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Author: News Desk

  • Shafqat Mahmood disappointed with derogatory language used by students for him

    Federal Minister of Education Shafqat Mahmood in a recent television show expressed his disappointment at the students protesting for their exams to be delayed.

    Answering a question about Twitter trends against him the minister said: “The kind of language these children are using on Twitter, I think it is a collective failure of government Teachers and parents.

    “The kind of language children of age 16 and 17 are using, one feels ashamed,” he said further, adding that it highlights our collective failure.

    Read more- Shafqat Mahmood memes light up the internet once again

    Ayesha Omar and Omair Rana also condemned the disrespectful behavior by some students.

    On the other hand, activist turned politician Jibran Nasir accused Shafqat Mahmood for blocking him for “only raising students concerns and demanding resignation.”

    After Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood announced on Tuesday that no examinations will take place in the country until June 15 and that O’ and A’ Level exams will now take place in the October-November cycle, students are now demanding Teacher and School Assessed Grades with the hashtags #ShafqatDestroysOurCareer and #ResignShafqatMahmood trending on social media.

  • NA-249 by-election: Imran Khan, his PTI most popular, suggest surveys amid polling

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are the most popular in embattled NA-249 constituency of Karachi where a by-poll is currently being held.

    According to surveys by Ipsos, Pulse Consultant and Gallup Pakistan, PTI is likely to retain the seat that had fallen vacant after its Faisal Vawda stepped down; however, rival Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) could give it a tough time.

    The Karachi West-II seat of the National Assembly lies in Baldia Town neighbourhood of the metropolis.

    It was won by PTI’s Vawda in the 2018 general election after beating PML-N chief Shehbaz Sharif.

    As many as 276 polling stations comprising 796 polling booths have been established in the constituency. The voting process on Thursday began at 8 am and will continue till 5 pm without any pause.

    The constituency, with 339,591 registered voters, has emerged to be a highly contested seat with candidates belonging to almost every major political party fighting for it.

    Prominent candidates in the run are Miftah Ismail of PML-N, Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) chief Syed Mustafa Kamal, Amjad Afridi of PTI, Qadir Khan Mandokhail of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Mohammad Mursaleen of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and Mufti Nazeer Ahmed Kamalvi of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).

    TLP which was banned earlier this month over violent nationwide protests is contesting the seat after the Ministry of Interior said it could contest elections until such time that it stood dissolved as a political party registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

    Candidates and their supporters have acknowledged a lacklustre ambience reflecting a certain sense of detachment among the voters belonging to the constituency, however, expressed hope that they would come out of their homes by noon.

  • Sana Mir praises Yasmin Rashid’s dedication towards duty while battling cancer

    Sana Mir praises Yasmin Rashid’s dedication towards duty while battling cancer

    Former captain of the Pakistan Women Cricket Team Sana Mir has praised Punjab Minister for Health Dr Yasmin Rashid for her dedication towards her duty, despite being a cancer patient.

    “Huge respect for Dr Yasmin Rashid for her commitment to her responsibility. This is true leadership and service. Both my parents and so many elders got their vaccination from Lahore and the arrangements were very good,” wrote Mir on Twitter.

    “May you get complete shifa,” she prayed.

    Dr Yasmin Rashid underwent breast cancer surgery at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital in December last year. As per reports, the surgery was successful and she is currently recovering from the disease.

    After pictures of Dr Rashid looking weak and unwell recently went viral on social media, users are praising her for working tirelessly to deal with the COVID-19 emergency in Punjab and thanked her for her efforts. They also prayed for the minister’s swift recovery.

    https://twitter.com/wakeelshb/status/1387446537375059971?s=19
    https://twitter.com/OsamaBolo/status/1387612229822976005?s=19
    https://twitter.com/nighatdad/status/1386438201309597707?s=20
    https://twitter.com/JattZoi/status/1387673453784932352?s=19
    https://twitter.com/AsifCh75706488/status/1387660764362670080?s=19

    Pakistan is currently battling a deadly third wave of COVID-19. According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), Pakistan has recorded 151 deaths and 5480 positive cases in the last 24 hours with a positivity ratio of 9.61 percent.

