Author: newsdesk

  • Israel makes ‘significant breakthrough’ as it develops protein that can overcome coronavirus

    Israel makes ‘significant breakthrough’ as it develops protein that can overcome coronavirus

    Israel has isolated a key coronavirus antibody at its main biological research laboratory, the Israeli defence minister said on Monday, calling the step a “significant breakthrough” toward a possible treatment for the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The “monoclonal neutralising antibody” developed at the Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR) “can neutralise the disease-causing coronavirus inside carriers’ bodies,” Defence Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement.

    The statement added that Bennett visited the IIBR on Monday where he was briefed “on a significant breakthrough in finding an antidote for the coronavirus”.

    It quoted IIBR Director Shmuel Shapira as saying that the antibody formula was being patented, after which an international manufacturer would be sought to mass-produce it.

    The IIBR has been leading Israeli efforts to develop a treatment and vaccine for the coronavirus, including the testing of blood from those who recovered from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus.

    Antibodies in such samples — immune-system proteins that are residues of successfully overcoming the coronavirus — are widely seen as a key to developing a possible cure.

    The antibody reported as having been isolated at the IIBR is monoclonal, meaning it was derived from a single recovered cell and is thus potentially of more potent value in yielding a treatment.

    Elsewhere, there have been coronavirus treatments developed from antibodies that are polyclonal, or derived from two or more cells of different ancestry, the magazine Science Direct reported in its May issue.

    Israel was one of the first countries to close its borders and impose increasingly stringent restrictions on movement to hamper the domestic coronavirus outbreak. It has reported 16,246 cases and 235 deaths from the illness.

  • Bilawal seeks Imran’s voluntary resignation over ‘coronavirus failures’

    Bilawal seeks Imran’s voluntary resignation over ‘coronavirus failures’

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan should voluntarily resign and appoint someone else in his stead, as tensions between the Centre and Sindh government continue to rise as COVID-19 cases continue to spike across the country.

    Talking to Sindhi language news channels, Bilawal slammed the premier for a lack of consensus in the country on how to tackle the persisting coronavirus situation.

    “We [PPP] have been demanding the prime minister to step down since day one,” said the PPP chief. “Keeping in mind the coronavirus situation, I am not asking for his resignation. But Imran Khan should start working as a prime minister. He should play his role in uniting provinces in this crisis.”

    Bilawal urged PM Imran to voluntarily resign under these difficult circumstances and appoint someone else in his stead. The PPP chairman said that a national consensus was necessary to win the fight against the coronavirus. “The whole state should be on the same page against the coronavirus,” he said, adding that the prime minister was responsible for the absence of it. “The federal government is responsible for ensuring a consensus is reached.”

    Bilawal praised the Sindh government for providing relief to the masses as cases in the province continue to surge. “Sindh government is taking brilliant steps to provide relief to people,” he said. “CM Sindh has also joined hands with welfare organisations. People are being provided relief today due to the initiatives taken by the PPP,” he added.

    He said that Sindh government was about to kick off “phase two” of its plan to ward off the coronavirus. “We are providing relief to the people despite facing a shortage of resources,” he said.

    Referring to criticism over his statement on Karachi and Sindh a few days ago, Bilawal said that some people were presenting his remarks in a negative light and taking them out of context. “I consider it an insult to answer these [accusations],” he said, adding that those who were criticising him were working on their agenda to break up Sindh.

    The remarks came a few days after the PPP chairman hit out at the federal government in a fiery presser, slamming it for neglecting doctors and medical officers throughout the country.

    “Can you imagine Pakistan declaring war and sending its army without guns, bullets, and a uniform?” he had said.

    The PPP chairman had lamented that the doctors were only demanding two things — protective gear and a reduced burden on hospitals so that they may carry out their jobs more effectively.

    “The prime minister has failed to deliver […] He mentioned daily wagers in all of his addresses, but sadly none of them has received a single dime yet,” he had regretted.

    It is our responsibility to provide for them like we would provide for our armed forces, he said, adding: “We are trying to provide for our doctors who are in contact with COVID-19 patients, I know that all provincial governments are playing their due role as well.”

    “But the Centre should also play its role in supporting the provinces in the war against coronavirus,” he had said.

  • VIDEO: Hamza Ali Abbasi covers ‘Diriliş: Ertuğrul’ theme song on guitar

    VIDEO: Hamza Ali Abbasi covers ‘Diriliş: Ertuğrul’ theme song on guitar

    Turkish television show Diriliş: Ertuğrul is very popular among the Pakistani audiences and had a huge fan following even before an Urdu dubbed version of it started airing on PTV. With even Prime Minister Imran Khan recommending the show, Ertugrul has become the talk of the town amongst our celebrities also.

     Actor Hamza Ali Abbasi appears to be the fan of the show too. In a recent video, shared by wife Naimal Khawar, Abbasi can be seen playing the theme song of the show on a guitar. 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb8OT5GsC_Y

    The show is being aired on the request of PM Imran Khan. According to the PM, it is a must-watch show for the youth of the country.

