[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Sarah Feldman, Oct 18, 2019[/box] The newest update of Statista’s digital media market shows that revenue in some of the largest media markets in the world is set to increase in the coming years. While the United States will continue to be a leader in the digital media market, the market’s growth is slowing in comparison to other countries. The United States is projected to grow at a roughly 9 percent pace over the next four years, with 2023 revenue forecasted at around $50.75 billion. By comparison, revenue in China’s digital media market is expected to expand at a 15…
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Hitit and PIA celebrate their first anniversary of completing the migration process in Pakistan. The first anniversary was celebrated with an official gala dinner, at the Movenpick, Karachi, attended by dignitaries representing Hitit, PIA, TAAP and the Turkish Consulate. On 18 April 2018, PIA and Hitit signed their partnership agreement. In just five months, on the 12th of September 2018, the technology transfer process of PIA was complete. All the airline reservations, inventory control, ticketing and check-in procedures, flight operations, scheduling, revenue management and accounting are processed by Hitit’s Crane Solution Suite. In line with this cooperation, PIA has also…
PAKISTAN NEWS: Mobile ecosystem contributes $16.7 billion to Pakistan’s economy: The mobile ecosystem in Pakistan plays an increasingly important role in economic growth, contributing around $16.7 billion (equivalent to 5.4% of GDP) according to a research report launched by the GSMA. GSMA is an international trade body of mobile network operators. It recently launched “the power of mobile to accelerate digital transformation in Pakistan” report, which examines the transformative opportunities presented by mobile-enabled digital services in Pakistan. [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] OPPO launches the Reno 2 series: OPPO Pakistan has launched the new Reno2 Series at Faletti’s Hotel in Lahore…
PAKISTAN NEWS: SCO & Ufone Sign a Bilateral Roaming Services Agreement: Special Communications Organization (SCO), the largest telecom service provider in Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJ&K) and Gilgit Baltistan (GB), and Ufone, the only Pakistan origin cellular network operator, have signed a Bilateral Roaming Services Agreement at PTCL HQ, Islamabad. The ceremony was attended by Major General Ali Farhan HI (M), Director General SCO, Mr Rashid Khan, CEO Ufone & PTCL, including senior officials from both sides. [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] Vivo V17 Pro Launches in With First Ever 32MP Dual Pop-Up Camera: Vivo has unveiled the new V17 Pro…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Anne Quito Design Reporter, Quartz This article is published in collaboration with Quartz[/box] Erecting a new building ranks among the most inefficient, polluting activities humans undertake. The construction sector is responsible for nearly 40% of the world’s total energy consumption and CO2 emissions, according to a UN global survey (pdf). A consortium of Swiss researchers has one answer to the problem: working with robots. The proof of concept comes in the form of the DFAB House, celebrated as the first habitable building designed and planned using a choreography of digital fabrication methods. The three-level building near Zurich features 3D-printed…
PAKISTAN NEWS: Hunarmand App Launched to Provide Jobs & Training to Pakistani Youth: National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTCC), in collaboration with USAID, launched an application named ‘Hunarmand’, which will provide job opportunities for young people as it will link the skilled youth with the employers. With funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Punjab Youth Workforce Development Project developed this mobile app in partnership with the National Vocational & Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) to help the youth get information on short-term employment opportunities and to help employers find skilled labor and grow their companies. [divider…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Fernando J. Gómez Head, Chemical and Advanced Materials Industry, World Economic Forum Simonetta Rima Research and Analysis Specialist, Chemical and Advanced Materials Industry, World Economic Forum[/box] A group of materials now known collectively as plastics has played a definitive role in delivering much of the socio-economic advantages of modern life, and their production has outpaced that of almost every other material since the 1950s. But what are plastics? Today nearly everyone, everywhere, every day comes into contact with them. They have become the workhorse material of the modern economy due to several reasons: availability, versatility, but above all…
Pakistani director Asad Faruqi wins Emmy for the documentary ‘Armed with Faith’.Photo: ITVS Published in Geo News on Sep 25th, 2019, As Pakistani filmmakers continue to make the country proud, director Asad Faruqi has become the latest to join the list after winning an Emmy for his documentary Armed with Faith. The news was revealed by the organisers on Twitter. “The Emmy for Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary goes to @worldchannel for Doc World, “Armed With Faith.” Academy-award winner Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy who was part of the film’s production team, felicitated the director on social media and said, “Asad Faruqi came…
PAKISTAN NEWS: PTCL is Taking Its Digital Presence to the Next Level: In today’s connected world, digital has become one of the most significant mediums through which the brands connect with its customers. When compared to traditional marketing methods, Digital is considered cost-effective and has a wider reach that is not limited geographically. Thus, many brands including startups and small enterprises with low budgets prefer it to conventional methods. Nevertheless, major brands and large enterprises have also joined the digital race, realizing its importance and seeing how it can bring them closer to their customers. [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] HomeShopping…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Celine Herweijer Global Leader, Innovation and Sustainability, PwC Dominic Kailash Nath Waughray Managing Director, Head of the Centre for Global Public Goods, World Economic Forum This article is part of the Sustainable Development Impact Summit[/box] Back in 2015, all 192 United Nations member states came together to commit to tackling 17 ambitious global goals – the Sustainable Development Goals – by 2030. While ambition and momentum to tackle the goals has grown, there is so much still to do. The real challenge lies where progress is not so easily achievable, including complex systemic global issues such as climate change…
