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Tag: BBC

  • Mahira Khan, Dr Sania Nishtar among BBC’s ‘100 women of 2020’

    Mahira Khan, Dr Sania Nishtar among BBC’s ‘100 women of 2020’

    A proud moment for Pakistan as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection Dr Sania Nishtar and Mahira Khan make it to BBC’s ‘100 women of 2020‘ list.

    According to BBC, the list includes “100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2020”.

    “This year 100 Women is highlighting those who are leading change and making a difference during these turbulent times,” said the publication.

    Writing about Mahira, BBC said: “Mahira Khan is no ordinary actress – she is outspoken against sexual violence, refuses to endorse skin-lightening creams and supports the fight against racism. She wants to tackle social issues in her native Pakistan by changing the narrative in films and on TV.”

    “Mahira is a national goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, raising awareness of the plight of Afghan refugees in Pakistan. She’s been a firm favourite with audiences ever since starting out as an MTV video jockey (VJ) in 2006. Mahira is also a devoted mother to her 11-year-old son,” it added.

    Mahira Khan with son Azlan

    Similarly, talking about Dr Nishtar, BBC wrote: “Dr Sania Nishtar is a leader in global health and sustainable development. Since 2018, she has been spearheading the transformative Ehsaas Poverty Alleviation programme, which has improved the livelihoods of millions of Pakistanis by providing mobile banking and savings accounts, and other basic resources.”

    “As SAPM on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Sania has helped to empower the masses by taking the necessary first steps toward the development of a welfare state in Pakistan.”

    Explaining the process behind the selection, BBC stated: “The BBC’s 100 Women team drew up a shortlist based on names gathered by them and suggested by the BBC’s network of World Service languages teams. We were looking for candidates who had made the headlines or influenced important stories over the past 12 months, as well as those who have inspiring stories to tell, achieved something significant or influenced their societies in ways that wouldn’t necessarily make the news. The pool of names was then assessed against this year’s theme – women who led change – and measured for regional representation and due impartiality before the final names were chosen.”

    The list also includes Sanna Marin, who leads Finland’s all-female coalition government, Michelle Yeoh, star of the new Avatar and Marvel films and Sarah Gilbert, who heads the Oxford University research into a coronavirus vaccine. Meanwhile, one name on the list has been left blank as a tribute to countless women “around the world who have made sacrifices to help others”.

  • Prince William welcomes new investigation into Diana’s explosive BBC interview

    Prince William welcomes new investigation into Diana’s explosive BBC interview

    Prince William has “tentatively welcomed” an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding a BBC interview in 1995 with his mother, Princess Diana, royal officials said on Thursday.

    William, who is second in line to the throne, in a statement said that the probe is “a step in the right direction”. He added that it “should help establish the truth behind the actions” that led to the interview as well as “subsequent decisions taken by those in the BBC at the time”.

    The Princess of Wales was interviewed by BBC’s Martin Bashir (R) in the current affairs program, Panorama, November 20, 1995

    On Wednesday, BBC announced that it has appointed a retired senior judge to lead an investigation into the 1995 interview after Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, made renewed complaints this month that journalist Martin Bashir used false documents and other dishonest tactics to convince Diana to agree to the interview.

    The investigation will consider if the steps taken by the broadcaster and Bashir were appropriate and whether those actions influenced Diana’s decision to give the interview. It will also look into how much the BBC knew about the “mocked-up bank statements” that Charles Spencer claimed Bashir produced, purporting to show payments made to staff working for Spencer and the royal family.

    Read more – New documentary claiming Princess Diana tried to commit suicide ‘upsets’ William & Harry

    The 1995 interview, in which Diana famously said “there were three of us in this marriage” — referring to Prince Charles’ relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles — was watched by millions of people and sent shockwaves through the monarchy.

    Diana divorced from Charles in 1996 and died in a Paris car crash in 1997 as she was pursued by paparazzi. Charles married Camilla, now the Duchess of Cornwall, in 2005.

  • Expert’s daughter invades BBC interview, asks ‘Mummy, what’s his name?’

    Expert’s daughter invades BBC interview, asks ‘Mummy, what’s his name?’

    With work from home becoming the new normal, parents across the globe now have a double job: they have to balance their work and look after their kids, all at the same time.

    A working parent, Dr Clare Wenham was recently live on BBC from home discussing the lockdown situation in England and how staying indoors is a learning process for locals amid the outbreak of the virus.

    That’s when her daughter Scarlett interrupted the interview and started pestering her mother to help her choose the best shelf to display her art.

    BBC presenter Christian Fraser stepped in and asked Dr Clare: “What’s your daughter called?”

    Wenham replied, “Her name is Scarlett.”

    Fraser told Scarlett that her art looked better on the lower shelf. In response, Scarlett asked her mother: “Mummy, what’s his name?” to which Fraser politely said, “My name is Christian.”

    The entire episode was recorded and shared on BBC UK’s official Twitter handle. People on the internet found the entire episode very cute.

    https://twitter.com/fascinatorfun/status/1278395826201452545?s=20
  • Security breach: Man, pretending to be BBC journalist, interviews senators

    Security breach: Man, pretending to be BBC journalist, interviews senators

    Pictures of a man pretending to be a journalist from BBC has interviewed senators, including the Upper House’s Standing Committee on Interior Chairperson Rehman Malik, outside the Parliament House in what is being termed as a massive security breach.

    The incident was brought to limelight by Tahir Imran, a journalist actually affiliated with BBC, as he tweeted images of the imposter and wrote, “Dear Senator Rehman Malik, this guy is an imposter who pretends to be a BBC journalist. He is not a BBC employee”.

    In another picture, the man was seen covering Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) ongoing Azadi March in the federal capital.

    Sharing the images, Tahir also urged Senator Malik to lodge a complaint and inform BBC’s local office in Islamabad about the imposter.

    Responding to the tweet, the senator said that he had already ordered an inquiry as to how did the man enter a restricted space. “Have also informed the BBC head in Islamabad,” he tweeted, adding that he found the fake reporter suspicious after the latter’s claim of being affiliated with BBC Italy.

    “BBC Islamabad has confirmed that he is not a BBC employee and will be booked as an imposter under the law,” the senator added.

  • VIDEO: PM Imran Khan spotted with Pakistan’s ‘nuclear launch codes’

    VIDEO: PM Imran Khan spotted with Pakistan’s ‘nuclear launch codes’

    Prime Minister Imran Khan has been spotted with “Pakistan’s nuclear launch codes”, a foreign journalist claimed Tuesday.

    Earlier this week, PM Imran was interviewed by BBC’s John Simpson. The interview that came following heightened tensions with India, discussed future ties of the two neighbouring countries.

    With the premier walking away after the interview, he was followed by an officer carrying a briefcase that Simpson revealed held “nuclear codes”.

    “Following him [Imran Khan], I was told, the officer carrying the briefcase that holds Pakistan’s nuclear codes,” he said.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    While what the briefcase really holds remains a mystery, here’s what Twitterati have to say.

    https://twitter.com/MrBubbyy/status/1116019019994341376
    https://twitter.com/meetdspartan/status/1115979217609478144