THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA & THE UNITED NATIONS

Ø  U.S. listed as a ‘backsliding’ democracy for first time in report by European think tank
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/11/22/united-states-backsliding-democracies-list-first-time/
Ø  Report Link: 
https://www.idea.int/gsod/global-report#chapter-2-democracy-health-check:-an-overview-of-global-tre
Ø  US Congressional Delegation Concludes Visit to Pakistan, Strengthens U.S.-Pak Ties
https://pk.usembassy.gov/us-congressional-delegation-concludes-visit-pakistan-strengthens-u-s-pak-ties-2/
Ø  PM Imran calls for expanding Pak-US cooperation to stabilize Afghanistan
https://www.dawn.com/news/1659721
Ø  Summit of Democracy: Consultations under way for accepting Biden invite or not
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/910971-summit-of-democracy-consultations-under-way-for-accepting-biden-invite-or-not
Ø  Iraq and U.S. Policy
https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF10404
Ø  Renewed Great Power Competition: Implications for Defense—Issues for Congress
https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R43838
Ø  Cyber security: Selected Cyber attacks, 2012-2021
https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46974
Ø  Defense Primer: Directed-Energy Weapons
https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF11882
Ø  Secretary of State’s Determinations under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 and Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act of 2016
https://www.state.gov/secretary-of-states-determinations-under-the-international-religious-freedom-act-of-1998-and-frank-r-wolf-international-religious-freedom-act-of-2016/
Ø  National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022; Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 202
https://www.congress.gov/117/crec/2021/11/19/167/202/CREC-2021-11-19-pt1-PgS8543-8.pdf
Ø  Taliban Splintered by Internal Divisions, External Spoilers
https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/11/12/taliban-afghanistan-pakistan-factions-fighting-division-unity/
Ø  How China Became Jihadis’ New Target
https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/11/22/china-jihadi-islamist-terrorism-taliban-uyghurs-afghanistan-militant-groups/
Ø  Afghanistan 2001-2021: U.S. Policy Lessons Learned
https://carnegieendowment.org/2021/11/17/afghanistan-2001-2021-u.s.-policy-lessons-learned-pub-85814
Ø  Violence against women must stop; five stories of strength and survival
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/11/1106322
Ø  Yemen recovery possible if war stops now: UNDP report
https://www.ye.undp.org/content/yemen/en/home/library/assessing-the-impact-of-war-in-yemen–pathways-for-recovery.html
Ø  Arms trafficking, a ‘defining factor’ in undermining peace
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/11/1106282      

RUSSIA & EUROPE

Ø  Ceremony Commemorating 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Spain
https://mofa.gov.pk/ceremony-commemorating-70th-anniversary-of-diplomatic-relations-between-pakistan-and-spain/
Ø  Visit of Expert Delegation from Pakistan to Brussels to discuss Non-Traditional Security Challenges with EU and NATO
https://pakistan.hss.de/news/detail/non-traditional-security-challenges-pakistani-experts-in-discussion-with-eu-and-nato-news8178/
Ø  9th Meeting of the Russia-Pakistan Joint Working Group on Combating International Terrorism and Other Challenges to Security
https://mofa.gov.pk/joint-press-release-on-the-9th-meeting-of-the-russia-pakistan-joint-working-group-on-combatting-international-terrorism-and-other-challenges-to-security/
Ø  Foreign Minister attends the 13th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit (ASEM13)
https://mofa.gov.pk/foreign-minister-attends-the-13th-asia-europe-meeting-summit-asem13/
Ø  Immigration to UK fell by almost 90% in 2020
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/25/immigration-to-uk-fell-by-almost-90-percent-in-2020
Ø  Sweden’s 1st female PM resigns hours after appointment
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/24/swedens-first-female-prime-minister-resigns-hours-later
Ø  Russia and America’s top generals speak by phone
https://www.rt.com/russia/541110-russia-us-military-generals-speak/

