CSS Special

China’s revolutionary idea of “One Belt, One Road (OBOR)” has given a new dimension to the globalized world toward attaining “Greater Connectivity” through roads, railways and maritime routes. Due to China’s investment-friendly philosophy, CPEC is one branch of $51.5 billion (previously $46 billion) for Pakistan from the nearly one trillion dollar ‘investment tree’. Fortunately, this came as the privileged bounty …

Analysing the factors behind the fiasco The result for CSS-2016 written exam has shell-shocked many as only 202 candidates, out of 9643 who appeared, could actually make it. Although pass percentages in recent years have been on the decline — 15.77 percent (2009), 8.26 percent (2010), 9.74 percent (2011), 7.95 percent (2012), 2.09 percent (2013), 3.33 percent (2014) and 3.11 …

1. ______ countries take part in UNGA session. (a) 299        (b) 71 (c) 25        (d) 193 2. ______ is the newest member of the General Assembly. (a) South Sudan    (b) Serbia (c) Czechoslovakia (d) Puerto Rico 3. The theme of this year’s General Debate at the UNGA is ______. (a) The World Refugee Crisis: How Can We End …

Iván Martén and Philip Whittaker In the realm of global economy, the study of oil prices and its link with economic growth has always been an interesting subject. Both have been like distant cousins who disliked each other as they, traditionally, have been inversely related to each other; a fall in one meant the rise in the other. The received …

Joshua Goldstein Wars have influenced the economic history profoundly across time and space. Winners of wars have shaped economic institutions and trade patterns. They have influenced technological developments as well. Above all, recurring war has drained wealth, disrupted markets, and depressed economic growth. Economic Effects of War Wars are expensive (in money and other resources), destructive (of capital and human …

Almost daily, global media report intense violence, large-scale human suffering, and destruction in Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen. These conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have fundamentally changed the region’s physical, economic, and social landscape, which, at the onset of the Arab Spring just over five years ago, looked much more hopeful. Yet, as conflicts intensify …

Economic Consequences of the Wars Restoring Libya’s infrastructure will cost an estimated $200 billion over the next ten years. The damage to the capital stock in Syria as of mid-2014 is estimated between $70-80 billion. Syria’s neighbouring countries (Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt) have borne the brunt of the economic impact of the war. The cost to the five …

“Financial market volatility following the referendum in the United Kingdom on EU membership has been short-lived. However, uncertainty about the global outlook has increased, while incoming data for the second quarter point to subdued global activity and trade.” (— Economic Bulletin of the European Central Bank) The campaign for the referendum on the question of UK’s leaving or remaining within …

The South China Sea has been a source of tensions between several East Asian countries for decades. The fears are growing that the area will become a flashpoint, with potentially serious global consequences since the rivalry between China and the United States, which apparently backs its ‘ally’ the Philippines, is on the rise. The ruling from the International Tribunal for …

Choose the word MOST SIMILAR in meaning to the capitalized word. 1. AMBLE (a) Decline    (b) Stumble (c) Nadir        (d) Saunter 2. PROFANE (a) Sincere     (b) Bullying (c) Crude    (d) Ignorant 3. MELEE (a) Affability    (b) Serenity (c) Smoothness    (d) Scrimmage 4. ASSIDUOUS (a) Indolent    (b) Insolvent (c) Industrious    (d) Ditzy 5. RED TOP (a) Sports car    (b) …