Renowned pop star and animal rights activist Cher will be visiting Pakistan later this week to see off Kaavan the elephant, who is set to be relocated to Cambodia. After years of campaigning by animal rights advocates and Cher to rescue him from grim conditions with no companion, Kaavan is to be airlifted to an elephant sanctuary on Sunday.
The model Halima Aden has said she is quitting runway shows because working in fashion has forced her to compromise her religious beliefs. Aden, who was hailed as a trailblazer for being one of the first models to wear a hijab, posted a series of images on social media that illustrated the times she had lost touch with who she is.
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is planning to lay off 3,000 employees through a voluntary retirement scheme this year to reduce its annual losses by Rs4.5 billion ($28.26 million). The Pakistani government approved the national flag carrier’s voluntary separation scheme (VSS) to remove the employees from service. PIA management is now seeking about Rs12.7 billion from the government to compensate them.
Young architect from Lahore, Faiqa Asghar, has made Pakistan proud by representing the nation globally with a ‘Top Talents under 25’ award. Faiqa, 21, was awarded under the category of Innovation by the global body and is the first Pakistan ever to have received this accolade. Faiqa was titled as the ambitious future youngest degree holder Architect of Pakistan by them.
Recruitment agencies fear Pakistani nationals will lose job opportunities to Indians after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has suspended issuance of work or employment visas to 13 Muslim-majority countries including Pakistan. In fact, since the ban came into effect on 18 of November, one recruitment agency alone in Rawalpindi has lost 3,000 jobs which have now been diverted to India by its client.
Six members of the Pakistan cricket squad, which is currently on a tour to New Zealand, have tested positive for the coronavirus. The team also received a “final warning” for flouting quarantine rules. New Zealand health authorities revoked the players’ ability to train while in isolation, making clear they would not tolerate risky behaviour in a country that has largely eradicated the virus.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has announced that it will not recognize two-year bachelors’ degrees issued to students enrolled in such programmes after the 2018 academic year. The notification stated that despite the HEC’s decision to phase out two-year BA/BSc programmes after the academic year 2018, it had been noted that the programmes are still being offered by universities, the DAIs and their affiliated colleges.
Japanese trend-setters can now protect against the coronavirus in luxurious style with opulent masks adorned with diamonds and pearls for a cool million yen ($9,600) each. Cox Co’s Mask.com chain began selling the hand-made masks last week, with the aim of cheering up people and spurring sales in a fashion industry depressed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has called for chemical castration and death penalty for convicted rapists during a meeting of the federal cabinet. The PM has instructed the law ministry to draft an ordinance within a week to curb violent sexual crimes that mostly target women and children. The federal cabinet has approved in principle the rape law.
A special permit by the Pakistan government has allowed Vice President of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai Mohammad bin Rashed Al Maktoum to “export” 150 falcons of rare species from Pakistan to the UAE. The permission was issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and delivered to the UAE’s embassy in the federal capital.