Joe Biden to renominate Eric Garcetti as India envoy

Joe Biden to renominate Eric Garcetti as India envoy

• President Joe Biden still wants former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who has been shadowed by a controversy over sexual harassment, to serve as his ambassador to India.
• He plans to renominate Mr. Garcetti as the new congressional session begins according to a White House official.
• Mr. Garcetti was originally nominated several months after Mr. Biden took office, but he never received a vote of the full Senate. He’s faced accusations of turning a blind eye to misconduct by a top aide in his mayor’s office. Mr. Garcetti has repeatedly denied being aware of the allegations.

Pakistan to shut malls, markets early in energy saving plan

• Reeling under an energy crisis, the Pakistani government has come up with a plan that could save it Rs 62 billion. The government approved a proposal to reduce energy consumption in the country, according to Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.
• Under the plan, markets and malls will close at 8.30 pm, and wedding halls will close at 10 pm. In addition, the use of inefficient appliances will be banned, which is expected to save the country around Rs 62 billion ($273.4 million) annually.
• Pakistan's Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose to 24.5% in December, a significant increase from the 12.3% recorded in the same period last year, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). The inflation rate was higher than the ministry of finance's expectations, which ranged from 21% to 23%.
• Experts attribute the rise in inflation to a number of factors, including the impact of higher international commodity prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, damage to crops due to devastating floods in the country, and rupee depreciation.