Month: November 2021

Categories
-Top News India News

India ramps up air power in message to China

India will also be completing the deployment of the super-powerful S-400 surface-to-air missiles, removing a critical bit of asymmetry in the India-China military equation…reports Asian Lite News.

India is ramping up its air power with a slew of new inductions, in clear message to China not to misjudge New Delhi’s resolve, and revive the relationship, by restoring the status quo ante in Ladakh.

The entire lot of 36 cutting edge Rafale fighter jets will be inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) by early next year. The remaining six Rafale multi-role jets will be more advanced, coming with country-specific enhancements including long range air-to-air missiles, frequency jammers and advanced communications.

Citing IAF officials, the daily said that the first of the three Rafales with India specific improvements with arrive from Istres-Le Tube air base, northwest of Marseille, France in December. The last three of these multi-role jets will land at the Ambala airbase in January 2022. The Istres airbase has testbed facilities for manufacturer Dassault Aviation to install India specific enhancements on Rafale fighter planes.

Once the India specific changes are satisfactorily tested in Indian conditions, the remaining 30 Rafales with India will also be retrofitted with the same enhancements next year, resulting in a world-class fleet of fighters, with high deterrence value. The Indian Rafales, with Ambala as their airbase, are geared to handle the two-front threat in the western sector. Those based in Hashimara are dedicated to responding to threats in the eastern sector.

Two other major developments are taking place to add more teeth to India’s formidable air power. The project to field a battle-ready fleet of Mirage 2000 jets has got a new fillip. The IAF has recently received the first two Mirage 2000 tactical bombers from France as part of a contract for 24 used aircraft.

“The Indian Air Force has received two Mirage 2000 trainer version aircraft from France. The two aircraft were flying with their Air Force and arrived at the Gwalior airbase recently,” ANI news agency reported.

In July 2011, the IAF had signed a contract with Dassault to modernise 51 Mirage 2000 multipurpose fighter aircraft. These were to be upgraded to Mirage 2000 I/TI standards with new suite of avionics and missiles, including MICA air-to-air missiles. The Mirage 2000 planes were successfully battle-tested during the Balakot counter-terror strikes inside Pakistan.

Besides, the Defence Ministry has announced the procurement of a GSAT-7C Communication satellite for use by the IAF. The decision taken by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), will impart a quantum jump in linking the IAF and Army in a secure communication network.

The satellite will interlink different aerial platforms such as the Beriev A-50 Phalcon and the DRDO’s AEW&CS with ground stations. The GSAT series of geosynchronous communications satellites were designed and manufactured by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Simultaneously, India will also be completing the deployment of the super-powerful S-400 surface-to-air missiles, removing a critical bit of asymmetry in the India-China military equation.

Given, India’s resolve not to cave in to military pressure, it is time for the Mandarins in Beijing to realise that attempts at arm twisting New Delhi will simply not work, and will be counterproductive. In fact, if the status quo ante at the borders is not restored soon, it can deepen mistrust and further vitiate people-to-people ties, making it harder to revive an economic and deeply rooted cultural relationship, even after calm at the frontiers has been eventually restored.

ALSO READ-IAF formally inducts Rafale aircraft into 101 Squadron at Hasimara

Categories
-Top News PAKISTAN

Pakistan reports 74 new dengue cases, 2 deaths

Pak witness rise in dengue cases

With 74 new cases, the cumulative count of dengue cases in Pakistan, since the start of the year has touched 25,013….reports Asian Lite News

A total of 74 new dengue cases have been reported in Pakistan’s Punjab province while two infected people died in the last 24 hours, an official said on Monday.

According to Xinhua, two deaths have occurred in Lahore, said Imran Sikandar Baloch, Secretary of the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department of Punjab.

With 74 new cases, the cumulative count of dengue cases in Pakistan, since the start of the year has touched 25,013. As many as 143 people have lost lives to the mosquito-borne disease since the beginning of 2021, reported Xinhua citing official sources.

The majority of the cases are reported in Lahore, being the hotspot for the spread of the disease. As many as 60 out of 74 cases were from the capital city, taking the city’s count to 17,848, reported Xinhua. (ANI)

ALSO READ: India, Pakistan still at loggerheads over Afghan aid

Categories
-Top News PAKISTAN

CPEC project faces roadblock

The 1,500 acres project, is being executed jointly by the federal, Sindh government and CPEC Authority to enhance the economic prospects in the province….reports Asian Lite News

A newly awarded contract for a development project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is in limbo after it was challenged before a Pakistani court.

