Published in ARY News on Feb 28th, 2021, Karachi: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ehsan Mani stated that the ACC Asia Cup 2021 would be impossible this year due to a clash with the inaugural ICC World Test Championship’s (WTC) final. Mani said in a presser at a local hotel in Karachi while revealing the outcomes of the 61st Board of Governors (BoG) meeting where was accompanied by CEO Wasim Khan, National High-Performance Centre (NHPC) Director Nadeem Khan and CFO Barrister Salman Naseer. “Sri Lanka had said it would host [the ACC Asia Cup 2021] in June but there’s now a clash of…
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Iraqi President Barham Saleh (R) welcomes Pope Francis at the presidential palace in Baghdad’s Green Zone on March 5, 2021. — AFP Published in Dawn on Mar 6th, 2021, Reuters BAGHDAD: Pope Francis, beginning the first trip by a pontiff to Iraq, made an impassioned call on Friday for an end to the militant violence and religious strife that has plagued the country for decades, saying peacemakers should finally be given a chance. “May the clash of arms be silenced … may there be an end to acts of violence and extremism,” he said, addressing Iraqi President Barham Salih, politicians…
Khan, who became prime minister following the 2018 general elections, sought confidence vote following a surprise electoral defeat on a Senate seat earlier this week [File: Mohammad Ismail/Reuters] Published in AlJazeera on Mar 06th, 2021, By Asad Hashim Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has won a vote of confidence that he sought from the lower house of parliament, following a surprise electoral defeat on a Senate seat earlier this week. Khan is the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, which leads a ruling coalition, and was elected to power in a general election in 2018. The prime minister received 178 votes…
FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: Wendy Sherman arrives for a meeting on Syria at the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva February 13, 2014. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo/File Photo Published in Reuters on Mar 04th, 2021, By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. senators peppered President Joe Biden’s nominee to be the No. 2 official at the State Department with questions about Iran on Wednesday, a sign she could face difficulty winning support from Republicans even as she warned against “nostalgia” for the Iran nuclear deal she helped broker. Wendy Sherman, who helped negotiate the international accord in 2015, promised a new approach…
Published in The Nation on Mar 04th, 2021, Since the outbreak of the war in Yemen in 2014, six armed forces have been fighting for control in the Arab country. The warring sides, who are in form of government forces, rebel groups, and terrorist organizations, receive external support. Meanwhile, the international community recognizes President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi as the country’s legitimate president whose forces control most of the country’s desert lands. The Hadi government was forced to resign in 2014 after the Houthi rebel group overran the capital, Sanaa. Hadi fled to Saudi Arabia before he returned with the…
People attend the funeral of 19-year-old Ma Kyal Sin who was shot in the head as Myanmar forces opened fire to disperse an anti-coup demonstration in Mandalay, Myanmar, March 4, 2021 [Stringer/ Reuters] Published in AlJazeera on Mar 04th, 2021, Protesters return to streets as thousands attend funeral for 19-year-old woman killed in bloodiest day since coup. Security forces in Myanmar fired live ammunition, rubber bullets and tear gas to break up anti-coup protests on Thursday, as demonstrators returned to streets a day after the United Nations said 38 people had been killed in the bloodiest crackdown since last month’s…
Abu Dhabi fund, CVC, among suitors for $1b NMC Abu Dhabi state-owned holding company ADQ and private equity firm CVC Capital Partners are among the suitors that have shown interest in NMC Health’s core hospital business, sources told Reuters. Hospital operators in the region have reported higher profits for last year as the Covid-19 pandemic led to higher in-patient occupancy. NMC has hired advisers for the sale of NMC’s healthcare business in the UAE and Oman, which sources said could generate around $1 billion. ADQ is serious about the transaction, which would make sense for the nascent wealth fund, whose…
Trade deficit widens 24pc in Pakistan Pakistan exports have plunged for the successive second month to slightly over $2 billion in February, proving once again that a recent peak in exports was the result of some external factors and policy measures, including 30 percent currency devaluation, did not help. Contrary to over 4 percent contraction in exports, the imports increased one-tenth to $4.6 billion last month on an annualised basis, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported on Wednesday. Resultantly, Pakistan’s trade deficit widened nearly 24 percent in February 2021 on a year-on-year basis. The gap between imports and exports…
Pakistan News: IT ministry approves projects worth Rs4.8 billion: The Departmental Development Working Party (DDWP) of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication approved seven projects worth around Rs. 4.8 billion. Federal Secretary Ministry of IT and Telecommunication Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui chaired the DDWP meeting where development projects were reviewed and modified. After thorough deliberations, the body granted approval to these projects for different departments of the Ministry. [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] 5G non-standalone better for universal service for Pakistan: wb: Pakistan, where current 4G coverage is much lower, it is more attractive to deploy 5G NSA (Non-standalone) as the…
Dubai Islamic Bank and Codebase Technologies Launches Pakistan’s First Roshan Digital Account App KARACHI, PAKISTAN: Dubai Islamic Bank Pakistan Limited (DIBPL), World’s First Islamic Bank, announced the launch of its Roshan Digital Account platform, built in collaboration with leading Global Open API Banking Solution provider Codebase Technologies, to drive frictionless digital onboarding and seamless overseas banking and investing for non-resident Pakistanis. In view of the difficulties faced by Non- Resident Pakistanis, Roshan Digital Accounts (RDA) was introduced to assist millions of overseas Pakistanis in undertaking fund transfers, bill payments, and investment opportunities in Pakistan. As an emerging market for Fintechs, customers…
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 6.85 7.35 2 – Week 6.90 7.40 1 – Month 6.97 7.47 3 – Month 7.14 7.39 6 – Month 7.40 7.65 9 – Month 7.50 8.00 1 – Year 7.55 8.05 Updated on 4 Feb, 2021
