[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Martin Armstrong, Oct 5, 2018[/box] According to the latest Best Global Brands report by Interbrand, Apple is still the most valuable brand in the world with an estimated value of $214.5 billion. Aside from this, one of the standout brands this year is Amazon, having experienced a huge 56 percent increase in value when compared to 2017. [ads1] You will find more infographics at Statista
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[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Sarah Feldman, Oct 4, 2018[/box] Thursday kicks off space week, an international week where science and technology is celebrated. NASA is dealing with some more terrestrial problems though. The agency is gearing up to secure their $20 billion budget from Congress. Even with these funding woes, NASA’s annual budget dwarfs the amount of private investment being channeled into space ventures. The funding NASA has received in the 21st century totals around $360 billion, while private investment in the 21st century is just under $14 billion. Despite that clear advantage, private investment in space has taken off in recent years,…
Market Review The benchmark index remained bearish throughout the week where KSE100 decreased to 40,087pts, posting a decline of 1.9%WoW. During the week, market participation remained lackluster as evident from ADT and ADTV which declined by 5%WoW and 6%WoW, respectively. Foreign investors remained net seller in this week, exhibiting an outflow of USD7.0mn. During the week, Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) recommended that, given PKR devaluation, local auto OEMs should not be allowed to increase prices on previously received orders. Additionally, PTCL signed a MoU with SAP, a global technology company, to enhance cloud-based digital business transformation especially in agriculture,…
Worst weekly 2018 meltdown, KSE-100 index down 4.3pc Summary Government is challenged to perform on economy, public expectation of recovering looted money and improving the governance of different government sectors. In an effort to attain 100 days target set for itself, the government seems to be aiming simultaneously on all these issues prudently. As a result no clear picture is emerging for the investor on any single matter. Nonetheless direction has been set. Weighted decisions have to be made as true facts are emerging. IMF delegation is in the country with negotiations going-on, Saudi Investment MoU is signed with the…
Published in Herald, on Oct 4th, 2018, By Zehra Nawab | S H Nawab Lined up outside the Scotia Bank theatre in downtown Toronto, a crowd huddles under umbrellas as it awaits the opening of the cinema doors. It is the week of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF); Manto is about to have its North American premiere. “Masjid mein Deobandi, Shia, Sunni, Wahabi — cinema mein ek zaat,” muttered Manto once. He now finds himself, once again, immortalised on the very celluloid. But a branded man cannot be confined within the four walls of a screen. A man who cannot be distilled to a single…
Pakistani singer and activist Fakhr-e-Alam will attempt to become the first Pakistani to fly solo around the globe. Photo: Twitter Published in Geo, Oct 3rd, 2018, Pakistani singer and activist Fakhr-e-Alam on Wednesday said that his childhood dream of becoming a pilot is close to reality. Speaking to Geo News, Alam said, “Mission Parwaaz is my childhood dream. I wanted to become a pilot and in 2015 I got my license.” Now the 42-year-old will attempt to become the first Pakistani to fly solo around the globe. Earlier, Alam had taken to Twitter to make the announcement and said, “Dear…
Published in Ary News, Oct 3rd, 2018, Reuters BEIJING: China has ordered A-list movie star Fan Bingbing to pay about 884 million yuan ($129 million) in overdue taxes and fines, state news agency Xinhua said on Wednesday, as a crackdown on tax evasion in the entertainment industry gathers momentum. The 37-year-old actor, whose June disappearance touched off wild speculation about her whereabouts, has appeared in the “X-Men” and “Iron Man” film franchises, attracting more than 62 million online followers in China. Xinhua said an investigation by Chinese tax authorities found Fan had split her contract to evade taxes of…
Barrymore’s recent credits include the Netflix series Santa Clarita Diet Published in BBC, Oct 4th, 2018, EgyptAir has defended an interview with actress Drew Barrymore that was slated on social media after being published in its in-flight magazine. The article, in which the ET star is quoted talking about motherhood, went viral after being posted on Twitter. Barrymore’s representatives said she “did not participate” in the interview. EgyptAir said it was “a professional magazine interview” and the article’s author Aida Takla O’Reilly insisted it was “genuine and far from fake”. The article, which contains a number of grammatical and spelling errors, was…
British-Pakistani actor Riz Ahmed. Photo: Digital Trends Published in Geo, Oct 4th, 2018, British-Pakistani actor Riz Ahmed on Thursday released the video for his much-awaited track Mogambo. Released under his rap name Riz MC, the video for Mogambo is directed by New York-based filmmaker Bassam Tariq. Mogambo takes inspiration from the villain in 1987 Bollywood classic Mr India, a story about a secret formula that renders people invisible. The video shows The Night Of actor celebrating his Pakistani roots with a wrestling match. [ads1] In a statement released by the director, Tariq explained how the concept behind the video changed during production. “Our initial idea was a…
Published in Gulf News, on Oct 4th, 2018, Big names confirmed for Pakistan showpiece Lahore: South African star AB de Villiers and prolific Australian batsman Steve Smith will be two of the star attractions at this year’s Pakistan Super League (PSL) Player Draft. Some of the world’s most exciting T20 stars are set to dazzle at the PSL once again which returns to action on February 14, said a spokesman of the Pakistan Cricket Board here on Thursday. The list also includes the Windies trio of Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine. Bravo was picked up by Peshawar Zalmi…
In this file photo taken on June 14, 2017 the Nike ‘swoosh’ logo is displayed on the outside of the Nike SoHo store, in New York City. US sporting goods giant Nike said October 4, 2018 Published in Gulf News, on Oct 5th, 2018, Allegri says star is ready to play for Juve Milna: US sportswear giant Nike says it is “deeply concerned” by rape allegations against Cristiano Ronaldo and shares in Italian champions Juventus fell over five per cent on the Italian stock exchange on Friday. Ronaldo’s coach at Juventus, Massimiliano Allegri, said the striker is “doing well” and…
