In a virtual meeting on Wednesday, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) pressed hard on Pakistan whereby the Pakistani side shared the features of the coming budget 2022-23. The IMF placed major prior actions, including taxation measures, to fetch Rs 7.255 trillion in the next fiscal year for the revival of the stalled USD 6 billion programmes.

The Pakistani government has proposed an outlay of Rs 9,500 billion federal budget. Earlier, at the time of completion of the 6th review under the Imran Khan-led PTI regime, the reform of Personal Income Tax (PIT), was the structural benchmark of the IMF program.

It was agreed that the PIT reforms would be introduced on the occasion of the FY 2023 budget. Now if the Pakistani government deviates from implementing these reforms then it would have to come up with an alternate plan to fetch revenues up to the desired mark in the coming budget.

However, the government showed reluctance to move ahead as desired by the IMF on the occasion of the completion of the sixth review in February 2022 under the PTI-led regime.

The IMF side also expressed concern over the outstanding repayments to Chinese Independent Power Producers (IPPs) under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the release of Rs 50 billion out of total outstanding dues of Rs 300 billion. Now, the fund is asking about the repayment schedule on this account.

The IMF has also asked about alternate plans to meet the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) envisaged target of Rs7.255 trillion in the coming budget. The IMF has estimated that the FBR's collection would be standing at Rs6,000 billion for the outgoing fiscal year and the FBR would have to collect R$1,255 billion to meet the desired target in the next fiscal year.

With nominal growth of 16.5 per cent, the FBR's collection would touch R$6,700 billion so the IMF is inquiring about the plan for collecting the remaining Rs550 billion for touching the revenue collection of Rs7,255 billion for the next financial year.

Pakistan and the IMF discussed the proposed increase in electricity tariff, subsidies on POL prices, and expected budget deficit for the coming financial year 2022-23. The government has envisaged Rs578 billion for subsidy on electricity as Rs 500 billion subsidies proposed for FY2023.

Pakistan and the IMF remained engaged on one of the toughest rounds of parleys for finalising budgetary figures for the upcoming budget amid the lingering severe macroeconomic and fiscal crisis being faced by the country. This crisis-like situation was aggravated owing to skyrocketing crude oil and commodities prices in the international market. 
&nbsp;

[with inputs from agencies] 
&nbsp;

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In a virtual meeting on Wednesday, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) pressed hard on Pakistan whereby the Pakistani side shared the features of the coming budget 2022-23.

In a virtual meeting on Wednesday, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) pressed hard on Pakistan whereby the Pakistani side shared the features of the coming budget 2022-23. The IMF placed major prior actions, including taxation measures, to fetch Rs 7.255 trillion in the next fiscal year for the revival of the stalled USD 6 billion programmes. The Pakistani government has proposed an outlay of Rs 9,500 billion federal budget. Earlier, at the time of completion of the 6th review under the Imran Khan-led PTI regime, the reform of Personal Income Tax (PIT), was the structural benchmark of the IMF program. It was agreed that the PIT reforms would be introduced on the occasion of the FY 2023 budget. Now if the Pakistani government deviates from implementing these reforms then it would have to come up with an alternate plan to fetch revenues up to the desired mark in the coming budget. However, the government showed reluctance to move ahead as desired by the IMF on the occasion of the completion of the sixth review in February 2022 under the PTI-led regime. The IMF side also expressed concern over the outstanding repayments to Chinese Independent Power Producers (IPPs) under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the release of Rs 50 billion out of total outstanding dues of Rs 300 billion. Now, the fund is asking about the repayment schedule on this account. The IMF has also asked about alternate plans to meet the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) envisaged target of Rs7.255 trillion in the coming budget. The IMF has estimated that the FBR's collection would be standing at Rs6,000 billion for the outgoing fiscal year and the FBR would have to collect R$1,255 billion to meet the desired target in the next fiscal year. With nominal growth of 16.5 per cent, the FBR's collection would touch R$6,700 billion so the IMF is inquiring about the plan for collecting the remaining Rs550 billion for touching the revenue collection of Rs7,255 billion for the next financial year. Pakistan and the IMF discussed the proposed increase in electricity tariff, subsidies on POL prices, and expected budget deficit for the coming financial year 2022-23. The government has envisaged Rs578 billion for subsidy on electricity as Rs 500 billion subsidies proposed for FY2023. Pakistan and the IMF remained engaged on one of the toughest rounds of parleys for finalising budgetary figures for the upcoming budget amid the lingering severe macroeconomic and fiscal crisis being faced by the country. This crisis-like situation was aggravated owing to skyrocketing crude oil and commodities prices in the international market. [with inputs from agencies] WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IMF presses hard for reforms as Pakistan shares upcoming 2022-23 budget features

The United Nations General Assembly has now adopted a resolution that will require an explanation for exercising veto powers. Under the new mandate, every time a veto has been cast in the security council the assembly will be convened automatically within 10 working days.

UN General Assembly adopts Veto draft: India calls for wider UNSC reforms

Thousands of people are protesting in Spain demanding tax cuts and reforms amid the ongoing economic crisis. Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez is also under constant pressure to cut taxes.

Protests in Spain: Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez under pressure to cut taxes

The economic impact of the "second wave" of COVID-19 was much smaller than that during the full lockdown phase in 2020-21, though the health impact was more severe, according to the Economic Survey 2021-22 tabled in the parliament on Monday.

While presenting the annual survey report ahead of the Union Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the Centre`s unique response to the second wave of COVID-19 comprised of safety-nets to cushion its impact on vulnerable sections of society and the business sector.

She added that the government significantly increased the capital expenditure to spur growth and introduced supply-side reforms for a sustained long-term expansion of the economy.

"The government`s flexible and multi-layered response is partly based on an "Agile" framework that uses feedback-loops, and the use of eighty High-Frequency Indicators (HFIs) in an environment of extreme uncertainty," she stated.

As per the report, the Indian economy is estimated to grow by 9.2 per cent in real terms in 2021-22 (as per first advanced estimates) subsequent to a contraction of 7.3 per cent in 2020-21 and the GDP is projected to grow by 8- 8.5 per cent in real terms in 2022-23.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-union-budget-2022-what-are-expenditure-and-revenue-budgets-449333">Also read |&nbsp;India Union Budget 2022: What are expenditure and revenue budgets?</a>

The year ahead is poised for a pickup in private sector investment with the financial system in a good position to provide support for the economy`s revival, said the survey report.

The projection is comparable with World Bank and Asian Development Bank`s latest forecasts of real GDP growth of 8.7 per cent and 7.5 per cent respectively for 2022-23, it added.

As per IMF`s latest World Economic Outlook projections, India`s real GDP is projected to grow at 9 per cent in 2021-22 and 2022-23 and at 7.1 per cent in 2023-2024, which would make India the fastest-growing major economy in the world for all three years.

Macroeconomic stability indicators suggest that the Indian Economy is well placed to take on the challenges of 2022-23.

A combination of high foreign exchange reserves, sustained foreign direct investment, and rising export earnings will provide an adequate buffer against possible global liquidity tapering in 2022-23.&nbsp;

The economic impact of the "second wave" of COVID-19 was much smaller than that during the full lockdown phase in 2020-21, though the health impact was more severe, according to the Economic Survey 2021-22 tabled in the parliament on Monday.

