Siasat Wala Blog

ISLAMABAD: President Dr. Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan in their separate messages on the occasion of International Labour Day, have reaffirmed the government commitment to effectively protect the rights and welfare of the workers. In his message, the President paid rich tribute to the valiant and heroic struggle of the workers for their fundamental rights. He said this day is not only a reminder of the struggle of workers but also an acknowledgement of their contribution towards national growth and progress. The president said Ehsaas Emergency Cash Relief Program has been launched to provide immediate relief to the deserving class in the country. In his message, Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed his government’s commitment to improve the working and living conditions of workers and to supplement their welfare by providing better housing, education facilities and health cover for them and their families. He said our religion has also emphasized the principles of social

ISLAMABAD: The coronavirus count reached 16,817 in Pakistan as record 990 new cases were reported within 24 hours in the country, according to the latest statistics released by National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Friday. According to the national dashboard, 24 deaths were reported during last 24 hours, taking the tally to 385 while 4,315 patients recovered from the virus and 153 are still critical. 12,117 patients are still under treatment in the hospitals and quarantine facilities in country. The country has conducted overall 1,82,031 coronavirus tests including 7,971, in last 24 hours. Read more: ‘Rs3 billion deposited in PM’s Corona Relief Fund’ Speaker NA tests positive The National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser has tested positive for coronavirus and self-isolated himself at his residence. Another high-profile personality found infected with coronavirus in Pakistan after Sindh Governor Imran Ismail as the NA Speaker Asad Qaiser confirmed that he is tested po

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Faisal Javed Khan on Friday said that Rs3.022 billion has been deposited in Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Corona Relief Fund, ARY News reported. In a tweet, Faisal Javed Khan said that citizens have so far deposited donations amounting to Rs3 billion in PM’ Corona Relief Fund so far. PM Relief Fund touches the 3 Billion Mark Masha’ALLAH. So far Rs 3,022 million have been deposited in PM’s COVID19 Relief Fund.Hats off to your Generosity & Jazba for contributing towards this grt cause.Together we can & Together we must #KeepContributing #PakistanTheMostGenerous — Faisal Javed Khan (@FaisalJavedKhan) April 30, 2020  “Hats off to generosity of Pakistanis for contributing towards this great cause,” he added. PM Imran Khan had  announced  the establishment of corona relief fund on March 27 in order to to provide relief to the people amid coronavirus crisis. Read more: Faisal Edhi donates Rs10 million in PM’s Corona Relief Fund

ISLAMABAD: Another special plane of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) from China carrying medical supplies regarding coronavirus pandemic arrived in Islamabad on Friday, ARY News reported. As per details, PIA’s flight no PK-8852 carrying masks, gloves, testing and safety kits for the doctors landed at the Islamabad airport from Beijing. The flight was carrying two members of the staff, who were shifted to the quarantine centre by the Pakistani authorities. The plane was disinfected upon landing at the airport and the medical supplies were received at the runway of the airport. Last week, a Turkish plane carrying protective gears had reached Islamabad. Read more:  Chinese airplane carrying medical supplies lands in Islamabad The plane was carrying 20,000 N-95 masks and 18500 safety gowns, for Pakistani doctors working in hospitals for treatment of corona-infected patients,reported Radio Pakistan. Deputy Head of Mission of Turkish Consulate handed over the equipment to the De

NEW DELHI: Police in India’s Uttar Pradesh were left shocked after a mother came to the police station complaining that she had sent her son to buy groceries but he returned with his wife. “I had sent my son to do the grocery shopping today, but when he returned, he came back with his wife. I am not ready to accept this marriage,” the mother was quoted as saying by ANI. When the police asked Guddu, the 26-year-old groom about the incident, he said that he married his wife, Savita two months ago at an Arya Samaj temple in Haridwar. However, he was unable to avail the marriage certificate due to lack of witnesses. Later, when he decided to revisit the Uttarakhand town for the document, the lockdown restrictions had already been imposed. He told officials that his wife had been staying at a rented accommodation in Delhi since then. He decided to take her to his home on Wednesday after the homeowner asked her to vacate the flat due to the lockdown. The police department suggested the

