Dawn
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Found 10418 news
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Dawn - 12:24 May 23, 2026
A gas explosion at a coal mine in northern China has killed at least 90 people, state media reported on Saturday, the country’s biggest mining disaster in 17 years. The blast occurred at 7:29pm on Friday at the Liushenyu coal mine in Shanxi province, according to state news agency Xinhua. At least 90 people had died and 123 others were sent to hospital for treatment, four of whom were in critical or severe condition, state broadcaster CCTV said. Of those sent for treatment, 33 had returned home as of 2:00pm on Saturday, it added. A total of 755 emergency and medical personnel were dispatched to the site, with rescue efforts still ongoing Saturday afternoon, CCTV added. Survivor and injured miner Wang Yong told CCTV there was a “puff of smoke” and he smelled sulphur. He recalled seeing people choked by the smoke before he fainted. “I lay down for about an hour and woke up by myself. I called the people next to me and got out of the mine together,” Wang said, according to CCTV. Helmeted rescuers were carrying s... -
Dawn - 12:06 May 23, 2026
BANNU: At least a dozen terrorists were killed while a man was martyred on Saturday as a fierce clash continued between a police peace committee and militants in the Barakzai Akhundkhel area in Miryan tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district. District Police Officer (DPO) Yasir Afridi confirmed to Dawn that 12 terrorists had been eliminated, while “one [individual] was martyred” and four policemen were injured during the police action. Bannu Medical Teaching Institution spokesperson Mohammad Noman Khattab said the martyr, along with four others injured, was brought to the District Headquarters Hospital. Police also confirmed that during the exchange of fire, a retired Federal Constabulary official was martyred, adding that four police personnel and a child were injured. According to police sources, despite intense firing, the police force displayed bravery and safely reached the police station, while additional personnel were called in to bring the situation fully under control. Local sources said that a... -
Dawn - 10:04 May 23, 2026
SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft splashed down into the Indian Ocean on Friday after the company performed a mostly successful test flight of the latest version of its enormous rocket. The voyage was not without a few glitches, but SpaceX employees shown on a livestream roared in delight following the trial flight that comes as the firm owned by Elon Musk prepares a potentially record initial public offering. The mammoth rocket blasted off into space at just after 5:30pm local time (2230 GMT). The company did not intend to recover the booster or the upper stage, and the final splashdown was fiery but controlled, as planned. “Splashdown confirmed!” the company wrote on X. SpaceX primarily aimed to demonstrate its redesigns in flight. The third-generation Starship spacecraft carried out a maneuver that saw it flip upright and reignite its engines for control, despite one being out of commission. It also deployed its 22 mock satellites, including two that attempted to photograph the spacecraft’s heat shield for anal... -
Dawn - 09:05 May 23, 2026
LAHORE: An inquiry committee constituted by Nishtar Medical University has found nine doctors and hospital officials guilty of misconduct and violation of screening protocols in a case involving surgery on a patient who was later found to be HIV-positive, prompting disciplinary action by the Punjab government. According to the inquiry report sent by Nishtar Medical University’s vice chancellor to the Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department on May 22, disciplinary proceedings were recommended against the officials under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability (Peeda) Act 2006. Acting on the inquiry findings, the Punjab health department suspended Senior Registrar (surgery) Dr Fariha Ahmed and Staff Nurse Rida Zahra. Dr Shahbaz Anwar, Medical Officer Dr Mohammad Ali Jan and Dr Muhammad Naeem Akhtar were also suspended with immediate effect over incompetence and mismanagement. In addition, the government suspended the FCPS Chemical Pathology training of Dr Sania Saee... -
Dawn - 08:23 May 23, 2026
Pakistan has intensified screening measures at airports across the country, along with other precautionary steps, amid the recent Ebola virus outbreak in Africa, the health ministry said on Saturday. In a handout, the minister said Health Minister Mustafa Kamal had directed authorities to implement precautionary screening protocols at all airports to prevent the possible spread of the virus. The spread of the recent Ebola virus outbreak is limited to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, and the risk to Pakistan is extremely low due to limited travel links with the affected countries, the health ministry said. The ministry added that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) office in Pakistan were continuously monitoring the situation. The ministry directed all provinces and the Border Health Services to remain on alert. The ministry also noted that Pakistan possessed the capacity to diagnose Ebola and said directives had been issued to ensure all necessar... -
