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Category: Global

  • Indians want to boycott Turkey on support for Pakistan

    Indians want to boycott Turkey on support for Pakistan

    A wave of online outrage is sweeping Indian social media, with calls to boycott Turkey intensifying in response to unverified reports that Turkish military planes delivered arms to Pakistan — India’s historic rival and fellow nuclear power. The backlash, unfolding in the wake of a deadly terror attack in Indian-Occupied Kashmir that killed Indian tourists, has pushed Turkey into South Asia’s escalating digital cold war.

    Several open-source intelligence accounts have claimed that Turkish Air Force C-130s arrived in Pakistan, allegedly carrying weapons and missile systems. Although these claims have not been confirmed by authorities in either Turkey or India, they have gone viral, fueling nationalist sentiments and online public outrage.

    “Turkey is equipping Pakistan, and we’re still purchasing their marble and booking their beaches?” one tweet questioned.
     

    “Boycott Turkey. Cancel your vacations. Contribute to the cause,” urged another.

    Turkish President Erdoğan advocates for peace, but few are listening

    Compounding the situation was a statement from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday, just days after the attack in Kashmir.

    “Turkey wants a de-escalation between Pakistan and India,” Erdoğan commented during a press conference in Ankara after his cabinet meeting. 

    While framed as a peace initiative, Erdoğan’s remarks were aimed at reducing friction between the two nuclear states. However, in the heated online climate, his statements have been met with scepticism, especially in light of his 2020 address to the Pakistani parliament, where he compared Kashmir to Turkey’s own historical battles and asserted: “Kashmir is as crucial to us as it is to Pakistan.”

    From rumours to repercussions

    Despite the lack of concrete evidence, nationalist influencers and public figures in India are calling for economic retaliation, from suspending tourism to halting imports of Turkish goods such as textiles, gold, and marble.

    “Why should we enrich a country that backs our enemy?” one user asked.

    There’s also a growing push to label Turkey as a state sponsor of terrorism, a demand rooted in its perceived ideological alignment with Pakistan on matters like Kashmir.

    The anger online has also revived historical grievances, with some users accusing Turkey of a deep-seated anti-India bias that transcends political regimes. One tweet provocatively linked this alignment to “bitterness over the fall of the Mughal Empire,” referring to India’s Turkic-origin Islamic rulers.

    Pak-Turk response

    Turkish and Pakistani netizens were quick to clap back. Several Turkish users mocked Indian outrage, tweeting,

    “Indians, please don’t come to Turkey — not just because of politics, but because it’ll help reduce our pollution levels.”

    Others joked about Indian purchasing power:

    “Yeah, like you can even afford a Turkey trip.”

    The insults weren’t limited to the Turkey-Pakistan alliance. In response to the Indian outrage, users resurfaced a damning Times of India front-page article reporting how Indian families are abandoning their children at U.S. borders to secure illegal immigration routes, calling it the “real national embarrassment.”

    A New Point of Contention in the Digital Cold War 

    This incident is yet another example of the ongoing pattern of digital animosity between India, Pakistan, and their associated allies. Turkey has frequently expressed its support for Pakistan regarding Kashmir and other regional matters, positioning itself diplomatically against India. 

    What distinguishes this case is how misinformation, speculation, and national pride intersect on platforms like Twitter. Accusations—regardless of their validity—quickly escalate into nationalistic trends. Demands for economic separation are proposed without consideration for the practical realities or existing bilateral interdependence.

  • Carney’s Liberals win Canada election defined by Trump

    Carney’s Liberals win Canada election defined by Trump

    Prime Minister Mark Carney won Canada’s election Monday, leading his Liberal Party to a new term in power after convincing voters his experience managing crises had prepared him to confront US President Donald Trump.

    The public broadcaster CBC and other outlets projected the Liberals would form Canada’s next government, but it was not yet clear if they would hold a majority in parliament.

    Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre fell short of becoming prime minister, but his party was on track to form a strong opposition.

    Carney, who had never held elected office and only replaced Justin Trudeau as prime minister last month, previously served as central bank governor in both Canada and Britain.

    Trump’s trade war and annexation threats outraged Canadians and made dealing with the United States a top campaign issue.

