At the Berlin Film Festival (Berlinale), Palestinian-Syrian filmmaker Abdullah Al-Khatib drew attention to Germany, holding it accountable for the atrocities committed by Israel in Gaza, where thousands of Palestinians have been killed. The incident sparked a heated debate, with German Environment Minister, Carsten Schmidt, standing up and leaving the event.
Abdullah Al-Khatib, the director of the award-winning film ‘Chronicles from the Wounded Land’ in the ‘Prospekt’ section of the Berlinale, raised the Palestinian flag on stage and said, “The German government is complicit in the genocide in Gaza alongside Israel.” According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, over 72,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military operations.
Al-Khatib emphasized, “You know the truth, but you choose to ignore it. I am speaking on behalf of my people, the Palestinians.” He added that some people had warned him not to speak out, saying, “As a migrant in Germany, you should not cross the ‘red lines.’ But I said, ‘I will not back down from speaking for my people.'”
Many artists and directors at the festival showed solidarity with the Palestinian people. Turkish filmmaker Emin Alper said, “At least we can make some noise here and remind the Palestinian people that they are not alone.” German director Wim Wenders also appealed for artists and activists to unite in his speech.
Internationally renowned comedian, Hamza Ali Abbasi, has said that he has traveled the world, but Dubai and Sharjah are like a ” dump” to him. Actress Zarish Nayyar said that her father never wanted her to get a job that would force her to leave home. A video of Mominah Iqbal comparing the two cities has gone viral, where she highlights the difference in road conditions as the biggest disparity. “We all get married and our pockets get empty,” said Faisal Qureshi, a Bollywood actor, after Rajpal Yadav was granted bail in a 9 crore rupee cheque bounce case. He has started shooting for the film “Welcome to Jungle”.
YouTube sensation, Jimmy Donaldson, popularly known as MrBeast, has revealed that he has almost lost his right eye. Fashion designer Neeta Lulla has revealed that actress Esha Rai had 400 kilograms of jewelry protected by five security guards. Vijay Deverakonda’s aunt’s wish was revealed in a viral video. After receiving the award, he was mobbed by fans and photographers at the Kochi Airport, who refused to leave him alone, despite repeated requests. Aamir Khan traveled to Merzabad, where he recorded the title track of his son, Janhvi Khan’s upcoming film, “A Day”.
Tharwath Ghalani, who played a lead role in the web series Chaddel, said, “Women are being oppressed all over the world, there are injustices everywhere, but we should not treat all men the same.” Zarish Nayyar spoke at a private TV channel’s program, expressing her condolences for the ongoing dispute. She shared memorable moments from her personal life and career.
Bollywood film director and actor Anurag Kashyap has criticized the upcoming film, “The Kerala Story 2,” calling it propaganda. He accused the filmmakers of prioritizing profit over the story and material. Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif met with Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister, Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Thani. Yasmine Rashid, the PTI-backed candidate, has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the Election Tribunal’s decision. Renowned comedian, Hamza Ali Abbasi, said he has traveled the world but Dubai and Sharjah are like a ” dump” to him.
Punjab Chief Minister, Maryam Nawaz, praised her entire team for reducing prices. “If there’s no retail list, there’s no purchase,” she said, urging the public to boycott retailers. According to the police, the culprits were arrested from Sahiwal and Narowal.
