Daily News Pakistan

US President Donald Trump has unveiled a new round of steep import tariffs, affecting dozens of countries — including a 19% duty on Pakistani goods — just days before a key trade deal deadline. Part of a broader push to overhaul global trade practices, the new measures place Pakistan among 69 nations facing US tariffs between 10% and 41%, effective next week. Trump stated the tariffs aim to address unfair trade imbalances and safeguard America’s economic and national security interests. Trump released an executive order listing higher import duty rates of 10% to 41% starting in seven days for 69 trading partners as the 12:01 am EDT (0401 GMT) deadline approached. Some of them had reached tariff-reducing deals, and some had no opportunity to negotiate with his administration. The order said that goods from all other countries not listed in an annex would be subject to a 10% US tariff rate. Trump's order stated that some trading partners, “despite having engaged in negotiatio...

KARACHI: Pakistan has successfully launched its latest remote sensing satellite into orbit from China’s Xichang Satellite Launch Centre (XSLC), the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) announced on Thursday, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s expanding space program. According to a spokesperson for the national space agency, the new satellite is expected to support national capabilities in Earth observation, agricultural monitoring, and environmental analysis. The satellite was launched in collaboration with the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) and MICROSAT China. The satellite will also contribute to geospatial and monitoring of strategic initiatives such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), assist with regional planning, and support natural resource management efforts. The Suparco spokesperson added that the satellite will help identify transportation networks and geographical hazards. According to the agency, th...

US President Donald Trump has said that trade talks with China are heading in the right direction. Speaking at the White House, he expressed hope that both countries would soon reach what he called a “very fair deal”. His comments came as officials from both sides met for hours to try and settle their long-running trade dispute. "We're moving along with China. We're doing fine with China," Trump told reporters at the White House. "I think it's going to work out very well. We're right in step. I think we're going to have a very fair deal with China." US and Chinese officials met in Stockholm on Monday for more than five hours of talks aimed at resolving economic disputes, to extend their truce on a trade war by three months. China is facing an August 12 deadline to reach a durable tariff agreement with Trump’s administration, after Beijing and Washington reached preliminary deals in May and June to end escalating tit-for-tat tariffs and a ...

United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that a 25 per cent trade tariff would be imposed on India from August 1 along with an additional penalty for Russian energy purchases amid the Ukraine War. In posts on his social platform Truth Social, he said the US had a “massive trade deficit” with India. In another post, he said: “Remember, while India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the world and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers of any country. “Also, they have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia’s largest buyer of energy, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to stop the killing in Ukraine — all things not good! India will therefore be paying a tariff of 25pc, plus a penalty for the above, starting on August 1st.”  Earlier, he said a trade deal with...

France, along with 14 other Western nations, has called on the international community to recognize a Palestinian state, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot announced on Wednesday. The appeal came in a joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of 15 countries following a conference in New York, co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia, aimed at reviving the two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “From New York, alongside 14 other nations, France is making a collective call: we affirm our intention to recognize the State of Palestine and urge others to do the same,” Barrot stated on X. President Emmanuel Macron announced last week he would formally recognise Palestinian statehood in September, provoking strong opposition from Israel and the United States. France is hoping to build a momentum around the formal recognition of a Palestinian state. On Tuesday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the UK will formally recognise the State of Palestine ...

Australia announced on Wednesday that it will include YouTube in its landmark social media ban for teenagers, reversing a previous decision to exempt the Alphabet-owned platform and potentially paving the way for legal pushback. The move follows a recommendation from the national internet regulator, which urged the government to reconsider the exemption after a survey revealed that 37% of minors encountered harmful content on YouTube — the highest among all social media platforms. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated, “I’m calling time on it,” emphasizing the negative impact of online platforms on Australian youth and urging social media companies to uphold their social responsibilities. "I want Australian parents to know that we have their backs." The decision broadens the ban set to take effect in December. YouTube says it is used by nearly three-quarters of Australians aged 13 to 15, and should not be classified as social media because its main activity is hosting...

A powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday, damaging buildings and triggering a tsunami up to 4 meters (13 feet) high, prompting widespread evacuation alerts across the Pacific region. Several injuries were reported in the remote Russian area, while evacuation orders were issued along much of Japan’s eastern coast — an area still haunted by the devastating 2011 quake and tsunami. “This was a major earthquake — the strongest in decades,” said Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov in a video message shared on Telegram. A tsunami with a height of 3-4 metres (10-13 feet) was recorded in parts of Kamchatka, said Sergei Lebedev, regional minister for emergency situations, urging people to move away from the shoreline. The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake was shallow at a depth of 19.3 km (12 miles), and was centred 119 km (74 miles) east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city of 165,000. It revised the magnitude up from 8.0 ea...

