From Zara Noor Abbas to Talha Chahour and Mawra Hocane, emotions were high on Instagram.

Adnan Siddiqui shared a picture of Spain hoisting the trophy and said, “No offence to Messi and Argentina fans, but today felt like comparing Wi-Fi to [Dial-up]. And if Argentina had won, Egypt and I would have unfollowed football…. Just for a week.😉”

Zara Noor Abbas was the most excited person out there, sharing a video of herself with an on-screen Lamine Yamal.

We can infer from all her posts that she’s a fan of the young star.

Ushna Shah addressed the elephant in the room — the many, many allegations of rigging and unfair decisions plaguing the World Cup and the Argentinian team.

So did Talha Chahour, who shared a picture of Lionel Messi, calling him “FIFA’s favourite child”.

For Maanu, supporting Spain and supporting Palestine went hand-in-hand. Spain’s government has been a vocal supporter of Palestine, recognising its statehood and pushing to suspend EU ties with Israel.

Maanu wasn’t the only one highlighting Spanish — and young star Lamine Yamal’s — support of Palestine. Chahour also shared a picture of Yamal hoisting the Palestinian flag in Barcelona in May while celebrating FC Barcelona’s 29th La Liga title, as did Mawra Hocane.

“When you stand [on] the wrong side of history, it’s bound to get ‘Messi’,” wrote Zhalay Sarhadi.

Asim Azhar shared his thoughts on the match — that Messi deserved the win, but Argentina did not.

He later shared that he wasn’t a Spain fan (England is his team) but he had the opportunity to visit the country recently and found it to be “so warm, beautiful, inclusive”.

There were many, many stars who celebrated Spain’s win. Maria Unera, Naimal Khawar, Mariyam Nafees and Sana Javed all shared their joy online.

Aijazz Aslam congratulated Spain and spoke about how he switched sides. “I was rooting for Argentina at the start. Messi’s magic always pulls me in but somewhere in the middle of that final, I switched sides. Argentina were pushing and playing rough, and it just didn’t sit right with me,” he wrote.

“Spain kept their composure and played the better, fairer game. Well deserved, Spain. What a final.”

Even Samar Jafri, who has on many, many occasions expressed his support for Messi, had to hand it to Spain.

Other Argentina fans, like Sajal Ali, were feeling down.

There were a lot of celebrations of Messi as an individual player and talk of him handing down the GOAT torch to Yamal.

Zarrar Khan said that seeing Messi cry breaks his heart, even though he’s a Ronaldo fan. “The Argentinian football team in general is despicable in how they play football and how pathetic they are as sportsmen, but the past two World Cups have proved what an insane carry-job Messi has been doing and how magical he is,” he wrote.

“What a player, what a career. It has been a privilege to witness. There will never be anyone like Leo Messi.”

“You are the greatest ever to step onto this field. Thank you for the countless memories. No one will ever come close to the legacy you’ve left behind,” wrote Jafri in a post dedicated to Messi.

Sami Khan shared a picture of Messi and Yamal, saying, “From generation to next…From present GOAT to future GOAT.”

Syed Jibran shared a picture of himself and his son wearing Argentinian and Spanish jerseys, captioning it “the Kid vs The Goat”.

And of course, there were the inevitable jokes about Messi and Yamal’s Unicef photoshoot and baby Yamal going on to defeat Messi.

Which side were you supporting?

In a collaborative effort with the charitable organisation War Child UK, Tucci posted a video saying war was “tearing little lives apart”.

“Drones aren’t lullabies. Rubble isn’t a playground. War is not a childhood,” the actor said, adding that children were “paying with their lives for wars they didn’t start”.

Tucci said the horrors of armed conflict were the “reality for millions of children around the world, from Gaza to Ukraine to Sudan”.

He urged followers to support War Child’s mission to “reach vulnerable children in some of the most dangerous places in the world with life-saving supplies and mental health first aid”.

The Devil Wears Prada star has worked with the charity since 2022 as part of an impressive record of philanthropy, especially when it comes to causes focusing on children. He has been working with UNHCR for refugee rights since 2017.

An earlier project he did with War Child in 2023 raised £60,000 for children in war-torn areas by selling specially designed t-shirts.

The organisation has been involved in a number of high-profile celebrity fundraising initiatives, especially with musicians under its in-house record label War Child Records.

Their recent charity album, HELP(2), had acts including Arooj Aftab and Olivia Rodrigo come together for their cause. It released via their store and on streaming platforms in March.

The album had 23 tracks and a special bonus recording donated by Oasis of their performance of ‘Acquiesce’ from last year. The album’s first track, ‘Opening Night’, was the first track from the Arctic Monkeys after an almost four-year hiatus following their 2022 release The Car.

Fricker, described as among the most respected Irish actors of her generation by the Irish Times, won the best supporting actress prize for the Irish-made drama that also landed Daniel Day-Lewis the first of his record three best actor Oscars.

Fricker also starred in another renowned Irish film of that era, The Field, and went on to play supporting roles in 1990s US films including So I Married an Axe Murderer, A Time to Kill and Home Alone 2, where she played the kindly “Pigeon Lady” opposite Macaulay Culkin.

“She was an amazing actress, amazing character, a forceful personality,” My Left Foot director Jim Sheridan told a popular lunchtime phone-in show on national broadcaster RTE that was dedicated to Fricker’s career.

“She was vibrant and full of life and had her own opinions. She took no prisoners, let’s put it that way.”

Born in Dublin, Fricker began acting in the 1960s at the age of 19 in film, on stage and later in popular television shows in Ireland and Britain before her searing performance as Bridget Fagan Brown won her wide acclaim.

The success of My Left Foot was also a turning point for the now booming Irish film industry.

“Many’s the time we’re talking about ‘oh we’ve got another 10 nominations’ but back then it was literally this outlier, the little film that did,” said Dublin International Film Festival director Grainne Humphreys, a close friend of Fricker’s.

“The country’s film industry is built on the back of the success of My Left Foot.”

Fricker, writing in the Irish Independent in 2015, said she was probably prouder that her name became Dublin rhyming slang for knickers than for the Academy Award, which she stored in a plastic shopping bag under her sink before it made its way to the shelf.

She appeared on an episode of the show Good Morning Pakistan on Tuesday where host Nida Yasir discussed how to protect children from sexual harassment and predatory behaviour.

