(FILES) In this file photo taken on April 27, 2020 US President Donald Trump takes part in a meeting with industry executives on the coronavirus, COVID-19, response in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, DC on April 27, 2020. 鈥� US President Donald Trump suggested he may seek damages from China over the coronavirus pandemic which began in the Chinese city of Wuhan and spread around the world, prompting a furious response from Beijing on April 28, 2020. Beijing and Washington have clashed repeatedly over the outbreak as tensions have soared between the world鈥檚 two biggest economic powers. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP)
WASHINGTON 鈥� Donald Trump claimed he has seen evidence the new coronavirus originated in a Chinese lab, as he threatened tariffs on Beijing over its role in the global pandemic.
The U.S. president鈥檚 assertion was immediately undermined by his intelligence chief and by his top diplomat, who said: 鈥淲e don鈥檛 know precisely where it began.鈥�
Trump鈥檚 latest anti-China barb came as new figures showed 30 million Americans have lost their jobs during lockdown.
The gloom in the world鈥檚 largest economy found its parallel across the Atlantic, where聽experts warned of an unprecedented financial catastrophe in Europe.
More than 230,000 people are known to have died in a pandemic that has forced more than half of humanity to live under some kind of lockdown.
Scientists believe the virus jumped from animals to humans, emerging in China late last year, possibly from a market selling exotic animals for meat.
But speculation has swirled about a top-secret lab, reinforced by internet rumors and right-wing shock jocks 鈥� and increasingly taken up by the US president.
Asked if he had seen anything giving him a high degree of confidence that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was the source of the outbreak, Trump replied, 鈥淵es, I have.鈥�
He refused to give details.
However, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo indicated he had not seen definitive evidence.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 know precisely where it began,鈥� he said.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 know if it came from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.聽We don鈥檛 know if it emanated from the wet market or yet some other place.聽We don鈥檛 know those answers.鈥�
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence said analysts 鈥渨ill continue to rigorously examine emerging information and intelligence to determine鈥� the source of the outbreak.
Beijing has denied the lab was the source of the virus.
Last month foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said: 鈥�(World Health Organization) officials have repeatedly stated that there is no single evidence that the new coronavirus was produced in a laboratory.鈥�
鈥淢any well-known聽medical experts in the world also believe that the so-called laboratory leak hypothesis has no scientific basis,鈥�
Trump is making Beijing鈥檚 handling of the outbreak a major issue for his November re-election campaign.
When asked about reports that he could cancel US debt obligations to China, Trump said he could 鈥渄o it differently鈥� and act in 鈥渕ore of a forthright manner鈥�.
鈥淚 could do the same thing but even for more money, just putting on tariffs,鈥� he said.
Eurozone gloom
The latest jobless claims by another 3.84 million Americans mean roughly nine percent of the US population have filed for unemployment benefits in the past six weeks.
The economic costs of lockdowns imposed to try to limit the spread of the disease have spilled over into frustration.
In Michigan, protesters 鈥� some of them armed 鈥� stormed the state capitol building, demanding the removal of restrictions, which they say hurt the economy and represent governmental overreach.
The depressing US jobs data compounded a tough message from European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde.
鈥淭he euro area is facing an economic contraction of magnitude and speed that are unprecedented in peacetime,鈥� she warned.
ECB economists expect output in the 19-nation currency club to shrink by 鈥渇ive to 12 percent鈥� this year, she added.
Lockdowns ease
The coronavirus has infected at least 3.2 million people so far, with Russia鈥檚 Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin becoming the latest high-profile figure to test positive as his country鈥檚 caseload surged past 100,000.
But there was some reason for cheer.
Germany accelerated plans to start lifting its anti-virus lockdown, preparing gradually to ease curbs on public life and reopen religious institutions, museums, and zoos 鈥� having restarted shopping last week.
鈥淚t remains absolutely important that we stay disciplined,鈥� said Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Italy, once the world center of the outbreak, said it was hoping to reopen two major airports next week, but would move slowly.
鈥淲e cannot allow the efforts made to be in vain because of rashness at this delicate stage,鈥� Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said.
And British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who himself battled COVID-19, said his country 鈥� which has the world鈥檚 third-highest death toll, behind the US and Italy 鈥� was 鈥減ast the peak鈥� of its outbreak.
Johnson said he would publish a roadmap next week on easing restrictions.
All happening at the zoo
The stay-at-home rules have left zoo animals around the world short of visitors.
In Singapore, keepers have taken a colony of African penguins to the children鈥檚 playground to give the attention-starved birds a bit of stimulation.
And in Tokyo, aquarium bosses were asking members of the public to Facetime lonely eels, fearful that the shy creature is forgetting what humans look like.
鈥淕arden eels in particular disappear into the sand and hide every time the keepers pass by,鈥� said Sumida Aquarium. 鈥淐ould you show your face to our garden eels from your home?鈥�
For those who prefer their creatures virtual, Nintendo鈥檚 smash-hit 鈥淎nimal Crossing: New Horizons鈥� was offering lockdown solace.
鈥淩ight now, watching news on TV can really be scary, but in this game, it鈥檚 just as if nothing is happening, it鈥檚 all quiet and peaceful,鈥� said Kanae Miya.