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Tuesday that Britain was prepared to recognise a Palestinian state in September at the United Nations General Assembly unless Israel takes several steps to improve life for Palestinians. Britain, if it acts, would become the second Western power on the UN Security Council to do so after France last week, reflecting Israel's deepening isolation over its conduct in its war against Hamas in Gaza, where a humanitarian disaster has set in and the Palestinian death toll has risen above 60,000. Starmer said Britain would make the move unless Israel took substantive steps to allow more aid to enter Gaza, made clear there will be no annexation of the West Bank and commits to a long-term peace process that delivers a "two-state solution" - a Palestinian state co-existing in peace alongside Israel. "The Palestinian people have endured terrible suffering," Starmer told reporters. "Now, in Gaza, because of a catastrophic ...

Harvard University is reportedly prepared to spend up to $500 million to resolve its dispute with the Trump administration—more than double the amount Columbia University agreed to pay last week to settle similar federal investigations. Sources cited in the report indicated that financial terms are still under negotiation. However, Harvard is resisting the inclusion of an external monitor as part of the agreement, viewing it as a firm red line. President Donald Trump's administration has initiated a probe into Duke University and the Duke Law Journal over allegations of race-related discrimination, making it the latest American university to face the threat of cuts to federal funding. The government said on Monday it will probe whether the Duke Law Journal's selection of its editors gives preferences to candidates from minority communities. "This investigation is based on recent reporting alleging that Duke University discriminates on the bases of race, color, and/o...

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has cautioned users against relying on ChatGPT for emotional support or counseling, emphasizing that such conversations are not legally protected. Speaking on the podcast This Past Weekend with Theo Von, Altman explained that while many—especially younger users—turn to ChatGPT for personal and mental health advice, they may not realize the potential privacy risks involved. He clarified that ChatGPT does not offer the same confidentiality or support as licensed therapists, doctors, or lawyers. “People talk about the most personal stuff in their lives to ChatGPT,” Sam Altman said. “We haven’t figured that out yet for when you talk to ChatGPT”. The CEO’s remarks come in the face of rising anxieties due to ChatGPT therapy privacy and AI tools for mental health support, with experts warning that users should carefully review privacy policies before sharing sensitive information. Unlike the platforms that don’t use encryption, such as WhatsApp or Signal, ChatGPT ...

India has launched a new covert military operation titled "Operation Mahadev" to cover up its recent failures in conflict with Pakistan, security sources revealed on Monday. The plan, the sources told Geo News, includes reviving fake encounter tactics and framing illegally detained Pakistanis as cross-border terrorists. According to security sources, the Indian military has begun staging fake operations under the banner of Operation Mahadev following the failure of its earlier campaign, Operation Sindoor. These fake encounters are part of a broader plot to suppress the growing freedom movement in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and to salvage the political credibility of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. The sources said Indian authorities intend to use Pakistani detainees already held in Indian jails in these staged operations. Under the plan, detainees will be killed and later declared terrorists who crossed the border. Following the fal...

The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia were scheduled to meet in Malaysia on Monday for peace talks aimed at securing a ceasefire in their ongoing border conflict. The United States confirmed its officials would be involved in facilitating the process. Thailand announced its participation in the talks organized by Malaysia in its capacity as ASEAN chair, while Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet stated that the dialogue was co-hosted by the U.S., with China also taking part. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said State Department officials were in Malaysia to assist peace efforts, after President Donald Trump had earlier said that he thought both leaders wanted to settle the conflict. “We want this conflict to end as soon as possible,” Rubio said in statement released late on Sunday in the U.S. and early Monday in Asia. “State Department officials are on the ground in Malaysia to assist these peace efforts.” Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have intensified since the killin...

The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) has announced that the Remote Sensing Satellite (PRSS) will be launched on July 31 from China’s Xichang Satellite Launch Centre (XSLC). According to a statement from Suparco, the mission represents a major step forward in Pakistan’s space ambitions and is expected to significantly enhance the country’s Earth observation capabilities. Equipped with state-of-the-art imaging systems, the satellite will support a range of national applications — from precision agriculture and urban planning to environmental monitoring and disaster management. Its role will be vital in predicting and mitigating the impacts of floods, earthquakes, landslides, glacier melt, and deforestation, while enabling informed decisions for resource management. The satellite will also assist in infrastructure planning and geospatial mapping under national development programmes such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). With its integ...

