UK media gushes over Kate’s salwar-kameez

Islamabad: The UK media on Tuesday was splashed with images of Kate Middleton’s traditional wardrobe choice for her maiden official tour of Pakistan with husband Prince William. The 37-year-old Duchess of Cambridge was praised for evoking memories of her late mother-in-law Princess Diana with her choice of kurtas, similar to ones worn by Diana during her last visit to Pakistan in 1997. William and Kate touched down at an airbase outside Islamabad on Monday at the start of their five-day visit. PTI

Swiss glaciers shrink 10 per cent in five years: Study 

Geneva: Switzerland’s glaciers have lost a tenth of their volume in the past five years alone, a melting rate unmatched during observations stretching back more than a century.  Measurements on 20 Swiss glaciers have shown that melt rates this year have reached “record levels”, according to the study published by the Cryospheric Commission at the Swiss Academy of Sciences. The study found that intense heatwaves over the summer in Switzerland had dashed hopes that an exceptionally snow-filled winter would limit the glacier melt this year.  AFP 

Public buses return to Tripoli after 30 years      

Tripoli: Parked in a hangar in downtown Tripoli, some 35 buses awaited this week’s launch of a new urban public transport scheme — the first in the Libyan capital in three decades. Imported from China, the brand new vehicles will make their first trips in the coming days. Equipped with wi-fi and air-conditioners, the blue and white buses will run 20 routes, from Janzour 15 km west of Tripoli to Tajoura, 12 km east of the city. Another route will travel 25 km south to the airport. Transport company Al-Sahem wants residents to re-embrace public transport as a way to reduce congestion. AFP