    Carney, a 60-year-old former investment banker, anchored his campaign on an anti-Trump message, promising to expand Canada’s overseas trading relationships to curb reliance on the United States, a country he said “we can no longer trust.”

    Carney has described the threat of Trump in stark terms.

    “Donald Trump wants to break us so America can own us,” he said during the campaign.

    “They want our resources, they want our water, they want our land, they want our country. They can’t have it.”

    When the CBC projection was announced, cheers of joy erupted at the Ottawa venue where Liberal supporters were watching the results.

    “I’m happy in the sense that we’ve got somebody that can speak to Mr. Trump on his level,” said Dorothy Goubault, 72.

    “Mr. Trump is a business person. Mr. Carney is a business person, and I think they can both relate.”

    Before Trudeau resigned, Trump had mocked him, calling the prime minister “governor” as he urged Canada to become the 51st US state.

    Goubault said she expects that mockery to stop.

    “It’s not the governor anymore, it’s the prime minister of Canada, and it’s not the 51st state anymore. It’s ‘We are Canada!’”

    lawmaker and a member of Carney’s cabinet, Steven Guilbeault, tied the outcome to Trump.

    “The numerous attacks by President Trump on the Canadian economy, but not just the economy, on our sovereignty and our very identity, have really mobilized Canadians, and I think they saw in Prime Minister Carney someone who has experience on the world stage, someone who has experience with the economy,” he told the CBC.

    Carney led the Bank of Canada through the 2008-2009 financial crisis and headed the bank of England through the turmoil surrounding the 2016 Brexit vote.

    – Trudeau’s departure –

    Trudeau’s departure was also crucial to the Liberal win, which capped one of the most dramatic turnarounds in Canadian political history.

    On January 6, the day Trudeau announced he would resign, the Conservatives led the Liberals by more than 20 points in most polls, as public anger over soaring costs mounted after Trudeau’s decade in power.

    But Carney replacing Trudeau, combined with nationwide unease about Trump, transformed the race.

    Carney distanced himself from Trudeau throughout the campaign.

    He said the former prime minister did not focus enough on growing Canada’s economy and scrapped a controversial Trudeau tax on carbon emissions that left many voters seething.

    For Poilievre, a 45-year-old who has been in parliament for two decades, the outcome marks a stinging defeat.

    He was criticized for the at-times muted anger he directed towards Trump, but said he wanted to keep the focus on domestic concerns.

    He tried to persuade voters that Carney would simply offer a continuation of the failed Liberal governance, an argument that fell short.

    At the Conservative watch party in Ottawa, Jason Piche told AFP he was surprised by the result.

    “I was hoping to have a big celebration tonight,” Piche said.

    Nearly 29 million of Canada’s 41 million people were eligible to vote in the massive G7 country that spans six time zones.

    Results were still pending on the shape of Canada’s 343 members of parliament, with 172 seats needed for a majority. The Liberals won a majority in 2015 but have governed with a minority since 2019.

    bur-bs/dhc

    © Agence France-Presse

  • Yemen’s Huthi says 68 killed in US strikes on migrant centre

    Yemen’s Huthi says 68 killed in US strikes on migrant centre

    Huthi-affiliated media in Yemen said Monday that US strikes targeted a migrant detention centre and killed at least 68 people and wounded 50 in Saada.

    The US military has hammered the Huthis with near-daily strikes since March 15 in an operation dubbed “Rough Rider,” seeking to end what they deem a threat to vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. 

    The Huthis launched strikes targeting Israel and Western vessels in the Red Sea in solidarity with the Palestinians after Israel intensified its genocide in Gaza since the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023.

    The Israeli genocide has killed at least 52,243 Palestinians and injured 117,639.

    On Sunday, the military said it has hit more than 800 targets in Yemen since mid-March, killing hundreds of Huthi rebels, including members of the group’s leadership.

    On Monday, Huthi-affiliated Al-Masirah TV said US strikes had targeted a detention centre for African migrants, and that 35 bodies had been “pulled from the rubble”.

    Civil defence teams and the Red Crescent are continuing their efforts at the scene of the American crime,” it said.

    AFP could not independently confirm the veracity of Al-Masirah’s claim that the strikes had hit a migrant detention centre, or the toll.

    AFP has contacted the US military for comment.