Published in ARY, on Oct 3rd, 2018, The International Cricket Council (ICC) will give its final verdict in PCB’s $70 million compensation case against BCCI within next 15 days. The three-member dispute panel heard the case on Wednesday and gave the time of 15 days for the announcement of the results which will not be revised. India’s former foreign minister, Salman Khursheed also appeared before the tribunal as a witness from the BCCI. [ads1] It is pertinent to mention here that the PCB filed the $ 70 million compensation case against BCCI claiming that a huge loss cost to…
Published in Samaa, Oct 5th, 2018, Lewis Hamilton limbered up for this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix by going fastest in Friday’s first free practice almost half-a-second quicker than Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas. The Briton, who controversially took his eighth chequered flag of the season in Russia last week after Mercedes ordered Bottas to let him through, clocked one minute, 28.691 seconds on super-soft tyres at Suzuka. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, now trailing Hamilton by 50 points with only five races left this season, was fifth fastest on the timesheets 0.994 seconds back. Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo set the third fastest…
Published in Spotskeeda, Oct 3rd, 2018, By Ali Akber The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had announced the dates for the fourth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The tournament is set to begin on February 14, 2019, and end on March 17, 2019. The tournament will commence in the UAE and will be brought back to Pakistan for the final few matches like the previous tournament. Each time the PCB has tried the expand the tournament and make it bigger and better. The fourth season will try to do just the same, as six teams will battle it out for the…
Published in Dawn, Oct 5th, 2018, BEIJING: Zhang Shuai stunned Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber 6-1, 2-6, 6-0 in the China Open on Thursday to set up a quarter-final clash with Naomi Osaka. China’s Zhang broke Kerber’s serve five times and fired 22 winners to seal the victory in an hour and 27 minutes in her second meeting with the German. The 29-year-old looked in complete control against Kerber, cruising through the first set before the German levelled the contest. Yet Kerber struggled to keep her unforced errors count down, making 36 in the match, and her challenge ended in…
Published in CNN, on Oct 6th, 2018, Analysis by Stephen Collinson, CNN (CNN)Donald Trump may have never had a better time being President. Only a re-election party on the night of November 3, 2020, could possibly offer the same vindication for America’s most unconventional commander in chief as the 36 hours in which two foundational strands of his political career are combining in a sudden burst of history. Trump will become an undeniably consequential President with the Senate due to vote Saturday to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, consecrating the conservative majority that has long been the impossible dream of the GOP.…
India and Russia signed eight agreements during the Russian president’s two-day trip to New Delhi [Adnan Abidi/Reuters] Published in AlJazeera, on Oct 5th, 2018, by Zeenat Saberin New Delhi signs $5bn deal to buy one of the most advanced missile defence systems amid looming threat of US sanctions. New Delhi, India – India-Russia ties have received a boost with a $5bn deal that will see New Delhi buy an S-400 air defence system from Moscow despite looming threat of US sanctions. The deal to buy the long-range surface-to-air missile systems was signed between Russian and Indian officials during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit…
Flag-waving Vietnamese protestors in a file photo. Photo: Facebook Published in Asia times, on Oct 3rd, 2018, By DAVID HUTT Ruling Communist Party has clamped down hard on budding pro-democracy groups, repression rights groups say is turning the country into a giant prison his year has been dire for Vietnam’s harried and harassed pro-democracy movement, with at least 50 activists jailed and many of them severely sentenced since January. The crackdown has not been scattershot, but rather has aimed squarely to dismantle connections between growing political groups and organizations that increasingly present a challenge to the ruling Communist Party’s legitimacy and…
In the past, Shetland has often appeared in maps floating in a box off the Aberdeenshire coast Published in BBC, on Oct 4th, 2018, New rules barring public bodies from putting Shetland in a box on official documents have come into force. Islands MSP Tavish Scott had sought to change the law to ban the “geographical mistake” which “irks” locals, by amending the Islands (Scotland) Bill. The bill’s “mapping requirement” has now come into force, although it does give bodies a get-out clause if they provide reasons why a box must be used. Mapmakers argue that boxes help avoid “publishing…
Kashmiri protesters throw stones on Indian security men outside a poling station during a by-election to an Indian Parliament seat in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir (April. 9, 2017). Image Credit: AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan Published in The Diplomat, on Oct 3rd, 2018, By Um Roommana Threats and boycotts cast a long shadow over upcoming local elections in Indian Kashmir. Elections for local government bodies – Panchayat and urban local bodies (ULB) – are scheduled to be held next week in Indian Kashmir. The polls will begin with ULB elections from October 8 to October 16, while counting for these polls will end on…
Dubai shopping fest to begin from December 26 It was good news all around for shopping enthusiasts on Thursday, as the dates for the hugely popular Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) were announced. Come December 26, the city’s malls will pave the way for the pitter-patter of thousands of feet as the month-long extravaganza transforms the city with pop-up fashion shows, fireworks displays, and mega sales. [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] UAE and Malta to boost trade President of the Republic of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, said her four-day working visit to the UAE, which ended on Thursday, has resulted in bolstering…
In a trough: private sector CAPEX lowest since fy08 The share of private investments in the infrastructure sector has fallen to a decadal low of around 25% in FY18, sharply down from a high of 37% cent in FY08, according to a Crisil Infrastructure Advisory report released on Friday. Private investments, which averaged 37% between fiscals 2008 and 2013, fell by 600 basis points (bps) between fiscals 2013 and 2017 to 31%, which fell a steep 600 bps further to 25% in FY18, as a plethora of stalled projects and stressed assets dampened investor interest and risk appetite. “A material…