The contract for the Dhabeji Industrial Zone (DIZ) project near Karachi is facing a petition, stating that the rules of Special Economic Zones (SEZ) were not followed while awarding the contract, Dawn newspaper reported.

The 1,500 acres project, is being executed jointly by the federal, Sindh government and CPEC Authority to enhance the economic prospects in the province.

The provincial government said that since Dhabeji Zone has not been given the status of SEZ, the rules of special economic zones do not apply to it.

‘US, India make attempts to manoeuvre Pak out of CPEC’

Back in February 2020, the Sindh government received bids for the project. Two-month later after the evaluation, one of the bids was declared ‘technically unfit’.

Earlier this month, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had expressed the hope that all economic zones, including DIZ, would be completed at the earliest.

Khan had also lashed out at the Sindh government for the slow pace of development work in the province.

CPEC has been marred with controversy since the announcement of the USD 46 billion project in 2015. Locals are opposing China’s increasing involvement in Balochistan. They are protesting as the CPEC project has not benefited the people of Balochistan while people of other provinces are enjoying the fruits of the mega project.

This has led to widespread protests as the Chinese are viewed as encroachers who are squeezing out all the wealth from the region.

Last week, scores of people have staged a sit-in protest against various issues including needless check posts and fishing trawlers in Balochistan province. Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman, the Provincial General Secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Balochistan is spearheading several demonstrations in the region against the CPEC.

Back in October, thousands of residents of Gwadar and Turbat had also gathered there to demonstrate against the non-availability of drinking water, health and education facilities and rising unemployment in Makran division, Dawn newspaper reported.

The protesters have been demanding the removal of unnecessary security check posts and stopping of deep-sea trawlers from fishing in the area because it was causing huge losses to the local fishermen.

Many say that they are made to feel like strangers in their own land, adding to the miseries of a large number of fishermen among the populace, the government, they complain, has issued licences to Chinese trawlers to fish in the waters off the coast.

Apart from Gwadar, scores of people living in Jand city of Pakistan’s Punjab province gathered at the under-construction CPEC road and staged a protest against the National Highway Authority (NHA) and other authorities for not constructing a service road to their areas that have been cut off from each other due to the mega project, Dawn reported.

The CPEC project would link Pakistan’s southern Gwadar port in Balochistan on the Arabian Sea to China’s western Xinjiang region. It also includes plans to create road, rail and oil pipeline links to improve connectivity between China and the Middle East. (ANI)

ALSO READ: India, Pakistan still at loggerheads over Afghan aid

Categories
-Top News PAKISTAN

Pak model apologises over photo at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib

For the unversed, on Monday, Sauleha received a lot of flak on social media after her pictures posing without a headcover inside the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara went viral….reports Asian Lite News

After facing backlash over her bareheaded photo at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan model, Sauleha issued an apology to people for unintentionally hurting their sentiments.

“Recently I posted a picture on Instagram that was not even a part of a shoot or anything. I just went to kartarpur to learn about the history and know about the Sikh community. It was not done to hurt anyone sentiments or anything for that matter. However, if I have hurt anyone or they think that I dont respect there culture. I am sorry. And I just saw people taking pictures and I took a lot of Sikh pictures too there. I wouldn’t have done it at the first place,” she wrote on Instagram.

For the unversed, on Monday, Sauleha received a lot of flak on social media after her pictures posing without a headcover inside the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara went viral.

Shiromani Akali Dal spokesperson Manjinder Singh Sirsa, too, criticised the model.

He tweeted, “Such behaviour & act at pious place of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is totally unacceptable! Can she dare to do the same at her religious place in Pakistan?@ImranKhanPTI @GovtofPakistan shd tk immed action to stop this trend of treating Sri Kartarpur Sahib as picnic spot by Pak people.”

In her apology note, the young model stated that she “respects the Sikh culture” and will be more responsible in future.

“I RESPECT THE SIKH CULTURE VERY MUCH AND I AM SORRY TO ALL THE SIKH COMMUNITY. These pictures were just a part of a memory that I went there. Nothing more nothing less. However, in future, I will always be more clear about these things and refrain to do so such acts. Kindly share it so people must know that it wasn’t intentional,” she added.

Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan is a holy site for Sikhs. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Afghan media struggle to survive as Taliban censor news reports

Categories
-Top News Afghanistan Asia News

Blast shakes Afghan capital again

“There was a blast today morning but left no casualties,” said Khosti, without providing more details…reports Asian Lite News

A blast, obviously a roadside bomb rocked Darul Aman road on the western edge of the Afghan capital Kabul on Tuesday morning, leaving no casualties, spokesman for Interior Ministry Qari Sayed Khosti said.

“There was a blast today morning but left no casualties,” said Khosti, without providing more details, Xinhua news agency reported.

In the meantime, eyewitnesses on condition of anonymity said that the blast took place at around 10 a.m. local time on Darul Aman road close to a Habibia High School, injuring five.

ALSO READ: Afghan media struggle to survive as Taliban censor news reports

Categories
-Top News Afghanistan Asia News

Taliban engaging in revenge kills of Afghan security forces

(Photo IndiaNarrative)

They announced the amnesty via mosques, word of mouth, and social media. Nonetheless, the Taliban proceeded to forcibly disappear large numbers of people who had worked for the previous government…writes Sanjeev Sharma

The Taliban summarily executed some former security force members in front of their families or have left their bodies where they were likely to be found.

Others who were well known for fighting against the Taliban are among those forcibly disappeared, according to a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Kandahar province stood out in the months before the collapse of the Ghani government as a target for Taliban revenge killings. Before and after the Taliban takeover, Taliban fighters went from house to house in some areas telling men to come in for questioning. Among the first killed were former members of the security forces. Since then, the killings and disappearances have continued.

Taliban permits traders to carry weapons for protection

Those most at risk include people who worked for the former government and those known to have had close personal ties or working relationships with the government officials, civilian as well as military.

One man reported that his friend, Hikmat, a security guard by profession, was picked up by the Taliban on September 25, 2021, in Kandahar city. The Taliban beat him severely and he died as a result. His friend believes his past informal relationships with the government officials — he occasionally sat and talked with them — made him a Taliban target.

This includes key colleagues of former Kandahar provincial chief of police Gen. Abdul Raziq, such as Ayub Kakai, one of Raziq’s top commanders.

The Taliban took him into custody in late August 2021 and have held him incommunicado since.

Haji Lala, former chief of police of Maiwand district of Kandahar, was arrested by the Taliban in late August 2021; he was also held incommunicado even though his family had asked to meet with Taliban officials seeking information about his whereabouts. On November 13, both Lala and Kakai were released following negotiations between Taliban officials and local tribal leaders.

After the Taliban took control of Lashkargah, the capital of Helmand province, on August 13, they declared a general amnesty for the population.

Afghan Taliban members patrol at a security checkpoint in Kunduz, northern Afghanistan, on Sept. 15, 2021. (Photo by Ajmal Kakar/Xinhua/IANS)

They announced the amnesty via mosques, word of mouth, and social media. Nonetheless, the Taliban proceeded to forcibly disappear large numbers of people who had worked for the previous government, particularly members of the Afghan National Police, Afghan Local Police, intelligence agencies, and militias.

Taliban authorities have not provided information about the whereabouts of many of those taken into custody, particularly those who were in sangoryan, led by well-known commander Muhammad Rasulyan, and other militias, and the ALP. Their whereabouts remain unknown.

Around August 20, the Taliban detained at least 23 men from several districts in Ghazni province and killed them in groups of five or six or more. The men had been members of various Afghan security forces or militias, including the Afghan Local Police, patsun kawanki, and others.

Taliban fighters in Ghazni have claimed that all 23 people executed “had been provided amnesty in their districts, but they left those districts and went to Ghazni city. In Ghazni, they were arrested, and the (Taliban) court ordered them to be executed.”

A Taliban fighter said, “These were all people who once, twice, or three times surrendered to us (before), and we forgave them, but they came back and fought us again and again. So, the court ordered their deaths

After Ghazni fell to the Taliban, “Sadaat”, a well-known commander in uprising forces and the ALP, kept to his home out of fear. Eventually, he began to move around. His cousin said that Sadaat’s confidence grew and…one day in mid-October he went to the bazaar on his motorcycle. We were waiting at home. Three hours were gone, he was not back.”

After some time, other residents of the area brought his body to the house. They told his cousin that armed men they believed were Taliban had stopped him on the road and killed him, HRW report said.

