Latest news with #Abid
New Straits Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Abid's 'Memori' reflects real-life bond with late father
DIRECTOR Abid Hussain will always remember the time he and his late father bonded best, during the final years of his life. And while his father is gone, his legacy of love remains in Abid's heart forever, and the director came up with tear-jerking family drama Memori, boasting a star-studded cast of A-list Malaysian stars. At the recent preview of Memori in GSC Mid Valley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur, Abid who is marking his first feature film, described Memori as a poignant tale of a strained relationship between a father and son, shaped by turbulent events of the past. He said: "It follows a son searching for a reason to forgive, and a father gradually losing his memory to Alzheimer's disease." Abid added that the movie which opens in cinemas on July 31 is set against the stunning backdrop of Kuala Terengganu, and 90 per cent based on his father's final days. "The protagonist Imran is based on me, while his father Dr Hassan is based on my father," said Abid, adding that unlike the setting of Memori, he bonded with his father in the Klang Valley. "The story begins when Imran and his wife Rina discover that Hassan's memory is fading. "He starts seeing people and things that don't exist, and when they take him to a doctor, the shocking truth is revealed - his memory is fading fast," said Abid. "Imran who has not had a good relationship with Hassan, is forced to spend quality time with his father, and recreate stories of his past in order to remind him of his family. "By constantly reminding Hassan, Imran creates in his father's mind short bursts of good memories that help improve their soured relationship, as well as that between Imran and his wife." Memori's cast is headlined by veteran actor Datuk Hilal Azman as Hassan, Singaporean Hisyam Hamid as Imran, Diana Danielle as Rina, Anas Ridzuan as their neighbour Mamat, and Aanantha Rajaram, Pushpa Narayan and Aajay Suresh as their family friends the Jega family. MARK Abid said that Memori had already made its mark across major film festivals globally. "It has been officially selected, nominated, and has won more than 20 awards, including Film of the Year, Best Film, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Editor, and Best Producer, among others," he said. "The film has been celebrated in festivals in Los Angeles, New York City, Mexico, China, Berlin, India, Tokyo, Singapore, and the Philippines." TERENGGANU Produced by Creative Stew Sdn Bhd in association with Golden Screen Cinemas, it has Abid's wife Zakiah Malek as executive producer. Filming took place around Kuala Terengganu in July last year. Zakiah said: "Memori is a story born from sorrow, love, and gratitude. "It explores how we carry emotional baggage from our past, often forgetting the limited time we have with those we cherish. "At its core, it's about the journey of letting go in order to find something we've longed for our entire lives." HEARTWARMING Hilal said that he thoroughly enjoyed working with Abid, Zakiah, Hisyam and Diana to bring Hassan's tragic but heartwarming story to life. "We've worked superbly as a team, and Abid is a gem of a director who knows exactly what he wants for every scene." Diana said that Memori was a powerful movie, full of emotion, and she could wholly relate to the characters. "It is a very Malaysian family story that deals with illness, and parent-child relationships which are topics close to my heart," she said, adding that she got along great with Hisyam and Hilal on the set. "I went straight into Memori out of love for its beautiful story, and my utmost respect for Abid and his father," she said, adding that she had known the director for some years. FIRST Abid said that it was his first film with Hilal, Hisyam and Diana and he had the three of them in mind when he created their characters. "Hisyam pushed himself to the limits. He cannot swim but braved himself to go into the water in the drowning scene," he said. Hisyam said: "My character Imran is a son who runs away from his problems and is somewhat selfish and insensitive. "Nevertheless, he loves his father Hassan dearly." BEACH Hisyam added that he liked having the movie set by the beach. "The sea is a metaphor for family love. It tied in beautifully with Imran's and Hassan's main bone of contention, a childhood incident when the father forced the son to swim by throwing him off the boat," he said, adding that he spent the longest time submerged in the water and was proud of his achievement. "Besides the scene where Imran gives his father a nice, warm shower, my favourite scene is the one where Imran and Rina get into an argument which reveals the persons that they are."
