AAA Associates announces sponsorship of Paralympian Haider Ali

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Islamabad (Muhammad Yasir)

AAA Associates, in its continuous efforts to promote underfunded sports activities and athletes, announced the sponsorship of Tokyo Paralympic 2020’s Gold Medallist Haider Ali. Haider Ali has brought great honour to Pakistan by winning Gold Medal in Tokyo Paralympics in Discus Throw on 3rd September 2021, becoming the first gold medallist for Pakistan at the Paralympics ever. His previous accolades include winning Pakistan’s first ever silver at Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China in 2008. He has competed at the Paralympics on four occasions in 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020 and has the unique honour of winning country’s first ever Paralympic gold, silver and bronze medals. He is also the only Pakistani to have won a medal in Paralympic history. AAA Associates will provide the entire funding required by Haider Ali for his continuous training and participation in Athletic events worldwide.

Addressing the ceremony, AAA Associates Chairman Sheikh Fawad Bashir lauded Haider Ali for his exemplary performance by saying, “despite the lack of facilities and resources, the way Haider Ali has excelled, is heroic and an inspiration for all of us. It is a proud moment for me to have Haider Ali as a brand ambassador of AAA Associates”.

MD AAA Associates Shahzad Kiani also applauded Haider Ali’s outstanding feats and welcomed him as a brand ambassador of the company. Citing the remarkable performance, he said, “It is one of our manifestos to promote such athletes and sports. AAA Associates believe in dedication and Haider Ali is a true face of devotion and motivation.”

Haider Ali also acknowledged AAA Associates’ efforts of endorsing sports, “ I feel delighted to be a part of AAA Associates and under their patronage, I will be more focused on my sports without worrying for funds.”

A graceful ceremony in this regard was held at AAA Associates Head Office in Phase 7, Bahria Town, Rawalpindi.

PCB to partner with Daraz for live streaming of 2021-22 international cricket season

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir)

Pakistan Cricket Board has finalized arrangements with Pakistan’s leading online marketplace, Daraz, forexclusivelive streaming rights for the 2021-22 home season in the Pakistan region.

The upcoming cricket season is set to be one of the busiest home seasons in Pakistan’s cricketing history with white-ball series tours by New Zealand, England (men’s and women’s) and West Indies followed by a full tour by Australia.

Daraz will have exclusive live streaming rights for the entire bilateral international cricket season which commences with the first ODI between Pakistan and New Zealand at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi on Friday, 17 September.

As part of the partnership, Daraz users will get a chance to see the live stream free of cost on the platform’s recently launched “DarazLive” – live streaming feature completely free of ads.

Daraz believes in providing its customers with added value by continuous tech-backed innovation and living up to that belief, the brand focuses majorly on the phenomena of In-App shoppertainment that allows users to get a complete entertainment experience from the comfort of their homes.

PCB CEO Wasim Khansaid, “I am excited to welcome Daraz on board as our exclusive live streaming partner for the Pakistan region. Cricket is Pakistan’s biggest passion point and we are keen to make the game more accessible for our fans. Our Commercial Team has focused on digital growth and this live streaming partnership is a great achievement for us as an organisation.

“I am confident that our partnership with Daraz will grow bigger and better in line with our strategic vision to take a futuristic approach for value-addition and addressing changing behaviors and needs of our fans, especially the youth.”

Chief Marketing Officer at Daraz, Ammar Hassan shared his excitement by saying, “We are extremely proud to partner with PCB for exclusive digital broadcasting rights for Pakistan cricket home series till March 2022. Daraz users will get a chance to see the live digital broadcast free of cost and free of ads while enjoying some great shopping deals during the matches. Live commerce is the next big thing and we want to bring the same trend in Pakistan.”

With this partnership, both PCB and Daraz hope to redefine the cricket and entertainment landscape of Pakistan and enable users to have easy access to the most loved sport of the country.

 

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Ayeza Khan became most followed celebrity on Instagram with 10 million followers

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Ayeza Khan on Sunday crossed 10 million followers and became the most followed Pakistani celebrity on Instagram. Meray Pass Tum Ho star, who jetted off to Turkey with her family recently, reached the 10 million milestone on Sunday afternoon.

Ayeza is currently following 391 people, most of whom are close friends and family with 3,889 posts. Aiman’s sister Minal Khan, who tied the knot to Ahsan Mohsin Ikram on Friday, is followed by 7.8 million followers.

She also updated her Instagram profile a day after her wedding. Mahira Khan and Sajal Aly are also among the top five most followed celebrities with 7.9 and 7.2 million followers respectively.

