MR News

U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy for the conflict in Ukraine met President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv on Thursday but there was no immediate word on whether their talks had helped smooth over an unprecedented wartime rift between the once firm allies. Zelenskiy had earlier struck a conciliatory tone after accusing Trump of repeating Russian disinformation in response to the U.S. president’s accusation that Ukraine had started the three-year-old war with Russia. Trump went on to refer to Zelenskiy as a “dictator” who should act fast or lose Ukraine. Trump, in office for just a month, is pushing for a quick deal to end the war and has alarmed Washington’s European allies by leaving them and Ukraine out of initial talks with Russia. His vice president, JD Vance, said on Thursday he believed that an end to the conflict was near and there was no stopping the war without speaking to Russia. Trump’s Ukraine and Russia envoy Keith Kellogg said on arriving in Kyiv on Wednesday that he...

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has planned to deregulate petroleum product prices, a move that has been met with resistance from the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association. In a letter to Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik, the association expressed concerns that deregulation would lead to an increase in the sale of smuggled Iranian oil and non-standard fuel in the country. The association argued that deregulation would compromise the investments made by petroleum dealers, who have invested billions in the sector. They emphasized that any decision should be made in consultation with stakeholders, as was previously agreed upon. Under the proposed plan, oil marketing companies (OMCs) would be allowed to sell fuel at competitive prices, enabling them to increase their market share. A price ceiling would be established to ensure price stability. Additionally, the government plans to permit oil refineries to blend up to 5% ethanol in petroleum products to reduce fuel costs. The P...

KARACHI: Pakistani opener Fakhar Zaman was seen bursting into tears in emotions after being ruled out of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 due to a an injury. The explosive batter sustained an injury while fielding in the first over of Pakistan’s game against New Zealand in Karachi on February 19. The incident occurred in the first over of the fixture when Fakhar Zaman fell awkwardly during the fielding and got hurt. Following his injury, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that the batter was being examined for a muscular sprain. Fakhar Zaman, not looking entirely fit, came in to bat at number four, but failed to leave a mark, managing a mere 24 runs off 41 deliveries, with Michael Bracewell ultimately claiming his wicket. In a video shared by Pakistan Cricket Board on its official social media account, Fakhar Zaman could be seen limping to dressing room where he burst into tears. His teammate Shaheen Shah Afridi could also been in the video, trying to comfort the tearful b...

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 got off to a great start in Karachi with several moments capturing attention and Glenn Phillips’ catch to dismiss Muhammad Rizwan is one of them. New Zealand’s Glenn Philllips took a spectacular one-handed catch to send Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan back to pavilion during the inaugural match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at National Bank Stadium in Karachi. One of the highlights of the competition will be the gravity-defying performance of the New Zealand all-rounder’s fielding prowess. The one-handed grab rocked both the commentary panel and the fans. The incident happened when Pakistan was chasing New Zealand’s 321-run target. Muhammad Rizwan tried a cut shot off a short and wide ball from pacer Will O’Rourke in the 10 over.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by ICC (@icc) Glenn Phillips, who was positioned at backward point, sprang to his left and extended his arm to scoop the ball...

ASTANA: Archaeologists in Kazakhstan found a treasure trove of gold jewellery and weapons dating back to the 5th century BC. The artifacts were found in three burial mounds in the western Atyrau region and are believed to have been created by Sarmatian nomads. The excavation, led by archaeologist Marat Kasyanov, has yielded over 1,000 artifacts, including around 100 gold ornaments and jewelry made in the Sarmatian “animal style.” “Images of predatory animals found in the region at that time, such as leopards, wild boars and tigers, can be seen on these objects,” Kassenov said. These objects feature images of predatory animals such as leopards, wild boars, and tigers. The discovery includes a gold bracelet weighing approximately 370 grams, as well as pottery, and wooden touchstones with gold handles. Two human remains were also found during the excavation. The burial mounds, known as “kurgans,” are estimated to have been used for the burial of at least nine individuals. The find...

