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March 26, 2020: National / International Current Affairs
1. Al-Azhar issues fatwa to permit Juma prayers` suspension
• Egypt`s Al-Azhar has issued a fatwa on the request of President Dr Arif Alvi permitting suspension of Friday prayers to control the spread of deadly coronavirus across Pakistan.
• `I am thankful to Grand Imam Shaikh of Al-Azhar and Supreme Council for responding to my personal request to provide guidance to us with regard to Farz Jamaat and Juma prayers in mosques during coronavirus attack,` the president said in a tweet on Wednesday.
• President Alvi through Egypt`s ambassador in Pakistan had sought guidance from Al-Azhar institution, an authority on Islamic injunctions, for a word on the suspension of congregational prayers at mosques amid spike in coronavirus cases
2. Govt to get $4bn from lending, aid agencies
• Pakistan has arranged about $4 billion additional financial assistance from multilateral lending and aid agencies to shore up foreign exchange reserves and budgetary support for fighting adverse impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
• `We have made progress in mobilisation of additional funds,` said Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, adding that discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were in progressfor $1.4bn additional funds for fast track disbursements on same terms as the ongoing fund programme.
• Leading a team of economic members of the federal cabinet at a news conference on Wednesday, the adviser put the total size of the emergency response and fiscal stimulus package announced by the prime minister at Rs1.24 trillion. He explained that it would take a couple of weeks to put in place a mechanism for some relief measures to reach targeted sectors without leakage of public money.
3. Rs7.8bn approved for NDMA to contain pandemic
• The National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) on March 25, 2020 approved Rs7.89 billion for the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to supplement the government`s efforts for prevention and spread of Covid-19 outbreak in the country.
• In the wake of declaration of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) a pandemic by the World Health Organisation, the federal government declared a National Health Emergency of Public Concern on March 13.
• As the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus is growing on a daily basis in the country, the situation warranted the top-level preparedness and preemptive measures to control the deadly disease in the country.
• The NDRMF approved the project submitted to it by the NDMA with the assistance of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination
4. Sindh gets Chinese donation of 500,000 face masks to fight coronavirus
• Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on March 25, 2020 received 500,000 face masks, including 50,000 N-95 masks, donated to the provincial government by China.
• A special Chinese plane brought the consignment to the cargo terminal of Karachi airport where the chief minister received the donation at a ceremony under the banner of Pakistan-China national flags.
• On behalf of the people of the province, the CM thanked the Chinese government for helping him in the fight against Covid-19.
5. PM to chair NCC meeting on coronavirus today
• The National Coordination Committee on coronavirus will hold its second meeting in Islamabad on Thursday (today) with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair.
• This was informed by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr. Zafar Mirza while addressing to news briefing in Islamabad tonight. He said the meeting will review implementation status of the decisions taken during the previous meeting of the National Security Committee. The Special Assistant said that committee of parliamentary leaders is being constituted to oversight situation arising out of coronavirus pandemic
6. Coronavirus cases surge past 1,000 in country
• The total confirmed coronavirus cases jumped to 1,022 in the country while the death toll rose to eight on March 25, 2020 as another person died in the Punjab province.
• According to officials, at least 20 cases were confirmed in Islamabad 20, 310 in Punjab , 413 in Sindh, 80in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 117 in Balochistan117, one in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and 81 in Gilgit-Baltistan.
• Dr Zafar Mirza said that eight coronavirus patients have died so far and 21 patients have recovered, while five are in critical situation
7. Dr Rafique passes away at 92
• Vice-chairman of Nazria Pakistan Trust (NPT) and former Vice-Chancellor of Punjab University, Prof. Dr Rafique Ahmad died on March 25, 2020 after protracted illness.
• He was 92. Dr Rafiqure was an educationist and an economic expert, who also served as Vice-Chancellor of Islamia University Bahawalpur.
8. Saudi king to chair G20 video talks on coronavirus Thursday
• Saudi Arabia’s King Salman will chair an emergency virtual summit of leaders from the Group of 20 major economies on March 26, 2020 to discuss a global response to the coronavirus pandemic.
• World leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, will take part in the talks which the Kremlin said will take place by video conference.
• “King salman will chair the meeting to advance a coordinated global response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its human and economic implications,” said a statement released by Riyadh early March 25, 2020.
9. White House, Senate agree on $2tr rescue plan
• The White House and Senate have reached agreement on a $2 trillion stimulus package for the US economy and millions of Americans ravaged by the coronavirus crisis, top lawmakers said early on March 25, 2020.
• `At last, we have a deal,` Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, halling the massive `wartime level of investment into our nation` reached after five days of arduous and tense negotiations.
• `We have a bipartisan agreement on the largest rescue package in American history,` top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said shortly after McConnell spoke. `So many people are being put out of work through no fault of their own.
10. UN launches virus aid plan worth $2bn
• The coronavirus pandemic is threatening the entire human race, the United Nations warne d on March 25, 2020 as it launched a humanitarian response plan featuring an appeal for $2 billion to help the world`s poorest and most vulnerable people.
• `Covid-19 is threatening the whole of humanity and the whole of humanity must fight back,` Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in announcing the initiative.
• `Global action and solidarity are crucial. Individual country responses are not going to be enough.
• By Wednesday night the coronavirus pandemic had killed more than 20,000 people worldwide, over 13,000 of them in Europe, according to a tally
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