Coronavirus, no doubt has become everyone’s nightmare. With millions of reported cases and almost 200,000 deaths, coronavirus is surely spreading like a wildfire, globally. In Pakistan, the number of coronavirus cases has crossed 10,000 in almost two months which is absolutely shocking.
Just recently, Metro Cash & Carry Pakistan has shut down its University Road store near Safari Park, Karachi after one of its employees tested positive for coronavirus. The announcement of closing down the store was made on their official page on Facebook.
Here’s the notice they have issued on their official Facebook page:
“Important Announcement!
Safari store in Karachi is closed from today till further notice.
Metro management has decided to close the Safari Store on University Road, Karachi till further notice as one of our employees has been tested positive for COVID-19. The safety of our customers and employees is of paramount importance to us, hence we are conducting COVID-19 tests for all our employees and doing the needful as per the government guidelines and the same has been communicated to all the concerned officials.
#MetroCares – Stay Safe”
Here’s the notice:
Image Source: Facebook
We appreciate the preventive measures Metro is taking to ensure all the other employees are safe and by actually closing the store down.
We really hope this pandemic comes to end and those who are affected, recover at their healthiest. Furthermore, we’d advise everyone to stay at home and avoid unnecessary hangouts to help contain the spread of coronavirus.
Stay safe and stay healthy.
Keep following Brandsynario for the latest news and updates.
Pakistani actor Saba Qamar has finally launched her YouTube channel after much hype. She released the first episode on Tuesday at 8 PM while teasing her fans for quite some time on her Instagram account.
Narrated beautifully by Saba Qamar herself in the voiceover, she has brilliantly shown us her life in isolation and with beautiful poetic lines. Talking all about life and impact of COVID-19, Saba could not have pulled this off in a better way!
Check out her first episode called ‘Isolation’!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSo6CE6qwK4
If you’re telling us that YouTube ain’t your go-to social media platform for all the entertainment that we can promise you we’re not buying that!
In fact, we’re certain you must be hooked to the YouTube channels featuring your favorite comedians and beauty gurus, and pretty invested in watching those ASMR videos and latest music.
Well, it’s high time you make room for all the Pakistani celebrities who have taken to YouTube and have proved to be a hit by producing some great content.
Just recently, Saba Qamar has also announced to launch her YouTube channel soon! She took to Twitter to announce this news but didn’t reveal much except for the hashtag #YouTube which has left everyone guessing.
Alongside Saba Qamar, Pakistani model and actor Feroze Khan had also announced to launch a YouTube channel really soon as he has quit showbiz a few months ago to practice and preach religion.
Moreover, here are a few more Pakistani actors who have recently joined the world of vlogging and here they
1. Zahid Ahmed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA4d5ZhN9Zg
Zahid Ahmed has recently started his own YouTube channel where he talks about issues in the light of Islam. With almost 92k subscribers, Zahid has garnered a decent number of audience in a very short span.
2. Hania Aamir
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzPCl2xidT8&t=57s
Hania Aamir is loved by many because of her bubbly personality! Hania decided to make her YouTube channel just a few months ago and she now has almost 300l subscribers where she vlogs and entertains her audience.
3. Javeria Saud
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaTzGTrNhHM
Javeria Saud has almost 222k subscribers on her YouTube channel. Javeria mostly has focus set on lifestyle where she talks about home-keeping, cooking and so much more.
4. Nadia Khan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EP6OKwJltM
Nadia Khan was among the very first Pakistani celebrities who made her YouTube channel. From lifestyle tips and hacks to beauty tips, Nadia shares it all. Nadia almost has 700k subscribers on her YouTube channel which is incredibly a lot!
5. Hira Tareen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHsCdegQFH0
With almost 53k subscribers Hira’s channel has got all the best fashion, lifestyle and skincare tips. She also shows us some exclusive behind the scenes videos for her shoots with magazines and all that prep which goes on for fashion week; not to forget her travel vlogs with husband Ali Safina, and also ‘get ready with me’ videos for events.
6. Juggun Kazim
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiAMynlggMs
Winning the fans with 410k subscribers, Juggun Kazim’s channel is systematic and she has categorized the kind of content she posts one after another. On her channel, you will mostly find beauty, health, and food/diet-related videos. She seldom posts such videos too where she has a heart to heart with her fans and subscribers!
7. Ayesha Omer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOvssQ971Zg
The Bulbulay’s khoobsurat starlet has about 93k subscribers on her YouTube and you can see her daily life on her channel. The first video she posted was about an orphanage; Sirat-ul-Jinnah followed by content that revolves around her lifestyle and fitness. Her videos are insightful and you can certainly learn a thing or two about having a healthy lifestyle.
8. Hina Altaf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdYwUq8JEzw
Another celebrity who has joined the bandwaggon of YouTube vloggers is Hina Altaf with 125k subscribers! Hina does quirky challenges with her friends, plays dress-up, gives fabulous outfit ideas, discusses healthcare, beauty, and fitness. Moreover, she collaborates with a dentist and aesthetician Dr.Hina Siddiqi who gives skincare tips and is very well versed in the field which is lauded by the followers and is extremely helpful.
