Pakistani teams ranked first and second place in 5th Huawei ICT Competition Middle East

 

• Two Pakistani teams to compete in the Huawei ICT Competition 2021-2022 Global Finals

• 8 teams from the Middle East will compete in the global event held in Shenzhen, China in June

ISLAMABAD, MAY 31: Two Pakistani teams are participating in the global finals of the Huawei ICT Cometption 2021-2022 to be held in June and taking place in Shenzhen, China. 

Ranked in first and second place in the 5th Huawei ICT Competition Middle East region which was held in partnership with Higher Education Commission Pakistan, the teams will now proceed to the Global Finals in Shenzhen, China in June, part of an eight-team delegation that will represent the Middle East at the global competition. The event will be streamed live to a worldwide audience. 

Huawei ICT Competition 2021-2022 is the culmination of a one-year journey that started in June2021, beginning with the national preliminary competition followed by the national finals and, finally, the regional finals. 

This year's competition provided training and competition tracks in advanced technologies such as intelligent applications, cloud computing and big data. Worldwide, over 125,000 students, 2,000 universities and 85 countries/regions participated in this year's contest. 

The Pakistan team ranked in first place included Bhagchand Meghwar and Sateesh Kumar from Mehran University of Engineering & Technology, Jamshoro, Syeda Iqra Fatima from Islamiya University Bahawalpur, and Faheem Yar Khuhawar from Mehran University of Engineering & Technology. 

The Pakistan team ranked in second place included Hafiz Muhammad Rizwan from Government College University, Faisalabad, Adnan Ali from Virtual University, Islamabad, Mukhtar Memon from Mehran University of Engineering & Technology, Jamshoro and Muhammad Salman from UET Lahore, Al-Khawarizmi Institute Of computer Science. 

Mark Meng , CEO Huawei Pakistan said, "We are delighted with returning to the physical-style ICT competition where we again celebrate innovation and creativity. As digital transformation accelerates, we want to support the communities where we serve with the opportunity and platforms to develop impactful technologies that will change lives. 

Teams from Jordan and Pakistan made it to the podium in last year’s global competition finals and we are confident our teams from Pakistan will perform as admirably this year." 

The Huawei Innovation Competition was held for the second consecutive year parallel to the ICT Competition. The Innovation Competition empowers undergraduate students and their teachers to use innovative technologies – such as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and big data – to create valuable and impactful applications for society. 

With the theme of "Connection, Glory, Future," the Huawei ICT competition bridges the gap between Huawei and universities/colleges, education, and the ICT industry, students and enterprises' talent requirements, and promotes competition, learning, and development. 

The competition provides an international stage for up-and-coming students, giving them recognition, and raising the industry's profile of teachers and universities/colleges. The contest allows participants to grow in the process, improve the start point of their career, benefit from digital technologies, and develop towards a better future.

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Imran to opt for a different strategy if PTI marchers don’t get SC’s protection for next protest

 

PESHAWAR, MAY 30: PTI Chairman Imran Khan said on Monday that if the Supreme Court does not provide his party “protection” from police action for the next round of their protest, he would opt for a different strategy wherein his supporters would be “prepared” to deal with the situation.

Addressing a lawyers’ convention in Peshawar, the former prime minister said: “If they (SC) don’t give us protection, today I stand here in front of you and say that I will have another strategy.”

Under this strategy, Imran said the PTI would make a plan for dealing with the obstacles. “[That] time round we weren’t prepared […] we were stuck unprepared. This time we will be prepared,” he said, declaring that this was a jihad for him. “I will not accept this imported government at any cost.”

Imran march for haqeeqi azadi — true freedom — was preceded by the authorities invoking of Section 144, a measure used to curb gatherings. Shipping containers were put in place on major thoroughfares to block their path.

Undeterred by the moves, the marchers, who tried to force through the containers to make their way to Islamabad, were met with tear gas as police tried to disperse them. Police also charged at them with batons.

PTI’s Azam Swati has also filed a police complaint seeking the registration of a first information report (FIR) against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Inspector General of Police Islamabad Dr Akbar Nasir and others over “police brutality and unreasonable use of force” against PTI supporters.

During his speech, Imran came down hard on the ruling coalition, reiterating that they were brought in through a “foreign conspiracy”. He also lambasted the government for the crackdown on the participants of the much hyped but short-lived Azadi March held on May 25.

