Daily Archives: March 31, 2021

Seven years ago, violinist Endang Hyder practically survived cancer. Today, she has to return to treatment again, but no-one will be around to look after her children and elderly parents while she battles cancer for the second time.

The violinist, whose real name is Ell Zain Hyder, has less than a month to find a caregiver who will look after her family while she focuses on recovery yet again. But she could not afford the steep fees and had in the past month resorted to performing for her thousands of fans online in a bid to raise funds.

I need to be super healthy, strong, and not die before my parents and kids, she told Coconuts in a recent interview. I know this sounds funny but this has been going in my mind all of these years because they just have me and I have to do this.

Nearly every other day, Ell has been performing online covers of pop hits instead of her usual Malay tunes. But she is still far away from reaching her goal of about RM 8,000 (US$2,000). It costs an average of RM20 (US$4.80) per hour to engage a caregiver in Malaysia, and Ell needs someone for two whole months.

If my viewers like my performances, I wish they can tip me, whatever [amount] they want, she said. I prefer that people engage me for future performances or events if they wish to give a big amount.

Thousands have watched Ell on YouTube performing covers of hits like Girls Like You by Maroon 5 and even Gurenge from the anime Demon Slayer. She took three to four days to learn each song before uploading her covers on Youtube impressive considering that her repertoire mostly consisted of Malay classics such as songs by Siti Nurhaliza or the late Sudirman.

Her fans love her as well. In such a short time, Ell made a very meaningful achievement of attaining 100,000 subscribers on her channel something that has never happened since she picked up the violin in her teenage years. But that is still not enough for the single parent to afford a caregiver for her three children, aged 4 to 9, as well as her elderly parents. Her father even had his legs amputated due to diabetes.

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Since the pandemic began, the Perak-based violin instructor had not been able to perform on a stage like she used to and had been baking at home to supplement her income. Adding on to her woes was the doctor confirming in January that the cancer was active again, and found a tumor in her nose.

Ell was in 2014 diagnosed with early-stage carcinoma that affected her blood vessels. She went through chemotherapy and radiotherapy for months before the doctor declared that the cancer was no longer active, although that did not mean she was completely cancer-free. When Ell goes for treatment at the Hospital Pantai starting April 12, she has to go for surgery and chemotherapy.

This year, the doctor found a tumor at the tip of my nose, Ell said, adding: I would need to undergo surgery to remove the tumor, so I can continue to care for my parents and kids in the future.

Ell plans to cover the TikTok-popular song At My Worst by Pink Sweats and Michael Bubles Sway in the coming weeks.

Other stories to check out:

Inspired by rom-com, Malaysian man opens online store selling stuff from peoples exes

This article, Ahead of cancer treatment, violinist raises funds for family care through virtual concerts, originally appeared on Coconuts, Asia's leading alternative media company.

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Ahead of cancer treatment, violinist raises funds for family care through virtual concerts - Yahoo Singapore News

Given the size of Billy's family and the Sivana family, there are a lot of characters to introduce in Shazam. Who gets the most and least screentime?

Shazam!was released in 2019 as the seventh film in the DC Extended Universe. It was the live-action film debut of the character Shazam, who had first appeared as Captain Marvel in Fawcett Comics in 1939. DC licensed the character in 1972, making him a part of their universe. Because of the creation of Marvel Comics' own Captain Marvel in 1967, DC renamed the character Shazam.

RELATED: DCEU: 5 Reasons Wonder Woman Is The Best Movie In The Franchise (And 5 Reasons It's Shazam)

David F. Sandberg directed the superhero movie, with Zachary Levi in the title role. The film also stars Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Djimon Honsou, Faith Herman, and Mark Strong. Being that the Shazam family is a large one, many characters appear in the story. Some for just a handful of minutes, others for most of the movie. This article doesn't require a character to be on screen for their screentime to count, as long as they're intercut in the scene, and the brief CGI cameo of Black Adam and the faceless cameo of Superman aren't included.

Director David D. Sandberg cameod as the voice of Mister Mind, an alien worm who also happens to be telepathic. Mister Mind first appears at the beginning of the film, seen in a jar at the Rock of Eternity. When the jar is seen later, it is cracked open and empty.

Mister Mind eventually appears in an end-credits sequence, where he visits Dr. Sivana in prison. Their suggested team-up might play out in a sequel, as the worm is one of Shazam's biggest enemies in the comics.

Caroline Palmer plays Marilyn Batson, Billy's real mom. She has two brief appearances in the film. One is near the beginning when Billy remembers the day he got lost at the fair. The other is when Billy finds his mom at last, and she flashes back to what actually happened the day he was "lost."

While the meeting doesn't go the way Billy wants, it isn't the end of his search for family. After losing his family at the fair as a small child, he finds his new one at the fair towards the end when he shares his power with his foster siblings.

Sid Sivana is the mean older brother of Thaddeus Sivana. Landon Doak portrays Sid as a teenager at the beginning of the film, when he picks on Thaddeus and takes his Magic 8 Ball. Immediately after this, Sivana is transported to the Rock of Eternity and meets the Wizard. Wayne Ward portrays the adult Sid, who doesn't spend much time on screen before Dr. Sivana throws him out a window.

The relationship between the brothers clearly didn't change after 45 years, that much is apparent in Sid's less than five minutes of screentime. If anything, the car accident thatinjured their father likely made it worse.

Victor and Rosa Vasquez share an entry here, as most of their screentime happens together. Rosa has two brief scenes without Victor, and Victor has one brief scene without Rosa, resulting in a very small difference in their screentime. The couple is played by Cooper Andrews and Marta Milans.

RELATED: 10 Movie References And Inspirations In Shazam!

At first, the Vasquez family has a hard time with Billy, who just wants to find his real mom. By the end, of course, Billy has accepted the family as much as they accepted him. While Victor and Rosa are on screen for less than ten minutes each, their presence is felt throughout the film because of their care for Billy and his foster siblings.

Mr. Sivana is Thaddeus Sivana's father, and he appears twice in the film. Even when he's a child, it's clear Thaddeus doesn't have a good relationship with his father. His father is also quite a bully to Thaddeus.

Mr. Sivana is played by DC veteran John Glover, who appears in his fourth DC property with this film. Glover first portrayed Edward Nygma / The Riddler inBatman: The Animated Series and other shows in its shared universe. He then played Jason Woodrue, the man responsible for Pamela Isley turning into Poison Ivy in the filmBatman & Robin. Finally, Glover was inSmallville as Lionel Luthor, father of Lex. He had a starring role from season two to seven, along with recurring appearances in season one and a guest role in season ten.

