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  • Nana Patekar’s statement on Virat Kohli sparks a storm of memes

    Nana Patekar’s statement on Virat Kohli sparks a storm of memes

    Indian actor Nana Patekar’s statement about star batter Virat Kohli has become a meme.

    Nana Patekar recently showed his gratitude towards Virat Kohli by saying, “Virat Kohli is my favourite player; if he gets out early, then I don’t feel like eating food.”

    However, Virat was dismissed early in the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) against Australia. He was dismissed eight times while failing to play the same shot for the seventh time in a single series.

    Want to read about Virat Kohli?

    Nana Patekar’s statement led to hilarious memes and reactions on social media. Here are some reactions:

  • Lahore High Court orders high-earning groom to raise haq mehar

    Lahore High Court orders high-earning groom to raise haq mehar

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday ordered a high-earning groom to increase the haq mehr from $1,000 to $10,000 based on his affordability.


    LHC’s Justice Farooq Haider allowed a woman who married of her own choice to go with her husband while directing the husband to raise the dower amount.


    The case was filed by the woman’s father, who was seeking the recovery of his daughter from the alleged illegal custody of her supposed husband.


    After the habeas corpus petition was filed by the father, the court sent a notice to the couple, for which they were brought before the court by the local police.


    During the course of the hearing, the woman responded to the court’s inquiry by stating that she was an adult and had married of her own free will. She denied charges of being abducted or threatened by her husband and, in her statement, told the court that she wanted to go with her husband and not with her father.


    However, Justice Farooq Haider asked the woman’s husband about his monthly income, to which he replied that he worked in the United States and earned $2,000 (more than 5,55,000 rupees) per month.


    On this, the high court said that $1,000 (more than 2,78,000 rupees) in haq mehr was insufficient and observed that the amount should be enhanced to ensure the woman’s security in the marriage.


    As per the court’s direction, the bridegroom submitted an affidavit in the court setting the amount of haq mehar at 10,000 dollars. 


    Additionally, the judge also disposed of the habeas corpus petition based on the father’s plea for the recovery of the woman from the alleged confinement of her husband in light of her statements.

    The matters of dower and dowery have been in the legal discourse previously as well. 

    On December 6, 2023, the Supreme Court ruled that haq mahr must be paid by the husband whenever the wife demands it, not just in the event of divorce. Mahr is the mandatory payment or gift from the groom to the bride at the time of marriage based on his affordability. It is a fundamental part of an Islamic marriage contract and is considered the bride’s exclusive right.

    Read more: ‘Mahr has to be paid whenever demanded by the wife’: Chief Justice

  • Rohit Sharma addresses retirement claims

    Rohit Sharma addresses retirement claims

    Addressing widespread claims regarding his exit from international cricket, Indian Test captain Rohit Sharma has said that he will not be retiring soon. 

    In an interview with match presenters during the Sydney Test on Saturday, Rohit said, “Arrey yaar, main kahi na jaa raha hu [I’m not going anywhere].”

    The Indian captain’s statement came as presenters thanked him at the end of the interview.

    When asked about stepping down as skipper for the ongoing Test match, he said, “Honestly, it was a personal decision to step down just for this game. I’ve been working hard on my batting, but things weren’t clicking. I felt it was the right call to step aside for such an important match. But I’ll continue playing for India, and retirement is not on my mind right now.”

    Rohit also addressed the criticism he has faced as captain. “People with a mic, laptop, or pen don’t change our lives. They can’t decide when we go or when we play. I’ve played this game for so long, and I know what’s best for the team and myself. Since 2007, my goal has always been to win games for my team. If you don’t think of the team, then there’s no point. Cricket is a team sport, and decisions should always reflect that.”

    It merits a mention that pacer Jasprit Bumrah is leading the team in Rohit’s absence.

    Want to read more about Rohit Sharma?

    Many Indian players keen to take captaincy after Sharma’s retirement: Reports

    After Rohit Sharma’s departure, many players are eager for the leader’s role despite the presence of multiple seniors in the team. 

    Indian media has reported that the search for a strong candidate for captaincy is in full swing, but no decision has been made regarding his future yet. 

    Jasprit Bumrah captained the team in Rohit’s absence during the first match, but after Rohit’s departure, many players in the dressing room were eager for the  leader role. Bumrah is unlikely to be given the captaincy after Rohit Sharma’s retirement. 

