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Showing posts from May, 2024

Ali Fazal drops hint about Mirzapur 3, Panchayat 3 connection

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Actor Ali Fazal dropped a major hint about a connection between popular web series Mirzapur 3 and Panchayat 3. Currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Panchayat season 3 has been winning hearts similar to its first two seasons. The cast of the web series includes Neena Gupta, Raghubir Yadav, Jitendra Kumar, Faisal Malik and Chandan Roy in the main roles. Meanwhile, fans are anticipating a third season of Mirzapur that has a crazy fan following in India. The web series stars Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Shweta Tripathi Sharma, Rasika Dugal and others. Read more: Mirzapur 3: Pankaj Tripathi excited to play Kaleen bhaiya again After Amazon Prime Video team started teasing about Mirzapur 3, fans are eagerly waiting for development on the upcoming season. Now, actor Ali Fazal dropped a major hint about the series and it is somehow related to Panchayat 3, according to an Indian media outlet. A fan tagged Fazal in a post on X writing that he wants to skip Panchayat 3 as he only wis

PTI bigwigs ‘consider’ handing over party affairs to KP leadership

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ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder has been advised to give key roles in the party affairs to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa leadership, ARY News reported citing sources. The sources revealed that party founder Imran Khan is ‘not happy’ with central leadership in the current situation. Imran Khan has started consultation with senior leaders in this regard. The sources privy to the development said that one of the key roles might be assigned to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur without appointing him to central position in the party. The sources said that Imran Khan is quite pleased with the performance of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s media team. Earlier, PTI spokesman Raoof Hassan said that efforts were being made to keep the PTI founder in jail, lamenting the delay in the ruling on iddat case against former premier Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi. Hasan also claimed that the PTI founder is being targeted through false cases and efforts were being made

Jeremy Renner joins Knives Out 3 in first movie role post accident

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Avengers’ actor Jeremy Renner joined the cast of Netflix’s Knives Out 3 in first movie role post his snowplow accident. While the actor filmed Mayor of Kingstown a year after the accident, Knives Out: Wake Up Dead Man will be his first movie project, Variety reported. Daniel Craig is reprising his role of detective Benoit Blanc from the first two movies while new cast members include Glenn Close, Andrew Scott, Kerry Washington, Josh O’Connor and Cailee Spaeny. Directed by Rian Johnson, Knives Out 3 is set for release in 2025. Read more: Andrew Scott, Kerry Washington join Knives Out 3 cast Last week, Johnson announced that the movie is set to begin production soon. Written and directed by Rian Johnson, the plot and details of Knives Out 3: Wake Up Dead Man have been kept in secret by Netflix, however, Daniel Craig has teased that the movie will see Blanc trying to solve “most dangerous case yet.” The first Knives Out movie released in 2019 was a massive hit grossing $312 millio

K-Electric accused of overbilling govt institutions

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KARACHI: Sindh Energy Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that K-Electric has overbilled the provincial government by billions of rupees over the past 10 years, ARY News reported In a statement issued here, the energy minister said that K-Electric has charged the Sindh government’s departments an additional Rs 20 billion during the last 10 years. “An audit conducted revealed an overbilling of over Rs 2 billion during last year alone,” Syed Nasir Hussain Shah added. The energy minister went on to say that to prevent overbilling, the provincial government had also billions of rupees to the KE for the installation of smart meters but to no avail. “The KE has yet to install smart meters at Sindh government’s departments despite receiving billions of rupees,” Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said. The minister said that smart meters would have provided real-time data and prevented overbilling. “What will be the state of citizens when government institutions are overcharged for billions of r