The economic impact of the "second wave" of COVID-19 was much smaller than that during the full lockdown phase in 2020-21, though the health impact was more severe, according to the Economic Survey 2021-22 tabled in the parliament on Monday. While presenting the annual survey report ahead of the Union Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the Centre`s unique response to the second wave of COVID-19 comprised of safety-nets to cushion its impact on vulnerable sections of society and the business sector. She added that the government significantly increased the capital expenditure to spur growth and introduced supply-side reforms for a sustained long-term expansion of the economy. "The government`s flexible and multi-layered response is partly based on an "Agile" framework that uses feedback-loops, and the use of eighty High-Frequency Indicators (HFIs) in an environment of extreme uncertainty," she stated. As per the report, the Indian economy is estimated to grow by 9.2 per cent in real terms in 2021-22 (as per first advanced estimates) subsequent to a contraction of 7.3 per cent in 2020-21 and the GDP is projected to grow by 8- 8.5 per cent in real terms in 2022-23. Also read | India Union Budget 2022: What are expenditure and revenue budgets? The year ahead is poised for a pickup in private sector investment with the financial system in a good position to provide support for the economy`s revival, said the survey report. The projection is comparable with World Bank and Asian Development Bank`s latest forecasts of real GDP growth of 8.7 per cent and 7.5 per cent respectively for 2022-23, it added. As per IMF`s latest World Economic Outlook projections, India`s real GDP is projected to grow at 9 per cent in 2021-22 and 2022-23 and at 7.1 per cent in 2023-2024, which would make India the fastest-growing major economy in the world for all three years. Macroeconomic stability indicators suggest that the Indian Economy is well placed to take on the challenges of 2022-23. A combination of high foreign exchange reserves, sustained foreign direct investment, and rising export earnings will provide an adequate buffer against possible global liquidity tapering in 2022-23.

India Budget 2022: Govt's supply-side reforms prepare economy for long-term expansion, says FM Sitharaman

For the United States of America, the first day of 2022 brought in some major legal changes. There were restrictions that have been imposed on abortion, minimum wage increase, and also police reforms. These are just a part of a series of new laws that have come into effect across the US.

The first day of 2022 brought in some major legal changes for the United States of America

UAE is looking at the future and for this it is attempting a radical image makeover. The UAE has brought in sweeping changes to its legal system and societal changes as well.

UAE introduces reforms in its legal system

In what is being termed as the largest legislative reform in its history, the United Arab Emirates has updated its law. This comes in as a move to further develop the legislative system.&nbsp;

Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE has approved these reforms to strengthen economic and commercial opportunities, enhance social stability, and ensure the rights of individuals, as well as&nbsp;institutions.&nbsp; 
 
During the "Year of the 50th," new laws and legislative changes were drafted to keep up with the UAE's developmental accomplishments and represent the country's future goals.

The reforms encompass more than 40 laws, making them the greatest legislative reform in the young nation's 50-year history.&nbsp;

One of the most important provisions introduced is that the law is applied to anyone who commits, or participates in, a premeditated murder that occurs against a citizen of the UAE, even if the crime takes place outside the country.

Also, the law aims to enhance community protection from a set of online crimes. The main aim is to combat the spread of rumours and ‘fake news’, and preserve personal privacy and rights.

The law includes various provisions related to fake news and misleading information. It gives courts the power to confiscate devices, software, content.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-praises-south-africa-for-quick-transparent-reporting-of-new-covid-variant-omicron-432491">Also read |&nbsp;US praises South Africa for quick, transparent reporting of new Covid variant Omicron</a>

The new law addresses online false advertising and promotions. This also includes unlicensed trading in crypto-currencies and medical products and supplements.

The new law prohibits the consumption of alcoholic beverages in a public place or in unlicensed locations. Also, it prohibits the sale, provision or incitement or inducement to consume alcoholic beverages to any person below 21 years of age.

The new law addresses the crime of indecent assault with imprisonment or a fine starting from Dh 10,000. If there has been the use of force, the penalty shall be imprisonment for a period of at least five years and not exceeding 20 twenty years.

The new legislative changes came into being after there were intensive discussions at both the local and federal levels. Teams of 540 specialists and experts from 50 federal and local authorities have worked together over the past five months.&nbsp;

The new legislation will be enacted from January 2, 2022.&nbsp; 
 
Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/new-criminal-code-to-come-into-force-in-united-arab-emirates-432618/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

(With inputs from agencies)

In what is being termed as the largest legislative reform in its history, the United Arab Emirates has updated its law. This comes in as a move to further develop the legislative system.

In what is being termed as the largest legislative reform in its history, the United Arab Emirates has updated its law. This comes in as a move to further develop the legislative system. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE has approved these reforms to strengthen economic and commercial opportunities, enhance social stability, and ensure the rights of individuals, as well as institutions. During the "Year of the 50th," new laws and legislative changes were drafted to keep up with the UAE's developmental accomplishments and represent the country's future goals. The reforms encompass more than 40 laws, making them the greatest legislative reform in the young nation's 50-year history. One of the most important provisions introduced is that the law is applied to anyone who commits, or participates in, a premeditated murder that occurs against a citizen of the UAE, even if the crime takes place outside the country. Also, the law aims to enhance community protection from a set of online crimes. The main aim is to combat the spread of rumours and ‘fake news’, and preserve personal privacy and rights. The law includes various provisions related to fake news and misleading information. It gives courts the power to confiscate devices, software, content. Also read | US praises South Africa for quick, transparent reporting of new Covid variant Omicron The new law addresses online false advertising and promotions. This also includes unlicensed trading in crypto-currencies and medical products and supplements. The new law prohibits the consumption of alcoholic beverages in a public place or in unlicensed locations. Also, it prohibits the sale, provision or incitement or inducement to consume alcoholic beverages to any person below 21 years of age. The new law addresses the crime of indecent assault with imprisonment or a fine starting from Dh 10,000. If there has been the use of force, the penalty shall be imprisonment for a period of at least five years and not exceeding 20 twenty years. The new legislative changes came into being after there were intensive discussions at both the local and federal levels. Teams of 540 specialists and experts from 50 federal and local authorities have worked together over the past five months. The new legislation will be enacted from January 2, 2022. Watch: (With inputs from agencies)

In a move to develop the legislative system, UAE adopts largest legal reform in its 50-year history

Every so often, something so awful and senseless happens that it’s hard to fully absorb it. An apartment building collapses as residents sleep within. A movie star’s prop gun fires a real bullet on a film set, killing a young mother. A concert crowd morphs into a melee that leaves people dead and injured.

After each such catastrophe, there looms a question: What’s the real story of what happened here? Amid a stream of facts and rumors via breaking news alerts, the loudest answers often come from two camps: Let’s call them the conspiracists and the reformists.

One rants about shadowy schemes, nefarious figures, unseen hands and global cabals. The other preaches the gospel of rationality, a doctrine holding that even if all is not yet known, all is eventually knowable, and that if sensible rules are followed, chaos can be prevented.

Take Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival, where a crowd surge this month left at least 10 people dead and hundreds injured. “It was like hell,” one attendee said. Some conspiracists were quick to assert another view: The concert wasn’t just “like” hell. It was, rather, an elaborate satanic ritual, perhaps designed to summon a portal to hell.

The signs were all there, they tweeted. There was the stage that looked like an inverted cross. There was the fact that the Church of Satan was founded on April 30, 1966 — 666 months and six days before the night of the concert, Nov. 5, 2021. And that date was also the 66th birthday of Kris Jenner, the mother of Kylie Jenner, Mr. Scott’s girlfriend. These outlandish ideas are not relegated to the fringes of the internet; some videos making such claims have millions of views. A single comment on one of these posts (“The music industry is demonic and collects souls”) garnered tens of thousands of likes on its own.

A conspiracist’s natural habitats are TikTok, Reddit, Facebook and YouTube, fertile ground for planting seeds of paranoia and fear through seconds-long clips and doctored photos. After the Astroworld tragedy, a prominent QAnon figure reportedly articulated the mantra of a conspiracist: “There is NO such thing as ‘coincidence.’ Ever.”

Enter the reformist, for whom a catastrophe comes down to predictable human error. According to the reformist, the cause of the crowd surge at Astroworld was a series of egregious mistakes: inadequate planning, a set of safety measures not properly put in place, or a performer who should have stopped the show sooner.

Crisis could have been averted if only the proper procedures had been followed, the reformist argues on CNN or MSNBC, in an op-ed or Twitter thread. With sober policy prescriptions and technocratic resolve, the reformist suggests, we can bring to heel the chaos that is human existence. We need only follow the rules — and their smart advice.

The dichotomy between figures embodying either chaos or order goes back millenniums, and exists in cultures around the world. It is exemplified by the pairing of the ancient Greek gods Dionysus, the god of wine, revelry and mayhem, and Apollo, the god of the sun, temperance and rational thinking. Philosophers, Nietzsche most notably, have long commented on the relationship between the Apollonian and the Dionysian.

