Sam Asghari is keeping things respectful when it comes to his ex-wife, Britney Spears. 

The actor, 31, opened up about their past relationship in a new interview with Playgirl, sharing that he holds nothing but admiration for the pop star, 44, despite their marriage ending in 2024.

Asghari referenced an Iranian proverb that advises never speaking ill of someone with whom you’ve shared a bond. 

“And whatever follows is irrelevant,” he told the magazine. 

“So, I always want to respect that. I’m always going to stick to that, and that’s the number one thing for me.”

The couple first met on the set of Spears’ Slumber Party music video in 2016, got engaged in September 2021, and married the following June.

They separated in August 2023, and their divorce was finalized in May 2024. 

Asghari spoke warmly of Spears in the interview, emphasizing that what matters is the bond they shared behind closed doors. 

“The best thing you can do is celebrate the past, appreciate the past, and not dwell on the fact that it’s over,” he said. “Be happy it ever even happened.”

Though he is currently dating Brooke Irvine, Asghari continues to support Spears from afar. 

After Spears called their marriage “a fake distraction” in an August 2025 Instagram post, Asghari issued a statement through his rep, “Our marriage was very real to me. It may have been short, but we were together for seven years. I was in love with her, will always have love for her, and wish her the best always.”

He also reflected on the impact of their high-profile relationship on his career. 

“When you’re in such a public relationship … it sort of gave me that platform for who I am,” Asghari explained, while noting it also meant he had to “work harder to prove myself.”

Even after their split, Asghari’s words show he values the connection he shared with Spears and remains grateful for their time together.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs has warned the public about a fraudulent advertisement circulating under the name “Khuddam al-Hujjaj” in newspapers and on social media, offering Hajj and Umrah service jobs in Saudi Arabia.

The advertisement, which offered Hajj and Umrah service jobs in Makkah and Madinah, published in a local newspaper on December 8, “is from a fake company” with an incorrect registration number from the Bureau of Immigration and Overseas Employment (BEOE), the ministry’s spokesperson said in an X post.

The ministry shared a copy of a fake advertisement by a firm called “Khadmeen Hajj” on X, which falsely claimed to offer service jobs assisting Hajj and Umrah pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah for two years, along with free visas, return tickets and accommodation.

The ministry advised citizens always to verify all company registration details on official government websites, avoid contacting mobile numbers listed in such ads, and use only official landline numbers for correspondence.

It also asked citizens to contact law enforcement authorities in case of any complaints related to these scams, while confirming that action was being taken against those responsible for publishing the fraudulent advertisement.

Pakistan Army powered on at the 35th National Games on Wednesday, clinching 113 gold medals after sweeping titles in athletics, swimming and several team events.

At the conclusion of a pulsating day here, the Pakistan Army were at the summit of the medal standings with 113 gold medals, along with 50 silver and 34 bronze.

Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) remained second in the standings with 46 gold medals, followed by Pakistan Navy in third with 24 top honours.

The action-packed day kicked off with the 42.195km men’s marathon, in which Pakistan Navy’s Shahbaz Masih clinched the top honour by completing the course — which began at the Quaid-e-Azam Monument and passed through multiple city routes — in 2 hours 25 minutes.

Wapda’s Sher Khan finished second, while Pakistan Navy’s Shoaib Akhtar secured third place.

Wapda’s Faiqa Riaz maintained her exceptional run at the Games by winning the women’s long jump with a 5.52-metre leap, completing a hat-trick of gold medals after earlier triumphs in the 100m and 200m events.

Pakistan Army’s dominance stretched across athletics as Usman Ali (men’s 200m), Mohammad Akhtar (10,000m) and Ismail (400m) added further golds for the department.

Wapda, on the other hand, swept several women’s track and field categories, with Uzma Awan winning the hammer throw, Iram Shehzadi prevailing in 1500m, while Ghazala Ramzan triumphing in 100m hurdles.

In swimming, Army’s Ahmed Durrani completed the double hat-trick of gold medals, having claimed six laurels for his department after adding victories in the 800m freestyle, 200m freestyle and 200m relay.

Wapda’s Hamza Asif broke a national record in the men’s 50m breaststroke, while Jehanara Nabi continued her strong performances in women’s swimming, and Hareem secured another gold for Sindh.

Pakistan Army also excelled in rowing, winning five golds and one silver, while Pakistan Navy picked up two golds and five silvers.

In women’s weightlifting, honours were split, with standout victories for Pakistan Army’s Khadija Waheed (69kg) and Sonia Azmat (77kg), and Wapda’s Nazia Aslam (86-plus kg) and Nadia Maqsood (86kg).

In shooting, the Pakistan Navy added four more gold medals to their growing tally, while the Pakistan Army bagged two.

Furthermore, Karate events also saw the Pakistan Army maintaining supremacy in both men’s and women’s categories.

Pakistan Army dominated team sports as well, defeating Wapda to win gold in women’s football and women’s softball. They enjoyed an unbeaten run in the single-league football format.

Meanwhile, the Squash events have moved into the decisive stage, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mahnoor Ali and Pakistan Army’s Zainab reaching the women’s final, while Wapda’s Noor Zaman and Pakistan Army’s Huzaifa Ibrahim advanced to the men’s singles title match.