Islamabad:Students from the Physics and Statistics departments at a local university embarked on a fascinating learning journey today with a visit to the Survey of Pakistan. Led by Vice Principal Prof. Anees Mirza, along with senior faculty members Prof. Muhammad Azam (Physics) and Prof. Muhammad Yasin (Statistics), the delegation gained valuable insights into the world of geophysics, mapping techniques, and their applications in both defense and development endeavors.
The visit included a comprehensive briefing on the various technical aspects of geophysics. Students were introduced to the science behind map creation and its crucial role in national security and infrastructure development projects. The digitization of mapping processes emerged as a particularly captivating area of interest for the students, highlighting the Survey of Pakistan’s commitment to embracing technological advancements.
This educational trip provided a unique opportunity for the students to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical applications. By witnessing firsthand the intricate workings of the Survey of Pakistan, they gained a deeper understanding of how physics and statistics play a vital role in shaping the nation’s landscape
Noise-canceling headphones are excellent at blocking sound but struggle to selectively allow certain noises. The latest Apple AirPods Pro adjust sound levels automatically but offer limited user control over who to listen to.
A University of Washington team has developed “Target Speech Hearing,” an AI system that lets headphone users focus on a specific speaker. By looking at the person speaking for three to five seconds, the system “enrolls” them, canceling other sounds and amplifying the speaker’s voice in real-time, even as the listener moves.
Presented on May 14 at the ACM CHI Conference, the system’s code is available for further development but isn’t commercially available. Shyam Gollakota, a UW professor, explained that this AI modifies auditory perception based on user preferences, allowing clear hearing of a single speaker in noisy environments.
Using off-the-shelf headphones with microphones, users tap a button while facing the speaker. The sound is sent to an onboard computer, where machine learning software identifies the speaker’s voice. The system improves its focus as the speaker continues talking, providing more data.
“Station 19” concluded its series finale with nearly everyone alive, except for newcomer Kate (Kiele Sanchez), who perished in a fire tornado. Despite injuries, the team survived to fight another day, envisioning hopeful futures.
Directed by showrunner Peter Paige, the episode centered on a massive wildfire approaching Seattle. Theo (Carlos Miranda) was injured but patched up at Grey Sloan Memorial. Maya (Danielle Savre) was saved from a wall of fire, a relief for her pregnant wife Carina (Stefania Spampinato). Andy (Jaina Lee Ortiz) protected her team, ending up in the hospital with burns. Each character imagined a future they were fighting for: Maya with a big family, Theo with a wife and son, Ben (Jason George) watching his kids graduate, Travis (Jay Hayden) touring museums with Vic and Dom, and Sullivan (Boris Kodjoe) and Ross (Merle Dandridge) getting married.
Andy, unconscious in the hospital, dreamt of reconciling with Jack (Grey Damon). Showrunners Paige and Zoanne Clack left these visions ambiguous, representing possible futures.
In reality, Vic moved to D.C. with Travis surprising everyone by joining her. Ben returned to complete his surgical residency. A few years later, Maya became captain of Station 19, with Prue as a new probie, and Andy was promoted to fire chief.
Clack and Paige revealed that the wildfire storyline was planned regardless of the show’s ending. Carina’s involvement in firefighting was a highlight, and Jack’s return aimed to explore the emotional impact of a short firefighting career. The final scene with Andy walking out as Battalion Chief symbolized continuity and hope.
Though many characters faced danger, only Kate died, as Clack and Paige wanted a hopeful ending without grief. They emphasized the importance of portraying firefighters’ dedication and resilience, hoping fans carry these themes into their lives.
Reflecting on their tenure, Paige and Clack valued the collaborative and positive culture on set, aiming to continue such an environment in future projects. They were proud of the season’s storytelling and the supportive atmosphere they cultivated.
Eminem is set to release a new single titled “Houdini” from his upcoming album, The Death of Slim Shady, on Friday.
Teasing his 13th studio album, the 51-year-old rap icon shared a video on Instagram featuring a FaceTime conversation with magician David Blaine.
In the clip, Eminem asks Blaine for assistance, saying, “How far can we go with this magic? Like, can we do a stunt or something?” Blaine then performs a trick with a glass, impressing those present.
Eminem adds a dramatic flair by saying, “Well for my last trick, I’m going to make my career disappear,” before the screen fades to black with the message: “‘Houdini’ 5.31.24.”
Earlier, the “Lose Yourself” artist hinted at his new album on May 21st by sharing a cryptic iMessage screenshot on social media that read, “…and for my last trick!” sent to “All Contacts.” Additionally, the Grammy-winner changed his display picture to a rabbit in a top hat.
The “Exorcist” universe is set to expand with a “radical new take” on the classic horror film, helmed by visionary filmmaker Mike Flanagan, known for “Doctor Sleep” and “The Fall of the House of Usher.”
Flanagan will write, direct, and produce this new iteration for Blumhouse and Morgan Creek. “The Exorcist is one of the reasons I became a filmmaker,” Flanagan said. “It’s an honor to try something fresh, bold, and terrifying within its universe. Reuniting with Blumhouse, where I’ve made some of my favorite work, makes this even more exciting.”
The new “Exorcist” movie will be produced by Flanagan’s longtime collaborator Trevor Macy (on behalf of Intrepid Pictures) and Flanagan himself under his new Red Room Pictures banner. John Scherer will also contribute on behalf of Intrepid. This marks Flanagan’s fourth collaboration with Blumhouse, following “Oculus” (2013), “Hush” (2016), and “Ouija: Origin of Evil” (2016), all of which were produced by Macy.
Notably, Flanagan’s film will be an entirely new story, not a sequel to 2023’s “The Exorcist: Believer,” directed by David Gordon Green. Although Green had planned a trilogy, including “The Exorcist: Deceiver” set for 2025, he exited the franchise in January after “Believer” grossed $137 million globally but received mixed reviews.
“Mike’s voice and vision are indispensable for horror fans, and we are excited to welcome him back to Blumhouse,” said Jason Blum, founder and CEO of Blumhouse. “I immediately responded to Mike’s new take on the world of ‘The Exorcist’ and can’t wait for audiences to experience it.”
David Robinson, chairman and CEO of Morgan Creek, added, “It’s an honor to be working with Mike. I think his vision for this franchise will stun audiences worldwide. I couldn’t be more excited to be working with him, Trevor, Jason, and the entire Blumhouse team.”
Flanagan and Macy, as well as Intrepid and Red Room, are represented by WME. Flanagan is also represented by VanderKloot Law, and Macy by Reder & Feig.
Disney is set for a major comeback at the Thanksgiving box office with “Moana 2.” The trailer, released on Wednesday, has become the studio’s most-watched ever for an animated movie, amassing 178 million views within 24 hours.
This surpasses previous record holders “Inside Out 2” (157 million) and “Frozen 2” (116 million). It also exceeds Pixar’s “Incredibles 2” (113 million).
These views come from online platforms including TikTok, YouTube, X, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat. The trailer received positive reactions for its animation, love for the original film, and character appeal. Audiences highlighted Moana, Maui, and Pua as standout characters, with many considering Moana one of their favorite Disney characters of all time. This success is notable as the project was originally planned as a Disney+ series before being transitioned to the big screen.
Directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, and produced by Christina Chen and Yvett Merino, “Moana 2” features music by Grammy winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Grammy nominee Opetaia Foaʻi, and three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancina.
In the sequel, Moana embarks on a journey to the far seas of Oceania and into perilous, long-lost waters after receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors. Dwayne Johnson returns as the voice of demigod Maui, and Auli’i Cravalho reprises her role as Moana.
Reflecting the enduring popularity of Moana’s story and characters, the original 2016 film was the most-streamed movie across all platforms in 2023, according to Nielsen.
Filmmaker Rian Johnson has hinted that it will be different from the prior flicks while being candid about his excitement.
In 2021, Netflix made headlines by acquiring the rights to two Knives Out sequels in a groundbreaking $469 million deal. The first sequel, “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” debuted in December 2022, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the third installment.
In May 2024, director Rian Johnson released a teaser for the upcoming film, titled “Wake Up Dead Man,” confirming Daniel Craig’s return as the enigmatic detective Benoit Blanc. The teaser hinted at Blanc’s “most dangerous case yet,” sparking speculation about the plot and setting.
Craig, in a previous interview with Variety, expressed his enthusiasm for continuing the role as long as Johnson keeps writing the films. Johnson, on his part, envisions the franchise as an ongoing series rather than a trilogy, promising to explore different tones and narratives with each new installment.
