- Daily number of Covid-19 cases falls by 20pc
As the number of Covid-19 cases has decreased by 20 per cent in the country due to steps taken by the provinces, particularly the Sindh government, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has advised people to avoid Majalis at homes and follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) during mourning processions.
- Protected National Park encroached upon by govt entities & private parties, IHC told
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has observed that government entities and private parties have encroached upon the protected National Park while the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) and civic agencies have turned a deaf ear to these serious environmental issues.
- PIA to start Rapid PCR tests at Sialkot airport
A PIA spokesman said that the national flag carrier has arranged special flights from Sialkot to Dubai on Aug 12 and 14 and Rapid PCR tests of passengers will be conducted at the Sialkot airport. He said in view of the tests, passengers are requested to arrive at the airport at least 5 hours in advance.
The UAE authorities have imposed a restriction of having Covid-19 Rapid PCR testing for passengers within four hours before flight departure at main concourse halls located at the airports.
- Covid positivity rate swells to 16.4pc in Peshawar
Eighteen more people died of Covid-19 and 476 new cases were detected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as the positivity rate for the virus swelled to 16.4 percent in Peshawar and 13.4 percent in Abbottabad on Tuesday.
- Bilawal confident of winning next Karachi LG election
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Tuesday claimed that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and its coalition partner Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan had no political space in Karachi and that his party would not only win the local government elections in the metropolis but also form the next federal government.
- Peshawar police seek suspension of mobile service on Muharram 9, 10
The Peshawar police have asked the home department to suspend mobile phone service in the provincial capital for Muharram 9 and 10.
A city police letter regarding the jamming of mobile services said the quarters concerned may be approached for the jamming of mobile services in the provincial capital.
Though a police official confirmed the taking up of the issue with the home department, the police were tight-lipped about whether the suspension of mobile phone service would be targetted or cover the entire city.
- Biden says Afghan leaders must ‘fight for their nation’ as Taliban gains increase
Pul-e-Khumri, capital of the northern province of Baghlan, fell to the Taliban on Tuesday evening, according to residents who reported Afghan security forces retreating towards the Kelagi desert, home to a large Afghan army base.
Pul-e-Khumri became the seventh regional capital to come under the control of the militants in about a week.
“Afghan leaders have to come together,” Biden told reporters at the White House, saying the Afghan troops outnumber the Taliban and just want to fight. “They’ve got to fight for themselves, fight for their nation.”
- WHO urges power players to end ‘disgraceful’ jab inequity by Oct
The WHO’s Bruce Aylward said the world should be “disgusted” — and asked whether the situation could have been any worse had there been an active effort to block the planet’s poor from getting vaccinated.
The UN health agency has been increasingly infuriated by what it sees as the moral outrage of rich countries hogging vaccine supply while developing nations struggle to immunize their most vulnerable populations.
Aylward, the WHO’s frontman on accessing the tools to fight the coronavirus pandemic, urged people to tell politicians and business tycoons that it was electorally and financially safe to increase vaccine coverage in poorer nations.
- US warns Taliban against taking power by force
A US peace envoy brought a warning to the Taliban on Tuesday that any government that comes to power through force in Afghanistan would not be recognized internationally after a series of cities fell to the militant group in stunningly quick succession.
- Pakistan’s top diplomat in UK hopeful of red list exit
Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK Moazzam Ahmad Khan on Tuesday said he is optimistic that the British government will remove Pakistan from its red list in the upcoming travel update on August 26.
- US wants to continue improving ties, Austin tells Bajwa
In a phone call to Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has conveyed Washington’s interest in continuing to improve the US-Pakistan relationship, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.
- Talha Talib seeks modern equipment to do better in future
Talha Talib has some regrets after narrowly missing out on an Olympic medal in Tokyo. But he is looking beyond that, and looking to do more for the country. He only wants some support.
- Messi gets hero’s welcome in France after agreeing to join PSG
Six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi received a hero’s welcome after arriving in the French capital on Tuesday to join Paris St Germain in a move that confirms the end of a career-long association with Barcelona.
COVID-19 Updates
- With 4,856 new COVID-19 cases, 81 deaths recorded in the last 24 hours
- 84,177 COVID-19 cases are active in the country
- The total death tally of Covid-19 stands at 24,085
- 5,025 people recovered from Coronavirus in the last 24 hours
- The positivity rate of Covid-19 is recorded at 7.5%
- Over 202.6 million are infected globally
- More than 4.2 million have died due to the virus
- Over 170 million recovered from COVID-19
- China keeps guard up as Covid outbreak enters 4th week
- Islamabad, AJK and GB collectively record 912 virus cases
- 476 Covid cases, 18 deaths detected in KP
- Punjab reports more than 1,000 cases for fifth day in a row
- Pakistan reports over 5,000 daily coronavirus recoveries
- Melbourne’s Covid lockdown extended for week after 20 new cases reported
- Antibody levels predictive of Moderna’s vaccine efficacy: study
- Indonesian village turns unwanted trash into Covid helper
