The London Fashion Week held under the banner of the Fashion Scouts has chosen Pakistani Fashion designer, Zaheer Abbas to make his debut.
He explained about how it all happened,“I was approached by British Council Pakistan for this program called Fashion DNA which included mentorship program from four leading experts from UK, Toby Meadows (International fashion consultant), Rebekah Roy (stylist), Malcolm Newberry (Sales consultant), Ruby Howett (Lecturer in Design).”
Abbas has a very unique notion about the collection based on a certain theme called ‘Rapere’. He elaborated more about it,“I am presenting a print based collection under “Printology” titled “Rapere”, which is a Latin word for raptors meaning birds who feed on other small birds in the wild.”
Abbas informed us about the collection based on ready to wear silks mixed up with cotton Karandi. “This showcase is for AW16, which is a ready to wear collection in luxurious silks mixed with solid shades of greens and browns on our Pakistani cotton based fabric Karandi,” said Abbas.
Abbas is looking forward to be a part of the London Fashion Week and won’t be giving major focus to the reception to his debut collection. He further said, “I am excited to be showcasing here but at the same time I am not thinking too much about the response.”
Abbas also shared the key takeaways from his mentorship program from providing guidance to assisting him with them every step of the way.
“Thanks to Toby Meadows who took me to an extensive market survey and arranged meetings with buyers and sales consultants, this research really helped in getting every possible step clear, from placement of product to price point, my direct competitors in market and the value of brand in every store,” commented Abbas.
Affirming the joy over the news, HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) Chairman, Najam Sethi noted on Twitter that all 25,000 seats for the February 23rd PSL finals in Dubai have been sold out.
According to the reports, Quetta Gladiators through previous performances has already secured its place in the finals, while Islamabad United sweeped the match with Peshawar Zalmi last night and qualified for the finals.
I am pleased to announce that it is HOUSE FULL FOR PSL FINAL ON 23rd Feb. All tickets sold out. Allah be praised!
Earlier, Najam also invited Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chief Imran Khan to attend the PSL finals, yet their attendance is still unconfirmed.
There are 69 local and 29 foreign cricket stars, the 24-match league featured five- teams in total and started off on February 4 in the United Arab Emirates.
All the teams participating in the PSL are being sponsored by their respective companies. The teams are:
Karachi Kings (ARY Media Group) – sold for a total of $93 million
Lahore Qalandars (Qatar Oil)
Islamabad United (UAE Capital Venture)
Peshawar Zalmi (Haier)
Quetta Gladiators (Omar Associates)
According to the reports, all the top-tier players of the teams are worth $200,000 salary, whereas mid-tier players are also given handsome pays for their talent.
The winning side team will be taking home $1 million home, along with the winning champions of the PSL 2016. PSL is surely bringing in a thrilling sensation.
Which team do you think will be winning the finals on the 23rd? Give your feedback in the comment section below:
The Lucknow District Administration rejected the letter of permission for Atif Aslam’s concert that was supposed to be held in Lucknow on Sunday.
According to the Times of India, the district administration did not grant permission to carry out the already scheduled program. Meanwhile, Somnath Adhikari, the organizer of the event disclosed that the concert was a medium of promoting Indo-Pak friendship.
On the other hand, Nishi Srivastav, the additional district magistrate said that the police report filed against the action claimed that another program on de-addiction was to be held at the same venue.
“More than 30,000 persons would be attending the de-addiction programme,” said the police report.
Somanath, while commenting on the news noted, “Once the de-addiction program is over, he would again seek permission from the Lucknow district administration to host the program.”
South Korean tech giants Samsung Electronics and LG unveiled Sunday new smartphones with better cameras and turned to virtual reality to boost interest in their headsets at a time of slowing sales.
Samsung launched two versions of its flagship phone, the flat screen Galaxy S7 and the curved screen Galaxy S7 edge, with cameras that can take better pictures under low-light conditions.
The company, the world’s number one smartphone maker, also debuted its first 360 degree camera, the Gear 360, in Barcelona where the mobile industry is gathered for the start of the Mobile World Congress on Monday, in its latest attempt to remain ahead of Apple.
The camera is designed to make it easy to take all-around photos and videos that can be uploaded to Facebook and YouTube, or viewed as immersive experiences on Samsung‘s virtual reality Gear VR headsets which went on sale in November.
“User generated 360 degree photos and films are going to see rapid growth in 2016. Numerous 360 degree cameras are being launched and users will want to get access to this content,” said Ben Wood, chief of research at CCS Insight.
