SUKKUR: Federal Minister for Water Resources and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Khursheed Shah said on Sunday that a politician who lied was not a true politician. While addressing a ceremony at Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Sukkur, he pointed out: “One should die, but one should not tell lies. People are misled on social media.”
I spent two years in jail, he continued. Despite searching the entire globe, no evidence of my corruption was discovered. Shah added that he was doing everything in his power to assist the people of the nation and emphasised the necessity of improving merit in the Education Department.
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah on Saturday said that security cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia would further be enhanced.
Pak-Saudi security cooperation
According to a news statement, the minister shared these opinions with the Saudi ambassador to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Malki, during their meeting.
According to Sanaullah, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan would work together to address all national and regional security issues.
He thanked Saudi Arabia for successfully organising the Road to Makkah project to assist Pakistani Hajj pilgrims and said Saudi always supported Pakistan at unexpected times.
He continued by saying that the brotherly, long-standing, and historical foundations of relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
Two Holy Mosques and Saudi government
The minister congratulated Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Saudi government for making excellent arrangements for Hajj.
Pakistani people have special love and reverence to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, he added.
He also thanked the Saudi government and embassy for facilitating Pakistani Hujjaj and making special arrangements for them. The ambassador said that over 80,000 Pakistani took benefit from Road to Makkah project this year.
ISLAMABAD: The PTI government placed the country on the verge of default while placing a false emphasis on paying taxes in order to save the country, according to Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, who has taken aim at former Prime Minister Imran Khan whom he holds accountable for the economic woes of the country.
Speaking to a press conference in Islamabad, Mr. Ismail sounded upbeat and expressed his optimism that the pressure on the rupee would ease over the next two weeks. pressure
According to him, the government took no actions that may have caused the rupee to lose value. On the other hand, he noted, the rupee’s value is strengthening as a result of a decrease in our import bill.
proclaims pressure
The government in May put a ban on the import of luxury items which has been lifted only yesterday. He stated that this month and the previous month, the government had to make payments worth billions which had caused the local currency to come under pressure. However, he added that the pressure on the rupee would end by next month, promising to rein in the current account deficit.
The minister said that he would endeavour to ensure that the dollars coming into the country on a daily basis would be more than those leaving. “But to be honest, no one knows the market. I can believe the fundamentals are in my favour but speculation, sentiments also play a role,” he added.
The present coalition administration saved Pakistan from bankruptcy, according to the finance minister, who said that Imran Khan had taken the nation dangerously close to default. He questioned why Imran had brought up the subject now. “You (Imran) are culpable,” he added, adding that the PTI administration’s poor policies contributed to the rise in our trade imbalance. Mr. Ismail asserted that the PTI administration brought in less money.
PML-N government’s tax-to-GDP ratio
“The PTI was unable to match the PML-N government’s tax-to-GDP ratio in four years. We left it at 11.1 percent, and the PTI reduced it to 9 percent. Khan Sahib used to promise to enhance tax [collection], but he consistently decreased it.When you are reducing tax collection every year and increasing your budget deficit, then you will be in debt, he pointed out.pressure
The minister said when Imran backed out on his promise with the IMF then our current account deficit was ballooned. We presented a difficult budget but it was not our fault as Imran had left the economy in tatters, the minister rued.
He also blamed the PTI government for the increase in circular debt, saying that it had gone from $1.1bn to $2.5bn during its tenure. The minister said that the PTI chief did not increase the power tariff for 1.5 years, which is why consumers were not receiving bills with fuel adjustment charges for April. “If electricity consumers have to pay the April fuel adjustment charges, then why we should be blamed for this,” Ismail wondered. He said the previous government increased circular debt by Rs1400 billion.
