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Author: News Desk

  • ‘It was a sarcastic post’: Danish Kaneria on ‘Meray Paas Tum Ho’ meme fiasco

    ‘It was a sarcastic post’: Danish Kaneria on ‘Meray Paas Tum Ho’ meme fiasco

    Danish Kaneria, who is only the second Hindu to play for Pakistan after his maternal uncle Anil Dalpat, was recently involved in a meme fiasco after the protagonist Danish (played by Humayun Saeed) in the blockbuster drama Meray Paas Tum Ho passed away in the final episode. Soon after the episode aired, people began to discuss the drama serial and its end on social media.

    Amidst all that, one social media user remarked that he was upset to hear about ‘Danish Kaneria’s’ death. Kaneria responded to the user saying that he is well and alive.

    Following that, on Thursday, Kaneria decided to hold an interactive session with his fans on the microblogging website and the hashtag #AskDanish began to trend on Twitter.

    A Twitter user couldn’t help but ask the Kaneria about the drama and Danish’s death. In response, the cricketer said that it was a “sarcastic post” and that he was not aware of the drama.

    Kaneria also answered a plethora of questions and appealed to the Pakistan Cricket Board to facilitate him in his comeback.

    If things were not clear enough already.

    He shared that Test Cricket is his favourite format.

    His love for Pakistan.

    Kaneria was all praises for Prime Minister Imran Khan.

    He even spoke about the controversy that followed when Shoaib Akhtar has claimed that he faced discrimination at the hands of a few Pakistani cricketers, who were reluctant to even eat with him because he is a Hindu.

    Kaneria, now 39, was found guilty of spot-fixing alongside Mervyn Westfield while playing for Essex against Durham in 2009.

    The leg-spinner was found to have convinced Westfield to concede 12 runs during the one-day game. Westfield was handed a four-month prison sentence and ECB banned him for five years.

    Kaneria admitted to spot-fixing in 2018 after six years of denial.

  • ‘Defamation’: Shehbaz moves London court against British journalist

    ‘Defamation’: Shehbaz moves London court against British journalist

    PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has filed a defamation case in the London High Court against UK journalist David Rose and Daily Mail & General Trust (DMGT) – publishers of the Mail Online and Mail on Sunday for carrying “utterly false allegations” against him.

    According to a report in The News, Shehbaz’s lawyers, Alasdair Pepper and Antonia Foster shared the details of the defamation suit in a press conference at their office. The former chief minister of Punjab was also present.

    Pepper revealed that the defamation claim has been filed at the London High Court’s Queen’s Bench Division against the defendants DMGT and David Rose, author of the story. The case will go to a trial before a judge at the Royal Court of Justice in under a year as the minimum time to get a trial date is between nine months to a year.

    The lawyer elaborated they decided to approach the court after failing to get a substantive response from the newspaper in several months, despite repeated requests.

    He said that the article, which alleged that Sharif misappropriated UK taxpayers’ money in the form of DFID aid intended for the victims of the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan, and the author’s “social media campaign” was “gravely defamatory” of Sharif.

    He asserted that DFID denied the allegations and labelled the claims as false proving that their client was not involved. The lawyer added that the article was part of a “politically motivated campaign” against the PML-N leader and that Sharif is renowned for his professional and personal ethics.

    In a statement, a DFID spokesperson had said, “The UK’s financial support to ERRA over this period was for payment by results – which means we only gave money once the agreed work, which was primarily focused on building schools, was completed, and the work audited and verified.”

    Speaking at the press conference, Shehbaz said that he was determined to prove that the allegations against him were false, baseless and politically motivated to malign him, adding that it was clear that Rose was used by the PTI government as they granted him “exclusive access to some of the tempered results of a high-level probe ordered by Khan” including a “confidential investigation report” and unusual access to interview “key witnesses” held on remand in jail.

    The Daily Mail UK report, published on July 14, 2019, claimed that the paper was given exclusive access to some of the results of a high-level probe ordered by the government of Pakistan and it was also able to interview key witnesses held on remand.

