Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi addresses a ceremony to unveil the manifesto document of his newly formed Awam Pakistan Party (APP) on August 11, 2024. — screengrab via Facebook/Awam Pakistan Party
KARACHI: Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said Sunday a country where elections are stolen could never witness stability.
The former PM was addressing a ceremony held here on Sunday to unveil the manifesto document of his newly formed Awam Pakistan Party (APP). He said the political parties forget their own manifestoes, adding their manifestoes resembled each other.
Abbasi told the audience that the failure and weakness of the national economy were the real issues in addition to the problem of independent power producers (IPPs) in the energy sector.
He said the former federal finance minister had suggested an easily doable solution to the government to instantly reduce the electricity prices, which is the immediate withdrawal of all the taxes levied on power bills.
He said the stability of the economy was a prerequisite for controlling the dollar exchange rate. He said the people would never forgive the present rulers. He said the successive governments could not realise the resources available in the country nor could they find solutions to the problems.
The former PM acknowledged that IPPs in the energy sector posed a problem but the real issue was the failure of the economy. He said that rulers had been unchanged in the country as they were the same the previous day and even ten years back.
He recalled that the per litre price of petrol was Rs60 in 2018. He said the national leadership only worked to safeguard its own interests. “This is really unfortunate,” he said.
Abbasi warned the audience that the country could face a serious water crisis if corrective measures were not taken. He said Pakistan’s farming sector would massively suffer due to the water crisis.
Abbasi lamented that every capable person had been trying to leave the country. He informed the audience that the government’s mandate was to serve the people instead of ruling the masses. He said that following the constitution was the only viable solution to the present-day problems in the country. He said that honouring the constitution was the only way forward for the progress of the country.
The former PM lamented that laws were not adopted to resolve issues of the people as the laws were framed to solve the problems of the government. He lamented that the government was not answerable to the people. He said that people were deprived of their basic facilities.
He said the economy was in a shambles because the constitution was violated and elections were stolen.
He reiterated his demand to annul the law governing the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). He said that nobody in the country had been subjected to accountability in the past 70 years. He said the NAB’s law had no match anywhere in the world.
Abbasi said the government was obligated to provide electricity, water, gas, healthcare facilities, and jobs to people. He suggested that the government revolve around the masses instead of revolving around those in power.
Also speaking on the occasion, former federal finance minister, Miftah Ismail, reiterated his suggestion to the government of withdrawing all taxes on electricity bills of residential consumers to immediately reduce the power prices. He also demanded making public all agreements made with the IPPs.
Arshad Nadeem (C), Pakistan’s javelin gold medallist at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, waves to fans upon his arrival at his hometown in Mian Channu on August 11, 2024. — AFP
LAHORE: Arshad Nadeem, the national hero who won a gold medal for Pakistan in the Paris Olympics-2024, reached his native place in Mian Channu in the form of a convoy early Sunday, receiving a warm welcome.
The entire village came to welcome the national hero, while showering flowers and currency notes. People danced to the beat of drums and also displayed fireworks while the atmosphere echoed with slogans.
When Arshad Nadeem reached his home, emotional scenes were seen; his mother welcomed her son with a hug, while Arshad became overwhelmed with emotions while relatives and women presented flowers. They showered rose petals on him, garlanded him and hugged him.
The national hero said that he was feeling very happy to get the unprecedented respect and love. He said, «I am grateful to the government and people for the wonderful welcome. I am very happy that everyone is honoring me. I will make full preparations for the 2028 Olympics again to bring laurels to the country.”
Earlier, the national hero reached his native place in the form of a caravan. Arshad›s friends and family members welcomed him at the Mian Channu Bypass and showered him with flower petals. «Arshad Nadeem Zindabad» slogans were raised. Posters were also displayed at the entrances of the city. Meanwhile, father-in-law of gold medalist Arshad Nadeem, Muhammad Nawaz, has announced a unique gift of buffalo for Arshad Nadeem for winning a gold medal.
Talking to media persons on Sunday he said that Arshad has earned glory for not only his family but the entire nation. Muhammad Nawaz said that in recognition of Arshad’s monumental achievement, he will present a buffalo to him.
