Latest news with #424
Filipino Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Filipino Times
Cayetano seeks bill to abolish travel tax to boost tourism
A bill filed in the Senate seeks to abolish the travel tax, which its author described as outdated and no longer aligned with the country's economic and regional goals. Senate Bill No. 424, authored by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, proposes the repeal of the travel tax imposed under Presidential Decree No. 1183, signed nearly five decades ago. 'It is high time to give travelers a break and allow for tourism to flourish by removing one of the barriers to travel,' Cayetano said. The senator said the measure aims to allow all Filipinos, including senior citizens and persons with disabilities, to travel more freely. He also cited studies estimating that while the government may lose around ₱4 billion in annual revenue, the country could gain up to ₱299 billion through increased tourism and consumer spending. Cayetano is also proposing to exempt nationals from ASEAN member states from paying the travel tax in line with the Philippines' commitment under the 2002 ASEAN Tourism Agreement, which calls for the phasing out of travel levies among member countries.
Los Angeles Times
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
At Paris Fashion Week, accessories were more personal than anything else
A few weeks ago, I was bound to crutches after fracturing the neck of my femur while running a half-marathon with Image's fashion director at large, Keyla Marquez. This happened right before Paris Fashion Week for the men's spring/summer 2026 season, which we both had plans to attend, and I was left with two options: resign myself to a Frida Kahlo summer, where I would work, make art and take visitors while injured from bed, or go to Paris on the crutches and hope for the best. I picked the latter, because I am insane. The idea of crutches on cobblestone streets was comical, ridiculous and potentially dangerous. The idea of crutches during fashion week was criminal. As I hobbled around the city chasing the fashion week shuttle to the next show, or glacially made my way up two flights of marble stairs in an opera house to see the charming Bode presentation without causing further damage, the hollow metal crutches rubbed against the studs on my leather belt, or made it impossible to carry my belongings in anything but a vintage Prada fanny pack. Keyla dubbed this version of me 'extreme sports Juju.' The crutches were front and center in every experience this past week — the first thing I thought of, the first thing people noticed. They were a nuisance and an obstacle, yes, but also a punchline and an ice breaker. Both the French and the fashion people looked at me like, 'Girl, you good?' No, guys, I was not good. But the crutches were, for better or worse, my accessory this season, which made me hyper-aware of the accessories on the runway too. A seemingly small item despite being considered extra can completely transform how — and in my case if — you move through the world. I was obsessed, Baader-Meinhof-ed out, and in Paris last week everywhere I looked I saw accessories first and everything else second. There was the practical, the purely aesthetic, the absurdist combination of them all. At 424's runway show, the audience's accessories defied weather. Despite it being near 90 degrees at the Monnaie De Paris, attendees showed up in fur stoles and leather chaps over jeans. L.A. stylist Marquise Miller wore intrecciato Bottega Veneta sunglasses to shield himself from the beating sun. An immaculately accessorized fashion boi from Toronto who wore gauzy scarves and rings on every finger accused me of faking my injury. The cult L.A. brand's creative director Guillermo Andrade framed the collection around the greatest accessory of all: the car. More specifically, every generation of the Porsche 911. The show kicked off with a line of Porsches throttling into the museum's courtyard, with a gaggle of models including actor Will Poulter and Solange's son Julez Smith pouring out of the cars (Julez's grandmother, Ms. Tina Knowles, was in the audience supporting her grandson). For Andrade, the car is more than an accessory though — it's a way of life. 'When I'm at home I spend a bunch of time in my car,' Andrade told me after the show. 