“Although it can be viewed on a standard smartphone or PC screen, the most impactful way of looking at this content is with a VR headset -– this is undoubtedly going to drive sales of these products.”
Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg made a surprise appearance at theSamsung press conference to announce a partnership with the South Korean firm to promote the use of virtual reality on the social network.
“We want to make Facebook the best video platform for virtual reality and Samsung is the only company in the world that can provide a good experience in terms of virtual reality,” he said.
Rival South Korean tech firm LG sought to steal Samsung‘s thunder by unveiling its new premium handset, the G5, its first modular smartphone which is made using different components that can be independently upgraded or replaced such as a removable battery.
The G5 comes with several accessories such as a sound system developed by Danish firm Bang & Olufsen and a virtual reality headset which will allow it to compete with a headset launched by Samsung late last year.
– Focus on accessories –
The focus on accessories comes with the smartphone market beginning to slow as it becomes increasingly saturated.
LG’s parent company LG Electronics’ net profit halved last year on the back of a global economic slowdown and increased competition in the mobile sector whileSamsung was only able to boost its market share moderately.
Apple, which will not be present at the congress in Barcelona, saw iPhone sales fall for the first time on an annual basis in the final quarter of last year, according to Gartner.
The market research firm said that the 9.7 percent increase in smartphone sales in the final quarter of last year over the same period in 2014 takes the industry all the way back to 2008 when the global economy was in crisis.
“All of these additional devices, whether it is a virtual reality goggle, whether it is a camera, whether it is a smartwatch, they are all ways of generating additional profits,” said Ian Fogg, the head mobile and technology analyst at IHS Technology.
Analysts said handset makers face a tough choice. Focus on the low-price segment, where sales volumes are large but margins become thin. Or focus on features which can differentiate their phones.
“We are moving towards a logic of segmentation and improvement, with a better camera or more autonomy for example, maybe some advances in virtual reality, but there will unlikely be any major innovation,” said Thomas Husson, an analyst at Forrester.
UPDATE: The hot favorite for the title Peshawar Zalmi has been sent home by Islamabad United as they won the 3rd playoff easily by 50 runs and become the second finalist of HBL PSL T20 2016.
What a magnificent three figure knock played by United’s Sharjeel Khan 117(62) that helped his side to score 176-3 in such a pressure game. Zalmi bowling line up looked totally off color and the first half was all about Sharjeel Khan’s show of sixes and fours and he was the obvious choice for man of the match award. Chasing a huge total in the crucial game, Zalmi were never close to it and their batting line up collapsed on just 126. United’s spinner Imran Khalid bowled superbly for his 4-20 figures.
Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United will be in a showdown today in the 3rd playoff of HBL PSL T20 2016 to become the second finalist of the title.
Islamabad United is confident to keep up the winning momentum and Zalmi has to fight with valor to this challenge as Misbah would surely give them a tough time to them to make through to the final.
Zalmi although lost by just 1 run in the first playoff, them team must have forced themselves to rethink their batting strategy. Their middle order batsmen must take the responsibility and should stay on crease to lead their side to victory. For Islamabad United, this time they have the greater challenge ahead; Peshawar Zalmi is a much stronger opponent than the Karachi Kings.
As far as experts’ opinion and predictions are concerned, Peshawar Zalmi is the favorite for today’s match and they also are a better unit than United, but United is in a position of knocking out Zalmi this time.
Both sides are being led by two senior lads who have captained Pakistan’s national side and they have enough experience of such crucial matches. The individual performance of Shahid Afridi and Misbah ul Haq will matter a lot in this match in addtion to their game plan.
Once again, the side winning the toss will try to take full advantage of the dew factor, let’s see who is going to win the toss and the match for his side to take on Gladiators in the final, Afridi or Misbah?
Players to Watch: Darren Sammy, Mohammad Sami, Brad Haddin , Brad Hodge and off course the two captains
From the Selfie taken on the revealing of new kits to the viral bromance image of Ahmed Shahzad and Shahid Afridi on social media, the Pakistani cricketer’s presence on social media is increasing day by day. By looking at the content, most accounts look to be managed personally (not run by a marketing manager/agent).
Let’s take a look at the top Pakistani cricketers on Social Media:
1. SAEED AJMAL
The Faisalabadi guy, famous for his doosra effect to knock down the opponents has the highest number of fans on Facebook. His content is mostly about being a true sportsman, sharing about Pakistani cricketers and their achievement or triumphs. Well, that’s not it, he shares his selfies too! He is the most active on social media. Let’s have a look!
The iconic star of Pakistan cricket team for the past 19 years, Shahid Afridi has a huge fan following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Afridi has the highest fans/followers on the all social media platforms.
