The 34-year-old Democrat has drawn large crowds to public appearances and infused routine municipal functions with heightened visibility, often relying on high-profile figures to amplify initiatives.

His administration has reported gains in public participation, including thousands of recruits for snow removal efforts during winter storms and more than 50,000 new subscribers to the city’s emergency alert system following a social media campaign.

Mamdani has also collaborated with public figures such as Natasha Cloud and Cardi B to promote civic engagement. Initiatives include a public voting competition on neighborhood repairs and a promotional campaign for a childcare program targeting two-year-olds.

The mayor said his administration aims to match the pace of city residents, emphasizing responsiveness in delivering essential services such as sanitation, snow clearance and infrastructure maintenance.His high-profile approach has drawn criticism from political opponents, including Curtis Sliwa, who cited concerns over homelessness and infrastructure challenges.

Mamdani also faced backlash for appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon during a period of extreme cold weather linked to rising deaths among homeless populations.

At the same time, the mayor has sought to address fiscal challenges, highlighting a significant budget gap and warning that measures such as tax increases may be required. His public stance has been viewed as an effort to pressure Kathy Hochul to support higher taxes on wealthy residents, a proposal she has opposed.

Tensions have also emerged with the City Council after Mamdani criticized an alternative budget plan and publicly challenged Julie Menin, prompting online backlash from some supporters.

Analysts say Mamdani’s communication strategy could help build public support as the administration navigates fiscal constraints, though the unresolved budget gap remains a key test for his policy agenda.

Despite criticism, Mamdani retains strong support among segments of the public, with large crowds continuing to attend appearances and engage with his initiatives.

Recent events, including a policy announcement at Bellevue Hospital on transferring seriously ill detainees from Rikers Island for treatment, drew significant public attention and turnout.

Group of seven dogs that went missing in northeast China has drawn widespread online attention after footage emerged showing the animals travelling more than 17 kilometres back to their home village, according to local media reports and social media posts.

The video, first shared online on March 15, shows the dogs walking along a highway in Changchun, the capital of Jilin province, where overnight temperatures had dropped below freezing.

The group included several breeds, among them a golden retriever, a Labrador, a German shepherd and a Pekinese. A corgi, later identified in Chinese media as Dapang, or “big fatty”, appears to lead the group in the footage.The clip circulated widely across social media platforms, accumulating more than 230 million views, according to reported figures.

The scale of its reach prompted both public concern for the animals’ welfare and broader discussion about the circumstances surrounding their disappearance.

Following the circulation of the video, a volunteer identified as Tong Tong, affiliated with a local stray dog rescue centre, initiated efforts to locate the animals. She stated in a video released by the rescue group that she conducted door-to-door inquiries in nearby villages and distributed missing dog notices after viewing the footage.

Tong Tong said she became increasingly concerned as weather conditions deteriorated. She reported that snowfall in Changchun on the morning of March 18 heightened fears that the dogs may not have had access to food or water. In response, she used a drone to assist in the search across surrounding areas.

By March 19, local reports indicated that the dogs had returned to their home area. According to Chinese media accounts, three of the animals, including the corgi identified as Dapang, belonged to a woman living in a village near Changchun.

The owner stated that she had been searching for the missing dogs for four days and was close to abandoning the effort when one of them returned independently on March 18.Subsequent searches by the owner in nearby villages led to the recovery of the remaining dogs, which had been taken in temporarily by another resident.

The sequence of events suggests that the animals dispersed during their absence but were able to navigate back toward familiar territory.

On March 21, Jilin’s provincial culture and tourism bureau addressed the incident, stating that the dogs had left on their own. According to the bureau, the movement was likely triggered by the presence of a German shepherd in heat, which had previously exhibited a tendency to wander for short periods.

State media commentary accompanying the official statement highlighted the role of online platforms in amplifying unverified claims. It noted that the incident illustrated the challenges associated with digital information flows, where subjective interpretations can be rapidly disseminated and accepted as fact without confirmation.

The incident generated a broad range of reactions on Chinese social media platforms. While some users expressed concern for the animals’ safety during their journey in sub-zero conditions, others focused on the unusual nature of the group’s coordinated movement over a long distance.

The corgi identified as Dapang became a focal point of attention due to its apparent role at the front of the group in the video. The visibility of distinct breeds travelling together contributed to the narrative’s appeal and its rapid spread online.

Some users drew comparisons between the real-life event and fictional portrayals of coordinated canine behaviour, referencing children’s media such as the Canadian animated series “Paw Patrol,” which features a team of rescue dogs. These comparisons, while informal, reflected the extent to which the incident resonated with a wide online audience.

At least one social media user described the footage as emotionally affecting and reiterated the commonly expressed view of dogs as long-standing companions to humans. Such responses contributed to sustained engagement with the story across platforms.

The episode also intersected with broader discussions about animal welfare, ownership responsibility, and the reliability of online information. The intervention by local authorities and subsequent clarification regarding the dogs’ behaviour provided an official account that contrasted with earlier speculation circulating online.

