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  • Pakistani researchers win Facebook’s ‘Integrity Research Challenge’

    Pakistani researchers win Facebook’s ‘Integrity Research Challenge’

    Agha Ali Raza and Ihsan Ayyub Qazi from Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) wins Facebook’s Foundation Integrity Research that solves the problem of misinformation on Facebook.

    In February, Facebook asked academic institutions and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) from all over the world to send proposals.

    “Our goal is to support independent research that will contribute to the understanding of the phenomena and, in the long term, help us improve our policies, interventions, and tooling,” said Alex Leavitt, Senior Researcher at Facebook.

    Raza and Qazi’s research tackles the challenges by measuring the role of prior beliefs and analytical reasoning, and how this impacts the beliefs of internet users.

    Raza and Qazi also designed an educational intervention that uses influential public figures to spread awareness about misinformation on the platform.

    “We are thrilled to have our research been awarded the grant by Facebook which would serve as a stepping stone for us to take our project forward.

    Through our research, we aim to understand how non-textual misinformation (e.g. deepfakes) is perceived by internet users with low digital literacy and the role of pre-conceived notions, and analytical reasoning in shaping the beliefs of such users.

    We are hopeful that by the completion of this project, we will be able to make a substantial contribution towards combating the circulation of false and unverified information on the internet,” stated the winning duo.

    The social media giant received around 1,000 proposals out of which 25 awardees have been finalised for Facebook’s research and policy teams.

    The winners’ will be investigating issues across 42 countries including Canada, Denmark, Pakistan, Turkey, and the UK.

  • Safdar for police case against Imran over ‘assassination attempt’ on wife Maryam

    Safdar for police case against Imran over ‘assassination attempt’ on wife Maryam

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif’s son-in-law, Captain (r) Muhammad Safdar, has approached the police seeking the registration of a case against some 100 people, including Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, for “attempting to assassinate” his wife and party vice president, Maryam Nawaz.

    As per the details, Safdar has submitted at the Chuhang Police Station in Lahore an application seeking the registration of a first information report (FIR) against the premier, his aide on accountability and interior, Mirza Shahzad Akbar; National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal among others.

    In the petition, Safdar, who was accompanying Maryam for her NAB appearance, claimed that attempts were made to assassinate Maryam at the behest of the accused.

    “Sensing the seriousness of the situation, I drove away [from the NAB office] to save the life of my wife,” he said.

    The petition comes after PML-N supporters and police on Tuesday engaged in violent clashes outside the anti-graft watchdog’s Lahore office, where Maryam had been summoned to respond in a case of alleged illegal transfer of government land.

    While police and the Punjab government claimed that it was a deliberate attempt on the PML-N leader’s part to create anarchy, Maryam accused NAB and police of attacking the party’s workers and pelting stones at her bulletproof car. 

    According to the police, a case against PML-N leaders, including Maryam and Safdar, and as may as 188 workers has been registered at the Chuhang Police Station on NAB’s application.

    MARYAM ATTACKED WITH LASER GUN’:

    While PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb has said if the police fail to book the accused, the party will move the Lahore High Court (LHC), claims regarding the attempt on Maryam’s life have been added to with party stalwart Rana Sanaullah saying that “a laser gun was used”.

    Speaking to a private media outlet, he said the “hidden agenda behind the clash seemed to be an attempt on Maryam’s life”.

    “How can pelting of stones inflict such damage on a bullet-proof vehicle? I think a laser gun was used from some nearby building,” he said.

    THE CASE AGAINST MARYAM:

    According to Geo, NAB has accused Maryam of receiving 200 acres of what was supposed to be government land in Raiwind. Reports claim that the transfer was made during former Lahore deputy commissioner (DC) Noorul Amin Mengal and former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general (DG) Ahad Cheema’s tenure.

    NAB had also summoned Mengal along with the LDA officials of that time with records.

    A tract of land, stretching over 3,568 kanals, was bought by the Sharif family in 2013. The largest part of the property, 1,936 kanals, was transferred to the name of Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif’s mother, Shamim Bibi. The land that was transferred to Maryam from that tract was 1,440 kanals.

    Maryam’s appearance on Tuesday was postponed after NAB told her to return, keeping in view the law and order situation.

  • PUBG to add Chitral National Park, Badshahi Mosque, Noor Mahal, Clock Tower in maps

    PUBG is hosting an exclusive Independence Day event for Pakistani players as a token of appreciation for all the love and support shown by the local players.

    To compete in the event, players will have to complete two matches in classic mode or kill 5 enemies in the arena.

    As they score, they will be rewarded points and will go along a map lined up with several tourist spots in Pakistan such as Chitral National Park, Badshahi Mosque, Noor Mahal, Clock Tower, and many more.

    There are special rewards for the exclusive event as well. There will be new royal passcards to collect exclusive outfits, parachutes, bag skins, and much more.

    The exclusive Pakistani event is to celebrate the 74th Independence Day. The game was unbanned in the country recently.

    PUBG got banned last month due to controversy regarding its addictive behaviour. When it was banned, Prime Minister Imran Khan started receiving endless tweets speaking against the ban. Soon after, the Islamabad High Court gave orders to unban the video game.

  • Quiz – Which Special Assistant to Prime Minister are you?

    Quiz – Which Special Assistant to Prime Minister are you?

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  • Quiz – Which ‘Indian Matchmaking’ character are you

    Quiz – Which ‘Indian Matchmaking’ character are you

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  • Zobia Meer Case: Man’s wife responds to allegations

    The wife of Arsalan, the man who was seen beating and abusing his mother in the video, has responded to allegations of physical and verbal abuse.

