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Newsdesk

Suryakumar Yadav files defamation case against actress Khushi Mukherjee

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Suryakumar Yadav

Mumbai: Indian T20 cricket captain Suryakumar Yadav has filed a defamation lawsuit against Bollywood actress Khushi Mukherjee, seeking ₹100 crore in damages, following a controversial statement that went viral on social media.

According to media reports, Khushi Mukherjee alleged that Yadav frequently sent her messages, claims that Yadav’s legal team has dismissed as completely false, baseless, and damaging to his reputation.

Yadav’s lawyers emphasized that no evidence supports Mukherjee’s allegations, warning that such unverified statements can severely impact the personal and professional lives of public figures.

The legal team further stated that targeting celebrities with false accusations is not only irresponsible but also creates misleading impressions among the public, making legal action necessary to protect Yadav’s reputation.

This high-profile case has already attracted significant media attention and highlights the growing concerns of celebrities regarding misinformation and defamation on social media platforms.

Sanwal Esakhelvi releases special New Year gift for fans

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Sanwal Esakhelvi

KARACHI: Singer Sanwal Esakhelvi has delighted fans by releasing a new version of the classic 1970s hit “Bewafa” alongside his legendary father, Attaullah Esakhelvi, as a special New Year gift.

The song, originally a popular track from the 1970s, has been reimagined with modern visuals and contemporary music arrangements, while preserving its classic emotions and heartfelt lyrics. It has been released in both Urdu and Saraiki languages.

The revamped version of “Bewafa” features significant contributions from Unknownish Artist in co-production and lyrics, blending traditional sentiment with modern music styles. Fans have praised it as a beautiful fusion of two musical generations.

Sanwal Esakhelvi described the collaboration as a personal honor, saying: “Singing this song with my father is a privilege for me.”

He added that the project aims to introduce the younger generation to classic Pakistani music, bridging the gap between past and present.

‘Avatar: The Way of Fire’ tops North American box office

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‘Avatar

Hollywood blockbuster Avatar: The Way of Fire has maintained its position at the top of the North American box office for a fourth straight week, earning over $350 million domestically to date.

The film’s global popularity is even more remarkable, with worldwide box office receipts surpassing $1.23 billion. While these figures are slightly lower compared to previous Avatar installments, the movie has firmly established itself as one of 2025’s biggest hits.

The success of Avatar: The Way of Fire also marks a milestone for Disney this year, becoming the third film after Lilo & Stitch and Zootopia 2 to cross the $1 billion mark.

Director James Cameron had previously hinted that the future of the franchise could depend on this installment’s performance. With this record-breaking success, the path is now clear for the next chapters, Avatar 4 and Avatar 5.

The Avatar series began in 1994, though technological limitations at the time prevented Cameron from fully realizing his vision. Since the release of the first film in 2009, the franchise has been celebrated for its revolutionary visual effects and cutting-edge motion capture technology, setting new benchmarks in cinematic storytelling.

The overwhelming response to Avatar: The Way of Fire proves that audiences remain captivated by the world of Pandora, reaffirming the franchise’s enduring global appeal.

500 million fans apply for FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets

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500 million fans

The upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 has shattered all ticket demand records, with football fans around the globe submitting over 500 million requests for match tickets.

The football World Cup is one of the few major global sporting events where attending a match is a dream for passionate fans. The excitement for the 2026 edition—co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada—has reached unprecedented levels. Ticket applications were received between Thursday, December 11, 2025, and Tuesday, January 13, 2026.

During the random selection draw phase, more than half a billion requests were submitted from fans across all 211 FIFA member associations, setting a new benchmark in ticket demand for sports events.

Fans will be informed via email by February 5 whether their ticket requests have been successful. The host countries—USA, Mexico, and Canada—are among the top applicants, with significant demand also coming from Germany, England, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, and Colombia.

