FARUKH SHEHZAD

The proposal of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to develop and adopt a Plan for the socio-economic reconstruction of Afghanistan as part of the practical implementation of the Road map for further actions of the SCO-Afghanistan Contact group will serve for further consolidation of the SCO countries’ efforts in promoting the long-awaited peace in Afghanistan.

The initiative of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev once again confirms the firm commitment of the Republic of Uzbekistan to achieving long-term and sustainable peace in the neighboring country, and is a logical continuation of a consistent friendly policy towards Afghanistan.

Being convinced that the security and economic prosperity in the entire vast SCO region are inextricably linked to peace and stability in this long-suffering country,Uzbekistan has always supported the Shanghai cooperation organization to play an important role in resolving the conflict in Afghanistan.

In 2004Uzbekistan as a chairman to SCO invited former Afghan President Hamid Karzai to the Organization’s summit in Tashkent. Since then, leaders of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan have been participating every SCO summit. And as a logical continuation, Afghanistan received the status of an observer statein SCO in 2012.

It is symbolic that the initiative to establish the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group, formalized during Beijing summit in November 2005, was announced in Tashkent during the summit of the SCO states leaders in 2004.

The creation of the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group made it possible to establish a specific consultative dialogue with the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on the issues of the military-political situation in Afghanistan, its impact on regional security, assistance of the SCO member states to Afghanistan in ensuring peace, security and economic reconstruction, and enhancement of regional cooperation. Most signifficantly, due to this format of interaction, the SCO member states effectively coordinate efforts in containing challenges and threats emanating from Afghanistan, preventing their spread in the space of the SCO member states.

In addition, and most importantly, the regular dialogue within the Contact Group contributed to the development of a regional consensus in the SCO space on the basic principles for resolving the situation in Afghanistan, which, in turn, today plays a decisive role in the formation of common approaches of the international community regarding peace building in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

The consensus in the SCO space was enshrined in the «Road Map» of the “SCO-Afghanistan» Contact Group adopted in June 2019 in Bishkek, where all SCO member states declared their commitment to the key principles of resolving the situation in Afghanistan. It was noted that there is no alternative to resolving the conflict through political dialogue and the implementation of an inclusive peace process led by Afghans themselves. There was also highlighted importance of rebuilding the afghan economy for establishing peace and stability in the country, provision of security and sustainable development of the region as a whole.

The Road Map has become an important political document that also confirmed the readiness of the SCO member states to support the efforts of the government and people of Afghanistan in such areas as ensuring peace, security, cultural and humanitarian development and economic reconstruction of the country.

In this regard, the adoption of the Plan for the socio-economic reconstruction of Afghanistan will undoubtedly open a new page in the SCO’s afghan policy and will make it possible to put into practice the implementation of the Road map of the SCO-Afghanistan Contact group.

First, uniting efforts within the SCO to help Afghanistan restore a peaceful economy through the implementation of social, economic and humanitarian programs and projects will help to achieve a long-term and sustainable peace in this country, to create the necessary socio-economic base for a peaceful solution to the afghan crisis. Consequently, there will be created alternative sources of income for the population, as well as the necessary incentives for the transition of the afghan people to a creative and peaceful life.

Secondly, consolidated regional support to Afghanistan in economic development will have an important role in maintaining the capacity of the government of Afghanistanto fulfill its social obligations to the population, meet the urgent needs of citizens for stability and security, and ensure peaceful development in the post-conflict period.

The creation of a viable afghan economy will guarantee the continuation of reforms that began 19 years ago in the area of rule of law, protection of human rights,strenghtening democratic institutions, civil society and modernization of public administration.

Third, the implementation of joint projects within the framework of the SCO will serve both stabilization of the situation in Afghanistan and restoration of the role of this country as a key link in ensuring the interconnectedness of the Eurasian continent. This, in turn, will further strengthen the consensus in the SCO space on the need to achieve further peace in Afghanistan. In addition, the effective implementation of the Plan for the socio-economic reconstruction of Afghanistan can become an exemplary model of multilateral interaction, turning the IRA into a platform for cooperation and opportunities.

