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UK cyclists say compulsory helmets would be 'detrimental to public health'

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:08:00 +0000

British cycling groups fight moves to make helmets compulsory, saying forcing people to wear head protection will further discourage people from riding.

from World http://ift.tt/2GesRei

The 'Dreamers' at the centre of the debate that shut down the US Government

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:08:00 +0000

Claudia Quinonez and Dulce Lopez just want to live like any other young American, but in a matter of weeks they could be threatened with deportation from the place they have called home for more than half their lives.

from World http://ift.tt/2Gjf0TR

Casey Affleck withdraws as 2018 Oscars presenter

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:08:00 +0000

Casey Affleck, an actor who has been accused of sexual harassment by female film crew members, withdraws as a presenter at the 2018 Academy Awards.

from World http://ift.tt/2BufBhT

Doomsday Clock moved closest to midnight since Cold War

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:08:00 +0000

Scientists move the symbolic Doomsday Clock ahead by 30 seconds, saying the world is at its closest to annihilation since the height of the Cold War due to world leaders' poor response to threats of nuclear war.

from World http://ift.tt/2BsFNtu

Plastic is spreading deadly diseases to coral reefs

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:08:00 +0000

Coral disease frequency jumps from 4 per cent to 89 per cent when coral is in contact with plastic pollution, a study published in Science magazine finds.

from World http://ift.tt/2DOfZgD

Trump threatens Palestinian aid cut unless they 'negotiate peace'

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:08:00 +0000

President Donald Trump threatens to withhold aid to the Palestinians if they do not pursue peace with Israel, saying they "disrespected" the United States by not meeting Vice-President Mike Pence during his recent visit.

from World http://ift.tt/2DNXcBU

Trump to push 'America First' agenda at the World Economic Forum

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:08:00 +0000

Donald Trump arrives at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, where he will push his "America First" agenda and seek more fair, reciprocal trade between the United States and its allies.

from World http://ift.tt/2BtS6FP

Tech firms let Russia probe software used by US Government

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:08:00 +0000

At least a dozen US federal agencies use software that has been inspected by Russia with some experts warning it places some of the most sensitive areas of the US government at risk of hackers.

from World http://ift.tt/2n7jxQG

Three dead in train derailment near Milan

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:08:00 +0000

A commuter train derails near Milan, killing at least three people and seriously injuring 13 — the latest in a number of incidents involving Italy's aging rail system.

from World http://ift.tt/2n9yZwt

Fiji's Electoral Commission removes '666' from ballot papers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:08:00 +0000

Fiji's Electoral Commission removes '666' from ballot papers in this year's general election after consultation with Fiji's registered political parties with one party leader saying it may be problematic for Christian candidates.

from World http://ift.tt/2DGi7af

PIA to end flights to Kuwait

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:08:00 +0000

LAHORE: Pakistan International Airlines, the national flag carrier, will halt flights to Kuwait from February 1, officials said on Thursday.

It is pertinent to mention here that the airline had been incurring an annual loss due to its flight operations to the US, prompting the management to stop flights.

According to the official sources, the airline will no longer book flights for Kuwait through its reservation system from February 1.

from GEO TV - Business http://ift.tt/2GiocIg

US diplomat quits 'cheerleading' Rohingya advisory panel, takes aim at Suu Kyi

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:08:00 +0000

Veteran US diplomat Bill Richardson resigns from a Myanmar advisory panel on the Rohingya crisis, calling it a "whitewash" and and questioning Aung San Suu Kyi's "moral leadership".

from World http://ift.tt/2FeeeWV

Thailand's powerful Deputy PM and his $1.5 million watch collection

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:08:00 +0000

One of the most powerful men in Thailand's military Government is under fire for appearing in public wearing dozens of high-end timepieces worth about $1.5 million.

from World http://ift.tt/2n86gbw

UN condemns 'brutal executions' in Libya following twin car bombing

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:08:00 +0000

Video showing the execution of at least 10 people at the site of a car bombing that killed 35 people on Tuesday is raising calls for justice from the United Nations Libya mission.

from World http://ift.tt/2n93JNj

FDA clears radioactive drug for cancer that killed Steve Jobs

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:07:00 +0000

KP industries await incentives govt promised in 2016

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:07:00 +0000

Anti-aging field ´explodes´ in pursuit of healthy old age

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:07:00 +0000

Intezar murder case: JIT records statement of victim's father, eyewitness

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:07:00 +0000

Sindh government fails to operationalise German Regional Blood Centres

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:07:00 +0000

KARACHI: There has traditionally been a lack of voluntary blood donation culture in Pakistan, where thousands of patients in need of blood transfusions battle between life and death daily.

