MADRID: Oscar-winning Spanish actress Penelope Cruz gave birth to her second child with husband Javier Bardem, a girl, on Monday in a Madrid hospital, a source familiar with the situation said.
Spanish media reported the birth earlier on Tuesday, citing a hospital representative, though Madrid’s Clinica Ruber declined to confirm the news and representatives for Cruz and Bardem could not be reached for comment.
Cruz, 39, was still in hospital on Tuesday, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
She married fellow Oscar winner Bardem in 2010 and the couple had their first child, a boy named Leo, in Los Angeles two and half years ago.
Cruz and Bardem are the only Spanish actors to have won academy awards, both for supporting roles. They first met on the set of a Spanish film in 1992 but got together after starring in Woody Allen’s 2008 comedy “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.”
They are due to appear together in supporting roles in “The Counselor,” a film directed by Ridley Scott, scheduled for release later this year.
Penelope Cruz, husband welcome daughter same day as royal baby
Penelope Cruz, husband welcome daughter same day as royal baby
Formula 1: How to watch the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on TV and what to know
- It’s the fifth round of the 2025 Formula 1 season
How to watch the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on TV
— In the US, ESPN.
— Other countries are listed here.
What is the Saudi Arabian GP schedule?
– Friday: First and second practice.
– Saturday: Third practice and qualifying.
– Sunday: Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, 50 laps of the 6.2-kilometer (3.8-mile) Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
Where is the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix taking place?
The Jeddah Corniche Circuit is one of the newest venues on the F1 calendar after making its debut in 2021. Hosting F1 is part of Saudi Arabia’s push to become a major player in global sports. Jeddah is fast for a street circuit and walls close to the track mean the slightest error brings heavy punishment. It’s the second night race in a row after last week’s Bahrain Grand Prix. Max Verstappen is the only driver to win in Jeddah twice. Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez have one win each.
What happened in the last race?
Oscar Piastri became the first driver to win two races this season with a dominant drive from pole position to victory. It was a dramatic race behind him as George Russell contended with electrical problems and held off Piastri’s teammate Lando Norris to take second. Verstappen had problems with his Red Bull and placed sixth. Norris leads the 2025 driver standings by three points from Piastri.
What do I need to know about F1 so far?
Get caught up:
— Oscar Piastri cruises to win at Bahrain Grand Prix, with Lando Norris third
— Michael Schumacher’s signature on helmet worn by F1 champ Jackie Stewart at charity drive in Bahrain
— Lando Norris feels ‘nowhere near’ his best as Formula 1 title contest heats up inside McLaren
— Concerns mount at Red Bull after Max Verstappen’s ‘catastrophe’ as F1 heads to Saudi Arabia
— FIA meeting on future F1 engines ends without a commitment to bringing back V10s
Key stats at Jeddah
58 — McLaren’s gap over its nearest challenger Mercedes in the constructors’ standings shows how it’s the only team to be consistently fast at all tracks so far.
69 — Verstappen has scored all but two of Red Bull’s 71 points this season. Yuki Tsunoda’s ninth place in Bahrain was the first time any of his teammates finished in the top 10 since November.
7 — Rookie Oliver Bearman made a splash on debut in Saudi Arabia last year with seventh place as an emergency stand-in for Ferrari. Now at Haas, that’s still Bearman’s best finish in F1.
What are they saying?
“I’m just nowhere near the capability that I have, which hurts to say.” — Lando Norris.
“We still have a lot of work to do on the car to get us where we need to be.” — Max Verstappen.
“I’d love to say so, but I don’t think we are, to be honest. McLaren are just too dominant right now.” — George Russell says Mercedes isn’t a title contender.
Pakistan’s teen comedy sensation takes social media by storm, one hilarious skit at a time
- Talha Ahmed, 16, has attracted millions of views on Instagram through comedic skits
- Shot from only a mobile phone, his videos feature stellar acting and humorous dialogues
KARACHI: In a small building in Karachi’s low-income and densely populated Baldia Town area, 16-year-old Talha Ahmed is busy recording takes for his upcoming video. His videos have recently been a hit with millions of people on Instagram, partly due to his stellar acting and partly due to the relatable themes he employs.
Ahmed is a content creator who started making humorous skits in July 2024 and has amassed over 324,000 followers on his Instagram handle, talha_ahmed222, after uploading around 116 of them. A recent video of his poking fun at the way India’s Bollywood film industry stereotypes Muslims has notched over 20 million views.
Despite being shot from just a cellphone and without the support of a professional camera or tripod, his skits have the necessary ingredients to evoke bone-tingling laughs: strong scripts, meticulous acting and perfect dialogue delivery.
“My idea was to create content that families can also enjoy together, something that’s for everyone and can be watched with joy by all,” Ahmed told Arab News.
His content is indeed relatable. In one of his videos, Ahmed essays the character of that one family member who does not wake up for the suhoor meals in Ramadan and does not fast, but eagerly shows up before everyone else for the evening iftar meal.
In another video he takes aim at popular journalist and television host Suhail Warraich, expertly blurting out dialogues in his signature impassive tone.
One particular video Ahmed enjoyed making focused on the behavior of tailors when Eid Al-Fitr looms. The Pakistani content creator poked fun at tailors who habitually lie to customers about their orders.
“’No, brother, there’s still an issue... the outfit is out for buttoning,’” Ahmed said, mimicking the typical excuses offered by Pakistani tailors.
’GREAT SKILL, CREATIVE MIND’
Talha’s creative process is largely self-driven.
“Almost all scripts and ideas for my videos are my own,” he said.
He wrote many of the videos he shot himself while for others, Ahmed wrote a few lines and then showed them to his family for their feedback.
