National sports groups call for postponement of Olympics
USA Swimming published an open letter Friday calling for the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics until next year.
"Our world class swimmers are always willing to race anyone, anytime and anywhere; however, pressing forward amidst the global health crisis this summer is not the answer," it said in the letter.
Other national athletic bodies have also started raising concerns about holding the Olympics as scheduled from July 24 to August 9 and the Paralympics from August 25 to September 6. They include the British Olympic Association, the British Paralympic Association, the Norwegian Sports Federation and the Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
Photo: Drive-thru confession
America's only community centers: Your local supermarket
With most U.S. businesses shuttered in the fight to contain coronavirus, grocery stores have become the unlikely center of American society.
The states of Minnesota and Vermont have even reclassified grocery employees as essential emergency workers, affording them benefits similar to health care providers and first responders.
Recent days have been "unlike anything I’ve ever seen at work," as "stockers were getting pushed out of the way for toilet paper" and customers were "fighting over beans," said Journey Carnahan, who works at H-E-B Grocery in central Texas.
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Illinois issues stay-at-home order for residents
The governor of Illinois on Friday issued a stay-at-home order, making it the latest state to make such a sweeping mandate in the fight against the spread of the new coronavirus.
California issued a stay-at-home order Thursday, and New York's governor mandated that all nonessential businesses keep workers at home. Pennsylvania's governor has also ordered that all businesses that are not "life-sustaining" close.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he did not "come to this decision easily" but believes it is necessary to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The order is expected to become effective Saturday.
States push price-gouging measures as coronavirus fuels consumer fears
As states across the country shutter restaurants, bars and schools for the next several weeks or more to slow the spread of the coronavirus, some are looking to pass legislation to stop businesses that remain open from price-gouging fearful U.S. consumers.
Price gouging — the practice of charging exorbitant prices for essential items in times of high-demand — is prohibited during times of crisis in about two-thirds of the United States. As public panic surrounding COVID-19 heightens, consumers have been flocking to stores to stock up on supplies like face masks, hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes — to the exploitation of some retailers.
While online marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart have taken steps to prevent the practice by suspending offers from sellers charging unfair prices, brick-and-mortar stores are being closely monitored by state governments, several of which are considering legislative action.
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Biden trashes Trump over coronavirus response: 'Step up and do your job, Mr. President'
Joe Biden, the 2020 Democratic front-runner, slammed President Donald Trump over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic Friday, accusing him of being “behind the curve through his whole response.”
Biden, speaking on a conference call with reporters, offered a series of blunt missives for Trump, and criticized him for repeatedly providing the American people with misinformation about the virus.
“Step up and do your job, Mr. President,” Biden said.
“In times of crisis, the American people deserve a president who tells them the truth,” Biden said. “Unfortunately, President Trump has not been that president.”
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Dow closes down 900 points after New York and California curb economic activity
Wall Street took a nosedive on Friday, wrapping up another tumultuous week for all three major averages, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average sinking by 916 points.
The Dow has now shed around 18 percent this week, completely erasing all the gains made since President Donald Trump took office.
The S&P 500 closed the day down 4.3 percent, capping its worst weekly performance since the financial crisis. The Nasdaq, which had started the day by hitting the "limit up" threshold in premarket trading, ended the day down by around 3.8 percent.
Production of Tom Hanks film halted
Production of an Elvis biopic featuring Tom Hanks has been officially postponed, its makers said Friday.
"Despite valiant efforts, due to current world events, production on the Elvis film cannot proceed at this time," a Warner Bros. spokesperson said. "We will commence principal photography once circumstances permit."
On March 11, Hanks said on social media that he and his wife had tested positive for COVID-19 and were isolating themselves in Australia, where the movie was being shot at a Warner Bros. satellite studio.
Filming was reportedly stopped around that time. Director Baz Luhrmann said on Twitter Friday, "We are not even taking our sets down, simply locking up the creative space over the next few days."