[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Felix Richter, Jul 23, 2021[/box] In Giannis Antetokounmpo, newly-crowned NBA champion and finals MVP, another player may have dominated the sporting headlines this week, but Lebron James still made some waves beside the court. For one he’s currently starring in Space Jam 2, stepping into the enormous shoes of Michael Jordan, who appeared in the original Space Jam movie in 1996. More importantly though, James made headlines on Thursday for becoming the first active NBA player to become a billionaire, a milestone that Jordan only surpassed after his playing career. According to Sportico, James surpassed $1 billion…
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[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, Jul 22, 2021[/box] On Wednesday, insurance broker Aon reported that insured losses from natural disasters reached $42 billion in the first half of 2021. While the figure represents a 10-year high for insured losses over the opening six months of the year, overall economic losses came in below the 10-year average at $93 billion. Aon’s findings come in the wake of floods that have devastated parts of Western Germany, killing at least 170 people. Flooding also resulted in the deaths of 12 people in the Chinese city of Zhengzhou this week with footage of a submerged…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Claire Jenik, Jul 22, 2021[/box] As we’ve learned in one of our previous charts, many people do not know their blood type or that of their close family. Even less know how compatible their type is with others if it were to come to an emergency and they’d need a blood donation. In fact, not all humans have the “same” blood and the distribution of these types varies according to the genetic characteristics of populations. Globally, the most common is group O whereas the rarest is group AB. According to the site rhesusnegative.net, the most common groups in the United…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, Jul 21, 2021[/box] The 2020 Olympics are finally set to get underway in Tokyo on Friday barring a last minute cancellation amid rising Covid-19 cases. Japan has been averaging 3,000 cases a day this week while only 22 percent of the public has been fully vaccinated. The event is now set to take place behind closed doors which is a bitter blow for both the public and organizers after a massive amount of work and investment. Cost overruns have become the norm for host cities and it is estimated that postponing the games by a year…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””] Mo Chatterji Project Fellow, Scale360° and Senior Consultant at Kearney, World Economic Forum Rebecca Meier Senior Consultant, Kearney[/box] Floating wind, which uses turbines located at sea but not attached to the ocean floor, has several key advantages over traditional onshore or fixed-bottom wind parks. Floating wind has the potential to make a huge contribution to filling the installed capacity gap in renewables and represents a game changer for the energy sector globally. Current forecasts see 2035 as the moment when levelized costs for bottom-fixed and floating wind converge, but it is possible this moment could…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””] Henning Sandfort Chief Executive Officer, Building Products, Smart Infrastructure, Siemens AG Alina Matyukhina Cybersecurity Manager, Smart Infrastructure, Siemens AG[/box] Smart buildings are an important tool in bringing down energy consumption. The technology smart buildings use is vulnerable to cybercrime, so the sector needs to improve its cybersecurity. This involves getting processes in place to ensure that cybersecurity is a priority throughout the lifecycle of all the products used in smart buildings. In order to deal with problems such as increased population and climate change, we will need smart infrastructure that operates efficiently and saves energy.…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]John Preston, University of Essex[/box] “This government is obsessed with skilling up our population,” said Boris Johnson in his recent speech on “levelling up”. There is still a fair amount of uncertainty about exactly what the UK prime minister’s plan to level up the regions will involve, but manufacturing and skills seem close to the heart of it. The government is trying to achieve a renaissance in vocational education with its industry-focused T-level courses for students, “Skills Bootcamp” retraining programmes for adults, and increased funding for further education in general. Together with the recent announcement of…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””] Paul Milgrom Professor of Humanities and Sciences, co-founder and Chairman of Auctionomics, Stanford Graduate School of Business Silvia Console Battilana Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Auctionomics, Stanford University[/box] Market design is an economic tool that can be used to create and refine marketplaces and exchanges to improve the allocation of scarce resources. A successful initiative in the US to reallocate scarce radio spectrum demonstrates the power and potential of market design. We outline how these methods can play a critical role in solving the problem of water allocation globally. This is one of a…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Emily Pidgeon Vice-President, Ocean Science and Innovation, Conservation International[/box] Mangroves protect coastlines, protect biodiversity and protect local livelihoods – yet humanity has failed to protect them. Vida Manglar (‘mangrove life’ in Spanish), is the first project to adequately measure and value ‘blue carbon’ — the carbon stored in coastal ecosystems such as mangrove forests. As pressure grows on companies to account for their impact on nature, carbon offsets — in short, nature itself — can now become a larger part of the solution. Collectively, the mangrove trees that cling to coasts throughout the tropics may well be…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””] Zara Ingilizian Head of Shaping the Future of Consumption; Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum Mayuri Ghosh Head of Consumers Beyond Disposability, Strategy & Public Private Partnerships, Future of Consumption Platform, World Economic Forum Beth Bovis Partner; Leader, Global Social Impact and Sustainability, Kearney[/box] Pollution created by single-use plastic items like straws and shopping bags is a growing threat to our ecosystems and economies. A system based on reuse would not only reduce humanity’s ecological footprint, but also create lucrative new sources of economic value. Government agencies, multinational bodies, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Scott Denning, Colorado State University[/box] Summer isn’t even half over, and we’ve seen heat waves in the Pacific Northwest and Canada with temperatures that would be hot for Death Valley, enormous fires that have sent smoke across North America, and lethal floods of biblical proportions in Germany and China. Scientists have warned for over 50 years about increases in extreme events arising from subtle changes in average climate, but many people have been shocked by the ferocity of recent weather disasters. A couple of things are important to understand about climate change’s role in extreme weather…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]This article is published in collaboration with Frontiers Suzanna Burgelman Science Writer, Frontiers[/box] Despite covering just 2% of the Earth’s surface, cities are major greenhouse gas emission contributors. 