Islamabad, July 26, 2022: Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), country’s largest ICT services provider and U Microfinance Bank Ltd. (U Bank), a wholly owned microfinance subsidiary of PTCL announced successful conversion of U Bank’s subordinated debt into equity, signed by both institutions for an amount of PKR 1,000 million during a ceremony held in Islamabad.
President and Group CEO, PTCL & Ufone, Hatem Bamatraf and President & CEO, U Bank, Kabeer Naqvi, signed the document that was witnessed by senior members of management from both organizations. This conversion will enable the bank to further capitalize on the growth opportunities possible in Pakistan’s financial sector, spread across a heterogenous spectrum of rural, corporate finance & treasury, urban, corporate, sharia, and digital banking services, thus catapulting bank’s transformation into a challenger retail bank.
Speaking at the ceremony, Hatem Bamatraf, President and Group CEO, PTCL & Ufone, said, “Seeing the potential in U Bank’s ability to further expand and grow, PTCL endeavors to contribute and support the bank in capturing new segments and customer classes to include more of Pakistan into the banking net and further its ambition of financial and social inclusion. This is not only in line with PTCL’s commitment to support the country and its economy but also to strengthen ties between banking and telecom sector.”
Speaking at the occasion, Kabeer Naqvi, President & CEO, U Bank said, “U Bank, thus far, has been successfully enabling underserved Pakistanis and has been positively contributing towards their economic empowerment. Bank has now embarked upon the exciting journey of penetrating into newer market segments, through its six specialized business canvases, to widen its existing customer base and create more impact. This conversion is a testament of our sponsor’s confidence in our ability to deliver positive results. It also reiterates PTCL’s commitment towards contributing to the socio-economic uplift & enablement of Pakistan”.
Together, both PTCL & U Bank are at the forefront to provide best-in-class connectivity and financial services to their customers across Pakistan, especially the under-served community.
Certified Sports Guaranty (CSG) will pay tribute to Michael Jordan with a memorabilia series called the “Dynasty Collection.” This collection will include all six of Jordan’s championship-winning Air Jordan sneakers.
CSG authenticated the sneakers and will display them for the first time at the convention this week in Atlantic City, from July 27-31. Jordan has won the NBA championship in each of the following years: 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, and 1998.
The Nike Air Jordan VI sneakers that he wore to win the championship in 1991 are included in the Dynasty Collection, as well as the Air Jordan XIV “Last Shot” that he wore to win his title in 1998.
After winning the NBA championship with the Chicago Bulls in 1991, Michael Jordan gave away one of his signature sneakers. The tradition was upheld all the way to his sixth title, which he won in 1998.
Because they were kept in such pristine condition for so many years, the sneakers are in a remarkable state of preservation, appearing almost exactly as they did when Michael Jordan took them off in the locker room.
“Even after examining the world’s most important collectibles for four decades, the Dynasty Collection had the power to take my breath away,” said Mark Salzberg, Chairman of the Certified Collectibles Group.
“For the role these shoes play in our collective consciousness, how they relate to sports, fashion and celebrity, they are the contemporary Ruby Slippers, only rarer.”
Michael Jordan is still widely regarded as one of the most famous and influential sports personality across the globe, even after 25 years since his final NBA championship. His courage and dedication, together with his uncanny ability to deal with tough times, have inspired a whole generation and continue to motivate people to this day.
In 1984, when Jordan was still a rookie in the NBA, he signed a contract with Nike to produce a new sneaker brand, which they named “the Air Jordan”. This was years before Jordan won his first NBA title. The sneakers became an instant hit, and in just its first year on the market, sales of the Air Jordan reached more than $100 million. With billions of dollars in new sales recorded each year on top of a booming secondary market, the Air Jordan brand and its iconic ‘Jumpman’ logo continue to be more notorious with each passing year. Air Jordans have become a cult in the sneaker industry, and a cultural icon across the globe.
For Mikaail, planning meet-ups with friends was nothing but a mere procrastinating ball game and he felt that sudden or whimsical decisions always worked instead, rather than planning for days on end. Hence, he decided to go to the beach and ask his friends if they’d like to join.
While time was of the essence, he decided to check for food delivery options. It occurred to Mikaail that foodpanda’s pick-up option would most certainly fulfill the purpose of picking food of their choice on the go, with the time frame popping up on the app as only 15 minutes! It was a blessing in disguise indeed.
Thanks to innovation and convenience promised with tech based food and end product delivery options, for Gen X and Z like him, items are now just a screen tap away.
The year 2020 witnessed an unprecedented pace of tech innovation and development pertaining to technology and evolution of customer behavior; as such, these trends became the epitome of e-commerce and the foundation of the global tech industry. Eventually, those companies that focused on attaining customer delight through incorporating key attributes such as ‘convenience’, ‘hyperlocalization’, ‘third-party delivery’, ‘real-time delivery tracking’, ‘predictive search’ etc. were able to increase their market share. These trends were further facilitated by the proliferation of delivery models and well planned fleets.
Companies have ascertained that the best way to stay ahead of competition is to measure and analyze data, and enhance their performance through actively gauging customer behavior.
According to the Online Food Delivery Services Global Market Report, the global market is expected to grow to almost $160 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6%. The rapid growth was witnessed from $11 billion in 2021 to $128.32 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.5%; the difference in these two years accounts for over 1000% increase!
Globally, pick-up orders have also seen remarkable growth and these orders make up nearly 25%-30% of the total local industry orders, showcasing a sizable traction towards this option. With customers and their dining trends having evolved significantly in recent years, this feature enables them to embrace digital technologies that are transforming modern societies. As mentioned, customers seek simplicity and time-efficiency which is facilitated through this very option.
