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Matt Gaetz says he won't return to Congress next year after withdrawing name for attorney general WASHINGTON (AP) — Matt Gaetz is not coming back to Congress. The Florida Republican said Friday he has no intention of serving another term in the House now that he is no longer President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general. Gaetz withdrew as the nominee this week amid growing fallout from the allegations of sexual conduct against him. Gaetz denies the allegations. Gaetz didn't lay out his plans now that he's out of office, saying only, “I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch." After Gaetz's withdrawal on Thursday, Trump named former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi to lead the Justice Department. Vance takes on a more visible transition role as he works to boost Trump's most controversial picks WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role. He's been helping Donald Trump’s most contentious Cabinet picks try to win confirmation in the Senate, where he has served for the last two years. Vance spent part of Wednesday at the Capitol with Rep. Matt Gaetz sitting in on meetings with Trump’s controversial choice for attorney general. On Thursday, Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings over the coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump’s picks. Beyond evangelicals, Trump and his allies courted smaller faith groups, from the Amish to Chabad Donald Trump’s lock on the white evangelical vote is legendary, but he didn't focus exclusively on large religious voter blocs. He and his allies also wooed smaller religious groups, away from the mainstream. He posted a tribute to Coptic church members on social media and met with members of Assyrians for Trump — two smaller Christian communities with Middle Eastern roots. He visited the grave of the revered late leader of an Orthodox Jewish movement. His allies sought votes from the separatist Amish community. While Trump won decisively, the outreaches reflected aggressive campaigning in what was expected to be a tight race. NATO and Ukraine to hold emergency talks after Russia's attack with new hypersonic missile KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with a hypersonic ballistic missile that escalated the nearly 33-month-old war. Ukraine's parliament canceled a session Friday over the security threat. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech Thursday that the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Putin said Russia is launching production of the Oreshnik, saying it's so powerful that several of them fitted with conventional warheads could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Texas education board approves optional Bible-infused curriculum for elementary schools AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas’ education board has voted to allow Bible-infused teachings in elementary schools. The approval Friday follows other Republican-led states that have pushed this year to give religion a larger presence in public classrooms. The curriculum adopted by the Texas State Board of Education is optional for schools to adopt, but they’ll receive additional funding if they do so. Parents and teachers who opposed the curriculum say the lessons will alienate students of other faith backgrounds. Supporters argue the Bible is a core feature of American history and that teaching it will enrich learning. 2 men convicted of charges related to human smuggling after scheme led to an Indian family’s death FERGUS FALLS, Minn. (AP) — A prosecution spokesperson says a jury has convicted two men of charges related to human smuggling for their roles in an international operation that led to the deaths of a family of Indian migrants who froze while trying to cross the Canada-U.S. border during a 2022 blizzard. Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel and Steve Shand each faced four charges related to human smuggling before being convicted Friday. Patel is an Indian national. Shand is an American from Florida. They were arrested after the family froze while trying to cross the desolate border during a 2022 blizzard. Northern California gets record rain and heavy snow. Many have been in the dark for days in Seattle FORESTVILLE, Calif. (AP) — A major storm with heavy snow and record rain that's moving through Northern California has toppled trees, closed roads and prompted evacuations in some areas after knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of people in Washington and Oregon. Forecasters warn that the risk of flash flooding and rockslides will continue through Friday. The National Weather Service has extended a flood watch for areas north of San Francisco as a plume of moisture known as an atmospheric river inundates Northern California and the Pacific Northwest. Up to 16 inches of rain is forecast in Northern California and southwestern Oregon. The storm system unleashed winds earlier this week that left two people dead and hundreds of thousands without power in Washington. Archaeologists discover 4,000-year-old canals used to fish by predecessors of ancient Maya WASHINGTON (AP) — Using drones and Google Earth imagery, archaeologists have discovered a 4,000-year-old network of earthen canals in what’s now Belize. The research published Friday in Science Advances shows that long before the ancient Maya built temples, their predecessors were already altering the landscape of Central America’s Yucatan peninsula. The ancient fish canals were used to channel and catch freshwater species such as catfish. These structures were used for around 1,000 years — including during the “formative” period when the Maya began to settle in permanent farming villages and a distinctive culture started to emerge. California case is the first confirmed bird flu infection in a US child Health officials are confirming bird flu in a California child — the first reported case in a U.S. minor. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced confirmatory test results on Friday. Officials say the child had mild symptoms, was treated with antiviral medication and is recovering. The child’s infection brings the reported number of U.S. bird flu cases this year to 55, including 29 in California. State officials have said the child lives in Alameda County, which includes Oakland, and attends day care, but released no other details. Giants release quarterback Daniel Jones just days after benching him EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The Daniel Jones era in New York is over. The Giants quarterback was granted his release by the team just days after the franchise said it was benching him in favor of third-stringer Tommy DeVito. New York president John Mara said Jones approached the team about releasing him and the club obliged. Mara added he was “disappointed” at the quick dissolution of a once-promising relationship between Jones and the team. Giants coach Brian Daboll benched Jones in favor of DeVito following a loss to the Panthers in Germany that dropped New York's record to 2-8.
