Tag: war

  • 13 years later, Hassan and Bano’s tragic love story in ‘Dastaan’ is still a fan favourite

    Television in Pakistan went through a seismic shift when 13 years ago, the drama ‘Dastaan’ debuted on our screens. Featuring a star-studded cast like Fawad Khan, Sanam Baloch, Saba Qamar and Ahsan Khan, the series was an adaptation of the novel ‘Bano’ by Razia Butt, an exploration of the aftermath of the subcontinent’s partition.

    The main leads, Hassan (played by Khan) and Bano (played by Baloch), are two lovers who meet when their relatives Suraiya and Salim get married. At first Hassan tries to befriend Bano, but Salim refuses to let them marry because he wants to marry her off to another man. However, just as their families approve and both are engaged, Hassan has to leave for University, and then the partition of 1947 takes place after which their lives are completely changed.

    Pakistani dramas today can’t seem to move on from saas-bahu kay jhagray and toxic love stories where women are nothing but a prop for men, so many remember the magic of ‘Dastaan’ especially the tragedy of the love story between Hassan and Bano.

    A viral tweet on Twitter had asked about a couple from a drama series that had devastated them, and the most popular reply in the Pakistani context had to be Hassan and Bano’s tragedy from ‘Dastaan’.

    https://twitter.com/MaryamAmir59627/status/1647221392369147906?s=20

  • TTP directly threatens PM Shehbaz and FM Bilawal

    The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) has announced that it is considering taking concrete steps against the two major parties of the current ruling coalition— the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

    In a notification, released on Wednesday, TTP claimed that the whole world is aware that the “Jihadi field of TTP is only Pakistan and their target is the security agencies occupying the country.”

    The banned organisation has also mentioned the names of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif as both of them have talked against TTP and warned the terrorists.

    The notification further reads that it has not taken action against any political party for a long time but “unfortunately Bilawal gave the United States (US) the status of mother to quench the thirst of his mother’s love”, adding that by doing so “he openly declared war against TTP”.

    “Although Bilawal is still young, this poor man has not yet witnessed the state of war,” the statement added.

    The TTP further said that Sharif has also “pushed the whole party into this war going against TTP for the sake of pleasing the US”.

    A statement issued by the TTP said that “if these two parties remain firm on their position and continue to be slaves of the army, then action will be taken against their leading people.”

    The statement by TTP comes just a day after FM Bilawal’s comment that the incumbent government would quit “the policy of appeasement” of terrorists, unlike the previous government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

    Moreover, PM Shehbaz earlier this week had chaired a National Security Committee (NSC) meeting in which it was decided that Pakistan would adopt a zero tolerance policy against terrorism.

    In November, the TTP announced that they have called off a ceasefire with the federal government and since then they have been attacking across the country.

  • BJP leader places Rs2 crore bounty on Bilawal Bhutto’s head for calling Modi ‘butcher of Gujarat’

    BJP leader places Rs2 crore bounty on Bilawal Bhutto’s head for calling Modi ‘butcher of Gujarat’

    Manupal Hansal, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Uttar Pradesh, has placed a Rs 2 crore bounty on the head of Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, stating that Indian people are angry at the minister’s remarks about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    “Mai ailaan karta hoon ke jo uss mantri Bilawal Bhutto ka dhar se sar alag karega, 2 crore ka inaam mai doonga” [I declare that I will give a reward of ₹2 crore to anyone who will behead Minister Bilawal Bhutto], Hansal had said.

    The BJP also held protests across India and in front of the Pakistan Embassy in New Delhi, burning effigies of the Pakistani foreign minister.

    Minister of Climate Change Sherry Rehman has condemned Hansal’s remarks in a tweet, saying that this was a testament of “the shocking impunity that extremism enjoys for doing only what terrorists do in Modi’s RSS-defined India”.

    In an interview with “Bloomberg“, Bilawal Bhutto stood by his statement about Modi by pointing out that what he had said was “a historical fact”. He also pointed out that the term “butcher of Gujarat” had not been coined by him, but by the people of Gujarat after the 2002 Godhra incident. He further added that he was aware of the bounty a BJP leader had placed on his head.

