Dawn
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Dawn - 13:11 Jul 01, 2026
Sony on Wednesday announced that PlayStation will end physical disc production for games on its consoles from January 2028. In a statement on PlayStation’s blog, the gaming giant said the decision was taken “as consumer preferences and the broader entertainment industry continue to shift away from physical discs to digital formats”. “Following this date, new games will be available on the PlayStation Store and at retailers in digital formats only. This transition has no impact on games that have already been released, or will be released prior to January 2028 in disc format,” the statement added. Sony noted that the move was “a natural direction” to adapt to consumer trends, where demand for digital media has surpassed physical discs. “This transition will enable us to align more closely with how most of our community prefers to access and play games today,” the statement read. “We’ll continue to prioritise our resources to drive innovation in how players can access games and provide choices as to where playe... -
Dawn - 12:20 Jul 01, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s consumer inflation rate eased slightly to 11.1 per cent in June from 11.7pc a month earlier, mainly due to lower prices of energy and essential food items, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday. The modest decline suggests that recent cuts in petrol and diesel prices have provided some relief to households. However, the government has yet to fully pass on the benefit of lower international oil prices to domestic consumers, limiting the overall reduction in inflationary pressures. On a month-on-month basis, inflation decreased by 0.3pc compared to the previous month. Inflation between July 2025 and June 2026 was recorded at 7.05pc, over the 4.49pc in the corresponding months last year. This was despite a high base effect from last year. The government has projected a revised inflation target of 7.5pc for the current fiscal year. For FY27, it has projected an inflation target of 8.2pc. The continued increase in monthly inflation, measured by the Consu... -
Dawn - 11:38 Jul 01, 2026
LAHORE: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) will establish a dedicated special cell in Punjab to ensure the prompt registration, investigation, and prosecution of cybercrime cases involving women and children, according to an official statement. NCCIA Punjab Director Muhammad Ali Wasim said in the statement on Wednesday that the initiative was aimed at providing the victim women and children with expedited legal assistance, protection and institutional support while ensuring that complaints were investigated without delay. “Cases involving online harassment, cyberstalking, blackmail, digital exploitation, identity theft, misuse or circulation of private photographs and videos, as well as other technology-enabled offences against women and minors will be processed through the newly established specialised unit,” he said. The official added that all such cases would remain under the direct supervision of the relevant deputy director to ensure close monitoring, swift investigations, and effecti... -
Dawn - 11:37 Jul 01, 2026
India urged Pakistan on Wednesday to release and repatriate 97 Pakistani prisoners who have completed their sentences, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO). These prisoners include 64 civilians and 33 fishermen, the FO said, as it detailed the exchange of prisoner lists between India and Pakistan — a biannual practice that takes place in pursuance of the Agreement on Consular Access, 2008. The agreement requires both sides to share the lists of prisoners in each other’s custody on January 1 and July 1 every year. The FO said the “government of Pakistan handed over a list of 250 Indian prisoners in Pakistan (52 civilians and 198 fishermen) to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad”. It added that the Indian government shared a list of 439 prisoners who were “Pakistani or believed to be Pakistani”, including 386 civilian prisoners and 53 fishermen. It added that India was also urged to ensure the safety, security and well-being of all prisoners who were Pakistani or believed to be Pakista... -
Dawn - 10:36 Jul 01, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank has approved a $70 million loan for Pakistan’s Connected Punjab Programme (CPP) to help the province expand broadband internet access, improve digital service delivery, and enhance cashless transactions. A World Bank statement said the loan programme is designed to operate in tandem with Pakistan’s broader national digital agenda. The federal government is investing in national digital public infrastructure through the Digital Economy Enhancement Project (Deep). The CPP builds directly on these foundations, ensuring that national platforms, policies, and connectivity investments translate into tangible benefits for Punjab’s citizens and businesses. “Digital connectivity is no longer a luxury, it is the infrastructure of opportunity”, said Bolormaa Amgaabazar, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan. “The federal government has laid out a bold vision for Pakistan’s digital future, and Connected Punjab is how that vision reaches the doorsteps of mil... -
Dawn - 09:49 Jul 01, 2026
