Republican senators ask U.N. chief for independent WHO review panel
Leading Republicans in the U.S. Senate on Friday asked the United Nations to conduct an independent review of the World Health Organization response to the coronavirus pandemic, saying the body appeared to have shown “remarkable deference” to China.
U.S. sending ventilators, coronavirus help to other countries: Trump
The United States will send ventilators to Honduras, Ecuador, Indonesia, and El Salvador, President Donald Trump said on Twitter on Friday, as the coronavirus pandemic continued to devastate countries around the world.
Italy’s coronavirus epidemic began in January, study shows
The first COVID-19 infections in Italy date back to January, according to a scientific study presented on Friday, shedding new light on the origins of the outbreak in one of the world’s worst-affected countries.
Six-year-old Indian girl raped in latest in grim series of sex attacks
Indian police on Friday arrested a 21-year-old man suspected of raping and severely damaging the eyes of a six-year-old girl from his village, the latest in a series of grim sex attacks in the country.
Brazil justice minister to quit after Bolsonaro fires top cop: source
Brazilian Justice Sergio Moro will announce his resignation on Friday, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters, after President Jair Bolsonaro fired the head of the federal police.
Britain, EU fail to bridge gaps in future relationship talks
Britain and the European Union showed little sign of progress towards a deal on their post-Brexit relationship this week, failing to bridge differences over future competition and EU fishing access to British waters.
Germans told not to lower guard as lockdown is eased
Germany’s coronavirus infection rate needs to fall further – to a few hundred cases a day – before lockdown measures can be eased further, its main public health institution said on Friday.
EU’s amorphous recovery fund bails out Italian PM, for now
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, struggling to map a way out of Italy’s coronavirus crisis and facing political fire from all sides, has won much-needed breathing space from the European Union.
EU accused of risking climate goals with ‘no strings attached’ state handouts
The European Union is facing pressure from environmentalists and lawmakers to attach conditions to state aid packages to protect climate goals, as countries pump cash into ailing firms and polluting sectors during the coronavirus pandemic.
World leaders launch WHO plan to curb COVID-19, U.S. not involved
World leaders pledged on Friday to accelerate work on tests, drugs and vaccines against COVID-19 and to share them around the globe, but the United States did not take part in the launch of the World Health Organization (WHO) initiative.