Considering the ease of use with the assimilation of technology in modern life, and for end consumers like these, the pick-up option by pioneers like foodpanda not just helps save time but also from the hassle of standing in queues. Instead, after having placed the order while on the go, your meal gets prepared and is ready to be picked when you reach the restaurant. Thus, tasks simultaneously get executed instead of what can be likened as an assembly line system where each step functions in silos. To add further value to convenience, pick-up also offers exclusive full menu discounts, thus promising customer delight.
In some instances, food lovers prefer enjoying restaurant food in the comfort of their own home as opposed traditionally and predominantly dining in, especially during rush hours. Hence picking up their food while commuting back home from work for instance saves them the extra time of parking their cars for long and going through the entire process of ordering, waiting, standing in queues, and then finally picking their food. With people becoming busier and life roles becoming more demanding both for men and women, pick-up is a feature that resolves such worries. Simultaneously, customers feel incentivised further when they get to avail flat discounts on this feature. In a nutshell, pick-up has helped improve space congestion, customer wait times, and delivery costs, as the delivery fee is taken out of the equation, altogether.
Oftentimes this option also comes in handy when people are shopping in malls and want to save their waiting time while rerouting opportunity cost, thus spending it elsewhere instead which eventually can be more productive for them. With the growing reliance on digital platforms and apps, the Pakistani customer has evolved tremendously as a result of enhanced customer experience.
Among the many takeaways from the post pandemic world, it is noteworthy how the tech industry, driven by heavy reliance on consumer centric strategies has revolutionized the way business is done! Be it the food industry, the education sector or healthcare, technology has become a necessity rather than a need!
By Raafay Munir, Raafay is associated with the e-commerce sector and is the Head of New Verticals at foodpanda Pakistan.
Shikhar Dhawan is leading India against West Indies in the ongoing ODI series, which makes him the seventh Indian captain in 2022. Well, India is not the only country that has had seven captains in a calendar year, there have been several instances where teams have changed their leadership because of injuries, workload management, poor form and sometimes even administrative turmoil. Here are five international cricket teams that have had over 5 captains during a calendar year.
INDIA: Seven captains in 2022
source Reuters
Earlier this year, after regular captain Virat Kohli was forced out of the Johannesburg Test with back spasms, India had to appoint KL Rahul as their stand-in captain. Kohli stood down as Test captain after the team lost the series 1-2 and Rohit Sharma took charge in all three formats. However, Rohit was unable to play in the ODIs in South Africa, due to injury, thus Rahul had to lead there.
Following Rohit’s recovery, India played at home against the West Indies and Sri Lanka, winning all 11 matches he captained between February and March. However, after the Indian Premier League, Rishabh Pant led India because both Rohit and Rahul were unable to play. In Pant’s captaincy, India drew 2-2 with South Africa in a home T20I series.
Hardik Pandya led the team in the T20I series in Ireland, where most senior players were rested. While Jasprit Bumrah captained the team in the rescheduled fifth Test of their England tour in 2021 in place of the injured Rohit Sharma.
Shikhar Dhawan is leading the side on their tour of West Indies, instead of Rohit, who was back for the limited-overs series against England.
SRI LANKA: Seven captains in 2017
Source AFP
Sri Lanka was the team first international cricket team to try out seven captains in a calendar year, back in 2017. The beginning of the year saw them on the road in South Africa with regular captain Angelo Mathews. He was in charge of two tests and two Twenty20 internationals before suffering a hamstring injury that sidelined him for five months. Dinesh Chandimal was Sri Lanka’s next captain for one T20I. However, Upul Tharanga took over as captain for the One-Day Internationals that followed, in which Sri Lanka lost 5-0.
While Rangana Herath led the team in all three of that year’s Test matches, Sri Lanka continued to play limited overs games with Tharanga as their captain. Mathews returned to captain the team after Tharanga was punished for Sri Lanka’s slow over rate during the Champions Trophy in England. However, he resigned as captain from all three formats of the game after Sri Lanka lost the ODI series against Zimbabwe. Chandimal was handed the reigns for the Test matches, while Tharanga was appointed white ball captain. However, Lasith Malinga and Chamara Kapugedera also led in one-off ODIs.
In October that year, several first-choice players relucted to play the 3rd T20 of Pakistan’s home series, which was to be held in Lahore. They were not considered for the whole series, which gave Thisara Perera a chance to take the leadership role as he became Sri Lanka’s seventh captain for the year.
ZIMBABWE: Six captains in 2001
Source Photosport
Zimbabwe was hit with some internal leadership turmoil while their cricket team was at its competitive best. During the first half of 2001, Heath Streak was their leader. During that time, they won an ODI series against New Zealand and a historic Test match against India.
However, he resigned from his position after having conflicts with the board. Guy Whittall was offered captaincy then, but he initially declined to lead the squad in the home tri-series involving India and West Indies. Grant Flower then led Zimbabwe in their first game, but Streak returned to captaincy for the second game. Eventually, Whittall led Zimbabwe in their third game after Grant Flower, Streak, and Whittall all took turns leading the team.
In July, Streak was given the opportunity to lead the team again, but he ultimately decided to concentrate on his bowling and quit three months later. Brian Murphy, a leg spinner, stepped in as his replacement for a tri-series that was played in Sharjah. Alistair Campbell and Stuart Carlisle also took turns captaining the side till the conclusion of the year.
ENGLAND: Six captains in 2011
Source Getty Images
England kicked off the new year by clinching a historic 3-2 triumph in the Ashes under Andrew Strauss. Paul Collingwood, who led England to T20 World Cup glory in 2010, captained the team in the subsequent two Twenty20 Internationals against Australia before Andrew Strauss took over for the One-Day Internationals.
