THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA & THE UNITED NATIONS

Ø  Can America ignore us?

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1070705-can-america-ignore-us

Ø  FO rejects ‘ill-informed’ US report on religious freedom in Pakistan

https://www.geo.tv/latest/488033-fo-rejects-us-report-on-religious-freedom-in-pakistan

Ø  What You Need to Know About Russia’s New Foreign Policy Concept

https://www.usip.org/publications/2023/05/what-you-need-know-about-russias-new-foreign-policy-concept

Ø  In Pakistan’s Crisis, Judicial, Military Roles Will Be Vital

https://www.usip.org/publications/2023/05/pakistans-crisis-judicial-military-roles-will-be-vital

Ø  Biden, India’s Modi Out to Deepen their Bonds, but Geopolitical Friendships Have their Limits

https://www.cnas.org/press/in-the-news/biden-indias-modi-out-to-deepen-their-bonds-but-geopolitical-friendships-have-their-limits

Ø  China unlikely to play peacemaker role in Ukraine war, Western officials and experts say

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/china-unlikely-play-peacemaker-role-ukraine-war-rcna84074

Ø  Hearing on “What Comes Next for U.S. Policy toward Russia”, held by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

https://www.cnas.org/publications/congressional-testimony/what-comes-next-for-u-s-policy-towards-russia

Ø  Annual Report 2022/23 – Shaping the global future together

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/report/2022-annual-report/

Ø  The Military Disrupts Pakistan’s Democracy Once Again

https://carnegieendowment.org/2023/05/10/military-disrupts-pakistan-s-democracy-once-again-pub-89724

Ø  UN marks 75 years since displacement of 700,000 Palestinians

https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/05/1136662

Ø  UN envoy reports on progress towards Yemen peace agreement

https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/05/1136752

Ø  WFP Pakistan Floods Situation Report, 10 May 2023

https://reliefweb.int/report/pakistan/wfp-pakistan-floods-situation-report-10-may-2023

Ø  Guterres: Eliminate ‘weapons of terror’ to avert future chemical warfare

https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/05/1136672

Ø  Post-pandemic world economy still feeling COVID-19’s sting

https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/05/1136727

Ø  Russia confirms participation in grain deal for at least 60 more days

https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/05/1136757

RUSSIA & EUROPE

Ø   Ukraine Supreme Court chief detained in $2.7m graft probe
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/16/large-scale-corruption-in-ukraines-supreme-court-prosecutors

Ø  G7 struggles with response to China ‘economic coercion’ threat
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/17/g7-struggles-with-response-to-china-economic-coercion-threat

Ø  At least 8 dead in north Italy floods
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/17/deadly-floods-italy-emilia-romagna

Ø  Turkey protests detention of two journalists in Germany
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/17/turkey-protests-detention-of-two-journalists-in-germany

Ø  Japan, UK renew security ties, aircraft carrier to deploy in 2025
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/18/japan-uk-renew-security-ties-aircraft-carrier-to-deploy-in-2025

Ø  Britain’s Sunak announces $22bn Japanese investment in UK economy
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/18/britains-sunak-announces-22bn-japanese-investment-in-uk-economy

Ø  Armenia PM agrees to meet Azerbaijan leader in Moscow next week
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/18/armenia-pm-agrees-to-meet-azerbaijan-leader-in-moscow-next-week

Ø  Germany pledges almost $3bn in new military aid to Ukraine
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/14/germany-to-give-2-95bn-military-aid-to-kyiv-zelenskyy-in-berlin

Ø  Germany’s Scholz vows to support Ukraine ‘as long as needed’
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/14/germanys-scholz-vows-to-support-ukraine-as-long-as-needed

Ø  France promises more tanks, armoured vehicles for Ukraine
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/15/france-promises-more-tanks-armoured-vehicles-for-ukraine

Ø  Ukraine repels ‘exceptional’ Russia missile, drone attack on Kyiv
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/16/air-raid-alerts-sound-across-ukraine-kyiv-repels-missile-attack

Ø  S Africa army chief visits Moscow in wake of US weapons claim
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/16/s-africa-army-chief-visits-moscow-in-wake-of-us-weapons-claim

Ø  EU to curb Indian fuel imports made with Russian oil: Report
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/16/eu-to-curb-indian-fuel-imports-made-with-russian-oil-report

