Published in Geo, on Feb 13th, 2019, DUBAI: The Pakistan Super League will observe Childhood Cancer Awareness and Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Awareness Days during the fourth edition that commences in Dubai on Thursday, February 14, a press release said. The Childhood Cancer Awareness Day will be observed on February 15, which is the International Childhood Cancer Awareness Day. Multan Sultans take on Karachi Kings in the opening match of the day on February 15, followed by a game between Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators. All four teams will be wearing the Golden Ribbon synonymous with Childhood Cancer Awareness while the match…
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Naomi Osaka with Sascha Bajin in January during the Australian Open, which Osaka won.CreditCreditMark Baker/Associated Press Published in The New York Times, on Feb 11th, 2019, By Ben Rothenberg Naomi Osaka, the No. 1-ranked player in the world, announced on Monday that she was splitting with her coach, Sascha Bajin, abruptly ending one of the most successful recent partnerships in women’s tennis at what seemed to be a high point. The surprising announcement came just 16 days after Osaka won the Australian Open, her second major title under Bajin’s watch. The win vaulted her to the No. 1 ranking, a first for…
Published in Dawn, on Feb 13th, 2019, ISLAMABAD: Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur has hinted local players who perform well in the upcoming fourth season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) can earn a ticket to the ICC World Cup this summer. “PSL has produced great talent in the past and I am hopeful of finding more this season as well,” a private news channel quoted Arthur as saying. Arthur, who is also the head coach of PSL franchise Karachi Kings, hailed the tournament and the talent it has produced and believed PSL allows the players to perform under pressure…
Published in ARY Sports, on Feb 11th, 2019, Steve Smith and David Warner could be in line for an immediate return to the Australian team when their bans expire midway through the upcoming one-day international (ODI) series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates. The five-match Pakistan series will be held from March 22-31, Pakistan’s Cricket Board said. Smith and Warner, who were banned for their roles in last year’s Cape Town ball-tampering scandal, are eligible for selection again on March 29, meaning they can be called up for the fourth ODI against Pakistan. Australia face Pakistan in the first…
Published in Samaa, on Feb 11th, 2019, Pakistan Women chased down a modest target of 160 claim the third and final ODI and win the three-match series 2-1 in Dubai. Pakistan’s first-ever series win against the West Indies was inspired by Diana Baig and Nashra Sandhu, who claimed three wickets apiece, while Sidra Ameen top-scored with 52. West Indies won the toss and decided to bat first but kept losing wickets at regular intervals. As a result, the visitors could only score 159 before being bowled out in the 48th over. West Indian captain SR Raylor scored the only half-century for her…
Published in ARY News, on Feb 15th, 2019, BRUSSELS: Washington will not unilaterally withdraw from Afghanistan, the Pentagon chief said on Thursday, as Nato said the Kabul government must be brought into US peace talks with the Taliban to end the country’s 17-year war. Acting defence secretary Patrick Shanahan said any decision to reduce the number of US troops in Afghanistan would be taken in coordination with Nato, which runs a training and support mission in the war-torn country. The United States is leading a push for peace talks with the Taliban, seeking a breakthrough in the grinding conflict, with…
The executive order is aimed largely at preventing Chinese telecom firms like Huawei from gaining access to the fifth-generation — or 5G — wireless networks.CreditCreditSteve Marcus/Reuters Published in The New York Times, on Feb 12th, 2019, By Julian E. Barnes WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is moving closer to completing an executive order that would ban telecommunications companies in the United States from using Chinese equipment while building next-generation wireless networks, according to American officials. President Trump has been briefed on the proposed ban, which would prevent the use of equipment from “adversarial powers,” and the order could be issued in…
FILE PHOTO: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud attends the 2019 budget meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia December 18, 2018. Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via REUTERS Published in Reuters, on Feb 12th, 2019, by Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. senators from both parties introduced a resolution on Tuesday requiring that any deal to share U.S. nuclear power technology with Saudi Arabia block the kingdom from making a nuclear weapon. Under the measure, any U.S. civilian nuclear cooperation agreement, or 123 agreement, with Saudi Arabia would prevent enrichment of uranium or reprocessing of plutonium made in…
Published in CNN, on Feb 13th, 2019, by Stephen Collinson, CNN Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump’s mantra “I alone can fix it” is about to face its ultimate test as he contemplates a vast, contentious sweep of executive power to build his wall. “I’m considering everything,” Trump said Tuesday, opening a likely new phase in his struggle to fulfill his quintessential campaign promise, which could trigger constitutional and legal battles over the limits of presidential power. To keep alive his supporters’ dream of a wall, Trump now has little choice but to go it alone, after a bipartisan Capitol Hill funding deal, shaped by the new…
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are expected to attend the Warsaw summit [File: Press pool via Reuters] Published in AlJazeera, on Feb 12th, 2019, by Jan Smolenski & Virginia Pietromarchi Widely perceived as a US attempt to isolate Iran, Arab and European delegates will gather alongside Israel’s Netanyahu. Warsaw, Poland – A United States-led summit on peace and security in the Middle East will take place in Warsaw on Wednesday and Thursday. The meeting was first announced last month by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after his strongly worded anti-Iran speech in Cairo and…
Venezuela’s self-proclaimed president Juan Guaido speaks to the press after attending mass in Caracas on Sunday. Photo: AFP Published in Asia Times, on Feb 10th, 2019, By ASIA TIMES STAFF Self-proclaimed Venezuelan president says border closure is “crime against humanity” Juan Guaido, who is recognized by some 50 countries as Venezuela’s interim president, warned the military Sunday that blocking humanitarian aid from entering the country is a “crime against humanity.” The opposition leader’s warning comes as international aid has taken center stage in a power struggle between Guaido and President Nicolas Maduro in which Venezuela’s military is viewed as the pivotal player.…
