Latest news with #Shafique
Business Recorder
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Business Recorder
PSL 2025 sets new record with 500 sixes in a single season
The 2025 edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has etched its name in the record books, delivering the most sixes in a single season in the tournament's history. According to official statistics, a total of 500 sixes were struck across 34 matches in PSL 2025, surpassing the previous record of 498 sixes set during the 2023 season. This marks the first time the 500-sixes barrier has been breached in a single edition of the PSL. Lahore Qalandars thrash Islamabad United to qualify for PSL 10 final The surge in big hitting reflects both the explosive talent on display and the evolving nature of T20 cricket in Pakistan. The top five seasons with the most sixes now include: 2025 – 500 sixes 2023 – 498 sixes 2021 – 440 sixes 2022 – 435 sixes 2018 – 414 sixes The 2025 season saw several standout performances with the bat, as local and international players consistently cleared the boundary ropes, thrilling fans and boosting engagement. Shafique shines as Lahore Qalandars knock Karachi Kings out of PSL 10 Cricket analysts credit improved batting conditions, power-packed lineups, and flatter pitches for the surge in sixes, while also pointing to increased confidence and innovation among T20 batters. With each season raising the bar, PSL continues to evolve into one of the most exciting and competitive T20 leagues globally.
Time of India
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Superboys of Malegaon ending explained: Did Shafique die of cancer, and where Is Nasir today?
Superboys of Malegaon ending explained: Superboys of Malegaon, which is directed by Reema Kagti and written by Varun Grover, and stars Adarsh Gourav, Vineet Kumar Singh, Shashank Arora, and Anuj Singh Duhan, is likely to go down as one of the greatest movies of 2025. Since its recent OTT release, the film has got a lot of love online, with viewers crying uncontrollably at its breathtaking beauty. It chronicles the lives of Nasir Shaikh and other amateur filmmakers in the little village of Malegaon and is based on a true story. If you have watched the film and want to dive into the ending, we have got you covered! (Spoilers ahead, you know what to do) Superboys of Malegaon ending explained Just to give context, Nasir and his team's Malegaon version of Sholay worked really well and the video parlor earned much too and everyone felt that Nasir's behaviour has changed somehow and the bitterness between the pals increased. Fast forward to later is that Nasir's movies stopped working and he started working at a food place. How did Nasir pay tribute to Shafique? One fine day, Nasir realizes that it's finally time to fulfill Farogh's long-promised story and he decides Shafique should be the star. Shafique had expressed his hope of doing something meaningful in life before dying, and this felt like the perfect opportunity. The gang comes together to create a new film, casting Shafique as Superman but with a unique twist. In their story, Superman is a Martian sent to Earth by his father after their world is destroyed. Growing up as an orphan in poverty, he develops a tobacco addiction, symbolizing deeper struggles. In the film, tobacco is portrayed as a tyrannical king who wants everything under his control. They complete the film, and it receives an outpouring of love from the audience. More importantly, it deeply moves everyone involved, especially Shafique, who finally feels that he has achieved something significant in his life. A hilarious and heartfelt look at small-town filmmaking, Super Boys of Malegaon celebrates passion over perfection. Simple, charming, and packed with moments that will leave you smiling. A genuinely enjoyable watch ❤️👌 .#SuperboysofMalegaon Superboys of Malegaon is a film that everyone needs to a reminder that every dream—no matter how big, small, or seemingly impossible—deserves respect.A low budget doesn't mean low value.A small town doesn't mean small ambitions. What a powerful Kumar Singh 🫡Movie still: Superboys of Malegaon (2025, dir: Reema Kagti) Superboys of Malegaon - ek aisi film jo dil chhoo koi pretence, na asli logon ki asli kahani, hassi ke saath aansuon wali scene dekh kar aankhon mein paani aa film banayi hai! ❤️#SuperboysOfMalegaon #AmazonPrime #MustWatch #ReemaKagti Where are the real people Superboys of Malegaon is based on? At the end of the film, makers tell us about the real people who inspired the movie and where they are now. Shafique Shaikh died of lung cancer in 2011 at the age of 30. Farogh Jaferi passed away in 2020 at the age of 45. Irfan Ilyas runs a business and acts in films made in Malegaon. Aleem Tahir is an author and teaches Urdu in Mumbai. Akram Khan turned a producer in Malegaon and also makes movies for his YouTube channel. Nasir got married to Shabeena and has three kids with her. Superboys of Malegaon review The first thing to say about Superboys of Malegaon is that it's a beautifully crafted film. It is emotionally charged yet incredibly uplifting, teaching you something new with every scene. The movie keeps you inspired and never feels like a drag. It offers a rich mix of emotions from light-hearted fun to moments of heartbreak, from the joy of creativity to the pain of dealing with health issues. There's so much packed into the story that you stay fully engaged from start to finish. @kagtireema Superboys of Malegaon is wonderfully made. Loved the aeroplane reference, first mentioned by Shafique during the shoot, then reintroduced by the waterfall after the bad news. A beautifully composed low shot, perfectly placed. The direction, too, is particularly nuanced. One standout example is the aeroplane reference, first mentioned by Shafique during a shoot, and later poignantly reintroduced near the waterfall after we get to know that his tumor has come back. It's a beautifully composed low-angle shot, placed with perfect timing, and it captures the film's layered storytelling so well. You can stream Superboys of Malegaon on Prime Video. And oh, they're right, 'writer baap hota hai.'
