Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump on Thursday laid out guidelines for a gradual reopening of the United States after the battering of the coronavirus pandemic, saying normal life should resume quickly in some states. Trump’s new push came as he saw progress in his campaign to pressure …
Read More »US says probing if coronavirus came from Chinese lab
Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump’s administration is urging an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, saying it doesn’t rule out that it came from a laboratory researching bats in Wuhan, China. Beijing has said that the virus, which has killed more than 138,700 people worldwide, …
Read More »Trump to ease lockdown, saying virus cases have ‘passed peak’
Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump vowed to unveil plans Thursday to reopen the world’s top economy, following cautious moves in Europe, claiming the US had “passed the peak” of the coronavirus crisis despite a record daily death toll. Since emerging in China late last year, the pandemic …
Read More »Coronavirus testing in the United States: What you need to know
Washington, United States | AFP | Before lifting lockdowns imposed across the United States in March, experts say we’ll need a massive screening system in place to monitor and respond to localized coronavirus surges. Are we on track? That depends on who you ask. President Donald Trump has boasted the US …
Read More »WHO focused on saving lives, says chief after US funding freeze
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | The World Health Organization is purely focused on saving lives and halting the coronavirus pandemic, its chief said Wednesday after US President Donald Trump announced he was freezing funding for the WHO. “There is no time to waste. WHO’s singular focus is on working to serve all people to save …
Read More »Trump eager to ‘get sports back’ as league chiefs remain wary
Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump is hankering for a return of live sports action, but US league supremos are taking a cautious approach to competition amid the coronavirus pandemic. “We have to get our sports back,” Trump said Tuesday. “I’m tired of watching baseball games that are …
Read More »Trump eyes reopening US economy but assailed over ‘king’ powers
Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump was accused Tuesday of seeking king-like powers ahead of unveiling a task force for reopening the US economy despite fears in hard-hit states that he will rush the decision. Facing a tough reelection in November, the Republican president is eager to …
Read More »US eyes virus ‘plateau’ as world weighs cautious reboot
Washington, United States | AFP | Coronavirus deaths in the hard-hit United States were flat for a second consecutive day, with New York’s governor saying the “worst is over” as many countries weigh a gradual reopening of their shattered economies. Since emerging late last year, the coronavirus pandemic has killed around …
Read More »US Supreme Court to hear appeal on abortion during virus crisis
Washington, United States | AFP | Abortion rights advocates on Saturday called on the US Supreme Court to urgently intervene to force Texas to reinstate the right to abortion, which has been suspended in the state since the start of the novel coronavirus pandemic. This is the first appeal related to …
Read More »Drowned out by pandemic, a muted victory for Joe Biden
Washington, United States | AFP | Barack Obama celebrated the kickoff of his “historic” White House challenge before thousands of ecstatic supporters. Hillary Clinton also marked her “milestone,” as the first woman nominee of a major US party, to thunderous applause. And what of Joe Biden? The resurgent Democrat has been denied …
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