FRANKFURT – The coronavirus pandemic is not the first crisis to force monetary policymakers into drastic action to avert economic disaster. As the European Central Bank readies for a crunch meeting Thursday to discuss soaring inflation and a path out of stimulus, here is a look at other times the Frankfurt institution was put to … Read more
PARIS, Dec 13, 2021 (AFP) – Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis: – First UK death from Omicron – Omicron has killed at least one person in Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson reveals as he launches a large booster programme against the variant. – Ramaphosa isolates – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is … Read more
ISLAMABAD: Co-chair of All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Pakistan MP Yasmin Qureshi has asked the British government to amend its misleading tweet which had wrongly likened the sanctions on Myanmar military and a Pakistani individual for their human rights violations. On International Human Rights Day (December 10, 2021), the UK had announced new sanctions … Read more
SYDNEY, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) — Australian researchers developed a new copper surface that could kill bacteria more than 100 times faster and more effectively than standard copper, which is expected to help combat the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant superbugs. The finding, published in the Biomaterials on Monday, is the result of a collaborative research project … Read more
Pak vs WI: West Indies skipper Nicholas Pooran won the toss and elected to bowl first against Pakistan in the first T20 international at the National Stadium in Karachi on Monday. Some West Indies players were hit by positive coronavirus tests before their T20 match and brought Devon Thomas and Shamarh Brooks from the ODI … Read more
FRANKFURT – The new German government approved a 60 billion euro ($68 billion) climate investment plan in a cabinet meeting on Monday, laying the first stone towards achieving its ambitious environmental targets. The agreement was announced by Finance Minister Christian Lindner, who celebrated a “booster” for Europe’s top economy and “the beginning of a climate-neutral … Read more
Faysal Qureshi lands in hot waters after his quote on “female actors work fine until they are married.” To add salt to the wound he points his finger towards Iqra Aziz and says, “she has taken on less work ever since she gave birth. When I asked her the reason, she told me she had … Read more
FRANKFURT: Rising inflation and the spread of a new variant of the coronavirus will weigh on central banks’ minds this week as they meet to decide how quickly to withdraw their pandemic-era stimulus. As policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic contend with soaring inflation and the rate of infection of the Omicron variant, the … Read more
HONG KONG – Asia stocks held steady on Monday, despite a record-smashing lead from Wall Street, ahead of a week of major monetary policy announcements around the world. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index was down 0.17 percent at the close, while Tokyo’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed up by 0.71 percent. Friday’s gains … Read more
LAHORE: In a major development, as many as 30 million families across Punjab will get access to health insurance under Naya Pakistan Sehat Programme until March. Prime Minister Imran Khan attended the launching ceremony of the Naya Pakistan Sehat Programme in Lahore on Monday. While addressing it, the premier said the biggest challenge for a … Read more
LONDON, Dec 13, 2021 (AFP) – At least one person has died in Britain after being infected with the Omicron variant, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday, as the country launched an ambitious Covid booster shot programme to stop the virus’ spread. Britain — among the countries worst hit by the global health crisis since last year … Read more
ISLAMABAD: Japan on Monday announced a $4.35 million grant to procure essential oral polio vaccines as part of its continued support to Pakistan for its polio eradication efforts. This latest grant will be utilized for the procurement of 24 million oral doses of vaccines and will allow the programme to reach around 21 million children … Read more
ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday said students of Balochistan had a great potential to change the destiny of the country by equipping themselves with the latest knowledge and information technology skills. During an interactive session with the students and faculty members of Balochistan Residential College, Khuzdar, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, President Alvi urged students to … Read more
TOKYO – Tokyo stocks closed higher on Monday as investors took heart from US rallies and digested the Bank of Japan’s key business confidence survey. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index advanced 0.71 percent, or 202.72 points, to end at 28,640.49, while the broader Topix index added 0.13 percent, or 2.65 points, to 1,978.13. According to the Bank … Read more
