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  • Pink explosion Vs nuclear bomb: Barbie beats Oppenheimer on opening weekend

    Pink explosion Vs nuclear bomb: Barbie beats Oppenheimer on opening weekend

    This Barbie just broke all the records to become a box office hit!

    After a highly anticipated opening weekend the numbers are in on who won Barbenheimer. Earning reports have declared that Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ has beaten all the Kens to become a box office smash, earning more than $155 million in North America and Canada on the opening weekend, putting Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ in second place with $80.5 million, as reported by Deadline.

    Both films released on July 21 after highly publicised marketing campaigns. All eyes in hit-starved Hollywood were on the two films with expectations running high after a disappointing summer season.

    ‘Barbie’ has also been hailed as the biggest opening weekend to be directed by a woman, surpassing 2019’s Captain Marvel ($153 million) and 2017’s Wonder Woman ($103 million).

    Barbie revolves around the iconic Matell doll of the same name, who travels to human’s world to discover the reality of her creation. The film stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in leading roles, while America Fererra plays a supporting role.

    Oppenheimer explores the life of the American scientist J Robert Oppenheimer as he invents the atomic bomb and later deals with the consequences of his creation.

  • Steel prices surge to record high in Pakistan, posing a major challenge for construction sector

    Steel prices surge to record high in Pakistan, posing a major challenge for construction sector

    The construction industry in Pakistan is currently grappling with a formidable challenge as the price of steel, its primary raw material, reaches an unprecedented high. On Monday, leading steel rebars producers announced a substantial increase of Rs5,000 per metric ton, attributing it to a scarcity of raw materials and a significant surge in the basic power tariff.

    According to Samaa, this decision to raise steel prices has sparked concern throughout the construction sector, as the cost of steel now stands at a staggering Rs260,000 per metric ton. Such a sharp escalation in costs has understandably raised eyebrows and placed industry players under mounting pressure to navigate these burgeoning challenges.

    Adding to the predicament is the recent increase in electricity tariffs, further exacerbating the situation and intensifying the strain on steel manufacturers as they grapple with soaring production costs.

    As a result, the construction industry finds itself confronting a multifaceted burden due to the surge in steel prices, impacting various aspects of their operations.

  • PIA flight steward goes missing in Toronto

    PIA flight steward goes missing in Toronto

    A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight steward went missing in Toronto soon after he landed in the city. According to a report by ARY News, the flight steward arrived in Toronto from Lahore on Friday.

    PIA administration has said that flight Steward Muntazir Mehdi was on the national airline’s flight PK-798 to Toronto.

    Muntazir Mehdi had been staying with other colleagues in a hotel in the Canadian city.  

    The mysterious disappearance of the steward came to light when he didn’t show up for his flight back to Pakistan. Airline management and Canadian immigration authorities were informed about the matter.

    It is not the first incident of a flight steward going missing in foreign cities. At least 4 flight stewards and hostesses have illegally slipped away in Canada for the purpose of acquiring citizenship.

    The airline authority has also confirmed that last year, a PIA steward, Ramzan Gul, went missing after flight PK-798 landed in Toronto.

  • Mawra Hocane’s performance in Nauroz has Nadia Jamil in rapture

    Mawra Hocane’s performance in Nauroz has Nadia Jamil in rapture

    Green Entertainment, the newly launched channel, is keeping audiences hooked with dramas about new and interesting topics.

    The most recent drama to premiere is Mawra Hocane’s Nauroz, a series centered on how social media affects our daily lives.
    Mawra Hocane appears in a totally different role as a strong figure living in the stunning northern regions of Pakistan.

    Now, television legend Nadia Jamil has offered appreciation for Mawra Hocane’s performance.
    In a tweet, Jamil wrote lengthy note, praising Hocane’s acting:

  • ‘If I had to marry at gun point, would marry Mehwish Hayat’: HSY

    ‘If I had to marry at gun point, would marry Mehwish Hayat’: HSY

    Fashion designer Hassan Sheheryar Yasin, a.k.a HSY, appeared on the ‘The Knock Knock Show with Mohib Mirza’ where he was asked about marriage.

