Economic concerns keep investors anxious as market stays bearish Summary The government’s hectic efforts for the stabilization of the economic situation for the country where in Prime Minister visited UAE and Malaysia for economic solution during the week and inconclusive talks with the IMF created uncertainty for the stock investors. The market remained bearish and shed 791 points and the volume declined by 26% to an average of 157 million. The market capitalization too decreased to Rs.8.096 trillion. The news of receipt of $1 billion from Saudi Arabia for balance of payment support created only positivity in the market and…
Author: AdminPAGE
Unlimited VAT refunds for tourists visiting UAE Tourists visiting the UAE have a reason for joy as the government has set no minimum limit for tourists’ VAT refund, which will come into effect from Sunday, November 18. Gary Byrne, director of new markets and group strategic partnership at Planet, said the daily maximum VAT refund for tourists has been capped at Dh10,000 in cash. But if the refund claim exceeds that amount, then the funds will be transferred electronically to the tourist. “If it is a cash refund, then the limit is Dh10,000 and if it is unlimited, then the…
PM Narendra Modi’s infra development vision to play catalytic role in overall economic growth: Assocham Lauding PM Modi for launching landmark projects in Varanasi, industry body Assocham said expanding investment in infrastructure will generate jobs, promote tourism and play catalytic role in overall growth and development of Indian economy. Assocham secretary general Uday Kumar Varma Wednesday said the government’s vision for new and improved infrastructure that can serve the nation for a long time. Varma was referring to the inauguration of a sewage treatment plant, two major national highways and an inland waterways project by the prime minister in his…
IMF: Pakistan should let market forces decide rupee’s fate The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has asked Pakistan to let market forces decide the fate of the rupee and go for a total free-float of the exchange rate, which the finance ministry is reluctant to accept due to its adverse implications for the economy. Instead of accepting the condition of allowing market forces decide the value of the rupee, the Pakistani authorities are willing to further weaken the currency, said officials in the Ministry of Finance and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). The IMF was taking an extreme position on…
PAKISTAN NEWS: Govt Likely to Allow Import of Used Smartphones: In a major policy shift in the telecom sector, the PTI government is planning to allow import of used mobile phones in Pakistan, reliable sources quoted as saying last week..Import of used and old mobile phones is currently not allowed in Pakistan as per Ministry of Commerce and Federal Board of Revenue notifications. However, this is going to change as the government is considering allowing the import of used smartphones, with an aim to cut the import bill as smartphones comprise a major portion of the imports in Pakistan. [divider…
PTCL & Convo Announce First Ever Pakistan-based Cloud Enterprise Social Collaboration Platform Pakistan Telecommunications Company Limited (PTCL), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Convo Corporation, a leader in Enterprise Social Collaboration Platforms based out of Silicon Valley. This partnership aims to bring the next-generation employee collaboration and communication solution to Pakistan, which is designed for enterprises especially those who have a vast frontline workforce. As per a recent study, such collaboration tools can boost the productivity of employees by 25%. On the occasion, Osman Rashid, CEO, Convo, said, “PTCL can now offer a localized software and infrastructure collaboration…
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 8.26 8.76 2 – Week 8.26 8.76 1 – Month 8.31 8.81 3 – Month 8.75 9.00 6 – Month 9.34 9.59 9 – Month 9.58 10.08 1 – Year 9.80 10.30 2 – Year 10.25 10.75 3- Year 10.61 11.11
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Bob Moritz Global Chairman, PwC [/box] The year 2018 has seen a steady shift in cybersecurity and privacy matters: from the back office to the front office, from the tech section to the front page, and from the IT department to the boardroom. Cyber risk management was already high on the business agenda at the beginning of the year, when I took part in a related panel discussion at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting and shared some reflections on that discussion in a post on the Centrality of Cybersecurity. A survey by PwC showed that business…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Rachael Treharne, University of Sheffield[/box] Over the last few years Arctic scientists have reported a surprising finding: large areas of the Arctic are turning brown. This is in part due to extreme events linked to winter weather, such as sudden, short-lived periods of extreme warmth. These events are occurring as the climate warms, which is happening twice as fast in the Arctic compared with the rest of the planet. Extreme events are therefore happening more and more often, with increasingly severe effects – including widespread damage and death in Arctic plants. This “browning” of plant communities…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””] Terence Huw Edwards, Loughborough University; Christian Soegaard, University of Warwick, and Mustapha Douch, Aston University[/box] Over the past few months, we have been investigating how the vote of June 23 2016 has since affected the values and patterns of Britain’s trade with major trading partners inside and outside the European Union. By comparing trade flows with a model of what UK trade flows would have looked like had the UK voted to stay in the EU, we can clearly see that British exports to both EU and non-EU countries have taken a hit. The very…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Ayla Majid Managing Director, Financial Advisory Services, Khalid Majid Rehman[/box] The digital power of China’s Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) is slowly unfolding and shaping into a whole new area of opportunity. When the BRI took global centre stage in 2013, most conversations revolved around traditional infrastructure: building roads, railways, power sources and linking borders. However, the digital awakening that BRI brings, and the associated development of human capital and innovation, is much more powerful. The global map is being altered at a much faster rate than anticipated due to the disruption created by digital infrastructure,…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Raphael Schoentgen Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Hydrogen Advisors [/box] Hydrogen gas was first produced artificially back in the 16th