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Dawn - 07:26 Jun 17, 2026
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence tool Grok was used in strikes against Iran, the United States government revealed in a legal briefing seen Tuesday by AFP. The June 15 brief defends the gas turbines used by a giant data centre belonging to the trillionaire’s company xAI, which are the target of an environmental lawsuit. In the brief, the US Department of Justice argued that the lawsuit “threatens American national, economic, and energy security by seeking to shut off the power supply for artificial intelligence innovation that supports the Department of War’s military operations”. To support the argument, federal prosecutors presented testimony from Pentagon AI chief Cameron Stanley in which he states, under oath, that Grok is already in use within Project Maven, the US military’s AI-assisted targeting programme that was initially powered by Anthropic’s Claude model. The project’s Maven Smart Systems (MSS) “enabled US forces to deploy over 2,000 munitions to 2,000 distinct targets within 96 hours during Op... -
Dawn - 07:03 Jun 17, 2026
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Wednesday that Pakistan was “pleased to facilitate the repatriation of 30 Iranian nationals”. In a post on the social media platform X, he said that this number included “eight Iranian fishermen rescued at sea by the British vessel MMA Valour after their boat ran aground, and 22 Iranian crew members from the vessel Lenore/Davina, recently interdicted by US authorities”. “Both groups are expected to transit through Karachi in the coming days,” he said. “We remain in close coordination with the Iranian, United States and United Kingdom authorities to ensure the safe transit and early return of our Iranian brethren to their homeland. Pakistan remains committed to humanitarian cooperation and to extending every possible assistance to our Iranian brothers,” he said. Earlier this month, US forces conducted an interdiction of the sanctioned oil tanker Davina in the Indian Ocean, the US military’s Indo-Pacific Command, which has now reverted back to the na... -
Dawn - 06:12 Jun 17, 2026
Six suspected terrorists were killed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in two separate intelligence-based operations. According to two separate press releases issued by the CTD late Tuesday night, the suspected terrorists belonged to Fitna al-Khawarij — a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan. The first statement said the Kohat CTD received information from sources, indicating that terrorists were hatching a plot and had established a checkpoint on the Shakardara Road in an attempt to obstruct the movement of law enforcement personnel. The statement said that upon receiving the information, a Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) team reached the location, at which the “terrorists opened indiscriminate fire on the CTD personnel”. “In the ensuing exchange of fire, three Fitna al-Khawarij terrorists were killed. Three Kalashnikovs, nine magazines and multiple rounds of ammunition from their possession,” the statement said, adding that other... -
Dawn - 05:47 Jun 17, 2026
Emerging markets suffer from inadequate representation at the United Nations (UN), its authority increasingly challenged by escalating political and economic disputes worldwide, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday. The comments, featuring brief mention of the Middle East and Ukraine conflicts but few details, came in a rare press briefing in Beijing for the issue of a white paper outlining ways to make global governance more just and equitable. “Countries, whether large or small, strong or weak, developed or developing, are equal members of the international community,” Wang said, calling for more voices to be heard from the Global South. New challenges in quick succession bring intertwining global crises, Wang said, adding, “The ship of civilisation has entered dangerous waters with hidden reefs and violent storms.” The disputes reveal deep-seated conflicts, while “black swan and grey rhino events” emerge continually, he said, referring to unexpected events or threats that are ignored despite ... -
Dawn - 03:48 Jun 17, 2026
SAN FRANCISCO: SpaceX said on Tuesday it will acquire artificial intelligence coding startup Cursor for $60 billion as shares of Elon Musk’s rocket company soared for a third straight session after a record-breaking IPO. Near 1130am (1530 GMT), shares of SpaceX, formally Space Exploration Technologies Corp., stood at $214.29, up 11.2 per cent, and lifting its market value above Amazon to become the fifth largest enterprise in terms of market valuation. Cursor, founded in 2022 and based in San Francisco, specialises in AI for creating software code, particularly for business uses. An acquisition had looked possible after the two companies had announced a partnership in April that included a clause for Cursor to be potentially bought by SpaceX for $60 billion. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, SpaceX said the all-stock deal was expected to close in the third quarter of this year and that Cursor would become a wholly owned subsidiary. Combining Cursor’s software and product expertise with... -
