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  • South Korea air force jet accidentally drops bombs, injures civilians

    South Korea air force jet accidentally drops bombs, injures civilians

    South Korea’s Air Force said Thursday that one of its fighter jets had accidentally dropped eight bombs in the wrong place during a training exercise, resulting in civilian injuries.

    “Eight MK-82 general-purpose bombs were abnormally released from an Air Force KF-16 aircraft, landing outside the designated firing range,” the Air Force said.

    The incident occurred around 10:00 am (0100 GMT) in Pocheon, around 25 kilometres (16 miles) south of the heavily fortified border with the nuclear-armed North.

    “We deeply regret the unintended release of the bombs, which resulted in civilian casualties, and wish those injured a swift recovery,” the Air Force said in a statement.

    It said it had established an accident response committee to investigate the incident, and said it would “take all necessary measures, including compensation for damages.”

    The Air Force said the military jet had been “participating in a joint live-fire exercise involving both the Air Force and Army.”

    South Korea was holding combined live-fire drills with the United States Thursday in Pocheon, the Yonhap news agency reported.

    South Korea’s National Fire Agency said that the bombs were “presumed to have fallen on a village during a South Korea-US joint exercise.”

    This resulted in “casualties and property damage, with many displaced residents,” it said, adding that four people had been seriously injured and three suffered minor injuries.

    One church building and sections of two houses were damaged, according to the statement.

    ‘Like a thunderclap’

    One local resident, who gave only his surname Park, told Yonhap that he had been at home, watching television when the accident happened.

    “I suddenly heard an enormous explosion, like a thunderclap, and the whole house shook. When I went outside, everything was in chaos,” Park said.

    Even at a senior centre about a kilometre away, the accident was felt.

    “A sudden explosion shook the building. The windows shattered, and one of our teachers was injured and taken to the hospital,” the centre’s director, surnamed Yu, told Yonhap.

    “Fortunately, none of the seniors were hurt, but they were so frightened that we sent them all home,” they added.

    Joint South Korea-US “Freedom Shield” military exercises, one of the security allies’ largest annual joint exercises, are set to begin later this month.

    The two Koreas remain technically at war since the 1950-1953 conflict ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.

    The United States stations tens of thousands of soldiers in the South, in part to protect Seoul against Pyongyang.

    In 2022, a South Korean Hyunmu-2 short-range ballistic missile accidentally crashed into a military golf course in the South’s eastern Gangwon province, after it was fired in response to a North Korean missile launch.

    The missile did not explode and no one was injured in that incident.

  • ‘They left no legacy behind’: Mohammad Hafeez lashes out at Pakistan’s 90s cricketers

    ‘They left no legacy behind’: Mohammad Hafeez lashes out at Pakistan’s 90s cricketers

    Former Pakistan cricket captain Mohammad Hafeez has taken a dig at cricketers from the 1990s, claiming they left no legacy behind as they failed to win any ICC tournaments for Pakistan.

    Speaking on a TV program, Hafeez criticised their poor performances in the 1996, 1999, and 2003 ICC events, saying, “We could have won at least one final, but it didn’t happen.”

    He acknowledged, “Past players were mega superstars, but they failed to inspire by winning an ICC trophy. Things improved later, and in 2009, we won an ICC event under Younis Khan’s captaincy.”

    Hafeez further stated, “If people look up to Babar Azam today, it is because he was part of the 2017 Champions Trophy-winning team, which played a huge role in reviving Pakistan cricket.”

    He expressed disappointment, saying, “Unfortunately, cricketers from the 90s failed to fulfil Pakistan’s dream of winning major ICC tournaments.”

    Sitting alongside Hafeez in the studio was former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar, who was not pleased with the remarks and responded, “Hafeez has generalised all players, but let me remind him—those 73 ODI wins that put us above India today, we were the ones who won them!”

    Earlier, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt spoke out against Shoaib Akhtar’s harsh criticism of Babar Azam following his poor performance in the 2025 Champions Trophy.

    Earlier, Akhtar had called Babar a “fraud” after the batsman went through a dip in form, blaming him for not leading the team properly.

    Known for his blunt remarks, Shoaib Akhtar suggested that Babar’s struggles were not just temporary but a result of deeper flaws in his technique. He also compared Babar to Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli, pointing out that Kohli’s inspiration was Sachin Tendulkar, who had 100 international centuries. Akhtar had said, “Who was Babar Azam’s role model? Let’s not name any cricketer, but he had chosen the wrong role models. His thought process was wrong. He was a fraud from the beginning.”