The United States and the European Union have reached a trade agreement under which EU exports will be subject to a 15 percent tariff, easing tensions in a tariff dispute that risked escalating into a full-blown trade war. Following a high-stakes meeting at his golf resort in Scotland, U.S. President Donald Trump hailed the deal as the “biggest-ever.” The agreement, finalized in under an hour with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, came just ahead of an August 1 deadline that could have triggered a sweeping 30 percent U.S. tariff on European goods. “We’ve reached a deal. It’s a good deal for everybody. This is probably the biggest deal ever reached in any capacity,” said Trump. Trump said a baseline tariff of 15 percent would apply across the board, including for Europe’s crucial automobile sector, pharmaceuticals and semiconductors. As part of the deal, Trump said the 27-nation EU bloc had agreed to purchase “$750 billion worth of energy” from the United States...

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News that Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, has been working tirelessly for weeks to secure a Gaza ceasefire deal. “They’ve made significant progress and are very close,” Rubio stated. He expressed optimism, saying, “We’re hopeful that a ceasefire agreement could be reached any day now, under which at least half of the hostages — including those confirmed dead — would be released initially, with the remaining hostages freed by the end of a 60-day period.” Speaking about the captives still held in Gaza, Rubio said: “The good news is every American is out now. We care about all the hostages.” “There’s a very simple solution to what’s happening in Gaza. Release all the hostages, lay down your arms, and the war ends for Hamas,” he said. Rubio’s remarks come days after Witkoff said Washington was cutting short its involvement in the negotiations, claiming Hamas had shown “a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire”. The Israeli military an...

Israel intercepted a vessel carrying members of the pro-Palestinian activist group Freedom Flotilla as it sailed toward Gaza on Saturday. According to a statement posted by the Israeli foreign ministry on X, “The Israeli navy has stopped the vessel Navarn from illegally entering the maritime zone off the coast of Gaza. The vessel is now safely heading toward Israeli shores, and all passengers are safe.” Footage broadcast by the activists showed them sitting calmly on the deck, raising their hands and singing the Italian anti-fascist anthem “Bella Ciao” as Israeli forces boarded and took control of the ship. Three video live feeds of the scene, which had been broadcast online, were cut minutes later. The ship had been on course to try to break an Israeli naval blockade of Gaza and bring a small quantity of humanitarian aid to the territory’s Palestinian residents. In a message on social media, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition declared: “‘Handala’ has been intercepted and boarded il...

European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and U.S. President Donald Trump are set to meet this Sunday in Scotland in a decisive attempt to break the months-long trade stalemate. The United States has threatened to impose tariffs as high as 30 percent on a wide range of European goods if no agreement is reached by August 1, escalating tensions between the two economic powers. Currently, the EU faces significant tariffs from the U.S., including 25 percent on cars and 50 percent on steel and aluminum. Washington is pushing to reduce its trade deficit and is demanding exemptions for key sectors such as aircraft, pharmaceuticals, lumber, and agriculture. The European Union, eager to avoid further damage to its economy, has proposed a compromise involving a baseline 15 percent tariff on U.S. goods—similar to the recent agreement with Japan—with carve-outs for critical industries. Discussions also include allowing a certain quota of steel imports under reduced tariffs, wi...

Spear AI, founded by former U.S. Navy officers, has raised $2.3 million in its first funding round to advance its artificial intelligence platform that interprets complex underwater acoustic data collected by submarines and sensors. Unlike traditional AI trained on labeled images or text, Spear AI focuses on “passive acoustic data” — sounds captured underwater — to help submarine operators distinguish between harmless noises like whales or rain and potential threats such as enemy vessels. The Washington-based company, co-founded by Michael Hunter, a former Navy SEAL analyst, and John McGunnigle, an ex-nuclear submarine commander, builds both hardware sensors for buoys and vessels and software tools to organize and label the raw sound data, preparing it for AI analysis. This month, the U.S. Navy awarded Spear AI a $6 million contract to enhance its data-labeling platform, confirming its strategic value.Founded in 2021 and previously self-funded, Spear AI employs around 40 people. ...