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday recorded strong protest with India over ceasefire violations by its forces along the Line of Control resulting in shahadats and serious injuries to innocent civilians. Director General South Asia Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri summoned Gaurav Ahluwalia to register Pakistan’s protest over yesterday’s ceasefire violations along LoC in Rakhchikri Sector by India. Due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian occupation forces in Kirni village, two innocent female civilians 16 years old, Zobia Bibi and 52 years old Rasheeda Bibi Muhammad Hassan, embraced shahadat and two civilians 10 years old, Faizan Hassan and 55 years old Roshna Bibi sustained serious injuries. In 2020 alone India has committed 919 ceasefire violations and deliberately targeted innocent civilians living close to LOC in Azad Kashmir with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars and automatic weapons. Condemning the targeting of innocent civilians by the Indian occupation forces, Zahid

US scientists have hailed a potential breakthrough in the coronavirus fight after a trial showed patients responding to an antiviral drug, fueling global hopes for a return to normal despite mounting deaths and abysmal economic figures. The news was enough to propel a rebound on Wall Street even after data showed the pandemic had plunged the United States into its worst economic slump in a decade, and Germany predicted its biggest recession since the aftermath of World War II. It came as the World Health Organization’s emergency committee was due to meet Thursday for the first time in three months to discuss the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed more than 226,000 lives worldwide. A clinical trial of the drug remdesivir showed that patients recovered about 30 percent faster than those on a placebo, in the first proof of successful treatment against the new disease. “The data shows that remdesivir has a clear-cut, significant, positive effect in diminishing the tim

KARACHI: The rupee appreciated by Rs1.51 against the United States (US) dollar in the interbank market at the start of day’s trading, ARY News reported. According to forex dealers, the Pakistan Rupee (PKR) edges up against the greenback at the interbank by Rs 1.51. The US Dollar is being traded in the interbank market at around 160.10 rupees. Last week, the Pakistani rupee registered Rs3.57 appreciation in its value against the US dollar in the interbank market. Meanwhile, Asian stocks rose to a seven-week high on Thursday, boosted by encouraging early results from a COVID-19 treatment trial, though bonds and currencies stuck to cautious ranges ahead of a European Central Bank meeting later in the day. Japan’s Nikkei  .N225  jumped 2.8% to a seven-week high and Australia’s ASX 200 rose 2.7%, with the mood further supported by South Korea reporting no new domestic coronavirus cases for the first time since its Feb. 29 peak. More caution was evident in other asset classes, with th

KARACHI: The Sindh Health Department on Thursday permitted three hospitals in the province to use plasma of recovered patients of COVID-19 for passive immunisation therapy on an experimental basis, ARY News reported. Dr Ruth KM Pfau Civil Hospital, Karachi, Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad and National Institute of Blood Disease, Karachi have been allowed to experimentally use “Coronavirus Convalescent Plasma” for passive immunization to treat positive cases. According to a notification issued by the health department, a team of experts will supervise the process at these hospitals. The team will include physician/infectious disease specialist, ICU specialist, consultant haematologist, and representative of Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority (SBTA). Read More: Sindh’s plasma research could benefit other provinces: Medical Committee Earlier, one member of an eight-member committee formed to examine the use of plasma in treating coronavirus patients by Sindh government, Tahir

LOS ANGELES: The leading US movie theatre chain said Tuesday it will no longer play any Universal Pictures movies on its screens as a row over the record-breaking release of Trolls World Tour  on streaming platforms sharply escalated. The children’s film sequel from Universal Pictures — one of Hollywood’s largest and oldest studios — was released directly to on-demand platforms last month after its theatrical release was hit by the coronavirus. At the time the studio indicated the move was an exceptional response to the pandemic. But a report Tuesday quoted a Universal boss saying the studio’s movies would now be released “on both formats” even once theaters reopen, due to the film’s record $95 million streaming haul. AMC, the largest theater chain with 8,000 screens across North America, responded with a letter to Universal stating that “effectively immediately AMC will no longer play any Universal movies in any of our theatres in the United States, Europe or the Middle East.” “

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Overseas Pakistanis Syed Zulfi Bukhari said on Thursday that Pakistan is expanding flight operation to repatriate Pakistanis stranded across the globe.  In an interview with the BBC, Zulfi Bukhari said, 21,000 Pakistnais working in the Arab countries, have lost their jobs due to economic situation prevailing in the world after lockdown due to coronavirus outbreak. “The government will make sure to get them back on their jobs after betterment in the situation”, he was quoted as saying. Bukhari ruled out impression of any pressure to bring back Pakistanis from the Arab countries. The national flag carrier is continuing its operations to bring back stranded Pakistani expats across the globe and so far 11,700 have been airlifted from the various countries. The national flag carrier is continuing its operations to bring back stranded Pakistani expats across the globe and so far 11,700 have been airlifted from the various count

