While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Dec 17
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IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva is feeling "more optimistic" about the debt issues facing low- and middle-income countries, after high-level IMF meetings with Chinese officials.
PHOTO: REUTERS
China agrees to formation of global sovereign debt ‘roundtable’
Chinese officials have agreed to participate in a global sovereign debt “roundtable” that would include a wide variety of stakeholders, including private sector creditors, said International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva.
Ms Georgieva told an event hosted by the IMF that she was feeling “a bit more optimistic” about the prospects for dealing with major debt issues facing low- and middle-income countries after high-level meetings with Chinese authorities last week.
The IMF chief last week she had a “fruitful exchange” with her Chinese counterparts on the need to accelerate debt relief for countries like Zambia and Sri Lanka, adding that she saw “space for a platform for more systematic engagement on debt issues, where China can play an active role.”
On Thursday, Ms Georgieva said she had a “very constructive engagement” with Chinese leaders on the debt issue during her meetings after repeated calls for reforms to accelerate debt treatments under the Group of 20 (G-20) common framework and expand it to include middle-income countries.
Nature at risk of ‘cascading’ species extinction, study shows
Climate change and habitat degradation will cause extinctions that cascade through communities of animals and plants and drive dramatic biodiversity loss, according to new research published on Friday.
The study, in the journal Science Advances, found that chain-reaction extinctions are unavoidable and predicted Earth’s ecosystems will see average biodiversity loss of between six and 10 per cent by 2050, depending on different carbon emissions scenarios.
By 2100, losses of animals and plants could rise to as much as 27 per cent, they found in their research that used virtual Earths to map out thousands of food webs.
Analysts doubt Ukrainian claims about fresh Russian offensive
Ukraine claims that Russia is preparing a fresh offensive against Kyiv early next year, but analysts doubt that Moscow can regenerate its battered forces for such a major operation is so short a timeframe.
Speaking to The Economist magazine this week, Ukrainian commander-in-chief General Valeriy Zaluzhny said he expected a new Russian assault on Kyiv in the first months of 2023.
“The Russians are preparing some 200,000 fresh troops. I have no doubt they will have another go at Kyiv,” General Zaluzhny said. A major Russian attack could come “in February, at best in March and at worst at the end of January,” he added.
Angelina Jolie steps down as UN refugees envoy
Angelina Jolie announced on Friday that she is stepping down from her role as the UNHCR’s special envoy after more than 20 years of working with the United Nations’ refugee agency.
The Hollywood actress, 47, has carried out more than 60 field missions with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, shining a spotlight on the plight of millions of people displaced from their homes over the past two decades.
“After 20 years working within the UN system, I feel it is time for me to work differently, engaging directly with refugees and local organisations, and supporting their advocacy for solutions,” Jolie said in a statement.
World Cup: France players sidelined ahead of final
France’s World Cup final preparations were rocked as three more players were forced to miss training with cold-like symptoms on Friday just two days before their showdown with Argentina.
Raphael Varane, Ibrahima Konate and Kingsley Coman were all sidelined as Les Bleus prepare to take on Lionel Messi and Argentina in Sunday’s final at Doha’s Lusail Stadium.
The trio of absentees sparked further fears of a mystery virus in the French camp after two players – Adrien Rabiot and Dayot Upamecano – were ruled out of the semi-final win over Morocco.