After England failed to go past the quarterfinals of the World Cup later that year, Strauss stepped down as captain of the ODI team to concentrate on his performance in test cricket. The England selectors saw this as an opportunity to herald in a new age of divided captaincy, which is now the standard for many teams. Many other countries have followed England’s lead in this regard. While Strauss remained Test captain, Alastair Cook and Stuart Broad were appointed as the captain for the ODI and T20I, respectively.
Ireland-born Eoin Morgan led England against his home country when Alastair Cook was rested for an ODI against Ireland. Later that year, Broad and Morgan’s injuries allowed Graeme Swann to take charge of three T20Is.
AUSTRALIA: Six captains in 2021
Source Getty Images
Australia started 2021 with a defeat against India at home in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Even though, India was playing without a large number of its first-choice players. Tim Paine was leading the team in that series, which proved to be his last stint as he quit just before the Ashes later in the year. Pat Cummins stepped in as the next Test captain, guiding his team to a 4-0 victory against England. However, he was forced to miss one of the matches because he was found to have been in close contact with a COVID patient. Steve Smith led the team in his absence and guided his team to a 275-run victory.
Aaron Finch, the regular white-ball captain, suffered a knee injury in July, which allowed Alex Carey to lead in the ODI series against West Indies. Matthew Wade was given the opportunity to lead the team in a Twenty20 International series in Bangladesh in August when several first-choice players were given rest. Finch returned to lead Australia to their first-ever T20 World Cup victory in the UAE in October and November.
The latest research has something promising for the nature and Southeast Asia in store. For years it has been believed that protecting the environment means that there will be a cost to pay or a loss to bear. In all of this, new research suggests that Southeast Asia could preserve and earn money. Here’s how:
It has been studied that investing in measures to protect the biodiversity of Southeast Asia’s forests and seas could potentially pull in trillions. This effort could also produce benefits valued at more than $2.19 trillion a year. What do you get? Slowed down pace of climate change and money according to the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM).
Image Source: IUCN
This result, however, can be achieved by tripling the investment in eco-business. Right now $10 billion has been invested which can rise to $46 billion by 2030. The study suggests that this investment can become a tiny fraction of the possible paybacks in job creation, higher incomes, and a more sustainable environment.
More On The Study
“Southeast Asia is one of the most mega biodiverse regions of the globe”, said the Professor involved in the study. They’re inviting people to look at the region as a treasure which can still be preserved and fought for. However, UN warns that it is under threat. The threat being faced is that nature is declining and species are becoming extinct at an unprecedented rate.
Image Source: The Nature Conservancy
Developing Job Prospects
The study also shows that when we see the efforts from a vantage point, there is a lot of opportunity to earn. Regions around the world can embrace biodiversity conservation and invest in natural infrastructure. The potential is to create job opportunities in this sector to make this the biggest economic contributor.
Image Source: WeForum
For instance, the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary in eastern Cambodia is the ancestral home of the Bunong people. It provides a habitat for more than 40 threatened species, including Asian Elephants and birds like the Giant Ibis. It created 449 jobs for people. As a result, people could be investing more in the green sector, creating jobs and generating revenue from where it matters most.
Web 3.0 might be the new big tech thing that changes the way we experience internet. It’s a new version of the original Web and it uses all the advanced capabilities of the world of tech. Here’s everything you need to know about it.
Web 3.0 is basically the advanced iteration of the original Web 1.0 that came in the 1990s. It acts as the successor to the Web 2.0 version. This new generation internet space is created upon the concepts of decentralization, extreme user utility, and open-source network. The most interesting part? It is free from surveillance.
Image Source: Enlear Academy
What that means is that there is no central authority to manage and control all the functions of Web 3.0.
More About Its Capabilities
Web 3.0 uses advanced computing concepts like Machine Learning and AI. AI is the future of all forms of tech and this is no different. As a result, these computing mechanisms enable systems to imitate humans and improve with self-learning. It will be a self-sufficient model.
Image Source: Global data
Web 3.0 also uses emerging technologies like Blockchain to offer decentralization and high security.
Future of Web 3.0
As it is at the moment, Web 3.0 is the next-generation internet world. This creates the space that allows many people from all over the world to connect with global people, business entities, etc. With Web 3.0 users can easily control their data with high accessibility in a much faster way. Moreover, employment in this field is increasing by many folds.
Image Source: Forbes
Furthermore, provided that this area is linked to Metaverse there is also a high demand for people with new talents. Web 3.0 and Metaverse-like fields are building many job opportunities for engineers, tech developers, architects, and other tech enthusiasts. This shows that the Web 3.0 market is growing and slowly capturing the Million $ market by entering into new spaces. It is the future of the tech world. Agencies predict that more than 50k jobs are expected to grow in the Web 3.0.
Over the past ten years, the nature of what advertisers and consumers regard as ‘television’ has changed dramatically. TV no longer means just the big two to three networks or only the screen on the living room wall. Instead, a rapidly increasing range of viewing methods like connected TVs, streaming services, video, and mobile apps are offering new ways to watch. Perhaps no group is more ahead of this curve than tech-savvy millennials (those between the age of 18-34).
How are the TV habits of Millennials changing amidst all these new viewing options? And what does this tell advertisers about how to allocate TV ad budgets? Here are four key insights.
1. Traditional TV Still Makes Up A Significant Chunk Of Their Viewing Time
As industry observers might say, Millennials don’t watch traditional linear TV; the statistics suggest this isn’t true. According to a Survey, those between the ages of 20 and 34 spent an average of 1.81 to 1.98 hours per week day watching TV. While this may be less time than their older peers, it does suggest that traditional TV still has a role to play for advertisers trying to target Millennials.
