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Pakistan extends lockdown until April 14; will bring back citizens

IN a move to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, Pakistan has decided to extend the lockdown until April 14.

Reports said that the ongoing lockdown will continue for two more weeks.


The country has reported 2,450 cases and 35 deaths so far.

The federal minister for planning and development Asad Umar announced the extension after a meeting of National Coordination Committee (NCC) on Covid-19.

He added that stranded overseas Pakistanis will be brought back to the country in a special Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight on Saturday (4).

The passengers will be first tested and sent for quarantine to ensure they do not spread the coronavirus, he added.

Pakistan plans to lift the curbs on international flights will first in the Islamabad airport followed by Karachi.

"Lockdown throughout the country is bearing fruit as number of cases would have been much higher if containment steps were not taken in a timely manner," he said.

As per reports, there are as many as 2,000 Pakistanis stranded in different parts of the world.

The government will operate 17 planes to bring back citizens.

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food inflation

Pork fillet costs approximately £20 per kilogram, while beef sells for £80 per kilogram or more

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UK shoppers swap beef for pork as prices soar 27 per cent

Highlights

  • Beef price inflation hits 27 per cent while pork remains fraction of the cost at £20/kg vs £80/kg.
  • Waitrose reports 16 per cent rise in pork mince sales as families adapt recipes.
  • Chicken and pork mince volumes surge 65.6 per cent and 36.6 per cent respectively as cheaper protein alternatives.
British shoppers are increasingly swapping beef for pork in dishes like spaghetti bolognese as beef prices continue their steep climb, new retail data reveals. The latest official figures show beef price inflation running at 27 per cent, prompting consumers to seek more affordable alternatives.
Waitrose's annual food and drink report indicates customers are now buying pork cuts typically associated with beef, including T-bone steaks, rib-eye cuts and short ribs.

The cost difference is substantial. Pork fillet costs approximately £20 per kilogram, while beef sells for £80 per kilogram or more, according to Matthew Penfold, senior buyer at Waitrose. He describes pork as making a "massive comeback but in a premium way".

The supermarket has recorded notable changes in shopping patterns, with recipe searches for "lasagne with pork mince" doubling on its website and "pulled pork nachos" searches rising 45 per cent. Sales of pork mince have increased 16 per cent compared to last year as home cooks modify family favourites.

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