid-19-bill-relief-package-52fa93ac75d38eae4cd3dbb6402e7eba">coronavirus relief package</a>&nbsp;to break what experts say is a feast-or-famine cycle in U.S. preparedness for disease threats.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">The coronavirus</a>&nbsp;is only one example. Others pathogens have included Ebola and Zika, and respiratory viruses like SARS in 2002 and MERS in 2012, which did not become major problems in the United States. Typically,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-public-health-genomics-united-kingdom-legislation-71879bce09ddc9956ed3e32f5925c0cf">the government scrambles to counter a potential threat</a>, but funding dries up when it recedes. The new genomic surveillance initiative aims to create a permanent infrastructure.

“It’s a transformative amount of money,” Mary Lee Watts, federal affairs director at the American Society for Microbiology, said in a recent interview. “It has the potential not only to get ahead of the current crisis, but it is going to help us in the future. This is a program that has been underfunded for years.”

The Biden administration’s move comes as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-england-health-washington-cor">a variant known as B117</a>, which first emerged in the United Kingdom, has become the predominant strain in the U.S. In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-michigan-gretchen-whitmer-coronavirus-pandemic-rochelle-walensky-d5810b87b122a59bf734cf69f20aa51b">hard-hit Michigan</a>, the more transmissible mutation accounts for more than half the cases, according to CDC data. That’s also the case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/infectious-diseases-coronavirus-pandemic-minnesota-4afe0f365943f75a84202878469b26f8">in Minnesota</a>. Vaccines are effective against the so-called U.K. variant, but other mutations circulating around the globe have shown resistance to currently available vaccines.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608566572342.png" alt="Virus variant image courtesy GISAID" />
 <figcaption>Virus variant image courtesy GISAID</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is setting up a $1.7 billion national network to identify and track worrisome&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-mutations-rising-f471eca388965ee95cd1e324c4e239d8">coronavirus mutations</a>&nbsp;whose spread could trigger another pandemic wave, the Biden administration announced Friday.White House officials unveiled a strategy that features three components: a major funding boost for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health departments to ramp up coronavirus gene-mapping; the creation of six “centers of excellence” partnerships with universities to conduct research and develop technologies for gene-based surveillance of pathogens, and building a data system to better share and analyze information on emerging disease threats, so knowledge can be turned into action.“Even as we accelerate our efforts to get shots into arms, more dangerous variants are growing, causing increases in cases in people without immunity,” White House coronavirus adviser Andy Slavitt told reporters. That “requires us to intensify our efforts to quickly test for and find the genetic sequence of the virus as it spreads.”The new effort relies on money approved by Congress as part of President Joe Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-inside-covid-19-bill-relief-package-52fa93ac75d38eae4cd3dbb6402e7eba">coronavirus relief package</a>&nbsp;to break what experts say is a feast-or-famine cycle in U.S. preparedness for disease threats.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">The coronavirus</a>&nbsp;is only one example. Others pathogens have included Ebola and Zika, and respiratory viruses like SARS in 2002 and MERS in 2012, which did not become major problems in the United States. Typically,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-public-health-genomics-united-kingdom-legislation-71879bce09ddc9956ed3e32f5925c0cf">the government scrambles to counter a potential threat</a>, but funding dries up when it recedes. The new genomic surveillance initiative aims to create a permanent infrastructure.“It’s a transformative amount of money,” Mary Lee Watts, federal affairs director at the American Society for Microbiology, said in a recent interview. “It has the potential not only to get ahead of the current crisis, but it is going to help us in the future. This is a program that has been underfunded for years.”The Biden administration’s move comes as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/public-health-england-health-washington-cor">a variant known as B117</a>, which first emerged in the United Kingdom, has become the predominant strain in the U.S. In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-michigan-gretchen-whitmer-coronavirus-pandemic-rochelle-walensky-d5810b87b122a59bf734cf69f20aa51b">hard-hit Michigan</a>, the more transmissible mutation accounts for more than half the cases, according to CDC data. That’s also the case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/infectious-diseases-coronavirus-pandemic-minnesota-4afe0f365943f75a84202878469b26f8">in Minnesota</a>. Vaccines are effective against the so-called U.K. variant, but other mutations circulating around the globe have shown resistance to currently available vaccines.CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Friday the U.S. is now averaging nearly 70,000 new coronavirus cases daily, up from about 53,000 just four weeks ago. Hospitalizations have been trending higher, too, and deaths were up for the third day in a row. Along with relaxed restrictions on gatherings and indoor dining, the emergence of variants that spread more easily is part of the reason for the worsening trend.Of particular concern are two variants that for now only have a toe-hold in the U.S. They are P1, first detected in travelers from Brazil, and B1351, identified in South Africa. The reason scientists are watching those variants is that they have shown some level of resistance to antibodies, defensive proteins produced by the human body in response to vaccines or a previous infection.“In order for us to even have the possibility of getting back to normal by the fall we need to massively scale up our genomic surveillance,” said Esther Krofah, who directs the Faster Cures initiative of the Milken Institute. “It’s the insurance program that you need to have in place not just now, not just for COVID, but going forward for other pathogens of concern.”Genomic sequencing essentially involves mapping the DNA of an organism, the key to its unique features. It’s done by high-tech machines that can cost from several hundred thousand dollars to $1 million or more. Technicians trained to run the machines and the necessary computing capacity add to costs.Another hurdle is getting local, state and federal labs all working together. “There are lots of cats that need to be herded,” said University of Wisconsin virologist Thomas Friedrich.At the end of last year, the CDC and collaborating labs were completing only 116 coronavirus gene sequences a week, according to the CDC’s website. “We started in a hole,” said Slavitt.The White House says the weekly count is now about 29,000, but experts say in a large, diverse country like the U.S. those numbers need to be much higher to keep pace with potential changes to the virus. Viruses are highly efficient at spreading, developing mutations that enable them to keep reproducing.White House officials said the government is releasing to states and territories an initial $240 million out of $1 billion allocated to expand genomic sequencing. Another $400 million will go to launch the six research partnerships with academic institutions, dubbed Centers of Excellence in Genomic Epidemiology. Finally, $300 million will go to set up the data sharing system, which is being called the National Bioinformatics Infrastructure.