ALSO READ: Afghan media struggle to survive as Taliban censor news reports

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Dubai UAE News World

Dubai Press Club announces launch of Arab Media Award

Dubai Press Club announces launch of Arab Media Award

Dubai Press Club today announced the launch of the Arab Media Award, which builds on the success of its prestigious Arab Journalism Award…reports Asian Lite News

Under the directives and in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Dubai Press Club today announced the launch of the Arab Media Award, which builds on the success of its prestigious Arab Journalism Award (AJA).

Dubai Press Club announces launch of Arab Media Award

The announcement of the Arab Media Award was made during a ceremony organised by Dubai Press Club at Expo 2020 Dubai’s Al Wasl Plaza to honour the winners of the 20th and final edition of the Arab Journalism Award in its current form. The event was held in the presence of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Media Council.

Over the past 20 years, the AJA has recognised excellence and promoted creativity in print and digital journalism. With its new structure, the Award seeks to stay abreast of rapid developments in the media landscape and enhance its impact by recognising excellence across three main Arab media sectors: Journalism, TV and Digital Media.

Mona Al Marri, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council and President of Dubai Press Club, said that the creation of the Arab Media Award, which builds on the achievements of the Arab Journalism Award, follows a comprehensive evaluation of the AJA by its Board of Directors and Dubai Press Club, the General Secretariat of the Award.

The AJA’s various categories were assessed to create a new award that is more aligned with the evolution of the media landscape. Based on extensive evaluations and proposals in meetings, it was decided that the Award should cover a wider range of content across media sectors including TV and digital media platforms, besides journalism, she explained.

MONA AL MARRI, VICE CHAIRPERSON AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, DUBAI MEDIA COUNCIL AND PRESIDENT OF DUBAI PRESS CLUB: “We are proud of Arab Journalism Award’s contributions to the region’s media over the last 20 years, which were made possible thanks to the support of the Award’s patron, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The Award has played a crucial role in inspiring talent and creativity in various journalism fields and recognising prominent personalities and Arab journalists who have had a significant positive impact. Today, we seek to deepen the impact of the Award with a revamp that reflects the rapid transformations in the media landscape, which will enable us to recognise a broader variety of outstanding creative content across various media sectors.”

The President of DPC and Secretary General of the Arab Journalism Award expressed her appreciation to the members of the AJA Board, who have included leading media figures in the Arab World, for their role in strengthening the Award’s prestigious position in the region and beyond.

The Award has achieved its prominence due to its ability to consistently maintain credibility, transparency and integrity over the past 20 years, Al Marri said.

The Arab Media Award, featuring new categories, will continue to maintain the highest levels of professionalism and impartiality in its evaluation process.

ALSO READ: Sheikh Mohammed unveils Dh3.8 bn Dubai housing plan

Launched under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Arab Journalism Award is one of the key initiatives of the Dubai Press Club. Other major initiatives by DPC include the Arab Media Forum (AMF), the region’s largest media gathering; the Emirati Media Forum (EMF); the Arab Social Media Influencers Summit (ASMIS); and the Arab Social Media Influencers Award. (WAM)

  • Dubai Press Club announces launch of Arab Media Award
  • Dubai Press Club announces launch of Arab Media Award
Categories
-Top News UK News

Reliance denies reports of its intent to bid for BT

“The article is completely speculative and baseless. We expect greater diligence and verification of facts before publishing such articles,” it added…reports Asian Lite News.

Calling reports completely speculative and baseless, Reliance Industries on Monday informed the stock exchanges that it has no intention to bid for UK telecoms group BT, media reported.

We categorically deny any intent to bid for the UK telecoms group, BT, formerly British Telecom, as reported in the article titled “Reliance Mulling Bid for UK’s Telco BT Group” published in The Economic Times dated November 29, 2021,” Reliance said in a statement.

“The article is completely speculative and baseless. We expect greater diligence and verification of facts before publishing such articles,” it added.

Following the reports earlier today, Reliance shares gained nearly 4% to eventually close 1.04% higher at ₹2,437.70 on NSE. BT stock has also gained as much as 9% in the UK markets, Mint reported.

A news report suggested that Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance might make an unsolicited offer to buy into BT or try to get a controlling share. It could also partner with BT’s networks arm Openreach and fund its fibre expansion plans, the report added.

