BR100 Decreased By (-1.08%)
BR30 Decreased By (-1.23%)
KSE100 Decreased By (-0.85%)
KSE30 Decreased By (-1.61%)
AGHA 6.11 Decreased By ▼ -0.07 (-1.13%)
BECO 4.12 Decreased By ▼ -0.11 (-2.6%)
BML 61.59 Decreased By ▼ -0.25 (-0.4%)
BOP 30.94 Decreased By ▼ -0.76 (-2.4%)
CNERGY 12.10 Increased By ▲ 0.04 (0.33%)
CSIL 5.65 Increased By ▲ 0.02 (0.36%)
FCCL 58.05 Decreased By ▼ -0.66 (-1.12%)
FFL 13.35 Decreased By ▼ -0.12 (-0.89%)
FNEL 1.16 Decreased By ▼ -0.01 (-0.85%)
KEL 6.11 Decreased By ▼ -0.03 (-0.49%)
KOSM 5.61 Decreased By ▼ -0.05 (-0.88%)
LOTCHEM 24.43 Decreased By ▼ -0.39 (-1.57%)
MLCF 100.04 Decreased By ▼ -2.05 (-2.01%)
NBP 175.92 Decreased By ▼ -3.74 (-2.08%)
NCPL 51.73 Increased By ▲ 1.68 (3.36%)
NPL 53.95 Increased By ▲ 1.05 (1.98%)
OGDC 312.89 Decreased By ▼ -3.35 (-1.06%)
PACE 9.22 Increased By ▲ 0.01 (0.11%)
PAEL 33.48 Decreased By ▼ -0.54 (-1.59%)
PIBTL 13.19 Decreased By ▼ -0.23 (-1.71%)
PPL 217.96 Decreased By ▼ -3.34 (-1.51%)
PRL 85.55 Increased By ▲ 0.95 (1.12%)
PTC 47.64 Decreased By ▼ -0.74 (-1.53%)
SSGC 22.60 Decreased By ▼ -0.34 (-1.48%)
TBL 9.16 Decreased By ▼ -0.14 (-1.51%)
TELE 7.15 Increased By ▲ 0.08 (1.13%)
TPL 25.48 Decreased By ▼ -0.38 (-1.47%)
TPLP 13.36 Increased By ▲ 0.25 (1.91%)
TREET 24.56 Decreased By ▼ -0.43 (-1.72%)
TRG 53.41 Decreased By ▼ -0.62 (-1.15%)
Archive

World

Monday, December 14, 2020

U.S. Congress in sprint to fund government, approve COVID-19 emergency aid
USA

U.S. Congress in sprint to fund government, approve COVID-19 emergency aid

  • The U.S. Congress will try this week to end months of indecision and infighting over the federal government’s budget priorities and coronavirus aid, with more than $2 trillion in funding from Washington potentially at stake.
  • Without a deal, the government must begin shutting non-emergency programs and furloughing many workers.
Published 14 Dec, 2020 08:34pm
Biotech, pharma investments on VC radar in 2021 – PitchBook
World

Biotech, pharma investments on VC radar in 2021 – PitchBook

  • VC investment in the biopharma space is likely to surpass $20 billion in 2021, driven by the need to fund trials and build out research and development programs, as clinical trials resume and elective procedures restart.
  • A total of 162 SPACs listed so far this year have raised $55 billion, an increase of 501.8% on capital raised and 295.1% in count from 2019.
Published 14 Dec, 2020 08:22pm
London to move into toughest tier of COVID-19 restrictions – report
Europe

London to move into toughest tier of COVID-19 restrictions – report

  • More than 40% of citizens were placed in the highest risk category.
  • “Moving into Tier 3 before Christmas will be deeply disappointing for Londoners, and a terrible blow to the capital’s hospitality, leisure and cultural sectors,” said John Dickie, Director of Strategy and Policy at business campaign group London First.
Published 14 Dec, 2020 08:12pm
Afghan peace negotiations suspended till January 5
South Asia

Afghan peace negotiations suspended till January 5

  • The Afghan government and the Taliban's negotiation teams have announced in Doha that they will be taking a 20-day break in talks to "consult on the agenda items".
  • The talks are expected to resume on the 5th of January 2021.
Updated 14 Dec, 2020 07:18pm
Indian farmers step up pressure with hunger strike against reforms
South Asia