Actor Aubrey Plaza stepped out for the first time since the heartbreaking loss of her husband, filmmaker Jeff Baena. She attended the SNL50: The Anniversary Special event in New York City. She introduced musical guests Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard. However, Aubrey Plaza chose not to walk the red carpet before the SNL50 event, as reported by People . After Jeff Baena’s tragic passing, Aubrey Plaza also decided to delete her Instagram account. On January 13, her page displayed a message stating, “Sorry, this page isn’t available.” The message indicated that the page may have been removed or the link could be broken. Jeff Baena, known for his work as a writer and director, passed away at the age of 47 on January 3. His cause of death was reported as suicide. Read More: Famous filmmaker’s untimely death stuns fans, colleagues In a statement, Aubrey Plaza and Jeff Baena’s family expressed their deep sorrow, calling it an “unimaginable tragedy” and asking for privacy during this d...

Anubhav Singh Bassi is the latest stand-up comedian to face scrutiny after Samay Raina. Indian authorities have cancelled his Lucknow shows amid concerns linked to the India Got Latent controversy and backlash over Ranveer Allahbadia’s remarks. Authorities in India decided to cancel the events after Uttar Pradesh State Women’s Commission vice-chairperson Aparna Yadav raised objections against Anubhav Singh Bassi and wrote a letter to DGP. She urged officials to ensure that the performances by Anubhav Singh Bassi do not include offensive content or, if necessary, cancel them. The letter, dated February 14, highlighted concerns about the use of inappropriate language in Anubhav Singh Bassi’s past performances. Read More: Ranveer Allahbadia loses followers amid ‘India’s Got Latent’ controversy “It is our duty to maintain public decorum at events,” the letter stated. Following this, ACP Radha Raman Singh confirmed that the No Objection Certificate (NOC) for Anubhav Singh Bassi’s show...

A young woman who was seen celebrating after Tom Latham’s dismissal during the Pakistan vs New Zealand final in the tri-series has gone viral on social media. During the match, cameras captured her excitement after the New Zealand batter got out, and her reaction quickly went viral across various social media platforms. Now, details about the viral girl have surfaced. Reports claim that her name is Arifa Junaid Anjum, and she is an emerging model.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by arفا (@arifa_junaid_anjum) Arifa currently has 3,386 followers on Instagram, follows 17 accounts, and has shared 65 posts so far. After her pictures went viral, social media users have started calling her Pakistan’s new crush. It is worth mentioning that in the tri-series final, New Zealand defeated Pakistan by five wickets, successfully chasing the target of 243 runs with ease. Read More: New Zealand clinch tri-nation series with win ...

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif deposited the gifted Turkish electric car to Toshakhana on Friday, ARY News reported. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gifted Turkish-made electric cars “Togg” to President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The Togg SUVs were presented during Erdogan’s official visit to Pakistan, symbolizing the strong bilateral ties between the two nations. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif even took a test drive with Erdogan, getting a firsthand experience of the vehicle’s features. Toshakhana (treasure-house) is a governmental department in Pakistan which collects gifts received by public office holders. Earlier, Pakistan and Turkiye signed twenty-four Agreements, Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and Protocols to further enhance cooperation and cement relations in diverse fields between the two brotherly countries. The signing ceremony was held at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad on Thursday. The two sides exchanged four ...

U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a roadmap on Thursday for charging reciprocal tariffs on every country that charges duties on U.S. imports, his latest trade salvo directed at American friends and foes that the White House says will strengthen economic and national security. “Today is the big one: reciprocal tariffs,” Trump wrote on his social media platform ahead of his announcement. The tariffs were not going into effect on Thursday but could begin to be imposed within weeks as Trump’s trade and economic team study bilateral tariff and trade relationships, a White House official told reporters on a conference call. The administration would examine what it called the most “egregious” issues first, including countries with the biggest trade surpluses and highest tariff rates. Trump’s reciprocal tariffs would match the higher duty rates charged by other countries, the White House official said. They also would aim to counteract non-tariff trade barriers such as burdensome regul...

