Anyone who engages in divisive politics will be abandoned: Afghan FM Published in The News on Sep 27th, 2021, Qaseem Saeed Amir Khan Muttaqi says credit for establishing peace in country solely goes to local people of Afghanistan KABUL: The acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Amir Khan Muttaqi has said that anyone who engages in divisive politics will be abandoned. The statement was made at a ceremony of the Afghan Ministry of Commerce in Kabul on Sunday. Muttaqi, while referring to the Afghan war, said that the credit for establishing peace in the country solely goes to the local…
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Mohammad Eslami, Head of Atomic Energy Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran (AEOI), during the 65th International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna. [File: Christian Bruna/EPA] Published in AlJazeera on Sep 27th, 2021, The UN nuclear watchdog says its inspectors denied access to a nuclear site in Karaj, but Tehran says it’s not part of the agreement. Tehran, Iran – Iran and the global nuclear watchdog have found themselves in disagreement over the contents of an understanding reached earlier this month, which was part of efforts to restore the 2015 nuclear deal. Iran…
In this file photo, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a speech during the closing session of the National People’s Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. — AFP/File Published in Dawn News on Sep 27th, 2021, Reuters TAIPEI: The situation in the Taiwan Strait is “complex and grim”, Chinese President Xi Jinping wrote in a congratulatory letter on Sunday to the newly elected leader of Taiwan’s main opposition party, who has pledged to renew talks with Beijing. Taiwan’s Kuomintang (KMT) elected as their leader on Saturday former New Taipei City mayor Eric Chu, who said he would…
The US government wants humanitarian aid to continue despite sanctions on the Taliban-led government. File photo Published in The News on Sep 25th, 2021, AP The exemptions will allow the US government and aid groups “to engage in the provision of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan WASHINGTON: The United States on Friday announced two exemptions to its sanctions imposed on Afghanistan in a bid to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into the conflict-wracked, Taliban-controlled country. The provisions allow the US government, aid groups and international organizations “to engage in the provision of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan or other activities…
Bahrain economy returns to pre-pandemic levels Bahrain’s economic indicators show that the performance of various sectors in August this year was comparable to the levels recorded during 2019 – before the outbreak of the pandemic, Finance and National Economy Minister Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa has said. The data reflects the continued pace of economic recovery, he said. Shaikh Salman paid tribute to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, hailing royal directives to launch the stimulus package to mitigate the impact of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) and maintain sustainable development, said a Bahrain News Agency report. [divider…
Asian Development Bank sees high inflation in Pakistan The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Wednesday projected that inflation in Pakistan would remain the highest in the region at 7.5 percent and the economy would grow by 4 percent – the fifth lowest rate among seven South Asian nations, puncturing the government’s claim of lowest prices in the country. The Asian Development Outlook Update (ADOU) – the twice a year flagship publication of the ADB, revealed Pakistan’s standing among peer regional countries. The ADB has not taken into account Afghanistan’s economy due to prevailing uncertainties in the country. Pakistan’s “economy is…
Tag raises $12 million in Pakistan’s largest seed funding round: Pakistan’s financial technology startup, TAG Innovation Pvt. Limited, raised more than $12 million in Pakistan’s largest seed funding round. This pushes the startup’s total financing to date to over $17.5 million, and raises the company’s valuation to about $100 million. After the funding, the company is valued at $100 million, according to Bloomberg. The valuation compares with an average $386 million for Pakistan’s 21 listed lenders, it added. [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] Driving innovation through empowered tech talent: Businesses today are fortunate to be operating in an era that is…
Shell Tameer rewards young, bright Pakistani innovators The finale of the Shell Tameer Awards 2021, a nationwide contest was held at Shell House to recognise the best and brightest young entrepreneurs in Pakistan. The event was attended by prominent business leaders and professionals from the industry and existing and aspiring entrepreneurs. The event was live streamed for audiences across the country. The grand winners of the Shell Tameer Awards 2021 announced were: Circular Economy – TrashIt – Anusha Fatima – A tech based waste recycling startup enabling communities to reduce their waste footprint while creating opportunities for the informal waste…
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. Kibor Rates In Pakistan TENOR BID OFFER 1 – Week 7.19 7.69 2 – Week 7.24 7.74 1 – Month 7.30 7.80 3 – Month 7.51 7.76 6 – Month 7.88 8.13 9 – Month 8.10 8.60 1 – Year 8.27 8.77 Updated on 24 Sep, 2021
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Florian Zandt, Sep 24, 2021[/box] September 30th is International Podcast Day, celebrating the digital broadcasting format that has risen from a hobbyist endeavour to a veritable source of income for businesses and content creators alike. As data from our Statista Global Consumer Survey shows, the festivities are likely to be more lively in specific countries. According to surveys of 1,000 to 5,700 respondents per country, Sweden sits in first place out of 54 countries when it comes to podcast consumption, with 47 percent of respondents claiming they listened to at least one podcast in the last 12 months.…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Katharina Buchholz, Sep 24, 2021[/box] A study by VPN provider Surfshark has found that the planet’s least affordable internet is also often its worst. According to the 2021 Digital Quality of Life Index, Nigerians would have to work more than 35 hours at average pay to be able to afford for the cheapest monthly broadband contract available in the country. This is despite the fact that Nigeria has the sixth worst broadband speed in the survey that looked at 110 countries. Many countries in Latin America are plagued by the same problem. Indonesia is the least affordable…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Florian Zandt, Sep 24, 2021[/box] A $450 million year over year increase in costs due to staff shortages and a decline of seven percent in quarterly profit: FedEx’ recent quarterly results aren’t giving investors too much to be happy about, with shares falling by 4.6 percent after the publication of its current financial report. Nevertheless, it still firmly sits in the top 3 of the highest valuated publicly traded courier companies. Challenging the first and second spots might prove difficult for the U.S.