Oman to open visas for Bangladeshi nationals in 12 categories

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MUSCAT: The government of Oman government announced granting visas to citizens of Bangladesh in 12 categories including family visas, local media reported citing Chairman of Bangladesh Social Club Oman Sirajul Haque. An Oman media outlet reported that the arrivals of Bangladeshi nationals in the country decreased by more than half since October 31, 2023. The government of Oman forbade the issuing of visas for Bangladesh citizens in any capacity in October 2023. The Royal Oman Police had halted the issuing of visas for citizens of Bangladesh in all categories via a circular that was released on October 31. The Royal Oman Police in a recent statement said, “The ROP, within its review of the policies for obtaining some types of visas, announces the suspension of the conversion of all types of tourist and visit visas to work visas for all nationalities coming to the Sultanate of Oman, as well as the issuance of all types of new visas for Bangladeshi citizens, effective Tuesday (October

Indian capital New Delhi records highest-ever temperature

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NEW DELHI: Temperatures in India’s capital soared to a record-high 49.9 degrees Celsius (121.8 Fahrenheit) on Tuesday, the government’s weather bureau said. The India Meteorological Department (IMD), which reported “severe heat-wave conditions”, recorded the temperatures at two Delhi suburbs stations at Narela and Mungeshpur. Forecasters predict similar temperatures on Wednesday. In May 2022, parts of Delhi hit 49.2 degrees Celsius (120.5 Fahrenheit), Indian media reported at the time. India is no stranger to searing summer temperatures. Years of scientific research have found climate change is causing heatwaves to become longer, more frequent and more intense. New Delhi authorities have also warned of the risk of water shortages as the capital swelters in an intense heatwave — cutting supplies to some areas. Water Minister Atishi Marlena has called for “collective responsibility” to stop wasteful water use, the Times of India newspaper reported Wednesday. “To address the prob

Saudia to host family members of Palestinian victims for Hajj

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King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques passed directives to host 2,322 Hajj pilgrims including 1,000 family members of the martyrs, prisoners, and wounded Palestinians, local media reported. According to a kingdom media outlet, 22 family members of conjoined twins who were separated in the Kingdom will also be hosted by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs. The other 1300 pilgrims are from 88 countries around the globe. The hosting is part of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud’s Guests Program for Hajj, Umrah and Visit, which is being implemented by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs. The program has hosted over 60,000 pilgrims since it began 26 years ago. Minister of Islamic Affairs and General Supervisor of the Program Sheikh Abdullatif Al-Sheikh said that the hosting is a continuation of the excellent job that the astute leadership has been doing for Islam and Muslims. He said that the program also  highlights the Kingdom’s distinguished role in the I

‘Heeramandi’ actress slammed for calling co-star ‘school girl’

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Sharmin Segal, the ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’ actress, who is being criticisied on social media for her acting in the series, is once again slammed by the netizens but this time for calling her co-star a ‘school girl’. In her interview shared on Reddit, Sharmin Segal called Aditi Rao Hydari, her colleague actress in the series, a ‘school girl’, local media reported. Sharmin Segal is heard saying in the interview, ” Aditi Rao is a good schoolgirl, please understand that”. She went on to say that if a teacher asks Aditi Rao to submit homework at a certain time, she would do that. The actress added that her colleague co-star would only follow instructions given and wouldn’t do anything extra. “Aditi Rao will do that but not one word more than the word count limit. That’s Aditi for you. So, in her view, everyone else is late and she is always on time,” Sharmin Segal. Her remarks however did not please the netizens who took a jibe at her. A social media user commented, “I just

Banks to remain closed on Tuesday

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KARACHI: Following the government announcement to observe a public holiday on May 28, 2024, all banks remain closed for public dealing on Tuesday across the country, ARY News reported on Monday. On the occasion of “Youm-e-Takbeer”, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) issued a statement announcing the closure of banks across the country as declared by the government. Earlier in the day, the incumbent government announced a public holiday on May 28 (Tuesday) to mark the historic day, ‘Youm-e-Takbeer’, when Pakistan emerged as an atomic power. In a statement, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the ‘Youm-e-Takbeer’ is a reminder of the country’s unshakeable commitment to its defense and sovereignty. “On this day, we unite under the green and white flag to celebrate our nation’s unwavering resolve,” the prime minister added. He highlighted the significance of May 28, 1998, when Pakistan successfully conducted nuclear tests, making its defense invincible. “We will continue to work t