When asked by Yasir how she had trained her own daughters to defend themselves against harassment, Ahmad said, “I am a gung-ho mother, Nida. I am shameless. I think there should be no shame in discussing these things, between mothers and daughters, mothers and sons, and even between spouses. These things should be discussed and [children] should be told.”

She said that despite social stigma, she felt things like the menstrual cycle should be discussed because society had made it into a taboo and people lacked awareness. At this point, human rights lawyer Zia Awan said it was so bad that adult women didn’t understand their own bodies.

Ahmad explained she had used science to talk to her kids about puberty and the human body. “Both my daughters, when they were around seven years old, between five to seven, I got them anatomical diagrams. I explained human anatomy, both of men and women.”

She said that’s the age children are naturally inquisitive and satisfying their curiosity was the right way to go.

“I preemptively told them… this is how your body will develop, it will change like this at this age. I never taught them to be ashamed, I showed them how beautiful the human body is and what systems it has.”

Model and psychotherapist Atia Fareed agreed therapy was important for everyone in that it can help them regulate emotions, but especially children who had gone through the trauma of sexual harassment at a young age.

Earlier in the programme, the guests were joined by two young girls, both of whom had been harassed as pre-teens.

One of the girls, who was abused by an instructor at a tuition centre, had told Yasir she no longer felt safe being instructed by a male teacher years after the incident.

The other girl, whose abuser was her uncle, warned viewers to be watchful of all men, even if they are family members.

The crowning ceremony took place at Lahore’s Faletti’s Hotel, where Meraj was crowned by Dr Shafaq Akhtar, Miss Pakistan Universal 2022, and Attaullah Gujjar, Mr Pakistan World.  

Miss World made the announcement on its website and Instagram account on Thursday, saying Meraj would represent Pakistan at the 75th Anniversary Edition of the Miss World Festival in Vietnam from August 9 to September 5.

The 24-year-old old business and economics graduate is currently pursuing a master’s degree in auditing and accounting.

“My future ambitions is to achieve my dream of becoming a State-Authorised Public Accountant. And actively advocating for children’s rights and girls’ education to help build a brighter future for Pakistan,” she said, according to Miss World.

She has previously represented Pakistan at the Miss Earth, Miss Global, Miss Cosmo, Miss Eco International, and Miss Aura International competitions and has also won four titles at the Freedom of the World competition in Kosovo.

This may be the first time Pakistan is participating in the Miss World contest, but it isn’t the country’s first foray into pageants. In recent years, Pakistan’s participation in the Miss Universe pageant has been celebrated with Erica Robin and Roma Riaz both representing the country and winning hearts.

On an episode of her show Kya Drama Hai, originally aired on July 4, Khan criticised Sajal’s acting in episode 18, much of which is spent showing her character running — initially away from the house she was staying at and later from armed miscreants.

Khan found it strange that Rabia would cry “Koi hai? (Is someone there?)” while being shot at and she told the audience as much by mimicking Sajal’s on-screen sprinting, much to the amusement of the show’s host Mukarram Kaleem.

Now, some of her industry colleagues want to know why she would do that and if there’s such a thing as taking criticism too far.

Maya Ali said on Tuesday that there was a difference between mocking someone, mimicry and the constructive criticism a senior actor should be giving.

She said Sajal had “done countless projects, represented Pakistan on international platforms and earned recognition for her outstanding performances”.

But even if she hadn’t, Maya contended, “Every artist deserves respect for their hard work and talent. Chasing ratings should never come at the cost of someone’s dignity.”

Veteran actor Saba Faisal had a tougher tone, asking if Khan’s behaviour was appropriate for social media.

“Nadia, you’re not in your living room, you’re on social media. Why are you talking about artists like that and who are you to criticise an artist like the one and only Sajal Ali?”

The harshest critique, however, came from writer Saima Akram Chaudhary, who said Khan needed to seek professional help.

Chaudhary said Khan had ruined “a script I had poured my heart into” and lamented that she can sit on TV and judge and ridicule other people.

The writer likened giving Khan a platform to “giving a matchstick to a monkey”.

Khan did not take this lightly and responded with an Instagram story of her own on Tuesday.

She said she had taken Chaudhary’s advice and had been diagnosed with “truth syndrome”, something better known as “practicing free speech and calling out bad writing”.

Khan said there was no cure for her honesty, but suggested a remedy for anyone impacted by her ailment, “Write better scripts and fix your production errors.”

Chaudhary shot back later, saying the easiest role for an actor to play was that of an “honest critic”.

She said the hardest role was accepting the same honesty aimed towards one’s own work and that free speech was a two-way street.

This is not the first time Khan and her drama review show have come into the spotlight. The show’s critique of Main Manto Nahi Hoon was also questioned by some, with the drama’s lead actor Humayun Saeed saying he doesn’t take it very seriously.

Since late May, protests have been held against the planned construction of a luxury hotel linked to Trump’s daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner in a nature reserve on the country’s coast.

Lipa, speaking on her Service95 Book Club podcast with Albanian author Lea Ypi, said she shared the protesters’ concerns about the government’s transparency in approving the development.

“What I actually find concerning is the principle that the government could just change the law to remove the environmental protection without any kind of public consultation,” said the 30-year-old, who has Kosovan-Albanian parents.

“I find it so inspiring to see how much people really care,” referring to the daily demonstrations.

The singer also said it was clear that the problem was structural and there was a need to rebuild “in a way that supports the people”.

The planned resort was first unveiled in 2024, but the latest wave of protests began after barbed-wire fencing and bulldozers appeared on beaches in late May.

Opposition to the project has become a flashpoint for frustrations over perceived corruption, with demands now including the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.

The musician’s comments were welcomed by local environmental activist Besjana Gurri, who told AFP it was a “powerful message” to the Albanian government.

“I am confident that her voice will help bring greater international attention to this fight and amplify the concerns of the people protesting in Tirana.”

In a reel posted to his Instagram account on Saturday, the actor looked straight into camera and said he didn’t have much writing or acting to do nowadays, so he was considering becoming an armchair critic on social media.

“Do you know what the best job nowadays is? The best job is, if you don’t have any work to do, you are a useless person who has failed in life, you can’t do anything, just start criticising people. Disrespect your colleagues, criticise them, spew venom against them even. Say whatever comes to mind about them. That will get you your likes.”

