Dawn
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Dawn - 08:50 Apr 09, 2026
Four astronauts travelling back to Earth from the far side of the moon on Nasa’s Artemis II mission spoke of their emotions as they wrapped up the unprecedented flight and prepared to re-enter the atmosphere in a “fireball”, during their first press conference from space on Wednesday. The Artemis II crew, flying in their Orion capsule since launching from Florida last week, are due to splash down off the Southern California coast on Friday evening after reaching the moon earlier this week. They cruised along a path that took them past the shadowed, lunar far side to become the farthest-flying humans in history. On the trip back home, they will reach speeds of up to 38,365 kph as they enter Earth’s atmosphere, a high-risk phase of the mission that will put Orion’s heatshield to the test as it gets battered by intense atmospheric friction. “I’ve actually been thinking about entry since April 3, 2023 when we got assigned to this mission,” said Artemis II mission pilot Victor Glover, when asked how he was feeling... -
Dawn - 04:57 Apr 09, 2026
KARACHI: Raising concern over the mpox outbreak in Khairpur, experts at the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) on Wednesday urged healthcare providers and policymakers to treat the viral disease as an immediate public health concern. Last week, an outbreak of mpox was reported from Khairpur when the Sindh health department said lab results confirmed that seven newborn babies had the zoonotic viral infection and four of them died. In response to the situation, the AKUH held a media roundtable, where the experts said that the active outbreak of mpox in Khairpur and the local transmission suspected in Karachi, indicated that the cases were no longer exclusively coming from abroad. They explained that one of the two cases confirmed in Karachi this year pointed to possible local transmission, while the Khairpur outbreak suggested the virus had entered healthcare settings, exposing critical gaps in infection prevention and control beyond major urban centres. Experts urge authorities to treat the disease as an imme... -
Dawn - 04:55 Apr 09, 2026
KARACHI: Although a ceasefire between the US and Iran is in place and there is optimism about a significant reduction in fuel prices, citizens using public transport across the city continue to pay inflated fares as bus owners widely ignored a Sindh government directive to freeze fares in return for a fuel subsidy, it has emerged. The practice of overcharging appears to have become rampant, as transporters — including operators of buses, minibuses, Qingqi rickshaws, school vans and goods carriers — continue to demand higher fares. Following the government’s subsidy announcement, many citizens were expecting transport fares to revert to pre-war levels, particularly after transport bodies reportedly agreed to roll back rates. However, the government’s “comprehensive” strategy to shield low-income commuters from rising transportation costs triggered by global fuel price fluctuations has yet to provide tangible relief. Passengers, parents and businesses say heavy fares unbearable; commuters paying nearly ‘double’... -
Dawn - 03:58 Apr 09, 2026
GUJRAT: Most of the Pakistani immigrants, who went missing in the fresh boat capsize incident off Italy, had left the country in the guise of Umrah pilgrims, while some others were on visit visas of Azerbaijan, Egypt and Uganda. Well-placed sources told Dawn on Wednesday that the missing immigrants had left Pakistan around four to five months ago. Through different routes, they reached Libya, where they kept waiting for their turn to board the boat to reach Italy, the sources say. They say that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had been assigned the task to collect the data of the Pakistanis, who went missing, and trace the agents involved in sending them abroad from different areas of Gujranwala and Gujrat regions. However, an official source says, the families of the missing Pakistanis are reluctant to share any information about the agents involved in sending them to Libya to smuggle them onward to Italy. The official says that as per the initial information, at least six main agents, two each from Ma... -
Dawn - 02:57 Apr 09, 2026
SINGAPORE: India has withdrawn its offer to host the United Nations annual climate Conference of the Parties (COP33) in 2028, two government officials familiar with the matter said. India communicated its decision to not host the conference this month, the officials said, but it was not immediately clear why the government had pulled out. The officials declined to be named as they are not authorised to speak to the media. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had proposed hosting the summit in 2023. The federal ministry for environment and climate change did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Climate Home News, which first reported the news, said India withdrew after a “review of its commitments” in 2028, citing a letter written by an Indian official to the chair of the Asia-Pacific Group. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change secretariat did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment. France emissions cuts slow France’s cuts to greenhouse gas emissions slowed for a second ... -
Dawn - 02:42 Apr 09, 2026
