Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Trump calls Field Marshal Munir's praise 'an honour'

Trump calls Field Marshal Munir's praise 'an honour'
US President Donald Trump said that he considered the praise extended to him by Pakistan's Field Marshal Asim Munir as an "honour".

Speaking to US military leaders on Tuesday, Trump said that the Pakistani Field Marshal had lauded his role in stopping the Pakistan-India war, which ultimately saved millions of lives.

"He said if the war had taken place, it would have been much worse," Trump noted. The US president added that Field Marshal Munir's remarks had left a positive impression on him. "I really liked his comment," Trump remarked.

Trump further said that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Munir had made these observations in the presence of others, including two generals, adding weight to his words.

His statement came after his meetings with the army chief twice.

In July, Trump and COAS Munir met over lunch at the White House Cabinet Room, where the field marshal acknowledged President Trump's statesmanship and his ability to comprehend and address the multifaceted challenges faced by the global community.

Their second meeting was held earlier this month, as Trump, PM Shehbaz Sharif, and Field Marshal Munir held a meeting at the White House.

Prime Minister expressed his “deep admiration” for United States President Trump, describing him as a “man of peace” engaged in sincere efforts to end conflicts around the world.

Speaking during a warm and cordial meeting with President Trump at the Oval Office, the prime minister said the US leader's bold, courageous, and decisive actions had helped facilitate the ceasefire between Pakistan and India, thereby averting what he called a potential "major catastrophe" in South Asia, a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office read.

DeepSeek launches new AI model paving the way to the next generation

DeepSeek launches next-generation AI model shaping the future
Chinese AI developer DeepSeek has released its "experimental" latest model, which it said was more efficient to train and better at processing long sequences of text than previous iterations of its large language models.

The Hangzhou-based company called DeepSeek-V3.2-Exp an "intermediate step toward our next-generation architecture" in a post on developer forum Hugging Face.

That architecture will likely be DeepSeek's most important product release since V3 and R1 shocked Silicon Valley and tech investors outside China.

The V3.2-Exp model includes a mechanism called DeepSeek Sparse Attention, which the Chinese firm says can cut computing costs and boost some types of model performance.

DeepSeek said in a post on X on Monday that it is cutting API prices by "50%+".

While DeepSeek's next-generation architecture is unlikely to roil markets as previous versions did in January.

It could still put significant pressure on domestic rivals like Alibaba's Qwen and US counterparts like OpenAI if it can repeat the success of DeepSeek R1 and V3.

That would require it to demonstrate high capability for a fraction of what competitors charge and spend in model training.

YouTube to pay $22 million to settle case with Trump

$22M settlement announced between Trump and YouTube
YouTube has agreed to pay $22 million to settle a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump after the company suspended his account over the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, according to a court filing Monday.

The online video platform, a subsidiary of Google parent Alphabet, is the latest Big Tech firm to settle with Trump after he lodged legal cases challenging his broad deplatforming after January 6.

The $22 million will go toward Trump's latest construction project at the White House, through a nonprofit called Trust for the National Mall.

Which is "dedicated to restoring, preserving, and elevating the National Mall, to support the construction of the White House State Ballroom," per a notice of settlement filing in a California federal court.

Besides the $22 million to Trump's ballroom venture, YouTube agreed to payments of $2.5 million to a host of other Trump allies, including the American Conservative Union.

Trump reposted a message on his Truth Social platform late Monday saying "this MASSIVE victory proves Big Tech censorship has consequences," adding that the Republican "fought for free speech and WON!"

Major platforms removed Trump after January 6 amid worries he would promote further violence with bogus claims that voter fraud caused his loss to Joe Biden in 2020.

YouTube blocked Trump from uploading new content on January 12, 2021, pointing to "concerns about the ongoing potential for violence."

The move came in parallel to actions by Facebook and Twitter that also suspended Trump's ability to post after the January 6 upheaval.

The 79-year-old Republican took social media companies and YouTube to court, claiming he was wrongfully censored.

Trump's lawyers maintained he was kicked off under "non-existent or broad, vague and ever-shifting standards," according to the original July 2021 complaint against YouTube and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai.

Trump's posting privileges were curbed after more than 140 police officers were injured in hours of clashes with pro-Trump rioters wielding flagpoles, baseball bats, hockey sticks and other makeshift weapons, along with Tasers and canisters of bear spray.

They wanted to block Congress from certifying Biden's win.

Free speech violation?

Legal experts have seen Trump's claims against the tech giants as shaky at best, noting that the First Amendment of the US Constitution bars the government, but not a private actor, from restricting speech.

YouTube "is not a state actor and its exercise of editorial discretion over its private service does not implicate Plaintiffs' First Amendment rights," the company said in a December 2021 rebuttal to Trump's brief.

Journalism watchdog group Media Matters decried the settlement, saying it portends continued First Amendment problems under Trump.

"YouTube's capitulation is shameful and shortsighted. Needlessly folding now will only help encourage Trump's efforts to stifle dissent by bringing media and online platforms to heel," the group's president Angelo Carusone told AFP in a statement.

However, tech and media companies have greenlighted settlements to Trump since his return to office as they await action from Washington on major matters affecting their businesses.

Big questions facing YouTube and Google/Alphabet include a trial in Virginia in which a federal court is weighing a request from government lawyers to order the breakup of the search engine giant's ad technology business.

In February, Elon Musk's X settled for about $10 million in a Trump lawsuit against the company and its former chief executive Jack Dorsey.

In January, days after Trump's inauguration, Meta agreed to pay $25 million to settle his complaint, with $22 million of the payment going toward funding his future presidential library.

Media companies have also agreed to settlements with Trump in cases brought by the president that experts see as legally dodgy.

For example, Paramount Global agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit brought by Trump over an interview with former vice president Kamala Harris that Trump claimed was edited unfairly.

The accord came as Paramount sought approval for its acquisition by Skydance.

The Federal Communications Commission approved the $8 billion takeover of Paramount in July.

Monday, September 29, 2025

Communications collapse across Afghanistan, AFP reports

Communications collapse across Afghanistan, AFP reports
A huge communications blackout hit Afghanistan on Monday, weeks after Taliban authorities began severing fibre optic connections in multiple provinces to prevent “vice”.

“A nationwide telecoms blackout is now in effect,” said Netblocks, a watchdog organisation that monitors cybersecurity and internet governance.

“We’re now observing national connectivity at 14 percent of ordinary levels.”

 The watchdog said the incident “appears consistent with the intentional disconnection of service”.

AFP lost contact with its bureau in the capital Kabul around 6:15pm (6:45 pm PKT), including mobile phone service.

Afhanistan’s Taliban authorities began a crackdown on internet access earlier this month, severing connections in multiple provinces.

The move, ordered by Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, effectively shut down high-speed internet in several regions.

Fibre optic internet was completely banned in northern Balkh province on the leader’s orders, provincial spokesman Attaullah Zaid said on September 16.

“This measure was taken to prevent vice, and alternative options will be put in place across the country to meet connectivity needs,” he wrote on social media.

At the time, AFP correspondents reported the same restrictions in the northern provinces of Badakhshan and Takhar, as well as in Kandahar, Helmand, Nangarhar and Uruzgan in the south.

Over the past several weeks, internet connections have been extremely slow or intermitant.

In 2024, Kabul had touted the 9,350-kilometre fibre optic network — largely built by former US-backed governments — as a “priority” to bring the country closer to the rest of the world and lift it out of poverty.

Since regaining power in 2021, the Taliban have instituted numerous restrictions in accordance with their interpretation of Islamic law.

Iran voices support for Pakistan-Saudi defence pact

A senior Iranian military adviser has welcomed the newly signed Pakistan-Saudi defence pact
A senior Iranian military adviser has welcomed the newly signed Pakistan-Saudi defence pact, calling it a constructive step for regional security while stressing Tehran’s readiness and commitment to deterrence.

Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi, adviser to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, said in a televised interview that the “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” signed in Riyadh between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman should be seen as positive.

