Author: newsdesk

  • Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni to star in film adaptation of controversial book ‘It Ends With Us’

    Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni are set to star as main leads in a film adaptation of the controversial Colleen Hoover book ‘It Ends With Us’, with Baldoni also directing, Deadline has reported.

    Hoover’s novel has been slammed by bloggers and social media users for romanticizing abuse and championing aggressive and toxic male characters. Users have pointed out that even though the book was marketed as a ‘romance novel’ it depicts an abusive relationship where the female lead, Lilly Bloom, is consistently abused and sexually assaulted by her husband, Ryle, and even highlighted how regardless of this, there are no consequences for the abuser by the end of the novel.
    Recently, Hoover had to cancel the release of the adult coloring book based on ‘It’s End With Us’, after social media users called her ‘insensitive’ and ‘tone deaf’.

    When news of the film adaptation broke out on Twitter, users criticized Baldoni’s involvement in the project, citing his description of himself as a ‘male feminist’. Baldoni had also held a TED talk on encouraging better representation of masculinity on social media.
    “Isn’t Justin Baldoni Mr ‘we have to address the negative ways masculinity is taught/enforced’??? Sir, in what world does that line up with Colleen Hoover/her work? lmao what,” one user wrote.

    “Justin Baldoni is such a promising actor & his opinions are always very interesting to listen to, so why… as a man who spoke up about toxic masculinity and abuse, you’re taking this role…”

    https://twitter.com/venuseIy/status/1618882700869500928?s=20&t=uE1nNRWsBo-ShR4JwO94qg

    “Justin Baldoni crafted his entire image to be a role model to create emotionally open and sensitive young men. And now he’s not just starring in this awful adaptation, but DIRECTING it?? With BLAKE LIVELY??? Insanity”

  • IMF mission to visit Pakistan next week to discuss stalled bailout programme

    IMF mission to visit Pakistan next week to discuss stalled bailout programme

    At the end of this month, an IMF delegation will travel to Pakistan to discuss the stalled ninth review of the country’s ongoing funding programme.

    The IMF provided Pakistan with a $6 billion bailout in 2019, which was increased by an additional $1 billion in 2022. However, the lender halted disbursements in November because Pakistan had not made further progress on fiscal reduction and economic reforms.

    “At the request of the authorities, an in-person Fund mission is scheduled to visit Islamabad January 31st–February 9th to continue the discussions under the ninth EFF review,” according to IMF Resident Representative in Pakistan Esther Perez Ruiz.

    A successful visit is crucial for Pakistan, which is facing an increasingly acute balance of payments crisis and is desperate to secure external financing with less than three weeks’ worth of import cover in its foreign exchange reserves.

    Multilateral and bilateral financing pledges for the cash-strapped country’s effort to rebuild after devastating floods last year are also tied to the country getting the green light from the IMF.

    According to Ruiz, the mission’s main objectives would be power sector reforms and local and international sustainability restoration strategies, such as strengthening the budgetary situation while aiding flood victims.

    The reinstatement of a market-based process to decide the value of the Pakistani rupee would also be discussed, she added. The country must have such a structure in place before receiving IMF assistance, but up until this week, it had not done so.

    The relaxation of price ceilings that the government had established but that the IMF disagreed with has resulted in a loss of close to 10 per cent of the value of the Pakistani rupee in just two days.

    In just two days, the local currency has lost close to 10 per cent of its value after the removal of price caps imposed by the government, which the IMF opposed.

    Stronger policy initiatives and reforms, according to Ruiz, are essential for Pakistan to get financial help from official partners and the markets and to lessen the high level of uncertainty that is weighing on its future.

    Market observers claimed that the IMF programme was trying to be restarted when the price limitations were abruptly removed.

  • ‘Sorry’: Elahi apologises for remarks against Fawad Chaudhry

    ‘Sorry’: Elahi apologises for remarks against Fawad Chaudhry

    Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Thursday apologised for criticizing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senior Vice-President Fawad Chaudhry who was arrested on Tuesday morning.

    Elahi took to Twitter to apologise for his comments, stating that he has old ties with Fawad’s family. He added that his remarks hurt the sentiments of Fawad’s family for which he is sorry.

