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BMW to Recall 323,700 Diesel Cars Over Fire Danger: Report

By
Ahsan Mirza
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Germany’s luxury automaker BMW is going to recall 23,700 diesel cars in Europe over an engine fire danger, following a similar action in South Korea, a German media newspaper reported Tuesday.

The recall is to fix a faulty component that was aimed at reducing emissions from diesel engines, the daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung said in its edition for Wednesday.

Of the total recall, around 96.300 vehicles are in Germany, the newspaper said, claiming it had confirmation from BMW.

No spokesman for the group was available for comment on the press report late Tuesday.

But BMW has already recalled around 100,000 cars in South Korea over the engine fire danger, after more than 30 BMWs — mostly the 520d sedan model — caught fire this year.

Earlier this month South Korea opened an investigation into an alleged delay by BMW in announcing the recall.

On Monday, the German motor titan apologised at a press conference for the spate of engine fires in South Korea, and said the country was not alone.

BMW blamed a faulty component called the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler that generated excessive sediment and caused engines to catch fire, and said the problem was “not Korea specific”.

“A similar rate (of failure) was observed in other jurisdictions,” said Johann Ebenbichler, vice president of BMW for quality, without listing other countries where such accidents had been reported.

The carmaker used the same software and hardware for its vehicles sold in Europe, he said, adding that the firm had decided to undertake the “same campaigns” there as in South Korea.

Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates.

Porsche to Unveil Project Gold Restomod

By
AFP
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Project Gold, named for the car’s black-and-gold colour scheme, is being revealed little by little as part of Porsche’s 70th birthday celebrations.

Restomod projects used to be the preserve of special customisers and tuners, who would take old cars and keep their classic looks while updating the underpinnings so they drive and handle like a modern car. Nowadays, manufacturers themselves are getting in on the act. Porsche is one of the latest to come to the party with the Project Gold car it will unveil to the public at Pebble Beach later this month.

The Project Gold restomod is being built by the Porsche Classic Division, based on a 993-generation 911 Turbo. The previews show the gradual process of creating the car.

Porsche has so far released a teaser image of the upper outlines of the car marked out in gold on a black background, along with a 42-second video showing the earliest stages of the car’s development. We initially see the unpainted body, partly covered by a dust sheet, and then the wheels. The unmistakable 993 Turbo hollow-spoke Twist wheels are visible as they are painted and intricate details are etched into the paintwork.

The seats continue the black and gold theme and the familiar turbo script is clearly there, which gives an additional clue to the identity of this exciting car that is undergoing a thorough transformation at the hands of Porsche experts.

How far Porsche will venture away from the original blueprint of this classic car remains to be seen, but we do know it will be a one-off, not a preview of a limited production run. There’s no word about what will be powering the car, but even if Porsche sticks with the original air-cooled 3.6-liter flat-six of the 993 it’s likely it will develop a lot more than the original 396bhp.

The legendary German sports car manufacturer wouldn’t comment on whether it has plans to produce more cars in a similar vein to Project Gold, but it did say, of this one, that “a vehicle like this has never existed before.”

Ferrari Files Patent for New ‘Targa Top’

By
AFP
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It’s been 20 years since Ferrari last built a Targa, but this half sunroof, half convertible car roof could be making a comeback.

The iconic Italian supercar manufacturer has recently filed a patent with the European Patent Office for its own new take on the ‘Targa Top’ design of car roof.

Twenty years ago Targa roofs were quite a thing, and it wasn’t just exotic manufacturers like Ferrari and Porsche that liked to offer them. Although Porsche is probably one of the most famous advocates of the Targa Top in the past and still uses it for the 911, Suzuki, Toyota, Renault, Nissan, Honda and many others have also flirted with them from time to time.

Targa first came into the automotive vocabulary with the 1965 Porsche 911 Targa, though that wasn’t the first car to use such a system of removable roof panels. That honour went to the limited-production Fiat 1200 “Wonderful” by Vignale, which was designed by Giovanni Michelotti in 1957.

Now Ferrari’s recent patent application suggests it might be about to make a comeback.

Ferrari’s application refers specifically to “a car with a ‘Targa Top’ body” featuring a “coupé body with a rigid roof that is removable and is supported at the front by the upright of the windshield and at the rear by a robust, full-width roll bar.”

