Entertainment
Viral claim about government holding exams for journalists is false
Posts on Pakistani social media have shared an article purportedly from an Urdu newspaper claiming that, due to the presence of “non journalists” in the media, the government has announced that it will conduct examinations for journalists.
This claim is baseless. No such announcement has been made by the government.
Claim
On March 23, a user shared an alleged image of a newspaper on X, formerly known as Twitter, claiming that due to the presence of non journalists, the government has announced a three phase examination process for journalists in the country.
According to the claim, the first phase includes tests of a prospective journalist’s Urdu grammar, dictation and essay writing. The second phase covers the basic components of journalism, such as news writing and report writing. The third phase focuses on investigative journalism and psychological awareness.
At the time of writing, the post had been viewed 14,900 times, liked 475 times and reshared 124 times.
Identical claims have also been shared on Instagram and Facebook too.
Fact
No such policy regarding testing reporters has been introduced by the government, officials and journalists confirmed.
Tasawar Arafat Chaudhry, media coordinator to the federal minister for information and broadcasting, denied the claim. “Neither the ministry of information nor the PID [Press Information Department] has issued any such statement, nor is there any such programme,” he said. “We strongly reject and deny it.”
Azma Zahid Bokhari, the Punjab minister for information, also told Geo Fact Check via messages that the claim is not true.
Abdul Razzaq Sial, president of the Islamabad Press Club, told Geo Fact Check over the phone that the online claims were false. “This is 100% fake,” he said. “If you look at the headline, it is not even in a newspaper format. Someone has made it up; it is fabricated.”
Arshad Ansari, president of the Lahore Press Club, also confirmed that the online posts were not true. “I have checked this, it is fake,” he said. “This is just a social media rumour that resurfaces every couple of years. I have verified it across multiple sources and there is no truth to it.”
Muhammad Riaz, president of the Peshawar Press Club, also confirmed that no such initiative has been announced by the provincial government. “There is no such proposal under consideration in the provincial government or in any of its departments or institutions,” Riaz said.
Verdict: The claim that the government has announced examinations for journalists is false. No such policy exists and officials as well as press bodies have rejected it.
Follow us on @GeoFactCheck on X (Twitter) and @geo_factcheck on Instagram. If our readers detect any errors, we encourage them to contact us at [email protected]
Google is set to roll out a controversial change for new Gmail account users.
The company is slashing the free cloud storage for new Gmail accounts from 15GB to 5GB.
However, to unlock 15GB of free storage, users are required to verify their phone numbers with their accounts.
The new update is currently being tested for limited regions, including several African countries.
New users who do not link their phone numbers will only be eligible for 5GB of free storage shared across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos.
This policy has received backlash right away. According to industry analysts, the reason behind this move is twofold: firstly, to prevent spamming by assigning unique phone numbers to each user; secondly, to encourage more users to subscribe to Google One paid subscription plans.
With 15 GB of storage already being difficult for some users, 5 GB will be too little.
How to link your phone number to your Gmail account?
If you are using a computer, open a browser and go to your Google Account. Click on “personal info” in the left-hand menu and scroll down to “contact info” and click “phone.” Select “add recovery phone.” Enter phone number and verify code received via SMS.
To link via Android/ iPhone, open your device’s “Settings app.” Tap “Google” or “Manage your Google Account.” At the top, select “Personal info.” Scroll to the “contact info” and tap “Phone.” Enter your “password” to confirm and type “verification code” to confirm your phone number.
Katsuhiro Otomo has started a new animation studio called Oval Gear and it quickly caught the attention of anime fans around the world.
The move brought new hope for his long delayed film Orbital Era, which was first started buzzing about a few years ago but never fully updated.
The studio has now gone live with its official website and fans noticed something important right away.
The site, however, shows visuals that match Orbital Era, including a space themed character that was previously linked to the film. This made many people believe that the project may finally be active again.
Oval Gear explains on its website that the studio was created to pass on Otomo’s creative style to new artists while also building new anime projects for the future.
It also says the studio wants to share new stories with global audiences.
Another key detail is that the studio is hiring new staff, as this usually means work is starting behind the scenes and a project is being built step by step.
Fans have been waiting for years because Otomo has not directed a major anime film in a long time, as his last major anime work was connected to Short Peace in 2013.
With this new studio launch, excitement has returned and many now believe Orbital Era could finally move closer to becoming a real film.
Cardi B had a relatable parenting moment after nearly wilting under the sun at her son Wave’s baseball game.
Over the weekend, the Grammy-rapper showed up to support her 4-year-old and even threw the first pitch, but later admitted the outdoor heat had her feeling like she was on the verge of collapse.
The mom-of-four opened up about the experience on Instagram Stories after videos of her walking onto the field with Wave and tossing the ceremonial pitch went viral online. While Cardi looked confident on the diamond as fans cheered her on, she quickly learned that surviving the weather was the real challenge.
“This is why I say I’m such a girls’ mom,” she joked. “A dance recital inside, I love it. I love a dance recital inside.”
“Being outside in this heat for a baseball game, urgh, I can’t handle it,” she continued, before adding, “I’m ready to pass out, I can’t handle it.”
The Bodack Yellow hitmaker shares daughter Kulture, son Wave and daughter Blossom with estranged husband Offset, and welcomed a son with NFL star Stefon Diggs in November 2025.
The outing also comes as Cardi and Diggs continue fuelling reconciliation rumours after recently being spotted together at his Mother’s Day wellness event.
That followed another viral sighting that appeared to show the pair in a heated exchange, which Cardi later joked about on X.
“Sometimes I forget I’m a celebrity… damn y’all ain’t never cuss your babydad out when you hungry?” she quipped.
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