REUTERS

U.S. President Donald Trump notified Congress on Friday that he is firing the inspector general of the U.S. intelligence community who was involved in triggering an impeachment probe of the president last year.

U.S. Attorney General William Barr declared on Friday that the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is facing emergency conditions due to the fast-spreading coronavirus, paving the way for the agency to begin releasing more inmates out of custody and into home confinement.

Two of the principal U.S. coronavirus hot spots - New York and Louisiana - reported their biggest jumps in COVID-19 deaths yet on Friday, as the White House sent mixed messages on whether Americans should cover their face if they venture outdoors.

Investors are parsing a broad range of signals, from infection counts to more traditional indicators, for clues on the trajectory markets may take in coming weeks as the pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus continues to spread.

The Saudi energy minister on Saturday rejected Russia's remarks that the kingdom withdrew last month from a deal to cut output.

By Rania El Gamal, Alex Lawler, Vladimir Soldatkin and Laila Kearney

The U.S. government is now recommending Americans wear cloth face-coverings on a voluntary basis to stem the spread of the coronavirus, President Donald Trump said on Friday, although he said he himself would not use one.

The Saudi foreign minister said early on Saturday that a statement attributed to Russia's President Vladimir Putin about the kingdom's withdrawal from the OPEC+ deal is not correct, and that Russia is the one that withdrew, state agency (SPA) reported.

Major U.S. airlines applied on Friday for payroll grants from the U.S. Treasury meant to keep workers employed during a sharp downturn resulting from the coronavirus outbreak, but while talks over the terms were expected to continue in coming days some warned the funds would not be enough to help them through their toughest crisis ever.

The generous U.S. unemployment benefits rolled out to blunt the economic harm caused by the coronavirus could have an unintended effect: it may actually be an incentive for companies to choose layoffs rather than keep staff on their books.

The U.S. Transportation Department on Friday issued a notice to airlines reminding them they are obligated to refund tickets when they cancel a flight or make a significant flight schedule change that passengers opt not to accept, but will not take any immediate action against airlines.

Two of the main U.S. coronavirus hot spots on Friday reported their biggest jumps yet in COVID-19 deaths, with the number of fatalities so far in New York state alone comparable to the loss of life in the United States in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Oscar Valera likes to use 3D printers to build an assortment of crafts, but he is now turning his hobby toward the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

New York suffered its deadliest single day from the novel coronavirus, with 562 additional deaths in the last 24 hours for a total of 2,935 fatalities, by far the most of any U.S. state, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Friday.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, agreeing to a request from evangelical Christians, said on Friday that he was calling for a national day of fasting and prayer this Sunday to "free Brazil from this evil" coronavirus epidemic.

Brazilians increasingly disapprove of President Jair Bolsonaro's handling of the coronavirus outbreak, and overwhelmingly support governors and health officials he has attacked for advocating social-distancing measures, two polls showed on Friday.

Like many small business owners, New York City restaurateur Dan Kluger spent his Friday scrambling to apply for a loan under the U.S. government's $349 billion small business bailout fund, which officially launched in the morning.

Global cases of the new coronavirus have shot past 1 million with more than 53,000 fatalities, a Reuters tally showed on Friday, as death tolls soared in the United States and western Europe while the world economy nosedived.

Global cases of the new coronavirus have shot past 1 million with more than 54,000 fatalities, a Reuters tally showed on Friday, as death tolls soared in the United States and western Europe while the world economy nosedived.

Wall Street's main indexes fell more than 1.5% on Friday as the coronavirus abruptly ended a record U.S. job growth streak of 113 months, intensifying fears of a deep economic slowdown.