    Meanwhile, it is also being reported that cities with high positivity ratios would be put under complete lockdown to control the spread of the disease.

    Yasmin Rashid took to Twitter to thank the people for their wishes. “I want to thank each one of you for your kind words of support. Jazakallah kher. They mean a lot,” she wrote.

    Later, in another tweet, Dr Yasmin Rashid thanked everyone for the love and prayers, saying: “For all the love and prayers pouring on my Time Line, I am humbled and grateful.”

    “In sha Allah I will continue to fulfil my duties to the best of my abilities,” she added.

    Speaking about the healthcare facilities, she said: “The turnaround of better public healthcare is already taking place and In sha Allah we will ensure it’s completion.”

  • Babar Azam hits back at Shoaib Malik on team selection criticism

    Babar Azam hits back at Shoaib Malik on team selection criticism

    Babar Azam has hit back at Shoaib Malik for his criticism that former has no control over team selection.

    While addressing a virtual press conference on Wednesday, Babar addressed Malik’s comments and firmly told everyone to put an end to this discussion.

    “This debate should end now. The same thing is repeated in every press conference that I have no control over selection,” said Babar Azam. “You can see on the field that I handle everything. I decide the playing 11. Management give their input. I know my responsibilities as a captain.”

    Read more – Afridi wants PCB to review middle-order performances, suggests Shoaib Malik’s inclusion in T20Is

    Malik had also said that the Pakistan team needs an international level white-ball coach while stating that the current team management relies on likes and dislikes.

    “I don’t have any problem with the coach. This is the domain of PCB. Team management is fully supporting every player, so I am happy,” said Azam while purportedly addressing Malik’s remarks about head coach Misbah-ul-Haq.

    Read more – Why is the Pakistan cricket team so dramatic?

    Malik’s comments had come after Pakistan’s humiliating defeat by Zimbabwe during the second T20I in Harare last week.

    Later in the third T20I, Pakistan had clinched the series 2-1 with a comfortable 24-run win.

  • Man arrested for dating 35 women at once to get multiple birthday gifts

    Man arrested for dating 35 women at once to get multiple birthday gifts

    A man in Japan was detained for fraud for dating 35 different women at the same time to receive multiple birthday presents from them.

    According to reports, Takashi Miyagawa, a 39-year-old, met the women while selling showerheads for a marketing company.

    Read more – Indian woman gets married to COVID positive man in PPE kit

    Miyagawa pretended to be in a serious relationship with all 35 women. However, none of the ladies knew of each other and the 39-year-old would receive expensive and fancy presents from them for his fake birthdays.

    The man’s real birthday is November 13. While he used different dates with many different women to get more gifts. He received $925 in gifts which included electronics and clothing.

    The ladies allegedly registered a complaint with the police. Officials believe there could be more women who Miyagawa deceived.

  • Meet the breakout stars of ‘Chupke Chupke’

    Meet the breakout stars of ‘Chupke Chupke’

    Ever since the phenomenal success of Suno Chanda, Ramzan dramas have become a thing on Pakistani television with a cult following. Chupke Chupke is Hum TV’s latest offering and it is safe to say the drama has gathered a huge audience with fans tuning in to watch the show every night at 9 pm.

    While Chupke Chupke features many established stars including Osman Khalid Butt, Ayeza Khan, Tara Mahmood, Farhan Ally Agha, Asma Abbas, Ali Safina, and Mira Sethi, the drama also marks the debut of two new faces – Aymen Saleem and Arslan Naseer. Sidra Niazi is also a fresh new face who has made a mark in the drama.

    Aymen Saleem

    Daughter of former cricketer Saleem Yousuf and an alumnus of the prestigious Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Aymen has won everyone’s heart with her performance as the sweet and innocent Mishi.