South Korea reported zero new locally transmitted coronavirus cases Thursday, the first time no infections have been recorded since the disease was detected in the country more than 70 days ago. Health authorities reported one new death, taking the toll to 247. The country has seen 10,765 cases since its first infection was reported on February 18. For a time it had the world’s second-largest outbreak before the spread was brought under control through widespread testing and a contact-tracing drive, along with widely observed social distancing. With a dwindling number of cases, the South held a national election on April 15, becoming among the first countries with a major outbreak to do so since the global pandemic began. The election was run with a raft of safety measures in place, including a requirement that voters wear face masks and gloves. It saw the highest turnout for a generation and handed President Moon Jae-in’s Democratic party a parliamentary majority in what was se

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday said that 358 new coronavirus cases have been reported in the province over the past 24 hours, pushing the provincial tally to 6,053. In a video statement, he said that 12 more people have died during the past 24 hours in the province, taking the number of people who have died from the disease to 112. The 12 recent deaths over the past 24 hours are the highest number of fatalities from the contagion in the province so far, he added. CM Murad said that a total of 54,377 tests have been conducted so far, including 2578 done over the past 24 hours. He said that 53 more people recuperated in the province during the last 24 hours, raising the number of people who have recovered thus far to 1332. Moreover, 4721 patients of coronavirus have been under treatment including 3473 have been isolated at homes, the chief minister said. At isolation centres 741 patients have been admitted and 505 under treatment at hospitals, he adde

BUDAPEST: Dressed in black and wearing a facemask, the dancer leaps and pirouttes across Budapest’s deserted central Heroes Square – to the strains of a melody that mirrors the molecular structure of the coronavirus. To mark World Dance Day, Zsolt Vencel Kovacs was performing his interpretation of part of the composition created this month by Massachusetts Institute of Technology scientists. “For me this music brings melancholy, its monotony gives me tension and as the music progresses it becomes more rhythmical and aggressive and at the end it calms down. It inspired me,” the 21-year-old told Reuters. The MIT team used a computer to transform a model of the structure of SARS-CoV-2 – as the virus that causes COVID-19 is known – into interwoven melodies, assigning a different note to each of the protein’s amino acids. A dancer with the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet, Kovacs had to return home when Europe’s borders went into lockdown, catching the last flight back to Budapest

Renowned Pakistani actor Mawra Hocane mourned the death of Bollywood icon Rishi Kapoor by penning a heartfelt note for him.  Remembering the late Bollywood actor, she wrote on Twitter : “’People will never forget how you made them feel’” “For each time I’ve met you, I remember your kindness, humour, your admiration for Urdu & our extensive discussions on food from both sides of the border,” she added. The Sanam Teri Kasam actress went onto add that Rishi Kapoor   shall continue to be the legend that he is. “..People will never forget how you made them feel…” For each time I’ve met you, I remember your kindness, humour, your admiration for Urdu & our extensive discussions on food from both sides of the border RIP #RishiKapoor you shall continue to be the Legend that you are..uff! — MAWRA HOCANE (Hussain) (@MawraHocane) April 30, 2020 The veteran actor breathed his last early morning on Thursday after losing his two-year battle with cancer. Mawra paid a visit to

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi telephoned his New Zealand counterpart Winston Peters on Thursday to exchange views on novel coronavirus, ARY News reported. During the telephonic conversation, FM Qureshi commended the steps taken by the NZ govt to contain the virus. He apprised his NZcounterpart of the measures being adopted by Pakistan. Shah Mahmood Qureshi also thanked the New Zealand foreign minister for looking after Pakistani nationals based in New Zealand. He also thanked authorities for extending visas of overseas Pakistanis. The New Zealand counterpart thanked his Pakistani counterpart for his expression of solidarity and agreed with him on the importance of international cooperation for dealing with the pandemic. The foreign minister also apprised him about the situation in IOK and expressed concern over the continued communications and movement restrictions in Occupied Kashmir. He also underlined concern over the demonization of Muslims in India in the

