2020

CORONA PANDEMIC With coronavirus cases on a rapid rise, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially changed their classification of COVID-19, the mysterious viral pneumonia-like disease caused by the novel coronavirus, from a public health emergency of international concern to a pandemic. While making the declaration, the organization’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “WHO has been assessing this outbreak round the …

Cardinal Rules of Life Laiba Muhammad Aamir Being born into this world is not something we have chosen ourselves. The body given to our lingering soul was completely out of our control. We were thrown into this world without our will and wish. We could be born as an insect, bird, animal or flower. Martin Heidegger, a German philosopher, says …

European Union and the Emerging Great-Power Competition World War II, and the period of decolonization that followed it, brought to an end the centuries-long global domination of Europe’s great powers. After 1945, neither of the global powers—the United States and the Soviet Union—was European, and a plethora of newly independent nation-states bounded onto the world stage. Following the dissolution of …

US-Taliban Deal and the Future of Afghanistan After more than eighteen years of war in Afghanistan, the United States and the Taliban reached an agreement in what were both sides’ most intensive efforts yet to end the Washington’s longest war. The agreement, which was signed in Doha, Qatar, in the presence of representatives from Pakistan, Qatar, Turkey, India, Indonesia, Uzbekistan …

US-Taliban Peace Deal What next? Zafar Iqbal Yousafzai Finally, the United States and Taliban have signed a peace deal in Doha, the capital of Qatar, after 18-month-long negotiations. As per the terms of the agreement, the United States will start withdrawing its troops within 135 days of the deal and will have to complete it within fourteen months—as per an …

Trade wars are huge threats to food security international trade has provided consumers with access to a more diversified and nutritious food basket. However, for trade to improve food security to the greatest number of people across the globe, greater international cooperation is necessary. More than 820 million people— equivalent to more than 10.0 percent of the world’s population—were hungry …

Climate Anxiety  Our climate is changing at an accelerated rate and continues to have profound impacts on human health. This change jeopardizes not only physical health but also mental health. Climate change harms mental wellbeing in a number of ways. From trauma and stress following disasters, to relationship damage caused by separation and displacement, the psychological effects of climate change …

Not a decade to spare for climate action Scientists have been sounding the alarm for decades that climate change is real and getting worse. As the adverse effects of unabated emissions keep mounting, the alarm is becoming deafening. But, at the same time, other current realities cannot be ignored. The imminent threat posed by climate change is coinciding with shifts …

How to Overcome Hurdles to CPEC? First, Pakistan is hobbled by a high fiscal and current account deficit, a large foreign debt and a resulting heavy debt repayment burden. Its ability to provide support funds for CPEC has lost to a great extent, and there is large financial pressure to expand infrastructure construction. IMF loans come with conditions and Pakistan …

UN Secretary-General’s Visit Pakistan’s New Global Image Shamshad Ahmad For decades, having been on the top of many negative lists including those of world’s most dangerous, most violent, most unsafe and most corrupt countries on earth, it was indeed heartening to see Pakistan being hailed by UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, as a ‘trustworthy and benevolent nation’ committed to peace and …