9. Bilal Khan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98mevCHIeTk
The singer/heartthrob of Pakistan is seen producing some quality content on his YouTube channel where he shows us how he works on his new tracks and prepares for his concerts. Bilal also invites different celebrities on his vlogs such as Mahira Khan, Mawra Hocane, Maya Ali, Kubra Khan, Iqra Aziz and others.
So guys which celebrity is your favorite? Tell us in the comment below.
As the coronavirus pandemic is nowhere close to ending anytime soon, the restrictions are tightening all around the world. In Saudi Arabia, ‘Taraweeh’ in Masjid-i-Haram and Masjid e Nabvi will be held without public attendance and have been reduced to 10 rakats.
The new rules for Taraweeh prayers were announced on Facebook by Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais on Tuesday.
Here’s the post that was shared on the official Facebook page of Harmain.info.
Image Source: Facebook/Harmain.info
Moreover, Al Riyadh newspaper quoted Dr Abdul Latif Al-Sheikh, Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs, saying, “The suspension of performing the five daily prayers at mosques is more important than the suspension of Taraweeh prayers.”
He further added,
“We ask Allah the Almighty to accept Taraweeh prayers whether held at mosques, or homes, which we think is better for people’s health. We ask Allah the Almighty to accept prayers from all of us and protect humanity from this epidemic that hit the entire world.”
As the global pandemic as taken over the world, this novel virus doesn’t seem to end anytime soon. The cases all around the world are rapidly increasing on a daily basis taking the number of reported cases over a million and reported deaths to more than 50,000.
In March, Saudi Arabia temporarily suspended ‘Umrah’ for pilgrims over fears of the coronavirus initially for pilgrims traveling from outside and later, suspended it for its citizens as well.
Image Source: Arabian Business
Following the rise in coronavirus cases and deaths, on Thursday, Saudi Arabia extended curfew restrictions in the two holiest cities to 24 hours to contain the spread of coronavirus The decision was taken after the number of deaths from the virus rose to 21 in Saudi Arabia.
The official Saudi Press Agency reported, citing an interior ministry source.
Full 24-hour curfew in Makkah and Madina starting from today until further notice,”
Before the Saudi government imposed the 24-hour ban, the two cities were already under a 15-hour daily curfew.
The local authorities in Saudi Arabia have already sealed off Makkah and Madina along with Riyadh and Jeddah, restricting people from entering and exiting the cities as well as prohibiting movement between all provinces.
Moreover, the authorities are yet to announce whether or not they will proceed with this year’s hajj.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates.
According to a study conducted by a brand agency ‘MBLM’, YouTube has topped the list of the most trusted brand among millennials.
Netflix and Apple which are also popular brands amongst the youth ranked below Youtube. However, in MBLM’s 2018 study, Apple had topped the list followed by Disney and YouTube.
In 2017, YouTube was rated at 10th place.
The research called Brand Intimacy 2019 Study is touted as the most significant and largest study of brands based on emotions. It evaluates the emotional bonds between a user and a brand.
The study was conducted across 15 industries in the U.S, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates. The responses were collected from 6,200 consumers and 56,000 brand evaluations.
Following is the list of top 10 Most Intimate Brands among Millennials as per the study:
YouTube
Apple
Netflix
Disney
Nike
Target
XBOX
PlayStation
Google
Walmart
The study further revealed that amongst women, Target, Amazon, and Disney are the top three most trusted brands.
Amongst millennial men, Xbox, PlayStation, and Spotify are the most popular brands.
What Made YouTube Climb to the Top?
Over the past year, YouTube has raised its game by adding many features that have appealed to the millennials.
We saw the launch of YouTube Live, a feature for YouTubers to Livestream, play games, share news, music, and sports.
The feature of YouTube stories was also rolled out for creators with more than 10,000 subscribers on their channels. It enables users to created short videos that expire after seven days.
According to MBLM managing partner, Mario Natarelli:
“Youtube has demonstrated an ability to entertain a diverse millennial audience through its extensive content. It is also continuing its expansion of services, including the launch of YouTube Music in 2018, as it finds new ways to connect with consumers. Millennials in particular bond strongly with the media & entertainment industry and YouTube is doing a good job at building a brand that caters to the wants and needs of this audience.”
Compare notes with other Money Heist/La Casa de Papel fans and you’ll find everyone can tell you how long it took them to binge on the fourth part. The answer would be somewhere around three days or less. However, it’s an undeniable fact that we are ready for the next chapter of the show.
The highly-anticipated series finally landed on the streaming site on April 3, and all of its eight episodes have been released. As many fans are waiting for “Money Heist” season 5 renewal news, series creator Alex Pina shared his two cents on the matter.
Since Netflix has not released any update yet, he admitted that he himself is not certain about it yet.
He revealed that he heard from fan comments and other sources that “Money Heist” season 5 has been confirmed, and even the sixth season was also given the “go” signal. However, he said that no one from Netflix had informed him about it as yet.
“Someone knows there will be a fifth season, but we don’t,” he told the Spanish outlet ABC. “There were discussions about it but there is no official decision as of this time.” He added.
He also mentioned, “with La Casa De Papel, we go game by game, like Simeone,” script coordinator, Javier Gomez Santander, told the outlet, we do not ever consider how long the show can last.”