25 mega-cities produce 52% of urban greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new study. Although Asian cities emit the most greenhouse gasses, cities in Europe, Australia, and the US had significantly higher per capita emissions. Of the 167 cities studied, 113 have set varying types of GHG emission reduction targets but just 40 have set carbon neutrality goals. New research published by the open access publisher Frontiers inventories…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Khaled Abusalem Chairman of UAV and Robotics , Saudi Aramco Mansour Alsaleh Head, Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Saudi Arabia Timothy Reuter Head of Aerospace and Drones, World Economic Forum Talal Alsedairy Drones Lead, Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Saudi Arabia[/box] During the pandemic, drones have helped communities to access goods and services. Regulators across the globe are now looking at ways to support the expansion of drone technology, exploring carrying heavier loads and transporting people. Saudi Arabia could become a global leader for emerging drone technologies. Over the past year we have seen…
It’s a beautiful thing to experience the pitch of a good salesperson; he or she draws us in, entices us, and leaves us hopeful and excited. And the feeling is mutual; a salesperson derives deep satisfaction and joy from successful interactions. Even when the customer says no, the salesperson’s resilient spirit rises, and they quickly move onto the next prospect. However, when hard economic times hit, that sense of resilience is strained. When subsequent sales performance is poor, it can negatively affect the salesman’s self-esteem. Many organizations struggled in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. According to HubSpot Global Sales…
Stocks lose 123 points under bearish spell Summary The stock market remained under the geopolitical tension along with the regrouping of the opposition against the government. The event of virtually addressing of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chinese President to the Communist Party of China (CPC) and World Political Parties Summit to mark 100 years of CPC on Tuesday gave new dimension to the international relationship simmering tensions with the US. Furthermore on Monday, Prime Minister Imran Khan on launching of development projects said the future belonged to Gwadar since it would emerge as the ‘focal point of development ensuring…
Published in The Nation on July 12th, 2021, Xinhua Lionel Messi said Sunday that he hoped Argentina’s Copa America triumph would help provide strength to his compatriots in their battle to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. The message, posted on social media, came less than a day after the Albiceleste beat Brazil 1-0 in the Copa America final at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium, ending Argentina’s 28-year wait for a major trophy. “It was an incredible Copa America. We know that we can still improve a lot of things, but the truth is that the guys gave it everything and I can’t be more proud to…
[Reuters] Published in Ary Sports on July 12th, 2021, Reuters London: Italy claimed the European Championship for the first time since 1968 as penalties came back to haunt England at Wembley on Sunday, Gianluigi Donnarumma saving twice as the Azzurri won a shootout 3-2 after the game finished 1-1 following extra time. The giant goalkeeper saved from Jadon Sancho and, decisively, Bukayo Saka after Marcus Rashford hit the post, as Federico Bernardeschi, Leonardo Bonucci and Domenico Berardi all scored for the Italians in the shootout. Luke Shaw had given England a dream start with a superb goal after two minutes but…
Published in Geo on July 10th, 2021, Rahul Aijaz It’s early 2000s and you are fighting with your sibling over who’s going to play Atari, PC or PS2 first. Your mum orders you to play together. The smartass in you gives your brother a disconnected joystick while you grin maniacally as your mother walks away, thinking she resolved the quarrel. Pretty much every kid must have thought what a life it’d be if you could play games, uninterrupted and forever. We just didn’t know it was actually possible then. Fast forward a couple decades later and we have dozens of…
Djokovic moved level with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on 20 Grand Slam titles after beating Berrettini in the men’s singles final [Credit: Peter van den Berg/USA TODAY Sports] Published in AlJazeera on July 11th, 2021, Novak Djokovic defeats Matteo Berrettini 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4, 6-3, claiming his sixth Wimbledon men’s title. Novak Djokovic tied Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal by claiming his 20th Grand Slam title on Sunday, coming back to beat Matteo Berrettini 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in the Wimbledon final. The number one-ranked Djokovic earned a third consecutive championship at the All England Club and sixth…
Australia’s Ashleigh Barty kisses the winner’s Venus Rosewater Dish trophy after winning her women’s singles match against Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova on the twelfth day of the 2021 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 10, 2021. Photo: AFP Published in Geo on July 10th, 2021, AFP It was the first women’s Wimbledon final to go to three sets since 2012 when Serena Williams beat Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska. Ash Barty is masterful at remaining poker-faced on court and she managed to restrain her emotions largely at the presentation ceremony. For Karolina Pliskova, it…
Members of the Afghan Special Forces pray on a highway before a combat mission against the Taliban, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, July 11. — Reuters Published in Dawn News on July 12th, 2021, Reuters Taliban fighters have surrounded the city of Ghazni in central Afghanistan, taking over civilians’ homes to fight security forces, officials said on Monday, the latest urban centre under threat from the insurgents. The offensive was the latest on a provincial capital as the Taliban make a fresh push to surround cities and gain territory, emboldened by the departure of foreign forces. “The situation in Ghazni city is…
The USS Benfold sails through the South China Sea on July 12 [US Navy Handout] Published in AlJazeera on July 12th, 2021, US move comes on the anniversary of a tribunal ruling that says Beijing has no claims over the South China Sea. China’s military said it “drove away” a United States warship that it said illegally entered Chinese waters near the disputed Paracel Islands on Monday, the anniversary of a landmark international court ruling that Beijing has no claim over the South China Sea. The USS Benfold entered the waters of the Paracels without the approval of the Chinese…
