Category انگلثں نیوز

(Net News/ Media 92 News)MIAN CHANNU: An oil tanker overturned here Monday night near the city, at the Grand Trunk (G.T.) Road’s eastern bypass, with thousands of litres of fuel lost.

According to authorities, including Motorway Police and rescue personnel, the incident took place due to the driver falling asleep at the wheel. He died in the accident, they added.

Further, the cleaner of the oil tanker was wounded and shifted to a nearby hospital.

Motorway Police said they have cordoned off the area for rescue work and halted traffic on the thoroughfare. The tanker, according to the authorities, was carrying almost 10,000 and 30,000 litres of petrol and diesel, respectively.

(Net News/ Media 92 News)ISLAMABAD/RIYADH: Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday on a two-day official visit to attend a much-anticipated investment conference that numerous other world leaders and corporates have skipped over the issue of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s death.

Khan, who landed in Medina and was welcomed by Governor Faisal bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, paid a visit to the Roza-e-Rasool (PBUH) before departing for Riyadh to attend the Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference.

In Riyadh, Governor Faisal bin Bandar Al Saud and Khan Hasham Bin Saddique, the Pakistani Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, welcomed him at the King Khalid International Airport.

“The reason I feel I have to avail myself of this opportunity is because, in a country of 210 million people right now, we have the worst debt crisis in our history,” he mentioned to the Middle East Eye (MEE) in an interview that was published on Monday.

The prime minister is also slated to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who, himself, is surrounded by controversy in what the world is calling Riyadh’s alleged involvement in the orchestration of Khashoggi’s murder in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.

The Pakistani premier told an interviewer before leaving for Riyadh that despite his concern over Khashoggi’s death, he could not skip the conference as “we’re desperate” for possible Saudi loans to shore up Pakistan’s economy.

“Unless we get loans from friendly countries or the IMF [International Monetary Fund], we actually won’t have, in another two or three months, enough foreign exchange to service our debts or to pay for our imports. So we’re desperate at the moment.”
This marks Khan’s second visit to Saudi Arabia in just over a month, but he has not succeeded in securing significant financial assistance to stave off a looming balance of payments crisis. He could not pass up the invitation to meet Saudi leaders again, he told the MEE.

The prime minister last toured Saudi Arabia on September 18.

Khan is accompanied by Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, and Fawad Chaudhry, the ministers of foreign affairs, finance, and information, respectively, as well as Pakistan Board of Investment Chairperson Haroon Sharif and renowned economist Abdul Razak Dawood, the advisor to Khan on commerce, textiles, industries production, and investment.

Noting the presence of Umar and Dawood, a statement from Khan’s office on Monday said the visit would “give a chance to connect with those people who are interested in investing in Pakistan”.

Islamabad has already asked the IMF to open negotiations for the country’s second potential bailout in five years while Khan, who took office in July, seeks alternatives to the tough conditions the international financial body is likely to impose for loans, limiting his vision of an Islamic welfare state.

The State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) foreign reserves dropped this month to $8.1 billion, a four-year low and barely enough to cover sovereign debt payments due through the end of the year. The current account deficit has swelled to about $18 billion.

Khan has blamed the previous government’s policies for the ballooning current account deficit.

In response to a question, he told the MEE that he was concerned over the “shocking” death of Khashoggi — a US resident and Washington Post columnist — after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

“The Saudi government will have to come up with an answer… We wait for whatever the Saudi explanation is,” he was quoted as saying. “We hope there is an explanation that satisfies people and those responsible are punished.”

Dubbed as “Davos in the Desert,” the conference was scheduled host leading businesspersons, investors, corporate giants, representatives of hi-tech industry, and major media outlets at one platform, the Foreign Office of Pakistan said in a press statement earlier.

Khan’s participation on the first day of the conference, which provides an opportunity to interact with important business leaders who are interested in investing in Pakistan, is aimed to projecting the country’s economic and investment potential as well as its vision for the next five years, the statement added.

The FII conference is now an annual feature in Saudi Arabia, with its first iteration being held last year, wherein some 3,800 people from 90 countries participated. This year’s conference is also likely to attract participation from a large number of leading figures.

Khan’s presence “signifies our solidarity with the Kingdom in its efforts to become an emerging hub of international business and investment”, the FO said further.

On the other hand, dozens of the confirmed participants had earlier dropped out in order to boycott Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi’s death.

Separately, the premier’s schedule also includes calling on King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and meeting the Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, with whom he would discuss matters of mutual interest.

In response to a question, Khan also called on the US to abandon its push for new sanctions against Iran, saying the move could lead to wider conflict. “The last thing the Muslim world needs is another conflict.

