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  • White House unfollows Modi on Twitter amid concerns over India’s treatment of minorities

    White House unfollows Modi on Twitter amid concerns over India’s treatment of minorities

    The White House has unfollowed Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on Twitter, leaving Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi ‘dismayed’ at the American administration’s decision.

    Indian media reported on Wednesday that The White House, which has 22 million followers on Twitter, followed the Indian premier till April 11, unfollowed him recently.

    “The official Twitter account of White House, the residence and workplace of the president of the US, doesn’t follow Indian PM Narendra Modi anymore on the micro-blogging site,” reported Outlook India.

    Modi was the only world leader followed by The White House on Twitter till April 11. Other Indian Twitter accounts unfollowed were those of the president of India, the Indian PM’s Office and the Indian Embassy in Washington D.C.

    The move ‘dismayed’ Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi, who urged India’s External Affairs Ministry to take note of the incident.

    “I’m dismayed by the “unfollowing” of our President & PM by the White House. I urge the Ministry of External Affairs to take note,” tweeted Gandhi.

    The development took place as a US commission recommended India be placed on a list of countries that violate religious freedom.

    The US Commission on International Religious Freedom recommended that India be re-designated as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ because of the Modi government’s policies and treatment towards the Muslim population.

    “Perhaps the steepest, and most alarming deterioration in religious freedom conditions is in India,” the vice-chair of the USCIRF vice had said after the release of the Commission’s annual report.

    The report also recommended 13 other countries to the State Department for designation as “countries of particular concern” because their governments engage in or tolerate “systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom”.

    These include nine that the State Department designated as CPCs in December last year, which were Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. The five others include India, Nigeria, Russia, Syria, and Vietnam.

    WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

    According to reports, the White House has explained that its Twitter handle typically follows the accounts of officials from host countries for a brief period during a presidential trip to retweet their messages in support of the visit.

    “The White House Twitter account normally follows senior US government Twitter accounts, and others as appropriate. For example, during the time of a presidential visit, the account typically follows for a short time, the host country’s officials to retweet their messages in support of the visit,” a senior administration official told the Press Trust of India.

  • Veteran Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor passes away

    Veteran Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor passes away

    Bollywood legend Rishi Kapoor passed away in Mumbai on Thursday morning. The 67-year-old actor had been taken to H N Reliance Hospital by his family on Wednesday morning.

    The Kapoor family has also confirmed the news in a heartfelt message shared by renowned Indian photographer Viral Bhayani.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_l7JuaHVMp/?igshid=7kelhuz604bi

    The Bollywood actor returned to India last September after undergoing treatment for cancer in the United States (US) for almost a year.

    In February, Kapoor was hospitalised twice due to his health issues.

    After his return to Mumbai, he was once again admitted to a hospital with viral fever. He was discharged soon afterward.

    Kapoor, who was quite active on social media, hadn’t posted anything on his Twitter account since April 2 amid reports that he was sick.

    The actor recently announced his next project, a remake of Hollywood film ‘The Intern’, also featuring Deepika Padukone.

    Tributes are pouring in on social media for Rishi Kapoor from actors, members of the film industry, prominent personalities and politicians.

    https://twitter.com/SrBachchan/status/1255709029336322048

    The news comes a day after Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan passed away.

  • The Current wins Google’s innovation challenge, becomes only organisation from Pakistan to secure funding

    The Current wins Google’s innovation challenge, becomes only organisation from Pakistan to secure funding

    Pakistan’s fastest-growing digital media start-up, The Current, has won the Google News Initiative (GNI) Innovation Challenge, becoming the only media organisation in the country to have secured the coveted spot and that too within just a year of its launch.

    Under the challenge, Google received applications from over 255 news organisations and technology companies from across the Asia Pacific, including media giants like Japan’s Nippon Television Network, out of which 18 were selected to receive $2.3 million in funding.

    The first round of the challenge focused on diversifying revenue and saw dozens of examples of creative new approaches. The applicants were asked for proposals to increase reader engagement, which ultimately leads to greater loyalty and willingness to pay for content.

