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Arnold Schwarzenegger made The Running Man a cult classic in 1987, but now, a bold new remake, starring Glen Powell, is ready to bring Stephen King’s original story back to life and it’s coming with a bang. In just eight seconds, the teaser shows Glen Powell grinning just before a massive explosion takes over the screen, giving a glimpse of the action-packed scenes to come. The full trailer is expected to drop on Tuesday, with the film arriving in cinemas on 7th November in the U.S. The Running Man is set in a dystopian near-future America, where a totalitarian regime controls the population through a brutal reality show. Contestants, declared enemies of the state, must flee from armed hunters on live television. Glen Powell plays the main fugitive, Ben Richards, while Josh Brolin stars as the show’s powerful producer, Dan Killian. The Running Man  also features Lee Pace, Katy O’Brian, Daniel Ezra, and Jayme Lawson, with Michael Cera portraying a political rebel named Bra...

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s passport has marked a significant achievement by entering the top 100 of the Henley Passport Index 2025, according to the latest global rankings released by Henley & Partners, ARY News reported. The Pakistani passport now ranks 100th, a notable improvement from its 113th position in 2021. This ranking grants visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 32 countries, reflecting growing international mobility for Pakistani citizens. Director General of Immigration and Passports, Mustafa Jamal Qazi, congratulated the nation on this progress and credited the accomplishment to the support of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and the Interior Secretary. He emphasised that modern security upgrades, including the rollout of e-passports equipped with contactless NFC chips compliant with ICAO standards, have enhanced the passport’s global credibility. To further ease international travel, e-gates will soon be introduced at all major airports in Pakistan, streamlining the im...

An Indian defence attache has claimed that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) shot down six Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter aircraft “only because of the constraint given by the political leadership to not attack the military establishment or their air defences”, Indian news outlet The Wire reported on Sunday. Earlier this month, the PAF confirmed that six IAF jets were shot down late on the night of May 7, after India launched missiles at six Pakistani sites, including in Sialkot and Bahawalpur, as well as Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Three of the downed fighters were French-made Dassault Rafales . This military confrontation took place after New Delhi, without evidence, blamed Islamabad for backing terrorists who killed 26 tourists in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam in April — an allegation that Islamabad denied . According to The Wire , India’s defence attache to Indonesia, Indian Navy Captain Shiv Kumar, while speaking at a seminar in Indonesia last month, acknowledged that the PAF downed...

KARACHI: China has rolled over $3.4 billion in loans to Pakistan, two senior Pakistani government officials told Reuters on Sunday, in a move that will help boost Islamabad’s foreign exchange reserves, a requirement of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Beijing rolled over $2.1 billion, which has been in Pakistan’s central bank’s reserves for the last three years, and refinanced another $1.3 billion commercial loan, which Islamabad had paid back two months ago, the sources said. The officials asked not to be named as they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly ahead of an official announcement. Another $1 billion from Middle Eastern commercial banks and $500 million from multilateral financing have also been received, one of the officials said. “This brings our reserves in line with the IMF target,” he said. The loans, especially those from China, are critical to shoring up Pakistan’s low foreign reserves, which the IMF required to be over $14 billion at the end ...

While many actors dream of playing James Bond 007, however, the Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding has a different take. Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE at The Old Guard 2 premiere in Los Angeles on June 25, Golding admitted that stepping into the shoes of James Bond might not be as glamorous as it seems. Calling the idea “every actor’s kind of nightmare,” Henry Golding explained that the cultural weight and expectations tied to the iconic role make it incredibly daunting. Though he acknowledged the thrill of joining a major franchise, he added, “I think I would love it more if there wasn’t that overhanging pressure.” Read More: Jacob Elordi, Tom Holland frontrunners to become new James Bond Henry Golding also floated a fresh idea for the franchise rather than focusing on just one Bond, why not expand the world with more secret agents or other “00s”? It would, he believes, allow for more creativity and less constraint. As fans await the next chapter in the long-running spy sag...