He held the previous government responsible for the downfall of every sector. He said Imran inflicted significant financial harm to the country by subsidising the price of gasoline and fuel. “Imran made the same terrible mistake as Sri Lanka by offering cheap gasoline. By offering us cheap gas and electricity, Imran tried to ensnare us, Ismail claimed. He criticised Imran for having a four-year period during which Pakistan’s debt increased by 80%. He claimed that the former prime minister granted amnesty to his friends before making a U-turn and giving subsidies to his own people.pressure
Everyone should pay taxes, according to the finance minister, in order to save this nation. He continued, “I have also imposed tax on the children of the prime minister and my own factories.” He announced a tax break for shop owners who use less than 150 units of power per month. According to him, small shopkeepers making Rs 1.2 million annually must pay Rs 36,000 in taxes each year. Inflation management was not Mr. Ismail’s top concern; instead, he intended to prevent the nation from going into default. pressure
He claimed to have provided money to utility stores so they could sell ghee for Rs. 300 per litre, sugar for Rs. 70 per kg, and flour for Rs. 40 per kg. “There is no doubt that inflation has increased in the country. But I cannot help it. We have to save country first. Soon pressure on rupee will ease and with this, prices of commodities will come down,” he expressed his optimism. The finance minister informed that this year we had wheat in abundance. He said that from next month, the government would try to increase its exports.
commodities will come down,” he expressed his optimism. The finance minister informed that this year we had wheat in abundance. He said that from next month, the government would try to increase its exports.
ISLAMABAD: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government’s political victimization of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader’s Jirga in Dera Ismail Khan was sharply denounced by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the party’s chairman, on Sunday (KP).
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
Ahmad Kundi, a PPP member of the KP Assembly, and Makhdoom Altaf Hussain Shah, the mayor of Paharpur, organised a Jirga of residents from three villages to discuss the issue of flooding in their communities.
MPA Ahmad Kundi said the police fired and shelled the Jirga resultantly three people were injured. He said the Jirga has failed due to the incompetence of Dera Ismail Khan DSP Fazl-ur-Rahim who should be suspended immediately. He also demanded that KP Chief Minister Mehmood Khan and IG Police take notice of the incident. The RPO DIK has said that the matter is being investigated.
According to Kundi, a significant volume of water from Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, and Gomal has invaded Tehsil Paharpur, prompting residents to move to his constituency. PPP Chairman Bilawal observed the situation and denounced the police’s shooting and shelling of residents in Tehsil Paharpur of Dera Ismail Khan.
According to Bilawal, the police’s response to the assembly of three villagers was egregious hooliganism. According to him, the police action in front of elected officials MPA Ahmed Karim Kundi and Mayor Altaf Shah appears to be an act of political retaliation.
Cosplay king Shunsuke is a man of many talents. He is a cosplayer, model, craftsman, artist, entrepreneur, and influencer.
But perhaps most uniquely, Shun is also a self-taught professional cosplay photographer — the one and same person in front and behind the camera.
Cosplay photography expertise is something that many cosplayers seek out. After all, they put many hours into making their costumes, armor, and weapons, all while perfecting their makeup, and high-quality photographs are the best way to showcase their work to the world.
They usually tag and credit the talented photographers behind their photoshoots, but Shunsuke never needs to. He happened to develop these two complementary skills when he was much younger, and had in fact picked up photography before cosplay even came into the picture, he told ONE Esports in an exclusive interview.
Shunsuke picked up photography when he was very young, at a mere 11 years old. While he can’t exactly recall what sparked his interest, he does remember practicing taking photographs of his friends and his sister using a “really old, small screen, tiny camera.”
At around 13 or 14 years old, he got his hands on a reflex camera, a Canon EOS 600D, the cheapest semi-professional camera he could find at that time.
Only when he turned 15 did he start cosplaying with his childhood friend as a way for them to bond. Coming from a small village in Switzerland, no one had even heard of the term “cosplay” before, so out of necessity, he took their cosplay photos.Shunsuke
“When I was younger and I had just started cosplaying, I had so much motivation, so I was creating a lot,” Shunsuke explained to ONE Esports. “It came in handy that I could take my own photos rather than planning it out with someone else.”
This year, he started asking for the occasional help from fellow Tier One cosplayer Knite while they were in London, but a large portion of his work is still self-taken.
sizzling Shunsuke
“In the end I always end up taking my own photos because that’s the way I’m most comfortable,” he said.
I think my cosplay becomes more recognizable because of my photography style,” shared Shun, who had taught himself everything he knows about photography.
He also believes that his brand is further accentuated by “accurate but still very realistic” cosplays, as he puts in effort transforming these characters from 2D to 3D. All his wigs, for example, are made from human hair and are not synthetic.