century, while the first fuel cells and electrolysers were made in the 19th century. Until recently, however, the price of electrolysers – which produce hydrogen by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen with electricity – and fuel cells – which recombine them to produce electricity and heat – were too expensive. This has all changed. The price of electrolysers went from between €2 and €4 million per MW a couple of years ago, to around half…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Felix Richter, Nov 14, 2018[/box] Despite the fact that platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have come under fire this year for allowing bots and fake profiles to spread false information and sow hatred and division, social media advertising continues to grow in the United States. According to IAB’s latest Internet Advertising Revenue Report, social media ad revenue in the U.S. amounted to $13.1 billion in the first six months of 2018, up 38 percent from the first half of 2017. Social media advertising now accounts for 26 percent of total internet advertising revenue, a sharp increase over its…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Sarah Tebbe, Nov 14, 2018[/box] London and New York remain the most attractive cities for international professionals. Berlin has moved into the third spot, as this infographic made together with Berlin Partner shows. The German capital city clearly offers ideal conditions for professionals from all over the world. [ads1] You will find more infographics at Statista
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, Nov 14, 2018[/box] People who move to Paris certainly aren’t disappointed by the city’s incredible sites, wealth of culture and exceptional cuisine. Unfortunately, the harsh reality of living in the French capital is much different with a manic rush hour, coffees for €6 and the highest rents of any European capital. UBS estimated the cost of renting a newly-built apartment in some of the world’s major cities and in Europe, Paris has the highest rents at €2,535. That is more than in many countries that are renowned for their high prices such a Switzerland and Norway. London comes second in…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Martin Armstrong, Nov 13, 2018[/box] This year’s World Giving Index from the Charities Aid Foundation has revealed the countries in which the largest share of people have donated to charity in the last month. The UK makes it into the top ten with a total of 68 percent of adults saying they had made a recent donation – 4 points higher than in 2016. [ads1] You will find more infographics at Statista
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Agne Blazyte, Nov 13, 2018[/box] The fifth anniversary of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was recently marked in Beijing. This 900 billion U.S. dollar transcontinental development project was launched in the autumn of 2013 when president Xi Jinping proposed the building of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road – the two main segments of the ambitious economic cooperation campaign. The first one refers to a half-dozen land corridors connecting China with Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia, the Middle East and, from there, Europe. The second one is a sea route linking…
Since 2012 Ali Hajvery Free Drug Bank (AHFDB) has restored 800,000 lives by providing free of cost medicines to deserving patients to patients at Mayo, General and Mian Munshi Hospital. The non-profit organization was founded by Dr. Zaheer-ul-Hassan Mir with the vision to cater to the needs of growing population of patients entering public hospitals. For most patients, medicine remains as a major cost of their treatment. Every month, 18,000 patients at Mayo Hospital and 15,000 patients at Lahore General Hospital do not have to worry about this burden because of provision of free medicines by the centers. AHFDB established…
Market Review The outgoing week remained volatile throughout the week owing to the lack of clarification on monetary assistance from China where KSE100 index exhibited a decline of 1.5%WoW to 41,389pts. Additionally, market participation remained dull as evident from ADT and ADTV which decreased by 28%WoW and 25%WoW, respectively. Foreign investors continued to remain net seller, exhibiting an outflow of USD9.4mn. During the week, Cement dispatches posted a volumetric growth of 5.4%YoY in 4MFY19 where exports recorded an impressive double digit growth of 39%YoY. Additionally, ECC approved import of 50K tons of urea to bridge the deficit in the country…
Vagueness over Chinese and IMF packages keep bulls away, index declines by 1.5% wow Summary Lack of preparedness and planning over the Chinese and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) packages on the part of the government was badly exposed to the investors in stock exchange and the market turned bearish this week. The market had a climb of 3.57% last week with the expectation of PM’s China trip. There was lack of clarity in negotiations about the bailout package with IMF. It still need to be worked out with Chinese package about how the export doubling to China with $2.2…
Published in ARY, on Nov 8th, 2018, Reuters SINGAPORE: Netflix Inc plans to make 17 more original productions in Asia as it seeks to boost international subscriber numbers, Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos said on Thursday. The plan, announced at Netflix’s content showcase event in Singapore, comes after the U.S. firm reported bumper quarterly earnings last month, driven by gains in international subscribers. The company exceeded forecasts in both the U.S. and international markets, with the bulk of new subscribers coming from outside the United States where the company has been investing aggressively. The firm has earmarked $8 billion for…
Published in Pakistan Today, on Nov 8th, 2018, BY AIZA TARIQ –With Dust to Dust (2017), Mahnoor Zaidi aims to discuss cemetery ‘taboo’ by filming regular life of graveyard worker Dust to Dust, a 2017 Student Academy Awards semi-finalist documentary, traces the thought process of a gravedigger as he comes to terms with his own mortality and “transcends it”. The documentary, initially a thesis project for York University, has been screened in Toronto, Seattle, Singapore and Pakistan. Aggrieved by the death of her own grandparents, Mahnoor Zaidi, a 24-year-old, chose to conduct a character study of a gravedigger and later produced a…
Dame Emma Thompson and Sarah Gordy both received their gongs on Wednesday Published in BBC, on Nov 7th, 2018, Actress Emma Thompson shared a laugh with Prince William as she was made a dame at Buckingham Palace. “I’ve known him since he was little and we just sniggered at each other,” she told reporters after Wednesday’s investiture ceremony in London. The Oscar- and Bafta-winning star said it was “a very lovely feeling” to become a dame for services to drama. The event also saw another actress, Sarah Gordy, become the first woman with Down’s syndrome to be made an MBE.…
