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  • CNN removes Zionist from panel for verbal attack on Mehdi Hasan

    CNN removes Zionist from panel for verbal attack on Mehdi Hasan

    Mehdi Hasan, internationally renowned broadcast journalist and founder of media company Zeteo, recently appeared on CNN NewsNight, where right-wing fellow panellist Ryan James Girdusky told him that he hoped his “beeper doesn’t go off”.

    The reference to a series of pager blasts in Lebanon last month that specifically targeted Hezbollah fighters came in response to Mehdi saying that he supports Palestinians.

    “Did your guest just say I should be killed on live TV,” Hasan asked the show’s host, Abby Phillip.

    The other guests also sprang to Hasan’s defence, calling out the conservative panellist.

    However, after a commercial break, the program host issued an apology to Hasan while viewers were informed that Ryan Girdusky had been removed from the show.

    “I want to apologise to Mehdi Hasan for what was said at this table. It was completely unacceptable,” she said. “I want to apologise to the viewers at home.”

    Later, CNN also issued a public apology in a statement that said, “Zero room for racism or bigotry at CNN or on our air” while announcing that Girdusky “will not be welcomed back at our network”.

    Mehdi Hasan also retweeted the statement on X (formerly Twitter).

    The panel on CNN Newsnight was debating the upcoming United States presidential elections and Republican candidate Donald Trump’s controversial remarks.

    Hasan criticised the racist and sexist comments aimed at several minority groups, including Black Americans, Latinos and Jews. However, he still acknowledged that the accusation against Trump and his supporters being Nazis is “inflammatory”.

    Earlier, in their heated discussion, Mehdi Hasan had said that if people on the far right “don’t want to be called Nazis, stop doing, stop saying”. To this, Girdusky butted in by saying Hasan has been called an “antisemite more than anyone at this table”.

    Hasan responded by saying that he is used to being labelled an antisemite due to his support for the Palestinian people. Girdusky interjected by saying, “Well, I hope your beeper doesn’t go off.”

    Ryan attempted to apologise amid crosstalk and tried to justify his comment by indicating he assumed Hasan said he supported Hamas.

    Girdusky continued with his opposing approach in a tweet: “You can stay on CNN if you falsely call every Republican a Nazi and have taken money from Qatar-funded media. Apparently, you can’t go on CNN if you make a joke. I’m glad America gets to see what CNN stands for.”

  • National legendary athlete Muhammad Younis passes awaay

    National legendary athlete Muhammad Younis passes awaay

    Legendary athlete Muhammad Younis, who won 27 gold medals in international competitions for Pakistan, has passed away at the age of 77. According to the Athletics Federation, Malik Muhammad Younis is considered one of the top athletes in the 800 and 1500-meter races.

    Muhammad Younis won the gold medal in the 1500-meter race at the 1974 Asian Games held in Iran. He also won silver medals for Pakistan in the 1970 and 1978 Asian Games.

    According to the Athletics Federation, Younis also won a gold and a silver medal for Pakistan in the 1973 Asian Track and Field Championship.

    In the 1970s, many of the national records set by Muhammad Younis still stand today. His 1500-meter record set in 1970 remains unbroken by any Pakistani, and his records in the 3000 and 5000-meter races also remain intact.

    The Athletics Federation reports that his athletics career came to an abrupt end in 1979 following an accident. In 1991, Muhammad Younis was awarded the Pride of Performance by the Government of Pakistan.

  • Khan’s sisters are respectable, but party policy will be made by our committee: Shandana Gulzar

    Khan’s sisters are respectable, but party policy will be made by our committee: Shandana Gulzar

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shandana Gulzar, while talking to a reporter, has stated that despite what Imran Khan’s sisters say, party policy “will be made by the parliamentary or political core committee.”

    In recent times, controversy and infighting have surrounded the PTI as its founder, Imran Khan, has been in jail for more than a year while reportedly jail conditions become tougher for him. Party supporters are generally disappointed with the current leadership for their failure to get Khan out of jail or stop the recent 26th Amendment.

