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Coronavirus live updates: New York City morgues are almost full amid mounting death toll

A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed at least 6,069 people in the United States. With more than 245,000 diagnosed cases of COVID-19, the U.S. has by far the highest national tally in the world, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

New York public defenders say unable to reach inmates in federal jails

Lawyers representing inmates in New York federal jails said on Friday they had been largely cut off from their clients since in-person visits were halted last month due to the coronavirus pandemic. "The majority of requests for a telephone consultation result in no response at all," the Federal Defenders of New York wrote in a letter filed in Brooklyn federal court. The group also said jail officials had not followed through on promises last month to set up regular videoconferences.

Coronavirus economic updates: US cuts 701K jobs in March, unemployment rate jumps to 4.4%

The coronavirus pandemic has quickly evolved from a health crisis to a financial one, shuttering businesses, upending entire industries and sending financial markets reeling. For example, many restaurants donate excess food.

Schiff proposes postelection 9/11-style commission to study coronavirus response

Rep. Adam Schiff’s proposal for a 9/11-style commission to study the nation’s response to the coronavirus outbreak "is not an exercise in casting blame or scoring political points, but something that the American people should rightly expect from their government as an exercise in accountability," he said.

Dwayne Johnson raps 'Moana' song to his daughter while washing her hands amid coronavirus

“Before my showers now, Baby Tia (mama mia) demands I sing the rap portion of my song “You’re Welcome” from MOANA, while I wash her hands,” he wrote alongside the post, referencing the 2016 Disney animated film he starred in alongside Auli'i Cravalho. Before my showers now, Baby Tia (mama mia) demands I sing the rap portion of my song “You’re Welcome” from MOANA, while I wash her hands. The CDC recommends lathering and scrubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds, which is like singing “Happy Birthday” twice -- or, in this case, part of a “Moana” song once.

New York reports deadliest day from coronavirus, makes plea for help

New York suffered its deadliest single day from the novel coronavirus, with 562 additional deaths in the last 24 hours for a total of 2,935 fatalities, by far the most of any U.S. state, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Friday. Cuomo warned that people were "going to die in the near term" due to a lack of ventilators and hospital beds and called for resources from across the United States to be deployed to New York to help it deal with the growing crisis in the state - the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak.

Sara Bareilles reveals she was diagnosed with COVID-19 and is now fully recovered

Sara Bareilles revealed on Thursday that she had the COVID-19 coronavirus and has now fully recovered. In a video posted to her official Instagram account, the 40-year-old Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and Broadway star made the announcement while walking around New York City.

Love in time of coronavirus: octogenarians picnic at Danish-German border

Two octogenarian lovers, one living in Denmark and the other in Germany, are determined to keep meeting every day for a picnic and a chat on either side of the border, which has been shut to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. Inga Rasmussen, 85, who lives in Gallehus on the Danish side, met Karsten Tuechsen Hansen, 89, two years ago. Like many lovers around the world in this time of the coronavirus pandemic and restrictions on free movement, they face obstacles in meeting up but they are not easily deterred.

Italy experts say reliable coronavirus antibody test may be ready soon

A reliable antibody blood test to find out who has already had the coronavirus would give a better picture of the extent of Italy's epidemic and could possibly be identified within days, scientific advisers to the government said on Friday. More than 115,000 people have tested positive for the virus in Italy since the outbreak was discovered in its wealthy northern regions on Feb. 21 and almost 14,000 have died, the highest death toll in the world. Pressure is growing to find out who has been exposed to the virus and whether some people have developed immunity, in order to soften the severe lockdown measures the government has imposed to curb the contagion.

Italian shoe designer Sergio Rossi dies at 84

Famed Italian shoe designer Sergio Rossi, 84, has died. "Today everyone at Sergio Rossi joins me in remembering our dear Sergio, the inspiring founder of our dream," CEO Sergio Rossi Group Riccardo Sciutto said in an Instagram post. "Sergio Rossi was a master, and it is my great honor to have met him and gotten to present him the archive earlier this year," he continued.