    The 255 strong submissions revolved around topics like user-generated content, community management, fact-checking and the use of technologies such as machine learning to tackle business challenges.

    As part of the project, The Current will develop a membership model that will be the first of its kind in Pakistan — with three levels of membership provided for its most avid followers. The plan is to provide content and training that members want, and also test a viable alternate stream of revenue for digital news startups.

    The challenge had been won by Jang Media Group in Pakistan last year. As part of the project, the media organisation developed state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Augmented Reality (AR) platforms for digitising its historical news archives. The project was similar in scale and ambition to the New York Times collaboration with Google in transforming its archives.

    Here’s what you should know about the selected projects from 2020 and the previous years.

  • PCB’s legal advisor sues Shoaib Akhtar for defamation

    PCB’s legal advisor sues Shoaib Akhtar for defamation

    Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) legal advisor Tafazzul Rizvi has filed a Rs10 million defamation lawsuit against former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar for calling him “an inept person of the highest order,” “do takkay ka lawyer” along with other allegations.

    Akhtar, in a video posted to his YouTube channel, had strongly criticised the Board and its legal team, especially Rizvi, and had accused him of profiteering by creating protracted legal disputes between the Board and its players.

    Speaking on the matter, Rizvi said, “Shoaib Akhtar’s comments have affected my goodwill. He said false things about me on social media. His remarks were seen and heard abroad as well which is why I decided to take legal action against him.”

    The PCB advisor further said that he will take action against Akhtar outside of Pakistan and that he has also “submitted a criminal complaint to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) under the cybercrime act.”

    Akhtar, while discussing the three-year ban on Umar Akmal on his YouTube channel, had accused PCB and its legal team of giving cover to corrupt cricketers of their choice but “feeding other out-of-favours ones to the lions.” He said that this had enabled the menace of match-fixing.

    “The Board has given cover to, saved and rehabilitated match-fixers, which has developed this mindset that ‘Okay I will serve my six-month or two years ban but will be back again like Sharjeel Khan’,” Akhtar said in the video.

    Akhtar asserted that formal laws need to be put in place to curb corruption in the sport. He also suggested that the issue of match-fixing and the treatment of guilty cricketers should be taken out of the Board’s hands.

    “The PCB’s legal department is rotten to the core,” remarked Akhtar. “Tafazzul Rizvi, in particular, is one such individual. He has deep connections and has been with the board for 10-15 years. There has never been a case that he has not lost. What irked me the most was when he dragged Shahid Afridi through the courts.”

    Meanwhile, PCB has said that while they are not backing the legal notice as yet, they are disappointed with Akhtar’s disrespectful outburst.

    “The PCB is disappointed with Shoaib Akhtar’s poor choice of words while publically commenting about the PCB’s legal department and its legal advisor,” said the board in a press release. “The language used by Shoaib Akhtar was highly inappropriate and disrespectful, and cannot be condoned in any civilised society. The PCB’s legal advisor, Mr Taffazul Rizvi, in his own discretion, has initiated defamation and criminal proceedings against Shoaib Akhtar, while the PCB too reserves its rights.”

  • Meera in New York: An update from Times Square

    Meera in New York: An update from Times Square

    By now everyone knows that Meera Jee is stuck in New York. The actor has appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan and the Government of Pakistan to repatriate her and has been sharing constant updates of herself isolating in a hotel room in the city.

    However, Meera’s latest update is not from her hotel room but is in fact from Times Square. Meera said that she visited Manhattan and Times Square after three weeks for five minutes to take some pictures and videos.

    “The biggest city in the world, New York, is sleeping because of COVID-19,” she said.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_jewnhDX1k/

    An hour later, she shared that she is back in her hotel room and isolating.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_jk2ltj-nb/

    It is still unclear whether the actor is stuck in New York or is with her family. After Meera’s appeal to PM Imran Khan, several media outlets had reported that the actor was misleading the public and that she was living at her husband’s house with her in-laws in New York. Later, Meera trashed these reports and asked the media not to spread false information.

    Read more – Is Meera lying about being stranded in New York?

