COVID-19 has finally reached Antarctica, making it the last continent to be hit by the pandemic.
Thirty-six people on the continent tested positive for the novel virus. Of those infected, 26 are members of the Chilean army and 10 are civilian maintenance personnel.
According to Chile’s army and health ministry officials, infected patients were evacuated to the city of Punta Arenas where they have been put in isolation and are under “constant monitoring”.
Chilean officials are investigating how the virus reached there, said a spokesman for the Health Ministry. He said that so far none of the infected men have had severe symptoms.
Pakistan on Tuesday recorded the highest single-day deaths ever during the second wave of coronavirus, reporting 111 fatalities amid reports that a new strain of coronavirus, similar to the one wreaking havoc in the United Kingdom, has also surfaced in Karachi.
Geo reported Coronavirus Task Force head Dr Attaur Rehman as saying that the authorities have discovered a new strain of coronavirus in the port city that is similar to the one spreading in Europe.
With the latest surge, the death toll in the country has reached 9,668. As per the breakdown, Punjab reported 51 deaths; Sindh 40 deaths; Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 14 deaths; Islamabad four deaths; while Balochistan reported only two deaths.
This is the second time that the country has reported over 100 deaths during the second wave of the deadly infection. On Dec 15, it had reported 105 deaths. The highest number of deaths due to the coronavirus took place in June when 141 people lost their lives to the deadly contagion.
While, recoveries on the other hand have risen to 417,134 after 1,782 more people recovered, according to the government’s COVID-19 portal. The portal also showed that 2,361 virus patients are in critical condition.
Health experts see the ever-increasing coronavirus cases as a result of the poor compliance of the COVID-19 protocols. It is also feared that the health system might crash soon if the tally continues to surge at the current pace.
At least four people have died and over a dozen have been hospitalised after a toxic gas leak in Kemari area of Karachi over the past two days.
According to a hospital spokesperson, at least 22 patients were brought to the hospital in the last two days and all of them were complaining of breathing problems. 18 were discharged after they were given medical attention, while four died during the treatment.
The spokesperson of Ziauddin Hospital said that the deceased had the same symptoms as the people who were brought to the hospital in February after purported soybean dust in the area had caused many residents to fall ill.
The incident came under the spotlight after a release of a statement by the hospital that raised alarm over the worsening situation. The government authorities, on the other hand, are still clueless as to what was happening in the area, just like the last time when over 14 people lost their lives to to mysterious gas leak in the same area.
In February, alleged soybean dust had killed over 14 and affected 300 people.
A report compiled by the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) at Karachi University had found aeroallergen from soybean dust in blood samples collected from the people who died.
The Sindh High Court has ordered the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and Karachi Zoo administration to shift Rano from her 25-foot wide Victorian ‘grotto’ pit to another open cage, reportedly 500 times bigger than her current enclosure.
According to a report in Samaa News, the court ordered authorities to immediately shift the 20-year-old Syrian brown bear, who has been living a solitary life for the last three years. The instructions, recommended by a five-member team formed to evaluate the condition of the bear and the zoo, were passed on an interim basis until a final decision is taken.
It has been reported that the new cage is spread over 2,100 square feet and is on ground level, unlike her previous enclosure which was an underground pit. However, it too requires some improvisations.
@spar_pk speaking after court hearing on Rano. As an interim measure, while the lawyers from the Sindh Govt asked for more time, @spar_pk lawyers pushed and got an order to relocate Rano immediately to an adjacent space which is an above ground cage, pic.twitter.com/xwWBrSr9vE
Rano’s plight had sparked nationwide protests in the summer following which 38 people signed a petition filed in the Sindh High Court by Barrister Mohsin Shahwani on October 1, 2020. In the application, the petitioners had highlighted the animal’s plight and had alleged that the bear was not being well taken care of and was not being fed on time. The petition has demanded Rano be sent back to Skardu so that she can be among her own.
In the successive hearing on October 5, the court had instructed KMC to install an air-cooler inside Rano’s enclosure to provide her some relief. It also ordered authorities to present the zoo’s budget and details of details, expressing anger over the fact that there was only one doctor for all animals at the zoo.
According to animal experts, Rano is suffering from emotional and psychological distress which is why she is often seen panting heavily and roaming in circles. The Society for the Protection of Animal Rights (SPAR) is hopeful that Rano, in her new temporary cage, is able to move around easily, explore and play with items of an enrichment program, be able to see zoo activities, birds, trees and other animals and have a less lonely, stressed life.
