Author: Noc Team

JoSH launches New Album “Beyond Kismat” today

International music band JoSH is all set to release its long-awaited new album ‘Beyond Kismat’ across Pakistan today (Monday) after a huge gap of five years, says a press release.
JoSH’s new album, rightly titled Beyond Kismat, is a blend of traditional Punjabi tarka fused with Western beats and rock music of modern sound which the band hopes will evolve the positive energy for the listeners. The message of ‘Beyond Kismat’ is embedded in its title that “destiny is in your own hands”.

Duo of Rupinder Magon (Rup) and Qurram Hussain “Q” has not only exemplified themselves as the music icon of love, peace and unity but also entertained their fans with quality music across the borders. Their songs showcase both modern and traditional Bhangra beats and music, but are strongly influenced by hip hop and pop music. Keeping in consideration the love for Pakistani people “Rup” and “Q” have decided to launch their album in Pakistan first and later on in India, Bangladesh, Middle East, Canada and Europe.

CPFF-A gateway to revive Pakistani cinema

A three day Creative Pakistan Film Festival co-organized by Akash Media Group and PNCA where amateur film makers screened their short films is an effort to revive Pakistani cinema. In the prevailing wilted condition of Pakistani cinema the Creative Pakistan Film Festival began at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) is a positive move to promote young Pakistani blood.

The project director of Akash media, Adnan Tasneem narrated at the event, “the basic idea behind the film festival is to promote the young talent who are unable to pursue this field due to lack of opportunities.” Twelve short films made by budding talent were put on display in way to revive Pakistan film industry and to provide a platform to emerging film makers.

Mona says Goodbye to TV for Bollywood

After the fame and success of Veena Malik, Meera, Ali Zafar and Rahat Ali Khan in Bollywood, It’s now model-cum-actress Mona Laizza looking forward to venture into Bollywood. After the silent release of her debut film ‘Kajraare’ with actor Himesh Reshammiya, Mona did felt heartbroken. However, it has not stopped her to flaunt her beauty and charm in India.

While talking about her TV Projects in Pakistan, Mona said, “Currently, I am waiting for my TV projects to complete. Right now two of my dramas are on air from private TV channels, and they will be my last projects for TV. I am going to India in July again for a longer period and will focus on my film career,” Mona Laizza has also worked in Pakistani film ‘Saltanat’ which will release this year.

New Pyramids Found in Egypt From Satellite

Scientists at the University of Alabama also found 3,000 ancient settlements using a new technique of infra-red imaging. The astonishing results have been confirmed by archaeologists with picks and shovels, who have located two of the pyramids found from space. “I could see the data as it was emerging, but for me the ‘aha’ moment was when I could step back and look at everything that we’d found,’ Dr Sarah Parcak told. “I couldn’t believe we could locate so many sites all over Egypt.”

The team analysed images from satellites orbiting 400 miles above the Earth, equipped with cameras so powerful they can pinpoint objects less than a yard in diameter. Infra-red imaging was then used to highlight different materials under the surface. Because the ancient Egyptians built houses from mud brick, which is must denser than surrounding soil, they left a clear fingerprint that the researchers could identify as tombs, pyramids or homes. The technique is so powerful that it can even be used to monitor sites for looting.

Dr Parcak believes there are many more buildings buried deeper than those already spotted – even under the River Nile. “These are just the sites close to the surface. There are many thousands of additional sites that the Nile has covered over with silt,” she said. “This is just the beginning of this kind of work.” The results are a huge boost for the new science of space archaeology.

US company Lockheed Martin under Cyber Attack

The Defense Department said on Saturday that the impact on the Pentagon of a cyber attack on Lockheed Martin was “minimal” and it expected no harm to result. “Impact to DoD is minimal, and we don’t expect any adverse effect,”. Lockheed Martin, the U.S. government’s top information technology provider, said that it detected and thwarted “a significant and tenacious attack” on its information systems network one week ago.

“As a result of the swift and deliberate actions taken to protect the network and increase IT security, our systems remain secure,” Jennifer Whitlow, a Lockheed spokeswoman, said in an e-mailed statement. “No customer, program or employee personal data has been compromised.”

Lockheed’s information security personnel are working around the clock to restore employee access to the “information systems network” targeted in the May 21 attack, the statement said.

U.S. officials may get involved in investigating a cyber breach at a company’s request. Homeland Security, for instance, can deploy a team to analyze infected systems, develop mitigation strategies, advise on efforts to restore service and make recommendations for improving network security.

BlackBerry Torch 9800 launched in Pakistan

A local mobile company Saturday introduced the much anticipated and latest BlackBerry Torch 9800 smartphone which allows multi tab browsing, supports multiple video and audio formats and has integrated social networks & RSS feeds in one simple view. This is mobile company’s 8th consecutive feat to be the first to launch the latest BlackBerry handsets in the country. According to official sources in the mobile company, the Torch 9800 is Pakistan’s first slider plus QWERTY pad BlackBerry smartphone which is loaded with the new Version 6 BlackBerry operating system and a 5 mega pixel camera.

