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Dawn - 08:05 Jan 08, 2026
Bangladesh and Pakistan are to resume direct flights after more than a decade, Dhaka’s national airline said on Thursday. Biman Bangladesh Airlines is scheduled to fly its first Dhaka-Karachi flight on January 29 and will be operated twice weekly, the first regular flights since 2012. “We are relaunching the Dhaka-Karachi route with two weekly flights,” airline manager Bosra Islam told AFP on Thursday. “The resumption of direct flights will significantly improve connectivity between Bangladesh and Pakistan, supporting business travel, tourism, and family reunions,” Biman Bangladesh Airlines said in a statement. Travellers between Bangladesh and Pakistan must currently use connecting flights through Gulf hubs such as Dubai and Doha. Cargo ships had resumed sailing from Karachi to Bangladesh’s key port of Chittagong in November 2024. Last month, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Haider had expressed the hope that direct flights between Karachi and Dhaka would start in January, during a meeting wi... -
Dawn - 07:13 Jan 08, 2026
A US immigration officer shot and killed an American woman on the streets of Minneapolis on Wednesday, leading to huge protests and outrage from local leaders who rejected White House claims she was a domestic terrorist. The woman, identified in local media as 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, was hit at point blank range as she apparently tried to drive away from agents who were crowding around her car, which they said was blocking their way. Footage of the incident shows a masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fire three times into the Honda SUV, which then hurtles out of control and smashes into stationary vehicles, as horrified onlookers hurl abuse at the federal officers. Her bloodied body is then seen slumped in the crashed vehicle. US President Donald Trump’s administration moved quickly to claim Good had been trying to kill the agents, an assertion Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called “bullsh**” and urged ICE to get out of his city. Thousands of protesters took to the frigid streets of Mi... -
Dawn - 03:03 Jan 08, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Wednesday reportedly blocked an increase in dealers’ commission and oil marketing companies’ profit margin approved by its Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) early last month. Informed sources told Dawn that the federal cabinet, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has linked the ECC-sanctioned Rs2.56 per litre additional bounty to the oil industry’s retail business for complete supply chain digitisation. On Dec 9, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb presiding over the ECC meeting approved an additional build-up of Rs2.56 per litre on petrol and diesel prices in two phases to improve the profitability of oil marketing companies (OMCs) and their dealers. The ECC announced that it had approved a proposal to revise the margins of OMCs and petroleum dealers on petroleum and high-speed diesel, adjusting them in line with the national Consumer Price Index for 2023-24 and 2024-25, with increases capped between 5pc and 10pc. “It also decided that half of the increase in the marg... -
Dawn - 02:57 Jan 08, 2026
‘Troubled and dangerous times’: Trump seeks 50pc hike in US defence budget for 2027 to $1.5 trillion
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he wanted to increase the US defence budget by half next year to a giant $1.5 trillion to deal with “troubled and dangerous times”. Trump has frequently employed the US military — which is currently funded at record spending levels — since returning to office, including strikes on Yemeni rebels, Iranian nuclear sites and alleged drug-smuggling boats, as well as a brazen special forces raid to abduct Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. “I have determined that, for the Good of our Country, especially in these very troubled and dangerous times, our Military Budget for the year 2027 should not be $1 Trillion Dollars, but rather $1.5 Trillion Dollars,” Trump said on Truth Social. “This will allow us to build the ‘Dream Military’ that we have long been entitled to and, more importantly, that will keep us SAFE and SECURE, regardless of foe,” the US president said. Trump said the increase is possible due to revenue from the sweeping tariffs he has imposed on friend and foe al... -
Dawn - 02:52 Jan 08, 2026
The US needs to control Venezuela’s oil sales and revenue indefinitely to stabilise that country’s economy, rebuild its oil sector and ensure it acts in America’s interests, top US officials said on Wednesday. The comments reflect the importance of crude oil to US President Donald Trump’s strategy in Venezuela after US forces abducted and deposed the country’s leader, Nicolas Maduro, in a raid on the capital Caracas on Saturday. “We need to have that leverage and that control of those oil sales to drive the changes that simply must happen in Venezuela,” US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said at the Goldman Sachs Energy, CleanTech & Utilities Conference in Miami. He said the revenues would be used to stabilise Venezuela’s economy and eventually to repay oil majors Exxon Mobil and ConocoPhillips for losses when their assets were nationalised by former president Hugo Chavez nearly two decades ago. US Vice President JD Vance said that controlling Venezuela’s oil meant controlling the country. “We control the energ... -
