6. `Pakistan among countries with lowest tax rates on cigarettes`
• The number of smokers in India is the same as that in Pakistan, but it still manages to earn six times more revenue. Pakistan is among the countries with the lowest tax rates on cigarettes.
• According to conservative estimates by public health experts, over 210,000 people die in Pakistan every year from diseases related to smoking.
• A network of academic researchers and public health and development professionals, Capital Calling, said at least 35 million adults fell into the death trap of smoking, and out of these, one fifth were unable to quit the habit. In a statement, the network backed the government`s decision to enforce taxes on tobacco, saying that the recent taxes enforced on smoking were too little, too late
7. Lula lashes out at US dollar, IMF during China visit
• Brazilian leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is set to forge closer ties with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in Beijing on April 14, 2023, a day after he lashed out at the power of the US dollar and the IMF.
• The veteran leftist, whose government recently announced a deal with Beijing to trade in their own currencies ditching the dollar as an intermediary is in China to boost ties with his country`s top trading partner and spread his message that `Brazil is back` as a key player on the global stage.
• He was greeted by President Xi on Friday afternoon at a red carpet ceremony outside Beijing`s Great Hall of the People, where a military band played the national anthems of Brazil and China. The two were due to hold talks later in the day
8. Finland unveils first part of Russian border fence
• Finland`s border guard on Friday unveiled the first section of a 200-kilometre border fence with Russia being built after Moscow invaded Ukraine last year.
• Finland joined Nato just a week ago and its 1,300-kilometre border has also doubled the frontier between the US-led military alliance and Russia.
• Three metres tall and topped with barbed wire, it will cost over $400 million and is due to be completed by 2026
9. Mission to explore Jupiter’s moons for life blasts off
• The European Space Agency’s JUICE space probe successfully took off on April 14, 2023 for a mission to discover whether Jupiter’s icy moons are capable of hosting extra-terrestrial life in their vast, hidden oceans.
• The launch on an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, came after a previous attempt on Thursday was called off due to the risk of lightning.
• Despite cloudy skies, the rocket lifted off as planned at 09:14am local time (1214 GMT) on Friday, as guests, including Belgium’s King Philippe, watched from the Guiana Space Centre
10. Pakistan blow away NZ in opener
• Saim Ayub provided the impetus with the bat on his home debut before pacer Haris Rauf took centre stage as Pakistan made short work of New Zealand in the first Twenty20 International at the Gaddafi Stadium here on April 14, 2023.
• Shorn of their frontline players due to their commitments in the Indian Premier League, the tourists were blown away in the opener of the five-match series with Pakistan cruising home by 88 runs
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