Entertainment
Diplomatic peak
Pakistan is reaching diplomatic heights unseen in its 78-year history. From Riyadh to Baku, from Beijing to Moscow, Pakistan’s handshake now spans continents and commands attention. From Jeddah to Doha, from Astana to Tashkent, Pakistan is anchoring a new arc of trust across the Muslim world. From London to Brussels, from Washington to Beijing, Pakistan is no longer on the margins; it’s back in the conversation.
From isolation to strategic embrace: a US reset unlocks access to multi-billion dollar programmes — EXIM, IMF, World Bank, DFC, IFC. A US reset means cheaper capital, longer tenors and revived investor confidence. A US reset brings technology transfers in energy, digital finance and renewables.
A US reset means $2.5 billion AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) missiles. A US reset is not just a foreign-policy shift but an economic lifeline wrapped in diplomacy.
There’s $3.5 billion in limited recourse project financing for Reko Diq by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Asian Development Bank (ADB), US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Export-Import Bank (US EXIM), Export Development Canada (EDC), Germany’s KfW IPEX-Bank, Sweden’s EKN and Finland’s Finnvera Oyj.
A landmark Saudi Defence Pact marks Pakistan’s deepest Gulf tie in 78 years. Alongside the pact comes a $3 billion deposit extension, $2 billion worth of investment MoUs and a $1 billion oil facility. A $8 billion manpower-export deal and a China-Pakistan export of diesel-electric ‘Hangor class’ submarine deal (China-Pakistan deal is worth $5 billion).
The year (2025) saw $4.6 billion in JF-17 sales to Azerbaijan (June). 2025 saw a $230 million Sudan pact (May). The year saw $7 billion ML-1 rail confirmation. It saw a $2 billion Karachi-Rohri upgrade. It saw Pakistan-Kazakhstan transit-trade and logistics linkages. The year brought Pakistan-UAE trade escalation target of $20 billion.
Yes, Pakistan is all set to play a central role in shaping the emerging Middle East Security Architecture. Imagine, Pakistan is transitioning from ‘observer’ to ‘architect’.
For a common Pakistani, the $3.5 billion Reko Diq financing and $7 billion ML-1 rail upgrade, alongside $2 billion Karachi-Rohri upgrades, will create 100,000–200,000 jobs in mining, construction and logistics. For a common Pakistani, the $8 billion Saudi manpower-export deal and $20 billion UAE trade target could employ 300,000+ workers abroad. Yes, the $4.6 billion JF-17 sale to Azerbaijan, $230 million Sudan pact and a $2.5 billion AMRAAM deal signal a robust defence sector.
For the first time, Pakistan’s foreign policy, defence exports and economic outreach are moving in sync. For the first time, Pakistan is building alliances, not dependencies.
Imagine, Pakistan now has the ‘protector of the Ummah’ status. Imagine, Riyadh now sees Islamabad not just as a ‘partner in security’, but as a ‘co-architect of regional stability’. Imagine, Pakistan is moving from an ‘aid recipient’ to a ‘security guarantor’. Just imagine, from a ‘security recipient’ to a ‘security partner’.
The dividends of Pakistan’s diplomacy will be visible where it matters most — in employment, energy stability and public morale.
The writer is a columnist based in Islamabad. He tweets/posts @saleemfarrukh 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
At the debut TikTok Awards 2025, top content creators across genres—including dance, music, sports, fashion, education, and entertainment—all gathered under one roof for a dazzling night in Hollywood.
TikTok Awards 2025 featured all the viral buzz that erupted on the platform this year, from the Labubu dolls craze to a giant selfie challenge, skits, and viral reenactments.
Who stole the show at US TikTok Awards 2025?
The inaugural U.S. TikTok Awards 2025 aired live on TikTok and Tubi from the Hollywood Palladium on December 18, hosted by La La Anthony.
The event honored the platform’s top creators, with major awards presented across 14 categories.
