Paris, France | AFP | Britain is to start giving seriously ill coronavirus patients a basic steroid treatment hailed as a “major breakthrough” Tuesday capable of reducing the global pandemic’s death toll as worrying new outbreaks surfaced. A new and “extremely severe” cluster of cases in Beijing cast doubt over efforts …
Read More »US economy showing ‘encouraging signs’: White House
Washington, United States | AFP | The US economy is showing “encouraging signs” and there’s no need for another spending package to combat the downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic, a White House advisor said on Monday. “If the economy recovers slower than we expect, then it’s possible we’ll have to put some more cash …
Read More »Grim and getting worse: US set for historic unemployment surge
Washington, United States | AFP | Like a global tsunami, the coronavirus pandemic has caused a huge loss of life and taken a massive economic toll. In the US economy, skyrocketing unemployment is the most-visible sign of the devastation: almost overnight, at least 30 million workers lost their jobs. The April …
Read More »Trump relaunches campaign with vaccine promise, vision of ‘incredible’ future
Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump relaunched his election campaign Sunday with a live television event inside the iconic Lincoln Memorial, promising an early coronavirus vaccine and urging Americans to put the pandemic behind them to embrace an “incredible” future. With the two-hour long Fox News “town hall,” …
Read More »US GDP contracts 4.8% as virus hit, ends decade of growth
Washington, United States | AFP | The decade of US economic expansion ended dramatically in the first quarter when GDP shrank 4.8 percent as the coronavirus hit, according to government data released Wednesday. It was the biggest decline in GDP in 12 years as the pandemic forced businesses to …
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 »Trump hails economic boom as industry attacks trade war
Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump on Tuesday took credit for an American economic renaissance but was greeted by another salvo from US industries that blame his trade wars for jeopardizing employment, wounding business and burdening consumers with higher costs. But Trump doubled down, threatening to jack up …
Read More »Trump hardens tone on China as trade war rattles economy
Washington, United States | AFP | Amid fresh signs his trade wars are rattling the US economy, President Donald Trump on Tuesday sent stern warnings to China, urging the Pacific power not to drag its feet in trade negotiations. After a month of escalations in the year-long battle with Beijing, Trump …
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