sr-fc188 u15
99-yard kick-off return stuns NFL The Cowboys' Kavonte Turpin turned the game on its head with just three minutes to go against the Commanders.
Corporate sector investments drive agricultural growth in Pakistan: report The representational image shows a farmer harvesting wheat at a field in the outskirts of Lahore, in Punjab province, May 16, 2013. — Reuters KARACHI: The corporate and financial sectors are increasingly investing in the agriculture sector, aiming to boost its growth and development. This insight was shared during the launch of The State of Pakistan’s Agriculture 2024 report by the Pakistan Business Council (PBC) and the Pakistan Agricultural Coalition (PAC), held at the National Foods Limited (NFL) Corporate Head Office. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1700472799616-0'); }); In his opening remarks, Ehsan Malik, CEO of the PBC, highlighted the agriculture sector’s immense potential to contribute to economic stability, food security and rural development. “This report shows how the corporate sector is playing a key role in advancing the agriculture industry,” Ehsan stated. Kazim Saeed, CEO of PAC, said that where international-level agriculture is found in Pakistan, there is often a leading corporate entity working directly with farmers. “This report documents how corporate and financial players are contributing capital, technology and expertise to the agricultural sector for its growth and prosperity,” Kazim explained. He added that many companies are adopting sustainable practices, such as regenerative agriculture, eco-friendly production methods and efficient resource usage. The event included presentations by companies whose initiatives were featured as case studies in the report. Global CEO of National Foods Limited (NFL) Abrar Hasan praised the efforts of the PBC, PAC and other corporate players driving growth in the agriculture sector. Speaking about NFL’s case study, he noted that the company is focused on self-sufficiency, increasing exports and digitising farming in Pakistan to maintain a strong value chain. “Our products and partnerships demonstrate the positive impact of technology. The ‘Seed to Table’ initiative reflects our commitment to growth beyond borders, expanding into international markets while supporting the national economy through exports,” said Abrar. He highlighted NFL’s success in developing the tomato value chain, which helped create import substitution for tomato paste, benefitting both the company and the country. “We can unlock export potential by developing the tomato paste value chain, as tomatoes have higher export potential compared to other crops,” he added, noting that NFL’s approach serves as an example of how to respond to the recent sharp depreciation of the rupee. Adil Sattar of K&N’s spoke about the company’s six-decade-long leadership in poultry breeding, introducing new technologies in poultry farming, processing and retailing for both domestic and international markets. He also mentioned their commitment to food safety and Halal certification, maintaining hand slaughtering methods instead of stunning, despite the additional cost and effort. Faraz Zafar, Investment Director at AlKaram, discussed plans for Pakistan’s largest shrimp farm, Al-Karam’s Dhabeji Aqua Foods. The farm, located in Sindh’s Thatta, will cover 400 acres and feature 300 half-acre ponds. AlKaram has also invested in companies focused on cultivation and drone-based services. Faisal Iftikhar, CEO of AquaHatch, shared the vision of Garibsons and Jaffer Group, who are investing in fish and shrimp seed businesses to support farmers across Pakistan. Taimur Malik from Drawdown Farm by Thal Industries highlighted the importance of regenerative agriculture in protecting Pakistan’s soil, water and biodiversity. Amer Aziz, CEO of HBL Zarai Services, discussed how the corporate sector can better serve farmers, while M Aminuddin, CEO of TPL Insurance, spoke about the role of crop insurance in safeguarding farmers’ livelihoods.Threads Rolls Out New Features as Upstart Bluesky Grows - Newsmax
Naomi Watts has paid a heartfelt tribute to her paternal grandmother, who died on Sunday evening at the age of 101. The British-Australian actress, 56, shared the news on social media, posting a series of photos celebrating her grandmother’s life. "Our Granny Watts made it to 101 and a half... she got her letter from the King to celebrate her century, last night she rested easy. RIP," Watts wrote, sharing a photo of her grandmother proudly holding a letter from King Charles III, adorned with the royal seal. She also included images of family members gathered around their matriarch during her 100th birthday celebrations. "Farewell Granny Watts 101.5 years old!!" she added. This is the second significant loss Watts has faced this year. In August, she mourned her maternal grandmother, Nikki Roberts, who died at 99 following a severe stroke. "My darling Nanna has left this world, but her spirit will never leave us. I’m truly blessed to have had the most wonderful relationship with her," Watts wrote at the time, accompanied by a series of personal photos. The mother-of-two reflected on her grandmother’s influence, saying, "She is such a huge part of who I am: her core values, her work ethic, and her mischievous humour and joy of life". Despite their grief, Watts noted that her family found comfort in the rich life her maternal grandmother had lived. "She just kept cracking on because she loved her life and her family," Watts shared, adding that her 'Nanna' defied the odds to celebrate one last milestone: her 99th birthday. "Grannies are the greatest. May her stories and memories live on," she wrote. Watts, who is married to actor Billy Crudup and best friends with Nicole Kidman, is in New York filming her upcoming legal drama, All’s Fair. She also has a book, Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I’d Known About Menopause, set for release in early 2025 . The book, Watts explained, will provide fans with an intimate account of her personal experience with menopause. "This is a book about how my life turned upside down when I was told I was close to menopause at the age of 36! Right when I was ready to start a family," the King Kong actress shared with her 1.9 million Instagram followers in August. "I thought it was the end of everything. Certainly, my fertility and career-boom." At the time, Watts referenced her two grandmothers, who inspired her to look for ways she could "optimise" her health. "But with the knowledge that half the population will enter menopause and two of my grandmas are still living and going strong, I was determined to investigate more and optimise my health-as well as bring women together so we can feel like we are not alone in this," she said.