He mostly posts about his life, where he travels, what he is up to and most importantly about the ShahidAfridiFoundation.
Afridi’s Instagram is the most interesting. He shares events from his daily life. We can say that he just loves to travel and spend time with friends & family.
Ranked# 1 on Twitter and #3 on Facebook by Socialbakers.com for having the highest number of fans/followers as a sports star in Pakistan makes Wasim Akram one of the most famous sports stars in Pakistan.
He mostly reposts his Twitter feeds on Facebook and re shares his past cricket memories while the Instagram is filled with some amazing pictures of his wife and daughter, and some daily life images. Let’s have a look.
The ex-captain of Pakistan cricket team became the most happening celebrity and sports star after marrying Sania Mirza, which increased his fan following and PTAT (People Talking About This) on Social Media.
His tweets are mostly about cricket, traveling and supporting sports in Pakistan. Ranked#1 on Twitter and #4 on Facebook (Socialbakers.com) as a fastest-growing sports star profile in Pakistan, he is now more active on Facebook as the content is sponsored through paid marketing on his Facebook page.
The young opener of Pakistan cricket team, who holds the record of scoring the first century in a T20 is a very active Twitter user. He is ranked#3 on Twitter by Socialbakers.com for having the highest number of fans.
In one of his tweets in January 2015, he announced that he does not have an official Facebook page, but will sure bring one for his fans. And in mid-2015, he launched his official account on Facebook and Instagram.
His tweets are behind the scene photos of Pakistani cricket team training and practicing as well as personal messages & thoughts to his fans. His Instagram account is filled with stunning selfies mostly with Shahid Afridi.
Miley Cyrus & Rihanna as Your Next Door Neighbours
When God created us, Humans, he divided us into different lots. The first lot was of normal average looking people, with chubby, not-so-hour glass bodies and the other lot comprised of gods and goddesses, with beautifully and pretentiously carved features. Those who weren’t god-gifted simply went to their cosmetologist to be included in the lot we know as celebrities.
These stars all over the world are cherished and look upon as a symbol of perfection. Whereas in reality, there is nothing magical about their appearances except the expertise of their stylists, the expensive make-up they put on and software’s’ that make them look flawless.
Danny Evans, a New York City Artist, used his skills at Photoshop to create some shocking yet hilarious pictures of what some celebrities would probably look like if they were average people.
Danny says that the project was “a reaction to the insanely over-retouched photos of celebrities that are everywhere.”
Let’s have a look at these picture-perfect idols as average joes.
Miley Cyrus & Rihanna as Your Next Door Neighbours
Prince William & His Not so Glamorous Wife Kate Middleton with Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie
Yes, He’s Johnny Depp Gone Average
Scarlett Johanson & Lady Gaga
The Queen of Pop – Madonna
That’s Sarah Jessica Parker & Oslen Twins
The Queen B – Beyonce With Her Rapper Husband, Jay-Z
UPDATE: Islamabad United has knocked out Karachi Kings in 2nd playoff of HBL PSL T20 2016 comfortably by 9 wickets. Karachi Kings was put into bat by Misbah ul Haq after he won the toss, and showed poor display of batting just added 111-9 on the board in their 20 overs. What a brilliant spell bowled by Mohammad Sami who took a five wicket haul giving away just 8 runs in his four overs.
The Eliminator was totally one sided in the end when Islamabad United chased down the small total on the loss of just one wicket. Bran Haddin scored 52 runs off 29 balls and finished the match with five overs to spare. Mohammad Sami was declared man of the match for his outstanding bowling figures (4-0-8-5).
The second playoff of PSL T20, the eliminator, is battle of survival between Islamabad United and Karachi Kings. The match will commence shortly in Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The losing side of this match will have to go home, all the way back to Pakistan.
Critics and analysts are predicting that Karachi Kings’ campaign of PSL just might end today. Just a few hours before the second play off, Shoaib Malik has stepped down from captaincy of Karachi Kings – which may end up hurting Karachi’s camp. Ravi Bopara has taken the charge in place of Shoaib Malik, who wants to focus on this game properly, without the pressure of captaincy.
Both these sides have managed to secure a spot in the quarter final, after struggling in the event with their consistency, but for the last couple of matches, Islamabad United has shown a lot of improvement in their game, while Karachi Kings qualified for this stage after ifs and buts, so they will be under pressure in this crunch game and now being led by the new skipper.
