Internet users cross 25m mark

 

KARACHI: Internet users in Pakistan have increased to more than 25 million due to its online accessibility through mobile phone services on affordable rates.
According to Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (ISPAK), the estimated Internet users are on the rise with its increasing trend of utility via mobile phones reaching the figure of up to 15 million.
The mobile phone subscribers go online through different Internet services including, EDGE, GPRS and Blackberry Internet Services (BIS).
The cellular phone companies have been working aggressively on the promotion of Internet services for last two years mainly for earning extra revenues besides voice calls and text messages. These companies introduced different bundle packages of Internet services in their youth brands to promote Internet services as an essential for young customers for education and entertainment purposes.
The trend of using Internet is increasing rapidly with the arrival of smartphones of different handset makers though low-cost handsets are available in the market having options of online connectivity. It was further given impetus through providing easy connectivity to users for using Facebook and Twitter.
Mobile phone companies and handset makers alike have provided easy connectivity of Facebook and Twitter Internet users that gave further impetus to Internet usage among the customers.
Officials of the mobile phone companies said the Internet consumption of their subscribers varies due to different needs of individuals in their daily life.
They said the customers having postpaid connection are large users of Internet services due to their business and professional demands. Besides youngsters usage of Internet is limited on mobile phone as they usually avail Internet services for social networking sites, informative webs and browsing. Cellphone operators have created demand of Internet usage among customers through different tools like applications of education, infotainment and entertainment by their own portals.
The excessive branding and marketing campaigns of mobile phone companies are generating positive results on their business in fact creating awareness among the customers before the launch of high data service—3G technology.
The Internet users having demand of high-speed services are also increasing particularly through broadband.
As per industry estimate, there are more than five million broadband users in the country through 2 million connections. The Internet users mainly do connect with one IP connection and consume Internet services through sharing at home, office and educational institutions. There are 50 Internet services providers in which 10 are broadband companies exploring untapped market in big cities.

 

Bhasha Dam: 30 percent initial work done

 

Thirty percent of the initial work on Bhasha Dam has been completed, WAPDA authorities briefing the Ministry of Water & Power said.

The meeting of the Ministry of Water & Power chaired by its Minister Ahmed Mukhtar was also informed that initial work on Bhasha Dam such as acquisition of land and other matters including compensating the affectees and providing them with alternate resources would be completed by 2013. Minister Water & Power said in the meeting that major power problems would be solved by generation of 4,500 megawatt generated at Bhasha Dam. He also asked directed the Economic Affairs Division

Biden, Ryan debate ends in a draw

 WASHINGTON: A combative debate on Thursday between Vice President Joe Biden and Republican challenger Paul Ryan came down to the issue of trust.

They challenged each other's facts and claims and offered starkly different visions for the direction of the country.

Biden achieved his goal of bringing the fight to his Republican challenger in battling Ryan to a draw, boosting the spirits of Democrats disheartened by President Barack Obama's lackluster performance last week in the first of three presidential debates.

Ryan made a positive impression with his command of both domestic and foreign policy issues that showed him to be a formidable national candidate after a career of local congressional races in his native Wisconsin.

A snap CNN-ORC International poll showed voters who watched Thursday's debate narrowly favored Ryan over Biden by 48%-44%, a statistically even result after GOP presidential challenger Mitt Romney scored a clear debate victory over Obama.

Ryan repeatedly said the Obama administration has taken the nation in the wrong direction, asserting it has hindered economic recovery and weakened U.S. influence around the world.

He also repeated several times, in reference to the recent terrorist attack on a U.S. diplomatic compound in Libya and other anti-American protests, that "what we are watching on our TV screens is the unraveling of the Obama foreign policy."

Biden called several of Ryan's remarks "malarkey" and challenged Americans to trust their common sense when judging proposals by the Republican challengers.

The tax and entitlement reforms proposed by Romney and Ryan would harm the middle class and favor the wealthy, Biden said in seeking to depict Republicans as protectors of the privileged.

"You think these guys are going to go out there and cut those loopholes?" Biden asked about unspecified moves promised by Romney and Ryan to balance broad tax cuts they propose.

