Latest news with #Fatima
Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- Hamilton Spectator
‘A needle in a haystack': Hamilton family scours Panama jungle for missing dad and kids
Walking across a narrow bridge in northwest Panama — a low, tea-coloured river to her left and boundless jungle rising to her right — Nagham Azzam-Iqbal pauses to reflect on the task ahead. 'We're searching for a needle in a haystack.' The Ancaster woman is thousands of kilometres from home in a desperate effort to find her brother-in-law, Ghussan Iqbal, who vanished into the dense forests near the border of Panama and Costa Rica with his two young children last week. Azzam-Iqbal said Iqbal, 31, graduated from McMaster University and lived on the Hamilton Mountain before he moved to the Panamanian city of Changuinola about a year ago, just before his wife, Fatima, gave birth to their son. He went missing with his seven-month-old son and two-year-old daughter on May 21, when Fatima woke up to find them gone. 'We just came as quick as we could,' Azzam-Iqbal said over video call Thursday, tilting her phone to show her husband, Sulman Iqbal, as they walked on the bridge Thursday to meet a search team that includes police, firefighters and several members of Fatima's Panama-based family. The couple flew to Costa Rica on the night of May 22 before crossing into Panama by bus and foot the following day. Azzam-Iqbal, 31, said her brother-in-law has untreated mental-health issues. Prior to moving to Panama, he was hospitalized at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton for an episode of psychosis, she added. 'We know Ghussan has psychosis and during psychotic episodes, he tends to disappear,' she said. 'He's someone who's unwell and vulnerable, and he has even more vulnerable children with him.' Despite reported sightings — local authorities have put out multiple Amber Alerts — the search for Iqbal, his daughter Nousaybah and his son Musa has so far turned up naught, with the three believed to be somewhere in the jungle. Azzam-Iqbal said the terrain in the area — tall trees, thick greenery and tangled vines surround a few narrow mountain roads flanked by a river — has made the situation 'dire.' As has the weather: rain and humid heat, north of 30 C, is forecast in Changuinola for the next seven days. There are other things that are out of the family's control. Changuinola is sparsely populated with just over 30,000 residents, many of whom live in remote, tucked away Indigenous communities. Meanwhile, Bocas Del Toro, the province where the city is located, recently declared a state of emergency amid protests against the local government. 'Can you see the blockade right behind me?' Azzam-Iqbal said, pointing to police and barricades at one end of the bridge. While local police are helping with the search, Azzam-Iqbal said they lack resources. She said they don't have any search dogs, night-vision goggles or drones. Instead, they've relied on more traditional means: boots on the ground, megaphones, flashlights and word of mouth. 'The people in the remote Indigenous communities, when they see us, they come running to tell us where they spotted him,' she said. 'It's not a well-resourced search, but it's one where everyone's invested in the well-being of these kids and Ghussan.' 'We have no idea how a seven-month-old and two-year-old would survive. There's a lot of vegetation and farmers in the area — maybe he's stealing fruit to feed them. We don't want to think of the worst outcome,' she added. As they continue the search, the family is also pleading with Canadian officials to step in — Iqbal and his two-year-old daughter are both citizens. Azzam-Iqbal said Global Affairs Canada has assigned them a case manager from Latin America to help liaise with local authorities. They've also provided consular services, 'but they said they can't interfere with a foreign investigation. 'Emotional support, but nothing tangible,' Azzam-Iqbal said. In a statement, Global Affairs said it's aware of the missing-person cases but that local law enforcement is responsible investigating such reports in their jurisdiction. 'Consular officials are actively engaged with local authorities and are providing consular assistance to the family,' a spokesperson for the agency said. 'The safety and security of Canadian citizens abroad is a top priority for the Government of Canada.' No other information was shared. Azzam-Iqbal said the family is pleading with anyone who might have had contact recently with Ghussan to contact the family or Hamilton police, who she noted have been made aware of the situation. 'Our number-one priority is the children, but we want him to know that we're here for him and we want to support him,' she said.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Bahria College Blue, Blasters Ballers triumph
A view of the girls basketball match during the Shuhada-e-Traffic Police Trophy being held at the International Abdul Nasir Basketball Court in Aram Bagh. PHOTO: APP Bahria College Karsaz Blue defeated Blasters Ballers Club with a score of 10-2 in the first match of the day at the Shuhada-e-Traffic Police Trophy Girls Basketball Tournament at the International Abdul Nasir Basketball Court in Aram Bagh. From the winning team, Raheema scored 4 points, while Dua and Kanza Ali contributed 2 points each. From the runner-up team, Fatima managed to score 2 points. In the second match, Blasters Ballers bounced back and defeated Bahria College Karsaz Yellow by 7-2. For the winning team, Humeima scored 4 points and Fatima added 3. From the runner-up side, Urooj scored 2 points. In the third match, Bahria College Blue comfortably beat Bahria College Yellow by 20-6. From the winning team, Mahjabeen scored 10 points, Raheema 6, and Katrah Ali 4. For the runner-up team, Dania, Fatima Imran, and Maheen each scored 2 points. At the start of the matches, the players and organizers were introduced to DSP Saeed Arain of the Police Sports Board. Notable personalities including Ghulam Muhammad Khan, Tariq Hussain, and others were also present at the occasion. The tournament is being held under the auspices of Firdous Ittehad and with the permission of the Karachi Basketball Association (KBA)and under the patronage of the Traffic Police. Technical officials and referees for these matches included Aamir Sharif, Zahid Malik, Muhammad Ashraf, Zaeema Khatoon, Nasrat Afzal, and Muhammad Usman.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
FC Barcelona's 17-year-old star Lamine Yamal credits grandmother for his success