    One of the witnesses had claimed that he laundered millions on behalf of Shehbaz’s family from a nondescript office in Birmingham without attracting suspicion from Britain’s financial regulators.

    The paper had also alleged that Shehbaz and his family were embezzling tens of millions of pounds of public money and laundering it in Britain.

    Shehbaz had served a first legal notice to the newspaper on July 26, alleging that David Rose’s report was “politically motivated”.

    Despite this, Rose had on multiple occasions thrown shade at Sharif for taking no action.

  • Pakistani farmers can now sell on a smartphone application

    Pakistani farmers can now sell on a smartphone application

    Pakistani farmers can now sell their vegetables directly to their potential buyers. A smartphone application has finally saved them from the ruthless discrimination of the middlemen in Sabzi mandi’s

    Omar Majid Warraich, founder of Agrim@art has created a smartphone application, more than 700 farmers have already registered on it. Moreover, this platform was sponsored by Karandaaz, an investment platform sponsored by the bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

    The company launched in August last year, Agrim@art reported sales worth 5.5 million rupees ($36,000) in its first three months. They are predicting to have 2,000 farmers working with them by March 2020. Here is how this startup materialised into a viable business platform.

    Warraich turned to National Incubation Center (NIC) to get help in the execution process of his idea. NIC is a public-private partnership based in Lahore that helps entrepreneurs in launching new businesses. They have launched a number of really successful startups.

    Startups are certainly a game-changer for Pakistan. The widespread bribery, corruption, and an unfriendly regulatory environment is now being challenged with innovation. In addition, foreign investors are starting to take notice of the ultimate potential of our country.

  • Fawad Chaudhry says petition against Humayun Saeed is ‘shugal’

    Fawad Chaudhry says petition against Humayun Saeed is ‘shugal’

    Meray Paas Tum Ho has ended but the drama sure hasn’t.

    Recently, a petition was filed in the SHC against the drama in which the petitioner Sana Saleem alleged that the script, penned by the controversial Khalil ur Rehman Qamar, contained derogatory language when talking about women. Saleem wanted the writer, actor and producer to apologise for this.

    In addition, the petitioner also objected to the fact that “a divorced couple were living together” and “a six-year-old was playing matchmaker between his father and a school teacher”.

    SHC’s Justice Yousuf Ali Sayeed and Justice Muhammad Ali Azhar, who heard the petition on Wednesday, directed all respondents including the federal government, PEMRA and the drama’s makers to submit their replies by February 13. They also directed Humayun Saeed to ensure that he present at the next hearing to explain himself in person.

    Read more – SHC orders Humayun Saeed to explain ‘Meray Paas Tum Ho’s ‘offensive’ dialogues ‘in person’

    While Humayun himself has not commented on the matter, former minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry took to Twitter to criticise the petition saying that “nothing can justify this notice”.

    Fawad was not the only one who believed the situation to be absurd.

    https://twitter.com/rehman_azhar/status/1222808986073866241?s=20
    https://twitter.com/wordoflaw/status/1222514799583559680?s=20

    Despite its flaws, Meray Paas Tum Ho, starring Humayun Saeed, Ayeza Khan, Adnan Siddiqui and Hira Mani, went onto becoming television’s highest-rated dramas of all time. The final episode of the drama was also aired in cinemas where it broke box-office records.

    Earlier, the minister had also congratulated the team for their success and requested Amazon and Netflix to review Pakistani content.

    Before the final episode was aired, a petition was also filed in Lahore’s civil court to stop it from being aired. The petitioner, Maham, had filed a plea to stop the release of the last episode because it has had a “negative impact and continues to degrade the status of women in our society”.

    Read more – Court dismisses petition against ‘Meray Paas Tum Ho’

    However, after examining statements and documents from representatives of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and ARY Digital, Civil Judge Naila Ayub dismissed the petition and said that show had received clearance from the censor board of Punjab to screen in cinemas so there was nothing inappropriate in it.

  • How 5G will affect you

    How 5G will affect you

    Qualcomm, an American multinational telecommunication company makes the 5G chips and modems that every 5G phone in the US will rely on. However, Qualcomm isn’t the only major 5G player, of course — Huawei, Nokia and Ericsson are all leaders too. Nevertheless, Qualcomm’s investments in 5G research and development mean that it has a strong hand in getting more business. 

