Meryl Streep and Sigourney Weaver are all set to co-star in Useful Idiots.

The actresses will join forces for director Joseph Cedar’s upcoming thriller, which is based on a script he wrote with 60 Minutes producer Shachar Bar-On.

Streep will portray the role of a veteran New York property market journalist named Diane Castle, as she “covers the New York luxury property market, disillusioned with writing puff pieces about the wealthy elite, and feeling regretful that she may not have lived up to her potential”.

According to Variety: “When a record-breaking sale of a new penthouse hits her desk, Diane’s questions about the buyer’s identity lead to what could be the story of a lifetime… [Add in] a mysterious oligarch, whose influence stretches across Manhattan and beyond – protected by a network of fixers, enablers and a brilliant young strategist. Out of her depth, Diane digs deeper into the investigation, her determination to uncover the truth revealing a web of corruption and danger at the highest levels, ensnaring Diane, her family, and all those around her.”

Fifth Season will finance and produce with Closer Media’s Zhang Xin and Jonathan King, Academy Award-winner Bruce Cohen and William Horberg.

Graham Taylor, Christopher Slager, and Dan Guando will executive produce for Fifth Season.

This will mark the first time that Meryl Streep and Sigourney Weaver will be sharing the screen together.

Allama Muhammad Iqbal, poet–philosopher, jurist and one of the most original Muslim thinkers of the 20th century, remains a towering guide for nations seeking moral and economic renaissance. For Iqbal, progress was never a matter of material accumulation alone; it was the unfolding of human potential and the strengthening of collective dignity. He saw poverty as more than economic deprivation; he saw it as a condition that corrodes the self, suppresses creativity and weakens the spirit.

In ‘Ilmul Iqtisad’, his early Urdu treatise on economics, Iqbal argues that economic strength depends upon intellectual courage and moral purpose. He believed that the decline of nations begins when they lose their capacity for inquiry and their belief in their own creative mission. More than a century later, Pakistan’s moment of reckoning echoes this insight: our crisis is not only fiscal but civilizational.

Pakistan faces significant challenges – fiscal stress, debt overhang, low productivity and institutional inertia. Yet the deeper challenge is a crisis of confidence: a collective loss of belief in our own agency. We are a young nation – among the youngest in the world – with a youth cohort exceeding 140 million. Yet too many of our young stand suspended between aspiration and disillusionment.

To move forward, we must reclaim what Iqbal called ‘khudi’: a disciplined, responsible, and creative selfhood driven by purpose and rooted in moral autonomy. Khudi is not egoism; it is self-respect and self-transformation. It is the belief that human beings have the power to reshape their destiny through effort, courage and conviction. 

Iqbal’s intellectual brilliance lies in his ability to engage the modern world without losing his identity. His dialogue with Kant taught him moral autonomy; with Nietzsche, the courage to affirm life; with Bergson, the idea of creative evolution. But Iqbal did not imitate these thinkers – he challenged them, absorbed them and wove them into a vision anchored in Islamic spirituality and human unity.

His approach offers a model for Pakistan today. We must neither freeze ourselves in rigid traditions nor surrender to imported technocratic models. We must instead embrace a framework that is ethical, evidence-based, future-oriented and authentically our own. This intellectual courage is essential as Pakistan navigates a world shaped by disruptive technologies, shifting geopolitics and rapid social change.

Our challenge is not economic alone; it concerns the moral energy with which this young nation defines its purpose. Iqbal’s universal humanism – his belief that every individual carries an infinite creative spark – remains the foundation of an inclusive society. In a deeply diverse and plural Pakistan, unity must not erase difference; it must celebrate it. Development must reach all: every region, every class, every gender and every community. Justice is not the by-product of development; it is its moral compass.

It is on this ethical foundation that URAAN Pakistan has been conceived. URAAN is not a slogan or a list of projects – it is a paradigm for purposeful development. It begins with people, not infrastructure. It recognises that the true measure of progress is the expansion of the moral and material capabilities of citizens. 

URAAN aims to equip youth with future skills, build a digital and innovation-driven economy, reform institutions for efficiency and empathy, strengthen public–private partnerships and anchor policy in equity, sustainability and inclusion. The core idea is simple yet transformative: economic revival must be intertwined with ethical renewal. Without moral purpose, development is directionless; without economic strength, purpose remains unfulfilled.

