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Ronaldo nets brace on return as Al Nassr extend winning streak

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Ronaldo nets brace

Cristiano Ronaldo marked his return from a month-long injury layoff in style, scoring twice in the second half as Al Nassr secured a 5-2 victory over bottom-placed Al Najma in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.

The Portuguese forward, sidelined since February, had missed Al Nassr’s previous two league matches and was also unavailable for Portugal national team friendlies against Mexico and the United States last month.

Al Najma stunned the hosts by taking the lead just before halftime, with Rakan Al Tulayhi finding the net. However, Al Nassr responded quickly as Abdullah Al Hamdan and Sadio Mane struck in first-half stoppage time to turn the game around.

The visitors equalized shortly after the break when Felippe Cardoso scored, but Al Nassr regained control when Ronaldo converted a penalty in the 56th minute.

Ronaldo, 41, added his second goal in the 73rd minute, while Mane sealed the victory with a stoppage-time strike.

The win marked Al Nassr’s 13th consecutive league triumph, keeping them at the top of the table with 70 points, six ahead of second-placed Al Hilal, who are set to face Al Taawoun on Saturday.

PSX Report: KSE-100 Index drops 1,309 points amid volatile trading

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PSX Report

Karachi: The Pakistan Stock Exchange witnessed a bearish trend during the past week, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index declining by 1,309 points.

The index fell from 151,707 points at the start of the week to close at 150,398 points, reflecting overall negative sentiment in the market. During the week, the market lost one key psychological level.

Trading activity remained mixed, with the market recording losses on three days and gains on two days.

Despite the downward trend, the KSE-100 Index touched a weekly high of 157,347 points, while the lowest level recorded was 144,656 points.

Market capitalization decreased by Rs160 billion over the five trading sessions, bringing the total market cap down to Rs16,725 billion.

Meanwhile, a total of 2.45 billion shares were traded during the week, with a cumulative value of Rs1,140 billion, indicating continued investor participation despite volatility.

Trump issues ultimatum to Iran over Strait of Hormuz

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Trump issues

Washington: US President Donald Trump has once again issued a stark warning to Iran, stating that the country has just 48 hours to reach a deal or reopen the Strait of Hormuz, warning that failure to act could trigger catastrophic consequences.

Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, recalling that he had previously given Iran 10 days to negotiate an agreement or open the Strait.

He added that the 10-day period is now ending, leaving only 48 hours, and reiterated that if no deal is reached, Iran would face severe repercussions.

Pakistan calls media reports on UAE repayment misleading

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Pakistan calls

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office has dismissed recent remarks regarding United Arab Emirates financial reserves as baseless and misleading. According to the ministry, the funds held in the State Bank of Pakistan were part of bilateral trade agreements, and Pakistan is returning the deposits in accordance with the agreed terms upon maturity.

The m Foreign Office emphasized that the repayment is a routine financial procedure and misrepresenting it is misleading. Pakistan and the UAE share long-standing and fraternal relations, with strategic cooperation continuing across trade, investment, and defense sectors.

Repayment Details:

Pakistan will return USD 2 billion in UAE deposits on April 17, 2026, with an interest rate of 6 percent.

Additionally, a Eurobond of USD 1.3 billion will mature on April 8, 2026, and be repaid.

Overall, Pakistan will pay a total of USD 3.5 billion, including principal and interest.

A further USD 1 billion in UAE deposits is scheduled for repayment in July 2026.

The FO reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening its strategic and economic relations with the UAE. Earlier reports indicated that the UAE had initially approved a two-month extension for the USD 2 billion deposits, with maturity previously set for February 2026, but Pakistan opted for repayment along with accrued interest.

US Secretary of War Hegseth accused of blocking promotions officers

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US Secretary of War

Washington: United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is facing serious allegations of blocking or delaying the promotions of more than a dozen women and Black senior military officers.

According to reports by a US broadcaster citing sources, concerns have been raised that the defense chief targeted certain officers based on race, gender, or perceived links to the Biden administration, affecting their advancement to the ranks of general or admiral.

A US official claimed that former Chief of Staff General Randy had sought a meeting with Hegseth before his removal to discuss the issue of halted promotions for women and Black officers, but the request was declined.

Another official alleged that no branch of the US military remained unaffected by Hegseth’s intervention.

However, the US Department of Defense has strongly rejected the claims, labeling the report as “fake news” based on anonymous sources and asserting that the allegations lack credibility.