We humans need narratives to process what happens around us or in the world at large. As the popular historian and philosopher Yuval Noah Harari has said: “The truly unique trait of Sapiens is our ability to create and believe fiction. All other animals use their communication system to describe reality. We use our communication system to create new realities.”

Both the conspiracists and the reformists are engaged in this utterly human process. By connecting events and facts, and tying red strings between them on their metaphorical pin boards, the conspiracist and the reformist each develop a thesis about what happened. Stories help us live with each other and with ourselves, and in the wake of great and sudden suffering, we need something to keep us going.

It might be difficult to see how a story about a satanic blood sacrifice helps people live with themselves. But the conspiracist’s story offers a kind of clemency for the people involved, and perhaps for humankind at large. The image of concertgoers booing a woman who climbed a platform to try to stop the show at Astroworld is difficult to stomach. It can be easier to believe that the events that transpired were a satanic plot than to see them as a result of mundane human indifference.

The soothing quality of the reformist’s story is even easier to identify. Their program of measured improvement offers hope for progress and the promise of control. For that, the reformist attitude is to be admired. If it’s true that “the story in which you believe shapes the society that you create,” as Mr. Harari recently said in an interview, then reformists, with their efforts to eliminate systemic malfunctions, are working toward a better world, or at the very least, a more safe and just one.

The conspiracist and the reformist tend to double down on the narratives valued by their respective communities. The reformist lives in a world where expertise and problem-solving have cultural cachet. The conspiracist lives in world where spirituality and belief in higher powers can answer a lot of the big questions.

Of course the distinctions between the reformist and the conspiracist, between the Apollonian and the Dionysian, are not absolute. Within any one person, the lines blur: Many of us can be reformists and conspiracists, prone to mysticism in some areas and beholden to reason in others. A tree may fall and nearly kill you, leading you to believe that this was a sign from the universe that you must live life to the fullest and appreciate each day — even as you email the city council about hiring more arborists.

There are problems with the stories that both conspiracists and reformists peddle. The conspiracist’s story, taken to its extreme, would have us believe that there is nothing we can do about accidents or problems because they are spawned by devils and cabals, malevolent forces beyond our control. The extreme version of the reformist’s story, by contrast, would have us believe that there’s nothing we can’t do about accidents or problems, that reason can secure us total control over our environment, and even over ourselves.

The truth is that catastrophes occupy the gray space between the darkness of the conspiracist’s narrative and the light of the reformist’s narrative. We are more in control than the conspiracists think; we are less in control than the reformists think.

American history offers many examples of conspiracists and reformists differing in their interpretation of events, from the Salem witch trials to the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Or take two other horrors of recent months: the fatal shooting on the set of the film “Rust,” and the Surfside condo building collapse. Both inspired conspiracy theories, and both inspired lectures and expert analyses of societal failures. Surely, more could have been done to prevent these tragedies — there were procedural and administrative failures in both instances — but we can only ever reduce the possibility of disaster, not eliminate it completely.

There’s a risk here, of course, of false equivalence. Though the conspiracist and the reformist have much in common, the consequences of their stories are obviously quite different. Conspiracy theories such as those advanced by QAnon adherents can breed apathy or extremism or undermine civil society, and they have led to violence and threats of violence.

Reformist narratives might be sanctimonious, but they tend to come from a desire to protect people and improve the world. Still, they can lead to excess caution, such as an unwillingness to discuss an eventual end to masking mandates at schools in some blue states, even when it’s not yet clear what effects two years of masking will have on children.

The true problem with the conspiracist and the reformist, however, is that by telling stories about a catastrophe’s meaning, they assent to the premise of the question, to the hubristic notion that the world should bend itself to human reasoning, that its nature and events and accidents will align with our storytelling. Each camp acts as if its stories are natural discoveries, rather than constructed narratives.

And what’s often lacking in both these camps is humility and empathy. Living in the gray area requires a healthy dose of both.

Empathy is what’s required, for example, to narrow the gulf on Covid: the conspiracist deniers and anti-vaxxers on one side, and the double-masked-and-triple-vaxxed reformists on the other, each railing against anyone whose choices they disagree with.

What would Covid messaging have looked like if humility had been built into the stories we told about masks and vaccines? If we had understood them to be highly effective preventive measures, rather than either silver bullets or ruses, would they have mutated into symbols, into sharp ideological lines dividing the nation?

Humility is a useful quality, too, when regarding the disaster of human-wrought climate change: It’s required to accept that a great deal of damage has already been done, and that our ability to mitigate future damage is already limited. Admitting so doesn’t mean abandoning the fight altogether.

What’s the harm, you might ask, of stories that make some sense of the senseless? Perhaps none. But they can rob us of the opportunity to sit with our feelings, to grieve our losses, to rage at the chaos of the universe, at our animal helplessness, at the random unfairness of life. Both conspiracists and reformists tell stories that explain the “why” before we’ve even processed the “what.”

Every so often, something so awful and senseless happens that it’s hard to fully absorb it. An apartment building collapses as residents sleep within. A movie star’s prop gun fires a real bullet on a film set, killing a young mother.

