Pro-Imran Khan Pakistani TV journalist returns home after being freed
ISLAMABAD -
A prominent Pakistani television journalist who went missing last week, apparently because of his public support to former Prime Minister Imran Khan, returned home early Tuesday after being released by his captors, his family and his employer said.
Sami Abrahim's brother, Ali Raza, took to Twitter to confirm his release. BOL TV confirmed his release in a news announcement.
Abrahim went missing Thursday when eight people in four vehicles intercepted his car on his way back home from work in the capital, Islamabad, and took him away, according to his family and BOL TV.
No one had claimed responsibility for Abrahim's abduction. After his release, his colleagues tweeted a photo of him lying apparently on a hospital bed. Abrahim did not immediately release any information on who held him.
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists demanded his release.
Abrahim has long publicly opposed the government of Khan's successor, Premier Shahbaz Sharif. Khan, a former cricket star who became an Islamist politician, held office from 2018 to 2022 and was ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament last year.
Another pro-Khan TV journalist, Imran Riaz, went missing earlier this month and has yet to be freed. Riaz was abducted from Sialkot, a city in the eastern Punjab province and his family has been fighting a legal battle to secure his release.
There was no clue to the whereabouts of Riaz and his lawyer, Mian Ali Ashfaq, on Tuesday urged authorities to free him, like Abrahim. He made his comment after a court hearing against the abduction of Riaz.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
India suspends visa services in Canada and rift widens between countries
India's visa processing centre in Canada suspended services Thursday as a rift widened between the countries after Canada's leader said India may have been involved in the killing of a Canadian citizen.
From Centre Ice Conservatives to Canadian Future, a new federal party takes shape
The interim leader of Canada's newest federal party says he wants it to be an option for people who are tired of both the governing Liberals and the "rage farming" coming from the Conservatives.
Cutting obituary for B.C. man thanks karma for 'doing what she does best'
Few obituaries begin with the words, "I am pleased to announce" – but Amanda Denis believes in blunt honesty.
Cross-country rallies against 'gender ideology' in schools meet with counter-protests
Thousands of people gathered in cities across Canada on Wednesday for competing protests, screaming and chanting at each other about school policies on gender identity.
Video shows officer repeatedly discussed charging 11-year-old victim with child sexual abuse offence
A Columbus police officer summoned to a home by a father concerned his 11-year-old daughter was being solicited by an adult man repeatedly asserted that the girl could face charges for sending explicit images of herself.
Canada showcases tragic wildfire season to promote carbon pricing initiative at UN
The federal government is hoping Canada's devastating wildfire season sparks momentum for carbon pricing at the United Nations.
Younger Canadians are not having children. Here's why, according to Statistics Canada
Younger Canadians are being impacted by many compounding issues including the high cost of living, which is one of the reasons they aren't having children, a new report by Statistics Canada shows.
Russia strikes cities from east to west Ukraine, starting fires and killing at least 2
Russian missiles pounded cities across Ukraine early Thursday morning, according to authorities, sparking fires, killing at least two people and trapping others under rubble, and Ukrainian ally Poland said it would stop providing weapons amid a trade dispute.
Immediately stop using these child safety seats: Health Canada
Health Canada has issued a safety advisory asking Canadians to immediately stop using certain child safety seats due to injury risks.
Canada
-
Security at Indian Consulate in Vancouver boosted after Trudeau's remarks on Nijjar killing
The Vancouver Police Department says it's beefing up security outside India's Consulate after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said this week there was credible intelligence about a potential link between India's government and the killing of a Sikh community leader in B.C.
-
'I don't want this to happen to others': Ont. senior says contractor overcharged her thousands of dollars for garage door reno
An Ontario senior has a warning for homeowners after she says a contractor overcharged her, demanding thousands of dollars to replace her garage door opener.
-
4 wildfire fighters killed in collision on B.C. highway
Four people were killed in a car crash early Tuesday morning on B.C.’s Highway 1, according to Mounties.
