(NEW YORK) — When Laura Martin tested positive for COVID-19 last month during an extended stay in California, she was prescribed Paxlovid, the highly touted antiviral drug created by Pfizer.
Just one day after her diagnosis, she started her five-day course of pills, which have been shown to dramatically reduce the risk of hospitalization and death.
Martin, a 63-year-old Boston native who now resides in Canada, said she was thrilled when her symptoms began to subside.
âBy the end of [the treatment], on Day 5, I was negative and feeling completely normal like without any symptoms, so I thought, ‘Wow, this is really great. What a great drug,ââ Martin told ABC News.
Martin resumed her normal activities, but a week later, she began to feel ill again. When her symptoms worsened, she tested again.
âIt came roaring back, and this round two has been much more severe than round one was,” Martin said. “This is like four days of much more significant symptoms than round one.â
âMartin’s case is part of a seemingly rare, but increasingly reported phenomenon of COVID-19 symptom recurrence after being treated with Paxlovid. While it is largely unknown what is causing the reported viral resurgence, scientists say they are investigating. ââ
Pfizer says that it is taking the reported incidences of recurrence “very seriously,” but that the rates mirror those who received a placebo in clinical trials. Experts urge that the benefits of the drug, in preventing hospitalization and death, outweigh the potential risk of a second positive test or symptom reemergence.
In additional analysis of the Paxlovid clinical trial data, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that most patients âdid not have symptoms at the time of a positive PCR test after testing negative, and, most importantly, there was no increased occurrence of hospitalization or death or development of drug resistance.â
Company executives also reported, this week, that the use of Paxlovid continues to expand rapidly, particularly as infection rates across the country rise again. In the U.S., use of the treatment has increased by nearly ten-fold in recent weeks.
The number of locations in the U.S. with Paxlovid supply has grown to more than 33,000 sites now available, a four-fold increase since late-February. In addition, the company reported that there are now more than 2,200 Test to Treat locations now open.
‘Game-changer’
Long heralded as a âgame-changerâ in the fight against COVID-19, the push to make Paxlovid available to Americans has ramped up in recent weeks, with the White House looking to increase supply of the treatment.
The drug, which was granted emergency use authorization by the FDA in December 2021 for people with mild to moderate COVID-19 at high risk of disease progression, is also strongly recommended by the World Health Organization. It has been shown to be highly effective, estimated to provide an 89% reduction in virus-related hospitalizations and deaths.
However, in recent weeks, a number of patients, who have taken the treatment, have taken to social media to disclose what they say is a perplexing phenomenon of COVID-19 symptoms reemerging after they finished the prescribed five-day treatment course.
Some individuals claimed on Twitter that after their initial symptoms dissipated, leading to a negative test, they are once again testing positive.
âWe’re seeing people get better on Paxlovid,â Dr. Shira Doron, an infectious disease physician and hospital epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center, told ABC News. âBut then, when they stop at the end of five days, we’re hearing stories of symptoms coming back and even, tests becoming either more positive, i.e. a darker line, or tests that had gone negative turning positive.â
Studies have found that a dark line can âindicates a strong positive with a high level of virus and is usually seen when people are at or near peak virus load.â
Reports of these ârebound symptomsâ are largely anecdotal so far but with an increasing number of questions about the puzzling viral recurrence, scientists across the country are trying to assess what may be happening in new research.
Pfizer taking reports of viral rebounds âvery seriouslyâ
In February, a 71-year-old man in Massachusetts who had been vaccinated and boosted recovered after being treated for COVID-19 with Paxlovid, Dr. Michael Charness, chief of staff at the VA Boston Healthcare System, who has been researching the phenomenon and recently put out a preprint study last week, told ABC News.
However, around nine days after his initial positive test, Charness said his patient developed cold symptoms and tested positive again for the virus.
Molecular testing soon revealed that the patientâs viral load had increased to an even higher point than when the diagnosis was first made, according to an analysis by Charness and his team.
âWe were interested in whether this was a new infection or whether this was maybe an adaptation or mutation that somehow changed the variant,â Charness said, adding that gene sequencing demonstrated that this second positive test demonstrated a recurrence of the original infection in an individual who had no symptoms for a week.
âWe just were very struck by that,â said Charness. âI heard from people all over the country and some from other parts of the world, who had had the same experience.â
Representatives from the FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, told ABC News that teams of scientists are investigating the surprising relapse reports, and they will provide further recommendations, if appropriate.
