Hospitalizations double in one week amid Omicron COVID-19 surge, LDH says

Associated Press
As US spotlights those missing or dead in Native communities, prosecutors work to solve their cases
It was a frigid winter morning when authorities found a Native American man dead on a remote gravel road in western New Mexico. Investigators retraced the man's steps, gathering security camera footage that showed him walking near a convenience store miles away in Gallup, an economic hub in an otherwise rural area bordered on one side by the Navajo Nation and Zuni Pueblo on the other. A grand jury has indicted a man from Zuni Pueblo on a charge of second-degree murder in the Jan. 18 death, and prosecutors say more charges are likely as he is the prime suspect in a series of crimes targeting Native American men in Gallup, Zuni and Albuquerque.
Associated Press
Panamanians vote in election dominated by former president who was banned from running
Panamanians head to the polls Sunday to vote in an election that has been consumed by unfolding drama surrounding the country’s ex-president, despite not even being on the ballot. The vote is marked by increased political fragmentation and social discontent under outgoing President Laurentino Cortizo,” said Arantza Alonso, senior analyst for the Americas at the risk consulting firm Verisk Maplecroft. The presidential race remained in uncertain waters until Friday morning, when Panama's Supreme Court ruled that leading presidential contender José Raúl Mulino was permitted to run.
Associated Press
What we learned from local votes ahead of looming UK general election
Millions of voters in England cast ballots Thursday in an array of local elections, the last big test before a looming U.K. general election that all indicators suggest will see the Labour Party return to power after 14 years in the wilderness. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was barely able to point to any big success for his Conservative Party, confirming that the electoral coalition that gave the party a big win in the 2019 general election has frayed, if not completely dissolved, in the wake of a series of political dramas and the cost of living crisis. For Labour leader Keir Starmer, the results provided confirmation of what opinion polls have shown for two years — that Labour has recovered from its 2019 low and is on course to win the election comfortably.
Associated Press
They study next to one of Africa's largest trash dumps. They're planting bamboo to try to cope
Armed with gardening hoes while others cradled bamboo seedlings, students gathered outside their school in Kenya's capital. More than 100 bamboo plantings dot the ground around Dandora secondary school, which shares a name with the dumpsite that was declared full 23 years ago. Allan Sila, 17, said sitting in his classroom is like studying in a smelly latrine.
Associated Press
Hundreds rescued from Texas floods as forecast calls for more rain and rising water
High waters flooded neighborhoods around Houston on Saturday following heavy rains that resulted in crews rescuing more than 400 people from homes, rooftops and roads engulfed in murky water. A flood watch remained in effect through Sunday afternoon as forecasters predicted additional rainfall Saturday night and the likelihood of major flooding in Harris County, the nation’s third-largest county which includes Houston, and nearby areas. “A lull in heavy rain is expected through (Saturday) evening,” the National Weather Service reported.
NBC News
RNC lawyer Charlie Spies to step down just 2 months after taking the job
Republican National Committee chief counsel Charlie Spies is parting ways with the party apparatus just months after stepping into the role.
AFP
Investigators say bodies in Mexico likely those of missing surfers
Three bodies recovered from a cliff-top shaft in Mexico's crime-hit Baja California state are very likely those of two Australian brothers and an American who disappeared on a surfing trip, local investigators said Saturday.The bodies were in an "advanced state of decomposition" when they were hoisted out of a shaft a few steps from the edge of the Pacific Ocean cliff, said state prosecutor Maria Elena Andrade.
AFP
Latest round of Gaza truce talks expected in Egypt
Talks to strike a Gaza truce were expected to resume Sunday after Hamas rejected any deal that failed to end the war in the Palestinian territory and accused Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu of "personally hindering" an agreement.He accused Netanyahu of "personally hindering" efforts to reach a truce due to "personal interests".
CNN
Renowned American artist Frank Stella dies aged 87
Frank Stella, the American artist renowned for his abstract works, died on Saturday at the age of 87, his longtime representative said in a statement.
TODAY
34 Cinco de Mayo food deals for a freebie fiesta
In celebration of Cinco de Mayo, restaurants and brands are serving up deals for the popular Mexican holiday.
Associated Press
Juro Kara, rebel playwright behind Japan's modern underground theater, dies at 84
Juro Kara, who helped shape Japan’s postwar avant-garde theater, defiantly yet playfully transforming the essence of Kabuki aesthetics into modern storytelling, has died. The playwright, director and troupe leader died late Saturday from a blood clot in the brain after he collapsed at home and was rushed to a Tokyo hospital on May 1, his theater group Karagumi said in a statement on Sunday. Kara, whose real name was Yoshihide Otsuru, rose to stardom in the so-called Japanese underground movement of the 1960s known as “un-gura,” characterized by a kitsch rebellious style also found in his contemporaries Shuji Terayama and Tadashi Suzuki.
CNN
Developing Taiwan’s own ‘Starlink’ crucial for island-wide emergency, space agency says
Taiwan’s leaders are working on an ambitious new satellite system to keep the island online in case of disaster, as it deals with the constant threat of hostilities with China.
CNN
University of Mississippi opens student conduct probe after confrontation between Black student and counterprotesters
The University of Mississippi has opened a student conduct investigation after actions of “hostility and racist overtones” were portrayed during a demonstration on campus.
AFP
Tunisian town gripped by youth exodus
When Mohamed Lafi vanished at sea one fateful night, it marked yet another tragedy for a Tunisian town struggling with the exodus of its youth.The families have urged Tunisian authorities to bolster economic conditions, educational programmes and cultural activities in the town of around 6,000 people to encourage youths to stay.
AFP
Panama to vote in presidential election with eight contenders
Panamanians vote in presidential elections Sunday from a crowded field of eight candidates, with the protege of a graft-convicted ex-head of state in the lead.On Friday, Panamanian salsa legend and activist Ruben Blades called his compatriots not to vote for a man he described as "a frontman for a confirmed crook."
TODAY
'Star Wars' star Mark Hamill gives Joe Biden a nickname from a galaxy far, far away
Mark Hamill is bringing the force to the White House and discussed meeting the president at a press briefing.
Reuters
North Korea's UN ambassador says new sanctions monitoring groups will fail
SEOUL (Reuters) -Efforts led by the U.S. and other Western countries to form new groups to monitor sanctions on North Korea will fail, the country's U.N. envoy said on Sunday, according to state media KCNA. Ambassador Kim Song made the comment in response to a joint statement the U.S. and its allies issued this week calling to continue the work of a U.N. panel of experts monitoring longstanding sanctions against Pyongyang for its nuclear weapons and missile programs.
CBS News
Police investigating multiple bomb threats against New York City synagogues
Police say multiple bomb threats were reported at synagogues across New York City on Saturday.
Reuters
Trump, RNC raise over $76 million in April, half from small donors
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's election campaign and the Republican National Committee said on Saturday that they raised more than $76 million in April, over half of it from small donors. The monthly fundraising haul exceeded the $65.6 million raised in March by Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, and the RNC.
Reuters
UAW workers ratify US labor deal with Daimler Truck
(Reuters) -Members of the United Auto Workers on Saturday ratified a new labor contract with Daimler Truck that includes at least a 25% general wage increase over the four-year deal. The vote was 94.5% in favor of the new contract, which covers more than 7,300 hourly UAW workers after a tentative agreement was reached in late April, averting a strike at the 11th hour. The contract covers hourly workers at six facilities in southern states where unionization has traditionally been low, including four factories in North Carolina and parts warehouses in Georgia and Tennessee.

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