Current Final

Author: News Desk

  • Why did Indian actress Dipika Kakar convert to Islam?

    Why did Indian actress Dipika Kakar convert to Islam?

    Indian TV actress Dipika Kakar converted to Islam in 2018 before tying the knot with her Susral Simar Ka co-star Shoaib Ibrahim, says she is proud to be a Muslim.

    The actress embraced Islam to marry a Muslim actor and also changed her name to Faiza. 

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 290313_8440417_updates.jpg

    In an interview the Bigg Boss 12 winner said she was proud of her decision and said that particular space of her life is very private and she would not like anyone entering it.

    She opened up about her conversion to Islam and told Hindustan Times: “It was completely my decision. It’s something that I have willingly done, so there’s no question about it being tough.”

  • UK inflation reaches 40-year high as food and energy prices jump

    UK inflation reaches 40-year high as food and energy prices jump

    British consumer price inflation hit a new 40-year high of 9.1 per cent last month, the highest rate among the Group of Seven nations and highlighting the severity of the cost-of-living crisis. Rising food prices were a significant factor in this uptick.

    The reading, which increased from 9.0 per cent in April, was in line with the consensus of economists surveyed by Reuters. May’s inflation was the highest since March 1982, according to historical data from the Office for National Statistics, and it’s likely to get worse.

    “Rising inflation is putting further pressure on policymakers to ease the burden on households, while complicating the Bank of England’s task,” Yael Selfin, chief economist at KPMG UK, said.

    Prior to reaching a peak of just above 11 per cent in October, when regulated household energy bills are scheduled to rise once more, the Bank of England predicted last week that inflation would likely remain above 9 per cent over the upcoming months.

    Finance Minister Rishi Sunak responded to the information by saying that the British government is doing everything it can to stop a rise in prices.

    Food and non-alcoholic goods saw the largest annual price increase since March 2009 in May, rising 8.7 per cent, making this sector the main driver of annual inflation in that month.

    The ONS reported that overall consumer prices increased by 0.7 per cent in monthly terms in May, slightly higher than the 0.6 per cent consensus.

    In May, Britain had a higher headline inflation rate than the US, France, Germany, and Italy. Although Japan and Canada have not yet provided data on consumer prices for May, neither is probably going to come close.

  • Australian woman allegedly axed to death by father-in-law

    Australian woman allegedly axed to death by father-in-law

    Trigger warning: Murder/Abuse

    An Australian woman has allegedly been killed by her father-in-law in Sargodha. Sajida Tasneem was allegedly killed in front of her father at a home she shared with her in-laws on June 11.

    Sher Muhammad Khan, Tasneem’s father, claimed that his son-in-law Ayub Ahmed had coerced his daughter into leaving their Perth, Western Australia home and travelling to Pakistan with her three children, reports The Guardian.

    Mukhtar Ahmad, Tasneem’s father-in-law, is accused of taking Tasneem’s passport.

    The girl’s father reported to the police that on June 11, he allegedly saw Mukhtar abusing his daughter. He discovered them in a restroom at around 1:45 pm. After entering the restroom, Sher Muhammad Khan found Tasneem’s mouth was allegedly filled with a piece of cloth by Ahmad.

    The man then allegedly used an axe to strike Tasneem in the head. Mukthar Ahmad has been booked under murder charges.

    Police are still investigating the case.

  • ‘Can be arrested’: Law minister says Nawaz will have to surrender if he fails to secure transit bail

    ‘Can be arrested’: Law minister says Nawaz will have to surrender if he fails to secure transit bail

    Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar said Tuesday that if Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif does not secure transit bail while coming back to Pakistan, he can be arrested.

    The law minister said that if Nawaz fails to secure transit bail, then he will have to surrender himself and the “courts should provide [relief] to the people who are handing themselves over to the law voluntarily”.

    Speaking on the issue, Tarar said that former prime minister Benazir Bhutto also secured transit bail when she came back to Pakistan.

    It is pertinent to mention here that the Lahore High Court (LHC) allowed Nawaz to go to London for medical treatment in November 2019.

  • Usman Buzdar, brothers’ houses raided

    The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) team raided to arrest former Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar and his brothers’ houses in Dera Ghazi (DG) Khan and Taunsa Sharif over the matter of the illegal transfer of state-owned 900 kanals of land.