    When asked who he would marry if forced at gun point, the designer said it would be actress Mehwish Hayat, because friendship is the most important element in building a strong relationship.

    The ‘Pehli Si Muhabbat’ actor went on to clarify that he was not in a relationship with Mehish, however, the two friends shared a close bond with each other.

    They have previously worked together in the telefilm ‘Ijaazat’.

    HSY also opened up about his childhood and how growing up in a poor family, he learned fashion designing by skimming through magazines as a kid when he went with his mother to a grocery store where she worked:

    “My mother used to work at a grocery store and I use to go through old magazines over there. I would observe how did people design a look and when I went home, I’d take out my old shirts and try to make them like Calvin Klien or Donna Karan.”

    HSY also revealed that one of his fashion inspirations was the late Princess of Wales, Lady Diana, who inspired him to become a fashion designer. As an infant, he had spent some time in London where his mother was looking for a job. During this time, the royal wedding was happening.

    “I was on her shoulders watching the wedding and I remember the excitement, and how millions of people were screaming for a carriage, I have never forgotten it…I remember when I got home I got my sister’s dolls, took some tissue papers and started making that dress because I was shocked how that one dress shocked so many people.”

  • Dir-Zara? Indian woman flies to Upper Dir to marry Pakistani man

    Dir-Zara? Indian woman flies to Upper Dir to marry Pakistani man

    After Seema Haider and Sachin Meena’s romance dominated headlines, yet another cross-border love story has unfolded between Indians and Pakistanis. This time, the roles have been reversed. An Indian woman has travelled all way to Pakistan to meet her Facebook friend who is a Pakistani young man.

    35-year-old Ms. Anju has arrived in Upper Dir district to spend time with her 29-year-old Facebook friend, Nasrullah. Ms. Anju, hailing from the Kailor area of Uttar Pradesh, holds valid travel documents to visit Nasrullah’s village, Kulsho, reports Dawn.

    An Upper Dir district police officer, Mushtaq Khan, confirmed that her visa is legal, allowing her to stay in the region for a month.

    Ms. Anju revealed that she and Nasrullah initially connected on Facebook, and their friendship eventually blossomed into a deep love, leading her to make the decision to travel from India to Pakistan.

    Both Ms. Anju and Nasrullah informed the police that they are in love with each other and intend to get married.

    Ms. Anju is a divorcee and follows the Christian faith. She arrived in Rawalpindi, from where Nasrullah accompanied her to Dir Upper on July 22. On the other hand, Nasrullah, a permanent resident of the village, holds a BSc degree from Government College, Dir.

    Authorities have confirmed that Ms. Anju’s travel documents are in order, and she has been permitted to stay with Nasrullah, with instructions for him to take care of her during her visit.

  • ‘So unethical’: Actress Romaisa Khan slams fans for requesting selfies in ICU

    ‘So unethical’: Actress Romaisa Khan slams fans for requesting selfies in ICU

    ‘John’ actress Romaisa Khan has slammed fans for approaching her to take selfies while she was in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for her mother’s surgeries. The former Tik Tok star revealed that she had been anxious and praying for her mother’s surgery to go well, when the nurses present at the hospital kept begging her to take selfies with them, not recognising how improper it was to approach someone who is worried about their parent’s illness.

    “Some people are so insensitive,” lamented the ‘John’ actress on her Threads account. “I know we are public figures but not public properties, so it’s unethical that my mom is in the ICU screaming in pain almost fighting for her life and where I am crying and praying outside and nurses literally making videos and asking for a selfie.”

    Khan reminded her followers that it is alright to approach her at a public event or mall for a picture, but not at all okay to crowd her in a hospital, especially when she is taking care of her parent.

    “Events or malls most welcome but in such sensitive situations please learn how to act,” she wrote.

    Lets all remember that celebrities are human beings like the rest of us. It’s not at all acceptable to invade someone’s personal space, regardless of whether they are famous or not, especially at a time when they are worried about their loved ones.

