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  • ‘You are harassing me’: Furious Naseeruddin Shah lashes out at pestering reporter

    ‘You are harassing me’: Furious Naseeruddin Shah lashes out at pestering reporter

    Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah has revealed a shocking experience where Mumbai University disinvited him from an event called “Jashn-e-Urdu” without explanation or apology. 

    The actor shared the incident in an opinion piece for The Indian Express. The op-ed led to the thespian being targeted by pestering reporters. 

    Shah said, “I do not want to talk about this issue, so please don’t harass me. I told you I don’t want to talk about it.” When the reporter pressed further and asked, “Why are you pushing the mic?” Shah replied, “Because you are shoving it into my face.” He added, “Because you are bothering me. You take that out of my face.”

    The actor continued, “Can’t you see I have just come from a journey, and I have said to you politely, I don’t want to talk about this issue. Why are you harassing me?” When the journalist claimed he was not harassing him, Shah responded, “You are harassing me. Do you understand what I am saying?”

    Reactions to the reporter’s behavior quickly spread on social media, with many slamming their unprofessional behaviour. “In any civilized society, this reporter would have been behind bars. But TV reporters in the subcontinent think they have a license to harass public figures,” one person wrote. 

    Another person wrote, “I literally wanted to slap the reporter from here.”

    In his opinion piece, Shah explained, “The Jashn-e-Urdu organised by the Urdu department of Mumbai University for February 1, from which I was disinvited at the last moment, was an event I was greatly looking forward to because it meant interacting with students. The university, after informing me that I needn’t attend on the night of January 31, and giving no reason, forget an apology, obviously considered this not insulting enough. So they decided to rub a little salt in by announcing to the audience that I had refused to be there.”

    On the professional front, Naseeruddin Shah was recently seen in “IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack”, a web series streaming on Netflix. The series also features Vijay Varma, Pankaj Kapur, Patralekhaa, Aravind Swamy, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Dia Mirza, and Amrita Puri.

    Shah has consistently delivered some of the finest performances in Indian cinema, earning critical acclaim for his work in films such as Masoom, A Wednesday!, Sparsh, and The Dirty Picture, making him one of the most respected actors in the industry.

  • ‘I am not Illuminati’: Hania Aamir breaks silence on Mishi Khan claims

    ‘I am not Illuminati’: Hania Aamir breaks silence on Mishi Khan claims

    Actress Hania Aamir has reacted to claims made by actress Mishi Khan, addressing allegations linking her to the so-called Illuminati.

    Hania Aamir often faces criticism for her cosmetic surgeries and viral videos. 

    Recently, Mishi Khan shared several Instagram photos and said, “Hania Aamir makes the Illuminati sign in every photo,” questioning a gesture Hania has used multiple times.

    Hania responded humorously on an Instagram story, saying, “Sometimes you publish my wedding cards, my mother already dislikes what I wear, my family is already against me. Some say my dimples are fake, and all this needs to stop.”

    She added, “No, I am not Illuminati. I am a working woman doing my job. I cannot handle all this.” She also shared a video in her Instagram stories addressing the Illuminati claims, saying, “My mother sent this to me.”

    Mishi Khan replied, saying, “I have known you since your ‘Jannan’ days, so your reply does not surprise me.”

    Fans have defended Hania Aamir on Instagram, criticising claims about cosmetic surgeries and the Illuminati allegations.

    Hania Aamir ranks among Pakistan’s most followed actresses, with nearly 20 million followers on Instagram. 

    She has recently received praise for her performance in the hit drama series Meri Zindagi Hai Tu, and her other notable dramas include Kabhi Mai Kabhi Tum, Sang-e-Mah, Dilruba, Mere Humsafar, and Ishqiya.

  • Bitcoin slide wipes $2 trillion from crypto market

    Bitcoin slide wipes $2 trillion from crypto market

    Bitcoin fell sharply on Thursday, extending losses as pressure across global markets weighed on risk assets and triggered heavy selling in cryptocurrencies.

    The world’s largest cryptocurrency dropped to an intraday low of $63,295.74, its weakest level since October 2024. It was last trading at $63,525, down 12.6 percent on the day, marking its steepest one-day decline since November 2022.

