Share:ISLAMABAD-Sustainable growth requires formulation and implementation of productivity-enhancing reforms which would facilitate a better allocation of resources and hence improve regional and global integration, say experts. Talking to WealthPK, National Productivity Organization (NPO) CEO Muhammad Alamgir Chaudry said Pakistan was witnessing low productivity mainly due to regulatory complexities, lack of technological adaptations, and low level of trade openness. A long-term growth agenda requires alleviation of the aforementioned distortions to attain sustainable development, Alamgir opined. Low productivity leads to high input costs and loss of competitiveness in the international market. The reforms recommended by Suleri include encouraging innovation, improving environmental conditions, streamlining regulations, promoting a competition-based economic system, and rethinking the export strategy.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand: New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said on Monday he personally favours his country becoming a republic, but it’s not a change he intends to push for as leader. Hipkins made the comments to reporters hours before he was due to depart for this week’s coronation of King Charles III in London. New Zealand, a former British colony, is self-governing but Charles retains a largely ceremonial role as head of state and king. Like many former British colonies, New Zealand continues to wrestle with what — if any — constitutional role the British monarchy should play in modern times. Hipkins unexpectedly rose to power following the shock decision in January of former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to step down.

Share:ISLAMABAD - Pakistani security forces in an intelligence based operation have successfully eliminated top TTP commander Jabar Shah in the Daraban area of dis­trict Dera Ismail Khan on Monday. According to sources, commander Jabar Shah was one of the main commanders of banned TTP and was involved in multiple terror attacks on law enforcement agencies, polio teams, and on people belonging to Shia community. According to de­tails, illed commander Jabar Shah was also found to be active in extorting money on behalf of the terrorist group. This marks the second consecutive success for the security forces in the area, following a similar operation that resulted in the killing of two other terrorists just a day earlier. The security forces have vowed to continue their counter ter­rorism efforts till elimination of all terrorists from the area and whole Pakistan.

In my opinion if we saw a sudden departure from recent inflationary trends, that would certainly catch the attention of the Federal Reserve. I mentioned earlier that markets seemingly do not trust the Federal Reserve, and you could characterize that as fear. Let’s talk about inflation at the tangible goods level, the services level, and the shelter level. The reason is simply that the forces impacting inflation at the services level are unique, and different from forces that impact inflation in other areas. You could argue that while the Fed is attempting to control inflation at a headline level, it is making inflation at the shelter level worse.

Filip Gustavsson hopes to play more games next season and help the Wild return to the playoffs. Gustavsson joined the Wild last summer from Ottawa in the Cam Talbot trade, and the 24-year-old made an impressive debut. "First game was good," said Gustavsson, who went 22-9-7 leading up to the playoffs. The Wild tabbed Marc-Andre Fleury for Game 2 but after Dallas won to even the series, Gustavsson started the remaining games before the Wild were bounced from contention with a 4-1 loss in Game 6 on Friday. During the offseason, the Wild want Gustavsson to work on his conditioning to handle more action.

He said that he would “give Rs 10 lakh to anyone who can produce evidence that women were converted and forced to join the Islamic State”. Lawyer, and also an actor, Shukkur, wrote on Facebook that he would also give “Rs 11 lakh to anyone who will name the Kerala women who were converted, and then joined the Islamic State”. As soon as the teaser of the film was released, the ruling CPI-M-led Left and the UDF demanded that the film should not be screened. Kerala Culture Minister, Saji Cherian said “if ‘The Kerala Story’ is screened, people should boycott it”. It traces the journey of four female college students in Kerala who become part of Islamic State.

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From Tribune staff reportsBIRMINGHAM — One man is dead and another was critically wounded in a Birmingham shooting on Sunday night, according to BPD officer Truman Fitzgerald. “At around 10:40 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 3100 block of Steiner Avenue Southwest on shots fired,” Fitzgerald said. Officers arrived on the scene and found an adult male lying in the roadway suffering from an apparent gunshot wound, Fitzgerald said. The victim was transported to UAB Hospital by Birmingham Fire and Rescue. “Princeton Hospital staff pronounced the gunshot victim deceased.

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Highly classified findings of the US intelligence community have revealed the internal assessment of Pakistan’s policymakers on how to tackle the challenge of growing tussle between the US and China. Khar, as per leaked documents, suggested that Pakistan must stop maintaining a "middle ground" between China and the US. President Biden invited leaders of over 100 countries including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to the second democracy summit. Islamabad skipped the first summit in 2021 when Imran Khan was the prime minister. The aide advised Sharif that support for the measure would signal a shift in Pakistan’s position following its earlier abstention on a similar resolution, the intelligence document says.

Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz’s (PML-N) senior leader Javed Latif objected on Monday to the ongoing negotiations between the ruling coalition and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and said that talks were not possible with “terrorists” and "those who weaken institutions". Both sides contemplated on developing a consensus on simultaneously holding general elections across the country. Latif furthered that it is better if the people sitting in the institutions confess their mistakes, adding that “negotiations outside of the Constitution cannot be done at anyone's will”. The PML-N leader also said that the party will not accept elections without the participation of party supremo Nawaz Sharif in any way. It had sought time for seeking an opinion of the allied parties’ leadership by Tuesday.

From Tribune staff reportsCENTER POINT — A woman was stabbed to death in Center Point and four people were shot in Birmingham on Sunday evening in what officials from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office believe are related incidents. “At approximately 6:26 p.m., this evening, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the 300 block of 20th Avenue NE to conduct a requested welfare check,” JCSO Lt. Joni Money said. “It is thought that this location is the home of the homicide victim’s mother,” Money said. Jefferson County Sheriff’s detectives and detectives from the City of Birmingham will be working together to complete a thorough investigation in these cases. You may also contact the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office or the Birmingham Police Department.

Share:Pakistan’s economic outlook seems bleak as the inflation rate is expected to rise even higher in the coming months. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) has already recorded a record-high inflation rate for March, and it is projected to reach 36-38 percent in April. With a shortage in crop yield and ambiguous estimates for public food consumption, it is feared that food inflation and crisis may occur. To address the increasing inflation rate, the SBP implemented a contractionary monetary policy, including an increase in interest rates. With borrowings on the rise, an average inflation rate has been quoted as 20% for the next fiscal year.

Pakistan is scheduled to host the Asia Cup later this year in September. On the other hand, BCCI is also prepared for the cancellation of the Asia Cup. They have already started planning for a five-nation tournament, which would be held during the window vacated by the cancellation of Asia Cup. According to sources, a big decision regarding the Asia Cup can be expected in a few days. If the Asia Cup does not take place this year, it may also affect Pakistan's preparations for the 2023 World Cup in India.

In an early morning tweet, Naqvi retweeted a video posted by Shujaat’s son Salik Hussain that showed the ACE team at the main door of their residence. The caretaker CM said in the tweet that he was “appalled to know that [the] team went to arrest Elahi but stormed Shujaat’s house in which Salik Hussain got injured”. Appalled to know that team went to arrest Ch Pervaiz Elahi but stormed Ch Shaujaat’s House in which Ch Salik Hussain got injured. Law should take it’s course https://t.co/tT0km3KQ7j — Mohsin Naqvi (@MohsinnaqviC42) April 30, 2023In the wee hours of Saturday, an ACE Punjab team along with the Lahore police conducted a raid at the former CM's residence. Shujaat’s son, Salik Hussain, told the police that Elahi was not in their house.