CNG prices set to increase by up to Rs22.33 per kg Compressed natural gas (CNG) dealers announced on Friday that they would increase the fuel price by up to Rs22.33 per kilogramme with effect from Saturday following government’s decision on increasing the natural gas price. “Dealers have decided to pass on the impact of gas price hike to end-consumers instead of going for a shutter-down strike,” CNG Station Owners Association of Pakistan President Malik Khuda Bux told. The option of staging a strike was considered at various meetings of different CNG associations in order to protest against the increase in…
PAKISTAN NEWS: Pakistan Railways to Launch Wi-Fi and Online Tracking System: Pakistan Railways will provide Wi-Fi and tracking system facility to the passengers as well as to freight trains within a 100 days. Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, stated that overseas Pakistanis are offering free of cost services for providing wi-fi and tracking facilities for passenger trains. [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] Facebook Adds New Tools to Prevent Harassment and Bullying: Facebook is adding new features to protect its users from cyber harassment and bullying, which is a common occurrence on social media platforms. Users will now have more tools on…
Huge potential lies in tourism; Government to take measures to develop tourism sites: Mian Zahid Hussain President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF), President AKIA, Senior Vice Chairman of the Businessmen Panel of FPCCI and former provincial minister, Mian Zahid Hussain on Wednesday said that there lie huge potential of tourism in Pakistan. From Balochistan to KPK there are various tourism attraction points which if developed with latest facilities hundreds of thousands tourists can be attracted from World thus significant increase in foreign exchange can be observed. According to Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation, 1.8 million tourists out of whom 70…
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 7.52 8.02 2 – Week 7.71 8.21 1 – Month 7.92 8.42 3 – Month 8.07 8.32 6 – Month 8.34 8.59 9 – Month 8.43 8.93 1 – Year 8.56 9.06 2 – Year 8.97 9.47 3- Year 9.14 9.64
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Johnny Wood Writer, Formative Content[/box] Video gaming has come a long way since the launch of the first commercially successful game in the 1970s. Pong had two rectangular white blocks representing table-tennis bats, which beeped and bounced a digital dot back and forth across a plain background. From such simple beginnings, video games have morphed into a world of colour, action and sound where lifelike graphics immerse players in evermore imaginative ways. At the same time, the gaming industry has developed into a multibillion-dollar juggernaut. Games like Fortnite, the world’s biggest selling video game to date, incorporate an…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””] Chris Dawson, University of Bath and David de Meza, London School of Economics and Political Science[/box] Most business start-ups end badly. While the number of new businesses created in the UK in 2016 – 414,000 – looks impressive at first, it is less so when set against the number that failed that same year: 328,000. Failure has always been the hallmark of entrepreneurship – only around 50% of businesses survive their first five years. And not only are the chances of survival slim, but there is evidence that on average business owners earn less than…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””] Sara Solmone, University of East London[/box] Free speech is a key aspect of the internet, but it has become increasingly obvious that many online will push that freedom to extremes, leaving website comment sections, Twitter feeds and Facebook groups awash with racist, sexist, homophobic or otherwise unpalatable opinions and vitriolic views, and obscene or shocking images or videos. The borderless nature of the internet, where a website may be hosted in one country, operated by staff in another, with comments left by readers in a third, poses a thorny problem for website operators and government…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””] Iosif Kovras, City, University of London[/box] It has been ten years since the global recession hit – and the perfect opportunity to rethink and reassess the crisis with the benefit of time. Much of the focus so far has been on economic or policy failures, with the question of accountability left out of the discussion. In stark contrast to the grassroots calls for punishing those responsible, political leaders were not overly concerned with accountability, leaving bankers off the hook. This was a mistake. To give only one example, in the US and the UK, this…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Leena Nair Chief Human Resources Officer, Unilever [/box] I am likely stating the obvious but it needs to be stated as often as possible – the world is changing and it is changing fast. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is blurring the lines between the real and the technological world and challenging what it means to be human. Yet people are clearly at the heart of all organizational transformations generated by this phenomenon. We see this, both in the transformation we are driving within Unilever but also when we look outside, across and beyond our industry. All…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Sarah Feldman, Sep 28, 2018[/box] On Wednesday the United States Federal Reserve continued their incremental increase of the interest rate by a quarter of a percent, bumping the rate up to 2.25 percent. While not featured on the below chart, Indonesia hiked their interest rate by a quarter of a percent Friday as well. Over the course of the past month central banks around the globe have steadily raised interest rates. The European Union and China’s interest rate has remained unchanged for all of 2018, while Turkey’s interest rate has jumped by over 6 percent to combat rising inflation and international repercussions from…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Tim Bünning, Sep 28, 2018[/box] Toyota is the world’s sixth-largest company by revenue and it employs more than 360,000 people. It was founded all the way back in 1937 and in the years since, Toyota has become a massive multinational corporation, displacing General Motors as the world’s largest automobile manufacturer in 2008. Highlighting its global presence, Toyota has factories all over the world with six major assembly plants in the United States alone with others in South Africa, Turkey, Colombia, the UK, France, Brazil, China and Russia, to name a few countries. Given the company’s success, where is…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, Sep 27, 2018[/box] The number of super rich individuals across the world is increasing. According to the Wealth-X annual World Ultra Wealth Report, the number of ultra-high-net-worth individuals or UHNWIs (defined as being worth $30 million or more) grew 13 percent last year to 255,810. That growth was driven by soaring stock markets, steady economic growth, robust asset markets and stable exchange rates against the dollar. Collectively, those 255,810 people are worth around $31.5 trillion. For years, North America has been the driving force in millionaire creation but today, that mantle is being passed over to Asia. The…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, Sep 26, 2018[/box] According to the annual Mastercard Destination Cities Index, Bangkok was the world’s most visited tourist destination once again in 2017. The Thai capital attracted 20.05 million visitors last year, more than both London (19.83 million) and Paris (17.44 million). Despite coming fourth for visitors, Dubai significantly outpaced all other cities in spending. Crowds of tourists flock to Dubai every year, due to a host of attractions ranging from excellent museums to the the 2,717 ft tall Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest man made structure. One of its biggest draws, however, is its burgeoning reputation as…
