Tag: social media

  • GQ Middle East honours Gazan journalist Motaz Azaiza as ‘Man Of The Year’

    GQ Middle East honours Gazan journalist Motaz Azaiza as ‘Man Of The Year’

    GQ Middle East has announced that this year they are awarding the coveted ‘Man Of The Year’ dedication to Gazan journalist and photographer Motaz Azaiza, a leading voice in spreading awareness about the ongoing genocide of Gaza.

    In their dedication, the publication honoured Motaz for becoming the embodiment of hope for the people of Gaza and the rest of the world with his coverage. “His work personifies the power of digital activism,” the publication wrote. “And his humanity is an important reminder that bravery appears in many forms. Sometimes we choose it, other times it chooses us, and in the case of Azaiza, choice wasn’t even an option.”

    The publication further stated this year, they were no longer setting up categories honouring different people with titles like Iconoclast, Maverick or Legend, because with Motaz among the ranks the selection carries more weight than ever before.

    “Much like his peers on the ground in Gaza, he reminds us that no matter who we are or where we’re from, it’s us- ordinary people, men, and women- who have the power to enact that very change that we want to see.”

    GQ also included voices from several prominent activists and Arab figures, who commended Motaz for becoming the rallying cry against the atrocities of Gaza.

    “Living up to his middle name ‘Hilal’ which means crescent moon in Arabic, Motaz has shone a light on Gaza amidst the most obscene form of cruelty and darkness and also has shined a much-needed light into the broken hearts of millions around the world, giving us a sense of hope.” writes Kuwati-American journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin. “I know you didn’t want this role of documenting the dehumanisation, and the pain of our people. I hope for Motaz a future as bright as his smile and as soothing as your voice. Your courage and ability to document and uplift millions of souls. For me, Motaz was always, and will always, be a manifestation of the heartbeat of humanity. May the universe protect you and your tribe of unsung heroes and may your life be filled with light and love. Thank you for your commitment to the truth and for showcasing Palestinian resilience against all odds. I have never been so inspired as a journalist, or a human by your soul and how it sings.”

    Huda Kattan, founder of the beauty giant Huda Beauty writes: “His courage is so inspiring. He’s risking his life to share the story of his people and never stopping through everything. He continues to fight and give his people a voice. Motaz gives us all the power to really stand up and it’s so inspiring to see. In times where there’s so much darkness, he still finds a way to show the humanity of what’s going on. We’ve never had a chance like this to get so up close and personal to any conflict, and that’s because of him and people like him. He has forever changed us in so many ways, but mostly because of his courage.”

    Israeli-Palestinian actor Adam Bakri wrote on how Motaz had single-handedly changed the definition of stardom, with how he became a hero for the people of Gaza:

    “Motaz Azaiza, with a smile on his face, carrying a weathered, oversized red teddy bear while carefully descending from a towering heap of rubble in Gaza… That image will stay with me forever. The glamour and fame associated with movie stars and pop stars are now completely devoid of any real significance to me. In fact, the definition of the term ‘star’ is altogether altered. Brave souls like Motaz are the true stars, at least in my eyes. He defies every conventional stereotype associated with heroism. He has inspired me to embark on an even deeper introspection regarding my own life. How can I infuse greater significance and purpose into my daily existence? How might I elevate my own journey to a level of heroism, echoing a universal resonance of utter selflessness and empathy? Motaz, unquestionably, stands as the embodiment of what it means to be truly human.“

  • TikTok users call for Black Friday shopping boycott in protest for Palestine

    TikTok users call for Black Friday shopping boycott in protest for Palestine

    TikTok has turned into an influential platform for speaking up against the atrocities going on in Gaza.

    After several Jewish actors like Amy Schumer, Sacha Baron Cohen accused the platform of being ‘anti-semitic’, TikTok heads had to release a statement clarifying that today’s teens were vocally pro-Palestinian, hence the algorithm showing more content in their favour.

    Right now, the hashtag #FreePalestine has over 25 billion views, while #damifalasteeni- the song by Palestinian singer Mohammad Assaf, has over 1.4 million views on the platform.

    READ MORE: Palestinian content leaves Israel miles behind on social media

    TikTok users have consistently used the platform to debunk lies and propaganda spread by IDF soldiers to justify their invasion of Gazan hospitals. TikTok users started a trend, pretending to be Israeli soldiers and mocking their failed attempt at finding the ‘Khamas’ troops at Al-Shifa hospital.

