Latest news with #Pakistani-British
Time of India
16-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Titan the OceanGate Submersible Disaster real story: The tragedy that inspired the Netflix documentary
Titan the OceanGate Submersible Disaster real story: In June 2023, the Titan submersible vanished during a deep-sea expedition to the Titanic wreck, drawing worldwide attention. Operated by OceanGate Expeditions, the journey ended in tragedy when the sub imploded, killing all five people on board. A new Netflix documentary explores the lead-up to the disaster and the rescue efforts that followed. If this interests you, here's the real story behind the documentary. Titan the OceanGate Submersible Disaster real story What happened to the Titan? How did it implode? The Titan submersible collapsed from a structural failure while descending to the Titanic wreck site. The documentary highlights how OceanGate's unconventional use of carbon fiber in the hull, along with other controversial engineering choices, had raised concerns among several of the company's own employees. The documentary offers an in-depth look at the many critical steps OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush overlooked in his determined push to launch the Titan submersible. It also explores Rush's unwavering belief in the viability of using carbon fiber for the craft's construction. What happened after the Titan lost contact? On June 18, 2023, the Titan, operated by the U.S.-based OceanGate Expeditions, lost contact less than two hours into its descent to the Titanic wreck. Among the five people on board was Rush himself. Days later, wreckage confirmed the submersible had experienced a catastrophic implosion, resulting in the loss of all lives on board. The incident made international news with many being devastated by knowing what had happened and how it happened. Who all were the victims of the Titan implosion? Hamish Harding – British adventurer and billionaire known for his record-breaking explorations Shahzada Dawood – Prominent Pakistani-British businessman with interests in philanthropy and technology Suleman Dawood – 19-year-old son of Shahzada Dawood, who joined the expedition with his father Stockton Rush – CEO of OceanGate and pilot of the Titan submersible Paul-Henri Nargeolet – Veteran French diver and leading expert on the Titanic wreck What is happening to the Titan implosion investigations now? After the incident, investigations into the Titan disaster began quickly, led by the U.S. Coast Guard and Canada's Transportation Safety Board, since the sub was run by a U.S. company and launched from a Canadian ship. According to Netflix, the U.S. Department of Justice is also looking into OceanGate's finances. As of June 2025, the Coast Guard has not released its final report.
The Print
30-05-2025
- Business
- The Print
Why is Pakistan going all out on crypto? There's a Donald Trump angle
Crypto is already widely popular in Pakistan, with around 20 million users —far more than the 420,000 people who invest in the capital market—placing the country among the global top 10 for crypto trading. In a surprising move, in late April, Pakistan partnered with World Liberty Financial (WLF), a company linked to the US President Donald Trump's family. WLF has promised to help Pakistan develop blockchain tools, tokenise assets, and provide crypto industry guidance. However, details of the deal remain vague. New Delhi: As its economy remains in shambles and ever dependent on IMF bailouts, a desperate Pakistan is trying hard to find a new window of growth. And this new life line is coming in the form of cryptocurrency and a company that has links to US President Donald Trump. In February 2025, the government formed a Crypto Council, and on Tuesday, it upgraded this into a full regulatory body called the Pakistan Digital Asset Authority. This new authority will oversee and regulate digital assets like crypto and blockchain-based technologies. The government now aims to regulate and tax the sector, attract foreign investment, and legitimise the ecosystem through the newly formed Pakistan Digital Asset Authority (PDAA), led by Bilal Bin Saqib—a Forbes 30 Under 30 and MBE awardee. Pakistani-British entrepreneur Saqib's appointment signals Pakistan's push to align with global trends. With global crypto exchange platforms like Binance and Stacks showing interest, Pakistan is also allocating power for data centres to support crypto mining and AI. Saqib is tasked with creating a FATF-compliant crypto framework, launching Bitcoin mining, regulating it, and integrating blockchain into governance and finance. However, questions are being raised about policymaking and governmental control. Hussain Nadeem, a policy strategist and Pakistani AI expert, posed a few questions to Bilal Bin Saqib, who earlier headed the Pakistan Crypto Council and will now lead the PDAA. In a long post on X, he asked if there was a white paper on crypto advancement in Pakistan, how much of governmental/army control there would be and whether there were public discussions on policymaking in crypto post the tie-up with Trump's company. Nadeem's questions point toward larger policy hiccups. Industry experts, however, are confident of the prospects of crypto in Pakistan. 