Mary is the oldest foster sibling of Billy's, played by Grace Fulton as a child while Michelle Borth plays Mary as a grown-up superhero. Mary just edges out Eugene and Pedro in screentime, as the siblings mostly appear together at home and in the finale.

Mary was created in 1942. She was originally known as Mary Marvel, but after the change from Captain Marvel to Shazam, she became more commonly known as Lady Shazam. Collectively, the group has become known as "The Shazam Family."

Darla is the most cheerful and caring of the Shazam Family. She accepts Billy as a brother quicker than the rest, even making a sign for him before he gets there. Little moments like these give her more screentime than every other foster sibling except Freddy.

RELATED: Shazam!: 10 Interesting Behind-The-Scenes Details

Faithe Herman portrays Darla as a child, while the superhero version is played by Meagan Good. The character has many memorable moments, such as when she saves Santa at the fair. Even in superhero form, Darla always seems to have fun.

The big bad of the film is Dr. Thaddeus Sivana, played by Mark Strong. Strong previously played Sinestro in 2011'sGreen Lantern, which preceded the DCEU. In a great moment of setup for the villain, the opening scene actually centers on Dr. Sivana as a child, played by Ethan Pugiotto.

With many scenes establishing his motives and plans, Dr. Sivana appears in quite a bit of the film. A lengthy bit of screentime also comes from his two fights with Shazam, andan end-credits scene suggests viewers haven't seen the last of Dr. Sivana.

Jack Dylan Grazer plays Billy's foster brother Freddy. Due to his fandom and knowledge of superheroes, Billy trusts Freddy with his secret after turning into Shazam. Freddy ends up coaching Billy in the use of his powers, as well as documenting Shazam's exploits and uploading them online. This leads to Freddy having the second-most amount of screentime in the film.

Throughout the film, Freddy shows his support for the superheroes that exist in their world in many ways. He's seen wearing shirts for Batman, Superman, and Aquaman. He has a replica Batarang, which comes in handy later in the film. He also has an authenticated bullet that bounced off of Superman, which Billy later drops in a drain. Billy does make it up to Freddy later though, having Superman show up to see Freddy at the school cafeteria.

No surprise here, but Billy Batson and his alter ego Shazam dominate the screentime of the movie. Zachary Levi shines as the superhero Shazam, and Asher Angel is a stand-out star as young Billy Batson. Between the two characters who are really one character, viewers see Billy on screen for three-quarters of the film.

Angel and Levi flawlessly transition their performances back and forth, providing a very believable take on the character. After appearing in twoThorfilms as Fandral, Levi finally got a chance to really play the hero inShazam! He and the rest of the Shazam Family will return in the sequel,Shazam!: Fury of the Gods in 2023.

NEXT: 5 Things We Know AboutShazam!: Fury of the Gods (& 5 Fan Theories)

Next Mortal Kombat: Annihilation 5 Ways It's So Bad It's Good (& 5 Ways It Deserves A Fatality)

Rory Smith is a filmmaker from St. Petersburg, Florida. He has written and directed more than a dozen short films and worked on countless others. His work has been featured at the Sarasota International Film Festival and the Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival, being nominated for the award of Best Florida Short Film at the latter in 2019. He currently writes articles for Screen Rant. Rory has a passion for film and has been an avid movie fan since he was a kid. He loves seeing both the big blockbusters and the Oscar-nominated dramas. He is a big fan of Tampa and Pittsburgh sports, and he and his wife consider Disney World to be a second home.

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Shazam! - 5 Characters With The Most (& 5 With The Least) Screentime - Screen Rant

My name is Jordan McChesney, and Im a photographer based in Japan. Let me start by saying that I am not a professional photographer, and Im well aware that my movement towards success is an ongoing process that is (hopefully) in the early stages of even bigger things to come. That being said, I think its a good idea to reflect on my last year or so of growth.

Back in 2018, 2019, and the first half of 2020, I spent the majority of my time, as many other aspiring photographers do, on the photography side of the Internet. I primarily shared my work with other photographers in the hopes of getting both constructive and positive feedback from both my peers and professionals alike.

My hope was that if I got enough attention from other photographers, it would somehow lead to some kind of success ( I know, some real Underpants Gnomes logic there). While it did help me grow as a photographer, lead to a few more followers on social media, a few more people to follow myself, and a few new photography buddies to talk shop with, it never led to the kind of success Id been hoping for.

Then, around June of 2020, something changed. I decided to focus less on what my fellow photographers thought, and decided to focus more of my attention on myself. Since then, Ive spent more time adding products to my shops, including images that Id previously considered as not portfolio material. To my surprise, a number of these images turned into my best-selling images.

Ive since spent more time focusing on creating images I want to create, rather than images I think would be portfolio worthy or impress other photographers, and its lead to more and more images that sell.

Beyond monetary success, Ive also found myself enjoying my shoots more as theres less pressure to always create a portfolio grade image, and a stronger focus on creating images I want to create. To avoid turning this into a novel, Ill write my thoughts as to why this change in thinking led to more success, in list form below.

As I mentioned above, I used to go out to every shoot with one goal in mind create a new portfolio image that would get me praise from my peers (or pros). As you can imagine, this not only caused me a great deal of stress but also limited my shooting locations and times, as conditions had to be perfect and the location had to be perfect. If even one thing was out of place, the shoot was ruined and I left in a bad mood.

That being said, I do still try to create portfolio images, but I dont force myself to create one every time I go out. I give myself more time to create images I want to create without the expectation of outdoing myself. In some cases, this has actually lead to portfolio quality images without the stress of feeling obligated to create one, so it all works out in the end.

Despite what my lackluster uploading schedule on Instagram may suggest, more of my work has seen the light of day. Im a big believer of adapting to your surroundings, so after moving to a beach city with a view of Mount Fuji, my focus has primarily been on those things.

Just this year, for the first time ever, I started photographing surfers. Being new at this subject means that I really had (and still have) no idea how best to shoot them. I do still use my basic photography knowledge, such as light and other elements, but I honestly havent got a clue if theyd be considered portfolio material from other photographers, and to be honest, I dont really care. I like them, so I share them.

On top of that, it gives me an excuse to go cycling along the beach, which is never a bad way to spend a sunny day.