Published in Variety, on Nov 7th, 2018, By REBECCA RUBIN Will movie theaters finally get some respect? That’s the question exhibitors are pondering as 2018 races toward a record year at the domestic box office — a result that few saw coming. Yet it remains to be seen if cinemas, frequently written off as lumbering anachronisms, will be able to convince investors and analysts that their success represents a trend. “Moviegoing doesn’t get its due because it’s not the sexy new technology, but the numbers speak for themselves,” said Kyle Davies, president of domestic distribution for Paramount. Fall hits such as “Venom,” “A…
Published in msn, on Nov 7th, 2018, By Brent Lang “Shrek” and “Puss in Boots” are getting rebooted and Chris Meledandri, the man behind “Despicable Me,” is overseeing their revival. Universal Pictures has tasked Meledandri with finding some fresh story lines to reintroduce the lovable ogre and the sword-wielding feline to new generations of moviegoers. One thing the animation guru doesn’t want to mess with is with the vocal performances. Part of the popularity of “Shrek” is attributable to a voice cast that included Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Antonio Banderas, and in a lengthy profile in Variety, Meledandri says he would like to get…
Infantino said it was Fifa’s duty to “protect football” Published in BBC, on Nov 8th, 2018, Players involved in any European Super League would be banned from playing international football, including the World Cup, says Fifa president Gianni Infantino. German publication Der Spiegel claimed top European clubs held secret talks to create a such a set-up by 2021. The news magazine said leaked documents revealed clubs’ plans to leave their national leagues and associations. Infantino said it was Fifa’s duty to “protect football”. He also said Fifa’s own plans for a Club World Cup was “the answer to any attempt to break…
Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur with players and support staff during a practice session at ICC Academy. Published in Gulf News, on Nov 7th, 2018, By N.D. PrashantStaff Reporter Pakistan in great shape ahead of World Cup Abu Dhabi: Coaching subcontinental teams such as India and Pakistan is akin to ‘playing with fire’. You are in the hot seat from day one — under constant scrutiny and grilled for the slightest of slip-ups. Fans can be unforgiving and very few coaches survive the heat and test of time. You can certainly draw similarities between the two coaches currently leading the show…
The Inter Miami crest features two great blue herons – birds native to south Florida Published in BBC, on Nov 7th, 2018, David Beckham’s hopes of building a new stadium for his Inter Miami franchise in the MLS moved a step closer to being realised after a vote by residents. About 60% of the city’s voters opted to allow the club to negotiate to build on a 73-acre site that is currently a council-owned golf course. The complex would house a stadium, shopping mall, hotel and public park. Beckham’s group now has to get the backing of four of the…
Tauqeer Ahmad Dar says he is uncertain if the team will participate in the upcoming World Cup in India due to insufficient funds. Photo: File Published in GEO, on Nov 7th, 2018, LAHORE: Newly appointed coach of the Pakistan hockey team Tauqeer Ahmad Dar said that it is he is uncertain if the team will participate in the upcoming World Cup in India due to insufficient funds. “At the moment, we are not sure if the team will be taking part in the World Cup,” Dar told APP. The former Olympian was appointed as coach of the men’s team, a month…
The official F1 website provided a computer-generated image of the proposed 5.565km track layout in Hanoi Published in BBC, on Nov 7th, 2018, Vietnam will host a Formula 1 grand prix for the first time in April 2020. A “multi-year” deal has been agreed to stage a race on the streets of the capital Hanoi. It is the first new addition to the calendar under Liberty Media’s ownership of the sport. “Since we became involved in this sport in 2017, we have talked about developing new destination cities to broaden the appeal of Formula 1,” said F1’s chief executive Chase…
Published in ARY, on Nov 5th, 2018, PARIS: Novak Djokovic’s return to the world number one spot, just five months after slumping to his lowest ranking in 12 years, leaves little doubt that he is one of the sport’s greats. The Serb is back on the top of the pile for the first time in two years, at the end of a roller-coaster season for the 14-time major winner. Djokovic, 31, underwent elbow surgery in January and slipped to 22nd in the world after a depressing quarter-final exit at Roland Garros in June, which left him briefly threatening to skip…
UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson riding in a British tank in Oman during exercise Saif Sareea 3. Image: UK Dept of Defence Published in ArabianBusiness, on Nov 6th, 2018, By Bernd Debusmann Jr 5,500 British troops participated in a recent exercise in Oman, the UK’s largest in 17 years The UK and Oman will open a new joint training base in the sultanate early next year. The announcement came during a visit to Oman by UK defence secretary Gavin Williamson for the culmination of exercise Saif Sareea 3, the UK’s largest in 17 years. “Our relationship with Oman is built on…
Emmanuel Macron and Theresa May have not always seen eye to eye on Brexit Published in BBC, on Nov 8th, 2018, The UK and France will remain “tied by bonds of friendship” for decades after Brexit, Jeremy Hunt is to say. The foreign secretary will laud the cross-channel relationship as “one of competition, co-operation, similarity and difference” in a speech in Paris. Officials said the visit was aimed at showing the friendship between the two nations was “bigger than Brexit”. But there are warnings intelligence-sharing may be damaged if a framework is not set up to mitigate the risks. A…
‘We owe a tremendous amount to these Commonwealth veterans’ Ms Mordaunt said ( DFID ) Published in Independent, on Nov 8th, 2018, By Ashley Cowburn Political Correspondent ‘The British public would be shocked to know that those who have served alongside our armed forces would be living in such poverty. It is absolutely right to make this commitment’ Cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt has announced £12m of UK aid will be used to provide daily meals and cash transfers for thousands of veterans of the British military across the Commonwealth. The Department for International Development (DfID) said the initiative will help 7,000 veterans and widows living…
