Latest news with #Kaleem
Indian Express
21-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Karnataka transfers trained Kumki elephants to Andhra. What's special about the tuskers?
The Karnataka government on Wednesday formally handed over four trained kumki elephants to neighboring Andhra Pradesh during a ceremony at the state's Vidhana Soudha administrative complex. These elephants, highly skilled in conflict mitigation, will assist in controlling wild elephant movements and preventing clashes with human settlements. What are Kumki elephants? Kumki (Persian for aid or helper) elephants are captive Asian elephants meticulously trained to perform specialised tasks in wildlife conservation. Unlike ordinary working elephants, they are conditioned to remain calm in volatile situations, responding solely to their mahouts' commands. Their primary roles include driving wild elephants away from villages, aiding in rescue operations, and even helping tame newly captured elephants. For instance, when wild elephants raid crops or villages, Kumkis are deployed to chase or guide them back into forests without violence. After wild elephants are captured (often in a kraal, a temporary enclosure), Kumkis help in their training by walking alongside them and correcting aggressive behavior. They also assist in rescuing elephants stuck in wells, mud, or other dangerous situations. VIDEO | Bengaluru: The Karnataka government hands over five trained Kumki elephants to Andhra Pradesh. The handover ceremony took place at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, where the majestic elephants were paraded before being transported. (Full video available on PTI Videos -… — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 21, 2025 Some of India's most renowned kumki elephants are stationed in the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where human-elephant conflicts are frequent. One such celebrated elephant, Kaleem, retired earlier in 2023 after six decades of service. The Tamil Nadu forest department honoured him with a ceremonial guard of honour, a gesture that moved wildlife enthusiasts and officials alike. A video of the event, shared by an Indian Administrative Service officer, showed the elderly elephant trumpeting as uniformed officers saluted him. At the heart of every Kumki elephant's success is its mahout—the skilled handler who trains, guides, and forms a lifelong partnership with the animal. This relationship, built on trust, discipline, and deep mutual understanding, is what makes Kumkis so effective in wildlife management. The mahaut's bond with the animals allows them to execute delicate operations, such as silently guiding wild elephants away from populated areas or restraining aggressive individuals during captures. Unlike ordinary captive elephants, Kumkis are highly disciplined and obedient to their mahouts (handlers). They remain calm even in aggressive situations and follow commands precisely. Some are even trained to move silently during operations to avoid alarming wild elephants. Mahouts are the Kumri elephants' trainers, protectors, and often the elephant's closest companion. Their responsibilities include, their daily care, teaching the elephant to follow verbal, tactile, and even foot-based commands, and ensuring the Kumki remains calm and responsive during high-stress operations. Mahouts often stay with the same elephant for a lifetime. This long-term partnership allows them to read subtle cues, command the elephants without force. With Karnataka's transfer of these four kumkis, Andhra Pradesh is expected to bolster its own efforts in managing its growing human-elephant conflicts. As wild spaces shrink and encounters between humans and elephants increase, these trained pachyderms remain an indispensable tool in conservation.
Express Tribune
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Pakistani kickboxer Agha Kaleem KOs opponent in 15 seconds to win Championship
Pakistan's rising kickboxing star Agha Kaleem delivered a thunderous statement at the World Professional Kickboxing Championship, knocking out Azerbaijan's Revan Musayev in just 15 seconds. The win caps off a dominant performance by the 24-year-old from Quetta, who has become one of Pakistan's most promising combat athletes despite overwhelming odds. The TKO came early in the opening round and left no room for doubt as Kaleem's hand was raised in front of a stunned crowd. The championship bout adds to Kaleem's growing international résumé. Just two months earlier, he secured a silver medal in the 51kg category at the IFMA World Muaythai Championships, where he controversially lost in the final to a Croatian opponent. 'I did not lose. They made me lose. The referee showed partiality in the final,' Kaleem said at the time, while still expressing pride in bringing home a medal. Born in Quetta and now based in Baldia Town, Karachi, Kaleem's story is the epitome of resilience. Despite his international success, he has spent years selling parathas and tea at a roadside stall to support himself. His fortunes began to shift in 2023 after support from singer Ali Zafar and former cricket captain Shahid Afridi, who backed him during his journey to winning the International MMA Championship last year. 'Alhamdulillah, I won the international MMA championship,' Kaleem wrote in a post tagging Zafar. Zafar replied: 'Amazing! Believed in you all the way. So proud.' With yet another medal under his belt and a record-breaking knockout to his name, Agha Kaleem is fast becoming a symbol of Pakistani grit — a fighter in every sense of the word.
Express Tribune
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Pakistan's Agha Kaleem wins silver at IFMA World Muaythai Championship
Pakistani kickboxer Agha Kaleem secured a silver medal in the 51kg category at the International Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA) World Muaythai Championship on Tuesday. Kaleem delivered strong performances throughout the tournament but fell short in the final against a Russian opponent. Following the match, he posted on social media, thanking Shahid Afridi foundation. He also stated that winning the silver medal was just the start. The IFMA World Muaythai Championship featured competitors from 40 countries and is considered one of the highest levels of competition in the sport. Despite the loss, Kaleem expressed gratitude for bringing home a medal for Pakistan. Originally from Quetta and now residing in Baldia Town, Karachi, Kaleem supports himself by selling tea. Despite his achievements in kickboxing and MMA, financial struggles forced him to work at a local food stall. However, he later received support from singer Ali Zafar and former cricket captain Shahid Afridi, which helped him compete at the international level. Kaleem previously won the International MMA Championship in 2023. After his victory, he shared his gratitude on social media, tagging Ali Zafar, who responded, 'Amazing! Believed in you all the way. So proud.'
