Save $2,000 on a Lenovo touchscreen laptop for a limited time at Amazon.
Here we are celebrating Fourth of July weekend, nearing the peak of Summer, but the new school semester will be here before we all realize. Are you a student heading off to college at the end of August or perhaps the parent of one? Are you are they prepared will the right laptop to be able to handle all your classes and homework? Well, good news. This Lenovo laptop will fit the bill and right now it’s been reduced in price by a whopping 71%. The price it’s listed at is $2,799, but for a limited time, it’s been cut down for a staggering $2,000. That brings what you pay down to just $799.
This Lenovo laptop has a a screen that stretches across to 15.6 inches, displaying in a Full HD resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels. The screen is anti-glare so you can get some work done in a brightly lit environment or even outside on occasion. The screen is a touchscreen so you can even choose to operate the laptop like you would a tablet if that’s what you prefer.
See at Amazon
Specs-wise this laptop from Lenovo is rocking a massive 40GB of RAM and an Intel Core 13th-generation i7 processor, reaching a speed of 4.9Hz. It will be able to handle bouncing back and forth between tons of open tabs in Google Chrome while also running some resource demanding applications simultaneously. As far as storage, it has a 1TB SDD which should be plenty for any student concerns.
Superior Connectivity
Concerning compatibility, the Lenovo laptop supports a wide range of accessories thanks to one USB 2.0 port, one USB 3.2, one USB-C 3.2, one DisplayPort, one, HDMI, an Ethernet port, and a headphone jack because the AUX shall never truly die. It even has a K-lock which is great for if you’re ever working in public spaces like the library or student lounge and need to get up for a moment, perhaps for a quick bio break, without needing to schlep all your stuff to the bathroom with you.
Work collaboratively through Zoom or other video conferencing apps with the built-in 720p webcam. It even includes a shutter to maintain privacy when not in use.
The laptop features a full keyboard including a number pad which can make work in spreadsheets or other number-driven documents so much easier.
For a limited time, you can pick up this 15.6-inch Lenovo laptop from Amazon for a significantly reduced price. Get it today for just $799—$2,000 and 71% cheaper than its listed price of $2,799.
United Distributors Pakistan Limited (PSX: UDPL) and International Brands (Private) Limited (IBL) have announced that they are reviewing the recent order by the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) and exploring legal remedies after being fined Rs42 million for entering into a non-compete agreement deemed anti-competitive.
In a notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Friday, UDPL acknowledged that CCP proceedings had been initiated in connection with the agreement between the two companies, which included a Rs1.13 billion consideration paid by IBL to UDPL to abstain from distributing human pharmaceutical products for a period of three years.
The CCP concluded that the arrangement violated Sections 4(1) and 4(2)(b) of the Competition Act, 2010, calling it a market-sharing agreement that hindered competition in the pharmaceutical sector. A Rs20 million penalty was imposed on each company, with an additional Rs1 million fine on UDPL for disclosing the agreement to PSX without prior CCP clearance under Section 38 of the Act.
In its statement, UDPL emphasised that the company had made several disclosures about the agreement under applicable law, the most recent being on May 15, 2024. The company noted that the implementation of the restrictive arrangement was contingent on obtaining an exemption from the CCP, which was delayed due to internal factors.
“Regrettably, due to certain internal delays in obtaining the necessary information, the company and IBL were unable to file the exemption application in a timely manner,” UDPL stated. The exemption application was later submitted and remains under CCP review.
The company asserted that its disclosures were transparent and that the parties had acted in good faith. “UDPL has always been transparent in its disclosures, demonstrating its intention to comply with all applicable laws,” the notice read.
Following the CCP’s July 2 order, received a day later, UDPL stated that both companies are now “reviewing the order and seeking advice regarding appropriate remedies.” UDPL and IBL believe there are “cogent grounds” to support their case and challenge the penalties.
The matter has drawn significant attention in regulatory and business circles, particularly given the scale of the consideration involved and the implications for competition in the pharmaceutical sector.
The children of Dr Marwan al-Sultan, director of Gaza’s Indonesian hospital and one of the territory’s most senior doctors, said they believed their father was deliberately targeted in the Israeli airstrike that killed him on Wednesday.
Sultan died when an Israeli missile was fired into the apartment block in Gaza City where he and his extended family were staying after their displacement from northern Gaza. His wife, daughter, sister and son-in-law were also killed in the attack.
His surviving daughter Lobna said the airstrike specifically targeted the room her father was in. “All the rooms were fine except for his, the missile hit it precisely,” she said.
