Research Work & Projects

In Chicago 1932, an African American composer named Thomas A. Dorsey, who had been a nightclub jazz pianist, wrote a song inspired by his wife’s death in childbirth. The song, “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” unexpectedly became the foundation for the modern African American gospel music tradition. Its success stimulated an ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/33eOgzj

I would like to extend my heartfelt condolences to the victim families of this incident. May God bless the departed souls in peace, Ameen. The whole nation has gone into shock over the news of this unfortunate tragedy of train near Liaqatpur, Rahim yar Khan which has taken above 76 lives leaving 40 injured. It is yet to be determined if this ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2N58Yfh

It’s easy thousands of miles away to blame Turkey following its recent military attack into Syria, but Ankara has legitimate reasons for its actions. Firstly, to avoid compromising its national security and secondly creating a sustainable solution for the Syrian refugee crises are at stake. Ankara is not the only actor to be held responsible ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2N58Xbd

Reportedly Deputy Director General for Policy Planning of Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Yao Wen talking to the visiting Pakistani journalists categorically stated that China did not want the FATF forum to be politicized as some countries were pursuing their political agenda in a bid to blacklist Pakistan. He further said that China had ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/335AwXt

Ancient molecules from the sea likely burst into the air from ocean waves Discovery helps explain how organic matter thousands of years old is removed from the ocean More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299476&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

Red seaweeds, including those in sushi, thrive despite ancestor's loss of genes Study may spawn ways to genetically alter red algae More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299477&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

Catastrophic events carry forests of trees thousands of miles to burial at sea Events can wash trees from their inland homes and bury them deep in the ocean More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299478&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

Republic of Madagascar : Technical Assistance Report—Government Finance Statistics Mission Published October 31, 2019 at 09:00AM

Togo : Fifth Review under the Extended Credit Facility Arrangement-Press Release; Staff Report and Statement by the Executive Director for Togo Published October 31, 2019 at 09:00AM

Slovak Republic : Technical Assistance Report-Public Investment Management Assessment Published October 31, 2019 at 07:30PM

On November 28th 1945, a deadly earthquake occurred 100 miles South of Karachi in the Northern Arabian Sea, triggering a Tsunami which resulted in the loss of over 4000 lives. Since then, no tsunami has occurred off the coast of Karachi, but the location of the city does make it susceptible to a host of climatic disasters, because Karachi could very well be in the path of a storm in the near future. Over the past few days a series of cyclones in the Arabian Sea have been presenting a clear and present danger. A cyclone named ‘Kyaar’ damaged several coastal villages earlier in ... Read Full Post from Welcome to Pakistan – The Express Tribune Blog https://ift.tt/34mrHsf

Today, I shall begin my article by writing about author Lisa Halliday (42), who the media and literacy critics in her home country USA have said is a ‘literary phenomenon’ after her first novel was released a year ago. She has written other books and worked in publishing for many years, but “Asymmetry” is her first novel. ... from Regional News https://ift.tt/34k1Wcq

Diesel is a dirty fuel worldwide, it is being replaced by cleaner options. About two years back I visited Dublin, Ireland for a European Union (EU) funded project to replace all diesel trucks with CNG (Compressed Natural Gas). EU cargo arrives at the port in Dublin which is then transported all across the continent. Diesel is associated with dirt ... from Regional News https://ift.tt/2q2DSfh

Our educational system assumes that every student can learn each subject material with the same method or pedagogy, and a standardized universal measure can accurately assess a student’s learning ability. As currently applied, it is heavily biased towards a linguistic mode of instructions (or lecture method) with a theatre style sitting, ... from Regional News https://ift.tt/2MZewrq

“The presence of SAVAK as a very fearful force was almost everywhere, and everyone believed that ok, any dissent, any opposition, legal or otherwise would not be tolerated by SAVAK and the people would be arrested and would be tortured. That was the general perception.”–Nasser Hadian-Iranian Political Scientist SAVAK (Sāzemān-e ... from Regional News https://ift.tt/2MZevUo

Russian Federation : Fiscal Transparency Evaluation Update Published October 31, 2019 at 01:00AM

Lao People’s Democratic Republic : Technical Assistance Report-Risk-Based Banking Supervision Published October 30, 2019 at 09:00AM

In 1980 Zakat and Ushr ordinance was issued in General Zia’s era with an objective to Islamize our economic system, and since then the government has been authorized to collect and distribute zakat while at the same time people can fulfill this religious obligation on their own in private capacity as well. The collected wealth is deposited ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/34bEn5b

