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Category: Lifestyle

  • Arshad Khan ‘Chaiwala’ to open 10 café outlets in UK

    Arshad Khan ‘Chaiwala’ to open 10 café outlets in UK

    Arshad Khan Chaiwala is planning to open 10 outlets of his Cafè Chaiwala in the United Kingdom (UK).

    After successfully establishing his own brand of Rooftop Cafè in Islamabad, Arshad has emerged as a quietly confident entrepreneur. In an interview with ARY’s Bakhabar Savera, Khan had also shared that he plans to open branches of Cafè Chaiwala across Pakistan soon.

    Now, Arshad has announced that he will establish his chai business in London as well. In a recent post on his official Facebook page, Arshad shared a photo himself along with the the announcement of opening a Cafè Chaiwala outlet in London.

    “Cafè Chaiwala will Insha Allah open its first Cafè outlet in London [by the] end of this year,” said Arshad. He also quoted Napoleon Hill, saying “Strength and growth come only through continuous effort.”

    Khan has signed a Franchise Agreement for running the business in the United Kingdom with two of his investors and affiliates. The agreement which is unique in scope, lays the foundations for Cafè Chaiwala Arshad to become a global brand.

    The first Chaiwala Cafè was first launched in Islamabad October 2020 and since then four franchise agreements have been signed. The two investors, Nadir and Yawer have considerable experience supporting and developing franchises with former based out of the UK while the latter is based in USA.

    The first Cafè Chaiwala outlet will open in London by the end of this year. Reports have further detailed that the first phase of the UK expansion will entail 10 outlets.

    For those who don’t know, Jiah Ali was the photographer who took the viral photograph of Arshad. Arhsad was working at his chai stall when Jiah discovered him selling chai in an open-air Sunday Bazaar. Jiah was stunned by his deep blue eyes and his model-like looks so she photographed him.

    She later shared her work on Instagram, marveling at his striking good looks. That’s when Arshad won gigantic recognition as the ‘Chaiwala of Pakistan’.

    From humble beginnings as a tea maker at a small dhaba in Islamabad to doing business on international waters, Arshad Khan Chaiwala’s journey from rags to riches is quite an exciting one.

  • WHO study shows long working hours are a killer

    WHO study shows long working hours are a killer

    Working long hours is killing hundreds of thousands of people a year in a worsening trend that may speed up further due to the current pandemic, the World Health Organisation said on Monday.

    In the first global study of the loss of life linked with longer working hours, the paper in the journal Environment International showed that 745,000 people died from a stroke and heart disease associated with long working hours in 2016. That was an increase of nearly 30% from 2000.

    “Working 55 hours or more per week is a serious health hazard,” said Maria Neira, director of the WHO’s Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health.

    “What we want to do with this information is promote more action [and] more protection of workers,” she said.

    According to details, the joint study done by the WHO and the International Labour Organisation showed that most victims (72%) were men and were middle-aged or older.

    Read more – People who use social media for news more susceptible to rumours: study

    It also showed that people living in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific region, a WHO-defined region including China, Japan and Australia were the most affected.

    Overall, the study collecting data from 194 countries revealed that working 55 hours or more a week is associated with a 35% higher risk of stroke and a 17% higher risk of dying from ischemic heart disease compared with a 35-40 hour working week.

    The study covered the years from 2000 to 2016 so did not include the COVID-19 pandemic but WHO officials said the surge in remote working and the global economic slowdown resulting from the coronavirus emergency may have increased the risks.

    “The pandemic is accelerating developments that could feed the trend towards increased working time,” the WHO said, estimating that at least 9% of people work long hours.

  • Indian YouTubers live stream, rate Eid pictures of Pakistani women

    On Friday, a day after Eid in Pakistan, Indian men live streamed and discussed Eid pictures of Pakistani women on the video streaming platform YouTube, Vice Media has reported. In the live stream, the YouTubers discussed pictures and videos of Pakistani women, who had posted on their public profiles.

    The live stream was hosted on a YouTube channel called ‘Liberal Doge’ . However, the video has now been made private.

    “They are abusing, saying vile things,” one Twitter user pointed out.

    https://twitter.com/madeforbrettLEE/status/1392894735644192768

    The men in the video can be heard passing indecent remarks on the pictures, as well rating them out of 10, on the basis of the women’s physical appearance.

    https://twitter.com/SupariMan_/status/1392909351686340608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1392909351686340608%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vice.com%2Fen%2Farticle%2Fg5gqdm%2Fpakistani-women-youtube-privacy-consent-digital-abuse

    Some of the women made their accounts private and some even deleted pictures to protect their privacy.

