Juno, meanwhile, has been orbiting Jupiter since 2016, collecting information on the giant planet’s internal structure, magnetic field, and atmosphere.
“Everything is functional,” said Scott Bolton, the lead scientist on Juno, also from SWRI. “There’s been some degradation, things that we saw many years ago, but those haven’t changed. Actually, some of them improved, to be honest.”
The only caveat with Juno is some radiation damage to its camera, called JunoCam. Juno orbits Jupiter once every 33 days, and the trajectory brings the spacecraft through intense radiation belts trapped by the planet’s powerful magnetic field. Juno’s primary mission ended in 2021, and it’s now operating in an extended mission approved through the end of this month. The additional time exposed to harsh radiation is, not surprisingly, corrupting JunoCam’s images.
NASA’s Juno mission observed the glow from a bolt of lightning in this view from December 30, 2020, of a vortex near Jupiter’s north pole. Citizen scientist Kevin M. Gill processed the image from raw data from the JunoCam instrument aboard the spacecraft.
In an interview with Ars, Bolton suggested the radiation issue creates another opportunity for NASA to learn from the Juno mission. Ground teams are attempting to repair the JunoCam imager through annealing, a self-healing process that involves heating the instrument’s electronics and then allowing them to cool. Engineers sparingly tried annealing hardware space, so Juno’s experience could be instructive for future missions.
“Even satellites at Earth experience this [radiation damage], but there’s very little done or known about it,” Bolton said. “In fact, what we’re learning with Juno has benefits for Earth satellites, both commercial and national security.”
Juno’s passages through Jupiter’s harsh radiation belts provide a real-world laboratory to experiment with annealing in space. “We can’t really produce the natural radiation environment at Earth or Jupiter in a lab,” Bolton said.
Lessons learned from Juno could soon be applied to NASA’s next probe traveling to Jupiter. Europa Clipper launched last year and is on course to enter orbit around Jupiter in 2030, when it will begin regular low-altitude flybys of the planet’s icy moon Europa. Before Clipper’s launch, engineers discovered a flaw that could make the spacecraft’s transistors more susceptible to radiation damage. NASA managers decided to proceed with the mission because they determined the damage could be repaired at Jupiter with annealing.
Paramount said it does “not agree with recent efforts to boycott Israeli film-makers”, making it the first major studio to respond to a recent pledge not to work with institutions that supported or were otherwise involved in the “genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people”.
The pledge circulated by an organization called Film Workers for Palestine has more than 4000 signatures including directors and actors like Jonathan Glazer, Ava DuVernay, Yorgos Lanthimos, Emma Stone, Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, Olivia Colman and Mark Ruffalo.
“The world’s highest court, the international court of justice, has ruled that there is a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza, and that Israel’s occupation and apartheid against Palestinians are unlawful,” the pledge reads.
“Standing for equality, justice, and freedom for all people is a profound moral duty that none of us can ignore. So too, we must speak out now against the harm done to the Palestinian people. We answer the call of Palestinian film-makers, who have urged the international film industry to refuse silence, racism, and dehumanization, as well as to ‘do everything humanly possible’ to end complicity in their oppression.”
In a statement, Paramount, which was recently acquired by the family of billionaire Larry Ellison and private equity firm RedBird Capital Partners, said “the global entertainment industry should be encouraging artists to tell their stories and share their ideas with audiences throughout the world”.
“We believe in the power of storytelling to connect and inspire people, promote mutual understanding, and preserve the moments, ideas, and events that shape the world we share,” said a statement provided to the LA Times and attributed to the company. “We do not agree with recent efforts to boycott Israeli film-makers. Silencing individual creative artists based on their nationality does not promote better understanding or advance the cause of peace.”
The artists who signed the pledge said they were inspired by the “Filmmakers United Against Apartheid, who refused to screen their films in apartheid South Africa”.
“We pledge not to screen films, appear at or otherwise work with Israeli film institutions – including festivals, cinemas, broadcasters and production companies – that are implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people,” the pledge reads.
Fran Drescher’s “Robin Hood fund” is finally getting off the ground, nearly two years after it was touted as a major win of the 2023 actors’ strike.
