Tag: home-life

  • 3 board games for your next game night

    3 board games for your next game night

    We have all grown up playing board games like Monopoly, Scrabble, Cluedo, Snakes and Ladders, Ludo and many more, there are some new board games that are equally fun!

    Board games industry has seen a resurgence. According to the BBC, industry forecasters predict the global board game market will be worth more than £9bn by 2023.

    The Current recommends these three board games that you must try:

    1. Wits & Wager

    This is an extremely fun party game. It is played in seven rounds. One trivia question is asked each round, and each player gives a numerical answer to every trivia question. Players simultaneously place their written answers to the trivia question on the betting mat, and then bet on the answer they believe is closest to the right answer but not over it. The house pays players who choose the correct answer based on the odds marked on the board. The player with the most chips after the seventh question is the winner.

    2. Risk

    Risk is a game of military strategy where you acquire and defend your territory from possible attacks or takeovers. According to Rave, this “dice-rolling war game hits themes of diplomacy and conquest and will go down in history as one of the most popular board games with a major fan base of enthusiasts”.

    3. Trivial Pursuit

    If you’re a trivia buff, this is the game for you. The object of the game is to move around the board by correctly answering trivia questions. Questions are split into six categories: Geography, Entertainment, History, Arts & Literature, Science & Nature and Sports. The game includes a board, playing pieces, question cards, a box, small plastic wedges to fit into the playing pieces, and a dice.

  • Health emergency declared in Delhi following toxic smog

    Health emergency declared in Delhi following toxic smog

    The Delhi government on Friday announced a public health emergency in the city following the deterioration in air quality in the city. The local government also directed the closure of all schools till November 5 in the interest of the health and safety of children.

    According to a report in the Hindustan Times, air quality in the capital has deteriorated breaching ‘severe plus’ level and the city remained shrouded in a thick, toxic layer of smoke and haze. Many environmentalists began to refer to Delhi as an open gas chamber.

    Read more: Tips to beat the toxic smog this winter

    The Air Quality Index (AQI) value in Delhi was at approximately 459 at 8 am Friday morning and this is the first time that the air quality has dipped to emergency levels in the national capital this season. Such a situation was last seen in January 2019. Meanwhile, Lahore’s AQI stands at 343 according to Air Visual.

    This prompted the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPA), a Supreme Court-mandated body, to declare a public health emergency. It stated that the air quality in Delhi NCR has become “hazardous” and will have adverse health impacts on all particularly the children.

    Effects of smog on children

    The EPA also suspended all construction activity in Delhi-NCR till November 5.

    Delhi witnessed a spike in pollution after Diwali and the air quality quickly dipped in the following week with the share of stubble burning in Delhi’s pollution rising to 35 percent.

    Chief Minister Kejriwal described the city as a “gas chamber” while distributing masks to schoolchildren. He also blamed the neighbouring states of Haryana and Punjab, where thousands of farmers at this time of year burn crop stubble, sending vast clouds of smoke drifting across northern India and Pakistan.

    Read more: Air purifiers that are effective and available

    Experts have previously predicted that more crop residues are burnt around the time of Diwali since farmers can show them as incidental fires. They use the method to quickly and cheaply ready their fields for the next round of sowing.

  • UNESCO labels Lahore as a ‘creative city’ in literature

    UNESCO labels Lahore as a ‘creative city’ in literature

    The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has included Lahore in its list of cities that have been designated as Unesco Creative Cities. A total of 66 cities have been selected for 2019’s list.

    The cities on the list have been selected for one particular field. While Lahore has been selected in the field of Literature, other categories include gastronomy, music, design, media arts, and film. Meanwhile, other cities on the list include Angoulême (France), Kuhmo (Finland), Wonju (Republic of Korea), Wrocław (Poland), Slemani (Iraq), Leeuwarden (the Netherlands), Beirut (Lebanon), Nanjing (China), and Odessa (Ukraine).

    Watch: Secrets of Lahore ft. Shalimar Gardens

    Unesco Director-General Audrey Azoulay made this announcement and said that this step would promote political and social innovation, particularly among the youth.

    “All over the world, these cities, each in their way, make
    culture a pillar – not an accessory – of their strategy,” he said.