The team which will win the toss, would go for batting second due to the dew factor that have been is troubling bowlers in the previous matches. However, again a massive crowd is expected to see the live action, it was houseful yesterday in Zalmi’s match (1st Playoff) and almost same number of spectators likely to come today to see the live action.
Misbah and company have an edge over Kings, as Islamabad United has 100 percent wining record in the two games of PSL they played against Karachi and they can keep this winning spree in third game too.
No big changes are expected to come in both sides and specially the man in form, Karachi’s captain Ravi Bopara will be prime for their hopes and also opponents will focus to get rid off him early.
Players to Watch: Ravi Bopara, Khalid Latif, Misbah ul Haq, Shoaib Malik
American novelist Harper Lee, famous for her masterpiece “To Kill a Mockingbird” and for shunning the fame it brought her, has died aged 89, officials in her hometown said Friday.
A spokeswoman for Monroeville, Alabama, where Lee was born and spent her final years living in seclusion, confirmed local media reports of her death, saying: “She did pass away.”
Lee’s 1960 novel, which earned her a Pulitzer Prize, came to define racial injustice in the Depression-era South and became standard reading in classrooms across the world.
“Mockingbird” tells the story of a black man wrongly accused of raping a white woman and the courageous lawyer, Atticus Finch, who defies his community to defend him.
It remains a seminal work of 20th century American literature and Finch one of the best-loved characters in American culture.
Drawn from Lee’s experiences as a child, the novel sold 30 million copies and won huge critical acclaim for Lee, thrusting her into the limelight amid an avalanche of publicity.
Her fame was sealed when the novel was adapted into a Hollywood film that won three Academy Awards in 1963, including an Oscar for leading man Gregory Peck.
In one rare insight, Lee admitted in 1964 she had been completely caught off guard by being catapulted into the nation’s consciousness by her novel.
“I hoped for a little, but I got rather a whole lot and in some ways this was just about as frightening as the quick, merciful death I’d expected,” she said.
For decades after that she lived out of the public eye, claiming to have said all she wanted to say in “Mockingbird” and vowing never to publish another book.
But in 2015, she upended the literary world by publishing the unedited manuscript of “Go Set a Watchman” a first novel written in the 1950s and essentially the first draft of “Mockingbird.”
The manuscript was an instant bestseller but its release sparked torrid speculation that she was not of sound mind and was mauled by critics who suggested she had tarnished her reputation.
Born Nelle Harper Lee in April 1926, she was the youngest of four children. Her father was also a lawyer and a direct descendant of Civil War general Robert E. Lee.
She counted author Truman Capote among her childhood friends, and worked as an assistant on his novel “In Cold Blood,” which examined a multiple killing in Kansas, and was dedicated to Lee.
A precocious child, Lee learned to read early and had devoured all kinds of literature by the time she started school.
In a letter to talk show host Oprah Winfrey in May 2006, Lee told how growing up during the Great Depression of the 1930s in a remote village meant the few available books provided the only entertainment, turning reading into a lifelong passion.
UPDATE: The underdogs, Quetta Gladiators have qualified for Final of PSL T20 2016 after beating the hot favorite Peshawar Zalmi by just 1 run in a nail biting game of cricket. What a sensational match it turned out to be in jam packed Dubai International Cricket Stadium, and after twists and turns, Aizaz Cheema of Gladiators won a last ball victory for his team by just 1 run.
Peshawar Zalmi won the toss and put Gladiators to bat first and they got all out on 133 in 20th over despite Kevin Peitersen’s magnificent half century under pressure. Gladiators could not capitalize the chance of scoring 150 plus runs provided by KP (53 runs). Wahab Riaz (3-17) and Shaun Tait (2/23) helped in restricting Gladiators to a low total.
Defending 133, Quetta Gladiators were exceptional in bowling specially the young Mohammad Nawaz, who bowled out in form Hafeez and Brad Hodge on two consecutive deliveries that did the real damage to Zalmi’s. Darren Sammy (38) and Wahab Riaz (22) kept the hopes alive for Zalmis till end and they ended up just 1 run short to the victory. Aizaz Cheema bowled a tight last over and sealed the victory for this side.
Mohammad Nawaz was awarded man of the match. Peshwar Zalmi will now face winner of 2nd playoff (Islamabad United Vs Karachi Kings).
Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators will clash in the first playoff of HBL PSL T20 2016 today in Dubai International Cricket Stadium, a battle that will decide the first finalist of this league.
It will be an exciting contest today between two strongest teams of this event and a huge crowd is expected to be in stadium as its Friday, the weekly holiday today.