Moreover, the initiative of Sh. Mirziyoyev creates an opportunity to strengthen the important role of the SCO in the practical solution of the afghan issue. To date, there are many different platforms and formats for resolving the situation and economic reconstruction of Afghanistan, but their potential for objective and subjective reasons remains untapped in full.

In this context, the SCO is a unique structure where almost all countries that are interested in resolving the Afghan problem are represented: Central Asian States, China, Russia, Pakistan, India (full members), Iran (observer), and Turkey (dialogue partner).

It should be noted that the SCO has sufficient potential to make a significant contribution to restoring the peaceful economy of Afghanistan and achieving long-term and sustainable peace in this country. Currently, the total share of the SCO member countries’ GDP in the structure of world GDP is 22.5% ($18.4 trillion). This figure is expected to reach 40% in 2030. Moreover, in terms of foreign direct investments, the top twenty major investors include such SCO member countries as China (2nd place, FDI volume- $203.4 billion) and India (15th place, $41.2 billion).

Today the SCO countries are actively involved in supporting the afghan people in their quest for peace and prosperity. Thus, the SCO member States are among the main trade partners of Afghanistan. In 2019the volume of Afghanistan trade with SCO countries amounted to 54% ($6 billion) of its total trade turnover ($11 billion) with foreign countries.

If we take into account Afghanistan’s trade with the other SCO participants-Iran (observer, $ 2.5 billion) and Turkey (dialogue partner, $ 150 million), the figure will be 82.7%. In turn, the SCO space is the main market for afghan products. Thus, in 2019, the share of the Organization’s participants in the total volume of exports of Afghan goods ($728 million) was 94.5% ($688 million).

Special attention should be paid to the fact that the SCO member states provide significant assistance in ensuring the energy and food security of the IRA, covering more than 80% of electricity needs and more than 20% off ood wheat and flour.

In general, the proposal of Uzbekistan to adopt the Plan for the socio-economic reconstruction of Afghanistan fully corresponds to its main tasks, which involve joint provision and maintenance of peace, security and stability in the region, strengthening mutual trustand good-neighborliness among the participating countries, and promotingtheir effective cooperation in the political, trade, economic and cultural fields. At the same time, the practical implementation of the Plan for the socio-economic reconstruction of Afghanistan will strengthen the economic component of the SCO, bring together the positions of the member countries in priority areas of restoring the country’s peaceful economy, and also contribute to more active involvement of the IRA in regional trade and economic processes.The SCO’s active participation in stabilizing the situation in Afghanistan will strengthen the organization’s potential and enhance its status as a responsible multilateral structure that makes a significant contribution to regional and international security.

First Deputy Director of the Institute for strategic and regional studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Nematov Akramjon

------------------------------------------

What are your thoughts on this? Please share with us in the comment section below.

Pakistan is scheduled to play three T20s and two Tests in New Zealand.

ISLAMABAD, NOV 11 – The United States embassy in Islamabad on Wednesday apologised for retweeting an “unauthorised” post about the premier by PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal after it sparked outrage on social media.

“The US embassy Islamabad Twitter account was accessed last night without authorisation. The US embassy does not endorse the posting or retweeting of political messages. We apologise for any confusion that may have resulted from the unauthorised post,” the embassy said on its Twitter account.

The whole saga started after Iqbal on Tuesday posted a screenshot on the social networking site of an article by The Washington Post titled “Trump’s defeat is a blow for the world’s demagogues and dictators”.

“We have one in Pakistan too. He will be shown the way out soon,” Iqbal said in his tweet, in what was an apparent reference to Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The sharing of Iqbal’s tweet by the US embassy’s Twitter account quickly sparked outrage, as government officials, including a federal minister and the Sindh governor, called upon the embassy to respect diplomatic norms and issue an apology.

The hashtag #ApologiseUSembassy also started trending on Twitter on Wednesday.

“US embassy still working in Trumpian mode in support of convicted absconder and intervening brazenly in our internal politics,” said Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari.

“Monroe doctrine also died centuries ago! US embassy must observe norms of diplomacy — so if fake then clarify through a tweet; if not then apology tweet needed,” she said.