Shunsuke is particularly proud of his Giorno Giovanna cosplay from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, which highlights his distinct cosplay and photography style. “The overall shape is really accurate, the hair color, the fabrics have all the details, which look more realistic and not so cartoonish,” he said.
Inspired by nude sculptures in classical art, he also paid particular attention to the lighting in this photoshoot, which bears similarities to his Renaissance-themed shoot, his second most favorite set.
Despite achieving such high standards in cosplay and photography, Shunsuke believes that there’s always more to learn. He can see how much he’s improved, just looking at photographs that were taken three to four years ago.
I can always still improve, and I try to. The way I was editing my skin was terrible, and I really learned how to make it more natural,” he shared. “I improved and kept things professional and polished.”
Still, the self-made journey of a professional cosplayer and photographer isn’t always smooth-sailing, despite his achievements. Even though the countless photoshoots over the years have certainly helped him level up his craft, it’s also challenging “to try to be creative and do something different each time.”
Amber Heard has been accused of having ‘displayed narcissism’ in her alleged lies though out the court of her life.
This allegation has been made by Angelica, from the YouTube channel Rise Beyond Abuse.
Gorgeous Amber
She addressed Amber Heard’s public behavior and claimed, “What I have seen throughout this trial are the symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder. I agree with the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder.”
“Right here, she says she will stand by her testimony until she dies. Of course, the thing with the narcissist is that they lie. What is the motto of the narcissist? Lie till you die.”
“It has been her way of life since a very early age. One of her defence mechanisms is to lie. She became what she has become because of emotional and physical abuse.”
Before concluding also alleged, “Lying is second nature for her, it is a way of life. This whole trial has been one big lie on her part. Many of us, real survivors of domestic violence agree to that.”
Seems like Priyanka Chopra has become the favourite choice of Hollywood celebrities to work with. After Anthony Russo and Joe Russo picked Priyanka’s name for the best-suited actress in the role of Captain Marvel, Bear Grylls who is known for his reality show Man vs Wild also hinted toward getting PeeCee on board for his next adventure.
Stunning Priyanka Chopra
Bear Grylls has previously worked with several Indian celebrities including Ranveer Singh, Vicky Kaushal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rajnikanth, Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar. In his recent interview, he shared that he would love to go on an adventure with someone like Priyanka Chopra.
Talking to Hindustan Times, Bear Grylls said, “Priyanka Chopra would be incredible – I took her husband away once on a journey and he was a great guy.
People would love to hear her story.” He also mentioned Indian cricketer Virat Kohli’s name, “Virat (cricketer Virat Kohli) would be amazing to adventure with, a true heart of a lion and kind spirit.”
Bear was last seen with Ranveer in Netflix’s show, Ranveer vs Wild with Bear Grylls exploring the wild jungles.
He also shared his experience on working with the Bajirao Mastani star, “Life is all about finding our own true purpose and living with eyes and heart wide open with courage and gratitude, those qualities shone brightly from Ranveer. In return, all I seek to give him is an encouragement to keep living as he is.”
Reflecting upon his journey with Indian celebrities so far Bear shared, “The warmth of love and welcome I always feel from Indian super stars – they are always so kind and embracing to me – I feel like an honorary Indian and that is the greatest blessing I can ever ask for. India is always so close to my heart.”
Priyanka has an impressive line of shows and films on the international front including It’s All Coming Back To Me, and the series Citadel. Produced by Russo Brothers, Citadel will hit the OTT on Prime Video.
In Bollywood, she will be starring with Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif in Farhan Akhtar’s ‘Jee Le Zaraa’, which promises to be another tale of friendship following the lineage of ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ and ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’, both of which have become cult classics over the years. ‘Jee Le Zaraa’ is reportedly going on floors around September 2022 and will be ready for release in the summer of 2023
K-pop girl group Aespa conducted their first-ever fanmeet with Korean fans since their debut in November 17, 2021.
‘My SYNK. Aespa’s was the name of the event which was held at the SK Olympic Handball Stadium at 6PM KST.
Aespa’s 1st fanmeet
The fanmeet was also broadcasted live online through global platform ‘Beyond LIVE’, for all their fans domestically and overseas alike, apart from the fans attending physically.