Sohbatpur, Balochistan is once again bracing for the prospect of more floods. This area has a history of damaging floods that have destroyed lives, property, and crops.
The authorities should take notice of the matter and take measures that can address the concerns of the people regarding flooding immediately.
It also seems like a cost-cutting measure meant to entice viewers to pay for Max.
The Cartoon Network website, which had been online since 1998, was removed from the internet on August 8, as per a report in Variety. Previously a portal with a video-heavy homepage for shows like ‘Teen Titans Go!’, ‘The Powerpuff Girls’, ‘Adventure Time’, and ‘Steven Universe’, users are now redirected to Max, another Warner Bros. Discovery streaming platform, where they can see their favourite cartoons.
A pop-up message welcoming visitors to the Max website said, “Looking for episodes of your favourite Cartoon Network shows? Check out what’s available to stream on Max (subscription required).” The welcome message also encouraged current cable subscribers to use “Connected apps” in addition to watching shows on their televisions. “Sign up for Max, where you can also create a Kids Profile with rating restrictions and additional privacy protections to keep it fun and kid-friendly! Cable subscribers, continue to enjoy your favourite CN programming on your TV and connected apps as well!” it added.
A Cartoon Network spokesperson told the outlet in a statement, “We are focusing on the Cartoon Network shows and social media where we find consumers are the most engaged and there is a meaningful potential for growth.” They also said that the network will keep providing 11 hours of television content every day, from 6 am to 5 pm.
CartoonNetwork.com is the victim of the ongoing streaming war among online portals. It also seems like a cost-cutting measure meant to entice viewers to pay for Max. The parent firm Paramount Global removed the websites for Comedy Central, MTV News, and CMT in June. In February, Paramount also cancelled the preschool-focused channel Noggin.
Meanwhile, the Cartoon Network website went live in July 1998, which was roughly six years after the cable network’s October 1992 launch. It also existed as an AOL channel as early as 1996. Last month, a rumour that Cartoon Network was shutting down sent shockwaves on social media and #RIPCartoonNetwork became the top trend. The rumour started with a video posted on X (formerly Twitter) by the account “Animation Workers Ignited”, which claimed that the channel was “dead”. However, it was clarified that the channel was not shutting down.
The channel is adapting to changes in the media landscape and has new programming in development, including spin-offs of popular shows.
This combo of images shows, Scotland’s ex-first minister Humza Yousaf (left) and the owner of X – formerly Elon Musk Twitter. — Reuters/File
EDINBURGH: Speaking before a crowd at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Humza Yousaf recently said the owner of X – formerly Twitter – used his wealth “for some of the most wicked evil I’ve seen”.
Yousaf has issued a warning to tech billionaire Elon Musk after he called the ex-first minister a “super, super racist”. X owner Musk used his own social media site to brand the Glasgow-born politician a bigot for a speech Yousaf made in the Scottish Parliament about racial injustice and lack of diversity. The Tesla boss, who is facing accusations of stoking far right violence on Britain’s streets by suggesting civil war was “inevitable”, told his 193 million followers the SNP MSP “loathes white people”. The Sunday Mail understands Yousaf has not ruled out legal action and is “considering all options”.
His lawyer Aamer Anwar said: “Anybody who goes on social media, even if they own the platform and thinks that free speech is absolute whether in the UK or USA, needs to think again. Free speech carries responsibility and if you break the law there are consequences, as we have seen in recent days.
“Elon Musk has effectively painted a target on Humza Yousaf’s back with his completely unacceptable, untrue and inflammatory comments.”
The comments come as Musk deleted a repost on the website on Thursday where he promoted a false claim about detainment camps being set up in the Falkland Islands for those involved in violent riots in the past week, reported international media.
The world’s richest man has repeatedly weighed in on the disorder seen in the UK in the wake of the murders of three young girls in Southport, including dubbing the prime minister “two-tier Keir” and suggesting “civil war is inevitable” in the country.
Speaking about Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, the former first minister described he and Musk as “bosom buddies”, going on to say of the X owner: “I have to say, in my opinion, he is one of the most dangerous men on the planet. He is accountable to nobody, he has vast wealth at his fingertips and he uses it for some of the most wicked evil I’ve seen.”
