Philippines confirms eight more coronavirus deaths, 590 new cases

MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines’ health ministry on Saturday reported eight additional deaths from the novel coronavirus and 590 new infections.

In a bulletin, the ministry said total deaths have increased to 950 while confirmed cases have reached 17,224. It added that 88 more patients have recovered, bringing total recoveries to 3,808.

EU Urges U.S. to Reconsider Decision to Break Ties With WHO

The European Union called on the U.S. to reconsider its decision to terminate its relationship with the World Health Organization, which President Donald Trump has accused of being too deferential to China.

“Global cooperation and solidarity through multilateral efforts are the only effective and viable avenues to win this battle the world is facing,” according to a joint statement Saturday from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the bloc’s chief foreign envoy, Josep Borrell. “We urge the U.S. to reconsider its announced decision.”

Trump said Friday that the U.S. would be “terminating our relationship with the WHO,” but it wasn’t immediately clear how he intended to carry out his vow or how quickly the U.S. could withdraw from the treaty it signed to join the organization, which is part of the United Nations.

“We have detailed reforms that they must make and engage with them directly, but they have refused to act,” Trump said.

The president had previously suspended funding to the WHO, complaining that it had been complicit with China in concealing the extent of risks posed by the coronavirus pandemic, which originated in Hubei province.

S. Africa Opens 4 Airports for Business Travel as Lockdown Eases

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South Africa will permit air travel from four main airports from Monday as the nation eases lockdown measures put in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Limited domestic flights will be allowed for business purposes, and passengers must ask for authorization based on their reason for travel, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said in a televised briefing on Saturday. Flights will begin operating from OR Tambo International and Lanseria airports in Johannesburg, and from Cape Town and Durban in phase one of the plan.

South Africa is loosening rules first put in place late March that shuttered most of the economy and threatened the viability of its airlines.

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Spain coronavirus death toll up by four to 27,125 on Saturday

MADRID (Reuters) – Spain’s death toll from the novel coronavirus rose by four on Saturday to 27,125, the health ministry said.

It said the total number of COVID-19 infections increased by 664 on Saturday to 239,228.

Peru doctors warn they cannot cope with coronavirus infections

Doctors and nurses in Peru say hospitals cannot cope with the rising number of coronavirus infections and are demanding more government help.

Doctors and nurses in Peru say hospitals cannot cope with the rising number of coronavirus infections and are demanding more government help.

Latin America’s second hardest hit country has endured one of the world’s longest mandatory lockdowns since March.

More than 1,300 doctors have been infected.

At least 141,000 infections have been reported and more than 4,000 deaths – including dozens of doctors.

Al Jazeera’s Priyanka Gupta reports.

New York Reports 67 New Virus Deaths, Same as Yesterday

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New York reported 67 new deaths related to the coronavirus, Governor Andrew Cuomo said at a Saturday press conference. The figure was the same as reported on Friday and the fifth straight day below 75 fatalities.

Hospitalizations continued to fall.

As Protests Erupt Nationwide, Trump Lauds Secret Service for Coming Down 'Hard' on White House Rioters

CNN White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins tweeted Friday that groups of protesters were gathering in front of the White House chanting the words "I can't breathe" — echoing Floyd's desperate pleas heard in video footage of a Minneapolis police officer pinning the truck driver to the ground with a knee on the unarmed man's neck.

Derek Chauvin, the officer in the video, was fired from the department on Tuesday. Then on Friday, Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter by Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman.

The three other officers who were present at the time of Floyd's death are still under investigation, Freeman said during a press conference on Friday. He anticipates that they, too, will soon be facing charges.