Michael Bay may be gearing up for a return to the Transformers franchise with a brand-new live-action movie. The action-packed film series, known for its giant robot battles and explosive visuals, could soon have Bay back in the director’s chair — or at least very close to it. Bay directed the first five Transformers movies, beginning with the 2007 original starring Shia LaBeouf. He followed it with Revenge of the Fallen in 2009, and Dark of the Moon in 2011, the latter of which remains the franchise’s most successful entry, grossing over $1.1 billion worldwide. According to a new report , Michael Bay pitched a new Transformers film to Paramount Pictures last year. He is reportedly involved as a “hands-on producer,” and could even take on directing duties once again. Read More: Sydney Sweeney, Michael Bay join hands for OutRun film adaptation Bay has already brought in screenwriter Jordan VanDina to develop the script, though specific plot details and character information ...

United States President Donald Trump said on Friday that he is calling off trade negotiations with Canada in retaliation for taxes impacting major US tech firms, adding that Ottawa will learn of their tariff rate within a week. “Based on this egregious tax, we are hereby terminating all discussions on trade with Canada, effective immediately,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. He added that Canada will soon find out the levy it needs to pay to do business in the United States, calling his country’s northern neighbour “very difficult” to trade with. Washington has previously taken issue with Canada’s digital services tax, requesting dispute settlement talks last year over the matter. While Canada’s digital services tax is not new — it was enacted last year — US service providers are “on the hook for a multi-billion dollar payment in Canada” by June 30, noted the Computer and Communications Industry Association. While Canada has been spared from some of Trump’s...

The upcoming Street Fighter movie has reportedly found its Dan Hibiki as comedian and actor Andrew Schulz will take on the role of the over-the-top fighter in the live-action adaptation. The Street Fighter movie, which is currently in development at Legendary Entertainment, is based on Capcom’s famous video game series. It will be directed by Kitao Sakurai, best known for his 2021 comedy film Bad Trip . Dan Hibiki, who first appeared in Street Fighter Alpha in 1995, is a fan-favourite character known for being arrogant, flashy, and not very skilled in actual combat. His exaggerated personality and comedic moves have made him a standout in the games. As per Deadline , the choice of Andrew Schulz, with his strong comedy background, seems a perfect fit for the role. The Street Fighter movie is expected to balance action with humour, and Schulz’s casting suggests that the Dan Hibiki character will provide comic relief while possibly getting involved in some fight scenes. Read More: ...

Kylian Mbappe has accused his former club Paris Saint-Germain of moral harassment in a legal filing, the Paris prosecutor’s office told AFP on Thursday as it confirmed an investigation had been opened. France captain Mbappe is also embroiled in a court battle with PSG to obtain the 55 million euros ($64.4 million) in unpaid wages and bonuses he says the club owes him. Mbappe’s latest grievance is related to the way he was treated by PSG at the start of the 2023-24 season, when he was made to train with players the club were trying to offload. He believes he was sidelined by the club after refusing to agree a new contract, a practice which has also affected other footballers and prompted the French players’ union to lodge a complaint last year. Mbappe was not invited to a 2023 pre-season tour of Asia and missed the first game of that season but was later restored to the team after holding talks with the club. Read more: Real Madrid share latest update on Kylian Mbappé’s condition ...

Fans have been buzzing with excitement over the idea of Jensen Ackles playing Batman in James Gunn’s upcoming DC Universe film, The Brave and The Bold . Now, the Supernatural and The Boys star has finally opened up about the possibility—and he’s definitely interested. In a recent interview with Collider , Jensen Ackles was asked what kind of live-action Batman he would want to portray if given the chance. The actor, who has already voiced Batman in DC’s animated Tomorrowverse, didn’t hide his excitement but acknowledged the challenge the role presents. “Oh, man. I don’t know. It would be hard to carve out something truly unique amongst all of the performances as Batman,” Jensen Ackles said. Read More: Supernatural reunion officially happening in The Boys season 5 He added that if he were to take on the role, he would lean heavily on James Gunn and the creative team to help shape a fresh take on the iconic superhero. Ackles also talked about the weight of playing such a legend...

