'One million empty chairs'
President Joe Biden marked the grim turning point of 1 million American lives lost to COVID-19, describing each death as an "irreplaceable loss." Nearly 100 Ukrainian children were killed during the month of April alone, UNICEF said. Another warm, dry day fed the nation’s largest wildfire in New Mexico, while mansions burned in a separate blaze in California. A federal judge will hear arguments on whether the Biden administration can lift a pandemic-era immigration restriction. Panic is ensuing over a U.S. baby formula shortage. And, ready to tune into some new music? We've got you covered.
I'm Nicole, and here's Friday's news.
Some news to know now:
🔔 At least 11 people died and 31 others were rescued when a boat of suspected migrants capsized north of an uninhabited island near Puerto Rico.
😷 North Korea confirmed its first acknowledged COVID-19 outbreak.
📃 The Jan. 6 committee has subpoenaed Rep. Kevin McCarthy and four other House Republicans.
🚨 Departing White House press secretary Jen Psaki detailed threats against her and her family.
🚗 Video: Strangers saved a Florida woman who had a medical episode while driving.
🎧 On today's 5 Things podcast, reporter Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy breaks down new polling on how few Americans think it’s a good time to buy a home. You can listen to the podcast every day on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your smart speaker.
📝 What happened this week? Test how well you paid attention to the news.
Biden to meet with US city officials about coronavirus relief package funds
President Joe Biden is meeting Friday with mayors, police chiefs and other officials to discuss how cities are using funds from the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package on policing and public safety programs, a source told the Associated Press. In the afternoon, Biden plans to deliver remarks to ask state and local governments to devote more of the relief spending to public safety. The 2021 package included $350 billion for state, local and tribal governments, money that could go to police departments. Among the officials meeting Biden are the mayors and police chiefs of Houston; Detroit; Kansas City, Missouri, and Tampa, Florida. Biden's pivot to this issue comes on the heels of his marking of 1 million American lives lost to COVID-19 Thursday. ''One million empty chairs around the dinner table,'' Biden said in a statement, calling each death an "irreplaceable loss."
📰 Biden calls inflation his top domestic priority: The president is blaming Republicans for lacking a plan.
📰 Decision comes due to a mix of reasons: Biden administration scraps 3 offshore oil and gas lease sales in Alaska, Gulf of Mexico.
Russian forces assault villages in eastern Ukraine, hit schools in Chernihiv region, Zelenskyy says
Ukraine's military says that Russian forces staged assaults on multiple villages in eastern Ukraine as they try to expand control there, but not all were successful. In its daily operational note on Friday, the general staff of Ukraine's armed forces said Russia's military continued to launch strikes on the embattled port of Mariupol, focusing on blocking Ukrainian fighters at their last holdout at the Azovstal steel mill. In the east, villages were targeted near Donetsk, Lyman, Bakhmut and Kurakhiv, the Ukrainian military said. Nearly 100 Ukrainian children were killed during the month of April alone, UNICEF said Thursday, and the humanitarian agency estimates the death toll is likely much higher. UNICEF official Omar Abdi said earlier this week that hundreds of schools across Ukraine have been bombarded by Russian forces. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported Thursday night that Russian forces also continued their assault on Ukrainian education, striking schools in the Chernihiv region in the north of the country.
🟡 Thursday recap: Finland leaders back NATO bid; Russia vows "retaliatory" military measures.
🟡 From USA TODAY Opinion: Mariupol shows Ukrainians' courage. Now the world must act to honor their bravery.
Just for subscribers
🟣 ''We can never go back'': Black women mobilize around abortion rights after leaked draft opinion.
🐴 Here's why Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike won’t be racing in the Preakness.
🔥 Opinion: I rescued a woman and child from a burning home and relived my own childhood trauma.
🏈 NFL 2022 schedule: Here’s 10 of the most intriguing matchups of the upcoming season.
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Authorities warned of more wildfire evacuations
Another warm, dry and windy day fanned the flames of the nation's largest wildfire in New Mexico on Thursday as authorities warned residents in nearby towns to be ready for evacuations. The fire in northern New Mexico along the eastern side of the Sangre de Cristo range "is going to keep growing," U.S. Forest Service officials said in a Thursday update, as weather forecasters said conditions were ripe for more destruction. The National Weather Service on Thursday issued another red flag warning for the area around the fire, meaning "any fires that develop will spread rapidly and will be very hard to control." Winds with gusts up to 40 mph were expected, along with humidity in the single digits. Conditions could improve by the weekend, but additional crews were ordered to join the already 1,800 fire personnel fighting the more than 405 square mile blaze.