UAE boosting financial inclusion for SMEs Small and medium enterprises represent around 96 per cent of registered firms in the Arab world, but they face severe financing issues and closing this financial inclusion gap will help generate 15 million new jobs in the next six years, the head of the International Monetary Fund said on Sunday. “In the Arab region, SMEs represent 96 per cent of registered companies. They also employ half of the labour force. Yet their access to finance is the lowest in the world as lending to SMEs in the region is only 7 per cent of…
Bankers told to back stalled realty projects Giving a fillip to the realty sector, Union Finance Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday asked the bankers to meet realtors and loosen their purse strings to ease the sector’s funding problems. “There is a real problem (being faced by the realty sector),” Piyush Goyal said in his address at a CREDAI event. The minister asked state-run banks to meet realty sector representatives to discuss stalled projects in two weeks. On the other hand, he asked the realtors not to over-leverage loans and drive away the banks from lending to them. Goyal said the…
Pak, Malaysia expected to finalise lng supply deal Pakistan and Malaysia are likely to finalise a multibillion-dollar liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply deal in a government-to-government arrangement during the upcoming visit of Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohammad. At present, 200 million cubic feet of LNG per day (mmcfd) is being handled by the second LNG terminal at Port Qasim, following short and long-term agreements with Gunvor and Eni respectively. As the capacity utilisation was far lower than the terminal’s capacity, the Cabinet Committee on Energy on Wednesday directed the Petroleum Division to arrange more gas imports in order to…
PAKISTAN NEWS: StormFiber and Peshawar Zalmi come together to bring the Yellow Storm to PSL: Peshawar Zalmi has pulled off yet another coup, joining hands with StormFiber as its official broadband partner for Pakistan Super League #PSL4.StormFiber is a leading provider of premium broadband services, powered by 100% fiber backbone. This was followed by official announcements on StormFiber and Peshawar Zalmi’s social media platforms. Peshawar Zalmi has been promoting #YellowStorm in all its posts this season. Seems that this storm has been brewing for a while, if you get our drift! [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] PTCL collaborates with Careem to…
Shell Eco-Marathon Asia returns to Malaysia in its 10th year Shell announced today that Malaysia will host Shell Eco-marathon Asia in 2019 as part of its global Make the Future Live programme. Held at Sepang International Circuit, Kuala Lumpur, the Asia competition comes back to where it was first held in 2010, and celebrates its 10th year of challenging bright young student minds to design and build ultra-energy-efficient cars, and then take them out on the track in competition. From April 29 to May 2 over100 teams from all over Asia and the Middle East will test their self-built energy-efficient…
Kibor rate is the average interest rate at which term deposits are offered between prime banks in the Pakistani wholesale money market or interbank market. KIBOR as a benchmark, to encourage transparency and improve management of the market risk undertaken by banks. [ads1] KIBOR RATES IN PAKISTAN TENOR BID OFFER 1 – Week 10.00 10.50 2 – Week 10.06 10.56 1 – Month 10.10 10.60 3 – Month 10.42 10.67 6 – Month 10.61 10.86 9 – Month 10.74 11.24 1 – Year 10.92 11.42 2 – Year 11.54 12.04 3- Year 11.93 12.43
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Ejike Bob Udeogu, University of East London[/box] On February 16, more than 84m eligible voters in Nigeria go to the polls to elect the next president of the country and members of the national assembly. There are nearly 80 candidates competing for the country’s top job but the contest can be viewed to be mainly between the incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari, aged 76, of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) and the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, aged 72, of the People’s Democratic Party. Buhari, a former military head of state from 1983 to 1985, was…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Antonia Gawel Head of Circular Economy Initiative, World Economic Forum This article is part of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting[/box] Moving towards a more circular economy is a logical proposition. Use less natural resources, reduce pollution, tackle climate change, enhance consumer satisfaction, while also improving the bottom line. The rational path, however, is not always the path of least resistance. As we now operate in an economy where disposability and linear throughput reigns, shifting the system will take leadership, collaboration, innovation and commitment to break the status quo. This was the focus of the circular economy…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Raffaella Ocone, Heriot-Watt University[/box] The UK’s efforts to develop facilities to remove carbon emissions from power stations took a step forward with news of a demonstrator project getting underway at the Drax plant in north Yorkshire. Where most electricity carbon capture projects have focused on coal-fired power, the Drax project is the first to capture carbon dioxide (CO₂) from a plant purely burning wood chips – or biomass, to use the industry jargon. This so-called Bio Energy Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) demonstrator is only a pilot project; it covers just a tiny proportion of emissions…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Bruce Campbell Director, Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security, CGIAR[/box] After years of neglect, agriculture finally found a place in the climate talks in 2017. Its absence during the lifespan of the United Nations negotiations on climate change was always conspicuous. The world’s poor, the majority of whom farm for their livelihoods, are set to suffer the most from the heatwaves, droughts and floods that wipe out harvests. The likelihood and severity of most extreme weather events analysed by scientists has been linked to climate change. Agriculture and food systems are also responsible for up to one third of…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Mark O. Cuthbert, Cardiff University; Kevin M. Befus, University of Wyoming, and Tom Gleeson, University of Victoria[/box] Groundwater is the biggest store of accessible freshwater in the world, providing billions of people with water for drinking and crop irrigation. That’s all despite the fact that most will never see groundwater at its source – it’s stored naturally below ground within the Earth’s pores and cracks. While climate change makes dramatic changes to weather and ecosystems on the surface, the impact on the world’s groundwater is likely to be delayed, representing a challenge for future generations. Groundwater…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Sarah