ISLAMABAD: A World Health Organisation (WHO) report released in connection with World No Tobacco Day has exposed a disturbing trend that e-cigarette use among young people is exceeding that of adults in many countries, with an estimated 37 million children aged between 13 and 15 years using tobacco around the globe. It says industries use child-friendly flavours like cotton candy and bubble gum to attract young consumers: there are over 16,000 flavours of e-cigarettes on some markets. Many products have sleek and colourful designs which appeal to children and adolescents. Titled ‘Hooking the Next Generation’ and released in connection with…
Author: Hasnain Abid Khanzada
MADRID: The Spanish defence minister said on Saturday that the conflict in Gaza is a “real genocide”, as relations between Israel and Spain worsen following Madrid’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state. Israel has strongly rejected accusations made against it by South Africa at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that it is committing a genocide against Palestinians, saying it is waging war on the Hamas group. The remark by Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles in an interview with TVE state television echoed a comment by Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Diaz who earlier this week also described the Gaza conflict as…
RAFAH: Israeli forces bombed the Gaza Strip, including Rafah, on Saturday, killing at least 30 more Palestinians a day after judges at the top United Nation’s court ordered Israel to “immediately halt” its offensive. Although Israel pressed on with its offensive against Hamas, mediated negotiations between the two sides are due to restart next week, an official with knowledge of the matter said. The decision on talks was taken after the head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency met the head of the CIA and the prime minister of Qatar, said the source. “At the end of the meeting, it was…
Four young children were among 27 people killed when a fire in India ripped through a crowded amusement park, police said, as rescuers on Sunday scoured the site the morning after the blaze. Survivors reported having to kick down doors and leap out of windows to escape the inferno that swept through a centre packed full of young people enjoying games including bowling, Indian media reported on Sunday. Lines of bodies draped in white cloths were laid out before being taken away from the centre in Rajkot, a city in the western state of Gujarat. The four children reported dead were…
Six newborn babies have died after a fire tore through a children’s hospital in the Indian capital, with people charging into the blaze to rescue the infants, police said on Sunday. “All the 12 newborn babies were rescued from the hospital with the help of other people,” senior police officer Surendra Choudhary said in a statement, but adding that when they reached medical attention, six were dead. “Legal action is being taken against the owner of the hospital,” Choudhary said. He did not give further details on how the children died. In addition to the six who died, another baby…
Taiwan’s new president said on Sunday he was still ready to work with China, despite this week’s military drills around the self-ruled island. The drills began around Taiwan on Thursday, just three days after Lai Ching-te was sworn in, part of an escalating campaign of intimidation by China which views the island as part of its territory. During the two-day drills, China vowed that what it described as “independence forces” would be left “with their heads broken and blood flowing”. Lai told reporters on Sunday that he wanted Taiwan and China to “jointly shoulder the important responsibility of regional stability”. “I also…
GWADAR: Transporters continued their strike in Makran on Saturday, protesting alleged harassment at check posts on the highway, which has stranded large numbers of pilgrims and other people at the Pakistan-Iran border. Transporters from Gwadar, Turbat and Panjgur districts have been on strike for the past four days, protesting harassment at checkpoints on the Coastal and RCD highways. The pilgrims who returned from Iran after visiting Mashhad and other holy sites are facing difficulties upon arrival in Pakistan at the Gwadar border area. This is due to a lack of adequate hotels and rest houses in the area, leaving them…
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has declared May 25 as the darkest day in the country’s political history, alleging that on the day two years ago, the state unleashed its full fury on peaceful marchers led by PTI founding chairman Imran Khan, subjecting them to tear gas, rubber bullets, and batons for hours. A spokesperson for PTI, in a statement, said Imran Khan had launched a Haqiqi Azadi (real freedom) movement two years ago and took out a peaceful rally, aiming to establish supremacy of the Constitution and rule of law in the country. The spokesperson said that the state’s fascist tendencies peaked…
ISLAMABAD: In a step towards provision of foolproof security to foreigners, including Chinese nationals, the government has decided to replicate Safe City project in Dasu and Chilas. While chairing a meeting to review security matters in Dasu and Chilas on Saturday, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi formed a special committee comprising Islamabad police chief, Hazara regional police officer and a Wapda representative and directed it to submit a comprehensive plan within next 15 days for the establishment of Safe City projects. The minister said the purpose of Safe City was not to just install cameras but to introduce a system, equipped…
PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court has declared illegal interviewing of suspected criminals in police’s custody by journalists and social media activists. A bench consisting of Justice Waqar Ahmad and Justice Fazal Subhan accepted a petition filed by a lawyer, Jabir Khan, who sought orders for Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to immediately ban telecast of media interviews of crime suspects during their investigation. The bench pronounced a short order and detailed judgement would be released later. The petitioner had requested the court to direct federal and provincial governments to act against media outlets, television channels, Facebook account holders and YouTubers…