Ponting fit and fired up for South Africa

Ponting fit and fired up for South Africa

SYDNEY: Ageing Australian batsman Ricky Ponting says he’s put himself through a gruelling training regime to be ready to face South Africa, admitting they have the best fast-bowling attack around.


The 37-year-old, who was dumped from the one-day and Twenty20 International squads, has not played a Test since the West Indies last April and said he went months without picking up a bat.

“I gave my body and mind a bit of a rest because I bashed myself up pretty much during the summer last year,” he told reporters Thursday, a day after smashing seven sixes in an unbeaten 85 for Tasmania against South Australia.

“So after the West Indies I had a couple of months off with nothing and then about 12 weeks where I just trained myself into the ground really, physically.

“I got myself in good physical shape. I’m a few kilos down again at the start of the season and feeling really good and feel like I’m moving really good.”

He is preparing for the three Test series against South Africa, which gets underway in Brisbane on November 9 before three Tests with Sri Lanka, also at home.

The former skipper could break Steve Waugh’s record as Australia’s most-capped Test cricketer in the first match of a Sri Lanka series, with his eye on making the 2013 team to tour England.

“They’re the number one team in the world and they are that for a reason,” Ponting, who has played 165 Tests, said of South Africa.

Italian envoy praises pnoeumococcal vaccine in Pakistan

AHORE: Italian Ambassador Adriano Chiodi Cianfarani has praised the launch of the pnoeumococcal vaccine in the country, during his meeting with the Punjab governor.

The vaccination launch had been announced by the minister of inter-provincial coordination during a ceremony, in the presence of Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI), UNICEF, WHO and donors representatives.
The vaccination campaign against a disease killing over half million children worldwide every year will allow to save the lives of thousands of Pakistani children.
The drive takes place in the framework of the Advanced Market Commitment Programme (AMCP) for vaccines, a public-private partnership between governments and pharmaceutical companies promoted by industrialised countries to develop vaccines against endemic killer diseases.
Italy with $635 million is the first donor to the initiative.
It is worth mentioning that, notwithstanding the present spending review due to European financial difficulties, Italy has maintained its commitment to the AMC.
End.

 

Azhar Mahmood fined for Code of Behaviour breach

 

Johannesburg: Azhar Mahmood, who powered Auckland Aces to a win against Hampshire in the qualifiers on Wednesday, has been reprimanded and fined $1000 for a breach of Code of Behaviour.
Match referee David Boon found him guilty of breaching Level 1.6 of the CLT20 Code of Behaviour, which relates to “pointing or gesturing towards the pavilion in an aggressive manner by a bowler or other member of the fielding side upon the dismissal of a batsman”.

Nation prays for Malala’s health

 

KARACHI: People across the country are observing Friday as a "day of prayer" for Malala Yousufzai, who is in the critical care unit at a military hospital after being shot in the head during an assassination attempt by the Taliban.

Special prayers were offered during the morning assembly at all educational institutions for Malala and her two friends who were injured in Tuesday’s attack.

Like other towns and cities in the country, special prayers were held for early recovery of Malala after Friday prayers in the mosques of this mega-metropolis city here. Rallies and processions were taken out slamming the atrocious attack on the innocent children that fatally injured Malala.

Special prayers were also held in Quetta nursing school. Islamabad educational institutions also organized special prayers in their morning assemblies.

In Peshawar, one minute silence was observed in the schools, colleges and universities besides the government offices prayed for the health and happiness of Malala and other children injured in the incident.

Malala’s indomitable courage and bravery has inspired the girl child all across the country, who vowed not be deterred by the terrorist Taliban and continue pursuing their educational drive.

Talking to Geo News, the students told that they abhor the anti-education Taliban, who targeted Malala for her raising voice for the female education.

In Faisalabad also rallies were taken out by the students of different educational institutions at Kacheri Bazar Chowk and flayed the shameful attack on Malala and prayed for her full recovery at earliest.

Muzaffargarh, Khanewal, Chechawatni also joined in the prayers for the full recovery of Malala and condemned in strongest terms the murderous attack on her. Civil society took out a rally from Fayyaz Park Chowk to press claub. In Chechawatni under the auspicious of PPP special prayers were held at Bhutto House for the recovery of Malala and condemnation of Taliban.