NEW ZEALAND will tour Pakistan twice next season, including once to compensate for abandoning their tour earlier this year, the cricket boards of both countries said on Monday (20).
New Zealand had abandoned their tour in September citing a security threat, a decision which came as a massive blow to Pakistan's hopes of staging regular international cricket and infuriated the Pakistan board (PCB).
However, PCB chairman Ramiz Raja and his New Zealand counterpart Martin Snedden met in Dubai last month to build bridges between the boards.
New Zealand will tour Pakistan in December 2022-January 2023 to play two Tests and three one-day internationals before returning in April for five ODIs and a the same number of T20 Internationals.
"Our respective chairmen ... had very fruitful and constructive discussions while in Dubai, further strengthening the bond between the two organisations," New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White said in a statement.
"It’s good to be going back."
The exact dates of the matches would be finalised later.
"I am pleased with the outcomes of our discussions and negotiations, and thank Martin Snedden and his board for their understanding and support," Raja said in a statement.
"This reflects the strong, cordial and historic relations the two boards have and reconfirms Pakistan’s status as an important member of the cricket fraternity."
Raja had earlier alleged that Pakistan had been "used and binned" by the "Western Bloc" after England immediately followed New Zealand's lead by calling off their tour of the country.
England have since assured Pakistan they will visit for a full series in 2022.
The tense deliberations in Harvey Weinstein’s New York sex crimes retrial have descended into open conflict. Jurors are reportedly attacking each other, pressuring hold-outs, and improperly considering the disgraced movie mogul’s notorious past, information explicitly banned from their discussions. This internal strife forced the jury foreperson to urgently alert the judge on Monday morning about a “situation which isn’t very good”, casting serious doubt on their ability to reach a fair verdict.
Infighting and forbidden arguments taint deliberations
According to a court transcript, the foreperson painted a grim picture for Judge Curtis Farber. Jurors are “not on the same page”, with some actively “attacking” others in a bid to change minds. Crucially, they are “pushing people” by bringing up Weinstein’s public history, details not presented as evidence during this specific trial.
As per reports, Jurors are in a heated debate during Weinstein retrial deliberationsGetty Images
This is similar to the earlier “playground stuff” reported last week, where one young juror felt unfairly “shunned” and questioned the fairness of the process, though the judge kept him on the panel. The jury itself signalled deep divisions, requesting a reread of “reasonable doubt” rules and guidance on “avoiding a hung jury”.
Mistrial denied, but jury reminded “Stick to the evidence”
Weinstein’s lawyers, citing a “tainted” and “runaway jury”, immediately seized on the turmoil to demand a mistrial. Defence attorney Arthur Aidala argued jurors were “ganging up” and considering “things that were not brought into this trial”. Prosecutors countered that some past context was legally permissible. Judge Farber denied the mistrial but took swift action. He hauled the entire jury back in, sternly instructing them that deliberations must focus only on evidence presented during the retrial concerning the three specific charges, including rape and criminal sex acts involving three women. He reiterated they must disregard anything else they knew about Weinstein.
Weinstein jury divided by heated disputes over forbidden pastGetty Images
The jury ended Monday claiming they were “making progress”, even asking for coffee to fuel further talks and requesting to revisit some testimony. However, the damage from the infighting and forbidden discussions lingers.
Weinstein, 73, already serving a long sentence for a separate California rape conviction, awaits this jury’s verdict on charges stemming from allegations by a former production assistant, an aspiring actress, and a model. This retrial, ordered after his landmark 2020 New York conviction was overturned, remains a critical, though now deeply troubled, chapter in the #MeToo saga he set to fire.
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Since April 2024, British citizens and settled residents have needed to earn at least £29,000 to apply for a partner visa. (Representational image: iStock)
THE UK’s independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has said the government could lower the minimum income requirement for family visas but warned that doing so would likely increase net migration by around 1 to 3 per cent.