Feldman, Feb 8, 2019[/box] Tropical cyclones have done the most monetary damage compared to other natural disasters in the U.S. since 1980, according to a study by NOAA. Over nearly 40 years, cyclones have caused about $920 billion in damage. While tropical cyclones, made up about 17 percent of all natural disasters during that time period, they hit with the most force. In the past two years alone, the U.S. has been hit with 6 separate billion-dollar cyclones. Droughts did the second most monetary damage, causing about $244 billion in damage over the same time frame. These dry conditions can…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Brigitte van de Pas, Feb 8, 2019[/box] In 2017, seven percent of all agricultural land in Europe was used for organic farming. Organic farming was particularly popular in Austria, where nearly one-quarter of the total farmland was used for organic production. In comparison, Iceland and Malta only used a mere 0.4 percent of their agricultural land for organic farming, and this number was only slightly higher in Ireland and Romania. Despite the popularity of organic farming in Austria, it was neighboring Switzerland which topped the ranking of the per capita expenditure on organic groceries, at an impressive 337 U.S. dollars per person, before Denmark and Sweden. The share of organic farmland was…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Martin Armstrong, Feb 7, 2019[/box] The top ten Android apps in the world last month had a combined download figure of 338 million. According to Priori Data, at the top of the list was the ever popular WhatsApp with 72 million. In fact, apps developed by Facebook account for the lion’s share of the list, with WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and Facebook/Facebook Lite hauling in a combined 213 million downloads. [ads1] You will find more infographics at Statista
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Katharina Buchholz, Feb 7, 2019[/box] The problem – or privilege – of having a lot of foreign debt is one shared mainly among industrialized nations. Topping the ranking of the countries that borrowed most from others is the United States, which is 17.91 trillion U.S. dollars in debt, according to latest numbers available in the CIA World Factbook. Next in line is the United Kingdom, which has racked up 8.13 trillion in foreign debt, followed by France, which owes 5.36 trillion. Even small countries, like Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium appear towards the top of the list which has…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Sarah Feldman, Feb 8, 2019[/box] Machine learning is becoming a transformative force in many industries. According to the New York Times, machine learning refers to “systems that learn from data sets to perform and improve upon a specific task.” Machine learning has become integral to the current field of artificial intelligence. It primarily differentiates itself from earlier forms of artificial intelligence where a person had to dictate to a system how to perform or complete certain tasks. The promise and practice of machine learning centers around a system being able to take information, learn, perform, and improve on its…
Stocks mislay 225 points since January’19 bullish rally Summary The new year 2019 came with a blessing for stock market investors. In January, the stock market recovered all the lost points of KSE-100 index during 2018. Since January 2019, the market remained positive and the index kept rising every week. The foreigners turned buyers and for the last three weeks they bought stocks worth around $31.50 million. The mini budget of 23rd January addressed most of the grievances of stock brokers. The flow of funds from the friendly countries resolved the balance of payment problem for the time being. BOP…
For the first time this year, seven out of the 17 contenders will be women. Photo: AFP Published in Geo, on Feb 7th, 2019, Europe´s first major film festival of the year, the Berlinale, kicks off Thursday making a statement against entertainment industry sexism by welcoming an unprecedented line-up of female directors. The 11-day event prides itself on being the most politically engaged of the A-list cinema showcases, presenting 400 movies from around the world, most on hard-hitting topical themes including rising extremism and economic exploitation. But its red carpet promises a steady stream of glamour too with Christian Bale,…
Published in Gulf News, on Feb 6th, 2019, The song from ‘A Star is Born’ will be added for one week only Lady Gaga’s latest tearjerker will be the latest addition to the Dubai Fountain’s repertoire of music hits. ‘I’ll Never Love Again’, the emotional finale from the ‘A Star is Born’ soundtrack, will now be added to the fountain’s playlist, with a water show dancing in time to the track. The song will be on from February 7-14, at 8.30pm nightly. [ads1] According to an announcement, the fountain will also use a StrobeStars lighting system for the first…
Published in Ary, on Feb 4th, 2019, COX’S BAZAR: Hollywood superstar Angelina Jolie visited a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh on Monday ahead of a new UN appeal for nearly one billion dollars to look after the refugee influx. After arriving in the South Asian nation, Jolie, a special envoy of the UN Refugee agency UNHCR, went straight to a camp in Teknaf near the Myanmar border to talk to some of the 720,000 Muslims who fled a military clampdown in the neighbouring state in August 2017. The 43-year-old made no immediate public comment, but Cox’s Bazar district deputy police…
The Oscars ceremony has gone without a host only once before in its 91-year history, in 1989. Photo: File Published in Geo, on Feb 6th, 2019, LOS ANGELES: This year’s Oscar ceremony will go ahead without an official host for only the second time in its history, an ABC television executive said on Tuesday. Speaking just three weeks before the highest honors in the movie industry are handed out, ABC entertainment president Karey Burke said the February 24 event would forgo a host and “just have presenters host the Oscars.” ABC, a unit of Walt Disney Co televises the Oscars…
Published in Gulf News, on Feb 6th, 2019, AFP No other nominations filed for June 5 elections Lausanne: Fifa president Gianni Infantino is set to serve a second term after world football’s governing body said on Wednesday he would be the only candidate for June’s vote. The 48-year-old has been in charge of Fifa since February 2016, after succeeding the disgraced Sepp Blatter following the corruption scandal, which rocked the organisation. The election will take place on June 5 in Paris ahead of the women’s World Cup. Former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega had announced his intention to stand against Infantino,…
