PAKISTAN
Punjab continues to see surge in Covid-19 cases: DAWN
While 332 of the total 783 new coronavirus cases were detected in Punjab in a single day, the federal government provided thousands of addresses and names to the provinces enabling them to implement the ‘test, trace and quarantine (TTQ)’ policy. “There is a need to focus more on locally transmitted cases when the share of locally transmitted cases has reached 81 per cent. Provinces will track, trace and quarantine the contacts of the confirmed cases to slow down the spread of the virus,” said Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza while speaking at a news conference on Sunday. Click here to read....
Small retailers look for relief: DAWN
The collective loss runs in billions of rupees. The pandemic has dealt a crippling blow to the retail sector. A prolonged lockdown and commercial disruption, in the absence of a bailout, could wipe out weaklings and leave strong ones financially bruised. The anxiety in traders’ ranks is real and understandable. They have a peculiar business cycle where their capital is locked in inventories, working capital is raised through personal credit and half the sale bills are cleared after a lag. Click here to read....
AFGHANISTAN
Khalilzad Urges Taliban to Agree to Ceasefire: TOLO News
The US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in a tweet on Sunday urged the Taliban to call a humanitarian ceasefire during Ramadan month. “...Ramadan offers the Taliban an opportunity to embrace a humanitarian ceasefire to reduce violence and suspend offensive military operations until the health crisis is over,” Khalilzad tweeted. “Both sides must also accelerate the release of prisoners. The war on COVID-19 makes it urgent and will also aid the peace process including getting intra-Afghan negotiations underway,” he said. Click here to read....
Kabul Residents: Food Prices Rise 20- 30% in Past 2 Months: TOLO News
On Tuesday, residents and sellers in Kabul city stated that the prices of goods and food have increased as much as 30% in the last two months in Kabul markets, due to the spread of the coronavirus and the lockdown. The price of a 49 kg bag of flour was initially 1,600 Afs, but is now selling for 1,900 Afs. Furthermore, the price of a 24 kg bag of rice has increased to 2,500 Afs from 2,100, and the price for a 7kg bag of beans sells for 900 Afs, from 600. Also, 16 liters of oil is now 350 Afs, according to people speaking with TOLOnews. Click here to read....
BANGLADESH
Forbes hails Sheikh Hasina for fighting Covid-19: Dhaka Tribune
Forbes magazine has praised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and put her in its list of successful women leadership for her sincere efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic in Bangladesh, reports BSS. “Bangladesh, a country of some 161 million people, led by Sheikh Hasina, is no stranger to crises. She was quick off her feet standing up to this one, with a response the World Economic Forum called ‘admirable’,” writes Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, a contributor of the Forbes, in an article on April 22. Click here to read....
Garment factories open amid tight safety measures: Dhaka Tribune
As per the government formed taskforce directives, apparel makers on Sunday reopened factories in first phase in Dhaka zone on a small scale. Owners claimed that they maintained safety guidelines to ensure workers’ safety as directed by the government and BGMEA. A total of 213 factories had applied for opening in Dhaka zone but less than 40 factories were opened. Across the country, including Dhaka, nearly 400 garment units started production on Sunday, a highly credible source at BGMEA, who preferred not to be named told Dhaka Tribune. Click here to read....
MYANMAR
Myanmar considers applying for IMF financing to get through COVID-19: Myanmar Times
The Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM) and the Ministry of Planning, Finance, and Industry are considering applying for financing options provided by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), CBM governor U Kyaw Kyaw Maung said. The IMF on April 24 held a meeting via teleconference with the ASEAN countries. U Kyaw Kyaw Maung attended and discussed the negative impact COVID-19 is having on the Myanmar economy and how the country has responded so far. Click here to read....
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....
NEPAL
Tough times ahead for Oli as party likely to ask him to choose between leading the country and leading the party: The Kathmandu Post
Under pressure from his Secretariat and Standing Committee members, ruling Nepal Communist Party chair and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has intensified discussions with his close confidantes, even as rival factions continue to devise their own strategies. A majority of Secretariat and Standing Committee members have been demanding a Standing Committee meeting, where they plan to ask Oli to step down as prime minister or choose between leading the country and leading the party. Click here to read....
https://kathmandupost.com/politics/2020/04/27/tough-times-ahead-for-oli-as-party-likely-to-ask-him-to-choose-between-leading-the-country-and-leading-the-party
Vegetable imports banned to promote local products and keep virus at bay: The Kathmandu Post
The local administration has banned the import of vegetables and fruits from India, and all contraband food items and fresh produce have been destroyed and the warehouses where they were stored have been sealed. Local officials and the Dang Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the move was directed at promoting domestic products and preventing the possible spread of the coronavirus from the southern neighbour. Click here to read....
BHUTAN
Govt. saves Nu 2.3B from travel, training and inessential spending: Kuensel
The government has spent Nu 1.27 billion (B) so far for Covid-19 response and containment plans, of which Nu 988 million (M) was spent on buying essential food items and fuel. Latest figures with the finance ministry show that the economic affairs ministry has purchased about 1,200 kilolitres (1.2 million litres) of fuel and about 20,000 liquid petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders for both commercial and domestic use. The Food Corporation of Bhutan has stocked over 8,000 metric tonnes (MT) of rice worth Nu 197M, 824MT of edible oil and about 300MT of pulses. Click here to read....
Nu 1,271M allocated for stockpiling essential food items: Kuensel
The government has, as of April 20, received more than Nu 90.018 million (M) and USD 5,675 as contributions for the Covid-19 response fund. Officials from the finance ministry, led by Finance Secretary Nim Dorji, appraised this to the joint parliamentary committee on Covid-19 preparedness on April 21. The amounts include contribution received in cash and cheques. The contributions received as international assistance have been deposited as cheques through the government budgetary process. Click here to read....
SRI LANKA
Probe sought on leaked letter about Health Ministry seeking 1000 body bags: Daily Mirror
The Ministry of Health (MoH) has sought 1000 body bags from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to dispose bodies during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Additional Secretary (Medical Services) at the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services Dr. Sunil De Alwis told Daily Mirror the bags were required to dispose bodies of people who may die of various causes. Click here to read....
Sri Lanka rubber exports retains bounce on Coronavirus crisis: Economy next
Sri Lanka’s rubber sector has got a bounce from Coronavirus with glove output sold out, the demand for solid tyres in construction and logistics sectors abroad would drive the rest of the demand, an official said. With production starting from mid-April factories were operating between 10 to 40 percent of capacity, Sri Lanka saw a surge in demand once the factories opened. Click here to read....
CHINA
Coronavirus infects China-US relations as blame game over pandemic intensifies: South China Morning Post
The new coronavirus has caused a global disease epidemic and all but turned the lights out on much of the world’s economy. The next ripple effect could be a new Cold War, this time between China and the United States. Click here to read....
Chinese private firms use more debt instruments for financing: People’s Daily
Chinese enterprises in the private sector saw robust growth in the amount of debt financing instruments issued by them in March, amid efforts to tide over the COVID-19 strainsClick here to read....
China's top legislature starts standing committee session: Xinhuanet
The Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, started its 17th session Sunday to review multiple draft laws and law revisions, including a draft law on administrative discipline and a draft revision to the law on the prevention and control of environmental pollution by solid waste. Click here to read....
