U.S. death toll nears 100,000

Amtrak sent a letter to Congress seeking an additional $1.475 billion in supplemental funding in the next fiscal year, citing the coronavirus pandemic and associated economic effects. The money sought is in addition to its annual $2 billion grant request made earlier this year.

"Amtrak, like all other modes, has seen a dramatic decline in demand for service since the pandemic, and is expecting ridership to only return to approximately 50% in FY 2021," Amtrak said in a statement.

The letter from Amtrak President and CEO William J. Flynn says it is seeking the money through either a supplemental appropriations bill dealing with the COVID-19 crisis or through an annual appropriations bill.

The letter says that in 2019 Amtrak and its state partners carried more than 32 million passengers and had been on pace for what it called another record-breaking year, but the pandemic changed that.

"Today, many of our routes are struggling to reach ten percent of the ridership levels we had only months ago," Flynn said in the letter.

Amtrak said it is working to shave $500 million from its operating costs, which includes reducing some service and restructuring its workforce. 

Nevadans could return to bars as soon as Friday, the governor said Tuesday in announcing the state's move into the next phase of reopening its economy.

Casinos, gaming operations, brothels, adult entertainment businesses and nightclubs will still be closed. Gov. Steve Sisolak said in prepared remarks that reopening of gambling is eyed for July 4, although there will be restrictions.

"Our collective actions have helped bring us to where we are today," Sisolak said.

Restaurants and bars will generally be limited to 50 percent occupancy or less with strict social distancing. Patrons won't be able to walk up to bars and order, but can be served while seated at bar tops if spaced apart. Places like pools, art galleries, museums, gyms and movie theaters also have occupancy limits.

Houses of worship can have in-person services of up to 50 people. But the governor "strongly" urged residents to use virtual services.

Sisolak had planned to announce the changes at a press conference, but he is quarantined after possibly being exposed to COVID-19. He said he has no symptoms and will be tested Wednesday.

SANTIAGO, Chile — Chilean authorities say intensive care units in the country’s hospitals are nearly at capacity amid a flood of coronavirus patients, and some doctors report they are having to make wrenching choices over which patients should get available beds.

Health officials said Tuesday that 95 percent of the country’s 2,400 ICU beds are occupied, even after a doubling of capacity from the levels in March. They announced plans to add 400 more critical care beds in the coming days.

The nation of 18 million people has the third most coronavirus cases in the region, after Brazil and Peru. An average of 4,000 new infections are being reported daily. About 15 percent of the cases require hospitalization.

STOCKHOLM — Sweden’s government defended its response to the COVID-19 global pandemic Tuesday despite the Scandinavian country now reporting one of the highest mortality rates in the world with 4,125 fatalities, or about 40 deaths per 100,000 people.

“Transmission is slowing down, the treatment of COVID-19 patients in intensive care is decreasing significantly, and the rising death toll curve has been flattened,” Foreign Minister Ann Linde told foreign correspondents at a briefing in Stockholm. “There is no full lockdown of Sweden, but many parts of the Swedish society have shut down.”

More than 76,000 people have been made redundant since the outbreak of the disease and unemployment, which now stands at 7.9 percent, is expected to climb higher.

Sweden took a relatively soft approach to fighting the coronavirus, one that attracted international attention. Large gatherings were banned, but restaurants and schools for younger children have stayed open. The government has urged social distancing, and Swedes have largely complied.

Starting Wednesday, the city of Miami will allow dine-in eating to resume at restaurants, but with restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus.

"Restaurants are a big part of our local economy, directly employing thousands of Miamians, and we are ready to begin carefully reopening them to dine-in customers,” Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said in a statement.

Restaurant capacity will be capped at 50 percent of maximum approved occupancy. Masks will be required unless customers are seated at a table, and no parties larger than four allowed, except household parties, which are capped at six. Restaurant bars remain closed for now.

The city of Miami Beach also announced Tuesday that restaurants could reopen Wednesday. 

The Justice Department has closed insider trading investigations into three senators who sold off stocks following early briefings on the coronavirus, aides told NBC News.

A spokesman for Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., confirmed that she had been informed that the Justice Department had dropped an inquiry into her trades and called the allegations "politically motivated."

"Today's clear exoneration by the Department of Justice affirms what Senator Loeffler has said all along — she did nothing wrong. This was a politically-motivated attack shamelessly promoted by the fake news media and her political opponents. Senator Loeffler will continue to focus her full attention on delivering results for Georgians," said the spokesman, Stephen Lawson.

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After weeks of public health restrictions over the coronavirus epidemic, all retail business in Los Angeles will be allowed to welcome customers back inside, and houses of worship can resume in-person services, the mayor announced Tuesday.

Mayor Eric Garcetti said some restrictions will remain for retail and churches, like limiting the number of people inside.

"We're not moving beyond COVID-19, but we're learning to live with it," Garcetti said.

Places like barbershops and hair salons remain closed, and in-restaurant dining is not yet allowed. 

The news that retail businesses and houses of worship could reopen or resume in-person services comes a day after the state announced they could resume under certain restrictions if county health officials approved. The restrictions on places like churches include having less than 25 percent capacity or 100 people inside, whichever is less.