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Dawn - 12:06 May 26, 2026
Western Europe faced another day of record-breaking temperatures on Tuesday as a heatwave pushed the mercury well above normal levels for May. A so-called “heat dome” of warm air from northern Africa trapped under a high-pressure system over western Europe is behind the sort of heat not usually seen until high summer. “It’s a bit worrying because it’s not really normal at this time of year, but unfortunately, I think this is going to become the norm in France,” student Chloe Voisin, 22, told AFP while touring the southwestern city of Bordeaux. Britain and France both reported that Monday was the warmest day in the month of May on record — with the French weather agency expecting Tuesday to be even hotter. French authorities on Tuesday also reported at least seven deaths linked to the heatwave — five of which were drownings, as many people sought relief on beaches and other bodies of water. Scientists say human-driven climate change is amplifying such extremes, with weather events like heatwaves, droughts and ... -
Dawn - 10:49 May 26, 2026
United States President Donald Trump, who turns 80 next month, will undergo his routine annual physical on Tuesday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre, following a year of public attention on apparently minor health issues. Trump frequently casts himself as more energetic and fitter than Joe Biden, his Democratic predecessor who left office last year at age 82 after facing questions about his fitness for the job. Still, recent photographs showing a blotchy neck rash have added to questions about Trump’s health, following images in July 2025 of swollen ankles and a bruised hand concealed with makeup. Trump, whose birthday is June 14, became the oldest person to assume the presidency when he began his second term in January 2025. Trump maintains an active golf schedule, but joked about his relative lack of exercise at a recent Oval Office event where his health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr said the president walks 14.5 kilometres every time he goes golfing. “When I am not using the cart,” Trump s... -
Dawn - 09:30 May 26, 2026
Medical school graduates pose with a performer in a gorilla costume at their farewell dinner in Karachi | FAS Events Comedian Tabish Hashmi once joked that the wedding of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s son should be a humbling experience for all those flaunting their lifestyle on Instagram. That ‘us’ nobodies should sit on the side and simply observe what actual affluence looks like. He wasn’t wrong, given the kind of muscle the Ambanis were able to pull, from Hollywood to Bollywood. The spectacle was less a wedding and more a reminder of how far wealth can stretch the idea of celebration. Just the images of celebrities such as Mark Zuckerberg, David Beckham and the Kardashians casually drifting through the venue like guests at some lavish exotic retreat was nauseating to most — and perhaps deeply inspiring to the local elite circles, who must have spent the endless wedding feeling painfully ordinary by comparison. However, the masses, Indian masses in particular, weren’t moved by that. The masses continu... -
Dawn - 09:26 May 26, 2026
China and Pakistan have reached a new broad consensus on deepening their strategic partnership, according to a joint statement issued by the countries at the end of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Beijing. The statement, shared by the Foreign Office (FO) on X, said, “The two sides engaged cordially and reached a new broad consensus on further deepening the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership and on international and regional issues of mutual interest.” The statement was issued as PM Shehbaz concluded his four-day visit to China. He was seen off by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Hua Chunying at the Beijing airport. The joint statement said that the two sides shared the view that the ties between the two countries were an “important wealth and a strategic asset”. “Throughout the 75 years of diplomatic relations, this friendship has remained rock solid no matter how the international and regional situations evolved, and the two countries have always trusted, respected and support... -
Dawn - 09:14 May 26, 2026
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Shafi Jan on Tuesday dismissed reports of PTI MPAs forming a group against KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, terming them “fabricated and baseless”. The statement comes in response to media reports claiming that around 50 PTI MPAs had formed a group against CM Afridi over dissatisfaction with his performance. It was also reported that the division may impact the passage of the upcoming provincial budget, due to which CM Afridi had met with Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for his “support”. In a statement posted to his X account, Jan said that the reports of assembly members forming a group against CM Afridi were “false, fabricated, and baseless,” warning that “those who dream of sowing division among party assembly members have failed”. Jan clarified that all members of the KP Assembly remained “united under the leadership of CM Afridi and were determined to serve people”. He said that “organised and baseless propaganda” had been carried out... -
