In an Instagram post on Monday, it announced its upcoming Climate Futures Residency, which invites “thinkers, researchers, scientists, technologists, environmentalists, agricultural practitioners, architects, heritage specialists and those working to understand the challenges and possibilities of the decades ahead” to spend two weeks in the valley, interacting with its people, environment and each other.

The first iteration of the programme is divided into two interconnected residencies set to take place in July and August.

The first, titled Reading the Valley involves research, observation and community engagement. The second part, Imagining Futures, does exactly what the name says — participants plan for future scenarios and design policies.

Each of these residencies will have two participants who will use their time in Shigar to talk to local stakeholders: farmers, tourism industry representatives and government officials.

Applications are due by June 30 and should be submitted to organisers via email along with the applicant’s CV, a short biography, a 500-word letter of interest and a portfolio showing the applicant’s work.

If selected, they’ll be provided accommodation in Shigar, logistical support — including transfers to and from Skardu airport — and a stipend to offset meal costs and airfare.

The work resulting from the residencies will be collected as part of The Shigar Futures Paper, an annual publication exploring the valley’s future.

Professionals from the following fields are encouraged to apply:

• Climate and environmental research
• Town planning and landscape architecture
• Agriculture and food systems
• Tourism and destination management
• Community development and public policy
• Journalism, anthropology and documentary research

Shedding light on the need for the programme, the post from Neela Asmaan and Chinoy said people across the world were faced with “profound questions about climate, food systems, water, migration, technology, conservation and the future of human settlement”.

During such times, the most important answers may not emerge from conferences and lab work, it said, but from “places like Shigar, where people continue to live at the meeting point of nature, culture and change”.

The title will be available exclusively to Netflix subscribers at no ​additional cost, as world soccer’s governing body looks ​to broaden fan engagement through its revamped digital strategy.

Developed ⁠in partnership with Netflix Games and Delphi Interactive, the ​game is designed as an accessible football simulation, allowing ​players to take part in the tournament experience.

Players will be able to choose from all 48 teams competing in the World Cup and ​play matches across the tournament’s 16 stadiums, with more ​than 1,200 players included in the game.

The format uses smartphones as ‌controllers, ⁠enabling users to connect to a television by scanning a QR code, according to FIFA. Up to four users can play together.

FIFA said the launch forms part of a broader ​shift in its ​approach to ⁠gaming following the end of its long-running partnership with EA Sports, moving instead to ​a multi-partner ecosystem aimed at expanding its reach ​across ⁠platforms and audiences.

The governing body described the game as the starting point of a longer-term project, with additional features and ⁠broader ​platform support planned beyond the initial ​release.

The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico kicks ​off on June 11.

In an X post addressed to Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi on Thursday, the rapper said, “For the past 45 days, 11 Pakistani citizens have been stranded off the coast of Somalia completely abandoned, without help, food or essential supplies.”

He said these people weren’t just “statistics” and represented 11 Pakistani families. “These are sons, daughters, mothers, and wives waiting in agony for their breadwinners to return home safely.”

Anjum said he realises there are complications and that “these things take time”, but he said those families deserved answers beyond the “generic, occasional statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs claiming they are ‘in touch with Somali Maritime forces’”.

The rapper called on the Foreign Office to set up a dedicated helpline for these families to call for updates and asked the government to form a committee or assign an official of the foreign ministry whose only job is to keep up with the crisis and keep the families up to date, “providing them with the transparency and respect they are owed”.

This is not the first time Anjum has spoken up on this issue; he wrote a strongly-worded message on Instagram days after the vessel was first taken over by pirates on April 21.

In his message, the rapper said one of the captured sailors was “like a brother” to him, so this issue was personal. At the time, he claimed the government “has taken no action” for the safety of the hostage and that he was “ashamed” as a Pakistani at the government’s “non seriousness” and “under the rug policy” when it came to its citizens trapped abroad.

Separately, Andrabi spoke about the hostage situation on Thursday during the weekly Foreign Office press briefing. He said the government was in touch with the ship’s owners who were negotiating for the crew’s release and the government of Somalia — which had jurisdiction over the waters the ship was in — was kept informed.

The spokesperson said any rescue operation was made difficult by the geographic conditions and the explosive nature of the vessel’s cargo. He said Pakistan has called on the ship’s owners and the government of Somalia to push the pirates to provide food, water and essential supplies to the hostages.

Andrabi said resolving the crisis was a priority for the government, but incidents of piracy in this region have taken months to resolve in the past. He said they had received written assurances from the Somali side.

The spokesperson expressed sympathy for the families of the hostages and asked for their patience as the government tried to bring their loved ones home.

With additional reporting by Ameer Hamza

Piker, a streamer on Twitch with over three million followers, was set to speak on a panel titled How the American Left Learned to Speak the Internet. His uncle Uygur, host of the online news show The Young Turks, was set to speak on Techno-Feudalism is Here. Who Are the Lords?.

Both have been vocal in their opposition to Israel after the country launched its devastating war on Gaza in 2023, which a UN report termed a genocide. Almost 73,000 people have since been killed in the occupied territory.

Representatives of the Home Office confirmed to Variety that both of their Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) were revoked “on the grounds that their presence in the UK may not be conducive to the public good”. The representatives said to refuse or cancel an ETA on these grounds is based solely on an assessment of the potential risk an individual may pose to UK society.

Uygur decried the step as “oppression” in a post on X, saying he had been “banned from the UK” when he was set to go and speak at events in London and Oxford.

Piker quoted the post in his own, saying his visa had also been revoked. The streamer said the West was “betraying liberal values for a genocidal fascist foreign government”.

SXSW also issued a statement acknowledging two of its speakers had had their travel permissions revoked, but said the event remains committed to its spirit of dialogue.

A spokesperson for the event said, “We are aware that Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker are unable to travel to the UK following a decision by the Home Office. Decisions on entry to the UK are a matter for the Home Office and the individuals concerned. SXSW London’s role is to convene a broad range of diverse voices and perspectives. We remain focused on delivering a programme this week fostering open dialogue and exchange of ideas and featuring more than 800 speakers, artists and screenings.”

Justice Muhammad Sajid Mahmood Sethi issued an eight-page verdict, setting aside the trial court’s decision and directing the singer to deposit a fine of Rs100,000.

According to the judgment, Rahat Fateh had filed a civil suit in Faisalabad seeking confirmation of possession of a double-storey house. A civil court had issued a decree against him on May 14, 2019, following which he challenged the decision before the trial court.

However, the trial court dismissed the appeal on technical grounds due to non-payment of court fee amounting to Rs15,000. The singer later approached the LHC against the ruling.

The LHC observed that dismissing an appeal merely on the basis of non-payment of court fee was against the principles of justice. It noted that the petitioner had been given only four days to submit the fee, which was insufficient.

