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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Pakistan reached a staff-level agreement in March 2024 for the release of the remaining $1.1 billion out of the total $3 billion bailout package. The 9-month bailout package was sought by the Pakistani government last year to avert the sovereign debt. The country has been dependent on IMF loans for decades to fuel its staggering economy. This was Pakistan’s 24^th engagement with the Washington-based lender…

This week, a new action movie titled Civil War was released in the USA. The film, made by the English director Alex Garland, tells the story of a government at war with breakaway states, a president delegitimized in the eyes of part of the country. Some critics argue that releasing the movie in an election year is extremely dangerous. In their view, even simply talking about a future national project can make it real, and so the movie risks becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy…

In early April, Kuwait held its first elections since Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad Al Sabah took power late last year, determined to implement economic reforms after a protracted standoff between government appointees and elected parliamentarians. The new emir sharply criticized the National Assembly (parliament) and the government in his first speech to parliament since taking office in December, saying that their actions are “detrimental to the interests of the country and its people.” His reformist approach, while lacking tolerance for political wrangling, seems aimed at pushing the small Gulf Arab state…