The design in the patent application is similar to the current Porsche 911 system, but it’s the specific design and engineering of the Ferrari variant that’s being patented here. By increasing the height of the windscreen upright and possibly using a false insert installed when the roof is removed, this creation looks to reduce the aerodynamic turbulence normally associated with most Targa tops.

In the accompanying drawing, a Ferrari F430 is used for illustration purposes, but there’s no word on whether the Targa is intended for the current 488 that superseded the F430, or some future model.

‘Homeland’ to Come to an End After Eighth Season

By
AFP
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Award-winning US television drama “Homeland” will air its eighth and final season next year.

The announcement, made on Twitter on Monday, brings to a close the adventures of Carrie Mathison, a bipolar, former CIA agent played by Claire Danes, and her mentor Saul Berenson played by Mandy Patinkin.

Based on the Israeli series “Prisoners Of War,” it debuted to critical acclaim in 2011, quickly becoming a game-changer for premium cable channel Showtime.

The show counted former president Barack Obama among its devotees while racking up eight Emmy awards and five Golden Globes.

But it was also decried by critics for its portrayal of Muslims and was once called the “most Islamaphobic show” on television.

In 2015, three graffiti artists hired to give its sets more realism instead caused embarrassment by using their artwork to accuse the show of racism.

Netflix’s ‘The After Party’ Features Kyle Jenner, Wiz Khalifa & More [Watch Trailer]

By
AFP
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“iSpy” rapper Kyle stars in the upcoming Netflix comedy “The After Party,” whose first trailer hints at the huge roster of artists who appear in cameo roles.

“The After Party” stars Kyle as an aspiring rapper who goes viral for the wrong reasons after taking a hit off Wiz Khalifa’s joint before a show.

His best friend then offers him a chance to redeem himself at a New York City after-party.

Kyle, who is billed as Kyle Harvey, is joined in the cast by Harrison Holzer as his best friend, Shelley Hennig, Teyana Taylor, Jordan Rock, Amin Joseph, Andy Buckley and Blair Underwood.

In addition to Wiz Khalifa, French Montana, DJ Khaled, Ski Mask the Slump God, Desiigner, Pusha T, Jadakiss, Tee Grizzley, Young M.A and more show up in cameo roles.

“The After Party” launches on Netflix August 24.

Pakistan to Decide Whether to Seek IMF Bailout by ‘September’

By
AFP
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Pakistan must decide by the end of September if it will go to the IMF to bail out its economy, which is facing a balance-of-payments crisis, the likely new finance minister Asad Umar said Tuesday.

“By the end of September, we should make our decision,” Umar, a member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of Imran Khan, which won Pakistan’s elections on July 25 and is now seeking to form a coalition government.

Umar, who is widely tipped to become Khan’s finance minister, reiterated his stance that Pakistan was examining other options as well as the IMF, including loans from friendly countries or remittances from overseas Pakistanis.

He spoke a week after the US raised fears that Pakistan could use any bailout from the International Monetary Fund to pay off debts to China.

Pakistan has gone to the IMF repeatedly since the late 1980s. The last time was in 2013, when Islamabad got a $6.6 billion loan to tackle a similar crisis.

Analysts have said this time that the new government will have to act quickly as the country teeters on the verge of a new balance-of-payments crisis which could threaten its currency and its ability to repay debts or pay for imports.

Its budget deficit has grown steadily over the past five years, from four percent to 10 percent of GDP.

As a result, its foreign currency reserves have declined to about $10.3 billion, covering less than two months of imports. The rupee has been devalued four times since December, fuelling inflation.

Umar said his party has not yet been given access to the official data.

But he was quick to add that while the situation is “dire”, it is not the first time Pakistan has faced such challenges.

“We came out of it earlier, we will come out of it again,” he said.

Analysts say Pakistan needs a loan of around $12 billion to turn the corner, but a diplomat has told AFP Islamabad is betting on a loan of at least $6.5 billion from the IMF to get it through the crisis.

However, there are fears the terms of any new loan will be more stringent than in 2013, due to tense relations with the US, the lender’s biggest donor.

In July, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo voiced concerns over any IMF bailout being used to repay Chinese loans to Islamabad.