    However, the Indian Express revealed in its report that a certain player on the team proposed an “interim captaincy”, calling him ‘Mr. Fix It’ so that the current situation and the dressing room atmosphere can be controlled.

    However, the report did not mention who the candidate for the interim captaincy is, but is considered to be among the senior players on the team.

    The team’s young candidates are not very impressed with the player who has shown ambitions for captaincy.

    On the other hand, Bumrah may be the only choice for long-term Test captaincy, but Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul are also seen as favourites for the captaincy.

  • Zara Noor Abbas urges fans to stop posting daughter’s videos

    Zara Noor Abbas urges fans to stop posting daughter’s videos

    Actress Zara Noor Abbas has broken silence on viral videos of her daughter Noor-e-Jahan, making a heartfelt plea for privacy as people continue to reshare the same.

    Taking to Instagram to request privacy for her family, The Standup Girl actress said that she had decided to not share pictures of her daughter publicly and people should respect this decision.

    “If I don’t show pictures of my daughter, it means I would like to keep it private. Still, people don’t have the audacity to respect this,” Abbas said, urging people to respect boundaries.

    “It’s a REQUEST again to all of you, please stop posting videos of our daughter. And if you already have please, delete them [sic],” she said.

    ‘It’s a REQUEST’: Zara Noor Abbas urges fans to delete daughter’s videos

    Through her statement, Abbas has made it clear that she values her family’s privacy and expects fans to respect the same.

     The appeal comes after widespread circulation of her daughter’s video from her brother Ahmad Abbas Gill’s wedding, where she was seen being held by family members and surrounded by guests during the celebrations.

    Earlier,  actress Zara Noor Abbas and her husband Asad love spending time with their little girl and often share photos of her, but Zara has chosen not to show Noor E Jahan’s face publicly.

    In a post, Zara wrote, “This is for her sick days, late nights, and early mornings. The moments where only SHE matters. I didn’t know I could feel this way for anyone other than my parents. You teach me resilience, courage, and strength. Thank you for choosing me. I love you, Noor E Jahan. I will do anything for you, InshAllah always and forever.”

    Zara also added that she is not showing her daughter’s face due to concerns about the “evil eye.”

    She mentioned, “Not showing your picture to the world anytime soon because of the evil eye. So please bear with only the Amma in her glory where no Photoshop or body editing is done because I respect and appreciate my body for being so miraculous.”

    Earlier, she gave an interview to Political Insight YouTube channel, where she discussed how accepting parenthood has changed her.

    Zara Noor said, “Becoming a mother has completely eliminated my anger. Now, I value time and get my things done before time. Motherhood has also made me more empathetic towards others, especially fellow mothers, and I’ve become more loving and compassionate.”


    Talking about parenting she said, “Parenting is a learning process, and my goal is to raise my daughter to be a good person and a responsible citizen. Instead of pressuring her to excel academically, I’ll focus on nurturing her kindness and empathy, helping her grow into a caring and understanding individual.”

  • Cement industry celebrates export gains despite declining local demand

    Cement industry celebrates export gains despite declining local demand

    Local cement manufacturers are celebrating despite local cement sales falling by 10.4 percent in the first half of FY 2024-25. Seemingly strange at first glance, there is a perfectly good reason for the sentiments within the cement industry.

    According to Dawn News, local cement sales have fallen from 20.228 million tons to just 18.122 million tons in the same period last year. However, a 32 percent increase in exports helped to stabilise the loss in local demand.

    All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) revealed that exports sharply increased from 3.655 million tons to 4.81 million tons over the first half of FY 2024-25.

    In December alone, local demand for cement shrank by five per cent, resulting in only 3.37 million tons dispatched to local purchasers. This represents a 0.17 million ton drop in local cement demand in comparison to December 2023.

    The recent explosion in cement prices is the reason behind the persistently declining demand for local cement. There has been a 21 percent increase in the YOY price of cement, which has made it unbearable for small to medium-sized construction companies to purchase it.

    Another contributor to the subpar local cement demand is the government itself, which is limiting expenditures on infrastructure projects. Reducing expenditures on projects is one of the many austerity measures that Pakistan is taking to ensure that it can maintain healthy fiscal surpluses and appease the International Monetary Fund (IMF).


