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 …
Read More »Handful of US states call for prayer, not confinement
Los Angeles, United States | AFP | Faith in divine protection, defending the economy, or simply an ideological stance: A handful of rural US states, many fierce supporters of President Donald Trump, have stubbornly refused to issue stay-at-home orders despite the ravages of coronavirus. Two of them — South Dakota and …
Read More »WHO denies ignoring Taiwan early virus warning
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | The World Health Organisation on Friday denied having brushed off a Taiwanese warning on human-to-human transmission of the new coronavirus soon after its outbreak in China late last year. The US has accused the body of “putting politics first” by ignoring Taiwan’s warning in late December, …
Read More »Top oil producers except Mexico agree to output cuts: OPEC
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Major oil producers except Mexico agreed to cut output in May and June by 10 million barrels per day, OPEC said Friday, after marathon talks to counter a collapse in prices. The agreement, which reduces production to eight million bpd from July to December, depends …
Read More »US criticizes WHO for ignoring Taiwan virus warnings
Washington, United States | AFP | The United States on Thursday accused the World Health Organization of putting politics first by ignoring early coronavirus warnings by Taiwan, which voiced outrage over criticism from the UN body’s chief. President Donald Trump has gone on an offensive with threats to withhold funding for …
Read More »WHO urges virus unity after Trump attack
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | The World Health Organization on Wednesday pleaded for global unity in fighting the coronavirus, following US President Donald Trump’s stinging attack on its handling of the pandemic. As the WHO prepares to mark 100 days on Thursday since it was first notified of the outbreak in …
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