“The Trump administration is moving towards one,” he told the newspaper.

Regardless, he said, Pakistan was in a position where it can play a role in trying to eliminate the tensions between Riyadh and Tehran. To another question regarding the South Asian region, he said the Taliban and the Afghan government would very likely soon come to a joint solution.

(Net News/ Media 92 News)BRASÍLIA: Social media platform Facebook has closed 68 pages and 43 accounts linked to a marketing group believed to be promoting the chances of Brazilian right-wing presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro.

Facebook issued a statement saying it had acted against the pages and accounts linked to Raposos Fernandes Associates (RFA) “for violating our misrepresentation and spam policies.”

“The people behind RFA created Pages using fake accounts or multiple accounts with the same names,” and then “used those Pages to post massive amounts of clickbait intended to direct people to websites that are… ad farms,” added the statement.

It insisted that the pages and accounts were deleted for posting spam rather than because of “the type of content they were posting.”

O Estado de S Paulo newspaper reported 10 days ago that the RFA accounts formed a massive network of support for Bolsonaro, who faces leftwing candidate Fernando Haddad in a second-round runoff on Sunday.

Those pages generated 12.6 million interactions during the month leading up to the newspaper’s article, O Estado said, far more than the interactions recorded by international superstars such as footballer Neymar.

Having taken top spot with 46 percent of the vote in the first round of elections just over two weeks ago, Bolsonaro leads Haddad by 18 points in the latest polls, thanks in no small part to an impressive social media presence.

Unable to campaign since the beginning of September when he was hospitalized following a shocking public attack in which he was stabbed in the abdomen, Bolsonaro has conducted almost his entire presidential bid online, where he has 14 million followers across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, compared to just 2.8 million for Haddad.

Last week, though, Folha de S Paulo newspaper claimed millions of pro-Bolsonaro WhatsApp messages had been sent out just before the October 7 first round of elections with the complicity of various businesses.

If proved true, that would be a crime as businesses have been banned from financing electoral campaigns since 2015.

Brazil’s top electoral court and the federal police have opened an investigation, while Haddad has called for Bolsonaro to be disqualified.

But the rightwing candidate’s loyalists have also accused Haddad’s Workers’ Party of publishing false information during the often bitter and polarized campaign.

(Net News/ Media 92 News)MASTUNG: Seven people were killed as a van carrying petrol and a truck collided near Mach in Bolan district of Balochistan on Tuesday.

Police officials said the van carrying petrol collided with a truck near the Quetta-Sibi National Highway. Five people burnt to death on the spot as the van caught fire.

Two others were injured and were shifted to a hospital where they succumbed to their wounds.

Three cars which were parked nearby also caught fire in the incident.

“The petrol in the van was being taken from Quetta to Sibi,” police officials added.

Police have launched an investigation into the accident.

(Net News/ Media 92 News)WWE superstar Roman Reigns shocked his fans on ‘Monday Night Raw’ when he revealed he has been battling leukemia for 11 years.

Reigns, whose real name is Leati Joseph Anoa’I, announced he was relinquishing the WWE Universal championship due to the diagnosis.

“My real name is Joe, and I’ve been living with leukemia for 11 years,” Reigns told the crowd in Providence, Rhode Island. “And, unfortunately, it’s back. And because the leukemia is back, I cannot fulfill my role — I can’t be that fighting champion — and I’m going to have to relinquish the Universal championship. … I want to make one thing clear: By no means is this a retirement speech. Because after I’m done whipping leukemia.. once again, I’m coming back home.”

Following the announcement, the WWE issued a news release with a few additional details on the wrestler’s condition.

“Tonight on Monday Night Raw, Roman Reigns [a.k.a. Joe Anoa’i] announced that he is relinquishing the WWE Universal championship and taking a leave of absence from WWE as he once again fights leukemia, which had been in remission since late 2008,” the WWE said in the statement. “Reigns is taking his battle with leukemia public in an effort to raise awareness and funds for research in order to advance cures for the disease.”

Reigns, 33, last performed in a WWE ring on October 15. He was billed to perform in a three-way match against Brock Lesnar and Braun Strowman at the WWE’s ‘Crown Jewel’ show on November 2 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Strowman and Lesnar would now fight one-on-one to decide a new champion. The WWE has meanwhile said it is monitoring developments in Saudi Arabia concerning the country’s alleged role in the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

(Net News/ Media 92 News)ZHUHAI: China’s President Xi Jinping launched the world’s longest sea bridge connecting Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China Tuesday at a time when Beijing is tightening its grip on its semi-autonomous territories.