Lamine Yamal is still a minor and will sign a full contract with Barcelona when he turns 18 in July. Lamine Yamal is still a minor and will sign a full contract with Barcelona when he turns 18 in July. Photograph: Albert Gea/Reuters Lamine Yamal, Barcelona and Spain's 17-year-old football sensation, was about to sign a new contract with his club when he realised his grandmother wasn't there and said they couldn't go ahead if she wasn't in the photo along with his agent, the FC Barcelona president and the rest of his family. Lamine Yamal, who has won hearts and minds not just with his talent on the pitch but for his humility, credits Fatima, his paternal grandmother, with keeping his feet on the ground after his parents separated when he was three years old. Advertisement The contract, which will keep Lamine Yamal at Barcelona until 2031, when he will still be only 24, is in fact a pre-contract as the player is still a minor. He will officially sign when he turns 18 in July, with Fatima in attendance. The contract has a buyout clause of €1bn (£840m) Related: 'A phenomenon': Inzaghi hails Lamine Yamal after his star turn against Inter Fatima left Morocco in 1990 and arrived in Barcelona accompanied by her five children, among them Lamine Yamal's father Mounir Nasraoui. She played a key role in Lamine Yamal's upbringing after his mother, Sheila Ebana, from Equatorial Guinea, and Nasraoui separated. When Lamine Yamal offered to buy Fatima a house she refused, saying she preferred to stay where she was in Rocafonda, the working-class neighbourhood in Mataró, a coastal town north of Barcelona. Advertisement True to his origins, Lamine Yamal celebrates his goals with his hands forming the numbers 304, the Rocafonda postal code. Already rated by many pundits as the best player in the world, Lamine signed for Barcelona in 2014 when he was six years old and was raised in La Masia, the club's famous school-cum-football academy. He made his first-team debut in 2023. Related: Lamine Yamal: the perfect dopamine-hit footballer for our terminally online world | Barney Ronay At the Uefa European Championship last year he became the youngest player to appear in the competition, scoring the goal of the tournament against France in the semi-finals. Advertisement During the competition, which was held in Germany, Spain's use of their young star was constrained by local labour laws that forbid anyone under 18 to work after 8pm. Last year Lamine Yamal became the youngest player to be nominated for the coveted Ballon d'Or, winning the Kopa Trophy for best young player. At 16 he broke the record held by Barcelona teammate Gavi as Spain's youngest goalscorer.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
FC Barcelona's 17-year-old star Lamine Yamal credits grandmother for his success
Lamine Yamal, Barcelona and Spain's 17-year-old football sensation, was about to sign a new contract with his club when he realised his grandmother wasn't there and said they couldn't go ahead if she wasn't in the photo along with his agent, the FC Barcelona president and the rest of his family. Lamine Yamal, who has won hearts and minds not just with his talent on the pitch but for his humility, credits Fatima, his paternal grandmother, with keeping his feet on the ground after his parents separated when he was three years old. The contract, which will keep Lamine Yamal at Barcelona until 2031, when he will still be only 24, is in fact a pre-contract as the player is still a minor. He will officially sign when he turns 18 in July, with Fatima in attendance. The contract has a buyout clause of €1bn (£840m) Fatima left Morocco in 1990 and arrived in Barcelona accompanied by her five children, among them Lamine Yamal's father Mounir Nasraoui. She played a key role in Lamine Yamal's upbringing after his mother, Sheila Ebana, from Equatorial Guinea, and Nasraoui separated. When Lamine Yamal offered to buy Fatima a house she refused, saying she preferred to stay where she was in Rocafonda, the working-class neighbourhood in Mataró, a coastal town north of Barcelona. True to his origins, Lamine Yamal celebrates his goals with his hands forming the numbers 304, the Rocafonda postal code. Already rated by many pundits as the best player in the world, Lamine signed for Barcelona in 2014 when he was six years old and was raised in La Masia, the club's famous school-cum-football academy. He made his first-team debut in 2023. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion At the Uefa European Championship last year he became the youngest player to appear in the competition, scoring the goal of the tournament against France in the semi-finals. During the competition, which was held in Germany, Spain's use of their young star was constrained by local labour laws that forbid anyone under 18 to work after 8pm. Last year Lamine Yamal became the youngest player to be nominated for the coveted Ballon d'Or, winning the Kopa Trophy for best young player. At 16 he broke the record held by Barcelona teammate Gavi as Spain's youngest goalscorer.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Fatima Sana Shaikh shares what makes OTT more ‘liberating' for artistes
Last seen on screen in 2023 in the film Sam Bahadur, actor Fatima Sana Shaikh has a busy year ahead with multiple films including Aap Jaisa Koi, Gustaakh Ishq and Metro... In Dino. But apart from that, she would also be making her web series debut with a social drama titled Nyaya. Ask her about what made her decide to make her foray into the space with this show and Fatima Sana Shaikh shares, 'I really liked the story. I liked that my role was interesting, and I am playing a cop for the first time, so I am excited for that. The story has an intention; a cause and it talks about something. So, I really enjoyed being a part of a show which is larger than just a topic.' Asserting on the merging of the mediums of films and OTT, and the interchange of the biggest names between them, Fatima says, 'The line has blurred, and today everyone just wants to make good projects and have them reach people. Medium doesn't matter much at this point. The charm of cinema is there, and you miss that on OTT, but there is so much great stuff on the web, because there is no pressure of box office. People are making what they want to make, and there is a freedom in that.' She adds, 'The beauty of the medium is that you put your work out there, and whether to see it or not is the audience's wish. There is liberty in that, and thus, even an artiste stays stress free.' But in this gap of almost two years from screen, did she miss it? 'I didn't because I was working. I did four projects last year, so I was so engaged and consumed in my work, that I forgot about everything around. I register such things only when I have no work,' she ends.
