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Let’s use the pandemic to expand our transport options -- by Lloyd Wright

The COVID-19 pandemic is an opportunity to embrace the future of work-from-home and the greater adoption of walking and cycling. 




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Three ways to support businesses and their workers during a pandemic -- by Paul Vandenberg, Matthias Helble

Many workers will be displaced and many businesses will close as a result of the slowdown caused by COVID-19. Providing support to those affected gives them a fighting chance.




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How to protect Asia’s rapidly aging population from COVID-19 -- by Meredith Wyse

The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need to strengthen programs and policies affecting older persons both in times of crisis and afterward.




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Amid COVID-19, the time to act is now to protect food security -- by Hans Woldring, Susann Roth

With the impacts of the pandemic on food and nutrition being felt around the region, planning is needed to avoid higher food prices, decreased nutrition and reduced food security. 




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Are Pacific power utilities ready for the impact of COVID-19? -- by Rafael Abbasov

In the fragile energy scenario of small Pacific islands, contingency plans are crucial to keep the lights on during a crisis.




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To survive the pandemic, Indonesia’s urban poor need economic support and help with basic services -- by Joris van Etten, Tiffany M. Tran

For many of Indonesia’s urban poor who work in the informal sector, social distancing is nearly impossible if they want to maintain their income. Two key policies can help.




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Let’s support the supply lines that keep health workers safe from COVID-19 -- by Cyn-Young Park (朴信永), Kijin Kim

The production processes and supply chains that feed into the production of masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment must be secured.




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新冠肺炎疫情下,保障食品安全刻不容缓 -- by Hans Woldring, Susann Roth

新冠肺炎大流行已经影响到亚洲的粮食和营养状况,要避免食品价格上涨、营养状况恶化和粮食安全水平降低,就需要进行规划。




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We need to act swiftly to avoid further economic damage from COVID-19 -- by Bruno Carrasco

With timely and well-targeted programs, policy makers can prevent the health crisis from deepening into a wider economic and financial crisis. This could sow the seeds of economic recovery.  




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A COVID-19 contagion for the world’s stock markets -- by Donghyun Park, Shu Tian

These charts illustrate how Asian and global stock markets reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic, with market reaction closely following local outbreaks and then moving in unison with global markets amid other shocks.




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新冠肺炎疫情之下,如何保护亚洲的老年人? -- by Meredith Wyse

新冠肺炎疫情当前,更有必要巩固影响老年人的各项计划和政策,在危机过后仍需如此。




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In the Pacific, COVID-19 is changing the way we think about waste management -- by Anupma Jain

The pandemic is producing more household waste and increased amounts of dangerous medical waste. We need to manage these changes for our immediate safety and for the long-term welfare of our communities.




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The pandemic combined with climate change is hitting the poor hard -- by Nathan Rive

The global response to COVID-19 should also be a springboard for action on climate change resilience so we can narrow the divide between rich and poor and keep everyone safe.




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Asia should lead the way in producing a novel coronavirus vaccine -- by Matthias Helble, Susann Roth

The Asia-Pacific region has the expertise and resources to take a leadership role in not only developing a COVID-19 vaccine but distributing it to those who need it most.




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It’s time for Central Asia to do whatever it takes to minimize the pandemic’s economic impact -- by Lilia Aleksanyan, Werner E. Liepach

Bold action is required by policymakers and central bankers to keep the region’s economies afloat and contain the pandemic.




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Центральной Азии нужно сделать все возможное, чтобы минимизировать экономические последствия пандемии -- by Lilia Aleksanyan, Werner E. Liepach

Директивным органам и центральным банкам необходимо предпринять смелые действия для поддержания экономики региона на плаву и сдерживания пандемии.




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Rebooting the economy during COVID-19 -- by Patrick L. Osewe

Governments in Asia and the Pacific must think about two things when restarting their economies: when to do it and how.




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During COVID-19, countries need to work together to ensure the supply of protective equipment -- by Susann Roth, Jesper Pedersen

As the pandemic continues, the supply chains producing vital personal protective equipment are starting to fail, causing shortages. Countries and international organizations can fill these gaps by working together.




