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Dawn - 14:55 Mar 06, 2026
German media group Axel Springer said on Friday it had agreed to buy Britain’s Telegraph Media Group for 575 million pounds ($766.3 million) in cash, bringing to an end a prolonged period of uncertainty over the newspaper’s ownership. The deal gatecrashed Daily Mail owner DMGT’s attempt to buy its broadsheet rival, which had been facing regulatory probes in Britain amid concerns about media plurality. Axel Springer said it would preserve the Telegraph’s legacy while providing a platform for expansion, including in the US, and reaffirmed its commitment to “high-quality, independent journalism” and media plurality in Britain. After buying Politico in a deal valued at around $1 billion in 2021, the Telegraph purchase becomes Axel Springer’s second-largest investment since its founding in 1946, following an earlier failed attempt to acquire the paper in 2004. ‘Swift and efficient’ negotiations Mathias Dopfner, Axel Springer’s CEO, said owning the Telegraph was “a privilege and a duty”. He said the group aimed to ... -
Dawn - 14:09 Mar 06, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday rejected the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s plea to postpone the delimitation exercise in 24 districts of the province for the upcoming local government elections. According to informed sources, the KP government had sought a delay of 180 days in conducting the delimitation exercise in 24 districts. Meanwhile, the province’s chief secretary had also written to the electoral watchdog, seeking a delay in local body polls due to the provincial government’s plan to amend the Local Government Act, 2013. In his letter, the chief secretary had also written that the ECP had not consulted the provincial government before initiating the delimitation process. In addition, bad weather and law and order situation in some districts were also cited as reasons for the delay. However, sources said the electoral body deliberated upon the letter and emphasised that the ECP was bound to conduct delimitation and local government elections in accordance with the exist... -
Dawn - 13:46 Mar 06, 2026
‘Mortgaged to American interests’: US approval for Russian oil sparks outrage from Indian opposition
The Indian National Congress on Friday assailed the Narendra Modi-led BJP government after the US temporarily allowed Russian oil stranded at sea to be sold to India, saying the move called into question the country’s autonomy in matters of national interest. The waiver, which the US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said was issued to “enable oil to keep flowing into the global market,” comes under heightened tensions in the Middle East following the US-Israeli attack on Iran, sparking uncertainty around oil. It should be noted that India had earlier said it would stop purchasing Russian oil as part of a trade deal with the US. In a post on X, the Congress, citing the development, criticised the Indian government, and stressed that the BJP-led government “has led the country to a situation where the US is now deciding where India can buy oil from and where it cannot”. “This decision is not being made by Prime Minister Modi, nor by the Indian government,” it said. Congress said the Indian citizens were asking,... -
Dawn - 13:30 Mar 06, 2026
Seven days into the war between the United States-Israeli coalition and Iran, the conflict has transitioned from initial high-intensity exchanges to a phase defined by the former’s air and naval dominance and the latter’s asymmetric resilience. The coalition, over the past twenty-four hours, maintained clear conventional superiority, including sustained strikes on Tehran, buried targets, and Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon. Still, at the same time, Iran has adapted effectively. The Iranian ballistic missile volume has been reported by Centcom and other sources in the region to be down 80–90 per cent, yet verified penetrations with cluster munitions on Tel Aviv and confirmed strikes on Bahrain’s BAPCO refinery demonstrated Iran’s capability to impose meaningful political, economic, and psychological costs. Iran’s multi-nodal command structure and underground “missile cities” appear to have helped sustain operations despite heavy losses. Tehran has clearly adjusted its approach and is now fighting a different ... -
Dawn - 12:29 Mar 06, 2026
Soon after the first Iranian missile and drone attacks on Dubai last week, two Indian entrepreneurs based there tried to move more than $100,000 each from their local bank accounts to Singapore to hedge risk. Technological glitches in the aftermath of the Iranian attacks initially scuppered those plans, the entrepreneurs, who did not wish to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter, told Reuters. One of them said he managed to subsequently transfer the sum to his Singapore bank account via another Emirates-based bank. Scores of other wealthy Asians are making enquiries or taking similar steps to move their Dubai-parked assets to the regional financial hubs of Singapore and Hong Kong, industry advisers and lawyers said, as the US-Israel war on Iran clouds the Gulf’s safe-haven aura and rattles investors. While the rich typically diversify their investments across regions and asset classes, they choose where to be based depending on tax, regulatory, privacy and operational considerations. Towards that... -