Actors’ union SAG-AFTRA announced on Friday the establishment of the SAG-AFTRA-Producers Success Bonus Distribution Fund, a mechanism that will allow a large pool of union performers to share in the success of top streaming projects. According to the union, trustees both from labor and management have agreed on the terms of the fund, which will offer “the first-ever secondary income stream to performers of successful made-for-streaming shows whose compensation was previously not directly linked to their show’s success.”
Many details of the fund’s distribution were not provided by the union on Friday, which said that additional information would be provided in the coming weeks. SAG-AFTRA’s announcement on the establishment of the bonus fund came shortly before the union announced the results of its national elections, with Sean Astin taking over as president from the departing Drescher.
That said, the labor group did disclose that performers who are eligible for the fund will include stand-ins, stunt riggers and background actors “with a significant connection to a qualifying project.” That marks the first time that these performers will receive reuse payments for their work.
The union also stated that the list of productions that are eligible for the fund has been expanded from the previous definition provided by the 2023 TV/theatrical contract, but did not offer specifics on what additional titles could be included.
“This is the last puzzle piece from the 2023 TV/Theatrical/Streaming contract. Successful SVOD shows on streaming channels will share their success with the SAG-AFTRA members performing on these shows,” Drescher said in a statement on Friday. “This historic triumph marks the end of my tenure.”
Added Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA’s national executive director and chief negotiator, “This fund reflects the vision and determination of President Drescher and our negotiating committee during the 2023 bargaining cycle, and now it’s delivering real results. It underscores our commitment to building innovative structures that provide real economic value for artists in the streaming age.”
SAG-AFTRA’s Friday announcement is far more specific than the initial communication around the fund. In 2023, the union stated that 75 percent of success payments triggered by high-performing streaming titles would go to performers on those shows while 25 percent would go to a larger group of union members that had yet to be determined.
“Subject to legal review, and subject to certain conditions, the parties will create a jointly trusteed fund to administer additional payments as streaming bonuses to be paid to performers on motion pictures made for initial exhibition on SVOD services using a distribution methodology to be determined by the trustees,” the union’s summary of the deal stated at the time.
Drescher had intended the fund to be a means of distributing the spoils of the streaming era among a large group of union members, as THR reported at the time. The fund was “designed to share the wealth among more actors — even those who aren’t working on the shows and films that generated it,” THR reported.
Now, the union appears to be saying that the larger pool of performers that will receive distributions from the fund are non-principal performers on those successful streaming shows. The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to SAG-AFTRA for comment.
With Drescher’s term as SAG-AFTRA president ending, Astin and the union’s new leadership will have oversight of the fund going forward. The union’s next round of contract negotiations with studios and streamers is likely to begin in the near future, as the current deal that ended the 2023 strike expires June 30, 2026.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, have petitioned the Islamabad High Court (IHC), seeking early hearing of their acquittal plea in the Toshakhana-II case.
The petition, filed through Barristers Salman Safdar and Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry, also requests the court to order the trial court to halt proceedings until a decision is made on the acquittal plea.
According to the petition, the trial court had dismissed their acquittal plea in November 2024, a decision that was challenged on January 21, 2025. The last hearing on the matter took place on April 25, 2025, but since then the plea has not been fixed for hearing.
The precociously talented winger has the ability to lead the Red Devils back to the top – if they are lucky enough to keep hold of him
From Lamine Yamal firing Spain to Euro 2024 glory while preparing for school exams, Arsenal’s Max Dowman making his Premier League debut at the age of 15 and Rio Ngumoha scoring the winner for Liverpool at Newcastle while still just 16, the world’s biggest clubs and international sides are becoming more and more open to the adage that ‘if you’re good enough, you’re old enough’.
And while those players all have the capability to go on and win every prize the game has to offer, there is a belief that Manchester United might just have the very best youth player in the world on their hands and will soon be ready to unleash him into the professional game – if they are lucky enough to keep hold of him, that is.
