THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
I. Biden’s Iran Dilemma
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/bidens-iran-dilemma
II. President Biden and the Pakistan-US Relationship
https://www.futuredirections.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/President-Biden-and-the-Pakistan-US-Relationship.pdf
III. Blinken, Without Leaving Home, Tries to Mend Fences with Allies Abroad
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/23/us/politics/blinken-state-department-travel-pandemic.html
IV. Opinion: Here’s Biden’s least bad option in Afghanistan
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/joe-biden-doesnt-have-any-good-options-in-afghanistan/2021/02/19/8b5ece0c-72ef-11eb-b8a9-b9467510f0fe_story.html
V. Afghan peace talks resume, but path is anything but certain
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/afghan-peace-talks-resume-but-path-is-anything-but-certain/2021/02/23/9be56d24-7599-11eb-9489-8f7dacd51e75_story.html
VI. China’s Evolving Security Presence in Afghanistan and Central Asia
https://jamestown.org/program/chinas-evolving-security-presence-in-afghanistan-and-central-asia/
VII. Renewed U.S.-India Climate Cooperation
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/reports/2021/02/18/495999/renewed-u-s-india-climate-cooperation/
VIII. U.S. Chamber Releases In-Depth Analysis of U.S.-China Economic Relationship
https://www.uschamber.com/press-release/us-chamber-releases-depth-analysis-of-us-china-economic-relationship
IX. Understanding U.S.-China Decoupling: Macro Trends and Industry Impacts
https://www.uschamber.com/report/understanding-us-china-decoupling-macro-trends-and-industry-impacts
X. US sends signal to Iran on JCPOA
https://en.irna.ir/news/84234891/US-sends-signal-to-Iran-on-JCPOA
XI. Can Antony Blinken Help Restore America’s Standing in the World?
https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/can-antony-blinken-help-restore-america-s-standing-in-the-world-a-ac1e2af0-1ffe-49f8-96b7-c7e17cf55d21
XII. The Nuclear Option
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/china/2021-02-22/nuclear-option
XIII. China: U.S. Treasury Secretary Says Tariffs on China Will Remain, for Now
https://worldview.stratfor.com/situation-report/china-us-treasury-secretary-says-tariffs-china-will-remain-now
XIV. China Reveals its First Assessment of Biden as President
https://www.usnews.com/news/world-report/articles/2021-02-12/china-reveals-its-first-assessment-of-biden-as-president
RUSSIA & EUROPE
I. Russia to launch 29 space rockets in 2021, says Roscosmos chief
https://tass.com/science/1259053
II. America Is Going the Same Way as the Soviets in Afghanistan
https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/02/18/soviet-withdrawal-afghanistan-parallels-u-s-biden/
III. Russian Envoy Visits Pakistan as Part of Effort to Jumpstart Stalled Afghan Peace Process
https://www.voanews.com/south-central-asia/russian-envoy-visits-pakistan-part-effort-jumpstart-stalled-afghan-peace-process
IV. Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan have formed a brotherhood of hard power
https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/02/23/vladimir-putin-and-recep-tayyip-erdogan-have-formed-a-brotherhood-of-hard-power
V. Moscow ‘disappointed’ with Brussels ‘pressing dysfunctional sanctions button’ as EU prepares new blacklist over Navalny’s jailing
https://www.rt.com/russia/516316-eu-sanctions-navalny-reaction/
VI. The Pentagon believes that the Russian Federation remains a threat to the existence of the United States and its allies in Europe
https://tass.ru/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/10776507?
VII. Violence in Kiev sees 27 cops injured as protesters come out against court decision to lock up far-right nationalist Sternenko
https://www.rt.com/russia/516480-kiev-violence-cops-injured/
VIII. Putin and Lukashenko discussed strengthening joint defense systems
https://tass.ru/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/10765187?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=smm_social_share
IX. Row as NGO Amnesty says Navalny not ‘prisoner of conscience’ due to far-right views & Western commentators claim RT is behind it!
https://www.rt.com/russia/516427-amnesty-navalny-prisoner-conscience/
X. Armenian Prime Minister dismissed the head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces
https://tass.ru/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/10778421
XI. Armenia announced its intention to closely cooperate with Russia on reforming the Armed Forces
https://tass.ru/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/10777463
XII. The Russian Foreign Ministry urged to reduce the role of the dollar in all operations
https://tass.ru/politika/10776277
MULTILATERALISM
I. Poor and vulnerable bear brunt of climate change
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/02/1085272
II. World risks ‘collapse of everything’ without strong climate action, Attenborough warns Security Council
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/02/1085452
III. UN experts condemn India for ending Kashmir’s autonomy, weakening minority rights
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2021/02/19/un-experts-condemn-india-for-ending-kashmirs-autonomy-weakening-minority-rights/?