PAKISTAN NEWS: Moitt forms an authority for updating it education in universities: The Ministry of IT and Telecommunication is trying to set up a regulatory authority to improve the standard of education and skills development in local universities to meet international standards. This was stated by Minister of IT and Telecommunication, Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui while addressing the media persons on the inaugural ceremony of the 19th ITCN Asia 2019. Pakistan’s universities produce around IT 25,000 graduates but merely 5,000 of them get employed at leading local IT companies. The other graduates do not meet the selection criteria of the…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Hussain Rasheed Hassan Minister of Environment, Republic of Maldives Valerie Cliff Deputy Regional Director, UNDP in Asia and the Pacific This article is part of the Sustainable Development Impact Summit [/box] As world leaders gathered at the UN Secretary General’s Climate Action Summit this week, the damage Hurricane Dorian wrought in the Bahamas earlier this month served as a grim reminder of the climate realities that island nations face. For the nearly one-third of all citizens in small island developing states (SIDS) living in areas no higher than a few meters above sea level, the existential threat of climate…
PAKISTAN NEWS: Oppo to launch its a series 2020 smartphones: Oppo is excited to announce that on Sep 19th it will launch the A Series 2020, including A9 2020 and A5 2020, the new iteration of the brand’s successful line in Pakistan. Oppo’s latest offering for the mid-range smartphone market focuses on photography, design, and battery life. Overall, the Oppo A Series 2020 will be a good option for a wide range of users, but especially the Generation Z youth. Oppo has been active in the overseas markets for the past ten years, and the Oppo A Series is successful…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Roger J Kreuz Associate Dean, College of Arts & Sciences, University of Memphis This article is published in collaboration with The Conversation[/box] When Toni Morrison died on Aug. 5, the world lost one of its most influential literary voices. But Morrison wasn’t a literary wunderkind. “The Bluest Eye,” Morrison’s first novel, wasn’t published until she was 39. And her last, “God Help the Child,” appeared when she was 84. Morrison published four novels, four children’s books, many essays and other works of nonfiction after the age of 70. Morrison isn’t unique in this regard. Numerous writers produce…
PAKISTAN NEWS: Apple allows independent shops to repair iphones: There was a surprising announcement by Apple that it will allow independent repair shops to repair iPhones whose warranty has expired. This is another component of the Independent Repair Program under which shops that are interested in working with genuine Apple hardware will be provided with parts, tools, and training.Currently, the program is only available in North America but it will be expanded to other markets in Europe and Asia soon. Although, for now out of warranty repairs are consigned to issues with the front and/or back glass panels, crack in the…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Jackline Wahba, University of Southampton[/box] Forced displacement is a global challenge. The number of displaced people rose from 43m to 69m between 2007 and 2017, with the highest growth primarily due to the Syrian conflict, which started in 2011. Since then, more than 6.3m Syrians have fled to neighbouring countries and beyond. This humanitarian crisis has generated public sympathy as well as concern about the implications of such a massive flow of people. Jordan, which shares a border with Syria, has experienced a substantial influx of refugees. Around 1.3m Syrians live in Jordan, which has a…
PAKISTAN NEWS: Zong Achieves 1Gbps Speed on its 5G Network in Pakistan: Zong showcased its 5G network to the world at an event that was attended by Mr. Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Secretary Information Technology and Telecommunication Division, Maj. Gen. (Retd) Amir Azeem Bajwa, Chairman PTA and Dr. Wang Zhihua, Economic & Commercial Counselor, Chinese Embassy, along with dignitaries from various government entities, telecom industry and the corporate sector. Zong was allowed to conduct 5G tests after a green signal from Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, in an arrangement where company can test its 5G network readiness within limited geographical limits. [divider style=”normal”…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, Aug 21, 2019[/box] Eyebrows were raised far beyond Washington D.C. when the Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. President Donald Trump may have expressed interest in buying Greenland. Danish politicians dismissed his apparent interest with Ane Lone Bagger, Greeland’s foreign minister, saying that her homeland is open for business but not for sale. Just how big is Greenland? Well, excluding continental landmasses such as Antarctica and Australia, it’s the world’s biggest island with an area of 2,166,086 square kilometres according to Visual Capitalist. That’s over twice the size of the planet’s second biggest island, New Guinea, which has a…
PAKISTAN NEWS: Telenor Pakistan gets ready to bring 5G to Pakistan: Telenor Pakistan and its network partners have geared up to make the network 5G ready, said a statement issued by the company moments ago.5G is the fifth-generation cellular network technology that offers faster data transfer speeds and enables advanced solutions such as smart homes, smart cities, autonomous driving, automated emergency services, remote medical diagnosis, smart manufacturing, cloud gaming and enhanced content & media experiences to name a few. [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] Jazz celebrates 25 years in the Pakistani industry: Jazz, Pakistan’s leading digital communications company, is celebrating 25…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Johnny Wood Writer, Formative Content[/box] What do you want to be when you grow up? It’s a question we’ve all been asked at some point. If you live in Indonesia, the answer could well be “an entrepreneur”, according to a recent survey. More than one-third of the country’s young people, between the ages of 15 and 35, want to work for themselves. This may seem unsurprising in light of its recent string of booming tech unicorns – start-ups that have reached $1 billion valuation – that inspire the country’s youth. Business leaders like Ferry Unardi, the…
PAKISTAN NEWS: PTCL supports NIC Karachi on graduation of its first cohort of startups: PTCL is proud to support the startups incubated at National Incubation Center (NIC), Karachi at a special graduation ceremony for their first cohort of startups at its facility in NED University, Karachi. The ceremony was attended by Syed Shahzad Shah, Executive Vice President, Marketing & Communication, PTCL, Fariha Tahir Shah, GM Corporate Communication, PTCL, AtifRais Khan, Chief Executive Officer, LMKT, Shabahat Ali Shah, Executive Director National Information Technology Board (NITB), Shahjahan Chaudhry, Project Director, NIC Karachi, along with tech entrepreneurs, business leaders, professionals and students. The…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Mackenzie Graham, University of Oxford[/box] Around the world thousands of people are on organ donor waiting lists. While some of those people will receive the organ transplants they need in time, the sad reality is that many will die waiting. But controversial new research may provide a way to address this crisis. Japan has recently overturned its ban on the creation of human-animal hybrids, or “chimeras”, and approved a request by researchers from the University of Tokyo to create a human-mouse hybrid. Scientists will attempt to grow a human pancreas inside a mouse, using a certain…