    Data from CoinGlass showed that around $1 billion worth of bitcoin positions were liquidated over the past 24 hours as prices moved lower.

    The decline in bitcoin has contributed to a broader fall in the digital asset market. According to CoinGecko, total crypto market value has dropped by $2 trillion since peaking at $4.379 trillion in early October. Nearly $800 billion of that loss has occurred over the past month.

    Bitcoin has now fallen 17 percent this week, taking its year-to-date losses to 28 percent. Ether, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market value, fell more than 13 percent to $1,854 late Thursday. Ether has declined 19 percent this week and is down nearly 38 percent so far this year.

    Market sentiment has been affected by volatility across asset classes. Precious metals saw sharp moves, with gold and silver affected by leveraged trades and speculative flows. Silver dropped as much as 18 percent to a low of $72.21.

    Equity markets also came under pressure. The S&P 500 slid to a seven-week low, while the Nasdaq fell to its lowest level in more than two months as technology stocks declined and investor focus on artificial intelligence weakened.

    “It’s clear the crypto market is now in full capitulation mode,” said Nic Puckrin, investment analyst and co-founder of Coin Bureau. “If previous cycles are anything to go by, this is no longer a short-term correction, but rather a transition from distribution to reset and these typically take months, not weeks.”

    The selloff has also weighed on shares of companies holding bitcoin and other digital assets, raising concerns that market stress is spreading beyond cryptocurrencies.

    Analysts said political developments in the United States have added to pressure on digital assets. Donald Trump’s selection of Kevin Warsh as his pick for Federal Reserve chair has raised expectations of tighter monetary conditions.

    “The market fears a hawk with him,” said Manuel Villegas Franceschi from the next generation research team at Julius Baer. “A smaller balance sheet is not going to provide any tailwinds for crypto.”

    Deutsche Bank analysts said ongoing withdrawals from institutional exchange-traded funds have added to selling pressure. In a note to clients, they said US spot bitcoin ETFs recorded outflows of more than $3 billion in January, following outflows of about $2 billion in December and $7 billion in November.

    “This steady selling in our view signals that traditional investors are losing interest, and overall pessimism about crypto is growing,” the analysts said.

    Bitcoin has remained closely linked to the broader technology sector, and recent losses in global software stocks have accelerated declines across digital tokens.

    “Concerns are being raised around the crypto miners and whether we could be looking at forced liquidations if prices continue to fall, which could lead to a vicious cycle,” Jefferies strategist Mohit Kumar said in a note.

  • US tells citizens to ‘leave Iran now’ amid escalating tensions

    US tells citizens to ‘leave Iran now’ amid escalating tensions

    The United States has issued a fresh security warning for its citizens in Iran, urging them to leave the country immediately as diplomatic tensions between Washington and Tehran escalate ahead of planned talks in Oman.


    In an alert released early Friday, the US Virtual Embassy in Iran advised American nationals to arrange departures without relying on US government assistance, underscoring growing concerns about the security situation on the ground.


    The warning comes hours before US and Iranian officials are due to hold talks in Muscat, though expectations for progress remain low amid unresolved disagreements over the meeting’s scope and agenda.


    US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, are expected to represent Washington, while Iran’s delegation will be led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to officials on both sides.


    If held as planned, the meeting would mark the first formal engagement between the two countries since tensions surged last June, when a brief but intense conflict with Israel prompted US airstrikes that damaged Iran’s key nuclear facilities.


    However, lingering disputes over the venue and substance of the talks have raised doubts about their outcome, with the possibility of US military action still looming.


    Washington has reportedly pressed Tehran to dismantle its stockpile of enriched uranium, curb its ballistic missile program, and halt support for armed groups across the Middle East. US President Trump has repeatedly warned that failure to meet US demands could trigger military strikes.


    Iran has rejected the conditions, calling them a violation of its sovereignty, and has warned it would retaliate against any attack by targeting US forces in the region as well as Israel.


    The diplomatic push unfolds against a backdrop of heightened regional tension, with the US significantly reinforcing its military presence in the Gulf. Trump has described the deployment led by the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln as a “massive armada” sent ahead of the talks.


    The negotiations were initially planned for Istanbul, with Turkey playing a mediating role and several regional foreign ministers expected to attend. 