-based company though. Its strongest home-turf competitor, UPS, stands at a market capitalization of $162.7 billion according…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Martin Armstrong, Sep 22, 2021[/box] The United Nations General Assembly taking place in New York this week is running under the theme “Building resilience through hope – to recover from Covid-19, rebuild sustainably, respond to the needs of the planet, respect the rights of people, and revitalize the United Nations”. Pertaining to the ‘needs of the planet’ element, Xi Jinping has announced that China will not build more new coal power plants abroad in a move which could prove key in reducing global emissions. Speaking in his address, Xi said: “China will step up support for other developing…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Florian Zandt, Sep 22, 2021[/box] Only 18 countries in the world can be considered truly free when it comes to the internet. What was once envisioned as a space to exchange information and foster community by connecting people around the world has, in some instances, turned into a tool of control and censorship. As our chart shows, most of the world’s population has to live with only slightly free internet. According to the yearly report by Freedom House, 31 of the 70 assessed countries only have partial freedom when it comes to user rights and state control of…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Robert Opp Chief Digital Officer, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)[/box] Digital public infrastructure (DPI) – or “digital highways” – are online platforms or solutions that deliver shared public and private services. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how DPIs can help ensure people everywhere receive vital services, but it has also highlighted issues such as digital inequality and online privacy and trust concerns. By facilitating collaboration between the users and the creators of these systems, these challenges can be overcome to produce robust, standardized DPIs that serve all communities and meet the UN SDGs. The COVID-19 pandemic…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Morgan Bazilian Director, Professor of Public Policy, Payne Institute for Public Policy Dustin Mulvaney Professor, San José State University (SJSU)[/box] The rapid growth of the solar energy industry seen in recent years is expected to continue. Solar is now one of the cheapest power sources available globally, but its long-term sustainability has been threatened by allegations of forced labour and coal use by some silicon producers that supply the solar panel industry. The solar industry must work with governments to address these issues through increased supply chain visibility, diversification and more R&D into low-carbon production techniques.…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Majid Jafar Chief Executive Officer, Crescent Petroleum[/box] Developed nations must support a clean energy transition in emerging economies. Tackling climate change for the planet depends upon it. For the developing world, climate action represents just one of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals alongside poverty, hunger, health, education, clean water and energy access. Efforts to achieve real change will fall short until the interests of developed nations versus those of developing countries seeking to industrialize their own economies are better aligned. When world leaders gather for the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow next month, expectations will…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Sarah Khatry Managing Director, AI Ethics, DataRobot Ted Kwartler VP, Trusted AI, DataRobot Kay Firth-Butterfield Head of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning; Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum Mark Caine Project Lead, Artificial Intelligence and Machine LearningProject Lead, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, World Economic Forum This article is part of the Sustainable Development Impact Summit[/box] AI can be a powerful tool to combat climate change, but its role also as a contributor to emissions cannot be overlooked. The first step to make AI greener is to promote the practice of more holistic and multidimensional…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Usman AhmedHead, Global Public Policy and Research, PayPal Aditi Sara Verghese Policy Analyst, International Trade and Investment, World Economic Forum Geneva This article is part of the Sustainable Development Impact Summit[/box] A new vision for the global trading system must encompass equitable access to the benefits of trade for all of society, and some nations have signalled support in this regard. Reforms to trade policy could have a meaningful impact on domestic economic inequality if a range of concrete steps are taken. The WTO, and trade policy and practice more generally, can be reframed to reflect the…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Tom Stacey, Anglia Ruskin University[/box] Europe is facing an energy crisis thanks to low wind-power generation, broken connections that allow electricity to be shared across nations and shrinking nuclear energy sources. The UK has responded by burning more gas to produce electricity – but gas prices are at a record high. The result is that wholesale electricity costs are at their highest levels in years, and this is having a knock-on effect for anything that uses electricity. One benefit of owning an electric vehicle (often abbreviated to EV) is that they are usually cheaper to run,…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Alice Charles Project Lead, Cities, Infrastructure and Urban Services Platform, World Economic Forum Kalin Bracken Lead, Real Estate, World Economic Forum[/box] China’s second largest Real Estate company Evergrande is over $305 billion in debt. As the company struggles to repay creditors, global markets have responded with selloffs. Questions loom about a government bailout and whether Evergrande is in fact too big to fail. Evergrande, now the world’s most indebted real estate company, is on the brink of collapse and the news sent global markets tumbling during trading on Monday. The company has warned investors that it…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Simon Bullock, University of Manchester[/box] In the middle of this summer’s shocking fires and floods came the grimmest climate science report yet from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, warning of a “code red for humanity” as our use of fossil fuels continues to drive up global temperatures. To keep below the threshold of 1.5 degrees °C of warming – the goal of the Paris climate agreement – immediate reductions in carbon emissions are needed. One of the sectors doing the most damage is international shipping, the emissions of which are almost equivalent to those…
Contact centers agents especially front line agents are often took for granted, they are under-respected and under-paid from both their employees and customers, where they are the one performing most stress-full and difficult jobs. For a few years, industry has been bombarded with the word Empowerment. Empowerment means to give your agents the authority to perform. Now the question is will this empowerment give a benefit to agents or it will be a burden for them. As we all are aware handling calls while managing QA levels is not an easy job. We are concerned that agents will be victimized…
