Engineer The World

CANVAS: BIG DATA AND ART Hedge funds and some of the world’s biggest banks have embraced the predictive properties of machine learning to spot patterns and guide their investment decisions. Could this branch of artificial intelligence be used to divine the vagaries of the art market? A New York start-up says it can. Arthena analyses hundreds of thousands of data points on artworks —artist, style, medium, size and so forth. Adding a touch of human insight, the company picks pieces it says will generate handsome returns for investors. Arthena manages several funds, ranging from low-risk ones that invest in modern art to higher-risk funds that buy works from emerging artists. Valuing art is inherently subjective, and many experts are sceptical that it can be profitably bought and sold by the numbers. But Arthena co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Madelaine d’Angelo said, “Arthena could shed light on a market where deals are often done privately, lower the barriers to entry and he...

THE decision may have been unexpected, but the reaction wasn’t. US President Donald Trump’s announcement of recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and initiating the move of the US embassy to that holy and hotly disputed city has elicited much sound and fury, much protest and denunciation. There is no shortage of analysis of what the likely short- and long-term effects of this decision will be, but less focus has been given to what considerations prompted this decision in the first place. Also read: Trump's recognition of Jerusalem will not bring peace to Israel — quite the opposite As Trump correctly pointed out, the legal cover for this move had been provided in 1995 when the US Congress passed the Jerusalem embassy act, calling for relocating the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem by May 31st, 1999. That this never actually happened is because successive presidents chose to exercise their waivers in a nod to the enduring tenets of US foreign policy. What prompted the J...

Taking steps to prevent the use of internet and social media for terrorist activities, the Ministry of Information Technology has blocked 937 URLS and 10 websites run by banned organisations, it was learnt on Saturday. These and other statistics were revealed in an interior ministry document on the progress of the National Action Plan (NAP), which has been acquired by DawnNews. An investigation carried out by Dawn across the month of April 2017 had revealed that 41 of Pakistan’s 64 banned outfits are present on Facebook in the form of hundreds of pages, groups and individual user profiles. Their network, both interconnected and public, is a mix of Sunni and Shia sectarian or terror outfits, global terror organisations operating in Pakistan, and separatists in Balochistan and Sindh. However, there appears to have been very little overall progress in NAP in the last three months, as figures of the implementation report released in September are only slightly different than the l...

The PML-N's students federation is deeply dissatisfied with the party's senior leadership, including Nawaz Sharif, for not being treated "respectfully" or given representation in the party's Central Working Committee (CWC) and Central Executive Committee (CEC) — the PML-N's main decision-making bodies. The tensions surfaced in an acrimonious meeting of Muslim Students Federation-N (MSF-N) Chief Organiser Sardar Mohsin Abbasi and PML-N leader Raja Zafarul Haq, a video recording of which has been acquired by DawnNews. During the meeting, Abbasi complained that members of the youth wing were not given any respect or consideration within the PML-N. "We should be given what is rightfully ours, or we will take the MSF and create another party with its members," Abbasi threatened at one point. "We do not have a single representative on the CWC or the CEC; you give us some respect, and we will turn up with 50 thousand people for the December 27 hear...

2 killed as Indian troops target funeral in AJK Indian troops targeted a funeral in a border village of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) from across the Line of Control (LoC) on Thursday, leaving two mourners dead and an elderly woman injured, officials and witnesses said. The incident occurred in Polas Kakuta village in the Abbaspur sector of Poonch district at about 4pm, when a group of people was busy carrying out the burial rites of a fellow villager, Abbaspur police official Anjum Saleem told Dawn. “Indian troops resorted to shelling without any provocation, targeting people in the local burial ground and as a result two mourners embraced martyrdom,” he said. Afzal Kiani, a lawyer in Abbaspur, told Dawn that the villagers had just lowered the body in the grave when the shelling began, to their disbelief and shock. “People tried to take shelter behind trees but nevertheless two of them lost their lives after being hit by splinters from the mortar shells,” he said. The deceas...

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has directed the provincial election commissioners to initiate the process for revising electoral rolls from December 15, for the upcoming 2018 general elections. The ECP issued a notification in this regard, asking for the exclusion of names of deceased voters from the voter lists, and also those disqualified for the surrender of nationality or cancellation of CNICs. President Mamnoon Hussain launches the application “Click ECP” during the ceremony of National Voters’ Day. —APP The adjustment of census blocks will be based on the census block scheme 2017 issued by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). Moreover, the process of enrolment of 5 million new voters will begin on December 15, read the notification carrying signatures of Deputy Director Elections Mohammad Zubair Kamal. The ECP teams will be conducting door-to-door visits for this. Revised voter lists will be published by January 8, while any claims or objections to these will...

I’m proud to be the first-ever Mayor of London to be making an official visit to Pakistan. As someone of Pakistani heritage, I feel a deep affinity with the country and I’m looking forward to going back. London and Pakistan share a long and unique history that has had a profound influence on shaping our respective societies, economies and cultures. I see my visit as an exciting opportunity to build on the ties that bind our cities and countries together for the mutual benefit of everyone — Brits and Pakistanis, Londoners and Lahoris, EastEnders and Karachiites alike. During my time in Pakistan, I’ll be visiting Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi to strengthen the links that exist between London and these great Pakistani cities. There is a huge amount we can learn from each other and I’m confident there’s scope for even greater collaboration in the years ahead. By working together and sharing best practice, I believe London and Pakistan’s cities can speed up innovation, boost economic ...

