Dawn

Found 5467 news

  • Czech tourist dies at Nanga Parbat base camp after falling in ravine: officials
    Dawn - 18:31 Jul 03, 2025
    A tourist from the Czech Republic died on Thursday after falling into a ravine at the Nanga Parbat base camp in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), according to officials. The Nanga Parbat — the world’s ninth-highest mountain — is notoriously known as the “Killer Mountain”, earning its grisly nickname after more than 30 climbers died trying to conquer it before the first successful summit in 1953. Muhammad Qasim, coordinator to the GB chief minister, told Dawn.com: “A tragic incident occurred at the Nanga Parbat base camp around 4am as a foreign tourist, Kolouchava Klara from the Czech Republic died.” He had attributed her death to an oxygen cylinder explosion. However, Diamer Additional Deputy Commissioner Nizamuddin told Dawn.com the climber fell from a height between Camp One and Camp Two. He said the location where she fell would be traced and the recovery operation would begin thereafter. “The team accompanying the climber had come to the base camp and informed about her death,” the official said. “There were initial...
  • LHC holds Imran responsible for ‘conspiracy and abetment’ in May 9 riots
    Dawn - 18:16 Jul 03, 2025
    The Lahore High Court on Thursday ruled that the prosecution evidence concerning offences attributed to jailed PTI founder Imran Khan in connection with the May 9, 2023, riots amounted to “conspiracy and abetment”. Following the arrest of the ex-premier on May 9, 2023, from the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) premises, riots erupted across the country and went on for at least 24 hours. Protesters vandalised and torched government buildings and military installations, while also breaking into the residence of the Lahore corps commander. The state subsequently launched a crackdown against him and his party, filing several other cases against Imran since the events of May 9, in many of which he has been acquitted. Imran had approached the LHC seeking post-arrest bail in eight cases of the May 9 riots, including an attack on the corps commander’s residence, in January. The other cases involve attacks on Askari Tower at Liberty, PML-N offices in Model Town, Shadman police station, the burning of police vehicles near ...
    Tags: Imran
  • Iran diplomat says open to talks if US rules out military action
    Dawn - 17:44 Jul 03, 2025
    A senior Iranian diplomat said on Thursday his country remains open to diplomacy provided the United States offers guarantees it will not resort to military action against the Islamic Republic. The remarks came as US news website Axios, citing two unidentified sources, reported that White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff was planning to meet Iran’s foreign minister and chief negotiator, Abbas Araghchi, in Oslo next week. Neither Tehran nor Washington confirmed the Axios report, which said a final date for the talks has yet to be set. “We are for diplomacy,” Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Majid Takht-Ravanchi told NBC News, adding that the US should “convince us that they are not going to use military force while we are negotiating”. “That is an essential element for our leadership to be in a position to decide about the future round of talks,” he added. Tehran and Washington had held five rounds of nuclear talks since April 12 and were set to hold a new round two days before Israel launched a bombing ca...
    Tags: Iran
  • Manga doomsday prediction spooks tourists to Japan
    Dawn - 17:36 Jul 03, 2025
    Viral rumours of impending disaster stemming from a comic book prediction have taken the sheen off Japan’s tourism boom, with some airlines cancelling flights from Hong Kong where passenger numbers have plunged. Japan has seen record numbers of visitors this year, with April setting an all-time monthly high of 3.9 million travellers. That dipped in May, however, with arrivals from Hong Kong — the superstitious Chinese-controlled city where the rumours have circulated widely — down 11 per cent year-on-year, according to the latest data. Steve Huen of Hong Kong-based travel agency EGL Tours blamed a flurry of social media predictions tied to a manga that depicts a dream of a massive earthquake and tsunami hitting Japan and neighbouring countries in July 2025. “The rumours have had a significant impact,” said Huen, adding that his firm had seen its Japan-related business halve. Discounts and the introduction of earthquake insurance had “prevented Japan-bound travel from dropping to zero,” he added. Branden Choi,...