The judgment stated that the right to appeal is a valuable legal right and should not be denied solely because of technical defects. The court stressed that appeals should be decided on merit rather than on procedural shortcomings.

The LHC also directed the trial court to decide the appeal on merit within two months without unnecessary delay.

It ordered Rahat Fateh and all other parties to appear before the court on June 2.

Originally published in Dawn, May 30th, 2026

Beran A, whose last name has not been made public in accordance with Austrian privacy rules, was arrested on August 7, 2024, the day before the first of three planned concerts by the US pop star in the Austrian capital.

All three dates were ​then cancelled, to the dismay of fans and of Swift, who wrote afterwards that it was “devastating.” While crowds of disappointed fans sang ​together in Vienna then to console themselves, neither Swift nor any Swifties appeared at the trial in Wiener Neustadt, a ⁠town south of the capital.

‘Sorry’ did not sway the jury

Beran A, who is Austrian, pleaded guilty to charges related to the planned attack, which ​carried a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. He covered his face with a ring binder as he entered the courtroom to avoid ​being identifiable in pictures.

“I would just like to say that I am sorry,” he said in a final statement before the jury retired to deliberate.

It later found him guilty on almost all charges.

Beran A was found to have tried but failed to illegally buy weapons including a machine gun and hand grenade, and followed instructions in an Islamic State ​video entitled “Make a bomb in the kitchen of your mom” to produce a small amount of the explosive triacetone triperoxide (TATP).

He was also accused of ​plotting with two school friends to carry out a solo attack earlier in 2024 in separate Middle Eastern cities. He and co-defendant Arda K admitted they travelled ‌to Dubai ⁠and Istanbul respectively to carry out attacks but then did not follow through.

When his trial opened last month, Beran A told the court that he roamed Dubai in March 2024 in search of victims to stab but had a panic attack when he tried to strike. Upon his return to Vienna, he resolved to go further and eventually chose the concert as his target.

He and Arda K denied providing moral support to the third man, who was ​arrested in Mecca on suspicion of ​stabbing a security official at ⁠the holy city’s Grand Mosque. He is still in custody in Saudi Arabia.

Defendant ‘burst into tears’

The eight-person jury found Beran A guilty by unanimous decision on all but two of 15 points put to it, including providing moral support to ​the third man. The two points on which he was found not guilty, both by a 6-2 margin, ​were lesser ones, ⁠dealing with issues like spreading IS propaganda.

While neither defendant showed much emotion in the courtroom, Beran A’s lawyer Anna Mair said that was not the case when they spoke privately.

“When he understood he had been found guilty in relation to Mecca, he burst into tears. I think that was simply because this ⁠big weight ​that these two years of being under investigation brought with them fell from his shoulders,” ​she told reporters.

Arda K was found guilty unanimously on all charges and sentenced to 12 years in prison. Both men’s lawyers said they had not yet decided whether to appeal.

The list, which recognises 30 young people who have made a significant mark in their fields, is running its 11th edition this year, with a history of including the best and brightest of Pakistan in its annual rosters.

Aamir, Pakistan’s “most followed woman” on Instagram — she recently hit 20 million followers — has been recognised for her work as an actor. In her 10-year career, she has starred in a number of crowd-favourite dramas, including Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum and Meri Zindagi Hai Tu.

She’s also set to star in Pakistan’s first Netflix original, Jo Bachay Hain Sang Samait Lo.

The actor is also actively involved in social work, having been named UN Women’s National Goodwill Ambassador in October.

Kamraan is a filmmaker who isn’t afraid to talk about topics most Pakistanis wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole.

Her short film The Bed She Made was the only Pakistani work at the Busan International Short Film Festival this year. It addressed the link between climate change and fertility in a Pakistani context.

“Through its interplay of grace and violence, this metaphorical and highly symbolic film alternates between choreographic sequences and stark depictions of domestic oppression. By turning personal suffering into embodied outcry, it confronts the systemic silencing and abusive treatment of women in rigid patriarchal societies,” programmer Professor Sébastien Simon described her film in the catalogue for the festival.

Before making The Bed She Made, Kamraan was an assistant director on Umro Ayyar, one of Pakistan’s rare sci-fi feature films.

While Pakistani artists were notably absent from the 2025 list — javelin champ Arshad Nadeem was there to represent the country — they’ve had a marked presence in earlier years, with filmmaker Bushra Sultan making it onto the list in 2024.

Other honourees include Rastah founder Zain Ahmed (2022), music producer Abdullah Siddiqui and artist Misha Japanwala (2021) and singer Momina Mustehsan (2018).

She shared a copy of the notice purportedly issued to Butt on her Instagram page, terming his legal notice dated May 22, “false, misconceived, mala fied, legally defective, and apparently issued with ulterior motives to pressurise, intimidate and silence my client after repeated acts of harassment committed by your client”. 

In his notice, Butt took issue with an interview in which Shajaffar described a costar’s behaviour while working on a project with her as having made her feel “uncomfortable”.

The notice referenced Shajaffar’s appearance on the YouTube show Say It All with Iffat Omar and claimed that she accused Butt of having “sexually harassed [her] on set”. In the interview, Shajaffar referred to the person solely as “Arsalan”. She later clarified on social media that she was not talking about Arslan Khan, her College Gate costar.

Butt’s connection to the incident is being attributed to Omar, the host, who purportedly said he was the one being discussed. Shajaffar’s interview with Omar was released on May 21. In it, the actor mentioned a number of instances in which “Arsalan’s” behaviour made her “feel uncomfortable” and that he believed she was “someone to get fresh or frank with”.

Butt’s notice described the allegations made by Shajaffar against “Arsalan” as “false, baseless, malicious and defamatory” and said they had caused “serious reputational damage, mental distress, humiliation and public embarrassment” to Butt.

The notice demanded Shajaffar “retract the allegations”, “take steps for the removal of the defamatory content”, “issue a clear, unconditional public apology and retraction” on YouTube and “refrain from repeating such allegations in the future”.

Her counter-notice denies the allegations made in Butt’s notice, “except what is specifically admitted herein”. “It is clarified that my client never made any false, fabricated or malicious allegation against your client. Whatever was stated by my client during the said interview/programme was based upon true events, actual conduct, personal experiences, surrounding circumstances and information supported through evidence, witnesses and electronic material presently in possession of my client. Your client is fully aware of his conduct and the repeated acts committed by him towards my client on various occasions,” reads Shajaffar’s notice. 

“The interview itself does not contain any direct or categorical statement alleging ‘sexual harassment’ in the specific manner falsely portrayed in your notice,” it read, saying that it “deliberately twists, exaggerates and misinterprets portions of the interview in an attempt to create unnecessary sensationalism and legal pressure”. 

Arguing that the interview reflects the actor’s “personal experiences and truthful disclosures” made by Shajaffar “in exercise of her lawful and constitutional right of expression and self-protection”, the notice calls Butt’s conduct “harassment, intimidation, emotional abuse and character targeting”.

