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  • Let’s delve into Zain’s incredible journey at the Copernicus Olympiad in Houston, Texas, where the stage was set against the backdrop of the iconic NASA

    Let’s delve into Zain’s incredible journey at the Copernicus Olympiad in Houston, Texas, where the stage was set against the backdrop of the iconic NASA

    Let’s delve into Zain’s incredible journey at the Copernicus Olympiad in Houston, Texas, where the stage was set against the backdrop of the iconic NASA. Picture this: Zain not only took home the gold medal but also proudly claimed the first position, outshining 500 students from 22 countries. Now, that’s no small feat – it’s a colossal win that’s making waves beyond borders and truly making Pakistan beam with pride on the world stage.

    As Zain stepped foot into NASA, it wasn’t just a visit – it was a voyage into the heart of scientific exploration. And there, amidst the brilliance of the space station, he emerged as the undeniable champion, clinching the first spot with a flair that left everyone in awe. It’s not just a victory; it’s a narrative of triumph, determination, and passion for discovery.

    From January 9th to January 13th, Zain not only showcased his talents in a lively talent show, representing Pakistan with flair, but also demonstrated his prowess by effortlessly solving 2×2, 3×3, and 4×4 Rubik’s cubes.

    Zain’s adventure extended beyond the competition as he delved into the cutting-edge world of space exploration at NASA. This victory isn’t merely a personal triumph; it’s a source of immense pride for Zain’s parents, school, and his home country, Pakistan. The Copernicus Olympiad not only champions academic excellence but also fosters cultural exchange among students worldwide.

    Physics and astronomy, as Zain’s success highlights, go beyond textbooks. They unravel the mysteries of the universe, giving us a profound understanding of our place in the cosmos. Zain’s journey, with NASA at its pinnacle, is a testament to the spirit of curiosity and dedication that propels scientific exploration.

    In the grand tapestry of scientific inquiry, Zain’s win, accentuated by his visit to NASA, shines brightly, underscoring the curiosity that fuels our collective journey to understand the wonders of the universe.

    So, as we celebrate Zain’s achievement, let’s not just see it as winning a medal. Let’s see it as a moment where a young talent, with a zest for knowledge, stood at the forefront, showcasing that the pursuit of excellence knows no boundaries. It’s a story that echoes far and wide, reminding us that dreams can indeed take us to the stars – or in Zain’s case, into the heart of NASA’s brilliance.

  • Imran’s government more corrupt than Shehbaz Sharif’s: Transparency International

    Imran’s government more corrupt than Shehbaz Sharif’s: Transparency International

    During the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government in 2023, Pakistan made improvements in its ranking on the Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).

    The improvement in ranking shows that corruption decreased during the Shehbaz Sharif-led government as compared to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s tenure from 2018–2022.

    According to TI’s previous report, corruption in Pakistan increased since 2018.

    Imran Khan promised to wipe out corruption in Pakistan when he came into power. However, during his tenure, Pakistan’s ranking on the global corruption index went down, the opposite of what he had promised.

    According to a TI report released on Tuesday, Pakistan is now on number 133 among 180 countries.

    The previous report ranked Pakistan at 140, while the country’s overall score fell to 27 in the same year — the lowest since 2012.

    The recent report from TI indicates that Pakistan’s score on CPI increased by two points from 27 to 29. Additionally, the country’s rank has improved by 7 positions.

  • Quetzal Softalogy Partners with Sagevanguard Tech to Introduce Cutting-Edge Commercial WiFi Routers to Pakistan

    Quetzal Softalogy Partners with Sagevanguard Tech to Introduce Cutting-Edge Commercial WiFi Routers to Pakistan

    Quetzal Softalogy Pvt. Ltd. and Sagevanguard Tech have forged a strategic partnership to introduce cutting-edge commercial WIFI routers and other IT products to Pakistan. The routers, capable of connecting 256 devices and featuring mesh capability at commercial level.

    In this groundbreaking collaboration, Sagevanguard Tech, a Hong Kong-based leader in wireless network technology, is teaming up with Quetzal Softalogy, Pakistan to bring advanced commercial WIFI routers to Pakistan. These state-of-the-art routers not only support up to 256 devices at one time with mesh capability for seamless connectivity but also mark the beginning of a comprehensive venture. Mr. Noah from Sagevanguard Tech will lead operations in the Pakistani market, overseeing not only the distribution of routers but also the development of technology-based AI devices. Beyond technological innovation, Quetzal Softalogy’s commitment to minimizing the digital divide in Pakistan is a core aspect of this partnership, with a focus on fostering development in underserved areas.