    @drewparker2k This propaganda is getting laughably absurd #freepalestine ❤️ # #ceasfire #propaganda #politics #leftist #gaza #fyp #drewparker2k ♬ original sound – Aseyat

    @unculltured I could go on… #arab #arabtiktok #muslim #muslimtiktok ♬ original sound – khalid ☘️

    Yesterday, Israel agreed to a four-day ceasefire during which Hamas and IDF will exchange prisoners who were captured by their forces, as well as allow aid and fuel to enter Gaza. But many TikTok users slammed this as an attempt to silence the worldwide outrage over the genocide, as well as the timing when the ceasefire was announced with Black Friday, Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday around the corner. The hashtag #boycottblackfriday has over 4 million views on the platform.

    TikTok users are now taking to their accounts to urge their followers to keep boycotting brands and ensure a truce is established so the Palestinians get back their land and all the hostages, including 800 children held captive in Israeli prisons.

    @dontaskabbey ♬ original sound – dontaskabbey

    Fawn Diaz, who has over 41K followers on TikTok, shared a post calling out the greed of American capitalism in upholding a ‘humanitarian ceasefire’ at the same time it was Black Friday weekend.

    @fawn.diaz Boycott tf out of americas christmas and black friday money machine #freepalestine #revolution #freepalestine ♬ Wendigoon is a cool dude – audio

    TikTok user Yourfavouriteguy, who has 3 million followers on the platform, pointed out the ceasefire came in too late when already 20,000 Palestinians have been killed and 50% Gaza was reduced to rubble, and is not a permanent solution which is why social media needs to keep ensuring the pressure remains on their governments to support Palestine.

    @yourfavoriteguy here’s what you need to know about the temporary 4 day ceasefire that has been called in the Gaza Strip #YOURFAVORITEGUY ♬ original sound – YourFavoriteGuy

    TikTok is leading the growing boycott of international coffee chain Starbucks, which had sued workers union for releasing a statement standing in favour of Palestine. The hashtag #boycottstarbucsk has over 101.2 million views on the platform.

    @wwearybaby #boycottstarbucks ♬ الصوت الأصلي – ahmed fawzy

  • ‘I’ll go become a carpenter’: Ms Marvel star Saagar Shaikh speaks up on supporting Palestine

    ‘I’ll go become a carpenter’: Ms Marvel star Saagar Shaikh speaks up on supporting Palestine

    Pakistani-American Muslim actor Saagar Shaikh has given a masterclass to other Hollywood actors on how to remain true to your principles, even when it costs you your livelihood.

    The actor was speaking at the ‘Salaam Nerds’ podcast where he spoke about his role as Kamala’s brother, Amir in ‘Ms Marvel’, adding that he was okay with putting his career on the line if it meant speaking up for Palestine.

    “I don’t give a f*** if my job is on the line, because I’ll find another one. I’ll become a carpenter if I have to.”

    Truly an iconic move, and all of X (formerly Twitter) agrees.

    Prominent Hollywood actors are getting dropped by talent agencies or fired from projects for speaking up for Palestine. Hollywood legend Susan Sarandon was dropped by her talent agency after she went viral for attending pro-Palestinian protests, and Jenna Ortega chose to step out of the ‘Scream 7’ franchise after Spyglass Entertainment l fired Melissa Barrera for pro-Palestine posts on social media.

  • Jenna Ortega steps back from ‘Scream 7’, and Twitter users feel the timing was phenomenal

    Jenna Ortega steps back from ‘Scream 7’, and Twitter users feel the timing was phenomenal

    Two queens maximising their joint slay

    Jenna Ortega has stepped back from the upcoming horror franchise ‘Scream 7’, just one day after Variety reported that actor Melissa Barrera was fired from the project because of her pro-Palestine stance. Deadline states that Ortega’s decision had nothing to do with Melissa’s firing, stressing that the departure was pre-planned before the actor’s strike as the actor’s shooting was clashing with Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’.

    Jenna has remained vocal about her pro-Palestinian stance, and in the past few days has kept sharing content spreading awareness about the genocide in Gaza.

    The news comes hot on the heels of Melissa being dropped for posting pro-Palestinian content on her Instagram stories. She released a statement writing that she condemns anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, and will not remain silent during a genocide.

    “First and foremost I condemn Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people.

    As a latina, a proud Mexicana, I feel the responsibility of having a platform that allows me the privilege of being heard, and therefore I have tried to use it to raise awareness about issues I care about and to lend my voice to those in need.

