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  • Diljit Dosanjh lands in hot water over controversial lyrics, singing ‘banned’ songs

    Diljit Dosanjh lands in hot water over controversial lyrics, singing ‘banned’ songs

    Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh is in legal trouble after his New Year’s Eve concert in Ludhiana. 

    As per the details, Punditrao Dharenavar, an assistant professor from Chandigarh, filed a complaint urging the singer to stop performing certain songs during his live show on December 31, 2024. The complainant maintained he was worried about the impact of these controversial songs on young people as scores of minors attend Diljit’s concerts.

    Dharenavar also cited a 2019 ruling from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which directed the police to ensure that songs promoting drugs, alcohol or violence were not to be performed at public events or live concerts.

    While the deputy director of Indian Punjab’s Women and Child Department issued a notice to Ludhiana’s district commissioner, asking him to bar Diljit from performing songs that promote alcohol, including ‘Patiala Peg’, ‘5 Tara Theke’ and ‘Case (Jeeb Vicho Feem Labbiya)’, Diljit went on to perform the same with altered lyrics.

    The performances came even though Diljit had been advised against them as per the warnings issued by various commissions earlier as well. He had also been told to not perform the songs even with tweaked or modified lyrics.

    While action against the singer for flouting the ban is awaited, he and his team are yet to react to the reports.

    This is not the first time Diljit has faced such controversies. He received a legal notice from the Telangana government for performing songs that promoted alcohol and violence during his concert in Hyderabad in November.

    Despite these legal issues, Diljit’s Dil-Luminati tour remains a major success. The Ludhiana show, announced on December 23, marked the grand finale of his three-month-long India Tour.

  • Gaza babies die from winter cold say medics and families

    Gaza babies die from winter cold say medics and families

    Yahya al-Batran clutched the tiny clothes of his dead newborn son Jumaa, just days after the baby died from the cold in their tent in war-torn Gaza.

    “We are watching our children die before our eyes,” said the 44-year-old.

    Their baby was one of the seven children who died from the cold within the span of a week, Gaza’s health ministry said on Monday.

    “We fled the bombing from Beit Lahia, only for them to die from the cold here?” said the child’s mother Noura al-Batran, referring to their hometown in northern Gaza.

    The 38-year-old is still recovering from giving birth prematurely to Jumaa and his surviving twin brother, Ali, who is being treated in an intensive care unit at a hospital in southern Gaza.

    Completely destitute and repeatedly displaced by Israel’s aggression in Gaza, the Batran family lives in a makeshift tent in Deir el-Balah made of worn-out blankets and fabric.

    His father, while talking to a reporter, said, “We didn’t die because of the Jews…
    My children died from the cold and hunger.”

    Like hundreds of others now living in a date palm orchard, they have struggled to keep warm and dry amid heavy rains and temperatures that have dropped as low as eight degrees Celsius.

    “We don’t have enough blankets or suitable clothing. I saw my baby start to freeze, his skin turned blue and then he died,” she cried.

    The twins were born prematurely, and she said the doctor decided to take the babies out of the incubator despite the family not having access to heating.

    On a rain-soaked mat, the father hugged his older children tight with blankets and worn-out cloth in a corner of their tent.

    He then placed a small pot of water on the stove to make tea, which he then mixed with dry bread to make a meagre lunch for his family with a little cheese and the thyme-based spice blend called za’atar.

    Like thousands of other families enduring dire conditions, they face shortages of food, fuel, and medicine, with the United Nations warning of an imminent collapse of the healthcare system.

    In southern Gaza’s Khan Yunis, Mahmoud al-Fasih said he found his infant daughter, Seela, “frozen from the cold” in their small tent near al-Mawasi beach, where they were displaced from Gaza City.

    He rushed her to the hospital in the area that Israel has designated a “humanitarian zone”, but she was already dead.

    Ahmad Al-Farra, a doctor and director of the emergency and children’s department at Nasser Hospital, told AFP that the three-week-old baby arrived at the hospital with “severe hypothermia, without vital signs, in cardiac arrest that led to her death”.