    “I was referring to a historical reality. The remarks I used weren’t my own. I did not invent the term ‘butcher of Gujarat’ for Mr Modi. The Muslims of India following the Gujarat riots used that term for Mr Modi. I believe I was referring to a historical fact and they believe that repeating history is a personal insult. If I was incorrect then … So what has happened today… it’s been two days since my remark, a member of Mr Modi’s party has announced 20 million rupee bounty on my head. So I don’t think the best way to disapprove the fact that Mr Modi is the butcher of Gujarat is to adopt such extreme steps,” he said in the interview.

    When the interviewer had further questioned Bilawal on whether these comments might further sour relations with India and even the possibility of nuclear war, the FM pointed out that Indian citizens had the right to protest, but the threat to his life was very problematic:

    “As far as my remarks concerned they resulted in protests all over India and that’s their right. I think you cross the line when you officially announce head money for your neighboring country’s foreign minister’s assassination. I think that’s a line we’re normalizing in crossing and the fact that we get to move on from that question is troubling for me when I’m engaging with Bloomberg which is an important international forum. As far as nuclear war no one has threatened nuclear war. A minister did say that Pakistan is a responsible nuclear country and should be treated as such.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZKjz4SUs7s&t=436s

    At a press conference in New York on December 16, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had responded to accusations that Pakistan had sheltered Osama bin Laden by pointing out that Modi, who is regarded as ‘butcher of Gujarat’ is still the Prime Minister of India:

    “I would like to remind Mr Jaishankar that Osama bin Laden is dead, but the butcher of Gujarat lives, and he is the prime minister (of India).”

  • Loadshedding in Paris? Symbol of love Eiffel tower will go dark early every night

    Loadshedding in Paris? Symbol of love Eiffel tower will go dark early every night

    One of the best-known and most imitated monuments in the world— the Eiffel Tower— will shut down its lights earlier than usual due to the ongoing energy crisis in Europe.

    The decision was announced by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo. The government’s plan includes aiming to save 10 per cent of Paris’ energy consumption during winters. Not just the famed tower but all of the city’s municipal buildings will turn off their lights starting at 10pm. However, public lighting will remain switched on in the city for the safety of its citizens.

    The earlier shutting off of the Eiffel Tower lights will begin on September 21. All lights will be switched off at 11:45pm when visiting time has ended.

    It is pertinent to mention that the tower makes up about 4 per cent of the monument’s annual energy expenses.

    Earlier, it was usually illuminated in golden hues within less than 10 minutes of nightfall and has an hourly 5-minute show of dazzling sparkles until 1am.

    Other actions in the mayor’s plan include lowering temperatures in public buildings, reducing water temperature in swimming pools, and axing hot water in administrative buildings and some public buildings.

    Europe’s energy crisis is one of the many setbacks of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. When the war broke out in Ukraine, European nations overwhelmingly supported the young country in its defense against Russian forces. But, historical reliance on Russian energy exports has left the continent reeling under rising energy costs.

  • UK court issues order to extradite Julian Assange to US to face trial

    UK court issues order to extradite Julian Assange to US to face trial

    On Wednesday, a United Kingdom (UK) court issued an official judgment extraditing Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, to the United States to face charges related to the publishing of secret material linked to the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.

    Priti Patel, the interior minister, now has the final say, albeit Assange has 14 days to appeal any decision to allow the transfer.

    A magistrate’s decision in central London on Wednesday takes the lengthy legal dispute in the UK courts nearer to a resolution.

    However, Assange’s attorneys have promised to make submissions to Patel and, if necessary, to launch more arguments on other issues in the case.

    His lawyers, Birnberg Peirce Solicitors, stated in a statement last month that “no appeal to the High Court has yet been made by him in respect of the other critical points he highlighted earlier”.

    “Of course, that distinct appeal process has yet to be started”.

    Last month, Assange was denied permission to appeal to the UK Supreme Court against deportation to the United States, where he might face a life sentence.

    America wants him prosecuted for the leak of 500,000 secret military files from the US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

    The 50-year-old Australian looked to have earned a relief in January of last year, claiming that being held in solitary confinement at a maximum-security US institution would put him at risk of suicide.

