AP News in Brief at 9:04 p.m. EDT
3 states partly reopen, despite health officials' warnings
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Even as the confirmed U.S. death toll from the coronavirus soared past 50,000, Georgia, Oklahoma and Alaska began loosening lockdown orders Friday on their pandemic-wounded businesses, despite warnings from health experts that the gradual steps toward normalcy might be happening too soon.
Republican governors in Georgia and Oklahoma allowed salons, spas and barbershops to reopen, while Alaska opened the way for restaurants to resume dine-in service and retail shops and other businesses to open their doors, all with limitations. Some Alaska municipalities chose to maintain stricter rules.
Though limited in scope, and subject to social-distancing restrictions, the reopenings marked a symbolic milestone in the debate raging in the United States — and the world — as to how quickly political leaders should lift economically damaging lockdown orders.
Similar scenarios have been playing out worldwide and will soon proliferate in the U.S. as other governors wrestle with conflicting priorities. Their economies have been battered by weeks of quarantine-fueled job losses and soaring unemployment claims, yet health officials warn that lifting stay-at-home orders now could spark a resurgence of COVID-19.
During a White House press briefing Friday, President Donald Trump spoke optimistically of the economy but also asked people to continue social distancing and using face coverings.
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What you need to know today about the virus outbreak
Three states allowed certain businesses to reopen Friday with restrictions, even as the confirmed U.S. death toll from coronavirus rose past 50,000 and health experts warned that it's too soon to ease lockdown orders.
In Georgia and Oklahoma, salons, spas and barbershops reopened with a green light from their Republican governors. Alaska allowed restaurants to resume dine-in service and retail shops and other businesses to reopen. Though limited in scope, and subject to social-distancing restrictions, the reopenings marked a symbolic milestone in the debate raging in the United States — and the world — as to how quickly political leaders should lift economically damaging lockdown orders.
Also Friday, President Donald Trump signed a $484 billion bill that aids employers and hospitals under stress from the coronavirus pandemic. The deadly outbreak has devastated broad swaths of the economy.
Here are some of AP’s top stories Friday on the world’s coronavirus pandemic. Follow APNews.com/VirusOutbreak for updates through the day and APNews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak for stories explaining some of its complexities.
WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY:
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U.S. states build stockpiles of malaria drug touted by Trump
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — State and local governments across the United States have obtained more than 30 million doses of a malaria drug touted by President Trump to treat patients with the coronavirus, despite warnings from doctors that more research is needed.
At least 22 states and Washington, D.C., secured shipments of the drug, hydroxychloroquine, according to information compiled from state and federal officials by The Associated Press. Sixteen of those states were won by Trump in 2016, although five of them, including North Carolina and Louisiana, are now led by Democratic governors.
Supporters say having a supply on hand makes sense in case the drug is shown to be effective against the pandemic that has devastated the global economy and killed nearly 200,000 people worldwide, and to ensure a steady supply for people who need it for other conditions like lupus.
But health experts worry that having the drug easily available at a time of heightened public fear could make it easier to misuse it. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday warned doctors against prescribing the drug, hydroxychloroquine, for treating the coronavirus outside of hospitals or research settings because of reports of serious side effects, including dangerous irregular heart rhythms and death among patients.
It's the latest admonition against the drug that Trump mentioned 17 times in various public appearances, touting its potential despite his own health advisors telling him it is unproven.
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Trump signs $484 billion measure to aid employers, hospitals
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump signed a $484 billion bill Friday to aid employers and hospitals under stress from the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 50,000 Americans and devastated broad swaths of the economy.
The bill is the latest effort by the federal government to help keep afloat businesses that have had to close or dramatically alter their operations as states try to slow the spread of the virus. Over the past five weeks, roughly 26 million people have filed for jobless aid, or about 1 in 6 U.S. workers.
Trump thanked Congress for “answering my call” to provide the critical assistance and said it was “a tremendous victory.” But easy passage of this aid installment belies a potentially bumpier path ahead for future legislation to address the crisis.
Trump said most of the funding in the bill would flow to small business through the Paycheck Protection Program, which provides money to small businesses to keep workers on their payroll.
“Great for small businesses, great for the workers," Trump said.
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Navy admiral advises reinstatement of fired carrier captain
WASHINGTON (AP) — The top Navy officer has recommended the reinstatement of the aircraft carrier captain fired for sending a fraught email to commanders pleading for faster action to protect his crew from a coronavirus outbreak, officials familiar with the investigation said Friday.
Adm. Mike Gilday recommended that Navy Capt. Brett Crozier be returned to his ship, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the results of an investigation that have not yet been made public.
If approved, his recommendation would end a drama that has rocked the Navy leadership, sent thousands of USS Theodore Roosevelt crew members ashore in Guam for quarantine and impacted the fleet across the Pacific, a region critical to America’s national security interests.
