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Tag: BBC

  • Justice Ayesha Malik is part of this year’s BBC 100 inspiring women

    Justice Ayesha Malik is part of this year’s BBC 100 inspiring women

    The first female judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, (SCP) Justice Ayesha A. Malik, has been listed as one of the 100 most influential and inspiring women of 2022 by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC ).

    On Wednesday, BBC revealed the names of 100 influential and inspiring women from around the world who made it to the privileged list for this year. Among the honourees is Justice Malik, the only Pakistani woman to have been featured on the list.

    The BBC highlighted that Justice Ayesha has authored judgments protecting the rights of women, including her “landmark judgment which banned the so-called two-finger test of rape victims” which was performed during the examination of sexual assault cases.

    “Alongside her role on the Supreme Court, Malik also conducts training for judges around the world and has inaugurated conferences for women judges in Pakistan, encouraging debate around and including the gender perspective in the justice system”.

    Earlier this year, the 56-year-old judge made history after being sworn in as the top court’s first female judge. She will become the first woman Chief Justice of Pakistan after Justice Yahya’s retirement in January 2030.

    Her elevation to the apex court was hailed by human rights activists and civil society across the country.

  • Ahsan Iqbal’s remarks about cutting down chai consumption make international headlines

    Ahsan Iqbal’s remarks about cutting down chai consumption make international headlines

    Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal’s recent statement about cutting down on tea has not just taken social media by storm but international media has widely covered his remarks.

    “I appeal to the nation to reduce tea intake by one or two cups daily because we borrow money for tea import as well,” said Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday.

    People in Pakistan urged to drink fewer cups of tea was how BBC covered it.

    CNN’s headline says: Pakistanis told to drink less tea as nation grapples with the economic crisis

    People in Pakistan urged to drink fewer cups of tea, was how Iqbal’s statement was covered by the Saudi Gazette.

    AlJazeera also reported Ahsan Iqbal’s statement: Pakistan minister slammed for ‘drink less tea, save money’ appeal

    Turkish news media outlet TRT also did a story and a video on the same with the title: Pakistan minister stirs controversy with ‘drink less tea, save money’ plea

    Indian media also jumped in and did a news piece with the title: Pak Minister Asks Citizens To Drink Less Tea As Economy Faces Loan Burden: Report

    The Print wrote: ‘First roti, now tea? Pakistan’s angry response to the minister who wants them to drink less

    ABC Australia did a video report on Ahsan’s statement.

    ‘Cutting chai’ | Pakistan Minister urges people to reduce tea consumption, wrote The Hindu.

  • Man crashes new Ferrari right after buying it

    Man crashes new Ferrari right after buying it

    A man in Derby, England bought a new Ferrari and crashed it after driving it for 3.2 kms only.

    According to the BBC, he lost control of the vehicle and crashed it after driving.

    The Derbyshire Roads Policing Unit wrote on Twitter that the man purchased the vehicle on April 1. Following the crash, no injuries were reported. The driver remained unhurt and no other vehicle was affected in the crash.

  • ‘No to War’: Thousands of Russian citizens protest against their government for the Ukraine invasion

    ‘No to War’: Thousands of Russian citizens protest against their government for the Ukraine invasion

    Protests are taking place across Russia in different cities against the invasion of Ukraine by the Russians on Thursday.

    Most of the people were seen chanting “No to War” and raising slogans against the invasion. Thousands of Russians gathered on Thursday night to show a strong reaction against their own government.

    The protestor is holding a placard that says, “No To War”. This man is standing at Pushkinskaya Square on Thursday night in Moscow

    While talking with Al-Jazeera, one of the young protestors said, “I have no words, it’s just disgusting,” she added, “What is there to say? We feel powerlessness, anguish.”

    Several journalists, reporters, media figures, and independent media outlets, including the BBC, have signed a petition against the Russian military operation.

    Government workers of the municipal department from different cities of Russia signed a letter to the citizens of Russia, urging the citizens not to participate in the operation or stay silent.

    “We, the deputies elected by the people, unreservedly condemn the attack of the Russian army on Ukraine,” read the letter.

    The letter further added that the military operation is an atrocity that cannot be justified at any cost.

    Protestors raised slogans against their President, Putin.

    “Putin is a killer! Putin is the shame of Russia!” they shouted. “Ukraine! Ukraine!”, reports Al-Jazeera.

    Some were chanting and clapping in support of Ukraine as well in the protest.

    “Ukraine is not our enemy!”

    Police have arrested thousands of protestors who were taking part in the demonstrations against the invasion.

