Cuba's slow, cautious reforms to revive its state-run economy suddenly burst into life at businesses like Karabali, a Havana night-club owned by a 21-member co-operative. The communist government began leasing…
The parlous state of official finances is the result of successive governments’ unfettered extravagance and failure to mobilise adequate tax revenues. They have lived it up by mortgaging the future,…
Last week (April 1) I wrote about the IMF report and highlighted some aspects of it – in particular the contradictory statements, double speak, use of unpleasant language, and showing…
Why is Pakistan under siege? If this siege is to be done away with what is likely to be the outcome for the population. Has the political system any role…
LAST November, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, while attending the annual meeting of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, said that the ongoing round of austerity agreed upon with…
Narendra Modi, known for his unrepentant virulent anti-Pakistan stance, has a clear lead in opinion polls, and is widely expected to be India's next Prime Minister. His latest tirade against…
Do intellectuals matter in politics? To judge by the short-term crisis management and late-night bailouts by governments in the euro zone turmoil of the last four years, it is tempting…
Pity the person who has the most thankless job on the planet - leading Pakistan! Even if he's honest, sincere, and competent, the herculean task of clearing the mess we're…
US baby boomers desperate for retirement income are increasingly turning back to a financial product that, after the housing bust, had been left for dead: the reverse mortgage. Many retirees…
After eight months of the present Government, and at the time when the second review of the IMF is completed, it is important to look back on what we have…