Dawn - 09:02 May 26, 2026
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said in a statement on Tuesday that nations in the Middle East would “no longer serve as shields for US bases”. Mojtaba, who has not appeared publicly since being named as the supreme leader on March 8, made these remarks in his Haj message and hours after the US carried out fresh strikes in Iran despite a fragile ceasefire and the two sides engaging in negotiations for a deal to end the almost three-month-long war. “The hands of time will not turn back, and the nations and lands of the region will no longer serve as shields for US bases,” the supreme leader said in his message, which was shared on his X account and reported by Iranian media. He said that the US “will no longer have a safe haven for its mischief and for establishing military bases in the region“, adding that it was “growing more distant from its former status day by day”. “The future belongs to the Muslim ummah and the new Islamic civilisation,” he said. He further stated, “The Muslim ummah an... -
Dawn - 07:55 May 26, 2026
LAHORE: The Punjab government has deferred its decision to restore original historical names of roads and streets in Lahore apparently on the pressure of some “extremist elements.” The Lahore Heritage Areas Revival (LHAR) held a huddle last March jointly presided over by PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. The meeting had approved restoration of original historical names of roads and streets in Lahore and and its neighbourhood. Nawaz Sharif is the head of the LHAR. However, some extremist elements including vloggers took on CM Maryam on the decision by giving it a religious colour. The Punjab administration appears to have gone on the back foot and deferred the decision to avert backlash. “No such decision has been taken as yet,” Lahore Deputy Commissioner retired Capt. Muhammad Ali Ijaz replied to Dawn’s queries on Monday. Lahore DC insists no decision has been taken as yet When asked that both Nawaz Sharif and CM Maryam had given approval to restoration of original (pr... -
Dawn - 07:47 May 26, 2026
US forces attacked missile sites in southern Iran and boats trying to lay mines on Monday, US Central Command said, imperiling a fragile ceasefire and casting new doubt on a deal to end the Middle East war. The strikes came as top Iranian negotiators arrived in Doha for the latest round of talks to end the months-long conflict, and as the Israeli military stepped up hostilities with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Oil prices fluctuated in the wake of the strikes, which may threaten any agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, where an Iranian blockade has choked global fuel supplies. “US forces conducted self-defence strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,” Tim Hawkins, a US Central Command spokesman, said in a statement. It gave no details of the attacks and said only that the targets included missile launch sites and boats trying to “emplace mines”. Subsequently, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said it reserved the “legitimate and definite” right to retali... -
Dawn - 07:15 May 26, 2026
The foreign ministers of Australia, India, Japan and the US agreed to jointly build a port in Fiji and signed pacts covering critical minerals and energy security, as they sought to inject fresh energy into the grouping. The brief meeting between the countries’ top diplomats — Australia’s Penny Wong, India’s S Jaishankar, Japan’s Toshimitsu Motegi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio — was the third such gathering of the group known as Quad since September 2024. The Quad meeting came as the US and Iran have been circling around a possible deal to end their three-month conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The group unveiled its first joint infrastructure project, a port in Fiji. “We are going to be partnering on issues of port infrastructure, in particular in response to insufficient port capacity in the Pacific Islands, we are announcing plans to work with Fiji,” Rubio said, adding that the initiative would be “a practical demonstration of our collective ability to deliver high-quality, resilient infras... -
Dawn - 06:32 May 26, 2026
North Korea fired several projectiles, including at least one short-range ballistic missile, toward waters off the country’s west coast on Tuesday, South Korea’s military said. They were launched at around 1 pm (0400 GMT) from near Chongju in North Korea’s North Pyongan Province, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement. The missile flew about 80 kilometres, the JCS said. It is North Korea’s first known missile launch since April 19, when the country test-fired several short-range ballistic missiles, which it said were equipped with cluster bombs. In early April, Pyongyang also said it tested a new cluster-bomb warhead on a ballistic missile and an electromagnetic weapon, in a move that analysts said was part of efforts to showcase the North’s capacity to fight a modern war. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said in March that his country’s status as a nuclear-armed state was irreversible and that expanding a “self-defensive nuclear deterrent” was essential to national security. Despite UN ... -