    About Sagevanguard Tech: Sagevanguard Tech, based in Hong Kong, is a leading company dedicated to wireless network technology. With a focus on research, development, and innovation in the field of commercial networks, Sagevanguard Tech aims to drive the future of digital connectivity and create broader business possibilities for customers through advanced technological solutions.

    About Quetzal Softalogy Pvt. Ltd.: Quetzal Softalogy Pvt. Ltd. is a prominent provider of ICT solutions and services, offering network design, software and mobile app development, web design, and IT consultancy. With a commitment to innovation and excellence, Quetzal Softalogy seeks to empower businesses and organizations through cutting-edge technology.

    For media inquiries, please contact:
    +92 301 8481054

  • Notorious Japanese fugitive dies after 50 years on the run: media

    Notorious Japanese fugitive dies after 50 years on the run: media

    Tokyo, Japan – Long hair, youthful smile, thick glasses slightly askew: for decades, the black-and-white photo of one of Japan’s most wanted fugitives has been a ubiquitous sight at police stations nationwide.

    But after nearly 50 years Satoshi Kirishima — wanted over deadly bombings by leftist extremists in the 1970s — reportedly died Monday, days after local media said he had finally been caught.

    Last week, the 70-year-old revealed his identity after he admitted himself to hospital under a false name for cancer treatment, according to Japanese media.

    The reports were a sensation in Japan, where his young face is so widely recognised that it has inspired viral Halloween costumes.

    But police were still scrambling to conduct DNA tests when the man believed to be Kirishima passed away on Monday morning.

    “Investigators looked into and eliminated past tips, but there is a very high possibility that this individual is actually Kirishima,” a police source told the Asahi newspaper.

    Plain sight

    Details are emerging of how Kirishima may have been hiding in plain sight for decades.

    Born in Hiroshima in January 1954, Kirishima attended university in Tokyo, where he was attracted by radical far-left politics.

    He joined the East Asia Anti-Japan Armed Front, one of several militant groups active in the era along with the once-feared Japanese Red Army or the Baader–Meinhof Group in West Germany.

    The revolutionary Armed Front carried out bombings at Japanese companies, including one at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries that killed eight people.

    It operated in three cells, with fanciful names: “Wolf”, “Fangs of the Earth” and “Scorpion” — Kirishima’s outfit.

    Under the radar

    Alongside physical descriptors on Kirishima’s wanted posters — 160 cm tall (5 ft 3), full lips, very short-sighted — is a summary of his crime.

    In April 1975, the young radical allegedly helped set up a bomb that blasted away parts of a building in Tokyo’s upscale Ginza district. No one was killed.

    He has been on the run ever since.

    TV Asahi and other outlets said he had lived a double life for years, working at a building contractor in the city of Fujisawa in Kanagawa region, under the alias Hiroshi Uchida.

    He was paid in cash and went under the radar with no health insurance or driving licence, the reports said.

    At the nondescript office where the man reportedly worked, someone who knew him told TV Asahi that the suspect had “lost a lot of weight” compared to the wanted photo.

    The man believed to be Kirishima began to receive treatment for stomach cancer under his own expense, the reports said.

    It was at a hospital in the city of Kamakura that he finally confessed that he was 70-year-old Kirishima, they added.

    Walking free

    Nine other members of the East Asia Anti-Japan Armed Front were arrested, the Asahi newspaper said.

    But two 75-year-olds are still on the run after being released in 1977 as part of a deal by the Japanese Red Army, which had hijacked a Japan Airlines plane in Bangladesh.

    Fusako Shigenobu, the female founder of the Japanese Red Army, walked free from prison in 2022 after completing a 20-year sentence for a 1974 embassy siege.

    Shigenobu’s group carried out armed attacks in support of the Palestinian cause during the 1970s and 80s, including a mass shooting at Tel Aviv airport in 1972 that killed 24 people.

    Kirishima though escaped justice, or so it seems.

    “I want to meet my death with my real name,” he told staff at the hospital, according to NHK.

    bur-kaf/stu/ser

    © Agence France-Presse

  • Pakistani rupee sees marginal dip against US dollar 

    Pakistani rupee sees marginal dip against US dollar 

    In Monday’s trading session, the Pakistani rupee experienced a slight decline of 0.02 per cent against the US dollar in the inter-bank market, closing at Ra279.64, reflecting a decrease of Re0.05, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

    The previous week saw the rupee’s 11th consecutive week of appreciation, gaining Re0.31, or 0.11 per cent, to settle at Rs279.59 against the US dollar. 

