Pakistan’s favourite esports league, FFPL IV returns with PKR 1 Crore prize pool.

            

                          

Pakistan’s first and largest esports league, Free Fire Pakistan League has returned with its fourth edition, FFPL IV, now entering its group stages. Free Fire is the world’s leading mobile battle royale game with over 1 Billion downloads and has been at the forefront of the esports revolution in Pakistan. FFPL is the highest professional-level esports tournament in Pakistan hosted under the International esports giant Free Fire.

FFPL has been previously endorsed by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting under E-PAK, Pakistan’s first-ever initiative aimed at promoting esports and creating a sustainable ecosystem in Pakistan. Free Fire recently held a tier-2 esports league in collaboration with the Punjab Sports Board, the Soobai Series, which was aimed at promoting new professional talent in Pakistan and granting entry to new teams into FFPL IV.

FFPL IV has introduced a new format this year, with the final 18 teams now competing for a piece of one of the largest prize pools for any Esports tournament in Pakistan valued at PKR 10,000,000. Free Fire remains committed to empowering the youth through opportunity and developing a sustainable infrastructure for esports in Pakistan.

FFPL IV officially commences it’s Group Stage that is set to go for 4 weeks with the top 12 teams battling it out in 3 groups from cities all over Pakistan featuring Islamabad, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Multan and Peshawar.

The Group Stages are set to kick off from this weekend, September 9th at 6PM. The top 12 teams from the Group Stages will then advance to FFPL IV’s Grand Final scheduled to take place in Karachi on 16th October where these 12 finalists will play a total of 8 matches to decide this season’s champions. 

The champions from FFPL IV will go on to represent Pakistan In Free Fire World Series (FFWS) held later this year at a destination yet to be revealed, which is undoubtedly the most prestigious International tournament held by Free Fire.

FFPL IV will be broadcasted on Free Fire Esports Pakistan channels. All the latest information, schedule about the tournament will be updated on official website and Free Fire Esports Pakistan fanpage.

  

High CO2-producing companies to face challenges with new climate-related disclosure requirements

         

 

Current corporate reporting by a majority of companies producing the highest levels of greenhouse gas emissions would not comply with proposed new requirements from the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).

This is the key finding of research carried out by ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and the Adam Smith Business School at Glasgow University, aiming to find out how prepared companies are for new climate-related reporting rules being developed by the International Sustainability Standards Board, formed last November.

The research analysed the most recent reports published by companies in the construction material and chemical industries which had the highest greenhouse gas emissions over the last three years, comparing current disclosures against the disclosure requirements of the proposed climate-related disclosure standard (IFRS S2, Climate-related Disclosures).

This analysis found that most companies fall short of the type and level of disclosure that the ISSB is proposing. Further, the research found that disclosures were often scattered and duplicated across different company sources, often with no cross-reference, and with little connection to financial information published in the financial statements.

Those companies (77% of the sample) that have adopted the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) Recommendations are significantly better prepared to comply with the proposed new disclosure requirements. However, even these companies will need to significantly increase their climate-related reporting to meet the new requirements of the proposed standard, which the ISSB aims to finalise by the end of this year.

ACCA and the Adam Smith Business School are urging the ISSB to ensure the disclosure requirements are clear and easily understandable, and that thorough guidance is provided.

Commenting on the research, ACCA’s head of Pakistan, Assad Hameed Khan says: ‘The colossal impact of recent floods in Pakistan is a reminder on the national climate action urgency. Thus, it is imperative for companies to adopt ESG focused (sustainable) practices and initiate substantive action related to climate change and strengthen reporting through robust climate-related disclosures. These measures can be a competitive advantage for companies, as well as, enhancing transparency and trust for investors, customers, employees and regulators.

Mike Suffield, director of policy and insights, ACCA, says: ‘Standard-setters and regulators should focus support and guidance on those companies that have not adopted the TCFD Recommendations, including smaller businesses. It may be appropriate to allow a period of voluntary adoption before making the ISSB standards mandatory.'

He also called on regulators to help users of this climate-related information by resolving the problem of the scattered location of disclosures, the lack of cross-referencing and duplication.

He added: ‘The ISSB also has an important role to play by providing greater clarity around location and cross-referencing in the standards, and by collaborating with the regulators to achieve a consistent approach.

‘This research is not about pointing fingers at businesses. It is about understanding where they are at in their climate disclosures and working out how to help them improve, this is vital work for all of us.’

Homebridge by Beaconhouse signs MoU with British Council for digital library access

            

Beaconhouse, Pakistan’s largest network of private educational institutions, under its recently introduced Hybrid A Level school, Homebridge, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the British Council for students, teachers and staff members to access the British Council’s digital library at discounted rates. The MoU was signed between Harris Sufiyan, Project Director at Homebridge by Beaconhouse, and Michael Houlgate, Area Director Sindh and Balochistan, British Council, at a ceremony held at the Beaconhouse head office.

