Apple is limiting the production of its recently launched ‘budget’ smartphone, the ‘iPhone SE 2022’ owing to lower-than-expected demand. The tech giant has urged suppliers to reduce the manufacturing of the iPhone SE, by roughly 2 million to 3 million devices, or about 20 per cent of initial booking orders.
In fact, the iPhone SE is still not as well-known as Apple’s higher-priced iPhones. According to research, from its launch through Q4 2021, the 2020 edition of the iPhone SE contributed to only 12 per cent of total iPhone sales.
It is worth mentioning that Apple also slashed orders for AirPods by around 10 million devices for the current year.
The 5g enabled iPhone SE is marketed by the company as an alternative for the premium devices from Apple. However, its price tag of Rs105,238 (excluding PTA charges) still seems surprising as compared to the earlier SE model which was offered with a lesser price tag of Rs72,520 (excluding PTA charges).
According to Nikkei, the drop in production is a result of the Ukraine crisis and inflation’s detrimental influence on the demand for gadgets.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, several major IT companies, including Apple, ceased sales in the country. The United States, the European Union, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan have all slapped economic sanctions on Russia, causing supply chain disruption and raising inflation concerns.
The confrontation between Will Smith and Chris Rock at the Oscars has been discussed around the world in the days since. So many have had their say on the comedian’s joke and on the actor’s decision to respond by slapping Rockon the stage. Now, Jadahas broken her silence and shared a message on social media.
It was a mysterious and cryptic message, with no caption and just an image with some text.
“This is a season for healing and I’m here for it,” the message on Smith’s Instagram said, with the post earning hundreds of thousands of likes from her nearly 12 million followers and others.
Pinkett Smith did not comment amid the furore and public debate that ensued over the merits of Rock’s joke and Smith’s actions until Tuesday, posting to Instagram: “This is a season for healing and I’m here for it”.
Although Will posted an apology on social media.
Rock is yet to comment publicly on what happened at the Oscars or Smith’s apology.
However, tickets for his upcoming comedy shows have reportedly skyrocketed in Sunday’s aftermath.
One live event ticketing site, TickPick, said on Monday that it sold more tickets the previous night than it did in the past month combined.
A spokesperson also told CBS that prices for an upcoming Rock show on Wednesday in Boston rose from $46 (£35.16) to $411 (£314).
More than half of all ticket sales for Rock’s tour – which went on sale a month ago – came after the incident at the Oscars. The vast majority – 88% – of ticket sales for Rock’s shows on the website over the last week came after the incident.
Shortly after the on-stage blow, Smith won his first ever Oscar for his portrayal of Richard Williams, the father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams.
Smith referred to Mr Williams in his tearful acceptance speech, calling him a “fierce defender of his family”.
On Monday, Mr Williams condemned Smith and expressed surprise that the incident had taken place.
“We don’t know all the details of what happened,” he told NBC through his son, Chavoita LeSane. “But we don’t condone anyone hitting anyone else unless it’s in self defence.”
Earlier in April 2021 Jada Pinkett Smith trended on web for her hijab pictures.
The American actor on Tuesday posted a sun-kissed selfie of herself sporting a peach hijab while she and husband Will Smith spend time in the Middle East. It is not yet clear which country the couple is in though.
“I really think the colour peach in the Middle East … suits me,” wrote Smith in the caption.
Fans and followers, including celebrities, loved Smith’s selfie and gushed over her in the comments section for embracing Muslim culture.
“Beautiful! Thank you for embracing the culture,” wrote one social media user, while Priyanka Chopra commented: “Beautiful.”
“Salaam, you look phenomenal. Queen, thank you for showing the world that you and Will got love for us. We really appreciate it. Sometimes we are made to feel that the world is against us. Queens like you show the world there is nothing to fear and contrary to certain beliefs, we don’t hate the world or non-Muslims. I actually welcome, embrace and love all people. Thank you,” wrote another follower.
Earlier, Jada had also shared pictures of herself wearing a bright, orange hijaab, with the caption: “When you are in the Middle East watching Will Smith on his sunrise run in my non-glamour glory.”
Jada, who has denied being affiliated with any religion, in a series of tweets in 2017, admitted that she incorporates different aspects of several religions in her spiritual routine.