Since April 2024, British citizens and settled residents have needed to earn at least £29,000 to apply for a partner visa.
The MAC has proposed a new threshold of between £23,000 and £25,000, which it said would still allow families to support themselves without needing to earn above minimum wage.
It also suggested that setting the threshold between £24,000 and £28,000 could prioritise economic wellbeing over family life.
The panel opposed the previously announced plan to raise the threshold to £38,700, calling it incompatible with human rights obligations, including Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
MAC chair Prof Brian Bell said the final decision was political but urged ministers to consider the impact of financial requirements on families.
The report recommended keeping the income threshold the same across all UK regions and not raising it for families with children.
Campaigners criticised the lack of a recommendation to scrap the threshold entirely.
The Home Office said it would consider the MAC’s findings and respond in due course.
Gifts are not just gestures of politeness or ways to mark an occasion. They reflect the structure of society, its values, customs, and even economic models. Gifting can teach us what a particular culture considers appropriate, meaningful, touching, or symbolic.
Who gives gifts, when, what is given, and how — each of these details carries implicit social messages. In some cultures, price matters; in others, it's the packaging or the practicality. How a society structures gift-giving reveals its internal ethics, priorities, and even levels of trust.
It’s no coincidence that in fast-paced urban cultures, new formats emerge—such as bento cake London—small, personalized treats that reflect a desire for restrained, thoughtful gestures in socially dynamic environments.
East and West: Different Approaches
Japan: The Art of Etiquette
In Japan, gifting is a refined practice governed by precise rules. The presentation and context of a gift often matter more than the item itself. A gift that’s too expensive can cause discomfort. Balance and modesty are essential, and symbolism and aesthetics — including wrapping, texture, and color — are deeply significant.
The US and Europe: Spontaneity and Individuality
In Western cultures, uniqueness and personal meaning are valued. A gift is a way to express emotions, humor, or personality. Creativity is encouraged, and formal rules are minimal. However, corporate or institutional gifting may follow specific regulations, including value limits.
The Middle East and Asia: Hospitality and Generosity
In many Arab and Asian cultures, gifts are woven into hospitality rituals. Generosity is seen as a social virtue. Lavish gifts are often used to demonstrate respect and honor. But symbolic meanings also matter—certain colors or items can carry specific messages and must be chosen carefully.
Gifts as Reflections of the Times
Gifts also reveal how society evolves in response to technology, economic trends, and globalization. A few notable shifts include:
Digitalization: Digital gift cards, subscriptions, and online services are replacing physical items
Minimalism: Conscious consumption encourages small but meaningful gestures
Personalization: The focus is shifting from universal items to tailored experiences
Cross-cultural exchange: Cities now blend dozens of gifting traditions in one space
New formats — themed boxes, eco-friendly gifts, or edible mini-compositions — reflect a search for balance between individuality and social awareness.
Symbols and Meanings: What’s Behind the Gift
Every gift has both material and symbolic value. For example:
Books — a sign of trust or intellectual connection
Flowers — short but meaningful emotional messages
Food — warmth, care, shared experience
Crafts — respect for culture and uniqueness
Small details, such as the origin, wrapping, or an attached note, form part of the gift's “language.”
Gifting in an Era of Social Change
Today, gifts are increasingly becoming acts of communication rather than consumption. We are not simply giving “objects” — we’re sending messages: “I’m thinking of you,” “I understand you,” “You matter to me.”
In an age of abundance and constant motion, light, unpretentious, and intentional gestures are valued more than ever. A mini cake, a single flower, a handmade card, a spontaneous note—these gifts speak of attention and emotional awareness.
Conclusion
Gifts are cultural markers. Through them, we learn how a society constructs relationships, what it values, and how it expresses respect or affection. Observing how gifting traditions change allows us to track broader transformations — from ethics to economics.
Modern gifts are becoming quieter, lighter, and more mindful. This shift signals that it’s not what we give that matters most, but how—and why—we deliver it.