Gilday met with Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Tuesday and with Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Friday morning to lay out his recommendations. An official said Esper has asked for a delay in any public announcement while he considers the recommendation.
Earlier in the day, Esper's chief spokesman Jonathan Hoffman had suggested that Esper was going into the matter with an open mind, and said “he is generally inclined to support Navy leadership in their decision.” In a written statement released after the news of Gilday's recommendation broke, Hoffman said Esper got a “verbal update" from Gilday and wants to read the written report and then meet with the Navy to “discuss next steps.”
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Trump: Postal Service must charge Amazon more, or no loan
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Friday that he won't approve a $10 billion loan for the U.S. Postal Service unless the agency raises charges for Amazon and other big shippers to four to five times current rates.
“The Postal Service is a joke because they’re handing out packages for Amazon and other internet companies and every time they bring a package, they lose money on it,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
The president was responding to a question about reports his administration plans to force major changes in postal operations as the price for approving a $10 billion loan that was included in the government’s $2 trillion economic rescue package.
Under the rescue package legislation, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin must approve the loan before the Postal Service can receive the money. Officials at the Postal Service had no immediate reaction to Trump's comments.
Trump said the changes the administration will insist on will make it a “whole new ballgame” at the Postal Service. He said the Postal Service did not want to make the changes because they did not want to offend Amazon and other companies.
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Canada mass shooting started with assault on girlfriend
TORONTO (AP) — Canada’s worst mass shooting erupted from an argument between the gunman and his girlfriend, who survived the attack, police confirmed Friday.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Supt. Darren Campbell said the weekend shooting rampage started with an assault by the suspect on his girlfriend and ended with 22 people dead in communities across central and northern Nova Scotia.
"She did manage to escape. That could well have been the catalyst of events," Campbell said.
Authorities are also not discounting the suspect planned some of the murders.
Campbell said the girlfriend hid overnight in the woods from the suspect, who has been identified as 51-year-old Gabriel Wortman.
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Gift of the Mask: Cuomo lauds retired farmer's gesture
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Help has poured into New York from many places as the coronavirus has killed thousands, but the most humble of gifts — a single N-95 mask — brought a mist to the eyes of the state's governor.
A retired farmer in Kansas mailed the mask to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, saying the couple hoped it could be used by a doctor or nurse.
Cuomo read the entire letter at his daily briefing as an example of courage and generosity in dark times.
“I am a retired farmer hunkered down in N.E. Kansas with my wife who has but one lung and occasional problems with her remaining lung,” read the hand-written letter from Dennis Ruhnke, also signed by his wife, Sharon. “We are in our 70s now and frankly I am afraid for her."
Nevertheless, Ruhnke wrote, the couple had five masks and wished to give one to help New York's battle against the virus.
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NOT REAL NEWS: A look at what didn't happen this week
A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out. Here are the facts:
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CLAIM: “Worst pandemic in 100 years, what does Congress do? Takes a paid vacation.” - Facebook post, April 24
THE FACTS: Members of Congress aren’t taking a vacation while millions of Americans lose their jobs, as false posts circulating on Facebook and Twitter claim. Congressional leaders from both parties — including Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer as well as Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy — have been in Washington to hammer out deals in recent days, The Associated Press reported. On Tuesday, the Senate met in a pro forma session with a few senators present to pass a $483 billion package that will help fund small business payrolls and hospitals. Then on Thursday, members of the House gathered in Washington, donning masks and bandannas for a vote. Lawmakers voted in blocks, by alphabetical order, to abide by social distancing rules. The House had last convened less than four weeks ago on March 27th to pass a $2 trillion package. Hoyer directly debunked rumors that legislators are simply vacationing during their time away from Washington. “These members have been working round-the-clock to make sure their communities are safe,” Hoyer said during Thursday’s House session. “You may not see us but millions and millions and millions of Americans are working at home. They are teleworking. That’s essentially what we’ve been doing. Teleworking. Don’t tell them they are not working. Because they know they are working. They have been a credit to their districts. Every member, Republican, Democrat.” Republican President Donald Trump helped to fuel false claims, after he tweeted last week a call for “Do Nothing Democrats” to “come back to Washington” and “End your ENDLESS VACATION!”
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The Latest: Eagles take QB Jalen Hurts at No. 53
The Latest on the second and third rounds of the NFL draft.
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Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts, who began his college career at Alabama, was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round with the 53rd overall pick.
Hurts was the fifth quarterback taken overall and the first of Day 2. Hurts started his first two seasons at Alabama, leading the Crimson Tide to two national championship games.
He lost his job to Tua Tagovailoa and transferred to Oklahoma for his final year. Hurts became a Heisman Trophy runner-up last year in Norman, passing for 3,851 yards and running for 1,298 yards.