Ahmed admitted the job didn’t pay especially well, but said it comes with an even grander prize: viral fame. “People were ridiculed, you spoke nonsense about them, but you got your likes, you got your viewership, your video went viral,” he said.

The actor said he was thinking of taking the activity up, but couldn’t figure out where to start and who to criticise first. “The actor who stands outside in the middle of a heatwave and acts for you? Maybe we should criticise him? It’ll be fun, we’ll get our likes.”

He also had a second potential target in mind. “Or maybe that poor director who screams from 9am to midnight, to the point where he can simply scream no more. The one who keeps an eye on everything, dialogues, wardrobes, sets, maybe we should criticise him? What do you think, we’ll get our likes, right?” he said.

“Because I am useless, I don’t have anything to do, nobody asks after me, but I can do this. It’s so easy… So, what do you say, should I start?” the actor said to viewers.

Ahmed isn’t the first to criticise sharp-tongued critics, especially ones who tend to cross a line or rely heavily on debasing their subjects rather than helping them improve their craft.

In May, Feroze Khan raised objections to uninformed criticism from people who had no “knowledge or insight” into the craft and were just reviewing dramas on YouTube.

A couple of weeks before that, in April, industry veteran Bushra Ansari took Firdous Jamal to the cleaners over the unkind words he had for their colleagues.

Agha Ali also thought some critics go too far in their critique — especially when they start critiquing things like wardrobe choices, which aren’t in the actor’s control.

“The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free,” a statement posted on Neill’s Instagram page said.

Neill died in Sydney, with the family paying tribute to a private hospital in the city for its care.

“Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life,” the statement read. It also said that more details will be shared later and asked fans to respect the family’s “privacy as they navigate this immeasurable loss”.

The Jurassic Park actor announced in April he was cancer-free after undergoing treatment for stage-three blood cancer.

“Wry and dry, thoughtful and laconic, Sam fought illness with the same dignity, humour and conviction that gave strength to his every performance,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a social media post.

“He will be much mourned and long remembered. May he rest in peace.”

Born Nigel John Dermot Neill in 1947 in Northern Ireland, the actor changed his name to Sam when he was 12 and had moved to New Zealand. He started his career as a theatre actor before moving on to small roles on local television. His cinema breakout came with the 1977 film Sleeping Dogs; the first movie from the island nation to open in the US.

Soon after that he landed roles in My Brilliant Career (1979), Omen III (1981), Possession (1981), and The Hunt for Red October (1990).

Neill became known to global audiences in 1993 with two performances: as New Zealand settler Alisdair Stewart in Jane Campion’s Oscar-winner The Piano and as Dr Alan Grant in Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park, a role originally offered to Harrison Ford. Neill played Alan Grant again in sequels Jurassic Park III and Jurassic World Dominion.

He was one of the leading contenders to play James Bond and even did a screen test for the role in 1986; the part later went to Timothy Dalton.

Neill also worked in television, with parts in Peaky Blinders, The Twelve, The Tudors, and episodes of The Simpsons and Rick and Morty. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his portrayal of spy Sidney Reilly in the 1983 mini-series Reilly, Ace of Spies.

Cover photo via AFP

She appeared on the show Rise and Shine on Friday where host Nadia Khan asked her why Pakistan wasn’t represented on digital streaming platforms when our content was actually good and some of what’s on Netflix, Amazon Prime and HBO Max wasn’t.

The director said, “I think the main thing — which everyone knows — is the involvement of politics.” She said most of these streaming platforms had their head office in “a neighbouring country” and much of their audience was based there, so decisions on what to platform catered to that audience.

When asked if she had tried to get work on such platforms, Jabbar said she hadn’t, but she should. She hoped things would change in the future, especially with Pakistan’s first Netflix show, which she said “will come out in the next year or so”.

Khan’s co-host Zohaib Hassan asked the director for her thoughts on the removal of advance taxes on foreign media, which caused an uproar in Pakistan’s entertainment industry last month.

Jabbar said she wasn’t too worried. “I feel that Turkish dramas used to be so popular in Pakistan, but now very few people talk about them because our own industry has grown so much. In the last two to three years especially,” she said.

“Personally,” she said, “I feel competition is a good thing and it makes you focus on improving yourself. And besides, I don’t believe in bans and censorship.”

Hassan also asked the director about her own latest project, Doctor Bahu, and how writer Dr Yunus Butt had criticised her work as “slow”.

Jabbar said she had nothing to say about that. “It’s his opinion, good for him. I don’t have the personality to issue statements… It’s okay if he didn’t like it. There’s never been a project where all the billions of people in the world all loved the same thing.”

Cover photo: Stephan Andrew/White Star

The couple posted a video on Instagram on Wednesday, saying they had a lot to say on the subject, but had kept quiet all this time because “something was telling us not to. It just didn’t feel like the right time”.

The couple said they were “feeling immense gratitude for so many things and so many people and so many things that have happened to us” and that while they were thankful it was over, the “injustice” and “pain” they had been put through had not been negated.

“We’ve had to wrestle with so many things and try to understand so many things, like how could something like this even happen? Let alone disguised as a fight for women,” Emily said.

She said there was “so much to unpack”, but the reality was that the feud had put their family through a lot of trauma, which made talking about it difficult.

Justin said that so many painful — and untruthful, Emily added — things had been said in the last couple of years that there was noise and they didn’t want to add to it by responding at the time.

“So we just wanted to let the justice system run its course,” the It Ends With Us star said. “The truth and the facts have spoken for themselves,” his wife added.

Justin said they were now “healing” and that process wasn’t linear. He also thanked his supporters who stood up for him when he couldn’t stand up for himself.

“There were so many of you who, when we didn’t have a voice, were our voice… And so many of you had discernment. And you used your intuition and you trusted that. And you have given your time to fight for us. And thank you does not feel like enough. But we’re here, in large part, because of so many of you and all of our friends and family.”

The couple said there was more to say and the “time will come” for them to say it. For now, they said they’ll continue “the healing and hanging out with our kiddos”.

In May, Justin and Lively settled a lawsuit in which she accused him of sexual misconduct on the set of It Ends With Us. Both sides issued a statement saying they hoped the settlement would bring “closure”.

The dispute became public in ​December 2024, when ​Lively filed a complaint ⁠against Justin with the California Civil Rights Department. This was followed by her lawsuit.

