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  • New neurotechnology could help humans ‘erase’ unhappy memories

    New neurotechnology could help humans ‘erase’ unhappy memories

    A new neurotechnology technique that could help humans to erase painful memories has raised “huge ethical problems,” says a leading neurologist because it threatens to artificially change a person’s personality.

    According to details, the memory-editing technique, which is called decoded neurofeedback or DecNef was created for the treatment of PTSD.

    It involves an electromagnet similar to an MRI scanner to measure various changes in the brain like the level of oxygen in the blood.

    The data gathered by the scanner is sent in real time to an artificially intelligent imagine learning agent that tracks which areas of the brain are active when particular memories are stimulatted.

    Aurelio Cortese, a computational neuroscientist and principal investigator of the ATR Computational Neuroscience Labs, said that the AI component is vital to understanding what’s going on in the human brain: “Machine learning is used to learn the neural representation of the target mental representation in the first place,” he said.

    “This machine learning decoder is then used in the neurofeedback procedure, to detect the activation patterns and compute the likelihood that it corresponds to a target pattern.”

    The second phase of DecNef is to monitor the parts of the brain where these “painful” memories are active and training the patient to control the impact of the stimulus.

    The memories aren’t deleted, in the same way we’d delete unwanted documents from a computer, Cortese stresses, but DecNef teaches the patient to control and suppress the brain’s natural response.

  • Mother’s Day 2021: Celebrities shower love on their mothers

    Mother’s Day 2021: Celebrities shower love on their mothers

    A mother’s love is like none other and while mothers should be celebrated every day, every year comes a day entirely dedicated to them giving everyone to chance to let their mothers know how much they mean to them. Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May. Some celebrate the day with their mothers, showering them with gifts and flowers, while others celebrate them in their memories. Like every year, this year too Pakistani celebrities expressed their love for their Moms on social media, giving the day more traction.

    Check out some sweet wishes below:

    Imran Abbas

    Sharing a picture of himself kissing his mother’s foot, Abbas said: “‘Beshuk Jannat Maañ ke qadmon ke neechay hai’. I am nothing without you Maañ Ji, my ‘Jannat’!”

    “May I always keep kissing your feet till I am alive,” he added.

    Maya Ali

    “Meri pyaari Amma, thank you for making me what I am today,” said Maya. “Thank you for letting me know how to deal with the bad and good. Thank you for telling me that whatever happens, whatever someone says, whether it’s good or bad, you have to be positive and always think positive. I never used to understand before, but now I know what you meant. I am proud that I am your daughter. Love you Amma.”

    Sajal and Saboor Aly

    The Aly sisters remembered their late mother by sharing old photographs of her.

    “I have so much left to say to you. Not a day passes by that you don’t cross my mind. The fact that you’re no longer here will always cause me pain but you’re always in my heart,” wrote Saboor, alongside a picture of her mother.

    “I know that you still hear me Mama, so please know this is true, that everything I’m today is all because of you. I miss you every day. You didn’t go alone, part of me went with you,” she added before going on to wish mothers across the world a Happy Mother’s Day.

    “Take care of your mother because you will never get another,” said Saboor.

    Iqra Aziz and Yasir Hussain

    Posting a picture of herself and her mother from her godh bharai, Iqra said that she has no words to express how blessed she is to have her mother.

    Iqra, who is also expecting her first child, said that she can’t wait for her little one to come and experience her grandmother’s love. The actor added that she is lucky to have her mother to hold her hand through it all.

    Yasir shared a photo of himself with his late mother and said: “Yeh tasweer zaroor dhundli ho gai hai magar Amma aap ki yaad nahi. Love you. Aaj mother’s day hai aur 12 baje aap ki barsi. Meray liye Mother’s Day ko hamesha yaad rehny wala din bana dia.”

    Babar Azam

    Pakistani skipper Babar Azam paid a heartfelt tribute to his mother, writing: “Mama Ji, beyond your love, support, care and kindness I do not exist. Forever in your debt. May Allah SWT keep your shade on us.”

    Asim Azhar

    Asim called his mother his “queen”.

    Sonya Hussyn

    Sonya took to Instagram and shared a picture of herself with her mother, saying: “I know Ammi that you’ve gone through a lot of struggle and pain in life. But I promise I won’t let all that go in vain. I want to do justice to every time you believed in me. I will grow up, to be the best I can be. I promise! I don’t know where life will take me as I grow old, but what I do know is that I will never be a person as big as you are.”

    She also prayed for her happiness and a long life.

    Momal Sheikh

    Momal shared a scenic photo with her mother. She also wrote:”My lovely mother, you are my life and my world. I am alive because of you.”

    Alizeh Shah

    Alizeh shared a beautiful selfie of herself with her mother, saying: “Thank you for showing me how to keep my guards up in this world, where manipulation and bare minimum attention is considered love, you truly are the only pure form of love.”

    Yumna Zaidi

    Yumna also took to Instagram, sharing a picture of herself with her ”Qeemti tareen,” mother.

