The health authorities announced that another variant of the deadly Covid virus has reached Pakistan, reports Dawn.
Talking to the media outlet, Member Scientific Task Force on Covid-19 Dr Javed Akram said a fatal variant of the virus called ‘Epsilon’ had been detected in the country.
He confirmed that around 40 patients had contracted the variant so far, however, the figure is not accurate.
“This variant had originated in California, which was why it was called the California strain or B.1.429,” Dr Akram added.
“We need to understand that the virus has been controlled but not eradicated, therefore, there are chances of it bouncing back,” said Dr Akram.
Talking about the vaccines’ efficiency, Dr Akram, who is also the vice-chancellor of the University of Health Sciences (UHS), stated, “The positive side is that all vaccines are effective against Epsilon, therefore people should get immunised and adhere to the standard operating procedures.”
The Japanese government provided equipment worth 6.59 million dollars to Islamabad through the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for enhancing Pakistan’s capacity for Covid vaccine storage.
According to the statistics shared by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 662 covid cases were recorded in the last 24 hours and the current positivity rate is 1.40 per cent.
British-Pakistani actor Riz Ahmed has expressed his views on the way Muslims are portrayed on screen internationally.
“The game right now is messed up. The game right now is rigged,” Ahmed said in a new interview with news outlet Muslim. “Muslims are either not on screen or they are [and] they’re the bad guys. They’re perpetrators or victims of violence. We’re either invisible or we’re villainized, cause the stories we tell about our community affect the laws that get passed, the people that get attacked, the people that get invaded.”
Watching a clip form the 2014, Clint Eastwood-directed blockbuster film American Sniper, in which star Bradley Cooper shoots a Muslim child during the Iraq War, Ahmed shook his head.
“”It’s actually hard to watch this and not get angry, It’s crazy to think that, like, how many people had to say this was OK for this to be made. It’s just super racist.”
He pointed out that most of the Muslim people featured were terrorists.
“[We’re] gonna look back on that and look at it with the same cringe as we look at, you know, films that had blackface in them. Or films with, like, you know, cowboys and Indians, [where] the only good Indian is a dead Indian,” said Ahmed, who’s been outspoken about the importance of diversity and his experiences with racism. “Really, that’s what you’re saying, the only good Muslim is a dead one. This stuff’s so dangerous, because it enables the invasion of countries. It enables hate crimes. It enables discriminatory and racist laws being passed.”
He pronounced such style of film “wack, outdated, racist” and said such carelessness “costs lives.”
The Rogue One: A Star Wars Story actor implored filmmakers to show a Muslim community that’s more diverse, when it comes to race, geography, gender, sexuality and abilities. In June, Ahmed and his film company, Left Handed Films, partnered with the University of Southern California’s Inclusion Initiative and others to address the problem of underrepresentation through grants and mentorships to Muslim filmmakers. This followed the university’s Annenberg School for Communications and Journalism’s report that, of the top-grossing movies from 2017-2019, just 10 percent had any type of Muslim character, while fewer than 2 percent of those characters had dialogue. In real life, Muslims comprise nearly a quarter of the world’s population.
Ahmed also co-wrote and starred in the new movie MogulMowgli, about a British Pakistani rapper, which is a background strikingly similar to Ahmed’s own. (He was born in Britain to a Pakistani family and has performed as a musician.) The character’s name is actually Zaheer, but he goes by Zed, and that’s also a situation familiar to the man who played him. Ahmed’s first name is actually Rizwan.
“Zaheer has changed his name to Zed and the question is, is that a choice he made or is that something he was forced to do, because [he wanted] to fit in, because people couldn’t pronounce his name,” Ahmed explained. “And I sometimes ask myself that question. I have kind of censored my full name, and on some level, I wonder whether it’s just got too much weight and too much history.”
On that subject, Ahmed had clearly made a decision.
“One thing I’ll say is, after this film, I introduce myself as Rizwan,” he said.
News of an Afghan female footballer, Mahjabeen, beheaded by the Taliban in Kabul is making rounds on social media. As per a news report, in an interview with the Persian Independent, one of the coaches of the Afghan women’s national volleyball team confirmed that the athlete had been killed, but said that no one other than Mahjabeen’s family knew the exact time and manner of the incident.
However, a journalist associated with TOLO News took to Twitter to clarify that the news of her beheading was false. The journalist claimed that Mahjabeen committed suicide 10 days before the takeover of the Taliban when he was heading TOLO news’ news-gathering.
This is not true, she committed suicide 10 days before Kabul takeover by Taliban when I was heading TOLOnews Newsgathering. https://t.co/xPSRFkkepj
Music Producer Rohail Hyatt shared a video on his Twitter account, continuing to defend his stance that being rich can be harder than being poor.
In the video, a beggar can be seen saying that he is happy because he has no stress or fear. He says, “Although the rich take pills, they can’t sleep peacefully at night because of the constant fear of being robbed at any time.”
Despite Hyatt’s continued defence of his opinion, Twitter criticised the music producer. Some of them even asked him to give them all of his money.
Rohail bhai As I offered before, I am willing to take away all your money related stress and you can transfer all your money/property to me I will make sure that you get a new kashkol, jutti and used kapray for your jogi lifestyle When should we meetup?
Getting ridiculous now. He’s interviewing people on the street as evidence to support his point that being rich can be more difficult than being poor https://t.co/wkmca1MMfa
I can think of one and that is to not put people on the spot with a unidirectional question. I’d rather ask “are you happy” and seek details if they say yes out of free will. It’s more priming than anything philosophical if the conversation actually started with this.
Previously, Hyatt while replying to a question on Twitter, said, “I can go on and on but I hope you get the drift. I’m not saying being poor isn’t hard, but being rich can be harder at times. Totally depends on the mindset of the person experiencing that state.”
