Daily News Pakistan

Several Iranian state-linked news agencies and online platforms have been targeted by cyber attacks following US and Israeli military strikes on Iran, according to reports on Saturday. The Telegram channel of the hard-line Hamshahri daily said a “widespread wave” of cyber operations had begun alongside the military escalation, disrupting a number of major media outlets in Iran. Several platforms were reported to be experiencing technical difficulties or were temporarily inaccessible, the report said. Preliminary reports cited by the channel indicated that the websites of the state news agency IRNA and the semi-official ISNA news agency were among those allegedly hacked or facing access problems. The reports pointed to disruptions affecting several online applications across Iran. However, there were no clear details about who may be behind the attacks. So far, Iranian authorities have not issued an official statement confirming the scale of the disruption.

Israel and the United States have jointly struck Iran, pushing the Middle East into a renewed military confrontation. US President Donald Trump confirmed, “Short time ago, US began major combat operations in Iran.” He added, “Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.” “The State of Israel launched a pre-emptive attack against Iran to remove threats to the State of Israel,” Defence Minister Israel Katz said. A US official told Reuters that US strikes were being carried out by air and sea. Another US official told Reuters that the US military was expected to carry out a “multi-day operation” against Iran.

Israel has launched what it has called “pre-emptive attack” against Iran. In a statement this morning, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has declared a "special and permanent state of emergency" across Israel. Three explosions have been heard in downtown Tehran, according to Iranian media. The Fars News Agency says it has received reports that several missiles have hit the Republic area of the Iranian capital.

Meta Platforms-owned Instagram announced it will begin notifying parents if their teenager repeatedly searches for content related to suicide or self-harm within a short period. The move comes amid growing international pressure on governments to tighten protections for minors online, following Australia’s decision to ban social media use for children under 16. Similar restrictions are being considered in the United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, and Slovenia. How the New Alert System Works Instagram said it will notify parents who have signed up for the platform’s optional supervision tools if their teen attempts to access suicide- or self-harm-related content multiple times. “These alerts build on our existing work to help protect teens from potentially harmful content on Instagram,” the company said in a statement, adding that it already blocks searches promoting or glorifying suicide and redirects users to support resources. The alert feature will begin rolling out next week in the...

On the directions of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has initiated work to install electric vehicle (EV) charging points across Islamabad. Comprehensive EV Policy in the Works According to officials, the CDA will first formulate a comprehensive policy governing the establishment and operation of electric charging stations in the federal capital. Once approved, charging infrastructure will be rolled out in phases. Charging points are planned to be installed outside parking plazas, commercial centers, and residential buildings to facilitate the growing number of electric vehicle users. Mandatory Installation at Petrol Pumps As part of the initial phase, the CDA has issued notices directing all petrol pumps in Islamabad to install electric charging booths. Authorities say the move is aimed at ensuring safety and accessibility, allowing EV users to recharge vehicles at established fuel stations. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the r...

Millions of people around the world use Chat GPT, developed by OpenAI, every day, but very few users know that this chatbot also has the option to choose different “personalities”. OpenAI introduced the personalization feature in Chat GPT in November 2025, through which users can get answers in the way they want. This feature is also available for free users. What is the personality feature? This feature does not change the basic functions of Chat GPT, but only changes the way it responds. That is, the information remains the same, but the style changes. Currently, 7 personalities are available: Professional Friendly Candid Efficient Quirky Nerdy Cynical How to use the feature? Go to Chat GPT settings. Click on the “Personalization” option. Choose your favorite personality. Users can also give each personality their own instructions. For example, if a question requires two different answers, different personalities can be selected to get answers in different ways. Th...