“We have asked for a ruling from the SC over whether or not we have the democratic right to stage a peaceful protest? If this is a democracy […] under what basis were we stopped? How can they stop the chief ministers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan?” he asked.

He asserted that his party did not have a “history of violence”, pointing to the PTI’s 126-day sit-in in Islamabad in 2014. He said that he called of the sit-in on May 25 in an effort to avoid bloodshed.

Imran said the brutality of the police had angered the people, adding that he feared that it would lead to violence and chaos. He said that it would also have developed hatred against the police as well as the army as Rangers had also fired tear gas shells.

“I did not want my country to be divided and for our enemies to benefit,” he said.

Imran asked the apex court to give a ruling providing an explanation why obstacles were placed to stop the PTI from holding the long march. He also questioned whether the SC would still allow such “undemocratic” moves when the PTI announces the date for its next march.

“This kind of brutality doesn’t even happen in dictatorships,” he said.

‘Defining moment’

During his speech, Imran said that Pakistan was currently witnessing a “defining moment”, and called on the legal fraternity and the judiciary to play their role in saving the country.

“I want you all to think of this as a jihad. This is a fight for our haqeeqi azadi (true freedom),” he said. He went on to say that future generations would not be forgiving if they did not raise their voice.

Turning his guns towards the Sharif family, Imran said that when he entered politics he was warned about them. “I was warned that they were cheap and disgusting and would not spare my family.”

He accused the Sharif family of functioning like a mafia where it would either buy off people’s loyalties or eliminate them.

Imran also lamented that the law only applied to the country’s poor, pointing out how the indictment of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Sharif was being delayed.

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Courtesy Dawn News

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Armenia tries to disrupt process of regional cooperation with its baseless statements: Khalid Taimur

 

ISLAMABAD, MAY 30: “The latest statement realized by the Armenian media about Azerbaijan’s military killing of David Vardanyan depicts a hostile agenda of spreading misinformation,” Khalid Taimur Akram, Executive Director Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future.

According to him, the Yerevan leadership is trying to ignite conflict by disrupting the process of regional cooperation commenced by Azerbaijan: “All these statements are baseless and far from the truth. Therefore, such despicable moves to weaponize people’s empathy and goodwill through lies in order to delegitimize Azerbaijan will certainly face righteous opposition globally and from all those who value truth, equality, and justice.”

He also noted that Armenia must provide maps of the mines and cooperate with Azerbaijan rather than spreading fake news, halting the Brussels meeting’s outcomes and regional peace.

Earlier, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied the accusations of the Armenian Foreign Ministry that the Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire.

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Courtesy report.az

Four Ways to Boost e-Commerce in Central Asia

 

Tashkent: When COVID-19 lockdowns forced people to stay indoors, many turned to online shopping to have their necessities conveniently delivered to their homes. But not everybody had the means to do so — certainly not in Central Asia, where around half the population lack internet access and many countries don’t have the systems needed for a robust e-commerce ecosystem.

A joint study by the Asian Development Bank and the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Institute showed that in 2019, less than 10% of the population in Azerbaijan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan shopped online.

More people were shopping online in Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan, but they were still way below the 63% average for the European Union and the 30% average for countries with more similar socioeconomic profiles like Turkey. The People’s Republic of China was the only CAREC member country that had high figures.

More people in some Central Asian countries shopped online during the COVID-19 pandemic, but much remains to be done for e-commerce to reach its full potential in the region.

E-commerce, of course, goes beyond individuals clicking “add to cart” in an online store. It includes business-to-business transactions, like between a wholesaler and a retailer; business-to-government transactions, such as in e-procurement; and consumer-to-consumer deals within online communities.

Done right, e-commerce can facilitate trade across borders to drive economic growth, create employment and livelihood opportunities for women and people with disabilities among other underrepresented groups, and ensure continuity of services even amid unexpected disruptions like the pandemic. It also contributes to financial inclusion by encouraging the use of debit cards and/or mobile banking to ease payment.

Regional cooperation can help e-commerce thrive in Central Asia and improve the lives of ordinary people. Here are four ways CAREC countries can make this happen:

1. Improve internet infrastructure to expand access and lower costs

While broadband wireless technology infrastructure in most CAREC countries is fairly developed, some rural and remote areas remain uncovered. This could be addressed through stronger competition or the cooperative sharing of infrastructure by existing operators.

