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  • Millat Express case: Nephew says policeman took woman with him

    Millat Express case: Nephew says policeman took woman with him

    Update: The preliminary report of the case of the woman identified as Maryam allegedly falling to death after being beaten up by a police officer in the Millat Express train has come to light.

    It was reported that the woman jumped from the moving train on April 8 at 6:30 am at Chanigoth, dying on the spot, reports Geo.

    Rescue staff says that the woman was going from Karachi to Faisalabad along with children. Despite people trying to stop her, she jumped from the window of the moving train.

    Contradiction in the stance of Police

    On the other hand, there is a contradiction in the position of the police regarding the officer involved in the violence against the woman in which the police say that the bail of the police officer Mir Hassan was granted on April 13, the day after his arrest.

    The police have said that Mir Hasan has been suspended and a case has been registered against him.

    Stance of Maryam’s brother

    The woman’s brother Afzal said that the deceased woman Maryam belonged to Chak 648 GB of Jaranwala. She left Karachi on April 7 via Millat Express. She was buried in the village on April 9, after it was said that she died in a train accident, but after the video went viral, the violence on the sister and the facts behind the incident came to be known.

    The woman’s brother alleged that the police officer raped Maryam and killed her and threw the body on the track.

    In addition, Ghalib Hamad, the nephew of the woman, said in his statement that he was with his aunt. “The policeman objected to loud noise of her recitation and started assaulting her. He took Aunt Maryam with him and then dropped us at the next station.”

    Previously, a body of a woman who was tortured by railway police officer Mir Hasan on the Millat Express train, was found near Chani Goth Railway Station in Bahawalpur.

    Background


    The policeman was arrested last week after the video went viral in which he could be seen pulling the woman’s hair and hitting her multiple times while other passengers watched silently.


    A local court in Hyderabad approved the cop’s bail on the same day against a surety bond of Rs35,000. The Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Railways Abdullah Sheikh confirmed that the incident took place on April 7 on the Karachi to Lala Musa-bound Millat Express.


    However, just a day after the the cop was released on bail, the woman’s body was found in Bahawalpur.


    The railway police officer took the woman — who belonged to Jaranwala’s Chak 40 Mor, Faisalabad — with him after violently beating her on April 7.
    The victim’s brother, Afzal, said that his sister used to work at a beauty parlour in Karachi and she was coming to Jaranwala to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr.


    The brother demanded that the death of his sister should be investigated.


    Previously it was reported that the constable came to check the ticket of the woman after he was told that she was travelling without a pass. The woman refused that she was travelling without a ticket after which the policeman tortured her in front of her children.


    Later, the cop claimed that the woman had kidnapped the kids. Despite this allegation, he confessed to have beaten up the woman after she misbehaved with him.

  • Samsung overtakes Apple in sales as iPhone shipments drops

    Samsung overtakes Apple in sales as iPhone shipments drops

    The first quarter of 2024 saw Apple’s smartphone shipments decreased by about 10 percent, data from research firm IDC (International Data Corporation) has revealed. The drop was caused by increased competition from Android smartphone makers who are trying to become the top-selling brand.

    The iPhone-maker’s sales dropped significantly after a strong performance in the December quarter when it became the world’s No.1 phone maker, surpassing Samsung. Now, it’s back in the second spot with a 17.3 percent market share, as Chinese brands like Huawei record gains.

    Xiaomi, a popular smartphone brand from China, held the third position with a market share of 14.1 percent in the first quarter.

    Meanwhile, Samsung, the leading smartphone company from South Korea, shipped over 60 million phones during the same period, boosted by the launch of its latest flagship smartphone lineup, the Galaxy S24 series, earlier in the year.

    Data provider Counterpoint previously reported that global sales of Galaxy S24 smartphones increased by 8 percent compared to last year’s Galaxy S23 series during the first three weeks of availability.

    In the first quarter, IDC stated that Apple shipped 50.1 million iPhones, a decrease from the 55.4 million units it shipped during the same period last year.