    Another 20-day-old baby, Aisha al-Qassas, also died of cold in the area, according to her family.

    “In Gaza, everything leads to death,” said the baby’s uncle, Mohamed al-Qassas. “Those who do not die under Israeli bombardments succumb to hunger or cold.”

    The Hamas government press office in Gaza warned on Monday of the impact of more harsh weather expected in the coming days, saying it posed a “real threat to two million displaced people,” the majority of whom live in tents.

    Farra warned that this would likely be accompanied by “the death of greater numbers of children, infants, and the elderly.”

    “Life in tents is dangerous due to the cold and the scarcity of energy and heating sources,” he said.

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

    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.

  • ‘Bilawal used to watch Ainak Wala Jin episodes a day before they actually aired,’ recalls Hamoon Jadugar

    ‘Bilawal used to watch Ainak Wala Jin episodes a day before they actually aired,’ recalls Hamoon Jadugar

    Remember the days when magic and laughter filled your TV screen? Ainak Wala Jin, the iconic Pakistani children’s drama, not only entertained but also created unforgettable memories for a generation. Produced and aired by PTV Lahore, the series became a cultural phenomenon, blending humor and fantasy into a timeless story loved by all.

     

     One of the cast members of Ainak Wala Jin, Haseeb Pasha known as Hamoon Jaudgar, appearing as a guest on Adeel Asif podcast, he revealed that Ainak Wala Jin was such a hit that it would often be screened at Bilalwal House, the residence of the Bhutto family, two days before it aired on television.

    Haseeb Pasha recalled saying, “Our drama Ainak Wala Jin used to go to Bilawal House two days in advance, first Bilalwal and Bakhtawar would watch it, and then a day later, the children of the general public would watch it. They would tell each other in school that ‘Today, Hamoon Jadugar will do this, Zakoota Jin will do that’, they would say such things. Our children would watch it a day later.” 

    Pasha also noted that despite the show’s massive popularity, the ruling elite never thought about creating content for children.

                     

    “The Government said they would continue the drama. Now, they have a big position, Zardari Sahab is in charge. He never thought about what to do for the children,” Haseeb Pasha added.

     

    Ainkak Wala Jin was directed by Hafeez Tahir and written by Abdul Hameed. 

    The first episode was broadcast on April 25, 1993, and the series ran for a total of 152 episodes, concluding on July 4, 1996. The second season, Ainak Wala Jin 2, aired starting March 27, 2005, and continued until July 29, 2008, with 90 episodes in total.

  • Tintin, Popeye among US copyrights expiring in 2025

    Tintin, Popeye among US copyrights expiring in 2025

    From “A Farewell to Arms” to the cartoon character Popeye the Sailor, thousands of artistic works will enter the public domain in the United States on Wednesday.

    US copyright law expires after 95 years for books, films and other works of art, while sound recordings from 1924 will also be copyright-free.

    By entering the public domain, the pieces can be copied, shared, reproduced or adapted by anyone without paying the rights owner.

    This year’s crop includes internationally recognized figures such as the comic character Tintin, who made his debut in a Belgian newspaper in 1929, and Popeye the Sailor, created by cartoonist Elzie Crisler Segar.

    Every December, the Center for the Study of the Public Domain publishes a list of the cultural works that lose their copyright in the new year.

    The center, part of the Duke University School of Law in the southeastern US state of North Carolina, makes the list available on its website for anyone to peruse.

    “In past years we have celebrated an exciting cast of public domain characters: the original Mickey Mouse and Winnie-the-Pooh, and the final iterations of Sherlock Holmes from Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories,” center director Jennifer Jenkins wrote on its website.

    “In 2025 copyright expires over more aspects of Mickey from his 1929 incarnations, along with the initial versions of Popeye and Tintin.”

    Among the literary works entering the US public domain on January 1 are the novels “The Sound and the Fury” by William Faulkner, “A Farewell to Arms” by Ernest Hemingway, “A Room of One’s Own” by Virginia Woolf and the first English translation of “All Quiet on the Western Front” by the German author Erich Maria Remarque.