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Katharina Buchholz, Mar 8, 2021[/box] Members of the Chinese diaspora turned into billionaires are making up a significant portion of the ultra-rich in several Asian countries. According to the recently released 2021 Hurun Rich List, ethnic Chinese are making up around 65 percent of U.S. dollar billionaires residing in Singapore, 45 percent of those living in the Philippines and almost a quarter of Indonesia’s and Malaysia’s billionaires. The number of Chinese diaspora billionaires was somewhat lower in Thailand at approximately 10 percent. Chinese diaspora billionaires are only a small group compared to those residing in China, however. Hurun counted…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, Mar 8, 2021[/box] Today marks International Women’s Day, an important occasion to highlight key strides made by women around the world. Despite the share of women in the 117th Congress reaching its highest level in history, the U.S. still trails many countries in terms of women in parliament. According to Inter Parliamentary Union data, the share of women in the House of Represenatives stands at 27.3 percent (it is the same collective figure for both chambers), placing the U.S. 67th on the global list of the countries with the highest share of women in parliament. Rwanda comes…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, Mar 8, 2021[/box] A new report released by the United Nations Environment Programme has revealed the shocking scale of global food waste. Its 2021 Food Waste Index estimates that people discard 931 million tonnes of food annually with per capita food waste averaging 74kg per household. 569 million tonnes falls into the category of household waste. Supermarkets and other businesses are also guilty of disposing of significant quantities of food with the total amount discarded also adding up to hundreds of millions of tonnes per year. The report estimates that 244 million tonnes is wasted by food service annually…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, Mar 8, 2021[/box] According to Knight Frank’s 2021 Wealth Report, the number of super wealthy individuals across the world increased despite the coronavirus pandemic. The global UHNWI population (individuals with a net worth of $30 million or more) grew 2.4 percent over the course of the last 12 months and it now stands at more than 520,000. Growth was strongest in Asia at 12 percent in the past year. UHNWI populations are expected to climb by another 27 percent until 2025. The Americas are expected to remain home to the most UHNWI globally: 38 percent…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Katharina Buchholz, Mar 5, 2021[/box] There are only ten countries in the world which offer full legal protections to women, according to the report Women, Business and the Law 2021, recently published by the World Bank. Belgium, France, Denmark, Latvia, Luxembourg, Sweden, Canada, Iceland, Portugal and Ireland were the only ones offering full equal rights for men and women, at least from a legal perspective. 94 countries out of the world’s 194 ranked at 80 percent or above, up from 87 in 2020. Saudi-Arabia which came in last in 2019 has improved its score majorly following new laws implemented…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, Mar 4, 2021[/box] Democracy watchdog organization Freedom House has released its annual ranking of the world’s most free and suppressed nations. This year’s report was grim and it found that freedom levels declined for the 15th year running. In 2020, 75 percent of the world’s populaton lived in a country that saw its freedom score deteriorate with India’s slide from “Free” to “Partly Free” particularly worrying. The best scores in 2020 were recorded in Northern Europe with Sweden, Norway and Finland leading the way for freedom with scores of 100. The top-five was rounded off by New Zealand and…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]John Letzing Digital Editor, Strategic Intelligence, World Economic Forum[/box] A proposed way of immunizing against malaria uses an RNA-based approach similar to COVID-19 vaccines. ‘Viral vector’ methods used to stem the pandemic could also yield vaccines for other purposes. COVID-19 vaccination achievements could be applied to diseases that kill millions of people annually. It may have been overlooked amid a spate of upbeat news about COVID-19 vaccine progress, but a report appeared last week on a potential breakthrough in defeating another disease that’s plagued us at least since the days of Hippocrates – and is still killing more than 400,000 people a year. The method of…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Roberto Bocca Head of Shaping the Future of Energy and Materials; Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum Stephanie Jamison Senior Managing Director, Accenture[/box] Industrial clusters can play a major role in helping countries achieve their net-zero ambitions. Accenture and the World Economic Forum have developed a 4-step framework to help clusters reduce their emissions. This approach could result in a decline of up to 40% of European industrial emissions by 2030. Countries representing 70% of the global economy have committed to net-zero emissions targets by 2050 – and major energy ecosystems such as industrial clusters will…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Isabelle Durant Acting Secretary-General, UNCTAD[/box] • In the absence of adaptation, developing countries stand to be hit the hardest by trade losses due to climate change. • They must enact adaptation measures to ensure ‘trade-climate readiness’. • Such efforts can ensure the economic resilience needed to achieve their future development goals. The Paris Agreement on climate change is a landmark document for the world. However, despite the immense impact of climate change on trade, and the role it must play in our fight against global warming, the word trade is not mentioned once in the agreement.…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]This article is published in collaboration with LinkedIn Ken Hu Deputy Chairman, Huawei Technologies[/box] COVID-19 has further highlighted the global issue of the digital divide, with 70% of children lacking access to computers in some areas of the UK alone. The older demographic are also struggling to get to grips with emerging technologies; over half of UK citizens over 75 have never used the Internet. Many businesses have been severely impacted, with unemployment levels hitting new highs, writes Huawei Technologies’ Deputy Chairman Ken Hu. It’s essential that more people are provided with access to technology, to…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]This article is published in collaboration with Thomson Reuters Foundation trust.org Laurie Goering Editor, AlertNet Climate[/box] China is aiming to become the global leader in “low-carbon tech for a carbon-constrained world”. As part of it’s new five-year plan, China is expected to reduce its role as a major financier of new coal-fired power plants at home and abroad. The country is expected to increase investments in renewable power, electric vehicles and battery storage instead. Today, China is the world’s largest emitter of planet-heating gases, which are responsible for about 28% of total global emissions. China, which…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]John Virdin, Duke University; Henrik Österblom, Stockholm University, and Jean-Baptiste Jouffray, Stockholm University[/box] The volume of goods transported by container shipping each year has quadrupled since 2000, and almost