Nominees ranged from veteran influencers like Bretman Rock to finalists for Creator of the Year, such as Alix Earle and Keith Lee. Artists like Laufey and Ravyn Lenae also earned accolades.
The TikTok Awards 2025 featured hosts like Jordan Chiles, Patrick Starrr, and Trixie Mattel with a dazzling performance by Ciara.
Fan voting took place directly in the TikTok app from November 18 to December 12, and the ceremony was streamed live on TikTok and Tubi, the event’s official streaming partners.
Complete list of TikTok Awards 2025 winners revealed
The TikTok Awards 2025 have revealed their winners, celebrating standout talent in multiple categories.
Creator of the Year: Keith Lee
Video of the Year: Bretman Rock
Rising Star of the Year: Caleb Hearon
Breakthrough Artist of the Year: Alex Warren
Storyteller of the Year: Tineke Younger
Muse of the Year: Paris Hilton
TikTok for Good Award: Zach and Pat Valentine
My Show Is On Award: Dayane Chrissel
MVP of the Year: Mariah Rose
Okay Slay Award: Katie Fang
I Was Today Years Old Award: Law By Mike
Immediately Added to Cart Award: KlothesMinded
CapCut Creator of the Year: Recider
TikTok Live Creator of the Year: Elizabeth Esparza
Shawn Levy celebrated the filming wrap-up of Star Wars: Firefighter with a behind-the-scenes glimpse.
The Deadpool & Wolverine director took to Instagram to mark the end of the shoot for the upcoming hit.
In the post, Levy is seen jogging along the set. He captioned the post, “That’s a wrap! Headed into #Starfighter post-production like…”
The plot details are still kept under wraps, although the stand-alone movie is set roughly five years after the events of 2019’s Rise of the Skywalker.
“The reality is that this script is just so good. It has such a great story with great and original characters,” Gosling told the audience earlier this year at Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo.
He continued, “It’s filled with so much heart and adventure, and there just really is not a more perfect filmmaker for this particular story than Shawn.”
Jonathan Tropper wrote the script for the movie that Levy has been developing since 2022. Levy and Kathleen Kennedy serve as producers.
In addition to Gosling and Gray, the cast includes Matt Smith, Mia Goth, Aaron Pierre, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, Daniel Ings and Amy Adams.
Star Wars: Firefighter is slated for release on May 28, 2027.
Meanwhile, Director Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian & Grogu is set for theatrical release on May 22, 2026, as a spinoff to the Disney+ series The Mandalorian.
Not exactly the post-birth plan Pete Davidson and Elsie Hewitt had in mind, but the new mother found herself making an unexpected trip to the hospital after giving birth.
Just hours after announcing that she had welcomed her first baby with the former Saturday Night Live star, Hewitt shared a painful update with fans.
Taking to her Instagram Stories on Early Friday, December 19, the model posted a selfie while seated in a car alongside her newborn’s car seat.
The little one’s face was covered with text that read, “Who else had to get a wisdom tooth removed directly from the hospital the day after they gave birth?”
In the next image, she appeared to be recovering after the brief but painful procedure, posing with her face wrapped in what looked like an ice-pack head wrap commonly used to reduce swelling and discomfort following wisdom tooth removal.
The updates came just a couple of hours after the new parents introduced their daughter to the world.
“Our perfect angel girl arrived 12/12/2025,” she wrote, revealing her baby’s gender, birthdate, and full name. “Scottie Rose Hewitt Davidson [red heart emoji].”
“My best work yet. I am absolutely overflowing with love, gratitude, and disbelief,” the sweet message continued with first statements from both parents. “Wu Tang forever,” Davidson wrote.
The delightful announcement was accompanied by a series of heart melting photos of the new family of three soaking in the moment.
The carousel included snapshots of Davidson feeding his daughter from a bottle, planting a gentle kiss on her head as Hewitt cradled her in her arms and many more adorbale images.
While the parents were generous enough to share the glimpse of their little bundle of joy, they kept their daughter’s face concealed to ensure privacy.
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