âThe phenomenon of recrudescence reiterates the importance of following CDCâs isolation guidance â anyone who develops symptoms of illness during or after isolation should remain isolated, masked, and seek out testing and clinical care,â a representative from the CDC told ABC News in a statement. âAnyone who is concerned about having been exposed or who for any other reason wants to determine their infection status should test for COVID-19.â
The FDA stressed that the reports âdo not change the conclusions from the Paxlovid clinical trial which demonstrated a marked reduction in hospitalization and death.â
The viral recurrence had been observed and reported in Pfizerâs application to the FDA, last year, in which the company said several trial participants had appeared to âhave a reboundâ of COVID-19 around day 10 or day 14.
Pfizer executives said Tuesday that they are taking the reports âvery seriously,â but they do not believe that it is related to the drug, given that the same rate of rebound was observed in people who took the placebo. Further, no connection was noted between the viral load increase and subsequent severe illness.
âWe’ve taken a preliminary look at our high-risk data, and so we’ve seen for example, that we have about an incidence about 2% of that viral load rebound, but we also see the same, or close to the same, percent in the placebo arm. So it’s something that’s not particularly associated with Paxlovid itself, but may have something to do with the virus itself,â Dr. William Pao, Pfizerâs executive vice president and chief development officer, said during an investors call on Tuesday. âIt’s preliminary data so far, we again take it very seriously. But it’s very current, and a very low incidence, and we continue to learn as we go.â
A representative from Pfizer told ABC News that although it is too early to determine the cause, initial indications suggest an increased viral load is both uncommon and not uniquely associated with the Paxlovid treatment.
âWe remain very confident in its clinical effectiveness at preventing severe outcomes from COVID-19 in high-risk patients,â the representative said.
Reports uncommon but happening âfrequently enoughâ
Although official reports of these relapses still appear to be rare, such occurrences are happening âfrequently enoughâ in those treated with Paxlovid that Charness said that it should be studied further.
âI think the first step in studying something is to know that it exists,â he explained, adding that it is particularly important for clinicians to be informed about potential rebounds, and for the public to know, so that people do not become unduly alarmed.
Thus far, researchers know very little about the reason for the recurring symptoms.
Of critical importance in the investigations is whether an individual, in the midst of such a rebound, remains infectious, Charness said.
âWe are sufficiently concerned about whether people can transmit, when they’re on day 12 and 13 and 15, that we are essentially recommending that when people have a recurrence, a rebound, that they restart their isolation, and isolate until their antigen test is negative,â Charness said. âWe’re seeing people whose antigen test stays positive for a week after they rebound, which means that they’re well outside the CDCâs 10-day guidance.”
Should you experience a viral rebound, the FDA is now recommending that health care providers and patients refer to CDC guidance, wear a mask and isolate if they have any COVID-19 symptoms — regardless of whether or not they have been treated with an antiviral.
Charness and his team are also encouraging their patients to start their isolation period over again and stay away until their antigen test is negative.
âIt’s important to exercise caution until you clear the virus the second time,â Charness said, further urging people to notify their provider.
In terms of further treatments, Charness noted it is still largely unclear what patients should do. While there are no limitations, within the authorized label, around additional usage of the drug for a subsequent COVID-19 infection, according to Pfizer, the FDA said âthere is no evidence of benefit at this time for a longer course of treatment ⊠or repeating a treatment course of Paxlovid in patients with recurrent COVID-19 symptoms following completion of a treatment course.â
Despite the reports of rebounding, health experts stress that Paxlovid is still largely achieving its original goal, to keep people out of the hospital, and severe disease at-bay.
âThe bottom line is if it prevents hospitalization, if it keeps you from progressing to severe disease, hospitalization and death, the fact that you might have a recurrence of some of the symptoms and even the recurrence of a positive test is sort of secondary,â said Doron. âThe main thing is Paxlovid is to prevent progression to severe disease [and] hospitalization, and it does. So, it’s still doing its job.â
(NEW YORK) — When Laura Martin tested positive for COVID-19 last month during an extended stay in California, she was prescribed Paxlovid, the highly touted antiviral drug created by Pfizer.
Just one day after her diagnosis, she started her five-day course of pills, which have been shown to dramatically reduce the risk of hospitalization and death.
Martin, a 63-year-old Boston native who now resides in Canada, said she was thrilled when her symptoms began to subside.
âBy the end of [the treatment], on Day 5, I was negative and feeling completely normal like without any symptoms, so I thought, ‘Wow, this is really great. What a great drug,ââ Martin told ABC News.
Martin resumed her normal activities, but a week later, she began to feel ill again. When her symptoms worsened, she tested again.
