The remake of Harry Potter sees the makers seeking new actors for the iconic franchise’s roles.

Except for one. According to reports, Warwick Davis, who portrayed Griphook and Professor Filius Flitwick in the movies, is returning to the reboot for the latter character.

He is perhaps the first actor from the film franchise to appear in the series, while Leigh Gill will play Griphook, a Gringotts Wizarding Bank employee, in the show.

The cast announcement, along with others, happened at the Hogwarts celebration. Elijah Oshin as Dean Thomas, Finn Stephens as Vincent Crabbe, and William Nash as Gregory Goyle.

Moreover, Sirine Saba as Professor Pomona Sprout, Richard Durden as Professor Cuthbert Binns, and Bríd Brennan as Madam Poppy Pomfrey.

As a newer cast has been announced, the series has previously shared the casting of the main characters.

John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid. 

Further, Bertie Carvel will play Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, and Johnny Flynn will portray Draco’s father, Lucius Malfoy. 

Filming for the Harry Potter series is ongoing, with the final installment scheduled for release in 2027.

• PM calls for dialogue, respect for sovereignty at SCO summit.
• Says Pakistan has evidence of foreign involvement in terror attacks.
• Premier slams Israel’s ongoing atrocities against Palestinians.
  

While highlighting the menace of state-backed terrorism, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday urged respect for sovereignty, regional dialogue, and a collective approach to counterterrorism, as he addressed the 25th Summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in China’s Tianjin.

Terming his presence in Tianjin an honour, the premier said the city represents China’s foundational values and serves as a bridge between civilisations and cultures.

PM Shehbaz landed in Tianjin on Saturday to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. During his six-day official visit, the prime minister will meet President Xi and Premier Li Qiang, according to the Foreign Office (FO).

Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace and cooperation, PM Shehbaz said the SCO reflects Islamabad’s enduring resolve to strengthen regional connectivity and collaboration.

Calling for the upholding of bilateral and international agreements, PM said: “We [Pakistan] expect SCO member countries to follow all bilateral treaties. Uninterrupted access to due share of water, as per existing treaties, is essential to strengthening the objectives of the SCO.”

He further said: “Pakistan believes in multilateralism, dialogue, and diplomacy, not unilateralism or confrontation…There is nothing more sacred than sovereignty and territorial integrity for any nation.”

PM Shehbaz also called for a comprehensive dialogue to resolve longstanding issues in South Asia. “Stability in Afghanistan remains in the interest of the entire region,” the premier stated.

The prime minister also condemned terrorism in all its forms and called out state-sponsored terrorism, saying: “Those who have long used terrorism to advance political interests must know the world no longer buys this fictitious narrative”.

‘Foreign involvement in terror attacks’

The premier went on to say that Pakistan has irrefutable evidence of foreign involvement in recent terrorist attacks, including the Jaffer Express hostage incident and attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

“Those responsible for these heinous crimes and their facilitators must be held accountable,” he asserted.

Highlighting Pakistan’s fight against terrorism, he said: “We [Pakistan] have sacrificed over 90,000 lives, including children, mothers, engineers, scientists, citizens, and officers — not just for Pakistan, but for the peace and security of the entire region.”

Strongly criticising Israeli actions in Gaza, he said: “[The] ongoing atrocities and hunger in Gaza are a permanent scar on our collective conscience.” He reiterated Pakistan’s support for a two-state solution in line with UN resolutions.

The prime minister also condemned the unjustified and unacceptable aggression against Iran by Israel.

On China’s role, PM Shehbaz praised President Xi Jinping’s leadership and added: “China’s success is a reflection of his visionary and wise leadership. Its global leadership is evident not just within the SCO but across major international initiatives.”

He expressed gratitude to President Xi Jinping and the Chinese government for exceptional hospitality and excellent arrangements.

PM Shehbaz described the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a flagship project that exemplifies mutual cooperation and regional development.

China will showcase a range of new weapons during a vast military parade on Wednesday, in a show of strength that is being seen as a challenge to US military dominance.

Military experts have been analysing social media photos and footage from several recent rehearsals, which have shown anti-ship missiles, cutting-edge underwater drones, anti-missile systems, and more tech that could pass by Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on September 3.

While officials have kept secret the list of hardware to be displayed in front of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian’s Vladimir Putin and other world leaders, many military enthusiasts have already spotted significant new systems, including what is rumoured to be a gigantic laser weapon.

The military has said all the equipment presented is domestically produced and “in active duty”.

‘Eagles’ to counter US ships

Four new anti-ship missiles several metres long have been seen: the YJ-15, YJ-17, YJ-19, and YJ-20. “YJ” is short for “Ying Ji”, which means “eagle attack” in Chinese.

These missiles can be launched from ships or aircraft and are designed to inflict critical damage on large vessels. The YJ-17, YJ-19, and YJ-20 models could be hypersonic, meaning they can fly at least five times the speed of sound.

“China must develop powerful anti-ship and anti-aircraft carrier capabilities to prevent the United States from posing a serious threat to China´s national security,” Song Zhongping, a military commentator and former Chinese army instructor, told AFP, referring to tensions in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.

Underwater drones

Two new, extra-large torpedo-shaped unmanned underwater vehicles have been spotted during the rehearsals.

The first, labelled “AJX002”, is 18 to 20 metres (59-66 feet) long, according to the website Naval News. The second was hidden under a tarpaulin.

While China still lags behind the United States in surface naval power, according to Naval News, it has the world’s largest programme of “extra large uncrewed underwater vehicles” (XLUUVs) — with at least five types already in the water.

Anti-missile shield

Still shrouded in mystery, the HQ-29 is described by some Chinese analysts as a “satellite hunter” capable of intercepting missiles at an altitude of 500 kilometres (310 miles), outside the Earth’s atmosphere, as well as satellites in low orbit.

Mounted on a wheeled vehicle, the system features two missile containers, each approximately 1.5 metres in diameter.

Its capabilities could make it China’s most advanced interception system to date and one of the most powerful in the world.

World’s ‘most powerful’ laser?

A huge rectangular vehicle in camouflage colours covered with a tarpaulin could be a defence system capable of shooting down missiles and drones using a powerful laser, according to the South China Morning Post daily.

The X account “Zhao DaShuai”, which is linked to the Chinese military, claims it is the “most powerful laser air defence system in the world”.

New nuclear weapons?

Intercontinental ballistic missiles, capable of carrying nuclear warheads, the ultimate symbols of power, are expected to feature prominently in the parade.

“China will showcase a new generation of nuclear weapons,” analyst Song Zhongping told AFP.

Nuclear weapons, like the other hardware which will be displayed during the parade, “will help equalise the military power balance between China and the US”, he said.

New armoured vehicles

Next-generation vehicles have been spotted in recent days, notably a new tank — slightly smaller than the Type 99A main battle tank, reportedly in service since 2011.

If this and the other equipment displayed on September 3 is indeed produced domestically and in service, as China claims, then the armed forces “have undergone a significant upgrade vis-a-vis other major advanced militaries around the world”, said James Char, a professor specialising in the Chinese military at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

“However, we won’t be able to assess the actual capabilities of all the weapons and equipment under this ceremonial (and non-operational) setting,” he added.