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan says the country won’t progress towards “knowledge economy” until it spends its resources on education and research. Speaking at an event at COMSTECH, he said the ongoing coronavirus crisis has brought many things to light for them. “We have a dependency syndrome, we lack self-belief,” the prime minister said, adding it is this crisis that made us realise that producing ventilators is not difficult. He pointed out the country had the capacity to make nuclear bombs but found it hard to make ventilators. He said it is the self-belief that takes a nation forward and brings it at a stage where it can overcome any challenge. Read More: Pakistan now capable of exporting hand sanitisers, disinfectants: Fawad Prime Minister Khan said the coronavirus pandemic doesn’t differentiate between the rich and the poor, lamenting the ruling elite didn’t spare a thought for developing the country’s health infrastructure in the past and went abroad for treatment

KARACHI: For the first time in the country’s history, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been allowed to operate direct flights to the United States (US), ARY News reported on Thursday. Last week, the Chief Operating Officer (CEO) of the PIA Air Mar­shal Arshad Malik wrote a letter to the US ambassador and the State Department seeking permission to operate PIA special flights to repatriate Pakistanis stranded in the US. The permission was granted by the US Transport Department on Pakistan’s request to repatriate its stranded citizens in the United States of America. According to the permission granted by the US, the PIA can operate as many as 12 flights in a month to bring back the stranded Pakistanis. Read more: Pakistan asks US to allow flights to repatriate stranded countrymen The PIA spokesperson said that the permission was granted to Pakistan by the US after improvement in the security situation. CEO PIA Air Marshal Arshad Malik thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan, F

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said on Thursday Pakistan is producing its own sanitisers and disinfectants and is now capable of exporting them. Speaking at an event at COMSTECH, he said Pakistan faced a shortage of hand sanitizers in the first ten days of the detection of the first two cases of the novel coronavirus in the country. “We decided to manufacture face masks, hand sanitizers, and sanitising walk-through gates,” he said. The minister said the country is producing its own sanitisers and disinfectants today and is in position to export them. He added a committee was also set up to look into ways and means to manufacture Covid-19 testing kits. Read More:  Successfully repaired 163 ventilators for reuse, other being worked on: Fawad Chaudhry Earlier, he had said the nation should be proud of Pakistani organisations and professionals who have risen to the challenge posed by the Covid-19 crisis . He in a Twitter statement said the country is n

KARACHI: As many as 1,68000 metric tons of wheat bags have been reported missing from the storage facilities in Sindh, ARY News reported on Thursday. This is the biggest theft of the wheat from government’s storage facility in Sindh, which costs Rs 7 billion. According to the document available with ARY News, the chief secretary Sindh has handed over the matter for an inquiry to the anti-corruption department. It mat be noted that the Sindh government has set target of 1.4 million tons wheat procurement this year. On April 10, last year, the Anti-Corruption Establishment Sindh had revealed that wheat worth Rs620 million was sold illegally from warehouses of the Food Department in Dadu. Read more: ‘Over 30,000 acres of wheat, corn crops destroyed by rains in Punjab’ This was disclosed when a team of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) raided nine different warehouses of the Food Department in Dadu. The ACE team had included the assistant and deputy directors also. During the

US oil prices surged above $17 a barrel Thursday as virus-ravaged markets were lifted by data showing improving demand and a smaller-than-expected rise in stockpiles in the world’s top economy. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate rose 16.4 percent to $17.53 a barrel in Asian trade, after jumping by more than a quarter on Wednesday. Brent crude, the international marker, was up 10.4 percent at $24.90. Oil prices have plunged to historic lows in recent weeks as collapsing demand caused by worldwide lockdowns prompted a massive glut and led to storage capacity filling up. Prices fell heavily at the start of the week, but began rebounding Wednesday after data from the US Energy Information Administration showed that crude stockpiles in the world’s biggest economy rose by about nine million barrels. That was below market expectations of an increase of 11.7 million barrels, according to analysts. There were also signs that demand may be improving with weekly gasoline supplied rising

