Entertainment
TLP protest continues to choke twin cities despite partial reopening of roads
RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Several key roads in Islamabad and Rawalpindi have been partially reopened on Sunday as the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP) protest march continues its advance from Lahore towards Islamabad.
While major routes remain blocked by shipping containers, authorities have begun easing restrictions in select areas of the twin cities to facilitate commuters.
Mobile internet services were also partially restored in some parts of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, say authorities.
Rawalpindi Traffic Police has issued a new plan regarding road routes. According to the Rawalpindi Traffic Police, out of 43 blocked locations in the city, six have been fully reopened while 35 have been partially cleared. Faizabad remains completely closed for the third consecutive day.
In Rawalpindi, roads leading to residential areas and adjoining streets off Murree Road were reopened for traffic, though major highways, including Murree Road, Faizabad, the Expressway, and IJP Road, remain closed. The metro bus service between Rawalpindi and Islamabad also remains suspended until further notice.
Motorway police confirmed that the M-2 Motorway from Lahore to Islamabad has been reopened, and traffic flow is normal. The Islamabad Expressway and the route connecting Ninth Avenue to Double Road have also been partially reopened, though the Faizabad route from the Rawalpindi side remains blocked.
Islamabad DIG Muhammad Jawad Tariq visited Faizabad to review the law and order situation, assuring that security and order in the capital will be maintained “at all costs.”
Traffic police have announced diversions across multiple points near Faizabad. Heavy traffic entry into Islamabad remains suspended, with alternate routes advised: motorists travelling to Rawalpindi from Rawal Dam Chowk are advised to use Park Road, while those heading to the airport should use Kashmir Chowk and Srinagar Highway.
Residents of I-8 have been instructed to use Zero Point, Srinagar Highway, Club Road, and Park Road, while those coming from Koral should opt for Khanna Pul, Lehtrar Road, Tramri Chowk, and Rawal Dam Chowk.
In Lahore, violent clashes between TLP protesters and police left 112 personnel injured and led to the arrest of more than 100 protesters, according to DIG Operations Faisal Kamran. The protesters also vandalised the Shahdara Town police station and damaged public and private property, The News reported.
Talks underway between govt, TLP
Meanwhile, Jamat-e-Islami (JI) leader Liaqat Baloch telephoned Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Sunday.
According to the JI spokesperson, both leaders discussed matters related to the ongoing TLP march and its impact on the province.
During the telephonic conversation, Liaqat Baloch urged the provincial government to initiate talks with the protesters to resolve the situation peacefully.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson of TLP said that negotiations between its central committee and the federal government are ongoing. He further advised all workers to await the decision of the central leadership.
Sources said that talks between government officials and representatives of the religious party are underway.
They said that Rana Sanaullah, Khawaja Salman Rafiq, and Tahir Ashrafi are leading negotiations on behalf of the government.
Officials familiar with the sources said both sides have made headway on some issues, while talks remain ongoing on others.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry earlier said the government was pursuing a peaceful resolution but would not be “blackmailed by mobs,” accusing TLP of exploiting sensitive issues for political gains.
Entertainment
Trump declares legal war against US largest bank
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Saturday, January 17, that he’s going to sue JPMorgan Chase within the “next two weeks.”
This move escalates a long-running feud with the nation’s largest bank over the closure of his accounts following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Taking to Truth Social, Trump accused the bank of “incorrectly and inappropriately debanking” him.
Earlier, he claimed that the bank gave him just 20 days to move hundreds of millions of dollars under pressure from the Biden administration.
Countering this narrative, JP Morgan has consistently denied all such accusations.
With this lawsuit, there’s a major deterioration in the U.S. President’s relationship with the bank and its CEO, Jamie Dimon.
During the 2024 campaign, Dimon was floated as a potential Treasury secretary pick, but tensions have since soared.
The president has repeatedly lashed out at Dimon for criticising the Justice Department’s criminal probe into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and for opposing Trump’s proposal to cap credit-card interest rates.
Trump also denied a Wall Street Journal report that had offered Dimon the position of Fed chair, writing: “This statement is totally untrue; there was never such an offer.”
Bloomberg earlier this week asked Dimon if he would take the role to which Dimon responded: “Absolutely, positively no chance, no way, no how, for any reason.”
The planned suit is similar to one the Trump Organisation filed against Capital One earlier in 2025, alleging improper account restrictions.
The planned suit against JPMorgan follows a similar legal action the Trump Organisation filed against Capital One earlier in 2025, alleging improper account restrictions. The president’s move reinforces his broader narrative that financial institutions have systematically “debanked” him and his supporters for political reasons since he left office.
Entertainment
Hailee Steinfeld reveals how she supports husband Josh Allen from afar
Hailee Steinfeld stays tuned in to Josh Allen’s NFL performances despite her demanding schedule, and she gave an insight into her routine in the ongoing season in her latest newsletter.
The 29-year-old actress is expecting her first baby with the Buffalo Bills quarterback and could not attend all the games, but she was sure not to miss watching any on television.
The Sinners star recently attended the Golden Globes, which clashed with Allen’s playoffs at the same time, but Steinfeld wrote in her Beau Society newsletter that she was “a little (lot) distracted.”
The Dickinson actress explained, “My glam team is incredible at what they do and worked around my constant movement. Andrew [Fitzsimons, my hairstylist] warned me every time an iron was close to my face, so I didn’t accidentally burn myself.”
The mom-to-be continued to praise her makeup team, who utilised the ad breaks to finish off her nails and makeup.
Steinfeld concluded her newsletter with more grateful reflections, as she discussed becoming a “softer, stronger” version of herself in her 29th year, and embraces the upcoming chapter of parenthood in her life.
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