Author: newsdesk

  • ‘Revenge’: Twitter roasts Sonam Kapoor for upcoming performance at Charles’ coronation

    King Charles’ crowning coronation is only a week away. Media reports revealed how big names like Adele and Harry Styles had turned down the opportunity to play at his coronation, but it seems like there is a line-up of powerhouses ready to be part of the big day. The final list shows impressive A-listers like Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, Tom Cruise, and Bollywood star Sonam Kapoor.

    Some Twitter users are dumbstruck that a citizen from a former colonised nation is coming to celebrate the Royal Family, and that of all the people it was Sonam Kapoor?

    But, Twitter would take up any opportunity to provide some hilarious memes and delivered beautifully.

    We’re solely tuning in if this happens

    https://twitter.com/ProfPinkman/status/1652619378142367746?s=20
    https://twitter.com/phoolandtanhai/status/1652587879024181248?s=20

  • ‘Spark Notes version of an action series’: Critics blast Priyanka Chopra’s Citadel

    Game of Thrones actor Richard Madden has teamed up with Bollywood turned Hollywood diva Priyanka Chopra for Amazon Prime’s action series ‘Citadel’, with the episodes already streaming online. Both actors went on the traditional promotional tour, gushing about each other, with Chopra revealing that this was the first time she was getting the same pay as her male co-star, and Madden praising Chopra as a ‘brilliant improvisor’ who is fully committed to her roles.

    However critics are not impressed with the $300 million spectacle, calling it a ‘flop’, ‘poorly-paced’ and a cheap copy of James Bond movies, without anything much to say about the current affairs of the world.

    Time magazine called the series ‘all spectacle, no substance’ and shared how aside from the glamorous locations, as well as the charming performances of both Chopra and Madden, who star as former lovers and top agents working for an elite international spy agency ‘Citadel’, the show didn’t offer much:

    “But when the smoke clears, geopolitical window dressing aside, the show has little to say on the state of the world. Whether it’s due to behind-the-scenes turbulence, including the replacement of a showrunner and extensive reshoots, or comes out of the difficulty of making a spy thriller palatable to people in all of the 200-plus countries and territories where Prime Video is available, the absence of substantive ideas, or even much Bond-style humor, makes Citadel feel pretty pointless. Maybe it’s possible to make a great show that appeals to everyone without offending anyone, but this isn’t it.”

    The Ringer had also shared criticism of the lack of dramatic tension, and called the show “a spark notes version of an action series” because of the limited attention given to detail and narrative, recounting how the original showrunner Josh Applebaum exited the series in 2020 over creative differences.

    Rolling Stones has labelled Citadel as “$300 million disaster for Amazon,” and harshly calling it “bland, generic and almost shockingly cheap-looking, given the price tag.” The performances by Chopra and Madden were called ‘charming but also not popping off the screen.

  • Fawad or Marriyum: Whose idea was PTV Flix anyway?

    Federal Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb on Sunday announced the launch of the online platform PTV Flix, which will allow users to access thousands of movies, television shows and documentaries online. In a tweet, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) politician revealed that the was an initiative quite close to her heart, as countless iconic shows like ‘Dhoop Kinaray’, ‘Tanhaiyaan’ and ‘Ainak Wala Jin’ can now be easily accessed online.

    Aurangzeb also thanked the team at PTV and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, who had helped in making this idea in to a reality:

    “I would like to thank and congratulate the team at PTV and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for all their hard work which has made this idea a reality. I would also like to thank our entertainment legends Bushra Ansari Sba, Javed Sheikh Sb and Khalid Abbas Dar Sb for joining me at the launch event.”

    However, many tweeps began tagging Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former Information Minister, Fawad Chaudhry, crediting him for the initiative. Chaudhry later put up a tweet revealing that this was a project he had began during his tenure.

    To which Aurangzeb had a cheeky response, but really who was the person to kickstart PTV Flix?

    If we look back, it was Chaudhry who during his tenure as the Minister of Science and Technology, had announced in 2020 in a tweet that his team was working on setting up Pakistan’s version of Netflix, and had already asked regulatory authorities to draft a guideline about the content.

  • Boy, 8, raped by teacher and his friend

    Boy, 8, raped by teacher and his friend

    Police have reported that a boy aged eight was sexually assaulted by his teacher and the teachers’s friend in a village near Khanewal in Punjab.

    The rape survivor was aken to a hospital after losing consciousness.

    The suspects have been apprehended by the authorities on charges of rape.

    The Current records the tally of rape cases that are reported in news outlets on a daily basis to highlight the alarming situation. We have used many different sources as listed. When will it stop?

  • Dar tells PTI that govt has nothing to do with raid at Elahi’s residence

    Dar tells PTI that govt has nothing to do with raid at Elahi’s residence

    Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has talked to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senior Vice President Shah Mahmood Qureshi via telephone, discussing last night’s raid at former Chief Minister (CM) Pervaiz Elahi’s residence in Lahore.

    Dar distanced the federal government from the incident and blamed the Punjab government for it, while expressing grief over the raid that has been criticised for using excessive force.

    The minister said that he would forward PTI’s reservations to the ruling alliance and would get back to them.

    Meanwhile, Dar’s party fellow and Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal criticised the PTI leaders for “using women and children” as a shield to evade arrest.

