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Billionaire and spiritual leader the Aga Khan dies
Billionaire philanthropist and spiritual leader Aga Khan has died at the age of 88, his charity the Aga Khan Development Network has announced.
Prince Karim Aga Khan was the 49th hereditary imam of the Ismaili Muslims, who trace his lineage directly to the Prophet Muhammad.
He “passed away peacefully” in Lisbon, Portugal, surrounded by his family, his charity said in a statement on social media.
Born in Switzerland, he had British citizenship and lived in a chateau in France.
King Charles III has been made aware of the death of the philanthropist, who was a friend of both himself and his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. It is understood that the King is deeply saddened at the loss of a personal friend of many years and is in touch with the family privately.
The Aga Khan’s charities ran hundreds of hospitals, educational and cultural projects, largely in the developing world.
He enjoyed a lavish lifestyle, with a private island in the Bahamas, a super-yacht and a private jet.
The Aga Khan Development Network said it offered its “condolences to the family of His Highness and to the Ismaili community worldwide”. “We continue to work with our partners to improve the quality of life for individuals and communities across the world, as he wished, irrespective of their religious affiliations or origins,” it added.
The Ismailis, a Muslim sect, have a worldwide population of about 15 million, including 500,000 in Pakistan. There are also large populations in India, Afghanistan and Africa.
Prince Karim Aga Khan succeeded his grandfather as imam of the Ismaili Muslims in 1957 at the age of 20.
The prince had an estimated fortune of $1bn (£801m) in 2008, according to Forbes magazine. His inherited wealth was boosted by numerous business interests, including horse-breeding.
He became a leading owner and breeder of race horses in the UK, France and Ireland, breeding Shergar, once the most famous and most valuable racehorse in the world.
He was the founder of the Aga Khan Foundation charity prince and gave his name to bodies including a university in Karachi, and the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture was key to the restoration of the Humayun’s Tomb site in Delhi. There is an annual Aga Khan Award for Architecture.
And he founded the Nation Media Group, which has become the largest independent media organisation in east and central Africa.
Shergar won the Derby at Epsom in 1981 by 10 lengths in the Aga Khan’s emerald green racing silks with red epaulets but was kidnapped in Ireland two years later and never found.
Despite losing his beloved horse, he told the BBC in 2011 – on the 30th anniversary of Shergar’s biggest triumph – that he did not contemplate deserting his Irish breeding operation.
Of Shergar’s triumph, he said: “It’s a memory that can never, never go away. “I’ve seen that film I don’t know, tens or hundreds of times. I keep trying to analyse where this remarkable performance came from. Every time I see the film, I feel that I have learned something.
“If you’re in racing, the Epsom Derby is one of the greats. It always has been, so to win a race of that quality in itself is an extraordinary privilege. To win it the way he won it was more than that. “I had watched quite enough races to be able to determine what the jockey was feeling, how the horse was going at the time and when he came around Tattenham Corner, I couldn’t believe my eyes, frankly.
“His victory up to this point in time was unique. Two things I found stunning – one was the ease with which that horse moved and second was the fact that during the finishing straight he just kept going away, going away, going away. That was really remarkable.”
The Aga Khan went on to win the big race another four times with Shahrastani (1986), Kahyasi (1986), Sinndar (2000) and Harzand (2016).
Other notable successes included the 2008 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with the brilliant unbeaten filly Zarkava.
[BBC]
Sam Konstas’ Sri Lanka tour is officially over with the teenage star returning to Australia to play Sheffield Shield cricket for New South Wales.
Despite an impressive first two Tests, Konstas was replaced at the top of the batting order by the more experienced Travis Head in last week’s series opener in Galle.
With Head making a speedy half-century to set the tone for Australia’s big win, Konstas was set to miss selection again for the second match beginning Thursday.
Konstas trained with the team at their main session in Galle on Tuesday before packing his bags to fly back to Australia in the evening, Cricket Australia confirmed.
Australia selectors determined the 19-year-old would be better served lining up for NSW against Queensland on Saturday at the Gabba – a Test venue at which he has never played – than watching from the sidelines in Galle. The selectors value players getting experience at home Test venues. It was part of the reason Nathan McSweeney got the nod at the start of the Border-Gavaskar series, as Konstas has not played at either the Gabba or Adelaide Oval.
Australia will have adequate concussion substitutes in Konstas’ absence, with 15 remaining in the squad as well as development player Tanveer Sangha.
The tour was Konstas’ first with the Australian squad to the subcontinent, but he previously attended development camps in Chennai and Sri Lanka.
He may have an additional opportunity to hone his skills against spin with an Australia A tour of India in the works for later in 2025.
After his famous start to life as a Test player, the Sri Lanka tour may have shaped as underwhelming for Konstas, who missed selection and was then struck down by a stomach bug.
But Head said Konstas would have learnt from the touring experience.