JJ Gabriel may only be 14 years old but he has been killing it at Under-18 level and it cannot be long before he makes his first senior appearance. The winger – who has been likened to three of the best players of the last 20 years in Lionel Messi, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo – has been causing a stir since millions of people watched him strut his stuff on a skills video when he was just eight.
Gabriel already boasts a huge online following, but any suggestions he was being over-hyped have been hushed by his mesmerising displays and his ruthless goal record in a frightening start to the season. GOAL has the lowdown on the player who was first known as ‘Kid Messi’ but who is fast making a name for himself…
Los Angeles was the epicenter of K-pop’s next evolution this week as Galaxy Corporation hosted its first-ever auditions for a virtual K-pop group at the El Rey Theatre.
From aespa’s “ae” avatars to motion-captured virtual group PLAVE to the current chart-topping success of HUNTR/X and Saja Boys of KPop Demon Hunters, virtual idols and the mix of technology and music is nothing new, but Galaxy Corporation’s auditions on Monday (Sept. 8) seemed to fall at the perfect time. The company describes itself as “enter tech” — converging IP, media and technology — and they’re betting big on a future where human performers power a virtual group that can perform and interact with fans in real time, marking another step forward in the music industry’s ongoing experimentation with digital idols. They currently have a small-but-quickly-growing roster of clients, from G-Dragon, Song Kang-ho (Parasite) and Kim Jong-kook, and also produced the Netflix breakout reality competition Physical: 100, which has gone on to have several spin-offs.
While most K-pop auditions have strict age ranges, a specified gender or other barriers to entry, Galaxy Corporation’s audition was searching for anyone with talent, regardless of genre, nationality or age. With this global search, they are “looking for creativity, emotional honesty, and the ability to connect with an audience” rather than visuals, as the group’s members will have digital avatars via motion capture, GK (Gyuhyuk Song), head of IP Music at Galaxy Corporation and senior lead for this project, tells Billboard. Some aspects of this project are based on the traditional idol group model: “Traditional idol training will remain at the core, but we’re also integrating new elements like digital performance and fan interaction in virtual spaces, to prepare artists who can move seamlessly between physical and virtual worlds.” And as intended, candidates who came in person were aged between early teens to adults. One father flew in with his auditioning daughter from the East Coast with dreams of participating in this project.
“Can an artist truly exist forever?” is a question that stuck with GK during his 12 years at SM Entertainment before joining Galaxy Corporation, noting that “groups struggle to surpass the seven-year standard contract period.” Of course, there are many exceptions these days with the global scale of K-pop and the way fans are more connected to their favorite artists than ever, but with this new project, the goal is to create “eternal artists.”
The concept of virtual artists isn’t entirely new — Gorillaz were an early pioneer the idea in the early 2000s — but what sets these newer groups apart is how their avatars are presented as fully realized individuals, with the real identities behind the characters often kept deliberately hidden.
Galaxy Corporation reinforced this approach for their auditions as well. Inside the El Rey, Galaxy Corporation prepared a holding area upstairs in the theater’s balcony and escorted candidates to the main stage while covered by large umbrellas to maintain anonymity throughout the process, aside from first name and age. A large screen was set up on the stage for the judging panel — which included GK, along with two other Galaxy Corporation representatives. Behind the screen, candidates had a mark on the floor for positioning and had a separate screen to see their motion-captured selves as one of two pre-designed avatars.
Virath Pum
There’s an existing culture of virtual artists, and with technology and AI advancing at a rapid rate, Galaxy Corporation emphasizes the importance of authenticity when it comes to building fandom. Fandom is already the core driver of so many artists’ success, and ways to integrate the fans into this new project is also top of mind.
“We believe fandom will become even more interactive and participatory,” GK says. “Fans will not only support, but also shape creative direction through AI-driven platforms. This could lead to a new culture where the line between creator and fan blurs, fostering communities that feel deeply personal and globally connected.”
Additional audition rounds are expected to be held in other cities later this year, with Galaxy targeting a debut that positions the group as a truly global act.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif addresses nation in Islamabad, on May 7, 2025. —PID
ISLAMABAD/LAHORE/SUKKUR: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the Ministry of Finance to approach the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for relief in electricity bills for flood-affected communities across the country.