2. Streaming TV Is Gaining In Importance
Even as Millennials continue to watch traditional TV, streaming now accounts for over half of their TV viewing time. As noted in a recent round of research into the share of weekly time spent viewing TV and video content among Millennials, streaming had overtaken traditional TV, accounting for 54% of weekly viewing time in 2016. This is a big jump from 2012 when Millennials spent just 15% of their weekly time watching streaming TV and video.
As the points above emphasise, advertisers should no longer rely on any one single ad format or viewing medium when making media buying decisions. Instead, multi-screen campaigns that spread creativity across all forms of TV, video, mobile and streaming service are the new best practice. This bears out in research with organisations noting that more than 50% of Millennials between the ages of 19-25 and 46% of those 26-32 watch TV using other devices like desktops, laptops, smartphones and tablets.
4. Bad Advertising Simply Won’t Cut It Anymore
One side effect of this explosion of viewing choices for Millennials is they are more selective about whether or not they will watch advertising. According to one recent study, more than half of Millennials have used an ad blocker. This doesn’t mean that they don’t like ads. It simply means advertisers need to be savvy about which formats are most effective on different screens and to make sure that creative storytelling remains paramount.
Multiple studies have been conducted worldwide to study the impact of social media on human nature. In contrast, these studies have profoundly affected the analysis of the human psyche and mannerisms. Detailed research is always required to back the claims and results. A recent study has evaluated the effect of Facebook on social media users. The results found that excessive use of Facebook can lead to worsening feelings in human beings.
Many studies also show that using social media platforms like Facebook may lead to internet addiction, low self-esteem and reduced investment in meaningful activities. A survey conducted by Deloitte found that checking social media sites is the first thing smartphone users do in the morning. In most cases, before they even get out of bed.
Facebook & The Need For Social Interactions
Social interaction is a core part of human life and is necessary for human existence. Many studies have confirmed that most humans thrive when they have strong and positive relationships with other human beings. However, the same cannot be guaranteed for online interactions.
Image source: webworx.inc
The problem with applying these studies to social interaction online is that the studies have been conducted on ‘real world’, face-to-face interactions. Yet what happens when social interaction occurs through an electronic screen? When your first thought after waking is to reach for your phone, what long-term impact does this have on you?
Many researchers have shown that using social media may detract from face-to-face relationships. While reducing investment in meaningful activities increases sedentary behaviour. These can ultimately lead to internet addiction and reduce self-esteem through unfavourable social comparisons.
Facebook’s mission “to make the world more open and connected” is a familiar phrase among the company’s leadership. However, the study shows that connecting more than 1.1 billion users around the world may come at a psychological cost
It turns out that social comparison can particularly strongly influence human behaviour. This occurs because people show the most positive aspects of their lives on social media, assuming their own life compares unfavourably with others.
Social Media & Well-being
Some sceptics have wondered if perhaps people with poor well-being are more likely to use social media as opposed to social media causing poor levels of wellbeing.
Image source: dailymail.com
However, prior studies have found that social media could positively impact people’s social status through increased reinforcement of real-world relationships and increased social support.
The Harvard Business Review wanted to clarify the relationship between well-being and social media.
It found that the use of Facebook was negatively associated with wellbeing. Real-world social networks were positively associated with overall wellbeing.
realme is always looking for ways to engage its fans and give back to the members of its community. For this reason, the tech-democratizer regularly holds giveaways of its products and other realme goodies. One recurring giveaway campaign originated by realme is the #CapturetheClarity photography competition. With this campaign, realme users from around the country submit their original photographs centered on a common theme or idea for the chance to win realme devices if they flex their photography skills and become the winning submission.
In the past, realme has centered the @createwithrealme competition on a variety of themes including the themes of black & white, sunrise/sunset, and the theme of Ramadan among many others interesting and diverse themes. For the latest #createwithrealme campaign, realme is taking inspiration from its latest offering – the realme 9 4G. The new campaign will be centered on nine unique photography styles/ themes that the participants can choose from. Once they have selected their themes, they can produce content related to that theme and submit it under this campaign’s unique hashtag #CapturetheClarity for the opportunity to win one of two realme 9 4G devices. Let’s take a look at the fascinating themes chosen by realme.
Spark
A spark refers to a tiny jolt of light that can be generated from a source of heat, light, or electricity. A spark can also represent hope among the darkness. With this theme, participants are challenged to photograph on a smaller scale to find artistic ways to amplify the sparks all around them.
Nightscape Monochrome
Similar to the black & white theme of the past, submissions under this theme are required to include night-time scenes using a black and white filter to create a monochrome effect. Participants of this theme will be shooting low-light, artistic photos of scenes at night and adding their unique perspective.
Light Painting
Light painting is an incredibly trendy technique for today’s photographers. It involves using a moving light source in order to add light to a scene while taking a low-light photo. Through the use of one’s light painting source photographers are not just capturing an image, they are creating the final image by altering the scene’s lighting.
Silhouette
Shadows are a very important aspect of photography. The way shadows play in an image can drastically impact the feelings that the image evokes in the viewer. A silhouette refers to the dark shape and outline of a subject in restricted light against a brighter background. The use of silhouettes in your photography can create very artistic and dramatic final images.
Nature
This theme challenges participants to explore the depths of the natural world around them. Nature photography is one of the most popular forms of photography. This type of photography centers on an appreciation for nature and the rich ecosystems we are surrounded by. From mountainous forests to sandy beaches, the beauty of nature is all around us waiting to be captured through your lens and cherished.
Street View
The bustling city streets are a fountain of inspiration for those with an eye for photography. Participants who choose this theme have to center their submissions around the city streets and the people and objects they may encounter while walking through them. The urban jungle is full of interesting subject matter and with the right exploration, the perfect shot is waiting to be found.