    One controversy is that Khan’s sisters, especially Aleema Khan, have taken a significant role in delivering Khan’s message to the people.

    Aleema Khan, the most politically active member of his family, and Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, have also clashed multiple times since Khan’s arrest and subsequent incarceration.

    In August this year, many journalists talking to Imran inside Adiala Jail reportedly said that they heard Aleema and Bushra shouting at each other in a tiff over a female lawyer.

    Around the same time, a message allegedly sent by Aleema Khan to Raoof Hasan asking him not to spread a “foolish” message that Bushra Bibi had sent was leaked to the public. However, the two have never publicly criticized each other.

    However, the PTI leader Shandana Gulzar has stated: “Khan saab’s sisters are respectable but PTI follows parliamentary leaders, policy will be made by parliamentary party as Salman Akram Raja has clearly explained.”

    Furthermore, in the short clip getting traction on X (formerly Twitter), the PTI leader also stated, “They [Khan’s sisters] have been very useful for the party. They gave us that information from Khan SB in difficult times when no one else could have. As for our party, Khan has always hated family or dynastic politics, but we’ll wait for Khan’s further orders.”

  • PIA staffer found with 16 mobile phones wrapped around body

    PIA staffer found with 16 mobile phones wrapped around body

    A male crew member of the national aircraft carrier PIA was found with 16 new mobile phones strapped to his body on a flight from Canada to Islamabad.

    Geo News reports that the PIA employee had 16 brand new expensive mobile phones wrapped around his body for which he was detained by customs officers at Islamabad Airport.

    The matter was initially kept secret for several days but has now been revealed in a showcause notice released by the Pakistan International Airlines.
    Express Tribune reports that the senior flight steward was identified as Faisal Majeed Pehnwar. He is now suspended for smuggling mobile phones from Canada.

    The notice addressed the suspended employee, “Upon your arrival at the [Karachi] airport, 16 mobile phones were discovered concealed on your body. This behaviour constitutes a violation of the employee disciplinary policy, leading to your immediate suspension from duty.”

    The show cause notice states that the PIA flight attendant arrived in Islamabad in flight PK 782 from Toronto, Canada on October 24.

    While leaving the airport, the customs officials became suspicious of Faisal’s behaviour and upon checking, they found 16 expensive mobile phones wrapped around his body under his clothes, which were later confiscated and the employee was detained by airport police.

    The PIA issued a show cause notice to the employee and directed him to respond within three days.

    The airline in their statement also emphasised that any misuse of company privileges and involvement in smuggling activities would not be tolerated.

    Earlier, a video of a Pakistani air hostess being detained by police while trying to smuggle a huge amount of cash hidden in her socks has emerged online.

    Experts cite low pay and a lack of job security within the national airline as the primary reasons behind these alleged instances of slippage and smuggling, but above all, it tarnishes the image of the country on an international level.

    Read more: Why do PIA flight crew members go missing in Canada?

  • Daily round-up: Oct. 29, 2024

    Daily round-up: Oct. 29, 2024

    1. The bill to increase the number of Supreme Court judges will be presented in the National Assembly by the government on Friday.

      If passed, the number will increase from 17 to 23, resulting in the Court consisting of 23 judges, including the Chief Justice.

      On the other hand, consultation on the amendment of the Practice and Procedure Act is also underway.

      2. Not only will Karachi be hot for the next two days, but now the Pakistan Meteorological Department  (PMD) has revealed that the city will experience winter for a shorter period. The temperatures are likely to start decreasing in mid-December, with the overall cold season remaining comparatively warmer than normal.

      3. Pakistan is currently on a mission to vaccinate more than 45 million children across the country against polio – a job always risky since religious extremism and superstition among a large number of people who think it is Western propaganda against population growth has become a major barrier in the complete eradication of the virus in the country.

          Armed persons opened fire on the polio team in Orakzai district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

          It should be noted that this year, the number of polio-affected children across the country has reached 39 this year.

          4. The Pakistan-Iran border has been closed yet again amid security concerns. But the locals are unhappy considering many are financially dependent on it.