His son Ahmed said there was “no other explanation” other than that his father was deliberately targeted by the Israeli military. He also added that the floors where his father and their extended family were staying were the only parts of the block hit in the airstrike.
The apartment building in Gaza City where Dr Marwan al-Sultan and several family members were reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike
Photos and videos taken by local journalists and given to the Guardian, showed that the apartment block had been hit on the front side of the fourth and fifth floors, while the rest remained intact.
“Until the last minute of his life, he did not leave his job. He paid for this dedication with his life,” said Ahmed. “I was there only 10 minutes before the airstrike and the scene I faced when I went back to the apartment after the attack is indescribable. I didn’t know who had survived and who had died. Some people were only now shattered body parts. Most of those who died were women and children.”
He said his father’s death was not just a loss for the family but for the whole of Gaza. Sultan was an experienced cardiologist and a leading figure in Gaza’s medical community. He was also one of only two remaining heart specialists in the territory, according to Healthcare Worker Watch (HWW), a Palestinian medical organisation.
“My father was loved by all people,” said Ahmed. “He had been besieged at the Indonesian hospital and also at the Kamal Adwan hospital but he did not leave. For the first few months [of the war] we did not see him except a few hours of the day because he was always at the hospital.”
His death means that all of the directors of the hospitals in northern Gaza have either been killed or detained by the Israeli military forces.
Video footage of a bombed out apartment in Gaza
The director of Kamal Adwan hospital, Dr Ahmed al-Kahlout, and his fellow acting director, Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, as well as Dr Ahmed Muhanna, the director of al-Awda hospital in northern Gaza, are all being held in an Israeli prison.
In a statement, the IDF said: “On Wednesday, the IDF struck a key terrorist from the Hamas terrorist organisation in the area of Gaza City. The claim that as a result of the strike uninvolved civilians were harmed is being reviewed.
“The IDF regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals and operates to mitigate harm to them as much as possible. The Hamas terrorist organisation systematically violates international law while using civilian infrastructure for terrorist activity and the civilian population as human shields. The incident is under review.”
According to data from HWW, Sultan was the 70th healthcare worker to have been killed by the Israeli military in the past 50 days. The UN says that overall more than 1,400 healthcare workers have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of the war in October 2023.
Under the Geneva conventions, the set of international laws that police the conduct of warring parties, attacks on healthcare workers during conflict could be war crimes. The conventions state that doctors and other healthcare professionals should be protected, not targeted or attacked during conflict, and must be allowed to carry on providing medical care to those who need it.
Pakistan to use $1.4 billion climate loan to expand green investment, fiscal space — IMF
KARACHI: Pakistan will use a $1.4 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund’s climate resilience fund to expand fiscal space, embed climate planning into public investment decisions and unlock private-sector capital for green projects, the IMF said on Friday.
The financing, approved by the IMF’s Executive Board in May under its Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF), is part of a broader reform program that aims to help Pakistan adapt to increasingly frequent and devastating climate shocks.
Pakistan is the first country in the Middle East and Central Asia region to access the IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Facility. The fund was launched in 2022 to help climate-vulnerable low- and middle-income countries make the structural changes needed to protect their economies and populations.
“The RSF will help build climate resilience in Pakistan by creating fiscal space to address climate vulnerabilities, such as the need to improve climate-resilient adaptation infrastructure,” the IMF’s country office in Islamabad told Arab News in a written response.
“It will also boost climate’s prominence in public investment management and budget processes,” the statement said, “helping Pakistan better identify and target projects needed to strengthen resilience to climate shocks.”
A third pillar of the reforms, the IMF said, is improving the overall “enabling environment for green investment” so that banks and private firms could incorporate climate-related risk considerations into their risk management and investment activities.
The RSF financing will be disbursed over a 28-month period and runs alongside Pakistan’s $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF), whose first review was also approved in May, releasing roughly $1 billion in immediate support.
CLIMATE-FINANCE GAP
Pakistan, one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, has long struggled to align its public finances with the scale of climate risk it faces. The 2022 floods alone affected over 33 million people and caused more than $30 billion in damages and economic losses.
By reforming how climate priorities are reflected in budget planning and investment screening, the IMF says Pakistan will be better equipped to attract funding and respond to future disasters.
The RSF does not fund individual infrastructure projects. Instead, it supports “policy and institutional reforms that make climate action more effective,” the statement explained.
These include reforms in disaster coordination, water and irrigation infrastructure, and provincial implementation capacity.
