Entertainment
ECC approves hike in profit margins of petroleum dealers, OMCs
- Petrol diesel rates likely to rise up to Rs2.56 per litre: sources.
- Committee approves amendments to vehicle import procedure.
- ECC okays summary seeking curbs on chloroform imports.
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal to revise the profit margins of oil marketing companies (OMCs) and petroleum dealers on petrol and high-speed diesel.
The ECC meeting was chaired by Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb.
The adjustments were made in line with the National Consumer Price Index (CPI) for 2023–24 and 2024–25, with increases capped between 5% and 10%.
It also decided that half of the increase in the margins will be paid immediately, while the remaining half will be conditional on digitisation progress, with the Petroleum Division to report back by June 1, 2026.
Sources told Geo News that the decision would push the prices of petrol and diesel by up to Rs2.56 per litre. An increase of Rs1.28 per litre in petrol and diesel prices will be passed on immediately, they added.
It emerged that the hike of Rs1.22 per litre in OMCs’ margin on petrol has been approved, while dealers’ commission on petrol has been raised by Rs1.34 per litre.
For diesel, the OMCs’ margin has also been increased by Rs1.22 per litre, and dealers’ commission by Rs1.34 per litre, the sources added.
New scheme for vehicle imports
The committee approved amendments to the vehicle import procedure, retaining only the transfer of residence and gift schemes.
Under the revised framework, commercial-import safety and environmental standards will apply to these schemes, the intervening import period will be extended from two to three years, and imported vehicles will remain non-transferable for one year.
Restrictions on chloroform imports
The ECC of the federal cabinet also approved a summary seeking restrictions on chloroform imports due to its toxic and carcinogenic nature, and decided that Trichloromethane (chloroform) would only be imported by pharmaceutical companies and only with a DRAP-issued NOC.
It also considered a summary regarding the claim of M/s Ghani Glass for a concessionary gas/RLNG tariff and decided the request was untenable as such subsidies were no longer permissible and that wider export-support initiatives were already in progress.
It also reviewed the Circular Debt Management Plan for FY 2025–26, presented by the Power Division, for ensuring financial sustainability and efficiency in the power sector.
The ECC called on the Power Division, in coordination with the Finance Division, to develop a medium-term plan for gradually reducing fiscal support.
It also asked the Power Division to institute a follow-up mechanism with the distribution companies (Discos) to ensure delivery of the targets committed to the Government.
On another summary, the committee approved a technical supplementary grant of Rs1.28 billion for the Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA) to facilitate digital transformation and technological innovation across government departments.
The committee further approved the release of funds as technical supplementary grant relating to the development expenditure of the Cabinet Division for FY26, as proposed by the Interior and Narcotics Control Division.
The ECC also approved the allocation of Rs5 billion to the Housing and Works Division through a technical supplementary grant for the current fiscal year.
On a summary by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, the ECC approved creating a special-purpose company to wind up Passco and settle its remaining liabilities.
It authorised the company’s incorporation, administrative and financial arrangements, and necessary regulatory exemptions, along with appointing initial subscribers and interim management.
The company will be dissolved once its mandate is fulfilled.
Additionally, the committee accorded in-principle approval for the release of budgetary allocation for PIA Holding Company Ltd (PIAHCL) to meet pension and medical related expenses of the PIACL employees.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik, Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Minister for Investment Board Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, along with federal secretaries and senior officials from the concerned ministries, divisions and regulatory bodies.
— With additional input from APP.
Lady Gaga stopped her final Mayhem Ball Tour concert in Sydney on Friday after one of her dancers fell off the stage in heavy rain at Accor Stadium.
The shocking fall happened during the 39-year-old music icon’s performance of Garden of Eden.
Videos from the show showed dancers moving to the front of the wet stage when Michael Dameski slipped and tumbled off.
Gaga quickly ran over to check on him and told her crew to stop and on the microphone, she said, “Just one second,” before leaving the stage to ask Dameski if he was okay.
Dameski was not hurt and later returned to the stage. However, the Blood Mary singer paused the show briefly so her dancers could change into comfortable and safer shoes.
The dancer later posted on Instagram, thanking fans for their messages and saying he was fine.
He wrote, “Happy I was able to finish the last show of the year,” while dancing to another of Gaga’s songs.
This was not the first dramatic moment on the Bad Romance hitmaker’s tour.
Earlier in the week, Ariana Grande’s attacker, Johnson Wenn, was removed from her Brisbane concert hours before showtime.
Videos showed fans booing him as stadium staff removed him from the VIP area.
After the pause, the Poker Face singer’s Sydney show continued without further problems.
