The government must ensure a safe and healthy recovery for the missing in the country, said Karachi emir Jamaat-e-Islami Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman on Friday.
During a visit to a camp set up outside the Karachi Press Club by activists and family members of missing Baloch people, he expressed the party’s solidarity with affected families and other protesters.
The JI leader said the past rulers could not play a genuine role in the recovery of the missing, and it is now the responsibility of the ruling government to ensure the recovery of the missing, including those from Balochistan, because they are loyal Pakistanis.
“This is a contradiction in any way and it is extrajudicial to arrest anyone without evidence. Even if someone is found to be involved in a crime, they must be brought to court by court order. “
“It is an irony of fate that the court order was not followed, and if the institution itself decides to replace the court, it might develop hostility in society,” he said. “Rao Anwar has been accused of murdering many people, but he is roaming free, which shows double standards in dealing with people.”
SYDNEY – Qantas Airways and Air New Zealand said separately on Thursday that they believed international travel would return later this year, led by the launch of a coronavirus vaccine, even as both airlines reported heavy losses as travelers stayed home for most of 2020.
The Australian airline has signaled a possible resumption of international air travel by the end of October, in line with a time frame for completing vaccinations in the country, which starts this week. The airline expects domestic capacity to increase to 80% from pre-pandemic levels in the fourth quarter of 2021.
“The rollout of the COVID vaccine in Australia will take time, but the fact that it is ongoing gives us more certainty,” said Qantas CEO Alan Joyce in a statement.
Qantas incurred a fundamental loss – the most closely watched financial measure – of A $ 1.03 billion ($ 816.7 million) over the six months ended December 31, the airline’s fiscal first half, compared to an underlying profit of AU $ 771 million in the same period the previous year. Six-month revenue fell 75% to AU $ 6.9 billion as international travel collapsed and domestic flights were capped at 30% capacity.
Under the law, Qantas reported a net loss of AU $ 1.08 billion for the six month period, compared to a net profit of AU $ 445 million a year earlier.
Qantas said it remains on track to provide at least AU $ 1 billion in permanent annual savings in a fiscal year starting July 1, 2022, after laying off 8,500 of its staff last year. It has AU $ 4.2 billion in cash and undisbursed facilities at the end of December, which will help airlines deal with ongoing uncertainty.
“Delivery of a strong cash flow performance, coupled with additional liquidity, further eliminates the risk of rising equity,” said Jefferies analysts Anthony Moulder and Amit Kanwatia in a report. “We believe Qantas remains well positioned for the recovery of domestic travel in the near future and international travel in the coming years, supported by a more streamlined cost base,” they said.
Like its counterparts in the Asia-Pacific region, Qantas has also seen a sharp turnaround in its freight division as a lack of international flights leads to a temporary shortage of cargo space due to increased demand.
Meanwhile, Air New Zealand also benefited from strong cargo demand. Cargo revenue in the fiscal first half ended December 31 jumped 91% compared with the same period a year earlier to New Zealand dollars 373 million ($ 275.6 million).
However, that was not enough to make up for the loss of international passenger capacity, which resulted in the national airline having a net loss of NZ $ 72 million, compared with a net profit of NZ $ 101 million the previous year. Six months of total revenue slumped 59% to NZ $ 1.2 billion, largely due to the impact of border restrictions on international travel.
Air New Zealand, which in August reported its first annual loss in 18 years in 12 months ending June 30, 2020, said it had more than NZ $ 700 million in cash and outstanding facilities, thanks to a loan from the New Zealand government – shareholder. the majority. It also previously announced a potential increase in capital before the end of June.
The airline said it had spent more than NZ $ 1 billion in cash reserves since the start of the pandemic, but they expect spending levels to slow in the second half of the current fiscal year ending June 30. The airline has laid off a third of its 12,000 staff, grounded aircraft and leased office space.
Air New Zealand chairman Therese Walsh said she was optimistic the changes made to business over the past year had organized the airline well when borders reopened.
“This will be important as we enter recovery mode because it means we will not only be very cost effective but with the changes we have made to our fleet we will also have one of the most modern and efficient fleets in the world,” he said in a statement. .
