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Voice Of the World, Islamabad (2025)

17/06/2025

The Balochistan government has presented its first-ever surplus budget worth Rs 1,028 billion, marking a historic milestone for the province.

The budget, presented by Provincial Finance Minister Mir Shuaib Noshirovani, was announced during a session of the Balochistan Assembly chaired by Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai.

In his budget speech, Minister Noshirovani stated that the provincial government had successfully spent the entire development budget for the current fiscal year.

He highlighted the achievements across various sectors during the fiscal period, emphasising that the government’s focus on development had yielded positive results.

The finance minister further noted that the proposed budget includes a surplus of Rs 42 billion. This marks a significant achievement as Balochistan has never before presented a budget exceeding one trillion rupees.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti had announced earlier this month that the upcoming provincial budget would prioritise the health and education sectors, with no space for politically motivated development projects.

He highlighted that the focus would be on sustainable development and addressing the genuine needs of the people of Balochistan.

Bugti assured that the final budget draft would incorporate recommendations from the parliamentary committee to ensure inclusivity and relevance. He also underscored the government’s commitment to transparency, particularly in the allocation of development funds.

“Every area and every citizen of Balochistan will be treated equally,” he had said, ensuring that political considerations would not influence the allocation of funds.

Meanwhile, provincial government spokesperson Shahid Rind later reiterated that the budget, would focus on promoting economic and social progress in underprivileged areas.

11/06/2025

Google has officially launched Android 16, earlier than expected, debuting on select Pixel devices ahead of a broader rollout. Key features include:

Live Updates: Similar to Apple’s Live Activities, this allows real-time tracking of events like deliveries or rides.

Improved Notifications: Automatic grouping of notifications for better organization.

UI Overhaul: Push for edge-to-edge screen compatibility and groundwork for Material 3 Expressive design.

Predictive Back: Now a default feature, letting users preview navigation before tapping back.

Enhanced Security: Scam Detection AI, in-call protections, and Activated Protection tools to combat fraud.

Android 16 positions itself as a strong competitor to iOS 26, emphasizing both functionality and security, with broader device support coming soon.

10/06/2025

The federal cabinet has given the nod of approval for a 10% hike in the salaries of government employees and a 7% increase in pensions of retired public servants.

Although the cabinet, which convened on Tuesday, had in principle approved the federal budget for fiscal 2025-26, deliberation on the salaries of government employees and other matters continued.

The PPP, a key coalition partner of the PML-N government, demanded a further increase in salaries, but the Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said that the government was already providing the maximum possible relief to the common man in the budget.

The cabinet proposed a 10% increase in the salaries of government employees.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif acquiesced to the proposal and rejected the suggestion of a 6% raise, stating that salaries should be hiked by 10%. In the end, the prime minister and his cabinet member approved the decision.

According to sources, the cabinet meeting also made special mention of the Marka-e-Haq. Tributes were paid to those who sacrificed their lives for the defence of the country.

The cabinet denounced India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. The prime minister said that the country is always ready for national security and defence.

05/06/2025

ue an apology to the Indiana Fever fanbase after an investigation into claims of racial insults directed at Reese was concluded as “not substantiated.”

The investigation, which lasted 10 days, found no evidence to support the accusations that fans had hurled racial slurs at the player.

Reese had previously alleged that fans at a Fever game had subjected her to racist remarks, sparking an internal probe by the WNBA.

Following the investigation’s conclusion, Reese has not addressed the findings, leaving many questioning her response to the cleared allegations.

Banks, who has been vocal about the situation, stated that Reese’s failure to apologise reflects poorly on her and the ongoing dialogue around the incident.

“She accused the Indiana Fever fanbase of being racist, they investigated it, and said that the accusations were false,” Banks said in an interview with OutKick's Dan Dakich.

“The least she could do is apologise to our great state and the fans that show up to these games and say ‘I’m sorry, I was wrong.’ Obviously, she’s not going to do that," Banks continued.

Senator Banks also directed criticism at the WNBA and other prominent figures for their handling of the situation.

“Why isn’t the Indiana Fever apologising to their own fanbase for putting them through that?” he asked. “Those are awful allegations; they weren’t true, and the fans weren’t shouting racial slurs toward Angel Reese or opposing players. Where is Caitlin Clark? Where is the Indiana Fever? Where is the WNBA, saying that there shouldn’t have been an investigation?”

Banks’ remarks reflect a broader frustration over the handling of the controversy and the lack of accountability for the false allegations.