Novak Djokovic might just have produced tennis’s greatest curveball yet. Even by the standards of his Melbourne theatrics, encompassing 10 titles and one lurid deportation saga, the enlistment of Andy Murray as his coach is a bolt from a clear-blue sky. It counts as the ultimate late-career Hail Mary: will it be the dream move, or will it blow up in their faces? Either way, it promises addictive viewing. Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray were adversaries throughout their careers but did play as teammates at the Laver Cup in 2022. Credit: Getty Images for Laver Cup At first glance, the idea of Murray as Djokovic’s mentor seems a gimmick, the type of stunt that icons pull to amuse themselves in off-season exhibitions. Except this experiment is heavy with consequence, with Djokovic running out of chances at 37 to break a tie with Margaret Court and win a record 25th major title. His decision to tap into Murray’s wisdom in conquering that final frontier is no mere coincidence. Their paths through life are, as he sees it, intertwined. It is not so much the fact that they were born only seven days apart as the sense that each has helped define the other. Who was across the net when Murray won his first major and his first Wimbledon? Djokovic. And who was the opponent when Djokovic completed the career grand slam? Murray. They have a mutual telepathy when it comes to channelling volatile temperament into competitive defiance. Where better to test this shared understanding than Melbourne Park, the place where they contested four finals in five years? You can see why, on paper, the tie-up appeals to both men. Murray needs greater fulfilment than being a gentleman of leisure in the Surrey stockbroker belt, aimlessly hacking his way around Wentworth. Djokovic, on the other hand, requires fresh impetus ahead of potentially his final season, a kindling of the fire as he attempts to surmount the age gap to Jannik Sinner, 23, and Carlos Alcaraz, 21, the two fearless wunderkinds who have usurped him at the summit. The Serb was alarmingly flat in losing to Sinner in this year’s Australian Open semi-finals, as if stunned by the Italian’s power. It is difficult to envisage any such listlessness under Murray’s tutelage. On the contrary, the coach’s likely message is that if Djokovic can turn the tables on the next generation once – as against Alcaraz in the Olympic final – then he can do so again. The doubt is whether Murray can stay calm enough as a sounding board for Djokovic to deliver. His own coaching team required the patience of Job to deal with his mid-match outbursts, as he lacerated them for everything from poor shot selection to not applauding him loudly enough. Djokovic is no saint in this department either: just ask Goran Ivanisevic, whom he berated furiously in Melbourne in January for failing to look at him. Is Murray the type to sit in his box and accept similar treatment with good grace? Not unless he has undergone some Damascene conversion since retiring. Celebrity coaches are hardly novel in these settings. Murray savoured his finest results under Ivan Lendl, the inscrutable eight-time major champion who appeared, even amid the convulsions of the 2013 Wimbledon final, as if he would rather be playing golf back home in Florida. It was Lendl’s poker face that offset his pupil’s histrionics and made the relationship succeed. Murray is, to put it politely, more of an open book. Yes, his tireless encouragement made him a wonderful Davis Cup team-mate. But in the egocentric world of grand slam singles, raw emotion on the sidelines can be a hindrance. Murray needs to suppress his wilder instincts, to recognise that stoicism can be a virtue. Djokovic is paying Murray the most sincere compliment in calling for his counsel. He has little time to waste, and he has reached the stage where he feels his only option in preventing another Sinner-Alcaraz clean sweep at the majors is to lean on his former adversary. Unlike career coaches, Murray understands how to shape matches through sheer force of will. He showed it in Australia only last year, when he was yelping in agony at the back of the court. Making light of his metal hip to frustrate Thanasi Kokkinakis with a series of staggering retrievals, he flipped the match on its head and secured victory at a little past 4am in an almost empty arena. That unquenchable thirst is what he needs to revive in Djokovic. Ever since that Olympic gold in August, Djokovic has lacked his usual intensity, as if realising at some level that he has completed his sport. Loading Murray is the figure who can remind him that there is still more history to write, still more distance to put between him and everybody else. How poetic it would be if it all came together with a record-extending 11th Australian Open triumph. Murray has reason to believe he is cursed in Melbourne: no other player, male or female, has competed in five finals at the same major without winning. He, too, has an itch to scratch, and who better to do it with than his once-implacable rival? The Telegraph, London News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter . Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Novak Djokovic Opinion Australian Open Andy Murray Most Viewed in Sport LoadingGift Yourself a Sam's Club Membership for $20
Imran merely an excuse to target Pak nukes, missiles: Bilawal