According to sources, the PM instructed the ministry to initiate talks with the IMF on granting a one-month exemption from electricity bills for residents of areas devastated by recent floods. He stressed the urgency of the matter, saying that the finance ministry must now engage with the IMF to secure this relief, which is aimed at providing immediate support to the affected population.
Officials said the proposed relief would cover all flood-hit regions, whether urban or rural, ensuring broad-based assistance to households suffering from the disaster.
Meanwhile, the Punjab government requested the federal government to deploy Pakistan Army personnel for conducting post-flood damage surveys across the province.
In a letter to the Ministry of Interior, the Punjab Home Department said that floods had caused widespread loss of lives, property, crops, livestock, and infrastructure, making a comprehensive survey essential for transparent assessment and fair compensation.
To ensure public cooperation, security, and credibility of the process, the provincial government has asked for 1,710 army personnel to be deployed in 25 flood-affected districts, similar to arrangements made during the 2022 floods.
According to the request, 1,710 survey teams have been formed, each including an army representative along with civil officials. The Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) will bear expenses related to the army’s deployment and logistics.
The districts where personnel are being sought include Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Chiniot, Faisalabad, Gujarat, Hafizabad, Jhang, Kasur, Khanewal, Lahore, Lodhran, Mandi Bahauddin, Multan, Muzaffargarh, Nankana Sahib, Narowal, Okara, Pakpattan, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Toba Tek Singh, Vehari, and Wazirabad.
Also, the PDMA Punjab released its damage assessment report, revealing the scale of destruction caused by recent floods across the province.
According to Relief Commissioner Nabeel Javed, 97 people lost their lives in various flood-related incidents, while more than 4,500 villages were inundated along the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab rivers.
The report detailed that 2,334 villages were affected by the Chenab River floods, 1,482 by the Ravi, and 672 by the Sutlej. In total, 4.498 million people were impacted, of whom 2.451 million were safely evacuated.
Authorities also established 396 relief camps in the worst-hit districts, while nearly 1.91 million livestock were relocated to safer areas.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari welcomed the federal government’s decision to declare a climate and agricultural emergency, terming it a step aligned with his party’s demand. However, he strongly criticised the delay in launching an international appeal for assistance through United Nations mechanisms.
In a statement on social media platform ‘X’, Bilawal said the government’s hesitation was “beyond comprehension”, recalling that such appeals were standard practice in disasters of this scale — including the 2005 earthquake, the 2010 floods, and the more recent floods during his tenure as foreign minister. “Countries all over the world initiate this process within 72 hours. There is no excuse to cut off millions affected from this assistance,” he said.
The PPP chairman also voiced concern over the federal government’s failure to announce relief for flood-affected districts under the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), despite assurances given to him personally by PM Shehbaz Sharif. He particularly stressed the plight of communities in Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab — especially south Punjab — and Sindh.
Bilawal announced that the PPP would table resolutions in all provincial assemblies, the National Assembly, and the Senate to press for immediate action on these demands.
Separately, the PPP on Friday moved separate resolutions in the Senate and National Assembly, pressing the federal government to adopt urgent humanitarian, agricultural, and climate-related measures as devastating floods continue to wreak havoc across the country.
The resolutions were submitted by Senator Sherry Rehman in the Senate and Shazia Marri in the National Assembly, following directives from PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
The party termed the floods a “multi-faceted climate, agricultural, and humanitarian emergency”, citing the destruction of crops, displacement of millions, and outbreak risks of waterborne diseases.
Key demands included:
Immediate waiver of electricity bills for displaced and flood-affected households.
Expedited cash transfers to affected families and farmers through the BISP, replicating the 2022 relief model.
Essential medicines and medical care to contain post-flood disease outbreaks.
Launch of a UN-led international flash appeal to mobilise swift donor support, as was done during the 2005 earthquake, 2010 and 2022 floods.
The PPP warned that delays in mobilising resources were “unacceptable” and risked escalating the crisis into a nationwide food emergency, given massive crop losses, submerged farmland, and mounting food insecurity.
