VIF Neighborhood News Digest: April 28, 2020

PAKISTAN

Covid-19 intensity still low in Pakistan: PM Imran: DAWN

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said the intensity of the coronavirus in Pakistan was not as severe as it was in other parts of the world. He stated this while presiding over a meeting on impact of Covid-19 on the country’s social fabric and economy. According to an official statement, the meeting was informed that the number of patients and deaths due to coronavirus is less than that in other countries of the world. Click here to read.... [2]

ECC approves Rs50bn support package for SMEs: DAWN

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet on Monday approved a support package of over Rs50 billion for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and allowed negotiations with 11 countries for putting on hold repayment of $1.8bn debt for about a year. A meeting of the ECC presided over by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh also approved Rs3.02bn additional funding for fencing the Pakistan-Iran border on a demand made by the Ministry of Defence. Click here to read.... [3]

AFGHANISTAN

NBC: Trump Tells Advisers US Should Pull Troops from Afghanistan: TOLO News

Quoting two current and one former senior US official, NBC News reports that US President Donald Trump has pushed his military and national security advisers in recent days to pull all US troops out of Afghanistan amid concerns about a major coronavirus outbreak in the country. Typically, administration officials or policy decision-makers speak of a gradual, responsible and conditional withdrawal from Afghanistan – a country hit by decades of war and violence. Click here to read.... [4]

Tariffs on Imported Ferrous Metal Nearly Doubles: TOLO News

Afghanistan’s chamber of commerce and investment stated on Monday that the Ministry of Finance (MoF) has increased tariffs on ferrous metal (metal with iron) by 14 percent of the import's value, which, according to the organization, will have a severe impact on the price of metal in the market, affecting the construction industry. The latest tax was 16 percent of the metal’s value, but now 14 percent has been added, so, currently, a 30 percent tax of the imported metal’s value is levied. Click here to read.... [5]

BANGLADESH

Covid-19 triggers surge in violence, prosecutions against Bangladeshi journalists: Dhaka Tribune

Violence against and persecution of Bangladeshi journalists trying to cover issues related to coronavirus have increased, according to Reporters Sans Borders (RSF), an international body of journalists that works to safeguard freedom of information. “Reporters without Borders is alarmed by the increase in cases of civilian and police violence and judicial harassment of journalists trying to cover coronavirus-related issues in Bangladesh in the month since a general lockdown was imposed on the population,” said an RSF press release on Monday. Click here to read.... [6]

Coronavirus: Fall in price hits Rangamati pineapple farmers hard: Dhaka Tribune

A bumper yield of pineapple made farmers happy in Rangamati's Naniarchar upazila, but the lack of customers due to the coronavirus pandemic cut short their happiness. Supply is higher than demand, but local growers are being compelled to sell the juicy fruit at painfully low prices. Naniarchar is famous for producing different kinds of delicious pineapples. Wholesalers from across the country including Dhaka and Chittagong throng local markets for this delectable fruit every year. Click here to read.... [7]

MYANMAR

State Counsellor says Vietnam inspires in COVID-19 fight: Myanmar Times

State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi hopes to copy the success of Vietnam in controlling the spread of COVID-19, despite her country’s limited resources. Myanmar’s de facto leader praised its ASEAN neighbour’s low-cost response to the pandemic through swift and decisive action, effective utilisation of existing government mechanisms, and the civic mindedness of its people. She said during a talk with the Chin people on Friday that Vietnam’s success in containing the disease is worthy of emulation. Click here to read.... [8]

Myanmar under pressure to scale up COVID-19 stimulus measures: Myanmar Times

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s government is under pressure to scale up its existing stimulus package to mitigate the economic fallout of the COVID-19 outbreak. “The emergency fund is merely a drop in the ocean,” said U Win Shein, director of Yangon-based Capital Legal Counsel, referring to the K100 billion (US$72 million) COVID-19 fund. The emergency fund was set up by the administration in March for small businesses as well as the garment and tourism industries. Click here to read.... [9]

NEPAL

Without immediate support, small and medium enterprises on verge of collapse: The Kathmandu Post

Since the lockdown began on March 24 to contain the spread of the coronavirus, Rishiram Poudel, proprietor of the Chitwan-based Abiral Hatchery, has just one chore to perform everyday—dump his chicken eggs. “I don’t have customers for the chicks that I supply as poultry farms are not buying them anymore,” Poudel told the Post over the phone from Chitwan. “I have no option than to throw away the eggs.” Click here to read.... [10]

With everyone forced indoors and online by the lockdown, cases of cybercrime are increasing: The Kathmandu Post

When the lockdown started on March 24, Anoushka Pandey had already been on the receiving end of prolonged abuse from her partner’s former girlfriend for four months. Every day, she received messages, audio and video calls, and voice messages on Facebook and Instagram from fake profiles created to harass her. But when the lockdown forced everyone indoors, the frequency of those posts began to increase. Click here to read.... [11]

BHUTAN

Macroeconomic stabilisation plan in the face of Covid-19 pandemic: Kuensel

His Majesty the King’s address to the nation highlighted the ever-increasing care and love Bhutanese have been receiving for more than a century. A Kidu programme was rolled out to help people overcome the current situation: establishing a national resilience fund of Nu 30 billion, deferring the mortgage payment, and waiving off interest payment for three months. Click here to read.... [12]

UNDP extends support in Covid-19 response: Kuensel

UNDP Bhutan office signed an agreement with the Gross National Happiness Commission committing its Covid-19 response support to the government. The response package that has three main components of support will include support to the health ministry, National Commission for Women and Children (NCWC), and Civil Society Organisations working with vulnerable populations, according to the UNDP press release. Click here to read.... [13]

SRI LANKA

Opposition urges Prez to reconvene Parliament: Daily Mirror

Seven opposition Party Leaders, in a joint statement, has urged the President to reconvene Parliament assuring responsible cooperation in Parliament in order to face the challenge of COVID-19 effectively. “We are faced with an unprecedented national crisis which shows no signs of an early ending. As members of the dissolved Parliament, we are duty bound to fulfill our obligations to resolve this crisis in a spirit of responsible cooperation extended to the President. Click here to read.... [14]

Sri Lanka auto service providers warns of job losses, breakdowns over import controls: Economy next

Sri Lanka Automobile Service Providers’ Association (SLASPA) has warned of up to a half a million job losses after paints and vehicle part imports were controlled, appealing to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for relief. Jobs over 500,000 blue collar workers are under threat, the association said. “With temporary suspensions on importation of Auto Paints automobile workshops and paint technicians would lose their earnings and lose jobs and turn towards foreclosure within months” SLASPA said. Click here to read.... [15]

CHINA

Wuhan lab coronavirus conspiracy theories shine spotlight on super-secure facilities: South China Morning Post

A biosafety laboratory in the central Chinese city of Wuhan that has become the centre of a number of conspiracy theories about the coronavirus is one of the world’s most secure facilities. Click here to read.... [16]

Industrial profits set to pick up, experts say: China Daily

Earnings of Chinese industrial firms saw a narrower drop last month and are set to further pick up as domestic demand recovers, officials and analysts said on Monday. They also urged more efforts to rescue exporters and small manufacturers facing mounting headwinds from the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to read.... [17]