World T20 2016: West Indies & South Africa Power To World T20 Wins

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Mar 21, 2016

Andre Fletcher and AB de Villiers displayed masterclasses in batting at the World Twenty20 Sunday as the West Indies made it two wins from two and South Africa got their first points on the board.

The 28-year-old Fletcher smashed an unbeaten 84, including five sixes and six fours, as the Windies successfully chased down Sri Lanka’s limp score of 122-9 without destructive opener Chris Gayle.

A Windies team representative told reporters that the 36-year-old had an injury that was “not major” but it raises questions about how much of the remaining tournament he will now play.

An unimpressed crowd at Bangalore’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium repeatedly chanted “We want Gayle, We want Gayle”, anxious to see the Jamaican who has played several seasons for the city’s team in the glitzy Indian Premier League (IPL).

He teased the crowd by stepping out of the bunker with his bat after the third wicket fell, bringing roars from the stadium, only to walk back inside.

“Great team win tonight. The Bengaluru crowd/fans always amazing, sorry y’all didn’t see me bat tonight but I will be back,” Gayle posted on Twitter shortly after the Windies victory.

Fletcher insisted he was not trying to steal Gayle’s limelight after his ferocious knock.

“I don’t think anybody in the world can take his (Gayle’s) place,” Fletcher said.

“I’m (just) grateful for the opportunity to bat,” the man of the match added.

The West Indies are one of the weakest teams in Test cricket, but they remain a force in the shortest format and are gunning for their second World T20 title after winning the trophy in 2012.

Andre Russell made 20 not out while Johnson Charles scored 10.

Defending champions Sri Lanka have been struggling for form since winning the trophy two years ago, slumping to seventh in the world rankings.

All-rounder Thisara Perera top scored for the islanders with 40, including five fours, after West Indies captain Darren Sammy won the toss and elected to field. Skipper Angelo Mathews chipped in with 20.

ICC T20 World Cup 2016: Schedule & Match Fixtures

De Villiers half-century

Earlier in the day at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, De Villiers’ quick-fire 64 propelled South Africa to 209-5 and a 37-run defeat of Afghanistan.

The right-handed batsman smashed five sixes and four fours in his 29-ball knock before Chris Morris’s four wickets helped restrict Afghanistan to 172 all out on the last ball.

“He wants to show he’s a world-great batsman and I’m hoping today will make him really, really hungry to go out and score massive runs,” captain Faf du Plessis said of de Villiers.

“Not just to have small impacts of 20-run bursts but actually have a match-changing impact and today he did that. He played beautifully,” he added.

The skipper also lavished praise on Morris, who was named man of the match after he took four for just 27 in the Super 10 Group One match.

“He bowled with great intensity,” the Proteas captain told reporters.

Opener Mohammad Shahzad top-scored for Afghanistan with 44 as the Afghans made a quick start to their run-chase but the gulf in class showed through and South Africa were easy winners.

The convincing victory saw the Proteas get their bid for a first international trophy back on track after an opening day loss to England.

West Indies sit top of Group One on four points with South Africa, Sri Lanka and England all on two.

The Proteas and the Windies play each other in Nagpur on Friday.

World T20 2016 Standings: Who Will Make it to The Quarter Finals

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Good Neighbours Ease Fears in Pakistan Polio Fight

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AFP

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Mar 21, 2016

In a rundown district of Karachi, Rabia balks at a neighbor’s proposal to vaccinate her children, demonstrating one of the biggest hurdles to eradicating polio in Pakistan by the end of the year: confused and frightened parents.

Rabia, perplexed and surrounded by children in her modest two-room home, voices fears the vaccine to the crippling disease may in fact cause infertility.

“She was afraid there might be some harmful elements in the vaccine,” says Sharmeen Aslam, neighborhood supervisor of a team of vaccinators.

“I told her there weren’t — and now, since I live here, she knows she can come and see me if there are any problems, so now she believes me.”

Each month, Aslam and her team divide a handful of dusty streets, each going alone to knock at door after ornate door armed with nothing but their anti-polio drops.

She is part of a community vaccination programme launched in Pakistan‘s biggest city two years ago to ease distrust and suspicion from parents by using staff from their local area.

Pakistan‘s anti-polio campaign has long been a dangerous task. One hundred people — both police and health workers — have been killed in attacks targeting polio vaccination campaigns since 2012, including three in Korangi in eastern Karachi in 2014, who were not part of the community programme.

The Muslim nation of some 200 million people is one of only two countries in the world where polio remains endemic — the other being war-torn Afghanistan, just over a porous border.

Some Taliban and ultra-conservative religious leaders spread rumors that the vaccine contains ingredients forbidden in Islam, such as pork derivatives, or that can cause infertility as part of a Western plot to reduce the population.

Vaccinators are accused of being paid spies, a widespread suspicion which only intensified after the CIA used a fake vaccination campaign to help track down former Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in northern Pakistan in 2011.

Everyone knows me

To dispel doubts, in 2014 the Sindh Emergency Operation Centre (EOC), spearheading the fight against polio in Karachi, began hiring local women to take the lead on vaccinations.

“Here, everybody knows me, I do not have to worry about my safety,” says vaccinator Shahnaz Ayaz.

She has worked in other neighbourhoods before, she says, but admits she was “a bit afraid”.

Ayaz marks each door with a chalk “R” if the inhabitants refuse vaccinations, and darkens the pinky fingernail of children who have been vaccinated with a black marker, a sign that the drops have been administered.

Some 2,500 neighbourhood vaccinators like Shahnaz are now working in the metropolis of 20 million.

In areas of Karachi covered by the community vaccination programme, staff are no longer accompanied by police escorts, with a discreet police presence now deemed sufficient.

Escorts are still necessary in neighbourhoods of Karachi with no community programmes and parts of other provinces, but a shortage of officers can often hamper progress.

Pakistan‘s goals are ambitious: authorities want to vaccinate 35 million children under the age of five, eradicating the crippling childhood disease by the end of 2016.

Authorities are now targeting the main geographical incubators of the disease, the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan and the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the northwest.

Karachi is a hub for migrants from these areas, posing a major risk to eradication hopes, polio officials say.

Vaccinators had previously found it almost impossible to penetrate the remote tribal areas, where Islamists had operated with impunity.

But a major Pakistani military operation against extremists there is giving authorities new leverage — such as refusing to allow families fleeing the fighting through checkpoints unless they allow their children to be vaccinated.

We need healthy children

These measures saw the number of new polio cases drop to 54 in 2015, down sharply from 306 new cases in 2014 — but the improvement did not prevent 18-month-old Mohammed from losing the use of his right foot before learning to walk.

In Baldia, the Karachi neighbourhood where he lives, vaccination has long been hampered by insecurity and distrust, but is now being targeted by the community programme.