  • Eid in lockdown: Do’s and Don’ts

    Eid this year will be different again due to rising cases of coronavirus and lockdown rules. However, this doesn’t mean that Eid will be boring. Here’s a list of do’s and don’ts you should follow this Eid to remain safe and healthy and make the most of your holiday.

    What you should NOT do this Eid

    Don’t go outside

    Stay indoors as much as possible don’t go outside and socialise. Meeting with friends or family or going into large gatherings can put you and your loved one’s health and life at risk. Find some activities to do indoors!

    Do not hug

    As Firdous Apa put it, “No Jhapiyaan and Papiyaans” this Eid. While we all are missing human touch and hugging our loved ones, what’s the point of doing so when it puts everyone at risk?

    Don’t overeat

    After fasting for almost a month, many people ending up overindulging and overeating on Eid. Experts suggest that we should give our bodies some time to adjust to the change and should take small meals.

    What to DO this Eid

    Spend time with your family

    If there is one thing the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us is the importance of family. Though we do miss going out, the lockdown is also a blessing in disguise as it allows you to spend time with your family. Spend quality time with the family by playing boardgames, cooking Eid dinner together or having a movie night.

    Save your Eidi

    If you are among the lucky ones who get Eidi, instead of spending all your Eidi on something insignificant save it for the future.

    Dress Up

    Staying indoors should not stop you from dressing up. Dress up in your favourite outfit, put on some makeup and take some fun pictures of yourself with your siblings and family. Check out this guide to taking Instagrammable pictures here.

    Video call your loved ones

    While we cannot meet our loved ones in person this Eid, we surely can talk to them over phone or over video call. Set up a Zoom meeting with your family across the world and engage with them. We promise that it will leave you with a fuzzy feeling.

    Last but not the least, do whatever makes you feel good but stay safe, Eid Mubarak!

  • VIDEO: Kashif Zameer beats pet lion

    A video of Kashif Zameer beating his pet lion has gone viral on social media.

    JFK Animal Rescue and Shelter shared the video of Zameer beating his pet lion as two women stand on the side and watch him.

    Sharing the video, the animal rights body questioned why regular citizens are allowed licenses to keep such exotic and wild animals as pets in their homes.

    https://twitter.com/jfkshelter/status/1392170494389063688

    Earlier this month a video of a man torturing a lion cub had gone viral on social media. Pakistan’s relaxed wildlife laws and the ability for everyone to secure a license allows such distressing acts to take place.

    Read more – PEMRA fines ‘Time Out with Ahsan Khan’ Rs 500,000 for using animals as props

    Lawyer and activist Hassaan Niazi commenting under JFK’s tweet said that he working with the wildlife and law ministry to introduce stricter laws for animal abuse.

    Zameer has remained a controversial figure in Pakistan ever since he hosted Diriliş: Ertuğrul star Engin Altan Düzyatan in Lahore and later duped him. While Zameer initially trashed the rumours saying that Engin had assured him that the deal will not be disbanded, Düzyatan, in a statement on February 16 said, that he no longer represents Zameer’s Chaudhry Group of Industries as brand ambassador.

    Meanwhile, in February Zameer was also accused of attempting to kidnap YouTuber Ali Virk.

  • Need an Eid cake? Here’s where you can order from

    Need an Eid cake? Here’s where you can order from

    While Eid ul-Fitr celebrations this year will be different due to the ongoing pandemic and restrictions, one thing that remains constant is starting the day with something sweet. Though everyone must follow SOPs and avoid going out unnecessarily that doesn’t mean we give up on our sweet tooth.

    Most home-based businesses are now fully booked for Eid but here are a few places where you can order an Eid cake online and have them delivered to your doorstep.

    Lahore

    Sweet Bites of Lahore and Bakers

    Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Shazoo.creations/

    The CAKES BY Sabeen

    Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thecakesbysabeen/

    The Batter Half Kitchenette

    Moments Bakery

    Nibbles

    Islamabad

    Crooked Cakess by Sara

    Sweet Hut

    Karachi

    Cook It Perfect

    Whisked Away

    Smitten

    Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/SmittenbyB/

  • 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.

  • ‘Educational institutions to remain closed till 23rd May’

    The National Command and Operation Centre has announced an extension in the closure of educational institutions given the prevailing situation of COVID-19 in the country. The decision was taken during the meeting of NCOC held earlier on Saturday.

    “In today’s NCOC session, it is decided that in view of ongoing disease trends, education institutes earlier closed till May 17 will continue to remain closed till May 23,” read a tweet from NCOC’s official Twitter account.