    Films that will be in the public domain include “Blackmail,” directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and “The Black Watch,” the first sound film by Oscar-winning director John Ford.

    Musical compositions published in 1929, such as “Bolero” by French composer Maurice Ravel and “An American in Paris” by George Gershwin, will lose their copyrights, though only recordings from 1924 or earlier will be in the public domain.

  • Dropped players to return for Pakistan’s Champions Trophy campaign

    Dropped players to return for Pakistan’s Champions Trophy campaign

    Star players, previously dropped from the Pakistan cricket team, are expected to return to the national squad for Champions Trophy 2025.

    Geo reported that the only wicketkeeper in the Champions Trophy squad will be captain Muhammad Rizwan, while Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan and Imam-ul-Haq are expected to return to the team.

    The ICC Champions Trophy squad will include four fast bowlers and three spinners, while seven batters can also be made part of the squad.

    The opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy will be played between Pakistan and New Zealand in Karachi on February 19, and the tournament will continue until March 9, 2025.

  • Man accused of Rs 3 billion fraud gets bail for Rs100

    Man accused of Rs 3 billion fraud gets bail for Rs100

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has granted bail to Shahid Hussain Khawaja, a suspect in a Rs 3.2 billion sales tax fraud case, on a bond of just Rs 100.


    Geo’s Owais Yousafzai reports that during the hearing, Islamabad’s top court declared criminal proceedings of the Tax Department against co-accused Shahid Hussain as an abuse of power.


    Justice Babar Sattar ordered that a copy of the court’s decision be sent to the Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue.


    The court’s verdict states that the bank’s branch manager was arrested for assisting in opening an account of a power company in the branch. 


    However, the state did not present any evidence to prove the petitioner’s involvement in tax fraud.


    Additionally, the court argued that the Tax Department did not determine the tax due on the taxpayer, as per the law. 


    The department also arrested the petitioner in violation of the Lahore High Court (LHC) decision in the case. 


    It also initiated criminal proceedings despite being aware of the LHC decision.


    Justice Sattar emphasised that the tax department exceeded its powers by first initiating criminal proceedings, violating the constitutional rights of dignity and equality of the petitioner. Meanwhile, the authorities and tax officials violated the established law in an attempt to collect more tax.


    The IHC pointed out that, “It is a matter of shame that the magistrate who granted the remand and the court that rejected the bail did not take into account the provisions of the Sales Tax Act.” 


    The court also reprimanded the subordinate court for acknowledging the misleading actions of the tax department instead of protecting fundamental constitutional rights.


    In its judgment, the court clarified that the question of the legality of the criminal proceedings is not for it to decide. 


    However, it hoped that the trial court will take into account the legality of the action.
    The petitioner’s bail is granted in lieu of bonds of Rs 100 only. IHC directed Chairman FBR to distribute copies of its decision and those of LHC among tax officers. 


    The legal powers assigned to public officials should be exercised in accordance with the law, the court warned, as it concluded that “in case of a violation, the FBR and tax officers will face action for the misuse of powers.”

  • Bushra Bibi hypnotised Imran Khan: Nabil Gabol

    Bushra Bibi hypnotised Imran Khan: Nabil Gabol

    Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Nabil Gabol on Wednesday, while referring to former First Lady Bushra Bibi’s influence in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) decision-making, stated that former Premier Imran Khan has been hypnotised by his wife, Bushra Bibi.

    “I believe Bushra Bibi has hypnotised Imran Khan. Now, it has been proved that Bushra Bibi has Moakkal [jinn under command]. If he [Imran Khan] is sent across the seven seas, the magic’s effect on him would fade,” Gabol said.

    “PTI’s new leadership is controlled by Bushra Bibi instead of Imran Khan. PTI MNAs are themselves worried, […] Bushra Bibi does not implement Imran Khan’s decision,” he said, adding that change in PTI leadership severely affected Imran Khan’s politics. 

