USA

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The cruise ship forced to idle for days off the California coast because of a cluster of coronavirus cases aboard arrived in port Monday, and dozen of passengers began to leave for military bases where they would be quarantined or to return to their home countries.

The Grand Princess pulled into the Port of Oakland with more than 3,500 people aboard — 21 confirmed to be infected with the new virus. Passengers lining the balconies waved and some left the cabins where they had been in isolation to go on deck.

NEW YORK, March 9 (NNN-Xinhua) — The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the US state of New York surged to 105 on Sunday, or 16 more than the day before, according to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

“Sixteen overnight,” said the governor, who declared a state of emergency Saturday over the deadly virus. “We did more tests overnight.”

Cuomo called on the U.S. federal government to expedite their approval of private labs and automated and manual testing to expand New York State’s testing capacity, according to an announcement from the governor’s press office.

WASHINGTON, March 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The number of confirmed US coronavirus cases soared past 500 Sunday, including two further deaths, as President Donald Trump defended his administration’s “perfectly coordinated” response to the epidemic.

The surge came as medics headed to a cruise ship off the California coast to prepare passengers for landfall, and Senator Ted Cruz went into self-quarantine after shaking hands with an infected person.

MIAMI, March 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazilian and US governments signed an agreement for development of defence projects that may give the South American country access to financing.

The agreement allows partnerships in development of defence technology by private companies, that may use public financing from both countries. Companies may request financing from the US defence research fund.

Brazil’s defence industry has around 220 companies and exports to around 85 countries.

UNITED NATIONS, Mar 09 (APP): The world will not be able to achieve the anti-poverty Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) if half the planet is left behind, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said on Sunday, the International Women’s Day.

WASHINGTON, March 8. /TASS/: The United States did not veto a draft resolution on Syria at the United Nations Security Council, US State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus wrote on her Twitter page on Sunday.

"The US appreciates the consultations at the UNSC yesterday on Idlib. Contrary to reports, there was no veto or blocking of anything. The US will continue to monitor the security situation in northwest Syria and consult with Turkey on arrangements for an enduring ceasefire," she tweeted.

9 March 2020; AFP: Twitter has used a new policy to identify misleading content for the first time on a post retweeted by US President Donald Trump that appeared to show Democratic Party rival Joe Biden endorsing his re-election.

The social media platform has struggled with removing deceptive and abusive content in the past, but has also faced accusations its curbs have suppressed some political views.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — Joe Biden has received the endorsement of one of the nation’s largest gun control advocacy groups, Everytown for Gun Safety, in the latest sign that Bernie Sanders’ spotty record on guns may be weighing him down in the presidential primary.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kamala Harris endorsed Joe Biden on Sunday and said she would “do everything in my power″ to help elect him, becoming the latest dropout from the Democratic race for president to line up behind the former vice president in his battle with Bernie Sanders for the nomination.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — As the coronavirus hits more states, Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders said Sunday his campaign is gauging when it may become necessary to cancel the large campaign rallies that public health experts say could be breeding grounds to spread the potentially deadly illness.

“Obviously what is most important to us is to protect the health of the American people,” Sanders said as he appeared in a series of TV interviews. “And what I will tell you, we are talking to public health officials all over this country.”