Justin counter-sued ​Lively and ⁠her husband Ryan Reynolds for defamation, saying they tried to destroy his reputation, but a judge dismissed that case in June of last year. The judge also dismissed Baldoni’s defamation case against The New York ⁠Times.

It Ends ​With Us starred Lively as a flower shop ​owner who marries a neurosurgeon played by Baldoni. Despite mixed reviews, the movie grossed more than $351 million worldwide, according ​to Box Office Mojo.

Known for hit songs including ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ and ‘Holding on for a Hero’, the singer was a three-time Grammy nominee.

The BBC noted that in May, the performer was placed into an induced coma after having emergency intestinal surgery in Portugal. Last month, her spokesperson said she was out of the coma but remained “very unwell and in intensive care”.

Tyler, who was born Gaynor Hopkins, grew up in Neath, a town in South Wales, and released her first single in 1977. Her biggest hit, ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’, was released in 1983 and topped charts in both the UK and the United States.

“I never get tired of singing it,” Tyler had told BBC. “I love it because everyone can’t wait to sing it.” This year, the song crossed the one billion streams mark on Spotify. “I’m really happy, when you think about it, there’s only 8.3 billion people in the world,” she said.

She is survived by her husband Robert Sullivan.

Danish Taimoor, who had been posting about Ronaldo’s successes throughout the tournament, posted a heartfelt farewell to his hero, saying, “I started watching football because of you. I grew up with your matches, celebrated your goals like they were my own, and felt every defeat as if it belonged to me.”

But wait, said a few sharp-eyed users on X. Ronaldo hasn’t been around nearly long enough for Taimoor, whose IMDB says he is 43 years old, to have grown up seeing him on his TV screen. The footballer is two years younger than him.

So, unless Taimoor could see into the future as a child, netizens found the line a bit misleading to say the least.

Memes followed soon after, with users making fun of apparent continuity errors in Taimoor’s message.

A couple of people also found it a bit strange that Taimoor posted a picture of himself instead of his hero to say goodbye.

One user incredulously pointed out the song on Taimoor’s post — ‘Channa Mereya’ by Arijit Singh. 

He wasn’t the only celebrity to wax rhapsodic about the footballer online, but he definitely got the most attention for his tribute.

A written judgment by London’s High Court published following an 11-week trial earlier this year said the “claimants failed to prove their pleaded allegations… the claims are therefore dismissed”.

The ruling was delivered as Harry attended an event in the capital, with Associated Newspapers calling it an “overwhelming victory” and a “magnificent vindication of the Daily Mail’s journalism”.

It said the court’s dismissal of “every single one of the 97 allegations made by the claimants” showed Judge Matthew Nicklin had “accepted the honesty of our journalists’ evidence on how they sourced their stories”.

Allegations that bugs had been placed in people’s cars and homes, calls listened to and bank accounts illicitly accessed had been “lurid” and “preposterous” with “no credible evidence” ever presented, Associated said in a statement. “The reputations of our decent and hard-working journalists were terribly impugned, and today they have been exonerated,” it added.

Prince Harry said the ruling was a “com­­­­­­­plete and obvious whitewash” but was “not altogether unexpected”, in a joint statement with Doreen Lawrence, whose son was murdered in a 1993 racist attack.

“The lengths to which the court has gone to exonerate the Mail is as shocking as it is totally unwarranted,” said the youngest son of King Charles III. The ruling came shortly after Harry arrived at a central London event for the Invictus Games, launched for wounded veterans in 2014.

At the same time, his estranged brother, heir to the throne Prince William, was also in the city, visiting the London Welsh School to promote next month’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Harry will now face another court hearing on July 29-30 which could see him and the six other complainants ordered to pay substantial legal costs.

Associated said it had spent £50 million ($66m) “defending ourselves against this egregious litigation”.

“We will look to resolve outstanding issues, including the recovery of the costs we have incurred,” it added. The prince gave emotional testimony during the proceedings in which several high-profile figures, including singer Elton John and actor Elizabeth Hurley, accused the tabloid publisher of invading their privacy.

The case, the third and final one brought by the Duke of Sussex in his acrimonious legal battle with British tabloids, has further strained relations with the royal family.

Originally published in Dawn, July 8th, 2026

Bhatti posted pictures of himself and Salahuddin at the Islamabad airport on Friday with the caption saying they were “deeply honored to have been invited to Iran as State Guests to attend the funeral of Ayatollah Khamenei”.

He called it a “privilege” to be able to represent Pakistan at such an important occasion and said he did not take that responsibility lightly.

On Sunday, Salahuddin posted a video from the Grand Mosalla in Tehran where Khamenei’s funeral was taking place with a monologue explaining what it felt like to be there.

He said he was there not to stand with or against someone, but to observe. “What I saw was not a show of strength, it was this nation’s grief — the true grief of losing its leader,” he said.

Salahuddin said he saw the grieving people of Iran practice the same rituals for their supreme leader that “have kept the memory of [Imam] Hasan and [Imam] Husain alive for 1,400 years”.

“This mourning [in Tehran] has been going on for two days, people come, stay for a bit, leave and someone else takes their place. There is no point where everyone is here at the same time, and yet, this place is always full.”

He said he felt a “power” at the event, “with my eyes, in my heart, and I will never forget it”.

Bhatti also posted a reel showing scenes from Tehran, with mourners clad in black in the city streets and visuals of the funeral with shots of Khamenei’s coffin lying in state.

In his caption, the vlogger wrote of “a grief so large it swallowed the whole city. Streets shut down. Shops closed. A nation that stopped moving to mourn one man”.

He said he usually makes videos “about places, food, small joys. This time my camera was pointed at something bigger than me”.

“I didn’t come here to have an opinion. I came here to witness. And some things you only understand once you’ve stood in the middle of them.”

Excitement has swirled around America’s “royal wedding”, which is happening on the United States’ 250th birthday weekend amid a record-breaking heat wave, a near-total news blackout and a security lockdown of the kind typically reserved for heads of state.

The anticipation was even greater as Swift and Kelce made no public announcements about their wedding plans at the storied Madison Square Garden — and reportedly insisted guests sign non-disclosure agreements.

But the singer’s longstanding publicist Tree Paine broke the silence late Friday as she detailed a luxurious and intimate ceremony — without saying exactly when the pair wed.

“Taylor and Travis did not have bridesmaids or groomsmen. Instead, her brother Austin Swift served as Taylor’s man of honour and Jason Kelce was Travis’s best man,” she said in a statement.