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Central Ohio organization on edge after 'big, beautiful bill' passes
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A central Ohio organization is worried President Donald Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' will lead to cuts in the services it provides. MY Project USA is the largest Muslim social services organization in Ohio, and its leader said the law will have major impacts on the community services they provide. 'This Big Beautiful Bill that they are calling it is going to deteriorate everything that we have in our community,' MY Project USA Executive Director Zerqa Abid said. Bernie Moreno stops at Pataskala diner to sell 'Big, Beautiful Bill' to Ohioans For the past decade, it has been the organization's mission to serve and uplift the surrounding community. Now Abid is concerned they will have to provide more with less. 'We were mentally preparing ourselves that, yes, more and more challenges are coming, but it has been devastating,' Abid said. MY Project USA said it serves nearly 2,500 a week through its wrap around services, providing free food, health clinics, after-school programs, and more. With changes coming to SNAP benefits such as new work requirements and state funding obligations, there are fears that many of the people in the community who rely on those services will be severely impacted. 'The people who have made these decisions are disconnected from our neighborhoods,' Abid said. 'They don't know what is going on here. They don't understand how a mother, a single mother with a disabled child, with other children, makes her decisions. Some of my clients do not have transportation to come here; they come walking.' Ohio's unclaimed funds site nearly doubles in visitors The organization has also faced city and state grant funding reductions in recent years, being forced to lay off staff members and possibly cut other programs. Abid believes once the effects of this bill are felt, she will be met with an impossible task, but she is still holding on to some semblance of hope. 'Even though I am extremely worried, I'm hopeful and I'm praying and my message to my community is that I want them to stay strong,' Abid said. 'I want them to keep communicating, keep telling us, don't be scared, don't disappear. We are here to support you. We want to know what's going on so we can provide from wherever.' In regard to the impact of the bill, the White House has said, 'The One Big, Beautiful Bill promotes work, responsibility, and restores SNAP to serve the truly needy.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
IOL News
16-07-2025
- General
- IOL News
Tunisian dog lovers push to save age-old desert hound
Veterenarian Olfa Abd trains Tunisian Sloughi hunting dogs on a beach in Cap Angela, in the Bizerte region on May 22, 2025. The Sloughis, known for their speed and slender physique, have for many centuries accompanied nomadic societies across North Africa, and have been featured in art and lore dating back at least to the Roman era. Image: FETHI BELAID / AFP Nemcha, Zina and Zouina, three North African Sloughi hounds, play on the beach in Tunisia where their ancestors have long roamed desert plains, seemingly unaware of the existential threat to their dwindling breed. The Sloughis, known for their speed and slender physique, have for many centuries accompanied nomadic societies across North Africa, and have been featured in art and lore dating back at least to the Roman era. But nowadays breeders and advocates say that unregulated crossbreeding, the decline of nomadic lifestyles and habitat shifts due to urbanisation mean that they might soon disappear. Olfa Abid, who was walking Nemcha, Zina and Zouina along the coast in northern Tunisia's Ras Angela, said the age-old breed is "part of our heritage, our history". "We must protect the Sloughi," said Abid, a 49-year-old veterinarian, her arms wrapped around one of her dogs. Recent years have seen a spike in unregulated crossbreeding, mixing the local Sloughi with other hounds often brought in from abroad to boost its speed for dog races, according to Abid. National kennel club the Tunisian Canine Centre (CCT) has been working to raise awareness and safeguard the breed, including by creating a dedicated registry with a regulated breeding scheme. The organisation's director Noureddine Ben Chehida said it also seeks to have the Tunisian Sloughi "recognised according to international standards" as a unique breed, under the guidelines of the International Canine Federation, the world's main dog breed registry. Such recognition would give the local Sloughi population a place on the international stage and help preserve its lineage at home, Ben Chehida said. Also known as Arabian Greyhounds, today the CCT estimates that fewer than 200 pure-bred Sloughis remain in Tunisia. With their short coats in sandy hues or grey and arched backs, the hounds' swift gait has earned them a precious spot in Tunisian folklore even as the desert life they once supported gradually vanishes. Historians debate how they first made it to this part of North Africa, but