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Coronavirus, Trump visits Camp David, Biden talks to 'Morning Joe': 5 things to know Friday

Editors  |  Paste BN

Trump to visit Camp David after spending month at White House

President Donald Trump will travel to Camp David on Friday, his first time leaving the White House in over a month, according to Bloomberg News.  Trump's trip to the Maryland resort, announced in the president's schedule, comes as he prepares to resume travel as part of his strategy to reopen the country amid the coronavirus pandemic. The deadline to lift social distancing guidelines designed to contain the outbreak quietly passed Thursday as the White House has begun pushing a new set of suggestions designed to jumpstart a decimated U.S. economy. Trump also plans to travel to Phoenix next week and visit a Honeywell aerospace facility that is expanding its production of much-needed N-95 respirator masks. 

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Joe Biden to address sexual assault accusation on 'Morning Joe'

A former staffer to former Vice President Joe Biden, Tara Reade, claims Biden assaulted her in 1993 when she worked for him as an aide. Biden's campaign has denied the assault took place and encouraged the press to investigate. The candidate himself is scheduled to address it directly for the first time on MSNBC's "Morning Joe"  Friday. While some have called on the presumptive Democratic nominee to drop out of the first presidential race since the rise of the #MeToo movement, Biden has seen support from many leading Democratic voices. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Senators Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar and Kirsten Gillibrand are some of the party's big names who have publicly supported and praised Biden in recent days.  

Workers to protest conditions at Amazon, Instacart and other retailers

Workers at some of the nation's biggest companies have announced they will strike Friday, International Workers Day, to protest working conditions amid the coronavirus pandemic. Employees at Amazon, Instacart, Shipt, Whole Foods, Walmart, Target and FedEx say they're striking due to their employers "continuing failure to provide adequate protection in the workplace." Amazon, where at least one warehouse worker has died from COVID-19 and several others have been infected, has seen several walkouts and protests. The company says it has spent more than $800 million this year on COVID‑19 safety measures such as masks, hand sanitizer, and gloves at its warehouses.

California to close beaches, state parks amid coronavirus

Starting Friday, California will close all its beaches and state parks in a move aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus. Gov. Gavin Newsom's order follows a weekend in which some 80,000 people flocked to Newport Beach in Orange County, south of Los Angeles, with additional thousands gathering at open beaches in Ventura County, north of L.A. Health officials have warned that mingling in large groups could bring the potential for more infection and the government should tread gingerly when easing restrictions, so as not to ignite another surge in coronavirus cases. 

American Airlines flight attendants will be required to wear face masks

As travelers begin to return to the country's airports, they'll notice the changes meant to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Starting Friday, masks will be mandatory for American Airlines' flight attendants. At that time, the airline will also begin distributing masks, sanitizing gel and disinfectant wipes to passengers. Lawmakers and union leaders have urged airlines to require passengers and crew members to wear face masks. Earlier this week, Rep. Peter DeFazio,  D-Ore., the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, asked the Federal Aviation Administration to require them for both groups. 

Contributing: Associated Press

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