POLITICAL ECONOMY & NON-TRADITIONAL THREATS

Ø  SBP Weekly Data Report
http://www.sbp.org.pk/ecodata/index2.asp
Ø  Pakistan, IMF reach staff-level agreement
https://www.geo.tv/latest/383496-pakistan-imf-reach-staff-level-agreement
Ø  SBP lifts interest rate to 8.75pc
https://www.dawn.com/news/1659110/sbp-lifts-interest-rate-to-875pc
Ø  Austerity plan for revival of IMF package outlined
https://www.dawn.com/news/1659712/austerity-plan-for-revival-of-imf-package-outlined
Ø  Remittances to remain flat in 2022: World Bank
https://www.dawn.com/news/1659135/remittances-to-remain-flat-in-2022-world-bank
Ø  Tax breaks kick Pakistan’s electric car shift into higher gear
https://www.dawn.com/news/1659724/tax-breaks-kick-pakistans-electric-car-shift-into-higher-gear
Ø  Reforms offset Pakistan’s surging external risks, says Fitch Ratings
https://www.dawn.com/news/1660102/reforms-offset-pakistans-surging-external-risks-says-fitch-ratings
Ø  SBP sees 4-5pc GDP growth in FY22
https://www.dawn.com/news/1660104/sbp-sees-4-5pc-gdp-growth-in-fy22
Ø  SBP reserves hit FY22’s lowest level
https://www.dawn.com/news/1660325/sbp-reserves-hit-fy22s-lowest-level
Ø  Trade deficit compelled govt to approach IMF: PM Imran
https://www.dawn.com/news/1660307/trade-deficit-compelled-govt-to-approach-imf-pm-imran
Ø  OPINION: Stability with growth
https://www.dawn.com/news/1659723/opinion-stability-with-growth
Ø  No increase in taxes in mini-budget, some exemptions to be withdrawn: Shaukat Tarin
https://www.dawn.com/news/1660371/no-increase-in-taxes-in-mini-budget-some-exemptions-to-be-withdrawn-shaukat-tarin
Ø  Pakistan’s economy rebounded during FY21: SBP
https://www.geo.tv/latest/384001-pakistans-economy-rebounded-during-fy21-sbp
Ø  Pakistan’s IT exports increased by 39% in four months
https://www.geo.tv/latest/383335-pakistans-it-exports-increase-by-39-in-four-months
Ø  Current account deficit widens to $1.66b in October
https://www.geo.tv/latest/383108-current-account-deficit-widens-to-166b-in-october
Ø  IMF rejects borrowing request
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2330846/imf-rejects-borrowing-request
Ø  Foreign loans swell 18% in Jul-Oct
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2330662/foreign-loans-swell-18-in-jul-oct
Ø  Digitalisation to boost economy
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2330972/digitalisation-to-boost-economy
Ø  Public confidence in economy wanes
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2330976/public-confidence-in-economy-wanes
Ø  Rice export has huge scope
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2331088/rice-export-has-huge-scope
Ø  Economic integration — a foreign policy tool
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2330929/economic-integration-a-foreign-policy-tool
Ø  Pakistan’s debt, liabilities cross Rs50tr
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2330983/pakistans-debt-liabilities-cross-rs50tr
Ø  UAE firm files lawsuit against SBP
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2330250/uae-firm-files-lawsuit-against-sbp
Ø  Oil dips, focus on OPEC+ response to U.S.-led oil release
https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/oil-slips-awaiting-opec-response-us-led-crude-release-2021-11-25/
Ø  Court halves attendance in Punjab private offices over smog
https://www.dawn.com/news/1658912/court-halves-attendance-in-punjab-private-offices-over-smog
Ø  COP26: The truth behind the new climate change denial
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-59251912
Ø  How does COP26 impact Pakistan
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2330448/how-does-cop26-impact-pakistan
Ø  Agriculture needs sharper focus
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2330451/agriculture-needs-sharper-focus
Ø  Five takeaways from COP26
https://www.dawn.com/news/1659322/five-takeaways-from-cop26
Ø  COP26 & Pakistan
https://www.dawn.com/news/1659941

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