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Punjab govt invites foreign doctors

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved a Diaspora Doctor Locum Programme (DDLP) under which overseas Pakistani and foreign specialist doctors will perform advanced surgeries and provide medical services in 12 public sector hospitals across the province. Chairing a meeting of the Punjab Specialised Healthcare Department, the chief minister approved the launch of the programme aimed at bringing highly qualified international medical professionals to the province. A dashboard and operational web portal will also be established for the programme. The participants were informed that the inauguration of the Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cardiology, Sargodha, was expected on July 15, the NS Institute of Cancer Treatment and Research on July 31 and the Jinnah Institute of Cardiology in Lahore on August 15. The chief minister received detailed briefings regarding the progress on the institutes besides healthcare service delivery in the province. Under the locum programme, ...
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EU targets Amazon, Microsoft cloud units for Big Tech 'gatekeeper' rules

European Union antitrust regulators said Amazon and Microsoft’s cloud computing services should be designated as “gatekeepers” under landmark tech rules, ​a step that would subject them to strict obligations aimed at curbing market ‌power. The designation under the Digital Markets Act would impose a set of obligations and bans on the world's two largest cloud providers, Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure, including limits on self-preferencing and ​requirements to ensure interoperability and data portability. So far, EU regulators have targeted core ​platform services such as search, social media and app stores to rein ⁠in Big Tech. Extending the DMA to cloud infrastructure would mark a significant expansion ​into a sector seen as critical to AI. The preliminary findings follow a seven-month-long investigation. "Cloud ​services have become a cornerstone of Europe’s economy — and a prerequisite for AI — with over half of...
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Review committee proposes overhaul of contentious telecom bill's provisions, upholds property rights

A committee constituted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to review the controversial Pakistan Telecommunication Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, has proposed sweeping changes to the legislation, ruling out any access to or use of private property without the owner's consent and calling for clearer wording in several provisions to remove ambiguity. The development comes a week after the prime minister formed the committee following strong criticism from both government allies and opposition lawmakers, who demanded thorough scrutiny of the bill and amendments to its contentious clauses. According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice on Wednesday, the committee reviewing the bill's Right of Way provisions submitted its interim report after conducting a detailed review of the proposed amendments and the existing legal framework governing Right of Way. Read More: PM forms committee to review contested telecom bill; directs proposals submission o...
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Europe swelters under deadly 'Omega' heatwave, more records expected

Western Europe was in the grip of a heatwave on Wednesday that claimed ​dozens of lives, disrupted power supplies, shut schools and cultural landmarks, as forecasters warned the extreme temperatures could persist until the end of the week. Smashing previous records, Britain logged its ‌highest temperature for June, reaching 35.8 degrees Celsius (96.26 degrees Fahrenheit) in southern England as a heat dome hovered over much of Western Europe. Western Europe was in the grip of a heatwave on Wednesday that claimed ​dozens of lives, disrupted power supplies, shut schools and cultural landmarks, as forecasters warned the extreme temperatures could persist until the end of the week. A sign outside a pharmacy displays the 37-degree temperature in west London during a heatwave, in central London on June 24, 2026. Photo: AFP Smashing previous records, Britain logged its ‌highest temperature for June, reaching 35.8 degrees Celsius (96.26 degrees Fahrenheit...
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AJK govt asks JAAC leaders to surrender, assures due legal process

The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government on Tuesday vowed to proceed in accordance with the law if leaders of the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) surrendered to authorities, while holding the group responsible for a series of violent attacks against law enforcement officials as well as public assets to destabilise law and order in the valley. For the last couple of years, the local administration and the JAAC have been at loggerheads over the abolishment of 12 reserved seats in the AJK Assembly allocated for the refugees hailing from the Indian-occupied Kashmir who settled in Pakistan after 1947. Addressing a joint press conference, AJK Chief Secretary Flight Lieutenant (Retd) Khushal Khan and Inspector General of Police (IG) Captain (Retd) Liaqat Ali Malik outlined the government's stance on the law and order crisis in the valley that led to the negotiation deadlock. Appealing to the public, Khan urged citizens to avoid what he termed "misleading pro...
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US to deal with Lebanon directly: Rubio

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that Washington would negotiate and deal with Beirut directly, and that Lebanon-Israel negotiations were separate from the deal. “Well, that process is separate. It's separate because Lebanon is a sovereign country. It has a government, and when it comes to Lebanon … we're going to negotiate and deal directly with the Lebanese government,” Rubio told reporters after landing in Abu Dhabi. Rubio is on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain from June 23 to 25 to discuss regional security, following a memorandum of understanding reached between the US and Iran. “I spoke to President [Joseph)] Aoun, along with the vice president, a few moments ago, spoke to him on Friday. Their people are there now on the ground directly,” Rubio said. He said the “Iranian issue with regards to Lebanon” was “the support and sponsorship of Hezbollah”, w...
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Downed US F-15 pilot describes multiple Iranian drones in ‘jellyfish’ formation: report

A United States F-15 pilot rescued after being shot down above Iran in April reported seeing an unusual “jellyfish” formation of Iranian drones before ejecting, CNN reported on Tuesday, citing sources. During a post-mission debrief, the pilot reportedly told intelligence officials he observed several drones moving together in a pattern resembling a “jellyfish”, sparking debate within the US intelligence community. If accurate, the sighting could indicate a significant advancement in Iran’s drone technology, said the report. One source familiar with the account described it as “multiple drones interconnected and moving as one with smaller drones below the bigger drones like legs.” The source added, “Real alien (expletive).” Read More: Iran says technical talks with US concluded in Switzerland Another source said the pilot saw a “minefield of drones” in the sky, according to the report. Investigators are still de...
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