many attribute their arrival to nomadic tribes like the Mrazigs who live in the south of modern-day Tunisia. For centuries, or possibly even millennia, the Sloughis have been vital companions to desert nomads, helping them hunt and guard livestock. "Running like a Sloughi" is still a common saying in Tunisia. "It's a noble dog that was the pride of its nomadic owners," said Abid. "It's a primitive hunter with a purpose when food was scarce." She said the Sloughi has also had a more privileged standing compared to most dogs that are generally considered impure in Islamic cultures. Unlike other breeds, Sloughis have traditionally been allowed indoors and would even eat beside their owners, said Abid. In the southern town of Douz, on the edge of the Sahara desert, dog breeder Nabil Marzougui said the "proliferation of hybrid breeds" is putting the Sloughis' future at risk. "We inherited this dog from our forefathers," said Marzougui, calling for authorities to intervene to save the Sloughis as well as the ancestral tradition that they embody. The hounds require ample daily exercise, especially where hunting is no longer available or needed. This is why Abid said she had left the city to settle in the quiet coastal village of Ras Angela, on Africa's northernmost tip, where long stretches of sand serve as an ideal terrain for her three dogs to run around and roam free. Their seaside adventures, which Abid shares on social media, are now followed by thousands of people online. Hatem Bessrour, a 30-year-old agricultural engineer and the proud owner of a Sloughi named Cacahuete, called on fellow dog owners to register their pure-bred hounds with the national canine centre to support its breeding programme. The breed is part Tunisia's heritage, he said. "We must care for it just like we care for antiquities and archaeological sites." | AFP
Sinar Daily
06-07-2025
- General
- Sinar Daily
Dying breed: Tunisian dog lovers push to save age-old desert hound
RAS ANGELA - Aymen Jamli Nemcha, Zina and Zouina, three North African Sloughi hounds, play on the beach in Tunisia where their ancestors have long roamed desert plains, seemingly unaware of the existential threat to their dwindling breed. The Sloughis, known for their speed and slender physique, have for many centuries accompanied nomadic societies across North Africa and have been featured in art and lore dating back at least to the Roman era. Tunisia veterenarian and dog owner Olfa Abid says the Sloughis are 'part of our heritage, our history'. - Photo by FETHI BELAID / AFP But nowadays breeders and advocates say that unregulated crossbreeding, the decline of nomadic lifestyles and habitat shifts due to urbanisation mean that they might soon disappear. Olfa Abid, who was walking Nemcha, Zina and Zouina along the coast in northern Tunisia's Ras Angela, said the age-old breed is "part of our heritage, our history". "We must protect the Sloughi," said Abid, a 49-year-old veterinarian, her arms wrapped around one of her dogs. Recent years have seen a spike in unregulated crossbreeding, mixing the local Sloughi with other hounds often brought in from abroad to boost its speed for dog races, according to Abid. National kennel club the Tunisian Canine Centre (CCT) has been working to raise awareness and safeguard the breed, including by creating a dedicated registry with a regulated breeding scheme. The organisation's director Noureddine Ben Chehida said it also seeks to have the Tunisian Sloughi "recognised according to international standards" as a unique breed, under the guidelines of the International Canine Federation, the world's main dog breed registry. Such recognition would give the local Sloughi population a place on the international stage and help preserve its lineage at home, Ben Chehida said. Also known as Arabian Greyhounds, today the CCT estimates that fewer than 200 pure-bred Sloughis remain in Tunisia. 'Noble' hunters With their short coats in sandy hues or grey and arched backs, the hounds' swift gait has earned them a precious spot in Tunisian folklore even as the desert life they once supported gradually vanishes. Historians debate how they first made it to this part of North Africa, but many attribute their arrival to nomadic tribes like the Mrazigs who live in the south of modern-day Tunisia. For centuries, or possibly even millennia, the Sloughis have been vital companions to desert nomads, helping them hunt and guard livestock. "Running like a Sloughi" is still a common saying in Tunisia. For many centuries, the Sloughis have been vital companions to desert nomads, helping them hunt and guard livestock. - Photo by FETHI BELAID / AFP "It's a noble dog that was the pride of its nomadic owners," said Abid. "It's a primitive hunter with a purpose when food was scarce." She said the Sloughi has also had a more privileged standing compared to most dogs that are generally considered impure in Islamic cultures. Unlike other breeds, Sloughis have traditionally been allowed indoors and would even eat beside their owners, said Abid. Ancestral heritage In the southern town of Douz, on the edge of the Sahara desert, dog breeder Nabil