    The project is being run by Unesco’s Creative Cities to make
    these places home of ideas and help in the contribution to attaining the
    Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through innovative ideas and action.

    The cities on the list have committed to support and achieve the SDGs especially those that directly benefit communities at the urban level.

    Watch: Secrets of Lahore ft. Jahangir Tomb

    The Unesco Creative Cities Network now counts a total of 246
    cities. The member cities come from all continents and areas with different
    populations and income levels.

    Unesco representatives said the cities work together towards
    a common mission. placing creativity and the creative economy at the core of
    their urban development plans to make cities safe, inclusive and sustainable,
    in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

  • Gang of maids looting homes in Karachi caught

    Gang of maids looting homes in Karachi caught

    Karachi police arrested a nine-member gang of maids, involved in looting homes in the Gulshan-e-Iqbal area of the city.    

    According to reports, the gang was also involved in street crimes and robbed shops as well. Three laptops, 10 mobile phones, two cameras, gold jewelry, and five pistols were recovered from the group. 

    The police revealed that the gang operated by first sending maids to different houses following which after a few months, they robbed those houses. The group had allegedly been on the run for the past 15 years.

    The police caught the gang after conducting underground operations. Five members of the gang are in police custody while others have managed to escape.

  • Pakistan is one of the best performing nations for social entrepreneurship: Reuters

    Pakistan is one of the best performing nations for social entrepreneurship: Reuters

    Innovative Pakistanis are pushing boundaries by starting and leading start-ups that focus on social entrepreneurship. Along with Australia and the Netherlands, Pakistan is one of the top three countries whose overall ranking has improved the most since the first experts’ poll on the best countries for social entrepreneurs was conducted by the Thomas Reuters Foundation in 2016.

    Maheen Bashir, co-founder of Dot and Line a start-up which trains women to become tutors , was recently at the World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington DC to speak about their work

    In just three years, Pakistan has jumped 18 spots to place 14th among the world’s 45 biggest economies and the foundation credits a lot of this to start-ups which are focusing on pressing social issues – such as turning organic waste in fertilizers, plans for solar powered mobile carts for street vendors and helping farmers share farming equipment.

    Aerosync, founded by Neelum Hassan, in 2016 was created to design and manufacture products with a social or environmental impact.
    Photo Courtesy: Faceebook

    Young Pakistanis, are interested in creating growth and since two-thirds of Pakistans 210 million people are younger than 30, a lot more is expected from this ‘youth boom’.

  • Spooky halloween events in your city

    Spooky halloween events in your city

    Halloween is the day when the boundary between the living and the dead becomes a blur and the ghosts of the dead return to earth. But the question is how to celebrate this creepy day properly.

    Here are a few events in major cities that might make your Halloween a little more spooky.

    For people in Lahore

    Howdy, Johar Town

    Lahoris can head over to Howdy Johar town for a drum circle and wear the spookiest costume if they want to win the best costume award.

    Date: 31st Oct (Today)

    Time: 7 PM – 10 PM

    Venue: 7 R3, Johar Town, Near Shaukat Khanum Hospital

     

    Emporium Mall

    Emporium mall’s spooktacular Halloween will last till 3rd November. You can find the gruesome graveyard, tarot card reading, exorcism room, and haunted house all in one place.

    Date:  24th Oct- 3rd Nov

    Time: 11 AM-11 PM

    Venue: Johar Town

     

    Karachi

    Halloween at islands of fun

    If you are a Karachiite, you can spend your Halloween with some adventurous rides along with Halloween competitions and prizes at ‘Halloween at islands of fun’.

     

    Date: 31st Oct

    Time: 3PM-12AM

    Venue: Islands Of Fun, Main University Road, Gulshan-e-Iqbal

    Koyla Chai

    If you are more of a scary movie type person, you can visit the Koyla Chai for an Open Air cinema to watch horror movies.

    Date: 31st oct

    Time: 7 PM – 10 PM

    Venue: 7 R3, Johar Town, Near Shaukat Khanum Hospital

    Islamabad

    Safa Gold Mall

    Grab your broomsticks and head over to Safa Gold Mall for trick or treat.

    Date: 29th Oct- 3rd Nov

    Time: 3 pm-9 pm

    Venue: Safa Gold Mall, Jinnah Super, College Road, F-7 Markaz

    Centaurus Mall

    At Centaurus mall’s haunted city, you can explore horror house, blood-curdling makeover and photo booth.

