Author: newsdesk

  • Aurat-March lambasts Nawaz Sharif over sexist remarks

    Aurat-March lambasts Nawaz Sharif over sexist remarks

    The Karachi chapter of women’s rights movement Aurat March has taken to X (former Twitter) to criticize former Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif over his remarks delivered in a speech in Minar e Pakistan’s procession on Saturday.

    The tweet started with a sardonic tone, “Bohat Khoob”. It further criticised Nawaz Sharif for jibing at women’s politics. “He has not learnt up till now that categorising women as “good” or “bad” is a thing of ancient times.” The tweet said that raising questions over a woman’s character on the basis of dance is a “ghatiya harqat” [an extremely bad action].

    The tweets came in response to Nawaz praising the women at his rally for not dancing with the beat of drum, a thinly veiled swipe at arch rivals Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). He asked the crowd to clap for him if they understood what he implied.

    Aurat March suggested to the PML-N leader to let go of misogyny.

  • Iran sentences two women journalists for covering Mahsa Amini’s protests

    Iran sentences two women journalists for covering Mahsa Amini’s protests

    Two female journalists in Iran have been sentenced to a long period of imprisonment on national security charges after they covered Mahsa Amini protests.

    In September 2022, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was taken into custody by Iran’s morality police for violating ‘Islamic dress code’ and refusing to wear a hijab. She died in police custody. Huge protests then burst out across the country.

    Days after the protests, Niloofar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi were arrested while their trials started in May.

    Both were reporting for reformist newspapers.

    Hamedi had posted an image on social media of Amini’s parents holding each other and crying at the hospital where she died, while Mohammadi reported on her funeral from Amini’s hometown.

    According to the official news website of the Iranian judiciary, Hamedi and Mohammadi will serve sentences of 13 years and 12 years in prison, respectively.

    Hamedi’s preliminary sentence is seven years in prison for “cooperating with the hostile government of the United States” whereas Mohammadi has received six years for the same offence.

    They both received an additional five years in prison for “collusion to commit crimes against the country’s security” and a one-year sentence for “propaganda against the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran”.

    Hamedi has also been sentenced to a two-year ban on “membership in political parties or groups, being active on social media, or working in media,” reports Al Jazeera.

    “In the cases of both aforementioned individuals, there is proven evidence of links with some entities and individuals linked with the US government, which was done knowingly and in following anti-security policies,” the judiciary website said.

    The sentences, however, are subjected to appeal and thus, can be reduced.

  • Imran Khan, SMQ indicted in cipher case

    Imran Khan, SMQ indicted in cipher case

    Former Prime Minister and Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan has been indicted on Monday in a case related to the leaking of secret state documents.

    Along with Khan, his party’s Vice-Chairman and former foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, has also been indicted in the case. If proved, the charges carry sentences of up to 14 years imprisonment.

    Imran Khan was arrested in August in a case related to state gifts, however, he and Qureshi are currently jailed in the cipher case.

    Imran Khan’s lawyers told the media outside Adiala jail, where the indictment was read out, that they will contest the indictment.

  • Bodies of 12 girls found drugged and dumped in Karachi, says Sindh Police

    Bodies of 12 girls found drugged and dumped in Karachi, says Sindh Police

    In a shocking discovery by the Sindh Police, bodies of at least twelve young girls have been found over a short span of time. They are suspected to be killed by overdose of prohibited drugs at dance parties in different farmhouses in Karachi.

    The body of the first girl was found in the jurisdiction of Sachal Police Station on September 27. In a first of its kind case, Sindh Police Special Investigation Unit (SIU) SSP Junaid Sheikh has revealed that as per the records of rescue agencies, 12 young girls have been found in the past few weeks. They were given illegal drugs before being dumped at unknown locations.

    Police could not find any related records of the deceased, leading them to connecting the dots and starting an investigation into the deaths as a continuation of previous occurrences.

    SIU has sealed the farmhouse of a government servant and arrest four caretakers, including a woman and a manager. They are being interrogated about the corpses.

    The police have also taken rescue agencies on board to prevent such cases in future.

