Officials warn coronavirus pandemic could worsen as global death toll hits 500,000

The first blurry image captured by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - NASA’s new space telescope has captured its first starlight and even taken a selfie of its giant, gold mirror.All 18 segments of the primary mirror on the James Webb Space Telescope seem to be working properly 1 1/2 months into the mission, officials said Friday.The telescope's first target was a bright star 258 light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major."That was just a real wow moment," said Marshall Perrin of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore.Over the next few months, the hexagonal mirror segments — each the size of a coffee table — will be aligned and focused as one, allowing science observations to begin by the end of June.NASA's James Webb Space Telescope launched successfully early Christmas morning from French Guiana on South America’s northeastern coast, riding a European Ariane rocket into the sky.

FILE - A baby koala is seen at Wild Life Sydney Zoo on Oct. 14, 2021 in Sydney, Australia.

Paddy McGuinness has shared a positive health update as he continues to recover following knee surgery. The 48-year-old Top Gear presenter picked up the injury whilst playing in Soccer Aid 2021 in September, alongside stars such as Usain Bolt, Olly Murs, Chunkz and Jamie Redknapp.He was eventually forced to retire from the charity football competition, joking at the time that the knock was “not something that can be sorted with the magic sponge”.Just last week the father-of-three underwent a procedure on the dodgy knee, having waited a whopping six months before the surgery could take place, reports the Express.

There was a lot of information to digest this week when it comes to COVID-19 and plans to ease restrictions. The decisions are being backed with a lot of scientific claims.

COVID-19 wave, if necessary.Under questioning from opposition health critics during a hearing at the legislature, Dubé suggested the passport could be dropped in the coming weeks.“When I said the vaccine passport was there to stay, will public health recommend that we, I hope in a few weeks, suspend it because it is going better?” Dubé said about the COVID-19 situation in the province. “Could we restore it if we were ever caught with another wave? That’s what you have to think about.”Quebec was the first province to introduce a vaccine passport on Sept.

COVID-19 dashboard available only to Saskatchewan Health Authority leaders no longer includes the number of people who died from the disease.Global News obtained images of the dashboard on several occasions. The latest, from Feb.

The Canadian Armed Forces is now investigating Maj. Stephen Chledowski, after the actively serving army officer released a new video denouncing COVID-19 measures.

Andrei Doroshin PHILADELPHIA - A graduate student in psychology whose COVID-19 vaccine operation got shut down by Philadelphia last year has settled with the state attorney general's office and agreed to destroy all personal health information his start-up gathered.The agreement was filed Friday in Commonwealth Court and requires a judge's approval to take effect.Central to the accusations against Andrei Doroshin, who had almost no public health experience when the city gave him the task, was that he had intended to profit from the vaccine operation run by his start-up, called Philly Fighting COVID.Mayor Jim Kenney says Philly Fighting COVID was a mistake after the Inspector General found no malice, no ill-intent, and no one seeking personal gain.Doroshin denied the allegations by the attorney general's office, including violating the state's nonprofit corporation law.Under the agreement, Doroshin and his associates are barred from managing charitable assets or soliciting charitable donations in Pennsylvania for 10 years.Doroshin also must destroy the personal health information gathered through the vaccine pre-registration service and is barred from receiving any financial benefit from the information or the vaccine.Doroshin must also dissolve Philly Fighting COVID.City officials said they gave him the job because he and his friends had organized one of the community groups that set up COVID-19 testing sites throughout the city in 2020.But they shut the vaccine operation down once they learned that Doroshin had switched his privacy notice to potentially sell patient data.

As protesters dig in their heels at border crossings and the nation’s capital, many truck drivers continue hauling shipments across the province. Shallima Maharaj heard from some of them at a stop north of Toronto.

Many members of Edmonton city council don’t agree with the removal of the provincial Restriction Exemption Program. Friday they decided on how the city will be moving forward measures. Sarah Komadina has the details

Inspiration4 mission commander Jared Isaacman, founder and chief executive officer of Shift4 Payments, stands for a portrait in front of the recovered first stage of a Falcon 9 rocket at Space Exploration Technologies Corp. The charitable sector should hope that billionaire Jared Isaacman keeps seeking new adventures.Isaacman, who turned a payments-processing firm he started as a teenager into a multibillion-dollar company, periodically indulges his passion for aviation with head-turning flights.

LOS ANGELES - It’s time to meet the domino-toppling trios competing in the first-ever season of "Domino Masters." Hosted by Emmy Award-winning actor Eric Stonestreet ("Modern Family"), the series will feature teams of domino enthusiasts facing off in an unbelievable chain reaction tournament. DOMINO MASTERS: The all-new competition series DOMINO MASTERS premieres Wednesday, March 9 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. © 2022 FOX Media LLC. CR: Ray Mickshaw/FOX.