A sudden and surprising wave of discontent is raging through many countries during the past few months. In Hong Kong, it all started with a controversial extradition bill, in Chile with a raise in Metro fare by US four cents and in Lebanon imposition of tax on WhatsApp calls caused the fury. Iraq was the latest and bloodiest of all in this rage of ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2NlbzR2

Quaid-e-Azam, father of a nation, the icon of freedom and liberty for the Muslims of the sub-continent and the most remarkable statesman are titles that are bestowed upon Muhammad Ali Jinnah, but in all these accolades, his private life is shadowed. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, even with all his greatness and potential could not escape the pitfalls and ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2Pvp03M

The presence of death annihilates all superstitions. We are the children of death, and it is death that rescues us from the deceptions of life. In the midst of life he call us and summons us to him. –Sadiq Hedayat   Sadiq Hedayat’s masterpiece underwent censorship after the Iranian Revolution.   Sadiq Hedayat is better ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/34bUPCz

France : Financial Sector Assessment Program-Technical Note-Issues in Insurance Supervision and Regulation Published October 29, 2019 at 09:00AM

France : Financial Sector Assessment Program-Technical Note-Nonfinancial Corporations and Households Vulnerabilities Published October 29, 2019 at 09:00AM

France : Financial Sector Assessment Program-Technical Note-Balance Sheet Risks and Financial Stability Published October 29, 2019 at 09:00AM

France : Financial Sector Assessment Program-Technical Note-Risk Analysis of Banking and Insurance Sector Published October 29, 2019 at 09:00AM

France : Financial Sector Assessment Program-Technical Note-Select Topics in Financial Supervision and Oversight Published October 29, 2019 at 09:00AM

France : Financial Sector Assessment Program-Technical Note-Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism Regime in France Published October 29, 2019 at 09:00AM

France : Financial Sector Assessment Program-Technical Note-Macroprudential Policy Framework and Tools Published October 29, 2019 at 09:00AM

France : Financial Sector Assessment Program-Technical Note-Key Attributes of Effective Resolution Regimes for Insurance Companies Published October 29, 2019 at 09:00AM

Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe : Request for a 40-month Arrangement Under the Extended Credit Facility-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe Published October 29, 2019 at 09:00AM

By day cancer survivor Michael Gillespie — an unassuming man who lives in Normal, Illinois, along with eight cats and his wife — works at a little computer repair shop called Nerds on Call. By night he’s a ransomeware-busting superhero to scores of people whose computers have been taken over by bad guys trying to exploit their precious documents, data, and photos for money. As Renee Dudley reports at ProPublica , Gillespie — who has faced mounting financial difficulties — doesn’t charge for his work. His payment is the satisfaction of scoring one for the good guys . To make ends meet, Gillespie supplemented his Nerds on Call salary with a 2 a.m. paper route, delivering the local newspaper on his bike. While he had enjoyed having a paper route in junior high, the job now depressed him. But the family bills were mounting, especially for health care. Morgan Gillespie struggled with diabetes and other medical issues. Over the years, Michael Gillespie noticed blood in his urine, and in

What transpired at the Karachi Biennale 2019 (KB19) soon after its inauguration is simultaneously disquieting as well as deeply insightful. It presents an opportunity for us to reflect on the systemic and endemic intolerance for dissent that exists in our social, administrative, and political structures. We live in times where art and speech are not only censured by official channels but even society at large often turns a blind eye to the callous condemnation of free expression by the powers that be. Anything that makes them uncomfortable is considered taboo and everything that questions the status quo is considered a ... Read Full Post from Welcome to Pakistan – The Express Tribune Blog https://ift.tt/2WlXCq8

There is little doubt that India poses a real and enduring threat to Pakistan’s existence as an independent and sovereign nation. The gravity of this threat has been aggravated in the recent past by the radical transformation taking place in India because of the rise of Hindutva or Hindu bigotry in the Indian body politic. Modi-led BJP ... from Regional News https://ift.tt/32UM1AL

The ungainly sight of Maulana Fazal ur Rehman and his band of motley crew of soldiers might look like a comic sight, but in actual fact, it is no laughing matter. Maulana is no Robin Hood and his band of merry men, who have threatened to arrive on horseback, camelback or even donkeys, if need be, are a threat to be reckoned with as they have ... from Regional News https://ift.tt/2pXU01y

Despite calls from various quarters for an end to the untimely and unwarranted protests, Fazlur Rehman’s motley Opposition March is all set to take place. I personally have no doubts this would be a hotchpotch abortive attempt at causing disruption in public affairs and in providing the arch-enemy India a convenient diversion to build a ... from Regional News https://ift.tt/2BOXSo9