Published in The Nation on July 12th, 2021, The EU extended economic sanctions against Russia for six more months on Monday, accusing Moscow of destabilizing the situation in Ukraine. “The Council decision follows the latest assessment of the state of implementation of the Minsk agreements – initially foreseen to happen by 31 December 2015 – at the European Council of 24-25 June 2021,” the European Council said in a statement. “On that occasion, EU leaders called on Russia to fully assume its responsibility in ensuring the full implementation of the Minsk agreements as the key condition for any substantial change…
This file photo taken on May 23, 2018, shows Haitian President Jovenel Moise (L) and Haitian First Lady Martine Moise at the National Palace in Port-au-Prince [File: Hector Retamal/AFP] Published in AlJazeera on July 10th, 2021, Martine Moise, who was critically injured in the attack that killed her husband, calls on Haiti not to ‘lose its way’. The wife of assassinated Haitian President Jovenel Moise has spoken for the first time since gunmen stormed the couple’s home in Port-au-Prince, saying the attack that killed her husband happened “in the blink of an eye”. In an audio message posted on her official Twitter…
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Photo: AFP Published in Geo News on July 8th, 2021, Asim Yasin FM Qureshi, Chinese FM speak at conference on Pak-China relations. Pakistan, China all-weather friends who understand and respect each other despite cultural differences: Chinese FM. Chinese FM calls for multilaterism and countries working together. Chinese Foreign Minister and State Counselor Wang Yi promised Wednesday to stand firmly with Pakistan, despite changes in world politics, as per a report in The News. Yi was addressing a conference titled “Pakistan-China At 70: A Unique Bilateral Partnership” arranged by the Pakistan-China Institute (PCI) in commemoration of 70…
UAE supports ‘unconditional increase’ in oil production The UAE supported an increase in oil output from August but suggested deferring to another meeting a decision by Opec+ on extending its global oil supply pact beyond April 2022, the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure said on Sunday. The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and its allies, a group known as Opec+, will resume talks on Monday after failing to reach a deal on oil output policy on Friday as the UAE opposed some aspects of the pact. “The UAE backs an output increase from August as the market is…
Pakistan fails to exploit agri resources; exporters Though Pakistan is rich in agriculture and livestock, which are pivotal pillars of strong economic growth for any nation, it certainly could not exploit the abundance of these resources, said exporters of fresh fruits, vegetables and halal meat. During a meeting arranged by the Punjab Board of Investment and Trade (PBIT), Provincial Minister for Industries and Commerce Mian Aslam Iqbal highlighted that the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan was to increase exports by resolving the issues of exporters on a priority basis as the government would not allow any obstacles in the…
Pollution-eating car shown off at goodwood festival A car that has been designed to strip the air of pollution as it drives along has been shown off at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Created by British designer Thomas Heatherwick, it is hoped the Airo will go into production in China in 2023, with plans to make a million of them. The radical design is intended to address not only the pollution issue, but also help solve the “space crisis”. Critics are not convinced it can ever be more than a concept car. Despite designing London’s new version of the iconic…
IMF programme paused, not derailed, says Mian Zahid Hussain Chairman of National Business Group Pakistan, President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum, and All Karachi Industrial Alliance, and former provincial minister Mian Zahid Hussain on Friday said IMF programme has been paused but not derailed. The Government should try to restore the programme without compromising on the interests of the masses as the lender is not happy over power price freeze and some budget measures directed at boosting growth rate, he said. Mian Zahid Hussain said that the government cannot afford to keep the IMF unhappy for long as the economy…
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 6.90 7.40 2 – Week 6.95 7.45 1 – Month 7.02 7.52 3 – Month 7.20 7.45 6 – Month 7.41 7.66 9 – Month 7.50 8.00 1 – Year 7.57 8.07 Updated on 9 July, 2021
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Martin Armstrong, Jul 9, 2021[/box] New initial estimates by Eurostat have revealed the potential effect the pandemic year 2020 had on the most economically at-risk in the European Union. As our infographic shows, increases in working age adults at-risk-of-poverty were measured in Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Austria, Greece, Bulgaria and Sweden. Elsewhere, the situation remained more or less static, while Estonia record a decrease. You will find more infographics at Statista
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Katharina Buchholz, Jul 8, 2021[/box] Previously to the coronavirus pandemic, the growth of disposable incomes – the money that remains in peoples’ pockets after they have taken care of their basic needs – differed widely in the OECD. Eastern European countries like Poland, Estonia or Lithuania saw some of the biggest increases, but were surpassed by the OECD’s newest member, Costa Rica. Here, people had 7.5 percent more spending money per year at their disposal, while the same number was 6 percent in Poland. Western European countries did not see the same increases – with the exception of…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Martin Armstrong, Jul 7, 2021[/box] Windows 11 was officially announced on June 24, 2021 and should already be released by the end of the year. An exact date has not been set yet, but Microsoft has confirmed one thing: users who use Windows 10 will still receive all important updates for their operating system until 2025. Those who use an earlier version should consider an upgrade now at the latest, though. As the infographic shows, only Windows 10 currently receives security and feature updates, excluding special cases like enterprise and server versions of older operating systems. With a…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, Jul 7, 2021[/box] Crypto education platform Crypto Head recently released a ranking showing that the United States is the world’s most “crypto-ready” country. The research delved into several factors impacting cryptocurrencies around the world such as public interest, the government’s legal stance as well as ownership of digital currency. A further important element was the accessibility of Bitcoin, Dogecoin and co, especially the prevalence of crypto ATMs. That’s right – the digital currency boom has, perhaps surprisingly, resulted in its own ATM network. A crypto ATM is a physical device that allows people to buy cryptocurrencies with…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Felix