Author: Arif ArifArman

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Sheikh Asif, a visionary entrepreneur, is on a mission to transform the lives of Kashmiri youths by providing them with IT education and empowering them to pursue independent careers. Born and raised in the vibrant neighbourhood of Batamallo, Srinagar, Asif has defied all odds to become a successful business leader and a beacon of hope for the aspiring entrepreneurs of his region. Asif’s journey began with his strong passion for entrepreneurship, driven by his desire to help businesses grow and succeed. Starting with Thames Infotech, an IT company based in Manchester, Asif established himself as a founder and…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The global community is concerned about Chinese investors rushing to get into generative AI with a focus on large language models. More Than 30 Chinese companies have announced their own large language model projects. They include tech giants Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu and Huawei, With the entry of Tiktok owner Bytedance the competition has intensified. ByteDance Ltd. is testing an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot among employees to create a local version of ChatGPT. This came a week after Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. Rolled out its ChatGPT-style technology. Alibaba wants to take a lead in China’s artificial intelligence race. ChatGPT, which…

SPORTS DESK: In the picturesque town of Dangiwacha, nestled in the heart of North Kashmir’s Baramulla District, history was being made. The air crackled with excitement as the first-ever Women’s Cricket League took centre stage. The ‘North Kashmir Women’s Premier League’ was not just an ordinary sporting event; it symbolized a triumph for women’s empowerment and shattered the gender norms that had confined women to the sidelines for far too long. With the noble objective of providing equal opportunities to women cricketers and propelling them into the limelight, the ‘We Care Foundation’ joined hands with the army to organize this…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: China’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sun Weidong, recently visited Sri Lanka and held a meeting with Sri Lankan President, Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sri Lanka-based Mawrata News reported. However, there was no mention of debt restructuring in the official announcements issued after the meeting between the two leaders. The official statement released after the meeting only mentioned that China will give maximum support to Sri Lanka to recover from the economic crisis. China’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs invited him to China for a conference on China’s belt and road initiative, as per the news report. Ranil Wickremesinghe might…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: India’s seafood exports, both in terms of volume and value, achieved an all-time high in 2022-23. It shipped 1.7 million tonnes of seafood worth Rs 63,969.14 crore (USD 8.09 billion) during the financial year, growing 26.73 per cent in quantity terms and 4.31 per cent in value terms over 2021-22. According to a press statement from the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Frozen shrimp remained the major export item in terms of both quantity and value while USA and China turned out to be the major importers of India’s seafood. Frozen shrimp, which earned Rs 43,135.58 crore (USD…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: India will soon overtake China as the largest driver of global oil demand even as it has an opportunity to become a world leader in green hydrogen production, International Energy Agency (IEA) chief Fatih Birol said Wednesday. A swelling population, which has likely already surpassed that of China, is driving demand in the world’s third-largest energy-consuming nation. Its transition from fossil fuels to cleaner sources is expected to lag other regions, but cheap electricity produced from renewable energy sources like solar energy can help transform the nation into a green hydrogen leader. “India’s oil demand will grow. I…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today called for making sure that the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) tools are not assigned to hurt or undermine humanity. “We have to ensure that the 4IR tools are not assigned to hurt or undermine our humanity,” she said. The premier made this call while responding to a question in a talk at the event “New Economy and Society in Smart Bangladesh” organised by the World Economic Forum (WEF) at its office in Geneva, Switzerland. Prime Minister’s Speech Writer Md Nazrul Islam told the reporters after the programme that she also laid emphasis on…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: International Energy Agency (IEA) executive director Fatih Birol has underlined the need for advanced economies to take a bigger responsibility for supporting energy transition in developing nations even as developed nations have opposed the inclusion of the scaling up of mitigation action on the agenda of the ongoing Bonn Climate Change Conference. Speaking at a G20 event in New Delhi on Wednesday titled “India’s Role in Future of Energy”, Birol said climate change caused by the concentration of carbon is not a problem of today. “…it is an issue of hundred years of accumulation of carbon in the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Walmart’s Flipkart marketplace and PhonePe payments business in India could be $100 billion businesses buoyed by strong growth, the retailer’s chief financial officer said on Wednesday at an investor conference. Walmart does not break out sales of Flipkart and PhonePe but over the past few months, executives have singled out the two businesses as key drivers in meeting its target of doubling the gross merchandise volume it sells in foreign markets to $200 billion in five years. Walmart’s international chief has previously called India’s 1.4 billion population a “significant” opportunity for the retailer. In its most recent quarter…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “One Earth One Health” and belief “Vasudaiva Kutumbakam,” India supplied ‘Made in India’ Covid vaccines to 42 countries of the Africa continent, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday. Addressing the inaugural address at the 18th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave, Jaishankar said, “During the pandemic, India continued unabated its engagement with Africa. The 15th and 16th editions of the CII-Exim Bank Africa Conclave were actually held, though they were held virtually. To support our friends in Africa, India provided medical support to 32 countries.” “From January 2021 till March 2023 we…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Kingdom participated in the Group of Twenty (G20) Ministerial Development Meeting held over the past three days in the Indian city of Varanasi, highlighting its efforts towards achieving sustainable development goals. The Kingdom was represented at the meeting by the General Supervisor of the General Department of Research and Economic Visions at the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Dr. Yasser Bin Osama Fakih, who spoke in two sessions. The first was entitled, “The G20 Action Plan to Accelerate Progress in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” and the second entitled “The High Principles of a Lifestyle for Environment…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Rise of Africa is key to global rebalancing, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday. “We are there for the long term with a focus on promoting capabilities and creating capacities. For India the rise of Africa is key to global rebalancing,” he said while addressing the 18th CII-EXIM Bank Conclave on India-Africa Growth Partnership in Delhi. “India believes in forging a development partnership with Africa that is based on the needs and priorities of our partners,” he said. Speaking of India’s commitment to ties with Africa, Jaishankar cited the concessional loans of over $ 12.37 billion.…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Director General Sujoy Lal Thaosen on Wednesday said that border guarding forces of India and Bangladesh have worked tirelessly to ensure that illegal border crossing at the border is less. CRPF DG Sujoy Lal Thaosen who held the additional charge of DG of the Border Security Force (BSF) till Wednesday, made the remarks at a joint press conference along with Major General AKM Nazmul Hasan, Director General, Border Guard Bangladesh here in the national capital. In response to a question about immigrants, Sujoy Lal Thaosen said that the India-Bangladesh border traverses through mountains,…

