Blog

Are Kriti Sanon and Kabir Bahia in a relationship? New photos fuel speculation

Is Bollywood’s favorite actress Kriti Sanon in a relationship with businessman Kabir Bahia? After new pictures of the two surfaced online, rumors about their relationship have once again gone viral.

As per Indian media reports, the Mimi actress and businessman Kabir Bahia are believed to be dating each other.

On 25 December, the duo was spotted together during Christmas, with both sharing pictures on Instagram, fueling speculation about their relationship.

This isn’t the first time that these two have sparked rumors. Kriti and Kabir have been seen vacationing together in various locations on several occasions. Kabir Bahia has also been spotted with Kriti’s family on special occasions.

During Kriti’s birthday celebration in Greece in 2023, a picture surfaced online showing Kabir Bahia by her side, further intensifying rumors about their relationship.

According to Indian media, the couple has been in a serious relationship for some time now, though neither Kriti nor Kabir has officially confirmed it.

Kriti and Kabir have not made any public announcements about their relationship as there is a perception that their families disapprove. It is believed that their families have not yet given their official approval for the relationship, which is why they are staying private about it.

Despite the ongoing rumors and public speculation, Kriti and Kabir continue to keep things under wraps, leaving fans eagerly waiting for an official confirmation.

Earlier, the gossip mill suggested that Kriti and Prabhas are pretty serious about their romance. Adding fuel to the fire, Varun Dhawan seemingly confirmed their romance by stating his Bhediya co-star is dating someone who’s currently shooting a film with Deepika Padukone. And well, everyone knows it is Project K that he was talking about which stars Prabhas as the leading man.

The report further states that Kriti Sanon and Prabhas will get engaged soon after the release of Adipurush.

Kriti Statement

Kriti took to Instagram to share an official statement on her relationship with Prabhas.

Kriti called her relationship rumours with Prabhas ‘baseless’. In her note, she also said that ‘Bhediya’ Varun ‘went a little too wild’ and his fun banter led to dating rumours. Kriti’s note read, “Its neither Pyaar, no PR… our Bhediya just went a little too wild on a reality show. And his fun banter lead to some howl-arious rumours. Before some portal announces my wedding date- let me burst your bubble. The rumours are baseless!” She also put ‘Fake news’ GIF along with the statement.

December 26, 2024
Imran Khan’s nephew among 60 others convicted by military courts

Military courts have sentenced another 60 civilians, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s nephew Hassaan Khan Niazi, for their involvement in May 9 riots, the Inter-Services Public Relation (ISPR) said Thursday.

As per the details, Niazi has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his involvement in the ransacking of Lahore Corps Commander’s residence (Jinnah House). Among other convicts was Mian Abad Farooq, a former PTI lawmaker from Lahore, who was sentenced to two years rigorous imprisonment.

“Sequel to the announcement of the May 9 punishments in light of the Supreme Court’s decision, the Field General Court Martial has promulgated the punishments to the following 60 culprits after examining all evidence, ensuring the provision of all legal rights to the convicts, completion of due process and the appropriate legal proceedings,” read a statement issued by the military’s media wing.

The latest sentences come just days after the ISPR announced that 25 civilians had been handed prison terms for their involvement in violent protests that broke out over Khan’s arrest in May last year. The demonstrations saw attacks on state establishments, including military installations across the country.

Thursday’s statement once again stressed that all individuals sentenced by military courts had the right to appeal the sentence as outlined by the law of the land. “The nation, government and armed forces remain resolute in their commitment to ensuring justice and upholding the inviolable authority of the state,” the ISPR concluded.

After months of deliberations over military court’s eligibility to try and sentence civilians, as many as 25 persons were last week convicted and sentenced for their involvement in May 9 attacks on state installations.

“Field General Court Martial have in [the] first phase promulgated the punishments to 25 accused,” read a statement issued by ISPR on Dec 21.

While the PTI demanded a judicial commission to probe last year’s events, the statement added that the promulgation of the sentences of remaining accused was also being done and will be announced shortly as and when the due process was completed.

It added that the nation on May 9 witnessed tragic incidents of politically provoked violence and arson at multiple places, marking a dark chapter in the history of Pakistan.

Building on a sustained narrative of hate and lies, the ISPR said, politically orchestrated attacks were carried out on the installations of the armed forces including the desecration of martyrs’ monuments.