     

    Date: 1-3rd Nov

    Time: 11AM-11PM

    Venue: F-8, 4th floor, Centaurus Mall.

  • Pakistan introduces commemorative coin for Guru Nanak’s 550th anniversary celebrations

    Pakistan introduces commemorative coin for Guru Nanak’s 550th anniversary celebrations

    To mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Devji, the founder of the Sikh religion, the Government of Pakistan has issued a memorial coin.

    The move comes after Islamabad and New Delhi signed a treaty to open the Kartarpur Corridor for Sikh pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib without a visa. The Gurdwara is one of Sikhism’s holiest pilgrimage sites in Narowal district of Punjab.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan will
    formally inaugurate the corridor on November 9, three days before the 550th
    birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak.

    The PM also laid the foundation stone of Baba Guru Nanak University in Nankana Sahib on Monday.

    As per reports, pilgrims will be able to buy this coin worth Rs 50. Postage stamps, worth Rs 8 with the image of Gurdwara Janam Asthan will also be issued. They can be used commonly.

  • Earn $20,000 – by completing a terrifying tour at a ‘Haunted House’

    Earn $20,000 – by completing a terrifying tour at a ‘Haunted House’

    Russ McKamey, owner of a Haunted House in Tennessee, offers visitors $20,000 if they complete a 10-hour tour of the house. The tour is apparently a very disturbing and horrifying experience. No one has so far been able to complete the tour. McKamey’s Manor tour is known as the scariest haunted attraction in the United States.

    Before you go on this haunted tour, you are required to sign a 40-page waiver, insurance and get a doctor’s clearance.

    Details of the waiver here:

    Participants who can visit the Manor have to be 18-20 with parental approval or be 21 and older. Once they go inside, “there is no quitting unless serious physical or psychological injury is present.” Having a panic attack doesn’t count!

    The haunted experience

    Reports say that the disturbing tour may also include choking, shock dog collars, and tasers.

    The waiver says that “injuries may occur during their tour…which may include, but not limited to, head, neck and back injuries, death, stroke, and traumatic brain injury.”

    No one has completed the haunted house tour

    Even though some visitors have taken legal action against McKamey, he’s protected by the waivers and video footage.

    You have to sign a 40 page waiver before you can go in

    A Change.org petition was started to shut down McKamey Manor, due to concerns over physical and mental trauma. Almost 60,000 people have signed it so far, which says the experience is “a torture chamber under disguise” and “some people have had to seek professional psychiatric help and medical care for extensive injuries”.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    The video on the haunted house has more than 3M views on YouTube
  • 25,000 female students to receive scholarships under Ehsaas Program

    25,000 female students to receive scholarships under Ehsaas Program

    Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan says the promotion of quality education is the mission of Prime Minister Imran Khan under the banner of Ehsaas program.    

    She took to social media to announce that fifty thousand scholarships will be given to deserving students under this program.

    As per reports, scholarships will be awarded to the students whose family’s income is less than forty-five thousand rupees. Fifty percent quota will be fixed for women whilst two percent for the disabled students.

    Dr Firdous added that this scholarship will ensure the provision of books, transport, accommodation and other facilities to the students.

    PM Khan on October 24 directed an increase in the sphere of Ehsaas Program. PM Imran asked Special Assistant to the PM on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar to ensure transparency in the social welfare program at all costs.

    Speaking
    on the occasion, he said that the state was responsible for the protection and
    welfare of the poor segments of the society.

  • Food Wars: And the winner is…

    Food Wars: And the winner is…

    The Biryani vs Pulao debate has long dominated social media. But now we have an official winner.

    According to a survey carried out by Gallup & Gilani Pakistan, 47% Pakistanis claim that biryani is their favourite Pakistani dish.

    A nationally representative sample of men and women from across the four provinces was asked, “Please tell us what your favorite Pakistani dish is?” 

    In response, 47% said biryani as their favorite dish, 14% said pulao, 9% said karahi, 11% said paaye, 6% said haleem, 3% said nihari and while 8% said something other than these options, 2% did not know/did not wish to respond.

    So basically biryani has officially beaten pulao in food wars. The Current totally endorses this survey! Munch munch…