'The founders of WLFI recently visited Pakistan and expressed strong interest in supporting our crypto ecosystem. With their stablecoin valued at over $2 billion, WLFI is a significant global player. While the details of our collaboration will be announced soon, possibly at the upcoming Bitcoin Vegas Conference, their visit alone signals growing international confidence in Pakistan's crypto ambitions,' Ali Farid Khwaja, chairman at KTrade Securities and a domain expert, told ThePrint. Geopolitical concerns There are also geopolitical implications. An article from The Economist's May edition pointed out that many in India interpreted the US-Pakistan crypto deal as Pakistan's way to win Trump's favour, which perhaps even led to Trump declaring the ceasefire. In late April, Texas-based logistics firm Fr8Tech made headlines by pledging up to $20 million to buy $TRUMP, a cryptocurrency launched by Donald Trump. The firm, linked to World Liberty Finance, also promised to help Pakistan develop blockchain products and provide crypto industry advice—raising eyebrows globally. Meanwhile, the Trump family's deep ties to crypto via promotion, regulation, and investor perks like exclusive dinners are drawing the industry into US politics. While this gives crypto unprecedented visibility, critics in The Economist article, warn that its association with a partisan figure could ultimately harm its broader legitimacy. Nadeem too, in his criticism, compared the new crypto push to the Pakistan Army's involvement in Special Investment Facilitation Council, which is a federal body under the Pakistan government but one that is effectively run by the Pakistan military, including 36 active military officers. Established in 2023, under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, SIFC aims to increase foreign investment and ease business but heavy military presence in the council has sparked concerns over civilian-military power balance. Calling it a 'great disservice to the country', Nadeem said 'Crypto is the new SIFC' 'The way this regime is approaching Crypto, it has unfortunately become a new con that has politics, not public good, as an end goal…. The regime has only ONE interest in Crypto: Access to the Trump White House, and sadly this hype is all about that, nothing more,' he wrote on X. Even Indian analysts are issuing words of caution. Pakistan's growing crypto adoption highlights a significant shift in the region's digital strategy—one India should closely monitor given the potential geopolitical and economic impacts, distinguished fellow at the Council on Strategic and Defence Research, C Raja Mohan, wrote in a recent column for The Indian Express. Khwaja, however, is hopeful for crypto's prospects in Pakistan and is not worried about governmental control overriding the positive impacts. Since the Crypto Council was announced just three months ago, Pakistan has attracted significant attention from some of the top names in the crypto industry. Binance, World Liberty Finance, crypto billionaire Justin Sun, and Stacks, a New York-based token with a $2 billion market cap, have all publicly announced engagements with Pakistan, he said. 'This surge of inbound interest from major global players is driving investment and prompting the government to actively facilitate regulations, aiming to position Pakistan as both a regional and global leader in crypto,' Khwaja said. He also added that, unlike before, when interest was often met with scepticism, the government is embracing these opportunities. 'It's not about trying to force development; companies are coming forward saying, 'We want to invest,' and Pakistan is responding. Similarly, in the US, President Trump has expressed a strong desire for the country to lead globally in this space, reflecting how quickly things are evolving worldwide,' he added. (Edited by Theres Sudeep)
Express Tribune
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Hira Mani's look-alike leaves social media stunned
Listen to article Hira Mani, a renowned actress, model, singer, and host, has garnered immense popularity in Pakistan, starring in hit dramas. Her versatility on screen continues to win her accolades, her current role is also receiving widespread praise. Recently, the internet has been captivated by the uncanny resemblance between Hira Mani and Pakistani-British influencer Dr. Aqdas. Known for her parenting advice content on Instagram. Dr. Aqdas has left fans in awe, not just because of her resemblance to Hira but also because of their near-identical voices. Dr. Aqdas's voice, in particular, has been a topic of conversation, with many fans struggling to tell the two apart. Comments online have flooded in, with people questioning, 'Are you Hira Mani?' and some even remarking, 'You sound just like Hira Mani.'
