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Dawn - 14:34 May 29, 2025
The United States’ newly-appointed Syria envoy said he believed peace between Syria and Israel was achievable as he made his first trip to Damascus on Thursday, praising the rebel-led government and saying it was ready for dialogue. Thomas Barrack raised the American flag over the ambassador’s residence for the first time since the US embassy closed in 2012, underlining a rapid expansion of US ties with Damascus since President Donald Trump unexpectedly announced the lifting of sanctions and met Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa. “Syria and Israel are a solvable problem. But it starts with a dialogue,” Barrack told a small group of journalists in Damascus. “I’d say we need to start with just a non-aggression agreement, talk about boundaries and borders,” he said. Barrack also said that Syria would no longer be deemed a state sponsor of terrorism by the United States, saying the issue was “gone with the Assad regime being finished”, but that Congress had a six-month review period. “America’s intent and the preside... -
Dawn - 13:53 May 29, 2025
After a slow and chaotic start to the new US-backed aid system in Gaza, thousands of Palestinians have been arriving at distribution points, seeking desperately needed food despite scenes of disorder and fears of violence. The two hubs run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private group sponsored by the United States and endorsed by Israel, have been running since Tuesday, but the launch was marred by tumultuous scenes when thousands rushed the fences and forced private contractors providing security to retreat. An Israeli military official told Reuters that the GHF was now operating four aid distribution sites, three in the Rafah area in the south and one in the Netzarim area in central Gaza. GHF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on whether it was now distributing aid in Netzarim. Displaced Palestinians carrying relief supplies return from an aid distribution centre in the central Gaza Strip on May 29. — AFP The new system has been heavily criticised by the United Nation... -
Dawn - 13:13 May 29, 2025
Adviser to the Finance Minister Khurram Schehzad on Thursday said that no decision has been made to postpone the federal budget for the fiscal year 2025-26, clarifying that the previously announced date of June 10 remains unchanged. Amid media reports claiming that the budget had once again been rescheduled due to the Eidul Azha holidays, Schehzad wrote on X today that no decision has been made to postpone or reschedule the budget. “As communicated earlier, the upcoming Federal Budget FY26 is on schedule to be announced on June 10, 2025,” he wrote. “Similarly, the upcoming Pakistan Economic Survey FY25 is scheduled to be announced on June 9, 2025.” Additionally, Finance Secretary Imdadullah Bosal told reporters that there was no change in the budget date. “The federal budget will be presented on June 10,” he told the media after exiting a committee meeting at the National Assembly. According to the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco), Eidul Azha is expected to fall on June 7, which means ... -
Dawn - 12:46 May 29, 2025
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday landed in Tajikistan as he continues his four-nation tour of friendly countries. Earlier this week, the PM and his delegation, including Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir, visited Turkiye, Iran and Azerbaijan, expressing gratitude for their support during a recent military escalation with India. Yesterday, the PM took part in a trilateral summit with Turkiye and Azerbaijan. He reiterated Pakistan’s willingness to hold talks with India on the Kashmir dispute and counterterrorism, stressing New Delhi wanted the same “in all sincerity”. According to state broadcaster PTV News, the PM arrived in the Tajik capital Dushanbe today for his two-day visit, being received by Tajik PM Kokhir Rasulzoda at the airport. “Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant Syed Tariq Fatemi also accompanied the prime minister,” PTV News reported. During his two-day visit, the PM is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Tajik P... -
Dawn - 11:26 May 29, 2025
As political tensions in South Asia have simmered down, the US and India reaffirmed their “shared desire to maintain regional stability and peace,” according to a statement by the US State Department. The developments follow a recent military confrontation between India and Pakistan over New Delhi’s allegations against Islamabad, without evidence, about a deadly attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam. On the night of May 6-7, New Delhi launched a series of air strikes in Pakistan, resulting in civilian casualties. Islamabad responded by downing five Indian jets. After intercepting drones sent by India and tit-for-tat strikes on each other’s airbases, it took American intervention on May 10 for both sides to finally drop their guns as a ceasefire was reached. At the height of the conflict, US President Donald Trump warned Pakistan and India of “not doing any trade” if they did not stop fighting. A date prior, Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau met with Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in Washington, the U... -
Dawn - 11:08 May 29, 2025
