Connect with us

Tech

Pakistan’s first female astronaut Namira Salim to embark on space voyage

Published

on

In a historic development, Pakistan’s first female astronaut Namira Salim is set to embark on a journey to space, Khaleej Times reported. 

Based in Dubai, Namira — who had hoisted Pakistan’s flag at the North Pole in 2007 — will begin her celestial expedition on October 5. 

Space tourism company, Virgin Galactic Holdings, has announced that their Galactic 04 flight window will commence its trip next month. 

Namira has already clinched the position of Astronaut No 6 after Founder Astronaut of Virgin Galactic Richard Branson designated her a seat. Her first voyage to space will be facilitated by Astronaut 019.

The Government of Pakistan officially recognised Namira as the first astronaut in the country in 2006. She also served as honorary ambassador of tourism for Pakistan in 2007.

Namira also became the first Pakistani to reach the North Pole in April 2007 and the South Pole in January 2008. 

Not only that, Namira also holds the distinction of being the first Asian and first Pakistani to skydive over Mount Everest in 2008. She was conferred with ‘Tamgha-e-Imtiaz’ (Medal of Excellence) in 2011.

Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi said that Namira Salim’s upcoming journey to space was a sign of Pakistan’s growing presence in space exploration and a major achievement for the nation.

She briefed the caretaker minister about the preparations for her space journey, expressing her determination to raise the Pakistani flag in space.

Solangi congratulated Namira Saleem on behalf of the Government of Pakistan, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and the people for starting the space journey and expressed good wishes for her success.

Terming Namira Saleem as a role model for all women, Solangi said the young generation can raise the name of Pakistan in the world in various fields of life.

“This effort of Namira Saleem will highlight the positive image of Pakistan as a peace-loving and progressive country,” he maintained. 

Latest News

Bitcoin makes its first breach of $94,000.

Published

on

By

As news broke that Donald Trump’s social media company was in negotiations to acquire cryptocurrency trading platform Bakkt (BKKT.N), Bitcoin surged to a record high above $94,000, adding to optimism that the next Trump administration would be cryptocurrency-friendly.

This year, Bitcoin, the largest and most well-known cryptocurrency in the world, has more than doubled in value. Just before the close of the previous session, it reached a record high of $94,078 before closing at $92,104 in Asian hours on Wednesday.

According to the Financial Times, which cited two persons with knowledge, NYSE-owner Intercontinental Exchange (ICE.N) is supporting Trump Media and Technology Group (DJT.O), opens new tab, which runs Truth Social, in its pursuit of an all-stock purchase of Bakkt.

In addition to traders taking advantage of the first day of options trading on the Nasdaq over BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF (IBIT.O), Tony Sycamore, market analyst at IG, stated that the Trump deal chatter had helped push bitcoin to a record high.

As traders hoped that President-elect Trump’s pledged support for digital assets would result in a less stringent regulatory framework and give bitcoin a boost after a sluggish few months, cryptocurrencies have surged since the U.S. election on November 5.

According to data and analytics aggregator CoinGecko, the global cryptocurrency market is now worth over $3 trillion, a new high, due to the growing excitement.

Australian online broker Pepperstone’s head of research, Chris Weston, stated that there is genuine underlying purchasing pressure on bitcoin and that “another kick higher should bring in a fresh chase from those who like to buy what’s strong.”

Continue Reading

Latest News

The PTA discloses how many VPNs are registered in Pakistan.

Published

on

By

Speaking at the Senate Standing Committee on IT meeting in Islamabad, which was presided over by Palwasha Khan, was the PTA chief.

The continuous regulation of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) in Pakistan was the main topic of discussion. The committee called for the next meeting and voiced concerns about the Minister of State for IT’s absence for the third consecutive session.

“We have spent the last two years developing VPN legislation. Uninterrupted internet connection is guaranteed by registered VPNs without sacrificing privacy, according to the PTA chairman.

During the session, Senator Muhammad Humayun criticized the measures, saying, “Shutting down platforms like X (formerly Twitter) is jeopardizing the entire IT industry and impacting the livelihoods of over 2.5 million individuals in Pakistan.”

He opposed laws that would hurt independent contractors and small companies.

Although the PTA promised that registered VPNs would not experience internet outages, committee members wanted to know the exact legal foundation for these regulations. Senator Kamran Murtaza asked for documents that detailed the requirements for registration.

“If VPN services are abruptly halted, there will be a major backlash,” Senator Afnan Ullah said. While pointing out that Pakistan’s IT exports had increased by 20% in the previous year, he emphasised that the sector was still lagging behind India.

Concerns over the viability of the existing VPN whitelist method were voiced by the committee. While IT officials admitted that more than 1 million freelancers in Pakistan rely significantly on VPNs for their business, Senator Humayun pointed out that the laws should be more beneficial than harmful.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Pakistan declares AI chatbots to be dangers to security.

Published

on

By

The National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) has released a security advisory concerning the increasing utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots, emphasizing potential hazards related to the exposing of private data.

The recommendation recognizes that AI chatbots, like ChatGPT, have gained significant popularity for personal and professional duties owing to their capacity to improve productivity and engagement. Nonetheless, the CERT cautions that these AI systems frequently retain sensitive information, so posing a danger of data breaches.

Engagements with AI chatbots may encompass sensitive information, such as corporate strategy, personal dialogues, or confidential correspondence, which could be compromised if inadequately safeguarded. The warning emphasizes the necessity for a comprehensive cybersecurity framework to alleviate concerns associated with AI chatbot utilization.

Users are advised against inputting critical information into AI chatbots and are encouraged to deactivate any chat-saving functionalities to mitigate the danger of unwanted data access. The CERT additionally advises performing routine system security checks and employing monitoring tools to identify any anomalous behavior from AI chatbots.

Organizations are urged to adopt rigorous security protocols to safeguard against possible data breaches resulting from AI-driven interactions.

Continue Reading

Trending