    Every person on this earth- regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or socio-economic status- deserves equal human rights, dignity, and of course, freedom.

    I believe a group of people are NOT their leadership, and that no governing body should be above criticism.

    I pray day and night for no more deaths, for no more violence, and for peaceful co-existence. I will continue to speak out for those that need it most and continue to advocate for peace and safety, for human rights and freedom.

    Silence is not an option for me.”

    X (formerly Twitter) users applauded Jenna for standing true to her pro-Palestinian stance and remaining a committed ally with her cast member.

  • ‘Do takkay ki larki’ ka yeh matlab nahi’: Adnan Siddiqui defends controversial dialogue from Mere Pass Tum Ho

    ‘Do takkay ki larki’ ka yeh matlab nahi’: Adnan Siddiqui defends controversial dialogue from Mere Pass Tum Ho

    Adnan Siddiqui appeared on a recent episode of Ahmed Ali Butt’s podcast ‘Excuse Me’ where he addressed his role in the controversial drama ‘Mere Pass Tum Ho’ and the dialogue ‘do takkay ki larki’ which sparked intense outrage from women in Pakistan.

    Butt revealed that he had a conversation with the writer Khalil ul Rehman about the line, to which the writer had responded that he used the word ‘larki’ for one woman. Siddiqui pointed out it was solely directed towards the female character Mehwish (played by Ayeza Khan) rather than a generalisation of all women. He further stressed that audiences should contextualise the dialogue within the drama.

    “Mehwish and Shehwaar were both equally blamed for this. Danish, who was deeply in love with his wife, sacrificed a lot for her happiness and was madly in love with her. When he discovered the affair he was outraged, which led to the dialogue. In his rage, he couldn’t use a slur because he’s a man of culture. So this was his slur. Let’s stick to that scenario because that dialogue was solely meant for Mehwish and not all women of Pakistan.”

    The host behind reality TV series ‘Tamasha’ urged audiences not to conflate characters to real-life people, pointing out that the characters in the story line were not a reflection of reality.

  • Indian organisation goes viral for giving employees a day off after India loses World Cup

    Indian organisation goes viral for giving employees a day off after India loses World Cup

    After India’s historic loss against Australia in the ICC Cricket World Cup final, fans were devastated. Some chose to lash out at Australian players, posting misogynistic and degrading slurs on the Instagram profiles of Australian cricket players Travis Head and Glenn Maxwell as well as their wives.

    READ MORE: ‘You can be Indian and also support the country of your birth’; Glenn Maxwell’s wife responds to haters

    Indian media reported that one cricket fan suffered a heart attack and died at the hospital.

    READ MORE: Suicide and heart attacks reported in India after losing World Cup final

    An Indian firm named Marketing Moves is going viral after they offered a day off to their employees to recover from India’s loss.

    “Hi team,” the message read. “In light of India’s loss in the recent WC, we recognise the impact on our team members. To offer some support during this time, the company has decided to grant a one-day leave relaxation. We believe this will provide an opportunity for everyone to regroup and recover. Let’s come back stronger.”

  • Supreme Court will hear petition against deportation of Afghan refugees

    Supreme Court will hear petition against deportation of Afghan refugees

    In a significant development on Monday, the Supreme Court decided to entertain a petition challenging the government’s move to force out Afghan refugees from the country. The decision comes after the Supreme Court Registrar’s Office initially raised objections to the petition’s maintainability, putting a temporary halt on its progress.

    Despite the decision to entertain the petition, a specific date for the hearing is yet to be announced. According to sources, Justice Yahya Afridi of the Supreme Court heard the appeal against the objections in his chamber on Monday, as confirmed by a counsel for the petitioners.

    Mohsin Dawar took to X (former Twitter) and said, “We appeared before Justice Yahya Afridi for the Chamber Appeal against the Registrar’s objection on our petition against the mass deportation of Afghan Refugees. Our appeal has been accepted and the petition will be heard by the Supreme Court.”

    The petition, returned by the Supreme Court Registrar’s Office on November 8, faced objections related to its maintainability. One notable objection was the absence of a specific question of public importance regarding the enforcement of fundamental rights as guaranteed under the Constitution, warranting the invocation of Article 184(3).

    In response to the objections, the petitioners contended that their case raised critical issues pertaining to fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution. The appeal, filed by Umer Ijaz Gillani on behalf of human rights activists and politicians, argued that the issues presented in the petition are essential for safeguarding the rights guaranteed in the Constitution.