Speaking at another event with broadcaster Matthew Stadlen, Yousaf added: “He is not an idiot – Elon Musk is very smart, very tech-savvy.” Musk could research the claims he amplifies on social media, the former first minister said, but he chooses not to.
Yousaf pointed to the since-deleted repost of a faked headline purporting to be from the Daily Telegraph claiming Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was planning detention camps in the Falkland Islands for rioters. The prime minister, he said, has an opportunity to seek to regulate social media companies.
Yousaf, who was appearing at Iain Dale’s All Talk show at the Edinburgh Fringe, said the tech billionaire had “amplified” white supremacists and “far-right neo Nazi conspiracy theories”.
“So he’s amplified these white supremacists, these far-right neo Nazi conspiracy theories and has almost called for civil war in Europe. He does it with a question mark, with emojis, and tries to make it as though it’s an innocent question. He is using his wealth to amplify the far-right.”
Yousaf said: “Elon Musk, again, is not an idiot. He’s a smart individual who can easily use a search engine to see whether that headline is true. He didn’t. He chose to amplify that to his 190 million followers. He’s as I say, I think one of the most dangerous men on the planet particularly because he’s so unaccountable.”
Elsewhere, the former SNP leader spoke candidly about his difficult time as first minister, and his disastrous decision to end the power-sharing deal between the SNP and the Greens, which led to his downfall.
Yousaf also told the event, which was relatively poorly attended, that the pressures of the job led to “heated arguments” with his wife, Nadia El-Nakla, about not spending enough time with his children. He said she told him: “You’re away for three days and then you’re coming back and you want to go away for a fourth night or a fifth night? That’s not acceptable. Get your backside back home and make sure you see the kids.”
In an interview with the Sunday Mail the day before Musk’s post, Yousaf accused the South African-born tycoon of repeatedly amplifying the views of racists. He said: “It is probably the first case of someone being radicalised by himself on his own platform. Musk uses his billions and his intellect to amplify hateful ideology and cause division. He is promoting white supremacists by engaging and indulging in their conspiracy theories. These are people sitting in their mothers’ basements in their Y-fronts eating spaghetti hoops out of a can, then Musk amplifies their nonsense to his 193 million followers. That then spreads like wildfire.
Yousaf, born in Rutherglen, is the son of parents who immigrated from Pakistan. He has urged people in Scotland to demonstrate peacefully against racism and bigotry. He launched a scathing attack on Tommy Robinson who has been accused of instigating riots in England that have seen attempts to burn immigrants alive in hotels, cars overturned in the street and mobs attacking police.
Yousaf said: “Tommy Robinson is a hate preacher and should be treated the way other hate preachers are. He is a convicted criminal and before Musk provided him with a platform his reach was dwindling. I feel sorry for his followers, he is taking them for fools. Glasgow has a very strong tradition of opposing racism. I support anybody who wants to peacefully stand up and say this city is our city.”
Yousaf, however, said he did not believe X should be shut down in the UK. The former first minister’s comments come as his successor urged social media companies to tackle “dangerous” disinformation on their platforms.
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme, First Minister John Swinney said: “I think the social media companies have got a lot of improvement to undertake in their conduct. I was very struck by the communication of Ofcom yesterday, reminding social media companies of their obligation to remove material that incites hatred or violence. I don’t think that’s been the case.”
He pointed to rumours surrounding a stabbing in Stirling which reported three women had been attacked by a Muslim man, forcing Police Scotland to take the rare step of announcing the man arrested was white and from the local area, while only one woman was injured. The case was promoted on social media by English Defence League (EDL) founder Tommy Robinson.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar also said social media companies were not yet fulfilling their duty to prevent the spread of hatred. It comes after he joined other Holyrood party leaders at Bute House to be briefed on the situation by Swinney on Wednesday.
Musk has posted a number of images and memes stoking division around the anti-immigration protests and disorder in Britain, as well as recently reposting an image of a fake news headline about the UK’s response to riots.
Musk and Ms Simon have since both deleted their posts, but not before Musk’s post was seen by hundreds of thousands of his followers – of which he has 193 million – and other users.