Nicki Minaj apologises over postponed concert following arrest

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Singer Nicki Minaj issued an apology after her concert was postponed following her arrest in Amsterdam for allegedly carrying drugs. Her concert scheduled for Manchester in England was postponed after the Anaconda rapper, 41, was detained in Amsterdam for allegedly carrying drugs, Deadline reported on Sunday. Later, Minaj in a post on X thanked “everyone who prayed for me today. May God cover you & all that is connected to you. May you be blessed beyond your imagination.” “Please please please accept my deepest & most sincere apologies,” she wrote. According to Nicki Minaj , she sat “in a jail cell for 5-6 hours,” adding that at the time of posting, she had just arrived in Manchester a little over an hour earlier. Read more: Woman arrested for supplying drugs in Islamabad educational institutes She was scheduled to perform in Manchester as part of her Pink Friday 2 World Tour, however, a day earlier, Minaj went live on Instagram and broadcast footage that appeared to sho

Karachi police foil milk smuggling attempt worth Rs3m

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KARACHI: Maripur police of Karachi on Saturday successfully foiled the smuggling attempt involving Iranian dry milk worth more than Rs 3 million, ARY News reported. The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Keamari, Faizan Ali, stated that a truck carrying a total of 100 sacks, weighing 2,500 kilograms, of smuggled dry milk was seized. Earlier this month, the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) while conducting seven operations across the country managed to recover 47 kg of drugs and arrested 12 suspects. He informed that 600 grams of heroin was recovered from a parcel booked for the UK at a courier office in Sialkot. 13 kg heroin was recovered from two suspects arrested near M-1 Motorway Islamabad. 10 kg opium and 320 grams weed were recovered from three accused netted on M-8 Gwadar. 10 kg of Ice was recovered from three Afghans held in the Torkham area while 8 kg of heroin was recovered from two suspects rounded up near Divine Garden Lahore. 4 kg of heroin was recovered from an accused

PTI top brass summoned in intra-party elections case

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ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has summoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) top leadership after raising further objections to recently-held intra-party elections, ARY News reported on Friday. The electoral watchdog has issued a notice to Imran Khan-founded party and summoned PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Raoof Hasan, who was the election commissioner in party’s intra-party polls, on May 30. The notice seeks PTI’s response to the commission’s inquiry into the internal electoral process. The election commission had already sent a detailed questionnaire to PTI, seeking information about the party’s intra-party elections. Earlier in May, the ECP raised further objections to PTI intra-party elections , questioning the party’s status after ‘losing organisational structure’. On December 22, 2023, the ECP stripped the PTI of its election symbol due to irregularities in its intra-party elections. The Supreme Court later upheld the ECP order, forcing the pa

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs faces new sexual assault allegations

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Rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs was hit with another lawsuit by woman alleging that he sexually assaulted her multiple times. The complainant identified as April Lampros filed the lawsuit in New York on May 23 claiming that the rapper subjected her to sexual assault and gender-motivated violence for several years in 1990s, according to a report by The Hollywood Reporter. According to Lampros, she met Combs in 1994 when she was 21 years old and was enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York to study. April Lampros, 51, claimed that Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs gave her gifts with promises to help her succeed in the fashion industry. However, Lampros alleged that the rapper started abusing her in 1995. Read more: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ ex Casandra Ventura reacts after assault video In her complain, she alleged Combs of raping and drugging her, and forcing to perform sexual activities without consent. “Ms. Lampros vocally opposed this idea, but Mr. Combs quickly reminded her that sh

