AP Was There: The surreal first day of the pandemic
On the day the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic, Koloud โKayโ Tarapolsi reflected the views of many people when she told an Associated Press reporter: โIf we avoid each other and listen to the scientists, maybe in a few weeks it will be better."
The Latest: Alaska opens vaccines to all 16 or older
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker shows Alaska leading states in the percentage of its population to have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. Larry Hogan said Tuesday, citing improving COVID-19 health metrics and increasing vaccinations. It was unclear what authority state officials might be able to exert on federal facilities. โ County health officials in Wyoming have detected the coronavirus variant that originated in South Africa. Another 16 million doses are expected to be shipped by the end of the month.
Popular UK author Victoria Hislop granted Greek citizenship
In this photo provided by the Greek Prime Minister's Office, Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, left, meets the popular British author Victoria Hislop at Maximos Mansion in Athens, on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020. Hislop has been granted honorary Greek citizenship and met with the prime minister of Greece. In her first book, The Island, published in 2005, the action takes place near the Greek island of Crete. Her most recent, Those Who Are Loved, is set in Athens and other Greek islands. (Dimitris Papamitsos/Greek Prime Minister's Office via AP)
Popular UK author Victoria Hislop granted Greek citizenship
In this photo provided by the Greek Prime Minister's Office, Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, left, meets the popular British author Victoria Hislop at Maximos Mansion in Athens, on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020. Hislop has been granted honorary Greek citizenship and met with the prime minister of Greece. In her first book, The Island, published in 2005, the action takes place near the Greek island of Crete. (Dimitris Papamitsos/Greek Prime Minister's Office via AP)ATHENS โ British author Victoria Hislop was granted honorary Greek citizenship Thursday and met with the prime minister of Greece. Honorary Greek citizenship may be granted in recognition of an individual's special contribution to the country.
Tom Hanks and wife get Greek citizenship for wildfire aid
ATHENS โ A point of pride for Greece was touched by controversy Monday, as the countryโs prime minister was criticized by an opposition party for using a military helicopter during a trip to celebrate with Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, on being granted Greek citizenship. In an Instagram post on Sunday, Prime Minister Kyriakos shared a photograph of showing him and his wife Mareva Grabowski-Mitsotaki at a meeting with Hanks and Wilson, who were holding up their new Greek passports. โRita Wilson and Tom Hanks are now proud Greek citizens,โ Mitsotakis wrote in the post. Greece offered citizenship to Hanks, Wilson, and their two children, in recognition of the familyโs help in raising funds for the victims of a deadly wildfire near Athens in 2018. They then used a military helicopter for a trip to the ancient theater of Epidaurus on Sunday to watch a performance of an ancient tragedy.
Mel Gibson has recovered after coronavirus hospitalization
LOS ANGELES Mel Gibson spent a week in a Los Angeles hospital in April after testing positive for COVID-19, his representative said Friday. The 64-year-old actor and director has completely recovered and is doing great according to the rep. Gibson is the latest in a long string of high profile figures to go public with coronavirus diagnoses and recoveries including Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, George Stephanopoulos and the singer Pink. For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. The U.S. has more than 4 million known cases of the coronavirus, with more than 140,000 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
Hanks on COVID, 'Greyhound' and adopting a wartime mentality
A Tom Hanks-led, special effects-laden WWII movie is a weight class above most straight-to-streaming options in this strange summer movie season. I said, I love you so much but thats not the point of what were trying to do, Hanks says. With Seven Spielberg, Hanks is currently developing for Apple a third miniseries, following The Band of Brothers and The Pacific." In Cozier, who like Hanks later tested positive for the virus, Hanks saw the kind of character hes often drawn to playing. I thought," said Hanks, that guys kind of badass.___Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP
Kumail Nanjiani is finding his way through 'The Weirds'
(Skip Bolen/Netflix via AP)NEW YORK Kumail Nanjiani has a few names for quarantine life. He's now finding his way in a Hollywood where South Asian actors, when they're cast at all, have usually been typecast. "But I dont feel Pakistani because I dont live in Pakistan. I dont feel American because a lot of Americans dont think of me as American. During quarantine, Nanjiani went back and watched three movies he hadnt seen since he was 10: Krull, Beastmaster and The Thief of Baghdad.Suddenly there would be an image and youre like, Oh, my God.
Hidden suffering of coronavirus: Stigma, blaming, shaming
The spreading global pandemic has tested the competing interests of public health and privacy, with thousands of individuals and families experiencing both physical illness and the less-discussed stigma that can come with it. โIt hurt a lot.โThe spreading global pandemic has tested the competing interests of public health and privacy, with thousands of individuals experiencing both physical illness and the less-visible stigma that can come with it. The extended Lamilla family is well-known there and prominent, including doctors, engineers and schoolteachers. Only the National Institute for Public Health Investigation could do the test, the clinic said, and it wasnโt until Feb. 27 that authorities agreed to analyze a specimen for coronavirus. Lamilla's relatives, still in quarantine, are trying to recover from both the loss of Bella and Charito and the psychological torment COVID-19 left behind.
