Author: i2wtc

PAKPATTAN: The chief executive officer of Pakpattan district health authority and medical superintendent of DHQ hospital were arrested for criminal negligence on Friday after patients and attendants complained to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif during her surprise visit to the healthcare facility about mismanagement, negligence and lack of basic facilities. The chief minister inspected various wards of the district headquarters hospital and interacted with patients and their families. According to an official statement, the patients and attendants voiced serious complaints about mismanagement, negligence and lack of basic facilities. Despite the availability of medicines in the hospital store, patients were…

India’s six‑match white‑ball cricket tour of Bangladesh next month has been postponed to 2026, both cricket boards said on Saturday. The series, including three one-day and three T20 matches, had been due to start on August 17 in Dhaka. Political relations between India and Bangladesh have turned frosty since a mass uprising last year in Dhaka toppled the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have “mutually agreed to defer” the series, the statement read. It said the decision was made “taking into account the international cricketing commitments…

* China’s first LEGOLAND resort opened on Saturday in Shanghai.* Spanning 318,000 square meters, LEGOLAND Shanghai Resort is the 11th LEGOLAND Resort globally and the largest LEGOLAND park at the time of its opening.* China currently has over 4,400 large-scale amusement parks and attractions. The industry is projected to maintain rapid growth over the next three years.SHANGHAI, July 5 (Xinhua) — In a burst of colorful creativity and boundless imagination, LEGOLAND Shanghai Resort threw open its doors to the first wave of excited visitors on Saturday, heralding the arrival of China’s first LEGOLAND resort.A grand opening ceremony, held at around…

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has raised serious concerns over the systemic failure of law enforcement in tackling the narcotics trade beyond its most vulnerable participants, observing that prosecutions overwhelmingly target only drug “carriers” – mostly from underprivileged backgrounds – while major perpetrators remain untouched. The observations came in a 17-page written judgment authored by Justice Athar Minallah, in which the court acquitted two individuals who had earlier been sentenced to life imprisonment in a narcotics case. The ruling was issued by a three-member bench headed by Justice Minallah, and comprising Justice Irfan Saadat Khan and Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan.…

Listen to article KARACHI: The Sensitive Price Index (SPI) for the week ending July 3, 2025, posted a week-on-week (WoW) increase of 0.73%, driven largely by a surge in food and fuel prices. However, on a year-on-year (YoY) basis, SPI recorded a decline of 2.06%, reflecting a mixed trend of inflation across essential consumer goods. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) and Arif Habib Limited (AHL), significant weekly increases were observed in the prices of chicken (13.05%), onions (11.62%), tomatoes (11.09%), garlic (5.40%), diesel (3.94%), potatoes (3.58%), petrol (3.22%), and sugar (1.27%). Smaller hikes were also noted in cooked daal,…

Hidden among the majestic canyons of the Utah desert, about 7 miles from the nearest town, is a small research facility meant to prepare humans for life on Mars.The Mars Society, a nonprofit organization that runs the Mars Desert Research Station, or MDRS, invited CNBC to shadow one of its analog crews on a recent mission.”MDRS is the best analog astronaut environment,” said Urban Koi, who served as health and safety officer for Crew 315. “The terrain is extremely similar to the Mars terrain and the protocols, research, science and engineering that occurs here is very similar to what we…

Pakistan on Saturday achieved a 2-1 victory over Kyrgyzstan in their qualifying match for the 2026 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women’s Asian Cup, bringing them one step closer to qualifying for the tournament. The national squad was drawn in Group ‘D’ of the qualifiers in Jakarta alongside Chinese Taipei, Indonesia and Kyrgyzstan. Pakistan lost their first match of the campaign to Chinese Taipei 8-0 on June 29, but beat hosts Indonesia 2-0 in their second group match this week. Mariam Mahmood scored her first international goal in the very first minute of the match. “Layla Aliya won possession at the…

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office spokesperson Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan on Friday highlighted Pakistan’s growing diplomatic profile at international and regional forums, including its assumption of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Presidency, participation in the 17th ECO Summit, and ongoing efforts for humanitarian and legal accountability in the region. In a comprehensive weekly news briefing, the spokesperson underlined, “Pakistan assumes the Presidency of the United Nations Security Council this July with a deep sense of responsibility and purpose. Our approach will remain anchored in the principles of the UN Charter, multilateralism, and international law.” The spokesperson announced that Pakistan will convene…

A customer exits a Cava restaurant in New York City on June 22, 2023.Brendan McDermid | ReutersAs some consumers pull back on spending amid economic uncertainty, fast-casual restaurant chains are leaning on rewards programs to pull them back in.Loyalty programs, which offer discounts or added perks for returning customers, have transitioned from being a nice bonus for restaurants to a must-have. As cost-cautious diners prioritize value, brands like Chipotle, Starbucks, Cava and others are utilizing rewards to keep customers coming back and building habits that go beyond the occasional coupon.”In tough times, loyalty programs become more essential,” said Peter Fader,…

Listen to article KARACHI: At least 16 people, including three women and a child, are confirmed dead after a five-storey residential building collapsed in Lyari neighbourhood early Friday morning, authorities said on Saturday. Emergency responders have rescued nine injured survivors so far, but officials fear at least 25 to 30 more people may still be buried beneath the debris. The building, located in Lyari’s Baghdadi area, housed six families and collapsed on Friday. Rescue workers arrived promptly, using heavy machinery to sift through the rubble. Officials say the building was declared unsafe three years ago, yet neither the residents evacuated nor did…