Musk has been heavily criticised in recent days for a number of posts about the disorder in the wake of the Southport stabbings and was called “deeply irresponsible” by Justice Secretary Heidi Alexander for posting that “civil war is inevitable” in the UK.
Both X and Musk have come under increased scrutiny since the businessman took over the site in late 2022, with the billionaire himself engaging with misleading content and accounts known for spreading misinformation on a number of occasions. He recently reposted a misleading video of US vice president Kamala Harris that had been manipulated by AI and has previously engaged with accounts known to have spread misinformation on a number of topics, including Covid-19 and vaccine safety.
His approach to running the platform has been heavily criticised after he substantially cut staff numbers and changed the site’s verification and content moderation systems, saying he wanted to allow “absolute free speech”. Under Musk’s leadership, the company has also restored the accounts of many figures previously banned for breaking site rules around hate speech, including some from the UK such as Tommy Robinson – real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – and Katie Hopkins.
Since then, many users claim to have seen an increase in misinformation and hateful content, as well as pornography and spam posts and accounts, despite Musk claiming he would “defeat the bots” after taking over the company. Musk’s actions have led to calls for harsher punishments to be levelled at social media platforms and their managers for allowing harmful content to spread.
The UK’s Online Safety Act, which passed into law last year but is yet to be enacted fully, could see the biggest platforms facing billions of pounds in fines if they do not comply with the new rules, with criminal liability for named managers a possibility in some instances, as is the potential for sites to have their access limited in the most severe cases.
As race riots took place in English towns last week Met police chief Mark Rowley warned “keyboard warriors” offences of incitement and stirring up racial hatred will be prosecuted, with several people already handed jail terms. Musk, 53, who controls Tesla and SpaceX and is estimated to be worth £200billion, has also attacked Keir Starmer and UK immigration policy. His championing of far right politics and sharing of controversial, often false, material on X has seen advertisers abandon the platform. He also declared support for the Republicans in the US presidential race, will interview Donald Trump on X on Monday.
Every middle-class Pakistani wishes to see Europe. So, it is high time we showed some gratitude to our government for allowing us to experience the famous canals of Venice with their flowing water right here on the streets of Lahore. The people of Lahore have subsided their dream of seeing Venice once in a lifetime. They are grateful to the Punjab government for providing this foreign trip almost every year without any visa and ticket expenses. Expect more such surprises and perks from the Punjab government.
The entire Pakistan has been showering great love on Arshad Nadeem for his heroics in the recently-concluded Paris Olympics. The star javelin thrower bagged a gold medal for Pakistan in the event, which happens to be the nation’s first-ever top honour in an indiviual sport at the Games. To make things better, Arshad achieved it with an Olympic record of 92.97m. The country as well as its government had a lot of faith in the athlete and he repaid all of that with his incredible performance.
Arshad received a hero’s welcome upon his arrival to Pakistan, especially the crowd at his hometown Mian Channu was hard to control after the player reached there.
While the athlete gaining more and more attention, he made sure he didn’t forget the problems faced by his villagers. Arshad appealed the Pakistani government about some basic facilities to be provided in his village.
“My village needs roads. If the government provides cooking gas, it would be great for me and my village. I also have a dream that Mian Channu city gets a university so that our sisters won’t have to travel to Multan, which is 1.5 to 2 hours away, to study. If government makes a university here it would be a great news for my village and the neighbouring ones,” Arshad told reporters in Pakistan.
Pakistani Olympic Javlin Gold-medalist Arshad Nadeem says his village needs roads, electricity and gas. Asks Pakistan Government to make a University and Stadium for youth. Girls have to travel more than an hour in a bus to Multan for education. Kudos pic.twitter.com/ehBC3bWiR2
Besides raising the issues, Nadeem also thanked the government for its support.
Arshad, who is a son of a retired construction worker, has certainly seen the hardest of times mainly due to the lack of money. During his childhood, the player used to take monetary help from fellow villagers and relatives so that he could travel to other cities for his training and events in his early days.
Even a few months back, Arshad had appealed to the authorities to replace his old javelin with a new one for his training.
A historic Olympic gold in Paris has made life much different for him now.