• Negotiations follow Pakistan-brokered two-week truce • US vice president, Iranian foreign minister to lead their delegations • PM Shehbaz calls talks ‘historic moment’ for lasting settlement • Iran warns of withdrawal from ceasefire if violations continue • US says truce excludes Lebanon, but Iran disagrees • Iran’s speaker says key clauses already violated before talks ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to host in-person talks between the United States and Iran starting Friday, even as a fragile ceasefire between the two sides showed signs of strain following Israeli strikes in Lebanon and renewed military exchanges across the Gulf. The negotiations follow a two-week ceasefire announced late Tuesday — the 39th day of the war — after Pakistani mediation. The truce, which averted imminent US strikes, was based on a 10-point Iranian proposal accepted by Washington as a general framework for talks. Delegations are expected to arrive in Islamabad on Friday, with formal negotiations scheduled for Saturday. Sources told ... -
Dawn - 02:41 Apr 09, 2026
KARACHI: Despite turbulence stemming from the ongoing Middle East conflict, the country received 17 per cent higher remittances in March compared to February, the State Bank of Pakistan announced on Wednesday. The $3.8bn inflow was the highest so far this fiscal year, but it was 5pc lower compared to $4bn in March FY25. The war did not impact remittances from the Middle East, as inflows from almost all countries experienced positive growth. Currency experts said that the higher inflow in March was also due to Ramazan, but the war in the Gulf was more significant than anything else. Pakistanis working in the Gulf countries did not return home; instead, hundreds of Pakistanis have been applying for UAE visas. Pakistan gets fiscal year’s highest inflow of $3.8bn The SBP data showed that the country received a total of $30.321bn during July-March FY26, indicating an increase of 8.2pc or $2.29bn. The country received $28bn in 9MFY25. Remittances are the backbone of the country, as it largely relies on inflows to c... -
Dawn - 21:07 Apr 08, 2026
Israel carried out its heaviest strikes on Lebanon since the conflict with Hezbollah broke out last month, even as the Iran-aligned group paused attacks on northern Israel and Israeli troops in Lebanon under a two-week US-Iran ceasefire. Consecutive explosions shook Beirut, sending smoke billowing across the capital, as Israel’s military said it had launched the largest coordinated strike of the war. More than 100 Hezbollah command centres and military sites were targeted in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon, it said. The strikes killed 182 people and wounded 890 across the country, Lebanon’s health ministry said. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has declared Thursday a national day of mourning after Israeli strikes shook the country. In Beirut, Reuters reporters saw people on motorcycles picking up wounded and transporting them to hospitals because there were not enough ambulances to get them in time. A group of firefighters worked to put out flames in a car park after one strike left more tha... -
Dawn - 20:47 Apr 08, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Barrister Salman Safdar on Thursday met PTI founder Imran Khan at Adiala jail, a day after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) directed authorities to arrange the meeting. However, the lawyer departed from the premises without sharing any details with the media. Meanwhile, PTI information secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said that Imran had directed the party to postpone its public meeting scheduled for Thursday (April 9) at Liaqat Bagh. He said that a message had been given by Imran that the protest should be postponed due to the prevailing national and international situation. “Imran Khan has said that he will himself inform about the new date of the protest,” he said. Later, Safdar said in a series of posts on X that he had meet Imran at 3pm, but the ex-premier’s spouse, Bushra Bibi, “was not called from her cell to join the attorney-client meeting for crucial instructions” despite requests and court orders. He said the meeting lasted for 60 minutes, during which Imran was comprehensively briefed on all ... -
Dawn - 19:48 Apr 08, 2026
LAHORE/ MOHMAND: Heavy rains and storms in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over the past 24 hours have left at least five people dead and several others injured, officials said on Wednesday. In Punjab’s Bhakkar, two separate roof-collapse incidents left one person dead and four others injured, a Rescue 1122 spokesperson said. In a separate incident, two people were injured when a house roof caved in due to rainfall in Khanewal, while in Muzaffargarh, two individuals sustained injuries in separate incidents —one from a roof collapse and another from slipping in the rain. In Sargodha, the wall of a house collapsed, injuring one person and killing a livestock animal, a rescue official said. In the district of Taunsa, five people were injured when a hotel shed collapsed. In two other incidents in the same area, roof collapses left one person dead and two others injured. In another incident, a person died after receiving an electric shock from a pole in Toba Tek Singh, and in Chiniot, one person was injured in a sli... -
Dawn - 19:36 Apr 08, 2026