The resolutions stressed that Pakistan, ranked the most climate-impacted country globally in 2022 despite being a negligible emitter, must receive support under principles of climate justice. “This is not charity but Pakistan’s right,” the PPP declared, reiterating that relief, recovery, and rehabilitation must be prioritised without delay.
Also, the PPP leaders demanded that flood relief be disbursed through the BISP to ensure transparency and that disaster management institutions be audited.
At a press conference, PPP Central Secretary Information Nadeem Afzal Chan and Punjab General Secretary Syed Hassan Murtaza said Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had advised the PM to use BISP’s verified database for cash transfers. They accused the Punjab government of distributing aid on the basis of favouritism despite having digital systems available.
Chan criticised PTI’s government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa for worsening flood risks through encroachments and the timber mafia, calling for a commission of inquiry. Murtaza said Faisalabad Division and riverine areas were worst hit, with livestock losses crippling farmers.
Meanwhile, a second breach occurred late Thursday night in the Dhundo protective flood dyke at Gutwala, tehsil Shujabad, after high water pressure from the Shujabad branch canal emerging from the River Chenab washed away recent repair work.
Witnesses said the breach reappeared at the same location where it had been sealed just two days earlier, unleashing floodwaters that inundated nearly 4,000 acres of fertile farmland and swept away scores of houses in surrounding villages.
The district administration and machinery were immediately deployed to the site to repair the dyke, while evacuation operations were launched to move residents to safer areas. Officials said losses to crops and properties were significant, though assessments were still underway.
Also, Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb rushed to Shujabad tehsil to monitor relief, rescue, and evacuation operations after a major breach in the Dhundo flood bund. She was accompanied by provincial ministers Khawaja Salman Rafique, Kazim Ali Pirzada, and Rana Sikandar Hayat, as well as Commissioner Multan Division Aamir Karim Khan.
Marriyum, who has been active in flood-hit areas for three days under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s instructions, assured residents that losses would be compensated once water recedes. She urged citizens to prioritise safety and evacuate vulnerable settlements.
Local residents, however, blamed negligence for the repeated breaches, recalling a similar collapse at Gutwala in 2014. Community leaders said the abolition of irrigation monitoring posts in 2011 and unchecked burrowing by mongooses and reptiles had weakened the dyke.
Assistant Commissioner Humaira Shah appealed for urgent evacuation of nearby villages and requested heavy machinery to repair the 80-foot breach.
Separately, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz visited Bhat Zahir Pir near Liaquatpur town of Rahim Yar Khan on Friday to oversee rescue and relief efforts in flood-affected areas. She personally welcomed families arriving by boats and rafts at Manchan Bund, helping women and the elderly to safety and offering water to victims. She also carried a child in her arms, showing solidarity with displaced families.
The CM praised Rescue 1122 and PDMA teams for their efforts and ordered that life jackets and life rings be made mandatory in ongoing operations.
Officials briefed her that 35 villages, including Noorwala, Gul Muhammad Langah, Dera Faridi, and Chauhan, have been inundated, affecting 84,721 people across 43-sq-km. Relief measures include six camps, 15 medical clinics (three on boats), 52 rescue boats, and evacuation of 12,604 people and 488 cattle.
Maryam assured victims the government stands firmly with them and directed officials to accelerate rescue and rehabilitation work.
Separately, Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan on Friday visited flood-affected areas of Jalalpur Pirwala, inspected a temporary crack repair on the Uch Sharif Road, and reviewed relief activities. He praised the NHA’s timely intervention, stressing that citizens’ lives and property were the top priority, and urged collective efforts to face the unexpected flood situation.
At a relief camp in Government Boys High School, the minister assessed facilities for victims and directed the NHA to stay in close coordination with provincial and district authorities. Officials briefed him that floodwaters from two rivers were reversing course, complicating the crisis.
During his visit, Aleem Khan also inspected facilities at Motorway M-5 rest areas, expressing dissatisfaction over cleanliness. He ordered construction of new executive washrooms and improvements in food quality and pricing, pledging to revisit in two weeks to review progress.
