A Pakistani man is suspected of killing his two daughters and their four children by setting their house on fire because one of the women married against his wishes, police said. Cops have launched a hunt for Manzoor Hussain after he allegedly set fire to the home that sisters Fauzia Bibi and Khurshid Mai shared in a village in the Muzaffargargh district of central Pakistan. Mai’s husband also died in the blaze. Bibi had married Mehboob Ahmad about 18 months ago against her father’s will in a so-called love marriage, according to the official, as opposed to an arranged marriage. The incident is believed to be the outcome of the rivalry between the two families over the love marriage. Hundreds of women in Pakistan are killed by relatives every year for marrying without consent, or against their family’s wishes
New team to study origins of coronavirus
The WHO said its newly formed advisory group on dangerous pathogens may be “our last chance” to determine the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and called for cooperation from China. The WHO named the 26 proposed members of its Scientific Advisory Group on the Origins of Novel Pathogens. The group includes Chinese animal health expert Yang Yungui, who took part in the joint investigation in Wuhan. Maria van Kerkhove, WHO technical lead on Covid, voiced hope that there would be further WHO-led international missions to China which would engage the country’s cooperation. She said “over three dozen recommended studies” still needed to be carried out to determine how the virus crossed from the animal species to humans. Reported Chinese tests for antibodies present in Wuhan residents in 2019 will be “absolutely critical” to understanding the virus's origins, she said.
UK issues Uganda terror alert
The United Kingdom has warned that terrorists could carry out an attack in Uganda, but police say there is no need to elevate the threat levels. In a statement, the UK government called on their nationals to be extremely vigilant about their security “especially in crowded and public places like hotels, transport hubs, restaurants and bars, and during major gatherings like sporting or religious events”. “Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners. UK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on staying safe abroad and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack,” the statement reads. Uganda Police spokesman Fred Enanga confirmed the presence of sleeper cells in the country, adding that efforts to dismantle them are ongoing. “Despite the emerging sleeper cells our terror alert levels are not elevated yet,” Enanga said.
Fully vaccinated foreigners can enter US from Nov 8
International travelers fully vaccinated against the coronavirus who have been barred from entering the US during the pandemic will be able to enter the country on November 8, according to a White House official, marking an end to restrictions that had walled off tourists and relatives seeking to visit their families. The specific date for when the Biden administration would lift travel restrictions for those traveling by air or hoping to cross the land border was previously unclear. The administration last month said it would be implementing a new system in which fully vaccinated foreigners who show proof of a negative coronavirus test would be able to fly to the US in early November. The travel restrictions kept millions of visitors out of the US from China, Canada, Mexico, India, Brazil, much of Europe and elsewhere.
Microsoft to shut down LinkedIn in China
Microsoft Corp is pulling the plug on LinkedIn in China nearly seven years after its launch and will replace it with a stripped-down version of the platform that would focus only on jobs. LinkedIn had long been the only major American social network that operated in China. Twitter and Facebook have been blocked in the country. But to do business in China, LinkedIn censored the posts made by its millions of Chinese users in accordance with Chinese laws, something that other American companies were often reluctant or unable to do. “We’re also facing a significantly more challenging operating environment and greater compliance requirements in China,” LinkedIn said in a blog post, adding it did not find the same level of success in the more social aspects of sharing and staying informed like it has globally. LinkedIn said it would replace the Chinese service, which restricts posting of certain content due to regulatory requirements, with a new portal called InJobs.
Husband of slain Kenyan runner Agnes arrested
Police in Kenya have arrested the husband of record-breaking runner Agnes Tirop after she was stabbed to death, in a case that has shocked the country and the world of athletics. The 25-year-old two-time world champion bronze medalist was found lying on a bed at her home in the town of Iten, with stab wounds in the neck and abdomen. The National Police Service said that her husband, Ibrahim Kipkemoi Rotich, was arrested in the coastal city of Mombasa. The police had been hunting for Rotich after his family reported that he had called in crying and asking for God’s forgiveness for something he had done. The police said Rotich was arrested after he “slammed his gateway vehicle into a lorry along Mombasa road, as he desperately escaped [our] dragnet”.
Mob beats Kenyan child serial killer to death
A mob in western Kenya has killed a self-confessed serial killer who escaped from custody two days ago, police say. Masten Wanjala, 20, was traced by villagers to a house in Bungoma town and beat him to death, they say. Authorities had launched a massive manhunt for the fugitive who admitted to killing more than 10 young boys during a five-year period. He also confessed to drugging them and in some cases drinking their blood. He reportedly returned to the home of his parents - who have disowned him - and was subsequently strangled by neighbours who found out he was there. He tried to stave off suspicious locals by moving to a nearby house, police said. It is thought his family identified the body, although a police spokesperson said they are still doing "basic verification" to make sure the deceased is indeed Wanjala.
