3,
'post_type' => 'post',
'post_status' => 'publish',
'paged' => 1,
);
if ( absint( $popular_category ) > 0 ) {
$args['cat'] = absint( $popular_category );
}
$loop = new WP_Query($args);
if ( $loop->have_posts() ) :
$i=0;
while ($loop->have_posts()) : $loop->the_post(); ?>