The case illustrates how localized events can gain national and international visibility through digital media, particularly when visual content is involved.

It also highlights the interaction between grassroots responses, such as volunteer-led search efforts, and official communication channels in shaping public understanding of such incidents.

The man, identified by police as Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, was detained on Saturday after being reported over an Instagram post in which he allegedly used repeated expletives to refer to Nyepi, Bali police spokesman Ariasandy said in a statement late Sunday.

Zgraggen is being investigated for spreading hate speech online, an offence under Indonesia’s updated criminal code that carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.

Police said they would confiscate his iPhone as part of the inquiry and question witnesses.Ariasandy did not specify the suspect’s age, in line with common Indonesian practice where some officials use a single name.

Nyepi, observed last Thursday on the island of Bali, is a key religious observance in the Hindu-majority region. The day requires residents and visitors to remain indoors for 24 hours for self-reflection, with work, travel, entertainment and even the use of electricity largely halted.

Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, has stepped up enforcement against behavior deemed offensive or unlawful by foreign visitors.

Bali, a major tourism destination attracting millions of international tourists annually, has seen a series of high-profile incidents involving foreigners in recent months.Last week, authorities arrested two French nationals and an Italian on allegations of producing and distributing pornography, which is prohibited under Indonesian law.

In a striking piece titled “All Roads Lead to Pakistan,” Blackburn deploys rhyme and rhythm to weave together a litany of global terror attacks — from the 9/11 bombings in New York and the 7/7 transit attacks in London, to the 2008 Mumbai carnage and unrest in Kashmir. Each stanza ends with a refrain that echoes his central argument: “All roads, all roads lead to Pakistan.”

The poem, now circulating widely across social media platforms, takes aim at Pakistan’s role as a hub for extremist networks. Though not an unfamiliar assertion in diplomatic circles, Blackburn’s decision to express this through verse has added a layer of emotional resonance that policy reports and press briefings rarely capture.

9/11, 7/7 — the skies burned red,
The flags of terror left defenceless dead.
From cave to command, from plot to plan,
All roads, all roads lead to Pakistan.
26/11 — Mumbai bled,
Ash and flame where children fled.
22/4 — in Pahalgam’s grace,
A meadow fell — a shattered place.
From Kalashnikov to prayer and ban,
All roads, all roads lead to Pakistan.
New York weeps, and London mourns,
Bali’s beaches, Kashmir’s thorns.
From training camps to hidden hand,
The signal’s clear, the airwaves scanned —
Terror stirs where shadows span:
All roads, all roads lead to Pakistan.

A specialist in international relations and counterterrorism, Blackburn has been a frequent commentator in European think tank discussions on radicalization, cross-border extremism, and human rights in South Asia. His current role with the EBF — a group that advocates for secularism and minority rights in Bangladesh — has brought him closer to diaspora concerns about religious extremism and state complicity.

His poetic pivot comes amid growing scrutiny of Pakistan’s domestic policies and its relationships with jihadist groups. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which had previously grey-listed the country for terror financing concerns, lifted the designation in 2022 — a move that critics like Blackburn viewed as premature.

The poem’s structure is simple, almost nursery-like in its cadence, but its content is anything but gentle. References to “Kalashnikov to prayer and ban” and “terror stirs where shadows span” leave little ambiguity about Blackburn’s message: international terrorism, regardless of where it strikes, has operational links that often trace back to Islamabad’s orbit.

Whether praised for its courage or criticized for its bluntness, “All Roads Lead to Pakistan” has succeeded in sparking conversation — and perhaps that was Blackburn’s goal all along.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media to convey his wishes, stating, “Greetings on Eid-ul-Fitr. May this festival enhance the spirit of hope, harmony and kindness in our society. May there be joy and success in all your endeavours. Eid Mubarak!”

President Draupadi Murmu, in a special message, posted her greetings in Urdu, acknowledging the festival’s deep-rooted values of charity, kindness, and brotherhood. She stated, “On the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, I extend my heartfelt greetings to all fellow citizens, especially my Muslim brothers and sisters. This festival strengthens the spirit of brotherhood and conveys the message of empathy, goodwill, and charity. I pray that this festival brings peace, prosperity, and happiness to everyone’s life and nurtures the spirit of righteousness in all hearts.”

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing peace and brotherhood. He tweeted, “Greetings on Eid-ul-Fitr. May this festival bring happiness, peace and prosperity to all. Hope this day further strengthens the bonds of harmony and brotherhood all across society. Eid Mubarak!”

India’s Foreign Minister Dr. Subramaniam Jaishankar also extended his wishes, writing, “Warm greetings on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. May the festival further the spirit of peace, harmony and compassion. #EidMubarak”.

Eid-ul-Fitr, celebrated by millions across India, is a time of togetherness, generosity, and prayers for peace and prosperity. The warm wishes from the country’s leadership resonated with the spirit of the festival, reaffirming India’s rich cultural and religious diversity.

Washington (AFP) — US tech giant Meta said Tuesday it had fixed a global outage affecting its messaging service WhatsApp after users around the world complained that they were unable to send or receive messages.