            A large protest was held outside the Balochistan Assembly this week, calling for unrestricted trade with Iran and Afghanistan.

            5. Well, for a change, Lahore took a backseat as Faisalabad ranked number one on Tuesday morning, with the air quality being hazardous.

            Back in Lahore, Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat indicated that schools would be closed if the pollution worsened.

            1. Pakistan eyes over $12 billion in Riyadh investments

              Pakistan eyes over $12 billion in Riyadh investments

              Business owners in Pakistan have their eyes set on the Riyadh meetings as developments in the Future Investment Initiative (FII) are underway.

              Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and the delegation from Islamabad is expected to bring back upwards of $12 billion in investments.

              Premier will be meeting the Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman along with other high-ranking officials in an attempt to secure Saudi investments.

              Earlier this month, prior to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, a major Saudi delegation invested nearly $2 billion dollars into the country. With the Saudis expected to continue bankrolling investments in Pakistan, business owners are preparing to celebrate.

              This is due to the fact that Saudi investments will allow Pakistani businesses to expand their operations significantly. Businesses are already doing well, as can be seen with the Pakistan stock exchange (PSX) closing over 91000 points today.

              With international investments pouring in from Riyadh, investor confidence is projected to increase and further contribute to the growth of businesses in the economy.

              Riyal-fueled growth is likely to scale up the scope for projects of businesses, which will result in new employment posts. Once the hiring process by businesses ends, the situation of unemployment is likely to improve in the economy.

              Currently, the unemployment rate sits at an uneasy 5.5%, which translates into around 4.5 million people who are out of work. With more people working and with an increase of money flowing in the economy, businesses are likely to see an increase in the demand for their goods.

              The bulk of the Saudi investment will be made towards the petroleum refinery sector.

              If Pakistan is to develop a more extensive network of refineries, it could be able to greatly benefit from future oil discoveries.

              This is because Pakistan would have the necessary infrastructure to purify its own crude oil and not have to rely on foreign powers for petroleum imports. If oil is to be discovered and the refineries manage to reach the necessary capacity with Saudi investments, an annual saving of around $16.91 billion could be seen – as that is the current annual value of petroleum imports.

              The result of this could be appreciation of the PKR with fewer imports as the Pakistani rupee will be buying up fewer commodities in international markets, resulting in a reduction in its supply.

              This will spell great news as businesses that rely on processing imported goods to produce final goods will be able to import goods cheaply with strengthened rupee.

              Currently, the textile sector is involved in the importation of dyes and pigments to produce final products. However, these imports could be made cheaper if Saudi investments fund the construction of refineries.

              Economic collaboration between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will be extremely beneficial to the latter.

              Will Islamabad’s delegation manage to snag billions in investments? Or will they return home empty-handed? Time shall tell.

            2. ADB approves loan to help Pakistan deal with climate change

              ADB approves loan to help Pakistan deal with climate change

              The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $500 million policy-based loan to help Pakistan tackle climate change and improve disaster risk reduction and resilience.

              “The Climate and Disaster Resilience Enhancement Program (CDREP) will strengthen Pakistan’s institutional capacity for planning, preparedness, and response; increase inclusive investment in disaster risk reduction and climate resilience; and support the scale-up of disaster risk financing using a risk-layered approach,” ADB said.

              Besides funding for CDERP, the bank also approved a $1 million technical assistance grant for Pakistan to support the implementation of the programme.

              The ADB highlighted that Pakistan is one of the most vulnerable countries in Asia and the Pacific to climate change and natural disasters, with annual disaster-related losses averaging over $2 billion.

              “This program builds on ADB’s longstanding work in Pakistan to understand and reduce climate and disaster risks and support effective disaster response,” said ADB Director General Yevgeniy Zhukov.

              “We are proud to support an integrated and comprehensive approach to climate and disaster risk management, including a portfolio of disaster risk financing instruments for timely and adequate funding for disaster response.”

              The CDREP helps improve disaster risk mapping and modelling to guide investment and development decisions. It also boosts coordination for disaster monitoring and response.