CBC
10-02-2025
- Politics
- CBC
These young people are voting Conservative and it speaks to a larger trend, says political science professor
One Memorial University student is working to revive the MUN Conservatives club for the first time since 2021. Ahsan Kaleem moved to Newfoundland and Labrador from Pakistan in 2016. He is in the process of getting his Canadian citizenship approved, and if all goes well, 2025 will mark his first time participating in a Canadian election. The federal Conservatives will have his vote. "I learned more about Canadian culture, politics, and economics since 2016. It's just cost of living is going up, and everything and the quality of life is going down," Kaleem said. With a federal election looming, Kaleem saw a gap in Conservative representation on campus. "There are already NDP and Liberal clubs, but there wasn't anything for Conservatives, and that's where I believe that we should start having those conversations now," he said. Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is campaigning, in part, on what he's calling "common sense" Conservatism — branding that resonates with Kaleem. Kaleem believes young people have been sold political ideals for too long. "There has sort of been a little more cancel culture toward if you say you're Conservative, you're not considered cool," Kaleem said. "I'll come up with my own slogan saying 'it's cool to be Conservative.'" Focus on housing, affordability Kaleem isn't alone in his political stance. Young people's political priorities are becoming more focused on their immediate needs — housing and the cost of living — compared to a decade ago, says a political science professor. "Justin Trudeau, of course, won 10 years ago with a great deal of youth support. But that was 10 years ago, and so, today's young people aged 18 to 25 weren't part of that wave," said Jonathan Malloy, who studies parliamentary government at Carleton University in Ottawa. "The young people that supported him 10 years ago are now 10 years older." The 2015 federal election saw a huge increase in turnout among young Canadians — particularly young Canadian women — who helped Trudeau win. Roughly 58 per cent of newly eligible voters turned out to vote in that election. This year, nationally, Malloy expects those in the 18 to 30 age bracket will swing more toward the Conservative Party of Canada than in past elections. He says some young people are putting their concerns about the environment and social justice on the back burner. "Young people are more concerned about what I'll call bread and butter issues than in the past," he said. "Young people today are concerned about themselves, their ability to get good jobs, their ability to be able to afford a home or to pay rent." Young men for Poilievre With both a provincial and federal election on the horizon, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians will eventually have to cast ballots twice this year, and that could lead to a change in both levels of government for the first time in 10 years. Trudeau's Liberals have been trailing Poilievre's Conservatives by more than 20 points in the polls for over a year. Malloy said young men are among Poilievre's strongest supporters. "Young men, there's definitely a gender divide there, and in fact, they're among the core of the federal Conservative support for Pierre Poilievre," he said. With an emphasis on blue-collar labour and hard work, Malloy said Poilievre's values resonate for some young men who feel left out of the Trudeau government. Federal Conservative candidate for Terra Nova-The Peninsulas, Jonathan Rowe, is an example of one of these young men. From Clarenville, N.L., Rowe is 27. If elected, he could be one of the province's youngest Conservative MPs. CBC News asked Rowe for an interview, but he declined, saying he was directed to by the Conservative Party of Canada. The CPC did not respond to the CBC's request for comment. Blue wave in N.L. In Newfoundland and Labrador, six of seven Members of Parliament are Liberal — and five of them aren't seeking re-election. Éric Grenier, a poll analyst with The Writ, is also running the CBC's poll tracker for the federal campaign. He anticipates that on election day Newfoundland and Labrador will follow what looks to be the trend across the country and end up mostly blue, with one or two red or orange dots around St. John's. Grenier believes the sole Newfoundland and Labrador Conservative MP Clifford Small will win again in his Coast of Bays-Central-Notre Dame riding. Grenier says he thinks Conservatives are likely to pick up the Newfoundland and Labrador seats of Bonavista-Burin-Trinity, Avalon, Long Range Mountains and Labrador. "Those look pretty likely to swing over to the Conservatives. The Liberals won them by relatively small margins last time," he said. Ready for change Meanwhile, Kristina Ennis, president of Newfoundland and Labrador's PC Women's Association, said she doesn't know an adult life under a PC premier or Conservative prime minister. Voting for the opposition, she said, is a vote for change. "I think people are ready to see a change, and whether that change will be effective, who knows? Nobody really knows, but if we don't try something else, we will never know if that other option was better," she said. Ennis was the PC candidate for St. John's West in the 2021 provincial election. On the campaign trail, she said she noticed some people's voting habits date back to Newfoundland's confederation — when Liberal premier Joey Smallwood was at the helm. "It's not uncommon to knock on a door in N.L., and someone references Joey Smallwood," Ennis said. "I find a lot of folks really just gravitate towards the party that maybe their parents or their grandparents supported for a really long time." She says the issues concerning young people are political. "Things that are political are things that our government is in control over, and they're the responsible organization to run it," Ennis said.