While the Fever and WNBA released brief statements affirming that the investigation found the accusations to be false, there has been little further comment from players, coaches, or other stakeholders within the league.

As the debate continues, the issue of accountability remains a focal point, with many fans and public figures calling for clarity and responsibility from all parties involved.

05/06/2025

Chief Minister of Balochistan, Mir Sarfaraz Bugti, has accused India’s intelligence agency RAW of sponsoring the terrorist group Fitna-e-Hindustan to destabilize Pakistan, particularly targeting Balochistan. Speaking at a press conference with key officials, he clarified that the group has no link to the Baloch people and is purely a terrorist entity used for proxy warfare.

Bugti presented audio evidence of operatives communicating with RAW handlers and highlighted false reports by Indian media, especially regarding Karachi Port. He blamed Fitna-e-Hindustan for the recent killing of children in Khuzdar, stressing they do not represent the Baloch community.

Dismissing enforced disappearance claims as propaganda, he emphasized the state’s focus on dialogue over military action, though force will be used against those taking up arms. He vowed that all conspiracies against Pakistan’s peace and progress would be defeated.

04/06/2025

Tom Girardi, the once-powerful attorney known for winning multimillion-dollar lawsuits and appearing on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills as Erika Jayne’s husband, has been sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison.

His downfall - one of the most dramatic in recent legal history - reached its final chapter as a Los Angeles court found him guilty of stealing more than $15 million from vulnerable clients, including victims of plane crashes and industrial accidents.

Girardi, now 85, was disbarred in 2022 and diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, a factor his defense team leaned on heavily. But the court remained firm in holding him accountable, marking a turning point in celebrity-legal scandal narratives. Federal prosecutors said Girardi used his status to pilfer money from clients, whom he represented in cases involving severe injuries.

While his relationship with Erika Jayne is estranged, she has not been criminally charged. Yet, the couple’s extravagant lifestyle remains a stark backdrop to the pain of those defrauded.

03/06/2025

Alphabet's Google on Saturday said it will appeal an antitrust decision under which a federal judge proposed less aggressive ways to restore online search competition than the 10-year regime suggested by antitrust enforcers

"We will wait for the Court's opinion. And we still strongly believe the Court's original decision was wrong, and look forward to our eventual appeal," Google said in a post on X, opens new tab.

US District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington heard closing arguments on Friday at a trial on proposals to address Google's illegal monopoly in online search and related advertising.

In April, a federal judge said that Google illegally dominated two markets for online advertising technology, with the US Department of Justice saying that Google should sell off at least its Google Ad Manager, which includes the company's publisher ad server and its ad exchange.

The DOJ and a coalition of states want Google to share search data and cease multibillion-dollar payments to Apple and other smartphone makers to be the default search engine on new devices.

Antitrust enforcers are concerned about how Google's search monopoly gives it an advantage in artificial intelligence products like Gemini and vice versa.

John Schmidtlein, an attorney for Google, said at the hearing that while generative AI is influencing how search looks, Google has addressed any concerns about competition in AI by no longer entering exclusive agreements with wireless carriers and smartphone makers including Samsung Electronics , leaving them free to load rival search and AI apps on new devices.

03/06/2025

With just a week remaining until Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2025), fresh details have emerged about the company’s plans for this year’s event. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple will have fewer AI announcements while introducing updates across iOS, macOS, and other platforms.

This may have to do with the fact that the AI upgrade to Siri was announced way before any of those features were actually ready. Originally revealed in June 2024, the Siri upgrade has now been delayed to 2026.

Instead of broad AI integrations, Apple will focus on enabling third-party developers to use its on-device Apple Foundation Models. These models will support up to 3 billion parameters and will be capable of performing tasks such as text summarization and autocorrect.

AI improvements will be more modest in scope and integrated into specific apps. Safari and Photos are expected to receive new AI features, but larger updates such as a fully revamped Siri powered by large language models and an enhanced Shortcuts app are still not ready for release.

iOS 26: Visual Overhaul and Power Features
One of the major announcements will be iOS 26, which will include a new battery power management mode and a redesigned Translate app that supports integration with Siri and AirPods. The update will feature a visionOS-inspired user interface, marking one of the most significant design overhauls in iOS history.

macOS 26 Likely Named “Tahoe”
Continuing Apple’s tradition of naming macOS versions after California landmarks, macOS 26 is expected to be called “Tahoe.” The update will also adopt a visionOS-style visual identity, aligning the desktop operating system with Apple’s broader design language.

03/06/2025

US President Donald Trump has laid out an ambitious proposal in his 2026 budget that allocates $1 billion for Mars exploration.