MSCI downgrade, PSX fully recovered index gaining241 points Summary Investors during the week were expecting since June26 , the global index provider would announce a decision on Sept 7 after consultation with market participant the option to demote Pakistan back to frontier market ( F M ) from emerging markets ( EM ) since the number of companies in the Pakistan index that met the size and liquidity criterion for placement on the MSCI EM was below the minimum of three. The great expectation at the time of upgrade to FM and an instant inflow of $500 m of foreign…
Published in The Nation on Sep 06th, 2021, Web Desk Pakistan cricket team head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis have resigned from their respective roles. As per the reports, they have communicated their decisions to the Pakistan Cricket Board late Monday morning. It is pertinent to note that Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis were appointed in September 2019 and they both still have a year left in their contracts. The PCB has appointed Saqlain Mushtaq and Abdul Razzaq as interim coaches for the three ODI and five T20 series, with the team management for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, which is to…
Published in Geo News on Sep 07th, 2021, SAO PAULO: Brazilian football great Pele has undergone surgery for a suspected colon tumour and is recovering, the hospital in Sao Paolo treating him announced on Monday. “The tumour was identified during routine cardiovascular and laboratory examinations and the material was sent for pathological analysis,” said the Albert Einstein Hospital where Pele has been treated since August 31. “I thank God for feeling very well,” the 80-year-old wrote on his Instagram page on Monday. “Fortunately, I’m used to celebrating great victories alongside you. “I will face this match with a smile…
Published in The Nation on Sep 06th, 2021, Anadolu The World Cup Qualifier game between Brazil and Argentina has been suspended due to health reasons. “The meeting between #Brasil and @Argentina was suspended,” the Argentine national football team said on Twitter. Officials from the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency Anvisa stormed Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo during the game in minute six to detain four Premier League players from Argentina — Giovanni Lo Celso, Cristian Romero, Emiliano Buendia, and Emiliano Martinez — who allegedly entered Brazil from the UK without complying with quarantine requirements. Argentine superstar Lionel Messi rebuked the Brazilian…
Published in Bol News on Sep 03rd, 2021, Muzzamil Mehboob WEB EDITOR Pakistan cricket fans are overjoyed with New Zealand (Blackcaps) returning to the country after 18 years for the tour. The series is all set to start from September 17. Here are the complete details regards the matches. ODI Series Pakistan and New Zealand will play their first ODI on Friday, September 17, at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The second ODI will be played on September 19, at the same venue. The final ODI will be played on September 21. Squads Pakistan (ODI) Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Shafique,…
Ronaldo is also the all-time top goalscorer in the Champions League [File: Toby Melville/Reuters] Published in AlJazeera on Sep 02nd, 2021, The Manchester United forward has now 111 international goals, breaking record of 109 goals previously held by Iran’s Ali Daei. Cristiano Ronaldo has become the record highest goalscorer in international football after he helped Portugal beat Republic of Ireland 2-1 in World Cup qualifying on Wednesday. The Manchester United forward has now 111 international goals, breaking a record of 109 goals previously held by Iran’s Ali Daei. Ronaldo, who is the all-time top goalscorer in the Champions League…
Pope Francis speaks during a welcoming ceremony at Ben Gurion international airport near Tel Aviv May 25, 2014. REUTERS/Baz Ratner Published in Reuters on Sep 06th, 2021, By Philip Pullella Israeli rabbis had expressed “distress” over papal comments Cardinal clarifies comment in letter sent at pope’s behest Francis has cultivated good relations with Jewish leaders VATICAN CITY, Sept 6 (Reuters) – Pope Francis has moved to allay Jewish concerns over comments he made about their books of sacred law, following a demand for clarification from Israel’s top rabbis, Vatican and Jewish community sources said on Monday. Last month Reuters reported…
In this file photo taken on August 19, 2014 Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani arrives at the Pakistan embassy in New Delhi. — AFP/File Published in Dawn News on Sep 06th, 2021, AP SRINAGAR: Police in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir opened a case on Saturday against family members of the late resistance leader Syed Ali Geelani under a harsh anti-terror law for allegedly raising anti-India slogans and wrapping his body in the Pakistan flag. Ali Geelani, who died on Wednesday at age 92, was the emblem of Kashmiris’ defiance against New Delhi and had been under house…
A building damaged at the Natanz facility, one of Iran’s main uranium enrichment plants, after an alleged sabotage attack blamed on Israel [Iran Atomic Organization via AFP] Published in AlJazeera on Sep 05th, 2021, By Thomas O Falk Israeli leaders have issued a series of threats against Iran over its nuclear programme, reviving ‘plans’ for action. Israeli leaders have revived threats against Iran after warning it is just months away from possessing a nuclear weapon. The United States and Israel have formed a high-level team to tackle the Iran nuclear issue, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced last week after meeting President…
Published in The Nation on Sep 05th, 2021, Agencies TEHRAN – Iran urged the United States Saturday to stop its addiction to sanctions against the Islamic republic and accused President Joe Biden of following the same “dead end” policies as Donald Trump. Foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh made his remarks a day after the US Treasury announced financial sanctions against four Iranians accused of planning the kidnapping in the US of an American journalist of Iranian descent. “Washington must understand that it has no other choice but to abandon its addiction to sanctions and show respect, both in its statements…
Victims’ families pressured President Joe Biden to declassify documents related to the investigation of the September 11, 2001 attacks [File: Andrew Kelly/Reuters] Published in AlJazeera on Sep 03rd, 2021 The president was under pressure from survivors and victims’ families, who believe Saudi Arabia aided the al-Qaeda attackers. US President Joe Biden has directed the Justice Department and other agencies to begin a six-month process of declassifying documents related to the FBI’s investigations into the September 11, 2001 attacks. The move on Friday comes days before the 20th anniversary of the al-Qaeda attacks and a month after 9/11 survivors, first…