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail urged the Foreign Office to take action against the embassy.

“This is utterly absurd, how can the US embassy retweet something containing derogatory remarks against our premier? This is against diplomatic protocols. An apology is needed with immediate clarification if fake or hacked,” he said.

Azhar Mashwani, Punjab chief minister’s focal person for digital media, questioned whether this was how US embassies under State Secretary Mike Pompeo would behave for the next two-and-a-half months.

Head of PTI’s Digital Media Wing, Imran Ghazali, had also demanded an apology for the “embarrassing and disrespectful tweet” from the US embassy’s account.

Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Digital Media Dr Arsalan Khalid said strategic accounts are “very sensitive digital assets” and any mistake “should be rectified publicly”.

-----------------------------------------------

What are your thoughts on this? Please share with us in the comment section below.

------------------------------------

COURTESY DAWN NEWS

ISLAMABAD, NOV 11 (DN) – In response to COVID-19 crisis, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) launched a focused Rapid Research Grant (RRG) in April 2020 to engage academia in research around the clinical management of this epidemic. The grant is aimed to encourage academic research to strengthen clinical management or public health response against this virus.

Under the specialised research initiative, potential project proposals were invited to contribute to the much-needed understanding of coronaviruses — the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and COVID-19.

Considering the time-crunch, a specialised panel was constituted and tasked to complete the shortlisting in 3-4 weeks. More than 300 applications were received for this grant. After independent reviews, 58 proposals were shortlisted based on already announced eligibility criteria and other necessary requirements. Later, these proposals were jointly reviewed by experts of Medical and Biological Sciences, Engineering and Technology and finally 10 quality projects made it to the last stage after rigorous scrutiny.

The budget for each of RRG award is up to a maximum of Rs. 15 million (USD 100,000) with a maximum project duration of 12 months. These research projects offer a variety of pragmatic solution-oriented research, ranging from early detection diagnostic kits to immune response and understanding the virus behaviour.

The proposals from 10 universities have been finalized. The University of the Punjab won two grants — one for an indigenous, low-cost production of ultra-pure Taq Polymerase and PCR mix for COVID-19 clinical diagnostic kits, and the other for development of a reliable, economical and high throughput serodiagnosis method for early detection of COVID-19.

COMSATS University Islamabad has won the grant for development of RT-LAMP Assay for early detection of COVID-19, while National Textile University, Faisalabad research will focus on development of bioactive hospital textiles and protective suits against viruses and bacteria by immobilisation of nanomaterials. The University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore has won the research grant for epidemiological disease modelling and molecular surveillance of SARS-CoV-2, while DOW University of Health Sciences, Karachi will be working on IVIG production from convalescent plasma of COVID-19 survivors, a low risk, high efficiency passive immunisation strategy against SARS-CoV-2. Interestingly, the test results of DOW university research are already very promising.

Other project winners include the University of Health Sciences, Lahore (Immunological Virology and Genetic Basis of COVID-19 Patients), Lahore University of Management Sciences (Mapping Immune Response to SARS-COv2 using a multidisciplinary approach), Aga Khan University, Karachi (Phylo- and immuno- dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Pakistan: relating COVID 19 disease severity in with viral diversity) and Health Services Academy (HSA), Islamabad (Computational Modelling for COVID-19 Epidemic in Pakistan: Predictive Modelling of Disease Morbidity, Mortality and Assessment of Demands on the Intensive Care Units).

To ensure high quality of research, faculty members from these universities were encouraged to collaborate with private sector and industry, both within and outside Pakistan, as needed.

HEC funded thousands of research projects in the past, and this has led to more than 20,000 research articles published in recognised journals last year. With provision of RRGs, HEC hopes that academic researchers will come forward to contribute to better health systems coping with real-life challenges.=DN

-----------------------------------------------------------

What are your thoughts on this? Please share with us in the comment section below.

Iqbal Khan

Joe Biden’s platter is full, depends on where he wants to begin from. If he takes a course to un-Trump America, he would have achieved a lot if he is closer to retrieve the US to the status at which Obama-Biden duo handed it over to President Donald Trump.