    Elahi took a jibe on Thursday at the close aide of the PTI chief Imran Khan. Talking about Chaudhry’s recent arrest, he said it would have been better had he been arrested earlier.

    Addressing an event, Elahi said: “Imran Khan’s close aides struck at the roots of PTI. One out of four or five people, who are close to Khan, has been arrested. Things would have been better had he been arrested earlier. Moonis takes good thing about him but well I speak the truth.”

    Elahi also said that had his government been allowed to continue for a full year, the politics of their archrivals, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, would have been buried.

  • Canada appoints Amira Elghawaby as the first Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia

    Canada appoints Amira Elghawaby as the first Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia

    n a first for Canada, the country has appointed Amira Elghawaby as the Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the development on Thursday in a statement, stating that this was done to improve government efforts in offering advice on policy making or programs to improve the lives of Muslims living in Canada.
    “Diversity truly is one of Canada’s greatest strengths, but for many Muslims, Islamophobia is all too familiar. We need to change that. No one in our country should experience hatred because of their faith,” he said.
    Trudeau further added that Elghawaby’s position “is an important step in our fight against Islamophobia and hatred in all its forms. I look forward to working with her as we continue building a country where everyone feels safe and respected.”
    Elghawaby is a Muslim journalist who is a contributing columnist for the Toronto Star newspaper, and also works at Canadian Race Relations Foundation. She also serves as a board member for the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, a non-profit that tracks the rise of hate crimes committed towards minorities in Canada.
    On Twitter, Elghawaby thanked Trudeau and the Canadian government, promising that she would use her platform to ensure that the interests of Canadian Muslims are represented on the national platform.
    “It is my honour to serve in this role. I want to thank the Prime Minister of Canada @JustinTrudeau for working to fight Islamophobia and to ensure Canadian institutions from coast to coast to coast are inclusive of Canadian Muslims, and all people.”
    “I look forward to meeting with elected officials, policymakers, and community leaders across the country to amplify the voices of Canadian Muslims and work together to fight discrimination and hate in all its forms.”

  • When Michelle Yeoh called Jackie Chan ‘a male chauvinistic pig’

    When Michelle Yeoh called Jackie Chan ‘a male chauvinistic pig’

    Asian actor Michelle Yeoh is currently basking in the spotlight after being nominated for Best Actress in the 95th Academy Awards for her outstanding performance as Evelyn Quan Wang in Everything Everywhere All at Once. After her Oscar nomination, netizens stumbled upon an old interview wherein she spoke about Jakie Chan.

    Chinese superstar Jackie Chan is one of the popular international stars well known for his slapstick acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, and innovative stunts. His fans love to be around him because of his outgoing and warm attitude. However, Michelle Yeoh had a different opinion about him.

    In the old interview, Michelle Yeoh straight up began dissing Jackie Chan. She referred to Chan as a “male chauvinistic pig” and was angry over Jackie Chan’s controversial claims and statements. She even spoke some blunt truths for the Rush Hour actor.

    Michelle Yeoh to Jackie Chan on 'Everything Everywhere': 'Your Loss' | IndieWire

    When the Malaysian actress appeared on David Letterman’s show, the host-comedian asked her whether it was Jackie that brought her into the world of cinema. She laughed it off and said, “Actually he’s a male chauvinistic pig. Jackie and I are very good friends. I say this to him you know? to his face. He always believes that women should stay at home and cook and don’t do anything and be the victim except for Michelle!”

    Michelle Yeoh did not stop there and further stated that Jackie Chan knows that she can kick his butt if he interfered with her too much. “Except for Michelle, now he said because I would kick his butt,” she said.

    Yeoh is best known for performing her own stunts in the Hong Kong action films that brought her to fame in the early 1990s. She has appeared in films like Memoirs of a Geisha (2005), Reign of Assassins (2010), Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011), Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny (2016), and romantic comedies like Crazy Rich Asians (2018) and Last Christmas (2019).

    The Chinese-Malaysian actress was also seen in Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021).

  • Intraday update: Pakistani rupee drops to Rs268.30, losing more than Rs12 versus US dollar

    Intraday update: Pakistani rupee drops to Rs268.30, losing more than Rs12 versus US dollar

    Pakistani rupee (PKR) continued its downward trend on Friday, with the rupee declining over Rs12 versus the US dollar in the interbank market. The local currency was trading at Rs268.30, compared to yesterday’s close of Rs255.43 in the interbank market.

