New Zealand media market struggling; giant Stuff Limited sold for one dollar

Pakistan News & Features Services

The ailing New Zealand media market witnessed giant Stuff Limited was sold in a management buy-out deal for the symbolic fee of NZ$1.00 (US$0.61), according to an announcement made by the group's Australian owners Nine Entertainment on May 25.

Stuff Limited, operating New Zealand's most popular news website, stuff.co.nz, besides popular entities like Wellington's Dominion Post and the Christchurch Press, will be taken over by none other than its own chief executive, Sinead Boucher. 

"The sale of Stuff is expected to (be) complete by May 31," Nine communicated in its statement to the Australian stock exchange. Boucher, who had joined the company as a reporter in 1993 and spent most of her career at same organization, described the event as a new era for Stuff.

"It is great to take control of our own future with the move to local ownership and the opportunity to build further on the trust of New Zealanders, who turn to us for local and national news and entertainment every day," she told stuff.co.nz. 

New Zealand’s media market has been struggling of late due to COVID-19's impact and by the inroads being made by the global internet giants like Facebook and Google. 

The one-dollar price of Stuff Limited brought to light the growing difficulties in New Zealand's media sector where its main domestic rival, NZME, had its own one-dollar bid for the company rejected earlier this month. 

Stuff and NZME had both asked staff to take pay cuts due to the virus-induced downturn, with NZME cutting 200 jobs. German magazine giant Bauer Media Group had also closed down its New Zealand titles with the loss of 237 jobs last month, citing the severe economic impact of the pandemic.

Nine Entertainment, it may be recalled, had obtained Stuff when it acquired the company's Australian owner, newspaper group Fairfax Media in late 2018.

Coronavirus Update: Sindh’s rate of recovery also rises

By Mukhtar Alam
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Sindh’s total number of recoveries from coronavirus has been on rise in recent days but it has failed to witness any significant shrink in gap between active cases and new infections while the authorities confirmed registration of another 443 new cases, against 614 patients cured, with two relevant deaths at Karachi hospitals on May 25. 

According to available official data, a maximum 904 COVID-19 patients were cured and discharged from various hospitals across the province, against 1,017 new cases, on May 20, while on average 428 patients were sent to home daily after treatment during a period from May 21 to 25. 

Overall, however, the total number of confirmed cases continued to increase at a faster rate, which was tantamount to overburdening the provincial health system for a longer period, said a keen observer.

The data showed that only 7,973 (about 35%) of 22,934 patients have recovered from the disease till May 25 in Sindh. There were 17,139 patients below the age of 50, out of which 5,370 (about 31%) could be cured and sent back to homes. 

To some observers, the recovery pace of COVID-19 patients under the age of 50 should be higher than the existing one.

“Either many of them are taking extraordinary time to recover from the disease due to their poor medical conditions or their physicians take time before starting any treatment in their cases.” 

It was further said that the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that about 80 per cent of COVID-19 cases globally were mild, which meant that these cases, which usually involved fever, cough and perhaps shortness of breath, recovered without much of an issue. 

“The younger, the patient with no other medical complaints, the greater could be the chances of quick recovery while some patients may not even be aware that they are sick.” 

The Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, sharing the coronavirus situation report with media on May 25, stated that 443 new cases have been detected by testing 1,852 samples while 614 patients recovered and discharged to their homes. 

“This is the first time that the number of patients cured within last 24 hours is higher than the new patients added in our health system,” he observed, while pointing out that due to Eid-ul-Fitr more samples could not be collected like being done in normal days. 

He disclosed that with the death of two more patients, during the last 24 hours ending at 8 am on May 25, the death toll has reached to 369, which meant the death rate stemming from coronavirus stood at 1.6% of the total infected people. 

However, another source in the government updated this scribe that in all four patients died during the last 24 hours, including two at hospitals and two at home. The ages of the deceased people could not be known. 

