9

'Virus mutations unlikely to mean stronger strain'

PARIS: The coronavirus´ constant mutation is unlikely to have changes its potency or its contagiousness, disease experts say, despite recent research suggesting the emergence of a more virulent strain.A pre-paper -- that is, not reviewed by a collection of the researchers´ peers --...




9

Rockets hit Libya's capital, killing 15

TRIPOLI: Rocket and shell fire on Tripoli has killed at least 13 civilians and two policemen in the last two days, Libya´s UN-recognised government said on Friday. The Government of National Accord accused forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar of carrying out the attacks, which it said...




9

India's lavish weddings go online amid lockdown

NEW DELHI: Under lockdown and far apart, Sushen Dang and Keerti Narang went online to say their marriage vows — and pulled off a spectacular Indian wedding complete with thousands of guests and raucous Bollywood dancing.In a country famous for lavish weddings that last for days, the young...




9

Shortages of virus test materials 'critical': UN

SEIBERSDORF: Shortages of materials needed in tests for the novel coronavirus remain “critical”, according to the head of a UN lab, which is supplying countries with COVID-19 detection kits. In particular the chemical reagents for the tests are still in short supply, said Giovanni...




9

China's new spacecraft returns to Earth

BEIJING: China’s new prototype spacecraft “successfully landed” on Friday, marking an important step in its ambitions to run a permanent space station and send astronauts to the moon. The spacecraft — which was launched Tuesday — arrived safely at a predetermined...




9

Egypt's Sisi ratifies emergency law amendments sparking rights concerns

CAIRO: President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has ratified a host of amendments to Egypt’s emergency law which an international rights groups says expands “repressive powers” as the country’s battles the coronavirus. Egypt has been under a state of emergency since April 2017 when...




9

Malawi court rejects president'sappeal against poll annulment

LILONGWE: Malawi´s top appeals court on Friday rejected President Peter Mutharika´s bid to scrap the annulment of controversial elections last May which he narrowly won, paving the way for a rerun in July. Mutharika had appealed a landmark decision by the Constitutional Court to...




9

'Trump ordered mercenary attack on Venezuela'

CARACAS: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says there is evidence his American counterpart Donald Trump “personally ordered” the recent military raid on the Latin American country, arguing that Washington swiftly cut remaining ties with Caracas thereafter. Maduro made the comments in...




9

Milan a ticking virus 'bomb', viroligist warns

ROME: Italy’s economic capital Milan is a virus time “bomb” at risk of erupting with residents now free to move around – some gathering for canal-side cocktails – after two months under a pandemic lockdown.The city in the northern Lombardy region is the epicentre of...




9

Malawi court rejects president's appeal against poll annulment

LILONGWE, Malawi: Malawi’s top appeals court on Friday rejected President Peter Mutharika’s bid to scrap the annulment of controversial elections last May which he narrowly won, paving the way for a rerun in July.Mutharika had appealed a landmark decision by the Constitutional Court to...




9

India's lavish weddings go online in virus lockdown

NEW DELHI: Under lockdown and far apart, Sushen Dang and Keerti Narang went online to say their marriage vows – and pulled off a spectacular Indian wedding complete with thousands of guests and raucous Bollywood dancing.In a country famous for lavish weddings that last for days, the young...




9

New York child dies from rare disease linked to Covid-19

NEW YORK: A five-year-old boy in New York state has died from a rare inflammatory disease believed to be caused by the new coronavirus, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Friday.“There have been 73 reported cases in NY of children getting severely ill with symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease...




9

Rockets hit Libya's capital, killing 15

TRIPOLI: Rocket and shell fire on Tripoli has killed at least 13 civilians and two policemen in the last two days, Libya’s UN-recognised government said on Friday.The Government of National Accord accused forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar of carrying out the attacks, which it said...




9

Drop in Covid-19 cases 'a must' for returning to normality

EDINBURGH: The number of cases of Covid-19 needs to come down “substantially” and consistently before there can be any return to normality, a disease expert has said.Professor Hugh Pennington said that while “we may be past the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, the number of...




9

Pandemic planning be 'free from interference'

LONDON: Planning for future pandemics should be handed over to the NHS and be “free from political interference”, academics have suggested.Researchers from Glasgow Caledonian University, the Cass Business School in London, Nottingham University and Vlerick Business School, in Belgium...




9

Venezuela charges two Americans with 'terrorism, conspiracy'

Venezuela has charged two former US soldiers with "terrorism" and "conspiracy" for allegedly taking part in a failed invasion bid to topple President Nicolas Maduro, the attorney general said Friday.




9

'Every parent's nightmare': Boy's death may have virus link

The death of a 5-year-old New York boy is challenging assumptions that children are less susceptible to COVID-19 complications, Gov.