Both Qantas and Air New Zealand have indicated that international travel is likely to remain calm even after borders have opened. That is, their medium-term prospects will be largely determined by domestic operations.
Air New Zealand has taken the lead over the greater Qantas. The airline said its domestic capacity had reached 76% of pre-pandemic levels, resulting in 1,800 flights over the six months ending December 31, which helped move 4 million passengers across the country.
Qantas, which derives most of its profits in the domestic market, has been particularly affected by the closure of state borders in Australia amid the second wave of COVID-19 infections in Victoria and smaller outbreaks in Queensland and Western Australia.
The airline said that state border restrictions would continue to weigh on the finances of the fiscal second half. It is estimated that earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, will be AU $ 350 million lower to AU $ 450 million due to the closure of domestic borders since late December.
The airline is also facing increased competition on some of its major domestic routes from restructured Virgin Australia – now under the supervision of US private equity firm Bain Capital and local airline Regional Express Holdings – which will begin operating lucrative Sydney flights – the Melbourne route begins in March 1st.
In response to difficult market conditions, the three domestic carriers have been offering promotional prices ranging from AU $ 50 to AU $ 150 over the past few weeks.
In an effort to clamp down on its smaller rivals, Qantas has also started operating on several regional routes previously operated only by Regional Express, prompting smaller airlines to raise the issue with Australian competition regulators earlier this month.
Qantas shares were up 2.9% to AU $ 5.16 in afternoon trade on the Australian Securities Exchange, while Air New Zealand shares were up nearly 1% to NZ $ 1.59.
(ANSA) – ROME, 22 FEB – S&P said on Monday that Italy’s GDP increased by 5.3% this year and said debt, which is expected to rise to just under 160% of GDP in 2020, could stabilize due to increased growth .
It said the EU’s use of the COVID-19 recovery fund could provide a “strong boost” to public investment, which remains about 30% lower than the major financial crisis a decade ago.
It said the government’s reform agenda would not affect Italy’s credit rating. (ANSA).
Tommy Ford doesn’t remember the terrible accident that ended the World Cup ski season on January 9.
He remembers waking up in a Bern hospital, Switzerland, and studying injuries to his head, right knee and left wrist.
“I don’t remember the accident at all or the next hour,” Ford said in an interview with The Bulletin last week. “I don’t remember the helicopter ride I looked like going through.”
Ford, who can get around on crutches but can’t stand for long, has been returning home in Bend over the past few weeks, getting help and support from his parents and older brother.
“You learn what support systems are, or become more aware of them, when you are less capable,” Ford said.
31-year-old Ford – a two-time Olympic athlete born and raised in Bend – is in the middle of the 2020-21 season banner, posting four World Cup top 10 results in the giant slalom, including taking the podium in Santa Caterina, Italy.
He has qualified for the world alpine skiing championships, currently being performed in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
One of the top-ranked riders at the World Cup giant slalom race in Adelboden, Switzerland, Ford crashed three gates from the finish line after spreading into rough snow beside the track, according to the Associated Press.
His skin touched and he fell forward, sliding first down the hill on his neck and left shoulder.
Ford hit a worker on the side of the track before stopping by the safety net beside the finish.
He initially lay still with his face facing the snow despite immediately regaining his senses and talking to the medical staff, whom he doesn’t remember.
A helicopter lands in the field 20 minutes later to transport Ford to Bern.
Ford’s long-time girlfriend Laurenne Ross, also a World Cup skier and two-time Olympian from Bend, is watching Ford’s race on television as she prepares to race her first World Cup in two years after overcoming multiple knee injuries.