📷 Photo of the day: Homes burn in Southern California coastal community 📷
A wildfire that erupted Wednesday afternoon in Southern California raced through coastal bluffs of multimillion-dollar mansions, burning at least 20 homes, fire officials said. The fire was relatively small at about 200 acres but the wind drove embers into palm trees, attics and dense, dry brush on slopes and steep canyons that hadn’t burned for decades, Brian Fennessy, chief of the Orange County Fire Authority, said at an evening news conference.
Arguments set on whether pandemic asylum restriction Title 42 can end
A federal judge will hear arguments Friday on whether the Biden administration can lift pandemic-related restrictions on immigrants requesting asylum later this month. Migrants have been expelled more than 1.8 million times since March 2020 under the federal Title 42 authority, which has denied migrants a chance to request asylum on grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19. The administration's plan to end the restriction was announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention April 1. The plan has drawn criticism from Republicans and some Democrats fearing a flood of new migrants. Louisiana, Arizona and Missouri quickly sued and were later joined by 18 other states in the legal challenge being heard Friday. Texas sued independently. U.S. District Judge Robert Summerhays in Lafayette, Louisiana – an appointee of former President Donald Trump – is the judge in Friday's case.
🔵 What is the Title 42 border policy that's ending? Why Republicans, some Democrats want it to stay.
🔵 Ahead of Title 42 ending, Border Patrol prepares for the return of asylum.
ICYMI: Some of our top stories yesterday
🏘 Powerful waves and high tides caused two North Carolina beach houses to collapse into the Atlantic Ocean.
🩺 Government watchdog: 1 in 4 older Americans on Medicare are harmed during hospital stays.
🟣 Conservatives spent decades pushing to upend Roe v. Wade. And it's ''only the beginning.''
🔵 She told police a Black man killed her boyfriend. Now she’s behind bars.
📰 A Roman bust isn’t the only treasure that’s been uncovered at Goodwill.
🌱 Scientists grew plants in moon soil for the first time. Here’s why it’s "astounding."
Panicked parents seek answers on baby formula shortage
Ongoing baby formula shortages have thrust parents into a state of panic. The White House moved Thursday to ease the lack of supply by increasing imports, even though the administration admitted it couldn't confirm when consumers could see restocked shelves. President Joe Biden spoke with retailers including Walmart and manufacturers such as Gerber to discuss how to address the scarcity of formula. Meanwhile, parents who are determined not to let their babies go hungry are taking advanced measures, such as turning to Facebook groups with sellers offering formula at marked-up prices.
🍼 ''This is a matter of life and death'': GOP House members bashed the Biden administration over the nationwide shortage.
🍼 What are safe substitutes for baby formula? Avoid homemade recipes.
🍼 Opinion: There's little conversation about moms who don't breastfeed. They need our help now amid this formula crisis.
🍼 From Reviewed: Experts on the best possible means to keep your baby healthy and fed.
🎵 New music Friday 🎵
Kendrick Lamar may have made fans wait, but now he's back, it's a massive presentation. Five years after his Grammy-winning and Pulitzer Prize-earning ''Damn,'' the rapper returns Friday with double album ''Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.'' Through 18 tracks evenly divided between ''Big Steppers'' and ''Mr. Morale," the musical odyssey includes soul-baring riffs and a list of familiar guests, including Kodak Black, Baby Keem and Ghostface Killah.
And to make Friday even sweeter Florence Welch, one of the most evocative songwriters of the past decade, released ''Dance Fever'' – a musical rave designed to enlighten. The album straddles idiosyncratic sounds to pop-rock, and includes some spoken word. Welch has stated that “Dance Fever” – a title that sounds like the modern-day companion to The Bee Gees’ “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack – was born out of her longing for togetherness during lockdowns.
Contributing: The Associated Press
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 1 million COVID deaths, Russia-Ukraine war: Daily Briefing Friday
