ITV

Tag: CNN

  • CNN-News18 unveils a bold new look

    CNN-News18 unveils a bold new look

    NEW DELHI: CNN-News18 has unveiled a new look for the channel, one that aims to break through clutter and deliver news and analysis without colour, seamlessly. By changing up its design and feel, CNN-News18 is striving to simplify news for its views and not just give simplistic explanations.

    Executive editor Zakka Jacob said, “The world has changed. We are adapting ourselves to continue to stand by our channel’s ethos of ‘On Your Side’. Given the current environment, this is a significant moment for news television. We at CNN-News18 believe it's the right time to put sanity back in the news. It's time to channel facts, not outrage. We have been known for our fair, balanced and non-partisan coverage, which means that all sides talk to us.”  

    In this new look, the channel will set the graphic design template in HD format, a first in the TV news industry in the country. Further, the screen will be divided into multiple columns, thereby getting rid of clutter and making for a better viewing experience.

    The channel’s refurbished image went live on the auspicious occasion of Dussehra to “slay the evils of Noise TV and put sanity back in the news.”

    “Our commitment to unbiased journalism and to putting India first will always be top priority. Our new look presents a news viewing experience that New India truly deserves and aspires for,” added Jacob.

    Over the years, CNN-News18 has brought to its users some of the most defining stories and campaigns. The channel has led from the front when it comes to socially significant campaigns like Mission Paani, Button Dabao Desh Banao, Right to Breathe and India Positive. 

  • CNN launches new series ‘Saved by the Future’ with leading names in science and technology exploring the innovations that will shape our future

    CNN launches new series ‘Saved by the Future’ with leading names in science and technology exploring the innovations that will shape our future

    This month, CNN launches ‘Saved by the Future’, a brand-new cross-platform series in which some of the biggest names in science and technology spotlight breakthrough innovations in mobility, automation, energy, sustainability and artificial intelligence that could transform our lives in decades to come.

    In the first of three 30-minute shows, host Nicki Shields guides conversations with Bill Nye, Fabien Cousteau and Kathy Sullivan, who transport us to a world of future possibilities that once seemed like mere science fiction, in everything from mobility in space to electric drones that can predict the weather.

    Shields first speaks with TV Star “The Science Guy”, climate change advocate and social media sensation Bill Nye about the future of space exploration. Nye is CEO of the Planetary Society, which successfully launched its LightSail 2 spacecraft in 2019. The spacecraft is powered by solar winds from the sun, meaning by design, it will never run out of fuel. Nye believes this breakthrough will be the future of sustainable space travel, and discusses the domino effect this science has had on the building blocks for future technology.  

    For Fabien Cousteau, the grandson of renowned explorer Jacques Cousteau, the future of ocean exploration rests on advancements in automation and underwater mobility. In 2014, Cousteau and his crew spent 31 days living under the ocean in an underwater habitat known as ‘Aquarius’ – and reveals that an even bigger version, dubbed Project Proteus, is already in the works. We explore the impact such developments could have upon humankind’s understanding of our own oceans.

    Finally, Shields speaks with scientist and former NASA astronaut Kathy Sullivan, who earlier this year became the only person who has both walked in space and visited the deepest known point in the ocean. Sullivan explains to CNN that our oceans are in need of a major technological upgrade: while satellites in space are able to communicate a snapshot of the weather on earth, a networked ocean blanketed with sensors could deliver an extended forecast – helping us accurately understand the state of our earth months, even years, in advance.

  • Zee TV at 28: A walk down memory lane

    Zee TV at 28: A walk down memory lane

    MUMBAI: 28 years sounds like a long, long time. But it seems to have gone by in a flash – for Zee TV’s founders, for TV viewers, for media observers and for investors. It was certainly an audacious move when a goateed gentleman by the name of Subhash Chandra Goyal decided to set up an entertainment channel in 1992. The only TV entertainment we were familiar with was that of public broadcaster Doordarshan for close to twenty years. The last nine or 10 of those were in colour, while the first 10 were in black and white.

    Small cable TV operators with single master antenna television services (SMATV) used to serve us with those original Hiba (Nari Hira) movies, stolen copies of popular Hindi films, pirated versions of Mind Your Language, and Top of The Pops, as well as pornos late in the night during the late eighties and early nineties. Then they began to air Satellite TV Asian Region (Star TV) channels and shows including The Bold and the Beautiful, and Chinese subtitled movies and a mix of international and Chinese songs and finally CNN and BBC, when Li Ka Shing and Richard Li flagged off the ambitious service. Successful at tapping into the minds of India’s metro dwellers, the shows gave women in the first class compartments of trains enough to chat about – such as the exploits of Eric Forrester and Brooke Logan. VJ Nonie on MTV, which was part of the STAR bouquet..