one million kilometres of submarine cables have been laid on the seafloor in that time, which now carry almost all international telecommunications. The energy generated by offshore wind farms has increased 400-fold in the past two decades, and the volume of farmed seafood has grown by 5% on average each year. During the same time period, most major discoveries of oil and gas deposits have been made…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Bhushan Sethi Joint Global Leader, People and Organisation, PricewaterhouseCoopers US[/box] COVID-19 has presented major challenges for organizations: adapting workplaces, supporting remote workers, furlough schemes and redundancies. Society must work collaboratively to build sustainable work solutions for a future where some occupations will cease to exist and others will have to adapt to survive. HR leaders are uniquely positioned to help steer this model – working with communities, schools and governments – to rebuild the economy. In the past nine months, I’ve been proud to see so many businesses stepping up to help their employees and communities.…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””] This article is published in collaboration with Forbes Amar Hanspal CEO, Bright Machines[/box] Contrary to popular fears about job losses, the World Economic Forum predicts that automation will result in a net increase of 58 million jobs. About two-thirds of the jobs transformed by automation will become higher-skilled, while the other third will be lower-skilled. We can learn from other historical transformations in the 1900s, including the mechanization of farming, when people switched to industry work. Although the nature of these jobs is uncertain, it’s essential our future workforce is appropriately educated, writes Amar Hanspal,…
Outbound telemarketing is a part of every customer centric organization. The idea behind telemarketing is to understand the target audience, identify the decision-makers who can influence purchase behavior, and then smartly convert their intent to buy into final sales. Making random calls to random people without any research may just do more harm than good to your business. In outbound telemarketing, especially if the agents are making cold calls, the need for a strong and well-defined telemarketing script becomes imperative. A skillfully articulated and well-planned telemarketing script can do wonders in meeting your sales and other marketing objectives. Build a…
The year 2020 was a memorable one for many perspectives but cricket freaks would remember this event for many years as it was completely organized in Pakistan for the first time. Even after the quick spread of COVID-19, the PCB management should be applauded as they have successfully organized the event in Pakistan with all its glitters.After the series win against one of the top ranking South African team, the spirit of Pakistani Cricket team is on a higher note. People around the world especially Pakistani fans are overwhelmingly waiting for the 6th edition of Pakistan Super League.The fine local…
With IDEMIA’s Global Fintech Accelerator Card Program, the Pakistan-based fintech firm can now effectively scale-up its operations and offer a superior payment experience, powered by state of the art technology. As the world goes digital, payment cards are arguably the last physical touch-point between the bank and its customers. SadaPay’s approach to financial services is to offer free basic services by bypassing the high costs of physical bank branches and staff. Instead, they will be focusing on solving deep-rooted problems in Pakistan’s financial services landscape through a seamless and delightful mobile-first experience. SadaPay was granted approval by the State Bank…
Fatima Fertilizer Company Limited (FFL) has partnered up with Multan Sultans for the sixth edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL). The Multan Sultans team boasts a stellar list of best available players for the tournament starting from February 20, 2021. With the likes of Chris Lynn, Rilee Rossouw, Khushdil Shah, Shahid Afridi, and James Vince, Multan Sultans is sure to make a comeback in PSL-2021 with explosive performances. Fatima Fertilizer Limited (FFL), the leading fertilizer brand in Pakistan, has been a formidable supporter of sports in the country, and has continuously played a major role in the promotion of traditional…
Stocks gain 0.9pc wow as jittery week witnessed Summary The week started with a bag of corporate results continued pouring for investors like PSO profit up by 48 percent, Habib Bank profit doubles to Rs31 billion. The IMF review, which concluded had its impact like IMF seeking new circular debt plan. However, the Government-IPPS deal got its sanction by the NAB. On the political front the matter of Senate election was taken up by Supreme Court. The voting for the bye-election began this week. On the Covid front the vaccine for people over 65 years started while cases seems to…
Published in Geo News on Feb 21st, 2021, Singer and songwriter Nick Jonas has decided to spread his wings and dived head first into an SNL hosting since ‘dreams do come true!’ The star took to Instagram to announce the major career milestone and even showcased his wife’s excitement over the casting via a short Instagram clip. The clip featured Nick’s abode all decked out in balloons and congratulatory galore “all the way from London.” The décor included a number of balloons, the first contained the words “Saturday Night Live’ across its center whereas the next had “Congratulations Nick’ scribbled…
Published in The Nation on Feb 19th, 2021, ISLAMABAD-A number of space companies are developing rockets to be the first to send tourists into orbit, but the latest new comer to race plans to do so with a massive balloon.Spanish startup Zero 2 Infinity plans to float civilians some 130,000 feet above the surface using a helium balloon measuring 420 feet in diameter.The entire journey would lasts for six hours –three hours for decent, an hour in space and one to come back to Earth.Zero 2 Infinity has been working on the idea since being founded in 2009, but is…
Published in The Nation on Jan 11th, 2021, ISLAMABAD-She’s best known as an Oscar-winning actress. But Lupita Nyong’o is also a children’s book author and now her bestseller Sulwe is going to be made into an animated musical by Netflix.The Mexico-born, Kenya-raised star, 37, said that she is ‘thrilled’ about the project and hopes it will ‘inspire children all around the world to celebrate their uniqueness.’Sulwe, published in October 2019, tells the story of a young girl whose skin color is darker than anyone else she knows.One night, she is visited by a shooting star and goes on a journey…
Published in ARY News on Feb 19th, 2021, Britain’s Prince Harry will relinquish his honorary military appointments and patronages after confirming to Queen Elizabeth II that he and his wife Meghan Markle will not return as working royals, Buckingham Palace announced Friday. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as they are formally known, rocked the British monarchy when they quit frontline royal duties a year ago. They have since embarked on a new life involving several commercial ventures in the United States, and now live in California. Under the initial terms of their departure thrashed out at an emergency summit…