 

Apple to launch first iPhone with 1TB storage on Tuesday.

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

A day before Apple’s California Streaming event on September 14 (tomorrow), a new investor report from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says he expects the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max to each have a 1TB storage configuration (h/t 9to5Mac). Kuo also says the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini will have storage configurations of 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB, but no 64GB option.

Kuo also said he expects Apple to reveal AirPods 3 at Tuesday’s event, but that Apple will probably keep the AirPods 2 available. He cautions that the iPhone 13 could be affected by supply chain shortages, as has been previously reported, but expects there will be limited impact on iPhone 13 shipments.

Previous leaks and rumors have pointed to an iPhone 13 lineup that will include four models in the same sizes as last year’s models. The new phones are expected to have improved cameras that include video portrait mode and an astrophotography mode, an improved ultrawide lens and a better optical zoom for video recording.

Other rumors around the Apple Watch 7 are predicting a faster processor and a new hardware design, including larger screens and new watch faces. And the iPad Mini is expected to get a big redesign, as well. The fall event gets underway at 1PM ET on September 14th, and will be a virtual event streaming from Apple Park.

Facebook unveils its first smart glasses with unique features

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-Technologies)

Facebook Inc. launched its first smart glasses in a step toward its aim of offering true augmented-reality spectacles.

The glasses, which were created in partnership with Ray-Ban maker Essilor Luxottica, allow wearers to listen to music, take calls or capture photos and short videos and share them across Facebook’s services using a companion app. Facebook said the glasses line, called “Ray-Ban Stories,” would start at $299.

The social media giant, which reported revenue of about $86 billion in 2020, makes most of its money from advertising but has invested heavily in virtual and augmented reality, developing hardware such as its Oculus VR headsets and working on wristband technologies to support augmented reality glasses.

Facebook’s chief scientist said last year the company was five to 10 years away from being able to bring to market “true” AR glasses, which would superimpose virtual objects onto the wearer’s view of the real world.

Major tech firms including Amazon.com Inc, Alphabet Inc’s Google, Microsoft Corp, Apple Inc. and Snap Inc. have raced to develop various smart glasses products, but early offerings like Google Glass proved difficult to sell to consumers put off by high price points and design issues.

Snap, which unveiled its smart Spectacles in 2016, this year launched AR glasses but they are not for sale and are offered only to AR creators. Snap’s CEO, Evan Spiegel, said in 2019 that he expected it would be a decade before consumers widely adopted AR smart glasses.

Facebook’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, recently announced the company was setting up a team to work on building the metaverse, a shared virtual environment which it is betting will be the successor to the mobile Internet.

“We’ve believed for a long time that glasses are going to be an important part of building the next computing platform,” said Zuckerberg in a video posted on his Facebook page on Thursday.

Facebook, which has been criticized over its handling of user data, said it would not access the media used by its smart-glasses customers without their consent.

The company also said it would not use the content of the photos or videos captured using the glasses and stored in the Facebook View app for personalizing ads, and said the glasses would be an “ads-free experience.”

The glasses include an optional virtual assistant so photos and videos can be captured hands-free through voice commands. Facebook said an LED light on the glasses would show when the camera is on, to make other people aware when a wearer is taking a photo or video.

It published a guide outlining how to use the glasses responsibly, for example turning them off in private spaces like public bathrooms and not using them for illegal actions like harassment or capturing sensitive information such as PIN codes.

Mahira Khan dishes out her ‘mindful’ method of picking projects:

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Mahira Khan is shedding light on her new approach of selecting projects. Speaking in a virtual interview on Positive Solace, Mahira touched on ‘mindful’ selection of projects and characters in the future.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CTh0FpPqaNi/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

“As I am evolving as an actor what happened to me is that I really started to live the character that I am playing. I never used to do that fully. I used to be very scared of that. Now I have started feeling like I don’t have anything to lose. So I am doing that and that has affected me. And that’s why I am going to be a little bit mindful of what’s I am going to take on next. I have sort of decided a few things next time I will pick up a role.”

Mahira also went on to correct all those who believe her to be working with certain filmmakers and production houses.

“I hope people are watching this, a lot of people think that I work with certain people, with big directors and with a big this and a big that. I have actually enjoyed prince charming so much and Aik Hai Nigar so much that now I am looking for a story that speaks to me. I am just looking for a director who just breaks me down and makes me into something else,” Mahira confessed.

 

Umer Sharif’s awaits US visa, wife Zareen says every minute critical.

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Pakistani actor and comedian Umer Sharif’s wife Zareen Umer has expressed hope a visa will be issued at the earliest to shift her ailing husband to the US, as every single minute is crucial for him.