A woman uses a Chinese national flag to provide shade as she listens to Prime Minister Hun Sen delivering his speech during an inauguration ceremony of a sky bridge funded by China for its official use in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (July 2, 2018). Image Credit: AP Photo/Heng Sinith Published in The Diplomat, on Nov 7th, 2018, By George Wright Increasing Chinese political influence and presence in Cambodia has sparked anti-Chinese sentiment. PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA — When a Chinese national crashed his military number-plated SUV into a stone erected in Phnom Penh in the 1990s to celebrate Cambodian-American friendship, many commented on how…
Scotland’s working-age population is set to fall from 2018 onwards Published in BBC, on Nov 7th, 2018, Scotland’s ageing population poses a “real risk” to the country’s budget in future, a Holyrood committee has said. The working-age population is set to fall from 2018 onwards, alongside a big increase in the number of over-75s. The rest of the UK is set to see its working-age population grow, which the Scottish Fiscal Commission said would place a drag on economic growth north of the border. The finance committee said this posed “fundamental questions” going forward. At present, Scotland’s economy is forecast…
President Maithripala Sirisena, right, and newly appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa attend a rally on Monday [Eranga Jayawardena/AP] Published in AlJazeera, on Nov 7th, 2018, by Zaheena Rasheed & Rathindra Kuruwita Colombo residents urge leaders to call snap elections as power struggle over two rival prime ministers strain economy. Colombo, Sri Lanka – In the labyrinth corridors of power in Colombo, politicians loyal to two rival prime ministers have been fighting tooth and nail to muster enough votes to prove a majority when the country’s suspended parliament meets next week. But on the streets of the Sri Lankan capital, home to almost…
Colour a key driver when GCC buyers decide on purchasing cars Colour plays an important part in the final selection process when it comes to buying a car, new research by SEMrush has revealed. The data showed that GCC consumer preferences, when searching their favourite car colour online, differ greatly from the actual purchasing decisions across the region. The research revealed that red was the most searched for colour, while car sales show white continues to reign supreme in the final decision process. SEMrush research in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE found that the colour red dominated…
Demonetisation ‘key step’ in formalising economy, tackling black money: Arun Jaitley defends noteban As India completes two years of demonetisation today, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has once again come out in support of the exercise explaining how the noteban by the government helped in formalising the economy. Arun Jaitley said that demonetisation helped in tackling black money and expanding the tax base. “Demonitisation is a key step in a chain of important decisions taken by the Government to formalise the economy,” Arun Jaitley wrote in a blog. Adding further Arun Jaitley said that demonetisation was basically aimed at ensuring that…
Remittances increase 21% to $2 bn Overseas Pakistani workers sent home 21% higher remittances amounting to $2 billion in October 2018 as a historic drop in the rupee’s value attracted increased flow of remittances through official channels – banks and registered currency dealers. The overseas workers remitted $1.65 billion in October last year, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). The rupee recorded a historic drop of Rs9.38, or 7.6%, in a single day to the then record low of Rs133.64 to the US dollar on October 9. Cumulatively, the rupee has depreciated by a massive 27% in five…
PAKISTAN NEWS: Pakistan and Etisalat Resume Talks for Pending Payment for PTCL: Pakistan has decided to reinitiate talks with Dubai-based Etisalat at the highest level to resolve the much-awaited $800 million outstanding dues on account of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) privatization. [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] FBR Suspends Sales Tax Registration of a Popular Internet Service Provider: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has suspended the sales tax registration of a prominent internet service provider, Gemnet Enterprise Solutions, after the company refused to furnish its record for audit. According to a media report, the Corporate Regional Tax Office (CRTO) had…
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 8.26 8.76 2 – Week 8.26 8.76 1 – Month 8.31 8.81 3 – Month 8.75 9.00 6 – Month 9.34 9.59 9 – Month 9.58 10.08 1 – Year 9.80 10.30 2 – Year 10.25 10.75 3- Year 10.61 11.11
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Cecilia Skingsley Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Sweden (Sveriges Riksbank) This article is part of the Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils [/box] The Swedish retail payment market is rapidly moving away from using cash. The outstanding value of cash in circulation has dropped to 1% of Swedish GDP. This development raises some crucial issues regarding the state’s role in the payment market. For hundreds of years, the public has been offered central bank notes and coins. If cash stopped working, it would leave all individuals to rely on the private sector for access to money and…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””] Laurie Parsons, Royal Holloway[/box] Modern slavery is a prominent term of late. Thus far, efforts to deal with it have tended to focus on criminality and the explicit imprisonment of people involved. Yet tackling modern slavery in a meaningful sense isn’t merely a question of identifying culprits and freeing victims. To do so is merely to treat the symptoms of the issue. The conditions that shock us about modern slavery – the forced labour, the toiling children, the captivity – are not acts perpetrated by distant strangers in far off lands, but component parts of…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Suchitra Sebastian Associate Professor, Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge This article is part of the Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils [/box] Imagine a world where ultra-fast levitating trains zip between destinations, where wind energy from the North Sea and solar energy from the Sahara power the electric grid in New York, where carbon-free electric aircraft crisscross the skies and handheld MRIs deliver bedside scans. Astonishing materials known as superconductors can deliver these and more revolutionary breakthroughs powered by quantum effects. As electricity flows through normal metals, electrons bump into each other and the…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””] J. Robert Branston, University of Bath; Anna Gilmore, University of Bath, and