Singer Katy Perry and Pirates of the Caribbean star Orlando Bloom may have quietly ended their relationship after several years together. According to TMZ , Orlando Bloom is now “a single man” and may be making his solo debut at the upcoming wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez. The outlet claims a source close to Bloom said, “He’s the life of the party and he’s gonna hit the dance floor hard!” This has only fuelled further rumours that his relationship with Katy Perry has come to an end. Katy Perry is currently busy with her global Lifetimes tour and was recently performing in Perth, Australia. Although Orlando Bloom was also spotted in Perth with their four-year-old daughter Daisy, the couple were not seen together. Read More:  Katy Perry left off guest list as Orlando Bloom takes solo trip to Bezos wedding Bloom was photographed carrying Daisy while dressed casually, while Perry lit up the stage at Perth’s RAC Arena on the same night. Notably, Katy Perry is reportedly...

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has praised Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and his team for their ‘effective’ diplomatic visit to the United States and Europe, successfully countering India’s recent propaganda against Pakistan. PM Shehbaz spoke during a meeting with Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who visited him in Islamabad on Tuesday. At the meeting, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari briefed PM Shehbaz on the discussions held by the diplomatic delegation dispatched to the United States and Europe. The Prime Minister also hosted dinner in the honour of the Pakistani diplomatic delegation. Speaking on the occasion, PM Shehbaz commended the entire delegation for effective and excellent representation of Pakistan’s stance at the global level. He said the delegation fought Pakistan’s case with great national zeal and returned victorious. The prime minister, while mentioning the delegation members Sherry Rehman, Dr. Musadik Malik, Hina Rabbani Khar, Se...

Oil prices sank more than five percent Monday after Iran attacked a US military base in neighboring Qatar in retaliation for US weekend strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Near 1745 GMT, futures for West Texas Intermediate fell 5.3 percent to $69.96 a barrel, while Brent oil futures fell by similar amounts. Kuwait said it was closing its airspace “until further notice” on Monday after a similar move from Bahrain as Iran attacked a US base in Qatar in retaliation for American strikes in Iran. “In the interest of the country’s security and safety, and in light of the precautionary measures taken in a number of neighbouring countries, which include the closure of their airports and airspace, the State of Kuwait announces the temporary closure of its airspace as a precautionary measure, effective today until further notice” the Kuwaiti Directorate General of Civil Aviation said in a statement. Iran launched missiles at US military bases in Qatar and Iraq on Monday evening, official...

June 22: U.S. forces have struck Iran’s key nuclear sites, drawing threats from Tehran to retaliate, with U.S. military installations in the region a potential target. Following are significant U.S. military bases or facilities in the Middle East: BAHRAIN: Home to the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, whose area of responsibility includes the Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. QATAR: The 24-hectare Al Udeid Air Base, in the desert outside the capital Doha, is the forward headquarters for U.S. Central Command, which directs U.S. military operations in a huge swathe of territory stretching from Egypt in the west to Kazakhstan in the east. The Middle East’s largest U.S. base houses around 10,000 troops. KUWAIT: Several sprawling military installations include Camp Arifjan, the forward headquarters of U.S. Army Central and the Ali Al Salem Air Base, roughly 40 kilometers from the Iraqi border and known as “The Rock” for its isolated, rugged environ...

PESHAWAR: The Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has officially unveiled an extensive age relaxation policy for candidates seeking to pursue their career in the public sector, ARY News reported. The Chief Secretary highlighted in the notification that the new policy lets a general age relaxation of up to 10 years for several government job groups. According to the revised Khyber Pakhtunkhwa age relaxation policy, candidates applying for Grade 17 and above positions are qualified for a 10-year upper age leniency. Likewise, Secretariat posts of Grade 16 and below will also benefit from the same concession. For non-Secretariat roles, the authority to grant age relaxation lies with the Administrative Secretary and relevant departmental heads. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa age relaxation policy also includes special provisions for the families of government employees martyred in acts of terrorism. Widows and children of such employees will receive additional consideration under the new rules. ...

