Tag: millions

  • Singapore denies paying Taylor Swift millions to not perform anywhere else in the region

    Singapore denies paying Taylor Swift millions to not perform anywhere else in the region

    Singapore said Monday its grant to Taylor Swift for her concerts in the city was nowhere near as high as speculated, following media reports that the superstar was offered millions of dollars per gig.

    Around 300,000 people from Singapore and around the region are expected to attend the six sold-out shows that began March 2 — but some neighbours were not happy about being left off The Eras Tour.

    Some, including reportedly the Thai prime minister, have said that Swift was paid millions to keep her from performing anywhere else in the region.

    “There has been some online speculation as to the size of the grant. I can say that it is not accurate and not anywhere as high as speculated,” Singapore’s culture minister Edwin Tong told parliament.

    “Due to business confidentiality reasons, we cannot reveal the specific size of the grant or the conditions of the grant.”

    Tong added that the “economic benefits to Singapore are assessed to be significant and outweigh the size of the grant”.

    Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin had reportedly said, citing a concert promoter, that Singapore offered Swift up to US$3 million per concert if she did not play anywhere else in Southeast Asia.

    A lawmaker in the Philippines also criticised Singapore, reportedly saying this was not “what good neighbours do”.

    Tong played down the role the grant may have played in convincing Swift to perform only in Singapore.

    “Promoters of top artists will do their own calculation and assess where they want to perform and for how long,” he said, citing Singapore’s location and infrastructure as key factors.

    Since the end of pandemic curbs, a number of top artists have performed in Singapore, including Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Blackpink and Harry Styles.

  • Actress Meera robbed of jewelry and watch worth millions

    Actress Meera robbed of jewelry and watch worth millions

    An FIR (First Information Report) has been registered on behalf of actress Meera at the Defence (A) Police Station of Lahore last night.

    According to the complaint, Meera came back from a shopping trip to discover that her house had been robbed. The police report says diamond jewelry worth Rs80 lacs, and a valuable watch, valued at Rs20 lacs were both missing from a trunk when she arrived home.
    Upon asking household staff, Meera found out that a boy named Qasim was missing while his mobile phone was switched off as well.

    The actress has reportedly told the police that the stolen watch was studded with diamonds.

    Police say that raids are being carried out to arrest the suspect.

  • PCB to donate earnings from match against England to flood victims

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that gate earnings from the first T20I against England will be donated to the Prime Minister’s Flood Relief Fund 2022.

    The match will be played on September 20 at the National Stadium in Karachi and will begin at 7:30pm (local time).

    The PCB has urged cricket supporters and fans to buy tickets in large quantities once they go on sale online the following week in order to show solidarity with all those affected by the floods.

     “We at the PCB express our grief and sorrow for all those affected by the extreme monsoon rainfall and floods, which has ​resulted in havoc and devastation beyond imagination, killing over 1,000 and leaving around a million homeless. As cricket unites our proud nation, we stand firmly with the victims and all those involved in​ the flood relief and rescue operations,” said PCB chairman Ramiz Raja in a statement.

    According to the data issued by the National Disaster Management Authority(NDMA), at least 1,033 people have died in floods caused by heavy rains in the country.

  • Pakistan is drowning. Why don’t we care until it’s too late?

    Floods in Pakistan have affected more than 30 million people, which is about 15 per cent of the country’s population. More than a thousand people have lost their lives and millions have been displaced, prompting the government to proclaim a national emergency. This is one of the worst natural calamities in recent times. The harrowing videos and pictures on our television screens and social media show massive devastation, pain, tears, and death spread across the country. Entire villages have been washed away, and there are places that have been fully drenched due to the inundated rain and floods, turning them into islands without any access to the outside world. There are places without electricity, without internet, without phone data, without roads, and without food and help. What Pakistan witnessed in the 2010 floods is not even close to what the country is facing today. A decade later, the country is fully swamped with water. Unfortunately, we the people woke up a little too late to this harsh reality. With every passing day, the death toll increases and so does the destruction.

    The national response has been slow, to say the least, but mercifully all governments, federal and provincial, are actively helping the flood victims. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been actively visiting the flood-affected areas and trying to be at the top of his game by showing empathy towards the needy and has categorically said that it is time Pakistanis show unity and keep everything aside to save the flood victims while Chairman PTI Imran Khan will be hosting a telethon for fundraising on Monday. However, Khan has said that the PTI’s movement for Haqeeqi Azadi will continue alongside its flood relief work. PTI held a jalsa in Jehlum for its fight for haqeeqi azadi on August 27. A PTI member took to the stage and said that overseas Pakistanis should not give funds to the flood victims because the present government took away their right to vote. Khan also reiterated that his struggle against thieves will continue whether come what may. Such calamities demand a bipartisan approach from our leaders but well here too we have managed to fail our country. Khan seems pretty adamant that his quest against those he does not approve of will continue, even if there is a flood or war. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that the Opposition can keep playing “jalsa, jalsa” while they will deal with the flood catastrophe.

    The question remains: will the politicians be able to let their politics take a backseat for now and show some empathy towards their own citizens? Can’t politics, the numbers game, and the blame game wait? For once, our politicians should look beyond their own personal interests and agendas and stand united. Our politicians must give priority to those millions of people who have been affected by floods. It is time that all Pakistanis must donate wholeheartedly. The people need to be prompt with their help and generosity. We hope that partisan politics is put on hold, and all political leaders fully dedicate their voices and efforts to helping the flood victims. They need to be rescued right now and relief efforts must continue. They will later need to be rehabilitated and relocated. It will take a lot of resources and hard work. We must all come together to help them right now. Our political battles can wait.