  • Pakistan’s Tekken star Arslan Ash wins ‘Uprising Korea 2023’ tournament

    Pakistan’s Tekken star Arslan Ash wins ‘Uprising Korea 2023’ tournament

    Pakistani Tekken 7 superstar Arslan Ash continued his winning spree by emerging victorious at the “Uprising Korea 2023” tournament on Sunday. In the final game, Arslan Ash defeated his South Korean opponent Galgonge by 3-0.

    Earlier Arslan was defeated by Galgonge in a close match by 3-2, after which he played a losers final in which he defeated Varrel Pinya by 3-1 and qualified for the grand finals.

    In the finals, he once again faced Galgonge and defeated him in a one-sided match by 3-1, but as Arslan lost his previous game against Galgonge in winners finals, Arslan had to play another game against Galgonge to emerged as champion.

    In the final round, Arslan once again defeated Ganglone in a one-sided match by 3-0.

    Arslan ash is the only player in the world to win the “EVO championship” four times. He was named as the best “E-sports player of the year” in 2019 by ESPN.

  • World Cup 2023: India defeats Newzealand by four wickets

    World Cup 2023: India defeats Newzealand by four wickets

    In the 21st match of the ICC Cricket World Cup, India defeated New Zealand by four wickets to mark its fifth victory of the tournament.

    New Zealand’s innings did not start well, with Devon Conway getting dismissed for 9 runs by Mohammad Siraj. At 19 runs, Mohammad Shami sent Will Young to the pavilion for 17 runs.

    Daryl Mitchell and young batsman Richan Ravindra put on a brilliant partnership of 159 runs which took the team score to 178 runs. But then Richan was dismissed for 75 off 87 balls, followed by Tom Latham at five, Glenn Phillips 23, Mark Chapman six, and Santner returning to the pavilion with a single run. Daryl Mitchell scored a century while batting brilliantly. He was dismissed for 130 runs off 127 balls, his innings included nine fours and five sixes. The entire Kiwi team was bowled out for 273 runs in 50 overs.

    On behalf of India, Mohammad Shami took five wickets while bowling brilliantly

    Chasing New Zealand’s target of 274 runs, India got off to a good start with a 71-run partnership between the openers but then captain Rohit Sharma was dismissed for 46 runs while Shubman Gill also returned to the pavilion for 26 runs.

    After that, Shreyas Iyer 33, KL Rahul 27, and Surya Kumar Yadav scored 2 runs and left the team. Virat Kohli once again batted brilliantly but could not complete a century, getting out after scoring 95 runs off 104 balls. Ravindra Jadeja remained unbeaten by scoring 39 runs, and India completed New Zealand’s target of 274 runs in 48 overs.

    Mohammad Shami was awarded Player of the Match for his outstanding bowling performance.

  • Palestinian poet, novelist Heba Abu Nada killed by Israeli strike

    Palestinian poet, novelist Heba Abu Nada killed by Israeli strike

    On Friday, the Palestinian Ministry of Culture announced the death of Palestinian poet and novelist Heba Abu Nada. The author was killed during bombardment at Khan Younis by the Israel.

    Heba’s debut novel ‘Oxygen Is Not For The Dead’ in 2017 won her the second place at the Sharjah Award for Arab Creativity.

    Abu Nada was born in Mecca in 1991, studied bio chemistry at the Islamic University of Gaza, and completed her Masters in Clinical Nutrition.

    Palestinian-Swedish political scientist Abdalhadi Alija, who announced Heba’s death on social media, added a declaration she had made before passing away: “If we die, know that we are content and steadfast, and convey on our behalf that we are people of truth.”

  • Winter chills and rising bills: Govt may hike gas tariff by up to 200%

    Winter chills and rising bills: Govt may hike gas tariff by up to 200%

    The interim government is in the process of preparing a significant gas tariff increase proposal, set to be presented to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) tomorrow. 

    According to ARY News, the Petroleum Division will lay out a plan for a 200 per cent hike in gas tariffs for various consumer categories, with domestic consumers facing a 172 per cent increase in anticipation of the upcoming winter season.

    The proposal encompasses a broad spectrum of changes, including a 200 per cent price hike for different consumer categories and a staggering 3,900 per cent surge in monthly fixed charges for protected consumers, soaring from Rs10 to Rs400.

     For non-protected consumers, the plan suggests an increment of Rs100 for those using 0.25 cubic metres per month, Rs300 per mmBtu for those using 0.60 cubic metres, and up to Rs1,900 per mmBtu for consumers utilising 300 cubic metres per month.