Richter, Jul 5, 2021[/box] Having established itself as an early leader in the market for cloud infrastructure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), the online retailer’s profitable cloud platform, is still ahead of the pack. According to estimates from Synergy Research Group, Amazon’s market share in the worldwide cloud infrastructure market amounted to 32 percent in the first quarter of 2021, still exceeding the combined market share of its two largest competitors, Microsoft and Google. In Q1 2021, global cloud infrastructure service revenues amounted to $39 billion, putting the industry on track to surpass $150 billion in revenue this year. As the…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Anouj Mehta Unit Head, Green and Innovative Finance and the ACGF, Southeast Asia Department, Asian Development Bank[/box] Infrastructure in Southeast Asia is facing a huge financing gap. SDG bonds are a crucial and innovative way of raising private funds. We outline how new SDG Accelerator Bonds can help de-risk investments in infrastructure. The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB’s) recent estimates show an economic contraction across Asia (–4.0% last year in Southeast Asia), and the UN’s SDGs Report 2020 which estimates around 71 million people were pushed back into extreme poverty, shows the scale of the challenge facing the re-tracking…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Daniel Skerritt, University of British Columbia[/box] Global fish catches are fluctuating near the highest levels ever reported, while the fraction of fish stocks that are sustainable has never been lower. Nevertheless, governments spent US$22 billion of public money on harmful fisheries subsidies in 2018. These harmful subsidies fund the construction of new fishing vessels or reduce the cost of fuel, for example. They increase fishing capacity by reducing costs, which heightens the risk of overfishing. In short, they limit our ability to sustainably manage our fisheries. Their scale and impact means that international reform of fishing…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Lili Sun President, Society of Entrepreneurs & Ecology (SEE) Wei Dong Zhou Business for Nature Chief Advisor in China, and Director, WBCSD China[/box] China contains four of the world’s 36 biodiversity hotspots. China will host the COP15 Biodiversity Conference. Chinese businesses must step up their actions on nature and can help achieve carbon neutrality All eyes are focused on efforts to agree a transformative agreement on nature for the coming decade as China will host the delayed COP15 Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP15). As the world’s second largest economy, with GDP growth averaging around 6% each year, and with…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Sankar Sivarajah, University of Bradford and Kamran Mahroof, University of Bradford[/box] The cryptocurrency bitcoin now uses up more electricity a year than the whole of Argentina, according to recent estimates from the University of Cambridge. That’s because the creation of a bitcoin, in a process called mining, is achieved by powerful computers that work night and day to decode and solve complex mathematical problems. The energy these computers consume is unusually high. Police in the UK recently raided what they believed to be an extensive indoor marijuana-growing operation, only to discover that the huge electricity usage…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Luiz Avelar Strategy Director, Envision Digital, Envision Group[/box] After setting climate targets, countries and companies will need to quantify, reduce and monitor their emissions. This process can be complex, time-consuming and prone to errors, especially for novices. The right technology can simplify this process and make it more efficient, transparent and effective. Here are three ways technology – particularly AIoT – can help. As society pressures leaders for a more environmentally-friendly agenda, governments responsible for 63% of world emissions have committed to net zero with corporate net-zero commitments covering 12% of the global economy (representing $9.81 trillion in revenue). However,…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]This article is published in collaboration with Thomson Reuters Foundation trust.org Megan Rowling Journalist, Thomson Reuters Foundation[/box] A new report found 13,000 projects in the renewable energy sector could help develop 10 million jobs in 50 countries around the world. The projects offer $2 trillion in investment opportunities and would generate jobs all along the supply chain, said EY. The biggest potential benefits for workers are in China and the United States, where the projects could create about 2 million and 1.8 million jobs respectively. From offshore wind farms in Britain to floating solar power plants…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Kasim Alfalahi Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Avanci[/box] The market for connected cars is predicted to soar to over $215 billion by 2027. Connected cars are potentially safer for road users, and less harmful to the environment. They open up new revenue streams for the car industry, with features such as remote diagnostics, predictive maintenance and online service scheduling. The market for connected cars is predicted to be worth over $215 billion by 2027. With the demand for greater connectivity set to soar, 5G-enabled connected cars will become the new norm. What we expect of a vehicle…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Maciej Kolaczkowski Manager Oil and Gas Industry – Energy, Materials, Infrastructure Platform, World Economic Forum Pedro Caruso Managing Director, Global Head of Oil & Gas Downstream, Accenture David Elizondo Senior Manager – Strategy, Accenture[/box] Policies and measures to achieve net-zero emissions will have a profound impact on the oil and gas sector, both in relation to its operations as well as in demand for its products. Decarbonisation and evolving demand call for industry players to consider and, in some cases, reinvent their business models and future portfolio strategies. Incumbents must understand their role in the energy…
Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited (FFC) is Pakistan’s largest urea manufacturing company, incorporated in 1978 as a joint venture between Fauji Foundation, a charitable trust in Pakistan which owns 44.35% equity stake in the Company and Haldor Topsoe A/S of Denmark to set up a urea production facility with capacity of 570 thousand tonnes per annum. The Company has grown through reinvestment in fertilizer sector and at present its production capacity stands over 2 million tonnes through its three plants. The Company has contributed more than US$ 14.95 billion to the National Exchequer through import substitution of almost 65 million tonnes…