Red Star Belgrade came from a goal down to thrash visitors VfB Stuttgart 5-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday and earn their first points in the competition. In a pulsating start the visitors silenced the home crowd when Ermedin Demirovic volleyed in from close range to give them a fifth-minute lead. Red Star, desperate to put points on the board after four consecutive defeats, levelled through Silas, on loan from Stuttgart, seven minutes later. With Red Star's fans growing louder the hosts took the lead in the 31st minute with a fierce volley from Rade Krunic. The hosts should have scored again early in the second half, wasting golden chances with two consecutive counter-attacks and with Silas firing over the bar from close range in the 62nd. But the pressure eventually paid off when unmarked Mirko Ivanic headed in at the far post in the 65th minute to make it 3-1 before another quick break allowed Nemanja Radonjic to add another four minutes later. Radonjic bagged his second goal of the evening in the 89th. Both teams are on the elimination places with three matches left, with Red Star on three points in 31st spot and Stuttgart with a point more in 27th.
Showing 1 to 10 of 10 results (window.adq = window.adq || []).push((api) => api.addSlot({"key":"card","index":"1","searchTerm":null,"fullSearchTerm":null})); Wolf Hall 2015 Drama History 15 Summary: Historical drama about Henry VIII's adviser Thomas Cromwell. Adapted from Hilary Mantel's Booker prize-winning novels Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, it stars Mark Rylance and Claire Foy. RT says:: There’s much jubilation at court because the country is calm and Henry VIII (Damian Lewis) has finally got the male heir he so desperately wanted. However, as we know from our history lessons, the joy is short-lived... much like the king’s most recent wife. There seems to be an unseemly haste to marry him off again, preferably to a French bride to destabilise relations between Spain and France. And, although the king is in mourning, he’s not averse to the idea of wifey number four. His adviser Thomas Cromwell (Mark Rylance) continues to tread a precarious path balancing complex political manoeuvrings with personal anguish and conflicts, while outwitting his many enemies in court and managing the capricious king (who is becoming noticeably unwell). It’s no wonder Cromwell is plagued by nightmares and distressing memories. Peter Kosminsky’s magical production is riveting and the supporting cast (including Timothy Spall as the glowering Duke of Norfolk) is brilliant, yet it’s hard to tear your eyes away from the incomparable Rylance, his impassive face revealing nothing... and yet saying so much. JANE RACKHAM How to watch Fatal Attraction 2023 Drama Thriller 18 Summary: An affair threatens the lives of Dan Gallagher and his wife, Beth, in this reimagining of the 1987 movie, exploring marriage and infidelity through the lens of modern attitudes toward strong women, personality disorders and coercive control RT says:: Subtlety isn’t this thriller’s strength, with lines early on about bad decisions leading to terrible outcomes hinting at the ill-fated extra-marital affair to come. But neither is it particular pacy. In fact, so little happens in the first episode of tonight’s double bill that it feels more like Fatal Inaction. With the second hour, though, comes the fling, as Los Angeles DA Dan Gallagher (Joshua Jackson) strays with colleague Alex Forrest (Lizzy Caplan). But even after that, we get little clue as to whether this reimagining of the 1987 movie (first available on Paramount+) will update its reductive sexual politics. Where it does part company with the original is in a flashforward to 15 years in the future, which depicts Dan in straitened circumstances. But, unfortunately, the whole thing is too glum to really grab attention. DAVID BROWN How to watch Asia 2024 Documentary and factual Nature Summary: David Attenborough presents a documentary exploring the wildlife of the world's largest continent, revealing its most remarkable landscapes and animals RT says:: Asia is the world’s most densely populated continent, so humans and animals need mutual respect and tolerance if they’re to co-exist successfully. In this episode we zip from India to Japan to Singapore seeing wonderful examples of this. Tigers in Bhopal, for instance, have learnt to become “invisible” to make the most of the city’s rich hunting grounds. There’s some glorious wildlife photography but most entertaining is the footage of a canny elephant in Sri Lanka that has discovered that if he stands in front of a bus, blocking its way, he can demand substantial fruit treats from the passengers. A pachyderm’s road toll, if you like. JANE RACKHAM How to watch Spider-Man: Homecoming Action Sci-fi 2017 Jon Watts 127 mins 12 Summary: Superhero action adventure starring Tom Holland, Michael Keaton and Robert Downey Jr. Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man, yearns to become a member of super-team the Avengers, and is frustrated when Tony Stark urges him to first finish high school. However, when Parker discovers a local man is illegally selling alien technology, the nascent hero spies an opportunity to prove his world-saving worth. RT says:: The “Tom Holland era” Spidey films inject a super sense of fun into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The action kicks off with Spider-Man: Homecoming, which pits young Peter Parker (Holland) against the fearsome Vulture (Michael Keaton). He teams up with Jake Gyllenhaal’s globe-headed Mysterio in SpiderMan: Far from Home (showing Monday) before the multiverse cracks open to unleash all kinds of chaos (plus some crowd-pleasing cameos) in Spider-Man: No Way Home (showing Tuesday). Holland is set to sling webs again in a fourth film, due in cinemas in 2026. JOSH WINNING How to watch (window.adq = window.adq || []).push((api) => api.addSlot({"key":"card","index":"2","searchTerm":null,"fullSearchTerm":null})); Cape Fear Thriller Crime/detective 1991 Martin Scorsese 122 mins 18 Summary: Thriller starring Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte and Jessica Lange. After 14 years behind bars, brutal rapist Max Cady is free to exact revenge on the man who could have kept him out of jail, lawyer Sam Bowden. Too clever to attack his victim directly, the devious ex-convict begins a reign of terror that threatens Bowden's wife and teenage daughter. Determined to crush the family, Cady's sadistic campaign causes underlying tensions to explode with devastating results. RT says:: All you need to know about Martin Scorsese’s lurid 1991 remake of the 1962 potboiler is this: to play the villainous Max Cady, who’s out of prison and seeking revenge against his former defence counsel (Nick Nolte), Robert De Niro paid a dentist $5,000 to grind his teeth down to points. After filming wrapped, De Niro paid four times as much to have them fixed. This isn’t a film that suffers from an excess of restraint. But Scorsese’s clearly enjoying himself channelling a deranged Hitchcock. CALUM BAKER How to watch Inside Barlinnie 2024 Documentary and factual News and current affairs Summary: A look at the Glasgow prison's recent past and how it has shaped the approach to modern jails and rehabilitation, as well as exploring the lives of prisoners and staff RT says:: As a rule, prison documentaries are harrowing affairs; this one feels relatively positive. The opening episode of a series first shown in Scotland, about Glasgow’s HMP Barlinnie, looks at how conditions have improved there since a low point in the late 1980s. “The place is an absolute dungeon,” one inmate complains, but Scotland’s largest prison used to be a lot worse. A major riot and siege in 1987 became a watershed and helped to start a process of improvement. Not that it’s a holiday camp now: it still operates at 140 per cent capacity and drug use is rife. DAVID BUTCHER How to watch Nativity! Children's Entertainment 2009 Debbie Isitt 101 mins U Summary: Comedy starring Martin Freeman. Despite being traumatised by a bad review years earlier, primary school teacher Paul Maddens is tasked with directing the annual Nativity play. Taunted by a teacher from a rival school, Paul foolishly promises that an old flame, now a Hollywood producer, is coming to see his production. RT says:: How’s this for a novel approach to making a film? When writer/ director Debbie Isitt wrote the script for this 2009 school-set festive romp she refused to let the actors read a single page — even during filming. “The actors improvise their way through the film, making it up as they go along,” Isitt explained of her method, which saw Martin Freeman — as a primary school teacher putting on a Nativity play — devising his material on the spot, alongside co-stars Ashley Jensen, Pam Ferris and Ricky Tomlinson. The whittling down of over 100 hours of footage into this enjoyable comedy could be considered a Christmas miracle. JOSH WINNING How to watch Desert Island Discs RT says:: Back in August, Desert Island Discs presenter Lauren Laverne revealed she had been diagnosed with cancer. Her treatment meant her being off air for three months, with repeats filling the DID slot. Now she makes a welcome return. She is currently recording new interviews, although this is one she did in July. Comedian Mark Steel talks about his own experience of cancer, along with much else in a life full of politics and performing. And then there’s the discovery he made about his origins. SIMON O’HAGAN How to listen Young Chorister of the Year - Final 2024 Music Lifestyle Summary: On the first Sunday of Advent, Aled Jones and the Rev Kate Bottley host the final of BBC Young Chorister of the Year with judges Katherine Jenkins, Bob Chilcott and YolanDa Brown RT says:: So, off to Manchester’s esteemed Hallé St Peter’s, opened in 2013, for the cheerily festive Young Chorister of the Year final. Following the senior chorister heat last week, judges including Katherine Jenkins assess young (10—13 years) choristers’ performances of a Christmas carol or a sacred song, from the Sussex Carol to Bob Chilcott’s rather lovely and rather more contemporary The Time of Snow. Presenters Aled Jones and the Rev Kate Bottley give the competition an assured touch and once the winners in both age groups have been announced, junior and senior (14—17 years) choristers