Anthony Zurcher
BBC North America reporter

On Friday morning, Donald Trump fired off a series of tweets calling for the “liberation” of three states with Democratic governors, as though they were enemy-controlled territory.

The message seems apparent. The governor of one, Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer, recently was the target of a mass protest at the state capital against her sweeping lockdown orders. A mixed crowd of conservatives, white nationalists and anti-government militias waved Confederate and pro-Trump flags, and signs accusing Whitmer of dictatorial overreach.

Another of the states, Virginia, had its own capital protests earlier in the year from gun-rights activists.

The president’s social media fusillade suggests his goal is to reward - or encourage - such shows of force from his political base, as opinion polls indicate Trump’s approval rating is sagging after a boost during the early weeks of the outbreak.

Just a day after Trump reportedly told governors in a conference call they would “call the shots” on when to begin easing restrictions, it appears the president wants to up the pressure – and the political risk – for Democrats by other means at his disposal.

Trump has benefitted in the past from a finely tuned sense of the sentiments – and resentments - of his supporters. Friday morning could be an indication that he’s positioning himself to again stand in their midst.

Read more here:

Trump appears to endorse anti-lockdown protesters

Image source, Reuters

US President Donald Trump has been tweeting attacks against Andrew Cuomo as the New York governor was speaking at his daily news conference.

"If he's sitting home watching TV, maybe he should get up and go to work," Cuomo, a Democrat, responded after the president accused him of "complaining".

"We have given New York far more money, help and equipment than any other state, by far, & these great men & women who did the job never hear you say thanks," Trump tweeted.

Cuomo said that Trump "didn't announce anything" in Thursday's White House briefing on how states should plan to re-open.

"He said it's up to the states...He’s doing nothing.

"It's up to the governors. Which is what it always was," he continued.

Most legal experts agree that the authority to police states is up to governors and not the federal government.

Earlier, Trump had claimed "total" authority, but later reversed course, saying it was up to governors to "call the shots".

Mocking Trump's comment yesterday calling the US a "50-piece puzzle", Cuomo said: "No it's a map of the United States, it's not a puzzle. And those lines are called states."

Image source, Getty Images

US singer Christopher Cross says he is optimistic about his health improving after being "sick for weeks" with coronavirus.

In a post on Twitter, external the Grammy-winning performer told fans he is currently unable to walk but has been told by doctors that he will recover.

Cross, 68, won five Grammy Awards for his eponymous 1979 debut album. He went on to win an Oscar in 1982 for Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do), featured in the Dudley Moore comedy Arthur.

Only Billie Eilish has so far equalled his 1981 triumph in all of the Grammys' "big four" categories - song of the year, record of the year, album of the year and best new artist.

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Nick Eardley
Political correspondent

We've had lots of questions about the government's approach to testing and PPE.

Ministers are now trying to show they are getting ready for rolling out a vaccine as soon as possible - when it comes.

But there was a heavy dose of caution from Mr Sharma and the scientists in the room.

Yes, they want to produce a vaccine by the millions, but it could be some time before one is ready and no guarantee the tests under way at the moment will be successful.

During the press conference, Labour's shadow home secretary Jonathan Ashworth shared a news story claiming that 60 NHS trusts could run out of medical gowns this weekend.

He added: "This ongoing failure needs fixing and ministers must explain how they will fix it urgently."

Today's press conference was held by Business Secretary Alok Sharma.

He was joined by the UK's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, and the medical director of Public Health England, Prof Yvonne Doyle. Here's what they told us:

• The government has set up a vaccine taskforce, linking industry, academia, government and regulators, putting the UK in a position where it can manufacture any future vaccine at scale
• The number of new cases is stabilising, as is the number of people in intensive care
• Clinical trials using existing medicines to treat coronavirus have 5,500 participants
• There is testing capacity that the government wants social care and other frontline workers to access. The government is still planning to do 100,000 tests a day by the end of the month

Image source, Getty Images

Having difficult housemates is something a lot of us have probably experienced at some point, but some flat-sharers have been telling BBC Newsbeat that they fear for their safety because people they live with have been flouting UK social distancing guidelines.

Alok Sharma concluded the press conference, saying he understood the lockdown measures were "very difficult for families and individuals", but added: "Ultimately it is about people's individual safety."

He thanked the public for what they have been doing and appealed to them to continue to follow government advice.

"Stay home and protect the NHS, because ultimately, this is about saving your life and the lives of those you love."

Medical director of Public Health England Prof Yvonne Doyle says the areas of the UK that are being hit hardest by the virus has changed over time.

"Initially, we saw cases coming from travel and that has changed now to very widespread distribution of this virus. So it has hit the cities.

"We would've expected London to be earlier on in this and indeed that's what happened. And then the Midlands as well, because of the concentrations of populations."

There are other factors, she says, that may drive it at this point. She says because community transmissions are now beginning to decrease, location of care homes or transmission within the healthcare system have become an important factor.

She says the location of the "hot-spots" is being monitored very closely every day.

More on the issue of masks:

Earlier Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said wearing face masks while travelling in London should be compulsory, despite UK public health experts not currently recommending it.

So what do the experts think?

The chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance says they're "looking at it now", adding: "The evidence is quite variable around masks. It's not easy to really get a firm position on some of it. There aren't very good trials of masks.

"We looked at [the evidence] this week twice, we're going to look at it again on Tuesday and hope to be able to make some advice on whether any changes are needed or not."

He says at the moment the UK is "entirely in line" with the World Health Organization's recommendations.