Dawn - 06:20 May 23, 2026
RAWALPINDI: No passenger was hurt after a Metro bus caught fire on Saturday morning near the 6th Road stop. According to Rescue 1122, the Metro bus was destroyed after it caught fire while passing the bus stop on 6th Road. It said that rescue officials rushed to the scene and brought the fire under control. Following the incident, the service between Rawalpindi and Islamabad was suspended. The reason behind the fire has yet to be ascertained. It is worth mentioning that the plumes of smoke emanating from the gutted bus could be seen from afar. Videos shared on social media showed the red bus engulfed in flames as rescue workers tried to douse the blaze. Last year, at least seven passengers suffered injuries when they jumped out of a Metrobus soon after it caught fire in Lahore on Ferozepur Road near Naseerabad Station. In another similar incident in 2021, a Metro bus caught fire and was completely burnt, apparently due to a short circuit near Minar-i-Pakistan station in Lahore. -
Dawn - 06:03 May 23, 2026
The government reduced the price of petrol by Rs6 per litre and that of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs6.80 on Friday, according to a notification issued by the Petroleum Division. Following the decrease, the price of petrol stands at Rs403.78 per litre and HSD’s at Rs402.78. The Petroleum Division’s press release notifying the decrease said the new prices would be effective from May 23 (Saturday). This is the second consecutive week in which the government has reduced fuel prices. Last week, the prices of petrol and diesel were reduced by Rs5. Petrol is mostly used in private transport, small vehicles, rickshaws and two-wheelers and has a direct bearing on the budget of the middle and lower-middle class. High-speed diesel is mainly used in the heavy transport sector and for large generators. The government has been revising petroleum prices every week on Friday night following the now-paused US-Israeli war on Iran, which began on February 28. The war also led to a global fuel crunch caused by the closure of th... -
Dawn - 03:44 May 23, 2026
LAHORE: Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has ordered imposition of a Rs50,000 fine for throwing animal waste and offal in streets, on roads, into drains and canals during Eid days. The CM directed the administrative and police officers across Punjab on Friday to remain in the field during Eidul Azha days, as the provincial government finalised extensive arrangements for security, cleanliness and public facilitation during the holidays. Chairing a video-link meeting on Eidul Azha arrangements here, the chief minister issued guidelines to all deputy commissioners and district police officers, warning that negligence or poor implementation of orders would not be tolerated. She also directed strict enforcement of the restriction on sale of sacrificial animals at non-designated places instead of cattle markets and action against illegal livestock trading in unauthorised areas. The meeting was informed that digital monitoring and vigilance operations would be carried out at cattle markets, while strict security arrangem... -
Dawn - 03:33 May 23, 2026
KARACHI: While the federal government had announced a three-day Eid holiday — from May 26 to 28 (Tuesday to Thursday) — the Sindh government has officially announced a four-day holiday, including Friday, the third day of Eidul Azha, in its holiday schedule. Sindh Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah issued a notification in this regard, stating that the Eidul Azha holidays would be observed from May 26 to May 29 in the province. “The government of Sindh hereby declares 26th, 27th, 28th and 29th May, 2026 as public holidays on the occasion of Eidul Azha throughout the province of Sindh, for all government offices, autonomous bodies, semi-autonomous bodies, corporations, and local councils, except essential services and departments/offices engaged in preparation of budget for financial year 2026-27,” reads the notification. Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026 -
Dawn - 02:36 May 23, 2026
ISLAMABAD: In a move ostensibly aimed at ensuring continuity at the helm of the country’s premier civilian intelligence agency, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved a four-year contract extension for Fuad Asadullah Khan as director general of the Intelligence Bureau (IB). According to two separate notifications issued by the Establishment Division on Friday, the PM has extended the contract appointment of the grade 22 intelligence officer. While one notification confirms that Mr Khan will continue to remain posted as director general “until further orders”, another clarifies that his contract as additional director general has been extended for a fresh period of four years, effective July 14, 2026, on existing terms and conditions. The notifications, carrying the reference number 1/22/2022/E-VI, effectively consolidate Mr Khan’s position as the head of the Intelligence Bureau Division. Mr Khan is a career intelligence officer known for remaining firmly behind the curtain. He has been at the helm of IB d... -
Dawn - 02:19 May 23, 2026