The Independent
15-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Sudan faces deepening crisis as civil war hits two-year mark
Sudan is facing a deepening humanitarian crisis two years into a brutal civil war, marked by escalating atrocities and widespread famine. The conflict, described by the UN as the world's worst humanitarian emergency, has reached a critical juncture following a recent shift in the fighting. In March, the Sudanese military regained control of the capital, Khartoum, from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This victory, however, has not brought peace but instead pushed the conflict into a dangerous new phase, raising fears of a potential division of the country. Over the weekend, the violence intensified as RSF fighters and allied militias attacked two refugee camps in the Darfur region, leaving at least 300 dead. The besieged Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps, home to around 700,000 displaced Sudanese, are now grappling with famine conditions, further exacerbated by the ongoing fighting that prevents aid workers from reaching those in desperate need. The humanitarian situation is dire, with half of Sudan 's population of 50 million facing hunger. The World Food Program has confirmed famine in 10 locations and warned of its potential spread, putting millions at risk of starvation. Kashif Shafique, country director for Relief International Sudan, the last aid organisation operating in the Zamzam camp, stressed the urgency of the situation. "This abominable conflict has continued for two years too long," he said, following the deaths of nine of his colleagues in the RSF attack. Mr Shafique called for international pressure to secure a ceasefire, emphasizing the critical need for immediate action. "Every moment we wait, more lives hang in the balance,"he warned. "Humanity must prevail." Here is what is happening as the war marks its second anniversary on Tuesday. Carving up Sudan The war erupted on April 15, 2023, with pitched battles between the military and the RSF in the streets of Khartoum that quickly spread to other parts of the country. It was the culmination of months of tension between the head of the military, Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the RSF's commander, Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo. The two were once allies in suppressing Sudan's movement for democracy and civilian rule but turned on each other in a struggle for power. The fighting has been brutal. Large parts of Khartoum have been wrecked. Nearly 13 million people have fled their homes, 4 million of them streaming into neighboring countries. At least 20,000 people have been recorded killed, but the true toll is probably far higher. Both sides have been accused of atrocities, and the RSF fighters have been notorious for attacking villages in Darfur, carrying out mass killings of civilians and rapes of women. The military's recapture of Khartoum in late March was a major symbolic victory. It allowed Mr Burhan to return to the capital for the first time since the war started and declare a new government, boosting his standing. But experts say the RSF consolidated its hold on the areas it still controls — a vast stretch of western and southern Sudan, including the Darfur and Kordofan regions. The military holds much of the north, east and centre. 'The reality on the ground already resembles a de facto partition,' said Federico Donelli, an assistant professor of international relations at Università di Trieste in Italy. Mr Donelli said it's possible the two sides could seek a ceasefire now. But more likely, he said, the military will keep trying to move on RSF-held territory. Neither side appears able to defeat the other. 'Both parties are suffering from combat fatigue,' said Suliman Baldo, director of the Sudan Transparency and Policy Tracker. The RSF is weakened by internal fissures and 'lacks political legitimacy within the country,' said Sharath Srinivasan, professor of international politics at Cambridge University. But it has strong access to weapons and resources, bolstered by support from the United Arab Emirates, Chad, Uganda, Kenya, South Sudan and Ethiopia, he said. 'Without understanding the complex regional geopolitics of this war, it is easy to underplay the RSF's resilience and ability to strike back,' said Mr Srinivasan, author of When Peace Kills Politics: International Intervention and Unending Wars in the Sudans. Famine is deepening Hundreds of thousands of people trapped by the fighting face hunger and starvation. So far, the epicentre of famine has been in the North Darfur province and particularly the Zamzam camp. The RSF has been besieging the camp as it wages an offensive on El Fasher, the regional capital and the last main position of the military in the Darfur region. Amna Suliman, a mother of four living in the camp, said people have resorted to eating grass and tree leaves. 'We have no choice,' she said in a recent phone interview. 'We live in fear, with no communication, no food, and no hope.' Since famine was first declared in Zamzam in August, it has spread to other parts of the province and nearby South Kordofan province. The WFP warned this week that 17 other locations will also soon fall into famine – including other parts of the Darfur region but also places in central and south Sudan – because aid workers cannot reach them. 'The situation is very dire,' said Adam Yao, deputy representative of the UN Food and Agricultural Agency in Sudan. Already, at least 25 million people, more than half of the country's population, face acute hunger, including 638,000 who face catastrophic hunger, the most dire rating used by aid agencies, according to the WFP. Some 3.6 million children are acutely malnourished. The needs everywhere are huge In other areas, the military's capture of territory allowed aid groups to reach refugees and displaced people who have been largely cut off from aid for two years. Sudan has been hit by multiple outbreaks of cholera, malaria and dengue in the past two years. The latest cholera outbreak in March killed about 100 people and sickened over 2,700 others in the White Nile province, according to the Health Ministry. The economy has been decimated, with a 40 per cent drop in GDP, according to the United Nations' Development Program, UNDP. Full-time employment has been halved and almost 20 per cent of urban households reported that they have no income at all, it said. At the same time, UN agencies and aid groups have faced funding cuts from major donors, including the United States. Only 6.3 per cent of the $4.2 billion required for humanitarian assistance in Sudan this year has been received as of March, said Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Sudan. 'The reductions come at a time when the needs in Sudan have never been greater, with more than half of the population hungry and famine spreading,' she said. About 400,000 people managed to return to their hometowns in areas retaken by the military around Khartoum and nearby Gezira province, according to the UN migration agency. Many found their homes destroyed and looted. They depend largely on local charities for food. Abdel-Raham Tajel-Ser, a father of three children, returned in February to his neighborhood in Khartoum's sister city of Omdurman after 22 months of displacement. The 46-year-old civil servant said he found his house, which had been occupied by the RSF, severely damaged and looted. 'It was a dream,' he said of his return, adding that his life in the largely destroyed neighborhood with almost no electricity or communications is 'much better than living as a refugee or a displaced person'.