Night Panorama
Panoramic photography is a format of photography that aims to create images with exceptionally wide fields of view. This style of photography creates a wide landscape which encompasses a lot of area. As it relates to night-time photography, panoramas are helpful in capturing the city skyline at night or demonstrating the field of view from a viewpoint. Participants in this theme can experiment with what type of night-time scene they want to capture.
Starry Night
Another really famous subject for photography is the night sky. The mysteries of the universe reveal themselves in the ever-changing night sky. As an ever-changing canvas of stars, different hues, and the clouds, the starry night sky provides a dynamic subject that remains a constant source of inspiration for artists and photographers alike.
Sunset View
Another popular theme makes its return to #shotonrealme as this theme deals with capturing images at the time of sunset when the sky is painted with the hues of the setting sun. Participants who select this theme can focus on how the changing colors of the sky affect the narratives of the scenes they are trying to capture.realme has selected nine talented, young, rising photographers to follow these themes and provide examples for the general public to follow. These incredible submissions can be viewed at any time on the @createwithrealme Instagram page. So gather your realme devices and muster up some inspiration in order to potentially win realme 9 4G devices. The new realme 9 4G is an excellent device for photography enthusiasts boasting a powerful 108MP ProLight camera with the first-ever Samsung HM6 sensor. In order to participate, select a theme and create your content, follow and tag the @createwithrealme Instagram page, and use the hashtag #CapturetheClarity before Saturday, August 20, 2022 in order to win big!
Pakistan– July 25, 2022: Naila Kiani, a Pakistani mountaineer and adventure sports enthusiast, has successfully summited the second highest mountain peak in the world, the K2, making her the first Pakistani female to scale K2 in her first attempt.
Naila Kiani’s mountain climbing expedition, commenced in June 2022 from Skardu. Accompanied by Sirbaz Khan & Suhail Sakhi, Naila Kiani set out for the summit push at 10.40 am during the favorable weather window, and managed to reach the top of the 8,611 meters high mountain. Preceded only by Shimshali mountaineer Samina Baig by three hours, Naila Kiani has become the second Pakistani female ever to have scaled Mount Godwin Austin, (more commonly known as the K2), but the first Pakistani female to have done it in first attempt.
“This was one of the most difficult tasks I have undertaken in my life and it has only been passion for adventure sports and mountaineering that drove me to achieve this. My gratitude to the BARD Foundation for their immense support towards sponsoring my expedition – it would not have been possible without their noble vision of supporting Pakistani talent,” Naila Kiani stated after her successful summit.
Razak Dawood, Chairman BARD Foundation, stated, “This is a moment of great pride for us that Naila and her team have achieved success in their monumental feat to summit the K2. She has been a truly resilient fighter. We have always aimed to support Pakistani talent, especially women, to help provide them with opportunities to grow in the field of athletics and sports. Naila’s successful summit bears testament to the potential women have to achieve anything they set their minds to.”
BARD Foundation carries a deep vision to promote and facilitate local athletes and sportspersons in order to highlight their talent and true potential across the world. BARD Foundation is a human-development initiative, founded by the renowned industrialist & technocrat – Abdul Razak Dawood and his philanthropist wife – Mrs. Bilquis Dawood. This resourceful foundation has the vision to nurture the Pakistani youth in various professional or technical fields, by enabling these champions to learn more skills, receive better opportunities, and the kind of recognition needed to compete internationally.
Naila Kiani is a Dubai-based Pakistani banker and an amateur boxer. Prior to this, she has summited the world’s 13th highest mountain, Gasherbrum II (8,035 meters) as well. She was presented with an award in December 2021 by the President of Pakistan, to acknowledge her great achievements and contributions towards mountaineering, and continues to inspire global competitiveness among the Pakistani women.
Both heart disease and stroke are leading causes of death worldwide. Small but gradual lifestyle changes can have a big impact in preventing disease, or in keeping it from worsening. They can also help you prevent serious complications like heart attack.
While you can’t change risk factors such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, and family history, there are things you can do to help reduce your risk of these conditions.
Find out what you can do to decrease your risk of developing these conditions.
1. Stay Active & Quit Smoking
Good lifestyle habits can keep your health on track. Regular, moderate-to-intense exercise is key to reducing cardiovascular disease risk. Be active for 30 minutes or more on most or all days of the week. If you smoke, quit. Smoking is the most common risk factor which contributes to heart disease and stroke.
Image source: cdc.com
2. Manage Stress
Some people cope with stress in unhealthy ways such as overeating, drinking or smoking. Finding alternative ways to manage stress — such as physical activity, relaxation exercises or meditation can help improve your health.
A healthy diet can help protect the heart, improve blood pressure and cholesterol, and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. A heart-healthy eating plan includes, vegetables and fruits, beans or other legumes, lean meats and fish. Low-fat or fat-free dairy foods, whole grains and healthy fats such as olive oil.
Image source: johnhopkins.com
4. Maintaining Weight
Being overweight, especially around the middle of the body — increases the risk of heart disease. Excess weight can lead to conditions that increase the chances of developing heart disease including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes.
The body mass index (BMI) uses height and weight to determine whether a person is overweight or obese. A BMI of 25 or higher is considered overweight and is generally associated with higher cholesterol, higher blood pressure, and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
Image source: harvard.com
5. Regular Screenings
High blood pressure and high cholesterol can damage the heart and blood vessels. But without testing for them, you probably won’t know whether you have these conditions. Regular screening can tell you what your numbers are and whether you need to take action. The regular tests which are crucial for heart diseases includes, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, type – 2 diabetes screening.
Image source: healthline.com
6. Get Adequate Sleep
People who don’t get enough sleep have a higher risk of obesity, high blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes and depression.
