welcome to newsday on the bbc. i mariko welcome to newsday on the bbc. imariko oi welcome to newsday on the bbc. i mariko oi in singapore. the headlines. president trump tries to calm fears over the spread of the coronavirus, telling the american people the risk remains very low. we are very, very ready for this, for anything, whether it's going to bea anything, whether it's going to be a breakout of larger proportions or whether or not we are, you know, we are at that very low level. international efforts to contain the coronavirus outbreak intensify as more new cases are recorded outside of china than inside. and i'm kasia madera in london. also

coming up here on newsday, india's by minister's i'm is at least 87 people were killed in clashes in delhi. in the hope tells of roman catholics around the world, give up online insults for lent. voiceover: live from our studios in singapore and london, this is bbc world news. it's newsday. good morning. it's 8am here in singapore, midnight in london and 7pm in washington, where president trump has just made a statement on the coronavirus outbreak. he announced that vice president mike pence will be in charge of the us response —— pence, and he said there the american people from the virus

remains very low. the president also said us government would span "whatever is appropriate", to combat the disease. now, what we've done is we've stop non—us citizens from coming into america from china —— stopped, which was done very early on. we are screening people at a very high level, screening people coming into the country from infected areas. we have quarantine those infected and those at risk, we have a lot of great quarantine facilities. we are rapidly developing a vaccine and they can speak to you, the professionals can speak to you about that. the vaccine is coming along well and i've been speaking to the doctors, we think this is something we can develop fairly rapidly, a vaccine for the future. and co—ordinate with the support of oui’ co—ordinate with the support of our partners, we have great relationships with all of the countries that we are talking about, some fairly large numbers of country. many

countries have no problem whatsoever. and we'll see what happens. but we are very, very ready for this, for anything, whether it's going to be a breakout of larger proportions, oi’ breakout of larger proportions, or whether or not, you know, that we are at that very low level. so, the president speaking there in the last ten minutes. that press conference is still ongoing. he is taking a very reassuring tone, telling the united states they are very ready for this particular virus. my colleague chris buckler has been monitoring this for us. hejoins us buckler has been monitoring this for us. he joins us live from washington. chris, about the figures, what we know about the figures, what we know about the cases in the states? the rays he used was ready, willing and able. there were 42 people we re and able. there were 42 people were evacuated from the cruise ship injapan and brought back to the united states but aside from them the president says there are 15 confirmed cases. of those, he said one person is

pretty sick, hopefully, though, he said they would recover. the others seem to be in hospital or already home and five had fully recovered. now, that is a small number, but as you say, what is clear from the white house is they want to be seen ina house is they want to be seen in a position to deal with any problems that could emerge. and it is because the health authorities have been making clear there is a danger in the months ahead that we could have community spread. and that is what is really worrying people. to some extent, the president has been playing this down. he's been angry at the american news networks are spreading fear, as he puts it, he's been watching the stock market is affected by concerns, it has fallen and he is always concerned about that because the economy is a key focus of the economy is a key focus of the president. so what he is doing here is coming forward with a very different tone and saying they are going to get a handle on this was not putting the vice president, mike pence in charge of the issue and he also specifically said he would arrange more money to do with

the problem and address any concerns about theirs. at this stage, $2.5 billion has been satisfied but he did make clear that democrats wanted significantly more than that, even republicans wanted something like $4 billion. he says he is prepared to talk to congress and increase that number. they will do all they can to ensure they deal with the coronavirus. chris, thank you so much. chris buckler there with a brief outline of what the president has been saying that let's go back to the white house because that press co nfe re nce the white house because that press conference has been ongoing. do you have any plans for quarantine like we saw in china? we do have plans on a much larger scale, should we need them. we are working with states, we a re need them. we are working with states, we are working with virtually every state. and we do have plans in a larger scale if we needed. we don't think we're going to needed but you a lwa ys we're going to needed but you always have be prepared. and again, congress is talking to us again, congress is talking to us about funding and we are getting far more than what we asked for. i guess the best thing to do is take it, we'll

