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Newsdesk

Trump calls tariffs his ‘favorite word’ amid billion-dollar economic gains

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Trump calls

Pennsylvania: Speaking at a major event in Pennsylvania, US President Donald Trump said that “tariff” has become his favorite word as billions of dollars are flowing into the US economy through them.

During his address, Trump made several claims regarding economic growth, investment, foreign policy, and border security.

He stated that the government has provided $12 billion in aid to American farmers using tariff revenues and announced that an energy company will invest $10 billion in Pennsylvania, calling it a positive step for the US economy.

Trump also claimed that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE have pledged $4 trillion in investment in the United States. According to the leaders of these countries, the US has become a powerful state again within a year.

On the economic front, he asserted that oil prices have fallen below $2 per gallon and that the income of the working class has doubled under his administration.

Criticizing former President Biden, Trump said that his government was “hostile to the working class” and allowed 25 million people to enter the US illegally during his tenure.

Highlighting border security, Trump claimed that North Korea has the world’s toughest border while the U.S. is witnessing reverse migration for the first time in its history.

On global peace, Trump said his administration has actively worked to maintain international stability, mediating ceasefires between Pakistan and India, as well as easing tensions between Thailand and Cambodia.

Akshay Khanna’s dance in ‘Dhurandhar’ becomes viral on social media

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Akshay Khanna

LAHORE: : A brief entry scene from Bollywood’s film Dhurandhar has gone viral on social media, featuring Akshay Khanna, who plays the role of Rehman Dakait, breaking into a traditional local dance immediately after stepping out of a car.

According to Danish Pandor, portraying  Uzair Baloch in the film, the dance was completely unplanned. He explained that choreography was underway when Akshay suddenly stood up and asked director Aditya Dhar, “Can I dance too?” The director reportedly smiled and replied, “Do whatever your heart desires!”

Seizing the moment, Akshay began dancing spontaneously, leaving the entire crew surprised. This unplanned, natural performance has since become one of the film’s most popular moments.

Social media users are praising not only Khanna’s performance but also his natural, effortless style. The Dhurandhar team says this impromptu moment is quickly becoming the defining highlight of the movie.

Pakistan women’s football team included in FIFA series for first time

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Pakistan

LAHORE: The Pakistan Women’s Football Team has been officially included in the Federation International Football Association (FIFA) series for the first time.

The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) confirmed that the FIFA’s approval acknowledges the growing development of women’s football in Pakistan. This marks a new era for the national team, providing players with opportunities to compete at the international level.

The FIFA women’s series is scheduled to take place in March and April 2026, beginning in Brazil, Ivory Coast, and Thailand. Additionally, all groups for the women’s FIFA series are expected to be announced in early 2026.

PCB issues NOCs to nine national cricketers for BPL

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PCB issues

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to nine national cricketers for participation in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

The updated NOC list allows these players to take part in the tournament until January 23, 2026.

Among the notable names granted NOCs are Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, and Sahibzada Farhan. Other players include Hussain Talat, Ihsanullah, Haider Ali, Abrar Ahmed, Khawaja Nafay, and Salman Arshad.

The Bangladesh Premier League is scheduled to take place from December 26, 2025, to January 24, 2026.

YouTubers Rjab Butt, Nadeem Nani Wala return to Pakistan after deportation

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YouTubers Rjab Butt

Rjab Butt and TikToker Nadeem Nani Wala arrived in Islamabad after being deported from the United Kingdom. The duo returned via British Airways flight BA-2161, where they also shared photos during their journey.

A large number of fans and social media influencers gathered at Islamabad International Airport to welcome them. According to airport sources, their immigration process was completed and both were allowed to leave for home.

Meanwhile, Islamabad High Court has approved a 10-day transit bail for YouTuber Rajab Butt and TikToker Nadeem Nani Wala. Justice Inam Amin Minhas heard the case, during which both social media personalities appeared before the court.

During the hearing, the petitioners’ lawyer requested a 15-day transit bail, citing that another case is also registered against them in Karachi. However, Justice Inam Minhas responded that the court is granting a 10-day protective bail and directed them to approach the relevant court within the given period.