    The hopeless romantic in the house, Mishi is secretly in love with her cousin Haadi played by Arslan Naseer. Not only Mishi but fans have been shipping Haadi and Mishi and we’re hoping to see their love story take off soon.

    Sharing a clip of the first ever scene she shot, Saleem thanked audiences for their “outpouring love”.

    Saleem is also the first recipient of the esteemed Diana Award which “celebrates the achievements of 20 outstanding young leaders, visionaries and role models from across the world, aged 12-25, who have demonstrated their ability to inspire and mobilise new generations to serve their communities.”

    Arsalan Naseer

    One of Pakistan’s earliest YouTubers, Naseer is the brains behind Comics by Arslan (CBA), and no stranger to the camera. His spoof videos, movie reviews and commentary on pop culture have a cult following in Pakistan. In fact, there is even a CBA Army on social media.

    Naseer, who spent several years studying and working in Ireland and the United Kingdom, plays the fun and easy-going Haadi in the series. Earlier, while talking to a local media outlet, Arslan shared that though he got several offers from the TV industry and Bollywood, this one came at the right time.

    “I suppose this came at the right moment as I was about to take the leap of faith and was planning on quitting my corporate job. Though it happened all of a sudden, God has been kind and the timing was right,” shared Arslan, adding that he was thrilled to be a part of it because it was written by Suno Chanda writer Saima Akram Chaudhry.

    Besides having great chemistry with Saleem, Arslan’s bromance with Faadi (Butt) is also winning hearts.

    Sidra Niazi

    Budding actor Sidra Niazi is just a few projects old but the actor sure has left a mark on the screen. The actor played Hania in the drama, Faadi’s former fiancé.

    Niazi is also part of Geo Entertainment’s Qayamat in which she is playing a grey character with finesse.

    Written by Saima Akram Chaudhry of Suno Chanda fame, Chupke Chupke has been directed by Danish Nawaz.

  • Dr Arif Alvi, wife open up on personal life, marriage

    President Dr Arif Alvi and First Lady Mrs Samina Arif Alvi recently opened up on their personal life, relationship dynamics and revealed how they got married.

    Appearing on Nida Yasir’s show, Dr Alvi and Mrs Samina shared that they are second cousins. When Yasir, in her typical style, asked if their marriage was an arranged or love, the president said that it was a “mix,” adding that they have an age difference of five years.

    President Alvi also shared that he would write letters to his wife after their marriage.

    Talking about their relationship dynamics, President Alvi and his wife shared that they joke around with each other at home but no one takes any offence. President Alvi said that he feels that Samina has a better sense of humour than him.

    “There are times when she objects to what I would wear and I’d ask her if I had ever criticised what she wore,” joked President Alvi to which Samina added that he never really listens to her.

    “We’ve been married for almost 50 years now and I have never asked her to change the way she dresses,” said the president to which Samina responded: “That’s because I always dress well.”

    Read more – Pakistani dramas are depressing, says First Lady Samina Alvi

    The couple have one son and three daughters together, all of who are married.

    Talking about their children, the duo said that while Samina did the personal grooming of the children, President Alvi looked after their studies.

    “It was from Grade 9 to 12 that I taught them,” said Dr Alvi, adding: “Samina was the one who groomed them otherwise.”

    “It was a big task to help our son with the studies,” said Samina. “I think because sons are the troublemakers. Daughters, on the other hand, are timider. They listen to whatever you tell them.”

    “We tried to make our children understand the importance of education to a point that the only thing they thought about was education,” said President Alvi. “That wasn’t what we wanted so we started focusing on other aspects as well. Even after our daughters were married, all they could think about was studying. I told them there was more to life than studying, raise your kids.”

    Meanwhile, President Alvi also gave viewers a glimpse into his childhood saying that growing up he was a very naughty child, according to his elder. He said that he deeply misses his school days adding that his father was very strict and he was very close to his mother.