District administrations of Islamabad and Rawalpindi have announced local holidays in the twin cities on April 9 (Thursday) and 10 (Friday). In a post on the social media platform X, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner (DC) Irfan Nawaz Memon said, “Local Holidays Announced in Islamabad – 9th & 10th April.” He also shared the notification by the office of the Islamabad district magistrate. However, he added, essential services will remain operational. According to the official, these included the Capital Development Authority, the Islamabad Capital Territory Administration, Islamabad police, the Islamabad Electric Supply Company, the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd and hospitals. “Citizens are advised to plan their activities accordingly. Thank you,” he said. Separately, a notification issued by Rawalpindi DC Hassan Waqar announced a local holiday in the territorial jurisdiction of Rawalpindi on April 9 and 10. “However, all emergency dealing departments/ institutions/ authorities shall remain operational,” the notif... -
Dawn - 19:05 Apr 08, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Mehmood Khan Achakzai on Wednesday extended “unconditional support” to the government in its efforts for peace in the Middle East. Responding to Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar’s speech, in which he requested the opposition to defer its protest planned for Thursday, Achakzai said that in his speech on Tuesday, he had called for former premier Nawaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari and Imran to sit together in the current situation and move the country forward. He said that he, along with Opposition Leader in the Senate Allama Nasir Abbas, would convince Imran to engage in political dialogue. “I had also said earlier that we should not point fingers at each other. At the very least, we should agree on democratic principles,” he said. “I don’t know why you people think we are mad. Only a mad person would not be happy with today’s success of Pakistan,” he said, lauding the government’s mediatory role in the Middle East crisis. “We will provide you with uncon... -
Dawn - 19:01 Apr 08, 2026
Less than 24 hours after the announcement of a ceasefire, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that delegations from the United States and Iran would visit Pakistan on Friday for talks aimed at a peaceful settlement to the war in the Middle East. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, during a conversation with PM Shehbaz, had earlier in the day confirmed Tehran’s participation in Pakistan-offered peace talks, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Addressing the federal cabinet, PM Shehbaz said that the war had been delayed for the time being. “A ceasefire is the first step. But our destination is lasting peace… Day after tomorrow (Friday), at my invitation, a US delegation is coming to Pakistan. In the same way, an Iranian delegation is also coming to Pakistan,” he said. During his address, PM Shehbaz also called the current situation a “shining moment” in Pakistan’s history. He also praised Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir for their role... -
Dawn - 16:51 Apr 08, 2026
Pakistan on Wednesday expressed concern at the storming and vandalism of Kuwait’s consulate in Iraq’s Basra, saying the act was “inconsistent with established diplomatic norms and international law”. In a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO) on X, Pakistan called for a thorough investigation into the incident and bringing those responsible to justice. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has noted with deep concern the reported storming and vandalism of the Consulate General of the State of Kuwait in Basra, and the violation of the sanctity of the consular premises yesterday,” the statement said. “Pakistan strongly condemns such acts, which are inconsistent with established diplomatic norms and international law, particularly the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations,” it added. Pakistan emphasised the importance of ensuring the security and inviolability of diplomatic and consular missions, the FO said, adding the country called for a “thorough investigation into the incident, as well as bringing those ... -
Dawn - 16:51 Apr 08, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council announced on Wednesday that universities may allow a one-time reduction of up to three per cent in the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) passing percentage for admissions to medical and dental colleges to fill vacant seats for the academic session 2025–26. A notification issued by the PMDC, which is available with Dawn, said the decision had been made on the recommendation of a parliamentary committee. The notification said: “To address the issue of vacant seats in MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) and BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) programmes fairly and systematically, the matter, after deliberation at the national level, including the Health Standing Committees, has been thoroughly reviewed by the PMDC Council. “Accordingly, it has been decided that any admissions or processes already completed under the Admission Regulations 2025 shall remain valid and shall be treated as properly regulated.” It added that universities that... -