     
    Cement manufacturers are making more money in absolute terms, even though the overall dispatch figures are growing as a result of the high level of demand for cement in the international market.

    In December 2024, total demand for cement rose by 2.23 percent to reach 4.154 million tons compared to 4.063 million tons in December 2023.

    Pakistan primarily exports cement to Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Madagascar. Now, with the Sri Lankan government reducing import levies, Pakistani cement manufacturers have found it easier to export to their second-largest purchaser of cement.

    The reason behind larger import volumes is the reduction of import taxes by Sri Lanka, which has made Pakistani cement cheaper and more attractive there.

    While cement manufacturers benefit enormously from existing circumstances, the real estate sector is expected to slow down. The subpar level of cement procurement at the local level suggests a reduction in infrastructure projects.

    This could create an issue concerning housing, as individuals may find it tough to purchase cement at exorbitant rates. Experts are suggesting that the government should reduce the taxes on cement sales. Islamabad, however, may not be so keen to reduce these taxes if it really does want to adhere to the IMF-prescribed austerity measures.

  • One-sided love shouldn’t exist, says Merub Ali

    One-sided love shouldn’t exist, says Merub Ali

    Life is like a buffet—you may not get everything you want, but there’s always something to enjoy.


    Actress Merub Ali believes in mutual love and says that when two people fall in love, they should get married right away. She shared these views on the comedy show Mazaq Raat.


    Merub Ali stated, “I do not believe in one-sided love. Such love should not exist because it lacks respect. Mutual love is good, and whenever someone falls in such love, they should get married immediately.”


    During the show, she also talked about a video she made about jinns in her house. “The video I made some time ago about the presence of jinn in my house was real. There is really a shadow of jinn or invisible creatures in my house.” The video went viral, and now no one wants to buy her house, she said, but she insists it was real.

     
    Merub also shared how she started her career. As a child, she had typhoid and was encouraged by her doctor to audition for a music video by Sajjad Ali, which led to her selection. “I started my career by modeling in a song by singer Sajjad Ali at a young age,” she said. 


    She said, “At that time, I was 15 or 16 years old, and I made a video and sent it even though I didn’t want to, which led to my selection after the audition.”


    “I had been modeling for many years. Then, when producer Sana Shahnawaz saw my modeling and Instagram videos, she contacted me for the drama Sinfe Ahan, my first drama, in which I played the role of a Pakhtun girl. After that drama, I also started acting.”


    “Recently, my drama Faraar is being liked a lot, and I played the role of a Pakhtun girl in that drama too,” she said.


    In response to a question, she expressed her desire to work in action and thriller films. “I wish to be offered work in an action and thriller film.”

  • ‘Will come out again for Imran Khan,’ pardoned May 9 convict says

    ‘Will come out again for Imran Khan,’ pardoned May 9 convict says

    A pardoned May 9 rioter has said that he would once again take to streets whenever jailed former prime minister (PM) Imran Khan or leadership of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) asked for it.

    “On May 9 [2023], Imran Khan was arrested [and] our leadership told us to hold a peaceful protest,” said Said Alam, who was pardoned days after a military court sentenced him to two years in prison over his involvement in the May 9 riots.

    He accused authorities of forcing him to claim that Khan’s speeches had “brainwashed” him, but said that he refused to comply. “I was also told to record a statement against my MPA and MNA [for inciting violence], which too I declined.”

    “I have spent 20 months in jail […] my sacrifices are nothing as compared to those who lost their lives while protesting on May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024,” he said, alleging that his only crime was being a supporter of Khan.

    To a question about the conditions in which May 9 rioters were kept, Alam said that they had not subjected to physical violence. However, he added, they sure went through mental agony.

    “We [under-trial prisoners and convicts] were not allowed to meet anyone in jail. We were kept isolated,” Alam said, adding that they were allowed to read the newspaper and use a mobile phone.

    When asked about the mercy petitions that led to the release of 19 rioters soon after a total of 85 were convicted by a military court, he said they were filed at the time of their transfer to civilian jails. “We were told to confess to our actions in mercy petitions.”

    It merits a mention that hundreds were arrested following nationwide violent protests led by the PTI following PTI founder Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9, 2023.

    At least 10 people lost their lives, and over a hundred others sustained injuries in the protests that continued on May 9 and May 10. Around 40 public buildings and military installations were attacked by the rioters. 