    Here how 5G wil affect our lives.

    Every high-end phone could be 5G in 2020

    In a confident statement by Qualcomm, “all premium phones will support 5G in 2020 such as Galaxy Note 10 Plus 5G, LG V50, Oneplus 7 pro 5G. But there’s a little nuance here too. 4G only options are still valuable during the 5G transition because they come with a lower price tag. 

    5G laptops will appear in 2020

    Lenovo has already announced that it will introduce 5G connected PCs in early 2020. We may not see those laptops hit the market for a while, but you’d better believe that some laptop-makers will jump at the chance to be the first to bring 5G to computing — just as you see happening right now with phones, but Qualcomm bets that the hunger for 5G laptops will grow over time. 

    5G will replace wifi routers at home and office 

    5G hubs that work like Wi-Fi for your home are already here. One example of fixed 5G is the HTC 5G Hub, a device that plugs into your router to deliver home broadband. 

    Moreover, they’re designed to deliver the same dramatically high-speed internet, say between 500 (Mbps) to over one (GB) per second. 

    Self-driving cars that talk to each other 

    Qualcomm showed a self-driving car fitted with 5G sensors runs the same route as a car without 5G. The 5G powered sensors take in data from other connected vehicles, understanding when a car door is opening at the curb, if there’s an obstruction in the road and when pedestrians are finished crossing the streets. At the end of the demo, the 5G-connected car is better informed of obstructions and arrives at the destination much faster. 

    But the reality could be decades away. Before 5G autonomous cars become common, self-driving vehicles will be be the norm.

  • Punjab govt gives an ultimatum to Nawaz Sharif

    Punjab govt gives an ultimatum to Nawaz Sharif

    The Punjab government on Thursday gave former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif an ultimatum to submit his medical records within three days. If Sharif doesn’t submit his records, the relevant authority would then decide if his application for an extension to stay abroad for medical treatment should be accepted or not.

    Punjab Home Department sent a letter to Sharif, dated January 28, which said: “It is, therefore, required from your side to provide requisite reports within next three days, failing thereby, the competent authority will decide the matter of your application as per the available facts brought on record.”

    On January 15, Sharif’s legal team had submitted four different reports prepared by Dr David Lawrence before the High Court. According to those reports, Nawaz Sharif’s condition has not stabilised yet. He requires surgery, which cannot be conducted until his health improves.

    The PML-N supremo is suffering from hypertension, sugar and kidney ailments. Doctors are taking steps to maintain his blood platelets count, according to the medical reports submitted earlier this month.

  • Pakistan’s FBR using ‘pirated’ US software

    The US has accused Pakistan’s Federal of Board of Revenue (FBR) of using ‘pirated’ version of its software. According to Business Recorder, the US has urged Pakistan to refrain from engaging in such practices. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells raised this piracy issue during her recent visit to Pakistan.

    According to sources, Wells maintained that FBR was using the pirated version of VMware illegally. Ms Wells urged Pakistan to buy the software instead of illegally using it. FBR denied these allegations and officials said this is simply not true. Shabbar Zaidi is currently serving as Chairman FBR.

    VMware, Inc. is a publicly traded software company listed on the NYSE under stock ticker VMW. Dell Technologies is a majority shareholder. VMware provides cloud computing and virtualisation software and services. VMware’s desktop software runs on Microsoft Windows, Linux, and macOS, while its enterprise software hypervisor is for servers.

  • German actress Leyla Dastan decides to move to Pakistan permanently

    German actress Leyla Dastan decides to move to Pakistan permanently

    After coming to Pakistan for a fashion show three months ago and loving the experience, German model and actress Leyla Dastan has decided to permanently move here.

    As per reports, Leyla said that initially, she was unsure about coming here given how the international media portrays Pakistan. She just wanted to make sure that she would be safe here. But after spending time here, her perspective about the country changed and she came to the conclusion Pakistan is a peaceful and beautiful country and with loving people.