The British company, whose shares have more than halved in the last five years, was already the subject of takeover speculation after Franco-Israeli billionaire Patrick Drahi bought a 12.1% stake this year, according to the report from Mint.

Meanwhile, the stocks of Sintex Industries have been rising ever since Reliance Industries emerged as one of the bidders who showed interest to acquire the bankrupt firm.

As per reports, Reliance Industries, ARES Capital-backed Assets Care and Reconstruction Enterprises, Welspun Group company Easygo Textiles, Trident, Himatsingka Ventures and GHFC have shown interest in Sintex Industries.

The company’s shares have doubled in the past month, rising 172 per cent so far in 2021, exchange data showed.

Currently, the company’s stock price is valued at Rs 12.25 per share.

The Gujarat-based textile company is currently undergoing corporate insolvency and resolution process in the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).

Sintex Industries, which was incorporated back in 1931, deals in textiles and yarns and has a presence across major Asian, European, US and African markets.

ALSO READ-UK panel slams Pak crackdown on minorities

Categories
-Top News India News

IIT man Parag is new Twitter CEO

In a statement, Twitter said that while Dorsey is stepping down and Agrawal’s appointment in the executive role will be effective immediately, the outgoing CEO will continue to be on the company’s board till the end of his term next year, reports Nikhila Natarajan

Jack Dorsey, the maverick behind making Twitter the world’s go-to social platform to rant, laud, troll or play simple catch up, is moving on.

Confirming long-standing speculation that he would, @Jack, Dorsey’s handle for 18 years, enigmatically said: “not sure anyone has heard but,” and attached a one-page version of why and who.

Indian-American Parag Agarwal, Twitter @paraga, is the new CEO, with immediate effect, Dorsey announced.

Agarwal attended Kendriya Vidyalaya (Central School) and IIT Mumbai and followed it with a Stanford PhD and ten years at Twitter.

Dorsey’s note attacked the concept of “founder-led”. The construct sets companies up for failure, he said.

Dorsey, 45, was serving as both the CEO of Twitter and Square, his digital payments company. He will remain a member of the Board until his term expires at the 2022 meeting of stockholders.

Salesforce boss Bret Taylor will become Twitter Chairman, replacing Patrick Pichette, a former Google executive, who will remain on the board as Chair of the Audit Committee.

“I’ve decided to leave Twitter because I believe the company is ready to move on from its founders,” Dorsey said.

“Deep gratitude for @jack and our entire team, and so much excitement for the future,” Agarwal said in a quote-tweet of Dorsey, with a short acceptance note attached, a #oneteam tag and a heart emoji in blue.

Agrawal, CTO since 2017, isn’t in for an easy time. Twitter’s stated goal of monetisation for one – 315 million monetisable daily active users by the end of 2023 and doubling of annual revenue. Agrawal’s specialisation has been strategy involving artificial intelligence and machine learning (read: no finance as yet).

Before studying computer science at IIT, he attended the Atomic Energy Kendriya Vidyalaya.

While studying at Stanford, Agarwal worked as a research intern for Microsoft, Yahoo!, and AT&T Labs.

After graduating from Stanford, he joined Twitter as an ads engineer. He served in that position from October 2011 to October 2017.

His early work as CTO was dedicated to increasing the relevance of tweets in Twitter timelines through the use of artificial intelligence.

Dorsey’s exit isn’t a surprise. He was under pressure from activist investor Elliott Management Corp, even over how he was spending his time. A year earlier, Dorsey had said he planned to spend up to six months of the year working in Africa to better understand the continent’s internet users, a move that was ultimately scrapped due to Covid-19.

The hedge fund reached an agreement with Twitter and private equity group Silver Lake to appoint three new Directors to Twitter’s board and create a committee to review leadership and governance. The deal came at a cost. Dorsey was expected to grow Twitter’s monetised daily users by 20 per cent or more and boost revenue growth.

As CTO, Agrawal has been responsible for the company’s technical strategy, while overseeing machine learning and AI. Since joining Twitter ten years ago, he has led efforts on scaling Twitter Ads systems, as well as re-accelerating user growth by improving home timeline relevance.

Agrawal joined Twitter in October 2011 as a Distinguished Software Engineer after completing his PhD in Computer Science from Stanford University. While studying at Stanford, he worked as a research intern for Microsoft, Yahoo!, and AT&T Labs.