IV. UN Report: Making Peace With Nature
https://www.unep.org/resources/making-peace-nature
V. UN Report: Afghanistan Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict Annual Report 2020
https://unama.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/afghanistan_protection_of_civilians_report_2020.pdf
POLITICAL ECONOMY & NON-TRADITIONAL THREATS
I. SBP Weekly Data Report
http://www.sbp.org.pk/ecodata/index2.asp
II. FATF grey-listing caused ‘$38b losses’
https://www.tabadlab.com/bearing-the-cost-of-global-politics/
III. State Bank targets $1b investment through RDA
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2286049/state-bank-targets-1b-investment-through-rda
IV. Pakistan offers $50m credit line to Sri Lanka for defence ties
https://www.dawn.com/news/1609232/pakistan-offers-50m-credit-line-to-sri-lanka-for-defence-ties
V. Pakistan gets $1.1bn financing to import oil, LNG
https://www.dawn.com/news/1609227/pakistan-gets-11bn-financing-to-import-oil-lng
VI. Situationer: Badini: the new terminal and trade
https://www.dawn.com/news/1608732/situationer-badini-the-new-terminal-and-trade
VII. Foreign borrowing soars to $6.7b
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2286044/foreign-borrowing-soars-to-67b
VIII. Pakistan can become $1.5-1.7tr economy
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2285581/pakistan-can-become-15-17tr-economy
IX. Current account posts deficit for second month
https://www.dawn.com/news/1608877/current-account-posts-deficit-for-second-month
X. Non-textile exports up by 1.8pc
https://www.dawn.com/news/1609097/non-textile-exports-up-by-18pc
XI. Restructuring the IMF programme
https://www.dawn.com/news/1608627/restructuring-the-imf-programme
XII. Cotton hits 11-year high of Rs11,700
https://www.dawn.com/news/1609234/cotton-hits-11-year-high-of-rs11700
XIII. Pakistan faces an unexpected dilemma: too much electricity
https://news.trust.org/item/20210224152230-h14ip/
XIV. 61% of Pakistani entrepreneurs enjoying good business conditions: Gallup survey
https://www.geo.tv/latest/336778-pakistan-business-survey-optimism
XV. Coal accounts for 32pc of total power generation in January
https://www.dawn.com/news/1609100/coal-accounts-for-32pc-of-total-power-generation-in-january
XVI. WAPDA to restore Rasul hydel station
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2285812/wapda-to-restore-rasul-hydel-station
XVII. Trade that poverty fuels
https://www.dawn.com/news/1609259/trade-that-poverty-fuels?preview
XVIII. Human error caused Jan 9 blackout: report
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2285700/human-error-caused-jan-9-blackout-report
XIX. Oil rises after data shows slump in U.S. output amid Texas freeze
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-oil/oil-slips-after-u-s-crude-stocks-rise-amid-deep-freeze-hit-to-refiners-idUSKBN2AO05G
XX. Response to climate change
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/793634-response-to-climate-change
XXI. Poor and vulnerable bear brunt of climate change
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/02/1085272
XXII. The new politics of climate change
https://www.ft.com/content/b6bdc4b1-d41f-49f0-a3df-61614cc1a2b7
XXIII. Climate change: West Antarctica’s Getz glaciers flowing faster
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-56171302
XXIV. ‘Mutual suicide’: US issues stark warning on climate change
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/2/24/mutual-suicide-us-issues-stark-warning-on-climate-change
XXV. Fragile countries call for investment in rooftop solar to expand energy access
https://www.climatechangenews.com/2021/02/24/fragile-countries-call-investment-rooftop-solar-expand-energy-access/
