Uncle killed in husband-wife quarrel
The Wah Cantt police on Wednesday arrested a man for allegedly killing his wife’s uncle during a scuffle. The complainant said that Rehman came to his house on Wednesday and tried to take away his wife by force. However, the woman’s uncle Muhammad Ali intervened. Subsequently, Wah Cantt police registered a case against Rehman and succeeded in arresting him within hours of the incident. Wah Cant SHO said that the suspect was traced with the support of modern technology and human intelligence and arrested.
Source:The Express Tribune
December 03, 2020 04:30 UTC
Plea filed against PDM rallies
A writ petition filed in Lahore High Court has sought directions to the authorities concerned to restrain Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leaders from holding public gatherings and take strict action against them for not adopting standard operating procedures (SOPs) to avoid the spread of Covid-19. He contended that PDM leaders were bulldozing the SOPs announced by the government to stem the second wave of the deadly contagion which had gripped the country. The petitioners contended that in all rallies the PDM had violated the government’s restrictions on public gatherings because of the coronavirus, which was a serious threat to the life of the people. Despite a health emergency declared in the country, the PDM is holding rallies and the government has failed to enforce its writ as no action has been taken against leaders of the parties violating the SOPs and laws, he added. The petitioner sought court orders for restraining the PDM from holding public gatherings and action against leaders violating the restrictions.
Source:The Express Tribune
December 03, 2020 04:30 UTC
Hyderabad’s wedding halls get extension for night-time events
Wedding halls in Hyderabad have been given an additional 11 days to organise night-time events until 10pm, as Hyderabad commissioner Muhammad Abbass Baloch withdrew the earlier notification that only permitted day-time events until 3:30pm from Tuesday onwards. Baloch, who was approached by a delegation of the marriage halls association, revoked the earlier decision and extended the deadline for implementation of the restriction until December 13. In his letters to the Hyderabad DIG, SSP and deputy commissioner, he stated that the extension was being granted in view of the interest of those who had already booked wedding halls for events. However, the All-Hyderabad Marriage Halls and Lawns Owners Association held a sit-in protest outside the Shahbaz Building, the regional bureaucracy's headquarters in Hyderabad, on Wednesday and rejected the 11-day extension. They demanded that the regulations for night-time events under strict adherence to standard operating procedures, as being practiced in Karachi, should be applied in Hyderabad as well.
Source:The Express Tribune
December 03, 2020 04:18 UTC
Virus positivity rate on the rise in Karachi, Hyd
Health department data provided on Tuesday showed the five-day long positivity rate is highest in Hyderabad at 18.4 per cent, followed closely by Karachi at 16.02 per cent. As a result, the death toll hit 2,968, while the provincial tally of positive cases stands at 177,652. According to Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, 14,078 samples were tested in Sindh overnight, yielding an overall positivity rate of 14 per cent. The data identifies an upward trend in this, indicating a rapid increase in the number of positive cases. Out of the 1,983 new cases reported on Wednesday, 1,702 cases were detected in Karachi and 40 positive cases emerged in Hyderabad.
Source:The Express Tribune
December 03, 2020 04:18 UTC
PSM union seeks probe into sacking
The Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) Employees Union of Pakistan filed on Wednesday a plea at the Sindh High Court, seeking an investigation by the National Accountability Bureau into the forced termination of thousands of employees. The petitioner has nominated the federal government, PSM and others as parties in the plea. He maintained that Prime Minister Imran Khan had promised to provide jobs before he took office, but was instead depriving thousands of people of their jobs. He added that thousands of employees could not be terminated on the basis of a standing order. It also prayed the court to declare the sacking of 4,544 employees illegal and order a NAB probe.
Source:The Express Tribune
December 03, 2020 04:07 UTC
Breast cancer prevalence
A recent webinar on breast cancer — organised by the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (Comsats), an inter-governmental organisation having a membership of 25 developing countries — has brought to the fore alarming facts about the prevalent of the disease among Pakistani women. They are: Pakistan has the highest rate of breast cancer in the whole of the Asian continent; around 90,000 women are diagnosed with this disease every year, and of them 40,000 — or 44.44% — lose their lives; and one in 10 Pakistani women could develop breast cancer in their lifetime. One-stop breast cancer clinics should be established at places in the county meant to address financial, cultural, mental and physical needs of women, under one roof. The spending by seven South Asian countries ranked in between the two are: Afghanistan 8.2%; Nepal 5.8%, India 4.7%, Bhuttan 3.6%, Sri Lanka 3.5% and Bangladesh 2.8%. Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
Source:The Express Tribune
December 03, 2020 03:33 UTC
SHC extends stay on bypass road construction
The Sindh High Court has extended the stay on construction of a bypass road outside Tandojam on land acquired from Sindh Agriculture University. The 6.5-kilometre bypass road is planned for the dual carriageway Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas road, to avoid passing through Tandojam. For this, 13 acres of varsity land, in addition to other pieces of land, will be acquired. Moreover, the bypass road will prevent future oil exploration by the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited in blocks reserved for this purpose, in addition to affecting existing oil supply lines. They prayed the court to order the Sindh government to withdraw the plan and instead build the bypass on one of two alternative routes.
