Current Final

Category: Lifestyle

  • EXCLUSIVE: Zartaj Gul reveals her favourite designer brands

    EXCLUSIVE: Zartaj Gul reveals her favourite designer brands

    Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul in an exclusive interview with The Current revealed that her favourite Pakistani designers include Maria B, Sana Safinaz and Khaadi.

    When asked who her favourite clothing brand is, the minister, who herself in a textile designer, said: “In Pakistan, all designers are my favourite. I wear a single colour tone so, whoever I find locally…either Maria B, Sana Safinaz, Khaadi or whatever I like.”

    She continued, “As for global brands, I think Devil Wears Prada, Fendi, Michael Kors. All of them are good if just not too expensive.”

    It is pertinent to add here that the minister was referring to Prada when she said ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ – which is a film starring Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt.

    Read more – Zartaj Gul and Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari fight it out on Twitter

    Meanwhile, when asked about what she prefers to watch on Netflix, Zartaj said that whenever she gets the time, she watches English movies.

    “Whenever I get the time, I watch English movies. [In fact], any good movie. But I do not have enough time,” said Zartaj.

    She continued, “Seasons I have followed very rarely too; I followed Prison Break, Lost. But if it’s some Oscar-winning movie, I try to watch it on Netflix if I get the time.”

    Zartaj also shared a list of her favourite Pakistani actors which include Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan, Shaan, Resham and Sajal Aly.

    In the same interview, Zartaj also shared her thoughts on her gaffes and controversies and why she thinks Prime Minister Imran Khan is the solution to Pakistan’s woes. Watch the complete interview here:

  • Teenager spends over Rs 200,000 of grandfather’s pension on PUBG

    Teenager spends over Rs 200,000 of grandfather’s pension on PUBG

    A 15-year-old Indian boy spent more than 200,000 Indian rupees (INR) from his grandfather’s bank account on Player Unknown’s Battleground (PUBG). The boy reportedly used the money from his grandfather’s pension account on the game’s in-app purchases.

    For the unacquainted, in PUBG you require something known as UC (Unknown Cash) to buy skins, crates, and other in-game items. UC can be bought through in-app purchases, a known feature within the game.

    The matter came to light when the boy’s 65-year-old grandfather received a text message from his bank that only INR 275 was left in his account in May. He immediately filed a complaint at a police station, suspecting fraud.

    A few months later, his complaint was transferred to the Cyber Cell Hub that traced the user of the funds back to the man’s grandson. The teenager had used the money for in-game purchases without even telling his grandfather.

    Read more – PUBG to add Chitral National Park, Badshahi Mosque, Noor Mahal, Clock Tower in maps

    The amount had been transferred from the account to a Paytm wallet through OTP, which belongs to a 23-year-old man named Pankaj Kumar who confessed that his friend had been using the wallet. The friend turned out to the complainant’s grandson.

    The boy told that he started playing the game only this January. He confessed that he used his grandfather’s pension for in-app purchases. He also confessed that he had deleted the OTP text messages from his grandfather’s phone.

    No legal action was taken against the teenager as his grandfather decided not to proceed with the complaint. 

  • Majority of young adults in the US now live with their parents

    Majority of young adults in the US now live with their parents

    A record number of young adults in the United States (US) have had to move back in with their parents because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a recent analysis by the Pew Research Center has shown.

    About 52% of 18-to-29-year-olds are now living with one or both parents. This is recorded for the first time that more than half of that age group has lived with their parents, the research center said. 

    The highest historical value was previously recorded in the 1940 census towards the end of the Great Depression when 48 percent of young adults lived with a parent.

    The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic downfall that took place mostly during the 1930s. Though the timing of the Great Depression differed across the world, it began from the United States in 1929 and continued until the late 1930s in most countries. It was the longest, deepest, and most widespread depression of the 20th century. 

    The graph shows that the share reached its lowest point in 1960 at 29 percent. It has increased gradually ever since, hitting 49 percent by February 2020. The Pew Research Center states that the number of 18-29-year-olds living with a parent increased by 2.6 million since February and the total number stood at 26.6 million in July.

    According to Pew polling conducted in June, among all of the grown-ups who moved as a result of the pandemic, 28% said that they wanted to avoid the spread of the virus, 23% moved because their college campus shut down and 20% wanted to spend time with their family.

    Money seems to have played a big part in young people’s decisions, as young Americans have faced some of the worst financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In April and May, 40% of workers ages 18 to 29 reported that they’d lost their job or taken a pay cut.

    According to the June poll, about 18% of all adults who moved because of COVID-19 said that the biggest reason was related to money or losing their job.