Dawn - 12:05 Mar 06, 2026
Qatar expects all Gulf energy producers to shut down exports within weeks if the Iran conflict continues and drives oil to $150 a barrel, the country’s Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi told the Financial Times in an interview published on Friday. Qatar halted its production of liquefied natural gas on Monday, as Iran continued to strike Gulf countries in retaliation for Israeli and US attacks. The country’s LNG production is equivalent to about 20 per cent of global supply and plays a major role in balancing both Asian and European markets’ demand for the fuel. “Everybody who has not called for force majeure we expect will do so in the next few days if this continues. All exporters in the Gulf region will have to call a force majeure,” Kaabi told the FT. “If this war continues for a few weeks, GDP growth around the world will be impacted,” he said. “Everybody’s energy price is going to go higher. There will be shortages of some products and there will be a chain reaction of factories that cannot supply,” Kaabi s... -
Dawn - 12:01 Mar 06, 2026
On a balmy winter day, Irfanullah Wahid and his cousin Faisal Asadullah amble through a maze of carts in Karachi’s Shireen Jinnah neighbourhood. They are young – only 11 and 10 years old respectively – and the white bags they carry are almost as tall as they are. They laugh and joke, but their eyes are peeled. Every few steps, they pause, bend, pick something up off the street and slip it into the bags. Wahid collects only metal cans. Asadullah sticks to thick plastics. Asadullah stoops to pull out a flimsy plastic bag, commonly known as ‘shopper’ across Pakistan, stuck in the wheel of a cart. His practised hands rip it off with ease. “I don’t collect these”, he says, holding it up to show the difference with the sturdier material he rummages for. Around him, there is scattered litter. Chips packets, sachets of shampoo and of saunf-supari (mouth freshener). Most are made of non-recyclable laminates which has no use for. “The kabadiwallah (recycler) won’t pay for this,” he says. In Pakistan, about 2 million to... -
Dawn - 11:41 Mar 06, 2026
India face New Zealand on Sunday in Ahmedabad, looking to become the first side to lift the T20 World Cup for a third time but under huge pressure with the weight of a nation on their shoulders. Standing in the way of Suryakumar Yadav’s side are a team who have already upset the odds with a thumping nine-wicket win over the previously unbeaten South Africa to reach the final. New Zealand believe, after Finn Allen’s record 33-ball century in the semi-final in Kolkata, that they are capable of taking down the hosts to win their maiden T20 World Cup title. “We’ve got a lot of momentum going into the weekend,” warned Allen. “I think if we play our best cricket, we can beat anybody.” India will not only have to withstand the expectations of 100,000-plus cricket-obsessed fans in a packed Narendra Modi stadium and hundreds of millions more watching on TV, but also the weight of history. The world’s top-ranked T20 team are attempting to become the first to win back-to-back T20 World Cups and the first to lift the tro... -
Dawn - 10:33 Mar 06, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday presided over a high-level meeting on petroleum products, directing provincial governments to take strict legal action against those hoarding the commodities. According to a handout by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the Ministry of Petroleum gave a detailed briefing about stocks of petroleum products in the country, in the context of the changing situation in the region. According to the briefing, sufficient reserves of petroleum products are available in the country to meet national needs, the statement said. It added that PM Shehbaz directed provincial governments to take strict legal action against those hoarding petroleum products. He said that any petrol pump involved in the illegal practice of creating an artificial shortage should be immediately closed, its licence cancelled, and legal action taken against it, it said. The premier also instructed the petroleum minister to visit the provinces and, in coordination with the provincial governments, prepare a stra... -
Dawn - 10:10 Mar 06, 2026
Pakistan’s benchmark stock index, the KSE-100, plunged 3,714.57 points on Friday, reversing some of the strong gains recorded in the previous session. The index declined to 157,496.10 points, 2.3 per cent down from its previous close of 161,210.67 points. The intraday high was 161,435.83 points while the intraday low hit 157,072.64 points, slightly lower than the closing mark. The fall comes a day after the benchmark staged a sharp recovery, closing Thursday in the green with a gain of 5,433.46 points. After Thursday’s positive session, investors came in to sell before the weekend, as fear grow the US-Iran conflict with Iran may turn into a prolonged war, according to Topline Securities. Friday’s session was marked by pronounced early volatility. The index dropped sharply around 9:20am, briefly recovered by 9:25am, and then fell again by 9:34am. It regained some momentum until about 9:40am before resuming a steady downward trajectory. Among the most actively traded stocks so far: K-Electric: down 2.98pc to Rs... -
