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Coronavirus live updates: New York City death toll crosses 1,000

A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has infected more than 855,000 people around the world. More than 42,000 people across the globe have died, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. With more than 186,000 diagnosed COVID-19 cases, the United States has by far the highest national tally in the world, according to the Johns Hopkins data.

Oil prices mixed, U.S. inventory build-up heightens oversupply concerns

U.S. crude inventories rose by 10.5 million barrels last week, far exceeding forecasts for a 4 million barrel build-up, data from industry group the American Petroleum Institute showed. Wednesday's opening session left oil prices marooned near their lowest levels since 2002 amid the global coronavirus crisis that has brought worldwide economic slowdown and slashed oil demand. Crude futures ended the quarter down nearly 70% after record losses in March.

Bond investor Jeffrey Gundlach bets stocks March lows to be surpassed in April

Gundlach said the market is acting "somewhat dysfunctionally" and that projections by banks that the U.S. economy will quickly recover were too optimistic. Gundlach said earlier in March that there was a 90% chance the United States would enter a recession before the end of the year due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. President Donald Trump and his top healthcare advisers urged Americans to follow strict social distancing measures ahead of a "tough two weeks" that could see at least 100,000 deaths from the coronavirus in the United States.

Political realities may dilute GOP opposition to mail-in voting amid coronavirus

Congressional Republicans have resisted allocating the billions of dollars experts say are necessary to implement nationwide mail-in voting ahead of the presidential election.

Exclusive: U.S. plans to lease space to energy companies to store oil in emergency reserve

The U.S. Department of Energy plans to announce as soon as Wednesday it will allow oil companies to lease space in the emergency oil reserve, as it seeks to comply with President Donald Trump's directive to fill the facility to capacity, two industry sources said. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve, or SPR, has the capacity to take another 77 million barrels of oil, a little less than the country uses in four days. Trump ordered the Department of Energy, or DOE, on March 13 to take advantage of low oil prices and fill the reserve "to the top", in an effort to help domestic drillers suffering from the global oil price drop.

Here's how to make 'whipped coffee'

"Whipped coffee" is the latest trend to take over the coffee world as people are whipping up this caffeinated creation during their extra time at home amid the coronavirus outbreak.The light and airy coffee drink, known as Dalgona, comes from South Korea and has gone viral on social media. The coffee drink recently landed on TikTok's trending page with over 766 million videos using the hashtag #whippedcoffee. ...

U.S. pension funds may pour $400 billion into stocks, lifting virus-hit markets: JP Morgan

U.S. pension funds that delayed rebalancing their portfolios are likely to pump about $400 billion into stocks over the next two quarters, analysts at JP Morgan said, providing a potential boost to equity markets battered by the coronavirus pandemic. Weeks of asset price volatility may have pushed some fund managers to postpone rebalancing portfolios where equity allocations have been knocked out of whack by a sharp decline in stocks, the bank said in a note to investors. "We still expect that US pension funds will eventually rebalance within 1-2 quarters," wrote strategist Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou.

Pentagon says coronavirus outbreak on carrier doesn't warrant evacuation

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Tuesday it was not time to evacuate a U.S. aircraft carrier reeling from an outbreak of coronavirus, adding that he had not read in detail a letter from the commander of the ship pleading for help. Reuters reported earlier on Tuesday about a letter from Captain Brett Crozier, the commanding officer of the Theodore Roosevelt, calling for removing over 4,000 sailors from the ship and isolating them. In his interview with CBS News, Esper did not comment directly on Crozier's proposal, at least in the portions that aired.

Macy's to drop from S&P 500 to small-cap index

The company's shares have plunged more than 70% so far this year, leaving Macy's with a market value of $1.52 billion as of Tuesday's close, according to Refinitiv IBES data. "Macy's has a market capitalization more representative of the small-cap market space," S&P said, adding that the company would become part of the S&P small-cap 600 index, effective April 6. The pandemic has forced U.S. brick-and-mortar retailers, including Macy's Inc and Gap Inc , to shut stores, furlough employees, withdraw forecasts and suspend dividends.

Nearly half-mile tunnel filled with over 4,000 pounds of drugs found near San Diego

Thirteen-hundred pounds of cocaine, 86 pounds of meth, 17 pounds of heroin and 3,000 pounds of marijuana were found — a street value of about $29.6 million.

Nearly half-mile tunnel filled with over 4,000 pounds of drugs found near San Diego

Thirteen-hundred pounds of cocaine, 86 pounds of meth, 17 pounds of heroin and 3,000 pounds of marijuana were found — a street value of about $29.6 million.

With 2020 race all but halted over coronavirus, Biden quietly widens lead over Trump: Reuters/Ipsos poll

Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden has quietly expanded his lead over President Donald Trump among registered voters, even as the rapidly spreading coronavirus has all but sidelined the former vice president's campaign, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released on Tuesday. The poll conducted on Monday and Tuesday of more than 1,100 American adults found that 46% of registered voters said they would support Biden if he were running against Trump in the Nov. 3 election, while 40% said they would vote for Trump.

