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Dawn - 04:38 Mar 15, 2026
The Foreign Office (FO) on Sunday rejected a statement made by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs criticising Pakistan’s cross-border action in Afghanistan, stating that the statement was “absurd, unwarranted” and “shamefully hypocritical”. The development comes as Pakistan continues with Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, which was launched in late February following unprovoked firing by the Afghan Taliban from across the border. A day earlier, the Indian MEA’s spokesperson Shri Randhir Jaisal claimed that Pakistan’s strikes in Afghanistan had led to “death of several civilians”, terming it an “act of aggression”. In response, the FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi rejected the claim, stating that the remarks against Pakistan’s “legitimate, targeted and precise actions against terrorist hideouts and support bases inside Afghanistan are not only absurd and unwarranted but also shamefully hypocritical”. The spokesperson maintained that India’s “active support and sponsorship” for terrorist groups operating from Afghan ... -
Dawn - 03:33 Mar 15, 2026
The government has increased the price of kerosene oil by another Rs40 per litre and approved Rs23 billion price differential subsidy for payments to oil marketing companies (OMCs) to keep the prices of two other oil products — petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) — unchanged for the week ending March 20. Otherwise, the petrol and HSD prices should have gone up by more than Rs49 and Rs75 per litre with effect from March 14. With fresh price notification, Kerosene, commonly described as poor man’s fuel, has become the most expensive consumer product at Rs358 per litre and has seen the highest increase among all fuels since March 7. The kerosene rate has now increased by about 12.6pc on March 14, bringing its cumulative increase to 90pc from Rs188.87 earlier this month. In formal orders, the petroleum division of the energy ministry said that the prime minister had approved keeping the prices of HSD and MS unchanged, and that the government will pay the price differential of Rs75.05 per litre and Rs49.63 per litr... -
Dawn - 03:32 Mar 15, 2026
When US Secretary of Defence James Mattis addressed the intensification of US combat operations against the Islamic State group in 2017, he assured the American public of his commitment to “get the strategy right” while maintaining “the rules of engagement” to “protect the innocent.” Mattis’ professional tone was a stark contrast to [current US] Secretary Pete Hegseth’s remarks following the first days of the joint US-Israeli combat operations in Iran. On March 2, 2026, after bragging about the awe-inspiring lethality of US “B-2s, fighters, drones, missiles”, Hegseth casually brushed aside concerns about long-term geopolitical strategy, declaring “no stupid rules of engagement, no nation-building quagmire, no democracy-building exercise, no politically correct wars. We fight to win.” Admonishing the press for anything less than total assent, he commanded, “to the media outlets and political left screaming ‘endless wars’: Stop. This is not Iraq.” Instead of briefi ng the public on the Iran war, US Secretary of... -
Dawn - 03:10 Mar 15, 2026
• Pete Hegseth calls reporting ‘patently ridiculous’ • Thompson says network will keep reporting ‘the truth’ WASHINGTON: The Pentagon and White House slammed CNN over its Iran war coverage on Friday — with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth saying he looked forward to an ally of President Donald Trump taking over the news network. Hegseth spent part of a news conference on US military operations against Tehran criticising the media and CNN in particular, urging for what he called an “actual patriotic press”. The former Fox News host was particularly incensed by a story the channel ran suggesting Washington had underestimated Iran’s ability to disrupt global oil traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. “Patently ridiculous,” Hegseth told reporters, before adding: “The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better.” David Ellison is the head of Paramount Skydance, which is set to complete a landmark takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, the current owner of CNN, after beating Netflix in a bidding war. Earlier this... -
Dawn - 03:01 Mar 15, 2026
A SITE in the Haret Hreik, a neighbourhood in southern Beirut which was struck by Israel.—AFP • Death toll for paramedics this month rises to 31 after clinic bombing • France offers to host negotiations in Paris; urges Israel to halt its offensive • First direct talks since conflict expected in coming days, Haaretz reports BEIRUT: An overnight Israeli strike on a healthcare centre in Borj Qalaouiya killed at least 12 Lebanese medical personnel, Lebanon’s state news agency said on Saturday, as diplomatic efforts intensified amid reports Israel and Lebanon may hold their first direct talks to de-escalate the war. The health ministry said the death toll was preliminary, with rescue operations underway to search for those still missing under the rubble and the Israeli attack killed doctors, paramedics, and nurses working at the facility. This strike brings the total number of paramedics killed in Lebanon since the start of hostilities to 31, a grim statistic highlighted by the ministry as it accused Israel of rep... -