Rosemary Hiscock, University of Bath[/box] It is thought about two in three smokers want to kick their deadly habit, and with good reason – the same proportion of them are believed to die prematurely because of smoking. Around the world, the habit kills more than 6m people a year. Yet quitting is notoriously difficult. Smoking tobacco is an addictive habit that the UK Royal College of Physicians has likened to heroin and cocaine addiction. But this doesn’t mean there is nothing we can…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Hilary Sutcliffe Director, SocietyInside Anne-Marie Allgrove Head, Global Information Technology and Communications Industry, Baker McKenzie This article is part of the Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils [/box] The technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution are transforming society and reshaping our future. While these technologies offer extraordinary opportunities, they pose a number of challenges including, for example, impacts on the workforce with advances in artificial intelligence, strains on privacy and freedom of expression, what limits – if any – should be placed on genetic technologies, and increasing economic and social disparity between the owners of capital and…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Sarah Feldman, Nov 2, 2018[/box] According to an analysis conducted by the Kaspersky Lab from Q1 of 2018, Microsoft Office applications are one of the most commonly exploited applications worldwide. A little under half of the complaints Kaspersky received related to Microsoft Office applications. Browser applications came in second with about a quarter of their complaints relating to their vulnerabilities. Notably, applications interacting with PDFs are prone to cyber-attacks, since PDF files are one of the main file types cybercriminals target for phishing campaigns. Apps working with PDF files made up about 1 percent of the complaints in the report. The U.S.…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Felix Richter, Nov 2, 2018[/box] Even though iPhone unit sales came in short of analyst expectations for Apple’s fourth fiscal quarter, the company’s flagship product just had its biggest year ever. Through the twelve months ending September 29, Apple’s iPhone revenue amounted to a whopping $167 billion, beating the previous record of $155 billion dating back to 2015. Considering that the smartphone market as a whole is no longer growing and iPhone unit sales are also more or less flat, Apple’s decision to release the $1,000+ iPhone X last year can be considered key to the iPhone segment’s latest…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Felix Richter, Nov 1, 2018[/box] When Facebook filed for its initial public offering in early 2012, the company named the ongoing transition to mobile as one of the biggest risks to its future success. If the transition to mobile was indeed the biggest challenge in Mark Zuckerberg’s early career as CEO of a billion-dollar company, he managed it quite well. Not only does Facebook generate most of its revenue with mobile advertising now, the company also owns some of the most popular apps in the world. Earlier this year, Instagram announced that it had just reached one billion monthly active…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Martin Armstrong, Nov 1, 2018[/box] Every month, Ipsos conducts a survey to find out what the world is worrying about. Our infographic below shows that in September, ‘immigration control’ was keeping a larger share of Germans awake at night than in any other country. Respondents could select up to three ‘worries’, with those in Germany choosing ‘immigration control’ the most often. [ads1] You will find more infographics at Statista
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Martin Armstrong, Oct 30, 2018[/box] A new report released yesterday by the European Environment Agency has revealed the startling number of premature deaths caused by air pollution in Europe. Looking at the cases attributable to the most common killer, particulate matter (PM), there were a total of 422,000 across the EU28 countries in 2015. This infographic shows the countries with the most PM-related premature deaths. Germany is the EU’s most populous country so it is probably unsurprising that the most deaths occurred there – 62,300. This accounts for 0.08 percent of the total population. Of the countries with the most deaths,…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, Oct 29, 2018[/box] Across the European Union, around 214,000 tonnes of portable batteries and accumulators were sold in 2016. Once they are used, getting rid of batteries can prove problematic given that they contain extremely toxic materials and represent a serious environmental hazard. In different countries, recycling facilities and hazardous waste sites make disposal less complicated and Eurostat has released new data showing the countries with the highest rates of battery recycling Across the EU-28, 44 percent of batteries were recycled in 2016. The lowest rate was recorded in Romania at just 21 percent. Belgium was at the opposite end of…
Market Review The benchmark index started off on a negative note, however, managed to close in green in the outgoing week, exhibiting an increase of 5.5%WoW to 40,556pts, as investors reacted positively to USD6.0bn support package from Saudi Arabia. During the week, market participation improved as evident from ADT and ADTV which increased by 51.1%WoW and 53.6%WoW, respectively. However, foreign investors continued to remain net seller, exhibiting an outflow of USD17.2mn. During the week, ECC approved a 33% hike in power tariff (PKR1.27/unit) to recover additional PKR144bn from consumers. Furthermore, a Saudi consortium is proposing to establish five desalination projects…
Stocks stay bullish as optimism from PM visit to China grows; index crosses 42,000 mark Summary Investors in stock exchange are keenly watching the flow of funds into Pakistan as PM collected funds from Saudi Arabia, visit of UAE delegation to Pakistan and this week departure to China for further enhancement of economic relationship with China. Accordingly, the KSE-100 is adding positive points to its Index. Since October 15 till the end of the week Nov 2, the KSE-100 Index has increased by around 12 percent. The KSE-100 Index has moved up from 37,518 on October 12 to 42,004 this…
Published in Samaa, on Nov 1st, 2018, Naomi Watts has signed on to play the lead in a Game of Thrones prequel series. Watts will play “a charismatic socialite hiding a dark secret in the drama pilot,” according to HBO. The network ordered the pilot, which is written by George RR Martin and Jane Goldman, back in June. HBO previously released an official description of the show’s storyline and, like the original series, it’s a tale spread across multiple locations and clans. Taking place thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones, the series chronicles the world’s descent from the golden Age…