Though both teams have won against each other in the first stage of the league, the odds are favoring Peshawar Zalmi as they are more balanced of the two and have a number of match-winners in the team. The way Zalmi bowlers flattened Quetta’s batting line in the second league match after Afridi and Wahab’s heroics, they can create problems for the opponents again.https://twitter.com/PeshawarZalmi/status/700358179914412032
Quetta Gladiators have undoubtedly performed beyond expectations and no one would have thought that this team will play the first playoff. Their fighting spirit and teamwork have driven them to a 2nd position in the league, but their bowling is comparatively weaker than Zalmi’s lineup. The two highest scores have been scored against Quetta so far and they even chased down a 202 once, that will boost the confidence of their batsmen.
One thing is for sure, the captain who will win the toss will definitely go for chasing a total; in night matches of Pakistan Super League, the teams batting second always have a higher winning ratio based on past match experiences.
The on-field atmosphere will be pumped up and all the players will be fully charged for the challenge. The Wahab-Shahzad face-off would be interesting to see after the scuffle both had in the previous game; although they have exchanged some positive messages on social and news media.
It surely is a real test of nerves for Shahid Afridi and Sarfraz Ahmad; we will have to see who leads his side to success. Well, it is a matter of just a couple of hours and we’ll know who will rock the match and who will choke.
New Additions in Teams: Nathan Mccullum (NZ) has joined Quetta Gladiators camp to replace Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan), and Jonny Bairstow (Eng) has taken places of Tamim Iqbal (Bang) who left for his country.
One of the much anticipated movies of this year, Neerja has released been today. This Ram Madhvani’s flick was in the limelight long before even its first poster was released. The movie is a biopic of courageous Indian air hostess, Neerja Bhanot and that is something that made this movie special and grabbed attention of all.
The style goddess of Bollywood, Sonam Kapoor plays the character of brave flight attendant Neerja Bhanot, the movie starts with her asserting an important yet often neglected philosophy of life that ‘your life should be big, not long’.
Running Time: 122 minutes
Director: Ram Madhvani
Cast: Sonam Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Yogendra Tiku
The story unfolds to show how Neerja’s life was big and unfortunately not long. In the first few scenes, the movie gives us a peek into Neerja’s life, her family, friends and home. Neerja shares a great camaraderie with her parents and juggles between her two careers of being a model and an air hostess. She takes pride in what she does and absolutely loves her work.
When the movie moves from her home to the unfortunate Pan Am flight 73 people are shown what actually happened with the passengers and this brave air hostess.
Until now, people only knew about how she saved lives of others by sacrificing her own, but this movie delves into details and each scene in the air plane will make you move from sitting in a cozy way on your seat to its edges.
Neerja is no superhero, rather, it’s just her quick thinking and intention to help others to save their lives that makes her story so real and touching.
Whats truly amazing about this movie is its phenomenal direction by Ram Madhvani and a very close and serious attention to detailing. Throughout the movie, Madhvani makes sure to keep the essence of reality alive and does not exaggerate anything to make it over empathetic. On the other hand, set designs and the way the plane has been crafted make everything feel so real and literally takes you in the era of 80s.
Acting wise, Shabana Azmi’s work overshadows others and she truly nails it in the last scene of the movie. Yogendar Tikku as Neerja’s father also does justice to his role. If we talk about Sonam Kapoor’s acting, it can easily be said that one must not have seen her this responsible before. She took her role very seriously and shows a lot of improvement in her work.
Although, there are minor flaws in the movie, but the inspiring story, classical acting and real to the core direction will make you neglect all these flaws.
Although, the movie is banned in Pakistan, which upset Sonam Kapoor a lot, but one should not forget to mention that Pakistan was the first country to award heroic Neerja with Tamgha-e-Insaaniyat.
All in all, it would not be wrong to say that if you really want to enjoy an inspiring tale and appreciate effort that human beings make to restore faith in humanity while ignoring cast, creed and race, you must watch this movie.
A Pakistani cricket fan who was arrested for waving the flag of India after his idol Virat Kohli struck a match-winning knock was denied bail Friday as he faces the prospect of up to a decade in prison.
Umar Daraz, 22, was jailed on January 26 for celebrating with India’s tricolour after batting star Kohli’s 90 not out led his team to victory over Australia in a Twenty20 match in Adelaide.
The act was termed “against the ideology of Pakistan” by police.
“Magistrate Anique Anwar has rejected Daraz’s bail plea. We will now appeal in the court of session judge,” Daraz’s lawyer Azeem Amir Bhatti, told AFP.
He said that Daraz has been charged with violating public order and “sovereignty of Pakistan” laws.