A Sri Lankan court on Thursday sentenced two former ministers from the government of deposed president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to decades in prison in a landmark corruption case. Ex-sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and former trade minister Anil Fernando were found guilty by the Colombo High Court of misappropriating 53 million Sri Lankan rupees ($177,000) of state funds. The pair were also fined $2,000 for using government money to donate board games — including 14,000 carrom boards and 11,000 draughts sets — in an attempt to boost the failed 2015 re-election bid of Gotabaya’s elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa. Aluthgamage was sentenced to 20 years in jail. Fernando was sentenced to 25 years. Aluthgamage is now the most senior member of a Rajapaksa-led cabinet to be successfully prosecuted for corruption. The cases against both men were initiated six years ago, when the Rajapaksa brothers were out of power, but the case had been making slow headway until a new government took office last year. Aluthgamage ... -
Dawn - 10:38 May 29, 2025
A cop was martyred and four others were injured as a result of gunfire between the public, police and terrorists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district, the police said on Thursday. Speaking to Dawn.com, spokesperson to the regional police officer, Khanzala Quraishi, said, “The members of the peace committee, along with police personnel, were patrolling the area when they were attacked by terrorists at around 12:30am.” He said that police personnel, Murtaza Jan, embraced martyrdom, while four others, including a school teacher and a police constable, were injured in the attack. “The incident took place within the limits of the Hoyed Police Station,” he said, adding that the “terrorists fled the scene due to the quick response from the police”. He continued: “The injured and the deceased were moved to a hospital. The school teacher is in critical condition.” KP Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed was also on a visit to the region for reviewing the security situation, he said. The spokesperson added tha... -
Dawn - 09:55 May 29, 2025
Harvard University has been flooded with requests from foreign students to transfer to other institutions as US President Donald Trump’s administration seeks to ban it from hosting international scholars, a staff member said on Wednesday. “Too many international students to count have inquired about the possibility of transferring to another institution,” Maureen Martin, director of immigration services, wrote in a court filing. Trump has upended the United States’ reputation among foreign students, who number around one million, as he presses a campaign against US universities he sees as obstructing his “Make America Great Again” populist agenda. He has blocked Harvard from hosting international scholars in a manoeuvre being challenged legally, targeted non-citizen campus activists for deportation, and most recently suspended student visa processing across the board. The president’s crackdown has prompted “profound fear, concern, and confusion” among students and staff at the elite university, which has been... -
Dawn - 08:36 May 29, 2025
Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) Chief Executive Officer Bilal Bin Saqib has unveiled the country’s first government-led Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. Saqib was recently appointed as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Crypto and Blockchain, with the status of a minister of state. He has been on a tour of the United States seeking investment in Pakistan’s crypto markets. He made the announcement about the reserve after delivering a keynote address before an elite audience, which included United States Vice President JD Vance, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr, at the Bitcoin Vegas 2025 in Las Vegas. “Pakistan is no longer defined by its past. It is being reborn as a forward-looking hub of digital innovation — powered by its youth, sharpened by necessity, and led by a new generation of tech statesmen,” said Saqib, in a statement issued by his office. “I’m not just here as a minister,” he said. “I’m here as the voice of a generation — a generation that is online, on-chain, and unstoppable.” In his keynote speech... -
Dawn - 06:51 May 29, 2025
SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: The Joint Political Peace Alliance on Wednesday demanded transparent and impartial investigation into the alleged quadcopter strike in Karmazi Stop area of Birmal tehsil that injured several people. It termed the incident “regrettable and a cause of public unrest” and called for legal action against those responsible. In a statement, the JPPA leaders said public cooperation was vital for maintaining peace in the region and such incidents risked eroding the trust of local youth and civilians. They said that ensuring public safety and security was the foremost responsibility of the state and all relevant institutions should play a constructive role in that respect. The alliance leaders insisted that at times, extraordinary measures taken under the pretext of security could inadvertently affect innocent civilians. They urged law-enforcement agencies to adopt strategies that were both effective and community-friendly to restore peace and rebuild public confidence. The JPPA leaders announced they... -