Moreover, fans cheered as the performance went on, as her team did not immediately comment on the incident.
The Mayhem Ball Tour is now finishing its last shows of the year, with Lady Gaga performing despite rain and unexpected events.
François Arnaud spoke out after Jordan Firstman was criticised for the way Heated Rivalry showed intimate moments between the main characters.
Firstman, known for I Love LA, said in a recent interview that the series did not represent romantic relationships realistically.
Arnaud, who plays hockey player Scott Hunter, posted on Instagram, asking if there was only one way to show real intimacy on TV.
The 40-year-old Canadian actor added that closeted hockey players might have different experiences than other characters, responding to Firstman’s comments.
Co-star Hudson Williams, who plays one of the main leads, shared Arnaud’s post on his Instagram Story.
Williams also praised Firstman and his cast, saying, “But truly go watch I Love LA! Jordan and the cast are great.”
The series, which is based on the Game Changers books, follows the story of two hockey players in a lowkey romance over several years.
Despite all the criticism and controversies, the show became an international hit and was loved for a second season on Crave and HBO Max.
Justin Stockman, from Bell Media, said that strong characters are in the show and said the story is “exciting.”
He also shared his own opinion, continuing that was impressive the series was reaching international audiences.
For the unversed, new episodes of Heated Rivalry aired Fridays on Crave and HBO Max, while I Love LA aired Sundays on HBO.
Actor and comedic icon Dick Van Dyke is 100 years young today.
The famed star sang and danced his way into America’s heart through his illustrious career that has spanned nearly eight decades.
As part of the celebration this weekend, theaters across the country are showing a new documentary about his life, “Dick Van Dyke: 100th Celebration.”
Van Dyke’s work helped define a generation. He became one of the biggest actors of his era with the eponymous show “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” which ran for five years on CBS.
CBS Photo Archive / Getty Images
Early in his career, Van Dyke was quoted as saying he wanted to make films his children could watch. And he got his dream when Walt Disney cast him in “Mary Poppins” – bad cockney accent and all – alongside the incomparable Julie Andrews. He also appeared in the equally kid-friendly “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.”
“Yeah, I could have been James Bond. When Sean Connery left, the producer said, ‘Would you like to be the next Bond?’ I said, ‘Have you heard my British accent?’ Click! That’s a true story!” Van Dyke told CBS Sunday Morning in 2023.
Silver Screen Collection / Hulton Archive / Getty Images 
During his career, Van Dyke won four Primetime Emmy Awards, a Tony Award and a Grammy Award. He was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1995.
Just last year, he became the oldest winner of a Daytime Emmy, for a guest role on the soap “Days of Our Lives.”
“I’ll be darned. I think I’m the last of my generation. I’m 98. I have — almost — all my marbles. I can’t remember what I had for breakfast,” he told Entertainment Tonight before his win.
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File 
Van Dyke, who is just an Oscar shy of the elusive EGOT title, said he would love a shot at the Academy Award.
“I hope it’s not posthumous,” he joked.
In the 1970s, Van Dyke found sobriety after battling alcoholism.
“I’m on my third generation,” he told CBS Sunday Morning in 2023. “I’m getting letters from little kids, and that is what I love, that they watch the movies over and over. I’m getting so much more mail today than I did during the heyday of my career.”
Now that he has hit triple digits, Van Dyke said he’s gotten some perspective on how he used to play older characters.
“You know, I played old men a lot, and I always played them as angry and cantankerous,” he told ABC News ahead of his milestone birthday. “It’s not really that way. I don’t know any other 100-year-olds, but I can speak for myself.”
Monica Schipper / Getty Images 
He has long credited his wife, 54-year-old makeup artist and producer Arlene Silver, with keeping him young.
“As I’ve said, if I had known I was gonna live this long, I would’ve taken better care of myself!” Van Dyke told CBS Sunday Morning. “Yeah, ’cause I went through that whole period of alcoholism. But my wife, God bless her, makes sure that I go to the gym three days a week and do a full workout.”
Van Dyke was born in West Plains, Missouri, in 1925, and grew up “the class clown” in Danville, Illinois, while admiring and imitating the silent film comedians.
Five years ago, while celebrating getting a Kennedy Center Honor, Van Dyke told CBS Mornings that he was looking forward to hitting the 100-year-old mark.
“George Burns made it, and I’m gonna do it too,” he said.
And now, he told ABC News that he feels lucky about turning 100. But what’s hard about being 100?
“I miss movement,” he told the outlet. “I’ve got one game leg from I don’t know what.”
“I still try to dance,” he said with a laugh.
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