CHIEF of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir is embraced by Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni upon his arrival in Tehran.—AFP • Rubio says US in constant contact with Field Marshal Munir as the latter arrives in Iran • Notes ‘some progress’ made but insists more work needed • US considers ‘Plan B’ with willing Nato countries over Hormuz • Iran rules out deal if US demands handover of enriched uranium • Qatar joins mediation push in coordination with US • UAE says Iran’s N-programme now top concern ISLAMABAD: Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir reached Tehran on Friday as efforts to broker an interim understanding between the United States and Iran entered a decisive phase amid cautious hopes that a fragile ceasefire around the Persian Gulf could be stabilised before tensions spiral again. The visit came at a time when negotiations appeared to have moved beyond political signalling into detailed bargaining over a narrow interim framework dealing with the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear... -
Dawn - 01:07 May 23, 2026
WASHINGTON: The US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced on Friday a sweeping policy change that would require most foreigners seeking permanent residency in the United States to leave the country and apply for immigrant visas from abroad, sharply restricting the long-used “adjustment of status” process. In a policy memorandum, the USCIS said applicants already in the US on temporary visas — including students, tourists and temporary workers — would generally be expected to pursue green cards through consular processing overseen by the US Department of State. The move is part of President Donald Trump’s broader effort to tighten both legal and illegal immigration pathways. The USCIS said adjustment of status inside the US would now be granted only in “extraordinary circumstances” and on a “case-by-case basis”. “We’re returning to the original intent of the law to ensure aliens navigate our nation’s immigration system properly,” USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler said in a statement released with the memo. T... -
Dawn - 19:10 May 22, 2026
The government reduced the price of petrol by Rs6 per litre and that of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs6.80 on Friday, according to a notification issued by the Petroleum Division. Following the decrease, the price of petrol stands at Rs403.78 per litre and HSD’s at Rs402.78. The Petroleum Division’s press release notifying the decrease said the new prices would be effective from May 23. This is the second consecutive week in which the government has reduced fuel prices. Last week, the prices of petrol and diesel were reduced by Rs5. Petrol is mostly used in private transport, small vehicles, rickshaws and two-wheelers and has a direct bearing on the budget of the middle and lower-middle class. High-speed diesel is mainly used in the heavy transport sector and for large generators. The government has been revising petroleum prices every week on Friday night following the now-paused US-Israeli war on Iran, which began on February 28. The war also led to a global fuel crunch caused by the closure of the Strait of... -
Dawn - 18:54 May 22, 2026
LAHORE: Actor and model Momina Iqbal on Friday filed an application with Chung Police for the registration of a first information report against a PML-N MPA Saqib Chadhar, levelling serious allegations of blackmail, harassment and death threats. In her application, she alleged that the PML-N MPA had been making threatening calls to harass her and her fiance. Momina claimed that the lawmaker turned abusive when she refused his marriage proposal, after it transpired that he was already married to two women. Subsequently, she said Chadhar began blackmailing her. Momina also mentioned WhatsApp messages and video calls from the suspect in her application. She further alleged that the the MPA also sent the same threatening messages to her sister’s mobile phone. According to reports, Momina visited Chung Police Station along with her lawyers, met Station House Officer Faheem Imdad, and briefed him about her complaint. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also warned that any attempt to exert political press... -
Dawn - 18:48 May 22, 2026
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday announced a 16-member squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia, scheduled from May 30 to June 4 in Rawalpindi and Lahore. According to a press release issued by the cricket board, “Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas and Rohail Nazir are the three players selected in the squad who are yet to represent Pakistan in ODI cricket”. It added that left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will continue to lead the side, while Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan and Sufyan Moqim — who were not part of the away ODI series against Bangladesh in March — have been recalled. Muhammad Ghazi Ghori and Nazir have been named as the two wicketkeeper-batters in the squad after Usman Khan was not considered for selection due to illness, the PCB said. The board further stated that Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub were not considered for selection as they had earlier been ruled out due to injuries and “will continue their rehabilitation programmes under the supervision of the PC... -
Dawn - 18:36 May 22, 2026
