Israel and Hamas exchanged heavy fire on Tuesday, with 22 Palestinians killed in Gaza, in a dramatic escalation between the bitter rivals sparked by violence at Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al Aqsa Mosque compound. Nine children were among those killed in the blockaded Gaza Strip that is controlled by Hamas and 106 people there were wounded, local health authorities said. More than …

GENEVA: The World Health Organisation said on Monday that the B.1.617 variant first identified in India last year was being classified as a variant of global concern. “We classify it as a variant of concern at a global level,” Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO technical lead on Covid-19, told a briefing. “There is some available information to suggest increased transmissibility.” Indian …

LAHORE: A newly formed Board of Governors has taken over the administrative and financial control of Punjab’s largest state-run teaching institute, Mayo Hospital, after electing unopposed its first chairman as provided under the Punjab Medical Teaching Institutions (MTI) (Reforms)Act 2020. The former vice chancellor of the University of Health Sciences and known paediatric surgeon, Prof Dr Mahmood Shaukat, was elected …

ISLAMABAD: The Pakis­tan Bar Council (PBC), the regulatory body of the legal profession, seems to have reached a deadlock when it met on May 7 to sort out two issues — the demolition of lawyers’ chambers in a posh area of the federal capital as well as the suspension of licences. No formal resolution was adopted at the meeting over …

ISLAMABAD: The capital administration is establishing more Covid-19 vaccination centres in the city to facilitate people and carry out the inoculation process smoothly, sources told Dawn. On the other hand, 10 people lost their battle against Covid-19 in Rawalpindi and Islamabad during the last 24 hours. Officials of the capital administration said they were getting complaints that some centres closed …

ISLAMABAD: The federal government is optimistic about introducing single national curriculum across the country from upcoming academic session starting in August. “We have completed our arrangements and now books are being printed. From August this year single national curriculum will be introduced across the country at primary level,” said head of National Curriculum Council (NCC) Rafique Tahir while talking to …

HARIPUR: The ministry of information technology has dropped the Telephone Industries of Pakistan (TIP), claiming to be the pioneer in developing the electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the country, from the list of potential suppliers, sources told Dawn. The government promulgated a presidential ordinance on Saturday authorising and binding the Election Comm­ission of Pakistan to procure EVMs for future elections. …

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday directed his legal team to ensure fresh investigation into the Hudaibya Paper Mills (HPM) case against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and other members of the family. The government also decided to challenge the recent Lahore High Court (LHC) decision to grant bail …

ISLAMABAD: Health advocates have appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to avoid attending an online event being organised by an international tobacco company. They have claimed that it was contrary to section 5.3 of the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) and violation of Geneva Convention which suggests fulfilling international obligations. They have further alleged that …

LAHORE: Opposition leader in National Assembly and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif will file a contempt of court petition against the PTI government and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in the Lahore High Court on first working day (May 17) after Eid holidays for stopping him for leaving the country for London despite it (court) orders. On Monday, Shehbaz Sharif consulted …