Every so often, something so awful and senseless happens that it’s hard to fully absorb it. An apartment building collapses as residents sleep within. A movie star’s prop gun fires a real bullet on a film set, killing a young mother. A concert crowd morphs into a melee that leaves people dead and injured. After each such catastrophe, there looms a question: What’s the real story of what happened here? Amid a stream of facts and rumors via breaking news alerts, the loudest answers often come from two camps: Let’s call them the conspiracists and the reformists. One rants about shadowy schemes, nefarious figures, unseen hands and global cabals. The other preaches the gospel of rationality, a doctrine holding that even if all is not yet known, all is eventually knowable, and that if sensible rules are followed, chaos can be prevented. Take Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival, where a crowd surge this month left at least 10 people dead and hundreds injured. “It was like hell,” one attendee said. Some conspiracists were quick to assert another view: The concert wasn’t just “like” hell. It was, rather, an elaborate satanic ritual, perhaps designed to summon a portal to hell. The signs were all there, they tweeted. There was the stage that looked like an inverted cross. There was the fact that the Church of Satan was founded on April 30, 1966 — 666 months and six days before the night of the concert, Nov. 5, 2021. And that date was also the 66th birthday of Kris Jenner, the mother of Kylie Jenner, Mr. Scott’s girlfriend. These outlandish ideas are not relegated to the fringes of the internet; some videos making such claims have millions of views. A single comment on one of these posts (“The music industry is demonic and collects souls”) garnered tens of thousands of likes on its own. A conspiracist’s natural habitats are TikTok, Reddit, Facebook and YouTube, fertile ground for planting seeds of paranoia and fear through seconds-long clips and doctored photos. After the Astroworld tragedy, a prominent QAnon figure reportedly articulated the mantra of a conspiracist: “There is NO such thing as ‘coincidence.’ Ever.” Enter the reformist, for whom a catastrophe comes down to predictable human error. According to the reformist, the cause of the crowd surge at Astroworld was a series of egregious mistakes: inadequate planning, a set of safety measures not properly put in place, or a performer who should have stopped the show sooner. Crisis could have been averted if only the proper procedures had been followed, the reformist argues on CNN or MSNBC, in an op-ed or Twitter thread. With sober policy prescriptions and technocratic resolve, the reformist suggests, we can bring to heel the chaos that is human existence. We need only follow the rules — and their smart advice. The dichotomy between figures embodying either chaos or order goes back millenniums, and exists in cultures around the world. It is exemplified by the pairing of the ancient Greek gods Dionysus, the god of wine, revelry and mayhem, and Apollo, the god of the sun, temperance and rational thinking. Philosophers, Nietzsche most notably, have long commented on the relationship between the Apollonian and the Dionysian. We humans need narratives to process what happens around us or in the world at large. As the popular historian and philosopher Yuval Noah Harari has said: “The truly unique trait of Sapiens is our ability to create and believe fiction. All other animals use their communication system to describe reality. We use our communication system to create new realities.” Both the conspiracists and the reformists are engaged in this utterly human process. By connecting events and facts, and tying red strings between them on their metaphorical pin boards, the conspiracist and the reformist each develop a thesis about what happened. Stories help us live with each other and with ourselves, and in the wake of great and sudden suffering, we need something to keep us going. It might be difficult to see how a story about a satanic blood sacrifice helps people live with themselves. But the conspiracist’s story offers a kind of clemency for the people involved, and perhaps for humankind at large. The image of concertgoers booing a woman who climbed a platform to try to stop the show at Astroworld is difficult to stomach. It can be easier to believe that the events that transpired were a satanic plot than to see them as a result of mundane human indifference. The soothing quality of the reformist’s story is even easier to identify. Their program of measured improvement offers hope for progress and the promise of control. For that, the reformist attitude is to be admired. If it’s true that “the story in which you believe shapes the society that you create,” as Mr. Harari recently said in an interview, then reformists, with their efforts to eliminate systemic malfunctions, are working toward a better world, or at the very least, a more safe and just one. The conspiracist and the reformist tend to double down on the narratives valued by their respective communities. The reformist lives in a world where expertise and problem-solving have cultural cachet. The conspiracist lives in world where spirituality and belief in higher powers can answer a lot of the big questions. Of course the distinctions between the reformist and the conspiracist, between the Apollonian and the Dionysian, are not absolute. Within any one person, the lines blur: Many of us can be reformists and conspiracists, prone to mysticism in some areas and beholden to reason in others. A tree may fall and nearly kill you, leading you to believe that this was a sign from the universe that you must live life to the fullest and appreciate each day — even as you email the city council about hiring more arborists. There are problems with the stories that both conspiracists and reformists peddle. The conspiracist’s story, taken to its extreme, would have us believe that there is nothing we can do about accidents or problems because they are spawned by devils and cabals, malevolent forces beyond our control. The extreme version of the reformist’s story, by contrast, would have us believe that there’s nothing we can’t do about accidents or problems, that reason can secure us total control over our environment, and even over ourselves. The truth is that catastrophes occupy the gray space between the darkness of the conspiracist’s narrative and the light of the reformist’s narrative. We are more in control than the conspiracists think; we are less in control than the reformists think. American history offers many examples of conspiracists and reformists differing in their interpretation of events, from the Salem witch trials to the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Or take two other horrors of recent months: the fatal shooting on the set of the film “Rust,” and the Surfside condo building collapse. Both inspired conspiracy theories, and both inspired lectures and expert analyses of societal failures. Surely, more could have been done to prevent these tragedies — there were procedural and administrative failures in both instances — but we can only ever reduce the possibility of disaster, not eliminate it completely. There’s a risk here, of course, of false equivalence. Though the conspiracist and the reformist have much in common, the consequences of their stories are obviously quite different. Conspiracy theories such as those advanced by QAnon adherents can breed apathy or extremism or undermine civil society, and they have led to violence and threats of violence. Reformist narratives might be sanctimonious, but they tend to come from a desire to protect people and improve the world. Still, they can lead to excess caution, such as an unwillingness to discuss an eventual end to masking mandates at schools in some blue states, even when it’s not yet clear what effects two years of masking will have on children. The true problem with the conspiracist and the reformist, however, is that by telling stories about a catastrophe’s meaning, they assent to the premise of the question, to the hubristic notion that the world should bend itself to human reasoning, that its nature and events and accidents will align with our storytelling. Each camp acts as if its stories are natural discoveries, rather than constructed narratives. And what’s often lacking in both these camps is humility and empathy. Living in the gray area requires a healthy dose of both. Empathy is what’s required, for example, to narrow the gulf on Covid: the conspiracist deniers and anti-vaxxers on one side, and the double-masked-and-triple-vaxxed reformists on the other, each railing against anyone whose choices they disagree with. What would Covid messaging have looked like if humility had been built into the stories we told about masks and vaccines? If we had understood them to be highly effective preventive measures, rather than either silver bullets or ruses, would they have mutated into symbols, into sharp ideological lines dividing the nation? Humility is a useful quality, too, when regarding the disaster of human-wrought climate change: It’s required to accept that a great deal of damage has already been done, and that our ability to mitigate future damage is already limited. Admitting so doesn’t mean abandoning the fight altogether. What’s the harm, you might ask, of stories that make some sense of the senseless? Perhaps none. But they can rob us of the opportunity to sit with our feelings, to grieve our losses, to rage at the chaos of the universe, at our animal helplessness, at the random unfairness of life. Both conspiracists and reformists tell stories that explain the “why” before we’ve even processed the “what.”

Conspiracist or reformist: Which one are you when disaster strikes?

The Imran Khan led-PTI government in Pakistan has managed to pass the contentious election reform bill in the parliament. Here we bring you all the latest on what the bill is about!

Pakistan parliament passes election reform bills, overseas Pakistanis to get voting rights

The Chinese government's top diplomat State Councillor Wang Yi on Sunday said the electoral system in Hong Kong must be improved for long-term stability, saying reform would bring about a 'brighter future' for the city.&nbsp;

China's plan to dramatically reform Hong Kong's electoral system, unveiled this week during the country's annual parliamentary session, is expected to upend the territory's governance and ensure Beijing loyalists are in charge.&nbsp;

Speaking at his annual news conference at the parliamentary session, Wang said there was no democracy in Hong Kong during colonial times, and that China has confidence electoral reforms will be beneficial.&nbsp;

"Hong Kong's transition from chaos to governance is fully in the interests of all parties," said Wang.&nbsp;

A year ago, China imposed a tough national security law on the former British colony, saying it was needed following months of sometimes violent anti-government protests.&nbsp;

Beijing has since said that it will directly vet electoral candidates for the city's legislature and declared that only 'patriots' should rule Hong Kong.&nbsp;

"Loving Hong Kong and patriotism are exactly the same," said Wang on Sunday, adding that changes to the electoral system are constitutional and justified.&nbsp;

It comes a week after Hong Kong police detained 47 pro-democracy activists on charges of conspiracy to commit subversion, the largest such mass arrest to date under the new national security law.&nbsp;

China's actions in Hong Kong have been condemned by the United States and its allies to the anger of the Chinese government, which has said Hong Kong issues are an internal matter with which foreigners have no right to interfere.&nbsp;

Supporters of the national security law, which punishes what it broadly defines as secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison, have said the legislation is necessary to restore stability in Hong Kong after months of pro-democracy protests in 2019.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The Chinese government's top diplomat State Councillor Wang Yi on Sunday said the electoral system in Hong Kong must be improved for long-term stability, saying reform would bring about a 'brighter future' for the city.

The Chinese government's top diplomat State Councillor Wang Yi on Sunday said the electoral system in Hong Kong must be improved for long-term stability, saying reform would bring about a 'brighter future' for the city. China's plan to dramatically reform Hong Kong's electoral system, unveiled this week during the country's annual parliamentary session, is expected to upend the territory's governance and ensure Beijing loyalists are in charge. Speaking at his annual news conference at the parliamentary session, Wang said there was no democracy in Hong Kong during colonial times, and that China has confidence electoral reforms will be beneficial. "Hong Kong's transition from chaos to governance is fully in the interests of all parties," said Wang. A year ago, China imposed a tough national security law on the former British colony, saying it was needed following months of sometimes violent anti-government protests. Beijing has since said that it will directly vet electoral candidates for the city's legislature and declared that only 'patriots' should rule Hong Kong. "Loving Hong Kong and patriotism are exactly the same," said Wang on Sunday, adding that changes to the electoral system are constitutional and justified. It comes a week after Hong Kong police detained 47 pro-democracy activists on charges of conspiracy to commit subversion, the largest such mass arrest to date under the new national security law. China's actions in Hong Kong have been condemned by the United States and its allies to the anger of the Chinese government, which has said Hong Kong issues are an internal matter with which foreigners have no right to interfere. Supporters of the national security law, which punishes what it broadly defines as secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison, have said the legislation is necessary to restore stability in Hong Kong after months of pro-democracy protests in 2019. (With inputs from agencies)

Hong Kong needs electoral reform for 'brighter future', says China  

Beijing's proposal for Hong Kong electoral reforms could prevent&nbsp;'dictatorship of the majority', a pro-Beijing Hong Kong lawmaker said, calling people,&nbsp;who want one man one vote&nbsp;'politically immature'.&nbsp;

