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 Trump campaigns to Michigan crowd, defying state coronavirus safety
rules
U.S. President Donald Trump predicted at a rally in Michigan on
Thursday that he would win the election battleground state as
thousands of cheering, largely maskless supporters defied state
guidelines aimed at containing the novel coronavirus.
Trump criticized Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer's coronavirus
restrictions, saying she "doesn't have a clue" about reopening the
state's economy, drawing cheers from the crowd.
Whitmer's office had no immediate comment on the event, which
appeared to violate state guidelines requiring social distancing and
limiting large crowds. She told a news conference earlier Thursday
she was concerned about plans for the rally, and would keep close
tabs on infection rates in the region.
Philippine presidential spokesman links U.S. Marine pardon to
vaccine access
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's decision to pardon a United
States Marine convicted of killing a transgender woman nearly six
years ago may have stemmed from his desire to get access to
coronavirus vaccines being developed by U.S. firms, his spokesman
said on Thursday.
Duterte on Monday pardoned Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton,
who was serving a six- to 10-year sentence for killing Jennifer
Laude near a former U.S. navy base in 2014, sparking condemnation
from activists who described the move as a "mockery of justice".
The spokesman, Harry Roque, who served as lawyer in the prosecution
of Pemberton, had likened Laude's killing to the "death of
Philippine sovereignty". On Thursday, he said: "I think this pardon,
although this is my personal opinion, was to ensure Filipinos would
benefit from a vaccine against COVID-19 should the Americans develop
one. I don't see any problem with that".
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Coronavirus aid bill killed in U.S. Senate
The U.S. Senate on Thursday killed a Republican bill that would have provided
around $300 billion in new coronavirus aid, as Democrats seeking far more
funding prevented it from advancing.
House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters before the failed
Senate vote on Thursday that she thought negotiations could still produce a
compromise before the Nov. 3 presidential and congressional elections. But after
the vote, several Republican senators were skeptical.
Congress is now expected to mainly focus its work on other pressing legislation
so members can return to their home states in October to campaign for
re-election.
World must scale up clinical trials, says WHO
The head of the World Health Organization urged countries on Thursday to
contribute resources that can expedite products which may help stem the
coronavirus pandemic.
The WHO's ACT-Accelerator programme already supports research into potential
vaccines, drugs and diagnostics, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
told an online event.
"But we need to rapidly scale up our clinical trials, manufacturing, licensing
and regulation capacity so that these products can get to people and start
saving lives," he said.
(Compiled by Karishma Singh. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
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