Tag: WHO

Trump Attacks World Health Organization To Deflect From His Own Failures

President Donald Trump is now scapegoating the World Health Organization (WHO), claiming it must be held accountable for what he claims is their fault that the coronavirus spread into the United States. Trump took no responsibility for his actions allowing the coronavirus to spread throughout the U.S.

America is now the number one in the world for deaths and number of cases.

The WHO is Trump’s seventh target for blame to deflect from his horrific mismanagement of the coronavirus pandemic. Continue reading.

Bill Gates, in rebuke of Trump, calls WHO funding cut during pandemic ‘as dangerous as it sounds’

Washington Post logoMicrosoft co-founder Bill Gates criticized President Trump’s decision to suspend funding to the World Health Organization as “dangerous,” saying the payments should continue particularly during the global coronavirus pandemic.

“Halting funding for the World Health Organization during a world health crisis is as dangerous as it sounds,” Gates tweeted early Wednesday. “Their work is slowing the spread of COVID-19 and if that work is stopped no other organization can replace them. The world needs @WHO now more than ever.”

The United States, the organization’s largest donor, has committed to provide the WHO with $893 million during its current two-year funding period, a State Department spokesperson told The Washington Post. Continue reading.

WHO chief calls for ‘unity’ after Trump funding threat

“With unity, with solidarity, at a national level and global level, resources will not be a problem,” Tedros said.

The World Health Organization pushed back on Wednesday against growing criticism from the United States and Taiwan, with top officials defending their handling of the coronavirus pandemic against accusations that they were too quick to accept China’s view of the outbreak.

The WHO’s Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus largely deflected questions about the threat by U.S. President Donald Trump to cut off funding to the U.N.-linked global health body, expressing his hope that American support would continue.

“With unity, with solidarity, at a national level and global level, resources will not be a problem,” Tedros said, going on to thank the United States for its long history of support for global health, which he called “a bipartisan proposition.” Continue reading.

Dow enters bear market after coronavirus declared pandemic

Washington Post logoThe blue chip index dives nearly 1,500 points as a record, 11-year stock rally comes to a close

Wall Street went into a deep slump Wednesday, falling so far and so fast that the Dow Jones industrial average officially tipped into a bear market, ending a record 11-year stock rally.

The bear market reflects a 20 percent fall from record highs, which the Dow hit less than a month ago, and came after the coronavirus officially became a pandemic. The World Health Organization’s declaration Wednesday reflected its alarm that countries aren’t working quickly and aggressively enough to fight the disease covid-19, caused by the coronavirus.

The Dow — already deep in the red for the day — tumbled nearly 1,500 points after the WHO announcement. It closed at 23,553, a nearly 6 percent decline on the day. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index flirted with bear territory before closing just above the mark at 2,741, a 4.9 percent fall for the session. The Nasdaq composite tumbled 4.7 percent to 7,952. All three indexes are in negative territory for the year.

WHO declares coronavirus a pandemic

The Hill logoThe World Health Organization (WHO) is officially calling the coronavirus a pandemic.

“WHO has been assessing this outbreak around the clock and we are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

“We have therefore made the assessment that Covid-19 can be characterized as a pandemic,” he added. Continue reading.