U.S. President Donald Trump announced Friday that he is declaring the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency, as Washington struggles with providing Americans with relief and officials race to slow the spread of the outbreak. Speaking from the White House, Trump said, "I am officially declaring a national emergency," unleashing as much as $50 billion US for state and local governments to respond to the outbreak. "Through a very collective action and shared sacrifice, national determination, we will overcome the threat of the virus," Trump said. Declaration welcomedThe White House is under enormous pressure, dealing with the crisis on multiple fronts as it encroached ever closer on the president. Traders listen at the New York Stock Exchange to Trump's televised speech from the White House on Friday.

Source: CBC News March 13, 2020 15:26 UTC