Wendy Williams is firing back at Wells Fargo over claims she's the victim of «financial exploitation,» saying «she is fine» and «she is of sound mind.»In a statement to ET, Williams' lawyer, LaShawn Thomas, said on Friday that «Wendy wants the world to know that she strenuously denies all allegations about her mental health and well-being.» Thomas also offered details as to why Williams is in a legal battle with Wells Fargo.«Wendy had to unfortunately bring this action because Wells Fargo has refused to honor her Power of Attorney, granting her son authority to make inquiries to the bank on Wendy's behalf,» the statement read.

COVID-19 vaccination clinics in districts where rates are well below the Quebec average.Officials are hoping to increase the inoculation levels against COVID-19 in areas like Saint-Léonard and Montréal-Nord, where the vaccination levels are below 75 per cent (according to the latest data) while on average, 82 per cent of the Quebec population is considered adequately vaccinated.The shuttle buses run free of charge and take people to clinics in Saint-Léonard, Montréal-Nord, Ville-Émard and LaSalle. Health-care officials are hoping people with limited mobility and those who may have other appointments will get their first, second or booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Tairāwhiti has reached two vaccination milestones today; their eligible population reached 90% fully vaccinated –the 18th DHB to do so – and it’s eligible Māori population reached 90% first doses.

Premier Doug Ford denounced the protests both in the nation’s capital and on the border in Windsor Friday. While putting measures in place in a bid to move them along, the premier also attracted unwanted attention after a snowmobile trip and a secret recording.

PHILADELPHIA - At The Saul High School traditional learning is only the beginning, students also have the opportunity to participate in real-life farming."This is a dairy science class at Saul High School, it’s an Animal Science Class. We’ve been doing this for 50 or 60 years where we produce our milk, and then it’s been shipped to Land O'Lakes," said Jane Arbasak, Farm Manager with Saul High School.Enejha Dozier is a Senior at Saul High School and said this unique program helped fuel her passion."Yes, it definitely did, for the better.

Police found a 36-year-old man shot inside a Jeep and drove him to the hospital in critical condition. PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia police officers responding to reports of a shooting found a man badly wounded inside a car and rushed the victim to an area hospital. According to investigators, the shooting happened on the 1800 block of East Allegheny Avenue in Kensington around 6:30 p.m.

Legislative bureau chief Keith Baldrey has the daily COVID-19 update on Friday, February 11, and how B.C. officials could be setting the stage to remove restrictions on Tuesday.

Ambassador Bridge border crossing in Windsor, Ont.Chief Justice Geoffrey Morawetz says the injunction will take effect at 7 p.m.He has asked a lawyer representing the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association, which applied for the injunction, to send him a draft of an order.

COVID-19 receiving care in hospital on Friday, with 127 of them in intensive care units.That’s compared to 1,586 in hospital on Thursday, with 126 people in the province’s ICUs. Reality check on Alberta politicians’ statements on schools, COVID-19 transmission and vaccines On Tuesday, Premier Jason Kenney announced his plan to relax COVID-19 measures.

PHILADELPHIA - The Transportation Security Administration at Philadelphia International Airport said it’s "highly concerned" about the number of firearms it took from passengers last year.Federal Security Director Gerardo Spero reports that the agency scanned around eight million passengers in 2021 and confiscated 39 weapons. That figure far outpaces the number of firearms the agency confiscated in the previous two years.Spero said he does not know what motivates people to carry guns to the airport, but he knows "guns and airports don’t mix."The TSA demonstrated for reporters Friday how a pistol can be safely transported by air.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (Office of Gov. Tom Wolf)HARRISBURG, Pa. - Gov.

AUSTIN, Texas - Gov. Greg Abbott issued a statewide face covering requirement on Thursday as the coronavirus outbreak continued to worsen in Texas."Governor Greg Abbott today issued an Executive Order requiring all Texans to wear a face covering over the nose and mouth in public spaces in counties with 20 or more positive COVID-19 cases, with few exceptions," the order read.Abbott's order goes into effect 12:01 p.m.

The governor of the US state of Texas has issued an executive order requiring face coverings in public spaces as the state marks record numbers of new coronavirus infections.

U.S. states — Arizona, California, Florida and Texas — reported a combined 25,000 new confirmed coronavirus cases Thursday as the infection curve rose in 40 of the 50 states heading into the July Fourth holiday weekend.With the number of daily confirmed coronavirus cases nationwide climbing past 50,000, an alarming 36 states saw an increase in the percentage of tests coming back positive for the virus.

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Texas governor issued an executive order Thursday requiring face masks to be worn in public across most of the state as confirmed coronavirus cases surge but in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis has said he doesn’t plan to require masks even though the virus has been deadlier in the Sunshine State and the infection rate is higher than in the Lone Star State.For perspective, the Texas Department of Health reported 8,029 new COVID-19 cases ahead of the governor’s order.

Alright stop.Vanilla Ice has cancelled his Austin concert this Friday after facing backlash for trying to proceed with it despite rising cases of COVID-19.The 52-year-old rapper (real name Rob Van Winkle) took to his social media to share a video to make the announcement that they will be postponing the show.