Judges are seen at the International Court of Justice during the final hearing in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case in The Hague, the Netherlands, on February 17. — Reuters Published in Dawn on July 17th, 2019, The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Wednesday announced its verdict on the Kulbhushan Jadhav case, ruling that Jadhav be allowed consular access immediately and asking Pakistan to ensure “effective review and reconsideration of his conviction and sentences”. The ICJ, however, rejected all other remedies sought by India, which included the annulment of the military court decision convicting Jadhav, restricting Pakistan from executing the sentence, securing Jadhav’s…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Algirde Pipikaite Project Lead, Governance and Policy, World Economic Forum Martina Cheung President, S&P Global Market Intelligence This article is part of the Annual Meeting of the New Champions[/box] Cyberattacks have almost doubled in the past five years with no sign of slowing down. Due to the increasing number of cyber breaches, there is a market shift towards demanding more secure technological innovation. After major cyberattacks such as NotPetya and WannaCry paralysed some businesses around the globe for weeks, cyber-risk rapidly became one of the most important factors to consider when taking an executive decision on company strategy. What is the role of…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, Jul 3, 2019[/box] Robots are set to have a major impact on workforces around the world over the coming years with jobs involving routine manual activity most at risk from automation. In order to gauge how the adoption of advanced robotics will affect the labor market, the Boston Consulting Group carried out a survey of executives and managers from 1,314 global companies in early 2019. The research found that 67 percent of Chinese companies are expecting a reduction in the number of employees due to automation, along with 60 percent in Poland and 57 percent in Japan. Some companies…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, Jul 4, 2019[/box] Donald Trump made history on Sunday by becoming the first U.S. president to set foot in North Korea. He briefly entered the Stalinist state during a meeting with Kim Jong-un at the demilitarized zone where both leaders agreed to resume talks on decnuclearization. In the wake of that breakthrough, North Korea have now suddenly accused the U.S. of being “hell-bent on hostile acts”. The sudden complaint was made after the U.S. sent a letter together with the UK, France and Germany to all UN member states, urging them to send North Korean migrant…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Jian Lu President, LinkedIn China This article is part of the Annual Meeting of the New Champions[/box] The rise of tech is currently transforming the labour market, leading to the automation of some jobs and tasks on the one hand and the emergence of new kinds on the other. Proactively preparing for this new reality requires an in-depth, granular understanding of these changes and their impact on jobs and employment. LinkedIn data is able to provide additional insight on this by taking a skills-based approach to labour-market analysis. Skills are the new currency on the labour market.…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Charlotte Edmond Formative Content This article is part of the Annual Meeting of the New Champions[/box] There are as many people working in manufacturing in the US now as there were 70 years ago. At the tail end of 1949, 12.88 million people were employed in manufacturing: seven decades on and almost equal numbers have jobs in the sector, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. While in 1949 the US was in the middle of a harsh recession, and a push by the White House to boost manufacturing jobs has driven up numbers more recently, the…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””] Alex McGoran, Royal Holloway[/box] Ever since the issue was highlighted in shows like “Blue Planet 2”, plastic pollution in the world’s oceans has generated a wave of concern among the public. It might surprise people to learn that despite comparably less attention, many of the world’s rivers are just as polluted, if not more so. Around 80% of marine litter starts on land and rivers help transport it out to sea. In this way, plastic pollution is not just a problem for the distant open ocean – it’s an issue on our doorstep. For this…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Bill Durodie, University of Bath[/box] On June 28 and 29, the G20 summit will convene for the 14th time in Osaka, Japan. This gathering of leaders from the world’s leading economies, including the EU, plus invited guests and international organisations, ought to offer an important moment for mature reflection and collective coordination regarding the future needs of the world economy at a difficult time. Instead, it is likely to descend either into directly confrontational rhetoric or, alternatively, empty promises and vague platitudes that avoid its mission to be the “premier forum for international economic cooperation”. The…
“To us, the most important thing is to do our job well” “Our relationships with US companies won’t be destroyed by a piece of paper from the US government” “Our company will not end up with an extreme supply shortage. We have got well prepared” In his latest meeting with the media, Huawei founder Mr. Ren Zhengfei has reiterated that the company is in a strong position to move ahead despite recent political actions in the United States. Addressing questions about the impact of the White House’s recent executive order, Ren noted: “What the US will do is out of…
Pakistan’s Sarfaraz Ahmed and India’s Virat Kohli during the press conference. Photo: Reuters Published in Geo News on May 24th, 2019, NEW DELHI: The old adage that sports and politics do not mix will ring hollow again when former champions India and Pakistan clash in a World Cup match on June 16 at Old Trafford in Manchester. Bilateral cricketing ties between the two have remained suspended since 2008 and relations further soured in February this year after an attack that killed at least 40 Indian paramilitary police in Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK). Several former India players urged Virat Kohli’s men to…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Felix Richter, May 17, 2019[/box] The U.S. labor market is in great shape. The unemployment rate dropped to a 50-year low of 3.6 percent in April, wages are high and total nonfarm employment reached a historical high of 151.1 million, according to the latest estimates by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The U.S. is not alone in enjoying a strong job market at the moment though. According to the IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook, the employment situation in most of the world’s largest economies has improved significantly over the past five years. As the following chart shows, Japan and Germany are currently…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Katharina Buchholz, May 