    However, Buzdar and his brothers were not at their houses at the time. It is pertinent to mention that the former CM and his siblings shared protective bail with the raiding team earlier, which they had been granted by the Lahore High Court (LHC) till June 30.

    Following the raids, Buzdar said that the Punjab government is carrying out retaliatory actions, adding that they [his family] can’t be intimidated. He took a jibe at the incumbent Punjab CM Hamza Shehbaz, saying that the police and administration have become puppets.

    “I did not take any kind of revenge during my tenure. We will not make excuses for illness or flee the country,” he added.

    What is the case?

    Earlier, ACE registered cases against Buzdar and his brothers for the illegal transfer of state-owned 900 kanals of land.

    The state-owned lands are reportedly worth millions of rupees. They were seized in Taunsa, DG Khan.

    Cases against Buzdar were registered after Deputy Commissioner DG Khan submitted an inquiry report in this regard. DG Khan ACE is investigating the case in detail.

    According to the police complaint, on September 4, 1982, around 474 kanals and 12 marlas of state land in DG Khan was “bogusly mutated” in favour of Fateh Muhammad Buzdar’s sons, which are Usman Buzdar and his two younger brothers, reports Geo News.

    The transfer was illegal, as all three brothers at the time were minors. Usman Buzdar was 13, Umar Buzdar was 12 and Tahir Buzdar was 3.

    As of the year 2021, the cost of the land has been estimated to be Rs4,98,83,641.

    Last month, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Attaullah Tarar said that the incumbent government has decided to move ACE against the former Punjab CM. He had alleged that Buzdar had acquired assets worth Rs10 billion when he was chief minister from 2018 to 2022.

  • Exclusive: Adnan Siddiqui reveals Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie’s reactions on his desire of kissing her

    Exclusive: Adnan Siddiqui reveals Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie’s reactions on his desire of kissing her

    Actor Adnan Siddiqui is currently enjoying the positive feedback to his home production, Dum Mastam, featuring Imran Ashraf and Amar Khan.

    While promoting his film, the Mere Paas Tum Ho star exclusively opened up on his interesting interaction with his costars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie after wrapping up their Hollywood film, A Mighty Heart.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHbpA1MMkp8&t=140s

    He revealed earlier that while chatting casually after their wrap-up, Adnan expressed his desire for there to be a kissing scene between him and Jolie in the film, in front of the entire cast.

    Actor Momin Saqib hilariously added that, “Angelina kay pati dev wahan thay, aur inho ne ashleel baatien shuru kardi.”

    Earlier he also shared details of the incident on Tonite With HSY.

    Brad took it jokingly and just laughed it off whereas Angelina gave him a sly smile. The Salt diva also took it as a spirited joke.

    In 2021 he shared throwback photos with Angelina and Brad Pitt from a party at Taj Mahal.

    He wrote, “What are the odds that some bygone treasures will pop up on my phone memory a day after I mused about what memories leave in their wake when they come calling!”

    Adnan Siddiqui Recalls Time With Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt

    “A Mighty Heart will always hold an indisputably prized place in my heart for professional and personal reasons,” he referred to the film with Angelina Jolie.

    “Looking at these photographs, I suddenly have an overwhelming urge to go back in time at The Taj Mahal Palace, Colaba and relive the glory days.”

    The film was directed by Michael Winterbottom and was co-produced by Brad Pitt. The project also starred the late Irrfan Khan and released in 2007.

  • ‘Our democracy is poorer without her’: Twitter remembers Benazir Bhutto on her 69th birth anniversary

    ‘Our democracy is poorer without her’: Twitter remembers Benazir Bhutto on her 69th birth anniversary

    The 69th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto is being celebrated in a befitting manner on June 21. It is pertinent to mention that Benazir Bhutto was not only the first woman Prime Minister of Pakistan but also the first woman Prime Minister in the Muslim World.

    Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari tweeted, “In life she was Benazir, in death she is Benazir. To her assassins we say; Tum zinda ho kr murda ho, wo mar kr phir bhi zinda hai.”

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif tweeted, “Our democracy is poorer without her & the void left by her martyrdom will never be filled. She fearlessly & staunchly advocated the causes she believed in. May Allah rest her soul in peace.”

    Federal Minister Sherry Rehman tweeted, “Our journey together is still unfinished. Your redemptive light still guides many of us on a path you trod with infinite grace and courage. May you shine on forever.”

