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  • Don’t expect AI Siri to debut at Sept. 9 Apple event

    Don’t expect AI Siri to debut at Sept. 9 Apple event

    Google I/O 2025. Samsung Galaxy Unpacked. Made By Google. All these big launch events had one thing in common — new artificial intelligence tools were the headline act.

    Now, Apple has announced its next big event will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 9. Will we finally see the newer, smarter, AI-er Siri? Unfortunately, probably not. We, along with the rest of the tech world, would be shocked if it did.

    It’s no secret — Apple Intelligence isn’t quite what we expected it to be, and the pressure is on Apple to add new AI-focused features to its products. That’s not to say that there aren’t some Apple Intelligence features that come in handy, but the long-awaited AI version of Siri has yet to make it to the public.

    Apple’s next big event is set to be huge, and we’ll get a number of awesome new Apple devices that iPhone fans will love. So, why isn’t the AI-powered Siri ready for its primetime moment?

    That’s the billion-dollar question.

    Hardware versus software

    Apple’s release cadence usually takes the following form: in June, Apple holds its Worldwide Developers Conference, which is its major software event for the year, and where it shows off the big new software features that will ship to customers in September. This year, Apple revealed iOS 26, and we’re eagerly awaiting the iOS 26 release date. On Sept. 9, Apple is set to debut devices, with the new iPhone being the headliner.

    However, recent hardware launches from Google and Samsung have focused heavily on new AI tools. 


    Credit: Apple

    Apple has a rocky history with AI features, especially after the company failed to ship many of the promised Apple Intelligence features that it announced at WWDC 2024. Since then, reports in the New York Times and Bloomberg have revealed that Apple is struggling to rebuild Siri with generative AI capabilities, and that the company has fallen far behind rivals like Google and OpenAI in the AI arms race.

    In the meantime, Apple has turned to OpenAI and ChatGPT to power some Siri features. A recent report from Bloomberg suggests that Apple is also in talks with Anthropic and Google to help power new Apple Intelligence and Siri features. But according to all reports, AI Siri still isn’t done cooking.

    Mashable Light Speed

    Regardless, most of these reports point toward Apple making early business decisions, not readying a new Siri for the iPhone 17 launch. In fact, Apple forecasters don’t expect to see the revamped Siri until at least 2026 – potentially around the time of WWDC 2026.

    Apple Intelligence rumors

    We do expect Apple to show off plenty of new AI toys at the Apple Event 2025, and there are plenty of Apple Intelligence rumors going around.

    Technically, it’s still possible that Apple will surprise everyone and announce the new, revamped Siri. But in all likelihood, we expect to hear about iterative improvements to existing Apple Intelligence features.

    a screenshot of a menu in iOS 26 offering ChatGPT access


    Credit: Apple

    Notably, Apple confirmed to 9to5Mac that it plans on supporting Siri using OpenAI’s new GPT-5 large language model. This builds on existing features, though. You can already sign into your OpenAI account on your iPhone and have Siri direct certain questions to ChatGPT as needed.

    Other Apple Intelligence announcements should include improved real-time language translation on AirPods and iPhones, new photo editing tools, and more advanced Genmoji options. Some of these features were already teased during WWDC 2025 and should arrive with iOS 26.

    SEE ALSO:

    Everything we learned during Apple’s WWDC 2025 keynote

    What’s coming in iOS 26?

    Rumors aside, there are plenty of AI-based features that we know for a fact are coming in iOS 26, which we do expect to be released alongside the iPhone 17. We know this because Apple has announced them already. The beta version of iOS 26 has been available since June, after Apple announced all of the new operating systems at WWDC 2025.

    So what new AI features are there? For starters, there’s a new feature in Visual Intelligence that allows users to ask questions about screenshots in addition to what your camera sees. 

    A screenshot of Apple iOS 26 analyszing an image of a ring on the palm of a hand, using a new Visual Intelligence search service


    Credit: Christian de Looper

    There are also new live translation features built into Messages, FaceTime, and the Phone app, which use AI to provide real-time translations in communication. And there are some features that work a little more in the background, like AI-powered reminder suggestions, order tracking within Apple Wallet that uses information from emails in your inbox, and more.