ta ke thing to do is take it, we'll take it. how much money are you willing to give congress if they say $6 billion? we'll take ca re of they say $6 billion? we'll take care of the states, because the states are working very hard. we will make hospital rooms available and they are building quarantine areas, areas where you can keep people safely. we are working really well with states, it's a very big part of it. so, my attitude is if congress wants to give us the money so easy, it wasn't easy for the wall, we got that one done. should americans be getting protective equipment such as masks and so forth, and if so, what is the us doing to boost production? we have ordered a lot of adjusting case. we may not needed, you understand that, but in case, we're looking at worst—case scenario, we are going to be set very quickly. but i don't think we're ever going to be anywhere near that was that they really do believe we will be anywhere near that. our

borders are very controlled, politely and from certain areas are very politely and from certain areas are very controlled and i don't think we will be anywhere near that. back to the stock market travel related stocks have been hammered in the last couple of days. what would you say to americans out there who right now are looking forward to the summerand upcoming now are looking forward to the summer and upcoming month than saying to themselves, should i make most of a summer plan? should i travel abroad? hopefully they will be able to do that. we think and hope it will be in good shape by that time. but they will have to remaina time. but they will have to remain a little bit flexible. i would say travel related companies, certainly right now that would be — they would be hurt. at the same time, this ends, this is going to end, and hopefully by the end of the day they will pick up their losses. i don't think people will be going to china or certain countries where the problem is far greater than it is in the

united states. what it is going to do is keep people home and they are going to travel to places that we have. we have the greatest — it's the greatest tourism country in the world. so instead of leaving our country, living on exhaust, they'll stay here. and when you have 15 people, —— instead of leaving our country, leaving our shores, they'll stay here. and when you have 15 people, we have done a pretty good job. and when you have 15 people, we have done a pretty good jobm was so you have done a pretty good jobm was so you don't know what you're talking about about the coronavirus i do want to address critics? —— do you want to address critics? i think speaker pelosi is incompetent. she lost congress once, she will lose again. she lost my poll numbers up ten points, i never thought i would see that so quickly and easily. i'm leaving everybody, we doing great. i don't want to do it that way, it's almost unfair, if you think about it but i think is a competent and i think is a competent and i think she not thinking about the country. instead of making

a statement like that, where i have been beating her routinely at everything, instead of making a statement like that she should be saying we have to work together because we a big problem, potentially, and i think it is going to be a very little problem. but instead she wa nts to little problem. but instead she wants to do the same thing with a range of sumo. she says the president only asked for $2.5 billion, he should have a $.5 billion. this is the first time ever have been told we should ta ke ever have been told we should take more, usually as we have been told we should take more, usually as we are to take less. and we should be working together, his and be making state m e nts together, his and be making statements like that. because it's so bad for the country are nancy pelosi, naming, she should go back to her district and clean it because it is the number one — if you look at percentage down, that was one of the finest in the well, now you look at what's happening. and i'm just saying, we should be working together. she is trying to create a panic and there's no reason to panic because we have done so that these professionals behind me and here and over they are and

back here and in some conference rooms | back here and in some conference rooms i just back here and in some conference rooms ijust left, a group of 45 people that are the most talented people in the world, parts of the world are asking us in a very nice way, can they partake and help that? so nancy pelosi should be good as she knows it's not true, all they are trying to do does make so nancy pelosi secured this is terrible, president trump isn't asking enough money. how stupid a thing to say. if they want to give us more money, that's ok, we'll ta ke more money, that's ok, we'll take more money. some republicans think we should have more money, too. that's 0k, we'll take more money. but they shouldn't demean the people who are the finest in the world was that they are demeaning me, they are demeaning me, they are demeaning the greatest healthcare patterns in the world and people who do exactly what we're talking about. —— healthcare professionals. your campaign, is it your opinion or your contention that people

have an opinion contrary to yours that should be sued? when they get their opinion wrong, they get their opinion wrong, the new york times, they've gotten a lot wrong over the last number of years. that will work its way through the courts. if you read it, you will see it is beyond an opinion, that is something much more than an opinion. they did a bad thing and there will be more coming. do you expect tokyo will be...? more coming. do you expect tokyo will be. . . ? shinzo abe is a good friend of mine. i love the people of japan and i a good friend of mine. i love the people ofjapan and i think it will be in good shape. as you know, there are a number of people in japan you know, there are a number of people injapan infected. i hear they are doing a very professionaljob, which doesn't surprise me at all. with sins though, i know japan surprise me at all. with sins though, i knowjapan very surprise me at all. with sins though, i know japan very well. i —— with shinzo, i knowjapan very well. they have spent