will join Jones in a rendition of O Come, O Come Emmanuel. JOHN AIZLEWOOD How to watch Antiques Roadshow Season 47 2024 Season 47 Documentary and factual Lifestyle Summary: Amazing items, poignant stories, beautiful locations. Fiona Bruce and the experts uncover fascinating family and social history embodied in priceless, personal and peculiar items. RT says:: The Roadshow’s trip to Cromford Mills in Derbyshire earlier this year obviously produced too many fascinating treasures to cram into just one programme. So here we are again for the third time. And there are — to quote another TV antiques expert from an earlier time — some real bobby dazzlers on display. Among the items up for appraisal is a collection of Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren designs, including a sought-after Pirate outfit and a pheasant feather tie and shirt that belonged to McLaren. And it’s not the only piece of clothing that catches the experts’ eyes: Chris Yeo is fascinated to be shown a 300-year-old pair of long johns that were made for the emperor of Japan. JANE RACKHAM How to watch
To take advantage of the voucher campaign, simply visit the Southern Mountain website and browse the participating products. When you find an item you'd like to purchase, apply the voucher during checkout to enjoy the discounted price. With just a few clicks, you can save big on your next shopping spree and score some amazing deals that won't break the bank.Elon Musk wants to turn SpaceX's Starbase site into a Texas cityThe MarsCode AI Programming Challenge offers a unique platform for programmers, developers, and AI enthusiasts to come together and explore the intersection of AI and creativity. Unlike traditional programming competitions, this challenge encourages participants to leverage AI algorithms and technologies to develop innovative solutions that push the boundaries of what is possible in the world of coding.
{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "NewsArticle", "dateCreated": "2024-12-03T23:21:46+02:00", "datePublished": "2024-12-03T23:21:46+02:00", "dateModified": "2024-12-04T05:49:40+02:00", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/22325/news/economy/rwanda-has-successfully-met-its-imf-commitments-envoy", "headline": "Rwanda has successfully met its IMF commitments – envoy", "description": "In October 2022, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved $319 million for Rwanda as the first African country and the third in the world to...", "keywords": "", "inLanguage": "en", "mainEntityOfPage":{ "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/22325/news/economy/rwanda-has-successfully-met-its-imf-commitments-envoy" }, "thumbnailUrl": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/thenewtimes/uploads/images/2024/12/03/65498.png", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/thenewtimes/uploads/images/2024/12/03/65498.png" }, "articleBody": "In October 2022, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved $319 million for Rwanda as the first African country and the third in the world to benefit from the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). The facility was a three-year arrangement that the IMF launched to help countries tackle long-term challenges, such as climate change. As the arrangement comes to an end, The New Times’ Business Editor Julius Bizimungu spoke to Gabor Pula, Resident Representative for IMF in Rwanda to discuss lessons learnt, how the facility has enabled Rwanda to embark on reforms that will shape the economy, and how the country can strike a good balance between financing its ambitious economic agenda and managing rising debt levels. Below are the excerpts: The RSF under which the IMF approved $319 million for Rwanda in 2022 is coming to an end. What lessons have you learnt? Rwanda’s early access to the RSF was made possible by the country’s preparedness and already existing climate policies. For example, at the time of the RSF approval, Rwanda already had a comprehensive climate diagnostic, which identified priority areas for reforms that could be supported by the RSF facility. Such a detailed climate strategy ensured a head-start to RSF reform implementation. Overall, the Rwandan authorities’ performance under the RSF programme has been exceptionally strong. To demonstrate their unwavering commitment to the RSF-supported climate agenda, the authorities even accelerated the implementation of the originally agreed reform measures. As a result, Rwanda has now successfully completed all its RSF commitments, six months ahead of the initial timeline (of December 2024). Rwanda is the first and only country among our members that managed to do this, and it highlights Rwanda’s ability to accelerate reforms ahead of schedule. Close cooperation with development partners has been also key to this success. Climate investments require complex technological and financial considerations, which – due to their novelty – are challenging even in the most advanced economies of the world. Rwanda has been particularly successful in absorbing external technical expertise provided by its development partners and integrating it with home grown solutions. As