Tag: US government

  • Pakistan likely to receive economic assistance from friendly countries soon, says Minister Ahsan Iqbal

    Pakistan likely to receive economic assistance from friendly countries soon, says Minister Ahsan Iqbal

    On Tuesday, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal announced that Pakistan is likely to receive confirmation of economic assistance from friendly countries in the coming days. This confirmation is the last condition of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and will be followed by a staff-level deal with the Fund.

    According to Iqbal, Pakistan has fulfilled nearly all conditions previously agreed upon with the IMF by the previous government. Currently, the Fund is requesting confirmation from the friendly countries providing assistance to Pakistan. Once received, the IMF deal will come on track.

    During the US-Pakistan Diaspora and Private Sector for Flood Recovery and Rehabilitation Conference, three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed with a Pakistan-based US company and US-Pakistani diaspora entities, mobilizing $78 million. The conference was organized by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

    When questioned about the IMF’s objection to the fuel subsidy announced by the government for the poor segment of society, Iqbal clarified that this was an internal adjustment within the fuel price and no new subsidy was being announced. He expressed hope that the IMF would have no objection to the government’s move.

    Iqbal urged the US-Pakistan Diaspora to support the government’s efforts in recovering and rehabilitating millions of flood-affected people. He appreciated the United States’ pledge of $200 million for flood relief efforts but emphasized that Pakistan needs much more for the complete rehabilitation of millions of people affected by floods.

    In his remarks, United States Ambassador Donald Blome highlighted the contributions of the US-Pakistani diaspora and private sector in building back better for flood-affected communities in Pakistan. He reaffirmed the US government’s commitment to supporting flood relief and recovery efforts, disaster resilience, and food security.

    The conference continued the momentum built at the previous conferences in Islamabad where USAID signed six MoUs mobilizing $75 million. The discussions held in those conferences led to additional contributions and investments to help populations and areas affected by floods. More than 200 participants attended the Building Back Better Conference, including members of the US-Pakistani diaspora, prominent local business leaders, US business representatives, and Pakistani officials. They discussed ways to help the flood-affected population and communities.

    Ambassador Blome emphasized the longstanding US-Pakistan partnership in advancing Pakistan’s economic growth and social and humanitarian causes. He highlighted the need to strengthen climate resilience through the US-Pakistan “Green Alliance” framework and expressed the United States’ commitment to helping the US-Pakistani diaspora and Pakistan-based private companies find opportunities to pursue energy transformation and foster economic growth and development outcomes.

  • Newark mayor duped into partnership with Hindu country that doesn’t exist

    Newark in New Jersey is gaining viral traction for all the wrong reasons. The town has become the brunt of many a jokes after it was revealed that mayor Ras Baraka had been duped into forming a sister city partnership with a delegation from the ‘country’ Kailasa, which was found out to be fake six days later.

    A signing ceremony was held on March 6 between the delegation from the fake country and city officials of Newark where Baraka had said:

     “I pray that our relationship helps us to understand cultural, social and political development and improves the lives of everybody in both places.”

    Last week, Newark officials admitted that they had been scammed by the Indian fugitive Swami Nithyananda, who was the head of the delegation from ‘Kailasa”, but said they were still committed to partnering with people from diverse cultures:

    “Although this was a regrettable incident, the city of Newark remains committed to partnering with people from diverse cultures in order to enrich each other with connectivity, support and mutual respect.”

    The partnership lasted for only six days, until it was dissolved for baseless.

    The head of Kailasa, Swami Nithyananda, is an Indian guru who is currently charged with rape and child abduction by the Indian government. He has denied the accusations.

    Nithyanananda writes that Kailasa was founded in order to ensure the “restoration, preservation and propagation of authentic Hindu culture and civilization after centuries of oppression and subjugation. It is the home and refuge for the international Hindu diaspora.”

    According to its website, Newark is not the first town to be duped into forming the partnership, as so had Virginia, Ohio and Florida.

    Residents of Newark found the incident to be shocking. Shakee Merritt spoke to CBS that he was suprised no one did a simple Google search on whether the country was real or not.

  • ‘Social networks are amplifiers for idiots’

    ‘Social networks are amplifiers for idiots’

    Former Google chief executive officer (CEO) Eric Schmidt has said that social networks are amplifiers for idiots.

    According to Bloomberg, he said: “The context of social networks serving as amplifiers for idiots and crazy people is not what we intended.”

    The United States (US) government antitrust lawsuit filed against Google on Tuesday was disturbing, and the excesses of social media are likely to result in greater regulation of internet platforms in the coming years, he added.

    Schmidt personally controlled YouTube for many years. He then stayed on as Google’s CEO until 2011 and was Alphabet’s executive chairman until early 2018.

    Google’s YouTube has tried to decrease the spread of misinformation and lies about COVID-19 and US politics over the last year, with mixed results. Facebook and Twitter have also been under fire in recent years for allowing racist and discriminatory messages to spread online.