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  • State Bank injects Rs1.7tr via dual OMOs

    State Bank injects Rs1.7tr via dual OMOs

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    KARACHI:

    The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Friday injected a total of Rs1.72 trillion into the banking system through simultaneous conventional and Shariah-compliant open market operations (OMOs), aimed at addressing liquidity needs.

    Earlier on Wednesday, the government had borrowed Rs1.62 trillion through auctions of securities, with a substantial proportion of Rs1.413 trillion being raised from the Market Treasury Bills (MTBs) and Rs208.42 billion from the 10-year Pakistan Investment Bonds Floating Rate (PFL).

    The government is compelled to borrow from the private sector amid limits from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on borrowing directly from the central bank. Therefore, the central bank has to go through this cycle of injecting money through OMOs and then borrowing back from the private sector through securities to bridge the fiscal deficit of the government.

    According to official data, the SBP accepted bids worth Rs1.48 trillion under its conventional reverse repo operation, with a realised value of Rs1.43 trillion. The OMO included injections of Rs154.25 billion for seven-day tenor at a rate of return of 11.09% and Rs1.32 trillion for 14-day tenor at 11.07%, with 24 bids accepted out of 27 received.

    In parallel, the central bank conducted a Mudarabah-based Shariah-compliant OMO, where it injected an additional Rs243 billion, with a realised value of Rs244.9 billion. The Islamic OMO consisted of Rs40 billion accepted for seven days at a rate of 11.13% and Rs203 billion for 14 days at 11.12%. All three bids received were accepted, reflecting growing market interest in Shariah-compliant instruments.

    The cumulative injection of liquidity comes at a time when the SBP has been easing monetary conditions, having recently cut the policy rate amid a downward trend in inflation. The strong demand for 14-day funds in both OMOs highlights banks’ preference for locking in medium-term liquidity, possibly in anticipation of further monetary easing.

    Furthermore, the rupee posted a marginal gain against the US dollar on Friday, appreciating by 0.04% in the inter-bank market. By the end of trading, the rupee closed at 284.46, marking an improvement of 10 paisa compared to Thursday’s closing rate of 284.56.

    Meanwhile, gold prices in Pakistan climbed sharply on Friday, tracking gains in the international market, where the yellow metal surged over 1% to a more than two-week high. The rally was driven by renewed safe-haven demand after President Donald Trump reignited trade tensions by announcing fresh tariffs, escalating fears of a global trade war.

    In the domestic market, the price of gold per tola rose Rs2,300 to settle at Rs357,000, according to data released by the All Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellers Association. Similarly, the rate for 10 grams of gold increased Rs1,971 to Rs306,069.

    This follows Thursday’s sharp uptick of Rs3,200 per tola, when gold closed at Rs354,700.

    Globally, spot gold was up 1.2% to $3,363.46 per ounce by 11:32 am EDT (1532 GMT), its highest since June 24. US gold futures gained 1.6% to $3,377.80, according to Reuters.

    Adnan Agar, Director at Interactive Commodities, explained the international trend, saying: “Gold touched a low of $3,322 and a high of $3,368 today (Friday) and is trading around $3,355. Renewed tariff threats from Trump have triggered another wave of buying in gold.”

    He noted that unless a breakthrough occurs in trade negotiations after August 1, gold is expected to continue trading within a range of $3,270 to $3,420. “If tariffs persist beyond August, we could see further upside. Otherwise, history shows that Trump often backtracks or secures last-minute deals, which could cap gold’s rise,” Agar added.

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  • 7 Little Words Hints, Clues And Answers For Saturday, July 12th

    7 Little Words Hints, Clues And Answers For Saturday, July 12th

    I thought I’d try out a new word puzzle to add to my list of games. I typically play Worlde, the Mini Crossword and Strands – all New York Times games – but there are so many out there. 7 Little Words crossed my path and I played today’s and enjoyed it quite a bit, so here’s a guide.

