Entertainment
Minister, SAPM get notices for violating ECP code of conduct
LAHORE: Punjab Election Commissioner Sharifullah on Thursday said that notices had been served on Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Huzaifa Rehman for allegedly violating the code of conduct of the Election Act 2017.
A spokesperson for the provincial election commissioner said that the federal minister and the SAPM were directed to submit their explanations by November 21 (today).
“No minister or advisor is allowed to run an election campaign,” the spokesperson said, warning that swift action will be taken against any code violations to ensure free, fair, and impartial elections.
By-elections in six national and seven provincial assembly seats in Punjab are scheduled for November 23.
According to the Dera Ghazi Khan district monitoring officer, Leghari reportedly participated in the election campaign of PML-N candidate Mahmood Leghari in the NA-185 constituency.
The monitoring officer said that, by taking part in the campaign as a federal minister, Leghari breached official instructions. The minister has been asked to appear before the authorities and clarify his position regarding the alleged ECP violations.
The monitoring officer further said that SAPM Rehman has been violating the election code of conduct. The officer said that the SAPM intends to participate in the election campaign of the PML-N candidate.
Meanwhile, Faisalabad’s district monitoring officer wrote to the election commission, alleging that State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry had been repeatedly violating the election code of conduct.
The monitoring officer told the election watchdog that the state minister had been warned over the phone about his conduct, but failed to comply with the ECP code of conduct despite two previous notices.
The state minister was fined Rs50,000 for breaching the ECP’s code of conduct, the officer said, adding that the matter was being forwarded to the election body for “further action”.
It is pertinent to mention here that the by-election campaigns for 13 constituencies of Punjab’s national and provincial assemblies will officially conclude at midnight on November 21.
Arrangements have almost been completed to hold the by-elections in six National and seven provincial assembly constituencies in Punjab, on November 23.
The ECP warned that candidates who continue engaging in political activities after this deadline will face legal consequences.
The ECP cautioned that those who breach these regulations could be subject to penalties such as imprisonment for a maximum of two years, a fine of up to Rs100,000, or both.
National Assembly constituencies included NA-18 Haripur, NA-96 Faisalabad-Il, NA-104 Faisalabad-X, NA-129 Lahore-XIll, NA-143 Sahiwal-IlI, NA-185 D.G. Khan-ll, PP-73 Sargodha-llI, PP-87 Mianwali-lII, PP-98 Faisalabad-I, PP-115 Faisalabad-XVIll, PP-116 Faisalabad-XIX, PP-203 Sahiwal-VI and PP-269 Muzaffargarh-ll.
Entertainment
‘Devil Wears Prada 2′ Meryl Streep reacts to surprise from on‑screen daughter
The Devil Wears Prada 2 actress Meryl Streep was moved to tears during a French television interview when she received a surprise video message from Jennifer Lawn Lejeune.
Lejeune played her daughter in the 1982 Holocaust drama Sophie’s Choice.
Appearing on Journal de 20 heures alongside Stanley Tucci to promote the highly anticipated sequel of Devil Wears Prada, Streep was handed a tablet by host Laurent Delahousse.
Her expression shifted from calm to stunned as she realized she was watching Lejeune, who portrayed Eva Zawistowska in Alan J. Pakula’s searing film.
Lejeune recalled the bond she shared with Streep on set in her own interview for 20 heures, saying, “I even told my mother that [Streep] was my favorite mother, because Meryl Streep was always nice to me and playing with me.”
Streep’s eyes welled with tears as she clutched her chest, asking, “That’s the child?”
When told it was indeed Lejeune, now living in Paris, she exclaimed, “Oh my God, that’s amazing.”
She thanked the host for what she called “a gift,” adding, “Journalists never give me gifts!”
Lejeune, who later married a French national and now works in finance, recalled the harrowing shoot of the film’s defining scene: Sophie’s devastating choice at Auschwitz.
Though expected to be filmed once, the moment was repeated 13 times, leaving the young actress convinced “it was the end of the world.”
She credited her bond with Streep for helping her tap into the raw emotion.
Entertainment
SBP raises policy rate by 100bps to 11.5% as inflation risks mount
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) raised its benchmark policy rate by 100 basis points (bps) to 11.5% on Monday, opting for cautious tightening as oil price volatility and renewed inflation risks clouded the economic outlook.
The move came as the Monetary Policy Committee faced a finely balanced decision. A Reuters poll had shown that six of 10 analysts expected the central bank to keep the rate unchanged at 10.5%, while three forecast a 50-basis-point hike and one expected a larger 100-basis-point increase.
Pakistan’s CPI inflation quickened to 7.3% year-on-year in March from 7% in February, breaching the SBP’s 5%–7% target range. Some analysts warned that inflation could move towards double digits in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year if external pressures persisted.
Oil prices have remained volatile due to the Iran-US conflict, keeping global markets on edge and raising concerns over Pakistan’s import bill.
The SBP has cut rates by a cumulative 1,150 basis points since June 2024, when they peaked at a record 22%, and last reduced the rate by 50 basis points in January.
Entertainment
Prince Harry faces unseen threat to Archie, Lilibet: Can’t escape
Prince Harry, who lives in Montecito with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children Archie and Lilibet, is said to be taking all measures to protect his children from an unseen threat.
The Duke of Sussex, 41, still can’t rescue himself from the shadow of a formidable incident that took her mother Princess Diana’s life, leaving him with a life-long trauma.
King Charles’ estranged son has spoken candidly about the enduring pain of his mother’s passing at her prime age. she was just 36.
Now, Harry’s deepest concern is that his and Meghan’s children could one day be drawn into the same celebrity spotlight that preceded Princess Diana’s fatal crash in paris in 1997.
Prince William’s younger brother Harry made the remarks during a public discussion on fatherhood at a Movember charity event in Melbourne, Australia.
Speaking on stage about the period before the birth of his son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, now six, in 2019, and daughter Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, four, in 2021, Harry revealed undergoing therapy to address unresolved grief stemming from Diana’s tragic death.
Undoubtedly, Harry’s deep-rooted fear about his own past adds to his worries about his kids.
He’s taking all measures to secure their children from any untoward situation as the spotlight that surrounded Diana is something he has never escaped.
He does not want to live in the fear that his children could also face similar pressures as for Harry, the memory of his mother’s crash isn’t just history. It’s a constant warning.
His biggest fear is that if his children are pulled too far into the celebrity world, they could be exposed to the same dangers that led to his mother’s death, one insider told Radar.
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