Dawn - 03:55 May 26, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Academicians, diplomats, military and war experts at a gathering emphasised importance of diplomacy and adoption of new war technologies to deter security threats posed by increasingly belligerent and aggressive India. The conference ‘Strategic Stability, Emerging Threats and Role of Diplomacy’ was organised by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) in connection with Youm-i-Takbeer falling on May 28. The meeting was attended by Quaid-e-Azam University Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, Numl professor Dr Rizwana Abbasi. While discussing the role of diplomacy, Dr Zafar Nawaz Jaspal highlighted that diplomatic engagement remains essential for maintaining strategic stability in South Asia. He noted that Pakistan has played a significant diplomatic role in managing regional crises, including efforts linked to the Iran-US ceasefire, but stressed that sustained dialogue between India and Pakistan is even more important for regional peace. He observed that the deadlock in bilate... -
Dawn - 02:34 May 26, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has ruled that family courts should not convert a wife’s suit for dissolution of marriage on grounds of cruelty into a decree of khula without her explicit and informed consent, particularly when valuable financial rights such as unpaid dower are involved. Authored by Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan on behalf of a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, the observations came while hearing an appeal filed by Selab Akhtar against a decision of the Peshawar High Court that upheld concurrent findings of lower courts dissolving her marriage through khula and denying her full dower and past maintenance. “We hold,” the judgement said, “that khula should not ordinarily be granted without the wife’s consent or clear election where she had sued on grounds of cruelty and valuable financial rights were implicated.” However, where cruelty is not proved and marital life has manifestly collapsed, courts must give the wife an opportunity to choose whether to pursue dismiss... -
Dawn - 02:20 May 26, 2026
• Massive explosion damaged many homes near Chaman railway crossing, making them ‘unsafe’ to live in • Administration forms body to assess damage and formulate compensation measures QUETTA: After a powerful bomb explosion that targeted a shuttle train at the Chaman railway crossing in the provincial capital, residents of the nearby Faqirabad neighbourhood have been forced to relocate due to extensive damage to their homes. Faqirabad is a densely populated area in downtown where working and middle-class families reside. The Sunday bombing left more than 70 per cent of the houses damaged, besides destroying the electricity infrastructure, due to which the area has been without power for the past 48 hours. “We have been without internet, electricity, gas, and water for the last 48 hours,” a resident, Haji Muhammad Nawaz, told Dawn, lamenting that not a single minister or other official visited Faqirabad. Several residents received injuries after the bomb blast shattered their windowpanes and caused the walls and... -
Dawn - 02:15 May 26, 2026
• Naveed Qamar criticises continued reliance on indirect taxes, petroleum levy • UNDP consultants warn Pakistan remains on a ‘fragile stabilisation path’ • Inflation projected to exceed 12pc despite gradual economic recovery ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee on Monday accused the government of persistently violating its own laws by failing to circulate and publish the Budget Strategy Paper (BSP) by May 10, besides doing little on economic reforms. A meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, presided over by former finance minister Syed Naveed Qamar of the PPP, also expressed serious concern over the continued heavy reliance on indirect taxes and petroleum levy instead of sustainable expansion of the tax base. The panel was equally worried over sluggish progress on critical structural reforms when briefed by private economic analysts representing the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Qamar voiced concern over the growing burden of circular debt in the energy s... -
Dawn - 18:48 May 25, 2026
Temperatures hit record highs for May in the United Kingdom and France on Monday, as forecasters warned of a prolonged period of extreme heat across Europe throughout the week. A so-called “heat dome” of warm air from northern Africa trapped under a high-pressure system over western Europe is behind the high temperatures not usually seen until high summer. Temperatures in Spain were expected to peak later this week at 38°C, while parts of Italy imposed restrictions on working outdoors. In the UK, the Met Office weather agency said it was the hottest May day on record, with temperatures hitting 34.8°C at Kew Gardens, southwest London – a full two degrees above the previous high. “This heat would be exceptional in the UK even in mid-summer, let alone May,” it said on X. “The weather here, it’s like a mini version of hell. It’s boiling. It’s like really hot,” said 10-year-old Liza Nizari on a visit to London, where temperatures normally average about 17°C or 18C at this time of year. Lindy Brand-Daloze, a 66-yea... -