Most adults need at least seven hours of sleep each night. Make sleep a priority in your life. Set a sleep schedule and stick to it by going to bed and waking up at the same times each day. Keep your bedroom dark and quiet, so it’s easier to sleep.
A flowy summer dress, summery hairstyles and bold accessories make for the best summer outfit. But it isn’t as easy as it looks. The humidity and frizz can break your hauirstyles within a few minutes of stepping out, and while we hate to say this, there is not much you can do to prevent your look from withering.
With the weather heating up, we’re all more likely to look for ways to hitch our hair up and out of our faces, and there’s plenty of room to experiment and personalise summer updos to you. If your styling repertoire is limited, but you want something fresh, there are plenty of styles that will see you straight and look fabulous without having to spend too much time or learn complicated hairdressing techniques.
So get your accessories and try these easy-to-create hairstyles for an effortless summer look.
1. Braided Scarf Bun
Nothing says chic more than a scarf in your hair. But if you are tired of the boring old ways to make a headband out of it, try this braided scarf tutorial to elevate your look for hot summer days.
This step-by-step tutorial for the most effortless chignon bun is the perfect hairstyle to try for summer weddings. If you would like to add an extra touch, add a few baby breaths or pearls to take it up a notch.
We swear by this hairstyle to keep your flyaways away from your face. This hairstyle is suitable for both long and short hair and is the best option for a girls’ day out.
This 90s hair accessory has made its way into our vanities, and needless to say, we can’t have enough of it. Whether you want to dress up or down, claw clips are the perfect option to fight humidity and frizz. Celebrities, including Gigi and Kendall, have given us major style inspo with the claw clip, and we can’t help but swoon over it.
Give way to this formal hairstyle and style your scarf and braids in a new way. This braided crown hairstyle is the most suitable option for parties and summer brunches. Just pop on a pair of bold earing and viola!
It’s the summer holidays which means routines are all out of order. Be it due to children wanting to stay up all night or because you’re on vacation. However, the tough part is when the bad habits from a not-so-healthy routine stick around for instance, eating late at night. Here’s why eating late is not good for you and why you should have dinner early.
When you eat dinner early, you allow your body to digest the food before you sleep. If your digestive system is still being forced to overwork while you sleep, you won’t be able to sleep soundly. This practice also reduces oversleeping.
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Weight Loss
This practice also triggers faster metabolism and triggers weight loss. When you eat earlier then you can do intermittent fasting that way. This window between eating fulfills its energy demands from the stored body fat instead of the glucose in the fed state.
You Feel Energetic In The Day
You also feel energetic during the day when you eat earlier. When your digestive system isn’t working overtime when you’re sleeping you can also prevent sleeping till later. You can be able to wake up in time and also feel fresher once you do wake up.
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Relief From Constipation
Eating dinner early also helps with constipation. This healthy practice will improve your chances for a better dump also the same day or the next day. A well-rested digestive system also leads to a healthier and well-performing excretory system. This practice would also help people fighting with flatulence. Again, it helps with constipation.
A Good Appetite
If you eat dinner early, you also will not risk not having dinner. As a result, your entire appetite becomes more balanced. You must be familiar with the age-old proverb: have breakfast like a king, have lunch like a commoner and dine like a pauper. You should dine early but also dine light.
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Cancer Risk Is Reduced
People who have dinner late have 15% more chance of prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women. This also means that you can reduce cancer risk by 15% by eating your dinner early.
A new study has shown that people can respond more productively if the length of tasks is different. This study could be a breakthrough when it comes ensuring people in the workforce can perform their best. Are you wondering how to work best? This is the trick:
The study basically demonstrates that longer deadlines can actually lead workers to take an assignment counterproductively. They may think that the work is harder than it actually is. As a result, they commit more resources to the work. The subsequent result is that this increases how much they procrastinate and increases their likelihood of quitting. This is also true even when the deadline length is incidental. For instance, when a venue or guest isn’t available for an extended period of time.
Image Source: Entrepreneur
Results also showed other things pertaining to longer deadlines. This also meant that they spent longer time working on the deadlines and spent more time on it. However, there was a catch: they were more likely to procrastinate and likely to quit it.
What Is The Parkinson’s Law?
Parkinson’s law also builds our understanding on a lot of things. The law states that “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” This also adds to the same theory so far. The longer the deadline, the less likely you are to understand that it is not in fact that hard. It seems bigger than is and become scared.
Image Source: Harvard Uni
The Solution?
The solution to all of this is setting shorter deadlines. If there’s one big goal or deadline, the way to go about it is to set smaller goals and deadlines in the middle. Setting these achievable and easy goals also keeps ones spirits up. The work does not fill in the time and then you’re less likely to procrastinate.
Image Source: Asana
This tendency also reduces our capability to opt for quitting. When we don’t feel like a work is bigger or more stressful than it actually is, we don’t turn towards procrastination or quitting. The result? More productive individuals and goals completed.
Master Molty foam’s most neoteric campaign has created a hype, it is the recent topic of discussion. The campaign is called “Mashaadi”.
It’s not every day that you get to see an enormous company like Master Molty Foam target an immensely significant societal issue. Just in 5 minutes, the campaign manages to highlight multiple prospects of our society. These topics aren’t usually elaborated enough to be discussed or people consider talking about such matters part of a taboo but hey, finally someone did!
Master Molty foam brought about an intriguing perspective from their end that what if for once, fathers stood up to their daughters and not worry about societal gossips. Moreover, the campaign sheds a generous amount of light onto themes such as emotional and physical abuse and we need a lot of that. There is no doubt left in our minds that Molty Foam uses their platform to give voice to other individuals.