    According to a statement cited by Al-Masirah from the Huthi administration’s interior ministry, the centre housed “115 migrants, all from Africa”.

    The broadcaster showed footage of bodies stuck under the rubble and of rescuers working to help the casualties.


    – ‘We will continue’ –

    The Huthis began targeting shipping in late 2023, preventing ships from passing through the Suez Canal — a vital route that normally carries about 12 percent of global trade — forcing many companies into a costly detour around the tip of southern Africa.

    In a statement that provided its most detailed accounting of the operation so far, the US military command responsible for the Middle East said: “Since the start of Operation Rough Rider, USCENTCOM has struck over 800 targets.

    “These strikes have killed hundreds of Huthi fighters and numerous Huthi leaders.”

    “The strikes have destroyed multiple command-and-control facilities, air defence systems, advanced weapons manufacturing facilities, and advanced weapons storage locations,” CENTCOM said.

    Despite the strikes, the Huthis — who control large swaths of Yemen and have been at war with a Saudi-led coalition backing the internationally recognised government since 2015 — have continued to claim attacks against both US vessels and Israel.

    CENTCOM said that “while the Huthis have continued to attack our vessels, our operations have degraded the pace and effectiveness of their attacks. Ballistic missile launches have dropped by 69 percent. Additionally, attacks from one-way attack drones have decreased by 55 percent.”

    “Iran undoubtedly continues to provide support to the Huthis. The Huthis can only continue to attack our forces with the backing of the Iranian regime,” the military command said.

    “We will continue to ratchet up the pressure until the objective is met, which remains the restoration of freedom of navigation and American deterrence in the region,” it added.


    – Strikes on Sanaa –

    Al-Masirah TV on Sunday reported that US strikes on the Yemeni capital Sanaa had killed at least eight people and wounded others.

    The channel also broadcast footage of the rubble of destroyed homes and cars, as well as blood stains on the ground, while rescuers collected what appeared to be human remains in white cloth.

    Also on Sunday, Huthi media said earlier strikes on Sanaa had killed two people and wounded several more.

    The United States first began conducting strikes against the Huthis under Joe Biden’s administration, and President Donald Trump has vowed that military action against the rebels will continue until they are no longer a threat to shipping.

  • Hundreds of buildings damaged, dozens injured in 6.3 Ecuador quake

    Hundreds of buildings damaged, dozens injured in 6.3 Ecuador quake

    A shallow 6.3-magnitude earthquake left more than 30 people injured, damaged more than 800 buildings and caused widespread power cuts in the Ecuadoran port city of Esmeraldas on Friday.

    Ecuador’s emergency response services report 32 injured, 179 homes destroyed and 716 homes that have been damaged in the shake, which was felt as far away as the capital Quito.

    Fisherman Andres Mafare, aged 36, was walking to the port when he heard a loud crack followed by a strong earthquake that shook overhead cables.

    He raced home to try to find his wife and two sons. “I ran like crazy, and when I got here saw that my house had been destroyed,” he told AFP.

    An AFP reporter in Esmeraldas witnessed tumbled-down walls, facades that had collapsed onto a road in a pile of debris and several cracked buildings.

    Families stood around surveying the damage.

    “It was very strong,” former presidential candidate Yaku Perez told AFP at the scene.

    “It felt like an eternity, but I guess it was less than a minute.”

    The authorities said four health centers and 18 schools had been damaged, while the facade of a military building partially collapsed. Two roads and a bridge were also damaged.

    According to official estimates, about 80 percent of homes experienced power or phone outages.

    National oil company Petroecuador said it briefly “suspended operations” at the Esmeraldas refinery and a nearby pipeline.

    The refinery produces 111,000 barrels a day and the Transecuadorian Pipeline System transports 360,000 barrels a day.

    Daniel Noboa, the South American nation’s newly re-elected president, said he was rushing ministers to the scene to help coordinate the building of shelters and delivery of humanitarian aid.

    “The government is with you, and that’s how it will be going forward,” he said on social media.

    On the streets, residents navigated debris and collapsed walls.

    Mafare said he lost “material things, three or four walls… I know the authorities are going to help us,” referring to fellow residents of this impoverished area plagued by drug trafficking violence.