IMF, WHO urge leaders to focus on health spending to get virus under control

The IMF and the World Health Organization on Friday urged leaders of developing countries to prioritize paying medical staff, buying protective gear and other health expenditures in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a joint column in the UK's Telegraph newspaper, the heads of the two institutions said getting the new coronavirus under control was a prerequisite to reviving the global economy, and it was critical to strike the right balance in spending emergency aid. "Our joint appeal to policymakers, especially in emerging market and developing economies, is to recognise that protecting public health and putting people back to work go hand-in-hand," wrote International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Trump taps Kavanaugh ally for seat on influential appeals court

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday announced plans to nominate a vocal ally of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh to an influential federal appeals court in Washington. Justin Walker, 37, who has served as a federal district court judge in Kentucky since October, would replace Republican appointee Judge Thomas Griffith on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit if approved by the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate. Griffith, appointed by former President George W. Bush, had previously announced his plans to retire.

Lockheed Martin adds jobs, increases supplier payments to counter coronavirus impact

Reuters reported last month the Pentagon was increasing the amount of interim payments it makes to defense contractors in an effort to give them a financial boost. "As we all deal with the challenges of the health crisis, we will continue to perform and deliver critical products and capabilities for the United States and our allies, support job creation and help those in need wherever we operate," Lockheed said.

Here's how the U.S.'s Main Street bailout program is going so far

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin tweeted his congratulations to the Small Business Administration (SBA) and Treasury early Friday morning. Community banks have already processed over 700 loans processed for $2,500,000. White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said on Bloomberg TV that banks are "ready to go" with the loan program.

U.S. biofuels industry seeks bailout to weather 'collapsing demand': letter

The letter, signed by representatives of the nation's top biofuel trade groups including the Renewable Fuels Association, said that "collapsing demand" for fuel during the outbreak had idled some 3.5 billion gallons of annualized ethanol output at a quarter of the nation's production facilities. "The biofuels industry has been hit especially hard by the sharp decline in fuel demand across the country, as residents follow local, state, and federal guidance to practice social distancing and minimize travel," it said. "With these realities in mind, we ask that USDA use its CCC authority to directly assist biofuel producers," it said.

Dismissed U.S. carrier captain gets hero's ovation from crew

The captain of a U.S. aircraft carrier relieved of his command after seeking stronger measures in response to a coronavirus outbreak aboard his ship was given a hero's ovation by his crew when he left the vessel, video posted on Twitter showed. The removal of Crozier, first reported by Reuters, was announced by acting U.S. Navy Secretary Thomas Modly, who said the captain of the nuclear-powered vessel of 5,000 crew members had exercised poor judgment in the way he "broadly" distributed a letter to superiors. President Donald Trump, when asked about the captain during a White House news conference on Thursday, disputed the notion that Crozier appeared to have been disciplined for trying to save the lives of sailors.

U.S. airlines face deadline to apply for U.S. payroll grants

U.S. airlines and contractors faced a deadline of 5 p.m. on Friday to tap the federal government for up to $32 billion in payroll grants to help them ride out a dramatic drop in air travel demand due to the new coronavirus outbreak. The U.S. Treasury set that deadline for the airline sector to receive funds as soon as possible and to propose financial instruments such as warrants or equity options to compensate taxpayers for the money. Many Democrats and airline labor unions have urged U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin not to demand equity or warrants in return for the grants because they are meant to ensure carriers take the funds and pay workers until Sept. 30, by which time many hope travel demand will have started to recover.

'Lean on Me' singer-songwriter Bill Withers dies at 81

Bill Withers, whose soulful hits such as "Lean on Me" and "Ain't No Sunshine" earned him induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, has died of heart complications, his family said in a statement to the Associated Press. Born in West Virginia, Withers served in the Navy and moved to L.A. in 1967.

Heineken says it will suspend production, distribution in Mexico due to coronavirus

Dutch brewer Heineken said on Friday that it will suspend production and distribution from its seven plants in Mexico, in response to the government's decision to halt non-essential economic activity to contain the new coronavirus. Heineken Mexico, which employs 16,000 workers, followed Grupo Modelo , producer of the Corona, Modelo and Pacifico brands, which on Thursday announced similar measures. The Dutch company said its distribution operations will conclude on Sunday, "in full alignment with the recommendations indicated by our authorities."

