Huawei introduced its ‘Hongmeng’ Android and Windows Operating System replacement

The last week has been bad for Huawei who is fighting for its survival after all the major tech giants blocked the company. Shortly after the ban, Huawei revealed that it had anticipated this day would come and was preparing for it. The company also revealed that they are working on their home grown OS to compete with Android.

Not only that, but the company has also filed for a trademark with China’s National Intellectual Property Administration. The website of the trademark office shows that an application was submitted August 24, 2018, and the trademark is valid until May 13, 2029.

A couple of days back, Huawei confirmed that they are aiming for a fall release of their own OS which should work on both smartphones and laptops. At this moment, the US government has lifted the ban temporarily allowing Huawei to put their affairs in order and prepare to quit the market.

The operating system will likely run Android apps, meaning another company besides Google’s Chromebooks will soon be trying to bring Android apps to the desktop.

According to Pakistan’s first Islamic calendar, Eid on June 5

Federal Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry made good on his promise to create Pakistan’s first Islamic calendar on Sunday. He presented the calendar and an online moon sighting portal on Sunday.

Through the online portal (which comprises both a website and mobile application), people will be able to see where the moon is over their territory. By launching this calendar, we are eliminating the uncertainty that always prevailed in Pakistan around Eid, he announced.

The five-year calendar has already set the dates for Eidul Fitr. According to it, this year’s Eid will be on June 5. The next four Eids are May 24, 2020, May 3, 2021, April 22, 2022 and April 10, 2023.

He said that the creation of this calendar will not reduce the role of religious clerics. He also said that knowledge is important and there is nothing wrong with using that knowledge.

He told religious clerics to use the technology available to them for important issues like moon sighting. If you’re so bent on using the naked eye to sight the moon, then glasses then become haram (forbidden) too, he said. If using 50-year-old telescopes is halal and 100-year-old glasses is okay but using new technology is haram, then it doesn’t make sense, he said. Don’t worry, it won’t end your role, he consoled religious clerics.

Chaudhry said that application was prepared with input from experts of the Meteorological Department and SUPARCO. The application will be available from Monday on the Google Play Store, he announced.

Using the application, you’ll be able to see the moon on the app and where it is, he explained. The moon’s location over eight strategic locations will be mapped on the application, said Chaudhry. They have based their moon-sighting on three main principles — 6.8% altitude, luminosity of 0.8% and 38 minute difference between sunset and the moon’s visibility.

The proposal has been sent to the Council of Islamic Ideology and will be presented before the federal cabinet on Tuesday. He also announced that August will be declared a science and technology month across Pakistan.

Chaudhry stirred up controversy with his plans for the calendar as it was seen as a challenge to the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee. Before the official announcement of Ramaza, Chaudhry took to Twitter to announce that his ministry would make an Islamic calendar with Eid, Ramazan and Muharram dates pre-decided. In response, Mufti Muneebur Rehman, the head of Pakistan’s moon sighting committee, told Chaudhry to mind his own business.

Chaudhry had said on Twitter that the country’s future cannot be left to maulvis (religious clerics).