New guidance has also been issued to those departments with high levels of uncollected debt, such as HMRC and the Department for Work and Pensions, to help ensure a "fairer approach to those who have fallen into debt but cannot afford to pay it back".

BBC: Whitehall push to recover ?20bn in unpaid debt

Germany can afford to make concessions on some of the demands from the UK, but it cannot afford to unpick the key parts of the balance of power agreed in the constitution in 2004.

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It has lowish public debt but some fear it cannot afford to bail out its crippled savings banks.

ECONOMIST: European banks

But it cannot afford to delay much longer.

ECONOMIST: Double, double, Hubble trouble

But it cannot afford to forget Libya.

CNN: Jubilation and hard work ahead for Libya

Karachi's economic environment has no doubt learned to adjust to the fluctuating security situation, but the national government cannot afford to let it get worse.

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"This is older seniors who have economic challenges that they have endured and cannot afford prescription drugs, but it's not a part of the Medicare program, " Daschle said.

CNN: On heels of Bush plan, Lott confident of congressional prescription compromise

But we most certainly, as Rothkopf says, cannot afford to take it for granted.

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But now the commission cannot afford to walk into the line of fire for its masters as it used to.

ECONOMIST: Charlemagne