THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
1. ‘US companies explore economic opportunities in Pakistan’
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/831096-us-companies-explore-economic-opportunities-in-pakistan/
2. India–Pakistan rivalry heating up over Afghanistan
https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2021/05/18/india-pakistan-rivalry-heating-up-over-afghanistan/
3. Pakistan: No More Military Bases for US Afghan Mission
https://www.voanews.com/south-central-asia/pakistan-no-more-military-bases-us-afghan-mission/
4. Pakistan calls for US role in de-escalating Gaza conflict
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/17/pakistan-calls-for-us-role-in-de-escalating-gaza-conflict/
5. Trump’s Secret Rules for Drone Strikes outside War Zones Are Disclosed
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/01/us/politics/trump-drone-strike-rules.html/
6. Terror Attacks Surge in Afghanistan as U.S. Withdraws
https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/05/13/afghanistan-terror-attacks-violence-surge-us-withdrawal-taliban/
7. Pakistan wants broad-based partnership with US, Blinken told
https://www.dawn.com/news/1623975/pakistan-wants-broad-based-partnership-with-us-blinken-told/
8. Senate Bill: Strategic Competition Act of 2021
https://www.foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/DAV21598%20-%20Strategic%20Competition%20Act%20of%202021.pdf
9. Biden administration has ignored Pak’s outreach for rapprochement: Report
https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/biden-administration-has-ignored-pak-s-outreach-for-rapprochement-report-121050700069_1.html
10. U.S. think tank criticizes Strategic Competition Act in series
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-05-17/U-S-think-tank-criticizes-Strategic-Competition-Act-in-series–10lei1sW0wM/index.html
11. RAND’s Scalable Warning and Resilience Model (SWARM)
https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA382-1.html
12. The original 2015 nuclear deal and a revived one; 10 things to know
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/461015/The-original-2015-nuclear-deal-and-a-revived-one-10-things-to
13. Exclusive: Inside the Military’s Secret Undercover Army
https://www.newsweek.com/exclusive-inside-militarys-secret-undercover-army-1591881?utm_source=Flipboard&utm_medium=App&utm_campaign=Partnerships
RUSSIA & EUROPE
1. French EU interested in Nord Stream 2
https://tass.com/economy/1289691
2. Strategic stability must be the focus of Russia-US negotiations, says Lavrov
https://tass.com/politics/1290491
MULTILATERALISM
1. Israel-Palestine: US blocks UN statement for third time in a week
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/17/no-us-action-after-third-unsc-meeting-on-israel-palestine
2. UN urges greater aid access for Gaza, ‘intensification of mediation efforts’ to end Israel-Palestine violence
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/05/1092172
3. WFP moves to support families affected by Gaza violence
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/05/1092102
4. UN Human Rights chief appeals for de-escalation in Israel-Palestine crisis
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/05/1092012
POLITICAL ECONOMY & NON-TRADITIONAL THREATS
1. SBP Weekly Data Report
http://www.sbp.org.pk/ecodata/index2.asp
2. Remittances rise to an all-time high of $2.8bn in April
https://www.dawn.com/news/1624315
3. ‘Climate change to cost Pakistan $3.8bn yearly’
https://www.dawn.com/news/1624382/climate-change-to-cost-pakistan-38bn-yearly
4. Pakistan’s GDP growth expected to touch 3% mark for FY2021
https://www.geo.tv/latest/350937-pakistans-gdp-expected-to
5. Four SEZs to create 1.47m jobs, boost industrial growth
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40093020/four-sezs-to-create-147m-jobs-boost-industrial-growth
6. Irsa warns water shortages may aggravate
https://www.dawn.com/news/1624568/irsa-warns-water-shortages-may-aggravate
7. Remittance flow into country rose by 17pc last year: World Bank
https://www.dawn.com/news/1623848
8. World Bank Redeploys $153 Million to Support Pakistan’s COVID-19 Vaccine Drive
https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2021/04/27/world-bank-redeploys-153-million-to-support-pakistan-s-covid-19-vaccine-drive
9. Govt wants to freeze expenditures
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2300441/govt-wants-to-freeze-expenditures
10. Govt delays Covid spending report
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2300704/govt-delays-covid-spending-report
11. WB lists Ehsaas Programme among world’s four top social protection plans: Report
https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documentdetail/281531621024684216/social-protection-and-jobs-responses-to-covid-19-a-real-time-review-of-country-measures-may-14-2021
12. Time to go big on hydro
https://www.dawn.com/news/1624103/time-to-go-big-on-hydro
13. Government considering setting up national food authority to monitor inflation
https://www.geo.tv/latest/350762-authorities-consider
14. Job losses in Pakistan reach 0.7m in 2020
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2300696/job-losses-in-pakistan-reach-07m-in-2020
15. Creeping crisis: land, population and horizontal expansion in Punjab
https://www.dawn.com/news/1624040/creeping-crisis-land-population-and-horizontal-expansion-in-punjab
16. Exporting electricity to Afghanistan
https://www.dawn.com/news/1624088/exporting-electricity-to-afghanistan
17. New policy to focus on promoting electric vehicles
https://www.dawn.com/news/1624564/new-policy-to-focus-on-promoting-electric-vehicles
18. K2 base camp area gets internet access, phone coverage
https://www.dawn.com/news/1624189/k2-base-camp-area-gets-internet-access-phone-coverage
19. Thinking Inside the ‘Box’: Pakistan Turns to Education TV During COVID-19
https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2021/05/19/pakistan-turns-to-education-tv
20. Climate Risk Country Profile: Pakistan
https://www.adb.org/publications/climate-risk-country-profile-pakistan
21. Oil prices dive $2 on fears of Asian pandemic, possible U.S. rate hikes
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/oil-falls-concerns-iranian-supply-return-inflation-fears-2021-05-19/
22. A Cyclone Tauktae may cause up to 80mm of rainfall in Karachi
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/835199-cyclone-tauktae-may-cause-up-to-80mm-of-rainfall-in-karachi
23. Strengthening cyclone threatens India, Pakistan
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/05/14/major-cyclone-india-pakistan/
24. Research paper sees direct link between Cyclone Tauktae and climate change
https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/research-paper-sees-direct-link-between-cyclone-tauktae-and-climate-change-121051600589_1.html
25. Prepared for climate change?
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2300110/prepared-for-climate-change
26. EPA’s Updated Climate Change Data Shows Global Warming’s Impacts Are Already Here
https://weather.com/news/climate/news/2021-05-13-epa-climate-change-indicators-website-data
27. Britain to treble tree planting by 2024 to fight climate change
https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/britain-treble-tree-planting-by-2024-fight-climate-change-2021-05-15/
28. Climate change threatens one-third of global food production
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/05/210514134151.htm
29. Central Banks Jump Into Climate-Change Policy Fray
https://www.wsj.com/articles/central-banks-jump-into-climate-change-policy-fray-11621166402
30. Sport 2050: Snowless snow sport? How climate change could impact winter sports
https://www.bbc.com/sport/56972369
31. Pakistan: Food Security Snapshot Balochistan & Sindh | March – September 2021
https://reliefweb.int/report/pakistan/pakistan-food-security-snapshot-balochistan-sindh-march-september-2021
32. Construction of 10 dams in Pakistan by 2028 to ensure food security: PM
https://www.app.com.pk/top-news/construction-of-10-dams-in-pakistan-by-2028-to-ensure-food-security-pm/