The nominations for this year’s Grammy awards were announced on Friday night and among the nominees was Pakistani-American singer Arooj Aftab. Aftab was nominated under ‘Best Alternative Jazz Album” for her album ‘Love In Exile’ as well as for the category ‘Best Collaborative Music Performance’ for her single ‘Shadow Forces’.
Arooj shared a screenshot of the nominations on her Instagram stories.
She shared another picture with singers Vijay Iyer and Shahzad Ismaily and wrote: “Congratulations on the Grammy nomination! Here we go again.”
In 2022, Arooj became the first ever Pakistani to win the Grammy award under the category of ‘Best Global Performance’.
How fitting that on a day that a bunch of old men worked a Sunday to bury our country, it is a young woman that rises and helps us believe we can all heal (& fly)
Commenting on the electoral alliance recently formed between Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P), Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), asserted on Friday that the coalition would prove advantageous for his party in the upcoming general election.
Earlier this week, PML-N and MQM-P, former allies of the PPP in the Centre, declared their intention to collaborate in the upcoming general elections. This alliance has the potential to influence election outcome in urban areas of Sindh.
The development occurred amidst the escalating war of words between the PPP and PML-N, following the announcement by the Election Commission of Pakistan to conduct elections in the country on February 8, 2024.
The romance between the two former allies ended after the PDM-led coalition government completed its term in August, and both the PPP and PML-N locked horns over election-related issues.
During an interaction with journalists in Safari Park, they PPP chairman said: “We worked hard to make him [Shehbaz Sharif] prime minister. It was the need of the hour.”
He emphasised that the decision was intended to address the ongoing political and democratic crisis in the country. The PPP leader highlighted that, during the government led by the PDM, his party contributed to the betterment of Sindh.
Asad Umar, former Secretary General of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has declared that he will quit both the party and politics from now on.
He clarified that he prefers not to adopt a confrontational approach towards state policies, as such a policy goes against the country’s interests. He wrote on his X account (Previously Twitter), “After more than one decade in public life, I have decided to completely quit politics.
As i had already stated publicly earlier that i disagree with the policy of confrontation with state institutions, and such a policy has led to a serious collission with state institutions, which is not in the interest of the country.
I am resigning from basic membership of PTI.
I want to thank all those who have supported me in public life. In particular I want to thank the NA 54 team and the voters who elected me twice. I have tried my best to serve the constituency that i was elected from. May Allah’s blessings shine upon the Pakistani nation.”
Three separate cases of suppression of pro-Palestinian students and groups have been reported in America in just one day as voices are raised higher against the genocide of Gaza. Israeli tanks have forced citizens of Northern Gaza to walk countless miles towards the South with their hands in the air, a scene that has been described as “The Second Nakba”.
Columbia University announced that they are suspending pro-Palestine groups ‘Jewish Voice For Peace’ and ‘Students For Justice In Palestine’- both comprised majorly of Jewish students- who called for a ceasefire.
Columnist and writer Fatima Bhutto, a Columbia alum, slammed the decision.
Banning student groups for justice and peace, @columbia? I was a student during 9/11, the invasion of Afghanistan, the Iraq war and nothing this authoritarian or draconian happened. You didn’t ban the ROTC, that’s for sure. Sickening to see Columbia collapse morally + ethically https://t.co/6L3ldzn6HL
Columbia University is the institute where famous academic Edward Said taught, who dedicated his life to bringing the occupation of Palestine to light.
I’ll never forget how Edward Said’s colleagues at Columbia said once in a documentary that he had to make his office door heavily locked and dead bolted because of how many death threats he was getting on campus. It seems Columbia has done little to make Palestinians safer since. https://t.co/zw8cKtsMUU
The current president of Columbia University, Egyptian-American economist Nemat Talaat Shafik, is drawing outrage from social media users.
This is reprehensible and it is clearly how @Columbia‘s first woman and first Muslim president of Egyptian ancestry, Minouche Shafik, intends to prove that she’s a team player to the Israeli genocide lobby, donors, and the genocidal government in Washington. https://t.co/TefASmxJIf
At Harvard University, a black student was evicted from campus housing for acting as a student safety marshal during the protests.
BREAKING: Harvard is evicting a Black @hgsuuaw student from campus housing today for serving as a student safety marshal during a recent campus protest organized by @HarvardPSC
— Harvard Grad Students Union-UAW Local 5118 (@hgsuuaw) November 10, 2023
Previously, pro-Palestinian supporters at Harvard were doxxed after an open letter by the Harvard Palestine Solidarity Committee condemned the genocide of Gaza.