âIt came roaring back, and this round two has been much more severe than round one was,” Martin said. “This is like four days of much more significant symptoms than round one.â
âMartin’s case is part of a seemingly rare, but increasingly reported phenomenon of COVID-19 symptom recurrence after being treated with Paxlovid. While it is largely unknown what is causing the reported viral resurgence, scientists say they are investigating. ââ
Pfizer says that it is taking the reported incidences of recurrence “very seriously,” but that the rates mirror those who received a placebo in clinical trials. Experts urge that the benefits of the drug, in preventing hospitalization and death, outweigh the potential risk of a second positive test or symptom reemergence.
In additional analysis of the Paxlovid clinical trial data, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that most patients âdid not have symptoms at the time of a positive PCR test after testing negative, and, most importantly, there was no increased occurrence of hospitalization or death or development of drug resistance.â
Company executives also reported, this week, that the use of Paxlovid continues to expand rapidly, particularly as infection rates across the country rise again. In the U.S., use of the treatment has increased by nearly ten-fold in recent weeks.
The number of locations in the U.S. with Paxlovid supply has grown to more than 33,000 sites now available, a four-fold increase since late-February. In addition, the company reported that there are now more than 2,200 Test to Treat locations now open.
‘Game-changer’
Long heralded as a âgame-changerâ in the fight against COVID-19, the push to make Paxlovid available to Americans has ramped up in recent weeks, with the White House looking to increase supply of the treatment.
The drug, which was granted emergency use authorization by the FDA in December 2021 for people with mild to moderate COVID-19 at high risk of disease progression, is also strongly recommended by the World Health Organization. It has been shown to be highly effective, estimated to provide an 89% reduction in virus-related hospitalizations and deaths.
However, in recent weeks, a number of patients, who have taken the treatment, have taken to social media to disclose what they say is a perplexing phenomenon of COVID-19 symptoms reemerging after they finished the prescribed five-day treatment course.
Some individuals claimed on Twitter that after their initial symptoms dissipated, leading to a negative test, they are once again testing positive.
âWe’re seeing people get better on Paxlovid,â Dr. Shira Doron, an infectious disease physician and hospital epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center, told ABC News. âBut then, when they stop at the end of five days, we’re hearing stories of symptoms coming back and even, tests becoming either more positive, i.e. a darker line, or tests that had gone negative turning positive.â
Studies have found that a dark line can âindicates a strong positive with a high level of virus and is usually seen when people are at or near peak virus load.â
Reports of these ârebound symptomsâ are largely anecdotal so far but with an increasing number of questions about the puzzling viral recurrence, scientists across the country are trying to assess what may be happening in new research.
Pfizer taking reports of viral rebounds âvery seriouslyâ
In February, a 71-year-old man in Massachusetts who had been vaccinated and boosted recovered after being treated for COVID-19 with Paxlovid, Dr. Michael Charness, chief of staff at the VA Boston Healthcare System, who has been researching the phenomenon and recently put out a preprint study last week, told ABC News.
However, around nine days after his initial positive test, Charness said his patient developed cold symptoms and tested positive again for the virus.
Molecular testing soon revealed that the patientâs viral load had increased to an even higher point than when the diagnosis was first made, according to an analysis by Charness and his team.
âWe were interested in whether this was a new infection or whether this was maybe an adaptation or mutation that somehow changed the variant,â Charness said, adding that gene sequencing demonstrated that this second positive test demonstrated a recurrence of the original infection in an individual who had no symptoms for a week.
âWe just were very struck by that,â said Charness. âI heard from people all over the country and some from other parts of the world, who had had the same experience.â
Representatives from the FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, told ABC News that teams of scientists are investigating the surprising relapse reports, and they will provide further recommendations, if appropriate.
âThe phenomenon of recrudescence reiterates the importance of following CDCâs isolation guidance â anyone who develops symptoms of illness during or after isolation should remain isolated, masked, and seek out testing and clinical care,â a representative from the CDC told ABC News in a statement. âAnyone who is concerned about having been exposed or who for any other reason wants to determine their infection status should test for COVID-19.â
The FDA stressed that the reports âdo not change the conclusions from the Paxlovid clinical trial which demonstrated a marked reduction in hospitalization and death.â
The viral recurrence had been observed and reported in Pfizerâs application to the FDA, last year, in which the company said several trial participants had appeared to âhave a reboundâ of COVID-19 around day 10 or day 14.
Pfizer executives said Tuesday that they are taking the reports âvery seriously,â but they do not believe that it is related to the drug, given that the same rate of rebound was observed in people who took the placebo. Further, no connection was noted between the viral load increase and subsequent severe illness.