In such a scenario, ten state-of-the-art Centralised Blood Centres funded by the German government across Pakistan are a welcome addition to the health infrastructure in the country.

Four of these state-of-the-art fully equipped Regional Blood Centres (RBCs) have been set up in Sindh – one at Sindh Government Qatar Hospital in Karachi, and one each in Jamshoro, Sukkur and Nawabshah.

However, the provincial government has failed to operationalise these RBCs owing to inefficiencies and internal political tussles.

The German government, through its development bank KfW, provided 15 million euros (PKR 1.77 billion) grant to establish a safe blood transfusion system in all provinces of Pakistan, including the state of Azad Jammu & Kashmir. Of this budget, 5.4 million euros (PKR 637 million) were allocated to Sindh to help reduce the spread of transfusion-transmissible infections (TTI) caused by unsafe blood transfusions.

Under a separate agreement, the Sindh Department of Health and KfW agreed to make four RBCs operational via contracting out under the Public-Private Partnership Act, 2010.

However, the deadline (August 2016) to fully operationalise these RBCs has long passed.

A senior official in the Health Department, on condition of anonymity, said a report on the progress of the initiative declared the Sukkur Blood Bank technically disqualified. Hussaini Blood Bank and The Indus Hospital were declared technically qualified and got 77.5 and 82 technical scores out of 100, respectively. The Sukkur Blood Bank, however, received a score of only 27.

According to sources, the entire process has suffered due to politics, with the tender by the higher-ups at the Health Department getting re-initiated.

Dr Zahid Ansari, Director of Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority, confirmed that due to some technical issues the higher-ups of the department decided to re-initiate the tender.

Meanwhile, known organisations in the blood bank services sector were pressurised and even threatened with ‘blacklisting’. So this time around, only Sukkur Blood Bank was facilitated to submit the tender. Anticipating an embarrassing situation, the Secretary Health had to beg the Indus Hospital to submit its tender documents.

Asked about the re-tender and reception of the award to run the Sukkur RBC, Dr Muhammad Naeem, CEO of Sukkur Blood Bank, claimed that the ex-director of Public-Private Partnership did not give a good score to the blood bank as “we have 30 years of experience in blood disorders and blood banking”.

Dr Saba Jamal, Director of Indus Hospital, also confirmed that they received a call from the Health Department saying that due to unknown reasons, the first tender was embargoed by the government and a new tender would be processed shortly, after which the Heath Department awarded it to Indus Hospital.

According to Ex-Director Public Private Partnership Ehsanullah Wazir, the entire process of the qualification and scoring was conducted by non-technical committee members outside the bid validity period.

Director of Hussaini Blood Band, Dr Asad Ali said that “although we got the highest technical score, due to our board of governor’s decision we withdrew the contract.”

Meanwhile, Minister of Health Dr Sikander Ali Mandhro has assured he will probe the entire process.

At the same time, Karachi and Nawabshah RBCs will be put through a re-tender.

from GEO TV - Health http://ift.tt/2DAssB4

Heart attack risk high with one cigarette a day: study

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:07:00 +0000

Seasonal influenza in Multan claims three lives in 24 hours

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:07:00 +0000

More than 50 peacocks ‘mysteriously’ die in Thar

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:07:00 +0000

China´s waste import ban upends global recycling industry

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:07:00 +0000

Live: We're getting to the business end of the Hottest 100 — follow along

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:06:00 +0000

It's the world's premier music poll, and we've got all the news and info here, as it happens. Join in the fun.

from Top Stories http://ift.tt/2GmP75O

Two people found dead in dam in tragic Australia Day drownings

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 08:06:00 +0000

Police say people searching for their friend Kirsty Cini when she failed to surface in a rural dam in far north Queensland unexpectedly found the body of teenager Zack Jenkins, who they did not know was missing.

from Top Stories http://ift.tt/2nkpz0D