China's rubber-stamp parliament is deliberating plans to overhaul Hong Kong's electoral system to ensure Beijing loyalists are in charge.&nbsp;

Hong Kong representatives to China's parliament, in Beijing this week for an annual session, say the changes are necessary and desirable.&nbsp;

"Many people in Hong Kong are politically immature," Martin Liao, who sits on both Hong Kong's and China's legislature,&nbsp;said&nbsp;on Saturday.&nbsp;

"They think&nbsp;'one man one vote'&nbsp;is the best thing, and they take advice from countries that don't even have&nbsp;'one man one vote'," he said, referring to how neither the US President nor the British Prime Minister is elected by a popular vote.&nbsp;

The proposed changes, which include expanding the city's Election Committee from 1,200 to 1,500 people, and expanding the city's Legislative Council from 70 to 90 seats, will make Hong Kong's electoral system more&nbsp;'representative', and less prone to&nbsp;'dictatorship of the majority', Liao argued.&nbsp;

Critics,&nbsp;however,&nbsp;worry that the expansion means that Beijing would be able to stack the two bodies with even more pro-establishment members, to gain the numerical superiority needed to influence important decisions,&nbsp;such as the election of the city's chief executive, leaving Hong Kong voters with less direct say in who they want to lead them.&nbsp;

"If you are not a patriot, it's going to be hard for you to get in," Tam Yiu-chung, the only Hong Kong representative in China's top lawmaking body, the National People's Congress Standing Committee,&nbsp;said&nbsp;on Saturday.&nbsp;

Beijing's proposal for Hong Kong electoral reforms could prevent 'dictatorship of the majority', a pro-Beijing Hong Kong lawmaker said, calling people, who want one man one vote 'politically immature'.

Beijing's proposal for Hong Kong electoral reforms could prevent 'dictatorship of the majority', a pro-Beijing Hong Kong lawmaker said, calling people, who want one man one vote 'politically immature'. China's rubber-stamp parliament is deliberating plans to overhaul Hong Kong's electoral system to ensure Beijing loyalists are in charge. Hong Kong representatives to China's parliament, in Beijing this week for an annual session, say the changes are necessary and desirable. "Many people in Hong Kong are politically immature," Martin Liao, who sits on both Hong Kong's and China's legislature, said on Saturday. "They think 'one man one vote' is the best thing, and they take advice from countries that don't even have 'one man one vote'," he said, referring to how neither the US President nor the British Prime Minister is elected by a popular vote. The proposed changes, which include expanding the city's Election Committee from 1,200 to 1,500 people, and expanding the city's Legislative Council from 70 to 90 seats, will make Hong Kong's electoral system more 'representative', and less prone to 'dictatorship of the majority', Liao argued. Critics, however, worry that the expansion means that Beijing would be able to stack the two bodies with even more pro-establishment members, to gain the numerical superiority needed to influence important decisions, such as the election of the city's chief executive, leaving Hong Kong voters with less direct say in who they want to lead them. "If you are not a patriot, it's going to be hard for you to get in," Tam Yiu-chung, the only Hong Kong representative in China's top lawmaking body, the National People's Congress Standing Committee, said on Saturday.

Hong Kong poll reforms prevent 'dictatorship of majority': Pro-Beijing leader

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has controlled Turkey for 17 long years. First as prime minister and now as president. In 17 years, he has made Turkey an autocracy, a one-man show.&nbsp;

This show is now getting bad reviews. So, Erdogan wants to change the rules. The poll numbers for Erdogan are dropping and supporters of his party are disenchanted. They are drifting away because economic growth has slowed.&nbsp;

The Lira has nose-dived and Erdogan's allies are breaking away to form rival parties. According to a compilation of 15 recent opinion polls, support for Erdogan's Islamist-rooted justice and development party or AKP has fallen to 36% from 42% in the last election. This is a significant drop for a ruling party, especially for one that has been in power for 17 years and one that has been on a losing spree in 2019.&nbsp;

Municipal polls were held in Turkey and Erdogan's party suffered defeat in three very important cities, Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir.&nbsp;

These are three of the largest cities in Turkey. The elections here were won by opposition parties. It's been more than a year and there are growing fears that these embarrassing losses could transform into a wider nationwide loss in the 2023 elections. Pollsters say the Turkish President should be worried and it seems he is, which is why President Erdogan is trying to change the election rules.&nbsp;

In a recent public address, he said, “We are starting extensive work regarding changing political party and election regulations to improve democratic participation.”&nbsp;

What does it mean? The Turkish President did not bother to explain. His party officials have anonymously revealed that these plans include two primary things, one dividing large urban electoral districts into smaller constituencies and two, reducing the threshold for entering Parliament from 10% to 7%.&nbsp;

The first move could significantly boost the number of lawmakers from Erdogan's party and the second one will set barriers for opposition parties in entering Parliament.&nbsp;

It's quite a smart strategy and Erdogan is already laying the groundwork for it. He is trying to win public support ahead of these planned changes. He has eased coronavirus restrictions, lifted night-time curfews for weekends and promised measures to improve human rights, press freedoms, freedom of expression and new policies to curb violence against women. Erdogan says these measures would be implemented in the next two years with the ultimate aim of drafting a new constitution.&nbsp;

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, president, Turkey, said, "In order to enhance standards related to freedom of expression and freedom of the press, we are developing measures aimed at easing the professional activities of journalists."&nbsp;

"We are educating law-enforcement officials as well as shopping district and neighbourhood guards on issues that constitute ill-treatment. We are removing the statute of limitations concerning disciplinary investigations over torture allegations."&nbsp;

"The ultimate aim of our (human rights) action plan is a new and civilian constitution."&nbsp;

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has controlled Turkey for 17 long years. First as prime minister and now as president. In 17 years, he has made Turkey an autocracy, a one-man show.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has controlled Turkey for 17 long years. First as prime minister and now as president. In 17 years, he has made Turkey an autocracy, a one-man show. This show is now getting bad reviews. So, Erdogan wants to change the rules. The poll numbers for Erdogan are dropping and supporters of his party are disenchanted. They are drifting away because economic growth has slowed. The Lira has nose-dived and Erdogan's allies are breaking away to form rival parties. According to a compilation of 15 recent opinion polls, support for Erdogan's Islamist-rooted justice and development party or AKP has fallen to 36% from 42% in the last election. This is a significant drop for a ruling party, especially for one that has been in power for 17 years and one that has been on a losing spree in 2019. Municipal polls were held in Turkey and Erdogan's party suffered defeat in three very important cities, Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir. These are three of the largest cities in Turkey. The elections here were won by opposition parties. It's been more than a year and there are growing fears that these embarrassing losses could transform into a wider nationwide loss in the 2023 elections. Pollsters say the Turkish President should be worried and it seems he is, which is why President Erdogan is trying to change the election rules. In a recent public address, he said, “We are starting extensive work regarding changing political party and election regulations to improve democratic participation.” What does it mean? The Turkish President did not bother to explain. His party officials have anonymously revealed that these plans include two primary things, one dividing large urban electoral districts into smaller constituencies and two, reducing the threshold for entering Parliament from 10% to 7%. The first move could significantly boost the number of lawmakers from Erdogan's party and the second one will set barriers for opposition parties in entering Parliament. It's quite a smart strategy and Erdogan is already laying the groundwork for it. He is trying to win public support ahead of these planned changes. He has eased coronavirus restrictions, lifted night-time curfews for weekends and promised measures to improve human rights, press freedoms, freedom of expression and new policies to curb violence against women. Erdogan says these measures would be implemented in the next two years with the ultimate aim of drafting a new constitution. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, president, Turkey, said, "In order to enhance standards related to freedom of expression and freedom of the press, we are developing measures aimed at easing the professional activities of journalists." "We are educating law-enforcement officials as well as shopping district and neighbourhood guards on issues that constitute ill-treatment. We are removing the statute of limitations concerning disciplinary investigations over torture allegations." "The ultimate aim of our (human rights) action plan is a new and civilian constitution."