    Yes, Apple will probably focus heavily on other changes to iOS, like the new Liquid Glass design language, rather than on AI-based features, but that doesn’t mean that AI won’t be a big part of the new release.

    The future of Apple Intelligence

    It’s very clear that Apple is indeed still working on building the all-new generative AI Siri. We’ve seen plenty of reports highlighting executive team changes at the company meant to speed up AI development. But these kinds of developments take time, and most experts think the company will finally ship major new AI features in 2026.


    Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

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  • StablecoinX Secures $530M Investment o Back Ethena-Linked Treasury

    StablecoinX Secures $530M Investment o Back Ethena-Linked Treasury

    Stablecoin X Assets Inc. and TLGY Acquisition Corp. have announced they secured $530 million in new private investment in public equity (PIPE) financing, expanding their war chest to $890 million.

    The raise comes as the firms prepare to merge and list on the Nasdaq under the StablecoinX name under the ticker “USDE.” The funds will support a long-term treasury strategy built around Ethena’s ENA token.

    StablecoinX is expected to hold more than 3 billion ENA, the companies said, adding that the company is expected to be the first dedicated treasury vehicle for the stablecoin protocol.

    Investors include Brevan Howard, Susquehanna Crypto, and IMC Trading, alongside repeat backers Dragonfly and ParaFi.

    The Ethena Foundation is matching the effort with a fresh $310 million buyback program, bringing total announced purchases to $570 million. Proceeds will be used to acquire ENA on public markets.

    To align their strategy with market structure, StablecoinX formed a new advisory board chaired by Rob Hadick of Dragonfly.

    The board will focus on governance, partnerships, and long-term shareholder value as the company links public equity capital with Ethena’s token economy. The deal is slated to close in the fourth quarter.

    Meanwhile, ArkStream Capital has announced it invested $10 million in Ethena Labs, building on an initial $5 million investment made late last year.


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  • King Charles to set strict conditions before meeting with Prince Harry?

    King Charles to set strict conditions before meeting with Prince Harry?

    King Charles plans strict measures ahead of Prince Harry meeting?

    King Charles is reportedly willing to meet his estranged son Prince Harry during his upcoming visit to the UK but he might set a strict condition.

    According to a royal expert, the monarch may require a member of his staff to be present during the meeting.

    The King will ensure transparency and avoid any potential misunderstandings after Harry leaked private details of his royal life in his bombshell book, Spare, and Netflix documentary, Harry & Meghan.

    “I don’t think Charles would be against meeting him, but I don’t think he’ll meet him alone. I would think there would be an aide there,” Ingrid Seward told Newsweek

    This comes after royal expert Charles Rae told The Sun that a royal reconciliation meeting is unlikely.

    He noted that Charles will be in Scotland for the death anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II during Harry’s visit, making a reunion difficult.

    “The big problem is that Harry is flying 5,500 miles to London and the King is still 500 miles away in Scotland,” he told the publication.

    The expert added, “It is unlikely you would expect the King would fly down again to have a cup of tea with Harry.”


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  • Man United agree surprise deal to send Andre Onana out on LOAN as £47m keeper is cast off after they signed £21.7m replacement Senne Lammens

    Man United agree surprise deal to send Andre Onana out on LOAN as £47m keeper is cast off after they signed £21.7m replacement Senne Lammens

    Andre Onana is close to leaving Manchester United for Trabzonspor on loan for the rest of the season in a move that could signal the end of his Old Trafford career.

    Onana’s future has been in doubt all summer after United pursued a new goalkeeper before signing Senne Lammens from Antwerp in a £21.7million deal last week.

    Despite assertions from sources close to United and the player that Onana would stay, Daily Mail Sport understands the Cameroon international was told that the club would not stand in his way if he wanted to seek a move.

    Contact was made with Trabzonspor who were in the process of selling their keeper Ugurcan Cakir to Galatasaray, and a loan deal for Onana has progressed quickly.

    United are said to have an agreement with the Turkish club, and Onana is ready to join them before the transfer window closes there on September 12.