              “It supports enhanced planning and prioritization of gender-sensitive and resilient public investments, including integrated flood risk management and nature-based solutions,” ADB said.

              It also helps raise climate finance from public and private sources, including the launch of a domestic green sukuk.

              “A key innovation of the program is the use of ADB’s Contingent Disaster Financing option for the first time in the Central and West Asia region. This will provide quick disbursing budget support in the event of a disaster,” the lender said.

              Furthermore, the programme will establish a solidarity fund to encourage the adoption of risk transfer solutions, such as agricultural insurance. It will also provide shock-responsive social protection to deliver cash assistance during disasters.

            3. Zimbabwean girl singing Atif Aslam’s song goes viral

              Zimbabwean girl singing Atif Aslam’s song goes viral

              Atif Aslam fans have been delighted by the video of a Zimbabwean girl singing the superstar’s song.

              Pakistani-origin British singer Amir Hashmi has shared a video on Instagram wherein he sings Atif Aslam’s famous song ‘Tere Sang Yaara’ accompanied by a Zimbabwean girl.

              Amir Hashmi wrote in the caption, “She is from Zimbabwe but she sang with perfection
              She Nailed”

              In the caption of the second part of the video, he praised the girl, writing, “She sang Atif Aslam’s song in London and sang every word of the song beautifully.”

              The video is being liked a lot by social media users and the Zimbabwean girl is also being praised for singing the song in near-perfect Urdu.

            4. ‘Malaysian PM requested to meet Imran Khan in jail’

              ‘Malaysian PM requested to meet Imran Khan in jail’

              Zulfi Bukhari, a close aide of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, has claimed that Malaysian Prime Minister (PM) Anwar Ibrahim recently requested to meet the incarcerated former premier in jail.

              In an interview to Zeteo’s Mehdi Hasan, Bukhari claimed that PM Ibrahim had requested to visit Adiala Jail, where Imran Khan has been locked up for better part of a year, but the Malaysian PM’s request was declined.

              “Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim requested to meet Imran Khan in prison, but they declined it,” maintained Bukhari, who also served as a special assistant to Khan during his premiership.

              “We also arranged for him [Malaysian PM] to see PTI’s top leadership after the ambassador reached out to parliamentary leader Omar Ayub Khan. But that could also not work due to logistical issues,” he added.

              Commenting on the recently passed 26th Constitutional Amendment, Bukhari said that the ruling coalition’s controversial amendment was an attack on the independence of the judiciary in the country.

              Last week, the coalition government passed the 26th Constitutional Amendment.

              The key development in constitutional amendments is the method of appointing the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP).

              Eight members of the National Assembly and four members of the Senate, among the 12 members of the special parliamentary committee, will be responsible for sending the names of the top three Supreme Court judges to the Prime Minister.

            5. Punjab education minister hints at schools closure due to smog

              Punjab education minister hints at schools closure due to smog

              Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat, in the wake of smog in Lahore, has indicated that schools will be closed while asserting that the situation of pollution is getting worse.

              ARY News reports that the smog has intensified in Punjab, and the provincial capital has become the most polluted city in the world, with the air quality index exceeding extremely hazardous levels and crossing 500 points in a number of areas.

              Punjab’s Education Minister, Rana Sikandar Hayat, stated that currently, the school hours of the children have been changed to counter the situation, but if the health of the children worsens, the school will be closed.

              “The situation of pollution is getting worse, and for the elimination of smog, the government as well as the people will have to play their role,” he said.

              Lahore has been number one on the list of cities with the worst air quality as a result of increased smog.

              Earlier, Senior Provincial Minister Maryam Aurangzeb announced new working hours, stating the change was following the high air quality index and the increasing number of respiratory diseases in the provincial capital.

              School timings were changed in Lahore.

              All schools in the city have been notified to open at 8:45 am, and this new timing will apply to both public and private schools.

              The new working hours will be applied from October 28 to January 31, according to the official announcement.

              Read more: School timings changed in Lahore amid smog concerns