    After months of tensions with Ukraine, and its western allies, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale military operation by sea, land, and air on Thursday.

  • Miracle baby delivered by passenger during flight to Uganda

    Miracle baby delivered by passenger during flight to Uganda

    A Canadian doctor helped a woman deliver a baby during an overnight flight to Uganda. The mother, a migrant worker who was on her way home was about to deliver her first child on the plane to Uganda from Saudi Arabia , when the Qatar Airways staff asked if there was a doctor on board.

    Dr. Ayesha Khatib, a professor at the University of Toronto, sprang into action when she answered an urgent appeal on Qatar Airways’ intercom for a medical professional.

    The baby, named ‘Miracle Ayesha’ after Dr Khatib, was born healthy, despite being early at 35 weeks.

    “I see a crowd of people gathered around the patient,” Dr Khatib told BBC. At this point, she was wondering if someone was having a heart attack.

    “As I got closer, I see this woman lying on the seat with her head toward the aisle and feet towards the window. And the baby was coming out!”

    Dr Khatib was helped by two other passengers, an oncology nurse and a pediatrician. She said that the baby was crying “robustly”. After she quickly checked the baby, she passed her on to the pediatrician for further checks.

    “I looked at the baby, and she was stable, and I looked at the mom and she was OK,” said Dr Khatib.

    “So I was like, ‘Congratulations it’s a girl.’ Then the entire plane started clapping and cheering and was like ‘Oh right, I’m on a plane and everybody is watching this.’”

    “The best part of the story is that she decided to name the baby after me,” says Dr Khatib.


  • Woman abandons newborn baby in airplane toilet bin

    Woman abandons newborn baby in airplane toilet bin

    A 20-year-old woman from Madagascar abandoned her newborn baby in the rubbish bin of an Air Mauritius flight. The plane initially took off from Madagascar and arrived at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, Mauritius on January 1.

    The airport officers found the baby during routine custom checks of the plane. They immediately moved the baby to the hospital for medical treatment and after an initial checkup, the baby was found to be healthy.

    The authority arrested the woman who initially refused to accept that the baby was hers. However, she had to take a medical examination which confirmed that she has delivered the baby.

    She is currently under police observation at the hospital.

    The woman and baby are said to be doing fine according to media reports, BBC

    The Malagasy woman came to Mauritius on a two-year permit work visa and according to reports, she will be questioned after being discharged from the hospital. Police will charge her with abandoning her baby.

  • United States and Russia ready to talk

    United States and Russia ready to talk

    Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed tensions with the west over growing concerns about troop buildup on its border near Ukraine, reports BBC.

    The Russian president wanted quick surety on the future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) to stem the crisis.

    “The ball is in their court, they have to give us some response,” Putin said at his annual press conference.

    The United States (US) warned of sanctions if Putin does not refrain from his actions.

    Ukraine security officials say more than 100,000 Russian troops have been sent close to its borders, and the US has threatened Putin with sanctions “like none he’s ever seen” if Ukraine comes under attack.

    Russia wanted Nato to give up all military action in Eastern Europe.

    “It’s you who must give us guarantees, and give them immediately, now,” Putin said on Thursday, stressing that military measures were not his preferred choice.

    United Kingdom (UK) Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said she welcomed the fact that Moscow had “signalled it is willing to enter talks in January”, but warned any Russian attack would be met with sanctions that would hit Russia’s economy.

  • Extraordinary embryo of dinosaur discovered in China

    A 66 million year old embryo has been discovered in Ganzhou in southern China, reports the BBC.

    The embryo has been titled “Baby Yingliang”.

    Researcher Dr Fion Waisum Ma said it is “the best dinosaur embryo ever found in history”.

    Surprisingly, it resembles the embryos of modern birds. It is known to be in a coiled state similar to a bird about to be hatched.

    “This indicates that such behaviour in modern birds first evolved and originated among their dinosaur ancestors,” Dr Ma told the AFP news agency.

    Paleontologist Prof Steve Brusatte, who was also part of the research team, tweeted that it was “one of the most stunning dinosaur fossils” he had ever seen, and that the embryo was on the brink of hatching.

    Baby Yingliang length is 10.6in (27cm) in all and it stays inside a 6.7 inch-long egg at the Yingliang Stone Nature History Museum in China.

    The egg was discovered in the year 2000 and was kept in storage for ten years.

    Researchers were surprised to find that the embryo had something inside.

    The baby dinosaur embryo was folded inside a rock and researchers are making an effort to further analyse the fossil of this skeleton.

