USA

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Mark Esper was three blocks from the FBI’s Washington field office. He had planned to confer there at a security command center, but plans changed with an unexpected call to divert immediately.

Go to the White House. President Donald Trump wanted a briefing from him and Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on how the military was handling security as protests grew on the streets of the nation’s capital.

Washington, Jun 6 (PTI) US President Donald Trump has said that countries like India and China would have much more coronavirus cases than America, the worst-hit country in the world, if they conduct more tests.

Trump, in his remarks at Puritan Medical Products in Maine, said that the US has carried out 20 million tests.

Compared to the US, Germany is at four million and much talked about South Korea is about three million tests, he said on Friday.

UNITED NATIONS, Jun 05 (APP): The World Health Organization (WHO) Friday urged demonstrators wishing to go into the street to make their voices heard to take every precaution against catching or passing on the coronavirus, as the global pandemic is far from over.

The message from the UN agency comes amid ongoing protests across the United States against the killing of George Floyd, an African-American man who was pinned to the ground with a police officer’s knee on his neck, and concerns of a “second wave” of infections in countries where lockdown restrictions have eased.

WASHINGTON, June 5. /TASS/: Unlike Russia, the United States was never invited to Syria, Russia’s embassy in Washington said on Friday commenting on US Assistant Secretary of State David Schenker’s words that Russia should "go out" of the region.

"In response to Assistant Secretary of State David Schenker’s blatant call for Russia to "go out of the Middle East" we would like to remind: Russian military is stationed in Syria at the invitation of its government," the embassy said

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Protesters are expected to gather in Washington for a huge demonstration on Saturday, its police chief said, as U.S. street marches over the killing of a black man in custody enter a 12th day and authorities move to rein in policing tactics.

George Floyd, 46, died on May 25 in Minneapolis after a police officer pinned him to the ground with a knee to the neck for nearly nine minutes. The killing has sparked days of protests across the United States against racism and police brutality, and also demonstrations around the world.

UNITED NATIONS, June 6 (NNN-XINHUA) – UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, asked the world to change course on environment.

“We are harming the natural world — to our own detriment,” he said, in a message on World Environment Day, which fell on June 5 (yesterday).

“We need our entire global community to change course. Let’s rethink what we buy and use; adopt sustainable habits, farming and business models; safeguard remaining wild spaces and wildlife; commit to a green and resilient future.”

NEW YORK, June 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, announced a reform agenda, to address police brutality, especially against minority communities, following the death of Minnesota man, George Floyd.

The “Say Their Name” agenda will make prior disciplinary records of law enforcement officers transparent, ban chokeholds and make false race-based 911 reports a hate crime, said Cuomo at his daily briefing.

UNITED NATIONS, June 5 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday asked the entire world to change course on the environment.

"We are harming the natural world -- to our own detriment," he said in a message on World Environment Day, which falls on June 5.

"We need our entire global community to change course. Let's rethink what we buy and use; adopt sustainable habits, farming and business models; safeguard remaining wild spaces and wildlife; commit to a green and resilient future."

WASHINGTON, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Friday requested that President Donald Trump "withdraw all extraordinary federal law enforcement and military presence" in the nation's capital after the president sent in forces to tackle the protests related to the death of George Floyd.

Bowser, a Democrat of African-American descent, wrote in a letter that she has ended the state of emergency in the district related to demonstrations against the death of Floyd, a black man killed last week under the custody of white police in Minneapolis.

WASHINGTON, June 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon to reduce U.S. military presence in Germany by September, U.S. media reported on Friday.

Citing U.S. government officials, The Wall Street Journal said in a Friday piece that the move would reduce 9,500 troops from the 34,500 troops that are permanently assigned in Germany.