    “In my video, I had asked requested Prime Minister Imran Khan to bring me home. As a Pakistani, it is my right,” she said. “This is not the time to mock or ridicule people.”

    Slamming those twisting her story, Meera further said that the Pakistan embassy in New York knows of her whereabouts and that she is grateful to Council General Ayesha Ali [for her help].

  • Adnan Siddiqui recalls the last time he met Irrfan Khan

    Adnan Siddiqui recalls the last time he met Irrfan Khan

    Irrfan Khan’s sudden and unexpected death has sent the world into shock. Tributes and messages of condolences are pouring in for the legendary actor from across the world as everyone mourns his demise.

    After Saba Qamar’s heartfelt tribute, Adnan Siddiqui has also penned an emotional note in memory of the actor and recalled his fondest moments with him.

    Adnan started by sharing a story from their very first meeting on the sets of A Mighty Heart, which had Angelina Jolie in the lead.

    “I had the honour of first meeting Irrfan as a co-star on the sets of A Mighty Heart,” wrote Adnan. “We’d become friends on the sets and used to hang out together after the shoot.”

    Adnan then shared stories of their time on set before wrapping up his note by recalling the last time he met his friend.

    “In 2018 while attending IPPA in London. I found out that he was in London, though he wasn’t meeting anyone he agreed to meet me. We had a long chat about movies and the world in general. He looked so positive. His last words were- “Adnan, I’ll be fine very soon and I’ll be back. InshAllah!”

    “Condolences and strength to his family. Irrfan, you will be missed a lot. Rest in peace my friend,” concluded Adnan.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_j4mcinxwI/

    Khan was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour in 2018 and spent most of the year and the next battling the disease in London. However, he was admitted to a Mumbai hospital earlier this week with a colon infection which ultimately took his life. He was 53.

    “Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him,” his publicist said in a statement. “Surrounded by his love, his family for whom he most cared about, he left for heaven, leaving behind truly a legacy of his own. We all pray and hope that he is at peace. And to resonate and part with his words he had said, ‘As if I was tasting life for the first time, the magical side of it’.”

    He was laid to rest at the Versova graveyard in Mumbai, a few hours after he passed away. According to local media, his family, close relatives and friends were present during the burial.

  • Money Heist’s Pakistani lookalikes you won’t believe

    The Netflix series has been trending in Pakistan and was number one when part four came out. It was even bigger this time since this year it included invaluable help from Pakistanis for the rebellious gang. Every Pakistani fan was so excited to have Pakistan be a part of the revolution and the joy hasn’t died down yet.

    RELATED: Money Heist characters get Pakistani CNICs

    So we had to ask? Doesn’t every single major character in the show look like a Pakistani actor? Don’t believe us? Here we go:

    We have to begin with the Professor because we love him. And who better to play him than the distinguished Fawad Khan, who keeps his cool, deals with so many people and always looks like he has a plan. Moreover, with a beard and glasses, you can barely tell the two apart.

    READ MORE: ‘Money Heist 4’ features an Indian actor as the Pakistani hacker

    Monika is everyone’s hot favourite this season and there is literally no difference between her and Ayeza Khan; and after seeing her stellar, strong performance in Meray Paas Tum Ho we all know that Ayeza can totally pull the role off.

    Rio’s innocence can only be replicated by Shehroz Sabzwari. He might not act well enough to be Rio but he’s definitely got the look.

    RELATED: Spoiler-free review: ‘Money Heist Part 4’ — almost a left-wing masterpiece

    We literally couldn’t tell these two apart. Meesha definitely has the looks, and the fire, to play the rebellious Tokyo.

    Dashing and smooth? Adnan Siddiqui is the top search result for Berlin.

    Fire, spunk and the guts to take the police and government on, Nausheen Shah is the perfect fit for Raquel.

    Our favourite, our warrior and the star of this season, Nairobi, could only be played by the impeccable Saba Qamar.

    Did you think we could actually forget Denver? No way! We can’t forget how similar Ali Rehman Khan looks to this conflicted and emotional character.