    Apple’s smartphone sales in China dropped by 2.1 percent in the last quarter of 2023 compared to the previous year.

  • Increase in road accidents during Eid holidays

    Increase in road accidents during Eid holidays

    There has been an increase in the number of road accidents with 43 lives lost in Punjab during Eid holidays.

    Dr. Rizwan Naseer, Secretary of the Emergency Services Department in Punjab has thus called upon all stakeholders, including parents, educators, and civil society members, to raise awareness among their loved ones about reducing motorcycle speed and staying in the left-most lane to prevent such accidents and the loss of lives.

    He commended the rescuers who worked through their Eid holidays to efficiently provide emergency services to the people of Punjab, noting their exceptional commitment and dedication to duty during the festive period as well as the pivotal role played by these rescuers in saving lives and offering timely assistance to those in need.

    During a virtual meeting with all Divisional and District Emergency Officers, Dr. Rizwan stressed the importance of change in behaviour to encourage safety and prevent emergencies. He also emphasised the need for collaboration between public and rescue services to save lives and enhance safety standards.

  • Palestinian Artist Saint Levant brings solidarity to Coachella as crowd cheers him on

    Palestinian Artist Saint Levant brings solidarity to Coachella as crowd cheers him on

    Rapper Saint Levant held an amazing show at Coachella. The artist, of Palestinian, French, Algerian and Serbian descent didn’t just bring cool music to the festival, but also talked about supporting Palestine. Even though the band No Doubt was performing too, Saint Levant still gathered a huge crowd at the Gobi Tent. Fans wore keffiyehs and waved Palestinian flags, showing solidarity with Gaza.
    The 23-year-old artist, whose real name is Marwan Abdelhamid, grew up in Gaza, then moved with his family to Jordan, and later settled in Los Angeles. He felt a strong connection to Gaza when he talked to the crowd at Coachella. “My name is Saint Levant, and I was born in Jerusalem and raised in Gaza.”

    He also said, “I hope you all know that the people in Gaza have been suffering a lot, facing a very harsh situation for the last six months. And Palestinians have been living under a tough occupation for 75 years.” He shouted, “It’s not just me up here — it’s the whole Arab world up here,” showing that he represents a whole community fighting to make people aware and demand fairness for Palestine.

    During his performance, Saint Levant sang some of his well-known songs and also some new ones like “Deira” and “5am in Paris,” which he released shortly before Coachella. The songs talk about being forced to leave your home and feeling like you don’t belong, which are experiences he knows well and are part of the Palestinian story. He said to the Coachella crowd, “It’s about exile. A feeling that us Palestinians know a bit too well.”

    Saint Levant being at Coachella meant a lot to the people there. Yara Brenton, a 43-year-old festival-goer, said the experience was “incredible.” She thought it was important that Saint Levant spoke up for the Palestinian cause. Reflecting on how more people know about Palestine now, Brenton said, “There are a lot more people who know about Palestine today. And there’s no going back, I think, from this awareness.”


    Saint Levant’s rise to fame is like other Palestinian artists, such as Elyanna, who performed at Coachella last year. Having them there not only makes music more diverse but also shows how art can make a difference and give voice to those who aren’t always heard.

  • Sania Mirza’s tennis lessons extend beyond money and fame

    Sania Mirza’s tennis lessons extend beyond money and fame

    Former Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza recently talked to BBC Urdu, the first long interview she has given after her divorce from Pakistani cricket star Shoaib Malik. She talked about why she decided to stop playing tennis, how her life has changed, and what she learned from her sports career.

    The 37-year-old elaborated on her retirement decision, emphasizing the physical demands that influenced her timing: “A lot of people asked about my decision to retire. I wanted to stop on the top. It was very important to me.”

    The sports star talked more about how her body didn’t bounce back as quickly after tough matches as it used to. “My body had become a huge problem after three surgeries and having a kid as well. The recovery wouldn’t proceed the way it was needed.” Even though she was winning, people didn’t see the hard work she put in behind the scenes. She said, “People would see that I was playing finals but they couldn’t see what I had to do to get there.”