“Instead of showing remorse and restraint, your client has now escalated the matter by issuing a threatening legal notice to a woman who merely disclosed her experiences publicly. Such conduct amounts to victim intimidation and an unlawful attempt to suppress disclosure of harassment-related conduct.”

According to the notice, Shajaffar possesses “substantial material, including but not limited to electronic evidence, digital communications and records, witness testimony, circumstantial and corroborative evidence and other supporting material which clearly establish the conduct, behaviour and repeated acts of harassment committed by [Butt] towards [Shajaffar] on multiple occasions”. 

The notice calls on Butt to immediately withdraw his notice, tender a “clear, unconditional and public apology” for “harassment, intimidation, reputational harm and malicious legal threats”, cease and desist from further harassment, intimidation, coercion, defamatory campaign or misrepresentation of the interview and Shajaffar’s statements, and pay compensation/damages amounting to Rs1 billion for reputational harm, mental agony, emotional distress, harassment, intimidation and damage.

Failure to comply within 14 days will result in civil, criminal and regulatory proceedings being filed under the Punjab Defamation Act, 2024, The Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010, sections relating to criminal intimidation, harassment, defamation and intimidation under applicable laws of Pakistan and other civil remedies available under Pakistani law.

Hamza Habib, the husband to be of the actor, appeared before the court, along with his legal team.

A lawyer argued that the petitioner wanted to prove his innocence by joining the investigation before Jhang police, but there are apprehensions of his unlawful arrest.

He asked the court to allow protective bail to the petitioner so that he could appear before the relevant district court for pre-arrest bail.

Justice Abher Gul Khan allowed the request and granted protective bail to the petitioner till June 1, with a direction to approach the relevant court by the next date of hearing.

Jhang police registered a case against Hamza on allegations that he issued life threats to the ruling party MPA.

Talking to the media, Habib said he had already solemnised nikah with Momina and that she was his wife and his “honour”.

He said their wedding ceremony would be held as per its schedule and he would not leave Momina.

He alleged that MPA Chadhar had lodged a false FIR against him.

He further alleged that the MPA had tried to contact him, asking him to step away from Momina in exchange for money.

He said Chadhar should keep his money to himself, adding that “he cannot buy me.”

Originally published in Dawn, May 26th, 2026

The notice referenced Shajaffar’s appearance on the YouTube show Say It All with Iffat Omar and claimed that she accused Butt of having “sexually harassed [her] on set”. Shajaffar has not publicly commented on the notice, and in the interview, she referred to the person solely as “Arsalan”. She later clarified on social media that she was not talking about Arslan Khan, her College Gate costar.

Butt’s connection to the incident is being attributed to Omar, the host, who purportedly said he was the one being discussed.

Shajaffar’s interview with Omar was released on May 21. In it, the actor mentioned a number of instances in which “Arsalan’s” behaviour made her “feel uncomfortable” and that he believed she was “someone to get fresh or frank with”.

Shajaffar recalled an incident where she was discussing Manto’s feminism with the project’s writer when “Arsalan” entered the discussion, claiming Manto was not a feminist and women “hated him”. Upon being rebuked by Shajaffar, he began “shaking his belt as if he wanted to take it off and hit me with it”. She said he also “started calling me names”.

The notice described the allegations made by Shajaffar against “Arsalan” as “false, baseless, malicious and defamatory” and said they had caused “serious reputational damage, mental distress, humiliation and public embarrassment” to Butt.

The notice demanded Shajaffar “retract the allegations”, “take steps for the removal of the defamatory content”, “issue a clear, unconditional public apology and retraction” on YouTube and “refrain from repeating such allegations in the future”.

In the event that she does not comply within 14 days, the notice said Butt’s legal team would “initiate civil defamation proceedings, criminal proceedings and all other remedies available under Pakistani law”.

In the interview, Shajaffar also claimed “Arsalan” made inappropriate comments about her body. “He was like, ‘Listen, you should really eat this and eat that. That will give you some weight here and there.’”

The actor said she told her co-star to “shut the f*** up”, which she said he did not take well.

She also mentioned an incident in which the director had told her and “Arsalan” to work together and he approached her for a hug. Shajaffar said she told him to not touch her four times while backing away and when he didn’t listen, she screamed at him.

This, the Lali actor said, caused him to resort to his own stream of expletives. “He lost his mind because I didn’t allow him to touch me without my permission. I don’t know how I had the guts, I was shaking, but I was like, ‘no means no’.”

In a tweet posted on Friday evening, the CM said the matter is a “personal issue” that will be “addressed strictly on merit and in accordance with the law”.

In a post on social media in which she tagged the PML-N leadership, Momina alleged that she had been subjected to “online harassment, cyberbullying, and death threats for a long time.”

She claimed that both she and her family had suffered severe mental stress and trauma because of the alleged conduct of the MPA, whose identity she did not disclose publicly. His identity was made public after the NCCIA summoned both of them to record their statements.

“A member of the provincial assembly belonging to the PML-N has been threatening me for an extended period. I repeatedly reported the matter to the NCCIA and the Federal Investigation Agency, but no action was taken,” she stated.

“Instead of ensuring justice, attempts were allegedly made to suppress my complaints. Even individuals associated with the office of the chief minister tried to discourage me and silence the issue rather than allowing a fair investigation,” she claimed.

In her tweet, CM Maryam said she would not spare anyone found involved in attempting to harass, threaten, or exploit a woman. “No individual, regardless of status, position, or political connections, is above the law. State institutions will perform their duties independently, impartially, and in accordance with the Constitution and the law,” she said.

“Any attempt to exert political pressure, abuse influence, or exploit a woman through threats of releasing personal content publicly will be met with firm and uncompromising action. Consider this a clear and serious warning to anyone involved.”

On Thursday, Momina and Chadhar appeared before the NCCIA to record their statements.

The same day, Momina’s sister Advocate Rimsha Iqbal, who is fighting her case, told reporters that hurdles were being created in Momina’s marriage that was going to take place next month and threats were even hurled at her fiancé.

“We have evidence to the claim Momina made against the MPA and presented it to the NCCIA,” she said and expressed the hope her sister would get justice.

Chadhar’s lawyer, Mian Ashfaq told reporters that his client and Momina had been friends since 2020-21. “Both came close to marrying but couldn’t. Mr Chadhar provided massive social, administrative and financial benefits to Ms Momina during the last five years. We will provide the details of these benefits to the NCCIA,” he said and added that harassment allegations levelled against his client by the person who remained in relationship with him for such a long period of time did not make any sense.

Chadhar is an electable. He defeated both PML-N and PTI-backed candidates in PP-97, Chiniot, in the last polls held in 2024. After winning the seat, he joined the PML-N.

The Airport police registered the case last month on the complaint of Mutaal Khan, who stated that on April 22, he left his home for the airport to travel to Lahore.