    The US government filed an appeal, and its attorneys cited diplomatic assurances that Assange would not be kept in harsh isolation at a federal jail and would get sufficient care during a two-day appeal hearing in October.

    Read more: Pakistani artist Shehzil Malik’s artwork makes it to ‘Ms Marvel’

    Assange appealed the decision, and in January, two judges granted him permission to file an application with the nation’s highest court on “laws of general public significance”.

    However, the court denied the appeal, stating that the application “didn’t establish an arguable question of law”.

  • Oil prices jump following Russia’s biggest production decline

    Oil prices jump following Russia’s biggest production decline

    Oil prices rose on April 13, after concerns that declining output in sanctions-hit Russia may affect supply, following the Russian announcement that peace negotiations to stop its invasion of Ukraine had reached a stalemate.

    Consequently, Brent crude futures were up 59 cents, or 0.6 per cent, to $105.23 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up 60 cents, or 0.6 per cent, to $101.20 a barrel. The previous session saw both contracts rise by more than 6%.

    On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin criticised Ukraine for the termination of peace talks and stated that Russia will not abandon its “special operation” to disarm its western neighbor.

    He stated that peace talks with Ukraine are at a stalemate, but that the seven-week operation is going as planned. In a note, ANZ oil experts stated that this raises the threat of the prolonged potential of supply disruptions in the oil sector.

    According to those familiar with the figures, Russian oil and gas extract output declined below 10 million BPD on April 11, the biggest drop since July 2020, as a result of sanctions imposed by numerous nations after Russia invaded Ukraine and logistical difficulties, which hindered business.

    This is quite serious as Russia is the world’s second-largest oil exporter.

    According to reports, Russia’s Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov said late Tuesday that the government was willing to sell oil and oil products to “friendly countries in whatever price range,” adding that Moscow was focused on guaranteeing the oil sector’s proper functioning.

    Read more: International oil prices declined by 4%, crashing below $100 per barrel

    Meanwhile, indications of a partial relaxation of some of China’s strict COVID-19 restrictions have fueled optimistic sentiment between some market players this week.

  • Mila Kunis raised $35 million for Ukraine relief in less than 30 days

    Mila Kunis raised $35 million for Ukraine relief in less than 30 days

    Since the beginning of the Ukraine crisis, individuals all over the world have come together to offer monetary and non-monetary relief to the war-torn country. Mila Kunis and her husband Ashton Kutcher were among the first fundraisers to help.

    The American actress instantly created a GoFundMe page to raise funds for Ukrainian refugees fleeing for their lives. They even kicked off the fund with a $3 million donation of their own, and donations only escalated from there.

    The couple had exceeded their $30 million goal in less than 30 days and then increased it to $40 million. They have raised more than $35.3 million from nearly 73,400 donors as of March 29, 2022.

    DST Global and Larry Ellison, the co-founder of Oracle Corporation, are among the fund’s major contributors. DST contributed a total of $3.5 million to the cause, with Ellison donating the most money of all, $5 million.

    Several anonymous donors, in addition to many others, gave significant contributions totaling more than $1 million.

    GoFundMe created a hub for verified fundraisers trying to raise money for humanitarian help in Ukraine in the wake of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

    Presently, the hub organizes fundraisers ranging from supporting major humanitarian groups such as ‘Save the Children’ to raising donations for particular Ukrainian families.

    To get verified on the donation hub, GoFundMe’s trust and safety team need to know the identity of the organizer along with how the funds will be used and who they are raising money for.

  • Russian tennis player Andrey Rublev writes ‘No War Please’ on camera after Dubai win

    Russian tennis player Andrey Rublev writes ‘No War Please’ on camera after Dubai win

    Andrey Rublev, a Russian tennis player, offered his thoughs on Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine by writing ‘No War Please’ on a camera after reaching the final of this year’s Dubai Tennis Championships on Friday.

    The 24-year-old defeated Hubert Hurkacz in their semi-final meeting and will face either Jiri Vesely or Denis Shapovalov for the coveted trophy later this week.

    Rublev went on to write the message on a nearby camera in the immediate aftermath of his victory in a public display of support for peace in the aftermath of Russian invasion of Ukraine.