Meanwhile, Punjab’s Minister for Industries, Commerce, and Investment Chaudhry Shafay Hussain assured that all damages in flood-hit villages of PP-31, including Gujrat, will be fully compensated.
Speaking to the media, he said a comprehensive survey is underway to assess losses, after which CM Maryam Nawaz will announce a relief package. He pledged that aid would be delivered directly to victims’ doorsteps, continuing the tradition of public service set by his father, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.
On the other hand, the Multan High Court Bar Association (MHCBA) on Friday urged the federal and Punjab governments to declare flood-hit areas of southern Punjab as disaster-affected and include victims’ representatives and bar officials in damage assessment committees to ensure fair compensation.
At a press conference, MHCBA President Muhammad Azhar Khan Mughal and General Secretary Safdar Sarsana Sial said the floods were among the worst in Pakistan’s history, devastating areas including Alipur, Jalalpur Pirwala, Kabirwala, Kahror Pakka, Mailsi, Shujaabad, Muzaffargarh, Khangarh, and Vehari.
Meanwhile, the water level in the Sutlej River is gradually receding, though a medium-level flood persists, officials said Friday. The Flood Forecasting Division reported flows of 95,000 cusecs at Head Ganda Singh, 102,137 at Head Sulemanki, 96,598 at Head Islam, 130,000 at Jamlera, and 111,556 at Mailsi Siphon.
Flooding has inundated 94 villages across Vehari district’s three tehsils — Vehari, Burewala, and Mailsi — affecting 78,821 people, of whom nearly 76,000 have been relocated. Crops on 65,647 acres have been destroyed, while 118,873 livestock have been shifted to safer areas.
Relief efforts include 21 camps, cooked meals for 7,000 victims, 11 medical camps treating 12,156 patients, livestock vaccinations, and drone surveillance. Rescue 1122 has deployed 29 boats and 140 rescuers, while locals are donating food, clothing, and bedding for flood-hit families.
On the other hand, residents of flood-affected areas in Burewala are facing a new ordeal as boat-riding thieves have begun looting abandoned settlements submerged by the Sutlej River.
In a major incident at Basti Dona Wali, within the jurisdiction of Fatah Shah Police Station, culprits stole solar panels, inverters, fans, and pumps worth hundreds of thousands of rupees from an empty farmhouse. The thieves fled despite police arrival, sparking strong protests from locals.
Villagers said evacuated homes have become easy targets and urged the Vehari DPO to step up security and protect properties in flood-hit areas.
Also, authorities declared a major flood at Guddu Barrage on Friday as water levels surged to 500,633 cusecs upstream and 475,970 cusecs downstream, according to the Irrigation Department. The Sukkur Barrage recorded 450,150 cusecs upstream, marking a medium flood, while Kotri Barrage faced a minor flood with 259,284 cusecs.
At Panjnad, combined flows of the Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej rivers reached 668,000 cusecs Thursday night before easing to 658,000 cusecs by Friday afternoon. Rising gauges were also reported at Mithun Kot (10.9 feet), while Trimmu and Taunsa showed slight declines.
The Federal Flood Commission warned of continued high flood at Guddu, medium flood at Sukkur, and low flood at Kotri over the next 12 hours. Meanwhile, Tarbela Dam is at full capacity and Mangla is 92pc full, raising concerns of sustained high flows downstream.
Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday expressed solidarity with the people of south Punjab, affected by devastating floods, assuring them of the government’s full support.
In a statement from Aiwan-e-Sadr, he said rescue and relief operations were underway in coordination with provinces, armed forces, and humanitarian agencies.
Separately, Acting President Yusuf Raza Gilani on Friday met KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi at Aiwan-e-Sadr to review flood relief and rehabilitation efforts in the province. Governor Kundi briefed him on widespread losses to lives, livelihoods, livestock, and agriculture.
Gilani reaffirmed the government’s decision to declare a climate and agriculture emergency, and urged expedited disbursement of aid through BISP. He called for swift damage assessment and coordinated action by federal, provincial, and private stakeholders, while also appealing to philanthropists and civil society for support.