MUMBAI: Indian actor Rishi Kapoor, who starred in celebrated movies such as Bobby and Mera Naam Joker  made by the Bollywood film industry, died on Thursday after a two-year battle with leukemia, his family said. Kapoor, 67, the scion of a famed industry family, is survived by his wife and two children, and had been diagnosed with cancer in 2018. Following his death, the Kapoor family issued an official statement detailing his final hours in the hospital before he passed on. His brother, Randhir Kapoor, had said the actor complained of breathing problems after which he was rushed to the hospital. “Our dear Rishi Kapoor passed away peacefully at 8:45am IST in hospital today after a two-year battle with leukemia. The doctors and medical staff at the hospital said he kept them entertained to the last.” “He remained jovial and determined to live to the fullest right through two years of treatment across two continents. Family, friends, food and films remained his focus and everyone w

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court hearing Narowal Sports City scandal case against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday adjourned hearing till June 8. The hearing was presided over by AC judge Muhammad Bashir. National Accountability Bureau prosecutor Waseem Javed appeared before the court, while Iqbal skipped today’s court appearance due to coronavirus outbreak. At the out of the hearing, the judge asked about the reference against the PML-N leader. “What happened to the reference”, Judge Muhammad Bashir asked the NAB prosecutor. Inquiry has been completed and the reference is passing through finalization process, the NAB prosecutor replied, Read more: Ahsan Iqbal arrested in Narowal Sports City corruption case The court, after ordering the NAB to submit progress report on the Narowal Sports City scandal adjourned the further hearing into case till June 8. Ahsan Iqbal is accused of using funds of the federal government and Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) for

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has urged the international community to take notice of the rights violations in the Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK), ARY News reported on Thursday. “Under the cover of coronavirus, the Modi govt with its fascist Hindutva Supremacist RSS-driven ideology continues its war crimes in IoK as it violates the Fourth Geneva Convention by continuing its genocide of Kashmiris”, PM Imran Khan said in his tweet. Under cover of COVID19 global pandemic, the Modi Govt with its fascist Hindutva Supremacist RSS-driven ideology continues its war crimes in IOJK as it violates the Fourth Geneva Convention by continuing its genocide of Kashmiris: & by attempting to change https://t.co/ezFAQBhE7I — Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 30, 2020 The demography in Occupied Jammu & Kashmir  is a territory recognised as disputed by the United Nations, the PM said and stressed upon the international community to realize its responsibility and take notice of ac

ISLAMABAD: The coronavirus count reached 15,759 in Pakistan as 874 new cases reported within 24 hours in the country, according to the latest statistics released by National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Thursday. According to the national dashboard, these include 6,061 cases in Punjab, 5,695 in Sindh, 2,313 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 978 in Balochistan, 333 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 313 in Islamabad Capital Territory and 66 in Azad Kashmir. 19 deaths were reported during last 24 hours, taking the tally to 346 while 4,052 patients recovered from the virus and 153 are still critical. The country has conducted overall 1,74,160 coronavirus tests including 8,249, in last 24 hours. Highest number of cases in a day Sindh recorded  404 new coronavirus cases  over the past 24 hours, which is the highest number of infections in the province so far, according to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. Read more: Essential Services Act imposed for smooth functioning of flight operations In a video

KARACHI: Two people were killed in firing near Federal Urdu University, situated in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, an area of Karachi on Thursday, said rescue sources. Rescue sources said, the victims were identified as Wazir Ahmed and Muhammad Zafar. The cause behind the incident remains unknown. The bodies were moved to a nearby hospital, while investigation into the matter was underway. Earlier in the month of January, unidentified men had killed a man as they opened fire at a shop in Baldia Town area of the city. Read more: Man allegedly killed over free-will marriage in Karachi According to police, the incident occurred at Yousuf Goth area of the Baldia Town when armed motorcyclists opened fire at a shop. Initially, it was claimed that the incident happened when the shopkeeper resisted a dacoity bid, forcing the criminals to open fire on him. However, investigations into the case had revealed that it was killing over personal enmity. The police have shifted the body to a hospital for me

RAWALPINDI: A Pakistan Army soldier and two civilians embraced martyrdom as Indian troops resorted to unprovoked firing across the Line of Control (LoC), the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Wednesday. According to the military’s media wing, the violation was reported in Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s sectors of Kailer and Rakhchikri along LoC. In Kailer Sector, Indian troops targeted Pakistan Army posts with automatic and heavy weapons. However, Pakistan Army responded effectively resulting in heavy losses to Indian troops. During exchange of intense fire, 34 years Lance Naik Ali Baz, resident of District Karak, embraced martyrdom. In Rakchikri Sector, Indian Army troops deliberately targeted civilian population in which 16 year old girl and a 52 woman were martyred while a 10 years boy and 55 years woman got injured due to indiscriminate fire in Kirni village. Read more: COAS Bajwa visits forward troops along LoC: ISPR On April 27, a woman had embraced martyrdom while