3, 2019[/box] Ramadan is predicted to start on Monday, May 6, in 2019, once the first moon of a new lunar cycle is visible in Mecca. While the length of the Islamic month of fasting is the same for all Muslims observing it, the length of the daily fast certainly is not. Because Muslims vow to abstain from eating and drinking during daylight hours, those living further north have to go without food and drink for much longer than their counterparts living closer to the equator or even in the Southern hemisphere which is…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Sarah Feldman, Apr 30, 2019[/box] While most Americans know May 1st as May Day, a holiday that once was celebrated with mayday poles and flowers, most people across the world know the day as Labor Day. The story of how May 1st became Labor Day actually begins in the U.S. in 1886. Workers across the U.S. coordinated a multi-day protest starting on May 1st in multiple cities to agitate for an eight-hour workday. On the second day of protests, violence between police and peaceful protestors broke out in Chicago at an event that became known as the Haymarket affair.…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Clarissa Rios Rojas Fellow, Geneva Centre for Security Policy[/box] Would you like to understand how your DNA, genes and genomics play a role in business? Would you like to know who the big players in this new field are and what their influence is on you and on society? In this article, I will explain how technological achievements in genomics have also made human genomics affordable and accessible to the general public. Social movements such as do-it-yourself-biology, companies offering gene therapy and personalized genetic testing, and firms working at the interface of genomics and artificial intelligence,…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Friedhelm Weinberg Executive Director, HURIDOCS[/box] When activists open their inboxes, they find more than the standard spam messages telling them they’ve finally won the lottery. Instead, they receive highly sophisticated emails that look like they are real, purport to be from friends and invite them to meetings that are actually happening. The catch is: at one point the emails will attempt to trick them. Phishing for accounts, not compliments In 2017, the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto and the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, documented what they called the “Nile Phish” campaign, a set of emails luring…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]John McAlaney, Bournemouth University and Helen Thackray, University of Portsmouth[/box] Cybersecurity incidents are gaining an increasingly high profile. In the past, these incidents may have been perceived primarily as a somewhat distant issue for organisations such as banks to deal with. But recent attacks such as the 2017 Wannacry incident, in which a cyber attack disabled the IT systems of many organisations including the NHS, demonstrates the real-life consequences that cyber attacks can have. These attacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, using psychological manipulation as well as technology. Examples of this include phishing emails, some of which…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Ross Brown, University of St Andrews and John O.S. Wilson, University of St Andrews[/box] When it comes to how Brexit will affect business, much of the debate in the UK has focused on large firms, particularly international ones such as Honda and Nissan. The CBI, which mainly represents big business, has been tirelessly warning of the economic dangers of a no deal in the coming weeks. The likely impact on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has received much less attention by comparison. We have published a new study in the journal Regional Studies that looks…
Published in The Express Tribune, on Mar 6th, 2019, By Reuters NEW DELHI: Indian opposition parties are launching a united attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for what they see as his politicisation of the armed forces as he tries to ride a patriotic wave into a second term in office at a general election. It is a high-risk bet that could backfire given the jingoistic fervour that has overtaken India since a suicide bomber allegedly from the militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) killed 40 paramilitary police in Indian-occupied Kashmir (IOK) on February 14. Pollsters say opposition parties may be making a mistake by…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Dionysios Demetis, University of Hull[/box] I can still recall my surprise when a book by evolutionary biologist Peter Lawrence entitled “The making of a fly” came to be priced on Amazon at $23,698,655.93 (plus $3.99 shipping). While my colleagues around the world must have become rather depressed that an academic book could achieve such a feat, the steep price was actually the result of algorithms feeding off each other and spiralling out of control. It turns out, it wasn’t just sales staff being creative: algorithms were calling the shots. This eye-catching example was spotted and corrected.…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Sarah Feldman, Feb 25, 2019[/box] In about the time it takes to bake a tray of cookies, watch a show on Netflix, or be the shortest reigning King of France, an average Russian hacker can infiltrate a computer network. The average breakout time for Russian hackers was about 18 minutes. Chinese-affiliated hacking groups clocked in an average breakout time of about 4 hours, while North Korean hackers were able to gain access to a network in just under two and a half hours. This metric, termed breakout time, measures how long it takes hackers to get into a…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Felix Richter, Feb 25, 2019[/box] Peter Farrelly’s “Green Book” emerged as the surprise winner at the 91st Oscars on Sunday night. The film, telling the story of world-class African-American pianist Don Shirley and his Italian-American driver Tony Vallelonga touring the Southern part of a deeply segregated 1962 America, won three major categories, including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor. Having earned $144 million at the global box office so far, “Green Book” was reasonably successful in commercial terms, especially considering its modest production budget of $23 million, but it was still worlds apart from…
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday. PHOTO: PTI Published in The Express Tribune, on Feb 18th, 2019, Praising the steps taken by Pakistan and Prime Minister Imran Khan towards forging better ties with India, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has stressed that dialogue is the only way to resolve outstanding issues between the two nuclear-armed neighbours and ensure peace and stability in the region. As he wrapped up his two day visit to Pakistan on Monday, the crown prince – who is also Saudi Arabia’s deputy prime…