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Central Asian countries are moving forward together to beat COVID-19 -- by Xinglan Hu, Kirthi Ramesh, Mariya Khatiwada Savchuk

A forward-looking, regional approach is needed for countries in Central Asia to respond to the pandemic and prepare for future public health threats.




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What’s next for supply chains scrambled by the pandemic? -- by Bart Édes

The pandemic has highlighted the shortcomings of the globalized supply chain model.




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Региональное сотрудничество может эффективно противостоять угрозам здоровью в Центральной и Западной Азии -- by Xinglan Hu, Kirthi Ramesh, Mariya Khatiwada Savchuk

Странам Центральной Азии необходим перспективный региональный подход для реагирования на пандемию и подготовки к будущим угрозам для здоровья.




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Helping women and girls survive COVID-19 and its aftermath -- by Malika Shagazatova 

A gender-sensitive response is crucial to this global health emergency.




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Youth involvement key to keeping Asia’s skies clear -- by Emma Marsden, Bulganmurun Tsevegjav , William Lucht, Muskaan Chopra

To reduce air pollution, national and city government policy makers, their development partners, academe, and the private sector need to work with young people. 




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A new era of clean energy cooperation along the old Silk Road -- by Ashok Bhargava

The historic spirit of cross-border trade in Central Asia is being revived in the energy sector.




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Trinidad & Tobago's ‘Bike Man’ takes cycling to new heights

Trinidad and Tobago loves its "heights" -- and a skilful cyclist on a homemade bike that reaches 10-12 feet in height does not disappoint.




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A 1990s Macedonian film set in 2019 foreshadows a xenophobic future

Like other sci-fi before it, it imagined the present year as a post-apocalyptic wasteland.




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Hong Kong protesters make online game their new home during pandemic

Hong Kong's protesters are aching to take to the streets again. In the meantime, they are taking to their screens.




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Environment Ministry proposes new norms for clearance of realty projects

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has drafted the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification 2020 to curb the construction violations across the country. The new draft would replace the EIA notification 2006. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change (MoEFCC) has proposed a new set of environment clearance norms in its Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification 2020. Earlier, the environment approvals to construction projects  were given as per the criteria stated in the EIA notification 2006; however, the new draft would replace the former set of rules. The Ministry has placed the EIA report in the public domain on March 12, 2020 and has sought views and comments […]



  • Real Estate India

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Nagpur civic body to levy triple tax on buildings without OC

The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has proposed a penalty of threefold property tax on residential structures lacking the Occupancy Certificate (OC). As the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) plans to levy threefold property tax on residential structures lacking the Occupancy Certificates (OCs), it may affect as many as 90 percent of the buildings in the city. Tukaram Mundhe, Commissioner, NMC, avers that the occupancy certificate is mandatory as per the building byelaws stated under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act, 1966. Therefore, all the building owners should obtain OC to avoid penalties. Nagpur has around 3,000 buildings that were served notices under the MRTP Act, but penalties were not levied until […]



  • Real Estate India

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Court Overturns Quincy Jones' Win in Michael Jackson Lawsuit

A California appeals court on Tuesday overturned most of a 2017 jury verdict awarding Quincy Jones $9.4 million in royalties and fees from the Michael Jackson estate over the use of Jones-produced Jackson hits in the concert film "This Is It" and two Cirque du Soleil shows.The state's 2nd District C...




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U.S. Rallies Support to Back Taiwan's WHO Bid

The United States is rallying support to back Taiwan's observer status in the World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of the World Health Organization, leading into its annual meeting May 17-21."Today, I want to call on all nations, including those in Europe, to support Taiwan's participatio...




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U.S. Stars 'Borrow' Legs of Black Pink Member Lisa in Internet Meme

A meme based on an image from a video clip of Lisa, a member of K-pop girl group Black Pink, has gone viral among global celebrities on Twitter. Lisa uploaded the 1 minute, 20 second video, which shows her performing a sexy dance routine, on her personal YouTube channel on April 20. Hollywood celebr...




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Long-Awaited Baseball Season Openers Draw Huge Crowds Online

With the Korea Baseball Organization's regular season kicking off with no spectators allowed in the stadium, a large number of baseball fans have turned online to cheer for teams they support. The number of viewers who watched any of the five season opening games streamed online was 1.49 million in ...