Market Review The benchmark index witnessed a volatile week where KSE100 decreased to 40,852pts, posting a decline of 1.1%WoW. The market remained bearish on account of lack of clarity regarding decision making on economic policies. During the week, market participation remained lackluster as evident from ADT and ADTV which declined by 24%WoW and 26%WoW, respectively. Foreign individuals remained net seller in this week, exhibiting an outflow of USD8.2mn. During the week, Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) deferred the decision to increase electricity tariff by PKR3.40/kwh (based on NEPRA recommendation) until its next meeting. On the other hand, Oil and Gas Regulatory…
Stocks hobble but close bullish on positive note Summary Conflicting news on economic issues kept the investors confused and on sidelines on final clarity. The news of UN Trade body hinting Pakistan likely to seek fresh IMF bailout while Finance Minister claiming IMF visit is a routine matter. On criticism on ‘Mini-Budget’, the government expressed willingness to reconsider and improve some of the revenue measures, particularly to those relating to documentations. Expected contributing of Saudi-Arabia of $10 billion to the economy and turned into CPEC investing partner. All these vibes create an unclear pictures about the direction of the economy.…
Published in Geo, Sep 28th, 2018, The trailer of the much-awaited animated film, Donkey King, has been released. Last month, Geo Films and Talisman Studios released the teaser for the Aziz Jindani directorial and we learnt that the film revolves around a donkey named Mangu Mangu Jan Mangu who is a dhobi. Today, the 2.18 minute-long trailer of the film was released and we are now eagerly waiting for the film. The trailer opens with the announcement for the appointment of a new ruler for Mangu’s homeland and shows a fox (voiced by Hina Dilpazeer) plotting to install Mangu on…
Published in Ary News, Sep 26th, 2018, Reuters LOS ANGELES: A two-seater convertible car owned by Marilyn Monroe is going up for auction in November and could fetch up to $500,000, organizers said on Tuesday. The 1956 raven black Ford Thunderbird, owned by the movie star for six years until shortly before her death in 1962, is being auctioned for the first time. Monroe, one of the most collectible celebrities, was pictured driving in the car with her husband, playwright Arthur Miller, shortly after their June 1956 wedding. Darren Julien, president of Julien’s Auctions, said the car was “not only…
Actor Cate Blanchett after the Giorgio Armani show during Milan Fashion Week Spring 2019 in Milan, Italy, September 23, 2018. Photo: Reuters Published in Geo, Sep 28th, 2018, MILAN: Italy’s fashion elite and celebrities such as film stars Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore and Colin Firth gathered at a “green-carpet” event on Sunday at Milan’s fashion week to urge greater environmental sustainability in the global fashion industry. The black-tie gathering was the closing event to the city’s six-day fashion extravaganza, a week after London’s fashion week declared itself fur-free for the first time. Fashion brands have begun paying more attention…
Published in EUROSPORT, Sep 28th, 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo will be suspended for only one game after his dismissal in the Champions League, paving the way for his return for Juventus against his former club Manchester United, European soccer’s governing body UEFA said on Thursday. Ronaldo’s Champions League debut for Juventus against Valencia last week lasted only 29 minutes before he was shown a straight red card for clashing with Jeison Murillo in a 2-0 win. He faced the prospect of missing a return to Old Trafford if his ban was extended. However, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB)…
Published in ARY News, Sep 27th, 2018, By AFP Fulham owner Shahid Khan moved a step closer to buying Wembley Stadium after the Football Association board agreed to let the American businessman’s £600 million ($787 million, 674 million euros) plan be considered by the governing body’s full council next month. Wembley, in northwest London, is the spiritual home of football in England and the historic arena reopened in 2007 after a seven-year rebuilding project that cost £757 million. But senior FA executives believe selling to American businessman Khan, who also owns the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL team, could provide a huge cash…
Published in Gulf News, Sep 28th, 2018, By K.R. Nayar, Chief Cricket Writer Event to have five international teams named after five emirates Dubai: UAE T20X, which is poised to join the ranks of the numerous big-money Twenty20 leagues around the globe, has called for potential franchise owners. The bidding process for enabling investors to buy into five teams have started. Speaking to Gulf News, Salman Sarwar Butt, the Chief Executive of the tournament and OPi Sports, a private company, organised in partnership with Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), said: “This league will have five international teams named after five emirates and…
Curran’s left-arm swing helped England to victory over India Published in BBC, Sep 28th, 2018, Surrey all-rounder Sam Curran has been rewarded with his first central contract by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The 20-year-old made his Test debut in June against Pakistan. He was then named player of the series against India after scoring 272 runs and taking 11 wickets to help England win the 4-1 series. Jos Buttler and Adil Rashid have been given contracts covering both Test and white-ball cricket. They join Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes in having contracts covering both…
