Tag: Life Top

  • Saudi Arabia drops abaya restriction for women tourists

    Saudi Arabia drops abaya restriction for women tourists

    To boost tourism in the country, Saudi Arabia has introduced a new visa system which will allow people to visit the country as tourists. Along with that, they have also announced that abayas will no longer be mandatory for women tourists. However, women are requested to dress modestly, including at public beaches.

    As per reports, the Kingdom is launching a new visa system for 49 countries to attract foreign companies to invest in a sector that can contribute towards ten percent of the country’s GDP by 2030.

    The rose-coloured sandstone of Madain Saleh, a UNESCO World Heritage site, near Saudi Arabia’s northwestern town of al-Ula

    Visas will be available online for about Rs 12,550 ($80) with no restrictions for unaccompanied women as in the past. This does not include the holy cities of Makkah and Medina.

    Visas in the desert kingdom, endowed with rich bedouin heritage and archaeological sites, are currently restricted to expat workers, their dependents and Muslim pilgrims travelling to holy sites in Mecca and Medina. Citizens of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and the UAE can also travel freely to the country.

    Al Ula

    Saudi Arabia has splurged billions in an attempt to build a tourism industry from scratch.

    In 2017, the kingdom announced a multi-billion dollar project to turn 50 islands and other pristine sites on the Red Sea into luxury resorts.

    Last year, construction of Qiddiya “entertainment city” was launched near Riyadh, which would include high-end theme parks, motorsport facilities and a safari area.

    The country is also developing historic sites such as the centuries-old Mada’in Saleh, home to sandstone tombs of the same civilisation which built the Jordanian city of Petra.

  • Exploring the French Countryside

    Exploring the French Countryside

    It is always a delight to spend the summer in Europe but spending the summer in the European countryside is special. Think bright, sunny mornings, long, warm afternoons by the pool and cool nights under the starlit sky.

    This summer I had the chance to spend the summer in Provence, a historical province in southeastern France. The culturally rich province extends from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the Italian border to the east and is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the south. To be honest, my family and I couldn’t have picked a better escape to relax and unwind from the hustle-bustle of our daily lives.

    What’s so special about Provence?

    Where to stay

    Chateau de Goult

    Getting around

    Places to explore

    Goult

    Provence Market

    Bonnieux

    Roussillon

    Gordes

    Learn how to make French Cuisine

    Don’t forget to soak in some Vitamin D.

    Just writing this piece has given me a serious case of wanderlust and made me want to go back.

  • Are fashion brands disconnected from reality? Under fire ‘Generation’ responds

    Are fashion brands disconnected from reality? Under fire ‘Generation’ responds

    With rising costs of basic necessities, other products which are categorized as “not so necessary,” such as expensive clothes, are taking the back seat. But it appears that fashion brands are oblivious to these shifts in the economy. Why? Because they seem to churn out products that are categorized as affordable but are way out of the average Pakistani woman’s league.

    On one hand, we have Generation, which has always prided itself for being inclusive and affordable and on the other, we have Elan, a high-street fashion brand which most people love from afar.

    Generation, with their latest campaign featuring teachers, has gotten a few things wrong. For starters, people are unhappy with the prices. The joras are priced between Rs 6500 – 9000. Most school teachers in the country, including those who work in private schools, earn up to Rs 40,000 a month. Given the rising costs of basic necessities, it is unlikely that teachers will have any money left over to splurge on such items.

    Social media users also thought the same and many of them commented on Generation’s posts, asking them to rethink their prices and offer discounts to teachers.

    When we contacted Generation for their response on the social media backlash, they commented, “We kicked off August with our “Back to College” campaign and the shoot in question, was its extension.”

    “Inspired by the nostalgia of college and the fact that a huge part of our customer base is from the teaching profession, we shot the campaign with Naveed Anjum, a college professor herself-who is a regular customer of GENERATION and who herself chose the clothes for this shoot. The blackboard, chalk and the old-school feel of the visuals served to evoke memories of good old classroom days with the teachers who shaped our present.”

    They added, “Our casual product price ranges from Rs 1,500 to 9,000 and we chose one of the more sober collections featuring three-piece suits which ranges from Rs 6000 to 9000 but perhaps price should have been centre stage in deciding which collection to feature for the teacher segment. We’ll be more mindful of these things in the future.”

    A balanced and well-curated response as one would expect, given their up-to-date marketing and PR teams.

    Meanwhile, Khadija Shah of Elan came under fire after she took to Twitter to announce that she is introducing an “unstitched wedding season collection” which will be priced between Rs 18,000 and Rs 20,000.

    https://twitter.com/khadijah_shah/status/1175801825393618944?s=20

    The trolling that Khadija received, after her tweet, had no end. People called her out for being an elitist who lives in her own bubble.

    https://twitter.com/Ruby2805/status/1176224699518529538?s=20

    At the same time, several people stepped forward to defend Khadija.