Dawn - 02:25 Jun 17, 2026
• Party claims budget differs from figures shared during pre-budget consultations • Questions provinces’ capacity to meet IMF-linked revenue targets • Another round of talks expected soon ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Tuesday once again conveyed his concerns over the federal budget to Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, indicating that he would not speak during the ongoing budget debate in the National Assembly unless all of the party’s reservations were addressed. “Bilawal sahib has decided that he will not deliver his speech unless all promises made by the government with the PPP regarding the budget are fulfilled,” a source close to the PPP chairman told Dawn after the meeting. In the huddle with Dar held at Parliament House, Mr Bhutto-Zardari was accompanied by senior PPP leaders, including Sherry Rehman, Naveed Qamar, Raja Pervez Ashraf and Ijaz Jakhrani. The source said Bhutto-Zardari appeared upset with the budget, stating that it was different from the docume... -
Dawn - 18:38 Jun 16, 2026
Microsoft is changing how it charges for its software for the first time in two decades, moving to bill customers with a pay-as-you-go model each time they use its new AI agent. The change, prompted by the soaring cost of artificial intelligence, came Tuesday as the company launched Copilot Cowork — an AI “agent” that can independently carry out office tasks like drafting documents, building spreadsheets and sending emails. The tool still requires a paid Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription, but now every task it runs is billed separately, based on how much computing power it consumes. Copilot Cowork is Microsoft’s take on so-called “agentic” AI, a wave that has gripped Silicon Valley and turned the simple chatbot into an assistant capable of acting on a user’s behalf. Like rival tools on Google’s and Amazon’s enterprise platforms, it can be handed an assignment and run with it on its own, sometimes for several hours. Microsoft says one customer used it to compare nearly 4,000 documents in a matter of hours, an... -
Dawn - 18:19 Jun 16, 2026
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday signalled his willingness to submit the recently negotiated Iran agreement to Congress for review, as lawmakers from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers demanded access to a deal whose full terms remain closely guarded. Speaking during a meeting with United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in France, Trump suggested he had no objection to congressional scrutiny of the accord, which was announced over the weekend and is expected to formally be signed in Geneva on Friday by Vice President JD Vance. “What I would like to do is send it to Congress and say, ‘You shouldn’t approve it.’ And they will approve it,” Trump said, appearing to joke about the review process. The agreement, signed electronically on Sunday by Trump and Vice President JD Vance, is designed to end four months of military confrontation between Washington and Tehran and reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. But the administration has yet to release the tex... -
Dawn - 18:03 Jun 16, 2026
GILGIT: Four independent candidates, who recently won in their constituencies, joined the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) after a meeting with party president Abdul Aleem Khan. The members include Anwar Ali, elected from GBA-23 Ghanche-II; Dr Asad Shafiq, elected from GBA-24 Ghanche-III; Muhammad Dilpazeer, elected from GBA-15 Diamer-I; and Aman Ali Amir, elected from GBA-21 Ghizer. Khan, who is also a federal minister, announced the development on his social media account and congratulated the members. “Representation of Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly for the first time will be a welcoming development. With hard work and honesty, the party will fully participate in the development of Gilgit-Baltistan,” he said. During the recent general elections held on June 7, the IPP fielded 16 candidates from 16 constituencies in GB; however, none succeeded in winning. These four independent members of the GB Assembly could play a significant role in the formation of the GB government. Last we... -
Dawn - 17:56 Jun 16, 2026
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday termed the launch of the Tax Asaan Scheme for traders a “paradigm shift”, adding that the government had to start somewhere in its efforts to widen the tax net. In an interview on Geo News programme ‘Capital Talk’, Aurangzeb said: “We kept the tax rate at 1pc for traders because we have to start somewhere. However, it is part of a broader framework to expand the tax net, and we are moving in the right direction.” The finance minister elaborated that he was working on a “new operating model” for tax collection with “no human intervention”. He said that under the new scheme for traders, the discretionary powers of income tax officers would be limited. “There will be a Central Processing Unit that will monitor everything. We have comprehensive data. We have compiled data from third-party sources and tax records, on the basis of which we are examining the issues,” the finance minister said. He said the public had welcomed the budget and that the government’s goal was... -