    The US Geological Survey and local monitors said the quake struck just off the coast at a depth of about 35 kilometers (22 miles) shortly before 7:00 am local time (1200 GMT).

    Ecuadorean authorities said there was no tsunami risk from the quake.


    – Country of Earthquakes –

    Ecuador sits on one of the most geologically active zones on Earth, and the fault between the Nazca and South American plates runs along its coast.

    The Geophysical Institute said that “the convergence of the Nazca and South American plates, which have a movement speed of 5.6 centimeters (2.2 inches) per year, is the process that generates the largest earthquakes in the country.”

    The tremor was felt in 10 of the country’s 24 provinces, including Manabi, Los Rios, Guayas and Pichincha, Ecuadorean officials said.

    There were no reports of injuries across the border in neighboring Colombia.

    Last week, Ecuador marked the anniversary of the 2016 earthquake that struck the coasts of Manabi and Esmeraldas. With a magnitude of 7.8, it left 673 dead and about 6,300 injured.

  • All Gaza food stocks depleted as Israel blocks aid: WFP

    All Gaza food stocks depleted as Israel blocks aid: WFP

    The UN’s World Food Programme said Friday it had depleted its food stocks in genocide-ravaged Gaza, where Israel has blocked all aid for more than seven weeks.

    After 18 months of genocide, the situation in Gaza “is probably the worst” it has been, the UN’s humanitarian office has said, with the head of the world body’s Palestinian refugee agency decrying the aid stoppage on Friday as “politically motivated starvation”.

    WFP, one of the main providers of food assistance in the Palestinian territory, said it had “delivered its last remaining food stocks to hot meals kitchens in the Gaza Strip” on Friday.

    It said “these kitchens are expected to fully run out of food in the coming days”.

    Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, said the crisis was “manmade”.

    “The Government of Israel continues to block the entry of food + other basics,” he wrote on X. “Nearly 2 months of siege. Calls to bring in supplies are going unheeded.”

    The World Health Organization said the situation was no different for medical supplies.

    After blocking aid during an impasse over the future of a ceasefire with Hamas, Israel resumed its bombardment of Gaza on March 18, followed by a ground offensive.

    Mohammed al-Mughayyir, an official with Gaza’s civil defence rescue agency, told AFP that the death toll from Israeli strikes on Friday had risen to at least 40.

    In the evening, the Israeli military issued an evacuation order for Palestinians in Zeitun and two nearby areas in the territory’s north ahead of another planned strike, saying it was responding to “terrorist activity” and “operating with force”.

    Gazans say they are threatened with death not just from bombardment, but from a lack of food.

    In addition to the WFP, aid agencies and Western governments have also voiced alarm.

    “We are literally dying of hunger,” Tasnim Abu Matar, a Gaza City resident, said earlier this week.


    – ‘Lifeline’ –

    “For weeks, hot meal kitchens have been the only consistent source of food assistance for people in Gaza. Despite reaching just half the population with only 25 percent of daily food needs, they have provided a critical lifeline,” the WFP said.

    The agency added that “more than 116,000 metric tons of food assistance –- enough to feed one million people for up to four months” was positioned at aid corridors ready to be brought in “as soon as borders reopen”.

    Following WFP’s warning, the World Health Organization’s chief said medical supplies were also “running out” in Gaza while 16 WHO trucks wait to enter.

    “This aid blockade must end. Lives depend on it”, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X.

    WFP added that all 25 bakeries it supports in Gaza were forced to close on March 31 as wheat flour and cooking oil ran out during “the longest closure the Gaza Strip has ever faced”.

    Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz last week said his country would continue blocking aid because the tactic is “one of the main pressure levers preventing Hamas from using (aid) as a tool with the population”.

    On Wednesday, Germany, France and Britain called for an end to the “intolerable” blockade and warned of “an acute risk of starvation, epidemic disease and death”.

    The International Criminal Court in November issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu partly on suspicion of the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare.

    Netanyahu rejected the accusations as “absurd and false”.


    – ‘I found him on fire’ –

    At least 2,062 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel resumed its campaign against Hamas militants in mid-March.

    That brings the overall death toll of the genocide to 51,439, most of them civilians, according to the territory’s health ministry.

    Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count based on official Israeli figures. That began the Israeli genocide against Palestinians, which has killed more than 50,000 people in Gaza.

    Among the fatalities on Friday were five members of the al-Taima family killed when an air strike hit their makeshift tent in Al-Mawasi, near Khan Yunis, the civil defence’s Mughayyir said.

    Gaza resident Ramy, who gave only his first name, said he lost his three-year-old son in a strike on their tent.

    “When I couldn’t find him, I went back to the tent and I found him on fire,” Ramy said.

    Israel’s military has threatened an even larger offensive if militants do not soon free hostages who remain in Gaza.

    Israel says militants are still holding 58 people captured during their October 2023 attack, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.

    Senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu told AFP on Friday that a delegation from the group would meet with Egyptian mediators “tomorrow to discuss Hamas’s vision for ending the war”, reiterating the group’s weapons “are not up for negotiation”.

  • Trump says India, Pakistan to settle dispute ‘one way or another’

    Trump says India, Pakistan to settle dispute ‘one way or another’

    US President Donald Trump on Friday downplayed concerns over mounting tensions between India and Pakistan, saying the dispute between the nuclear-armed neighbours will get “figured out, one way or another.”

    Trump was asked aboard Air Force One about crumbling relations between India and Pakistan as the fallout deepens from a deadly attack on civilians by gunmen in Indian-administered Kashmir.

    “There have been tensions on that border for 1,500 years so, you know, it’s the same as it has been,” Trump told reporters.

    “But they’ll get it figured out, one way or another.”

    Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947, with both claiming the territory in full but governing separate portions of it.

    Rebel groups have waged an insurgency in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989, demanding independence or a merger with Pakistan.

    Tensions have flared since Tuesday, when 26 male tourists were killed by gunmen in the Kashmir town of Pahalgam.

    Indian police say the three gunmen are members of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba group, a UN-designated terrorist organisation.

    A day after the attack, New Delhi suspended a water-sharing treaty, announced the closure of the main land border crossing with Pakistan, downgraded diplomatic ties, and withdrew visas for Pakistanis.

    Denying any involvement, Islamabad called attempts to link Pakistan to the Pahalgam attack “frivolous” and vowed to respond to any Indian action.

    Officials said Friday that there was an overnight exchange of fire between Indian and Pakistani forces at the Line of Control.

    “There’s great tension between Pakistan and India but there always has been,” Trump said.

  • MrBeast invites Kohli to join him for a video

    MrBeast invites Kohli to join him for a video

    The world’s biggest YouTuber, MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson), has publicly invited Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli to feature in one of his upcoming videos. 

    Taking to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), MrBeast asked Kohli, “Is there any way I can get you in a video?” The post went viral within minutes, drawing the attention of millions of users around the globe.

    MrBeast, who is known for his massive giveaways and collaborations with global celebrities, currently boasts over 387 million subscribers on YouTube. On the other hand, Kohli, with over 271 million Instagram followers, is one of the most popular athletes in the world.

    The unexpected invitation has generated a wave of excitement and curiosity across social media platforms. While Kohli is yet to respond publicly, fans are buzzing with anticipation about where and how this high-profile collaboration might take place.

    Earlier, also in a recent conversation with an Indian content creator, MrBeast expressed his long-standing desire to collaborate with Kohli. He said that Kohli was a legend and extremely loved by fans, which made him a dream guest for a MrBeast video.

    MrBeast has previously featured in his videos other international sports icons such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Tom Brady and Noah Lyles. The prospect of Kohli joining that elite list has fans eagerly waiting for his response.

  • Markets rally as Trump signals major tariff cuts amid easing tensions with China

    Markets rally as Trump signals major tariff cuts amid easing tensions with China

    Tensions between the United States (US) and China seem to be subsiding after President Donald Trump affirmed that tariffs on Chinese goods would be slashed.

    According to reports, Trump does not intend to cease trade hostilities entirely as tariffs are not to be shelved; however, in light of the president’s statement at a news conference on Tuesday, analysts believe the same will fall sizably from their current high of 145 percent.

    US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was also cited as calling tariff levels as “unsustainable” before President Trump announced an attempt to find an amicable solution to navigate rising US-China tensions. As per reports, Trump has stated that the US is “doing fine with China”, claiming that tariff rates were to face cuts in the coming period. 

