VIF Neighborhood News Digest: March 27, 2020

PAKISTAN

PM’s call for relief for poor nations getting global support: FO: Dawn
March 27, 2020

The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday said Pakistan’s call for economic relief for struggling economies, lifting sanctions on Iran and alleviating suffering of Kashmiris in view of the raging Covid-19 pandemic was gaining resonance and becoming a strong voice globally. Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui, in written responses to queries from journalists under the new media briefing format, said Prime Minister Imran Khan’s call for debt rescheduling and economic assistance for the developing countries “has gathered traction in recent days, evidenced by the joint statement of IMF and the World Bank calling for suspension of debt payments for poorer countries”. Click here to read... [2]

AFGHANISTAN

Sikhs Demand Investigation of Dharamshala Attack: Tolo
March 27, 2020

Families of Sikh citizens who died on Wednesday in an attack on Dharamshala, a Sikh place of worship in Kabul, on Thursday cremated the remains of the victims and urged the government to investigate the attacks. Some Sikh citizens said they are “tired of living in Afghanistan”. 25 people were killed and more than eight others were wounded during an attack on a Sikh place of worship in the Shorbazar area of Kabul, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement. Click here to read... [3]

BANGLADESH

Covid-19: BGMEA recommends closure of factories: Dhaka Tribune
March 27, 2020

The RMG sector employs more than four million people, mostly women. The president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Rubana Huq, has urged the owners to consider closing their factories as the nation is fighting to prevent the spread of coronavirus. In a message on Thursday, she said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave specific guidance to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and asked to take cautionary steps for the safety and wellbeing of everyone, reports UNB. Click here to read... [4]

MYANMAR

Myanmar COVID-19 cases rise to five: Myanmar Times
March 27, 2020

The Health Ministry confirmed at 1:45am on Friday two new cases of COVID-19 infections, bringing to five the total number of people suffering from the disease detected within the week. One of the new COVID-19 patients is a 33-year-old Myanmar man from Mandalay, who is now an American citizen. He arrived in Myanmar from the United States on March 19 and developed symptoms of the disease, including fever, coughing, and tiredness, four days later. Click here to read... [5]

NEPAL

Contact tracing of all who got close with Covid-19 patients continues but time is fast running out: The Kathmandu Post
March 27, 2020

Authorities have said that they have managed to get in touch with 11 of the at least 15 individuals who had come in close contact with the third Nepali national infected with Covid-19. The Health Ministry said on Wednesday that a 32-year-old Nepali man who had returned from Sharjah of the United Arab Emirates on March 19 had tested positive for the coronavirus. The man, who hails from Dhading district, had stayed in a hotel in Kathmandu and gone to the Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital in Teku on Monday night after coming down with a fever, chest pain and a sore throat. Click here to read... [6]

Sri Lanka

Cabinet nod for more relief to people: Daily Mirror
March 27, 2020

The cabinet met yesterday with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the chair has given the green light to offer a range of relief measures aimed in particular at Samurdhi beneficiary and low income families, self-employed and those live on daily wages, cabinet spokesman, Higher Education, Information, Communication Technology and New Inventions Minister Bandula Gunawardana said. Click here to read... [7]

BHUTAN

His Majesty in south to inspect preparedness plan: Kuenselonline
March 27, 2020

His Majesty The King is in Phuentsholing to inspect the plans put in place to ensure uninterrupted supply of essential goods from India, in light of the closure of our borders, and the 21-day lockdown in India. While in Phuentsholing, His Majesty also inspected the Amochu Land Development and Township Project area (near YDF), the site chosen for the construction of temporary shelters for Bhutanese living in Jaigaon. Click here to read... [8]

CHINA

Full text of Xi's remarks at Extraordinary G20 Leaders' Summit: Xinhuanet
March 27, 2020

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday delivered a speech titled "Working Together to Defeat the COVID-19 Outbreak" at the Extraordinary G20 Leaders' Summit via video link in Beijing.
The following is an English translation of the full text of the speech: Click here to read... [9]

There must be no breaking ranks in war waged against pandemic: China Daily editorial: China Daily

March 27, 2020

Reports suggest that no statement was forthcoming after the G7 foreign ministers video conference on Wednesday because US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo insisted that it use the term "Wuhan virus".Click here to read... [10]