    Mushaal Hussein Mullick wished Benazir tweeted, “Beauty Brains and Bravery Personified.”

    Here is a look at the pictures from the time when Benazir Bhutto was alive.

  • In celebration of World Music Day, here are our top picks

    In celebration of World Music Day, here are our top picks

    June 21 is celebrated as World Music Day. The world music day calls for—music, of course.

    Possibly the ubiquitous form of art is music:  you hear it blaring at rallies, long marches, softly playing in the background at restaurants, and in the shower as a family member pretends to be a rockstar.

    The Current has compiled a list of ten songs to honor Pakistani music and the many forms, from qawwali to rap, that our country has produced.

    1. Ye Jo Halka Halka Suroor Hai by Ustaad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

    2. Boohey Bariyaan by Hadiqa Kiani

    3. Mahiya Tere Pyar Nai by Fariha Pervez

    4. Kaho Ek Din by Ahmed Jehanzaib

    5. Kameez Teri Kali by Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi

    6. Aankhon ke Sagar by Shafqat Amanat Ali

    7. Baaghi by Shuja Haider

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPD82TLfIR4

    8. Kana Yaari by Kaifi Khalil, Eva B and Wahab Bugti

    9. Pasoori by Shae Gill and Ali Sethi

    10. Joona by Hassan Raheem

    Happy listening!

  • Sony, Honda form joint venture to build electric cars together

    Sony, Honda form joint venture to build electric cars together

    Sony and Honda have formally signed a joint venture agreement to form an electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing company. The new business is named “Sony Honda Mobility Inc.,” with Sony taking precedence over the proven automaker.

    Honda executive Yasuhide Mizuno has been named chairman and CEO, and Sony executive vice president Izumi Kawanishi has been named president and COO.

    As previously stated, the partnership will make use of “Honda’s cutting-edge environmental and safety technologies, mobility development capabilities, vehicle body manufacturing technology, and after-sales service management experience,” as well as Sony will contribute “imaging, sensing, telecommunications, network, and entertainment technologies” in the meantime.

    Honda is lagging behind competitors in EV progression, with the Honda E as its only electric vehicle, but it has recently accelerated its plans. It announced a partnership with GM earlier this year to co-develop a series of affordable electric vehicles based on a global architecture and GM’s Ultium battery technology. Honda and Acura SUVs are expected to be available in North America by 2024.

    Honda also announced last year that by 2040, it will have converted its entire vehicle lineup to electric and fuel-cell vehicles. It will invest $40 billion and launch 30 new electric vehicles by 2030 as part of this plan.

    Meanwhile, Sony has unveiled not one, but two self-designed electric vehicles, the Vision-S EV and Vision-S 02 electric SUV. It’s unclear how Sony Honda Mobility fits into all of these plans, but we should find out more information soon.

  • CM Punjab Hamza owns over Rs410 million assets: ECP report

    CM Punjab Hamza owns over Rs410 million assets: ECP report

    The Election Commission Pakistan (ECP) has revealed the details of assets held by lawmakers of the Punjab Assembly.

    Hamza Shehbaz

    The ECP reported that Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Hamza Shehbaz owns assets worth more than Rs410 million, out of which Rs130 million is attributed to 11 houses that the CM owns.  He also owns 3 agricultural properties that are valued at Rs30 million with another 2 gifted to him by his brother, Suleman Shehbaz.

    The CM’s first wife Mehrunnisah owns assets worth Rs3.5 million while his other wife, Rabia owns assets worth Rs37.5 million. Hamza, according to the documents submitted to ECP, is also in debt of nearly Rs100 million.

    Sardar Usman Buzdar

    The former chief minister of Punjab, Sardar Usman Buzdar, has over a dozen properties to his name valued at Rs35 million reports the ECP. He is also the owner of 3 tractors and 2 cars, one that was passed down from his father.

    Aleem Khan

    Ex-provincial minister Aleem Khan has assets valued at over Rs700 million to his name.

    Chaudhary Pervaiz Elahi

    The ECP reports that Punjab Assembly speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi owns assets worth over Rs200 million and non-agricultural land valued at over Rs60 million. According to the documents submitted to the ECP, Pervaiz Elahi owns a flour mill that was valued at Rs9.9 million while his wife holds assets worth Rs100 million.