Pakistan registers surge in poverty rate: report

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ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) on Friday disclosed an alarming increase in the national poverty rate over the past five years, risen from 38.6 percent to 39.5 percent, ARY News reported. As per the PIDE research report, Balochistan is the most affected province with 70 percent of its population living below the poverty line, while, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) a 48 percent of the population faces poverty. In Sindh, 45 percent of people are living in poverty, while Punjab has a relatively lower rate at 30 percent. The report highlighted a clear difference in the poverty rate between rural and urban areas, with rural areas suffer with a 51 percent of poverty rate compared to 17 percent in urban areas across the country. Additionally, the report further revealed that 26.5 percent of Pakistan’s population lives under substandard condition, while the 49.4 percent of the population deprived of quality education. However, a total of 24.1 percent people are l

Chris Hemsworth talks his kids’ involvement in Furiosa’s filming

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Furiosa star Chris Hemsworth has revealed that his kids were present throughout the filming of the Mad Max prequel. “They’re like, ‘Give me a shot! I want to jump in there, jump in the truck and the bike,’ and so on,” he said during an interview on Friday. The Thor actor and his wife Elsa Pataky share three children named India Rose Hemsworth, 12, and twin boys Sasha Hemsworth and Tristan Hemsworth, both 10. “They were there on the set… I know it’s not a kid’s movie, but they’ve seen it all,” said Hemsworth. “It’s sort of like the smoke and mirrors of it all. It’s a complete illusion, it’s like a Halloween party for them. They were laughing through the bits that they’re supposed to be terrified in.” Chris Hemsworth’s children were also given seats in the front row to Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, a prequel to 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road. Read more: Anya Taylor-Joy reveals shocking details about filming Furiosa The actor’s costar Anya Taylor-Joy said that Hemsworth’s kids were future st

Man arrested for making wife’s obscene videos makes shocking revelations

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KARACHI: A man, who was arrested for allegedly making obscene videos of his wife for dark websites, made shocking revelations, ARY News reported. During the interrogation, the suspect said that he was contacted by the website operators via WhatsApp. The accused added in his statement that that he is unsure of how the proprietor of the website obtained his WhatsApp number. The suspect added that he had installed a camera in the bathroom to record videos of his wife two years ago but later removed. He added that he did not did not upload any videos of his wife to the website. The police said that the suspect’s wife alleged that he was pressurising her to have relations with his friends. According to the police, the suspect’s wife said that he had also tried to make obscene videos of thier daughter. The police are investigating the suspect’s mobile phone and laptop. Earlier, the District Central Police of Karachi arrested the suspect, claiming to be affiliated with the international

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ ex Casandra Ventura reacts after assault video

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Singer Casandra Ventura, also known as Cassie, thanked her family and fans for their support after a video emerged showing rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs assaulting her. “The outpouring of love has created a place for my younger self to settle and feel safe now, but this is only the beginning. Domestic Violence is THE issue. It broke me down to someone I never thought I would become,” she said in a statement on Thursday. According to Casandra Ventura, she is doing better, however, she said that she will always be recovering from her past. “Thank you to everyone that has taken the time to take this matter seriously,” Cassie said after the release of the 2016 video showing Combs thrashing her. Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has since admitted to have assaulted his then girlfriend and issued an apology. Read more: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs admits beating ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura “It’s so difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, but sometimes you gotta do that,” Combs said in an Instag

PTI headquarters partially demolished, office sealed in operation

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ISLAMABAD: In a move to eliminate illegal construction in Islamabad, the anti-encroachment team of Capital Development Authority (CDA) initiated an encroachment operation at the head office of Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), ARY News reported on Thursday. According to the details, the anti-encroachment team, accompanied by the district administration, has reached and sealed the PTI head office located at Sector G8/4. Heavy machinery along with police personnel have been deployed outside the PTI central office, meanwhile, the CDA officials stated that the illegal constructions of offices belonging to political parties are being demolished. The plot on which the PTI office is established is under scrutiny, as it is allotted to an individual named Sartaj Ali. However, significant encroachments have been made by occupying adjacent land, including the construction of an additional floor in violation of building by-laws. As part of an anti-encroachment operation, a portion of the PTI headquarte

