Author: HeraldStar

By Hadia Safeer Choudhry With the joint statement issued by China and the United States on May 12, global attention to such a tariff war, unprecedented in scale, was put on hold. However, under the storm, some weak calls have never been heard – more contradictions hidden under the surface of the dispute are becoming increasingly prominent, and underdeveloped economies are increasingly struggling. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) released the latest report, showing that the upgraded import tariffs recently announced by the United States will have a far-reaching impact on the global trade pattern and significantly…

By Qaiser Nawab Chairman, Belt and Road Initiative for Sustainable Development (BRISD) Following months of intensifying economic friction, the United States and China reached a provisional truce in Geneva, agreeing to a 90-day suspension of additional tariffs. This agreement marks a significant recalibration between the world’s two largest economies. The establishment of a joint economic working group—tasked with addressing trade, investment, and technology-related issues—is a cautiously optimistic step toward stabilizing a relationship that has grown increasingly fraught in recent years. While the agreement falls short of a comprehensive resolution, it reflects a vital return to economic realism at a time…

By Qaiser Nawab, Chairman, Belt and Road Initiative for Sustainable Development (BRISD) The United States, long regarded as the bedrock of global financial stability, now finds itself at a precarious fiscal crossroads. With the national debt surpassing $36 trillion and a recent credit rating downgrade by Moody’s, the U.S. fiscal trajectory raises alarms not just domestically but across the interconnected global economy. The implications of these developments extend beyond America’s borders, highlighting vulnerabilities in a global system that has, for too long, leaned heavily on U.S. economic might. On May 16, 2025, Moody’s downgraded the U.S. credit rating from Aaa…

By Qaiser Nawab Chairman Belt and Road Initiative for Sustainable Development – BRISD Germany’s new Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, delivered his first major policy address this month, outlining a cautious yet significant shift in Berlin’s China policy. While reaffirming China’s status as an “important partner” for Germany and the EU in addressing global and economic challenges, he introduced the now-familiar phrase: “strategic de-risking.” It is not a policy of severance, but it signals an intention to reassess economic dependencies. In practical terms, this raises fundamental questions. Germany’s economy—rooted in export-driven manufacturing, high-tech engineering, and complex global supply chains—has long relied on…

BEIJING/ISLAMABAD — Building on their landmark partnership formed earlier this year, the Belt and Road Initiative for Sustainable Development (BRISD) and Yingke Law Firm reconvened on April 21, 2025, at Yingke’s global headquarters in Beijing for a high-level follow-up meeting to operationalize their shared legal development goals under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), particularly in Pakistan and other Global South countries. The strategic session focused on the launch of a series of International Workshops on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Online Dispute Resolution (ODR). These workshops aim to empower the legal fraternity, including young lawyers, law students, judges, corporate…

UN Climate Change News, 16 May 2025 – A UN Body responsible for setting up a carbon market under the Paris Agreement adopted important new standards to guide how emission-reducing projects measure their impact. Known as the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (PACM), it enables countries and other actors to work together on reducing greenhouse gas emissions by generating high-integrity carbon credits that support global efforts to fight climate change. Key standards agreed The rules adopted set out how to measure a project’s actual emission reduction impact under the mechanism. Specifically, two key standards were agreed: A standard for estimating the…

Islamabad – [May 16, 2025]Chairman of the Belt and Road Initiative for Sustainable Development (BRISD), Mr. Qaiser Nawab, along with BRISD Director, Sardar Waqar Shahzad Advocate, called on Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, at his office in Islamabad. The meeting focused on enhancing regional peace, interfaith coexistence, and the promotion of civilizational dialogue as a means to foster mutual understanding and counter radicalism. The discussion highlighted the value of cross-cultural exchange, respect for religious diversity, and inclusive development in building a peaceful and connected region. Sardar Waqar Shahzad Advocate shared key outcomes from…

In 2025, Azerbaijan marks the 150th anniversary of its national press—a significant milestone that represents not only the origin of media in the country, but also the vital role of journalism in shaping public consciousness and promoting enlightenment across the South Caucasus. The foundation of Azerbaijani journalism was laid on July 22, 1875, with the publication of Əkinçi (The Cultivator), a newspaper established by Hasan bey Zardabi. Published in the Azerbaijani language, Əkinçi was among the first enlightenment-oriented newspapers in the Muslim East. Its mission was to promote education, support public reforms, and awaken civic awareness through media. Over the…

By Qaiser Nawab, Chairman, Belt and Road Initiative for Sustainable Development (BRISD) The United States is embarking on a long-overdue effort to reshore parts of its manufacturing base, with policymakers pushing for economic security through domestic industry. This renewed focus on industrial policy—centered on semiconductors, shipbuilding, electric vehicles, and clean energy infrastructure—is largely framed as a response to geopolitical rivalry, supply chain vulnerabilities, and post-pandemic economic reordering. But buried within this reindustrialization agenda is a contradiction with profound global implications: the very effort to strengthen American manufacturing could, in the long run, weaken the global dominance of the U.S. dollar.…

Iran is preparing for a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iran’s government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani was quoted by Russia’s state RIA news agency as saying on Monday. “Putin’s trip to Tehran is currently being worked out, preparations are underway,” Mohajerani was quoted as saying by RIA. There was no immediate comment from the Kremlin. Putin held talks with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Iran in 2022, the Kremlin leader’s first trip outside the former Soviet Union after he sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on February 24 of the same year. While Moscow has bought weapons from Iran…