PARIS: France on Wednesday reported 427 more deaths from COVID-19 to push the total above 24,000 but it also saw new declines in the numbers of patients in hospital and intensive care. The total number of deaths in hospitals and nursing homes from the virus in France is now 24,087, the health ministry said in a statement. But the latest figures confirmed the recent more optimistic trends seen over the last days with 650 fewer coronavirus patients in hospital and 180 less in intensive care. The new figures were announced a day after Prime Minister Edouard Philippe outlined France s strategy for easing its lockdown from May 11. Shops and some schools will reopen but cafes and restaurants will stay shut for now, while wearing a mask will be obligatory on public transport. He emphasised that the government was treading a fine line between the need to protect the economy while also warding off the threat of a new wave of infections. “A little too much carelessness, and the epidemic r

Scientists in Australia have made a major breakthrough in the search for a Covid-19 vaccine saying their drug can neutralise the deadly virus. Researchers at the University of Queensland (UQ) are conducting a trial of the experimental vaccine which they say is generating immunity levels higher than in recovered coronavirus patients. The project co-leader Professor Paul Young said the pre-clinical results from growing the virus in cell cultures indicated the vaccine’s development is going to plan. The vaccine will go into human trials once the final results from the pre-clinical tests arrive in early June. “This is what we were hoping for, and it’s a great relief for the team given the tremendous faith placed in our technology by CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation), federal and Queensland governments and our philanthropic partners,” Prof Young said in a statement. Read More: Oxford’s COVID-19 vaccine works on monkeys, may hit market by September “We were particu

Movie moguls, directors and lawyers are searching for radical solutions to reopen Hollywood as soundstages gather dust and studio profits slide weeks after cameras stopped rolling due to coronavirus. The film industry has been on lockdown in California since mid-March following strict stay-at-home orders, with movie and television shoots particularly exposed to the pandemic because of the large casts and crews required. But even as politicians mull a gradual easing of restrictions, insiders say Tinseltown’s sky-high costs — and liabilities — mean filmmaking could look very different to what came before, and be many months away. “It’s impossible to make a ‘Star Wars’ or a Marvel movie tomorrow morning,” said Nicolas Chartier, Oscar-winning producer of The Hurt Locker. “Logically, there’s too much liability and there’s too much fear,” agreed fellow producer Stephen Nemeth ( Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. ) “I can’t see a movie like ‘Dune’ getting produced now. I can’t see another

France has more than a dozen cases of children with inflammation around the heart, the health minister said Wednesday, after Britain sounded an alarm about a new disease with possible links to novel coronavirus. Olivier Veran said there was not enough evidence to confirm a link with the coronavirus sweeping the globe but France was taking the cases “very seriously”. Britain’s state-run National Health Service issued the alert at the weekend about a small number of children presenting an unusual set of symptoms, including abdominal pain and inflammation that required admission to intensive care. In London, health minister Matt Hancock on Tuesday spoke of “early signs that in rare cases, there is an impact of an auto-immune response in children that causes a significant disease. “It’s a new disease that we think may be caused by coronavirus and the COVID-19 virus.” But he said that while some of the children who have it tested positive for the virus, others did not. Cases have als

SIALKOT: Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar on Wednesday launched the Corona Relief Tiger Force in Sialkot, ARY News reported. The force comprises of teachers, health workers, engineers, lawyers, doctors and people belonging to other segments of the society. As many as 20,000 members of the force will discharge their duties in Sialkot at the field corona hospital in the area. وزیراعلیٰ پنجاب عثمان بزدار وزیراعظم کورونا ریلیف ٹائیگرز فورس کی لانچنگ تقریب کےلیے سیالکوٹ پہنچ گئے وزیراعظم کے معاون خصوصی برائے امور نوجوانان عثمان ڈار نے وزیراعلی کا استقبال کیا @UsmanAKBuzdar @UdarOfficial #PMCoronaReliefTigerForce pic.twitter.com/FbGAuFmOzH — PTI North Punjab (@PtiNorthPunjab) April 29, 2020  CM Usman Buzdar also met the volunteers of the force. Read:  Imran Khan directs provinces to monitor Corona Relief Tiger Force activities On March 30, Prime Minister Imran Khan had announced multi-billion relief package, establishment of youth force and public fund during his address

