Category: Uncategorized

  • Adnan Siddiqui recalls the last time he met Irrfan Khan

    Adnan Siddiqui recalls the last time he met Irrfan Khan

    Irrfan Khan’s sudden and unexpected death has sent the world into shock. Tributes and messages of condolences are pouring in for the legendary actor from across the world as everyone mourns his demise.

    After Saba Qamar’s heartfelt tribute, Adnan Siddiqui has also penned an emotional note in memory of the actor and recalled his fondest moments with him.

    Adnan started by sharing a story from their very first meeting on the sets of A Mighty Heart, which had Angelina Jolie in the lead.

    “I had the honour of first meeting Irrfan as a co-star on the sets of A Mighty Heart,” wrote Adnan. “We’d become friends on the sets and used to hang out together after the shoot.”

    Adnan then shared stories of their time on set before wrapping up his note by recalling the last time he met his friend.

    “In 2018 while attending IPPA in London. I found out that he was in London, though he wasn’t meeting anyone he agreed to meet me. We had a long chat about movies and the world in general. He looked so positive. His last words were- “Adnan, I’ll be fine very soon and I’ll be back. InshAllah!”

    “Condolences and strength to his family. Irrfan, you will be missed a lot. Rest in peace my friend,” concluded Adnan.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_j4mcinxwI/

    Khan was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour in 2018 and spent most of the year and the next battling the disease in London. However, he was admitted to a Mumbai hospital earlier this week with a colon infection which ultimately took his life. He was 53.

    “Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him,” his publicist said in a statement. “Surrounded by his love, his family for whom he most cared about, he left for heaven, leaving behind truly a legacy of his own. We all pray and hope that he is at peace. And to resonate and part with his words he had said, ‘As if I was tasting life for the first time, the magical side of it’.”

    He was laid to rest at the Versova graveyard in Mumbai, a few hours after he passed away. According to local media, his family, close relatives and friends were present during the burial.

  • Reporter goes on air without any pants

    Reporter goes on air without any pants

    ABC News reporter Will Reeve went on air wearing a suit coat and no pants, not realising everyone could see his legs.

    Reeve appeared Tuesday on a show Good Morning America to talk about pharmacies using drones to deliver prescriptions to patients.

    Reeve, who was working from home not only as a reporter but also as a cameraman, was positioned so in front of the camera that it was quite clear he was dressed in a suit jacket but no pants.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRLoKM1zlQw&feature=emb_title

    The incident went viral on social media, following which Reeve tweeted: “I have ARRIVED. In the most hilariously mortifying way possible.”

    In response to a tweet asking him to put on some pants, Reeve assured everyone he’d been wearing shorts.

    The reporter also joked that he won’t be hired as a camera operator “any time soon”.

    The reporter further shared his thoughts on the incident.

  • Sherry Rehman calls Irrfan Khan ‘one of Pakistan’s best’

    Sherry Rehman calls Irrfan Khan ‘one of Pakistan’s best’

    The sudden and unexpected death of Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan has sent the world into a shock. The actor, who was only 53, passed away in Mumbai after battling a medical complication arising from a colon infection.

    Read more – Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan passes away

    Tributes and condolences for the actor poured in from all over the world, including Pakistan. Among those who expressed their sadness and offered condolences was Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Senator Sherry Rehman. However, she ended up calling Khan “one of Pakistan’s best.” Though Sherry later deleted her tweet, it was not before screenshots were taken.

    Khan, whose international movie career included hits such as Slumdog Millionaire, Life of Pi and The Amazing Spider-Man was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour in 2018. He spent most of 2018 and 2019 battling the disease in London. However, he was admitted to a Mumbai hospital earlier this week with a colon infection which ultimately took his life.

    “Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him,” his publicist said in a statement. “Surrounded by his love, his family for whom he most cared about, he left for heaven, leaving behind truly a legacy of his own. We all pray and hope that he is at peace. And to resonate and part with his words he had said, ‘As if I was tasting life for the first time, the magical side of it’.”

    Khan was last seen in Angrezi Medium, a sequel to 2017’s superhit Hindi Medium, in which he shared the screen with Saba Qamar.

