Dawn
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Dawn - 00:35 Jan 04, 2026
Everybody calls the Deosai Plateau the ‘land of giants.’ Even the Dawn correspondent in Gilgit wrote that it ‘is sometimes called the land of giants.’ But is it? And if it is, where does the title come from? But before that, a bit of geography: the rolling, well-watered grassland sits at an average height of 4,000 metres above the sea, just south of Skardu in Baltistan division. Covering an area of roughly 4,500 square kilometres, it is hemmed in by peaks rising another 1,000 metres higher. It is home to a wide variety of mammals, the Tibetan brown bear being its signature species. SPLICING IN HISTORY The earliest reference we get to it, only by association, is from the Shah Jahan Nama, when we hear that, in 1637, the Lahori Arain Zafar Khan, then governor of Kashmir, led an army comprising 2,000 cavalry and 10,000 infantry to capture ‘Little Tibet’, as Baltistan was known. This was after an earlier attempt during Jahangir’s rule had ended in a disastrous retreat, with a huge loss of life. The Shah Jahan Nama... -
Dawn - 00:35 Jan 04, 2026
I am an airport person — not because I travel often, but because I love their peculiar atmosphere: the sense of transition, the emotion of crossing borders. Yet I have come to recognise another dimension: airports often capture the essence of the society that built them. Earlier in October, I booked my flight from Berlin to Karachi after completing my postgraduation in Germany. This was not my first time travelling the Berlin-Doha-Karachi route and, like every time, I looked forward to my three-hour layover at the Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar. DOHA’S DOUBLE-EDGED LUXURY A brief stay at this airport feels like a delight for the senses; an artificial tropical garden, endless dining options and other curated attractions look like something from a fairytale. I realise that my liking sits at odds with my sociological leanings. The Doha airport represents all that I dislike about the region’s neoliberal culture: hyper-consumerism, late-stage capitalism and an undue fixation on aesthetics. Yet the airp... -
Dawn - 00:33 Jan 04, 2026
ISLAMABAD: The increasing use of AI, along with the impact of the global “chip war”, is becoming evident even in local markets, as smartphone prices have started to rise. While Infinix and Tecno have already announced higher rates, other brands, including Vgotel, Vivo, Realme, Oppo, etc., plan to announce new rates in the coming week. Manufacturers say this is due to the high cost of chipsets. “The memory chips have become costlier, between 20 and 30 per cent, and all of it is imported,” said Muzaffar Paracha, Senior Vice-Chairman of the Pakistan Mobile Phone Manufacturers Association (PMPMA). Manufacturers cite higher memory-chip costs, AI-driven demand and global supply constraints for rising handset prices Manufacturers noted that the cost of memory chips has increased by $20-30 per set. This is because the world is facing a shortage of memory chips. “There are only three key producers of mobile phones — Apple, Samsung and Chinese brands that dominate world markets,” said Amir Allawala, a senior member of... -
Dawn - 18:54 Jan 03, 2026
At 4:21 on Saturday morning, President Donald Trump sent a message on his Truth Social platform: the United States had carried out a daring mission to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. The action came as a surprise, but according to sources familiar with the matter, planning for one of the most complex US operations in recent memory had been in the works for months and included detailed rehearsals. Elite US troops, including the Army’s Delta Force, created an exact replica of Maduro’s safe house and practiced how they would enter the strongly fortified residence. The CIA had a small team on the ground starting in August who were able to provide insight into Maduro’s pattern of life that made grabbing him seamless, according to one source familiar with the matter. Two other sources told Reuters the intelligence agency also had an asset close to Maduro who would monitor his movements and was poised to pinpoint his exact location as the operation unfolded. With the pieces in place, Trump ... -
Dawn - 18:04 Jan 03, 2026
The United States early on Saturday launched a “large-scale strike” on Venezuela, with President Donald Trump announcing that US forces had captured the South American country’s leader, Nicolas Maduro and his wife. “The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country,“ Trump said in a Truth Social post. Multiple explosions rocked Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, earlier in the day, and columns of black smoke and aircraft could be seen. Responding to the development in a video statement, Venezuela’s Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino said the country would resist the presence of foreign troops. The strikes come after months of steadily mounting US military and economic pressure on Maduro and his country’s oil-export-dependent economy. Here is how the world is reacting to the development. View this post on Instagram All countries should uphold international ... -
Dawn - 18:01 Jan 03, 2026