Under this partnership, Homebridge students, teachers and staff members will have 24/7 access to the British Council’s licensed collection of books, comics, music, newspapers and magazines, scholarly content, professional trainings, and much more. Other units of the Beaconhouse Group will also benefit from the partnership.

Commenting on the partnership, Harris Sufiyan, Project Director Homebridge stated that, “Through this partnership with the British Council, we wish to provide better opportunities to our students and teachers by giving access to a rich and interactive learning platform.”

Michael Houlgate, Area Director Sindh and Balochistan at British Council stated, “We appreciate the initiative of the Beaconhouse team for offering students an interactive learning platform and hope that the Digital Library collaboration between British Council and Beaconhouse will open new avenues of learning and engagement for the students.”

Homebridge by Beaconhouse uses a cutting-edge hybrid framework that gives students a chance to acquire international qualifications and enhance their skills without being limited by space or time.

  

TCL Kicks Off its Latest Sponsorship with Football Stars to Inspire Greatness

          

Today, TCL Electronics (1070. HK), one of the leading players in the global TV industry and a fast-growing consumer electronics company, unveiled TCL football Team 2022 at IFA Berlin. With four of the world's top footballers on board as brand ambassadors, TCL is kicking off a global campaign to inspire people to pursue Greatness in their lives. 

The TCL line-up brings together the remarkable top-performer Rodrygo, a winger for Brazil national team; the exceptional young midfielder from England Phil Foden; rising superstar and Spanish international Pedri; and Raphaël Varane, famed defender and a key player in the French national squad.

TCL will share messages and insights from the four football players in the lead-up to the 2022 major football event starting in November and beyond through traditional and social media channels. TCL will also provide numerous opportunities for fans to engage with their idols in new ways through exclusive content, signed merchandise, and competitions.

"I'm happy to play a role as a TCL brand ambassador and collaborate with a company that places quality and inspiring individual greatness at the heart of their products," commented Rodrygo.

"Having the chance to connect to fans worldwide and inspire them to Greatness is a fantastic opportunity. I'm glad to have this opportunity to associate myself with a brand like TCL, which strives to provide a top-quality experience for our supporters," said Raphaël Varane.

" My love for football comes from playing with my mates and watching our idols on TV. I am excited to join the TCL family. I hope we will inspire and connect the next generation to football," said Phil Foden.

"Thrilled to have a chance to begin this new relationship with TCL. We all wish to provide positive experiences for fans and spread our passion for the sport. As a TCL brand ambassador, I'm sure we can spread a positive sporting spirit that inspires our fans," Pedri added.

Frédéric Langin, Vice President of Sales and Marketing TCL Europe, said, "Phil Foden, Pedri, Rodrygo, and Raphaël Varane are among the best players in the world who inspire millions on and off the pitch. TCL is passionate about inspiring our customers through sport. We are delighted to help fans connect with these football greats and get inspired to recognize and nurture their Greatness." 

TCL has long recognized the power of sport and the connective spirit that Inspires Greatness in players and the wider community. As a consistent supporter of world sport, TCL sponsors football teams and tournaments in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, the UK, and the US, among others. The company also has a strong track record of working with sporting icons. Beyond football, TCL has also been a global partner of the International Basketball Association (FIBA) since 2018 and is a major sponsor of the 2022 FIBA EuroBasket, starting today. TCL Pakistan has always supported significant sports events. Cricket is the most loved sports in Pakistan and hence TCL has always been at the forefront in the cricket stadiums. TCL Pakistan is the proud associate partner of Pakistan's national cricket team (men and women) and has been the primary sponsor of Peshawar Zalmi, which is PSL's most prominent sports franchise. Also, in 2019 TCL sponsored the Gilgit Baltistan Girls Football League, the first-ever football league for girls in the North of Pakistan. And since 2018, TCL has organized e-sports events in major cities of Pakistan, where thousands of gaming enthusiasts played their favorite games on TCL's latest TV range. 

A Look Back on the Spectacular Lineup of realme’s 828 Fan Fest Activities

             

realme, as the most prominent brand of Gen Z, had a remarkable month of August, in which it held a plethora of activities for its fans and in return received an overwhelmingly good response for the brand. The purpose behind such activities was to inform the core values of realme and to provide the fans with a better insight into the defining spirit of realme which is to Dare to Leap, be adventurous, and break ground where others have not tread before.