“Money Heist” season 5 is predicted to have longer exposure to the new character called Manila. Fans theorized that she would be the gang member who will kill Arturo. She shot the hated character after learning he raped their fellow hostage Amanda and Manila went after Arturo.
But then, since he was only shot in the leg and likely to live, it was predicted that in “Money Heist” Season 5, Manila will not let him get away with it and will hunt him until he’s dead. Finally, the upcoming installment, if renewed, is likely to return to screens in end of 2021.
Hackers in Pakistan are using children to steal important information related to debit and credit cards. As the street crimes have declined greatly, thanks to the lockdown, the number of cybercrimes have increased.
Since the criminal activities on the internet have increased, the Cyber Crime Wing (CCW) of FIA has issued an advisory. The advisory suggests the parents educate their kids to remain safe.
The use of the internet among children has increased as educational institutions are closed. Hackers have been using children to steal residential addresses, debit and credit card numbers and other important information.
The cases of online theft have increasingly doubled during the pandemic. All complaints lodged seem to have the same pattern.
The child becomes friends with a stranger online and then he/she somehow manages to get all the information. The child usually spills the beans in exchange for rewards.
How to Curb Cybercrime during the Lockdown?
CCW FIA has advised following measures for parents to adopt and curb cybercrimes during the lockdown
1. Educate children to not click on random links received in the inbox.
2. Children must not accept requests from strangers on social media.
3. When shopping online, make sure to buy from certified online stores to avoid financial loss
4. Limit and control internet access for children
5. Do not share browsing services with children.
For more news and updates, stay tuned to Brandsynario.
A teenage boy in Karachi has developed some serious mental health issues after playing PlayerUnknowns Battleground (PUBG) excessively. The news comes in during the pandemic when half of the world is caged inside their homes.
The use of internet has increased over the past few months. Children have been home as schools are shut down. Online classes have been taking place and since outdoor activities are restricted, video games have become safe haven for teenage boys.
This case is reported by ProPakistani from an area in Karachi called the Bihar colony.
Image Source/ProPakistani
“A wide range of adults is lost in the maze before they know it. Adults with a competitive streak, without a job or with less workload, are more likely to fall for it. It is important to differentiate between interest and addiction,” Dr. Priyanka Kapoor.
“Gaming disorder is characterized by a pattern of persistent and recurring gaming behavior where a player begins to give priority to gaming over other daily activities. While gaming disorder affects a small proportion of the people who play video games, anyone who spends excessive time gaming is vulnerable to this condition,” says director of mental health and behavioral sciences, Fortis Healthcare, Dr. Samir Parikh.
World Health Organization (WHO) officially categorized gaming disorder as a disease in the International Classification of Diseases in the previous year. The disorder is similar to gambling disorder.
Excessive use of video games causes mental problems in children and adults both as it defies balance in one’s life and restricts them from making rational decisions of what is wrong or right.
As the lockdown extends, more and more people have been depressed as the economy declines. Parents must keep a check on their children’s screen time and limit any online activities.
For more news and updates, stay tuned to Brandsynario.
No one in their wildest dreams could have thought that the price of oil will one day drop below $0, to -$37.63 a barrel!
Things became so bad in U.S oil trading that sellers were actually paying buyers to take the stuff off their hands.
The reason behind this shocking move is the coronavirus pandemic which has brought the economy to a standstill.
As factories are closed, unused oil is just being stored, and no one is willing to take up a crude contract.
“The May crude oil contract is going out not with a whimper but a primal scream,” said Daniel Yergin, a Pulitzer Prize-winning oil historian and vice chairman of IHS Markit Ltd.
“Refiners are rejecting barrels at a historic pace, and with U.S. storage levels sprinting to the brim, market forces will inflict further pain until either we hit rock bottom or COVID clears, whichever comes first, but it looks like the former,” said Michael Tran, managing director of global energy strategy at RBC Capital Markets.
Credits: Bloomberg
The lack of storage and shortfall of production has made the demand for oil quite still in the world. Moreover, according to a Dallas based website, the entire world went from consuming 100 million barrels a day to about 70 million – which means 30 million barrels of oil are unconsumed with no place to go.
Kumar Venkataraman, finance professor, and Maguire Chair in Energy Management at Southern Methodist University said:
“Companies that never shut down wells are thinking of doing it now,” said Venkataraman. That’s not a decision made lightly because a shutdown can destroy a well and create other production issues.
Bud Weinstein, an economist at SMU’s Maguire Energy Institute, said that “demand for oil is not going to go down forever.
“Globally, oil demand will increase at least to 2040 and the industry will recover as demand comes back,” Weinstein said.
“The question is, ‘Will the U.S. still be the biggest oil producer?’ Weinstein said. “This isn’t good news for Texas, which represents 40% of U.S. production.”
We are now to see what is the fate of the oil industry in the US and around the world.
On Tuesday, the Sindh government has granted permission to 82 more industries to continue their operations after submission of undertaking to fully follow the SOPs designed by the government in the wake of COVID-19.
In a notification issued by the Sindh home department, 82 factories have been allowed to continue their operations to complete their export orders.
“The factories would be bound to follow the SOPs amid coronavirus outbreak”, the notification read.
Earlier, 69 units were allowed to continue their operations in Karachi.