-
Ontario minister resigns from Ontario PC Party amid contradicting accounts of Las Vegas trip
Ontario’s minister of public and business service delivery has resigned from his cabinet position and the Progressive Conservative party.
-
Canada Post breaking law by gathering info from envelopes, parcels: watchdog
The federal privacy watchdog says Canada Post is breaking the law by gleaning information from the outsides of envelopes and packages to help build marketing lists that it rents to businesses.
-
Cross-country rallies against 'gender ideology' in schools meet with counter-protests
Thousands of people gathered in cities across Canada on Wednesday for competing protests, screaming and chanting at each other about school policies on gender identity.
World
-
Russia strikes cities from east to west Ukraine, starting fires and killing at least 2
Russian missiles pounded cities across Ukraine early Thursday morning, according to authorities, sparking fires, killing at least two people and trapping others under rubble, and Ukrainian ally Poland said it would stop providing weapons amid a trade dispute.
-
Syrian President Bashar Assad arrives in China on first visit since the beginning of war in Syria
Syrian President Bashar Assad arrived in China on Thursday on his first visit to the country since the start of Syria's 12-year conflict during which Beijing has been one of his main backers.
-
Video shows officer repeatedly discussed charging 11-year-old victim with child sexual abuse offence
A Columbus police officer summoned to a home by a father concerned his 11-year-old daughter was being solicited by an adult man repeatedly asserted that the girl could face charges for sending explicit images of herself.
-
A 96-year-old U.S. judge is barred from hearing cases in a bitter fight over her mental fitness
A 96-year-old U.S. federal appeals court judge was barred Wednesday from hearing cases for a year after a panel said she refused to undergo medical testing amid concerns that she is no longer mentally fit to serve on the bench.
-
South Korean leader warns Russia against weapons collaboration with the North
South Korea's president sounded a warning to fellow world leaders Wednesday about the recent communication and possible cooperation between North Korea and Russia, saying any action by a permanent U.N. Security Council member to circumvent international norms would be dangerous and 'paradoxical.'
-
Talks held on the future of Nagorno-Karabakh as Azerbaijan claims full control of the region
Representatives from Nagorno-Karabakh and the Azerbaijan government met for talks Thursday to discuss the future of the breakaway region that Azerbaijan claims to fully control following a military offensive this week.
Politics
-
From Centre Ice Conservatives to Canadian Future, a new federal party takes shape
The interim leader of Canada's newest federal party says he wants it to be an option for people who are tired of both the governing Liberals and the "rage farming" coming from the Conservatives.
-
India suspends visa services in Canada and rift widens between countries
India's visa processing centre in Canada suspended services Thursday as a rift widened between the countries after Canada's leader said India may have been involved in the killing of a Canadian citizen.
-
Conservative MPs told not to talk to media, post about 'parental rights' protests
Conservative MPs were told not to post online or talk to media about competing protests on Parliament Hill that saw protesters clashing over how schools should handle LGBTQ2S+ issues.
Health
-
COVID-19, overdoses drove overall increase in deaths in Canada: latest data
In 2021, overall deaths increased by one per cent compared to 2020 – an increase entirely due to more deaths among men, including more fatal overdose and COVID-19 deaths.
-
Gates Foundation commits $200 million to pay for medical supplies and contraception
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation pledged $200 million to help save the lives of mothers and children during childbirth, as the largest American philanthropic donor throws its weight behind the issue during the non-profit's annual Goalkeepers conference on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
-
Immediately stop using these child safety seats: Health Canada
Health Canada has issued a safety advisory asking Canadians to immediately stop using certain child safety seats due to injury risks.
Sci-Tech
-
Inside the delicate art of maintaining America's aging nuclear weapons
In an ultra-sterile room at a secure factory in Kansas City, U.S. government technicians refurbish the nation's nuclear warheads. The job is exacting: Each warhead has thousands of springs, gears and copper contacts that must work in conjunction to set off a nuclear explosion.
-
UBC researcher introduces AI powered 'social robots' to West Vancouver seniors facility
A facility in West Vancouver has partnered with a UBC researcher on a project that's introducing seniors to "social robots."