    Tensions have also been fuelled by domestic unrest in Iran following nationwide protests earlier this year. Human rights groups say security forces responded with lethal force, killing thousands of demonstrators.


    While Trump had earlier threatened to intervene in support of protesters, the US ultimately refrained from taking direct military action, opting instead for diplomatic engagement amid growing international scrutiny.

  • Australia suffers major setback as key player ruled out of T20 World Cup

    Australia suffers major setback as key player ruled out of T20 World Cup

    Australia’s T20 World Cup preparations have taken a major hit after confirmation that fast bowler Josh Hazlewood will miss the tournament in Sri Lanka and India with injury concerns.

    According to reports, the 35-year-old has struggled to recover from persistent fitness issues and has not played competitive cricket since November. Hazlewood injured his hamstring during a Sheffield Shield match for New South Wales against Victoria, before a problem with his Achilles tendon ruled him out of the entire Ashes series.

    Despite the concerns, selectors named Hazlewood in Australia’s 15-man World Cup squad, and he travelled to Sri Lanka with the team. However, team management later decided he would not be fit in time to take part in the tournament.

    Chief selector Tony Dodemaide said, “We were hopeful Josh would be back to match fitness by the Super 8 stage but the latest indications are that he is still some time away and accelerating his program will carry too much risk.”

    Dodemaide added that Australia would delay naming a replacement. “We will not be naming a replacement player immediately. We feel we are well covered for the initial games so will make any later decisions based on priority need at the time.”

    Hazlewood’s absence further weakens Australia’s pace attack, with Test captain Pat Cummins also unavailable due to a back injury. Australia will begin the tournament with Xavier Bartlett and Ben Dwarshuis as the only fully fit specialist fast bowlers in the squad.

    However, Nathan Ellis is expected to return next week after recovering from a hamstring injury that cut short his Big Bash League (BBL) campaign. 

    Sean Abbott has travelled with the squad as a reserve and remains an option if Australia decide to make changes.

    Australia enter the tournament under pressure after a difficult build-up that included a string of injuries and a 3-0 series defeat to Pakistan last week.

    Australia will open their T20 World Cup campaign against Ireland on February 11.

    Australia’s squad for the T20 World Cup includes captain Mitch Marsh along with Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Renshaw, Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa, while Sean Abbott has been named as the travelling reserve.

  • Sri Lanka urges Pakistan to reconsider India match boycott

    Sri Lanka urges Pakistan to reconsider India match boycott

    Sri Lanka Cricket has formally asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to reconsider its decision to boycott the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 match against India, warning that the move could cause serious financial and tourism losses.

    According to reports, Sri Lanka Cricket sent an official letter to the PCB requesting a review of Pakistan’s stance on skipping the high-profile match scheduled for February 15 in Colombo. The board said that the cancellation of the game between the two traditional rivals would have far-reaching consequences.

    In its letter, Sri Lanka Cricket stated that it had completed all preparations for the match, including ticket sales and hosting arrangements. The board highlighted that the Pakistan-India clash is one of the most commercially valuable fixtures of the tournament.

    Sri Lanka Cricket warned that Pakistan’s non-participation would lead to “significant financial losses” and a sharp decline in expected tourism revenue. Sri Lankan media reported that the boycott announcement has already affected the tourism sector, with many fans cancelling hotel bookings linked to the match.

    The letter also reminded the PCB of Sri Lanka Cricket’s support for Pakistan during difficult times. “We request you to consider the extraordinary circumstances, the long-standing relationship between our two boards, and the broader interests of the game,” Sri Lanka Cricket said.

    Sri Lankan media further reported that the board has assured Pakistan of the highest level of security for all matches. Reports added that other cricket boards have also urged Pakistan to avoid a boycott and revisit its decision.

    This development follows a decision by the Government of Pakistan to stop the men’s team from taking the field against India. Earlier this week, Indian media reported that the International Cricket Council (ICC) was exploring behind-the-scenes efforts to persuade Pakistan to reconsider its position.

    The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will begin on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka, with Pakistan scheduled to play all its matches in Colombo.

