New York

NEW YORK (AP) — More than three weeks after Brandon Bell stopped showing up at a New York office that serves people with schizophrenia, employees finally located him at a nearby homeless shelter.

The office remains open, but patients aren’t stopping by as much during the pandemic. Group activities such as the weekly Caribbean lunch that were also an important source of food have ended because of the coronavirus. Visits from caregivers are less frequent and shorter — usually five or 10 minutes — to reduce the risk of infection.

UNITED NATIONS, May 17 (APP): The first case of Rohingya refugee infected by coronavirus in the tightly-packed Bangladeshi Kutapalong settlement in Cox’s Bazar has been confirmed, United Nations refugee agency says, causing fear that it could sweep through camp.

UNHCR Spokesman Andrej Mahecic said that Bangladeshi officials reported that a positive test was also confirmed in one individual who is part of the local Bangladeshi host community.

NEW YORK, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide topped 4.7 million on Sunday, reaching 4,708,415 as of 6:32 p.m. (2232 GMT), according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.

A total of 314,950 people worldwide have died of the disease, the data showed.

The United States suffered the most from the pandemic, with 1,486,375 cases and a death toll of 89,549. Countries with over 200,000 cases also included Russia, Britain, Brazil, Spain and Italy, according to the CSSE data. 

NEW YORK (AP) — Accusations of a “deep state” conspiracy. Allegations of personal and family corruption. Painting an opponent as a Washington insider not to be trusted.

It’s 2016 again. Or at least that’s President Donald Trump’s hope.

NEW YORK (AP) — On a weekend when many pandemic-weary people emerged from weeks of lockdown, leaders in the U.S. and Europe weighed the risks and rewards of lifting COVID-19 restrictions knowing that a vaccine could take years to develop.

In separate stark warnings, two major European leaders bluntly told their citizens that the world needs to adapt to living with the coronavirus and cannot wait to be saved by a vaccine.

UNITED NATIONS, May 15 (APP): Past and present world leaders, including Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan, have urged that any eventual coronavirus vaccines and treatments should be made available to everyone free of charge.

The call was made in an open letter signed by more than 140 presidents, prime ministers and other prominent figures saying that the vaccine should not be patented while the science should be shared among nations, according to UNAIDS, the UN agency fighting against the deadly HIV/AIDS virus, which initiated the petition.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A month after sellers had to pay nearly $40 a barrel to get rid of U.S. oil futures, the next watershed moment looms with the expiry of the June contract on Tuesday - and so far there is little sign of a repeat of the historic plunge.

The extent of the damage that the coronavirus pandemic had inflicted on the oil industry came into focus on April 20, when the U.S. benchmark WTI CLc1 contract plunged to minus $38 a barrel.

UNITED NATIONS, May 16 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Saturday that international cooperation on digital technology is essential to help defeat COVID-19.

In a video message marking the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, which falls on May 17 annually, the UN chief said that "World Telecommunication and Information Society Day reminds us that international cooperation on digital technology is essential to help defeat COVID-19 and achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development."

UNITED NATIONS, May 16 (APP): The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the ‘crucial role’ of the UN and its agencies, according to Ambassador Volkan Bozkir, the veteran Turkish diplomat and parliamentarian who, as the only candidate for the top job, is slated to lead the historic 75th session of the General Assembly which begins in September.

Ambassador Bozkir outlined his priorities as president of the world’s foremost multilateral forum, during a virtual interactive dialogue with UN member states held on Friday.

UNITED NATIONS, May 16 (APP): The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Saturday signed an agreement to promote a healthy society through sport amid the coronavirus pandemic that continues to affect people’s lives around the world.

“I am pleased to formalize this longstanding partnership with the International Olympic Committee,” Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said at a ceremony in Lausanne, Switzerland.