
Saudi Arabia said on Monday it will raise its oil exports to a record 10.6 million barrels per day starting from May despite a global supply glut, escalating a price war with Russia. Oil prices are languishing at 17-year lows as the coronavirus pandemic threatens a painful global recession that could further sap demand.

President Trump announced on Sunday the nationwide social distancing guidelines will remain in place until April 30, saying the peak of the coronavirus pandemic is expected in two weeks. Mr. Trump said he expected the country to be well on its way to recovery by June 1.

Brazil’s governors pressed President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday for more federal support in the coronavirus battle after he blasted them as job-killers and undermined their orders with a decree keeping churches open at evangelical preachers’ request.

The US House of Representatives on Friday approved a US$2.2 trillion aid package - the largest in American history - to help people and businesses cope with the economic downturn inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Chinese President Xi Jinping told US President Donald Trump during a phone call on Friday that he hopes the United States will take substantive action to improve bilateral ties, China's foreign ministry said.

President Jair Bolsonaro on Wednesday blasted as criminals the governors and mayors of Brazil’s largest states and cities for imposing lockdowns to slow the coronavirus outbreak, as tensions with his health minister simmered. The death toll rose to 57 from 46 while confirmed cases rose to 2,433 from 2,201 the day before.

South Korea said it will send medical equipment to the United States to fight the coronavirus if it has any spare after an urgent request from US President Donald Trump in which he promised to help Korean firms gain US government approval.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Wednesday vowed that unemployment would not reach 20%, seeking to clarify comments he made a day earlier on a worst-case economic scenario resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.

Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro said on Tuesday his second coronavirus test was negative and his government asked Congress to authorize a state of emergency that would allow it to scrap fiscal targets and free up funds to combat the virus’ spread.

Brazilian Foreign Trade Secretary Marcos Troyjo, who was part of the Brazilian delegation that recently visited Florida, has tested positive for the coronavirus, his office said in a statement on Monday.