Published in Ary News on Feb 18th, 2021, Yumna Aftab Despite a global pandemic, the Chinese Box Office saw a boom in ticket sales over the Lunar New Year holiday, bringing in a record $1.2 billion, reported Variety. The feat marks the first time in Chinese box office history that single-day box office earnings have exceeded $155 million for five consecutive days. This also means that the Chinese box office managed to rake in a tenth of the global 2020 box office in six days. Three films have dominated the box office: Detective Chinatown 3, which has brought in $550 million, Hi, Mom, earning $422…
NOVAK Djokovic of Serbia poses with the trophy after winning the Australian Open final against Russia’s Daniil Medvedev on Sunday.—Reuters Published in Dawn News on Feb 22nd, 2021, MELBOURNE: Maybe, just maybe, the thinking went, Novak Djokovic would be just a tad more susceptible to trouble this time around at the Australian Open. After all, he tore an abdominal muscle in the third round and wasn’t sure he could continue to compete. Entering Sunday, Djokovic ceded five sets in the tournament, the most he ever dropped en route to a major final. And to top it all off, he was…
Published in Geo News on Feb 20th, 2021, LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) released pictures of the sparkling Pakistan Super League trophy on Saturday. The trophy is a permanent one, unveiled last year by the cricket board. The winner has to return it like the FIFA and UEFA treat their trophies. Therefore, it is the same trophy that Karachi Kings won in 2020. The cricket board tasked the UK-based manufacturer, Ottewill Silversmith, to design the trophy. Silversmith has an extensive portfolio and also designed the ICC Champions Trophy 2017. Trophies for the past three editions were made by Swarovski.…
MELBOURNE: Japan’s Naomi Osaka hits a return to Jennifer Brady of the US during the Australian Open final on Saturday.—AFP Published in Dawn News on Feb 21st, 2021, MELBOURNE: The trouble for Naomi Osaka at Grand Slam tournaments comes in Week 1. Get beyond that stage at the hard-court majors, though, and start preparing to etch her name on the trophy. Osaka gave Jennifer Brady a lesson in Grand Slam tennis as she cruised to a 6-4, 6-3 win to secure her second Australian Open title on Saturday and cement her standing as the new queen of the women’s game.…
Pakistani cricket skipper Babar Azam speaks during a press conference. Photo: PCB Published in Geo News on Feb 17th, 2021, Faizan Lakhani Babar Azam has been named among the most expensive players on The Hundred tournament’s draft list The players’ draft will be held on Monday with over 500 players, including 253 international cricketers in line for 28 available slots in eight teams The list includes 36 players from Pakistan KARACHI: Pakistan’s cricket captain Babar Azam has been named among the 11 most expensive players on the list for players’ draft ahead of this year’s The Hundred cricket tournament to…
Published in The Nation on Feb 19th, 2021, The iconic Gwadar Cricket Stadium surrounded by mesmerizing rocks on Friday held its first ever exhibition match played between Showbiz Sharks and Gwadar Dolphins. The exhibition match was organized by singer-actor Fakhr-e-Alam in the lush green stadium of Gwadar amidst the coastal mountains and game changer port of Balochistan. The match was dedicated to the Pakistani mountaineer Ali Sadpara who was declared dead by his family on Thursday. The participants prayed for the high ranks of the departure soul of Muhammad Ali Sadpara and acknowledged his services for mountaineering especially his last endeavour…
The two Asian rivals have failed to demarcate their 3,500-kilometre (2,200-mile) border since they went to war in 1962 [File: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters] Published in AlJazeera on Feb 22nd, 2021, The two nuclear-armed rivals agree to ‘disengage’ after months of heightened tensions raised the spectre of a full-fledged war. India said that its troops, along with their Chinese counterparts, have withdrawn completely from a disputed part of their Himalayan border after months of heightened tensions raised the spectre of a full-fledged war between the two nuclear-armed Asian rivals. Thousands of soldiers from the rivals sides have been deployed on the Himalayan…
Published in The Nation on Feb 21st, 2021, Egypt’s Petroleum Minister Tariq al-Mulla arrived in Israel on Sunday for talks on bolstering bilateral cooperation in the field of energy, the Yedioth Aharonoth newspaper reported. Al-Mulla’s visit is the first by an Egyptian minister to Israel in the last five years. The Egyptian minister will discuss with Israeli energy officials and representatives of energy companies ways of enhancing cooperation, especially in the field of natural gas excavation. Al-Mulla is expected to meet with top Israeli officials during his visit, including President Reuven Rivlin, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gabi…
The Saudi Ministry of Defence announced that men and women in the Kingdom can now apply for positions in the military through their unified admission portal. Women can be recruited as soldiers, lance corporals, corporals, sergeants, and staff sergeants, according to the ministry. Image Credit: Published in Gulf News on Feb 21st, 2021, Tawfiq Nasrallah, Senior News Editor Saudi women can be recruited as soldiers, lance corporals, corporals, sergeants Dubai: Saudi women will now be able to join the Saudi Arabian Army, Royal Saudi Air Defence, Royal Saudi Navy, Royal Saudi Strategic Missile Force, and Armed Forces Medical Services, Al…
Mahammad Javad Zarif says Donald Trump reimposed 800 sanctions put on Iran before the nuclear deal and imposed 800 new ones [Ernesto Mastrascusa/EPA-EFE] Published in AlJazeera on Feb 21st, 2021, By Maziar Motamedi After the US lifts sanctions and rejoins the JCPOA, Iran will expect some form of compensation, foreign minister Zarif says. Tehran, Iran – Unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States inflicted $1 trillion worth of damage on Iran’s economy and Tehran expects compensation, its foreign minister said. Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Sunday after the US takes action to restore Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers through lifting sanctions,…
FILE PHOTO: Trump Tower entrance is pictured amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., January 20, 2021. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri Published in Reuters on Feb 20th, 2021, By Peter Eisler, Jason Szep (Reuters) – The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has subpoenaed a New York City property tax agency as part of a criminal investigation into Donald Trump’s company, the agency confirmed on Friday, suggesting prosecutors are examining the former president’s efforts to reduce his commercial real-estate taxes for possible evidence of fraud. The subpoena issued to the New York City Tax Commission is…
