Entertainment
Modi skipped Asean summit to avoid Pakistan talk with Trump: report
- Indian officials believed Trump would repeat Pak-India ceasefire.
- US imposed 50% tariff on Indian exports for purchasing Russian oil.
- Pakistan openly credited US President Trump for ceasefire.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose not to attend the Asean summit in Malaysia in person to avoid a potential discussion on Pakistan with US President Donald Trump, Bloomberg reported.
Modi had decided against travelling to Kuala Lumpur for the regional leaders’ summit, opting instead to address the gathering virtually.
“Officials in the government were apprehensive that Trump would repeat his claim that he mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, which India has consistently denied,” a report published by Bloomberg read.
Modi was reportedly unwilling to meet Trump, fearing it could prove “embarrassing” for the Indian premier amid the approaching state elections in Bihar.
It is noteworthy that this was not the first instance of Modi skipping a potential meeting with Trump. He had also avoided attending the United Nations General Assembly session the previous month.
Relations between India and the US have deteriorated since the Pakistan conflict five months ago. In August, Trump imposed a 50% tariff on Indian exports, with half of the tariff serving as a penalty for India’s purchase of Russian oil. Since then, trade negotiations have been underway, but there is still no clear indication of a deal.
Trump had repeatedly said that his intervention prevented a “bad nuclear war” between Pakistan and India in May this year.
“We stopped a nuclear conflict. I think it could have been a bad nuclear war, millions of people could have been killed. So I’m very proud of that,” Trump told reporters at the White House days after Pakistan and India agreed on the ceasefire.
Last week, the US president said he told Modi that there should be no war with Pakistan, stressing that he had helped avert several conflicts through diplomacy and trade pressure.
In May, Pakistan and Indian engaged in a military showdown, the worst between the old foes in decades, which was sparked by a terrorist attack on tourists in IIOJK’s Pahalgam area, which New Delhi said was backed by Pakistan.
Islamabad denied involvement in the Kashmir attack, which killed 26 men and was the worst assault on civilians in India since the Mumbai attacks in 2008.
After the incident, India killed several innocent civilians in unprovoked attacks on Pakistan for three days before the Pakistan Armed Forces retaliated in defence with the successful Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos.
Pakistan downed seven IAF fighter jets, including Rafale, and dozens of drones. After at least 87 hours, the war between the two nuclear-armed nations ended on May 10 with a ceasefire agreement brokered by the US.
Pakistan has consistently credited Trump with securing a ceasefire and even nominated him for the Nobel Prize.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has described Trump as a “genuine man of peace”, saying that the US president worked “relentlessly and untiringly” to end global conflicts, including the war in Gaza.
Meanwhile, the US president praised Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and PM Shehbaz, calling them “great people”.
Actor Elsie Kelly, famed for her starring role as viewer favorite Noreen in ITV’s comedy Benidorm, breathed her last at age 89 on April 21, 2026.
Kelly’s passing was confirmed by her rep Michelle Skyes on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
Skyes said, “She passed away peacefully, after a short illness, surrounded by her loving family on 21st April, 2026, at the age of 89.”
“With a career spanning decades across television, theatre, and film, she most recently became a household name through her work on Benidorm…
Soon after the news of Kelly’s passing, tributes have been pouring in as Benidorm director Derren Litten penned a heartfelt tribute.
“So sad to pass on the news of the passing of Elsie Kellu, aka Noreen, in Benidorm,” he wrote.
“One of the best loved characters in the show and certainly one of the most beloved cast members. Elsi’s acting abilities and comic genius were so natural they were almost taken for granted,” Litten added.
Kelly’s other credits include starring as the gossipy cleaner, Mrs. Tardebigge, in Crossroads.
She also features in the 1996 film Intimate Relations after taking a break from television.
However, she did shortly make a comeback to the small screen, playing in series such as Skins, as well as starring as Joan the cook in the 1996 adaptation of The Famous Five.
Jack Quaid and Claudia Doumit have gone from co-stars to newlyweds.
The couple — who met on the set of The Boys — have reportedly tied the knot in a private ceremony in Australia. According to Australian outlet news.com.au, the ceremony reportedly took place on April 18 at Mona Farm in Braidwood, a quiet countryside location not far from Canberra.
Their reception, held in a marquee on the property, was said to include a star-studded guest list, with names like Meg Ryan, Dennis Quaid, Alec Baldwin, Tom Hanks, Kevin Costner and Henry Golding in attendance.
While the event was kept low-key, glimpses from guests briefly surfaced online, showing the pair celebrating their first dance to Atlantis by Donovan, before the images were later removed.
Doumit wore an off-white satin gown with a ruffled skirt and floral headband, while Quaid opted for a bold red Western-style blazer with gold embroidery.
Several of their The Boys co-stars also showed up, including Karl Urban, Colby Minifie and Nathan Mitchell, marking a full-circle moment for the couple who first connected through the hit series. They were first linked in 2022 after being spotted holding hands, two years after Doumit joined the show.
Karachi Kings won the toss and decided to bat first against Peshawar Zalmi in the 32nd match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday.
Babar Azam-led Zalmi have already qualified for the playoffs and sit at the top of the points table. They remain unbeaten in PSL 11 so far, having won seven of their eight matches, with one game abandoned due to rain.
In contrast, Karachi Kings are placed seventh on the points table, with just three wins from seven matches.
Historically, the two sides have faced each other 24 times. Zalmi hold a clear advantage with 16 wins, while the Kings have secured eight victories.
Squads
Karachi Kings: David Warner (c), Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Khushdil Shah, Saad Baig (wk), Moeen Ali, Azam Khan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Shahid Aziz, Mir Hamza, Adam Zampa, Hamza Sohail, Aqib Ilyas, Jason Roy, Haroon Arshad, Reeza Hendricks, Ihsanullah, Zahid Mahmood, and Rizwanullah.
Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam (c), Sufiyan Muqeem, Abdul Samad, Ali Raza, Aaron Hardie, Aamir Jamal, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Haris (wk), Khalid Usman, Abdul Subhan, Tanzid Hasan, Michael Bracewell, Kusal Mendis, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kashif Ali, Shahnawaz Dahani, Farhan Yousuf, Brian Bennett, Mohammad Basit, and Shoriful Islam.
This is a developing story and is being updated with further details.
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