“The ceremony joined both families together and was officiated by friend Adam Sandler,” Paine added.

She said the couple’s wedding looks were created by Christian Dior Haute Couture, while their shoes were custom made by Christian Louboutin. Swift wore Cartier jewellery.

Shortly before the announcement, a giant screen outside the Garden showed the message “JUST&T MARRIED!” — T&T for Taylor and Travis.

Star-studded

Ahead of Friday’s bumper event, a crowd of Swifties — as the megastar’s fans are known — cheered and sang her songs outside the arena as a line of black SUVs dropped off guests.

“I grew up with her music and I’m really excited to get to be in New York today for her wedding day,” Mayan Menahem, 31, told AFP in Manhattan.

But heavy rain and a severe thunderstorm warning Friday night sent home many of the fans waiting outside Madison Square Garden for a glimpse of the glitterati, CNN reported.

Some 1,000 guests, reportedly banned from carrying phones, were expected to attend the secretive wedding.

Stars heading to the venue included model Gigi Hadid, actors Hugh Grant, Bradley Cooper and Dakota Johnson, and pop figures Benson Boone and Camila Cabello.

The Empire State Building said it would have a “light blue sparkle” to celebrate the wedding.

All night party

The main event came after an initial rehearsal dinner late Thursday for 100 invitees at Madison Square Garden.

Entertainment outlets said Swift and Kelce gave guests black velvet boxes etched with the couple’s initials, apparently containing a champagne flute adorned with diamonds.

Friday’s party reportedly kicked off with mid-afternoon cocktails, before a reception going late into the night.

Stevie Nicks and Tim McGraw were to perform, while Ed Sheeran was also rumoured to be among those taking the stage, according to Page Six.

Royal wedding

Ahead of the nuptials, Swifties also flocked to Big Apple locations mentioned in their idol’s lyrics, including the Bus Stop Cafe in the West Village.

“She is the biggest thing in America — like, she is our royalty, she is our queen, she is everything,” said Alyssa Heinen, 24, from Manhattan. “It feels like a royal wedding to us.” To mark the occasion, the couple also donated $26 million to various US charities, including in New York and Kansas City, Swift’s spokesperson said.

Swift’s marriage to Kelce comes after a string of high-profile failed relationships — including with British actor Joe Alwyn, and singers John Mayer and Harry Styles — which became fodder for her songs.

She revealed her engagement to the hulking, bearded Kelce last August in an Instagram post captioned “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.” The 14-time Grammy winner is coming off a banner year with the success of her album The Life of a Showgirl, induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and a new song on the Toy Story 5 soundtrack.

Kelce, a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, has signed on for a 14th season in the National Football League. He is also a co-host of the popular New Heights podcast alongside his brother Jason.

The actor appeared on her niece Zara Noor Abbas’ Instagram stories on Wednesday to tell her haters they need to work harder.

“They’ll say someone’s too old, someone’s too fat… they’re animals,” she said while enjoying some mangoes.

When pressed further on who these people were by Zara’s husband Asad Siddiqui, she said, “If you look at their profiles on social media, there are birds on them, there should be dogs there.”

She then realised she likes dogs and said maybe they weren’t fit for the job. She said maybe snakes would work better.

That’s when Ansari’s sister Asma Abbas walked in to say even she was tired of hearing the same old things. “I came to say they need to come up with something new. This ‘old mare’ and ‘one foot in the grave’, we’ve gotten bored of this.”

Ansari suggested the pair should do something illegal so that their opps actually have something to talk about aside from their ages.

She added that they were probably just jealous because she and her sister were active despite their age, when their critics were probably just sitting around all day.

Ansari, one of Pakistan’s most senior actors with a broad portfolio of acting projects, has to bear with ageist comments and attitudes both from the public and occasionally from within the industry.

She does have a habit of not mincing words when she thinks something isn’t right, so the disses she dished out weren’t really a surprise but they were entirely welcome for a society that has nothing better to do than criticise others.

Haider appeared on the show Rise and Shine with Zohaib Hassan and Nadia Khan where he said he found the whole thing “very disturbing” and urged content creators not to “hurt someone’s family life and privacy” in the pursuit of views.

Starting the segment on a jovial note, the actor recalled how he had woken up on Tuesday morning to a barrage of messages from everyone he knew. Some were congratulating him on getting married, others wanted to know why they hadn’t been told sooner.

Haider was, of course, puzzled and only saw his ‘wedding photos’ after scrolling through some chats. He said his first thought was, “Wow, what a bride and groom they’ve made [out of us].”

Haider said it took him around 10 minutes to actually understand what had happened, after which he called Saadia and said, “Congratulations Farah, we’re married now.” She was having none of it and asked what he was on about.

After explaining the whole thing and laughing at the absurdity of the situation, he said Saadia became disturbed a few hours after they had discussed it at which point he suggested they should make a video explaining what had happened; she readily agreed and rushed to his office.

The video, in which the pair start by congratulating each other on getting married but quickly refute the news as a hoax, is up on their Instagram accounts. They joked that the “professional” YouTubers that had gotten them married were now obligated to send wedding gifts from the money they made off the fake news.

Haider told Hassan and Khan the video had been effective and people understood he still wasn’t married. He also admitted he wasn’t tech savvy enough to have realised some people will take the first few seconds of him and Saadia congratulating each other and try to pass it off as confirmation of their wedding.

The actor said they only took a light-hearted approach to the problem because everyone is out ranting about how AI is ruining things and nobody would’ve listened if he did the same.

He did say that this wasn’t the only problem he had with AI and spoke about his new drama Shaidai, in which everyone is convinced his on-screen death was AI-generated — he insists it wasn’t and it was just really good camerawork.

The couple, both 36, exchanged vows in front of a “tiny group of loved ones,” the media outlet said. It did not say when or where the nuptials took ‌place, though it noted Swift’s private jet recently spent time in Nashville, the city where she lived early in her career.

Swift’s publicist did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Reuters could not confirm the Page Six report.

As workers scrambled to prepare Madison Square Garden earlier Thursday for what was expected to be a lavish celebration for the superstars, the pair showed some support for New York: The singer’s publicity team said on Thursday that Kelce and Swift had ​donated $26 million to several charities in the city and elsewhere this week.

Neither has commented publicly on their plans, but several media outlets reported that Swift and Kelce held a 100-person event ​at the sports arena on Thursday that will be followed by a larger celebration in front of 1,000 people on Friday.