    Tags: Japan
  • Putin tells Trump he won’t back down from goals in Ukraine, Kremlin says
    Dawn - 17:35 Jul 03, 2025
    Russian President Vladimir Putin told United States President Donald Trump in a phone call on Thursday that Moscow wants a negotiated end to the Ukraine war, but will not step back from its original goals, a Kremlin aide said. In a wide-ranging conversation that also covered Iran and the Middle East, Trump “again raised the issue of an early end to military action” in Ukraine, the aide, Yuri Ushakov, told reporters. “Vladimir Putin, for his part, noted that we continue to seek a political and negotiated solution to the conflict,” Ushakov said. Putin briefed Trump on the implementation of agreements reached between Russia and Ukraine last month to exchange prisoners-of-war and dead soldiers, Ushakov said, and told him that Moscow was ready to continue negotiations with Kyiv. “Our president also said that Russia will achieve the goals it has set: that is, the elimination of the well-known root causes that led to the current state of affairs, to the current acute confrontation, and Russia will not back down from...
  • Karachi police issue traffic plan for 8-10th Muharram processions
    Dawn - 17:20 Jul 03, 2025
    The Karachi Traffic Police (KTP) on Thursday issued a traffic plan for 8-10th Muharram, outlining the procession routes as well as alternative traffic flows. Stringent security measures are being taken across the country, such as army deployment as well as a crackdown on sectarian content and hate mongers, ahead of Ashura (Muharram 10), which will be observed on Sunday. The government today officially notified July 5 and July 6 (Saturday and Sunday) as public holidays on account of Ashura, both for offices observing a five and six-day working week. According to the KTP plan, Muharram processions on all three days will depart Nishtar Park and culminate at Hussainiya Iraniyan Imam Bargah after following their traditional fixed routes. Due to security reasons, MA Jinnah Road will remain closed from Guru Mandir to Tower. The police broke down the procession routes as follows in a press release: From Nazimabad Lasbela, Albela, right side Garden Jamaat Khana, Soldier Bazaar No 3 light signal to Numaish From Liaquat...
    Tags: Muharram
  • Motorcyclist killed in bear attack on scenic Romanian mountain road
    Dawn - 17:14 Jul 03, 2025
    A motorcyclist was mauled to death by a bear on a road in the Carpathian Mountains in Romania on Thursday, emergency service officials said, the latest attack in the country with the European Union’s largest population of brown bears. Romania has a brown bear population of 10,000 to 13,000, preliminary results of a multi-year DNA study showed this year, and authorities are struggling to keep residents and tourists in mountain towns safe. Police and emergency services said in a joint statement that tourists had alerted them to Thursday’s attack on the Transfagarasan road in the central county of Arges. The bear had dragged the motorcyclist down a ravine, they said. There were no details about the motorcyclist’s identity. Almost 30 people have been killed by bears in Romania over the last two decades, the environment ministry has said. Sightings of bears are common and local media regularly report bear attacks on people and livestock. Last year, Romania’s parliament doubled the annual bear kill quota to 481 bea...
  • Nearly 8,500 small and medium businesses faced cyberattacks through mimic AI tools in 2025: Kaspersky
    Dawn - 15:04 Jul 03, 2025
    Global cybersecurity company Kaspersky said on Wednesday that nearly 8,500 users from small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) faced cyberattacks in the year so far, where “malicious or unwanted software” was disguised as popular online productivity tools. In April, Kaspersky — a cybersecurity company that provides antivirus and other security software for computers and mobile devices — said that widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies in recent years has provided “threat actors with sophisticated new tools to perpetrate attacks”. In a press release issued today, Kaspersky said that based on the “unique malicious and unwanted files” observed, the most common lures for the cyberattacks included Zoom and Microsoft Office, with newer AI-based services such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek being increasingly exploited by attackers. It said its analysts explored how frequently malicious and unwanted software was disguised as legitimate applications commonly used by SMBs, using ...