“We view this treaty as constructive. Since Pakistan has said other countries can join, I recommend that Iran also take part,” Safavi stated, adding that Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Iraq could move toward a collective defence pact.

He noted that although Riyadh and Islamabad would not finalize such an agreement without U.S. consent, Iran must demonstrate readiness as a regional power. “This is part of our military diplomacy and foreign policy,” he said.

The Pakistan-Saudi accord, signed on September 17, declares that any attack on either state will be considered an attack on both, requiring a joint response. Both sides hailed it as a “landmark” deal to strengthen deterrence.

The signing came just ahead of an emergency Arab-Islamic summit in Doha, called after Israeli airstrikes on Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital, despite Qatar’s mediation efforts to halt the Gaza war.

Since then, several Muslim countries, including Iran and Pakistan, have urged the creation of a regional coalition to defend against foreign-backed aggression. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also stressed that the assault on Qatar could not have occurred without U.S. approval, calling for a NATO-style Islamic alliance.

Meanwhile, Iranian commanders reaffirmed their full military preparedness. Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, praised the IRGC’s Aerospace Force for its role in Iran’s recent 12-day campaign against U.S. and Israeli aggression.

“These achievements show the strength of our strategy of active deterrence and decisive response,” Mousavi said during a meeting with IRGC Commander Major General Mohammad Pakpour.

He added that Iran is continuing to modernize its defense systems and that coordination between the Army and IRGC ensures both deterrence and the safeguarding of national independence.

Major General Amir Hatami, Commander-in-Chief of the Army, echoed the message, stressing that Iran constantly monitors adversary activities and will respond firmly to any miscalculation.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Army’s 23rd joint cadet training program during Sacred Defense Week, Hatami reminded young officers of the Army’s mission to safeguard independence, territorial integrity, and the Islamic Republic.

“The enemy must know that, with the capacities, capabilities, and lofty ideals of the Iranian nation, we will inevitably emerge victorious.

Our armed forces, supported by the people and guided by the wise leadership of the Commander-in-Chief, have always defeated aggression and will continue to do so,” Hatami said.

He also pointed to the decisive role of Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei during the recent 12-day conflict, saying his strategic guidance ensured unity and success against the combined efforts of the United States and Israel.

Iran’s military leaders stress that the country remains open to collective security frameworks while relying on its own deterrent capabilities.

As Safavi underlined, the prospect of Iran joining a Pakistan-Saudi-led defence arrangement could strengthen regional security against foreign interference.–Tehran Times

Netanyahu set to meet Trump amid Israel’s growing isolation over Gaza conflict

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet US President Donald Trump
Facing increasing isolation abroad and mounting domestic pressure, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet US President Donald Trump on Monday to defend his intention to “finish the job” in Gaza.

The meeting follows Trump’s unveiling of a 21-point plan aimed at ending the conflict in the Palestinian territory, announced during discussions with Arab and Muslim leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

On Sunday, Trump teased “something special” in upcoming Middle East talks, posting on his Truth Social platform: “WE WILL GET IT DONE!!!”

Earlier, on Friday, Trump told reporters in Washington, “I think we have a deal” on Gaza, while Netanyahu, speaking at the UN, reiterated his determination to “finish the job” against Hamas.

Experts, however, say Netanyahu appears increasingly cornered, facing growing international and domestic calls to end the war.

“He has no other choice but to accept Trump’s plan for a ceasefire,” said Eytan Gilboa, an expert on US-Israel relations at Israel’s Bar-Ilan University.

“The United States and Trump in particular remain almost his only ally on the global stage.”

Comprehensive agreement

In Israel, tens of thousands of protesters have pressured Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire, and on Saturday they urged Trump to use his influence.

"The only thing that can stop the slide into the abyss is a full, comprehensive agreement that ends the war and brings all the hostages and the soldiers home," said Lishay Miran-Lavi, wife of Omri Miran, who remains captive in Gaza.

Directly addressing Trump, she urged: "Use your influence with Prime Minister Netanyahu."

Israel's international isolation has deepened in recent days, with countries including the UK, France, Canada and Australia officially recognising Palestinian statehood, breaking with longstanding US-led diplomatic protocols.

Trump's 21-point plan, according to a diplomatic source, envisions a permanent ceasefire, the release of hostages, an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a major influx of humanitarian aid.

Hamas political bureau member Hossam Badran said Sunday evening that the group "had not received any official proposal from Qatari or Egyptian mediators".

Arab and Muslim leaders have welcomed the proposal, but have also called for an immediate halt to Israel's military operations and any occupation of Gaza.

Some elements of the plan will prove hard for Netanyahu to swallow, and could even lead to the collapse of his right-wing government coalition.

Among the most controversial is the involvement of the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority (PA) in the future governance of Gaza.

The PA ruled the territory until Hamas seized control in 2007, and its potential restoration represents a red line for Netanyahu's hardline coalition partners.

While the US proposal conditions the PA's return on implementing reform programmes, these changes "could take years" to materialise, Gilboa warned.

Broad consensus

Several far-right ministers in Netanyahu's coalition have threatened to collapse the government if he agrees to the PA's return, or if he ends the war without defeating Hamas.

However, opposition leader Yair Lapid has offered a parliamentary "safety net", promising his centrist Yesh Atid party would support a ceasefire and hostage-release deal but it is not clear whether other opposition parties would follow suit.

"This kind of broad plan would need a broad consensus," said Ksenia Svetlova, a former Knesset member who now heads the regional cooperation NGO ROPES.

Svetlova predicted Netanyahu would only accept parts of the deal, while trying to negotiate or postpone decisions on other elements "seem difficult in this moment".

Another contentious point in the US proposal is who would guarantee security in the Gaza Strip once the Israeli army pulls out and Hamas is disarmed.

The proposal envisions an international security force comprising Palestinian personnel alongside troops from Arab and Muslim nations.

However, critical details about command structure and operational control remain unclear.

"This plan is internationalising the Gaza conflict in an unprecedented way," Svetlova said, "but without a clear plan on who will be the guiding star, what the end goals are, who will see it through."

"The unpredictability factor runs wild here, really."

Sunday, September 28, 2025

Kabul Welcomes Regional Rejection of Foreign Military Presence

Kabul Welcomes Regional Rejection of Foreign Military Presence
Afghanistan welcomes regional rejection of foreign military bases The Afghan government has welcomed the joint stance of Pakistan, Russia, China, and Iran in opposing the establishment of any foreign military bases within Afghanistan.

In a statement, deputy spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate, Hamdullah Fitrat, stated, “We welcome the position of Pakistan, Russia, China, and Iran against the presence of any foreign military bases. Afghan soil will not be allowed to be used against any other country, nor will any armed groups be permitted to operate within the country.”

Fitrat dismissed the notion that Afghanistan posed a threat to other nations as baseless. According to him, the Islamic Emirate is taking serious measures against corruption, narcotics, and all forms of undesirable activities, viewing this as its national responsibility.

He clarified that the Islamic Emirate seeks to establish positive relations with all countries on the basis of mutual respect. The deputy spokesperson added that it is a realistic and pragmatic approach to prioritise relations with regional and global nations in the context of Afghanistan’s security, stability, and development.

“The policy of Kabul is based on mutual trust, positive engagement, and the promotion of friendly relations,” he said, firmly rejecting any unfounded concerns or baseless allegations regarding Afghanistan.

Political analysts believe that the support for Afghanistan’s stability by regional countries presents a significant opportunity for the Islamic Emirate to strengthen its political and economic ties. According to experts, a constructive response from Kabul to the concerns of neighbouring countries could help advance the process of confidence-building.

The development comes after China, Russia, Iran, and Pakistan recently held a quadrilateral meeting and issued a joint statement on Afghanistan.

The statement highlighted the importance of regional frameworks — particularly the “Moscow Format” and the “Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)” — in resolving issues related to Afghanistan.

