Over 33,000 Students Take Pakistan’s First Nationwide IT Skills Exam:
The Government of Pakistan has introduced the National Skill Competency Test (NSCT) for Information Technology graduates to bridge the gap between academic learning and industry requirements in the information technology sector, according to a Ministry of IT and Telecom document. The initiative comes amid concerns that, despite producing a large number of ICT graduates every year, inconsistencies in skill standards and limited alignment with market needs have affected employer confidence and restricted the growth of high-value IT exports.
X Adds New Restricions for Free Users:
X has introduced new limits for unverified users on its social media platform. The company announced on Monday that the limits will apply to users who do not have the blue verified check mark next to their username. X said the new technical limits are designed to reduce strain on the platform’s background systems and help cut down on downtime and error pages.
Sony Raises PS Plus Prices for Monthly and Three-Month Plans:
Sony has raised prices for its PlayStation Plus subscription service, with the changes affecting one-month and three-month plans. A one-month subscription to the Essential tier now costs $11, up by $1. The three-month plan has increased to $28, up by $3. Annual subscribers appear to be unaffected for now. However, Sony’s post on X announcing the change suggests that the Extra and Premium tiers may also be affected. The increase applies only to new subscribers, except in Turkey and India.
National Assembly Becomes Pakistan’s First AI-Enabled Assembly:
Pakistan’s National Assembly has become the country’s first AI-enabled assembly after Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq formally launched the AI Parliament module and AI-enabled Speaker’s Office during a soft launch ceremony held at Parliament House. The initiative was developed by the National Information Technology Board and aims to transform parliamentary operations through artificial intelligence, paperless governance, and secure digital systems.
Microsoft Finally Tests Much Needed Upgrades for Windows 11 Taskbar and Start Menu:
Microsoft is testing new Windows 11 customization options, including a resizable taskbar, smaller taskbar buttons, and a more configurable Start menu.The changes are available in Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26300.8493, according to BleepingComputer. With the new build, users can configure the taskbar to use smaller buttons. They can also move the taskbar to the bottom, top, left, or right side of the screen.
Galaxy Z Flip 8 May Be the Last Flip Phone from Samsung:
Samsung may stop making its Galaxy Z Flip lineup next year, according to a new claim from a Weibo tipster. Reports have suggested that Samsung’s next Galaxy Unpacked event is expected to take place on July 22. The event may bring three foldable phones, including the regular Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Flip 8, and a new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide, which is a tentative name for a wider foldable model.Tipster Momentary Digital claims that Samsung may not launch the Galaxy Z Flip 9 next year. The tipster added that even if the Galaxy Z Flip 8 launches this year, it could be the final model in Samsung’s clamshell foldable series.
RedMagic’s New Gaming Mouse Uses Carbon Fiber and Weighs Only 49 Grams:
RedMagic has introduced a new gaming mouse in China during its 11S Pro launch event. The mouse uses a full carbon fiber top shell with a magnesium-aluminum alloy base. This design brings its weight down to 49 grams without using a plastic chassis. Lightweight gaming mice have become popular in recent years, but some models use weak materials or honeycomb designs with holes to reduce weight.
Elon Musk Loses $150 Billion Lawsuit Against OpenAI And Sam Altman:
Elon Musk’s $150 billion lawsuit against OpenAI has been rejected in court and declared in favor of the artificial intelligence company he helped establish, Decrypt reported a short while ago. A California jury ruled on Monday against Musk and dismissed all his claims against OpenAI, CEO Sam Altman, and co-founder Greg Brockman. The panel concluded that Musk filed the case too late, agreeing that the allegations were barred due to time limitations rather than their substance.
tapmad Secures Exclusive Digital and Television Rights for the FIFA World Cup in Pakistan:
tapmad, Pakistan’s leading digital streaming platform, proudly announces that it has acquired the exclusive digital and television broadcasting rights for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Pakistan. This milestone further strengthens tapmad’s position as the first choice for sports streaming in the country. Over the years, tapmad has consistently streamed some of the world’s biggest football leagues, building a strong reputation among football lovers as a platform they can rely on for seamless, high-quality viewing. With a deep understanding of fan expectations and evolving consumption habits, tapmad continues to position itself at the forefront of digital sports entertainment.
PTA Announces Blocking of WhatsApp Access on Unverified SIMs:
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has issued an important advisory for WhatsApp users across Pakistan, warning that accounts linked to inactive, blocked, deactivated, or unregistered SIM cards may soon become inaccessible. The authority stressed that mobile numbers now form a key part of a user’s digital identity and must remain active and properly verified to avoid service disruption. Users whose WhatsApp accounts are connected to invalid or inactive SIM cards risk losing access to their accounts, chats, contacts, and other personal data.
His Majesty King Charles III meets Noman Azhar, Co-Founder & Chief Officer of Zindigi by JS Bank, during The King’s Trust 50th Anniversary Celebration at Buckingham Palace:
Noman Azhar, Co-Founder & Chief Officer of Zindigi, was invited to attend the prestigious 50th Anniversary Celebration of The King’s Trust UK, hosted by His Majesty King Charles III and members of the Royal Family at Buckingham Palace. The exclusive garden party brought together global leaders, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, and partners who have contributed to the mission of The King’s Trust in empowering young people through education, skills development, and opportunity creation across the world.