âWe’ve taken a preliminary look at our high-risk data, and so we’ve seen for example, that we have about an incidence about 2% of that viral load rebound, but we also see the same, or close to the same, percent in the placebo arm. So it’s something that’s not particularly associated with Paxlovid itself, but may have something to do with the virus itself,â Dr. William Pao, Pfizerâs executive vice president and chief development officer, said during an investors call on Tuesday. âIt’s preliminary data so far, we again take it very seriously. But it’s very current, and a very low incidence, and we continue to learn as we go.â
A representative from Pfizer told ABC News that although it is too early to determine the cause, initial indications suggest an increased viral load is both uncommon and not uniquely associated with the Paxlovid treatment.
âWe remain very confident in its clinical effectiveness at preventing severe outcomes from COVID-19 in high-risk patients,â the representative said.
Reports uncommon but happening âfrequently enoughâ
Although official reports of these relapses still appear to be rare, such occurrences are happening âfrequently enoughâ in those treated with Paxlovid that Charness said that it should be studied further.
âI think the first step in studying something is to know that it exists,â he explained, adding that it is particularly important for clinicians to be informed about potential rebounds, and for the public to know, so that people do not become unduly alarmed.
Thus far, researchers know very little about the reason for the recurring symptoms.
Of critical importance in the investigations is whether an individual, in the midst of such a rebound, remains infectious, Charness said.
âWe are sufficiently concerned about whether people can transmit, when they’re on day 12 and 13 and 15, that we are essentially recommending that when people have a recurrence, a rebound, that they restart their isolation, and isolate until their antigen test is negative,â Charness said. âWe’re seeing people whose antigen test stays positive for a week after they rebound, which means that they’re well outside the CDCâs 10-day guidance.”
Should you experience a viral rebound, the FDA is now recommending that health care providers and patients refer to CDC guidance, wear a mask and isolate if they have any COVID-19 symptoms — regardless of whether or not they have been treated with an antiviral.
Charness and his team are also encouraging their patients to start their isolation period over again and stay away until their antigen test is negative.
âIt’s important to exercise caution until you clear the virus the second time,â Charness said, further urging people to notify their provider.
In terms of further treatments, Charness noted it is still largely unclear what patients should do. While there are no limitations, within the authorized label, around additional usage of the drug for a subsequent COVID-19 infection, according to Pfizer, the FDA said âthere is no evidence of benefit at this time for a longer course of treatment ⊠or repeating a treatment course of Paxlovid in patients with recurrent COVID-19 symptoms following completion of a treatment course.â
Despite the reports of rebounding, health experts stress that Paxlovid is still largely achieving its original goal, to keep people out of the hospital, and severe disease at-bay.
âThe bottom line is if it prevents hospitalization, if it keeps you from progressing to severe disease, hospitalization and death, the fact that you might have a recurrence of some of the symptoms and even the recurrence of a positive test is sort of secondary,â said Doron. âThe main thing is Paxlovid is to prevent progression to severe disease [and] hospitalization, and it does. So, it’s still doing its job.â
(NEW YORK) — Amid a nationwide wave of what they call legislation targeting LGBTQ rights and representation, advocates are concerned about the impact on the mental health of LGBTQ youth.
“LGBTQ youth suicide is a major public health crisis,” said Amit Paley, chief operating officer of The Trevor Project, a nonprofit focused on suicide prevention among LGBTQ youth.
This population already struggles disproportionately with mental illness and suicide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports LGBTQ students are about four times more likely to have attempted suicide than their heterosexual peers, according to a study released in late March that tracked data from 2009 to 2019.
That same study showed LGBTQ youth self-reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness at more than twice the rate of their heterosexual peers.
Matthew Goldenberg, a psychologist at the Seattle Children’s Hospital Gender Clinic, explained that additional everyday “environmental factors” create a higher prevalence of suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts among LGBTQ youth.
He cited family conflicts, heightened stress, lack of community support, bullying and whether or not a child has an affirming environment as potential risk factors.
“I think the really important point to make is that LGBTQ young people are not born inherently more likely to attempt or consider suicide,” Paley said. “LGBTQ young people end up attempting or considering suicide because of the stigma and discrimination and isolation that they face in society.”
Paley explained The Trevor Project has been monitoring an upward trend in reported suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts among this population over the last few years.
“And that coincides with a really difficult time for so many LGBTQ young people, as they are being attacked in legislative contexts,” Paley said.
More than 300 bills targeting LGBTQ people have been introduced so far this year, according to the Human Rights Campaign.
