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Dawn - 16:51 May 23, 2026
WASHINGTON: A recent report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) says the United States lost or damaged 42 military aircraft during Operation Epic Fury, the 40-day military campaign against Iran that began on February 28, 2026. The report, released last week and circulated by several US media outlets on Friday, is believed to be the most detailed public accounting so far of US aircraft losses in the conflict. However, the Pentagon has not yet issued its own comprehensive assessment. In the report, CRS researchers said they compiled the figures from news reports, official Pentagon statements, and announcements by US Central Command (Centcom). The report notes that the Department of Defence — now also using the title “Department of War” under an executive order issued in September 2025 — has not publicly provided a full list of losses from the campaign. During a congressional hearing on May 12, Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules W. Hurst III said that the estimated cost of US military operations against I... -
Dawn - 16:14 May 23, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday landed in Hangzhou, kicking off his four-day official visit to China. Zhejiang province’s Vice Governor Xu Wenguang received PM Shehbaz at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport upon his arrival, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. China’s Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong and Islamabad’s envoy Khalil Hashmi were also present to welcome him. PM signs MOUs, meets provincial official Prime Minister Shehbaz signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the establishment of a sister-province relationship between Zhejiang and Punjab during a meeting with Communist Party of China (CPC) Zhejiang Provincial Committee Secretary Wang Hao in Hangzhou. A statement issued by the government of Pakistan on X said that during the meeting, PM Shehbaz witnessed the signing of two cooperation documents, including the MoU on the establishment of a sister-province relationship between Zhejiang and Punjab. “The MoU aims to promote cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, educ... -
Dawn - 16:03 May 23, 2026
France announced on Saturday it had banned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir from entry for a video mocking bound activists seized by Israeli soldiers on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. “From today, Itamar Ben Gvir is banned from entering French territory” after “his reprehensible actions towards French and European citizens” who were part of the humanitarian flotilla, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on X. He added that, along with Italy, he was also calling for European Union-level sanctions against the far-right Israeli minister. Ben Gvir’s actions follow a long list of hatred and violence against Palestinians, Barrot wrote. The ban follows a global outcry after Ben Gvir published a video on Wednesday showing the heavy-handed treatment of foreign activists from the flotilla. In the video, dozens of activists are seen forced to kneel with their foreheads to the ground and their hands tied. The clip, which was captioned “Welcome to Israel”, also showed Ben-Gvir heckling the activists... -
Dawn - 14:37 May 23, 2026
Humanitarian worker Saad Edhi, who was illegally detained by Israeli forces during the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters earlier this week, arrived in Karachi on Saturday. Saad was detained by Israeli forces on Monday along with around 100 other members of the humanitarian flotilla, after at least 10 boats were intercepted in the eastern Mediterranean. He landed at Jinnah International Airport today after being deported from Israel to Turkiye on Friday, along with other foreign activists on board the Sumud Flotilla. A large number of supporters and family members gathered at the airport to welcome him home. Video footage showed people showering him with flower petals and placing floral garlands around his neck as chants and cheers filled the arrival area. Many supporters were seen embracing him and expressing relief at his safe return. A day earlier, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Saad — grandson of late philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi — had arrived safely in Istanbul along w... -
Dawn - 13:12 May 23, 2026
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington, reaffirming the importance of a relationship that has come under growing strain, a week after the United States held a warm summit with China. After joining US President Donald Trump in Beijing a week ago, Rubio — visiting both Asian powers for the first time — flew to New Delhi and saw Modi for more than an hour, inviting the premier to visit the White House soon. Rubio “underscored the strategic importance of the US-India partnership, rooted in our shared democratic, profound economic and commercial opportunity and the strong personal ties” between Modi and Trump, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said, glossing over last year’s friction between the world’s two largest democracies. Modi, in a post on X, said he was “happy” to receive Rubio. “We discussed sustained progress in the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and issues related to regional and global peace and secur... -