At the fanmeet, Aespa lifted the atmosphere with their hits such as Black Mamba, Next Level, Savage, as well as the title track Girls from their latest 2nd mini-album.
As per ALLKPOP, the fanmeet looked nothing short of a concert as aespa performed their non-title tracks such as ICU and YEPPI on live stage.
Aespa concluded their performance with gratitude, “This was our first face-to-face fanmeet in Korea, and it has been a very fun and enjoyable time. It was also the first time we performed the tracks ICU and YEPPI, and you guys being here made the performance even better, and we hope there are more songs we can show you in the future. Let’s meet often in the future.”Aespa’s
Meanwhile, aespa is gearing up to hold their first Japan showcase ‘aespa JAPAN PREMIUM SHOWCASE 2022~SYNK~’ at Yokohama Pia Arena MM from August 6 to 7.
“Education is a matter of life and death for Pakistan. The world is progressing so rapidly that without requisite advancements in education not only shall we lag behind others but may be wiped altogether”. (Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah) This is an undeniable fact that education determines the fate of nations. The nations which make education their top-notch agenda surpass the other nations in every field. On the other hand, the nations which don’t consider education as their key priority by allocating a low budget, and overlooking the other prerequisites of quality education are left behind in the comity of nations. Such nations become handicapped in every field as they rely on other nations for their needs. Ultimately such countries become third-world countries and they suffer in every field leading from a deteriorated economy to the crippling situation of law and order. Their foreign policy also gets compromised and their youth becomes a liability. In short, anarchy becomes the fate of such countries. Unfortunately, the case of Pakistan is not much different from the discussed situation. The Pakistani education system is one of the oldest with an outdated curriculum from primary to university level. The world has shifted to a knowledge-based economy where innovation, pieces of training, research, and development are the prerequisites to progress. However, the Pakistani education system is grappled with a wide range of complex flaws which are deep-rooted and demand out-of-the-box solutions. It’s the 21st century, yet we haven’t come out of the colonial mindset where the purpose of education was to clinch the position of a cleric. In the present scenario, the students get the education that they will get a government job even if they have to clinch a class IV job. This mindset perishes the innate abilities and potential of many talented students. The economy of the country suffers as well because everyone desires to land into the public service but the government due to its financial constraints cannot entertain every individual. Besides this, the industrial sector suffers in a way that it becomes impossible for the industrial sector to recruit the desired candidates having an innovative mindset and desired skill set. Ultimately, the industrial sector doesn’t generate the targeted revenue due to the lack of innovation in products that don’t compete in the international market. This results in low exports of the country and the country is compelled to shift to imports to meet domestic demands which results in a widening of the trade deficit and a vicious cycle of inflation, and loans from the international financial institutions get started and the country falls into the debt trap. For the past 40 years, our public sector education has been on a downward trajectory rather than modernizing, adapting, and improving the quality of education. It’s been 75 years since we’ve got independence but still, our literacy rate is 62.3%, the lowest in South Asia. Maldives(99%) and Sri Lanka(98.1%) have the highest literacy rate in South Asia. Pakistan despite having all the natural resources still lags in education. There are several lacunas in our education system, so our education system demands a complete overhauling of the system to achieve a significant position in the comity of the nations. Article 25(a) of the constitution obligates the state to provide free and compulsory to all children of the age of sixteen years without any discrimination. However, the figures display a very grim picture of the dismal state of affairs where 22.8 million children are out of schools wasting their precious childhood. It is a collective failure on the part of the state and society. On the other hand, quality education should be the top priority of any state. But, in Pakistan, we see that, education has never been a priority of the successive governments keeping aside the factor of quality education. In the fiscal year 2022-23 the government has allocated 90.6 billion for education which is 1.5% of the GDP nullifying the fact that the previous year’s budget was 1.7% of the GDP i.e, 91.77 billion. This decline in the budget displays that the government doesn’t consider education as its top priority. The fact is that our politicians have their vested interests due to which they keep overlooking this sector. In India, Kerala achieved 100% literacy in 2016 through an initiative called “Athulyam” and became the first state to do so. It was the will of the state through which it achieved this milestone. Another problem is financial constraints on the part of students due to which our literacy rate is low. The financial affairs compel the students to give up their desire to get education and employ themselves in the workforce to become the breadwinner for their families. A number of children are seen working in the hotels and tea stalls to earn some money for their families. Furthermore, the state of higher education is also very disappointing. In our universities, less focus is paid to research and development due to which our students are unable to compete in