    Into that uncharted territory stepped a bunch of maverick entrepreneurs. Among them: Subhash Chandra, better known for making lamitubes for toothpaste under Essel Packaging, and a cable TV operator named Siddharth Srivastava from the southern part of Mumbai. Srivastava beat everyone to the punch, launching ATN with the promise of many more channels offering songs, movies and sports to come. ATN was interesting but was on an ageing Russian satellite which wobbled. When it did, cable TV operators had to reorient their dishes, which was pretty frequent. Hence, when Zee TV was beamed off Asiasat-2 with its bright pictures and differentiated entertainment shows, Indians became glued to it. Not just in the metros, but in smaller towns and cities, and in some prosperous villages as well.

    And it seemed like Zee TV could do no wrong, even as others attempted to get into the same entertainment channel space. Business India TV and the Times of India unveiled flashy plans while the Hindustan Times and Dr JK Jain launched channels as well. But in time they dropped out of the race, a clear indication that experience in print or out of home media need not guarantee success in television. The highly successful Business India founder, Ashok Advani, borrowed big for his BiTV and cable TV forays, but floundered so badly that his publishing empire almost went belly up.

    Meanwhile, the business savvy Chandra attracted the shrewd Rupert Murdoch to partner with him, locking him in a deal which helped Zee TV grow, and kept the Star TV network in check. The duo finally parted ways with Chandra paying off the Ozzie media baron. 

    Chandra and team seemed to have his finger on the pulse of what viewers wanted to watch: both in non-fiction and fiction. He pioneered singing talent hunts, long before the Idol franchise was created globally, tried almost every genre of fiction programming, right from drama to crime to thriller to horror to adventure to kids. He also had the foresight to acquire rights to movies, paying what seemed like top dollar in those days to acquire them for perpetuity. .

    He succeeded beyond anyone’s wildest imagination: an increasing number of channels followed. Some succeeded, some he effortlessly folded up when he discovered that audiences did not approve. He forayed into cable TV with Siti Networks, DTH with Dish TV, news with Zee Media  – all of which are assets which have served the group well. Yes,  the group could definitely monetise them better, but for that regulations have to be conducive.

    Along the way, he brought in a string of executives who promised to grow his empire. CEOs like Digvijay Singh, Vijay Jindal, RK Singh, Sandeep Goyal, Pradeep Guha came and left. Yes, the TV network did grow, but it did, at times, randomly based on Chandra’s growth urge.

    It required his elder son Punit Goenka to come in and bring some sense of order into the company by hiring professionals from mainline FMCG companies. Of course, it’s to Chandra’s credit that he supported or maybe fronted those decisions. The group forayed into print with DNA – a segment which was challenged then and is  under even more pressure today with the spread of digital. Thankfully, better sense prevailed and the legacy business was shut down.

    Chandra tried to diversify the group into other ventures like infrastructure, which required a lot of capital. To fund those projects he pledged the family’s ownership of Zee. Unfortunately, the infrastructure venture did not go according to plan and the lenders came calling. They gave the group time to pay back. And Goenka promised he and his team would deliver.

    In the meantime, many in the industry and media wrote off Chandra and sons, saying they are sitting targets for an investor-led coup, or that they would be ousted by India’s richest industrialist. They questioned the business practice transparency levels of the Zee group. Others ridiculed and dismissed indiantelevision.com’s belief in Zee’s abilities to turn the situation around.

    The forebodings of naysayers and detractors never came to pass. Today, the family owns a minority stake in the business. But it has the trust of investors who helped the promoters pay back their debts against pledged shares to banks and financial institutions. Goenka heads the organisation, his younger brother Amit leads the international and digital businesses, while Chandra is chairman emeritus. Of course, old friends such as ad man and investor Ashok Kurien continue to support the family and are on-board. Goenka has put in place measures on transparency which have more than satisfied the investor community.

