Author: newsdesk

  • Zahid Ahmed apologises to the nation for choosing a script ‘so blindly’

    Zahid Ahmed apologises to the nation for choosing a script ‘so blindly’

    Zahid Ahmed, who has proven his mettle as a versatile actor, recently apologised to the nation for choosing a script so “blindly”.

    Zahid’s latest drama Mein Na Janoo, in which he shares the screen with Sanam Jung, Affan Waheed and Komal Aziz Khan, recently ended with a whopping 37 episodes. The drama failed to make a mark or impress the audiences because of it’s weak and boring storyline.

    When a fan commented under Zahid’s picture that “Thank God there weren’t 58 episodes of the drama”, Zahid responded, “I apologise to the nation for this drama…next time I won’t read the script so ‘blindly’.”

    Zahid had shared a picture of himself sitting on the floor.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B-cVEvoJGn1/

    Mein Na Janoo saw Zahid play Nain an ex-airforce pilot who had lost his vision in an accident. He was madly in love with his cousin Saira, played by Sanam Jung. Saira liked their other cousin Nehat (Affan Waheed) who liked her back. However, Saira’s evil family hates her mother so they did not want her to get married to the star of their family who is Nehat. They wanted Nehat to get married to Kiran played by Komal Aziz Khan. Eventually, after a dramatic turn of events, Saira gets married to Nain and the two begin their life together. Nehat uses every opportunity to create trouble between the newlyweds because he cannot let Saira go. The family drama also continues to the point that in true Star Plus fashion, a ‘dead’ character comes back to life. You can figure out the rest from here.

    Mein Na Janoo was directed by Furqan Khan and written by Noora Makhdoom. It was jointly produced by Adnan Siddiqui’s production company Cereal Entertainment and Momina Duraid Productions.

    While the drama ended up being a miss, Zahid’s acting was appreciated by his fans.

  • Google is helping Pakistan fight coronavirus, here is how.

    Google is helping Pakistan fight coronavirus, here is how.

    According to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) press release, Google has introduced various features and tools to facilitate the operations of telecommunication networks to promote learning and access to authentic information in Pakistan.

    The platform has given the Pakistani government an ad-inventory to disseminate accurate information on time.

    Moreover, Google has shared tips and resources for remote workers and students so that they can improve the quality of work and ensure productivity.

    Google has allowed free access to advance ‘Google Hangout’ which means the users will be able to put 250 participants on audio and video calls so the entire class can attend lectures. The participants can record the lectures and save it in google drive so when they cannot join, they can access the lectures when needed.

    Google has also launched a speech-based reading app “Bolo” — based on machine learning — to help children read aloud confidently, using their voice. The app is available in the Urdu language as well.

    Apart from these tools and resources, they have ensured measures to combat misinformation. Google has also attached ‘SOS Alert” banner with news from mainstream outlets and information from recognised health organization such as the World health organization (WHO) and National Institute of Health (NIH).

    These hubs provide a comprehensive overview of the pandemic, information about its symptoms and measures, as well as current statistics and answers to common questions.

    These necassary measures taken by the company because search interest in COVID-19 has continued to climb across the world. At present, this is the most researched topic in the world so it is necassary to curb fake news and misinformation.

    In addition to launching new features on the search engine, the platform has rolled out a website—available at google.com/covid19 — focused on education, prevention and local resources.

    People can find state-based information, safety and prevention tips, search trends related to COVID-19, and further resources for individuals, educators and businesses.

  • VIDEO: CM Buzdar wants Punjab to beat the world in introducing coronavirus vaccine

    VIDEO: CM Buzdar wants Punjab to beat the world in introducing coronavirus vaccine

    Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar has said that the province is doing “groundbreaking research” as the global coronavirus pandemic continues to spread and he wants Pakistan to become the first country in the world to introduce vaccination for COVID-19.

    Even the most effective containment strategies have only slowed the spread of the respiratory disease while some 35 companies and academic institutions around the world are racing to create a vaccine that can prevent people from getting sick as COVID-19 leaves around 940,000 people infected globally with at least 47,000 fatalities.

    While the number of confirmed cases in Pakistan stands at 2,252 with at least 32 deaths and 107 recoveries, Buzdar’s Punjab is the worst-hit with 845 infections and Sindh is trailing behind at 709.

    “Pakistan could become the first country to prepare a vaccine for coronavirus with Punjab taking the lead in this regard,” the provincial chief executive said during a press conference in Lahore on Tuesday. “I will assure them [experts] that I will exhaust all available resources for the research.”

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Earlier, the Punjab CM had directed experts to accelerate research activities for the eradication of coronavirus.