    Onana has struggled for consistency since joining United from Inter Milan for £47.2m two years ago, and committed a number of high-profile errors.

    Andre Onana is close to leaving Man United for Trabzonspor on loan for the rest of the season

    Onana was told that the club would not stand in his way if he wanted to seek a move

    Onana was told that the club would not stand in his way if he wanted to seek a move

    Man United signed Senne Lammens from Antwerp in a £21.7million deal last week

    Man United signed Senne Lammens from Antwerp in a £21.7million deal last week

    The 29-year-old made another mistake on his only appearance this season in United’s humiliating Carabao Cup defeat at Grimsby Town, with Altay Bayindir starting all three Premier League games so far.

    Onana’s situation wasn’t helped by the fact he missed the whole of pre-season after suffering a hamstring tear on his second day back at training at Carrington in July.

    United had already quoted Monaco a price of £30m while they continued to be linked with Lammens and Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez, which suggested that they were open to selling.

    When United opted for Lammens over Martinez last week, it was said that the club were prepared to carry four senior goalkeepers this season, with Onana set to be away at the Africa Cup of Nations over New Year.

    But once United opened the door to a move, the former Ajax keeper decided to look at his options even though he has three years left on his contract at Old Trafford.

    His departure would leave the way clear for Lammens to become United’s new No.1 with Bayindir and Tom Heaton as back up. 

    Andre OnanaManchester United

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  • How the Zombie and Christopher Lloyd Made It to the Screen

    How the Zombie and Christopher Lloyd Made It to the Screen

    [This story contains spoilers from Wednesday season two, Part 2.]

    With a new school year there are always new faces, and Nevermore Academy is no different. When Wednesday Addams, played by Jenna Ortega, returns for her second year at the school — “the first time you’ve ever returned to any school voluntarily,” mother Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) teases in season two’s first episode — a whole new contingent of the community is introduced. Some of them are friends and some are foes, and some look completely normal, while others … not so much.

    Tasked with bringing into reality those that are a little further down on the bizarre end of the spectrum, the show’s prosthetics and VFX teams had their work cut out for them. One of the biggest challenges, says prosthetics designer Tristan Verslius, came in the form of the zombie known as Slurp. Brought back to life by Pugsley, Slurp (Owen Painter) regenerates by consuming human brains, and (here comes the spoiler, you’ve been warned) we learn in episode six, “Woe Thyself,” that he’s actually Isaac Night, Tyler Galpin’s uncle, who’s intent on curing Tyler’s mother of her Hyde.

    “Very early on, when the first drafts of the script were being made, there was a conversation of Slurp needing to be a practical actor in makeup,” Verslius says, “so we started off by trying lots of zombie designs. There are many different types of zombies, and we were trying to find that unique look that was both enhanced, and was part of the world of Wednesday and Nevermore and the showrunners’ visions, and we landed on it with guidance from Tim [Burton] and the sketches and edits to some of our designs.

    For the early episodes of season two of Wednesday, the VFX team created a hole in the side of Slurp’s (Owen Painter) head and removed his nose, as shown in this behind the scenes look.

    Helen Sloan/Netflix © 2025

    “When the actor [Painter] was confirmed, we took that design and applied it to him, as it were, on Owen’s face and body. Then we started going stage by stage, really. We made stage one first and we tried to figure out how to get to stage three, and what stage two was and how that journey takes place.”

    The zombie necessarily incorporated more CG elements in the early episodes, notes visual effects supervisor Tim Turnbull. “When he first comes out of the ground, he’s in rough shape, so that’s where the CG really came in, that’s where biggest enhancements were,” he says. “By episode five, we’re doing very little [with CG]: His jaw still distends quite largely in those episodes and he has a giraffe tongue, but the hole in his head is gone and his nose has grown back. So most of our work was in episode one, and it phased out to be more and more practical as we went deeper into the episodes.”

