Former Nepal royals King Gyanendra Shah, 73, and Queen Komal Shah, 70, have tested positive for the coronavirus on their return from India after participating in the Maha Kumbh in Haridwar. The Kumbh attracted lakhs of sadhus and devotees, drawing criticism that it could become a “super spreader”. The event was curtailed as Covid cases spiked.

The Imran Khan government succumbed to fundamentalist pressure and promised to expel the French ambassador following outrage over blasphemous cartoons published in France, and decided to quash cases against a banned Islamist party, TLP.

The ICSE Class 10 board exams have been cancelled in view of the worsening COVID-19 situation and the option for students to appear later has been withdrawn. As it was last year, students will be evaluated on the basis of internal assessment.