Marzougui said the "proliferation of hybrid breeds" is putting the Sloughis' future at risk. "We inherited this dog from our forefathers," said Marzougui, calling for authorities to intervene to save the Sloughis as well as the ancestral tradition that they embody. The hounds require ample daily exercise, especially where hunting is no longer available or needed. This is why Abid said she had left the city to settle in the quiet coastal village of Ras Angela, on Africa's northernmost tip, where long stretches of sand serve as an ideal terrain for her three dogs to run around and roam free. Their seaside adventures, which Abid shares on social media, are now followed by thousands of people online. Hatem Bessrour, a 30-year-old agricultural engineer and the proud owner of a Sloughi named Cacahuete, called on fellow dog owners to register their pure-bred hounds with the national canine centre to support its breeding programme. The breed is part Tunisia's heritage, he said. "We must care for it just like we care for antiquities and archaeological sites." - AFP
Bangkok Post
27-06-2025
- General
- Bangkok Post
Dying breed: Tunisian dog lovers push to save age-old desert hound
RAS ANGELA (TUNISIA) - Nemcha, Zina and Zouina, three North African Sloughi hounds, play on the beach in Tunisia where their ancestors have long roamed desert plains, seemingly unaware of the existential threat to their dwindling breed. The Sloughis, known for their speed and slender physique, have for many centuries accompanied nomadic societies across North Africa, and have been featured in art and lore dating back at least to the Roman era. But nowadays breeders and advocates say that unregulated crossbreeding, the decline of nomadic lifestyles and habitat shifts due to urbanisation mean that they might soon disappear. Olfa Abid, who was walking Nemcha, Zina and Zouina along the coast in northern Tunisia's Ras Angela, said the age-old breed is "part of our heritage, our history". "We must protect the Sloughi," said Abid, a 49-year-old veterinarian, her arms wrapped around one of her dogs. Recent years have seen a spike in unregulated crossbreeding, mixing the local Sloughi with other hounds often brought in from abroad to boost its speed for dog races, according to Abid. National kennel club the Tunisian Canine Centre (CCT) has been working to raise awareness and safeguard the breed, including by creating a dedicated registry with a regulated breeding scheme. The organisation's director Noureddine Ben Chehida said it also seeks to have the Tunisian Sloughi "recognised according to international standards" as a unique breed, under the guidelines of the International Canine Federation, the world's main dog breed registry. Such recognition would give the local Sloughi population a place on the international stage and help preserve its lineage at home, Ben Chehida said. Also known as Arabian Greyhounds, today the CCT estimates that fewer than 200 pure-bred Sloughis remain in Tunisia. - 'Noble' hunters - With their short coats in sandy hues or grey and arched backs, the hounds' swift gait has earned them a precious spot in Tunisian folklore even as the desert life they once supported gradually vanishes. Historians debate how they first made it to this part of North Africa, but many attribute their arrival to nomadic tribes like the Mrazigs who live in the south of modern-day Tunisia. For centuries, or possibly even millennia, the Sloughis have been vital companions to desert nomads, helping them hunt and guard livestock. "Running like a Sloughi" is still a common saying in Tunisia. "It's a noble dog that was the pride of its nomadic owners," said Abid. "It's a primitive hunter with a purpose when food was scarce." She said the Sloughi has also had a more privileged standing compared to most dogs that are generally considered impure in Islamic cultures. Unlike other breeds, Sloughis have traditionally been allowed indoors and would even eat beside their owners, said Abid. - Ancestral heritage - In the southern town of Douz, on the edge of the Sahara desert, dog breeder Nabil Marzougui said the "proliferation of hybrid breeds" is putting the Sloughis' future at risk. "We inherited this dog from our forefathers," said Marzougui, calling for authorities to intervene to save the Sloughis as well as the ancestral tradition that they embody. The hounds require ample daily exercise, especially where hunting is no longer available or needed. This is why Abid said she had left the city to settle in the quiet coastal village of Ras Angela, on Africa's northernmost tip, where long stretches of sand serve as an ideal terrain for her three dogs to run around and roam free. Their seaside adventures, which Abid shares on social media, are now followed by thousands of people online. Hatem Bessrour, a 30-year-old agricultural engineer and the proud owner of a Sloughi named Cacahuete, called on fellow dog owners to register their pure-bred hounds with the national canine centre to support its breeding programme. The breed is part Tunisia's heritage, he said. "We must care for it just like we care for antiquities and archaeological sites."