-
Google brings its AI chatbot Bard into its inner circle, opening door to Gmail, Maps, YouTube
Google is introducing Bard, its artificially intelligent chatbot, to other members of its digital family -- including Gmail, Maps and YouTube -- as it seeks ward off competitive threats posed by similar technology run by Open AI and Microsoft.
Entertainment
-
John Grisham, George R.R. Martin and more authors sue OpenAI for copyright infringement
John Grisham, Jodi Picoult and George R.R. Martin are among 17 authors suing OpenAI for "systematic theft on a mass scale," the latest in a wave of legal action by writers concerned that artificial intelligence programs are using their copyrighted works without permission.
-
Vanna White extends her time at the puzzle board on 'Wheel of Fortune' for two additional seasons
Vanna White is not giving up her puzzle board when Ryan Seacrest takes over for Pat Sajak as host of “Wheel of Fortune.” In fact, she will be there for his first two seasons.
-
Michael J. Fox receives 2023 Elevate Prize Catalyst Award at Clinton Global Initiative
Actor and philanthropist Michael J. Fox won this year's Elevate Prize Catalyst Award, which the “Back to the Future” star plans to use to further his foundation's work to find treatments for Parkinson's disease.
Business
-
Sweden's central bank hikes key interest rate, saying inflation is still too high
Sweden's central bank raised its key interest rate Thursday, saying that "inflationary pressures in the Swedish economy are still too high," although there were signs that inflation had begun to fall.
-
Air Canada system briefly breached, customer info and flight ops unaffected
Canada's biggest airline says an unauthorized group briefly breached an internal system linked to the personal information and records of some employees.
-
A timeline of the key events in the Ontario Greenbelt scandal
Another Ontario minister has resigned in the wake of the Ford government's removal of land from the Greenbelt. Here's a timeline of the key events that took place in the aftermath:
Lifestyle
-
This world-class airport will soon go passport-free
Starting in 2024, officials say Singapore’s Changi Airport will introduce automated immigration clearance, which will allow passengers to depart the city-state without passports, using only biometric data.
-
Cutting obituary for B.C. man thanks karma for 'doing what she does best'
Few obituaries begin with the words, "I am pleased to announce" – but Amanda Denis believes in blunt honesty.
-
OPINION
OPINION Is tipping getting out of hand? Here are some lessons from other countries
Amid high levels of inflation, many consumers are seeing a rise in requests for gratuities as more businesses ask for tips. In a column for CTVNews.ca, personal finance contributor Christopher Liew offers some background on Canada's tipping culture, while looking at common practices around the world.
Sports
-
Most of Spain's women's players end boycott of national soccer team after government intervenes
Most of Spain's World Cup-winning players ended their boycott of the women's national team early Wednesday, but only after the government intervened to help shape an agreement to make immediate changes at the country's beleaguered soccer federation.
-
Federer match-worn outfit from 20th major title run expected to fetch $35,000 at auction
Looking for an 'inexpensive' way into the lucrative sports memorabilia market? One of Roger Federer's match-worn outfits might be your ticket.
-
Autopsy finds man who was punched at New England Patriots game before he died had medical issue
A man who died at a New England Patriots home game last weekend after he was punched at least twice in the head did not suffer a "traumatic injury" in the stands but had a medical issue, authorities in Massachusetts announced Wednesday.
Autos
-
Jeep maker Stellantis makes a new contract offer as auto workers prepare to expand their strike
General Motors and Stellantis announced fresh layoffs Wednesday that they blamed on damage from the United Auto Workers strike, and the labour standoff grew more tense just two days before the union was expected to call for new walkouts.
-
Unifor president Lana Payne says deal with Ford solidifies foundations
Unifor national president Lana Payne says the union's tentative deal with Ford Motor Co. will solidify the foundations on which it will continue to bargain gains for generations of autoworkers in Canada.
-
Unifor extends Ford negotiations for 24 hours after receiving 'substantive offer'
Unifor and Ford Motor Co. are continuing to negotiate after the union extended a strike deadline by 24 hours.