Iqbal’s symbol of the Shaheen holds a special power for Pakistan today. The Shaheen is not merely a poetic creature; it is an educational ideal and a model for national character. It represents independence of thought, strength of will, passion for discovery, discipline and dignity, and freedom from fear and dependence. In Bal-e-Jibril, Iqbal writes: “You are a falcon; flight is your vocation./ Beyond the skies you see lie skies yet unseen”. 

For a country with one of the world’s largest youth populations, this is a call to awaken imagination and ambition. The youth bulge is Pakistan’s greatest asset – if empowered with knowledge, skills and purpose. If neglected, it becomes a source of frustration. Iqbal’s Shaheen does not chase comfort; it seeks height. It does not live on someone else’s mercy; it creates its own world. This is the ethic our youth must embrace if Pakistan is to compete in a knowledge-driven century.

Iqbal believed that the destiny of nations is determined by their capacity for knowledge. In his ‘Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam’, he argued that Islam is inherently dynamic, rational and future-oriented. It encourages inquiry, reflection and discovery. For Iqbal, revelation was not the end of thought; it was the beginning of an intellectual journey.

But he also lamented the decline of the scientific spirit in the Muslim world. In powerful verses, he captures a heavenly cry over the dulling of inquiry: “A cry descends from the heavens at dawn:/ How was your jewel of understanding lost?/ How did your blade of inquiry grow dull?/ Why do you no longer pierce the hearts of stars?” He continues: “You are meant for the stewardship of inner and outer worlds./ How can a flame become slave to dust?/ Why are the sun, moon, and stars not under your command?/ Why do the heavens no longer tremble at your gaze?” He distils civilisational renewal into one verse: “A new world dawns from new ideas./ Bricks and stones alone do not build civilisations”. 

URAAN Pakistan integrates this insight by investing in AI, biotechnology, and frontier technologies; research universities and knowledge clusters; digital governance; STEM skills and innovation ecosystems; and creative industries and startups.

A nation that renews its spirit of inquiry renews its future. If inquiry is Iqbal’s method, love for the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is his engine. His intellectual courage, spiritual confidence, and civilizational imagination all rise from this foundation. Iqbal believed that fidelity to the Prophet (pbuh) is the gateway to human excellence, moral clarity and collective purpose.

He proclaims this with unmatched devotion: “If you remain faithful to Muhammad [pbuh], then everything is yours./ What is this world before you? Even the Tablet and the Pen become yours”.

This is not a poetic sentiment but Iqbal’s philosophy of empowerment. For him, love of the Prophet (pbuh) is not ritual attachment but alignment with his values: justice, knowledge, compassion, courage and service. It is this alignment that unleashes khudi, sharpens purpose and gives nations the moral energy to rise.

Iqbal’s ‘Reconstruction’ calls for reopening the gates of ijtihad, integrating scientific reasoning with spiritual values, aligning faith with progress and justice, and building an ethical, future-ready society. He believed that stagnation arises when religion loses its creative, ethical core. Governance inspired by Iqbal, therefore, demands institutions that are flexible, evidence-based, citizen-centred and future-oriented.

The doctrine of khudi has profound economic implications. A nation that depends on borrowed ideas and borrowed confidence cannot rise with dignity. Economic sovereignty begins with intellectual sovereignty – with the belief that we can think, innovate and build for ourselves. URAAN Pakistan aims to build this ecosystem by rewarding initiative, nurturing talent and honouring merit.

Iqbal envisioned a moral state grounded in justice and compassion, not a theocracy, but an ethical polity. Pakistan must shift from a control-based colonial administration to a performance-driven, technology-enabled, citizen-centred state. This transformation requires transparent governance, merit-based institutions, data-driven planning, accountability with empowerment and policy continuity.

Ultimately, the true measure of Pakistan’s progress will not be determined solely by GDP. Nations rise through conviction, character and cohesion. Our path to renewal begins with reclaiming khudi, reigniting inquiry, embracing the Shaheen spirit and drawing strength from the love of the Prophet (pbuh) that fueled Iqbal’s entire intellectual universe. Iqbal’s call echoes across time: Rise. Act. Reclaim tomorrow.

The writer is the federal minister for planning, development, and special initiatives. He tweets/posts @betterpakistan and can be reached at: [email protected]

Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed in this piece are the writer’s own and don’t necessarily reflect Geo.tv’s editorial policy.

Originally published in The News

Salt-N-Pepa threw on the multicolored leather jackets from their “Push It” video and brought the crowd at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony to its feet with a romping rendition of their 1987 breakthrough hit.