Update: 20th April 2020
After suggestions from businessmen and traders, the Sindh government has prepared a set of SOPs to reopen a few businesses in Karachi. In a meeting at the commissioner’s office, it was decided that each business sector will be allowed to be opened for a few days a week.
Cloth markets, tailors, automobile sector, mechanics and auto parts shops will be opened for two days a week. Moreover, furniture sellers will also be allowed to work for two days. Electronic and mobile markets will be open for two days as well.
On the other hand, poultry shops and grocery stores will be open five days a week. Adding on to this, bakeries, milk shops and medical stores will be allowed to remain open the entire week.
Image Source: SUCH TV
Former president of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry AQ Khalil suggested that wholesale and retail markets of the city be opened in two phases.
The decision has not been finalized and all the suggestions have been sent to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. If approved, the suggestions will then be forwarded to the federal government for a final look.
Update: 17th April 2020:
The Sindh government has decided to impose a complete lockdown in Sindh for the third consecutive week from 12 pm to 3pm on Friday, to help contain the spread of coronavirus as the number of cases in Pakistan has crossed 7,000.
The decision was made on Thursday by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah announced tafter meeting a delegation of ulema which was led by Mufti Muneebur Rehman, who is also a chairman of Ruet-e-Hilal committee.
Moreover, he thanked the religious scholars for supporting the government’s efforts to help contain this spread of this virus.
علماء نے وزیراعلیٰ سندھ سے مکمل تعاون کی یقین دہانی کروائی. وزیراعلیٰ سندھ نے کل 12 تا 3 بجے تک سخت لاک ڈائون کا اعلان کردیا. pic.twitter.com/jHKWxvdLuR
15th April 2020: Religious leaders have rejected restrictions imposed by the government. They have demanded the federal government to lift restrictions on congregational prayers at mosques in the country.
The lead clerics believe that prayer is essential and must be allowed to perform in mosques while taking care of precautionary measures.
The demand comes right after the government eases lockdown in Sindh for certain industries and services.
As Ramadan is approaching, Tarawih prayers and Itikaf will continue as per schedule said, religious clerics.
However, Pakistanis on twitter oppose the decision.
All those in favor of #WeStandWith_MuftiMuneeb , Kindly wrap your Boria bister and please go in Aetekaf for a month in your respective mosques. Do Ibadat and Gain lots of Sawab and let others live peacefully.
On Thursday, the Sindh government decided to ban congregational prayers in mosques including Jummah prayers in Sindh till April 5th, 2020 amid coronavirus fears, according to ARY NEWS.
Provincial spokesman Murtaza Wahab announced the decision on his Twitter account. He said that the Sindh government has taken a big decision placing a ban on congregational prayers at the mosques from masses.
Here’s what Murtaza Wahab tweeted:
کورونا وائرس کے پھیلاؤ کو روکنے کے لئے حکومت سندھ کا بڑا فیصلہ، مساجد میں عام افراد باجماعت نماز ادا نہیں کرسکیں گے، فیصلہ تمام مکاتب فکر کے علمائے اکرام اور طبی ماہرین کی مشاورت کے بعد کیا گیا ہے۔ مسجد کے عملے سمیت پانچ افراد باجماعت نماز پڑھ سکیں گے۔شہری فیصلے کی پابندی کریں۔
Earlier, in the light of recent events, President Arif Alvi took it to his twitter advising citizens to avoid joining crowds for the Friday prayer to avoid any exposure to the deadly virus.
The higher authorities of the country are concerned about citizens being infected by a coronavirus.
Provincial governments of Sindh and Balochistan announced official holidays for educational institutes
28th February 2020: On Wednesday, the first case of coronavirus was confirmed in Karachi following panic in the masses. The epidemic initially broke out in Wuhan, China at the end of 2019.
People who have fever cough shortness of breath or any flu symptom should avoid going to public gatherings. I have taken opinion from Ulema that for the sake of community well being they can perform prayers at home & avoid Jumma congregation so as not to put other people at risk.
Shehzad Ghias, a comedian, took it to his Facebook to spread awareness.
Earlier, the Friday prayers were canceled in Iran due to the outbreak in the country. Currently, many countries in the middle east have been under a state of emergency.
With the disease spreading across the globe, we will most likely witness greater travel bans restricting people to move freely due to the virus.
Brandsynario sat down with Dr. Bushra Jamil from Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) and asked relevant questions regarding the deadly COVID-19.
Watch Exclusive Interview Here:
For more news and updates, stay tuned to Brandsynario.
Changan is a well-known Chinese manufacturer that has managed to make a name for itself in Pakistan as well.
The Chinese automotive manufacturer is currently in the midst of introducing its first-ever sedan in Pakistan.
Reportedly, it is still unofficial which variant the company may launch but the chances are that the brand will bring its Changan Alsvin!
The Alsvin is a 3rd gen sedan with a BlueCore 1.5-liter DVVT low-carbon emission engine and it comes with a 5-speed manual and 5-speed automatic transmission options.
If this sedan comes into the market, it will become a direct rival of Honda City Aspire as well as Toyota Yaris AtivX.
Changan is expected to conduct driving and testing trials once the Coronavirus situation in the country improves.
Moreover, reports hint that the company plans on introducing more passenger cars including sedans & SUVs in time.
For now, the launch date and other information are yet to be officially announced.
