Italy, Britain wield economic axes to try to slay coronavirus
Italy earmarked $28.3 billion to soften the economic impact of the world’s second-biggest coronavirus outbreak on Wednesday as the Bank of England slashed interest rates just hours before announcing a budget designed to stave off recession.
Merkel’s comment on virus infecting most people can cause panic: Czech PM quoted
German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s comment that 60% of the population will be infected by the coronavirus may cause panic, Prime Minister Andrej Babis said, news agency CTK reported on Wednesday.
Egypt jails prominent political figure for a year over ‘false news’
An Egyptian court sentenced one of the leading activists of the 2011 “Arab Spring” uprising to a one-year prison term on Wednesday after convicting him of spreading false news, a judicial source and a lawyer said.
Ukraine to ban mass gatherings, close schools for three weeks
Ukraine’s government decided on Wednesday to ban mass gatherings and close schools for three weeks in a bid to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Wuhan told to go back to work as new cases of coronavirus subsides in China
Some vital industries in Wuhan, the Chinese city at the epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic, were told they can resume work on Wednesday, a day after President Xi Jinping visited there for the first time since the outbreak began.
Police seal off major junction in central London in security alert
British police closed off a major junction in central London and a nearby underground train station was closed on Wednesday as officers investigated a suspicious vehicle.
Merkel: We will do what is necessary on coronavirus
German Chancellor Angela Merkel promised on Wednesday to do what was needed to counter the effects of the coronavirus and that would happen in agreement with European partners.
Pope holds his first ever virtual general audience with Italy on lockdown
Pope Francis, holed up in the Vatican by Italy’s coronavirus epidemic, held his first virtual general audience on Wednesday, thanking medical staff but urging the world not to forget the plight of Syrian refugees.
EU coronavirus aid package won’t fail because of Germany: Merkel
The European Union’s fiscal monitoring framework has enough flexibility built in to cope even with extraordinary situations like the coronavirus epidemic, for Italy as well as Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday.
On coronavirus, we’ll spend what it takes, says Merkel
German Chancellor Angela Merkel declined to set a cap on the costs of dealing with the challenge of the coronavirus epidemic.
