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Are Food Deliveries a Better Option than Supermarkets?

foodpanda

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been declared as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) which has crossed all geographical boundaries including Pakistan.

As a precautionary measure against the disease, the government of Sindh has put a complete lockdown in the province since March 23rd in order to help the citizens stay indoors.

With food delivery services being banned across the province, locals are going out to the supermarkets, which breaks the barrier of social distancing, making them highly prone to the novel virus.

Due to the lockdown, the streets are deserted, offices and restaurants shut, with only grocery stores open.

The issue has been raised on social media platforms by many, some are sharing videos and pictures of departmental stores and certain market places where a large number of people have gathered to buy goods since that is the only option available for them.

According to stats shared by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the USA, social distancing is considered when a person remains out of congregate settings, avoids mass gatherings and maintains a distance of approximately 6 feet from others when possible, which unfortunately isn’t the case in enclosed mass gatherings.

In the UK a similar lockdown was enforced where strict procedures were implied, especially when it came to daily shopping for essentials and food. As a social distancing practice, locals have therefore shifted towards online deliveries at home, where the chance of being exposed to the virus is minimal.

With delivery platforms ensuring safety features involving frequent sanitization of the delivery person and the product, chances of COVID-19 are reduced – a similar concept can be easily adapted in Pakistan also.

Since before the lockdown in Sindh, delivery services like foodpanda, other international restaurant franchises, services such as Daraz, etc. trained their employees to follow health and safety protocols. foodpanda and Daraz had started Contact-less payments for customers to avoid human contact during COVID-19.

Brands like foodpanda Pakistan ensured the health and safety of everyone linked to them by distributing hand sanitizers to their heroes, monitoring their daily temperature and installing wash basins outside restaurants and rider hubs.

In addition to this, they also added new features to their app that allowed customers to purchase foodpanda Hygiene Kit and the option for contact-less Deliveries, something that China also incorporated to combat coronavirus.

With a sudden rise of 11 cases from March 24th to 26th  summing up the total to 421, large gatherings of people at marketplaces for food clearly indicate an increase in the risk of COVID-19.

Therefore, it would be wise to make a shift to licensed online delivery platforms available in Pakistan, all of which follow proper safety protocols. At a time like this, are food deliveries a better option than supermarkets is a question that everyone’s left wondering.

The practical approach would be to resume specific online delivery services rather than all.

HUAWEI P40 Series Marks the Age of Visionary Photography

Huawei Consumer Business Group (BG) today announced in China the HUAWEI P40 Pro+, HUAWEI P40 Pro and HUAWEI P40, the new HUAWEI P40 Series flagship smartphones featuring cutting-edge designs with ground-breaking camera innovations that radically expand mobile photography and video capture possibilities.

The HUAWEI P40 Series continues the series’ heritage of imaging excellence. The large 1/1.28-inch sensor has a binned pixel size measuring 2.44μm to massively boost light intake for enhanced low-light performance, while a new periscope design realises 10x true optical zoom. The HUAWEI P40 Series is powered by Kirin 990 5G and supports high-speed 5G and WiFi 6 Plus. The advanced hardware is embedded in a beautiful and compact enclosure featuring the HUAWEI Quad-curve Overflow Display that delivers outstanding fluidity and responsiveness.

Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer BG said: “The HUAWEI P Series has always been about innovative aesthetics and making premium imaging hardware accessible, representing the very best of industrial design and technology. With an outstanding sensor, camera systems that we co-engineered with Leica, powerful chipset and HUAWEI XD Fusion Engine, the HUAWEI P40 Series exemplifies our focus and offers an all-day Super Definition experience to help consumers realise their creative vision.”

Unprecedented design

The HUAWEI P40 Pro and HUAWEI P40 Pro+ are equipped with the HUAWEI Quad-curve Overflow Display. Inspired by the art of motion, the display takes on a curved edge on all four sides, creating a shape that is reminiscent of water on the cusp of overflowing from the rim of a filled cup. The super narrow bezels and streamlined round corners ensure an ergonomic hold and a near borderless look, while an enhanced in-screen fingerprint reader offers 30 percent faster biometric authentication.

Available in three glossy glass finishes – Ice White, Deep Sea Blue and Black – and two innovative refractive matte glass finishes – Blush Gold and Silver Frost, the HUAWEI P40 Pro and HUAWEI P40 exude classical elegance from every angle. HUAWEI P40 Pro+ features an exquisite nano-tech ceramic back panel that is kilned and polished to ensure it stands the test of time with incredible durability and timeless style. This unique design comes in two iconic colours: Ceramic White and Ceramic Black.

An all-connected 5G powerhouse

The HUAWEI P40 Series is powered by Kirin 990 5G to deliver integrated 5G connectivity with the most comprehensive 5G band support, robust AI performance and power efficiency. Display responsiveness and gaming experience are taken to the next level by the upgraded graphics rendering engine making the most of the 90Hz panel on the HUAWEI P40 Pro and HUAWEI P40 Pro+. The 160MHz WiFi 6 Plus technology featured in the full line-up offers high-speed connectivity with support for 2,400Mbps peak theoretical transmission speed. The industry-leading 40W Wireless HUAWEI SuperCharge is available on the HUAWEI P40 Pro+ for fast and convenient charging. The chipset is given the thermal headroom to deliver exceptional performance by the advanced cooling systems, including the bespoke 4-in-1 SuperCool system in the HUAWEI P40 Pro+.

All-day Super Definition photography

Embedded in the HUAWEI P40 Series is the advanced Ultra Vision Leica camera system, available in triple-camera, quad-camera and penta-camera configurations. The HUAWEI P40 delivers outstanding photographic results with ultra wide-angle, wide-angle and telephoto lenses. The HUAWEI P40 Pro features an evolution of the Leica Quad Camera with a more powerful Ultra Wide Cine Camera and ToF Camera alongside 50x SuperSensing Zoom. The HUAWEI P40 Pro+ lets consumers see the unprecedented with the SuperZoom Array, which supports 10x true optical zoom and 100x maximum digital zoom.