Over the 33-day application window, an average of 15 million ticket requests were submitted daily, highlighting the massive global interest in the first-ever 48-team FIFA World Cup.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino thanked fans worldwide for this overwhelming response, noting that demand exceeded expectations.

Interestingly, the most popular match during this sales phase was scheduled for Saturday, June 27, in Miami, between Colombia and Portugal. Other top-requested games include Mexico vs. South Korea on Thursday, June 18, in Guadalajara, and the final on Sunday, July 19, in New York.

Security forces kill 13 Indian-backed terrorists in KP operations

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Security forces

RAWALPINDI: Security forces eliminated 13 members of the Indian-backed militant group Fitna Al Khwarij in two separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), in reported presence of khwarij, an intelligence based operation was conducted by the security forces in Bannu District on 13-14 January 2026.

During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged the khwarij location and after an intense fire exchange, eight khwarij were sent to hell.

Another intelligence based operation was conducted by Security forces in Kurram District. In ensuing fire exchange, five khwarij were effectively neutralised.

Sanitization operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian sponsored kharji found in the area as relentless Counter Terrorism campaign under vision “Azm e Istehkam” (as approved by Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan) by Security Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out menace of foreign sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.

Relief for consumers as fuel prices remain stable

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Relief for consumer

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to maintain existing prices of petrol and diesel, providing relief to consumers amid ongoing economic pressures.

The Petroleum Division has issued an official notification confirming that there will be no change in fuel prices.

According to the notification, the price of petrol will remain fixed at Rs253.17 per litre, while the price of high-speed diesel will continue at Rs257.08 per litre.

The decision to keep fuel prices unchanged comes as part of the government’s broader efforts to ensure price stability and manage inflationary pressures in the country.

Earlier, the government has announced a significant cut in petroleum product prices, offering relief to consumers.

According to a notification issued by the Petroleum Division, the price of petrol has been reduced by Rs10.28 per litre, bringing the new petrol price to Rs253.17 per litre.

The notification further stated that the price of diesel has been lowered by Rs8.57 per litre, with the new diesel price fixed at Rs257.08 per litre.

The revised prices will come into effect from January 1, offering financial relief amid rising living costs.

Bangladesh Premier League match postponed as players stage boycott

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Bangladesh Premier League

DHAKA: Today’s Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match between Chattogram Royals and Noakhali Express in Mirpur, Dhaka, was called off after players staged a boycott, failing to appear at the venue for the toss.

The boycott comes in response to a statement by Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Director Nazmul Islam, which prompted players to threaten a halt to all cricketing activities.

Following the statement, Bangladeshi cricketers announced they would boycott matches across all formats unless Nazmul Islam resigned from his position. The players’ action has disrupted today’s fixture and raised concerns over the smooth conduct of the ongoing BPL tournament.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has yet to issue a detailed response regarding the players’ demands and the rescheduling of the postponed match.

On the other hand, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has removed Director Nazmul Islam from his position following controversial remarks that led to a player boycott of cricket activities, including today’s Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match.

Nazmul Islam, who served as Chairman of the BCB Finance Committee, had made statements criticizing the Board’s participation in the ICC World Cup, claiming that the Board gained little financially while players would lose match fees if Bangladesh skipped tournaments. His remarks sparked outrage among cricketers, who subsequently threatened to boycott all formats of cricket until his resignation.

In an official statement, the BCB said that after reviewing the recent developments, the Board’s President decided to release Nazmul Islam in the best interest of the sport. The decision was made in accordance with the BCB constitution, and the Finance Committee will now be chaired temporarily by the BCB President.

The Board expressed confidence that Bangladeshi cricketers will continue to play professionally and with dedication, ensuring the smooth conduct of the BPL and other cricketing activities.

Earlier, the player boycott had forced the postponement of today’s BPL match between Chattogram Royals and Noakhali Express, highlighting the urgency of resolving the crisis.

