Author: newsdesk

  • Foods to beat the winter blues, improve skin, hair

    Foods to beat the winter blues, improve skin, hair

    Nothing can be worse for the skin and hair than winter if proper care is not taken. Cold and dry air can cause dry skin, chapped lips, and a flaky face. While everyone focuses on maintaining a proper skincare routine, one tends to overlook the fact that the diet also plays an important role.

    Here are a few foods that will help you beat the winter blues and help maintain healthy skin and hair.

    Broccoli

    Broccoli is a part of the cruciferous vegetable which is good for your skin. It is rich in Vitamins A and C. Vitamin A keeps the skin healthy and lowers scars. Vitamin C assists to maintain collagen production. Broccoli also has B-vitamins that help reduce dry and flaky patches.

    Carrots

    Carrot is one of the best foods for your skin during the winter season. It is a great source of Vitamin A and other antioxidants that help keep the skin healthy, nourished and glowing. These antioxidants assist fight wrinkles, discoloration, and scars. Carrots also have lycopene, which protects your skin from the harsh sun rays.

    Spinach

    Apart from being a good source of iron, spinach is also another must-have if you want to get a glowing skin. This leafy green is a powerhouse of nutrition. It contains Vitamins A and C, and antioxidants that thwart off all kinds of skin infections. Spinach is high in iron and can help you counter anemia and adds color to your pale skin.

    Almonds

    Almonds are natural remedies that hydrate your skin and prevent dryness. They are also high in Vitamin E, which helps protect the skin from harmful UV rays of the sun. Almonds contain various antioxidants that counter the signs of aging on your skin.

    Green Tea

    Green tea is a potent source of antioxidants, which eliminate free radicals from your body and prevent flaky skin. The antioxidants present in it also help reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

    Chia Seeds

    Chia seeds provide you two essential fatty acids, omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid, and omega-6 linolenic acid. Both omega-3 and 6 contains anti-inflammatory powers, that may help boost skin regeneration and contribute to a better youthful complexion. Your body needs essential fatty acids for good health, but it cannot produce them, so they need to be consumed.

    Sweet Potatoes

    Sweet potatoes assist lock-in moisture provides your skin a healthy glow and saves it from damage thanks to their high amount of vitamin A. Vitamin A can assist with skin renewal and decrease dry and flaky skin. Sweet potatoes are a good option in the winter.

    Oatmeal

    Start your winter day right and nourish your hair with a popular healthy bowl of oatmeal. It is rich in omega-3 and iron, both of these promote hair growth and keep your strands looking super shiny.

    Vitamin E

    Vitamin E is a quintessential nutrient when it comes to your hair care. A base ingredient included in a range of hair care products; it is a very important nutrient for healthy hair. It helps in building and repairing hair tissue and also in protecting hair from any damage. Nuts and seeds such as almonds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds are a great source of vitamin E.

    Cinnamon

    Cinnamon is helpful in increasing the blood circulation in your body that in turn would provide your hair follicles with adequate oxygen and nutrients. Hence, add some cinnamon to your food be it on any meal or your coffee and tea.

  • Mehwish Hayat to run for PM in 2028?

    Mehwish Hayat to run for PM in 2028?

    Mehwish Hayat has hinted that she might be running for Prime Minister in 2028.

    The actor who was recently voted the second sexiest woman in Pakistan took to Twitter to reject the title adding that “these sort of lists should now be confined to history.”

    Mehwish asserted that people should be judged on “talent, on merit, on intellect, on wit…but not on physical attributes.”

    Mehwish’s response was received with a lot of positivity by social media users. One user commented that this was “of the sexiest tweets I’ve read” adding that Mehwish for PMship in 2023.

    To this Mehwish replied, “Not 2023 but 2028,” adding a LOL (Laugh out Loud).

    When another user commented “Totally my next PM,” Mehwish remarked, “Make sure to vote for me in 2028 then.”

  • Police to wear uniforms with cameras to restore public faith

    The Islamabad Police will now be donning uniforms with cameras in order to restore public faith in law enforcement.   