    Ukraine was invaded by Russian troops in the early hours of Thursday morning after weeks of tension between the two nations, which finally escalated into a full-scale military operation.

    Rublev’s gesture comes after he initially weighed in on the situation in Ukraine following his quarter-final win over Mackenzie McDonald earlier this week.

    “In these moments you realise that my match is not important. It’s not about my match, how it affects me,” he said.

    “What’s happening [in Ukraine] is much more terrible. You realise how important it is to have peace in the world and to respect each other no matter what, to be united.”

  • ‘I am here’: Ukrainian President Zelensky tells citizens during Russian invasion

    ‘I am here’: Ukrainian President Zelensky tells citizens during Russian invasion

    Street fighting has reportedly broken out in Kyiv, as the Russian troops have reached the capital after less than three days of fighting, reports Al Jazeera.

    Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said that Ukrainian forces have been able to mount a strong defence against the Russians.

    In the early hours of Saturday, Zelensky released a video outside his office in the capital city. He said, “I am here. We will not lay down the weapons. We will defend our state. This is our land our country, our children and we will defend all of that.”

    The Ukrainian president has turned down an offer by the United States (US) government to evacuate the country. “I need ammunition, not a ride,” he remarked.

    Ukrainians have been advised to take shelter. Around100,000 people are believed to have left their homes.

    US officials believe Russian President Vladimir Putin is determined to overthrow Ukraine’s government and replace it with a regime of his own. The Biden administration has also imposed sanctions on Russia.

    On February 23, Putin allowed Russian forces to invade Ukraine.

    Zelensky, in a tweet, called for Ukraine to be granted European Union (EU) membership. He said he had discussed “further effective assistance” as well as “the heroic struggle of Ukrainians for their free future” with European Council President Charles Michel.

  • Ukrainian President imposes martial law as Putin declares war

    Ukrainian President imposes martial law as Putin declares war

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has imposed martial law in the country in response to Russian invasion.

    President Zelensky said to his people “not to panic and be strong”.

    “Today each of you should keep calm. Stay at home if you can. We are working. The army is working. The whole sector of defense and security is working”, the Ukrainian president added.

    Andrew Simmons, Al Jazeera’s reporter, revealed, “The whole sky was awash with red and orange when these missiles struck – some of which were apparently cruise missiles. And the main international airport did come under attack – it is not clear what the damage is there, but all air space is closed.”

    As per Zelensky’s Twitter account, several nations are in contact with Ukraine. In a tweet, he noted that “the world is with us”.

    Prior to this, Donetsk and Luhansk — collectively known as Donbas — was recognised by Russia as separate nations. The region consists of separatists and is pro-Russia.

    Background:

    The history goes back to 1991 when the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) disintegrated, resulting in the independence of Ukraine. It was the Ukrainian revolution when things got out of hand, Russian-favoured former President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted by popular protests and his own parliament in February 2014. He fled to Russia, where he is living in exile. Later, a new government was formed, which had United States (US) favour.

    This all led to a conflict in eastern Ukraine that began in April 2014 with low-level fighting between the Ukrainian military and Russian-backed separatist rebels in Donbas who seized some towns in predominantly Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine. For the time being, a ceasefire was signed between the two parties.

    Last year, there were speculations that Ukraine is making progress toward gaining North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) membership. However, NATO has always denied this. Russia argued that western military presence represents an existential threat to Russia. 

    Since then, Russia has been sending its troops towards the Ukrainian border. The estimated number of Russian troops deployed in and around Ukraine has ranged from 100,000 to 190,000 in recent weeks.

    According to the New York Times, there are both geopolitical and historical reasons behind Moscow’s endless pressure on Kyiv, which was the birthplace of the first Russian state in the 9th Century. The Russian language is still widely spoken in the country despite Ukraine’s own language.

    It is pertinent to mention that Ukraine is the European Union’s (EU) fourth-biggest external food supplier. It provides the bloc with about a quarter of its cereal and vegetable oil imports, including almost half of its corn.

    According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), global food prices reached a 10-year record in 2021 and the war would only make that a lot worse.