Published in msn, on Oct 29th, 2018, By Jeremy Fuster Hulk Hogan has been selected by WWE to host their Saudi Arabia event “Crown Jewel,” the entertainment company told TheWrap. Hogan’s appearance will be his first with WWE since a tape of him making racist remarks was made public during the wrestler’s defamation lawsuit against Gawker in July 2015. In the tape, Hogan could be heard voicing his frustration over his daughter’s relationship with a “black billionaire,” repeatedly using the “n-word.” Following reports of the tape, WWE announced it had terminated Hogan’s contract and removed all mention of Hogan from its website…
Published in Variety, on Oct 29th, 2018, By DAVE MCNARY After 18 years under Film Independent, the Los Angeles Film Festival is no more. Film Independent announced Wednesday that it was ending the festival — which had been moved this year from June to September — and replace it with year-round events aimed at building community and broadening its support of visual storytellers. Josh Welsh, president of the nonprofit, admitted that the event had “struggled to thrive.” “We took a hard look at the healthy growth of Film Independent’s year-round programs and events over the past six years: the Spirit Awards, our film series curated by Elvis…
Published in Geo, on Oct 29th, 2018, French screen legend Catherine Deneuve announced Monday she was set to auction off her personal clothing collection designed by her friend Yves Saint Laurent, the late fashion icon. Deneuve, who has just turned 75, said she was selling her country home in northern France where she kept a wardrobe full of Saint Laurent items and had decided to offload some of the clothes too “not without some sadness”. “These are the designs of such a talented man who designed only to make women more beautiful,” Deneuve said in a message shared by the…
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday that football’s governing body is looking into the possibility of increasing the number of teams at the 2022 World Cup and sharing the hosting rights of an expanded tournament with other nations in the region. — File Photo” Published in Dawn, on Nov 1st, 2018, KUALA LUMPUR: FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday that football’s governing body is looking into the possibility of increasing the number of teams at the 2022 World Cup and sharing the hosting rights of an expanded tournament with other nations in the region. FIFA decided earlier this…
Qatar will be the first Middle East nation to host the football World Cup [File: Qatar Emirate Council/Handout/Anadolu] Published in AlJazeera, on Oct 31st, 2018, As blockade continues, FIFA head considers possible shared hosting rights in other Gulf countries and increasing teams. FIFA, football’s governing body, is considering expanding the Qatar 2022 World Cup from 32 teams to 48, with the possibility of Doha sharing the tournament with other countries in the Gulf region. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday that the expansion, which is slated for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, could come early at the…
Ashraf Sobhy (left), Egypt’s Youth and Sports Minister makes a point as Caroline Faraj, Vice President, Arabic Services at CNN looks on at the opening session of the 14th Dubai International Sports Creativity Symposium held on Wednesday. Published in Gulf News, on Oct 31st, 2018, By Alaric Gomes, Chief Reporter Minister says government in the process of tapping immense potential among youth Dubai: Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, Egypt’s Youth and Sports Minister, is backing his government to put plans in place to use football star Mohammad Salah’s overwhelming popularity to inspire the next generation of sportspersons in the country. Sobhy, who…
Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, center, celebrates with guard Stephen Curry, left, after scoring against the Chicago Bulls. — AP Published in DAWN, on Oct 30th, 2018, Klay Thompson scored a record-breaking 14 three-pointers as the Golden State Warriors maintained their blistering start to the season with a 149-124 demolition of the Chicago Bulls on Monday. Thompson broke teammate Stephen Curry’s NBA record for most three-point field goals in a single game of 13 when he nailed his 14th three of the night midway through the third quarter at the United Center. The 28-year-old Thompson — who has struggled…
Rafael Nadal has won the French Open 11 times, but has never triumphed at the Paris Masters Published in BBC, on Oct 31st, 2018, Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the Paris Masters with an abdominal injury. It means Novak Djokovic, 31, will replace him as world number one when the rankings are released on Monday. The Serb will lead the rankings for the first time in two years, with Briton Andy Murray having taken top spot from him in Paris in November 2016. Earlier on Wednesday, world number three Roger Federer made it through to the last 16 without playing…
Published in BBC, on Oct 31st, 2018, Labour says it would end the freeze in working-age benefits if it wins the next general election. The policy was not included in the party’s last manifesto, but at Prime Minister’s Questions, Jeremy Corbyn said he “would have ended the benefit freeze” if he had won the election. Labour later said it would increase benefits in line with inflation. Most working-age benefits were frozen in 2016 by former Tory chancellor George Osborne. During the 2017 general election campaign, Labour promised to scrap the so-called bedroom tax, restore housing benefit for those under 21…
U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks at a campaign rally in Estero, Florida, U.S., October 31, 2018. REUTERS/Carlos Barria Published in Reuters, on Oct 31st, 2018, By Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) – When Donald Trump met with advisers about his plans for campaign appearances in the final weeks for the battle for control of the U.S. Congress, the president surprised them by insisting they add more events to an already-crowded schedule. His strategy for the final stretch has been simple: Drive Republican turnout by focusing on an issue that appeals to his core supporters – illegal immigration – using as a…
Workers adjust and clean the logo of the European Commission at the entrance to its headquarters ( Reuters ) Published in Independent, on Oct 31st, 2018, By Jon Stone Brussels No meetings of top-level negotiators scheduled The EU has stepped up planning for a no-deal Brexit as time runs out for stalled negotiations that could see the UK crash out of the bloc without an agreement. There have been no signs of progress in Brussels since the meeting of the European Council a fortnight ago, when the EU’s 27 leaders scrapped plans for a November summit to finalise a deal, stating that not enough…