Ø  Ukraine receives jet fighter support pledge from UK, Netherlands
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/17/ukraine-receives-jet-fighter-support-pledge-from-uk-netherlands

Ø  Russia agrees to renew Ukraine Black Sea grain deal for 60 days
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/17/black-sea-grain-deal-renewed-for-60-days-following-talks

Ø  Ukraine tells China envoy peace plan must not lose land to Russia
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/18/ukraine-tells-china-envoy-peace-plan-must-not-lose-land-to-russia

Ø  Russian cruise missile attack targets Kyiv, one killed in Odessa
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/18/russian-cruise-missile-attack-targets-kyiv-one-killed-in-odesa

Ø  G7 weighs new sanctions on Russia to end Ukraine war
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/18/g7-weighs-new-sanctions-on-russia-to-end-ukraine-war

Ø  Bakhmut battle rages as Ukraine claims advances, Russian retreat
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/19/bakhmut-battle-rages-as-ukraine-claims-advances-russian-retreat

Ø  Ukraine’s Zelenskyy to attend G7 in Hiroshima to pressure Russia
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/19/ukraines-zelenskyy-to-attend-g7-in-hiroshima-to-pressure-russia

Ø  12 member states raise ‘serious concerns’ about EU deal on Ukrainian grain, reigniting controversy
https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/05/12/12-member-states-raise-serious-concerns-about-eu-deal-on-ukrainian-grain-reigniting-contro

Ø  Hungary blocks next tranche of EU tool to provide military support to Ukraine
https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/05/17/hungary-blocks-next-tranche-of-eu-tool-to-provide-military-support-to-ukraine

Ø  UK introduces sanctions on Russian diamonds, copper and aluminium
https://tass.com/world/1619647

Ø  Russia reserves the right to take any measures to neutralise threats from adversaries
https://tass.com/politics/1619695

POLITICAL ECONOMY & NON-TRADITIONAL THREATS

Ø  SBP Weekly Data Report
http://www.sbp.org.pk/ecodata/index2.asp

Ø  Govt gets a paltry $8.1bn in financing

https://www.dawn.com/news/1754287/govt-gets-a-paltry-81bn-in-financing

Ø  IMF ‘reviewing’ developments in Pakistan

https://www.geo.tv/latest/487486-imf-reviewing-developments-in-pakistan

Ø  No choice but to revive IMF, says Ismail

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2417322/no-choice-but-to-revive-imf-says-ismail

Ø  US company plans $200m pink salt facility

https://www.dawn.com/news/1753026/us-company-plans-200m-pink-salt-facility

Ø  Current account surplus drops 42 times to $18m

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2417152/current-account-surplus-drops-42-times-to-18m

Ø  Industries lack plans for long-term growth: ADB

https://www.dawn.com/news/1753508/industries-lack-plans-for-long-term-growth-adb

Ø  Economic chokehold and current account balance

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2416790/economic-chokehold-and-current-account-balance

Ø  ‘FDI dips 29pc in April

https://www.dawn.com/news/1753768/fdi-dips-29pc-in-april

Ø  Mango production to fall by 20%

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2417460/mango-production-to-fall-by-20

Ø  IMF asks Pakistan to arrange $8b

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2416453/imf-asks-pakistan-to-arrange-8b

Ø  Inflation to keep haunting Pakistanis: UN survey

https://www.dawn.com/news/1754041/inflation-to-keep-haunting-pakistanis-un-survey

Ø  Oil poised for weekly dip as recession fears, rates cloud outlook

https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/oil-prices-fall-strong-dollar-sticky-inflation-2023-05-19/

Ø  Plants are dying globally

https://www.dawn.com/news/1753212/plants-are-dying-globally

Ø  Isn’t climate change a matter of national security?

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2416795/isnt-climate-change-a-matter-of-national-security

Ø  Time for stocktaking

https://www.dawn.com/news/1754083/time-for-stocktaking

Ø  Govt realises climate change issue turning from bad to worse

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1071744-govt-realises-climate-change-issue-turning-from-bad-to-worse

Ø  Global warming set to break key 1.5C limit for first time

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-65602293

Ø  Climate change worsened Asia’s April heatwave by 2C – study

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-65631464