“I dream of the day we have so much community support that children will be walked to the vaccination centre to the beat of the drum, as I heard it happens in Yemen,” sighed Shahnaz Wazir Ali, a provincial polio adviser.

More than 2,000 religious leaders have joined in the fight, such as Baldia cleric Mullah Umar Sadiq, who is trying to persuade the neighbours of little Mohammed to have their children vaccinated.

“Islam advocates a better society in which every child is raised with the best possible hygiene standards. We need healthy children,” he explains.

Authorities have also built more than 2,500 clinics in Karachi providing vaccines along with basic care in response to parents suspicious about the vast resources deployed against polio while their children have no access to health care or clean drinking water.

The strategies seem to be working: in Karachi, the number of refusals was slashed fourfold in 2015 to about 10,000.

But the gains are fragile. Six cases have been reported so far in Pakistan in 2016 — including one child who had already been vaccinated, fuelling parents’ mistrust of the drops.

World T20 2016 Standings: Who Will Make it to The Quarter Finals

By

AFP

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Mar 21, 2016

World Twenty20 standings after Sunday’s late match between West Indies and Sri Lanka (played, won, lost, tied, no result, points, run rate)

Super 10

Group 1

West Indies 2 2 0 0 0 4 +0.893

South Africa 2 1 1 0 0 2 +0.816

Sri Lanka 2 1 1 0 0 2 -0.171

England 2 1 1 0 0 2 -0.408

Afghanistan 2 0 2 0 0 0 -1.248

Group 2

New Zealand 2 2 0 0 0 4 +1.375

Pakistan 2 1 1 0 0 2 +0.999

India 2 1 1 0 0 2 -0.895

Australia 1 0 1 0 0 0 -0.400

Bangladesh 1 0 1 0 0 0 -2.750

Sindh Govt Announces Public Holiday On Holi, 24th March 2016

By

AFP

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Mar 21, 2016

Pakistan‘s southern Sindh province has announced a public holiday to celebrate Holi on 24th March, the first time the Hindu “festival of colours” will be officially marked in the overwhelmingly Muslim country.

The move comes days after Pakistan‘s federal parliament passed a non-binding resolution that called for the country to observe Hindu and Christian holidays.

“We have announced a public holiday across the province on March 24th for the festival of Holi,” Maula Bakhsh Chandio, a senior aide to the province’s chief minister Qaim Ali Shah told AFP.

A government circular that was tweeted by Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari, daughter of the ex-president Asif Ali Zardari, added that all government bodies except essential services would be off for the day.

Pakistan‘s Hindus make up around two percent of the country’s 200 million people and mostly live in southern Sindh province. Christians account for roughly 1.6 percent of the population.

Religious minorities have long faced economic and social discrimination though there are signs the government is now attempting to improve its track record.

The ancient Hindu festival of Holi, which heralds the end of winter and the victory of good over evil, is marked with a national public holiday in India and sees revellers pour onto the streets.

Celebrated mainly in India, Nepal and other countries with large Hindu populations, it falls on the last full moon of winter.

Pakistan Day 23 March 2016 Will Be A Public Holiday

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8 Best Foods For Healthy Eyes

By

AFP

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Mar 20, 2016

World Sight Day takes place this year on October 8, the perfect occasion to review your eye health. Read on for a selection of the most beneficial foods to counter eye disorders and help maintain excellent eyesight.

1. Fatty fish

Rich in omega-3, fatty fish like tuna, herring or sardine (steamed or grilled) nourish the cell membranes of nerve cells, including the retina and also prevent the onset of eye diseases linked to aging.

2. Clementines, oranges and mandarins

As with all citrus fruits, these three foods can be found almost year-round and are rich in vitamin C.

They contain antioxidants that protect the cornea and crystalline lens of the eye and help prevent cataracts, a disease caused by age that causes clouded vision, especially at night.

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3. Carrots

As with a number of other orange and yellow fruit, the carrot is full of beta-carotene, an antioxidant precursor of vitamin A and rich in pigments that protect the retina, especially against cataracts.

fresh carrots isolated on white background

It’s also important to note any vitamin deficiencies that could provoke decreased visual acuity. Carrots should be consumed cooked several times per week.

4. Blueberries

Renowned for improving night vision and tested for this by Royal Air Force pilots during World War II, blueberries contain vitamin C and anthocyanins, components that boost visual acuity and that can help alleviate eye fatigue.

5. Spinach

Rich in pigments, beta-carotene and vitamins, spinach is a super food for eye health as it protects against loss of visual acuity and UV rays.

It should be a staple of your kitchen ingredients and consumed several times per week either alone or with sides, in a salad or cooked to your liking.

6. Eggs

Thanks to its numerous antioxidants including vitamin A — essential for seeing in the dark — this food is renowned for its protective qualities. In particular, it helps protect against aging-related macular degeneration (AMD), a disease of the retina.

7. Broccoli

This green vegetable, as well as its entire family of cruciferous vegetables, are rich in pigments and antioxidants and contain a high level of vitamin C that protects the retina and the crystalline lens from UV rays as well as free radicals, harmful to vision.

These vegetables are to be consumed without moderation in gratin dishes, steamed or in tarts all year long.

8. Corn

A great source of lutein and zeaxanthin, essential pigments for eye health, this ingredient protects against AMD and can be eaten in salads, cooked or raw.

Consuming 5 to 6 g per day of these pigments is said to be one of the best ways to prevent cataracts.

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Imran Khan Exclusive Interview & Live Commentary For Pak vs India World T20

By

Hareem Zafar

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Mar 18, 2016

UPDATE: Imran Khan arrived in Kolkata on Saturday to view the much high-voltage Pakistan vs India World T20 face-off.

The PTI Chairman met the team in Kolkata at Taj Hotel and motivated the team to be absolutely “fearless.”

Imran Khan, the 1992 World Cup winner talked to the Pakistani team for 30 minutes as they all listened to his advice.

He assured the Pakistani players that they have got a real chance to make history here of not winning against India today.

“You all have to relax, don’t take any pressure and feel good out in the ground,” Imran said.

“All of you should step out in the ground with an aim of coming out victorious from this and whatever you think in your mind, happens actually if you work hard for it,” he said.

The legendary cricket player and the Chairman Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan, left for New Delhi from Lahore today. According to the recent reports, Imran will be visiting Eden Gardens to watch the much- awaited Pak-India World T20 2016 match on March 19th and run live commentary for 40 minutes at Sky Sports. The veteran cricketer also gave an exclusive interview to ABP News, an exclusive Indian News Channel, discussing the fate of the match.

https://twitter.com/HashmeNabeel/status/711142390166372352/photo/1

Imran himself lifted the winning trophy of ICC ODI Cricket World Cup in 1992; he left Lahore for New Delhi at 12 noon today, accompanied by Naeemul Haq and Aoun Chaudhary through PIA.

Rumours are that the player was offered a handsome amount of money for performing the live commentary on Sky Sports for Pak Vs India World T20 2016.