People wait to cast their ballots during early voting at a community center on Oct. 25 in Potomac, Md. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images) Published in The Washington Post, on Oct 31st, 2018, By Amy Gardner Americans have already voted in record numbers in many states in this year’s midterm elections, confirming the heightened interest in the fight for control of Congress and state houses playing out in dozens of bitterly contested races. With less than a week remaining until Election Day, voters in at least 17 states surpassed overall early and absentee voting numbers from 2014, according to Michael McDonald, a political…
Supporters of Brazilian President-elect Jair Bolsonaro celebrate the candidate’s victory at the Esplanade of the Ministries in Brasilia. Photo: Andre Borges / AGIF Published in Asia Times, on Oct 29th, 2018, By ASIA TIMES STAFF Controversial right-wing populist secures 55.7% of the vote in Brazilian poll Controversial right-wing candidate Jair Bolsonaro was elected president of Brazil on Sunday after defeating leftist opponent Fernando Haddad in a second-round election run-off at the end of a bitter and divisive campaign. Jubilant supporters descended on the streets outside the former army captain’s home in Rio de Janeiro, letting off fireworks and waving Brazilian flags. [ads1]…
Published in BBC, on Oct 31st, 2018, Former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson made an all-expenses-paid trip to Saudi Arabia costing £14,000, it has been revealed. He has declared the visit – which was funded by the Saudi foreign ministry – in the register of MPs’ interests. Saudi Arabia has faced global condemnation over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at its consulate in Istanbul on 2 October. Mr Johnson’s trip took place just under two weeks earlier, on 19-21 September. According to the entry in the register, first reported in The Sun, its purpose was “meeting with regional figures to promote education…
Ease of doing business: UAE jumps 10 places to be 11th The UAE has expedited its march towards making the economy more attractive for foreign investment and easier to do business as the latest World Bank report ranked the nation among the world’s top 20 countries for the ease of doing business. According to the Ease of Doing Business 2019 report released on Wednesday by the World Bank, the UAE ranked 11th globally, jumping 10 places from last year’s ranking of 21. The UAE also maintained its highest ranking in the Middle East and North Africa region, with reforms captured…
India becomes one of 8 countries to get waiver on Trump’s Iran sanctions; here’s how India has become one of the eight countries to get a waiver on the sanctions re-imposed on Iran by the Donald Trump administration. United States secretary of state Michael Pompeo on Friday said that eight governments that have taken “important moves” towards reducing Iranian oil imports to zero are going to receive temporary waivers. To get the waiver India agreed to cut imports and escrow payments from Iran. As per news agency PTI, India told the US that it was willing to restrict monthly oil…
Core inflation hits 4-year high in Oct The interest rate is bound to rise further in the next monetary policy announcement as core inflation inched up further to a four-year high of 8.2% in October 2018, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Friday. The 8.2% core inflation is slightly lower than the key discount rate of 8.5% that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) announced in September for a period of two months. The narrowing gap between the key interest rate and the core inflation may lead to another round of interest rate hikes…
PAKISTAN NEWS: Global Mapping Giant HERE & TPL Maps to Become Technology Partners: TPL Maps (Pvt) Ltd, Pakistan’s first and largest mapping company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with HERE Technologies, a global leader in mapping and location platform services. Leadership team members of both companies met in Berlin to discuss a potential partnership between TPL Maps and HERE Technologies. [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] Apple rolls out iOS latest update: Apple rolled out the latest update for iOS, namely iOS 12.1. Among the useful bits like fixing the charging issues plaguing the iPhone XS and XS Max, it…
Standard Chartered study reveals social mobility is booming in Pakistan Emerging affluent consumers enjoying impressive earnings growth, and higher levels of education, employment and home ownership than their parents Nearly two-thirds (64%) of emerging affluent consumers in Pakistan are experiencing upward social mobility, a new Standard Chartered study shows. Of these, 11% are enjoying ’supercharged’* social mobility, not just relative to the previous generation, but compared to the rest of the socially mobile. The Emerging Affluent Study 2018 – Climbing the Prosperity Ladder – examines the views of 11,000 emerging affluent consumers – individuals who are earning enough to save…
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 8.26 8.76 2 – Week 8.26 8.76 1 – Month 8.31 8.81 3 – Month 8.75 9.00 6 – Month 9.34 9.59 9 – Month 9.58 10.08 1 – Year 9.80 10.30 2 – Year 10.25 10.75 3- Year 10.61 11.11
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Miyeon Oh Director and Senior Fellow of the Asia Security Initiative, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, Atlantic Council [/box] Large-scale, cross-border energy infrastructure connects states in long-term relationships. A choice of a pipeline route or a decision about where to develop an interconnected power grid reflects economic and energy security priorities among states, as well as political motivations and geopolitical objectives. In Asia, energy-related infrastructure developments, such as those being led by China and South Korea, are shaping regional and global relationships and affecting the broader geostrategic landscape. The link between energy projects and China’s…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Ellen MacArthur Founder, Ellen MacArthur Foundation[/box] The problem with plastic starts long before it reaches our oceans, rivers and beaches. Plastic waste and pollution are symptoms of a broken system in which we design products without considering what happens to them after they are used. As a result, every minute the equivalent of one truckload of plastic finds its way into the ocean. People around the world are coming together to demand change. Many are altering how they shop, eat and live day to day. Millions of dollars are being invested in cleaning up plastic from…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Samir Saran President, Observer Research Foundation (ORF) This article is part