Johnson has shared his excitement for “Wake Up Dead Man,” indicating that it will differ from the previous films in both setting and narrative style. While plot details remain tightly guarded, Johnson confirmed that he has a clear vision for the film and is eager to start production.
In May 2024, Variety announced the star-studded cast, which includes Josh O’Connor, Cailee Spaeny, Kerry Washington, Glenn Close, and Andrew Scott. The specifics of their roles remain undisclosed, adding to the anticipation surrounding the film.
With production underway and a 2025 release date in sight, “Wake Up Dead Man” promises to be another thrilling addition to the Knives Out franchise. Fans can look forward to a captivating mystery filled with unexpected twists and turns, led by the brilliant detective Benoit Blanc.
Rapper Macklemore, a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause and critic of Israeli bombings in Palestine, is experiencing a career resurgence with his impactful new song “Hind’s Hall,” which is climbing the Billboard charts.
“Hind’s Hall,” released in support of student protests on U.S. college campuses with proceeds going to humanitarian organizations, is currently No. 2 on the Rap Digital Song Sales chart, just behind Kendrick Lamar’s Drake diss, “Not Like Us.” It has also reached No. 7 on the US Digital Song Sales chart and No. 3 on the US R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales chart. While it peaked at No. 184 on the Billboard 200, it has achieved higher positions internationally, including No. 8 on the UK Indie chart, No. 18 on the Australia Hip Hop/R&B chart, and No. 51 on the UK Singles chart. Additionally, the song has over 17 million plays on Spotify.
This marks Macklemore’s most significant chart success since his 2012 viral hit “Thrift Shop,” which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song “Hind’s Hall” references student protests at Columbia University, where students demanded the institution cut ties with Israeli schools and divest from them. During these protests, students occupied Hamilton Hall and symbolically renamed it Hind’s Hall in honor of Hind Rajab, a 6-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces in January.
It is possible that the traditional launch window for new iPhones is still a few months away. It will most likely be closed this autumn. but much in advance of the countdown’s zero. Recently, there have been some really intriguing leaks regarding the Apple iPhone 16 series. We have heard that Apple is starting to produce OLED screens on schedule.
We only recently found the news. Apple had awarded Samsung and LG contracts to manufacture OLED displays for the iPhone 16s. It appears that they have now asked both manufacturers to begin mass OLED production.
This news was reported by a local Korean magazine (the Elec). They claim that Samsung is responsible for the OLEDs on all four iPhone 16 phones. However, LG will exclusively manufacture the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max displays. This indicates Apple is on schedule. We will all watch the lineup launch on time.
LG was a key player for OLEDs last autumn, but until the iPhone 15 Pro series, they had never been Apple’s first choice of partner. Samsung, on the other hand, has been doing OLEDs for Apple’s upcoming iPhone models for a long time, so it is not surprising.
The Elec notifies all readers that the iPhone 16 OLEDs will not be getting any new features, with the exception of maybe smaller bezels. However, there have also been claims of a size shift. The iPhone 16 and 16 Pro Max could have 6.3″ and 6.9″ screens (rather than 6.1″ and 6.7″).
Teams lacking in match preparation for the World Cup following the second series washout
England vs. Pakistan: No throw is made in the match.
Persistent rain washed out Tuesday night’s T20 match between England and Pakistan in Cardiff, the second match of the series to be abandoned after the opener in Leeds was also disrupted by weather. Only 39.2 of the scheduled 120 overs have been played so far, leaving both teams short on match practice ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Jos Buttler, England’s captain, did not travel to Cardiff as he is expecting his third child, leaving Moeen Ali to lead the team. Mark Wood and Sam Curran were set to play, while Jofra Archer was to be rested due to his recent injury recovery.
Buttler is expected to rejoin the squad in Barbados on Friday and may play in the final series match at The Oval on Thursday, weather permitting. Both teams will be underprepared for the World Cup, with Pakistan having played more recently, while England has only had one T20I since December.
Heavy rain in Cardiff led to repeated delays, ultimately causing umpires Mike Burns and Russell Warren to abandon the match at 8.12pm, disappointing the sold-out crowd.
The Biden administration stated that recent Israeli operations in Rafah, Gaza, do not constitute a major ground offensive that would breach U.S. policy limits, while closely monitoring the investigation into a deadly strike on a tent camp. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby emphasized that the U.S. is not ignoring the plight of Palestinian civilians, referring to the strike that killed at least 45 people as a “tragic mistake.”
Despite concerns, Kirby noted that the current Israeli actions have not reached the level of a large-scale invasion that would prompt the U.S. to withdraw military assistance. The Pentagon described the Rafah assault as “limited in scope” and is awaiting the conclusion of Israel’s investigation into the strike.
The New York Times reported that the bombs used were U.S.-made GBU-39s, which are designed to minimize civilian casualties. Israel called the incident a “tragic accident,” stating their munitions alone could not have caused the blaze. Israeli forces were also accused of another attack in Tel al-Sultan, killing at least 21 people, which the Israeli military denied.
Kirby warned that Israel’s actions could further isolate it internationally, which is not in the best interest of either Israel or the U.S.
On May 29, Israeli tanks entered Rafah, Gaza, continuing an offensive predicted to last all year despite an International Court of Justice order to cease attacks. This raid followed Hamas rocket attacks on Tel Aviv. Israeli forces targeted Tel Al-Sultan and Yibna, temporarily pushing into central Rafah before retreating.
The conflict has resulted in severe humanitarian issues, with 19 civilians killed in recent strikes, and a desperate need for aid. Israel’s control of the Philadelphi Corridor aims to prevent Hamas from smuggling weapons. Despite U.S. opposition to a major ground offensive, fighting is expected to continue.
More than 36,000 Palestinians have died since the conflict escalated after Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel. Ceasefire negotiations, mediated by Qatar, face obstacles as Hamas demands an end to the Rafah offensive. The UN reports massive displacement, with a million people fleeing Rafah. Health officials call for urgent aid as malnutrition spreads and medical services collapse.
The image shows tents arranged in a camp to form the words “All Eyes on Rafah”.
Human rights organisations and a number of nations have strongly condemned the most recent Israeli strikes on Gaza’s Rafah that resulted in the deaths of at least 45 Palestinians, many of them youngsters, in tents housing displaced people. At least eight Israeli missiles struck the Tal as-Sultan area, a designated “safe zone” northwest of Rafah city, according to witnesses cited by Al Jazeera.
Despite considerable international concern over civilian losses, Rafah, which is currently home to hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians from all over the Gaza Strip, came under Israeli ground and air attack on Sunday. In addition, the attack set a number of tents on fire, which spread throughout the region and claimed more lives. The fire was caused by a fuel tank explosion that was brought on by an Israeli airstrike, according to NBC.
“All Eyes On Rafah”: What the image depicts
An photograph with the words “All Eyes on Rafah” began to circulate when images of burnt dead and people with serious injuries appeared on social media. The campaign, led by activists and aid organisations, attempts to raise awareness of the Gaza Strip’s southern metropolis, where residents are compelled to live in overcrowded camps without access to basic supplies.
In the picture, tents at a camp are set up to spell out the words “All Eyes on Rafah,” a call to action for people to pay attention to the situation in Gaza’s southernmost city, where 1.5 million people have taken refuge after being hit by Israeli bombs.
Is this a true picture? Perhaps one of the first photographs of activism to go viral created by artificial intelligence is this one. The image “looks” like it was made by artificial intelligence, according to Marc Owen Jones, a researcher on deception. NBC noted that the image appears artificial intelligence (AI)-generated due to its unusual symmetry, strange shadows, and lack of realism in the tent camp.
What is the origin of the phrase? The World Health Organization’s Office of the Occupied Palestinian Territories director, Rick Peeperkorn, is credited for coining the slogan in a statement. He said this in February, not long after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered Rafah to evacuate in anticipation of attacks on what he then claimed to be the militant group Hamas’ final surviving strongholds.
How widely the picture was shared The slogan has also been taken up by advocacy organisations such as the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Americans for Justice in Palestine Action, Save the Children, Oxfam, Jewish Voice for Peace, and others. The hashtag #AllEyesOnRafah has received millions of views and over 1,95,000 posts on social media. On Tuesday, it was also the top trending topic on Instagram, where there were almost a million more postings.
The image has been shared over 29 million times on Instagram in less than 24 hours.