INTERNATIOANL DESK: Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shunsuke Takei on Wednesday took a ride in Delhi Metro and visited the museum of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), officials said. He was travelling as part of a Japanese G20 delegation that included the Ambassador of Japan to India, Hiroshi Suzuki, among others. “The members of the delegation travelled by metro from Central Secretariat to Chawri Bazaar,” a senior official of the DMRC said. The group took a tour of the Chawri Bazaar underground station located in old Delhi. On their return journey, the group stopped to visit the Delhi…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: India will soon overtake China as the largest driver of global oil demand even as it has an opportunity to become a world leader in green hydrogen production, International Energy Agency (IEA) chief Fatih Birol said Wednesday. A swelling population, which has likely already surpassed that of China, is driving demand in the world’s third-largest energy-consuming nation. Its transition from fossil fuels to cleaner sources is expected to lag other regions, but cheap electricity produced from renewable energy sources like solar energy can help transform the nation into a green hydrogen leader. “India’s oil demand will grow. I…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak had a phone call with National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of India Ajit Kumar Doval on Wednesday. The two discussed the implementation of the agreements reached by Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he took part in the G7 Summit held in Japan on May 20, according to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s official website. The main topic of their conversation was the implementation of the Ukrainian Peace Formula, in particular, the consolidation of international support…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday urged the international community to invest in social justice in order to build peaceful, just and inclusive societies across the world. “We can achieve lasting peace and sustainable development on the foundation of social justice. We must invest in social justice in our efforts to build peaceful, just and inclusive societies worldwide,” she said. The premier was addressing the plenary session of the two-day ‘World of Work Summit: Social Justice for All’ here in Geneva, which is a high-level forum for global voices to address the need for increased, coordinated and coherent…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Bangladesh and Switzerland today inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the aim of enhancing skill training capacity in Bangladesh, which would also widen opportunities to export the skilled workforce, specifically from the medical and IT sectors, to Switzerland. The signing ceremony was held at the bilateral meeting room in Palais des Nations after the meeting between President of the Swiss Confederation Alain Berest and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Permanent representatives of Switzerland and Bangladesh Jurg Lauber and Sufiur Rahman signed the MoU titled “Knowledge Partnership and Skill Enhancement” for their respective countries. President of the Swiss…