of the Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils [/box] For the past seven decades, the world has been moulded by a strong, transatlantic relationship with the US and EU underwriting the terms of peace, stability and economic prosperity. The success of this order has created its own existential challenge. Its rising beneficiaries in Asia and elsewhere increasingly challenge the validity of these arrangements and the efficacy of rules that have managed global affairs. While the historian John Ikenberry described the liberal world order as a “hub…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Astrid Kause, University of Leeds[/box] Cape Town’s recent drought brought into sharp relief how people behave and the choices that they make when resources become scarce. The South African city was teetering on the brink: a sustained dry spell meant that residents were faced with “day zero” – the very real possibility that water supplies could be turned off, leaving them queuing for access to this most important of natural resources. Day zero was averted in large part by people’s willingness to use dramatically less water than normal, while waiting for rain to fall. This was…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Jack Rogers, University of Exeter[/box] A mysterious, anonymous entity known as “Satoshi Nakamoto” posted a white paper on October 31 2008 entitled “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System”. It was the first time that the concept of Bitcoin entered the world. But outside of the cypherpunk mailing lists – those promoting the use of privacy-enhancing technology – this event was hardly noticed. Ten years on, who hasn’t at least heard of the cryptocurrency? On just nine pages, the white paper explained how the Bitcoin system would work. Many attempts at electronic cash had already been made…
Market Review The benchmark index started off on a negative note, however, managed to close in green in the outgoing week, exhibiting an increase of 5.5%WoW to 40,556pts, as investors reacted positively to USD6.0bn support package from Saudi Arabia. During the week, market participation improved as evident from ADT and ADTV which increased by 51.1%WoW and 53.6%WoW, respectively. However, foreign investors continued to remain net seller, exhibiting an outflow of USD17.2mn. During the week, ECC approved a 33% hike in power tariff (PKR1.27/unit) to recover additional PKR144bn from consumers. Furthermore, a Saudi consortium is proposing to establish five desalination projects…
Euphoria in the market as KSE-100 index rises above 40,500 mark with highest 5.5% wow gain in twelve months Summary It was an economic eventful week for investors. It started with the visit of Prime Minister to Saudi Arabia on Monday, which builds up expectation of investors for fund flow into the country. This anticipation continued throughout the week with news of arrival of UAE delegates on Friday for oil import facility for Pakistan and the announcement of Prime Minister likely visit on November 2 to prop up the dire finances for Pakistan. The investors were exuberant with all these…
Published in Variety, on Oct 25th, 2018, By Rebecca Rubin “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” is heading toward a magical debut between $65 million and $75 million when it hits theaters on Nov. 16. If estimates hold, the sequel will see a similar opening to “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” the first entry in the “Harry Potter” spinoff series. That film launched with $74 million on the same weekend two years earlier and collected over $234 million in North America and $580 million overseas during its theatrical run. It garnered largely positive reviews and became the first movie in…
Published in Samaa, on Oct 23th, 2018, Vox Cinemas in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah is screening children’s films at lower light and sound levels to accommodate children with sensory disorders. “We observed that families with autistic children were facing challenges in taking their kids to cinemas, and the sensory screenings were a by-product of an effort to bridge this gap,” says Michelle Walsh, chief operating officer of Majid Al Futtaim Cinemas, which operates Vox Cinemas in the UAE. “We have regular visitors who come in every month and children who leave feeling excited, happy and cared for.” [ads1] …
Published in Ary News, on Oct 23rd, 2018, Netflix Inc said it would stick with the team behind Indian hit show “Sacred Games” for a second season after an independent investigation into allegations of sexual harassment against two individuals involved with the show. In a statement emailed to Reuters, Netflix said it would continue to work with the show’s lead writer Varun Grover, one of two men called out in a wave of #MeToo allegations in India in recent weeks. It said it would continue to work with directors Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap, whose production house Phantom Films was…
Cast member Jamie Lee Curtis poses at a premiere for the movie “Halloween” in Los Angeles, California, US, October 17, 2018. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni Published in Geo, on Oct 22th, 2018, LOS ANGELES: Halloween made a killing in North America, earning $77.5 million when the slasher film launched in 3,928 locations. David Gordon Green’s Halloween, a direct sequel to John Carpenter’s 1978 classic, obliterated the franchise record opening of $26 million, previously held by the 2007 Rob Zombie reboot. Halloween also notched the second-best start for an R-rated horror film following It’s $123-million launch. It also landed the second-highest debut for an October release, set earlier…
Published in Samaa, on Oct 20th, 2018, The classic Hannah-Barbera Tom and Jerry is one of the most loved cartoons. It is set to make a comeback with a live-action animated hybrid film. Warner Bros. has approached Tim Story to direct the movie, reported Variety. This will be the first live-action animated hybrid to be shot in 2019. The film will be shot in the real world with animated versions of the familiar cat and mouse duo. Since Tom and Jerry didn’t speak in the cartoon series, they will remain voiceless in the film as well. [ads1] The studio knows how much its iconic…
Published in Euronews, on Oct 24th, 2018, By Reuters DOHA (Reuters) – FIFA President Gianni Infantino hailed Qatar’s progress on infrastructure ahead of its 2022 World Cup and said the tournament is poised to be the best one yet during a visit to the next host nation on Tuesday. Qatar’s tiny size, high temperatures and lack of ready stadium infrastructure have prompted some to question FIFA’s decision to make it host, but the desert state has since launched huge construction projects and promised to complete seven new stadiums by 2020. “You can see the progress which is being made here four years…