Global support for the campaign grew as a result of Indian celebrities sharing the same “All Eyes on Rafah” photograph on their Instagram stories, including Varun Dhawan, Madhuri Dixit, Aly Goni, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Tripti Dimri, and others. Internationally, celebrities who have expressed support for Rafah include British singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Australian cricket player Travis Head, actresses Saoirse-Monica Jackson and Susan Sarandon, and model Bella Hadid.
The “All Eyes on Rafah” campaign is gaining momentum and boosting the voices of those advocating for peace and justice for Palestinians as the globe keeps an eye on events in Gaza.
Rafah Assault: In defiance of a ruling last week from the highest UN court to cease operations there, Israeli forces continued their assault on the border town, which was previously thought to be the last bastion of safety for the region.
The Israeli air strike on a refugee camp in Rafah, Gaza, killed at least 45 people, including children, sparking international outrage. This attack occurred despite an International Court of Justice order for Israel to halt its operations in Rafah. The strike followed a barrage of rockets from Hamas targeting Tel Aviv, most of which were intercepted.
The ongoing conflict has caused a severe humanitarian crisis, displacing over a million Palestinians and crippling health facilities in Gaza. Global leaders and humanitarian groups are calling for a ceasefire and pressuring Israel to stop its military actions.
This recent escalation is part of the broader conflict that intensified after Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on October 7, which led to significant casualties on both sides and a strong retaliatory response from Israel.
Further strengthening its international collaboration, the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Yunus Emre Enstitusu, Turkiye. The MoU signing ceremony included the participation of the Turkish Ambassador in Islamabad, His Excellency Mehmet Pacaci; Dr. Halil Toker, Coordinator of Yunus Emre Enstitusu; Turkiye, Dr. Yousaf Junaid, Ambassador of Pakistan in Ankara; Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, Director General ISSI; Ms. Amina Khan, Director CAMEA; and Team CAMEA.
While giving her introductory remarks, Ms. Amina Khan said that this MoU is a testament of the long-standing relationship between Pakistan and Turkiye which is built on mutual respect and shared history. Collaboration between ISSI and the Yunus Emre Enstitusu is a step towards further enhancing as well as opening new avenues for cultural and academic cooperation between the two countries.
Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, in his remarks, welcomed the conclusion of the MoU stating that it will lead to further fortifying the relationship which goes back centuries and is underpinned by cultural and religious affinities as well as shared history. He added that Pakistan and Turkiye are two indispensable partners and that initiatives such as these further reinforce the efforts of the two governments to further deepen their multifaceted partnership. He concluded by saying that effective implementation of this MoU will provide a range of opportunities for collaboration in the research and academic fields and people-to-people exchanges.
Ambassador Mehmet Pacaci, while expressing his views, said that the relationship between Turkiye and Pakistan is very special. He added that more academic collaborations are needed to strengthen and further expand the relationship in various dimensions. He also said that there is a need for further studies on the present opportunities and future horizons of Pakistan-Turkish relations.
Dr. Yousaf Junaid, while speaking on the occasion, said that the signing of the MoU between ISSI and Yunus Emre Enstitusu will pave the way for a closer understanding in the already very sound relationship. Sharing a historical perspective on the ties between Pakistan and Turkiye, he stressed the need for taking the message of this special relationship to the youth in both countries. He assured of the Embassy’s full support in implementation of the MoU.
Dr. Halil Toker, in his remarks, said that the Yunus Emre Enstitusu has a significant presence in Pakistan and that the signing of this MoU is of unique significance as it will pave way for further collaboration in various spheres. He concluded by saying that such initiatives will take Pakistan-Turkiye relations to further heights.
The ceremony ended with the signing of the MoU by Ambassador Sohail Mahmood and Dr. Halil Toker.
As per PEMRA IM on DTH and license issued under satellite capacity it states” Satellite Capacity: The Right of First Refusal (ROFR) for provisioning of satellite capacity/bandwidth/service shall rest with M/s PAKSAT INTERNATIONAL, which shall provide / make necessary arrangements for provisioning of satellite capacity / bandwidth / service to DTH licensees within a period of six (6) weeks from the date of receipt of such application. Otherwise, the DTH licensees shall be free to avail the satellite services from other satellite operators, subject to clearance from PEMRA.
Due to unknown reasons ROFR clause is not defined in IM or in license under definitions, making this one of the major reasons for delay in launch of services. The most significant purpose of a definitions clause is that they clarify contract-specific terms, also aid in future risk mitigation. These definitions are usually added at the start of an agreement. They give specific meanings to words that may differ from ordinary meanings. It is important to define terms because it reduces the risk of uncertainty in a contract, especially when defined terms override the usual meaning of a term. In DTH case, ROFR clause is not even structured. ROFR clause, definition is open now, few definitions are as under: ⮚Black’s Law Dictionary defines right of first refusal as “a potential buyer’s contractual right to meet the terms of a third party’s higher offer.” This means that if a third party offers to purchase an owner’s property, the owner is obligated to notify the holder of the right of first refusal and provide the holder.” ⮚As per the international definition, “In the right-of-first-refusal case, one buyer—the right-holder—has the right to buy the asset at the price offered by the seller to another buyer if that buyer accepted the seller’s offer.” ⮚Open source; “Rights of first refusal clauses are similar to options contracts as the holder has the right, but not the obligation”, to enter into a transaction that generally involves an asset. The person with this right has the opportunity to establish a contract or an agreement on an asset before others can.
Similarly, right of first refusal (RFR or ROFR) has multiple meanings: ⮚In the context of a corporation, an ROFR is a contractual obligation of a shareholder to offer to sell its shares to the other holders (or sometimes back to the corporation) after receiving a bona fide offer to purchase from a third party. ⮚With the (ROFR) clause, one could get the chance to lease that extra space before anyone else gets a shot. ⮚In real estate, (ROFR) is a clause in a contract that gives a prioritized, interested party the right to make the first offer on a house before the owner can negotiate with other prospective buyers.
A ROFR is not the same as a right of first negotiation (ROFN). ⮚A ROFN only requires the landlord (Paksat) to notify (licenses)of any available space and negotiate with him before marketing it to others. You (The holder of ROFR) still have to agree on the price and terms. ⮚A ROFR, allows (Holder of ROFR) to match any offer that the (SS,DTH License) receives from another party and take the space on the same conditions(offered by other party). ⮚A ROFR, allows (Holder of right, Paksat) to match any received from another party
Under the circumstances described above, the courts should treat preemptive rights as personal, and not assignable, unless the parties overcome this presumption with explicit contractual provisions. Can a Right of First Refusal Be Assigned (The University of Chicago Law Review) PDF attached
Anticipating all these issue, M/S Shazad Sky raised its concern once this clause was added in revised IM (clause was added in revised IM). Later same was included in the license. After getting ROFR in IM, Paksat Intel attitude become very authoritative and bossing. Just to quote one example, once Shazad Sky approached to sign the NDA (Non-disclosure agreement) M/s Shazad Sky CEO and team was not allowed to enter in office premises due to their commitments and sent the NDA outside the gate where CEO shahzad Sky signed. Assuming that FROR has given them the unlimited powers to sell satellite capacity and trat lienees in un dignified way. Without going in to the details of attitude, response time to quarries, behavior, technical competence of Paksat Intl and becoming sick and tired of requesting their attitude/S Shahzad Sky requested to remove this clause as it is against the competitive spirit, other operators are offering much attractive offers and services with very professional management and attitude.
Significance of Definitions in legal documents: Structuring A Right Of First Refusal Clear Definitions An ROFR agreement must have clear and absolute definitions. Questions to Consider:
Cancellation of a right of first refusal is called extinguishment. This can happen for two reasons: The right may be declined (the holder passes on the option to purchase) The holder may fail to exercise the right in the allotted time period. A right of first refusal clause could apply to family members of the property owner. If an owner decides to sell a property, the ROFR stipulates that named relatives, like children or siblings, may have the first opportunity to buy the property and make an offer.
mportant Clauses in the Right of First Refusal Agreement The particular clauses in a ROFR agreement in the United States may vary based on the parties involved and the nature of the transaction. Nevertheless, some typical clauses that are frequently included are: ●Scope: This clause specifies the property or asset covered by the agreement and determines the scope of the right of first refusal. It could provide a detailed property description, such as the address or legal description. ●Financing Contingency: A condition in a ROFR agreement may allow the party to exercise the right to receive financing on terms comparable to those given to the third-party buyer. It ensures the party has a reasonable chance of obtaining the necessary finances. ●Notification: This provision emphasizes the property owner’s obligation to notify the party with first refusal about any potential sale or transfer of the property. It outlines how and when such notice must be given. ●Offer: This section specifies the conditions under which the property owner must make an offer to the party having the right of first refusal. It may include the purchase price, payment terms, and other pertinent information. ●Acceptance: This clause specifies how long the party with the right of first refusal has to accept or decline the offer. It usually contains a response deadline and the repercussions of failing to react on time. ●Right to Assign: The agreement may indicate whether the party with the right of first refusal may assign their right to another party. The original party can transfer their right to purchase or lease the property to a third party if approved.