  • ‘Govt is going to ensure Pakistani citizens are safe without blood being spilt on either side’: Moeed Yusuf on BBC HARDtalk

    ‘Govt is going to ensure Pakistani citizens are safe without blood being spilt on either side’: Moeed Yusuf on BBC HARDtalk

    National Security Adviser (NSA) to the Prime Minister, Dr Moeed Yusuf, while giving an interview to BBC host Stephen John Sackur on BBC HARDtalk said that the state’s job is not to kill another Pakistani.

    “We are going to try our level best to ensure that Pakistani citizens are safe without any more blood being spilt on either side.” The NSA’s comments come in reference to the Pakistan government’s talks with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

    “How secure is Pakistan after the Taliban are back in power in Afghanistan?”: Sackur

    Sackur questioned Yusuf on how secure Pakistan is after the Taliban are back in power in Afghanistan.

    “Frankly it depends on how responsibly the international community plays the future. Pakistan was not behind anything. There was a policy employed by the United States (US) and others who are in Afghanistan. That was always a failing policy. The only country that kept saying that you will not find a military solution to this problem was Pakistan and our advice was not heeded.”

    “We kept saying negotiate from a position of strength, we weren’t listened to, we were blamed and scape-goated and the result is in front of you,” added Yusuf.

    “We heard the worried voices of the Supreme Court when they were grilling PM Khan,” Sackur

    “Pakistanis are very worried. We heard the worried voices of the Supreme Court when they were grilling PM Khan on what was going on under these negotiations with the Taliban,” responded Sackur and further added that during the grilling of the premier, one of the judges alluded to the 2014 terrible atrocity where the TTP attacked the Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar and killed more than 130 children and questioned PM Khan whether the government was about to sign a documented defeat with those who killed these children, and are we going to surrender once again.

    “You should recognise the state of democracy in this country that the judge calls in the prime minister who goes gets grilled and now Stephen Sackur has the opportunity to ask me. That’s the state of democracy and I am proud of that,” responded Yusuf.

    “We have a consistent policy as a state to say that negotiation must happen from a position of strength and this is what we told the Americans and United Kingdom (UK).”

    “No military bases of China in Balochistan”: Yusuf

    Yusuf said there were no military bases of China in Balochistan, rather there were economic bases there where any country could invest.

    “Let me clarify that there are no military bases offered to China in Balochistan, including Gwadar. Yes, there are economic bases and the same was also offered to the United States, Russia, and the Middle East and we are open to all the countries,” the NSA said, adding, “CPEC is what, it is road infrastructure and energy infrastructure and anybody can come and invest there, we are not closed to anybody.”

    “Is Pakistan developing relations with China at the cost of its principles of supporting the rights of Muslims in the world?” Sackur

    Sackur asked whether Pakistan was developing relations with China at the cost of its principles of supporting the rights of Muslims in the world. “You raise your voice for Kashmiri Muslims but refuse to condemn the violation of human rights in a Chinese province,” the interviewer asked.

    Moeed said that Pakistan did not accept the Western version of human rights violations in Xinjiang province and if they have any concerns, they should talk to China. “We have relations of trust with China and our ambassador and other delegations from here also visited the Xinjiang province,” he said.

  • Afghan women make up half of BBC’s 100 women list for 2021

    The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has listed its 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2021.

    This year’s theme – ‘women who are hitting “reset”, playing their part to reinvent our world after the global pandemic has forced so many of us to reassess the way we live.’

    This list is devoted to half of the women from one country – Afghanistan. As recent episodes in the country have made headlines and left millions of Afghans questioning their future, rights groups have spoken up in fear that women freedom could be eroded for the foreseeable future under the Taliban.

    From women who work for girls’ education in Afghanistan to the women who portrayed Afghan women in the movies. The list includes:

    Some of the Afghan women on the list are anonymous.

    From women who work for girls’ education in Afghanistan to the women who portrayed Afghan women in the movies. The list includes:

    Pashtana Durrani- a teacher dedicated to innovation in education with a focus on girls’ rights. She has established schools in Kandahar.

    Razia Barakzai- since the Taliban she has been actively involved in marches in Kabul.

    Leena Alam- is renowned for her appearances in feminist television shows in Afghanistan.

    Sahar Fetrat- feminist activist Sahar Fetrat was a young refugee.

    Basira Paigham- working for LGBTQ+ rights in Afghanistan.

    Roya Sadat- first female director to emerge from the Taliban era in Afghanistan.