the International market . The laboratories in the university are not equipped with the proper materials. The professors don’t polish their skills and keep transferring the outdated knowledge to the students and when students enter the international market or industry, they come to know that their knowledge is of no use due to the newest research and advancement in science and technology. The higher education commission also doesn’t pay attention towards the revision of the curriculum after every five years. This is the reason that our universities are placed in lower rankings in the world and our students don’t clinch the top positions in top multinationals and tech-giants. Besides this, if we compare India, we come to know that all the tech-giants are headed by Indians. The example of Sundar Pichai is obvious. The reason is that the successive Indian governments have invested a lot in the education sector, especially in the field of IT. Another lacuna in our education system is the lack of collaboration between academia and industry. Due to the lack of coordination students suffer a lot. When they enter into the job market they come to know that they know nothing about the industry and what they have studied is not required in the industry. Another factor which is not present in our education system is that we don’t focus on technical and vocational training. Every year the universities produce 2-3 lacs graduates with zero skill set due to which many of them remain unemployed for years because the public sector can’t entertain every graduate while the industry demands experience and skills. This unemployment creates a sense of deprivation in them and they enter into the hell of crimes. Besides this they can easily be trapped by the Non State Actors so it’s the responsibility of the state to take adequate measures to empower the youth through skills of the modern age. The categorization in the education system has also deteriorated it. Our education system is divided into four categories i.e, Cambridge School, English Private Schools, Madrassah School, and Government Schools. Cambridge and English Private Schools are so expensive that the middle class can’t afford them. Madrassah Schools only pay attention towards the teachings of Quran and Sunnah. They don’t cater to the needs of the modern age due to which many talented students are unable to showcase their abilities. In government schools, the syllabus is taught in Urdu and teachers are employed on the recommendations of the politicians or through a non-meritorious system due to which the students of the government schools don’t acquire the necessary skills to compete with the elite class which results in the creation of class difference in the country. Though the previous government of PTI launched an educational policy and Single National Curriculum was introduced in the country, it faced many impediments in its implementation across the country. It was only implemented in Punjab and KPK. So SNC couldn’t achieve the desired results. After the 18th Amendment, the subject of education is controlled by provinces. Sindh, headed by Pakistan Peoples Party, did not implement it. The other major lacunas are the existence of the ghost schools, ghost teachers, ban on women’s education in the tribal system across the country, and lack of focus on training of teachers. In Sindh, there are 11000 ghost schools with no students. Teachers are getting salaries thus putting a burden on the economy of the country. Women are not allowed to get education due to the stringent tribal values. Women make up 50% of the population. If we keep our women away from work, how can we expect our country to compete in the international arena when 50% of the population is not working and not contributing to the GDP of the country? Therefore, the education system demands complete overhauling. We need to recognize the importance of literacy. The federal and provincial governments should frame better and uniform policies so that every children might get access to quality education without any discrimination. For this, there are some recommendations which can help improve our education system. Education emergency is the need of the hour to get 22.8 million children enrolled in the schools. Special attention must be paid towards women education by providing scholarships and transport facilities to women. SNC should be implemented across the country by incorporating the recommendations of all provinces. Government must increase the education budget every year. All the provincial governments should upgrade the primary and secondary schools. The higher secondary schools should be equipped with computer labs. Career counseling departments should be built in colleges so that students may get the right guidance in choosing their right career. Child labour should be strictly banned and heavy fines should be imposed on people employing children. The government must engage the NGOs to remove the financial constraints of the students of the remote areas. The universities should sign maximum MOUs with the international universities. Special attention must be paid towards academia-industry linkages. The curriculum of the universities must be revised on the recommendations of Pakistanthe industries. Teacher training programs and assessment criteria should be made compulsory for the promotion. Following these measures, we can provide quality education to our students. Rai Ahmad Kamal Johar Town, Lahore Graduated from the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad with an Engineering degree. Freelance writer and I have an interest in writing on issues of politics, economy, International Relations, and Pakistan’s Foreign Policy. 33106-6463238-3 0308-7494761
Pakistani actress and model Sonya Hussyn has slowly yet surely created a niche for herself in the entertainment industry given her gorgeous looks and impeccable skills that prove she is a force to be reckoned with.
