'NOT HAPPY RIGHT NOW': TRUMP RULES OUT US RENEGOTIATING TRADE DEAL WITH

CHINA

U.S. President Donald Trump has ruled out renegotiating the trade deal with

China and expressed disappointment over Beijing's handling of the

coronavirus outbreak, which has spread across the world killing over

3,00,000 people, including 80,000 in America.

The U.S. and China in the beginning of the year signed Phase-1 of a trade

deal, ending a bitter two-year tariff war that had rattled the global

economy.

"The Chinese said somewhere that they would like to renegotiate the (trade)

deal. We are not going to renegotiate," Mr. Trump told Fox Business News on

Thursday.

"Look, I'm not happy about anything having to do with that particular

subject (China) right now. Everything I said turned out to be right. You

look at other countries they charge us tariffs to do business and we are not

allowed to charge them," he said.

Responding to a question, Mr. Trump said the Chinese have always stolen

Intellectual Property (IP) from the U.S. "They were never called (out). Now

they are being called out," he said.

"We can stop them, they are going to try doing it. I mean you could also

stop doing business with them, that is one thing. Look, we have lost a

fortune dealing with China. We have rebuilt China," he said.

'BILLIONS OF DOLLARS': TRUMP WITHDRAWS US PENSION FUND FROM CHINA

INVESTMENTS

US President Donald Trump has confirmed that his administration has asked

for the withdrawal of billions of dollars in American pension fund

investments in China and that other similar actions were in consideration.

The US and China relations have deteriorated after the coronavirus outbreak.

The US has expressed disappointment over Beijing's handling of the

coronavirus which has claimed over 80,000 lives in America. China has also

been accused of stealing Intellectual Property and research work.

"Billions of dollars, billions... Yeah, I pulled it back," Trump said on Fox

Business News on Thursday when asked about reports that the US had pulled

out billions of dollars of American pension funds in Chinese investment.

Meanwhile, China is mulling actions against US lawmakers who have introduced

a legislation in the Senate proposing sanctions against China for its

handling of the coronavirus outbreak, according to news reports.

"The Chinese government is lashing out at those who are appropriately trying

to hold them accountable for intentionally misleading us about the nature of

the novel coronavirus, where it was spreading and how quickly things were

getting out of control. I consider their threats a badge of honour,"

Congressman Jim Banks said.

SANOFI CEO PLEDGES VIRUS VACCINE FOR ALL AFTER FRENCH BACKLASH

Sanofi chief executive Paul Hudson said on Thursday it was vital that any

coronavirus vaccine reach all parts of the world, after angering the French

government earlier by saying some countries would get priority access.

But the CEO of the French pharmaceutical giant stood firm on the need for a

faster, more collaborative European effort in the hunt for a vaccine to the

new coronavirus that has killed over 298,000 globally and crippled economies

worldwide.

Hudson told Bloomberg on Wednesday that vaccine doses produced in the United

States could go to U.S. patients first, given the country had supported the

research financially.

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe had said there should be no

favourites in the roll-out of an eventual vaccine. Equal access was

non-negotiable, he said.

Hudson said on Thursday it was vital that any coronavirus vaccine reach all

regions and he was sorry that his earlier remarks had created such a storm.

Sanofi, which has urged stronger European coordination in the hunt for a

vaccine and has U.S. financial support, clarified that any such vaccine

would be made available to all.

CHINA STEALING US RESEARCH ON COVID-19: POMPEO

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday accused China of "stealing"

U.S. intellectual property and data related to COVID-19 research.

Mr. Pompeo's allegations came a day after the FBI and the Department of

Homeland Security claimed that organisations conducting research into

COVID-19 may be targeted by computer hackers linked to the Chinese

government.

The U.S. condemns attempts by cyber actors and non-traditional collectors

affiliated with People's Republic of China (PRC) to steal U.S. intellectual

property and data related to COVID-19 research, Mr. Pompeo said in a

statement.

The United States calls on China to cease this malicious activity, Mr.

Pompeo said, adding that the potential theft of this information jeopardises

the delivery of secure, effective, and efficient treatment options.

China on Thursday termed as slanderous the U.S. accusation that hackers

backed by Beijing may be attempting to steal COVID-19 related research and

vaccine materials and said that "smearing and scapegoating" others will not

make the deadly virus go away.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said U.S. officials are

shifting the blame on Beijing as they struggled to handle the coronavirus

pandemic back home.

The FBI said that it is "investigating the targeting and compromise of U.S.

organisations conducting COVID-19-related research by China-affiliated cyber

actors and non-traditional collectors."

"These actors have been observed attempting to identify and illicitly obtain

valuable intellectual property (IP) and public health data related to

vaccines, treatments, and testing from networks and personnel affiliated

with COVID-19-related research," the FBI said.

ISRAELI GOVERNMENT FORMATION DELAYED

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rival-turned-partner, Benny Gantz,

on Thursday postponed the swearing-in of their controversial new government

as the Israeli leader rushed to quell infighting within his Likud party.

