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Riz Ahmed's latest venture, 'Bait', is a comedy series that masterfully blends humor with poignant commentary on identity, fame, and the entertainment industry. Ahmed, who created, co-wrote, and stars in the show, plays Shah Latif, a rapper turned actor from a lively west London Pakistani Muslim family.The series navigates Shah's journey as he finds himself in contention to replace Daniel Craig as the new James Bond, a career milestone that brings about a crisis in his life. This predicament leads Shah to question his authenticity and fear of becoming 'bait' – both in the London slang sense of being 'obvious' or 'naff,' and in the sense of being used by the British state to co-opt legitimate dissent.'Bait' skillfully balances humor with emotional authenticity, particularly through its portrayal of family dynamics. Sheeba Chaddha shines as Shah's mother, Tahira, bringing depth and warmth to every scene she's in. The show's humor is largely derived from its witty dialogue, which showcases a dazzling display of linguistic dexterity, effortlessly switching between Urdu, Arabic, MLE, and RP.The series also highlights the strength of the British south Asian actor community, with notable cameos and roles for Himesh Patel, Nabhaan Rizwan, and Sagar Radia. Ritu Arya is excellent as Yasmin, Shah's love interest, and her chemistry with Ahmed is undeniable.While 'Bait' occasionally veers into self-indulgence, its self-referential humor and industry satire add layers to the narrative. The show's exploration of themes such as identity, cultural representation, and the pressures of fame makes it a compelling watch. With its talented cast and clever writing, 'Bait' is a must-watch on Prime Video.

The ongoing conflict in Iran has sent shockwaves through global energy markets, with economies in Asia being hit particularly hard. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage for oil and gas shipments, has led to a 90% collapse in traffic through its waters. This has resulted in energy prices surging, affecting countries such as India, Nepal, and the Philippines.India has redirected liquefied gas supplies to households, limiting them to the plastics industry, while Nepal has rationed gas and the Philippines has trimmed the government workweek to four days. Bangladesh has closed universities and rationed fuel, highlighting the widespread impact of the conflict.The US economy has shown relative resilience, with the S&P; 500 index losing only 5% since the start of the conflict. This is attributed to the country's abundance of domestic natural gas, which satisfies about 36% of its energy needs and insulates it from international price fluctuations.However, this has led to accusations that the US is recklessly spreading havoc globally while suffering relatively little harm itself. The tariffs imposed by the US have also had far-reaching consequences, with economists concluding that US consumers and businesses are paying the majority of the costs.The International Monetary Fund has revised its growth forecasts, noting that the US economy has emerged largely unscathed, while prospects for economic growth in other countries have weakened. The World Trade Organization has warned that persistently high energy prices will slow merchandise trade growth and have a lopsided impact on growth, with North America potentially seeing a boost, while Europe and Asia are likely to be negatively affected.The conflict has also disrupted the oil and gas economy, with countries like Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan facing a drop in remittances from their citizens working in Gulf countries. Furthermore, the environmental impact of the conflict has been significant, with interest in coal being reinvigorated in Asia as a result of the energy crisis.The US's actions have raised concerns about its reliability as a partner in maintaining international stability, with erstwhile allies forced to accept that Trump's America is now a source of global uncertainty. The US's belligerence is unlikely to end soon, with tens of millions of Americans motivated by contempt for the rest of the world and a desire to assert US dominance.

According to a report by IQAir, a Swiss air quality monitoring firm, Pakistan was the world's smoggiest country in 2025 with concentrations of hazardous fine particles known as PM2.5 up to 13 times higher than the World Health Organization's (WHO's) recommended level.The report, which sourced data from 9,446 cities in 143 countries, regions and territories, found that only 13 countries and territories managed to keep their average fine particulate levels below the WHO guideline, an increase from seven in 2024.Pakistan's PM2.5 level was 67.3 microgrammes per cubic metre, significantly exceeding the WHO standard of 5 microgrammes per cubic metre. In comparison, Pakistan's average PM2.5 concentration in 2024 was 73.7 microgrammes.Prolonged exposure to PM2.5 has been linked to higher likelihoods of neurodegenerative conditions, including dementia, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.Bangladesh and Tajikistan ranked second and third on IQAir's list of the most polluted countries while Chad, statistically the smoggiest country in 2024, was in fourth place in 2025.The report also noted that Loni, a city in northern India, was identified as the world's most polluted city in 2025 with average PM2.5 levels of 112.5 microgrammes per cubic metre.Globally, only 14 percent of cities met the WHO air quality standard in 2025, down from 17 percent a year earlier. The report highlighted that wildfires, driven by climate change, were a key factor behind worsening global air quality in 2025 as record levels of biomass burning in Europe and Canada released about 1,380 megatonnes of carbon.

The conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran has escalated with a series of attacks on Iranian cities, including the capital Tehran, and other locations such as Tabriz, Isfahan, and Karaj. These attacks occurred even as US President Donald Trump claimed that Washington was engaged in productive conversations with Tehran to end the war.Iranian media reported that Israeli-US strikes targeted two gas facilities and a pipeline, hours after Trump postponed planned attacks on power infrastructure. The attacks resulted in partial damage to facilities in central Iran, including a gas administration building and a gas pressure regulation station in Isfahan.A leading scholar and professor at a science university in Tehran, Saeed Shamaghdari, was killed alongside his two children in an attack on his residence north of the capital. Iran's English-language news channel Press TV identified Shamaghdari as a teacher at the engineering department of the Iran University of Science and Technology.The head of Iran's emergency service, Jafar Miadfar, reported that 208 children have been killed since the war began on February 28, with 168 of them dying in the US missile strikes on a girls' school in Minab city. Rights groups have called for an investigation into the Minab attack as a potential war crime.More than 1,500 civilians have been killed across Iran, according to the Iranian government. The US-Israel war on Iran has expanded across the Middle East, leading to a spike in oil prices and triggering a global energy crisis.Despite the escalation of violence, Iran's Foreign Minister Abass Araghchi has held calls with several countries, including Egypt, Pakistan, and Oman, in an attempt to open a diplomatic channel. However, senior Iranian officials have denied that Iran is engaged in talks with the US, contradicting Trump's claims of productive conversations.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has emphasized the need for a negotiated solution to the conflict, warning that the situation is critical for energy supplies and condemning Iran's efforts to block energy exports through the Strait of Hormuz.

Pakistan's military leadership has been playing a crucial role in attempting to broker negotiations between the US and Iran. The country's army chief, Asim Munir, recently had a call with US President Donald Trump to discuss the conflict. Diplomatic sources indicate that the US and Iran could meet for negotiations in Islamabad as early as this week to discuss an end to the war, which began almost a month ago. While Islamabad has yet to be officially confirmed as the venue, sources suggest that Tehran prefers Islamabad. Pakistani sources mention that US Vice-President JD Vance is being considered as a probable chief negotiator from the US side, rather than Trump's Middle East envoy Witkoff or Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Vance is viewed as a sceptic of the US decision to bomb Iran and has largely kept quiet on the conflict. After the phone call between Trump and Munir, Pakistan's Prime Minister, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, spoke to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday. According to an official readout of the call, they agreed on the urgent need for de-escalation, dialogue, and diplomacy. Sources suggest that Iran's parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, is likely to lead any talks from the Iranian side. However, Ghalibaf has dismissed reports of talks between the two sides as 'fake news'. An Iranian diplomatic source confirmed that talks are expected this week but expressed 'zero trust' in Washington. They stated that Iran would not accept Witkoff and Kushner as negotiators for any discussions. Negotiations between the US and Iran were ongoing when the US began its bombing campaign. The Iranian regime views these negotiations as an attempt by the Trump administration to deceive Iran into thinking it wanted a diplomatic solution while planning to attack. On Monday, Trump indicated that he would be willing to halt US strikes, claiming that 'strong talks' were being held between Iranian officials and Witkoff and Kushner. Trump told reporters that they had 'very, very strong talks' and that they had 'major points of agreement, I would say, almost all points of agreement'. The US president has given a five-day deadline to an ultimatum he gave over the weekend, threatening to 'obliterate' Iran's power plants and energy infrastructure if they did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route currently being blockaded by Iran's military. Trump's announcement of talks helped boost markets, bringing oil prices sharply down to below $100 (£75) a barrel, the lowest in days.

