World News Hits on Saturday

SEENews reviews the most dominating headlines of the daily world news. The following are the news that topped news websites today.

Queen Elizabeth cancels gun salutes for her birthday: ITV reporter

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth has asked that there be no gun salutes to mark her birthday on Tuesday, a reporter for ITV News said on Twitter, saying that the monarch did not feel it appropriate in light of the coronavirus crisis.(Reuters)

Coronavirus: Concern over protective kit guidance change

Concerns have been raised that updated government guidance on personal protective equipment (PPE) could put hospital staff and patients at risk.(BBC)

Georgia's defiant Orthodox church will host Easter worshipers despite lockdown

At first glance, the republic of Georgia has been a success story in the fight against the novel coronavirus: the outbreak in the small Caucasus nation has remained limited, with just 370 official cases as of Friday morning.(CNN)

Coronavirus latest: Global deaths pass 150,000 as countries look towards relaxing restrictions

The global death toll due to COVID-19 passed 150,000 as daily death tolls continued to be in the hundreds for many of the worst affected countries in Europe.(Euronews)

Saudi Arabia may sell one of its highest volumes of oil to US before OPEC deal comes into effect – reports

Before the historic oil cuts agreed by major producers come into force in May, Saudi Arabia could sell around 600,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude to its overseas ally the US, Bloomberg reported. (Russia Today)

Trump Confirms US ‘Looking Into’ Reports the COVID-19 Virus Possibly Escaped Chinese Lab in Wuhan

US President Donald Trump has weighed in on claims that the COVID-19 virus escaped from a virology lab in the Chinese city of Wuhan before spreading at a slaughter market there, reports The Washington Times. (Sputnik)

Governors cautiously shape plans to reopen states after Trump unveils new guidelines for coronavirus

Governors edged Friday toward relaxing restrictions to combat coronavirus after President Donald Trump released new national guidelines, but they cautioned that testing shortages and other hurdles could hinder progress to revive the economy. (USA Today)

Stimulus checks and other relief hindered by 1960s technology and rocky rollout

The Trump administration’s promise of swift and effective action is colliding with a federal and state apparatus ill-equipped to deliver so much money so fast. (The Washington Post)