View the images of the Exclusive interview of Imran Khan on ABP News:

[fb_embed_post href=”https://www.facebook.com/ImranKhan.Official/posts/1347885425253874/” width=”550″/]

Reham Khan Visits India For ‘India Today Conclave’ 2016 Conference

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Indo-Pak Rivalry Bigger Than Ashes, Says Ashwin- World T20 2016

By

AFP

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Mar 18, 2016

Ravichandran Ashwin on Friday termed the India-Pakistan rivalry “bigger than the Ashes” ahead of the crucial weekend clash between the arch-rivals in World Twenty20 at Kolkata.

The two neighbours have gone to war on four occasions since independence and their now infrequent showdowns on the cricket pitch can bring both countries to a standstill.

Saturday’s match is only taking place as it is part of a tournament held by the International Cricket Council and had to be relocated after fears over security for the Pakistani team.

Ashwin, who is India’s lead bowler, said that the players would try not to get caught up in all the excitement but acknowledged that it was no ordinary match.

“This rivalry is huge, it’s very hard to put a finger and tell how huge it is. It’s probably bigger than the Ashes is,” said Ashwin in the pre-match press conference at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.

“As far as Indians and Pakistanis go, I don’t think they watch this as a game of cricket. It’s more of a border rivalry,” added the off spinner.

India Vs Pakistan World T20: Sunil Gavaskar Picks Pakistan As Favourite Team

“They put their emotions into the game. For the players it’s trying keeping their emotions aside and playing the game the best way we can.”

India, pre-tournament favourites before a shock loss against New Zealand in their opener on Tuesday, need to win their second group game to stay in the hunt for the semi-finals.

Ashwin though has no doubt in the team’s ability to bounce back and go on to become the first team to win the trophy twice.

“I think if ever there is an international team that can put that (the opening loss) behind, it is us,” said a confident Ashwin.

Pakistan vs India World T20 2016 Live Updates & Match Highlights

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6 Celebrities Who Endorsed Lawn In 2016

By

Maria Shafiq

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Mar 18, 2016

Come summer and the lawn craze is always at its peak. With more designers entering the lawn frenzy, it will be literally raining lawn all around us. However, most of the bigwigs in the fashion industry keep their lawn collections prominent by roping in popular celebrities from the media industry locally and also from across the border.

This year is no different! Most of the designers have roped in quite a few glamorous celebrities with massive fan bases to appeal to a broader female audience.

From Kareena Kapoor to Sunita Marshall, from Zainab Chottani to Sanam Saeed, all have been part of the lawn fiasco. Let’s see who has been signed on by the famous designer lawn brands.

1. Kareena Kapoor for Faraz Mannan

Kareena Kapoor Khan has been endorsing Faraz Mannan’s brand for quite some time now. She also appeared in billboards and print ads as the official brand ambassador for his Crescent Lawn Collection 2016 mostly showcasing pastel shades, intricate patterns and exclusive prints.

Kareena Kapoor Endorses Faraz Manans Crescent Lawn Collection 20141

2. Syra Shehroz for Alkaram Studio

When Alkaram launched the much-awaited television commercial announcing the Al Karam Spring Lawn Collection Vol. 1 featuring Syra Shehroz, donning goegous lawn designs, it almost took our breath away.

Join Saira Shahroz, the face of alkaram, to unveil the new Spring LAWN Vol. 1 Collection, 2016. Indulge in Premium Quality Luxurious Lawn & get a chance to WIN! How to Win: 1. Attend the Launch, 2. Take a selfie at the event, 3. Post it on your Facebook or Instagram profile with the hashtags #alkaramstudio 4. Take a seat & relax! We’ll announce 5 lucky winners on Monday! #staytuned #launchevent #alkaramlaunch #sairashahroz #sairoz #selfietime #bethere #alkaram #5winners #alkaramstudio

A post shared by alkaram studio (@alkaramstudio) on Feb 26, 2016 at 8:30am PST

Syra has also endorsed the Bashir Ahmad Limited Edition Lawn Collection back in 2013! She is also the brand ambassador for Zahra Shahjahan Lawn Collection 2016.

3. Armeena Rana Khan for Nishat Linen

Armeena Raana Khan, the uber-gorgeous face of the media industry was roped in by Nishat Linen for it’s winter collection previously with a scenic television commercial shot in Italy. She also modeled for the Nishat Linen summer collection 2016.

View the Nishat Linen Summer Collection 2016 TVC below:

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4. Aiza Khan for Zahra Ahmed

Television’s beautiful actress Aiza Khan has endorsed the Zahra Ahmad Lawn label, hitting the stores on 18th March, 201. Aiza looks absolutely stunning donning an array of some exquisite summery light hued prints and patterns.

#firstlook #zahraahmad #lawn #2016 #launching #18th #march #gorgeous #photo of #aiza by @iam3h #love the #ambiance and #feel of this #photograph #😍

A post shared by Zahra Ahmad (@zahraahmadofficial) on Mar 9, 2016 at 11:57am PST

5. Sanam Saeed for Farah Talib Aziz Lawn

Crimson Lawn Collection by Farah Talib Aziz has been endorsed by the beautiful and talented actress Sanam Saeed. She appears to be the perfect choice for the bold and vibrant colors with elaborate prints coming out very soon. The prints are further accentuated by Sanam Saeed reflecting the true personality of the brand, just accurately!

Love this shot of #SanamSaeed from the #Crimson #lawn by #FarahTalibAziz campaign 😍 #thisisgonnabegood #lawnfever #noonedoesitlikeFTA 💕 @farahtalibazizdh

A post shared by SecretCloset.pk (@secretclosetpk) on Mar 9, 2016 at 6:04am PST

6. Sunita Marshall for Orient Textiles

One of the leading ramp models and talented actresses of the Pakistani media industry, Sunita Marshall is representing the Spring Summer Collection for Orient Textiles with much poise and elegance! Orient Spring Summer Collection 2016 showcase some exuberant lawn designs in hues of summery pastels perfect to be donned in this season.

Its fashion, its comfortable its Orient. #shopatorient #shoponline #onlineshopping #springisintheair #springcollection #lawn #orientlawn #lawnfever #ss16 #volume1 #sunitamarshal #Brandambassador #musthaves #wardrobeessentials #fashion #shopnow

A post shared by Orient Textiles (@orienttextiles) on Mar 9, 2016 at 10:25pm PST

Which celebrity endorsement did you like the best? Let us know in the comments below!

Top 7 Designer Lawn Collections to Buy This Summer 2016

Stay tuned to Brandsynario for more updates.

Michael Kors Launches Wearable Tech Line

By

AFP

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Mar 18, 2016

Michael Kors has teamed up with Google to enter the wearable technology market. The US fashion house is set to introduce a new accessories line, beginning with the ‘Access Display’ smartwatches, using the Google Android Wear smartwatch platform.