NEW YORK:  Pakistan’s Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, addressing the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), strongly denounced Israel’s recent military strikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities, urging for a diplomatic solution to the Israel-Iran conflict, ARY News reported. Asim Iftikhar Ahmad called Israel’s aggression a “grave threat” to regional and global peace, reiterating Pakistan’s resolute solidarity with Iran, emphasising the need for swift easing of tension and a return to diplomacy. Ambassador Iftikhar showed appreciation to the UN Secretary-General’s diplomatic efforts and repeated his message for global responsibility in addressing the Israel-Iran conflict. “Diplomacy is not optional, it is essential,” he stated, requesting all parties to support international law and the UN Charter. The Pakistani diplomat warned that Israel’s actions, including attacks on Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen, represent a pattern of unilateral belligerence that demoralises in...

A child was killed and five others were injured after a suspected drone hit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s ​South Waziristan District on Friday. Wana Police Spokesperson Habib Islam told Dawn.com : “The attack took place after 11am, as a result of which one child was killed while five people were injured.” Makin Station House Officer Abdul Qadir Mehsud also confirmed the drone attack and told Dawn.com locals have set a date for June 23 to hold a jirga with the higher authorities regarding law and order, in which they have invited people belonging to every school of thought. KP MPA Asif Khan Mehsood told Dawn.com that the alleged incident involved a drone which “targeted school children,” although it was not known whether the drone was Pakistani or from another country. PTI MNA Zubair Khan Wazir strongly condemned the incident. “Targeting innocent schoolchildren is a deeply distressing and unforgivable act,” he said in a statement on social media. “This is a grave incident that warrants a...

European foreign ministers urged Iran on Friday to engage with the United States over its nuclear programme after high-level talks in Geneva aimed at opening negotiations for a new nuclear deal ended with little sign of progress. The talks between the foreign ministers of Germany, Britain, France and the EU with their Iranian counterpart sought to test Tehran’s readiness to negotiate despite there being scant prospect of Israel ceasing its attacks soon, diplomats said. “The Iranian Foreign Minister has expressed his willingness to continue discussions on the nuclear program and more broadly on all issues, and we expect Iran to commit to the discussion, including with the United States, to reach a negotiated settlement,” said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. Click here for all updates about Iran-Israel war Britain’s foreign minister David Lammy said the European countries were eager to continue talks with Iran. “This is a perilous moment, and it is hugel...

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance has recommended the imposition of a carbon levy on all locally manufactured and imported petrol and diesel vehicles with engine capacities above 1300cc, ARY News reported. The decision was made during a recent meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance with Pakistan People’s Party MNA Syed Naveed Qamar in chair. The committee endorsed a 2 percent carbon levy on petrol and diesel vehicles with engine capacities ranging from 1300cc to 1800cc, applicable to both locally produced and imported units. For vehicles exceeding 1800cc, a 3 percent carbon levy has been approved for both local and imported petrol and diesel models. Read More: IMF ‘asks’ Pakistan to impose carbon levy on petrol, diesel Meanwhile, the committee rejected proposals to impose a 2 percent carbon levy on hybrid vehicles with engine capacities between 1300cc and 1800cc, as well as a 3percent levy on hybrid vehicles above 1800cc, as pa...

Chris Evans has opened up about an old remark made by Materialists co-star Dakota Johnson, admitting that she once said she didn’t like his face. The two now star together in the new romantic comedy Materialists , but their working relationship got off to a slightly awkward start — at least in Evans’ mind. In a recent interview with Access Hollywood , Chris Evans shared that Dakota Johnson made the comment years before they worked together. “Dakota said she didn’t like my face in an interview in years prior,” Evans revealed, adding that it made him nervous to meet her.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Access Hollywood (@accesshollywood) “I was scared that Dakota wouldn’t like me,” he admitted. “I just thought Dakota was this really cool person, and I don’t know why, I just got a vibe that she wasn’t going to like me.” During the interview, the two stars joked that their on-screen chemistry in Materialists was a ...