  • Study reveals higher risk of depression in new fathers

    Study reveals higher risk of depression in new fathers

    A study conducted by the University College London (UCL) has highlighted that men also have a high risk of depression during the transformative period of parenthood. The research, which analyzed medical records of 90,000 men who became fathers within the previous year, focused on the mental health of new fathers and its relation to postnatal depression.

    Led by Professor Irene Petersen, the study found that men with a history of depression who had previously used antidepressants were 30 times more likely to be prescribed them again in the first year after their child’s birth. It was emphasized that postnatal depression in fathers was not a risk for all men but rather more likely to affect those already prone to depression.

    This study brings attention to the mental well-being of new fathers, an area often overshadowed by the focus on mental health during pregnancy and postpartum for women. It suggests that fathers should consider having a mental health check-up in the first year after becoming a parent.

    According to Professor Petersen, some of the men in the study continued their existing treatment for depression, while others experienced a relapse of depression without a recent prescription. It’s possible that these individuals were more aware of the symptoms and sought treatment voluntarily. The study focused on the use of antidepressant treatment rather than making a formal diagnosis. The research showed that paternal post-natal depression is not a risk for all men but primarily affects those who are already prone to depression.

    “However, having a child might act as a trigger for depression in some men,” he concluded.

    Another researcher and PhD candidate involved in the study emphasized the intricacy of the connection between depression and fatherhood. They noted that previous antidepressant treatment played a significant role in determining whether antidepressants were used in the year after becoming a parent. This could be attributed to some men continuing the treatment they were on before becoming fathers, while others might be more susceptible to experiencing depressive feelings again, which may be exacerbated by the challenges of parenthood.

    The study also revealed that fathers living in the most deprived areas had an 18 percent higher risk of being prescribed antidepressants compared to fathers in the least deprived areas.

  • Petroleum dealers and Minister set to meet today to resolve profit margin dispute

    Petroleum dealers and Minister set to meet today to resolve profit margin dispute

    According to media reports, the Petroleum dealers are scheduled to hold a meeting today with Minister of State for Petroleum, Musadik Malik, in an effort to reach an agreement on increasing profit margins.

    In response to their demands, the Petroleum dealers have been engaged in protests and have issued threats of a countrywide shutdown of stations if their requests are not met.

    However, following a meeting between officials of the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) and the Minister on Friday, the strike has been temporarily postponed, pending a resolution regarding the increment of the dealers’ profit margin.

    A spokesperson from the PPDA clarified that no petrol stations will be closed until after the meeting, and any further course of action will be determined based on the outcome of the meeting.

    Currently, the profit margin for dealers stands at 2.4 per cent or Rs6 per liter, and they are seeking a revision to 5 per cent, which amounts to nearly double the current margin.

    According to Mettis Global, the PPDA Chairman, Abdul Sami Khan, pointed out that the consumer price index has escalated by 38 per cent, while electricity and other utility rates have also spiked, primarily due to the increase in the Kibor rate.

    He further highlighted that a decision was made in 1999, stating that dealers would receive a 5 per cent margin on oil products. However, the government fixed the margin at Rs6 per liter, resulting in a mere 2.4 per cent profit for dealers, which has left them dissatisfied.

  • PML-N wants Ishaq Dar as interim PM, PPP disagrees

    PML-N wants Ishaq Dar as interim PM, PPP disagrees

    PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif wants to see his loyalist Ishaq Dar as the interim prime minister, multiple media reports have said. On the other hand, the second largest party in the ruling coalition, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), has as yet not agreed on Dar’s nomination.

    According to sources within the PPP, a “man from the Sharif family” is not suitable for the caretaker setup, Dawn has reported.

    On Sunday, PML-N initiated efforts to take all stakeholders on board, including the military establishment, and assuage the concerns of the PPP leadership.

    Both the major political parties, PML-N and PPP, in the ruling alliance agree that the caretaker prime minister should be a politician. The ruling party will announce a name for caretaker prime minister after consulting all the stakeholders.

    On the other hand, PPP Information Secretary and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, Faisal Karim Kundi, said no meeting was held between the two parties on Sunday.
    In a statement to ARY News, the PPP denied agreeing on Ishaq Dar becoming the caretaker prime minister, stating that no such agreement had been reached between the two parties.