    While tributes for the actor poured in from all over the world, members of the Pakistan film fraternity also took to express their grief. Among those who expressed their sadness over the actor’s death include Meera, Sajal Aly, Shaan and Vasay Chaudhry.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_jolalFwjJ/
    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_jpi25DrhH/

  • Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan passes away

    Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan passes away

    Award-winning Indian actor and cancer survivor Irrfan Khan on Wednesday died in Mumbai after battling a medical complication arising from colon infection, his publicist confirmed.

    He was 53 and is survived by his wife Sutapa Sikdar and two sons Babil and Ayan.

    “‘I trust, I have surrendered’, these were some of the many words that Irrfan expressed in a heartfelt note he wrote in 2018 opening up about his fight with cancer. And a man of few words and an actor of silent expressions with his deep eyes and his memorable actions on screen,” Khan’s spokesperson stated.

    “It’s saddening that this day, we have to bring forward the news of him passing away. Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him. After having been struck by lightning in 2018 with the news of rare cancer, he took life soon after as it came and he fought the many battles that came with it. Surrounded by his love, his family for whom he most cared about, he left for heaven, leaving behind truly a legacy of his own. We all pray and hope that he is at peace. And to resonate and part with his words he had said, ‘As if I was tasting life for the first time, the magical side of it’,” the spokesperson added.

    News of Khan’s death was also confirmed by director and his close friend Shoojit Sircar.

    “My dear friend Irrfan. You fought and fought and fought. I will always be proud of you. We shall meet again,” he tweeted.

    https://twitter.com/ShoojitSircar/status/1255377784773410818

    The two worked together in the Bollywood blockbuster ‘Piku’.

    Khan, who spent most of 2018 and 2019 battling high-grade neuroendocrine tumour in London, is one of India’s finest actors who understood the syntax and grammar of Hollywood films.

    The Indian National School Of Drama graduate was last seen in director Homi Adjania’s ‘Angrezi Medium’, a heart-warming father-daughter tale in March this year. But the film couldn’t enjoy an uninterrupted screening at cinemas worldwide because of the coronavirus outbreak. Even though his last film wasn’t allowed to blossom, Khan, who has appeared in over 100 Hindi and foreign language films, has charted a fruitful career filled with cinematic gems.

  • Zahid Ahmed opens up about his nose job, says it was a big mistake

    Zahid Ahmed opens up about his nose job, says it was a big mistake

    It is rare for a celebrity or public figure to come forward and discuss their experiences with plastic surgery. However, Zahid Ahmed decided that he wanted to keep his promise of being true and honest with his fans and followers and thus decided to open up about his nose job which went wrong.

    Zahid started by saying that opening up about his nose job experience was hard for him because the topic is a sensitive one. But because he made his YouTube channel with the intention of being true and honest to his fans, he decided to open up and talk about this.

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

    Zahid then went on to label his nose job a gunnah (sin), saying that it was a big mistake.

    “Your ego sometimes makes you do things which are not right for you,” said the actor.

    Zahid said that despite achieving great success and Allah’s countless blessings, his nose bothered him. He shared that the left side of his nose was different from the right side and that when the camera would be at a certain angle, it would make his nose look unflattering and this would irk him and make him feel conscious.

    “I asked my director multiple times to change the camera’s angle, but he would tell me that I should focus on my performance and that there is nothing wrong,” said Zahid, adding that his self-criticism blinded him at that point.

    Zahid said all of Allah’s creations are beautiful and only He can create perfection but because we are so involved in our own ego, we often forget that and continue to point out flaws in ourselves.

    Zahid said that he had contemplated getting rhinoplasty (nose job) for a long time and then just decided to go for it.

    “It’s a common procedure and everyone around the world gets it done. So I thought ‘What’s the big deal?’”

    Zahid explained that the six months which follow the rhinoplasty are very sensitive and that one has to be very careful. However, following his procedure, things went down. He said that while he does not believe that someone should shed light on their sins but because the matter had become so public, he thought it would be a good idea to discuss it as well as educate his fans not to mess with the rule of Allah.

    “Things can go wrong,” he asserted. “Focus on your blessings and not on your shortcomings. Don’t look for faults in your appearance.”

    Zahid said after his nose job went wrong, it took him two years to get his nose back to normal. He said that he was very lucky that his work wasn’t affected by this.

