Gary Payton II, who was acquired by the Golden State Warriors in February, has yet to play for the reigning champions due to a core muscle injury. However, Payton has been ramping up his on-court activities, including shooting, and the team announced that his workload is expected to intensify in the coming days. The Warriors hope that this positive development will lead to Payton's return before the regular season ends on April 9th. Coach Steve Kerr remains optimistic, saying that Payton is "doing well" and that "there's definitely hope and optimism that he'll be able to play at some point."

Although there is no clear timeline for his return, Dr. Nirav Pandya of UC San Francisco predicts that Payton could be back in around three weeks, given the nature of his injury. With four regular-season games left on the schedule, Payton's return could provide the team with a much-needed defensive lift amid a tight Western Conference race. Despite missing the first 35 games of the season, Payton played 14 of the last 16 games for the Trail Blazers. He was a key player in the Warriors' title run last year and could prove to be a valuable asset once he is fully recovered.

On Sunday night, Steph Curry made NBA history as he moved up on the all-time assists list in the Golden State Warriors' game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Curry was tied with Hall of Famer Larry Bird for 47th with 5,695 assists, and he only needed one to move ahead of Bird for sole possession of the spot. Also, Curry is closing in on passing Dwyane Wade for 46th with 5,701 assists in total. Although Curry is widely seen as the greatest shooter in NBA history, he is also a talented passer who has averaged 6.5 assists per contest for his career. In the game between the Warriors and the Timberwolves, Curry hit an epic no-look three-pointer despite not making any three pointers earlier in the game. Despite his age, at 35 years old, Curry is still considered one of the best players in the NBA, coming off leading the Warriors to their fourth title in the past eight seasons last summer. The Warriors have a 39-36 record in 75 games, making them the sixth seed in the Western Conference.

The Golden State Warriors (39-36) will face off against the Minnesota Timberwolves (37-37) on Sunday, March 26, 2023, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. The two Western Conference playoff hopefuls will meet for the fourth time this season, with the Warriors having won two of the previous three games. The Warriors began the weekend sitting at sixth in the West, while the Timberwolves were in seventh.

The match is crucial for both teams to secure a spot in the playoffs, and a win will go a long way in securing their position in the final standings. A victory for the Warriors will not only create a 2 1/2-game gap with just six games left to play, but it will also give them the season-series tiebreaker against the Timberwolves. On the other hand, a win for the Timberwolves would lessen their deficit and give them a leg up on the second playoff tiebreaker – conference record.

The Timberwolves, who have won their last two games, will be looking to make the most out of their match against the Warriors. However, the Warriors will be hoping to extend their nine-game home win streak and secure their spot in the playoffs. Fans can catch the action live on NBA TV or try a free trial on fuboTV.

Pakistan is facing a looming sovereign default due to a current account deficit of $74.5 billion, which has been financed by borrowing $65 billion since foreign investment does not cover the external deficit. To combat this, the government must undertake significant reforms to address economic weaknesses and stabilize the economy, including increasing revenue collection by broadening the tax base and improving tax administration. Pakistan's tax-to-GDP ratio remains one of the lowest in the region, and the government should prioritize revenue collection and reducing non-essential spending, such as its large defence and subsidy budgets. Pakistan needs to promote export-oriented growth, including enhancing productivity, streamlining business procedures, and creating policies that promote exports and foster entrepreneurship. To avoid default, the government should engage with international financial institutions to restructure debt obligations and ease the burden of interest payments. While the road ahead may be difficult, policymakers must prioritize long-term economic stability and growth for the benefit of all Pakistanis, including investing in renewable energy sources, infrastructure, education, and training, and promoting innovation and entrepreneurship.

Ukraine is considering exporting the technology behind the Diia app, which can be used for a variety of purposes including tracking Russian soldiers, to other governments. The app has been a game changer for Ukrainians, allowing them to store passports, pay taxes, and register newborns, among other uses. It also supports President Zelensky's anti-corruption efforts by reducing the need for public officials to perform tasks that might lend themselves to bribery. The US has helped Diia gain popularity, particularly since Russia's invasion, and it is anticipated that the app could receive even more support in light of that event. Encouraging other countries to adopt similar technologies could have lasting global implications by reducing corruption and helping to ensure citizen privacy. Although the app does include features like digital IDs and vaccine passports, it is not tied to the World Economic Forum's "Great Reset" initiative nor does it offer universal basic income as some have claimed.

Italian banks have expressed their support for a digital euro, but with one major concern - it may disintermediate commercial banks. The Associazione Bancaria Italiana (ABI), a trade association for commercial banks in Italy, is calling for compensation for their role in distributing the digital euro. With the users having direct access to central bank money, these banks may get bypassed, leading to a potential dry-up of their funding in the long run. ABI has urged the European Central Bank (ECB) to keep the intermediation role of commercial banks as a fundamental principle when building the CBDC. The digital currency should not compete with existing commercial bank instruments and must enable value-added services, using distributed ledger technology (DLT). The ECB will create a digital euro, but it will be distributed by the standing commercial banks. However, ABI believes that these banks should be incentivized or reimbursed for their role in the digital euro cycle. They would be bearing the high costs related to anti-money laundering checks and dispute settlement, among others. The Association of German Banks also supports this proposal, calling for commercial banks to be compensated appropriately for their role in distributing the digital euro.