Spain sees uptick, EU chiefs mull roadmap
BRUSSELS: The head of the Eurogroup of eurozone finance ministers on Tuesday called for a major rescue plan for Europe, as member states squabbled over what was needed to rebuild the shattered economy.
“Today, I am convening the EU finance ministers for a bold response for the Covid-19 outbreak,” said Mario Centeno, who is also Portugal’s finance minister, ahead of a videoconference with his counterparts.
Speaking in a video statement, Centeno said he will call on the EU’S 27 member states “to make a clear commitment for a coordinated and sizable recovery plan”.
SPAIN SEES UPTICK
The pace of coronavirus deaths in Spain ticked up for the first time in five days on Tuesday, with 743 people succumbing overnight, but there was still hope the national lockdown might be eased soon.
Tuesday’s toll from the health ministry compared to 637 people who died during the previous 24 hours, taking the total to 13,798, the second highest in the world after Italy.
Still, the proportional daily increase of 5.7% was about half that reported a week ago.
“It is normal to have some oscillations ... What matters is to see the trend and the cumulative data,” said Maria Jose Sierra, deputy chief of health emergencies. Total cases rose to 140,510 - the highest in Europe and second in the world after the United States.
ITALY INJECTS RECORD €400BN INTO ECONOMY Italy on Monday unveiled a record 400 billion euro ($430 billion) stimulus to help businesses hurt by a month-long national lockdown that is like to run on for many more weeks. PM Giuseppe Conte told the nation to be patient in the face of a pandemic that has now officially claimed 16,523 lives in the Mediterranean country and left millions at least temporarily unemployed