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In today's bulletin: Trump and Xi speak, Malaysia stimulus, China suspends entry of foreigners, Australia quarantines all arriving travellers and more...
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CHINA'S XI, SPEAKING WITH TRUMP, CALLS ON US TO IMPROVE RELATIONS
In a phone call on Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping told US President Donald Trump that China would support the US in its fight against the coronavirus, and that the two countries should "unite to fight the virus".
The call came after a long-running war of words between the two nations over the coronavirus, with Trump agreeing on Wednesday to stop using the term "Chinese virus".
With 82,404 cases of infection, the United States has now surpassed virus hotspots China and Italy.
Read more:
US Bureau Chief in Washington Nirmal Ghosh reports on the war of words.
Trump has given unusual leeway to Dr Anthony Fauci, but aides say he's losing his patience
ASIAN INSIDER VIDEO: HAS CHINA WON?
A pandemic, one would think, would bring the world's two superpowers together to address the challenge.
In this week's Asian Insider video & podcast series, The Straits Times US Bureau Chief and Asian Insider host Nirmal Ghosh speaks to former Singapore diplomat Kishore Mahbubani and well-known US foreign policy observer Dr Satu Limaye, Vice President and Director of the East-West Centre, on relations between Washington and Beijing.
China should not underestimate the power and capability of the United States, says Prof Kishore Mahbubani. Find out why in the 30th episode of Asian Insider videos.
See also: Trump 'a little upset with China' over coronavirus
MALAYSIA ANNOUNCES RM250 BILLION (S$83 BILLION) STIMULUS PACKAGE
Malaysia announced its largest economic stimulus package to date, with RM250 billion (S$83 billion) to be channeled towards supporting the people and businesses including a RM128 billion on welfare programmes, said PM Muhyiddin Yassin on Friday.
Malaysia correspondent Trinna Leong writes the package is meant to assist those most adversely impacted by the economic disruption from the Covid-19 outbreak.
"No one will be left behind," said Tan Sri Muhyiddin during the live telecast announcement.
Among the measures include additional cash payments to frontliners and monetary handouts to households to cope with income loss during the four-week business closure.
This package is on top of earlier announcements to pump in over RM20 billion to the economy to handle the Covid-19 aftermath.
See also:
Singaporeans reach out to stranded Malaysian workers
Malaysia detects five generations of Covid-19 cases linked to mosque cluster
INDONESIA MAY BAN IDUL FITRI EXODUS TO STOP CORONAVIRUS TRANSMISSION
The government is mulling over a plan to ban this year's Idul Fitri mudik (exodus) to prevent city dwellers from potentially spreading the coronavirus to towns and villages across the archipelago, but questions remain as to how such a ban would be implemented.
Ramadan is expected to take place from April 23 to May 23 this year, followed by the Islamic holiday on May 24 and 25.
This Idul Fitri season was expected to see some 20 million people travel to their hometowns, resulting in a massive stream of urbanites to rural areas.
In the current coronavirus crisis, with over 1,000 confirmed infections and 90 deaths logged nationwide on Friday, government officials and experts have expressed worry that the exodus might trigger an explosion of cases and deaths.
Read also:
Indonesia capital Jakarta sets up disinfectant-spraying booths to fight coronavirus
Hunting the virus: Jakarta Post
AUSTRALIA TO QUARANTINE ALL INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS, VIRUS REFUGEES FLOOD OUTBACK
Australia announced it would, with the military's help, put anyone arriving in the country into quarantine in hotels as the country's coronavirus toll passed 3,000 on Friday, with 13 deaths. While these figures are relatively low compared to other countries battling the virus, the rapid rate of community infections is cause for alarm.
The incremental closure of many non-essential services such as pubs, casinos and gyms has wrought havoc on Australia's economy, with long queues of newly jobless citizens forming outside welfare agencies.
In the outback, vigilantes in some towns have reportedly slashed tyres of those fleeing coronavirus hotspots in the big cities, according to a government minister who urged calm on Friday. Remote areas in the northeastern state of Queensland are being inundated with travellers - mostly retirees - trying to escape the highly infectious disease, Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said on Friday.
Meanwhile, Australian researchers are fast-tracking large-scale human testing to see if a vaccine used for decades to prevent tuberculosis can protect health workers. Within weeks, 4,000 health workers in hospitals around Australia will be vaccinated to determine if the BCG vaccine can reduce Covid-19 symptoms.
Must read:
Aussie PM faces extra hurdle of winning back public trust
Australia unveils massive stimulus package amid fears of coronavirus-related recession
Cruise ships told to leave Australian waters to avoid coronavirus 'fiasco' repeat
IN OTHER NEWS
CHINA TO SUSPEND ENTRY OF FOREIGNERS: China has banned foreigners with valid visas and residence permits from entering the country in a drastic move that amounts almost to a total shutdown of its borders as it also severely restricts international flights. The foreign ministry said only diplomats, those engaged in emergency humanitarian work, or "necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities" and those with C visas are exempted from the suspension, which will begin on Saturday.
SRI LANKA PARDONS SOLDIER WHO SLAUGHTERED TAMIL CIVILIANS: Sri Lanka's President on Thursday (March 26) pardoned and released an army officer on death row for slitting the throats of Tamil civilians, including four children, during the island's bloody civil war. Mr Sunil Ratnayake was to be hanged for the December 2000 massacre in a case held up by previous Sri Lankan governments as an example of rare accountability over abuses committed during the conflict.
IN SINGAPORE, SAFE DISTANCING RULES KICK IN: From Friday, people in Singapore who intentionally sit down less than 1m away from another person in a public place or on a fixed seat marked as not to be occupied, or who stand in a queue less than 1m away from another person, can be fined up to S$10,000, jailed for up to six months, or both.
That's it for today, thanks for reading and see you tomorrow.
Tom