In California, a 13-year-old Palestinian boy was suspended for three days by Corona Del Mar School for responding ‘Free Palestine’ to racists who were bullying him. The school notice was shared on social media by journalist Amina Waheed, who said that the school admin told the boy’s aunt saying ‘Free Palestine’ was akin to calling for the death of all Jews.
A 13 yr-old kid in OC, California was called a terrorist by a classmate. He responded w/ “Free Palestine.” And was suspended for 3 days.
Per his aunt, “They (school admin) expressed to my nephew that the words ‘Free Palestine’ meant death to all Jews and should never be said.” pic.twitter.com/Ehn8RzEdcI
The action against students takes place while several documented cases of Islamophobia, racism towards Palestinians have come to light. On October 17, a Palestinian-American boy was stabbed to death by his neighbour. On October 30, Pakistani-American doctor Talat Jehan Khan was stabbed out side her apartment complex in Texas.
Social media users showed outrage at Corona del Mar High School and the racism shown towards Palestinian children.
unbelievable that a little boy can be called a terrorist by his classmates but if he says free palestine he’s the one who gets suspended… https://t.co/OBb4egNzSv
We’re really reaching a level of gaslighting where saying a group of people should be freed means that their freedom equates to the death of other people. It makes absolutely no sense but so many people have been pushing this rhetoric as if it will convince us. https://t.co/cJY7ipcmyr
Caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan, Anwaar-ul Haq Kakar, met with the President of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, on Friday in Riyadh. During the discussion, both leaders emphasized the importance of global cooperation to prevent the escalation of violence by Israel.
The meeting occurred during the Extraordinary Summit of the OIC, called to address the critical circumstances in occupied Palestine arising from the Israeli occupation forces’ aggression in both Gaza and the West Bank.
More than 11,000 people have been killed in Israeli bombings since Oct 7 when Hamas shocked Israel with unprecedented cross-border attacks. PM Kakar, conveying the unflinching solidarity of Pakistan with the Palestinian people, strongly denounced the indiscriminate use of force by Israeli occupation forces and the bombing of hospitals, refugee camps, schools and residential buildings, resulting in the loss of thousands of precious lives and forced displacement of Palestinian families.
President Abbas acknowledged Pakistan’s show of solidarity during this challenging time and praised its unwavering position on the Palestinians’ right to self-determination.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, former Foreign Minister, has condemned the “strong-arm tactics” that are being used by the caretaker government for the repatriation of Afghan refugees. The chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party showed concern over the process of repatriation of illegal Afghans from the country. “A distinction must be made between people and terrorists while devising any policy,” said the ex-foreign minister while talking to reporters in Karachi.
He called out the caretaker government for the “lack of clarity” in its policy about the repatriation and cautioned, “If you go against people, you will never achieve your target.”
More than 200,000 Afghans have left the country amidst the current drive of deportation. The government is determined to deport all the refugees in a span of one year despite criticism from civil society, the Afghan government, and UNHCR.
The Caretaker Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azam Khan, has passed away on Saturday morning in a private hospital, Dawn News has confirmed.
Earlier in the morning, journalist Iftikhar Firdous tweeted that Azam Khan died at 10:25 am after suffering from a stomach infection that led to a heart attack.
Dawn has said that Khan was admitted to the ICU unit of Rehman Medical Complex after falling ill one day before.
Azam Khan was a Barrister and had served as minister of interior in the caretaker government led by Nasir-ul-Mulk in 2018. He had also served as a caretaker minister in the provincial govt of 2007-2008. He was appointed the interim CM in January 2023 after Imran Khan dissolved his party’s governments in KP and Punjab.
A judicial panel in Indonesia has dismissed the Chief Justice of the country over allegations of conflict of interest. It was reported that Chief Justice Anwar Usman gave a verdict in favour of President Joko Widodo’s son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
Last month, Chief Justice who happened to be the President’s relative, gave a ruling regarding the age limit of vice-presidential elections, a decision critics saw as favouring him to a great extent. The controversy led to an outrage resulting in his dismissal by the panel of judges in the top court.
The judicial panel found him guilty of violating the ethical code of judges as he is the brother-in-law of the president and should have remained neutral but he could not recuse himself.
