CSP WEEKLY UPDATES (February 25-March 3, 2023)

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA & THE UNITED NATIONS

Ø  Pakistan seeks renewal of US tariff waiver
https://www.dawn.com/news/1738272

Ø  Taliban: 2 senior IS members killed in Afghanistan
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/taliban-2-senior-is-members-killed-in- afghanistan/2023/02/28/6b3c3f80-b742-11ed-b0df-8ca14de679ad_story.html

Ø  Taliban comb Kabul records to hunt down U.S. war allies
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/feb/27/taliban-using-fingerprints-gun-records-track-down-/

Ø  U.S. Unveils Sweeping New Sanctions on Russia
https://www.cnas.org/press/in-the-news/u-s-unveils-sweeping-new-sanctions-on-russia

Ø  Report: Energy and climate challenges will continue in 2023
https://www.brookings.edu/research/energy-and-climate-challenges-will-continue-in-2023/

Ø  Four Contending U.S. Approaches to Multilateralism
https://carnegieendowment.org/2023/01/23/four-contending-u.s.-approaches-to-multilateralism-pub-88852

Ø  Guterres stresses UN commitment to Iraq during first visit in 6 years
https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/03/1134012

Ø  Afghanistan still a grave humanitarian crisis, senior aid official says
https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/02/1134002

Ø  WHO chief underscores need for ‘peace for health’ in landmark visit to northwest Syria
https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/03/1134047

Ø  Pakistan abstains from voting on Ukraine resolution
https://www.dawn.com/news/1738992

RUSSIA & EUROPE

Ø  Blinken, Lavrov speak amid war of words over Ukraine at G20 meet
https://www.dawn.com/news/1739965/blinken-lavrov-speak-amid-war-of-words-over-ukraine-at-g20-meet

Ø  Russia accuses Ukraine of attacking its border region
https://www.dawn.com/news/1740120/russia-accuses-ukraine-of-attacking-its-border-region

Ø  UK foreign minister raises issue of BBC raids in India
https://www.dawn.com/news/1739883/uk-foreign-minister-raises-issue-of-bbc-raids-in-india

Ø  Russia says it suspended nuclear pact because US was using it to help Ukraine
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2404104/russiasays-it-suspended-nuclear-pact-because-us-was-using-it-to-help-ukraine

Ø  Hungary’s Orban says he understands Putin’s arguments, rejects his actions on Ukraine
https://tass.com/world/1584249

Ø  Sanctions cause long-term damage to world trade principles — Siluanov
https://tass.com/economy/1584185

Ø  Approval of G20 declaration failed as West tried to push forward Ukrainian issue — Lavrov
https://tass.com/politics/1584093

Ø  US involvement in Ukraine hostilities liable to lead to direct nuclear conflict — envoy
https://tass.com/politics/1584049

Ø  India’s G20 meeting ends without consensus on Russia-Ukraine war
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/2/no-consensus-on-ukraine-war-at-g20-talks-in-india

Ø  Macron says era of French interference in Africa is ‘over’
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/2/macron-says-era-of-french-interference-in-africa-is-over

POLITICAL ECONOMY & NON-TRADITIONAL THREATS

Ø  Govt swallows last bitter pills to keep IMF sweet
https://www.dawn.com/news/1740094/govt-swallows-last-bitter-pills-to-keep-imf-sweet

Ø  How much debt does Pakistan have to repay till June 2023?
https://www.geo.tv/latest/473890-how-much-debt-does-pakistan-have-to-repay-till-june-2023

Ø  Rupee goes into free fall
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2404144/rupee-goes-into-free-fall

Ø  Moody’s cuts Pakistan credit ratings to Caa3
https://www.dawn.com/news/1739636/moodys-cuts-pakistan-credit-ratings-to-caa3

Ø  SBP jacks up policy rate by 300bps to 27-year high
https://www.geo.tv/latest/473823-sbp-jacks-up-policy-rate-by-200bps-to-arrest-inflation

Ø  Interest rate soars to historic high
https://www.dawn.com/news/1740099/interest-rate-soars-to-historic-high

Ø  All eyes on staff-level agreement after Pakistan gives in to IMF demands
https://www.geo.tv/latest/473945-all-eyes-on-staff-level-agreement-after-pakistan-gives-in-to-imf-demands

Ø  Trade gap shrinks to $21.3 billion in Jul-Feb
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2404004/trade-gap-shrinks-to-213-billion-in-jul-feb

Ø  Major response needed
https://www.dawn.com/news/1740108

Ø  IMF flags debt restructuring hurdles at G20
https://www.dawn.com/news/1739182/imf-flags-debt-restructuring-hurdles-at-g20

Ø  Oil set for weekly gain as China demand optimism trumps recession fears
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/oil-set-weekly-gain-china-demand-optimism-trumps-recession-fears-2023-03-03/

Ø  Solid waste: a challenge as well as opportunity
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2403472/solid-waste-a-challenge-as-well-as-opportunity

Ø  Managing the Green Climate Fund
https://www.dawn.com/news/1739310/managing-the-green-climate-fund

Ø  The climate challenge
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1045579-the-climate-challenge

Ø  Climate change is fueling more conflict between humans and wildlife
https://www.npr.org/2023/03/02/1160471867/climate-change-is-fueling-more-conflict-between-humans-and-wildlife

Ø  As climate changes, climate anxiety rises in youth
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/climate-change-anxiety/