To regain control, Turkish President pushes for reforms 

Thousands of Sudanese protesters took to the streets of the capital Khartoum and its twin city Omdurman on Saturday, demanding an acceleration of reforms on the second anniversary of the start of an uprising that ousted Omar al-Bashir.

The veteran leader was deposed by the military in April 2019 after months of mass protests against poor economic conditions and Bashir's autocratic, three-decade rule.

Many Sudanese are unhappy with what they see as the slow or even negligible pace of change under the transitional government that has struggled to fix an economy in crisis.

The government was formed under a three-year power sharing agreement between the military and civilian groups, which is meant to lead to fair presidential and parliamentary elections. 
&nbsp; 
Sudan's state TV aired footage of thousands of protesters gathering outside the presidential residence in Khartoum that now hosts the sovereign council, a joint military-civilian ruling body. 
&nbsp; 
The country also has a civilian cabinet of technocrats led by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. 
&nbsp; 
"We have come out today, not to celebrate the anniversary or to congratulate the transitional government. This government, unfortunately, over the past two years has not made any progress in the retribution file for our martyrs," protester Waleed El Tom told the state TV in Khartoum.

Hundreds of Sudanese civilians were killed in protests before and after the former president's ouster. 
&nbsp; 
On Saturday, thousands more protesters gathered outside the abandoned parliament building in Omdurman, across the river Nile from the capital. Small protests took place in other cities across the country, state media said. 
&nbsp; 
At the top of the protesters' demands is the formation of a long-awaited transitional parliament, part of the power sharing deal, to pass the necessary legislation for building a democratic state. 
&nbsp; 
Others called for the dissolution of the sovereign council, the cabinet and the ruling coalition. 
&nbsp; 
Sudan's economy has worsened since Bashir's removal, as the weak transitional government has failed to kick-start reforms and halt a fall in the Sudanese pound on the black market. 
&nbsp; 
"The Sudanese people had hopes that their revolution would be great, that it would achieve things, but today the Sudanese people are standing in bread lines," a protester told state TV. Security was tightened in Khartoum and Omdurman but no major incidents of violence or casualties were reported. 
&nbsp; 
Social media users shared pictures and videos of protesters burning tires and security forces firing tear gas. Reuters was not immediately able to verify the images. 
&nbsp; 
Sudan's government has signed peace deals with most of the rebel groups that caused unrest during Bashir's rule, and it hopes that the United States' recent decision to remove the country from its list of state sponsors of terrorism will help the ailing economy.

Thousands of Sudanese protesters took to the streets of the capital Khartoum and its twin city Omdurman on Saturday, demanding an acceleration of reforms on the second anniversary of the start of an uprising that ousted Omar al-Bashir.

Thousands of Sudanese protesters took to the streets of the capital Khartoum and its twin city Omdurman on Saturday, demanding an acceleration of reforms on the second anniversary of the start of an uprising that ousted Omar al-Bashir. The veteran leader was deposed by the military in April 2019 after months of mass protests against poor economic conditions and Bashir's autocratic, three-decade rule. Many Sudanese are unhappy with what they see as the slow or even negligible pace of change under the transitional government that has struggled to fix an economy in crisis. The government was formed under a three-year power sharing agreement between the military and civilian groups, which is meant to lead to fair presidential and parliamentary elections. Sudan's state TV aired footage of thousands of protesters gathering outside the presidential residence in Khartoum that now hosts the sovereign council, a joint military-civilian ruling body. The country also has a civilian cabinet of technocrats led by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. "We have come out today, not to celebrate the anniversary or to congratulate the transitional government. This government, unfortunately, over the past two years has not made any progress in the retribution file for our martyrs," protester Waleed El Tom told the state TV in Khartoum. Hundreds of Sudanese civilians were killed in protests before and after the former president's ouster. On Saturday, thousands more protesters gathered outside the abandoned parliament building in Omdurman, across the river Nile from the capital. Small protests took place in other cities across the country, state media said. At the top of the protesters' demands is the formation of a long-awaited transitional parliament, part of the power sharing deal, to pass the necessary legislation for building a democratic state. Others called for the dissolution of the sovereign council, the cabinet and the ruling coalition. Sudan's economy has worsened since Bashir's removal, as the weak transitional government has failed to kick-start reforms and halt a fall in the Sudanese pound on the black market. "The Sudanese people had hopes that their revolution would be great, that it would achieve things, but today the Sudanese people are standing in bread lines," a protester told state TV. Security was tightened in Khartoum and Omdurman but no major incidents of violence or casualties were reported. Social media users shared pictures and videos of protesters burning tires and security forces firing tear gas. Reuters was not immediately able to verify the images. Sudan's government has signed peace deals with most of the rebel groups that caused unrest during Bashir's rule, and it hopes that the United States' recent decision to remove the country from its list of state sponsors of terrorism will help the ailing economy.

Thousands protest in Sudan in call for faster reform

Russia's lower house on Wednesday passed constitutional reforms in their final reading that include the possibility of President Vladimir Putin extending his rule for another two terms.

A total of 383 State Duma lawmakers voted in favour of the package of constitutional amendments, with 43 abstentions and none against.

The measures must now be approved by the upper house Federation Council and be put to a public vote scheduled for April 22.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-pitches-for-constitutional-amendment-mps-back-package-of-changes-285487">Putin pitches for constitutional amendment, MPs back package of changes</a>

Putin announced the package of reforms in January, then repeatedly denied they were meant to extend his grip on power as he approaches the end of his fourth and final presidential term in 2024.

However, on Tuesday another amendment was introduced that would reset presidential terms, making it possible for Putin to run again if the constitutional court allows it.

The changes "are not just justified... they plan... for the strategy of the development of the country," Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said after Wednesday's vote, Russian agencies reported.

Watch: 

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Other additions to the constitution include guarantees for pension payouts and minimum salaries, and giving parliament additional power to nominate the head of government.

They also give the president additional powers to fire judges in the country's higher courts and to reject laws passed by parliament.

Russia's lower house on Wednesday passed constitutional reforms in their final reading that include the possibility of President Vladimir Putin extending his rule for another two terms.

Russia's lower house on Wednesday passed constitutional reforms in their final reading that include the possibility of President Vladimir Putin extending his rule for another two terms. A total of 383 State Duma lawmakers voted in favour of the package of constitutional amendments, with 43 abstentions and none against. The measures must now be approved by the upper house Federation Council and be put to a public vote scheduled for April 22. Also read: Putin pitches for constitutional amendment, MPs back package of changes Putin announced the package of reforms in January, then repeatedly denied they were meant to extend his grip on power as he approaches the end of his fourth and final presidential term in 2024. However, on Tuesday another amendment was introduced that would reset presidential terms, making it possible for Putin to run again if the constitutional court allows it. The changes "are not just justified... they plan... for the strategy of the development of the country," Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said after Wednesday's vote, Russian agencies reported. Watch: × Other additions to the constitution include guarantees for pension payouts and minimum salaries, and giving parliament additional power to nominate the head of government. They also give the president additional powers to fire judges in the country's higher courts and to reject laws passed by parliament.

Parliament passes reforms allowing Putin to run again

The European Union has accused the ruling<a href="Poland's ruling nationalists signalled on Thursday they plan to water down legislation allowing for judges to be disciplined for questioning judicial reforms, in an apparent attempt to ease a dispute between Brussels and Warsaw over democratic standards. The European Union has accused the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party of politicising the judiciary ever since it came to power in 2015. PiS argues that the reforms are necessary to make Poland's courts more efficient. The nationalist government has introduced draft legislation providing for the disciplining of judges who have questioned the independence of peers nominated by a panel set up under new rules drawn up by the PiS-dominated parliament. The EU's top court said last month it was up to Poland's Supreme Court to decide whether the panel was independent, and the Supreme Court has ruled that in its view the panel was neither impartial nor independent. One of PiS's smaller partners, Porozumienie, which depicts itself as a pro-business party, has since come under opposition pressure to partially block the reform. Porozumienie recently impeded another reform planned by the PiS. On Thursday state news agency PAP quoted Porozumienie head Jaroslaw Gowin as saying that ruling politicians would adopt amendments to the bill aimed at removing its two most criticized parts. These are disciplinary measures against judges questioning legitimacy of their peers appointed by the new panel, and a part of the bill that forced judges to reveal the names of social media accounts they use under pseudonyms. &quot;There's an agreement ... amendments (to the proposed bill) will be adopted,&quot; Gowin was quoted as saying by PAP. On Wednesday thousands of people poured onto the streets to protest against what they saw as an attempt by PiS to further browbeat judges. On Thursday the lower house of parliament started the debate on the judicial reforms. PiS, which won a second term in October, says it will continue the reforms to try to rid the judiciary of communist leftovers, despi"> Law and Justice (PiS) party</a> of politicising the judiciary ever since it came to power in 2015. PiS argues that the reforms are necessary to make Poland's courts more efficient.

