VIF Neighborhood News Digest: April 15, 2020

PAKISTAN

Lockdown eased, extended for two weeks: Dawn
April 15, 2020

The government has extended the prevailing lockdown for another two weeks with some essential industries being allowed to reopen. Prime Minister Imran Khan announced the decision in his televised address to the nation on Tuesday after chairing a National Coordination Committee (NCC) meeting, which was attended by the chief ministers of all provinces. The decision by the government to open certain workplaces came on the day when the death toll from Covid-19 touched 100. Click here to read.... [2]

AFGHANISTAN

Taliban Drafts ‘Charter’ for Future government: Document: TOLO
April 15, 2020

A draft of a Taliban charter consisting of a list of rules, presumably intended as a guide for the potential future governance of Afghanistan, was shared with TOLO news by a senior government official. Titled “The charter of the Islamic emirate of Afghanistan,” the list of articles looks very similar to those of the former Taliban regime, which was in power in Kabul from 1996 to 2001. The charter, which calls for the establishment of an Islamic emirate, has 149 articles which include a broad range of topics covering how laws will be passed to the mandate for a white flag. Click here to read.... [3]

BANGLADESH

Coronavirus: Bangladesh reports first death of a physician: Dhaka Tribune
April 15, 2020

A doctor of Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital has died after getting infected with coronavirus. Dr Md Moyeen Uddin, died at Kurmitola General Hospital, Dhaka, at 6:45am on Wednesday. Brig Gen Jamil Ahmed, director of the Kurmitola General Hospital confirmed the matter to the Dhaka Tribune. Moyeen was an assistant professor of Medicine at the Osmani Medical College Hospital. On April 5, he tested positive for Covid-19, after Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) tested his sample. He was the first coronavirus patient in Sylhet. Click here to read.... [4]

MYANMAR

Historic ASEAN plus Three Leaders’ Summit on COVID-19: Myanmar Times
April 15, 2020

The leaders of ASEAN plus Three (APT), namely Korea, China, and Japan, assembled on April 14 to discuss on their collective response to COVID-19. It was the first time that the leaders of the region met via a video conference. As different threats require different strategies, the unseen specter of the corona virus shifted the paradigm of gathering among regional leaders. Following the first ever extraordinary G20 leaders’ video summit on March 26, the APT summit meeting showcased unequivocal political commitment of the regional leaders in fighting collectively against this unprecedented challenge. Click here to read.... [5]

NEPAL

Nepal seeks additional funding from donors as revenue shrinks amid Covid-19 crisis: The Kathmandu Post
April 15, 2020

Nepal has sought additional funding—in the range of Rs69 billion to Rs104 billion— from international multilateral donors for the current and upcoming fiscal years to cover increased health care costs in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The amount being sought is equivalent to around 2-3 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. As of the fiscal year 2018-19, Nepal's GDP was Rs3.46 trillion, according to the latest International Monetary Fund report. Click here to read.... [6]

Sri Lanka

15 people tested positive for COVID-19 in a single day in Sri Lanka: News First
April 15, 2020

A total of 15 people tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, 14th April 2020. Accordingly, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Sri Lanka is at 233. Director-General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe in a statement said 14 of the coronavirus patients are those who closely associated COVID-19 cases. One of them was detected while in quarantine at the Puttlam Quarantine Facility. 08 of them were detected from the Palali Quarantine Facility and 04 others were detected from the Mulankovil Quarantine Facility. Click here to read.... [7]

BHUTAN

GDP growth predicted to be between 2.2 and 2.9 percent in 2020: Kuenselonline
April 15, 2020

The government had just about laid the foundation and set the tone for the rest of its term in office. Then the Covid-19 pandemic came. Now that the focus has been diverted to preventing the spread of the pandemic, the economic outlook has changed drastically. In its latest “South Asia Economic Focus, Spring 2020”, the World Bank estimates that Bhutan’s Real GDP growth in the fiscal year 2020 will decelerate in the range of 2.2 to 2.9 percent depending on how long the pandemic lasts. Before the pandemic, the country’s growth projection for the year was at 6.5 percent. Click here to read.... [8]

CHINA

China’s ‘Donation Diplomacy’ Raises Tensions with U.S.: The New York Times
April 15, 2020

When President Trump spoke with Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader, late last month to reach a truce to the sniping over the coronavirus pandemic, he did so partly to pave the way for steady shipments of much-needed medical supplies from China. Click here to read.... [9]

Senators Call on WHO to Release Information about Chinese Regime’s handling of Outbreak: The Epoch Times
April 15, 2020

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and six other senators, in a letter to WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus dated April 14, requested information relating to the body’s “role in helping the Chinese Communist Party [CCP] cover up information regarding the threat of the Coronavirus.” The request was made ahead of a congressional hearing by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to investigate the WHO’s handling of the outbreak. Click here to read.... [10]