a result, Rwanda has managed to develop a unique approach to catalyze climate private financing, which could serve as a blueprint for other developing countries. This unique approach combines three main components: the advanced infrastructure of Private and Public Climate Investment Facilities (Ireme and Intego) that were established already before the RSF, the transparency frameworks, such as the climate budget tagging, green taxonomy and adoption of international climate reporting standards that were developed in the context of the RSF. Finally, it includes the use of innovative climate finance instruments, which ensure affordability of climate finance for Rwandan green entrepreneurs by blending concessional resources with market-based funding. Rwanda has a climate action plan that requires $11 billion through 2030. Do the reforms being undertaken enough to enable Rwanda raise this necessary funding? Given its limited fiscal space, Rwanda needs to rely on concessional and private climate financing to implement its ambitious climate agenda. Indeed, the overall cost of implementing Rwanda’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) strategy is estimated at $11 billion, which would imply investments amounting to 7 per cent of GDP each year during the 2020-2030 period. Given Rwanda’s already elevated debt level, room for public sector borrowing is limited. Domestic efforts to mobilise revenue and improve spending efficiency will help, but they take time. This puts the focus on efforts to mobilise private climate investment. Rwanda successfully leveraged the RSF and managed to secure an extra EUR 300 million with the help of bilateral and multilateral partners, on top of the RSF’s $319 million contribution. However, this amount is still only a small portion of the total financing needed to implement Rwanda’s climate agenda. In this context, Rwanda must continue its efforts to mobilise concessional and private climate resources. The IMF has said that Rwanda needs to accelerate the development of green projects and lending operations. What are these projects and why is it important to accelerate them? The RSF-supported reform measures helped address impediments to concessional and private climate flows to Rwanda. Private climate inflows to Rwanda, similar to other low-income countries, have been constrained by low risk-adjusted returns, persisting information asymmetries, and market size disadvantage. To overcome these obstacles and establish incentives for private capital, Rwanda needs strong legal frameworks, governance and data disclosure standards guiding its climate investments. As an example, Rwanda’s new climate budget tagging system and green taxonomy will strengthen investor confidence by mitigating their concerns about greenwashing. In the next step, these newly developed taxonomies will be used to identify private and public investment projects that can strengthen the economy’s resilience to climate shocks. Rwanda is also a pioneer in this area among developing economies. Ireme Invest has started its lending operations with a total value of its green projects pipeline estimated at about $30 million over the 2024-25 period. The scaling up of the pipeline is challenging, as both the Rwanda Development Bank and businesses need time to strengthen their understanding of the technical requirements for climate investments. To address this obstacle, Ireme Invest has established a Project Preparation Facility managed by the Rwanda Green Fund (FONERWA). Rwanda’s Public Green Investment Facility (Intego) has also identified public investment projects at the total value of $34 million. A well-developed project pipeline should play a critical role in mobilising additional resources to finance Rwanda’s ambitious climate agenda. The IMF has a 3-year Policy Coordination Instrument that ends next year. The aim was to support the government to build on the progress in macroeconomic, fiscal, and financial reforms. Have any of these reforms happened? Under the Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI), the Rwandan authorities put together a medium-term reform plan for the 2022-25 period to ensure macroeconomic stability, advance fiscal consolidation, strengthen monetary policy transmission and deepen financial markets, and build socioeconomic resilience. The PCI is a non-disbursing arrangement, which means that the IMF does not provide financial support related to the programme. We support the authorities in the design of their reform plan, provide technical assistance to build institutional capacity, monitor the implementation of the reforms and report on their progress. The benefit of such a non-disbursing arrangement for the authorities is what we call the IMF’s “seal of approval” of their policies. It provides assurances for development partners and financial markets that Rwanda’s macroeconomic policies are sound. Rwanda’s performance under the PCI has been broadly strong. Key achievements under the PCI include the introduction of more efficient and transparent frameworks to manage public investments, formulation of a medium-term spending rationalisation strategy, gradual deepening of the interbank and