Dawn
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Dawn - 14:08 Sep 05, 2025
World Health Organisation (WHO) Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Friday announced that he was lifting the global mpox emergency, based on the advice of a committee convened to assess the impact of the disease. “More than a year ago, I declared a public health emergency of international concern over the spread of mpox in Africa on the advice of an emergency committee,” he said during a live press briefing. The committee meets every three months to evaluate the outbreak. “Yesterday, they met again and advised me that, in its view, the situation no longer represents an international health emergency. I have accepted that advice.” Dr Ghebreyesus said that the decision was based on sustained declines in cases and deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Sierra Leone and Uganda, among other affected nations. Mpox is caused by a virus from the same family as smallpox. It can be transmitted to humans by infected animals but can also be passed between people through close physical contact.... -
Dawn - 14:05 Sep 05, 2025
The publisher of Roblox has promised to set up age verification mechanisms after allegations that the video game, massively popular with children and teens worldwide, has fallen short on safety. Roblox will “expand age estimation to all users who access our on-platform communication features by the end of this year”, the American company’s head of safety, Matt Kaufman, wrote in a blog post. The company would combine estimates of users’ ages, checks on official IDs and parental consent to “launch new systems designed to limit communication between adults and minors unless they know each other in the real world”, he added in the post on Wednesday. Around 100 million people use Roblox every day, with under-13s accounting for around 40 per cent of 2024 users, according to the company. But the game has repeatedly been accused of failing to protect its youngest players in recent years. The US state of Louisiana filed a lawsuit in August, accusing Roblox of facilitating child exploitation and the distribution of chi... -
Dawn - 13:54 Sep 05, 2025
United States President Donald Trump on Friday said India and Russia seem to have been “lost” to China after their leaders met with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, highlighting his split from New Delhi and Moscow as Beijing pushes a new world order. “Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!” Trump wrote in a social media post accompanying a photo of the three other world leaders together at Xi’s summit in China. Asked about Trump’s post, the Indian foreign ministry spokesperson told reporters in New Delhi that he had no comment. Representatives for Beijing and Moscow could not be immediately reached for comment on Trump’s post on his Truth Social platform. Xi hosted more than 20 leaders of non-Western countries for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the Chinese port city of Tianjin, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Putin and Modi were seen holding hands at the su... -
Dawn - 13:10 Sep 05, 2025
The Pakistan Stock Exchange on Friday breached the 154,000-point barrier in intraday trade amid continued investor optimism. The KSE-100 index climbed 1,615.05 (1.06 per cent) to stand at 154,280.77 from the last close of 152,665.72 at 3:24pm. The market had opened on a positive note, gaining over 1,000 points by 11am. Finally, the index closed at 154,277.19, with a gain of 1,611.47 points (1.06pc) compared to the previous session. Awais Ashraf, research director at AKD Securities, told Dawn.com: “Investors remain optimistic amid improving macroeconomic conditions, particularly the strengthening of the rupee. “In addition, limited returns in alternative avenues such as real estate, fixed income, commodities, and currency markets make equities a more attractive option,” he added. The PSX has witnessed a bullish trend in recent days, despite concerns over risks to the economy due to the ongoing floods, with the Pakistan Business Forum estimating the losses to crops worth billions of rupees. Today’s gains for a ... -
Dawn - 12:44 Sep 05, 2025
The federal government and the PTI were at loggerheads in the National Assembly on Friday as the latter claimed “not enough” was being done to provide relief to those affected by the recent floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and boycotted the session over the disqualification of its lawmakers. Record rains in KP, which started on August 15, have wreaked havoc across the province. The provincial government declared an emergency as torrential rains ravaged homes, displaced families, and left a trail of destruction across Buner, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, and beyond. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan expressed his dissatisfaction with the help provided by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to the flood-affected population of KP, particularly Buner — the worst-hit area in the province — stating that the authority “did not help as much as it should have”. “I say at this forum that we will continue to be at odds with the NDMA,” Gohar said on the floor. “I said the day-before-yesterday that the NDMA only ... -