The rapid development of AI offers huge potential benefits to countries and people around the world, but also poses big risks, 40 leading scientists and experts said in the first report by a United Nations independent scientific panel on the technology. The report, to be presented to governments at an inaugural UN Global Dialogue on AI governance in Geneva July 6 to 7, offers the first global, independent scientific assessment of AI, with a fuller, comprehensive report planned next year. Members of the panel were drawn from every region of the world, and its members serve a three-year term, independent of any government, institution or company. According to the report, policymakers need scientific evidence to govern AI but its capabilities are outpacing scientific understanding and governments’ ability to adapt, with few methods available for controlling highly autonomous AI systems. Panel co-chair Yoshua Bengio also noted growing evidence of deceptive AI behaviour and said science could not guarantee AI will... -
Dawn - 09:41 Jul 01, 2026
LAHORE: Both runways of Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport will remain closed for three hours daily for 70 days, from July 5 to September 15, for commercial flights during the upcoming monsoon season, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said on Wednesday, citing precautionary measures owing to increased risk of bird activity. “During the monsoon season, bird activity in and around the airport, particularly below 3,000 feet, increases significantly. Accordingly, pilots have been advised to exercise heightened caution during the aircraft’s approach and departure,” the authority said. It added that airlines had also been advised to carry adequate fuel for any anticipated ground or airborne holding. “As part of these precautionary safety measures, both runways [of the Lahore airport] will remain unavailable daily from 5am to 8am, from 5 July to 15 September 2026, when bird activity is at its peak. Scheduled commercial flights will continue to operate outside these hours,“ the PAA said, adding that in c... -
Dawn - 09:10 Jul 01, 2026
Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tahir Andrabi on Wednesday rejected India’s “preposterous statement” regarding Pakistan’s recent strikes against terrorists and their hideouts along the Afghan border. In a post on X, the FO spokesperson said Pakistan rejected the “baseless statement” by India on its “legitimate, targeted and proportionate actions” against terrorist infrastructure in Afghanistan. “This preposterous statement has been made by a country that has historically interfered in and undermined the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its neighbouring countries, in contravention of the UN Charter, and continues to suppress the right to self-determination of the Kashmiris in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, in violation of the relevant UN resolutions,” he said. “India has also been actively aiding and sponsoring terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil against Pakistan, in violation of the relevant UN Security Council sanctions regime, and continues to play the role of a regional spoil... -
Dawn - 08:47 Jul 01, 2026
India’s opposition party Congress has demanded the resignation of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and stepped up criticism against him for “lying” in parliament about the deaths of Indian soldiers during the May 2025 conflict with Pakistan, according to Indian media. The criticism comes days after the Indian government on June 26 disclosed the names of six armed forces personnel who died during the military conflict, dubbed “Operation Sindoor” by New Delhi. The names were included in the Roll of Honour on the National War Memorial website, marking the first official disclosure of military casualties from the period, The Hindu noted. Subsequently, on Monday, chairperson of the Congress’s Ex-servicemen Department Col. (retd) Rohit Chaudhry and Wing Commander (retd) Anuma Acharya slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for concealing the deaths of the six personnel, The Hindu reported. In a press conference, Chaudhry demanded that Singh be removed from his position and that Modi and his party lawmakers ... -
Dawn - 08:32 Jul 01, 2026
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has held a series of meetings with senior national security officials to review US policy towards Iran, including whether Washington should continue negotiations with Tehran or resume broader military strikes, according to the Wall Street Journal. Trump has been briefed on options for a possible return to broader military confrontation with Iran but has, for now, chosen to continue diplomatic negotiations, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal citing US officials familiar with internal deliberations. The Journal said the discussions involved Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, as officials assessed whether the United States should abandon talks with Tehran and resume full-scale military strikes. Some officials involved in the deliberations reportedly described the harder option internally as “finishing the job”. While the deliberations reflect renewed debate within the administration over escalation, the report said Trump ha... -
Dawn - 08:18 Jul 01, 2026