The joint stance of Russia, China, Iran, and Pakistan on Afghanistan may not only serve as diplomatic support for the Islamic Emirate but could also open new avenues for peace, stability, and cooperation in the region.

Saturday, September 27, 2025

LHC rules film censorship law not applicable to Netflix and Amazon

LHC rules Netflix and Amazon are not subject to film censorship law
The Lahore High Court (LHC) has dismissed petitions filed by cinema operators seeking to extend the scope of the Motion Pictures Ordinance, 1979, to cover Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, ruling that the law cannot be applied to digital streaming services.

Justice Raheel Kamran, delivering a detailed 20-page judgement, observed that the ordinance was enacted in a pre-digital era to regulate films exhibited through cinematographs in cinemas and other public venues, and was not designed for online streaming services.

The petitioners, including NC Entertainment (Pvt) Ltd, had argued that requiring cinemas to obtain film certification while leaving digital platforms unregulated was discriminatory and infringed their fundamental rights.

They contended that censorship principles under Section 6 of the Ordinance, derived from Article 19 of the Constitution, should apply equally across all platforms to uphold social norms of decency and morality.

Says extending Motion Pictures Ordinance to streaming services will be ‘judicial legislation’

The counsel argued that provisions of the ordinance had not been enforced equally against all mediums and platforms of public and private exhibition and the same were being applied selectively and arbitrarily against the petitioners, leaving all other digital platforms to continue unchecked.

A law officer for the federal government opposed the writ petitions as not maintainable.

He said the petitioners were not aggrieved and none of their established rights had been restricted or hindered by any of the respondents.

He maintained that following the 18th constitutional amendment, the subject of cinematograph censorship devolved upon the provinces, granting them exclusive authority in this regard.

He contended that the term “cinematograph” shall be construed keeping in view the context of the ordinance and OTT platforms were not covered by it.

A law officer for the Punjab government stated that the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) exclusively deals with electronic media and that the jurisdiction of the Punjab Film Censor Board was only restricted to the censorship of films.

He also emphasised that the term “cinematograph” was to be construed in the context of the ordinance, which had no application to the OTT platforms.

A lawyer for Pemra argued that the body was a regulatory authority for the broadcasting media and distribution of services and it was responsible only for improving the quality standards of the channels shown to the people of Pakistan.

He contended that Pemra had no nexus with the motion picture law and the petitioners.

He also questioned the locus standi of the petitioners.

A counsel for the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) also stated that it had no mandate or jurisdiction to regulate matters pertaining to content that was available for viewership on OTT platforms.

Advocate Zeeshan Zafar Hashmi, an amicus curiae (an impartial adviser to a court of law), also stated that the ordinance essentially deals with the exhibition of films by means of cinematograph, which is controlled by the Censor Board through censorship.

Justice Kamran observed that OTT platforms, which operate globally and deliver content directly to users on personal devices, fall outside the framework of the ordinance.

The judge noted that pre-censorship of OTT platforms was not only legally untenable but also logistically impossible given the vast, continuously updated nature of digital content.


Justice Kamran ruled that extending the motion pictures ordinance to cover OTT platforms would amount to judicial legislation, which is beyond the court’s domain.

The judge observed that cinemas and OTT platforms are fundamentally distinct and therefore not “similarly circumstanced” entities under Article 25 of the Constitution.

The judge also dismissed the petitioners’ contention that importing digital content is exempt from the Import Policy Order 2022, holding that once content is exhibited publicly in Pakistan, it must comply with domestic laws governing public exhibition.

Justice Kamran then dismissed the petitions, declaring that they were not maintainable on legal or practical grounds.

Trump’s TikTok deal raises more questions than it answers

President Donald Trump claims to have found a solution to keep TikTok operational
President Donald Trump claims to have found a solution to keep TikTok operational in the United States through a group of investors set to acquire the short-video app from its Chinese owners in compliance with US law.

However, many questions remain unanswered about how the deal will work and what it means for American users.

Is there really a deal?

Any sale of TikTok’s US operations would require ByteDance, its Chinese owner, to divest a move that needs approval from Beijing.

The Chinese government is reluctant to see a national champion forced out of its largest market amid an ongoing trade conflict with the increasingly protectionist Trump administration.

While the White House has claimed that China has accepted the deal, there has been no confirmation from Beijing. TikTok and ByteDance have not responded to queries.

“This deal is still very confusing in terms of what is exactly going on,” said Andrew Selepak, a media professor at the University of Florida.

Is Trump taking over TikTok?

In an executive order signed Thursday, the White House outlined a plan centered on key investors with close ties to the president.

Trump specifically named Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, a longtime ally and the world’s second-richest man, as a major player in the arrangement.

Ellison, one of the few high-profile Republicans in Silicon Valley, has been brought back into the spotlight through his involvement with Trump, including major AI partnerships with OpenAI.

The 81-year-old Ellison has also supported his son David’s acquisition of Hollywood studio Paramount and is reportedly exploring a stake in Warner Brothers.

The investor group also includes 94-year-old media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan, who control Fox News.

Whether this signals a conservative rebranding of TikTok a platform Trump credits with helping him reach young voters remains unclear.

Trump denied this possibility on Thursday.

The prospect of a right-wing shift, or increased government intervention in media, has raised concerns that key platforms are falling under conservative control, potentially limiting diverse viewpoints in a bitterly divided America.

The fate of TikTok will be decided amid major shifts across social media platforms.

Elon Musk has transformed X (formerly Twitter) into a vehicle for far-right politics, driving away many establishment media outlets and liberal users.

Meanwhile, Meta's Mark Zuckerberg has aligned with Trump and overhauled content moderation on Facebook and Instagram to address Republican claims of anti-conservative bias.

Why so cheap? 

At Thursday's White House ceremony, Vice President JD Vance pegged the deal at $14 billion.

That's a surprisingly low figure given Twitter's $44 billion valuation when it sold and TikTok's unique reach among young consumers in the world's largest economy.

Bloomberg reporting helped shed light on the modest price tag: unnamed sources indicated that ByteDance would retain significant value through an expensive licensing arrangement, potentially receiving about half of the new company's profits even if the company would hold just a 20 percent stake, according to Trump's plan.

Such terms could trigger alarm in Washington, where some lawmakers could scrutinize whether any sale meets the requirements of the divest-or-ban law that should have taken effect in January but has been repeatedly delayed since Trump took office.

And confusingly, the executive order announced Thursday extended the deadline to ban TikTok until mid-January to finalize a deal that the Trump administration simultaneously claimed was already complete.

John Moolenaar, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, reiterated this point on Friday and warned that he would be "conducting full oversight over this agreement."

"ByteDance has shown time and again that it is a bad actor," he said.

The Trump plan "offers vague assurances about protecting US national security but provides virtually no specifics," said Carl Tobias of the University of Richmond School of Law.

Adding to skepticism: Ellison's Oracle already manages TikTok's data servers from an earlier attempt to address US security concerns.

Critics question whether this deal changes anything substantive.

Friday, September 26, 2025

Microsoft restricts Israel’s access to AI tools over Gaza surveillance concerns

Microsoft
Microsoft on Thursday announced that it has restricted an Israeli defense unit’s access to certain cloud services that were reportedly being used in a large-scale surveillance program in Gaza.

The decision followed a two-month internal investigation triggered by a Guardian report claiming that the Israeli Defense Forces were utilizing Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform “to store data files of phone calls collected through broad or mass surveillance of civilians in Gaza and the West Bank.”

“We found evidence that corroborates parts of The Guardian’s reporting,” Microsoft President Brad Smith said in a message to employees shared publicly.

He added, “We do not provide technology designed to enable the mass surveillance of civilians.”

Microsoft reviewed the decision with the Israel Ministry of Defense along with steps the tech firm is taking to ensure compliance, according to Smith.

"This does not impact the important work that Microsoft continues to do to protect the cybersecurity of Israel and other countries in the Middle East," Smith said.