“The history of America from the Incas to the present must be taught in its smallest detail, even if the Greek Archons go untaught.” –Jose Marti   For Cubans, Jose Marti is a national hero.   Jose Marti was a Cuban national hero. Though he has something to teach Latino’s everywhere about what Latin America ... from Regional News https://ift.tt/2PsMPce

After a month-long thaw starting from last September, the Afghan peace process has now started to gain some momentum. United States Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad met with President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul yesterday to discuss the future of peace talks with the Taliban. On Friday, Moscow hosted Khalilzad, along with Chinese and Pakistani representatives, to find a way for the resumption of the negotiations with the Taliban. Last week, Khalilzad and European Union envoy Roland Kobia, issued a comprehensive communique acknowledging that “sustainable peace can only be achieved through a negotiated political settlement.” However, these intra-Afghan negotiations between the ... Read Full Post from The Big Picture – The Express Tribune Blog https://ift.tt/2Js75Hi

Money laundering, a white-collar crime, is a process wherein illegal proceeds are made to appear legitimate after being passed through various networks. The intricate process of money laundering usually takes place in three steps – placement, layering and integration. The said three moves are integral to disguise the real but illegal source ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2p6yB6h

“Nature is angry - and we fool ourselves if we think we can fool nature because nature always strikes back and around the world; nature is striking back with fury.” These are some interesting lines, I have extracted from the speech of the UNO Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Since decades, much has been written and discussed the ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2phYYpN

“Every historian has his or her lifetime, a private perch from which to survey the world. My own perch is constructed, among other materials, of a childhood in the Vienna of the 1920s, the years of the Hitler’s rise in Berlin, which determined my politics and my interest in history, and the England, and especially the Cambridge, of the ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2q2k5wb

The present government is undoubtedly dedicated to some agendas more than any previous government. Curbing corruption, stabilising finances, taking series and rapid environmental initiatives are a few areas the government is focusing on. Signing MoUs with multiple countries to address the matter of money laundering and operational cooperation, ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/344khdc

PM Modi has been the byproduct of hard core militancy monitored by RSS, his mindset is tuned to war and terror so we should not expect any move of peace from his side. Indian former PMs used to believe in the Cold War doctrine while PM Modi being exceptional has enhanced 5th warfare generation. In order to promote his 5th generation warfare ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/36a6Dac

As reported by the Guardian on 23rd Oct, clinical psychologists in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir(IOJ&K) are worried about increase in patients experiencing anxiety, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, and heart ailments. Several patients said they were living in fear “of army raids, tortures and arrests”. People who had ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/33XgUEW

On Friday, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was granted post-arrest bail, “purely on medical grounds”, by the honorable Lahore High Court, in the NAB inquiry relating Chaudhry Sugar Mills (CSM). Simultaneously, the honorable Islamabad High Court has also granted bail to Nawaz Sharif, against his conviction in the Al-Azizia case. While ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2JqQP9j

“Being young and not being a revolutionary, it’s almost a biological contradiction.” –Salvador Allende   People of Chile were subjected to a systematic campaign of torture and state violence   That the cold war left a large number of developing countries in ruins while the main adversaries were not affected is ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2PnEWVI

With Maulana Fazal Ur Rahman all set to march on Islamabad next week, the political mercury in the federal capital is rising with every passing day. The maulana’s Azadi march and Dharna politics making headlines in the mainstream media, occupy central space in the national discourse. The 10 major and small time opposition political parties ... from Regional News https://ift.tt/341Z5oc

Fazal-ul-Rehman  was elected to the ational Assembly in 1988 from Dera Ismail Khan. His first political venture was a fatwa against a female head of government in a Muslim country. The year was tumultuous, while there was relief in getting rid of the tyrant his two leftovers (Nawaz, Fazal) had to be dealt with. Incidentally both names have ... from Regional News https://ift.tt/2MKx7HH

During the past decade, the pace of international events in West, South and Central Asia has been hectic. Like oscillating molecular clusters in water, constantly bonding and un-bonding, discerning who is who, and with who, keeps changing at random. This strategic flux started from the Middle East where USA, Israel, and Saudi Arabia took joint ... from Regional News https://ift.tt/2MLnqZG

“Mountains are the beginning and the end of all natural scenery.” – John Ruskin   K2, at dawn below the Godwin Austen Glacier   K2 or Mount Godwin Austen is the second highest mountain in the world after Mount Everest. It is 8611 meters above the sea level. This mountain is known as the Savage Mountain due to extreme ... from Regional News https://ift.tt/362N1oF