Major reshuffle in bureaucracy

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ISLAMABAD: In a major reshuffling, the federal government transferred and posted several top officers of the federal bureaucracy. According to notifications issued by the Establishment Division, Hasanat Qureshi has been appointed as Managing Director (MD) of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PEPRA). A 21-grade officer Hasanat Qureshi was serving as the financial advisor at the Pakistan Ordnance Factories. Secretary National Heritage Hassan Nasir has been given additional charge of Secretary Information. Similarly, the services of Hasan Raza, a Police Service officer of Grade 20, have been given to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. Mian Saeed Ahmed, a Police Service officer, has also been directed to report to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. As per the notification, the services of Asif Iqbal Mehmood have been handed over to the Gilgit-Baltistan government. Saudur Rehman, a Police Service officer, has been transferred to the Balochistan government. Earlier on March

No ‘major breakthrough’ in meeting between JUI-F, PTI-led opposition

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ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-a-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazalur Rehman said that on national issues, the priorities of political parties should be the same, ARY News reported Speaking to the media in Islamabad along with a delegation of the Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayeen-e-Pakistan that called on hint at his residence, Maulana Fazalur Rehman said that improving relationships and removing bitterness is the need of the hour. Although the meeting did not result in a major breakthrough, all the parties agreed to continue their interaction for future strategy. The JUI-F chief said that they welcomed the delegation which came with a ‘positive message’. He said that the meeting mainly focused at having a ‘united’ stance on national issues. “The Constitution and parliament of Pakistan are losing dignity while the democracy is losing its case. We should have one voice in parliament,” Maulana Fazalur Rehman added. Speaking on the occasion, Opposition Leader in National Assembly Omar Ayub ex

RCB register unwanted record in IPL history

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Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) posted an unwanted record in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) after losing IPL 2024 Eliminator to Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday. RR defeated RCB by four wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. With this defeat, RCB has become the only team to have lost most matches in the knockout stage after playing 15 playoff matches. They now hold the record for losing most matches in the knockout with losing 10 games while winning five in playoffs. Read more: Heartbroken MS Dhoni skips Handshakes with RCB players, Virat Kohli Then Does This Batting first, RCB managed to score 172 over the loss of eight wickets in 20 overs. Rajat Patidar was the highest run-getter for Royal Challengers Bengaluru scoring 34 off 22 deliveries while star batter Virat Kohli made 33 taking 24 balls. For Rajasthan Royals, Avesh Khan took three wickets while Ravichandran Ashwin got two RCB batters out. Chasing a target of 173, RR opener Yasha

Missing Bangladeshi lawmaker found murdered in India: minister

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DHAKA: A member of Bangladesh’s ruling party was found murdered in India’s city of Kolkata on Wednesday morning, more than a week after the lawmaker went missing, Bangladeshi Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said. Anwarul Azim Anar, 56, who won his third consecutive term in a constituency in the border district of Jhenaidah from the Awami League party, went missing on May 13, a day after going to India for medical treatment, according to his relatives. Khan told reporters that three Bangladeshis were arrested over the lawmaker’s death. Bangladesh police and Kolkata police were conducting a joint probe and could not “disclose all information at the moment for the sake of the investigation,” he said. Indian police told Reuters on Wednesday that a murder case had been registered in the matter and the lawmaker’s body was yet to be recovered. “We have secured video footage from the housing complex where he was staying during the visit…some blood stains were also seen during the investig

NAB case: PTI founder wants to appear before SC ‘in person’