In the end, we acknowledge that the campaign has given its viewers a lot to learn and much more to perceive. Also, Gen-Z is always looking towards establishing new trends. The campaign blew up on almost all social platforms impacting many individuals around the community! We look forward to see, where this goes keeping an eye on every step.
Takaful (Islamic Insurance) is a relatively newer term, which is why people usually get confused about how it is different from conventional insurance or why should they opt for Takaful instead of insurance. Besides, a lot of people avoid insurance altogether because of its non-shariah compliant nature.
Every kind of insurance plays a vital role in today’s economy. We cannot ignore its significance in our businesses and lives. In our era, insurance joined hands with modern technologies, merging into a modern term of Insurtech, which is currently the worldwide adopted system. Muslim scholars and Ulamas, having full knowledge of Islamic systems, have developed a workable and successful takaful system compliant with all shariah rules, and many insurance companies in Muslim and non-Muslim countries have been operating with Islamic windows or limited offers for many years on these guidelines.
There are a few indicators which help understand if the model is genuinely a takaful model (as per Shariah). The most obvious one is the distribution of surplus, which is the hallmark of takaful. Takaful works on Waqf model which means there is a pool created from the amounts received from policyholders; if there is an excess amount left in waqf pool, that amount (or a part of it) should be returned to the policyholders. Another indicator is Shariah audit; all the processes of a takaful operator is audited by an independent body.
If we talk about fully dedicated, Shariah compliant organizations, with the most modern technology techniques, offering different solutions for every walk of life, there are only few names in the country, one of which is Salaam Takaful Limited. Salaam Takaful is the first Islamic Insurtech in Pakistan with a remarkable portfolio and dynamic objectives. They don’t just meet all the requirements for being a true takaful operator, but they also are a progressive organization. They have set new standards in the industry by taking many of such steps including digitization, creating a gender-balanced workplace, and so on. Salaam Takaful is the only operator with a diversified dedicated shariah board for implementation of the true elements of takaful in all its endeavors. Any new product or improvement in any existing product is discussed with this board before proceeding with the introduction to general audience.
Salaam Takaful is the largest dedicated general takaful operator and first Islamic insurtech in Pakistan, with presence across the country. It has a comprehensively diversified product portfolio including, but not limited to, motor, health, travel, livestock, crop, fire, marine, etc. More information can be taken from www.salaamtakaful.com or online.salaamtakaful.com
Karachi, July 22, 2022 – Spotify’s journey to highlight female artists that are revolutionizing the industry continues with the announcement of EQUAL Pakistan’s Ambassador for the month of July, Natasha Baig. The Sufi-rock sensation whose tracks have been featured from mainstream movies to Coke Studio has put a new twist to the genre making it her own through strong vocals and an edgy style that can put listeners in a state of trance. Since her debut in 2013, Natasha has made a mark on the industry through versatility of her vocals earning her the title of the fifth ambassador for EQUAL and like the honoraries before her, she was featured on a digital billboard on Times Square NYC.
As EQUAL Pakistan enters its fifth month, it has become the place for women artists of all genres and career stages to celebrate their voices. After the likes of Arooj Aftab, Mehak Ali, Hadiqa Kiani and Zoha Zuberi, Natasha Baig has become the program’s latest Ambassador. Over the course of her illustrious career, Natasha has a long list of accomplishments to her name.
Natasha recently released her sophomore album titled Khirad with 9 tracks which is a tribute to the legendary poet Allama Iqbal. The album was introduced with a vision to take Allama Iqbal’s thoughts to the new generation carrying an objective for them to stay attached to the cultural roots of the nation. A much-loved track from the album, ‘Jahil Hoon Main’ is featured on EQUAL Pakistan’s playlist and EQUAL Global, bringing Natasha closer to a global audience.
Commenting on being EQUAL’s Ambassador of the month, Nastasha said: “I think it’s an amazing opportunity for an artist from Pakistan because it’s a way to connect globally. It means a lot to me because being the first girl from Hunza who managed to create her own space in the mainstream music scene of Pakistan was already a huge milestone for me and now Spotify’s EQUAL Artist campaign is enabling me to dream even bigger.”
Listen to Natasha Baig’s latest on EQUAL Pakistan.
Lahore, 22 July 2022 – Alibaba.com, a leading platform for global business-to-business (B2B) trade, today hosted its first seller summit in Lahore to highlight export opportunities available to local businesses in the e-commerce space. The event was well attended by more than 250 participants, including 200+ participants who tuned in online.
Titled “Go Export with Alibaba.com”, the event brought together existing and potential exporters in Lahore to offer tips and advice on how to start and grow an online export business. It is the first event of its type held by Alibaba.com in Lahore, signifying the platform’s enhanced efforts to support suppliers in the region and increase the city’s visibility as an online supplier base.
Various experts in the export and e-commerce fields took part as speakers in the event, including Mr Sheharyar Tahir, Head of External Relations of SMEDA, and Mr Mian Rehman Aziz, Senior Vice President of Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industries, who shed light on government support and infrastructure available to assist exporters in Lahore; Mr Md Ammar Khan, CEO of Raaziq International Logistics, Mr Tariq Mahmood, Senior Partner at Raaziq International Logistics, and Mr Barrister Ahmed Uzair, an export law specialist at AUC| Law, who provided insights into how to set up and expand an export business; Mr Muhammad Sajid Minhas, an Alibaba.com supplier who talked about his journey on the platform over the last 15 years; and Alibaba.com representatives including Mr Song Song, Head of Alibaba.com Pakistan, and Mr Ethan Wang, Product Operation Manager, who shared about products and services offered by Alibaba.com that can help suppliers digitalise their export business.