  • IHC overturns 10-year sentences of 4 PTI workers in May 9 riots case
    Dawn - 13:53 Jul 03, 2025
    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday acquitted four PTI members who had been convicted on charges of attacking a police station during the violent May 9 riots. On May 9, 2023, PTI supporters, protesting the party founder Imran Khan’s arrest, staged violent protests throughout the country, vandalising military installations and state-owned buildings, while also attacking the Lahore corps commander’s residence. Following the riots, thousands of protesters, including party leaders, were arrested. An Anti-Terrorism Court in Islamabad had sentenced PTI MNA Abdul Latif and 11 other party members were convicted under various charges on May 30 for attacking the Ramna police station in Islamabad. Following the verdict, the police took the four of the convicted members present in the court, namely Mira Khan, Muhammad Akram, Shahzeb, and Sohail Khan, into custody. During today’s hearing, Justice Azam Khan and Justice Khadim Soomro acquitted the four convicts after the prosecution was unable to prove their presence...
  • PM arrives in Azerbaijan to attend 17th ECO Summit
    Dawn - 13:33 Jul 03, 2025
    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Azerbaijan on Thursday to participate in the 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO). The summit is set to run from July 3–4 in Khankendi, convening ECO heads of states/governments, ministers, ECO observers, special guests from non-ECO countries and heads of international organisations to achieve development and prosperity through fragile economic integration. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi are accompanying the prime minister during the two-day visit. The delegation arrived in the city of Shusha for a two-day visit, where it was received by Azerbaijan’s Minister for Culture Adil Karimli, at Fuzuli Airport. Pakistan’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan Qasim Mohiuddin and other senior diplomatic and government officials were also present to welcome the delegation. In a statement ahead of the visit, the Foreign Office had said the prime minister would “share Pakistan’s...
  • Trump tax bill stalled by Republican rebellion in Congress
    Dawn - 12:55 Jul 03, 2025
    President Donald Trump’s signature tax and spending bill was in limbo early Thursday as Republican leaders in the US Congress scrambled to win over a group of rebels threatening to torpedo the centrepiece of the president’s domestic agenda. Trump is seeking final approval in the House of Representatives for his Senate-passed “One Big Beautiful Bill” — but faces opposition on all sides of his fractious party over provisions set to balloon the national debt while launching a historic assault on the social safety net. As midnight (9am PKT) struck, House Speaker Mike Johnson was still holding open a key procedural vote — the bill’s last hurdle before it can advance to be considered for final approval — more than two hours after it was first called. With no clear sign of the stalemate breaking, his lieutenants huddled in tense meetings behind the scenes with the rebels who had either voted no or had yet to come to the House floor. “We’re going to get there tonight. We’re working on it and very, very positive about...
  • Japan plans ‘world first’ deep-sea mineral extraction
    Dawn - 12:51 Jul 03, 2025
    Japan will from January attempt to extract rare earth minerals from the ocean floor in the deepest trial of its kind, the director of a government innovation programme said on Thursday. Earlier this week, the country pledged to work with the United States, India and Australia to ensure a stable supply of critical minerals, as concern grows over China’s dominance in resources vital to new technologies. Rare earths — 17 metals difficult to extract from the Earth’s crust — are used in everything from electric vehicles to hard drives, wind turbines and missiles. China accounts for almost two-thirds of rare earth mining production and 92 per cent of global refined output, according to the International Energy Agency. A Japanese deep-sea scientific drilling boat called the Chikyu will from January conduct a “test cruise” to retrieve ocean floor sediments that contain rare earth elements, said Shoichi Ishii, director of Japan’s Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Programme. “The test to retrieve the sed...
    Tags: Japan
  • Liverpool’s Portuguese forward Diogo Jota dies in car crash in Spain: report
    Dawn - 12:31 Jul 03, 2025
    Liverpool’s Portuguese forward Diogo Jota, 28, died in a fiery car crash near Zamora in northwestern Spain with his brother, Spanish state-owned TV station TVE said on Thursday, citing local firefighters. Police told Reuters everything pointed to that information being correct, although they could not yet officially confirm the names. The regional fire department of Castille-Leon, where Zamora is located, said on its website a car crashed shortly after midnight on Thursday and burst into flames, with two men, aged 28 and 26, found dead. View this post on Instagram Liverpool Football Club said it was “devastated by the tragic passing of Jota”. “The club have been informed the 28-year-old has passed away following a road traffic accident in Spain along with his brother, Andre,” it said on social media. “Liverpool FC will be making no further comment at this time and request the privacy of Diogo and Andre’s family, friends, teammates and club staff is respected as they try to come to terms with an unimaginable l...