This past week has been an exciting one for tech enthusiasts as Apple introduced its budget-friendly iPhone SE 2020 and OnePlus officially unveiled the 8 Pro.
Apple’s iPhone SE has already become the talk of the town for some time now and we expect it to remain as one of the most trending phones for the next few days.
Whereas OnePlus 8 Pro has also been in the limelight for almost 15 days now. Samsung, Oppo, and other brands are also a part of the list.
Here’s the list of the top 10 trending mobile phones for last week:
10. Xiaomi Redmi Note 8
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 comes with a 6.3-in IPS LCD captive touchscreen, quad-camera setup (48MP+8MP+2MP+2MP) with a 13MP selfie camera, Snapdragon 665, 4,000mAH battery, and 3GB/6GB RAM options.
9. Oppo A92s
The launch and status of the Oppo A92s are yet to be announced. The set comes with a 6.57-LCD captive touchscreen, a quad-camera setup (48MP+8MP+2MP+2MP) with a 16MP+2MP selfie camera, 3890mAh battery and Mali-G57MP4 GPU.
8. Apple iPhone 7
The iPhone 7 is equipped with a 4.7in Retina IPS LCD touchscreen and comes with a 12MP main camera with a 7MP selfie camera. It comes with a 2GB RAM and several ROM options as well as a 1960mAh battery.
7. Samsung Galaxy A51
Samsung Galaxy A51 comes with a 6.5in Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen. It also comes with a quad-camera setup (48MP+12MP+5MP+5MP) 4/6/8GB RAM options and several ROM options. It is equipped with a 4,000mAh battery.
6. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 comes with a 6.53in LCD capacitive touchscreen with a quad-camera setup (48MP+8MP+5MP+2MP) with a 13MP selfie camera and a MediaTek Helio 80 chipset, accompanied by a 4920mAh battery.
5. Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro
The Redmi Note 8 Pro was at no.2 last week and now has fallen to no.5. The handset comes with a 6.53in LCD touchscreen, with a quad-camera setup (64MP+8MP+2MP+2MP) and a 20MP front selfie camera. It is equipped with a Mediatek Helio G90T chipset and comes with a 4500mAh battery.
4. One Plus 8
One Plus 8 comes with a 6.55in fluid AMOLED touchscreen with a triple camera setup (48MP+16MP+2MP) along with a 16MP selfie camera. The set is powered by a Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 chipset and comes with 8/12GB RAM options. It has a decent 4300mAh battery as well.
3. Apple iPhone SE
Apple iPhone SE has always been a popular option for those who want the quality of an Apple phone with a smaller and pocket-friendly screen-size. The iPhone SE was introduced in 2016 with a 4in LCD touchscreen and iOS 9.3.2, upgradable to iOS 13.4 platform. It comes with a 12MP camera and a 1.2MP selfie camera with a 1624mAh battery.
2. OnePlus 8 Pro
The OnePlus 8 Pro has been in the limelight since last week. It will come soon with a 6.78in fluid AMOLED touchscreen along with a quad-camera setup (48MP+MP+48MP+5MP) and a 16MP front selfie cam. It will be equipped with a Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 chipset and a 4510mAh.
1. Apple iPhone SE 2020
The most popular option for the week has been the Apple iPhone SE 2020 since its announcement. It comes with a 4.7in fluid AMOLED touchscreen with a 12MP main camera and a 7MP selfie camera. It comes with a 3GB RAM and Apple A13 Bionic chipset with a 1821mAh battery.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for more news and updates.
The iPhone SE (2nd generation) is all set to roll out on the 24th of April. Let us weigh its Pros and Cons for you, so you make smart buying decisions during the pandemic.
Why has Apple Rolled Out iPhone SE and not 12?
Due to the decline in buying power, Apple has redesigned the discontinued iPhone SE and put it out in the market to not lose customers. As previously, the iPhone is known to increase the price every year.
Let’s Discuss the Pros!
Price Point: The iPhone SE will be enjoyed by millions of users for being budget-friendly as buying power declines across the globe due to the pandemic. The phone cost is $399 with 4k video recording, Bluetooth 5.0, IP67.
Wireless Charging: The iPhone SE works with Qi wireless chargers. No more hassle of charging with the wire!
Powerful Chipset: With a whopping 3GB of RAM, the iPhone SE comes with the same chipset as iPhone 11. A13 Bionic chip featured in Apple’s latest will ensure the device can handle heavy graphics with almost no lagging.
So What are the Cons?
Single Rear Camera: The newest phone features only a single rear camera unlike the iPhone 11. The single-wide camera supports Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and depth controls which is a plus point considering the first generation iPhone SE.
Touch ID: Apple introduced facial recognition 2 years ago with iPhone X. Now that, the newest phone has a touch ID, it is kind of a downgrade. Whoever uses facial recognition once can’t quite go back to Touch ID.
Almost like iPhone 8: Regardless of a few feature updates from iPhone 11, other features match those of the iPhone 8. If you’re someone who doesn’t require certain features taken from iPhone 11, just buy the iPhone 8 instead and save money!
Let us know if this was helpful. Compare with past phones here!
For more news and updates, stay tuned to Brandsynario.
Pakistani student Bilal Bin Saqib who hails from Lahore has recently graduated from the London School of economics got featured in Forbes magazine among some other brilliant Asians.