    According to reports, Islamabad Policemen will now record encounters with ordinary citizens, suspects, witnesses, and passersby so that the public faith is restored in the law enforcement agency. The videos that have been recorded can also be used as evidence at the courts also.

    Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IGP) Muhammad Aamir Zulfiqar, speaking about the initiative said, “These cameras will be connected with the Safe City Project. This way, complaints about policemen especially serving at police pickets will be resolved.”

    Twenty cameras will be bought in the trial phase, which will later be provided to cops serving at various police stations in the city. Video recordings of police’s interaction with the public would make officials act politely and responsibly as they are often blamed for taking bribes and being rude with the citizens.

  • PIC attack ‘agitator’ Dr Irfan was accused of murder in 2018: report

    The main character behind the clash of lawyers and doctors at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), Dr Irfan, was earlier nominated as the main accused in the murder case of a Christian who was tortured to death by doctors at the Services hospital Lahore last year, Pakistan Today reported.

    According to the details, Dr Irfan was nominated among the four doctors in FIR [First Information Report] “No. 163/18” registered with the Shadman Police for torturing Sunil Saleem, to death.

    According to the FIR, Anil Masih — Sunil’s brother — has stated that he, his brother Sunil and other relatives had taken their pregnant sister Kiran Kashif to the emergency labor ward of the Services hospital on March 26, 2018, because she was suffering labor pains.

    Anil said, “Kiran went to the doctor on duty, Dr Saira, who was playing with her cell phone while sipping on tea. Dr Saira told Kiran to wait outside until she finished her tea. We waited for some time, but since Kiran was experiencing severe pain, she again went inside the ward to request for immediate attention.”

    Anil Saleem added that as soon as Kiran approached Dr Saira, she started cursing her for not waiting and told a nurse to attend her.

    “When my sister protested against the rude behavior, the doctor started slapping her, throwing her on the floor,” he said, adding that she asked my sister how dare a Chuhri [a derogatory term for Christians] question her order?.

    Anil said, “On hearing the ruckus we entered the ward, but as soon as she saw us, Dr Saira shouted to the other doctors and security guards to lock the doors from the inside and teach these Christians a lesson”.

    “Around 15 to 20 paramedical staff and security guards and eight to 10 young doctors, including Dr Irfan, Dr Salman, Dr Hasan and Dr Sahi lunged at us with iron rods, chairs, leather belts and other things and started beating us,” Anil added.

    He said “Sunil, a police constable in the National Highway and Motorway Police, tried his best to placate the assailants but they continued to beat him mercilessly, kicking and punching him in the groin and chest until he fell unconscious.”

    “Sunil died after a delay in treatment and due to lack of timely emergency medical assistance”, Anil said.

    “We had pardoned the accused doctors after pursuing the case for a year”, reports quoted Anil as saying.

    It is important to mention here that Dr Irfan’s speech, which went viral on social media a few days before the attack was the core reason behind the clash between doctors and lawyers at the PIC.

    Dr Irfan in the video was seen narrating an encounter with some lawyers in front of a group of medical and paramedical staff of PIC, where he said that a group of lawyers had gone to the inspector general (IG) of police and told him to charge “two doctors” under Section 7 of ATA.

    The doctor narrated that the IG had refused while the lawyers had urged him to press charges, saying “they could save face” that way.

  • Mengal wants DG Khan, Rajanpur back in Balochistan

    Mengal wants DG Khan, Rajanpur back in Balochistan

    Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal has demanded the inclusion of Dera Ghazi (DG) Khan and Rajanpur into Balochistan, The Express Tribune reported.

    According to the details, BNP-M chief while addressing a gathering held at Kalama Chowk of Taunsa tehsil in honour of the martyrs of Koh-e-Sulaiman said that Balochistan had the lowest population in Pakistan despite having an area of 43% of the country.

    “Both these regions should be included in Balochistan to balance the population,” Mengal said, adding that they were part of the province at the time of partition.

    While criticising the the government for launching mega projects such as metro trains under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in other cities of the country, he said that no welfare projects were being introduced in Balochistan.