  • Fact check: Russia has not signed any SCO joint statement supporting Pakistan over India
    Dawn - 12:04 Jul 03, 2025
    Posts from multiple users on the social media platform X on Sunday claimed that Russia had officially signed the joint statement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in favour of Pakistan over India. However, no such development occurred. The SCO is a 10-nation Eurasian security and political grouping comprising members such as China, Russia, Pakistan, India, and Iran. Their defence ministers’ meeting was held on June 26 as a precursor to the annual summit of their leaders set for the autumn. The defence ministers attending the SCO meeting failed to reach a consensus on a joint statement due to India’s refusal because of what it said was “a lack of consensus on referring to ‘terrorism’”. Russia and India are close allies with significant military and defence interests, while the former’s relationship with Pakistan has seen significant growth in recent years. On Sunday, digital news outlet The Daily CPEC shared a post on X that read: “Breaking: Russia has officially signed the joint SCO statement, su...
  • CJCSC meets South Africa’s air force chief to discuss defence ties, regional issues
    Dawn - 11:28 Jul 03, 2025
    Chief of the South African Air Force (SAAF) Lieutenant General Wiseman Simo Mbambo met with Pakistan’s top military officer, Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, at Joint Staff Headquarters in Rawalpindi on Thursday to discuss defence cooperation and regional security, the military’s media wing said. “During the meeting, both sides held discussions on [a] wide range of areas of mutual interest and bilateral cooperation,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a press statement. “The dignitaries discussed practical measures to further expand the level and scope of engagements between the two militaries. They also exchanged views on the broader geopolitical landscape.” Gen Mirza, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, shared Pakistan’s perspective on the evolving regional security landscape and highlighted Pakistan’s contributions towards regional peace and stability, the ISPR added. The visiting dignitary lauded the professionalism of Pakistan’s armed forces and acknowledged their sacrifices in the ...
  • Pakistan through to Asian netball final after defeating Japan
    Dawn - 09:28 Jul 03, 2025
    Pakistan defeated Japan 64-39 to storm into the final of the Asian Youth Netball Championship in Jeonju-si, South Korea, on Thursday, remaining unbeaten throughout the tournament. The Green Shirts had a strong start with a 21-7 lead over Japan in the first quarter. By halftime, they extended the score to 34-19. The third quarter saw Pakistan lead 42-28 before ending the game at 64-39 and sealing their spot in tomorrow’s final. View this post on Instagram Leya Raza Shah, Alisha Naveed, Sumayya Kouser , Haleema ,Jasmine Farooq, Sumayya ,Jasmine, Amani, Parisa and Farah Rasheed displayed top notch performances during the match, said a press release. The president, chairman and secretary general of the Pakistan Netball Federation congratulated the Pakistan team on winning the semi-final. Pakistan will play the final either against the Maldives or Chinese Taipei on Friday. On Sunday, Pakistan downed Japan 79-39 during their fourth group match.
  • Major garment producer Bangladesh eyes US trade deal
    Dawn - 08:42 Jul 03, 2025
    Bangladesh, the world’s second-biggest garment manufacturer, aims to strike a trade deal with the United States before President Donald Trump’s punishing tariffs kick in next week, the country’s top commerce official told AFP. Dhaka is proposing to buy Boeing planes and boost imports of US wheat, cotton and oil in a bid to reduce the trade deficit, which Trump used as the reason for imposing painful levies in his “Liberation Day” announcement. “We have finalised a draft reciprocal trade agreement,” Mahbubur Rahman said on Wednesday, adding the government was “hopeful of reaching a win-win agreement”. Rahman said a meeting between officials from both countries was slated for July 8, with the US representing 20 per cent of Bangladesh’s ready-made garments exports. Textile and garment production accounts for about 8pc of exports in Bangladesh and the industry has been rebuilding after it was hit hard in a student-led revolution that toppled the government last year. Trump hit Bangladesh with 37pc tariffs in his ...