Dawn - 19:37 Jan 07, 2026
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are in talks to convert about $2 billion of Saudi loans into a JF-17 fighter jet deal, two Pakistani sources said, deepening military cooperation months after the two nations signed a mutual defence pact last year. The talks underscore how the two allies are moving to operationalise defence cooperation at a time of acute financial strain and as Saudi Arabia is reshaping its security partnerships to hedge against uncertainty about US commitments in the Middle East. The mutual defence deal was signed following Israel’s strikes on what it said were Hamas targets in Doha, an attack that shook the Gulf region. One of the sources said the discussions were limited to the provision of JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, the light combat aircraft jointly developed by Pakistan and China and produced in Pakistan, while the second said the jets were the primary option among others under discussion. The first source said the total deal was worth $4bn, with an additional $2bn to be spent on equipment over... -
Dawn - 18:27 Jan 07, 2026
The United States has a three-step plan for Venezuela that will begin with stabilising the country after US forces seized leader Nicolas Maduro on Saturday, ensuring that US oil companies have access to the country during a recovery phase and finally overseeing a transition, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday. US President Donald Trump has warned of further military operations against Venezuela if the members of Maduro’s inner circle who have stepped in to lead the country do not cooperate with his demands, which largely focus on obtaining Venezuelan oil. The Republican president said the US would refine and sell up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan crude, as US forces continued seizing oil tankers linked to Venezuela on Wednesday. Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves, and more Venezuelan crude in the market could exacerbate oversupply concerns and add to recent pressure on prices. “The bottom line is that there is a process now in place where we have tremendous control and le... -
Dawn - 18:08 Jan 07, 2026
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday jibed at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi while recounting a meeting between the two, where the Indian PM had asked to meet the US president. While addressing the House GOP (Grand Old Party) Members’ Retreat, Trump recounted a meeting with Modi, stating that Modi had ordered 68 Apache attack helicopters from the US and had waited five years. “Prime Minister Modi came to see me. [He said] ‘Sir, may I see you, please?’ Yes,” Trump recalled. “I have a very good relationship with him. He’s not that happy with me because, you know, they’re paying a lot of tariffs now, because they’re not doing the oil,” he added, referring to India halting imports of Russian oil. Trump also noted that the US is “getting rich because of tariffs”. Meanwhile, India’s opposition Congress party took to X and uploaded a caricature of the scene, showing a timid Modi. In a separate post in Hindi, Congress claimed that Modi went to the US uninvited to meet Trump after he took office last January, q... -
Dawn - 17:41 Jan 07, 2026
Robots took centre stage at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada, on January 6, as the annual technology show opened to the public. CES is being held in Las Vegas from January 6 to 9. The bots roamed the exhibition floors as symbols of how artificial intelligence is moving from screens into physical space. From humanoid assistants and service robots to machines designed for healthcare, logistics and everyday tasks, CES offers a glimpse into a future where robots are no longer experimental curiosities but working companions. This photo essay documents the machines, their makers and the moments of interaction that reveal how near that future may be. The Tombot Inc. hyper-realistic autonomous dog robot companion for the elderly and those unable to have a living pet dog is demonstrated during CES Unveiled ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 4, 2026. — Patrick T. Fallon / AFP The Agibot A2 humanoid robot is demonstrated during Pepcom ahead of the an... -
Dawn - 17:27 Jan 07, 2026
The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government on Wednesday stated that it had accepted and implemented in letter and spirit almost all points of its agreement with the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) that fell within its jurisdiction, adding that issues relating to the federal government could take some time. The federal government on October 4, 2025, signed an agreement with the JAAC to end the tense situation prevailing in the region since late September. The AJK government claimed it had resolved or was moving towards resolution of more than 90 per cent of the issues outlined by the JAAC. “We have implemented all matters that were within our domain. However, federally funded projects are approved through a defined process, and that naturally takes time,” Minister for Information and Religious Affairs Muhammad Rafique Nayyar said at a press conference. “Similarly, matters related to constitutional amendments also take time because they pass through different stages,” he added. Nayyar said the PPP-led gove... -