“Sam’s a big part of where we’re going, there’s no doubt about it,” Head said. “Disappointed that he missed out on the first Test but great for him to be here, great for him to be experiencing conditions.”
Head expected Konstas would return to the top of the batting order when Australia travelled to England for the World Test Championship Final against South Africa in June.
“Most likely I’ll go back in the middle order and Sam will open,” Head said.
[Cricinfo]
Thousands of residents are fleeing Santorini after hundreds of earthquakes were recorded near the Greek island in the last 48 hours.
About 9,000 people have left the island since Sunday, with additional emergency flights scheduled to leave on Tuesday.
More than 300 earthquakes have been recorded in the past two days near the island, and some experts say tremors could continue for weeks. Authorities have closed schools and warned against large indoor gatherings, but Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has urged calm.
Santorini is a popular tourist destination but most of those leaving are locals, as February is outside the peak tourist season.
Dozens of tremors were recorded in the Aegean Sea north-east of Santorini on Tuesday, with a large earthquake measuring magnitude 5 striking mid-afternoon.
Several days of continuous seismic activity has led some residents to sleep in their cars – afraid to spend the night in their homes in case walls or ceilings cave in.
No major damage has been reported on the island so far, but emergency measures are being taken as a precaution.
Hundreds of people queued at a port in the early hours of Tuesday morning to board a ferry leaving for the mainland.
“Everything is closed. No-one works now. The whole island has emptied,” an 18-year-old local resident told Reuters news agency before boarding the vessel.
Local media reports around 6,000 people have left the island by ferry since Sunday, and a further 2,500 to 2,700 passengers will have flown from Santorini to Athens via plane on Monday and Tuesday, according to Aegean Airlines.
The carrier said it had added nine emergency flights to its schedule following a request from the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection.
In recent days, an estimated 9,000 people in total have fled Santorini – a small island with a population of just 15,500.
The island welcomes millions of tourists annually, but bookings this time of year are minimal, so local residents and workers make up the majority of evacuees.
Kostas Sakavaras, a tour guide who has lived on Santorini for 18 years, left the island with his wife and children on Monday.
“We considered it’s a better choice to come to the mainland as a precaution,” he told BBC News.
“Nothing has been falling, or anything like that,” he said, adding that the worst part had been the sound. “That’s the most scary part of it,” said Mr Sakavaras, who plans to return home once schools reopen.
Schools are scheduled to stay closed on the island until Friday. Authorities have also warned people to avoid certain areas of the island and empty their swimming pools.
Santorini’s Mayor, Nikos Zorzos, said the island was prepared for seismic activity that “may last many weeks”. The island must approach it “with patience and calm”, he said on Tuesday.
He added that plans were in place to build shelters and provide food for the population should larger tremors emerge.
On Tuesday morning, representatives from the government, armed forces and emergency services met at the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection to discuss the situation.
The prime minister will chair a similar meeting on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Mitsotakis said on Monday that Greece was working to manage “a very intense geological phenomenon”.
Seismologists consider the recent tremors to be minor, but preventative measures have been put in place in case a larger quake occurs.
Emergency services have warned residents to leave the areas of Ammoudi, Armeni and the Old Port of Fira due to landslides.
The South Aegean Regional Fire Department has been placed on general alert and rescue teams have been dispatched, with crews standing watch by large yellow medical tents on the island.
Concern remains high over the hundreds of earthquakes in the region of the Greek Cyclades Islands, with scientists rapidly analysing data to better understand the phenomenon.
Most of the strongest earthquakes are originating from an area around the tiny islet of Anydros, north-east of Santorini.
With seismic activity remaining intense in the region, scientists are on alert not only for Santorini, but also for Amorgos, Anafi and Ios.
In the event of a larger earthquake, the main issue is the resistance of buildings, especially in Santorini, due to the peculiarities of the soil.
The 77th National Independence Day of Sri Lanka, themed around “Let’s join the national renaissance” was marked today (04 Feb 25).
On the sidelines of the main ceremony, the Sri Lanka Navy honoured the nation, according a 25-Gun Salute onboard Sri Lanka Naval Ship (SLNS) Sayura at 12.00 noon.
According a Gun Salute is considered as a mark of respect and the highest honour of 25-Gun Salute is only accorded to the nation. The custom stems from an age-old tradition, dating back to the 14th century.
In 1948, the Royal Navy had accorded a 15 – Gun Salute at the Galle Face
on the first Independence Day. Since then, the Navy has continued the tradition, according a 25-Gun Salute to the nation, on Independence Day.
Since 2021, the Sri Lanka Navy has upheld the tradition of rendering the 25-Gun Salute from a naval ship, and today’s event was a continuation of this time-honored practice.
Bursts of gunfire presented from four 47mm guns fitted onboard SLNS Sayura rent the air in the city of Colombo, rekindling the national spirit.
The main mast of the ship was dressed with maritime signal flags, denoting the phrase ‘25 Gun Salutes for the Nation’.
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