Another issue I used to have was spending hours on an image, only for it to never see the light of day because some small issue caught my eye. Ugh, the light could have been a little better here, Ah, why didnt I use a polarizing filter!, Why couldnt I find a leading line or foreground element!.

Newsflash: the general public either doesnt notice or doesnt care about these things. They typically see something and they either like it or they dont. I still take a ton of photos that dont make the cut, but I spend a lot less time editing photos for hours only for them to end up in the trash due to trivial problems.

As I mentioned above, I used to only share my images with other photographers. Well, as it turns out, other photographers arent usually in the market to buy prints, unless youve made a name for yourself. Spending more time both creating and sharing work that the general public might be interested in has lead to me creating more selling images, and has helped me reconsider which images I take when out and about.

Now, I dont mean this to say that Ive downgraded my work or only focus on images that sell, I still create plenty of images for other purposes that havent sold a thing, but it means Im more open-minded about what I shoot, what I edit, what I share, and what I sell. At the end of the day, I get paid for my work, and some person in Canada gets a neat tote bag.

Back when I was creating images for the singular purpose of impressing photographers, I often found myself starting to get tired of and frustrated with my photography (and other photographers but thats a post for another day). This was mostly due to the seemingly never-ending cycle of disappointment.

Without the pressure of maybe this is the one that gets me noticed! or this one is a contest winner for sure!, Ive been able to shoot, edit, and share images without the feeling of disappointment when, like hundreds of times before, my photo is just a photo. Even without this pressure, Ive managed to get some international recognition within the community, so again, it all worked out.

Again, without the pressure of always trying to create mind-blowing world-class images, Ive allowed myself to experiment in ways I never would have before, to varying levels of success. If you can imagine, I went about 5 years in Japan before photographing a shrine or temple in a serious way, and another year after that to really start considering them as something I could produce quality images with. Since I live in an area with quite a few shrines and temples, I now consider them as one of the most interesting subjects I can use in my new images.

Before getting really into the photography community, I used to experiment quite a bit, but there was a period where I was too afraid to break away from what I knew. Ive since returned to shooting the unfamiliarand occasionally the mundane, and Ive never enjoyed it more than I currently do.

Now all of this isnt to say listening to other photographers is useless. Ive learned a lot over the years. I think its a good idea for people just learning the ropes to seek feedback to help improve their work. For me, Ive reached a point where Im comfortable with my work and dont need to know what every photographer and their dog has to say about it.

I may still seek feedback on specific images, to get a second opinion, but I no longer shoot to impress other photographers specifically. At the end of the day, if Im happy with the work Im making, thats all the counts. Any success that may follow is just gravy.

I used to care too much what other photographers think, and it drove me mad. Now I shoot mainly for myself, and it makes me glad. From time to time I make sales, and that is rad. I cant think of another rhyme for my other points sad.

About the author: Jordan McChesney is a Canadian photography hobbyist living in Japan. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. You can find more of McChesney on his website, Facebook, and Instagram. This article was also published here.

Image credits: Header photo licensed from Depositphotos

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I Stopped Trying to Impress Other Photographers, and I've Never Been Happier - PetaPixel

Despite the pandemics persistent pandemonium, Tate McRae was able to turn the trash year of 2020 into a time of professional triumph. After the drop of her debut EP All The Things I Never Said last January, the 17-year-old Calgary native was christened one to watch by Uproxx, Rolling Stone, Forbes, and more. Following the release of the melodic Tear Myself Apart (written by Billie Eilish and Finneas OConnell), and the Billboard-charting hit You Broke Me First (which would become 2020s fourth most-streamed song by a female artist), she earned an MTV VMA nomination for Push Best New Artist during the summer.

McRaes appealing, genre-bending approach is only bolstered by a winning combination of engaging lyricism and irrefutable stage presence. Although she became a music sensation seemingly overnight, her entertainment industry takeover is nearly a decade in the making, thanks to an impressive run as a commercially-successful dancer.

When people say, Oh, she dances, it blows my mind because thats my original thing, the doe-eyed multihyphenate tells Uproxx over Zoom. I always used to say Im a dancer who sings, not a singer who dances. Thats how it always went.

McRae began dancing at the age of six, and despite hating classes during that time due to the constriction of her boundless energy, she was able to go from being a backrow dancer to a front-and-center star. (I was super terrible in the beginning, she laughs before taking a sip of her Starbucks drink.) At age 11, she joined her mothers company YYC Dance Project and underwent ballet instruction at the School of Alberta Ballet, the home base of the Alberta Dance Company.

Through training [her] ass off and learning her history, McRaes control, awe-inspiring flexibility, and magnetic performance ability quickly developed. Shes not a one-trick pony either, as shes shown great skill in the contemporary, jazz, and hip-hop dance styles. (Tates music videos and performances, choreographed by Michelle Dawley and herself, also feature her versatile moves. The visual for Stupid features hip-hop tinged isolations movements independent from other parts of the body while her contemporary chops are on full display in That Way.)

After taking over Canadas dance scene, it only made sense for McRae to bring her talents to the United States. She was crowned Best Female Dancer at the Dance Awards in New York City, not once or twice, but thrice (2013, 2015, and 2018). In between her training and accolades, she found time to perform on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and on Justin Biebers Purpose World Tour. This merely scratches the surface.

In 2016, McRae became the first Canadian finalist on the hit reality series So You Think You Can Dance, working with Emmy Award-winning contemporary choreographer Travis Wall, husband and wife hip-hop duo NappyTabs, and salsa dancer Stephanie Stevenson during her time on the show. She was second-runner up overall, a massive accomplishment given the competitive nature of her season, which featured dancers ages 8 to 13 for the first (and as of now, only) time.

Post-SYTYCD, McRae continued to work on her own choreography by uploading videos to YouTube for a weekly series called Create With Tate. After a recording glitch during a late-night dance session in 2017, however, the segment inadvertently kicked off her music career.

I had it set in my brain that I needed to post [something] because I made this commitment to my supporters, so I locked myself in my room and I wrote, she says of penning the piano-driven One Day that night. McRae has had an interest in poetry and storytelling since she was young, and her interest in songwriting developed around age 14. However, uploading videos of her original work wasnt [her] intention.

One Day was one of the first songs I wrote that was actually well put together and in the right structure, she continues. It was this round-up of emotions, and then an accident for it to even do anything. By anything, she means garnering 35 million YouTube views, a gold certification in Canada, and a deal with RCA Records upon the tracks official release. Call it a modern-day, fairytale-like break into a notoriously-tricky-to-enter field.