Liberty University students choose sides after fallout from coronavirus reporting

The New York Times reported this week that almost a dozen Liberty University students have come down with COVID-19 symptoms since the school reopened last week. But Liberty University officials have since pushed back on these claims, calling the Times story “fake news”. Now, students are choosing sides in who they believe is telling the truth.

Mexican journalist gunned down in first fatal attack of 2020

* María Elena Ferral shot eight times in Veracruz state * Attacks on reporters continue despite coronavirus pandemicA Mexican journalist has been shot dead in broad daylight as violent crime in the country – and attacks on the press – continue amid the coronavirus pandemic.María Elena Ferral was shot eight times on Monday by the masked pillion rider on a motorcycle as she left a notary public’s office in Papantla, a city plagued by organised crime in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz.She was taken to a nearby hospital, but died of her injuries several hours later, according to the press freedom group Reporters Without Borders (known by its French initials, RSF).Ferral reported for the Veracruz newspaper El Diario de Xalapa and founded the news website Quinto Poder de Veracruz, where she investigated sensitive issues such as crime, corruption and the police.The motive for her murder remains unclear and no suspects have been arrested. She had received death threats from a local political candidate in 2016, according to the news weekly Proceso.Threats and harassment from local politicians prompted Ferral to seek protection from a state commission for protecting journalists. The government later withdrew the bodyguards assigned to her, according to RSF.Ferral’s death marked the first case of a murdered journalist in Mexico this year. The country registered 10 murders of journalists in 2019 and RSF ranks Mexico 144th of 180 countries on its most recent press freedom rankings.More than 100 journalists have been murdered in Mexico since the country launched a militarised crackdown on drug cartels in 2006. And Veracruz, where organised crime and political power are sometimes hard to tell apart, has become a cemetery for reporters.The state’s ruling party has changed twice since 2016 – with an ally of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador winning in 2018 – but observers say Veracruz remains rife with dangers for reporters and activists.“There have been changes in government in terms of party colours, but there hasn’t been any change in terms of security for journalists,” said Miguel Ángel Díaz, founder of the Veracruz publication Plumas Libres.“Investigations into aggressions against journalists and activists in Veracruz are stalled. There are no advances, there are no convictions.”

Trump warns Americans of a tough two weeks ahead in coronavirus fight

President Donald Trump and his top healthcare advisers urged Americans on Tuesday to follow strict social distancing measures ahead of a "tough two weeks" that could lead to at least 100,000 deaths from the coronavirus in the United States. Trump said the next two weeks would be "very, very painful." "We want Americans to be prepared for the hard days that lie ahead," Trump said, predicting light at the end of the tunnel after that.

Lindsay Lohan says 'I'm back!' teasing new single amid pandemic

Actress Lindsay Lohan, whose promising movie career crashed a decade ago in a string of legal woes and substance abuse, on Tuesday announced she was making a comeback with a new music single. Lohan also posted a link for fans to pre-save her single on a music streaming platform. Other Twitter users wondered if Lohan was pulling an April Fool's Day stunt.

'On our own now': U.S. strategic stockpile empty of medical supplies

The stockpile is the country's largest store of medical supplies for use in a crisis and for weeks governors have been clamoring for its dwindling stocks of face masks and other gear to protect frontline medics, first responders and patients. Connecticut has the fourth highest number of coronavirus cases per capita among U.S. states at over 3,000 and its virus deaths rose to 69 on Tuesday. "April will be the horrible month," said Lamont, adding that the hardest hit counties were those closest to New York City.

JetBlue to cut flights in and out of hometown New York by as much as 80%

JetBlue Airways Corp plans to reduce daily flights in and out of the four New York City-area airports where it operates by as much as 80% in April as part of wider schedule cuts due to the coronavirus outbreak, a spokesman said. JetBlue plans to reduce its overall schedule from an average of some 1,000 daily departures to about 300 in April, a roughly 70% cut. Flights in and out of New York City-area airports will decline to 60 from 205 and likely see further reductions to as few as 40 per day, the company said.

Kylie and Kris Jenner team up with Coty to donate hand sanitizers to southern California hospitals

Kris and Kylie Jenner have partnered with Coty to manufacture hand sanitizers for hospitals in southern California amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.In conjunction with the mother-daughter duo, Coty, which is a key stakeholder to Kylie Cosmetics and Kylie Skin, announced that hand sanitizers they produce will be donated to the emergency and healthcare workers caring for patients on the front lines of the current COVID-19 public health crisis.Each custom hand sanitizer will also include a message for recipients that reads "Dedicated to first responders working to support our communities. ...

One way to hold down coronavirus toll: Pretend it isn't happening

Some conservative commentators have begun questioning the reported death tolls and hospitalizations caused by COVID-19.

'Love everywhere': Amid coronavirus crisis, good news is happening

Today's highlights:Grandfather and granddaughter have socially distant dance-offBaby meets namesake great-grandma through car windowNonprofit charity mobilizes on Facebook to get PPE to hospitals85-year-old man comforts wife with Alzheimer's from windowNew Yorkers cheer from their rooftops for medical heroesCalifornia teen organizes #TikTokProm after hers is canceledAs the novel coronavirus affects the globe, kindness and uplifting moments are coming to light as we prioritize the health and safety of ourselves and our families. ...