    The dollar has gained Rs30.41 in the interbank market since Thursday as exchange companies removed the dollar cap, a key demand of the IMF as part of a bailout programme agreed upon in 2018.

    PKR fell to Rs265 against the US dollar in the open market, a decline of Rs3 compared to the day before.

    The removal of the cap on the dollar rate took the currency market by surprise and resulted in extreme volatility. Experts termed it a “much-awaited adjustment” and predicted that it would help in increasing export proceeds and inward remittances through legal banking channels.

    The difference in rates between the interbank and open markets owing to the price cap removal, which had widened to Rs15 in recent months, was almost wiped out.

    The country’s foreign exchange reserves have depleted to a critical level, falling to $3.678 billion in the week ending January 20. This is not enough to finance even three weeks of imports.

    This is a developing story and will be updated after interbank closing.

  • Cold snap kills least 160 people in Afghanistan

    Cold snap kills least 160 people in Afghanistan

    Afghan authorities have reported on Thursday that more than 160 people have died this month from the cold, as the country goes through the most severe winter season in more than a decade.

    Villagers in the country have spoken of their inability to pay for fuel to heat their houses in well-below-freezing conditions.

    “162 people have died due to cold weather since January 10 until now,” said Shafiullah Rahimi, a spokesperson for the Minister of Disaster Management.

    Temperatures have dipped to as low as -34 degrees Celsius (-29.2 degrees Fahrenheit).

    Even in the early days of winter, medical specialists noticed a significant increase in the number of young children suffering from severe pneumonia and other respiratory ailments. The ailments are partially attributable to rising poverty, which hinders individuals from appropriately heating their houses.

  • Gold price hits all-time high of Rs195,500 per tola after removal of an unofficial dollar cap

    Gold price hits all-time high of Rs195,500 per tola after removal of an unofficial dollar cap

    Gold prices in Pakistan continued their record-breaking spree as the price of 24-carat gold reached an all-time high of Rs195,500 after gaining Rs4,900.

    In addition, the price of 10 grammes also witnessed an increase of Rs4,201 to settle at Rs167,610, according to the All-Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellers Association (APSGJA).

    Moreover, the bullion rate in the international market reached $1,936 after a surge of $11.

    The Pakistani rupee (PKR) on Thursday dropped drastically to approach an all-time low, days after exchange companies abolished the cap on the rupee-dollar exchange rate.

    The sudden hike in yellow metal prices comes as the weakening rupee pushed investors to the safety of bullion to hedge against intensifying economic turmoil in the country.

    On Thursday, the local currency crashed to approach another historic low, as it dropped to Rs255.43 versus the US dollar in the interbank market, sliding Rs24.54 or 9.61 per cent from Wednesday’s close, according to the State Bank of Pakistan.

  • Gerard Piqué makes relationship with Clara Chia Marti Instagram official, Shakira fans troll

    Gerard Piqué makes relationship with Clara Chia Marti Instagram official, Shakira fans troll

    Athlete Gerard Piqué has been making the headlines ever since he allegedly cheated on his long-time girlfriend and singer Shakira. The ex-couple shares two kids together and their separation has come as a shock to all the fans.

    While the Colombian singer released a diss track recently taking digs at their ex-boyfriend, Gerard has now made his relationship with girlfriend Clara Chia Marti Instagram official and the singer’s fans are now going berserk on social media.

    The 45-year-old singer happens to be really popular worldwide and especially on social media with over 81 million followers on Instagram. Her latest track titled ‘Out Of Your League’ has already shattered some major records on YouTube and marks her first collaboration with Argentinean producer and DJ Bizarrap.

    Piqué took to his Instagram account and shared a picture with his girlfriend Clara Chia Marti where the two can be twinning in black. They’re seen sitting close to each other on a patio restaurant and smiling for the picture.

    According to Page Six, a user on Instagram commented below his picture that read, “I would have been ashamed”. Another user commented, “She doesn’t compare to the mother of your children.” A third user commented, “Clearly, it’s official and the jam-eating position is free.”