There are four essential elements to ensure high-quality video distribution and boost end-user loyalty, so one can concentrate on his content. Four primary elements play a critical role in the channel’s success for end-users and advertisers. Hosting, service quality, resilience and recovery must all be in place before a channel can focus on creating quality content. It doesn’t matter what programmes, shows, or events one streams through his channel. Without the technical elements in place, no-one will watch, advertisers will pull out, and Channel will fail. Quality of experience is key for end-users, so ensuring that your hosting, service support quality, resilience solutions, and recovery functions are well prepared is the first step towards creating a successful channel.
Addressing The Functions a. Hosting/Data Centre: what is it? refers to where one’s servers are located. It refers to the physical location of where your broadcasting streams originate. (If one doesn’t have own data center, if you have your data center then where is the disaster recovery) Why is it important? Without hosting or a datacenter, TV channels simply don’t exist. If your servers go down, your broadcast abruptly stops. You need a location to store the hardware that takes care of broadcasting your content efficiently and effectively. By failing to invest in quality hosting and data centres, you risk equipment damage, data leaks, overheating, and complete loss of information and broadcasting. If the under-mentioned elements are not present, its time for alternatives. ⮚Dedicated server rack into collocated or private rooms. ⮚Secure site, physically and digitally. ⮚Power, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning. ⮚Full redundancy with automatic monitoring and switching for power, heating, transmission systems and cabling. b. Support quality: what is it? Broadcasting quality depends on the equipment you possess and the proficiency of the staff operating the equipment. However, things often go wrong and need service or help to get back on track quickly. This is where service quality comes in as a major element to a channel’s success. Having technical assistance as well as a dedicated monitoring team on standby is the difference between a disaster and a close call.
Why is it important? Sooner or later, hardware fails, bugs emerge and streaming quality dips unexpectedly. Without a team of experts to help you get your channel back online, you lose viewers and advertisers every minute. A provider that offers support focused on providing you with the quality of service you deserve prevents downtime, optimises your channel, and enables you to bring in more viewers and reliable advertising revenue. If the undermentioned elements are not present, then it is time for alternatives. ⮚Priority access to technical assistance in case of troubleshooting. ⮚Full visibility over delivery monitoring and operations. ⮚Fully redundant ground network architecture. ⮚Remote expert support. ⮚Short response times (under 15 minutes). c. Resilience Solutions: What Is It? For many services, interference from external factors can cause problems for their end-users. Broadcasting streams can grind to a halt due to circumstances such as unfavourable weather or accidental damage. Resilience solutions help mitigate the impact of those interferences, ensuring a smoother experience for your end-users.
Why is it important? Interruptions and interference on a broadcast cause frustration to end-users. This creates a negative experience of your channel, associating it with unreliability and low-quality service. Over time, you will lose viewers who can never seem to get a consistent experience from your broadcast. Resilience solutions help you to avoid that and keep external situations from hurting your channel. If your following is missing, it may be time to consider alternatives. ⮚Interference detection through continuous monitoring of transmissions. ⮚Specific transmission antenna used to increase broadcast power. ⮚Uplink power control procedures to reduce the relative importance of external factors on transmissions.
b.Recovery Functions, what is it? In the case of critical disasters, faulty equipment or serious damage, recovery functions provide a backup to channels and a guarantee of 24 broadcast operations with a disaster recovery plan and business continuity plan.
Why is it important? The ability to activate a back-up satellite transmission in less than 1 hour until the main uplink is repaired in case of a disaster is essential to offering a service to end-users. End-users today as well as advertisers expect a constant stream of broadcasting, ready to be accessed at any time. Recovery functions ensure that this is the case, even in the direst of circumstances. If following is missing plan for alternatives. ⮚Quick fail-over solution (less than 1 hour) ⮚Guaranteed access to backup transmissions ⮚24/7 monitoring and support ⮚Highly reliable service operated on a WTA Tier 4 teleport
A One-Stop Solution: You must have a good BCP (business continuity plan). Hosting, service quality, resilience, and recovery all contribute to presenting your channel as one of quality and consistency. However, finding the right provider for each of these services can be complicated and cause unnecessary confusion. That’s why you must have a person who can plan and execute a business continuity plan deliver your video content safely and effectively. There is a need for PBA or PEMRA to come up with one window solution to look after these potential issues, and SPV can be formed by broadcasters to serve the purpose and pool resources. Especially at this time, high operating costs and low economic activity are making the survival of news media difficult. Similarly, this SPV can buy the satellite bandwidth for all at much cheaper rates, ensuring quality of service and helping in the journey towards OTT and the launch of DTH without any external support. The news and media industry should not wait for miracles; all will be well. There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed collectively. Work as a team; don’t look towards the government or PMRA for all favours; get united; make plan; only then can news and media in Pakistan survive.
Start of DTH can open around 20,000 jobs in private sector in very short time in addition to out flow of millions of USD to India. (Due to use of Indian DTH). Pakistan is left behind in media innovation and job creation in media, despite almost all good colleges and universities are offering mass communication and other media related degrees. Across world, DTH is the chain between broadcasters and TV audiences, whereas in Pakistan a cable operator is wedged in the middle. With DTH, signals are transmitted from direct-broadcast satellites. And while we harp on about 5G and being a wireless nation, our broadcasters are still reliant on cable and the lobby that ensures that status quo.The benefits of DTH are manifold: greater service coverage, more channels, better signal quality, multiple language options, the option to only pay for the channels and services that the user wants, and value-added options such as parental lock and both pre-booked and impulse pay per view. In 2015, The Express Tribune reported that there around 2.5 million DTH users in Pakistan, concentrated across Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad. DTH services of Indian companies such as Dish TV, Reliance Sundirect, SDN, Tata Sky, and Videocon were reported as being sold through local agents working under the radar, earning millions of USD per year through illegal channels according to a PEMRA spokesperson.
Understandably, this is not a point of concern for authorities in Pakistan. Whereas, it is estimated that DTH service will generate 1,800 direct and another 16,000 jobs in Pakistan and saving out flow of FE (USD200 million-300 million USD) from Pakistan (creating jobs and stoppage of FE is also not on priority list of concern quarters). The biggest investment in media industry if DTH is launched.
Regulators say, that DTH services will democratize access to real-time audience analytics, which can help channels negotiate better with advertisers and impact their channel ratings. It hurts to channels that have allegedly relied on their backdoor relationships with rating agencies, hurting the business model of rating agencies and cable operators. The democratization of viewership data from DTH services gets in the way of the media oligopoly. Mr. Absar Alam ex-Chairman PEMERA said” DTH is an inevitable platform for progress in media services and SC (supreme court) had instructed PEMRA not to halt auctioning of DTH licenses. The ones who are opposing and running campaigns against DTH, the ones who have approached the courts had never opposed Indian DTH” delay in DTH adoption benefit the existing leaders/manipulators. Loss to state resulted as, Paksat-1R satellite launched in 2011 had special transponders for DTH, satellite is ending its design life in 2026 without serving DTH. In March 2018, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) and China Great Wall Industry Cooperation (CGWIC) signed a contract for the acquisition of communication satellite Paksat Multi-Mission Satellite (PakSat-MMI). Among the range of arguments in favor of this acquisition, it was said that the Paksat-MMI would prove to be another major asset to initiate and expand various communication services including DTH. Satellite completed his life awaiting DTH services launch. Now new Satellite is coming this year (Jun 2024) with BSS (special capacity for DTH) with no DTH in sight, who will use this and to be blamed.? Some people say that DTH is being stopped by institutions and industry people with vested interests. Which, sometime start sounding correct. I would suggest some one should take the responsibility and find out the truth behind label of VESTED INTREST or incompetency of Regulator vis viz blame game.
