ISLAMABAD: Turkey has donated 150,000 doses of meningitis vaccine for Pakistan’s intending Hajj pilgrims this year. Head of Mission of Turkish Embassy handed over the vaccine to Pakistani officials during a ceremony held in the federal capital. On this occasion, he said that the vaccine worth $6.6 million was a gift to Pakistani pilgrims from Turkey. The vaccine would be administered to pilgrims at the time of training at Haji camps before leaving for Saudi Arabia.
More than 50 dead in Nigeria church attacks
KANO: More than 50 people were killed in the latest attack blamed on Boko Haram which targeted churches in Nigeria’s embattled northeast .“So far we have 54 dead,” said the official, who requested anonymity, of the raid on four villages just outside Chibok, where Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls in April. A local leader in Chibok, who also asked that his name be withheld, said residents had discovered at least 47 bodies in the surrounding bushland, but told AFP the search was ongoing and figures were still being collated
President Aliyev: The Armenian state was created on Azerbaijani lands
By Ansar Mahmood Bhatti
The 23rd Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly that has kicked off in Azerbaijani capital of Baku on 28 June will last until July 2. A meeting of the committees on political and security issues, economic issues, science, technology and environment, as well as democracy, human rights and humanitarian issues will be held during the session.Moreover, special debates on the growth of extremism, radicalism and xenophobia, as well as the situation in Ukraine are planned to be held. The results of the election monitoring missions’ activity and organizational issues of the assembly will also be discussed. The Baku Declaration will be adopted following the discussions.
Ramzan moon not sighted, fasting to begin from Monday
KARACHI: The moon, marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Ramzan, was not sighted on Saturday and the first day of the holy month will now fall on Monday (June 30). The announcement was made by Chairman of Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee Pakistan, Mufti Munibur Rehman in a press conference held after the conclusion of an official meeting of the committee at the Met Office in the port city.
Malik justifies Arsalan Iftikhar’s appointment in Balochistan Assembly
QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch admitted to have appointed Arsalan Iftikhar, the son of former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, to a prominent position in the Balochistan Investment Board. “I did appoint Arsalan Iftikhar to the Balochistan Investment Board,” Dr Baloch said in response to questions raised by opposition benches regarding the widely politicised appointment during a session of the Balochistan Assembly on Saturday.
Taliban’s Miramshah commander killed in raid: ISPR
ISLAMABAD: The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Saturday said that the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander of Miramshah, Umer was killed by security forces on the outskirts of Miramshah the previous night. In a statement issued today, the ISPR stated that the civilian population has been evacuated from North Waziristan where the Zarb-i-Azb operation is targeting local and foreign militants.
‘FIFA opted for heavy sanction as Suarez showed no regret’
RIO DE JANEIRO: FIFA punished Luis Suarez heavily for biting an opponent in a World Cup match because the Uruguayan showed no repentance for the incident and previous bans had not changed his behaviour, a Brazilian newspaper reported on Saturday.“At no time did the player show any kind of remorse or admit to any violation of FIFA rules and therefore showed no awareness of having committed any infraction,” a FIFA document said, according to Estado de Sao Paulo, one of Brazil’s leading newspapers.
PM delivered victory speech on my advice: Rasheed
ISLAMABAD: Answering all four questions posed by Imran Khan a day earlier, Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Saturday said that he advised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to deliver a televised victory speech in the wake of May 11 polls. Speaking at a press conference, he said that he was the one who advised the PML-N chief to speak to the party workers on the night of the 2013 General Elections.
Baloch vows to fight terrorists closing schools in Panjgoor
QUETTA: Chief Minister Balochistan Dr Abdul Malik Baloch has vowed to battle against the extremists and terrorists forcibly closing educational institutions in Panjgoor district of the troubled province. Politicians, educationists and members of civil society, at a seminar held here on Saturday, urged upon law enforcement agencies to protect teachers and educational institutions in Panjgoor, one of the most backward districts in Balochistan.
Gas pipeline blast kills 16 in southern India: minister
HYDERABAD: A massive explosion Friday on a state-owned gas pipeline running through the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh killed at least 16 people and gutted scores of houses, a state minister said. “At least 16 people are dead. We have recovered 13 bodies so far,” state home minister N. Chinna Rajappa told AFP after the blast near a refinery in East Godavari district.