    The game is simple. You have a five-by-five grid of boxes, each containing a group of letters. Above this grid are seven phrases, each giving you a clue to seven words. The number of letters is listed next to each phrase. There is no time limit and no penalty for wrong answers. Solve each one in any order you please.

    The example given by the game is “deep fried treats” (6 letters) and the boxes that would create the word are DO + NU + TS for DONUTS. The game is played in UK English, so this could throw a little wrench into things for non-Brits.

    Play 7 Little Words right here.

    Here’s today’s grid:

    Play Puzzles & Games on Forbes

    Hints and Answers for today’s 7 Little Words

    Spoilers ahead!

    Here are the first letters of each corresponding word:

    1. soft toys = SQU

    2. irritation in one’s side = TH

    3. British actor Hugo = WEA

    4. celeb owned Welsh FC = WRE

    5. bowler by another name = DE

    6. sea off Papua New Guinea = BI

    7. Japanese style of painting = NI

    Now here are the full answers.

    1. soft toys = SQUISHIES

    2. irritation in one’s side = THORN

    3. British actor Hugo = WEAVING

    4. celeb owned Welsh FC = WREXHAM

    5. bowler by another name = DERBY

    6. sea off Papua New Guinea = BISMARCK

    7. Japanese style of painting = NIHONGA

    Some of these I had no clue on, which is why #4 was the last one I solved. Others were more apparent. I got SQUISHIES right away, and I’m very familiar with Hugo Weaving’s work (The Matrix, Lord Of The Rings, Slow Horses). I actually wasn’t aware that bowler’s were referred to as DERBY but it was a pretty straightforward guess. I also wasn’t sure about NIHONGA or the BISMARCK sea, so these took me a bit. A THORN in one’s side was straightforward enough, however. All told, a pretty fun little puzzle!

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  • Businessmen slam punitive laws

    Businessmen slam punitive laws

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    ISLAMABAD:

    Pakistan’s leading business chambers on Friday asked the government to immediately suspend the laws that authorise the arrest of taxpayers on allegations of fraud and penalise the use of cash for over Rs200,000 worth of business transactions or else they will begin an agitation campaign.

    The demands were made from the platform of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) in the presence of Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani and members of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

    Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb did not attend the FPCCI meeting, where representatives of almost all the chambers and associations were present.

    The business community wants the immediate withdrawal of the FBR’s authority to arrest people on allegations of fraud, powers to add back 50% of cash expenditure above Rs200,000 in income and depute taxmen in factories, said FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh.

    Sheikh demanded that the FBR’s discretion to determine input adjustment and the enforcement of electronic invoicing should also be suspended.

    The government has taken these measures to minimise the use of cash in the economy and to crack down on tax fraud.

    “A thief will be called a thief but we will ensure that the law is not wrongly applied,” said Minister of State Bilal Kayani while responding to demands from the business community. He stressed that those powers could not be suspended until the law was amended by parliament.

    “We may not agree with everything that the business community has demanded but discussions will continue in the coming days,” said Kayani while indicating the government’s resolve to withstand the pressure from the traders and business leaders.

    The easiest thing was that the government should have left the arrest powers in the hands of assistant commissioners but it introduced safeguards in it, said the minister of state. He added that the explanatory memorandum on budget would be issued on coming Tuesday, which should address some of their concerns.

    The FPCCI president said that the business community wanted to resolve the issue through negotiations but other participants of the meeting threatened to go on strike from July 19 if those powers were not withdrawn.

    Kayani said that there were many businesses that did formal transactions but there were others that dealt in cash and those should not be rewarded.

    According to new Section 21S and Q of the Income Tax Ordinance, 50% of the expenditure claimed in respect of sales, where the taxpayer received payment exceeding Rs200,000 otherwise than through a banking channel or digital means against a single invoice containing one or more than one transactions of supply of goods or provisions of services will be treated as income.

    Section 21(q) states that 10% of the claimed expenditure attributable to purchases made from persons who are not National Tax Number (NTN) holders shall be disallowed.

    These steps are taken to discourage the use of cash in business transactions.