Television has been evolving since its invention, from live-only programmes to VOD. With change in technology, there are opportunities as well. The satellites used for satellite television are typically geostationary satellites. These satellites orbit the Earth at the same speed as the Earth’s rotation, which allows them to stay in a fixed position relative to the Earth’s surface. There are different substitutes to Satellite TV, which are: 1. Broadcast television was the original method of television broadcasting, and it is still used today, although its popularity has been surpassed by cable, satellite, and internet television in many areas. One of the main advantages of broadcast television is that it can be received for free with a suitable antenna, whereas cable and satellite television require paid subscriptions
2. Traditional Cable Television: This is a system of delivering television programming to consumers via coaxial cables or fibre-optic cables. Offers a wide variety of programming, including local network affiliates, national networks, specialised cable networks, and premium channels that offer movies and original programming.
3. IPTV: delivers television content over the Internet. The flexibility, convenience and advantages of IPTV are significant over traditional television broadcasting methods. The ability to access content at any time and on various devices, such as TVs, tablets, or smartphones, is a significant draw for many consumers. IPTV is mostly used for: 1.Video on Demand (VOD) 2. Live Television and Live Media 3.Time-Shifted Media, users can watch television shows at a time that is convenient to him 4. TV on Demand (TVoD): similar to VoD but for television shows, etc. 5. Streaming services, also known as OTT services, deliver video and/or audio content directly to users over the internet. This is a departure from traditional methods of content delivery such as terrestrial broadcast, cable, or satellite TV. Streaming services have become a popular way for consumers to access a wide range of content, including movies, TV shows, live events, and music. Streaming services continue to grow in popularity as more and more consumers “cut the cord” and move away from traditional cable, IPTV, and satellite TV. Streaming versus IPTV: Both deliver video and audio content over the Internet, but they do so in different ways and offer different features. Here are some key differences:
3. Delivery Network: IPTV services are provided by telecom operators over a managed network, which can provide a guaranteed level of quality and service. These services are typically delivered through a dedicated, managed network separate from the public Internet. On the other hand, streaming services like Netflix or Hulu are delivered over the public Internet.
4. Access and Equipment: IPTV requires a subscription to a specific internet service provider (ISP) or telecom, and one needs special equipment (like an IPTV set-top box). In contrast, streaming services can be accessed on any device with an internet connection and the necessary app or web browser, regardless of the ISP.
5. Content Delivery: IPTV services include features similar to traditional TV, such as live television and time-shifted television (watching previously aired shows), and they may offer packages of channels. OTT streaming services typically focus on on-demand content, allowing users to choose what they watch and when. Some OTT platforms do offer live streaming as well, but their mainstay is usually on-demand content.
6. Business Model: IPTV is typically a subscription-based service where users pay a monthly fee to access a bundle of channels or services. Streaming services, on the other hand, can operate under a wider range of business models, including subscription (SVOD, like Netflix), transactional (TVOD, like iTunes), or ad-supported (AVOD, like YouTube).
7. Regulation: IPTV services often have to follow the same regulations as traditional cable or satellite TV providers, which may include rules about the content they can offer and how it’s packaged. Streaming services have traditionally been less regulated.Both IPTV and OTT services like Netflix use the internet to deliver video content; they do so in slightly different ways and offer different features and services.
The lines between IPTV and OTT services are becoming increasingly blurred as technology and market demands evolve. Many services now offer a mix of live, on-demand, and recorded content, accessible on a wide range of devices. Most satellite TV providers still use geostationary satellites; however, the cheaper data rates offered by MEO and LEO are no match for geostationary satellites. The industry is moving towards 4K and Ultra HD, and customers are moving towards streaming, for which one requires a stable and reasonably fast internet connection with no or minimum latency to work well. Above all, the charges/price must fit the business case of the customer /user. LEO satellites aim to provide broadband speeds and rates comparable to those of terrestrial ISPs, which would be more than sufficient for IPTV and streaming services. LEO satellite currently does not have data caps, which will attract customers as streaming video, especially at high quality, can consume a large amount of data.Till the time Pakistani new satellite services are not offered, let’s keep our fingers crossed.
Since the dawn of the digital age, society has given people access to media and information, both for knowledge and power. Technological advancement in the 21st century has propelled and defined the development of social media ecosystems. Social media has immensely impacted society; after all, its premise is to connect people, create communities, and share knowledge. By shifting human interaction to a digital environment, everything ranging from information to news and opinions has revolutionised the world, offering viewers access to diverse and on-demand content. Social media platforms have expanded over the last decade. This varies across the globe since social media is used and viewed differently around the world. However, it has also brought various controversies, such as censorship and the portrayal of sensitive topics.
1. Laws on information have existed throughout human history, with different cultures taking different approaches towards restrictions on speech and news. Societies usually apply regulations to protect citizens from unwanted content that might be considered offensive or harmful to society. It can take many forms, from simple regulations and restrictions on media coverage to outright bans on certain types of material. It is crucial to strike a balance between artistic freedom and the need to safeguard viewers. In modern times, censorship takes different forms due to technological advancement. Sophisticated systems such as surveillance, data mining to monitor and limit what people say online, blocking websites and social media platforms, restricting access to specific topics or materials in the media and libraries, and cutting or changing the content to ensure that it meets certain standards. However, this type of restriction has been widely criticised for its potential impact on free speech rights around the world.
2. Should there be restrictions or sponsorships on OTT and social media? As we navigate through the vast sea of information available to us in today’s digital age, it can be easy to question the need for regulations. Restriction, censorship, and regulation are important concepts in modern society because they help ensure that the public is exposed to appropriate content for their age group and intellectual maturity. It can also serve as a protective barrier against potentially harmful or inappropriate material that could harm individuals or society as a whole. On a deeper level, restrictions can also help prevent hate speech and misinformation that could lead to dangerous consequences if allowed to spread unchecked. All in all, restriction plays an essential role in keeping society safe and fostering an atmosphere of respect and understanding between different people and cultures. We need to know why rules are important and the role they play in protecting our society. Regulation plays a crucial role in maintaining a safe and stable society. Some of the benefits that can be obtained through controls are as follows: a. protects children from inappropriate content. b. promotes social synchronisation. c. Prevent threats, crimes, frauds, etc. d. protecting against false advertising. e.Prevents the Dissemination of Harmful Medical advice. f. Ensure that all health and medical-related information meets their accuracy standards. g. Help to Preserve cultural and social values and traditions. h. prevents the spread of False Information. i.Protects Against Hate Speech and Discrimination j. Protects Against Cyberbullying and Cyberstalking
3.are shaped. In western society, social media has become a part of almost every aspect of a person’s life. In a nutshell, they use it for just about everything: to connect with family, to read the news, to find directions and the list goes on. However, social media is probably the most popular and powerful medium, especially in the West. Social media platforms have uniquely contributed to social, cultural, and political norms; in some countries, it are used to push political agendas. There’s no question that United States politics have been woven into social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Eastern countries appear more deliberate in their usage, especially Russia and China, which use social media to exert power over the population’s perception. The governments of China and Russia have implemented increasingly severe measures.
4. Social Media Future: social media has exploded in the past decade, and many believe that the initial intent of social media has drifted away. The relationship between social media and censorship is evolving as social media continues to be adopted in multiple avenues, Now there’s an app for everything. People are getting sick of social media and platforms. In a sense, this becomes information overload; too many apps and social media tools could have the opposite effect on users. People are supposed to share and connect, but it’s becoming more difficult with high volumes of disinformation, political agendas, and censorship becoming more prevalent. No one knows for certain what the future of social media will be, but based on the current ecosystem, it seems like a lofty goal would be to get back to the original premise of social media, i.e., connecting.
5.Some Views and Arguments on Control of social media and other Platforms: The social media and OTT platforms have to be subject to some form of regulation. There are different opinions on whether this regulation should be light-handed or heavy-handed, but some regulations will eventually be implemented. The authorities and social media activist have different views on regulation.
a. The content provided by online streaming services is not broadcast to the world; rather, it is pulled from the internet and is meant to be viewed privately. People have the option to watch what they like. Similar to cinema and TV, censorship laws should be applied to social media. In movies and television, the audience is not in control of the content that is being offered to them. Though for cinema they have the option to choose between different movies released at the same time, for television they have the option of skipping through channels; they don’t, however, have the option to choose what is finally shown on the screen. c. With online content, the audience is in greater control of what they choose to finally see from among the many options available. The former involves the content being “pushed” to consumers, while consumers “pull” their desired content into the latter. The audience has a better say in the latter; a regulatory approach followed for push-based consumption may not necessarily do justice to the mechanics of how online content is offered. d. Online entertainment is not to be subjected to the same conditions and rules as television broadcasts.