SonyLIV launched in Canada
Indian streaming service SonyLIV will be launched in Canada with the web show “Tabbar.” According to Variety, the streamer had revealed wide roll-out plans from October, backed by a 40-strong new originals slate. Available at launch in Canada will be eight-episode series “Tabbar,” directed by Ajitpal Singh, whose debut feature 'Fire in the Mountains' had its world premiere at Sundance earlier this year. Set in and around Jalandhar, Punjab, “Tabbar” tells the journey of the Singh family and how their life takes a 360-degree turn after an unfortunate incident. The cast includes Pavan Malhotra, Supriya Pathak, Gagan Arora, Paramvir Singh Cheema, Kanwaljeet Singh and Ranvir Shorey. "I am always attracted to stories that provide me (with) possibilities and freedom to explore subtext and themes. “Tabbar” is one such story," Singh tells Variety.
Iran’s ex-central bank chief, officials jailed
The former governor and several former officials in Iran’s central bank have been sentenced to prison for illegal practices in managing the country’s tumultuous foreign currency market under United States sanctions. Valiollah Seif, who led the troubled central bank for almost five years until his sacking in July 2018, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, judiciary spokesman Zabihollah Khodaeian said. Seif, who was appointed as a top banking adviser to then-President Hassan Rouhani immediately after leaving the central bank amid corruption allegations, was found guilty of “participation in disrupting the country’s financial system through illegal smuggling of foreign currency”.
Meteorite lands on woman’s bed
Ruth Hamilton was fast asleep in her home in British Columbia when she awoke to the sound of her dog barking, followed by “an explosion.” She jumped up and turned on the light, only to see a hole in the ceiling. Her clock said 11.35pm (local time). At first, Hamilton thought that a tree had fallen on her house. But, no, all the trees were there. She called 911 and, while on the phone with an operator, noticed a large charcoal gray object between her two floral pillows. “Oh, my gosh,” she recalled telling the operator, “there’s a rock in my bed.” A meteorite, she later learned. The 2.8-pound rock the size of a large man’s fist had barely missed Hamilton’s head, leaving “drywall debris all over my face,” she said. Her close encounter on the night of October 3 left her rattled, but it captivated the internet and handed scientists an unusual chance to study a space rock that had crashed to Earth.
Taiwan building fire kills 46
A fire tore through the 13-storey building in Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s main port city, killing at least 46 people and injuring dozens. The blaze, Taiwan’s deadliest in decades, underscored concerns about the island’s lax safety standards. At least 41 people were being treated for injuries, local fire officials said. The cause of the fire was under investigation, said Lee Chinghsiu, the city’s fire chief. The fire appeared to have started on the ground floor, Taiwanese media said. The United Daily News said that investigators were focusing on a first-floor tea shop whose owner reportedly fought with his girlfriend earlier. They had not ruled out arson, the newspaper said. Surveillance footage from a neighbouring building showed a flash of light on the first floor, and soon the entire floor was engulfed in flames, according to local news reports.
Six arrested in Rwanda for spreading rumours
Rwandan authorities have arrested six people including a journalist and members of an opposition party accused of publishing rumours allegedly intended to start an uprising, the investigation bureau said. Theoneste Nsengimana, who runs Umubavu TV – an online Youtube channel that often airs content critical of the government, was among those arrested, said Rwanda Investigation Bureau spokesperson Thierry Murangira. “They are accused of publication of rumours intended to cause uprising or unrest among the population,” he said. “They have commonality, they are an organised group with the intention to spread rumours intended to cause uprising or unrest among the population using different social media platforms.”
Gay marriage possible for Dutch royal house
The Dutch crown princess can marry a person of whatever gender she chooses without forfeiting her right to the throne, PM Mark Rutte said. Crown Princess Catharina-Amalia, 17, is the heir apparent to King Willem-Alexander. Rutte was responding to questions from parliament that arose from a recent book, “Amalia, Duty Calls”. It argued that old laws would appear to exclude the possibility of a same-sex couple on the throne. However, same sex marriage has been legal in the Netherlands since 2001. “The government believes that the heir can also marry a person of the same sex,” Rutte said.
Teen hailed as hero after finding & returning $50,000
A teenager in Liberia who has become a national hero after finding $50,000 and returning it to its rightful owner said he will meet the country’s president next week. Emmanuel Tuloe said that he has been invited to meet President George Weah. “I’m set to go see the president and when I meet him I will talk to him about my education,” the 18-year-old said. “I will tell him I want to back to go back to school”. Tuloe dropped out of school in the seventh grade to run a taxi service with his motorcycle to make money to help his family. Tuloe was driving his motorcycle taxi on a highway when he saw a bunch of money wrapped in a plastic bag, he said. “I brought it home and gave it to my aunty to keep until the owner could ask for it,” he said. That day, Musu Yancy, the businesswoman who had lost the cash, went on the radio “crying for her money”, he said. So he took it to her. The Liberian Anti-Corruption Commission commended him
Musk widens lead as richest person on world
Elon Musk wants Jeff Bezos to know he’s No 1. Tesla Inc.’s co-founder responded to a tweet from Bezos with a silver medal emoji after the gap between the world’s two richest people increased last week through the surging valuation of Musk’s rocket company SpaceX. His net worth is now $222 billion, while Amazon.com Inc.’s Bezos is at $190.8 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The jab escalates the public spat between the two billionaires, who are both trying to revolutionize the space industry. Bezos’s Blue Origin is challenging a US government contract with SpaceX to develop technology to land people on the moon again, while Musk has previously taken to Twitter to call Amazon’s founder a “copy cat” for his e-commerce firm’s space-focused ventures.