Quick recommitment to Trump stampeded international treaties like Climate Change, Iran Nuclear deal, Oslo Accords, reinforcing commitments to negotiate lapsed arms control and disarmament treaties, addressing the concerns of EU, Nato, and other allies, stopping further settlements in the West Bank, reversing shifting of US embassy to Jerusalem etc. could be good starting point. Pacifying its neighbouring counties would ease out the anti-America sentiment in American continents.

More important issues are bridling China phobia, stabilising relations with Russia and rationalising India pampering. Due to erratic foreign policy trajectories, the US has embarked upon some lose-lose ventures. Impact of anti-China drive is consuming the US strategically and economically. Russia has assumed the role of a wild card in World politics and India is fast becoming a rogue don of South Asia. 

New York Times reported on November 10: “All along, China’s leaders showed indifference toward the presidential race, having concluded that no matter who won, the United States would remain irreconcilably opposed to the country’s rise”. According to NYT Beijing bureau chief, “Tensions between the two countries are likely to fester”. “They could even become more pronounced — over trade, tech, Taiwan and other issues”.

After four horrible Trump years, many Americans want to believe that the United States is on the verge of a new beginning. However, according to Daron Acemoglu: “Trump won’t be the last American populist [President]”. Trumpism is a way of life for a substantial number of Americans. “The roots of Trumpism didn’t begin or end with Trump or even with American politics—they are closely connected to economic and political currents affecting much of the world. Americans must understand and address these if they are to prevent similar forces from once again seizing the nation”.

These Elections have brought to fore a highly polarised US society on partisan lines; extraordinary high turnout and razor edge results portray a high intensity of the divisive sentiment. Above all, over 70 million Americans have endorsed Trump’s policies. For Biden, it’s an opportunity to provide healing touch to America society and reshape “Ugly American” image of the US abroad. And he is appropriately suitable for this task due to his prudence, maturity and balance.

In their victory speeches this weekend, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris declared that combating climate change will be one of their administration’s top priorities, alongside containing COVID-19, rebuilding the US economy, rooting out systemic racism, and bridging America’s political divides.

With change in guard at the White House, there won’t be any substantial change in the US policy towards Pakistan, beyond a symbolic euphoria of an ease-out in periphery matters.  At strategic tier, America’s policy towards Pakistan is a subset of its China phobia. Hence, Biden Administration will keep pumping in multi-dimensional strategic advantages to further empower India in the vain hope that one day it will fight and browbeat China on America’s behalf. Even though India had disappointed the US twice during Trump’s Presidency—Doklam and Ladakh crises.

Foreign policy experts expect that the Biden administration will be tougher on India”. PM Narendra Modi faces an American President whom he did not endorse, and whose opponent was extravagantly over projected in Texas, Houston, Texas and later in Gujarat, India. Twitter is a buzz with #HowdyModi  & #NamasteTrump tweets. Biden was instrumental in imposing travel ban on Modi in the wake of Gujarat pogrom of Muslims in 2002.

Like most of his predecessors, candidate Biden did a lot talk of solving Kashmir dispute; his Vice President Kamala Harris is also known for raising her voice for Human Rights violations in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. However, like many of their predecessors, both are likely to forget about it much earlier than their inaugural. Substantial portion of America’s Pakistan policy is hostage to India’s nod. Over the last decade or so, American articulations regarding Pakistan have been incrementally adopting Indian dictum and tenor. “Since Trump and Biden both have [been], generally speaking, similar views on Pakistan and the region, I don’t think we should overstate the election’s impact in South Asia,” said Michael Kugelman of Wilson Centre.

Though some Pakistan’s foreign policy experts believe that with Joe Biden in White House, a return to “normalcy” is expected, though with caveats. The Trump-era contempt for diplomacy would certainly come to a close. But “Pakistan shouldn’t raise the bar of expectation.” Biden is likely to restore the dignity of all international organizations that will help Pakistan because there will be a certain level of predictability.