    The designs were tailored to maximize the “classic horror zombie vibe” in the early episodes, including at the camp in episode three, “Call of the Woe,” says Versluis, “but had these changes that lead you on the path back toward Owen.” He adds, “Prosthetics is about enhancing and adding to the acting — we can only add — so we added enough to start stripping it back through the stages. The prosthetics got thinner, and we started to bring out more cheekbones of Owen and some of his facial features until we feel like he’s coming back into it. So hopefully there are no jumps [in Slurp’s evolution to Isaac] where you suddenly say, ‘Oh, who’s this?’ We feel familiar at that point.”

    Owen Painter as Slurp in episode 205 of Wednesday.

    Courtesy of Netflix © 2025

    For Turnbull and the VFX team, Professor Orloff (played by Christopher Lloyd) turned out to be an even bigger challenge than Slurp. Lloyd’s character was given a new lease on life years ago by Isaac, who created a machine that suspends Orloff’s head in liquid and supports its life without his body. The first question the VFX team asked, Turnbull says, was: “What does a head in a jar look like, and how do we do that?”

    The solution, it turned out, was not easy. A decade ago, Turnbull says, they probably would have filmed Lloyd in front of a blue screen and very carefully chosen their angles to composite together the needed shots. But, he adds, “it would have looked like a CG head in a jar.”

    Christopher Lloyd as Professor Orloff in season two of Wednesday.

    Courtesy of Netflix © 2025

    Instead, they harnessed new technology by partnering with Eyeline Studios, a division of Scanline VFX, to create a 4D volumetric capture of Lloyd’s performance, gathering the data in high resolution at 60 frames a second, Turnbull explains. “So what’s in the jar is an actual direct translation of his performance, which I think is what gives it its reality. We didn’t change his performance except adjusting his eyelines a little bit. What you see there is Christopher Lloyd. The layer of CG that we put on it is really only there to support it, rather than take it over.”

    Creating that magic trick was by far the most complicated visual effects work in the season, he says: “A lot of technology went into that, a lot of smart people working on a difficult problem and an enormous amount of data to process to come up with something that looks pretty simple. That’s the beauty of that.”

    Executive producer/director Tim Burton with Christopher Lloyd on the set of Wednesday season two.

    Adam Rose/Netflix © 2025

    Wednesday season two, Part 2, released Sept. 3 and is now available to stream on Netflix.

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  • Last Rites’ Casts Franchise-Best Opening Day

    Last Rites’ Casts Franchise-Best Opening Day

    The power of Christ still compels moviegoers. “The Conjuring: Last Rites” exorcised an impressive $34.5 million across Friday and preview screenings in 3,802 locations. That’s well ahead of the figure earned by the horror series’ 2018 spinoff “The Nun” ($22 million), giving “Last Rites” the biggest opening day gross in franchise history.

    It puts the New Line feature on track to surge far above its pre-weekend industry projections for a $50 million debut, beating “The Nun” ($53 million) for the series’ biggest opening weekend ever. Not only will it be the biggest domestic bow for a horror movie in 2025, but the R-rated “Last Rites” could even rank as the seventh-biggest opening weekend of the year, with a chance at edging out “Thunderbolts*” ($74 million) depending on its play through Saturday. The film also gets a revenue boost from playing Imax and premium large-format auditoriums.

    Even at its fourth mainline entry (and ninth including spin-offs), “The Conjuring” franchise has endured as a moviegoing draw. Stars Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson again return as the real-life, self-professed occult investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. Director Michael Chaves is also back to helm this entry, after previously handling the last mainline installment “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” in 2021, plus the 2023 spinoff “The Nun II.”

    The weekend also marks another hit for Warner Bros., which has now strung together a whopping seven consecutive openings above $40 million. Reviews have been mediocre for “Last Rites,” and moviegoers are only a little more positive, with survey firm Cinema Score polling a franchise-low “B” grade among early audiences. But none of that is proving much of a hindrance. Against a production budget of $55 million, it’s off to a fantastic start.

    Meanwhile, Disney has the filmed version of the Broadway musical juggernaut “Hamilton” in 1,825 theaters, with $3.9 million across Friday and preview screenings. It’s projected to land in second place with a three-day opening of around $9 million. It’s pretty remarkable, considering that “Hamilton” has been available to view on Disney+ for nearly a half-decade. The studio acquired rights to the performance recording years ago and had originally set theatrical plans, but released it on the platform during COVID lockdowns. But now “Hamilton” is finally in theaters to align with its 10th anniversary; evidently, there’s a desire to see it on the big screen, despite being readily available for home viewing.