9

IAF MiG-29 jet crashes in Jalandhar

NEW DELHI: A MiG-29 multirole fighter jet of the Indian Air Force crashed during a training mission near Punjab’s Jalandhar Friday. The pilot ejected safely. He was soon taken away in a rescue helicopter, the IAF said in a statement. "The aircraft had developed a technical snag and the...




9

Covid-19 challenges: Imran stresses out-of-box solutions

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Friday said out-of-box solutions were needed to meet the present day economic challenges in the wake of COVID-19 situation.He was chairing a meeting to review the economic situation and future outlook of economy in the wake of COVID-19 situation. A detailed...




9

Impact of Covid-19 pandemic: Pakistan's GDP to contract by 1.6pc in current fiscal, says Economist Intelligence Unit

ISLAMABAD: Keeping in view the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, Pakistan’s GDP is going to contract by 1.6 percent in the ongoing fiscal 2019-20 and will grow to 2.9 percent in the next financial year 2020-21 and the loans from IMF and other multilateral and bilateral donors will help to ease...




9

SBP's Refinance Scheme for Small Businesses fails to take off

ISLAMABAD: The State Bank of Pakistan’s Refinance Scheme for Small Businesses has so far failed to take off due to multiple reasons as the commercial banks are not designed and fully equipped to provide credit line to Small and Medium Enterprises .“The SBP’s Refinance Scheme for...




9

SBP's Refinance Scheme for Small Businesses fails to take off

ISLAMABAD: The State Bank of Pakistan’s Refinance Scheme for Small Businesses has so far failed to take off due to multiple reasons as the commercial banks are not designed and fully equipped to provide credit line to Small and Medium Enterprises .“The SBP’s Refinance Scheme for...




9

IAF MiG-29 jet crashes in Jalandhar

NEW DELHI: A MiG-29 multirole fighter jet of the Indian Air Force crashed during a training mission near Punjab's Jalandhar Friday.The pilot ejected safely. He was soon taken away in a rescue helicopter, the IAF said in a statement."The aircraft had developed a technical snag and the pilot...




9

Taliban chief's properties seized for auction

KARACHI: Afghan Taliban chief Mulla Akhtar Mansour’s five properties of over Rs32 million in Karachi have been seized by the anti-terrorism court for auction, sources said on Thursday.Mulla Mansour, who was killed in a drone strike along the Pakistan-Iran border on May 21, 2016, had...




9

COVID-19 challenges: Imran stresses out-of-box solutions

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Friday said out-of-box solutions were needed to meet the present day economic challenges in the wake of COVID-19 situation.He was chairing a meeting to review the economic situation and future outlook of economy in the wake of COVID-19 situation.A detailed...




9

Worldwide COVID-19 toll crosses 274,000

ISLAMABAD: At least 274,625 people have died of the novel coronavirus since the epidemic surfaced in China late last year, according to international media reports.There have been more than 3,984,488 officially recorded cases spanning 195 countries and territories.The United States is the...




9

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic: Pakistan's GDP to contract by 1.6pc in current fiscal, says Economist Intelligence Unit

ISLAMABAD: Keeping in view the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, Pakistan’s GDP is going to contract by 1.6 percent in the ongoing fiscal 2019-20 and will grow to 2.9 percent in the next financial year 2020-21 and the loans from IMF and other multilateral and bilateral donors will help to ease...




9

IAF MiG-29 jet crashes in Jalandhar

NEW DELHI: A MiG-29 multirole fighter jet of the Indian Air Force crashed during a training mission near Punjab's Jalandhar Friday.The pilot ejected safely. He was soon taken away in a rescue helicopter, the IAF said in a statement. "The aircraft had developed a technical snag and the pilot...




9

Deteriorating media environment: Protests for Mir Shakil's release continue throughout country

RAWALPINDI: The countrywide protests by the Geo-Jang Group workers against the deteriorating media environment, disrupting circulation of dailies Jang and The News and incarcerating Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman on fabricated charges continued on Friday.The countrywide protests by the...




9

COVID-19 challenges: PM Imran Khan stresses out-of-box solutions

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Friday said out-of-box solutions were needed to meet the present day economic challenges in the wake of COVID-19 situation.He was chairing a meeting to review the economic situation and future outlook of economy in the wake of COVID-19 situation.A detailed...




9

COVID-19 death toll tops 274,000

ISLAMABAD: At least 274,625 people have died of the novel coronavirus since the epidemic surfaced in China late last year, according to international media reports.There have been more than 3,984,488 officially recorded cases spanning 195 countries and territories. The United States is the...




9

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic: Pak GDP to contract by 1.6pc in current fiscal, says Economist Intelligence Unit

ISLAMABAD: Keeping in view the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, Pakistan’s GDP is going to contract by 1.6 percent in the ongoing fiscal 2019-20 and will grow to 2.9 percent in the next financial year 2020-21 and the loans from IMF and other multilateral and bilateral donors will help to ease...