billions of dollars and it will be very tight, your prime ministers very proud of it. it will be fine, we hope it will. thank you very much mr president, the doctor you talked about, dusting of preparedness plans are coming from you it has more weight. you feel us schools should be prepared for a coronavirus spread? i would think so, yes. imean, i spread? i would think so, yes. i mean, i haven't spoken specifically about that with various doctors but i would think so, yes. i would think every aspect of our society should be prepared. i don't think it's going to comes about, especially with the fact we are going down, not up, we are going very substantially down, not up. but i think schools be preparing and getting prepared just in case. the weather just getting prepared just in case. the weatherjust in case, we're going to be there, we are going to be anywhere close. and if you look at some countries, they are coming down and not starting to go the other direction. this will end was that if you look at the flu season, i said 26,000 people,

that if you look at the flu season, isaid 26,000 people, i never heard of a number like that, 26,000 people going to 69,000 people, a doctor told me before. 69,000 people die every year from before. 69,000 people die every yearfrom 26— 69,000, from the flu, incredible. so far, the results from all of this that everybody is reading about, and pa rt everybody is reading about, and part of the thing is you want to give it the way it is, you don't want to see panic does make you want to keep the weight is, you don't want to see but —— you want to see it the way it is, you don't want to see panic. i asked the doctors, is this likely because people die from the flu. and this is very unusual, it is a little bit different but in some ways it is easier and in some ways it is easier and in some ways it is easier and in some ways it is a little bit harder. but we have it so well under control, we have really done a very good job. go ahead. thank you mr president, you mentioned the stock market, going back to doubt. the dow jones dropped more than 2000 points this week. does not going back to that. our

financial markets overreacting here? i think the financial markets are very upset. when they look at the democrat candidate standing on that stage, making a pull out of themselves, it's always a possibility, i think we're going to win, i think we're going to win, i think we're going to win by a light —— democratic candidates making fools out of themselves. i think we're going to win by a lot. but i think that has a huge effect. does it have to do with the coronavirus? you can add quite a bit of sell—off what they are saying. again, i think we're going to win, i feel very confident of it. we have done everything and much more than i said we were going to do. taking care of our vets, getting them choice and accountability, all of the things we have done, protecting our second amendment copy they are going to destroy the second amendment copy when people look

at that, they say this is not good, so you add that in. i really believe that is a factor. know, what we're talking about is the virus, thatis talking about is the virus, that is what we are talking about. i did believe, in terms of and fox business, idea believe that that is a factor andi believe that that is a factor and i think after i when the election the stock market is going to boom like it has never boomed before, just like it that, by the way, after i won the last election stopping the stock market the day after went up stock market the day after went up likea stock market the day after went up like a rocket ship. at what point would you be considering listening the travel restrictions that a lot when we're a point when we don't have a problem. we are not going to listen the travel restrictions when that is what saved us. had a not made a decision early on, we wouldn't be talking this way, we would have been talking many more people had been infected. i took a lot of heat, some people called me racist because i've

made a decision so early, and we had never done that of the country before, let alone early, so it was a bold decision. it turned out to be a good decision but i was criticised by the democrats, they called me a racist because they called me a racist because they made the decision, if you can believe that one. we have two always together, we can't say bad things, and especially when we have the best team anywhere in the world, and we really gave it an early start. the cdc, the nih, you've heard a lot today about how these are professional, has this experience... no, we can get money, we know all the good people. i asked the doctors before, some of the people we cut, they haven't been used for many, cut, they haven't been used for any cut, they haven't been used for many, many years and if we have a need we can get them very quickly, and rather than ending the money, i am a business is m, the money, i am a business is in, item like having thousands of people around when we don't

need them. if we need them, we can get them back very quickly. we are bringing some people in tomorrow who are already in this great government that we have and very specifically for this. we can build up very, very quickly and we have already done that. we have a great staff, and using mike, i'm using him because he is in the administration, and he is very good at doing what he does as it relates to the. so far we only testing less than 500 people and officials are testing whether that is enough, comparing to other countries who have tested more than tens of thousands of people, are you planning to get more people? we are testing everybody that we need to test and we are finding very little problem, very little problem. you treat this like a flute. in fact, i might ask one of the doctor to come up ask one of the doctor to come