    Salman Butt, who had played alongside Shoaib Akhtar in the past, strongly disagreed with the speedster. He defended Babar, saying that every player went through tough phases, and it was unfair to judge him based on a temporary slump.

    Speaking on a private TV channel, Butt said, “Shoaib was one of the best talents Pakistan ever produced, and if he had reconsidered what he said, he would have called it the heat of the moment. But he shouldn’t have said that.”

    Salman vociferously defended the beleaguered batsman, saying, “Babar was struggling with form, and more than his technical issues, we had gotten into his head. His talent was superior to that of every other batter we had, and we had even wasted it because of all this criticism. He was not Kohli, he was not Root, and he was not Williamson, but he was the best we had.”

    Babar had often been the main target of criticism whenever the Pakistan team underperformed, even though the entire squad struggled.

    Interestingly, while Pakistani experts continued to criticize him, cricketing legends from other countries defended him.

  • IMF projects Rs490 billion shortfall in tax collection

    IMF projects Rs490 billion shortfall in tax collection

    International Monetary Fund (IMF) calculations suggest that Islamabad might not be able to achieve its annual tax collection target, falling short by a staggering Rs490 billion.

    As per the details, earlier this week, a delegation from the IMF began the first biannual review of the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme. Pakistan believed that talks would remain successful and that the country was on track to receive the $1.1 billion tranche from the international creditor within weeks.

    However, reports claim that the IMF’s assessment could strain Islamabad-IMF relations as the international creditor believes the government would fail to reach its tax target of Rs12.9 trillion. Moreover, analysts suggest that the IMF might lay out a slew of austerity measures in order for the economy to get back on the right track.

    Lawmakers and authorities may enact significant cuts in the government’s expenditure while simultaneously attempting to boost the tax base. If successfully implemented, these fiscal policy measures could help appease the IMF.

    According to reports, Islamabad’s discussions with the IMF could also result in lawmakers passing a mini-budget to correct the budget deficit. However, it will be up to the Ministry of Finance (MoF) to determine if tax hikes or budget cuts are to be used to balance the budget.

    While the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) struggles to generate enough revenue, a delegation of representatives from the tobacco industry have requested for the Federal Excise Duty (FED) to be reduced by 25 percent.

    The representatives cited how the extortionate 254 percent hike in the FED was effectively wiping out the willingness of the tobacco industry to comply with domestic tax laws. Individuals involved in the manufacturing process of cigarettes have turned to supplying them illegally.

    Reportedly, illicit cigarette manufacturing operations are causing the national exchequer to lose approximately Rs300 billion to Rs1 trillion. If the FBR can even only get the tobacco industry to comply, the projected gap in the fiscal budget will be plugged, potentially even leaving enough funds for the revenue watchdog to post a surplus.

    However, key officials from the FBR have voiced their concerns regarding the request. This is because the FBR could lose out on a whopping Rs50 billion, exacerbating the budget deficit instead.

  • Astrologer predicts Saif & Kareena’s divorce

    Astrologer predicts Saif & Kareena’s divorce

    An Indian astrologer has made a surprising prediction, claiming that Bollywood power couple Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan may separate within a year and a half.

    Kareena and Saif, considered one of Bollywood’s happiest couples, tied the knot in 2012. They are parents to two sons, Taimur and Jehangir. However, astrologer Sushil Kumar Singh’s prediction about their relationship has left fans concerned.

    According to Indian media, Singh recently stated in an interview, “Saif and Kareena will separate in the next year and a half.” He also recalled a prediction he made in 2010, saying, “I wrote in my blog back then that this marriage will not work because their horoscopes indicate separation.”

    Singh further linked his prophecy to the recent attack on Saif Ali Khan at his Mumbai residence, which left the actor seriously injured. Saif later underwent surgery at Lilavati Hospital and has since taken additional security measures for his family.


    Regarding the incident, Singh commented, “This could be an internal matter that may not be resolved. No matter how much you try to deny it, the horoscope clearly shows a separation between Saif and Kareena soon.”

    Neither Saif, Kareena, nor their family members have responded to the astrologer’s prediction or the media reports surrounding it.