Survey completeness of a global citizen-science database of bird occurrence Data collection by volunteers adds to information on bird biodiversity More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299442&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

Earlier in the month, the news of Narendra Modi threatening to cut off the flow of water from India into Pakistan made headlines across country. But as justified as this outcry was, it does beg the question as to why we seldom raise a voice against the manner in which water is stolen and wasted in Pakistan. The cries for more dams and reservoirs have thus far failed to result in tangible projects, while elsewhere in the country corruption watchdogs have uncovered that certain influential landlords play a big part in the theft of water. There have been many media trials in ... Read Full Post from Welcome to Pakistan – The Express Tribune Blog https://ift.tt/2PjTC8g

Thailand : Financial Sector Assessment Program-Detailed Assessment of Observance-Insurance Core Principles Published October 24, 2019 at 09:00AM

Thailand : Financial Sector Assessment Program-Detailed Assessment of Observance-Basel Core Principles For Effective Banking Supervision Published October 24, 2019 at 09:00AM

Thailand : Financial Sector Assessment Program-Technical Note-Risk Assessment Published October 24, 2019 at 09:00AM

The picture captures Faiz’s words “This sacred morning light, this dawn, bearing the wounds of night/ Surely, this is not the morning we waited for…” than any other attempt could have.   Margaret Bourke-White was born in 1904, in the Bronx, New York. Her interest in photography began as a young girl, when she would ... from Columns News https://ift.tt/2WfFFts

Rain in Sindh, especially in Karachi, came as a nightmare this year. The suffering of people due to roads and whole localities turning into pools of water has been uncountable since days, but overall, the number of avoidable deaths occurring because of electrocution and other reasons has been the most depressing. This story not only repeats every ... from Columns News https://ift.tt/31KZLgf

The distinction between the public and private realms has occupied a central place in feminist thought since centuries. Crushing the distinction between the two spheres has been crucial to the feminist struggle. Broadly stated, the public-private distinction outlines that the public realm must not intervene in the private sphere in which, as Raia ... from Columns News https://ift.tt/2PcVSy1

In the backdrop of heavy gun fire and shelling across the LOC last Sunday by the Indian troops which martyred one soldier and claimed six civilian lives and the retaliatory action by Pakistan army in which nine Indian soldier were killed and two bunkers were destroyed, the Indian top military commander has made yet another bizarre claim of having ... from Columns News https://ift.tt/2MKRWTB

Bosnia and Herzegovina : Technical Assistance Report-Implementation of a New Reserve Requirement Framework Published October 24, 2019 at 09:00AM

We see our future in the eyes of our children. Still there are people around us in the same vicinity, at times known to us, who keep an evil eye on children. Few week ago, horrible details about rape and killing of four children in a small town of Chunian of district Kasur of Punjab made headlines in the news in the media and sent waves of horror ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/3419nFb

The Union of India’s ostensible Centre of Gravity (COG), its Unity, is under direct threat by multiple forces; the two most critical ones being the brazen imposition of the divisive, fascist, supremacist and racist Hindutva ideology by the present Modi Government and the plethora of separatist/independence movements raging within. Its ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/340f8mz

Autumn must be the best season for everyone who wants to discuss books and authors. The world’s largest book fair in Frankfurt has just ended, and the Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded a couple of weeks ago, this year with two prizes since last year’s prize was postponed due to a trust and management crisis in the awarding ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/33VhQtf

“The world is like a Mask, dancing. If you want to see it well you do not stand in one place.” –Chinua Achebe   Chinua Achebe shares a moment with Nelson Mandela.   Chinua Achebe, the Nigerian novelist, poet, and critic, was born on November 16, 1930. The author emerged on world literary scene with his very first novel ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2MEQSR1

How to tell if you've found Mr. or Mrs. Right? For lemurs, it's in their B.O. Lemurs can smell whether a mate's immune genes are a good match More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299428&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

Djibouti : 2019 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Djibouti Published October 23, 2019 at 09:00AM

Plant physiology will be major contributor to future river flooding By hoarding water underground, vegetation will help saturate soil, boosting rain runoff More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299424&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

Study reveals how collapse of protein processes is driver of aging and death As cells age, proteins' ability to fold is reduced, triggering death More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299426&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

Morocco : First Review Under the Arrangement Under the Precautionary and Liquidity Line-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Morocco Published October 23, 2019 at 09:00AM