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Mercedes-Benz Slapped with Record Fine for Emissions Cheating

The Environment Ministry is fining Mercedes-Benz W77.6 billion for illegally tampering with emissions tests, the biggest fine ever for a carmaker here (US$1=W1,225). The ministry on Wednesday said Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Porsche tampered with the emissions of around 40,000 diesel cars sold in Kore...




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Unanimous Supreme Court Throws out 'Bridgegate' Convictions

A unanimous Supreme Court on Thursday threw out the convictions of two political insiders involved in the "Bridgegate" scandal that ultimately derailed the 2016 presidential bid of then-New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. The justices found evidence of deception, corruption and abuse of power in the sch...




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Wall Street Higher on Investor Optimism

U.S. stocks closed higher Thursday as investors appeared more optimistic about an economic recovery. The Dow Jones industrial average, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite Index were all up 1 percent.  For the tech-heavy Nasdaq, Thursday's close put it back in positive territory for the first time ...




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White House Defends Decision to Shelve Coronavirus Reopening Plan

The Trump administration is defending its decision not to release a detailed coronavirus reopening plan for the U.S., maintaining they would have been too narrowly-focused for the country's 50 states.The administration's defense comes in response to an Associated Press report that it shelved a repor...




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A Rainy Day in New York (2019)




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A Rainy Day in New York (2019)

Genres: Comedy and Romance Running Time: 92 min. Directed by: Woody Allen Starring: Timothee Chalamet, Elle Fanning Synopsis: A young couple arrives in New York for a weekend where they are met with bad weather and a series of adventures.




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IU's Collaboration Single with Bangtan Boys' Suga Sweeps Music Charts

"Eight," the new single by singer IU and Suga, a member of boy band Bangtan Boys, also known as BTS, swept many global music charts shortly after its release on Wednesday."Eight" reached No. 1 on major music-streaming sites here including Melon. It also topped iTunes charts in some 59 countries.The ...




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Pregnant Actress Choi Ji-woo Sends Well Wishes to Other Moms-to-Be

Actress Choi Ji-woo posted a handwritten letter with a photo of herself showing her "baby bump" on her fan site on Thursday. "I now have 15 days left before my baby's due date. I took a selfie in front of my house. As I got pregnant at a late age and am preparing for delivery amid the coronavirus ep...




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Where Does the Magic Money Tree Grow?

The consolidated central government balance, which is derived by subtracting total fiscal spending from earnings, has resulted in a staggering W45 trillion deficit in the first quarter (US$1=W1,226). The fiscal deficit grows even further to W55 trillion if losses from the National Pension Service an...






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In-N-Out Burger planning to open near Lone Tree’s Park Meadows mall next year

Colorado Springs is the beachhead. But it's always been clear In-N-Out Burger planned to feed its fanatical following along the Front Range by building more than just the one restaurant coming to that city in 2020.




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This Colorado log home has a 750-foot zipline and its own stocked fishing lake

Imagine zipping down a 750-foot zipline over your private lake, then taking in the beautiful Colorado views from the comfort of the expansive front porch of your log home.




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T.J. Ward’s home is for sale. And the former Broncos safety’s “swag and style” are everywhere.

"I was inspired by my sense of fashion," Ward said. "It was my first home and I wanted my home decor to represent me and my personality as much as possible. I have a lot of space so I could create different aspects of my life into each room."




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Withdrawal of sales tax demanded

Rawalpindi: Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum President Mian Zahid Hussain has said that sales tax should be withdrawn on cottonseed, oil cake, etc. while withholding tax refunds stuck since a decade should be released.He said the largest foreign exchange earning sector is in trouble,...




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LUMS asked to review fee hike

Islamabad : Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood on Friday resented massive fee hike by the Lahore University of Management Sciences and declared it unacceptable.In a couple of tweets, the minister said he had seen reports that the LUMS had increased its fee by 41%."If true, this is...




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Police conduct flag march to raise public awareness

Rawalpindi : The Rawalpindi Police with assistance of other security institutions staged a flag march in the city to create awareness among public on prevailing alarming situation due to coronavirus pandemic and preventive measures adopted by the Punjab government.According to the police...