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Maldives bans smoking for younger generations

Published

11 months ago

2025/11/3

Priyan

(Pic BBC)

The Maldives has banned young people born on or after 1st January 2007 from smoking tobacco, becoming the only country in the world to enforce a nationwide generational tobacco prohibition.

The archipelago’s health ministry announced on Saturday that it would be illegal for younger generations to use, buy or sell tobacco within the country.

The ban “reflects the government’s strong commitment to protecting young people from the harms of tobacco”, the ministry said.

Ahmed Afaal, vice chair of the archipelago’s tobacco control board, told BBC World Service’s Newshour programme that the country’s general vaping ban last year had been a “good step towards a generation of tobacco-free citizens”.

The new ban “applies to all forms of tobacco, and retailers are required to verify age prior to sale”, the health ministry said, adding that it aligned with the Maldives’ obligations under the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

According to the UN’s health body, this convention “provides a global response to a global problem – namely, the tobacco epidemic”.

Mr Afaal said the country’s crackdown on vaping had been an important first step because “these new stylish gadgets are tactics of the industry to approach the younger generations to uptake addictive processes, which definitely harms their health”.

Last year, the Maldives made it illegal for anyone to import, sell, possess, use or distribute electronic cigarettes and vaping products, regardless of age.

Tourists coming to visit the Maldives’ islands will also have to adhere to the law, but Mr Afaal argues the smoking ban will not have a detrimental impact on tourism.

“People don’t come to the Maldives because they’re able to smoke. They come for the beaches, they come for the sea, they come for the sun, and they come for the fresh air,” he added.

Quoting tourism data, Mr Afaal argued that despite the new regulations there had been no tourist cancellations and the number of arrivals had grown in the past year.

“We’re projecting more than 2m [tourists] in the next year,” he said.

Plans by New Zealand to pass a generational smoking ban were scrapped in 2023 after a new government took power.

The move was seen as a blow to many health experts and Maori people in particular, who have one of the highest smoking rates.

Last year, the UK’s then-Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, had hoped to introduce a law that would ban young people born on or after 2009 from smoking.

A new version of the legislation, introduced by the current government, has passed through the Commons and is now at the committee stage at the House of Lords – nearing its last hurdles before it gets royal assent.

(BBC)

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Muhammad Shahzad smashes fastest first-class hundred by a Pakistani batter

Published

7 hours ago

2026/09/24

Priyan

Muhammad Shahzad smashed a century off a record 49 balls (Cricinfo)

Muhammad Shazad has broken the record for the fastest first-class century by a Pakistani batter, reaching the mark in just 49 balls.

The right-hander smashed eight sixes and 12 fours in his innings of 114 off 62 balls for Pakistan Television against Kingsmen Academy at the Diamond Cricket Ground in Islamabad on the opening day of the third round of the President’s Trophy.

This is Shahzad’s sixth first-class century in 21 matches. Batting at No. 5, he walked out when PTV were struggling at 34 for 3 and struck a 143-run stand with Mohammad Taha, who made 43. Shahzad has also played 22 List A matches and 26 T20s. He made his PSL debut for Islamabad United in the 2025 season, playing six matches.

Misbah-ul-Haq previously held the record for the fastest first-class century by a Pakistan batter for his 56 ball effort against Australia in the second Test at Abu Dhabi in 2014. Misbah, at the time, levelled Viv Richards’ record for the fastest Test century. But that record was broken two years later by Brendon McCullum, when he made a 54-ball century against Australia in Christchurch in the second Test of the series.

Shahzad has come through the PCB’s age-group programme, playing for Pakistan’s Under-16 and Under-19 sides. He played in the 2020 Under-19 World Cup in South Africa.

(Cricinfo)

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Showerss above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-western provinces and in Galle and Matara Districts

Published

21 hours ago

2026/09/24

Priyan

WEATHER FORECAST FOR 24 SEPTEMBER 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 24 September 2026 by the Department of Meteorology

The Deep Depression over the West-central and adjoining Northwest Bay of Bengal is moving west-northwestwards and is currently crossing the North Andhra Pradesh and adjoining South Odisha coasts of India.

Although this system will not have a direct impact on Sri Lanka, the prevailing rainy conditions in the southwestern part of the island are expected to continue due to the wind flow towards the system.

Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-western provinces and in Galle and Matara Districts. Heavy showerss above 100 mm are likely at some places in the above areas.

A few showers will occur in North-central province and in Mannar district.

Strong winds of about (40-50) kmph can be expected at times over the Western slopes of the Central hills, the North-central and North-western provinces and in Trincomalee, Hambantota and Matale Districts.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

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Mirabai Chanu wins Asian Games silver as Ri breaks weightlifting record

Published

21 hours ago

2026/09/24

Priyan

L to R, India’s Mirabai Chanu, North Korea's Ri Song Gum and Luluk Diana Tri Wijayana of Indonesia pose on the podium at the medal ceremony for the weightlifting women's 49kg, September 23, 2026 (Aljazeera)

North Korean weightlifter Ri Song Gum has broken three world records en route to winning gold in the women’s 49kg (108lbs) competition, which saw India’s Mirabai Chanu win an elusive Asian Games medal by finishing second.

Ri gave North Korea its first gold of the games in Nagoya, Japan, on Wednesday, joining an elite club of four weightlifters who have won three Asian Games gold medals.

The 28-year-old hauled 94kg above her head in the opening snatch discipline – the first official segment of the competition where athletes lift a barbell from the floor to an overhead position in a single motion. The lift was 1kg heavier than the previous world record of 93kg.

Ri followed it up by breaking the world record twice in the 115kg clean and jerk – a two-part movement where a barbell is lifted from the floor to the shoulders and then pushed overhead. The 4ft-7in (139.7cm) weightlifter hoisted 116kg and 121kg above her head.

Ri’s total lift of 215kg obliterated the old world record total by 7kg.

She is the fourth lifter, and first woman, to win three Asian Games weightlifting golds and joined Iran’s Mohammad Nassiri (1966-74), South Korea’s Kim Tae-hyun (1990-98) and Iran’s Behdad Salimi (2010-18), who all won three gold medals. No athlete has won four weightlifting gold medals.

*Ri joined an elite club of just four weightlifters who have won three Asian Games gold medals [Aljazeera]*

In the same category, India’s Chanu finally won an Asian Games medal at the third time of asking. She won a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

The 32-year-old is India’s most decorated weightlifter, with three Commonwealth gold medals and a silver to her name, along with multiple global titles.

She lifted a total of 198kg after a snatch of 87kg and a clean and jerk of 111kg, while Indonesia’s Diana Tri Wijayana took bronze with a total of 191kg, comprising 88kg and 103kg.

Chanu’s silver also ended India’s 28-year wait for a weightlifting medal at the games since Karnam Malleswari won silver in 1998.