    Leyla revealed that she is “in love with Pakistani culture”. She shared that she avidly watches Pakistani plays and films and is also learning Urdu. She reads Urdu poets such as Mirza Ghalib and Shams Tabrizi.

    Talking about Pakistani actors she listed Mahira Khan, Mehwish Hayat, Fawad Khan, and Humayun Saeed as her favourites. Dastan is also a fan of Pakistani artists Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Atif Aslam. She added that Rahat’s Mohabbat Bhi Zaruri Thi is currently her favourite song.

    The Turkish-German actress is also set to appear in a Pakistani movie and is having a lot of fun working with Javed Sheikh, Moammar Rana, and Shahroze Sabzwari.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAl4lYm6WBk&feature=emb_title
  • India promotes traditional remedies to fight the new coronavirus

    India promotes traditional remedies to fight the new coronavirus

    As all are paranoid after the deadly coronavirus and scientists are trying to find a cure for the virus, the Indian government said that the cure could be found in ancient homeopathy and Ayurveda remedies.

    Ayurvedic medicine that means the ‘science of life’ in Sanskrit, treats the physical and mental sources of illness through herbs in combination with yoga or massage.

    The Indian ministry that promotes the country’s growing Ayurveda, yoga, and homeopathy sectors released an advisory listing herbal oils to be rubbed into the scalp to hypothetically ease the symptoms. It also suggested ingesting Arsenicum album-30, a homeopathic treatment.

    The dose should be repeated after one month by following the same schedule in case coronavirus infections prevail,” the ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Homoeopathy) said in a statement.

    The ministry also advised on maintaining personal hygiene to prevent the spread of the virus. The advisory came as the Dalai Lama, in exile in Dharamsala in India, said on Facebook that followers concerned about the virus should chant a mantra that would help them in dealing with the situation.

    India claims to have natural remedies for everything from cancer to the common cold. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he wants the world to make Ayurveda ‘a way of life’.

  • It’s impossible to imagine life without them: Kobe Bryant’s widow Vanessa opens up

    It’s impossible to imagine life without them: Kobe Bryant’s widow Vanessa opens up

    Vanessa Bryant made her first public comment on Wednesday since the helicopter crash that killed her husband Kobe Bryant, one of their daughters and seven others, taking to Instagram to thank people for the global outpouring of support since the tragedy.

    She also announced the formation of a fund to help support the other families that were affected by the crash.

    “Thank you for all the prayers. We definitely need them,” Vanessa Bryant wrote. “We are completely devastated by the sudden loss of my adoring husband, Kobe — the amazing father of our children; and my beautiful, sweet Gianna — a loving, thoughtful, and wonderful daughter, and amazing sister to Natalia, Bianka, and Capri. We are also devastated for the families who lost their loved ones on Sunday, and we share in their grief intimately.”

    The Bryants would have celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary this April. They had four daughters including Gianna, the 13-year-old who died in the crash.

    “There aren’t enough words to describe our pain right now,” Vanessa Bryant wrote. “I take comfort in knowing that Kobe and Gigi both knew that they were so deeply loved. We were so incredibly blessed to have them in our lives. I wish they were here with us forever. They were our beautiful blessings taken from us too soon.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B77K8XWDY7O/

    It was the first statement from the Bryant family since the crash. The Los Angeles Lakers — the team that Bryant spent 20 years with, winning five championships — held a media availability Wednesday as well, the team’s first since learning of Bryant’s death.

    The Lakers were to play against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, a game the NBA postponed out of respect to Bryant, the other victims and the grieving process. The Lakers will next play on Friday, at home against Portland.

    “I’m not sure what our lives hold beyond today, and it’s impossible to imagine life without them,” Vanessa Bryant wrote. “But we wake up each day, trying to keep pushing because Kobe, and our baby girl, Gigi, are shining on us to light the way. Our love for them is endless — and that’s to say, immeasurable. I just wish I could hug them, kiss them and bless them. Have them here with us, forever.”

    There has been no announcement on funeral or memorial plans yet for Kobe and Gianna Bryant. Vanessa Bryant asked for a continued respect of her family’s privacy as they begin to “navigate this new reality.”