These days, McRae is focused on the upcoming release of her second EP, Too Young To Be Sad, slated to drop on March 26. The six-track project features the calm, acoustic I Wish I Loved You In The 90s, the sunny, ukulele-assisted R U Ok, and You Broke Me First, which has over 800 million streams and has been used in over one million TikTok videos.

McRae says her first EP felt like an intro into the music world, and that her latest offering is a continuation of her developing style and sonic personality. While shes got understandable apprehension surrounding the release of Too Young To Be Sad You never know how people are going to react, she explains shes hopeful that fans will resonate with the content as she works to grow her artistry.

The crazy thing is that Im still trying to find my sound, she reveals, adding that she doesnt want to be labeled or placed into one genre. I think there are a million different ways that you can play around, and a different million different artists [to work with] that will shoot you in different directions. But I cant really define what I do [musically]. I think it changes every month You can do so many things nowadays.

What is definite, however, is Tate McRaes natural affinity as a performer. Her experiences as a poised dance ingenue put her well beyond her years, resulting in her disciplined approach as she transitioned into a full-fledged musician. Though shes an entertainment industry veteran at this point, she expresses her desire to continue elevating as an artist and creative force.

I feel like Im noticing now how much it all kind of pays off, she grins while discussing how her passions have worked in tandem. Im the biggest workhorse, and thats how dancers are. The dance mentality is working under pressure and working hard.

Ive especially learned a lot about my voice that has been super crucial for me, she adds in regard to how her confidence has grown as an artist and person. I get in my head a lot, and I think its because Im so focused on what Im doing that I doubt myself. But Im super proud of everything Ive done. Im so happy that everythings out there.

Too Young to Be Sad is due 3/26 on RCA. Get it here.

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How Tate McRae Went From Dance Superstar To Music's Next Big Thing - UPROXX

By Jillian Waterhouse, Staff Writer

On March 23, law professor Angela Mae Kupenda met with University of Tennessee at Chattanooga political science students over Zoom to discuss her work concerning the United States legal system and Constitution as they relate to black political thought.

Kupenda is a professor at the Mississippi College School of Law, where she specializes in constitutional rights, the first amendment, civil rights and race under the law.

Kupendas recent work involves learning a platform that is new to her: YouTube. In an effort to decolonize legal and constitutional education, Kupenda began an online lecture series in which she breaks down complex topics to an open audience free of charge. Born of the isolated COVID-19 lockdown, Kupenda has been steadily uploading educational videos recorded in her home office for nearly a year.

Seeking feedback on her project, she met with local political science students to discuss factors which inspired her to start the YouTube channel, such as the importance of accessible education, the necessity of broad constitutional understanding and the intersectionality of personal identities under the law.

Perhaps the most significant driving factor behind Kupendas YouTube channel is what she believes to be a societal lack of civic education. An educator herself, she explained that her understanding of social justice has not always been as inclusive as it has become over the course of her life.

I grew up in the Deep South, and I really didnt analyze issues related to class, she said. To me, it seemed to be about race, and I was all about gender. I grew up with people who were financially similar. Dr. Deardorff taught me so much about class.

Dr. Michelle Deardorff, department head of political science at UTC, hosted the discussion with Kupenda. Deardorff elaborated on the urgent need for political education that is accessible to people of all financial backgrounds in the United States. Without an accurate understanding of the government and its systems, she worries citizens will be unable to hold their elected officials and government accountable, much less challenge the systems in place themselves.

In a 2016 survey conducted by Annenberg Public Policy Center, it was found that one in every four members of the American public was unable to correctly identify the three branches of government. Combined with a growing distrust of the government among the American public, as reflected in a 2020 survey conducted by Pew Research Center which reported that only 20% of Americans trust the government to do the right thing, U.S. democracy is in danger.

Democratic backsliding, while looming as a threat for years prior, has officially come to the forefront of American politics as an issue that must be addressedquickly. Though claims of widespread voter fraud have repeatedly been found unsubstantiated, nearly 80% of voters who cast their ballots for Donald Trump in the 2021 presidential election believe the election was not free and fair. The disbelief, claims of voter fraud, and refusal to accept election results are found almost exclusively within the Republican party. Direct threats to American democracy such as polarization, contested citizenship, income inequality and executive aggrandizement, have dangerously converged at a time of weakened national political education.

According to the Center for American Progress, only nine states require at least one year of civic education in schools, while ten states have no civic education requirement at all. Of the states which provide civic education courses in high school, none have curriculums which focus on experiential learning or local problem solving components, both factors found to be essential in building skills for political engagement. While students may seek to improve their political knowledge through a college education, rising tuition costs are a block in the road for many. As asserted by a 2018 report from Forbes, the price of a college education is increasing almost eight times faster than wages. The difficulty of reaching those who have been unable to receive civic education has forced educators to rethink their teaching and outreach methods.

How do you reach individuals with the intent of making systemic and structural change? Deardorff asked.

Attendees of the discussion were eager to chime in, detailing their personal experiences with growth in political and civic knowledge. UTC student Paige Kuczek shared her own story.

We need change, Kuczek said. There needs to be reform. I was ignorant at one point and Ive changed my mind about a lot of things. Knowledge is power, and is therefore foundational in impacting anything.

Kupenda, delighted to hear Kuczeks story, affirmed how accounts of similar journeys have inspired her own work over the years.

As Americans, we must all hold ourselves accountable, Kupenda said. Most of us have benefited from inequality and injusticeWe must grasp it at the root.

Kupendas career has been dedicated to political education, whether it be teaching law students in the classroom or strangers online. She spoke of the uncertainty she initially felt in posting to YouTube, as she may have encountered difficulties through disagreements from those watching her videos from differing perspectives and levels of education. However, Kupenda decided this uncertainty is exactly why open political education and discussion is necessary, especially now. She explained that different life experiences, viewpoints and skill sets are incredibly beneficial in activism movements, as they create an intersectional approach towards social justice.

If were gonna dismantle the house, we have to come at it from every angle, she said.

For Kupenda, education is a potential solution to the rising inequality, injustice, and ignorance in America. Through learning the history of oppression in the U.S. and studying the Constitution, citizens may begin to understand how they can make a difference through activism. To challenge the system, one must first understand the system. Kupenda offered guidance to the students listening.

Perhaps education is the vehicle, in all forms it can take, so we can all be shaken from our ignorance and so our eyes and our hearts can be opened, she said Its past time for us to address and discuss these issues.