“When you hear people in positions of power saying people can’t talk about your identity in schools, that you can’t use the restroom, that you can’t access medical care. That’s very scary,” Paley said. “Those policies are harmful and dangerous, but even more than that, the words around them really impact the mental health of LGBTQ youth.”
Along with the impacts of hostile legislation, LGBTQ young people are feeling the mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has heightened attention on mental health concerns across the nation over the last two years.
“The pandemic has been incredibly difficult for LGBTQ youth, who may not be able to live as their authentic selves when they’ve been home so much during the last few years, and that’s really exacerbated the mental health crisis among that population,” said Hannah Wesolowski, chief advocacy officer for the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
On Tuesday, co-chair of the congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, introduced the Pride in Mental Health Act. The bill would create a new program at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to “assess and improve LGBTQ+ youth mental health,” according to a press release from the caucus.
The legislation would also amend the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to provide specific protections for LGBTQ youth with the aim of improving data collection related to abuse and neglect among that population.
“Mental health is a growing concern for families and communities across the country, and frankly, we are failing many of our most vulnerable children on this issue,” Davids said in a press release. “When we talk about improving mental health, we’re really talking about saving these kids’ lives.”
Resources to support LGBTQ young people experiencing mental health crises are available. The Trevor Project offers a crisis line via phone, text and online chat for LGBTQ young people. Trans Lifeline operates a peer support and crisis line for transgender people.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline offers crisis support services as well. In July, that hotline will transition to a new three-digit number, 988, that advocates envision as the mental health equivalent of 911.
The Trevor Project was among the advocates for the establishment of the new number for the Lifeline. Paley says the organization is working with the Department of Health and Human Services SAMHSA to create an integration in the Lifeline service to connect LGBTQ young people who call in to counselors specifically trained to support and understand their needs.
“I think the biggest thing about providing these crisis resources is they need to be culturally competent,” Wesolowski said. “Somebody who identifies as LGBTQ talking to somebody who can understand their experience is really important to de-escalating that.”
There is no current timeline for when that integration with the Lifeline will be up and running. Efforts to get the new number launched are still underway and complicated by underfunding.
“We think the intention of 988 is so incredibly important,” Paley said. “We need to make sure that the federal government puts the resources to execute it properly. And so that’s what we’re in discussions about to make sure that we can provide more access for LGBTQ youth.”
If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or worried about a friend or loved one, help is available. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 [TALK] for free, confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also reach the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or the Crisis Text Line by texting “START” to 741741.
(NEW YORK) — Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation” into neighboring Ukraine began on Feb. 24, with Russian forces invading from Belarus, to the north, and Russia, to the east. Ukrainian troops have offered “stiff resistance,” according to U.S. officials.
The Russian military last month launched a full-scale ground offensive in eastern Ukraine’s disputed Donbas region, attempting to capture the strategic port city of Mariupol and to secure a coastal corridor to the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
May 04, 4:47 pm
Heavy fighting ongoing at Mariupol plant
Ukrainian military officer Denys Procopenko said Russians have breached the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works plant in Mariupol, where hundreds of civilians remain.
He said heavy fighting is ongoing.
Procopenko is commander of the Azov regiment, which is a far-right paramilitary that’s now incorporated into Ukrainian government security forces.
May 04, 3:46 pm
Russia to open humanitarian corridor for civilians to leave plant
The Russian Defense Ministry said a humanitarian corridor will open this week for the evacuation of civilians from the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works plant in Mariupol.
The humanitarian corridor will be open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Moscow time.
Russia said its forces will “cease any hostilities” during that time.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke with United Nations Secretary-General AntĂłnio Guterres on Wednesday, asking for the U.N.’s help in evacuating “all the wounded” from the plant.
“The lives of the people who remain there are in danger. Everyone is important to us,” Zelenskyy said, according to a statement from his office.Hundreds of civilians are believed to be trapped in the plant.
The plant, which stretches over 4.2 square miles, has been facing bombardment and shelling. It’s the last pocket of Ukrainian resistance in Mariupol; Russia claimed Wednesday that its military had taken complete control of the city.
May 04, 3:35 pm
Ukrainians pushing Russians back from Kharkiv: US
It appears Ukrainians have managed to push Russian forces back from Kharkiv, about 20 to 30 miles east of the city, a senior U.S. defense official said Wednesday.
“We still think though that the Russians want Kharkiv,” the official added.
The Wagner Group — a private military force linked to Russia — has been operating in the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, using fighters recruited from places including Syria and Libya, the official said.
But overall, Russia’s momentum is slow, the official said.