6. Possible Solutions: Tough decision, On the one hand, these platforms contain a great deal of content that benefits society. But on the other hand, there is also a significant amount of harmful or illegal content. One method could be to follow the food industry model: content should have full disclosures about its contents and allow the consumer to decide if they want to purchase or watch it. b. A regulatory body that standardises, makes rules, etc., and uses technology to audit for compliance. c. artificial intelligence and machine learning tools for automatically classifying the content and generating full disclosures about the content about to be consumed. d. Carefully study the exact need for the laws; the objective is to protect its audience, bridge any regulatory gaps, and create a regulatory regime for online players the same way it has for offline players. 7. Conclusion: The next decade in streaming will be very challenging. Winners will not only be decided by who has the best content but also by who has the most advanced technology to make the service more intelligent and super easy to use. It is clear that there are pros and cons to regulating social media and OTT platforms. What is not so clear is how best to move forward. Some argue that the government should stay out of it, while others believe stricter regulations are needed. As with most things in life, the answer likely lies somewhere in the middle. It is important for policymakers and citizens alike to be aware of these issues and have an open dialogue about them. Only then can we make informed decisions about the future of our digital world. It is essential to ensure that the content offered meets the necessary legal and ethical standards.
Polarization, The reason mostly big operators like PTCL, Jazz etc. has Circular polarization. Total around 2100 MHz satellite bandwidth is used by telecom and media operators. Which is approximately further divided as 51% linear,21% circular (Max C band) ,19% MEO HTS and 9% is Geo HTS. User wise segmentation of satellite bandwidth users is approximately 67% telecom,27% broadcaster and 6% Govt user. Later in year 2011, Pakistani Satellite Paksat-1R was commissioned which had only linear polarization. Paksat 1R (total capacity-1224 is all linear as per website), till now Paksat Intl has not secured 100%, which is 51% total satellite bandwidth user demand). Having no circular or Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) high-capacity satellite. This mean 49% of market share is state away with foreign satellites operators.
Paksat 1R design life is till 2Pakistan started using Satellite services in 80s (PTCL) with Intelsat C band (circular 026, with Paksat MM1 coming on 30 May 2024.Capacity to be sold by will be 5752/5920 MHz against the market utilization of 2100 MHz. Three time more than the market consumption at present. (1224 MHz Paksat 1R, 2608MHz/2776 MHz, KU and 3144 MHz/10 Gbps of Ka band Paksat MM1). All these aspects must have been accounted for and well planned.
Customer in market are believing that gateway of Ka band are ready, packages of Ka band are yet to introduced and customers waiting. Due diligence must have been done to keep the preferred polarization in C /Ku bands. Customer believe they will get seamless migration and better rates.
Do you remember the summer season two years ago? Year 2022 it was called the hottest summer ever that year it was so hot in Pakistan that it broke the 122 year old record. But then came the summer of 2023, in 2023 the summer season was so scorching hot that scientist said that it was the hottest summer in the last 2000 years but then we come to the year 2024, January 2024, hottest January ever recorded February 2024, hottest February ever recorded March 2024, hottest March ever recorded April 2024, hottest month ever recorded The last 11 months on earth have been record breaking in term of heat. The scorching heat that you have to bear today is not normal and we are not alone. Last month in Pakistan, and in the entire south Asia record breaking heat waves have been seen Singapore Malaysia, Indonesia everywhere there was such unbearable temperatures in the Philippines. The heat index had crossed 53°C. In Uttarakhand there were forest fires. In the first week of May forest fires were seen in Odisha, Madhya, and Jharkhand etc. Heat wave warnings are being issued all over the country even in places, like Kerala, and now temperature have been soaring above 46° C in North Pakistan. Global warming and climate change are the main reasons behind all this. Are they the only reasons? What is the solution at the local level? What can we do to avoid this heat?
First we need to understand that such extreme weather’s event are not only seen in Pakistan or Southeast Asia, but also in every corner of the world. What happen in South America this month at least 83 people were died after days of heavy rain in southern Brazil and more than 100 are missing there were devastating floods in Brazil entire cities were submerged. There is one weather event behind all these destruction which is considered the biggest cause of. El Nino El Nino is a natural cycle of the earth’s climate that is seen every 5 to 7 years, but due to climate change, it is becoming more extreme year after year. The full name of this cycle is El Nino Southern oscillation. Inshort, it is called ENSO. According to the world health organization, this is the second biggest cause that changes, the climate of the earth, and on the first place is the relationship between the Earth and the sun. Earth revolve around the sun, which causes the seasons to change winter following summer and summer following winter, but after that affect, El Niño has the second biggest impact. What is El Niño? It is something that can be seen in the Pacific Ocean Wind blow over the Pacific Ocean flowing from east to west Winds are called trade winds in most of the time they move from the Americas to the direction of Asia and Australia because it’s based on earth rotation. Since earth rotates from west to east due to this Coriolis effect, that trade winds flow in the opposite direction due to this normally, the water on the surface of specific ocean starts snowing towards the west it means it starts flowing towards Australia, and when the water on the surface starts flowing in that direction in the east, the water below the surface level of the sea start rising on the surface that is near south America. The water from the depths of the seas rises towards the surface. This is called upwelling. The water that rises from the depths of the ocean is much colder, comparatively and has more nutrients so in this normal situation, the hot water goes to Australia and the cold water came to South America. Then water is hot it evaporates more easily, and because of that evaporation clouds are formed and more rain is seen near Australia. But now that trade winds have weakened. These winds are not flowing as strongly over the specific ocean. What will happen? The upwelling will be weak, it will be almost non-existent the hot water on the surface will consistently remain hot. The clouds that were supposed to bring rain to Australia can rain anywhere over the specific ocean, so the Australia region will become very dry. This is the phenomena of El Niño which is like a regular cycle but this is not a regular cycle. Sometimes it happens every four years sometimes after five years sometimes after seven years, but when El Niño happens it last for 6 to 12 months, but during the El Niño, the weather patterns of the world change in Australia and Southeast Asia, it causes higher temperatures and drier weather conditions. The risk of heat waves increases. And the wildfires that took place in Australia you might remember the violent Australian wildlife of 2020 even that was caused by this El Niño. The last El Nino event was in 2018_19. which lasted till January 2020 this is why the bush fires in Australia happen in December 2019 since then today from January 2023 till now and other El Niño is in effect the interesting thing here is that in South America, El Niño has the opposite effect as it has in Asia and Australia that is it rains more there the risk of floods increases. This is why today we see many devastating floods in Brazil now, apart from this, there is an opposite phenomena of El Niño, which is La Niña. Both these words are from Spanish. The normal conditions of the specific ocean as I told you normally if they go to extremes then the La Niña affect is seen. After the El Niño of 2018_19 then La Niña came in 2020_21 it became so extreme that it caused flooding in Australia it raised so heavily in Australia. The strongest El Niño event till date was seen in 2015_16 after that was the 1997_98 event followed by the current 2023_24 event, El Niño is a big reason why the summers of 2023 and 2024 were very hot Because of which, Droughts were seen in the southern African countries. Even the heavy rains and floods in Dubai were caused by it.
To some extent scientist, believe that climate change caused by humans is making the El Niño affect more extreme that is flood caused by El Niño are becoming more dangerous. Heat waves are becoming more and more violent. This is why in Kerala a heat wave warning has been issued only twice. The first time was in 2016 and the second time was in 2024 what time during an El Niño event Now there is another effect that increases the impact of the heat wave at the local level, an effect that is much easier to solve and it is the urban heat island effect. Glass in buildings Grates in buildings all these things are absorbed sunlight and in a city, when lots of concrete is held together without proper ventilation, there is no air. What happens is that throughout the day, the entire heat in absorbed the sir does not circulate much and at night te absorbed heat is released out into the air. What can we do to avoid this heat? .Have proper walkable places .Cities should be designed where the temperature outside is comfortable there is enough greenery that people can walk to where they need to go. .Cars should be used as little as possible because cars also release heat .Promoting public transport .Avoided to use air conditioners and used their natural alternatives like radiant cooling.