    “Please learn from my heartbreaking experience and don’t make the same mistakes. Allah has made you perfect and most of the time it’s only us who see these nuqs,” concluded Zahid.

    Watch his full video here:

    Meanwhile, here is an old picture of Zahid when his nose looked different.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/1IwhAXwK3i/
  • President Alvi endorses video removed by YouTube for spreading coronavirus misinformation

    President Alvi endorses video removed by YouTube for spreading coronavirus misinformation

    President Arif Alvi retweeted a tweet by his son, Awab Alvi, on April 26, and said: “Lockdown or No Lockdown? Coronavirus is new so there is a major difference of opinion in the world & in Pakistan on how to handle it. As data comes in, opinions change. So please keep an open mind. This is long but a must-watch for all our opinion-makers including politicians.”

    The tweet was a video by doctors who were arguing that people should develop resistance to COVID-19.

    In a Twitter thread, President Alvi’s son Dr Awab Alvi goes on to say: “Historically of the human race and medical outbreak We’ve always “quarantined the sick” NEVER have we “quarantined the healthy” In the panic of the unknown we are reacting (may have been right earlier) but now we know this better and we need the population to develop resistance. [sic]”

    But if you click on the YouTube video shared by Dr Awab Alvi, it says the video has been removed. Link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfLVxx_lBLU&feature=youtu.be

    The video has been taken down by YouTube for violating YouTube’s Community Guidelines. YouTube has recently been taking down videos spreading misinformation about the novel coronavirus.

    Twitter recently also updated its guidelines on misinformation regarding COVID-19. Last month, Twitter and Facebook removed posts shared by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for including coronavirus misinformation that violates the social media companies’ rules against posting harmful content.

    Facebook said it took down a video that had been shared on both Facebook and Instagram, in which Bolsonaro said the anti-malaria prescription drug hydroxychloroquine was an effective treatment for COVID-19.

    Twitter earlier had removed two videos that also showed Bolsonaro praising hydroxychloroquine and encouraging the end of social distancing. It is rare for Facebook to take down a post from a head of state, but the coronavirus pandemic has led tech companies to move aggressively to filter out unfounded medical advice, hoaxes and other false information that they say could risk public health.

    Facebook has a policy against sharing posts that could cause users physical harm, a spokesperson said.  “We remove content on Facebook and Instagram that violates our Community Standards, which do not allow misinformation that could lead to physical harm,” the company said in a statement. Twitter, too, has a policy that requires people to remove tweets that recommend cures or advice that goes against the recommendations of public health authorities.

    As coronavirus cases continue to increase in Pakistan and across the globe, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently warned that COVID-19 cases in Pakistan can rise to 200,000 by July.

  • Azhar Ali is auctioning two of his ‘closest belongings’ for COVID-19 relief

    Azhar Ali has put up two of his ‘closest belongings’ – a bat and a national jersey – for auction in a bid to raise funds for those affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

    In a video message posted to Twitter, the test cricketer shared that he is auctioning the bat with which he made a triple Test century during the day-night Test match against West Indies and the jersey from the 2017 Champions Trophy which also bears signatures of all squad members.

    Azhar Ali hits out during the ICC Champions Trophy
    Azhar Ali hits out during the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final between England and Pakistan

    In his message, Ali said that the base price for the two items was Rs 1 million each.

    “These two things are very close to my heart and I wanted to keep them but desperate times call for desperate measures,” he added.

    https://twitter.com/AzharAli_/status/1255016799583813632?s=20

    Earlier, Rumman Raees had also auctioned his debut ODI cap, which he received during the Champions Trophy, along with his jersey, cricket bat and the two-starred Islamabad United shirt. He had managed to raise almost Rs1 million.

    Cricketers and sportsmen all over the world and auctioning their memorabilia to raise funds for coronavirus relief efforts.

  • Three UFO videos by US Navy pilots released officially

    Three UFO videos by US Navy pilots released officially

    The Pentagon — headquarters of the United States (US) Department of Defense — has released three declassified videos that show US Navy pilots encountering what appear to be unidentified flying objects, The Guardian reported.

    The grainy videos, which the Pentagon says depict “unexplained aerial phenomena”, were previously leaked, with some believing they show alien UFOs.