Moreover, through these events, it has ensured how it is different from its competitors. Fans are the backbone of any good brand as they are the ones who provide consistent support to the brand’s new endeavors. It is for this reason that it is very important for brands to cultivate a strong fan community much like realme does. The end goal for realme with all of its 828 Fan Fest celebrations was to bring something unique and exciting for the fans and through such activities develop a deeper sense of association with its fans. Let’s take a look back through realme’s Fan Fest activities.

During the month of August, realme arranged a treat for their fans by inviting a group of fans for a visit to their assembly plant in Sundar Industrial Estate followed by an exclusive meet up for the community and the realme team. As a brand that always emphasizes on fan-centric approach, realme provided the fans with an opportunity to get to meet the team and know about their opinions regarding smartphones, their likes and dislikes, as well as what they want to see from realme in the future. During the factory tour, the fans were able to witness the durability of the smartphone through drop testing, scratch testing and more. In addition to that they were briefed about the production process of realme while being taken along the line. Lucky fans even got to participate in the creation of a realme smartphone. The factory tour was indeed a well thought event as it provided further authentication for the brand in the eyes of the fans and gave them a sense of belonging to the brand. At the final venue of the Uptown LA bowling alley, fans met the Country Director, Syed Mashood Hassan who appreciated the fans for their unwavering support during the entire journey of realme. The group topped off the day with thrilling matches of bowling between fans and the realme team along with a buffet.

To celebrate Pakistan’s Independence Day with style, the realme team arranged the realme X CML Mega Azadi Ride which started at the famous Liberty Chowk, making its way to the historical Jinnah Library. Despite, the sweltering heat and humidity realme’s daredevil fans enthusiastically conquered all the obstacles. The Commissioner Lahore was also in attendance, riding along with the realme team and the fan community, and gave an inspirational speech in front of the Jinnah Library. Moreover, he also appreciated realme for being a groundbreaker for smartphone companies by hosting such an event.

Finally, the night that the whole month had been leading to occurred during the realme 828 Music Party. To celebrate the annual fan fest, a Music Party was arranged at the Oceanside, which gave an aesthetic background for the performances of the famous singer Shamoon Ismail and DJ Hussain Dossa, with their majestic voices making the night even more bewitching. Moreover, celebrities such as Nimra Khan, Saboor Aly, Ali Ansari, Adeel Chaudhary and Nabeel Zuberi with their charming looks, made the event more pleasing. It was refreshing to see them mingle with realme’s fans. The super fan award was also included on the agenda and it was awarded by Country Director, Syed Mashood Hassan, who presented the award along with a brand new realme 9 to the lucky super fan, Aleesha Zaidi.

In this tech-oriented era, realme has established itself as the most reliable smartphone around the world. With the completion of four years, realme is more committed than ever to offer mobile phones with powerful performance, stylish design and sincere services. The smartphone brand will work hard to meet the expectations of its fans now that it has spent the past month building its relationship with them. realme is thrilled to tell the fans that it shall bring more exciting events in the future and for next year’s 828 Fan Fest.

HUAWEI FreeBuds Lipstick sets the bar high combining gorgeous design and amazing sound quality

          

Wireless earphones have come a long way in the past decade. It has come to the point that it doesn't make sense to use wired earphones for everyday things like answering calls or listening to music. The sound quality of newer wireless earphones is on par with wired earphones. On top of that, they free you from the dreaded coiled up mess of wires.

The lack of wires gives a whole new level of opportunity to create stunning fashion statements out of earphones. Women, especially, want more than just good sounding pair of earbuds. They also want something glamorous. Something that can be a part of their identity. It is a high bar that many earbuds brands have tried to achieve. Sometimes when earbuds that focus on style, they fail miserably in sound quality. That is, until now.

Huawei recently announced the whole new HUAWEI FreeBuds Lipstick in Pakistan. The HUAWEI FreeBuds Lipstick redefines what wireless earbuds can be with a luxury design and bleeding-edge technology. This result is an earbud that is beautiful to look at and also sounds excellent. Without a doubt, it is going to be a game-changer and would be the ultimate fashion and tech accessory for most women. It packs all the features that you would ever want in wireless earbuds, such as a stunning lipstick design, top open-fit noise cancellation, studio-quality sound, and smart connectivity.

Lipstick design speaks of luxury and craftsmanship

The new lipstick-inspired design of the HUAWEI FreeBuds Lipstick is a breath of fresh air. The first thing you would notice about the earbuds is the luxurious squared-off design of the charging case. Mystery black and luxury gold combination work great on the case. It would be hard to tell it apart from a real lipstick tube if you look at it with the lid closed. The red earbuds inside it only add to the beauty.

The stainless-steel casing is manually polished to a smooth mirror finish that screams luxury. The edges of the case have been carefully machined to make it smooth to touch. Who would have thought that something as simple as earbuds could look so gorgeous? The case even has a satisfying click to it when you close.