“Pakistan is one of Alibaba.com’s most important supplier markets. Lahore, in particular, shows a high potential of e-commerce growth as it already contributed US$4.7 billion in export volume or 17% of the country’s total export volume in fiscal year 2021-22. As the global pandemic has sped up B2B buyers’ adoption of online sourcing channels, we feel that now is the time for more high-quality suppliers here in Lahore to go online and be discovered by the 34 million-strong global online buyer community on Alibaba.com,” said Mr Song Song, Business Head of Alibaba.com Pakistan.
“Pakistan’s economy is comprised of almost 5.2 million small and medium enterprises. With an established e-commerce platform like Alibaba.com and an enabling environment and business development services provided by SMEDA, we encourage small and medium enterprises here to take action and grow beyond their home market,” said Mr Sheharyar Tahir, Head of External Relations of SMEDA.
Alibaba.com is now more focused to increase the e-commerce industry in Pakistan, especially in Lahore to make B2B trade as easy and as accessible as possible for buyers and sellers. Alibaba.com has been enabling the growth of small and medium-sized businesses since 1999 with tools designed specifically for B2B trade. Supplier members on the platform can tap a suite of tools and services including a custom digital storefront, buyer analytics, targeted advertising, and support in the form of training courses and live support, among others.
The world is constantly changing for the better. The dynamism is the order of the day for people belonging to all walks of life. We used to live in an analog world with a lot of manual work and now automation has made things quite convenient on many fronts. However, a lot is still desired to be done. Many segments of public sector which deal with general public seem to lag behind, even though, the solutions exist to implement.
A case in point is our traffic management. Further if we travel intercity by road, we see age old mode of collecting toll in exchange of a measly chit and at times it becomes hellish to wait in que and God forbid if someone had 5000 rupees note or worse if a truck broke down at the barrier then you are in for some trauma ride. Not to mention, the manual work incorporated provides for ample opportunities for pilferage and embezzlement. Here in Pakistan, we know this for a fact that not paying vehicular taxes is quite the norm, increasing burden on the exchequer. The government can enjoy an exuberant amount of benefit, if these non-tax-paying vehicles started to pay their due road tax.
Now imagine a world where all this is taken care of, where this is not a far-fetched idea that through implementation of the right technology, traffic flows are managed, jams are either avoided altogether or directed in the right manner. The big data analysis will dictate the changes as well as additions to the road network. A world where the regulatory bodies know exactly which car is paying taxes and which car is hiding from the excise department. A reality in which cars can rush through tolls with automatic payments and zero stoppages, zero road barriers. It does sound like a utopian dream, however, in many countries, solutions are implemented which are actually doing all the mentioned tasks in the most automatic, convenient and hassle-free ways. The more interesting bit here is that we have the capability of implementing such technology which will end the manual, problem ridden and human intervention era.
One such organization which is well known across Pakistan for introducing uniquely innovative tech-based solutions addressing many challenges is iTecknologi Group of Companies. It is an up-and-coming conglomerate with tech-based businesses, primarily dealing in solutions pertaining to Security and Surveillance, Software as a Service (SaaS), Internet of Things (IoT), Data on Things (DoT), Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and many more customizable and scalable technological amenities. The enterprise offers a large number of products to cater to every automation / technological business need. Their huge arsenal of offerings also includes a comprehensive RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) system specifically for traffic management that if implemented, can assist in all that is mentioned above.
The process is quite simple due to the advancement in technology that vehicles will only be required to have a RFID tag in them and the rest will be taken care of through installed equipment at toll plazas and other strategic locations. The RFID tag will identify the car to the system and the system will have a comprehensive database of registered vehicles with all of their pertinent information. It can have as many fields as possible helping in accumulation of large amounts of data. This big data will be analyzed to gather all sorts of insights. Other than those immaculate data analysis capability, the system will also keep a check on road tax dues of each tagged vehicle helping the excise department to track such cars which are not paying their taxes. Last but not the least, the system will enable commuters to pay their toll tax without any hassle through this technology incorporating banking partners.
The government, regulators, traffic management custodians and all stakeholders need to pay heed to these possibilities, which will not only help them in better management and governance on many fronts but also will provide convenience to commuters and vehicle owners.
iTecknologi Group of Companies, is one of the leading technology conglomerates in Pakistan and primarily deals in solutions pertaining to Security and Surveillance, Software as a Service (SaaS), Internet of Things (IoT), Data on Things (DoT), Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and many more customizable and scalable technological amenities For more information visit http://www.itecknologi.com/
August is almost here and Netflix is already preparing subscribers for a month of new and exciting additions. Netflix has unveiled the full lineup of movies and TV shows making their way to its streaming roster throughout the month of August. There are some big original shows and movies on the way as well as the addition of some popular existing titles. Regardless of what you’re into, there’s plenty to look forward to on Netflix next month.
Here are some of the top netflix shows coming on the streaming service in August.
1. Never Have I Ever – Season 3
The penultimate chapter in Devi’s coming-of-age journey to find love and acceptance is upon us. The last season left our heroine, played by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, torn between her two loyal suitors at the high school dance. Will Devi choose the dreamy, unreliable Paxton or Ben her academic nemesis-turned-unlikely crush? And what other issues will bubble to the surface as she makes up her mind? Catch up with the latest season next month.
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2. Lock & Key – Season 3
Adapted from the Joe Hill comics, we’ve had two solid seasons of Locke & Key which will be wrapping up with its third and final season in August. You can expect even more magical keys to be found plus the Locke’s having to face off against their gravest threat yet.
Based on Neil Gaiman’s seminal graphic novel and starring Tom Sturridge as the King of Dreams, The Sandman tells the story of Morpheus. A recently freed man who travels across dimensions to restore his otherworldly powers. Sturridge is joined by a high-profile cast including Gwendoline Christie, Boyd Holbrook, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and Charles Dance with voice performances from Patton Oswalt and Mark Hamill.