    The statement reinvigorated US investors as capital markets across the US witnessed bullish sentiments. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) composite climbed 422.77 points during intraday trading, reflecting a 2.34 percent positive movement in the index.

    Moreover, the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (NASDAQ) composite grew by 2.71 percent after recording a 429.52 point rise in the index. Similarly, the Standard and Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) logged an impressive 2.51 percent after gaining 129.56 points during trading hours.

    The aforementioned data indicates that a market-wide recovery is on the table after the tariff war upended capital markets. While Trump’s initial tariffs caused markets to tumble, China’s imposition of a 125 percent tariff rate on US imports accelerated the fall.

    Trump himself has also outlined the positive sentiments in the stock markets that came about because of news of the potential tariff cuts.

    However, with the president claiming that the US and China are going to “live together very happily”, analysts believe that the global economy is now on track to protect the interests of business owners, industrialists and investors again.


    Reports suggest that China has not yet provided an official response to the developments. However, Chinese citizens have taken to social media highlighting how Trump has lost the trade war to China.

    China is also reportedly applying diplomatic pressure to isolate the US from its allies. South Korean companies have allegedly been “pressured” by China to halt shipments of supplies to US military contractors.

  • Powerful 6.2-magnitude quake hits off Istanbul coast

    Powerful 6.2-magnitude quake hits off Istanbul coast

    An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 hit the Marmara Sea near the western outskirts of Istanbul on Wednesday, officials said, with the impact felt across Turkey’s largest city where people rushed onto the streets.

    “An earthquake of 6.2 magnitude occurred in Silivri, Marmara Sea, Istanbul,” Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on X, adding that it was felt in the surrounding provinces.

    The initial quake at 12:49 pm (0949 GMT) was followed by three others of with magnitudes of 4.4 to 4.9, Turkey’s AFAD disaster management agency posted on X.

    As buildings shook, people rushed onto the streets where crowds of worried-looking people stared at their mobile phones for information or made calls, an AFP correspondent said.

    “I just felt earthquake, I’ve got to get out,” said a shaken-looking decorator rushing out of a fourth floor apartment where he was working near the city’s Galata Tower, who did not want to give his name.

    There were no immediate reports of anyone being hurt or killed nor of buildings collapsing in the sprawling city of 16 million people, city authorities and the regional governor’s office said.

    “Until now, we have no information about any buildings collapsing,” the governor’s office said, urging people to avoid any structures that might have been damaged in the tremors.

    “No serious cases have been reported so far following the earthquake in Istanbul,” the Istanbul municipality said on X.

    The tremors could be felt as far away as Bulgaria, according to AFP journalists in the capital Sofia.

  • Popular Knafeh chocolate breaks global pistachio market

    Popular Knafeh chocolate breaks global pistachio market

    A trending chocolate bar, Can’t Get Knafeh Of It, crafted by the UAE-based artisanal brand FIX Dessert Chocolatier, has taken the world by storm following a significant disturbance in the global pistachio supply chain.

    With increasing demand, shelled pistachios — the variety favoured for chocolates — have become so limited that retailers are resorting to rationing products that contain them. In the US, a poor harvest compelled producers to prioritise in-shell exports, further diminishing the availability of chocolate-quality kernels. Iran, the second-largest producer of pistachios globally, responded by boosting its exports to the UAE by 40% within six months.

    The Financial Times quotes Giles Hacking of nut trader CG Hacking as saying that, in a matter of months, the cost of pistachios has surged from $7.65 per pound to $10.30 per pound.

    This bar, which combines milk chocolate, kataifi pastry (the flaky, noodle-like strands found in knafeh), and pistachio cream, was initially developed in 2021 by British-Egyptian chocolatier Sarah Hamouda and her husband, Yezen Alani. It remained a niche indulgence until a single TikTok video in December 2023, which gained more than 120 million views, created global demand.

    Major confectionery companies like Lindt and Läderach hurried to capitalise on the trend, launching their own pistachio-filled bars only to find themselves competing for the same shrinking nut supply.

    While FIX continues to sell its original bar in limited quantities within the UAE, competing products have emerged worldwide, raising concerns for the brand regarding misleading consumers.