    Read More: After ‘Ertugal’, PM Imran Khan wants Pakistanis to watch ‘Yunus Emre: Aşkin Yolculuğu’

    “We’ve always had content from Hollywood and Bollywood which was then being showcased here. A third end culture was being promoted. That’s why I want our youth to know the difference between our values and theirs,” the premier had said while discussing why he requested for the show to be aired in the country.

  • VIDEO: ‘Ch Nisar secretly facilitated Imran, Qadri’s 2014 Islamabad sit-ins against PML-N govt’

    VIDEO: ‘Ch Nisar secretly facilitated Imran, Qadri’s 2014 Islamabad sit-ins against PML-N govt’

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Javed Latif has claimed that former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar secretly facilitated the 124-day-long demonstration jointly organised by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) in 2014 against the PML-N government.

    Latif, who was part of a three-guest panel at anchorperson Hamid Mir’s show on Monday, said that Nisar released the “violent protesters” who attacked the parliament and state-owned broadcaster Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV).

    According to him, Nisar facilitated the entrance of protesters in the heavily guarded Red Zone that houses the president and prime minister houses in addition to several other highly-sensitive secretariats.

    “Nisar’s disagreement with Nawaz Sharif’s GT Road rally was also part of his plan. He continuously opposed the party policy on certain important matters and today we all know about his current political standing and reputation,” Latif said.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    It merits a mention here that since his association with former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the mid-80s, Nisar was Sharif’s go-to man in matters involving the country’s powerful establishment — until he fell out of favor as a result of his advocacy of a non-confrontational policy with the military following Sharif’s judicial ouster in 2017. 

    Hailing from a respected military family himself, Nisar had allegedly played a key role in the appointment of retired General Pervez Musharraf as the Chief of the Army Staff in 1998. 

  • New documentary claiming Princess Diana tried to commit suicide ‘upsets’ William & Harry

    New documentary claiming Princess Diana tried to commit suicide ‘upsets’ William & Harry

    Several members of the royal family are reportedly “upset and angry” about a controversial new documentary about Princess Diana which claims that the late princess tried to commit suicide four times.

    Prince William and Prince Harry are said to be especially upset about the four-part docuseries, tentatively titled Being Me: Diana, which will cover Diana’s “mental health battles, eating disorders, unhappy marriage to Prince Charles and painful childhood” and put forth claims that the late royal “tried to kill herself four times.”

    According to reports, Prince Harry is said to find the situation “particularly distressing” because the documentary is expected to air on Netflix—a company he’s said to have been working with following his royal exit.

    A source is reported to have said: “The royals will refuse to take part as will the Spencer family. William and Harry will be very upset and angry. It’s particularly distressing for Harry because he’s been working with Netflix. At a time when the royals have been dealt a blow with Harry and Meghan leaving, the timing is not good.”

    DSP, the TV company working on the project, says that it is still in the early phases and has not yet been commissioned by Netflix. It remains to be seen if the streaming giant—or any other major distributors—will pick up the series.

    “This is a not a commissioned show and everything within the treatment is already in the public domain,” a spokeswoman for Endemol Shine, DSP’s parent company, said.

  • Asim Azhar’s ‘Jo Tu Na Mila’ enters the ‘100 million club’

    Asim Azhar’s ‘Jo Tu Na Mila’ enters the ‘100 million club’

    Asim Azhar has become the youngest and the fourth Pakistani artist after Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Atif Aslam and Momina Mustehsan to enter the ‘100 million club’ after his single Jo Tu Na Mila crossed more than 100 million views on YouTube. His other song which achieved this milestone was his duet with Momina Mustehsan for Coke Studio 9: Tera Woh Pyaar.

    The singer shared the news in a social media update and thanked his fans for their support.

    In another update, the singer remarked that it was impossible for him to put his feelings into words.

    Jo Tu Na Mila is a love ballad which talks about unrequited love. The song, which features Iqra Aziz, has been composed and sung by Asim while the lyrics have been penned by Kunaal Vermaa.

    Back when it was released, the song was even loved by none other than Bollywood bigwig Karan Johar.

    https://twitter.com/karanjohar/status/1065526135629520896?s=20

    Read more – ‘I’m sorry’: Asim Azhar responds to backlash on PSL anthem

    Watch the song here:

  • ‘#LUMSFeeHike’ trends as varsity increases tuition fee by 40pc

    ‘#LUMSFeeHike’ trends as varsity increases tuition fee by 40pc

    ‘#LUMSFeeHike’ is trending on twitter after the Lahore University of Management and Sciences (LUMS) confirmed its students through email that they would increase tuition fee by 40 per cent for the upcoming semesters.

    Once this news came out, people reacted strongly to the decision made by the varsity.