Djokovic and Federer on collision course at French Open

Novak Djokovic produced an unforgettable performance, with the racket and the microphone, to wipe the smile off Richard Gasquet’s face while Roger Federer continued his Bois de Boulogne stroll to reach the French Open quarter-finals on Sunday. World number two Djokovic extended his unbeaten run to 41 matches in 2011 as the Serb smothered dejected 13th seed Gasquet, who ran out of ideas during a 6-4 6-4 6-2 tennis lesson. Djokovic will next face Italian Fabio Fognini, who came out on top in a four-hour-22-minute, five-set battle with Spain’s Albert Montanes..

Federer, a 16-times grand slam champion, appeared to be floating through air in a 6-3 6-2 7-5 dismissal of fellow Swiss Wawrinka as he produced some delectable shots to draw “oohs” and “aahs” from the packed crowd.

But barely anyone noticed women’s third seed Vera Zvonareva make an early exit. Zvonareva had to play in front of rows and rows of empty seats on Court Philippe Chatrier as she was knocked out by fellow Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-6 2-6 6-2 in a forgettable fourth-round contest. The 14th seeded Pavlyuchenkova, at 19 the youngest woman left in the draw, reached her first grand slam quarter-final after winning a topsy-turvy match filled with unforced errors and lost opportunities.

Trott’s double ton helps England to take lead

Jonathan Trott ground his way to a painstaking, chanceless double century as the rain-affected first test between England and Sri Lanka headed for a draw on Sunday. Trott was finally bowled for 203 five overs from the close, his second test double hundred, in an England total of 491 for five at the end of the fourth day.

After rain had delayed the start of play by 210 minutes, England lead Sri Lanka by 91 runs with Ian Bell on 98 not out. Alastair Cook was dismissed for 133 early in the day’s play and Bell then shared a stand of 160 with his Warwickshire colleague Trott. Kevin Pietersen (3) succumbed to left-arm spin for the 19th time in tests in just over three years.

Captain silent as cricket does the talking

Security officials hurried Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq away from reporters and back to the squad’s hotel after his side beat Ireland in the first of two one-day internationals. But this was one occasion when his team’s actions spoke louder than words. Pakistan’s emphatic seven-wicket victory at Stormont on Saturday could have been a tricky assignment in alien conditions.

The World Cup semifinalists left the sub-continent for the West Indies where they wrapped up the five-match one-day series there with victories in the first three matches. And in less than two days since arriving in temperatures 20 degrees lower than they left behind in the Caribbean, Pakistan adjusted to a cold and blustery day to skittle Ireland out for just 96. Junaid Khan, left-arm pace man changed the course of the game with three wickets in four overs on his way to four for 12 in five.

Junaid didn’t manage that there was no way back for Ireland from 66 for six and the introduction of off-spinner Saeed Ajmal hurried the innings to its conclusion, his three wickets coming in just 10 deliveries. Ireland captain William Porterfield, while admitting Pakistan bowled well, was more concerned by his side’s lack of resilience.

“It was difficult for the batsmen with the ball seaming around but we didn’t acquit ourselves as well as we should have and there were too many poor shots and not enough application at the crease. We folded too easily and didn’t put any partnerships together.

M Hafeez brought up his 12th ODI 50 from 83 balls with seven fours and a six but was dismissed next ball, the second of three wickets for Australia-born Alex Cusack, Ireland’s only successful bowler. Those wickets allowed Misbah, in his first match as Pakistan’s one-day captain and celebrating his 37th birthday, to hit the winning runs.

Pakistan ‘A’ outlasts Afghanistan to complete whitewash

Pakistan ‘A’ outlasted a much improved Afghanistan team to win the third and final one-day cricket match by four wickets on Sunday, for a 3-0 whitewash of the tourists. Noor Ali (51) guided Afghanistan to an imposing 274-9 in their 50 overs before Sarfraz Ahmed and Saad Nasim hit half-centuries to help the hosts overcome the visitors after 278-6 in 48.1 overs.

Sunday’s victory completed a rout that saw Pakistan win the first match in Islamabad by five wickets and the second at Rawalpindi by 150 runs. Afghanistan were the first international team to tour Pakistan since March 2009. Ahmed put two match-winning partnerships of 63 for the sixth wicket with Sohail Tanvir (31) to lift Pakistan ‘A’ from a precarious 120-5 before seeing them off through an unbroken seventh wicket stand of 95 with Nasim.

Ahmed hit three boundaries during his 73-ball 53 not out and was ably supported by Nasim who hit seven boundaries during his 43-ball 50 not out. For Afghanistan, Ali was the pick of the batsmen, holding one end intact during his sedate 72-ball innings which had six boundaries. And Karim Sadiq had a fiery 26-ball 42 not out studded with seven boundaries.
For Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah took 3-29. The Pakistan Cricket Board hope their successful hosting of Afghanistan will send positive signals to top teams who have refused to tour here.