“This is for every woman who picked up a mic when they told her she couldn’t,” Cheryl “Salt” James said Saturday while accepting the musical influence award that made her, Sandra “Pepa” Denton and DJ Spinderella members of the hall.

In a rousing speech at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, James brought up their fight to reclaim their master recordings from Universal Music Group.

“The industry still doesn’t want to play fair, Salt-N-Pepa have never been afraid of a fight,” James said.

They took the stage for a medley of their hits. They opened with “Shoop” then slid into “Let’s Talk About Sex” before En Vogue joined them for their joint hit “What a Man.” “Push It” pushed the energy up another notch.

Spinderella became the first female DJ to enter the hall.

“The female rappers had to step to the mic and show that they could go toe to toe with the guys. And Salt, Pepa and Spinderella did it,” Missy Elliott said while inducting the trio.

Donald Glover inducted Outkast and Chappell Roan was set to induct Cyndi Lauper. 

Meg White not in attendance for induction of The White Stripes

The White Stripes reunion that some fans had hoped for didn’t happen. Their induction was among the highlights of the night anyway. Twenty One Pilots brought the house down with a version of the duo’s stadium-shaking anthem “Seven Nation Army” and Olivia Rodrigo and Feist doing a mid-audience acoustic version of “We’re Gonna Be Friends.”

Their fellow Detroit rock legend Iggy Pop began his induction speech by leading the crowd in a chorus of “Seven Nation Army” then remembered his thoughts on meeting them.

“Cute kids, they’re gonna go places,” Pop said. “And they did.”

Drummer Meg White, who has led an almost entirely private life since the band broke up in 2011, did not show up for the ceremony, but Jack White said Meg, his ex-wife, helped him write the speech he delivered while wearing the band’s signature red and white.

Jack White shouted out several great duos from across culture and said that kind of one-on-one collaboration is “the most beautiful thing you can have as an artist and musician.”

He nearly cried several times as he told an Adam-and-Eve-like tale of “the boy and the girl” who made magic together, “knowing that they have shared and made another person feel something.”

Stevie Wonder pays tribute to Sly Stone

Stevie Wonder led a funky and flashy tribute to the late Sly Stone to open the show that’s streaming live on Disney+, will be available on Hulu Sunday and will air in an edited version on ABC on Jan 1.

Wonder was joined Saturday night by Questlove, Leon Thomas, Maxwell, Beck, Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers for rousing renditions of Sly and the Family Stone hits “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People” and “Thank You.” Jennifer Hudson joined them to wail through “Higher.”

Stone, who was inducted into the hall in 1993, died in June. Brian Wilson, who died two days later, will also get a tribute from Elton John.

Mick Fleetwood opens ceremony, inducts Bad Company

Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac began the ceremony proper by inducting Bad Company. He called the British group founded by Paul Rodgers and Mick Ralphs in 1973 “classic rock legends” and “one of the first super groups,” but said that, more importantly, “they were four great musicians who came together for the love of music.”

Rodgers had to skip the ceremony because of health issues and Ralphs died earlier this year, so drummer Simon Kirke was the only member who took the stage.

He was joined by an ad hoc super group that blasted through a few of the super group’s biggest hits.

Black Crowes singer Chris Robinson took lead vocals on their hit “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” with Nancy Wilson of Heart and Joe Perry of Aerosmith on guitars. Bryan Adams took the stage to sing “Can’t Get Enough.”

“I’ve never played in a tuxedo before” said Kirke as he accepted the honor for the group.

He got emotional as he thanked Ralphs’ wife Susie for taking care of him.

David Letterman inducts the late Warren Zevon

The late singer-songwriter Warren Zevon was inducted by David Letterman, a friend and superfan who made Zevon a regular on his NBC late-night show.

“Warren Zevon is in my Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,” Letterman said. “Actually his own wing.”

A clip was shown from Zevon’s final appearance on the show in 2002, when he was dying of cancer. “Enjoy every sandwich,” Zevon said when Letterman asked what he’d learned about mortality.

Letterman was tearful as he showed the crowd a guitar that Zevon gave him later that night.

“He’s never going away,” Bruce Springsteen said in a recorded tribute. “He’s got a body of work that’s as good as anybody’s.”

Letterman outlined several categories of Zevon’s cleverly emotional tunes, the final one being “songs about werewolves” to a big laugh from the crowd. 1978’s “Werewolves of London” was Zevon’s biggest, and most unlikely, hit.

The Killers then played Zevon’s second-biggest hit, “Lawyers, Guns and Money.”