Dawn - 02:54 Mar 15, 2026
• US bombs Kharg Island, key to 90pc of oil exports • Tehran warns it will target any facility in region linked to US • Trump says warships from several countries to guard Hormuz • US embassy in Baghdad urges Americans to leave Iraq • Iran Guards say targeted US forces at Saudi base with missiles • Iranian military claims US aircraft carrier ‘neutralised’ DUBAI: After the United States on Saturday bombed Iran’s main energy hub and President Donald Trump predicted “many countries” would send warships, Tehran threatened to escalate the war raging in the Middle East by targeting any facility in the region with US ties. As the conflict entered its third week, Iran projected defiance after US forces hit military sites at Kharg Island, which handles 90 per cent of Iranian oil exports. A drone attack had already disrupted a United Arab Emirates energy hub and the US embassy in Baghdad warned US citizens to leave Iraq. Since Israel and the United States began attacking Iran on Feb 28, the war has killed more than 2,0... -
Dawn - 02:47 Mar 15, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The PTI has expressed deep alarm over the rapidly deteriorating regional security environment and called upon the government to immediately convene an emergency meeting of the OIC to forge a united response and foil any attempt to once again drag the region and the Ummah into a foreign-imposed and catastrophic conflict. In a statement issued on Saturday, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said urgent diplomatic action was imperative to prevent the Muslim world from being dragged into another devastating war. He warned that rapidly escalating tensions could destabilise the entire Middle East and have grave consequences for global peace, economic stability and the security of the Ummah. He said the unprovoked American and Israeli attacks on Iran constituted a blatant violation of international law and the sovereignty of a neighbouring Muslim state, warning that such reckless military actions risk igniting a wider regional conflict with catastrophic consequences for the Middle East ... -
Dawn - 02:28 Mar 15, 2026
• Under India’s chairmanship, the expanded bloc has remained silent • Pezeshkian, Araghchi urge Indian counterparts to spearhead a ‘strong and constructive’ intervention • New Delhi caught in a diplomatic bind amid domestic LPG crisis; balances pro-Israel comments with its ‘friend of Iran’ status NEW DELHI: Iran’s top leaders have urged their Indian counterparts to activate the BRICS to play a “strong and constructive role” in the escalating war with the US and Israel, according to Iranian government readouts of recent telephone conversations. The issue was raised during calls late on Thursday, March 12, between Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and separately between Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. Tehran pressed New Delhi, which currently chairs the BRICS bloc, to help address the West Asia conflict that has disrupted global energy supplies and shipping routes, The Wire reported, citing an Iranian readout. The Iran... -
Dawn - 17:21 Mar 14, 2026
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that many countries would send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, but did not provide details on which countries would do so. “Many countries, especially those who are affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending warships, in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. Trump said he hoped that China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain and others would send ships to the area. “In the meantime, the United States will be bombing the hell out of the shoreline, and continually shooting Iranian boats and ships out of the water,” he wrote. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether any countries had agreed to send ships. The comments come after Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei vowed in his first public remarks to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed to “put pressure” on Washington. “The lever of blocking t... -
Dawn - 15:42 Mar 14, 2026
Some oil-loading operations have been suspended in the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Fujairah port, a major global hub for refuelling ships as well as crude and fuel exports, after a drone attack and fire on Saturday. Why does Fujairah matter globally? Fujairah exported more than 1.7 million barrels per day of crude oil and refined fuels on average last year, according to Kpler data, a volume equal to about 1.7 per cent of daily world demand. The port is located on the Gulf of Oman, approximately 70 nautical miles from the Strait of Hormuz, which is effectively closed due to the Iran war, increasing the importance of Fujairah’s flows to the global market during the current conflict. It sold 7.4 million cubic metres (about 7.33 million metric tons) of marine fuels in 2025, making it the fourth largest in the world after Singapore, Rotterdam and China’s Zhoushan. Why does it matter to the UAE? The UAE, which before the war began produced more than 3.4 million bpd of crude, operates a 1.5 million bpd pipeline that... -