up and explain it. you want to wash your hands a lot, if you are not feeling well, if you feel you have a flu, stay inside, warranting yourself, don't go out i'd, but there are certain steps that you can take that won't even be necessary. in many cases, when you catch this it is very light, you don't even know there is a problem. sometimes you just get the sniffles, sometimes you just get something where you are not feeling right, and sometimes they feel really bad, but that's a little bit like the flu, it's a bit like the regular flu that we have flu shots for, and will eventually have a flu shot for this in a fairly quick manner stopping go ahead copy two weeks ago, you're acting 0mp director was in this room and was talking about what he expects to be gdp growth for this coming year. he said it was 3% and we have talked about the effects of the coronavirus on supply chain, the financial markets, are you still confident that we will see that kind of economic

growth... we are going to have tremendously low unemployment, we are setting records, the administration, as you know, the lowest average unemployment of any administration and history, the numbers are very low, 3.5 then, 3.6%. you can't really see what that doesn't terms of gdp, it can affect it, but that it irrelevant to bit what we're about, we want to make sure it is safe. safety is number one. this would have an impact on gdp, but we are still a very, very... we are doing great copy i will tell you what has a big impact, boeing has a big impact. 0ut has a big impact, boeing has a big impact. out of that happen? all of a sudden that happened. i think that took away a half a point, to a point, even. we have the general motors strike, that was a big impact on gdp, and of course we are paying interest rates, disagree with the head of the fed, am not happy with what that is, because he has kept interest rates copy president 0bama

didn't have near the numbers and yet if you look at what happened, he is paying zero. we are paying interest. it is more conservative and friendly people that put their money we're getting return on their money at as to not getting anything, but i think we are the greatest of them all, we should be paying the lowest interest rates, and when germany and other countries are paying negative rates, meaning they are literally getting paid when they put up money. they borrow money and they get paid. who ever heard of this before? it is the first. i think alfred has made a terrible mistake and it would have made a big difference, as good as we have done, even without the 2000 points, it we started off at 16000 and we will be at 28,000, we're going to crack 30,000, we've had like nobody has seen before, but we are doing well, but we have to watch, we are doing well anyway, evidenced by the 2000 points, it is very little compared to what we have gone up, but we will be

watching a very closely, we have been hurt by general motors, we have been hurt by boeing, and we have been hurt, in my opinion, very badly by our own federal reserve, who has also created a very strong dollar. there is something nice about our strong dollar but it makes it much harder to do business outside of this country. a number of your supporters... the president there speaking for the past 50 or so minutes, trying to appease the american public and reassure them about the preparedness of the united states when it comes to coronavirus, and also mentioning his favourite subject, the economy. chris butler monitoring all of this for us. chris, very much the united states is ready, it has been monitoring all of this, reassuring the united states population there, but also a bit of a pop. a couldn't help wondering if this was turning into a bit of a political campaign ahead of the election, when it comes to the democrats

and the possible candidate and the effect on the stock market. yes, you heard him take specific pops at the leader of the democrat in the senate chuck schumer and the health of representatives nancy pelosi, and of course this is a danger of becoming an election issue critically of the white house isn't seen to deal with any potential problems that emerged in the months that lead to that presidential election, and that is why we are seeing such a fervent response here from donald trump. while he may have been dismissive with some comments and tweets tonight, he is very firmly getting behind the podium and staying as president, i am taking action andi president, i am taking action and i will make sure that this will not become a problem for the united states, and as he widely pick up there, there are two m essa g es widely pick up there, there are two messages going out tonight. 0ne two messages going out tonight. one to the american public saying we are going to deal with this, put your trust in us and prepared to put whatever money is needed, mike pence is stepping up, he will look out over this whole issue and we