Serena Williams out of China Open draw Published in ARY News, Sep 28th, 2018, By AFP American great Serena Williams was left out of the China Open tennis draw on Friday as reports said she’s called time on her season following her meltdown at the US Open. Williams’ name, along with that of her sister Venus, did not appear on a list of 64 players ahead of the tournament’s start on Saturday in Beijing. It comes less than three weeks after the tempestuous US Open final, where Williams accused the umpire of sexism in an angry rant during her 6-2, 6-4…
Head of Germany’s bid to host the Euro 2024 Philipp Lahm (L) and former German international football player Celia Sasic pose with the UEFA trophy after the Germany was awarded hosting rights for the Euro 2024. —AFP Published in Dawn, Sep 28th, 2018, Reuters NYON: Germany will host the Euro 2024 football tournament after beating the only other bidders Turkey in a two-horse contest on Thursday. Germany, which previously staged the event as West Germany in 1988 and successfully held the 2006 World Cup, won the vote among UEFA’s executive committee after a four-year campaign which, for the first time,…
Published in BBC, Sep 26th, 2018, She told the UN General Assembly that, outside the EU, the UK would still work with allies to uphold shared values. The Brexit vote, she argued, was a “clear demand” from voters for greater accountability in decision-making and their wishes must be delivered. The prime minister later discussed the scope for a “big and ambitious” US trade deal with Donald Trump. No 10 said she met the US President on the sidelines of the annual UN gathering, and agreed the UK’s exit from the EU on 29 March 2019 was a “wonderful opportunity”…
Published in Dawn, Sep 28th, 2018, by Syed Irfan Raza ISLAMABAD: The government of Saudi Arabia has signed three grant agreements with Pakistan to finance three road infrastructure and energy projects under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). “These agreements have been inked in line with the understanding reached during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia,” Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry told a press conference on Thursday. The agreements were signed by the Saudi envoy and the officials of Pakistan’s finance ministry. Minister says agreements on Reko Diq gold, copper mines and Gwadar oil refinery likely to…
The WFP has warned that Yemen is on the brink of a full-blown famine [FIle: Denis Balibouse/Reuters] Published in AlJazeera, Sep 27th, 2018, by Ruairi Casey Chief of UN’s food agency raises alert over Yemen’s hunger crisis at the UN General Assembly as famine fears loom. New York – The World Food Programme (WFP) has said there “very well could be” famine in remote areas of Yemen where the UN’s food agency does not have access, painting a bleak picture of the hunger crisis gripping the country. “Yemen is a disaster and I don’t see any light at the end of…
Australian national broadcaster ABC is at the center of the country’s rising political, social and cultural wars. Photo: Facebook Published in Asia Times, Sep 27th, 2018, By LACHLAN COLQUHOUN Turmoil at national broadcaster ABC is a reflection of the country’s deepening political, social and cultural divides Political intrigue and controversy are never far away from Australia’s national broadcaster, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), but by any measure it has been an extraordinary week. On Monday, ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie was fired from her A$900,000 (US$653,000) a year job half way into her five year term supposedly due to her…
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks as he chairs a meeting of the United Nations Security Council held during the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 27, 2018. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Published in Reuters, Sep 27th, 2018, By Lesley Wroughton, David Brunnstrom UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned members of the United Nations Security Council on Thursday that they must “set the example” by enforcing sanctions on North Korea as China and Russia suggested the council consider easing the tough measures. China and Russia said the…
Published in BBC, Sep 28th, 2018, Boris Johnson has set out his own plan for Brexit, arguing that the UK should “chuck Chequers” and negotiate a “Super Canada” free trade deal instead. The ex-foreign secretary, who quit over Theresa May’s Chequers Brexit plan, called her strategy “a moral and intellectual humiliation”. He said his vision would not lead to a hard Irish border, with any checks carried out away from the crossing. The PM says her plan is the only one which will avoid carving up the UK. And ex-attorney general Dominic Grieve, who backs a new referendum on…
UAE increases petrol prices for October Motorists in the UAE will have to pay more for fuel from October following an upward price revision by the UAE Ministry of Energy in line with increasing global crude prices. Effective October 1, the price of Super 98 will go up to Dh2.61 from Dh2.59 per litre, while Special 95 category petrol will cost Dh2.50, up from Dh2.48 per litre in September. The price for diesel will rise by 12 fils per litre to Dh2.76 from Dh2.64 a litre in September. On Thursday, global oil prices rose by one per cent as prospect…
Uzbekistan to reinforce strategic partnership with India: talks with PM Modi next week Targeting bilateral trade at $1 billion with India within two years, leading a high-level delegation in what will be his first visit to India since assuming office in 2016, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev is arriving in New Delhi on a two-day visit on Sunday. The visit is expected to reinforce the strategic partnership between the two countries and to be centred on connectivity, investment cooperation, and trade and agro business. According to an official statement of the MEA, the visiting leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will…
PML-N paid PKR 72bn illegally to power producers: AGP The Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has told the new Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government that the previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) administration had made illegal payment of Rs72 billion to power producers in an attempt to wipe out the circular debt. After coming to power in June 2013, the PML-N government paid Rs480 billion to the power producers without any pre-audit in a bid to clear the circular debt immediately. However, of the total payment, according to the AGP, Rs72 billion was given illegally to the power producers. Now, the PTI…
PAKISTAN NEWS: Facebook misuses phone numbers intended for two-factor authentication Facebook has been using the phone numbers that you gave them for two-factor authentication for targeted advertisement behind the scenes.You might be familiar with two-factor authentication, it’s a way to confirm your identity online and a number of social networks and websites use this method. It adds another layer of security to your account and also makes it easier to log in. [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] Jazz launches its sustainability report 2016-17 Jazz has launched a report on the status of the company’s contribution to sustainability. As a leader in…