Dawn - 06:48 May 29, 2025
KHYBER: Consultations and deliberations started both in Bara and Tirah among various stakeholders after they were conveyed a message about possible military operation during an official meeting on May 27 (Tuesday). Held at Khyber House and chaired by Peshawar Commissioner Riaz Mehsud, the meeting was also attended by regional security officials, deputy commissioner of Khyber, DPO and elders from Tirah and Bara along with elected representatives. Sources told Dawn that commissioner conveyed to the participants of the meeting the government’s resolve about ‘decisive’ military operation against various terrorist groups presently holed up in some localities of Shalobar and Zakhakhel areas in Tirah valley. They said that the commissioner also told Tirah elders that residents of Landawar, Dray and Darpair in Shalobar and Zarra Pakha and Mazari Sar in Zakhakhel had to be temporarily displaced prior to start of operation after Eidul Azha to avoid collateral damage. MNA questions infiltration of terrorists into the va... -
Dawn - 05:36 May 29, 2025
MUZAFFARABAD: The post-1989 migrants from across the Line of Control (LoC) issued a veiled warning to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government on Wednesday over the alleged non-fulfilment of their demands. At a meeting, members of the Refugees Working Committee — including heads of refugee camps and elected councillors — urged the government to fulfil their long-ignored demand for two reserved seats in the Legislative Assembly, one each for refugees from occupied Jammu and the occupied Valley, ahead of the general elections due next year. They also demanded an increase in the monthly subsistence allowance and allocation of funds for their resettlement in the 2025-26 budget. The participants strongly condemned what they called the persistent neglect of the 1989 refugees by successive AJK governments. “It is deeply unfortunate that even after three and a half decades, the condition of Kashmiri refugees remains unchanged,” read a joint communiqué issued after the meeting. According to the communiqué, over 9,5... -
Dawn - 05:27 May 29, 2025
• Omar Ayub alleges Nawaz was initially unwilling to conduct nuclear tests • PTI stresses need for political unity, independent judiciary ISLAMABAD: A message shared via the official X (formerly Twitter) account of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan on Tuesday called on public to prepare for a countrywide protest movement. The post came a day after Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, had proposed a ‘give-and-take formula’ for Mr Khan’s release. Although Mr Khan does not have direct access to his social media account, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has not disclosed who manages his posts. The latest message, posted in Mr Khan’s name, urged the masses to get ready for a nationwide protest movement, to be launched soon. It also raised concerns about his treatment in Adiala Jail, alleging that he was being denied basic rights. “Under jail regulations, I am entitled to a 30-minute meeting with my wife, Bushra Bibi, once a week, but even that has not been allowed for several days,” the post quoted Mr Khan as say... -
Dawn - 03:56 May 29, 2025
Billionaire Elon Musk on Wednesday announced he was leaving his role in the US government, which was intended to reduce federal spending, shortly after his first major break with US President Donald Trump over his signature spending bill. “As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President Donald Trump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,” he wrote on his social media platform X. “The DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government,” he added. The South African-born tech tycoon had said Trump’s bill would increase the deficit and undermine the work of Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has fired tens of thousands of people. Musk — who was a constant presence at Trump’s side before pulling back to focus on his Space X and Tesla businesses — also complained that DOGE had become a “whipping boy” for dissatisfaction with the administration. “I was disappointed to see the massive spendin... -
Dawn - 18:32 May 28, 2025
A six-year-old boy drowned in an open manhole in Karachi on Wednesday, which triggered a protest by residents and politicians, prompting the police to register a case against unidentified suspects in Jamshed Quarters. Jamshed Quarters police Station House Officer (SHO) Ansar Butt said, “Two siblings were passing by a petrol pump in the area when one of them fell into an open manhole. “The victim’s brother alerted bystanders about the incident, where the boy drowned. After being inside the manhole for about 20 minutes, the boy passed away at 7pm on Tuesday.” The incident angered locals who lodged a protest at the scene, which was joined by MQM-P lawmaker Amir Siddiqi. Siddiqi told the media, “The Sindh government and Karachi mayor have failed to cover open manholes in the metropolis. A child fell into a 16-foot-deep drain and died. “The city has been destroyed,” the lawmaker regretted. Siddiqi told Dawn.com that the protest took place for four hours as the police were delaying the registering of a first inform... -
Dawn - 18:24 May 28, 2025
Controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate and his brother have been charged with several counts of rape, assault and trafficking, UK prosecutors said on Wednesday. The accusations, which date back to between 2012 to 2015, were authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service in January 2024, but have only been revealed now. Former kickboxer Tate, 38, faces 10 charges in the UK including rape, actual bodily harm, human trafficking and controlling prostitution relating to three women. His brother, Tristan, 36, has been accused of 11 similar charges against one woman. “A European arrest warrant was issued in England in 2024, and as a result, the Romanian courts ordered the extradition to the UK of Andrew and Tristan Tate,” prosecutors said in a statement. “However, the domestic criminal matters in Romania must be settled first.” Andrew Tate is facing legal action in several countries, including some cases where he is accused alongside his brother. In Romania, the Tate brothers face separate allegations of tra... -
Dawn - 18:16 May 28, 2025
Amnesty International and four other human rights organisations called on Pakistan to release human rights defenders in Balochistan and end the crackdown on dissent, according to Amnesty’s website. Last week, the Balochistan High Court rejected constitutional petitions seeking the release of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) Chief Organiser Dr Mahrang Baloch and two other leaders detained under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (MPO). The BYC is a Baloch advocacy group working against enforced disappearances since 2018. Mahrang and other BYC activists were arrested on March 22 for allegedly “attacking” Quetta Civil Hospital and “inciting people to violence”, a day after their members faced a police crackdown in Quetta while protesting against alleged enforced disappearances. A letter dated May 27 was addressed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and signed by Amnesty, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum-Asia), Front Line Defenders (FLD), the International Federation for Hum... -
Dawn - 18:08 May 28, 2025
The high-level delegation tasked with presenting Pakistan’s position on the ongoing dispute with India has scheduled to meet on June 2, PPP Senator Sherry Rehman said on Wednesday. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif decided to send a diplomatic delegation to important world capitals in the aftermath of the recent military escalation with India. He entrusted the PPP Chairman and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to lead the delegation. The delegation comprises Senator Rehman, former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Dr Musadik Malik, Engineer Khurram Dastgir, Faisal Subzwari, Tehmina Janjua, Senator Bushra Anjum Butt and Jalil Abbas Jilani. Speaking on DawnNewsTV programme ‘Doosra Rukh’, Senator Rehman said that the diplomatic committee had decided to visit various countries before Eidul Azha. “The committee, headed by Bilawal, will begin its tour of various countries on June 2, starting from New York,” she said. She added, “The committee will first go to New York, then Washington... -
Dawn - 17:17 May 28, 2025
Mexico is set to become the world’s only country to let voters elect all of their judges, sparking sharp disagreement about whether the reforms will diminish or strengthen criminal influence over the courts. The government says the unprecedented popular vote for judges and magistrates at all levels — including the Supreme Court — is needed to address rampant corruption and impunity. Critics argue it will undermine the judiciary’s independence and warn the participation of controversial candidates — such as a former lawyer for notorious drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman — means it is doomed to backfire. On Sunday, voters will choose several thousand federal, district and local judges and magistrates. Another election for the remainder will be held in 2027. Not just anybody can run for one of these jobs. Candidates must have a law degree, experience in legal affairs, what is termed “a good reputation,” and no criminal record. Opponents, including judicial workers, have held a series of mass street protests in... -
Dawn - 15:36 May 28, 2025
The Kremlin on Wednesday rebuffed a call by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for a three-way summit with counterparts Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin as Kyiv seeks to force Moscow to halt its more than three-year-long invasion. Moscow said any meeting involving Russian President Putin and Zelensky would only happen after “concrete agreements” had been struck between negotiators from each side. Putin rejected calls to meet Zelensky in Turkey earlier this month, when Russia and Ukraine held their first direct peace talks in three years. Putin has repeatedly said he does not see Zelensky as a legitimate leader and called for him to be toppled. US President Trump, meanwhile, has expressed frustration at both leaders for not yet striking a deal to end the war. The two sides have traded waves of massive aerial attacks in recent weeks, with Ukraine unleashing one of its largest-ever drone barrages on Russia overnight, according to the defence ministry in Moscow. “If Putin is not comfortable with a bilateral me...
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