“Evidently, the hardest behavior to give up is also the first to return,” Gallup researchers wrote of the results, adding that previous polls showed Americans were more willing to avoid public places than gatherings with friends or family when the novel coronavirus pandemic first began spreading across the U.S. According to an earlier Gallup poll published in mid-April, 84 percent of responders said they were avoiding small gatherings due to their concern about the pandemic by the end of March, just a couple of weeks after the country’s first statewide stay-at-home order was issued by California Governor Gavin Newsom....

The latest attack came late Thursday when the Human Rights Foundation mailed a letter to Disney CEO Bob Chapek asking that the company “condemn the grave human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, and consider donating a portion of Mulan’s proceeds to organizations supporting human rights in these regions.” Mulan, set to open in China on Friday and already available on Disney’s streaming service due to the coronavirus causing the shuttering of theaters in the U....

But a far colder reaction came from China and North Korea, two nations whose officials emphasized on Monday that a growing military footprint of the U.S.-led alliance was not welcome in the Asia-Pacific region. Speaking Monday at the Chey Institute for Advanced Studies in Seoul, Stoltenberg addressed the Western bloc’s growing focus on China, saying that, although NATO does not “regard China as an adversary” and engagement was sought on issues such as arms control and climate change, the alliance believes “China poses a challenge to our values, to our interests and to our security....

Here’s 9 locations to add to your fashion map: Los Angeles In the epicenter of American casual chic, you’ll find Apolis, the socially conscious menswear line; Eckhaus Latta’s sculptural forms and unusual textures; and the designs of 69US —worn by Beyonce in her “Formation” video and famous for the “Cocoon Dress” and other chic-but-cozy denim sacks. Mexico City, Mexico This city is home to world-class creators like Armando Mafud, who artfully melds his cultural pride with fashion, and Carla Fernández, whose laid-back designs utilizing bright colors and indigenous patterns are effortlessly cool....

According to a recent study published by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin, the “milder Omicron surge” is expected to include cases, hospital admissions, and deaths at levels close to those seen in the January 2021 peak. Researchers said in the study that the severity and transmissibility of Omicron was still “uncertain” as of Dec. 15, but they explored several scenarios that could unfold. They also predicted an “extreme scenario” where Omicron could be more dangerous than Delta, projecting a peak of Feb....

The PM’s office has apologized to the Queen on Friday after it emerged two separate drinks parties were held at Downing Street on April 16, 2021, on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral. The following day, Elizabeth attended the funeral service of Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, just outside London, where she sat alone. During that time, indoors and outdoors mixing was severely limited by anti-COVID restrictions, and Britain was in a period of public mourning....

The directions were introduced in October 2019 in an effort to “further study Xi Jinping’s socialist ideology with Chinese characteristics in the new era and the spirit” of the president’s leadership, the ministry said. Though the directive said books that were in poor condition were to be removed, its focus was on assessing titles that were not in line with the leadership’s ideologies and sending lists of those titles to education officials for further review....

Secrets and Lies Early in Heidi Julavits’s “The Mineral Palace,” Bena Jonssen and her baby are sleeping in their car in Dodge, Iowa, when a woman wakes her up and suggests that she roll her windows down so she doesn’t suffocate. The woman seems nice enough, and they chat awhile. Bena gives her a cigarette and some aspirin. The woman gives her a battered charm for her bracelet, but never mentions her name–which turns out to be Bonnie Parker....

These days, the term appears fitting for Woods, locked in the deepest struggle he has faced in golf. And this week while he hopes to crawl out of the refuse of his career, Woods was getting nowhere fast at a tournament for which he is host. MORE: Tiger, turn of the century superstar | Woods’ beach time without sticks | Leaderboard Starting the Quicken Loans National’s first round late, Woods was able to see South Africa’s Retief Goosen had established a lead at 8 under par....

It’s funny when Jaguars kicker Josh Scobee puts a $100,000-a-hole wager against Woods on Twitter. Serious or not, the upside is this: Did you know Josh Scobee from Scooby-Doo before his tweet? MORE: Pebble Beach National Pro-Am Celebrity Challenge | More suggestions for Tiger | Sports power couples But take a look at other headlines related to Woods, and golf fans must wonder if they’d been transported to Oz or some other realm....

