Washington DC

WASHINGTON, March 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The coronavirus pandemic has driven the global economy into a downturn that will require massive funding to help developing nations, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said.

“It is clear that we have entered a recession” that will be worse than in 2009 following the global financial crisis, she said in an online press briefing.

With the worldwide economic “sudden stop,” Georgieva said the fund’s estimate “for the overall financial needs of emerging markets is $2.5 trillion.”

Washington, Mar 27 (AFP/PTI) Forced by the coronavirus pandemic to suspend reelection rallies, President Donald Trump has converted daily White House briefings on the crisis into mini campaign speeches, dominating the airwaves while his main rival sits quarantined in his basement.

In a nation paralyzed by fear of the rampaging virus, the White House briefing room podium is the go-to place for primetime television viewers to catch their government's latest response.

At least that's the idea.

WASHINGTON, March 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Governments stepped up efforts on Thursday to help airlines hammered by a virus-induced travel slump, with the United States offering $58 billion in aid, Singapore promising to keep its carrier aloft, and Australia easing competition rules.

AirAsia, the region’s biggest budget carrier, was the latest airline to announce sweeping cuts to its schedule in response to the deepening crisis caused by the coronavirus outbreak. It said some of its units would halt flights altogether for a period.

WASHINGTON/ACCRA, March 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revealed that the Ghana government, has sent a special request for money to help the country address the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

WASHINGTON, March 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US Senate unanimously passed the nation’s largest-ever rescue package, a US$2 trillion lifeline to suffering Americans, critically depleted hospitals and an economy all ravaged by a rapidly spreading coronavirus crisis.

The measure cleared the Senate 96-0 after days of tumultuous, sometimes bitter negotiations and debate, as the US death toll for the pandemic soared past 1,000, with 68,000 confirmed infections.

WASHINGTON, March 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Defence Secretary Mark Esper has issued a stop movement order to the US military halting all travel and movement abroad for up to 60 days in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus through the ranks.

Esper said in an interview that the order applied to all US forces, civilian personnel and families, but noted that there would be some exceptions.

“The purpose is to make sure that we’re not bringing the virus back home, infecting others, that we’re not spreading it around the military,” Esper said.

WASHINGTON, March 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US senators and Trump administration officials have reached an agreement on a massive economic stimulus bill to alleviate the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak, the negotiators said on Wednesday.

The Senate will vote on the US$2-trillion package later in the day and the House of Representatives is expected to follow suit soon after.

New York, Mar 24 (AFP/PTI) Anxiety ratcheted up Monday across an eerily deserted New York, America's coronavirus epicenter, but President Donald Trump said he'd soon call for lifting the lockdown in some parts of the country.

Trump -- who faces reelection in November and is keen to avoid extended economic damage -- told reporters he would be "opening up our country to business because our country was meant to be open."

WASHINGTON, Mar 24 (NNN-XINHUA) – U.S. Vice President, Mike Pence, said that, 313,000 COVID-19 tests have been completed in the United States, and more than 41,000 tests were positive.

During a White House press briefing, Pence said, all state and hospital labs are now required to report their virus test numbers to the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Washington, Mar 23 (AFP/PT I) A trillion-dollar Senate proposal to rescue the reeling US economy crashed to defeat Sunday after receiving zero support from Democrats, and with five Republicans absent from the chamber because of virus-related quarantines.

Democrats said the Republican plan failed to sufficiently protect millions of American workers or shore up the critically under-equipped health care system during the coronavirus crisis.