PBS NewsHour

Amid heavy criticism, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday issued a state-wide stay-at-home order for the state in response to the coronavirus.This came after some local counties and cities had already put similar orders in place ahead of the governor’s mandate. Stephen Mort of PBS station WUCF joins Hari Sreenivasan from Orlando to discuss what's happening in the state related to the outbreak.

As more and more people stay at home during the pandemic, millions of vehicles are no longer on the roads and the skies are comparatively free of airplanes. Many other human activities that cause air pollution also have been scaled back. But will this lull in activity make a difference in the air we breathe or the future of climate change? NewsHour Weekend's Christopher Booker reports.

Earlier this week, in the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic, the Trump administration relaxed automobile fuel efficiency standards that were put in place under the Obama administration to combat climate change. Coral Davenport, energy and environment policy reporter for The New York Times, joins Hari Sreenivasan for more on the potential consequences of the decision.

As the coronavirus pandemic spreads across the U.S., officials are warning that there are not enough medical professionals available to meet the growing needs of patients. The shortage has led to the easing of some regulations, enabling medical students to graduate early and retired doctors to return to practice. Lisa Desjardins shares some of their stories from this all-hands-on-deck moment.

The Trump administration and health officials are now recommending that Americans should wear face masks while out in public to try to reduce the spread of coronavirus. But locals in Bethesda, Maryland, have already been putting their sewing machines to work. Jeffrey Brown reports on how these citizens of all ages are motivated to do something to help amid a crisis that can feel paralyzing.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest news, including how the coronavirus pandemic has taken hold in the U.S., American leadership amid the crisis, whether the $2.2 trillion stimulus package will help those besieged by the pandemic and whether there is a chance for bipartisan political action.

As millions of Americans find themselves suddenly unemployed and unsure that they can pay their bills, many are desperately awaiting federal aid. But are state and local governments able to deliver the trillions of dollars Congress and President Trump have approved? Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., joins Lisa Desjardins to discuss their progress and what Congress should do next.

In our news wrap Friday, authorities in Maryland are searching the Chesapeake Bay for a granddaughter and great-grandson of the late Robert F. Kennedy. The pair were in a canoe Thursday afternoon when strong winds developed and have been missing since. Also, singer-songwriter Bill Withers died from heart issues in Los Angeles. His string of soulful hits included “Lean on Me" and "Lovely Day."

As COVID-19 spreads across the country, there has been some debate over the need for government stay-at-home orders, whether Americans should be wearing masks in public and how the coronavirus spreads. Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health, one the key health officials on President Trump’s Coronavirus Task Force, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest data and recommendations.

The coronavirus pandemic has claimed some 7,000 lives across the United States, with more than 40 percent of those in New York. The state’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, said he will seize vital unused equipment from private hospitals if necessary in order to treat the surge in COVID-19 patients. Meanwhile, new numbers drive home the outbreak’s devastating impact on the U.S. economy. Amna Nawaz reports.

In previous books like "The Devil in the White City" and "Isaac's Storm," bestselling author Erik Larson has used everyday people to chronicle historical events. But his latest offering, "The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance during the Blitz," explores Winston Churchill's turbulent first year as Britain's wartime prime minister. Larson joins John Yang to discuss.

The Trump administration is expected to change its position soon on whether Americans who are not health care workers should wear face masks while out in public. Up until now, the CDC has not recommended they do so. Yamiche Alcindor joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the “major reversal” as well as the president’s second COVID-19 test and the latest on when Americans will receive government aid.

With so many Americans sheltering at home, it’s no surprise that television viewing, especially streaming video, has seen a dramatic increase. A recent Nielsen analysis showed an 85 percent rise in streaming from a year ago and steady growth from week to week in March. What should we watch first? Jeffrey Brown gets some recommendations from Los Angeles Times TV critic Lorraine Ali.

President Trump has long had a complicated relationship with the news media. He tends to seek out reporters he deems friendly, while butting heads with those he accuses of treating him unfairly. As ABC News’ chief White House correspondent, Jonathan Karl has a close-up view of these dynamics, which he describes in his new book, “Front Row at the Trump Show.” Karl joins Judy Woodruff to discuss.

Health officials have stressed that novel coronavirus doesn’t discriminate based on race or ethnicity. But disparities long present in the U.S. medical system are now driving what some call a crisis within a crisis: black and brown communities across the country are being hit harder, and with fewer resources to save them. Amna Nawaz talks to Dr. Uché Blackstock of Advancing Health Equity.

In our news wrap Thursday, Iran dismissed President Trump’s claim it is planning an attack on U.S. targets in Iraq. On Twitter, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif wrote “Iran starts no wars, but teaches lessons to those who do.” Also, a Pakistani court has rejected the murder conviction of the accused mastermind in the 2002 killing of Daniel Pearl. Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh has already served 18 years.

A sector of the economy that is being hit especially hard amid the coronavirus pandemic is the restaurant industry. In normal times, Americans were spending roughly as much money on dining out as they were at grocery stores. With restaurants now closed, more than 3 millions jobs have been lost nationwide. Paul Solman reports on the impact on establishments in the Washington, D.C., metro area.

What does the coronavirus pandemic’s unprecedented surge in job loss mean for the American economy? Laura Tyson of the University of California, Berkeley, who served as an economic adviser during the Clinton administration, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss whether delivery of federal aid to the unemployed will come soon enough and why the duration of this recession is so difficult to predict.

The loss of jobs caused by the coronavirus pandemic and its fallout is unprecedented in the U.S. Over 10 million Americans became unemployed in the past two weeks alone -- and economists say there are many more who have not yet been counted. The NewsHour continues to share the stories of some of those who have been laid off or furloughed, in their own words.

The coronavirus pandemic has infected at least 1 million people and killed over 50,000 worldwide. In the U.S., President Trump is taking new action to bolster medical supplies, and unemployment is surging. Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy relieved the captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt amid conflict over his response to COVID-19. John Yang reports, and Nick Schifrin joins Judy Woodruff to discuss.