Published in ARY, on Feb 6th, 2019, By AFP LONDON: Pakistan were drawn at home to India on Wednesday in an Asian Davis Cup qualifying tie that could present political problems. On the basis of the world rankings, India, who were seeded No.1 in the Asia Pacific draw, will be overwhelming favourites to win and advance to the World Group qualifying round. The problem is that the Indian government froze all sporting ties between the countries after the deadly attacks on Mumbai in 2008 which were blamed on Pakistan-based militants. “AITA does not have a choice,” the All India Tennis Association Secretary…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Michael Nally Chief Marketing Officer, MSD[/box] Three centuries ago, Jonathan Swift anticipated our post-truth world when he said: “Falsehood flies, and truth comes limping after it, so that when men come to be undeceived, it is too late.” Recent research has quantified Swift’s observation for the age of Twitter and Facebook. MIT scientists have shown that the truth takes six times as long as falsehoods to reach the same number of people and never achieves the same level of social media amplification as falsehoods. In public health, the damage caused by false “facts” spread at the speed of clickbait is…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Erez Yereslove Senior Vice President, Globality[/box] Not many of us would see a calculator as a threat to our jobs. Yet just as the development of these now ubiquitous tools disquieted some mathematicians, rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are now sparking debate and no small measure of concern about the future of the global workforce. Recent data points to significant division in public perception around advancing the development of AI, most notably and directly tied to levels of education, wages, technical expertise and even gender. With policy-makers continually challenged to keep pace with…
Life in Pakistan is fast paced, and it doesn’t seem to be getting slower any time soon. In the hustle bustle of everyday tensions, a headache is something that’s taken for granted. Regardless it being a headache or a more serious illness, Abbott helps people live fully with its life-changing technology— in diagnostics, medical devices, nutrition and medicines. Established in Pakistan for more than 70 years, Abbott has been focused on helping people live healthier lives through life-changing technology. The company has been operating in Pakistan almost from the time of the country’s inception, starting as a private marketing company…
Bollywood has a long tradition of producing politically tinged flicks but 2019’s offerings are said to be more partisan than ever before. Photo: File Published in Geo, on Jan 11th, 2019, Bollywood filmmakers are seeking to cash in on this year´s Indian general election with a host of political movies, some of which smack of propaganda according to critics. The Hindi film industry has a long tradition of producing politically tinged flicks but industry watchers say 2019´s offerings are more partisan than ever before. “What we have this year are quite a few films, some of which are biopics, that…
The Grand Alliance led by Indian National Congress with all non-Bharatiya Janata Party allies. Photo: Twitter Published in Asia Times, on Jan 10th, 2019, By SRINAND JHA Major regional figures remain reluctant to adopt strategies that might help revive the Congress party in the run-up to the poll Leaders of the “Maha Gathbandhan” – Grand Alliance – went into a huddle on Monday at the residence of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) heir apparent Tejaswi Yadav in Bihar’s Patna to speed up the seat-sharing formula for the upcoming parliamentary elections. Meanwhile, emissaries of Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, Jan 3, 2019[/box] In recent years, the number of police officers across the European Union has been decreasing. In 2016, EU countries had a collective total of 1.62 million police officers, a 3.4 percent reduction since 2009. According to Eurostat, there were 318 police officers per 100,000 people in 2016 with noticeable differences between member states. As the following infographic shows, Cyprus had the highest density of law enforcement personnel in 2016 with 572 per 100,000 inhabitants. Hungary was at the opposite end of the scale with 90 per 100,000 inhabitants. Elsewhere, Italy had 453, Spain had…
Lebanese soldiers stand guard the street as antigovernment protesters inspired by the French movement Yellow Vests Gilets jaunes demonstrate in Martyrs square in central Beirut on December 23 2018 Hundreds of Lebanese protested against deteriorating economic conditions as politicians are deadlocked over forming a new government Photo by ANWAR AMRO AA AFP Photo credit should read ANWAR AMROAFPGetty Images Published in Arabianbusiness, on Dec 24th, 2018, Hundreds of protesters demonstrated against widespread corruption and lackluster public services Hundreds of Lebanese took to the streets Sunday in Beirut to protest rampant corruption and poor living conditions, as anger mounts over political…
Published in Dawn, on Dec 12th, 2018, By Naveed Siddiqui As Washington announced that Islamabad had been added to a list of violators of religious freedoms, Pakistan on Wednesday rejected the “unilateral and politically motivated pronouncement”, and suggested the US introspect over the “exponential rise” of Islamophobia and anti-Semitism in America. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had on Tuesday said that Pakistan was joining Saudi Arabia, Iran, China, North Korea, Burma, Eritrea, Sudan and Tajikistan on a list of countries that have “engaged in or tolerated systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom”. The Foreign Office (FO) today issued Islamabad’s reaction to…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””] James Pennington Project Lead, Circular Economy, World Economic Forum Ariel Kastner Lead, Geopolitical Agenda, World Economic Forum[/box] As world leaders gather in Katowice, Poland for the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP24), signs are evident that several long-time influential players are abdicating leadership on the issue of climate change. The United States has said it would withdraw from the Paris Agreement, Australia is not slated to meet its emissions targets, and Brazil recently announced it would not host next year’s COP25 summit as planned. However, China has apparently…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Sarah Feldman, Dec 3, 2018[/box] Last week General Motor’s second in charge stepped down as president to manage the companies self-driving unit, a move seen as serious investment in the companies future. According to a global online survey conducted by Accenture and Harris Interactive, about six out of ten people who fall under the high-income bracket would be willing passengers in a self-driving vehicles. While interest was prevalent among high income individuals, a little under half of those who fell in a low-income bracket would be willing passengers in a self-driving vehicle. The survey was conducted between October and November 2017…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Emma Charlton Writer[/box] Could artificial intelligence benefit children with autism? Ned Sahin, a neuroscientist and founder of company Brain Power, thinks so. He is part of a wave of scientists who hope technology can improve the social communication and interaction skills of people with autism. It is among a growing number of start-ups looking to target the education industry with apps and solutions aimed at specialist areas. Google Chromebooks and Apple iPads are becoming more commonplace in classrooms, including those for pupils with special needs. A study by eSchool News shows the use of AI in education is set to grow…
