Peshawar: IDPs protest against not receiving aid

The internally displaced persons (IDPs) protested against non-availability of aid in front of World Food Programme Centre on Grand Trunk (GT) Road.

The protesters raised slogans against governments and administration of the centre and also blocked the road. The protesters were of the view that the administration of the World Food Programme Centre was involved in corruption and distributes the aid items among undeserved persons.

2011 FLL Robot World Cup opens in China

Hangzhou No. 2 Middle School team finally won the championship and would play in the world final to be held in the Netherlands in June as the Chinese representative team.

Contestants have to complete 14 contestant items within two and a half minutes with the robot they have built themselves, and scores will be given based on the performance of each item. The China Open Match of 2011 FLL Robot World Cup carried the theme of “Bio-science”, such as doing the “bandaging and giving emergency treatment to broken bones and automatically recognising and sorting out dead cells”.

Nevertheless, scores obtained from the performance at scene would not determine the outcome of each constant team. In order to test whether these precision or sophisticated robots are completed by these little contestants on their own, they have to answer the referees queries and explain on his or her designs ideas for the programme. Then, the referees give scores by taking into account the whole processes and all the items must be completed by the contestant pupils themselves.

The FLL Robot World Cup competition, first held in 1998, has entered China since 2003. Nowadays, the country s contestant teams have grown 112 teams from merely some 40 at the first event.

Palestine National Orchestra makes debut in Israel

HAIFA: The Palestine National Orchestra has made its debut in the occupied West Bank, annexed east Jerusalem and the Israeli city of Haifa under the banner of “Today an orchestra, tomorrow a state.”

The 40-member orchestra launched its inaugural tour on Friday in the West Bank city of Ramallah, moved on the next day to east Jerusalem and on Sunday night to Haifa, which has a large Arab Israeli community.

“Today an orchestra, tomorrow a state,” Suhail Khoury, director of the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music named after the US-Palestinian intellectual who died in 2003, wrote in the programme.

“Today we are witnessing the birth of the Palestine National Orchestra at a time when the Palestinian struggle for independence is passing through one of its most critical and difficult moments,” he wrote.

“We musicians truly believe that a state is not only about buildings and roads, but most importantly it is about its people, their values, their arts and their cumulative cultural identity.”

Khoury said that such concerts would, “for several years to come, be a one-time annual event … until this orchestra will become a full-fledged, full-time orchestra based in a free Palestine.”

Before full houses and enthusiastic audiences, the orchestra played concertos by Mozart and Gyorgy Ligeti as well as Beethoven”s Symphony No 4, after starting each concert with the Palestinian national anthem.

Bajaur Agency: Suicide blast kills 44, injures 72

At least 44 people were killed and 72 injured in a blast in Khar, district headquarters of Bajaur Agency in FATA, trendpk.com reported on Saturday.

According to details, the blast occurred in front of a Civil colony at a check point and World Food Programme building was also near the blast place. A woman suicide bomber reached at the point and blew herself up, due to which 44 people were killed and several others sustained severe injuries. The attack took place when more than 300 people were gathered outside World Food Programme building to receive food rations. Security forces and police reached the spot and cordoned off the area and started search operation. Rescue teams were also reached the blast place and started relief activities. The injured are being shifted to hospital where emergency was declared and paramedics staff was called.

Bangladeshi school girls learn karate to fight bullying

DHAKA: A district in northern Bangladesh has offered karate training to all female school and college pupils following a spate of suicides and killings due to bullying, officials said Tuesday.

Learning the Japanese martial art would make girls more able to protect themselves, said Bazlul Karim, head of Tangail district administration.

“They need to be strong to tackle the menace of bullying,” he told AFP.

Local police chief Mizanur Rahman said sports teachers and police instructors would run the programme.

“The response from the girls and their guardians has been very positive,” Rahman said, adding the police have also set up a 24-hour “text-message hotline” for bullying victims to report abuse and receive specialised help.

Since coming to power in December 2008 the Awami League government has launched a major crackdown on sexual harassment,

IMF delegation calls on finance minister

ISLAMABAD: A delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) led by Adnan Mazarei called on the Minister for Finance, Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and discussed the issues of performance criteria and the prior actions pertaining to the fiscal and monetary factors.

During the meeting, the minister for finance appreciated the efforts of the IMF technical team and the support that have been provided since November 2008.

Adnan Mazarei informed Dr. Hafeez Shaikh about the results of technical discussion. It was agreed to continue the discussions on the programme review in the first week of August in Washington DC.

The secretary finance and the special secretary finance were also present during the meeting.

Habib Jalib laid to rest after funeral prayers

QUETTA: Secretary General of Balochistan National Party (BNP) Habib Jalib, who was assassinated Wednesday morning in a firing incident, has been laid to rest here in his ancestral graveyard.

The deceased’s funderal prayer was held near the above graveyard and attended by leaders and workers of BNP besides representatives of various nationalist, political, religious and other parties including Pushtoonkhwa Mili Awami Party, National Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Hazara Democratic Party. Lawyers and a large number of people belonging to different walks life were also present.

Imam of a local mosque lead the funeral prayers.

Leaders a various political and nationalist parties also addressed the gathering on the occasion and paid rich tributes to Habib Jalib Baloch for his services rendered in the realm of politics. They strongly condemned the killing of the BNP leader and demanded that the culprits be brought to justice.

CJP warns bar, bench not to lose earned respect

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry Wednesday said people are looking towards bar and bench for resolution of their issues.

Talking to a delegation of District Bar Association Bannu that called on him here, the CJP warned the bench and bar not to let mutual disputes and strikes take away the respect earned.

Terming the bar and bench as important elements in the process of dispensation of justice, Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry advised that the bench and bar should bridge their differences immediately without resorting to come out on streets.

The lawyers delegation also briefed the CJP about the hardships being faced due to not having a bench of Peshawar High Court.

Governor GB Shama Khalid calls on CM Sindh

KARACHI: The Governor of Gilgit Baltistan, Dr. Shama Khalid, called on Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, here at Chief Minister House on Wednesday.

The Chief Minister welcomed her on her arrival in the province.

He apprised her on the development projects that have been initiated in Sindh.

Qaim Ali Shah also apprised her of the programme that has been started for the betterment of the women.

He also congratulated Dr. Shama Khalid for becoming the first Governor of Gilgit Baltistan.

She also informed about the development activities taking place in Gilgit Baltistan.

Militants set free 50 hostages kidnapped in Kurrum

The militants have released 50 people out of 60 kidnapped on Saturday in Pakistan’s restive northwest on Sunday.
The militants dressed as policemen kidnapped at least 60 people in two incidents in the ethnic Pashtun tribal region of Kurram, where government forces have recently stepped up an anti-militant offensive. Negotiations involving tribal elders were underway for the release of the remaining 10 hostages, believed to be employees of the state power company; regional government official Mumtaz Khan told a news agency. Pakistani government officials have accused Pakistani Taliban militants of carrying out kidnappings after coming under pressure from security crackdowns in Kurrum and other areas.Taliban officials were not immediately available for comment.Some kidnappings in the region were believed to have been carried out by tribes. Hameedullah Khan, a tribal elder, had a different account of what happened with the hostages, saying militants released 40, while 10 escaped. He was optimistic those still being held would be freed.In the meantime, 13 militants were killed and 10 others injured when the Pakistani forces pounded their hideouts in Orakzai Agency on Sunday. The military has stepped up operation in the abovesaid area of late.

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