  • Two brothers from Peshawar make Pakistan’s ‘first’ ultralight helicopter

    Two brothers from Peshawar make Pakistan’s ‘first’ ultralight helicopter

    Two brothers from Peshawar, Qazi Sajjad Ahmed and Qazi Tufail Ahmed have built Pakistan’s ‘first’ ultralight helicopter.

    The two brothers, who belong to Landhi Arbab, a village on the outskirts of the provincial capital, have demonstrated its capability through a successful lift-off.

    Talking to a private news outlet, Qazi Sajjad Ahmed said, “I had watched a James Bond film in 1978, which inspired me to design an ultralight aircraft.” 

    “In 2005, I had submitted a request to the [then] prime minister for financial assistance for accomplishing the feat, which was forwarded to the Pakistan Army. I received a letter from the ministry of defense production and was subsequently interviewed by a major.”

    Sajjad told that the helicopter has been built at a cost of over Rs 1.5 million and can fly up to 6,000 feet. 

    He further said that it can also be used for aerial spraying. While the government acquired special aircraft from Turkey to spray pesticides on locust-infested areas, his helicopter can do so at a cheaper cost.

    The aircraft has been registered with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCCA). Tufail, who is a professional pilot, has requested for government support to bring further improvements to their aircraft.

  • Man blows up kitchen while trying to swat fly

    Man blows up kitchen while trying to swat fly

    A man in France accidentally blew up part of his house while trying to chase a fly with an electric swat.

    According to details, the 80-year-old man was eating his dinner when the constant buzzing of a fly around him irritated him. He picked up an electric fly swatter to aim at it. At the same time, a gas canister was leaking in his home. 

    A reaction between the fly swatter and the gas resulted in an explosion, destroying the kitchen and partially damaging the roof of his house. 

    Fortunately, the old man was not seriously injured and only suffered a burn on his hand. The man has moved to a campsite while his family repairs his house.

  • British journalist launches film on Pakistan’s people, culture and cricket

    British journalist launches film on Pakistan’s people, culture and cricket

    Peter Oborne, a senior British journalist, launched a video titled Peter Oborne: The People of Pakistan  at Pakistan High Commission. 

    According to a statement by the Pakistan High Commission London, the film shows a fascinating account of the people, culture, scenic beauty and cricket of Pakistan.

    Oborne came up with the idea of the film during his trip to Pakistan in 2019, along with a 25-member group including British journalists, authors, parliamentarians, business people and amateur cricketers.

    The film was recorded and produced by a British filmmaker Ahmed Peerbux who was part of the visiting group. 

    Speaking on the occasion, Oborne admired the cricketing talent, the hospitality of Pakistani people, the natural beauty and the tourism potential of the country.

    Oborne also thanked High Commissioner, Mohammad Nafees Zakaria for organising the launch at the High Commission.

  • Loyalty in a partner and attending Oxford is what Pakistanis want

    Loyalty in a partner and attending Oxford is what Pakistanis want

    The Current starts its day with a morning mood to engage followers and find out what they are interested in. This is done via a ‘this or that’ poll and the winner had to compete the same category the next day. It is done over a week’s time and we found out a lot about our followers – and Pakistanis – based on what they vote for.

    Food Wars

    Honestly, this one is no surprise given how much Pakistanis love their biryani. Hence, biryani was the winner.

    But, we were surprised when chicken biryani won on Eidul Adha.

    Which university appeals the most to Pakistanis?

    We did a poll on different Pakistani and foreign universities and asked you what your dream university is. It’s sad that no Pakistani universities made the cut but here is what did win.

    Personality Traits

    This is the most interesting. What do you all want in your life partner?

    Loyal beat everything! Seems like nothing is more important for Pakistanis than a partner who is loyal.

    Your dream car?

    We asked you about your dream car and we got our answer. As per our final poll reults 72% people would go for a Rolls Royce beating Bentley.

    Clothing Brands

    This one was intense and Khaadi was winning but in the final poll that we posted on Saturday, check out who beat Khaadi.

    Follow us on Instagram at @thecurrentpk to take part in our polls and message us why you vote the way you do. The latest one is on the most popular fast food chains and that’s not one to miss.

  • Educational institutions to re-open on Sept 15?

    Educational institutions to re-open on Sept 15?

    Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood on Monday chaired a meeting of provincial education ministers to make a final decision on whether to reopen educational institutes across the country from September 15, The News reported.

    According to reports, the Higher Education Commission’s (HEC) chairperson and executive director, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan, and officials of the health department were also present at the Inter-Provincial Education Ministers Conference (IPEMC), which aimed to compile the final recommendations regarding the opening of educational institutes.

    The recommendations to resume educational activities would be sent to the National Command Operation Centre (NCOC) for further deliberations among all the stakeholders.