In a joint announcement, the two men said they would hold a swearing-in

ceremony on Sunday to give Mr. Netanyahu more time to hand out coveted

Cabinet appointments to members of his party.

After three deadlocked and divisive elections, and a year and a half of

political paralysis, Israel had hoped to swear in the new government on

Thursday.

Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Gantz, a former military chief, announced last month

they would put their differences aside and join forces to steer the country

through the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis and its severe economic fallout.

Just as the government was set to be sworn on Thursday, the two men

announced the delay in a joint statement, saying Mr. Gantz had agreed to a

request by Mr. Netanyahu to wait until Sunday.

The coalition deal calls for Mr. Netanyahu to serve as Prime Minister for

the government's first 18 months before being replaced by Mr. Gantz for the

next 18 months. Their blocs will have a similar number of Ministers and

virtual veto power over the other's major decisions.

PAKISTAN AWARDS DIAMER-BHASHA DAM CONTRACT OF 442 BILLION PKR TO JOINT

VENTURE BETWEEN POWER CHINA AND FWO

Prime Minister Imran Khan's government has signed a whopping 442 billion

Pakistani Rupees (PKR) contract with a joint venture of a Chinese state-run

firm and a commercial arm of Pakistan's military for the construction of the

Diamer-Bhasha dam.

Chinese state-run firm China Power holds 70% and the Frontier Works

Organisation (FWO), a commercial arm of the Armed Forces of Pakistan, 30%

share in the consortium, Dawn newspaper reported.

The contract signed on Wednesday covers construction of a diversion system,

main dam, access bridge and the 21MW Tangir hydropower project.

The eight Million Acre Feet (MAF) reservoir with 272-metre height will be

the tallest roller compact concrete (RCC) dam in the world. It will have a

spillway, 14 gates and five outlets for flushing out silt. The diversion

system involves two tunnels and a diversion canal - all three having one

kilometre length each, the paper said.

The bridge - a box girder structure - under the contract will be constructed

downstream of the dam structure while the 21MW power plant will be built to

meet energy requirements of the project during construction.

Prime Minister Khan was briefed on the progress of the project a couple of

days ago. The construction work on dam will begin in a couple of weeks.

CORONAVIRUS | BANGLADESH BUILDS HUGE FIELD HOSPITAL

Bangladesh has prepared a huge field hospital in three weeks to treat

coronavirus (COVID-19) patients in an attempt to fight the intensifying

outbreak in the country. The South Asian nation has reported nearly 18,000

infections and 269 deaths from COVID-19 despite a countrywide lockdown. The

2,084-bed Bashundhara Convention Centre Grid Hospital (BCCGH) comprises

three convention centres and a large temporary structure at a 2.5 million

square-foot compound.

Only a handful of state-run hospitals in Bangladesh are currently treating

coronavirus patients, and officials are hoping the new 2,084-bed facility in

the capital Dhaka will help ease pressure on the country's healthcare

infrastructure.

"If we can manage necessary manpower, we will be able to provide much better

service in this isolation centre," the hospital's director Ehsanul Haq told

AFP on Wednesday, referring to the more than 4,000 healthcare workers needed

before it can start operations.

The 2,084-bed Bashundhara Convention Centre Grid Hospital (BCCGH) comprises

three convention centres and a large temporary structure at a 2.5 million

square-foot compound lent by the Bashundhara Group, one of the largest

private companies in Bangladesh.

With fears rising in Bangladesh about a massive spike in cases, the

hospital's ability to more than double its capacity to 5,000 beds is likely

to prove useful to authorities.

PETITIONS CHALLENGE SRI LANKAN GOVERNMENT'S COMPULSORY CREMATION RULE

Former Cabinet Minister and All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) leader Rishad

Bathiudeen on Thursday petitioned the Sri Lankan Supreme Court, challenging

health authorities' decision to cremate all coronavirus (COVID-19) victims -

and those suspected to have died from it - including Muslims.

As of Thursday, Sri Lanka reported 916 cases, 445 recoveries and nine

deaths. Of the deceased, four were Muslims, who were cremated against their

families' wishes. Three other Muslims who died recently were also cremated,

on suspicion of the COVID-19 infection.

"Despite millions of infections of the virus across the world and hundreds

of thousands of deaths and burials of cadavers, hitherto there is not even a

single report of infection being caused by burial of a cadaver," Mr.

Bathiudeen said in a statement, urging authorities to respect the religious

beliefs of the Muslim community.

On April 11, the government issued a gazette notification making cremations

mandatory for COVID-related deaths.

The new rules shocked Sri Lanka's Muslim community that makes up about 10%

of the island's 21 million population. Community leaders and religious

bodies, including the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama, have voiced concern,

citing the World Health Organization's guidelines that say victims can be

"buried or cremated."

However, with no change in the government's position, civil society

activists filed at least five fundamental rights petitions last week at the

Supreme Court.