Regional Police officer Faisal Rana had said at the time of Daraz’s arrest that could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine.
“Daraz initially told us that he is a true Pakistani but likes (Indian) Kohli and never knew that was a crime,” Rana told media.
“His act is against our country’s sovereignty and is against the ideology of Pakistan.”
Rana also accused Daraz of having large posters of Kohli pasted on the walls of his home.
Daraz’s arrest came weeks before Indian student leader Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested on a controversial sedition charge in a case that has sparked a major row over freedom of expression.
Nuclear-armed neighbours Pakistan and India have a long history of animosity dating back to independence from Britain in 1947, and have fought three wars.
Indian Prime Minister paid a surprise visit to Lahore to meet his Pakistani counterpart in December, raising hopes for the revival of peace talks.
But an attack on an Indian air base in January that New Delhi alleges was carried out by a militant group based in Pakistan has once again stalled the dialogue process.
Ever sent a company a message on Facebook Messenger? You might be at risk of being spammed with ads. Leaked documents obtained by TechCrunch suggest that Facebook is going to begin allowing companies to send ads to people who had previously initiated a chat thread with the business.
For those who have reached out to a business with a customer complaint, query or question, that means bracing yourself for receiving pesky ads in your Messenger inbox.
In the leaked documents, Facebook recommends that businesses get consumers to start message threads now, so that they can send ads when the feature launches in the second quarter of this year.
The All-rounder payer Azhar Mahmood has been made the new bowling coach of the national team, replacing the previous leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed. Azhar Mahmood represented Islamabad United in the inauguration of HBL PSL 2016.
Mushtaq Ahmed will be joining the National Cricket Academy as Head Coach. According to Express Tribune, Mushtaq told Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that he won’t be able to work as a spin bowler coach because of some personal issues and commitment after which Waqar Younis, the head coach suggested Azhar Mahmood for the role.
The 40-year-old right-arm medium pacer confirmed that the board had approached him.
“The PCB contacted me to work with the national team and asked about my availability,” said Azhar.
“It would an honour to serve Pakistan cricket if I’m given the job.”
Azhar has played 21 Tests matches for Pakistan where he took 39 wickets took 900 runs making 3 centuries.
He has also claimed 123 wickets to his name and 1521 runs in 143 ODIs that he has played. In the past week Pakistan made changes to the squad for Asia cup an World T20; Ahmed Shehzad was also axed from the t20 squad due to his poor performance.
“While picking the squad, the team management and skipper were consulted by the selectors, and all concerned gave their consent in this regard,” said Rasheed.
Fahad Mustafa’s much anticipated film, Mah-e-Meer has got a new release date, the film will now hit theatres in May. The film was initially announced to release on November 6, 2015, and later the release date was changed to February 2016. But now another release date has been announced.
“There is a good news for Fahad Mustafa’s fans as Mah-e-Meer is expected to hit theatres in May. We are currently devising a promotional strategy for the film and we will soon release a new trailer in March,” said Fahad Mustafa’s publicist.
Based on the life of famous poet Mir Taqi Mir the film has been directed by Anjum Shehzad and written by Sarmad Sehbai. The film stars Fahad Mustafa, Iman Ali, Alyy Khan, Sanam Saeed and Manzar Sehbai. in lead roles.
As the new release date has been announced, we hope that this time there won’t be any more delays in the film’s release.
Hidden behind a blanket of trees at the back of a university in Mumbai lies the dilapidated, but once grand, former home of writer Rudyard Kipling.
Fallen branches, discarded chairs and even empty whisky bottles surround the 19th-century building, while bird droppings mar a bust of Kipling, author of such beloved novels as “The Jungle Book” and “Kim”.
“The bungalow is in very bad condition and needs desperate help,” the college’s principal, Rajiv Mishra, tells AFP.
“We feel cheated that such a beautiful monument has been neglected,” he adds, pointing to a rotting wooden post, precariously supporting the historic property in south Mumbai.
In this photo taken on February 5, 2016, Indian students gather under the porch of the Kipling Bunglow – the birthplace of author Rudyard Kipling – inside the campus of the J.J. School of Art in Mumbai -courtesy AFP
The “Kipling Bungalow”, as locals affectionately call it, is one of several mansions in the teeming Indian city, once associated with famous residents but now in ruin.
Nearby stands the former colonial home of Lord Harris, an ex-governor of then-named Bombay, widely credited with making cricket the most popular sport in India.
The gothic building housed school classrooms until four years ago, when pupils were moved out because the crumbling structure had become too weak and hazardous.
A few kilometres away in plush Malabar Hill sits the previously imposing residence of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan and its first governor-general.