    This consistent uptrend was attributed to the approval of the second tranche of $705.6 million in the $3 billion Stand-by Arrangement (SBA) from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    The positive impact of the IMF inflow was evident in the foreign exchange reserves held by the SBP. 

    Meanwhile, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar instructed the Ministry of Energy to develop a comprehensive plan, in consultation with the Finance Ministry, to address and reduce the circular debt in the power and gas sectors.

    In a significant move, the SBP announced plans to revamp the foreign exchange trading system by introducing a centralised foreign exchange (FX) trading platform named “FX Matching” for the interbank FX market.

    On the global front, the US dollar maintained a stable position as investors assessed US economic data ahead of the Federal Reserve policy meeting scheduled for the week. 

    Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East contributed to a cautious risk sentiment among investors.

  • ‘I am strongly against stopping criticism, as freedom of the press is enshrined in the constitution,’ Chief Justice Faez Isa

    ‘I am strongly against stopping criticism, as freedom of the press is enshrined in the constitution,’ Chief Justice Faez Isa

    The Supreme Court (SC) has instructed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to promptly withdraw notices sent to journalists involved in a “malicious campaign” against the judiciary and institutions on social media as per Geo News.

    A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, heard the case pertaining to harassment of journalists by FIA.

    CJP ISA told Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan that verbal abuse was a different matter and that the FIA should not take action against journalists, especially on criticism.

    The AGP assured the Chief Justice of Pakistan that journalists would not face any action.

    The chief justice remarked that he is strongly against curtailing criticism, as freedom of the press is enshrined in the Constitution. “I don’t care if you make fun of me, but if you make fun of the judiciary, the country will suffer. You can criticise the Supreme Court, but the Constitution also has some limitations,” he said.

    “If you think that you are benefiting me or the Supreme Court by stopping criticism, then you are harming [the institution],” CJP Isa remarked.

    Qazi Faez Isa also said that media persons are allowed to criticise, but the matter of incitement is different. “We can never restrain a common man or a journalist from criticising.”

    Justice Musarrat Hilali stated that there is no issue with fair criticism, but the language used is wrong.

  • Gold glitters again: Domestic bullion rebounds with Rs1,500 per tola increase

    Gold glitters again: Domestic bullion rebounds with Rs1,500 per tola increase

    In a notable reversal, domestic bullion has rebounded from a four-week decline, initiating the current week with a positive trajectory. The price of 24-karat gold has seen a robust surge, ascending by Rs1,500 per tola and reaching Rs215,400. 

    The Karachi Sarafa Association reported a noteworthy uptick in the 10-gramme 24-karat gold, now standing at Rs184,671, reflecting a gain of Rs1,286 from the preceding day. Meanwhile, the 10-gramme 22-karat gold is reported at Rs169,282.

    Contrary to the gold market’s dynamic, silver prices have maintained stability domestically. The 24-karat silver is being traded at Rs2,600 per tola and Rs2,229.08 per 10-gramme.

    This positive shift in the domestic gold market is attributed to the rise in international prices. At present, the international spot gold is trading at $2,032.5 [12:42 p.m. PST], exhibiting a 0.7 per cent increase from the closing of the previous session. 

    Notably, the global market witnessed a second consecutive weekly loss last week, driven by diminishing expectations of a rate cut.

    However, the current surge in gold prices is fueled by escalating tensions in the Middle East, prompting an increased demand for safe-haven assets. 

    This geopolitical development signals a bullish trend for gold, counteracting the pressure on domestic gold caused by the continuous strengthening of the Pakistani Rupee (PKR). 

    The sudden upturn in international prices has effectively outweighed the market impact of the PKR’s persistent strength.

  • Iran executes four men convicted of spying for Israel

    Iran executes four men convicted of spying for Israel

    Iran executed four men at dawn on Monday after they were convicted of collaborating with the country’s arch-foe Israel on a plan to sabotage an Iranian defense site, according to the judiciary.

    The four defendants, identified as Mohammad Faramarzi, Mohsen Mazloum, Wafa Azarbar, Pejman Fatehi, were arrested in July 2022 and accused of plotting to carry out out an operation against a Ministry of Defense centre in the central province of Isfahan, according to the judiciary’s Mizan Online website.

    “The death sentence of four members of a group affiliated with the Zionist spy organisation, who were arrested… for plotting a bombing operation in Isfahan, was carried out this morning,” Mizan Online reported.

    According to Iran, the men had been recruited by Mossad, Israel’s intelligence service, “about a year and a half before the operation”.

    They were sent to African countries for “training courses in the military centres” where Mossad officers were present, the judiciary added.

