Morning News Brief [March 25, 2020]

HOT NEWS

1. One of the major UN conferences, the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty review, is likely to be postponed as the coronavirus pandemic overrides the world agenda.

Source: The Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/nuclear-nonproliferation-treaty-review-likely-postponed/2020/03/24/d90dea78-6e1a-11ea-a156-0048b62cdb51_story.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=wp_world)

2. The Trump administration is considering lifting a tariff responsibility on imported goods around the world for 90 days, though the proposal received a public outcry from locals.

Source: BNN Bloomberg (https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/trump-administration-said-to-weigh-90-day-deferral-of-tariffs-1.1411809) 

 

WORLD

1. The US cut $1bn in aid to Afghanistan and threatened to reduce further in the next following year over the failure of political unity within the country. 

Source: BBC News

(https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-52016469) 

2. After charges of using the term Chinese Virus, President Donald Trump called for protection of Asian Americans and said the spreading of the virus is not their fault.

Source: The Straits Times

(https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/trump-calls-to-protect-asian-americans-after-coronavirus-uproar?cx_testId=20&cx_testVariant=cx_4&cx_artPos=1#cxrecs_s) 

3. Iran rejects foreign assistance to combat COVID-19 regardless of the death toll reaching 2,000 and the offer from the France-based medical charity.

Source: CNA

(https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/iran-rejects-foreign-help-coronavirus-death-toll-nears-2-000-12572948) 

 

REGIONS

1. The US media group asked China to reconsider their order on expelling 13 journalists claiming that this action put the access to critical information at stake. 

Source: RFI

(http://www.rfi.fr/en/wires/20200324-media-groups-urge-china-reconsider-expulsion-us-journalists) 

2. Indian Prime Minister announced that the country will be going into a lockdown, the world’s largest lockdown so far, with $2 billion emergency aid to fight COVID-19.

Source: TVNZ (https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/world/india-begin-worlds-largest-coronavirus-lockdown-tomorrow)

3. China announced to lift the lockdown on Wuhan, the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, after having fought a successful battle against it for more than 2 months.

Source: CNN (https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/24/asia/coronavirus-wuhan-lockdown-lifted-intl-hnk/index.html) 

4. The Philippines congress approved the bill on national emergency and authorised the President to launch an 18 million aid program to contain the Coronavirus pandemic.  

Source: South China Morning Post

(https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3076790/philippine-congress-approves-national-emergency) 

 

CAMBODIA

1. The Japanese Government provided 310 million dollar to Cambodia to develop the road and landmine clearance by official development assistance (ODA) project. 

Source: Thmey Thmey

(https://cambodianess.com/article/japan-to-provide-310-million-in-development-assistance-for-roads-water-and-landmine-clearance) 

2. The Asian Development Bank forecasts that Cambodia will see estimated loss of more than $390 million as a consequence of the COVID-19 on economic activities.

Source: The Phnom Penh Post (https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/cambodian-economy-will-be-worst-hit-asean-adb) 

3. The proposed National Road 10 connecting Tonle Sap Region to Southern Coastal Corridor encourages Cambodian cassava sector to continue to increase the value chain.

Source: Khmer Times

(https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50705424/cassavas-new-gateway-to-global-markets/)

4. Minister Sar Kheng said , we will lock down the villages if more than two cases  infect the patients who returned from Thailand.

Source: Khmer Times (https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50705419/village-lockdowns-mulled-if-returning-workers-have-covid-19/)