Separately, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali on Friday urged political parties, civil society, and charitable organisations to set aside politics and unite in helping flood victims.
Speaking to media in flood-hit villages, he stressed that a National Action Plan should be devised to tackle natural disasters, similar to the one against terrorism.
Gohar criticised the government’s relief efforts as inadequate but assured that PTI stands with flood-affected communities. He also visited a relief camp in Pheruki, met victims, and reiterated his trust in party founder Imran Khan.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami Naib Emir Liaquat Baloch said on Friday that floods in Jalalpur Pirwala and adjoining areas were worsened by illegal encroachments, corruption, and institutional negligence, alongside rains, glacier melt, and Indian water aggression. He said 24 districts and eight cities face severe damage, while government agencies “failed during disaster”. Baloch demanded a Supreme Court-led commission to assess losses and a national action plan to prevent future crises. He noted Al-Khidmat Foundation had launched Rs2 billion relief operations, including food, medical aid, and tent schools.
Adrien Fourmaux finds himself leading Rally Chile Bio Bío at the end of Friday, after late heartbreak for Ott Tänak turned the leaderboard upside down. A sudden issue for the Estonian on the day’s longest stage left the Hyundai driver sidelined, handing Fourmaux the rally lead by just 1.0sec over team-mate Thierry Neuville.
The Frenchman inherited the top spot when Tänak pulled up 5.6 kilometres into the day’s longest test, ending what had been a commanding performance from the Estonian – who had built an advantage of nearly 10sec after overhauling championship leader Elfyn Evans’ morning advantage.
“I can only be pleased because I think it is the first time we are leading a rally at the end of the first day, so it is positive for us but it is a shame for Ott,” said Fourmaux, who is chasing down his first-ever FIA World Rally Championship victory. “Tomorrow is going to be a different day, so let’s see.”
Neuville sat second in his similar i20 N Rally1 after a transformed afternoon following major set-up changes between loops. The Belgian struggled in the morning but found his rhythm as conditions dried, describing his car as “way better” despite admitting he was “still far from good.”
Sébastien Ogier delivered the day’s standout individual performance with a stunning stage win on SS6, beating Neuville by 3.1sec and climbing from fifth to third overall. Making his 200th WRC start this week, the eight-time world champion was another to make midday set-up adjustments after a muted morning.
“I kept pushing all day and this morning I was already on the limit, and in this last stage I cannot do more,” reflected Ogier, who trailed Fourmaux by just 2.3sec heading into Saturday.
Road-opener Evans endured a torrid afternoon as cleaning conditions hit him the hardest, with the Welshman dropping from the rally lead to fifth position by the day’s end. As well as Ogier, he was overtaken by Toyota team-mate Sami Pajari on the last test and trailed the Finn by 1.9sec overnight.
“This afternoon has been a big struggle,” admitted Evans after losing 14.2sec on the final stage alone. “I couldn’t control the rear at all.”
Takamoto Katsuta held sixth despite struggling with his Toyota’s balance, while Grégoire Munster placed seventh for M-Sport Ford after recovering from a broken gear linkage in the morning.
Kalle Rovanperä’s championship hopes suffered another setback as the defending Chile winner languished in eighth, over a minute behind the leader. The two-time champion’s day was ruined by a debeaded tyre after he ran wide and hit a bank in the morning, though he showed encouraging pace once conditions improved.
“Obviously I’m disappointed that it ended our good chances for today,” said Rovanperä. “Finally we had some good pace on this kind of road and that has not been the case probably ever this year.”
Oliver Solberg topped the WRC2 standings and is currently poised to clinch the championship title, with rivals Yohan Rossel and Gus Greensmith both retiring with mechanical problems. The Swede also ended the day ninth in the overall standings ahead of M-Sport Ford driver Josh McErlean, who lost over one minute after a high-speed spin on SS1.
Heavy overnight rain is expected in the vicinity of Saturday’s stages, of which there are six totalling almost 140km of competitive action.
David Byrne tested his cooking skills while gathering ideas for the songs that ended up in his latest album, Who Is the Sky?
