Elective dental procedures can begin in Arkansas on May 18, governor says
From CNN’s Kay Jones
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson delivers a speech on the second day of the Republican National Convention on July 19, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. Alex Wong/Getty Images
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced on Friday that elective dental procedures will be allowed to proceed on May 18.
The state's Department of Health will be working with industry associations on proper guidelines so consumers have confidence that protective measures are in place before May 18, the governor said.
Hutchinson also announced that the total number of coronavirus cases in the state rose to 2,741 in total, which includes 198 new cases at the Arkansas Department of Corrections Cummins unit.
The state has also pushed for additional testing and had over 2,800 tests come in over the past day.
2:56 p.m. ET, April 24, 2020
UFC schedules spectator-free fight nights in Florida starting May 9
From CNN's David Close
Weili Zhang punches Joanna Jedrzejczyk in her split decision win during a strawweight title bout at T-Mobile Arena on March 7, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Harry How/Getty Images
The UFC has scheduled three fight nights that will be closed to the public starting May in Jacksonville, Florida.
The mixed martial arts organization said all thee of the events will take place in the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena "with only essential personnel in attendance."
In a statement released by the UFC, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said, “As we move step-by-step on the path toward economic recovery, we are proud to host these UFC events at the Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena.”
The televised UFC 249 will take place on May 9 with additional fight nights on May 13 and 16, the UFC said. Each event will be "closed to the public."
3:23 p.m. ET, April 24, 2020
CDC reminds people to follow disinfectant instructions while using
From CNN Health’s Arman Azad
An attendee holds a container of Lysol disinfecting wipes as San Francisco Mayor London Breed speaks during a press conference on March 16 in San Francisco, California. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday issued a reminder about disinfectants: Use them properly.
“Household cleaners and disinfectants can cause health problems when not used properly. Follow the instructions on the product label to ensure safe and effective use," the CDC said in a tweet.
Some context: The CDC message was sent a day after President Trump suggested that injecting disinfectant might be a possible treatment for coronavirus.
“I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute,” Trump said.
“And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning,” the President added. “Because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it would be interesting to check that.”
The CDC tweet included a link for anyone interested in learning “more about cleaning and disinfecting your home.”
Among other instructions. the CDC website says people should try “not to breathe in product fumes. If using products indoors, open windows and doors to allow fresh air to enter.”
CNN has reached out to the CDC for clarification on what prompted the tweet.
Earlier today, The maker of Lysol issued a statement clarifying that under no circumstances should its products be administered into the human body.
See Dr. Birx's reaction to Trump's disinfectant suggestion:
2:36 p.m. ET, April 24, 2020
Airlines move forward with plans to carry cargo in passenger aircraft
From CNN's Greg Wallace
A Delta Air Lines jet lands at Salt Lake City International Airport in Salt Lake City, Utah on April 22. Rick Bowmer/AP
Airlines for America, the industry group that represents airlines, on Friday formally asked the Federal Aviation Administration to allow all carriers to transport cargo on airplane seats.
Delta Air Lines said it has received federal government approval to carry cargo in empty overhead bins on cargo-only, wide-body charter flights. Since early April, it has been using passenger planes for those flights, but the passenger compartment is empty.
What we know: The airlines are proposing carrying up to 50 pounds of cargo on each seat — or up to 110 pounds if the cargo is packaged in a single container that takes up three seats. They propose carrying up to 20 pounds of cargo under each seat. The seats will be in the upright position, rather than reclined, and flight attendants would be aboard to make sure none of the cargo catches fire. (Passenger compartments typically don’t have the firefighting systems installed in cargo compartments.)
Some airlines are also looking at removing passenger seats, providing even more cargo capacity. Delta CEO Ed Bastian said on a call with financial analysts earlier this week: “We are — we have looked at and we're taking some of the main deck seats off our — a few of our international planes to facilitate taking greater lift in the short term.”
The 80% cut in US flights means there is significantly less cargo capacity available to shippers.
Earlier this month, the FAA laid out the standards airlines must meet when seeking approval to carry cargo in non-traditional areas. Details on that below.