ADGM office of data protection first in Gulf to join IECWG The Office of Data Protection (ODP) of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), an international financial centre in the Mena region, has become the first data protection regulator in the Gulf region to join the Global Privacy Assembly’s International Enforcement Cooperation Working Group (IECWG). The IECWG is a permanent working group of the Global Privacy Assembly. Its purpose is to facilitate and support enforcement cooperation on live cases impacting multiple jurisdictions. The IECWG is co-chaired by the Canadian Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC), the United Kingdom’s Information Commissioner’s Office…
Pakistan: coal gasification Pakistan imports more than 45 percent of its total energy requirement annually. With dwindling gas resources and lack of discovery of new oil and gas resources, energy dependence will increase unless dedicated efforts are made to discover new resources and increase the utilisation of existing resources. Pakistan has one of the largest lignite (brown coal) resources, which can be termed almost limitless (185 billion tons). Despite this, coal imports have been increasing and are projected to increase to 20 million tons ($2 billion) in the current year. It is due to installation of power plants based on…
PAKISTAN NEWS: Pakistan finally develops its own e-voting machine: The Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, recently announced that Pakistan has built an electronic voting machine to ensure impartiality and transparency in elections while obliterate rigging. The National Institute of Electronics (NIE), which is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Science and Technology, has developed the machine in collaboration with the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) and the COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI). [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] Samsung confirms 4 years of updates for galaxy phones: Samsung has committed to providing up-to-date security for…
Shell Pakistan celebrates 5 years of Shell V-Power in Pakistan Shell V-Power is the premium fuel offered by Shell Pakistan, it comes with technology that reduces engine dirt and friction. With over 100 years of experience in fuels research and development, Shell’s scientists are behind the creation of Shell V-Power with Dynaflex Technology. Shell V-Power has a formulation that has powerful cleaning agents to prevent engine dirt. The fuel is especially designed to help reduce wasted energy through its friction reducing molecules. The fuel was introduced in the Pakistani market in 2016, and this year marks its 5th anniversary in…
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 6.84 7.34 2 – Week 6.89 7.39 1 – Month 6.94 7.44 3 – Month 7.10 7.35 6 – Month 7.32 7.57 9 – Month 7.45 7.95 1 – Year 7.51 8.01 Updated on 4 Feb, 2021
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Katharina Buchholz, Feb 19, 2021[/box] While there are still millions of pets that are taken in by shelters every year in the U.S., that number is luckily decreasing. Because fewer pets end up in shelters and more are able to find a new home, the share of shelter animals that are euthanized is also growing smaller, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The number of animals dropped off by their owners or found as strays across the U.S. also differs from state to state. The American West has higher rates of shelter animals…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Willem Roper, Feb 19, 2021[/box] Microsoft’s Windows operating system continues to dominate the world of computers, capturing an enormous market share globally compared to competitors. Microsoft’s long-time closest competitor, Apple’s macOS, has slowly gained a foothold in the global market but has yet to truly challenge Windows in any meaningful capacity. Now, new data shows a third competitor has overtaken Apple’s macOS and shows signs of making a stronger global push on acquiring a decent chunk of the desktop computer market. New data from IDC shows Google’s Chrome OS officially overtook Apple’s macOS in desktop operating system…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Katharina Buchholz, Feb 19, 2021[/box] According to the Statista Advertising & Media Outlook forecast, 34 percent of global media sales were generated digitally in the past year – five percentage points more than in 2019. The growth in upcoming years is expected to be less steep, however. At an annual growth rate of 2.2 percentage points, digital media is expected to be responsible for 45 percent of all segment sales by 2025. Digital sales are growing at a similar rate in Asia and the United States. But while the U.S. is about following the global average of digital…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Katharina Buchholz, Feb 18, 2021[/box] After a short lull, Bitcoin is continuing its climb at breakneck speed. The price of one Bitcoin at closing was $52,149 on Feb 17, 2021, surpassing the $50,000 mark for the first time. Potentially emboldened by the coronavirus crisis and the search for perceived safe-haven assets, the cryptocurrency started its ongoing rally after an initial virus crisis shock in early 2020. In 2019, the decentralized currency reached its highest valuation on June 26 (approximately $13,000) around the time of Facebook’s announcement that it was starting its own cryptocurrency, Libra. The announcement…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Katharina Buchholz, Feb 17, 2021[/box] Haute Couture and fast fashion are rubbing shoulders in the list of the world’s biggest apparel brands. Some sports clothing makers also rank towards the top. Nike is the biggest of the bunch at a brand value of almost $35 billion and also one of the highest market capitalizations. When it comes to the highest market caps, French luxury conglomerate LVMH – parent company of Louis Vuitton – is taking the top spot The parent company of Japanese fashion brand Uniqlo, Fast Retailing, recently reached a market capitalization of $103 billion, surpassing industry behemoth…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Felix Richter, Feb 16, 2021[/box] With Tesla’s meteoric stock market rise in 2020 and several countries and car manufacturers announcing new electric vehicle targets, electric cars have been in the spotlight for a while now. And while they still account for a single-digit percentage of global passenger car sales, several countries, especially across Europe, have made huge strides towards a cleaner future in 2020. While Norway is by far the country with the highest share of electric cars in total passenger car sales, no country comes even close to China in terms of absolute market size. According to the China Association…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Jean-Pascal Tricoire Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Schneider Electric[/box] Buildings are responsible for 40% of global energy consumption and 33% of greenhouse gas emissions. Ensuring new buildings are sustainable and energy-efficient will be key to our efforts to tackle climate change. Green buildings can also benefit employees, bottom lines and investors. Here’s how. COVID-19 and climate-related events have taken a big toll on the world this year. But all shocks, while painful, are also opportunities – to review past policies, to think more holistically, to do things more efficiently, and to build buffers for future challenges.