Entertainment
Cyclone Shakti unlikely to hit Sindh, will bring light rain to coastal areas: PMD
- Storm moving West-Southwestward, says Met Office.
- Cyclone Shakti is located 480km southwest of Karachi.
- Winds of 40-55 km/hr expected along Sindh’s coast.
KARACHI: The severe cyclonic storm Shakti, currently swirling over the northeast Arabian Sea, is not expected to make landfall along Sindh’s coast, The News reported on Sunday.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has said that the cyclone, however, will bring rough sea conditions, strong winds, and light rain to coastal districts over the weekend.
According to the Met Office’s Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Karachi, Shakti was located about 480 kilometres southwest of Karachi on Saturday evening.
The storm has been moving west-southwestward and is likely to track further into the northwest and adjoining central parts of the Arabian Sea before curving east-northeastward by late Sunday.
Meteorologists expect it to gradually weaken after recurving, reducing the threat of any direct landfall in Pakistan.
The PMD said that although the cyclone poses no immediate danger to Sindh’s coastline, its outer rain bands may cause isolated showers in Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, Hub, Lasbela, Awaran, and Kech districts.
Karachi is expected to remain partly cloudy and humid, but moderate to heavy rainfall is unlikely unless the system shifts closer to the coast.
Sea conditions, however, are expected to remain dangerous for small boats and fishing vessels.
Squally winds of 40 to 50 kilometres per hour, gusting up to 55 kilometres per hour, are expected along the Sindh coast, while near the centre of the storm, gale-force winds could reach 120 kilometres per hour with gusts up to 135 kilometres per hour.
The PMD has strongly advised fishermen to avoid venturing into deep-sea waters until at least Sunday evening.
Explaining the cyclone’s dynamics, weather experts said Shakti formed due to intense convection over warm sea surface temperatures exceeding 31°C in the northeast Arabian Sea — a common condition for cyclogenesis in early October.
The system intensified rapidly into a “Severe Cyclonic Storm” as it drew energy from moisture-laden air and the warm upper ocean layer.
However, the presence of strong upper-level wind shear and drier air to its north is expected to weaken it gradually once it moves toward cooler waters.
“Cyclone Shakti is not on a track to strike Sindh directly, but it will create hazardous sea conditions and intermittent rain in some coastal areas,” said a senior PMD official. “We are continuously monitoring its trajectory and intensity, and further advisories will be issued as the system evolves.”
Satellite imagery on Saturday showed dense cloud clusters around the storm’s eye and spiral rain bands extending outward, indicating sustained strength at sea. By late Sunday, Shakti is expected to move east-northeastward and lose intensity, becoming a deep depression before dissipating over open waters.
Authorities, including the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Pakistan Navy, and coastal development agencies, have been alerted to remain vigilant and ensure preparedness in case of sudden changes in the storm’s path or intensity.
Meteorologists noted that the Arabian Sea has seen an increase in cyclonic activity in recent years, largely attributed to rising sea surface temperatures and changing climate patterns.
While most systems veer away from Pakistan’s coastline, the risk of high tides, storm surges, and coastal flooding remains significant for vulnerable fishing communities along Sindh and Balochistan.
Residents of coastal areas have been urged to stay informed through official PMD updates, avoid unnecessary movement near the shoreline, and ensure small boats are securely docked until weather conditions stabilise.
Entertainment
Holly Ramsay shares first look at second wedding dress in new photos
Holly Ramsay’s bombshell bridal moments continue!
Adam Peaty, the Olympian, 31, tied the knot with influencer Holly Ramsay, 26, and daughter of Gordon and Tana Ramsay, at Bath Abbey on December 27, in front of the Ramsay family and the Beckhams.
However, Adam’s family were famously uninvited due to an ongoing family feud.
The newlywed bride shared the first look at her second outfit- one of four wedding dresses she wore over two days in an Instagram reel posted on Tuesday, January, 6.
