BULLEH SHAH: A SELECTION RENDERED INTO ENGLISH VERSE BY TAUFIQ RAFAT — this book is a collection of poems in the kafi style by the great Sufi poet of Punjab, Bulleh Shah, translated into English by Taufiq Rafat, one of Pakistan’s premier English language poets. Bulleh Shah belonged to the oral tradition and his poems […]
Arts, Culture & Books
Bosnia’s fruit growers prove resilient amid pandemic downturn
Plum season is upon us, and in the orchards of northern Bosnia fruit growers are busy with the harvest, most of which will be processed at local factories and shipped to buyers in the European Union and Russia. Despite being in urgent need of reform, Bosnia’s agricultural sector has weathered the global pandemic better than […]
‘We can work it out’ says closure-threatened home of The Beatles
“It’s hot, it’s sweaty, it’s packed – that’s its reputation from back in the day with The Beatles, and it’s still a proper rock and roll venue,” said Jon Keats, Director of the Liverpool cellar bar where Britain’s best-known musical export found fame. That bittersweet sentence explains both why visitors from around the world flocked […]
Comedian mocks Zimbabwe’s government, despite fear of reprisal
Victor Mpofu is using satire to shine a light on Zimbabwe’s political problems, reaching a growing audience despite living in fear of retribution from President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government. Mpofu, aka Doc Vikela, has seen his followers on YouTube channel Simuka Comedy grow from less than 1,000 subscribers in January when he ventured into political satire […]
Sweden to ease some COVID-19 curbs on sports, gatherings from October
Sweden plans to ease pandemic rules to allow more spectators at cultural and sporting events, if they can be organised to prevent the risk of spreading the new coronavirus, the government said on Friday. In March, Sweden limited public gatherings to 50 people to halt the spread of the virus, effectively preventing theatres, soccer clubs […]
Tiny Channel Island of Sark starts bid to try and double its population of 492
The idyllic car-free Channel Island of Sark is now trying to double its falling population which now stands at just 492. German entrepreneur Swen Lorenz, who has been based on the island of Sark since 2004, has now launched Sark Society in a bid to rescue the island’s dwindling population, which stood at around 650 […]
Glaciers in New Zealand’s Southern Alps have lost over half of their ice in the last 400 years
The Southern Alps in New Zealand are the latest icy region to be devastated by global warming. A study finds the mountains have lost up to 62 percent of their glaciers since the end of the Little Ice Age, around 400 years ago. This, according to the study, equates to a maximum ice loss of […]
Singing is no more of a COVID-19 risk than talking but volume matters: study
Singing is no riskier than speaking when it comes to the possibility of spreading the new coronavirus, British scientists said on Thursday, adding that volume is the most important risk factor. Last week, the British government changed its guidance to allow professionals and non-professionals to resume singing rehearsals and performance, bringing the required social distancing […]
‘To be Honest’ becomes Pakistani entertainment industry’s first digital show
‘To be Honest’, has become Pakistan’s first digital show to be telecast on any television channel. This announcement was made earlier today by the show’s director and creator Azfar Ali. He said ‘To be Honest’ has made history by becoming Pakistan entertainment industry’s ‘Digital First’ show. Initially streamed on Nashpati Prime, it is now being […]
Tokyo bar uses ‘fish bowl’ screens to lure back virus-wary clients
A bar in Tokyo’s upscale Ginza district has installed fish bowl-like screens designed to protect against coronavirus transmission, aiming to lure back clients worried about the risks of COVID-19. The Jazz Lounge En Counter bar reopened in late June, having shut down for several weeks after the government declared a nationwide state of emergency in […]