Japanese Party Looks to AI Leadership After Founder Steps Down

Japanese political party plans to appoint AI as leader after founder resigns
An emerging Japanese political party announced on Tuesday that it will appoint an artificial intelligence as its leader following the resignation of its founder, Shinji Ishimaru, after a disappointing performance in recent elections.

The Path to Rebirth party, launched in January by a former mayor of a small city in western Japan Ishimaru, lacks a formal policy platform, allowing its members to pursue individual agendas.

Ishimaru garnered unexpected support during the 2024 Tokyo gubernatorial election through a successful online campaign, finishing second.

However, he stepped down after the party failed to secure any seats in this year’s upper house elections.

“The new leader will be AI”, said a doctoral student in AI research Koki Okumura, who described himself as an assistant to the AI leader, during a news conference.

He will serve as the nominal leader of the party, although specifics about the AI’s implementation are still under discussion.

According to Okumura, the AI will not dictate political activities but will help make decisions regarding resource distribution among party members.

Okumura recently won a party contest to succeed Ishimaru.

Despite, attracting media attention, the Path to Rebirth has struggled in elections, with all 42 candidates losing in the June Tokyo assembly election and all 10 candidates who ran in the upper House election in July also failing to secure seats.

Indian Stocks Dive as Trump Imposes 100% Tariff on Pharma Imports

US President Donald Trump
Indian pharmaceutical stocks declined sharply by up to 5% on Friday following US President Donald Trump's declaration of imposing 100% tariffs on branded and patent-protected medicines including from India.

India’s Sun Pharma experienced the steepest decline, touching its yearly low at Rs1,547, showing a 5% reduction from its last closing price.

Biocon witnessed a 3.3% fall to Rs344, whilst Zydus Lifesciences declined by 2.8%, settling at Rs990.

Aurobindo Pharma decreased by 2.4% to Rs1,070, and Dr Reddy's registered a 2.3% decline to Rs1,245.30.

Both Lupin and Cipla saw a 2% reduction, ending at Rs1,923.30 and Rs1,480, respectively.

Torrent Pharma showed the smallest decline of 1.5%, reaching Rs3,480.65.

President Trump on Thursday announced tariffs of up to 100 percent on imports of branded and patented pharmaceutical drugs, starting October 1, 2025.

India's pharmaceuticals sector, one of the most dependent domestic industries on trade with America, was set to be significantly impacted by the move.

"Starting October 1st, 2025, we will be imposing a 100 percent tariff on any branded or patented pharmaceutical product, unless a company is building their pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in America," the Republican leader said on Truth Social.

Trump's posts showed that his devotion to tariffs did not end with the trade frameworks and import taxes that were launched in August. A reflection of the president's confidence that taxes will help reduce the government's budget deficit while increasing domestic manufacturing.

In his latest tariff blitz, Trump also slapped 50 percent duty on imports of kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, 30 percent on upholstered furniture, and 25 percent on heavy trucks.

While Trump did not provide a legal justification for the tariffs, he appeared to stretch the bounds of his role as commander-in-chief by stating that the taxes were needed “for National Security and other reasons.”

America is India's largest export market for pharmaceutical goods.

In FY 24, of India's $27.9 billion worth of pharma exports, 31 percent or $8.7 billion (Rs 77,138 crore) went to the US, according to the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India, an industry body.

Another $3.7 billion (Rs 32,505 crore) worth of pharma products were exported in just the first half of 2025.

Per reports, India supplies over 45 percent of generic and 15 percent of biosimilar drugs used in the US.

Firms like Dr Reddy's, Aurobindo Pharma, Zydus Lifesciences, Sun Pharma and Gland Pharma reportedly earn anywhere from 30-50 percent of their total revenues from the American market.

Although the latest American tariffs appear to mainly target branded and patented drugs a segment dominated by multinational giants uncertainty looms over whether complex generics and speciality medicines from India would also be under the scanner.

Moreover, large players already have manufacturing facilities in the US.

American consumers depend on low-cost generics manufactured in India.

Higher tariffs would lead to price hikes, inflation and drug shortages in the country.

Meanwhile, Indian companies, operating on thin margins in the US generics space, may struggle to absorb costs if tariffs are imposed on them, and end up passing them on to US consumers or insurers.

Trump has already slapped 50 percent tariffs on Indian imports, which also includes a 25 percent 'penalty' for continued purchase of Russian oil.

Thursday, September 25, 2025

US president approves plan for TikTok’s sale

President Donald Trump
President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order affirming that his plan to transfer TikTok’s US operations from Chinese parent ByteDance to American and international investors complies with the national security requirements set out in a 2024 law.

Vice President JD Vance said the new US-based company would be valued at around $14 billion well below many analysts’ projections for the popular short-video platform.

Trump also postponed enforcement of the law banning TikTok unless its Chinese owners divest the US business.

The new deadline of January 20 provides additional time to finalize the transaction, attract investors, and secure Beijing’s approval.

The executive order marks progress toward separating TikTok’s US operations from ByteDance, but uncertainties remain, particularly about who will control TikTok’s influential recommendation algorithm.

“There was some resistance from the Chinese side,” Vice President Vance acknowledged at an Oval Office briefing. “But our priority was to keep TikTok operational while ensuring Americans’ data privacy as required by law.”

Under the order, the algorithm will be retrained under the supervision of security partners from the new US entity, with operational control handed to a joint venture.

Trump said he discussed the plan directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “We had a good conversation, and he told me to go ahead with it,” Trump said.

Neither TikTok nor the Chinese embassy in Washington immediately commented.

TikTok has about 170 million US users. Trump, who has 15 million followers on his personal account, has credited the platform with helping him win reelection. The White House recently launched its own official TikTok account as well.

“This is going to be American-operated all the way,” Trump emphasized, adding that prominent figures like Dell Technologies founder Michael Dell, Fox Corp. chairman emeritus Rupert Murdoch, and several “world-class investors” are expected to take part in the deal.

The White House did not explain how the $14 billion valuation was determined.

By contrast, ByteDance recently set its own value at more than $330 billion in an employee share buyback plan.

TikTok contributes only a small fraction of that total revenue.

Analysts, however, note a wide valuation gap. Wedbush Securities’ Dan Ives estimated TikTok could be worth $30 to $40 billion without its algorithm as of April 2025.

Alan Rozenshtein, professor at the University of Minnesota Law School, said the order still leaves major uncertainties unresolved.

“The problem is that the president has certified the deal, but has not provided clarity on the algorithm,” he noted.

Oracle, others to own TikTok in US

A group of three investors, including Oracle and private-equity firm Silver Lake, will take a roughly 50% stake in TikTok US, two sources familiar with the deal said on Thursday.

A group of existing shareholders in ByteDance will hold a roughly 30% stake, one of the sources said.

Among ByteDance’s current investors are Susquehanna International Group, General Atlantic and KKR.

Given intense investor interest in TikTok, the 50% stake may still shift, the source noted.

Oracle and Silver Lake did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

CNBC reported earlier, citing sources, that Abu Dhabi-based MGX, Oracle and Silver Lake are poised to be the main investors in TikTok US with a combined 45% ownership.

MGX did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the CNBC report.

Republican House of Representatives lawmakers said they want to see more details of the deal to ensure it represents a clean break with China.

"As the details are finalised, we must ensure this deal protects American users from the influence and surveillance of CCP-aligned groups,” said US Representatives Brett Guthrie, Gus Bilirakis and Richard Hudson, all Republicans.

The agreement on TikTok’s US operations includes the appointment by ByteDance of one of seven board members for the new entity, with Americans holding the other six seats, a senior White House official said on Saturday.

ByteDance would hold less than 20% in TikTok US to comply with requirements set out in the 2024 law that ordered it shut down by January 2025 if its US assets were not sold by ByteDance.

Former French president Sarkozy handed 5-year jail term over criminal conspiracy

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy will soon be imprisoned after he was sentenced to five years in jail on Thursday by a court that found him guilty of criminal conspiracy over dealings with Libya, an unprecedented punishment for a leading French political figure.