  • Kapil Dev refuses to criticise Pakistan decision, says players should stand by govt policy

    Kapil Dev refuses to criticise Pakistan decision, says players should stand by govt policy

    Former Indian captain Kapil Dev has refused to criticise Pakistan’s decision to not play against India, saying such matters fall under government and cricket board policy.

    Kapil shared his views during a recent talk show on Indian television when asked about the ongoing standoff between the two teams.

    The host pointed to the growing divide between the countries in cricket and asked, “They say they won’t play on our ground, and we won’t play on theirs. How do you see this?”

    Kapil made it clear that he did not see it as his responsibility to comment. “Honestly, it’s not my job. This is the government’s responsibility and the cricket board’s responsibility. What do I have to do with it?” he questioned. 

    When asked whether such barriers should exist in cricket, Kapil again chose to avoid taking sides. “Look, what I feel or don’t feel doesn’t really matter. What matters is the policy of the country,” he said.

    The former World Cup winning captain stressed that public statements from former players often complicate matters. “Whatever the country’s policy is, people like us should stand by it. When people like us start giving statements, it ends up confusing the public,” Kapil said.

    He added that he preferred not to influence public opinion. “I’m not here to confuse anyone. Let’s stand by our government, let’s stand by our cricket board. Whether they are right or wrong, time will tell,” he said.

    The Government of Pakistan recently announced it that the greenshirts will participate in the T20 World Cup 2026 but will not play against India. 

    The decision came in response to what Pakistan described as the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) unfair handling of Bangladesh’s security concerns ahead of the tournament in India and Sri Lanka.

  • US Senator Bernie Sanders targets Bezos as Washington Post starts staff layoffs

    US Senator Bernie Sanders targets Bezos as Washington Post starts staff layoffs

    US Senator Bernie Sanders has criticised job cuts at The Washington Post on Wednesday, questioning owner Jeff Bezos’ decision to reduce staff while spending heavily on personal ventures.

    “If Jeff Bezos could afford to spend $75 million on the Melania movie & $500 million for a yacht to sail off to his $55 million wedding to give his wife a $5 million ring, please don’t tell me he needed to fire one-third of the Washington Post staff,” Sanders said in a post on X. “Democracy dies in oligarchy.”

    The remarks came as the newspaper began layoffs affecting multiple newsroom desks, sharply reducing staff across the organisation.

    Executive Editor Matt Murray told employees during a staff call that the cuts would impact the international, editing, metro and sports desks. The layoffs followed a recent decision by the newspaper to scale back coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

    “For too long, we’ve operated with a structure that’s too rooted in the days when we were a quasi-monopoly local newspaper,” Murray said. “We need a new way forward and a sounder foundation.”

    One reporter at the Post, who requested anonymity, described the scale of the layoffs as a “bloodbath”.

    Affected journalists include Amazon beat reporter Caroline O’Donovan and Cairo bureau chief Claire Parker, along with other Middle East correspondents and editors. O’Donovan and Parker confirmed the job losses in posts on X.

    In a statement, the newspaper said it was taking “several difficult but decisive actions” as part of restructuring across the company, adding that the steps were aimed at focusing on journalism that engages subscribers.

    Murray said all newsroom departments were affected, adding that politics and government would remain the largest desk. He said the sports department would be closed in its current form.

    The Washington Post made changes to business operations last year and announced job cuts, saying at the time that newsroom roles would not be affected. The newspaper, owned by billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, offered voluntary separation packages across all functions in 2023 after reporting losses of $100 million.

    The Washington Post Guild criticised the layoffs on X, saying that if Bezos was no longer willing to invest in the mission of the paper, it should have a different owner.

    White House reporters at the newspaper wrote to Bezos last week, saying their reporting depended on collaboration with teams facing job losses and that maintaining a diverse newsroom was necessary during financial strain.

  • Iran-US nuclear talks set for Friday after almost cancelling

    Iran-US nuclear talks set for Friday after almost cancelling

    Uncertainty surrounding crucial talks between Iran and the United States of America came to an end on Wednesday after officials from both sides indicated that negotiations were expected to proceed later this week.

    Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said late on Wednesday that discussions with US would take place in Muscat, Oman, on Friday morning. “Nuclear talks with the United States are scheduled to be held in Muscat on about 10 am Friday. I’m grateful to our Omani brothers for making all necessary arrangements,” he said in a post on X.