The plans, which have not been confirmed, were reported by Axios as oil prices soared by 10 percent amid U.S. and European threats to ban Russian oil over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Officials told Axios that discussions of a potential visit to Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter, are still in the early stages and may not happen at all. However, talk of U.S. officials going to Saudi Arabia was widely criticized by people on both sides of the political spectrum, who cited the Kingdom’s human rights violations during the Yemen war and the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 which a U....

Dr. Woolery-Lloyd: No. The pigment changes are rarely permanent. The most common pigment change is hyperpigmentation, which is darkening of the skin. Usually, once eczema resolves, the hyperpigmentation will fade over time. Occasionally we use some treatments to speed up that process, but we have to be careful in people with eczema-prone skin because some of them can be irritating. The other possible pigment change with eczema is hypopigmentation. Again, for most people, hypopigmentation from eczema resolves after the eczema clears....

The 33-year-old, who is currently on the books at Metz, has emerged as a transfer target for Redknapp at Birmingham City. He suggested to the Spurs Show podcast, though, that Assou-Ekotto may take some persuading to join his ranks at St Andrew’s. The experienced coach said: “The only trouble is that he’s admitted he wants to be a porn star. Maybe I can get another year out of him before he decides to do that....

Brendan Rodgers’ side put five goals past the Kazakh champions at Celtic Park last week, putting one foot comfortably in the group stage, but the Irish coach will demand that his players do not lose focus on their goal in the second leg. The Bhoys could only manage a draw when they played at the Astana Arena last season, but they have demonstrated a marked improvement since then and will have confidence that they can secure a victory....

The first managerial meeting between Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard went the way of the former Liverpool captain, whose side could justifiably claim to have deserved the win despite a frantic finish at Villa Park. A superb strike from Danny Ings broke the deadlock in the first half and there were otherwise few clear-cut chances in the first hour, as the sweltering conditions took their toll on the pace of the game....

It was confirmed on Sunday morning that the 31-year-old Viola captain had passed away in his sleep, with tributes having flooded in from across the football world. Former clubs, fellow professionals and a number of sporting organisations have been quick to pass on their condolences to the Astori family and those who knew him best. Fiorentina and Cagliari – two sides that the defender represented with distinction over the course of his career - have now revealed that as a mark of respect, they will no longer be bestowing Astori’s squad number on any other player....

The nickname is synonymous with the former Manchester United man, comprising his initials and the squad number he used at both United and Real. MORE: Neymar headbutt may lead to suspension | FIFA movie a historic flop However, it now has astronomical connotations after the European Southern Observatory (ESO) named a new galaxy in the 30-year-old’s honour, describing it as the brightest to be found in the early universe....

Series odds update: The Royals are now pegged as +130 dogs to win the ALDS after their Game 1 loss, adjusting from the -140 odds before the series started. Astros bettors are laying -150. Game 2 line: Royals -135, Total: 7.5 (+100) Line movement: The Royals are pegged as -135 favorites across most of Vegas after opening -140 offshore. Visit our odds page for updated postseason lines and totals....

“At 6:50 last night, Bharti Shahani lost her battle from the horrific, horrific injuries she sustained at the Astroworld Festival,” the family’s attorney, James Lassiter, said during a press conference on Thursday. Shahani, a student at Texas A&M, was previously hospitalized in critical condition following the concert. Lassiter accused the concert of putting profits over safety and said “as a result we have this tragedy.”
“No parent should ever go through with what the Shahani’s are going through right now....

The accident occurred just outside the city of Tuxtla Gutierrez, the largest settlement in the Mexican state of Chiapas. The trailer apparently rolled over while attempting to make its way through a dangerous curve at high speeds, and ended up crashing into the steel base of a pedestrian bridge. Luis Manuel Moreno, the head of Chiapas’ civil defense service, stated that in addition to the 53 people killed, at least 58 more had been injured....