Latest news with #CNN-NEWS18
India.com
09-06-2025
- Business
- India.com
Pakistans Debt Crisis Explodes: Burden Mounts To 76,007,000,000,000 PKR Exposing Islamabads Vulnerability
Pakistan Economic Crisis: Pakistan is often called the begging bowl of the world, especially among the Islamic nations. Every now and then, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is seen visiting friendly countries seeking assistance, investments and support while its Army keeps spending on building terror infrastructure. Now, a fresh report has revealed a staggering surge in Pakistan's debt. While Pakistan has been facing burgeoning inflation, the country's national debt is soaring to a record high. A new Economic Survey, released this Monday, reveals that Pakistan's debt has soared to an unprecedented high, painting a deeply concerning picture for its economic future. According to the CNN-NEWS18 report, Pakistan's total public debt hit a staggering 76,007 billion Pakistani Rupees (PKR)—that's 76 trillion —by the end of March 2025. This marks the highest debt level in the country's history. To put that into perspective, it translates to approximately INR 23.1 trillion or US $269.344 billion. The rapid escalation of this debt is particularly alarming. Just four years ago, in 2020-21, Pakistan's public debt stood at 39,860 billion PKR, meaning it has nearly doubled in that short span. Looking back a decade, the figure was just 17,380 billion PKR, indicating that the nation's public debt has ballooned by almost five times over the past ten years. This colossal sum of 76,007 billion PKR is made up of 51,518 billion PKR in domestic debt and 24,489 billion PKR in external debt. The Economic Survey itself warns of the dangers, stating that "excessive or poorly managed debt can pose serious vulnerabilities, such as rising interest burdens and can undermine long-term fiscal sustainability and economic security if left unaddressed." Amidst this backdrop, Pakistan recently received a US $1.03 billion aid package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under its Extended Fund Facility, an attempt to provide some relief to its strained economy. Notably, Pakistan is planning to increase its defence spending in wake of the Operation Sindoor where it faced a humiliating defeat against India. Pakistan has repeatedly been accused of diverting development funds towards terror and military infrastructure.
News18
26-05-2025
- Climate
- News18
Oil Spill To Hit Kerala Coast By Monday Night, Warn Scientists As Monsoon Current Intensifies Drift
Last Updated: Scientists are tracking the trajectory of the oil spill to predict where it is likely to move. The monsoon, which made its onset on 24 May, has made the operation difficult. Rough monsoon seas and shifting currents are accelerating the spread of the oil spill off Kerala's coast, with scientists warning that the oil pollutants from the spill could reach the southern districts of the state as early as Monday night – raising contamination concerns. The spill, drifting southeast, is expected to hit the coast near Alappuzha, initially affecting around 21 km of the coastline. But it is likely to potentially expand to 43 km by Tuesday morning, with scientists monitoring its movement by satellite. 'Our models indicate a very high probability that the overboard containers may drift towards the Kerala coast as early as Monday night or Tuesday morning. The southern districts of Alappuzha, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram are very vulnerable and likely to be impacted. We have already issued coastal advisories and urged people to take all precautions," Dr T M Balakrishnan Nair, Director, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), told CNN-NEWS18. The coastal districts in Kerala remain on alert after a Liberian-flagged cargo ship carrying tonnes of oil and containers with 'hazardous cargo' capsized off the coast of Kochi around 1:25 pm, while en route from Vizhinjam to Kochi Port in the Arabian Sea. While all the members aboard the ship have been safely rescued, the oil spill is now rapidly drifting towards the shore, raising concerns of major contamination. Wind, Waves, And Vigorous Monsoon 'It is the ocean current, wind and waves which determine how fast the debris reaches the shore. As of now, with the winds gusting and the waves up to 3–3.5 metres high, these containers could be ashore as early as tonight. We have alerted the local fishermen of the potential risks and are tracking the situation in real-time through satellites," he added. The vessel had started tilting 38 nautical miles off the coast of Kochi. There are also concerns that the marine fuel used in the ship has also leaked into the sea, apart from the oil in the fallen containers. According to the Indian Coast Guard, the vessel was carrying 640 containers, including 13 containing hazardous cargo, and 12 with Calcium Carbide. Additionally, the ship had 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil in its tanks. Tracking The Oil Spill Scientists are tracking the trajectory of the oil spill to predict where it is likely to move, and to what extent. The southwest monsoon, which just made its onset over Kerala on 24 May has made the operation further challenging. Senior marine scientist and former Director, INCOIS, Dr S C Shenoi, said the active monsoon conditions and rough seas could drive the spill ashore sooner than anticipated. 'With a very active monsoon off India's west coast, the combination of strong winds, high waves and shifting ocean currents can rapidly push the oil slick towards the land. Although the Arabian Sea currents typically flow southward during monsoon onset, the winds and waves can override that pattern, raising the risk of shoreline contamination," he added. Moreover, as the ship sinks, the oil continues to leak into the sea. But the rate and the extent of the spill depend on how quickly the vessel is salvaged. The longer it remains submerged, the more oil it is likely to ooze out, increasing the risk of marine and coastal contamination. 'As the oil moves, it can coagulate and begin to settle on the sea floor. Though this varies by oil type and is difficult to measure precisely. We keep the Coast Guard informed, which coordinates the clean-up operation. Eventually, as the oil reaches shore, it may wash up on beaches," he said, warning of the serious environmental impacts. Experts say minor oil spills are frequent while refuelling a ship, but they can spell major environmental and health disaster when they occur due to breaks in the pipelines, or when drilling operations go wrong or big cargo ships or oil tanker ships sink, as in the present case. Since oil has many different toxic compounds, it can seriously harm ocean life, which is difficult to rescue in such a situation. The toxic compounds in the fossil fuels can also cause severe health problems depending on the concentrations, and the composition of the contaminants. First Published:
