Eco storm clouds loom as Italy embarks on 1,000-day reform trip
The summer's over and Italy's baby-faced prime minister has got work to do, lots of it, as he seeks to deliver on his promise to transform a country teetering on…
Destroyed jet, sanctions to drive more money to Latam, Asia
The downing of a Malaysian passenger jet over eastern Ukraine on Thursday is likely to keep fixed income investors shunning Russia, and eastern Europe more broadly, in favour of other…
Edinburgh and London grapple over North Sea’s black gold
North Sea oil has been at the centre of fierce debate over Scotland's future ahead of an independence vote next month, with both sides wrangling over the outlook for the…
Russia treading on ‘razor blade’ to keep influence in Ukraine
Russia's decision to ignore warnings from Kiev and the West and force a disputed aid convoy into Ukraine reflects the Kremlin's urgent need to retain influence over the splintered ex-Soviet…
Energy crisis
The power sector is one of two sectors whose appallingly dismal performance remains of serious concern to international donor agencies (the other being Federal Board of Revenue). The World Bank…
Political uncertainty: The economic and social cost
Political, economic, and social turmoil is nothing new for Pakistan and its people. They have more or less learnt to live with the tumult as a part of life. For…
Poll rigging: doesn’t it matter?
After the Model Town tragedy, law enforcers refused to bash the protestors prodding the PML-N, and self-proclaimed 'defenders' of democracy in the opposition, to seek a negotiated settlement with Pakistan…
Coal reserves offer no relief for India fuel crunch
India sits on one of the world's biggest coal reserves, yet its power stations are starved of the fuel with some idle and others running dangerously low on supplies. Coal…
The Qadri-Imran joint enterprise
Martin Luther, the German theologian whose writings inspired the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, also believed uncompromisingly that “God would prefer to suffer the government to exist no matter…
Integrity management in tax administration
Similar to the socio-political culture of most public sector institutions in Pakistan, FBR is also in the 'integrity crises'. Given that the widespread publicity on this issue drives public opinion,…
