Tag: news

  • PTI to stage rally in Islamabad at any cost, promises Gandapur

    PTI to stage rally in Islamabad at any cost, promises Gandapur

    Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) bigwig and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, while addressing a rally at Swabi, threatened the federal government that his party would ‘’hold a rally in Islamabad in late August or the first week of September at any cost.’’

    Addressing the government, the CM said, “We will accept any venue, whether F9 Park or Srinagar Highway, for a rally in Islamabad.”

    He also said, “If the government does not permit the Non-Objection Certificate (NOC) despite requesting it, then we will rally at D Chowk.” Earlier, PTI offered to negotiate with the military by announcing their representative chairman, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party.

  • ‘Inspiring Pakistan’s youth’; The Current featured on the Google News Initiative

    ‘Inspiring Pakistan’s youth’; The Current featured on the Google News Initiative

    In 2020, The Current won the Google News Initiative (GNI) Innovation Challenge, becoming the only media organization in Pakistan to achieve this highly regarded position within just a year of its launch.

    Four years down the road, we continue to grow alongside the ever-evolving news consumption habits of youth in the digital age.

    But that’s not all.

    In 2021, The Current opened the doors of its digital newsroom to the youth of Pakistan by starting a membership program called ‘Aap Ki Awaaz,’ which provides aspiring journalists with a platform to gain practical experience in digital media and prepare them for responsible information communication for tomorrow.

    Having collaborated with the University of Central Punjab and Punjab University, The Current has worked with 120 students, conducting workshops featuring Pakistan’s renowned journalists and digital personalities. Above all, we have provided them with a space to unleash their creativity.

    So far, Aap Ki Awaaz has published more than 50 blogs written by these students.

    In 2024, 12 of our young members joined The Current’s coverage of Pakistan’s general election, tagging along with our reporters, monitoring election results, writing real-time stories, participating in live podcasts, and gaining firsthand experience of this major political event.

    And oh! About a year ago, we launched our newsletter, which now has more than 1,500 subscribers and an open rate of 28 percent (which is growing!).

    The Google News Initiative covered our work and the work we plan to do. Join us, support us by becoming a member or subscribing to our free newsletter so we continue to help our community and our country.

  • My 9:00 pm news is my Nikkah: News anchor Junaid Zafar’s hilarious marriage announcement

    My 9:00 pm news is my Nikkah: News anchor Junaid Zafar’s hilarious marriage announcement

    News anchor and marathon runner Muhammad Junaid, one of the most recognizable faces on prime time television, got nikkahfied to Aamina.

    Junaid Zafar has been associated with Geo News since many years, one of the channel’s most recognizable faces.
    He shared the news on his X (Twitter) handle, posting the pictures with the caption, “My today’s 9:00 pm news is that I had my Nikkah. Alhamdulillah” Muhammad Junaid and his wife Aamina’s families have shared some lovely moments from their close nikkah ceremony.

    Here the pictures:

  • Pulitzer Prize awarded to The New York Times raises questions about journalism standards

    Pulitzer Prize awarded to The New York Times raises questions about journalism standards

    Winners of the Pulitzer Prizes, arguably the biggest prize in journalism, for 2023 were announced on Monday.

    While these awards have been conferred since decades now, people have now questioned the credibility of the standard by which winners are selected.

    Among the award receipts is The New York Times.

    It won for its “wide-ranging and revelatory coverage of Hamas’s lethal attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7,” as well as reporting on “the Israeli military’s sweeping, deadly response.”

    Critics of the award are saying that the past seven months has revealed the biased coverage of the platform, including the factually incorrect report claiming that Hamas members had raped Israelis on October 7 — an account which was later debunked.

    Reuters meanwhile won the award for breaking news photography for its “raw and urgent” coverage of the October 7 attack and Israeli response, while a special citation recognized “journalists and media workers covering the war in Gaza.”

    “This war has also claimed the lives of poets and writers,” the committee said. “As the Pulitzer Prizes honor categories of journalism, arts and letters, we mark the loss of invaluable records of the human experience.”