  • FIFA to pay $1 billion prize money for Club World Cup

    FIFA to pay $1 billion prize money for Club World Cup

    FIFA on Wednesday announced it will pay total prize money of one billion dollars to participants in the Club World Cup taking place in the United States this year.

    The figure is significantly more than the prize money offered for either the last men’s or women’s World Cups.

    World football’s governing body has given a few details about the funding for the first edition of the 32-team tournament that will take place every four years, but it has signed up a broadcaster and major sponsors in recent weeks.

    In a statement confirming the prize money on offer, FIFA said it expected to generate $2 billion in revenues from the expanded Club World Cup. It also confirmed that a women’s edition will take place in 2028.

    “The FIFA Club World Cup will not only be the pinnacle of club football but also a vivid demonstration of solidarity that will benefit clubs at large to a scale that no other competition has ever done,” said FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

    “All revenue generated by the tournament will be distributed to the participating clubs and via club solidarity across the world as FIFA will not keep a single dollar.”

    British streaming service DAZN was awarded the exclusive global rights to the June 14-July 13 tournament in December, with a source close to the negotiations saying the contract was worth around one billion euros ($1.05 billion).

    FIFA has also signed sponsorship contracts with Coca-Cola, Bank of America, Chinese electronics brand Hisense and Belgian brewers AB InBev.

    By comparison, the total prize money for the 2022 men’s World Cup in Qatar was $440 million, while for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia, it was $110 million.

    This season’s UEFA Champions League, with a new 36-club format, will pay a total of 2.47 billion euros ($2.66 billion) to the clubs involved.

    Widespread criticism over player welfare 

    FIFA’s expansion of the tournament has been met with widespread criticism, especially in Europe, largely due to concerns over player welfare.

    The global footballers’ union FIFPro and the European Leagues association filed a complaint with the European Commission in October against FIFA, accused of abusing its dominant position by packing the calendar.

    The Champions League was also expanded by UEFA this season, and some players, including Ballon d’Or winner Rodri and Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, have raised the prospect of a strike.

    “I think we are close to that. I think if you ask any player, he will say the same,” said Rodri when asked in September if there was a possibility of players going on strike shortly before suffering a season-ending knee injury.

    “It is not the opinion of Rodri or whatever. I think it’s the general opinion of the players.”

    The tournament will feature 12 teams from Europe, six from South America, and four from Asia, Africa, and North and Central America.

    Auckland City and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami complete the line-up.

    Not all the reactions have been negative, with Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique insisting that “everyone” would want to play.

    “Once every four years, there’s this new, extremely exciting competition. Everyone wants to go to the Club World Cup,” he said last year.

    The tournament will be held at 12 venues across 11 cities in the United States, with the final at the MetLife Stadium, which will also host the 2026 World Cup final in New Jersey.

  • ‘You are the past, won’t ever play again’: Babar Azam’s father hits out at former cricketers, defends son

    ‘You are the past, won’t ever play again’: Babar Azam’s father hits out at former cricketers, defends son

    Star batter and former Pakistan cricket captain Babar Azam’s father, Azam Siddique, has once again come forward to defend his son against widespread criticism over poor performance in recent months, especially during the Champions Trophy.

    In a statement on social media, Siddique addressed the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision to rest Babar for the upcoming series against New Zealand, and pointed out that his son was dropped despite being a member of the ICC T20 Team of the Year.

    He assured fans that Babar would make a comeback by performing in the National T20 Cup and PSL, and also urged former cricketers to be mindful of their words. “I request ex-players to choose their words carefully. If someone responds, you may not be able to tolerate it. You are the past and will never play again,” he wrote.

    He also addressed criticism over his support for Babar. “People say ‘the father’ talks too much. I am Babar’s first and last coach. I am his spokesperson and mentor. Above all, I am his well-wishing father.”

    “Those who are making noise should check their performances from their playing days. Just visit PCB’s website once — hints are enough for the wise,” he said.

  • ‘I should’ve been cast as Geet’; Hira Mani on Kareena Kapoor’s iconic role

    ‘I should’ve been cast as Geet’; Hira Mani on Kareena Kapoor’s iconic role

    Pakistani actor Hira Mani believes that Bollywood filmmaker Imtiaz Ali may have been inspired by her for the character of Geet in the romantic classic Jab We Met.

