Blog

  • Jemima is in love with Princess Diana ‘all over again’ after watching ‘The Crown’

    Jemima is in love with Princess Diana ‘all over again’ after watching ‘The Crown’

    More than two decades after her death, Princess Diana’s ill-fated entry into the British royal family is the main storyline in the long-awaited fourth season of the hit Netflix drama The Crown, which released on the streaming platform the past weekend.

    The season has already begun to trend and is currently at number three on Netflix Pakistan. Jemima Goldsmith, who was a close friend of Princess Diana, praised the season and actor Emma Corrin for portraying Diana brilliantly.

    “Emma Corrin has captured all the magic of shy Di,” wrote Jemima on social media.

    “Prepare to fall in love with Princess Diana all over again,” she added.

    https://twitter.com/Jemima_Khan/status/1328053776410955777?s=20

    Later, when a Twitter user commented that Corrin’s voice was “spookily accurate”, Jemima agreed with her.

    Goldsmith also praised Tom Brooke for his performance.

    The series shows Diana as a naive teenager who quickly becomes lonely in the role of Prince Charles’ fiancee and rollerskates around Buckingham Palace to pass the time. While the previous series depicted Charles as a sensitive and misunderstood boy, as Diana’s husband he is seen as cold and unfaithful, complaining to Camilla [Parker-Bowles] that she is “so weak, so fragile”.

    The love triangle is one of the main storylines in the fourth season, which covers the late 1970s and the 1980s.

    The scriptwriters also dramatise a notorious incident that year in which a 33-year-old man, Michael Fagan — frustrated at being unemployed and separated from his wife — broke into Buckingham Palace and entered the queen’s bedroom.

    The queen is again played by Olivia Colman, the British actress who won an Oscar for The Favourite in 2019. In the fifth series, she will hand over the role of the older queen to 64-year-old Imelda Staunton, known for playing the cruel Dolores Umbridge in the Harry Potter films.

    US actress Gillian Anderson plays Margaret Thatcher, the imperious first woman to head the British government, in a season dominated by strong female roles.

    A critical and popular success, The Crown was first broadcast in 2016 and has won numerous awards, including three Golden Globes and 10 Emmy Awards. A total of 73 million people have watched at least one episode of the series, according to Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s joint chief executive and chief content officer.

  • Govt reduces COVID-19 testing amid spike in deaths

    Govt reduces COVID-19 testing amid spike in deaths

    As coronavirus cases continue to spike across Pakistan, the government has drastically reduced the number of tests, as it conducted around 29,000 tests on Nov 16 as compared to 39,000 tests on Nov 14.

    According to official data, the number of tests remained above 30,000 since Nov 4 (when positivity rate was about 4 per cent) and the maximum number of samples were taken on Nov 14 i.e. 39,410. But for the past couple of days, the government has slashed the testing by 10,000 even though the positivity rate now stands at 7 per cent.

    Graph of COVID-19 testing

    According to data issued by the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) on Tuesday, at least 33 people passed away due to coronavirus, while 2,050 new infections were reported across Pakistan. The positivity rate has also witnessed an increase — from 4 per cent at the start of this month to 7 per cent.

    On Saturday and Sunday, the country saw over 2,000 cases and 2,400 cases respectively, which means more than a 20 per cent increase in cases. These numbers are the highest since July. Seventeen people lost their lives to the coronavirus on Saturday. Pakistan reported over 2,000 cases on Monday as well.

    Meanwhile, SOPs violations across the country continue. The marriage halls, restaurants, and such other places have failed to implement the government directives to stem the growth of the virus.

  • ‘Please bowl slow to me next time,’ Afridi tells Rauf

    Shahid Afridi has responded to Haris Rauf’s yorker that dismissed him on duck.

    In an interview with ESPN Cric Info Haris, while talking about the ball and his apology to Lala, said, “I have an aggressive style of celebration after taking a wicket, but when I dismissed Shahid Bhai yesterday, it was different as he is a superstar. He has given a lot of performances and won matches for Pakistan. So, it was essential for me to give him respect. I was not apologising, I was giving him respect.”

    In response to the interview, Afridi remarked: “It was a great and unplayable yorker, Haris. Very well bowled.”

    “Please bowl slow to me next time,” he added.

    Afridi also congratulated Qalandars for their win and hoped for an exciting final between Lahore and Karachi. He also thanked his fans for supporting Multan Sultans this season.

    Earlier in another interview, Rauf also said that Lahore versus Karachi is like an India-Pakistan match.

    Lahore and Karachi will be battling tonight (November 17) for half a million dollars and glittery golden PSL Trophy.