Source:The Express Tribune
December 02, 2020 19:18 UTC
In a first for India, Twitter flags BJP leader's tweet as 'manipulated media'
For the first time ever Twitter has taken action against fake news in India after it labelled a tweet by India's ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) IT head as "manipulated media". He also wrote that "Rahul Gandhi must be the most discredited opposition leader India has seen in a long long time." Rahul Gandhi must be the most discredited opposition leader India has seen in a long long time. Twitter then labelled the tweet as "manipulated media", saying the video shared by Malviya was edited, according to fact-check websites. Twitter's 'synthetic and manipulated media policy' says: "You may not deceptively promote synthetic or manipulated media that are likely to cause harm.
Source:The Express Tribune
December 02, 2020 18:11 UTC
Global equities hover near record highs
Britain approved Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine on Wednesday, jumping ahead of the United States and Europe to become the first country to do so for the newly-developed treatment. US health officials have announced plans to start vaccinating Americans as early as mid-December, once regulatory approvals are in place. “Early vaccines will help bolster the reflation and normalcy trade, which has been the key macro theme in driving equity markets,” said Neil MacKinnon, global macro strategist at VTB Capital. Yet disappointing private jobs data in the United States kept a lid on gains and helped support safe-haven assets. MSCI’s gauge of stocks across the globe gained 0.05% following modest gains in Asia and mixed trading in Europe.
Source:The Express Tribune
December 02, 2020 14:48 UTC
'Tarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah' beats 'Mirzapur' for most searched show in India
Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashma has topped Yahoo! 's year-ender list of the most searched films and TV shows in India for 2020, reported Hindustan Times. The list, unveiled on Tuesday, also includes mythological epics Mahabharat at the number two spot, and Ramayan at the number four spot. At the number three spot is Sushant Singh Rajput’s final film, Dil Bechara. The Kapil Sharma Show claimed the number five spot on the list, while Tiger Shroff’s action film Baaghi 3 came in at the number six spot.
Source:The Express Tribune
December 02, 2020 12:22 UTC
Behroze Sabzwari in recovery after testing Covid-19 positive
Karachi: Veteran actor Behroze Sabzwari is currently under observation after testing positive for Covid-19. The popular personality tested positive six days ago, according to his son and actor Shahroz Sabzwari. “His test came positive some six days ago and he is in the hospital since,” Shahroz told The Express Tribune. The Nand actor went on to reassure that his father is doing just fine, irrespective of contracting the virus. But the initial days were tough, and we were all really worried.
Source:The Express Tribune
December 02, 2020 08:47 UTC
Pneumonia, a preventable killer
It is the single largest cause of death in children worldwide, and in Pakistan it accounts for the deaths of one in four children. For a country with a child mortality rate among the highest in the world, pneumonia continues to one of the biggest threats to our future even though it is for the most part preventable. Each year, around 10 million children contract it and 1.4 million perish because of it. Although only 96,000 Pakistani adults succumb to pneumonia every year, more than 500,000 children younger than five die because of it. Every year in developing countries, over 150 million cases of pneumonia in children under the age of five are reported, constituting over 95% of all cases worldwide,” he said.
Source:The Express Tribune
December 02, 2020 06:56 UTC
Promotion policy mars chances of higher education
The exam-less ‘Promotion Policy’ adopted by Sindh’s education boards amid Covid-19 has drawn severe criticism following the announcement of the year’s intermediate and matriculation results. However, per Higher Education Commission (HEC) rules, these 40,000 students, despite their pass grades, remain ineligible for admission in any university or degree awarding institution in the country. But owing to non-conduct of examination under said policy, these students have been deprived of a crucial opportunity of improving their scores. As a result of which, thousands of students across Sindh have been put on the horns of a dilemma, where an ad hoc policy appears to have marred their chances of attaining a higher education. “I believe every student was given a fair opportunity to prove themselves even under the promotion policy.
Source:The Express Tribune
December 02, 2020 04:52 UTC
SHC irked at IO in doctor suicide case
We suspect that you haven’t even sent the deceased’s DNA samples for testing,” the court rebuked the IO. “M died by suicide on August 18, 2020, but we are yet to receive the report,” he told the court. “Bilal Saad and others accused in the case have been arrested on the basis of their mobile phone records,” he said. Earlier, South judicial magistrate had rejected the accused’s bail pleas in the case, following which they approached the high court. Plea admittedSeparately, the court admitted a plea challenging the formation of Keamari District for hearing.
Source:The Express Tribune
December 02, 2020 04:52 UTC
BS programmes to be launched in all K-P colleges
The HEC observed that two-year degree programmes were still being offered at universities and colleges affiliated with it despite its 2018 notification. PHOTO: APP/FileThe higher education department of the province has been directed to take the necessary measures to launch a bachelor of studies (BS) programme in all colleges of the province apart from starting a second shift in colleges on a need basis. Further, Rs2.546 billion had been approved by the provincial government for providing missing facilities in some 177 colleges of the province. The chief minister directed the respective quarters to make all newly-established colleges in the province functional without any delay. Stressing on the need for restructuring the department, Mahmood directed the authorities concerned to submit workable proposals to this effect.
Source:The Express Tribune
December 02, 2020 04:41 UTC