will try to make sure that this isn't a problem and we are prepared, able, and willing to deal with this. and the other message going out was specifically to the stock market, saying to the financial markets, do not panic about this, we will deal with this problem in the united states, we are ready and prepared for it and there is no need for this to affect the economy. when he says that there is no need to affect the economy, thatis need to affect the economy, that is the candidate president trump speaking there, somebody who is very concerned about that presidential election. certainly is, he was saying that it could impact the economy, but when it comes to some of the technical issues, the logistics, the president was saying that they will not loosen the existing travel restrictions until coronavirus is no longer a problem. took us through some of the logistics that he went through? beyond that he went through? beyond that he went through? beyond that he was also asked specifically if they were going to extend travel restrictions to extend travel restrictions

to people coming from south korea and italy for example. the response from the president was we will look at at. we will have two look at things as time goes on. he was also making clear as far as reports were concerned that they are screening and monitoring people, and that is something that we will have to watch as time goes on stopping the dates is very concerned about the potentially getting into the community and reading through the community and therefore they are going to make sure that at airports they do what they can to make sure that nobody comes in carrying the coronavirus. the president was also making clear that this isn't just also making clear that this isn'tjust an also making clear that this isn't just an issue for the administration, it is also very much having to work with individual states, of course the us and making sure they are prepared copy we have seen the response from new york today, the state governor and also the new york city mayor making very clear that they want to be in a position to have extra beds to deal with this, they want to have masks and masks could become an issue because it has been pointed out by several

people that ultimately them of those are manufactured in china, but they are prepared to deal with this issue and for some cities it will be very important because they have many people packed closely together and living closely together. just briefly, would you once more run through us the figures of how many people have contracted the coronavirus so far that we know of, because the figures are obviously a little difficult to follow. in terms of the united states, 42 people were evacuated from the cruise ship injapan and they are back in the us, they are in quarantine and they are not as big a concern as the other 15 people who have been confirmed of the coronavirus according to the president. he said yes so one of them is, in his words, pretty sick and that is obviously a concern, although some of the others have been released from hospital. thanks for bringing us up to date, chris butler there and washington. we have that

special edition. you have been watching newsday. this next area of low pressure moving into the south of the uk is likely to bring a mixture of rain, sleet, and noted parts of england and wales and it could be the most significant wintry blast we have seen of the season so far across southern areas, could see some tricky driving conditions for the thursday morning commute, so stay tuned to the forecast. here it is, a area of low pressure. this is where is coming in with the cold air with a mixture of sleet and snow, mainly to the, south but the northern hills and for the cotswolds, a cold start across northern areas, further wintry showers here. for those concerned about the theory of

rain, sleet, and snow which will continue to move its way supper that is a through the morning, you could see some flashy deposits, into that chilterns, the northern home counties into east anglia, but the first dominic whole thing should clear away and should have left the south east, any snow will be short lived. further wintry showers across the north, damages ranging from 6-9d the north, damages ranging from 6—9d through the afternoon. through thursday night we continue with a few showers again across scotland, wintry over the hills, but elsewhere winds will turn later briefly with clear skies, it will turn to cold and that is thanks to a ridge of high pressure, again with some frost around and some ice to watch out for. is a short lived settled spell thanks to that ridge of high pressure because the next weather system will be putting in from the south—west friday, so this will introduced outbreaks rain, after a cold bright start in the north the clu bs bright start in the north the clubs will build, the rain will speu clubs will build, the rain will spell northwards, we could see some of the leading edge of the front across northern england

to scotland, settling snow over the hills with some heavier and further south too, and it will be turning milder and windier, ten, 11 degrees there. very unwelcome rain in areas we really don't need it. the next weather different sweeps across the uk to bring more rain, could see a spell of severe gales in northern england and into scotland. into sunday this next feature could bring another round of rain as well so pretty unsettled into the weekend, very windy at times, especially on saturday, and we are going to see more rain where we really don't need it. so stay tuned to the forecast, head online to check out all of the latest weather and flood warnings.

hello, i kasia madera with bbc news was that the us president has been trying to come fears over the spread of the coronavirus, telling the american people that the risk remains very low. the first time, more new cases have been recorded outside of china, than inside the country. there has also been a sharp rise in cases in my life is that the number of killed in clashes in delhi has risen to 27. prime minister modi has risen to 27. prime minister modi has called for an and surveillance. and this video has been getting a lot of attention on our website. a massive explosion of the largest crude oil refinery on america's west coast. bikers say they contained the blaze within the compound and no—one had been evacuated, but it remains closed at two fire crews say they contained the blaze. that's all for