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Found 5792 news

  • Soldier martyred, another injured by unknown assailants in KP’s Bannu: police
    Dawn - 12:26 Oct 05, 2025
    A soldier was martyred and another injured when unknown assailants opened fire on them near Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district on Sunday, according to the police. Recently, multiple areas of KP — including Bannu, Peshawar, Karak, Lakki Marwat and Bajaur — have seen a series of terrorist attacks, particularly targeting police personnel. Spokesperson for Bannu Police Kashif Nawaz told Dawn.com, “A security personnel was killed and another was injured when they were attacked by unknown assailants near the Ayub fuel station on Miranshah road.” He added that the body and the injured were rushed to the District Headquarters Hospital in Bannu, while a police team was dispatched to the site of the incident to collect information. Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities over the past year, especially in KP and Balochistan, after the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022 and vowed to target security forces, the police, and other law enforceme...
    Tags: Bannu
  • Demolishing New York’s Roosevelt Hotel to build skyscraper an option for Pakistan: report
    Dawn - 12:22 Oct 05, 2025
    Pakistan is considering options for the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City, including demolishing the building, as part of its efforts to meet commitments to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), US outlet Bloomberg reported on Saturday. Named after former US president Theodore Roosevelt, the century-old property in midtown Manhattan is seen as one of Pakistan’s most valuable foreign assets, which it acquired in 2000. Faced with mounting losses, the over 1,000-room hotel was shut in 2020, and has also operated briefly as a migrant shelter. As part of its $7 billion IMF loan agreement, the government approved a “transaction structure for the Roosevelt Hotel” in July, saying it would not conduct an outright sale but decided to adopt a joint venture model to maximise long-term value. Muhammad Ali, the adviser to the prime minister on privatisation, told Bloomberg that one of the options is to raze the storied landmark and build a skyscraper in its place. “The government is keen on a joint venture where Pakistan w...
  • UK police investigating suspected arson at England mosque as hate crime
    Dawn - 11:18 Oct 05, 2025
    Police said on Sunday they were investigating a suspected arson at a mosque in southern England as a “hate crime”, days after a fatal attack on a synagogue. Officers were called to the incident at the mosque in the south coast town of Peacehaven late on Saturday. No one was injured, but the blaze caused damage to the mosque’s front entrance and a vehicle parked outside. According to a statement from Sussex Police, emergency services were called to the fire at the building in Phyllis Avenue at about 9.50pm UK time on Saturday (1:50am PKT, Sunday). “This is a fast-moving investigation, and we are urging anyone with relevant information to report it to us. This includes anyone with CCTV, Ring Doorbell, dashcam, and mobile phone footage in the area at the time,” Sussex Police Detective Superintendent Karrie Bohanna said in the statement. “We understand the concerns this has caused within the community, and the impact that will be felt by the Muslim community as a result. “There is already an increased police pres...
    Tags: England
  • Trump authorises troops to Chicago as judge blocks Portland deployment
    Dawn - 11:14 Oct 05, 2025
    US President Donald Trump authorised the deployment of troops to Chicago after a federal agent shot an allegedly armed motorist there on Saturday. At the same time, a judge blocked the Republican leader’s attempt to send the military into Portland, another Democratic-run city. The escalating crisis across the country pits Trump’s increasingly militarised anti-crime and migration crackdown against opposition Democrats who accuse him of an authoritarian power grab. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement that “President Trump has authorised 300 national guardsmen to protect federal officers and assets” in Chicago. This comes after weeks of Republican threats to send troops to the Midwestern city over the wishes of local leaders. “President Trump will not turn a blind eye to the lawlessness plaguing American cities.” Illinois Senator Dick Durbin called the move a “shameful chapter in our nation’s history”, adding that the “president is not intent on fighting crime. He is intent on spreading f...
  • Pope Leo, after Trump critique, urges Catholics to help immigrants
    Dawn - 09:47 Oct 05, 2025
    Pope Leo urged the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics on Sunday to care for immigrants, pressing ahead with a message of welcome for migrants days after criticising US President Donald Trump’s hard-line anti-immigration policies. Leo, the first US pope, told thousands of pilgrims celebrating Mass in St. Peter’s Square that immigrants should not be treated with “the coldness of indifference or the stigma of discrimination”. The pope, who did not single out any country for its treatment of migrants, called on Catholics to “open our arms and hearts to them, welcoming them as brothers and sisters, and being for them a presence of consolation and hope.” Pope talks of ‘new missionary age’ Leo had criticised the Trump administration’s immigration policies on September 30, questioning whether they were in line with the Catholic Church’s pro-life teachings, in comments that drew heated backlash from some prominent conservative Catholics. On Sunday, the pope said the global Church was experiencing “a new missionary age” in ...