Fireworks sparkle behind the Olympic Rings in the sky at the end of the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in the outskirts of Paris, on August 11, 2024. — AFP
ISLAMABAD: Paris prepared to bid a triumphant “au revoir” to the Olympics on Sunday as the curtain came down on its widely praised staging of the global sporting spectacular.
A star-studded closing ceremony got underway in front of around 71,500 spectators at the Stade de France to crown an event broadly acclaimed as one of the greatest editions of the Olympics ever held.
Around 270 artists and performers were scheduled to perform in the packed arena with an estimated 9,000 athletes expected to march into the venue.
The opening segment of the ceremony festivities began with France’s swimming hero Leon Marchand — winner of four gold medals at these Games — gathering the Olympic flame from the cauldron in the centre of Paris to begin its journey to the Stade de France.
The glittering closing spectacle marks the beginning of the four-year countdown to the Los Angeles Olympics, with Hollywood star Tom Cruise expected to feature in a segment previewing the 2028 Games in California.
The ceremony is the final act of 17 days of frequently breathtaking sporting action set against the backdrop of iconic Parisian landmarks from the Eiffel Tower to the Chateau de Versailles.
The last day of sporting action saw the United States pip China for the top spot in the battle for medals after the US women’s basketball team squeezed past France 67-66 to clinch the last gold of the Games.
The win — the eighth consecutive Olympic women’s basketball won by the USA — ensured the Americans finished level with China on 40 golds each as the games wrapped up.
The USA however finished on top of the overall medal table with a total of 126 medals, with China in second place on 91.
Sunday began with a gripping women’s marathon victory by the Netherlands’ long-distance running star Sifan Hassan.
Hassan had taken on what many considered a crazy gamble in Paris, competing in the 5,000m, the 10,000m and the marathon — the last two events just two days apart.
But in a jaw-dropping sprint finish, Hassan overhauled Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa to take gold by three seconds in an Olympic record of 2hr 22min 55sec.
She fell to the ground on the blue carpet in front of the golden dome of the Invalides memorial complex in the heart of Paris before grabbing a Dutch flag to celebrate an extraordinary achievement.
“It was not easy,” said Hassan, 31. “It was so hot, but I was feeling OK. I’ve never pushed myself to the finish line as I did today.”
“Every moment in the race I was regretting that I ran the 5,000m and 10,000m. I was telling myself if I hadn’t done that, I would feel great today.”
“From the beginning to the end, it was so hard. Every step of the way. I was thinking, ‘Why did I do that? What is wrong with me?’”
Hassan is due to be presented with her gold medal in Sunday’s closing ceremony.
Wrestling, weightlifting, water polo, volleyball, modern pentathlon, handball, and track cycling were the other sports to crown Olympic champions on the last day.
Hungary’s Michelle Gulyas ran and shot to Olympic gold in the modern pentathlon, with home favourite Elodie Clouvel roared on to clinch silver.
In weightlifting, China’s jubilant Li Wenwen lifted her coach into the air instead of the bar, having already secured gold.
At the velodrome, Dutch star Harrie Lavreysen surged to the men’s keirin for his third gold of the Games, ending British dominance of the event they had won at every Olympics since 2008.
New Zealand’s Ellesse Andrews blasted to the women’s sprint title to add to her keirin gold, while American cyclist Jennifer Valente won the women’s omnium.
In men’s water polo, Serbia won their third straight Olympic gold with a 13-11 victory over Croatia at La Defense Arena and pulled their coach into the pool in the celebrations.
Hollywood star Tom Cruise is reportedly preparing to perform an epic stunt at the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games, setting the stage for the next Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in four years.
Widely known as one of the most recognisable faces globally and an acclaimed actor with multiple Academy Award nominations, is also renowned for his love of adrenaline-fueled stunts. His latest venture might cement his reputation as one of the biggest thrill-seekers in history, on par with legendary stunt performer Evel Knievel.
The 62-year-old actor is said to be closing the 2024 Games and passing the flag over to Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympics. According to TMZ, the stunt will involve Cruise descending from the top of the Stade de France, landing on the stadium’s field with the Olympic flag in hand.
The televised broadcast will then cut to a pre-recorded film of Cruise flying with the Olympic flag from France to Los Angeles. In the final segment of the stunt, Cruise will skydive down to the iconic Hollywood sign, a feat that was already filmed on a Saturday morning in March. At the time, it was widely assumed that the stunt was for one of his movies, but its true purpose has since been revealed.