“There’s no rationale for IMF tax dollars — and associated with that, American dollars that are part of the IMF funding — for those to go to bail out Chinese bondholders or China itself,” Pompeo told US television station CNBC.

The state of national finances could also undermine one of Khan’s most popular promises, his “Islamic welfare state”, based on increased spending on education and health.

“Obviously, the scale of these interventions… will be more limited initially with the resource constraints, but it will grow in size. You will not have to wait five years to see things that are new and different,” Umar said.

 Bakhtawar Bhutto Praises Reham Khan for Smartly Dealing With a Harasser

By
Ghazala Sulaiman
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It is no secret that Reham Khan is at a full-fledged war with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf Chairman and ex-husband, Imran Khan.

Consequently, she often gets trolled by fans of Kaptaan and a recent incident that happened with Reham in U.K is no different.

A video of the journalist with her son, Sahir Rehman in a park in Kingston, England is going viral, showing a woman harassing Reham for being anti-Imran Khan.

The lady taunted Reham of having a mentality like Ayesha Gulalai and badgered her with accusations of defaming the PTI politician.

However, Reham did not lose her cool and tried to be polite to the troll. However, the critic remained committed to harassing and antagonizing her.

Even haters of Reham Khan are lauding her for showing grace and being patient towards the tormentor.

Benazir Bhutto’s daughter, Bakhtawar Zardari daughter too saw the viral incident and praised Reham for remaining unfazed throughout!

Of course, Reham responded to her with courtesy and thanked her for taking a stand against hate.

What do you think of Reham Khan’s incident in U.K? Let us know in the comments below.

Best song of Ali Zafar That Will Make You Nostalgic!

By
Web Desk
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How many of these tunes by Ali Zafar can you recall?

Mansha Pasha Breaks Silence Over Harassment Controversy With Meesha’s Lawyer!

By
Ghazala Sulaiman
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It seems that Ali Zafar – Meesha Shafi’s controversy shows no signs of dying down any time soon.

However, the battle between the two is getting more intense, with another celebrity fraudulently being roped in.

Earlier this month, the Coke Studio singer Meesha Shafi had filed a complaint to the Governor of Punjab Malik Muhammad Rafique Rajwana against Ali Zafar under the Protection Against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2010. The complaint was dismissed on technical grounds as Meesha’s case did not fall under the stated act.

Now, the issue has taken an ugly turn as a social media smear campaign has kickstarted against her lawyer, Barrister Ahmed Pansota. In the midst of this madness, Aangan actress Mansha Pasha has also been dragged into it.

Recently, a woman in Twitter named Aisha Mansha came forward claiming that she has been harassed by the Barrister. The account used Mansha’s first name and her picture which created a massive confusion.

Look at her tweet below! 

Mansha took instant note of the matter and took to her social media account to clarify her stance.

She tweeted:

We must all stand against sexual harassment and empower those who speak up. However, an account used my pic and name to level allegations against a Lawyer creating confusion. Id like to clarify that @aisha_mansha isn’t my account and I’ve never met @pansota1 in my life.

Well, we think that it is morally unethical to drag celebrities into a mess and defame an innocent person.

Have something to add to the story? Let us know in the comments section below.

For more updates and details, stay tuned to Very Filmi

Ball Tampering Threatens ‘Cricket’s DNA’ Says ICC Boss

By
AFP
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Global cricket boss David Richardson declared that ball tampering and bad behaviour threatened “cricket’s DNA” and would not be tolerated by fans in the wake of the Australia cheating scandal.

The International Cricket Council chief executive said the “public has spoken” on bad behaviour in the game as he delivered the annual MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture at Lord’s on Monday night.

Richardson referred to events during the ill-tempered South Africa-Australia Test series earlier this year when Australia captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and batsman Cameron Bancroft were slapped with lengthy bans for their roles in a plan to change the condition of the ball using sandpaper.

“Cricket’s DNA is based on integrity, but we have seen too much behaviour of late that puts that in jeopardy and this has to stop,” Richardson said.

“Sledging that amounts to no more than personal abuse, fielders giving send-offs to batsmen who have been dismissed, unnecessary physical contact, players threatening not to play in protest against an umpire’s decision and ball tampering.

“This isn’t the version of our sport that we want to project to the world.”

During that notorious series, South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada was suspended for making contact with Smith, though his ban was overturned on appeal, and there was an ugly off-field scuffle between Warner and South Africa wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock.

