Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif chairs video link meeting to finalise cleanliness arrangements across province for Eidul Azha, May 23, 2026. SCREENGRAB LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif directed deputy commissioners across the province on Tuesday to identify areas lacking access to safe drinking water and immediately submit reports in this regard. Chairing…

A lab assistant holds test tube filled with HIV positive blood sample. Photo: APP/file KARACHI: Fresh concerns have emerged over infection control and regulatory oversight at Valika Hospital after hazardous medical waste was found lying in the open, even as 81 children have been confirmed HIV-positive in a growing health crisis. During a visit, used…

US begins blockade on Iranian shipping, continues strikes Iran widens missile and drone attacks across Gulf region WASHINGTON/TEHRAN: In a dramatic policy reversal, US President Donald Trump abandoned plans to impose a 20% transit fee on vessels using the Strait of Hormuz as the renewed confrontation between the United States and Iran intensified sharply on…

. The writer is a former Secretary to Government, Home & Tribal Affairs Department and a retired IG. He can be reached at syed_shah94@yahoo.com​​​​​​​ The enactment of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Assembly (Powers, Immunities and Privileges) Act, 2026, granting lawmakers expanded benefits, has sparked intense public backlash and a subsequent government review. Undoubtedly within the…

. The writer is a graduate in Philosophy of Humanities from IIS London and a development practitioner in Pakistan. Email: shakeelahmedshah@yahoo.com Gilgit-Baltistan has a new government, and for a few hours Gilgit looked like a region entering a great democratic transition: roads closed, traffic diverted, ordinary people trapped in narrow lanes, and protocol moving with…

‘It was $29b when I left office,’ Jules Hurst tells Senate, repeating answer from earlier posture hearing A United States Defence Department nominee told lawmakers on Tuesday that the US war with Iran cost an estimated $29 billion as of late May, but acknowledged the figure excludes damage to military facilities and other infrastructure, drawing…

World leaders, tech giants to gather for 2026 conference focused on innovation and AI governance Shanghai to host 2026 World AI Conference from July 17-20, focusing on global AI cooperation, innovation and governance. PHOTO: PEXELS The 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance is set to be held in…

Says American projectile explodes near water and power facility on Kish Island, Bahrain intercepts Iranian attacks As the more than three-month conflict nears an end, US-Iran are expected to sign a memorandum on Friday in Geneva. PHOTO: REUTERS Iranian media reported several explosions on Qeshm Island in southern Iran on Tuesday, as military escalation with…