For now.Till the next hearing.We will follow up with the Karachi Zoo management to ensure the new space is as per her needs,as defined in the report we submitted which was discussed in court today along with the reports of the previous court appointed committee. Source @spar_pk
Meanwhile, Islamabad’s Marghazar Zoo — which drew international condemnation for its treatment of lonely elephant Kaavan — shut down on December 16 after its final occupants Babloo and Suzie were relocated to a sanctuary inJordan.
As per details, the Himalayan brown bears suffer from psychological problems due to living in a substandard enclosure, with the female Suzie undergoing major surgery in the summer after a tumour was removed from her chest. Local vets were unable to stitch up seven inches open cut in the centre of her chest and she developed an infection. Four Paws vets, who arrived in August, operated on Suzie again and cleaned the infected wound. This was also the reason why sanctuaries within Pakistan refused to take them in.
“She is now recovering and healthy. Both bears are doing well physically now that we have put them on a better nutritional diet of fruits and vegetables. Suzie had diarrhoea all the time because she was mostly fed milk,” a spokesperson for Four Paws, Marion Lombard had told local media outlets.
Several celebrities including Hamza Ali Abbasi and Mehwish Hayat have called for zoos across the country to be shut down given the mistreatment of animals there.
Mahira Khan, who is currently in quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19, has revealed how she has been keeping herself busy during this time.
“I have listened to old songs, read lots, written and written and written, watched some amazing films, smiled while thinking of life and cried too, lit candles and then re-lit some more every night,” shared the actor.
She further said that she missed her son and loved ones dearly but “in my moments of pain and discomfort..I could only thank the universe for the life I have lived and continue to live. Every little thing – all the tender mercies and blessings.”
“Alhumdulillah,” added Mahira, before thanking her fans and followers for their birthday wishes once again.
Concluding her note, she said, “Here I am, sitting on top of a roof.. watching the sky in all its glory. Added Madam Noor Jehan’s Chaandni Raatein to it.”
“‘We only truly die when we are forgotten’ – She lives every day and forever,” wrote Mahira. Noor Jehan’s 20th death anniversary was observed on December 23.
Meanwhile, Ahmed Ali Butt shared a picture of himself with his grandmother on social media to remember her on her death anniversary.
“Always in our hearts,” wrote Ahmed in the caption.
Madam’s granddaughter, Natasha Ali Lakhani also gave tribute to her grandmother by dressing up like her in a white silk saree and similar makeup. She also shared a video of her mother and aunts talking about their late mother.
British online fashion group Boohoo is under fire for allegedly exploiting Pakistani workers. The brand said on Wednesday that it is investigating a Guardian report that its suppliers were underpaying workers in Pakistan.
The Guardian reported that employees at two factories in Faisalabad making clothes for Boohoo were earning Rs10,000, or £47 ($62) per month that is below the legal monthly minimum wage for unskilled labour of Rs17,500.
The report added that it had video and photographic evidence to support the claims of potential safety issues such as parking of the motorbikes in the indoor areas next to flammable materials. In the rush to produce clothes for the western market, insiders claimed workers would sometimes do 24-hour shifts.
Responding to the allegations, Boohoo said it had called upon inspection and compliance specialists Bureau Veritas to probe the claims on the ground in Faisalabad.
“As we have previously stated, we will not tolerate any instance of mistreatment or underpayment of garment workers,” Boohoo added in a statement.
Earlier this year, Boohoo has been accused that one of its suppliers in England paid workers much less than the national minimum wage.
“Any supplier who does not treat their workers with the respect they deserve has no place in the Boohoo supply chain,” its statement added.
Another factory whose working conditions are criticised in the report, Madina Gloves, strongly refuted the allegations.
“The situation on the ground is completely different. The reporter never visited my factory and I challenge him to bring forward a single quote from the workers of the factory. I am considering taking him to the court,” the owner Muhammad Saleem Shahzad told AFP.
Shahzad added that since the article had published, he had already received calls from three different UK clients to cancel orders.
“I want to ask what service this report has done to my employees who are going to lose their job now?”
The Guardian report comes after Boohoo in November appointed Brian Leveson to help “deliver long-lasting and meaningful change” to the group’s supply chain and its business practices.