Apple Inc. announced on Tuesday that it will move part of its Mac Mini desktop computer production from Asia to the United States, with manufacturing set to begin later this year at a facility in Houston, Texas. The company said it will also expand its Houston operations to include a new advanced manufacturing training center, adding that the move is expected to create thousands of jobs. Major US Investment Push The announcement builds on Apple’s earlier pledge to invest $600 billion in the United States over the next four years. CEO Tim Cook said the company remains “deeply committed to the future of American manufacturing.” Apple has already begun producing AI servers in Houston, with the company noting that production is ahead of schedule. Tariff Pressure and Policy Shifts The move comes amid renewed tariff uncertainty under President Donald Trump. In May, Trump threatened Apple with a 25% tariff on products manufactured overseas, reversing earlier exemptions that had shie...

US President Donald Trump defended his economic record and declared the start of a new “golden age” during his State of the Union address on Tuesday, as he sought to project confidence amid slipping approval ratings and mounting political challenges. Speaking before a joint session of Congress, Trump devoted much of the first hour of his speech to the economy, highlighting lower inflation, record stock market gains, sweeping tax cuts, and reduced drug prices. “Our nation is back — bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before,” Trump said to loud applause from Republican lawmakers, while Democrats largely remained silent. Economic Claims Under Scrutiny Despite the president’s optimism, recent data showed the US economy slowed more than expected last quarter while inflation accelerated. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found only 36% of Americans approve of his handling of the economy. Trump acknowledged last week’s ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States, which struck down ...

North Korea’s Kim Jong-un is re-elected by Congress as the General Secretary of the country’s ruling Workers’ Party for the third time. State media reported on Monday that Kim, 42, was reelected to the top post with delegates at the Congress crediting him for bolstering the country’s nuclear arsenal and strengthening its regional standing. Kim has created a military capable of handling “any threat of aggression” and “any form of war,” the Congress announced, adding that his brave leadership is “reliably guaranteeing” the country’s future and “boosting the pride and self-esteem” of North Koreans. Kim was reelected as General Secretary of North Korea’s Workers’ Party with the “unshakable will and unanimous desire” of thousands of delegates on the fourth day of meetings Sunday, North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) announced. He has held the party’s top post since 2016. The Congress is held every five years to elect the general secretary to serve as the party’s to...

US artificial intelligence company Anthropic said Monday it had uncovered campaigns by three Chinese AI firms to illicitly extract capabilities from its Claude chatbot, in what it described as industrial-scale intellectual property theft. Anthropic said DeepSeek, Moonshot AI, and MiniMax used a technique known as "distillation" — using outputs from a more powerful AI system to rapidly boost the performance of a less capable one. "These campaigns are growing in intensity and sophistication," the company said in a statement. "The window to act is narrow." Distillation is a common practice within AI development, often used by companies to create cheaper, smaller versions of their own models. The practice grabbed headlines a year ago when the release of a low-cost generative AI model from DeepSeek performed at a similar level to ChatGPT and other top American chatbots, upending assumptions of US dominance in the sensitive sector. Anthropic said the comp...

A top Iranian diplomat says the time is ripe for the United States to abandon its “fruitless” sanctions and failed policy of war against Iran, urging genuine respect for diplomacy as the only viable path forward. “Iran's enemies may start a war, but they will not be able to determine the end,” Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi said in an address to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday. “You have tried sanctions and war in relation to Iran and got nowhere. Now it is time to experience diplomacy and respect,” he said. He said Iranians do not seek aggression against other countries but will firmly stand against any military or political conspiracy against the Islamic Republic and will defend their homeland. Gharibabadi said the consequences of war will not be limited only to the parties to the conflict, “but will engulf the region.” US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened military actio...

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Sunday ordered the shutdown of the city’s entire traffic network for all non-emergency travel as a powerful snowstorm began battering the northeastern United States. Tens of millions of Americans — from Washington, D.C. to the state of Maine — braced for up to two feet (60 cm) of snow in some areas. The National Weather Service (NWS) warned that blizzard conditions would “quickly materialize,” making travel extremely dangerous. Snowfall was forecast at a rate of two to three inches per hour at the height of the storm, with nearly 54 million people in its projected path. By Sunday evening, heavy snow had already reduced visibility across New York City, with parts of Wall Street barely visible from Brooklyn. Authorities warned of potential power outages due to heavy snow accumulation and wind gusts of up to 60 miles (100 km) per hour. In neighboring New Jersey, more than 22,000 customers were reported without electricity. Mayor Mamdani declared t...