Biden had been deeply involved in South Asian affairs from the time when he was Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and played an instrumental role in having the $7.5 billion Kerry-Lugar-Berman bill passed by the US Senate. Biden administration is expected to return the US to the international organisations abandoned by Trump and re-join the Paris Climate agreement. He is likely to invest more in its relationship with like-minded countries. “A Biden White House would have a better understanding of what is important for the region,” he said. Biden, who served as Obama’s deputy for eight years, experts believe, will have a more conciliatory foreign policy towards China and even Iran.

Over the decades, the US has invested very heavily in nurturing Hate-China sentiment amongst its own people. This roller coaster has attained its own critical mass, and it’s no longer possible to reverse it through a presidential wish. Anti-china is a bipartisan malice in the US—its fast turning into an industry, and it’s only a difference of shade whether it’s a Democratic President in the White House or a Republican. Anti-China sells well and bring political and economic dividends to politicians and businesses.

Biden, met Chinese President Xi Jinping several times when he was in government, has said that under his administration the US would lead by the “power of its example” rather than the “example of its power”. Analysts say while Biden’s tactics might change, the tougher US strategy towards China would remain if he took the White House given its broad bipartisan support.” “Getting tough on China has become a source of rare bipartisan consensus in a polarised political climate,” wrote Hui Feng, a senior research fellow at Australia’s Griffith University’s academic website, The Conversation: “a fundamental U-turn in US-China relations is still unlikely.”

Actually, America, as a nation, lost the 2020 presidential elections, it lost the race for decency, tolerance, and credibility of its government system. Lesson for contemporary democracy is: Country doesn’t matter, present era politicians are birds of same flock. Elections are perceived as free and fair only by the winning side. With the slightest chance of losing in sight, the effected ones start shouting of factual or fictional foul play. Losers are more often sour than gracious. Once a norm, now free and fair elections, and their bipartisan acceptance as such, are more of a fairy tale.

Election 2020 is over, but Trump-slinging [read mud-slinging] has just begun. President Trump’s post electoral results statement shows that he does not wish to quit gracefully.

America needs a heeling touch. It is refreshing that President Elect Joe Biden wishes to start working on that aspect immediately. His Victory Speech radiated hope that Americans are in safe hands.

Writer is a freelance columnist; email: Iqbal.khan9999@yahoo.com

----------------------------------------

What are your thoughts on this? Please share with us in the comment section below.

By Muhammad Omar Iftikhar

Now that the US has elected Joe Biden as their President, the era of Donald Trump and the confusion he created is over. This heralds the US into a new era. However, the diplomatic affairs Washington has had with Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and other countries from South Asia, Asia, and Central Asia must be realigned under the Biden presidency. 

In the case of Pak-US ties, Pakistan needs to put a line in its relations with the US.Prime Minister Imran Khan and his regime would need to redefine the diplomatic objectives it needs to achieve as far as its ties with the US are concerned.

The mistakes made in the past from both sides must not be repeated. Biden must ensure that the chaos created by Donald Trump is neutralized at the earliest. When focusing on Pak-US ties, China automatically becomes an active part of this equation.Where Pakistan and China are all-weathered friends, they both are also moving forward with CPEC. During Trump’s era, US-China ties became sour to the extent that in 2019 Trump went on to call China’s president an enemy.

Biden, on the other hand, is expected to forge new ties with China where the two countries will be able to co-exist. Washington’s relations with Islamabad will play a vital role in keeping smooth sailing between Washington-Kabul ties. The US, under Biden’s presidency, will also focus on Afghanistan and Kashmir.The unwinnable war initiated by the US in Afghanistan in 2001 still haunts the US. Pakistan will play a key role in maintaining strong US-Afghanistan ties.

The issue of Kashmir will also be on Biden’s agenda. Biden and Kamala Harris have been sharing their opinion about Kashmir and they view that India should restore civil and political rights in Kashmir. This is where US-India ties will play a role. With the sensitive issue of Kashmir into the picture, Pakistan-India ties will surely be affected. It will be up to PM Imran Khan how he tackles the issue without creating any discontent.

--------------------------------------------------

What are your thoughts on this? Please share with us in the comment section below.

A total of 200 employees in Norwegian will mark their dissatisfaction and unrest with the government’s decision not to provide financial support to the airline on Wednesday at noon.