The HUAWEI Ultra Vision Sensor included in the full HUAWEI P40 Series is Huawei’s largest CMOS sensor to date. Measuring 1/1.28 inches diagonally, it supports pixel binning to achieve a pixel size of 2.44μm and Full Pixel Octa PD AutoFocus for high-speed focus at any time of day, while the HUAWEI XD Fusion Engine integrates and processes data from multiple cameras to generate a comprehensive improvement in picture quality.

HUAWEI P40 Pro brings faraway subjects up close with 5x optical zoom, 10x hybrid zoom and 50x maximum digital zoom. For the first time ever, the 5x Optical Telephoto Camera in the HUAWEI P40 Pro includes a RYYB colour filter array to boost light intake and improve quality of zoomed shots. HUAWEI P40 Pro+ has a 100x SuperZoom Array with a new periscope design that reflects light five times, extending the light path by 178 percent to support 10x true optical zoom. The optically stabilised Ultra Vision Wide Camera and SuperZoom Array work in tandem with AI to realise Triple OIS+AIS for vastly improved photo and video stabilisation.

Skin tone and texture are faithfully reproduced by a new Multi-spectrum Colour Temperature Sensor and AI AWB algorithm that boost colour accuracy by 45 percent. Deep learning algorithms provide real-time portrait optimisations that enhance lighting and detail. HUAWEI P40 Pro and HUAWEI P40 Pro+ have a 32MP AF Camera and IR Depth Camera that support autofocus and Bokeh reproduction to deliver the same outstanding portrait effects that are signature to Huawei devices, as well as IR Face Unlock for device unlock even in low-light conditions. HUAWEI P40 Series also introduces HUAWEI Golden Snap, which includes AI Best Moment, a new smart photography feature that chooses the best frames from a Moving Picture. AI Remove Passerby and AI Remove Reflection can do away with unwanted subjects and glare from the frame, allowing users to easily enhance their images after the fact.

A powerful pocket-sized video camera

The 40MP Ultra Wide Cine Camera in HUAWEI P40 Pro and HUAWEI P40 Pro+ has a focal length that is equivalent to 18mm and a 1/1.54-inch sensor supporting the 3:2 aspect ratio. SedecimPixel Fusion Technology is built into this camera to support 16-in-1 pixel binning, producing super pixels that measure 4.48μm to boost light sensitivity up to ISO51200 and enable 7680fps Ultra Slow-Motion video capture.

HUAWEI P40 Series supports real-time Bokeh effects for videos. Similar to the results of a wide aperture lens, this feature adds progressive Bokeh to help highlight the main subject of the footage. The telephoto camera can capture high-quality zoom footage as well as 4K time-lapse videos. Directional Audio Zoom, available on HUAWEI P40 Pro and HUAWEI P40 Pro+, allows users to zoom in on an audio source and amplify its sound at the same time.

EMUI 10.1 Huawei Share and HUAWEI AppGallery

The EMUI 10.1 operating system introduces a host of new features that enable a richer, more seamless AI life. Huawei Share facilitates high-speed file transfer between the smartphone and other devices such as tablets and PCs. With Huawei Share on the HUAWEI P40 Series, consumers can stream music to a smart speaker, initiate screen projection and connect to Wi-Fi by tapping the device[1] they want to connect to with their phone. New functionality added to the Multi-screen Collaboration allows users to easily answer video or voice calls hands-free directly through the PC, and open files and hyperlinks on the smartphone with native PC applications for enhanced productivity.

Working in close collaboration with global developers, Huawei offers a wide range of global and local apps on AppGallery, Huawei’s official app marketplace. Users can also enjoy a rich library of quality entertainment media on HUAWEI Video, HUAWEI Music and HUAWEI Reader, with new additions from top content providers being added on a continuous basis.

[1] Specific models of the device are required for this feature.

Alongside the HUAWEI P40 Series, Huawei also launched the HUAWEI WATCH GT2e, HUAWEI Sound X and the latest Spring/Summer 2020 HUAWEI X GENTLE MONSTER Eyewear, further enriching its product portfolio of all-scenario products that are designed to help consumers live a better digital life.

A Pledge To Safeguard The Future Of Pakistan

According to National Nutritional 2018, “Every fourth child in Pakistan is suffering from Iron deficiency”. 7138 children aged between 6–9 months were included in the analysis. The prevalence of IDA was 33.2%. Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is common in Pakistani population and an important cause of morbidity. Iron deficiency is the result of an iron imbalance in the intestines, which lead to a weak immune system as children grow. Only if this prevalence rate was lower today our nation would have been able to fight the CoVid-19 pandemic with a stronger immune system.

These numbers are quite alarming and pose a threat to the future of Pakistan; because of the fact that a child’s brain is, developed 80% in the initial 2 years we cannot afford to ruin or disable their future, as they are the future of Pakistan. Hence declaring it as a national issue will enable us to safeguard the future of our children. Our very own Musician/Philanthropist Shehzad Roy agreed to the fact and urged people not to take the situation lightly and fight it with full force.

The symptoms are usually covered up by blaming the child for not listening in the class and eventually failing. Your child might not be at fault, because if your child is behaving in any of the 4 ways there is a probability that they are suffering from IDA: Lack of attention, Fatigue/ exhaustion, repeatedly becoming sick and Breathlessness. The worst part about being in such a situation is that a child cannot explain exactly how they are feeling and become victims of speculation and societal norms.

Because of the dif­ferent contributing factors for the development of anemia in children, information on its prevalence, distribution and etiology is important for adopting appropriate measures for its prevention and control. In Pakistan, nutritional anemia has been recog­nized to be the most common type of malnutrition present in children. Its roots come back from 1977 when a micronutrient survey of Pakistan was held; about 38% of the population was identified to be anemic. According to the 1988 National Nutrition Survey of Pakistan, 65% of the children aged 7 – 60 months were found to be anemic.

