#shahmir

[jea-lousy1]

'Big men make big sacrifices.'

'I'm not a big man.' -Baadshah begum,2022

[shivasart]

Onion Flowers - 2nd Perspective (2023) - Intertwined reflections of the natural world inside a constructed environment built of organic materials.Gesso, acrylic, pastel on drop cloth.

Never been good at drawing in proper perspective.

[newsintheshell]

📢 ORIGIN: L'ACTION SCI-FI DI BOICHI SI DIRIGE AD HOLLYWOOD, IN ARRIVO UN FILM!

Kodansha ha annunciato di aver affidato il progetto a Majestic Limited, la nuova compagnia di produzione fondata da Josh Boone (L'Ombra dello Scorpione, The New Mutants), Danny Chan (Barbarian, Freelance) e Darius Shahmir (Midnight Special).

Cosa ne verrà fuori? Probabilmente nulla di buono, ma possiamo comunque sperare 🙂

[ailtrahq]

Table of Content Citi has announced the introduction of Citi Token Services, which will tokenize client deposits. This means they can be sent anywhere in the world in an instant.  The announcement comes as Citi continues to explore blockchain and digital assets.  A New Service For Institutional Clients  Citi Token Services uses blockchain technology and smart contracts to deliver digital asset solutions for Citi’s institutional clients. The service will integrate tokenized services and smart contracts into Citi’s global network, significantly upgrading trade finance and cash management capabilities. According to Citi’s announcement, institutional clients require ‘always-on’ programmable financial services. Citi Token Services can provide cross-border payment liquidity and automated trade finance solutions on a 24/7 basis. Speaking about the service, Global Head of Services Shahmir Khaliq stated,  “Digital asset technologies have the potential to upgrade the regulated financial system by applying new technologies to existing legal instruments and well-established regulatory frameworks. The development of Citi Token Services is part of our journey to deliver real-time, always-on, next-generation transaction banking services to our institutional clients. This development goes hand-in-hand with our industry-leading work on the Regulated Liability Network to create interoperable digital asset solutions on a multi-bank basis.”  Ryan Rugg, the Global Head of Digital Assets for Citi’s Treasury and Trade Solutions Business, stated that the new service would allow institutional clients to use cash, enabling the transfer of funds immediately and efficiently.  “[If] you’re a large multinational client where you have multiple bank accounts in multiple different regions across borders, and you keep buffers of cash in each of these regions, it’s really an inefficient use of cash. If it’s… 5:00 p.m. in the U.S. and 5:00 a.m. in Singapore, but you need to get money there, you can send that immediately, within seconds.” Testing In Partnership With Maersk Citi will use smart contracts to automate all trade processes. It has already worked with Maersk and a canal authority to digitize a solution that would serve the same purpose as bank guarantees and letters of credit. The pilot successfully demonstrated tokenized deposit transfers, providing instant payments to service providers via smart contracts. The Regional Treasury Manager for the Americas at Maersk, Marie-Laure Martin, stated,  “We are pleased to have collaborated with Citi in the successful test pilots for the guarantee solution using digitized tokens and smart contracts. The innovative solution has promising applications for trade finance.”  Rugg explained that the company prefunded a smart contract with digitized tokens. The tokens were automatically paid out when it received the agreed-upon services from a canal authority. Citi Token Services has also been applied to a global cash management pilot. This would enable clients to transfer liquidity between Citi branches 24/7. Rugg explained,  “Citi Token Services provides corporate treasurers with a new tool to manage global liquidity on a just-in-time, programmable basis. Frictions related to cut-off times and gaps in the service window will be reduced. Our solutions within the Citi network are complemented by inclusive and open industry collaboration on initiatives like the Regulated Liability Network. We are excited about both the potential for shared ledger technology to update Citi services and the broader financial system in partnership with regulators and industry peers.”  Citi Continues Foray Into Blockchain And Digital Assets  Crypto has been in limbo for much of the year, with prices remaining stagnant. However, tokenizing real-world assets using blockchain technology has generated considerable excitement. According to Bernstein, financial entities that wish to be a part of the modernization of financial markets must use blockchain technology.