“It totally baffles me,” Ross wrote in an email last week from Cortina d’Ampezzo, where she finished 26th on Saturday in a world championship decline. “Obviously I am very concerned about his head injury, because obviously he is passed out. I’m usually pretty comfortable watching Tommy ski – he’s a solid, smooth skier – but he’s definitely over the top, and pushes the skis… and sometimes you crash when you’re skiing over the edge. Needless to say, I am very sad for him. “
After several days in Bern following the accident, Ford traveled to Vail, Colorado, where doctors at the Steadman Philippon Research Institute repaired torn ligaments in his knee and wrist. He is scheduled to return to Vail later this month for additional surgery on his knee. Ford said he tore two ligaments in his right knee and also fractured a plateau and tibial meniscus.
He also continues to recover from the concussion he suffered.
“I don’t have a headache or anything, but I have limited capacity for stimulation,” he said.
Ford said he was happy to be at his parents’ home in Bend, where he was getting plenty of sleep and rest, and was “starting to recover.” He wears a detachable splint on his left wrist and his right knee is in a brace, which he can remove as often as possible.
He added that it was too early to discuss a time frame for a possible return to ski racing or to bid for his third US Olympic Team. The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing are only one year away.
“There is no time frame that is overly detailed at the moment because I will have to have another operation,” Ford said. “I have to bear more weight in March. That’s all I really know. It’s still very early days. I haven’t gotten too far with the emotional side of things and all of that. “
Although Ross continues to race in Europe and Ford has returned home to Bend, the two are able to discuss Ford’s injury and his approach to rehabilitation. Ross, 32, has had 10 surgeries during his skiing career, three of which were major knee operations.
“Unfortunately Laurenne has a lot of experience with knee injuries, and she’s been very helpful with some advice,” said Ford. “I just don’t want to burden him because he also tries to perform at a high level and you don’t want to talk about injuries all the time. But he’s very helpful. He’s really entertaining. “
Ross said he was sure Ford would take the time and get back into the snow when he was “really ready.”
“Hopefully it will be race time next season, but we’ll just have to wait and see,” said Ross. “I’m here for him, every step of the way, whatever it is. I do have the insights I have shared, but everyone is very different when it comes to healing and processing. So I just try to support Tommy in whatever way he needs me to be there, in whatever way he wants to approach his recovery. It’s been the ride, and although I can offer advice, I know we are very different people, very different skiers, and often have different perspectives on injury and recovery. “
Ross added that the most important thing on which Ford is currently focused is “rest, recovery and reflection”.
“It’s important to consider if you want to get another injury (like the one he’s recovering from now), because that’s always the chance you take when you push out the starting gate in a ski race,” said Ross. “But first, he needs to focus on healing.”
KARACHI: The tax office on Monday began issuing notifications to corporate taxpayers for imposing fines for not filing for returns and restoration of undeclared income for the 2020 tax year.
Sources at the Karachi Intermediate Taxpayer Office (MTO) said a large number of corporate taxpayers failed to fulfill their obligations in filing tax returns and paying tax and tax obligations.
“Notices have been issued to recover fines for not filing income tax returns and failing to pay income taxes,” said an official at MTO Karachi. The MTO official said that through a centralized system, FBR had issued a punitive notification under article 182 of the 2001 Income Tax Ordinance. Through this notification, FBR directed all tax office heads to monitor the progress of the penal process, especially in the case of companies and ensure enforcement of returns as well as realizing the appropriate income.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) last week issued a notice expressing concern over the low number of corporate returns filed for the 2020 tax year. “A large number of companies have not filed for returns for the 2020 tax year. who became filers for the 2019 tax year, revealed that they had not paid their SPT and a sizable income had not been paid. “Under the tax law, every company registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan is required to file their annual returns.
FBR issued a total of around 1.4 million notices to non-reporters for the 2020 tax year and those who filed returns but misstated their assets and income. As usual, FBR failed to introduce return forms for the 2020 tax year on time, resulting in an extension of the last date for filing returns.
FBR was unable to issue refund forms for the 2020 tax year to August leading to an extension of the deadline from September to December. FBR received 1.8 million returns to the last date compared to 1.73 million returns filed in the same period for the 2019 fiscal year. FBR has received approximately 3 million income tax returns for the 2018 tax year and approximately 2.75 million for the 2019 tax year. , which will increase due to the mandatory requirement to take advantage of the reduced withholding tax rates.