In comparison with grown-up children, a growing child needs 3 times more nutrition than them to develop & grow as a healthy kid. As soon as children reach 6 months of age they should be given a healthy diet full of nutrients, vitamins & minerals; moreover, Iron should be the major part of their diet. A list of the iron-rich foods includes Eggs, Meat, Spinach and Iron-fortified products.

Pakistan Society of Food & Science Technologists (PSFST) has been working for this cause to create awareness in our society regarding iron deficiency and also joined hands with a social activist, humanitarian & talented singer Shehzad Roy to highlight this issue.

Check this out!

https://youtu.be/FjY5J5SAQTc

Make sure to get the right dose of iron & to join the cause; notice such symptoms to keep your loved ones safe and healthy; while children are the future of our country so, make sure to give them the right nutrition in these difficult times and let us pledge “Iron ki Kami Ab Nahi!

PTCL- Serving The Nation During The Pandemic

As March concludes and April approaches, it has become evident that the ongoing Pandemic is not going anywhere any time soon. Missing out on celebrating various occasions such as the Pakistan Day, birthdays, anniversaries, and many others, it appears to be by far the most unfortunate time of our lives. This year, the course of any festivities have changed as there will be no celebrations as gatherings are not possible due to lockdown. As ill-fated as this seems, it is a necessary precaution due to the ongoing crisis of Coronavirus that requires people to stay indoors and practice social distancing.

During these difficult times, it is the responsibility of each one of us to play our part to ensure safety of all the citizens. Various companies have also come forward with precautionary measures by providing sanitizers, gloves and masks to their employees, along with implementing ‘work-from-home.’ One such organization is PTCL that has taken up this challenge in its stride to serve the nation in these difficult times, along with ensuring the protection of its employees as well as its customers. PTCL is also creating awareness on the Coronavirus through social media with the help of IRC.

With policies such as work from home, building temperature checks and banning international and domestic air travel, the company is making all attempts to control the spread of the virus, while providing with all the necessary gear to protect themselves and customers for frontline staff.

However, prohibiting physical interaction does not mean customers cannot get the assistance they need with regard to their connections. PTCL has ensured that all digital channels are available and updated with latest information to help them including:

PTCL also has multiple bill payment options and PTCL Touch App for further facilitation regarding complaints registration & status, services & products related information, etc.


With the outbreak of the virus and its rapid increase globally, we are truly facing one of the biggest challenges ever. Staying confined to the walls of our homes, along with losing the chance to celebrate major occasions, is a major blow to everyone’s morale and emotional well-being. However, with connectivity and services provided by companies like PTCL, enable everyone to work from home and also stay updated with latest news and entertainment, the chances to survive and pass through this crisis remain high as we stay connected with each other through this tough phase. We wish everyone strength, safety and peace through these trying times. Stay home, stay connected and go digital!

Pakistani Celebrities Pay Tribute To The Medical Frontliners!

feroze khan bollywood
Source: Very Filmi

The Coronavirus pandemic has cast a gloomy shade all over the world with its rising numbers of infected people to the death toll rising globally.

During this difficult time, it becomes important for the public to support and encourage those heroes who are out there, putting their lives on the line, doctors, nurses and all the medical staff.

On Friday, 27th March various Pakistani celebrities paid tribute to all the brave doctors, nurses and staff saving lives every day by risking their own. A white flag was raised at 6PM by some stars from the film and TV fraternity and influencers in Pakistan.

The song “Hamay Tumsay Pyaar hai” was sung as a tribute by all those who came out in support for the medical community in Pakistan.

Ayesha Omar sends out a message for the courageous souls fighting Coronavirus in Pakistan

Humayun Saeed and Adnan Siddiqui posted a video while in quarantine!

Feroze Khan posts his tribute too!

 

View this post on Instagram

 

– SALUTE 🌟

A post shared by Feroze Khan (@ferozekhan) on

Actress Momal Sheikh posts a picture with her family saluting the courageous frontlines!

Wasim Akram, Shaniera Akram and their daughter come out in support too!

Junaid Khan

Popular Instagram influencer Hunaina Rasool also applauds the medical community!

Follow Brandsynario for the latest news and updates.

Hollywood Movie Contagion’s Similarities To Coronavirus Revealed!

Source: Google

We often watch movies that are mirrors of our daily lives, similarly Hollywood movie released in 2011, Contagion has been topping the most-watched charts recently. People are turning towards it to learn about the novel CoronaVirus (COVID-19), but how much can we actually learn about the ongoing virus from Hollywood movies based on pandemics?

The movie follows a group of characters who are fending for themselves after a deadly virus takes over the world.

Watch Contagion’s Trailer Below:


It sure gives off similar vibes to the current pandemic going on in the world.

Similarities Between Movie Contagion and COVID-19

1. Place where the Virus Began

The movie shows, Gwyneth Paltrow (patient zero) she gets infected after taking a work trip to Hong Kong.As we all know the COVID-19 started from China and has spread across the world though travel. This was one similarity people have noticed in the movie to the recent scenario where the virus seems to originate from a similar region.

2. Similar Preventative Measures Shown

A scene in the movie that has caught the eye of many is the conversation between Kate Winslet and her helper. Winslet plays a CDC inspection officer, her helper is complaining about his wife where he says, “My wife makes me take off my clothes in the garage, she then leaves out a bucket of warm water and soap, she then douses everything in hand sanitiser. I mean, she’s overreacting right?”

Winslet’s answer is what shocks us,

“Not really, and stop touching your face.”

Isn’t this what every health guideline you’ve come across since the Coronavirus began saying the same thing? “Wash your hands with soap and water, use hand sanitisers and don’t touch your face!” Wow, we sure are shocked!

3. Conspiracy Theories Surround the Virus

The blogger played by Jude Law in the movie spreads fake news about the virus in the movie saying it was manufactured by drug companies. Similarly, there have been a number of controversies suggesting that the novel coronavirus has been engineered by Chinese scientists at a secret Wuhan Lab for Biological warfare. This theory has been deemed untrue by researchers and scientists working around the clock on COVID-19.