The sentence was harsher than many expected, and a first in modern French political history. Sarkozy, who was president between 2007-2012, will spend time in jail even if he appeals the ruling.

As he exited the courtroom, Sarkozy expressed his anger at the ruling. "What happened today ... is of extreme gravity in regard to the rule of law, and for the trust one can have in the justice system," he told reporters.

"If they absolutely want me to sleep in jail, I will sleep in jail, but with my head held high," he said, adding that he was innocent and that the ruling was scandalous.

Sarkozy was found guilty of criminal conspiracy over efforts by close aides to procure funds for his 2007 presidential bid from Libya during the rule of late dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

He was acquitted by the Paris court of all other charges, including corruption and receiving illegal campaign financing.

Sarkozy will go to jail

However, the jail sentence is enforceable immediately, with the judge saying Sarkozy would have just a short period to put his affairs in order before prosecutors call on him to head to jail. That should happen within a month.

Sarkozy, who has always denied the charges, was accused of making a deal with Gaddafi in 2005, when he was France's interior minister, to obtain campaign financing in exchange for supporting the then-isolated Libyan government on the international stage.

The judge said there was no proof that Sarkozy made such a deal with Gaddafi, nor that money that was sent from Libya reached Sarkozy's campaign coffers, even if the timing was "compatible" and the paths the money went through were "very opaque".

But she said Sarkozy was guilty of criminal conspiracy for having let close aides get in touch with people in Libya to try to obtain campaign financing.

The 70-year-old has been on trial since January, in a case he said was politically motivated.

The court found him guilty of criminal conspiracy between 2005 and 2007. After that, he was president and covered by presidential immunity, the court added.

That was the second time this year that a court handed down a ruling with immediate effect on a major political figure.

A court convicted far-right leader Marine Le Pen in March of embezzling EU funds, handing her an immediate five-year ban on running for office.

Sarkozy’s legal woes

Despite his legal battles, and having his Legion of Honour, France's highest distinction, stripped in June, Sarkozy remains an influential figure on the French political stage.

He recently met with his former protege, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, and has also lent credibility to Le Pen's National Rally (RN), saying the far-right, anti-immigrant party now forms part of the "republican arc."

Sarkozy has faced several legal battles since leaving office.

Last year, France's highest court upheld his conviction for corruption and influence peddling, ordering him to wear an electronic tag for a year, a first for a former French head of state. The tag has now been removed.

Also last year, an appeals court confirmed a separate conviction for illegal campaign financing over his failed re-election bid in 2012. A final ruling from France's highest court is expected on that case next month.

Wednesday, September 24, 2025

‘Grave betrayal of diplomacy’: Iran’s president decries US-Israeli strikes, censures E3’s sanctions push

President Masoud Pezeshkian
President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran has condemned the “savage” US and Israeli airstrikes of June on Iranian territory during his speech at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.The Iranian president told the audience at the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday that it was a “heavy blow” to international trust and regional peace.

The president said the attacks, which struck Iranian cities, homes, and infrastructure while diplomatic talks were ongoing, represented “a grave betrayal of diplomacy and a weakening of efforts to establish peace and stability.”

“What you see in these images of killings and crimes is the massacre of children and women. It is a black record of slaughter carried out by Israel in our country against our people, including women, children, and youth, under the name of preserving peace and security in the region,” he said, holding out pictures of the victims.

Pezeshkian underscored Iran’s resilience, saying the country was “the world’s oldest continuous civilization” that has withstood the storms of history.

“Despite the harshest, longest, and heaviest economic sanctions, psychological warfare, media campaigns, and constant efforts to sow division, the Iranian people, from the very first bullet fired at their soil, stood united behind their brave armed forces, and today they continue to honor the blood of their martyrs,” he said.

The Iranian president said the strikes killed commanders, women, children, scientists, and national elites, while also damaging internationally-monitored facilities. He said the strikes constitute “a black record of crimes” carried out under the pretext of preserving regional security.

“Assassination of state officials, systematic targeting of journalists, and the killing of individuals solely because of their knowledge and expertise are flagrant violations of human rights and international law,” the Iranian president told delegates from around the globe.

Israel and the United States have shed the blood of thousands of innocent people in Gaza with the same approach, he said.

Pezeshkian accused Washington and Tel Aviv of deliberately undermining negotiations through military escalation.

The president stated that the foundation of all divine religions and human conscience is the golden rule: “Do not do unto others what you would not want done unto yourself.”

“Let us look at the past two years: the world has witnessed genocide in Gaza; the destruction of homes and repeated violations of sovereignty and territorial integrity in Lebanon; the devastation of Syria’s infrastructure; attacks on the people of Yemen; the forced starvation of emaciated children in their mothers’ arms; the stealthy assault on the sovereignty of nations, violations of states’ territorial integrity, and the open targeting of national leaders.”

“Would you accept such things for yourselves?”

The Iranian president warned that if such “dangerous violations” go unchecked, they will spread worldwide.

Call for ‘power through peace’

The president denounced what he called the “absurd and delusional” plan for a “Greater Israel,” accusing Israel of pursuing aggression and apartheid under the guise of “peace through power.”

“Today, after nearly two years of genocide, mass starvation, the continuation of apartheid inside the occupied territories, and aggression against neighboring countries, the absurd and delusional plan of a ‘Greater Israel’ is being shamelessly declared at the highest levels of this regime.”

He said such policies amount to “bullying and coercion — not peace, and not power.”

The Iranian president outlined an alternative vision for West Asia, calling for a “strong region” built on collective security, cultural diversity, joint investment in infrastructure and science, energy security, environmental protection, and the non-negotiable principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“We seek not peace through force, but power through peace.”


He also reiterated Iran’s longstanding support for a West Asia free of weapons of mass destruction, criticizing nuclear-armed states for violating the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) while pressuring Iran with “baseless accusations.”

“But we want our powerful Iran, alongside powerful neighbors, in a strong region with a bright future,” Pezeshkian said.

“We stand against mega projects that impose genocide, destruction, and instability on the region, and we defend a shared and hopeful vision: a vision that guarantees collective security through genuine mechanisms of defensive cooperation and joint responses to threats… a vision that seeks not ‘peace through force’ but ‘power through peace.’”

The president said in such a rich region, “there is no place for killing and bloodshed.”

“That is why, for many years, my country has been one of the staunchest supporters of creating a region free of weapons of mass destruction.”

“Yet those who themselves possess the largest nuclear arsenals, and who, in blatant violation of the NPT, make their weapons ever more lethal and destructive, have for years subjected our people to pressure with baseless accusations,” he said.

‘E3 trying to bully Iran’

Turning to the standoff over the so-called snapback mechanism of the 2015 nuclear deal, Pezeshkian denounced three European countries for attempting to reinstate annulled UN Security Council sanctions against Tehran, calling the move “illegal” and carried out “at the order of the United States.”

“Last week, three European countries, after failing, through a decade of broken promises and later by supporting military aggression, to bring the proud people of Iran to their knees, at the order of the United States, attempted through pressure, bullying, imposition, and blatant abuse to reinstate the annulled UN Security Council resolutions against Iran,” he said.

He accused the European powers of abandoning goodwill, bypassing legal obligations, and misrepresenting Iran’s remedial steps after the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal.

“They falsely presented themselves as ‘well-intentioned parties’ to the agreement, and labeled Iran’s sincere efforts as ‘insufficient.’ All of this was aimed at destroying the very JCPOA they themselves once called the greatest achievement of multilateral diplomacy,” he said.

The president said the move, which also faced opposition from some Security Council members, lacks international legitimacy and “will not be welcomed by the global community.”

He reiterated that Iran has never pursued nuclear weapons, citing a religious decree by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

Calling for a new approach to security, he urged world leaders to embrace “confidence building, mutual respect, and regional convergence” rather than force.