foreign exchange market to strengthen monetary policy transmission and the launching of the dynamic social registry, which is a state-of-the-art system that will allow for better targeting of social protection benefits. In December 2023, the authorities also requested a 14-month financing arrangement under the so-called Stand-by Credit Facility (SCF) to help them preserve foreign exchange reserves, which came under pressure following an increase in the import bill, due to high food imports and the reconstruction after the devastating floods last year. As a result of the recalibration of macroeconomic policies, the $260 million total financing under the SCF, and its catalytic effect that allowed Rwanda to secure additional concessional financing mainly from the World Bank, foreign exchange reserves have now stabilised at comfortable levels. The IMF has previously indicated that Rwanda faces fiscal risks from state-owned enterprises. What are these risks and how can they be mitigated? Besides raising more revenues, fiscal consolidation can be achieved via more efficient spending. Rwanda has limited resources, and it is critical that those limited resources are not wasted and put in the most productive use possible. Enhanced transparency is key to scrutinise the use of resources, and so it is an important achievement that the Ministry of Finance started to publish the list of major public projects and their selection criteria on its website. In a similar vein, state-owned enterprises (SOEs) need to be managed efficiently. This means several considerations. First, the authorities need to revisit which SOEs are critical for the functioning of the economy, and which are the SOEs that could possibly be replaced by the private sector. Second, the corporate governance of remaining SOEs needs to be improved. Finally, it is important that any financial support provided by the budget to SOEs, in the form of direct subsidies and guaranteed loans for example, are fully accounted for. At the end of the day, the authorities will need to ensure that budget resources are not subsidising loss-making activities in SOEs. What about the forex exchange market, has Rwanda made reform progress? With regard to the exchange rate, the central bank did a good job so far in managing pressures on its FX reserves. The exchange rate was allowed to depreciate since early 2023, which was necessary to facilitate the much-needed external adjustment. Similar to most developing countries, Rwanda’s imports exceed its exports, which implies that the demand for foreign currency is larger than its supply. The trade deficit puts the exchange rate under pressure, unless it is fully financed by capital inflows, such as remittances, foreign direct investment, or concessional borrowing. Continued exchange rate flexibility will be critical to help absorb external shocks and support the current account adjustment.", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Julius Bizimungu" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The New Times", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/", "sameAs": ["https://www.facebook.com/TheNewTimesRwanda/","https://twitter.com/NewTimesRwanda","https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuZbZj6DF9zWXpdZVceDZkg"], "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "/theme_newtimes/images/logo.png", "width": 270, "height": 57 } }, "copyrightHolder": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The New Times", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/" } }None
The premise of "Miaoge" is as enchanting as it is captivating - set in a mythical land where the forces of darkness threaten to engulf the world in eternal darkness, players take on the role of a young troubadour gifted with a magical voice. Armed with nothing but their voice and a keen wit, players must travel through diverse landscapes, from enchanted forests to ancient ruins, using the power of song to unlock the secrets that will ultimately save the world from impending doom.These Are AI's 'Most Obvious' Risks, According to Google's Former CEO
In the world of football, individual brilliance often shines the brightest in moments of need. For Sandro, the Brazilian forward known for his electrifying speed and deadly finishing, embracing selfishness on the field has become a key part of his game. "I've been working on my far-post finishing a lot recently, and my coach has been encouraging me to be more selfish in front of goal," Sandro explained in a recent interview.Southern Mountain Launches Nationwide Vouchers: Up to 400 Yuan Off, Xiaomi Smart Socket 3 for Only 38.8 YuanCM Fadnavis seeks tangible results through 100-day action plans of various ministries