Holly teased her stunning lace Elie Saab gown in the short video, which was shared to promote her Smythson wedding stationery collaboration.
The elegant dress featured a modest neckline, long sleeves with buttons running down the back, and a long full-bodied train.
Holly posed looking over her shoulder in the refined photograph, with her hair styled in an elegant chignon.
The post included several personal touches, including one photo posing alongside her groom and incredible menu that Holly’s father, chef Gordon Ramsay and his team at Claridges put together And sharing several images of her trip to Smythson, she wrote: ‘Designing our wedding stationery with @smythson was a dream come true.
‘From the engraved plate mark invites with gold bevelled edges to the dark green tissue lined envelopes, it all added the perfect touch to our weekend.’
It comes after Holly shared interesting insights into her outfit choices, revealing that she actually wore four wedding dresses.
She had two outfit changes on the day, and admitted how her parents ‘would love it if I did one look’.
Entertainment
Curfew imposed in Nepal’s Birgunj as protests erupt over mosque vandalism
- Protests erupt over desecration of mosque by Hindu extremists.
- Police arrest several protesters after clashes in Birgunj.
- Security forces ordered to open fire against curfew violators.
A curfew was imposed in Birgunj, a southern Nepal city bordering India, following protests that erupted over the vandalism and desecration of a mosque by Hindu extremists, triggering clashes between the demonstrators and police.
Hindu extremists had attacked the mosque on Sunday, carrying out vandalism and looting, which left the local Muslim community enraged and deeply distressed.
Large numbers of Muslims took to the streets to protest against the desecration incident in Dhanusha’s Kamala Municipality, prompting police to use tear gas to disperse demonstrators, while several protesters were taken into custody.
Following the protests, the Parsa District Administration issued curfew orders, banning public movement on the streets across the city, as well as restricting all types of gatherings and demonstrations, according to local media reports.
Security forces have also been authorised to open fire against those violating the curfew, officials confirmed.
Birgunj lies about 130 kilometres south of Kathmandu and is a major entry point for fuel, goods and supplies from India.
Indian authorities have also tightened security and completely sealed the Nepal border in view of the tense atmosphere in Birgunj, the reports added.
Clashes between Hindus and Muslims are uncommon in predominantly Hindu Nepal, where most Muslims live in southern border regions.
Entertainment
James Marsden comes back to Marvel in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
James Marsden is back in the Marvel spotlight as Scott Cyclops Summers in the latest Avengers: Doomsday teaser, marking an emotional return for the actor and the iconic X-Men team in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The new teaser, released this week, brings fan-favourite characters from the X-Men films into the MCU in a way fans have long dreamed of, with Marsden joining Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen on screen again.
The short clip opens with a haunting look at a ruined Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, signalling darker times ahead for mutants and heroes alike.
Professor Charles Xavier (Stewart) and Magneto (McKellen) share a quiet moment over a chessboard, a familiar moment for fans of the original franchise.
That calm quickly shifts as Cyclops appears battle-ready, removing his visor and unleashing a powerful optic blast, a defining moment that highlights his role in the story.
Marsden’s return as Cyclops is particularly meaningful because it bridges the early X-Men films with the MCU’s sprawling multiverse narrative.
He last played the character more than 20 years ago in X-Men: The Last Stand, and his comeback reflects Marvel’s broader effort to unify fan-favourite mutants with its existing universe.
The teaser has sparked excitement online, with fans praising the comic-accurate blue-and-yellow design of Cyclops’ costume and the emotional resonance of seeing original cast members reprise their roles in a new context.
Avengers: Doomsday is shaping up to be a major event film when it hits cinemas on December 18, 2026.
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, the movie also reunites other MCU favourites and promises to launch a new chapter of interconnected stories, leading into Avengers: Secret Wars the following year.
For Marsden, returning to Cyclops isn’t just a cameo, it’s a homecoming to a role that helped define his early career.
Fans of both the classic X-Men films and the MCU will likely be watching closely to see how these characters reshape the future of Marvel’s film universe.
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