    In a recent virtual interview with an Indian journalist, Hira shared that people often compare her to Kareena Kapoor Khan’s iconic character Geet, from Jab We Met. She said, “Everyone feels I should’ve been cast as Geet because my personality matches that character. Yes, she is somewhat like me.”

    She jokingly added, “Imtiaz Ali must have met me somewhere, so he wrote that character like me.”

    However, the Yeh Na Thi Hamari Qismat actor also spoke about the downside of such comparisons. 

    “Even if your personality is actually like that, people think you’re trying to copy the character.” She confessed, “Yes, I do mimic her at times.”

    It is worth mentioning that Imtiaz Ali’s blockbuster rom-com Jab We Met, released in 2007, is one of the most-loved Indian films of all times. Starring Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan as Geet and Aditya, the film was a huge success and won several major awards.

  • Trump warns Gaza ‘you are dead’ if hostages not freed

    Trump warns Gaza ‘you are dead’ if hostages not freed

    US President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened further destruction of Gaza if all remaining hostages are not released, and issued an ultimatum to Hamas leaders to flee.

    Strongly backing Israel as a ceasefire teeters, Trump said he was “sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job” as his administration expedites billions of dollars in weapons.

    “Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform after meeting freed hostages.

    “This is your last warning! For the leadership, now is the time to leave Gaza, while you still have a chance.”

    Trump also made clear there would be repercussions for Gaza as a whole, where virtually the entire population has been displaced by Israel’s relentless military campaign in response to the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas.

    “To the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD!”

    His comments follow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s warning of “consequences that you cannot imagine” if Hamas does not hand over the remaining hostages seized in the October 7 attack.

    The first phase of a ceasefire ended over the weekend after six weeks of relative calm that included exchanges of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

    While Israel has said it wants to extend the first phase until mid-April, Hamas has insisted on a transition to the second phase, which should lead to a permanent end to the genocide.

    Israel has ramped up pressure not just with threats but also by halting the flow of goods and supplies into Gaza.

    “Hamas has indeed suffered a severe blow, but it has not yet been defeated. The mission is not yet accomplished,” Israel’s new military chief Eyal Zamir warned Wednesday.

    Also on Wednesday, France, Britain and Germany jointly called the humanitarian situation in Gaza “catastrophic,” and urged Israel to ensure the “unhindered” delivery of aid.

    South Africa said Israel’s restriction of aid into Gaza amounted to using starvation as a weapon of war.

    Talks with Hamas

    Trump’s hawkish language came after the United States confirmed unprecedented direct talks with Hamas, with the US envoy on hostage affairs, Adam Boehler, discussing American hostages.

    “Look, dialogue and talking to people around the world to do what’s in the best interest of the American people is something that the president” believes is right, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

    The United States had refused direct contact with the Palestinian militants since banning them as a terrorist organization in 1997. But Leavitt said that the hostage envoy “has the authority to talk to anyone”.

    Both the White House and Netanyahu’s office confirmed Israel was consulted in advance.

    Five Americans are believed to remain among the hostages — four have been confirmed dead and one, Edan Alexander, is believed to be alive.

    The Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, most of them civilians, while the Israel-led genocide of Palestinians in Gaza has killed at least 48,440 people, also mostly civilians, data from both sides show.

    Of the 251 captives taken during Hamas’s attack, 58 remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military has confirmed are dead.

    In an interview on Wednesday night, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Hamas to take seriously Trump’s threats of retaliation.

    “He doesn’t say these things and not mean it, as folks are finding out around the world. If he says he’s going to do something, he’ll do it,” Rubio said.

    Doubts on Arab plan

    Trump has floated a proposal to take over the Gaza Strip and displace its people, an idea that has drawn wide condemnation around the world.

    Arab leaders have sought support for an alternative plan that would finance Gaza’s reconstruction through a trust fund.

    A draft seen by AFP outlined a five-year roadmap with a price tag of $53 billion — roughly the amount the United Nations estimated for Gaza’s reconstruction — but the figure was not included in the summit’s final statement.

    The summit also called for unified representation under the Palestine Liberation Organization to sideline Islamist Hamas.

    Hugh Lovatt at the European Council on Foreign Relations said the Arab leaders’ plan was “far more realistic than what the Trump administration is proposing.”

    But Ghassan Khatib, a Palestinian political analyst and former Palestinian Authority minister, was skeptical.