Afza Arshad Student of International Islamic University Islamabad
As part of the commemoration of Youm-e-Takbeer, the Arms Control and Disarmament Centre (ACDC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) hosted a seminar titled “Missile Developments in South Asia: Global and Regional Implications.” General (R) Zubair Mahmood Hayat NI(M) HI(M), former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, was the chief guest. Distinguished speakers included: Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, Dean and Professor SPIR, QAU; Air Commodore (R) Khalid Banuri, Adviser Jinnah Centre for Character and Leadership (JCCL), AHQ Islamabad; Ms. Ghazala Yasmin Jalil, Research Fellow ACDC-ISSI; and Dr. Naeem Salik, President Strategic Vision Institute (SVI).
In his keynote address, General Zubair Mahmood Hayat provided a profound analysis of India’s ideological and strategic shifts. He began by commemorating Youm-e-Takbeer and emphasised that it was a day to reassert national pride and ownership. He stated that missile development in South Asia must be seen as a “tool” in the hands of the current political dispensation in New Delhi, which was effecting the ideological shift from ‘India to Bharat’. He argued that the RSS ideology driving this transformation has far-reaching ramifications at both regional and global levels. He asserted that an expansionist and revisionist agenda, now deeply influencing Bharat’s strategic intent, significantly diverges from India’s historical strategic culture. General Hayat highlighted the politicisation of India’s military strategy, drawing from historical figures like Chanakya, whose principles emphasised power and deception at all costs. He pointed out that India’s aggressive missile developments, including deploying advanced systems like the BrahMos missile and developing MIRVs, reflect this new strategic posture. He emphasised that these developments pose significant regional and global security threats, necessitating Pakistan’s vigilant and comprehensive response.He also pointed out that India had the fastest-growing nuclear programme in the world, which remained opaque. Further, India’s nuclear and missile programmes were the result of vertical and horizontal proliferation. He stressed the need to have a deeper understanding of the ideological shift in India and the imperative for Pakistan to have appropriate countermeasures.
In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, DG ISSI, emphasised the pivotal moment in South Asia’s nuclear history on May 28, 1998, marked by Pakistan’s response to Indian nuclear tests and the restoration of strategic balance in the region. He emphasised Pakistan’s commitment to maintaining robust deterrent capabilities and its role as a responsible nuclear state. He commented on the occasion of Youm-e-Takbeer and said it was rightly termed Pakistan’s “finest hour” when the country demonstrated its technological prowess and unwavering national resolve. He extended sincere gratitude to all the leaders, scientists, engineers, strategists, and diplomats who had contributed to making Pakistan’s defence impregnable. He elaborated on Pakistan’s post-1998 policy, emphasising the country’s robust operationalized deterrent capability, the development of an impeccable nuclear safety and security regime, and Pakistan’s reinforced credentials as a responsible nuclear state on the international stage. He emphasised the importance of adopting a proactive, multidimensional approach encompassing diplomatic, technological, and military initiatives to mitigate risks and threats emanating from India’s advancements in missile technology.
Earlier, in his introductory remarks, Malik Qasim Mustafa, Director ACDC ISSI, welcomed the participants and highlighted the significance of Youm-e-Takbeer in reinforcing Pakistan’s national security and strategic stability in South Asia. He pointed out that India’s ongoing nuclear and military modernization drive, the development of advanced missile technology, and the recent tests of MIRVs and hypersonic missile technology pose a direct challenge to regional strategic stability.
Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal discussed “Global Missile Developments and International Security,” tracing the evolution of missile technology and its proliferation. He highlighted the increasing security dilemmas and the rise in missile capabilities among major powers, including China, the U.S., Russia, and India. He explained the weakening of the Cold War-era arms control architecture and the strategic implications of integrating nuclear technology with missile systems.
Air Commodore Khalid Banuri discussed Indian missile developments, India’s ambitious missile programmes, including the Agni-5 and MIRV technologies, and their strategic implications for Pakistan and China. He underscored the technological advancements and increasing range of Indian missiles, which pose significant challenges to regional security.
Ms. Ghazala Yasmin Jalil presented an in-depth analysis of India’s missile defence and hypersonic missile developments. She explained the technological advancements in hypersonic missiles and highlighted India’s pursuit of hypersonic missile technology, including the development of the HSTDV. She also examined the strategic implications of these advancements for regional stability and argued that the development of hypersonic missiles could destabilise the existing deterrence equilibrium in South Asia.
Dr. Naeem Salik discussed Pakistan’s global and regional missile development options. He discussed the development and deployment of ballistic missile defence systems, the rapid response capabilities of hypersonic missiles, and the strategic challenges posed by India’s missile developments. He suggested policy measures for Pakistan, including adopting a launch-on-warning policy.
The seminar concluded with a comprehensive Q&A session, followed by a vote of thanks by Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman, BoG ISSI.
May 28 has a special significance in the life of every Pakistani. On this day, the scientists, engineers and technicians of PAEC achieved the unachievable and delivered what they had promised in the form of five nuclear blasts at Chaghi in Balochistan, making the nation’s defense unconquerable. Besides some known names who contributed in this herculean task through unmatched contributions for the country’s security, there were numerous unsung heroes who worked day and night towards achieving thisunbelievable mission by a developing country.
Apart from defense, PAEC is also the torchbearer in ensuring sustainable development for the country in all spheres of life by using nuclear science and technology for peaceful purposes.International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in line with its ‘Atoms for Peaceand Development’ mandate, supports countries in their efforts to reach the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out in the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.Many countries use nuclear science and technology to contribute to and meet their development objectives in areas including energy, human health, food production, water management and environmental protection.
Being member of the Board of Governors of the IAEA. Pakistan has been utilizing nuclear technology for peaceful purposes since the inception of PAEC, which has contributed immensely in achieving the SDGs.
PAEC has so far established nineteen (19) Atomic Energy Cancer Hospitals (AECHs) located in all provinces and major cities of the country while the 20thcancer hospital at Muzaffarabad, AJ&K, is under construction.These hospitals are helping the government in catering to the healthcare needs of cancer-affected patients in the country by providing diagnostic and therapeutic facilities.PAEC-managed-cancer hospitals provide diagnostic and therapeutic facilities to patients at subsidized rates by dint of support from Patient Welfare Society (PWS) of the hospitals and Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM).
In the field of international cooperation and promotion of the culture of sharing and learning from fellow scientists’ research, PAEC started conducting annual meetings of researchers and scientists in Pakistan.A brainchild of the Nobel Laureate of Pakistani origin, Dr. Abdul Salam, the idea of holding the annual meeting of topnotch researchers and scientists of the world in Pakistan was adopted by the then Chairman Muneer Ahmed Khan and his successor Dr. Ishfaq Ahmad and all successive chairmen of PAEC.
‘International Nathiagali Summer College (INSC) on Physics and Contemporary Needs’ has been organized every year since 1976, mostly at the scenic hill resort of Nathiagali. So far, 7 Nobel laureates and 41000 scientists, out of which 1000 were foreigners, from 72 countries have participated in the annual springs of scientists in Pakistan to exchange valuable knowledge with their local colleagues and science students.
Owing to the untiring efforts of PAEC scientists, engineers, technicians and researchers, Pakistan is proudly an Associate Member of European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and scientists from the country are actively participating in various research activities at CERN and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Pakistan became Associate Member State of CERN on July 31, 2015, the only Asian country to attain this position at that time. Pakistan ratified the status agreement with CERN on August 26, 2015.
In the use of nuclear energy for generating electricity, PAEC is currently operating six nuclear power plants (NPPs), including Karachi Nuclear Power Plants Unit-2 & Unit-3 commonly known as K-2 and K-3 in Karachi; and C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4 NPPs in Chashma, Mianwali. These plants are collectively producing over 3500 megawatts (MWs) of electricity.
Advantages of nuclear power generated electricity include low per unit cost of generation, all-year-round availability, and no emissions of greenhouse gases, besides being critically important from energy-security point of view.
As a responsible nuclear state, a founding member of the IAEA and an emerging player in the field of nuclear power generation, Pakistan takes pride in ensuring impeccable security arrangements at all of its nuclear power plants. Stringent entry protocols in the form of controlled access of personnel and retina identification for entry at the power plants are some of the measures that help ensure authorized access only.
As per international best practices in the field of nuclear power, Emergency Preparedness Measures are well in place for timely intervention at these power plants. The safety and security are the two highlights of nuclear power plants operating in the country.
PAEC has taken the lead in utilizing nuclear technology to improve productivity of agriculture sector through the introduction of new crop varieties, pest control technologies, plant nutrition, water management, animal health and productivity and food decontamination and preservation.