Bahrain approves third booster shot of Sputnik v Bahrain and fellow Gulf state the United Arab Emirates have already approved third booster shots using the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Bahraini authorities have authorised the use of a booster dose of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, the first time the Russian shot has been approved for a third dose, the state-run Bahrain News Agency said on Saturday. The booster shot was approved for use among all over-18s at least six months after receiving their second dose of the Sputnik V vaccine, the news agency reported. [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] Amazon to put UAE…
Pakistan, Afghanistan to trade in PKR Pakistan may trade with Afghanistan in rupee, a move that can ease the country’s burgeoning current account deficit. Minister of Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin told the Senate Standing Committee on Finance that trade with Afghanistan would be in rupee now as the new government wanted to save its dollar reserves. Commenting on the development, Pakistan Businesses Forum Vice President Ahmad Jawad said it was a good move for Pakistan’s importers too, to deal in rupee. “In a currency swap arrangement, countries that buy from each other pay in their respective currency at a…
Apple delays plan to scan iPhones for child abuse: Apple has delayed plans to roll out detection technology which would have scanned US users’ iPhones in search of child sexual abuse material. It follows widespread criticism from privacy groups and others, worried that the on-device tracking set a dangerous precedent. Apple said that it had listened to the negative feedback and was reconsidering. There were concerns the system could be abused by authoritarian states. [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] Zong Partners with Sehat Kahani to Provide Free E-Consultation Sessions Amid Covid Pandemic: Zong 4G has joined forces with one of the…
Digital libas wins UNDP-Jazz SDG Bootcamp in Balochistan Digital Libas, a remote work providing social enterprise from Quetta, is the winner of the SDG Bootcamp for Social Enterprises organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Jazz in Balochistan. The social enterprise will now participate in the national level SDG Bootcamp competition to be held later this year. The runners up included Sustainable Design Studio, which provides green and sustainable design and architectural services to residential and commercial projects; and Rangoon Café, which seeks to establish a safe and productive space for people of different sects, cultures, and economic…
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. Kibor Rates In Pakistan TENOR BID OFFER 1 – Week 6.91 7.41 2 – Week 6.96 7.46 1 – Month 7.01 7.51 3 – Month 7.14 7.39 6 – Month 7.29 7.54 9 – Month 7.39 7.89 1 – Year 7.48 7.98 Updated on 3 Sep, 2021
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Martin Armstrong, Sep 6, 2021[/box] Given that agricultural land is expanding at the expense of forests, marine stocks are being decimated by overfishing and coral reefs are getting clogged by plastic, it comes as no real surprise that plant and animal species are getting decimated. The UN Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) conducted one of the most comprehensive checks on the state of the planet ever recently and it found that human activity is having a devastating impact on the environment. The insatiable human thirst for food and energy is primarily to blame and…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Katharina Buchholz, Sep 3, 2021[/box] China is by far the biggest e-commerce market in the world as seen in figures from the Statista Digital Market Outlook. Last year, e-commerce sales in the country stood at $1.3 trillion and that number is projected to increase to almost $2 trillion by 2025. This would mean that in 4 years, almost every second e-commerce dollar could be spent in China. Revenues generated in China make up the majority of the Asian market. Yet, other markets on the continent are already growing at a faster rate than the Chinese market. Chinese growth remains…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]By Florian Zandt, Sep 3, 2021[/box] Big tech is notorious when it comes to the usage of customer data for advertising and tracking users across the web. The regulatory framework of the GDPR, or General Data Protection Regulation, in the EU aims to give users more control over their own data – and lays the groundwork for fining companies offering their services in the EU for breaching its articles. Even though the Ireland branch of WhatsApp is facing a fine of 267 million U.S. dollars for failing to live up to GDPR standards, it’s not the biggest sum a company had…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Martin Armstrong, Sep 3, 2021[/box] The latest global university ranking has been released by Times Higher Education, putting the UK’s Oxford University at the top of the pile. Institutions are ranked based on five indicators: teaching, research, citations, international outlook and industry income. On this basis, the UK and United States completely dominate the top of the list, with only one other country represented in the first 15 – Switzerland with ETH Zurich in 15th place. You will find more infographics at Statista
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Martin Armstrong, Sep 3, 2021[/box] According to the Statista Global Consumer Survey, 62 percent of respondents from the U.S. say they eat pasta regularly. But that’s nothing compared to the European home of pasta, Italy, 83 percent of which regularly have pasta on their daily menu. The food staple is almost equally as popular in France, where 80 percent of respondents count it as a regular fixture on their shopping list. As this infographic shows, countries where rice is traditionally the basis of a large proportion of meals such as China and India have a much smaller…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Florian Zandt, Sep 1, 2021[/box] Even though Zoom Video Communications (Zoom) managed to increase its revenue to over one billion US dollars for the first time, it’s still in a tough spot compared to the collaboration software segments of other big tech players. As our chart shows, Microsoft still dominates this specific market with almost one quarter of the total global revenue stemming from the use of its products, while Zoom only had about five percent market share in 2020. However, these figures have to be taken with a grain of salt. While Zoom relies almost entirely on its video…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Daniel Wheatley, University of Birmingham[/box] Flexibility has become a key element in the world of work. Even before the pandemic hit, many jobs were designed to provide greater choice about how, when and where they could be done. Now the notion of “hybrid working”, which combines time working from home and time in physical proximity to colleagues at a workplace, is expected to be a popular option for many employees as companies seek to attract them back to the office. Some employers are reducing their office space or even closing locations in anticipation of a long-term…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Anjan Ray Director, CSIR Indian Institute of