Sexual harassment or abuse is a very difficult topic to discuss, especially in a country that still heavily indulges in victim-blaming. Despite the arrival of the MeToo movement in Pakistan, we are still having a tough time believing victims and holding perpetrators accountable, even in clear cut cases like the Mukhtaran Mai case. Things became more convoluted recently after Professor Afzal Mehmood, a lecturer at Government MAO College, committed suicide after he was wrongfully accused of sexual harassment. Those who oppose the MeToo movement used this incident to further their own agenda. As a result, many victims were afraid that the brief ... Read Full Post from Welcome to Pakistan – The Express Tribune Blog https://ift.tt/2qwbnXk

Thomas Piketty’s latest book, Capital and Ideology, was launched in France and Central Europe last month and is already making a lot of waves in the conceptual thinking of managing economies and equitable growth & distribution. Though the English version officially does not come out till March 2020 (next year), I picked up my condensed ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/33LCcVY

Some years back, I happened to read an Urdu novel by a famous female novelist. She wrote, “A man is never helpless, he gets whatever he craves for in his life”. The theme of the novel explicitly gloats over the coquettish nature of a man who keeps changing his loyalties. A slew of such anecdotes pervade our TV dramas where a man is ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2ByLqsH

To continue on; the limitless efforts being done for the Kashmir cause carve out a roadmap. To find desired solutions collective responsibility must be undertaken by citizens and the state alike. This jolt must make us collectively realize that the enemy has reached our shores and is hell bent on dismantling us therefore we cannot continue taking ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2Pbe5vD

“Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music.” –Anonymous   Pashtun students performing attan at their weekly gathering in Lahore’s varsity.   Wise men say that man is a social animal. What they say is correct. People living in any community share certain habits, styles ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/32Q1Kks

From Dubrovnik to Tulum, 21st-century tourists cycle through destinations with brutal speed, descending en masse on one supposedly-undiscovered city or beach town after another. At Vox , Kyle Chayka reflects on the perils of overtourism while traveling around Iceland, where he goes on a Game of Thrones bus tour, takes a dip in the entirely human-made Blue Lagoon, and watches the northern lights… in an IMAX theater. Rather than inspire nostalgia for a time when authentic travel experiences were still possible (the 16th century, maybe?), the trip leads him to acceptance. We can never live like locals; our “wanderlust” is shaped almost entirely by algorithms and market forces; and maybe that’s just fine — or at least better than playing a never-ending game of authenticity one-upmanship. In the face of overtourism, I want to make an argument for the inauthentic. Not just the spots flooded with tourists but the simulations and the fictions, the ways that the world of tourism supersedes

It no longer shocks us in India. Prejudice and bigotry have become such a part of our existence that it no longer pricks our conscience when a lynching takes place, when a Muslim is humiliated for their way of life, when an overwhelming majority of television stations dish out jingoism all day long – it no longer baffles us. The recent suspension of a school headmaster, Furqan Ali, in the Pilibhit district in Uttar Pradesh (UP) is only the latest demonstration of these growing hostilities. A local Hindu right wing leader belonging to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), one of the ideological brothers of the ... Read Full Post from The Big Picture – The Express Tribune Blog https://ift.tt/33ReuaQ

Last month at a ceremony held in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations Climate Action Summit, a project from a remote part of Balochistan, the Kasa Ghar Community Based Organisation of the Suleiman Range, won the Equator Prize for conserving Chilghoza forests. I was thrilled to hear about the global recognition (the project was one from 22 communities across the world which were selected for this prize) as I have actually visited these Chilghoza forests in the Shirani district of Balochistan. By creating a successful value-added market model for Chilghoza or pine nuts, this community-based organisation has conserved ... Read Full Post from Welcome to Pakistan – The Express Tribune Blog https://ift.tt/32CFfj5

As the opening ceremonies of the 2018 Winter Olympics began, a cyberattack crippled the games’ digital infrastructure, jeopardizing WIFI connections, event tickets, and even the Olympics app, packed full of information on event schedules, maps, and hotel reservations. At Wired , in this excerpt from his book, Sandworm , Andy Greenberg unravels this digital whodunnit. Who was bent on creating chaos at the Olympics to publicly embarrass South Korea? Was it China? North Korea? Or was it Russia? Over the next two hours, as they attempted to rebuild the domain controllers to re-create a more long-term, secure network, the engineers would find again and again that the servers had been crippled. Some malicious presence in their systems remained, disrupting the machines faster than they could be rebuilt. A few minutes before midnight, Oh and his administrators reluctantly decided on a desperate measure: They would cut off their entire network from the internet in an attempt to isolate i