Police set up barriers around the venue, closing streets and blocking pedestrian walkways. Several sport utility vehicles, with tinted windows to conceal the occupants, drove into the venue. Celebrities, including actors Bradley Cooper and Lena Dunham, sportscaster Erin ​Andrews and music producer Jack Antonoff, were photographed at or near the site in sequinned dresses or other fancy attire.

A sign posted at an entrance advised that anyone entering from June 29 through ​July 3 for “an event” could have their photo taken. By entering, people were agreeing to maintain strict confidentiality, including not discussing its hosts or attendees, the sign said, according to an image captured by a Reuters journalist.

At Madison Square Garden, workers have been hauling in food ‌and decor to make the whole place shimmer. News cameras captured foliage, a box marked “garden party” and another labelled lobster meat. The venue’s public calendar shows no events scheduled till Tuesday — a rare six-day stretch in a summer otherwise packed with concerts, with just the occasional night unbooked.

Several media outlets reported that Swift and Kelce will hold ​a 100-person event at the sports arena on Thursday followed by a larger celebration in front of 1,000 people on Friday. ​The pop superstar and National Football League player have not confirmed when and where they will marry, and ⁠Swift’s publicist has not responded to requests from Reuters for comment.

New York City already was abuzz with major happenings over the US Independence Day ​weekend. Tall ships will sail into New York Harbour to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on Saturday, and a FIFA World ​Cup match is set for Sunday in nearby New Jersey. On Wednesday, onlookers stopped to watch a Russian couple of daredevils who climbed to the top of the Empire State Building and unfurled a banner urging world peace.

Mamdani drops a hint

The big events coincide with high temperatures that prompted city officials to declare a heat ​emergency. When asked about a potential Swift wedding, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani used the moment to urge people to stay indoors to protect ​themselves from the extreme weather.

“If you happen to be getting married at MSG, you will be staying inside and staying cool, and I think it’s a ‌good example ⁠to set for the city at large,” he told reporters earlier this week.

Reuters confirmed that an event planning company had applied for a permit to close the streets around the Garden from Thursday through midday Saturday. Fencing was being erected around the venue’s entrances this week.

The venue sits above a major commuter hub, and passersby on Wednesday stopped to watch the preparations.

Hundreds of local law enforcement officers are expected to patrol the area, ​The New York Times reported, citing ​a memo titled “Taylor Swift wedding ⁠at Madison Square Garden”.

New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch told reporters that officers were “tracking” an event at the Garden on Friday night and “will, of course, have a detail in place.” A department spokesperson did not ​respond to a Reuters request for additional information.

America’s royal wedding

The union of the ‘Love Story’ singer and Kansas ​City Chiefs tight end, ⁠dubbed “America’s royal wedding,” is one of the most anticipated celebrity weddings of the century. Speculation has intensified since the couple announced their engagement in August following a public courtship that enchanted fans. Cameras caught Swift cheering on Kelce at Chiefs games and followed him as he jetted around the world ⁠to her concerts.

A ​star-studded crowd is expected, given Swift’s roster of celebrity friends, including Selena Gomez, Ed ​Sheeran, Emma Stone and Gigi Hadid. In one TV interview, Swift joked that she would invite “anyone that I’ve ever talked to.”

On the groom’s side, Chiefs coach Andy Reid was photographed ​being fitted for a tuxedo.

The singer was on an Instagram live on Tuesday to hype up his tour of Europe when a fan from Lahore asked him to visit the city.

Responding to the request, Dosanjh said, “No brother, if I come to Lahore, they won’t let me go anywhere else. You know what’s going on in the world. It’s all about politics bro.”

He went on to say that he doesn’t see himself ever getting involved in politics because it requires “very thick skin”.

“I always stay away from politics, always keep my face away from it. That’s why I say politics, for anyone who wants to pursue it as a profession, is very hard. ‘It’s not something I can handle,’ that’s what I say and stay away from it all,” Dosanjh said.

The singer, whose work in Punjabi music and cinema has amassed him a cross-border following, occasionally finds himself the victim of politics, which may explain his aversion to it.

Last year, his film Sardaar Ji 3 made waves in India and Pakistan for casting Hania Aamir as the female lead. While Pakistani audiences watched the movie in cinemas, Indians could not as it did not get a theatrical release in the country.

Dosanjh defended the film and refused to bow down to pressure from his home industry, which threatened to ostracise him entirely.

He told the BBC Asian Network things weren’t as tense when he started the project and he wasn’t going to let things “out of his control” get in the way of his commitments with the film’s team.

More recently, he starred in Main Vaapas Aaunga, a film that explores the story of Partition from the eyes of a man who went through it in his youth. Much of the story is set in the now-Pakistani city of Sargodha.

In a reel posted to her Instagram account on Wednesday, Kazim told her followers to take care of animals as the country faces record-breaking temperatures this summer.

In the video, she fawns over her dog Max and tells her son Hassan and a lady holding a container of water that they shouldn’t have taken him out in the heat — Max, for his part, enjoyed getting wiped down by a wet cloth.

“Jokes aside,” the host said looking into the camera, “I had a request for you all”.

She said she would deliver this request softly after receiving some flak for being too harsh with her last one.

“If you want to keep animals, then take care of them like you would yourself,” Kazim said as her son tried his hand at being a dog masseuse in the background.

She asked people to provide their pets and even strays water to drink and shade to sit under. This, she said, was treating them “like you should treat any living being”.

In her caption, she asked readers to consider how hard the intense heat must be for animals “who have no fan, no shade, no way to ask for help”.

“Kindness doesn’t always require grand gestures. Sometimes it is just remembering that we share this world with others too. Please be gentle. Please be mindful,” she wrote.

She’s not wrong; as global temperatures continue to rise, animals are suffering the result of a man-made ecological disaster and giving them a drink and shading them from the raging sun is the least we can do.

“It is with profound sadness that I must announce the death of my husband, Victor Willis. Victor passed away on Tuesday June 30, 2026 as a result of a short, but aggressive illness,” the post on Willis’s official page said.

The Texas-born musician was a co-founder of the Village People and co-wrote hits including ‘Y.M.C.A’, ‘In the Navy’ and ‘Macho Man’ that swept the world’s dancefloors in the late 1970s.