MUNICH: At least 28 people were hurt when a car driven by an Afghan asylum seeker ploughed into a crowd in Munich on Thursday in what the state premier said was probably an attack, putting security back in focus before next week’s federal election. The suspected attack came hours before international leaders including U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy were due to arrive in the southern German city for the Munich Security Conference. “We currently believe that we have at least 28 people injured, some of them seriously,” said a police spokesperson. Police said a white car had approached police vehicles that were accompanying a demonstration of striking workers, before speeding up and slamming into people. One shot was fired at the suspect and it was unclear if he was wounded, police added. Officers detained the 24-year-old driver. They said his motive was unclear. “It was probably an attack,” Bavaria state premier Markus Soeder told reporters....

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) expelled MNA Sher Afzal Marwat from the party over ‘repeated’ violations of code of conduct and discipline, ARY News reported. According to a notification issued by PTI Additional Secretary General Firdous Shamim Naqvi, the decision was made in line with the instructions of PTI founder Imran Khan. The decision was taken following a review of Marwat’s response to the show-cause notice issued to him, the notification read. Meanwhile speaking during ARY News programme, 11th Hour hosted by Waseem Badami, Firdous Shamim Naqvi said that the party had issued three show-cause notices to Sher Afzal Marwat, citing his failure to maintain party discipline. According to PTI’s additional secretary general, Marwat promised to uphold party discipline but has since made statements against party leaders and violated party policy. Firdous Shamim Naqvi said that the PTI has also decided to revoke Sher Afzal Marwat’s MNA seat. “The PTI will also approach th...

Former Australia captain Aaron Finch reacted to Marcus Stoinis’ sudden decision to announce retirement from one one-day international (ODI) format after being initially selected in the team for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Aaron Finch did not seem impressed with Marcus Stoinis, saying he should have informed the selection panel about his intention to abandon the 50-over format way earlier. “When you’ve had the faith put in you by the selection, the coach and theAron captain – maybe a little bit more of a heads up? Saying, ‘You know, this is what I am thinking.’ I would be surprised if it was an off the cuff decision as well, I am sure there would have been planning down the track, there would have been conversations between Andrew McDonald and Marcus Stoinis to try to get to the decision,” the former Aussie captain stated. Australia had to quickly find Marcus Stoinis’ replacement. With the likes of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Marsh missing out due to injuri...

A new app called Pinksky is making waves by bringing an Instagram-like experience to Bluesky users on Android. While Instagram remains a top choice for photo sharing, many users are exploring alternatives, and Pinksky is stepping in to fill the gap. This app, which was already available on iOS, now offers Android users a familiar interface similar to Instagram, but built on the Bluesky network. Unlike Instagram, Pinksky runs on Bluesky’s open technology, allowing users to connect with their existing social circles without being tied to a centralized platform. Read More: Instagram unveils new video editing app “Edits” for creators The app provides a photo-first experience, giving users a way to share and engage with pictures and videos just like they do on Instagram. However, there are some limitations, as Bluesky currently only supports up to four photos per post and videos up to one minute long. Pinksky was created by developer Ramon Souza, who has a strong background in web t...

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s sugar exports to Afghanistan recorded a whopping increase of 4332% in the first seven months of FY 2024-25, ARY News reported on Monday. According to the official figures, from July to January, Pakistan’s sugar exports to Afghanistan reached $262.68 million compared with $5.93 million during the corresponding period in 2023. Pakistani sugar exports to Afghanistan increased by $256.76 million Year-Over-Year (YOY). This massive increase has made sugar the largest contributor to Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan. Since December, sugar prices have increased by Rs26 per kg, and last year, profiteers pushed rates up to Rs180 per kg. According to Wholesale Grocers Association Chairman Rauf Ibrahim, sugar prices in the wholesale market have climbed to Rs150 per kg, while advance deals for March have reached Rs152/kg. Traders claim that the hoarding mafia is active, and with Ramazan approaching, there is a serious risk of further price hikes. Pakistan’s monthly sugar...