Published in ARY, on Feb 5th, 2019, By Reuters ZURICH: Global soccer body FIFA has set up a joint venture with 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar as part of its effort to streamline organisation of the tournament, it said on Tuesday. The global soccer body said in a statement that it would hold a 51 percent share of the venture while the Qatar organising committee would hold 49 percent. FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in 2016 that the federation would take more control over ticketing and organisation at the World Cup, adding that the decision was driven by efficiency and not a…
Former Test captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner will become eligible for state and international cricket on March 29. — File photo Published in Dawn, on Feb 7th, 2019, SYDNEY: Steve Smith and David Warner will not be rushed back into the Australia side as soon as their bans expire next month but coach Justin Langer thinks it would be ‘crazy’ not to include them in the World Cup squad. The former Test captain and vice-captain, Australia’s best two batsmen, will become eligible for state and international cricket on March 29 after serving one-year bans for their part in…
Published in Samaa, on Feb 5th, 2019, by Syed Ali Hashmi and Samaa Sports Pakistan have retained wicketkeeper and batsman Sarfraz Ahmed as captain for the upcoming 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup in England and Wales. Pakistan have retained wicketkeeper and batsman Sarfraz Ahmed as captain for the upcoming 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup in England and Wales. “Sarfraz will be the team captain for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. He will also lead the side against Australia,” PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani said while briefing the media in Lahore on Tuesday. The cricket board’s chief said that the wicketkeeper batsman has a very…
Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (centre), welcomed the national football team in Doha on Saturday. NOUSHAD THEKKAYIL/EPA Published in AlJazeera, on Feb 3rd, 2019, by Showkat Shafi & Sorin Furcoi The national team’s return was marked by wild celebrations in the capital, Doha, for the second night running. Doha, Qatar – Thousands of Qataris and expat residents gathered in the capital, Doha, to give a hero’s welcome to the national football team following the country’s historic Asian Cup win in the UAE. Qatar beat four-time winners Japan 3-1 in the final on Friday, sealing the Gulf nation’s first major football triumph. On Saturday, fans holding…
Published in BBC, on Feb 7th, 2019, Theresa May is heading to Brussels to press EU leaders for legally binding changes to the Brexit deal. The PM will insist the UK will not be “trapped” in the backstop – the plan to avoid the return of Irish border checks whatever UK-EU trade deal is agreed. She will say the deal must change if it is to win the support of MPs who urged her to seek “alternative arrangements” when rejecting the deal last month. However, the EU has repeatedly ruled out changing the withdrawal agreement. And Mrs May’s visit is…
Senator Richard M. Burr, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said China was making investments in key technologies to have “economic dominance, military dominance” over the United States.CreditCreditTom Brenner for The New York Times Published in The New York Times, on Feb 6th, 2019, By Julian E. Barnes WASHINGTON — Senator Richard M. Burr, the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, warned American corporations on Wednesday that using Chinese technology in next-generation telecommunication networks could pose security risks, but stopped short of endorsing a ban on such equipment that the Trump administration is considering. Mr. Burr, Republican of North Carolina, said…
Published in BBC, on Feb 5th, 2019, Labour supports international pressure being put on Venezuela to have new elections, says Emily Thornberry. The party had previously said it would “oppose outside interference” in the country, which is in the grip of a worsening humanitarian crisis. But the shadow foreign secretary said the quote was in response to “extremes”, such as invasion threats. President Donald Trump has told US broadcaster CBS that the use of military force remains “an option”. Who is supporting whom in Venezuela? There has been growing political discontent in Venezuela after hyperinflation skyrocketed. There have also been…
A file photo of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. PHOTO: AFP Published in The Express Tribune, on Feb 5th, 2019, ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday accused the European Union of seeking to overthrow embattled Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in defiance of “democracy.” “On one side you will say ‘democracy, democracy, democracy’ and ‘ballot box, ballot box, ballot box’ and later you will dare to topple the government by violence and ruse,” Erdogan told his ruling party lawmakers in parliament, referring to the European Union. Major European powers including Britain, France, Germany and Spain on Monday recognised opposition leader…
Saudi Arabia’s anti-graft sweep was led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Published in Arabian Business, on Feb 6th, 2019, By Sam Bridge Announcement comes after Saudi Arabia ends anti-corruption probe that boosted the state coffers by more than $100bn Saudi Arabia has reportedly launched a new office to monitor state spending as part of its ongoing fight against corruption. The financial reporting office would be part of the state’s General Auditing Bureau, public prosecutor Saud al-Mojeb was quoted as saying on Monday by state news agency SPA, Reuters reported on Tuesday. “Corruption is not restricted to a specific company or government…
Published in CNN, on Feb 6th, 2019, By Barbara Starr (CNN)The latest message from al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri urging supporters to unite against enemies may be, at first glance, a fairly routine statement from an aging leader seeking to remain relevant. Zawahiri warns “Muslims face enemies from many sides” including Shiite Muslims, Americans, Russians, French and Chinese, in a video released Tuesday, according to the SITE Intelligence Group. But the timing of the video has a deeper significance to US intelligence and military officials. The latest US intelligence assessment on al Qaeda released last week is that senior leaders are “strengthening the network’s global…
Etihad, Royal Jordanian ink new codeshare deal Etihad Airways and Royal Jordanian have announced a new codeshare partnership which will provide their customers with greater access to key leisure and business destinations in North Africa, Europe, Canada, Asia and Australia. The codeshare flights opened for sale on Thursday, with the first travel date on February 15. This is the first such partnership between the two airlines, who offer multiple daily services between their respective hubs in Abu Dhabi and Amman. The partnership will see Etihad Airways place its EY code on Royal Jordanian’s flights from Abu Dhabi via Amman’s Queen…