Dawn - 16:18 Jun 16, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry on Tuesday chaired a special meeting of the Paigham-i-Aman Committee to discuss arrangements for Muharram and measures to curb sectarian incitement. Muharram is a month of mourning, observed in particular by Shia Muslims worldwide. It commemorates the Battle of Karbala in 680AD, where, amongst many, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), Imam Husain (RA), was martyred. The first of Muharram will fall on Wednesday, June 17 while Ashura will be observed on June 26. The committee discussed in detail steps to promote inter-sect harmony and religious tolerance during Muharram. It decided that action would be taken against those spreading incitement and sectarianism on social media. Naqvi said maintaining strong and sustained contact with the ulema was among the ministry’s priorities. “The Paigham-i-Pakistan Committee will be made active and effective down to the district level,” he said. He said publ... -
Dawn - 15:46 Jun 16, 2026
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Tuesday that Pakistan’s economy had left the “intensive care unit”. He made the remarks while speaking in the National Assembly, during which he also talked about insecurity in Balochistan and Pakistan’s role in brokering the agreement with the United States and Iran. “When we [presented] the first budget, we were insolvent. There was always the danger that we would default today or tomorrow. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailed us out with strict conditions, which we are now bearing but we have become solvent. Our economy is breathing; it has left the ICU,” he said. “I will not say that we are reaching the stars but our trajectory bears witness that in one or two years … we will reach a place where Pakistan achieves a growth rate of 6-7 per cent,” he said. He said that there were multiple “inbuilt taxes” in the country, adding that “we have to get rid of all these things to become solvent”. He said that the tax rate should be brought to a level where the entire c... -
Dawn - 15:45 Jun 16, 2026
Punjab Finance Minister Mian Mujtabaur Rehman presented the provincial budget on Tuesday after the cabinet approved a people-friendly Rs5.9 trillion budget for fiscal year 2026-27. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, provincial ministers and MPAs attended the session. The proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year is 10.7 per cent higher than the current year’s, according to the budget speech. The Punjab government has projected total revenue for the upcoming fiscal year at Rs1.2tr. Total current and capital expenditures are projected at Rs679 billion. The government plans to spend Rs752 billion on development, Rs750bn on education and Rs500bn on health. The proposed allocation for education is 15pc higher than the amount allocated in FY2025-26, while the proposed allocation for health is 10pc higher than that of the current fiscal year. The Punjab government has proposed a 7pc increase in the salaries of government employees, taking total salary expenditure to Rs639bn. According to the proposed budg... -
Dawn - 15:30 Jun 16, 2026
India blocked access to the Telegram messenger app on Tuesday ahead of a retest of a nationwide medical college entrance examination, following a scandal last month over a question paper leak. The failure of the hugely competitive exam, along with a separate marking fiasco in high school tests, sparked outrage and fuelled youth protests demanding the education minister’s resignation. The electronics ministry issued the order restricting access to Telegram until Monday, the day of the retest. Message-editing features, which allow users to alter existing posts, will remain restricted until June 30. “Both measures have been taken in the interest of public order, in response to the organised use of the platform by cheating rackets to defraud candidates,” India’s National Testing Agency (NTA) said in a statement. The National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) is one of the country’s most competitive exams, attracting more than two million aspiring doctors. The NEET exam was scrapped in May following allegations tha... -
Dawn - 15:30 Jun 16, 2026
ISLAMABAD: PTI’s parliamentary leader in the Senate, Barrister Syed Ali Zafar, rejected the budget for 2026-27 as a document that achieves neither public welfare nor long-term growth, calling it a “budget of broken promises” built on “eleven deadly sins”. Speaking during the Senate debate on Tuesday, Zafar said every budget must have two objectives: trickle-down benefits for the poor and a credible strategy for economic growth and job creation. “Unfortunately, this budget fails to achieve either objective. It neither provides meaningful relief to the common citizen nor sets out a credible long-term plan for economic development and job creation,” he said. The senator listed 11 areas he said the government had ignored: long-term growth strategy; industrialisation policy; a plan for agriculture despite rising imports of cotton, wheat and sugar; a roadmap to boost exports; job creation strategy for youth; a plan to expand the IT sector; a solution to circular debt or a coherent energy policy; provision for dams ... -
Dawn - 13:50 Jun 16, 2026