Dawn - 14:48 Mar 14, 2026
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Saturday that the company’s Terafab project to make artificial intelligence (AI) chips will launch in seven days. Musk had said last year that Tesla probably will have to build “a gigantic chip fab” to make AI chips. Tesla is designing its fifth-generation AI chip to power its autonomous ambitions, and Musk at the company’s annual meeting last year laid out potential manufacturing plans. Musk had said at the time that the EV maker could work with Intel and said, “You know, maybe we’ll, we’ll do something with Intel.” “We haven’t signed any deal, but it’s probably worth having discussions with Intel,” he had said. Tesla did not immediately respond to a Reuters request seeking more details about the project. Musk has teased the AI5 chip before and reiterated that Tesla was also partnering with Taiwan’s TSMC and South Korea’s Samsung. The AI chips power Tesla’s autonomous driving systems, including the Full Self-Driving software. “Even when we extrapolate the best-case scenario for ch... -
Dawn - 14:33 Mar 14, 2026
The International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Saturday it has officially reprimanded Salman Ali Agha for breaching Level 1 of its code of conduct during a One-Day International against Bangladesh. “Agha was found to have breached Article 2.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to ‘abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an international match’,” the ICC said in a statement. It stated that one demerit point has been added to Agha’s disciplinary record, for “whom it was the first offence in a 24-month period”. “The incident occurred in the 39th over of Pakistan’s innings when, after being run out, Agha threw his batting gloves and helmet to the ground in an inappropriate manner,” the ICC noted. It added that Agha “admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Neeyamur Rashid Rahul of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for a formal hearing”. On-field umpires Adr... -
Dawn - 13:16 Mar 14, 2026
On the 15th day of the US-Israel war against Iran, strategic signalling between the warring sides intensified after American forces struck Kharg Island, Iran’s principal oil export hub, while Tehran and its regional allies increased pressure across multiple theatres stretching from the Gulf to Iraq and Lebanon. US aircraft conducted strikes on Kharg Island on the night of March 13, targeting what Washington described as military facilities associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy. The attacks reportedly hit a short airstrip, air defence positions, docks linked to the Joushan naval base, a control tower and helicopter hangars. Iranian state media acknowledged damage but said air defences were restored shortly afterwards and confirmed that oil export infrastructure was deliberately spared. Reports on Saturday afternoon suggested that oil exports from Kharg Island remained unaffected and at least two ships had docked for loading. US President Donald Trump described the raid as one of the most “... -
Dawn - 12:30 Mar 14, 2026
RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said on Saturday that flight operations at Islamabad International Airport would remain suspended for two hours on March 16. In a statement on X, the authority said, “Due to operational reasons, flight operations at Islamabad International Airport will remain temporarily suspended on 16 March 2026 from 08:30am to 10:30am PKT.” It advised passengers to check with their airlines for any updates. In a notice to airmen (Notam), the PAA specified segments of air traffic service (ATS) routes within the Lahore flight information region (FIR) that would not be available from ground to flight level 210 due to “operational reasons”. The Notam stated that arrival and departure operations at Islamabad International Airport would remain closed, and urged arriving aircraft to “bring sufficient holding fuel to cater for delay”. Today’s notice comes after a Notam with the same specifications was issued on March 12, restricting flights in the same route segments for three hour... -
Dawn - 12:27 Mar 14, 2026
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Saturday rubbished claims by the Afghan Taliban regarding the capture of a military post, saying it was “designed to mislead internal public opinion” in the neighbouring country. In a post on the social media platform X, the ministry’s fact-checking account posted a photo of a post by the Afghan Ministry of Defence, which claimed that a Pakistani military outpost was captured while 14 soldiers were martyred. In response, the ministry said, “This latest claim of the so-called Ministry of Defence of the Afghan Taliban Regime regarding capturing some post and made-up damages etc, is false as always, fabricated and designed to mislead Afghan internal public opinion, which are unfortunately first-hand experiencing and suffering under these terror sponsors.” It said that damages and losses incurred by the “master proxy Afghan Taliban and their extension Fitna al Khawarij” were being regularly updated by the ministry. Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terr... -
Dawn - 12:27 Mar 14, 2026