    Alam’s interview comes hours after his release from jail. He was among the 85 rioters who have so far been convicted by a military court in connection with attacks on military establishments.

    According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a total of 67 convicts had filed mercy petitions, of which 48 were processed for appeal. Of the 48, 19 were pardoned on humanitarian grounds.

  • ‘Comeback’s gonna be strong’: Talha Anjum posts Imran Khan’s jawani ki photo

    ‘Comeback’s gonna be strong’: Talha Anjum posts Imran Khan’s jawani ki photo

    Rapper Talha Anjum of the popular band Young Stunners has shared an Instagram story featuring an old picture of Imran Khan, the former cricketer and prime minister of Pakistan. 


     The story caption was, “Comeback’s gonna be strong. #804.” 

    Talha Anjum is known for his vocal support of Imran Khan.

    On August 2022, the Kaun Talha singer tweeted in favor of the leader, showing his unwavering support.  

    Imran Khan, known for leading Pakistan to its first cricket World cup victory in 1992, was the captain of the team. He served as Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022. On August 5, 2023, Khan was arrested from his residence at Zaman Park in Lahore on multiple charges.

     
     Here Talha Anjum’s story:


     Here are some previous Talha Anjum tweets:

    In 2024, rapper, singer and lyricist Talha Anjum made history by becoming the most streamed local artist in Pakistan for 2024, surpassing Atif Aslam, who held the top spot for three consecutive years.

  • Apple agrees to $95 Million settlement over Siri privacy lawsuit

    Apple agrees to $95 Million settlement over Siri privacy lawsuit

    Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a lawsuit that accused the company of using its virtual assistant Siri to record conversations without permission. 

    The lawsuit, filed five years ago in a California court, claimed that Siri sometimes recorded people even when they didn’t use the command “Hey, Siri.” It was also alleged that some of these recordings were shared with advertisers to target people with specific products.

    This accusation went against Apple’s promise to protect its customers’ privacy, a principle often emphasized by CEO Tim Cook as a “fundamental human right.”

    Apple did not admit to any wrongdoing in the settlement. However, if the judge approves the settlement, people who owned Siri-enabled Apple devices between September 2014 and the end of 2023 could claim up to $20 per device. Claims will be limited to five devices per person, and the final amount may depend on how many people file for compensation.

    The court will review the settlement on February 14, 2025. 

    Lawyers in the case may request up to $29.6 million from the settlement for their fees and expenses.

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  • Two Indian protesters set themselves on fire at environment march

    Two Indian protesters set themselves on fire at environment march

    Two people in India set themselves on fire Friday to protest against the disposal of hazardous waste from the decades-old Bhopal industrial disaster, local government officials said.

    Images on social media showed the two men dousing themselves in liquid before being engulfed in shooting flames, although officials said the men survived.

    The protests erupted on Friday after authorities moved hundreds of tonnes of hazardous waste — remaining from the world’s deadliest industrial disaster in the city of Bhopal 40 years ago — to the town of Pithampur for disposal.

    “The self-immolation attempt was unfortunate, but both people are safe now,” said Priyank Mishra, the administrative head of Dhar district where Pithampur is located.

    A long convoy of trucks with a police escort ferrying the 337 tonnes of waste — sealed inside containers — arrived in Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh state overnight Wednesday.

    The waste dates back to the December 1984 disaster at the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal — when some 3,500 people were killed in the immediate aftermath of a chemical leak, and up to 25,000 are estimated to have died overall.

    Twenty-seven tonnes of methyl isocyanate (MIC), used in the production of pesticides, swept through the city of over two million people after one of the tanks storing the deadly chemical shattered its concrete casing.

    Communities have for decades blamed a high level of sickness on the contamination of the groundwater in the wake of the highly toxic gas leak.

    The order to clear the waste was made in December, and Mishra insisted that its disposal would be done safely.

    “The process is being carried out under the aegis of the top scientific institutions of the country,” he said.

    “We have already held many public consultations and we will continue to explain to people in even simpler terms that it is a safe exercise.”

    Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Singh has also said that trial disposal exercises had showed that there it had “no impact on the environment”.

    In Bhopal, testing of groundwater near the site in the past revealed cancer- and birth defect-causing chemicals 50 times higher than what is accepted as safe by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

    Communities blame a range of health problems — including cerebral palsy, hearing and speech impairments and other disabilities — on the accident and the contamination of the groundwater.