    The men were sentenced to death in September 2023.

    In August 2023, Iran claimed to have foiled a “very complex” Mossad-initiated project to “sabotage” its ballistic missile industry. A few months earlier, in February, Teheran accused Israel of being responsible for a drone attack on a military site in Isfahan.

    The two countries have been engaged in a shadow war for decades, with Iran regularly accusing Israel and its ally the United States of inciting unrest.

  • Iran launches three satellites into orbit

    Tehran, Iran: Iran on Sunday said it simultaneously launched three satellites into orbit, nearly a week after the launch of a research satellite by the Revolutionary Guards drew Western criticism.

    “Three Iranian satellites have been successfully launched into orbit for the first time,” state TV reported.

    The satellites were carried by the two-stage Simorgh (Phoenix) satellite carrier and were launched into a minimum orbit of 450 kilometres (280 miles), it added.

    The Mahda satellite, which weighs around 32 kilogrammes and was developed by Iran’s Space Agency, is designed to test advanced satellite subsystems, the official IRNA news agency said.

    The other two, Kayhan 2 and Hatef, weigh under 10 kilogrammes each and are aimed to test space-based positioning technology and narrowband communication, IRNA added.

    Last week, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps sent the research satellite Soraya into space.

    Britain, France, and Germany condemned that launch in a statement rejected by Iran as “interventionist”.

    Western governments including the United States have repeatedly warned Iran against such launches, saying the same technology can be used for ballistic missiles, including ones designed to deliver a nuclear warhead.

    Iran has countered that it is not seeking nuclear weapons and that its satellite and rocket launches are for civil or defence purposes only.

    The Islamic republic has struggled with several satellite launch failures in the past.

    The successful launch of its first military satellite into orbit, Nour-1, in April 2020 drew a sharp rebuke from the United States.

    Tehran has been under crippling US sanctions since Washington’s 2018 withdrawal from a landmark nuclear deal which granted Iran sanctions relief in return for curbs on its nuclear activities designed to prevent it from developing an atomic warhead.

    Iran has always denied any ambition to develop nuclear weapons capability, insisting that its activities are entirely peaceful.

  • Tempers fly high in court as Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi are given state lawyers

    Tempers fly high in court as Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi are given state lawyers

    In a surprising turn of events, Imran Khan, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi found themselves represented by state-appointed lawyers in the ongoing cipher case, after their legal representatives failed to show up in court.

    A special court formed to hear cases under the Official Secrets Act appointed on Saturday state counsels for former premier Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

    The decision was announced by special court Judge Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain after the counsels representing the accused were absent from court proceedings on Friday.

    Malik Abdul Rehman is set to represent Imran Khan, while Hazrat Younus will stand in for Shah Mahmood Qureshi, both undertaking the responsibility of cross-examining the witnesses in the high-profile case. Both PTI leaders are presently detained at Adiala jail.

    Deliberating on the facts and circumstances, the court emphasised that it provided ample opportunities for the accused’s legal representation to be present in court. However, with no senior lawyer appearing on behalf of either Imran or Qureshi, the court had no recourse but to appoint state defense counsel.

    Tensions escalated during the hearing as Qureshi, dissatisfied with the situation, took the file from the state-appointed lawyer and, in an unexpected move, threw it against the wall.

    The development transpired following the absence of PTI founder and vice chairman’s counsels in the special court, established under the Official Secrets Act. The prosecution had filed a petition seeking to terminate the right to cross-examine witnesses, prompting a reserved verdict by Special court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain on Friday.

    During today’s proceedings, special prosecutors Zulfikar Abbas Naqvi and Raja Rizwan Abbasi were present, while the accused lawyers remained conspicuously absent. Assistant lawyers Qamar Anayat Raja and Khalid Yusuf Chaudhary took on the defense in their absence.

    In response to inquiries about the senior lawyers’ non-appearance, Raja, in an application seeking to postpone the hearing, explained that senior counsel Sikander Zulqarnain was undergoing dental surgery, rendering him unable to attend.

    Expressing concern over repeated adjournment requests, Prosecutor Naqvi questioned the regularity of lawyers’ appearances, suggesting a deliberate pattern of delays. Despite Raja’s defense of unintentional delays, Judge Zulqarnain expressed frustration, citing the case’s significance.

    As tensions mounted, the court instructed assistant lawyers to contact the absent senior lawyers by 12:30 pm, warning that proceedings would continue according to the law if they failed to appear. After the expiration of the two-time deadline, the court reserved its decision and adjourned the hearing until today. The legal saga continues to unfold as the case takes center stage.