The design was developed by Huawei's research center in Paris, the fashion capital of the world. So, it's no wonder that it looks magnificent. The shape and size of the case make it easy to carry it inside a handbag. It will blend into your outfit and accessories. In fact, the earbuds themselves can be a tech accessory that enhances your style.

 Open-fit Active Noise Cancellation 

Traditionally, wireless earbuds with ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) have in-ear designs. That's because achieving noise cancellation is tricky for open-fit earbuds. However, the HUAWEI FreeBuds Lipstick has achieved a steady level of noise cancellation even with an open-fit design. You get all the benefits of earbuds with noise cancellation without sealing the ears.

 

HUAWEI FreeBuds Lipstick makes use of dual-microphone noise cancellation. This setup identifies noise from the environment and intelligently cancels the noise from reaching your ears. It will also automatically select the most suitable set of noise cancellation parameters from more than 10 sets of them for users.

 

Studio-quality sound with ultra-light Air-like comfort

One question that is on everyone's mind would be, well, how does it sound? The short answer is fantastic. The HUAWEI FreeBuds Lipstick features 14.3 mm drivers, which can deliver deep bass and clear highs. It has one of the largest drivers in its class. So, you will feel like there are woofers placed around your head.

 

The actual sound that a person hears is also affected by the shape of the ear and the way it is worn. Huawei's Adaptive Ear-Matching technology modifies the sound so that you can listen to your music just the way the artist recorded it. The Bass enhancement engine can add an extra punch to the lower frequencies if that is what you prefer. It is rare for earbuds to handle both lows and highs with such finesse as the HUAWEI FreeBuds Lipstick.

The HUAWEI FreeBuds Lipstick only weighs 4.1 g. So, it is unlikely to accidentally fall off from the ears. You can probably wear them all day long and feel nothing.

Smart connectivity and AI-powered features

Thanks to the intelligent audio connection, switching between devices is seamless. You can connect the earbuds to two devices at the same time. This feature works across all major platforms, including Windows, Android, and iOS. Using the HUAWEI AI Life app, you can switch between devices easily.

Use your HUAWEI FreeBuds Lipstick to control how you listen to your music and take calls via simple, intuitive gesture controls that can be used on either earbud. You can access all the basic controls without taking the phone out of your pocket. Taping twice will answer a call or play music. A long press on the earbud will toggle between ANC On and ANC Off or reject calls. Swipe up or down to raise or lower the volume. Apart from these, you can add custom control gestures using the app.

The HUAWEI FreeBuds Lipstick is an amazing combination of design and technology. Praised by many for its sleek design, outstanding Open-fit Active Noise Cancellation, silky smooth sound, and air-like wearing comfort. It is a must have this season.

PSDF has signed the contract to train 2,400+ trainees under koh e Suleman Improvement Project

  

          

Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF) and Koh e Suleman Improvement Project (KSIP) organized a contract ceremony for funding of 2,400+ trainees in 23 specialized trades.

PSDF will fund skill trainings for residents of Tehsil Koh e Suleman, DG Khan and De-excluded area of Rajanpur. These areas comprise primarily of tribal communities with low literacy levels and until now have had limited opportunities for personal and economic development.

During the first phase of this project, 2,400+ residents will receive 1.5 to 3 months trainings in Adda Work, Amazon Virtual Assistant, Civil Surveyor, Computer Applications, Domestic Electrician, Dozer Operator, Dress Design & Tailoring, Excavator Operator, Hand Embroidery, Heavy Transport Vehicle Driving, Livestock Management, Mason, Mobile Phone Repairing, Motorcycle Mechanic, Plumber & Sanitary Installer, Safety inspector, Solar Technician, Virtual Accounting & Bookkeeping, Welder, Artificial Insemination (Assistant),Village Veterinary Worker, Farm Management and Animal Nutrition Management.

PSDF in these first of kind trainings will use its skill expertise to equip residents with market-relevant professional knowledge to commence their skill development. To mobilize this project, training centres will be established in the tribal areas of Koh e Suleman, DG Khan and de-excluded area of Rajanpur Monthly stipend of Rs 3,500 will also be provided to the trainees to facilitate their learning journey.

During the contract signing ceremony Maqbool Ahmed (Project Director, KSIP) remarked, “This is the first step in building a new future for the youth. Government of Punjab and PSDF aims to optimize resources for the progress of our trainees, ensuring them economically sustainable future”

On this occasion Ali Akbar Bosan, COO PSDF said “PSDF strongly believes that everyone deserves an access to quality skills training. And we are proud to present special skills training under KSIP, focusing on soft skills competencies to develop all necessary skills to make our youth marketable candidates and equipping them with all the new age tools to be successful in all walks of the life”