Coaching and mentoring can have lasting impacts that often extend well beyond their immediate purpose, and as leaders we should never forget the importance that coaching brings. Some lessons last a lifetime. Here are some indispensable coaching lessons that we find useful. Effective Coaching Requires Trust How do we create a foundation of trust? The old saying of “They don’t care how much we know until they know how much we care” is where we start. Making them feel safe and demonstrating that we care about their professional development and them as a person will lay a foundation of trust…
The Global Green Finance Leadership Program (GFLP), recently held a webinar on green finance for the Central Asia region, attended by more than 300 participants from central banks, financial regulators, local banks, international organizations (IOs), and research institutions in the region. More than 30 experts from Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, China and the UK were convened to share their insights on green investments, green taxonomies, environmental and social risk management, and biodiversity. The event was co-hosted by the Beijing Institute of Finance and Sustainability (BIFS), the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), and the Mongolian Sustainable Finance Association (MSFA), with support from…
KSE-100 index loses 635 points on FATF worries Summary It was the week when the Budget 2021-22 presented on June 11 by Finance Minister Mr. Shaukat Tarin went in the Parliament for its pros and cons to be passed with additions, deletion or amendments at later stage. Such a debate will give the general public a review of the budget from all angles. However, it was stoutly defended by the Finance Minister and his team. Along with this the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meeting from June 22-25 was an important to be watched by the investors as the fate…
The BCCI had already moved the suspended Indian Premier League to the UAE in September-October [File: AFP] Published in AlJazeera on June 28th, 2021, Indian cricket board official says decision taken as a result of the high number of COVID-19 cases in the host country. The Twenty20 World Cup will be moved to the United Arab Emirates from India due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to an Indian cricket board official. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said it had told the International Cricket Council, the sport’s world body, of its decision to host the event in…
The logo of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games that have been postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, is seen through a traffic sign at Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office building in Tokyo, Japan January 22, 2021. Photo: Reuters Published in Geo News on June 28th, 2021, reuters Olympic delegates’ positive tests spur Japan panel’s call for tougher border controls Yasuhiro Yamashita, the president of Japan’s Olympic Committee, says it was impossible to completely shut out coronavirus cases upon arrival, making it crucial for authorities to spot them at the border. Says Tokyo 2020 panel and government will play…
Published in Bol News on June 28th, 2021, Arhama Altaf Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has added three more spots in central contracts for women cricketers for the 2021-22 season. The PCB has awarded 20 contracts for the 2021-22 cricket season, which is two more than the previous. These contracts, which come into effect from 1 July, include 12 spots, divided between A, B and C categories, while eight cricketers have been retained in the emerging contracts list. In total, the PCB has awarded 20 contracts for the 2021-22 cricket season, which is two more than the previous. Monthly retainers across all rungs…
Multan Sultans celebrate as they lift their first PSL trophy, at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, in Abu Dhabi, on June 25, 2021. — PSL Published in Geo News on June 25th, 2021, Multan Sultans triumphed over Peshawar Zalmi in the final to win their maiden Pakistan Super League (PSL) title in a see-saw kind of game at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. At the start of the innings, Zalmi, who were chasing a target of 207, made a blistering start courtesy Kamran Akmal’s 36. Zalmi needed a herculean effort by their batsmen to chase…
The US military said it targeted operational and weapons storage facilities at two locations in Syria and one location in Iraq in air raids on Sunday [File: Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters] Published in AlJazeera on June 28th, 2021, Iran-backed armed groups launch rockets at US troops in eastern Syria causing no casualties, says war monitor. Iran-backed armed groups have exchanged fire with US-led coalition forces in eastern Syria, a war monitor said on Monday, after deadly US air strikes on the groups in Iraq and Syria the previous night. Coalition spokesman Colonel Wayne Marotto said US troops were attacked by multiple…
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi meets with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi in Baghdad on June 27. — Reuters Published in Dawn on June 28th, 2021, Reuters CAIRO: Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and Jordan’s King Abdullah met in Baghdad on Sunday during the first visit by an Egyptian head of state to Iraq since Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990. The first Gulf War ruptured diplomatic relations between Iraq and Egypt, but these have improved in recent years with many senior officials from both countries exchanging visits. The United States has been urging Iraq…
Published in The Nation on June 28th, 2021, Iran on Monday condemned US airstrikes on Iranian-backed armed militias in the Iraqi-Syrian border region, saying the attacks destabilize regional security. Saeed Khatibzadeh, a spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said the current US administration of Joe Biden “was following the approach of former Donald Trump administration.” “Certainly what the United States is doing is disrupting security in the region, and one of the victims of this disruption will be the United States,” Khatibzadeh told a press conference in Tehran. “The US should correct its path and stop creating crises and troubles…
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, shakes hands with Di Maio at the end of their joint press conference following a meeting of the US-led coalition against ISIL in Rome [Angelo Carconi/AFP] Published in AlJazeera on June 28th, 2021, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio called for the global alliance against ISIL to step up action in regions it operates in. Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio has said he wants to set up an international task force to counter the threat posed by the spread of ISIL (ISIS)-affiliated groups across the African continent. Co-chairing a meeting on Friday of…
Published in Geo News on June 26th, 2021, Mary Hunter A research paper published by UK’s Royal United Services Institute and NATO Defence College experts on June 16, titled “Regional Powers and Post-NATO Afghanistan,” seeks to analyse the “underestimated” importance of regional dynamics in the Afghan peace process. The paper shows how the divergent interests of individual regional powers have determined the extent to which they themselves have been instrumental in the negotiations. The regional picture is also complicated by Western influence, particularly the US, as blocs have been forming in South Asia through strengthening US-India and Sino-Pakistan ties and…
