USA

NEW YORK (AP) — Harvey Weinstein was transferred to a state prison in New York on Wednesday as he begins to serve a 23-year sentence for rape and sexual assault in his landmark #MeToo case.

The disgraced film mogul, who will turn 68 on Thursday, is locked up at the maximum security Wende Correctional Facility near Buffalo, according to state prison officials. He is known behind bars as inmate No. 20B0584.

THE EDGE OF THE GILA WILDERNESS, N.M. (AP) — A voice interrupted the crackle of the radio at basecamp: “Starting pursuit.”

The rest of the team on the ground was anxious to hear those words after the low-flying helicopter crew had been working all morning to get close to one of the Mexican gray wolves that had been targeted as part of an annual survey of the endangered predators.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he doesn’t think calling COVID-19 the “Chinese virus” — or the “kung-flu,” as one administration official reportedly called it — puts Asian Americans at risk of retaliation despite growing reports they are facing virus-related discrimination.

Since coronavirus infections started appearing in the United States in January, Asian Americans have shared stories of minor aggression to blatant attacks from people blaming them for the pandemic, which has killed more than 130 people in the United States.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Describing himself as a “wartime president” fighting an invisible enemy, President Donald Trump on Wednesday invoked rarely used emergency powers to marshal critical medical supplies against the coronavirus pandemic. Trump also signed an aid package — which the Senate approved earlier Wednesday — that will guarantee sick leave to workers who fall ill.

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 18 (APP): With attention focused on efforts to combat the deadly coronavirus pandemic, a senior United Nations humanitarian official has reminded the international community that millions of vulnerable people are still relying on U.N.’s life-saving assistance to survive.

Jens Laerke, Deputy Spokesperson at the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Wednesday said in Geneva that some of the countries affected by the coronavirus pandemic are already in humanitarian crisis — due to conflicts, natural disasters and climate change.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Boeing Co on Tuesday called for a $60 billion lifeline for the struggling U.S. aerospace manufacturing industry, which faces huge losses from the coronavirus pandemic.

Reuters first reported that Boeing was seeking “tens of billions of dollars” in U.S. government loan guarantees and other assistance as faces it a looming liquidity crunch due to the coronavirus’ impact on the aviation sector, two people briefed on the matter told Reuters.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The April 21 state visit by Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia to the White House has been postponed as both countries work on their response to the coronavirus, the White House said on Wednesday.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump look forward to welcoming the royal couple in the near future, it said in a statement. “The United States will continue to work with Spain and all of our European partners to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” it said.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders plans to talk with supporters to “assess his campaign” after bruising losses to Joe Biden in the most recent round of voting, his campaign said in a statement on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON, March 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday rejected economically devastated Venezuela’s request for a $5 billion loan to help it cope with the onslaught of coronavirus on the country.

WASHINGTON, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The United States slapped sanctions against Syrian Defense Minister Ali Abdullah Ayoub for his alleged actions of ceasefire obstruction in northern Syria, U.S. State Department said in a statement on Tuesday.

The statement accused Ayoub of preventing a ceasefire from taking hold in northern Syria since December 2019, adding that "this obstruction resulted in almost a million people being displaced."