US President Donald Trump has announced that he will raise the temporary global tariff rate on all goods imported into the United States from 10% to 15%. The tariffs include many countries that have been exploiting the United States for decades. New and legally permissible tariffs will be determined in the coming months. This decision by the British news agency Reuters came after the US Supreme Court ruled yesterday against his major tariff program implemented under the Economic Emergencies Act. Expressing anger at the court ruling, President Trump on Friday… Under the relevant law, the president has the authority to impose a maximum tariff of 15% for 150 days, but this move may also face legal challenges. President Trump said in a statement on the social media platform Social Truth that he is immediately increasing the 10 percent global tariff to the full legally authorized level of 15 percent. He said that many countries have been exploiting the United States for decades. Accord...

 The US Supreme Court has ruled President Donald Trump’s global trade tariff measures unconstitutional and invalid, delivering a major setback to his economic agenda.The court, in its Friday ruling, stated that Trump exceeded his authority when imposing tariffs, which had significantly disrupted international trade. It clarified that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not grant the president the power to unilaterally impose tariffs without congressional approval. Experts say the decision is a serious blow to Trump’s economic strategy, as tariffs were a key tool in his trade policy. The ruling could also affect trade agreements implemented earlier this year and sets a precedent limiting the president’s ability to act without Congress. It is noteworthy that President Trump had imposed tariffs on several countries, including Pakistan. Last month, he had warned that a court ruling against his tariffs could create economic challenges for the United States....

When part of a SpaceX rocket re-entered Earth's atmosphere exactly a year ago, it created a spectacular fireball that streaked across Europe's skies, delighting stargazers and sending a team of scientists rushing towards their instruments. The German team managed to measure the pollution the rocket's upper stage emitted in our planet's difficult-to-study upper atmosphere -- the first time this has been achieved, according to a study published on Thursday. It is vital to learn more about this little-understood form of pollution because of the huge number of satellites that are planned to be launched in the coming years, the scientists emphasised. In the early hours of February 19, 2025, the upper stage of a Falcon 9 rocket was tumbling back to Earth when it exploded into a fireball that made headlines from the UK to Poland. "We were excited to try and test our equipment and hopefully measure the debris trail," the team led by Robin Wing and Gerd Baumgarte...

US President Donald Trump told the first meeting of his Board of Peace on Thursday that $7 billion has been contributed to a Gaza reconstruction fund that aims to rebuild the enclave. In a flurry of announcements at the end of a long, winding speech, Trump said the United States will make a contribution of $10 billion to the Board of Peace. He said contributing nations had raised $7 billion as an initial down payment for Gaza reconstruction. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is among the world leaders attending the inaugural meeting of the BoP led by Trump in Washington. Trump first proposed the board last September when he announced his plan to end Israel's war in Gaza. He later made clear the board's remit would be expanded beyond Gaza to tackle other conflicts worldwide. Addressing the meeting, Trump said countries had contributed more than $7 billion toward relief in Gaza as part of his Board of Peace effort. "I'm pleased to announce that Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan...

Bill Gates will not appear at the India AI Impact Summit on Thursday to deliver his keynote address, dealing another blow to an event already marred by organisational lapses, a robot snafu and delegate complaints over VIP traffic disruptions. No reason was given. But the Gates Foundation said the billionaire will not deliver his address “to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit’s key priorities”. The cancellation comes after the US Department of Justice released emails last month that included communication between late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the foundation’s staff. The documents indicate Gates and Epstein met repeatedly after Epstein’s prison term to discuss expanding Gates’ philanthropic efforts. Gates has said the relationship was confined to philanthropy-related discussions and that it was a mistake for him to meet with Epstein. The Gates Foundation, the philanthropic organisation started by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his then-w...

