The brutal killing of George Floyd by police in the US has sent shock waves across the world, even reaching Pakistan's southern Sindh province, where a truck artist has painted a large mural of the slain African American on a wall of his home.
The 40-year-old artist, Haider Ali, depicted Floyd surrounded by a colorful heart-shaped garland of flowers, with slogans such as #BlackLivesMatter on one side and #justice and #equality on the other.
Take a look through the photo gallery above to see more of the mural.
“This is a message of peace and love to all," Ali told The Associated Press, as he put the finishing touches on the mural. “It's not from an individual, this message of love is from all of Pakistan.”
The mural stands out as a burst of colour on Ali's porch wall in the southern port city of Karachi. On one side of the portrait, Ali painted candles burning in memory of Floyd and in the upper right-hand corner, an American and Pakistani flag next to one another.
Floyd, a black man, gasped for breath in Minneapolis while being pressed under the knee of a white police officer for several minutes. His death sparked protests in the US and elsewhere, challenging activists from all backgrounds to rise up against abuse of police power, racism and inequality.
Black people are like the sky. You will never be able to see the stars and moon if the sky is white
Ali, who said he was in tears when he watched the video of Floyd's killing, makes his living as a truck artist in Sindh and often takes to the road, catching truckers in moments of rest, when they take a break and park their trucks at truck stops and on wide open fields by the roadside.
Truck painting is popular in Pakistan and Ali said he plans to paint more pictures of Floyd on the back of trucks sometime soon. For now, he has been staying at home fearing he could be exposed to the new coronavirus if he mingles too much with the truckers, as Karachi and the entire Sindh province have been badly affected by the virus.
Ali said he believes that Floyd’s killing is not a reflection of the American society as a whole but of the individuals who committed the horrific slaying. “I did not know that there are still a few people in America who can be involved in this kind of brutality,” he said.
He said he has visited 40 states in the US, making the trip for the first time when he was 21. “I never faced any discrimination because I am a Muslim or a Pakistani,” he said.
Being dark-skinned himself, Ali said he has been aware all his life of the many prejudices against people with dark skin in his own homeland.
“Racism is more dangerous than coronavirus,” he said.
Still, Ali says he dreams of a better world, which is why he chose to include the words of a popular Indian song that inspired him and write them in his language, Urdu, on Floyd's mural:
“Hum kaalay hain toh kia hua, dilwale hain (So what if we are dark-skinned. We have got big hearts)" and “Goron ki na kaalon ki, dunya dil walon ki (This world doesn’t belong to white or black people, it belongs to the ones with heart)."
He also has his own take on skin colour: “Black people are like the sky. You will never be able to see the stars and moon if the sky is white," Ali said. “You see shining stars and the moon only when there is a black sky."
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Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
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Price: From Dh149,900
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
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UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
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Abu Dhabi World Pro 2019 remaining schedule:
Wednesday April 24: Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, 11am-6pm
Thursday April 25: Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, 11am-5pm
Friday April 26: Finals, 3-6pm
Saturday April 27: Awards ceremony, 4pm and 8pm
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US' most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was first created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out projectiles, namely ballistic missiles, as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles both inside and outside of the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 93 miles above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then deployed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
The%20Roundup
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Lee%20Sang-yong%3Cbr%3EStars%3A%20Ma%20Dong-seok%2C%20Sukku%20Son%2C%20Choi%20Gwi-hwa%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
Fighter profiles
Gabrieli Pessanha (Brazil)
Reigning Abu Dhabi World Pro champion in the 95kg division, virtually unbeatable in her weight class. Known for her pressure game but also dangerous with her back on the mat.
Nathiely de Jesus, 23, (Brazil)
Two-time World Pro champion renowned for her aggressive game. She is tall and most feared by her opponents for both her triangles and arm-bar attacks.
Thamara Ferreira, 24, (Brazil)
Since her brown belt days, Ferreira has been dominating the 70kg, in both the World Pro and the Grand Slams. With a very aggressive game.
Samantha Cook, 32, (Britain)
One of the biggest talents coming out of Europe in recent times. She is known for a highly technical game and bringing her A game to the table as always.
Kendall Reusing, 22, (USA)
Another young gun ready to explode in the big leagues. The Californian resident is a powerhouse in the -95kg division. Her duels with Pessanha have been highlights in the Grand Slams.
Martina Gramenius, 32, (Sweden)
Already a two-time Grand Slam champion in the current season. Gramenius won golds in the 70kg, in both in Moscow and Tokyo, to earn a spot in the inaugural Queen of Mats.
The%20Letter%20Writer
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%E2%80%98FSO%20Safer%E2%80%99%20-%20a%20ticking%20bomb
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SECRET%20INVASION
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