Petroleum[/box] • On the current trajectory, sustainable fuels will only supply a small percentage of aviation and shipping needs. • Favourable government policies are needed to increase production and adoption of sustainable fuels in both sectors. • Stronger and more streamlined regulatory frameworks should also be put in place. Six years after COP21 and with recent lockdowns across many parts of the world putting brakes on anthropogenic activities, efforts towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions to secure the future of the planet have moved beyond country-level actions based on their…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]This article is published in collaboration with Thomson Reuters Foundation trust.org Michael Taylor Asia correspondent and sub-editor, Thomson Reuters Foundation This article is part of the Sustainable Development Impact Summit[/box] Tens of millions of green jobs could be created if governments diverted subsidies that harm ecosystems, according to the WWF. WWF examined the potential impact of channelling the annual $500 billion governments put into damaging subsidies into greener activities. They found that redistributing this would create 39 million new jobs, largely in east Asia-Pacific, South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. The jobs could include recycling, sustainable forestry management,…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]This article is published in collaboration with The Conversation Vijayan Asari Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, , University of Dayton[/box] It can be extremely dangerous to send in first responders, during hurricanes, flash flooding and other disasters. A research team have been exploring how autonomous drones could help identify people in need and notify rescue teams. Many rescuers already use drones, but most require individual pilots who fly the unmanned aircraft by remote control, slowing the process. Autonomous drones can scan the landscape, investigate the selected region, detect humans and collects GPS data in about…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Sean Fleming Senior Writer, Formative Content[/box] Working remotely is limiting valuable relationships at work, according to a new report. It may even be stunting some people’s career development. Hybrid models of work may be the future for many organizations, but they will have to work hard to create a healthy culture. Getting back into the office might be the best thing for many people, their employers and for productivity, according to ADP Research, a US-based labour market analyst. Its report, On-site, Remote or Hybrid: Employee Sentiment on the Workplace, is based on data from 9,000 employees in…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Chenchao Liu Global Shaper, Munich Hub, Silreal[/box] China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) could facilitate unprecedented levels of cooperation between East and West. Despite very different demographic histories, China and Europe currently share the challenge of an ageing population. The BRI could enable the two regions to empower the elderly through healthcare innovation, training and infrastructure. Over nearly a decade, the steppe surrounding Khorgos, the border town between China and Kazakhstan, has been transformed as China builds the hub of the New Silk Road. The world’s largest dry port, part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI),…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Paul Hallett, University of Aberdeen; Ganlin Zhang, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Larissa A. Naylor, University of Glasgow, and Weikai Wang, University of Glasgow[/box] All over the world, agriculture is threatened by degraded soils. Stripped of carbon from intensive farming, soils erode more easily, host fewer microbes and hold less water and nutrients. Fertilisers and pesticides applied to improve crop yields can leach beneath the soil and pollute the surrounding environment. Soil degradation is a particularly big problem in China, where enormous pressure on natural resources from industrial-scale farming is accelerating the rate of soil erosion. Looking…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Sean Fleming Senior Writer, Formative Content[/box] Dangerously high blood pressure, or hypertension, can kill if left untreated. Of the 1.2 billion people thought to have it, half don’t know and many more are not getting the treatment they need. Medication can be life-saving for people with high blood pressure, but so too can lifestyle changes. As many as 1.2 billion people could be living with hypertension and half of them don’t even realize they have this potentially life-threatening condition. Also known as high blood pressure, hypertension can bring on a range of very serious illnesses and…
Customer experience & digital transformation are now going hand-in-hand and companies need to provide exceptional customer experiences if they need to succeed in today’s crowded marketplaces. Customers also use many more digital channels than before and expect seamless journeys throughout their transactions and even while switching between channels. So how does one stay ahead of the competition in today’s competitive environment and what are the new expectations of customers? What should be the customer experience strategy? Here is our take on how an organization can enhance its customer experience and satisfaction. Customer Experience Customer experience has become the main brand…
PSX under bearish spell: KSE-100 lose 463 points Summary Pakistan added 430 points previous week , and closed above 47,000 level The news on 23 August of SBP receiving the International Monetary Fund ‘s special drawing rights ( SDR ) allocating funds amounting to $2.75 bn , the market opened with a gain of 512 points om Monday. The market then went for profit taking till Friday mainly due to roll over week .Also The Covid cases were rising for confirmed cases of 1,123,813 to 1,144,341 on Friday. The death toll per day increased from 75 to 95 on Friday.…
Published in ARY News on Aug 23rd, 2021, Reuters LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Need proof that movie going is far from returning to normal? Look no further than this weekend’s domestic box office charts. Case in point: An animated movie based on the kid’s TV show PAW Patrol left Hugh Jackman’s romance-drama Reminiscence in the dust in North America, with the heroic pups of Adventure City collecting six times more than a film toplined by a Hollywood A-lister in their respective debuts. That’s the unpredictable reality of the movie theatre business as the delta variant continues to depress ticket sales across the globe.…
Published in The Nation on Aug 23rd, 2021, Web Desk China cultural center in Pakistan has launched online documentary series named as “Tibet Story”. The third series of Tibet documentaries composed of four episodes, namely Highland Dancers, Watchmen in the Barley Field, the Mask God and Symphony of Heaven and Earth. The stories engulfs intangible cultural heritage and how locals cultivate barley on fertile land along the Yarlung Zangbo River. The documentary exhibits the progress in Tibet’s agricultural production and the efforts in the protection of traditional Tibetan cultural.