Featuring technology compatible with both iPhone and Android phones, the watches include exclusive Michael Kors display faces, which change with a swipe, interchangeable leather and silicone wristbands and glamorous versions for women and sporty versions for men.

They send wearers social media updates and text and email alerts, as well as offering app notifications, built-in fitness tracking services and voice-activated Google.

The Michael Kors Access smartwatch will be available from Fall 2016, retailing from $395 USD.

Virtual Reality Girds For Test In Marketplace

Virtual Reality Girds For Test In Marketplace

By

AFP

-

Mar 18, 2016

A middle-aged white man sees himself as a young black woman being taunted by a racist. An Israeli grandmother glimpses herself as a Palestinian teen. A star athlete experiences what life would be like in a wheelchair.

These are not plots of dystopian movies. They are experiences that take place in virtual reality, which technologists believe will be the next major platform for everything from gaming to social interaction and perhaps even global diplomacy.

Marketers predict VR headsets will soon top wish lists for kids and young adults from the Silicon Valley to Hong Kong.

The computer-generated images beamed to devices strapped around a person’s head allow users to experience “presence” — the sense that they’re entering video games or movies, climbing a treacherous Vietnamese mountain or scuba diving at a coral reef.

A guest tests out Minecraft for VR Gear, while wearing Oculus goggles, during demonstration of the Minecraft for Gear VR

Potential benefits include hands-on teaching with a classroom of far-flung students or holding a business meeting whose global participants sense they’re rubbing elbows.

The upcoming rollout of the Oculus Rift — a $599 headset offering studio-quality VR to the general public — is expected to jump-start industry sales.

Sony meanwhile announced at this week’s Game Developers Conference in San Francisco it would launch its PlayStation VR headgear priced at $399 in October. Many others have VR equipment hitting the market.

Along with its cousin, augmented reality, VR is forecast as a huge market that could push aside smart phones and computer tablets.

From a California garage

VR has been a dream of futurists and tech geeks for decades. But until recently, devices were relegated to research labs because of their exorbitant cost, clunky construction and quality issues that included motion sickness.

At Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab, experiments were done until 2014 with a $40,000 device that gave users neck aches; now the lab uses a lightweight Rift at a fraction of the cost.

“I believe in virtual reality and I believed it could be amazing, but that was not a view that was shared by everyone,” Rift inventor Palmer Luckey said.

The Rift, created in 2011 by Luckey in his parents’ California garage when he was 18, uses images and sounds (smell and touch may come later) to convince users’ brains they are flying over a city or standing on a skyscraper.

At the San Francisco conference, users pivoted to shoot would-be attackers and flinched at imaginary flying objects.

“Vision is really important. You rely on it for a majority of your senses,” said Jason Rubin, who as head of worldwide studios oversees content development for Oculus.

“So if we can take over your eyes, we can get control of your belief system.”

Oculus, bought by Facebook in 2014 for $2 billion, is competing with companies such as Google, Samsung and Sony in creating VR devices, with analysts expecting sales of 12 million headsets by the end of this year.

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‘Bigger, more disruptive’

But Tim Merel, founder of technology advisory firm Digi-Capital, says VR will be eclipsed by augmented reality, or AR, within a few years.

VR is fully immersive, meaning a user can’t walk down a street wearing a headset. AR is partly immersive: a person can do everyday tasks while augmenting them with virtual images, using holograms (such as flying dinosaurs) superimposed on the user’s field of vision.

While Merel thinks VR will cannibalize video games and become a $30 billion market by 2020, he sees AR as taking over the smartphone and tablet market and accounting for $90 billion in annual sales in the same period.

Virtual Reality is Here to Stay, Smartphone Sales Slow Down

“Our broad view is that AR will be bigger, more disruptive and faster in terms of its effects than mobile was compared to the original Internet,” Merel said.

While most VR content now focuses on gaming, it has the potential to impact everything from architecture to military training to travel.

Developers envision its use in dealing with phobias and addiction, or in helping youngsters combat bullying. The United Nations is using a VR film to give people a sense of living in a Syrian refugee camp. The New York Times and others are using VR films for immersive news reports.

Jeremy Bailenson, a Stanford professor of communication who founded the lab, said school children might use VR for empathy training. But he acknowledged limits.

“Could this work in the Mideast conflict? I don’t know,” he said. “It’s not a magic bullet or anything.”

There also are potential risks, such as overuse or people discovering they’re more comfortable in a virtual world.

“When porn feels like sex, how does that affect reproduction rates?” Bailenson asked.

The Rift, about the size of a brick but considerably lighter, will be shipped March 28 to customers who pre-ordered it. Oculus is not yet saying when the device will be available in stores. Many users will need a new computer to run the Rift, potentially tripling the $599 price.

Luckey, who attended the developers conference in a Hawaiian shirt, shorts and flip-flops, acknowledged the Rift is still too expensive and limited in its capabilities, but that with improvements “it is going to go well beyond being a toy.”

“I think it’s going to be the next smartphone and the last smartphone. Once you perfect virtual reality, there’s no reason to create anything else,” he said. “I see people continuously moving between the real world and the virtual world.”

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Ali Zafar’s First Selfie Interview

By

Farhat Kapadia Mehboob

-

Mar 18, 2016

Ali Zafar talks bikes, movies, six packs and future projects behind the scenes

We were lucky to catch up with Ali in Karachi on the shoot of his latest TVC commercial for Yamaha. Being the creative and charismatic person he is, Ali conducted this selfie interview, which turned out to be a whole lot of fun for all of us !

From singer to actor and multiple other talents in between, Ali Zafar is the quintessential rock star ! The multi faceted celebrity is also a song writer, painter, music producer, poet and philanthropist.

He was recently in Dubai performing at the Global Education skills gala which celebrated the movement “ Girl Rising “. Here is Ali taking a selfie with celebrities from Hollywood and Bollywood including Matthew McConaughey, Salma Hayek, Pareneeti Chopra, Abhishek Bachchan and Akshay Kumar!

[fb_embed_post href=”https://www.facebook.com/aly.zafar/photos/a.10152416962194119.1073741837.35752024118/10154564608484119//” width=”550″/]

For a great cause! #teachersmatter @teacherprize @salmahayek @akshaykumar @sterlingmedia @parineetichopra @bachchan

A photo posted by Camila Alves (@iamcamilaalves) on Mar 13, 2016 at 7:50am PDT

Lots of hard work at the gym for looking like this !

Watch out!!

A photo posted by Ali Zafar (@ali_zafar) on Feb 3, 2016 at 9:56am PST

Ali Zafar will also be seen in his first Pakistani movie later this year – Stay tuned for details.

TOIFA Awards 2016: SRK, Salman, Kareena, Ranveer Prepare For The Big Night!