Under the initiative, dubbed the Commercial Mars Payload Services Program (CMPS), NASA would collaborate with private companies to develop key technologies for Mars missions.

The proposal includes contracts for spacesuits, communication systems, and a human-rated landing vehicle.

The plan marks a shift from traditional government-led space exploration, aligning closely with SpaceX’s ambitions for Mars, as spearheaded by Elon Musk.

The budget suggests a significant reduction in NASA's funding, including cuts to its science portfolio, with Trump emphasizing cost efficiency and the need for taxpayer stewardship.

Critics of the plan, including lawmakers and former NASA officials, argue that the proposed cuts could hinder long-term goals.

Despite this, the Trump administration remains confident that the private sector can play a crucial role in achieving Mars exploration while reducing costs and risks.

This bold proposal sets the stage for a new era of space exploration that blends government oversight with private sector innovation.

03/06/2025

Ukraine’s security service said June 3 it detonated explosives underwater against the road and rail Crimean Bridge linking Russia and the annexed Crimean peninsula, damaging key support pillars.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) stated it used 1,100 kilograms (2,420 pounds) of explosives early Tuesday morning, targeting the bridge’s underwater pillars.

The 19-kilometre (12-mile) structure is a vital supply route for Russian forces operating in Ukraine.

An official Russian outlet reported the bridge was closed for about three hours from 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. local time but gave no explanation. It later reopened and resumed normal operation.

“Previously, we hit the Crimean Bridge twice, in 2022 and 2023. So today we continued this tradition underwater,” the SBU said, adding the operation had been months in preparation.

Video footage released by the SBU showed an explosion near one of the bridge’s support pillars.

Russian military bloggers claimed the attack was unsuccessful and speculated it was carried out by a Ukrainian sea drone.

The Crimean Bridge, spanning the Kerch Strait, is the sole direct land link between Russia and Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014.

It comprises separate road and rail sections supported by concrete stilts and steel arches, allowing ship passage between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

The bridge has been strategically important for Russia since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, used to move troops and equipment into southern Ukraine, including the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.

On Sunday, Ukraine launched an operation called “Spider’s Web,” deploying drones against Russian nuclear-capable long-range bombers at airfields across Russia.

03/06/2025

The Chicago Fire announced plans to construct a privately financed $650 million, 22,000-seat soccer stadium at The 78 development in Chicago’s South Loop.

Designed by Gensler, the open-air stadium will feature a natural grass pitch, luxury suites, and club seating, offering an intimate match-day experience.

Owner Joe Mansueto said the stadium, planned for the north end of the 62-acre site along the Chicago River, will provide a “world-class home” and aims to sell out every game.

Construction is expected to begin as early as fall 2025, pending city approval, with completion targeted before the 2028 MLS season.

Currently playing at Soldier Field under a three-year lease, the Fire seek a right-sized venue that better suits their fanbase and ambitions.

The project will not require public funding, with Mansueto emphasising the importance of teams financing their own stadiums.

A community meeting is scheduled for mid-June to discuss the proposal.

Mayor Brandon Johnson called the stadium plan a “good sign” for the city, highlighting ongoing talks to ensure the development benefits local residents.

03/06/2025

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved $800 million programme to strengthen fiscal sustainability and improve public financial management in Pakistan, according to a statement issued by the Philippines-based lender.

The statement read that subprogramme 2 of the “Improved Resource Mobilisation and Utilisation Reform Programme” includes a policy-based loan of $300m, and ADB’s “first ever policy-based guarantee” of up to $500m, which is expected to mobilise financing of up to $1 billion from commercial banks.

“Pakistan has made significant progress in improving macroeconomic conditions,” said ADB country director for Pakistan, Emma Fan.

“This programme backs the government’s commitment to further policy and institutional reforms that will strengthen public finances and promote sustainable growth.”

The programme supports far-reaching reforms to improve tax policy, administration, and compliance, while enhancing public expenditure and cash management.

“It also promotes digitalisation, investment facilitation, and private sector development. These measures aim to reduce Pakistan’s fiscal deficit and public debt, while creating space for social and development spending,” the Manila-headquartered institution said.

The programme is underpinned by a comprehensive support package —including technical assistance and close coordination with development partners — designed to help Pakistan build long-term fiscal resilience and stability, it added.

Khurram Schehzad, adviser to the finance minister, confirmed that the financial institution has approved the programme. “Diplomacy led by Economic Affairs & Ministry of Finance secures majority support at ADB Board,” he said in a post.

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