He added that while he was travelling in a cab, a double-cabin vehicle carrying four armed men intercepted his vehicle and, at gunpoint, allegedly abducted him, claiming that he had been involved in an accident.

The complainant further stated that the abductors kept taking him to different locations before snatching his mobile phone and allegedly transferring 8,600 USDT from his account. They also took his laptop and later dropped him at an undisclosed place in the Korangi Industrial Area before fleeing.

Speaking to Dawn, Advocate Syed Israr Ali Shah, counsel for the complainant, stated that after the incident, his client had lodged a complaint and the police later apprehended four suspects — Hamza, Saalim, Shahid and Wazir — and booked other suspects, including a police constable and actor Muneeb Butt, in the case.

He claimed that the investigating officer had informed him that the actor was booked on charges of allegedly facilitating at least two of the suspects while they were hiding in Islamabad.

The counsel added that he was still uncertain whether the actor had any involvement in the crime, but stated that the investigating agency had booked him in the case.

Later, the actor secured protective bail from the Islamabad High Court and surrendered before a Karachi ATC, where he moved a pre-arrest bail application.

After hearing the actor’s counsel, the ATC granted him interim bail against a surety bond of Rs100,000 and fixed June 8 for confirmation or otherwise.

A case was registered at the Airport police station under Sections 365-A (kidnapping or abducting for extorting property, valuable security, etc.), 392 (punishment for robbery) and 34 (common Intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code, read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Originally published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2026

“Both the lawmaker and the actor spent quite a good time at the NCCIA Lahore office, along with their lawyers, and recorded their statements before a team of investigation officers,” an official told Dawn.

He said the actor levelled serious allegations of harassment and hurling death threats at her by the PML-N lawmaker from Chiniot, while the latter claimed that he remained friends with her for a long time and this was not a matter of harassment.

A source told Dawn that the NCCIA moved swiftly after Momina’s social media appeal went viral and drew the attention of senior PML-N leadership, especially Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

On Thursday, the Punjab police even provided security to Ms Momina, as confirmed by her sister.

In her online post, tagged to the PML-N leadership, Ms Momina alleged that she had been subjected to “online harassment, cyberbullying, and death threats for a long time”.

“A member of the provincial assembly belonging to the PML-N has been threatening me for an extended period. Instead of ensuring justice, attempts were allegedly made to suppress my complaints. Even individuals associated with the office of the chief minister tried to discourage me and silence the issue rather than allowing a fair investigation,” she claimed.

On Thursday Momina’s sister Advocate Rimsha Iqbal, who is fighting her case, told reporters that hurdles were being created in the marriage of Momina that was going to take place next month and even threats were hurled at her would-be husband.

“We have evidence to the claim Momina made against the MPA and presented it to the NCCIA,” she said and expressed the hope her sister would get justice.

On the other hand, counsel for MPA Chadhar, Mian Ashfaq told reporters that his client and Ms Momina had been friends since 2020-21.

“Both came close to marrying but couldn’t. Mr Chadhar provided massive social, administrative and financial benefits to Ms Momina during the last five years. We will provide the details of these benefits to the NCCIA,” he said and added that harassment allegations leveled against his client by the person who remained in relationship with him for such a long period of time did not make any sense.

Saqib Chadhar is an electable. He defeated both PML-N and PTI-backed candidates in PP-97, Chiniot, in the last polls held in 2024. After winning the seat, he joined the PML-N.

Originally published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2026

“We have summoned both Momina Iqbal and the PML-N MPA concerned for Thursday (May 21) after receiving her application. The matter will be decided strictly on merit,” NCCIA Punjab head Muhammad Ali Waseem said on Wednesday.

A source told Dawn that the NCCIA moved swiftly after Momina’s social media appeal went viral and drew the attention of senior PML-N leadership, especially Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

“The party’s top leadership directed the NCCIA to immediately entertain the model’s complaint and initiate action against the ruling party MPA if the allegations are proven,” the source said and added the chief minister office also wanted to clear its name following Momina’s allegations against it.

In her online post, tagged to the PML-N leadership, Momina alleged that she had been subjected to “online harassment, cyberbullying, and death threats for a long time.”

She claimed that both she and her family had suffered severe mental stress and trauma because of the alleged conduct of the MPA, whose identity she did not disclose publicly.

“A member of the provincial assembly belonging to the PML-N has been threatening me for an extended period. I repeatedly reported the matter to the NCCIA and the Federal Investigation Agency, but no action was taken,” she stated.

“Instead of ensuring justice, attempts were allegedly made to suppress my complaints. Even individuals associated with the office of the chief minister tried to discourage me and silence the issue rather than allowing a fair investigation,” she further claimed.

Momina urged the authorities to conduct an impartial inquiry, ensure protection for her family, and initiate strict legal action against all those allegedly involved. She warned that if the matter continued to be ignored, she would be compelled to hold a press conference and present “all available evidence” regarding the alleged harassment, threats, and efforts to suppress her complaints in order to shield a political figure.

Originally published in Dawn, May 21st, 2026

Jonathan Andic, 45, was arrested and questioned by police in Catalonia, then brought to court in handcuffs, where the ​judge set bail of 1 million euros ($1.16m) and required him to hand over his passport.

He left ​the court after making bail, but cannot leave the region and is required to report ⁠to the court once a week.

Isak Andic died after falling more than 100 metres from a cliff while hiking ​with his son near Barcelona in December 2024. His death was initially treated as an accident.

Judge Raquel Nieto Galvan said ​in a statement after the court hearing that the case was being investigated as a homicide.

In her writ, she cited evidence pointing to a poor relationship between the two, possible financial motive, prior planning and study of the scene, “autopsy that practically rules out slipping or ​stumbling”, and discrepancies in the suspect’s statements, among other factors “that could implicate JA in the death of his father”.

The ​Andic family said in a statement he was innocent.

“There is no legitimate evidence against him, nor will any be found,” it said.

In ‌a statement, ⁠defence lawyer Cristobal Martell called the homicide theory inconsistent.

“But above all, it is painful. It stigmatizes an innocent man. Now the real process begins, and the truth and his innocence will shine through.”

A spokesperson for the family said Mango’s Vice Chairman Jonathan Andic would continue to cooperate with authorities and called for the principle of the presumption of innocence ​to be respected.

Isak Andic, who ​was born in Istanbul, ⁠moved to Catalonia in the northeast of Spain in the 1960s and founded Mango in 1984. He built it into a global group seen as a rival to Zara.

At the ​time of his death, he was non-executive chairman of Mango with a net worth ​of $4.5 billion according ⁠to Forbes.

Jonathan Andic and his two sisters jointly own 95 per cent of Mango, with 5pc owned by Toni Ruiz, its CEO since 2020.

Ruiz became chairman of the board, replacing Isak Andic in January 2025 after his death. Jonathan Andic, who previously worked ⁠in Mango’s ​retail operations, was named vice chairman.