'The car is my first experience of independence, of being free.' The last look, one of my favorites, showed an older model with bedazzled Porsche keys on a carabiner clip attached to slim leather pants. The first day of PFW was also Louis Vuitton Men's day — the accessories final boss. The show was a glittering spectacle, as has become expected of Pharrell Williams' tenure at the house. A chorus of screaming fans became a soundtrack to the pre-show moments, announcing the arrival of each celebrity sitting front row, including Beyoncé and Jay-Z. This season's collection was inspired by modern Indian sartorialism, says Louis Vuitton. Held at the Centre Pompidou, the show's set was created in collaboration with Studio Mumbai, an Indian architectural firm, and imagined as a life-size game of Snakes and Ladders. The show had stadium-style seating, and sitting on the third step up, I questioned if this was going to be it: the time I fell on my ass in front of Bradley Cooper and Pusha T. But luckily, I survived long enough to see new versions of the Speedy P9 bag in painted stripes and gold embroidery, and a crocodile steamer workwear bag in a patent, deep blue indigo. There were the Louis Vuitton trunks, of course, being rolled by models in workwear-inspired gear down the runway. Some versions were encrusted with jewels in paisley patterns, taking on an antique feel, others were clear and hot pink. The thing I can't stop thinking about, though, is the slouchy Louis Vuitton yoga bag in a violet hue, styled with a yoga mat of the same color. Seen on a model wearing green cargos, puffy flip-flops (another accessory of note this season) and a baby blue bomber, the bag was shown in checkerboard canvas with leather trim. Paris was hot. And most of what I wore was in conversation with the heat and my crutches: flat shoes, unfussy bags — anything that went with aluminum and rubber. I physically and spiritually could not wear anything that felt intrusive or unnatural. Issey Miyake Men's understands functionality, but it also gets tribal. Dressing for that deep, inner part of yourself that yearns to connect to your own history and body. This season's Issey Miyake show felt like the club. It started and ended with a full-bodied dance performance, and the accessories felt both organic and freaky enough for a dance floor — from a perfect leather belt bag to sunglasses that fanned out with multiple colored lenses to biker caps in soft knit. Next up was Julian Klausner's debut for Dries Van Noten Men. The whimsical, emotional accessories in this show rewired my neural pathways. There were satin boxing boots in hot pink and periwinkle. Patchwork floral sarongs styled over suit pants. Long sustainably-sourced seashell necklaces that looked like talismans. Oversized bowler bags in unlikely color combinations like salmon and charcoal, brown and black, dusty rose and camel, taupe and olive. Cumberbunds, even. The accessories in this collection lived somewhere on the spectrum between sophisticated and spirited — inspired by a morning on the beach after staying up all night at a party. A girl never forgets her first Rick Owens runway. The SS26 men's show, called 'Temple,' was in conversation with Owens' retrospective at the Palais Galleria, 'Temple of Love,' which references his early years in L.A. as the genesis of his work. 'The exhibition tracks the pursuit of glamour and sleaze that I was looking for on Hollywood Boulevard, and eventually, improbably, ending up in a Paris museum,' Owens writes in the show notes. For the runway show, models descended from a temple built out of scaffolding before dipping into the fountain at Palais de Tokyo. Such a part of the Rick experience is the crowd, a band of fashion weirdos clad in Kiss boots, and standing among them in crutches felt natural in this context. Maybe even something someone would do purposefully at a Rick show for the vibes alone. His shoe designs have been inspired by medical support devices for years, continuing this season with splint-inspired sandals, so I mean, why not? It was here that I spotted another fashion victim in crutches. We walked by each other and half-laughed, touching crutches like a fist bump before he claimed me as his 'sister.' Other stand-out accessories were shield wrap-around sunglasses, and