    Even though our beloved Humayun Saeed didn’t make the final cut, we all remember the time when rumours began that he was a part of part four.

  • Resting the food panic amid COVID-19

    Resting the food panic amid COVID-19

    The global coronavirus pandemic has resulted in either a partial or full closure of most industries, wreaking havoc on the country’s economy. Though food scarcity is not a problem yet, during Ramzan, the closures can spell misery for people despite the government’s assurance of consistent supply. In order to simmer down the current food panic and hoarding of goods, it is to be ensured that the production and availability of essential goods are not halted by the arrival of COVID-19 in Pakistan.

    There are two sources of concern in this situation.

    First, despite growth in livestock, which contributes to almost 2/3 of the agricultural output in Pakistan and accelerated slightly to 4.0% in fiscal year (FY) 2019; agricultural production as a whole expanded by only 0.8%. Second, with COVID-19 escalating, Pakistan has recently suspended its trade and closed its borders, leaving many distressed and worrying about the shortage of essential Iftar items.

    In order to address the first concern, it is imperative to note that an overall decline in all sectors was already being witnessed before COVID-19. The slowdown in the agriculture industry was exacerbated by weaker demand and higher costs until the disease arrived. As for the shortage of essentials food items, Punjab alone is a mass producer of many food essentials that will be easily available during Ramzan. An analysis by the Urban Unit states the availability of most essential items from April to June 2020:

    • Tomatoes: Punjab’s production was recorded 1,38,397 tons during 2018-19
    • Potatoes: Punjab has 96.94% share in the total domestic production of potato and the total arrival in local wholesale markets was recorded at 510 to 515 trucks/day on an average
    • Garlic: Domestic production was recorded at 72,598 tons in 2018/2019.
    • Chilies: Production of chilies in Punjab is 11,698 tons
    • Onions: 20% in total domestic production
    • In addition to these, all forms of meat and dairy will be available as 3.7 million litres of milk are supplied per day and the daily supply of beef and mutton is 518,861 tonnes and 130,000 tonnes per day, respectively.

    Under essential items, rice is the only commodity that is expected to suffer a blow by the pandemic, but it is harvested in September. All vegetables and fruits such as capsicum, cabbage, cauliflower, bittergourd, cucumber, turnip, guava, melons and strawberries will be available in an abundant amount.

    While no serious panic has been witnessed in consumer behavior in Pakistan unlike in Europe or the United States (US), the government must exercise extreme vigilance on supply-demand trends during Ramzan. There should be no hoarding, and a robust price control mechanism must be put in place at the grass-root level by respective provincial and district administrations.

    For example, the Food Department of the Punjab government has taken effective and strict measures and warned of a crackdown on unnecessary stock holdings.

    So far, collective efforts by the Food Department along with the Deputy Commissioner’s Office and the Industries Department have led to the collection of fines worth Rs2,883.71 million from accumulators of food items, out of which Rs882.03 million was collected within just 40 days i.e. from March 1 to April 9.

    In an attempt to reduce the current wheat prices, the department is further identifying and disqualifying ghost mills from the official quota and borders are also being sealed, barring wheat transportation outside the province and ensuring food security.

  • Saba Qamar ‘deeply disturbed’ at Irrfan Khan’s death

    Saba Qamar who shared the screen with the late Irrfan Khan in the 2017 superhit Hindi Medium says that she is “deeply disturbed” to hear about the passing of her co-star.

    Read more – Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan passes away

    “I still can’t absorb the news”, said the actor. “It feels like yesterday coming back from the sets of Hindi Medium. You taught me a lot as an actor and a mentor. It is indeed a huge loss to the cinema world.”

    Sending her heartfelt condolences to Khan’s family, Saba ended her note using her character name from the film.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_jyVgUhO3P/

    Similarly, Adnan Siddiqui who worked with Khan in the Hollywood film A Mighty Heart also penned an emotional note in memory of the actor and shared his experience of working with the actor. He shared that he learnt a lot from Irrfan and that the two became good friends. Adnan also opened up about his last meeting with Khan.

