China rescuers seek 90 missing after landslide

BEIJING : Chinese rescuers scoured a remote valley in the nation’s southwest for survivors on Thursday, after a landslide decimated a village, killing at least one person and leaving 90 missing.

The landslide in Puladi, a settlement in Yunnan province, was the latest of a succession of such disasters to have battered China this summer, when torrential downpours have unleashed floods and dislodged hillsides on to towns and villages.

In the worst landslide, at least 1,287 people died in Zhouqu in northwest province of Gansu after rains. More than 450 residents remain missing, probably dead. Storms in neighboring Longnan and in Sichuan province to the south killed dozens more.

Pictures from Puladi showed a swathe of the green valley covered in mud, with rescuers laying down planks across the destruction to reach a stricken village with about 100 residents, some

Clinton to pledge more US aid for Pakistan at UN

WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will announce extra aid for a flooded Pakistan Thursday at a UN meeting that will mobilize international support for the country, her spokesman said.

The chief US diplomat will speak to the UN General Assembly in New York about “the humanitarian situation from the floods in Pakistan,” spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters.

The general assembly, expected to meet around 3 pm, “will be an opportunity to express solidarity and to further mobilize support of member states and the international community for the situation in Pakistan,” he said.

During her visit to New York, Clinton will also meet with both UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Crowley said.

“And at tomorrow’s meeting we expect that she will update and announce an increase in the US assistance

ADB to offer flood-hit Pakistan $2 billion loan

SINGAPORE: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is expected to contribute at least $2 billion to help Pakistan recover from its worst ever floods.

The economic costs of the floods are expected to run into the billions of dollars, stepping up pressure on government just after it had made progress in stabilizing the country through security offensives against Taliban insurgents.

“While the assessment will take several weeks to complete, the damages so far are staggering,” said the ADB in a statement on its website.

Aid funding has improved, with nearly half the $459 million needed to fund initial relief efforts secured after days of lobbying donors. But the situation on the ground remained grim.

Only a small minority of the 6 million Pakistanis desperate for food and clean water have received help after floods that have killed up to 1,600

UNSC reduces prices of 200 food items

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: The Utility Stores Corporation (USC) has reduced the prices of 200 food items by 10 percent as per the orders of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, said sources on Thursday.

According to sources, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has ordered to decrease the prices of food items at all utility stores to ease the miseries of the common man during the month of Ramazan.

USC has reduced the prices of several food items including ghee, cooking oil, pulses, milk, dates and other edibles.

Sources said the government will provide utility stores a subsidy of Rs. 5 billion over the reduction of food prices. SAMAA

Over 4 million homeless in flood-hit Pakistan: UN

ISLAMABAD: The number of people rendered homeless by the devastating floods in Pakistan has risen to more than 4 million, the United Nations said on Thursday, making the critical task of securing greater amounts of aid

more urgent.

The UN had earlier said that 2 million people had lost their homes in the worst floods in Pakistan’s history, which began nearly three weeks.

Aid agencies have been pushing for more funding as they try to tackle major problems such as food supplies, lack of shelter and outbreaks of diseases.

The economic costs of the floods are expected to run into the billions of dollars, stepping up pressure on government just after it had made progress in stabilising the country through security offensives against Taliban insurgents.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said it expected to contribute at least $2 billion to

NDMC meeting today

ISLAMABAD: The National Disaster Management Commission (NDMC) is set to hold a crucial meeting in Islamabad on Thursday, which besides reviewing the overall situation also consider the proposal of setting up of an authority or body to transparently collect funds for the flood affected people.

The meeting will be presided over by the prime minister and attended by all the chief ministers, prime minister of Azad Kashmir, chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, Chairman of NDMA and heads of organisations concerned.

He said close coordination and better understanding among the federal and provincial governments would greatly facilitate in streamlining the relief and rehabilitation efforts. The Prime Minister said a joint strategy was the need of the hour to effectively confront the challenges of relief and rehabilitation.

The Prime Minister said the government was

Flood swept away Garhi Khero in Jacobabad

Staff Report

JACOBABAD: As a result of four breaches appeared in Keerthar Canal, the Garhi Kheru tehsil located in Jacobabad has been inundated that left thousand people stranded, said sources Thursday.

The katcha area has submerged from the flood water coming from Ghauspur.

Over 3,000 people has stranded after the Garhi Khero district washed away as a result of four breaches in Keerthar Canal.

With the approach of a second ‘peak flood’, the district of Jacobabad is facing the worst crisis in its history and a number of villages and settlements have been inundated.

At least 22 people, including women and children, have been swept away by raging waters in Moula Dad, Mehmal, Karim Bux and other areas.

According to local sources, more than 300,000 people have been affected in areas around Jacobabad. Villagers have lost their property,

12 militants killed, 16 wounded in Orakzai

HANGU: Security forces offensive in Orakzai Agency has killed 12 militants and injured 16 others, Geo News reported Saturday.

The security forces pounded militants hideouts in Mir Garhi area, killing 12 militants and wounding 16 more besides destroying 4 dens.

Military operation has been continuing against militants in Orakzai Agency for the past two months in which about 1000 militants have been taken out and over 100 hideouts destroyed.

Govt. seeking consensus on 18th amendment bill: President

NAUDERO: President Asif Ali Zardari early Sunday said we are trying to get 18th amendment bill endorsed in parliament through reaching consensus from members of two houses.

He said anti-government elements are now on backtracks while we are enjoying people’s support.

Addressing a huge mass gathering held here in Garhi Khuda Baksh in connection with death anniversary of PPP’s founder leader Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, President Zardari said still our government has to do too many more things besides endorsement of 18th amendment from parliament.

Nation should be obliged and grateful to the people hailing from Garhi Khuda Baksh over restoration of 1973 constitution in letter and spirit, he said.

18th amendment is the victory of PPP-led democratic government, he observed.

We have strengthened democracy during two years of government and are heading to give nation a ‘new Pakistan’.

Benazir’s Second Death Anniversary Today

Garhi Khuda Bakhsh: The programmes of second death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed began at her ancestral Garhi Khuda Bakhsh on Sunday morning with recitation of holy Quran at her last abode at local graveyard.

The leaders of Pakistan Peoples Party were arriving at her Mazar to pay respects to their leader.

Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari accompanied by sisters Aseefa and Bakhtawar reached Naudor on Saturday.

Security has been tightened at Naudero and Garhi Khuda Bux with 300 special force men, 800 Rangers and other security men.

Meanwhile, police have finalized a special traffic plan to facilitate the people coming to the memorial.

The party leadership has decided to mark the ceremony with simplicity due to Muharram-ul-Haram and the central ceremony will be held at the Presidential Camp House instead of a public meeting at Garhi Khuda Bux.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will address the gathering.