Private schools in occupied Jerusalem strike amid Israeli crackdown

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Private schools

JERUSALEM: Dozens of private schools in occupied Jerusalem have suspended educational activities, affecting thousands of students, following an Israeli crackdown that restricted work permits for teachers coming from the West Bank.

According to Palestinian authorities, the suspension came after Israel imposed limits on work permits for West Bank-based teachers. In response, the General Secretariat of Christian Educational Institutions in Jerusalem called for a strike, which was joined by all private schools in the city.

The strike has disrupted the education of approximately 20,000 students, including 8,500 students from 15 Christian schools.

Richard Zanani, director of St. George School, stated that the Israeli decision has impacted 171 teachers and staff members. He emphasized that the restrictions are affecting both staff livelihoods and students’ access to quality education.

Additionally, Israel has imposed a ban on the recruitment of locally trained Palestinian teachers holding Palestinian degrees, further exacerbating the shortage of qualified educational staff in the city.

The ongoing restrictions have drawn criticism from Palestinian officials, who argue that such measures undermine the education system in occupied Jerusalem and hinder students’ academic progress.

Pakistan-China ties will remain unshakable, says Prime Minister

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Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Thursday reaffirmed Pakistan’s steadfast commitment to its “One-China” policy and stated that Pakistan-China relations will remain unshakable under all circumstances during a meeting with Sun Haiyan, Deputy Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

According to an official statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, Sun Haiyan visited Prime Minister House in Islamabad, where she was warmly welcomed by PM Sharif. The Prime Minister noted that the visit comes at a significant time as Pakistan and China celebrate the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.

PM Sharif highlighted a series of recent high-level engagements, including the successful visit of Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to Beijing, the Interior Minister’s visit to Shanghai, and the upcoming visit of the National Assembly Speaker to China.

Extending best wishes to President Xi Jinping and the Chinese leadership, PM Sharif emphasized the “steel-strong strategic partnership” between the two countries. He praised China’s generous support for Pakistan, particularly under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and stressed the importance of timely and effective implementation of the next phase of CPEC projects.

The Prime Minister also reiterated an official invitation to President Xi Jinping to visit Pakistan this year, underlining the year’s special significance as a historic milestone in bilateral relations.

Deputy Minister Sun Haiyan thanked the Prime Minister and reaffirmed China’s commitment to further strengthening its long-standing, tested relations with Pakistan across all sectors.

She commended PM Sharif’s efforts to ensure economic and political stability in Pakistan and stated that the Chinese people take pride in Pakistan’s diplomatic achievements.

Sun Haiyan also highlighted the CPC’s strong ties with Pakistan’s political parties, emphasizing the importance of inter-party engagement to further deepen cooperation between the two nations.

Shraddha Kapoor’s marriage rumors take social media by storm

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Shraddha Kapoor

Bollywood actress Shraddha Kapoor has become the subject of wedding rumors with her alleged boyfriend Rahul Modi, after social media speculation suggested they are planning a destination wedding in Udaipur, Rajasthan.

Udaipur is a popular choice for high-profile destination weddings in India, having hosted celebrations for Bollywood stars and prominent business figures, including Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif.

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A post shared by Shraddha ✶ (@shraddhakapoor)

The rumors surprised fans and family alike. Recently, Shraddha’s brother, Siddhant Kapoor, came across these reports on Instagram and expressed his astonishment.

The speculation gained momentum after a social media post claimed that Shraddha is planning a “heritage-style” wedding in Udaipur.

The post suggested that the actress is preparing to marry her alleged boyfriend, although no official announcement has been made. Fans have reacted with mixed emotions of excitement and curiosity.

Responding to the rumors, Siddhant Kapoor clarified in the comments that, “This is news to me too,” accompanied by laughing emojis, indicating his lighthearted reaction to the reports.

Shraddha Kapoor and Rahul Modi have been frequently seen together since early 2024, and the actress has shared several photos on social media. However, the couple has yet to confirm their relationship publicly.