Tuesday, April 14th, 2020
Coronavirus: ‘World faces worst recession since Great Depression’
WASHINGTON, APR 14 – The global economy will contract by 3% this year as countries around the world shrink at the fastest pace in decades, the International Monetary Fund said. The IMF described the global decline as the worst since the Great Depression of the 1930s. It said the pandemic had plunged the world into a “crisis like no other”. The Fund added that a prolonged outbreak would test the ability of governments and central banks to control the crisis. Gita Gopinath, the IMF’s chief economist, said the crisis couldRead More
Asad Qaiser constitutes committee on virtual NA session
ISLAMABAD, Apr 14 (DNA): Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser has appointed a 9-member committee on virtual session of the National Assembly during the prevalence of corona virus pandemic in the country. As per ToRs of the Committee, it had been mandated to suggest amendments in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly 2007, if any for holding virtual session of the National Assembly during prevalence of the corona virus pandemic. The Committee had also been asked to make recommendation for detailed working to hold sessionRead More
Emirates puts customers first in COVID-19 waiver policies
KARACHI/DUBAI, APR 14 (DNA) – Putting customers first, Emirates has updated its COVID-19 travel waiver policies into one simplified approach for rebooking and refunds on tickets issued in all its global markets. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer said: “The travel and airline industry have complicated rulebooks for how fares, re-bookings or refunds are applied, which also differ depending on market regulation. We understand that explaining and unravelling all of that is confusing and frustrating for customers. The COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented for everyone, and we’d like toRead More
President convenes meeting of Governors, Ulema on Saturday
ISLAMABAD, APR 14 (DNA) – President Dr. Arif Alvi will convene a meeting of provincial governors and Ulema on Saturday (April 18) to chalk out proposals for Masajid congregations during Ramazan and Taraweeh Prayers. This was decided in a meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday, which was also attended by Interior Minister Brig. retired Ijaz Ahmad Shah and Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Pir Noor ul Haq Qadri. The meeting agreed that the president would convene a meeting of all governors, President of Azad Jammu and KashmirRead More
Lockdown no longer applies to mosques, announce clerics
KARACHI, APR 14 – Influential clerics announced on Tuesday that they were opening mosques and lockdown restrictions would no longer apply to them. The announcement came minutes after Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government extended the countrywide lockdown by two weeks. Friday prayers would be offered in mosques, Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman, the chairman of Ruet-i-Hilal Committee, announced at a press conference in Karachi. Taraweeh and Aetkaaf would be held in mosques too during Ramzan, he added. We want to give the government a message that mosques should not be closed, Mufti MuneebRead More
Woman fined for taking turtle for a walk in Rome
ROME, APR 14 – An Italian woman who took her pizza-sized turtle out for a walk has been fined 400 euros ($440) by the Roman police for breaking strict coronavirus confinement rules. Italians need a justifiable reason to be out on the street in the middle of a pandemic that has officially claimed more than 20,000 lives in the Mediterranean country since February. Taking your dog out for a walk is viewed as a good enough reason to leave your home. But it seems taking your turtle out for oneRead More