TPL Insurance & Yayvo Bring to their Customers a Secure Shopping Experience To supplement and enhance the digital buying experience of customers, TPL Insurance, Pakistan’s first direct insurance company, has entered into a strategic alliance with Yayvo.com, Pakistan’s fastest growing ecommerce store, to celebrate White Friday. From November 2018, TPL Insurance will provide all consumers of Yayvo.com, an exclusive purchase protection plan on products sold via the Yayvo.com platform. A signing ceremony, attended by Mr. Muhammad Aminuddin, CEO, TPL Insurance, Mr. Syed Kazim Hassan– COO & CFO, TPL Insurance, Mr. Ali Zaidi– Head of Operations, TPL Insurance and Mr. Adam…
Published in The Express Tribune, on Oct 29th, 2018, By Sports Desk They might not be ready to share pleasantries when it comes to politics, but Pakistan and India shared the recently concluded Asian Champions Trophy crown after nature’s intervention. Both teams made it to the final of the event which was washed out due to heavy rain in Muscat. As a result, both captains lifted the trophy, together. Pakistan made it to the final clash against arch-rivals after a dominant performance in the Asian Champions Trophy. They beat Oman, Malaysia and South Korea, while Japan held them to a 1-1 draw.…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, Oct 19, 2018[/box] Towards the end of 2017 and in the first six months of 2018, video gamers have had to contend with extortionate prices for graphics cards. The reasons for the price increase are generally twofold: the memory used in the most popular cards has gotten more expensive while a cryptocurrency boom has caused a spike in demand for GPUs for mining. That has resulted in immense difficulties for people building or upgrading PCs over the past couple of months. Nvidia has stated that in recent quarters, cryprocurrencies helped to significantly bolster its profits. Take the…
Published in BBC, on Oct 6th, 2018, The chance of the UK and the EU agreeing a Brexit deal has grown in the last few days, the head of the European Commission has said. Speaking to the Austrian press, Jean-Claude Juncker said that while he was not sure an agreement could be reached by October, it could be by November. Foreign office minister Sir Alan Duncan also expressed optimism that a deal could be reached before December. The UK is due to leave the EU on 29 March 2019. But there is still no agreement on some issues, including how…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Felix Richter, Sep 21, 2018[/box] Despite the fact that several manufacturers have released smart fridges, washing machines and other connected household appliances in recent years, smart technology hasn’t really taken off in the appliances segment so far. According to a recent YouGov survey, U.S. consumers have several concerns with respect to smart home appliances, with hefty price tags and fear of hacking and cyber attacks the most common complaints. [ads1] You will find more infographics at Statista
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]So-Young Kang Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Gnowbe This article is part of the World Economic Forum on ASEAN [/box] The future of work is rapidly changing. With the rise of machines and automation, we need to empower our workforces with 21st-century skills to help them remain employable. But how do we empower billions of people who may have never set foot inside a classroom? How do we give them universal access to education and enable them to be future-ready? One of the biggest challenges we are facing globally today is how to close the rapidly growing skills…
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, center, and Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, left, listen as Prime Minister Imran Khan speaks during their meeting in Islamabad on Sept. 5. PHOTO: PAKISTAN PRESS INFORMATION DEPARTMENT/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES Published in The Wall Street Journal Sep 5th, 2018 By Saeed Shah and Nancy A. Youssef ISLAMABAD—Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. and Pakistan have still got a long way to go to reset troubled ties after a visit in which he sought Islamabad’s help in ending the war in Afghanistan. Relations have soured amid differences over Afghanistan, the presence of militants on Pakistani soil,…
Pedestrians pass by a foreign exchange office in Istanbul on 9 August as the Turkish lira continues to lose value against major international currencies and inflation skyrockets. Photo: Diego Cupolo/NurPhoto Published in Asia Times Sep 5th, 2018 By ÖZLEM ALBAYRAK Although the country’s inflation hit a 15-year high in August, the government has yet to face the reality of its desperate financial predicament Turkey, in the midst of a currency crisis which is quickly becoming a private sector debt crisis, appears headed toward stagflation — high inflation coupled with a contracting economy. The country’s inflation as measured by the Consumer Price…
A beneficiary of the food stamp program at a supermarket in New Jersey. The House bill would impose stricter work requirements on recipients of the program.CreditCreditSeth Wenig/Associated Press Published in The New York Times Sep 6th, 2018 By Glenn Thrush Nearly two million low-income Americans, including 469,000 households with young children, would be stripped of benefits under the House version of the farm bill being considered this week by congressional negotiators, according to an analysis by a nonpartisan research firm. The bill, a multiyear spending measure that narrowly passed the House in June, includes a proposal to reformulate income and expense criteria…
The Trump administration is poised to impose 25 percent penalties this week on $200bn worth of Chinese goods [Reuters] Published in AlJazeera Sep 6th, 2018 Analysts warn a full-blown trade war could disrupt global trade and shrink annual economic output of the US and China. China is ready to retaliate if US President Donald Trump goes ahead with a tariff hike on $200bn worth of Chinese goods and is confident it can maintain “steady and healthy” economic growth. The Trump administration is poised to impose 25 percent penalties on Chinese goods in a new escalation of their trade war over…
Published in The Diplomat, Sep 5th, 2018 By Daud Khattak Imran Khan is hitting controversies early exactly because his supporters expect so much from his government. It’s been less than a month since Imran Khan’s swearing-in, and Pakistan’s most popular politician, who is now prime minister of the country, is mired in controversies regarding the performance of his government and team members. The “missteps” that the new government is being derided for are in fact oft-repeated practices under previous administration. The problem is that people did not expect the same routine from a government they believe — or were made to…