    Zaidi also wished all the mothers a Happy Mother’s Day.

    Many other celebrities payed tribute to their mothers by taking to their social media and shared what they feel for them. Not only them but some celebrity mothers like Aisha Khan, Sarwat Gilani and Syra Yousuf among others celebrated this day with their children.

  • Saba Qamar wonders why ‘Sexify’ is trending on Netflix Pakistan

    Saba Qamar never shies away from sharing her opinions, whether on social media or in real life.

    Read more – Saba Qamar is winning the internet with her latest video

    The actor, in a recent social media post, raised a question which many Pakistanis had been asking over the past month: “Why is Sexify trending at number one on Netflix Pakistan during the Holy month of Ramzan?”

    “Awam toh humari bohut shareef hai phir yeh trending mein No 1 peh kyun hai?” questioned Saba.

    Sexify, an eight-episode Polish series, is about budding software developer Natalia who knows a lot about programming and very little about sex. With her friends Monika and Paulina, she embarks on a quest to better understand the mysteries of the female orgasm and build an app that will win an inter-university competition and maybe, just maybe, serve the needs of her peers.

    The series has a rating of 6.6 on IMDb.

  • ‘Slander against Yousaf Raza Gilani is completely baseless’

    ‘Slander against Yousaf Raza Gilani is completely baseless’

    Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill recently accused Yousaf Raza Gilani of using the Senate vehicle as a taxi service.

    Let’s face it, those who were supposed to be the Chairman of the Senate started a taxi service on a government vehicle,” wrote Dr Gill on Twitter.

    “The wage has to be paid in any case, no matter what. This move is such that I don’t even dare to comment on it,” added the SAPM.

    Gill made the accusation after news of Gilani’s allotted Senate car was seen dropping off a person and was primarily termed as giving a pick and drop service and was accused of charging double fare from the passengers.

    Meanwhile, Gilani’s son Kasim Giliani nullified the accusations, saying: “I didn’t want to respond to the baseless slander and dirty, cheap smears however it is important to put the record straight.”

    He clarified the accusations saying, “One driver of the Senate used the Senate car to drop another driver to a (bus stand/taxi stand) without Yousaf Raza Gilani’s permission. This does not concern Yousaf Raza Gilani at all and the Senate can take appropriate action against the employees.”

    “The low level of cheap shots and completely fabricated attacks by the government trolls only exposes the depths of their morality,” added Gilani.

     Senator Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani was elected as leader of the opposition in the Upper House of the parliament on March 26,2021.

  • PM carries the ‘begging bowl’ with him everywhere

    PM carries the ‘begging bowl’ with him everywhere

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Monday chastised Prime Minister Imran Khan, blaming him for not caring about the common man’s problems in Pakistan.

    In a statement, Bilawal held PM Khan responsible for the dreadful economic situation of the country, adding that “every Pakistani is paying the price of Imran Khan’s ‘Change Tsunami’”

    Speaking about PM’s recent trip to Saudi Arabia, Bilawal said it was unfortunate how the same prime minister, who used to talk about not obtaining loans from other countries, was carrying the “begging bowl” with him everywhere in the world.

    “Mr Prime Minister, surely you hold vast experience in collecting donations. However, countries do not run on donations alone,” said the PPP chairperson.

    “If the money we receive from loans continues to get wasted in corruption, the common man will continue to bear the burden of inflation,” he said, adding: “Imran Khan, you should come out of your palace in Bani Gala.”

    “The Chinese government’s hesitancy [in issuing the funds] is in fact an expression of their lack of confidence in the PTI government,” he said, adding that foreign investors were afraid of investing in Pakistan. 

    The PPP chairperson’s criticism comes after the prime minister returned from the Saudi Arabia visit aimed at strengthening ties between the two countries.

  • Nida Yasir returns to acting after 10 years

    Nida Yasir returns to acting after 10 years

    After a long hiatus from the screen as an actor, Nida Yasir is all set to return with an Eid telefilm titled Uff Yeh Biwiyaan. Yasir will be sharing the screen with husband Yasir Nawaz, Shaista Lodhi, Hammad Shoaib and Nazish Jahangir in the film.

    The short one-minute trailer shows that the telefilm will revolve around a man, played by Nawaz, who has two wives, played by Nida and Shaista. The two women will fight over him and he tries to please them both.

    Written by Misbah Ali Syed and directed by Kashif Saleem, Uff Yeh Biwiyaan is expected to air over the Eid weekend.

    Earlier, in an interview, Nida shared that she gave up acting to focus on her family life and children as she felt her son was being “neglected.” However, after her daughter was born, she stopped working altogether.

    “For nearly two years I was doing nothing,” said Nida.

    It was after that she decided to work again, doing a sitcom first before venturing into hosting and morning shows.

    “Though I prefer acting, I chose hosting as it pays more,” Nida, who is currently hosting Good Morning Pakistan on ARY Digital, had said.

    Read more – Nida Yasir reveals why she doesn’t allow male fans to take pictures with her

    Nida has also been working as a producer on several films including Wrong No, Wrong No 2 and Chakkar.