The employees will mark their support for the company and invite parliamentary politicians to hear their message, the employee organization Parat stated in a press release.

On Tuesday, it became clear that Norwegian lost NOK 980 million in the third quarter. 

The day before, the government refused to provide additional support to the airline that the company needs in order to survive the corona crisis.

Norwegian had more than 10,000 employees before the corona outbreak.

In the coming months, it will have only around 600 employees at work after a new round of layoffs.

-------------------------------------------

What are your thoughts on this? Please share with us in the comment section below.

===========================

COURTESY NORWAY TODAY

ISLAMABAD, NOV 11 - Pakistan on Tuesday welcomed the deal signed between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia to end the military conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region after more than a month of bloodshed.

A statement issued by the Foreign Office said Pakistan consistently supported resolution of the Nagorno-Karabagh dispute in accordance with international law and the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.

“We welcome the recent announcement of cessation of hostilities by the relevant parties,” reads the press release. “The trilateral agreement facilitated by the Russian Federation offers a renewed opportunity for establishing peace in the South Caucasus region.”

Congratulating the government and “brotherly people” of Azerbaijain on the “liberation of their territories”, Islamabad hoped this will lead to an era of “stability and prosperity in the region and will pave way for the return of internally displaced persons to their ancestral lands.”

Armenia-Azerbaijain-Russia deal

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan first announced the signing on social media in the early hours of Tuesday and the Kremlin and Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev later confirmed the news.

“The signed trilateral statement will become a (crucial) point in the settlement of the conflict,” Aliyev said in a televised online meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Putin said Russian peacekeepers would be deployed along the frontline in Nagorno-Karabakh and the corridor between the region and Armenia.

Arayik Harutyunyan, the leader of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, said on Facebook that he gave agreement “to end the war as soon as possible”.

The declaration has followed six weeks of heavy fighting and advancement by the Azerbaijan’s forces. Baku said on Monday it had seized dozens more settlements in Nagorno-Karabakh, a day after proclaiming victory in the battle for the enclave’s strategically positioned second-largest city.

“The decision is made basing on the deep analyses of the combat situation and in discussion with best experts of the field,” Prime Minister Pashinyan said. “This is not a victory but there is not defeat until you consider yourself defeated. We will never consider ourselves defeated and this shall become a new start of an era of our national unity and rebirth.”

Armenian protesters marched to the prime minister’s official residence in Yerevan, Government House No. 1, after the ceasefire was announced, said local news outlet Norlur.am.

Videos seen on social media showed crowds inside the building, but the prime minister’s location was unclear.

Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict

The Nagorno-Karabakh fighting raised fears of a wider regional war, with Turkey supporting its ally Azerbaijan, while Russia has a defence pact with Armenia and a military base there.

Azerbaijan says it has since September 27 retaken much of the land in and around Nagorno-Karabakh that it lost in a 1991-94 war which killed an estimated 30,000 people and forced many more from their homes. Armenia has denied the extent of Azerbaijan’s territorial gains.

Several thousand people are feared killed in the flare-up of the conflict. Three ceasefires have failed in the past six weeks and Azerbaijan’s superior weaponry and battlefield gains have reduced its incentive to seek a lasting peace deal.

Azerbaijan said on Sunday it had captured Shusha, known by Armenians as Shushi, which sits on a mountaintop overlooking Stepanakert, the city regarded as the enclave’s capital by its ethnic Armenian administration.

President Aliyev announced a list of 48 settlements he declared liberated on Monday in several parts of the enclave.

An Azeri defence ministry video posted online showed Azerbaijan’s national flag flying over deserted streets in what it said was Shusha.

Armenia disputed that the city had fallen.

================================================

What are your thoughts on this? Please share with us in the comment section below.

Together with Ruby, who he met as a sound editor and staff writer at Hanna-Barbera, the two created Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

Ken Spears, the co-creator of Scooby-Doo, has passed away at the age of 82.

Co-founder of the television animation production company Ruby-Spears production and four-time Emmy nominee, he died in California from Lewy body dementia, his son Kevin informed the Hollywood Reporter.

The news comes less than three months after his partner Ruby passed away on Aug 26.