Key Developments Trump says US forces have captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro after launching a “large-scale strike”; hails “brilliant” operation US president says Washington will govern Venezuela until transition takes place Maduro and his wife indicted on weapon and drug charges, US attorney general says Venezuelan defence minister calls for united front of resistance in the face of “the worst aggression” ever US State Dept deputy chief declares ‘new dawn’ for Venezuela Venezuela calls for emergency UN Security Council meeting following strikes US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Washington would govern Venezuela until a “safe, proper and judicious transition takes place” after the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in a military operation on Saturday morning. American forces had captured Maduro and his wife early on Saturday morning after launching a “large-scale strike” on the South American country. Addressing a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump said,... -
Dawn - 17:46 Jan 03, 2026
KARACHI: Docks police on Saturday evening registered a first information report (FIR) against unidentified suspects for brutally killing four persons whose bodies were recovered from a pit in a bushy area near Mai Kolachi Road on Friday night. The case was registered on behalf of the state by police officer Mohammed Azhar under Sections 34 (common intention) and 302 (murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code According to the contents of the FIR, the complainant said the bodies of two males and two females were recovered from a dried manhole. Their post-mortem examinations were conducted at Civil Hospital Karachi. Police shared pictures of the victims on different social media groups for identification. “Circumstances give rise to suspicions that the victims were killed somewhere and later on their bodies were thrown in the dried manhole,” the FIR stated. Speaking to Dawn earlier today, Karachi Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said that the bodies bore multiple marks of torture. She added that victims’ ages were betwe... -
Dawn - 17:09 Jan 03, 2026
Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world. The country’s president, Nicolas Maduro, was captured by US forces on Saturday, according to US President Donald Trump. Following are key facts about the oil industry of Venezuela: Reserves Venezuela has the world’s largest oil reserves but its crude output remains at a fraction of capacity due to mismanagement, lack of investment and sanctions, official data shows. Venezuela holds about 17% of global reserves or 303 billion barrels, ahead of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) leader Saudi Arabia, according to the London-based Energy Institute. Its reserves are made up mostly of heavy oil in the Orinoco region of central Venezuela, making its crude expensive to produce, but technically relatively simple, according to the US government’s energy department. Production Venezuela was a founding member of OPEC with Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The country was producing as much as 3.5 million barrels per day in the 1970s, whic... -
Dawn - 16:27 Jan 03, 2026
Two Pakistan Army personnel and a civilian machine operator were martyred in an avalanche in Gilgit-Baltistan‘s (GB) Burzil Pass, the military’s media affairs wing said on Saturday. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement that a snow-clearing operation, led by Captain Asmad Gulfam, took place on the night of December 2 (Friday) and continued into this morning, to facilitate troops moving in the area. “At around 2am on January 3, 2026, while [the] subject operation was ongoing, a snow slide triggered, resultantly Captain Asmad [28, a resident of Lahore], along with two soldiers and [a] civilian machine operator (PWD), got entrapped,” the ISPR said. The statement added that four individuals were rescued from the snow; however, the condition of Captain Asmad, Sepoy Rizwan (32, a resident of Attock) and machine operator Essa (a resident of Astore) deteriorated and the three embraced martyrdom. “These individuals rendered [the] ultimate sacrifice by leading a challenging operation, in extrem... -
Dawn - 16:24 Jan 03, 2026
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has been in power for nearly 12 years, saw his rule come to a sudden end earlier today. After a lightning raid on Caracas, President Donald Trump said Maduro had been captured by US forces on Saturday. Trump, whose government has accused the Venezuelan president of running drug cartels and other crimes, had been pressuring the strongman to leave office for months. Maduro was born into a working-class family on November 23, 1962, the son of a trade union leader. He worked as a bus driver during the time army officer Hugo Chavez led a failed coup attempt in 1992. He campaigned for Chavez’s release from prison and became a fervent supporter of his leftist agenda. According to a BBC report, Maduro held a long and close association with Chavez, which dates back to Chavez’s imprisonment. Maduro won a seat in the legislature following Chavez’s 1998 election. In the years that followed, he rose to become president of the National Assembly and then foreign minister, travelling ... -
Dawn - 16:19 Jan 03, 2026