Leveson is best known for heading a 2012 inquiry into UK media standards following the hacking of celebrities’ phones by the now-closed News of the World tabloid, which was owned by Rupert Murdoch.
Fahad Mustafa, in a recent interview, shared that the plot of Dunk revolves around false accusations of sexual harassment. Starring Bilal Abbas Khan, Sana Javed and Naumaan Ejaz, Dunk premiered on ARY Digital Wednesday night.
Talking about why he decided to produce this drama, Fahad said: “95% cases of sexual harassment are genuine but in some cases, people are falsely accused, so we have to tell every kind of story.”
“We [Big Bang Productions] have always tried to show different kinds of stories,” said Fahad. “We also made a drama Meri Guriya which told the story of [the rape victim] Zainab.”
“As producer it is my responsibility to tell every kind of story and I believe people will enjoy watching this drama,” added Fahad.
The actor-producer further said that his new drama depicts reality very closely and that Dunk “is a tribute to every victim who has been falsely accused of sexual harassment”.
When asked about his opinion regarding Meesha Shafi’s harassment case against Ali Zafar, Fahad said: “I do not know much details about the case, but all I know is that Ali has suffered a lot at professional front, it Is a huge lose for Ali and his family.”
Mustafa went onto say: “I think, brands should set an example by working with the people who have been falsely accused of sexual harassment.”
Dunk had earlier stirred controversy for its problematic presentation of harassment in universities in the promos.
The drama serial features, Bilal Abbas Khan, Sana Javed, Shahood Alvi, Fahad Sheikh, Tara Mahmood, Saifi Hassan, Salma Hassan, Kanwal Khan, Noman Ejaz, and Azekah Daniel. Written by Mohsin Ali Shah Dunk has been directed by Badar Mehmood.
You know what happened? We realised (and from email replies by most of you) that you thoroughly enjoy the Sunday newsletter written by me. Firstly, bohat shukriya, secondly, humne socha that why don’t I dedicate my weeknights and mornings to you guys and write a daily one as well? After all, you are what matters most to our organisation.
What matters most to me right now is that Lahore is still cold and hazy, Islamabad has got crazy amounts of sun today, Peshawar is cold but sunny and freezing Quetta is also a sun-filled city this fine morning. Warmish-cold Karachi is also hazy but you know what we all got wrong? We thought that Ishaq Dar would’ve regretted going to that Hard Talk interview which he thought would be warm but turned out to be a stone-cold killer. We thought Hard Talk anchor Stephen Sackur finished Dar, but Sackur says that he thought that Dar enjoyed the interview. Also, bhai, how does Sackur get people to answer these super tough questions? He says, “The trick is you ask the same question so many times to get the straight answer.” Being that sharp requires sleep and apparently the motorway police has figured out a way to get drivers to stay awake while driving. They are introducing an alarm-like device to keep drivers from falling asleep. Aapko yeh device kano par lagani hogi aur agar aapka sar hilne laga, like you’re about to fall asleep, tou alarm bajh jaye ga. Great idea. But who is going to wear it? I mean, sometimes the only way to stay awake when driving is blaring really loud music. Here’s a list of the top songs that Pakistanis were listening to in 2020. I realise the older we get, the more we want to sleep and even if we feel young, people can make us feel very old. A day ago we did a live session in the office and got so many comments calling me and Saman “expired aunties”. Yeh kya hai yaar? AUNTIES. Please. We are as young as the bright new stars that NASA revealed yesterday. Check out the picture below and then send this newsletter a five star rating.
Can’t wait to hear from you!
Current Baba’s Prediction
Your mother is very unhappy with you today. She thinks you did nothing this year except stay in your room. How can you explain to her kay maa, corona tha, kya karta, even I dont know.
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It’s wedding season and Pakistanis are making the most of it. After Hina Khwaja Bayat left fans in awe with her dance performance on Dola Re oh her daughter’s wedding, Naimal Khawar Abbasi has set the dance floor on fire with her moves at her sister Fiza Khawar’s wedding.
Videos of her dance have gone viral on social media.
https://youtu.be/-3K_oR6ff0M
Meanwhile, check out a few pictures from the mehndi here:
Naimal looked fabulous in a red velvet outfit by Mohsin Naveed Ranjha.
Earlier, Naimal also stunned on her sister’s pre-wedding functions.