“We haven’t seen much progress by the Russians coming north out of Mariupol at all. They seem to have paused either to create better defensive positions or to refit and re-posture themselves,” the official said.
“Most of the strikes continue to be focused on the JFO [Joint Forces Operation] and on Mariupol,” the official said.
“We have seen some missile strikes out into the west near Lviv. Looks like they’re trying to hit critical infrastructure — electricity and that kind of thing, and trying to get at the ability for the Ukrainians to use railroads in particular,” the official said, adding that there are no indications the Russians have successfully disrupted Ukrainian resupply efforts.
-ABC News’ Matt Seyler
May 04, 2:51 pm
Russian strikes attempt to hamper Ukrainian resupply efforts: UK
Britain’s Ministry of Defense is claiming that Russian missile strikes across Ukraine are an attempt to hamper Ukrainian resupply efforts.
As Russian forces struggled, they targeted civilians, including at homes, transit hubs, schools and hospitals, “in an attempt to weaken Ukrainian resolve,” the Ministry of Defense’s intelligence update said.
The U.K. believes Russia’s focus on Odesa, Kherson and Mariupol reflect its “desire to fully control access to the Black Sea, which would enable them to control Ukraineâs sea lines of communication, negatively impacting their economy,” the intelligence update said.
Russian troops have entered part of the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works plant in Mariupol, Ukraine’s chief negotiator with Russia, David Arakhamia, said in an interview with Ukraine’s Radio Liberty on Wednesday.
The plant continues to come under bombardment and shelling, he said.
The plant, which stretches over 4.2 square miles, is the last pocket of Ukrainian resistance in Mariupol. Russia claimed Wednesday that its military had taken complete control of Mauripol, a strategic port city in Ukraine’s war-torn east.
This is the first time it appears that Russian soldiers have successfully entered the plant. It is not clear how many soldiers entered or where.
-ABC News’ Fidel Pavlenko
May 04, 12:26 pm
Ukraine claims Russia plans to hold WWII Victory Day parade in Mariupol
Ukraine’s military intelligence claims Russia is planning to hold a World War II Victory Day parade in Mariupol on May 9. The military intelligence said streets are being cleared of bodies and debris.
Russia claimed Wednesday that its military has taken complete control of Mauripol, a strategic port city in Ukraine’s war-torn east.
May 9 is a major holiday in Russia known as Victory Day, commemorating the country’s victory over the Nazis. It’s usually celebrated with a military parade in Moscow and a speech by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Last week, British Defense Minister Ben Wallace told LBC Radio that Putin will “probably” use the occasion to declare war. Russia has maintained that it’s carrying out “special military operations” in Ukraine and hasn’t declared war. In a call with reporters Wednesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said claims Russia will declare a general mobilization are “absurd.”
-ABC News’ Yuriy Zaliznyak
May 04, 11:41 am
Russia claims to have taken full control of Mariupol, ‘securely blocked’ steel plant
Russia claimed Wednesday that its military has taken complete control of Mauripol, a strategic port city in Ukraine’s war-torn east.
“Peaceful life is being established in the territories of the LPR and DPR and Ukraine liberated from nationalists, including Mariupol, the largest industrial and transport hub on the Sea of ââAzov,” Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said during a teleconference. “It is under the control of the Russian army.”
According to Shoigu, Russian forces have “securely blocked” remaining Ukrainian fighters on the grounds of the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works plant in Mariupol. The sprawling industrial site, which includes a maze of underground tunnels and bunkers, is the last pocket of Ukrainian resistance in Mariupol.
“In accordance with the instructions of the supreme commander, the remnants of the militants located in the industrial zone of the Azovstal plant are securely blocked around the entire perimeter of this territory,” Shoigu told reporters. “Repeated proposals to the nationalists to release civilians and lay down their arms with a guarantee of saving lives and decent treatment in accordance with international law, they have ignored. We continue these attempts.”
During a daily briefing call later Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the situation at the blockaded plant hadn’t changed and denied reports that Russian forces had begun storming the bombed-out territory, but said they have seen sporadic attempts by Ukrainian fighters to open fire.
“The supreme commander-in-chief has publicly ordered that the storm be canceled. There is no storm,” Peksov told reporters. “We can see that escalations happen as the fighters come to firing positions. These attempts are suppressed quite rapidly.”
ABC News recently spoke with Denys Prokopenko, a commander of the Azov Regiment, a far-right group now part of the Ukrainian military that was among the units defending Mariupol and is holed up inside the Azovstal plant with others. He said the fighters inside have tried to initiate a cease-fire to create conditions to allow people to flee but have yet to surrender, despite the odds. There are a number of people wounded and dead inside the plant, with some out of reach after sections of a bunker collapsed from Russian bombardment, according to Prokopenko.