  • Boy hospitalised in Thailand after attack by escaped lion
    Dawn - 09:07 Oct 05, 2025
    A lion kept at a private home in Thailand got loose and attacked a young boy, leaving him in hospital, the wildlife department said Sunday. The lion attacked the child, who was hospitalised with unspecified injuries, while he was walking on a public road Saturday night in western Kanchanaburi province, about a two-hour drive from the capital Bangkok, the department said in a statement. Local media said the boy was on his way home from playing with other children when the big cat pounced on him. Lion ownership is legal in Thailand, where the captive population has exploded in recent years, with nearly 500 registered in zoos, breeding farms, petting cafes and homes. But experts have warned the trend endangers animals and humans, and likely fuels illicit trade domestically and abroad. The lion’s owner, who the wildlife department identified only as Parinya, was charged with violating wildlife protection laws and faces up to six months in prison and a 50,000 baht ($1,500) fine if convicted. The lion was seized by...
    Tags: Thailand
  • First of 3 supermoons to be seen on Tuesday night: Suparco
    Dawn - 08:48 Oct 05, 2025
    A supermoon will be visible in the night sky late Tuesday evening (Oct 7), the first of three supermoons set to occur in 2025, according to the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco). A supermoon occurs when the moon reaches its closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit, causing it to appear unusually large and bright — up to 14 per cent larger and nearly 30pc brighter than a typical full moon. According to an official statement by a Suparco spokesperson, the first supermoon will occur at 8:47pm PKT on Tuesday, rising in the east just after sunset and setting in the west just before dawn. “This year, the October 7 supermoon will be at a distance of 224,599 miles (about 361,457 kilometres) from Earth, making it 6.6pc larger and 13pc brighter than an average full moon,” the statement said. This supermoon will appear close to the planet Saturn, which can be spotted west of the Moon on Monday and Tuesday evening. It added that the brightest supermoon of the year is expected to occur in Nove...
  • Pakistan, India meet again, this time at Women’s World Cup
    Dawn - 08:19 Oct 05, 2025
    COLOMBO: It’s the fourth consecutive Sunday of a Pakistan-India cricket encounter; the only difference being that the hot and arid climate of Dubai has been replaced with the humid and rainy weather of Colombo, and of course, the gender of the players on the field. However, the differences are starker once a person starts to peel back the surface of the women’s game in both countries. On one hand, we have players from across the border who have opportunities like the Women’s Premier League available, where compensation reaches upwards of $400,000 for the highest-paid players. On the other hand, barring a few players in the national side and those who make it to final rosters of a handful of cricket leagues worldwide — Pakistani domestic women cricketers’ monthly retainers were even less than the government-mandated minimum wage this year. To say that the gulf in resources available to both teams is large would be an understatement of the century. Furthermore, in yet another familiar scenario at the start of a...
    Tags: Women
  • Bitcoin continues upward momentum, hits record high above $125,000
    Dawn - 07:39 Oct 05, 2025
    Bitcoin reached a new record high on Sunday, rising above the $125,000 mark. The cryptocurrency reached $125,689, shooting above its previous August record of around $124,500. Bitcoin has enjoyed a strong upward momentum, with investors cautious about the United States’ government shutdown. Gains in US shares have also supported bitcoin’s rise, while investors have looked to safe haven assets while US lawmakers negotiate over funding the federal government, Bloomberg News said. US President Donald Trump and his family have also been big promoters of cryptocurrencies and are involved in various crypto endeavours that have inflated his wealth. Trump’s embrace of digital assets has reversed years of US government scepticism towards the crypto industry under his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden, with the US House of Representatives passing three landmark cryptocurrency bills in July. These regulatory changes have seen the value of bitcoin soar. “With many assets including equities, gold and even collectibles like...
    Tags: Bitcoin
  • Failed attempt at restoring lost reputation: Khawaja Asif reacts to Indian military, political leadership’s statements
    Dawn - 07:35 Oct 05, 2025
    Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Sunday reacted to statements made by the Indian military and political leadership, terming them a “failed attempt” to restore their “lost reputation”. While he did not specify any particular statement that he was reacting to, his remarks follow recent aggressive comments from the Indian side, mentioning terrorism and warning of action. India has long accused Pakistan of cross-border terrorism, an allegation that Islamabad has repeatedly refuted and termed baseless. “The statements made by the Indian army and its political leadership are a failed attempt to restore its lost reputation,” Asif said on X. He also referred to a four-day escalation between India and Pakistan in May, during which Islamabad says it downed at least six Indian jets. Asif said India faced a “decisive defeat with a score of 6-0” in the escalation, and “if they try again [to go to fight], God willing, the score will be much better than the last time”. “The way the public opinion in India turned against the...
