EU health officials seek joint stance on measures towards China
THE European Union’s (EU) Health Security Committee called an urgent meeting in Brussels on Thursday (Dec 29) to coordinate the bloc’s response to China’s decision to lift its Covid-19 restrictions amid a wave of infections there, the European Commission said. Chinese hospitals and funeral homes were under intense pressure as a surge of new Covid-19…
Adil Aziz
Airlines keep capacity tight despite boom in China travel demand
THE world’s airlines are taking a cautious approach to China’s reopening, reluctant to immediately change up schedules and divert planes from other routes despite the internal pent-up demand for international travel. Scheduled flights into China during January, February and March are up no more than 2.9 per cent this week compared to last week, according…
Oil settles lower in light trading on China demand concerns
OIL prices settled lower on Wednesday as traders weighed concerns over a surge in Covid-19 cases in China, the world’s top oil importer, against the chances easing pandemic restrictions in the country will boost fuel demand. Brent crude futures fell US$1.07, or 1.3 per cent, to settle at US$83.26 a barrel, while US West Texas…
Limited Twitter outage rattles users
THOUSANDS of Twitter users reported an outage on Wednesday, according to tracking sites Downdetector.com and Netblocks, but the issue appeared to be resolving, with error messages and missing tweets reappearing. At the peak of the outage, at about 0035 GMT, DownDetector said more than 10,000 people reported problems with the platform, which is now owned…
SECP issues digital lending standards
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), taking notice of rising concerns involving mis-selling, breach of data privacy, and coercive recovery practices of licensed digital lending companies, has issued directive to safeguard public interest and ensure fair treatment of borrowers in digital lending ecosystem. The circular can be accessed from SECP website at https://www.secp.gov.pk/document/circular-no-15-of-2022-requirements-fornbfcs-engaged-in-digital-lending/?wpdmdl=46436&refresh=63abedc5978a21672211909۔…
Zero chance of Pakistan’s default; assures Dar
Federal Finance and Revenue Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar while rejecting the rumors about Pakistan’s going to default assured that Pakistan has resilience and will survive all challenges. Pakistan has a very beautiful future. However, he stressed on joint and targeted efforts by the public and private sectors to come out of this pressing economic situation….
PM directs pacing up implementation of Kisaan Package
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said development of agriculture sector is the guarantor of food security and directed accelerating the implementation of Kisaan Package to facilitate the farmers. He expressed these views while chairing a review meeting on the historic Kisaan Package introduced by the government for the development of agricultural sector. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif…
AirFares to stay up amid global plane shortage
AS travel springs back and even China dismantles the last remaining Covid curbs, one stark truth is beginning to emerge — the world is running desperately short of planes. With carriers from United Airlines Holdings to Air India placing or looking to place, jet orders that number in the hundreds, Boeing and Airbus are crowing…
NEPRA awards Karot Hydropower Project and Three Gorges Wind Farm for outstanding performance
National Electric and Power Regulatory Authority awarded Karot Hydropower Project and Three Gorges Wind Farm as “Outstanding Performers”. NEPRA organized the “HSE Recognition and Awards Distribution Ceremony 2022” on Friday December 23, 2022 at the NEPRA Tower, Islamabad. This activity was part of its vision “Power with Safety”. Based on the NEPRAs Assessment criteria, Three…
Russia to ban oil exports to countries with price cap from February
Russia issued a decree to ban oil sales to countries and companies that comply with a price cap agreed by Western countries in response to Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine. “The supply of Russian oil and oil products to foreign legal entities and individuals is prohibited if the contracts for these supplies directly or indirectly” are…