Agarwal’s remarkable journey starts from a Kendriya Vidyalaya under the Atomic Energy Education Society (AEES), set up for education to children of the employees of the Department of Atomic Energy and its constituent units.

For Agrawal, the appointment has come at a time when Twitter is aggressively pushing for growth. Earlier this year, the firm announced its aim to have 315 million monetisable daily active users by the end of 2023 and to at least double its annual revenue by then.

Lately, under Dorsey as CEO, Twitter has been embroiled in different controversies across key markets, including India. Just months after his visit to India in November 2018, Dorsey was summoned by a 31-member committee of Parliamentarians to get his views on “safeguarding citizens’ rights on social/ online news media platforms”.

This year, Twitter had a run-in with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology after the microblogging platform did not remove certain accounts flagged by the government.

In May, following the issuance of the new rules for social media platforms, the Delhi Police visited the company’s offices to serve a notice asking top executives to join the probe into a complaint by the Congress against allegations tweeted by BJP leaders of a “toolkit” plot to malign the Prime Minister and the Government.

Joins elite club of Indian-origin CEOs

Agarwal joins Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Adobe President and CEO Santanu Narayan and IBM Group CEO Arvind Krishna, who are currently leading global corporations.

Besides, the elite club has other honchos like Mastercard’s CEO Ajay Banga, Arista Networks’ CEO and President Jayshree V. Ullal, Micron Technology’s CEO Sanjay Mehrotra and Reckitt Benckiser’s CEO Laxman Narasimhan.

In a surprise development on Monday, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey decided to step down from the company he was deeply associated with, handing over the baton to Agrawal, the current CTO, who will be the new CEO and a member of the Board, effective immediately.

Dorsey will remain a member of the Board until his term expires at the 2022 meeting of stockholders.

ALSO READ-Twitter getting ready for ‘Reactions’

Categories
-Top News UK News

UK inks digital deals at first Future Tech Forum

“It has been a pleasure hosting the UK’s G7 Presidency and working together we will continue to create a more productive and resilient global economy with digital technology at its heart,” she added…reports Asian Lite News.

The UK government has signed a series of agreements during the first Future Tech Forum in London to help create new digital trade opportunities, remove barriers to cross-border trade and reduce costs for businesses.

Three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed by UK Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries and her Singaporean counterpart, Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo.

The agreement is aimed at underpinning the UK-Singapore Digital Economy Agreement (DEA), currently being negotiated, which seeks to enhance the trade relationship and boost digital trade for businesses and benefits for consumers.

An agreement on ‘digital trade facilitation’ aims to reduce barriers to digitally-led trade by encouraging businesses to use electronic invoicing. It will establish a pilot project for the transfer of electronic bills of lading – the main commercial document of the shipment of goods – between the UK and Singapore.

By removing expensive and antiquated paper record-keeping, the move will not only help reduce costs for businesses and help drive more competitive pricing for consumers, but it will also reduce the carbon footprint of trade, according to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport.

A further agreement marks an important step in achieving the smooth operation of digital identity systems between different jurisdictions. It will help reduce barriers in cross-border trade and enable businesses and individuals to use the international digital economy with more confidence and security.

An agreement on cyber security acknowledges the common interest between the UK and Singapore in addressing the international challenges of protecting the countries’ interests online, and a shared vision of maintaining the economic and social benefits of free, open, peaceful and secure cyberspace.

“The Future Tech Forum is bringing global leaders together to discuss how we can use tech to create a greener, healthier and safer world,” said Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries.

“The deals signed today will reduce costs for businesses and make it easier for our thriving impact startups to trade internationally and create wealth and jobs across the country.”

“It has been a pleasure hosting the UK’s G7 Presidency and working together we will continue to create a more productive and resilient global economy with digital technology at its heart,” she added.

The Future Tech Forum marks the end of the UK’s G7 Digital and Tech Presidency, its work on the ‘digital and tech track’, and builds on the G7 digital and technology ministers’ declaration signed in April, which identified six priorities to recover from the pandemic and create a more productive and resilient global economy with digital technology at its heart.

The UK also confirmed it will endorse the Prague Proposals on telecommunications supplier diversity, which will guide international efforts to advance and promote diversity in the telecoms supply chain so countries are not left dependent on a small number of operators to build their networks.

ALSO READ-UK panel slams Pak crackdown on minorities