ISLAMABAD: PPP Parliamentary Leader in the Senate Sherry Rehman on Saturday expressed grave concern over the continued silence of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on violence carried out by Hindu radical groups against religious minorities, particularly Christians and Muslims. Just before December 25, mobs armed with wooden sticks vandalised Christmas decorations at a shopping mall in central India, while right-wing groups disrupted school celebrations and burned holiday merchandise in the northeast, according to Indian media. The incidents occurred in the states of Chhattisgarh, Assam, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh ahead of the holiday. “What stops Prime Minister Modi from condemning the actions of Hindu radicals who attack Christians — as we all do in Pakistan — from clearly stating that such violence is unacceptable in a civilised country?” Senator Rehman asked. “I think we know the answer, he is okay with impunity.” She underscored that leadership is ultimately tested by its willingness to confront extremis... -
Dawn - 15:33 Jan 03, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan witnessed the first supermoon, also known as the Wolf Moon, of 2026 on Saturday. The moon was clearly visible in most parts of the country, and as the date coincided with the 14th of Rajab in the Islamic calendar, it appeared bright and prominent in the night sky. In a statement, a SUPARCO spokesperson said the astronomical event also marked the last supermoon in a cycle that began in October 2025. Traditionally referred to as the Wolf Moon, the supermoon began rising in Pakistan at 5:51 pm, with lunar illumination reaching 99.8 per cent, a spokesperson said. Due to its closer distance from Earth, the moon appeared noticeably brighter and larger than usual. As the sky was clear of clouds on Saturday, the supermoon was easily visible. However, due to thin cloud cover on Friday night, a bright, large ring was visible around the moon because of the refraction of moonlight. At the time of the event, the distance between the Earth and the Moon was approximately 362,000 kilometres, making the Mo... -
Dawn - 14:39 Jan 03, 2026
The US military attack on Caracas on Saturday — and reported capture of President Nicolas Maduro — caps years of tensions between Washington and Venezuela, which started in 2006 with US sanctions. 2006: First sanctions Relations between Washington and Venezuela plummet following the 1999 arrival in power of President Hugo Chavez, Latin America’s leftist firebrand. In 2006, the United States under President George W. Bush bans the sale of weapons and US-made military equipment to Venezuela, citing a lack of cooperation in the fight against terrorism. By 2010, the two countries no longer have ambassadors in each other’s capital. 2014: Accusations of human rights violations After Chavez dies in 2013 following a battle with cancer and his handpicked successor Nicolas Maduro takes over, the US administration of Barack Obama imposes in late 2014 and early 2015 sanctions on several top Venezuelan officials, freezing their US assets and banning visas. Washington accuses Venezuela of rights breaches in its violent cra... -
Dawn - 14:37 Jan 03, 2026
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday had a phone call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan shortly after landing in Beijing, the Foreign Office (FO) said. In a post on X today, the FO stated that the pair “deliberated on the recent situation in the region” during the phone call. This is their second call this week. During the earlier call, the two exchanged views on “the current regional situation and recent developments”. “The DPM/FM welcomed the Saudi foreign ministry’s statement regarding Yemen and appreciated the efforts of all sides to resolve the regional situation amicably,” the FO stated. Both nations have a multifaceted relationship rooted in strategic military cooperation, mutual economic interests, and shared Islamic heritage. These ties have encompassed economic assistance and energy supplies, with Riyadh being a significant source of financial aid and oil for Islamabad. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia also signed a landmark mutual defence agreement in Septemb... -
Dawn - 13:31 Jan 03, 2026
The US struck Venezuela and captured its long-serving president, Nicolás Maduro, on Saturday, President Donald Trump said, after months of pressuring him over accusations of drug-running and illegitimacy in office. Washington has not made such a direct intervention in Latin America since the invasion of Panama in 1989 to depose military leader Manuel Noriega, over similar allegations. F-22, C-130 and F-35 aircraft are seen at the former Roosevelt Roads naval base. —Reuters US Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighter jets fly over before landing at the former Roosevelt Roads naval base. —Reuters A US Coast Guard HC-130J aircraft approaches for landing at the former Roosevelt Roads naval base, —Reuters A US Coast Guard HC-130J aircraft overflies the former Roosevelt Roads naval base before landing. —Reuters Smoke rises near Fort Tiuna, after US President Donald Trump said the US has struck Venezuela. —Reuters Picture of fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex, after a series of explosions in Carac... -
Dawn - 13:13 Jan 03, 2026