Mexico murder rate reaches new high as violence rages amid Covid-19 spread

* March sees 2,585 homicides – highest monthly figure on record * Mexico tries to pour resources into containing coronavirusMexico’s homicide rate raced to a new record in March, as violence raged even as Covid-19 spread across the country and authorities urged the population to stay home and practise social distancing.Mexico registered 2,585 homicides in March – the highest monthly figure since records began in 1997 – putting 2020 on track to break last year’s record total for murders.The surge in killings comes as federal and state officials put resources into containing the Covid-19 crisis and confront the prospect of an already sluggish economy falling even further – potentially deepening the misery for the more than 40% of the population living in poverty.“It’s business as usual [for drug cartels] with a risk of further escalation, especially if at some point the armed forces are called away for pandemic control,” said Falko Ernst, senior Mexico analyst at the International Crisis Group.Violence has flared throughout the country, but it has been especially intense in the central state of Guanajuato, where criminal groups have battled over lucrative territories rife with theft from pipelines.The bloodshed has hit shocking levels in the city of Ceyala – home to a major automotive manufacturing plant – with gunmen engaging security forces in shootouts, blockading streets and torching businesses.Francisco Rivas, director of the National Citizen Observatory, which monitors security issues, attributed the increasing violence in Guanajuato to the fallout of the federal government trying to stamp out petrol theft.The crackdown weakened the local Santa Rosa de Lima cartel, Rivas said, prompting the rival Jalisco New Generation cartel (CJNG) to move in and attempt to take its territory.Other causes for rising violence, Rivas said, include growing pains with a new militarised police known as the national guard, the lack of a federal strategy and cutting the security budget to its lowest level in 20 years.“We’re seeing iolence hitting its peak and we’re left asking, ‘who’s going to stop it?’” Rivas said.Calderón sends in the armyMexico’s “war on drugs” began in late 2006 when the president at the time, Felipe Calderón, ordered thousands of troops onto the streets in response to an explosion of horrific violence in his native state of Michoacán.Calderón hoped to smash the drug cartels with his heavily militarized onslaught but the approach was counter-productive and exacted a catastrophic human toll. As Mexico’s military went on the offensive, the body count sky-rocketed to new heights and tens of thousands were forced from their homes, disappeared or killed.Kingpin strategySimultaneously Calderón also began pursuing the so-called “kingpin strategy” by which authorities sought to decapitate the cartels by targeting their leaders.That policy resulted in some high-profile scalps – notably Arturo Beltrán Leyva who was gunned down by Mexican marines in 2009 – but also did little to bring peace. In fact, many believe such tactics served only to pulverize the world of organized crime, creating even more violence as new, less predictable factions squabbled for their piece of the pie.Under Calderón’s successor, Enrique Peña Nieto, the government’s rhetoric on crime softened as Mexico sought to shed its reputation as the headquarters of some the world’s most murderous mafia groups.But Calderón’s policies largely survived, with authorities targeting prominent cartel leaders such as Sinaloa’s Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.When “El Chapo” was arrested in early 2016, Mexico’s president bragged: “Mission accomplished”. But the violence went on. By the time Peña Nieto left office in 2018, Mexico had suffered another record year of murders, with nearly 36,000 people slain."Hugs not bullets"The leftwing populist Andrés Manuel López Obrador took power in December, promising a dramatic change in tactics. López Obrador, or Amlo as most call him, vowed to attack the social roots of crime, offering vocational training to more than 2.3 million disadvantaged young people at risk of being ensnared by the cartels. “It will be virtually impossible to achieve peace without justice and [social] welfare,” Amlo said, promising to slash the murder rate from an average of 89 killings per day with his “hugs not bullets” doctrine.Amlo also pledged to chair daily 6am security meetings and create a 60,000 strong "National Guard". But those measures have yet to pay off, with the new security force used mostly to hunt Central American migrants.Mexico now suffers an average of about 96 murders per day, with nearly 29,000 people killed since Amlo took office.President Andrés Manuel López Obrador campaigned with the catchy anti-crime slogan “hugs not bullets” and promised to solve Mexico’s security woes by tacking what he considered the root causes of crime: poverty and corruption.“The [anti-crime] strategy isn’t a strategy,” said Rivas. “The national guard isn’t pulling its weight because building an institution is difficult and expensive. Budget cuts to public security have been brutal. These all have serious effects.”The president stirred further outrage during a visit to Sinaloa state on Sunday, when he stopped to greet the mother of convicted cartel kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán – breaking with social-distancing protocols to shake her hand.López Obrador downplayed the greeting as little more than a courtesy to a mother who hadn’t seen her son in five years, but his comments prompted outrage from families of victims of violence, who say he has failed to extend the same courtesy to them.“For society and victims, who have been having a hard time meeting or being listened to by the president,” Ernst said, “it’s a heavy slap in the face.”