ISLAMABAD: The Cab­inet Committee on State-Owned Enterprises (CCo­SOEs) made a significant decision on Monday, appro­ving the Power Divis­ion’s proposal for the nomination of independent directors for specific electricity distribution companies. This decision, which is now set for onward submission to the cabinet, is very important for the future of these companies. The committee meeting, chaired by Finance Min­ister Muhammad Aura­ngzeb, …

LONDON: An infected blood scandal in Britain was no accident but the fault of doctors and a succession of governments that led to 3,000 deaths and thousands more contracting hepatitis or HIV, a public inquiry found on Monday. Inquiry chair Brian Langstaff said more than 30,000 people received infected blood and blood products in the 1970s and 1980s from Britain’s …

PARIS: Around 40 individuals who were ‘paralysed’ from the neck down, have regained ‘partial control’ of their arms and hands, thanks to a relatively ‘simple to use device’, a large study said on Monday. The trial has raised hopes that the ‘non-invasive’ device may help people with spinal injuries, ‘get back’ the use of their hands. The device which was …

WASHINGTON: The United States and Saudi Arabia are close to a deal on a bilateral agreement after the US national security adviser made significant progress in talks with Saudis over the weekend, the White House said on Monday. White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said the two sides are “closer than we’ve ever been” on an agreement that is …

BEIRUT: A war monitoring body has said that at least six pro-Iran fighters were killed on Monday. Israel conducted strikes in Syria (near the Lebanese border), in an area where Lebanon’s powerful Hezbol­lah group, holds sway. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said “Israeli strikes targeted two positions of pro-Iran groups in the Homs region” including “a Hezbollah site in …

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: As over 500 students came back from Kyrgyzstan via special flights which landed in Lahore and Islamabad, the government assured them that it would facilitate their return to the Central Asian state once the “alarming situation” in its capital stabilises. After a mob targeted foreign students in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Pakistani students due to fear and panic started their …

NEW DELHI: The fifth phase of Indian elections on Monday saw the seats of Rahul Gandhi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh locked in, with analysts viewing it as an uphill moment for the BJP. The fifth phase of voting in the seven-phase polls concluded in 49 seats across eight states, including Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Ladakh, and held …

NEW YORK: Donald Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen testified on Monday that he stole money from Trump’s company, an admission that could chip away at his credibility as a star witness at the former US president’s hush money trial. Questioned by Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche, Cohen acknowledged stealing from the Trump Organisation by including a reimbursement to a technology company …

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Turkiye on Monday set their sights on enhancing annual bilateral trade to $5 billion, besides intensifying their defense collaboration as the two countries prepared for their upcoming high-level bilateral summit. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, while speaking at the Foreign Office after a meeting with visiting Turkish FM Hakan Fidan, said the two sides …

NEW DELHI: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi faces voter fatigue and some resistance from a resurgent opposition in India’s mammoth general election, foot soldiers of his party’s Hindu nationalist parent have stepped in to help regain momentum, insiders said. With less than two weeks left of a six-week voting schedule, voter turnout has been lower than previous elections, raising concern within the …