    Talking about how people see her, Mirza talked about how she handles criticism. “I don’t think I feel that people are after me but I do understand and realise that not everyone can like you in the world. Everyone in your family can’t like you, then how would everyone in the world like you?”


    She talked more about how she deals with being famous and what people think of her: “Everyone has different opinions, choices, likes, and dislikes. It’s not a personal attack on you.”


    In the last ten years, Mirza said she has changed a lot personally, especially in how patient she’s become. She thinks being a mom has played a big part in that. She said, “I have definitely developed more patience. I think that is something that has happened both with my age and my child’s birth. I think when you become a mother, you don’t have a choice other than being patient.” She talked about how she used to be more impulsive but now she thinks things through more.

    Mirza talked again about what she said before about staying down-to-earth even when you’re famous. She said, “I think the world we live in today, be it social media or as in my case, fame, you have so many people around you telling you nice things. It’s very important that you also have people who tell you the truth.”

    “The most important things in life are not money and fame. They are nice to have, but not the most important. What really matters is who supports you when times are tough, and who you’re willing to stand up for.”


    She compared sports to life, saying that the skills learned on the tennis court help in everyday situations. “The same principles apply in life because they build your personality. The lessons I’ve learned from sports, I don’t think there’s a book in the world that could teach me the same,” she mused.


    “Bad days don’t last. Good days also don’t last but you have to try to stretch those good days and if you had a bad day, then the next day, you have to try and make it better.” Mirza summed up the guiding ethos of her professional and personal life.

  • Mitchell Starc responds to criticism on IPL performance

    Mitchell Starc responds to criticism on IPL performance

    Mitchell Starc, the most expensive player of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has reacted to criticism on his poor performance in IPL.

    Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan’s franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders had bought Mitchell Starc for 4.43 million Australian dollars, equivalent to 85 crores in Pakistani rupees.

    Starc said in a press conference, “I haven’t played much T20 cricket in two years, maybe this is the reason for the slow start. , I don’t read anything so nothing bothers me.”

    He said that he was getting back into the rhythm now. “I am 34-years-old and I am satisfied with my workload. T20 is easy for those who play more Test cricket.”

  • Korean singer who converted to Islam set to construct mosque in Korea

    Korean singer who converted to Islam set to construct mosque in Korea

    Famous South Korean pop singer and YouTuber, Daud Kim, who became a Muslim five years ago, said he’s going to build a mosque in Incheon.
    Taking to Instagram, Kim shared pictures of the land he purchased for the mosque and the contract.

    “At last, with your support, I’ve signed a contract for the land to build a mosque in Incheon.”

    “This place will soon be a mosque. I can’t believe this day has come,” he wrote in his post.
    He plans to build a place for prayers and an Islamic podcast studio for Da’wah to Koreans.
    Kim said, “I think this is a really big step. There will be tough times, but I believe I can do it. I’ll keep working until every street in Korea hears the beautiful Azan. I’ll do my best,” Kim promised.

    “To build the mosque, I need financial support. If you want to help, please donate here. Thank you very much,” Kim said.

    Daud Kim, who used to be called Kim Kyun-woo and went by the name Jay Kim, is a singer, actor, and YouTuber from South Korea.
    In September 2019, Kim made a YouTube video saying he had become a Muslim.
    He often talked about wanting to go to Makkah and Madina.
    In Ramadan 2022, Kim went for Umrah.

  • OpenAI comes to Asia with new office in Tokyo

    OpenAI comes to Asia with new office in Tokyo

    Tokyo (AFP) – ChatGPT creator OpenAI opened a new office in Tokyo on Monday, the first Asian outpost for the groundbreaking tech company as it aims to ramp up its global expansion.

    Thanks to the stratospheric success of its generative tools that can create text, images and even video, OpenAI has become a leader in the artificial intelligence revolution and one of the most significant tech companies in the world.

    The Japan office is the latest part of the Microsoft-backed firm’s international push, having already set up bases in London and Dublin.

    “We’re excited to be in Japan which has a rich history of people and technology coming together to do more,” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a statement.