“We are in full blockade, full circle of surrounding and we are under fire and the city is under fire,” Prokopenko told ABC News.
Earlier this week, a humanitarian convoy evacuated more than 100 civilians from the Azovstal plant and escorted them safely to Zaporizhzhia, a Ukrainian government-controlled city located about 140 miles northwest of Mariupol. Hundreds more civilians remain trapped inside the plant and Russian forces have resumed shelling of the area, according to Ukrainian officials.
-ABC News’ Clark Bentson, Dragana Jovanovic and Ian Pannell
May 04, 5:19 am
EU leader proposes import ban on Russian oil
The European Union’s top official called on the 27-nation bloc on Wednesday to gradually ban oil imports from Russia as part of a sixth set of sanctions against Moscow for its war in Ukraine.
Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed that member nations “phase out” imports of Russian crude oil within six months and refined oil products from Russia by the end of the year. She also recommended sanctions targeting Russia’s biggest bank and major broadcasters.
“We will make sure that we phase out Russian oil in an orderly fashion, in a way that allows us and our partners to secure alternative supply routes and minimizes the impact on global markets,” von der Leyen said. “Thus, we maximise pressure on Russia, while at the same time minimising collateral damage to us and our partners around the globe. Because to help Ukraine, our own economy has to remain strong.”
The proposals must be unanimously approved to take effect. Von der Leyen admitted that getting all 27 member countries to agree on oil sanctions “will not be easy.” Hungary and Slovakia, both of which are highly dependent on Russian energy, have already demanded exemptions.
“Some member states are strongly dependent on Russian oil. But we simply have to work on it,” she said. “We now propose a ban on Russian oil. This will be a complete import ban on all Russian oil, seaborne and pipeline, crude and refined.”
Marlena Sloss for The Washington Post via Getty Images
(NEW YORK) — United Nations Secretary-General AntĂłnio Guterres believes that womenâs rights are vital to gender equality worldwide, a spokesman for Guterres said in response to a question about a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion on overturning Roe v. Wade.
“The SecretaryâGeneral has long believed that sexual and reproductive health and rights are the foundation for lives of choice, empowerment and equality for the world’s women and girls,” said Farhan Haq, a spokesman for the secretary-general.
Haq continued, “Without the full participation of 50% of its population, the world would be the biggest loser.”
The spokesman declined to comment specifically on the leaked document and the court’s upcoming decision.
The court document, obtained by Politico, shows the court’s conservative majority ready to overturn the 1973 abortion rights precedent from Roe v. Wade via a case the court is currently hearing, Dobbs v. Jackson Womenâs Health Organization.
The court heard the case last year and is expected to rule on it by the end of June.
“[Guterres] has repeatedly pointed to what he has said is a global pushâback that we’re seeing on women’s rights, including reproductive rights and essential health services, and he believes it’s essential to keep pursuing women’s rights,” Haq said.
Across the country, protests erupted in several cities over the leaked document, with both sides of the reproductive health debate taking to the streets in response to the news.
(NEW YORK) — Severe weather caused “significant damage” and wide-spread power outages in Oklahoma Wednesday, officials said.
Seminole got hit especially hard after a reported tornado touched down in the city, located about 65 miles east of Oklahoma City.
The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security reported late Wednesday that there was “significant damage” to structures, including businesses, in Seminole, and that the Red Cross was setting up a shelter for displaced residents there.
The National Weather Service of Norman, Oklahoma, had warned residents of a “damaging tornado” on the ground near Seminole County earlier Wednesday.
Aerial footage from Oklahoma City ABC affiliate KOCO-TV showed widespread damage to structures in Seminole after the storm.
The extent of any casualties is unclear.
The City of Seminole warned residents about multiple downed power lines during the severe storm system.
Oklahoma Highway Patrol said it responded to Seminole in the wake of the storm damage, including protecting drivers from the downed power lines.
There are some 12,400 power outages reported throughout the state, while storms and flooding are forecast to continue overnight, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security said.
A tornado watch remains in effect across much of Oklahoma and West-Central Texas Wednesday overnight.
There have already been at least seven reported tornadoes in Texas and Oklahoma — including Crowell, Texas, and Maud, Oklahoma.
The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center had said there was the potential for “significant” — EF2 or higher — tornadoes in parts of Oklahoma and Texas on Wednesday.