    Tags: Indian
  • 14 terrorists killed in Khuzdar operation
    Dawn - 07:20 Oct 05, 2025
    QUETTA: Security forces killed 14 terrorists of the Indian proxy group Fitna al-Hindustan in an operation conducted in the Zehri area of Khuzdar district on Saturday. The state designated Balochistan-based groups as Fitna al-Hindustan to highlight India’s alleged role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan. Security officials said the forces launched the operation on the basis of intelligence reports about the presence of the group’s militants in the mountainous area of Zehri tehsil. According to the officials, the area was cordoned off before the action was launched. Heavy firing took place between the security forces and the terrorists, which continued for several hours. “As many as 14 terrorists were killed in the gun battle, while 20 others were injured,” the officials said, adding that a large quantity of arms, ammunition, and other equipment was seized from their possession. The Zehri operation, they added, was carried out days after security forces killed seven India-sponsored terrorists in a...
    Tags: Khuzdar
  • Engaged with international partners for safety, prompt repatriation of citizens detained during Gaza flotilla raid: FO
    Dawn - 07:18 Oct 05, 2025
    The Foreign Office said on Sunday that it was actively engaged with international partners to ensure the “safety and prompt repatriation of its citizens” who had been illegally detained after Israeli forces earlier this week intercepted a flotilla heading to break the siege of Gaza and deliver aid. Those detained by Israel also include former Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan. “Through the diplomatic channels of a friendly European country, we have confirmed that former senator Mushtaq Ahmad is in the custody of the Israeli occupying forces and is safe and in good health,” the FO statement said. It added, “We have been further advised that, in accordance with local legal procedures, [former] senator Mushtaq will be presented before a court. Upon the issuance of deportation orders, his repatriation will be facilitated on a fast-track basis.” The FO said it had previously, too, coordinated the safe return of individuals who disembarked earlier. “In this context, we express our profound gratitude t...
    Tags: Gaza
  • UK withdraws cousin marriage guidance amid political outrage
    Dawn - 03:23 Oct 05, 2025
    • Health secretary calls the advice ‘shocking,’ says such unions are ‘high-risk and unsafe’ • MP Iqbal Mohamed defends such marriages as culturally significant, urges genetic screening over bans LONDON: Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) has found itself at the centre of a political and cultural row after a government-backed education programme published — and then quietly removed — online guidance describing the potential benefits of first-cousin marriage. UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting called the advice “shocking” and demanded an apology, saying first-cousin marriages are “high-risk and unsafe.” MP Iqbal Mohamed, however, defended such unions as culturally significant for many families. Speaking in the Commons, he acknowledged health risks but said many families see such unions as positive for building bonds and financial security, urging genetic screening instead of a ban. The document, published by NHS England’s Genomics Education Programme last week, stated that consanguineous unions can bring “s...
  • EDUCATION: A CASE AGAINST SCHOOL EXAMS
    Dawn - 02:10 Oct 05, 2025
    A school is supposed to be a place of nurturing care and compassion; where diversity in pace and interests is celebrated. Learning difficulties, when they arise, should be addressed gently and without attaching any stigma.  This child-centric objective can only be realised when teaching aligns with students’ interests and aspirations. This objective is impossible under a regime of standardised curricula, stressful competition and a narrow definition of success based on exam performance. Today, teaching objectives have shifted from children’s interests to worshipping the demi-gods of the educational system: curriculum, syllabus, exams, grades and ranking. In their devotion, teachers can lose sight of their nurturing roles, harming the experience of happy schooling and childhood itself.  A MISGUISED ASSEMBLY LINE Compounding the issue for children is the anxiety and drudgery of exams, which can strip meaning from what is taught — and learned — in the classroom. Schools follow a standardised programme of studies...
  • What is the ‘I love Muhammad’ row sparking communal tensions in India
    Dawn - 19:11 Oct 04, 2025
    Muslims around the world celebrated the 1500th birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) on September 6. This year’s festivities for the 12th of Rabiul Awwal — the third month of the Islamic lunar calendar — gained greater prominence due to the milestone of 15 centuries having passed since the Holy Prophet’s birth. India, with the world’s third-largest Muslim population, also saw the day being observed in areas with Muslim residents, such as the city of Kanpur in the state of Uttar Pradesh. And it is here, where the sequence of events began that subsequently triggered “crackdowns, FIRs (first information reports), detentions, arrests, internet shutdowns, political sparring and a wave of protests” from UP, Uttarakhand, Gujarat to Maharashtra, according to Indian media outlet The Wire. The Frontline reported that Zafar Wali Gali, a lane in Syed Nagar in Kanpur’s Rawatpur area, was decorated for Eid-i-Miladun Nabi on Sept 4 and a lightboard with the slogan, “I Love Muhammad”, was installed at the...