RBI fines Rs 1 crore on SBI State Bank of India on Thursday said that the Reserve Bank of India has slapped Rs 1 crore penalty on the country’s largest lender for violating norms. RBI “in exercise of powers conferred under Section 47 A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 has levied a penalty of Rupees one crore on the bank for not monitoring the end use of funds in respect of one of its borrowers,” SBI said in a regulatory filing. SBI, however, did not share details of the borrower and the loan amount given to the borrower. [divider…
Punjab to organize 6-8 new industrial zones The Punjab government is striving to extend maximum facilities to promote local industry and provide all services under one roof to steer the ease of doing business in the province. “I will be visiting all chambers of commerce of Punjab to get feedback and recommendations on tariffs, taxation and reforms,” said Punjab Board of Investment (BOI) Chairman Sardar Tanveer Ilyas during his visit to the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI). “The Punjab government will establish six to eight new industrial zones, which will help the local industry flourish.” Upholding the provincial…
PAKISTAN NEWS: PTA & ICANN Hold a Workshop on DNS Abuse and Misuse: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), in collaboration with Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), organized a workshop on “Domain Name System (DNS) Abuse and Misuse” at PTA Headquarters Islamabad, to build capacity and skills of senior technical officials from PTA, telecom sector and other stakeholders.The participants were introduced to strategies, techniques and tools that information security professionals use to identify abuses of DNS, and malicious registrations of domain names or hosting. [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] China to Sell an Aircraft Carrier to Pakistan: China plans to…
FPCCI Elections 2018 Giving voting rights to members of banned association is illegal: Mian Anjum Nisar Chairman of the Businessmen Panel of FPCCI and former provincial minister Mian Anjum Nisar while talking to the business community said that in FPCCI elections 2018, FPCCI had accepted nomination of UBG candidate for SVP Mazhar Ali Nasir from an association with no legal existence and was against merit and a proved rigging and shows the dishonesty of secretary general and election commission of the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. According to the High Court, FPCCI has given contesting right to…
Kibor rate is the average interest rate at which term deposits are offered between prime banks in the Pakistani wholesale money market or interbank market. KIBOR as a benchmark, to encourage transparency and improve management of the market risk undertaken by banks. [ads1] KIBOR RATES IN PAKISTAN TENOR BID OFFER 1 – Week 10.00 10.50 2 – Week 10.06 10.56 1 – Month 10.10 10.60 3 – Month 10.42 10.67 6 – Month 10.61 10.86 9 – Month 10.74 11.24 1 – Year 10.92 11.42 2 – Year 11.54 12.04 3- Year 11.93 12.43
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Vedrana Savic Managing Director, Thought Leadership, Accenture Research[/box] Business opportunities have become increasingly abundant, as prices continue to plummet for advanced technologies – from 3D printers, to electrical vehicle battery packs, and commercial drones – and essential digital services, such as the cloud and global bandwidth. While many companies are seeing these opportunities, most are unable to capture them fast enough. There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, some are unable to convert their investments from digital technologies into more than efficiency gains. They fail to leverage digital capabilities to create new business models and increase…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Gulcin Ozkan, University of York and Richard McManus, Canterbury Christ Church University[/box] Numerous amendments are being negotiated in the UK parliament in an attempt to break the Brexit stalemate. There does not seem to be a clear majority for any specific way forward with Brexit and the parliamentary arithmetic has so far worked against the government. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking before Britain leaves the EU without a deal in place and reverts to World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. The situation has been described as “Adrift, rudderless, confused, chaotic. A mess.” This may be true in…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Sean Fleming Senior Writer, Formative Content[/box] For the last 20 or so years, workers in Sweden have enjoyed an unusual perk – a statutory right to take six months off and start their own business. The Right to Leave to Conduct a Business Operation Act is one of a series of rights afforded to Swedish employees, allowing them to take time off to study or care for a family member. It’s also one of the reasons the country’s capital, Stockholm, has become Europe’s start-up capital, second only to California’s Silicon Valley for the number of unicorns (billion-dollar tech companies) that…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Thomas Barnebeck Andersen, University of Southern Denmark and Pieter Vanhuysse, University of Southern Denmark[/box] From Winston Churchill in the 1940s to the Nobel Peace Prize Committee in our era, peace and prosperity have always been put forward as the two main goals of European integration. The EU founding fathers saw the European project as a way of taming nationalist passions by serving mutual commercial interests: a common political and economic entity that would guarantee both peace and economic progress. In his famous United States of Europe speech in Zürich on September 19, 1946, Churchill argued that…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Klaus Schwab Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum[/box] The global system we are part of seems to be spinning out of control. Headlines around the world tell us something is amiss in many societies. I believe many of the developments we see today in individual countries and societies are part of an interconnected network of cause and effect. The entire global system is under stress. We must ensure it rebalances. I believe this is possible, and I will outline below how I think this rebalancing can be achieved. But first let us consider the extent…
Market Review The outgoing week continued the upbeat momentum where benchmark index closed at 41,113pts, exhibiting an increase of 2.1%WoW. Market participation remained lackluster as evident from an increase in ADT by 3.8%WoW while ADTV declined by 5.8%WoW, respectively. Foreign investors remained net buyers, exhibiting an inflow of USD12.3mn. During the week, the government announced a reduction in the prices of petrol by PKR0.59/ltr while the price of HSD remained unchanged. Additionally, Economic Coordination Committee approved the launch of a PKR200bn sukuk to help partially clear mounting circular debt in the power sector. Furthermore, the government has imposed a moratorium…