…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]This article is published in collaboration with Microsoft Deborah Bach Writer, Microsoft Stories[/box] HoloLens, created by engineer and Microsoft Technical Fellow Alex Kipman, is being used as a new tool during operations. HoloLens is operated with hand gestures and voice commands, allowing surgeons to call up much more information than would previously have been available to them. It can also be used in training and to allow colloboration between multiple surgeons – even if they’re not in the operating theatre. One day in mid-December, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Bruno Gobbato walked into an operating room in Jaraguá…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Lilith Zecherle, Liverpool John Moores University; Hazel Nichols, Swansea University, and Richard Brown, Liverpool John Moores University[/box] What do you get when you cross two distinct lineages of an endangered species? For scientists hoping to revive an extinct population in Israel, the answer was a lucky accident – one that could upend longstanding ideas about how best to preserve biodiversity. The Asiatic wild ass is a relative of the donkey that, as the name suggests, was never domesticated. This truly wild animal lives in the steppes and deserts of western and central Asia, from the Mediterranean…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Natalie Marchant Writer, Formative Content[/box] Thinking Huts and its partners are building the world’s first 3D-printed school on the campus of a university in Fianarantsoa, Madagascar. 3D printing builds solid objects layer by layer, creating less waste than traditional manufacturing methods. The solution addresses the lack of sufficient investment in physical infrastructure, which is one of the biggest barriers to education. A new project in Madagascar is rethinking the building blocks of education – using 3D printing to create new schools. Non-profit organisation Thinking Huts has partnered with architectural design agency Studio Mortazavi to create the world’s…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Noel Nevshehir Director, International Business Services and Global Strategic Partnerships, Automation Alley[/box] Realizing the energy transition will require navigating several major challenges. These include geopolitical concerns, technological limitations and financial questions. Could a hybrid approach that leverages fossil fuel energy alongside renewables be the answer? Innovation is often more about chasing after the shiny and new rather than improving on existing technologies. Nevertheless, the looming challenge of evolving from fossil fuels to renewable energy faces the immutable laws of physics and chemistry – and, ironically enough, environmental hurdles – that may be overlooked by today’s energy…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Douglas McCauley Professor, University of California Santa Barbara; Member of Friends of Ocean Action; Director, Benioff Ocean Initiative This article is part of the The Davos Agenda[/box] 2050 is predicted to be a bleak milestone for the oceans – but it’s not too late to avert disaster. Here are 10 actions the world can take to strengthen and preserve our oceans for generations to come. The year 2050 has been predicted by some to be a bleak year for the ocean. Experts say that by 2050 there may be more plastic than fish in the sea, or perhaps only…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Osvaldo Di Campli President of Latin America Region, Nokia[/box] Latin America is taking a five-pronged attack to deploying 5G in the region. Digitalisation must be rolled out across all sectors of the economy for it to work – both public services and industry. Partnerships and collaborations will be key, for building digital ecosystems, bringing IoT devices into the frame and versing people in the language of 5G. 5G is often understood to be able to increase the speed of “everything”. Dictionaries define it as “technology to send data… at higher speeds than 4G devices”. And yet 5G is so much…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Zhengyao Lu, Lund University and Benjamin Smith, Western Sydney University[/box] The world’s most forbidding deserts could be the best places on Earth for harvesting solar power – the most abundant and clean source of energy we have. Deserts are spacious, relatively flat, rich in silicon – the raw material for the semiconductors from which solar cells are made — and never short of sunlight. In fact, the ten largest solar plants around the world are all located in deserts or dry regions. Researchers imagine it might be possible to transform the world’s largest desert, the Sahara,…
With IDEMIA’s Global Fintech Accelerator Card Program, the Pakistan-based fintech firm can now effectively scale-up its operations and offer a superior payment experience, powered by state of the art technology. As the world goes digital, payment cards are arguably the last physical touch-point between the bank and its customers. SadaPay’s approach to financial services is to offer free basic services by bypassing the high costs of physical bank branches and staff. Instead, they will be focusing on solving deep-rooted problems in Pakistan’s financial services landscape through a seamless and delightful mobile-first experience. SadaPay was granted approval by the State Bank…
Cold Calling is a technique in which sales representative reach people who previously have shown no interest in products or services. Cold Calling can be frustrating, you are bound to get unfriendly responses, mainly because the receiver has no idea who the caller is. Usually, when someone receives a sales call, they are likely to show zero-interest. However, this should not disappoint you as a calling agent. Cold Calling is an ever-evolving market. When you are focused on the client instead of focusing on delivering your script, the tables turn. The first job for a salesperson is to get familiar…
Stocks post solid gains of 1.1pc wow despite profit-taking Summary The investors in stock market remained positive in February with number of developments on economic and political front. The start of the vaccination drive, continuous flow of healthy upcoming corporate results, signing of the government with the IPPs to clear overdue payments and failure of PDM to dislodge the Prime Minister on 31st January to resign, stocks hit intraday high of 47,339 and the keep on touching with 47,000 level during the week. It was a short week of four days as PSX remained closed on Feb 5, being Kashmir…
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan reiterated that his government was prepared to engage in dialogue with India, but only if it revoked its removal of Kashmir’s special constitutional status [File: Reuters] Published in AlJazeera on Feb 5th, 2021, By Asad Hashim Addressing thousands, PM Khan said he is willing to allow Kashmiris the full right to self-determination even if they vote to stay with Pakistan. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has pledged to allow the people of Kashmir the right to independence if residents of the disputed Himalayan territory were to vote for joining Pakistan in a United Nations-mandated plebiscite that has…