I can go on and on but I hope you get the drift. I’m not saying being poor isn’t hard, but being rich can be harder at times. Totally depends on the mindset of the person experiencing that state..
His tweet made headlines and generated an online debate.
This is not the first time that Hyatt has faced criticism. Earlier, in April, he defended Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s rape apology and got into a heated debate with singer-turned-politician Jawad Ahmad.
The official twitter account of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has asked social media users to mention the names of the journalists who have blocked them for ‘questioning’ the journalists.
“We have received a lot of feedback from folks who have been blocked unfairly by journalists for asking questions (no abuse or harsh language at all). If you suffered an unfair block, mention in this thread. We will request journalists to unblock you,” the tweet from the official twitter handle of the ruling party read.
We have received a lot of feedback from folks who have been blocked unfairly by journalists for asking questions (no abuse or harsh language at all). If you suffered an unfair block, mention in this thread. We will request journalists to unblock you #QuestioningIsNotHarassment
Earlier, PTI’s official Twitter account posted a video of an old telephonic conversation between PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and journalist Asma Shirazi during a telephonic press conference. The tweet came after journalists condemned the ruling party for targeted harassment.
PTI Official in the tweet questioned Shirazi’s credibility and accused her of being biased. Many journalists condemned the tweet against Shirazi and in response were bombarded by tweets and replies by PTI supporters. It is unclear which journalists, if any, blocked any PTI supporters who were responding to their tweets.
The journalists that tweeted in support of Shirazi include:
The online harassment of widely-respected award-winning journalist @asmashirazi by the official Twitter account of ruling party @PTIofficial & various party officials is deplorable & condemnable. Party leadership should put a stop to this immediately
More evidence of PTI’s ongoing campaign to malign and discredit brave, brilliant journalists like @asmashiraziThey are clearly incapable of understanding that critiquing, questioning the Govt is part of a journalist’s job – not “obedience” to opposition leaders or anyone else https://t.co/r850maYK8r
Dear @asmashirazi it is not the first nor sadly the last time you are being subjected to rudness spewing troll accounts led by the ‘official’ account itself. Trust you will stay strong and solid as always. ❤️ https://t.co/BHy5jddM3M
Desperation is when a journalist such as @asmashirazi is targeted – yet again – by a political party that now has a well-documented history of a poor freedom of expression record, propagating fake news, and U-turns.
Power is not permanent. Journalism is. #AsmaSherazi
Former United States (US) President Donald Trump announced he would launch his own social media platform, TRUTH Social, saying, “We live in a world where the Taliban has a huge presence on Twitter, yet your favorite American president has been silenced. This is unacceptable,” reports Reuters.
According to the press release distributed by the Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG) and a special acquisition company (SPAC), which form a new company for TRUTH social, Trump’s own social media app, TRUTH Social would “stand up to Big Tech” companies such as Twitter and Facebook that have barred him from their platforms.
“I am excited to send out my first TRUTH on TRUTH Social very soon. TMTG was founded with a mission to give a voice to all. I’m excited to soon begin sharing my thoughts on TRUTH Social and to fight back against Big Tech,” he said.
Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms banned Trump from their platforms after hundreds of his supporters rioted at the US Capitol on January 6.
The Punjab Home Department has asked the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to suspend internet services in specific areas of Lahore.
As per the home department’s letter to the PTA, the instruction has been given in response to a protest oragnised by the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).
The areas where internet services are being suspended are Samanabad, Sheerakot, Nawankot, Gulshan-e-Ravi, Sabzazar and Iqbal Town.
Corps Commander Karachi Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) Nadeem Ahmed Anjum met Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, who is expected to formally approve the appointment of new director-general (DG) Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency within a few days, reports The News.
A source told The News that there is no official word available about this important meeting. However, while confirming it, the source hinted that the notification for the appointment of Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum as the next DG ISI is expected in the coming few days. The source expected it on Friday.
On October 14, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) parliamentary group had an emergency meeting at Parliament House where PM Khan assured the party leaders that the issue of the appointment of the new ISI chief has been amicably settled by him and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and that the government will complete its five-year term.
Later, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry told the media that the notification regarding the appointment of the new DG ISI would be issued in two to three days.
Lahore police were put on high alert on Wednesday after the banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) resumed protest activities by staging a massive sit-in on Multan Road near its headquarters at Masjid Rehmatul-lil-Aalemeen, for the release of TLP chief Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi, son of late Khadim Rizvi.
Rizvi is detained by the Punjab government since April 12 for “maintenance of public order (MPO)”. He was initially detained for three months and then again under the Anti-Terrorist Act on July 10. A federal review board is scheduled to take up the government’s reference against him on October 23, reports Dawn.
A division bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) is yet to be constituted to hear an appeal of the government against a decision of a single bench that had set aside the detention of the TLP leader.
Earlier, the TLP took out a massive rally on 12th of Rabiul Awal (Tuesday), where its senior leaders delivered fiery speeches, accusing the government of using delay tactics in releasing Saad Rizvi.
An Indian journalist has shared a now viral video on social media in which two Pakistani diplomats can be heard discussing the recent Twitter spar between Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari and her daughter Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir.
One of the diplomats can be heard saying, “shuru se inka style yehi hai, aggressive,” while referring to the minister. The diplomats can be also heard laughing on the issue.
ROLF moment. Pakistani diplomats forget to turn off mike at Moscow format talks involving Taliban. Found discussing Pak Human rights minister Shireen Mazari & her daughter’s twitter spat. pic.twitter.com/9dpIOx1zS6
The video is from the third meeting of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan. It was being held with the participation of special representatives or senior officials from Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, as well as a high-level delegation of the interim Afghan government.
