Court rejects calls to review ruling on Sharif

ISLAMABAD • Pakistan's Supreme Court yesterday rejected petitions seeking a review of its July 28 ruling that disqualified former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from office, upholding a verdict likely to influence the next general election, due in the middle of next year.

After an investigation into the Sharif family's wealth, the Supreme Court employed a little-used constitutional provision to rule Mr Sharif unfit to hold office because he did not declare a small source of income, which he has disputed receiving.

The country's top court also disqualified three of Mr Sharif's children, including heir-apparent Maryam and her husband, besides ordering a criminal investigation into the Sharifs and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who has stayed in his post.

REUTERS

British journalist likely killed by croc

COLOMBO • Sri Lankan police yesterday found the body of a 24-year-old British journalist, who is suspected to have been killed by a crocodile.

Divers found Mr Paul McClean's corpse in the mud of a lagoon in the coastal village of Panama, 360km east of the capital Colombo by road, a police spokesman said. Police said the body was taken to a hospital in Ampara, the nearest town some 80km away, for a post-mortem examination.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Workers trapped in China tunnel still alive

KUNMING • Nine construction workers who have been trapped in a collapsed railway tunnel in south-west China's Yunnan province for one day were confirmed to be alive yesterday, the local authorities said.

The tunnel in the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture they were working on collapsed at about 10.20am on Thursday. Rescuers were racing against time to reach the workers while installing a mobile phone signal amplifier to help them keep contact, officials said.

XINHUA

Malaysian, British PMs reaffirm bilateral ties

LONDON • Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and his British counterpart Theresa May have reaffirmed the strong ties between Malaysia and the United Kingdom, which pre-date Malaysia's independence 60 years ago and have continued since then.

In a statement issued after their meeting at No. 10, Downing Street, on Thursday, Datuk Seri Najib said: "In addition to our shared values and history, the UK is seeking a new relationship with friends and partners around the world as it leaves the European Union."

BERNAMA