“I invite everyone to practice listening to one another instead of raising voices; to reconsider the intellectual foundations of polarization and political violence that today afflict not only the international community but also create tension and turmoil within societies; and to embrace, as the common ground of all beliefs and cultures, the principle of not imposing on others what we would not accept for ourselves.”

The Iranian president concluded by appealing for the restoration of the credibility of international institutions and the creation of a regional security framework in West Asia.

“Let us restore and rebuild the credibility of international institutions and legal mechanisms, and commit to establishing a system of regional security and cooperation in West Asia.”

TikTok under fire in Canada for inadequate protection of children data

Canada pushes TikTok to improve privacy measures for minors
TikTok has agreed to strengthen its measures to prevent children from accessing its platform after a Canadian investigation revealed that the app’s protections were insufficient.

Canadian privacy officials announced the findings, they highlighted that hundreds of thousands of Canadian children accessed TikTok annually, despite the company’s policy stating that users must be at least 13 years old.

The joint investigation, led by Canada’s Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne along with privacy authorities from Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta, found that TikTok had collected sensitive personal information from a significant number of Canadian minors, using this data for targeted marketing and content.

“Tik Tok collects vast amounts of personal information about its users, including children.

This data is being used to target the content and ads that users see, which can have harmful impacts, particularly on youth”, Dufresne stated during a press conference announcing the investigation’s results.

In response, TikTok has pledge to enhance its age-assurance methods to prevent underage users from accessing the platform and to improve communication regarding data usage, especially for younger users.

The company has also agreed to several changes during the investigation, including restricting advertisers from targeting users under 18, except based on general categories like language and approximate location and expanding privacy information available to Canadian users.

A TikTok spokesperson expressed satisfaction that the privacy commissioners supported many if its proposals to enhance protections for Canadian users, stating “While we disagree with some of the findings, we remain committed to maintaining strong transparency and privacy practices”.

However, the spokesperson did not clarify which findings TikTok contested.

Canada joins a growing list of governments and regulators scrutinising TikTok over concerns that the Chinese government could exploit the app for data collection or to further its interests.

TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance Ltd, has faced similar scrutiny world wide with the European Union banning the app from staff phones and the US Senate passing legislation to prohibit federal employees from using it on government devices.

In 2023, Ottawa began investigating TikTok’s plans to invest and expand its operations in Canada, leading to a government order to halt its Canadian operations due to national security concerns a decision that TikTok is currently challenging.

Tuesday, September 23, 2025

Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh, Saudi Arabia’s Top Religious Scholar, Passes Away

Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh, Saudi Arabia’s Top Religious Scholar, Passes Away
The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Sheikh, has passed away at the age of 82 after a period of illness (Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilayhi Raji’un).

According to official announcements, his funeral prayer will be held at Riyadh’s Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque after the Asr prayer. 

In addition, King Salman bin Abdulaziz has directed that absentee funeral prayers (Salat al-Gha’ib) be offered for the late Grand Mufti at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, and in all mosques across the Kingdom after Asr.

Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh served as the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, head of the Council of Senior Scholars, and President of the General Presidency for Scholarly Research and Ifta. 

He was the third Grand Mufti of the Kingdom, following Sheikh Muhammad bin Ibrahim Al-Sheikh and Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Baz.

Born on November 30, 1943, in Makkah, Sheikh Abdulaziz lost his father before the age of eight. Despite his early hardships, he memorised the Holy Qur’an at a young age and later lost his eyesight in his twenties. 

His dedication to religious learning led him to pursue higher studies in Shariah, and he went on to serve in various scholarly councils and as the imam and khateeb of Riyadh’s Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque. He also delivered important sermons at Masjid Namirah during Hajj.

Throughout his career, Sheikh Abdulaziz authored numerous scholarly works on Islamic jurisprudence, faith, and matters of halal and haram. 

His contributions included collections of fatwas, research writings, and guidance on key religious issues, which were widely followed across the Muslim world.

King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman extended their deepest condolences to the family of the late Grand Mufti, the Saudi people, and Muslims worldwide. 

White House Pledges American Authority on TikTok’s Algorithm

White House moves to ensure American oversight of TikTok’s core algorithm
The White House on Monday said a US version of TikTok would feature a homegrown model of the app's prized algorithm, potentially clearing one of the main obstacles to keeping the Chinese-owned platform online in the United States.

Often described as TikTok's "secret sauce," the fate of the video-sharing app's algorithm was one of the main question marks in persuading China to allow the platform's transfer to US ownership.

A law passed under President Donald Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, has forced current owner ByteDance to sell its US operations or face a ban of the hugely popular app in its biggest market.

US policymakers, including Trump in his first presidency, have warned that China could use TikTok to mine data from Americans or exert influence through its state-of-the-art algorithm.

Trump has repeatedly delayed the implementation of the ban while the White House looked for a team of domestic buyers for TikTok's US business.

As part of its ongoing trade talks with Beijing, it has also sought permission from Chinese authorities to allow one of their most successful tech champions to hand over the corporate reins -- and algorithm -- to Americans.

Under the proposal presented by a senior White House official to reporters, TikTok's US operations would move into a new joint venture based in the United States that would involve a majority-American board of directors.

US cloud giant Oracle, which already works closely with TikTok in the United States, would serve as a security guarantor for the algorithm, ensuring that it remained separate from any Chinese involvement.

'Fully inspected'

TikTok's content recommendation algorithm is "going to be fully inspected and retrained by the security provider on US user data, and then it's going to be operated by that US entity," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The US official said the algorithm would be "continuously monitored" to ensure it is "not being unduly influenced."

The latest updates came after Trump hailed progress Friday with Chinese President Xi Jinping on issues including TikTok, after both leaders spoke by telephone for the second time since Trump's return to the presidency.

Trump is expected to sign an executive order this week, declaring that the terms of the TikTok deal meet national security requirements, the US official said Monday.

This would also help to assure doubters who worry that the arrangement between Trump and Xi could fall short of the US law's obligations by leaving too great a role for ByteDance, which would keep control of TikTok globally.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News over the weekend that "there will be seven seats on the board that controls the app in the United States, and six of those seats will be Americans."

Trump separately added that conservative media tycoon Rupert Murdoch and his eldest son Lachlan could be among the investors who will take control of TikTok in the United States.

Venture capital giants Andreessen Horowitz and Silver Lake are also reported to be part of the deal.

Beijing, however, has said very little about any pending agreement.

"On the TikTok issue, Xi noted that China's position is clear: the Chinese government respects the will of enterprises and welcomes them to conduct business negotiations based on market rules, to reach solutions that balance interests and comply with Chinese laws and regulations," state broadcaster CCTV said after the Trump-Xi phone call.

Sindh IT firm joins hands with MoITT for new digital economy initiative

MoITT and Sindh IT company take a key step to boost the province's digital economy
The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) and the Sindh IT Company (SITC), a government-owned entity, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to implement the Digital Economy Enhancement Project (DEEP) in Sindh.

The agreement aims to establish a framework for federal–provincial collaboration to accelerate digital governance, enhance service delivery, and create a unified national digital ecosystem.

The MoU was signed by the Additional Secretary MoITT and the CEO of Sindh IT Company, while Minister for IT & Telecom Shaza Fatima witnessed the ceremony.

Under the MoU, MoITT will serve as the sponsoring agency, providing funding, technical expertise, and policy support while overseeing project implementation nationwide.

Key initiatives include the National Digital Services Portal, Pakistan Digital ID, Digital Vaults, the Pakistan Business Portal, and the National Data Exchange Layer.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that the launch of DEEP in Sindh is an important step towards shared vision of a digital Pakistan.

This initiative will not only improve governance and service delivery but also create new opportunities for innovation and growth.

He also thanked the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and pay tribute to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The minister said that the Digital Nation vision of Prime Minister continues to guide in building a connected, inclusive and technology-driven Pakistan.

Sindh IT Company will facilitate the local execution of DEEP components, working with provincial government entities for data integration, infrastructure support, and capacity building.