Together with Ruby, who he met as a sound editor and staff writer at Hanna-Barbera, the duo created magic with the supernatural cartoon Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, the first episode of which aired on 13 September 1969.

All but four of the first 25 episodes were written and story-edited by them.

"Warner Bros. Animation is saddened to learn of the passing of Ken Spears and we send our warmest thoughts to his loved ones. He was a true innovator in the industry whose gifts of humour and storytelling continue to delight audiences,” Sam Register, president of the Animation and Cartoon Network Studios, said in a statement.

“You cannot find a screen in the world that has not played a version of Scooby-Doo. We continue to be inspired by his work at Warner Bros. Animation and are honoured to carry on the legacy of his beloved characters.”

Spears is survived by his two sons, Kevin and Chris; their wives, his five grandchildren and his three great-grandchildren.

COURTESY DAWN NEWS!

===============================

What are your thoughts on this? Please share with us in the comment section below.

ISLAMABAD: While the positivity rate of Covid-19 cases has again surpassed five per cent after a gap of over three months, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) was briefed on Tuesday that daily cases confirmed by labs in different cities have climbed up to 16 per cent.

The highest increase in confirmed cases has been observed in Azad Jammu and Kashmir i.e. 16.71pc. The cases have increased by 8.71pc in Balochis­tan, 5.39pc in Sindh, 4.46pc in Punjab and 3.24pc in Gilgit-Baltistan, while in Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) cases have decreased by 4.92pc and 4.61pc, respectively.

Earlier on October 29, federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar tweeted that after more than 70 days the national Covid-19 positivity ratio, which was counted through positive cases per 100 samples, was higher than 3pc.

In Pakistan, the maximum positivity rate had reached 23pc in June as it had increased from 6pc in May, while the positivity rate was brought down to 1.7pc in September.

According to a presentation given at the NCOC on Tuesday, the positivity rate was 11.79pc on March 30, 19.95pc on May 25 and 22.24pc on June 1. Later, it started dropping and reached 16pc on July 6, 3pc on August 10 and 1.7pc on Sept 21. An upward trend in the positivity rate was spotted again next month as it reached 2.49pc on Oct 19, 4.26pc on Nov 2 and 5.13pc on Nov 10.

The NCOC was informed that the number of deaths in Pakistan surpassed 7,000. There were less than 10 deaths till April 6, maximum number of deaths in 24 hours i.e. 124 was reported on June 15. Per day mortality dropped to a single digit on August 17 and then again reported in double digits on October 12. Twenty-three deaths were reported on November 10.

Similarly, the trend of new admissions due to Covid-19 has also started rising as 131 patients were admitted in hospitals, across the country, as compared to 46 on October 5.

The NCOC was informed that among healthcare workers 8,573 cases were confirmed, which was 3pc of overall Covid-19 cases. Around 96pc (i.e. 8,167) healthcare workers recovered.

It was informed that there were 3,173 ventilators across the country of which 1,248 vents were dedicated for Covid-19 patients and another 1,546 ventilators, which were basically used by non-Covid patients, can be used for Covid patients in case of emergency only. On Tuesday, 160 (13pc) dedicated ventilators were occupied.

Tests per million

The participants in the meeting were apprised that Islamabad tops in terms of tests per million population as 268,736 tests per million population (26.87pc) have been conducted in the federal capital. Among other regions and provinces, Sindh is on the top to have conducted most tests. In Sindh, 36,347 tests per million population (3.63pc) were conducted, followed by Gilgit-Baltistan where 32,069 tests per million population (3.20pc) were done. Similarly, Azad Jammu and Kashmir conducted 16,804 tests per million population achieving (1.68pc), followed by Punjab with 15,357 tests (1.53pc) per million population, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 14,679 tests (1.46pc) and Balochistan with 10,917 tests (1.09pc).

According to the latest data released by the NCOC, the number of active Covid-19 cases in Pakistan has increased by more than 14,000 cases in last eight weeks only. The total number of active cases on Nov 10 was 20,045 while it was 5,831 on Sept 14.

COURTESY DAWN NEWS!

==========================

What are your thoughts on this? Please share with us in the comment section below.