    Khadija also tried to reason and explain the logic behind the high prices. She said that because of the depreciating rupee, the cost of raw materials and production has increased.

    https://twitter.com/khadijah_shah/status/1175854136782393346?s=20
    https://twitter.com/khadijah_shah/status/1176066620470517761?s=20

    When the trolling increased, Khadija hit back saying that she is not forcing anyone to buy these.

    https://twitter.com/khadijah_shah/status/1175855188952985600?s=20
    https://twitter.com/khadijah_shah/status/1176157628470374400?s=20
  • Criminal negligence or accident? Bahria University student falls to death

    Criminal negligence or accident? Bahria University student falls to death

    A student of Bahria University Islamabad passed away after falling from the fourth floor of the university building.

    The deceased, 23-year-old Haleema Amin, was a bachelors student in her second semester at Bahria University. According to the police and hospital staff, she fell from the fourth floor of a new university block which is currently under construction.

    The hospital staff claimed that the Haleema was conscious when she was brought to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) in the afternoon by university staff, including a doctor.

    She had suffered multiple fractures including her backbone and was kept under observation and provided treatment. However, she passed away in the afternoon around 4:30 pm. The staff added that her body was later taken from the hospital by the same people who brought her to Pims.

    Meanwhile, the Margalla police said they found out about the incident when the woman was brought to the hospital. They said they were told she fell off the building while taking a selfie.

    The police said that the university did not allow them to investigate the scene of the accident and said that they would inform the police later and submit a report in this regard.

    The police also shared that the woman’s family has yet to be approached for legal action, and her body is not with the police or the hospital. They said legal action will be taken, including an autopsy, if a complaint is lodged with the police.

    Meanwhile, students of Bahria University said that their colleague passed away due to negligence by the university. They said that some of their classes were being held on the fourth floor of a new university block which is currently under construction and Haleem fell because of no proper fencing.

    The students took to social media and the streets to protest against the university for being negligent and hiding the facts of the case and are demanding justice for their friend.

    https://www.facebook.com/amna.asif.9277/posts/2399791793449586

    Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazaari also took notice of the incident and asked Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood to institute an inquiry.

  • ‘DON’T kiss babies’: Mother-of-four whose infant son nearly died begs adults

    ‘DON’T kiss babies’: Mother-of-four whose infant son nearly died begs adults

    A mother-of-four is warning others against kissing their newborns during the flu season after her own son barely survived a severe respiratory infection.

    Ariana DiGrigorio’s son Antonio caught the flu when he was still an infant.

    For two months, they could not figure out why the symptoms persisted. Antonio was then diagnosed with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

    Ariana shared a heart-wrenching photo of son in the hospital with all manner of supportive and monitoring tubes and wires coming from his tiny body on Facebook, urging parents to keep their babies away from relatives’ kisses, for the infants’ good.

    RSV is a common viral infection but for the elderly, those with compromised immune systems and especially babies, the virus can be dangerous.

    Most instances of pneumonia and bronchitis in infants are triggered by RSV.

    Antonio pulled through, but it was a terrifying time for the DiGrigorio family. Antonio finally pulled through.

    ‘Don’t be the reason a baby is hospitalized (or dead) because the baby was “just so cute I had to kiss her!”‘ Ariana wrote in a Facebook post that was shared over 2,500 times.

  • Peshawri chappal gets wings

    Peshawri chappal gets wings

    A Pakistani-American designer Saks Afridi collaborated with the shoe brand Markhor to create the Hawa Sandal which is an upgraded version of the traditional Peshawari Chappal.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B2Ry1QQl4GH/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=dlfix

    The footwear is part of Saks Afridi’s space mosque collection that has a sci-fi Sufism theme. The designer has elaborated the concept behind the chappal in this Instagram post:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B2T88sFFrip/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=dlfix

    He also shared shots of people wearing the Hawa Sandal and levitating.

    Previously, French fashion designer Christian Louboutin and British fashion designer Paul Smith have attempted (and failed) with their versions of the Peshawari chappal which is native to Pakistan’s northwestern regions.

    What do you think of this version of the Peshawari chappal?

  • Pakistani student builds first voice-operated wheelchair

    Pakistani student builds first voice-operated wheelchair

    A student of Lahore University of Management Sciences’ (LUMS), Faaiz Arbab has developed a voice-controlled electric wheelchair that can be operated through a smartphone application.

    Faaiz is a graduate of electrical engineering program from LUMS and invented the voice-operated smart wheelchair, named ‘GOBEE’, in collaboration with the National Incubation Center (NIC) Lahore and AYEco.

    It operates with the help of a smartphone application which has a ‘Call N Go’ feature in it. The wheelchair responds to the voice commands of the user, being able to turn left or right and move forward or backward. It can also be summoned from a distance of 15 kilometers.