“I recently lit Shabbat candles with Rabbi Bentley at Temple Sinai…but I am not Jewish. I have prayed in mosques all over the world…but I am not a Muslim,” said the actor.
“I have read the Bhagavad Gita…but I am not a Hindu. I have chanted and meditated in some of the most magnificent temples on earth…but I am not a Buddhist,” she said further. “I have studied Dianetics, and appreciate the merits of Study Tech…but I am not a Scientologist.”
“I practice human kindness, and I believe that we each have the right to determine what we are and what we are not. NO ONE ELSE can hold that power,” added Smith.
Atlas Honda is set to announce another price hike within a month for all of its motorcycles. The manufacturer will increase the prices from Rs2,000 to Rs10,000 for seven variants.
As per two prominent Atlas Honda motorcycle dealerships in Lahore: Honda Gulberg and Honda Hamiz Bedian, the Association of Pakistan Motorcycle Assemblers (APMA) have already notified all Honda dealerships across Pakistan of the revised prices.
The imminent price hike is due to the rising cost of raw materials used in production as well as the continuous depreciation of the Pakistani rupee.
According to the dealerships, the popular Honda CD70 and CD70 Dream variants will see a price hike of Rs2000 which will be sold at Rs99,900 and Rs106,500 respectively from April 1.
Honda Pridor will be priced at Rs136,900 after an increase of Rs3000 in its existing price of Rs133,900.
The manager at Honda Gulberg stated that the company will release a formal notification on March 31, 2022, regarding the increase, the new rates will be effective from Friday.
This hike will place Honda CG 125’s price at almost Rs160,000. It is worth noting that the same bike was priced at Rs134,000 last year in the same period.
A man in Saudi Arabia has reportedly divorced his wife after learning that she was a smoker before they got married. According to media reports, the husband who is a Saudi national, told his lawyer last week that he wanted to divorce his wife because he was afraid she might resume smoking.
He that since there was “no guarantee” that the woman would not start smoking again, her habit might “hurt his social status”. The man’s lawyer stated that the wife admitted to her husband that she used to smoke before they married.
The husband also elaborated that he dislikes smoking ladies. As a result, he filed for divorce. The court ruled in favour of the man and ordered the lady to repay the dowry she received from her husband at the time of the wedding.
Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan announced that he would show the “threat letter” reportedly containing evidence of a “foreign conspiracy” against the government to senior journalists and one member each of the government’s allied parties. On March 27, PM Khan had waved a letter during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) power show in Islamabad and talked about a foreign conspiracy to oust his government.
“The document that I have, I will show it to senior journalists today. We want to protect the nation and can’t divulge details in public. People think this is a joke and I have decided to share it with top journalists,” adding that he would call one member of each allied party and show them the document and “prove that it is real”.
I will show the threatening letter to senior journalists of the country: PM Imran Khan
PM Khan’s comments came during a ceremony for the launch of the E-passport facility in Islamabad.
“People can take whatever decision they want to. But beware of the fact that, directly or indirectly, you may become a part of a huge international conspiracy,” he said, adding that the document would provide proof of the same.
“Foreign funding is being used to change the government. Money is coming from abroad and people inside the country are being used. Some of them are unaware they are being used and some are intentionally using this money against us,” said PM Khan.
“But this is a foreign imported conspiracy. And it started when people from abroad started controlling Pakistan through telephone calls. They cannot tolerate a leadership that works in the people’s interest.”
“We sacrificed our interests for those abroad but they never valued it,” he said.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad alongside Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Minister for Planning and Development Umar said he has seen the letter himself, adding that if someone had doubts, the “prime minister is ready … he thought we can share with the chief justice of the Supreme Court”.
Pakistan’s skipper Babar Azam become the fastest Asian batter to score 4,000 ODI runs. It took 82 innings to reach this mark. He is also the first-ever Pakistani to complete 4,000 ODI runs in less than 100 innings.
Babar Azam becomes the second quickest batter after Hashim Amla to achieve this record. Amla scored over 4,000 runs in 81 innings. Former India captain Virat Kohli, who is second on the list, achieved the same feat in 106 innings.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) cabinet on March 29 okayed a subsidy package of Rs2.5 billion for the upcoming holy month of Ramzan, to ensure an uninterrupted supply of edible items at lesser rates.
KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan presided over the meeting, which was attended by ministers, chief minister’s advisers, and administrative secretaries.
Following the meeting, government spokesman Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif revealed that 2,800 points had been set up around the KP to sell 20kg bags of wheat flour for Rs800 instead of the customary Rs1100 during Ramzan, while 10kg bags would be sold for Rs400.
During Ramzan, the cabinet also decided to set up 83 sasta bazaars, 123 Ramazan facilitation centers, 42 mobile utility stores, and 96 Ramzan dastarkhwans.
All of these points will be supervised by monitoring units led by respective secretaries and deputy commissioners to prevent price hikes and shortages of vital commodities on the market.
Three Army Officers and three soldiers were martyred including two other UN Peacekeepers from Russia and Serbia in a helicopter crash in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) on Tuesday.
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) released a statement that stated, “Pakistan Aviation Unit is deployed in UN Mission Congo on peacekeeping duties since 2011. On Mar 29, 22 while undertaking a reconnaissance mission in Congo, 1 PUMA Helicopter crashed.”
According to the mission, “the causes of this disappearance are not yet known. Research is ongoing.”
ISPR released the names of the martyred who are Lt Col Asif Ali Awan, (Pilot), Maj Saad Nomani (Co-Pilot), Maj Faizan Ali, N/Sub Sami Ullah Khan (Flight Engineer), Havaldar Muhammad Ismail (Crew Chief), and L/Hav Muhamad Jamil (Gunner).
Earlier on Tuesday, the UN Stabilisation Mission in DR Congo (MONUSCO) tweeted that they had ‘lost contact’ with one of its helicopters in which eight UN peacekeepers were on board. They were on a reconnaissance mission in the area of Tshanzu, southeast of Rutshuru in North Kivu Province, an area which has been the scene of recent fighting between government troops and rebel group M23.
L’hélicoptère dont le contact a été perdu avait ce matin à son bord 8 militaires.
Il était en reconnaissance dans la zone de Tshanzu, au sud-est de #Rutshuru dans la Province du Nord-Kivu, une zone qui a été le théâtre de récents combats entre le #M23 et les #FARDC. pic.twitter.com/m7kg5NXLbR
Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has revealed that after Shehbaz Sharif came to his residence and invited them for a dinner at their place, he came to know that not everyone in Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was on board with him and those people matter.
Geo News’ anchorperson Hamid Mir asked Elahi that if he were to become PTI’s candidate for Punjab’s chief minister, why did he meet key Opposition leaders.
“Maryam Nawaz and her group did not like the fact that the PML-N was giving so much to the party with only 10 seats.”
“This has happened thrice with us, because of which we were skeptical,” he added.
“I have a feeling that you have some issues with Maryam Nawaz, do you feel the same about Shehbaz too?” asked Hamid Mir.
To which Elahi did not give a clear answer.
The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday announced PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as its candidate for Punjab Chief ministership after incumbent Usman Buzdar presented his resignation to the prime minister.
Instagram is reportedly working on a feature that would allow users to reply to stories with a picture or a voice message. This was signaled by the application developer, Alessandro Paluzzi, who further mentioned in his tweet that Instagram is also testing a feature that will allow users to share posts using a QR code.
Paluzzi’s screenshots show the traditional message box where you may reply to users’ stories, with a twist, as one snapshot includes a GIF sign, while another has a mic icon in addition to the GIF button that was already available.
Users will probably use these icons to respond to Instagram stories with an image or a voice message.
The social media platform introduced a feature in February that allowed users to like other users’ stories without having to respond with a direct message.
Until then, the only option to respond to a story was to send a direct message to the user through the text box at the bottom of the story (or using pre-set emojis, GIFS, or stickers, which were almost similar.
The rumored new picture reply function will complement existing capabilities and provide users with more options for creatively responding to stories. These features are also well-suited to Instagram’s long-term strategy.
All of this may be included in the coming days as the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, had already stated that the Meta-owned platform will be focusing on the videos, messaging as well as creators.