Subsequently, the IHC granted transit bail for 10 days, ordering both to contact the concerned court within the stipulated time.

The duo faces cybercrime charges for promoting a gambling application. A day earlier, the court had directed authorities not to arrest Rajab Butt upon his return to Pakistan.

Rajab Butt was deported from the UK after his visa — valid until 2027 — was cancelled. Both social media influencers arrived in Pakistan yesterday following the deportation.

Australia announce squad for third Ashes Test against England

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Australia announce

Adelaide: Australia have named a 15-member squad for the third Ashes Test against England, with captain Pat Cummins returning to lead the side. Usman Khawaja has also been retained despite concerns over a back injury.

Cummins, who missed the first two matches, will resume captaincy duties in Adelaide. Khawaja was dropped from the playing XI in the second Test, where debutant opener Jack Weatherald impressed with a maiden half-century at the Gabba, but the veteran batter has been included in the squad for the upcoming Test.

Due to the strong opening partnership between Travis Head and Jack Weatherald, Khawaja’s return as opener appears unlikely. However, his versatility keeps him in contention for a middle-order slot. Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne are set to continue at No.3 and No.4, while the final middle-order combination remains undecided with Cameron Green, Alex Carey, and Josh Inglis under consideration.

All-rounder Beau Webster has also been included and is being viewed as a strong option for both middle-order batting and bowling depth, especially if there are fitness concerns over Cummins or other pacers.

Wicketkeeper Alex Carey, who starred in the second Test, said the team have started the series strongly but must not become complacent. He stressed that despite leading 2-0, the Ashes are far from over as England remain a formidable opponent.

Australia, mindful of the 2023 Ashes where they let a 2-0 advantage slip to finish 2-2, are aiming to approach the third match with caution and a solid strategy.

Fast bowlers Brendan Doggett and Michael Neser may miss out on the final XI due to Cummins’ return and the expected inclusion of Nathan Lyon, who was left out of a home Test for the first time in 13 years in Brisbane.

Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of the series due to hamstring and calf injuries, while Jhye Richardson is recovering from shoulder surgery and will train with the squad in Adelaide.

The third Ashes Test begins on December 17 at Adelaide Oval.

Australia Squad:

Pat Cummins (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Jack Weatherald, Beau Webster.

Lahore tops pollution index as air quality worsens in major cities

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Lahore tops pollution

KARACHI: Air quality levels in all four provincial capitals have deteriorated significantly, raising environmental and health concerns.

According to the global environmental monitoring website, Lahore topped the list of the most polluted cities in the world with a particulate matter (PM) level of 253. Quetta followed with 248, while Peshawar and Karachi recorded PM levels of 243 and 236 respectively.

Dense smog continues to blanket parts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, severely affecting visibility. Due to poor conditions, Motorway M-1 has been closed from Peshawar to Burhan, and M-5 remains shut from Zahir Pir to Sher Shah.

Meanwhile, most parts of the country are expected to remain cold and dry today, while upper hilly regions may experience very cold conditions during morning and night hours.

Smog is likely to prevail in plain areas of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with chances of fog at a few locations during late night and early morning.

Cold and dry weather is also forecast for Islamabad and surrounding areas.

Sabrina Carpenter reveals secret behind her “surprise songs”

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Sabrina Carpenter

Pop star Sabrina Carpenter has opened up about the careful planning that goes into her signature surprise song performances, revealing that while they appear spontaneous, there’s always some preparation behind the magic.

The “Espresso” singer appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers, December 8, where Meyers asked if audiences genuinely believe she’s caught off guard by her surprise songs.

Carpenter explained, “It’s sort of a surprise for me, but I have options of things that I’ve rehearsed and then I’m surprised by what the option is. That’s good. So there’s a little surprise. There’s a little bit of honesty.”

She added that this method keeps the performance smooth while preserving the element of spontaneity. “In the heat of the show, it’s like Christmas. It’s magical,” she said.

For fans, the Short n’ Sweet Tour includes a “Spin the Bottle” segment, where Carpenter randomly picks a song to perform.

