24/7 News – What is Happening Around US

A meeting of the Privatization Commission (PC) Board was held in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Federal Minister Mohammed Mian Soomro. Matters related to National Power Parks Management Company Limited (NPPMCL), the Jinnah Convention Center (JCC), and the corporatization of the State Life Insurance Corporation (SLIC) were discussed in it. ALSO READ Secretary Finance Division Briefs Cabinet Committee on Performance of Govt Enterprises The privatization of the NPPMCL is at an advanced stage but 70 percent of the cost of the project will be based on long-term financing in order to align the capital structure with the tariff. The matters…

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WhatsApp has finally announced one of its most requested features, the ability to transfer chats between iOS and Android. The feature was announced during Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event yesterday and the Z Fold 3 and Flip 3 will be among the first devices to come with it. After the two foldables, the feature will eventually roll out to Samsung devices with Android 10 and gradually all Android and iOS phones “in the coming weeks”. There is no clear timeframe for this rollout, but it appears that Samsung has acquired the exclusivity to convince iPhone users to switch to Samsung. There…

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The Provincial Minister for Health, Dr. Yasmin Rashid, announced the plans of the Punjab government to set up a new dental college at Faisalabad Medical University. While speaking to the media after the syndicate meeting of the varsity, Dr. Yasmin said that a working plan had been finalized in this regard. She said that the provincial government has set aside a record health budget of Rs. 370 billion this year, besides a separate allocation of Rs. 22 billion from the center. ALSO READ Pakistan’s Digital Development Needs an Overhaul to Align With Global Development: Report Speaking about the current outbreak…

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Pakistan’s hard-hitting middle-order batsman, Asif Ali, has been picked up by St Kitts & Nevis Patriots for the upcoming season of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). Asif was picked up as a replacement for the injured South African batsman, Rassie van der Dussen. ALSO READ Muzaffarabad’s Zeeshan Ashraf Scores First Century of Kashmir Premier League The Patriots announced the news on various social media platforms. “Let’s welcome our power-packed sixes hitter Asif Ali all the way from Pakistan… looking forward to a lot of hits going outside Warner park,” Patriots tweeted. Let’s welcome our power packed sixes hitter @AasifAli2018 all…

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Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Shaukat Tarin, presided over the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC). Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives presented a summary regarding Attabad Lake Hydropower Project to be executed by WAPDA at the cost of Rs. 25.4 billion. ALSO READ Senate Panel Orders NEPRA to Solve Overbilling & Load-Shedding Problems The project envisages the construction of a 54 MW hydropower project located on the bank of Hunza River, towards the downstream end of Attabad Lake. The energy generated from the above project will be transmitted to the load centers…

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The Government of Pakistan has taken numerous initiatives over the last few years to adapt to and integrate digital advancements into the public sector. However, despite the improving scores in technological adaptability, Pakistan has been worsening in terms of global rankings for the best-in-class digital services. This was revealed by an analysis report on Pakistan’s low ranking in the 2020 UN e-Government Development Index (EGDI), titled ‘Transforming Digital Government in Pakistan’. The report highlighted that Pakistan is at a juncture that necessitates the addressal of certain fundamental challenges to its infrastructure and human resources and the development of a futuristic…

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One of Pakistan’s leading real estate agencies, Agency21 International, has partnered with Wasim Akram signing him as its official brand ambassador. “I welcome Mr. Wasim Akram onboard and look forward to working together to bring a sustainable change for the prosperity of this sector,” said Sharjeel A. Ehmer, Director Agency21. While addressing the ceremony, the sportsman turned celebrity, Wasim Akram, expressed his delight in joining Agency21 International’s journey to alter the real estate image in Pakistan by providing unprecedented services in this sector. A subsidiary of the Imarat Group of Companies, Agency 21 International was launched with a mission to…

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Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Mr. Shaukat Tarin, presided over the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on State-Owned Enterprises (CCOSOEs). The Secretary Finance Division briefed the Committee on the performance of the State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) over the years. A comparative analysis was presented from FY 2013-14 to FY 2018-19. ALSO READ SBP to Launch Mobile App to Incentivize Remittance Transactions The Committee noted that the Government’s broad-based reform process, including timely completion of SOEs Board of Directors and appointments at managerial positions, along with strict fiscal discipline has significantly improved the performance of SOEs, thus resulting in a reduction…

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Samsung’s long-awaited foldable phones are finally here after a long streak of rumors and leaks. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 has just become official at Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event, packing numerous upgrades over the last generation. ALSO READ Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Appears in Official-Looking Promo Images Not only does it have a stronger display than before, but it is also the first foldable device to feature an under-screen selfie camera and a stylus. Thanks to that, the Z Fold 3 has an immersive full-screen display on the inside without any notches or punch-hole cutouts. Design and Display The primary…

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President Arif Alvi has directed Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Asim Ahmad that the Fact-Finding Inquiry Committees, dealing with 130 Suo Moto refund cases, should expedite the process against the accused officers/officials involved in the issuance of bogus refunds. In a letter to Chairman FBR, President’s Secretariat informed that 29 representations have been filed by the Federal Board of Revenue assailing the orders of the Federal Tax Ombudsman passed in Own Motion cases in which bogus sales tax refunds were reimbursed fully/partially by the delinquent officers/officials of the FBR to the fake claimants. All the representations, being identical in…

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