Source: Warner Bros

4. The Virus Spreads Across the Globe

The movie’s opening scenes show a man in Hong Kong, China is the first to die from the illness but a man in Tokyo and a woman in London die too. Although Coronavirus did not spread across borders within a day, it is now present all around the world.

5. How people get infected with the Virus

In the movie the MEV-1 virus as they had named it was spread through close contact but also through touching the same surface. As per the ongoing situation we know that the COVID-19 spreads via droplets passed when infected people cough or sneeze. However the virus does not survive on the surface as shown in the movie.
Source: Warner Bros

6. How the Virus Started

The movie’s ending scene is revealed to be “day one” of the MEV-1 outbreak. It shows a logging company disturbing a bat, which flies out of the forest and into a pig farm, carrying a piece of banana. The bat drops the fruit (presumably infected with the virus), and a piglet eats it. The pig is later sold to a market vendor, who then sells the butchered swine to a casino restaurant in Hong Kong. The chef prepares the pork before shaking hands with Gwyneth, infecting her and kick-starting the pandemic.

Similarly COVID-19’s genetic studies have all but confirmed that the coronavirus originated in bats.

Experts aren’t sure which animal species served as the virus’ intermediary between bats and people, but pigs, civets, and pangolins are the most likely.

These were some of the similarities we came across with Contagion keeping in mind the current situation regarding the coronavirus.

Have you noticed any other similarities? Let us know in the comments below.

Follow Brandsynario for regular updates and more!

10 Hidden iPhone Features You Probably Didn’t Know About

iPhone
Source: CNET

There are plenty of things your iPhone can do but you possibly do not know about it.

Chances are that there are many great features hidden from you or you have not come across them as yet regardless of owning an iPhone for a long time.

Given that, we know that iOS offers a relatively easier operating system while Android offers more in terms of configuration and customization.

Regardless, there are many advanced features that you need to tap into to utilize your phone better to make your life easy.

1. Calculator Trick

Instead of erasing your sum completely you can drag to either right or left to erase any number you like. In fact, you can use the scientific calculator on your iPhone after you shift to landscape mode.

iPhone

 

2. Snap a Photo Whilst Shooting a Video

Ever wondered what is the purpose of the little circular button on the screen while recording? Well, it allows you to snap a photo whilst shooting a video.

 

3. Do Not Disturb Feature For Driving

The ‘DO NOT DISTURB’ feature while driving allows you to auto-reply to the incoming contact. The feature helps you drive safely and not distract you throughout your journey.

 

4. The Notes App on Your iPhone can Transform Your Documents into Scanned Copies

If you’re a college student, this is the most important feature ever! This iPhone feature transforms your physical documents into soft copies by scanning them with the help of the main camera.

 

5. Hide Your Private Photos

Want to show someone something on your gallery? Want to hide few pictures so they do not see them while swiping? Just hide them. This feature lets you hide your selected pictures and add them to a separate folder.

 

6. Inbuilt Magnifier Feature

The Inbuilt Magnifier Feature lets you use your device’s camera to quickly magnify your surroundings. When enabled, triple-click the Home button to begin Magnifier.

 

7. Lock Focus and Exposure When Taking a Photo

‘Lock Focus and Exposure’ by holding on to the screen. Once you’ve set your desired exposure and also defined focus, click away!

 

8. Call Your Last Clicked Number In a Second

This feature allows you to make a call in seconds to your last dialed number. Just click on the call icon and you’re good to go.

iPhone5

 

9. Designate A Ringtone for Specified Contacts

Know who’s calling by just listening to the specified ringtone. Click on contacts and set your desired ringtone for each of the contacts.

 

10. Make Custom Replies For Missed Calls

iPhone allows you to customize texts for missed calls. In case you’re busy, the iPhone can respond for you. Make sure you save the desired text.

For more news and updates, stay tuned to Brandsynario.

Local Movie Productions Stop, Adding To The Crisis In Pakistan Film Industry

Source/ The News

The Covid-19 pandemic has presently put the globe into madness, as governments in affected countries are intensifying self-isolation and social distancing.

As a consequence, social gatherings are being restricted which has stemmed from the cancellation of various shows and has also put a halt to movie screenings.

Whereas, actors’ clubs such as Actors Collective Trust have called for a halt of all shoots, some senior members of the movie fraternity such as Humayun Saeed have called for such restrictions to be imposed with caveats, with exceptions being made for television productions scheduled to go on air within a few weeks.

The movies that were all set to breathe big screens this Eid include The Legend of Maula Jutt and Tich Button. Some other movies that would have allegedly released around the same time include Dam Mastum, Lafangey, and Rehbara.

Wajahat Rauf halted the shoot of his upcoming film

Parde Me Rehne Do is the current venture of Wajahat Rauf that stars Hania Amir and Ali Rehman Khan as the leads.

Rauf recently declared openly that he will be halting the film’s shoot owing to the potential health threats to the cast and crew involved.

Producer of Legend of Maula Jatt Ammara Hikmat states that she can’t predict the future stance of the movie 

She states that all we can do right now is wait and see as the future as of now seems unpredictable. She also added that it’s a difficult time for everyone and hopes it passes soon.

Furthermore, movie Dum Mastam is also delayed its release due to the virus 

Co-producer and CEO of ARY Digital, Jerjees Seja, stated:

“I was thinking of releasing Dum Mustum on Eid and was even about to make an official announcement but I don’t think that I will be doing so now. In the current scenario, even major movies like James Bond have been postponed. We are a much smaller industry and have to make sure that we release at a time when audiences will happily frequent cinemas without worrying over their health.”

Source/ The News

Directed by Mohammad Ehteshamuddin – who made his big-screen directorial debut with Superstar earlier this year and penned by Amar Khan, Dum Mastam is produced by Adnan Siddiqui and Akhtar Hasnain under Cereal Entertainment.

There’s no silver lining to Faisal Qureshi’s Money-Back Guarantee as well.