Dawn - 12:12 Sep 05, 2025
When Chinese leader Xi Jinping organised his first parade to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II, in 2015, he placed his two predecessors by his side in a show of respect and continuity of leadership. Ten years on and having eliminated domestic opposition as he serves an unprecedented third term as president, Xi was flanked on Wednesday at the 80th anniversary parade by Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un. Chinese Communist Party leaders were interspersed among overseas guests. The parade followed Xi’s high-profile summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a weekend meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Tianjin, and the Chinese leader’s rare visit to Tibet last month. This display of diplomatic clout, stamina and geopolitical ambition has helped quell concerns among some China observers about the 72-year-old president’s vitality, linked to sporadic absences and — so far unknown — succession plans. It has also helped divert domestic attention from slow... -
Dawn - 11:13 Sep 05, 2025
Powerhouse Australia said it was “up for the challenge” on Friday of winning an unprecedented eighth ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, naming a star-studded squad to defend their title in India and Sri Lanka. Led by Alyssa Healy, the 15-strong line-up features fellow seasoned campaigners Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Tahlia McGrath and Ashleigh Gardner. Sophie Molineux makes her return from knee surgery in January, while Darcie Brown (quad) and Georgia Wareham (groin) both brushed off recent niggles to take their places. Molineux is among five Australians who will feature in a 50-over World Cup for the first time, alongside opener Phoebe Litchfield who was recently player-of-the-tournament at English cricket’s Hundred. Leg-spinner Wareham, quick Kim Garth and batter Georgia Voll will also taste World Cup cricket for the first time. The remaining quad members were all part of Australia’s 2022 triumph at the last tournament in New Zealand, where they thumped England by 71 runs in the final. “A Wor... -
Dawn - 10:29 Sep 05, 2025
Authorities in India banned the X account of an Austrian economist after he shared a map showing Khalistan having been carved out of India and called for “dismantling India”, the local media reported on Friday. The Khalistan movement is a Sikh separatist movement seeking an independent state for the religious minority carved out of Indian territory. It is considered a security threat by the Indian government. The economist, Gunther Fehlinger-Jahn, appeared to be calling for the creation of Khalistan in his post on X, stating: “I call to dismanlte India into ExIndia. Narendra Modi is Russia’s man. We need friend of freedom for @KhalistanNet.” The map also seemed to be implying the separation of various other regions of India. According to NDTV, India’s Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology “flagged the viral post and directed X to withhold access to the account for Indian users. The account has since been disabled in India”. The report added that the post resulted in “... -
Dawn - 09:19 Sep 05, 2025
Daniel Levy stepped down as Tottenham executive chairman in a shock move on Thursday after a controversial reign lasting nearly 25 years. Levy was the driving force behind Tottenham’s 1.2 billion ($1.6bn) stadium and state of the art training centre. But the 63-year-old was a polarising figure among Tottenham fans, with numerous protests against him during difficult spell for the Premier League team. Levy, who was the longest-serving chairman in the Premier League, had come under fire more than ever over the last few seasons. A series of failed managerial appointments and the club’s transfer policy infuriated supporters and turned up the heat on Levy, who was accused of caring more about the club’s financial profits than success on the pitch. Tottenham endured their worst top-flight finish since 1976-77 last season, coming 17th before salvaging the campaign by winning the Europa League to qualify for the Champions League. That success — which ended Tottenham’s 17-year trophy drought — was not enough to spare ... -
Dawn - 07:45 Sep 05, 2025
Anthropic is barring Chinese-run companies and organisations from using its artificial intelligence services, the US tech giant said, as it toughened restrictions on “authoritarian regions”. The startup, heavily backed by Amazon, is known for its Claude chatbot and positions itself as focused on AI safety and responsible development. Companies based in China, as well as in countries including Russia, North Korea and Iran, are already unable to access Anthropic’s commercial services over legal and security concerns. ChatGPT and other products from US competitor OpenAI are also unavailable within China — spurring the growth of homegrown AI models from Chinese companies such as Alibaba and Baidu. Anthropic said in a statement dated Friday that it was going a step further in an update to its terms of service. Despite current restrictions, some groups “continue accessing our services in various ways, such as through subsidiaries incorporated in other countries,” the US firm said. So “this update prohibits companie... -