It also added that it predicts around $5 trillion worth of real-world financial assets being tokenized on the blockchain in the next five years.  Citi’s announcement makes it one of the most significant financial institutions to foray into digital assets. Several others have also made their way into the crypto space. This includes investment manager Hamilton Lane, which has launched three tokenized funds. Others, such as KKR, have tokenized a part of an equity fund in partnership with Securitize. Franklin Templeton has launched a mutual fund that settles transactions and records ownership data across blockchains. Banking behemoth JPMorgan Chase has also launched a bank-led blockchain platform called Onyx to focus on international trade.  Citi has stated that it will be using a private blockchain for its services. Rugg explained that whether Citi would ever use a public blockchain in the future would depend on how regulations play out.  “If regulation changes and regulators get comfortable with the public, we will definitely go down that route, but right now, from a regulatory standpoint, we’re sticking with permissioned.” Source

[asianartsblog]

Parwaaz Hai Junoon combines a love story, a comedy of friendship, and a celebration of the Pakistan Air Force.   

View it on Zoom on Tuesday, March 7 at 7:00PM.

Part of the 15th Annual Bridges to the World International Film Festival

It’s free!

Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/.../reg.../WN_fR8YlitvRm-OIFm7AFNTyg

Directed by Haseeb Hassan

Running Time:  130 minutes

Parwaaz Hai Junoon combines a love story, a comedy of friendship, and a celebration of the Pakistan Air Force.  It champions military heroism, patriotism, and the selfless act of national martyrdom while combating terrorism.  It also comments on the patriarchal structure of the armed forces and the sexist attitudes of some of its soldiers – while forwarding a feminist perspective.  The film offers a wonderful song score, features the beautiful northern Pakistani landscape, and provides some exhilarating flying combat sequences.  This mix of serious themes, high emotions, strong visuals, engaging characters, and memorable music makes Parwaaz Hai Junoon very entertaining and insightful. 

The film is a long flashback, bookended by Sania (played by popular film and TV actress Hania Aamir) recalling her three years training at the Pakistan Air Force Academy and her romance with a dashing fighter pilot, Hamza (played by the equally popular actor Hamza Ali Abbasi).  The scenes at the academy feature the high jinks of four other new recruits: Shahmir, Zaid (played by TV host and stand-up comedian Syed Shafaat Ali), Rashid, and Saad.  Sonia develops a friendship with the earnest Rashid and an antagonistic relationship with the arrogant Saad.  At her cousin’s wedding – highlighted by a colorful dance sequence that rivals Bollywood – Sania meets Hamza and they begin to fall in love.  Their romance is complicated by his dangerous missions, her mother’s fear of tragic loss, and his father’s stubbornness regarding an arranged marriage.  The film does not end in a full romantic comedy mode; instead, it provides a more complex meditation on the tension between individual love and devotion to country.America audiences might recognize a similarity of Parwaaz Hai Junoon to Top Gun in its blend of romance and patriotism, the “need for speed,” and the depiction of the deep and long-lasting bond that forms between service men and women who train together.

Parwaaz Hai Junoon was released on Eid al-Adha, an important Islamic holiday that often includes the debut of many new films.  It was the first film about the Pakistan Air Force in 50 years, the 7th highest grossing Pakistani film of all time, only the second Pakistani film to be commercially released in Saudi Arabia, and the first Pakistani film to be screened in China after 40 years.   

Watch a trailer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ2Fm-4CR5k

[supersaiyanblonded]

[jackoshadows]

Piers Morgan is such a vile, horrible, racist, putrid human sack of garbage. Watching him yell at and badger Afua Hirsch because she dared to call out the racism of the British press while everyone else sits there silently and then he talks down to the black woman defending his racism - ugh!

Like fuck off. The fact that this guy is still on TV spewing his racist rubbish tells us all there is to know about the British media.

Oh, and fuck the royals too - who spend more time being openly disappointed by Harry and Meghan than paedophile Andrew’s escapades with Jeffrey Epstein.  But of course it’s the royals - what’s new. Like this lady:

Remember when Meghan Markle went to meet her future in-laws for Christmas, and one of them wore a racist brooch for the event? Imagine how racist you’ve got to be to just be able to whip out SPECIAL OCCASION RACIST ACCESSORIES. 

https://twitter.com/AyoCaesar/status/1216740830519742471

Piers Morgan isn’t an outlier, he is the norm. He is one of millions that were brought up thinking we, people of colour, are less intelligent, uglier, less civilised than him. Just because they’re fucking us, living with us, studying with us, doesn’t mean they want us

Our ancestors were not brought to this country out of kindness or compassion. They were brought here out of a need for labour, out of a need to make the lives of men like Piers easier. And now that we have found a voice, a platform, they are threatened. They are scared.