9

Lockdown measures: 'Sindh govt to work along with Centre'

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah declared that the Sindh government will work alongside the Centre to implement the new lockdown measures for the mitigation of the coronavirus outbreak. "We will implement the federal government's lockdown decisions to the extent of 99pc if...




9

State Bank's Refinance Scheme for small businesses fails to take off

ISLAMABAD: The State Bank of Pakistan’s Refinance Scheme for Small Businesses has so far failed to take off due to multiple reasons as the commercial banks are not designed and fully equipped to provide credit line to Small and Medium Enterprises .“The SBP’s RefinanceScheme for...




9

50 Labour MPs oppose Starmer's new stance on occupied Kashmir

LONDON: Fifty Labour Party parliamentarians have told the new Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, that his recent statement on Indian-occupied Kashmir after a meeting with the Labour Friends of India is unacceptable, illegal, and historically wrong and he must clarify his position or face open...




9

OKC hails Lib Dems' concern over Kashmir

LONDON: The Organisation of Kashmir Coalition has hailed the policy statement of Liberal Democrats on Kashmir showing concern for the human rights situation in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.In a statement issued on Friday, OKC executive members Prof Nazir Ahmed Shawl and Barrister Abdul Majid...




9

EU's highest court says it 'alone' has jurisdiction over ECB

BRUSSELS: The EU’s highest court on Friday said it alone had legal authority over the European Central Bank, firmly rejecting a German Constitutional Court ruling critical of the bank’s ambitious stimulus policies.The highly unusual intervention came after the German ruling issued...




9

Indian faces trial for 'spying' on Sikhs, Kashmiris in Germany

FRANKFURT: An Indian national will stand trial in Germany accused of spying on Sikh and Kashmiri communities for New Delhi’s spy agency, a court said on Friday.Federal prosecutors allege the suspect, identified as 54-year-old Balvir, has been working with the Indian foreign intelligence...




9

Tại sao Đông Nam Á không nên lo lắng về việc “chảy máu chất xám” -- by Elisabetta Gentile

Bài viết giải thích tại sao nhận thức cho rằng sự di cư của lao động có kỹ năng nghề làm tổn hại nguồn lực quốc gia là sai lầm.




9

We need to get 'climate-smart' to enhance food security in Asia -- by Akmal Siddiq, Md. Abul Basher

Climate-smart and resource-saving farming technologies could be one way to address hunger in Asia.




9

Five myths about population, aging and environmental sustainability -- by Jane O'Sullivan, Francesco Ricciardi, Susann Roth

For sustainable development, universal wellbeing should be the goal, rather than endless growth. Minimizing further growth in human populations is only part of the solution, but an essential part. 




9

Looking for a fix for Asia's traffic woes -- by Yi Jiang

With no single cause, and no magic solution, the congestion of Asia’s cities requires government resolve and know-how to fix.




9

Here's how we can give a boost to the SDGs in Asia and the Pacific -- by Bart Édes

Asia and the Pacific is not where it needs to be to meet the Sustainable Development Goals but there remains a decade to make up for lost time.




9

Đây là cách chúng ta có thể thúc đẩy các Mục tiêu Phát triển bền vững tại Châu Á và Thái Bình Dương -- by Bart Édes

Châu Á và Thái Bình Dương chưa có được tiến độ cần thiết để đạt được các Mục tiêu Phát triển Bền vững nhưng vẫn còn một thập niên để bù lại thời gian đã mất.




9

Charting Sri Lanka's aging population -- by Utsav Kumar

These charts illustrate how Sri Lanka’s elderly population is increasing while the number of working-age people to help support them is declining. Forward-thinking policies are needed to address the challenges arising from this imbalance.




9

How can Asia avoid fallout if COVID-19 triggers a debt crunch? -- by Cyn-Young Park (朴信永)

Asia’s economies have generally maintained sound macroeconomic policies that can help the region withstand this latest challenge and emerge even stronger.




9

Let's take bold action on health to avoid future pandemics -- by Susann Roth, Najibullah Habib

The COVID-19 pandemic could be an opportunity to take a more holistic approach to health and well-being, invest in health systems and in resilient supply chains.




9

In the Pacific, urgent action is the key to addressing COVID-19 -- by Emma Veve

Pacific nations, led by the smallest and least well-off, moved decisively to restrict travel from a fast-growing list of COVID-19 affected countries.




9

Leverage development experience to beat COVID-19 -- by Ramesh Subramaniam

COVID-19 is uncharted territory but development professionals bring a wealth of experience from past crises to rebuild lives, livelihoods, and economies. 




9

We need better social protection to safeguard the poor from COVID-19 -- by Amir Jilani

Millions of families who were already poor and vulnerable before the COVID-19 outbreak face impossible decisions about food, healthcare, and survival. We have a responsibility to act immediately and protect those most in need.