Prominent lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha, currently serving jail sentences, have been awarded the prestigious Ludovic Trarieux International Human Rights Prize for their advocacy work, it emerged on Tuesday. According to the official website, the prize is the world’s oldest and most prestigious human rights honour awarded to lawyers, established in honour of French lawyer Ludovic Trarieux who founded the League for the Defence of Human and Citizen Rights in 1898. The first recipient of the award was Nelson Mandela in 1985, while he was imprisoned under South Africa’s apartheid regime. An official press release issued by the Forensic Union for the Protection of Human Rights (UFDU) on Saturday said the award “is presented annually to a lawyer who, through his or her professional commitment, has made an extraordinary contribution to the defence of human rights, the rule of law, and the fight against racism and all forms of intolerance.” The award ceremony took place in Rome, at the Parlam... -
Dawn - 11:19 Jun 16, 2026
ATTOCK: The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on Tuesday said that it had killed five alleged terrorists during an intelligence-based operation in the border area of Mankor, a remote locality in Attock district’s Jand tehsil. According to a CTD spokesperson, security personnel launched the operation after receiving credible intelligence regarding the presence and activities of terrorists allegedly involved in planning terrorist attacks in Punjab. As the CTD team moved in, the suspected terrorists reportedly opened fire, triggering an intense exchange of gunfire with law enforcement personnel. The spokesperson said CTD officers responded effectively, resulting in the killing of all five individuals. A cache of weapons, explosive material and hand grenades was recovered from the site following the operation. Preliminary investigations suggest that the slain individuals were allegedly linked to plans for carrying out terrorist activities in Punjab, the spokesperson said. The operation was conducted on the basis... -
Dawn - 08:48 Jun 16, 2026
The US military is planning a permanent war-ready weapons stockpile for its Marine Corps on Australia’s southeast coast beyond the range of most Chinese missiles, tender documents show and officials confirmed to AFP. The development of the stockpile, a first for the Marine Corps in Australia, comes as the United States is keen to leverage the continent’s strategic location in the South Pacific to counter China’s rapid military build-up, analysts said. The US Marines Corps began global pre-positioning of military supplies during the Cold War — using floating stores on ships and caves in Norway where weapons, ammunition and vehicles to sustain thousands of troops are kept. The first land stockpile in the Asia-Pacific is expected to open this year in the Philippines, close to potential flashpoints in the South China Sea. Documents published by the US Navy this month show advanced planning for an even larger Australian stockpile, with $30 million allocated to build warehouses and offices in southeastern Victoria ... -
Dawn - 07:44 Jun 16, 2026
PTI founder Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, said on Tuesday that the government’s version of events was unacceptable after the former premier was taken to the hospital for the fifth time for the treatment of his eye ailment. In a post on X, Aleema said, “We have received reports that Imran Khan was again taken to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) in the early hours of 15 June. We found out through a tweet by Barrister Gohar on the morning of June 15.” “We reject any medical report generated by Pims regarding Imran’s condition. The same institution has previously made questionable claims, including the assertion that Imran had recovered 90 per cent of his eyesight. Imran himself rejected these claims when his lawyer later met him at Adiala jail,” she said. “A fundamental question remains unanswered: Why does Imran require a fifth injection?” she asked. “We do not accept the government’s version of events. We demand that Imran be examined and treated by independent, qualified specialists at Shifa ... -
Dawn - 07:16 Jun 16, 2026
Pakistan could improve economic projections for 2027 after the end of the Iran war, but it is still too early to revise the budget, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told Reuters, hours after the US and Iran signed a deal to end the Middle East conflict. Damaged energy infrastructure meant supply chains would take time to return to normal, after the conflict pushed inflation back into double digits, Aurangzeb said. “We were looking at how we manage the second, third-order impact in case this conflict continues,” he said. “The energy infrastructure has been hit. And therefore, it will take time before we return to normalcy in terms of supply chains.” He added, “I do see upsides in what we have projected for next year,” but cautioned it would be “way too premature” to revise the budget. The budget for the upcoming financial year, presented in Parliament on Friday, targets growth of 4 per cent and inflation of 8.2pc. It raised defence spending by 18pc to Rs3 trillion, while relying on higher tax revenue to kee...
10706 items