By

Sumaira Shiraz Alwani

-

Mar 18, 2016

The grand celebration ‘Times of India Film Awards’ (TOIFA 2016) is rolling out on ThuFriday. The award ceremony will begin on March 18 at the Dubai International Stadium, Dubai Sports City.

We can’t expect the grand TOIFA Awards to take place without the celebrity quotient! Celebs including Ranveer Singh, SRK, Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Varun Dawan and many others will be seen on the stage with their hot and splendid performances.

Ranveer Singh will be seen paying a tribute to the legendary star Amitabh Bachchan on the stage, whereas Kareena Kapoor will pay a tribute to all Bollywood divas with her performance.

Salman Khan will perform on different Bollywood featured songs to pay a tribute to several heroes.

The show will be hosted by the all-time favorite stars Parineeti Chopra and Ritesh Deshmukh.

According to Sameer Soni, director international business, The Times of India Group, “It is going to be the biggest Bollywood event ever hosted in the Gulf region with performances and presence of some of the biggest Bollywood celebrities on one stage,”

Meanwhile, the event will also exhibit Mumbai-based designers Riyaz and Reshma Gangji’s collection, with actors Sooraj Pancholi and Zarine Khan as showstoppers.

The TOIFA Awards 2016 will be aired on Sony Entertainment Channel at a later date for the people who won’t be able to catch the live action of Thurday and Friday night.

Check out the excitement of celebrities who posted their photos on Instagram and Twitter while leaving for Dubai to attend TOIFA Awards 2016, as well as practicing for the event on the set of TOIFA Awards

Gearing up for @TOIFADubai! @Varun_dvn with @Shiamakofficial's instructors @SHAPRASEXY777 & Aashni pic.twitter.com/lUWMgTkDFn

— SHIAMAK INDIA (@shiamakindia) March 16, 2016

Shah Rukh Khan & Salman Khan Spotted Together During #TOIFA2016 Rehearsals in Dubai.#TOIFA #SRK pic.twitter.com/fNQyI9S8Uf

— • TEAM SRK • (@TSRK_FC) March 18, 2016

[EXCLUSIVE PIC] Varun Dhawan with Shiamak Davar Dance company for Toifa rehearsals. @Varun_dvn pic.twitter.com/AY7LOvpXUD

— Varun Dhawan Army (@VarunDvnArmy) March 11, 2016

Hot! Kareena rehearsing for her performance for #TOIFAinDubai with an instructor! pic.twitter.com/8jH7JPCklV

— Kareena Kapoor Khan (@KareenaK_FC) March 17, 2016

@soorajpancholi9 with @YoYoHoneySingh 😍 #TOIFAinDubai pic.twitter.com/2RjCje3myr

— Alia Love Sooraj (@AliaLoveSooraj) March 17, 2016

And @TOIFADubai starts NOW!!! pic.twitter.com/7RTZ6Nan6M

— Shiamak Davar (@Shiamakofficial) March 16, 2016

Sister love👭#worktrip#sisterloving#workinggirls#dubai#toifaawards

A post shared by KK (@therealkarismakapoor) on Mar 17, 2016 at 1:47am PDT

TOIFA Magic begins – styled by @Atmensbespoke #AnashaThakkar

A post shared by Riteish Deshmukh (@riteishd) on Mar 17, 2016 at 10:56am PDT

Actress @genelia in #Dubai for #TOIFA. Watch this space for more! pic.twitter.com/EH1Gj90i98

— TOI Photogallery (@TOIPhotogallery) March 16, 2016

India Vs Pakistan World T20: Sunil Gavaskar Picks Pakistan As Favourite Team

By

Hareem Zafar

-

Mar 18, 2016

Sunil Gavaskar, a veteran former Indian cricketer, has chosen Pakistan as the favourite team against India in the much-awaited match of the World T20 2016 to be held at Eden Gardens Kolkata on Saturday, 19^th March.

India, the overpowering favorites to win the T20 title at the start of the grand event, faced defeat at the hands of New Zealand in the opener; on the other hand, Pakistan thrashed Bangladesh in their opener.

“After the loss to New Zealand, India will be under far more pressure against Pakistan. I feel Pakistan start as favorites for the game on Saturday,” says Sunil Gavaskar said while speaking to NDTV.

Sunil Gavaskar predicts that the much-hyped clash between the champions will be all about Pakistan’s bowling vs Indian batting.

ICC T20 World Cup 2016: Schedule & Match Fixtures

“It is still pretty much Indian batting versus Pakistan bowling. However, with the way Indian bowlers have performed recently, they also won’t be easy to tackle either. Ashwin (Ravichandran) is bowling well and so is Nehra (Ashish), ever since he has made a comeback. Then you have Jasprit Bumrah. So it will be a test for Pakistani batsman”

“Having said that, it only takes an over and a half to turn the game around in T20,” said the former India captain.

Left-arm, fast pacer Mohammad Amir gave Indi a difficult time in the Asia Cup 2016; Gavaskar truly hopes that the Indian batsmen have finally learnt and planned how to face Amir early on.

“Hopefully Rohit (Sharma) and others know that unlike many other left arm pacers, Amir has the ability to swing the ball back. Rohit and Rahane were found wanting against him in Asia Cup. So they have to careful for the first couple of overs and once you are set, there is always an opportunity to score,” Gavaskar added.

India has never lost a world event to Pakistan while Pakistan did not lose a match to the rivals at the landmark, Eden Gardens.

World T20 2016: Love Not War As India, Pakistan Resume Rivalry

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Pakistan vs India World T20 2016 Live Updates & Match Highlights

By

AFP

-

Mar 18, 2016

UPDATE: India beat Pakistan by six wickets in World T20. A half century from Virat Kohli helped India beat Pakistan by six wickets on Saturday at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens in cricket‘s World Twenty20 tournament.

Kohli hit an unbeaten 55 as India comfortably chased down Pakistan’s total of 118 for five, reaching their target with 13 balls remaining in a match reduced to 18 overs per side because of rain.

Ahmed Shehzad and Shoaib Malik played crucial cameos to guide Pakistan to 118 for five against India in a World Twenty20 showdown Saturday which was reduced to 18 overs a side by rain.

Put in to bat on a moisture-laden Eden Gardens pitch that saw heavy rains through the day, Pakistan openers Sharjeel Khan (17) and Ahmed Shehzad (25) played cautiously at first and then lost their wickets as they tried to accelerate.

Indian spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Suresh Raina looked dangerous in their opening spells on a track that provided turn and bounce, but the Pakistan batsmen did well to show patience.

Fresh from his match-winning exploits against Bangladesh, skipper Shahid Afridi (8) promoted himself to number three but the boom was missing from his shots this time around.

The hard-hitting batsman could only find a single boundary in his scratchy 14-ball stay as he walked back amid loud cheers from the capacity crowd.

Umar Akmal and Shoaib Malik then stitched together a crucial 41-run stand that helped Pakistan put up what seems a respectable score on board on a tricky wicket.

