Articles for tag: estimates , GDP , growth , IMF , Inflation , Pakistan , risks

Germany’s interior minister sounds the alarm over growing risks to democracy

German Interior Minister Nancy Fesser has warned of growing threats to the country’s democracy from far-right elements and increased espionage activities from Russia and China. according to RTV News. Presenting the 2023 report from the Federal Intelligence Service for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), Faeser emphasized the importance of defending democratic values against these pressures. The report by the BfV, Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, identified far-right extremists as a major concern, with a marked increase in related criminal activities. Espionage activities by Russia and China were also highlighted as major threats, with attempts to influence and destabilize the country.

May 28, 2024

The CPC emphasizes the need to address economic risks that concern national security

Chinese President Xi Jinping (C) gestures during the closing ceremony of the 20th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. — AFP/File BEIJING: The leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has emphasized the need to mitigate economic risks to achieve high-quality development as it concerns the country’s national security and the overall security of the people. Xinhua reported on Monday. During the meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, chaired by the General Secretary of China, President Xi Jinping, the forum discussed the tentative provisions on accountability

May 10, 2024

Downside risks to Pakistan remain extremely high: IMF

Downside risks to the economy remain extremely high, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in a staff report on Friday, ahead of the government’s talks with the fund on a longer-term plan. An International Monetary Fund mission is expected to visit Pakistan this month to discuss a new program ahead of the start of Islamabad’s annual budgeting process for the next fiscal year. “Downside risks remain extremely high. While the new administration has indicated its intention to continue SBA policies, policy uncertainty remains significant,” the fund said in its staff report after the second and final review under the standby

April 21, 2024

Sports

Guardiola blames ‘unacceptable’ health risks as Manchester City reach FA Cup final

LONDON: Pep Guardiola criticized the “unacceptable” schedule that put a tired Manchester City health at risk in their 1-0 FA Cup semi-final win over Chelsea scheduled just three days after their grueling Champions League exit. Guardiola was furious that the Football Association and broadcasters set City’s semi-final for Saturday instead of giving them an extra day to recover from Wednesday’s penalty shootout defeat by Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals. A depleted City were lucky to survive a string of Chelsea misses at Wembley before Bernardo Silva’s 84th-minute winner atoned for a penalty blunder in the process against Real.

February 28, 2024

Pakistan rating likely to be upgraded if government’s external liquidity risks fall: Moody’s

Bank of America Suggests Pakistan Dollar Bonds Overweight Market A sign for rating agency Moody’s is displayed at the company’s headquarters in New York, USA. — AFP/File Pakistan’s ratings remain unchanged, Moody’s says. Moody’s warns of default risks if IMF funds are delayed. BOA upgrades Pakistan to Overweight at $70-75. Islamabad: Bloomberg reported that Bank of America (BofA) raised its recommendation on Pakistan’s dollar bonds to outperform market weight, citing a fall in post-election political uncertainty and possible rating upgrades. On the other hand, Moody’s Investors Service said Pakistan’s ratings, including a long-term issuer rating of Caa3 with a stable

February 19, 2024

Fitch highlights default risks as uncertainty grips Pakistan after polls

The next IMF bailout will come with tougher terms, the global ratings agency says The Fitch Ratings logo is seen at their offices in the Canary Wharf financial district in London, Britain, March 3, 2016. — Reuters Fitch Ratings has warned that political uncertainty following the February 8 election could complicate Pakistan’s efforts to secure a bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as the current Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) is set to expire next month. A new deal is key to the country’s credit profile and the rating agency assumed it would be reached within months, but a protracted

January 21, 2024

The IMF warns of risks to the economy despite stabilization

Islamabad: The International Monetary Fund said on Saturday that Pakistan’s economy had stabilised, but warned that serious risks had emerged to Islamabad’s debt sustainability and its ability to repay IMF loans. The caretaker government managed to maintain economic stability on the basis of determined policy efforts, the IMF acknowledged in its staff report released on Saturday. The caretaker government deserves credit for its consistent implementation, he added. The IMF highlighted that the caretaker government remained in power beyond its constitutional 90-day term. “Although initially controversial as it exceeded the constitutional limit of 90 days following the dissolution of parliament, the

January 20, 2024

‘Extreme’ heatwave roasts Western Australia, raising bushfire risks

Australia’s recent fire seasons have been less severe than the ‘Black Summer’ of 2019-2020 A rocky outcrop houses a major Aboriginal reserve in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, where human habitation stretches back 60,000 years, Gudai-darri, 1,120 kilometers (695 miles) northeast of Perth, Australia, October 19, 2023. — Reuters. Over the weekend, parts of Western Australia experienced an “extreme” heatwave, sparking bushfire concerns in the region, prompting warnings from weather authorities. The Bureau of Meteorology has issued an “extreme heat wave warning” for the remote Pilbara and Gascoyne regions of Australia’s largest state, with temperatures expected to soar into the high

January 4, 2024