Dawn - 09:11 Mar 06, 2026
A narrow vote in the House on Thursday rejecting limits on presidential war powers highlighted a growing clash between President Donald Trump’s approach to the conflict with Iran and Congress’s constitutional authority over military action. The House voted 219–212 against a resolution that would have required the president to seek congressional authorisation before expanding US military operations against Iran. A similar effort in the Senate failed earlier, leaving the administration free to continue its current campaign. The resolution, introduced by lawmakers from both parties, sought to reassert Congress’s authority under the Constitution to approve acts of war. Its defeat underscored the sharp partisan divide on Capitol Hill over the administration’s strategy. “Today, I voted for the War Powers Resolution to put an immediate stop to President Trump’s unlawful war with Iran,” said Representative Judy Chu, a California Democrat. She argued that the administration had presented “no imminent threat” that woul... -
Dawn - 08:33 Mar 06, 2026
The US Justice Department released FBI records on Thursday that summarise interviews of an unidentified woman in which she made accusations against US President Donald Trump related to an alleged sexual encounter. FBI agents interviewed the woman four times in 2019 as part of their investigation into accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. The Justice Department had previously released a log confirming that the interviews took place, but released a summary of only one of those four meetings, in which she accused Epstein of molesting her when she was a teenager. The newly disclosed records, which were posted on the department’s website on Thursday, show she also claimed Trump attempted to force her to engage in sexual acts after Epstein introduced her to the future president in New York or New Jersey in the 1980s when she was between 13 and 15 years old. The White House did not immediately respond to questions about the disclosures. Politico, which first reported the disclosures, said White House press secreta... -
Dawn - 08:02 Mar 06, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The number of Trojan banker attacks on Android smartphones increased by 56 per cent in 2025 compared to the previous year, 2024. The claim was made by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky in a report titled “Mobile Malware Evolution.” This type of malware is designed to steal user credentials for online banking, e-payment services and credit card systems. Cybercriminals commonly distribute Trojan bankers through messaging apps as well as malicious webpages. The number of new Trojan banker installation packages for Android (unique APK files) also increased sharply across the globe, reaching 255,090 packages. This may indicate that these tools generate substantial profits for cybercriminals. Experts believe that threat actors will continue to expand delivery channels and develop new Trojan variants in an attempt to evade detection by security solutions. “Although Trojan bankers for smartphones are the fastest-growing type of malware, we also observed another important trend: preinstalled backdoors such as Tr... -
Dawn - 07:02 Mar 06, 2026
Punjab will establish “anti-drone units” in all districts of Punjab, said a statement from the provincial home department on Friday. The launch of an anti-drone unit was approved by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz last week. Emphasising a proactive approach, she said that instead of only reacting to terrorist incidents, authorities must adopt a policy of taking preemptive measures. According to the statement, the unit will conduct aerial surveillance of the district with the help of special drone fleets. An “anti-drone system” will also be provided in each district under the leadership of their district police officer (DPOs). Surveillance drones and anti-drone systems will be provided as per the needs of each district. “The anti-drone system will disable the drones of the enemy and miscreants with the help of jammers,” the statement added. The statement, quoting the home department spokesperson, stated that the decision was taken to meet modern-day counter-terrorism requirements and maintain an atmosphere ... -
Dawn - 06:21 Mar 06, 2026
Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto has reassured local Islamic groups that he will withdraw from United States President Donald Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ if the platform does not benefit Palestinians, a government statement said on Friday. The participation of Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, on the board, and its decision to contribute troops for a Gaza stabilisation force, has drawn criticism from experts and Muslim groups at home, who say it compromises its long-standing support for the Palestinian cause. Prabowo gathered the groups’ leaders for a meeting on Thursday evening where he reiterated his reasoning behind joining the board, according to a statement put out by the government communication office. Prabowo will withdraw from the board if it does not benefit Palestinian and Indonesian interests, the statement quoted Hanif Alatas of the Islamic Brotherhood Front as saying. “The president said that if he sees that there is no longer any benefit for Palestine … and that it is no... -