    Like many other companies in the media and entertainment space, revenues have plummeted this year due to Covid2019, lockdowns and precautionary measures put in place by the government. But team Zee has been slogging it out to pull a larger share of those earnings in. Some of those initiatives are working. Goenka is sanguine that Q3 and Q4 are going to show signs of turnaround. And next year is going to be stellar. The group is banking on its widespread network of channels serving several languages in India and its OTT streaming platform Zee5 to provide entertainment and information to its viewers in the country and globally. And bring in the revenues. Zee5 is showing every sign of scaling up even further – both on the SVoD and AVoD spaces. It has signed a slew of partnerships for content and distribution and is gaining viewers, without any sport as part of its programming.

    To Chandra’s, Amit’s  and Punit’s credit, Zee has a productive studio business which churns out films and TV shows, a music label and publishing initiative and even a live venture, – all of which were halted in their planned expansions and growth courtesy the pandemic. But they have a lot of potential, undoubtedly.

     

    Over the last several months, Zee has taken steps to aid different state governments in their battle against Covid2019, whether it be by  gifting ambulances, or providing funds for PPEs and medicines. In their twenty eight year run, even while grappling with their own financial pressures, Chandra and sons have been thinking about the public good.  Just the same as when he launched Zee TV to entertain Indian audiences.

  • CNN’s Inventing Tomorrow explores the impact of Covid2019 on education and self-learning

    CNN’s Inventing Tomorrow explores the impact of Covid2019 on education and self-learning

    MUMBAI: When schools closed their doors around the globe to contain the spread of Covid2019, what followed was the biggest home learning experiment the world has ever seen.

    In the latest edition of Inventing Tomorrow: Tech in a Time of Pandemic, CNN’s Kristie Lu Stout examines the technologies that have reshaped education for students, teachers and parents.

    As schools across Asia begin to reopen, Lu Stout reports from Hong Kong University (HKU), where Keith Richburg, the director of their journalism faculty, outlines how higher education has adapted to the digital transition and whether HKU will maintain online classes in the future.

    Lu Stout speaks to experts from ed-tech and remote learning to hear how these industries have rapidly developed periphery of the conventional education system.

    CNN hears from Simon Nelson, CEO of FutureLearn, Sanjay Sarma, VP of open learning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Paul LeBlanc, pr,esident, Southern New Hampshire University, on how prepared educational institutions were for the shift to online learning and whether online teaching will ever be as attractive as traditional tuition.

    With millions of people furloughed or laid off during the lockdown, adult education courses and self-improvement apps are also experiencing a huge boom. Lu Stout speaks to Luis von Ahn, the co-founder and CEO of Duolingo, about how the language-learning app uses AI to tailor the experience to each student and how long it takes to develop proficiency in a new language.

    CNN Inventing Tomorrow Education Trailer from CNN Creative Mktg on Vimeo.

  • UNWTO, CNN partner on Travel Tomorrow campaign

    UNWTO, CNN partner on Travel Tomorrow campaign

    MUMBAI: Inspiring people to dream of destinations to visit and Travel Tomorrow, when it is safe to do so, is the message behind a newly launched CNN campaign which was devised for the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

    The 60-second film, which runs on CNN International, takes viewers around the world, reminding them of the wonders beyond their neighbourhoods. Travel Tomorrow aims to drive imagination for future trips featuring adventure, business, culture, family and friends.

    Produced by Create – CNN International Commercial’s (CNNIC) in-house creative studio – the film features eight different countries and conveys optimism for prospective journeys. Recognising that travellers of the world have been grounded by Covid-19 and are missing exploring different locations and meeting new faces as they did pre-crisis, it highlights the importance of holding on to hope of travelling when the time is right, and encourages viewers to be enthusiastic about the places and people that they will soon be able to visit, in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidance. This also reflects the UNWTO’s messaging throughout the pandemic.

    “Travel and tourism is by far one of the most affected sectors as a result of this pandemic. Our commitment to supporting this industry is based on our work over many years with the UNWTO, its members around the world and other travel and tourism destinations. It is important to share this responsible yet aspirational message with CNN’s global audience, reminding people that while many have to stay home today, to not stop dreaming about where they want to travel to tomorrow.” Rani Raad, president, CNN worldwide commercial.

    "In these challenging times we must all play our part – staying home today, supporting the efforts of the global healthcare community in combating COVID19 – so that we can #TravelTomorrow. But this does not mean we should stop dreaming about the places we will one day travel to. I am excited by this new initiative created by CNN, a valued partner of the UNWTO, to keep the world connected to the people and places that wait for us when we can once again enjoy the gift of travel – a sector that will  be critical to global economic recovery, unity and opportunity." Zurab Pololikashvili, secretary general of the UNWTO.