As a result, the ICC toughened its code of conduct, last month increasing bans for ball-tampering and bringing in new sanctions for verbal intimidation with Richardson saying the ICC was determined to punish “ugly and personal abuse”.

“The public reaction around the world to the incidents in the recent Australia-South Africa series was an eye-opener,” said Richardson.

“The message was loud and clear, cheating is cheating and it’s not what we signed up for.”

Richardson said he found it a “little disingenuous” for players to say that rules were unclear about how the condition of the ball could be altered legally.

“Over the last few months I have read comments from players requesting guidance what is allowed in relation to the ball,” Richardson added.

“They have asked if they can chew gum, wear sunscreen or drink a sugary drink.

“To be brutally honest I find this a little disingenuous. The laws are simple and straightforward: do not change the condition of the ball using an artificial substance.

“If you are wearing sunscreen, sucking a mint or chewing gum with the intent of using the cream or the sugary saliva on the ball you are ball-tampering.

“You may not always get caught — and we are not going to stop players from chewing gum or wearing sunscreen — but if you are, then don’t complain.

“Taking the attitude that it’s always been there to some extent is a mistake. The public has spoken.”

Chinese Tech ‘Wolf’ Huawei Stalks Apple & Samsung

By
AFP
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Ren Zhengfei, the founder of Chinese telecoms behemoth Huawei, likens the company to a ruthless “wolf” tirelessly running down its prey, an ethos that could soon make it the apex predator of the smartphone world.

Despite being essentially barred from the critical US market, Huawei surpassed Apple to become the world’s number two smartphone maker in the second quarter of this year and has market leader Samsung in its sights.

Huawei has achieved this in part by refocusing away from the futile fight for US access and toward gobbling up market share in developing nations with its moderately priced but increasingly sophisticated phones, analysts say.

“Huawei’s image and brand recognition across markets and regions is getting better and better,” said Tarun Pathak of global market analysis firm Counterpoint.

“They’ve differentiated and positioned their products across price segments, which makes an interesting conversation in terms of competing with Apple and Samsung.”

Founded by Ren, now 73, with a few thousand dollars in 1987, Huawei focused initially on the backbone hardware for telecommunications networks, growing to become the world leader.

Fifteen years after introducing its first phone, Huawei surpassed Apple in the April-June quarter to take second place globally, International Data Corporation (IDC) said last week, the first time since 2010 that Apple was not in the top two.

– Raising the ante –

Huawei’s consumer products chief Richard Yu raised the ante Friday, saying the company could overtake South Korean giant Samsung by late 2019.

“The importance of Huawei overtaking Apple this quarter cannot be overstated,” senior analyst Ben Stanton of Canalys wrote in a report on the latest sales data.

“Huawei’s exclusion from the US has forced it to work harder in Asia and Europe to achieve its goals.”

Based in the southern China tech hub of Shenzhen, Huawei had already been pushing into developing markets even before political pressure — peaking this year with President Donald Trump’s China trade war — effectively slammed the US door shut.

Huawei’s exclusion stems in part from US distrust over Ren’s earlier career as a Chinese military technologist and fears that Beijing could strong-arm its tech champions into aiding with espionage abroad. Huawei denies any government links.

In the meantime, Huawei has built up its business in more price-conscious markets, from Indonesia to Saudi Arabia, South Africa and even Europe.

Analysts note that as those markets mature and customers graduate to higher-end phones, they will already be in Huawei’s ecosystem.

“If Apple and Samsung want to maintain their market position, they must make their portfolios more competitive,” said Canalys’s Stanton.

Samsung shipped 71.5 million handsets for a 20.9 per cent global market share in the second quarter, compared with Huawei’s 54.2 million phones and 15.8 per cent share. Apple sold 41.3 million iPhones for a 12.1 per cent slice.

Huawei shipped 95 million units in the first half and is targeting 2018 sales of 200 million, a threshold crossed previously only by Samsung and Apple.

Further growth will keep Huawei firmly on the US security radar.

The Trump administration nearly killed Huawei’s Chinese rival ZTE this year, imposing tough penalties for violating US sanctions by selling goods to Iran and North Korea.