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Law Professor and Polisci Students Reflect on the Country's Dire Lack of Civic Education | The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Echo - The...

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Technology has touched nearly every facet of life. Areas such as communication, architecture, and medicine have seen significant advancements due to tech solutions once thought impossible. But the real innovation behind this industry is the lessons it can offer other industries surrounding how to meet consumer needs through simplicity, productivity, and convenience.

Not that apps and software havent ushered in more efficient ways of doing things, but if you look beyond the tools, youll begin to see the model for the ideal workplaceone that values free-thinking, welcomes creativity, and places employee satisfaction on the same level as profits and revenue.

The processes, procedures, and strategies developed by even the smallest tech company to tackle everyday challenges can offer valuable lessons for companies in any industry. Be it heavy workloads or multiple project streams, the tech industry has myriad practices and qualities that entrepreneurs can adopt in order to improve their business model.

What can entrepreneurs learn from technologists?

No matter what industry youre in, techs trailblazers can provide some helpful cues and tricks that could boost the way you do business. Here are three lessons to take from the tech industry on how to do next-level work:

1. How to truly live your company culture

Traditionally, building a company culture is a top-down effort. Leadership hands the responsibility to HR, which then designs an initiative around the mission, vision, and values of an organization. Free snacks, notes of gratitude, and a couple of happy hours ensue, and then, attention turns to other priorities once the cascades of change have theoretically taken hold.

Although this approach has been a challenge all along, its become more problematic as of late. The pandemic hasnt done culture any favors, and connecting with or guiding a team virtually doesnt come easy. And with culture now serving as a beacon for both retention and recruitment, its quickly emerged as a priorityone that impacts the bottom lineandprovides a competitive advantage.

In fact, one survey found that65% of peoplewould take lower pay over working in a bad or toxic environment. What theyre really looking for is a company that allows people to be themselves (47%) and contributes to society in some way (46%). Get culture right, and employees feel valuedandbecome more engaged.

With culture being an important differentiator, many tech companies have already made the move to a new culture-building approach that doesnt fully abandon top-down directives, but rather incorporates a bottom-up mentality. People throughout the organization share responsibility for shaping and nurturing culture, with some more accountable than others in reinforcing the path paved by the team.

Buffer has long taken this approach through a culture of transparency and autonomy. Although it originally gained attention surrounding its culture bypublishing its salariesa move that brought in 4,000 new applicants within a monthwhats more impressive is the freedom Buffer offers its employees. Even years before the pandemic, it encouraged team members to work wherever they felt most fulfilled. If youre open and honest with people and establish strong lines of communication, gaps will rarely develop between outcomes and expectationseven at a fully remote company.

Twitter also takes a people-first approach to its culture. For thelast two years, the social media network has been testing different virtual meeting processes, creating sign language systems, and fine-tuning other rules for remote workall in preparation for when much of its workforce will move off campus permanently. The pandemic only accelerated the change: Last May, the company announced itsofficial decision on its work-from-home policy, which included allowing employees to work remotely permanently. All in all, remote work options are quickly becoming the norm among tech companies. However, this level of flexibility could be key for attracting and retaining employees atanyorganization.

2. How to drive innovation through mission

Innovation might be one of the first buzzwords to spring to mind when you think about the tech industry, but why are technologists so great at this in particular? The answer might lie in a companys mission.

Improving innovation skillslike improving any skillrequires dedication to the mission, explains Rebekah Dorworth, president of Kyra Solutions, a government technology service provider. Caring about the outcome produces perseverance when it comes to pushing through the mundane skills and education enhancement necessary to get youthinking differently.

So how can a company craft a mission employees are passionate about? You cant simply institute a bare-bones statement that asks for innovation without any encouragement to follow through. Chances are, itll become merely words on a wall. For such an initiative to be successful, youll need to clearly communicate your organizations values within your mission (think the people who benefit from your work, the overarching goal of the work your organization carries out, and the ways in which employees complete that work).

Then, bake it into operations by laying out exactly how you plan to support and promote your mission throughout the organization. This can then serve as a reference point for company leaders as they work with team members, pair projects with people, and so on. By creating a meaningful, values-based missioncomplete with a clear plan for how to carry it outyour employees are sure to have more lightbulb moments.

3. How to be flexible (and embrace failure as part of the path toward success)

Fail fast, learn faster. Clich as this might sound, these four words define big tech. As companies in this space push the boundaries of whats possible, they have limited time to get something rightmeaning they wont cling to ideas that just wont take flight.

Take YouTube as an example. The site launched as a dating service, and that didnt go particularly well. The company eventook out an adon Craigslist, offering single women $20 to post videos on the site. Upon co-founder Jawed Karim uploading the platforms very first video, Me at the zoo, users took notice. But instead of using the site to catch the eye of a potential significant other, people began sharing their home videos. The rest, as they say, is historyand the co-founders decided to allowusersto define the platform.

Instagram shares a similar origin story. Conceived as aFoursquare-like appfor users to check in, make plans, and so on, the platform just wasnt gaining traction. However, its photo-sharing capabilities were the exception. The co-founders kept what was working, ditched what wasnt, and relaunched the platform. It took just two years for Facebook to buy Instagram for $1 billion. The lesson here? Even in the early stages of a project,anyteam should understand that its better to change course when something isnt working and use that experience to inform the next steps to accelerate success.

The tech industry can do more than simply provide tools to make life and business easier. It can also teach entrepreneurs how to craft a clear path forward and build a strong foundation that enables innovation, nurtures accountability, and embraces change. You just need to be willing to learn from its example.

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3 Lessons Entrepreneurs Can Learn From The Tech Industry - Forbes

If youre a true watch connoisseur, youve no doubt already considered how to store and display your precious collection in the home. A dedicated watch safe is the obvious answer, but there are several options on the market to choose from depending on what aesthetic youre going for, and how big your collection actually is. Wolf 1834 have come up with one of the standouts on the scene right now, presenting the sleek and elegantly designed Wolf 1834 Churchill watch safe.

When those priceless watches need a home equally focused on aesthetics and style, the nubuck leather interior of the Wolf 1834 Churchill watch safe looks more than up to task. Up to 32 watch winding modules feature within the 475kg safe, along with up to 11 drawers and one service tray lined with black suede, meaning plenty of space for any watches, accessories, and other valuables.

Each winder features a start delay of up to 255 hours, with a patented lock-in cuff design to prevent watch slippage.