Akmal (22), whose 16-ball knock was studded with a boundary and a six, was caught behind off Ravindra Jadeja’s left-arm spin.

Top-scorer Malik (26), who hit three boundaries and a six in his 26-run innings, soon joined Akmal in the dug-out after trying to force Ashish Nehra’s pace.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed and Mohammad Hafeez finished off the innings as Pakistan got seven off the last over, but with the pitch playing tricks it still remained anybody’s game.

Scoreboard of the World Twenty20 match between India and Pakistan at the Eden Gardens stadium in Kolkata on Saturday:

Pakistan

Sharjeel Khan c Pandya b Raina 17

Ahmed Shehzad c Jadeja b Bumrah 25

Shahid Afridi c Kohli b Pandya 8

Umar Akmal c Dhoni b Jadeja 22

Shoaib Malik c Ashwin b Nehra 26

Sarfraz Ahmed not out 8

Mohammad Hafeez not out 5

Extras (b2, 3lb, w1, 1nb) 7

Total (5 wickets, 18 overs) 118

Did not bat: Mohammad Sami, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Irfan

Fall of wickets: 1-38 (Khan), 2-46 (Shehzad), 3-60 (Afridi), 4-101 (Akmal), 5-105 (Malik)

Bowling: Nehra 4-0-20-1, Ashwin 3-0-12-0, Bumrah 4-0-32-1, Jadeja 4-0-20-1, Raina 1-0-4-1, Pandya 2-0-25-1

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ashish Nehra, Jasprit Bumrah.

Toss: India

Umpires: Ian Gould (ENG) and Richard Kettleborough (ENG)

TV umpire: Bruce Oxenford (AUS)

Reserve umpire: Joel Wilson (WIS)

Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)

India’s captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to bowl first in Saturday’s World Twenty20 showdown against Pakistan which was reduced to 18 overs a side by rain.

The match at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens had been due to start at 7:30pm (1400 GMT) but was delayed for an hour after rain fell through much of the afternoon before relenting at sundown.

India choose the same starting line-up that lost their opening match in the tournament on Tuesday to New Zealand.

Pakistan left out spinning allrounder Imad Wasim from the team that won their opener against Bangladesh and called up fast bowler Mohammad Sami as a replacement.

Red-hot favourites India were stunned by an unfancied New Zealand on Tuesday when they were shot out for 79 in Nagpur — their lowest score on home turf in T20 internationals.

But India’s limited-overs skipper has full faith in his side that came into the tournament on the back of 10 wins in 11 T20 matches, including the victory in the Asia Cup.

View the match updates below:

#IndvsPak Tweets

“What’s important is how to turn around and how to come back strong and I think this team has done this plenty of times,” Dhoni said after the New Zealand loss.

After their stumbles in Nagpur, India’s frontline batsmen Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli will have to find their feet against a hostile Pakistan pace attack which includes the in-form Mohammad Amir.

The Pakistani paceman, on the comeback trail after serving a prison sentence and a five-year ban for spot-fixing, ended with impressive figures of 2-27 in his team’s victorious opener against Bangladesh.

Although India registered a commanding victory over Pakistan in last month’s Asia Cup, their batsmen were far from comfortable against Amir, with Kohli congratulating him for “an amazing” spell of bowling.

World T20 2016: Love Not War As India, Pakistan Resume Rivalry

While the pitch in Nagpur turned dramatically, Eden Gardens is seen as offering more bounce and Dhoni could well be tempted to play a fit-again Mohammed Shami on what is be the speedster’s home ground.

Pakistan had come into the tournament in woeful form and their preparations were not helped by a row over security which led to the match being switched from Dharamsala to Kolkata.

But their trouncing of Bangladesh has banished the gloom, with skipper Shahid Afridi leading from the front by spanking a 19-ball 49 and then bagging two key wickets in the 55-run win.

Afridi said the result was a “morale booster” ahead of the clash between the South Asian titans who are both former World T20 champions.

But he downplayed the significance of India’s opening match upset.

“They have been playing good cricket though they lost their last game,” said Afridi.

Pakistan vs India World T20 2016 Timings, Schedule & Venue

India vs Pakistan schedule: Venue: Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Date: Saturday, March 19th.

Time: 7.30 p.m. IST (7 p.m. PKT, 2 p.m. GMT, 9 a.m. ET).

Teams

India (from): Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami, Pawan Negi, Ashish Nehra, Hardik Pandya, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh

Pakistan (from): Shahid Afridi (captain), Anwar Ali, Imad Wasim, Khalid Latif, Khurram Manzoor, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Sami, Sarfraz Ahmed, Shoaib Malik, Sharjeel Khan, Umar Akmal, Wahab Riaz.

ICC T20 World Cup 2016: Schedule & Match Fixtures

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X-Men Apocalypse New Trailer Revealed

By

AFP

-

Mar 18, 2016

A new trailer for “X-Men: Apocalypse” reveals more of the tensions between Magneto and Professor Xavier, plus extra insight into world-ender Apocalypse and the efforts required to stop him.

Not only is he presented as the first superpowered mutant human to have existed, but Apocalypse is also among the most powerful of all time, and now poses a serious threat to both Professor X and his school for unusually gifted youths but also to the world at large.

Oscar Isaac stars as the increasingly strangely-voiced Apocalypse, with James McAvoy (Professor X) and Jennifer Lawrence (Raven) leading a resistance against him and his quartet of enforcers; both claim a parenthood of sorts over the earth’s growing band of mutants.

An international release the week of May 19 beckons for “X-Men: Apocalypse” in many international territories, including much of central and western Europe, South America, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Singapore.

A May 27 release has been set for the USA and Canada to coincide with the US Memorial Day weekend.

Watch the trailer:

Earth Hour to Be Held on 19th March 2016

By

Sumaira Shiraz Alwani

-

Mar 18, 2016

The world’s biggest environmental event ‘Earth Hour’ is taking place this Saturday. On this day, hundreds and millions of people from around the world will switch off their lights at 8:30 pm for one hour, whereas hundreds of other people from different countries, will arrange fundraising.

UK will be celebrating a candle light dinner event on March 19 to mark this event. People in the UK will also arrange vital fundraising for WWF global conversation work.

Earth Hour is the most recognizable event of the year organized by WWF. This year, Earth Hour will be marked between 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm on the 19th of March, 2016 in which people from 170 countries around the world will show their participation and respect for it.

The main purpose of this day is to make people learn that how much energy we could save by switching off lights for an hour.

Hamza Ali & Ayesha Omer Together for Earth Hour 2015

The event that took place last year was marked by 10,400 landmarks and monuments including the Empire State Building, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai and Hong Kong’s iconic skyline.

WWF, on the other hand, has requested people to be a part of this event in order to bring a positive change in the world. “This Earth Hour, switch off your lights and celebrate with us on 19th March at 8.30 pm to show you care about our brilliant planet,” they noted.

