WASHINGTON -- The United States will temporarily close its border with Canada to "non-essential traffic," and the decision was made by mutual consent, U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday.

Trade between the two countries will not be affected by the border closure, Trump said in a morning tweet. (US-Canada-Border)

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FRANKFURT -- The European Central Bank (ECB) on Wednesday announced a new temporary asset purchase program covering private and public sector securities that has an overall envelope of 750 billion euros (819 billion U.S. dollars) to counter the novel coronavirus risks.

Purchases under this new Pandemic Emergency Purchase Program (PEPP) will be conducted until the end of 2020 and will include all asset categories eligible under the existing asset purchase program, the ECB said in a statement following an emergency meeting of its Governing Council. (EU-ECB-Purchase)

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CANBERRA -- All non-residents will be banned from entering Australia as COVID-19 is spreading globally, according to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday afternoon.

To be effective from Friday night, the ban followed declaration of an unprecedented human biosecurity emergency on Wednesday. (Australia-Coronavirus-Ban)

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KUNDUZ, Afghanistan -- At least five police and four militants have been confirmed dead as clash flared up in Khan Abad district of the northern Kunduz province on Thursday, a district official Qudratullah Safi said.

The clash, according to the official, broke out after a group of Taliban insurgents attacked a security checkpoint early morning and police returned fire, forcing militants to flee after leaving four bodies behind. (Afghanistan-Gun Battle-Death) Enditem

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