Faisal Qureshi who is going to be making his directorial debut with some iconic stars is also under the list of people who has to halt the production if his film Money Back Guarantee.

Source/ The News

The list of the films that have shut their production includes Mohsin Abbas Haider’s comeback movie as well.

Mohsin Abbas Haider’s comeback film Once Upon A Time in Karachi, which also stars Nausheen Shah has halted its production earlier than anticipated to guarantee the safety of the team before the health crisis escalates. The movie is directed by Abu Aleeha.

Zahid Ahmed and Saba Qamar starrer Ghabrana Nahi Hai also wrapped up its shoot barely after two days of filming.

Plus, Fizza Ali Meerza of Filmwala Productions says that the shoot of her and Nabeel Qureshi’s upcoming movie FatMan, starring Ahmed Ali Butt, was going to begin on the 28th of March and has now been postponed.

Are dark clouds looming over the Pakistani film industry? Even if Pakistan was safe from the viral outbreak, most Pakistani movies make a big chunk of their earnings by releasing in regions where a majority of Pakistani immigrants live.

So, changing the release dates would have been an unavoidable situation for Pakistani producers. Let’s see what else does COVID 19 has in store for the Pakistanis.

Shamoon Abbasi Stuck In Thailand With Crew, Urges People To Stay At Home!

Image Source: Samaa TV

It seems that someone missed out on giving director Mohib Mirza a heads up on the entire lock-down and coronavirus pandemic that Pakistan is facing since he and his crew are currently stuck in Thailand away from home.

Abbasi, along with his production team and cast, were occupied shooting for the movie Ishrat: Made In China when the COVID-19 began to spread around the globe.

Minus the actor, Mohib Mirza, several crew members and cast are also in Thailand that includes Sara Loren, Sanam Saeed, Imaan Sayed, and Shamoon Abbasi.

Just recently, the actor shared a video where he announced the news that how his entire team will be stuck in Thailand a while longer now as all flights to Pakistan haven been temporarily halted.

Shamoon also referred that he was supposed to travel to Pakistan on 23rd of March, but for now, he will have to stay another two weeks.

Shamoon Abbasi also emphasized that the masses must follow strict precautions. He stated that it is because of the delinquency of a few people that many like him are stuck far away from home.

He communicated his dissatisfaction with all those who are still taking the threat of coronavirus lightly in Pakistan.

Shamoon Abbasi also shared what it is like for the cast and crew on a day to day basis. He said that everyone is maintaining their distance from each other and only leave their room to eat food and then go back to their room without greeting each other.

Here’s the short clip of the director expressing his disappointment:

Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates!

5 Things You Must Know About ZOOM Before You Attend That Meeting

Zoom
Image Source: Smith Collection

Are you someone who has just been asked by your friends or directed by your workplace to download Zoom to Video Call and has no idea how the video app works? Well, it is easy to use, but there are few tricks listed below that will make your Zoom experience seamless.

Use Meeting ID instead of Scheduling Meetings 

Zoom allows you to schedule meeting but it is easier for you to use a Meeting ID instead. Just open the app, invite friends on third party apps and boom! all of you are connected in a minute. Plus no hassle of generating new IDs every time you want to video call with the same group of people.

sign-in
Image Source: Zoom Support

Chat Privately or in a Group with anyone from the Meeting

During the conversation on audio or video call, if you have something to add, just add it to the group chat easily. If in case, you wish to chat with someone, in particular, you can also privately message them. Files, images, documents, presentations and screen captures can also be shared on chat for future reference or to bring back something from a past meeting.

Screen Share – Digital Equivalent of Distributing Resources

Unlike other apps, Zoom allows you to share as many screens as you would like. If you’re the host of the meeting, you can share documents or another form of information in real-time. As most of the world is under lockdown amid the virus, you can play ice breaker games on the app.

Active Speaker View – Seamless Transition Between Contributors

One of the key features this app provides is active speaker view. The app identifies who is speaking and aligns their screen automatically allowing the contributors to carry out the meeting smoothly. The gallery view allows you to open up to 25 screens at a time and yet the technology can align the person talking.

Host controls contributors’ audio, video, and screen-sharing settings

The host is the person who invites everyone to the meeting, and once the meeting has begun only the host has access to change audio, and video settings. However, contributors may also add their preferences.

For more news and updates, stay tuned to Brandsyanrio.

Here’s How Automotive Manufacturers Are Fighting COVID-19 with #FlattenTheCurve!

#flattenthecurve

As more and more cases surface in Pakistan, governments have been compelled to take very tough decisions for the betterment of its people.

Each province, starting from Sindh declared a lockdown to control the growing situation. Given that Pakistan is already going through a tough economic crisis, the step is considered very bold.

In order to comply with the government’s orders, many automotive giants have halted production and closed down shop.

It is important to remind you that sales and figures of almost every manufacture in the country have already been hit hard due to the economic crunch.

Coronavirus pandemic causing more NPDs and the uncertainty of when things will get back to normal is putting a massive strain on the industry.

Before we go on, you’ll need to understand how the CoronaVirus Curve works.

What is the curve?

You may have seen this chart floating around:

Self-isolate or quarantine? Coronavirus terminology explained ...
Credits: Al Jazeera

Basically, the “curve” refers to something called an epi curve which is a graph line that charts the rise, peak, and fall of existing infections over time.

The “flatten the curve” concept is simple: If a large number of sick people infect a large number of healthy people, then there will be too many sick individuals and little resources to treat them, this can lead to many fatal cases and increase pressure on the healthcare system, leading to chaos.

However, if healthy people stay indoors like they are asked to and sick people keep themselves isolated until treated, then the problem will go down faster, with enough resources to control the situation and contain the virus from further spreading.

In simple words, stay home and be a responsible citizen.

“There is a slower rate of cases over time so that the hospital systems can deal with that more efficiently, instead of being overwhelmed all at once,” said Dr. Alyson Kelvin, an assistant professor at Dalhousie University and an influenza virologist at the Canadian Centre for Vaccinology.

Here’s a list of manufacturers who are fighting to #FlattenTheCurve!