(NEW YORK) — Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation” into neighboring Ukraine began on Feb. 24, with Russian forces invading from Belarus, to the north, and Russia, to the east. Ukrainian troops have offered “stiff resistance,” according to U.S. officials.
The Russian military last month launched a full-scale ground offensive in eastern Ukraine’s disputed Donbas region, attempting to capture the strategic port city of Mariupol and to secure a coastal corridor to the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
May 05, 4:39 am
Russian shelling on residential areas of Kramatorsk injures 25, officials say
At least 25 civilians were injured by Russian shelling on residential areas and the central part of Kramatorsk on Wednesday night, according to the local city council.
Six of the wounded required hospitalization, and at least nine homes, a school as well as various civilian infrastructure sustained damaged, the Kramatorsk City Council said in a statement via Telegram.
Kramatorsk Mayor Oleksandr Honcharenko confirmed in a statement via Facebook that a kindergarten was seriously damaged.
Kramatorsk is a city in eastern Ukraine’s war-torn Donetsk Oblast.
May 05, 3:50 am
Over 300 civilians evacuated from Mariupol, surrounding areas
More than 300 civilians have been evacuated from the besieged Ukrainian port city of Mariupol and surrounding areas, officials said late Wednesday.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said it facilitated the safe passage of the civilians in coordination with the United Nations and both sides of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The evacuees arrived Wednesday in Zaporizhzhia, a Ukrainian government-controlled city about 140 miles northwest of Mariupol.
“We are relieved that more lives have been spared,” Pascal Hundt, the ICRC’s head of delegation in Ukraine, said in a statement Wednesday night. “We welcome the renewed efforts of the parties with regards to safe passage operations. They remain crucial and urgent in light of the immense suffering of the civilians.”
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk confirmed that 344 people were evacuated to Zaporizhzhia from the Mariupol area, Manhush, Berdyansk, Tokmak and Vasylivka.
The evacuation did not include civilians trapped inside the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works plant, the last pocket of Ukrainian resistance in Mariupol.
Thereâs a whole lot of Mike Myers in the new Netflix comedy series The Pentaverate, which debuts Thursday. Itâs about a secret society that has been controlling the world for centuries. So as a powerful man in media, is Myers himself part of a real-life secret society?
“Well, I can neither confirm nor deny the existence or nonexistence of any secret society that I am or not in,” Myers tells ABC Audio, adding, “I’ve been obsessed with secret societies my whole life. My mom was in the Royal Air Force and had a top security clearance, so I knew that there were secrets in the world.”
Myers plays eight characters in The Pentaverate, the most heâs ever done in one project. While that sounds exhausting, he says it’s more of a release for him.Â
“I always have characters in me that are kind of circling the airport and looking for a place to land,” he shares. “I love performing…and I love playing characters. And that has its own energy that gets you going.”
Citing previous works like Austin Powers, the actor adds, “I’m kind of used to multiple characters.”
In The Pentaverate, instead of being evil or power hungry, the secret society’s five leaders are known for being nice. Myers says the show comes during an interesting time in comedy and “it’s good that people are being conscious of not saying things that marginalize, disempower or ridicule.”
Myers himself is known for his trademark brand of humor that is often silly but never mean, which he uses to uncover truths.
“The truth shall set you free, but at first it’s going to upset you…And it’s important that the truth be told,” Myers expresses. “Now I love speaking the truth faster with kindness, but that’s just me.”
Season two of Sara Bareilles‘ Emmy-nominated Peacock comedy Girls5Eva arrives today, and it finds the main characters doing something that Sara is very familiar with in real life: making an album.
“Dawn takes it really seriously…embracing her role as songwriter and trying to really be the voice for the group that she didn’t feel like she got to explore when they were younger,” Sara says of her character. But there are plenty of distractions: Dawn fights with the producer, Gloria tries to reunite with her ex-wife, Summer wants a divorce and Wickie wants to find love.
“They get messy with each other and with their relationships,” Sara laughs. “And I’m here for that. I love that they’re becoming more and more three dimensional as we go.”
But in real life, Sara says her “album mode” isn’t much fun.
“I mean, to me, it means going [into] sort of hermit mode and getting very self-reflective and self punishing,” she explains. “For me, it can be a little bit of like a downward spiral. I think the best times of album mode have to do with collaboration. And…this season, we really get to see the workings of [the group’s] collaboration.”
Sara also reveals that her character “gets in a little bit of trouble because of her ambition this year,” which rings true to her.
She notes, “Album mode is like, you’re kind of dancing with your own ambition the whole time, and ‘what can I make?’ and ‘is it true?’ and ‘what are you willing to give up for what you want?'”