Happy Birthday Twitter! Memorable Events In The Decade

By

AFP

-

Mar 18, 2016

Over its 10-year history, Twitter has marked numerous world events and created its own unique moments.

Here are a few key milestones in Twitter history:

March 2006: Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey (@jack) sent the first tweet, an automated message saying “just setting up my twttr.” That same day, he sent the first live tweet, “inviting coworkers.”

April 2008: US university student James Buck (@jamesbuck) got off a one-word tweet “Arrested” after being taken into custody by Egyptian authorities at an anti-government protest in that country. In what is seen as an early demonstration of the power of Twitter to rally people to a cause, the resulting outcry prompted authorities to quickly restore his liberty. He proclaimed his release in a tweet reading “Free.”

January 2009: “There’s a plane in the Hudson. I’m on the ferry going to pick up the people. Crazy.” Latvian-American Janis Kums (@jkrums) delivers news of a US Airways jet that crash-landed on the Hudson River in New York, breaking the story ahead of mainstream media outlets.

May 2009: The first tweet from space from astronaut Mike Massimino (@astro_mike): “From orbit: Launch was awesome!! I am feeling great, working hard, & enjoying the magnificent views, the adventure of a lifetime has begun!”

2011: The #ArabSpring hashtag takes hold on Twitter, underscoring the importance of the messaging platform in pro-democracy uprisings starting in Tunisia.

May 2011: “Helicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1AM (is a rare event).” IT consultant Sohaib Athar (@ReallyVirtual) unknowingly tweets about US Navy Seals raiding a nearby home in Pakistan where Osama bin Laden was hiding. Bin Laden was killed during the operation.

November 2012: President Barack Obama (@BarackObama) tweets “Four more years” to proclaim his re-election victory along with a picture of him and his wife, Michelle, hugging. The post was the most shared tweet at that time.

December 2012: Pope Benedict XVI launched the first papal Twitter account (@pontifex), which was continued by his successor, Pope Francis. The first message was “Dear friends, I am pleased to get in touch with you throughTwitter. Thank you for your generous response. I bless all of you from my heart.”

March 2014: A picture tweeted live from the Oscars ceremony by Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) with Jennifer Lawrence, Brad Pitt and taken by Bradley Cooper is retweeted more than three million times, a record: “If only Bradley’s arm was longer. Best photo ever. #oscars”

June 2014: The Central Intelligence Agency (@cia) shows a sense of humor: “We can neither confirm nor deny that this is our first tweet.”

June 2015: Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) makes her new transgender identity public: “I’m so happy after such a long struggle to be living my true self. Welcome to the world Caitlyn. Can’t wait for you to get to know her/me.” The message is retweeted more than 250,000 times.

Twitter Turns 10: Powerful But Struggling for Profitability

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Telenor Acquires Tameer Microfinance Bank

By

Web Desk

-

Mar 18, 2016

Telenor Group has acquired Tameer Microfinance Bank by announcing 100% ownership of the bank. Tameer Microfinance Bank Ltd. and Telenor Group have finalized a transaction where Telenor has acquired the leftover 49% of Tameer Microfinance Bank Limited’s shares (now referred to as Tameer), making Tameer Bank a wholly owned entity in the Telenor Group.

This transaction is the recognition of Tameer’s strong performance and leadership in the Microfinance industry as well as Telenor Group’s continued strategic investment within Financial Services.

“With the visionary collaboration between Tameer and Telenor, Easypaisa has become a global example of innovation in bringing financial inclusion through mobile. We acknowledge this acquisition as a testament of our growth in Pakistan and the reward affiliated to it – empower the societies,” said Tine Wollebekk, Head of Financial Services, Telenor Group.

“This acquisition gives us an even stronger platform to provide wide scale financial services to the unbanked population in the country. It also strengthens our leadership position in digitizing financial services in Pakistan,” she adds.

Following Telenor Group’s 100% acquisition of Tameer Microfinance Bank, Telenor Pakistan will, with immediate effect, transfer the management of Easypaisa to Tameer.

As part of this transaction Nadeem Hussain, Founder of Tameer Bank will relinquish his position as President and Chief Executive Officer. In recognition of Nadeem Hussain’s deep knowledge of Microfinance Industry, Telenor Group will appoint Hussain as a member of the Board of Tameer.

The board of Directors of Tameer has voted to appoint Ali Chaudhry as the President and Chief Executive Officer, replacing Nadeem Hussain. These senior level changes are subject to approval from State Bank of Pakistan and will be effective from the date of such approvals.

“Tameer has fundamentally changed the face of Financial Inclusion in Pakistan. This team has built an effective model that will serve as a global benchmark for years to come. I have immense pride in what we have been able to achieve so far, and am confident that Tameer will continue to grow successfully,” said Nadeem Hussain.

“Transitions like these are always a moment of mixed emotions. Naturally I am a little sad to leave Tameer as it represents a long labor of love and a decade of innovation, but I am more excited as it moves on to the next step in its evolution.”

Michael Foley, Chairman Board of Directors Tameer Microfinance Bank and CEO Telenor Pakistan said, “Tameer’s team is making a lasting contribution to the fabric of the nation and millions of Pakistani’s owe their access to financial services and the empowerment that comes with it to the service of Tameer and Easypaisa”.

He further added, “We are very excited to welcome all of Tameer Bank as part of the Telenor family and expect that the Tameer team will bring its own brand of entrepreneurship to the wider”.

Telenor Pakistan Heart Touching ‘3G Network’ TVC

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Twitter Turns 10: Powerful But Struggling for Profitability

By

AFP

-

Mar 18, 2016

As Twitter marks its 10th birthday Monday, it is somewhat of an awkward child — having become a powerful communication tool but still struggling to win users and reach profitability.

Since making a star-quality entrance a decade ago, Twitter has become a must-have tool for journalists, activists and celebrities but has struggled to show it can expand beyond its devoted “twitterati” to become a mainstream hit.

While Internet lovers might have trouble envisioning life without Twitter, the San Francisco-based company has seen its stock tank, a chief executive leave, and its staff cut.

Twitter’s woes include a slump in its stock price to all-time lows this year — down nearly half from its 2013 stock market debut — and ongoing losses, even as its revenue grows.

Twitter’s base of monthly active users remained stuck at 320 million at the end of 2015. While that is a big accomplishment, Twitter has failed to keep pace with fast-growing rivals and to expand beyond its base.

Twitter Might Introduce 10,000 Character Limit For Tweets

The troubles have forced Twitter to bring back co-founder Jack Dorsey as chief executive, but that has not stemmed rumors about a possible buyout or merger.

“It’s not dead yet,” independent analyst Rob Enderle of the Enderle Group said of Twitter.

“Watching all the metrics, you see they are not getting a lot worse but they don’t seem to be getting better either.”

Some analysts believe Twitter’s true value is being demonstrated in the US presidential race, especially by the Republican frontrunner, Donald Trump.

