IMF sets another condition for crisis-hit Pakistan to revive loan

Crisis-hit Pakistan has made various economic modifications including hikes in fuel prices, raising taxes, and others demanded by IMF to unlock the loan program.

IMF sets another condition for crisis-hit Pakistan to revive loan

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Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund:

In 2018, Imran Khan became Prime Minister of Pakistan. For this, they arranged friendly loans from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and China to avoid tough IMF conditions. In 2019, when economic conditions worsened, they went to IMF for the twenty-second time for a loan of US$1 billion. IMF gave loan based on conditions such as hike in energy tariffs, removal of energy subsidy, increase in taxation, privatization of public entities and fiscal policies to the budget.

IMF bailout package — rescue or trap for Pakistan?

“The IMF’s agenda is not to strengthen global economies because if it does that, then the Fund itself will be out of business,” he said.

Opinion: Too hungry to weep. The tragedy of Yemen’s starving children

Opinion: Too hungry to weep. The tragedy of Yemen’s starving children

In 2022, the US committed $1 billion to humanitarian relief in Yemen. Maintaining that level given the worsening situation should be a mere formality.

Yet having spent the past week in Washington with members of Congress and the Senate regarding this crisis, it is apparent that political and fiscal calculations flourish when media coverage is fleeting, and outrage muted. As one Senator sterilely offered during our meeting, “That’s a lot of money.” A lot, indeed. Accordingly, to try to describe the near $110 billion the US has pledged to Ukraine in the last year sends one scrambling for a thesaurus.

Nevertheless, the wheels are steadily in motion for that outcome, as global aid for Yemen is in staggering decline. Announced on Monday by Secretary Blinken, with unfortunate lack of context, the US government is slashing this year’s contribution to the UN appeal for Yemen by roughly 25% – additionally I’ve been told by multiple sources at USAID that their cuts for aid to Yemen in 2023 could go as high as near 40%, with further cuts planned for 2024.

H/T: Revolutionary Blackout

The article was written March 2nd, 2023. The video was uploaded March 14th on the War Child USA channel. So far, nothing on their YouTube or website.

Israel and its US lobby Dealt Major Blow by China Saudi Iran Peace Initiative

On Thursday the New York Times ran yet another report about Saudi Arabia’s entry into an “Abraham Accord,” but if only certain conditions could be met. It quoted longtime Israel lobby heavyweight Martin Indyk and reported on the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s think tank the Washington Institute for Near East Policy “expert” delegation’s visit to Riyadh to finalize a deal. Then on Friday explosive news broke that China had successfully concluded a secret peace agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Israel and its US lobby Dealt Major Blow by China Saudi Iran Peace Initiative