USA

NEW YORK, May 19 (APP): Pakistan has called on the world community to recognize the “explosive environment” created by the Indian government in South Asia through its increasing military adventurism along the Line of Control (LoC) coupled with continuing repression in occupied Kashmir as well as targeting of Muslims in India.

The call was made by Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Asad Majeed Khan, in an article published in The Washington Times, in which he also warned that India could start another confrontation with Pakistan.

UNITED NATIONS, May 19 (APP): Ambassadors from over 22 countries, representing developing and developed countries from all regions held a first round of consultations on Prime Minister Imran Khan’s initiative for Global Initiative for Debt Relief at their virtual meeting in New York on Monday, according to diplomats.

Senior officials of the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) also participated in the meeting, which was chaired by Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram.

NEW YORK, May 19. /TASS/: Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (California, Democratic Party) does not believe that it is expedient to deliver ventilators to Russia free of charge, she told CNN on Monday.

Pelosi acknowledged that the US administration is "giving over $5 million worth of ventilators to Russia." "Russia can very well afford to pay for these ventilators," she stressed.

NEW YORK, May 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Some New York City neighbourhoods have seen death rates from the novel coronavirus nearly 15 times higher than others, according to data released by New York City’s health department showing the disproportionate toll taken on poor communities.

WASHINGTON, May 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Donald Trump attacked the United Nations health body as a Chinese “puppet” on Monday and confirmed he is considering slashing or canceling US support.

“They’re a puppet of China, they’re China-centric to put it nicer,” he said at the White House.

Trump said the United States pays around $450 million annually to the World Health Organization, the largest contribution of any country. Plans are being crafted to slash this because “we’re not treated right.”

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government’s handling of its massive economic response to the coronavirus pandemic will come under scrutiny on Tuesday as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell testify before the Senate Banking Committee.

(Reuters) - The United States will announce on Tuesday that it has signed a $354 million contract with a company to make generic medicines and pharmaceutical ingredients in the country needed to treat COVID-19, the New York Times reported late on Monday.

The move is part of efforts to bring pharmaceutical manufacturing to the United States from abroad. Phlow Corp is a generic drug maker based in Virginia which makes medicines overseas, mostly in India and China, according nyti.ms/36dylna to the NYT.

NEW YORK, May 18 (Xinhua) -- An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8 jolted 91 km SSW of Ierapetra of Greece at 23:22:35 GMT on Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The epicenter, with a depth of 10 km, was initially determined to be at 34.2018 degrees north latitude and 25.526 degrees east longitude. 

WASHINGTON, May 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. biotech company Moderna on Monday announced positive interim clinical data of mRNA-1273, its vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

The results came from Phase 1 study, led by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which began in Seattle in March.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Florida Sen. Marco Rubio will temporarily become chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Republican leaders announced, taking charge of the panel at a time of turnover and tension in the nation’s intelligence community.

Rubio will replace North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr, who said last week that he would step aside after federal agents examining his recent stock sales showed up at his home with a warrant to search his cellphone. Friday was Burr’s last day in the position.