    “We believe AI will accelerate work by empowering people to be more creative and productive, while also delivering broad value to current and new industries that have yet to be imagined.”

    OpenAI said its Japan office would bring it closer to enterprise clients — including global auto leader Toyota, tech conglomerate Rakuten and industrial giant Daikin — that are using its products “to automate complex business processes”.

    “We chose Tokyo as our first Asian office for its global leadership in technology, culture of service, and a community that embraces innovation,” the company added.

    OpenAI also announced a new Japanese-language version of ChatGPT on Monday, and hailed the country as a “key global voice on AI policy”, offering potential solutions to issues such as labour shortages.

    The company said its Japan office would also help “accelerate the efforts of local governments, such as Yokosuka City” in their drive to improve the efficiency of public services.

    The Tokyo ‘buzz’

    The San Francisco-based firm has been reportedly in discussions with hundreds of companies as it looks to expand revenue sources.

    OpenAI’s chief operating officer Brad Lightcap told Bloomberg in an interview published this month that the firm has seen huge demand for its corporate version of ChatGPT.

    “We have a very global base of demand,” he said in the interview.

    “So we want to show up where our customers are. We feel a lot of pull from places like Japan and Asia broadly.”

    OpenAI, reportedly valued at $80 billion or more earlier this year, is the latest major tech firm to invest in Japan.

    Microsoft, one of OpenAI’s biggest investors, last week announced a separate $2.9 billion investment to provide Japan with the powerful graphics processing units crucial for running AI apps, and to train three million Japanese workers in AI skills.

    Amazon Web Services is spending $14 billion to expand its cloud infrastructure in Japan, while Google has launched a regional cybersecurity hub in the country.

    Experts say geopolitical tensions have made Japan an increasingly attractive partner for tech firms compared to China, in addition to advantages such as supportive policies and a highly educated talent pool.

    “What happens in Tokyo can create a buzz,” Hideaki Yokota, vice president of the MM Research Institute, told AFP.

    “A base in Tokyo should help (OpenAI) attract much young talent.”

  • BLA releases video of Noshki target killing, militants roamed around freely

    BLA releases video of Noshki target killing, militants roamed around freely

    In a video released by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) on April 15, terrorists can be seen roaming around with ease in the area and thoroughly checking the travellers in Quetta-Taftan Highway N-40, near Noshki.

    On April 13, nine people from Punjab and killed by the BLA militants after they stopped a bus and forced them off it.

    The gunmen checked the identity cards of passengers from the Taftan-bound bus and kidnapped them. They were subsequently shot dead.

    In the shocking footage, the militants easily moved on the road and kept inspecting all the vehicles and passengers.

    The footage was made from different angles. It also zoomed in and pointed to a Pakistan Military outpost and military camp nearby while the militants were conducting their operation.

    At the end of the video, the militants stopped two passenger buses and the in-video text showed “primary target” on a white bus. The other bus was let go and appallingly the video ended with the caption “ALL TARGETS NETRALISED”.

  • Nora Fatehi criticizes feminism, calls it a threat to society

    Nora Fatehi criticizes feminism, calls it a threat to society


    Canadian actor and dancer Nora Fatehi, known for her item song performances in Bollywood, recently stirred controversy on the microblogging platform X ,(formerly Twitter) by criticising feminism during an appearance on The Ranveer Show. Fatehi stated that feminism has “negatively impacted society,” expressing her preference for traditional gender roles where men provide and women nurture.

    Nora’s baffling views continued when she alleged that feminism harms the family system by pushing for women’s freedom, while she believes a woman’s main role is to care for her family and home, another outrageous statement that she piped out without any evidence. She stressed that women can pursue their dreams within their boundaries.

    “Feminism initially aimed to secure women’s basic rights, like education for girls. However, when it went against the natural order, it became harmful to society,” she said. Then she stressed that she believes in equality between men and women, but acknowledges their different roles in society.

    We would like Nora to get educated about feminism before spreading harmful tropes in countries where violence against women is rampant.