forbes.com (15.04.2020) California Governor Gavin Newsom announced today the creation of a $125 million Disaster Relief Fund to assist undocumented immigrants in the state who are struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund will disburse a one-time payment of $500 per adult (capped at $1,000 per household) to approximately 150,000 undocumented adult Californians to help with specific needs related to the coronavirus outbreak.

almamlakatv.com (17.04.2020) The Minister of Social Development Basma Ishaqat has announced the largest social protection programme to support daily wage workers. Cash transfers will be delivered starting from next Wednesday through digital means. Applying for the programme is possible online through the pre-existing 'bread support cash assistance application website.' The programme will support 200,000 households no longer able to work due to the crisis.

The Economic Times (20.004.2020) The government has fast-tracked its plan to provide social security for gig economy workers and those in the unorganised sectors, anticipating a significant increase in their numbers as unemployment soars due to the Covid-19 crisis.

Dublin Live (18.04.2020) This is the first time newborns can have their births recorded online. The move was brought in due to the difficulties parents would face going to their nearest registration offices during the coronavirus crisis. It will come as a relief to families who were worried their newborns would not be properly recognised by the State during the Covid-19 emergency.

It also means child benefit can be paid on time with no delays.

middleeasteye.net (14.04.2020) Coronavirus treatment and medicine for patients in public hospitals in Turkey has been made free of charge following a presidential decree on Tuesday. The decree says that all patients, even if they failed to pay state insurance, will be granted protective gear and testing, as well as free medicine in state hospitals and medical centres. The Social Security Directorate (SGK) earlier announced free coverage for treatment of the disease for citizens with social security.

Nikkei Asian Review (16.04.2020) Japan plans to send a cash handout of 100,000 yen ($930) to every resident, regardless of income, to lessen the economic blow from the coronavirus pandemic after an earlier income support scheme met with resistance.

voxeu.org (01.04.2020) Short-time work is a subsidy for temporary reductions in the number of hours worked in firms affected by temporary shocks. Evidence suggests that it can have large positive effects on employment and can be more effective than unemployment insurance or universal transfers. This column discusses how the COVID-19 crisis – with its mandated reduction in hours of work and massive liquidity crunch for firms – is a textbook case for the use of short-time work.

voxeu.org (07.04.2020) Due to the global spread of COVID-19, Austria, like many other countries, is facing a massive increase in unemployment. To mitigate the skyrocketing number of unemployed persons, social partners have developed a new model of subsidised short-time work that could become an international role model. The Austrian model allows a temporary reduction in working hours up to 90% while maintaining the employment relationship and granting almost full public wage compensation.

rappler.com (15.04.2020) Just like many COVID-19 patients fighting for their lives, what the Philippine economy needs right now is a sturdy ventilator for life support. But at the rate government is distributing aid, our economy’s ventilator seems dismally broken. On March 25, President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act. This chiefly authorized him to marshal resources to fight COVID-19. That law also mandated government to hand out disaster relief.

World Economic Forum (06.04.2020) The COVID-19 pandemic has helped widen global usage for chatbot technology. After the pandemic, the use of chatbots for healthcare applications will continue to grow. Public and private stakeholders must come together to maximize these benefits while minimizing risks.