“Many accused are also being tried in various Anti-Terrorism Courts and their cases are being pursued as per the law, however, justice would truly be fully served once the mastermind and planners of 9th May Tragedy are punished as per the Constitution and laws of the land,” the statement read.

December 26, 2024
FA, FSc examination fees increased across Pakistan

Education boards across Pakistan have announced a rise in admission fees for annual Intermediate examinations for FA (Faculty of Arts) and FSC (Faculty of Science), expected to begin from the next academic year on April 22, 2025.

The rise is expected to affect both regular and private students, requiring online submission of admission fees along with the admission form.

Revised fee structure

As per an official notification, the revised fee structure for students in the science and arts practical groups is as follows:

Single fee- Rs5,830
Double fee- Rs7,630
Triple fee: Rs 9,430.

For students of FA without practical subjects, the fees are:

Single – Rs5,730
Double fee- Rs7,430
Triple fee- Rs9,130.

Revised fee structure for regular students

Regular students in the science and arts practical groups will pay a single fee of Rs4,730, a double fee of Rs6,430, and a triple fee of Rs8,130.

Regular arts students without practical subjects will pay a single fee of Rs4,630, a double fee of Rs6,230, and a triple fee of Rs7,830.

Notably, an additional registration fee of Rs1,000 will also be charged.

Meanwhile, the last date to submit online admissions with single fee is January 24, 2025.

After this date, students are still eligible to apply but will have to pay a double fee from January 25 to February 3 and a triple fee from February 4 to February 12.

Students can submit their admission with a triple fee and a daily fine of Rs500 up to 10 days before the exams.

However, the sudden hike in fees has raised concerns and disappointment among the masses.

Talking to The Express Tribune, the President of the All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association (APPSMA), Abrar Ahmed Khan, opposed the increase in fees and called for a revision.

He criticised the fee hike, stating the deteriorating situation of the economy in the country: “The earlier increase in matriculation fees had already placed a financial burden on students, and this additional hike in the FA fees is excessive.”

He also warned that the fee rise could discourage private students, particularly female students from remote areas, from continuing their education and appearing for the intermediate exams despite restrictions.

December 26, 2024
Chahat is back with Bado Badi 2

Rejoice, social media users, Chahat Fateh Ali Khan is back with a bang! The singer rose to stardom with his viral rendition of Noor Jahan’s classic song, ‘Bado Badi,’ last year.

Bado Badi 2 Out Now

Chahat promised his fans a sequel to his hit song. ‘Bado Badi 2’ is now out, just in time for Christmas and the winter holidays. The video, which appears to have been shot in a low-budget setting, has been shared with his fans.

Chahat is seen dancing with dancers, creating a lively atmosphere that resembles a mix of a bar and a concert. He sings with enthusiasm, trying to captivate the audience.

The much-awaited Bado Badi 2 is here to bring some festive cheer. Check out the video below:

December 26, 2024
PSX falls by over 1,900 points after record highs

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Thursday continued to fall on the second consecutive day as KSE-100 witnessed a 1,992-point drop during intraday trading.

While Oil and Gas Tradable Sector Index (OGTI) was hit the hardest by the bearish trend, recording a fall by 3.82 percent after losing 1,119 points at closing time, such lows are common at the end of the year as investors resort to profit taking.

The director of research from AKD securities attributed the fall in the PSX due to it being the last week of rollovers of future contracts and also partly due to investors realigning their portfolios.

At the end of the year, investors often sell high performing assets. This is because high performing assets often grow to form a large part of an investor’s portfolio and are sold off for diversification purposes, usually causing a sharp decline.

Aside from the general trends, some global developments have also created an environment that might not be conducive to generate returns for investors. One such development is the fall in global crude oil prices.

Financial experts are speculating that the substantial hit to the OGTI was probably due to the downward trend in global oil prices. A drop in international oil prices is usually accompanied by the government revising oil prices on a national level as well.

This could cause a fall in revenue for oil companies and investors were quick to pick up on this. As many as 12 out of the 13 publicly traded companies listed under oil and gas marketing and exploration suffered as their position declined at the end of intraday trading. Hascol was the only oil company in the green, resulting in an 8.24 percent increase in share value.

Another pressing issue causing the decline in the PSX is the air force’s airstrike on Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts in Afghanistan. The fear of retaliation from TTP is enough to shake investor confidence given Pakistan’s history of terror attacks.