News18
02-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
US Repeats De-escalation Playbook, But India Firm On Pahalgam Response: 'We'll Do Our Job'
Last Updated: Sources told CNN-News18 how the US is essentially doing a repeat of its strategy after the 2016 Uri attack and the 2019 Pulwama attack. After the Pahalgam terror strike, the US is following the same drill with India and Pakistan as it did after the Uri and Pulwama terror strikes – which is backing India's 'limited counter-strike' on terrorism while urging no further escalation, saying India has a right to defend itself, urging for India-Pakistan direct communication, and telling Pakistan to act against terrorists on its soil. 'The US is doing its job, we will do ours," sources in the government told CNN-NEWS18, explaining how the US is essentially doing a repeat of its strategy after the 2016 Uri attack and the 2019 Pulwama attack. India had carried out surgical strikes in Pakistan after both the attacks. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have promised the harshest response against the perpetrators and planners of the Pahalgam terror strikes. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Thursday, also named Pakistan for the first time for supporting, training, and funding terrorists. Same Drill After the Pulwama terror strike in 2019, US National Security Adviser John Bolton told his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval that America supports India's right to self-defence. On Thursday, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth told Defence Minister Rajnath Singh the same – that the US supports India's right to defend itself. US Vice President JD Vance on Thursday said he hoped that India responds to the Pahalgam terror attack in a way that does not lead to a broader regional conflict. It shows that US backs a 'limited strike' by India. This is like the US approach in 2019 when Mike Pompeo termed India's strike at Balakot as a 'counter-terrorism action" post Pulwama. Donald Trump, who was the US President in 2019 as well, had then said that he 'understood" why New Delhi was seeking a strong response to the Pulwama attack. But the US wants India to not go further. In 2019, then US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asked India and Pakistan to avoid further escalation at any cost, encouraging both countries to prioritise direct communication. This was the same message that the present US Secretary of Defence Marco Rubio gave to India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday. In 2016, too, after the Uri attacks, the US Secretary of State John Kerry had two conversations with then Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj asking her not to escalate the situation with Pakistan. The message to Pakistan has also followed a similar pattern. For Pakistan, Vance had a clear message on Thursday when he said the US expects Pakistan to cooperate with India to ensure 'terrorists sometimes operating on their soil are hunted down and dealt with." This is also like 2019, when Pompeo underscored the urgency to Pakistan of taking 'meaningful action against terrorist groups operating on its soil." The US in 2016 post Uri, 2019 post Pulwama, and now, has asked Pakistan to cooperate with India in probing the terror attack and urged for direct communication between both the countries. However, India has decided against this after its experience with Pakistan post the 2016 Pathankot airbase attack when it entertained a Pakistan probe team here but neither got a final report from them nor a response to the letter rogatory it had sent. First Published: May 02, 2025, 10:01 IST
News18
28-04-2025
- Politics
- News18
Will Seema Haider Be Sent Back To Pakistan? We Finally Have The Answer
Last Updated: Haider's lawyers have been claiming in court that she has married an Indian citizen, so she is no longer a Pakistani citizen India will not be sending back Seema Haider to Pakistan for now. Top sources in Uttar Pradesh government have told CNN-NEWS18 that she is 'not in the category of people to be sent back" to Pakistan. Haider, who had illegally entered India through Nepal, has married an Indian and is not here on an Indian visa, so she does not fall in the category of 'visa holders'. In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, the central government had issued immediate advisories for all states to repatriate Pakistani nationals. Haider's lawyers have been claiming in court that she has married an Indian citizen, so she is no longer a Pakistani citizen as a woman's nationality is determined by her husband's nationality after marriage. The Uttar Pradesh administration had also issued a birth certificate to the child of Seema Haider born in India, recognising her as the mother of the child and Sachin Meena as the father. All Pakistani nationals, except one, have already been sent back from Uttar Pradesh to Pakistan, with CM Yogi Adityanath himself monitoring the process. CM Yogi had held a high-level meeting and directed officials to take immediate action against Pakistani nationals. The police department and intelligence agencies have been closely monitoring the Pakistani nationals in UP. An extensive campaign was run across 75 districts for the return of Pakistani nationals. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: April 28, 2025, 17:37 IST
