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]
Japanese authorities have taken two Americans into custody after a disruptive stunt at Ichikawa zoo.
The two men frightened a young monkey, globally known as “Punch”, who amassed a million views due to his viral story.
As confirmed by Japanese police, the individuals are 24-year-old and 27-year-old and identified themselves as a college student and a singer, respectively.
The student climbed the barrier and entered the monkey’s enclosure, while the singer filmed the act.
The video clip from social media showed the intruder dressed in a costume with a big smiley face and sunglasses, causing chaos among the monkeys, which had scattered throughout the enclosure.
According to zoo officials, the man had no direct contact with the animals and was promptly escorted out by zoo personnel. No injuries were incurred by either the animals or the people.
Both men were apprehended by the police on suspicion of “forcible obstruction of business,” a crime which they deny committing. The police added that the suspects initially tried to provide false identities.
Punch, who is now nine months old, became an internet sensation after he clung to a stuffed orangutan toy after his mother abandoned him.
Zoo authorities gave him the toy to comfort him.
His case aroused widespread sympathy and attracted many visitors to the zoo, including people from other countries.
As a result of this case, zoo management decided to introduce tougher security measures. These will involve expanding restricted viewing areas, installing protective nets, and perhaps even banning filming around the area.
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.
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