Of course, the Wolf 1934 Churchill watch safe can be ordered and customised on-demand, with various configurations when it comes to the amount of winders and drawers included.

RELATED: The RIMOWA Watch Case Is A Mini Suitcase For Your Favourite Timepieces

To throw a little smarts into the safe, the winding modules can be controlled via a Bluetooth app with multiple options for directional settings and rotations. This remote way to interact with the safe extends to other uses as well, such as registering the safes warranty for extra peace of mind, controlling LED lighting, setting timers, and uploading performance images to use as a background image for the interior.

The outside of the Wolf 1834 Churchill watch safe has been crafted in black mahogany wood with a satin finish and silver hardware accents, dramatic and showy with an adaptable design that should fit in well with most modern homes.

Security is an obvious concern for any watch safe, and fortunately Wolf 1834 have worked up a reliable system built from nine bi-directional steel bolts and high-security keypads.

The Wolf 1834 Churchill watch safe starts from a retail price of US$95,995 (~AU$125,611).

Original post:

The Churchill Safe Is A Stylish Security Essential For Any Watch Collection - Boss Hunting

March Mindfulness is a Mashable series that explores the intersection of meditation practice and technology. Because even in the time of coronavirus, March doesn't have to be madness.

Get yourself into a comfortable position. Bring your attention to your breath.

Whose voice did you hear these words in? If you use meditation apps on the regular, youve got a particular person in your mind right now.

Whether your chosen app is helmed by one signature voice or offers up to 10,000, voice is an important element of a meditation app. The voice becomes your link to developing mindfulness, your intimate guide to building tactical tools to help you navigate life's ups and downs, and the key to you actually returning the next day for another session. They start your morning, bring you clarity in your most vulnerable moments, and even lull you to sleep , with the dulcet tones of Harry Styles willing you to the land of nod... wait, Harry Styles? How did he get in here?

There's significant power and strategy behind the voice within your meditation app, as major players in the mindfulness space find their own voices in an industry that relies on having a distinct one.

Undeniably, one of the most recognisable voices in the mindfulness industry today belongs to Headspace's Andy Puddicombe.

A meditation and mindfulness expert, Tibetan Buddhist monk, trained circus performer, and co-founder of Headspace, Puddicombe has recorded the majority of guided sessions for the popular app. Rival app Calm has a similar signature voice in its head of mindfulness, Tamara Levitt.

Puddicombe's voice is so familiar to users that when people meet him IRL it always goes the same way. People assume he knows them, and that they know him, because he's in their ears giving instructions to take a deep breath and enjoy the feeling of having nothing to do for 10 to 20 minutes a day.

"I think Andy's voice was a sort of underrated asset for the brand from the beginning," says Headspace's head of content, William Fowler. "Andy's from Bristol but he has a kind of accentless sort of quality to his voice. In America, a lot of people think he's Australian...they can't really place him. So, he has an oddly neutral voice but still he manages to express a kindness and approachability. That is key for the relationship people develop with him as a teacher."

You can see Puddicombe at work in this guided meditation with The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon, in which he shifts from casual chat to a two-minute guided meditation with the audience:

In 2019, following requests from users for a female voice, Headspace made the move to broaden the app's vocal pool to include that of Eve Lewis Prieto, the company's director of meditation. "A lot of people prefer Eve now," says Fowler. "We're starting to see more equitable balance in terms of usage. Because Andy's the founder, more of the content exists in his voice. Eve is catching up with him, and in terms of her popularity when users choose a voice, she's hot on his heels."

Over the years, some of you have asked for our content in a female voice. Try as I might, I just can't pull it off. Thankfully, we had the perfect woman close at hand to re-record @Headspace exercises available in-app, with more to come so you now have the choice pic.twitter.com/YvihrzoQtp

Andy Puddicombe (@andypuddicombe) July 31, 2019

Prieto had worked with Headspace since 2013, having joined the company with an interest in meditation as a tool for managing anxiety. After a rigorous recruitment process, Fowler says Prieto tested better than other candidates they'd reached out to, as she understood Headspace's approach to meditation.

A mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) teacher in training, Prieto says that Headspace's meditations try to create conditions as if the host was in the same room as you, as "your trusted friend and guide." She trained as a Headspace guide under Puddicombe and senior dharma teacher David Nichtern, and has spent time practicing at Scotland's Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery.

"My training is based heavily on my practice, without direct experience of what I am teaching it becomes harder for them to feel authentic," she says. "When I am delivering meditations or teaching a class I am very much doing the practice with them. Of course there is a lot of studying involved but without the practice then it is not an experiential experience and that is so important when teaching meditation."

Even in an audio medium, diversity matters for Headspace users. "We had feedback from our members that they didn't feel our representation was what they expected," Fowler says, adding that the company started recruiting people of colour as guided meditation teachers in 2020 (both Puddicombe and Prieto are white).

"We are trying to create a range of representation within the product so people can feel themselves reflected in the voices that they hear," says Fowler.

Headspace reached out to a range of meditation guides, focusing on tone, teaching approach, and authenticity. Headspace wasn't looking for someone robotic, who sounded like they were reading a script. Instead, it wanted someone to bring their own practice and energy to the company. Registered psychiatric nurse Dora Kamau tested extremely well, and was hired as a full-time mindfulness meditation teacher in November 2020. "Her desire to teach meditation stemmed from the lack of diversity in the mindfulness community, and a yearning for more wellness spaces with Black representation," says Prieto.

Also hired was acupuncturist and outpatient psychotherapist Kessonga Giscombe, who is trained in MBSR. However, browsing through Headspace's classes, Puddicombe and Prieto still pop up most often as teachers you can choose from.

Leading the charge for representation in meditation apps is Shine, created by Marah Lidey and Naomi Hirabayashi, a Black woman and a half-Japanese woman, who wanted to centre the mental health of marginalised groups they felt were "otherized" in mainstream wellness. The pair met as coworkers a decade ago, and crafted Shine's brand "voice" through their experience of helping each other cope through stress.

Representation is reflected in both Shine's guides and the packaging of its classes. The app prominently features a "Black mental health" playlist, for example. And most of Shine's audio content is created by Black women or women from marginalised communities.

"We are for everyone and also recognise that by elevating representative and diverse voices that are reflective of the world and our audience, that's how we elevate all of us," says Hirabayashi. "We're reflecting a variety of different experiences, because the intersection of our own experiences with mental health is how we experience different elements of struggle or confidence or trauma."