    Meanwhile, get to know Nida up and close in this exclusive interview with The Current.

  • PM to take your calls on May 11

    PM to take your calls on May 11

    Prime Minister Imran Khan will once again take phone calls from Pakistanis on May 11, under the ‘Ap Ka Prime Minister Ap Kai Sath’ [Your Prime Minister With You] initiative. As per details, the PM will personally answer people’s queries.

    The news has been confirmed by Senator Faisal Javed, who said the calls would be broadcast live on television, radio, and social media.

    People who wish to voice their concerns to the PM can dial 051-9224900. He will begin taking calls at 1:30 pm.

    The premier has interacted with the public twice on February 1, 2021 and April 4, 2021.

  • Arif Lohar’s wife passes away

    Arif Lohar’s wife passes away

    Renowned Pakistani folk singer Arif Lohar’s wife passed away in Lahore on Sunday.

    According to reports, Lohar’s wife had been down with a fever after which she was admitted to a private hospital in the city. Her condition deteriorated on Saturday and she was moved to a ventilator but soon succumbed to her illness. It has not yet been confirmed if the deceased had been diagnosed with COVID.

    She was laid to rest on Sunday in Lahore.

    Read more – Sumbul Shahid loses battle with COVID

    As per details, the couple had three sons together.

  • Pakistani short film ‘Darya Kay Iss Paar’ wins three awards at NYC Film Festival

    Pakistani short film Darya Kay Iss Paar has bagged three major awards at the New York City International Film Festival. The short film won awards including Best Short Film, Best Director and Best Leading Actress (Khaba Aziz). The film is based on the stigma attached to mental health.

    Read more – ‘Zindagi Tamasha’ sweeps awards at 6th Asian World Film Festival

    As per the description available on YouTube, Darya Kay Iss Paar (On this side of the river) is the story of a young girl named Gull Zareen, who lives in the Northern areas of Pakistan. The plot of the film revolves around the life of Zareen who has “nothing but alienation in her life.”

    “The aloofness in the air of the mountainous area is adding more depression in her life. There is a gradual increase in her mental stress starting from school life to the married life. No one is ready to bother about her feelings and thoughts,” reads the official description.

    “Rigid social values and norms further add fuel to the fire. Resultantly, the increasing mental stress compels her to commit suicide. The story depicts the stereotypical behavior of society towards mental illness. Certainly, it is a roller-coaster ride of strong emotions inspired from real events where the story can force a viewer to, at least, think about the issue,” it adds.

    The film has been produced by Nighat Akbar Shah and directed by Shoaib Sultan.

    New York City International Film Festival was founded in 2009 to celebrate the arts of film.

  • K-Electric partners with largest delivery platform Foodpanda & leading tax filing portal Befiler

    K-Electric partners with largest delivery platform Foodpanda & leading tax filing portal Befiler

    Alliance aims at promoting the use of the Karachi Electric (KE) Live mobile app by offering an exclusive discount on the Foodpanda App & Befiler
     
    Karachi – April xx, 2021: K-Electric has announced an exciting offer for new users of its KE Live Mobile application through strategic alliances with Foodpanda – Pakistan’s largest delivery platform, and Befiler – the country’s leading tax filing and NTN registration portal. Customers who download the KE Live App will be able to avail of exclusive discounts of up to PKR 500 on Foodpanda and savings of up to 87% on Befiler portals.
     
    The KE Live App is a complete digital solution offering multiple services on the go and is available for download on the Google Play Store and Apple Appstore. Customers can view their billing history, download duplicate bills and make online bill payments, lodge complaints, and even apply for a new connection from the comfort of their homes. Now, new users will also be provided promo codes to enjoy up to PKR 500 discount on their first order via the Foodpanda App, with the exception of Pandamart.
     
    New KE Live App users can also avail NTN registration and Tax filing services via Befiler at an 87% discounted rate of only PKR 500 rupees. Upon successful download of the KE Live App, a voucher will be delivered to users via SMS on their registered mobile number and email address. Moreover, multiple users can register and avail the offer against one KE account number.
     
    Commenting on these strategic alliances, Imran Rana, Director Communications KE said, “K-Electric continues to prioritize customer-centricity and enrich consumer experience through innovative digital products and solutions. Much like our partners, we share a vision to facilitate customers from the comfort of their homes. The KE Live App and Web Portal are pioneering platforms marking a major milestone via the provision of several facilities under one digital roof.”
     
    “Undocumented economy and weak tax filing culture is a major challenge of Pakistan’s economy, further exacerbated by complexities in tax compliance. Beiler is excited to have partnered with K-Electric to address the issue by offering a simple and user-friendly digital solution to assist citizens of Karachi in their tax compliance for a very nominal fee,” said Akbar Tejani, Befiler’s CEO and Co-Founder.
     
    The KE Live App and Web Portal are evidence of KE’s progressive vision and the fact that customer-centricity is a core tenet of the business strategy.

    Consumers can download the app using the link: http://bit.ly/2PyqkFn