    Ironically, the award ceremony took place at Columbia University, amidst the backlash that resulted after the Uni called in police to clear out pro-Palestinian protesters. The police largely blocked media from the scene and allegedly threatened student journalists covering the events with arrest.

  • Google fires 28 workers protesting contracts with Israel

    Google fires 28 workers protesting contracts with Israel

    New York, United States – Google fired 28 employees following a sit-down protest over the tech giant’s contract with the Israeli government, a Google spokesperson said Thursday.

    The Tuesday demonstration was organized by the group “No Tech for Apartheid,” which has long opposed “Project Nimbus,” Google’s joint $1.2 billion contract with Amazon to provide cloud services to the government of Israel.

    Video of the demonstration showed police arresting Google workers in Sunnyvale, California, in the office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian’s, according to a post by the advocacy group on X, formerly Twitter.

    Kurian’s office was occupied for 10 hours, the advocacy group said.

    Workers held signs including “Googlers against Genocide,” a reference to accusations surrounding Israel’s attacks on Gaza.

    “No Tech for Apartheid,” which also held protests in New York and Seattle, pointed to an April 12 Time magazine article reporting a draft contract of Google billing the Israeli Ministry of Defense more than $1 million for consulting services.

    A “small number” of employees “disrupted” a few Google locations, but the protests are “part of a longstanding campaign by a group of organizations and people who largely don’t work at Google,” a Google spokesperson said.

    “After refusing multiple requests to leave the premises, law enforcement was engaged to remove them to ensure office safety,” the Google spokesperson said. “We have so far concluded individual investigations that resulted in the termination of employment for 28 employees, and will continue to investigate and take action as needed.”

    Israel is one of “numerous” governments for which Google provides cloud computing services, the Google spokesperson said.

    “This work is not directed at highly sensitive, classified, or military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services,” the Google spokesperson said.

    jmb/nro

    © Agence France-Presse

  • Shehnaz Sheikh speaks out about ‘Ankahi’ salary, social media

    Shehnaz Sheikh speaks out about ‘Ankahi’ salary, social media

    Veteran actress Shehnaz Sheikh may have stopped acting in dramas long ago, but she remains one of the nation’s favorite celebrities. She will be hosting a talk show on PTV soon, but she won’t be returning to acting anytime soon.

    Talking about her hit drama Ankahi in an interview with BBC Urdu, Shehnaz Sheikh said, “I was paid Rs. 800 per episode. Clothes, food, nothing was provided; we had to arrange everything ourselves, even transportation. After three years of ‘Tanhaiyaan,’ the payment increased to Rs. 1000. I am talking about a top-grade actor.”

    She also discussed her thoughts on social media. The host asked how does she see social media.’ She said, “I am thankful that during our time, all this wasn’t there. These phones didn’t exist, you can’t even imagine how our lives would have been exposed. The thought of someone recording, imagine if a camera came out, you’d know. In our entire class, there was hardly one person with a camera; it was so rare and your privacy is gone. But oh my god, the information you get! I can’t think of my life without social media. I love it. I watch TikTokers, reels, whenever I see them. As I said, if I don’t like something, I just scroll ahead.”

  • Legendary singer Eric Clapton plans special concert for children of Gaza

    Legendary singer Eric Clapton plans special concert for children of Gaza

    In a heartfelt initiative to make a difference in the lives of the children of Gaza, legendary musician Eric Clapton is set to deliver a powerful message through the broadcast of his intimate concert, which took place in London in December 2023.

    Scheduled for airing on January 17th, the exclusive performance is not only a musical treat for fans but also a beacon of hope for a cause that has gone global.

    Eric Clapton’s concert, performed in front of a small, intimate audience, showcased the artist’s iconic songs such as Tears In Heaven, Got To Get Better In A Little While, and a poignant rendition of George Harrison’s Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth) featuring Dhani Harrison.

    The carefully curated setlist not only resonates with Clapton’s musical prowess but also reflects the spirit of empathy and compassion that underscores the purpose of this unique broadcast.

