Our daily lap around the world

🇵🇰 Former Pakistani PM Imran Khan was arrested in Islamabad. The former PM and ex-cricket star was scheduled to appear in court yesterday morning on corruption charges, which Khan and his supporters say are politically motivated. But before stepping into the building, Khan was forcibly detained by dozens of paramilitary troops. The ex-PM’s arrest sparked mass protests across several major Pakistani cities that sometimes turned violent, with at least one death reported. Authorities across the country have partially restricted access to Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube in an attempt to hinder public demonstrations.

🎤🎶 The Eurovision Song Contest semi-finals kicked off yesterday. The annual competition is the world’s most-watched singing contest, attracting a combined 161 million viewers last year across 37 participating countries. It features a heavy dose of fan participation, with votes from viewers at home determining most of the outcomes. The first 10 Eurovision finals spots were awarded yesterday (see them here), while the last 10 slots are up for grabs in tomorrow’s semi-finals. The winning country will be crowned after the grand finale on Saturday.

🇷🇺 President Vladimir Putin led Russia in celebrating Victory Day. At a Moscow parade yesterday commemorating the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in WWII, Putin delivered a speech accusing the West of launching a war against Russia and seeking its “disintegration and destruction.” Per multiple reports, the celebrations were more muted than last year’s Victory Day parade. Separately, AFP journalist Arman Soldin was killed by Russian rocket strikes near the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut yesterday.