– The 5G challenge –

The penalties, since lifted, would have deprived ZTE of US electronics components it desperately needs. Huawei, however, produces its own key components, giving the US less leverage.

But an industry sales slowdown and market saturation could limit its growth.

IDC said 342 million smartphones were shipped worldwide in the second quarter, down 1.8 per cent year-on-year and the third consecutive quarterly decline.

In the long term, the lack of a US foothold will be an Achilles heel for Huawei, analysts said, and some market studies project Apple reclaiming the number two spot when new iPhone models are released later this year.

And as Huawei customers graduate to higher-end gadgets above $600, the Chinese company will have to compete head-to-head with Apple on quality and features.

“As you move upward, there are fewer competitors but the features, the challenges, the innovation, and the expectations grow,” said Counterpoint’s Pathak.

“That is something that Huawei, Apple and Samsung all need to capitalise on.”

A critical test looms in the next two years when 5G systems are expected to roll out and manufacturers will be judged on how their smartphones handle the enhanced capabilities.

Huawei is already gearing up for the challenge. Its R&D spending grew 17 per cent last year to $13.8 billion, putting the company in the same league as Samsung, Amazon and Google’s parent Alphabet, while recent product launches in Europe have been increasingly glitzy.

“Things like camera capabilities and how Huawei rises overall to that (5G) challenge will decide if it is among the Apples and Samsungs, but I think they belong,” Pathak said.

Earth Risks Tipping into Hellish ‘Hothouse’ State: Study

By
AFP
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The planet urgently needs to transition to a green economy because fossil fuel pollution risks pushing the Earth into a lasting and dangerous “hothouse” state, researchers warned on Monday.

If polar ice continues to melt, forests are slashed and greenhouse gases rise to new highs — as they currently do each year — the Earth will pass a tipping point.

Crossing that threshold “guarantees a climate 4-5 Celsius (7-9 Fahrenheit) higher than pre-industrial times, and sea levels that are 10 to 60 meters (30-200 feet) higher than today,” cautioned scientists in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

And that “could be only decades ahead,” they said.

– What is ‘Hothouse Earth’? –

“Hothouse Earth is likely to be uncontrollable and dangerous to many,” said the article by scientists at the University of Copenhagen, Australian National University and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany.

Rivers would flood, storms would wreak havoc on coastal communities, and coral reefs would be eliminated — all by century’s end or even earlier.

Global average temperatures would exceed those of any interglacial period — meaning warmer eras that come in between Ice Ages — of the past 1.2 million years.

Melting polar ice caps would lead to dramatically higher sea levels, flooding coastal land that is home to hundreds of millions of people.

“Places on Earth will become uninhabitable if ‘Hothouse Earth’ becomes the reality,” said co-author Johan Rockstrom, executive director of the Stockholm Resilience Centre.

– Where is the tipping point? –

Researchers suggest the tipping point could come once the Earth warms to 3.6 Fahrenheit (2 Celsius) over pre-industrial times.

The planet has already warmed 1 C over pre-industrial times and is heating up at a rate of 0.17 C per decade.

“A 2 C warming could activate important tipping elements, raising the temperature further to activate other tipping elements in a domino-like cascade that could take the Earth System to even higher temperatures,” said the report.

This cascade “may tip the entire Earth system into a new mode of operation,” said co-author Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.

Experts also worry about phenomena like wildfires, which will spread as the planet gets hotter and drier and have the potential to accelerate carbon dioxide buildup and global warming.

– How they calculated this –

The “Perspective” article is based on previously published studies on tipping points for the Earth.

The scientists also examined conditions the Earth has seen in the distant past, such as the Pliocene period five million years ago, when CO2 was at 400 ppm like today.

During the Cretaceous period, the era of the dinosaurs some 100 million years ago, CO2 levels were even higher at 1,000 ppm, largely due to volcanic activity.

To state that 2 C is a no-return threshold “is new,” said Martin Siegert, co-director of the Grantham Institute at Imperial College London, who was not involved in the study.

The study authors “collated previously published ideas and theories to present a narrative on how the threshold change would work,” he said.

“It’s rather selective, but not outlandish.”

– How to stop it –

People must immediately change their lifestyle to be better stewards of the Earth, the researchers said.

Fossil fuels must be replaced with low or zero emissions energy sources, and there should be more strategies for absorbing carbon emissions such as ending deforestation and planting trees to absorb carbon dioxide.