He was featured due to his project of providing clean water to thousands of people in Sindh and Baluchistan. While speaking to the media he was overjoyed to be made part of the list. “I am honored that I was able to make Pakistan proud. I have been chosen by Forbes for helping the water-deprived communities in Pakistan,” he announced.
Forbes mentioned that Bilal bin Saqib has founded a social organization named “Tayaba”. This institution provides clean water to the people of Pakistan.
One of the most significant initiatives is the “H2O wheel”. It is essentially a plastic wheel that assists to reduce the burden on women and children carrying water in rural areas of Pakistan.
The wheel can carry up to 40 liters of water, which is eight to ten times more than what a mud pot (traditionally used to carry water) can hold.” He added.
Saqib was born in Lahore. He received his initial education from Lahore Grammar School (LGS) and went to the Queen Mary University of London for his undergrad followed by masters at the London School of Economics.
Saqib launched this project almost four years ago aiming to crack Pakistan’s water problems. He told that women carry this burden for miles and this wheel will help to alleviate that burden and also increases its water carrying capacity.
He said, “the idea originated when I traveled to West Africa, where people were pushing water in plastic containers with steel bars attached.”
Here’s a picture differentiating how transporting water between using H20 Wheel and carrying water pot on one’s head is.
Source/ Tribune
He further added that his organization has helped almost 5500 families by providing them with an H20 wheel in rural areas of Sindh.
Due to lockdown, he was unable to provide an H20 wheel to people. Now he has begun a project of One Million Meals, an enterprise to provide free food to health workers in order to help them fight against COVID 19.
He believes that he might be unable to save lives but he can provide lifesavers with food. So far, One Million Meals has provided thousands of meals to over 30 hospitals in the UK, with demand from over 70 hospitals.
He said “I didn’t give up. I knew if I gave up, that would be my real failure. I tried harder every time I was told ‘You cannot do it’. I remained persistent, hitting the same rock knowing that one day it will break. And it broke today, after years of struggle. I am awarded a highly commendable Masters Student of the Year, 2019.”
Saqib was also awarded “Highly Commended Masters Student of the Year 2019” by FindAMasters, a global database for Masters degree programs. This was award was presented for the contributions made by Saqib on his campus. FindAMasters says on its website, “Our Master’s student of the year award honors highly motivated students who exceptional competence and curiosity in their studies.”
LSEs’ students congratulate him on his success. He aims to return to Pakistan and serve the country as much as he can.
Stay tuned to the latest news and updates on Brandsynario.
Folk wisdom has it that everyone has a doppelganger; somewhere out there, there’s a perfect duplicate of you, with your mother’s eyes, your father’s nose and that annoying mole you’ve always meant to have removed.
In the past, we’ve seen some uncanny resemblance of actors like Hamza Ali Abbasi, Syra Yusuf, Adeel Hashmi, Osman Khalid Butt.
Recently, the internet found Mehwish Hayat’s perfect doppelganger! Her look-alike is a girl named Roza who’s an Iraqi blogger, RJ, and a certified stylist.
Check out the resemblance below as well:
Source/ DawnSource/ Dawn
Does this mean that if the Load Wedding actress has someone who can always cover for her at shoots if she’s unavailable?
Source/ OYSource/ OY
The blogger also shared a picture of her and Hayat on her Instagram story asking her followers if the two look similar. Did any of you vote to say hell yeah?
We can’t help but scratch our heads knowing how much the beauty blogger resemble Mehwish Hayat.
This year the holy month of Ramadan is going to be quite different from every year since all mosques, community centres and grand ‘iftars’ will not be held on account of social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
How can one celebrate Ramadan in a way that brings excitement and love to children for this wonderful time of the year? Parents can do so by doing a few activities that are fun, enjoyable and give their little ones a wonderful window to see what Ramadan is all about!
Here are 7 fun activities you can do to celebrate Ramadan with your little ones:
1. Decorate For Ramadan
Bring a sense of festivity inside your homes. Decorate with a Ramadan Mubarak banner, some balloons and include the children as well during the activity so they can join in the fun too.
2. Ramadan Art and Craft Activities
Art is a great way to learn more about Ramadan. The kids can make different shapes of the moon to indicate the start, middle and the end of the month and put them up for all to see. Pakistani actress, Sarwat Gillani recently made Mosques with her kids as a fun and learning activity. Check it out below:
A simple Ramadan Calendar made out of felt pockets labelled 1 to 30 for the month is loved by children as they love marking off the days of the month. You can add sweets or dates around Iftaar time for the children to find a surprise at the end of each day.
Source: Pinterest
4. Create a dedicated corner to Ramadan
It is a great idea to keep a small corner in the living room for the children to practice all their Ramadan activities such as reading verses from the Quran, praying and listening to Ramadan stories. The corner can also be decorated as a Mosque, to give a more authentic vibe.
Source: Pinterest
5. Read-out Ramadan Story Books
Parents can read children’s books, like the book, “My First Ramadan,” by Karen Katz, which introduces the principles of the month to the children. It is appropriate for toddlers, this board book follows one young boy as he celebrates the holiday with his family. Other books such as Ramadan Moon are also great titles to add to your collection.