Express Tribune
03-04-2025
- Express Tribune
Children's growing interest in toy guns raises concerns
The indulgence of children in the purchase of dangerous toy weapons, playing games like 'thief and police' in the streets of Rawalpindi during Eid holidays has raised questions for parents and authorities. These games involved fake armed encounters and firing toy guns, with children pretending to be injured and falling down. Throughout the three days of Eid, children spent all their "Eidi" (Eid gifts) on purchasing toy weapons. In neighbourhoods, children played "thief and police" games using toy guns, firing them during play. Shopkeepers also raised the prices of toy weapons. For three consecutive days, children in the city's inner areas were engrossed in playing with dangerous toy weapons. A large number of children purchased toy weapons from street vendors and shops, spending all their Eidi money on them. Children enjoyed playing with toy weapons, some even setting off firecrackers. Toy guns available ranged from common pistols to more dangerous ones like Kalashnikovs and Triple-2 rifles. The sale of toy weapon ammunition is also at an all-time high, with toy guns priced between Rs150 and Rs350, and packs of bullets available for Rs50. Various types of toy guns, including Sten guns, Brain guns, Kalashnikovs, and rifles, were available, and their prices had also been increased. Temporary stalls were set up across the city selling these dangerous toy weapons, showcasing their wide availability. The growing interest of children in weapons is a concern for both parents and authorities. Two children, Faizan and Shafique, expressed joy in firing pistols, with both spending most of their Eidi on a Triple-2 pistol.
Al Arabiya
25-03-2025
- Health
- Al Arabiya
Humanitarian aid cuts could cause more children to die: UN
Cuts in international aid could bring an end to decades of progress in fighting child mortality, and even reverse the trend, the UN warned Monday. Although the annual report from UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and the World Bank does not single out the US, it comes as President Donald Trump's administration has axed the vast majority of the programs carried out by USAID, America's main overseas aid agency with a former annual budget of 42.8 billion dollars. 'The global health community cannot be worried enough at the situation that we are seeing,' Fouzia Shafique, UNICEF's Associate Director of Health, told AFP. The report warns the consequences of aid money cuts will be the worst in countries where infant mortality rates are already the highest, such as in sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia. 'Simply put, if support for life-saving services is not sustained, many countries can expect a resurgence of newborn and child deaths,' the report said. In 2023, mortality of children under age five continued to drop, with 4.8 million deaths recorded, including 2.3 million newborn babies under a month old, according to the report. The number of such deaths fell below five million for the first time in 2022, and the new record low marks a 52 percent decline since 2000. But Shafique insisted that '4.8 million is 4.8 million too many.' Since 2015, progress in fighting child mortality has slowed as aid money was redirected toward fighting Covid—and this could be just the start of a dangerous pattern. 'Bringing preventable child deaths to a record low is a remarkable achievement. But without the right policy choices and adequate investment, we risk reversing these hard-earned gains,' UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a statement. 'We cannot allow that to happen,' she added. Some negative impacts of the funding cuts are being felt already, such as health care worker shortages, clinic closures, vaccination program disruptions, and a lack of essential supplies, such as malaria treatments. Ethiopia, for instance, is enduring a big increase in malaria cases, said Shafique. But the country is facing an acute shortage of diagnostic tests, insecticide-treated nets for beds, and funding for spraying campaigns against disease-carrying mosquitoes. A separate report by the same organizations found a stubbornly high number of stillbirths—babies who die after 28 weeks of pregnancy, before or during childbirth—with a total of around 1.9 million such deaths in 2023. 'Every day, more than 5,000 women around the world endure the heartbreaking experience of stillbirth,' the second report states. With proper care during pregnancy and childbirth, many of these deaths could be averted, as could the premature births of fragile babies. And deaths of small children could also be largely avoided by fighting preventable diseases such as pneumonia and diarrhea. 'From tackling malaria to preventing stillbirths and ensuring evidence-based care for the tiniest babies, we can make a difference for millions of families,' said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization.