Published in Reuters on Feb 7th, 2021, By Reuters Staff WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Biden administration said on Saturday it was immediately suspending Trump-era asylum agreements with El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, part of a bid to undo his Republican predecessor’s hardline immigration policies. In a statement, State Department Secretary Antony Blinken said the United States had “suspended and initiated the process to terminate the Asylum Cooperative Agreements with the Governments of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras as the first concrete steps on the path to greater partnership and collaboration in the region laid out by President Biden.” The so-called “safe…
Published in The Nation on Feb 8th, 2021, Tehran-Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Sunday the US must “completely lift” sanctions first, followed by verification by Tehran, before the Islamic republic returns to its nuclear deal commitments. “If they want Iran to return to its commitments … America must completely lift sanctions, and not just in words or on paper,” Khamenei said in a televised speech to air force commanders. “They must be lifted in action, and then we will verify and see if they have been properly lifted, and then return,” he added. The 2015 landmark deal has…
Boys look on as workers use a hose to put down fire at a vehicle oil and tyres store hit by Saudi Arabia-led air raids in Sanaa, Yemen, in July 2020 [File: Khaled Abdullah/Reuters] Published in AlJazeera on Feb 7th, 2021, By Joseph Stepansky United States President Joe Biden last week announced plans to end US support for Saudi Arabia’s “offensive operations” in war-torn Yemen, including ceasing relevant arms sales to the government in Riyadh. The move signalled a distinct shift in Washington’s approach to the conflict and a renewed emphasis on reaching a diplomatic solution to the years-long war, which has caused…
Published in The Nation on Feb 8th, 2021, Since late November 2020, thousands of farmers have been protesting on the outskirts of the Indian capital, blocking roads in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana states. They demand a complete rollback of farm laws passed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government in September 2020. A 40-second advertisement drawing attention to the ongoing farmers’ protests in India was aired during the Super Bowl, the annual championship game of the National Football League, in California on Sunday. The video, featuring Fresno City Mayor Jerry Dyer, highlights how Indian farmers have been protesting for over 70…
Middle east economies will reach 2019 gdp level in 2022: IMF The Middle East region will lag the other regions with most of the countries not recovering to their 2019 GDP until 2022, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Thursday. Jihad Azour, director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the IMF, said the road to recovery for the Middle East and Central Asia region will hinge on containment measures, access to and distribution of vaccines, the scope of policies to support growth, and measures to mitigate economic scarring from the pandemic. “Countries that put in place…
Pakistan takes initiatives to boost bamboo production Pakistan has decided to become a full member of the International Network on Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) to balance out the role of India in the body, a move aimed at boosting production of bamboo. India is already a member of the organisation, which is an independent inter-governmental body with a global mandate to promote the development of bamboo and rattan in ways that are beneficial to people and the environment. Politically, Pakistan can balance out the space enjoyed by India in INBAR. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the…
PAKISTAN NEWS: Senate committee just tried to ban online games that aren’t even online: A parliamentary panel was informed on Thursday that a blanket ban was not recommended on certain online games; since that would prove detrimental to the technology industry, and deprive the youth of modern indoor sporting activity. The panel had sought a blanket ban on “online games such as CyberPunk.” Cyberpunk was initially announced back in 2013, and since then has been one of the most anticipated games of all time. [divider style=”normal” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] Big tech companies ask Pakistan to rework its content blocking laws for…
Ignoring agriculture sector amount to suicide, says Mian Zahid Hussain Chairman of National Business Group of FPCCI, President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum and All Karachi Industrial Alliance, and former provincial minister Mian Zahid Hussain on Monday said the agriculture sector is being ignored since decades and further closing eyes to the problems of this sector will amount to suicide. The continued fall of agriculture has added to the problems of masses and it has put the integrity of the country at stake, he said. Mian Zahid Hussain said that sixty percent population and the majority of exports are lined…
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 6.79 7.29 2 – Week 6.86 7.36 1 – Month 6.93 7.43 3 – Month 7.09 7.34 6 – Month 7.32 7.57 9 – Month 7.44 7.94 1 – Year 7.50 8.00 Updated on 4 Feb, 2021
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, Feb 8, 2021[/box] In many of the countries where cash is king, the Covid-19 pandemic is resulting in changing attitudes towards banknotes and coins. In both the United Kingdom and Ireland, for example, ATMs have seen fewer withdrawals during lockdowns as people have practiced social distancing and used contactless payment options where possible. While it may seem that this changing behaviour could make the ATM an endangered species, that might not be true. Interestingly, a survey by Global Web Index found that South Koreans are the most likely to pay by card with 77 percent of…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, Feb 8, 2021[/box] A Singapore Airlines flight connecting the city-state with John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York is the longest regular non-stop passenger flight worldwide, both in terms of distance and travel time. The flight is a mammoth 15,347 kilometers, currently lasts for 18 hours and 40 minutes when traveling to Singapore and is operated with an Airbus A350. The coronavirus-induced turmoil in global air traffic has also affected the world’s longest flights. In the case of the Singapore-New York connection, the route was brought back in November, but changed from Newark to JFK airport to…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Katharina Buchholz, Feb 8, 2021[/box] Government shutdowns of the internet during elections or upheaval have have left people around the world scrambling for information – and VPN access. In the past 12 months, things got most desperate during the Tanzania elections in October and November and following the coup in Myanmar last week. According to review site Top10 