the extra-large carabiner clips on harnesses that helped hoist models onto the Temple for the show's spectacle of a finale. The next day, Keyla and I watched Jonathan Anderson's Dior debut via livestream from our Airbnb while I elevated my leg, and even through the screen, the accessories screamed at us. It was the details at Dior that spoke volumes — subtle pop-culture references, the number of pleats on a pair of giant cargo shorts, the messy styling of a necktie. The look fell somewhere between 18th-century French noble and mid-aughts California skater boy. The high-top wrestling-style sneakers worn with the green cargos and the yellow 'Dracula' cross body messenger bag. Voluptuous bow ties and cravats worn scrunchily with fisherman sandals and socks. At some point I just yelled across the room: 'Keyla, the backpacks!' The Kiko Kostadinov show was our last stop of the season before flying back to L.A. Almost six days into fashion week, my crutches started to feel like an extension of self. Still, making it to the second floor of a parking garage venue for the show was a precarious mission. The collection though — which spanned work wear, loungewear and evening wear, inspired by day-to-night in a fictional island town — was worth it. For the brand, the collection's centerpiece was the materials: twill, mesh, kasuri cotton, leather, jacquard, wool. My focus was on the smaller things. Toe socks with sandals. Tabi Asics. An ultra-thin belt with silver grommets that was also a waist bag. A sky-blue scrunched fabric belt chain. Idiosyncratic charms on belt loops and suit jacket pockets. The collection spoke to the futuristic-hippie sensibilities that live unshakably inside of me, leftover from a past life. And that's what accessories have the opportunity to do — communicate where exactly you are right now, or remind you of where you were. They have the potential to be more personal than anything else. As I gathered my crutches and called one last Uber to the airport, I knew what my accessory said about me. It was the same reason why I probably ended up on them in the first place, the same reason I was in France for fashion week with a broken femur: I don't know when to give up. Lead art photos: 'Plate with waved pattern,' 1970, Iwate Museum of Art; Frederique Dumoulin-Bonnet; Ulrich Knoblauch; Courtesy of Kiko Kostadinov; OWENSCORP; Getty Images.
IOL News
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
South African DJ Shimza attends the 424 menswear SS26 runway show in Paris
Shimza makes a striking appearance at the 424 Men's SS26 runway show during Paris Men's Fashion Week. Image: Instagram. It is that time of the year when fashion takes centre stage once again. The menswear Paris Fashion Week has officially kicked off and A-list celebrities have been making an appearance. Among them is South African sensation Shimza, a renowned DJ and producer known for his contributions to the Afro-tech music scene, who was spotted in the front row attending the 424 by Guillermo Andrade Spring/Summer 2026 runway show. Andrade's innovative fashion brand brought high-fashion to life in a show-stopping collaboration with Porsche, where sleek cars met cutting-edge couture in a visually stunning show. As seen on Shimza's Instagram post that features a series of pictures and videos of the event, the show opened with a parade of vintage Porsches cruising through Monnaie de Paris, where models strutted among a collection of luxurious vintage sports cars on the runway, all dressed in 424's collection. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The grunge-inspired looks range from tight t-shirts and torn jeans to biker jackets, with some hints of colour added to the collection. Additionally, Shimza has been enjoying his time in France, mingling with A-listers like Nigerian Afrobeats artist Rema and fashion icon Wisdom Kaye Shimza poses with fashion enthusiasts Wisdom Kaye in Paris. Image: Instagram. The Nigerian star was also one of the models who walked for 424's Spring/Summer 2026 runway show. He took to the runway in an off-white lengthy coat, wearing nothing but his muscles underneath with matching trousers. He completed the look with white boots and an oversized neck piece. The model line-up included British actor Will Poulter and Julez Smith, son of Solange Knowles.
