USA

WASHINGTON (AP) — She never thought her husband’s punishment for selling drugs would be a death sentence. But as the new coronavirus rips through the U.S. prison system and into the facility where he is serving eight years, she fears it could be.

The 24-year-old inmate suffers from severe asthma at the medium-security South Carolina prison. He has tried and failed to get released to home confinement, while his wife on the outside watches high-profile inmates go free.

SEATTLE (AP) — Workers who had been exposed to the coronavirus at Washington state’s largest psychiatric hospital were herded into a small building to be tested. Inside, few wore masks. They were given test kits by people without gloves and told to swirl a swab inside their noses.

The method was designed only for people showing symptoms, but the staffers said none of them did. Many told The Associated Press that the flawed testing process this month likely produced inaccurate results and exposed them to the virus again.

(AP) --- President Donald Trump says states should “seriously consider” reopening their public schools before the end of the academic year, even though dozens already have said it would be unsafe for students to return until the summer or fall.

Trump made the comments Monday in a call with governors discussing how to reopen their economies, among other topics.

UNITED NATIONS, Apr 26 (APP): Over 13 million children did not receive any vaccinations in 2018, and millions more are in danger of missing life-saving vaccines this year due to disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a UNICEF report.

Even before the coronavirus outbreak shut down vital immunization programmes, more than 20 million children living in countries with weak healthcare systems went without measles, polio and other vaccines every year, the report from UN’s children agency said.

Washington, Apr 27 (PTI) Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi on Monday endorsed former vice president Joe Biden's 2020 White House bid, calling the presumptive Democratic nominee a leader who is the "personification of hope, courage" and can help America out of the coronavirus crisis.

Pelosi, in a prerecorded video, said that Biden has been a voice of reason and resilience.

Washington, Apr 27 (AP/PTI) During times of war and strife, national leaders often aim to unite a broken country and, in the process, broaden their appeal beyond their most loyal supporters. Not President Donald Trump.

Confronting a pandemic that has upended his presidency and threatened his reelection prospects, Trump has focused almost exclusively on tending to his base.

27 April 2020; AFP: President Donald Trump on Sunday dismissed reports he was considering sacking health secretary Alex Azar as criticism mounts over the US response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump, who risks losing public support ahead of the November election due to the climbing death toll, lashed out over stories on CNN and other media outlets.

"Reports that H.H.S. Secretary Alex Azar is going to be 'fired' by me are Fake News," Trump wrote on Twitter.

(Reuters) - Apple Inc is delaying the production ramp-up of its flagship iPhones coming later this year by about a month as the coronavirus pandemic has weakened global consumer demand and disrupted manufacturing across Asia, the Wall Street Journal reported here citing people familiar with the matter.

Apple is forging ahead with plans to release four new iPhone models later this year, the report added citing sources.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. banks were girding on Monday for another chaotic dash to grab $310 billion in fresh small business aid due to be released by the government on Monday, after it changed some of the rules of the first-come-first-served scheme at the 11th hour.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) was set to re-open its Paycheck Protection Program at 10:30 am EDT/1430 GMT on Monday, allowing lenders to resume processing applications from businesses hurt by the novel coronavirus shutdown.

WASHINGTON, April 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Donald Trump dismissed reports he was considering sacking health secretary Alex Azar as criticism mounts over the US response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump, who risks losing public support ahead of the November election due to the climbing death toll, lashed out over stories on media outlets.

“Reports that H.H.S. Secretary Alex Azar is going to be ‘fired’ by me are Fake News,” Trump wrote on Twitter.

“They are desperate to create the perception of chaos & havoc in the minds of the public.”