    Third place goes to another Warner Bros. horror title with “Weapons,” earning another $1.5 million on Friday to go down just 47% from its daily total last week. Now in its fifth weekend of release, writer-director Zach Cregger’s R-rated original has earned more than $140 million in North America.

    Disney is currently holding fourth with “Freakier Friday,” which earned another $960,000 on Friday to fall 46% from its daily total last week. In its fifth weekend, the comedy sequel has now hit $85 million domestic and will soon pass “Snow White” ($87 million) to become the 15th-highest-grossing North American release of the year.

    Narrowly slipping behind to fifth, Sony Pictures’ “Caught Stealing” is facing a $3.2 million gross for its second weekend, which would mark a 58% fall from its debut. That’s not the kind of hold that the mid-budget neo noir was depending on after a muted opening. It’s looking to hit just $14.9 million domestic through its second weekend.

    Also opening wide this weekend, the Salvation Poem Project has the PG-rated Christian tale “Light of the World” in 2,075 locations. Rivals have the hand-drawn 2D animated feature at $700,000 for Friday and previews, with an eighth-place opening in the cards.

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  • Hollow Knight Silksong Players Can Now Fight Back Brutal Bosses with Invincible Mods

    Hollow Knight Silksong Players Can Now Fight Back Brutal Bosses with Invincible Mods

    After years of anticipation, Hollow Knight: Silksong finally launched on September 4, 2025, and fulfilled every fan’s wish as they descended into the terrifying kingdom of Pharloom. The sequel, which stars the agile Hornet as the protagonist, has received accolades for its gorgeous hand-drawn graphics and enhanced Metroidvania gameplay.

    However, just days after its release, players are complaining about the game’s harsh difficulty levels. Many players say that enemies and bosses hit harder than in the original Hollow Knight, with some blows quickly draining two health masks, leaving both newbies and veterans struggling.

    For instance, Lace and the Bell Beast are described as punishing bosses, with complicated attack patterns and environmental hazards that test players to the edge. As players are reflecting upon the daunting task of defeating Pharloom’s over 40 bosses, some are enjoying the grind, while others crave relief.

    In response to the difficulty, modders have already created invincibility mods, which allow users to make Hornet untouchable and sail through the toughest fights.

    Silksong Modders Launch Invincibility Mods to Crack Down on Brutal Boss Fights

    Hollow Knight: Silksong’s release generated a rush of challenge, as players faced a steep difficulty curve early on, with deadly bosses and enemies delivering double damage. Within days, the modding community on Nexus Mods responded with innovation, developing mods such as “No Double Damage” and “Invincibility” to remedy these punitive mechanics.

    Image Credit: NexusMods

    The “No Double Damage” mod, created by user Baiker, restricts all enemy and boss hits to a single mask of damage, relieving the frustration of early-game battles where health is limited.

    This mod, which requires the BepInEx framework, has been a lifeline for players battling with Silksong’s relentless difficulty; however, others have pointed out that it does not alter environmental hazards or certain multi-hit strikes. Similarly, the “Invincibility” mod allows players to explore the vivid world of Pharloom without fear of death, appealing to those who value story and environment above hard combat.

    It disables hit detection on the player completely, hence allowing you to free roam and complete the main story, while defeating bosses like you’re Superman. While some purists claim that the high difficulty is essential to the Hollow Knight experience, others welcome these mods as a chance to enjoy the game more casually.

    Modders ensure that Silksong is accessible to a variety of playstyles by providing tools such as cheat menus, compass upgrades, and ultrawide support, as well as difficulty modifications. As Team Cherry analyzes future balance patches, these mods offer instant solutions, allowing players to personalize their adventure through Silksong’s hard yet enchanting universe.