Toyota Pakistan (IMC)

toyota
Credits: Toyota Walton Motors

Toyota took it to its Facebook page to share that the company will comply as per the orders and will shut down complete operations for 15 days.

Moreover, the Toyota Yaris’ soft launch which was expected to take place yesterday has also been postponed.

Honda Pakistan

Reportedly, Honda has also stopped the manufacture of all its vehicles including motorbikes. Honda also decided to shut down its plant that is located near Lahore after Punjab was also lock-downed.

Pak Suzuki

Pak Suzuki has also decided to halt productions after the Sindh government issued orders for a province-wide lockdown.

Moreover, PakWheels reported that KIA Motors and Hyundai Nishat have also stopped their operations while Chinese manufacturers in Pakistan like JW Forland, United, Regal, Master, and Changan have also followed suit.

On the other hand, manufacturers of OEM parts and other auto-related industries like tire manufacturers have also halted their operations until at least April 6th, 2020.

Even global automakers have taken the decision to ask everyone to go home for their safety, using the hashtag #flattenthecurve!

Mercedes-Benz

BMW

Ford Motor Co.

Fiat

Tesla

TESLA also wishes to produce ventilators and other medical equipment. Elon Musk wants to donate 1,255 ventilators to the state of LA. He tweeted, “Yup, China had an oversupply, so we bought 1255 FDA-approved ResMed, Philips & Medtronic ventilators on Friday night & air-shipped them to LA. If you want a free ventilator installed, please let us know!”

Moreover, Formula1, Nissan, General Motors, and The Mahindra group have also followed lockdown orders respectively.

Stay tuned to Brandsynario.

Saboor Aly Showcases Her Hidden Talent & Amazes Her Fans!

Image Source: Instagram/SaboorAly

It’s been more than a week since most of us have limited ourselves to the four walls of our homes. The maximum we opt to step out is probably to our lawns.

As upsetting as it is, Coronavirus has lead people to lock themselves in with no luxury of having food delivered at their doorstep or having any social gatherings. Well, this situation has certainly lead many to try their hand at different things to keep them occupied. Some are brushing up their skills in cooking while others are learning another language.

One such celeb who’s tied up with flaunting her talent is the starlet Saboor Aly who surprised us with her top-notch painting skills. The starlet has kept herself occupied with the things she loves to do.

Saboor Aly has surprised her fans!

The actress posted on her Instagram saying how work had gotten the best of her and she was unable to spare to time for her love of colors. Saboor Aly decided to reconnect with her talent and proved that she can totally be an artist if she decided to part ways from the entertainment industry!

Here’s what she wrote:

Sometimes it’s good to reconnect with things you love to do…
Though I was so scared to hold a brush after a decade but few things just need a connection.”  Wrote the magical painter.

This is pretty cool, right? It looks like Coronavirus is bringing the best in a lot of people.

View this post on Instagram

Fearless

A post shared by Saboor Aly (@sabooraly) on

What skills are you brushing up on?

PTA Assures Customers That There’s Sufficient Internet Capacity During The Lockdown

Image Source: RS Web Solutions

As the world fights the novel coronavirus, it seems like the world is already collapsing. From the bans to the lockdowns, it sure seems like everything’s coming to an end. The deadly virus has affected thousands of people all across the world.

Internet usage sees spike and customers are unhappy

Amid the outbreak, internet usage rose locally and globally due to the lockdown. In Pakistan, internet usage rose to 15% in a matter of one week due to the people stay at homes, as said by the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA).

In an official tweet on Thursday, PTA addressed and assured all the users that the country had “sufficient internet capacity” for the COVID-19 lockdown.

They further clarified as to why the users are experiencing problems saying, 

The increase has been observed due to increased online activities by educational institutions and businesses and, ‘work from home’ policy adopted by individuals and organizations,

Here’s the official tweet by PTA

PTA further said that,

There is sufficient internet capacity available in the country to meet the growing demands of the future,” it added. “PTA has been closely monitoring the internet usage patterns so as to ensure that fast & efficient telecom services remain available to the consumers in this difficult time.

Adding on to this, they also mentioned the steps they’ve taken to ensure the safe of their users. Here’s what they said,

What do you think of the current situation and PTA’s clarification? Let us know in the comments below!

Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates.

Emirates Refuses Full Refunds On Cancelled Flights

Emirates
Source: Emirates

Emirates grounded its fleet on Wednesday after the UAE closed down the country’s airports in order to curb the spread of COVID-19. The Coronavirus pandemic has caused most countries to closed down their borders. This decision has left passengers, stuck in different countries stranded without a commute option.

According to the EU regulations, any airline that would cancel a flight should provide a full cash refund within a week. However, the Dubai based carrier has asked customers to accept vouchers that can be repayable in a year. Emirates has also asked passengers wanting a refund to pay a cancellation fee which has caused an outrage amongst the customers!

Image source: Emirates

The airline believes it will take them much longer to process so many refunds and encourages the customers to opt for the travel vouchers instead. However, this news has angered people who have been waiting for refunds from Emirates especially since other airlines have given passengers the refund option.

A spokesperson for Emirates has said:

Customers can opt for travel vouchers which can be easily processed on our website. These vouchers can be used against future Emirates flights within 12 months. If vouchers are not utilised after 12 months, they can still be brought to us for refunds.”

A quick search on Twitter with ’emirates refund’ will yield a plethora of tweets from 100’s of disgruntled customers asking for a full refund and bashing the airlines for poor customer service.

This customer states that they have been asked to pay an extra 900 Euros to cancel an already cancelled flight!

A passenger has been asked to pay $550 for the cancellation instead of being given a refund.

While some had future flights cancelled, there are many who have been stranded in other countries unable to go home.

Some customers conduct a full research and have brought forward the Emirates Carriage Article listed on their website.

It seems like Emirates not agreeing to refund the amounts for flights cancelled could very possibly lead to the airline loosing many loyal customers.