With KSA inclusion in CPEC bilateral ties will strengthen; regional trade will flourish: Mian Zahid Hussain Investments from KSA and UAE will help Pakistan in curbing poverty and unemployment. President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF), President AKIA, Senior Vice Chairman of the Businessmen Panel of FPCCI and former provincial minister, Mian Zahid Hussain last Monday said according to the press briefing of information minister Fawad Chaudhry, Prime Minister Imran Khan has conducted successful visits of Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates wherein KSA and UAE have intended to boost mutual relations and investment in Pakistan. Saudi Arabia is all…
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 7.52 8.02 2 – Week 7.71 8.21 1 – Month 7.92 8.42 3 – Month 8.07 8.32 6 – Month 8.34 8.59 9 – Month 8.43 8.93 1 – Year 8.56 9.06 2 – Year 8.97 9.47 3- Year 9.14 9.64
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Terri Toyota Deputy Head of Centre for Global Public Goods, Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum This article is part of the Sustainable Development Impact Summit[/box] “Can I afford to buy organic, go sustainable or shop Fair Trade?” We have all often stood in front of store shelves asking ourselves this question. Threats from climate change, growing inequality and poor working conditions, and other mounting pressures on people and planet tell us that we can’t afford not to. But with high markups on many ethical and sustainable goods it is clear that our markets, systems…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Michael de Lagarde Chief Executive Officer, Delair-Tech This article is part of the Sustainable Development Impact Summit[/box] Drones are more than just cool-looking flying objects. Their real value lies in their ability to quickly and efficiently gather and analyze information on assets, geography, infrastructure, environmental trends and other important data that can be used to drive actional business insights. So we have to ask: what could be more critical than information on the world’s food supply? While agricultural and farming enterprises are relatively recent adopters of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the characteristics of drone data collection, such…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””] Miguel Antonio Lim, University of Manchester[/box] University rankings can be highly influential. They can help prospective students to narrow down their choice of institution and, of course, they also give universities something to brag about. The UK’s elite institutions, Oxford and Cambridge, continue to occupy the top two posts in the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings And many other UK universities also appear in the annual list of “world class” universities. Rankings are very much an indicator of a sector that has been “marketised”. As such, they should probably come with a consumer…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Florian Reber Strategy Lead, South Pole[/box] If we are to solve our global climate and development challenges, we will need nature’s help. Healthy forests, soils and mangroves are not only important allies for addressing our global food security conundrum, they are also critical carbon sinks: storing CO2 is their daily business. New research suggests that up to 37% of the vast emission reductions required by 2030 if we are to give ourselves a chance of avoiding dangerous and costly climate change in the long-term could be delivered by these natural climate champions. Meanwhile, our dominant growth and…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Saloni Kapur, Lancaster University[/box] Pakistan’s prime minister Imran Khan called in September for a meeting between the Pakistani and Indian foreign ministers at the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly. The Indian foreign ministry initially confirmed that the two ministers would meet in New York. But, the following day, India cancelled over the killing of police officers in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir and the July 2018 release of Pakistani stamps depicting Kashmiri separatist fighters. The cancellation of the meeting highlights the tense diplomatic relationship between Pakistan and India, which has long marred the prospects for…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Martin Armstrong, Sep 20, 2018[/box] The U.S. announced the latest round of trade tariffs to be imposed on imports from China on Monday, with the affected goods valued at around $200 billion per year. The tariffs will come into force on September 24 while a Chinese retaliation of $60 billion worth of tariffs has also been threatened. Should this threat be carried out, the U.S. is said to be preparing tariffs on an extra $267 billion worth of imports. As our chart shows, using U.S. Census Bureau data analyzed by the BBC, the Trump administration has now imposed penalties on about…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Felix Richter, Sep 21, 2018[/box] “Kids these days! It feels like they don’t even talk anymore. All they do is text!” While this is not an actual quote, I’m sure it’s a statement that countless parents would agree with, amazed by their children’s ability to spend hours on the phone, seemingly isolated from the outside world. “Don’t you want to hang out with your friends?” “Jeez mum, I am!” According to a new report by Common Sense Media, a non-profit specializing in kids’ technology and media use, texting is now officially the favorite form of communication among teenagers…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Martin Armstrong, Sep 21, 2018[/box] The Japanese cryptocurrency exchange Zaif has announced the theft of an estimated $60 million worth of digital currencies, highlighting once again the frailties that still loom over the industry. As our chart shows, this wasn’t the first such ‘heist’ and it certainly wasn’t the biggest. The latter accolade currently goes to the $547 million theft from Coincheck in January this year. [ads1] You will find more infographics at Statista
Based on the 2006 novel by Vikram Chandra, ‘Sacred Games’ is a thriller set in Mumbai with a cast of police officers, politicians and spies. Photo: Netflix Published in Geo, Sep 21st, 2018, Netflix has officially announced the second season of popular Indian crime drama Sacred Games. The streaming giant announced the news via Twitter along with a 45-second long teaser, which features a mandala spinning around along with the voices of characters, gangster Ganesh Gaitonde played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui, police officer Sartaj Sindh played by Saif Ali Khan, Neeraj Kabi’s Parulkar, and Radhika Apte’s RAW agent Anjali Mathur. “The worst…