Because we are no longer the help, because over the last two decades we have made space for our own voices, they can’t handle it. It drives them mad. It’s why they make erratic decisions like Trump, like Brexit, like Boris and blame it all on us.

We must mobilise.

https://twitter.com/shahmiruk/status/1217753988289978374

[thatgirlintheaudience]

We Live in Cairo- June 22, 2019

We Live in Cairo is a musical that just made its world premiere at A.R.T. The show follows six college students who joined the 2011 revolution in Cairo, Egypt where they overthrew their president who was in power for thirty years. Through music, photography, and art, the students are able to express their opinions and give insight into the revolution. Here is the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5yt0rF_Pn8&list=LLZ_RMSOry8Qo78TfC71-Nng&index=5

Amir and Hany are brothers who compose and perform songs about the revolution. Layla is a photographer and photographs the protests in Tahrir Square and is Amir’s girlfriend. Karim and Hassan are street artists. Fadwa runs all social media accounts and posts pictures and information on the revolution. 

The score written by brothers Daniel and Patrick Lazour is mesmerizing, beautiful, yet intense and unforgettable with lyrics that really demonstrate the ambitions and hopes of the students. The song, Movement sung by Amir and Layla discusses the desire to move away from Cairo and start a life together, yet the love for one’s country intervenes as a love between a Christian man (Amir) and a Muslim woman (Layla) becomes complicated and unacceptable in Cairo. The scene is intimate as Amir and Layla sit on the edge of the stage and pull the audiences’ attention directly into their connection. Here is the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQSgowAgWto&list=LLZ_RMSOry8Qo78TfC71-Nng&index=26&t=0s

The song Tahrir is Now is powerful and provides a triumphant and powerful act one finale. One of my favorite lyrics of the show: “we have cracked the wall of fear and we’ll see it crumble.” 

The song Dreaming Words is perhaps the most emotional one of the show since SPOILER ALERT: Amir dies while singing at a protest and Hany returns from law school in New York. Amir reappears as a spirit and sings with Hany about all the accomplishments them and their friends have made, although it’s only dreaming words. :( Their own accomplishment? They released a debut album. Here is a snippet of it:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf17XSSKvlg&list=LLZ_RMSOry8Qo78TfC71-Nng&index=7

The show is intimate and makes you feel a part of it as projections of the revolution comes out across the ceiling of the theater. The story is powerful and questions what happens after you fight so hard in a revolution to just receive a new person in power who you also disagree with. How far does one go for the love of their country? 

The acting was also phenomenal and the cast was amazing. 

I really enjoyed this show and loved how each character had an artistic outlet to express themselves. This is a show that deserves more life and exposure so I hope it will continue elsewhere.

[shivasart]

Her body is in her own hands, spelling - Woman, Life, Freedom.

Drawn and screen-printed by Shiva Shahmir in Detroit, Michigan

#FreeIran

[oughttobeclowns]

News ahoy! Principal cast announced for Fisherman's Friends the Musical at Richmond Theatre

News ahoy! Principal cast announced for Fisherman's Friends the Musical @RichmondTheatre @FFonstage

The producers of the world premiere production of Fisherman’s Friends the Musical are delighted to announce principal cast members and additional tour venues for the UK & Ireland Tour, which will land at Richmond Theatre from 28 February – 4 March 2023. James Gaddas (Casualty, Bad Girls, Coronation Street, The Girls, Billy Elliot, MAMMA MIA! – all West End) will play Jim, with Parisa Shahmir (The…

[outofficial]

A British PM Staffer Just Outed His Colleague, Endangering His Pakistani Family

Stephen Parkinson, a staff member for British Prime Minister Theresa May, has outed his fellow Brexit campaigner Shahmir Sanni through an official statement from the office of 10 Downing Street, the headquarters of the UK's government.