Dubai extends deadline to provide beneficial owner data Dubai Economy on Tuesday extended the deadline for all registered businesses in emirate to add their Beneficial Owner data to the commercial registry has now been extended to the June 30, 2021. It also urged businesses to provide the Beneficial Owner data as required by the UAE Cabinet Decision No. (58) of 2020 within the new deadline to avoid any legal consequences. Registered businesses in Dubai can add the Beneficial Owner data by logging in to the eServices page of Dubai Economy. ‘Beneficial Owner’ refers to those individuals/entities that benefit from owning…
Islamabad refuses to cave in to international monetary fund demands Talks between Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) remained inconclusive after the global lender did not budge from its demand of increasing electricity tariff by Rs4.95 per unit and imposing taxes worth Rs150 billion. For now, Islamabad has refused to accept both of these demands and instead Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin is set on Friday to reverse some of the adverse taxation measures that were part of the Finance Bill 2021 unveiled on June 11. The minister will conclude the general budget debate and make new announcements. Tarin may…
Meezan bank, ENA in deal to improve uptime and reduce the bank’s carbon footprint Meezan Bank, Pakistan’s leading Islamic bank has recently signed a supply agreement for green energy & power solution with Energy N Automation (Pvt) Ltd (ENA), a company of Jaffer Business Systems. Under this agreement, ENA will provide power backup to Meezan Bank’s branches countrywide, aiming to reduce Carbon footprint by more than 23,000 tons per year from the environment. The agreement serves as an incentive to reduce both energy consumption as well as Carbon emissions at the branch level, furthering the Bank’s commitment to play a…
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 6.87 7.37 2 – Week 6.92 7.42 1 – Month 7.01 7.51 3 – Month 7.21 7.46 6 – Month 7.44 7.69 9 – Month 7.50 8.00 1 – Year 7.55 8.05 Updated on 25 June, 2021
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, Jun 28, 2021[/box] Scientists initially estimated that 60 to 70 percent of a population would have to acquire resistance to Covid-19 in order for herd immunity to take effect, a threshold that has been revised upwards since the start of the year with 80 to 85 percent quoted in some cases. As the Delta variant of Covid-19 generates fresh concern, the race towards full vaccination has become increasingly urgent and Israel has led the way, according to Our World in Data. Despite the ever-higher immunity threshold discussed by scientists, Israel’s Covid-19 case count started to…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Martin Armstrong, Jun 25, 2021[/box] Ever wondered which websites are the most visited in the world? If you had to guess, you probably wouldn’t need to consult Google to know that the search engine is on the number one spot, but as the list moves down from the YouTube/Facebook level of obviousness, some of the sites on this list may surprise you – or even be complete unknowns. According to SimilarWeb, in seventh place is the Chinese search engine baidu.com, which received almost 6 billion visitors in May. You don’t have to go too far before you find porn, of…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Martin Armstrong, Jun 25, 2021[/box] Life has changed substantially since the first lockdown was introduced and although most have adapted to the ‘new normal’, the ever evolving situation has also seen changes to how we spend and organise our daily lives since that first major adjustment last March. New analysis by the ONS shows how the average amount of time we spend on activities each day has shifted when comparing survey data from March/April 2020 with March 2021. The two largest differences have been to work and sleep. Focus increasing on the former, and decreasing on the latter. On average…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Felix Richter, Jun 25, 2021[/box] Contrary to what their name might suggest, basketball, tennis and running shoes are in no way confined to courts and tracks these days. Athletic footwear, less formally known as sneakers, can be found anywhere from boardrooms to fashion runways and companies such as Nike and Adidas are making billions feeding the sneaker frenzy. With footwear sales of $28.0 billion in the fiscal year ended May 31, 2021, Nike is still number 1 in the global sneakers market. Having started as an enterprise licensing Japanese running shoes for the American market, Nike quickly developed a name…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, Jun 25, 2021[/box] The Reuters Institute For The Study Of Journalism released its 2021 Digital News Report this week which polled 92,000 consumers in 46 markets about a range of digital news topics ranging from the pandemic’s impact on consumption to the progress of paid business models as well as trust and misinformation. When it comes to the latter, the research found that overall trust in the news rebounded strongly over the past year across the majority of the 46 markets analyzed. Finland had the highest share of respondents agreeing “you can trust news most of…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Katharina Buchholz, Jun 24, 2021[/box] In order to help LGBTQ+ tourists travel safely, the German portal Spartacus started publishing the Gay Travel Index in 2012. In the 2020 edition, the ranking compared 202 countries and territories based on the situation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer people in these locations. Tourism heavyweight Spain usually appears among the safest and most welcoming destinations for the LGBTQ+ community. In the Spartacus ranking, the country occupies third place along with four other countries: Argentina, Uruguay, the Netherlands and the UK, each with a score of 9 out of 12. Only…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Bradley Handler, Senior Fellow, Payne Institute for Public Policy Morgan Bazilian, Director, Professor of Public Policy, Payne Institute for Public Policy Michael Hayes, Global Head, Renewables, KPMG[/box] Achieving a net-zero energy future in developing economies is going to require trillions of dollars of private investment. Many obstacles remain in the way of this much-needed finance, however. Here are 5 ways policy-makers can smooth over these obstacles and get things moving. For emerging and developing economies to meet their energy development and net-zero climate goals, tens of trillions of dollars in investment will be required. This is significantly more than can…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Sylvie Ouziel International President, Envision Digital, Envision Group Luiz Avelar Strategy Director, Envision Group[/box] Green hydrogen – produced using renewable energy – currently accounts for just 0.1% of global hydrogen production. But it’s a powerful bet for solving renewables’ intermittency problem and decarbonizing heavy industry. Scaling