Published in ARY, Sep 22nd, 2018, NEW YORK: Rihanna is now Ambassador Rihanna, after her home country tasked her with promoting investment and tourism. Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley said that Rihanna — real name Robyn Rihanna Fenty — has been conferred the title of ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary. Mottley said: “Rihanna has a deep love for this country and this is reflected in her philanthropy, especially in the areas of health and education. She also shows her patriotism in the way she gives back to this country and continues to treasure the island as her home.” While the…
Published in Variety, Sep 22nd, 2018, By Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Olympic Broadcasting Services has partnered with China’s Alibaba to offer cloud-based technical solutions for live broadcasting at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The high requirements for volume, speed and latency that are inherent in live sports broadcasting of major events have kept the use of the cloud to a very low level, despite its multiple advantages. Alibaba Cloud and host broadcaster OBS expect to provide visual and audio assets to all rights-holding broadcasters through their new cloud platform. Broadcasters can also set up their own content creation, management and distribution systems on OBS…
Indian and Pakistan players line up before the start of the Asia Cup ODI match in Dubai on Wednesday. The two nations lock horns once again today in the Super Four stage. Published in Gulf, Sep 22nd, 2018, By K.R. Nayar, Chief Cricket Writer Legendary all-rounder Akram wants the ‘green shirts’ to be at their best Dubai: It’s time once again for India and Pakistan to lock horns in the Asia Cup on Sunday, with a lot more at stake at the Super Four stage now. As both teams have picked up full points from their first match in this…
Former Australia captain Steve Smith is still ranked as the the number two Test batsman by the ICC Published in BBC, Sep 22nd, 2018, David Warner scored a match-winning century and Steve Smith made 85 as the banned duo returned to competitive cricket in Australia. Former Australia captain Smith and ex-vice-captain Warner were banned from international and state cricket for a year in March for ball-tampering. Warner scored 155 not out as Randwick-Petersham beat St George at the start of the club cricket season in Sydney. Smith’s 92-ball innings for Sutherland included six fours and one six. Opening batsman Warner,…
Published in Reuters, Sep 21st, 2018, SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (Reuters) – President Donald Trump told a rally on Friday that there was a “lingering stench” about what was being exposed at the U.S. Justice Department and promised he was going to get rid of that just as his administration had gotten rid of bad people at the FBI. Hours after the New York Times reported that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein suggested last year secretly recording Trump at the White House to expose the chaos consuming the administration, Trump told a packed rally, “Just look at what is being exposed…
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said Labour’s nationalisation plans would be cost-neutral Published in BBC, Sep 22nd, 2018, The rail industry could be completely renationalised within five years if Labour wins the next election, the shadow chancellor has suggested. John McDonnell said he was looking at whether break clauses in contracts could allow rail franchises to be taken into public hands before they expired. He is planning to create a new unit in the Treasury to oversee the party’s wider nationalisation plans. It would advise on issues such as possible compensation for shareholders. Manifesto pledge Mr McDonnell was asked about…
The parade was organised to mark the anniversary of the Iran-Iraq war [Behrad Ghasemi/ISNA/AFP] Published in AlJazeera, Sep 22nd, 2018, President Hassan Rouhani vows ‘crushing response’ following gun attack that killed at least 29 and wounded 50. Four gunmen dressed in fatigues opened fire at a military parade in southwestern Iran, killing at least 29 people including women and children. The brazen attack on Saturday in the city of Ahvaz came as the country marked the anniversary of the start of its 1980-1988 war with Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, and prompted President Hassan Rouhani to warn of a “crushing response”.…
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had called for the resumption of dialogue with India. Published in Gulf, Sep 22nd, 2018 India the day before called off the talks planned for the sidelines of the UN General Assembly this month Islamabad: Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday denounced India’s cancellation of a planned meeting between the countries’ foreign ministers, calling the decision “arrogant” and decrying “small men occupying big offices” who oppose change. India the day before called off the talks planned for the sidelines of the UN General Assembly later this month, which would have been the first…
Published in BBC, Sep 22nd, 2018, A no-deal Brexit is “no problem”, Nigel Farage has said at a rally of the Leave Means Leave campaign group. The former UKIP leader told an audience in Bolton the current government negotiations on Brexit could plausibly end in an agreement. But “far from being a cliff edge”, the UK would prosper without one, he said. He said the majority of the “political class” do not respect the Brexit vote and the “endless negative narrative” needs to be countered “again”. “The vast amount want to overturn it,” he said. “They do not want…
Top UAE banks step up lending as confidence rises The 10 largest listed banks in the UAE maintained increasing levels of confidence in the second quarter by recording increased lending activity and a higher return on credit, according to data compiled by a leading global professional services firm. Comparing the data of the 10 banks, Alvarez & Marsal said in its latest analysis that UAE banks’ profitability continued to increase, with operating income and net interest margins significantly higher than in the previous quarter. In the second quarter, deposits grew faster (2.18 per cent) than loans and advances (1.75 per…
Finance ministry officials to brief parliamentary panel on Ponzi scheme bill Senior finance ministry officials will brief a parliamentary committee later this week on a Bill to ban ponzi schemes. The Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Bill, 2018, which proposes to ban unregulated deposits and has a 10-year jail term provision, was introduced in the Lok Sabha in July during Parliament’s Monsoon Session. The Bill was later referred to the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Finance on the ground that it requires thorough deliberations. Officials of department of Financial Services will brief the panel on the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes…
Pakistan remains undecided on cancelling $400mn loan from ADB With only nine months left in closing of the project, Pakistan has not yet taken a final decision on the cancellation of a $400 million loan, which the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has extended for installation of smart electricity meters, due to divergent views of the concerned ministries. The Power Division – the executing agency for the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) scheme, wanted cancellation of the loan. But the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) – the window to deal with the foreign lenders, has sought a review of the decision, said officials…
PAKISTAN: Zong 4G continues its speed and network expansion momentum like an F-16: Pakistan’s Leading Data Network, Zong 4G, has risen to earn the distinguished title of being the ‘F-16 of Pakistan’ on account of its fastest 4G speed and matchless connectivity. The genesis of the F-16 lies in its unmatched speed, precision and accuracy and so are the underlying features of Zong’s 4G network that offers blazing fast speed at the same reliability level of an F-16 to more than 8 million subscribers. [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] Android Pie firmware reveals 4 Galaxy S10 models: Samsung is set to…
UIT’s graduating students exhibit their projects Students of Usman Institute of Technology (UIT) exhibited their talent through their final year projects at an exhibition and job fair 2018 organised at the institute on Saturday. The exhibition provided a platform to students of engineering and information technology to showcase their projects they had been working on during their final semester. Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui was the chief guest at the event. Mehran Sugar Mills CEO Ibrahim Hashim and some other notables from General Tyres and IBEX Global were also present on the occasion. Speaking…
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 7.46 7.96 2 – Week 7.50 8.00 1 – Month 7.59 8.09 3 – Month 7.79 8.04 6 – Month 7.93 8.18 9 – Month 8.15 8.65 1 – Year 8.29 8.79 2 – Year 8.79 9.29 3- Year 9.08 9.58
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Celine Herweijer Partner, PwC This article is part of the Sustainable Development Impact Summit[/box] The signing of the Paris Agreement in December 2015 signalled a step change in government policy and regulation to combat climate change. While transitioning the energy sector has been an early priority, there’s no doubt that other segments including deforestation and commodities will come under future focus. On fossil fuels, the financial sector has already responded, and is increasing commitments to stop lending to or insuring the coal sector. The financial materiality of emerging regulatory risks is increasing for high-carbon sectors. The growth…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””] Stephany Griffith-Jones, Columbia University[/box] Creating a national investment bank would be key to a major reform of the UK financial sector. It is needed to help support increased investment, which is essential to help make the UK economy more dynamic, fairer and greener. As a publicly capitalised institution, the national investment bank would be an important element of Britain’s financial system. It would lend to – and invest in – private companies and public bodies, while co-financing with private banks and investors. Small and medium-sized businesses will be major beneficiaries, especially those more likely to…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Dominic Kailash Nath Waughray Head of Centre for Global Public Goods, Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum This article is part of the Sustainable Development Impact Summit[/box] We hear a lot about how terrible the world is today. Greenhouse gas emissions are rising, scientists’ extreme weather predictions appear to be coming true, the air in our cities is becoming dangerous, groundwater is getting scarce, ocean health and fish stocks are declining, forests and natural habitats are being destroyed, plastic in our ocean is out of control and researchers warn that a “biological annihilation” of wildlife means a human-driven sixth mass extinction event is underway. Worse…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Hans Vestberg Chief Executive Officer, Verizon Communications This article is part of the Sustainable Development Impact Summit[/box] The potential automation of many jobs raises some big and tricky questions, but one of these hasn’t received sufficient attention: what is the true purpose of education at a time when machines are getting smarter and smarter? I’ve spent my career working with some of the brightest engineers in technology and greatest humanitarians at the UN thinking about how we could bring the benefits of innovation to our customers and society worldwide. The latest and most powerful of these is…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””] Caroline Nye, University of Exeter[/box] British farms have been struggling to find enough seasonal workers since the June 2016 referendum, as EU citizens previously attracted to such work shun the UK for more attractive opportunities elsewhere. Couple this with a likely change in access to EU workers once the UK leaves the EU and hundreds of farms that currently depend on migrant workers could find themselves in jeopardy. Some already are. Now a long-awaited report published by the Migratory Advisory Committee (MAC) has recommended that a seasonal agricultural workers scheme could be the only possible…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Julia Engelmann, Sep 18, 2018[/box] When it comes to environmental awareness, it seems the Japanese consumer is far ahead of Japan’s domestic industry. While the country’s automakers just started to jump on the battery-powered electric vehicle bandwagon, eco-friendliness and low mileage are already the most requested car features according to a survey conducted by Dimsdrive among over 2,700 consumers in Japan. With the average fuel price just hitting its highest level in 3.5 years, demands for alternative energy solutions within the automobile market are rising. Over the course of ten years, the number of new registrations of (so-called in Japan) next generation…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Patrick Wagner, Sep 17, 2018[/box] Print magazines in the UK have a hard time. Online competitors mostly attract readership with cheaper and faster content and have less fixed costs to maintain business and issue their content. As our chart shows, almost all magazine sectors surveyed by market researcher Marketforce had to face a decline in sales, magazines covering news could gain almost 4,6 percent of growth. The sectors Women’s Interests – Other and Women’s Traditional could gain even more. [ads1] You will find more infographics at Statista