President Emmanuel Macron has announced that France will formally recognise the State of Palestine, with the official declaration set to take place at the United Nations General Assembly in September. In a post on X on Thursday, Macron stated, “In line with France’s longstanding commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognise the State of Palestine.” “I will solemnly announce this at the United Nations General Assembly in September this year,” he added. The move makes France the largest and arguably most influential country in Europe to move to recognise a Palestinian state, after European Union members Norway, Ireland and Spain indicated they would also begin the same process. At least 142 countries out of the 193 members of the UN currently recognise or plan to recognise a Palestinian state, but several powerful Western countries have refused to do so. They include the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany. The anno...

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has issued a public alert about a growing scam involving fraudulent SMS and messaging app alerts that pretend to be from courier companies. These messages typically ask recipients to enter or share a verification code, often under the pretext of confirming a delivery. However, the PTA warns that this is a phishing tactic designed to steal personal data or gain unauthorized access to digital accounts. "Courier services do not require verification codes for deliveries," the PTA clarified.The authority has advised all users to:Avoid sharing any codes received via SMS or WhatsApp.Verify the sender before taking action on such messages. Report suspicious activity to relevant platforms or authorities. The PTA emphasized that similar scams have been reported by banks, where users are asked to share OTP (One-Time Password) codes by individuals falsely claiming to represent the bank or the State Bank of Pakistan. Sharing such codes can l...

Thailand and Cambodia exchanged heavy artillery fire on Friday as their deadliest border conflict in over a decade entered its second day. The clashes have already claimed at least 16 lives and forced the evacuation of over 100,000 people from Thai border areas, sparking regional concern and international calls for an immediate ceasefire. According to the Thai military, Cambodian forces launched sustained bombardments using heavy field artillery and Russian-made BM-21 rocket systems. In response, Thai forces returned fire “in accordance with the tactical situation”. Fighting was reported across six separate locations, spanning 209 kilometers along a long-disputed stretch of the border where sovereignty has been contested for over a century. Tensions escalated rapidly after a Thai soldier lost a limb to a landmine on Wednesday—an incident Bangkok claims involved newly laid explosives by Cambodian troops.Phnom Penh has denied the allegation, calling it baseless. Hours later, Thailan...

Google and OpenAI’s AI models win gold at the International Mathematical Olympiad, solving 5 out of 6 toughest problems like top human students. In an unprecedented milestone, AI systems developed by Google’s DeepMind and OpenAI have outperformed expectations by securing gold medal-level scores at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), a competition historically reserved for the world’s brightest high school mathematicians. For the first time ever, these AI models solved five of the six notoriously difficult problems using natural language reasoning,  mimicking human thought processes rather than relying on rigid programming languages or brute computational force. Google’s model, Gemini Deep Think, completed all tasks within the official exam time, while OpenAI’s experimental AI massively scaled computing power to “think” deeply and explore multiple solution paths simultaneously. This approach, though “very expensive,” allowed the AI to demonstrate advanced problem-so...

HONG KONG/SHANGHAI: Chinese Premier Li Qiang has announced the commencement of construction on what is set to become the world’s largest hydropower dam, according to the official Xinhua news agency. The massive project, situated on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, is estimated to cost approximately $170 billion. This development marks China’s most ambitious hydropower initiative since the construction of the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River. The new facility is expected to begin operations in the 2030s. Made up of five cascade hydropower stations, the dam will be located in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo. A section of the river falls a dramatic 2,000 metres (6,561 feet) within a short span of 50km (31 miles), offering huge hydropower potential. India and Bangladesh have already raised concerns about its possible impact on the millions of people who live downstream, while NGOs have warned of the risk to the environment, one of the richest and most diverse on t...

Microsoft has issued a warning about ongoing cyberattacks targeting server software used by government agencies and businesses for internal document sharing. The company urged users to immediately install recommended security updates. In a Saturday alert, Microsoft clarified that the attacks are limited to on-premises SharePoint servers and do not affect SharePoint Online through Microsoft 365's cloud services. The FBI confirmed on Sunday that it is aware of the situation and is collaborating with federal and private-sector partners, though it did not disclose further details. The Washington Post, which first reported the hacks, said unidentified actors in the past few days had exploited a flaw to launch an attack that targeted U.S. and international agencies and businesses. The hack is known as a "zero day" attack because it targeted a previously unknown vulnerability, the newspaper said, quoting experts. Tens of thousands of servers were at risk. Microsoft did no...