Four PAEC agriculture research centers have been established in the three provinces of Pakistan having a major share of the cultivatable land in the country. Nuclear Institute of Agriculture (NIA) in Tando Jam, established in 1962 was the first such institute followed by Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), in Faisalabad; Nuclear Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA), in Peshawar and National Institute for Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), in Faisalabad.
So far, these PAEC-run agriculture centers have developed and evolved more than one hundred and fifty (150) crop varieties for Pakistan. For utilization of marginal lands, PAEC has developed technology for the utilization of salt-affected lands and this technology is being provided not only to the local farmers but also at international level.
These centers also have a fair share in human resource development through training courses, workshops and internships. These courses equally benefit researchers, students and academia from various research organizations and universities. NIAB and NIBGE in Faisalabad are also affiliated with Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS) – the leading university of the country, for award of MPhil and PhD degrees in Biology and Biotechnology.
Taking a big step towards agriculture industrialization and commercialization, PAEC recently organized a huddle of agriculture scientists, agriculturists and business leaders in the field of agriculture. The Agriculture symposium cum exhibition was organized at NIAB and NIBGE institutes in Faisalabad.
Titled “Cultivate Innovation to Harvest Business Growth”, the two-day event was sponsored by Support Industries and Technologies (SITECH), in line with Government’s Green Pakistan Initiative. Its ultimate aim was to commercialize and popularize the latest technical advancements in the field of agriculture and biotechnology.
Leading agricultural experts and researchers from seed companies, progressive farmers, corporate sectors, researchers, academia from agri and biotech fields and representatives from government, Fongrow Coy and FFC also participated.The participants appreciated the event and they hoped that organizers will provide more such opportunities of establishing linkages among agricultural researchers, farmers and allied departments as well as businesses, in future.
Although PAEC is striving to prove a catalyst in all key areas of national development, May 28 will always remain a feather in its cap asit made Pakistanis hold their heads high with pride.– The writer is a PR practitioner. He can be reached at journalistinmaking@gmail.com
The first T20I was also washed out due to rain in Leeds.
Pakistan will face England in the third T20I of their series at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Tuesday. However, there’s a high chance of rain, with a 92 percent likelihood of downpour, which could impact the match. England leads the series 1-0 after winning the second T20I on Saturday.
The first match in Leeds was washed out without a ball being bowled. The series concludes with the fourth match at The Oval on Thursday.
This series is the last for both teams before the T20 World Cup 2024, starting on June 1 in the United States and West Indies. England, the defending champions, aim to learn from past mistakes and prepare meticulously. All-rounder Moeen Ali emphasized the team’s readiness and desire for success.
Here are the squads:
England: Jos Buttler (captain), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, and Mark Wood.
Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Usman Khan.
KARACHI: “Without developing local AI capabilities, Pakistan may become increasingly dependent on foreign AI solutions,” said ByeongJo Kong, Digital Technology Specialist (Data Analytics & Big Data) at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in response to an emailed query.
AI should address a country’s specific needs and challenges, says Fatima Yasmin of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Pakistan’s lag in AI adoption compared to its peers is evident, highlighting the importance of learning from India’s AI applications. For instance, India’s use of AI in Tamil Nadu to prevent elephant deaths on railway tracks and the introduction of Kissan GPT, a chatbot assisting farmers, can serve as models for Pakistan.
Ozzeir Khan, Director at ADB, emphasizes India’s potential as a major player in AI production and consumption, suggesting that similar AI applications can benefit Pakistan. Examples include OLAM International’s use of AI in the Philippines for rice processing and Singapore’s strategic investment in graphics processing units for AI development.
Mr. Kong, elaborating on the widening AI gap, stresses the importance of AI in boosting economic growth and productivity. Pakistan faces challenges due to its lack of AI initiatives, which leads to a brain drain and hinders technological advancement. To address these challenges, Pakistan must integrate AI strategies into its national development plans, focusing on investments in technology, infrastructure, and education.
However, Mr. Kong warns against adopting ‘copy-paste’ AI solutions that may not address Pakistan’s unique needs. Imported solutions could lead to inefficiencies, biases, and security risks. To mitigate these risks, Pakistan should develop its own AI solutions or fine-tune imported ones. Investing in local research, establishing partnerships, and creating a national AI strategy will ensure that AI serves local needs while empowering domestic capacity.
In summary, Pakistan stands at a critical juncture in the era of technological advances. Without a national framework and strategy for AI, Pakistan risks missing out on opportunities and jeopardizing safety, warns Mr. Khan.
Anzela Abbasi is one of the top 21 candidates for the Miss Universe Pakistan 2024 beauty competition, announced today in Lahore.
Pakistani celebs are well-known for their daring wardrobe choices. They frequently test the boundaries. Anzela Abbasi, a rising talent, recently had a bold and fashionable makeover that completely changed how people saw her.
Her daring and stylish sense of style is evident on her social media pages, earning her both praise and criticism.
The actress Anzela Abbasi, who is the daughter of Juvaria and Shamoon Abbasi, had her television debut in 2016 with the series “Gila.” Since then, she has acted in plays including “Main Haar Nahi Manoun Gi” and “Baby.”
The actress, who is well-known for her part in “Haqeeqat,” recently offended some of her admirers by sharing images of herself smoking cigarettes on social media.
Tech giant Apple is facing challenges in China and other countries amid close competition with rival brands. In response, the company has slashed the price of its flagship iPhone 15.
Apple is offering discounts of up to 20% on iPhone 15 models to boost sales. Buyers can avail of these discounts on Alibaba’s Tmall, with the 256GB iPhone 15 Pro Max now priced at $1,100. The 128GB iPhone 15 model is over 20% cheaper at 4,599 yuan, down from 5,999 yuan. This sale is scheduled from May 20 to 28. Despite these discounts, Apple’s mainland online Apple Store has maintained its prices. The discounts reflect Apple’s efforts to stimulate demand for its flagship product following a decline in iPhone sales in China and other regions in the first quarter.
Due to competition from Chinese companies like Vivo, Honour, and Huawei, Apple’s market share in China fell to 15.7% in the same quarter from 20.2% a year earlier.
Xavi Hernández warns new coach about Barcelona and difficulties with club.
Days after Xavi Hernandez was fired as Barcelona’s manager, he issued a warning to his successor following Barcelona’s 2-1 win over Sevilla.
Xavi, dismissed last week despite having a contract until June 30, 2025, expressed disappointment in an interview with DAZN. “I don’t think our work has been sufficiently valued given the adverse situation we inherited,” Xavi said. “Barça were ninth in the table when we arrived in late 2021, and we finished second. In our first full season, we won LaLiga and the Spanish Supercopa. This year hasn’t met the required level, but it’s been down to details in key games.”
Reports suggest Xavi is set to be replaced by Hansi Flick, with an official announcement expected soon.
Xavi highlighted the challenges awaiting his successor. “Barcelona is a difficult club, especially with the adverse financial situation and LaLiga’s financial fair play rules,” he said. “They will need patience and resilience. The only thing that can save them is winning, regardless of their previous affiliation with the club.”
Shadab must be under a lot of strain, yet powerful people are able to get out of sticky circumstances, according to Afridi
Following Pakistan’s defeat against England in the second T20I at Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham, former skipper Shahid Afridi reached out to leg-spinner Shadab Khan after he recorded his worst bowling figures in T20Is.
In the match on Saturday, Babar Azam’s side was bowled out for 160 while chasing a target of 184, with England securing their eighth win in the last 11 T20Is against Pakistan. Shadab conceded 55 runs in his four overs without taking a wicket, matching his worst figures from a Pakistan Super League (PSL) match against Peshawar Zalmi in 2021.
Afridi, speaking to a local news channel, revealed he had a chat with Shadab after the match to offer support and advice. “I need Shadab to deliver with the ball. Whenever he has performed, Pakistan has won. We had a detailed chat where I asked him about his guidance and identified his mistakes,” Afridi said.
Afridi emphasized the importance of confidence and proper guidance. “I called him because I know he is going through a difficult time. I always try to help and motivate players who are struggling. We discussed his approach and I hope he implements our discussion in training sessions,” he added.
When asked if Shadab had a mental block, Afridi questioned the absence of a leg-spin coach in the team. “Is there any leg-spin coach with the team? Saeed Ajmal was there, but he is an off-spinner. Ajmal should be asked if he guided Shadab and why he isn’t following the advice.”
Afridi acknowledged the pressure on Shadab but expressed confidence in his ability to overcome it. “Big players know how to pull themselves out of such situations. I shared a couple of issues I noticed with his bowling, and I’m hopeful he will work on those things,” Afridi concluded.