    The meeting was set to also focus on finalising the standard operating procedures (SOPs) in this regard. Educational institutes across Pakistan had been shut down back on March 13 in a bid to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

    The Single National Curriculum (SNC), a short curriculum for the current academic year, examinations in 2021, and establishment of anti-harassment bodies in the provinces were also on the meeting’s agenda.

    A discussion on the transition plans related to the Basic Education Community Schools (BECS) and National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) was also planned for the IPEMC.

    In this regard, Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani said all educational institutes were to open between September 15 and 30.

    All classes starting Grade 9 and up, as well as all universities, would reopen from Sept 15, while Grade 6-8 classes would resume by Sept 22, Ghani said, adding, however, that pre-primary and primary classes would reopen on Sept 30.

    The provincial minister warned that the schools in any area that may witness a rise in the number of coronavirus cases would be closed.

    Wearing face masks would be mandatory in the schools and strict action was to be taken in case of violation of the coronavirus-related SOPs, he added.

    Moreover, Punjab Education Minister Dr Murad Raas said there would be “no double shift”.

    “Alternative day schedule to be followed by all public & private schools,” Raas said on Twitter.

    Separately, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the provincial education department has decided to conduct coronary tests on school staff and students.

    “Health Department’s teams will be visiting public and private educational institutions to conduct random tests of teachers / staff / students / canteen vendors and all those persons who are working within the premises of educational institutions in an effort to detect COVID-19 positive cases and prevent the spread of disease,” a notification shared on the Twitter account of the ruling PTI’s KP chapter stated.

  • You will never guess Kaavan’s favourite song

    You will never guess Kaavan’s favourite song

    Who knew Kaavan would be a music fan? That too of Frank Sinatra.

    Latest reports coming out of Islamabad Zoo have revealed that Kaavan is not only a fan of Sinatra, but his music calms him down.

    Vet Amir Khalil, who has been tasked with assessing whether Kaavan can be moved from poor conditions in a zoo in Pakistan’s capital to a sanctuary in Cambodia, has shared that when he arrived in Pakistan, he started to train the elephant by singing to him.

    “When we arrived 10 days ago … I started to train him and to sing to him and he accommodated me so we have a relationship,” he said, adding he chose Sinatra’s hit My Way. Francis Albert Sinatra was an American singer and actor, who was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide.

    36-year-old Kaavan is being relocated to a wildlife sanctuary in Cambodia for retirement after the Islamabad High Court ruled that the Margazhar Zoo in Islamabad is not fit for the animals. Kaavan has spent most of his life in a small enclosure with meager shelter, and the last eight years alone after his companion elephant died. The court decision came after a four-year global campaign, backed by American singer Cher.

    Read more – Cher thanks PM Khan for ‘making her dream come true’

    Earlier, Adviser to Prime Minister Imran Khan on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam had said authorities would “ensure that he lives a happy life”.

    “We are bidding Kaavan farewell with a heavy heart. It is a sad decision,” he had said, adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan was also concerned about Kaavan’s well-being.

    Plans to relocate the animal are underway though it is no easy feat.

    Four Paws experts, who will be assisting in the relocation, fired darts with a sedative so they could give the sleepy animal a comprehensive checkup.

    As Kaavan woke up to eat some apples, Four Paws elephant specialist Frank Goeritz analysed his blood samples. Though it will be a few days before he files a formal report, Goeritz said despite Kaavan being obese, unhappy and having malformed nails that put him at risk of serious infection, the outlook was hopeful.

    “Let’s wait until we have all the results, but so far I don’t see a big problem with him traveling … he is facing a good life.”

  • Kaghan to be developed into an all-time tourist destination

    The industries department has announced that Kaghan Valley will be developed into an all-weather tourist destination under the Economic Revitalisation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Project.

    As per reports, the chief minister’s special adviser on industry Kareem Khan handed over snow-blowing and other heavy machinery to Kaghan Development Authority (KDA) deputy director Sajjad Jan for the purpose.

    Kareem told reporters that the KDA would find places in Kaghan Valley, where landslides are a common occurrence and make them accessible for tourists. He said the government wanted to boost tourism in these areas so it provided modern machinery to the Kaghan and Galiyat Development Authorities for garbage dumping to preserve the environment.

    The chief minister’s aide said his department had allocated the financial support of Rs64 million to small and medium entities to promote tourism in the province.

    “The government in collaboration with the World Bank has launched the Economic Revitalisation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Project in 2012 to support small and medium enterprises through the matching grant along with the promotion of integrated tourism through the clean and green initiative,” he said.

    KDA deputy director Sajjad Jan said the industries department had given the authority heavy machinery, so it can clear landslides from the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road to control and restore traffic efficiently.