Employees of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and autonomous institutions under government patronage would see their salaries cut by five to 30 per cent under the government’s austerity measures, which would go towards public relief, it was decided on Saturday. The move adds to a host of austerity measures announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday in view of the global oil crisis triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran, which has hiked local fuel prices. On Saturday, PM Shehbaz chaired a meeting reviewing the impact of petroleum product prices and the implementation of government austerity measures in view of the ongoing situation in the Middle East, a press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. “It was decided in the meeting that, like government employees, there will be a 5-30pc cut in the salaries of employees of state-owned enterprises and autonomous institutions under government patronage,” the statement said. It added that the funds saved as a result of all austerity measures... -
Dawn - 11:59 Mar 14, 2026
The US and Israel’s war against Iran has led to sporting events being postponed in the region, while competitions elsewhere have been hit by travel disruption, with thousands of flights cancelled in some of the world’s busiest transit hubs. Bahrain and Saudi F1 races set to be cancelled Next month’s Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Formula One Grands Prix are set to be cancelled due to the Middle East conflict. Multiple sources told Reuters an announcement, seen within the sport as just a matter of time, was expected with a March 20 deadline looming for freight that has to be transported to Bahrain for logistical reasons. Trump says inappropriate for Iran to be at World Cup US President Donald Trump said on March 12 that Iran’s soccer team were welcome to take part in this year’s World Cup but that he believed it was not appropriate they be there “for their own life and safety”. Iran have qualified for the 48-team tournament to be held in the US, Canada and Mexico from June 11 and are scheduled to play two group mat... -
Dawn - 11:51 Mar 14, 2026
India on Saturday ended the preventive detention of prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk, freeing him six months after he was arrested over protests in India-held Ladakh. The Buddhist-Muslim enclave was deprived of its autonomy in 2019 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government carved it out of occupied Kashmir, placing the region under New Delhi’s direct control. Wangchuk, 59, an environmental advocate who became a key figure in Ladakh’s movement for greater autonomy, was held in September and later charged under India’s National Security Act (NSA) following protests that left four people dead and dozens wounded. New Delhi had blamed the violence on “provocative speeches” by Wangchuk, who had been on a hunger strike demanding either full federal statehood for India-held Ladakh or constitutional protections for its tribal communities, land and fragile environment. Authorities in the sparsely populated, high-altitude region bordering China and Pakistan at the time said the order, issued by the district magist... -
Dawn - 10:55 Mar 14, 2026
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi in a phone call that disputes between Afghanistan and Pakistan should be resolved through dialogue and consultation, not force, the foreign ministry said in a statement published on Friday. Wang urged both sides to remain calm and exercise restraint, hold face-to-face talks as soon as possible, seek an immediate ceasefire and address differences through dialogue, according to the statement. The further use of force would only complicate the situation and intensify tensions, Wang said. “China is willing to continue to make active efforts to help achieve reconciliation and detente between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” said Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong on X, sharing the call’s details. The ministry’s statement came after Pakistan on Friday targeted terror camps and associated infrastructure in Afghanistan. Wang and Muttaqi also exchanged views on the situation in Iran, the statement said. Wang told Muttaqi, according to the sta... -
Dawn - 09:51 Mar 14, 2026
Meta is planning sweeping layoffs that could affect 20 per cent or more of the company, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Meta seeks to offset costly artificial intelligence infrastructure bets and prepare for greater efficiency brought about by AI-assisted workers. No date has been set for the cuts and the magnitude has not been finalised, the people said. Top executives have recently signalled the plans to other senior leaders at Meta and told them to begin planning how to pare back, two of the people said. The sources spoke anonymously because they were not authorised to disclose the cuts. “This is speculative reporting about theoretical approaches,” Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said in response to questions about the plan. If Meta settles on the 20pc figure, the layoffs will be the company’s most significant since a restructuring in late 2022 and early 2023 that it dubbed the “year of efficiency”. It employed nearly 79,000 people as of December 31, according to its latest filing. The...
10732 items