    Tags: India
  • Three held by NCCIA in Abbottabad for alleged gang-rape, blackmail of minor: police
    Dawn - 19:06 Oct 04, 2025
    The National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on Saturday arrested three people suspected of gang-raping and blackmailing a minor in Abbottabad, according to a police official. Haripur Sub-Inspector (SI) Basit Ashraf said in a statement that the suspects were part of a gang who allegedly raped a minor boy at gunpoint and filmed the assault, using the footage as blackmail. “The NCCIA carried out an operation in Abbottabad,” he was quoted as saying. “The NCCIA registered a case against nine suspects … they assaulted the victim multiple times and blackmailed him and his family with the videos.” SI Ashraf said that the suspects allegedly shared the videos on WhatsApp and used them to blackmail the victim’s family. “Mobile phones and pornographic videos were recovered from the suspects during the raids,” he stated, adding that they would be used as evidence. In July, Haripur police arrested a seminary teacher for allegedly sexually abusing a visually-impaired five-year-old child in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Hari...
  • PM Shehbaz to depart for three-day Malaysia visit tomorrow
    Dawn - 18:48 Oct 04, 2025
    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will undertake a three-day visit to Malaysia at the invitation of his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim from October 5-7, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Saturday. In a statement, the FO said that a high-level delegation comprising the PM, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and other federal ministers and senior government officials will depart on Sunday. “The visit reflects the strong and enduring strategic partnership between Pakistan and Malaysia, rooted in mutual respect, shared interests, and close cooperation across a wide range of sectors,” the statement read. According to the FO, PM Shehbaz will hold bilateral talks with Malaysian PM Ibrahim and discuss key regional and global developments, as well as enhancing bilateral cooperation in trade, IT and telecommunications, the Halal industry, investment, education, energy, infrastructure, digital economy and people-to-people ties. “The leaders are expected to witness the signing of Agreements/MoUs for coop...
  • Pakistani film bags maiden accolade at Jackson Wild Media Awards
    Dawn - 17:41 Oct 04, 2025
    Pakistani film Moklani: The Last Mohanas has won the country’s first-ever award at the Jackson Wild Media Awards, according to a press release from production company Jawad Sharif Films. Formed in 1991 as the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival, the Jackson Wild Media Awards recognise achievements in wildlife filmmaking. According to the group’s website, it works to “maximise the impact of storytelling that highlights our urgent and collective responsibility to protect and restore our planet”. According to the press release, the film — directed and produced by award-winning filmmaker Jawad Sharif — was chosen from a pool of over 500 entries and declared the winner in the Global Voices Category at the Awards Gala in Jackson, Wyoming, on October 2. “Over 200 international judges screened more than 1,000 hours of media before selecting the film as [the] winner in the Global Voices Category,” the press release read. “The film tells the story of the Mohanas of Manchar Lake, an indigenous fisher folk community whos...
  • 4.3-magnititude earthquake jolts parts of KP: PMD
    Dawn - 16:48 Oct 04, 2025
    A 4.3-magnitude earthquake was recorded in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday night, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said. Pakistan falls on three major tectonic plates — the Arabian, Euro-Asian and Indian — which create five seismic zones under the country. The intersection of multiple fault lines means that tectonic movements remain a frequent occurrence in the region. According to PMD, the earthquake was recorded 22 kilometres south-east of Pattan at 8:59pm, with a depth of 31km. The jolts were felt in Pattan, Shangla and Battagram Earlier this week, a 3.2-magnititude earthquake was felt in parts of Karachi. According to PMD, the earthquake was recorded seven kilometres north west of Malir. Earlier in September, the PMD reported that an earthquake of magnitude 5.5 was felt in areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Shocks were felt in Chitral, Peshawar and Swat.
  • Conspiracy by ‘ill-wishers’ failed in AJK following govt-JAAC agreement: minister
    Dawn - 16:20 Oct 04, 2025
    Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Saturday that the conspiracy hatched by the ill-wishers of Pakistan has failed in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and the government will fully implement the commitments it has made with the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). “The scenes that Pakistan’s ill-wishers wanted to see, the unrest, chaos and disorder in AJK, their conspiracy has failed. The federal government will fully implement the commitments it has made, and with the 15-day mechanism that has been established, I am confident that there will be no further opportunity for such grievances to arise again,” said the minister while addressing a press conference following the agreement between the two sides. Iqbal was accompanied by Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Engineer Amir Muqam and PPP’s Qamar Zaman Kaira. The signing of the agreement comes after two rounds of talks between the high-level government delegation and the JAAC in as many days. Talks between the JAAC, the AJK government an...
    Tags: JAAC

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