Pak singer trolled for singing B’wood song at NY event

Karachi: Pakistan’s singing sensation Atif Aslam was trolled on social media and also criticised by the country’s mainstream media for singing a popular Bollywood song at a Pakistan Independence Day function in New York. Atif, who has lent his voice to many Bollywood songs, sang ‘Tera Hone Laga Hoon’ from the 2009 film “Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani” at the function earlier this month. The performance prompted many of his fans back home to question his patriotism and also hit out at him. The 35-year-old singer responded to the uproar saying that hopefully things will change in a “Naya” Pakistan. PTI

Beijing-Tianjin bullet train speed increased to 350 kph    

Beijing: China has increased the maximum speed of the bullet trains on the Beijing-Tianjin high-speed railway to 350 km per hour, reducing the inter-city travel time by five minutes. The increase in speed will shorten travel time between Beijing South Railway Station and Tianjin Railway Station from 35 minutes to 30 minutes with no price difference in fares. Designed and manufactured in China, the Fuxing trains debuted on the Beijing-Shanghai line on June 26, 2017. The newest trains are more spacious, reliable and energy-efficient and have a longer service life than previous models. PTI 

Mexico’s Prez-elect chooses lawyers, docs to guard him

Mexico City: Mexican president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Thursday he would abandon the secret service-style protection used by his predecessor in favour of a security detail of 20 unarmed men and women, including lawyers, doctors and engineers. Since winning a landslide election victory on July 1, leftist Lopez Obrador has painted himself an everyman president, forgoing the traditional trappings of the presidency, but the absence of armed guards has raised fears in a country reeling from political, gang and drug-related violence. Reuters