Dawn - 12:43 May 23, 2026
Over 1.5 million pilgrims have reached Saudi Arabia from outside the kingdom for the upcoming Haj, according to a Saudi official, exceeding the number of international visitors last year despite the war in the Middle East. The conflict triggered by the US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February saw Tehran order waves of strikes on targets in Saudi Arabia and across the Gulf, prompting widespread air traffic disruptions and causing travel costs to surge. Major Gulf airlines in the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain have worked to quickly restore much of their operational capacity after weeks of airspace closures and flight cancellations. Despite the complications, pilgrims have continued to flock to Saudi Arabia to participate in this year’s Haj. “The total number of pilgrims arriving from abroad has reached 1,518,153,” Saleh Al-Murabba, the commander of Saudi Arabia’s Haj Passport Forces, told a press conference late Friday. These figures are expected to rise further over the next two days as pilgrims continue to ar... -
Dawn - 12:38 May 23, 2026
QUETTA: The Balochistan Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has claimed to have killed four terrorists in an intense exchange of fire during an operation in Pishin district late on Friday. Upon receiving information of terrorist presence, an operation was launched in the Surkhab refugee camp area, 20 kilometres from Pishin town, a CTD spokesperson said. Four terrorists were killed in the “heavy gun battle”, the CTD spokesperson said, adding that a large quantity of arms and ammunition — including hand grenades, locally made bombs, automatic rifles and explosives — was recovered from their hideout. The bodies of all four alleged terrorists were shifted to the Quetta Civil Hospital. On Thursday, officials said security forces in Pishin killed the mastermind of the September 2025 suicide attack on the FC headquarters in Quetta. In February, following a spate of coordinated attacks across the province, the military said a total of 216 terrorists were killed in the days-long “Operation Radd-ul-Fitna-1”. Chief Minis... -
Dawn - 12:25 May 23, 2026
LAHORE: The Punjab Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on Saturday claimed to have foiled a major terror plot by arresting 13 suspected terrorists belonging to various banned organisations during week-long intelligence-based operations (IBOs) conducted across the province. According to a CTD spokesperson, the department carried out 58 intelligence-based operations in various districts to avert possible terrorist activities. The operations were conducted in Lahore, Jhang, Sahiwal, Jhelum, Chiniot, Mandi Bahauddin and Mianwali. During the operations, 58 suspects were interrogated, and 13 alleged terrorists were taken into custody along with arms, explosives, and other prohibited materials. The spokesperson said the suspects were associated with Fitna al Khawarij and other banned organisations. Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan. Among those arrested, Khawarij Mukhtar Ahmed was apprehended from Lahore along with a large quantity of explosiv... -
Dawn - 12:24 May 23, 2026
A gas explosion at a coal mine in northern China has killed at least 90 people, state media reported on Saturday, the country’s biggest mining disaster in 17 years. The blast occurred at 7:29pm on Friday at the Liushenyu coal mine in Shanxi province, according to state news agency Xinhua. At least 90 people had died and 123 others were sent to hospital for treatment, four of whom were in critical or severe condition, state broadcaster CCTV said. Of those sent for treatment, 33 had returned home as of 2:00pm on Saturday, it added. A total of 755 emergency and medical personnel were dispatched to the site, with rescue efforts still ongoing Saturday afternoon, CCTV added. Survivor and injured miner Wang Yong told CCTV there was a “puff of smoke” and he smelled sulphur. He recalled seeing people choked by the smoke before he fainted. “I lay down for about an hour and woke up by myself. I called the people next to me and got out of the mine together,” Wang said, according to CCTV. Helmeted rescuers were carrying s... -
Dawn - 12:06 May 23, 2026
BANNU: At least a dozen terrorists were killed while a man was martyred on Saturday as a fierce clash continued between a police peace committee and militants in the Barakzai Akhundkhel area in Miryan tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district. District Police Officer (DPO) Yasir Afridi confirmed to Dawn that 12 terrorists had been eliminated, while “one [individual] was martyred” and four policemen were injured during the police action. Bannu Medical Teaching Institution spokesperson Mohammad Noman Khattab said the martyr, along with four others injured, was brought to the District Headquarters Hospital. Police also confirmed that during the exchange of fire, a retired Federal Constabulary official was martyred, adding that four police personnel and a child were injured. According to police sources, despite intense firing, the police force displayed bravery and safely reached the police station, while additional personnel were called in to bring the situation fully under control. Local sources said that a... -
