US President Donald Trump has sent a letter to the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) threatening to pull US funding permanently over Covid-19.

The letter outlines a 30-day deadline for the body to commit to "substantive improvements" or risk losing millions and US membership altogether.

Addressed to WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, it criticises stages of the body's response since December.

Earlier on Monday, Mr Trump called the UN's health body a "puppet of China".

The president, who faces re-election this year and has himself been criticised for his handling of the pandemic, has blamed China for trying to cover up the outbreak and has accused the WHO of failing to hold Beijing to account.

Source: BBC

BDST: 1626 HRS, MAY 19, 2020
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