The Dareecha actress can be seen jamming together with her sister Sana Hussyn in new viral video. Both the sisters can be seen flaunting their dance moves on Coke Studio’s super hit song “Pasoori”.
new dance video
Two weeks ago, Sonya celebrated her 31st birthday and wishes from celebrities and fans continue to pour in on social media platforms.
Sonya Hussyn has slowly but steadily made her name in the entertainment industry, In a new viral video, the Dareecha actress can be seen jamming with her sister Sana Hussyn On Coke Studio’s super hit song “Pasoori,” both sisters can be seen showing off their dance moves.
Sonya Hussyn has slowly but steadily carved out a niche for herself in the entertainment industry, thanks to her stunning looks and impeccable skills that demonstrate she is a force to be reckoned with.
In a new viral video, the Dareecha actress can be seen jamming with her sister Sana Hussyn. On Coke Studio’s super hit song “Pasoori,” both sisters can be seen showing off their dance moves.
Mathira responded to it by saying, “Being compared to me is not swearing or a bad word. But if u think then that’s your head Anyways. Apki Soch ko salam Karna Chahie. Why do people think I am that bad?” Earlier this year Mathira schooled actress Hira Mani when she shared in an interview alongside her husband Salman Saqib that husbands who taunt their wives on weight gain are essentially helping women maintain their bodies.
Mani was then inquired if he ever had to lose weight. “I did,” he told the host. “I exercised, I did calorie deficit, portion control, intermittent fasting, OMAD.” Hira chimed in, “No matter how busy we are, Mani and I make sure to go for a run or a walk once a day. He [Mani] helped me shed the extra weight I had put on. I had no trainer this time around, Mani helped me through it and the results were amazing.”
She added, “I had gained so much weight! I weighed around 64 kgs. That’s when Mani pointed out.” Mani further commented, “Yes, but remember you watched that drama serial of yours.” Hira recalled, “Yes! I saw that show and couldn’t recognise myself onscreen and thought, ‘Who is this aunty?’ That’s when Mani said, let’s go for a run. He helped me reduce 10 kgs in three months. No other trainer could help me achieve this target.”
The Kashf star went on to reveal how Mani ‘taunts’ her often with how well-maintained Bollywood actors are. “He would taunt me so much!” Hira shared, “Mani would often say look at Katrina, look at Kareena – well, even Kareena is fat now – look at Deepika! I keep telling him that I am not Deepika or Katrina. I have two kids! He taunts. But I think that’s fair too. Husbands who taunt their wives are justified in doing so if it helps women to lose their weight.” Hira then goes on to thank Mani.
Now actor-host Mathira took to Instagram to school Hira on her statement. She asked that what’s her obsession with size 0 and why is she humiliating plus size women?
Lollywood diva Mehwish Hayat has left her fans stunned with new bold photos she shared on her social media account.
Taking to Instagram, the Punjab Nahi Jaunga actress shared the new sizzling photos. The actress shared the post with a caption, “Kill you with a stare or with a smile? Thank you @thekubism for taking these bomb photographs . I now know who I should be contacting for my next photo shoot! “
On the work front, Mehwish made her Hollywood debut with Ms Marvel and has been lauded for her spectacular performance. Mehwish Hayat has been grateful for the overwhelming love and compliments she has been receiving from her fans and international audience for her character Aisha.
The Punjab Nahi Jaunga actress made her Hollywood debut with Ms Marvel and has been lauded for her spectacular performance.
Taking to Instagram, the 34-year-old has acknowledged all the love and called the show the result of “true team work”.
“I am truly overwhelmed by the love I am getting for ‘Aisha’ from around the world,” Hayat penned in a lengthy note for the Ms. Marvel team. “But bringing a project such as Ms. Marvel to the screen is the result of true teamwork.”
“Sharmeen Obaid wonderfully portrayed such a critical part of our history ie partition with authenticity and sheer accuracy. Jules Oloughlin – our DOP who lit each and every frame with such love that each frame looks like a work of art,” the actor said. “Bisha K Ali – who created the tv series.”