Published in ARY News on Aug 17th, 2021, Samar Khan made history last week after becoming the first female cyclist to reach the K2 basecamp on a mountain bike. Khan announced the feat about five days ago on her Instagram, where she had been regularly updating her followers with pictures and lengthy posts about her journey. Terming the final leg of her quest as ‘Journey to Chogori’, Khan said, “The stage where prayers are answered or sometimes delayed, where I got to see the clear face of majestic Choghori, standing with grace.” Chogori is the unofficial local name for…
Published in Bol News on Aug 23rd, 2021, Suhaib Ahmed On Monday, The England football association said that Liverpool will not release Mohamed Salah for Egypt’s coming World Cup qualifying matches because of Covid-19 restrictions. Salah would be quarantined on his return from Cairo and will miss 2 Premier League games, as Egypt is on England’s red list. On 2nd September Egypt is scheduled to play Angola in Cairo before facing Gabon 3 days later in Franceville. The association said, “continues its contacts with the FIFA …. to have international players be exempted from travel restrictions imposed on them in countries where they…
Published in The Nation on Aug 21st, 2021, Sputnik Argentine superstar Lionel Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on a two-year, $83 million deal earlier this month after his 21-year-long association with his boyhood club Barcelona came to an end due to their mounting debt, which now stands at a mammoth $1.5 billion. Six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi’s long-awaited debut for French giants PSG has been delayed yet again as the 34-year-old has been left out of Mauricio Pochettino’s team for their game against Brest. Messi didn’t feature in PSG’s 4-2 win over Strasbourg last weekend, as he continues to work on his…
Roman Reigns holds up the WWE Universal Championship [WWE] Published in AlJazeera on Aug 21st, 2021, By Sohail Malik Saturday night in Las Vegas will be a massive occasion for World Wrestling Entertainment. The promotion expects to host its biggest crowd since the start of the pandemic, with more than 40,000 fans set to pack Allegiant Stadium. The event will also see the much-anticipated return of wrestler turned Hollywood superstar, 16 times world champion John Cena. But moreover, SummerSlam will be a landmark moment for racial diversity. The event is set to feature title defences by one of WWE’s most…
Syed Imaad Ali — Photo courtesy Irshad Ali Twitter Published in Dawn News on Aug 22nd, 2021, Abdul Ghaffar Syed Imaad Ali bagged the World English Scrabble Players Association (WESPA) Youth Cup (formerly known as the World Youth Scrabble Championship) in the final in Karachi on Sunday. The 15-year-old talent defeated his opponent in nine out of 13 games in Sunday’s finals as Pakistan finished first in the tournament, with Hasham Hadi Khan — another Pakistani to qualify for the final with 26 wins — coming in fourth after winning in seven games. Ali opened up an early lead in the…
Published in Bol News on Aug 21st, 2021, Shariq Tahir WEB EDITOR The Taliban have allowed the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) to carry on with its operations as usual. The ACB has contacted Taliban representatives, who have so far not indicated to the board that the organization intends to outlaw cricket in the nation. According to the sources, “Afghan cricket series will be held as per schedule as the sport will send a positive message [about Afghanistan] around the globe.” The ACB would face no problems other than logistics, said sources. Earlier, the fate of the scheduled ODI series between Pakistan…
Published in Dawn News on Aug 23rd, 2021, AFP KABUL: The Taliban’s senior officials gathered in the Afghan capital on Saturday for talks with elders and politicians on forming a government after their stunning sweep to power last weekend. The inner workings and leadership of the group have long been shrouded in secrecy — even during their rule from 1996 to 2001 — but here is a rundown of what is known: Haibatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada was appointed leader of the Taliban in a swift power transition after a US drone strike killed his predecessor, Mullah…
Drivers wait in a long queue to get fuel at a petrol station under a billboard showing slain IRGC General Qassem Soleimani [File: Hassan Ammar/AP Photo] Published in AlJazeera on Aug 23rd, 2021, Iran official says his country could send more fuel to Lebanon after Hezbollah leader promised more vessels carrying fuel would sail soon Iran says it is ready to ship more fuel to Lebanon if needed, a day after the leader of Lebanon’s Iran-aligned Hezbollah group said more vessels carrying Iranian fuel would sail soon to help ease the country’s energy crisis. Hezbollah’s foes in Lebanon have…
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin attends a video conference during the World Economic Forum (WEF) of the Davos Agenda, in Moscow, on Jan 27. — Reuters/File Published in Dawn News on Aug 23rd, 2021, Reuters MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin on Sunday rejected the idea of sending people evacuation from Afghanistan to countries near Russia, saying he did not want “militants showing up here under cover of refugees”, Russian news agencies reported. Putin criticised an idea of some Western countries to relocate refugees from Afghanistan to neighbouring Central Asian countries while their visas to the United States and Europe are being…
Published in The Nation on Aug 22nd, 2021, Sputnik With this statement, Iran is sending a warning message to the United States and its allies that have been waging an economic pressure campaign against the nation, which, to a larger extent, has affected the lives of ordinary Iranians. It is vital that the Islamic Republic provides a “decisive response” to sanctions and threats coming from its enemies, Mehr News agency reported on Saturday, citing the military’s message for the National Day of Defense Industry, celebrated annually on August 22. While commemorating the martyrs, Iran’s army vowed to “throw its weight”…
Palestinian protesters carry a wounded man during the clahses near the border between Israel and Gaza Strip. [Mohammed Saber/EPA] Published in AlJazeera on Aug 21st, 2021, Two Palestinians, including a 13-year-old boy shot in the head by Israeli forces, are in a critical condition. The Israeli military launched air raids on Gaza following clashes between its soldiers and Palestinian protesters during a demonstration to commemorate the burning of Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque 52 years ago. In a statement late on Saturday, the Israeli military said it struck four weapons manufacturing and storage sites in Gaza belonging to Hamas, the group…