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At the heart of this redesign is a newly developed material called Liquid Glass
Apple has introduced a new software design across its platforms, aimed at making apps and system interactions more expressive, seamless, and engaging. The update brings a cohesive visual experience that spans across iOS 26 beta, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 261, providing users with a more fluid and immersive digital environment.
At the heart of this redesign is a newly developed material called Liquid Glass, which enhances the visual dynamism of apps, system elements, and user interfaces. This translucent material intelligently reflects and refracts surrounding content, creating a more vivid and intuitive experience while ensuring focus on essential elements.
Introducing Liquid Glass
Liquid Glass is inspired by Apple’s work on visionOS and incorporates advancements in hardware, silicon, and graphics technologies. The material is designed to mimic real-world glass, dynamically adapting to surrounding colours and transitioning seamlessly between light and dark environments.
Developed through collaboration between Apple’s design and engineering teams, Liquid Glass utilises real-time rendering, adjusting to movement with specular highlights that enhance visual depth. This results in a more immersive and responsive experience, whether using an iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, or Apple TV.
Apple introduces a delightful and elegant new software design
Apple previewed a new software design, crafted with Liquid Glass, that makes apps and system experiences more expressive and delightful.
- YouTubeYouTube/ Apple
The Liquid Glass aesthetic extends to small interactive elements, including buttons, sliders, switches, and text fields, as well as larger UI components, such as tab bars and sidebars. Users will notice these refinements in system experiences like the Lock Screen, Home Screen, notifications, and Control Centre.
Refinements to app design
Apple’s design update also brings a modernised approach to app layouts, ensuring greater harmony between hardware and software. The redesign eliminates rigid rectangular formatting in favour of soft, rounded edges, aligning app elements with the curved contours of modern Apple devices.
Navigation components, including toolbars, tab bars, and sidebars, have been refreshed using Liquid Glass, offering a layered visual effect that enhances interaction. When scrolling in iOS 26 beta, for example, tab bars seamlessly shrink to emphasise content, only expanding when users scroll back up.
In iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe 26, sidebars now reflect and refract surrounding content, ensuring users maintain a sense of context while navigating apps. These refinements extend to core apps such as Camera, Photos, Safari, FaceTime, Apple Music, Apple News, and Apple Podcasts, making interactions more intuitive and visually appealing.
System-wide enhancements
The new software design is integrated into core system elements across iOS 26 beta and Apple’s wider ecosystem. Updates to the Lock Screen, Home Screen, Dock, and widgets improve personalisation and accessibility, with Liquid Glass introducing specular highlights and dynamic colour adaptation.
On iPhones and iPads, the Lock Screen’s time display is now crafted from Liquid Glass, allowing it to fluidly adapt and fit elegantly behind wallpaper subjects.
On Macs, macOS Tahoe 26 enhances personalisation with widgets and app icons that adjust to light and dark appearances, custom tints, and a clear, refined look. The menu bar is now completely transparent, increasing the sense of screen space and visual depth.
A new opportunity for developers
For developers working with SwiftUI, UIKit, and AppKit, Apple has introduced updated APIs to facilitate the integration of Liquid Glass into third-party apps.
These tools allow developers to leverage the new design elements, making interactions more fluid and engaging while preserving familiarity for users. With this update, Apple is encouraging developers to refresh their app designs, ensuring consistency with the next-generation interface introduced in iOS 26 beta.
The latest
Apple’s latest design update represents a significant leap forward in user interface aesthetics and functionality. With Liquid Glass at the core of iOS 26 beta and its companion platforms, the visual experience is more immersive, adaptive, and dynamic than ever before.
By combining seamless transitions, refined navigation, and optimised system elements, Apple has crafted a modern and visually engaging software design, reinforcing its commitment to delivering elegant and intuitive digital experiences.
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Forsyth’s reporting took him to politically volatile regions
Frederick Forsyth, the internationally renowned author of The Day of the Jackal, has passed away at the age of 86. His agent, Jonathan Lloyd, confirmed the news, describing Forsyth as one of the world’s greatest thriller writers.