This partnership aims to enable digital transformation across Sindh and ensure provincial stakeholders are equipped to adopt modern governance tools.

The collaboration marks a major step toward advancing Pakistan’s digital economy.

By aligning national and provincial efforts, DEEP will deliver efficient, transparent, and citizen-centric digital services that bring long-term socio-economic benefits to the people of Sindh.

Monday, September 22, 2025

Palestinian Mission Granted Embassy Status by the UK

Palestinian Mission Granted Embassy Status by the UK
A flag-raising ceremony was held outside the Palestinian mission in London on Monday, a day after the UK announced it would recognise the State of Palestine, along with Australia, Canada and Portugal.

Other countries, including France, are due to follow suit in recognising Palestinian statehood at the annual UN General Assembly that opens Monday in New York.

Head of Mission Husam Zomlot hailed the "long overdue" recognition as the flag was raised in front of a crowd outside the building in Hammersmith in west London.

Holding up a plaque reading "Embassy of the State of Palestine", Zomlot said it would be put up soon, "pending some legal work, some bureaucratic work".

He called the recognition move an "acknowledgement of a historic injustice" at a time of "unimaginable suffering" for the Palestinian people in the war in Gaza.

He said the UK's recognition had particular resonance as Britain was pivotal in laying the groundwork for the creation of the State of Israel in 1948, through the 1917 Balfour Declaration.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the Palestinian Authority could now "set up an embassy and an ambassador in the UK".

"We will set out the diplomatic steps with the Palestinian Authority, there will be a series of different stages and processes to go through," Cooper told the BBC.

"On that practical side the most important thing is that it's part of that process to keep everyone working towards a two-state solution," she added.

Questioned on when the British consulate in east Jerusalem would become an embassy, Cooper said it had been there for longer than the Israeli state, "so it will continue for now, and we will set out the diplomatic process with the Palestinian Authority".

Following Sunday's announcement, Britain's foreign ministry updated its travel advice page to remove the reference to "Occupied Palestinian territories", replacing it with "Palestine".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denounced the push for recognition as "absurd", saying it would "endanger" Israel's existence.

He has also vowed to accelerate the creation of new settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

The war in Gaza follows Hamas's attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023 that resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.

Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 65,208 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, which the UN considers reliable.

Apple Releases Next-Gen AirPods Pro 3, Now with Superior Noise Cancellation

Apple Releases Next-Gen AirPods Pro 3, Now with Superior Noise Cancellation
Apple launched the AirPods Pro 3, promising significant upgrades to its wireless earbuds, all for a price of $249.

The new earbuds offer a number of improved features such as better noise cancellation, sound quality, and a heart rate sensor.

Active noise cancellation

Apple claims the new AirPods Pro offer active noise cancellation (ANC) that removes up to twice as much noise as the previous generation and four times more than the original AirPods Pro.

This is achieved through ultra-low noise microphones, computational audio, and new foam ear tips. These ear tips improve the fit and increase noise isolation.

Audio quality

The earbuds feature Adaptive EQ, which reportedly adjusts music in real time to the fit of the AirPods to provide consistent detailed sound. PersonalizedSpatial Audio uses the iPhone’s TrueDepth camera to map the geometry of a user’s head.

Apple claims it creates an “immersive audio experience” with a dynamic head tracking for a realistic sound environment. Transparency mode lets users hear voices and ambient sounds naturally while still listening to audio.

Fit and durability

Apple says it used data from over 10,000 scans of ears to design the new earbuds for comfort and stability. There are five sizes of ear tips available, including a new "extra-extra-small" option.

The earbuds have an IP57 rating, meaning they are resistant to dust, sweat and water, making them suitable for workouts.

Health features

The AirPods Pro 3 include Apple’s smallest heart rate sensor, which uses infrared light pulsing 256 times per second to track blood flow during exercise.This works with the iPhone’s Fitness app to monitor heart rate and calories burned across more than 50 different workout types.

A new "Workout Buddy" feature offers motivational messages based on Apple’s Move rings and Fitness+ Burn Bar.

 Battery life

The earbuds provide up to eight hours of listening time with ANC activated, a 33% improvement on the previous model. They offer up to 10 hours of battery life in Transparency mode.

The charging case has a built-in speaker and improved "Ultra Wideband" technology for "Precision Finding", making it easier to locate misplaced earbuds.

 Additional features

Live Translation allows real-time spoken language translation with audio through the new AirPods when paired with Apple Intelligence. 

Siri supports voice commands, reading messages, and hands-free control with new head gesture functions.

"Audio Sharing" lets users share sound with friends by bringing their AirPods close to an Apple device.

Karachi man gets six year jail term for blackmailing woman through fake Facebook accounts

Fake Facebook accounts lead to six year prison term for Karachi man
A judicial magistrate has sentenced a man to a total of six years in prison for creating fake Facebook accounts in his friend’s name and misusing them to share her inappropriate photographs in an attempt to blackmail her after she turned down his proposal for engagement.

Judicial Magistrate (East) Yusra Ashfaq found Abdullah Saleem guilty of offences under Sections 20 (dignity of natural person), 21 (modesty of natural person and minor) and 24 (cyberstalking) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016, and awarded him two years’ imprisonment on each count.

“It is clear that the prosecution has successfully proven the charge against the accused.

The prosecution has demonstrated that the accused tarnished the dignity of the complainant and her family, violated the complaint’s modesty, display videos without her consent, and displayed them publicly,” the court observed.

Explaining the motive of the accused, the court noted that the evidence reflected his frustration and resentment over the refusal of a formal engagement with the complainant due to his anger issues.

Magistrate finds him guilty of offences of cyberstalking, etc under Peca

The court further observed that the accused had threatened the complainant and started harassing her by creating fake social media accounts and misusing them to transmit her photographs with the intent to take revenge and damage her honour and reputation.

According to state prosecutor Sheraz Rajpar, the complainant stated in her testimony that she had had a friendship with the accused, which eventually ended due to his inappropriate behaviour.

Later, the accused resorted to creating fake Facebook accounts in the complainant’s name and sharing her personal photos to blackmail her and her family.

The complainant deposed that the “accused admitted to being behind those accounts and threatened her that she would never be able to marry anyone else, even going so far as to say he would force her to commit suicide”, the prosecutor added.

During the trial, prosecutor Sheraz argued that the complainant’s testimony was corroborated by the verification report, screenshots, IP logs, WhatsApp records and the detailed forensic report, adding that at the inquiry stage the accused had handed over his phone to the investigators and, after forensic examination, it was revealed that the “fake accounts and transmissions were linked to the accused’s number and IP address”.

On the other hand, the accused denied the allegations and claimed that he had been falsely implicated in the case by the complainant. However, the court rejected the defence plea and noted that the defence side had failed to produce substantial evidence in support of its claims.

A case was registered at the Federal Investigation Agency’s Cyber Crime Cell for offences under Sections 20, 21 and 24 of the Peca.

Google faces legal challenge threatening its ad tech dominance

Court battle begins as Google fights to protect its ad tech business
Google faces a fresh federal court test on Monday as US government lawyers ask a judge to order the breakup of the search engine giant's ad technology business.

The lawsuit is Google's second such test this year after the California-based tech juggernaut saw a similar government demand to split up its empire shot down by a judge earlier this month.

Monday's case focuses specifically on Google's ad tech "stack" – the tools that website publishers use to sell ads and that advertisers use to buy them.

In a landmark decision earlier this year, Federal Judge Leonie Brinkema agreed with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) that Google maintained an illegal grip on this market.

Monday's trial is set to determine what penalties and changes Google must implement to undo its monopoly.

According to filings, the US government will argue that Google should spin off its ad publisher and exchange operations.

The DOJ will also ask that after the divestitures are complete, Google be banned from operating an ad exchange for 10 years.

Google will argue that the divestiture demands go far beyond the court's findings, are technically unfeasible, and would be harmful to the market and smaller businesses.