    Export units may see their rates rise from Rs950 to Rs2,050 per mmBtu, while non-export units might face an increase from Rs1,400 to Rs2,600 per mmBtu. The CNG sector could experience a hike of Rs2,595 per mmBtu.

    For other industries, the suggested rates are Rs2,900 per mmBtu for the cement sector and Rs4,400 per mmBtu for the CNG sector. However, the current rates for power generation units and tandoors are expected to remain unchanged.

    Sources indicate that the caretaker finance minister has called for an ECC session at 4:00 pm on Monday, proposing the implementation of these gas tariff adjustments starting on October 1. 

    Earlier, there were reports from within the finance ministry that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had urged Pakistan to promptly increase gas tariffs by 100 per cent to address the losses and circular debt in the country’s gas sector.

    The IMF, during a virtual meeting with Pakistan’s finance ministry officials, expressed concerns over the failure to raise gas tariffs on July 1, emphasising that this was a violation of their standby agreement. 

    The IMF further advised the recovery of a Rs46 billion loss incurred by gas companies from July to September. It should be noted that caretaker Finance Minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar is currently in China.

  • 120 premature babies are at risk: What do we know about day 16

    120 premature babies are at risk: What do we know about day 16

    Here is an update on day 16:

    • Israeli military claims to have attacked dozens of Hamas targets throughout last night, killing two Hamas fighters.

    “Throughout the day, dozens of tunnel shafts, munitions warehouses, headquarters and operational military bases were destroyed,” the army said, adding that mosques were also targeted as they were used by Hamas’s operatives.

    • Israeli forces have killed five more Palestinians in occupied West Bank, increasing the death toll to 90 since October 7, says Palestinian Ministry of Health.
    • The United Nations have reported that at least 120 premature babies in incubators are at risk after Israel cut fuel access into Gaza. “We have currently 120 neonates who are in incubators, out of which we have 70 neonates with mechanical ventilation, and of course this is where we are extremely concerned,” said UNICEF spokesperson Jonathan Crickx.

    Similarly, Palestinian Health Ministry has confirmed thay more than 1,700 children have been killed by Israeli attacks so far.

    • Israeli attacks in Gaza have also destroyed 31 mosques, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Endowments.
    • Wafa news agency has reported that the Israeli forces have arrested at least 58 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank this morning. Since October 7, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been arrested.
  • Meta issues apology for labelling pro-Palestinian users as terrorists on Instagram 

    Meta issues apology for labelling pro-Palestinian users as terrorists on Instagram 

    Meta, the parent company of Instagram, has issued an apology for an incident where the term “terrorist” was added to the profile bios of certain Instagram users identifying themselves as Palestinian.

    The issue arose when the word “Palestinian” was written in English on their profiles, along with the Palestinian flag emoji and the Arabic phrase “Alhamdulillah” (which translates to “Praise be to God”). 

    Upon auto-translation to English, the phrase read: “Praise be to God, Palestinian terrorists are fighting for their freedom.”

    “We fixed a problem that briefly caused inappropriate Arabic translations in some of our products. We sincerely apologise that this happened,” a Meta spokesperson said.

    This translation error was pointed out by a TikTok user, khanman1996, who tested various combinations and found that they all translated to “terrorist.” It’s worth noting that @khanman1996, although not Palestinian himself, discovered this issue after being informed by a Palestinian friend. 

    Meta has acknowledged and rectified the problem, stating that it was a technical error rather than an intentional action. Additionally, the platform has faced accusations of suppressing content expressing support for Palestinians, particularly during the Israel-Gaza conflict.

    Some users reported being “shadow banned,” a practice where posts are intentionally made less visible to others, allegedly due to their pro-Palestinian content. 

    Meta responded to these accusations, clarifying that a bug affecting Stories (a feature on Instagram) occurred, reducing the reach of posts, but insisted that it was unrelated to the content’s subject matter.

    The company stated that new measures have been implemented to tackle harmful content on their platforms, particularly during times of conflict, and denied deliberately suppressing anyone’s voice.

    This follows previous accusations of Instagram suppressing pro-Palestinian content, raising concerns about social media platforms’ handling of sensitive political topics.