Xi announced the bridge officially open at a ceremony also attended by Hong Kong’s and Macau’s city leaders at a new port terminal in the southern mainland city of Zhuhai.

“I declare the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge officially open,” Xi said as digital fireworks exploded on a screen behind him in an indoor ceremony, before leaving the stage immediately. He did not address the audience.

Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam had earlier spoken to thank Xi for attending in person, praising the bridge’s “magnificence”.

The 55-kilometre (34-mile) crossing, which includes a snaking road bridge and underwater tunnel, links Hong Kong’s Lantau island to Zhuhai and the gambling enclave of Macau, across the waters of the Pearl River Estuary.

It is the second major infrastructure project tying Hong Kong to mainland China to launch in a matter of weeks, after the opening of a high-speed rail link last month, and is part of a Beijing-driven strategy to create a sprawling “Greater Bay Area” economic hub.

Critics say the new multi-billion-dollar sea-bridge is one more way to integrate Hong Kong into China as fears grow that the city’s cherished freedoms are being eroded.

The mega-bridge will open to traffic on Wednesday.

Building began in 2009 and has been dogged by delays, budget overruns, corruption prosecutions and the deaths of construction workers.

The launch ceremony was hastily announced last week by mainland authorities with Hong Kong lawmakers and transport companies complaining they had been left in the dark.

Supporters of the project promote it as an engineering marvel that will also boost business and cut travel time, while others see it as a politically driven and costly white elephant.

The main bridge section is considered mainland territory and Hong Kong cars and drivers travelling over it “must comply with the laws and regulations of the mainland”, according to the city´s transport department.

‘It’s magnificent’
There was no ceremony on the Hong Kong side Tuesday, but there was a heightened police presence in coastal areas near the bridge, with officers carrying out identity checks on journalists and members of the public.

Hong Kong residents will only be granted a licence to cross into Zhuhai by car if they meet highly selective criteria, including holding certain mainland government positions or making major contributions to charities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong.

The multi-billion-dollar bridge will open to traffic on Wednesday, a day after the ceremony. Photo: AFP
Most people will need to travel the bridge on coaches and buses.

Online commenters in Hong Kong complained about the bridge’s restricted access ahead of the launch.

“Such a huge investment using the Hong Kong taxpayer’s money… yet basically it is not open to us at all,” said one comment on the South China Morning Post website.

But residents in Zhuhai welcomed the bridge.

“I think this bridge will bring great convenience to the whole area of Zhuhai, Hong Kong and Macao, and promote the economic development of the whole area of the Pearl River Delta,” resident Dang Zheiliang told
Resident Can Binghua paid a visit to the bridge on his day off.

“Today I’m off duty, so I took my child to see the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. Now it´s almost open to traffic. It´s magnificent,” he told AFP.

Some Hong Kong media reported that the physical condition of bus drivers would be monitored by cameras, including an alert sent if a driver yawns more than three times in 20 seconds.

China already lays claim to the record for the world’s longest bridge of any kind — the Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge, a viaduct which is part of a high-speed rail line.

The opening of the high-speed rail link last month also sparked criticism as it saw Chinese security stationed on Hong Kong soil for the first time at the city’s terminus.

Critics accused the Hong Kong government of giving away territory to an increasingly assertive Beijing.

(Net News/ Media 92 News)The eagerly awaited sixth season of Koffee With Karan premiered Sunday night and featured Bollywood actors Alia Bhatt and Deepika Padukone.

Karan Johar started his show with a round-up of all that happened in the film industry in the one year that the show was off air. The filmmaker also casually brushed aside the issue of nepotism that was raised during his show last year.

After discussing the two actor’s success, the “elephant in the room” that is the fact that Alia is dating Deepika’s ex Ranbir Kapoor was also brought up and they both agreed that there was “no awkwardness” between them.

However, the highlight of the show was when during Karan’s famous rapid-fire round, Deepika was asked “who has the dreamiest eyes in Bollywood”.

The actor responded saying, “Fawad Khan” and Karan agreed.

While Fawad and Deepika have not done any films together, the two walked the ramp for Manish Malhotra in 2016.

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Monday announced that it will hear a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) reference against former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani after wrapping up a case against Nawaz Sharif.

Former premiers Gilani and Nawaz met at Accountability Court I as they appeared for the hearing of NAB references filed against them.

Gilani was called to the rostrum first, however, the NAB prosecutor was not present in court at the time.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader the told accountability court Judge Arshad Malik, “You can hear Mian Sb’s case first, I will wait.”