It has been seventy-two years now that Pakistan came into being. Where does the country today stands viz a viz the countries liberated during the same period and what social, economic and scientific achievements they have made are hidden to none. Whereas Pakistan is at many cross roads and its economic condition is fast deteriorating with each ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/31ww0ja

The year 2019 was a spike year for dengue according to the epidemiological patterns of the last 10 years. The first spike was seen in 2011 when we lost 350 patients to this deadly virus, with total number of patients crossing 20,000 mark. A huge exercise was undertaken for management and prevention of dengue virus. The next spike came in 2015 when ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/33OnpK1

As Maulana’s supporters sharpen their batons and do their military parades (with a guard of honor to Maulana), people have started asking who these bearded baton-wielders are, and what is their political ethos. Are they peace-loving students of Madrassas – trained primarily is matters of the faith – who are now being asked to ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2BsdFcr

“Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future, too.” –Marcus Aurelius   The Blue Mosque, constructed by Sultan Ahmet, is famous for its unorthodox design. In contrast to typical structure of a mosque that has four minarets, it has six.   For some political ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2Ja58iw

Sunlight degrades polystyrene faster than expected One of the world's most ubiquitous plastics may degrade more quickly than previously thought More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299408&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

Research reveals harmful algal blooms' daily cycles Study in Lake Erie shows that timing is everything, even for algae More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299409&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

Scientists discover new antibiotic in tropical forest Findings may lead to 'plant probiotic' and new antibiotics More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299410&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

India’s view of disputed Kashmir is based on myths. Examples include ‘Pakistan’s aggression through Army regulars and tribal forces’, ‘Maharaja Hari Singh duly signed the treaty of accession with the Indian Dominion on October 26, 1947’, and so on. As for the ‘accession instrument’ argument, curious ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2VYhsaD

As for many, the terms republic and democracy are either way synonymous with one another. In other words, one can say that a republic is a country having a liberal democratic government given the general perception that a republic is an end product of the voting or the electoral procedures. This perception is a corollary of this widely held notion ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/31yliZn

Pakistan is getting consistent blows from inimical International pro-Indian groups, the likes of FATF, for instance, if one can say. Hybrid war model has been launched against Pakistan as a joint venture of USA & India, which is being used to shatter our economy and derail our national progress. The retention of Pakistan in the grey list is a ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2N0Y4G7

“Politics is war without bloodshed, while war is politics with bloodshed.” –Mao Zedong   Mao Zedong published the “A Single Spark Can Start a Prairie Fire” in 1930. This was in a series of works that Mao wrote, in order to bring a Communist Regime in the People’s Republic of China. In this regard, what ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/35Prr6P

The mountainous communities of Pakistan who inhabit the valleys of Karakoram, Hindu Kush and Himalaya are on the margins, ignored and side-lined; dependent on external centres of power for knowledge that define and decide their identities, policies and power dynamics. The people of Pakistan largely don’t know much about these communities, their languages, cultures and history. This was glaringly evident during the media coverage coming out of the valley during the recent visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to one of the Kalasha valleys in the Kalashadesh in Chitral. Some reporters associated with certain famous media houses even thought that ... Read Full Post from Welcome to Pakistan – The Express Tribune Blog https://ift.tt/2P9GMcF

Number of institutions are established and created at the federal and provincial levels from time to time. Such institutions are given and assigned specified and specialized tasks and responsibilities. Such institutions so established and created enjoy priorities of the respective federal and provincial governments. But such priorities diminish ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2W2lmPV

The rise of Modi has made Gandhi controversial. Either Mohandas was fake or Nirander is real. Even in his life Gandhi was perceived differently by different people. Winston Churchill called him half naked ‘Fakir’. Even Jinnah suspected the hidden intentions behind Gandhi’s humanism and secularism. Ghaffar Khan was always in his ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/33IRkDq

In the twenty first century it is observable that ideological constructs such as self-interest, material gains, siding with the apparent stronger entity in a conflict and deep societal polarization often outweigh; communal/national interest, siding with those who stand for truth, justice and rights and taking a unified approach towards ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2J2raDB

“The triumph of economic liberalization has coincided with a sharp increase in income inequality.” –Chrystia Freeland    The foundations of World Bank (WB) were laid down at Bretton Wood Conference along with that of International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 1944. Though WB claims that its principal aim is to promote global ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2P1JtwE