The incident unfolded on a tranquil morning as the villagers went about their daily routines. A group of farmers had ventured into the dense forest to graze their cattle when they stumbled upon the wounded animal, its fur matted with blood and deep claw marks etched into its flesh. Fear and uncertainty gripped the villagers as they realized the potential threat that lurked in their midst.KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs earned a much-deserved extended rest after their Christmas Day rout of the Pittsburgh Steelers, which capped an unbeaten stretch of three games in 11 days and clinched them the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs earned a much-deserved extended rest after their Christmas Day rout of the Pittsburgh Steelers, which capped an unbeaten stretch of three games in 11 days and clinched them the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs earned a much-deserved extended rest after their Christmas Day rout of the Pittsburgh Steelers, which capped an unbeaten stretch of three games in 11 days and clinched them the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. That extended rest? Well, it can be just about as long as Chiefs coach Andy Reid wants it to be. The Chiefs (15-1) face the Broncos in their regular-season finale next weekend, a game whose kickoff remains up in the air. But it will be at least 10 days after their 29-10 win in Pittsburgh, a nice rest for a weary team whose bye was back in Week 6. But with nothing to play for in that game, Reid could conceivably give some of his most important players the entire week off ahead of the playoffs. And now that the Chiefs have a first-round bye, that means they wouldn’t face anybody until at least Jan. 18 in the divisional round, meaning a full 24 days between games. “It’s been almost 10 weeks of football, grinding on this short schedule at the very end of the year,” Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. “We’ll see how Week 18 goes — who plays, who doesn’t play. That’s up to Coach. But having this break, getting healthy, getting ourselves ready for the playoffs, it was super important, especially with the guys we have banged up.” The Chiefs dominated the Steelers without four-time All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, who was resting his sore calf on Wednesday. They also have not had cornerback Chamarri Conner, who has been out with a concussion, or D.J. Humphries, the former Pro Bowl left tackle who appeared in one game for Kansas City before straining his hamstring. All of them figure to be healthy for the playoffs. The same for guys who have been dealing with minor injuries, such as right tackle Jawaan Taylor, who played against the Steelers despite straining his hamstring the previous week against Houston, and running back Isiah Pacheco, who dinged up his ribs in the win in Pittsburgh. “It will definitely help with some of the guys that are banged up, to get guys back, freshened up a little bit,” said Reid, who has rested important players in Week 18 in the past, including last season against the Chargers. “I think it will be a positive for us.” The trick is to decide exactly how much rest to give everyone. For those dealing with injuries, that full 24-day span without a game could be exactly what they need. For others, it might be too long between games, and getting at least a half of play against the Broncos would help prevent some rust from setting in. “I was just talking to my family about it,” Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie said. “My rookie year, we were able to get, you know, all home games, and you just can’t be out (on the road) in the playoffs. I mean, I’m excited to go out there. I know we got the first round, you know, off, but I mean, I can’t wait to play now.” What’s working The Chiefs won the Super Bowl last season with a wide receiver group that — outside of Rashee Rice — was lacking in dynamic ability. But with the trade for DeAndre Hopkins, the return of Hollywood Brown from an injury and the emergence of rookie Xavier Worthy, the Chiefs have gone from a position of peril to one of profound strength. What needs help The Chiefs have struggled to the run the ball consistently the past few weeks. Pacheco gained just 18 yards on six carries before hurting his ribs against Pittsburgh, and Kareem Hunt was held to 20 yards on nine carries — a 2.2-yard average. Stock up Worthy has smashed through the rookie wall, just as Rice did at this point last season, and has proven to be more than a speedster. He had eight catches for 79 yards and a touchdown Wednesday, giving him at least five catches in each of his past five games. Stock down Pacheco has not been the same after missing more than two months to injury. He has been held to 55 yards rushing or fewer in each of his past five games, and he’s averaging just 2.7 yards per carry over his past three. Injuries There were no significant injuries sustained against the Steelers. Key number Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 77 — Travis Kelce caught his 77th touchdown pass, breaking a tie with Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez for the Chiefs record. Kelce finished with eight catches for 84 yards and a score against Pittsburgh, making him the third tight end in NFL history with at least 1,000 receptions. Gonzalez had 1,325 and Jason Witten had 1,228 while Kelce has 1,004 and counting. Next steps The Chiefs get the long weekend off before deciding who will play in Denver in their regular-season finale. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Advertisement Advertisement
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