And, by video conference, EU finance ministers were wrangling over how to bail out their worst hit members Italy and Spain. Alongside the personal tragedies and the pressure on overburdened hospitals, there has been a stark economic toll, with the World Trade Organization warning of the "worst recession of our lifetimes." Led by Germany, nine of the council's 10 non-permanent members requested the closed-door meeting last week, fed up with the body's inaction over the unprecedented global crisis. The continent also faces vast economic damage, with the World Bank warning that sub-Saharan Africa could slip into its first recession in a quarter of a century. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged unity at a time of global crisis, saying: "If you don't want many more body bags, then you refrain from politicising it."

Source: Standard Digital April 09, 2020 14:15 UTC