Out of the three revolutions (Bolshevik, Chinese, Iranian), Mao’s People Republic of China(PRC) has emerged as a major economic power of the world. The revolution continues even after 70 years (Oct, 1949 to 2019). President Xi Ping attired in Mao’s revolutionary dress arrived at the Tiananmen Square to address his countrymen and review ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2P1zsQ0

Once again, Pakistan has been dwelling upon ways and means to pacify arch rivals – Saudi Arabia and Iran – to end the decades’ old rivalry in the Persian Gulf. Prime Minister Imran Khan has embarked on a visit to mediate between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The visit comes weeks after his announcement to mediate between Riyadh and ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/32zF4Fm

The campaign for the ‘Collective Hindu identity as essence of Bharat’ is now a reality. In time Indian politics will change forever and etch in constitution by 2024. The begging question is how Pakistan meets and deters this onslaught? In chagrin to Indian secular and leftist governments, a new form of nationalism built around Hindu ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/31rm624

“Ignorance leads to fear, fear leads to hatred, and hatred leads to violence. This is the equation.”   –Ibn Rushd   Since 18th century there were voices that would advocate for women rights and their participation in public sphere more vigorously. The advocates of women rights and their participation in public life were ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/33FK6jF

On our October 11, 2019 roundtable episode of the Longreads Podcast , Head of Audience Catherine Cusick , Editor-in-Chief Mike Dang , and Essays Editor Sari Botton share what they’ve been reading. This week, the editors discuss recent stories in The Atlantic, The Cut, and HuffPost . Subscribe and listen now everywhere you get your podcasts. 0:51 Why You Never See Your Friends Anymore.  ( Judith Shulevitz , November 2019, The Atlantic ) 9: 21 Ronan Farrow Depicts a Chilling Cover-up at NBC . ( Rebecca Traister , October 11, 2019, The Cut ) 11:06 One Night at Mount Sinai.  ( Lisa Miller , October 15, 2019, The Cut ) 1 6:16 The ‘Glass Floor’ Is Keeping America’s Richest Idiots At The Top.  ( Michael Hobbes , October 13, 2019, HuffPost ) * * * Produced by Longreads and Charts & Leisure .

A month ago, the Balochistan High Court directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to look into the sexual harassment reports which had emerged from Balochistan University. According to FIA findings, both female and male students “were being blackmailed by some staff members through ‘objectionable’ videos of them, recorded through CCTV cameras hidden at various places on the campus including its washrooms.” These reports are bound to have repercussions not just for the educational institution under question but also on women’s education in Pakistan as a whole. Whether or not those responsible for blackmailing, harassment and an evident breach of privacy will be ... Read Full Post from Welcome to Pakistan – The Express Tribune Blog https://ift.tt/35IGBux

“How do we prevent Iran developing an atomic bomb, when, on the American side, dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki is not recognised as a war crime?”–Gunter Grass One of the greatest ironies of histories that have its reverberation till this day was the atom bombs dropped by an American B-29 bomber over the Japanese ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2MNRPW5

Prime Minister Imran Khan currently is on a mission to defuse tensions between US-Iran and Iran-Saudi Arabia which have heightened the prospects of an armed conflict in the region, in the backdrop of a missile attack on Saudi oil installations and an Iranian Oil tanker. Though the relations between US and Iran were already strained but the ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/31qtUBf

Why do we need to know the reasons why people die? Measuring how many people die each year, and why they died is one of the most important means for devising lifestyle changes and making wellness and healthcare programs for preventing the diseases which kill us prematurely. No one dies of old age .People actually die from injury (such as a fall or ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/35HdGXL

Dharna is now talk of the town and it is an omnipresent topic in all walks of life. The date of Maulana Fazal ur Rehman’s Dharna “Azadi March” is nearing and every coming day is making the government nervous. I had earlier advised the Prime Minister Imran Khan through a TV interview one month back that he should keep his ego ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/35KmQ5Z

Lebanon : 2019 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; Informational Annex; and Statement by the Executive Director for Lebanon Published October 17, 2019 at 09:00AM

Lebanon : Selected Issues Published October 17, 2019 at 09:00AM

Acting upon a request from the United States to calm ongoing regional tensions, Imran Khan’s mission to engage in shuttle diplomacy with Saudi Arabia and Iran has presented a respectable image of neutrality, but this image alone is unlikely to facilitate peace. One would be forgiven for conflating Imran Khan’s impressive international image with productive foreign policy. A maiden visit to the United States this year, last month’s emotional United Nations General Assembly speech on Kashmir, and meetings with two of the world’s most bitter rivals – broken up only by a brief stop in Islamabad to welcome two ... Read Full Post from The Big Picture – The Express Tribune Blog https://ift.tt/32oNijt

