THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
I. Peace talks are faltering, violence has surged, and U.S. troops are pulling out. Can the Afghan government withstand the pressure?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/afghanistan-taliban-peace-talks-ghani/2021/01/13/0ea836d4-54de-11eb-acc5-92d2819a1ccb_story.html
II. U.S. forces in Afghanistan cut to 2,500, lowest level since 2001
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/afghanistan-us-troop-drawdown/2021/01/15/9396553c-5737-11eb-acc5-92d2819a1ccb_story.html
III. White House moves to freeze some foreign aid, defying Congress in Trumps Final Days
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2020/12/31/trump-foreign-aid-freeze/
IV. Joe Biden Could Rescue The Last Nuclear Treaty—But Don’t Expect Him To Negotiate A New One
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2021/01/21/joe-biden-russia-start-nuclear-treaty/?sh=15e55b5a8b5d
V. Biden administration to seek five-year extension on key nuclear arms treaty in first foray with Russia
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/biden-russia-nuclear-treaty-extension/2021/01/21/4667a11e-5b40-11eb-aaad-93988621dd28_story.html
VI. The many reasons Biden should not enrich Iran’s rulers
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/jan/19/the-many-reasons-biden-should-not-enrich-irans-rul/
VII. The Myth of a Responsible Withdrawal From Afghanistan
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/afghanistan/2021-01-22/myth-responsible-withdrawal-afghanistan
VIII. Implementing Restraint Changes in U.S. Regional Security Policies to Operationalize a Realist Grand Strategy of Restraint
https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA739-1.html
RUSSIA & EUROPE
I. US attempts of incitement to have negative impact on ties with Russia – foreign ministry
https://tass.com/politics/1248197
II. Russia’s Population Decline Hits 15-Year High – Preliminary Data
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2021/01/28/russias-population-decline-hits-15-year-high-preliminary-data-a72768
III. Russia calls on US to stop ungrounded insinuations on chemical weapons use – ambassador
https://tass.com/politics/1250275
IV. Geopolitics, Sanctions and Social Media Giants: Putin’s Davos Speech, in Quotes
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2021/01/27/geopolitics-sanctions-and-social-media-putins-davos-speech-in-quotes-a72752
V. NATO Secretary General sounds alarm over ‘Russian aggression’ in bid to encourage members to spend more on defense
https://www.rt.com/russia/513927-nato-secretary-aggression-alarm/
VI. After agreeing New START extension, Moscow warns treaty may not last long if US attempts to ‘undermine Russia’s national security’
https://www.rt.com/russia/513816-new-start-treaty-warning/
VII. Moscow Lifts Restrictions as Coronavirus Cases Recede
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2021/01/27/moscow-lifts-restrictions-as-coronavirus-cases-recede-a72743
VIII. US to paint Russia as enemy to evade criticism, unify Western world, experts say
https://tass.com/world/1247551
IX. Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and Iran’s Zarif Hold Joint Press Conference in Moscow
https://sputniknews.com/russia/202101261081880542-russian-foreign-minister-lavrov-and-irans-zarif-hold-talks-in-moscow/
MULTILATERALISM
I. UN adopts resolution to combat sectarian hate and protect holy sites
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1796546/world
II. Guterres hails entry into force of treaty banning nuclear weapons
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/01/1082702
III. COVID ‘vaccine hoarding’ putting Africa at risk: WHO
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/01/1082692
IV. Guterres urges world to ‘work together in solidarity’ as US moves to rejoin WHO
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/01/1082622
V. In Davos speech, UN chief highlights private sector role in pandemic recovery
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/01/1082862
VI. New COVID-19 strains ‘poised to unleash’ more severe infections – Security Council hears
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/01/1082902
VII. UN welcomes Biden administration commitment to refugee protection
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/01/1082612
POLITICAL ECONOMY & NON-TRADITIONAL THREATS
I. SBP Weekly Data Report
http://www.sbp.org.pk/ecodata/index2.asp
II. Policy rate to remain unchanged at 7pc, says SBP
https://www.sbp.org.pk/m_policy/2021/MPS-Jan-2021-Eng.pdf
III. IMF projects Pak growth rate at 1.5pc for current fiscal
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/780551-imf-projects-pak-growth-rate-at-1-5pc-for-current-fiscal
IV. $3.6bn foreign debt retired in Q1
https://www.dawn.com/news/1603851/36bn-foreign-debt-retired-in-q1
V. New ADB 5-Year Partnership Strategy to Lift Pakistan’s Growth, Resilience, and Competitiveness
https://www.adb.org/news/new-adb-5-year-partnership-strategy-lift-pakistan-growth-resilience-and-competitiveness
VI. At UN conference, PM Imran suggests further debt relief for stressed countries
https://www.dawn.com/news/1603551/at-un-conference-pm-imran-suggests-further-debt-relief-for-stressed-countries
VII. Pakistan’s ICT exports likely to cross $2bn in FY21
https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2021/01/22/pakistans-ict-exports-likely-to-cross-2bn-in-fy21/
VIII. Pakistan, Kuwait review economic ties
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2281751/pakistan-kuwait-review-economic-ties
IX. Azerbaijan seeks to build long-term energy ties
https://www.dawn.com/news/1604027/azerbaijan-seeks-to-build-long-term-energy-ties
X. Nation Plagued by Power Shortages Suddenly Has Too Much Electricity
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-27/pakistan-struggles-to-tackle-an-unfamiliar-glut-of-electricity?sref=8HTMF4ka
XI. Pakistan gets Geographical Indicator tag for basmati
https://www.dawn.com/news/1604023/pakistan-gets-geographical-indicator-tag-for-basmati
XII. Is Pakistan’s import growth sustainable?
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2281343/is-pakistans-import-growth-sustainable
XIII. Textile sector reports loss in global orders
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2281476/textile-sector-reports-loss-in-global-orders
XIV. Some economic indicators worsen
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2281473/some-economic-indicators-worsen
XV. Pakistan sinks four notches on TI’s corruption index
https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2020/index/pak
XVI. Regional exports plunge by over 25pc in July-December
https://www.dawn.com/news/1604261/regional-exports-plunge-by-over-25pc-in-july-december
XVII. Pakistan pins big hopes on small dams to help farmers beat drought
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-water-climatechange-farming-idUSKBN29U199
XVIII. Oil steadies as Covid-19 induced demand worries persist
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/commodities/news/oil-steadies-as-covid-19-induced-demand-worries-persist/articleshow/80512397.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
XIX. Pakistan emerging as ‘global leader in tackling climate change’
https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/pakistan/pakistan-emerging-as-global-leader-in-tackling-climate-change-1.76780340
XX. Pakistan improves on global climate change vulnerability rankings
https://germanwatch.org/en/19777
XXI. World’s largest survey of public opinion on climate change: a majority of people call for wide-ranging action
https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/news-centre/news/2021/Worlds_largest_survey_of_public_opinion_on_climate_change_a_majority_of_people_call_for_wide_ranging_action.html
XXII. Biden signs ‘existential’ executive orders on climate and environment
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55829189
XXIII. Will the global Climate Adaptation Summit create space for systemic change?
https://www.climatechangenews.com/2021/01/25/will-global-climate-adaptation-summit-create-space-systemic-change/
