USA

Washington, Apr 22 (PTI) US President Donald Trump has threatened to terminate the trade deal with China if Beijing did not honour its provisions in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic that originated in the country.

While China has reported 82,788 novel coronavirus cases, including 4,632 fatalities, the US registered over 824,600 cases and more than 45,290 deaths -- the highest in the world.

WASHINGTON, April 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US Senate approved a bipartisan, nearly half-trillion-dollar relief package, with funding earmarked for devastated small businesses, overwhelmed hospitals, and a ramp-up of testing nationwide during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The essential job-saving measure, which passed by unanimous consent after more than a week of negotiations between Democrats, Republicans and the White House, now heads to the House of Representatives where a vote could occur as early as Thursday.

JEFFERSON CITY (Missouri, US), April 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US state of Missouri sued China’s leadership over the COVID-19 coronavirus, seeking damages over what it described as deliberate deception and insufficient action to stop the pandemic.

The first-of-a-kind state lawsuit comes amid calls in Congress to punish China and a campaign by President Donald Trump to focus on Beijing’s role, amid criticism of his own handling of the crisis.

UNITED NATIONS, April 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UN General Assembly has demanded equal access for any future COVID-19 vaccine but its seeming unanimity was a fluke.

The United States in fact opposed the resolution but acted too late to stop it, diplomats say.

The 193 members of the General Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution led by Mexico that calls for “equitable, efficient and timely” access to any vaccine developed to fight the pandemic.

22 April 2020; AFP: President Donald Trump partially blocked immigration to the United States "to protect American workers" from the economic shock of the coronavirus, as the United Nations warned the world was facing "a humanitarian catastrophe".

The UN alarm bell came as nations scrambled to fight the virus -- which has killed 177,000 people and infected more than 2.5 million -- as well as desperately seek ways to limit the vast damage inflicted on the global economy.

WASHINGTON, April 21 (Xinhua) -- More than 700 crew members from the USS Theodore Roosevelt, a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier docked in Guam, have tested positive for COVID-19 as of Tuesday, CNN reported, quoting the U.S. Navy.

The Navy said 94 percent of the crew has been tested and at least 3,872 crew members tested negative for the disease.

Nine sailors have been hospitalized for the disease, said the report.

WASHINGTON, April 21 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson reaffirmed their close cooperation to reopen global economies during a phone conversation on Tuesday, according to the White House.

"President Trump and Prime Minister Johnson reaffirmed their close cooperation through the G7 and G20 to reopen global economies and ensure medical care and supplies reach all those in need," the White House said in a statement.

WASHINGTON, April 21 (Xinhua) -- The number of COVID-19 cases in the United States topped 800,000 on Tuesday with deaths surpassing 43,000, while Americans are increasingly divided over when and how to reopen the economy.

The country's confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 804,194 with a death toll of 43,200 by 2:30 p.m. (1830 GMT) on Tuesday, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Setting aside their differences for at least an afternoon, President Donald Trump and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo agreed in an Oval Office meeting to work to double coronavirus testing in the hard-hit state over the next few weeks.

“We will work together to help them secure additional tests,” Trump said after Tuesday’s meeting. “And we hope that this model will work with the other states as well.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Seeking to unite Democrats, Joe Biden has raced to line up supporters ranging from progressive icon Bernie Sanders to former President Barack Obama, whose administration sometimes irked liberals. But the person with the most influence may be Michelle Obama.

The former first lady is a unique figure in a deeply polarizing political environment, exceedingly popular with the party faithful while also having some appeal with Republicans and independents.