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STORY TIME: POWERED BY CAFFEINE – Newspaper
Cafés have bloomed on every other corner of the city and are considered small, warm islands of light where the youth gather almost all day, their eyes half open and hands gripping coffee cups like lifelines.
And Talha was one of them.
At 18, he believed that his day couldn’t start until the first sip of coffee slid down his throat — bitter, hot and reassuring.
He didn’t remember when this routine started, but it was sometime during the exam season, when late nights and early mornings were unavoidable. That was when he brewed his first cup and stayed up late studying. As a result, good grades were earned, along with trust in coffee. One cup became two, and two became three, and soon it was a ritual, a sign of productivity and proof that he was hustling.
“Sleep is for later,” his classmates would joke, posting pictures of foamy lattes and dark mugs on their social media, with captions like “Powered by caffeine.” Cafés had become their second classrooms, places to study, complain, dream and, of course, scroll endlessly. They were places where tiredness looked fashionable and stress felt productive.
Talha’s fourth cup came by the evening. And by then, his hands trembled as he wrote notes he didn’t remember. His heart thudded and his thoughts jumped. Talha felt exhausted, but unable to rest. Nights stretched longer and sleep grew lighter. Yet the answer was the same in the morning. Another cup of coffee.
One evening, as Talha was waiting for his usual order, he saw an old man sitting alone, sipping his small cup of black coffee with no rush or haste.
“You drink a lot,” the old man said, nodding towards Talha’s stack of cups.
“Yeah, it keeps me going,” Talha replied. He felt a little guilty. But why? He didn’t know. Talha knew that he drank quite a lot of coffee, but it had now become a habit and he couldn’t resist it.
“Coffee is meant to wake you up, not keep you going. That’s on you, young man!”
The words stayed. That night, Talha took his coffee and looked at it for some time. He remembered the words and asked the mug, “Can I live without you?”
“Why am I so dependent on coffee… why? What if I don’t drink it and see what happens?” he muttered to himself. He put down the mug and lay down on his bed, still thinking about the craving he was having.
After a lot of tossing and turning, he finally slept. In the morning, he had breakfast and took just one cup of coffee. For the rest of the day, he resisted the urge.
He kept this routine for a week, and after that, he felt different, really different. He felt energetic and hungry. He ate properly and realised he was sleeping on time and waking up fresh, not tired.
Talha didn’t quit drinking coffee instantly; instead, he stopped letting it control him.
Published in Dawn, Young World, March 14th, 2026
I am Aisha and I hate maths. It’s like the worst subject in school! I wish it didn’t exist, it’s so complex and hard. I don’t understand why it exists and why it is so important. The truth is, the more I think about this subject, the more I dislike it and the more it affects my mood.
“Aisha, Aisha, wake up. It’s time for school,” Ammi called out.
“What time is it, Ammi?” asked Aisha.
“I don’t know the time. Since this world got rid of the subject and concept maths altogether, you should know that we no longer have such things. I can’t tell you, and you might be late!” said Ammi.
Aisha got up and started getting dressed. She felt relieved to finally be rid of maths. After getting ready, she waited for her van, which arrived after a long wait. She then realised she had actually come out to wait too early.
At school, she felt as though she were living in a dream, with no maths classes to attend at all! But little did she know that having no maths was going to trouble her more than ever.
At lunch, she went to buy food from the canteen. When she asked for two packs of crisps, the canteen owner gave her more than two packs. Aisha tried telling him she had asked for only two packs, but he simply said he didn’t know counting and did not understand what she was talking about.
When it was time to pay, he asked her for more and more money. She told him he should charge her for just two packs, but the canteen owner took all her money and said, “I think this is enough.”
For a moment, she regretted wishing for no maths, but she quickly reminded herself of the peace she had felt earlier.
She got home, changed her clothes and sat down to have lunch. Aisha asked her mum for two chapattis, but her mum said she did not know what “two” meant, so she placed a dozen in front of her. Aisha was irritated by it all.
In the evening, she went to the shop to get some snacks. She asked the shopkeeper for two jellies and two packets of biscuits, but he did not understand her.
He said, “You can take whatever you want, but you have to give me as much money as I want.”
She was taken aback. She asked him to charge her only for the things she was buying, but he replied that since he did not know maths, he could ask for as much money as he liked.
Out of despair, she left the snacks there and went home crying. When she got home, her mum tried to comfort her, but she had absolutely no idea what was going on.
Aisha went to her room, sat on her bed and cried. She prayed to God Almighty to bring maths back. She did not know how long she had been praying before she finally dozed off.
When she woke up, it was time for school. She ran to her mother, hugged her and said, “Mum, I was so wrong. I hated maths. I thought it was ruining our lives with its calculations and mind-boggling sums, so I wished for maths to disappear from the world. I realise now that I was wrong, and I want it back. Mum, what should I do?”