Emirates personnel are working towards providing a solution that is suitable to all. The airline however, has come up with an alternative which is customers can choose to keep the basic booking and then use it at any time for a similar routing within two years – regardless of high-season charges.

A spokesperson further mentioned,

“We will accept the fare you paid for any flight at any time within this period.”

Are you one of those who has had a cancelled flight due to COVID-19? Share your experience in the comments below.

Pakistani Automotive Part Makers Offer to Manufacture Ventilators & Medical Equipment!

PAAPAM
Credits: DailyPakistan

To help with the current Coronavirus outbreak in Pakistan, the Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts and Accessories Manufacturers (PAAPAM) has offered to manufacture ventilators and other medical equipment.

The authority forwarded a letter to the Engineering Development Board offering its help in view of the spread of the virus and how the country will be in need of more ventilators if the situation continues to remain unstable.

The body, in the letter, praised the efforts the Government of Pakistan has taken by far to deal with this sensitive situation. They even thanked the government for relaxing duty and import duty on the import of medical equipment and other goods.

The letter reads:

We heard about the request from various government forums to explore the possibility of manufacturing vital medical equipment like ventilators in Pakistan.

The list of other imported medical items is long and the manufacturing of these goods will be considered keeping in view the population of the country and the import bill.

The Engineering Development Board, being the entity which looks after us, is assured of our fullest cooperation in the ongoing efforts for the development and manufacturing of medical equipment and items.

Here’s How Automotive Manufacturers Are Fighting COVID-19 with #FlattenTheCurve!

Kudos to PAAPAM for stepping up at a difficult time like this to use their manufacturing capabilities to assist our frontline heroes who are risking their lives trying to identify and treat Covid-19 patients.

Stay tuned to Brandsynario for more news and updates.

How the Coronavirus is Affecting the Automotive Industry in Pakistan & Worldwide

NHMP Closes Motorway for all Kinds of Traffic

Motorway
Image Source: PakWheels

On Thursday, National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) announced that all motorways are being closed for passenger traffic in order to contain the novel coronavirus from spreading.

The public notice was issued on NMPH’s official twitter account emphasizing that entry of all public service vehicles shall be prohibited on all motorways.

The Motorway M1 from Peshawar to Islamabad, M2 from Islamabad to Lahore, M3 from Faisalabad to Pindi Bhatian, M4 from Faisalabad to Gojra, M5 from Multan to Sukkur, M9 Karachi-Hyderabad and M-11 Lahore to Sialkot motorway has been closed for all kinds of traffic.

The decision comes in right after Sindh and Punjab have imposed a lockdown for 15 days amid the rapid spread of the virus in the region.

However, transportation of essential items required for survival during the pandemic such as medical supplies, fresh produce, food items, emergency equipment, fuel will be allowed to go through the routes.

It is greatly emphasized that these carriers must travel with the minimum crew as chances of the virus spreading city to city will increase if huge amounts of people travel across the country by road.

Only in case of emergency, private vehicles may be allowed to travel given that only 2 people can travel in the same vehicle.

For more news and updates, stay tuned to Brandsynario.

Atif Aslam Has a Message for the Heroes Fighting Coronavirous Vigorously

Atif Aslam
Image Source: The News

Pakistan’s most sought out singer, Atif Aslam took it to his Instagram to express gratitude for the people of the nation who are fighting the deadly coronavirus vigorously day and night to save lives of people in Pakistan.

In his message, Atif is thanking the paramedics, doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, government and official authorities, cleaners, and those producing, delivering, and selling food during times when their job is the most demanding and risky.

 

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A post shared by Atif Aslam (@atifaslam) on

These are the people out of their houses every single morning risking their lives for us so we have all the help we need to survive the most uncertain time of our lives. Atif urges you to be kind and generous to those around you and look after those who have been hit the hardest by this crisis.

To the ONES fighting. Stay strong

I am aware that we are living in what is perhaps the most confusing and uncertain time of our lives, but let’s take a moment to thank all those heroes who are ensuring our safety right now.

Thank you to the paramedics, doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers who are tirelessly and fearlessly working at the frontline of this crisis, risking their own health every second.

Thank you to the cleaners whose work is literally saving lives everywhere around the world.

Thank you to those producing, delivering, and selling food during times when their job is the most demanding it has ever been.

Thank you to the government and official authorities who are faced with some of the most challenging decisions in these unprecedented times. They have to make choices – about situations no one in the world is sure about – knowing the entire responsibility of the consequences lies on their shoulders.

Thank you to the army for helping maintain order and discipline in this time of panic and chaos, and for always ensuring the best of the country.

And thank you to every single person who is paying heed to the given directives: staying inside their home, being hygienic, staying calm, and responsibly playing their role in fighting this pandemic.

Most importantly, This is a true test of our compassion. We should be thankful to Allah for every blessing that we have.

Be kind and generous to those around you and look after those who have been hit the hardest by this crisis.

According to Dawn, there have been 1118 people tested positive for the virus as yet in Pakistan with Sindh and Punjab with most cases.

For more news and updates, stay tuned to Brandsynario.

17 Countries with No Reported Cases of Coronavirus

Coronavirus
Image Source: RTV Oost

There are at least 17 countries in the world that have not been affected by the novel coronavirus while 170 countries including superpowers of the world have been hit hard by COVID-19.

The virus initially emerged in a Chinese city called Wuhan in late December’19. Since then, new cases have emerged throughout the globe as people traveled far away carrying the virus on a daily basis.

World Map
Image Source: World Atlas

As reported by Al Jazeera, 21,000 + people have died due to COVID-19 while 472,000+ people have been tested positive for the deadly virus. Nearly, 115,000 people have recovered from the virus.

The countries that have not reported any cases of the virus include:

  • Burundi

  • The central African Republic

  • Comoros

  • D. P. R. of Korea

  • Federated States of Micronesia

  • Kiribati

  • Malawi

  • Nauru

  • Republic of Yemen

  • Samoa

  • Sierra Leone

  • São Tomé and Príncipe

  • Tajikistan

  • Turkmenistan

  • Tuvalu

  • Vanuatu

  • Western Sahara

For more news and updates, stay tuned to Brandsynario.

