标题编译练习4：
WHO warns against lifting restrictions too soon amid signs of slowing in COVID-19 infections in Europe
As some of the European countries hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic are starting to see signs of slowing in infections, the World Health Organization (WHO) sounded a stern warning on Friday against lifting restrictions too soon, saying it could lead to a deadly resurgence of COVID-19.
"In the past week, we've seen a welcome slowing in some of the hardest-hit countries in Europe, like Spain, Italy, Germany and France," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a regular press briefing.
As "some countries are already planning the transition out of stay-at-home restrictions," the WHO chief warned that "lifting restrictions too quickly could lead to a deadly resurgence."
"The way down can be as dangerous as the way up if not managed properly," he said, underlining that the WHO is working with affected countries on strategies for gradually and safely easing restrictions.
"Pale ray of sunshine"
The novel coronavirus has claimed 13,197 lives in France. But the country is witnessing a decline in the number of critically-ill patients on Friday for a second consecutive day, a "pale ray of sunshine," according to Director General of Health Jerome Salomon.
In Spain, where the total number of infection cases has reached 157,022, and death toll stood at 15,843, the single-day numbers of new cases and related deaths dropped on Friday for the second day in a row, according to the data collected by the Spanish Ministry for Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Welfare.
Italy is also witnessing a drop in those hospitalized and those in intensive care, as total fatalities in the country amounted to 18,849 by Friday.
Nonetheless, Italy remains one of the countries hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic, with nearly 150,000 infections. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Friday extended the country's national coronavirus lockdown by "at least" additional 20 days to May 3.
Some European countries are already considering relaxing their restriction measures as they see a slowing trend in the number of COVID-19 infections. Austria, for instance, aims to gradually ease the exit restrictions and reopen shops and businesses from mid-April. Switzerland also suggested "the first relaxations" by the end of April.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday that a further tightening of restrictions on daily life in Germany is not necessary at present.
"The curve is flattening out," said Merkel at the Chancellery. The latest COVID-19 infection figures in Germany gave "reason for cautious hope." But she stressed that it would be necessary to be "very, very careful" with relaxing the current restrictions.
Restrictions in place
The European Union (EU) on Wednesday proposed prolonging travel restriction at its external borders. The European Commission said in a statement that it invited Schengen member states and Schengen associated states to prolong the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU until May 15.
Britain's coronavirus lockdown is to continue as the country heads towards one of its biggest holiday weekends of the year while the death toll keeps growing. The fear was that a relaxation of the lockdown could risk seeing millions of people heading to seaside resorts and tourism hotspots during the four-day Easter holiday which starts Friday and lasts until Monday.
"At this stage, the government continues to gather data to determine the effects of the lockdown and physical distancing measures," said Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis on Thursday urged people to adhere to social distancing measures during the Easter holiday; Sweden's Home Affairs Minister Mikael Damberg said on Thursday that all forms of travel should be avoided and social distancing be upheld while restaurants should not allow crowds to form in outdoors seating areas as the weather warms.
The Hungarian government will indefinitely extend the lockdown imposed nearly two weeks ago due to the coronavirus epidemic, Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced on his Facebook page on Thursday.
The WHO chief stressed that decision of lifting restrictions should be made on the condition that transmission is controlled; that sufficient public health and medical services are available; that outbreak risks in special settings like long-term care facilities are minimized; that preventive measures are in place in workplaces, schools and other places where it's essential for people to go; that importation risks can be managed; and that communities are fully aware and engaged in the transition.
Globally, nearly 1.5 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 have now been reported to the WHO, as well as more than 92,000 deaths.
标题编译练习5：
Did you catch the biggest, brightest full moon of the year? See the incredible Super Pink Moon.
USA TODAY
If you needed a break from news of the coronavirus pandemic or just wanted a change of pace by staring at the stars all you needed to do was look up: The pink "supermoon" appeared Tuesday night.
The biggest, brightest supermoon of 2020, the full moon occurred precisely at 10:35 p.m. EDT on April 7, according to EarthSky.
Of the three supermoons this year, April's supermoon will come closest to our planet – and thus appear the largest.
The supermoon comes during a trying time around the globe, as more than 1.3 million people are known to have been infected with the new coronavirus and over 78,000 killed. But the astronomical event may provide comfort to some.
"When all feels troubled on the planet, looking up invokes a sense of wonder and promise. A simple event such as a full moon that reminds people to look to the sky can be just the escape that most people need right now," said Jackie Faherty, a senior scientist at the American Museum of Natural History's Department of Astrophysics.
Why people look to the sky for comfort
Throughout history, cosmic signs have been assigned various meanings, Faherty said.
"Often celestial events like eclipses have be interpreted as a sign of negative things in the past, but of course there’s no reason that they are," said Noah Petro, a Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Project Scientist at NASA.
New moons are generally associated with rebirth, and full moon names are often tied to farming, Petro said.
"Regardless of what people saw historically, we can use this as a time to define how our generation should see astronomical phenomenon," Faherty said. "We know that the stars do not capture any secrets about humans. But I’d love people to remember the super pink moon as something that brought their eyes to the cosmos and invoked a sense of hope during this time."
The full moon can also be an educational opportunity for children, Faherty said. Other bright planets, including Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, will be visible this month, she said. Stars and their stories can be a great distraction, too, she said.
"Hopefully people use this as an excuse to begin looking at the moon more regularly, perhaps every night to chart its path in the sky and how its phase changes," Petro added.
How to view the moon while also social distancing
Viewing the pink supermoon doesn't require leaving your house.
Petro said that if you have an east, south or west facing window, you should be able to see the moon from inside.
"You don’t need a fancy telescope or other equipment, just clear skies and clear eyes," he added.
Faherty suggested looking for the moon at moonrise or moonset. To view, set up looking east, or the opposite direction of the sun, about an hour before sunset.
"I think a moonrise and a moonset are the most under-appreciated astronomical phenomena that can be easily viewed. Catching the moon as it passes your local landscape can be dramatic and simply gorgeous (and it’s perfectly safe to view)," she said.
Where do the terms "pink moon" and "supermoon" come from?
A supermoon occurs when the moon is especially close to Earth while it’s full. The moon's proximity to Earth makes it look up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than a full moon at its farthest point from Earth.
The term “supermoon” was coined in 1979 by astrologer Richard Nolle. It has become an increasingly popular and media-friendly term in the decades since then. According to NASA, it's used by the media today to describe what astronomers would call a perigean full moon.
The full moon this month is also nicknamed the pink moon. But don't look for a pinkish hue to the moon this month.
According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, April’s full moon often corresponded with the early springtime blooms of Phlox subulata, a pink wildflower native to eastern North America. The wildflower is commonly called creeping phlox or moss phlox – and also goes by the name “moss pink."
For millennia, people across the world, including Native Americans, named the months after nature’s cues. The Old Farmers' Almanac said that full moon names in our part of the world date back to the Native Americans who lived in the northern and eastern USA.
Will the moon be more visible with fewer cars on the road and airplanes in the sky due to coronavirus restrictions?
As the coronavirus pandemic also leads to economic slowdowns, that may cause less air pollution in some areas.
Reports from Italy and China have shown possible decreased fossil fuel use and air pollution emissions as a result.
"Certainly less pollution makes for clearer skies, in some places," Petro said.
However, Faherty said: "The full moon is an easy thing to see no matter what."
Follow USA TODAY's Ryan Miller and Doyle Rice on Twitter: @RyanW_Millerand @usatodayweather