However, Judge Malik replied, “Mian Sb’s case will take the whole day.”

The court then issued a notice to NAB once again on Gilani’s petition seeking permanent exemption from appearing for hearings of the reference and announced that it will hear the case against the PPP leader after wrapping up the references against Nawaz.

The hearing of the reference against Gilani was then adjourned till November 23.
“More premiers will appear before accountability court’

Speaking to the media outside the court, Gilani said, “I have appeared before the NAB court several times before and more premiers will appear before it now.”

“Four former premiers have appeared before the courts and a fifth prime minister will also appear soon,” he added.
Ex-PM Gilani petitions for permanent exemption from appearances in NAB reference

Gilani further questioned, “I served a 10-year jail sentence and was acquitted after which I became the premier. Decisions were given in my favour, so who is answerable for the 10 years I served in prison?”
NAB reference against Gilani

In September, NAB filed a reference against Gilani pertaining to the misuse of authority.

NAB in its notification had said that former information secretary Farooq, former public information officer Saleem, Hassan Sheikhoo, Hanif and Riaz are co-accused in the case.

According to NAB, the accused ran an illegal marketing campaign for Universal Services Fund.

The national exchequer suffered a loss of Rs128 million owing to the actions of the accused, the NAB notification had further said.

LONDON: A British-Pakistani doctor has been elected as the president of the Royal Society of Medicine’s (RSM) Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) department in recognition of his services to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) and medical education.

A consultant ENT doctor, Professor Dr Shahed Quraishi OBE becomes the first Pakistani ever to get appointed to this post. The RSM is one of the most prestigious organisations of senior British doctors and one of the UK’s major providers of postgraduate medical education. He is set to take his charge in London in two weeks.

Speaking to Geo.tv, Dr Quraishi said he was elected unopposed by around 500 British doctors, who are members of the ENT section. “I am humbled and honoured to have this privilege,” he said.

“Being of British-Pakistani origin, it’s a great honour for Pakistan and speaks volumes about the contribution of British Pakistani diaspora. I hope that my elevation inspires British-Pakistani children and others alike,” he said.

Dr Quraishi is an ENT surgeon who graduated from the Dow Medical College in Karachi, Pakistan, and has been working in the UK’s NHS for nearly 31 years. Prior to that, he also studied at the Cadet College Hasan Abdal in Attock, Punjab.

He is currently a consultant at the Doncaster Royal Infirmary and, in 2016, was appointed as the first British-Pakistani surgeon as a visiting professor in China. He is also the founder of ENT Masterclass, UK, which is a free — and the world’s biggest — ENT teaching platform, currently working in 12 countries, including Pakistan, across 4 continents.

“I have extensive teaching involvement all over the world and I have chaired training events in Sydney, Berlin, London, Jeddah, Cape Town, Mumbai, Lausanne, and Hong Kong,” he said.

In November 2017, Dr Quraishi was awarded the ‘Officer of the British Empire’ (OBE) title by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the Buckingham Palace in recognition of his services to the NHS. He was also given the National Award for Clinical Excellence by the NHS in 2015.

“My nomination for the OBE title to Buckingham Palace was made by my hospital, Doncaster Royal Infirmary, and a group of ENT surgeons. The Queen asked me about my work and she asked me about pollution in London and asked what could be done to reduce emissions.

“I gave her my suggestions. She was very well-informed and having an audience with her was a great privilege,” Dr Quraishi said, adding that in the area of ENT, no other surgeon has received the OBE title in the past 40 years.

Dr Quraishi’s wife, Humaira — with whom he has two daughters — is a general practitioner (GP) doctor in Nottingham.

“My elder daughter, Natasha, is a Cambridge graduate and a junior doctor in London, while the younger daughter, Sarah, is a medical student in Nottingham.

“We have devoted ourselves to the education of our girls and helped them to make their own choices in life.”

Dr Quraishi is also known for having an extensive coin collection, including some from the time of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), and the Caliphates of Umayyads, Abbasids, Ottomans, Al- Andalus, and the Mughal Empire.

Tesla Chief Executive Office Elon Musk speaks at his company’s factory in Fremont, California, US, June 22, 2012. REUTERS/Noah Berger/Files

NEW YORK: A company owned by Elon Musk that is trying to lower the cost of building high-speed transit tunnels is nearing completion on the first tunnel, Musk said on Twitter on Sunday.

The first tunnel, under Hawthorne in the Los Angeles area, is almost done and will open on December 10, Musk said.

Privately held Boring Co has been promoting its plans for tunnels that would allow high-speed travel between cities.