Cruise has already been seen in Paris, supporting top athletes and preparing for his role in the closing ceremony. Photos of Cruise’s skydiving stunt were captured by paparazzi back in March, though the connection to the Olympic Games was not made until now. Following the Hollywood sign jump, the film will show Cruise passing the Olympic flag to other athletes, including a cyclist, a skateboarder, and a volleyball player.
The entire stunt concept was devised by Cruise himself, although the Olympic Committee initially approached him to perform a series of stunts linking the Paris and Los Angeles Games. Cruise’s involvement with the Olympics is not new; in 2004, he participated in the torch relay through Los Angeles as part of the lead-up to the Athens Games.
This ambitious stunt is expected to be a highlight of the Paris Olympics closing ceremony, showcasing Cruise’s unique blend of creativity and daredevilry, while symbolically bridging the transition from Paris to Los Angeles for the upcoming 2028 Games.
South Africa’s hopes of securing a victory in the first Test against the West Indies in Trinidad were thwarted as they fell five wickets short, unable to break through the West Indian resistance on the final day at Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad on Sunday.
The match, which saw 142 overs lost to rain over the five days, ultimately ended in a draw, marking the first drawn Test globally in 28 matches since July last year. West Indies were bowled out for 233 in their first innings (91.5 overs) and finished on 201/5 (56.2 overs) in their second innings. South Africa scored 357 in their first innings (117.4 overs) and declared at 173/3 in their second innings (29 overs).
Despite the weather disruptions, South Africa made a determined effort on the final day, batting aggressively and declaring early to give themselves just over two sessions to bowl out the West Indies. However, Alick Athanaze, playing in only his eighth Test match, proved to be the key obstacle, scoring a career-best 92 and forming crucial partnerships with Kavem Hodge and Jason Holder to save the match for the West Indies.
South Africa’s decision to opt for an extra batsman at the expense of a fifth frontline bowler will likely come under scrutiny. This selection left them heavily reliant on two key players: Keshav Maharaj, who bowled an exhausting 66.2 overs, and Kagiso Rabada, who bowled 30 overs out of the 148.1 that the West Indies faced across both innings. In contrast, Lungi Ngidi and Wiaan Mulder contributed a combined 30.5 overs, while Aiden Markram was forced to fill in with 21 overs as a part-time spinner in the absence of a second specialist spinner.
The pitch at Queen’s Park Oval also played a significant role in the outcome. It lacked the pace and bounce typically conducive to a more dynamic style of play, likely due to the extensive use of the square for club cricket earlier in the season. This resulted in an attritional battle that required both teams to adapt to slower scoring rates, further complicated by the lost time due to rain.
On the fifth morning, South Africa came out with a clear intent to score quickly and set up a declaration. Tony de Zorzi and Aiden Markram put on 48 runs in the first 10.2 overs, with Markram in particular showcasing an aggressive approach by taking 13 runs off Jayden Seales’ third over. The pair’s 78-run opening stand provided a solid platform before de Zorzi was dismissed for 45, five runs short of consecutive half-centuries in the match.
Tristan Stubbs, batting at No.3, continued the aggressive approach, reaching his maiden Test fifty off just 42 balls, the second-fastest by a South African on debut. Stubbs and Temba Bavuma took the attack to the West Indies bowlers, with Stubbs notably targeting Jomel Warrican and Kemar Roach. However, Stubbs was eventually bowled by Roach, leading to South Africa’s declaration half an hour before lunch.
The South African bowlers were given a brief period to make early inroads before rain interrupted play, but they managed to remove Kraigg Braithwaite and Mikyle Louis before the weather intervened again. When play resumed, Athanaze and Keacy Carty steadied the innings, with Athanaze particularly effective against the short ball. Although South Africa picked up a few more wickets, including Athanaze’s just shy of his century, it was too late to force a result.
The match ended in a draw with 6.4 overs remaining, as fading light prompted the captains to shake hands, leaving South Africa to reflect on missed opportunities and the challenges posed by both the weather and their selection choices.