    While acknowledging that founder PTI Imran Khan was a popular leader until now, he asserted “Imran Khan is not popular as a politician.”

    Speaking about the PTI negotiation with the incumbent government and establishment, he remarked that the founder of PTI, Imran Khan, engaged in talks for a long time with the establishment.

    Former Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) member Nabil Gabol observed that Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif was not focusing on government affairs as the country’s premier. “It seems Shehbaz Sharif wants to do something, but he is unable to do so […] his team is not good,” he added.

    Underscoring the unsatisfactory performance of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) led government, Gabol suggested that the government should offer the driving seat to PPP.

    Gabol complained that PML-N has not fulfilled some of their commitments, noting, “Disloyalty is in the nature of the PML-N. Their own people used to say that ‘Mian Sahib’ don’t used to be faithful,” he added.

    When the journalist asked how PML-N came to power if their party leader is disloyal to others, Gabol concluded by saying that they have good fortune, adding, “Nawaz Sharif was born with a golden spoon in his mouth.”

    Regarding the last year passed 26th Constitutional Amendment, Gabol said that the PPP affectionally achieved the required numbers to pass the amendment, adding that they don’t have steel in their necks as other party members have.

    It should be mentioned here that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s PPP is the key ally of the PML-N-led government in the centre. PPP had played a key role in the passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment last year.

  • Kamal Rashid Khan alleges Kapil Sharma staged ‘security drama’ outside his home

    Kamal Rashid Khan alleges Kapil Sharma staged ‘security drama’ outside his home

    When it comes to controversies, KRK and Kapil Sharma might just be the ultimate comedy duo—except this time, the joke’s on them.


    Kamal Rashid Khan, also known as KRK, a well-known yet controversial film critic, actor, and social media influencer, claimed that his security guard slapped comedian Kapil Sharma.


    According to Indian media, Mika Singh recently revealed that Kapil Sharma caused a commotion at KRK’s house.


    In a video on his YouTube channel, KRK talked about the incident. He stated, “Both Mika Singh and Kapil Sharma came to my house in Mumbai one night, and they were drunk.The security guard did not let them in, so they took pictures outside and insisted on meeting KRK. They refused to leave, which led to the security guard slapping them and kicking them out. Kapil then tweeted about it, and KRK responded the next morning.”


    Mika Singh, who is KRK’s neighbor, apologized the next day after KRK warned him not to repeat such behavior.



  • Rashid Naseem creates history by setting 40 world records in 2024

    Rashid Naseem creates history by setting 40 world records in 2024

    Pakistani martial artist Rashid Naseem has created history by setting 40 world records in a year, it has emerged.

    As per the details, the Guinness Book of World Records approved 28 of Naseem’s records with certificates in 2024 whereas the results of more than 12 other records in different categories are awaited.

    Naseem, who also has 125 individual records to his name, in 2024 achieved great success at various events, bringing honour to his country’s name in Romania, Germany, Italy, Singapore, China and Korea to name a few.

    This year, he set records for various martial arts categories, including breaking things with Nunchaku, breaking sticks and other things with his bare hands. He also set records in other fitness categories such as boxing punches.

    He clinched records earlier held by India, Germany, England, Egypt, America and China by breaking 169 walnuts in 30 seconds with his elbow, shattering the German record, and 39 cans in 30 seconds with his head.

    Naseem also broke 43 coconuts with his head in one minute, 120 chopsticks in a minute with fists and 77 yardsticks in a minute with his head. He also snatched the full extension punch record from England in the boxing punch category, throwing 346 punches in a minute against previously held record of 298. 

    He also set the record of 110 jumping jacks with 40 pounds in one minute, 106 with 60 pounds and 93 jumping jacks with 80 pounds.

    Naseem also defeated Chinese masters in the Nunchaku category, setting a record of popping 80 balloons with Nunchaku in one minute, breaking 100 clay targets with Nunchaku, breaking marble tiles with Nunchaku and spinning Nunchaku 198 times in a minute.

    Apart from this, he set a record in the elbow strike category, successfully hitting the elbow 366 times in one minute.