Mango declined to comment on the ​arrest.

Acting on an appeal ​by the ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ singer, the court ordered the Treasury to reimburse her with ​over 60m euros ($70m), including interest, Shakira’s defence said.

The judge ruled ⁠that authorities had failed to prove that Shakira spent more than 183 days in Spain ​in 2011, as required by Spanish law to be considered a tax resident in the country. ​It does not affect tax years after 2011.

At the time, the tax agency had argued that Shakira was linked to Spain through her relationship with former FC Barcelona footballer Gerard Pique and had her centre of ​activities in the Mediterranean country.

But the High Court ruled that the fines were unlawful as ​they were “based on the assumption that the appellant’s tax residence was in Spain for the 2011 fiscal year, ‌a ⁠fact which has not been proven”.

The tax agency said it would appeal with the Supreme Court and no payment will be made until the final ruling.

Shakira’s lawyer, Jose Luis Prada, welcomed the court’s decision in a statement, saying that it “comes after an eight-year ordeal that has taken an ​unacceptable toll, reflecting a ​lack of rigour ⁠in administrative practice”.

The same statement quoted Shakira as saying she hoped the ruling would set a precedent for “thousands of ordinary citizens who are abused ​and crushed every day by a system that presumes them guilty ​and forces them ⁠to prove their innocence while facing financial and emotional ruin”.

In November 2023, Shakira separately reached a deal with prosecutors to avoid a trial in Barcelona over charges she failed to pay 14.5m ⁠euros in ​Spanish income tax between 2012 and 2014.

As part of ​the agreement, she accepted the charges and a fine of half the amount owed — more than 7.3m euros.

At the main ceremony in Islamabad, President Asif Ali Zardari presented the country’s third-highest civil honour, the Nishan-i-Imtiaz, to writers Atta ul Haq Qasmi and Irfan ul Haq Siddiqui for their contributions to literature.

Poet Zehra Majid Ali — Zehra Nigah — was recognised with a Hilal-i-Imtiaz alongside playwright Asghar Nadeem Syed.

Hadiqa Kiani received the Sitara-i-Imtiaz for her work in music. Photographer Irfan Ahson and visual artist Hamra Abbas were also conferred the award for their contribution to the arts.

Actors Rashid Waheed Khawaja and Zahid Ahmed received the President’s Pride of Performance Award for their work.

Shahid Afridi received the Hilal-i-Imtiaz from the president in recognition of his services to sports alongside the mountaineer Shehroz Kashif and the late equestrian Malik Ata Muhammad Khan.

Shooter Mohsin Nawaz and artist Waseem Ahmed received the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz.

In Peshawar, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi presented the Sitara-i-Imtiaz to former Pakistan cricket captain Sana Mir. He also conferred the Pride of Performance Award to Jamshid Ali Khan for arts, direction and production and Aminullah Daudzai for literature and poetry.

Squash champ Muhammad Hamza Khan was given the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz for his contributions to sports.

A third ceremony was held in Karachi, where Governor Nehal Hashmi conferred the Sitara-i-Imtiaz upon Fazila Qazi and Savera Nadeem in recognition of their work as actors.

Mukhtiar Naz Taj Mastani was presented Pride of Performance Award for her contributions to music and naat khawan Qazi Shujaat Qadri received the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz.

China is facing a demographic crisis after its birth rate halved over the past decade and in response, authorities have heavily promoted traditional family structures.

“My mother has two ‘husbands’, one is my dad, the other is seen twice a year,” read a Friday post by consumer electronics firm OPPO on social media platform Weibo.

The second “husband” seemingly referred to the woman’s favourite celebrity. Swiftly removed, the advert was part of a campaign aiming to show a more diverse image of modern mothers, including those who enjoy “celebrity chasing”, the company said in a statement on Friday. But taking the post down was not enough to stop a swell of official criticism over the weekend.

“Two husbands is not funny at all,” a provincial propaganda department said in a statement on Sunday.

Officials from eastern Zhejiang province warned brands against riling up people’s emotions to win customers, despite a temptation to appeal to younger buyers.

“Lacking boundaries will lead to mistaking offence for creativity,” the statement said.

Trade group China Advertising Association also chided brands for crossing moral boundaries on Sunday, local media reported.

On Monday OPPO said it had “severely punished” a senior vice president and other marketing managers for “ignoring the bottom line of mainstream societal values”.

Originally published in Dawn, May 12th, 2026

Cover photo: OPPO

The three countries, along with the Nether­lands and Iceland, pulled out of this year’s event in Vienna, which kicks off on Tuesday and culminates in Saturday’s grand final.

Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip prompted the five countries to withdraw from the world’s biggest live televised music event — with Eurovision director Martin Green vowing to do “anything in our power to find a pathway back” for them.

Suspicions were also raised that the public televoting system was being manipulated to boost Israel at Eurovision 2025 in Basel, Switzerland. Furthermore, some broadcasters voiced concerns about media freedom, with Israel preventing their journalists from accessing Gaza.

“Instead of the Eurovision circus, the national television programme will be coloured by the thematic programme series Voices of Palestine,” Slovenian broadcaster RTV said.

Ireland are joint-record seven-time Eurovision winners, but on Saturday, RTE will be showing a Eurovision-themed episode of the popular 1990s Irish-based sitcom Father Ted instead. Spain’s RTVE will run its own musical special, The House of Music. Public service broadcasters in the Netherlands and Iceland will screen the competition, despite neither taking part.

Only 35 countries will take part in Eurovision this year — the fewest since entry was expanded in 2004 — following the five withdrawals. As to whether those countries could return, Eurovision chief Green said: “We’ve got five members of our family missing this year. We miss them and we love them and we hope they come back.

Originally published in Dawn, May 12th, 2026

The lawsuit alleges that Samsung featured a copyrighted ​image of the pop star on the front of cardboard boxes containing ​televisions for retail sale, enabling the company to benefit from what seemed ⁠like her endorsement of the product.

The image alleged to have been used ​on the TV boxes is titled “Dua Lipa — Backstage at Austin City Limits, 2024,“ and ​Lipa is the owner of all rights, title and interest in the image, the lawsuit said. The suit was filed on Friday in the California federal court.

A spokesperson for Samsung Electronics declined ​to comment, saying it was unable to comment on pending litigation, while ​Lipa’s lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the case.

Besides copyright and ‌trademark ⁠infringement, Lipa has accused Samsung Electronics of breaching publicity rights.

Her lawyers have attached screenshots of social media postings and comments in the filing claiming that the pop star’s image on the front of the boxes pushed potential customers to purchase the ​product. One of ​these screenshots shows ⁠a fan commenting that they would get the TV “just because Dua is on it.”

The ‘Levitating’ singer became aware of Samsung’s alleged ​infringement in June last year and demanded that Samsung stop using ​her ⁠image, but the electronics manufacturer repeatedly refused to do so, her lawyers said.