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ISLAMABAD: Incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan on Wednesday moved Supreme Court (SC), seeking permission to appear in ‘personal capacity’ in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) amendment case. Sources told ARY News that the deposed prime minister has sent a written request to the Chief Justice, seeking permission to appear before SC in person in the case. The request has been forwarded to the Supreme Court through the Adiala jail administration. The apex court has fixed May 30 for the hearing of the NAB amendment case. In the last hearing, PTI founder Imran Khan appeared before the Supreme Court (SC) bench via video link after a five-member bench okayed his appearance. in the National Accountability (NAB) Ordinance 1999 amendment case. Review petitions The federal government filed the review plea in the NAB amendments case under the SC Practice and Procedure Law and made the Federation of Pakistan, National Accountability Bureau and PTI founder respondents. Read more:  Ju

Saudi crown prince okays MoUs with Pakistan on energy, counter-terrorism

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JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman approved bilateral agreements with Pakistan to enhance cooperation in the energy sector and counter-terrorism, local media reported. According to the kingdom media outlet, Mohammed bin Salman gave the approvals while chairing a weekly session of the Council of Ministers in Jeddah on Tuesday. Minister of Media Salman Al Dosary said that during the session, the Council of Ministers reviewed the government’s recent initiatives, including the efforts to boost bilateral and multilateral partnerships in a number of sectors with friendly countries and to strengthen regional and international cooperation. Salman Al Dosary said that the cabinet authorised the minister of energy or his deputy to negotiate and finalise a draft memorandum of understanding (MoU) for energy cooperation with Pakistan. The minister said that the session chaired by the crown prince and prime minister also approved an agreement between the

Aditya Chopra makes startling revelations about Dhoom movie bikes

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Bollywood filmmaker Aditya Chopra surprised everyone with startling revelations about the bikes’ cost and actors’ salaries in Dhoom movie. In a Netflix documentary series, the Yash Raj Films head revealed that he prioritised the heavy bikes in his 2004 action flick over the lead actors’ pay. “In Dhoom, I spent more money on bikes than on Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham, and Uday Chopra,” he recalled. Dhoom revolves around a thief named Kabir played by John Abraham who heads a bike gang to commit daring heists in Mumbai. Read more: ‘Vedaa’: John Abraham’s new look has fans in awe The gang, notorious for leaving police surprised with their quick escape, are then confronted by a police officer named Jai Dixit played by Abhishek Bachchan. The action movie, directed by Sanjay Gadhvi, became an instant hit as soon as it hit theaters in 2004 and turned Abraham into a giant star. On experimenting with the movie, Aditya Chopra said that he envisioned Dhoom as a blend by combining the st

PM Shehbaz expresses satisfaction over economic situation

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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday while expressing satisfaction over the economic situation of the country, said that from day first, they had been working to provide facilities to the private sector for the economic development, provision of job opportunities and expansion of businesses and investment. He observed that due to the government’s policies, the inflation rate in the country was on the nosedive and through governance they had been taking steps to pass on the effects of the reduction in the price hike to the common man. The prime minister expressed these views while chairing the first meeting of the Economic Advisory Council, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release. The meeting was attended by council members including Jahangir Khan Tareen, Saqib Sherazi, Shahzad Saleem, Mussadiq Zulqarnain, Dr Ejaz Nabi, Asif Pir, Zaid Bashir, Salman Ahmed and Sheharyar Chishti. Federal Ministers Ahad Khan Cheema, Ahsan Iqbal, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Ali Pervaiz

Afghanistan hire T20 expert Dwayne Bravo as bowling consultant

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KABUL: Afghanistan Tuesday roped in former West Indian allrounder and the leading wicket taker in Twenty20 cricket Dwayne Bravo as their bowling consultant for next month’s ICC T20 World Cup 2024. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said Bravo will be an asset for the team. “West Indian World Cup winner Bravo has been appointed as bowling consultant and will join the squad during the preparation camp ahead of the marquee event,” the ACB release said. Most members of the Afghanistan team have reached the Caribbean for a 10-day preparatory camp where Bravo will also join them. The 40-year-old is currently the leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket with 625 wickets in 573 games and was regarded as one of the pioneers of bowling in the shortest format. Afghanistan will play warm-up games against Oman on May 29 and Scotland two days later. They are in a tough Group C with co-hosts West Indies, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Uganda in ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Their first World Cup mat