An official data updated on May 25 said that a total of 300 COVID-19 patients have lost their lives in private and public sector hospitals including JPMC (52), DUHS Ojha (48), SIUT (45), AKUH (37), Indus Hospital (30), CHK (26), Ziauddin Hospital (13), LUMHS Hyderabad (10) and other hospitals while remaining patients died at home or during their shifting to hospitals from home. 

According to the Chief Minister, 14,592 patients were under treatment, of them 12,943 (88%) were in home isolation, 790 (6%) at Isolation centres and 859 (6%) at different hospitals. 

“Our home isolation experience has worked well because within home atmosphere patients recover fast and our doctors remain in touch with them so that in case of any emergency they can be shifted to hospitals,” he maintained.

As far as the breakup of new coronavirus infections was concerned, Karachi led with 214 cases followed by Larkana (33), Ghotki (23), Sukkur (20), Kambar ShahdadKot (5), Shikarpur (4), Hyderabad (3), Khairpur (3), while Mirpurkhas, Naushehroferoze, Sanghar and Sujawal reported one new case each. 

In the meantime, it was also learnt that 347 doctors, 39 nurses and 79 paramedics were included among the people who contracted the virus across Sindh.

Chinese Ambassador greets Pakistanis on Eid

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Yao Jing, on behalf of the people and the government of China, has extended warm and sincere greetings to the Pakistanis on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. 

In his video message May 25, Ambassador Yao remarked that although this year Eid is being celebrated under special circumstances as coronavirus (COVID-19) was still spreading but he believed that with the efforts of the government and the people Pakistan will finally come out of this challenge. 

“Finally I wish you Eid Mubarak, stay safe and stay happy, thank you,” he added.

CPEC projects unaffected by COVID-19

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The onslaught of life threatening coronavirus, that claimed thousands of life around the world beside badly hurting socio-economic activities, but projects particularly in energy sector under taken under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) have business as usual.

For instance, the Port Qasim Power plant under COEC has guaranteed a safe production and has cumulatively generated more than 20 billion KWh of electricity, meeting power demands of four million household in Pakistan.

The 1,320 megawatt Pakistan Port Qasim Power Project comprises two 660 megawatt super critical coal power plants, one of which was inaugurated in December 2016 as part of the CPEC. 

The project is spread over 204 acres at Port Qasim, 37 kilometers east of Karachi. Another mega energy project that continued their pace as per schedule was construction of Dasu Hydropower Project. 

This project is undertaken by the China Gezhouba Group Corporation, having achieved the construction progress in diversion of tunnel. The Hydroelectric power plant is located in KPK with installed capacity of 4320 MW. Its construction work got underway in 2017.

China large amphibious aircraft to fly next half of 2020

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

China's independently developed AG600 large amphibious aircraft will conduct its first flight from the sea surface in the second half of this year, according to its developer on May 25.

This large aircraft will make its maiden flight from the sea surface of the coastal city of Qingdao, in east China's Shandong Province, said the state-owned plane maker Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). 

It represents a major step forward of the AG600 large amphibious aircraft project, the AVIC said. 

Codenamed ‘Kunlong’ the AG600 is designed to be the world's largest amphibious aircraft. 

Its development represents a Chinese breakthrough in this field. The AVIC develops the AG600 to meet the needs of China's emergency rescue and natural disaster prevention and control.

China develops unmanned helicopter

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

China's first domestically developed unmanned helicopter focused on plateau operations recently made its maiden flight. Capable of conducting missions including reconnaissance, communication relay, electronic disruption and fire strike at high altitude, this versatile and easy-to-operate drone could help safeguard China's southwestern borders with India, analysts said.

The AR500C unmanned helicopter, developed by the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), on May 20 successfully made its maiden flight at an AVIC base in Poyang, East China's Jiangxi Province, in which it conducted several maneuvers including hovering, horizontal and vertical moves, China Central Television (CCTV) reported. 

Its main missions include reconnaissance and communication relay, but when equipped with additional devices, it can also run electronic disruption, target indication, fire strike, cargo delivery and nuclear radiation and chemical contamination reconnaissance, according to an AVIC statement. 