    “People are extremely angry and it is getting difficult for us to control them,” warned FPCCI Patron-in-Chief SM Tanveer. He said that the economy was passing through a difficult phase for the past two years and the government had chosen to harass taxpayers in the middle of this.

    “We do not want a strike on July 19 but the message from the government is that the FBR is the new NAB,” said Sohail Altaf, a leading business leader from Rawalpindi. He warned that if the agitation began, it would be difficult for the government to reverse the negative perception.

    Saqib Fayyaz Chohan, another business leader, said that if the FBR did not withdraw the arrest powers and continued the implementation of e-invoicing, it would be difficult for them to move along.

    FBR Member Operations Hamid Ateeq Sarwar explained that those powers were only meant to be used against the people involved in tax fraud through fake sales tax invoices. He said that the adding-back income clause would also not impact return filing for tax year 2025 and any such question would be asked next year.

    Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers Association Chairman Sheikh Omar Rehan said that the FBR had deputed its staff in ghee factories that paid taxes at the import stage, urging them to withdraw the officers immediately.

    Sardar Tahir Iqbal, a representative of the real estate sector, said that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman violated the prime minister’s instructions and increased transfer fee charges from Rs250 per yard to 3% of the property value. He said that this single increase denied the benefit of reduction in withholding tax rates for the buyers of properties.

    Ajmal Baloch, who claimed that he had support of 12.5 million traders, threatened to go on strike if the powers to arrest and add-back income were not withdrawn immediately.

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  • UAE assures easing Pak visa processing

    UAE assures easing Pak visa processing


    ISLAMABAD:

    The UAE has assured Pakistan of its “full support” in expediting visa processing for its citizens, particularly in the domain of work permits, as part of broader efforts to enhance bilateral ties in security and immigration affairs.

    This assurance came from UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Lieutenant General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during a meeting with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who is currently in the Gulf country on an official visit.

    According to APP, the high-level meeting marked a key diplomatic exchange aimed at deepening cooperation in critical areas such as security, counter-narcotics and streamlined immigration protocols.

    Minister Naqvi was accorded a warm welcome upon arrival at the UAE Ministry of Interior, where he received a guard of honour. He was formally introduced to senior UAE officials before entering into extensive talks with his counterpart and other officials.

    A central focus of the discussions was the facilitation of visa processes for Pakistani nationals, especially those seeking employment opportunities in the UAE.

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  • Jofra Archer returns to England Test team with third-ball wicket against India

    Jofra Archer returns to England Test team with third-ball wicket against India

    England pace bowler Jofra Archer has made an immediate impact in his first Test match in four and a half years, taking a wicket off his third ball to deliver on his “X-factor” billing against India at Lord’s.

    His first over was a wicket-maiden and he finished the day with figures of 1-22 off 10 overs, having been used by captain Ben Stokes for two five-over bursts in a sign of what could be to come if he can stay fit for his first Ashes tour in Australia this summer.

    India finished the day 3-145, trailing England by 242 runs after Joe Root’s 104 and half-centuries to Jamie Smith and Brydon Carse led the hosts to 387.

    There was a buzz around a packed crowd at the Home of Cricket when Archer took the ball for the second over of India’s innings in the third Test.

    Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal had already clattered Chris Woakes for three boundaries in the opening over but he played and missed at Archer’s second ball and edged the next one to Harry Brook at second slip.

    Archer whirled away to square leg and looked emotional as he was mobbed by his England teammates.

    “The noise, the pure joy, that everyone has seeing him back in whites. Everyone is genuinely excited to see him play for England again in Test cricket,” England batter Joe Root said.

    Archer was bowling as fast as 150 kilometres per hour, a reminder of his worth to England after so many years away because of injuries.

    He exploded onto the international scene in 2019, playing a starring role in England’s victory over New Zealand in the 50-over Cricket World Cup final.

    Weeks later, he had a famous spell on Test debut in the Ashes at Lord’s against Steve Smith, who scored 92 on the day but was left with a concussion that forced him out of the next game after a vicious Archer bouncer.