A hit drama series based on a best-selling novel is now available to watch for free in the UK. Little Fires Everywhere , starring Reese Witherspoon, which originally aired on Amazon Prime in 2020, has just dropped on Channel 4, meaning viewers can now stream it without any cost. Based on Celeste Ng’s novel of the same name, Little Fires Everywhere quickly became a major success when it was first released. The story explores the lives of two very different families whose worlds collide in unexpected and life-changing ways. The eight-part series stars Reese Witherspoon as Elena Richardson, a journalist and mother of four, and Kerry Washington as Mia Warren, a mysterious artist and single mother. The show moves between two time periods the late 1990s, when the Richardsons’ house burns down, and four years earlier, as Mia and her daughter move into their lives. Little Fires Everywhere dives deep into themes such as motherhood, race, identity, class, and secrets. It also tackles a cu...

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan on Tuesday suggested increasing the minimum taxable income to Rs2.2 million per annum from the current Rs0.6m to provide relief to the salaried class . The government has proposed a new income tax structure in the federal budget . The revised rates offer tax cuts of up to 80 per cent for low-income salaried individuals, while limiting relief for higher earners to just 3pc. The tax exemption limit has remained unc­h­anged at Rs50,000 per month. Speaking in the National Assembly on Tuesday during ongoing budget discussions, Gohar proposed that employees earning up to Rs2.2m annually should be exempted from income tax. “In the income tax slabs, there is no tax on earnings up to Rs600,000 per year. This should be increased to Rs 2.2m or it will be an injustice,” the PTI leader asserted. Taxpayers earning between Rs600,000 to Rs1.2m annually will now face a 1pc tax rate, down from 5pc, offering up to 80pc tax reduction. For annual incomes between Rs...

The Gilgit-Baltistan administration on Tuesday imposed a fine of Rs1.5 million on a hotel for allegedly dumping sewage waste into Hunza’s Attabad Lake. The development came a day after a foreign tourist and vlogger named George Buckley posted a video on his Instagram page, claiming that sewage water was being pumped out by the hotel into the Attabad Lake In the video, Buckley could be seen standing next to the lake with a friend and saying: “We found out some information through a local that the sewage is actually being pumped into the water.” The tourist also showed muddy water being mixed into the lake. The post gained significant traction on social media, prompting a response from the hotel. View this post on Instagram The hotel dismissed the claims in a social media post today, saying, “This lake has been home for us for the last six years.” “… To dump sewage water into the lake would be like desecrating our own house. We h...

• 39 departments ‘exceed’ their allocations for FY25; three dozen divisions ‘save’ around Rs2tr • Massive chunk of money spent on debt servicing and related payments ISLAMABAD: At least 39 government departments – notably the power and defence divisions – spent more money than they were allocated for the outgoing fiscal year, while around three dozen departments’ funds remained ‘under-utilised’ for various reasons. Much like last year, the power and defence sectors remained among the biggest spenders, as the former overshot its allocations by Rs129.5bn and the latter by over Rs61bn, under multiple heads. The defence ministry’s Defence Services Division overspent by nearly Rs59.5bn and the Defence Division spent Rs1.8bn more than the amount set aside for it in the previous budget. According to budget documents, specifically the voluminous ‘Details of Demands for Grants and Appropriations 2025-26 (Current Expenditure)’ the Defence Division exceeded its allocation under the ‘operatin...

Israel and Iran have been trading missile strikes since the former launched an air offensive on Friday, killing commanders and scientists and bombing nuclear sites in a stated bid to stop Tehran from building an atomic weapon. The ongoing conflict has caused widespread destruction in both nations. Smoke billows from an explosion in southwest Tehran on June 16. — AFP Smoke billows from an explosion at the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) building in Tehran after being attacked on June 16. — AFP Mourners carry the coffins of people killed in Israeli attacks during their funeral in Hamedan, western Iran on June 16. — AFP Smoke billows for the second day from the Shahran oil depot, northwest of Tehran, Iran on June 16. — AFP A man carrying a wounded girl following the Israeli strikes on Tehran, Iran on June 15. — Reuters Smoke billows from a site in the city of Haifa, Israel on June 16, following a barrage of Iranian missiles. — AFP Firefighters work...