US President Donald Trump reported more than $1.4 billion in income from his family’s crypto ventures last year, showing how Trump now derives most of his income from digital assets that have benefitted from his policies, according to a review of his latest financial disclosures on Tuesday. The filings, his annual disclosure for 2025 with the US Office of Government Ethics, disclosed that his companies received almost $800 million from World Liberty Financial, a crypto venture he and his sons co-founded. That income, which the president splits with family members, included more than $520m from sales of crypto tokens and more than $250m from the sale of interests in the World Liberty business. Trump reported another $635m from the sale of his Trump meme coins. The news underlines how crypto has transformed the president’s fortunes. In his disclosure a year ago, for example, the president reported $57.35m from token sales at World Liberty, which then leaped nine-fold in this year’s filing. Reuters recently esti... -
Dawn - 04:37 Jul 01, 2026
PESHAWAR: A woman was killed while six others were injured in a suspected drone strike in the Pastawana area of the Hassan Khel subdivision on the outskirts of Peshawar late on Tuesday night. Sources initially said that seven people, all belonging to the same family, were immediately taken to the hospital after the incident was reported. They added that one of the injured persons, a woman, was seriously wounded and in critical condition. Later, locals said that two people, including a man identified as Sher Mast and his 15-year-old son, were still being treated at Lady Reading Hospital while the others were discharged early on Wednesday. An elder from Hassan Khel confirmed to Dawn that Sher Mast’s daughter-in-law had died. In April, a suspected drone strike had caused minor damage to a mosque also located in Hassan Khel subdivision. However, no casualties were reported in the incident. Sources said the strike took place in Chandoka area, on the border between Peshawar and Kohat. -
Dawn - 02:26 Jul 01, 2026
QUETTA: The military said on Tuesday the Afghan Taliban regime launched four rudimentary drones across the border into Balochistan as part of its patronage and support for terrorist outfits operating from territories under its control. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the hostile aerial platforms were imme-diately detected by Pakistan’s robust air defence network. “Demonstrating a high level of operational readiness, the security forces successfully neutralised all four incoming drones using sophisticated countermeasures. As a result of the swift and effective response, the hostile attempts were successfully foiled,” ISPR said. Such actions by the Afghan Taliban regime appear to be aimed at misleading the Afghan population, which continues to suffer under its oppressive rule. The Taliban should realise that such irresponsible behaviour only adds to the hardships faced by the Afghans, it added. Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2026 -
Dawn - 19:30 Jun 30, 2026
As Brazil and Japan clashed in a thrilling FIFA knockout game on Monday, fans in Karachi’s Lyari neighbourhood held their breath to see which team would advance to the last 16. Football fanatics of all ages gathered at Lyari International Football Stadium for a jam-packed screening of the match played in Houston. Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab also joined them at the stadium, which has been hosting screenings of FIFA World Cup 2026 matches. Brazil — which is widely favoured in Lyari, earning the area the nickname “Mini Brazil” — emerged victorious, leaving the stadium filled with joy as spectators celebrated. Dawn takes a look at the scenes that played out during the tense match, where a 96th-minute goal by substitute Gabriel Martinelli helped Brazil secure its place in the last 16. People stand outside Lyari International Football Stadium in Karachi ahead of a FIFA World Cup match between Brazil and Japan, on June 29, 2026. — Tahir Jamal For most of the match, the LED screen was the sole source of light as the ... -
Dawn - 19:12 Jun 30, 2026
Erling Haaland scored a late winner as Norway set up a last-16 showdown with Brazil at the World Cup after taming the Ivory Coast 2-1 in Texas on Tuesday. The Manchester City striker prodded in from close range, the ball dribbling in on 86 minutes for his fifth goal of the tournament. It was the first time that Norway had won a knockout game in the history of the competition. After an even first half that was slow to get going, Antonio Nusa fired Norway into the lead six minutes before the break with one of the goals of the tournament. Manchester United’s Amad Diallo was sent on for the Ivory Coast after an hour and was immediately in the thick of it, stopping a certain second Norway goal and then grabbing a terrific equaliser on 74 minutes. With extra time looming, predator supreme Haaland got on the end of a cross by Patrick Berg to make some Norwegian history. They face five-time champions Brazil on Sunday in New Jersey with the quarter-finals at stake. A match between two physical teams was tepid to begin... -
Dawn - 18:39 Jun 30, 2026