The stately home hosted critical talks between Jinnah and India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru on partition of the subcontinent, but today its downtrodden appearance belies its historical significance.
PHOTO: AFP
Red tape
Heritage campaigners lament the demise of such buildings, blaming red tape and claiming politicians and developers are more concerned with constructing sparkly new luxury towers than preserving Mumbai’s architectural history.
“The Kipling Bungalow is just a very sad reflection of bureaucratic hurdles… creating the death of a historic building,” renowned architect Abha Narain Lambah, who specialises in conservation, told AFP.
TO GO WITH India-Britain-heritage-architecture,FEATURE by Peter Hutchison In this photo taken on February 5, 2016, Indian students gather under the porch of the Kipling Bunglow – the birthplace of author Rudyard Kipling – with a bust of Kipling in the background inside the campus of the J.J. School of Art in Mumbai. Fallen branches, discarded chairs and even empty whisky bottles surround the 19th-century building, while bird droppings mar a bust of Kipling.
The wood and stone structure, its green paint peeling, is situated on the grounds of an art school, whose first principal was John Lockwood Kipling, Rudyard’s father.
Built in 1882, 17 years after Rudyard was born, the house was home to Lockwood Kipling and subsequent deans until the early 2000s, by which time it had sunk into such disrepair that it was rendered uninhabitable.
“We feel that Lockwood must have had Rudyard stay here and write so we call it the ‘Kipling Bungalow’,” explains Mishra, who wants the Maharashtra state government to restore it without delay.
He says officials plan to turn the building into a gallery exhibiting students’ work and that of decorated artists, and have issued a tender for the contract.
The building has been caught in a tug-of-war between the college and the government for years over what its restoration should look like, but Mishra hopes renovations will finally start in around six months.
Maharashtra culture and education minister Vinod Tawde failed to respond to repeated AFP requests for comment on the issue.
A short walk away, work has already begun on the former Mumbai residence of batsman and acclaimed cricket administrator George Harris, who was governor of the city from 1890-1895.
Harris captained England and during his tenure on the subcontinent “did much to lay down foundations for the expansion of the game in India”, according to Cricinfo website.
A Mumbai inter-schools cricket tournament called the Harris Shield is testament to his legacy, but his former home was allowed to come close to collapse before long overdue maintenance work started.
The three-storey mansion, part of a public school, was out of use for three years until renovation began in June, and presently stands gutted, surrounded by bamboo scaffolding.
“It was basically falling apart and became too dangerous to be inside,” the school’s principal, Mohan Bhogade, told AFP.
Jinnah dispute
In arty Kala Ghoda district, a 147-year-old mansion, formerly the resplendent Watson’s Hotel, frequented and written about by Mark Twain, is a ramshackle shadow of its former glory.
Jinnah-House-Mumbai-mid-day
Now called Esplanade Mansion, it shows no signs of being restored despite ten years having passed since it was placed on a global list of endangered monuments by the New York-based World Monuments Fund.
Watson’s, completed in 1869, is believed to be India’s oldest caste-iron building and was the hotel of choice for colonialists and visiting dignatories during the British Raj.
Accoring to legend, the hotel went into decline after Indian industrialist Jamsetji Tata built Mumbai’s iconic Taj Mahal Palace because he was denied entry to Watson’s, which had a “Europeans-only” policy.
Today the crumbling structure houses a medley of dark cubbyhole offices. A lack of funds and arguments between tenants and city authorities have been cited as contributing to its descent into ruin.
“The idea of heritage has just evaporated,” says Naresh Fernandes, author of “City Adrift: A Short Biography of Bombay”.
AFP contacted a number of officials at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, regarding the Watson’s Hotel and the Harris building, but none were available for comment.
Jinnah’s house has been embroiled in a long-running legal dispute over ownership between his daughter, India and Pakistan. It lies empty in thick forest behind a padlocked gate.
Lambah doesn’t believe the buildings owe their dilapidation to any sort of colonial antipathy, citing well-maintained British-era relics like the Bombay High Court and the former Victoria Terminus train station.
“It’s just sheer neglect and bureaucracy,” she says.
After making fashion history to become the first transgender model to get a Vogue spread, Andreja Pejic now holds bragging rights to becoming the first transgender model to land a fashion magazine cover with Marie Claire Spain.
Pejic graces the March cover of Marie Claire Spain, in a knit slip dress that shows off her long, lithe form. The cover was shot by Pablo Zamora and marks an industry first.