Beyond representation, Lidey and Hirabayashi also look for experience, how well the guide meshes with Shine's mission, and warmth. Hosts need to be certified, either as a therapist, career coach, or wellness teacher. Listening to them also needs to feel like "spending time with a close friend that makes you feel safe, trusted, and loved versus just a generic voice."

"When we thought about the voice we wanted to create with Shine, it was really about like, your friend with a psych degree," says Lidey. "Somebody who is aspirational, has the background in science and research, but isn't necessarily leading with that in a top-down way, instead is making it accessible, giving you language, and helping you to find an entry point."

Shine started as a self-care app that sent you motivational texts, but after testing delivery with digital assistants Alexa and Google Home, Shine evolved into a more expansive meditation app.

Regular voices include those of poet, author, and creator Mel Chant, self empowerment coach Jamila Reddy, creator and yoga teacher Elisha Mudly, and writer and creator Aisha Beau, among others. And while Shine has a whole team of hosts and writers on board, director of content Haley Goldberg created a community-driven model for the content themes. Every user review and customer service ticket goes directly into Slack where all team members can see it. "There's a lot of transparency on what our users are feeling both about the product but just about their lives," says Lidey, pointing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fight for racial justice, the U.S. election, and political uprisings across the world as major touchpoints for Shine users.

While some might be happily welcomed into mindfulness by this friend with a psych degree, others might be more tempted by a famous voice. Within the last decade, as the mindfulness industry has boomed, meditation apps have attracted the attention of celebrities, notably actors, whose vocal training and roles as professional storytellers make their voice attractive to listeners and provides a marketing hook for the apps themselves.

Only some celebrities are presenting guided meditation programs a celebrity himself, meditation expert Deepak Chopra's collaboration with the instantly recognisable (and forever soothing) voice of Oprah Winfrey for free meditations on his own mindfulness app, Chopra, was released in November 2020. This is serious mindfulness star power right here:

Kevin Hart is one of Headspace's most significant star partnerships. His content series includes an advice segment, "Energy Shots with Kevin," and the genuinely funny "Mindful Runs," motivating users to run mindfully.

"We saw this opportunity to appeal to people that maybe wouldn't consider mindfulness otherwise," says Headspace's Fowler. "It also speaks to the original goal of Headspace at the very beginning: to demystify meditation." Making mindfulness fun and approachable is the key to Hart's content for the platform, deploying comedy through the different elements of meditation.

"One would be a compassionate approach to doing your practice imperfectly," Fowler explains. "As you fail, you forgive yourself and keep going...So, we give that idea to Kevin, he puts his unique spin on it, and it becomes a really funny monologue about failure."

Hart writes and delivers this content himself, but he isn't running guided meditation sessions (those are still run by Puddicombe, Prieto, and Headspace's new instructors Kamau and Giscombe).

While Hart is carving out a motivational space within the meditation as a lifestyle sector, sleep is where most of the stars are. Calm launched Sleep Stories in 2016, and since then has seen LeBron James, Matthew McConaughey, Idris Elba, Lucy Liu, Nick Offerman, and most recently, Harry Styles (who notably invested in Calm in 2018) reading boring soothing bedtime tales in a low, slow tone for you to drift off to. Calm co-founder and co-CEO Michael Acton Smith said in a press statement that the singer's "mellifluous voice is the perfect tonic to calm a racing mind." And look, he's not wrong:

Sleep stories are less of a risk for a celebrity than a full-on meditation session. While a celeb may get dinged for teaching a listener how to develop mindfulness tools when they aren't an expert in that field, delivering a long-winded tale may be right up their alley. Unsurprisingly, the stories are immensely popular. McConaugheys "Wonder," a 30-minute story about nostalgia, written by Calm editor and writer Chris Advansun, has been listened to "more than 11 million times" since its 2018 release. McConaughey, with his signature, soothing Texan drawl, was simply made for this.

McConaughey is familiar to many, so his bedtime story is worth checking out as a fun thing to do, even if you're not into mindfulness. You might be nervous about trying a meditation app, but seeing a celebrity you like in the lineup might make things less intimidating. There's also an element of pure novelty in hearing that skilled actor or singer attempt a style of performance you're not used to seeing them in. And then there's the allure of connecting with a celebrity on a deeply personal level in a meditation app. You get to share a vulnerable moment with a person you feel like you already know without actually meeting them. Meeting them would ruin it! Celebrity podcasts sit in this same realm; you can have a casual, comfortably one-sided conversation with Laverne Cox, RuPaul, Anna Faris, or Dax Shepard. We're able to feel closer to these celebrities without putting awkward social pressure on either side.

This celebrity push went even further with Calm's TV foray, its 10-episode HBO Max series A World of Calm narrated by Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Kate Winslet, Mahershala Ali, Oscar Isaac, Nicole Kidman and more. Famous voices are something so far not employed in Headspace's own venture into streaming, Netflix's Headspace Guide to Meditation, which saw the first of three planned series narrated by its own celeb, Puddicombe.

Though less invested in using superstar voices outside of the Kevin Hartnership, Headspace's hugely popular sleepcasts (again, slowly told stories told with Abe Simpson-level detail designed to get you to nap) have gained somewhat of a cult following I, for one, am a major fan of them, especially the story "Cat Marina."

Fowler and his team have significant listener data to help them analyse which sleepcasts are going well. Popular subject matter (the internet loves cats) and voice plays a major part in planning future episodes.

"If we see there seems to be heat there, we'll double down on that VO artist," he says, noting the sleepcasts have even developed their own fandoms. "If you look at our Facebook groups, you see that it's hotly debated, people tend to go for one and then they'll come back to that voice and maybe that suite of sleepcasts over and over again." Fandoms over sleep story voices on a meditation app is as niche as it gets.

However, some celebrities are following in Chopra's footsteps and reaching beyond sleep stories and pep talks. Insight Timer launched a series of free guided meditations with practitioner, author, and model Gisele Bndchen, who reached out to the app she'd personally used for years. On this platform, however, she's just one teacher among 10,000.

Star cameos aside, Headspace and Shine stick to a small group of staff voices on the app, whereas competitors like Insight Timer operate with a different model: Thousands of independent teachers upload their own content to the freemium app.

"We thought OK, let's do something in the meditation space as a marketplace not like Calm or Headspace with one or two teachers, let's actually create a marketplace for meditation teachers to go out and find new audiences," says Insight Timer CEO Christopher Plowman, who bought the self-guided meditation timer app in 2014 with his brother, Nicho Plowman, a meditation teacher wanting to find and develop students.