    A meeting chaired by the provincial chief executive told that four study groups had been formed and research had been started under the supervision of the University of Health Sciences (UHS).

    CM Buzdar directed the experts to make fruitful efforts to deal with coronavirus as soon as possible. He was informed that a BSL-3 Lab had started working at Jinnah Hospital and Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI).

    The experts briefed the meeting that COVID-19 found in Pakistan was quite different from the coronavirus found in Wuhan and Iran.

  • Britain, France, Germany bypass US sanctions to send medical aid to virus-hit Iran

    Britain, France, Germany bypass US sanctions to send medical aid to virus-hit Iran

    Britain, France and Germany have for the first time used a complex financial system that bypasses United States’ (US) sanctions to send medical aid to Iran, raising hopes of salvaging the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Telegraph reported.

    The German Foreign Ministry said the medical goods were now in Iran and added that the Instex trade mechanism and its Iranian counterpart would now work on more transactions and on enhancing the system.

    Britain, Germany and France had earlier offered a $5.5 million package to Iran to help fight coronavirus there and said they would also send medical material, including equipment for laboratory tests, protective body suits and gloves.

    Washington’s major European allies opposed the decision by US President Donald Trump in 2018 to abandon the nuclear deal, under which international sanctions on Iran were lifted in return for Tehran accepting curbs on its nuclear programme.

    The European trade vehicle was conceived as a way to help match Iranian oil and gas exports against purchases of EU goods. However, those ambitions have been toned down, with diplomats saying that, realistically, it will be used only for smaller trade, for example of humanitarian products or food.

    The three European powers are shareholders in the Instrument In Support Of Trade Exchanges, or Instex, and hope other states will join later.

  • Armeena Khan receives inappropriate message, husband savagely responds

    Armeena Khan receives inappropriate message, husband savagely responds

    Actors, especially female actors, receiving inappropriate and suggestive messages is nothing new. While earlier female actors would brush such messages under the carpet, recently they’ve started sharing them and are naming and shaming those who send them.

    Armeena Khan, who is the latest to open about this, recently shared a screenshot of an inappropriate message she received and her husband, Fesl Khan’s “savage” response to it.

    In the message, a man who introduced himself as a Dubai-based businessman told Armeena that he came across her profile and thought that she was “so pretty” before going onto request her to meet him in Dubai after corona issue.

    In reponse to the message, Armeena’s husband, Fesl replied and said: “This is Fesl Khan, Armeena Khan’s husband. I saw your message and I too like your profile picture and want to meet you. We don’t even have to wait till after the corona. I have it and as a good Muslim I’m taught to share. I’d love to share the corona with you.”

    https://twitter.com/ArmeenaRK/status/1244977843622248449?s=20
  • Old woman dies after refusing ventilator, told doctors to ‘keep this for younger’

    Old woman dies after refusing ventilator, told doctors to ‘keep this for younger’

    A 90-year-old coronavirus patient has died in Belgium after selflessly refusing a ventilator and asking doctors to ‘keep this for younger patients’. 

    Suzanne Hoylaerts from Binkom, near Lubbeek, was hospitalised on March 20 when her condition rapidly weakened after contracting COVID-19. 

    Hoylaerts required medical attention after suffering from a lack of appetite and shortness of breath. She was admitted to hospital where she tested positive for the virus and was placed in isolation where even her daughter was unable to visit. 

    She reportedly told doctors at the hospital: ‘I don’t want to use artificial respiration. Save it for younger patients. I already had a good life.’ 

    There is a global shortage of ventilators, an important equipment to fight against the respiratory disease, amid the coronavirus pandemic.

    Hoylaerts passed away two days after she was hospitalised, on March 22. 

    Her distraught daughter Judith told Dutch newspaper: ‘I can’t say goodbye to her, and I don’t even have a chance to attend her funeral.’ 

    Belgium has reported 705 deaths according to the latest official toll.

  • Man insists for samosas amid lockdown in India, gets punishment for trouble

    Man insists for samosas amid lockdown in India, gets punishment for trouble

    A youth in Rampur, India called up the district magistrate’s control room and asked for four samosas with chutney claiming that he had a strong craving for them.

    As per reports, despite being ticked off several times, the man kept on calling the control room and insisted them for samosas. After numerous calls, Aujaneya Kumar — the district magistrate— asked the officials to send him the samosas.

    Later, the district magistrate Kumar also sent out an order for the man to clean the drain, as a punishment for troubling the control room officials during lockdown.

    He also shared the pictures of the man cleaning the drain on his Twitter handle, but he did not reveal the name of the man.