  • Pakistan dominates squash courts as 5 players storm into Asian junior semis
    Dawn - 08:15 Jul 03, 2025
    Pakistan dominated the squash courts on Thursday as five players stormed into the semi-finals of the 32nd Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships in Gimcheon, South Korea. All five athletes had commanding wins over their opponents with 3-0 defeats. Meanwhile, Sehrish Ali was knocked out of the tournament after Malaysia’s Syaurah A Sufian defeated her 3-0 in the Girls U15 quarterfinals. In the Boys U-19 category, third seed Abdullah Nawaz beat Hong Kong’s Wong Wing Kuen in straight sets 11-4, 11-6, 11-6. Top seed Nauman Khan beat India’s Harshal Rana 11-6, 11-5, 11-7 in the Boys U-15, while compatriot Ahmad Rayyan Khan beat Malaysia’s Armann Merzha bin Ashraff 11-7, 11-3, 11-3. Youngster Muhammad Sohail Adnan, top seed in the Boys U13, beat India’s 11-Abhyuday Arora 11-2, 11-8, 11-2. Over on the women’s side, Mahnoor Ali sealed her spot in the semifinals after demolishing India’s Anika Kalanki 11-6, 11-2, 11-3.
    Tags: Pakistan
  • India heightens security as Hindu pilgrimage begins near Pahalgam
    Dawn - 07:57 Jul 03, 2025
     Hindu pilgrims await their registration at a transit camp in Pantha Chowk on the outskirts of Srinagar in occupied Kashmir on July 2, 2025, ahead of the annual Amarnath pilgrimage. — AFP Hindus began a vast month-long pilgrimage in India-occupied Kashmir (IoK) on Thursday, with many of the faithful starting from near the site where a deadly April attack triggered conflict with Pakistan. Last year, half a million devotees took part in the Amarnath pilgrimage to a sacred ice pillar located in a cave in the forested Himalayan hills above the town of Pahalgam. India has ramped up security for the event, deploying 45,000 troops with high-tech surveillance tools overseeing the gruelling trek to reach the high-altitude cave, dedicated to the Hindu deity of destruction Shiva. “We have multi-layered and in-depth security arrangements so that we can make the pilgrimage safe and smooth for the devotees,” said VK Birdi, police chief for the Muslim-majority territory. Pahalgam is the site where gunmen on April 22 killed 26 mostly Hindu tourists. New Delhi blamed the attack on Pakistan, which strongly denied the allegations while calling for a neutral investigation, triggering a series of tit-for-tat diplo...
  • At least 4 dead, 30 missing after ferry sinks on way to Indonesia’s Bali
    Dawn - 07:30 Jul 03, 2025
     Abu Khoiri (middle) and Supardi (left) survivors of KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya ferry sinking, wait at Gilimanuk port after a ferry carrying 65 people sank near the Indonesian island of Bali, in Bali, Indonesia on July 3, 2025. — Reuters At least four people were dead and dozens unaccounted for Thursday after a ferry sank in rough seas on its way to Indonesian resort island Bali, according to rescue authorities who said 31 survivors had been plucked from the water so far. Rescuers were racing to find 30 people still missing at sea after the vessel carrying 65 passengers and crew sank before midnight on Wednesday as it sailed to the popular holiday destination from Indonesia’s main island Java. “The ferry tilted and immediately sank,” survivor Eka Toniansyah told reporters at a Bali hospital. “Most of the passengers were from Indonesia. I was with my father. My father is dead.” Indonesia’s national search and rescue agency chief Mohammad Syafii told a news conference on Thursday that 31 survivors had been found. “Four people died, so 30 people are still being searched for,” he said, adding the national agency sent a helicopter to help the effort. President Prabowo Subianto, who was on a trip to Saudi Arabia, ordered an immediate emergency resp...

5467 items