Punam Krishan shares cancer diagnosis

TV doctor and former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Punam Krishan has disclosed that she has undergone treatment after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

The 42-year-old Glasgow-born GP, who appears as a resident doctor on BBC’s Morning Live and competed on Strictly in 2024, said she received the diagnosis five months ago. She shared on Instagram that she has now completed treatment and is recovering, though the experience has left her shaken.

Posting a photo from a hospital bed, Krishan reflected on the contrast between her professional life and personal reality, saying that despite nearly two decades as a doctor, nothing prepared her for becoming a patient herself.

Krishan praised the NHS staff who treated her, calling them an “extraordinary” team, and acknowledged the emotional difficulty of the journey. She explained that she kept her illness private to protect her children, relying on support from her husband, family and close friends.

Married to Scottish Conservative MSP and health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane, Krishan said completing treatment has brought mixed emotions, including gratitude and relief alongside lingering shock. She said she decided to speak publicly to be honest about her experience and to highlight that cancer can affect anyone, noting she had no family history and was otherwise healthy.


 

Avatar sequel hits $1bn

James Cameron’s science fiction fantasy film Avatar: Fire and Ash has crossed the $1bn mark at the global box office, becoming the director’s fourth movie to reach the milestone. According to Walt Disney Studios, the visually striking film has earned $1.03bn in worldwide ticket sales.

The film is the third installment in the Avatar franchise, which has now generated a combined global revenue of $6.35bn. Fire and Ash continues the story from Avatar: The Way of Water, focusing on Jake and Neytiri as they grieve the death of their son.

Industry analysts say the Avatar films continue to attract audiences to theaters due to their immersive visuals. Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends at Comscore, noted that the franchise’s 3D experience is especially suited for the big screen.

The original Avatar, released in 2009, earned $2.9bn worldwide and remains the highest-grossing film of all time in unadjusted figures. Its sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, released in 2022, collected over $2.3bn globally and won an Academy Award for best visual effects.


 

Ahn Sung -ki died at 74

Ahn Sung-ki, a South Korean cinema star, known to be "The Nation's Actor" died on Monday. He has worked for 60 years in a cinema field. Ahn was 74 years old and died at Seoul’s Soonchunhyang University Hospital suffering from blood cancer for years, his agency, the Artist Company, and hospital officials said. “We feel deep sorrow at the sudden, sad news, pray for the eternal rest of the deceased and offer our heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family members,” the Artist Company said in a statement. President Lee Jae Myung posted a condolence message, saying Ahn provided many people with comfort, joy and time for reflection. “I already miss his warm smile and gentle voice,” Lee wrote on Facebook.

 

The quiet responsibility of calling a beautiful place home

“Living amid beauty comes with responsibility, not just pride.” 

Gratitude isn’t just a feeling, it’s how we treat the place we call home. We wake up surrounded by mountains people cross oceans to see, and yet somehow forget to thank the land we live on daily. In Nepal, beauty that surrounds us constantly risks becoming invisible. The mountains, the fresh air, the rivers and open spaces….. These aren't things everyone gets to live with but are a part of our everyday lives and maybe that’s why we barely notice them anymore, except in pictures or in moments of nostalgia. 

Kathmandu didn’t always feel this heavy. Over the years the city has changed quietly but drastically. Streets that once felt open and walkable are now crowded with concrete , dust and constant construction. In the rush  to modernise, we built quickly and rarely stopped to think about what we are leaving behind. The old Kathmandu one with charm and balance now exists only in a few corners of the valley. 

A lot of this shift comes from taking our surroundings for granted: Rivers turned into dumping sites, roads turned into endless construction sites and vanishing public spaces. This does not mean we are against development, only that it shouldn't come at the cost of neglect. Every winter the difference becomes impossible to ignore. Just across the border, many cities in neighboring India wake up to hazardous air quality day after day,  people stay indoors, schools shut, masks become a part of their daily routine, and stepping outside becomes a health risk. Kathmandu hasn’t reached that point yet but the signs are there: dry air, dust-filled streets and pollution that affects daily life. What we should be aiming for is a city that feels distinct, not just another capital. With tourism as one of our major sources of income, the city should leave visitors wanting more, not looking for the next place to escape. 

Perhaps the real question is: How do we show gratitude for the place we call home? And what can we do as citizens to treat our city with the same care we give our homes and the basic comforts we depend on every day? 

In the grand scheme of things, it starts with the basics: keeping our streets clean, respecting shared spaces and teaching children basic good habits. With technology at our fingertips, we can do a lot more than just doomscroll, we can actually make a difference. Real change doesn’t come from grand gestures or perfect systems, but in the everyday habits we have learned to ignore. It's tempting to point fingers, but cities don't change unless the people living in them do. We have a shared responsibility to lead by example, help others learn and change our own habits because you can’t change the world until you change yourself. 

Gratitude in this sense isn't about pride or praise, it’s about care. It shows up in how we treat public spaces, in the discipline we practise and in the choices we make when no one is watching and the effort we put into what we have been given. It’s reflected less in words and more in everyday actions that slowly shape the city we live in. 

Kathmandu doesn’t need to be perfect, it needs care, care from people we are willing to try, be mindful and to take responsibility in small but consistent ways. Over time, it's these small efforts that turn a city into a place we are proud to call home.