    Archer has been blighted by injuries since, chiefly because of nagging issues with his right elbow for which he has undergone two operations.

    Archer’s most recent Test appearance for England was against India in Ahmedabad in February 2021. This is his first home Test since August 2020 and just his 14th overall.

    Root described Archer as an “X-factor” player who offered England “something different”.

    “We turn to him a bit like India turn to [Jasprit] Bumrah, really,” Root said.

    “They are obviously at very different stages of their career and are different players, but it’s great to see him being so impactful and keeping his pace up throughout his spells as well.”

    Archer has played nine of his 14 Tests on home soil but could be a strike weapon for England when the Ashes start in Australia on November 21.

    AP/ABC

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  • ATC rejects bail plea of PTI’s Qureshi

    ATC rejects bail plea of PTI’s Qureshi


    LAHORE:

    An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Friday rejected post-arrest bail pleas of three top PTI leaders — Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Umar Sarftaz Cheema and Mian Mehmoodur Resheed — in a May 9, 2023 rioting case.

    ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gul delivered a decision after hearing arguments from both sides. The case related to arson and rioting outside Lahore’s Rahat Bakery and was registered by Sarwar Road Police Station.

    Qureshi serves as the PTI vice chairman while Cheema and Rasheed respectively served as Punjab governor and provincial minister during the PTI’s rule.

    Meanwhile, a trial court in Islamabad reserved its decision on a plea filed by Shah Mahmood Qureshi seeking acquittal in another May 9 case. Judicial Magistrate Shehzad Khan heard the case at the Islamabad District and Sessions Court.

    During the proceedings, Qureshi’s lawyer, Ali Bukhari, appeared before the court and argued that several co-accused have already been acquitted in the same case. He pointed out that on March 8, 2025, the court had acquitted other individuals involved in the matter.

    Bukhari maintained that Qureshi was accused of acting on a video message from PTI founder Imran Khan, which allegedly led to acts of vandalism. He requested the court to dismiss the charges against his client on similar grounds as those previously acquitted.

    Following the arguments, the court reserved its decision on Qureshi’s acquittal plea. The case was initially registered at Tarnol Police Station.

    Separately, the hearing of another case related to the Haqeeqi Azadi March, involving the PTI founder and party workers, could not proceed due to the unavailability of Imran Khan who has been detained at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail since September 2023.

    The court marked the attendance of the other accused and adjourned the proceedings without further developments. Advocate Masroof Khan appeared on behalf of PTI workers during the hearing.

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  • Discovery changes our knowledge of “friendship” between plants

    Discovery changes our knowledge of “friendship” between plants

    Plants do not wave warning flags when a hungry caterpillar shows up. Yet for years scientists wondered if roots guide underground networks that let one plant alert its neighbors before the first bite lands.

    A modeling study released in January, 2025 suggests the picture is far less neighborly. Lead author Dr Thomas Scott of the University of Oxford argues that most plants would lose more than they gain by sounding a genuine alarm.

    Why plants play tricks


    Natural selection rewards thrift, so every calorie sunk into defense is a calorie that cannot go into growth or seeds. Because neighbors compete for the same sunlight and minerals, helping them makes little evolutionary sense.

    The models draw on the idea of kin selection, the notion that genes “care” about relatives who share those genes. When the same genetic relatives also fight for the same patch of soil, the benefit of warning kin evaporates.

    Simulations showed that honest signals kept disappearing from the virtual population. False alarms, however, sometimes stuck around long enough to handicap competitors by pushing them into needless chemical warfare.

    “Our results indicate that it is more likely that plants will behave deceptively toward their neighbours, rather than altruistically, even when no herbivore is present,” said Dr Scott, adding that a plant might fake an attack draining rivals of resources in the process.

    Fungus helps plants communicate

    Much of the debate centers on the mycorrhizal fungi that lace through the soil, forming what ecologists nickname the “wood wide web.”

    These threads trade phosphorus and nitrogen for plant‑made sugars and can physically link roots from different species.