Source: Muslim matters
6. Involve the Children in Meal Preparation
It is a hustle and bustle in the kitchens before Iftaar and Suhur preparing for the meals. Involve your children during this time and let them help out as much as possible. The memories they will create during this time will last them a lifetime!
Source: Freepik
7. Plan Ramadan Goals
Remember to keep goals for the month, for kids aged 4 to 5. Have them set three goals for the whole month. The goals can be things like “learn a new dua”, “memorise three new surahs”, “fast for two hours once a week” or “help mummy everyday”.
Source: A Muslim Homeschool
What did you think of these activities? Let us know in the comments below.
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The coronavirus pandemic has gripped the world, shutting down a majority of countries across the globe in order to curb the spread of the virus. Brands and agencies have been under a constant dilemma on how to go about the campaigns that were planned and scheduled before the pandemic hit.
The holy month of Ramadan is upon us and this is supposed to be a lively time for marketing and advertising. However, due to COVID-19 brands have had to think about how to go about their campaigns as the festivities of the month have been halted, people will no longer be coming together this time around for community Iftaars, prayer or for Eid shopping as all the local ‘bazaars’ remain closed.
Here are 5 ways that agencies in the Muslim countries across the world are prepping for the Holy month of Ramadan:
1. Finding New Ways to Come Together
Image Source: Campaignlive
Ramadan is all about togetherness, families, friends and the community at a whole level joins to celebrate iftaar and this is what is generally shown in the campaigns during the holy month. This year brands will have to find a new way to send out the message of togetherness without showing it since social distancing is being practiced across the globe.
Shivani Kulshrestha, a strategist at Socialize mentions, “With social distancing in effect, we need to capture the feeling of being together without being physically present in the same space.”
2. Create A Feeling of Positivity
Source: AdWeek
Mc Cann’s strategy head believes that brands must create a positive feeling during these difficult times. COVI-19 has spread a feeling of dread and misery and people need messages of optimism and positive vibes.
3. Brands Should Act in a Meaningful Way
Brands need to become meaningful at this time, it is during this period when brands will be judged by their actions. A brand will be remembered by what it does and also by what it didn’t do during the COVID-19 pandemic. Alemsah Ozturk of 4129 Grey Turkey mentions that their clients have provided financial donations, hand sanitisers and face masks.
4. Reach Consumers in a Different Way
Image Source: Internet RetailingSince brands are unable to communicate in the same way as before, various companies have reached out to consumers in various ways, for example; consumer product brands made sure they were available to consumers whenever they needed them, expiring warranties were extended and production was doubled for some items to meet demand such as household cleaning products.
5. Change in the Production
The brands have been given a chance to bring a new way of advertisement to consumers, instead of the big-budget huge productions that are brought forward every year. This year, more organic and raw messages can be sent out. Shivani of Socialize says, “The virus has opened the door for more natural, organic-looking content to come through and take centre stage, giving our audience a break from the traditional big-production ads they see year after year.”
Let’s hope agencies and brands are able to navigate through the restrictions and obstacles thrown towards them by COVID-19 and can successfully manage to communicate with consumers during this crucial time.
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A few days ago, we came across the news of veteran Pakistani actress Samina Ahmed has tied the knot with Manzar Sehbai. The news went viral like wildfire because the couple decided to be together at this stage of life. Moreover, once the news of their marriage broke, some were excited with joy, whereas, some criticized them for getting married at this age.
As getting married at this age goes against the cultural norms in Pakistan, Samina and Manzar paid no heed and opted for they wanted to do and there’s nothing more beautiful than that. The couple tied the knot on 4 April 2020 in a private affair that took place in Lahore. According to sources, Samina Ahmed said, “No one else was there. It was just my family, and Manzar’s family.”
What surprised the majority of us was the fact that people loved the two breaking this decades-old stereotype of marrying much later in life.
Looking at how his fans and well-wishers responded to their marriage, Manzar took it to his Instagram to thank everyone.
Here’s what he had to say:
FOR ALL OF OUR FANS & WELL WISHERS WITH LOVE ❤
We would like to thank all our friends fans and well wishers in Pakistan and across the globe for their blessings good wishes and love showered on us after our nikah was carried out on the 04.04.2020
With love ❤
Samina & Manzar
He shared this adorable picture of him putting a ring on Samina’s finger alongside a heartwarming note…
Pakistani celebrities are sharing their pictures of when they were 20 years old; bringing back memories to cherish! As the lockdown has trapped all of us back home, many have been depressed over the past few weeks.
Social media trends such as this one have turned out to be positive for people as it is putting smiles on everyone’s faces as we struggle to get through this pandemic.
Here are a few Pakistani celebrities who shared their pictures from back then when they were 20 or around that time.
1. Mahira Khan shares her picture from the time she was just a VJ on MTV!
5. Politician Sharmila Faruqi also joined the bandwagon
#MeAt20 Happy, simple, studious. Aspired 2 be a pilot ended up in a crazy, Quagmire world of politics. Now mother of a naughty toddler & in lockdown. pic.twitter.com/uGMQ0qxx2k
Karachi (Apr 17, April 2020 – More than ever, families are turning to internet platforms like TikTok to stay entertained, informed, and connected. That was, of course, happening before COVID-19, but it has only accelerated since the outbreak began and social distancing brought families closer together. The embrace of platforms like ours is providing families with joint tools to express their creativity, share their stories, and show support for their communities. At the same time, they are often learning to navigate the digital landscape together and focused on ensuring a safe experience.