As China's first unmanned helicopter designed to fly in plateau areas, the AR500C can take off at an elevation of 5,000 meters and has a ceiling of 6,700 meters.

It has an endurance of five hours, maximum speed of 170 kilometers an hour and a maximum takeoff weight of 500 kilograms. Highly digitalized and intelligent, it can take off, land and hover automatically and is installed with a number of advanced flight programs for efficient and safe flights. 

"We utilize advanced aerodynamic design for the rotors. Since the power of the engine will drop significantly on plateaus, we use China's most advanced engine," Fang Yonghong, technology director at AVIC's helicopter branch, said on CCTV, noting the unmanned helicopter can be easily controlled via a keyboard and a screen. 

Compared to a traditional fixed-wing drone, a drone helicopter does not require a large airstrip with long runways, making it more flexible to deploy, Chinese air defense expert Fu Qianshao told the Global Times.

The maiden flight of the AR500C marked a significant technological breakthrough in fields such as rotor and engine design, Fu said, noting the thin air on plateaus usually makes it difficult for aircraft to fly. 

The test flight of the AR500C was conducted at a time when China-India border tensions have been flaring up, as Chinese border defense troops have bolstered border control measures and made necessary moves in response to India's recent, illegal construction of defense facilities across the border into Chinese territory in the Galwan Valley region. 

An unmanned helicopter like the AR500C can help in missions in the high elevation border areas if commissioned into the Chinese military in the future, as it can keep a watchful eye on the skies for extended periods and patrol locations that are difficult for infantry troops to reach on foot, analysts said. 

AVIC is also developing other types of unmanned helicopters including the AV500 and its armed reconnaissance variant AV500W. Some of them can also reach plateaus but cannot go as high as the AR500C. 

The Chinese military operates the Z-8G, China's first large transport helicopter with a focus on plateau operations. It can take off from 4,500 meters above sea level and has a ceiling of more than 6,000 meters and lift troops and supplies to high-altitude areas.

China launches virtual graduation to ensure uninterrupted education

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

In an attempt to ensure that students should continue pursue their higher education following COVID-19 pandemic, China has launched awarding online degrees to pass-out graduates.

In this connection the one of the universities in China historic city Nanjing held a ceremony for its passing out students, People’s Daily reported. 

The Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunication held the most memorable online graduation ceremony for the graduate who could not attend it due to the coronavirus restrictions. 

The dummy students, wearing graduation gown and headgear having photographs of pass-out students on their forehead saw getting their degrees. For the convenience of the passed out students who could not attend it, their photos were also shown on giant electronic screen from Alma Mater simultaneously.

Nanjing is an age-old city that was civilized some 7,000 to 8,000 years ago and founded nearly 2,600 years ago. 

In Nanjing history, it served as China's capital throughout 10 dynasties and has been called by many names since its creation. Nanjing is also known for massacres of Chinese from Japanese. 

Meanwhile the graduating students at universities and colleges and those with key research projects in Hubei can return to their campuses starting June 8, the local government announced on May 25. 

It said that there has been no new COVID-19 cases appeared recently while Hubei had only six confirmed cases at the moment.

Corona lung transplant successful in Austria

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

A Vienna’s medical university successfully conducted the first coronavirus lung transplant in Europe last week, the medical center announced in a press release on May 25.

The hospital claimed that the 45-year-old COVID-19 patient would not have survived otherwise but was now recovering well, reported CNN.  

“In our view, she is doing exceptionally well and there are not major problems,” Walter Klepetko, the head of surgery at the clinic, remarked. 

The hospital declared that the patient was in good health without prior illnesses before coming down with coronavirus eight weeks ago. Shortly after falling ill, her condition deteriorated dramatically. 

“The situation was hopeless. The lung was like a block, there was nothing left. The operation was highly complicated but successful. All organs are working and we are very satisfied. But it will still be a long way ahead until we can hopefully discharge her from the hospital," Klepetko added.