ISLAMABAD: Command and Staff Conference of Pakistan Navy was held in Islamabad on Wednesday with Naval Chief Admiral Zafar Mehmood Abbasi in the chair. According to a statement issued by a navy spokesman, field commanders participated in the conference via video link. The forum reviewed regional security situation, operational preparedness of Pakistan Navy, training matters of soldiers, and welfare activities of the force. Naval Chief was briefed about Pakistan Navy’s ongoing and future endeavors. He expressed satisfaction over the operational preparedness of the Pakistan Navy. The conference reiterated to continue relief efforts in various parts of the country in view of the Coronavirus outbreak along with operational preparations. While making an overall appraisal of the prevalent security environment, the Chief of the Naval Staff expressed his confidence over the operational preparedness of the Pakistan Navy. Earlier in January, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood

ISLAMABAD: The federal government is set to bring key amendments to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Ordinance, 1999 as a draft ordinance has been prepared for the purpose, ARY News reported. The draft of the National Accountability (Amendment) Act, 2020 will be sent to President Dr Arif Alvi for approval.  According to the draft, the NAB chairman will no longer have the powers to authorise the arrest of an accused as relevant court will issue arrest warrants after the corruption watchdog files a reference. It says the NAB shall not initiate action on allegations levelled in a complaint, which is anonymous or pseudonymous, which do not involve public money, and in which the amount involved is less than five hundred million rupees. Moreover, a public office holder shall be tried by a court in a province from which he was elected and a person in the service of Pakistan or any statutory body or organization shall be tried in a province where his place of duty is or was loca

LAHORE: Punjab has reported 97 new cases of the novel coronavirus, taking the provincial tally to 5,827, according to the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department. A spokesperson for the department said 100 people have so far died from the virus while 1,510 people have recovered. 22 of the coronavirus patients are in critical condition, he said. The spokesperson said as many as 77,619 tests have been conducted across the province thus far. It must be noted that the number of total confirmed cases in the country has jumped to 14,885 after 806 new coronavirus cases reported in the last 24 hours. According to the National command and Operation Centre, 11,133 people are still under treatment from which 111 are said to be critical, while 3,425 patients have recovered so far. With 26 more deaths in last 24 hours, the number of total coronavirus fatalities now stands at 327. According to National Command and Operation Center, these include 5,827 cases in Punjab, 5,291 in Si

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani on Wednesday tested negative for the novel coronavirus, ARY News reported. Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani voluntarily tested himself for the deadly virus as a precautionary measure. The decision was taken after Senator Mirza Afridi, tested positive for the COVID-19. Senator Mirza Ahmed Afridi had tested positive for the coronavirus on Tuesday (yesterday). Afridi, hailing from erstwhile FATA, after testing positive for virus, went under self-isolation at his home. It was learnt that the senator had distributed ration among the needy persons in Peshawar a week ago. Read more:  MNA Munir Khan Orakzai contracts coronavirus In his statement, Mirza Ahmed Afridi said he is feeling well now and advised, who met wit him recently to undergo coronavirus test. Last week, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) leader Munir Khan Orakzai had tested positive for coronavirus. Munir Khan Orakzai, who is also a Member of the National Assembly (MNA), had been admit

LOS ANGELES: The organizers of the Oscars said on Tuesday that films released only on streaming platforms or video on demand while movie theatres are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic would be eligible for Academy Awards next year. The temporary change, which will apply only for next year’s Oscars and will lapse when movie theatres reopen across the nation, was announced in a statement by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Previously, a movie had to be screened in a movie theatre in Los Angeles for at least seven days in order to be eligible for Oscar consideration. “The Academy firmly believes there is no greater way to experience the magic of movies than to see them in a theater. Our commitment to that is unchanged and unwavering. Nonetheless, the historically tragic COVID-19 pandemic necessitates this temporary exception to our awards eligibility rules,” President David Rubin and Chief Executive Dawn Hudson said, referring to the disease caused by the virus.