These surprise selections often include covers and deep cuts, from ABBA’s “Mamma Mia” and Sixpence None the Richer’s “Kiss Me” to Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” and Carpenter’s own hits like “15 Minutes.”

This combination of preparation and spontaneity has become a fan-favourite element of her live shows, keeping audiences excited for every unexpected musical moment.

Bollywood’s iconic film ‘3 Idiots’ to get a sequel with original cast

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Bollywood

Mumbai: Bollywood’s historic film ‘3 Idiots’ needs no introduction. Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, the beloved film left a lasting impact on audiences and received widespread acclaim from both critics and fans.

According to a recent report by Indian media, the filmmaker is planning a sequel with the same cast.

‘3 Idiots’ was originally released almost 16 years ago during Christmas and quickly became one of the highest-grossing and most celebrated films in Bollywood history.

Sources told Pinkvilla that the script has been locked and the team is extremely excited about the project. The story of the new installment is said to continue directly from where the first film ended.

While no official announcement for ‘3 Idiots 2’ has been made yet, the news has already created a buzz on social media, reigniting excitement among fans of the original film.

TIP NCPS 2025 finds police, judiciary leading corruption

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TIP NCPS 2025

ISLAMABAD: According to the National Corruption Perception Survey (NCPS) 2025 released by Transparency International Pakistan (TIP), police, tender and procurement departments, and the judiciary are perceived as the most corrupt sectors in Pakistan.

 A large majority of respondents also consider provincial governments more corrupt than local governments.

The survey found that 77% of participants are dissatisfied with government efforts to curb corruption. Dissatisfaction was highest in Balochistan (80%), followed by Punjab (78%), and Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (75%).

Encouragingly, 66% of respondents reported that they had not been asked for bribes in the past year. Regarding economic conditions, 57% said their purchasing power decreased over the past 12 months, while 43% reported improvements.

Nevertheless, 58% of respondents (40% partially, 18% fully) agreed that government measures, including the IMF program and exiting the FATF grey list, helped stabilize the economy.

Public opinion on political funding and advertisements

Public opinion strongly favors political funding reforms:

42% want a complete ban on business funding of political parties.

41% support regulated funding, creating an overall support of 83%.

55% believe government advertisements should not include political party names or leadership images.

Sector-wise corruption perception

Police topped the list nationally with 24% reporting it as the most corrupt sector. Punjab showed the worst perception at 34%, followed by Balochistan (22%), Sindh (21%), and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (20%).

Tender and procurement: Balochistan (23%) showed the highest concern.

Judiciary: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (18%) and Punjab (17%) had the highest perception of corruption.

Provincial governments and accountability

59% of respondents view provincial governments as more corrupt than local bodies, with Punjab leading at 70%.

Strong distrust of anti-corruption institutions was noted, with 78% wanting self-accountability mechanisms for bodies like NAB and FIA.

Main causes of corruption identified were: lack of transparency (35%), absence of independent oversight (33%), and perception of political revenge (32%).

Healthcare sector corruption

67% said corruption in healthcare significantly affects people’s lives.

Hospitals (38%), doctors (23%), and pharmaceutical sector (21%) were reported as most corrupt.

Provincial variations: hospitals – Sindh 49%, KPK 46%, Balochistan 32%, Punjab 26%; doctors – Balochistan 35%; pharmaceutical – Punjab 30%.

Measures suggested: strict action against pharma commissions (23%), ban on public-sector doctors’ private practice (20%), stronger regulations (16%).

Bribery and reporting awareness

Highest bribery reported in Sindh (46%), followed by Punjab (39%), Balochistan (31%), and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (20%).

70% are unaware of official corruption reporting mechanisms; of the 30% who are aware, only 43% have ever reported an incident.

Anonymous reporting (38%) and rewards (37%) could encourage more people to report corruption.

Charity and tax-exempt organizations

51% believe NGOs, trusts, hospitals, and educational institutions with tax exemptions should not charge fees.

53% want these organizations to disclose donors and donations publicly.

The NCPS 2025 reflects public perception trends and highlights the urgent need for stronger transparency, accountability, and reforms in governance across Pakistan.