    Check out the video here: https://bit.ly/2ZC6hZf

  • CNN to Broadcast Exclusive Documentary on Ted Turner’s Environmental Legacy

    CNN to Broadcast Exclusive Documentary on Ted Turner’s Environmental Legacy

    MUMBAI: In an hour-long documentary on CNN, Ted Turner – the founder of the 24-hour news network – sits down for a rare and exclusive interview to discuss his longstanding conservation efforts amid the ongoing climate emergency.

    While Ted Turner is best known as a billionaire media mogul, an America’s Cup-winning captain and the owner of a baseball, basketball and ice hockey team, Ted Turner: Captain Planet examines how he has been at the forefront of protecting threatened environments since the early 1980s.

    In this documentary, Turner tells CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta how he was driven by a childhood dream, using his TV platforms and growing wealth to "save everything."

    “It's a pretty wonderful world that we live in down here, and it's worth saving.” Turner tells Gupta, reflecting on his decades of conservation work. “You have to save the species that live on the planet to save the planet.”

    Over the course of this hour-long CNN special, those who know him and his environmental work best – from Al Gore, Jane Fonda, and Bill Gates; to his own family and Ted Turner himself – tell the story of the cause closest to his heart, hosted from his ranch in Montana.

    From creating the cartoon Captain Planet, to donating an unprecedented $1 billion to the United Nations and the formation of the Turner Foundation, the film traces Ted Turner’s passion for the natural environment from childhood and his ambitious goal to conserve all species.

    “When I was a little boy, about 10 years old, I read National Geographic magazine and it had an article about bison, and it said how close they came to extinction,” Turner tells Gupta. “I decided then that I would do what I could to help bring the bison back and preserve them.”

    Turner now owns 16 ranches in the United States, covering a total of almost 2 million acres — 10 times the size of New York City — making him the second-biggest landowner in North America. Gupta accompanies Turner around Snowcrest Ranch, which is home to some of Turner’s private herd of more than 50,000 bison, roaming freely.

    Former Vice-President and environmentalist Al Gore speaks in the documentary about how Turner’s restoration of the bison is just one example of his commitment to the environment: “He shares the passion that I feel for solving the climate crisis, he also has used his resources and passions to conserve land and to save the bison. All of those concerns are connected to the climate crisis.”

    As part of the documentary, Microsoft founder Bill Gates reveals how Turner’s donation to the United Nations set a precedent for philanthropic endeavours and helped inspire The Giving Pledge whilst ex-wife Jane Fonda speaks about how Turner’s commitment to the environment was his ‘survival mechanism’ following their public divorce.

    Despite being diagnosed with Lewy body dementia in recent years, Turner tells Gupta that he remains committed to his climate cause during a rare on-screen interview: “It's a life or death issue. We only have one climate. We better take care of it… I'm not patting myself on the back yet, we haven't saved everything yet. When we've saved everything, then I'll celebrate.”

  • Stolen Son: A CNN Freedom Project Documentary

    Stolen Son: A CNN Freedom Project Documentary

    MUMBAI: Persecuted in Myanmar, forced to seek refuge in neighboring Bangladesh and then exploited and trafficked to places unknown. That’s the reality for many Rohingya Muslims living in Cox’s Bazar – now the world’s largest refugee camp accommodating nearly one million people – as they are targeted by human traffickers and lured from the refugee camp with false promises of employment and better living conditions.

    CNN travels to Cox’s Bazar to shed light on this troubling reality in ‘Stolen Son: A CNN Freedom Project Documentary’, a powerful new film that tells the story of one mother’s desperate attempt to find her missing 12-year-old son.

    ‘Stolen Son’ follows Dominika Kulczyk of the Kulczyk Foundation as she meets Fawzia Karim Firoze and Wahida Idris, leaders of the Bangladesh National Woman Lawyers Association and lawyers in the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, as they work to seek justice for impoverished women and children who are often ignored by the judicial system.

    CNN goes with the lawyers as they visit Arakan Rohingya Society, a community center in Cox’s Bazar currently dealing with more than 400 cases of human trafficking. While there, several women come to report new cases of kidnappings and possible trafficking, including Khurshida, who says her 12-year-old son, Faisal, was taken by a neighbor’s husband three months ago. In their search, they discover the suspected kidnapper may be a criminal with ties to a pirate ship.