Qatar hurdles Covid-19 economic woes Gulf: Despite the impact of Covid-19 on world economies, Qatar has managed to withstand the “most severe” pandemic-related economic challenges, according to Oxford Business Group (OBG) in its latest report. “Thanks to pre-existing macroeconomic strengths, Qatar experienced the lowest GDP contraction in the GCC in 2020, aided by supportive fiscal and monetary measures for vulnerable sectors, and efforts to maintain robust supply chains for essential goods,” stated the new Covid-19 Response Report that OBG produced in partnership with retail chain LuLu Hypermarket. Titled ‘Food Security in Qatar’, the report said Qatar’s economy is positioned for…
Government to construct information highways “Pakistan is making great progress with the use of emerging technologies,” the president said and noted that the country had left behind during the fourth industrial revolution. Amid the fourth information technology revolution, the communication and spread of information had gained rapid traction, he said, adding that the fifth generation (5G) revolution was just around the corner. The government is taking steps to build information highways and extend the reach of people to the new fourth generation technologies, said President Arif Alvi. Speaking at an international conference on innovation and entrepreneurship on Tuesday, he said…
Apple chief executive Tim Cook gets $750m payout: Apple chief executive Tim Cook has received more than five million shares in the technology giant, as he marks ten years in the job. A company filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) watchdog shows that he sold most of the shares for more than $750m (£550m).It is part of a deal he struck when he took over from co-founder Steve Jobs. [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] With 3,000 Units Sold, realme C25s Makes a Spectacular Debut in Pakistan: With two million handsets sold in Pakistan and 100 million the world…
MOU signing ceremony between GFS builders and developers and Shahid Afridi Foundation Leading GFS Builders & Developers who always work for humanitarian Services, there another important step for the noble cause, had an agreement with Shahid Afridi Foundation. On this occasion GFS builders and developers CEO Mr. Irfan Wahid said that he is really impressed with Shahid Afridi’s character and he is very much impressed the way Afridi is helping people in remote areas. Even today, there are people in this country who support humanity. Shahid Afridi in his speech said that GFS Builders & Developers is a very big…
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. Kibor Rates In Pakistan TENOR BID OFFER 1 – Week 6.89 7.39 2 – Week 6.94 7.44 1 – Month 7.00 7.50 3 – Month 7.13 7.38 6 – Month 7.29 7.54 9 – Month 7.42 7.92 1 – Year 7.50 8.00 Updated on 27 Aug, 2021
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Florian Zandt, Aug 27, 2021[/box] The US Department of Justice has decided to temporarily close the notorious Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York due to a slew of shortcomings concerning staffing and general security. The 233 people currently held at the facility will be transferred. Even though this specific detention center is rather small, the US still leads the world when it comes to prison population per 100,000 residents as our chart shows. An approximate ratio of 639 of 100,000 US residents are currently spending time behind bars according to data provided by Institute for Crime & Justice Policy…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Felix Richter, Aug 27, 2021[/box] Faced with antitrust allegations and the wrath of (some) app makers, Apple extended an olive branch to its developer community in November 2020 by introducing the App Store Small Business Program, which reduces the company’s contentious app store commission from 30 to 15 percent for developers earning less than $1 million a year. In what is arguably an even bigger concession to developers, Apple announced this week that it would allow app makers to inform users about payment methods outside of Apple’s ecosystem, for example via email, which would enable them to circumvent the…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Florian Zandt, Aug 26, 2021[/box] Even though video games have become one of the most lucrative industries worldwide, eSports are still considered far removed from “real” sports, even though events like world championships in popular games like League of Legends, DotA 2 or StarCraft II regularly sell out huge arenas and athletes follow similarly strict training regimes to improve at their craft. While the general populace may be skeptical, gamers in key European markets are starting to take more and more notice of the appeal of virtual competitions as our chart shows. Overall, eSports viewership in Europe has risen by…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Martin Armstrong, Aug 24, 2021[/box] The Economist Intelligence Unit has published its 2021 Safe Cities Index, ranking 60 major global cities across 76 indicators based on digital, health, infrastructure, environmental and personal security. Copenhagen tops the rankings this year with a score of 82.4 out of 100. According to the report, “every one of the leading cities overall has a more pronounced relative weak spot. Copenhagen, for example, comes 26th for health security”. The Danish capital does however also place first for personal security. Cities in the Asia-Pacific region dominate the top-10 with Singapore, Tokyo, Sydney, Hong…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Martin Armstrong, Aug 23, 2021[/box] With the Summer Olympics having drawn to a close on 8 August, the next major multi-discipline international sporting event is due to get started this week – the Paralympics. Meaning the ‘parallel olympics’, the Games are a meeting of the world’s top athletes that have some form of disability and have taken place since 1960. As our infographic shows, like the Olympics the United States has been the dominant force here too with a total of 2,175 medals the most overall victories. Great Britain is currently in second place with 1,789 while Germany…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Katharina Buchholz, Aug 23, 2021[/box] According to a study by research website Comparitech, the majority of the world’s most surveilled cities are located in China. The country has been making headlines for its generous use of surveillance technology and is featured heavily throughout the whole ranking that looked at the 150 most populous cities worldwide, excluding those for which insufficient data was available. However, India’s showing among the Chinese-dominated top 20 is getting stronger, with Indore making an entrance in rank 4, while Hyderabad moved up from rank 16 in 2020 to rank 12 and Delhi entered in…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Øyvind Eriksen President and Chief Executive Officer, Aker John Markus Lervik Chief Executive Officer, Cognite Karl Johnny Hersvik Chief Executive Officer, Aker BP ASA[/box] The scale and impact of cyber attacks is rising exponentially due to an expanding network of digital platforms. Without