The panel was asked to investigate the conduct of judges amid public outcry after they ruled that the minimum age requirement of 40 need not apply to election candidates who had previously held elected office. The ruling was made just days before the start of registration for the 2024 election. The 36-year-old, already serving as a mayor of Surakarta city, was able to register for the election of the vice president.
The panel has decided that Justice Anwar can serve as one of the nine judges of the court but must not take part in any election-related cases in the future as those fall under a conflict of interest. The rest of the eight judges have also been reprimanded by the panel.
Criticism against the decision stemmed from the public seeing the step as part of Widodo’s aim of forming a dynasty by appointing his son the the vice-president. He himself has completed two terms and has not backed any candidate formally for upcoming elections.
Authorities in Punjab have lifted a ‘smart lockdown’ from Lahore and other cities after Friday morning brought in rain, dramatically improving air quality.
Within the provincial capital, rainfall was recorded across various regions, including Gulberg, Garden Town, Iqbal Town, Multan Road, Thokar Niaz Baig, Jail Road, Mall Road, Johar Town, Canal Road, and Raiwind Road.
The government of Punjab has lifted the smart lockdown enforced in the city, with caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi announcing on Twitter, “Markets open tomorrow, and restaurants can resume operations after 6 pm. The recent restrictions related to SMOG will be lifted from tomorrow morning.” This will be effective from today.
After assessing improved air quality post recent rainfall, in consultation with experts and Punjab environment department, we’ve decided to lift the lockdown. Markets open tomorrow, and restaurants can resume operations after 6 pm. The recent restrictions related to SMOG will be…
The weather has become considerably cooler, providing a much-needed break from the toxic smog that had engulfed the air. However, the average air quality index is 182 but in certain parts of the city, including Cantt and DHA Phase 8, the numbers are higher than in other areas.
It is important to note that this stroke of luck could be very short-lived as the dire condition of air quality in Lahore requires stringent measures to be taken.
Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha called for a change to cricket’s timed-out law, saying it should be a matter for the umpires only, as debate rumbled on about Shakib Al Hasan’s role in a controversial dismissal of Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews.
Bangladesh defeated Sri Lanka by three wickets in a World Cup group-stage game in Delhi on Monday.
However, the result was overshadowed by Mathews becoming the first player in the 146-year history of major international cricket to be timed out following an appeal by Shakib, which the Tigers captain refused to withdraw.
Mathews was given out after he exceeded the two minutes allowed for an incoming batsman to take strike as he attempted to secure a broken strap on his helmet.
Bangladesh bowling coach Allan Donald, who is to quit his post when his contract expires after the World Cup, was unhappy with the dismissal, telling the CricBlog website: “I think it really overshadowed a clinical performance by Bangladesh. I’m sort of a bit still shocked about it to be honest.
“It’s just my values that I have as a person and as a cricketer,” the 57-year-old former South Africa fast bowler added.
But Hathurusingha said Friday: “I don’t think it (the row) is going to stop here, whatever I say. The only thing I can say is that it’s one of the modes of dismissal.
“My suggestion is to leave it to the umpires to decide, I don’t think you should leave it to the players to appeal and all that.”
Victory over Sri Lanka came too late to salvage Bangladesh’s hopes of a semi-final place, with the team having lost six of their eight group games ahead of Saturday’s clash in Pune against Australia, already into the last four.
‘Spoilt‘
And they will have to face the five-time champions without Shakib, appearing in his fifth World Cup, after he broke his finger batting against Sri Lanka.
The spin-bowling all-rounder may now have played the last World Cup match of his career given he will be 40 by the time of the 2027 edition in southern Africa.
“We have been spoilt,” Hathurusungha said. “We have had him for a long time, when you have someone of Shakib’s calibre as your number one all-rounder, it’s two players in one…It’s hard (to replace him in the side).”
Saturday’s match could also mark a World Cup exit for fellow veterans Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah, with Hathurusingha saying of the trio: “They have been the best of Bangladesh cricket in the short journey of Bangladesh cricket.
“If they decided to quit, it’s a change (passing) of the baton kind of thing.”
Bangladesh are currently eighth in the table, the last qualifying place for the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
But Hathurusingha said his sole focus was on trying to beat Australia.
The former champions won their sixth game in a row at the tournament in Mumbai on Tuesday after Glenn Maxwell’s spectacular unbeaten double century saw them to a dramatic three-wicket win over Afghanistan after they had collapsed to 91-7.
“They’re the most successful team in World Cup history,” said Hathurusingha.
“They started slowly but they have already qualified. Playing against them is a big challenge.”