“If they wanted to refine it or make any improvements, they helped me with that,” he explained.
Dr. Taha Ahmed, his brother, helps record the videos and improves the writing in them as well. He recalled how Ahmed recorded some of the earlier videos, when he didn’t even own a mobile phone.
“Some days, he would use his sister’s phone to make videos and other days, he would use his brother’s phone to create content,” Dr. Taha told Arab News.
“That is a testament to his great skill and creative mind.”
Talha said his ability to connect with the audience stems from the fact that he lives with the same ground realities they do.
“The issues I face are the same as those faced by other people,” he explained. “These are relatable, and people can connect with them because we live in the same society that others live in.”
Talha balances his growing online career with his education, having completed his matriculation exams recently.
He suffers from thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder that requires regular transfusions and management, since childhood.
However, he doesn’t let the disease define who he is.
“Today, praise be to Allah, my work is my identity— my illness is not my reference,” he said.
Pakistan says UN peacekeeping at a crossroads, urges revitalized multilateral action
- Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar asks Security Council to provide unified support to all peace operations
- He describes UN peacekeeping as one of the most cost-effective means of maintaining international stability
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday warned that United Nations peacekeeping efforts were at a crossroads, strained by widening geopolitical rifts and financial pressures, even as they remain one of the most cost-effective means of maintaining international stability and require urgent multilateral support.
The remarks were made by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar during the closing session of a high-level peacekeeping preparatory meeting co-hosted by Pakistan and the Republic of Korea in Islamabad.
UN peacekeeping, a flagship effort to help countries navigate the path from conflict to peace, deploys over 70,000 personnel worldwide. Pakistan has long been one of its top troop contributors, with over 235,000 personnel having served in 48 missions over the past six decades.
“The threat to multilateralism, rising unilateralism and financial pressures are straining the sustainability and effectiveness of UN peacekeeping operations, underscoring the urgent need to revitalize multilateral cooperation and adapting peacekeeping to a rapidly evolving global landscape,” Dar said.
“The Security Council must provide unified and consistent support to all peace operations,” he added. “Mandates must be clear, focused and grounded in field realities.”
Dar also called for greater inclusion of troop-contributing countries in mission design, better resourcing aligned with mandates, accountability for attacks on peacekeepers and stronger regional partnerships, including with the African Union and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
Over the two-day conference, participants explored the use of advanced technologies, such as drones, counter-improvised explosive device (IED) systems and simulation-based training, to enhance the safety and performance of peacekeepers.
Dar said credible deterrence and accountability were necessary to protect personnel in increasingly complex and hostile environments.
He also paid tribute to the 4,423 peacekeepers from over 130 countries who have lost their lives in the line of duty, including 181 Pakistanis.
Dar reiterated Pakistan’s support for the UN Charter and the need for peacekeeping to be part of a broader political strategy that addresses the root causes of conflict.
He emphasized that without inclusive political solutions, peacekeeping can only offer temporary relief.
Colombia declares health emergency due to yellow fever cases, deaths
- The outbreak has resulted in 74 confirmed cases and 34 deaths since the start of last year
- Most critical situation is in Tolima, in central-west Colombia, where 22 cases have been detected
BOGOTA: The Colombian government declared a nationwide health emergency late on Wednesday due to an increase in yellow fever cases.
The outbreak has resulted in 74 confirmed cases and 34 deaths since the start of last year, said Health Minister Guillermo Alfonso Jaramillo.
Yellow fever is a viral disease transmitted by the bite of Aedes and Haemagogus mosquitoes.
Jaramillo said the most critical situation is in Tolima, in central-west Colombia, where 22 cases have been detected.
Myanmar junta says to free nearly 5,000 prisoners in amnesty
- Civil rights groups say the junta has arrested thousands of protesters and activists since its 2021 coup
- Amnesties are regularly announced to commemorate national holidays or Buddhist festivals
YANGON: Myanmar’s military government said Thursday it will release nearly 5,000 prisoners in an amnesty to mark the country’s new year festivities.
Civil rights groups say the junta has arrested thousands of protesters and activists since its 2021 coup cut short Myanmar’s experiment with democracy and plunged the nation into a multi-sided civil war.
Amnesties are regularly announced to commemorate national holidays or Buddhist festivals, but most high-profile political prisoners including deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi remain detained.
A junta statement said 4,893 prisoners will be pardoned “to participate in the state-building process, for peace of mind of people and on compassionate grounds.”
To convey the “loving kindness of the state,” the junta also said other prisoners would have their sentences reduced by one-sixth, except for those who had committed serious offenses.
The offenses include unlawful association and terrorism, as well as murder and rape.
The junta said 13 foreign nationals would also be pardoned and deported, without giving details of their identities or crimes.
Early on Thursday morning an AFP journalist saw crowds of families gathered outside Yangon’s Insein prison, prepared to meet those freed.
The amnesty announcement was made as junta chief Min Aung Hlaing was reportedly due to make a rare foreign trip to Bangkok to meet Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is chairing the 10-country ASEAN bloc this year.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has in the past barred junta officials from its summits over lack of progress on a peace plan.
But Anwar said he would meet Min Aung Hlaing Thursday to discuss the safety of Malaysian humanitarian teams dispatched to Myanmar following last month’s magnitude-7.7 earthquake.
The junta has not confirmed the meeting.
Myanmar’s ongoing “Thingyan” water festival typically marks the country’s new year with water-splashing rituals representing cleansing and renewal.
But celebrations have been muted following the March 28 tremor in the country’s central belt, which has killed 3,725 according to the latest official toll.
