In Bishkek, police detained activists for breaking rally ban. In Islamabad, radical groups pushed barriers aside to attack marchers, including many men.
World trade in major arms grew by 5.5 per cent in the past five years. The US is the top exporter. Russian arms exports are down. Imports in the Middle East rose by 61 per cent; Saudi Arabia’s jumped by 130 per cent. China is the world’s fifth exporting country.
Cardinal al-Rahi takes a swipe at Lebanon’s political leaders over the country’s debt, which is threatening its future. Lebanon announced that it would not repay a US$ 1.2 billion bond. Foreign currency reserves will be used for imports. for Prime Minister Diab, the country cannot pay its debt.
Bangladesh has reported its first three cases, involving people returning from Italy. India has 43 confirmed cases with 400 people in quarantine. A US tourist is positive in Bhutan. Tourism collapses in Sri Lanka. In Indonesia, dioceses are set to enforce hygiene standards.
The Spring Grand Sumo Tournament opened yesterday. Its matches will be broadcast by Japan’s public broadcaster. If a wrestler contracts the virus, the competition will be cancelled. Athletes must comply with strict health protocols. The last closed-door tournament took place in 1945.
Crude oil value lost more than 20%, pushing equity indices down in Asia. After the collapse of prices due to the coronavirus, Opec and Russia fail to agree on production levels. Analysts worried about the drop in exports and imports from China, the world's largest oil buyer.