    “The issues raised in the petition are critical for securing the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution,” stated the appeal. It emphasized the need to prevent constitutional promises from becoming mere rhetoric, asserting, “The promises contained in the Constitution must never be allowed to become mere verbiage, the harbingers of false hope.”

    The petitioners include prominent figures such as Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan Senator Mushtaq Ahmed, Human rights activist Amina Masood Janjua, National Democratic Movement Chairman Mohsin Dawar, lawyer Jibran Nasir, Rohail Kasi, Syed Muaz Shah, Pastor Ghazala Parveen, lawyer Iman Zainab Mazari, Ahmad Shabbar, Advocate Imran Shafiq, Luke Victor, and Sijal Shafiq.

    The petitioners stated in their press release on Sunday, “After 18 days of eager wait and continuous legal struggle, the Supreme Court has finally fixed our Case against the Caretaker Government’s Mass Deportation drive for a preliminary hearing. The hearing will be conducted by a 1-member bench comprising Mr. Justice Yahya Afridi inside his Chamber. It is scheduled for 1:00 pm on Monday, 20th November, 2023.

    Needless to say that under Article 184(3), the principal responsibility for taking charge of the situation and preventing systemic violation of fundamental rights vests in the Court itself. The petitioners’ role is that of informants who apprise the Court about what is happening and prick its judicial conscience.

    What has been happening to scores of people since October 3, when this draconian Deportation Drive was launched by a government lacking all mandate, is clear to all and sundry. However, in order to assist the Court in discharge of its sacred duty, the counsel for the Petitioners will appear before the bench.”

    The government of Pakistan decided to deport all the illegal aliens from the country early in October.

    A vast majority of them are Afghans who were given a deadline of November 1 to leave the country voluntarily or else there would be a crackdown.

    The government has identified phases in which these Afghan immigrants will be repatriated under the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan.

    There is a large number of 1.7 million Afgan refugees which the government aims to repatriate in the first phase of the plan. More than 200,000 of them have been repatriated until now.

    Aurat March protests

    Aurat March Lahore reiterated its demand that the Government of Pakistan immediately halt deportations of Afghan refugees, during a protest on Saturday.

    The protestors further stated that the hastily imposed 1 November expulsion deadline is an authoritarian decision that exceeds the caretaker government’s limited constitutional mandate. It effectively overturned decades of refugee policy overnight without accountability or transparency.

    Furthermore, the ill-thought-out decision has resulted in the denial of Afghan refugees’ rights to liberty,due process, and, in many cases, citizenship.

    On 29 October 2023, Aurat March chapters from across the country marked their protest and addressed an open letter urging the caretaker Prime Minister, Anwar ul Haq Kakar, to reverse his decision.

    However, this caretaker government has failed to yield to these demands and has since doubled down on its decision by announcing that the second phase of deportations will be of “documented” refugees.

    Aurat March stated, “We refuse this insidious distinction between “documented” and “undocumented” refugees; all refugees have the non-derogable right to non-refoulement and deserve support, not persecution.”

  • ‘Gunjal’; What is it about and when is it releasing? We have the details

    ‘Gunjal’; What is it about and when is it releasing? We have the details

    Upcoming thriller ‘Gunjal’ is the talk of the town, a film that promises to revive the industry with an insight into the crisis of child abuse in Pakistan. The film boasts of a star-studded cast with the likes of Ahmed Ali Akbar, Resham, Ahmed Ali Butt, Samiya Mumtaz and Amna Ilyas. The team behind ‘Gunjal’ was present at the prelaunch event held at University of Management and Technology (UMT) where we got some interesting details about the film, including the wholesome reason why Resham wanted to work with Ahmed Ali Akbar.

    When is ‘Gunjal’ releasing?

    Gunjal will release in theatres across Pakistan on 8th December.

    What roles will Ahmed Ali Akbar and Resham be playing?

    Ahmed Ali Akbar will be playing the role of journalist Shahbaz Bhatti, who investigates the murder of prolific child activist Iqbal Masih. Speaking at the event, Ahmed opened up about his reason for choosing the role.

    “Gunjal is inspired by the life of a prolific child activist and is an insight into the trials and tribulations of Iqbal Masih and what he went through, and the conditions he was working in under and the events that took place. It’s also about the life of a regular person who overtime, through the eyes of Iqbal Masih, starts to see things that are very common around us, yet we don’t notice them.”

