IMF says Pakistan’s 2024 budget a missed opportunity as loan deal deadline looms

By Ariba Shahid (Reuters) – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction with Pakistan’s recently presented budget, a blow for the cash-strapped country which has only two weeks left until its bailout programme expires. Pakistan has barely enough currency reserves to cover one month’s imports. It had hoped to have $1.1 billion of…

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Microsoft, Activision ask judge for speedy schedule in FTC challenge

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Time is running out on a deadline for Microsoft to complete its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, compelling the companies to ask a U.S. judge on Wednesday to quickly get the ball rolling on the Federal Trade Commission’s legal bid to block the deal. U.S. District Judge Edward Davila…

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Senate confirms ACLU lawyer to NY federal court after GOP backlash

By Andrew Goudsward (Reuters) – A voting rights lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union on Wednesday overcame fierce Republican opposition to secure U.S. Senate confirmation as a judge on the Manhattan federal district court. Dale Ho, director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, was confirmed on a nearly party-line 50-49 vote. Sen. Joe Manchin…

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Canada freezes ties with China-led AIIB, probes allegations of Communist domination

By David Ljunggren OTTAWA (Reuters) -Canada is freezing ties with the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) while it probes allegations it is dominated by the Chinese Communist Party, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Wednesday. Freeland said she did not rule out any outcome of the investigation, a clear hint that Ottawa could pull…

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Ahead of Modi visit, journalists’ group urges US to press India on media crackdown

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Committee to Protect Journalists on Wednesday called on the U.S. government to urge India to end a media crackdown and release six detained journalists. A statement from CPJ President Jodie Ginsberg ahead of a state visit to Washington next week by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there had been an…

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