Dawn - 07:38 Sep 05, 2025
Three children lost their lives and five were injured as a dumper truck ran them over in Abbottabad on Friday at around 8am, police said. Abbottabad police spokesperson Azam Mir Afzal told Dawn.com, “The accident took place as the school children were crossing the road near the Lady Garden public park.” Afzal said a first information report was registered against the driver who fled the scene. The dumper had also been seized, he added. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Ahmad Faizi said, “A rescue team was immediately dispatched to the accident site after receiving information about the incident. The bodies of the deceased, as well as the injured children, were taken to the district headquarters hospital.” Following the incident, family members of the children and local residents staged a protest and blocked the Old Karakoram Highway, police spokesperson Afzal said. They were demanding the arrest of the dumper truck’s driver, Afzal said, adding that the protest ended after negotiations and... -
Dawn - 06:01 Sep 05, 2025
RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted torrential rains in Sindh, besides eastern Punjab, from Sept 7 to 9 with occasional gaps. According to it, a low-pressure system currently exists over the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and is likely to move towards west and northwest. It may travel to Rajasthan and its adjoining parts of Sindh on Sept 6. Due to this weather system, strong monsoon currents are likely to penetrate Sindh and eastern Punjab from Sept 6 onwards. The Met department has predicted that under the influence of these meteorological conditions, widespread rain and windstorm / thundershowers, coupled with scattered heavy to very heavy falls, are expected to hit Tharparkar, Islamkot, Nagarparkar, Chachro, Dhali, Diplo, Kaloi, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Khairpur, Shaheed Benazirabad, Matiari, Tando Allayar, Tando Mohammad Khan, Hyderabad, Karachi, Thatta, Badin, Sajawal, Jamshoro, Dadu, Kashmore, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad, Shikarpur and Ghotki from Sept 6 (evening /... -
Dawn - 05:48 Sep 05, 2025
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz came under fire from social media users on Thursday for sharing a two-year old image and claiming that it showed measures taken for the rehabilitation of flood victims. “Innovated portable washrooms constructed and placed at relief camps in Chiniot,” she wrote on X, uploading a photo of a portable washroom. But the image attached to the post — while showing a port-a-loo — also carries the date it was taken, which shows that it was taken in 2023. Eagle-eyed social media users soon spotted that the photo did not appear to be recent, and was taken from the website of an online marketplace. “Maryam should seriously consider sacking her PR & media team,” a journalist suggested on X (formerly Twitter). Following the brouhaha over the outdated image, X accounts linked to PML-N began uploading images and videos from Chiniot, showing the actual portable washrooms that had been provided for those hit by the flood. The account claimed that the Chiniot administration had shared ... -
Dawn - 05:43 Sep 05, 2025
SHARJAH: Fakhar Zaman cracked a robust 77 and spinner Abrar Ahmed registered career-best figures as Pakistan reached the T20I tri-series final with a 31-run win over United Arab Emirates on Thursday. Fakhar hit an aggressive 44-ball 77 not out for his 12th T20I half century while Mohammad Nawaz smashed an undefeated 27-ball 37 to revive Pakistan from 80-5 Pakistan to 171-5 in their 20 overs. Abrar then grabbed 4-9 in four economical overs to restrict UAE to 140-7 with opener Alishan Sharafu fighting a lone hand, scoring a steady 51-ball 68. Sharafu hit four sixes and as many fours. “Fakhar and Nawaz played outstandingly well,” Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said after the match. “Fakhar is a match-winner — he doesn’t always get the respect he deserves but he showed his (class) today.” The win, Pakistan’s third in four games, not only took Pakistan to Sunday’s final but also ensured Afghanistan who face the hosts in the last group on Friday, would advance. UAE’s power-hitters Mohammad Waseem fell for 19 and ... -
Dawn - 05:02 Sep 05, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Business Forum (PBF) has called for the immediate declaration of an agricultural emergency as widespread flooding devastates large swathes of Punjab and threatens similar destruction in Sindh, jeopardising national food security and economic stability. In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the forum said preliminary assessments indicated the loss of approximately 60 per cent of the rice crop, 35pc of cotton, and 30pc of sugarcane in central and southern Punjab. Over 1.8 million people across the Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej river basins have reportedly been severely affected, with floodwaters now moving southwards along the Indus River. “The scale of devastation is staggering,” the letter stated, warning that key agricultural targets set for the current fiscal year may now be unattainable. It cautioned that Sindh could soon face a similar catastrophe if immediate preventive measures are not taken. The PBF stated that losses have already run into billions of rupees, endang... -