    By choosing Gaza as the beneficiary, Clapton not only spotlights the urgent need for support but also invites viewers to contribute to a cause that transcends borders, fostering a collective effort to bring hope and relief to the young lives affected.

  • ‘Social media is being used to create environment of chaos,’ says General Asim Munir

    ‘Social media is being used to create environment of chaos,’ says General Asim Munir

    In a recent address at the National Farmers Convention in Islamabad, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir expressed concern over the rampant spread of fabricated claims against the state of Pakistan on social media.

    “Social media is being used to create an environment of chaos, despair, and panic. Through fake news, an impression is being created that the state is losing its [writ],” the army chief said in an address to the National Farmers Convention in Islamabad on Friday.

    Pakistan, like many other nations, is grappling with the challenge of fake news on social media, where unfounded reports fueled by emotional appeals are spreading rapidly and contributing to societal divisions. A detailed report earlier this year by EU DisinfoLab revealed that Indian media outlets were involved in a smear campaign against Pakistan, quoting non-existent organizations, journalists, and bloggers.

    COAS Munir highlighted that such smear campaigns are not limited to external actors, as investigations have revealed the involvement of the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in using state resources to spread false propaganda against state institutions.

    Addressing the farmers, COAS Munir addressed the rumors and negative impressions being spread about Pakistan. He emphasized the historical significance of Pakistan, stating that it is founded on the principles of the Kalima, with divine backing for the country.

    COAS Munir reminded the audience of Pakistan’s abundant resources, including glaciers, rivers, mountains, and fertile land producing world-class rice, fruits, and valuable minerals like granite, gold, and copper.

    He lamented that Pakistan, once one of the fastest-growing countries in Asia in the 1960s, witnessed a decline due to forgetting the golden principles of faith, unity, and discipline advocated by the Quaid-i-Azam.

    Moving forward, COAS Munir discussed the Green Pakistan Initiative, highlighting its focus on boosting agriculture. He assured that a major chunk of the initiative’s income will go to the provinces, while the rest will be kept for farmers and agricultural research, he said, noting that the “role of the army in this is only to serve the people and farmers”.

    COAS Munir pledged to ensure easy agricultural credit, a cold storage chain, climate change-resistant seeds, and genetically engineered livestock for farmers.

  • After losing his family, Wael Dahdouh targeted in Israeli attack

    After losing his family, Wael Dahdouh targeted in Israeli attack

    Al Jazeera journalist Wael Dahdouh is currently in critical condition after being targeted by Israel in a reported targeted attack while he was covering news near Haifa school in Khan Younis.

    Another journalist was also reportedly severely injured in the attack. On October 25, Wael Aldahdouh, one of the most prolific journalists in Gaza, buried his wife, son, daughter, and grandson, who had been killed in an Israeli air raid that hit the house they were sheltering in.

  • CNN’s Clarissa Ward first Western reporter to enter Gaza without Israeli supervision

    CNN’s Clarissa Ward first Western reporter to enter Gaza without Israeli supervision

    CNN’s chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward has become the first Western journalist to have gone into the Gaza Strip without the Israel Defense Forces’ supervision, reporting from sight what she deemed “absolute horror.”

    Ward entered the besieged strip on Wednesday with UAE medical volunteers and visited a field hospital setup by the Gulf country.

    “Even in that brief window, you really got a sense of the absolute horrors that have been taking place in Gaza,” she said speaking to CNN.

    “I can honestly say I don’t think we’ve ever seen it quite on this scale.” she expressed while reviewing the destruction she witnessed.

    International coverage of Gaza depends on reports from Palestinian journalists, aid teams, health workers, and social media because of Israel’s entry bans.

    As of yet, at least 63 journalists have been killed since October 7 in Israeli airstrikes.

    Ward was initially accused of staging a video in which she can be seen trying to seek a safe place from attacks during live coverage near the Israel-Gaza border. CNN, however, rebutted these assertions, contending the authenticity of the video.