Punjab Assembly passes Defamation Bill 2024

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LAHORE: Amid strong protest from the opposition benches, the Punjab Assembly on Monday passed the ‘controversial’ Defamation Bill 2024, aimed at curbing the spread of fake news across print, electronic, and social media platforms, ARY News reported. The assembly witnessed a ruckus when Punjab’s Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman tabled the ‘controversial’ bill, while the journalists boycotted the proceedings to register their protest. The bill addresses the pervasive issue of misinformation on social media platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Under the bill, defamation case can be filed on those spreading ‘fake news’. The bill also proposes a fine of up to Rs3 million and special tribunals to hear defamation cases, which will be required to deliver verdicts within six months. It also mentioned that in cases of allegations against individuals holding constitutional posts, the high court will hear the cases. According to the

Heartbroken MS Dhoni skips Handshakes with RCB players, Virat Kohli Then Does This

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The cricket fans are hoping that the clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru isn’t the last match of MS Dhoni in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The match set up for MS Dhoni to finish, especially after he smashed the first ball of the final over for six, the RCB’s Yash Dayal managed to dismissed the former CSK captain on second delivery, turning the match in RCB’s favor. However, a demoralizing video has emerged on social media, showcasing post-match scenes where Dhoni skipped shaking hands with RCB players and returned to the dressing room. On his way back, he did shake hands with some members of RCB’s support staff and a few bench players. Dhoni didn’t come on ground for handshake Then kohli goes in the csk camp to meet him pic.twitter.com/FkEfHhJzrD — Vir8 (@wronggfooted) May 19, 2024 Critics suggested that Dhoni should learn to handle loss with grace, pointing out that if Virat Kohli had done the same, many would have called him egoistic. It remains unclear if Dho

Man arrested for ‘printing’ fake currency notes

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A 26-year-old man has been arrested in Navi Mumbai, India for allegedly printing and distributing counterfeit currency, local police confirmed. According to the Central Unit of the Crime Branch of Navi Mumbai police, a suspect named Praful Govind Patil was for his ‘involvement’ in producing fake currency notes currency. He allegedly discovered on YouTube how to create counterfeit banknotes by viewing instructional videos. The Central Unit of the Crime Branch seized 1,443 counterfeit currency notes valued at INR 200,000 from Patil’s residence. The police reports indicated that Patil had already disseminated over INR 100,000 into the market within the past six weeks. The Central Unit of the Crime Branch seized 1,443 counterfeit notes worth INR 200,000 from Praful Govind Patil’s apartment. The recovered currency notes included 574 of Rs 50, 33 of Rs 100, and 856 of Rs 200. The police said that in order to overcome the financial crisis, the suspect discovered on YouTube how to create

Three foreigners among four killed in Afghanistan

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KABUL: A firing incident was reported from the central Afghanistan, resulted in the deaths of four people, including three foreigners, ARY News reported on Friday. The Taliban officials released an official statement, confirming the death of three foreigners, including a women, along with an Afghan citizen in the gun attack. A spokesman for the Taliban’s interior ministry disclosed that seven other people, including four foreign nationals were wounded in the attack. The attacker managed to flee from the scene, meanwhile, the law enforcers arrested four suspects at the scene in Bamyan province, for their alleged involvement in the attack. However, no one claimed responsibility for the attack. The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021 as U.S. and NATO forces were in the final weeks of their withdrawal from the country after 20 years of war. from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/S7YMelV