With a career spanning more than five decades, Forsyth penned over 25 books, selling 75 million copies worldwide. His work, including The Odessa File and The Dogs of War, set the standard for espionage and political thrillers. Bill Scott-Kerr, his publisher, praised Forsyth’s influence, stating that his novels continue to define the genre and inspire modern writers.
From fighter pilot to novelist
Born in Kent in 1938, Forsyth lived a life as thrilling as his novels. He joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) at 18, becoming one of the youngest pilots in the service. However, his passion for writing led him into journalism, where he worked as a foreign correspondent for Reuters and the BBC.
Forsyth’s reporting took him to politically volatile regions, including Biafra during the Nigerian Civil War. His experiences there deeply affected him, shaping the narratives of many of his future works. In 2015, he revealed that he had worked with British intelligence agency MI6 for over 20 years, drawing on his real-life encounters with espionage for his novels.
The birth of The Day of the Jackal
Forsyth’s literary breakthrough came in 1971 when he published The Day of the Jackal. At the time, he was struggling financially and decided to write a novel as a way out of his difficulties.
“I was skint, in debt, no flat, no car, no nothing, and I just thought, ‘How do I get myself out of this hole?’” Forsyth later recalled. “And I came up with probably the zaniest solution – write a novel.”
Set in 1963, the book tells the gripping story of an English assassin hired to kill French President Charles de Gaulle. It quickly became a bestseller and was adapted into a film in 1973, starring Edward Fox. The novel’s impact continued decades later, with a TV adaptation starring Eddie Redmayne released in 2024.
An enduring literary legacy
Forsyth’s ability to blend real-world political intrigue with compelling fiction cemented his reputation. His follow-up novel, The Odessa File (1972), explored Nazi war criminals and was later adapted into a film starring Jon Voight.
Other major works include The Fourth Protocol (1984), which became a successful film starring Michael Caine and Pierce Brosnan, and The Dogs of War (1974), inspired by mercenary conflicts in Africa.
His latest novel, Revenge of Odessa, co-written with Tony Kent, is set to be published this August.
Tributes from colleagues and admirers
Following Forsyth’s death, tributes poured in from fellow authors, entertainers, and public figures.
Jonathan Lloyd reflected on Forsyth’s extraordinary life, recalling how they had recently watched a documentary on his career, In My Own Words, set to air later this year on BBC One.
Bill Scott-Kerr described working with Forsyth as one of the highlights of his career, praising his professionalism and meticulous approach to storytelling. Forsyth’s background in journalism, he noted, gave his novels a sharp sense of realism and ensured they remained contemporary and engaging.
Forsyth was awarded a CBE for services to literature in 1997Getty Images
Singer Elaine Paige, a personal friend, expressed her sadness, calling Forsyth’s knowledge of world affairs unparalleled. Andrew Lloyd Webber, who collaborated with Forsyth on Love Never Dies, the sequel to Phantom of the Opera, thanked him for his ability to craft stories that will endure for generations.
Conservative MP Sir David Davis, who considered Forsyth a close friend, described him as a man of honour, patriotism, and courage, as well as an outspoken defender of the armed forces.
Recognition and personal life
Forsyth was awarded a CBE for services to literature in 1997, honouring his immense contribution to British storytelling.
He was married twice and had two sons with his first wife, Carole Cunningham. His second wife, Sandy Molloy, passed away in October 2024, just months before his death.
Passing marks
Frederick Forsyth’s influence on thriller writing is undeniable. From his groundbreaking debut with The Day of the Jackal to his final works, he leaves behind a literary legacy that will continue to captivate readers for years to come. His ability to merge real-world intrigue with gripping narratives made his books essential reading for fans of espionage fiction.
Forsyth’s passing marks the end of an era, but his stories will live on, shaping the genre and inspiring new generations of thriller writers.