Encouraging investment scenario brings index gain 2.1% wow Summary The consistently improving investment climate in the country through foreign exchange mobilization from friendly countries and new budgetary efforts for ease of doing business have produced results in the month of January in Pakistan Stock Exchange. During the month of January 2019, it recovered all the lost points in KSE-100 Index in 2018. The KSE-100 Index was 37,066 on December 31, 2018 while it started on in January 1, 2018 with 40,711, a loss of 3,645 points. In January 2019, it started with 37,066 and by end of January 31, the…
Published in Gulf News, on Jan 31st, 2019, The streaming giant was condemned for using footage of a 2013 rail disaster Canada’s Parliament passed a motion Wednesday saying Netflix should compensate the people of Lac-Megantic, Quebec, for using footage of the 2013 rail disaster in the post-apocalyptic survival film ‘Bird Box’. The footage involved the disaster created when an unattended train carrying crude oil rolled down an incline, went off the tracks and exploded into a massive ball of fire, killing 47 people in the Quebec town. The motion is non-binding but is a stern rebuke from Canada’s Parliament for…
Ben Affleck as Batman. Photo: Warner Bros Published in Geo, on Jan 31st, 2019, Ben Affleck is handing over his cape to a new Batman. After months of speculation, Affleck is turning in his cape and utility belt with a new Dark Knight set to rise in his place. According to Deadline, Affleck has stepped down from the role of Batman after having portrayed the Caped Crusader in three films,Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad and Justice League. Directed by Matt Reeves, The Batman will hit theatres on June 25, 2021. While Affleck helped write the story for the upcoming film, he reportedly did not…
Published in Ary, on Jan 30th, 2019, ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Wednesday announced that Pakistan would participate in the ‘9th Beijing International Film Festival’. Talking to the Chinese ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing, who called on him in Islamabad, Fawad Chaudhry appreciated Beijing for allowing Pakistani films to be screened in Chinese cinemas. He said that the government wanted to establish a media university and a technical media institute in collaboration with China. The minister underscored the need for co-producing feature films and exchange of information. Fawad Chaudhry also stressed upon transfer of technology. While the Chinese envoy said…
India’s first national film museum is spread across a stylish 19th-century bungalow in south Mumbai. Photo: AFP Published in Geo, on Jan 29th, 2019, From silent black-and-white films to colourful blockbusters bursting with song and dance, the evolution of Indian cinema is traced by a new museum in the home of Bollywood. Costing 1.4 billion rupees ($19.6 million), India´s first national film museum is spread across a stylish 19th-century bungalow and a modern five-storey glass structure in south Mumbai. “It showcases to the world outside what Indian cinema has achieved in its entirety over more than 100 years,” Amrit Gangar,…
UAE fans throw bottles and flip-flops during the AFC Asian Cup semi-final match against Qatar in Abu Dhabi. Photo courtesy EPA Published in Samaa, on Jan 31st, 2019, Throwing Qatar’s appearance in the Asian Cup final in doubt, organisers are investigating a complaint by the United Arab Emirates about the eligibility of two Qatar players from the semifinal. The complaint adds another layer to Qatar’s politically charged progress to Friday’s final of the continental soccer showpiece in the UAE, which as a country is part of a quartet boycotting Doha diplomatically and politically. There was an angry reaction from the home…
Otto (left) made 36 league appearances for Celta Vigo last season Published in BBC, on Jan 31st, 2019, By Simon Stone Wolves have completed the permanent signing of on-loan Jonny Castro Otto from Atletico Madrid. Full-back Otto joined Wolves on loan during the summer and has made 22 appearances in all competitions. The 24-year-old Spaniard has become the club’s first signing of the January transfer window for a fee of £15m and has signed a deal until 2023. [ads1] Otto immediately moved on loan to Celta Vigo when he joined Atletico in 2018 and never played for the Madrid club.…
Published in Samaa, on Jan 29th, 2019, Naomi Osaka, winner of the Australian Open, has jumped to the top of women’s tennis with her beaten opponent Petra Kvitova rising to second in Monday’s WTA rankings. Osaka climbed three places after beating the Czech in Melbourne on Saturday. Kvitova moved up four places. The 21-year-old Japanese player has only won three career titles, but those include the last two majors, after she won the US Open in September. Romanian former number one Simona Halep, knocked out by Serena Williams in the round of 16 in Melbourne, fell two spots to third. Dane Caroline…
Published in Gulf News, on Jan 30th, 2019, Second edition of Nation Cup for Young riders once again proves a big hit Dubai: Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt and his horse Catokia 2 won the Sharjah Grand Prix presented by Longines at the 19th Sharjah International Show Jumping Championship (CSI3*). Male and female riders from 42 countries participated in the three-day event which featured an estimated 400 horses. The riders competed for prize money totalling around Dh730,000 and 20 titles in the indoor and outdoor arenas at the Sharjah Equestrian and Racing Club. One of the highlights was the second edition of…
Published in Samaa, on Jan 29th, 2019, Novak Djokovic strengthened his grip at the top of the men’s ATP tennis ranking Monday following his destruction of Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final. An outclassed Nadal, beaten in straight sets in just over two hours, held on to second spot in the rankings while Roger Federer slipped from third to six place. Federer, the defending champion, was eliminated in the round of 16 by Greek giant-killer Stefanos Tsitsipas. Alexander Zverev replaces Federer in third position ahead of Juan Martin Del Potro, fourth, who missed the Australian Open. [ads1] Despite…
ICC considers Sri Lanka the world´s most corrupt cricketing nation Published in Geo, on Jan 29th, 2019, COLOMBO: The International Cricket Council has urged Sri Lanka´s scandal-ridden sporting community to come forward with information about corruption before an amnesty expires or risk expulsion from the game. Sri Lankan cricket has been mired in corruption allegations in recent years, including claims of match fixing ahead of an international Test against England last year, and the sport´s world governing body is in the middle of a major inquiry into the island nation. The ICC said it had received a “positive response” after…
Published in BBC, on Jan 31st, 2019, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt says “extra time” may be needed to finalise legislation for Brexit. Mr Hunt said a possible delay in the UK’s departure from the EU beyond the 29 March deadline depended on the progress made in the coming weeks. MPs have voted for Theresa May to seek “alternative arrangements” to the Irish backstop, after rejecting her Brexit deal earlier this month. But the EU has rejected the UK’s calls to renegotiate the withdrawal deal. The UK is due to leave the European Union at 23:00 on 29 March. The backstop…