An Indian university has courted controversy at the AI summit in Delhi after an official claimed that a Chinese-made robotic dog was its own invention. The incident came to light after a professor from Galgotias University told state-run broadcaster DD News that the robot named "Orion" was "developed" at their Centre of Excellence. A video of her remarks went viral. Online users later identified the machine as the Go2 model made by Chinese firm Unitree Robotics, which is commercially available starting at about 200,000 rupees ($2,200; £1,600). In a statement on Wednesday, the university denied claiming it had built the robot and described the backlash as a "propaganda campaign". "We would like to clearly state that the robotic programming is part of our endeavour to make students learn AI programming and develop and deploy real world skills using globally available tools and resources, given developing AI talent is need of the hour," the un...

Molten glass drops through chutes before being blown into bottles at manufacturer Encirc's northwest England plant, where intensive operations are under strain from exorbitant energy prices weighing on Britain's heavy industry. "We're paying a lot more energy costs than our European competitors," said Oliver Harry, head of corporate affairs at Encirc, which makes over a third of the UK's glass bottles. Britain has some of the highest energy prices in Europe, driven by its reliance on natural gas and the costs of transitioning to renewables, which are passed on to bills. The country's industrial electricity prices were also the steepest in Europe in 2024, according to the latest annual government data. Standing in the intense heat of the factory's two huge furnaces, Harry warned: "We're already seeing an increase in imports into the UK as customers turn to cheap, more unsustainable glass producers", notably from China and Turkey. Mo...

Tarique Rahman sworn in as Bangladesh’s Prime Minister after BNP’s landslide victory, marking a major political shift following Sheikh Hasina’s ouster and a period of interim rule.Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Tarique Rahman was sworn in as Bangladesh’s prime minister on Tuesday, marking a significant political transition in the South Asian country following his party’s sweeping victory in the parliamentary elections. Rahman, 60, is the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and late President Ziaur Rahman. He assumes office at a critical time, facing major challenges including restoring political stability, rebuilding investor confidence, and reviving key industries such as the garment sector after prolonged unrest that followed the Gen Z-led uprising which toppled Sheikh Hasina’s government in 2024. During the transitional period, the country was governed by an interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus until fresh elections were held. In a departu...

The year's first solar eclipse will occur today (Tuesday), but will not be visible in Pakistan. According to the PMD, the eclipse will begin at 2:56 pm Pakistan time, reach its maximum at 5:12 pm, and end at 7:28 pm. The PMD said the eclipse will be visible in parts of Africa and South America. It added that a partial solar eclipse will also be seen over the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. The department said the "Ring of Fire" will be visible only in Antarctica. In an earlier update, the PMD described the phenomenon as an annular solar eclipse, during which the moon covers most of the sun while leaving a bright ring of sunlight visible around its edges. Space.com reported that the "Ring of Fire" will be observable from a remote region of Antarctica, where up to 96% of the sun will be obscured for just over two minutes. The report said a partial solar eclipse will be visible across parts of Antarctica, southern Africa and the south...

Pakistan and Austria have agreed to further cement their bilateral relationship in diverse fields including economic cooperation, trade and investment, tourism, hospitality, education, IT, healthcare, human resource development and mobility. The understanding was reached during a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Austrian Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker in Vienna on Monday. Both leaders agreed to work towards the early finalization of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) covering these priority sectors. They also exchanged views on regional and global developments, reaffirming the central role of the United Nations in addressing challenges related to peace and security, peaceful dispute resolution, sustainable development, climate action and the promotion of human rights. The two sides expressed their shared commitment to multilateralism and appreciated mutual support for each other’s candidatures at international forums, while pledging to work with the global co...