Dawn - 04:41 Sep 05, 2025
President Donald Trump is changing the name of the Department of Defence to the Department of War, the White House announced on Thursday, insisting the rebrand will project a more powerful image. While the department’s official name is set in law, Trump in an executive order is authorising use of the new label as a “secondary title” by his administration, a White House document said. Defence officials are permitted to use “secondary titles such as ‘Secretary of War,’…in official correspondence, public communications, ceremonial contexts, and non-statutory documents within the executive branch,” according to the document. It was not immediately clear when Trump planned to sign the order, but his public schedule for Friday said he would be signing executive orders in the afternoon as well as making an announcement in the Oval Office. The president, a marketing-savvy real estate developer, has repeatedly said in recent weeks that he was mulling such a change. Late last month, the 79-year-old Republican claimed t... -
Dawn - 01:00 Sep 05, 2025
At the Panthers IceDen in Coral Springs, Florida, a chant starts softly, then grows into a thunderous roar that shakes the plexiglass: “Pakistan Zindabad!” For the players on the ice, looking at a sea of green flags and ecstatic faces, the moment is surreal. They have just done the unthinkable. They have won gold. This is not the beginning of a feel-good sports movie. This is the true story of the Pakistan men’s ice hockey team, a group of diaspora athletes who, just one year after forming and without a single ice rink in their homeland, conquered the LATAM Cup Division III last month, winning all five fixtures. Their journey was a testament to love, identity, and the audacious belief that some dreams are worth chasing, no matter how impossible they seem. It all began with a man and a question: “Why not us?” Adnan Khan, known to everyone as Donny, is the founder of Pakistan ice hockey. He was born in Karachi, but his love for the game began as a teenager after he moved to the US. “Ice hockey was something tha... -
Dawn - 18:54 Sep 04, 2025
Twenty-six nations have pledged to provide postwar security guarantees to Ukraine, which will include an international force on land and sea and in the air, French President Emmanuel Macron said after a summit meeting of Kyiv’s allies on Thursday. Macron said he, fellow European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy held a call with United States President Donald Trump after their summit, and US contributions to the guarantees would be finalised in the coming days. The meeting of 35 leaders from the “coalition of the willing” — of mainly European countries — was intended to finalise security guarantees and ask Trump for the backing that Europeans say is vital to make such guarantees viable. Security guarantees are intended to reassure Ukraine and deter Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, from attacking its neighbour again. “The day the conflict stops, the security guarantees will be deployed,” Macron told a press conference at the Elysee Palace in Paris, standing alo... -
Dawn - 18:47 Sep 04, 2025
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese Premier Li Qiang reaffirmed on Thursday to work together on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor’s (CPEC) second phase in a meeting that the former termed “most productive” as business firms inked 21 memorandums of understanding (MoUs). Pakistan and China share a longstanding strategic partnership with ties that span various sectors, including trade, energy, defence, and infrastructure. PM Shehbaz is currently on a six-day visit to China, where he attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit held from August 31-September 1. “Both sides also agreed to continue working closely on the next phase of upgraded CPEC 2.0, with its five new corridors,” said a statement today by the Press Information Department (PID) following the meeting in Beijing. The prime minister highlighted the “significant contribution” of the CPEC in Pakistan’s socio-economic development in the past decade. He also stressed the need for early implementation of the Main Line-1 (ML-1) rail... -
Dawn - 18:33 Sep 04, 2025
Pakistan secured their spot in the T20 tri-series final by a second 31-run win over the United Arab Emirates in Sharjah on Thursday. The UAE were set a target of 172 but could only manage 140 runs. Fakhar Zaman contributed 77 runs from 44 balls. Skipper Salman Ali Agha earlier won the toss and opted to bat first. The team had won the previous match against the UAE at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium by 31 runs on Saturday. The tri-series of Twenty20 international matches is to tune up for the Asia Cup and features Pakistan, the UAE and Afghanistan. The final is scheduled for September 7. Afghanistan and the UAE will play their second match against each other tomorrow to determine who enters the final. Pakistan had beaten Afghanistan in the tri-series opener last week but were second best against the side a day ago.
5467 items