Shawdesh Desk:

US President Donald Trump has announced that he is terminating the country’s relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO).

The president has accused the WHO of failing to hold Beijing to account over the coronavirus pandemic.

“China has total control over the World Health Organization,” the president said while announcing measures aimed at punishing Beijing, reports BBC.

Washington will redirect funds to other bodies, he said.

The US is the global health agency’s largest single contributor, providing more than $400m (£324m; €360m) in 2019.

Mr Trump, who is campaigning for re-election this year and has been criticised for his own handling of the pandemic, has blamed China for trying to cover up the coronavirus outbreak.

More than 102,000 people in the US have lost their lives to Covid-19 – by far the biggest death toll in the world.