"Diversity of choice in meditation practice, it turns out is really important. People get bored, surprise, surprise."

Insight Timer is a massive free library of guided meditations without ads (a paid subscription gets you unique content). Do people tend to stick with one teacher among thousands? "What we find is they start to meander," Plowman says. "The average number of teachers that someone follows on our app is 11 to 12 teachers...Diversity of choice in meditation practice, it turns out is really important. People get bored, surprise, surprise."

Meditation teachers regularly upload content in 44 languages and across 45 religions including Buddhism, Judaism, and Christianity. "We decided very early on that we weren't going to strip out spirituality and religion, because people are inherently spiritual or religious," says Plowman. "Recently, a lot of apps like Calm and Headspace have stripped all that out because they want to get into corporations and schools, and there's a big separation of church and state."

With 10,000 teachers uploading content, quality control is a challenge and the only thing Insight Timer really sends back is recordings of poor audio quality. There's no brand training for teachers, but there are practical resources. "Obviously we don't provide curriculum training about what's the right meditation or what's the right religious system," says Plowman. "We definitely provide training and guidance on best practices and recording audio tips." Insight Timer's large user community remains the primary monitoring tool, as the app filters content according to ratings and "features" tracks rated 4.6 and above.

With this setup, some meditation sessions on Insight Timer are better than others so it may take a while to find a voice you like. And though the content may vary in quality, the company doesn't often ditch content. "We very very very rarely remove anything from our platform," says Plowman. "I think we've removed three teachers out of 10,000 in seven years because the decisions they made in their personal lives, it was not appropriate that they were on our platform. But we don't like to censor, we don't like to determine what you should listen to."

With so many meditation apps available, there's a lot of voice choice these days. It's important to try a few teachers before you settle on one, as everyone responds to meditation guides differently.

The choices made by the companies putting voices into your mindful ears matter, as they can welcome you into the practice (or discourage you), help you stay focused, and enable you to develop tactical mindfulness tools to navigate turbulent and calm times alike. There's power and responsibility in a few simple words spoken into a microphone, aimed directly at your brain.

You won't hear them the same again.

Continue reading here:

Who Gets To Be The Voice Inside Your Meditation App? - Mashable India

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Sunday decided to ban wedding ceremonies from April 5 onwards in cities and districts where the positivity rate is above 8 per cent, as part of new restrictions to contain the third wave of the novel coronavirus in Pakistan.

Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar chaired the session which was attended by the chief secretaries of all four provinces via video link. In the meeting, the NCOC decided the ban would extend to both indoor and outdoor weddings, however, "provinces will be at liberty to implement restrictions in [an] early time frame as per the situation on ground".

Meanwhile, in a televised message, Prime Minister Imran Khan strongly urged the public to follow Covid-19 SOPs and the necessary precautions, cautioning that the third wave of the virus in Pakistan was "more intense" than the first two waves.

The new set of restrictions comes as Pakistan finds itself in the grips of a third coronavirus wave. Pakistan recorded more than 4,000 cases for a third straight day on Sunday with 4,767 new coronavirus cases and 57 deaths in the last 24 hours. This marks the highest single-day increase since June 21, 2020, according to data collected by Dawn.com, when 4,916 cases were reported.

The current spike was again led by Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad with 2,823, 979 and 538 new cases, respectively.

The country-wide breakdown of new cases is as follows:

Umar said the decision to tighten restrictions was taken keeping in mind the "continuing increase in disease spread and the fast pace at which hospital fill up is taking place", particularly pointing to the increase in cases of critical Covid patients.

He said the provincial chief secretaries had been instructed to ensure compliance of Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) and urged people to "cooperate with the administration as they are enforcing these SOPs for safeguarding us".

Along with weddings, all kinds of indoor and outdoor gatherings were also banned with immediate effect. This order includes all social, cultural, political, sports gatherings and other events.

Options were also considered to restrict inter-provincial transport but the final decision on this will be taken after "input from provinces and analysis of data regarding number of inter-provincial commuters via air, rail and road".

Additionally, provinces were urged to ensure timely completion of inoculation targets set by the NCOC and timely uploading and registering of data in the National Immunisation Management System an online portal that serves as the brain of the vaccination process.

The NCOC will also provide updated maps with Covid hotspots to the provinces for the "enforcement of expanded lockdowns with effect from March 29 (Monday)".

Prime Minister Imran in his message highlighted the grave situation facing the country, and recalled his own experience with the virus.

"I took care for one whole year, didn't go to any wedding or eat at any restaurant, kept my social distancing and mostly wore a mask so I was protected. When the first two waves and peaks of Covid came, I was among those Pakistanis who managed to avoid this disease.

"When the Senate election came, [however], I didn't take the care that I should have and I contracted the disease as well," he said.

The prime minister said he could not emphasise enough the need for the people to take precautions because "this third peak which has come is more intense than the first two peaks."

Imran reiterated that the country could not afford to close down businesses and the economy or lock down people and continue to feed them, citing a lack of resources.

But the public could help avoid a catastrophic scenario by wearing masks and avoiding public gatherings or enclosed spaces, the premier stressed.

"Half of our hospitals are filled, patients are increasing in the hospitals [and] are going on ventilators and oxygen," he said, noting that the infection rise seen in the third wave was due to the British variant of the virus which had caused cases to increase in Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar.

Prime Minister Imran also pointed out that the world was facing a vaccine shortage and Pakistan was now being told it wouldn't be able to get the vaccines it had earlier been assured of due to shortages in vaccine producing countries.

"God had mercy on me and my wife, but because I've passed through this, let me tell you that this is such a disease that if it spreads to your chest then it is a very dangerous disease. That is why I'm urging you to take full precautions regarding it."

Umar had warned yesterday after a session of the NCOC that Pakistan's coronavirus situation could soon cross levels seen during the first wave in June last year.

"If the increase continues at this rate, then in the next few days or next week, we will go beyond the level and peak we saw in the first wave in June and you all must remember what the situation was at the time," he had said.

The federal minister had appealed to the people, sections of society, religious scholars and the media to play their role in containing the pandemic and also called upon the political leadership for help.

"It is my request to all the political leadership whether ours or the opposition that this is the time to show leadership and spread this message that we have to once again combat this disease which is spreading and defend our people."

See original here:

Wedding ceremonies to be banned in Covid-19 hotspots as NCOC sets new restrictions - DAWN.com