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The United States told its citizens not to travel to China in the first major response to the World Health Organisation's declaration of a global emergency over the spreading coronavirus, as Chinese authorities Friday increased the toll to 213 dead and nearly 10,000 infections. The State Department raised its warning alert to the highest level, telling its citizens "do not travel" to China because of an epidemic that has now spread to more than 20 nations. Hours earlier, the WHO, which has faced criticism for initially downplaying the virus threat, revised its risk assessment after crisis talks in Geneva. "Our greatest concern is the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "We must all act together now to limit further spread [...] We can only stop it together." Taking action Tedros said travel and trade restrictions involving China were unnecessary, but authorities an

KARACHI: An antiterrorism court on Thursday ordered proclamation and attachment of properties of Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s London-based founder Altaf Hussain and four workers in a case pertaining to alleged murder of two activists of the rival Pak Sarzameen Party. The MQM chief along with eight detained and absconding suspects has been booked for his alleged involvement in the killing of PSP workers Naeem Ramzan and Azhar Rehmatullah in a gun attack on the party’s office in Usmania Colony on Dec 23, 2018. On Thursday, the matter came up before the ATC-XII judge. A total of 10 suspects were produced from prison. The investigating officer submitted a compliance report stating that non-bailable warrants issued by the court against Altaf Hussain, Asif Mian Siddiqui, alias Badshah; M. Jameel, alias Kashif; M. Asad Khan, alias Umar; M. Saleem, alias Belgium and Junaid, alias Owais could not be executed since their whereabouts could not be ascertained and there was no likelihood of their

LONDON: Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday hailed a “new beginning” for Britain as it prepares to leave the European Union after 47 years. The Conservative leader called for an end to years of bitter arguments over Brexit that have divided the country, saying it was time to move on. “Our job as the government — my job — is to bring this country together and take us forward,” he said in remarks released by his office. “This is not an end but a beginning. This is the moment when the dawn breaks and the curtain goes up on a new act. “It is a moment of real national renewal and change.” Britain will leave the EU at 11:00 pm (2300 GMT) on Friday, January 31, more than three years after the 2016 referendum vote for Brexit. To mark the occasion, Johnson will on Friday hold a special cabinet meeting in Sunderland, a city in northeast England that voted heavily for Brexit. During last month´s general election, in which his Conservatives won a huge majority, the prime minister vowe

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan will formally launch Ehsaas Kifalat Programme for the deserving families today (Friday), ARY News reported. Under Ehsaas Kifalat programme, two thousand rupees will be given to each deserving family per month. About five hundred thousand people will benefit from this programme. All existing eligible beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme will continue to be part of Ehsaas Kifaalat programme. The total numbers of expected Kafaalat beneficiary women are around seven million. Enrollments of one million families in 70 districts have already begun and these families will start receiving Kifaalat stipends from next two months. Read more: Govt expels unmerited people from BISP database: Sania Nishtar More beneficiary families will be added through desk registration and other districts will be covered by end of the year. Kifaalat is part of the wider Ehsaas programme, where women will have better access to opportunities to gradua

FOREIGN Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui.—Online ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Thursday categorically rejected rumours that the government intended to merge Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) region with mainland Pakistan. “There is no such proposal under consideration,” FO spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said at the weekly media briefing. The speculation about the merger had been doing the rounds for a little over six weeks now. It started with comments attributed to AJK Prime Minister Farooq Haider Khan that he had been told that he would be the last prime minister of the autonomous region. The rumours grew after the AJK government renamed one of the bureaucracy’s service group. There were also rumours about the change in the status of Gilgit-Baltistan. The spokesperson dismissed that too as “media speculation”. Speculation started with comments attributed to AJK premier that he would be the last prime minister of the autonomous region India annexed occupied Kashmir in August

WUHAN: Funeral workers disinfect themselves after handling a virus victim on Thursday.—AP GENEVA: The World Health Organisation declared on Thursday that the coronavirus epidemic in China now constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, announced the decision after a meeting of its emergency committee, an independent panel of experts, amid mounting evidence of the virus spreading to some 18 countries. Tedros told a news conference in Geneva that recent weeks had witnessed an unprecedented outbreak which has been met by an unprecedented response. “Let me be clear, this declaration is not a vote of no confidence in China,” he said. “There is no reason to impose restrictions on travel to and from China. “Our greatest concern is the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems,” he added. The WHO panel, chaired by Didier Houssin of France, is composed of 16 independent experts. Twice

ISLAMABAD: With continuously expanding revenue shortfall against the target for the second year in a row, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government’s darling for revenue reforms — Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chairman Shabbar Zaidi — has gone on indefinite leave on medical grounds. Mr Zaidi had resumed his office on Jan 21 after a two-week leave for health reasons. In his absence, the member administration, a BS-22 officer of Inland Revenue Service, took over as acting chairman of the FBR. When contacted over the phone, Mr Zaidi told Dawn that he was in Karachi. “I am on leave and under medical treatment,” he said. On further inquiry whether he is on indefinite leave, the chairman said that it would depend on doctor’s advice he was to receive on Monday. Sources in the FBR told Dawn that before going on leave, Mr Zaidi met Adviser to the Prime Minister on Revenue Dr Hafeez Shaikh and senior officials of the finance division and informed them that he was taking leave for an indefini