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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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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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Dual threat in the Pacific: COVID-19 and natural hazards -- by Anupma Jain

The pandemic demonstrates that disasters are triggered by multidimensional risks and hazards, and that a country’s approach to urban resilience needs to be multifaceted.




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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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COVID-19 highlights Asian banks’ vulnerability to U.S. dollar debt -- by Cyn-Young Park (朴信永), Peter Rosenkranz

The pandemic provides an opportunity for regional financial cooperation on reforms to make Asian banks more resilient to crises.




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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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The response to COVID-19 should also be a response to the climate crisis -- by Preety Bhandari, Arghya Sinha Roy

Now is the time to ramp up actions on resilience so that society can beat the COVID-19 crisis while reducing the impact of climate threats.




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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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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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COVID-19 is an opportunity to re-tool the health sector’s energy supply -- by Susumu Yoneoka, Dan Millison

The pandemic reinforces the need for reliable energy services to support healthcare. Clean, renewable power is a good place to start.




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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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უკეთესი სოციალური დაცვა კოვიდ-19-სგან დაზარალებული ღარიბი მოსახლეობისთვის -- by Amir Jilani

მილიონობით ოჯახი, რომელიც კოვიდ-19-ის გავრცელებამდეც ღარიბი და დაუცველი იყო, ახლა დილემის წინაშე დგას — როგორ იკვებონ, იმკურნალონ და უბრალოდ გადარჩნენ. ჩვენ ვალდებულნი ვართ დაუყოვნებლივ ვიმოქმედოთ და დავიცვათ ისინი, ვისაც ახლა ეს ყველაზე მეტად სჭირდება.




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მომავალი პანდემიების თავიდან ასაცილებლად ჯანდაცვაში ძირეული ცვლილებებია გასატარებელი -- by Susann Roth, Najibullah Habib

კოვიდ-19-ის პანდემია შესაძლოა იყოს შანსი ჯანდაცვის გაძლიერებას და ჯანსაღი ცხოვრების დამკვიდრებას კომპლექსურად მივუდგეთ, განვახორციელოთ ინვესტიციები ჯანდაცვის სისტემებსა და უფრო მდგრადი მიწოდების ჯაჭვებში.




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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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COVID-19 highlights the need for safe, nutritious, and affordable food -- by Akmal Siddiq

Hunger and malnutrition were an increasing problem worldwide before the pandemic. Restrictions imposed to curb disease spread have disrupted local and international food supply chains, making the problem even more urgent.




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新冠肺炎疫情凸显亚洲的银行对美元债务的脆弱性 -- by Cyn-Young Park (朴信永), Peter Rosenkranz

疫情之下,危机并存。亚洲的银行可借机合作,开展区域金融改革,增强自身抵御危机能力。




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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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Small business solutions for pandemic challenges -- by Lotte Schou-Zibell

Crafting small business support efforts to specific country circumstances could help save millions of livelihoods in poor communities and fortify economies against future shocks.




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Mapping Asia’s epidemics -- by Ilan Noy, Benno Ferrarini, Donghyun Park

Countries can minimize the economic risk of epidemics by investing in the tools needed to predict disease emergence.




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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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Build green to help fend off the next pandemic -- by Anouj Mehta, Naeeda Crishna Morgado

Investments in climate-resilient infrastructure should be the centerpiece of the billions of dollars in economic stimulus being used to rebuild Asia’s economies.




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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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Real estate company MD booked for alleged fraud

GURGAON: The managing director of real estate company Vigneshwara Group and two of his family members have been booked by Gurgaon Police in a multi-crore fraud case. Some estimates put the scale of the fraud at more than Rs 1,000 crore. Despite taking money from around 700 investors for properties in and around Gurgaon in 2006-07, and promising assured returns till possession, the group allegedly didn’t begin construction of some projects and defaulted on payments to investors. An FIR was filed at Sushant Lok police station against group MD Sunil Dahiya, his brother Sanjay and father Daryav Singh. Dahiya hasn’t been taken into custody yet because he complained of illness […]



  • Gurgaon
  • Real Estate Developers
  • Real Estate India

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Builders hunt for cheaper land & technology to offer affordable housing

NEW DELHI: Builders are scrambling to acquire cheap land and technology for low-cost housing after the government and central bank announced incentives for affordable housing, including cheaper loans to developers and buyers. Real estate companies including Tata Housing, ATS Infrastructure, Bhartiya Group and Anantraj Industries are busy sewing up land deals for projects in the Rs 5-20 lakh home segment. There is unlimited demand for homes in this segment, say experts. “There is a large market for such homes but a big supply constraint as well,” said Shailesh Pathak, executive director of the Bhartiya Group, which is planning to build 10,000 low-cost homes over the next two-three years on a […]




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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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‘Glory to Hong Kong': The anthem of a protest movement

Tens of thousands of Hongkongers are participating in flash mob performances of the new protest song “Glory to Hong Kong” in the streets and in shopping malls across the city.




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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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After being kidnapped and threatened, Mozambican YouTuber has his channel suspended

In early February, he was kidnapped for 24 hours, before he was freed by the police. A self-proclaimed prophet named Joe Williams is suspected of ordering the kidnapping.





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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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ASEAN Intervenes to Fight Death Spiral of Food Export Restrictions

Few images conjure the 1930s Depression like people standing in soup lines while farmers dump food they can't sell. That is a tragedy Southeast Asia is fighting to avoid, though it is starting to happen in pockets around the world in the midst of COVID-19. Supply chain disruptions, driven by the pan...




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Merkel Announces Germany's Soccer League Restart

German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced Wednesday the German soccer league Bundesliga can resume playing later this month, ending a two-month pause prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.Merkel made the announcement as one of a range of containment measures being relaxed, following a meeting with the 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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2 Quarantine Violators Electronically Tagged

Two people had the dubious distinction of being the first to wear electronic tags on their wrists for violating quarantine rules. Health authorities said the two were wearing the devices from 6 p.m. Tuesday and will have to keep them on for the rest of their self-quarantine period. One was caught in...




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N.Korea Building Missile Hangar Near Pyongyang

North Korea is close to completing a missile storage facility near Pyongyang Sunan International Airport. The facility is "almost certainly related to North Korea's expanding ballistic missile program," the Beyond Parallel website at the Center for Strategic and International Studies reported Tuesda...




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Bangtan Boys to Join Obamas in YouTube Virtual Commencement Event

K-pop boy band Bangtan Boys, also known as BTS, will give speeches during a virtual commencement event along with global figures including former U.S. President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, and pop star Lady Gaga. "Dear Class of 2020," organized by YouTube, will be streamed on June 6 to celeb...




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Overseas Sales of Korean Cars Nosedive

Korean automakers announced dismal overseas sales in April, with Hyundai's plummeting 70 percent and affiliate Kia's 55 percent. The U.S. and European economies have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, the total sales of Korea’s five automakers declined 51.6 percent on-year last ...




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Comatose Samsung Chairman Still Korea's Richest Man

The nominal Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee, who is in a vegetative state, remains Korea's richest man and one of only four Koreans on Bloomberg's list of top 500 billionaires in the world. The others are acting Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong, Seo Jung-jin, CEO of biopharmaceutical company Celltrion, and K...




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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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At Least 5 Dead After Chemical Plant Leak in Southern India

Authorities in southern India say at least five people are dead after a gas leak at an industrial plant Thursday.Over 100 residents in the city of Visakhapatnam were taken to local hospitals after a leak of styrene gas was detected coming from the LG Polymers chemical plant located on the outskirts ...




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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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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...