As the Super Bowl weekend approached, Marvel fans were eagerly anticipating new trailers for its upcoming films like Thunderbolts and The Fantastic Four.  With Captain America: Brave New World already set to hit theatres on February 14, 2025, all eyes were on Thunderbolts and The Fantastic Four: First Steps to see if they would get the spotlight. But just a few days before the Big Game, Marvel surprised fans by dropping the first trailer for The Fantastic Four, leaving Thunderbolts as the last hope for a major Super Bowl reveal. Marvel didn’t disappoint, releasing the second trailer for Thunderbolts, which is shaping up to be a thrilling Avengers-like crossover. The new trailer ups the game from the first, offering fans a glimpse of the team of misfits who must band together to face an enormous, looming threat. While we’ve known for a while that Thunderbolts would follow a similar formula to Warner’s Suicide Squad, the new trailer finally introduces a more detailed look at ...

DUBAI: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said that Pakistan has attained macroeconomic stability in the past year with the assistance of the International Monetary Fund programme (IMF). Speaking to investors and business leaders in Pakistan in Dubai, PM Shehbaz said that the macroeconomic underpinnings of the country’s economy have steadily improved over the past year, with January’s inflation rate of 2.4% and the month-to-month policy rate of the bank at 12%.He clarified that exports had increased from the previous year and that foreign remittances had reached a record three billion dollars. The prime minister, who is on a two-day official to United Arab Emirates (UAE)  to participate in the World Governments Summit (WGS) in Dubai, said the country would have to overcome tough economic challenges, adding the government is moving in the right direction with the goal to achieve economic growth. UAE, Saudi Arabia’s collaboration to extract mineral resources “Our effor...

JHELUM: In shocking incident of honour killing has taken place in Jhelum, where a 16-year-old girl was allegedly shot dead by her uncle, ARY News reported citing police. According to police reports, the man, who has since fled the scene, committed the heinous crime in the name of “honor”. The police have registered a case against the uncle on the complaint of the girl’s father. The victim was found dead on the road, with multiple gunshot wounds. Earlier last year, two sisters, who contracted free will marriages, were killed in the name of honour in Vehari. Read More: Couple shot dead in name of ‘honour’ The two sisters had married boys they loved against the wishes of their family. They were brought back due to a decision made by a “Panchayat,” according to the District Police Officer (DPO). The police said that the sisters were killed by their father, brother, and uncle in honour killing. The incident occurred within the limits of Machiwal police station. The sisters had been ...

NBC’s legendary sketch comedy show, “Saturday Night Live,” is preparing for a historic milestone as it celebrates 50 years of making audiences laugh. The highly anticipated SNL anniversary special is set to be a grand event, packed with A-list celebrities, including comedy icon Dave Chappelle, who will be making a special appearance. For five decades, “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) has remained a cultural phenomenon, shaping late-night comedy with its sharp satire, unforgettable sketches, and legendary guest hosts. To honor its legacy, NBC will air a live three-hour primetime special on Sunday, February 16, 2025, from 8 to 11 p.m ET. While many details are still under wraps, NBC has confirmed an exciting lineup of stars who will take part in the celebration. Among them is Dave Chappelle, whose past appearances on Saturday Night Live (SNL) have always been headline-worthy. Read More: Sabrina Carpenter teams up with Dolly Parton for Short n’ Sweet deluxe edition He will be joined by...

Netflix has just dropped its latest crime thriller, and it’s already creating waves among viewers. If you’re a fan of suspenseful mysteries with a chilling Nordic backdrop, The Are Murders (The Åre Murders) might be your next binge-worthy obsession. This limited series , based on the books by Swedish author Viveca Sten, is packed with gripping twists, a strange small-town setting, and enough intrigue to keep you hooked from start to finish. The Are Murders takes place in the breathtaking yet unsettling town of Åre, Sweden, where a young girl mysteriously disappears after a local festival. As the investigation unfolds, police officer Hanna Ahlander (played by Carla Sehn) finds herself drawn into a case that quickly spirals into something far more sinister. Read More: Netflix’s “One Piece” season 2 release date confirmed but with twist Partnering with local detective Daniel Lindkog (Kardo Razzazi), Hanna must navigate dark secrets, hidden motives, and shocking revelations that mak...