The United States kept their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign alive with a commanding 93-run victory over the Netherlands in the 21st group-stage match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday. A brilliant half-century from Saiteja Mukkamalla followed by a four-wicket haul from Harmeet Singh powered the USA to a dominant win. Chasing a daunting 197-run target, the Netherlands were bundled out for just 103 in 15.5 overs. Bas de Leede top-scored for the Dutch side with 23 off 17 balls, while captain Scott Edwards contributed 20 off 14 deliveries. Max O’Dowd (13) and Roelof van der Merwe (10) were the only other batters to reach double figures. Harmeet Singh starred with the ball, claiming 4/21 in his four overs. Shadley van Schalkwyk took three wickets, while Mohammad Mohsin grabbed two and Nosthush Kenjige picked up one. Earlier, Netherlands captain Scott Edwards opted to field first — a decision that ultimately backfired as the USA posted 196/6 in their allotted 20 overs. T...

Surprised astronomers said Thursday they have discovered a star with planets in a bizarre order that defies scientific expectations -- and suggests these faraway worlds formed in a manner never seen before. In our Solar System, the four planets closest to the Sun are small and rocky, while the four farther out are gas giants. Scientists had thought this planetary order -- rocky first, then gaseous -- was consistent across the universe. However, a star called LHS 1903 discovered in the Milky Way's thick disc suggests otherwise. An international team of astronomers analysing data from several different telescopes had already spotted three planets orbiting the red dwarf star, which is cooler and less bright than our Sun. The closest planet to the star was rocky, followed by two gas giants. That is the order scientists expect. But digging into observations made by Europe's exoplanet-probing Cheops space telescope revealed a fourth planet farther out in the system -- and it ...

President Donald Trump will announce a multi-billion-dollar reconstruction plan for Gaza and detail plans for a UN-authorised stabilisation force for the Palestinian enclave at the first formal meeting of his Board of Peace next week, two senior US officials said on Thursday. Delegations from at least 20 countries, including many heads of state, are expected to attend the meeting in Washington, DC, which Trump will chair on February 19, the officials told Reuters on condition of anonymity. The details on Trump’s plans for the first meeting of his Board of Peace for Gaza have not been previously reported. Trump signed documents in Davos, Switzerland, on January 23 establishing the Board of Peace. The board’s creation was endorsed by a United Nations Security Council resolution as part of Trump’s Gaza plan. While regional Middle East powers, including Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, as well as major emerging nations such as Indonesia, have joined the board, global powers an...

Computer science student Jack Luo is "the kind of person who'll build you a custom AI tool just because you mentioned a problem, then take you on a midnight ride to watch the city lights". At least that's how his artificial intelligence assistant describes him on MoltMatch -- a dating site on which machines do the flirting for humans, sometimes without their knowledge. The platform is the latest bizarre evolution of OpenClaw, an AI tool able to execute tasks that has both fascinated and spooked the tech world. While the prospect of a robot scrolling through reams of dating profiles may be appealing to some hoping to save time finding love, the experiment has also raised ethical concerns. An AFP analysis of the top profiles on MoltMatch found at least one example of a model's photos, taken from the internet, being used to create a fake profile without her consent. In Luo's case, the 21-year-old signed up for OpenClaw to use the tool as an assistant but h...

The Bangladesh National Party (BNP) won a decisive two-thirds majority on Friday in general elections, a result expected to bring stability after months of tumult following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a Gen Z-led uprising. Latest counts in an election seen as the South Asian nation's first truly competitive in years gave the BNP and its allies at least 212 of the 299 seats up for grabs, domestic TV channels said. The opposition Jamaat-e-Islami and its allies won 70 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad, or House of the Nation. The BNP, which returns to power after 20 years, thanked the people soon after winning a majority in the overnight vote count and called for special prayers on Friday for the nation and its people. "Despite winning ... by a large margin of votes, no celebratory procession or rally shall be organised," the party said in a statement calling for prayers nationwide. A clear outcome had been seen as key for stability in the Muslim-ma...