Indian farmers step up pressure with hunger strike against reforms

  • Leaders of protesting Indian farmers began a one-day hunger strike on Monday against agricultural reforms they say threaten their livelihoods.
  • Small growers fear the changes, part of Modi’s liberalising reforms, will mean the end of price support for staples such as wheat and rice and leave them at the mercy of big business.
Published 14 Dec, 2020 05:59pm
U.S. lawmakers plan to split $908 billion COVID-19 plan into two parts: source
USA

U.S. lawmakers plan to split $908 billion COVID-19 plan into two parts: source

  • A $908 billion bipartisan COVID-19 relief plan set to be introduced in the U.S. Congress as early as Monday will be split into two packages in a bid to win approval.
  • One of the sponsors of the $908 billion plan, Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, said earlier on Sunday it would be introduced formally on Monday.
Published 14 Dec, 2020 03:41pm
Police in India target Muslims under 'love jihad' law
World

Police in India target Muslims under 'love jihad' law

  • Uttar Pradesh police arrested at least 10 Muslim men under Hindu right-wing conspiracy theory
  • The idea has been used to justify legislation enacted in Uttar Pradesh and is proposed in four other Indian states
Published 14 Dec, 2020 03:35pm
U.S. court to hear appeal challenging order blocking TikTok app store ban
USA

U.S. court to hear appeal challenging order blocking TikTok app store ban

  • The ban would have required Apple Inc and Alphabet’s Google to remove the app from their stores, preventing new users from downloading it or existing users downloading updated versions.
  • On Dec. 4, the Trump administration opted not to grant TikTok-owner ByteDance a new extension of an order requiring the company to divest TikTok’s U.S. assets, but talks have continued over the short video-sharing app’s fate.
Published 14 Dec, 2020 03:07pm
EU-UK trade pact still possible as departure date nears
Europe

EU-UK trade pact still possible as departure date nears

  • The European Union’s Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, said on Monday that sealing a new pact with Britain was still possible as the date for the country’s departure from the bloc edged nearer.
  • Despite missing multiple deadlines, Britain and the EU agreed on Sunday to “go the extra mile” to try to break deadlocks on access to UK fishing waters for EU trawlers and corporate fair play rules.
Published 14 Dec, 2020 03:07pm
Suspected Russian hackers spied on U.S. Treasury emails - sources
USA

Suspected Russian hackers spied on U.S. Treasury emails - sources

  • Hackers believed to be working for Russia have been monitoring internal email traffic at the U.S. Treasury and Commerce departments.
  • National Security Council spokesman John Ullyot added that they “are taking all necessary steps to identify and remedy any possible issues related to this situation.”
Published 14 Dec, 2020 02:55pm
Bird flu spreads to 10th Japanese prefecture
World

Bird flu spreads to 10th Japanese prefecture

  • All farms in Japan were earlier ordered to disinfect facilities and check hygiene regimes, and ensure that nets to keep out wild birds are installed properly, agriculture ministry officials told Reuters this week.
Published 14 Dec, 2020 11:20am
Facebook has not banned a militant group in India as it fears for business interests, staff safety
World

Facebook has not banned a militant group in India as it fears for business interests, staff safety

  • Social media firm’s security workforce stated in its report that Bajrang Dal supports violence against minorities, especially Muslims across India and sure certified as a “harmful group” that ought to be banned from the platform
  • Bajrang Dal has been deemed a militant spiritual group by the US Central Intelligence Company and is convicted of hate crimes and religiously motivated killings
Updated 14 Dec, 2020 12:12pm
EU rights watchdog warns of pitfalls in use of AI
Europe

EU rights watchdog warns of pitfalls in use of AI

  • The agency said AI rules must respect all fundamental rights, with safeguards to ensure this and include a guarantee that people can challenge decisions taken by AI and that companies need to be able to explain how their systems take AI decisions.
Published 14 Dec, 2020 10:53am
UK PM Johnson says on Brexit trade talks: we're very far apart
World

UK PM Johnson says on Brexit trade talks: we're very far apart

  • “The best thing to do now, for everybody, is to follow up all the work that has been done over the last four and half years, colossal amount of preparation at our ports, everywhere across the UK, get ready to trade on WTO terms, Boris said.
Published 14 Dec, 2020 10:24am
US government confirms cyberattack
World

US government confirms cyberattack

  • US media reports said the FBI was investigating a group working for the Russian foreign intelligence service, SVR, and that breaches had been taking place for months.
Published 14 Dec, 2020 09:56am