Dawn - 18:37 May 25, 2026
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Monday met visiting Prince Rahim al-Hussaini Aga Khan V at the Lower Chitral Airport, where the latter assured him of investment in the province. Prince Rahim arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday for a week-long visit — his first to the country since being named the spiritual leader of the Ismaili community last year. Speaking to reporters during a visit to Chitral, CM Afridi said he had made the visit to welcome Prince Rahim on his arrival. “During the meeting with Prince Rahim Aga Khan, discussions were held on the province’s potential as well as the government’s initiatives and goals,” the chief minister said, while lauding the services of the Aga Khan Foundation. “‘We also discussed the establishment of an Aga Khan University and hospital in Peshawar,” CM Afridi added. “Prince Rahim Aga Khan assured investment in the province.” At the Lower Chitral Airport, the chief minister was received by local leaders and government officials. He added that he would atten... -
Dawn - 18:37 May 25, 2026
China’s President Xi Jinping hailed Beijing’s “unbreakable” friendship with Pakistan on Monday as he met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Beijing, seeking to deepen the “all-weather” partnership between the two countries. PM Shehbaz landed in China on Saturday on a four-day official visit, reaching Beijing yesterday after making a stop in Hangzhou. Addressing bilateral talks at the Great Hall of the People, Xi said: “China is ready to work with Pakistan to move faster to build an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, work for more results in our all-weather cooperation, […] contribute to regional peace and stability and set an example for building a community with a shared future among neighbouring countries.” Xi called PM Shehbaz an “old friend” and said the two countries had “understood, trusted and supported each other” over decades, forging an “unbreakable tradition of friendship”. “Despite international changes, China has always prioritised Pakistan relations in our ne... -
Dawn - 18:35 May 25, 2026
ISLAMABAD: A fire that erupted in the capital’s Margalla Hills near the F-5 sector on Monday was “completely” brought under control, and the cooling process was underway, the district administration said. According to a statement, “The fire has been completely brought under control, and the cooling process is underway.” However, there have been no official reports of any losses so far. A contingent of firefighters had reached the site to extinguish the blaze, alongside local residents, the administration said in a prior statement. “As a result of the fire, all hiking trails in the Margalla Hills were temporarily closed,” an earlier statement said. Spread over 12,605 hectares, the Margalla Hills National Park witnesses many fires during the summer season, which, in recent years, have become a matter of concern for the government and the Capital Development Authority (CDA). In March, ahead of the fire season, the city managers held a meeting to devise a strategy to handle the issue. It was decided that the Isla... -
Dawn - 18:11 May 25, 2026
US President Donald Trump on Monday seemingly predicated an emerging Iran peace deal on Muslim-majority nations across the Middle East and beyond normalising relations with Israel. This brand new demand came on the heels of a potential memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the US and Iran to end the war on all fronts and potentially lift oil waivers. It is worth noting that the nations named by Trump, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have traditionally advocated for a two-state solution between Palestine and Israel as a precursor to any discussions on the normalisation of relations with Israel. In a lengthy social media post, Trump listed countries whose leaders he spoke with on Saturday about efforts to end the war with Iran. “After all the work done by the United States to try and pull this very complex puzzle together, it should be mandatory that all of these countries, at a minimum, simultaneously sign onto the Abraham Accords,” he wrote. “Those countries discussed are Saudi Arabia, the Uni... -
Dawn - 18:03 May 25, 2026
Over 1.5 million Muslims began filling a vast tent city in Makkah on Monday for the annual Haj pilgrimage. The white-robed pilgrims on buses or on foot arrived at the sprawling encampment in Mina after performing the tawaf. This year’s rites, drawing Muslim worshippers from across the world, including Iran, follow waves of attacks on targets in Saudi Arabia and its Gulf neighbours. A Saudi security officer speaks to Muslim pilgrims at the Grand Mosque, ahead of the annual Haj pilgrimage, in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia on May 20, 2026. — Reuters Members of the Saudi security forces take part in a military parade in preparation for the annual Haj pilgrimage in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia on May 21, 2026. — Reuters Members of the Saudi security forces take part in a military parade in preparation for the annual Haj pilgrimage in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia on May 21, 2026. — Reuters Members of the Saudi security forces hold a demonstration during a military parade in preparation for...
10418 items