Dawn - 15:59 Apr 08, 2026
“The optics of the [US-Iran] ceasefire are significant for Pakistan on the world stage.” This is what The Independent wrote in its analysis after Islamabad brokered a ceasefire between the United States and Iran in the early morning hours of Wednesday. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump warned that a “whole civilisation will die” and gave Iran an ultimatum to make a deal. Barely an hour before his deadline was set to expire, both Washington and Tehran agreed to a two-week pause in hostilities along with a temporary reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The development came after PM Shehbaz urged Trump to extend his deadline for two weeks to allow diplomacy a chance, which was ultimately accepted by the latter. Islamabad will host talks between both the countries in the upcoming days to reach a long-term solution to the conflict. While the ceasefire has brought relief for almost every country on the planet, many say it has also pushed Pakistan into the role of a “peacemaker”. The Independent In its analysis, T... -
Dawn - 15:45 Apr 08, 2026
Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to avoid any escalation in their armed conflict, during talks hosted by China in recent days, Beijing said on Wednesday. “Representatives from China, Afghanistan and Pakistan held a week of informal meetings in Urumqi, Xinjiang, from April 1 to 7,” Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said. The three delegations “engaged in frank and pragmatic discussions in a positive atmosphere”, she said at a regular news conference in Beijing. According to the spokeswoman, Afghanistan and Pakistan stated “their commitment to resolving their differences as soon as possible and realising a return to normalcy in bilateral relations, agreeing not to take any actions that would escalate or complicate the situation”. The Foreign Office (FO) has not issued any official statement on the matter yet and declined to comment on the development when approached by Dawn. Since Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq against terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan in late February, diplomatic co... -
Dawn - 13:37 Apr 08, 2026
Cricket New South Wales (NSW) on Wednesday said that it would support David Warner after he was charged with drink-driving, adding that the former Australian opener was aware of the “seriousness” of the incident. The 39-year-old is due to appear in court on May 7 after allegedly blowing more than twice the legal limit in a random breath test in Sydney over the weekend. Cricket NSW, which has a long-term partnership with government agency Transport for NSW, said it was committed to educating Warner “on the importance of safe driving”. “Cricket NSW is a strong advocate of safe driving, including avoiding drink-driving, and takes incidents of this nature very seriously,” chief executive Lee Germon told cricket.com.au. “David is aware of the seriousness of these allegations. We will support him through the upcoming process”. The Sydney Daily Telegraph said Warner allegedly told police he had three glasses of wine at a friend’s house before attempting to drive back to his home. Warner, who retired from internation... -
Dawn - 12:49 Apr 08, 2026
Bangladesh’s foreign minister met his Indian counterpart in New Delhi on Wednesday, the most senior visit by a Dhaka envoy since the 2024 revolution toppled India’s old ally, Sheikh Hasina. Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman is taking part in a “goodwill visit”, Bangladesh’s state news agency BSS said, but added that issues of “extradition, trade, water sharing and border security” would be discussed. Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited Dhaka in December to attend the funeral of former leader Khaleda Zia, the mother of the prime minister elected in February, Tarique Rahman. Jaishankar said he had been “pleased to host” Khalilur Rahman, saying in a statement that they had discussed “strengthening our bilateral relationship”, without giving further details. Relations have improved since Tarique Rahman, leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, won a landslide election victory, taking over from the interim administration that had led the country of 170 million people since Hasina was ousted. ... -
Dawn - 12:45 Apr 08, 2026
Diplomacy does its best work when no one is looking. In calls that stretch for hours, in proposals dismissed publicly but refined privately, in capitals that deny mediation even as they pass messages. Over the past two weeks, as missiles crossed the Gulf and ultimatums replaced rhetoric, Pakistan tactfully slipped into that space: not loud enough to claim the stage, but persistent enough to keep the curtains from closing. After nearly two weeks of sustained, largely unseen engagement, those quiet efforts culminated in a breakthrough Pakistan could no longer keep in the background. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced, early on Wednesday morning, that Pakistan had helped secure an “immediate ceasefire” between Iran and the United States, alongside their respective allies across the region, including in Lebanon, bringing a sudden halt to a conflict that had edged dangerously close to wider war. The agreement, shaped through a series of proposals, relayed positions, and last-minute interventions, reflected Pa...
10732 items