An article in the Harvard Business Review entitled “Does Higher Education Still Prepare People for jobs?” challenged the existing systems of universities across the globe and logically sounds most pertinent. This article to answer the titled questions mentions “Today, people often take on leadership positions without much formal ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2MjMlmT

More than 100 billion people have lived and died since the dawn of humanity. We see our near and dear ones who were once part of our everyday life, leaving us forever. Most human beings cannot comprehend that one day they will also have to leave this world, deep down no one believes that one day they will also die and they will also be taken to ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2VOIAJg

The Global Dignity Day was celebrated yesterday. In Islamabad, I had the pleasure of attending an event a few days earlier, with Irfan Wahab Khan, Telenor Pakistan’s CEO and leader of the company’s Emerging Asia Cluster; Right to Play country representative, Iqbal Jatoi, whose chair is Olympic Sports Winner Johan Olav Koss, Norway; and ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2MM5vkj

“One day the great European War will come out of some damned foolish thing in the Balkans.” –Otto Von Bismarck, 1898   Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie on the 28 June 1914, moments before their assassination.   This iconic picture shows Archduke Franz Ferdinand with his wife Sophie on the day they were ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/2Mmo6UZ

Why secure actual signatures from partners on multi-million dollar contracts to install fiber-optic cable at the bottom of the Arctic Ocean when you can just forge them? At Bloomberg Businessweek , Austin Carr reports on scam-artist extraordinaire Elizabeth Pierce , the former CEO of Quintillion Subsea Holdings LLC. Pierce created fictitious contracts to fund an Anchorage telecom startup, fleecing investors for a billion dollars before getting caught. Arctic fiber has been an entrepreneurial fantasy for decades. Soaring demand for broadband helped drive companies, including Google, Facebook, and Amazon.com, to spend tons on high-speed underwater cables that keep customers watching Netflix and YouTube with minimal delay. But many of those lines run in parallel in the Atlantic and Pacific along well-established ocean routes, leaving the world’s internet vulnerable to earthquakes, sabotage, and other disasters both natural and human-made. A trans-Arctic route would help protect against

If Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman goes ahead with the plan he has announced, hordes of khaki-clad men wielding sticks will descend upon the federal capital. No matter how many times Rehman insists that these men will remain peaceful, the striped sticks they will be brandishing are by no means for playing dandiya (a folk dance performed with sticks) with the law enforcement personnel deployed to deal with them. Rehman recently flexed his muscles in Peshawar, staging a gathering of this militia called Ansarul Islam and then letting them loose on the streets of the city, giving the ... Read Full Post from Welcome to Pakistan – The Express Tribune Blog https://ift.tt/2qeNwLD

The ghost of our colonial past follows us as an inseparable shadow which we have been unable to ostracise from our constitutional topography. A long walk from the partition has permitted Pakistan’s courts in many cases to assert the dominance of our distinct values to be delineated from the British values or Indian values which define our ... from Regional News https://ift.tt/31jrmEM

Despite best intentions and efforts governance continues to be a challenge. Too much focus on electoral politics is to be blamed for this shortcoming. Even after over three decades after the death of the third dictator, we have not been able to exorcise his evil spirit from our system. After the 1985 partyless elections politics has never been the ... from Regional News https://ift.tt/2MFhwYM

The Asian Development Bank has recently given quite a grim warning about the Pakistani economy by essentially citing that the growth trajectory will remain on a declining trend at least for the foreseeable future. With the GDP growth rate currently at a paltry 2.80% and expected to be further under pressure in the coming days, the situation does ... from Regional News https://ift.tt/2ORkMTK

‘You cannot carry out fundamental change without a certain amount of madness. In this case, it comes from nonconformity, the courage to turn your back on the old formulas, the courage to invent the future. It took the madmen of yesterday for us to be able to act with extreme clarity today. I want to be one of those madmen. We must dare ... from Regional News https://ift.tt/33A08eU

Study shows limitations of method for determining protein structure Results may lead to better drug design More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299375&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

Nanoparticles may have bigger impact on the environment than previously thought Non-antibacterial nanoparticles can cause resistance in bacteria More at https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299374&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 This is a Research News item.

Prime Ministers’ recent visit to USA costs about 90 percent lesser than his predecessors while minimum expense on the previous visits by the PM and other cabinet members reveal that austerity measures are fully functional specially at the upper tier of the government and there is no need to mention that, these simplicity measures are getting ... from Opinions News https://ift.tt/33tmDly