VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: June 03, 2020

PAKISTAN

Govt decides to hold Covid-19 prevalence survey: DAWN

Amid rising fears that a large number of people can be asymptomatic after over 16,000 new cases of coronavirus emerged during the last week only, the government has decided to hold a seroepidemiological survey to know what percentage of the population has already been infected. Click here to read.... [2]

AFGHANISTAN

2 Killed, Including Imam, in Mosque Blast in Kabul: TOLO News

An explosion at Wazir Akbar Khan Mosque in downtown Kabul on Tuesday evening left two dead and eight others wounded, according to a statement by the Ministry of Interior Affairs. The explosion happened at around 7:30 Kabul time. The explosives were placed in the yard of the mosque, the statement said, adding that the imam of the mosque, Mohammad Ayaz Niazi, was also killed in the explosion. Click here to read.... [3]

BANGLADESH

Bus fare hike: Leftists take the lead, hit the roads to protest: Dhaka Tribune

Hundreds of activists of different leftist parties around the country have taken to the streets protesting the sudden 60% hike on the bus fare, which is twice as much as the normal fare. People from different leftist parties in Brahmanbaria, Jessore, and Dinajpur districts formed human chains and staged demonstrations in front of their respective press clubs and demanded prompt upheaval of the newly implemented bus fare scheme on Tuesday afternoon. Click here to read.... [4]

MYANMAR

Myanmar mulls $24 million loan to keep national airline afloat: Myanmar Times

The government is considering a US$24 million bail-out plan to help Myanmar National Airlines (MNA) cover its operational expenses, U Win Khant, Permanent Secretary of the transport ministry, said during a Myanmar tourism forum on June 1. “The situation at MNA is pretty bad and the airline could require state protection to remain solvent," said U Win Khant.Click here to read.... [5]

NEPAL

Discrimination against Dalits continues to stain Nepal’s social fabric: The Kathmandu Post

Asmita Rijal first experienced caste-based discrimination when she was 15-years-old and in tenth grade. Her teacher told her, very casually, that she was different from her peers because she was a kaami. This incident stuck with her, leading her to become wary of revealing her caste to anyone. “I was too innocent to hide my caste from my teacher who used it to humiliate me,” said Rijal. “My family always taught me to never reveal my caste as a kaami or sunar when others asked. We always lied about our caste.” Click here to read.... [6]

SRI LANKA

COVID-19 threat within society ’basically over’, says Army Chief: Daily Mirror

The threat from the COVID-19 within the society is almost basically over in Sri Lanka and authorities have formulated a plan to prevent a fresh threat emerging within the public from the infected persons who are being repatriated from overseas, Army Commander. Lt. General Shavendra Silva told Daily Mirror yesterday. Click here to read.... [7]