Latest update: Cher greets ‘world’s loneliest elephant’ after seven-hour flight to Cambodia
On a glowing Sunday morning, the Asian elephant Kaavan continuously bobs his head, surrounded by officials, residents and young people for the last time at Islamabad’s zoo, under the foothills of the Margalla hills in the Pakistani capital.
Well-wishers have thrown colourful celebrations all week with music and balloons, to send-off the lonely elephant to its new home in Cambodia, on Sunday. The relocation of Kaavan follows a year long campaign by activists, backed by the American pop star Cher.
The music icon has written songs calling for Kaavan to be rescued from his grim and lonely condition at the zoo, and will meet the elephant upon its arrival in Cambodia, after she spent the last few days with him in Islamabad.
On Sunday morning, dozens of wildlife workers and experts led by animal rescue organisation Four Paws used a winch and rope to pull the sedated elephant into a custom-designed crate, in which he will be transported to the Cambodian city of Siem Reap.
The plight of Kaavan, an overweight 36 year-old elephant who lived in deplorable conditions, sparked global outrage after attention was drawn to the miserable state of Islamabad’s zoo. Conditions in animal enclosures and cages were so inadequate that a court in May ordered animals, including Kaavan, to be relocated.
Wildlife experts also noted that Kaavan was displaying signs of mental illness, leading to petition being signed by more than 400,000 people to free the chained elephant.
For decades, Kaavan has entertained a generation of children, including this author, who rode Kaavan as a child in the early 1990s.
Cher said in a statement, "My wishes have finally come true". "We have been counting down to this moment and dreaming of it for so long and to finally see Kaavan transported out of (Islamabad) zoo will remain with us forever." She tweeted that a documentary about his freedom will be out in 2021.
Cher on Friday also met Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, and Mr Khan thanked her for her campaign to relocate Kaavan. The pop icon also thanked Mr Khan in a tweet "for making it possible for me to take Kaavan to Cambodia".
Throughout the week, other music performances and farewells have been made for Pakistan's celebrity elephant, with greetings and goodbyes made by people from all walks of life.
“We are happy to spearheading the rescue mission of Kaavan and thankful to Cher and Pakistani authorities,” said Martin Bauer, a spokesman for Four Paws International, an animal rights group that has spearheaded the relocation mission.
In remarks to The National, he described his delight that Kaavan would now have a better life.
“This is a rare rescue mission to train the animal first and to take him to another country. We hope the media attention paves the way for many other wild animals still kept in captivity and shines a light on their suffering so that Four Paws can rescue them and protect them,” he said.
The National also spoke with team members from Four Paws in Islamabad zoo, including veterinarian Khalil Ahmad, who has been treating Kaavan’s wounds for the past three months. The team will accompany Kaavan to the Cambodia sanctuary.
“We are thrilled and really enjoyed our stay in Islamabad to treat Kaavan, and happy that he will finally get good company with other elephants in his new home in Cambodia,” said one team member.
But for some, Kaavan's departure was also a sad occasion.
Usama Javed, an Islamabad resident who came to see off Kaavan at the zoo told The National on Sunday that the animal would be remembered fondly.
“It’s a rather bitter sweet moment for all of us," he said.
"Back in the 1990s children used to come here and we used to enjoy rides over here. There were two elephants here, Kavaan and his partner who unfortunately died in 2012 and since then Kaavan has been very lonely. We are also very happy to see him go. He has been treated very poorly. It would be nice to see him go and enjoy his retirement in Cambodia with other elephants”.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
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Hotel Data Cloud profile
Date started: June 2016
Founders: Gregor Amon and Kevin Czok
Based: Dubai
Sector: Travel Tech
Size: 10 employees
Funding: $350,000 (Dh1.3 million)
Investors: five angel investors (undisclosed except for Amar Shubar)
Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
CHELSEA SQUAD
Arrizabalaga, Bettinelli, Rudiger, Christensen, Silva, Chalobah, Sarr, Azpilicueta, James, Kenedy, Alonso, Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic, Saul, Barkley, Ziyech, Pulisic, Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Werner, Havertz, Lukaku.
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Liz%20Truss
%3Cp%3EMinisterial%20experience%3A%20Current%20Foreign%20Secretary.%0D%3Cbr%3E%0DWhat%20did%20she%20do%20before%20politics%3F%20Worked%20as%20an%20economist%20for%20Shell%20and%20Cable%20and%20Wireless%20and%20was%20then%20a%20deputy%20director%20for%20right-of-centre%20think%20tank%20Reform.%0D%3Cbr%3E%0DWhat%20does%20she%20say%20on%20tax%3F%20She%20has%20pledged%20to%20%22start%20cutting%20taxes%20from%20day%20one%22%2C%20reversing%20April's%20rise%20in%20National%20Insurance%20and%20promising%20to%20keep%20%22corporation%20tax%20competitive%22.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Basquiat in Abu Dhabi
One of Basquiat’s paintings, the vibrant Cabra (1981–82), now hangs in Louvre Abu Dhabi temporarily, on loan from the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
The latter museum is not open physically, but has assembled a collection and puts together a series of events called Talking Art, such as this discussion, moderated by writer Chaedria LaBouvier.
It's something of a Basquiat season in Abu Dhabi at the moment. Last week, The Radiant Child, a documentary on Basquiat was shown at Manarat Al Saadiyat, and tonight (April 18) the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is throwing the re-creation of a party tonight, of the legendary Canal Zone party thrown in 1979, which epitomised the collaborative scene of the time. It was at Canal Zone that Basquiat met prominent members of the art world and moved from unknown graffiti artist into someone in the spotlight.
“We’ve invited local resident arists, we’ll have spray cans at the ready,” says curator Maisa Al Qassemi of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's Canal Zone Remix is at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Thursday April 18, from 8pm. Free entry to all. Basquiat's Cabra is on view at Louvre Abu Dhabi until October
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
List of alleged parties
- May 15 2020: Boris Johnson is said to have attended a Downing Street pizza party
- 27 Nov 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff
- Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
- Dec 13 2020: Mr Johnson and his then-fiancee Carrie Symonds throw a flat party
- Dec 14 2020: Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative Party headquarters
- Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
- Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