SPORTS DESK: The 1st Janajatiya Khel Mahotsav, a sporting extravaganza celebrating indigenous sports, witnessed the exceptional performance of Assam’s swimming team at the KIIS Swimming Pool Complex in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Competing in the senior men/women section, the swimmers from Assam secured 12 medals including 4 gold, 4 silver and another 4 bronze in various events. Violina Krow emerged as a standout performer, clinching two gold medals. In the women’s 50m Breaststroke event, she displayed her dominance, finishing with a remarkable timing of 43.15 seconds. Additionally, Krow showcased her prowess in the Women’s 50m Freestyle event, securing another gold medal with…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Saiqa Rashid is a talented artist and engineer whose creative spirit for art and calligraphy knows no bounds. The majestic beauty of Jammu and Kashmir serves as a constant source of inspiration for her artwork. Meet Saiqa Rashid, an Assistant Engineer at PDD (Power Development Department) has blossomed into a remarkable journey of self-expression and inspiration. From a young age, Saiqa,In the picturesque town of Wanbal Rawalpora, Srinagar, nestled in the breathtaking landscapes of Kashmir, had an innate talent for calligraphy and painting, a passion that was nurtured by her love for artistic endeavours. Throughout her childhood, she…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Indian government is sending another 20,000 metric tons of wheat to Afghanistan amid a humanitarian crisis in the country, Khaama Press reported. The Khaama Press is an online news service for Afghanistan. This new project entails using Iran’s Chabahar port to carry 20,000 tons of wheat to Afghanistan. This generous deed intends to relieve the severe food scarcity that many Afghans are currently experiencing, as per Khaama Press. The project builds on the success of a previous wheat assistance delivery of 40,000 tons through Pakistan’s land border. The first shipment of 2,500 MT of the 20,000 MT…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Pakistan’s foreign direct investment (FDI) during the current financial year has shrunk to USD 17 billion, Pakistan vernacular media Daily Dunya reported. Daily Dunya is an Urdu daily newspaper from Pakistan. The FDI has been declined by 23 per cent as compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, the ratio of investment to GDP was 13:6. The percentage remained the lowest among the regional countries. These figures should be eye-openers for the Pakistan government. But the government has been acquitted of the economic problems by blaming the ongoing political instability in the country and last year’s floods. As per…

TECHNOLOGY DESK: From Indian stack to digital payments to fintech, from space tech to consumer electronics, information technology to software support, building metaverse to transformative use of artificial intelligence, India’s success is evident across all domains, flexing muscles in the tech ring. Today, India has entered the realm of digitalization. Equipped with a strong and youthful workforce, innovative ideas, cost efficiency and reliable and efficient government policies, India is poised to grow by leaps and bounds in her pursuit of becoming a tech giant. Semiconductors, often known as the brain of modern electronics are indispensable and critical components to most…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Minister of State (Defence) Ajay Bhatt on Tuesday said that G20 has showcased that Jammu and Kashmir is on a path of development. “This government has a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism. Everyone knows how the government has been working. In Jammu and Kashmir as well, the government has been working for development,” he said. Taking a dig at the opposition, Ajay Bhatt said the Modi government has proven everyone wrong by peacefully organising the G20 event in the state. “When Article 370 was abrogated and many in the opposition said that there will be rivers of blood. However,…