With families in mind we’ve taken a number of steps over the past year to improve and enhance our teams, policies, controls, and educational resources. We’ve made our policies more transparent and accessible, grown our trust and safety teams, built upon the resources in our Safety Center, and partnered with leading online safety organizations.
Today, we are advancing our commitment to building for the safety of our users by introducing Family Pairing, which allows parents and teens to customize their safety settings based on individual needs. Family Pairing enhances our suite of safety tools and complements our work to provide greater access to product features as users reach key milestones for digital literacy. It is part of our continued work toward providing parents better ability to guide their teen’s online experience while allowing time to educate about online safety and digital citizenship.
Image Source: Yahoo Finance
Many users start their creator journey at 13 and are introduced to a wider array of app options for download, making it a critical time for teens and their families to learn about digital literacy and smart online behavior. In addition to Family Pairing, TikTok already offers a number of resources to support users on this journey, including educational safety videos and parental guides like our Top Ten Tips for Parents. We also encourage parents to talk with their teens about the code of conduct outlined in our Community Guidelines to help them understand what responsible community behavior looks like, how to identify and report content that may be in violation, and what it means to be positive digital community members.
Family Pairing, which will be rolling out over the coming weeks, will allow a parent to link their TikTok account to their teen’s and set controls including:
Screen Time Management: Control how long your teen can spend on TikTok each day. In addition, TikTok has partnered with top creators to make short videos that appear right in the app and encourage users to keep tabs on their screen time. These fun videos use the upbeat tone our users love while offering a suggestion to take a break and do something offline, like read a book.
Restricted Mode: Limit the appearance of content that may not be appropriate for all audiences. Even without Family Pairing enabled, parents can help their teen set Screen Time Management and Restricted Mode by visiting the app’s Digital Wellbeing controls at any time.
Direct Messages: Restrict who can send messages to the connected account, or turn off direct messaging completely. With user safety in mind, we have many policies and controls in place for messaging already – for example, only approved followers can message each other, and we don’t allow images or videos to be sent in messages. Starting April 30, we will be taking those protections one step further as relates to younger members of our community, and automatically disabling Direct Messages for registered accounts under the age of 16.
We are committed to giving parents insight into, and control over, how their teens use TikTok and helping facilitate important conversations within families about the responsible navigation of digital platforms. We believe these options promote a safer and more trustworthy experience for our users of all ages, but our progress in this area is also never finished. We look forward to working with all our stakeholders as we continuously seek to improve through new features and resources to help our community manage their digital experience.
Islamabad – 19 April 2020: Pakistan’s leading digital company Jazz has contributed PKR 50 million to the Prime Minister’s COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Fund, in line with its commitment to support the government in the fight against COVID-19. In a meeting that took place between Prime Minister Imran Khan and Jazz CEO, Aamir Ibrahim, support for those in need during these trying times was reiterated. The cheque was presented to the Government specifically for health relief and food rations.
As a VEON group company, Jazz was the first telco to make an announcement pledging PKR 1.2 billion for the pandemic and demonstrated the need for others to follow. The amount gives 61 million customers access to zero-rated helplines and funds for COVID testing kits through the Shaukat Khanum hospital. The pledge also gives the opportunity for a large population of daily wagers to receive food rations via JazzCash and CNICs. Pakistanis can seek and verify critical information on a COVID-19 portal under a #JazzCares campaign launched right after the pandemic was declared.
Jazz CEO Aamir Ibrahim said, “Having met the Prime Minister, I’m grateful for the opportunity to do our humble part in the movement to end COVID-19 using all the means we have. The modern weaponry against disasters has changed. Now we need a wide knowledge-base, a documented economy, access to data and high-speed internet access. We cannot permit the economy to pause just because of a physical lockdown anymore.”
The telecom industry as a whole has agreed to work collaboratively and improve digital technology infrastructure in the country to support disaster management; work-from-home human capital, education technology, and digital financial services.
The Jazz CEO gave a live demo to the Prime Minister on how to contribute to the National Pandemic Relief Fund using JazzCash. This gives access to 8M JazzCash customers to contribute to the Relief Fund from the convenience of their homes within seconds.
Prime Minister Imran Khan said, “I appreciate the Jazz initiative of establishing a public SMS voluntary contribution service. This service is now extended to all operators on the contribution SMS code 6677.”
An estimated 50 million are below the poverty line in Pakistan. With the health and economic crisis looming over 2020, this number is estimated to rise considerably amidst the mandated lockdown nationwide. The cheque presented by Jazz to the nation reflects the philosophy of sustainable giving – philanthropy and business continuity that continues over the long-term. Jazz is determined to continue collaborating with the government on its robust Digital Pakistan agenda, health, youth, and relief programs, providing resource support and advisory where required.
Jazz is working with a variety of partners to ensure quality and streamline relief efforts all over the country. The company and its management is monitoring the situation closely and will continue to evaluate new projects for providing timely assistance by utilizing its resources and expertise. Jazz has launched a unique portal for this purpose: https://jazz.com.pk/darna-nahin-bachna-hai