    “Review will be carried out on May 18, 2021,” it added.

    Earlier, the NCOC announced a complete ban on tourism, for both locals and outsiders. The ban shall be observed from May 8-16, the week leading up to and including the Eid holidays. In addition to that, all tourist resorts, formal and informal picnic spots, public parks, shopping malls; all hotels and restaurants in/around tourist/ picnic spots to remain closed.

    On May 7, Pakistan witnessed a death toll of 120. The country has recorded 4,109 confirmed COVID in the last 24 hours with a positivity rate of 8.54%.

  • Wasim Akram ’embarrassed’ as British High Commissioner picks trash in Islamabad

    Wasim Akram ’embarrassed’ as British High Commissioner picks trash in Islamabad

    Wasim Akram has expressed his embarrassment and disgust after the British High Commissioner Dr Christian Turner shared pictures of himself picking trash in Islamabad.

    “Now this is really embarrassing. Where are we heading?,” questioned Akram, who has been actively cleaning the beach in Karachi over the past couple of years.

    The former captain of the Pakistan Cricket Team also thanked Dr Turner “for doing this almost every week.”

    “Safai Nisf Imaan [Hai],” asserted Wasim.

    Earlier on Friday, Dr Turner shared a picture of himself holding two bags of trash he collected after his morning walk on the Margalla Hills in Islamabad.

    “Another Friday morning walk, another two bags of litter,” said Turner. “Safaai nisf imaan hai (cleanliness is half of faith).”

    Dr Turner also tagged the Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad Hamza Shafqaat, who praised him, saying “Great”.

    However, the DC’s comments did not sit well with netizens who called him out for being negligent towards his work.

    Shafqaat later clarified his comment, saying that his intention was misunderstood.

    “This comment is grossly misunderstood. I was just appreciating the efforts of Dr Christian to keep Islamabad clean,” said Hamza, adding: “I would request everyone to not litter in forests. It is everyone’s responsiblity to keep their surroundings clean.”

    He later also said that sanitation teams picked up 1600 tonnes of waste today (Friday).

    “Everyone please remember that cleanliness is a two-way street and everyone of us is responsible for it and not just the British High Commissioner,” urged Shafqaat.

    Meanwhile, last week, Dr Turner had urged the residents of the federal capital to keep Islamabad clean by avoiding littering at open and green places.

    “Meals are for sharing not littering,” Dr Turner had said, sharing a picture of two plastic bags stuffed with empty water bottles, tin cans and other waste material.

    “Please help keep beautiful Islamabad clean,” he had said.

  • Mother’s Day: Here’s what you can do to make your mother feel special without spending money

    Every year the second Sunday of May is celebrated as Mother’s Day and this year Mother’s Day will be celebrated on May 9, which is just around the corner.

    While mothers should be celebrated every day for their selfless love and sacrifices, Mother’s Day gives us a chance to make them feel even more special. The day holds significant importance as it gives us a chance to show our mother how much we love her. However, showing love can sometimes get tricky – sometimes you don’t have the right words and other times you just don’t know how to show it.

    Here is the list of the things you can do to make your mother feel special this Mother’s Day
    Watch something with her that she loves

    Whether it’s an old movie, or it’s a drama serial she loves or it is a cooking show she does not miss, turn on the TV and watch it together. If you are watching a show or a movie talk to her about her favorite characters and ask her what she loves most about them. It will make her feel special that you are taking interest in what she loves.

    Teach her something new

    There is no age of learning and anyone can learn anything at any stage of life. You can teach your mother anything she struggles with, for example, if she is not comfortable with technological devices you can show her how to use them. It is very common to lose patience while teaching something so remember not to lose your patience.

    Go through old pictures and albums with her

    Sit with your mother and take out an old album or pictures of her younger self. Looking at her old pictures will give a chance to your mother to revisit her old times with you, and will also help you understand her better way, which will eventually lead to a stronger bond between you two.

    Cook for her

    They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach but honestly, the way to anyone’s heart is through their stomach. So get into some action and cook a great meal for her. If you don’t know how to cook you can always take help from the internet.

    Talk to her

    Last but not the least, take out the time to talk to her. Sometimes we take the most basic of things for granted, and having an honest conversation is one of them. Being heard is one of the greatest feelings in the world and makes the other person feel special. Try putting down your phone, make a cup of coffee or tea anything your mother prefers and be a good listener.

    Do whatever you think will make your mother special, but anything you do should revolve around her – do not make it about yourself.