    “A very large percentage of the Rohingya children living in the camp suffer from malnutrition,” says Idris. “They've fled a desperate situation only to find themselves exploited by criminal trafficking syndicates. They're homeless, they're stateless. They have no identity. They have no nationality. It's the worst scenario.”

    “It’s been two years since the mass exodus of Rohingyas out of Myanmar in what UN investigators have called a genocide. And unfortunately, many of these people have been forced into slavery,” says Mike McCarthy, Senior Vice President and General Manager of CNN International. ”This important documentary shines a light on a pair of tenacious lawyers from Bangladesh who have made it their mission to fight for justice for these victims and help a heartbroken mother search for her stolen son.” 

  • CNN explores India’s Finest Travel Experiences with ‘Travel Trends India’

    CNN explores India’s Finest Travel Experiences with ‘Travel Trends India’

    MUMBAI: Whether it’s an ambitious road trip throughout Rajasthan or a luxurious stay at a Maharaja’s palace, India beckons to the traveler who is seeking experiences over photo-ops. This month, CNN explores how India is meeting the latest trends in tourism, by employing its diverse array of travel possibilities.

    CNN ventures to the regions of Uttarakhand and Rajasthan in northern India to find out how the South Asian country is attracting global travelers. From global music festivals to picturesque mountain retreats to encounters with India’s biodiversity, CNN’s ‘Travel Trends India’ showcases the memorable experiences the country has to offer.

    Highlights of the 30-minute special include:

    Enjoy a rustic homestay near Nainital, Uttarakhand

    Founded in 1841 as a resort town for British colonial officials, the popular hill station of Nainital is nestled in the mountainous state of Uttarakhand. Known for its recreation, mythology as well as panoramic views of the Himalayas, the gem of the Lake District is built around a mango-shaped lake. For nature seekers and boating enthusiasts looking to live like locals, Nainital exudes an old-world charm with homestays that make it a rustic getaway. CNN finds respite at The Retreat, a 150-year-old former British tea plantation, in neighboring Bhimtal.

    The palace-turned-luxury-hotel in Jodhpur, Rajasthan

    In Rajasthan, one can take in a deep history of royal heritage with ease. The lavish Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, one of the last grand palaces to be built in India, is also one of the world’s largest private residences, part of which is now being managed by the Taj Hotel Group. Located amidst 26 acres of lush greenery, the complex includes perfectly-manicured gardens, a throne chamber, a banquet hall, and four tennis courts. Its current custodian is Maharaja Gaj Singh II, whose royal family occupied the palace’s 347 rooms since construction was finished in 1943.

    Motorbike tours from Delhi to Rajasthan

    Few experiences compare to the roar of a motorcycle on the open road. In India, a group of motorcycle enthusiasts are offering the allure of a road trip from Delhi to the culture-rich landscapes of Rajasthan. CNN links up with Vintage Rides, a tour company that combines the love of the iconic Indian Royal Enfield bikes with a passion for adventure. Along the way, the group stumbles upon a village fair and wedding celebrations amid desert landscapes and mustard fields.

    Udaipur World Music Festival

    Started in 2016, the Udaipur World Music Festival is an annual gathering of world-class musicians from around the globe. This year, 150 artists from 16 countries will take to the stage at venues scattered across the romantic Lake City. From Rajasthani folk music to Catalan pop, jazz to gospel, the gathering elaborates how India is meeting the demand for large-scale, multi-day festivals with cultural events like this one.

    Wildlife in Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand

    India’s oldest national park was established in 1936 to protect the endangered Bengal tiger. Today, the Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand state is a sprawling 520 square kilometer expanse of more than 400 different species of flora and fauna, thriving against a backdrop of hillscapes and grasslands. For the wildlife enthusiasts and nature lovers, the park offers safari experiences where India’s rich biodiversity can be spotted up close.

    ‘Travel Trends India’ is produced by CNN Vision, the global production powerhouse of CNN International, which brings the world’s breath-taking diversity into cinematic focus, telling stories that inspire audiences around the world.

    ‘Travel Trends India’ trailer: https://cnn.it/2u7Ts88 

    ‘Travel Trends India’ images: https://bit.ly/2BHttsc

    The 30-minute special airs at the following times:

    Sunday, 31st March at 0200 IST

    Monday, 1st April at 1600 IST 

  • CNN’s #MyFreedomDay Returns to Unite Students in Global Fight Against Modern-Day Slavery

    CNN’s #MyFreedomDay Returns to Unite Students in Global Fight Against Modern-Day Slavery

    MUMBAI: CNN’s #MyFreedomDay – a student-driven social media event to raise awareness of modern-day slavery – returns on March 14.

