Weekly News Round-Up ( 20th – 27th June)
This week in the news, find out about the viral hotel in the sky, whether Covid is back for good, how Pakistani athletes making their mark globally, which iconic film is making a comeback and more! Read on to find out all the news you’ve missed this week.
NCOC Recommends Wearing Masks In Public Again
After Karachi’s Covid positivity rate crossed 22%, the apex national coordination body responsible for ensuring measures to protect the public from the rapidly spreading novel coronavirus (Covid-19), has recommended making it mandatory for people to start wearing masks in public places again. The recommendation comes after the positivity ratio of the virus and fatalities in several cities have started to rise. In a message posted on their official Twitter account, the National Institute of Health (NIH) stated that the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) has recommended making mask-wearing in public spaces mandatory.
Two Pakistani Athletes Secure Silver At Mas-Wrestling World Championship
Pakistani athletes Ali Azhar, Waqas Afzal and Muhammad Saad bagged silver medals in 70kg, 125kg and 60 kg weight categories, respectively at the fourth Mas-Wrestling World Championship being held at Yakut, Russia. Bhatti defeated Indian athlete Sheikh Abdul Ahad Yunus in the qualifying round and cemented his place in the final round of the 125kg category. Meanwhile, Saad outclassed wrestlers from Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan in the initial rounds before defeating the Serbian opponent in the semi-final round. He bagged silver as he could not carry his winning spree in the final round. Ali Azhar had to settle for the silver medal in the 70kgs weight category after going down against Russia’s Nikanorov Valery in the final. Athletes from 45 countries took part in the championship. A contingent of 11 wrestlers, including one female athlete, represented Pakistan in the championship.
Pakistani Sprinters Win Big At Qosanov Memorial Championships & Make Global News Headlines
Over the weekend Pakistani sprinter Shajar Abbas broke the national 100m sprinting record at the 31st Qosanov Memorial International Athletics Championship in Almaty, Kazakhstan. He won gold in the 100m race as he crossed the finish line at 10.42 seconds. He then proceeded to bag the bronze medal in the 200m race while fellow Pakistani sprinter, Abdul Majeed Baloch aka The Baloch Bolt, bagged the bronze medal in the 400m race. Furthermore, Sohail Umar also bagged a medal for Pakistan as he finished at the second spot in the 1500m race.
APS Survivor Ahmad Nawaz Becomes Oxford Union President
According to various news sources, Ahmad Nawaz, a survivor of the 2014 Army Public School massacre, has officially taken charge as the president of the Oxford University’s debating society Oxford Union. The young scholar was elected to the post earlier this year on March 6. “Immensely proud to have finally assumed my duties as President of Oxford Union,” Nawaz tweeted on June 21. He said that he aims to gather world leaders on this platform to debate the most pressing issues, empower youth and uphold freedom of speech.
Pakistan Becomes Third Largest Seller Country on Amazon
According to Marketplace Pulse research, after joining the Amazon marketplace in May 2021, Pakistan has secured a spot in the top three largest selling countries leaving behind India, Turkey, Vietnam, the United Kingdom and Canada. According to local news outlets, talks between Amazon, Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce, and the National e-Commerce Council began in 2020. A year after Pakistan’s first e-commerce policy included adding Pakistan to Amazon’s list.
Government To Issue Licenses To Marijuana Producers
Ministry of Science and Technology has decided to form an authority to regulate and facilitate the farming and usage of marijuana (Bhang). According to details, the authority would issues licences to producers and farmers to produce marijuana (Bhang) for medical and industrial usage. The license for marijuana (Bhang) production would be viable for 15 years. The authority would issue five different kinds of licences including an industrial, medical, processing, research and development license. The special permit for the export of marijuana would be issued by the Department of Commerce. Under the National Hemp Policy that has been forwarded to the federal cabinet for approval, the regulatory authority will be set up with a one-window operation to facilitate investors. Science and Technology Minister Shibli Faraz said that the government had been receiving uncountable applications for the cultivation of hemp leaves. In the first phase, he added that 100 firms were given licences for the purpose.
Karachi Central Jail’s Efforts To Up-Skill Inmates With Mandarin Chinese Classes
The high-security Karachi Central Jail recently began offering Mandarin Chinese classes to up-skill inmates and gives them a better chance at life when they are released. Over the past few years, the prison has launched new rehabilitation programs to keep prisoners intellectually stimulated. The programs offered to inmates include – painting, jewellery making, embroidery, computer science, music and language training classes. The Mandarin Chinese classes are being offered to thirty inmates at Karachi Central Jail’s ‘Alkhidmat Computer Training and English Language Center’ by inmate Farhan Niazi.
Sky Cruise – The First AI, Nuclear-Powered Sky Hotel
Cruising in the sky may soon become a reality with Sky Cruise! Sky Cruise is a potential AI-piloted aircraft which would never land. Designed by Yemeni science communicator Hashem Al-Ghaili, the aircraft has the capacity of 5,000 passengers and has 20 nuclear-powered engines. Sky Cruise would never touch the ground and surprisingly, the repairs would also be carried out airborne. The plane features a 360 view of the sky, shopping mall, sports centres, entertainment deck, restaurants, bars playgrounds, cinemas and swimming pools, wedding halls, and meeting halls. The launch date hasn’t been announced yet but the viral video has already made global news headlines!
Titanic Will Return To The Big Screens For 25th Anniversary
The Oscar-winning superhit film, Titanic, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet will return to the big screens in February 2023 with a remastered version. The James Cameron directorial return will mark the 25th anniversary of the blockbuster film after 3 decades of its original release. The 1997 romance drama’s remastered version will hit the silver screens with 3D 4K HDR and high-frame-rate.
Toblerone To Drop Switzerland From Its Label
Toblerone will have to drop “Switzerland” from its packaging as the mountain-shaped chocolate will no longer be exclusively produced in its home country from 2023. Established in 1908 in the Tobler family factory, the triangular chocolate has been produced in Bern, in the heart of the Alpine country. But the brand’s owner, American food giant Mondelez International, said Toblerone will open a new production line in Slovakia by the end of the year “to respond to the growing demand”.