Published in Reuters, Aug 29th, 2018 WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday renewed his attacks on technology companies and platforms including Twitter Inc, Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google, saying they were “trying to silence” people. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump suggested, without evidence, that the companies’ activities may be illegal. He later posted a tweet saying Google had for years promoted former President Barack Obama’s State of the Union addresses on its home page, but stopped the practice when Trump took office last year. The tweet included screenshots of the Google home…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, Aug 31, 2018 [/box] An interview from the Russian Ministry for Maritime and River Transport published on website PortNews says that Arctic ports along the Northern Sea Route are experiencing a surge in cargo. Up to August 24th of this year, 9.95 million tons of goods went through ports in the region, an 81 percent increase on last year’s 5.5 million. Even though the passage is only feasible for three months of the year, global warming is making it increasingly viable for major shipping companies. This year, temperatures in the Arctic Circle have been unusually…
Two women, Maria and Lupita, whose U.S. citizenship is in question, stand for a portrait in Brownsville, Tex. Although they were born in the United States, the government is questioning their citizenship because it suspects their birth certificates are fraudulent, even though they were issued by the state of Texas decades ago. (Carolyn Van Houten/The Washington Post) Published in The Washington Post, Aug 29th, 2018 By Kevin Sieff PHARR, Tex. — On paper, he’s a devoted U.S. citizen. His official American birth certificate shows he was delivered by a midwife in Brownsville, at the southern tip of Texas. He spent his…
The image of President Xi Jinping looms large over Chinese society. Photo: AFP / Greg Baker Published in Asia Times, Aug 24th, 2018 By GORDON WATTS The President might be in a tight spot but he has tightened his grip on the levers of power with most of his rivals and critics in jail or sidelined, snared by the anti-corruption drive He is the most powerful leader in modern Chinese history since Mao Zedong. Last October, President Xi Jinping’s Thought on the Socialist Economy with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era was enshrined in Communist Party dogma at the 19th National Congress in the fabled…
Israel has sought to avoid direct involvement in the conflict but acknowledges carrying out dozens of air attacks in Syria [Ints Kalnins/Reuters] Published in Aljazeera, Aug 29th, 2018 Recent deal between Damascus and Tehran on military cooperation will not deter Israel, Netanyahu vows. Israel renewed its threat to attack Iranian military targets in Syria after Damascus and Tehran reached a new accord on security cooperation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a speech on Wednesday his country would take “strong and determined action against Iran’s attempts to station forces and advanced weapons systems in Syria.” “No agreement between Syria and Iran will deter us; neither will…
Published in Dawn, Aug 30th, 2018 By Josh Rogin PRESIDENT Donald Trump seemed especially jealous of Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday. First, Trump again mused about extending presidential term limits because he wants to preside over the 2026 World Cup. That was probably a joke. Less funny were Trump’s repeated threats to punish Google if it doesn’t appease his political demands. That smacks of the kind of authoritarianism and internet control that Xi and the Chinese Communist Party have mastered. Set aside the reality that there’s zero evidence Google’s search algorithm is “RIGGED”, as Trump tweeted on Tuesday morning. As Maggie…
Iranian MPs engage in discussions while the economy minister speaks during a parliamentary session in Tehran on August 26, 2018, before a vote that saw Masoud Karbasian impeached. Photo: AFP / Atta Kenare Published in Asia Times, Aug 27th, 2018 By ALISON TAHMIZIAN MEUSE A majority of parliament voted for the minister’s ouster, dealing the latest blow to President Hassan Rouhani’s moderate government Iran’s parliament on Sunday voted to impeach the minister of economic affairs and finance, Masoud Karbasian, amid economic turmoil and frustration over the handling of US sanctions. “Lack of transparency in the Iranian economy, the problems caused…
Employers and industry groups have warned about a potential lack of low-paid workers, such as fruit pickers, after Brexit ( Getty ) The government will struggle to fill low-paid jobs after Brexit while also protecting migrant workers from exploitation, a new report has warned. Experts said one option being considered by the government would expose staff to the risk of being mistreated by unscrupulous bosses, while another could fail to ensure vital low-skilled jobs are filled. With freedom of movement due to end when Britain leaves the EU, ministers are mulling how to ensure that employers reliant on foreign labour do not face severe problems after Brexit.…
Saeed urged NBP employees to serve nation with diligently The President, National Bank of Pakistan, Mr. Saeed Ahmad said that the NBP is nation’s bank and contributing significantly in the economic growth of the country. He said the NBP is only bank providing financial facilities to people of Pakistan. The NBP celebrates 71st Independence Day in a big way. Mr. Saeed Ahmad President and CEO, NBP, hoisted the national flag at the NBP’s Head Office and cut the cake to celebrate Pakistan 71st Independence Day. Hundreds of NBP employees, their families, representatives of media and social welfare organizations attended the…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Published in collaboration with the Wilson Center[/box] This article is part of the World Economic Forum’s Geostrategy platform Access to and competition over natural resources has been one of the most common triggers for conflict. Throughout the centuries, countries and communities have fought over productive agricultural land, trade routes, spices, textiles, opium, and oil, to name just a few. But the battle over one natural resource—fish—has long been overlooked. As trends in the global fish industry increasingly mirror the conflict-ridden oil sector, fish may become the newest addition to the list of resources driving geopolitical competition. There are five parallels…
President Trump hosted the 2018 “Made in America Product Showcase” at the White House on July 23, where he said the economy is going through a “revival.” (Reuters) Published in The Washington Post, July 23rd, 2018 by Deanna Paul President Trump has called for a re-examination of the visa process that allows skilled workers to work in the U.S. (Daron Taylor/The Washington Post) President Trump touted the economy Monday at a White House event showcasing American-made merchandise, even as some members of the manufacturing industry worried that the president’s trade policies threaten recent progress. At the second annual “Made in America”…
Published in Reuters, July 23rd, 2018 by Nate Raymond BOSTON (Reuters) – A federal judge in Boston on Monday rejected a bid by the Trump administration to dismiss a lawsuit alleging that its decisions to end temporary protections for immigrants in the United States from Honduras, Haiti and El Salvador were racially motivated. U.S. District Judge Denise Casper in Boston ruled that a group of immigrants and two organizations could move forward with a lawsuit challenging the administration’s termination of the protective status enjoyed by thousands of people from those three countries. She said the lawsuit’s allegations about “statements of animus”…