Here's a diagram from Airlines for America showing how cargo would be placed on seats:
Credit: Airlines for America
2:39 p.m. ET, April 24, 2020
Students file lawsuits against colleges over tuition refunds
From CNN's Annie Grayer and Athena Jones
Columbia University Visitors Center pictured on December 22, 2019 in New York City. Shutterstock
Three class action lawsuits have been filed against New York-area universities by students who argue the schools’ have failed to adequately refund or reimburse students for tuition and other fees they paid to attend in-person, on-campus classes.
The lawsuits are against Columbia University, Pace University and Long Island University. The students argue that online-only instruction is less valuable and should cost students less.
Pace University spokesperson Marie Boster told CNN that while they have not been served yet, “housing fee adjustments for students who had to leave the residence halls are being issued. We are planning to use CARES Act funding to support our students when it is available.”
Columbia University and Long Island University have not yet responded to comment.
2:34 p.m. ET, April 24, 2020
Delaware governor says schools will remain closed through end of academic year
From CNN's Renee Baharaeen
Delaware schools will remain closed through the end of the academic year, Gov. John Carney announced on Friday.
“Today we're making it official that the schools will remain closed for students through the end of this school year,” Carney said. “There's obviously no replacement for in person instruction in classrooms in terms of the relationships and the services. But obviously doing what we can between now and the end of what would have been the school year, we want to get as much benefit for our students as possible.”
The governor also encouraged superintendents to begin planning for summer learning and instruction, summer food distribution, and preparation for the new school year.
2:00 p.m. ET, April 24, 2020
Trump says he won't sign more funding for US Postal Service unless it raises prices on some packages
From CNN's Jason Hoffman
US Postal Service worker Lou Martini goes about his daily delivery route during the coronavirus pandemic on April 15, in Kings Park, New York. Spencer Platt/Getty Images
President Trump attacked the US Postal Service, calling it “a joke” during Friday’s Oval Office bill signing ceremony.
Trump said that the postal service needs to raise the price of a package, “approximately four times” because they are currently losing money delivering packages for Amazon “and other internet companies.”
“The Postal Service is a joke, because they are handing out packages for Amazon and other internet companies, and every time they bring a package, they lose money on it,” Trump said.
Trump said that the Postal Service is “very cozy with some of these companies” which is why, according to Trump, they wont raise the price on packages.
“But they don't want to raise, because they don't want to insult Amazon and they don't want to insult other companies, perhaps, that they like. The post office should raise the price of the packages to the companies, not to the people, to the companies and if they did that, it would be a whole different story,” Trump said.
Some background: The Postal Service is a government agency, but it operates as an independent business without direct taxpayer support. It has lost $65 billion over the last 11 fiscal years.
Amazon has a confidential agreement with the Postal Service where it delivers large numbers of packages directly to the post office nearest to where they need to be delivered. The Postal Service then delivers the packages the "last mile" to their destinations. The Postal Service says the law requires that such negotiated contracts cover its costs, and that regulators have studied the Amazon contract and approved it.
Trump added that if the USPS doesn’t raise the price on packages, he won’t sign anything for more funding for the postal service.
Watch:
2:57 p.m. ET, April 24, 2020
Trump suggests he "will" look into vaccine expert's dismissal
From CNN's Betsy Klein
President Donald Trump listens during the signing of a coronavirus aid package in the Oval Office of the White House, April 24. Evan Vucci/AP
President Trump reiterated Friday that he didn’t know Dr. Rick Bright, the dismissed director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), an office leading the charge on a coronavirus vaccine.
“Until yesterday, I never heard of the gentleman,” Trump said in the Oval Office. “I guess they moved him to a different group.”
Asked if he had any plans to look into Bright’s move to a narrower position at the National Institutes of Health, Trump suggested he will.
“I have not yet, at some point I will,” he said.
Bright has alleged that his ouster was retaliatory and stemmed in part from his opposition to widening the availability of a coronavirus treatment with dubious scientific merits that the President had repeatedly promoted.
US President Donald Trump signs the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 24. Oliver Douliery/AFP/Getty
President Trump Friday signed into a law a roughly $480 billion package to deliver aid to small businesses and hospitals and expand Covid-19 testing, the latest attempt by Washington to blunt the devastating impact of the pandemic.
The total price tag of the funding package is approximately $484 billion. It will add to the already historic levels of spending to deal with the pandemic by authorizing an additional $310 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program, which was set up to help small businesses struggling from the economic deep freeze triggered by coronavirus.
Funding for the program ran dry earlier this month, prompting an outcry from the business community.