Dawn - 10:04 May 23, 2026
SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft splashed down into the Indian Ocean on Friday after the company performed a mostly successful test flight of the latest version of its enormous rocket. The voyage was not without a few glitches, but SpaceX employees shown on a livestream roared in delight following the trial flight that comes as the firm owned by Elon Musk prepares a potentially record initial public offering. The mammoth rocket blasted off into space at just after 5:30pm local time (2230 GMT). The company did not intend to recover the booster or the upper stage, and the final splashdown was fiery but controlled, as planned. “Splashdown confirmed!” the company wrote on X. SpaceX primarily aimed to demonstrate its redesigns in flight. The third-generation Starship spacecraft carried out a maneuver that saw it flip upright and reignite its engines for control, despite one being out of commission. It also deployed its 22 mock satellites, including two that attempted to photograph the spacecraft’s heat shield for anal... -
Dawn - 09:05 May 23, 2026
LAHORE: An inquiry committee constituted by Nishtar Medical University has found nine doctors and hospital officials guilty of misconduct and violation of screening protocols in a case involving surgery on a patient who was later found to be HIV-positive, prompting disciplinary action by the Punjab government. According to the inquiry report sent by Nishtar Medical University’s vice chancellor to the Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department on May 22, disciplinary proceedings were recommended against the officials under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability (Peeda) Act 2006. Acting on the inquiry findings, the Punjab health department suspended Senior Registrar (surgery) Dr Fariha Ahmed and Staff Nurse Rida Zahra. Dr Shahbaz Anwar, Medical Officer Dr Mohammad Ali Jan and Dr Muhammad Naeem Akhtar were also suspended with immediate effect over incompetence and mismanagement. In addition, the government suspended the FCPS Chemical Pathology training of Dr Sania Saee... -
Dawn - 08:23 May 23, 2026
Pakistan has intensified screening measures at airports across the country, along with other precautionary steps, amid the recent Ebola virus outbreak in Africa, the health ministry said on Saturday. In a handout, the minister said Health Minister Mustafa Kamal had directed authorities to implement precautionary screening protocols at all airports to prevent the possible spread of the virus. The spread of the recent Ebola virus outbreak is limited to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, and the risk to Pakistan is extremely low due to limited travel links with the affected countries, the health ministry said. The ministry added that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) office in Pakistan were continuously monitoring the situation. The ministry directed all provinces and the Border Health Services to remain on alert. The ministry also noted that Pakistan possessed the capacity to diagnose Ebola and said directives had been issued to ensure all necessar... -
Dawn - 06:20 May 23, 2026
RAWALPINDI: No passenger was hurt after a Metro bus caught fire on Saturday morning near the 6th Road stop. According to Rescue 1122, the Metro bus was destroyed after it caught fire while passing the bus stop on 6th Road. It said that rescue officials rushed to the scene and brought the fire under control. Following the incident, the service between Rawalpindi and Islamabad was suspended. The reason behind the fire has yet to be ascertained. It is worth mentioning that the plumes of smoke emanating from the gutted bus could be seen from afar. Videos shared on social media showed the red bus engulfed in flames as rescue workers tried to douse the blaze. Last year, at least seven passengers suffered injuries when they jumped out of a Metrobus soon after it caught fire in Lahore on Ferozepur Road near Naseerabad Station. In another similar incident in 2021, a Metro bus caught fire and was completely burnt, apparently due to a short circuit near Minar-i-Pakistan station in Lahore. -
Dawn - 06:03 May 23, 2026
The government reduced the price of petrol by Rs6 per litre and that of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs6.80 on Friday, according to a notification issued by the Petroleum Division. Following the decrease, the price of petrol stands at Rs403.78 per litre and HSD’s at Rs402.78. The Petroleum Division’s press release notifying the decrease said the new prices would be effective from May 23 (Saturday). This is the second consecutive week in which the government has reduced fuel prices. Last week, the prices of petrol and diesel were reduced by Rs5. Petrol is mostly used in private transport, small vehicles, rickshaws and two-wheelers and has a direct bearing on the budget of the middle and lower-middle class. High-speed diesel is mainly used in the heavy transport sector and for large generators. The government has been revising petroleum prices every week on Friday night following the now-paused US-Israeli war on Iran, which began on February 28. The war also led to a global fuel crunch caused by the closure of th... -