    Akhtar Mengal also accused the government of “selling” the entire country, including Balochistan province under CPEC.

    Akhtar said that he is only supporting the government for the implementation of his six-point agenda.

    “I am not supporting them in greed for any post,” he added, saying that he was striving for the rights of his people within the framework of the Constitution.

    He further demanded of the Punjab chief minister to conduct an inquiry into the killing of two persons in DG Khan two months back in police encounter.

  • ‘Only a Bollywood dream’: DG ISPR Gen Asif Ghafoor slams Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film on Balakot ‘airstrike’

    ‘Only a Bollywood dream’: DG ISPR Gen Asif Ghafoor slams Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film on Balakot ‘airstrike’

    Not like we didn’t see this coming, but award-winning filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Bushan Kumar have announced a film on the Balakot ‘airstrike’.

    According to details, the film will be written and directed by Abhishek Kapoor. The cast has not yet been announced.

    https://twitter.com/itsBhushanKumar/status/1205365844458360832?s=20

    DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor had a few thoughts on the matter which he voiced on Twitter.

    Previously, Vivek Oberoi had also announced a film on IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman.

    “As a proud Indian, a patriot, and a member of the film fraternity, it’s my duty to highlight what our Armed Forces are truly capable of. In the form of a trilingual, this film is a powerful tool to underline the achievements of brave officers like Wing Commander Abhinandan, who went behind the enemy lines and did what makes every Indian proud of them,” Vivek had said while announcing the film, which is expected to release in 2020. It will be shot in the backdrop of Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Agra.

    BALAKOT INCIDENT

    Following the Pulwama incident in which 44 Indian paramilitary soldiers lost their lives, two Indian aircraft entered Pakistani air space on February 27, 2019 for the second time in two days, engaged with Pakistan Air Force (PAF), and as a result, were shot down.

    The wreckage of one of the planes landed in Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK), and the wreckage of the other plane landed in the Indian-occupied Kasmir (IoK), Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) had confirmed at the time.

    Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was held captive following the aerial dogfight, was handed over to India on March 1 in a peace gesture after PM Imran had announced to release him in an attempt to “de-escalate tensions” between the two countries.

  • Malaysian PM’s gift to PM Imran arrives in Pakistan

    Malaysian PM’s gift to PM Imran arrives in Pakistan

    Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad gifted a luxury car to Prime Minister Imran Khan. The car has arrived in Pakistan and will be handed over to the government in a ceremony at the Malaysian High Commission in Islamabad on Monday.

    Adviser to Prime Minister of Pakistan for Commerce, Textile, Industry & Production and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood will receive the car on behalf of PM Khan, who will be in Bahrain on Monday. A symbolic car key was already presented to PM Imran when the Malaysian PM visited Islamabad.

    According to Arab News, Mohamad gifted PM Khan a Malaysian manufactured X-70 Proton during his three-day official visit to Pakistan earlier this year in March.

    2019 Proton X70 SUV

    It is pertinent to mention here that a Proton joint venture between Pakistan and Malaysia was first agreed on last year and was part of the agreements signed during Mohamad’s visit. Manufacturing and assembly of the Malaysian Proton cars has already begun in Pakistan with a local partner, Al Hajj Automotive.

  • Traditional Thai massage gets UNESCO heritage status

    At Bangkok’s Reclining Buddha temple, Krairath Chantrasri says he is a proud custodian of an ancient skill — the body-folding, sharp-elbowed techniques of Thai massage, which was added Thursday to UNESCO’s prestigious heritage list.

    Originating in India and practiced in Thailand for centuries, the massage was popularized when a specialty school opened in the 1960s to train massage therapists from around the world.

    Nuad Thai’s addition to UNESCO’s list of “Intangible Cultural Heritage” practices “is historic,” said the Thai delegate at the United Nations Economic, Scientific and Cultural Organisation meeting in Bogota, Colombia.

    “It helps promote the practice of Nuad Thai locally and internationally,” he said.

    From upscale Bangkok spas and Phuket beach fronts to modest street-side shophouses, “nuad Thai” is ubiquitous across the kingdom, where an hour of the back-straightening discipline can cost as little as $5.