Samsung’s alleged unauthorised use of Lipa’s image has “caused and continues to cause dilution” of the pop star’s “brand identity ⁠and ​commercial goodwill by falsely conveying to the consuming ​public that she approves of and endorses” the products in question, they added.

Cover via Dua Lipa/Instagram

End-to-end encryption (E2EE) is a method of relaying information which allows it to only be viewed by the sending and receiving devices.

The feature was touted as the ‘gold standard’ in privacy by Meta, but received opposition from law enforcement and groups advocating for the protection of children online.

Meta began rolling E2EE out on Facebook in 2019 and completed the process in 2023; it remains the default method of messaging on the platform. It was introduced as an optional feature on Instagram, which appears to be what led to its downfall as the company said it was being rolled back due to underutilisation.

Another messaging platform owned by Meta, WhatsApp, also uses E2EE as its method of data transmission. Apps like Signal, iMessage and Google Messages also use the advanced security protocol as their default setting, while Telegram has it as an optional service.

Meta did not publicly announce the termination of the feature, choosing instead to quietly update the app’s terms and conditions in March.

“End‑to‑end encrypted messaging on Instagram will no longer be supported after May 8, 2026. If you have chats affected by this change, you will see instructions on how to download any media or messages you may wish to keep,” the company said just two weeks after competitor TikTok said it had no plans to introduce the feature.

“We are really pleased,” said Rani Govender from the UK’s National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children to the BBC. She added E2EE “can allow perpetrators to evade detection, enabling the grooming and abuse of children to go unseen”.

Maya Thomas, a privacy campaigner, said her team saw the move as a step backwards and they were “concerned that Meta may be caving to government pressure“.

After more than 70 years of film-making, Attenborough’s instantly recognisable voice is synonymous with the story of ‌nature. He is still at the vanguard of efforts to protect the environment and has produced some of his most impactful work in recent years.

Counting Britain’s royal family, Barack Obama and pop star Billie Eilish among his admirers, Attenborough’s charisma, humour and warmth, alongside the depth of his knowledge and his flair for storytelling, have made him a broadcasting superstar.

“Your ability to communicate the beauty and vulnerability of our natural environment ​remains unequalled,” was how the late Queen Elizabeth summed up his achievements in 2019.

‘Lonesome George’ and the natural environment

Attenborough’s films have communicated the wonder and also the tragedies ​of the natural world to viewers across the globe.

Standout scenes include his encounter with two playful young mountain gorillas who clambered onto him ⁠during his landmark 1979 series Life on Earth.

He also made his audience marvel at the teamwork of a pod of orcas hunting a seal by creating waves to break up ice, ​and his telling in 2012 of the story of Lonesome George, the last surviving Pinta Island tortoise, moved people to tears.

“He’s about 80 years old, and getting a bit creaky in his ​joints – as indeed am I,” Attenborough, then 86, said.

George’s death, two weeks after he was filmed, marked the extinction of his species.

“He’s focused the attention of the world on the fragility of our environment,” Attenborough said at the time.

While Attenborough has topped numerous national popularity polls, being named the country’s most admired man and the greatest living British cultural icon, friends say he rolls his eyes when he is labelled a “national ​treasure”.

“What he feels is that he’s a public servant. He feels that he had the unique opportunity to be the voice for nature, to tell everybody about the wonders of ​nature,” Mike Gunton, a television producer who has worked with Attenborough many times, told Reuters.

As climate change has accelerated and the threat to much of the world has become more urgent, Attenborough devoted much of ‌his 90s ⁠to raising public awareness.

His 2017 blockbuster Blue Planet 2, which highlighted the scourge of plastic in the ocean, achieved some of the highest viewing figures on British television before being sold to broadcasters around the world.

Albatrosses unwittingly feeding their chicks plastic fished from the ocean jolted public opinion and led the British government and major retailers to announce measures to reduce the use of plastics.

“I think every single person who’s seen anything that Sir David has done has been inspired to care about nature,” said Doug Gurr, director of the Natural History Museum in London.

Special BBC broadcasts and events

In Britain, Attenborough’s centenary ​is being marked with a week of ⁠special broadcasts on the BBC, a live concert at the Royal Albert Hall, events at museums, nature walks and tree planting.

The broadcasts include his new series Secret Garden. At 99, he remains heavily involved in programme-making, say BBC colleagues, driven by his enduring curiosity and joy of ​storytelling.

“That’s typical David. He makes everything really enjoyable,” said Mike Salisbury, who has worked as a producer on several Attenborough documentaries.

Born on ​May 8, 1926, Attenborough spent ⁠his childhood collecting fossils, insects and dried seahorses.

His BBC career took off in 1954 when he presented Zoo Quest, which involved him travelling to far-flung parts of the world and bringing animals back to London Zoo.

By the 1970s he had risen to be programme controller at the broadcaster but decided he wanted to return to making nature documentaries.

Screened in 1979 when he was 52, Life on Earth ⁠made him ​a household name. He wrote the entire 13-hour script and travelled the world for three years to tell the ​story of evolution from simple organisms to humans.

Dozens of documentaries followed, including Blue Planet, Frozen Planet and Dynasties. As the decades passed, his sense of the need to act only increased.

“How could I look my grandchildren in the eye and say ​I knew what was happening to the world and did nothing?” Attenborough said.

Talankin had been forced to check the award into hold luggage before boarding a flight from John F ​Kennedy International Airport to Frankfurt, according to a post by his co-director David Borenstein on ​Instagram.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents told Talankin that the 8.5 lb (3.8 kg) statuette posed a ⁠potential security threat, Borenstein said, adding that the award then went missing.

“We can confirm that the Oscar statue has ​now been located and is safely in our care in Frankfurt. We are in direct contact ​with the guest to arrange its personal return as quickly as possible,” a spokesperson for Lufthansa said.

“We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused and have apologised to the owner. The careful and secure handling of our guests’ belongings is ​of the utmost importance to us. An internal review of the circumstances is ongoing.”

The ​TSA did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment.

“At the airport, a TSA agent stopped him and ‌said ⁠the Oscar could be used as a weapon,” Borenstein said on Instagram about Talankin.

“Pavel didn’t have a bag to check it in, so the TSA put the Oscar in a box and sent it to the bottom of the plane,” he said, posting a series of pictures, including of ​the box.

Speaking to ​the online magazine Deadline ⁠after arriving in Germany on Thursday, Talankin said it was “completely baffling how they consider an Oscar a weapon”.

On previous flights on various airlines, ​he had flown with it “in the cabin, and there never was any ​kind of ⁠problem,” he told the outlet.

Talankin and Borenstein’s documentary used two years of footage that Talankin had recorded at a school where he worked in Russia’s Chelyabinsk region to show how students were exposed to messaging in favour ⁠of ​President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.

The 35-year-old Talankin, who fled Russia ​in 2024, has defended the film as a record for posterity to show how “an entire generation became angry and aggressive”.

