Category: Uncategorized

  • Israel’s Netanyahu says ‘there is a date’ for Rafah invasion

    Israel’s Netanyahu says ‘there is a date’ for Rafah invasion

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that a date has been set for a ground offensive in Rafah, which Israel says is one of the last Hamas strongholds in Gaza.

    Around 1.5 million Gazans are sheltering in the city, which has so far not experienced a large-scale Israeli ground assault.

    Netanyahu did not say when the invasion would occur but reiterated that victory over Hamas militants “requires entry into Rafah and the elimination of the terrorist battalions there.

    “It will happen — there is a date,” he said in a video statement.

    He was speaking as talks in Cairo over a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal appeared to be gathering momentum.

    Netanyahu is under pressure at home from his far-right coalition partners who are angry at talk of a truce as well as Israel pulling its troops out of southern Gaza on Sunday.

    “Today I received a detailed report on the talks in Cairo,” Netanyahu said.

    “We are working all the time to achieve our goals, primarily the release of all our hostages and achieving a complete victory over Hamas.”

    The White House said on Monday that negotiators in the Egyptian capital had presented Hamas with a proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and a hostage deal.

    “Now it’s going to be up to Hamas to come through,” it said, describing the talks as “serious”.

    Israeli genocide in Gaza has killed at least 33,207 people, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry.

  • Apple set to unveil new iPad Pro, iPad Air models in May

    Apple set to unveil new iPad Pro, iPad Air models in May

    Apple is preparing for a significant launch event, as reported by Mark Gurman in Bloomberg’s Power On newsletter. The tech giant is set to unveil its latest offerings, the new iPad Pro and iPad Air, during the week of May 6.

    The anticipated launch will introduce new models, including 11-inch and 13-inch OLED iPad Pro versions, alongside a larger 12.9-inch iPad Air. Additionally, consumers can expect refreshed Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil accessories to accompany these devices.

    This announcement marks a notable event for Apple, as it’s been nearly eighteen months since the release of any new iPad hardware. The upcoming iPad Pros are expected to boast enhanced displays, transitioning from mini-LED to OLED panels similar to those found in iPhones.

    This upgrade promises deeper contrast and increased brightness. Alongside display improvements, there’s anticipation for a sleeker design, with a thinner chassis and a repositioned front camera to the landscape edge. These new models will be powered by the advanced M3 chip.

    However, consumers may need to prepare for potential price hikes, as hinted by Gurman’s newsletter. Currently, the 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $799, while the 12.9-inch model begins at $1099.

    For those seeking a more budget-friendly option, the new 12.9-inch iPad Air aims to deliver a larger screen size without breaking the bank. Details regarding its processor, whether M2 or M3, remain unclear at this stage.

    Excitingly, the new accessories are expected to enhance the user experience further. Rumors suggest that the new Apple Pencil might include a new squeeze gesture feature, while the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro is set to mimic a laptop with its aluminum base and larger trackpad.

    Although updates for the base model iPad and iPad mini are scheduled for later in the year, Gurman anticipates only minor improvements, primarily a processor upgrade for the iPad mini.

  • Serious lapses in security protocol of slain Chinese nationals

    Serious lapses in security protocol of slain Chinese nationals

    Since a tragic terror attack in Shangla claimed six lives including five Chinese citizens, a decision to constitute an investigative committee was taken by the government.

    The attack exposed serious lapses in the security detail of the Chinese engineers and a disregard for standard operating procedures (SOPs).

    The committee was shocked to find out that the bus carrying the Chinese officials was not bulletproof, let alone bombproof, which is the requirement under the security SOPs.

    It pointed out multiple significant flaws in the security detail due to which the incident took place.

    They further said the company “that was required to provide bullet- and bombproof vehicles to transport Chinese workers, and duly paid for, failed to meet its contractual obligations.”

    Moreover, according to the SOPs, the District Police Officer in Upper Kohistan was supposed to be informed about the movements of the foreign nationals in advance which did not happen.

  • China to criminally try three minors for child murder

    China to criminally try three minors for child murder

    China will put three minors on trial for allegedly murdering another child, a provincial prosecutor said Monday, in a case that has shocked the nation and sparked public debate over the treatment of juvenile offenders.

    The three suspects, all aged under 14 at the time of the murder, are accused of bullying a middle-school classmate surnamed Wang over a long period before killing him last month.

    The grim details of the case, in which the killers reportedly buried Wang’s body in an abandoned greenhouse, drew public attention to how the law deals with juveniles accused of serious crimes.

    In 2021, China lowered its age of criminal responsibility from 14 to 12 for “special cases” such as inflicting death by “extremely cruel means”.