Dawn - 17:25 Jan 07, 2026
Tempers flared and expletives were hurled across the squash court faster than the ball as Egyptian squash player Fares Dessouky got into a heated argument with the referee and abandoned the match in the fifth game, which automatically allowed Pakistan’s Noor Zaman to advance to the quarterfinal of the Karachi Open. Home favourite Noor was Pakistan’s last hope to make it to the quarterfinals after Ashab Irfan and Nasir Iqbal were eliminated from the tournament earlier in the day. Noor was two sets down as Dessouky took the first two games 11-8, 11-9. View this post on Instagram Tensions had been building throughout the match, with Dessouky in the second game questioning how the score had reached 6-4 when it should have been 5-4. Spectators and international athletes alike, as well as squash icon Jahangir Khan sitting front row to the action, murmured that the score should be 5-4. Dessouky took the second game as Noor’s coach gave him a pep talk that ostensibly helped him win the third game 11-5. Dessouky, curr... -
Dawn - 16:59 Jan 07, 2026
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday ordered security forces not to crack down on economic protests, drawing a distinction between peaceful demonstrators and armed “rioters”. Pezeshkian’s statement comes as Iranian cities continue to see a wave of protests against economic hardship triggered by price rises and currency collapse. Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR) claimed on Tuesday at least 27 protesters have been killed during the demonstrations that kicked off with a shopkeeper’s strike in Tehran on December 28. Iranian media outlets, relaying official announcements, have reported 13 deaths, including members of the security forces and a policeman who was shot dead on Tuesday. In a video released by the news agency Mehr after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Iran Vice President Mohammad Jafar Ghaempanah said Pezeshkian had “ordered that no security measures be taken against the demonstrators”. “Those who carry firearms, knives and machetes and who attack police stations and military sites ar... -
Dawn - 16:55 Jan 07, 2026
Featuring for Pakistan for the first time since June last year, Shadab Khan impressed with the ball, teaming up with Abrar Ahmed as Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in the opening fixture of the three-match Twenty20 International series at the Rangiri Dambulla Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. The all-rounder took two wickets, while Abrar hunted three victims to restrict Sri Lanka to a paltry 128-run total before Sahibzada Farhan’s half century helped Pakistan chase down the target with 20 balls to spare. Shadab gave away only 25 runs in his four overs, bagging both his wickets in his very first over and could have gone on to take a third had it not been for a dropped catch later on. Coming into bowl in the seventh over, after Mohammad Wasim and Salman Mirza’s pace — that accounted for a wicket for each — saw Sri Lanka post 35-2 in the powerplay, Shadab trapped a sweeping Kusal Mendis lbw and induced an inside edge off Dhananjaya de Silva’s bat for wicket-keeper Usman Khan to take a good catch. With Sri Lan... -
Dawn - 16:52 Jan 07, 2026
ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee on Wednesday was informed that Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (PIAC) suffered a loss of Rs22 billion due to the prolonged grounding of its aircraft. Officials from the Auditor General’s Office informed the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that PIA aircraft spent an extended period in routine maintenance, ranging from 44 to 239 days, resulting in substantial losses in 2022. One aircraft was grounded for 652 days, officials revealed while discussing the Aviation Division’s audit objections for the year 2023-24. The audit department was of the view that, due to the management’s negligence, extended delays occurred, resulting in unjustified operational and financial losses of Rs21.82 billion. Similarly, PIA incurred further losses of Rs8.6 billion due to the failure to dispose of spare parts or retired aircraft. The audit observed that the management held an inventory of spare parts from retired aircraft valued at Rs8.566 billion for the period 2015–2021, which had... -
Dawn - 15:41 Jan 07, 2026
A Dutch court broke the hearts of a couple after ruling that their marriage, whose wedding vows were drafted with the help of artificial intelligence, was not valid. The couple thought they had sealed their love at the April 2025 service in Zwolle, in the north of the country. Seeking an informal civil ceremony, they had asked a friend to officiate — so the friend turned to ChatGPT to help compose the vows. Between them, however, they missed the point, a Zwolle court ruled on Tuesday. Couples are required by law to declare that they will fulfil all the legal obligations linked to marriage, the court noted in its judgment. “The aforementioned statement shows that the man and the woman did not make the declaration referred to in Article 1:67, paragraph 1, of the Dutch Civil Code,” it ruled. The ruling quoted the AI-generated vows to make its point. “Do you promise to stand by (women’s name) today, tomorrow, and forever?” the man was asked during the ceremony. “To laugh together, grow together, and love each oth... -