Published in BBC, July 23rd, 2018 US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani have traded hostile warnings, amid rising tensions between the two countries. Mr Trump tweeted Iran would “suffer consequences the likes of which few throughout history have ever suffered before” if it threatened the US. Mr Rouhani earlier said that war with Iran would be “the mother of all wars”. In May, the US left a deal which curbed Iran’s nuclear activities in return for the lifting of international sanctions. Iran faces up to its options Who are the winners and losers? Washington is now re-imposing the…
Published in BBC, July 23rd, 2018 The prime minister has said it is time to “get on with” reaching a Brexit deal as she and other cabinet ministers try to sell their plan for it in Europe. Theresa May will meet the Austrian chancellor and Czech and Estonian prime ministers this week. She said both sides know “the clock is ticking” on negotiations. The EU and the UK want a deal in place by October. Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said a deal could be done if both showed “energy, ambition and pragmatism”. But he also said preparations were under way…
Jeremy Corbyn will frame the announcement as part of a wider commitment to improving workers’ bargaining power ‘Published in Independent, July 21st, 2018 by Rob Merrick Deputy Political Editor This decision will bring back millions of pounds to workers across the English countryside’ Jeremy Corbyn will vow to reverse a Conservative move that stripped £149m from the wages of low-paid agricultural workers. A Labour government will reinstate the Agricultural Wages Board – axed by David Cameron’s government in 2013 – to bring England into line with other parts of the UK. Speaking at the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival in Dorset, the Labour leader will liken the move to…
Published in The New York Times, July 22nd, 2018 By Alan Rappeport Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, center left, speaking at a news conference during the Group of 20 meeting of finance ministers in Buenos Aires on Sunday. “I didn’t feel isolated at all,” Mr. Mnuchin said. CreditGustavo Garello/Associated Press BUENOS AIRES — Negotiations to ease an escalating trade war between the United States and the rest of the world sputtered to a close with no breakthroughs on Sunday at a summit meeting of finance ministers, who warned that the predicament over President Trump’s tariffs was casting a pall over the global economy. Two…
Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2018 NEW DELHI: India said on Sunday people whose names are missing from a list of citizens to be issued by a border state this month will not be detained, amid concerns that Muslims will be targeted under the guise of detecting illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. “We will ensure that every individual gets justice and is treated in a humane manner. All individuals will have sufficient opportunity for all remedies available under the law,” Rajnath Singh, India’s interior minister, said in a statement. “Any person who is not satisfied with the outcome of claims and…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Dietrich Reetz Senior Research Fellow and Senior Lecturer in Political Science, South Asia, Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient[/box] In times when globalization seems to challenge local certainties, people often rediscover their emotional, cultural and religious identities, and project them onto the nation state. But they tend to forget that nation states are primarily occupied with political, administrative and legal controls. Political borders rarely follow exclusively cultural or religious markers. Cross-border communities and the coexistence of multiple communities in local spaces are common, not the exception. Still, nation states are important regulators of inclusive growth, and guarantors of protection.…
President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF), President AKIA, Senior Vice Chairman of Businessmen Panel of FPCCI and former provincial minister Mian Zahid Hussain on last week said merger of FATA and PATA with Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province is an historical decision which is appreciated. This decision will positively impact the region and will create various opportunities for the people and the Country but traders and industrialists are worrying due to controversies in announced and approved tax packages by Government and FBR respectively. Immediate remedial measures required. The business community of Ex FATA and PATA while talking to Mian Zahid Hussain…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””] This article is published in collaboration with the International Crisis Group This article is part of the World Economic Forum’s Geostrategy platform[/box] From Syria to Yemen, from South Sudan to Venezuela, war and political crisis are causing human anguish on a scale unseen in a generation. That conflict and crisis take a high human toll is hardly new, of course. Yet the scope of suffering today is striking. The number of people displaced globally by conflict and persecution stood at 65.6 million at the end of 2016, the greatest number since World War II. Figures released earlier this month…
The Hunar Foundation (THF), an approved non-profit organization, is striving to create a ‘Skilled Pakistan’ by providing vocational training to marginalized youth of the country. Pakistan is a nation of over 225 million people and sixth most populous country in the world, making it potentially the sixth largest labour force that can be harness for growth and development. Through its six institutes across Pakistan in Karachi, Tando Allahyar, Lahore, Khairan and Multan, the foundation offers International standard vocational course, demand-driven training, highly qualified trainers and international certification ensuring a high degree of employability for graduates, business creating ability for young…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Christopher Boyce, University of Stirling[/box] After nine years of interest rates below 1%, it seems that the Bank of England will announce a rise before long. As pay growth picks up and inflation hits its 2% target, a rate rise would – it is argued – ward off potential risks of inflation in the medium term. But another factor to bear in mind is that a rate rise could also have serious repercussions for people’s mental health. A large portion of the UK population have high, possibly unsustainable, levels of debt and a higher interest rate…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Chris Barnes, UCL and Alex J H Fedorec, UCL[/box] Cancer is the leading cause of death in the world. It occurs when mutations in our cells lead to unchecked growth. But what if we could engineer biological cells to fight back? Synthetic biology is a rapidly developing discipline that allows us to encode new computational capabilities into DNA. In the same way that electronic circuits are made from components such as resistors and diodes with well defined functions, synthetic biologists make use of an ever growing library of genetic parts with functions such as switches and…