Constitution should be followed in ‘letter and spirit’: Fazlur Rehman

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BHAKKAR: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazalur Rehman once again lambasted over alleged rigging and said that those who had no role in the polls ‘played’ a key part in the general elections 2024, ARY News reported. In a statement, Maulana Fazalur Rehman said that the general elections 2024 were ‘rigged’. “Those who had a role in holding the elections did nothing and the ones who have nothing to do with the polls played a key role,” he added. He said that the JUI-F is a big political party and was defeated with a ‘massive’ rigging in the general elections held on February 8. Maulana Fazalur Rehman said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the JUI-F are different political parties and have own narratives. “When we (JUI-F and PTI) sit together, only then we could decide whether or not we can form an alliance,” he added. Maulana Fazalur Rehman said that if the country is to be run well, the ‘political government’ ‘should be formed. He said that Pakistan has a constitut

Facilitator of foreign human smuggler gang arrested in Punjab

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The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Thursday conducted an operation in Gujranwala and arrested a human trafficker involved in the abduction of Pakistani nationals in Iran, ARY News reported. The FIA spokesperson in a statement asserted that the facilitator, named Atif Bilal, of the international human trafficker gang has been arrested from Hafizabad area of Gujranwala. The arrested accused used to receive ransom money from the family members of the abducted Pakistani citizens and transferred it to Iran through hawala/hundi channels. The spokesperson added that the aforementioned gang was being operated from Iran. While recounting the operations of the gang, the FIA spokesperson revealed that the gang used to deceive citizens by promising employment opportunities in Iraq. The FIA representative further added that the citizens trapped by the said gang were abducted in Iran. The human trafficker gang also used to make videos of torture abducted citizens to received ransom mon

Complete ban on plastic bags to be enforced from June

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LAHORE: The Punjab government reiterated its commitment to eliminate plastic bags, announcing a complete ban on the use of all types of shopping bags and polythene bags from June 6, ARY News reported.   Speaking at Punjab Assembly floor today, provincial Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq said that the decision has been taken on the directives of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and a comprehensive cleanliness plan will be launched in the next four months. According to Zeshan Rafiq, the cleanliness system will be implemented at the tehsil level, and waste will be collected from every household. “The streets will be cleaned daily, and nearly 100,000 new jobs will be created under the new system,” he noted. The Minister also announced that landfill sites are being established in Punjab for the purpose of dumping waste, and over 2,000 water supply schemes have been closed due to contamination. Plastic pollution poses a significant threat to land, water and air quality, exacerbating e

Foolproof security plan prepared for Karachi’s cattle market

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KARACHI: The law enforcers have prepared a foolproof security plan for the Karachi Cattle market established at Northern Bypass, ARY News reported on Tuesday. According to reports, the largest temporary cattle market for Eid-ul-Adha 2024 has been set up in Karachi’s Northern Bypass area. Traders from various regions, including Sindh, Punjab, and other parts of the country, have begun arriving at the site. This year, special security measures have been implemented for citizens intending to visit the cattle market. The cattle market management, along with senior police officers, has devised a foolproof plan to ensure the safety of visitors. The system of street lights on the main roads leading to the cattle market, Northern Bypass, Gulshan Maymar and Gadap are being made effective to ensure safe night traffic. Police and Rangers checkpoints are also being constructed on these routes, while operations will also be conducted to suppress the criminal elements in the adjacent areas. Ac

After intra-party polls, PTI’s status comes under ECP’s radar

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ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has raised further objections to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) intra-party elections, questioning the party’s status after ‘losing organisational structure’, ARY News reported on Monday. On December 22, 2023, the ECP stripped the PTI of its election symbol due to irregularities in its intra-party elections. The Supreme Court later upheld the ECP order, forcing the party to field its candidates as independents in the Feb 8 general elections. After the general elections, the party once again conducted its intra-party elections on March 3. The party now demands that the ECP issue its notification. However, the ECP has once again raised objections to the new party polls and sent a two-page questionnaire to the Imran-founded party. The electoral watchdog questioned the current “status” of the PTI as a political party, noting that the party did not hold intra-party elections within five years, in accordance with Section 208(1). “Henc