VIF Neighborhood News Digest: April 22, 2020

PAKISTAN

Imran again speaks about Kashmiris’ plight: DAWN

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday once again reminded the world about the plight of people of occupied Kashmir, who have been enduring lockdown for over eight months. The prime minister said the inconvenience being felt by people all over the world due to the lockdown because of Covid-19 pandemic would make them realise the suffering of the Kashmiris. Click here to read.... [2]

Revised revenue target achievable only if activity resumes: FBR: DAWN

In what appears to be a major fallout from Covid-19, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has linked the collection of the revised target of Rs3.908 trillion for 2019-20 to the resumption of economic activity in Ramazan and Eidul Fitr. The coronavirus-led slowdown and suspension of business activity have heavily hit the revenue collection, causing a massive shortfall. “We will achieve the revised revenue collection target in case of resumption of business operations,” said Member Inland Revenue Policy and Spokesperson Dr Hamid Ateeq Sarwar on Tuesday. Click here to read.... [3]

AFGHANISTAN

Taliban Seeks Release of Suspect in German Embassy Bombing: TOLO News

One of the top 15 prisoners whose release was demanded by the Taliban, named Lailuddin, was identified by a senior government official as part of a network responsible for major attacks in Kabul, including the German embassy bombing, the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) attack, attack of former MP Mir Wali and the bombing of the funeral ceremony of Izadyar’s son. Lailuddin, son of Gulbuddin, is originally from Musahi district of Kabul province and was arrested in Kabul city, according to the source. Click here to read.... [4]

600 port workers render unemployed: Shams: PAJHWOK

The Ministry of Transport (MoT) on Tuesday said 600 workers have been currently unemployed in ports that saw 250,000 Afghans returning home since the lockdown. Click here to read.... [5]

BANGLADESH

Coronavirus: With 2.57%, Bangladesh has one of the lowest recovery rates: Dhaka Tribune

The percentage of patients recovering from coronavirus infection in Bangladesh currently stands at just 2.57, lowest among both South Asian countries and nations which were hit the hardest by the pandemic. In between March 8 and April 21, only 87 people or merely 2.57% of the patients recovered from the infection against the number of total 3,382 deaths. In last 24 hours till Tuesday, data compiled by Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) showed only two people had recovered from the infection. Click here to read.... [6]

Farmers happy with boro crop yield but worried about labour shortages: Dhaka Tribune

The boro season has come to an end with acres of golden ripe crops in three districts of the country. Farmers in Sunamganj, Brahmanbaria, and Natore are happy with the high yield but the shortage of farm workers is making the final production uncertain. The monsoon rains will be here soon and the possibility of an early flood is very likely, said the farmers. But the deadly Covid-19 pandemic is forcing the nation into a lock down and agriculture which needs combined effort with a number of inputs can be most affected, say farmers. Click here to read.... [7]

MYANMAR

Attack on WHO vehicle that killed Myanmar driver condemned: Al Jazeera

Top officials at the World Health Organization (WHO) and other aid groups have condemned an attack on a WHO team that killed a driver who was helping transport coronavirus tests in Myanmar's troubled Rakhine state. Click here to read.... [8]

World Bank fast-tracks $50 million loan for Myanmar ICU upgrade: Myanmar Times

The World Bank has fast-tracked the approval of US$50 million in loan financing for the Myanmar COVID-19 Emergency Response Project, fast-tracked by its facility as part of global emergency support operations. The funds will be prioritised for the upgrading of Intensive Care Units (ICU) at selected hospitals including all eight central level hospitals and 43 sub-division level hospitals across all states and regions. A portion of the loan will also be channelled into capacity building of health staff and officials and community engagement activities throughout the country. Click here to read.... [9]

NEPAL

With hundreds of thousands of migrants predicted to return home, Nepal needs to brace for a crisis: The Kathmandu Post

A scenario that experts had long warned about is likely to soon come to pass. And it is going to overwhelm the Nepali state. Foreign employment has played an instrumental role in keeping the Nepali economy afloat, but it was never a sustainable option. Now that the global economy is in the throes of a recession due to the Covid-19 pandemic, hundreds of thousands of Nepalis abroad are likely to lose their jobs and return home. Click here to read.... [10]

Tourism Ministry chart out strategies to uplift tourism sector: Khabarhub

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai, is charting out strategies to restore tourism industry which has been adversely affected by the global pandemic of coronavirus. In a video conference organized by the Society of Economic Journalists Nepal (SEJON), Minister Bhattarai pledged to identify and assess real impact of the crisis on tourism business and come up with new plans and measures to restore it. The model of relief packages will be determined being based on the findings of the study, according to the Minister. Click here to read.... [11]

BHUTAN

Covid-19 paves way for ICTization: Kuensel

While there are ambiguities surrounding the current Covid-19 pandemic, what is certain is that the post Covid-19 Bhutan would see itself leveraging on information technology. Under the national ICT flagship programme – Digital Drukyul, some of the activities are already beginning to take shape. There are five major components of the flagship programme, which are currently on track. Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering during a meeting with the Digital Drukyul team, yesterday, said that when the Covid-19 cloud clears, most of the services in the country must be digitalised and real-time data made available. Click here to read.... [12]

Meat import increases by 10 percent: Kuensel

The import of meat increased to more than 12,102 metric tons (MT) in 2019 from 10,978MT in 2018, an increase of slightly more than 10 percent in one year, according to a recently released Renewable Natural Resources (RNR) annual statistics. Accordingly, the value of the total meat products imported increased to Nu 1,134 billion (B) from Nu 971 million (M). However, the value of fish import fell to Nu 161M last year from Nu 168M in the previous year. Click here to read.... [13]

SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka marks a year since devastating Easter Sunday attacks: Al Jazeera

When Franklin Fernando saw the grey-and-white striped shirt on the body, he knew the worst had happened. He stepped out of the crowded accident ward of the Sri Lanka National Hospital and rang his mother. Click here to read.... [14]

Sri Lanka tourism sector braces for 12-month slump on Covid-19 hit: Economy Next

Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is bracing for a yearlong downturn with the Coronavirus crisis coming on top of a hit from Easter Sunday attacks in April 2019, but there were tentative bookings for next year already, officials said. Click here to read.... [15]

CHINA

Financial moves to aid smaller businesses: China Daily

In order to encourage financial institutions to better serve micro and small businesses, China will work to lower the provision coverage ratio of small and medium-sized banks, the State Council's executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang decided on Tuesday. Click here to read.... [16]

China Mobile profits inch down 0.8 percent in Q1: Xinhuanet

China Mobile, one of the country's leading telecommunication operators, on Monday reported its net profits decreased by 0.8 percent year on year in the first quarter of 2020. Profits attributable to equity shareholders stood at 23.5 billion Yuan (about 3.32 billion U.S. dollars) in the first three months, the company said in a statement. Click here to read.... [17]

U.S. Warships Enter Disputed Waters of South China Sea as Tensions with China Escalate: New York Times

American warships have sailed into disputed waters in the South China Sea, according to military analysts, heightening a standoff in the waterway and sharpening the rivalry between the United States and China, even as much of the world is in lockdown because of the coronavirus. Click here to read.... [18]