Month: July 2020

Locusts: A close-up look at the swarms devouring the world’s crops

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Huge swarms of desert locusts are wreaking havoc in parts of East Africa, Asia and the Middle East, threatening crops, livelihoods and food supplies. It is already the worst locust infestation in decades, but the forthcoming rainy season could see numbers increase a further 20-fold in some places if swarms are not tackled. Desert locusts, like this one, typically live in the arid areas of about 30 countries between West Africa and India – a region of about 16 million sq km (6.2 million sq miles). A type of grasshopper,…

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Pakistan cuts domestic LNG feedstock prices for fertilizer companies

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Islamabad — Pakistan has cut regasified LNG prices for the country’s two fertilizer producing plants that depend on LNG imports for feedstock, in line with low crude oil prices and to meet fertilizer demand growth in the next few months. The government lowered regasified LNG prices for fertilizer companies by 17% to Pakistan Rupees 756/MMBtu ($4.56) from Rupees 913/MMBtu. The price cut brings it closer to the roughly $4.50/MMBtu for term LNG imports into Pakistan, assuming 11% of Brent crude prices. The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority, the government price regulator,…

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ARCI develops easy-to-clean solar panel coating

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Indian scientists have developed nanoparticle-based solar panel coating that minimizes dust deposition and enables easy cleaning by the action of water, thus preventing a reduction in panel efficiency due to soiling.The coating was developed by the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), an autonomous organization of the Department of Science and Technology.Key features of this novel coating are its low cost, highly transparent nature (no loss in transmittance or power conversion efficiency), super-hydrophobic property (water contact angle more than 110°), high weather stability and high…

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PTI will improve Karachi power distribution system in ‘record time’: Asad Umar

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Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Thursday said the lack of a proper power transmission and distribution system in Karachi was the reason behind increased load shedding in the metropolis and promised that the federal government will improve it in “record time”. Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, Umar said the main reason behind a weak distribution and transmission system was the apathy of previous governments, including those led by the PPP and the PML-N. The minister said “the work they [previous governments] did…

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Case for ‘NTA’

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All the tax collection agencies in Pakistan should be dismantled and merged into National Tax Agency (NTA) which alone can effectively enforce tax laws both at federal and provincial levels. NTA, a competent and effective body, set up on modern lines, should have representations of all constituents of the federation of Pakistan. NTA having national-wide data at one place and centralised processing will certainly be able to compel all taxable persons to file tax returns and pay due taxes under various tax codes. NTA must replace Federal Board of Revenue…

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