    Driving this year’s #MyFreedomDay is one simple question: ‘What makes you feel free?’ CNN is asking young people to share their responses via text, photo or video across social media using the #MyFreedomDay hashtag.

    Last year’s call to action saw students from more than 100 countries take part, and the #MyFreedomDay hashtag was used far and wide with 1.4 billion global Twitter impressions and 20 million Instagram timelines reached.

    This year looks to be even bigger with CNN correspondents reporting from schools all over the world including Poland, Hong Kong, Kenya, South Korea, Lebanon, the UK and the US. Special coverage kicks off at 11:00pm IST on March 13 with a half-hour special hosted by Zain Asher and continues on through March 14 with a special #MyFreedomDay edition of CNN Talk at 5.30pm IST and live reports from participating schools throughout the day.

    CNN will also showcase what these students, schools and communities are doing to fight slavery on Facebook, at @CNNFreedom on Twitter and Instagram and at CNN.com/myfreedom.

    Leading up to #MyFreedomDay, CNN will air a new documentary film highlighting the plight of 20,000 children working as slaves on fishing boats in Lake Volta, Ghana. Sold by their parents for $250 USD – $150 USD – or in some cases exchanged for livestock – these children are forced to work from dawn to dusk untangling fishing nets in the murky waters of one of the world’s largest man-made lake.

    Premiering March 2 at 12.30am IST, ‘Troubled Waters: A CNN Freedom Project Documentary’ both exposes this terrible practice and spotlights the aid workers and government officials working to rescue the children. The film is the first in a series of documentaries to be co-produced with the Kulczyk Foundation, and replays on Sunday, March 3 at 4.30pm IST, Monday, March 4 at 08:30am IST and Wednesday, March 5 at 11:00pm IST. 

  • CNN meets the young Lionel Messi fan from Afghanistan who is now a Taliban target

    CNN meets the young Lionel Messi fan from Afghanistan who is now a Taliban target

    In January 2016, a photo of young Murtaza Ahmadi went viral, thanks to his makeshift version of an Argentine football shirt of his idol Lionel Messi. The photo earned the child two autographed shirts, a signed football and a meeting with the footballer in Qatar 11 months later.

    However, Ahmadi’s fame has made him a Taliban target. CNN’s Nick Paton Walsh travels to Kabul to learn how the seven year old boy and his mother, Shafiqa Ahmadi, live in hiding among the many refugees. Shafiqa tells CNN how it would have been better if her son hadn’t become famous and calls on Messi to “help us to get out of Afghanistan.”

    Watch the full article here: https://cnn.it/2Bw8xV2

    Key Quotes:

    Murtaza Ahmadi on when the Taliban invaded the district of Jaghori in Ghazni province where he grew up:

    “The Taliban were killing our relatives and they were searching houses. They would stop cars and kill their passengers, searching houses and killing people… We were not allowed to play football by the Taliban or even go out of the house. We used to hear the sound of heavy machine guns, and Kalashnikovs, and rockets at home. We also heard people screaming.”

    Murtaza on how his father helped him and his mother escape to the nearby city of Bamyan:

    “Last time I saw my father was on the first day we came here. Then he went back, and I haven’t seen him since then. I miss him very much. When he calls my mother I also talk to him.”

    Murtaza on his future:

    “In Kabul, I cannot go outside the house. My mother doesn’t let me go out. She is afraid. I only play with my friend inside the house… When I was in my hometown, I was not able to wear my Messi jersey because I was afraid someone will hurt me. I want to be taken from this country because there is fighting in here. I want to become a football player like Messi and play with Messi.”

    Shafiqa Ahmadi on her son’s fame:

    “From the day Murtaza became famous, life became difficult for our family. Not only the Taliban, but some other groups also started thinking that Messi might have given him a lot of money. We stopped sending him to school, and we were being threatened all the time… It would have been better if Murtaza hadn’t gained fame. Now our lives are at risk both in our hometown and here in Kabul. He spends all of his time here inside the house.”

    Shafiqa Ahmadi’s message to Messi:

    “I would like Messi to help Murtaza, help us to get out of Afghanistan so that Murtaza can have a better future.”