  • No need to wear masks, says World Health Organization

    No need to wear masks, says World Health Organization

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reiterated its advice to people to not wear face masks if they were either not infected by the coronavirus or not caring for a patient of the new coronavirus — COVID-19, CNN reported.

    In a media briefing, WHO Emergencies Program Executive Director Dr Mike Ryan said there was “no specific evidence to suggest that the wearing of masks by the mass population has any potential benefit”.

    “In fact, there’s some evidence to suggest the opposite in the misuse of wearing a mask properly or fitting it properly,” he added. “There also is the issue that we have a massive global shortage.”

    Dr Ryan, a former trauma surgeon who has worked very closely with patients during Ebola outbreaks, stressed that people most at risk were those working at the frontline.

    “Frontline health workers […] are exposed to the virus every second of every day. The thought of them not having masks is horrific,” he added.

    Dr Maria Van Kerkhove — an infectious disease expert and the WHO top official’s colleague — echoed Dr Ryan’s comments, saying it was crucial to “prioritize the use of masks for those who need it most”.

    “In the community, we do not recommend the use of wearing masks unless you yourself are sick and as a measure to prevent onward spread from you if you are ill,” Dr Van Kerkhove noted, adding that masks were only suggested for those who were sick and in self-quarantine or those living with coronavirus-positive patients and caring for them.

  • Indian cricketers face intense backlash for backing Shahid Afridi’s coronavirus fund

    Indian cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh faced scathing criticism from triggered Indian social media users after they declared support for former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi’s foundation in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

    Afridi’s appeal for donations to help people affected by the deadly virus in Pakistan has had overwhelming support from leading cricketers.

    Harbhajan urged people to contribute in a video message, and called on other cricketers in the two countries to make similar appeals.

    https://twitter.com/harbhajan_singh/status/1244148978326765568?s=20

    “These are testing times, it’s time to look out for each other,” Yuvraj wrote on Twitter in a call for funds.

    https://twitter.com/YUVSTRONG12/status/1244873490303340544?s=20

    While Afridi thanked the two, Indian Twitter users reacted with fury at the support for a rival player who has been a vocal critic of India’s handling of the Kashmir dispute.

    “Do you have any sense?” wrote one Twitter user. “Lost respect” for Harbhajan Singh, added another. “Sorry guys you lost it.”

    Following the hate, Singh clarified that his intention was not to hurt anyone’s feelings and that he remains a true patriot and will always “bleed blue.” Singh’s note was retweeted by Harbhajan.

    https://twitter.com/YUVSTRONG12/status/1245295251385958400?s=20

    India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral cricket series since 2012-2013 and have seen a new peak in tensions over Kashmir, which has been at the centre of two wars between the neighbours since 1947.

    World Cup-winning batsman Yuvraj, who made a return from cancer before finally retiring last year, has also raised money to fight coronavirus through his ‘YouWeCan’ foundation.

    India, which has been under a 21-day lockdown since March 24, has so far confirmed more than 1,600 coronavirus cases and 38 deaths.

  • Two men who lied to wives about going to Bangkok get quarantined by police

    Two men who lied to wives about going to Bangkok get quarantined by police

    We’ve all seen enough Bollywood and Hollywood movies where men lie to their girlfriends or wives about going on a business trip when in fact they are cheating on them with someone else. Well, something similar happened in India recently.

    According to a Twitter user, Abhijit Basak, whose Twitter bio identifies him as the State IT Cell Convenor of BJYM, West Bengal (India), two men got in for trouble when police paid them a visit.

    This is what the tweet read, ‘They told their wives that they were visiting Bangaluru for business and actually visited Bangkok. However, after returning home, Police visited their homes with their travel records and pasted on the gate & explaining to their wives why their husbands need to be quarantined’.

    Things came crumbling down for two men in India when the truth about their vacation was revealed to their wives by the police.

    According to a report in the Indian media, the incident allegedly took place in Ambala. After tracking down their travel history, the police pasted posters that advised everyone to stay away from the member: as they are under quarantine for 14 days. However, twice the posters were torn by the involved party. When the police pasted them for the third time, they were misbehaved with.

    “Posters were placed two or three times outside the house. But they tore. When the team reached for the third time, then misbehaved. Police was given a written complaint, now the police will take action,” the report quoted Dr. Kuldeep Kumar, CMO, Ambala as saying.

    Well, we can certainly say that these men didn’t think they would get busted and how!

    On Twitter, however, people are concerned about the well being of the two and not because of coronavirus.

    https://twitter.com/drmanishgoutam/status/1244570055557316608?s=20