Frequently Asked Questions

We strive to keep our content fresh and up-to-date:

• Breaking News: Updated in real-time as events unfold
• Regular News Content: Refreshed every 6 hours
• Social Media Posts: Updated every 3 hours
• RSS Feeds: Custom refresh rate (default is hourly)
• Citizen News: Posted as soon as approved by our moderation team

Our automated systems work around the clock to ensure you have access to the latest information.

Yes! Bastaki News is completely free to use. We offer:

• Free access to all aggregated news content
• Free account creation
• Free citizen reporter applications
• Free RSS feed management

We believe in providing open access to information. Our service is supported by minimal, non-intrusive advertisements that help us cover our operational costs.

Becoming a citizen reporter involves a simple verification process:

1. Create a regular account and log in
2. Visit your profile page and click "Become a Citizen Reporter"
3. Complete the application form with your details
4. Submit the form for review by our team
5. Wait for approval (typically 1-2 business days)

Once approved, you'll be able to submit news stories, photos, and reports directly through your account.

Yes! Registered users can add and manage their own RSS feeds:

1. Log in to your account
2. Navigate to the "Web RSS" section in your dashboard
3. Click "Add New Feed" and enter the RSS URL
4. Set your preferred update frequency
5. Save your settings

You can add up to 10 RSS feeds on a free account. The feeds will be checked automatically according to your settings, and new content will appear in your personalized news feed.

If you've forgotten your password, you can easily reset it:

1. Click the "Login" button at the top of the page
2. Click the "Forgot your password?" link
3. Enter your email address and submit the form
4. Check your email for a password reset link
5. Click the link and follow instructions to set a new password

For security reasons, password reset links expire after 24 hours. If you don't receive the email, please check your spam folder.

We currently don't host images directly, but we recommend these free image hosting services:

• Imgur: Simple interface, no account required for basic uploads
• ImgBB: Free image hosting with direct links and no compression
• PostImages: No registration required, provides direct image URLs

Steps to upload your image:

1. Visit any of the services above
2. Upload your image (look for an upload button)
3. After uploading, look for a "direct link" or "image URL" option
4. Copy that URL and paste it into our image URL field

For best results, use images that are at least 800px wide and in JPG or PNG format.