    The Hebei case is thought to be one of the first to apply the lower age limit.

    The provincial prosecutor said Monday it had received a police request last month to criminally try the suspects, surnamed Zhang, Li and Ma.

    It said it had concluded that the three were between 12 and 14 when they “intentionally committed murder, causing the death of the victim Wang”.

    “The circumstances were serious and they should be held criminally responsible,” the provincial office said, adding that the country’s top public prosecutor had reviewed the decision.

    “While handling cases strictly in accordance with the law, the procuratorial organs will… further strengthen the prevention and treatment of juvenile crimes,” the provincial prosecutor continued.

    Under Chinese law, murder is punishable by imprisonment or the death penalty.

  • Gold rates close week at all-time high of Rs245,100 per tola

    Gold rates close week at all-time high of Rs245,100 per tola

    Gold prices in Pakistan soared to unprecedented levels this week, surpassing previous records and reaching an all-time high, fueled by a significant surge in international rates.

    The prominent benchmark of the local gold market concluded the week at an extraordinary Rs245,100 per tola, marking a notable increase of Rs10,300 compared to the previous week’s closing figures.

    The ongoing rally in the domestic bullion market has been evident since March, during which the precious metal witnessed a substantial surge of Rs19,100, closely mirroring the upward trajectory of international gold prices.

    Notably, the preceding peak for 24-karat gold was recorded earlier in the week at Rs240,000, as documented on May 10, 2023.

    According to the Karachi Sarafa Association, the price of 24-karat gold surged to Rs210,134 per 10 grammes, registering an impressive increase of Rs8,831 week-on-week.

    Similarly, the price of 22-karat gold also experienced an upward trend, being quoted at Rs192,62 per 10 grammes.

    The remarkable ascent in gold prices underscores the dynamic nature of global economic factors impacting the precious metals market, highlighting the heightened demand and investor sentiment towards gold as a safe-haven asset amidst economic uncertainties.

  • Sheharyar Afridi says there are ‘snakes’ inside PTI

    Sheharyar Afridi says there are ‘snakes’ inside PTI

    Amidst rumors of internal rifts within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), party leader Shehryar Afridi recently said that there were some “hypocrites” inside the party.

    Recently, all the portfolios were taken back from the popular leader Sher Afzal Marwat –who emerged as a famous leader after the incarceration of PTI founder Imran Khan.

    Addressing a public gathering in Kohat on Friday, Afridi said: “We are sending a message to the party members that the workers and loyalists of the party should be supported, those who are the foundation of the party.”

    Afridi criticised the party leadership even saying there were “snakes” who had become a part of the PTI.

    The rifts between the party leadership have been increasing with many members divided on different matters related to party.

  • Achakzai stopped from entering CJ’s court room by plain clothed officials

    Achakzai stopped from entering CJ’s court room by plain clothed officials

    Mehmood Khan Achakzai, the Chairman of Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, was stopped from entering into Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa’s courtroom on April 3 by plain-clothed individuals.

    Azaz Syed, a renowned journalist, reported from court premises about the incident. He stated in a video, “This is Mehmood Khan Achakzai behind me and he has been stopped from entering Room no 1 Courtroom.”

    When Achakzai was asked by Syed to relate the entire incident he said, “We submitted our ID cards and were issued passes to enter the courtroom.” He then also said that a person in plain clothes came up and did not allow him and his companions to enter the premises.

    It should be noted that inside the courtroom Suo Moto case hearing was being conducted on the issue of Islamabad High Court judges’ letter alleging blatant meddling by intelligence agencies in judicial matters.

  • World food prices rise for first time in seven months: FAO

    Global food prices rose in March, the first increase since July, pulled higher by cooking oil prices despite the cost of grains continuing to ease, the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization said Friday.

    The FAO’s overall Food Price Index climbed 1.1 percent over the month to stand at 118.3 points in March 2024. On an annual comparison it was 7.7 percent lower.

    The sub-index for vegetable oils jumped by 8.0 percent over the month to reach a one-year high. The FAO said prices for palm, soy, sunflower and rapeseed oils all climbed higher.

    Rising palm oil prices were driven by seasonal drops in output in leading producing nations that coincided with strong demand in Southeast Asia, while demand from the biofuel sector pulled up soy oil prices.

    Dairy prices rose by 2.9 percent in March on a monthly basis, while meat prices climbed 1.7 percent.

    Meanwhile, cereals prices slid 2.6 percent on a monthly basis, while sugar prices fell 5.4 percent.

    Food prices reached a record high after Russia invaded agricultural power Ukraine in February 2022 but have dropped since then.

