3+ week, 2+ day ago (197+ words) In a sharply worded statement, Russian officials claimed that The Frontier Post " despite being labeled as a Pakistani publication " operates as an "Americanized" outlet whose Washington-based editorial team "invariably gives preference to ardent Russophobes and critics of Russian foreign policy." The statement criticized the newspaper's international coverage, alleging that it consistently portrays Russia in a negative light while ignoring key developments such as the Moscow Format of Consultations on Afghanistan, held on October 7, 2025. Moscow said the absence of coverage of that regional diplomatic event "further highlights the Russophobic nature of the Westernized editorial office." Moscow countered these claims with statistics, noting that Russia's GDP grew by 4.1% in 2024, with manufacturing expanding by 8.5%, unemployment dropping to 2.5%, and inflation remaining below 7%. Russian officials also pointed to the testing of advanced weapons such as the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile and Poseidon underwater drone as…...

3+ week, 2+ day ago (963+ words) Editorial Note The recent statement issued by the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Pakistan, accusing The Frontier Post of being "Russophobic" and "Americanized," is both surprising and revealing. It reflects not only an outdated understanding of how journalism functions in the modern world but also an intolerance toward independent reporting that does not serve [] The recent statement issued by the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Pakistan, accusing The Frontier Post of being "Russophobic" and "Americanized," is both surprising and revealing. It reflects not only an outdated understanding of how journalism functions in the modern world but also an intolerance toward independent reporting that does not serve the interests of powerful governments'whether in Moscow, Washington, or elsewhere. For the record, The Frontier Post is a Pakistani newspaper that has proudly operated from Washington D.C. for nearly a decade, giving our…...

1+ week, 3+ day ago (300+ words) The reaction was rapid and brutal. Users across Pakistan, Afghanistan, Europe, the Middle East, and even inside Russia mocked the embassy for its sloppy, amateurish attack. The glaring disconnect between reality and the embassy's claims raises serious questions:Did Moscow launch this attack simply because of poor research?Or did the tweet carry a deeper agenda?Did The Frontier Post or Jalil Afridi touch on an issue sensitive to Russia or to one of Russia's close associates in the United States? Many observers are now openly discussing these possibilities. To boast about these numbers while attacking a Pakistani newspaper only highlights the embassy's tone-deafness. The embassy even accused The Frontier Post of ignoring the Moscow Format consultations on Afghanistan " despite the paper's consistent, fact-based coverage of Afghanistan and regional diplomacy. Once again, the Russian statement relied on assumptions, not facts....

3+ week, 6+ day ago (663+ words) NEW YORK (AFP): New Yorkers will pick a new mayor on Tuesday after an unpredictable race that has drawn attention from far beyond the largest city in the United States, with President Donald Trump branding frontrunner Zohran Mamdani "a communist." Breakout Democratic Party candidate Mamdani, a naturalized Muslim American who represents Queens in the state legislature, leads former governor and sex assault-accused Andrew Cuomo, running as an independent after losing his party's primary contest to Mamdani. The Republican party candidate polling in third place is Curtis Sliwa, 71, who has a colorful past as founder of the Guardian Angels vigilante group, a prolific broadcaster and cat lover. The latest Quinnipiac University poll conducted October 23 to 27 gives Mamdani 43 percent of the vote, followed by Cuomo on 33 percent and Sliwa on 14 percent. The race has centered on cost of living, crime and how…...

1+ day, 20+ hour ago (284+ words) ISLAMABAD: FAFEN has released its report on the November 23 by-elections, noting that the polls were generally well-organised, with observers finding the voting process orderly and peaceful at polling booths. According to the report, persistent violations of campaign rules, gaps in result transparency and an alarmingly low voter turnout were among the major concerns. FAFEN stated that weak enforcement of campaign restrictions remained a recurring issue. Observers recorded at least 465 political party camps near 238 observed polling stations, while voter transport facilities were noted at 184 stations. The report highlighted that 98% of observed booths had all four required seals on ballot boxes intact, and 96% had secrecy screens properly installed. Assistant presiding officers were found to be following correct procedures for issuing ballot papers. It added that the PML-N dominated the by-elections, winning all six National Assembly seats and six out of seven Punjab…...