    Apparently justifying the raid, the minister said both PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Elahi were not arrested when police conducted a raid at their residence.

    The raid has put talks between PTI and the government, to reach a consensus on a date for election, in jeopardy. The final and third round of negotiations will be held on May 2 (Tuesday).

  • Woman hangs herself after husband stops her from going to beauty salon

    Woman hangs herself after husband stops her from going to beauty salon

    Trigger warning: Suicide/Self-harm

    A 34-year-old woman named Reena from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, has committed suicide after her husband prevented her from going to a beauty salon, police officials have confirmed.

    The woman hanged herself on Thursday in her home located in Scheme Number 51 of the city.

    The Sub-Inspector in charge of the case stated that the husband told the police that he had stopped her from going to the salon, after which she hanged herself in a fit of anger.

    The case is currently under investigation from all possible angles, while the post-mortem has already been conducted.

    Balram, the husband of the deceased said, “I just asked her not to go to the beauty parlour. I informed the police.”

    As per media reports, family members of the couple stated that the Barlam and Reena were constantly engaging in fights and arguments.

  • Saudi Arabia and Iran to reopen embassies soon

    Saudi Arabia and Iran to reopen embassies soon

    Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian announced on Friday that Saudi Arabia and his country will soon reopen their embassies in each other’s capitals, Reuters has reported. The minister didn’t provide exact dates for the reopening of the embassies, which have been closed since 2016, during a news conference held in Beirut, Lebanon.

    “During the last phone call between the foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia on Eid al-Fitr, we agreed to work in the coming days on the reopening of the Iranian and Saudi embassies in Tehran and Riyadh,” Amirabdollahian said, according to an official Arabic translation.

    China mediated a deal last month that led to the restoration of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which had deteriorated since 2015.

    The conflict in Yemen began when the Houthi movement, aligned with Iran, overthrew the Saudi-backed government and took control of Sanaa, causing tension between the two countries. This tension has contributed to conflicts in other areas of the region, such as the Syrian civil war.

  • Delayed IMF deal, depreciating rupee push gold price to Rs219,500 per tola

    Delayed IMF deal, depreciating rupee push gold price to Rs219,500 per tola

    As the economic crisis in Pakistan persists and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme remains in limbo, the price of gold has surged to new heights. The All Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellers Association (APSGJA) reports that the rate of gold (24 carats) has increased by Rs800 per tola and Rs686 per 10 grams, reaching a settlement of Rs219,500 and Rs188,186, respectively. Similarly, the international market witnessed a $6 increase in the price of gold, bringing it to $1,990 per ounce.

    This steady uptrend in gold prices can be attributed to the weakening of economic fundamentals, the depreciation of the rupee, and the record-high inflation rates. During times of economic uncertainty, individuals often turn to precious metals like gold to protect themselves against inflation and currency depreciation.

    The delay in the IMF agreement has further exacerbated the economic crisis, leading to a negative impact on the currency market and increased demand for gold. Without a much-needed economic bailout, the country risks defaulting, adding to the already tense economic situation.

    While the price of silver remains stable at Rs2,600 per tola and Rs2,229.08 per 10 grams, the rise in gold prices highlights the growing economic concerns in Pakistan.

  • First episode of ‘Muhabbat Gumshuda Meri’ receives positive responses

    The first episode of the highly-anticipated Hum TV drama ‘Muhabbat Gumshuda Meri’ released online on Friday. Starring Khushhal Khan and Dananeer as the main leads, the drama opens up to Saim and Zobia who lived next door to each other, and have been best friends since childhood. We learn that the two have remained close despite the disapproval of their families, and both sneak out to go to a party together.

    Viewers have praised the magical chemistry between Dananeer and Khan, pointing out how the two are playing the trope of friends turned lovers incredibly well with well-timed banter and teasing.

    It’s only been the first episode and already twitter users have rave reviews about the performances delivered by both actors, so we can’t wait to see what the next few episodes deliver!

  • UK Court rules that Murtaza Ali Shah was ‘defamed’ through a campaign by PTI leaders

    UK Court rules that Murtaza Ali Shah was ‘defamed’ through a campaign by PTI leaders

    A United Kingdom (UK) High Court Judge has ruled that the words used by three Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders against London-based journalist Murtaza Ali Shah are “defamatory” at common law and that he was defamed through a campaign.

    Murtaza had himself moved the court against PTI leaders Mohammad Imran, Shanaz Hussain (typically known as Shanaz Saddique) and Riaz Hussain after they launched a defamatory social media campaign against him in 2020. Shah’s reporting on Justice Qazi Faez Isa of the Supreme Court after the Assets Recovery Unit paid a spy agency to investigate Justice Isa’s children led to the defamatory campaign against the journalist.

    The former ruling party has distanced itself from the matter. A spokesman of PTI UK said the three were clearly told by PTI leadership that their campaign against the reporter is personal.

    It is pertinent to mention here that one of the PTI leaders—Shanaz Hussain— was found guilty of forging her husband’s signature in 2012.

    In March 2023, at a preliminary trial on the meaning of the defamatory words used by these leaders, a judge said that “these are serious allegations to make against a professional journalist”.