ISLAMABAD: PTI’s Islamabad wing held a protest in the federal capital on Friday despite Section 144 being in place, which restricts public gatherings. It is worth mentioning that Tehreek Tahaffuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) and PTI had given a call to hold countrywide protests against former prime minister Imran Khan’s imprisonment, rising inflation and other issues on Friday. The protest, held on Lehtrar Road near Taramri Chowk, was organised under the direction of PTI Islamabad President Aamir Mughal and led by General Secretary Malik Aamir Ali. PTI Islamabad Senior Vice President Raja Sajjad Dhanyal, Women’s Wing President Maimoona Kamal, Youth Wing President Murad Bukhari, Insaf Students Federation representatives and other leaders and activists participated in the protest. The protesters also demanded the release and proper medical treatment of the PTI founder and highlighted concerns over soaring inflation, deteriorating law and order, and the recent increase in petroleum product prices. Mughal, speaking to... -
Dawn - 18:09 May 22, 2026
Tulsi Gabbard said on Friday she is resigning from her job as President Donald Trump’s director of national intelligence, saying her husband had been diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer and that she was stepping away from her role to help him. Gabbard advised Trump of her intention to step down during an Oval Office meeting on Friday, Fox News Digital reported earlier. The resignation is effective June 30, it said. A source familiar with the matter said that Gabbard had been forced out by the White House. In her resignation letter posted on X, Gabbard told Trump she was “deeply grateful for the trust you placed in me and for the opportunity to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence for the last year and a half.” She cited her husband’s recent diagnosis with a rare form of bone cancer. “I cannot in good conscience ask him to face this fight alone while I continue in this demanding and time-consuming post,” she said. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the Principal Deputy... -
Dawn - 17:40 May 22, 2026
The Pakistan Air Force and the Turkiye Air Force reaffirmed their “growing strategic convergence” in defence, aerospace innovation and emerging technologies, the military’s media wing said on Friday. Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, during an official visit to Turkiye, held high-level meetings with Turkish Air Force Commander General Ziya Cemal Kadıoğlu, Defence Minister Yaşar Güler, and Baykar Technologies Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Selçuk Bayraktar, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. During these engagements, ACM Sidhu reaffirmed “the growing strategic convergence and shared commitment of both nations towards enhanced collaboration in defence, aerospace innovation and emerging technologies”. At the headquarters of the Turkish Air Force, the air chief was accorded a guard of honour. During the engagement, ACM Sidhu “discussed enhancing interoperability through joint exercises, training programmes, and professional exchanges”. “The Turkish air chief appreciate... -
Dawn - 17:38 May 22, 2026
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto inaugurates 39km-long Shahrah-i-Bhutto linking Qayyumabad to M9 Motorway
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday inaugurated the 39-kilometre-long Shahrah-i-Bhutto Expressway, linking Karachi’s Qayyumabad to the M-9 Motorway. He also laid the foundation stone for the construction of an expressway project linking Karachi Port to Qayyumabad. Speaking on the occasion, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that the expressway has six interchanges, six lanes and a 5-kilometre elevated section. He said the PPP chairman had inaugurated the first 9-kilometre segment of the project in January 2025. The second 4-kilometre segment was inaugurated in June last year, and the remaining portion is now being inaugurated in May 2026. CM Murad emphasised that the project took 4 to 4.5 years to complete, and that it could have been finished earlier had the government not prioritised avoiding the displacement of any population along the route. “If you need to travel outside Karachi, whether to Sindh, Punjab or Balochistan, this project will reduce travel time by around an hour.” He added tha... -
Dawn - 17:37 May 22, 2026
Dr Naseem Salahuddin, a renowned infectious diseases expert and professor emeritus at Indus Hospital, passed away on Friday. According to information available on the hospital’s website, she was serving as the head of its infectious diseases department. The Indus Hospital also expressed its sorrow over the passing of Dr Salahuddin. In a statement, it said that Dr Salahuddin had been associated with the Indus Hospital since November 1, 2007, and “remained a beacon of dedication, compassion, and excellence in the field of healthcare and infectious diseases”. “Her lifelong commitment to patient care, medical education, and humanitarian service greatly contributed to strengthening the mission of providing quality healthcare, free of cost, to those in need,” the statement said. It added that Dr Salahuddin also played a pivotal role in raising awareness and advancing efforts towards a rabies-free Pakistan, stating that her “relentless work in the prevention and treatment of rabies saved countless lives and brought ...
10418 items