The IMF program supports better coordination between the federal and provincial governments on disaster risk financing, a chronic weakness in past emergency responses, and policy changes that would strengthen water and irrigation management, the lender added in the statement.
“Policy reforms that directly target Pakistan’s water management and irrigation infrastructure would help make farmers more resilient to climate shocks,” it said, adding the focus would be on improving irrigation service standards, reliability, and water supply adequacy.
The reforms also aim to reduce waterlogging, salinity, groundwater depletion, and growing water insecurity, issues that disproportionately impact poor rural communities.
The IMF said its climate program in Pakistan takes a “whole-of-government” approach, with many reforms to be implemented at the provincial level.
“Much of the focus is on improving coordination mechanisms between the federal government and the provinces.”
The Call of Duty community is in meltdown after a massive leak revealed a controversial new feature inspired by Fortnite.
A datamine discovered in the Xbox Call of Duty app has hinted at the arrival of an Audio Visualizer. Which is a game-changing tool that shows visual cues for nearby sounds like footsteps and gunfire.
Call of Duty Copies Fortnite‘s Visual Audio?
Dataminers like Alaix and reporting from ComicBook spotted code suggesting that the feature will visually highlight in-game sounds. The visualizer will give players the ability to “see” enemies coming, not just hear them. Fortnite players have used a similar feature for years, but in the ultra-competitive world of Call of Duty, this could be a tectonic shift.
One insider posted on X, saying this isn’t a test. It’s “a real option that is coming.” The visualizer would display directional sound effects for enemy actions like walking or firing, turning crucial audio into on-screen data.
Audio Visualizer or Unfair Advantage?
This leak has split the community right down the middle. Supporters say it’s a win for accessibility, allowing hearing-impaired players to compete on equal footing. But many fear it will become mainstream and abused by the broader player base.
A top Reddit comment captured the outrage: “Visual audio is an incredibly massive advantage. You simply can’t compete on the same level without using it.”
Players across social media are calling for restrictions. One X user said, “This should be for people who genuinely need it, not for sweaty players trying to get an edge.”
Could This Redefine CoD Gameplay Forever?
If implemented, the Audio Visualizer won’t just affect casual matches. It could upend competitive CoD as we know it. Tactics that rely on sound, i.e., stealth, flanking, and ambushes, might become obsolete. Developers may have to rebalance entire maps, perks, and audio dynamics.
Sources like Insider Gaming noted the tool would give “gameplay and audio cues a visual component to help players determine the sounds or actions occurring around them.” That kind of tech could reshape the entire FPS experience.
Or maybe some clever minds will find a way to bypass it all. We will have to wait and see.
So, What’s Next for the Audio Visualizer?
Activision hasn’t officially confirmed the leak yet, but if it’s accurate, the Audio Visualizer could spark some serious debate among Call of Duty fans. Will it create a fairer playing field or completely undermine the skill gap?
Players should brace themselves for one of the most intense updates in the franchise’s history. Whether you’re in favor of it or against it, one thing is certain. Call of Duty might never be the same again.
Windows 11 has finally overtaken the market share of its predecessor, with just three months remaining until Microsoft discontinues support for Windows 10.
Windows 11 migration heats up… on desktops
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As of today, July’s StatCounter figures show the market share of Windows 11 at 50.24 percent, with Windows 10 at 46.84 percent. It’s a far cry from a year ago, when Windows 10 stood at 66.04 percent and Windows 11 languished at 29.75 percent.
The impending end of support for many versions of Windows 10 on Oxctober 14, 2025, has doubtless focused minds.
Daniel Bowker, Cloud Endpoint Solutions Lead at Microsoft reseller Phoenix, told The Register that while the company had been very proactive with its customers and Windows 11 readiness, with three months to go, the conversations were more along the lines of “Look, we’re 1000s of devices. We’re 80 percent there. We have a handle on the 20 percent; we’re either going to pay for the ESU [Extended Security Updates] or we’re going to look at leveraging something else.”
That something else includes a jump to Windows 365, which brings with it free ESU access.
In June, Keiren Jessop, a research manager at industry watcher Canalys, told El Reg: “Enterprises often migrate in waves. Lots of fiscal years are starting in July or October, so I think we’ll see some big bumps then.”
Jessop’s prediction appears to be on the money, much to the doubtless relief within Redmond. The question now is by how much the market share of Windows 11 will surpass that of its predecessor in the next three months.
The sudden spike is likely to be driven by enterprises rather than consumer uptake. Canalys noted that despite stockpiling in the channel in response to a threatened hike in tariffs on imports, hardware sales were likely “to be constrained.”