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Monday deferred indictment till December 20 in a contempt of court case pertaining to an affidavit of former G-B chief justice Rana Shamim. Chief Justice Islamabad High Court Justice Athar Minallah conducted the hearing of the case. AGP Khalid Javed read Shamim’s statement before the court and stressed that … Read more
HONG KONG – Chinese artificial intelligence start-up SenseTime said Monday it was postponing a planned $767 million initial public offering in Hong Kong after it was blacklisted by the US over human rights concerns in Xinjiang. The US Treasury announced the ban on Friday, saying SenseTime’s facial recognition programmes were designed in part to be … Read more
The study shows that the Omicron variant could cause a new wave of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations across Britain exceeding last winter’s peak levels without new restrictions Researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said the results suggest the Omicron variant “will lead to a substantial increase in SARS-CoV-2 transmission” in Britain, which without … Read more
ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah on Monday remarked that state institutions cannot do real estate businesses as it opens the room for clash of interests. While hearing a plea against the real estate business conducted by the ministries and the institutions, the IHC asked the Attorney General of Pakistan to complete his … Read more
COPENHAGEN, Dec 13, 2021 (AFP) – Danish health authorities said Monday a third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine would be offered sooner to everyone over 40 to curb the spread of the Omicron variant. “Due to the new and more contagious Omicron variant the Danish Health Authority has decided to push the third jab for everyone aged 40 and above, … Read more
JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) — A laboratory research has suggested that the Omicron variant can partially escape antibody immunity induced by the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The research, led by professor Alex Sigal from the Africa Health Research Institute in South Africa, has been submitted to medRxiv, a preprint server for health sciences. The research confirms … Read more
Dananeer Mobeen is a social media content maker who became famous after just one video. She’s been on social media for a long time before she became famous. This social media star shared a random video on social media in February 2021, and the world freaked out. “Yeh Hum hain ye hamari car hai, aur … Read more
KARACHI: HIV/AIDS-related mortality rates are rising in parts of Pakistan due to late diagnosis and poor adherence to treatment, according to the latest UNAIDS Pakistan report. About half of the key populations suffering from the disease in the country were not aware of their HIV status, resulting in onward transmission and AIDS-related deaths that were … Read more
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has underscored the need for innovation and reality in research to put forward a progressive and realistic face of Pakistan. He was speaking at the Margalla Dialogue, 2021. The theme of the dialogue is, “Breaking past, entering future.” This is the second series of dialogue under the aegis of Islamabad … Read more
LONDON: A group of airlines accused the UK government on Monday of a “haphazard and disproportionate approach” to travel restrictions in the wake of the Omicron variant and demanded further state help to prevent a “permanent scarring” of the industry. “Whilst we fully recognise the need to take steps to contain the initial impact of … Read more
As the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee festivities approach, expert Margaret Holder believes “we are already watching, brick-by-brick, the destruction of the House of Windsor,” as the royal family is “torn by unsurvivable rifts and scandals.” Read more: Queen Elizabeth to carry on with Christmas tradition at Sandringham “At 95, without Prince Philip by her side and … Read more
KARACHI: The cooling down of consumer spending, and reduced shipping congestion will result in global trade growing by 5.4 per cent in 2022, an Euler Hermes Global Trade report showed. While there is a risk of a double-dip in the first quarter of 2022, Euler Hermes expects a normalisation of international trade flows in volume … Read more
Eddie Redmayne, the Oscar-winning actor, returns to London’s West End in a new version of the musical Cabaret, which premiered on Sunday. In the show directed by Rebecca Frecknall, Redmayne plays emcee alongside stage and movie sensation Jessie Buckley. Redmayne is “the most hardworking, diligent performer I have ever worked with,” said Frecknall. “His work … Read more
KARACHI: The dollar recorded another high of 177.89 against the rupee at the closing of the interbank foreign exchange market on Monday, dealers said. The exchange rate witnessed an 18 paisas decline in the rupee value to end at Rs177.89 against the dollar from the last trading day’s closing of Rs177.71, the previous record low … Read more
