36 MN SOUGHT JOBLESS AID IN THE US

WASHINGTON: Nearly 3 million laid- off Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week as the pandemic led more companies to slash jobs.

Roughly 36.5 million people have now filed for jobless aid in the two months since the coronavirus first forced millions of businesses to close their doors, the labour department said on Thursday. An additional 842,000 people applied for aid last week through a separate federal programme for the self-employed and gig workers.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has countered top health official Anthony Fauci’s suggestion that the reopening of businesses and schools in the country shouldn’t be rushed.

“He wants to play all sides of the equation,” Trump said about the senior member of the coronavirus task force. “I was surprised - I was surprised by his answer because, to me, it’s not an acceptable answer, especially when it comes to schools.”

Trump added, “Our country’s got to get back and it’s got to get back as soon as possible. I don’t consider our country coming back if the schools are closed.”

In the past 24 hours, 1,763 people in the country died from Covid-19.