    Laboratory work with Solanum lycopersicum showed that when one tomato in a shared fungal network met a caterpillar, connected tomatoes cranked up four defense enzymes within hours. The reaction happened even though the “listener” plants never touched the insect.

    Defensive cues may move as volatile organic compounds drifting through the hyphae or leaking from wounded roots.

    Scott’s team argues that such cues are hard to suppress completely, creating an involuntary “tell” rather than an intentional SOS.

    Model runs where the victim plant tried to hide the cue found that full suppression was rarely worth the metabolic fee. That fits the tomato result, where receivers benefitted even though senders paid the cost of damage.

    If plants are unlikely whistle‑blowers, someone else must be moving the news. The models showed that the fungi themselves could profit by monitoring each host and relaying danger to all partners.

    A healthy green plant pumps more sugar into the network than a chewed‑up one. By nudging the rest of the network into pre‑emptive defense, the fungus protects its own carbon income.

    Hypotheses for information transfer in plant–fungal networks. Two plants are connected via a mycorrhizal network. One plant is under attack (e.g., by aphids), and this information may be transferred via the mycorrhizal network to the other plant, allowing it to up-regulate its defense mechanisms. There are three hypotheses regarding how this information is transferred: (blue) signaling by the attacked plant; (cyan) cues, which are potentially vulnerable to suppression by the attacked plant; and (orange) monitoring and signaling by the mycorrhizal network. Credit: PNAS
    Hypotheses for information transfer in plant–fungal networks. Two plants are connected via a mycorrhizal network. One plant is under attack (e.g., by aphids), and this information may be transferred via the mycorrhizal network to the other plant, allowing it to up-regulate its defense mechanisms. There are three hypotheses regarding how this information is transferred: (blue) signaling by the attacked plant; (cyan) cues, which are potentially vulnerable to suppression by the attacked plant; and (orange) monitoring and signaling by the mycorrhizal network. Click image to enlarge. Credit: PNAS

    “Maybe it is the fungal networks themselves that are sending the warning signals,” Dr Scott suggested. Co-author Professor Toby Kiers added that a neighbor may simply be “eavesdropping,” not altruistically sharing information.

    Unlike deceptive plants, a cheating fungus would only hurt its paycheck. That steers evolutionary pressure toward honest fungal monitoring, at least until someone proves otherwise in field trials.

    What this means for farms and forests

    Agronomists dream of crops that switch on defenses before pests build an army. If fungi, not plants, drive advance warning, inoculating fields with the right spores might someday cut pesticide use.

    The new study also tempers popular stories claiming that old trees “care” for their sapling offspring. Mutual benefit can still happen, but the math says it must be weighed against relentless competition for limited light.

    Some breeders already select rootstocks that recruit efficient fungal partners. Future programs may screen those partners for their talent at early pest detection instead of simple nutrient delivery.

    Forest managers experimenting with assisted migration should remember that uprooted seedlings leave their native fungal counselors behind. Re‑establishing key networks could be as vital as matching temperature or rainfall.

    Rethinking plant behavior in evolution

    These findings challenge the common tendency to describe plants using human social terms like friendship, cooperation, or mutual aid.

    Such language can oversimplify complex ecological relationships shaped by evolutionary tradeoffs rather than intentional kindness.

    Fungal networks help plants communicate and sometimes play "referee" to settle disputes
    Fungal networks help plants communicate and sometimes play “referee” to settle disputes. Click image to enlarge.

    Plants don’t choose to help or harm. They respond to selective pressures based on survival and reproduction.

    What might look like generosity from a distance could be a side effect of unavoidable signaling, or an outcome that benefits fungi more than the plants themselves.

    Next questions for researchers

    The models assume costs and benefits averaged over many generations. Field ecologists now need to tag real roots, real caterpillars, and real fungi to test whether the numbers hold up outside a computer.

    One way is to pair isotope tracing with microelectrodes in split‑root systems, watching exactly who sends which molecule where.

    Another is to compare fungal genomes for genes that sense host stress chemicals, a clue that selection favors monitoring hardware.