  • Everything we know about Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari’s fiancé

    Everything we know about Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari’s fiancé

    Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and former president Asif Ali Zardari’s eldest daughter Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari is all set to get engaged at the end of the month. A formal announcement was made last week and given that Bakhtawar’s groom is not a public figure there was little known about him. As a result, all sorts of speculations started doing the rounds on social media with people sharing unverified stories and reports about the groom-to-be.

    In a bid to put to rest all rumours, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) released an official statement in which they shared all the required information about Bakhtawar’s husband-to-be Mahmood Choudhry.

    According to the statement, “Mahmood Choudhry is the son of Mohammad Younas and Begum Suraiya Choudhry who hail from the old town of Lahore. Mr Younas migrated to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 1973 where he established businesses in the construction and transport industry.”

    “Mahmood, the last born of five siblings was born on July 28, 1988, in the city of Abu Dhabi. He completed his primary schooling in Abu Dhabi and secondary schooling in the United Kingdom. Mahmood further went on to read Law at the University of Durham.”

    “The family’s primary country of residence remains the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where Mahmood continues to run his businesses in construction, finance and tech,” added the statement.

    Meanwhile, thanking everyone for their good wishes, Bakhtawar said that the cards were leaked “before they were even scheduled to be officially sent”.

    “Have absolutely NO affiliation with any family in the US which is being popularly quoted by most media,” added Bakhtawar.

    Bakhtawar and Mahmood will be getting engaged on November 27 at Bilawal House in Karachi. All guests attending the ceremony have been requested to get tested for COVID-19 and send the results via e-mail.

    “All attendees are requested to please email a scanned copy of their negative COVID-19 PCR test result 24 hours prior to attendance. This is a mandatory requirement for security clearance,” the invitation reads.

    The guests have also been asked not to bring mobile phones with them due to security purposes.

    “Please note — no photography or mobile phones will be permitted inside the venue and photographs will be available for all guests through our official photographer.”

    “We thank you in advance for adhering to our safety protocols to keep you and your loved ones safe, and enable us all to enjoy the occasion,” it added.

    The couple will reportedly tie the knot in January 2021 in Karachi.

  • PTI lawyer Naeem Bukhari being considered for PTV chairman post

    PTI lawyer Naeem Bukhari being considered for PTV chairman post

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is likely to appoint lawyer Naeem Bukhari, who represented Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Panama Papers case against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, as the chairman of the Pakistan Television (PTV).

    The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has proposed that Bokhari should be nominated as the PTVC board chairman, a report in Pakistan Today claimed.

    The ministry has asked the federal cabinet to keep the composition of the PTVC Board to eight members, with three independent stakeholders.

    In Sept 2020, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) declared the appointments of PTV chairman Arshad Khan and independent members of the board of directors illegal while directing the government to fill the vacant slots in accordance with the law. 

    Bukhari, who has worked as an anchorperson and commentators on PTV for decades, had joined PTI in June 2016. At the time, he called Imran Khan the “only political leader who had the courage to speak the truth”. Bukhari also represented Imran when he went to the Supreme Court against then prime minister Nawaz Sharif following the Panama Papers leak.

    The pleas that were later admitted by the apex court which disqualified Nawaz Sharif for being “dishonest” under Article 62 (1)(f).

    The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had also hired the services of Bukhari as a special prosecutor to take up cases against close confidants of Sharif brothers — former Lahore Development Authority chief Ahad Cheema and former principal secretary Fawad Hassan Fawad.

  • US, ‘friendly countries’ pressurising Pakistan to recognise Israel, says PM

    Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the United States and some Muslim states, which he cannot name because of good ties with them, have been pressuring Pakistan to recognise Israel.

    The PM made these remarks in an interview aired last week.

    Islamabad, however, will never establish relations with the “Zionist” state until a just settlement of the decades-long Palestinian issue, the prime minister reiterated.

    Except for the US, the PM refused to name other states, saying Pakistan has good relations with these countries. “Are they non-Muslim or Muslim countries that have been putting pressure on you?” the anchorperson asked in an attempt to get a clear answer.

    https://twitter.com/LifeRacer_1/status/1327330663851307009

    “Leave this [question]. There are things we cannot say. We have good relations with them (countries),” the premier replied.

    It may be noted here the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain recently established ties with Israel, whereas other Muslim states, including Saudi Arabia, are also weighing options to normalise ties with Tel Aviv.

    Israel, he observed, has had a deep influence in the US, which is another country pressurising him to recognise Israel. “The pressure is because of Israel’s deep impact (influence) in the US. This (influence) was in fact extraordinary during the Trump’s stint,” he maintained.