Dawn - 03:44 May 23, 2026
LAHORE: Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has ordered imposition of a Rs50,000 fine for throwing animal waste and offal in streets, on roads, into drains and canals during Eid days. The CM directed the administrative and police officers across Punjab on Friday to remain in the field during Eidul Azha days, as the provincial government finalised extensive arrangements for security, cleanliness and public facilitation during the holidays. Chairing a video-link meeting on Eidul Azha arrangements here, the chief minister issued guidelines to all deputy commissioners and district police officers, warning that negligence or poor implementation of orders would not be tolerated. She also directed strict enforcement of the restriction on sale of sacrificial animals at non-designated places instead of cattle markets and action against illegal livestock trading in unauthorised areas. The meeting was informed that digital monitoring and vigilance operations would be carried out at cattle markets, while strict security arrangem... -
Dawn - 03:33 May 23, 2026
KARACHI: While the federal government had announced a three-day Eid holiday — from May 26 to 28 (Tuesday to Thursday) — the Sindh government has officially announced a four-day holiday, including Friday, the third day of Eidul Azha, in its holiday schedule. Sindh Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah issued a notification in this regard, stating that the Eidul Azha holidays would be observed from May 26 to May 29 in the province. “The government of Sindh hereby declares 26th, 27th, 28th and 29th May, 2026 as public holidays on the occasion of Eidul Azha throughout the province of Sindh, for all government offices, autonomous bodies, semi-autonomous bodies, corporations, and local councils, except essential services and departments/offices engaged in preparation of budget for financial year 2026-27,” reads the notification. Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026 -
Dawn - 02:36 May 23, 2026
ISLAMABAD: In a move ostensibly aimed at ensuring continuity at the helm of the country’s premier civilian intelligence agency, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved a four-year contract extension for Fuad Asadullah Khan as director general of the Intelligence Bureau (IB). According to two separate notifications issued by the Establishment Division on Friday, the PM has extended the contract appointment of the grade 22 intelligence officer. While one notification confirms that Mr Khan will continue to remain posted as director general “until further orders”, another clarifies that his contract as additional director general has been extended for a fresh period of four years, effective July 14, 2026, on existing terms and conditions. The notifications, carrying the reference number 1/22/2022/E-VI, effectively consolidate Mr Khan’s position as the head of the Intelligence Bureau Division. Mr Khan is a career intelligence officer known for remaining firmly behind the curtain. He has been at the helm of IB d... -
Dawn - 02:19 May 23, 2026
CHIEF of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir is embraced by Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni upon his arrival in Tehran.—AFP • Rubio says US in constant contact with Field Marshal Munir as the latter arrives in Iran • Notes ‘some progress’ made but insists more work needed • US considers ‘Plan B’ with willing Nato countries over Hormuz • Iran rules out deal if US demands handover of enriched uranium • Qatar joins mediation push in coordination with US • UAE says Iran’s N-programme now top concern ISLAMABAD: Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir reached Tehran on Friday as efforts to broker an interim understanding between the United States and Iran entered a decisive phase amid cautious hopes that a fragile ceasefire around the Persian Gulf could be stabilised before tensions spiral again. The visit came at a time when negotiations appeared to have moved beyond political signalling into detailed bargaining over a narrow interim framework dealing with the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear... -
Dawn - 01:07 May 23, 2026
WASHINGTON: The US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced on Friday a sweeping policy change that would require most foreigners seeking permanent residency in the United States to leave the country and apply for immigrant visas from abroad, sharply restricting the long-used “adjustment of status” process. In a policy memorandum, the USCIS said applicants already in the US on temporary visas — including students, tourists and temporary workers — would generally be expected to pursue green cards through consular processing overseen by the US Department of State. The move is part of President Donald Trump’s broader effort to tighten both legal and illegal immigration pathways. The USCIS said adjustment of status inside the US would now be granted only in “extraordinary circumstances” and on a “case-by-case basis”. “We’re returning to the original intent of the law to ensure aliens navigate our nation’s immigration system properly,” USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler said in a statement released with the memo. T...
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