    If dishonest plant signals do occur, greenhouse arenas seeded with mixed genotypes should reveal which seed families bluff the most.

    Researchers may also seek fungal “referees” that penalize plants that persistently cry wolf. The soil is telling a subtler story than simple plant friendship.

    The study is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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  • Google’s Advice On Hiring An SEO And Red Flags To Watch For

    Google’s Advice On Hiring An SEO And Red Flags To Watch For

    Google’s Search Off The Record podcast discussed when a business should hire an SEO consultant and what metrics of success should look like. They also talked about a red flag to watch for when considering a search marketer.

    Hire An SEO When It Becomes Time Consuming

    Martin Splitt started the conversation off by asking at what point a business should hire an SEO:

    “…I know people are hiring agencies and SEO experts. When is the point where you think an expert or an agency should come in? What’s the bits and pieces that are not as easy to do while I do my business that I should have an expert for?”

    John replied that there is no one criteria or line to cross at which point a business should hire a consultant. He did however point out that there comes a certain point where doing SEO is time consuming and takes a business person away from the tasks that are directly related to running their business. That’s a point at which hiring an SEO consultant makes sense.

    He said:

    “Yeah, I don’t know if there’s a one-size-fits-all answer there because it’s a bit like asking, when should I get help for marketing, especially for a small business.

    You do everything yourself. At some point, you’re like, ‘Oh, I really hate bookkeeping. I’m going to hire a bookkeeper.’ At that point where you’re like, ‘Well, I don’t appreciate doing all of this work or I don’t have time for it, but I know it has to be done.’ That’s probably the point where you say, ‘Well, okay, I will hire someone for this.’ “

    SEO Should Have Measurable Results?

    The next factor they discussed is the measurability of results. Over more than twenty-five years of working in SEO, one of the ways that low-quality SEOs have consistently measured their results is by the number of queries a client site is ranking for. Low-quality SEOs charge a monthly retainer and generate a report of all queries the site has ranked for in the previous months, including garbage nonsense queries.

    A common metric SEOs use to gauge success is ranking positions and traffic. Those metrics are a little better, and most SEOs agree that they make sense as solid metrics.

    But those metrics don’t capture the true success of SEO because those ranking positions could be for low-quality search queries that don’t result in the kind of traffic that converts to leads, sales, affiliate earnings or ad clicks.

    Arguably, the most important metric any business should use to gauge the effect of what was done for SEO is how much more revenue is being generated. Keyword rankings and traffic are important metrics to measure, but the most important metric is ultimately the business goal.

    Google’s John Mueller appears to agree, as he cites revenue and the business result as key measures of whether the SEO is working.

    He explained:

    “I think, for in SEO, it kind of makes sense when you realize there’s concrete value in working on SEO for your website, where there’s some business result that comes out of it where you can actually measurably say, ‘When I started doing SEO for my website, I made so much more money’ or whatever it is that goal is that you care about, and ‘I’m happy to invest a portion of that into hiring someone to do SEO.’

    That’s one way I would look at it, where if you can measure in one way or another the effects of the SEO work, then it’s easier to say, ‘Well, I will invest this much into having someone else do that for me.’”

    There is a bit of a problem with measuring the effects of SEO. The effects on sales or leads from organic SEO cannot always be directly attributed. People who are obsessed with data-driven decisions will be disappointed because it’s not always possible to directly attribute a lead from an organic search. For one thing, Google hides referral data from the search results. Unlike PPC, where you can track a lead from an ad click to the sale, you can’t do that with organic search.

    So if you’re using increased sales or leads as a metric, you’ll have to be able to at least separate attributable paid search from earnings, then guesstimate the rest. Not everything can be data-driven.

    Hire Someone With Experience

    Another thing Mueller and Splitt recommended was to hire someone who has actual experience with SEO. There are many qualifying factors that can be added, including experience monetizing their own websites, ability to interpret HTML code (which is helpful for identifying technical reasons for ranking problems), endorsements and testimonials. A red flag, in my opinion, is hiring someone from a cold call.