    A US official also confirmed that the talks remained on schedule. The confirmation came after reports suggested that negotiations had been called off following disagreements over the format and location of the meeting.

    Earlier, Axios reported that the talks had stalled after the United States declined Iran’s request to alter both the venue and format  of the discussions. US officials had considered the proposal before rejecting it. “We told them it is this or nothing, and they said, ‘Ok, then nothing,’” a senior US official was quoted as saying.

    The news outlet later said that the talks were revived after diplomatic outreach from several  states. Citing two US officials, Axios reported that at least nine countries contacted the White House at senior levels on Wednesday, urging the administration not to abandon the meeting.

    Officials familiar with the matter said regional actors had pressed for the talks to continue that had earlier been expected to participate in discussions planned for Turkiye but were later excluded after the venue was shifted to Oman. Countries including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye were among those that maintained contact with US, citing the potential regional consequences of a conflict.

    Iranian officials speaking to a private media outlet from Tehran said that regional states were not expected to participate directly at this stage. However, Qatar’s prime minister was seen as a possible participant alongside Omani intermediaries.

    Reports of a breakdown in talks followed remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said any engagement with Tehran would need to cover Iran’s ballistic missile programme, its regional role and domestic governance, in addition to nuclear issues. Iranian officials interpreted the comments as a sign that  US was moving away from a limited negotiating framework.

    A senior Iranian official said the scope of the talks would be restricted to Iran’s nuclear programme, adding that the missile issue was “off the table”.

    The diplomatic effort comes amid heightened tensions after US President Donald Trump threatened military action against Iran last month and ordered additional US naval deployments to the Gulf. Concerns have grown across the region following Israeli and US strikes on Iran last summer.

    Trump said on Wednesday that Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei should be “very worried” as the United States increased its military presence. “I would say he should be very worried, yeah, he should be”.

    Trump also said Iran had considered establishing a new nuclear site following US strikes. “They were thinking about starting a new site in a different part of the country,” he said. “We found out about it, I said, you do that, we’re going to do very bad things to you.”

  • 13-year-old swims four hours to save family swept out to sea in Australia

    13-year-old swims four hours to save family swept out to sea in Australia

    A 13-year-old boy swam for nearly four hours through cold, rough waters to save his mother and two younger siblings after they were swept out to sea off the coast of Western Australia, police said.


    The family, from Perth, were kayaking and paddleboarding on Friday morning when strong winds and choppy ocean conditions began dragging them farther offshore.


    The teenager, Austin Appelbee, swam about four kilometres to shore to raise the alarm.


    “The waves are massive and I had no life jacket on. I just kept thinking… just keep swimming, just keep swimming”, Austin said.


    “And then I finally I made it to shore and I hit the bottom of the beach and I just collapsed.”


    Austin said he initially set off in an inflatable kayak while wearing a life jacket, but abandoned both after the kayak began taking on water and the jacket slowed his swimming. 


    He said he focused on staying positive as he made his way to shore.


    The family had entered the water before noon. Austin raised the alarm at around 6 pm, and a police helicopter located his mother, Joanne Appelbee, 47, his 12-year-old brother Beau and eight-year-old sister Grace at about 8:30 pm.


    Authorities said the family had drifted around 14 kilometres from Quindalup and spent approximately 10 hours in the water.


    “The actions of the 13-year-old boy cannot be praised highly enough, his determination and courage ultimately saved the lives of his mother and siblings,” Police Inspector James Bradley said.


    Joanne Appelbee told reporters she made the decision to send Austin for help because she could not leave all her children stranded at sea.


    “One of the hardest decisions I ever had to make was to say to Austin, ‘Try and get to shore and get some help. This could get really serious really quickly,’” she told Australian Broadcasting Corp.


    She said she was initially confident he would reach land, but grew increasingly worried as night fell and no rescue arrived.


    “We kept positive, we were singing and we were joking and we were treating it as a bit of a game until the sun started to go down and that’s when it was getting very choppy. Very big waves,” she said.


    By the time they were rescued, all three were shivering, and Beau had lost sensation in his legs due to the cold, she added.


    “I have three babies. All three made it. That was all that mattered,” she said.