The United States and South Africa have both reported record new daily coronavirus infections, with U.S. figures surpassing 50,000 cases a day for the first time, underlining the challenges still ahead as nations press to reopen their virus-devastated economies.

When former soap opera producer Colleen Bell stepped into the role of California film commissioner slightly more than a year ago, she never could have predicted the challenges she'd soon face. But with production in her state and elsewhere grinding to a screeching halt in March, Bell found herself drawing on her crisis management training from her time as U.S.

coronavirus infections, with U.S. figures surpassing 50,000 cases a day for the first time, underlining the challenges still ahead as nations press to reopen their virus-devastated economies.The U.S.

COVID-19 pandemic, American rapper Vanilla Ice has announced a one-off Independence Day celebration concert at a restaurant in Austin, Texas, despite recent safety regulations set in place by state Governor Greg Abbott.Last Friday, after surpassing 5,000 coronavirus-related hospitalizations, Abbott, 62, made the decision to scale back the state’s aggressive reopening strategy and ordered bars to close indefinitely, while also forcing restaurants to reduce capacity by 50 per cent, according to the Canadian Press.All concerts in U.S.’s second-largest state have been cancelled as a result too.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Wednesday that the state would form a multi-agency strike team to target businesses not complying with public health orders amid the alarming coronavirus spike.

While Texas governor Greg Abbott ordered all bars to be closed again last Friday, as COVID-19 cases continue to surge, Vanilla Ice is still planning a show this Friday.The 52-year-old rapper (real name Rob Van Winkle) revealed on Instagram last week that he's performing at the Emerald Point Bar & Grill on Friday, July 3.While most concert venues are closed, the Emerald Point Bar & Grill takes in more than half of its revenue from food sales, so it's still classified as a restaurant and therefore still open, according to the Austin Chronicle.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday tightened coronavirus restrictions for most of California, as a COVID-19 surge and more deaths have been reported ahead of the Fourth of July weekend. Newsom told 19 counties to close their indoor operations, like bars, wine tasting rooms, zoos, restaurants and movie theaters for at least three weeks. The list includes Contra Costa County,  Santa Clara and Solano counties in the Bay Area, as well as Los Angeles County.

coronavirus cases.The festival was due to take place over two weekends in the city’s Zilker Park this autumn, October 2-4 and October 9-11.In a statement posted on their website, ACL organisers said: “We would have loved to put on another memorable show this year, however, with the uncertainty surrounding the current situation in Texas, this decision is the only responsible solution.“The health and safety of our fans, artists, partners, staff and the entire Austin community remains our highest priority.”On Sunday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott warned that the spread of coronavirus had taken a “swift and very dangerous turn” in the state.“Over just the past few weeks, the daily number of cases have gone from an average of about 2,000, to more

California and Texas have both recorded record surges in the number of coronavirus infections, as nationally cases rise by more than 40,000.

PLACENTIA, CA - MAY 16: Bartender Brianna Van De Mortel fills a growler with craft beer at Kelly's Korner on Saturday, May 16, 2020 in Placentia, CA. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES - Gov.

Bars and pubs have been ordered to close in some parts of California over fears that drinkers are inadvertently spreading coronavirus.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered the closing of bars in six counties, including Los Angeles, due to the rising spread of COVID-19. Newsom announced the new order on TwitterSunday,listing Fresno, Imperial, Kern, Kings, L.A., San Joaquin and Tulare as counties required to close bars.

coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic.Governor Gavin Newsom’s order for bars to close in seven counties, including Los Angeles, is the first major rollback of efforts to reopen the economy in the most populous U.S. state.

Gavin Newsom is shutting down all bars in several counties in California amid climbing coronavirus cases.

RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. (AP) - Gov.

Coronavirus infections in the US have leapt up by 45,242 in a single day - the largest 24-hour increase of the whole pandemic.

coronavirus restrictions, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott didn’t wear a mask.

Brazilian bombshell Alessandra Ambrósio went bra-less beneath her light-green jumpsuit to run errands at the celeb-favorite Malibu Country Mart on Thursday.The 39-year-old CAA Model eventually protected herself with a cloth mask, which California Governor Gavin Newsom made mandatory for all public outings last Thursday.Mayor Eric Garcetti extended the stay-at home order indefinitely due to the 89K confirmed COVID-19 cases in LA County, which has led to 3,208 deaths as of Thursday - according to Johns Hopkins University.

The United States reported 36,975 new COVID-19 cases yesterday, its highest daily total since the novel coronavirus pandemic began this winter.

Two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington stopped by the celeb-favorite Malibu Country Mart on Wednesday to pick up pizza to-go from Italian restaurant Tra di Noi.The 65-year-old legendary actor protected himself with a surgical mask, which California Governor Gavin Newsom made mandatory for all public outings last Thursday.Mayor Eric Garcetti extended the stay-at home order indefinitely due to the 89K confirmed COVID-19 cases in LA County, which has led to 3,207 deaths as of Wednesday - according to Johns Hopkins University.