    A large number of people went to Twitter to express their anger against the unpopular decision made by the private university. People are angry and presenting different arguments; however, the most common sentiment is that they see it as “capitalistic exploitation”.

    https://twitter.com/roobiboobie/status/1257300208519540738?s=20

    It is very disturbing for many people because they are being laid off from their jobs. Several others, on the other hand, have not been paid for months.

    https://twitter.com/Witcheeha/status/1257294273319444480?s=20

    Moreover, people are also seeing this act as a step of depriving them of quality education. LUMS has maintained its reputation of giving the modern and best education to its students. However, it is now getting more and more difficult for people to support their education.

    Apart from all these sentiments, students have openly confessed that to pay the tuition fee of one student, some parents have to sacrifice the fee of other siblings at home.

  • India’s Shami opens up about having suicidal thoughts before comeback

    India’s Shami opens up about having suicidal thoughts before comeback

    India fast bowler Mohammed Shami has revealed how he thought of committing suicide while struggling with personal problems before making a spectacular comeback to the national side.

    Shami battled weight issues, injury and a legal quarrel with his estranged wife before a stellar performance at the World Cup last year re-established the 29-year-old as a key player.

    With cricket and sports halted in the coronavirus lockdown, Shami opened up about his own and his family’s fears to teammate Rohit Sharma during an exchange on Instagram.

    “I think if my family had not supported me back then I would have lost my cricket. I thought of committing suicide three times during that period due to severe stress,” said Shami.

    “I was not thinking about cricket at all. We were living on the 24th floor. They were scared I might jump from the balcony.”

    With Virat Kohli

    Shami’s contract with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was withheld in 2018 because of allegations of domestic violence, only to be reinstated later.

    The bowler also struggled with injury that saw him spend nearly a year on the sidelines, leading to weight gain. He said his family and friends helped him bounce back.

    “My two or three friends used to stay with me for 24 hours (during my days of depression). My parents asked me to focus on cricket to recover from that phase and not think about anything else,” he said.

    “I started training then and sweated it out a lot at an academy in Dehradun.

    “Then my family explained that every problem has a solution no matter how big the problem. My brother supported me a lot.”

    A lean and hungry Shami made a strong comeback in the Indian team at the 50-over World Cup. He took 14 wickets in four games including a match-winning hat-trick.

    Shami has claimed 180 wickets in 49 Tests and 144 scalps in 77 one-day internationals since making his debut for India in 2013.

    Last year Shami led the pace pack in the absence of yorker king Jasprit Bumrah and claimed 13 wickets during India’s 3-0 home Test sweep of South Africa.

    Skipper Virat Kohli heaped praise on the fast bowler, saying, “he is someone who can change the complexion of the match totally when you don’t see it coming”.

  • After ‘Ertugal’, PM Imran Khan wants Pakistanis to watch ‘Yunus Emre: Aşkin Yolculuğu’

    After ‘Ertugal’, PM Imran Khan wants Pakistanis to watch ‘Yunus Emre: Aşkin Yolculuğu’

    It appears that Prime Minister Imran Khan is a big fan of Turkish cinema because Senator Faisal Javed Khan has revealed that the premier wants Yunus Emre: Aşkin Yolculuğu to be telecast in Pakistan.

    Read more – PM Khan calls out Bollywood for spreading vulgarity

    In a Twitter update, Khan shared that PM Khan wants Pakistanis to watch this drama because it highlights Islamic history.

    Yunus Emre: Aşkın Yolculuğu is a Turkish biographical historical television series created by Mehmet Bozdağ, the man behind Diriliş: Ertuğrul. It starres Gökhan Atalay in the lead role. According to Faisal, the series is a journey of transformation. It centres around the life of Yunus Emre, the 14th century Anatolian Sufi poet, who greatly influenced the Anatolian culture.

    The first episode of the series was released on June 18, 2015 and over the years it has become a favourite among the Turkish audiences. It has an IMDb rating of 7.8.

    Read more – Shaan is disappointed with PTV for airing ‘Diriliş: Ertuğrul’

    Meanwhile, on the recommendation of PM Imran, PTV has started airing Diriliş: Ertuğrul with Urdu dubbing. The drama has proven to be a big hit among Pakistani audiences.

  • VIDEO: Indian police sing, clap for couple who got married at home without violating any lockdown rules

    VIDEO: Indian police sing, clap for couple who got married at home without violating any lockdown rules

    Indian police congratulated a couple by playing a Bollywood song and clapping who got married at home without violating any lockdown rules.

    A video, doing the rounds on social media, shows a group of policemen in Nashik city giving a heart-warming reception to a newlywed couple. Cops can be seen congratulating the newlyweds on a loudspeaker. Dressed in traditional wedding attire, the couple is standing in the balcony of their house looking down at the celebration.

    The policemen then play a song from a Bollywood movie as a group of policemen clap for the newlyweds.

    The couple even received a shoutout from the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

    https://www.instagram.com/tv/B_sBGqdJLG5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Social media users congratulated the couple and appreciated the gesture by the police.