Business Recorder
24-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Pakistan budget 2025-26: Rs2.8 trillion defence budget proposed citing ‘war-like situation' with India
With Pakistan scheduled to unveil its federal government budget for fiscal year 2025-26, Tola Associates, a tax advisory and consultancy firm, has proposed to raise the defence budget to Rs2.8 trillion, reflecting a 32% increase as compared to the last fiscal, owing to a 'war-like situation' with neighbouring India. The tax advisory firm gave the proposal in its report 'Budget 2025-26 a rare catalyst for course correction', released on Saturday. 'The budgeted defence expenditure stood at Rs2,122 billion for FY25 while the actual expenditure till March 2025 was Rs1,424 billion. [However], due to the ongoing war situation with the neighbouring country, defence spending may increase by up to 50% in the Q4FY25,' read the report. The firms noted that in the previous three years, defence expenditure in the last quarter accounted for 36% of the annual total defence expenditure made throughout the fiscal year. Pakistan budget 2025-26: expenditure likely to fall by massive Rs2 trillion, says report 'Given the current regional tensions and the need to ensure Pakistan's defence preparedness, we estimate total defense spending to reach Rs2.4 trillion by June 2025.' Moreover, it also proposed to enhance the defence budget to Rs2.8 trillion in FY26, reflecting a 32% increase when compared with the outgoing FY's budget, 'due to the war situation with the neighbouring country and the new recruitment of army personnel'. In its report, Tola said that the upcoming budget serves as a great opportunity for course correction. 'It is a rare catalyst to realign the direction of our economy.' It said that the upcoming budget theme should focus on creating a balance between stability and economic growth. 'Therefore, economic and fiscal reforms should be framed in a manner that puts the economy on a path of steady growth.' Tola estimate the budget expenditure for FY26 to be around Rs17.2 trillion, lower than the Rs18.9 trillion budgeted by the government in FY25. The decline in expenditure comes amid an expected reduction in markup payments, which are likely to reduce to Rs7.5 trillion in FY26, compared to Rs9.8 trillion originally budgeted for FY25. IMF, govt to continue FY26 budget discussions 'over the coming days' The tax advisory estimated the federal development budget (PSDP/public sector development programme) at Rs950 billion for FY26, far lower than the Rs1.4 trillion budgeted in FY25. The report estimated the FBR revenue collection at Rs13.5 trillion for FY26. 'As per our estimates, if the FBR collects around 11.9 trillion in FY25, given our inflation estimates at 10.0% and estimated GDP growth at 3% in the upcoming FY26, then the FBR might collect only Rs13.5 trillion worth of tax revenue.
IOL News
22-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Businessman in hot water after receiving R1. 4 million from SARS through misrepresentations
Mbongiseni Ngomane, aged 34, allegedly made misrepresentations to the SA Revenue Service and received R1.4 million as tax returns. Image: File Picture Mbongiseni Ngomane, aged 34, has been released on bail after a warrant of arrest was issued against him for allegedly defrauding the South African Revenue Service (SARS). Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi, provincial spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks, said the crime was committed in 2022 through misrepresentations of the company's income to SARS. 'According to information, Ngomane's misrepresentation led to SARS suffering an actual loss of R1,424,872. Upon receiving a tax refund from SARS, Ngomane allegedly transferred an amount of R200,000 to KC The Princess (Pty) Ltd whose sole director was Khensani Mnisi, 59,' said Nkosi. Mnisi also transferred money to five different recipients listed by the Hawks as Phindile Shabangu, 30; Dorren Simelane, 49; Thobile Ngomane, 35; Khanyisile Dlamini-Phenyane, 50, and Bafana Singwane, 50. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. The Hawks' serious commercial crime investigation unit, based in Nelspruit, executed the warrant of arrest, and all suspects appeared before the Nelspruit Commercial Crime Court on Tuesday. Ngomane was released on R2,000 bail while his co-accused were released on R500 bail each. The matter was postponed to 8 July 2025 for further investigations. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Last year, IOL reported that the Nelspruit Commercial Crime Court in Mpumalanga convicted and sentenced 44-year-old Mduduzi Steven Mashwama and his company MPG Mash Trading CC on charges of theft and contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA). In July 2020, Mashwama and his company fraudulently submitted Value Added Tax claims and claimed undue VAT refunds of R166,850 from SARS. 'The matter was reported to the Hawks Nelspruit-based serious commercial crime investigation (unit) for further investigation. The investigation was finalised and the accused was summoned to appear in court on several occasion until he was sentenced on Tuesday,' Lieutenant Colonel Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi, Mpumalanga spokesperson for the Hawks said at the time. Mashwama was accused number two in the court case. On count one, of theft, Mashwama was sentenced to six years imprisonment which is wholly suspended for a period of five years on condition that he is not convicted of theft, fraud and or any offence involving misrepresentation committed during the period of suspension. IOL News