    Krairath, who teaches at the Reclining Buddha School inside the famed Wat Pho temple, helps thousands of Thai and foreign students who flock to the centre each year.

    The son of a masseuse, he takes great pride in his role sharing the ancient discipline at a temple whose certification is a proud banner for any massage shop.

    “I’m a continuation of our collective knowledge,” the 40-year-old told AFP.

    At Wat Pho’s complex, trainees run through a catalogue of moves targeting the body’s acupressure points with thumbs, elbows, knees and feet while also incorporating deep stretches and contortions.

    Doctors and monks were said to have brought these methods 2,500 years ago to Thailand, passing its secrets from master to disciple in temples and later within families.

    Under Thailand’s King Rama III in the nineteenth century, scholars engraved their knowledge of the field onto the stones of Wat Pho.

    The nuad Thai school, which has trained more than 200,000 massage therapists who practice in 145 countries, first opened in 1962.

    • Turning the tables –

    Massage employs tens of thousands of Thais.

    The school’s director Preeda Tangtrongchitr says they usually see an uptick in interest from Thais when the economy is bad.

    “For many people who are disabled or in debt, this job is an opportunity because it requires no material — only their hands and knowledge,” he said.

    Today, a therapist at a top-end spa can charge around $100 an hour in Thailand, and two or three times more in London, New York or Hong Kong where the Thai massage brand is booming.

    But the training is “demanding”, says Chilean Sari, a professional masseuse who travelled to Bangkok to learn the discipline.

    “The technique is very precise; there are so many things to be aware of,” the 34-year-old told AFP, as she made rotations with her palm on a fellow student’s skull.

    The teachings focus on directing blood circulation around problem areas to solve muscle aches — sometimes drawing winces from clients unaccustomed to the force applied.

    Studies have shown it can help relieve back pain, headaches, insomnia and even anxiety.

    For Matthieu Rochefolle, a nurse from Lyon, France, adding Thai massage techniques to his repertoire of skills could help his elderly patients aching for relief.

    “It could also allow me to earn a little more,” he said.

  • Kasur police want to educate children to curb child abuse

    Kasur police want to educate children to curb child abuse

    The Kasur DPO wants to educate children about the difference between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ touches to curb rising cases of child abuse.

    The police is holding lectures at schools to educate children about their rights. The police have also recovered 80 missing children. Community Liaison officers have appointed to arrange lectures on child rights.

    A sermon has been shared with all mosques so that they can share it with people on Friday prayer. Moreover, cases are being heard at an open court at the DPO office every day. A tent has been set up for the purpose too.

    The police have started profiling the entire district. A list of all sexual offenders has been prepared and the police have even identified places where bodies were dumped. Efforts are being made to ensure regular inspections of police stations and their performance. According to the police, the percentage of complaint redressal has risen to 78% from 19% since the new DPO took charge.

  • Pakistan post suffered losses worth Rs61 billion in last 10 years

    Pakistan post suffered losses worth Rs61 billion in last 10 years

    The Pakistan Post has suffered a loss of Rs61 billion in the last 10 years.

    According to reports, the Ministry of Postal Services, while presenting statistics regarding organisation’s performance, told the Senate Standing Committee that the institute faced a loss of Rs140 million in year 2008-2009 and this loss swelled to Rs10 billion in 2018-2019.

    The ministry while explaining the causes of this huge loss
    said that the increase in pay, allowances and pension benefits was a major
    contributor to widening gap between expenditure and revenue.

    They said that the Finance Division had decreased the rate
    of post office commission in Savings Bank Scheme from 1.56% to 0.50% in
    October, 2010 which reduced the receipts of the institute.

    The panel’s chairman Senator Mian Ateeq observed that the situation of the postal service was no different from the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) – the national flag carrier –facing huge losses since over a decade.

    The chairman also suggested that the operating expenditure
    against income must be added as well. While reviewing recruitment discrepancies
    during previous regimes, the panel recommended that Pakistan Post must focus on
    figures.