    The Pentagon said it released the footage to “to clear up any misconceptions by the public on whether or not the footage that has been circulating was real or whether or not there is more to the videos,” a statement on the Department of Defense website said.

    “After a thorough review, the department has determined that the authorized release of these unclassified videos does not reveal any sensitive capabilities or systems, and does not impinge on any subsequent investigations of military air space incursions by unidentified aerial phenomena,” the statement said.

    The videos had been “circulating in the public domain after unauthorized releases in 2007 and 2017”, the statement said, adding that “the aerial phenomena observed in the videos remain characterized as ‘unidentified’”.

    The three videos show what the pilots saw during training flights in 2004 and 2015. Two of the videos were published by the New York Times in 2017. The other video was released by the To the Stars Academy of Arts and Science group, a media and private science organisation.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    The 2004 video shows an incident that happened 100 miles out over the Pacific, according to the New York Times. Two Navy fighter pilots found an oblong object hovering above the water. It then flew quickly away. “It accelerated like nothing I’ve ever seen,” one of the pilots, Commander David Fravor, told the NYT.

    The 2015 videos show objects moving quickly through the sky, one of them seeming to spin in the air. “Look at that thing, dude!” a pilot says. “It’s rotating!”

    The release of the videos by the Pentagon adds to the legitimacy of the videos and will spur more speculation that humans have recently interacted with extraterrestrials.

  • After media, Tariq Jamil apologises to nation for controversial remarks against women

    After media, Tariq Jamil apologises to nation for controversial remarks against women

    After media, renowned preacher Maulana Tariq Jamil has also apologised to the nation for his controversial remarks on women, which had drawn mixed reactions over both mainstream and social media.

    During Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s Ehsaas Telethon to raise funds for government’s coronavirus relief programme on April 23, Jamil, who was invited to deliver a prayer, had said that the COVID-19 pandemic was caused partly because of the “immodesty” of women.

    He had also called out media houses both in Pakistan and around the globe for “spreading lies”.

    The comments sparked outrage on social media with leading human rights activists, as well as some of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) ministers, demanding Jamil to tender an apology for his “callous” and “demeaning” remarks.

    “My aim was to point out that we are all to blame for our current state. It was meant to be a general remark not targeting any specific men, women, persons, or gender, but as a reminder to get closer to what Allah teaches us,” Jamil clarified in a series of tweets early Tuesday morning.

    The cleric also said that his “goal was to remind us all to focus on the spiritual and away from our desires and the materialistic”.

    “I am the first to admit as I have taught over the years, that there is no excuse for making any hurtful comments about anyone or making anyone feel uncomfortable.”

    The apology has been very well received by a majority of netizens.

    “Thank you for the clarification. Really appreciate it. You have many followers and this will send a clear message to those who seek to misinterpret your words to target women,” wrote Federal Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari while retweeting Jamil’s apology.

  • Hamza Ali Abbasi says he now ‘trembles’ before saying something publicly

    Hamza Ali Abbasi says he now ‘trembles’ before saying something publicly

    If there is one person who has gone through a complete transformation, it has to be Hamza Ali Abbasi. The actor has gone from being a flamboyant and outspoken person to someone who is calmer and more reserved.

    Read more – Hamza Ali Abbasi to make Islamic videos

    In a recent social media update, Hamza shared that this is because he has grown closer to Allah. The actor further said that he now “trembles and thinks a million times” before saying something publicly.”

    Meanwhile, Hamza is currently pursuing his religious studies at the Ghamidi Center of Islamic Learning in Dallas.

    When asked why he chose Ghamidi Sahab as his teacher, Hamza said that because he “understands Islam for what is it, free from all political, cultural influences.”

    Late last year, Hamza had announced that he was quitting acting to focus on his spiritual journey.

    Read more – Hamza Ali Abbasi quits acting to focus on his ‘spiritual journey’

    “I had this divine revelation some time back, that all that I am doing in this world will end the moment I die,” Hamza said in a video message, adding that death is inevitable.

    “All these trophies, all these accolades will not bring me any good on the day of judgment when I meet my Maker. I have decided that I want to leave everything that might be a hurdle when it comes to making my matters easier on the day of Judgment.”

    Though Hamza will be quitting acting, he shared that he will still continue to make videos and use his voice and popularity to spread the message of Islam and inspire others to undertake this spiritual journey.