The kidnap and murder of a young girl have caused outcry in Pakistan and drawn parallels with a similar notorious murder two years ago.
The body of a toddler called Zainab was found in the city of Peshawar a day after the two-and-a-half-year-old had gone missing while playing with friends outside her home in the nearby town of Charsadda, in the country's north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Police said the body of the girl from bore knife wounds, as well as signs of sexual assault and torture.
"Today it is my Zainab, tomorrow another Zainab could suffer this," her father told reporters.
The crime came amid widespread unease in Pakistan about the extent of violent crime and sexual assault.
Zainab's murder reawakened memories of another girl, called Zainab Ansari, whose 2018 kidnap and murder at the hands of a serial killer caused nationwide outrage and led to riots over police failures to stop the culprit or save the girl.
Within hours of the latest Zainab's discovery, slogans calling for justice and the public hanging of rapists were widespread on the country's social media platforms.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, Mahmood Khan, called the incident "heart-rending" and said an example should be made of the culprits. Reports of child kidnappings, assault and murder are common in Pakistan and police are often accused of failing to investigate cases if the victims are poor.
Sahil, a child protection group, said it recorded more than 3,800 child abuse cases in Pakistan, including 92 murders, in 2018.
The kidnap and murder of Zainab Ansari, 6, in early January that year galvanised public anger. Her body was found on a rubbish heap five days after her disappearance and it was later disclosed there had been a string of child killings in the same city of Kasur, in Punjab province.
Police were accused of not taking action for days after her disappearance and the death triggered angry protests and clashes in which two people died.
There were nationwide protests last month after a woman was raped in front of her children after her car broke down at night on a motorway outside Lahore. A senior police officer caused further anger by appearing to blame the victim for driving late at night without her husband's permission.
The assault prompted widespread calls for the return of public hangings for rapists, while Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was in favour of chemical castration.
Wenger's Arsenal reign in numbers
1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Zayed Sustainability Prize
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
RESULT
Arsenal 2
Sokratis Papastathopoulos 45 4'
Eddie Ntkeiah 51'
Portsmouth 0
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