“Kevin Feige, Victoria Alonso and Louis for championing this project and leading the way for the industry by showing how diversity and representation should be done – both in front and behind the camera.”
Manila: Former Philippine president Fidel Ramos, who oversaw a rare period of steady growth and peace that won him the reputation as one of the country’s most effective leaders ever, has died aged 94, his family said Sunday.
Known as “Steady Eddie” for his unflappable demeanour during the country’s regular moments of upheaval, he was frequently pictured chewing unlit cigars as he guided the Philippines with a sure hand from 1992-1998.
Former Philippine president
A career military man who never previously held elected office, his professorial conduct was unlike the bombastic image of many Filipino politicians.
He was also the first Protestant to win the top office in the overwhelmingly Catholic nation, despite opposition from some in the Church. He later made an aggressive push for family planning to rein in rapid population growth.
But like other top officials of his generation, Ramos played a role in the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, which saw thousands killed and thousands more arbitrarily imprisoned.
In a brief statement, the Ramos family said it was “profoundly saddened” to announce the patriarch’s death. The cause was not released.
Lawmakers, diplomats, ex-politicians and the new administration posted tributes to Ramos on social media.
“I extend my deepest condolences to the family of former President Fidel Valdez Ramos who passed away today having lived a full life as a military officer and public servant,” said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, the son and namesake of the late dictator, who took office last month.
“The legacy of his presidency will always be cherished and will be forever enshrined in the hearts of our grateful nation.”
The European Union delegation in the Philippines expressed its condolences, describing Ramos as a “dedicated statesman” and “pillar of democracy”.
A graduate of the prestigious West Point military academy in the United States, Ramos had a lengthy career in the armed forces, including combat against communist guerrillas, and was deployed in the Korean War as part of the Philippine contingent.
He was later commander of the paramilitary Philippine Constabulary — the key institution that enforced the brutal repression of dissent after Marcos declared martial law in 1972.
Ramos’s moment of truth came in February 1986, when popular outrage was hitting its peak over the murder of opposition leader Benigno Aquino and massive regime cheating in a snap election.
Sensing Marcos’s weakness, a group of young military officers and their leader, defence secretary Juan Ponce Enrile, plotted to seize power but were found out.
Ramos joined their rebellion, withdrawing his support from Marcos and inspiring many others to rise up as well.
Soon, millions were massing in the streets for the peaceful “People Power” revolt that sent the dictator into exile and ushered in Corazon Aquino as president.
Aquino promptly appointed Ramos as military chief and then defence secretary in gratitude.
When elections came in 1992, Aquino gave her endorsement to Ramos, which was crucial to him winning the presidency despite the opposition of influential Catholic Church figures.
As president, Ramos solved a crippling power crisis caused by years of under-investment in energy, and broke up cartels in telecommunications, aviation and shipping — boosting a moribund economy that reaped a period of renewed growth.
He also made peace overtures to communist guerrillas, Muslim separatists and military coup-plotters.
In the end, only the communists refused to sign agreements with his government.
Ramos was also a key, early supporter of Rodrigo Duterte as he waded into national politics with his run at the presidency in 2016. Post-election, Ramos served as the special envoy to Beijing to ease tensions over the disputed South China Sea.
But the relationship swiftly soured — he has publicly criticised Duterte’s expletive-laden speeches, his moves away from the US alliance and his anti-drug campaign that claimed thousands of lives.
Ramos was also aghast at Duterte’s decision to allow Marcos to be buried in the national Heroes’ Cemetery despite the damage his dictatorship caused to the Philippines’ economy and social order.
When a Marcos daughter tried to link Ramos to the abuses of her father’s rule, Ramos said he had already apologised and made amends for his role. “My atonement was leading the military and the police” in the revolt that toppled Marcos, he said.
London: Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, accepted a £1 million ($1.19 million, 1.21 million euro) donation to his charitable trust from the family of 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden, The Sunday Times reported.
Although there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by the Saudi family members, the revelation increases scrutiny on the 73-year-old prince’s charity organisations, which have been rocked by allegations of criminal wrong doing.