    Faaiz aims to assist people with disabilities through the use of technology. The smart wheelchair offers Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and a remote control which goes over the range of a 100 feet.

    GOBEE is water repellent, anti-rusting, and has alloy rim wheels combined with an anti-sweat technology sofa seat.

    National Design Awards (NDA) Pakistan also awarded Arbab with the best Consumer Product Design Award (2018) for his Voice Operated Smart Wheel Chair.

    Pakistan Tehreeke Insaf’s (PTI) MNA Asad Umar shared lauded the Arbab’s efforts on Twitter and shared a video of the wheelchair.

    “This is just the kind of work that needs to be projected,” Asad wrote.

  • FBR to regulate beauty parlours, bakeries

    FBR to regulate beauty parlours, bakeries

    The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to bring beauty parlours, bakeries, grocery stores, and all other retail outlets under an Invoice Monitoring System to check their tax and to ensure that no sales tax theft is taking place at these stores.

    As per reports, the FBR is going to launch its pilot project in Islamabad from next month. Under the plan, the Invoice Monitoring System will be installed at all commercial beauty parlours, bakeries, and grocery stores in the capital to record their actual sales. The project would gradually be extended across the country after its trial launch.

    The system works in a manner that whenever concerned outlets issue a copy of the invoice to a customer, an electronic copy will reach the linked FBR office. This will help the bureau keep a track of the actual sales and the amount of sales tax charged on each bill.

    The FBR officials expressed satisfaction over the system and hoped that it will help increase the revenue collection.

    Most parlours and grocery stores already charge tax so it is unlikely that the prices will be increased. However, this system will ensure that the tax you’ve paid reaches the relevant authorities and is not stolen along the way.

  • Zainab’s father appointed focal person for child abuse in Kasur

    Zainab’s father appointed focal person for child abuse in Kasur

    Child Protection and Welfare Bureau (CPWB) Punjab Chairperson Sarah Ahmad on Tuesday announced that Zainab Ansari’s father Amin Ansari is being appointed as the focal person for child abuse in the Kasur district. According to details, the father of the six-year-old – who was raped and killed in January 2018 – volunteered himself for the task.

    Zainab’s case had sparked countrywide outrage and protests and her perpetrator Imran Ali was executed nine months after her death.

    The bureau, on the directives of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, has launched a campaign in Kasur to raise awareness regarding child sexual abuse. According to the chairperson, this is the “first time that the government has started a campaign in Kasur.” Previously only NGOs were the only ones working on the ground to tackle the problem of child abuse in the area.

    Though the bureau had established a small outreach centre at the TMA Hall in early 2018, after Zainab’s case, the centre had not been equipped properly and largely depended on the Lahore head office.

    The development comes days after the remains of three minor boys, whom police suspect were raped and murdered, were found in Kasur’s Chunian Tehsil. According to the police, two children were reported missing in August while a third had gone missing earlier this month. On the indication of a local worker, police found the body of one of the boys and the skeletal remains of the other two at a deserted place in Chunian Industrial Estate area. Residents in Chunian says that five children had gone missing in recent months. The remains of four have now been found.

    Investigators claim that the heinous crimes have been committed by a single person as suggested by the result of the samples taken from the body of one of the victims, Faizan. The police have so far detained 20 suspects from Chunian, while the samples of over 950 others have also been collected for DNA tests.

    The discovery of the bodies had led to violent protests after which the government including Prime Minister Imran Khan had taken notice of the incident.

    In recent years, Kasur has garnered international attention for being a hotspot for child abuse and pornography.

  • Hand sanitizer won’t protect you from catching flu: Study

    Hand sanitizer won’t protect you from catching flu: Study

    We had it all wrong. The hand sanitizer will not protect you
    from catching the flu, a new study reveals.

    It’s a myth that hand sanitizers kill germs promptly, even those that land you with a cold or flu. While it is true that some germs are removed with a quick squeeze, the flu-causing ones stay on. 

    According to a new study published in
    the journal mSphere, sanitizer products cannot remove the mucus on a
    person’s fingers. To test this, the researchers patted the participant’s hands
    with IAV-infected wet mucus.

    “The physical properties of the mucus
    protect the virus from inactivation,” said a physician and molecular
    gastroenterologist. “Until the mucus has completely dried, infectious IAV can
    remain on the hands and fingers, even after suitable antiseptic hand rubbing.”

    This mucus can take up to four minutes or more to dry, which means in those four minutes you have a high chance of catching the flu or transferring it to another person. Once the mucus has dried, it can be disinfected with any hand sanitizer.

    The US-based Center for Disease Control and Prevention advises people to wash their hands with soap and water instead, to reduce the chances of catching a cold. The researchers who conducted the study also agree, an antiseptic soap can clean up the flu germs within 30 seconds.