The library’s management posted an appeal for funds on Tuesday, announcing that they would be shutting down as a hike in rent had made running the venue unaffordable and that they needed Rs500,000 for relocation.

On Friday, three days after the appeal went live, they announced they had met their funding goal in under an hour after people, believing in the citizen-run initiative’s vision, rallied to its cause.

“Karachi… you did it,” the announcement read, “We posted the first call for funds in the midst of planning our sabbatical, but you guys stopped us in our tracks. We met the fundraising goal in 53 MINUTES, and in three days, you TRIPLED it.”

The management said donations came through across multiple local channels as well as foreign contributions on Venmo and Zelle. Individual contributions ranged from Rs500 to $1,350 (over Rs370,000).

Their current premises appear to also have been saved by the intervention of an unnamed supporter and negotiations are underway to keep Kitab Ghar operating at its present location for another 11 months.

The library’s administration said they intend to relocate to a more affordable and sustainable venue, but this will allow for a smoother transition with minimal disruptions.

Kitab Ghar will be hosting celebratory events which will “help keep the lights on”, and organisers have asked the community to stay tuned for further announcements on their social media accounts.

For now though, this story has a happy ending and the library’s team is grateful to the community behind it. “Thank you for saving Kitab Ghar,” their announcement read. “It’s an honour to serve every one of you.”

The resignations come days after the jury announced they would not consider artists for countries whose leaders are facing charges at the International Criminal Court — an apparent reference to Russia and Israel — for the prestigious Golden and Silver Lion trophies.

Jury members included president Solange Farkas, Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma and Giovanna Zapperi.

After the jury’s abrupt resignation, the festival announced emergency measures, including the establishment of two Visitors’ Lions which will be awarded based on votes cast by eligible ticket holders. The awards themselves have also been postponed till November 22.

A press release from the Biennale read, “All National Participations included in the 61st Exhibition, as per the official list, are eligible for the Visitors’ Lion for the Best National Participation, following the principle of inclusion and equal treatment among all participants,” implying that Russian and Israeli artists are back in the running.

Organisers said this was “consistent with the founding spirit of La Biennale,” which is “based on openness, dialogue, and the rejection of any form of closure or censorship”.

The decision to let Russia participate, even as the country continues to wage war on neighbouring Ukraine, drew sharp rebukes from the Italian government of Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, who said it was “a decision not shared by the government,” but added that the Biennale was autonomous and its president “very capable”.

Her cultural minister took an even harder line, saying he would not attend the festival’s previews or its opening day on May 9 if Russia is allowed to take part. He also had a phone call with Israeli artist Belu-Simion Fainaru, where the minister “confirmed the Italian government’s commitment against every form of discrimination and antisemitism in Italian cultural institutions,” according to a statement from his office.

Fainaru had accused the jury of discrimination and threatened to take legal action.

The strongest response, however, came from the European Union (EU), which is looking to terminate a two million euro grant to the Biennale as a response to Russia taking part in the event. The Italian Ministry of Culture also sent a delegation to the Biennale on Wednesday to investigate Russian inclusion at the EU’s request.

Biennale President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco has refused to back down, saying the festival was “a space of coexistence for the whole planet” without censorship.

Cover photo: AFP

The appeal filed through Advocate Saqib Jilani argues that the trial court erred both in law and on facts while adjudicating the dispute.

A main contention raised in the appeal is that the trial court proceeded to decide the defamation suit despite the underlying sexual harassment allegations remaining unresolved on merits.

The appellant pointed out that her complaint was still pending before the Supreme Court, which had granted leave in January 2021. She maintained that earlier proceedings before the ombudsperson, the governor and the high court were dismissed on jurisdictional grounds, not on factual determination.

The appeal further argues that her complaint constituted a lawful exercise of legal recourse and was protected under the doctrine of qualified privilege, thereby negating liability for defamation.

It contends that the trial court failed to properly evaluate evidence and overlooked the standard of “preponderance of probabilities”, which, according to the appellant, supported the credibility of her allegations.

Challenging the interpretation of law, the appeal asserted that the respondent (Ali Zafar) had failed to meet the threshold under Section 3 of the Defamation Ordinance 2002, which requires proof that the impugned statements were false.

The appeal argues that an “unproven” allegation cannot automatically be treated as “false,” citing established jurisprudence.

The appeal also criticised the trial court for disregarding settled legal principles regarding testimony in sexual harassment cases, including the recognition that a victim’s statement can be sufficient if found credible.

It argues that the trial court relied on stereotypical assumptions about how a victim is expected to behave, thereby misreading the evidence.

Additionally, the appeal disputes the inference drawn from continued social and professional interactions between the parties, arguing that such a conduct does not negate the possibility of harassment, particularly in cases involving subtle or discreet behaviour.

An additional district and sessions judge on March 31, 2026, issued the impugned decree in favour of Ali Zafar, declaring that Meesha Shafi failed to produce sufficient, reliable and independent evidence to prove allegations of harassment.

Meesha took to X in 2018, alleging that Zafar had sexually harassed her.

In the same year, Zafar filed a defamation suit, contending that the allegations had seriously damaged his public reputation and caused distress to his family.

He requested the court to pass a decree in his favour and sought damages of Rs1 billion.

Originally published in Dawn, April 30th, 2026

She is one of thousands of Pakistani female doctors returning to practice through “telemedicine” after leaving the profession because of family obligations and workplace barriers to women in the conservative society.

Although women outnumber men in Pakistan’s medical registrations, many stop practicing after marriage, exacerbating the fast-growing nation’s shortage of doctors.

Jafri, a mother of three, gave up cardiology after marriage.

“I did not want to choose long working hours and be away from home for a long time,” she told AFP.

But an initiative by digital health firm Sehat Kahani helped her back into the workforce by providing a digital platform to connect home-based, mostly female doctors, with patients in underserved communities.

Private clients are also catered for.

The initiative has brought 7,500 doctors back into practice, its co-founder says, and aims to boost healthcare for disadvantaged areas in Pakistan that face a dearth of services — especially female patients who often feel more comfortable speaking with women medical staff about health issues.

Gallup surveys and doctor associations suggest more than a third of Pakistan’s female medical graduates never enter the profession — or leave it after marriage — due to lack of family support, poor childcare facilities, and harassment.

The situation is symptomatic of wider challenges for women in Pakistan who face significant economic and social disparities, with the World Economic Forum ranking the nation second-to-last for gender equality.

Doctor brides

Jafri now balances caring for her children and household chores with attending to patients online.

“I wanted to stay with my children,” the 43-year-old said of the flexible arrangement.

An overwhelming majority of the tens of thousands of aspirants who compete for places in government-run medical universities are women — a rare instance in Pakistan of female student admissions outnumbering men.

Yet working at hospitals and clinics is widely seen as incompatible with family life for women, especially those with young children.