The nationalist government has introduced draft legislation providing for the disciplining of judges who have questioned the independence of peers nominated by a panel set up under new rules drawn up by the PiS-dominated parliament.

The EU's top court said last month it was up to Poland's Supreme Court to decide whether the panel was independent, and the Supreme Court has ruled that in its view the panel was neither impartial nor independent.

One of PiS's smaller partners, Porozumienie, which depicts itself as a pro-business party, has since come under opposition pressure to partially block the reform. Porozumienie recently impeded another reform planned by the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/polands-main-opposition-picks-moderate-veteran-for-presidential-vote-268295">PiS</a>.

On Thursday state news agency PAP quoted Porozumienie head, Jaroslaw Gowin, as saying that ruling politicians would adopt amendments to the bill aimed at removing its two most criticized parts.

These are disciplinary measures against judges questioning the legitimacy of their peers appointed by the new panel, and a part of the bill that forced judges to reveal the names of social media accounts they use under pseudonyms.

"There's an agreement ... amendments (to the proposed bill) will be adopted," Gowin was quoted as saying by PAP.

On Wednesday thousands of people poured onto the streets to protest against what they saw as an attempt by PiS to further browbeat judges. On Thursday the lower house of parliament started the debate on the judicial reforms.

PiS, which <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/polands-ruling-nationalists-win-majority-in-parliament-255794">won a second term</a> in October, says it will continue the reforms to try to rid the judiciary of communist leftovers, despite EU criticism over adherence to the rule of law and threats to cut off vital EU funding.

During the parliamentary debate, opposition parties accused the PiS of using the new legislation as a tool to intimidate judges so they rule in line with the party's expectations.

"The real reason is your panic attempt to escape accountability. You know that the time of your defeat is coming and you will be held accountable at Polish courts for all your scandals," opposition MP Borys Budka told deputies.

The European Union has accused the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party of politicising the judiciary ever since it came to power in 2015. PiS argues that the reforms are necessary to make Poland's courts more efficient.

The European Union has accused the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party of politicising the judiciary ever since it came to power in 2015. PiS argues that the reforms are necessary to make Poland's courts more efficient. The nationalist government has introduced draft legislation providing for the disciplining of judges who have questioned the independence of peers nominated by a panel set up under new rules drawn up by the PiS-dominated parliament. The EU's top court said last month it was up to Poland's Supreme Court to decide whether the panel was independent, and the Supreme Court has ruled that in its view the panel was neither impartial nor independent. One of PiS's smaller partners, Porozumienie, which depicts itself as a pro-business party, has since come under opposition pressure to partially block the reform. Porozumienie recently impeded another reform planned by the PiS. On Thursday state news agency PAP quoted Porozumienie head, Jaroslaw Gowin, as saying that ruling politicians would adopt amendments to the bill aimed at removing its two most criticized parts. These are disciplinary measures against judges questioning the legitimacy of their peers appointed by the new panel, and a part of the bill that forced judges to reveal the names of social media accounts they use under pseudonyms. "There's an agreement ... amendments (to the proposed bill) will be adopted," Gowin was quoted as saying by PAP. On Wednesday thousands of people poured onto the streets to protest against what they saw as an attempt by PiS to further browbeat judges. On Thursday the lower house of parliament started the debate on the judicial reforms. PiS, which won a second term in October, says it will continue the reforms to try to rid the judiciary of communist leftovers, despite EU criticism over adherence to the rule of law and threats to cut off vital EU funding. During the parliamentary debate, opposition parties accused the PiS of using the new legislation as a tool to intimidate judges so they rule in line with the party's expectations. "The real reason is your panic attempt to escape accountability. You know that the time of your defeat is coming and you will be held accountable at Polish courts for all your scandals," opposition MP Borys Budka told deputies.

Poland's ruling nationalists signal they could weaken court reforms

Security forces <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/protesters-block-roads-to-iraqi-port-demand-end-to-foreign-meddling-259895">killed at least two people</a> when they opened fire on protesters in southern Iraq late on Monday night, police and medical sources said, as thousands continued to take part in the largest wave of anti-government protests for decades.

Security forces killed two people and wounded 12 in Shatra, 45 km&nbsp;north of the southern city of Nasiriya, security and medical sources said. Hospital sources said the protesters died from bullet wounds to the head.

The protesters had tried to attack the house of a senior government official, security sources said.

Separately, at least one protester was killed and 34 others wounded when security forces opened fire on protesters camped out at the entrance to the main Gulf port of Umm Qasr.

The sit-in has halted operations at the port near the oil city of Basra since last Wednesday.

Basra security officials imposed a curfew around 10 pm&nbsp;on Monday night, in an initial attempt to disperse the crowd, saying they would use force to disperse them if necessary.

More than 250 Iraqis have been <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraq-forces-fire-on-baghdad-protesters-after-four-killed-in-karbala-259925">killed in demonstrations</a> since the start of October against a government they see as corrupt and beholden to foreign interests.

Monday night's deaths were in addition to at least six protesters killed in the capital Baghdad as security forces used live rounds. One protester was also killed in Shatra on Monday.

U.N. Iraq envoy Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert denounced the violence in a tweet on Monday night.

"Appalled by continued bloodshed in Iraq," she tweeted. "Violence only begets violence, peaceful demonstrators must be protected. It is high time for national dialogue."

Security forces killed at least two people when they opened fire on protesters in southern Iraq late on Monday night, police and medical sources said, as thousands continued to take part in the largest wave of anti-government protests for decades.

Security forces killed at least two people when they opened fire on protesters in southern Iraq late on Monday night, police and medical sources said, as thousands continued to take part in the largest wave of anti-government protests for decades. Security forces killed two people and wounded 12 in Shatra, 45 km north of the southern city of Nasiriya, security and medical sources said. Hospital sources said the protesters died from bullet wounds to the head. The protesters had tried to attack the house of a senior government official, security sources said. Separately, at least one protester was killed and 34 others wounded when security forces opened fire on protesters camped out at the entrance to the main Gulf port of Umm Qasr. The sit-in has halted operations at the port near the oil city of Basra since last Wednesday. Basra security officials imposed a curfew around 10 pm on Monday night, in an initial attempt to disperse the crowd, saying they would use force to disperse them if necessary. More than 250 Iraqis have been killed in demonstrations since the start of October against a government they see as corrupt and beholden to foreign interests. Monday night's deaths were in addition to at least six protesters killed in the capital Baghdad as security forces used live rounds. One protester was also killed in Shatra on Monday. U.N. Iraq envoy Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert denounced the violence in a tweet on Monday night. "Appalled by continued bloodshed in Iraq," she tweeted. "Violence only begets violence, peaceful demonstrators must be protected. It is high time for national dialogue."

At least three people killed as security forces use live rounds on Iraqi protesters

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has decided to shortly approve a loan worth US $350 million for reforms and financial sustainability programmes that aims to address fiscal, governance, technical and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-is-facing-economic-woes-due-to-fiscal-mismanagement-general-bajwa-231287">policy deficits in Pakistan</a>`s energy sector.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-economic-crisis-countrys-debts-liabilities-exceed-the-size-of-its-gdp-245554">Pakistan economic crisis: Country's debts, liabilities exceed the size of its GDP</a>

These deficits have adversely impacted the sector's quality and efficiency of services, and the sustainability of energy infrastructure and finances, thereby challenging Pakistan`s fiscal balance and macroeconomic stability, Dawn reported.

