Month: July 2024
Blanket ban on word ‘shaheed’ to be lifted by Meta
Global technological giant Meta has decided to lift its blanket ban on the use of word “shaheed” (martyr) as per the recommendations of its Oversight Board. The company, which also own prominent social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, announced the policy change after accepting the board’s extensive review which assessed that the blanket ban might be censoring those speaking about violence in conflict-hit places such as Gaza and Sudan. The word “Shaheed”, which Meta itself has accepted to being subjected to one of the most over-enforced blanket bans, has…
White House says zero chance Biden will withdraw
WASHINGTON: Joe Biden is “absolutely not” pulling out of the White House race, his spokeswoman said Wednesday, as pressure mounted on the president following his disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump. Panic has gripped Democrats in the wake of last week’s debate, and internal rumblings about finding a replacement candidate before November’s election have been amplified by polls showing Trump extending his lead. The New York Times and CNN reported that Biden, 81, had acknowledged to a key ally that his reelection bid was on the line if he failed to quickly reassure the…
High-profile terrorist commander killed in Bajaur IBO: ISPR
RAWALPINDI: A high-profile terrorist commander was killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the military’s media affairs wing said on Wednesday. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the security forces conducted the IBO on the reported presence of local commander Irfan Ullah Adnan, who was killed during an intense exchange of fire. The slain terrorist was actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against security forces as well as extortion and target killings of innocent civilians, according to the ISPR. He was a most-wanted…
Daily Metro Times-3 July 2024
Ex-PM Boris Johnson makes surprise appearance in British election campaign
LONDON: Former prime minister Boris Johnson made a surprise appearance in the British election campaign on Tuesday, issuing a last-ditch bid to rally support for the Conservatives and their leader Rishi Sunak, the man who helped turf him out of office. Johnson won a big majority at the last election in 2019 before being forced to resign in 2022 by a Conservative mutiny which Sunak helped to start, and which exposed deep splits in the governing party, not least between Sunak and Johnson. Greeted by chants of “Boris! Boris!” from…
High-level committee formed to tackle monsoon emergencies
As part of precautionary measures, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday constituted a high-level committee to deal with any potential emergency situation during the upcoming monsoon season. Chairing a meeting regarding national preparedness for the monsoon in Islamabad, the prime minister directed all relevant institutions to remain on high alert. He also instructed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to assist all provincial governments and related institutions regarding the monsoon, Radio Pakistan reported. The premier said advisory to the people living in affected areas regarding any expected situation in emergency due to…
Daily Metro Times-2 July 2024
India overhauls colonial-era laws with new criminal codes
NEW DELHI: In a major development, India on Monday implemented an overhaul of colonial-era criminal laws, praised as a “watershed” movement by the top judge but which critics said could worsen an already glacially slow pace of justice. Interior Minister Amit Shah said the codes would help India “become the world’s most modern justice delivery system”. The three overhauled laws — the penal code, and codes relating to criminal procedure and evidence — were passed last year during India’s previous parliament, but only came into effect on Monday. Chief Justice…
Security forces kill 9 terrorists in two separate KP operations
Two terrorist commanders among nine militants were successfully neutralised by the security forces during two separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Monday. As many as seven terrorists — including terrorist commanders Najeeb aka Abdul Rehman and Ishfaq alias Muavia — were eliminated by the security forces during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) conducted in the general area of Tira, Khyber District, the military’s media wing said. The killed militants were actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area and were wanted by law enforcement…