    Meanwhile, a statement issued by the Foreign Office termed the report a “fabrication”. According to the statement: “The prime minister had stressed that Pakistan’s policy in this regard was rooted in Quaid-e-Azam’s vision. The prime minister’s remarks are an unequivocal reaffirmation of Pakistan’s position on the subject, leaving no room for baseless speculation,” it added.

  • VIDEO: First look of ‘Pehli Si Mohabbat’ revealed

    VIDEO: First look of ‘Pehli Si Mohabbat’ revealed

    The first look of Sheheryar Munawar and Maya Ali’s upcoming drama Pehli Si Mohabbat has finally been revealed courtesy producer Jerjees Seja, who posted a BTS from the sets of the drama.

    Seja, who is also the CEO of ARY Digital shared a picture with the cast of upcoming drama serial. Looks like Sheheryar will be going clean shaven for this one.

    Meanwhile, social media is abuzz and the video went viral in minutes.

    According to the details, the drama is produced by Abdullah Seja under the banner of IDream Productions, the serial will be aired on ARY Digital with Maya and Sheheryar in lead roles.

    Maya, Shehryar, Rabia Butt and Hassan Sheheryar Yasin (HSY) have already announced that they will be part of this serial by sharing the picture of the script on their social media accounts.

    A release date has not yet been announced.

  • VIDEO: Egypt unearths new mummies dating back 2,500 years

    Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed more than 100 delicately painted wooden coffins, some with mummies inside, and 40 funeral statues in the ancient burial ground of Saqqara.

    Egyptian antiquities authorities has declared the discovery the largest find at the site this year.

    The sealed wooden coffins, some containing mummies, date as far back as 2,500 years and are “in perfect condition of preservation,” Khaled el-Enany, Egyptian Minister for Tourism and Antiquities, told reporters in Saqqara.

    The fine quality of the coffins meant that they were probably the final resting places for the wealthiest citizens, officials said.

    Other artifacts discovered include funeral masks, canopic jars and amulets.

    The artifacts and coffins will ultimately be displayed at several museums in Egypt.

    In a dramatic display, experts opened a coffin and X-rayed a mummy, determining it was most likely a man around the age of 40.

    The latest discovery comes as Egypt is trying to draw visitors back to the country, which depends heavily on tourism. Political problems, including a 2011 uprising that toppled longtime leader Hosni Mubarak, coupled with terrorist attacks and other instability have deterred tourists, and the coronavirus dealt another blow.

    According to a Times database, Egypt has reported 110,547 total virus cases. The country reopened its borders to visitors in July.

  • COVID-19: PM bans political rallies across country

    As anti-government protests of the joint opposition’s Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) gain momentum, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has announced a ban on political rallies across the country on recommendation of the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), journalist Asad Ali Toor has reported.

    According to the details, the ban was announced by the premier as he addressed the nation following a meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC) on the COVID-19 pandemic, a second wave of which is currently taking toll on Pakistan.

    Earlier it was announced by the PM’s Office in Islamabad that the premier would address a press briefing after the meeting. 

    The meeting comes after the NCOC recommended urgent measures to the NCC to control the rapidly-increasing infections across the country, Geo reported.

    The NCOC recommended limiting all public gatherings to 500 people, including cultural, political, religious, entertainment, and civil gatherings.

    It also suggested allowing only outdoor dining till 10 pm, shutting down cinemas and theatres, and closing down shrines beside an early closure of markets and safe days.

    Meanwhile, the decision on early and extended winter vacations in schools was deferred till November 23, the Ministry of Federal Education/Professional Training said.

  • Amir Khan escapes unhurt after crashing Mercedes

    Amir Khan escapes unhurt after crashing Mercedes

    British Pakistani boxer Amir Khan got into an accident late Sunday night after he rammed his car into a barrier while driving on a Motorway in Manchester, United Kingdom.

    https://youtu.be/MOCEpvt8THU

    According to a news details, the boxer lost control of his £90,000 car as the road surface was extremely wet following a day of rain.

    Khan shared photos of the accident on social media which showed his Mercedes S350 completely damaged with its front bumper hanging off and the window mirrors completely broken.

    Khan shared that everyone was safe and shared that “smashing into the side of the motorway barrier felt like being hit with a combo.”

    Read more – ‘Meet the Khans’: Faryal Makhdoom, Amir Khan are getting their own reality TV series

    As per the report, this is not the first time that Khan had an incident related to the collection of his luxurious cars.

    “Back in 2012, the 33-year-old saw a gang of armed yobs try and steal his £100,000 Range Rover,” revealed the publication.

    The Bolton-born star has an impressive luxurious car collection that includes a £271,000 Lamborghini Aventador, a £233,000 Rolls Royce Phantom, and a £65,000 Range Rover.