    Taking to social media, Arsalan’s wife posted a video and said that the allegations her sister-in-law and mother-in-law have made are false. She said that her husband has asthma and she is six months pregnant.

    “My mother-in-law attacked my husband’s private parts which made him unconscious. She also attacked my private parts as she wanted to abort my child,” said the woman in the video.

    She also alleged that her mother-in-law beat her daughter and that Zobia Meer did not share the complete video.

    The woman further said that the mother and daughter broke their cars, hid their jewellery, ID cards and other papers.

    “They broke things in my room and even hid my daughter’s milk,” she added.

    According to the woman, Zobia is her husband’s half-sister and that the property that Zobia claimed they ran away with is in her husband’s name.

    Late Tuesday night, a video of a man beating and abusing his mother went viral on social media. Rawalpindi police registered a case against the culprit after the social media users including journalists, celebrities and social activists condemned the incident and demanded justice from the authorities.

  • Quiz – End of the World

    Quiz – End of the World

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  • Palestinians mourn death of PAF hero who became only pilot to have downed four Israeli aircraft during Six-Day War

    Palestinians mourn death of PAF hero who became only pilot to have downed four Israeli aircraft during Six-Day War

    Palestinian activists are mourning the loss of legendary fighter pilot Saiful Azam, who was awarded Sitara-i-Jura’at for his heroics in the 1965 war against India, and breathed his last in Bangladesh capital Dhaka earlier this week.

    The 80-year-old retired group captain died at his residence, local newspaper Jugantor said. He had been suffering from various old-age complications for a long time.

    Bangladeshi army’s mouthpiece Inter Service Public Relation Directorate also confirmed the death to Anadolu Agency over the phone.

    “We came to know about his death but we have not published it on our official web page as he is a retired official,” ISPR Director Lt. Col. Abdullah Ibn Zaid said.

    Pakistan Air Force Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan expressed heartfelt grief on the demise of the great war veteran, according to a press release by PAF’s media wing. The air chief paid rich tribute to Azam, saying that the former fighter pilot will always be remembered for his professionalism and his part in the 1965 Indo-Pak and 1967 Arab-Israel wars.

    A unique figure in the history of Bangladesh, Azam fought in wars as a fighter pilot in three different countries — Jordan, Iraq and Pakistan. 

    During the 1967 Six-Day War, he was the only pilot to have downed four Israeli aircraft.

    On June 5, 1967, four Israeli jets were descending on Jordan’s Mafraq airbase to smash the country’s tiny air force, shortly after the entire Egyptian air force had been destroyed.

    Jordanian air force commanders deployed Azam to thwart the attack, shooting down two aircraft. He was shifted to Iraq two days later to defend air bases, where he shot down two more Israeli planes.

    Mourning him on Facebook, Palestinian historian Osama al-Ashqar hailed Azam as a great airman.

    “Our brothers in Bangladesh and Pakistan were our partners in resistance and defending the Al-Aqsa Mosque,” he added. 

    Palestinian professor Naji Shoukri posted on his Twitter prayers mourning Azam. 

    “Saiful Azam loved Palestine and fought for the sake of Jerusalem,” said Shoukri, saluting him and wishing him God’s grace.

    Renowned Palestinian journalist Tamer al-Mishal lauded Azam called him “the Eagle of the Air”.

    In recognition of Azam’s contributions, he was conferred with military awards by Jordan and Iraq. The United States (US) also gave him the Living Eagles title in 2001 for his outstanding skills.

    After the cessation of Bangladesh from Pakistan in 1971, the veteran pilot joined the Bangladesh Air Force to serve his homeland. In 1980, he retired and joined the civil service and later took up a political career.

  • TikTokers make COVID-19 awareness videos

    TikTokers make COVID-19 awareness videos

    Following an ease in lockdown, cases of coronavirus have reached an all-time high in Pakistan. Despite the government asking the public to follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs), which include wearing a mask and glove, the public continues to ignore their appeals.

    To create awareness Punjab Governor, Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar, invited TikTokers to discuss the widespread virus and how they can help by making awareness videos. Among the TikTok stars who attended the meeting were Kanwal Aftab, Zulqurnain Sikandar, Sehar Hayyat, Warda Javaid, Daniya Sohail, and Haider Ali.

    Read more – Punjab govt’s decision to create coronavirus awareness through Tiktok has the internet divided

    Here are a few videos that some of the TikTokers made for spreading awareness about the dangers of COVID-19 so far.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CA6tbLXgUfn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
    https://twitter.com/Shehzad89/status/1242380885711900673?s=20
    https://www.instagram.com/p/CBLIe9UhYIu/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
  • VIDEO: Peshawar doctor celebrates 71-year-old coronavirus patient’s birthday

    VIDEO: Peshawar doctor celebrates 71-year-old coronavirus patient’s birthday

    A doctor working at the coronavirus ward brought a cake to celebrate the birthday of a 71-year-old patient to fulfill his wish as he is away from his family.

    A video, doing rounds on social media, shows a patient in Abbottabad Medical Complex, clapping and cutting his birthday cake with the health professional standing by his side.

    Finance and Health Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Taimur Jhagra also shared the video with a caption: “Something to make everyone smile.”

    Doctors and other healthcare professionals have been praised across Pakistan and all over the world for the sacrifice and commitment they have shown by treating the virus patients while putting their lives at risk.

    Pakistan has reported 108,317 cases of COVID-19 so far.