“Eight weeks ago I would have said the days of Twitter are over; I don’t say that anymore,” Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry told AFP.

Twitter has ‘legs’

The analyst said Trump has shown how potent Twitter can be for those who embrace it.

“I think that probably the worst for Twitter is over,” Chowdhry said. “This platform has legs.”

Chowdhry said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also used Twitter effectively to win his campaign and Tesla founder Elon Musk has been shaking up the auto sector with the help of the messaging platform.

Twitter and other social media have been important tools in movements such as the Arab Spring, and in protests in Turkey, where the government has sought to ban it.

Top 2015 Twitter Trends, Users & Tweets: Watch Video

An advantage of Twitter is that it lets users “amplify” messages with tweets that echo on the Internet, and assess public sentiment in real-time by getting quick feedback.

Trump has boosted the number of his followers to nearly seven million, and has managed to beat rivals with a campaign largely based around Twitter.

“I am pretty sure most of his followers are not on Twitter, but they know what he is saying on Twitter,” analyst Omar Akhtar of the technology research firm Altimeter Group, said of Trump.

“The Twitter effect cannot be ignored. Twitter has a life beyond its platform, the trouble is it doesn’t know how to monetize that part.”

The research firm eMarketer lowered its revenue estimates for Twitter this month, saying its “monetization” efforts — the selling of advertising or “promoted tweets” for those who use the platform without logging in — are falling short.

“Events like the US election and Summer Olympics this year may prove pivotal to the success of this strategy,” said eMarketer’s Martin Utreras.

Change brings risk

Twitter bears the weight of being measured against Internet titans such as Facebook, which is only a few years older but has eclipsed the billion-user mark.

Flight VC partner Lou Kerner, whose investor group watches emerging companies, said Twitter has done “an amazing job” creating a new communication medium but appears to have leveled off instead of becoming ubiquitous.

“Like any other company, Twitter is judged on growth,” Kerner said. “They have stagnated.”

Even more troubling, Kerner noted, is that engagement at Twitter has been ebbing in an indication that “people have tired of it.” While Facebook has evolved with new features, Twitter has changed little since it began, according to Kerner.

“In order to reignite engagement, they would have to make profound changes to what they do,” he said. “The problem is, you can’t make a make a massive change without a massive risk.”

Top 10 ‘Most Followed’ Pakistani Politicians on Twitter

Some say Twitter has become a victim of its own success — it has become so cluttered with information that it becomes hard to navigate.

“Twitter is still incredibly relevant when it comes to major cultural events, major news events, the kinds of things people are discussing around the world,” said Debra Aho Williamson of eMarketer.

“But anyone who follows just a couple of hundred people can easily be overwhelmed by the amount of information. It becomes work rather than fun.”

Dorsey currently is managing two firms, Twitter and mobile payments startup Square — both multi-billion dollar companies struggling to achieve profitability.

Dorsey said Twitter priorities for this year include making it more intuitive to use; live-streaming video, and making it safer for people to freely express themselves on the platform.

Twitter recently revamped its timeline, allowing the “best” tweets to rise to the top, despite warnings of a revolt from members loyal to the real-time flow of the messaging platform. “If you look at the 10 years as a whole, you will see that Twitter really has revolutionized the way we communicate,” Akhtar said.

“To me, it is a utility like electricity or the phone — it is really part of everyday life.”

World T20 2016: Sri Lanka Beat Afghanistan By 6 Wickets

By

AFP

-

Mar 18, 2016

Opener Tillakaratne Dilshan said he was desperate to score some big runs after steering holders Sri Lanka to a six-wicket win over a spirited Afghanistan in the World Twenty20 on Thursday.

The big-hitting Dilshan kept his nerves under pressure and carried his bat through for an unbeaten 83 off just 56 balls, his 13th half-century in the shortest format of the game.

His effort helped the islanders surpass Afghanistan’s 153-7 with seven balls to spare at the Eden Gardens stadium in Kolkata.

“In my last two games I had two ducks. I needed runs going into the big games. I’m really happy that I finished the game,” Dilshan, 39, said after being named man-of-the-match.

“In these kinds of tournaments, the first match is very important. Senior guys need to stand up and do it for the team (so that) the middle order can bat around us.”

Afghanistan, the only non-Test team left in the fray, paid the price for some sloppy fielding after an impressive effort with the bat that saw skipper Asghar Stanikzai make a fine 47-ball 62.

Dilshan gave Sri Lanka a flying start, smacking fast bowler Dawlat Zadran for two sixes on the trot, including one that came off his famous ‘Dilscoop’ shot which typically sails over the wicketkeeper’s head.

Off-spinner Mohammad Nabi briefly put the brakes on Sri Lanka by dismissing opener Dinesh Chandimal for 18, before 17-year-old leg-spinner Rashid Khan accounted for Lahiru Thirimanne (six).

Wicket-keeper Mohammad Shahzad then sent back Thisara Perera with a direct throw at the stumps as Sri Lanka slipped to 85-3, but Dilshan kept his cool to ensure a smooth finish for his side in the end.

“Our total was good, not bad. We were 10-15 runs short. But Dilshan played really well, he took responsibility and batted well,” Stanikzai said.

“Our fielding wasn’t good, we missed some chances. We’ll try to improve in the next games.”

Mathews relieved

Earlier, Stanikzai led his side by example while Samiullah Shenwari chipped in with a handy 31 to help Afghanistan recover from a shaky 51-4.

Paceman Thisara Perera picked up 3-33 in an otherwise disappointing show by the Sri Lankan bowlers who let the Afghans off the hook after a promising start.

New Sri Lankan T20 captain Angelo Mathews gave the islanders the key breakthrough by having in-form opener Shahzad caught at mid-on for eight.

Shahzad, who came into the match with a top-score of 61 in the qualifiers, lobbed an easy catch to Dushmantha Chameera as he tried to pull to the legside.

Shahzad’s opening partner Noor Ali Zadran smacked paceman Nuwan Kulasekara for two boundaries in a row before being bowled by Rangana Herath (2-24) for a 23-ball 20.

Afghanistan suffered another blow soon after when Karim Sadiq (zero) nicked one behind off Perera, but Stanikzai steadied the innings with his quickfire knock, his best in Twenty20 internationals.

Stanikzai seemed to clear the ropes easily, twice lofting spinner Milinda Siriwardana into the stands, much to the delight of a small but noisy group of Afghan fans.

The skipper’s counter-attack came to an end when he was caught by wicketkeeper Chandimal off Perera in the 19th over.

Mathews was relieved his team managed to put behind the recent disappointments and start off their campaign with a win.

“It was a much-needed victory for us because we haven’t played well in the recent past,” he said.

“Credit should go to the Afghanistan batters as well because they really put us under pressure.”

ICC T20 World Cup 2016: Schedule & Match Fixtures

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