VPN, search volume for VPNs rose by 7,200 percent on February 4 in Myanmar – the first day of internet blackouts after the coup. In the past 12 months, this is second only to search interest during the Tanzania elections,…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Niall McCarthy, Feb 8, 2021[/box] As a result of early efforts to secure vaccine candidates, a quick approval progress by authorities and effective infrastructure for administration, some governments are already racing ahead in their efforts to start mass vaccination against Covid-19. Website “Our World in Data” has been keeping tabs on the jabs and its findings show that Israel is leading the race to reach the 60-70 percent threshold needed to suppress the spread of Covid-19 among the general population. Up to February 06, Israel administered 62.87 doses per 100 of its citizens, some 5.4 million in total. That…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Felix Richter, Feb 5, 2021[/box] Thanks to a blowout holiday quarter and the continued success of the Nintendo Switch, Nintendo’s operating profit almost doubled in the first nine months of its fiscal year ending March 21, 2021. With revenue and operating profit up 37 and 98 percent, respectively, over the same period of last year, Nintendo finished calendar year 2020 way ahead of expectations, illustrating both the positive momentum the company has built and the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on video game sales. As our chart shows, Nintendo has now sold around 80 million Switch systems, putting the…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]by Katharina Buchholz, Feb 5, 2021[/box] The top 10 of the world’s most highly-valued startups lost an entry today when Beijing-based video sharing platform Kuaishou went public on the Hong Kong stock exchange. Previously to the IPO which raised upwards of $5 billion, the company occupied the number ten spot in the ranking at a valuation of $18 billion. According to CB Insights, another Chinese unicorn, AI company Bytedance is the highest-valued startup – currently private, up-and-coming company – in the world. The parent company of TikTok is valued at $140 billion. Bytedance runs content platform Toutiao in China, which uses…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Malik Amin Aslam Khan Advisor to Prime Minister of Pakistan on Climate Change & Global Vice President of IUCN,[/box] The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the need for humans to nurture a more harmonious, rather than adversarial, relationship with nature. Pakistan is committed to the challenge of initiating a green recovery to protect nature and create much needed employment. The green stimulus package focuses on innovative financial tools to help build sustainable, responsible economic growth. The year 2020 was expected to be a “super year for nature”, designed to propel the climate and biodiversity agendas onto the…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Caroline Kende-Robb Senior Fellow, African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET)[/box] • AfCFTA, the largest global free trade area by countries participating, could transform the continent’s economic prospects. • It aims to be a model of cross-border cooperation in an era of growing isolationism. • The agreement must overcome implementation challenges to realize its many benefits. The arrival of COVID-19 in 2020 has rapidly reshaped countries, societies and communities. Our response to the pandemic has changed political and social systems and created new social norms. Now the world continues to face a plethora of challenges – including…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Jessie Creamean Research Scientist, Colorado State University Thomas Hill Research Scientist, Colorado State University This article is published in collaboration with The Conversation[/box] Climate change is causing permafrost to thaw, releasing greenhouse gases and ancient microbes into the atmosphere. Research has found that these microbes could contain ice-nucleating particles that make it easier for water droplets to freeze. It is not quite clear how these particles could affect the atmosphere or the resulting weather and clouds. The big idea Permafrost – frozen soil in the far north – is thawing, releasing greenhouse gases and long-lost microbes. But one thing that…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Jacqueline McGlade, UCL and Philip Landrigan, Boston College[/box] Ocean pollution is widespread, worsening, and poses a clear and present danger to human health and wellbeing. But the extent of this danger has not been widely comprehended – until now. Our recent study provides the first comprehensive assessment of the impacts of ocean pollution on human health. Ocean pollution is a complex mixture of toxic metals, plastics, manufactured chemicals, petroleum, urban and industrial wastes, pesticides, fertilisers, pharmaceutical chemicals, agricultural runoff, and sewage. More than 80% arises from land-based sources and it reaches the oceans through rivers, runoff,…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Henrietta H. Fore Executive Director, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) This article is part of the The Davos Agenda[/box] The COVAX Facility is a global collaboration to ensure fair allocation of COVID-19 vaccines to all countries, including the poorest countries. However, “vaccine nationalism” threatens to undermine equitable distribution. UNICEF calls on wealthier nations to donate surplus vaccine supply to COVAX, and on vaccine manufacturers to make trial data and vaccine doses available quickly, fairly and affordably. In 2020, one of the world’s most pressing challenges was to develop a vaccine against COVID-19. There is no doubt that…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Elia Apostolopoulou, University of Cambridge[/box] The ancient Silk Road was a historical network of trade routes stretching from China to Europe. It was established around 2,000 years ago, during the Han Dynasty – often considered China’s golden age. In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping officially announced China’s aspiration to recreate this network. The 21st century Silk Road, also called the Belt and Road Initiative, is the world’s largest infrastructure project in decades, with conservative estimates suggesting that its cost will exceed US$1 trillion. The creation of the New Silk Road involves the massive development of trade…
[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Victoria Masterson Senior Writer, Formative Content This article is part of the The Davos Agenda[/box] In Pinduoduo’s Smart Agriculture Competition, four technology teams competed with traditional farmers over four months to grow strawberries. Data analysis, intelligent sensors and greenhouse automation helped the scientists win. Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies such as AI are forecast to deliver huge productivity gains – but need the right governance, according to the Global Technology Governance Report 2021. Strawberries can be easy to grow – especially, it seems, if you’re an algorithm. When farmers in China competed to grow the fruit with technology…