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright vowed Wednesday to power a "dramatic increase" in Venezuelan oil output as part of a plan to "make the Americas great again." Wright met interim leader Delcy Rodriguez in Caracas, becoming the highest-ranking US official to visit Venezuela since US special forces captured and overthrew socialist leader Nicolas Maduro on January 3. After talks with Rodriguez, who took over from Maduro and has struck a cooperative relationship with US President Donald Trump, Wright told reporters relations between the nations were "at a pivot in history." "I believe we will see an absolutely dramatic turn in the trajectory of this nation, in the state of the relationship between Venezuela and the United States, and in the business conditions in the hemisphere for commerce and trade," he added. In a meeting earlier with Rodriguez and oil industry executives, Wright insisted Trump was "passionately committed" to transf...

Brazil on Wednesday told Elon Musk's social network X to stop its chatbot from creating sexually explicit images, the latest country to pressure the billionaire to fix the artificial intelligence tool. Indonesia became the first country to block Grok entirely last month, while Britain and France said they would maintain pressure after the chatbot cranked out a flood of lewd photos of women and children. X must "immediately implement appropriate measures to prevent the production, using Grok, of sexualized or eroticized content of children and adolescents, as well as adults who have not given their consent," said Brazil's chief prosecutor, the National Data Protection Agency (ANPD) and the National Consumer Rights Bureau (Senacon.) The agencies gave the platform five days to comply with the order or risk legal action and fines. X claimed it had deleted thousands of posts and suspended hundreds of accounts after Brazil issued a warning last month, Brazilian author...

Bangladesh began voting on Thursday in its first national election since the deadly 2024 uprising that toppled Sheikh Hasina, with people queued at polling stations across the country amid expectations of tight electoral race. Leading prime ministerial hopeful Tarique Rahman, 60, is confident his Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) can regain power – but he faces a stiff challenge from the Muslim-majority country’s largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami. Jamaat chief Shafiqur Rahman, 67, has mounted a disciplined grassroots campaign, and, if victorious, the former political prisoner could lead the first Islamist-led government in constitutionally secular Bangladesh. Opinion polls vary widely, though most give the BNP the lead – with some suggesting a knife-edge race. “The significance of this day is far-reaching,” interim leader Muhammad Yunus, who will step down after the polls, said ahead of the vote in the country of 170 million people. “It will determine the future direction...

India’s government said social media companies would have to take down unlawful content within three hours of being notified, tightening on Tuesday an earlier 36-hour timeline, which could be a compliance challenge for Meta, YouTube and X. The changes amend India’s 2021 IT rules, which have already been a flashpoint between Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and global technology companies. The new regulations will take effect from February 20. The move reinforces India’s position as one of the world’s most aggressive regulators of online content, requiring platforms to balance compliance in a market of 1 billion internet users against mounting concerns over government censorship. The government directive did not give any reason for the change in the timeline for takedowns. “It’s practically impossible for social media firms to remove content in three hours,” said Akash Karmakar, a partner at Indian law firm Panag & Babu who specialises in technology law. “This assume...

Reports have emerged alleging that Israel has used highly destructive thermobaric bombs in its military operations in Gaza, raising serious humanitarian and legal concerns. According to Gulf media outlets, the alleged use of thermobaric weapons has resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 Palestinians, with claims that victims were incinerated by extreme heat generated during the strikes. News agencies citing weapons experts say thermobaric bombs can produce temperatures of up to 3,500 degrees Celsius, creating intense blast pressure and heat capable of instantly reducing human bodies to ash and causing the complete destruction of buildings. Military analysts describe thermobaric weapons as among the most lethal conventional bombs due to their wide-area impact and oxygen-depleting explosion, which can be particularly devastating in densely populated urban environments. Several experts quoted by regional media have characterised the alleged deployment of such weapons as a potential ...