With their flamboyant costumes and choreography, the group became a pop culture phenomenon, targeting disco’s large gay audience with camp fantasy characters of butch builders, bikers, cowboys and soldiers.

Willis left the group in 1980 but rejoined in 2017.

He struggled with drug addiction and took a plea deal over cocaine possession in 2006.

‘Y.M.C.A’, whose lyrics urge “young men” to head to the Young Men’s Christian Association in New York, became an anthem for the LGBTQ community and beyond.

But some say the song has been co-opted by the American right wing following its use at rallies and events supporting Trump.

The president developed his own trademark dance to accompany the song — a stiff shuffle of the hips and fist bumps at waist-high level.

The band performed ‘Y.M.C.A.’ at a Trump rally in January 2025, before the Republican was inaugurated for his second presidential term.

Willis said at the time: “Let’s give President Trump a chance, regardless of what you may have thought about him in the past.”

“Let’s see what he’s going to do moving forward and if he does things to restrict LGBTQ rights, Village People will be the first to speak out,” he said.

In a video shared on Instagram on Tuesday, he explained what intellectual property rights are and how he hadn’t granted them to an Indian programme where two young contestants sang his song ‘Ravi’.

“Recently, I saw this reel from India where these two kids were singing ‘Ravi’ and they’re singing it really well. They did a really good job and I really congratulate them for it. They were on some Indian TV programme, a Punjabi programme, and in the comments some of our people began to say ‘Look, he didn’t let our kids on Pakistan Idol sing his songs but gladly let Indian kids sing them. He permitted them to use his music but wouldn’t do the same for our kids,’” Ali said.

The singer said the song had been used without permission on the show. “They did not ask for permission and I did not grant it, they just played the song. The how and why of it, my legal team will get in touch with them about that.”

Coming to allegations that he deliberately took a public stance against Pakistan Idol, he said he was simply speaking at a concert press conference and was asked about the show by one of the attendees.

He said before the show’s organisers tried to use his music without paying him his due, he had wished the programme well and still believes we need more programmes like it.

Ali said the whole thing had been painted as him “not letting kids sing his songs”, which hurt because he really enjoyed seeing young singers perform on the show. He asked why nobody was going after other artists who refused to hand over the rights to their work.

The singer also took issue with the way social media pages never shared anything positive about him, like the many times artists outside of Pakistan appreciated his songs. “B Praak sang them, Guru Randhawa sang them, Diljit Dosanjh posted ‘Ravi’ so many times, made so many reels. Someday it’s Shreya Ghoshal saying something [about my music], someday it’s Sonu Nigam, nobody picks that up,” he said.

He contended that social media thrives off of controversy, but asked people to “stop dragging your own artists down”.

Ali asked his fans, listeners and people on the internet to refrain from blindly trusting what they saw on social media and not share things without verifying them first.

For singers and musicians, especially ones appearing on shows like Pakistan Idol, he asked them to make their own music instead of singing covers. “That’s how the industry will move forward, otherwise we’ll just keep singing the same songs over and over again,” the singer said.

The princess announced in March 2024 that she had been diagnosed with cancer and by January 2025, she said she was in remission. While announcing her recovery, she thanked The Royal Marsden for looking after her so well during the past year. She and her husband Prince William became patrons of the Royal Marsden Hospital at the time.

“In my new role as joint patron of The Royal Marsden, my hope is that by supporting groundbreaking research and clinical excellence, as well as promoting patient and family wellbeing, we might save many more lives, and transform the experience of all those impacted by cancer,” the princess had said at the time.

In her post on Monday, she said, “Every year, hundreds of thousands of people in this country hear the words no one wants to hear. What follows is a path that tests every part of who we are: physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. The challenges ripple outwards, touching families, friendships, work and the quiet moments we spend alone with our thoughts.

“Cancer doesn’t just affect the body. It changes how you think and feel and profoundly affects every aspect of life. I know this personally, and that the journey through and beyond treatment requires more than medicine alone.”

She said she had taken on the National Three Peaks Challenge, not simply as a physical endeavour but as a chance to explore life beyond diagnosis and to give something back. “The Royal Marsden is a place that holds great meaning for me and whose care and expertise are life changing for so many people. Through this challenge, I want to raise awareness for the deeper impact of serious illness and the importance of holistic healthcare,” the princess explained.

“Every individual is different, and ensuring there is a whole person approach to care enables those living through cancer to manage the deeply personal challenge of diagnosis. Holistic therapies complement clinical pathways and support patients’ ability to maintain their wellbeing, resilience and quality of life during an exceptionally difficult time.

“We have an opportunity to reshape what the future of holistic cancer care looks like, enabling more people, nationwide, to access the kind of personalised support that can help make a meaningful difference during and after medical treatment,” she said.

Her challenge will support the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, helping to transform access to, and understanding of, holistic care that will enhance recovery and healing for patients across the UK.

“Healing, whether personal or collective, is not just about fixing what is wrong. It is about finding balance in how we live. Between effort and acceptance, between control and trust, between thinking and simply being. Because in the end, bravery isn’t just about pushing forward. It is about knowing how to stay grounded, connected and present, no matter the terrain or landscape you are walking.”

The TV host shared a video on Tuesday afternoon of piles of trash she came across on a trail in the hill station.

“We travel to beautiful places to escape the mess. Let’s not leave our mess behind for someone else to clean up. Take your memories. Take your photographs. Take your garbage too,” she wrote in the caption for the video.

“What is this nonsense? Wherever I go here [Nathia Gali], this is the state,” she said, pointing to  wrappers, styrofoam cups and plastic bags strewn across the ground on the trail.  

“If you had plastic bags, why not put the trash in that and put carry it till you found a trash can?” she wondered.  

“The point is, we always complain about the state of our country, what will become of it, how will the situation become better but we can’t even manage to keep it clean,” she lamented, apologising for her aggression but labelling the situation ridiculous.

Kazim said we talk about climate change and the state of the environment, with hail in the rainy season and hot weather in the winter, but it’s all happening because of our propensity to litter and not take care of our surroundings.

“So, if things are bad, it’s our own fault,” she said.

Kazim’s not wrong — Pakistanis aren’t in the habit of picking up their own trash, even in the most scenic of locations. Residents of the country’s mountainous regions have long complained of tourists who leave a trail of garbage in their wake.