YouTube has updated its monetisation policy, renaming "reused content" to "inauthentic content" and clarifying guidelines on overly produced material. Experts say the changes are minor and not as alarming as portrayed on social media. Talha Labib, a social media expert who runs a social media marketing agency and manages several YouTube channels, says that the news was blown out of proportion. "The content that YouTube wants to discourage already did not meet its monetisation criteria under existing policies, as the platform only promotes creators who produce original and authentic content". "Some creators are concerned that this update would limit their ability to monetise their channels, but that is not the case. There are many YouTube channels that spread fake or inauthentic news or use inappropriate language. The platform regularly takes action against them and de-platform them. So, it’s good that people will now be more careful while uplo...

Hong Kong issued its highest storm alert on Sunday as Typhoon Wipha swept through the territory with winds exceeding 167 km/h (103 mph), bringing torrential rain and strong gusts that led to the cancellation of over 200 flights. The city’s weather observatory raised the storm signal to No. 10 at 9:20 a.m. (0120 GMT) and warned that the alert would likely remain in place “for some time.” Wipha will skirt around 50 km to the south of the observatory, the warning showed. Hurricane-force wind is affecting the southern part of Hong Kong, the observatory said. Cathay Pacific Airways (0293.HK), cancelled all of its flights arriving or departing Hong Kong airport between 5 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday. It waived ticket change fees and made arrangements for customers to re-book. Most public transport was suspended on Sunday, including ferries amid high sea swells.

Netflix has officially entered a new era of content creation by integrating "generative artificial intelligence " into its production pipeline, with the first application featured in the Argentine series "El Atonata". The announcement was made during the company’s post-earnings conference call on July 17. Co-CEO "Ted Sarandos" revealed that AI was used to create final footage for a "building collapse scene", completed "ten times faster" and at a "lower cost" than traditional visual effects methods. The move signals a major shift in how visual storytelling could evolve across global media. “We see AI not just as a cost-saving tool, but as a creative enabler,” said Sarandos. “There are AI-powered tools that empower real creators to do more with less. Our teams are already seeing its benefits in pre-visualisation, shot planning, and VFX”. Previously, sophisticated visual effects like "de-aging" were largely res...

U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Friday that as many as five fighter jets were downed during the recent hostilities between Pakistan and India, which erupted following a militant attack in April in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). The tensions reportedly de-escalated after a ceasefire agreement in May. Trump made these remarks during a dinner event with several Republican lawmakers at the White House. "In fact, planes were being shot out of the air. Five, five, four or five, but I think five jets were shot down actually," Trump said while talking about the Pakistan-India hostilities, without elaborating or providing further detail. Pakistan claimed it had downed six Indian planes in air-to-air combat. India's highest-ranking general said in late May that India switched tactics after suffering losses in the air on the first day of hostilities and established an advantage before a ceasefire was announced three days later. Trump has repeatedly...

Nearly 75% of American teenagers have interacted with AI companions, and over half are considered regular users, even as concerns about the safety of these virtual relationships continue to rise, according to a new survey released Wednesday. Nearly three in four American teenagers have used AI companions, with more than half qualifying as regular users despite growing safety concerns about these virtual relationships, according to a new survey released Wednesday. AI companions -- chatbots designed for personal conversations rather than simple task completion -- are available on platforms like Character.AI, Replika, and Nomi. Unlike traditional artificial intelligence assistants, these systems are programmed to form emotional connections with users. The findings come amid mounting concerns about the mental health risks posed by AI companions. The nationally representative study of 1,060 teens aged 13-17, conducted for Common Sense Media, found that 72 percent have used AI companio...

Japan's Sega aimed to revitalize its brand by tapping into nostalgia through remakes of classic games, movie adaptations, and themed merchandise stores, following a downturn in its console business. Sonic the Hedgehog’s cinematic success has revitalised interest in Sega, which halted hardware manufacturing after the Dreamcast closed in 2001 and focused solely on software development. Now, record levels of tourism in Japan and rising global enthusiasm for Japanese pop culture have prompted a strategic relaunch. Evidence of this resurgence includes the opening of Sega’s flagship merchandise store in Japan this Friday, following a similar launch in Shanghai in May. Chief Operating Officer Shuji Utsumi stated, “Opportunities expand. We faced difficulties for some time; now we make our return.” He added that Sega intends to grow beyond Japan and adopt a global reach. In its heyday during the 1980s and 1990s, Sega stood as a major player in the arcade and console market, renowned ...