up green hydrogen does present challenges – but modern digital technology could provide some of the answers. Here’s how. The potential of green hydrogen to plug the intermittency of solar and wind whilst burning like natural gas and serving as feedstock in industrial chemical processes has piqued the interest of…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Shona Joyce Herron, UCL and Fabio Sani, University of Dundee[/box] It’s likely you have felt “empty” at some point in your life – or perhaps you’ve heard someone else describe themselves in that way. But while this might be a relatively common feeling, it’s often not spoken about as a symptom of mental health difficulties. Typically, “feelings of emptiness” are only considered as a symptom of borderline personality disorder – a mental health condition characterised by challenges with emotions, relationships to others, and feelings of chronic emptiness. But, after coming across many people who reported “feeling…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Natalie Marchant Writer, Formative Content[/box] Climate change could wipe off up to 18% of GDP off the worldwide economy by 2050 if global temperatures rise by 3.2°C, the Swiss Re Institute warns. Forecast based on temperature increases staying on the current trajectory and the Paris Agreement and net-zero emissions targets not being met. Figure could rise to 18% of GDP by mid-century if temperatures increase by 3.2°C in the most severe scenario. Climate change is a systemic risk that must be addressed now, warns Swiss Re. The global economy could lose 10% of its total economic value…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Ran Laviv, Director, Innovation and Entrepreneurial Affairs, Israel Government Daniella Partem , Head, Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Israel Jayant Narayan, Project Lead, World Economic Forum[/box] Israel has scaled its drone operations in 1 year, with over 3,000 flight demonstrations supporting nationwide efforts to combat COVID-19. Drones are being used in different “bubbles” across the state to deliver medical goods. A better understanding of technical capabilities, use cases and gaps has come about thanks to the converging of key stakeholders and the public and private sectors on a common platform: the NAAMA Initiative. Over the past few years,…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Patrick Hillberg, Adjunct professor, Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering, Oakland University Sawyer Hall, M.S. Candidate in Systems Engineering, Oakland University[/box] As it transitions from fossil fuels to renewables, electricity generation will place a burden on the global supply of critical battery minerals. The world’s battery capacity must grow 40 times larger than it is today, and electric vehicles will require 80% of that future capacity. There will also be increased need for integrated circuits. Competition for both will develop between vehicles and other uses. Trains, trolley buses and other continuously powered vehicles should play a central…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]David Rose, University of Reading; Marc Hanheide, University of Lincoln, and Simon Pearson, University of Lincoln[/box] Farming robots that can move autonomously in an open field or greenhouse promise a cleaner, safer agricultural future. But there are also potential downsides, from the loss of much-needed jobs to the safety of those working alongside the robots. To ensure that the use of autonomous robots on farms creates more benefits than losses, a process of responsible development is required. Society as a whole needs to be involved in setting the trajectories for future farming. We are part of…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Alexandre Raffoul, Head of Business Engagement, Middle East and Africa, World Economic Forum Fatima Al Zahra Hewaidi, Community Lead, Business Engagement, MEA, World Economic Forum[/box] Encouraging industrial innovation has bolstered recent efforts to diversify the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, say local business leaders. They believe greater support for manufacturing, export and logistics industries, will help develop more resilient, knowledge-based economies. Such support has seen national and international organisations co-operate to train local talent and offer finance to growing businesses in the region. If economic diversification is the linchpin of future growth in the…
Caption: Hussain Kuli Khan, CEO/MD, GTR Tyre, delivering a speech during the launch. Tyres play a vital role in ensuring the performance and road safety of any vehicle. They form the main point of contact for the car and the road and therefore determining key characteristics like handling, stability, comfort, braking, road grip etc. General Tyre has long been Pakistan’s foremost tyre manufacturer and OE supplier, and now with a rebranded identity, the company is on its way to new heights. TVC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVF1RU_Ey8g In Pakistan, 124,000 cars were sold in 2020 according to stats made available by the Pakistan…
What would be your reaction if you are promoted as a Team Leader? Of course you’ll be overwhelmed and excited but stress of managing a team of five, six or seven people will soon overcome you. It’s the job of management to help and train their leaders and managers transition in their new role smoothly. Soft skills should be the focus when you move into management roles but a lot of these interpersonal skills might be hard for new leaders. Here’s how you can do that; Some interpersonal skills you will need are: Negotiation skills (with team members and other…
These days, most of us work at jobs requiring us to work at computer screens for most of our day. Focusing on the laptop screen puts a lot of strain on our eyes. Consequently, we end up having eye problems. Eye problems are caused by the excessive use of computer screens, resulting in computer vision syndrome (CVS). It is not the only problem that we experience, but it includes a wide variety of other eye problems. Eye discomfort is an annoying condition one can experience. According to research, between 50% to 90% of people who work at a computer screen…
PSX ends volatile week nearly flat Summary The benchmark index of the KSE 100 closed volatile week nearly flat at 48,304 level gaining just 93 points over the last week’s close. Investors confidence started building up from last week end as encouraging news about state of Pakistan’s economy 2020-21 started flowing, which were confirmed by International institutions.”Economic activity rebounded strongly in fiscal year 2021 with growth preliminary estimated at 3.9 percent,” says IMF. Fitch Ratings predicts better than expected growth for Pakistan’s economy in FY22. Morgan Guaranty also confirmed Pakistan’s growth during last year of 3.94 percent. While launching of…
A study showed that Muslims are barely seen and are shown in a negative light when they do appear in movies Published in Geo News on June 11th, 2021, Reuters British actor Riz Ahmed on Thursday launched an effort to improve the way Muslims are depicted in movies after a study showed that they are barely seen and shown in a negative light when they do appear. Ahmed, the Sound of Metal star and the first Muslim to get a best actor Oscar nomination, said the Blueprint for Muslim Inclusion would include funding and mentoring for Muslim story tellers in the early…