    Rishabh Sabarwal

    Rishabh Sabarwal is a Senior Gaming Writer at Beebom and an experienced video game journalist with over 7 years of experience covering everything from hit AAA titles to the ever-evolving world of live service games. He’s interviewed industry heavyweights, written for global publications, and now leads Gaming coverage at Beebom. When he’s not chasing patch notes or breaking news, you’ll find him deep in single-player adventures, building LEGO masterpieces, or hanging out with his dogs.


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  • Max Verstappen beats Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to pole for Italian GP in Qualifying thriller

    Max Verstappen beats Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to pole for Italian GP in Qualifying thriller

    Red Bull driver Max Verstappen pulled another lap out of the bag to claim pole position for the Italian Grand Prix, pipping McLaren rivals Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in an incredibly close Qualifying session at Monza.

    Following their “very tough” weekend at the Temple of Speed last season, Verstappen and Red Bull have looked much more competitive at this year’s event, with the Dutchman emerging as a genuine threat to McLaren’s supremacy.

    As a heart-stopping Qualifying hour drew to a close, Verstappen initially led the way in the decisive Q3 phase, before being overhauled by Norris but then fighting back with a blistering lap of 1m 18.792s to seal P1 by 0.077s.

    Piastri was 0.190s back in third, from the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, who could not quite deliver enough for the front row – the seven-time World Champion nonetheless losing five places with his pre-event grid penalty.

    Mercedes used a different tyre strategy to their rivals when Qualifying began, starting out on the medium tyres, before the transition to softs yielded sixth and seventh on the grid for George Russell and home driver Kimi Antonelli respectively.

    Gabriel Bortoleto was one of Saturday’s stars en route to eighth for Kick Sauber, continuing the outfit’s positive trajectory under new team boss Jonathan Wheatley, while Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda completed the top 10.

    Ollie Bearman led the Haas team’s charge in 11th, missing out on a Q3 spot by just one hundredth of a second, with Nico Hulkenberg 12th in the second of the Kick Sauber machines after struggling to match the pace of high-flying team mate Bortoleto.

    Williams caught the eye during Friday practice but slipped down the order through FP3 and failed to make an impression in the grid-deciding session – Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon having to settle for 13th and 14th places from the other Haas of Esteban Ocon.

    After his dream run to a maiden podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix last time out, Isack Hadjar suffered a painful Q1 exit, having made a mistake on his final run, leaving the Racing Bulls rookie 16th for Sunday’s race over the other Aston Martin of Lance Stroll.

    Franco Colapinto experienced a difficult start to the Monza weekend but managed to out-pace Alpine team mate Pierre Gasly in Qualifying, on the day of the Frenchman’s contract renewal, while Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) lost a lap to track limits and wound up slowest.

    More to follow.

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  • Can a Moderate Physical Activity Program Delivered in Primary Care Improve the Ankle-Brachial Index in Patients with Asymptomatic Peripheral Arterial Disease?

    Can a Moderate Physical Activity Program Delivered in Primary Care Improve the Ankle-Brachial Index in Patients with Asymptomatic Peripheral Arterial Disease?


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  • At least one killed in KP’s Bajaur blast during cricket match: police – Pakistan

    At least one killed in KP’s Bajaur blast during cricket match: police – Pakistan

    At least one person was killed in a bomb blast while a cricket match was being played in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district on Saturday, according to the police.

    Bajaur District Police Officer Waqas Rafique confirmed the incident to Dawn.com in Khar tehsil’s Kausar Cricket Ground and said the blast was carried out through an improvised explosive device.

    “It appears to be a targeted attack,” he added.

    Last Saturday, two people, including a police official, were wounded after terrorists attacked a police station in the district’s Laghari area of Lowi Mamund tehsil through a quadcopter.

    Sources said police constable Mohammad Habib and civilian Najeeb Khan were injured in the attack, which also damaged a vehicle parked on the premises.

    Israr Khan, a public relations officer of the district police, had told Dawn that the injured were immediately shifted to the district headquarters hospital in Khar.

    He also said terrorists launched another attack on the police station through a quadcopter but it missed the target.

    No group claimed responsibility for the attack. However, police officials blamed it on terrorists in light of Operation Sarbakaf launched by security forces against them a couple of weeks ago.

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