    Last month’s uptick comes as inflation has slowed dramatically in many countries but a recent rebound in global oil prices has sparked concern it may persist at a level that could discourage central banks from cutting interest rates.

  • Meta to start labeling AI-generated content in May

    Meta to start labeling AI-generated content in May

    Facebook and Instagram giant Meta on Friday said it will begin labeling AI-generated media beginning in May, as it tries to reassure users and governments over the risks of deepfakes.

    The social media juggernaut added that it will no longer remove manipulated images and audio that don’t otherwise break its rules, relying instead on labeling and contextualization, so as to not infringe on freedom of speech.

    The changes come as a response to criticism from the tech giant’s oversight board, which independently reviews Meta’s content moderation decisions.

    The board in February requested that Meta urgently overhaul its approach to manipulated media given the huge advances in AI and the ease of manipulating media into highly convincing deepfakes.

    The board’s warning came amid fears of rampant misuse of artificial intelligence-powered applications for disinformation on platforms in a pivotal election year not only in the United States but worldwide.

    Meta’s new “Made with AI” labels will identify content created or altered with AI, including video, audio, and images. Additionally, a more prominent label will be used for content deemed at high risk of misleading the public.

    “We agree that providing transparency and additional context is now the better way to address this content,” Monika Bickert, Meta’s Vice President of Content Policy, said in a blog post.

    “The labels will cover a broader range of content in addition to the manipulated content that the Oversight Board recommended labeling,” she added.

    These new labeling techniques are linked to an agreement made in February among major tech giants and AI players to cooperate on ways to crack down on manipulated content intended to deceive voters.

    Meta, Google and OpenAI had already agreed to use a common watermarking standard that would invisibly tag images generated by their AI applications.

    Identifying AI content “is better than nothing, but there are bound to be holes,” Nicolas Gaudemet, AI Director at Onepoint, told AFP.

    He took the example of some open source software, which doesn’t always use this type of watermarking adopted by AI’s big players.

    Meta said its rollout will occur in two phases with AI-generated content labeling beginning in May 2024, while the removal of manipulated media solely based on the old policy will cease in July.

    According to the new standard, content, even if manipulated with AI, will remain on the platform unless it violates other rules, such as those prohibiting hate speech or voter interference.

    Recent examples of convincing AI deepfakes have only heightened worries about the easily accessible technology.

    The board’s list of requests was part of its review of Meta’s decision to leave a manipulated video of US President Joe Biden online last year.

    The video showed Biden voting with his adult granddaughter, but was manipulated to falsely appear that he inappropriately touched her chest.

    In a separate incident not linked to Meta, a robocall impersonation of Biden pushed out to tens of thousands of voters urged people to not cast ballots in the New Hampshire primary.

    In Pakistan, the party of former prime minister Imran Khan has used AI to generate speeches from their jailed leader.

  • Pakistan PM orders police punished after Chinese dam worker attack

    Pakistan’s prime minister has ordered at least five senior police officials be punished for negligence after a suicide bomber killed five Chinese engineers at a major dam site last month, the country’s information minister said Saturday.

    The attack in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province forced Power China and the China Gezhouba Company to suspend work on two dam projects after the bombing killed the five workers and a Pakistani driver, sending their van into a deep ravine.

    Hundreds of Chinese people are employed at the Dasu and Diamer Bhasha dam construction sites, located around 100 kilometres (62 miles) apart in the mountainous region.

    Minister of Information Attaullah Tarar said a committee appointed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif identified a regional official, three district officials and the director of security at the Dasu dam project for their “negligence” in fulfilling their duties.

    “The prime minister has ordered immediate action against these officials,” Tarar told a press conference in the city of Lahore, without specifying what their punishment will be.

    “The prime minister himself will be monitoring the security of Chinese (nationals). Those individuals who have shown negligence will be set as an example.”

    Tarar said security matters regarding Chinese citizens would be “treated with utmost seriousness and any lapses will not be tolerated.”

    Operations by Power China have resumed at Diamer Bhasha while operations at China Gezhouba Group Company at Dasu remain closed.

    Pakistani police have detained more than 12 people, including Afghan nationals, in connection with the bombing.

    Beijing is Islamabad’s closest regional ally, frequently offering financial assistance to support its often-struggling neighbour and pouring more than $2 trillion into infrastructure projects.

    However, Pakistanis have long complained about not receiving a fair share of the jobs or wealth generated by the projects.

    The security of Chinese workers is a major concern to both countries, with nationals frequently targeted by militants hostile to outside influence.

    Last week’s attack came just days after militants attempted to storm offices of the Gwadar deepwater port in the southwest, considered a cornerstone of Chinese investment in Pakistan.