Soil management, better farming practices, land and coastal conservation and carbon capture technologies are also on the list of actions.

Yet even if humans stopped emitting greenhouse gases, the current warming trend could trigger other Earth system processes, called feedbacks, driving even more warming.

These include permafrost thaw, deforestation, loss of northern hemisphere snow cover, sea ice and polar ice sheets.

Researchers say it’s not certain that the Earth can remain stable.

“What we do not know yet is whether the climate system can be safely ‘parked’ near 2 C above pre-industrial levels, as the Paris Agreement envisages,” said Schellnhuber.

Mathira Spotted With Sooraj Pancholi in London

By
Ghazala Sulaiman
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Last week, Mathira created a storm on social media with a racy video of the viral Kiki Challenge. Some loved it, others hated it!

But we must have to admit, that Mathira probably pulled off one the hottest Kiki challenge ever done.

Here super groovy performance is all that the internet is talking about!

Not to forget, her latest ad for the birth-control brand ‘Josh’ has created quite a buzz on social media.


The controversial model surely knows how to make it to the limelight!

Currently, the sultry starlet is up and around London, touring the town and having a blast while at it.

And the lucky girl met Bollywood celebrity, the ‘Hero’ star Sooraj Pancholi in the city!

Believe you can , and YOU WILL! #YouHaveItInYou 🔥

A post shared by Sooraj Pancholi (@soorajpancholi) on

Seizing the golden chance, the sassy beauty enjoyed a candid moment with the heartthrob.

But from the looks of her caption, Mathira is not meeting the actor for the first and the last time. Gossip is that the duo partied all night together.

Sooraj was in London for the shooting of the upcoming movie “Time to Dance”, directed by Stanley D’Costa and produced by Remo D’Souza. The actor will be seen across Katrina Kaif’s sister ‘Isabelle’ in the movie.

Maybe Mathira has a cameo role in the upcoming dance flick. We are just speculating. Let’s keep our fingers crossed till we know more details about their rendezvous together.

Stay tuned to Brandsynario for more updates.

 

 

 

‘FIFA 19’ to get ‘No-Rules’ & Survival Modes

By
AFP
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Two new modes coming to September soccer sim “FIFA 19” allow players to lose a player for every goal scored or entirely do away with fouls.

There’s a little bit of extra novelty bound for “FIFA 19,” which is being prepared for launch on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC in addition to Nintendo Switch, PS3, and Xbox 360.

Pick-up matches played in survival mode make teams lose a player when they score a goal, according to Eurogamer‘s preview event report.

If either team reaches five goals — that is, five players sent off — before 90 minutes, the match ends automatically.

That’s because the mode still adheres to the FIFA rule that a game can’t continue if there are less than seven players on a team.

For those that want to do away with red and yellow cards, a House Rules mode lets players turn off fouls entirely.

That makes it impossible to get sent off for illegally hard tackling, and also gets rid of the famously beginner-unfriendly offside rule.

Another option, when activated, means that only headed or volleyed goals are counted.

If the allusions to schoolyard football games weren’t obvious enough, there is also an advantage setting in which one team can start with one or more goals already in the bag, making things more of a challenge for seasoned players.

“FIFA 19” launches September 28, a full month after longstanding competitor “Pro Evolution Soccer 2019” arrives on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC the week of August 28.

Tell Me a Story’s Trailer Will Make your Jaw Drop!

By
AFP
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he writer behind “Scream” and “The Vampire Diaries” is back with October’s psychological thriller, “Tell Me a Story”, transplanting traditional folk tales into a modern New York City.

The Three Little Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel and Jack and the Beanstalk have been turned from children’s stories into not-for-children psychological thrillers for October 2018’s ten-episode series “Tell Me a Story.”


[youtu.be/yEQuGGUkEuY]

Commissioning network CBS unveiled a debut trailer at the Television Critics Association press tour, showing how its cast and crew are tackling the slate of fairy stories.

Several cast members have previous experience with Kevin Williamson’s earlier series “The Vampire Diaries”, (Chris Brochu, Paul Wesley) or with fairy-tale adaptations such as “Into the Woods” (Billy Magnussen) or “Once Upon a Time” (Dania Ramirez).