However, some industries remained in the green despite the financial carnage witnessed by stock brokers. Jute and leasing companies both posted healthy gains as the market closed. Crescent Jute and Pak Gulf Leasing witnessed a 14 percent and nine percent rise in share value, respectively.

As the year comes to a close, the question on many financial experts’ minds is if the overall bullish trends from this year will carry into the next year. Only time will tell.

December 26, 2024
Khawaja Saad Rafique hits back at Richard Grenell over silence on Gaza

Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Saad Rafique has hit back at United States (US) President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Envoy for Special Missions, Richard Grenell, over his persistent social media posts advocating for the release of the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, Rafique called out Grenell over his hypocrisy, saying, “His [Richard Grenell] conscience has been sleeping since the 2018 election theft to the dark period of political revenge and long imprisonment of opposition leaders.”

The PML-N leader, who remained imprisoned during Imran Khan’s tenure, reminded Grenell that the elected government of former Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif in Pakistan was overthrown by the “collusion of the establishment, the judiciary and Imran Khan’s party.”

Former Railways and Aviation Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique lambasted the Special Envoy over his stance on the carnage of Palestinians. “His [Grenell] dead conscience on the genocide of the Palestinians is still with the usurper and aggressive Zionists. Their conscious wakes up only to fulfill imperial ambitions. It has nothing to do with humanity, justice, democracy and the rule of law,” he added.

Doubting Grenell’s demand to release former premier Imran Khan, Rafique pointed out that the close confidant of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump had some other goals.

“We know very well that you will try to put pressure on Pakistan to break the China bloc and surround Iran. You have done this before, but the Lord of the Universe has kept us safe and strong. May Allah be with us,” he wrote.

Following the crackdown of Pakistan security forces on PTI demonstrators on November 26 in Islamabad, former US ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell initially posted on his account on X in favour of Imran Khan, writing, “Free Imran Khan!”. However, he did not receive much attention at that time.

Grenell was discussed in Pakistan politics on December 15, when Trump appointed him as his Special Envoy for Global Missions in his administration. His social media posts then were amplified by PTI supporters.

Grenell’s posts have veered towards what can be called trolling, social media behaviour not usually displayed by diplomats. He has been retweeting PTI’s Shehbaz Gill, and many of his talking points seem to have much in common with the party.

However, Khawaja Saad Rafique was not the only political leader who reacted to Grenell’s social media post focusing on Imran Khan’s release.

Advisor to PM Rana Sanaullah, while appearing in the Geo News programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath, said, “We will not work under pressure of Donald Trump […] if any intervention is made then we would consider it as interference in our sovereignty.”

Grenell talked to US media outlet Newsmax on Wednesday, stating, “There are a lot of the same allegations just like President Trump, where the ruling party put him in prison and created some sort of corruption allegations and false allegations.”

Meanwhile, many of Pakistan’s biggest opposition party leaders, including Zartaj Gul and Aliya Hamza, welcomed the statements from Richard Grenell.

December 26, 2024
Beerbiceps Ranveer Allahbadia saved from drowning with girlfriend

What was meant to be a fun Christmas in Goa quickly turned into a life-threatening situation for YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia, also known as BeerBiceps, who says he almost drowned along with his girlfriend.

Taking to Instagram, Ranveer revealed how he and his girlfriend were caught in a powerful underwater current while swimming in the ocean.

The YouTuber, who has been swimming in the ocean since childhood, explained that while he has encountered such currents before, it was the first time he was in this situation with a companion.

“We both love swimming in the open ocean. I’ve been doing this since I was a kid. But yesterday we got swept away by an underwater current. This has happened to me before but I’ve never been alongside a companion,” he said.

Despite being good swimmers, Ranveer said, it was much harder to pull someone out of the water than to swim out alone.

“After a 5-10 minute struggle, we called for help and were promptly rescued by a family of five swimming nearby.”

He expressed his deep gratitude to the family, which included an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, for their quick response and efforts. He also reflected on how the terrifying ordeal made him realise the limits of nature’s fury.

“There was a point during the ordeal where I swallowed a lot of water and started fading away a little bit. That’s when I decided to shout for help,” he said.

In the post, Ranveer also thanked God for protecting his girlfriend and him and said that it was a humbling experience.

“This experience left us feeling […] grateful. We felt the protection of God throughout the incident.”

Looking back at the incident from Christmas Eve, he shared how it made him value life more deeply.

“We’re simply full of gratitude for being alive, almost feel like this one life experience has changed my perspective towards living.”