These Pakistani Celebrities Are Making A Difference Amid Coronavirus By Helping Those In Need!

Just like the rest of us, Pakistan’s top celebrities have all been told to stay at home during these strangest of times.

However, some of these musicians, actors, and artists have decided to aid the less privileged ones in this difficult time.

There are a few celebrities that are assisting with providing rations to the less fortunate amid all the panic buying and buyouts.

This situation was followed by a lockdown, although this won’t leave an impact on those who have stocked up on supplies but this will affect the underprivileged.

This is our country and who will help it if we won’t?

Have a look at these heroes! 

1. Feroze Khan


The actor shared on his Insta story writing ”anyone wants to contribute in ration bags. It can be zakat also. I am getting ration bags made of basic necessities.”

2. Anoushey Ashraf

View this post on Instagram

@ansarialert is an angel from heaven. It started with an idea of 50 bags! And even though we capped at 600 bags yesterday, we got donations from our friends for another 200 today and they’re still coming in! MashAllah. This all has happened and ration has reached @rha_pakistan and the @acfanimalrescueofficial and more will be delivered in the next two days! 800 families! May Allah be praised. REMEBER: This happened with ‘minimal’ interaction. I didn’t see even ONE donor, deliverer, carrier, packager, driver or receiver in person. Nomi’s two house guys (bless them) did the manual work with him overseeing the process. Just want to send a big shout to @unilever Pakistan @peekfreansofficial and @sooperpakistan for delivering goods to us! And then of course our Celebs, friends and family for donating so so generously! We could have never ever ever done this without each of you. What a dream!!!!!! #corona DONATIONS ARE NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC OR PEOPLE WE DONT KNOW PERSONALLY, my inbox is flooded and I know you mean well, but donate to the said organisations directly if you can! Good luck!

A post shared by Anoushey Ashraf (@anousheyashraf) on

This boss lady teamed up with designer Nomi Ansari to provide rations amongst the needy.

3. Maya Ali

View this post on Instagram

This is the first batch of ration bags which has just arrived. It’s the right time when we should play our own part and shouldn’t wait for others to come and save people. It is a very crucial time and we should become one as a nation and stick together. Alhamdulillah I am glad that ALLAH has given me this opportunity to help those in need at a time like this. A few days ago I got this thought in my mind which I shared it with my friends @faizasaqlain_ and @saqlainhayder who also became a part of this… I am truly thankful to each and every single individual who donated and played their part even from outside Pakistan. We have no idea how long this will go on, but we have to stand together for those in need and are less fortunate. Insha ALLAH this all will end soon but until then we have to continue doing this… If any one wants to donate, please contact on this number and I’ll make sure this reaches the deserving affected people. I am going to attach the list of all the items which are included in a Rashan bag. Each rashan bag costs 5k, and if anyone wants to make their own Rashan bag and send that instead of money, you can do that also… Let’s become one nation to fight corona and win against it…. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 Please send the picture of the receipt once you make the payment in this number. +923103111121 Bank Alfalah Nift code: 0530128 Branch name: Cavalry Ground Branch Lahore Name: FAIZA SAQLAIN Account: PK51ALFH0157001004713768 Branch code: 0157 Swift code: ALFHPKKA157

A post shared by Maya Ali (@official_mayaali) on

This starlet also partook in the process of helping the underprivileged.

4. Mansha Pasha

Pasha made a fun video where she gave detailed guidelines on washing hands

However, on the other hand and lighter note, there are some celebs who are straight up posing for pictures to brushing up on their cooking skills – here’s how our celebs are showing up how spend time in while you’re house arrest amid COVID 19.

1. Mahira Khan shows that curling up with a good book and scented candles is very fulfilling.

2. Mr and Mrs. Yasir Hussain show you on of many ways on spending time together as a couple while salons are shut!

3. You can step out of this quarantine as pro chef like Sajal Ali

4. Sing your heart out like Asim Azhar

View this post on Instagram

Ishq (quarantine) kiya !

A post shared by Asim Azhar (@asimazhar) on

5. Do an ‘ask me a question’ sessh like Osman Khalid Butt and entertain yourself

Source/ Dawn

6. Just because you’re in isolation and guns are shut – don’t laze around and workout like Shahista Lodhi

7. Play some video games like Ali Safina

8. Get busy with some puzzles and your pet like Anoushey Ashraf

9. Don’t forget to keep yourself loaded with some vitamin C like Mawra Hocane

10. You can also have a video chat with your friends and like Ayesha Omer!

As the world continues to face the global pandemic in the wake of coronavirus, which has had serious consequences on almost everyone, there have been many trying to lend a helping hand such positive posts from Pakistani celebs lift your spirits!

So, next time you feel quarantine blues, you can take inspiration from our celebs in playing a part with helping our society or doing something productive at home.

 

District Central In Karachi Has Been Most Affected By Coronavirus!

Image Source: The News

As the virus spreads rapidly, globally, countries have now started taking preventive measures. According to a report, the most affected area by the novel coronavirus in Karachi is said to be the District Central in Karachi.

Speaking of District Central, the areas which come under it are Gulberg, North Nazimabad, Liaquatabad, and North Karachi. So far, 89 cases have been registered for the deadly virus.

According to Geo News, 45 coronavirus cases have been reported in the District East. The District East comprises of Gadap, Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Jamshed Town. The number of reported cases in the District East makes it the second-most affected area.

Image Source: Daily Times

Meanwhile, District South has confirmed 41 cases, one in District Korangi and three in District Malir. The total number of cases in Karachi, according to these numbers in 179.

On Wednesday, Pakistan crossed the mark of 1000 reported cases which is indeed not a good sight to witness. So far, eight deaths from the deadly virus have also been reported.

We can call hope and pray for the situation to get better because the numbers are only increasing globally.

Let us know what you’re doing during self-quarantine while you wait for these lockdown days to get over.

Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates!