Some of the UK's biggest television networks have joined together to support the Royal National Institute of Blind People's campaign for improved access to audio description (AD).
To promote the charity's #ADSupport drive, the likes of Channel 4, ITV, Five, and the BBC have each launched films drawing attention to their respective AD services, including commentaries for everything from soap operas to movies.
The campaign aims to help more blind and visually-impaired enjoy their favourite programmes via AD, which, according to Ofcom's latest directives, must be available for at least ten percent of a channel's output.
While the UK looks to strengthen its existing offerings to visually-impaired viewers, other countries are yet to catch up. For example, Australia's roll-out of AD technology has long been hampered by political wrangling and budget-conscious broadcasters - much to the frustration of disability campaigners.
As Blind Citizens Australia spokeswoman Lauren Henley told the Guardian recently: "This is not an earth-shattering technology, it's something that's existed in every other developed country for quite a while, and Australia is lagging behind."
Likewise, UK broadcasters risk censure for failing to meet their AD quotas - something which befell ESPN in 2014 to the tune of £120,000. Such measures underline the importance of accessibility in the modern era, and the subsequent efforts of charities and channels alike to keep viewers entertained and in the loop.
WASHINGTON: A bipartisan group of 16 US senators urged the Trump administration to block the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from bailing out the countries that have obtained loans from China under its infrastructure development plan.
The IMF is an international lending institution and the United States is its largest contributor with some $164 billion in financial commitments. In 2016, the IMF agreed to pay Sri Lanka a $1.5 billion bailout loan to cover debts the country owes China.
Recently, reports in the international media claimed that Pakistan may soon seek up to $12 billion from the IMF to overcome a widening foreign exchange deficit.
But media reports claimed that Pakistan may use that money to repay the loans it borrowed for the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is linked to the BRI. Pakistan rejected the claim, saying that it had no intention of using IMF money for repaying China.
But Secretary Pompeo told CNBC news channel last week that Washington was watching. “Make no mistake, we will be watching what the IMF does. There’s no rationale for IMF tax dollars — and associated with that, American dollars that are part of the IMF funding - for those to go to bail out Chinese bond holders or China itself,” he said.
If Mr. Ishaq Dar's statement in the National Assembly about $200 billion deposited by Pakistanis in Swiss banks is to be trusted then as a starter the new government must immediately explore possibilities to recover this money .
Expect nothing good for Pakistan in the coming times from the USA. The sooner we understand that the better for us.
We must immediately establish a National Savings, Foreign Exchange section and offer good investment incentives with tax exemption for 5 years to the Pakistanis abroad. It would be a big game changer and slap in the face of IMF and its US masters.
World should understand IMF is a tool to cripple economy of a country and control it. Whoever took loan from IMF return it in.the first place then u can grow otherwise forget growth !
Sir , if what USA feels comes true, then it is quite a smart game played by China to help its own economy by first lending money to OROB participants and then as a solution to recover its loans, forcing the debtors to borrow from IMF to pay back to China loans. The US seems to have seen through this game only because it deals more with China on economic matters. Indeed, very smart of China leaders.
This is the joke of the century: "They [the US Senators] claimed that China was using the debt to control the policies of the borrowing nations."
They will do all in their power to stop the CPEC route to become functional as it will make Pakistan independent of their blackmail tactics. It will also enable China to boost its trade both ways from Africa and the western Asian countries.
China under the circumstances should widraw most of its fund in IMF, lend to the countries struggling to pay by restructuring their debt with same interest rate as IMF. Best policy under the circumstances.
shutdown their routes through pakistan or better yet charge them a hell of a lot more. If trump says unfair unfair. Shut down the route completely.
The transparency in all PMLN lead govt projects gas remained in question whether it be CPEC, LNG, Orange train or any other project. USA has raised a valid point and all projects details should be open.
On which unfavourable terms were those credits accepted by former inept government? Is that infrastructure to benefit Pakistan or China in the first place?.
This bailout is inevitable for Pakistan. Whether you like it or not the IK administration will first visit the States to get this money to run the business of the government. The bet is on...
It will help Pakistan to end reliance on IMF. In short term we need to explore options other than IMF. In medium to long term we need to enhance exports n investment, and reduce imports, along with other fundamental corrections.
US should not corner Pakistan in every matter. US still has a huge mess to clear in Afghanistan and for that they need Pakistan's support. This aggressive policy of US against Pakistan may backfire on them at some point in future.
Right action by US Senators.If China is serious in supporting allies and their development why does it not finance the projects through the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank which is controlled by China only.
What else can you expect from the bipartisan senators of a country totally controlled by the Hindu-Jewish lobbies, who covertly and overtly contribute billions of dollars towards their election and re-election campaign funds?
IMF has no choice except to give out loans. as long as they can get paid back. Pakistan has not defaulted and financially has well positioned for future. However, Pakistan should continue to explore other sources so that Trump and company know that US does not have a monopoly and complete say in these matters. US senators are trying to destroy the mandate of IMF.
@Riaz Ahmad China is a relatively minor player in the IMF. The withdrawal of China's contribution will not affect the IMF's working. And if China really wanted to ease the interest rate burden on countries to which it has lent, it would have lent at lower interest rates in the first place.
@Amir Ali Khan : It can only be recovered if found out that, first it was illegal and second, it went out of Pakistan. Not every penny from any Pakistani kept out of Pakistan or in Swiss Banks can be attacked. We should keep our hopes on foreign accounts of Pakistan national a bit low. It is a long process.
@M. Saeed Why would an external investor want to lose his money. Look at the Turkish Lira today ? It has crashed.
There we go again. In other words China is using IMF to fund its One Belt One Road Initiative. Clever and the world has wisened up.
@SMI isn't that true of every loan? Or are u used to loans where they give u a loan followed by another loan to pay of first ?
US has repeatedly back-stabbed, let down and disappointed Pakistan, It is time for a new approach and radically different makeup of our relationship with the US.
Trust deficit is not helping either. We have to make some hard choices if we want to keep depending on the US for our military hardware and intelligence sharing. The US only knows how to use Pakistan, with nominal promises of aid or assitance and then forgets about us and betrays us when it is critical for Pakistan.
If one conisders how Russia became food self-sufficient and how Iran managed to stay afloat and even expand her influence around the region - despite curshing sanctions against both countries over the years, this may be a blessing in disguise for Pakistan.
By depriving Pakistan of IMF loans, US may in fact force Pakistan to look internally to reduce imports, increase foreign case reserves and get rid of the menace of debt.
Wait and watch when the new team takes over. They may yet surprise everyone with innovative methods of managing the country's financial affairs.
If FBR, Supreme Court, and our new PM Imran Khan forcefully bring all the corruption money back to Pakistan than we don't have to ask for a bailout package from IMF or USA ever again.
The way things are going it is possible that US imports of Pakistani goods will be the next target. Even EU countries will be coaxed into reducing imports from Pakistan. One thing for sure China cannot help pakistan by importing all that goods.
Only 16 out of 100 senators, this shouldn't be major news. The statements said so far were for Trumps's "America First" base. The Pentagon would disagree since they need Pakistan in Afghanistan.
Good news for Pakistan. USA under the leadership of Trump is now transparent and publicly tell what their policy is. People of Pakistan knew for a long time who their real friends are but now it has been made clear. I hope our rulers will u understand as well.
@Riaz Ahmad Or China can provide loans at market rates that are affordable or provide loans like the Japanese loan to India for the bullet train. CPEC helps China strategically much more than Pakistan..
Looks like Mike Pompeo needs to be reminds that USA itself is indebted to China by around 1.2 Trillion Dollars... China needs to pull the debt card with USA, as China has the power with the ownership of US treasury bills to bring down the economy of USA.
Of all the options mentioned here... No one has said that Pakistan needs to renegotiate deals with China. I wonder why.
The US is 100% right and why should the IMF rescue chinese debts but China get a good name at the cost of IMF?
For first time, we are seeing a US government putting really great thoughts on all aspects. Hats off to the Trump administration.
@Saif Zulfiqar IMF is not an UN agency. IMF was established as a post world war economic reform at brettonwood with aim to help the post war rebuilding and economic development by the western world led by USA.The very same system that China is fighting against...
Russian, Chinese, Turkish, Saudi, Iranian ambassadors have visited IK and offered teade, loans and financial help. US kind of feeling left out. They must do more.
The US should tread carefully for it will lose the help of such a long lasting ally such as Pakistan. A country which the US has repeatedly used to do its bidding. Seems like the Pakistani people and rest of the world is slowly becoming fed up of the double game routinely played by the US.
This shows how good America or IMF is good for the world. They are selfish. China has guts to break from these goons.
USA is an enemy of all those countries, who have good relations with China. This act is absurd and unacceptable. USA is no good to any country, which has good relations with China. Lenders like IMF, World bank, ADB are tools to destroy the economies and for this reason Islam teaches us to refrain from obtaining loans. Old leaderships are responsible for looting money and destroying the country. It is high time to stand firm on feet and say Good bye to those lenders. Wish IK and his team has guts to do so.... high expectations.
@Dr BN Anand you cannot take loans from IMF or that matter any financial Institution to pay off existing loans. On personal level this applies to Credit Cards also,
US interference in IMF will further create polarization, and nations which are bilateral friends of China, will in fact be push towards Chinese Camp, and will become allies. IMF never offer free lunch to any nation. This institution after all get profit on leanding. It’s now too late, the whole of Asia, Africa, Latin America has now influenced by China, and continous rise in offing. Even Canada and EU flooded by Chinese products. US itself is in debt of China. Pak has ability to bear all situations, and once the CPEC got fully operational it will not need any fundings.The new government of Imran Khan will take corrective measures, and economy will revive that’s imminent.
@ABE , we need to understand why there is a resistance of US or IMF for China loans. A. The terms in loans are not shared publicly which creates doubt about the intentions. B. It has been a common practice used by China in Africa to aquire commercial rights in liu of non payments. C. China does not support democracy and the decision of people. If Pakistan make the China agreenent public., they will not face problem with IMF.
Pakistan should stop unnecessary imports from China which is causing about 8 billion dollars deficit.
I am positive that China with $3 trillion reserves is going to help it's friend Pakistan in these trying times.
@junaid As Trump is going around increasing tarrifs, we too can increase tarrifs on transit route for US supplies to Afghanistan.