    “It’s about the rights of children… and is inspired by Iqbal Masih’s legacy,” stressed Ahmed. “It’s very relevant, on what Iqbal wanted to accomplish, it was relevant then and is still now. It’s happening in front of us. So I feel it is our duty but it takes time to act upon it.”

    Resham said her role in ‘Gunjal’ was quite different from her previous films. She plays Sarwat, the founder of a newspaper ‘Nai Subh’. Resham explained that her character tries to ensure her journalistic stories are focused on truth and justice.

    The sweet reason behind why Resham wanted to work on Gunjal: Ahmed Ali Akbar

    Resham also shared the sweet reason that propelled her to take part in the film, revealing it was her desire to work with Ahmed Ali Akbar.

    “I had watched all of ‘Parizaad’ from that point on I really wanted to work with him. While Ahmed’s drama was airing I didn’t watch it because I was suffering from depression and had lost a lot friends. Then I decided to watch all the episodes on Youtube. After finishing it, I made a prayer to Allah while watching alone, that I hoped to work with this man some day. Two-and-a-half months later the film’s director Shoaib sahab reached out and asked if I would act in his film. I asked who would be the hero, and he said ‘Ahmed Ali Akbar’. I said ‘The Parizaad one!’ and was overjoyed!”

    Resham shared she had watched the last episode of Parizaad with Ahmed, which she said she was extremely lucky for. “Despite the fact that I’m his senior, but I’m still a huge fan of his.”

  • Fan passes away from cardiac arrest during Taylor Swift’s concert

    Fan passes away from cardiac arrest during Taylor Swift’s concert

    Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concert in Rio, Brazil, suffered a setback when a fan passed away of cardiac arrest. Ana Clara, 23, had flown in from the centre west region to see her favourite musician perform live. According to People, she fainted before Taylor’s gig began, dying shortly after in the hospital where she was taken for treatment.

    Brazil is in the grip of intense heatwaves. On Friday, the temperature in Rio hit 39.1C. Multiple fans have revealed they were not allowed to take water bottles inside with them during the show. In several videos, Taylor was seen passing out water bottles while performing ‘All Too Well’ when fans began chanting “water, water”.

    Swift released a statement on Friday on her Instagram account, expressing grief on Ana’s passing, writing that she was devastated by the loss.

    “I can’t believe I’m writing these words but it is with a shattered heart that I sasy we lost a fan earlier tonight before my show. I can’t even tell you how devastated I am by this. There’s very little information I have other than the fact that she was so incredibly beautiful and far too young.”

    “I’m not going to be able to speak about this from stage,” Taylor continued, “because I fell overwhelmed with grief when I even try to talk about it. I want to say now I feel this loss deeply and my broken heart goes out to her friends and family. This is the last thing I ever thought would happen when we decided to bring this tour to Brazil.”

    On Saturday, the ‘Anti Hero’ singer released another statement, announcing that she was postponing her Saturday night concert in Rio due to extreme temperatures. The show has now been rescheduled for Monday.

    “I’m writing this from my dressing room in the stadium. The decision has been made to postpone tonight’s show due to the extreme temperatures in Rip. The safety and well-being on my fans, fellow performers, and crew has to and will always come first.”

  • ‘Content creators are selling their families for influence’: Fahad Mustafa

    ‘Content creators are selling their families for influence’: Fahad Mustafa

    Actor and producer Fahad Mustafa was a guest on Shoaib Akhtar’s show where he was asked about the rise of social media influencers and content creators in Pakistan and whether he would accept them as co-actors in any drama he works in. The ‘Mayi Ri’ producer responded with a scathing remark on the lengths people from this profession are willing to go to for the sake of going viral.

    “They are selling their families for content,” asserted the actor. “Their content is making kheer in the kitchen, rubbing their mother’s feet and then going as far as visiting a graveyard…Matlab yeh kya hai, yeh kaunsa content hai?” [What is this, what kind of content is this?]

    Fahad further explained he would never want to be known for this kind of work. “I can tell both good or bad story, but I will never sell my house for the sake of views. I will never sell myself this way.”

    The ‘Mein Abdul Kadir Hoon’ actor further compared content creators to those working in the acting industry, and pointed out how such influencers would never survive in such an industry because of the extensive time it took to produce a project.

    “If you ever go on a shoot, or you’re sitting on a set here, it takes time,” shared Fahad. “There’s a process. They can’t work longer than two or eight hours. And how would they understand? They have their phone and can make something in 10 seconds.”