The cost of accessing the internet can be kept affordable by establishing or strengthening internet exchange points (IXPs), facilities where internet service providers, content providers, and others come together to exchange their data traffic. IXPs reduce costs by keeping domestically destined traffic within the country and can help save on international data transit costs. Having more data centers and access to local cloud computing will also boost the ability of businesses and entrepreneurs outside the PRC, where e-commerce is already thriving, to host e-commerce sites domestically.

2. Enhance cybersecurity and increase digital and financial literacy

Consumers need to be confident that their information will be safe when they buy online, and that there are safety nets if they encounter problems. CAREC countries—most of which rank low in the various measures of cybersecurity—need to ensure the use of encrypted servers, require companies to acquire international security certifications, and create security incident response teams.

Increasing consumer trust in financial institutions and mobile payment systems is also important. This can be done through consumer protection regulations, financial and digital literacy training, and raising awareness of the convenience and functionality of mobile payments.

3. Upgrade payments systems to make online transactions easier

Electronic payment systems in the CAREC region have improved, but some countries should be upgraded to increase their capacity to handle all types of transactions, including bank transfers, in real time. Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, for example, also need to simplify the processes that enable merchants to accept online payments. Wider access to smartphones, which are used for mobile banking apps, digital wallets, and QR codes, could be enabled by reducing or eliminating duties on smartphone imports.

CAREC countries can also look at the feasibility of creating a regional payment card or adopting mutual recognition of their local payment cards to widen access to online shops and spur e-commerce growth across the region.

4. Make delivery services more reliable and less expensive.

Consumers need to be certain they will receive their online orders on time. While basic coverage by postal services is high in many CAREC countries, some still face challenges. Delivery options need to be expanded almost everywhere to meet the demands of online consumers, who must be able to track and trace their purchases and redirect deliveries from home addresses to optional pickup points such as parcel lockers if needed. Facilities that provide integrated storage and delivery as a service should be developed because these were found lacking in most CAREC countries. Making this kind of service available will encourage more merchants to get into e-commerce.

Automating trade documentation, including adopting single-window systems, can cut the time products spend in customs and reduce costs. Adopting a de minimis, possibly a uniform rate for CAREC countries, will also allow products under a certain value to be imported duty free. All these steps will further encourage international trade.

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Israeli police lock Palestinians in mosque at Al-Aqsa compound before far-right flag march

 

Israeli police faced off with Palestinians holed up inside Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque on Sunday as hundreds of Jews visited the holy compound ahead of a contentious Jewish nationalist march through the heart of the Old City.

The annual Jerusalem procession celebrates Israel’s capture of the Old City in the 1967 Middle East war and draws thousands of cheering, chanting participants to its narrow, stone streets.

Palestinian factions have warned that the flag-waving parade through the city’s Muslim quarter could re-ignite their decades-old conflict with Israelis. Tensions have been rising in the city for weeks.

Hours before the procession was due to kick off, police locked some Palestinians inside a mosque on the Al-Aqsa compound as Jewish visitors arrived for daily tours of the compound, which is revered by both Muslims and Jews.

Their correspondent, Najwan Simri, said the Israelis had prevented Palestinian journalists and photographers from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque and threatened them with arrest.

Rubber bullets had also been fired at Palestinian protesters in the compound, in an effort to disperse them. Ten were reportedly injured.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said that the settlers attacked an ambulance crew affiliated with it in the Old City while they were trying to reach an injured person in al-Wad neighbourhood.

Palestinians threw stones and shot fireworks towards police, who responded with stun grenades.

Among the Jewish visitors were a dozen or so young men, wearing religious garb, who smiled, sang and clapped in the direction of the protesters. Other Jews were later seen holding up Israeli flags.

The Islamist group Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, condemned videos posted online suggesting that Jews had prayed at the site, in violation of a long-standing ban.

“The Israel government is fully responsible for all these irresponsible policies and the following consequences,” senior Hamas official Bassem Naim told Reuters.

In recent years Hamas has cast itself as a defender of Muslim Jerusalem. After weeks of tension last year over Palestinian evictions in the city, Hamas fired rockets into Israel during the nationalist march, triggering an 11-day war that killed at least 250 Palestinians in Gaza and 13 people in Israel.

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Courtesy Dawn News

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