“The lady doctor who advises mothers to exclusively breastfeed for six months does not have such a facility at her own workplace,” said Zakiya Aurangzeb, president of the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association.

She said long hours and the risk of sexual harassment and mob violence from the families of patients who suffered poor outcomes also put off women and their families.

Seeing those challenges as well as Pakistan’s dismal healthcare access in poor communities, doctor Sara Saeed Khurram set up Sehat Kahani, a digital network that includes 80 clinics where patients visit for a remote consultation with a doctor, guided by an in-person nurse.

She hoped to realise the full benefits of the years of training and government subsidies for degrees that many families seek for their daughters due to the social status they confer in Pakistan society, where a “Dr” honorific is considered to improve marriage prospects for women.

“When that wedding card goes out that you’re marrying a doctor… it just raises the social stature of the entire family,” said Khurram.

“Once that purpose is done… then it becomes very difficult for you to challenge the societal norms that exist in that family to let her work.”

Khurram understands the situation first-hand.

“I also became what we call the doctor bride or the ‘doctor bahu’,” she said, using the Urdu term for “daughter-in-law”.

Though she remained in the workforce, Khurram watched her mostly-female medical school cohort drop out of work one by one, facing pressure from in-laws to focus on tending the home.

Healthcare gap

The lack of female doctors is deepening the strain on Pakistan’s healthcare, a mix of public and private systems with sharp disparities between cities and rural areas in the country of 250 million people and poor outcomes for urban working-class neighbourhoods.

Around 70,000 women — almost a fifth of the 370,000 total registered doctors — are listed in official registries but not practicing, according to medical associations.

Ushering female doctors back to the workforce online also provides better options for patients.

In an impoverished neighbourhood of Karachi, Muhammad Adil was able to take his eight-year-old son to a nearby Sehat Kahani–run health unit because it saves him time and money.

“When we come here, we are able to save our daily wage because it’s close,” he said, after a free consultation with Jafri on his son’s chickenpox. Digital healthcare improved flexibility and could help women back into the workforce, Jafri said, but cautioned that ultimately family backing was key.

“If a woman doctor receives support from her husband, parents, and in-laws, she can excel,” she said. “Those who get it go on to succeed, but many who don’t are forced to give up.”

In an Instagram post, the management of the venue in PECHS said recent gentrification of the area around the citizen-run public library had led to an increase in rent, which they could no longer afford to pay.

They said they knew what the place meant to their patrons and the community that had formed around it, and that they “do not deliver this news lightly”. They said they had provided the city with a place to “love”, “laugh”, “make art”, “congregate” and “be political” for 18 months and would have loved to continue doing so were they not “being forced to shut down”.

“If you need a Kitab Ghar near you, trust us when we tell you that we need you more,” the management said and that, while they planned to relocate to a new spot and continue serving the city, they couldn’t afford to do so yet.

To that end, they said they had set up a fundraiser with a goal of collecting Rs500,000 to be put towards finding and setting up the next Kitab Ghar Karachi. “We exist because you do,” the library’s team said. “Wherever you are, if you believe in the Kitab Ghar mission, please donate.”

Kitab Ghar is free for people to visit and use as a study and social space, with some events being ticketed. The bulk of their funding comes from monthly donation pledges and one-time contributions by patrons.

The management thanked their “comrades, patrons, and regulars” for “walking with us in our justaju [struggle] for something better”.

In a post on X on Sunday, the chief minister said the 50-acre space aims to bring “the glory of filmmaking back to Lahore and Punjab”.

Maryam said the project had been conceived almost two years ago and involved “continuous consultations with filmmakers, producers and actors.

Listing the facilities being built as part of the complex, she said it would have “world-class studios and sound stages” with “advanced VFX and post-production labs”. A purpose-built convention hall is planned to host events and an integrated trade hub will be built to facilitate business.

A film and music school will be established on-site to train new artists and musicians, along with a number of backlots and a central lake for filmmakers to use as sets. The facility will also have dedicated emergency response infrastructure.

The chief minister said the Punjab Film City will reduce reliance on foreign production services, and in doing so, it will “empower local talent, create thousands of jobs and position Pakistan as a global hub for creative excellence”.

She said her vision was to “transform Punjab into a global destination for technology, innovation, heritage and culture” and called the project “a gift to our youth and artists”.

Information and Culture Minister Azma Bokhari also shed light on the government’s initiatives to revive Punjab’s waning film industry on Sunday, detailing plans to disburse funds for film production.

She said 32 individuals had been selected to receive Rs30 million each for their projects, with half the amount released at script submission and the other half at their film’s completion. The filmmakers will be given a year for these projects.

Applications for a second batch of filmmakers will open in June and special funds have been set aside for five exceptionally talented young individuals.

Another project being undertaken by the government is the transition of cinemas to solar energy in an effort to reduce their operating costs and provide relief to cinema owners.

Bokhari emphasised these initiatives aim to promote creativity in Punjab and enable the local film industry to compete at the international level.

The five jury members who will select the winners of the Golden and Silver Lion awards among the 110 participants ​said they felt compelled to commit “to the defence of human rights” as part of their ​role at the event, which opens on May 9.

“This jury will refrain from ⁠the consideration of those countries whose leaders are currently charged with crimes against humanity by ​the International Criminal Court,” they said in a statement, without naming Russia and Israel.

The ICC has issued ​arrest warrants for sitting leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, for alleged war crimes committed against children in Ukraine, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war in Gaza.

The ​Israeli and Russian embassies in Rome did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Recognition of Israeli crimes in Gaza is not new for Venice’s prestigious art circuit. Last year’s Venice International Film Festival, run by the Biennale, saw Kaouther Ben Hania’s The Voice of Hind Rajab win the Silver Lion award.

The film, which follows the killing of six-year-old Hind Rajab in Gaza by Israeli forces, received a 22-minute standing ovation — the longest in the festival’s history.

Criticism over Russian Pavilion

The International Art Exhibition has been criticised since organisers allowed Russia to reopen its pavilion at the event. After ‌Moscow’s ⁠invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian artists and institutions were excluded from major European events.

The Biennale’s decision sparked criticism from the Italian government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni — a staunch supporter of Ukraine — but also from the European Union.

On Thursday, the European Commission said it had sent a letter to the Biennale ​informing it of its ​intent to terminate or ⁠suspend a 2 million euro ($2.34m) grant after they allowed Moscow to rejoin.

“There is only one ongoing grant, this is of 2 million for the ​next three years and this is the one we aim to terminate ​or to ⁠suspend,” an EU Commission spokesperson told reporters.

The spokesperson said the Biennale had 30 days to respond to the EU’s letter.

In a separate statement, the Biennale said the jury operates with full autonomy and independence.

“This is ⁠a position ​that the members have decided to bring forward and ​make public. It is a natural expression of the freedom and autonomy that La Biennale guarantees,” the statement said.

Cover photo: Venice Biennale