“I should get out my cookbook and tell you what recipes I tried. Of course, I knew how to make a very traditional mole, the dark one,” Byrne tells Billboard Español in reference to mole negro during a video call from his home in Brooklyn, New York.
The British-American musician, producer, avant-garde rock pioneer and intellectual shares that he primarily cooked Mexican and Indian dishes during the pandemic, when the first notes of the tracks included in his first album since the acclaimed American Utopia (2018) began to take shape.
“I learned how to make tortillas, not so good at first. I decided, ‘OK, I’m going to try maybe for health not using the lard fat in the tortilla and see if I can put something else in,’” continues the 73-year-old artist. “But it didn’t work out at all. So I had to go back to the more traditional method.”
When it comes to music, though, the former Talking Heads frontman never follows a traditional method. Who is the Sky?, released Sept. 5 under Matador Records, features 12 songs as colorful as the album’s cover art. The rhythms used turn Byrne’s voice into yet another instrument in these subtle melodies, infused with avant-pop touches and orchestral textures. The lyrics are characterized by their ironic but always intelligent sense of humor. “Everybody Laughs,” with sublime backing vocals from St. Vincent, offers a joyful and hopeful moment.
For this project, Byrne enlisted Grammy-winning producer Kid Harpoon (Harry Styles, Miley Cyrus), telling him, “I want this to be a good-sounding, accessible record, but I also want to do something a little bit unusual.” The orchestral arrangements, meanwhile, are courtesy of the New York-based chamber ensemble Ghost Train Orchestra. “I heard a record [from them] I guess in 2023 — a record of compositions and songs by a guy named Moondog, who was kind of a street poet and he wrote really beautiful music,” he explains. “They did an interpretation of his music. I really liked it.”
Longtime friends and new collaborators — including Paramore’s Hayley Williams on “What Is the Reason for It?”, drummer Tom Skinner from The Smile and percussionist Mauro Refosco from American Utopia — also contribute to the album.
Byrne and St. Vincent — whose real name is Annie Clark — previously collaborated on the 2012 album Love This Giant, with most of the songs co-written by the two. “She was always doing really interesting things and she lived just a few blocks from the studio where I was, so I called her up and said, ‘Annie, can you come by for just a little while, maybe sing on a song?’” Byrne says. “And we had a great time. She did great. She wanted to do more, but she had to get back to her baby.”
Collaborating with younger musicians has become increasingly common for the “Psycho Killer” singer. Pop star Olivia Rodrigo invited him to perform a duet of the Talking Heads classic “Burning Down the House” at the Gov Ball festival in June.
“When I talked to her, I said, ‘Do you have time to rehearse a little bit of choreography? Can we work out some movement at the same time?’ And she said yes. So we had some rehearsals and worked out some movement. Some of it I think was inspired by [the Talking Heads’ 1983 concert film] Stop Making Sense.”
These collabs have shown the How Music Works author that many young artists appreciate what he and his band did in their time. “It’s very flattering and very exciting, that kind of mutual appreciation,” he says with satisfaction. “I like what they do too.”
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Talking Heads, Byrne has explored many genres and global rhythms including from the Latin scene, with collaborations with artists like Celia Cruz, Café Tacvba, Los Amigos Invisibles, Los de Abajo, and Marisa Monte — some of them through his Luaka Bop label, founded in the late 1980s.
“Some months ago, I went to a concert here in New York of Mon Laferte. I know she’s Chilean, but she lives in Mexico. I like her music as well. I have to say, I was surprised at the concert. It was really, really good,” says Byrne. He also revealed that he’s a big fan of Natalia Lafourcade’s music, whom he met during the recording of Café Tacvba’s second MTV Unplugged in Mexico City in 2019.
Amid a busy work schedule, Byrne announced recently his marriage to financier Mala Gaonkar and the tour accompanying the release of Who Is the Sky?, which will take him to stages across the U.S., Canada, and Europe between 2025 and 2026. He also hopes to include Mexico on the trek next year. “I think in the spring,” he notes. “The dates are not set, but they are coming soon.”