Williamson himself came to “Tell Me a Story” having created the “Scream” franchise, as well as “The Vampire Diaries”, “The Following” and “Stalker” for TV.

He was also responsible for the six-season teen drama “Dawsons Creek”.

PCB Reveals Names of Players Offered Central Contract [View List]

By
Anusha Sachwani
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UPDATE: Pakistan Cricket Board has revealed the names of the 33 cricketers they have offered the central contract along with their categories.

They are as followed;

Players Demotions

  • Rahat Ali — C to D
  • Mohammad Hafeez — A to B
  • Imad Wasim — B to C
  • Ahmed Shehzad — Omitted

Players Promotions

  • Shadab Khan — C to B
  • Imam-ul-Haq — D to C
  • Fakhar Zaman — C to B
  • Faheem Ashraf — D to B
  • Babar Azam — B to A

Pakistan Cricket Board has renewed their central contacts and has also dismissed 10 players, according to a report.

The board has decided to reduce the number of players from 35 to 33. This list was finalized by a four-member committee; chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq, coach Mickey Arthur, skipper Sarfraz Ahmad and PCB Director Cricket Haroon Rasheed.

The following is the revised contacts amount;

Sources reveal that Mohammad Hafeez is the only player to have been demoted from Category A to B, and Babar Azam is most likely to take his place.

Shadab Khan and Fakhar Zaman are also expected to be promoted to higher categories.

The complete list is expected to be out in the upcoming weeks.

Stay tuned to Brandsynario for more news and updates.

PCB Annual Award Show 2018 to take place in Karachi!

Playwright Anwar Maqsood To Make A Theatrical Comeback In Style [Exclusive]

By
Omair Alavi
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Veteran playwright Anwar Maqsood is all set to make a comeback to a theatre with Kyon Nikala that will open with a media night on 13th August 2018 at Karachi’s Arts Council.

The play is Anwar Maqsood’s first in three years, his last being Siachen with Kopykats Productions way back in 2015. The two had been part of successful plays like Aangan Terrha, Haaf Playt, Pawnay 14 August, Sawa 14 August, Dharna among others; Kopykats Productions did try their hand with other writers but those plays didn’t do well.

That’s one of the major reasons why Anwar Maqsood returned to theatre and decided to use the General Elections as an ‘excuse’ for his next satirical play which revolves around the relationship between a Bengali servant and his Punjabi master who is also a PMLN supporter with the same attributes as his masters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs2USmhHS40

Veteran actor Sajid Hasan will play the Chaudhry sahab who is as corrupt – both morally and legally – as one could be; Mohsin Ejaz plays the Bangali servant who has been in his employment for over multiple decades but gets the axe, prompting him to ask the million dollar question – Kyon Nikala. It is interesting to note that this will be Sajid Hasan’s first collaboration with Anwar Maqsood in 26 years; the last time they worked together was in Sitara Aur Mehrunisa in 1992, the play that launched the acting career of Atiqa Odho and also had Anwar Maqsood acting in it as her father.

The play will also feature veteran theatre actor Nazar Hussain who is likely to act multiple roles just like he did in Aangan Terrha; many newcomers will also start their careers with this Anwar Maqsood play which will be held first in Karachi for at least a month before shifting to major cities like Lahore and Islamabad. The director of the play Dawar Mehmood is confident that it will bring back the good days of theatre and will motivate the youngsters to do meaningful theatre instead of the slapstick comedy that has taken over.

 

Facebook Dating Feature is Currently in Testing Phase!

By
Anusha Sachwani
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Facebook is planning to launch a dating platform for its users. The social media giant revealed its plans at their F8 developer conference back in May.

Although no date has been given for the features’ official launch, its employees are already testing it. This was first spotted by computer scientist Jane Manchun, who spotted the code for the dating feature.

“This product is for US Facebook employees who have opted-in to dogfooding Facebook’s new dating product,” reads a screenshot shared by Manchun. “This product is confidential.”

Zuckerberg unveils plans for Facebook dating service

Zuckerburg added at the time of its reveal that the platform will keep security, safety, and privacy in mind, making it their priority. He said;

“We have designed this with privacy and safety in mind from the beginning. Your friends aren’t going to see your profile, and you’re only going to be suggested to people who are not friends… This is going to be for building real long-term relationships – not just for hookups.”