adequate preventative strategies the energy industry is vulnerable to future threats. A new playbook from the World Economic Forum defines a set of industry guidelines to enable a sustainable, resilient digital future. Imagine a cyberattack knocks out a major North American pipeline supplying the east coast of the US during one of the busiest commercial…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]This article is published in collaboration with The Conversation Kamran Mahroof Assistant Professor, Supply Chain Analytics, University of Bradford Sankar Sivarajah Professor of Technology Management and Circular Economy, University of Bradford[/box] Millions of people in the UK alone have faced great difficulty with food insecurity during COVID-19; however this is not a new problem. While many people in the world are hungry, one third of all food produced on an annual basis does not get consumed. As wasted food rots in landfills, it releases vast amounts of greenhouse gases. Solutions to reduce food waste could involve…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””] This article was originally published by FLSmidth Thomas Schulz[/box] The mining and cement industries contribute over 10% of the world’s CO₂ emissions, but demand in both industries remains high. It is, therefore, imperative that decarbonisation efforts should be accelerated. A World Bank report in 2020 emphasised how all stakeholders along the mineral and renewable energy supply chains have a vital role to play in the transition to a cleaner energy system. The green transition is increasing the demand for metals and minerals that are needed to produce wind turbines, solar panels, electric vehicles, battery storage, and…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]This article is published in collaboration with Harvard Gazette Clea Simon Correspondent, Harvard[/box] An expert looks at the factors that influence cardiovascular health. He explored what we already know about how our lifestyles, brains and heart interact and what scientists are still working on. Four risk factors have been identified in recent years as contributing to atherosclerosis – commonly referred to as hardening of the arteries. Hamburgers may not cause heart attacks, but we have long known that lifestyle choices —including diet, exercise, and sleep patterns — play a role in cardiovascular health. What we don’t…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Tom Boland, University College Cork[/box] “It’s the journey, not the destination” seems like a modern proverb, because it emphasises experiences over results and promises personal transformation. However, millennia ago, theologians like Saint Augustine described life itself as a pilgrimage through the world, returning to God by purifying the self. While many people still conduct religious pilgrimages, today that outlook can perhaps more commonly be found in a less obvious place: among those looking for work. From the “ranks of the unemployed” and the “dole queue” we’ve moved to the image of active job-seekers, polishing their CVs,…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Will Sarni Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Water Foundry[/box] The focus ESG frameworks place on climate change runs the risk that we fail to solve the problem of ensuring access to water and sanitation for all. We need to change the way ESG frameworks are structured – beginning with their consolidation. Here are the three most urgent changes we need to make. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting dominates corporate sustainability strategies today. While increased investor interest in ESG issues is welcomed, there are several issues that need to be addressed around current approaches if we…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Maddy Thompson, Keele University[/box] The pandemic has shown us the extraordinary potential of digital health to fight global health inequalities by providing expanded access to healthcare: as well as by better informing our responses to health crises. Tools such as wearable monitoring devices, video consultations, and even chat-bots driven by AI can provide care from a distance and often cost less than a face-to-face meeting with a doctor or nurse. This, in turn, can improve global access to high-quality treatment. Throughout the pandemic, being able to collect real-time data from cases across the world has been…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Victoria Masterson Senior Writer, Formative Content[/box] The number of European Union countries producing coal dropped from 12 to 2 between 1990 and 2020, according to Eurostat. The decline in consumption of coal accelerated between 2018 and 2020. As the economy rebounds after COVID-19, the International Energy Agency expects growing demand for coal in Asia to reverse a global decline in coal use. Fossil fuels like coal are some of the biggest contributors to global warming, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. As the European Union (EU) adopts a new legislative framework to limit the effects of…
Cybersecurity risk assessment is the process of identifying and evaluating risks for assets that could be affected by cyberattacks. Risk assessments can be performed on any application, function, or process within your organization. But no organization can realistically perform a risk assessment on everything. That’s why the first step is to develop an operational framework that fits the size, scope, and complexity of your organization. Once you determine your framework, you’re ready to embark on your individual risk assessments. When going through the process it’s important to keep in mind that there are different categories of risk that may affect your organization. Here’s…
PARCO Pearl Gas (Private) Limited (PPGL), a fully owned subsidiary of Pak Arab Refinery Limited, is Pakistan’s largest LPG Marketing company. The company has had a strong presence in Pakistan’s LPG sector for over three decades and was previously known as SHV Energy Pakistan, having been affiliated with the Dutch SHV Group which is the largest LPG marketer in the world. In its 35 years in Pakistan the company has amassed vast experience in serving the needs of Pakistan’s energy market, and offers customized energy solutions for a wide range of applications for domestic, industrial, and commercial consumers. PPGL has…
KSE-100 index gain 435 points but fails to stay above 48,000 level on profit-taking Summary The new month August started with a rally on first three days of the week. The investors shrug off the pandemic fear. The investors picked up shares of attractive valuations of textiles, technology and E&P sectors where heavy income is expected. The heavy rupee depreciation was seen as a blessing. The investors are prepared to bet on heavy dividend as result session has just started. The foreign investors during the week were buyer by 3.13m. After accumulating around 735 point on KSE-100 Index, the investors…