Speaking to the local News channel, Zareen said she received a call from PM office that efforts were being made to grant a visa and make other arrangements, including an air ambulance.

Zareen said they need an air ambulance because Umer cannot travel on a regular flight.

All arrangements have been made for Umer’s treatment at George Washington University Hospital in the US, she said and added that the only thing they need is an air ambulance and visa immediately. She also urged Umer’s fans for prayers.

Earlier PM’s spokesperson Shahbaz Gill took notice of Sharif’s request. After expressing sorrow at the actor’s predicament, he assured the government would support him in any capacity he required.

Similarly the Sindh Culture Department has announced to take responsibility for Sharif’s treatment. The Sindh Minister for Culture, Syed Sardar Ali Shah, has sent his regards to the renowned television personality, who has served Pakistan’s entertainment industry for decades but Legend comedian is still in distress and passionately awaiting US flight and visa.

U fone telecom won the bid of unused Pakistan’s spectrum with $279 Million.

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Cellular company Ufone on Friday won a bid for Pakistan’s unused spectrum with $279 million, said the country’s telecom authority. Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) started the process to sell the unused spectrum late last year.

The spectrum is in the 1800 and 2100 MHz bands typically used by operators for 4G LTE (long-term evolution) networks that offer faster video streaming and internet downloads.

“Total Spectrum won by Ufone is 9 MHz in 1800 MHz band which is 70.3 percent of the total offered spectrum in the said band during the current auction,” the PTA said in a statement.

The addition will boost Ufone spectrum holdings from 6 MHz to 15 MHz in 1800 MHz band, enhancing quality and increasing coverage for voice and data services, it added.

Pakistan has nearly 100 million 3G/4G subscribers, and the new spectrum known as Next Generation Mobile Services (NGMS) is seen a precursor to any 5G launch.

The Pakistan telecom market is dominated by Jazz, backed by Netherlands-based Veon Ltd; Telenor Pakistan, backed by Norway’s state-controlled Telenor; Zong, owned by China Mobile; and Ufone, which is controlled by state-owned Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd.

Minal Khan updated her Instagram profile as Minal Ahsan official after wedding.

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Pakistan TV star Minal Khan, who tied the knot to Ahsan Mohsin Ikram on Friday, has updated her Instagram profile a day after her wedding. The Parchayee actress has changed her name to Minal Ahsan from Minal Khan on Instagram.

Minal, who is an avid social media user with 7.7 million followers, also turned to Instagram and shared a loved-up photo from her wedding ceremony that took place on September 10, 2021.

Sharing the stunning picture with the husband, Minal Ahsan wrote, “Now you’re officially mine forever! Mr & Mrs Ahsan Ikram.”

Fans and fellow showbiz stars showered love on Minal and Ahsan after she posted the sweet photo. They also congratulated the newlyweds and wished them a happy married life.

Ahsan Mohsin Ikram also took to the Facebook-owned app and delighted his fans with adorable photos from their wedding.

 

OCTOPUS Digital IPO strikes highest possible price of Rs 40.6.

Posted on by Ali Qasim

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Octopus Digital Initial Public Offer (IPO) received the highest number of bids in the history of the Pakistan Stock Exchange during the book-building process of the technology stock. The stock’s strike price has been set at its ceiling – Rs40.6 a share.

The tech firm was initially looking to raise a minimum Rs793million by offering 27.4 million shares at a minimum price of Rs29 per share in the IPO. But it will now raise Rs1.1 billion from the IPO after securing the highest maximum price for its stock.

Book-building was oversubscribed 27.3 times, resulting in successful bidders receiving only 2.75% of the shares they had originally bid. It means that if a person had bid for 25,000 shares, he or she will receive only 668 shares.

“The IPO received a great response,” said senior research analyst Adnan Sami Sheikh. “It was two times (over)subscribed in the first 30 minutes,” he said.

He added that this is highest response a company had ever received in the PSX’s history.

Sheikh, who is the AVP of research at Pak Kuwait Investments, said that Octopus would reap huge synergies given their longstanding history in the sector.

Octopus Digital is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Avanceon Ltd. The company plans to develop 29 independent intellectual properties under different categories from which the company will be providing two main offerings – Topware and Omni Connect.

“Avanceon has been providing industrial automation solutions for over 30 years. So, they have 30 years of experience in the market and 30 years of client rights,” said Sheikh.

The book-building was held on September 9 and 10. The price was decided with institutions and high net worth individuals bidding via the Dutch auction method. The general public will be able to buy the company’s shares on September 16 and 17 at a price of Rs40.6.