    “In 2018 while attending IPPA in London. I found out that he was in London, though he wasn’t meeting anyone he agreed to meet me,” wrote Siddiqui. “We had a long chat about movies and the world in general. He looked so positive.”

    “His last words were: “Adnan, I’ll be fine very soon and I’ll be back. InshAllah!”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_j4mcinxwI/

    Khan, whose international movie career included hits such as Slumdog Millionaire, Life of Pi and The Amazing Spider-Man was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour in 2018. He spent most of 2018 and 2019 battling the disease in London. However, he was admitted to a Mumbai hospital earlier this week with a colon infection which ultimately took his life. He was 53.

    “Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him,” his publicist said in a statement. “Surrounded by his love, his family for whom he most cared about, he left for heaven, leaving behind truly a legacy of his own. We all pray and hope that he is at peace. And to resonate and part with his words he had said, ‘As if I was tasting life for the first time, the magical side of it’.”

    Other Pakistani actors who mourned the actor’s death include Mahira Khan, Imran Abbas, Zara Noor Abbas and Sajal Aly.

    https://twitter.com/ImranAbbas/status/1255390945786449921?s=20
    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_jolalFwjJ/
    https://www.instagram.com/p/B_jp8z4FznC/

    Read more – Sherry Rehman calls Irrfan Khan ‘one of Pakistan’s best’

    Meanwhile, across the border, the entire Bollywood fraternity is mourning the loss of their loved one. From Amitabh Bachchan to Shah Rukh Khan to Sonakshi Sinha, everyone has expressed their grief over the actor’s death.

    https://twitter.com/aamir_khan/status/1255414587538759687?s=20
    https://twitter.com/karanjohar/status/1255387271919960066?s=20
    https://twitter.com/sonakshisinha/status/1255459278837743617?s=20
  • From interior to info, health, telecom, power, civil aviation among others: Military men serving Pakistan

    From interior to info, health, telecom, power, civil aviation among others: Military men serving Pakistan

    With former military bigwig Lieutenant General (r) Asim Bajwa being appointed as the special assistant to the prime minister (SAPM) on information and broadcasting earlier this week, the list of military men discharging their duties in various sectors to serve Pakistan has been added to.

    The development falls in line with the beliefs of various members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), including PM Imran Khan and his federal ministers such as Fawad Chaudhry, who have time and again praised the armed forces of the country for being the most powerful and well-organised national institutions.

    While some elements appear bothered by the increasing list of both former and serving military officials working with the government at a time when civil-military relations in the country “stand at their historic best”, here is what you should know about those working to revamp different sectors for the cause of ‘Naya Pakistan’.

    Interior Minister Brigadier (r) Ijaz Shah:

    The Ministry of Interior, which is primarily responsible for implementing the internal policies, state security and administration of internal affairs involving the state, is being led by Brig (r) Ijaz Ahmed Shah. Prior to entering politics, Shah has served as a spy military officer of the Pakistan Army. He has also served as the minister for parliamentary affairs.

    SAPM on Information & Broadcasting Lt Gen (r) Asim Bajwa:

    Lt Gen (r) Bajwa, who replaced former information minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan as the premier’s media aide on Monday, is a retired three-star general. During his military career, he has served as the director general (DG) of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) as well as the commander of Pakistan Army’s Southern Command. He is also the chairman of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority.

    NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal:

    Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) — a federal authority mandated to deal with disasters and their management in the country — has risen to the occasion over the past few weeks as the coronavirus situation in Pakistan started worsening. Other than his experience with the Frontier Works Organization (FWO), he is qualified in international law of conflict with a special focus on civilian casualties and displaced persons.

    FROM CIVIL AVIATION TO HEALTH AND BEYOND:

    Among other not so familiar names are Squadron Leader (r) Shahrukh Nusrat, who is serving as an executive at the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) after he was reappointed as the authority’s DG last year; National Institute of Health (NIH) Executive Director Maj Gen Dr Aamer Ikram, Air Marshal Arshad Malik, who is serving as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA); Water & Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Chairperson Lt Gen (r) Muzammil Hussain and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) chief Maj Gen (r) Amir Bajwa.