“Last evening, I decided to call my brother @brother.salvador to convey the Christmas Eve incident. He performed a prayer for us where we thanked Lord Jesus Christ as well as the God above us [sic],” he revealed.

He ended his post with a message of thanks to his fans and followers, as he acknowledged the impact the near-drowning had on his perspective towards life.

“I guess 2025 is going to be more blessed than ever, we lived for a reason! Merry Christmas to you all and to your families. Thank you, God, for life! ♥.”

December 26, 2024
WhatsApp will stop working on these devices from January 1

Popular messaging app WhatsApp will be stop working on all Android phones running the KitKat operating system from January 1, 2025, it has emerged.

Under the development, all devices released over nine years ago will no longer be able to run the app.

The main reason for this move by the Meta sub-platform is to include new features for users and ensure compatibility with modern technology, performance and security.

The company has also released a list of Android phones that will no longer be able to run the app.

Samsung Galaxy S3
Motorola Moto G
HTC One X
Sony Xperia Z
Samsung Galaxy S3
Samsung Galaxy Note 2, Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini
Motorola Moto G (1st Gen)
Motorola Razr HD
Moto E 2014
HTC One X
HTC One X+
HTC Desire 500
HTC Desire 601
LG Optimus G
LG Nexus 4
LG G2 Mini
LG L90
Sony Xperia Z
Sony Xperia SP
Sony Xperia T
Sony Xperia V

December 26, 2024
Over 10,000 Spain-bound migrants lost at sea in 2024: report

At least 10,457 migrants died or disappeared while trying to reach Spain by sea in 2024, an NGO said Thursday, more than 50 percent more than last year and the most since it began keeping a tally in 2007.

The 58-percent increase includes 1,538 children and 421 women, migrants rights group Caminando Fronteras or Walking Borders said in a report which covers the period from January 1 to December 5, 2024.

It amounts to an average of 30 deaths per day, up from around 18 in 2023.

The group compiles its data from hotlines set up for migrants on vessels in trouble to call for help, families of migrants who went missing and from official rescue statistics.

It blamed the use of flimsy boats and increasingly dangerous routes as well as the insufficient capacity of maritime rescue services for the surge in deaths.

“These figures are evidence of a profound failure of rescue and protection systems. More than 10,400 people dead or missing in a single year is an unacceptable tragedy,” the group’s founder, Helena Maleno, said in a statement.

The victims were from 28 nations, mostly in Africa, but also from Iraq and Pakistan.

The vast majority of the fatalities — 9,757 — took place on the Atlantic migration route from Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands, which has received a record number of migrants for the second year in a row.

Seven migrant boats landed in the archipelago on Wednesday, Christmas Day, Spain’s maritime rescue service said on social media site X.

At their closest point, the Canaries lie 100 kilometres (62 miles) off the coast of North Africa. The shortest route is between the coastal town of Tarfaya in southern Morocco and the island of Fuerteventura in the Canaries.

But the Atlantic route to the Canary Islands is particularly dangerous because of strong currents.

Along with Italy and Greece, Spain is one of the three major European gateways for migrant arrivals.

According to the interior ministry, 60,216 migrants entered Spain irregularly between January 1 and December 15 — a 14.5 percent increase over the same time last year.

The majority, over 70 percent, landed in the Canaries.

December 26, 2024
Sheheryar Munawar, Maheen Siddiqui’s joyous haldi ceremony

Sheheryar Munawar, one of Pakistan’s most beloved actors, is stepping into a new chapter of his life as he gets ready to marry fellow actress Maheen Siddiqui, known for the lead role in Dobara.The couple hosted a small and intimate Haldi ceremony on December 25, surrounded by close friends and family.

Haldi Ceremony Highlights

The Haldi ceremony, a joyful pre-wedding ritual, took place last night. Sheheryar and Maheen looked stunning as they celebrated this special moment together. Their friends and family joined in the fun, making it a memorable event.

Here are some highlights from their beautiful Haldi ceremony:

Sheheryar Munawar: The groom looked dashing in a sky blue dress, his bright smile lighting up the ceremony.

Maheen Siddiqui: The bride was radiant in a yellow dress, exuding joy and excitement.

Festive Atmosphere: The ceremony was filled with laughter, love, and the vibrant colors of Haldi, making it a truly festive occasion.

Family and Friends: Close friends and family members added to the celebrations, sharing in the happiness and fun.

December 26, 2024