The release, on behalf of Parkinson, reads: “Shahmir became an occasional volunteer for Vote Leave and other leave campaigns, and we began a personal relationship. We subsequently dated for 18 months, splitting up—I thought amicably—in September 2017.”

The outing through official government documentation appears to be an attempt to distract media from startling facts Sanni had revealed about questionable, if not outright illegal, campaign strategies on behalf of the pro-Brexit group Vote Leave, for which Parkinson and Sanni had both been campaigners. The new Downing Street release appears to be responding to a revealing interview in The Guardian from Sanni detailing the group's lawbreaking on the campaign trail.

Sanni had not been publicly out, and the government release now puts his family back in Pakistan in danger. Certain acts of homosexuality are illegal in the country.

In a statement from his lawyer, Sanni's team says they believe this to be "the first time a Downing Street official statement has been used to out someone" and that he “is now having to come out to his mother and family tonight.” Family members in Pakistan are being “forced to take urgent protective measures to ensure their safety," according to the statement.

Theresa May has said in a statement through her office that she has "full confidence" in her advisor Stephen Parkinson.

Photo: Geert Vanden Wijngaert | AP Photo

[reviewsphere]

THEATRE REVIEW: The Last Ship

THEATRE REVIEW: The Last Ship @GlasgowKings @LastShipMusical @59productions @OfficialSting

by Paul Guthrie

A gritty debut musical from Sting set in a northern shipbuilding town during the Thatcher era, where we find the locals taking on management, the government and police. With references to other struggles happening at this time, most notably the miners’ strike and their ultimate downfall. Throughout this is intertwined the story of Gideon, a local shipbuilder’s son who can’t stand…

[ailtrahq]

Banking giant Citi launched a new crypto and blockchain-based platform for its institutional clients. The Citi Token Services was released by the bank’s Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS) with several new capabilities and features. Citi Doubles Down On Crypto With New Platform Per an official press release, the new crypto or token platform was created to provide institutions access to smart contracts and blockchain technology. In that way, Citi expects to address a demand for “tokenized deposits” and integrate these technologies into their global network. Ultimately, the bank aims to “upgrade” its cash management and trading features for its clients. These institutions will have access to some advantages of smart contracts and blockchain, such as cross-border payments, programmable financial services, automated trading solutions, and others. These services will be available for customers to use every day of the year without any conventional limitations experienced by legacy platforms. Shahmir Khaliq, Global Head of Services for the banking institution, stated: Digital asset technologies have the potential to upgrade the regulated financial system by applying new technologies to existing legal instruments and well-established regulatory frameworks. The development of Citi Token Services is part of our journey to deliver real-time, always-on, next generation transaction banking services to our institutional clients. This development goes hand-in-hand with our industry leading work on the Regulated Liability Network to create interoperable digital asset solutions on a multi-bank basis. The digital token platform was developed by TTS together with logistics company Marks. The bank’s partner worked with IBM and other major companies worldwide in developing blockchain-based solutions. According to the press release, the project succeeded during its pilot phase. The partners could transfer money as tokenized assets to provide instant payment settlement on the blockchain. The bank expects this new platform to mitigate transaction time for its institutional clients. Marie-Laure Martin, Regional Treasury Manager for the Americas at Maersk, said: We are pleased to have collaborated with Citi in the successful test pilots for the guarantee solution using digitized tokens and smart contracts. The innovative solution has promising applications for trade finance. Moreover, the bank claims that it will host the blockchain nodes required to run its blockchain and continue developing digital asset solutions. A separate report from 2021 indicates that Citi has been betting big on blockchain and crypto for a few years. The banking institution promised to create over 100 roles in the nascent sector to gain a stronger foothold. Across social media platforms, the announcement was received with some skepticism. Some users expressed confusion around the “token” used by Citi, and others wondered why the bank uses blockchain technology when the platform operates as a “regular database.” As of this writing, Bitcoin (BTC) trades at around $27,200 as the cryptocurrency experiences some profits on low timeframes. BTC’s price is moving sideways on the daily chart. Source: BTCUSDT on Tradingview Cover image from Unsplash, chart from Tradingview Source

[merelygifted]

Shahmir Sanni’s disclosure about funds channelled to the leave campaign show that UK democracy is under threat, says transparency campaigner Gina Miller