The World Health Organization has approved the emergency use of a COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by China’s Sinopharm. WHO’s decision opens the possibility that Sinopharm’s offering could be included in the United Nations-backed COVAX programme in coming weeks or months, and distributed through United Nations children’s agency UNICEF and WHO’s Americas regional office. A summary posted online by WHO suggests the vaccine is about 78 percent effective.
Pakistan has received about 1.23 million doses of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine today which were procured under the COVAX programme. So far about 10.19 million doses of different vaccines (Sinopharm, Sinovac and CanSino) had reached Pakistan. Out of the 3.5 million Sinovac Covid-19 jabs, one million would reach Pakistan on May 9 whereas another consignment of a million doses would reach the country between May 13-15.
Every few months, Pakistan television host Waqar Zaka makes it to the headlines for reasons unusual in most ways. This time around, the crypto entrepreneur has claimed that he can pay off Pakistan’s debts with ‘cryptocurrency’ if Prime Minister Imran Khan steps down and lets him run the country. Waqar then challenged politicians to give a better solution.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Affairs (SAPM) Shahbaz Gill announced the news that US e-commerce giant Amazon has added Pakistan to its approved seller list. Gill said Pakistan has now joined the global market which will result in billions for the country in the form of investment and employment opportunities. Accounts can now be made of Amazon using Pakistani details.
The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) has appointed Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, a former caretaker Finance Minister of Pakistan, as its first female chair. A development economist and former central bank governor — also the first woman to assume this position — Akhtar previously served at the Asian Development Bank. In 2008, The Wall Street Journal named her one of the top ten women leaders in Asia.
Saudi authorities have released new detailed images of Maqam-e-Ibrahim in Makkah’s Grand Mosque, Masjid al-Haram. Maqam-e-Ibrahim is the stone that bears the imprint of Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) where he stood while building the Khana-e-Kaaba when the walls became too high. The detailed images were captured with a new technique that uses stacked panoramic focus.
Cryptocurrency ether broke past $3,000 on Monday to set a new record high in a dazzling rally that has outshone the bigger bitcoin, as investors bet that ether will be of even greater use in a decentralised future financial system. Ether , the token transacted on the ethereum blockchain, rose 3% on the Bitstamp exchange to $3,051.99 by lunchtime in Asia.
For the first time in history, Saudi officials captured crystal clear close-up images of the Hajr-e-Aswad (sacred Black Stone) of the Ka’aba in Makkah. Adviser to the Saudi information ministry in a statement on Monday said that it took 7 hours to take the pictures which are up to 49,000 megapixels. He said since the Black Stone is “piece of
60-year-old, Ustad Waheed from Lahore has proved age is just a number by making a record of becoming the oldest to win the prestigious Mr. Pakistan bodybuilding competition. Previously, the fitness enthusiast also won the title of Mr. Lahore and just a few months before his latest prestigious achievement he won the title of Mr. Punjab.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has imposed a Rs500,000 fine on Express Entertainment for the use of animals as props on Time Out with Ahsan Khan. Pemra noted that the show’s use of animals as props is a violation of its policies. In the show, Khan uses the rabbits as props in one segment and places them on lap of his guests.