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, former Karachi mayor Mustafa Kamal and Karachi police chief Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar appeared before the Supreme Court on Wednesday for a hearing on a plea concerning provision of clean drinking water and safe environment in the province. Headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, a three-judge bench at the SC Karachi registry is hearing the constitutional petition of Shahab Usto, a concerned citizen and lawyer, against the provincial government’s failure to provide potable water, better sanitation, environment and associated issues. PSP chief Mustafa Kamal speaks to reporters after the hearing.— DawnNews The court on Monday had  directed Shah to appear in court  as the provincial government’s “satisfactory reply” on the issue of provision of clean drinking water and safe environment was not forthcoming. The court had also directed Kamal, who was the mayor from 2005 to 2010, to appear in court to clarify who he had asked be...

At least six people were killed and eight others injured after an improvised explosive device (IED) set off near an army vehicle in the Mir Ali area of North Waziristan,  DawnNews  reported on Tuesday evening. Initial reports suggested that the IED had been fitted to a motorcycle and its target was a military vehicle carrying three civilian candidates seeking recruitment in the army. All three candidates, along with three other civilian bystanders, were killed in the blast. The injured have been shifted to District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) Bannu for medical treatment. Uptick in IED attacks Last week, at least five people, including the head of a peace committee, were killed and two others had been injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in South Waziristan Agency. According to officials, peace committee commander Wali Jan Mehsud was on his way to attend a jirga along with his brother Ahmad Jan and tribal elders when an IED device went off near his...

Is PIA salvable? Can Pakistan International Airlines make a comeback and again be the darling of air travellers? It would be very poignant for the veterans at our national airlines to view the Emirates inaugural flight video that is doing the rounds on social media. Like a spent star watching with mixed emotions the first performance of a youngster she gave a break to, PIA can only reflect on what was and lament the fact that the time and the crowds have passed her by. Read 'Flying high on celebrities' Our national carrier was the star of the airline industry, giving stellar performances, rarely fluffing her lines. In her heyday, like an actor in her youth with an insight in to what is sellable, PIA knew exactly how to please the crowds, she was the leading lady, the talk of the town. No it wasn’t only branding or advertising; yes, they were amazing, but they were strongly backed up by a service oriented organis...

Lebanese PM Hariri revokes resignation after consensus deal Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri revoked his resignation Tuesday following a consensus deal reached with rival political parties, marking an end to one of the most bizarre interludes in Lebanese politics. The announcement came at the end of the first Cabinet meeting to be held since Lebanon was thrown into a political crisis following Hariri's stunning move a month ago. Hariri announced his resignation in a Nov 4 televised broadcast from Saudi Arabia, citing Hezbollah's meddling in regional affairs as a main reason for stepping down. The nature of the announcement raised suspicions that it was orchestrated by Saudi Arabia, his main backer. The move thrust Lebanon to the forefront of the regional rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran and shattered the national unity government that Hariri headed. Following French mediation to bring Hariri out of Saudi Arabia to Paris for a brief visit, he returned to Leb...

Army chief briefs top brass on 'military diplomacy' Top military leadership met on Tuesday to discuss internal and regional security developments in a Corps Commanders Conference in Rawalpindi chaired by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa. "The COAS took the forum on board about his military diplomacy through his recent  visits abroad  and interaction with foreign dignitaries visiting Pakistan," according to a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The meeting comes a day after United States (US) Defence Secretary retired Gen James Mattis, in his maiden visit to Pakistan, told the country's civil and military leadership that Islamabad   needs to do more to combat militant networks operating on its soil. A day before the Mattis arrived in Islamabad, Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo had  warned Pakistan  that if it does not eliminate the alleged safe havens inside its territory, the US would do ...

Maryam hints at prime ministership, says ‘people tell me I was meant for a certain role LAHORE: Ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz has hinted that she might run for prime minister in General Elections 2018, saying that “people around me tell me I was meant for a certain role”. She expressed these views in an interview with The New York Times. The NY Times reported that Maryam hesitated to directly address whether she had ambitions to become prime minister, but she said that it was her family’s decision that she lead the party—ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). However, Maryam Nawaz denied that she has said that during the interview. “The statement is wrongly ascribed to me,” she tweeted. Speaking about ongoing graft cases against the Sharif family, Maryam reiterated that the cases are politically motivated, adding that the cases are “nothing more than blatant political victimisation and pressure tactics”. “People remain undeterred, and s...

Pink rays of light My personal stake in breast cancer awareness stems from my own loss. My mother died aged 48 from the disease in 1979 after a valiant five-year battle during which she suffered immense pain with remarkable stoicism. Awareness then, of course, of how to detect breast cancer early was patchy compared to today when early detection is said to be key to successful treatment. It can be stopped in its tracks due to advances in treatment be it chemotherapy/radio therapy or other equally effective means to target it. Breast cancer is curable if detected early. What is not is a regressive mindset. Despite these advances, even today delayed diagnosis often means the sufferer may eventually succumb to the killer disease. This is why, like millions around the world and in Pakistan, I support and add my humble voice to any attempt aimed at raising the level of awareness. Therefore, the response of one social media user who was supported by some others left me shocked and...

Film  Lipstick Under My Burkha  has finally been cleared by the Indian censor board. The award winning film had initially been denied classification due to abusive language, sexual scenes and being "[lady-oriented]," 1  by the India's Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). Director Alankrita Shrivastava claimed this an "assault on women's rights" as she believed the main reason to deny clarification was that the film exposed sexism. View image on Twitter  Follow 💄 Under My Burkha   @LipstickMovie Thank you for all your support for  # LipstickUnderMyBurkha  against this ridiculous regressiveness. We won't be silenced.  # CensorTheCensors 1:04 PM - 23 Feb 2017     415 415 Retweets     494 494 likes The director made an appeal which paid off as  The Guardian  reveals that on Wednesday,  Lipstick Under My Burkha  finally got clearance for releas...