Though the 24-year-old has posed for many an editorial and walked several catwalks, this marks her first cover as a woman. Pejic graced a 2012 cover of Elle Serbia in her former life as a male model.
The Australian model underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2014. She is also a spokes model for Make Up For Ever.
Even after sustaining a serious shin injury during the quarter-final clash with Sri Lanka’s Nid Aberathane, wushu athlete Maaz Khan bagged a gold medal in the 70 kg category at the South Asian Games 2016 by defeating an Indian athlete.
According to reports, Maaz Khan suffered some serious injuries and unbearable pain after the semi-final clash with the Sri Lankan athlete, Nid Aberathane. He endured even more painful bruises after fighting against the Bangladeshi athlete Anisur Rahman in the semi-final, the next day.
Maaz, while talking to The Express Tribune said, “I don’t want anything to come between me and the gold medal, so I decided not to tell anyone.”
“I used a cold spray, applied the bandages and took some painkillers and was ready to fight. There was only one thing on my mind; to defeat my opponent,” he said.
The athlete, soon after bagging the gold medal realized the seriousness of his pain. “After the fight I was writhing in pain and wanted to go to the hospital and nothing else; I couldn’t bear the pain anymore” “As soon as we landed in Karachi, I went directly to the Liaquat National Hospital and got admitted for surgery,” he said.
Despite such bravery and devotion towards the game and his nation, no one in charge of the sports in Pakistan appreciated his attempt or sent him any congratulatory messages.
Isn’t it sad to witness such ignorance from the authorities? Give us your feedback in the comment section below.
Defence Housing Authority (DHA) will be inaugurating state-of-the-art graveyards for the people residing in Phase VIII by May 2016. Almost 1,400 graves are ready whereas numerous more are yet to be completed, Express Tribune reported.
As per Brigadier Zubair Ahmed, the DHA administrator said that this graveyard will be exclusive for the Phase VIII community.
Presently, the residents of DHA buried their loved ones in graveyards administered by the Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC) in Phase I and Phase IV; however both were running out of capacity, hence this step was undertaken.
“The CBC is responsible for development activities in all other phases of DHA but Phase VIII comes under us,” said Ahmed.
The graves are being created beforehand so that people can avoid the hassle of waiting for the graves to be dug up at the time of demise. After burying their loved ones, the residents can leave it up to the authorities to inscribe the details and messages of the deceased.
The burial charges have been predicted to be higher than those of other cemeteries but the authorities insist that the charges will not be more than a ‘few thousand rupees.’
Almost 5.75 acres of land has been allotted to the cemetery which will have up to 4,000 graves, according to the DHA administrator’s authority.
A database of the deceased will also be created and maintained to help their loved ones visit the graves with ease.
The modern cemetery will be powered by solar light technology along with a video linking system that will be put into place for those who are far away and want to view the grave of the dear, departed souls.
The project director Brigadier Muhammad Rashid Butt said, “They will just have to punch in the grave number and see the grave.”
He also added, “Web cameras will be installed and a special information technology room is being set up for this purpose.”
Catering to the needs of people belonging to various sects, the graveyard will be segmented into different sections, with customized ones for shuhada (martyrs) and children. A tiled structure will also be designed for funeral prayers to be offered.
To build up hype for the new Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge‘s release, to be announced on February 21st, Sunday at MWC 2016, Samsung has adopted a novel and a unique “Seven Days of Unboxing” promotion technique. From today until the 21st of February, Samsung will be releasing a unique unboxing video each day. There are four videos that have already been released!
The second, and certainly a more entertaining unboxing video features a llama that privately unboxes the phone and paints its interpretation of what it sees over a canvas! The latest video features a metal worker who spent half an hour inside a room, unboxing the smartphone; she then came out and created a unique metal artwork.
Watch video below:
The Metal Worker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6NrmrXolZg
The Llama:
https://youtu.be/15heVXgjGck
The Illama is let to a secret destination to ‘unbox’ the brand new Samsung Galaxy S7 phone.
Other than that, a child and an ice sculptor have also been shown unboxing the phone, the llama is a big deal because it’s not the same species. The phone is due to make it’s debut on February 21st. These unboxing videos can be viewed at sevendaysofunboxing.com.
The Ice Sculptor:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSVua6IniMg
The Child:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytb6GM8PoR0
The pattern followed is quite the same; whoever unboxes then does an artistic interpretation of the device. Maybe it shows that the phone’s features and designs are so inspiring that it leads to soliciting an artistic expression.
In short, Samsung has fully caught our attention through these confounding mysteries surrounding the Samsung Galaxy S7.
Watch for yourself and let us know below what do you think?
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