Govt Aims to Launch Crypto-Style Investment Bonds for Overseas Pakistanis Soon:
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb held discussions with Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) Chairman Bilal Bin Saqib on the possible tokenization of sovereign bonds and Naya Pakistan Certificates as part of efforts to modernize Pakistan’s financial infrastructure. The meeting focused on exploring how blockchain technology could be used for sovereign debt instruments, improve investor participation, and connect Pakistan’s capital markets with emerging digital financial systems.
Zoe Kleinman: Why the AI industry is the real winner of the Musk-Altman trial:
It is not only OpenAI but the AI race itself that was vindicated in the California courtroom last night.Even though Elon Musk essentially lost on a technicality, there’s a clear signal from the verdict that making lots of money from AI and competing fiercely with rivals is simply business.
Robo-top: The machines that could make your next t-shirt:
They assemble cars, they perform surgery, and they even handle cargo at airports. But give most robots a needle and thread, and they would probably come undone. That’s why practically all the clothes sold in the world today are still made by hand, often by very low-paid workers in Asia. Those workers may use tools such as sewing machines but fully automating such labour is difficult. “You have a problem if it’s sewing,” says Cam Myers, founder and chief executive of California-based CreateMe, a robotics company. “You have to keep [two pieces of fabric] in alignment under motion.”
AI vigilante trap snares alleged paedophile ex-teacher in France:
A retired French sports teacher is in custody after being caught making sexual propositions online to a 14 year-old girl. Except that the 14 year-old girl was not a 14 year-old girl. She was an AI-generated face and voice being operated by a popular, male influencer, who specialises in the entrapment of paedophiles. The 66-year-old ex-teacher – named as Dominique B – turned himself in to police in eastern France on Tuesday, a day after his conversation with the “girl” was broadcast on several platforms.
Anti-immigration AI videos traced to overseas fakers, Media finds:
The “Great British People” Facebook page, which purports to be from Yorkshire, has had 1.3 million views for its latest video of an elderly white British man crying about his pension. Other videos show reporters discussing “the overwhelming scale of mass immigration” and asking viewers if they miss “the Britain we used to know”. But it is not clear whether the creator of the videos knows the UK at all: the account is really run by someone based in Sri Lanka.
Big tech bets on new mascots in bid to seem more cuddly:
Some of the world’s biggest and most powerful brands are attempting to be more cute and cuddly. Tech giants Microsoft and Apple are among a wave of businesses who have recently introduced new cartoon character mascots, a tactic experts say is often used to make a brand seem more human and friendly, and to build a stronger connection with customers.
More than 70 million warnings sent to people seeking child abuse material:
More than 70 million warning messages have been sent to people attempting to access child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online over the past two years, the Lucy Faithfull Foundation says. The messages are sent as part of Project Intercept, a partnership between the child protection charity and technology firms including Google, TikTok and Meta. Rather than simply blocking content, the messages highlight the illegality of viewing CSAM and direct users to support services aimed at changing behaviour.
How sunburn inspired a new way to store energy:
The sun does shine, sometimes, in Boston – but not like this. When chemistry professor Grace Han first visited southern California from Boston some years ago, she noticed the difference. How her skin would tingle with the first signs of irritation after just a few hours outside. Last year, she moved to take a job at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and regularly began wearing a large-brimmed hat, sunglasses and plenty of sun cream. Being a chemistry professor, she had already done her research.
How will Apple change under ‘product guy’ John Ternus?:
Apple will have been planning this succession for a long time.Rumours were circulating for a while that 65-year-old Tim Cook was thinking about stepping down, and while a few potential replacements popped up, the name which stuck was the firm’s vice president of hardware, 51-year-old John Ternus. I had an informal meeting with him in the UK recently and I asked him then whether he really was heir apparent to the Apple throne.
Elon Musk has lost yet another legal battle. Why he’ll still keep fighting:
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, has not been winning in court lately. His loss on Monday in his lawsuit against OpenAI and its co-founder Sam Altman is the latest in a string of legal defeats or settlements. Late last year he agreed to settle with former Twitter executives and thousands of former employees of the social platform, which he has renamed X, after fighting for years to pay them nothing.
Standard Chartered to cut thousands of roles as AI use increases:
Banking giant Standard Chartered has become the latest major company to announce job cuts as it increases its adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). The firm, which has its headquarters in the UK, said it will cut more than 15%, or around 7,800, of its back-office roles by 2030. Companies around the world have announced major job cuts in recent months as they increasingly use AI tools for tasks currently carried out by humans.
The company did not give details of where the roles would be cut. It has major back-office operations in India, China, Malaysia and Poland.
Satellites and AI used to track UK hedgehogs in bid to slow decline:
Researchers at the University of Cambridge are using satellite data and AI in an effort to slow the decline in Britain’s hedgehog population. Using an AI tool called Tessera, which analyses detailed images of the UK gathered from space, experts can precisely determine locations of hedgehog habitats – and where these are disappearing.