Several of his advisers urged Charles not to take the donation from family patriarch Bakr bin Laden and his brother Shafiq — half-brothers of terror leader Osama — according to sources cited by the paper.Bin Laden
Bin Laden family
Charles, 73, agreed to the donation to the Prince of Wales Charitable Fund (PWCF) when he met with Bakr, 76, at Clarence House in London in 2013, despite objections of advisers from the trust and his office, the paper reported.
Ian Cheshire, chairman of PWCF, said the donation was agreed by the five trustees at the time.
British police in February launched an investigation into another of Charles’s charitable foundations over claims of a cash-for-honours scandal involving a Saudi businessman.
The head of The Prince’s Foundation resigned last year after an internal investigation into the allegations.
Michael Fawcett, chief executive of the foundation, had initially agreed to suspend his duties following newspaper revelations about his links to a Saudi national.
The man, tycoon Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, had donated large sums to restoration projects of particular interest to Charles.
Fawcett, a former valet to the Prince of Wales who has been close to Queen Elizabeth II’s heir for decades, is alleged to have coordinated efforts to grant a royal honour and even UK citizenship to Mahfouz.
Mahfouz reportedly denies any wrongdoing.
The Charities Commission, which registers and oversees charities in England and Wales, said in November it had opened a formal probe into donations received by Mahfouz’s charitable trust which were intended for the prince’s foundation.
The Prince’s Foundation, set up in 1986, is not regulated by the Charities Commission but is registered with the Scottish Charity Regulator. The Scottish body in September launched its own probe into reports that the foundation accepted cash from a Russian banker previously convicted of money laundering
WASHINGTON: On Saturday, a Chinese rocket crashed down to Earth over the Indian Ocean, according to NASA, which said Beijing had not provided the “precise trajectory information” required to determine where potential debris may fall.
Beijing
The Long March 5B rocket re-entered over the Indian Ocean at around 12:45 p.m. EDT on Saturday (1645 GMT), according to US Space Command, although it was China that was contacted with inquiries concerning “reentry’s technical issues such as potential debris dispersal hit site.”
According to NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, “all spacefaring nations should adhere to recognised best practises and do their bit to provide this type of information in advance to allow realistic projections of potential debris impact risk.”
Doha: Qatar seeks to hold a ministerial summit in early August to seal an accord between Chad’s military government and opposition rebels on a national peace dialogue, negotiators said Sunday.
The Gulf emirate’s emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani spoke with the Central African nation’s military leader, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, on Saturday, officials said.
The Gulf state’s mediators will meet with rebel negotiators this week in a bid to sway holdout groups.
“Qatar would like to get an accord settled this week so they can hold an international meeting soon,” said one negotiator.
Deby took power in April last year after his father, longtime leader Idriss Deby Itno, was killed in a battle with rebels. The son promised to hold elections within 18 months, with a prevision for extending that timetable.
Chad peace plan
Dozens of Chadian opposition and government officials have been in Doha since March to set the conditions for starting a national dialogue which would pave the way for a presidential election.
The dialogue has been postponed several times, most recently on July 16 when a host of rebel and political groups withdrew, accusing the government of seeking to destabilise peace efforts.
About a week later those groups said they were rejoining the process.
Diplomats monitoring the talks say there has been progress and a majority of groups have agreed to sign an accord so that talks can start in Ndjamena on August 20.
Those groups, however, are not the most powerful.
The current document, seen by AFP, proposes a general ceasefire and gives security guarantees to rebel leaders who return for the N’Djamena talks. A special non-Chadian force would take care of security.
“The negotiations with all opposition groups are still ongoing, and while we are still working with the parties to reach an agreement over the next steps, we hope to resume the next round at the beginning of August,” a Qatari government official told AFP.
Qatari mediators are still trying to persuade the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT), one of the main rebel groups, to sign on and give the national dialogue a greater chance of success.
FACT leader Mahamat Mahdi Ali has described the current draft document as “a good start” but his negotiators have called for more government concessions.
Idriss Deby Itno died after suffering mortal wounds fighting the FACT, a large armed group with a rear base in Libya.
Qatar wants to quickly hold a formal signing ceremony in Doha with Deby and foreign ministers from key countries, including France, present. The international community wants to avoid any further delay in the national dialogue, and a resulting threat to the landmark election, which could lead to Deby extending his transitional rule.
