On COVID-19, China either made a terrible mistake or probably it was incompetence: Trump
Washington: The spread of the deadly coronavirus across the globe from China was either a terrible mistake on the part of the Chinese or probably it was incompetence, US President Donald Trump said on Thursday.
"It (coronavirus) could have been stopped at the point. It could have been stopped right at the source. It would have been easy to do, but something happened. Something happened," he told reporters in the Oval Office of the White House.
"Either they made a terrible mistake -- probably it was incompetence. Somebody was stupid and they did not do the job that they should have done. It is too bad," the president said in response to a question.
More than 2,64,000 people have died of COVID-19 globally and 37 lakh tested positive for the disease. In the US alone, more than 76,000 Americans have died and 12 lakh people tested positive for coronavirus.
The deadly virus has spread to over 180 countries, Trump pointed out.
Meanwhile, House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy announced the formation of the China Task Force, which will bring together select members from key committees to help reinforce Congressional efforts to counter the current and emerging cross-jurisdictional threats from China.
The task force was originally designed to be a joint effort with Democrat colleagues, but after delaying for more than a year, the majority never launched the initiative, the Republican leader said.
"As we learn more about COVID-19, one thing has become clear -- China's coverup directly led to this crisis. The Communist Party of China hid the seriousness of the disease, led a propaganda campaign blaming the US, used their supplies to exert influence and continue to refuse international experts to investigate what happened," McCarthy said.
"It follows the same threatening pattern of behaviour we have seen from the Chinese Communist Party for years -- something that has long been the bipartisan consensus in Washington," he added.
In a related development, 27 members of the Senate and House condemned Chinese Ambassador Cheng Jingye's comments and expressed support for Australia's decision to pursue the investigation.
The comments insinuated that Australia may face economic retaliation after calling for an independent investigation into the origins of the coronavirus, including boycotts of Australian wine and beef.
"This incident is part of a broader and concerning pattern from the Chinese government," the lawmakers said in a statement.
"As we continue to confront this deadly disease and its consequences, we will be faced with many tough decisions, including those that may arise from the Chinese government's continued lack of cooperation and transparency. One decision that is not difficult is to always stand with our Australian mates. No matter the external pressure or coercion, we will always have Australia's back, just as Australia has always had ours," they said.
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Violence reported in several parts of Kerala after civic poll results
Kozhikode (PTI): Violence erupted overnight at various places across Kerala, particularly in northern districts, following the announcement of local body election results, police said.
In Eramala in Kozhikode district, tension prevailed throughout the night after the Indira Gandhi Bhavan, a Congress office, was allegedly attacked by CPI(M) workers.
According to an FIR registered at Edachery police station, around 200 people marched towards the Congress office carrying dangerous weapons and vandalised the building, causing damage estimated at around Rs five lakh.
A statue of late prime minister Indira Gandhi was also damaged in the attack, police said. Soon after, UDF activists gathered at the spot, further aggravating the situation.
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However, with the deployment of additional police personnel, the situation was brought under control, an officer said.
Police said another violent incident was reported at Marad, where stones were allegedly pelted at a UDF victory procession, leaving several persons injured.
In Sultan Bathery in Wayanad district, police registered a case after a car carrying a UDF activist and his family members was allegedly attacked by around 40 CPI(M) workers, an official said.
Sultan Bathery police also booked UDF activists in a separate incident for allegedly attacking a CPI(M) worker who objected to the bursting of crackers near his house, the officer said.
In Panoor in Kannur district, houses of several Muslim League activists were allegedly attacked by CPI(M) workers. Vehicles parked at the houses were also damaged.
According to Panoor police, the violence broke out after a UDF victory rally was allegedly stopped by CPI(M) workers armed with swords and daggers. Some UDF leaders sustained injuries in the clash.
Clashes were also reported between UDF and LDF workers at Ulikkal in Kannur district, though police intervention brought the situation under control later in the night, an officer in the Ulikkal police station said.
In Bedakom in Kasaragod district, an LDF victory march turned violent after CPI(M) activists allegedly intercepted UDF workers passing through the area. Some policemen who intervened suffered minor injuries, an officer said.
Similar violence was reported from Neyyattinkara in Thiruvananthapuram district following clashes between CPI(M) and BJP workers. Police said workers from both sides sustained minor injuries and were admitted to hospitals. Cases will be registered after formal complaints are received, police said.