    John Mueller observed:

    “Someone else, ideally, would be someone who has more experience doing SEO. Because, as a small business owner, you have like 500 hats to wear, and you probably can figure out a little bit about each of these things, but understanding all of the details, that’s sometimes challenging.”

    Martin agreed:

    “Okay. So there’s no one-size-fits-all answer for this one, but you have to find that spot for yourself whenever it makes sense. All right okay. Fair.”

    Red Flag About Some SEOs

    Up to this point, both Mueller and Splitt avoided cautioning about red flags to watch for when hiring an SEO. Here, they segued into the topic of what to avoid, advising caution about search marketers who guarantee results.

    The reason to avoid these kinds of search marketers is that search rankings depend on a wide range of factors that are not under an SEO’s control. The most an SEO can do is align a site to best practices and promote the site. After that, there are external factors, such as competitors, that cannot be influenced. Most importantly, Google is a black box system: you can see what goes in, you can observe what comes out (the search results), but what happens in between is hidden. All search ranking factors, like external signals of trustworthiness, have an unclear influence on the search results.

    Here’s what Mueller said:

    “One of the things I would watch out for is, if an SEO makes any promises with regards to ranking or traffic from Search, that’s usually a red flag, because a lot of things around SEO you can’t promise ahead of time. And, if someone says, “I’m an expert. I promise you will rank first for these five words.” They can’t do that. They can’t manually go into Google’s systems and tweak the dials and change the rankings.”

    Listen to Google’s Search Off The Record podcast here:

    Featured Image by Shutterstock/Peshkova

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  • Fruits and Vegetables Linked to Better Sleep Quality, Study Finds

    Fruits and Vegetables Linked to Better Sleep Quality, Study Finds

    Growing up, your mom probably told you to eat your fruits and veggies so you’d grow up to be big and strong. Now, a small study suggests another good reason to fuel up with produce: These nutrient-packed foods could help you snooze more soundly.

    The observational research, which was published in Sleep Health, found that eating 5 cups of fruits and vegetables each day could result in longer, more uninterrupted sleep that same night, with fewer instances of waking up.

    The findings show that better sleep doesn’t have to be complicated, says study coauthor Marie-Pierre St-Onge, PhD, a professor of nutritional medicine at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York. “We can get better sleep with very simple things — with food.”

    People Who Ate More Produce Slept More Soundly Through the Night

    To tease out the effects of diet on sleep quality, researchers recruited 34 adults ages 20 to 49. About 4 in 5 participants were male, and all reported regularly sleeping seven to nine hours per night and eating three meals a day.

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  • India can neither ‘stop water, nor quit IWT’

    India can neither ‘stop water, nor quit IWT’

    India has so far, refused to reconsider its decision to hold the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) in abeyance but the fact is that it cannot completely stop the flow of rivers into Pakistan, given the current infrastructure that it has, according to a report on Al Jazeera channel website.

    But experts caution that even a small diversion or blockage could hurt Pakistan, if India were to manage to stop the flow of the Indus Basin rivers. They warn that any such move could set the stage for a full-fledged war between two countries.

    In April, India said it was walking out of the IWT after gunmen killed 26 tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu Kashmir (IIOJK). A day later, Pakistan’s National Security Committee (NSC) rejected the “unilateral” move, warning that “any diversion of Pakistan’s water is to be treated as an act of war”.

    The 85-page IWT brokered by the World Bank and signed in 1960 is different from most global water treaties that share water according to their total volume of flows. On the contrary, the IWT divides the rivers – three eastern rivers to India and three western rivers to Pakistan.

    The treaty was a “hydraulic partition” that followed political partition, Majed Akhter, senior lecturer in geography at King’s College London told Al Jazeera. “It was needed to resolve issues of the operation of an integrated irrigation system in Punjab,” he added.

    However, Akhter pointed out that water sharing between the neighbours is linked to their dispute over Kashmir. “Territorial control of Kashmir means control of the waters of the Indus, which is the main source of water for the heavily agrarian economies” of Pakistan and India, he added.

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