Abe urges support for global economy
TOKYO • Japan will aim to spearhead cooperation among major nations to support a weakening global economy, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said, warning that policy coordination was critical to fight "disruptions" in world financial markets.
The remarks yesterday came after the White House said US President Donald Trump will hold a video-conference on the coronavirus with Group of Seven leaders this week.
Mr Abe also said Japan will consider options, including a proposal by ruling party lawmakers to temporarily cut Japan's sales tax rate.
REUTERS
Britain to ban mass gatherings
LONDON • The British government will ban mass gatherings from this week, in an attempt to curb the coronavirus outbreak, an escalation of its crisis plan that critics had said was too relaxed.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has so far resisted pressure to take some of the stringent measures adopted by other European countries.
"Ministers are working with the chief scientific adviser and chief medical officer on our plan to stop various types of public events, including mass gatherings, beginning next week," a government source said yesterday.
REUTERS
French police lock down central Paris
PARIS • Thousands of French security forces fanned out across central Paris yesterday as anti-government "yellow vest" protesters defied a ban on mass gatherings.
In a televised address to the nation last Thursday, President Emmanuel Macron announced school closures and urged people to avoid close contact for fear of propagating the virus that has killed 79 people in France and infected more than 3,600.
REUTERS
US believes N. Korea has virus cases
SEOUL • The US is "fairly certain" that there are coronavirus cases in North Korea, despite denials by Pyongyang, because of a lack of military activity, according to a senior US army commander.
North Korea's military has "fundamentally been on lockdown" for almost a month and did not fly a single aircraft for 24 days before resuming its routine training, Commander of the US Forces Korea Robert Abrams told reporters last Friday.
"It is a closed-off nation, so we can't say emphatically that they have cases, but we're fairly certain they do," he said.
BLOOMBERG
Rwanda confirms first Covid-19 case
KIGALI • Rwanda has confirmed its first case of the coronavirus - an Indian citizen who arrived in the East African nation from Mumbai on March 8, the Health Ministry said yesterday. He had no symptoms on arrival but went to a health facility last Friday, it said.
Rwanda is the 19th African nation to report the presence of Covid-19.
RwandAir, the national airline, announced that it was suspending all flights to India until April 30 and would give refunds to customers.
REUTERS