The Middle East remains embroiled in a cycle of violence, with Iranian barrages targeting Israel, Gulf Arab states, and northern Iraq on Tuesday. This escalation comes a day after US President Donald Trump claimed that the US was in 'very good' talks with Iran to end the war in the region soon.Despite Trump's optimistic remarks, multiple official sources in Tehran have denied any talks are underway. Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated, 'No negotiations have been held with the US … fake news is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets.' The Iranian government remains wary of US offers of negotiation, citing past experiences where talks were followed by attacks, such as the surprise attack that killed the supreme leader Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior officials.Potential intermediaries, including Pakistan, Oman, Egypt, and others, have confirmed tentative efforts to establish channels of communication between Washington and Tehran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has been engaging in discussions with his counterparts in several countries, including Azerbaijan, Egypt, Oman, Pakistan, Russia, South Korea, Turkey, and Turkmenistan.The diplomatic activity follows a significant escalation of threats between the US and Iran over the weekend, with both sides trading warnings of potential strikes. On Monday, Trump delayed a deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz for shipping or face targeted airstrikes on its power stations. This brief reprieve drove down oil prices and boosted stocks, with the deadline now set to expire on Friday.Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Israel will continue to strike Iran and Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Islamist militant movement. The Israeli prime minister warned, 'There's more to come.'The conflict has already had significant economic impacts, with oil prices rising to $104 (£77) a barrel, up more than 40% since Israel and the US started the war on 28 February. Analysts warn of durable and deep disruption to the supply of oil and gas from the region, even if hostilities end rapidly, with severe economic consequences worldwide.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to a temporary ceasefire during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which begins on Thursday and lasts until Tuesday. The decision was made amid weeks of deadly violence between the neighboring countries.Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced that the ceasefire was requested by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey. He stated that Pakistan is offering this gesture in good faith and in keeping with Islamic norms.However, Tarar also warned that if there are any cross-border attacks, drone attacks, or terrorist incidents inside Pakistan, military operations will immediately resume with renewed intensity.The Taliban government in Afghanistan also confirmed that it would temporarily suspend military operations against Pakistan.The ceasefire comes after Afghanistan accused Pakistan of killing hundreds of people in an air strike on a drug rehabilitation center in Kabul. Pakistan has strongly rejected these claims, stating that it only targets terrorist infrastructure and military locations.The United Nations reported 143 deaths in the incident at the Omar Addiction Treatment Hospital, a 2,000-bed facility. The conflict has led to repeated cross-border clashes and air strikes inside Afghanistan, despite international calls for a ceasefire and concerns about a widening displacement crisis.The World Health Organization (WHO) chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, urged all parties to de-escalate and prioritize peace and health, noting that at least six health facilities in Afghanistan have been affected by the violence since late February.The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the temporary truce as a positive gesture that contributes to de-escalation and promotes calm between the two sides. They hope the pause in fighting will pave the way for a return to a sustainable ceasefire agreement that spares civilian lives and achieves security and stability.

The United Nations has recorded 143 deaths in an air strike on a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul, significantly lower than the figure offered by Afghanistan's Taliban government.The attack on Kabul's Omar Addiction Treatment Hospital on Monday night has sharpened a bitter dispute between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with the Taliban putting the casualties at more than 400 people killed and about 265 wounded.The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan provided its figure to the Reuters news agency on Wednesday. The gap between the two counts underscores the difficulty of verifying casualty figures in the conflict as competing claims frequently come from Kabul and Islamabad.Afghanistan's Taliban administration has blamed Pakistan for the attack on the drug rehabilitation centre, a 2,000-bed facility, and Pakistan has denied carrying out the strike. Hamdullah Fitrat, a deputy spokesman for the Taliban administration, said the strike hit the hospital, destroying large sections of the building and triggering fires that rescue teams worked through the night to contain.Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid accused Pakistan of deliberately hitting civilian infrastructure and called the assault a “crime against humanity”. Mujahid said those killed and wounded were patients undergoing addiction treatment at the time of the strike.Pakistan's information minister, Attaullah Tarar, denied the allegation, insisting his country “only targeted terrorist infrastructure and military locations”. The strike is the latest in a widening confrontation between the two neighbours, who have engaged in repeated cross-border clashes.At the heart of the dispute is a long-running Pakistani accusation that the Taliban government shelters the Pakistan Taliban, known as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, as well as outlawed Baloch separatist groups responsible for attacks on Pakistani soil. Kabul has consistently denied providing sanctuary to the groups.

The United States' top intelligence official has identified Pakistan as one of five countries, alongside Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran, whose advancing missile capabilities could eventually pose a threat to US territory. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard presented the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment before the Senate Intelligence Committee, highlighting that these countries are developing novel missile delivery systems with nuclear and conventional payloads that could reach the US homeland.Gabbard specifically noted that Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile development potentially includes Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) with a range capable of striking the US. The written assessment also flagged Pakistan across multiple threat categories, including missile technology and weapons of mass destruction.However, experts and Pakistani officials have pushed back against these claims. Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Tahir Andrabi, stated that Pakistan's strategic capabilities are 'exclusively defensive' and aimed at safeguarding national sovereignty and maintaining peace in South Asia. Experts also point out that Pakistan's longest-range operational missile, the Shaheen-III, has an estimated range of 2,750km, which is not sufficient to reach the US.The assessment has sparked a debate over intent, with some US officials suggesting that Pakistan might be developing missiles to deter Washington from intervening in a future India-Pakistan conflict. However, Pakistani analysts argue that Pakistan's deterrence posture is India-centric and not aimed at projecting power globally.The issue comes at a complex moment in US-Pakistan relations, which have undergone a diplomatic reset over the past year. US President Donald Trump has praised Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and has been involved in brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. The situation highlights the intricate dynamics at play in South Asia and the ongoing challenges in the region.