Infinity Social Updates

Let’s face it — half the joy of Eid shopping is buying for the kids. Tiny kurtas. Mini kameezes. Pocket-sized waistcoats. Dresses that twirl dramatically for no reason at all. Children in festive wear just feel like Eid. But somewhere between “Awww” and “Let’s take a thousand photos,” we sometimes forget one important thing: Kids do not care about structure, layering, or perfect pleats. They care about running around, eating less, climbing furniture, and running again. So, when it comes to dressing children for Eid, the golden rule is simple — comfort first, everything else after. The non-negotiable Adults can tolerate a slightly tight sleeve or a heavy dupatta for a few hours. Children cannot. And they shouldn’t have to. Eid mornings are long. There are guests, hugs, food, visits, and photos. If an outfit is itchy, stiff, too layered, or difficult to move in, it won’t survive the day — and neither will your patience. Choose breathable fabrics. Soft cotton blends, lightweight sil...

ISLAMABAD: Senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Tuesday assured the National Assembly Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis that there was no situation requiring a mass evacuation of Pakistani nationals from the Middle East. The head of the MoFA’s Crisis Management Cell gave a detailed briefing to the NA committee about the number of Pakistanis stranded in various Middle Eastern countries due to the ongoing conflict and about the efforts being made to repatriate them. In the meeting, presided over by PPP MNA Syed Agha Rafiullah, the committee members expressed their serious concerns over the manifold increase in airline fares, particularly by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). The ministry official informed the committee that Pakistanis were facing fuel shortages and transport problems in various countries, adding that the absence of public transport had created further difficulties for them. “Gulf missions reported large registered populations but ...

The Sindh government on Tuesday announced its own set of austerity measures to curtail the economic impact of the ongoing regional tensions, stating that schools will observe a spring vacation and government offices will work from home on Fridays. Addressing a press conference, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said schools across the province will have a “spring vacation from March 16 to 31, while colleges and universities will switch to online classes”. However, he noted, no ongoing exams will be postponed. The minister also clarified that, contrary to some media reports, government functioning will not stop on Fridays. Instead, government officials will work from home. “Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday — you have to work. On Friday, you have to work from home,” he said. The Sindh minister affirmed that the province endorsed all the decisions announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday. “The Sindh government has launched its austerity campaign,” he added...

The joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran represent a further erosion of the international legal order. Under international law, these attacks are neither preemptive nor lawful. Israel and the United States launched Operation Shield of Judah and Operation Epic Fury while diplomatic negotiations between Washington and Tehran were actively underway on Iran’s nuclear programme. Just two days earlier [on February 27], the most intense round of US-Iran talks concluded in Geneva, with both sides agreeing to continue. US President Donald Trump indicated he would give negotiators more time. Then came the bombs. Neither preemptive nor legal, US‑Israeli strikes on Iran have blown up international law The illegality of the attack Israel said the strikes were “preventive”, meaning they were to prevent Iran from developing a capacity to be a threat. But preventive war has no legal basis under international law. The UN Security Council did not authorise any military action, meaning the sole lawful...

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Monday maintained its key policy rate at 10.5 per cent. The announcement was posted on the central bank’s X account. A formal statement by the Monetary Policy Committee is awaited. Analysts had widely expected the policy rate to remain unchanged, with Topline Securities noting that the decision was in line with their expectations. A Reuters poll conducted earlier this month also indicated a consensus for a hold, as rising global energy prices and escalating regional tensions cloud the inflation outlook and limit the central bank’s room for further cuts. All 10 analysts surveyed by Reuters anticipated that the State Bank of Pakistan would keep the policy rate at 10.5 per cent, after policymakers maintained the rate at the same level in January. The State Bank has cut the key rate by a cumulative 1,150 basis points since mid-2024, from a record 22pc in 2023, as inflation cooled sharply from multi-decade highs. Pakistan has begun to feel ...

Iranian clerics involved in choosing a successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after his assassination a week ago in US-Israeli strikes say they are close to naming the Islamic Republic’s new supreme leader. Iran’s revolutionary theocracy has never been in greater jeopardy, and with the clerical body tasked with naming a new leader ready for an announcement as soon as Sunday, it is hard to predict what might happen next. Israel and the United States have vowed no let-up in their war, promising to kill whoever replaces Khamenei and even those involved in selecting the new leader — a group that may include the clerics who formally make the choice and the Revolutionary Guardsmen and political insiders who influence them. The following explains how power is meant to operate in the Islamic Republic, how a new supreme leader can be chosen, some of the main candidates, and how the US and Israeli attacks have changed the equation. What is Iran’s ‘Supreme Leader’? Iran’s theocratic system date...

Caitlin Kalinowski, who oversaw hardware at OpenAI, announced her resignation on Saturday, citing concerns about the company’s agreement with the Department of Defence. In a social media post on X, Kalinowski wrote that OpenAI did not take enough time before agreeing to deploy its AI models on the Pentagon’s classified cloud networks. “AI has an important role in national security,” Kalinowski posted. “But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorisation are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got. Reuters could not immediately reach Kalinowski for comment, but she wrote on X that while she has “deep respect” for OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and the team, the company announced the Pentagon deal “without the guardrails defined,” she posted. “It’s a governance concern first and foremost,” Kalinowski wrote in a subsequent X post. “These are too important for deals or announcements to be rushed.” OpenAI said the day after...