Big-ticket items like AI PCs have hardly been selling like hotcakes, with precious little in the way of a killer app to justify their higher prices.
The belated rise in Windows 11’s market share is more likely to be down to administrators pressing the upgrade button or a long-planned enterprise replacement wave rather than a sudden surge of new purchases (much to the doubtless disappointment of hardware vendors now pinning their hopes to generative AI.)
Still, with three months to go until its self-imposed support deadline, Microsoft has finally turned a corner with Windows 11. Just in time for Windows 12? ®
During the trial, the treatment was generally well tolerated, with only a small proportion of serious adverse events reported. Three adverse effects—fatigue, somnolence, and diarrhea—occurred more frequently in the treatment group than the placebo group. Fatigue and somnolence affected about 10% of patients, and diarrhea was observed in approximately 5%. Despite these occurrences, the overall tolerability profile of the treatment was considered acceptable, with most patients managing adverse effects without needing to discontinue therapy.
However, the study does have important limitations. One key limitation is the lack of data on long-term breast cancer outcomes, such as recurrence and survival. This omission is due to the nature of hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, which tends to relapse later, often beyond the 5-year mark. Since the full trial including the optional extension phase spans just over 2 years, it is too soon to assess any impact on recurrence rates or mortality. As of now, no increase in early recurrence has been observed, which is encouraging, but insufficient to draw definitive conclusions.
Future research will be necessary to determine the long-term safety and impact of these therapies. Data from the extended follow-up phase of the trial, as well as from real-world evidence, will be crucial. It will also be important to monitor any potential long-term risks, particularly in women at high risk of developing breast cancer who are using these drugs preventively. While the mechanism of action does not suggest an increased cancer risk, long-term surveillance will be essential to confirm the drugs’ safety and ensure that symptom relief does not come at the expense of increased recurrence or cancer incidence over time.
Norqain, the young, independent Swiss brand, produces contemporary, adventure-oriented watches. Many of the brand’s most popular models belong to the Independence collection, including the high-tech carbon fibre Wild One, conceived in collaboration with Jean-Claude Biver, the Skeleton Flyback Chrono featuring a proprietary manufacture calibre, and Norqain’s first skeletonised model. In line with current market watch trends, Norqain releases a compact 40mm version of its Independence Skeleton in two case finishes.
Skeletonised movements are delicate, and fitting one inside a case designed for rugged outdoor action requires secure anchoring. Introduced in 2021, the first skeletonised Independence 21 model was a teaser of sorts, presented in a limited edition of 100 pieces in a 42mm black DLC-coated case and bracelet, powered by a skeletonised, robust, and shock-resistant Sellita SW200-1S automatic. The following year, Norqain unveiled the Independence 22 Skeleton, an unlimited model featuring the same 42mm case diameter and movement, with a black flange, followed by a grey model in 2024.
Representing more than a simple colour change, the new Independence models have a more compact 40mm diameter but are thicker (12.05mm vs. 11.80mm) than their 42mm counterparts, although the lug-to-lug is more contained at 46.3mm. Living up to its sports watch reputation, the solid case is water-resistant to 100 metres with a screw-down crown protected by guards, balanced by the protruding and engraved plate on the left side of the case. Available in stainless steel or steel with a black DLC coating, the case flanks have sporty recessed areas with a sandblasted finish. The case is decorated with a predominance of brushed finishes and polished highlights.
Unlike the 42mm models with their ruthenium-coated bridges, the transparent mainplate reveals the anthracite colour of the skeletonised bridges securing the movement. Not only do they look more robust and contemporary, but they also provide more contrast, allowing a clearer view of the movement’s components. The dark grey chapter ring hosts the faceted indices treated with white XI Super-LumiNova. The skeletonised hour and minute hands also have SLN on their tips, but the arrow-tipped seconds hand with its lumed interior varies in colour from model to model: turquoise for the steel version and orange for the black DLC.
Powered by the calibre NB08S, a Sellita SW200-1 automatic, the movement is secured by connecting arms for greater rigidity and resistance to impacts. Visible from both sides, the COSC-certified chronometer movement beats at a frequency of 28,800vph. Fitted with a personalised Norqain rotor, the barrel can store a 41-hour power reserve.
The steel model can be ordered with a grey rubber strap for EUR 3,950 or a steel bracelet for EUR 4,200. The black DLC is paired with a khaki or a black rubber strap with a Milanese texture and retails for EUR 4,160. More information at Norqain.com.
