Domestic Politics
While addressing the nation on Thursday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to practice social-distancing and avoid panic buying to ensure that healthcare facilities are not overburdened. He also called for a 14-hour ‘Janta curfew’ on Sunday between 7 AM and 9 PM. [Times of India]
Following the resignation of 22 MLAs in Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Kamal Nath resigned ahead of the Supreme Court-ordered trust vote scheduled for 5 PM on Friday. The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to regain power in the state under the leadership of three-time Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chauhan. [NDTV]
Mahinda Deshapriya, the chairman of the Sri Lankan election commission, said that the country will not conduct parliamentary elections on April 25 as scheduled, owing to the coronavirus outbreak. [Reuters]
International Relations
To help Nepal prepare for a Covid-19 outbreak, China offered medical and logistical support, while India pledged $10 million towards the SAARC fund. However, Nepal’s Foreign Minister, Pradeep Gyawali, said that Nepal did not seek assistance from either country. [Kathmandu Post]
While countries across South Asia close borders to prevent the spread of the Covid-19, Pakistani Prime Minister, Imran Khan, announced his decision to open its borders to Afghanistan to support Afghan “brothers and sisters” during the health crisis. [The Express Tribune]
Gender
After a 13-year-long battle, the convicts in the Nirbhaya gangrape case were executed at 5.30 AM on Friday at India’s high-security Tihar prison. This is India’s first execution of a death sentence since 2015. [BBC]
Health
As the number of coronavirus cases in India climbed to 201, authorities, on late Thursday, decided to ban the export of surgical masks, ventilators, and textiles used for masks and overalls. [Reuters]
As the number of confirmed cases of the Covid-19 rise across South Asia and several patients escape from isolation facilities, health experts fear that unsanitary testing and quarantine centres present a problem in containing the outbreak. [Reuters]
Image Source: AP News