Dawn - 15:37 Jan 07, 2026
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Wednesday sought a “policy shift” and urged the inclusion of the provincial government in counter-terror policy-making. Federal authorities have criticised the PTI-led KP government for failing to ensure security in the province, with KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi saying that the party was in disarray and unable to achieve any of its policy goals. In a speech at Peshawar University’s convocation ceremony, the CM said that the people of KP had warned about the resurgence of terrorism in the province, but were brushed off as propaganda. “We would issue warnings that they (terrorists) were in the mountains and they were coming, that they had reached our markets and homes,” CM Afridi said. “We were told that we are spreading propaganda.” He highlighted that if there was going to be a military operation, then the people of KP needed to be taken into confidence and made part of the policy process. “There needs to be a policy shift, but not behind closed doors,” he... -
Dawn - 15:24 Jan 07, 2026
A group of former PTI leaders and others on Wednesday proposed that the government and the opposition hold talks to reduce tensions and suggested that political prisoners be released as part of “confidence-building measures.” They made proposals in a formal statement issued at the conclusion of Wednesday’s conference in Islamabad, organised under the banner of the recently formed National Dialogue Committee (NDC). Ex-PTI leaders — including Fawad Chaudhry, former Sindh governor Imran Ismail, Dr Shahzad Waseem, and Mahmood Moulvi — are leading the initiative. “The meeting agreed to the proposal to initiate a fruitful negotiation process and declared that, in this regard, the government and the opposition should form separate committees comprising their respective representatives, between which the dialogue process should be initiated,” the statement read. The NDC proposed that President Asif Ali Zardari, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif represent the ruling coalition in the talks... -
Dawn - 14:49 Jan 07, 2026
January can be weird. One minute you’re enjoying fireworks, the next you’re staring at your inbox, wondering how you forgot your email password over the holiday break. The glitter fades fast, and suddenly it’s back to deadlines, group chats and figuring out if you’re supposed to feel different now. The new year often arrives with the pressure to improve: Cue the “new year, new me” captions and ambitious planners that still smell like a Kinokuniya display table. But let’s be honest: Not everyone is in the mood for reinventing themselves. Maybe you’re in the mood for just a little glow-up, or maybe you’re just trying to get through your to-do list without spiralling. Either way, here’s a mix of tools and tricks to help you ease into the year, whether you’re looking for fresh ideas, familiar favorites or just a little structure to soften the return to real life. Don’t know where to start? Try a brain dump Before you dive into your to-do list, consider starting with a brain dump. Think of it as emptying the menta... -
Dawn - 13:01 Jan 07, 2026
The United Nations on Wednesday said decades-long discrimination and segregation of Palestinians by Israel in the West Bank were intensifying, and called on the country to end its “apartheid system”. In a new report, slammed by Israel, the UN rights office said “systematic discrimination” against Palestinians across the occupied Palestinian territories had “drastically deteriorated” in recent years. “There is a systematic asphyxiation of the rights of Palestinians in the West Bank,” UN rights chief Volker Turk said in a statement. “Whether accessing water, school, rushing to hospital, visiting family or friends, or harvesting olives — every aspect of life for Palestinians in the West Bank is controlled and curtailed by Israel’s discriminatory laws, policies and practices,” he added. “This is a particularly severe form of racial discrimination and segregation that resembles the kind of apartheid system we have seen before.” A number of independent experts affiliated with the UN have described the situation in ... -
Dawn - 12:55 Jan 07, 2026
At least four civilians were killed in coalition strikes in Yemen on Wednesday, two hospital sources told AFP, as the force raided the home province of a separatist leader who was kicked out of the presidency. More than 15 airstrikes hit Dhale, the home governorate of Aidaros Alzubidi, whose Southern Transitional Council (STC) grabbed swathes of territory last month before seeing the advance rolled back by the coalition and forces. “The initial toll from the strikes on the province of al-Dhale is four civilian deaths and six wounded,” medical sources at the Al-Nasr and Al-Tadamon hospitals in al-Dhale told AFP. The coalition said it had given Aidaros Alzubidi a 48-hour ultimatum to come to Riyadh for discussions, after Southern Transitional Council (STC) grabbed swathes of territory last month. But he failed to board the flight carrying his delegation, and the coalition struck his home province of al-Dhale after accusing him of mobilising “large forces” there. Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), wh...
7393 items