Tens of millions of Americans sweltered under furnace-like temperatures Tuesday as central and eastern cities hunkered down for a heat wave set to last through the July 4 holiday weekend. Dozens of local temperature records could be broken, the National Weather Service (NWS) warned, with temperatures in many places to surpass 38 degrees Celsius and high humidity pushing the heat index as high as 115 degrees. It comes as America prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary of independence, and as the United States along with Canada and Mexico co-host the World Cup soccer tournament amid the extreme heat. Chicago, the nation’s third-largest city, announced it was opening cooling centers and sending city employees to carry out wellness checks on vulnerable populations. In New York, Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office said it was launching an “unprecedented, historic” plan to deal with the heat that includes vans to provide residents with hydration, as well as “pop-up” cooling stations with misting fans and cooling towe... -
Dawn - 18:03 Jun 30, 2026
LAHORE: As many as 14 children lost their lives on Tuesday, while several others were injured, when the roof of a private tuition centre collapsed in Lahore’s Kahna area, officials said. Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Imran Nazeer confirmed the deaths while speaking to Geo News. Lahore Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Faisal Kamran also confirmed the casualties to Dawn. In a statement after the search and rescue operation was completed, a Rescue 1122 spokesperson said a female teacher and eight children were taken to Lahore General Hospital (LGH) with multiple injuries. Of them, five children were in critical condition, he said. Initially, some of the children were taken to the nearby Kahna Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital and were later shifted to Lahore General Hospital (LGH). According to an earlier list of the deceased provided by LGH, the victims were aged between five and 16 years. Meanwhile, the health minister said two minors were discharged after receiving treatment at the THQ Hospital, wh... -
Dawn - 17:55 Jun 30, 2026
ISLAMABAD: PPP and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) on Tuesday decided to jointly contest the forthcoming general elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). Earlier this month, the AJK Election Commission announced that the general elections across the region would be held on July 27. The last elections in the region were held in July 2021. The two political parties announced the decision after PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari called on JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at his residence in Islamabad and later held a media talk. Speaking to the media, Bilawal formally announced an electoral alliance between the two parties. “The alliance marks a new chapter in political cooperation between the two parties,” he said. He emphasised that the issues of AJK should be resolved through peaceful and democratic means. “Legitimate concerns of the Kashmiri people should be addressed through parliament and the electoral process rather than through unrest on the streets,” the PPP chairman said. Expressing gratitude to the J... -
Dawn - 17:45 Jun 30, 2026
Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters Syed Muhammad Mehar Ali Shah said on Tuesday that he had written to his Indian counterpart regarding fluctuations in the flow of the Chenab River four times since last April — when New Delhi unilaterally decided to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance — but there had been no response thus far. Speaking at a seminar held in Islamabad to highlight the legal and constitutional framework of the IWT, he said he last wrote to his Indian counterpart last night over “significant fluctuations” in the flow of the River Chenab. The IWT allocates the eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas and Sutlej — to India, while the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum and Chenab — are largely allocated to Pakistan. The 1960 water-sharing agreement has also established mechanisms for data-sharing and dispute resolution. The Indus Waters commissioner said the fluctuation in the Chenab was not a “technical inconvenience, but rather a strategic hazard”. “There is no brainer in understanding that data-sharing i... -
Dawn - 16:45 Jun 30, 2026
Govt expects easing inflationary pressure in new fiscal year following reopening of Strait of Hormuz
ISLAMABAD: After inflation rose to a fresh peak of 12pc in June, the government expects inflationary pressures to ease in the new fiscal year following the opening of the Strait of Hormuz as peace efforts gather pace. “With geopolitical tensions expected to ease following the US-Iran ceasefire, Pakistan’s economic outlook for FY2027 is expected to improve further, supported by reform continuity, stronger confidence and a more enabling pro-business environment”, said the Ministry of Finance in its Monthly Economic Update and Outlook (June 2026). It said that the recent easing of geopolitical tensions and ongoing peace efforts in the Middle East had improved global market sentiment. “Consequently, international crude oil prices had eased from their recent highs. This was expected to reduce imported inflationary pressures and help lower domestic fuel and transportation costs,” the ministry noted. While anticipating June inflation, as measured by the consumer price index (CPI), to remain within the range of 11-12...
12400 items