Published in Gulf News on June 06th, 2021, Bindu Rai, Entertainment Editor Weeks after fans were overjoyed to hear that Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar could very well be a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we hear that Pakistani actor-singer Fawad Khan is also joining the superhero world. ‘Ms. Marvel’, the Disney plus series that will feature Marvel’s first Muslim superhero, has revealed its cast list on IMDB with Fawad Khan’s name also attached to the project. The online database of films and television programmes has listed Fawad Khan playing the role of Hasan, with no further details given at…
Alexandra Trese plays the role of a supernatural detective in her namesake, Trese Published in BBC News on June 11th, 2021, By Yvette Tan A female spirit murdered by her lover. A giant shape-shifting horse. A vampiric creature that takes the form of a new-born baby. These are just some of the many supernatural creatures that appear in Trese – Netflix’s first Filipino animated series – based on a widely popular comic book series of the same name. The series revolves around occult detective Alexandra Trese, who goes around the city solving crimes, killing monsters – in short, generally…
Published in Gulf News on June 11th, 2021, ANI Actress Jameela Jamil has joined the cast of Marvel’s ‘She-Hulk’. She will play villain Titania in the Disney+ series. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jamil steps into a character that dates back to 1984’s Secret Wars No 3, where Titania was introduced by writer Jim Shooter and artist Mike Zeck. The story revolves around Titania, who gained super strength and endurance after being taken to an alien planet where Marvel’s heroes and villains had been transported to battle it out. Eventually, she became a rival of ‘She-Hulk’. Canadian Emmy-winning actor Tatiana…
Fans waited hours in heavy rain to enter Published in Samaa News on June 04th, 2021, The long-awaited world’s largest Harry Potter store opened its gates for the public in New York on Thursday. Fans of the boy wizard, wearing robes and witch hats from the beloved franchise, queued for hours in heavy rain to be among the first inside the three-story shop in Lower Manhattan that hosts the largest collection of Potter products anywhere. “It’s really magical,” said Margaret Suarez, whose boyfriend arrived at 6:00 am to hold a spot in line four hours ahead of opening. Suarez, 30,…
Published in Geo News on June 11th, 2021, Abdul Mohi Shah Pakistan to bid for major events in ICC meeting this month. ICC seeking bids for hosting rights of men’s cricket events from 2024 to 2031. The ICC has asked PCB to submit its bids in a special communique with PCB Chairperson Ehsan Mani. ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) plans to place offers for at least five major international events at an International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting this month. The ICC is seeking bids for hosting rights of men’s cricket events from 2024 to 2031. Here are the major men’s…
Many players and coaches have criticised the event, including Uruguay’s Luis Suarez and the entire Brazilian national team [File: Luis Acoata/AFP] Published in AlJazeera on June 11th, 2021, The Supreme Court clears the way for the one-year delayed and relocated football tournament to go ahead in three days. Brazil’s Supreme Court has ruled that the country can host the Copa America despite the coronavirus pandemic, clearing the way for the troubled football tournament to go ahead in three days. In an extraordinary virtual session held on Thursday, a majority of the high court’s 11 justices decided against plaintiffs who argued…
The logo of the Tokyo Olympic Games, at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office building in Tokyo, Japan, January 22, 2021. Photo: Reuters Published in Geo News on June 09th, 2021, Reuters Indian Olympic Association drops Chinese sportswear maker Li Ning as official kit partner for Tokyo Games. Our athletes, coaches and support staff will wear unbranded apparel, says Indian Olympic Association. Chinese companies facing backlash in India since 20 Indian soldiers killed in clash with Chinese forces in Himalayan border dispute last year. NEW DELHI: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has dropped Chinese sportswear maker Li Ning as its…
Published in The Nation on June 09th, 2021, ISLAMABAD – The federal cabinet on Tuesday rejected the offer of Pakistan Television Corporation to coordinate with an Indian company to live broadcast the upcoming Pakistan-England cricket series. Addressing a press conference after the cabinet meeting, Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry said that the cabinet was requested to approve the partnership with Indian broadcasters (Star and Asia) who have the rights to air the match, which would enable Pakistan Television (PTV) to broadcast the cricket series between Pakistan and England which was scheduled to start from July 8. “The proposal has been…
Published in Reuters on Jun 10th, 2021, The main coronavirus vaccination centre in the Japanese capital of Tokyo will begin booking shots for people under 65 from Saturday, media reported on Thursday, as it ramps up inoculation efforts before the 2020 Olympics open next month. Japan began vaccinating front-line health workers and elderly people in February, but the slow pace compared with other major industrialised nations has spurred calls for the Tokyo Games to be delayed again or cancelled. Opening up vaccinations to most citizens may help the government ease concern the country is unprepared to host tens of thousands…
Chinese and US flags flutter outside a company building in Shanghai, China April 14, 2021. — Reuters Published in Dawn on June 11th, 2021, BEIJING: China on Thursday passed a new law to counter foreign sanctions, as it looks to build its defences against rising US and EU pressure over trade and human rights. Beijing has accused the United States of “suppressing” Chinese firms and issued veiled threats of retaliation after President Joe Biden last week expanded a blacklist of companies in which Americans are not allowed to invest. Countermeasures in the Chinese law include “refusal to issue visas, denial…
Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen [File: Alexander Zemlianichenko/Reuters] Published in AlJazeera on June 11th, 2021, Turkey should withdraw its troops from Afghanistan under the 2020 deal for the pullout of foreign forces, a Taliban spokesman has said, effectively rejecting Ankara’s proposal to guard and run Kabul’s airport after the United States-led NATO forces depart. The development raises serious questions for the US, other countries and international organisations with missions in Kabul about how to securely evacuate their personnel from landlocked Afghanistan, should fighting threaten the capital, Reuters news agency reported on Thursday. It also appeared to dash Ankara’s hopes of using…