U.S. President Donald Trump pauses as he announces a deal to end the partial government shutdown as while speaking in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., January 25, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque Published in Reuters, on Jan 30th, 2019, WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would let the Justice Department decide how to handle the special counsel’s report on an investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election and whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Moscow. Republican Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, William Barr, said at his confirmation hearing this month…
Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas speaks during a meeting of the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank city of Ramallah on September 25, 2017. Photo: Abbas Momani / AFP Published in Asia Times, on Jan 31st, 2019, By Shaiel Ben-Ephraim A campaign to sideline Hamas and achieve Fatah dominance suggests a battle for aging President Mahmoud Abbas’s seat is brewing The Palestinian Authority (PA) government resigned on Tuesday. The immediate pretext was its inability to sell an unpopular social security law. Ramallah had levied new taxes to finance pension benefits and faced widespread demonstrations. However, the deeper problem is that the…
Filipina domestic workers carry shopping bags as they walk out of a mall in Riyadh, in this file image dated June 12, 2013. Published in CNN, on Jan 31st, 2019, By Euan McKirdy, CNN (CNN)A Filipina domestic worker has been executed in Saudi Arabia, according to the country’s Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). The 39-year-old woman had been found guilty of murder and sentenced to death after the Saudi Supreme Judicial Council determined that the case could not be settled with “blood money” under Sharia law, the DFA statement says. No other details were provided. Blood money is a legal mechanism under…
Saudi Arabia’s anti-graft sweep was led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Published in Arabian Business, on Jan 31st, 2019, Corruption investigation concludes with the approval of King Salman, according to official statement Saudi Arabia has announced the end of a high-profile anti-corruption probe that boosted the state coffers by more than $100 billion and has left dozens detained. The crackdown on graft launched in 2017 saw hundreds of elite princes, ministers and businessmen held at the luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel in the Saudi capital Riyadh. Many were detained for weeks in the upmarket hotel, but most were released after agreeing…
Al-Bashir waves to his supporters during a rally in Khartoum on January 9 [File: Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/Reuters] Published in AlJazeera, on Jan 30th, 2019, Army chief Kamal Abdul Maarouf says those leading demonstrations are hostile to Sudan and hurt the country’s image. The Sudanese army has said it will not allow the state to collapse following weeks of mass protests demanding an end to President Omar al-Bashir’s near 30-year rule. Some activists had been calling for the military to back the protesters and pressure the government to step down. “The armed forces will not allow the Sudanese state to fall or…
Free zones lift UAE non-oil trade by 2.5% to dh1.2 trillion The UAE’s non-oil foreign trade grew 2.5 percent to Dh1.2 trillion in the first nine months of 2018 as compared to Dh1.17 trillion during the same period in 2017. This was driven by increased trading activity from companies based in free zones, according to Federal Customs Authority (FCA) data released on Sunday. Non-oil foreign trade from free zones accounted for 37 percent valued at Dh439.2 billion while trade from customs warehouses was equivalent to two percent or Dh8.4 billion of the total. Total non-oil foreign trade through the mainland…
Air India remains a knotty problem What started as a massive exercise to privatize the loss-making state-run carrier Air India, ended up with the government stuck infusing more taxpayers’ money into the debt-ridden airline. Going ahead, sources say it is unlikely that the government will stop infusing capital. Air India has had some long-standing problems which has eaten into its profitability, including several loss-making routes and inadequate manpower. Plans to divest 76 per cent of the government’s stake in Air India did attract the attention of multiple players. However, the terms under which the sale was being offered were considered…
Inflation hits highest in 4 and 1/2 years The inflation reading spiked 7.2percent in January, hitting the highest level in nearly four and a half years in the wake of increase in prices of utilities, medicines and an expansionary fiscal policy, reported the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Friday. The cost of every notable consumer item including medicines, beef, house rent, gold and cars increased significantly last month, affecting all types of income groups of consumers. Prices are hurting consumers at a time when the economy is slowing down and many professional groups in the salaried class are facing…
PAKISTAN NEWS: New Guidelines for Registration of Imported Mobile Phones: The federal government has approved the extension in the launch of Devices Identification, Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) with effect from 15th January, 2019. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has issued a detailed procedure on Tuesday by issuing a customs general order (CGO) number 1 of 2019. [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] Pakistan Army Bans Use of Social Media Among Personnel: Pakistan Army has prohibited the use of social media networks (SMN) among all personnel, irrespective of their ranks or departments. A notification issued from the General Headquarter (GHQ), has…
Economic situation has improved by policies of PTI govt: Mian Zahid President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF), President All Karachi Industrial Alliance (AKIA), Senior Vice Chairman of the Businessmen Panel of FPCCI and former provincial minister, Mian Zahid Hussain on Wednesday said that according to SBP quarterly report of FY 2019, both agriculture and industrial sector underperformed against expectations. Yields of all major crops in Kharif season were lower and land under cultivation has reduced by 7.7 percent due to water constraints in Sindh and increase in urea prices. The veteran business leader while talking to the business community…
Kibor rate is the average interest rate at which term deposits are offered between prime banks in the Pakistani wholesale money market or interbank market. KIBOR as a benchmark, to encourage transparency and improve management of the market risk undertaken by banks. [ads1] KIBOR RATES IN PAKISTAN TENOR BID OFFER 1 – Week 10.01 10.51 2 – Week 10.05 10.55 1 – Month 10.12 10.62 3 – Month 10.41 10.66 6 – Month 10.62 10.87 9 – Month 10.76 11.26 1 – Year 10.94 11.44 2 – Year 11.53 12.03 3- Year 11.93 12.43