"We've said from the start that DOJ's case misunderstands how digital advertising works and ignores how the landscape has dramatically evolved, with increasing competition and new entrants," said Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google's Vice President of Regulatory Affairs.

In a similar case in Europe, the European Commission, the EU's antitrust enforcer, earlier this month fined Google 2.95 billion euros ($3.47 billion) over its control of the ad tech market.

Brussels ordered behavioural changes, drawing criticism that it was going easy on Google, as it had previously indicated that a divestiture may be necessary.

This remedy phase of the US trial follows a first trial that found Google operated an illegal monopoly.

It is expected to last about a week, with the court set to meet again for closing arguments a few weeks later.

The trial begins in the same month that a separate judge rejected a government demand that Google divest its Chrome browser, in an opinion that was largely seen as a victory for the tech giant.

That was part of a different case, also brought by the US Department of Justice, in which the tech giant was found responsible for operating an illegal monopoly, this time in the online search space.

Instead of a major breakup of its business, Google was required to share data with rivals as part of its remedies.

The US government had pushed for Chrome's divestment, arguing the browser serves as a crucial gateway to the internet that brings in a third of all Google web searches.

Shares in Google-parent Alphabet have skyrocketed by more than 20% since that decision.

Judge Brinkema has said in pre-trial hearings that she will closely examine the outcome of the search trial when assessing her path forward in her own case.

These cases are part of a broader bipartisan government campaign against the world's largest technology companies. The US currently has five pending antitrust cases against such companies.

Sunday, September 21, 2025

Portugal Becomes Latest EU Nation to Recognize Palestine

Portugal has become the latest European nation to recognize the State of Palestine
Portugal has become the latest European nation to recognize the State of Palestine a historic shift in Western foreign policy that quickly drew condemnation from Israel and criticism from the United States.

In Gaza, Palestinians hailed the decision as a symbolic victory, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded defiantly, declaring that a Palestinian state “will never exist.”

Washington also dismissed the recognition as “performative,” insisting its priority remains a negotiated diplomatic solution to the Israel–Hamas conflict.

Several other countries, including France, are expected to extend recognition of Palestine during high-level discussions at the UN General Assembly opening in New York on Monday.

Israel, meanwhile, is facing mounting international pressure over its war in Gaza, which has created a devastating humanitarian crisis in the enclave.

Netanyahu blasted the recognition drive as “absurd,” arguing it would “endanger Israel’s existence.” He vowed: “No Palestinian state will ever be established west of the Jordan River.”

The Israeli leader also pledged to push ahead with the expansion of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, territory under Israeli control since 1967 in defiance of international law.

The UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain was formally recognising the State of Palestine "to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution".

Britain and Canada became the first members of the Group of Seven advanced economies to take the step.

The United States -- a staunch ally of Israel -- said its "focus remains on serious diplomacy, not performative gestures".

"Our priorities are clear: the release of the hostages, the security of Israel, and peace and prosperity for the entire region that is only possible free from Hamas," a State Department spokesperson said on condition of anonymity.

Moral victory

The moves are a watershed moment for Palestinians and their ambitions for statehood, with the most powerful Western nations having long argued recognition should only come as part of a negotiated peace deal with Israel.

Three-quarters of UN members now recognise the State of Palestine, with at least 145 of the 193 member countries having done so, according to an AFP tally.

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the move "recognises the legitimate and long held aspirations of the people of Palestine", while Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel called the two-state solution "the only path to a just and lasting peace".

On the ground in Gaza, many saw recognition as an affirmation of their existence after nearly two years of war between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.

"This recognition shows that the world is finally starting to hear our voice and that in itself is a moral victory," said Salwa Mansour, 35, who has been displaced from the southern city of Rafah to Al-Mawasi.

"Despite all the pain, death and massacres we're living through, we cling to anything that brings even the smallest bit of hope," she added.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas hailed the recognitions as "an important and necessary step toward achieving a just and lasting peace".

Although a largely symbolic move, it puts the four countries at odds with the United States and Israel.

US President Donald Trump said last week after talks with Starmer that "one of our few disagreements" was over Palestinian statehood.

Special burden

A growing number of established Israeli allies have shifted their long-held positions as Israel has intensified its Gaza offensive, which began with Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack.

Since then, the Gaza Strip has suffered vast destruction, with a growing international outcry over the besieged coastal territory's spiralling death toll and a UN-declared famine.

The UK government has come under increasing public pressure to act, with thousands of people rallying every month on the streets.

Starmer said on Sunday that Britain was acting "in the face of the growing horror in the Middle East", and renewed calls for a ceasefire.

Starmer also confirmed plans to bolster sanctions on Hamas, denying recognition was a "reward".

Hamas's attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.

Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 65,208 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, which the UN considers reliable.

Many obstacles remain before realising Palestinian statehood, including a decision on who would run the territory.

Trump says he prevented seven wars, including Pakistan-India clash

Former US President Donald Trump
Former US President Donald Trump once again spoke about America’s mediation role in conflicts, claiming he prevented a war between Pakistan and India through trade diplomacy.

Trump asserted that during his tenure he halted seven wars, including a potential conflict between Israel and Iran.

According to a news agency, he also warned Afghanistan of “serious consequences” if it failed to return control of the Bagram Air Base.

The report further noted that talks between the US and the Taliban over counter-terrorism cooperation are currently underway.

The deployment of a limited number of US troops at the Bagram Air Base is being considered, a news agency said.

Saturday, September 20, 2025

Viral audio of woman telecaller slamming Indian paramilitary sparks uproar

A viral audio clip has sparked outrage in India after a woman was heard using abusive language against a Central Reserve Police Force
A viral audio clip has sparked outrage in India after a woman, identified as telecaller Anu Radha Verma, was heard using abusive and derogatory language against a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel during a dispute over loan repayment.

According to Indian media reports, Verma allegedly mocked the officer’s education and profession, telling him he was “ignorant” and would not have been “sent to the border if you were educated.”

She went further, accusing him of “usurping others’ money” and even remarking, “That is why your children are born disabled.”

At one stage, when the officer tried to respond, she cut him off, saying: “What lesson will you teach me? My family is also linked to the army. You are living on debt and you will teach me?”

As the audio spread widely across social media, speculation mounted that Verma was linked to a bank.

However, the bank named in online claims issued a clarification denying she was an employee though questions remain about how she obtained sensitive loan details if not through official channels.

Amid mounting criticism and a worsening public perception of the Indian armed forces, another audio clip of Verma, but this time offering an apology to the CRPF personnel, also surfaced online.

The woman was heard requesting to "stop harassing" her with audio or video calls and offensive messages to stop.

NASA announces weekend solar eclipse – will it be visible in Pakistan?

A partial solar eclipse will sweep across skies overnight on 21–22 September
A partial solar eclipse will sweep across skies overnight on 21–22 September, NASA has confirmed. This rare celestial event will be visible from Australia, Antarctica, and parts of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans but not from the United States or Pakistan.

According to the Climate Data Processing Centre of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the eclipse will begin at 10:30pm PST on September 21, peak at 12:42am, and conclude by 2:54am.

However, the phenomenon will remain completely invisible from anywhere in Pakistan.

NASA explains that a partial solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and Sun without perfect alignment, creating the appearance of a glowing crescent Sun.

This marks the second major astronomical event of the month, following the total lunar eclipse of September 7–8.

Adding to the cosmic calendar, the September equinox will arrive on the 22nd, when day and night become nearly equal worldwide.

Looking ahead, sky gazers can anticipate the next total solar eclipse visible in parts of North America on August 12, 2026 crossing Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia, and a sliver of Portugal.

A partial eclipse on that date will be visible across North America, Europe, Africa, the Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific Oceans.

Plus, there’s an annular eclipse coming on February 17, 2026, visible in parts of Antarctica, with a partial eclipse across Africa, South America, and several oceans.

Nasa has one important reminder: never look directly at the Sun without proper eclipse glasses or filters.

“Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter… will instantly cause severe eye injury,” the agency warns.