    “It doesn’t make sense to expect Israel to drop the plan of Trump and to adopt the plan of the Arabs. There’s no chance.”

    Speaking after a UN Security Council meeting on Gaza’s future, French diplomat Jay Dharmadhikari said the final plan should neither allow Hamas to continue governing nor eject Palestinians.

    “We are clear that any plan must have no role for Hamas, must ensure Israel’s security, must not displace Palestinians from Gaza,” he said.

  • New Trump policy likely to ban US entry for Pakistanis from next week: reports

    New Trump policy likely to ban US entry for Pakistanis from next week: reports

    Based on a government review of the country’s security and vetting, a new travel ban imposed by President Donald Trump could prevent people from Pakistan and Afghanistan from entering the United States (US) as early as next week.

    According to Reuters, other countries might also be included on the list. However, the country names were not mentioned.

    This action recalls the Republican president’s initial travel ban on citizens from seven majority-Muslim countries, a policy that underwent multiple revisions before being upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.

    Former President Joe Biden repealed the ban in 2021, calling it “a stain on our national conscience”.

    The new ban could affect tens of thousands of Afghans who have been cleared for resettlement in the US as refugees or on Special Immigrant Visas because they are at risk of Taliban retribution for working for the country during a 20-year war in their home country, Reuters said.

    Trump issued an executive order on January 20 requiring intensified security vetting of any foreigners seeking admission to the US to detect national security threats. The order directed several cabinet members to submit by March 12 a list of countries from which travel should be partly or fully suspended because their “vetting and screening information is so deficient”.

    Afghanistan will be included in the recommended list of countries for a complete travel ban, and Pakistan would also be recommended for inclusion, Reuters reported.

    Afghans cleared for resettlement in the U.S. as refugees or on the special visas first undergo intense screening that makes them “more highly vetted than any population” in the world.

    The State Department office that oversees their resettlement is seeking an exemption for Special Immigrant Visa holders from the travel ban “but it’s not assumed likely to be granted,” Reuters reported citing sources.

    The Taliban, who seized Kabul as the last US troops pulled out in August 2021 after two decades of war, are confronting an insurgency by Islamic State’s regional branch. Pakistan also is grappling with violent Islamist militants.

    Shawn VanDiver, the head of #AfghanEvac, a coalition of groups that coordinates evacuation and resettlement of Afghans with the US government, urged those holding valid visas to travel as soon as possible if they can.

    There are some 200,000 Afghans who have been approved for resettlement or have pending US refugee and Special Immigrant Visa applications. They have been stranded in Afghanistan and nearly 90 other countries — including about 20,000 in Pakistan — since January 20, when Trump ordered a 90-day freeze on refugee admissions and foreign aid that funds their flights.

  • ‘Women were filming me while I was praying’; Shaista Lodhi on the battle for privacy

    ‘Women were filming me while I was praying’; Shaista Lodhi on the battle for privacy

    Actor and host Shaista Lodhi recently shared her experience of people filming her while she was praying in Riaz Ul Jannah at Masjid-e-Nabwi in Madina.

    She shared her experience during an appearance on AAN TV’s Bahar-e-Ramzan iftar show alongside host Faysal Quraishi. The two discussed the challenges celebrities face regarding privacy in public spaces.

    Shaista recalled, “In Riaz Ul Jannah, women get limited time slots. During that time, they’re in a different state, unaware of themselves. I was praying on the side, and women were taking videos, asking, ‘What are you doing here?’”

    Faysal humorously responded, “Didn’t you say you put up a biryani stall here?”

    Shaista added, “I was praying namaz in hateem, and people were secretly taking videos. What will they do with my video? Some thought I used contacts to get there, but I was simply in line. I didn’t even know I’d be able to pray in hateem that day.”

    Faysal explained that fans sometimes unintentionally say odd things in an attempt to start a conversation, adding, “This is why elders tell us to think before we speak.”

    He also shared stories of his friends being awkwardly approached by strangers with bizarre questions during Umrah.

    Earlier in the show, Shaista shared why she no longer hosts morning shows, explaining that the routine felt boring, and she wanted to try something new. She also shared how hosting morning shows affected her personal life.

    “You end up with no social life. Your personal and emotional life suffers — you don’t know where things are going. You don’t even get time to reflect on yourself,” she said.

    Shaista previously hosted Good Morning Pakistan on ARY Digital and Utho Jago Pakistan on Geo TV.