Her mother looked at her and said, “What are you talking about? Where would maths go? I think you are still half asleep. But dear, wake up. It’s 7 am. The bus driver will be here in 15 minutes.”
Aisha looked at her mother in disbelief. She was so happy to realise that it had all been just a dream.
That day, during the maths lesson, she was more interested in learning than anyone else in the class. It was as if she had finally understood how important maths is in life, and how difficult life would be without it.
Published in Dawn, Young World, March 14th, 2026
Ben 10 returns with a reimagined comic series
Ben 10 (Dynamite comic series) is returning in a modernised reboot comic from Dynamite Entertainment, with the original creator collective Man of Action overseeing the story.
The series reintroduces Ben Tennyson with a streamlined, action-focused origin when Ben finds the alien device Omnitrix after a meteor crash during a camping trip, transforming him into a young superhero. The reboot aims to blend classic franchise elements with fresh storytelling, exploring a wider range of tones including adventure, drama and darker sci-fi themes.
The comic will also revisit fan-favourite aliens and villains across the franchise’s history while expanding its mythology through short story arcs.
Fallout 4, Indiana Jones coming to Switch 2
Nintendo has announced that a collection of games from publisher Bethesda, including Fallout 4 and Indiana Jones are coming to the Switch 2 in 2026.
Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition is coming to the Switch 2 on April 28. The package includes the base Fallout 4 game along with all six expansion packs, including Nuka-World. Players will also have access to 150 pieces of Creation Club content, which can add new weapons and gear to the game.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, which follows the legendary archaeologist on another globe-trotting adventure, comes to the Switch 2 on May 12. The game is presented in a first-person perspective as players solve puzzles and explore forgotten tombs in this cinematic adventure.
Woody and Buzz reunites in Toy Story 5
Toy Story 5 has released its first trailer, bringing back classic characters including Woody, Buzz Lightyear and Jessie.
Produced by Disney and Pixar Animation Studios, the story follows the toys as they face a new challenge from modern technology. The trailer introduces Lilypad, a disruptive new tablet device voiced by Greta Lee, which threatens traditional playtime by influencing its owner, Bonnie’s choices. The trailer also shows Woody returning to help his old friends, though he appears older and worn, while the Buzz Lightyear toy army prepares to confront the new digital rival. The film continues the franchise’s theme of friendship and change in a technology-driven world.
Published in Dawn, Young World, March 14th, 2026
First biomimetic humanoid robot unveiled
Chinese robotics start-up DroidUp has unveiled a humanoid robot called Moya, which the company describes as the world’s first biomimetic AI-powered humanoid.
Moya is designed to mimic human-like movement, facial expressions and even body temperature, which is maintained between 32–36°C. The female version is 165 cm tall and weighs about 32 kg. It is also equipped with an AI camera that can detect people and interact through speech and subtle expressions.
Moya is expected to be released commercially later this year, starting at about $173,000, initially targeting healthcare and education sectors. Public reactions have been mixed, with some praising the technology while others find the robot’s appearance and movements unsettling.
School makes students climb a wall to graduate
A high school in Taiwan’s Changhua County requires students to climb a 15-metre, five-storey-high rock wall in order to receive their graduation certificates.
Ershui Junior High School has the tallest school climbing wall in the country, and students take six climbing lessons each week to prepare for the challenge.
The requirement is designed to improve focus, balance and coordination.
Although the wall looks intimidating, many students enjoy the activity and even practise rock climbing with their families.
Paper planes folding record broken
A Texas man folded 250 functional paper planes in one hour in an attempt to set a new Guinness World Record.
Tyler resident Richard DeFreece completed the feat in February, surpassing the 200-plane target set by Guinness. Each plane was tested for flight at the end of the attempt.
DeFreece pursued the record as a long-time goal, choosing the paper plane challenge after discovering it was a record he believed he could break. The achievement is still subject to official verification.
World’s fastest elevator’s top speed is 47 mph
The world’s fastest elevator is located in Guangzhou CTF Financial Centre, Guangzhou, China, and can reach speeds of about 1,200 m/min (around 44.7 mph or 72 km/h). The express elevators, installed by Hitachi Ltd, can take passengers from the ground floor to the 95th floor in about 43 seconds.
The skyscraper, which opened in 2016, is 530 metres tall, with 111 floors above ground. The elevators use lightweight traction systems, aerodynamic capsule-shaped cars, vibration-detecting rollers and pressurised cabins to ensure fast and safe travel despite the extreme speed.
Published in Dawn, Young World, March 14th, 2026
Forest stunned by Midtjylland, Villa beat Lille in Europa League – Sport
STORY TIME: THE DAY MATHS DISAPPEARED – Newspaper
دنیا بھر میں آزادیٔ اظہارِ رائے سے متعلق قوانین پر سخت اور مؤثر عملدرآمد
Story time: Chasing the forgotten stars
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