According to the project documents released by the ADB on Friday, the bank will start loan negotiations with the government next month, and it is expected that the loan signing and effectiveness of the loan will take place in November this year.

Out of the total amount, the ADB will provide US $300 million while the rest of US $50 million will be provided by the Export-Import Bank of Korea.Pakistan`s Ministry of Finance will execute the project in collaboration with ADB, while the Ministry of Energy will be the implementing agency.

The programmatic approach and policy-based loan will finance three sub-programmes in 2019-23, and through interlinked policy actions, reform areas of the three sequenced sub-programmes are underpinned on securing financial sustainability, strengthening governance, and reinforcing infrastructure improvements.

The programme is conceived in close coordination with key development partners and underpins the International Monetary Fund`s recently approved US $6 billion extended fund facility to curtail the sector`s burden on the annual budget and associated negative impact on the economic growth of the cash-strapped country.&nbsp;

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has decided to shortly approve a loan worth US $350 million for reforms and financial sustainability programmes that aims to address fiscal, governance, technical and policy deficits in Pakistan`s energy sector.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has decided to shortly approve a loan worth US $350 million for reforms and financial sustainability programmes that aims to address fiscal, governance, technical and policy deficits in Pakistan`s energy sector. Also read: Pakistan economic crisis: Country's debts, liabilities exceed the size of its GDP These deficits have adversely impacted the sector's quality and efficiency of services, and the sustainability of energy infrastructure and finances, thereby challenging Pakistan`s fiscal balance and macroeconomic stability, Dawn reported. According to the project documents released by the ADB on Friday, the bank will start loan negotiations with the government next month, and it is expected that the loan signing and effectiveness of the loan will take place in November this year. Out of the total amount, the ADB will provide US $300 million while the rest of US $50 million will be provided by the Export-Import Bank of Korea.Pakistan`s Ministry of Finance will execute the project in collaboration with ADB, while the Ministry of Energy will be the implementing agency. The programmatic approach and policy-based loan will finance three sub-programmes in 2019-23, and through interlinked policy actions, reform areas of the three sequenced sub-programmes are underpinned on securing financial sustainability, strengthening governance, and reinforcing infrastructure improvements. The programme is conceived in close coordination with key development partners and underpins the International Monetary Fund`s recently approved US $6 billion extended fund facility to curtail the sector`s burden on the annual budget and associated negative impact on the economic growth of the cash-strapped country.

Asian Development Bank to approve $350m loan for Pakistan's energy sector reforms

India is working toward a five trillion dollar economy by 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday at the plenary session of the World Economic Forum in Davos.

PM Modi also highlighted the reforms and policies his administration had undertaken to make India more open.

He said his government had abolished some 1,400 archaic laws and is heading towards making India the third-largest consumer market in the world by 2015.

&quot;India is removing the red tape and laying out the red carpet,&quot; said Mr Modi, the first Indian prime minister in two decades to attend the high-level forum.

&quot;Almost all areas of our economy have been opened to foreign direct investment,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

He sought to hard sell India as an investment destination, saying those wanting wealth with wellness and peace with prosperity should come to the country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in the snowy town of Davos in Switzerland, addressed the plenary session of the 48th World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.&nbsp;

In a nearly-hour long speech delivered in Hindi, Modi showcased India&rsquo;s growth story to world leaders and called out for tackling the three major challenges the world faces currently &mdash; climate change, terrorism and threat to globalisation.

PM Narendra Modi said at the World Economic Forum in Davos that new doors are being opened by India for FDI

India is working toward a five trillion dollar economy by 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday at the plenary session of the World Economic Forum in Davos. PM Modi also highlighted the reforms and policies his administration had undertaken to make India more open. He said his government had abolished some 1,400 archaic laws and is heading towards making India the third-largest consumer market in the world by 2015. "India is removing the red tape and laying out the red carpet," said Mr Modi, the first Indian prime minister in two decades to attend the high-level forum. "Almost all areas of our economy have been opened to foreign direct investment," he said. He sought to hard sell India as an investment destination, saying those wanting wealth with wellness and peace with prosperity should come to the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in the snowy town of Davos in Switzerland, addressed the plenary session of the 48th World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. In a nearly-hour long speech delivered in Hindi, Modi showcased India’s growth story to world leaders and called out for tackling the three major challenges the world faces currently — climate change, terrorism and threat to globalisation.

India to become $5 trillion economy by 2025: PM Modi

China&#39;s Foreign Ministry said on Friday&nbsp;that Dandong&#39;s Friendship Bridge, which connects with the North Korean town of Sinuiju across the Yalu river, will be closed for maintenance.

Dandong has boomed in recent years, swept up by speculation that North Korea&#39;s young leader, Kim Jong Un, would, in time, copy China&#39;s export-oriented economic reforms.

But many of those firms have since folded, residents and traders say. Construction on at least two apartment complexes in Dandong has stalled and empty shopfronts are scattered across the city.

China&#39;s trade with North Korea fell to $334.9 million in October, its lowest since February as imports sank to their weakest in years, data showed on Thursday (November 25), the latest sign that tough new sanctions cut business with its isolated neighbour.

Construction on at least two apartment complexes in Dandong has stalled and empty shopfronts are scattered across the city

China's Foreign Ministry said on Friday that Dandong's Friendship Bridge, which connects with the North Korean town of Sinuiju across the Yalu river, will be closed for maintenance. Dandong has boomed in recent years, swept up by speculation that North Korea's young leader, Kim Jong Un, would, in time, copy China's export-oriented economic reforms. But many of those firms have since folded, residents and traders say. Construction on at least two apartment complexes in Dandong has stalled and empty shopfronts are scattered across the city. China's trade with North Korea fell to $334.9 million in October, its lowest since February as imports sank to their weakest in years, data showed on Thursday (November 25), the latest sign that tough new sanctions cut business with its isolated neighbour.

Watch: China confirms 'Friendship Bridge' to North Korea closed for maintenance

<div>Reserve Bank of India chief Raghuram Rajan on Monday defended his record in fighting inflation, and made a case for the&nbsp;monetary policy reforms he has championed, in his first public appearance since announcing that&nbsp;he will step down at the end of his tenure in September. 
 
In a speech, the outgoing&nbsp;governor of India&#39;s central bank, Reserve Bank of India,&nbsp;addressed critics who have accused him of keeping interest rates too high, saying they cannot &quot;have it both ways, want lower inflation as well as lower policy rates.&quot; 
 
 
&quot;The fact that inflation is fairly close to the upper bound of our target zone today suggests we have not been overly hawkish&nbsp;and were wise to disregard advice in the past to cut more deeply,&quot; Rajan said.</div>

<div> 
Consumer inflation hit a near two-year high of 5.76 per cent in May, or the upper end of the central bank&#39;s inflation target of 2 per cent to 6 per cent. 
 
Rajan also strongly defended the upcoming introduction of a monetary policy panel to set interest rates,&nbsp;a policy he has championed,&nbsp;saying &quot;the rewards will be many&quot;, including a more stable policy framework. 
 
(Reuters)</div>

Tells critics of his monetary policy reforms they can't have it 'both ways'

Reserve Bank of India chief Raghuram Rajan on Monday defended his record in fighting inflation, and made a case for the monetary policy reforms he has championed, in his first public appearance since announcing that he will step down at the end of his tenure in September. In a speech, the outgoing governor of India's central bank, Reserve Bank of India, addressed critics who have accused him of keeping interest rates too high, saying they cannot "have it both ways, want lower inflation as well as lower policy rates." "The fact that inflation is fairly close to the upper bound of our target zone today suggests we have not been overly hawkish and were wise to disregard advice in the past to cut more deeply," Rajan said. Consumer inflation hit a near two-year high of 5.76 per cent in May, or the upper end of the central bank's inflation target of 2 per cent to 6 per cent. Rajan also strongly defended the upcoming introduction of a monetary policy panel to set interest rates, a policy he has championed, saying "the rewards will be many", including a more stable policy framework. (Reuters)

Out not down: Indian central bank governor Raghuram Rajan defends his record

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