Actor Ali Raza faces controversy after influencer’s relationship claims go viral

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Actor Ali Raza

KARACHI: Rising Pakistani actor Ali Raza has landed in controversy after social media influencer Mahnoor Mirza made startling claims about their alleged past relationship, sparking widespread debate online.

Speaking on a private podcast, Mahnoor Mirza claimed that she and Ali Raza were in a close relationship for nearly five months.

According to her, the connection began on social media and gradually evolved into personal meetings and appearances at events together. She said they remained in regular contact and were often seen attending gatherings side by side.

The influencer stated that during that time, Ali Raza was working on a drama project and displayed a positive and pleasant attitude, which left a strong impression on her. However, she alleged that his behavior changed significantly after he gained popularity.

Mahnoor claimed that the actor suddenly cut off contact and stopped responding to messages, leaving her surprised. She added that he was unmarried at the time and initially very considerate, but things shifted over time.

She further hinted that Ali Raza may now be involved with someone else, possibly a co-star with whom his on-screen pairing has been well received by fans.

Following these claims, social media has been abuzz with mixed reactions, with some users questioning the influencer’s statements while others are calling for clarification from the actor.

Humayun Saeed reveals wife initially opposed his acting career

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Humayun Saeed

KARACHI: Pakistani superstar Humayun Saeed has revealed that his wife was initially not supportive of his decision to pursue a career in acting.

In a recent interview, the actor shared insights into his early showbiz journey, saying that his wife, Samina Humayun Saeed, was unhappy with his choice of profession and often discouraged him from continuing in the field. Instead, she would suggest that he take up business or explore other career options.

Humayun Saeed further disclosed that his wife was uncomfortable with certain aspects of acting, including scenes where he had to hold hands with actresses, and would often accompany him to film sets.

However, he added that her perspective gradually changed after meeting respected figures from the industry, including Marina Khan and other professionals.

Over time, she realized that the industry was not as it appeared from the outside and that many respectable and professional individuals were part of it.

Pakistani singer Annural Khalid ties the knot

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Pakistani singer

KARACHI: Pakistani singer Annural Khalid, best known for her hit song Jhol, has tied the knot, with her wedding photos and videos going viral on social media.

The singer looked elegant in a light pink outfit in the circulating images and clips, which have been widely shared by fans online.

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Annural Khalid also confirmed her marriage through an Instagram story, where she shared a photo of her hand alongside her husband’s, showing off her wedding ring.

In addition, a video of the singer with her husband has also been making rounds on social media, drawing attention and congratulations from fans.

Islamabad United outclass Rawalpindi in one-sided PSL match

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Islamabad United

LAHORE: Islamabad United secured a comfortable seven-wicket win over Rawalpindi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL 11) match played at Gaddafi Stadium.

After winning the toss, Islamabad United opted to field first, inviting Rawalpindi to bat. Rawalpindi posted 156 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs, with Kamran Ghulam scoring 50 and Dyan Forrester contributing 44 runs.

Other notable contributions came from Abdullah Fazal (23) and Daryl Mitchell (19), while Mohammad Rizwan managed just 2 runs.

For Islamabad United, Richard Gleeson, Faheem Ashraf, and Salman Irshad claimed two wickets each.

In reply, Islamabad United comfortably chased down the 157-run target in just 15 overs, losing only three wickets. Sameer Minhas led the charge with an impressive 70 off 36 balls, while Haider Ali (26) and Mark Chapman (24*) remained unbeaten. Devon Conway scored 6, and Mohammad Faiq added 19 runs.

The convincing victory highlights Islamabad United’s strong form in the tournament.

Javeria Saud apologizes after wrong childhood photo of Yumna Zaidi aired

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Javeria Saud

KARACHI: Pakistani actress and host Javeria Saud faced controversy during her Eid special program when a segment mistakenly aired a childhood photo attributed to actress Yumna Zaidi, which in reality belonged to a young Faryal Haamid.

The segment featured a game where celebrity childhood photos were shown for viewers to identify, including stars like Mahira Khan, Iqra Aziz, Sajal Aly, and Atif Aslam. However, one photo was incorrectly labeled as Yumna Zaidi’s childhood picture.

Yumna Zaidi later clarified on Instagram that the image was not hers. Following public reactions, Javeria Saud issued an apology, stating that her team had sourced the image from social media without proper verification and expressed regret over the mistake.

Media reports indicate that Faryal Haamid’s father said the photo was taken from his wife’s social media account without permission and used on the TV show, which affected his daughter’s identity. He added that the matter is serious and may lead to legal action.