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday arrived in Beijing to co-chair the seventh round of the Pakistan-China Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue, which is scheduled for January 4 (Sunday), the Foreign Office (FO) announced in a post on X. In an earlier statement, the FO said the foreign minister will be the “first foreign dignitary to visit China in 2026“, at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, with whom he is co-chairing the dialogue. In the X post, the FO said that Dar was received at the airport by China’s Special Representative on Afghanistan, Ambassador Yue Xiaoyong, Pakistan’s Ambassador to China and officials from the Pakistani Embassy. “DPM/FM will also attend events marking the beginning of the 75th year of Pakistan-China diplomatic ties, with both countries planning initiatives and commemorative activities throughout 2026,” the post added. The FO has said that the dialogue “will review the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation, identify new areas of part... -
Dawn - 12:52 Jan 03, 2026
Venezuelan security forces patrolled largely empty streets at dawn in the capital, Caracas, on Saturday, hours after loud explosions woke residents to the news that US commandos had bombed the country and captured President Nicolas Maduro. Streets close to the Miraflores presidential palace were deserted except for checkpoints manned by uniformed gunmen, as residents expressed their shock at a US military strike that left them guessing who was now in charge of the oil-rich nation. Smoke streaked the sky, with a dark plume still billowing from the direction of the Port of La Guaira to the north, while another was visible near an air base in the capital. Most residents stayed home, devouring the latest information on their phones, while some went to stock up on groceries in case they need to hunker down for a prolonged period. For supporters of the opposition, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado, excitement was also in the air. People ride a motorbike on an empty street, after US President Dona... -
Dawn - 09:46 Jan 03, 2026
Indian Premier League (IPL) team Kolkata Knight Riders have been told to release fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh, the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia said on Saturday, amid growing tensions between the countries. The development comes after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sangeet Som’s criticed Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan for inducting Mustafizur in his franchise, calling Khan a traitor. Mustafizur’s selection to play for KKR had come amid allegations mostly by the Indian right-wing over attacks on Hindus. Last month, hundreds protested near Bangladesh’s High Commission in New Delhi after Hindu factory worker Dipu Chandra Das was beaten and set on fire in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district by a crowd that accused him of making derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). A total of 12 people were arrested in connection with his death. “Due to recent developments going on all across, the BCCI has instructed the franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to relea... -
Dawn - 08:57 Jan 03, 2026
Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has successfully conducted the flight test of the indigenously developed “Taimoor” weapon system, the military’s media affairs wing said on Saturday. In a statement, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the development marked another significant milestone in the advancement of national aerospace and defence capabilities. “Taimoor air-launched cruise missile is capable of engaging enemy land and sea targets with high precision at a range of 600 kilometres, carrying a conventional warhead,” it said. “Equipped with state-of-the-art navigation and guidance system, Taimoor is designed to fly at very low altitudes, enabling it to effectively evade hostile air and missile defence systems,” it said. “Its precision-strike capability significantly enhances the conventional deterrence and operational flexibility of PAF, further strengthening the country’s overall defence posture,” it added. “The successful flight test underscores the technical maturity, innovation and self-reliance achiev... -
Dawn - 08:47 Jan 03, 2026
BAJAUR: A man was killed while three others, including two cops, were injured after unknown terrorists attacked a police post in Bajaur district’s Barang tehsil in the early hours of Saturday. Police and local residents said the attack on the police post, located in the hilly Kohi Sar area about 22 kilometres from Khar, the district headquarters, occurred at around 2am. Israr Khan, the spokesperson for the district police, told Dawn that the deceased was identified as 60-year-old Naseem Gul, a local resident. He added that the injured included two cops, 35-year-old Constable Suliman Khan and 58-year-old Constable Saz Muhammad, and 28-year-old Sahibzada, a school watchman. He said the injured were taken to the District Headquarter Hospital in Khar for treatment, where their condition was said to be stable. He said terrorists used both heavy and light weapons in the attack. The police spokesperson said that soon after the attack, a joint team comprising security forces and police reached the area and launched a...
6698 items