Zuckerberg said in presenting the new feature, noting that one in three marriages in the United States starts online and that some 200 million Facebook users identify as being single.

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“We’re surprised at the timing given the amount of personal and sensitive data that comes with this territory. Regardless, we’re going to continue to delight our users through product innovation and relentless focus on relationship success. We understand this category better than anyone.”  -Match Group CEO Mandy Ginsberg

While there are some concerns which come with dating apps like fake accounts on Tinder and misuse of personal images, we have yet to see how the social media giant tackles these issues.

Given that it is still trying to recover from the Cambridge Analytica controversy, it better be making all these points a priority for sure.

Are you ready to get your date on?

Stay tuned to Brandsynario for more news and updates.

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Four Classic Porsche Spyders Going Under the Hammer at Pebble Beach

By
AFP
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The place to be this month for lovers of classic cars is Pebble Beach for Monterey Car Week. Porsche fans with the requisite funds have the chance to buy four incredible rare Spyder models to be auctioned off by Gooding and Company at its 15th Annual Pebble Beach Auction.

The four models being put up for sale cover 52 years of Porsche production. One is a race car that has never been offered for sale to the public before. It’s a relatively new car, but a model any Porsche collector would like to get their hands on.

The model in question is a 2007 Porsche RS Spyder LMP2 prototype race car that was entered in a number of endurance events in the early years of its life. The RS Spyders won consecutive IMSA LMP Championships, an overall win at Sebring, and class wins at Le Mans. The V-8 engine that powered it was used as part of the hybrid powertrain in the incredible Porsche 918 Spyder.

This particular example with chassis 9R6.706 was originally sold to CET Solaroli Motorsports in Florida. Not surprisingly, Gooding and Company isn’t offering any official estimates of what it’s expected to sell for.

A much older model, and the oldest of these four Porsches, is the 1955 550 Spyder with chassis number 550-0053 originally sold to a private racer in California. The current owner has had the car for 20 years, during which time it’s largely been out of the public eye. It’s estimated to bring between $4million and $5million when it goes across the block.

Probably costing a little less at an estimate of between $3.6million and $4.1million, the third of the quartet is a 1959 718 RSK Spyder that is one of just 34 ever built. As well as the 1959 24 Hours of Les Mans, this car’s pedigree also includes completing the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and several SCCA events early in the 1960s.

If the previous three are a little out of your price range, the last of the four is probably the most affordable option. It’s a one-off 1966 911 Spyder created by Bertone as a possible forerunner of a full production convertible 911. Porsche displayed this one at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show, but instead went with the 911 Targa. It’s still not a cheap car by any means —  it’s expected to go for between $700,000 and $1million.

Imran Khan to Save Billions by Not Residing in PM House!

By
Web Desk
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The PTI Chairman & soon-to-be Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan has announced that he will reside in a smaller & simpler residence rather than staying at the luxurious PM House.

The move is said to save at least Rs.1.85 billion annually and will also send a positive message to the general public about their leader.

Khan, in many interviews, has already indicated that he will also look to avoid VVIP protocol once he assumes office.

The cricketer-turned-politician also stated that he will make sure his ministers also follow principle austerity.

The PM House is located on the main Constitution Avenue in Islamabad, covering 135 acres. The red-brick, heavily guarded building is modelled after the Mughal Era palaces that housed Royalty.

The building features 5 spacious lawns, a fruit orchard, several swimming pools, a banquet hall, media and committee rooms.

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In addition to that, there are 10 servant quarters, residents for security officers, staff, and members of the public, works department and the police.

The security budget of the house is Rs. 980 Million, Rs. 700 Million is allocated for the PM House staff.

A budget of Rs.150 Million is spent on gifts for various guests & dignitaries and Rs.15 million on the renovations and decorations.

However, Imran Khan in his Post-Victory speech made it clear that the PM House will be used to fulfil public purposes such as education and health. The Quaid-e-Azam University, that is spread over 35 acres, can also be set up in the House.

Even though a final verdict is yet to be put forward, Imran Khan’s refusal of the PM house indicates that he’s bent on keeping true to his promises.

We have yet to see what other wonders will PM Khan do once he officially takes his seat.

Stay tuned to Brandsynario for more news and updates.

Contributed by: Uzair Alavi

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