22+ hour, 18+ min ago (240+ words) ROME (AFP): The spectrum of Italy's political class has condemned a group of protesters who Friday vandalized the main office of Turin-based newspaper La Stampa. The condemnations came from far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the head of the main center-left opposition party Elly Schlein, as well as from the non-political President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella. This is a "very serious act which deserves the strongest condemnation," Meloni said in a statement Friday, after phoning the editor-in-chief of the paper, Andrea Malaguti, and adding that "freedom of the press and information is a precious good." Mattarella on Saturday condemned a "violent attack," while Schlein, quoted by La Stampa, called it a "serious and unacceptable act" and said that "every newsroom is a bastion of freedom and democracy." According to the daily's website, around a hundred people participating in a demonstration…...

1+ week, 5+ day ago (530+ words) F.P. Report ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan on Tuesday claimed that the recent discussion surrounding the proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment was an attempt to divert the public attention from the controversial 27th Amendment. Speaking to the media at the Dahgal checkpoint near Adiala Jail'where Punjab Police stopped him from meeting jailed former [] ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan on Tuesday claimed that the recent discussion surrounding the proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment was an attempt to divert the public attention from the controversial 27th Amendment. Speaking to the media at the Dahgal checkpoint near Adiala Jail'where Punjab Police stopped him from meeting jailed former prime minister Imran Khan'Gohar accused the government of placing itself above the law and losing public respect. He stressed that judiciary's job is to strengthen democracy and warned that ignoring court rulings undermines democratic norms. Gohar said…...

2+ week, 4+ day ago (851+ words) SYDNEY (Reuters): Online platforms will ping Australian teenagers through over a million accounts in coming days offering a choice: download data, freeze profiles or lose the lot when a world-first ban on kids using social media starts on Dec. 10. TikTok, Snapchat and Meta's Facebook, Instagram and Threads are poised to deactivate accounts registered by users under 16, five people with knowledge of the plans said. Australia's remaining 20 million social media users " four-fifths of the population " can expect little interruption, the people said, as platforms promise low-fuss compliance with a law which puts Australia ahead in the protection of youths online. The picture is a departure from the chaotic scenarios painted during a year of protest by platform operators fearing a loss of users as well as a A$49.5 million ($32 million) fine for noncompliance. Firms had argued mandatory age checks would subject…...

1+ week, 2+ day ago (181+ words) KABUL (Ariana News): Khobaib Ghufran, spokesperson for the Ministry of Information and Culture, says the ministry has issued licenses for 180 media outlets and media-supporting organizations. Marking World Television Day, which coincides with November 21, Khobaib added that the total number of media outlets in the country is around 500, including dozens of visual (TV) media outlets. He emphasized that media outlets must operate in accordance with government policies and Islamic and cultural values in order to receive the support of the Ministry of Information and Culture. Meanwhile, Hujjatullah Mujaddidi, head of the Afghanistan Journalists" Union, stated that 81 television channels are operating in Afghanistan, of which 56 are private and 25 are state-owned. According to him, 1,356 people work in these media outlets. On the other hand, some media employees have stated that the appeal of media lies in delivering news and conveying accurate information. Therefore,…...

1+ week, 2+ day ago (158+ words) BRUSSELS (Reuters): The European Union is in touch with social media network X regarding hate speech content on X's Grok, which the EU described as "appalling' and going against European human rights values. "We are in touch with X, because the company has the obligation to take action against risks relating to Grok," said European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier. "Grok's output is appalling. Such output goes against Europe's fundamental rights and values," he added. There was no immediate reply from X requesting comment on the EU's statement on Grok. In July, social media posts on the X account of the Grok chatbot developed by Elon Musk's company xAI were removed after complaints from X users and the Anti-Defamation League that Grok produced content with antisemitic tropes and praise for Adolf Hitler. At that time, xAI said it was taking action…...