CEBU: The death toll from a 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck the central Philippine island of Bohol reached 110 Wednesday with only three people pulled alive from rubble. The three were rescued in nearby Cebu province hours after Tuesday’s quake shattered office buildings and homes and caused many centuries-old churches to crumble. In Bohol, the quake’s epicenter, rescuers counted 100 dead, said regional military commander Lt. Gen. Roy Deveraturda. Cebu reported nine fatalities, and one died on another island.
13 dead, 50 missing as typhoon lashes Tokyo area
TOKYO: At least 13 people are known to have died after a powerful typhoon lashed Japan’s Pacific coast, police said Wednesday, warning that the death toll was likely to rise. Typhoon Wipha, dubbed the strongest in a decade, caused landslides that buried houses as it churned past an island just south of Tokyo. “We’ve confirmed that 13 people have died, and the number is likely to increase later,” a police official in Oshima told AFP. Broadcaster NHK said 50 people were unaccounted for after houses were destroyed or swept away by a series of landslides and floods on Oshima, 120 kilometres (75 miles) south of the Japanese capital.
Pakistani stocks fall 175 points, rupee weakens
KARACHI: Pakistan’s main stock exchange closed lower on Monday, with the benchmark 100-share index of the Karachi Stock Exchange falling 0.81 per cent or 175.61 points to 21,599.78. Trading activity at the local bourse remained lackluster with Eid holidays just around the corner. Investors preferred to stay on the sidelines, though some interest was witnessed in specific banking and fertilizer stocks on the basis of year-end results, dealers said.
Sardars, nawabs continue to dominate Balochistan cabinet
QUETTA: Deadlock over formation of the cabinet ended with the induction of 11 new ministers in Balochistan cabinet on Monday. Hereditary politics remained entrenched in the formation of the new cabinet. In the 14 member cabinet, 11 strong tribal chieftains and fuedals were sworn in as ministers. Almost all influential families retained their positions. Governor Balochistan Muhammad Khan Achakzai took oath from 11 ministers belonging to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and National Party.
Nawaz orders immediate work on Gaddani, Port Qasim power plants
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif on Monday gave approval for immediate start of work on installation of two power plants in Gaddani and Port Qasim to meet the energy shortage in the country. Chairing a meeting here at the PM House to review power generation in the country, Sharif also directed the establishment of a dedicated project management office to track the progress of these power plants. The prime minister was briefed about the medium-term initiatives of the government to overcome power shortage that include wind energy generation of 2000 MW by 2016, CASA project of 1000 MW by 2017, Tarbella-V extension project by 2017 and development of 1000 MW power project at Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park by the Punjab government.
Four kidnapped aid workers freed in Syria: Red Cross
GENEVA: The Red Cross said Monday that three of its employees had been freed in Syria along with a colleague from the Red Crescent, who were among seven aid workers abducted by gunmen. “Three ICRC colleagues and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent volunteer have been released and are safe and sound. We are waiting for further information about the other three colleagues,” ICRC spokesman Ewan Watson told AFP. He did not say who was thought to have been behind the kidnapping of the aid workers on Sunday as their convoy drove from the northwestern Idlib province back to the Syrian capital Damascus after delivering medical aid.
11-member Balochistan cabinet takes oath today
Governor Balochistan Muhammad Khan Achakzai will administer the oath. Eleven-member Balochistan cabinet will be sworn-in in Quetta today. Provincial Governor Mohammad Khan Achakzai will administer the oath.
The Cabinet will include five members from Pakistan Muslim League (N) and three each from Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and National Party.
Police arrest 380 in Moscow race riot
MOSCOW: Moscow police arrested more than 380 people Sunday during a race riot in which nationalists outraged by a murder blamed on a migrant smashed shop windows and assaulted security guards. The crowd chanted “Russia for Russians!” and other neo-Nazi slogans during a protest that swelled to more than 1,000 people in an industrial district of southern Moscow and prompted police to order a city-wide security alert. Witnesses reported police helicopters circling over the southern Biryulyovo district in scenes reminiscent of a war zone and not witnessed in Moscow since President Vladimir Putin returned to power for a third term in May 2012.
Quaid-e-Azam Solar Energy Park inaugurated
1000 megawatt electricity will be generated through solar energy in the first phase. Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said the government is taking practical steps for the progress and development of the province. Addressing inauguration ceremony of Quaid-e-Azam Solar Energy Park at Bahawalpur on Saturday 12th October‚ Shahbaz Sharif said that one thousand megawatt electricity will be generated through solar energy in the first phase.
Maj. Gen. Carey sacked from US Air Force
Carey was accused of personal misconduct. The United States Air Force has removed Maj. Gen. Michael Carey‚ the in charge of its nuclear missiles just two days after a Navy admiral with top nuclear weapons responsibilities was sacked.
Both the officers were accused of personal misconduct‚ adding to a cascade of turmoil inside the nation’s nuclear weapons force.
Maj. Gen. Michael Carey was commanding 20th Air Force‚ responsible for all 450 of the service’s intercontinental ballistic missiles.
