The skies over Lahore lit up with vibrant kites as the centuries-old spring festival of Basant made a return on Friday, attracting jubilant crowds and enthusiastic participation from celebrities.

The three-day festival is being celebrated across Lahore after the Punjab government lifted a more than two-decade ban and permitted a tightly regulated celebration in Lahore.

The return of Basant had showbiz stars celebrating, with celebrities sharing every moment — from preparations to kite flying — on social media.

On her Instagram story, Muama actress Saba Qamar shared that she has managed to find only two days in her busy schedule to fly kites.

Ayeza Khan posted images clad in the traditional, vibrant outfit.

Imran Ashraf was spotted flying a kite on a rooftop adorned with bright yellow, green, and red colours, traditionally associated with Basant.

Qarz-e-Jaan star Usama Khan also shared a video, showing his kite soaring through the skies.

Veteran Noor Bukhari expressed gratitude towards the authorities for bringing Basant back to Lahore.

Meanwhile, Hania Aamir emphasised the importance of preserving indigenous traditions while ensuring public safety.

Local administrations enforced safety measures, including bans on metallic and chemical kite strings, designated flying zones and increased presence of law enforcement personnel during the celebrations.

Condemnations poured in after a suicide bomber targeted Imambargah Khadijah al-Kubra in Islamabad’s Tarlai area, leaving at least 31 worshippers dead and dozens wounded during Friday prayer.

Officials fear the death toll may rise as emergency services remain on high alert across the capital, while all major hospitals have declared an emergency. Authorities have mobilised doctors, nurses and paramedics to ensure immediate treatment for the injured.

Rescue teams shifted the injured to different hospitals across the capital while security forces cordoned off the area and began evidence collection.

Eyewitnesses say the attacker opened fire at the entrance before detonating explosives after guards tried to stop him at the main gate.

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep grief and sorrow over the blast, offering condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and praying for patience for the bereaved.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the attack, voicing profound anguish over the martyrdoms and extending sympathies to the affected families.

Following the tragic incident, PM Shehbaz Sharif ordered immediate identification and arrest of those responsible.

Acts of terror unacceptable: US

The United States has strongly condemned the terrorist attack that left innocent worshippers dead and injured, saying all acts of terror and violence are unacceptable, US Embassy in Islamabad said in a statement.

US Charge d’Affaires Natalie A Baker expressed sincere condolences to those wounded and to the families of those killed in the bombing.

The embassy stated that violence against civilians and places of worship cannot be justified.

It reiterated that the US continues to support Pakistan’s efforts to advance peace and security and remains committed to the bilateral partnership aimed at promoting stability. The embassy added that Washington stands with Islamabad during this challenging moment.

‘Outraged and heartbroken’

UK High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott said she is “outraged and heartbroken” by the horrific attack at the imambargah in Islamabad during Friday prayer. She extends her thoughts and prayers to those killed and injured and to their families.

The British envoy termed such violence abhorrent and expressed solidarity with the people of Pakistan in the wake of the tragedy.

China stands firmly with Pakistan: embassy

The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan expressed deep sorrow over the deaths and injuries caused by the explosion at Imambargah Khadijah al-Kubra.

It extended heartfelt condolences to the victims and conveys sincere sympathies to their families, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

The embassy emphasised China’s solidarity with Pakistan, stating that it stands firmly with its Pakistani brothers and sisters during this difficult time.

Islamabad attack ‘hideous act’: Iran envoy

Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Islamabad, describing it as a hideous act that led to the martyrdom and injury of dozens of innocent civilians.

He conveyed the condemnation on behalf of the government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Standing with Pakistan in fight against terrorism: Turkiye

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkiye said it condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attack carried out at a mosque during the Friday prayers in Islamabad.

Ankara extended condolences to the families of those killed and to the people of Pakistan. It expressed solidarity with Pakistan in its fight against terrorism.

EU envoy expresses deep shock

European Union’s Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis expressed deep shock over the suicide attack in Islamabad, describing it as a heinous act. He said that the EU strongly condemns all acts of terrorism and violent extremism.

Karoblis extended condolences to the families of the victims and the injured, emphasising solidarity with the people of Pakistan.

Afghanistan condemns Islamabad bombing

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan also strongly condemned the suicide bombing in at the mosque in Islamabad during Friday prayers, which resulted in the death and injury of numerous worshippers.

Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a spokesperson of the Afghanistan’s foreign ministry, said that Kabul condemned such attacks that violate the sanctity of sacred rituals and mosques and target worshippers and innocent people.

Other nations also denounced the terrorist attack and showed solidarity with Pakistan.

This is a developing story and is being updated with more details.

Do not turn that frown upside down. A horse plush toy has gone viral in China thanks to a serendipitous mistake by a factory worker. 

The mouths on a batch of the toys were mistakenly sewn on the wrong way around, creating a small army of sad-faced “crying” toys that have captured hearts as a mascot for the Lunar New Year. 

The horses were designed as happy-faced toys to mark the upcoming holiday on February 17, the start of the Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac.

A customer who received the defective product decided to keep it, posted about it online, and from there, the “crying horse” found fame.

The “crying horse” hashtag had been used on Douyin, China’s domestic version of TikTok, more than 200 million times by Wednesday, and garnered more than 100 million views as a trending topic on the Chinese social media platform Weibo.

The horse’s forlorn expression appears to have resonated with Chinese social media users, who’ve been bringing the plush toy to work and school to express discontent with a relentless work culture.

The toy is red, an auspicious color in Chinese culture, and its body is decorated with a golden embroidery wishing owners to “get rich quickly.” One of the toys costs 25 Chinese yuan, or about $4, according to Chinese media reports. 

The toy is available in both the frowning, and the original smiling version, and many people have taken to buying them as a pair.

“People joked that the crying horse is how you look at work, while the smiling one is how you look after work,” Zhang Huoqing, the store owner who first sold the toy, told the Reuters news agency. Zhang’s store is located in Yiwu, home to China’s largest wholesale market for small commodities. 

Since it took off online, customers from South Africa, Spain, Russia and South America have visited the store to buy the popular, if accidental hit toy, Zhang has told Chinese media. Both domestic and overseas demand has required her to add over 10 production lines and create around 20,000 units a day, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

“The crying horse’s expression shows feelings of injustice, defiance and stubbornness that reflect the true feelings of most working ‘niu ma’ today,” commented a Sichuan-based Weibo user, using a term meaning “ox and horse” that references people who are overworked in their jobs. “And it looks quite cute, which is why it has created such an explosive reaction.”