"The difference between this disease and others is the pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic spread," he says, explaining this adds complexity about thinking about whether masks "fit into this".

But, he adds, it's crucial that masks are available in hospital and other high risk settings, where he says the evidence is clear that they do work.

ITV asks the business secretary if he can offer any hope to the tourism industry that there will be "some kind of summer season" this year.

Earlier today the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps suggested people should not book summer holidays for later this year.

Alok Sharma says "this is a very tough time for very many businesses" and the government has put in place help, including today extending the furlough scheme.

He says the government aims to support businesses so they can "bounce back" when the UK comes out the other side of the pandemic.

A reporter has asked why the government had previously branded care workers and NHS staff "low-skilled labour" and if it was a mistake.

Alok Sharma doesn't answer the question directly, but chooses to pay tribute to the "selfless work" they carry out.

The reporter also asks about statutory sick pay - it is around £96 a week - and he says some care staff are going into work, despite being ill.

Professor Yvonne Doyle says the frontline workers are "health heroes" and they should follow guidance and not go to work if they are unwell.

"I understand what you are saying about economic reasons, but it is not in their interests to go to work.

"It will delay their recovery and put those around them at risk as well."

She said it was important for them to accept testing now there is more capacity.

James Gallagher
Health and science correspondent, BBC News

The thorny issue of face masks has come up again.

I understand there is nervousness about recommending healthy people wear them because it would apply to large numbers of people for a long period of time.

It is possible they could become part of the advice for some people as part of the (eventual) lifting of social distancing measures.

We may get more information next week.

Read more: Should we be wearing face masks?

Image source, PA Media

The panel is asked whether there have been any findings from the investigations into deaths of NHS workers who contracted coronavirus.

The investigations have started and are ongoing, says Business Secretary Alok Sharma.

Medical director of Public Health England Yvonne Doyle says work on looking at how black and ethnic minority people may be more at risk from the virus is also under way.

"There will be a lot of speculation as to why people die, and what may be the factors, but actually some of these factors are quite complex and they're being investigated correctly," she says.

Asked for a timescale, Prof Doyle says: "It's much more important to get this right than to rush it. But it's seen as very important."

• Read more: Remembering NHS workers who have died

Image source, PA Media

After warning about a "new normal" for businesses because of coronavirus, another reporter asks the business secretary what he means by that phrase.

The minister says the guidance has been "very clear" about asking people to stay at home, but he says there are "certain settings" where workers will need to go in - like manufacturing and construction.

"In these circumstances, people can go into work but it is incumbent on employers to follow the Public Health England guidance for working safely," he adds.

"We have to adapt the way that we are working, so we do that in a safe way and keep employees safe."

Mr Sharma says as the measures were renewed yesterday for at least another three weeks, employers must continue on that path.

Scientists in Oxford behind vaccine trials say they are so confident in their attempt, they will manufacture one million doses while their trial is under way and they hope to be ready for September.

So, a reporter asks, how can the UK be sure to be front of the queue?

Alok Sharma says he has spoken to that team in recent days and the government was "continuing to support" the work.

But Sir Patrick Vallance again errs on the side of caution.

He says the researchers have done "a great job to get to where they are".

But while there are over 100 vaccine projects, he says the reality is that "each single project does not have a high probability of success".

Sir Patrick adds: "Everyone goes out with great enthusiasm... but it is never the case we know we have a vaccine that works."

He says once one is found, "safety is incredibly important" before the roll-out.

The vaccine may not come from the UK, however, and the government must "back lots of horses".

Image source, Getty Images

Celebrated jazz saxophonist Lee Konitz has died at the age of 92, after contracting Covid-19.

He was best known for his work on the seminal Miles Davis album Birth of the Cool, which inspired the "cool jazz" style of the 1950s.

Konitz continued to play and tour into his 90s, saying he had been fortunate to spend his entire life creating music.

His death was confirmed by his niece, who said he had also contracted pneumonia.

Image source, Getty Images

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says the federal government in Washington DC must do more to help states scale up their testing capacity.

"Don't ask the states to do this massive undertaking that’s never been done before and then not give them any resources to do it," he said in his daily briefing.

He called the current system "mayhem" because states are not able to source testing chemicals, which are sold by companies in China. "Supply chain issues pose international challenges" he says, adding that gowns, face masks, ventilators and other needed items are all "made in China".

Yesterday, Trump said it was up to state governors to handle their own testing, and make their own determinations in terms of how and when to re-open.

As Cuomo's news conference was ongoing, Trump tweeted: "Governor Cuomo should spend more time 'doing' and less time 'complaining'. Get out there and get the job done. Stop talking!"

Trump added that the federal government had been helping New York with "testing that you should be doing".

Overall, hospital and death rates in New York are going down, Cuomo says. However, there were 630 new deaths and 2,000 new infections on Thursday.

James Gallagher
Health and science correspondent, BBC News

Sir Patrick Vallance is expecting the number of cases to fall soon. The crucial question is how quickly. It often takes longer to get down from the peak than to get up to it.

The faster cases fall, the sooner the government will be able to think about lifting lockdown. It will also inform the next step as the government has a big decision to make.

Does it want to keep lockdown in place for longer to drive cases down to very low levels? Or exit sooner and have a higher number bubbling away? How quickly cases fall will influence that decision.

"We are not through this yet; we are headed in the right direction," the chief scientific adviser says.

He says the number of deaths is a "tragedy", adding: "I expect unfortunately this number to continue at a plateau for a little while and then to start coming down slowly after that."

Image source, UK Government