The One Battle After Another actor ​took home four awards, including the special, noncompetitive honor of Icon of the Year, ‌presented by singer Janet Jackson. She also won the Fashion Vanguard Award, Best Actress, and Video Director of the Year for the short film Escape Room.

“There would be no me without you,” Taylor said to Jackson during a ​tearful acceptance speech for the Icon of the Year award, which BET describes as ​honouring those who have paid homage to music, entertainment, advocacy, and community impact.

“I ⁠worked my a** off 20 years for this. So, I’m not accepting what I’ve earned with ​arrogance; I’m accepting what I’ve earned with gratitude,” she said.

The BET Awards were held at the ​Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles and broadcast live on BET, as well as multiple Paramount-owned channels.

Comedian Druski, the youngest person ever to host the ceremony, opened with his comedic pastor persona, leading the audience in a humorous group ​prayer that blended jokes with tributes to spirituality.

The ceremony featured performances from Cardi B, Raye, T.I., ​Kehlani, Doechii, and Don Toliver.

Boundary-breaking music industry executive Sylvia Rhone was also honoured with the BET Ultimate Icon ‌Award, which ⁠recognises individuals who have made a lasting impact throughout their careers in the entertainment industry and the Black community.

“Tonight’s honour bears my name but really belongs to all of us who create culture. I’ve been fortunate to spend my life around extraordinary artists,” Rhone, 74, said as she accepted ​the award onstage.

“Black creativity ​is one of the ⁠most powerful forces in the world. It has shaped culture,” she said.

She emphasised that while technology is valuable, it is essential for Black creatives ​to preserve the soul and artistry of music for the next generation.

The ​50-year veteran ⁠of the music industry is the first Black woman to have held various top level positions at a number of well-known record labels.

She has held executive roles at Epic Records, Universal Motown, Elektra, Atlantic, and ⁠East ​West, and is known for her mentorship, including her work ​with Missy Elliott, Brandy, and Busta Rhymes.

Other honours of the night included Cardi B winning Best Female Hip-Hop Artist and ​Lauryn Hill taking home the inaugural Living Legend Icon Award.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about the lives we lead, the yellow brick roads we build for ourselves, and the detours life asks us to take,” she wrote in an Instagram post on Sunday. “Some are expected. Others arrive completely out of the blue. But each one has a way of shaping us and leading us exactly where we’re meant to be.”

Commenting on the photograph she shared with the post, she said it was taken after she had just stepped off the stage at Brilliant Minds after doing something she hadn’t done in a long time: interviewing someone. “It felt like returning to my roots, to the place where my journey as a storyteller first began,” she said.

“This year, every project I’ve begun has brought me back to why I became a storyteller in the first place,” Chinoy said.

“There’s so much I’m excited to share. A film fund that will champion new voices. A residency built around ideas and creative exchange. And new characters I’m nurturing, who will soon find their way into the world,” she said.

Her Neela Asmaan project is currently calling for applicants for its new climate futures residency. Patakha Pictures, a part of Chinoy’s SOC Films, provides grants for young filmmakers to work in Pakistan.

“Sometimes, the path forward isn’t about discovering something new. It’s about finding your way back to yourself. What’s coming next feels a lot like that,” she wrote, ending on a hopeful note.

Quoting comments from a post announcing the score for one of the top 20 finalists, Riaz shared an open letter to her Instagram account, saying no crown “is worth hatred”.

“Over the past few days, I have been the target of a paid and orchestrated campaign of online harassment. Male supporters of a Miss Universe Pakistan finalist have publicly questioned my ability as a judge, sent hate, and even posted threats promising to ‘make my life miserable’,” said the former Miss Universe Pakistan — who is one of the judges for the competition this year.

“A real queen,” she said, “does not encourage harassment, intimidation, or hate to advance her own ambitions”. She said real leadership was measured by how we treat others and this behaviour was contrary to the spirit of healthy competition.

Riaz said these threats were not acceptable and will be met with legal action if they continue. “Online abuse is not beyond accountability,” she said, tagging the Punjab Police and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

“I chose to represent Pakistan with dignity, respect and unity. I will continue to do so,” Riaz said, adding that she would not let online pressure replace merit and that all judging was done “based solely on the official Miss Universe criteria”.

“To every young girl watching: never let someone convince you that bullying is the price of ambition. Pakistan deserves women who lift each other up not tear each other down,” she said, ending her message.

The comments Riaz quoted were from a post from the official Miss Universe Pakistan account announcing the judges scores for contestant Aneesa Sheikh. The contestant is appearing for selection again after failing to progress past the Top 20 stage last year.

Riaz wasn’t the only person targeted either, Miss Universe Egypt Deputy Director Kosh Himal Hewage — who is also a judge and rated Sheikh lower than Riaz did — was also called out.

Josh Yugen, the owner of the Miss Universe Pakistan franchise, responded to Riaz’s letter saying, “The most beautiful crown is one built on integrity. Kindness is never weakness, and respect is never optional. May every future queen remember that true leadership is measured by how she treats others — even in the face of adversity.”

Called the Manifesto Library, the physical iteration of her book club Service95 — which she has been running since 2021 — will open at the historic Livraria Lello bookshop in Porto, Portugal today (June 27).

While this initiative is part of a multi-day celebration of the Livraria Lello’s 120th anniversary, the library will remain at the venue as a permanent feature.

In a press release, Lipa was quoted as saying, “When I founded the Service95 Book Club, my ambition was for it to become a home for writers and readers, wherever they are and whatever their circumstances. Reading the world brings us closer — but sadly, not everyone is in favor of that.”

She called the new library a “dream collaboration” and said that the carefully curated 100 books in its collection were works that “that ask questions or have been questioned”. She noted in the statement that many of the authors of these texts had “paid for their words with their life”.

The collection includes works such as Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and Reginald Dwayne Betts’ Felon. Other represented authors include Salman Rushdie and Olga Tokarczuk.

“This library is a shrine to books that have disappeared, to authors whose courage unmasks structures of power and control, and to readers who refuse to be told what book they are allowed to read. You are invited to visit and decide for yourself what belongs on these shelves. Because sometimes the most subversive thing you can do is read a book and then talk about it,” the pop star said.

Books are a big part of Lipa’s life and public image, even outside of her book club. She met her now-husband Callum Turner at a bar and they got talking because they were both reading Hermann Diaz’s Trust. She was also a keynote speaker at the 10th anniversary celebrations of the International Booker Prize this year.