  • Sri Lanka to ban Burqas in public

    Sri Lanka to ban Burqas in public

    Sri Lanka’s cabinet has recently approved a proposed ban on full-face burqas in public places due to national security concerns. According to Al-Jazeera, while talking to the media, the cabinet spokesperson said, “the cabinet has approved the proposal. It will now go to the legal draftsmen and then be brought to parliament,”

    The approval is unofficial for now but it could easily be passed as the government holds a majority in parliament.

    The announcement of the proposal was made last month by the current Cabinet Minister of Public Security, Sarath Weerasekara, stating that, “the burqa is something that directly affects our national security…this [dress] came into Sri Lanka only recently. It is a symbol of their religious extremism.” While the Minister said he had signed the documents outlawing the burqa, the move awaits Cabinet approval. Over 1,000 madrasas would be shut, he added.

    In response to this, last month, Pakistani Ambassador Saad Khattak tweeted that a likely ban on the niqab will only serve as injury to the feelings of ordinary Sri Lankan Muslims and Muslims across the globe. At today’s economically difficult time due to pandemic and other image related challenges faced by the country”.

    This has triggered concern domestically and among international actors. According to reports, this development was in consideration for a long time. The burqa was temporarily banned after the 2019 Easter Sunday suicide bombings, when two local Muslim groups were blamed for the attacks at six locations.

  • Bollywood stars step in to support India’s battle against COVID

    Bollywood stars step in to support India’s battle against COVID

    Bollywood bigwigs including Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan, Ayushmann Khurrana, and Sunil Shetty among others have stepped in to support India in the battle against COVID-19, donating money and collecting resources, and urging citizens to get themselves vaccinated as soon as possible.

    Here is a list of those who have offered help:

    Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna

    Bollywood’s power couple, Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna donated 100 oxygen concentrators and urged everyone to do whatever they can to help fight COVID-19.

    “Wonderful news – Dr Drashnika Patel and Dr Govind Bankani of London Elite Health through Daivik Foundation are donating 120 oxygen concentrators and as Akshay and I have managed to get our hands on 100 as well, we have a total of 220,” wrote Twinkle on social media. “Let’s all do our bit.”

    Khanna also shared that she was in a ‘bit of a hole’ for some time as her family was facing health issues. Kumar recently recovered from COVID after getting treatment at a Mumbai hospital.

    Previously, the couple had sent out monetary aid to various initiatives and contributed towards the welfare of policemen, hospital staff, frontline workers, and even daily wage workers of the film industry.

    Meanwhile, former cricketer Gautam Gambhir revealed that Kumar also donated Rs 1 crore to his foundation for coronavirus relief including food, medication and oxygen.

    Suniel Shetty

    Shetty has also arranged oxygen cylinders to bridge the shortage in India. He has launched an initiative urging his fans to contribute to ‘Mission MillionAir’ in an effort to provide free oxygen to those who can’t afford adequate healthcare in India.

    Ayushmann Khurrana

    Khurrana and his wife Tahira Kashyap have donated to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s Relief Fund to help aid people crippled by the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.

    In a note posted on social media, Khurrana thanked each and every person who has constantly inspired the couple to contribute more towards helping people ravaged by the health crisis.

    “We have been in the eye of the storm since last year. This pandemic has broken our hearts, made us endure pain and suffering like never before, showed us how solidarity with one another can make us handle this humanitarian crisis,” read the couple’s statement.

    “Today, again, this pandemic asks us to show fortitude, resilience and mutual support. People, across India, have stepped forward to do as much as possible for each other and Tahira and I thank each and every individual who has inspired us to do more,” it added.

    Khurrana and Kashyap requested more Indians to step forward and help aid people in need.

    Salman Khan

    Khan restarted his food trucks to distribute food packets among the frontline workers in Mumbai.