Tom Hanks says he has the 'blahs' but no fever in isolation
CANBERRA โ Tom Hanks says he feels the โblahsโ but has no fever as he and wife Rita Wilson remain in isolation in an Australian residence after being discharged from a hospital following their coronavirus diagnosis. He had met Wilson at the Sydney Opera House on March 7 and again at Nine Networkโs Sydney studio two days later. Authorities said last week that several contacts Hanks and Wilson had in Australia were being traced, but no other results of those efforts have been made public. Sydney Nova 96.9 radio hosts Ryan Fitzgerald and Michael Wipfli are in home isolation and were tested on Monday after news of Wilkins' infection. Wilkinsโ son Christian Wilkins was also tested because he spent the night of March 10 in his fatherโs Sydney home.
Idris Elba says he has coronavirus: 'no symptoms so far'
LOS ANGELES, Calif. โ Idris Elba says he has tested positive for the coronavirus. The actor tweeted Monday that he has no symptoms so far and has been isolated since Friday when he found out about his possible exposure. Elba is the latest high profile celebrity to have tested positive for the virus. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. Elba in a video message said that his wife has not been tested yet but is feeling OK.โThis is serious.
Australian TV journalist who met with Rita Wilson has virus
CANBERRA โ An Australian television journalist said Monday he has the new coronavirus and assumes he contracted it while meeting with actress-singer Rita Wilson in Sydney. Wilson and her husband Tom Hanks have been isolated in an Australian hospital since they were both diagnosed with COVID-19 on March 12. Hanks had been working on a film in Australia and Wilson had concert performances in the country before they were diagnosed. Nine Network entertainment editor Richard Wilkins said he was tested because he met Wilson at the Sydney Opera House on March 7 and again at Nineโs Sydney studio on March 9. Wilkinsโ son Christian Wilkins was tested because he spent the night of March 10 in his fatherโs Sydney home.
10 Things to Know for Today
Cuba has announced its first three cases of the new coronavirus on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:1. PANDEMIC INCREASINGLY TAKES OVER DAILY LIVES The new coronavirus overwhelms hospitals, shutters schools and offices, halts U.S. presidential campaign rallies and global sports. FOR ASIA, A ROLE REVERSAL As a virus pandemic spreads globally, China and other parts of Asia are scrambling to prevent it from coming back to where it broke out. UTAH PASSES NEW ABORTION RULES A measure approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature would ban most abortions if Roe v. Wade is overturned.
Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson taking diagnoses 'one day at a time'
FILE - In this Feb. 9, 2020 file photo, Tom Hanks, left, and Rita Wilson arrive at the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The 63-year-old actor said they will be "tested, observed and isolated for as long as public health and safety requires." (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)CANBERRA โ Tom Hanks said he and wife Rita Wilson were taking their new coronavirus infection โone day at a time" while Australian television hosts who had interviewed Wilson were awaiting test results Friday. Hanks and Wilson have been isolated in stable conditions in a Gold Coast hospital following their diagnosis. โNine today has taken action in line with our crisis response plan around a visit to our studio by Ms Rita Wilson,โ a Nine statement said.
Impact of pandemic stretches from schools to world's leaders
European markets closed with one of the worst days in history. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was isolating himself after his wife tested positive. In Spain, a leading member of a far-right party tested positive for the virus. Meanwhile, the Brazilian president's communications director tested positive just days after meeting with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort. European markets also closed one of their worst days in history, unswayed by European Central Bank stimulus measures to buy up 120 billion euros ($132 billion) in bonds.
Tom Hanks' family offered Greek passport too for fire help
Last month, Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos signed an honorary naturalization order allowing the 63-year-old actor, who has spent his recent summer vacations at a family home on the Greek island of Antiparos, to claim Greek citizenship. The decision published in a government gazette Tuesday and co-signed by Greek Interior Minister Takis Theodorikakos, revealed that the order also includes Hanks' wife, actress and producer Rita Wilson, and their two sons, Chester and Truman. "The Hanks family gave a signal all over the world for immediate relief actions to help our fire-stricken fellow citizens," the order signed on Dec. 27 said. Hanks, Wilson, and Hollywood producer Gary Goetzman co-produced the 2002 romantic comedy, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which received an Academy Award nomination for best original screenplay. Hanx"The post shows the shadow of Hanks holding up his left arm against an ancient Greek statue.
Greece gives actor Tom Hanks honorary Greek citizenship
Actor Tom Hanks attends a special screening of "A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood," at the Henry R. Luce Auditorium, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)Tom Hanks may officially consider himself Greek. Greece's President Prokopis Pavlopoulos has signed an honorary naturalization order allowing the 63-year-old actor to claim Greek citizenship, his office told The Associated Press on Friday. Hanks frequently spends his summer vacation on the Greek island of Antiparos and his wife, actress and producer Rita Wilson, is of Greek and Bulgarian ancestry. Under Greek law, honorary naturalization may be granted to people โwho have provided exceptional services to the country or whose naturalization serves the public interest."
More celebs join Michelle Obama's voter outreach drive
NEW YORK, NY โ Election Day is over, but Michelle Obama is still trying to get out the vote. Obama is already a co-chair, along with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Faith Hill, Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson, and basketball star Chris Paul. When We Vote, a nonprofit, describes itself as a nonpartisan group dedicated to increasing voter participation. The announcement Thursday marks a year until the 2020 elections, which includes the presidential race. ___This story has been corrected to delete incorrect reference that the 2020 general elections are happening a year to the date of Thursday.