Infinity Social Updates

Rows of coffins line a university classroom in the South Korean port city of Busan, ready for use in training the funeral directors of the future in a rapidly ageing country. Growing numbers are finding work in the business of death as South Korea undergoes massive demographic change, with birth rates among the lowest in the world and almost half the population aged 50 or older. Students at the Busan Institute of Science and Technology carefully draped a mannequin in traditional Korean funeral cloth, smoothing the fabric as if over real skin, before gently lowering it into a coffin. “With our society ageing, I thought the demand for this kind of work would only grow,” said Jang Jin-yeong, 27, a funeral administration student. Another student, 23-year-old Im Sae-jin, decided to enter the field after his grandmother died. “At her funeral, I saw how beautifully the directors had prepared her for the final farewell,” he said. “I felt deeply grateful.” ‘Like portraits’ More and mor...

‘Life on Earth is adapted to the rotation of our planet. … There are also indications that chronic misalignment between our lifestyle and the rhythm dictated by our inner timekeeper is associated with increased risk for various diseases.’ — The Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine OUR existence is a rhythm which continues to play every 24 hours, throughout our lives. This is true for all living beings — animals, plants and even microorganisms. Sounds a bit poetic, a bit mystical — indeed that’s how our existence is. Our body functions are hardwired to an endogenous day and night clock. We follow this in autopilot mode — not at the conscious level, but very much like breathing. We breathe all the time but we don’t have to think about breathing. Likewise, a route is set for our bodies to follow every 24 hours (with individual variations of up to four hours or so). It is an intrinsic autonomous daily routine called the circadian rhythm. Here is a super summary of it. As the darkn...

The Ministry of Energy (Power Division) on Friday announced the large-scale rollout of smart meters across electricity distribution companies (Discos) in the country, which it described as a “major step” towards improving customer service and operational efficiency. According to the spokesperson of the Power Division, Zafaryab Khan, metering plays a vital role as the key interface between the customer and the service provider. “In line with the ministry’s declaration of 2025-26 as the Year of Customer Service Improvement, Discos have embarked on a comprehensive digitalisation drive to modernise their infrastructure,” said a statement by the Power Division. “This initiative aims to ensure real-time data availability, transparency, and enhanced customer experience.” Recognising that the pricing of smart meters was a major impediment in this transformation, the Power Division actively intervened to rationalise costs, said the statement, adding that out of nearly 38 million electricity...

In Pakistan’s turbulent economic landscape, credibility becomes currency. And over the past year and a half, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has quietly been building it. Where once monetary policy was dismissed as toothless, the central bank has now shown that a steady hand can calm markets, anchor expectations, and restore confidence. On October 27, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to keep the policy rate unchanged at [11 per cent][1] — the fourth consecutive hold since May 2025. This came after a series of measured adjustments: from June 2023 to May 2025, the SBP [cut rates][2] cautiously from 22pc to 11pc. Each move was calculated, with pauses where necessary, resisting market pressure for a steep, one-off reduction. The strategy appeared to be deliberate. Instead of succumbing to calls for a dramatic cut, the SBP moved gradually. This paid off. The rupee remained steady. Inflation bottomed out [below 1pc][3] in April 2025. And by May, [consumer confidence surged to 4...

The inaugural Esports Olympics scheduled to be held in 2027 will no longer be hosted by Saudi Arabia, the International Olympic Committee announced on Thursday. The IOC and the Saudi National Olympic Committee “mutually agreed that they will end their cooperation on the Olympic Esports Games”, a statement said. The first Esports Games was originally slated to be held this year in Riyadh but were postponed in February. The Saudis were guaranteed the hosting of the Games for 12 years from 2025, when the agreement was first announced by the IOC in July last year. Then-IOC president Thomas Bach had been influential in the creation of the event but has since been replaced at the helm by Kirsty Coventry. Olympic Esports Series competitions, smaller virtual sports events run by the IOC, were held in 2021 and 2023. They were widely panned by gaming critics over the lack of traditional esports titles. “Recently, the two parties and the Esports World Cup Foundation sat down again a...

A promising 17-year-old Australian cricketer died on Thursday after being struck by a ball, with his family saying they were “utterly devastated”. Ben Austin was in the nets with a helmet on before a Twenty20 game in Melbourne on Tuesday when he was hit in the neck while facing a ball-throwing device. He was rushed to hospital in critical condition. “We are utterly devastated by the passing of our beautiful Ben, who died earlier on Thursday morning,” his father Jace Austin said in a statement. “This tragedy has taken Ben from us, but we find some comfort that he was doing something he did for so many summers — going down to the nets with mates to play cricket. “We would also like to support his teammate who was bowling in the nets. This accident has impacted two young men and our thoughts are with he and his family as well.” Austin was an emerging bowler and batter, considered by his Ferntree Gully Cricket Club as a “star cricketer, great leader and an awesome young man”. D...