    Sonu Sood

    Actor Sonu Sood is leading the charge, transporting sick patients, providing medication and encouraging people to get vaccinated as the coronavirus death toll crosses 200,000 in India. Sood, who also fought off the virus, took to his Instagram to urge more people to come forward and help those who are suffering due to COVID-19. He posted a screen recording of his phone that shows the actor has been getting messages from people asking for help continuously. He says he is trying to help as many people as possible. “The speed at which we get requests across the country. Trying my best to reach out to everyone. Everyone…Please come forward. We need more helping hands. Do your best to the best of your capabilities,” he wrote.

    Kirron Kher

    Kher, who was recently diagnosed with cancer, stated she had allocated Rs10 million from Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) to purchase ventilators for COVID-19 patients by the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh.

    Meanwhile, others like Ajay Devgn, Katrina Kaif, Sidharth Malhotra, Alia Bhatt, Abhishek Bachchan, Kunal Kapoor, Mira Rajput and Bhumi Pednekar have been using social media to amplify the voices of those in need.

    India passed 200,000 COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday, becoming the fourth country to do so, as it battles a devastating second wave of infections.

  • Donald Trump bashes Oscars for being ‘boring and politically correct’

    Donald Trump bashes Oscars for being ‘boring and politically correct’

    Former president of the United States, Donald Trump has bashed the Oscars, calling the ceremony boring and offered advice on how to revive the plummeting ratings.

    In a statement emailed to reporters from his office, Trump said: “What used to be called The Academy Awards, and now is called the ‘Oscars’ —a far less important and elegant name—had the lowest Television Ratings in recorded history, even much lower than last year, which set another record low.”

    “If they keep with the current ridiculous formula, it will only get worse—if that’s possible,” added the former president.

    “Go back 15 years, look at the formula they then used, change the name back to THE ACADEMY AWARDS, don’t be so politically correct and boring, and do it right. ALSO, BRING BACK A GREAT HOST,” continued Trump.

    Remarking that the broadcast has become too political, Trump said: “These television people spend all their time thinking about how to promote the Democrat Party, which is destroying our country, and cancel Conservatives and Republicans. That formula certainly hasn’t worked very well for The Academy!”

    Last year, when Trump was still president, he had live-tweeted his criticism on the Oscars and bashed voters for giving the best picture to Parasite. At a rally, Trump while talking about the South Korean film had said: “What the hell was that all about? We’ve got enough problems with South Korea with trade. On top of that, they give them best movie of the year. Was it good? I don’t know.”

    Meanwhile, this year’s ceremony drew only 10.4 million viewers, a record low, according to final Nielsen numbers released on Tuesday — a staggering if widely expected drop for a ceremony that many viewers found short on humour and star power.

    With movie theaters shut for most of the year, many viewers had not seen or even heard of nominees such as Chloe Zhao’s Nomadland, which was the night’s big winner with three prizes but which has taken just over $2 million at the domestic box office.

    Several blockbuster films whose stars could have drawn interest at this year’s Oscars saw their release dates shunted to next year due to the pandemic, from Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story and the mega-budget sci-fi Dune to an array of popular superhero titles.

    This year’s unorthodox Oscars ceremony was moved from a Hollywood theater to a glammed-up Los Angeles train station to abide by strict Covid-19 protocols and reunited Hollywood filmmakers and actors en masse for the first time in more than a year.

    Reviews of the show were mixed, with several critics complaining about the show’s lack of humor and musical performances.

    While many Oscars begin with gag-heavy monologues, producers turned this year to Regina King, who was one of many stars who referred to racism and police violence — specifically last week’s conviction of Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. Other political statements made during the Oscars did not focus on Trump, but on topics like gun violence and policing.

    “I know that a lot of you people at home want to reach for your remote when you feel like Hollywood is preaching to you,” she predicted.

    Regina King

    Variety slammed the decision to go without a host for a third straight year, calling the ceremony “lost and guide-less.”

    But the decision to strip out musical performances and most clips of nominated movies — and allow winners to speak at length without being “played off” the stage by an orchestra — drew some praise.

    The Oscars drew more than 43 million viewers as recently as 2014, but audiences have become increasingly fragmented in the streaming era.