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Stefan Stern, City, University of London[/box] And is there anything you’d like to ask us? It is that dreaded moment near the end of a job interview when, having more or less kept your composure for the previous half hour, you are invited to turn the tables and come up with an insightful, pertinent question. In her recent and now notorious job interview, it is possible that Olivia Bland, 22, from Manchester, would have been tempted to ask: “Why are you such an arsehole?” We should exercise a little caution before condemning Oldham-based Web Applications UK…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Josephine Moulds Freelance business journalist[/box] Costa Rica is getting something right. The Central American country of stunning beaches, rainforests, and biodiversity, is also known for its stable democracy and educated population. Its president, Carlos Alvarado Quesada, said at Davos 2019: “Seventy years ago, Costa Rica did away with the army. This allows for many things. Eight percent of our GDP is invested in education because we don’t have to spend on the army. So our strength is human talent, human wellbeing.” By comparison, World Bank data shows the US spent less than 5% of its GDP on education, while…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Emil Kirchner, University of Essex[/box] Two new landmark agreements between the EU and Japan come into effect on February 1, 2019: the Economic Partnership Agreement and the Strategic Partnership Agreement. The economic agreement is the largest bilateral trade deal ever made by the EU in terms of market size and will be the largest zone of free trade created in history. It drastically reduces tariffs between the EU and Japan, paving the way for simpler and faster trade between the two, and therefore an increase in volume. The strategic partnership commits to security cooperation on issues…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Sarah Feldman, Jan 25, 2019[/box] At the beginning of the 21st century, nearly 2 decades ago, country wide gaps in internet access were common and expansive in Europe. According to data from Eurostat, in 2002, only 20 percent of people in Spain had used the internet within the past 3 months. For Germany, about half of surveyed people had accessed the internet within that same time frame, while about 56 percent of respondents from the United Kingdom had accessed the internet. In 2008, just six years later, a significant majority had accessed the internet in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Felix Richter, Jan 25, 2019[/box] For a video gaming platform to be successful, it is absolutely crucial to be backed by the developing community. After all, what good is the best hardware if the best games are made for other platforms? A survey conducted by UBM, the company behind the annual Game Developers Conference, shines a light on which platforms developers are currently considering the most important and which ones they are working on. Unsurprisingly, the PC remains the frontrunner with respect to developer support. 66 percent of the roughly 4,000 developers surveyed are currently working on a game that…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Sarah Feldman, Jan 25, 2019[/box] The 800,000 federal workers who have been furloughed and working without pay will be missing their second paycheck today. Sentier Research estimated that roughly 6 billion will be owed to workers in back pay once the shut down is over. Federal workers have received back pay during previous shutdowns, though private employees who are contracted to work for the federal government will not receive back pay, stomaching the now 5-week loss in wages. On top of that, the damage to the U.S. economy is now estimated to be roughly 6 billion, due to the partial…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Martin Armstrong, Jan 25, 2019[/box] According to a recent UEFA report, PSG fans have to pay the most to watch their team play. The average ticket price for the French giants was €86.90 in 2017. As our chart shows, despite not being on the top spot, Premier League clubs dominate the higher end of the ranking, with Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United all in the top ten. [ads1] You will find more infographics at Statista
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Sarah Feldman, Jan 24, 2019[/box] Artificial intelligence is transforming business practices and the labor market across all industries, upending how leaders look at structural issues within their companies. While A.I. is often associated with the tech and finance sector, media has and will continue to incorporate artificial intelligence into every facet of the industry in the coming years. According to McKinsey Analytics, within the media sector, A.I. is expected to add the most value to the marketing and sales side of the industry, adding a projected 300 billion in value to that area alone. The strategy and corporate finance subset…
Market Review The outgoing week remained green where benchmark index closed at 40,265pts, exhibiting an increase of 2.4%WoW. Market participation increased post announcement of ‘Economic Reform Package’ that focused on boosting investor’s confidence in the market. This is evident from an increase in ADT and ADTV by 43%WoW and 22%WoW, respectively. Foreign investors were net buyers, exhibiting an inflow of USD17.0mn. During the week, the government in its ‘Economic Reform Package’ abolished super tax for non banking sectors, relaxed tax on intercorporate dividend and removed 0.02% WHT on stock market transactions. Furthermore, the decision of lifting ban on the purchase…
Stocks gain 958 points on positive sentiments of mini-budget Summary The positive news flow which started coming last week about higher expectation from the mini-budget to be presented on 23rd January kept market bullish. On last Friday Jan-18 market gained 62.61 points after two days declining index and closed 39,306.50. It was bullish throughout this week finally settling this Friday on profit taking, losing 24.38 points. It closed above 40,000 level to 40,264.75. The so called mini-budget can best be described as revision in budgetary targets, a fiscal correction reflection of ease of doing business. It was well received by…
Published in ARY News, on Jan 23rd, 2019, Reuters LOS ANGELES: Marvel Studios film “Black Panther” made Oscars history on Tuesday, landing the first best picture nomination for a superhero movie, as crowd-pleasing blockbusters muscled into a contest recently dominated by art-house fare. Other box-office hits among the eight nominees for the movie industry’s top prize included musical remake “A Star is Born” and rock biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The inclusion of popular films contrasted with the past few years when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences favored independent dramas with small audiences and snubbed commercial successes such as “Wonder…