Dawn - 06:11 Mar 06, 2026
United States military investigators believe it is likely that US forces were responsible for an apparent strike on an Iranian girls’ school that killed scores of children on Saturday, but have not yet reached a final conclusion or completed their investigation, two US officials told Reuters. Reuters was unable to determine more details about the investigation, including what evidence contributed to the tentative assessment, what type of munition was used, who was responsible or why the US might have struck the school. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday acknowledged the US military was investigating the incident. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters, did not rule out the possibility that new evidence could emerge that absolves the US of responsibility and points to another responsible party in the incident. Reuters could not determine how much longer the investigation would last or what evidence US investigators are seeking before the assessment ... -
Dawn - 04:51 Mar 06, 2026
BANNU: A video footage showing armed men torturing a 15-year-old girl in Domel tehsil of Bannu has gone viral on social media. According to local sources, the girl identified as Hamshda was reportedly seen moving around in male clothing and adopting a masculine appearance. She was reportedly seen in Domel and Township areas. They said that despite repeated warnings from her family, she continued to wear clothes of men and roam around. They said that unidentified armed men allegedly abducted the girl and took her to an undisclosed location where she was subjected to torture. A video of the incident was also recorded and later circulated on social media. In the video, the girl is made to say that she will not go out in this manner or roam with boys in the future. She was reportedly released after being forced to promise not to repeat such actions. According to Domel police, no formal complaint has been received from any affected party so far, and no FIR has been registered in connection with the incident. Howev... -
Dawn - 03:10 Mar 06, 2026
KARACHI: Traders have been trying to revive trade links with Dubai, as the relationship was disrupted following the US-Israel attack on Iran, which turned Dubai into a war zone. Traders said two flights were likely to depart from Karachi and Lahore for Dubai tonight, but were unable to identify who these people are or why they want to enter Dubai while the war is still ongoing. Dubai is a global financial centre, while hundreds of Pakistani companies operate there to benefit from tax exemptions and other facilities not available in Pakistan. “We have collected foreign currencies and a person is expected to fly to Dubai to buy dollars against these currencies,” said Zafar Paracha, General Secretary of the Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan (ECAP). Foreign currencies such as Saudi Riyal, UAE Dirham, and all currencies other than US dollar are collected and sent to Dubai to purchase dollars. So far, a flight from Lahore was expected to depart at 3.30am for Dubai, and our representative carrying foreign c... -
Dawn - 03:06 Mar 06, 2026
WASHINGTON: A Pakistani man accused of planning to kill President Donald Trump told jurors on Wednesday that he did not willingly work with Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps to devise the plot, media said. The Justice Department accused Asif Merchant of trying to recruit people in the United States in the plan targeting Trump and other US politicians in retaliation for Washington’s killing of the Corps’ top commander, Qassem Soleimani. The Corps has a central role in Iran, with its combination of military and economic power and an intelligence network. “I was not wanting to do this so willingly,” the New York Times quoted Merchant as telling a court during his trial for terrorism and murder-for-hire charges, adding that he participated to protect his family in Tehran. Prosecutors reject Merchant’s claim of duress, cite lack of evidence to support ‘coercion’ defence Prosecutors rejected Merchant’s claim, citing a “lack of evidentiary support for a true duress or coercion,” according to a letter s... -
Dawn - 02:48 Mar 06, 2026
• Death toll from clashes in wake of Khamenei assassination reaches 20 • Cases over Gilgit, Skardu violence registered under anti-terrorism laws, says IGP • Insists attacks were organised, carried out with planning; JIT formed GILGIT: Suspects involved in attacks on military installations in Gilgit-Baltistan would be tried in military courts, GB Inspector General of Police Dr Nasir Akbar Khan said on Thursday. Addressing a press conference in Gilgit, he said that cases related to the recent violent incidents in Gilgit and Skardu following the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during US and Israeli attacks on Iran had been registered under anti-terrorism laws. The GB police chief said it was necessary to inform the public about the current situation after the recent violence in Skardu and Gilgit. He said anti-Pakistan elements were attempting to create internal and external disruption, put pressure on security resources and provoke sentiments among the public that could damage unit...
10732 items