Eight killed in fresh Karachi violence

KARACHI: Eight including a policeman have been killed and several others injured as violence returns to the metropolis, Geo News reported. According to the police, the situation in Sarjani town remained tense on Monday. Criminals burnt cars and a young man was killed in the area while two people were injured.

In Orangi town the situation remained tense after an exchange of fire between two groups. Three bodies were recovered from the Dhoobi Gath and Awami Colony areas. The victims were kidnapped and tortured. In Gulistan-e-Johar block 17, a man was killed when unknown gunmen opened fire on a restaurant. A policeman was killed due to firing in Landhi.

Meanwhile a body was also recovered from the Lyari area while one person was killed as a result of firing in the Alfalah area. A woman and her brother in law were killed when unknown men entered their house and opened fire in Baldia town.

Popalzai says 1st Ramazan on August 1

 PESHAWAR: Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai has announced that 1st day of the holy month of Ramazan would fall on Augusut (Monday), Geo News reported Sunday.

Popalzai made the announcement while talking to media men after a meeting held here at Masjid Qasim Ali Khan which was attended by local Ulema and notables of the area.

Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai said many witnesses of the moon including a woman approached the Ulema who examined the account of witnesses.

The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will hold its meeting on Monday to announce sighting of the moon or otherwise.

Indian breaks 250 coconuts in 8.56 minutes

BHUBANESHWAR: Kehsab Swain from Odisha found a place in the 'Limca Book of Records' after he broke 250 green coconuts in just 8.56 minutes. Keshab achieved the milestone yesterday.

Keshab had earlier broken 184 green coconuts (poida) in 6 minutes 40 seconds in 2010. This time, he went a step further and achieved a rare milestone, bring glory to Odisha.

The green coconut-breaking event was organised at Rabindra Mandap in Bhubaneswar yesterday. Sports & Youth Affairs Minister, Badri Narayan Patra, Tourism & Culture Minister Prafulla Samal, former Minister Suresh Routray and Nayagarh MLA Arun Sahoo were present at the occasion.

Keshab used his head, elbow and knee to break the coconuts, getting full cheer and appreciation from the crowd present there. Limca Book of Record official VBR Murty was present to certify Keshab's feat.

The 38-year-old Keshab Swain hails from Dharakot in Ganjam district. He had won the Biju Patnaik Bravery Award for 2009 after saving pilgrims from a burning bus in 2008.

Rising mercury dampens zeal of Zoo enthusiasts

LAHORE: Increasingly hot weather has desisted animal lovers from visiting Lahore Zoo lately as nearly 60% of the visitorship has declined.

Zoo authorities said that during congenial weather around 10000 to 12000 visitors from the city and other towns turned up but now due to hot weather this figure has come down to 4000.

Ms Zaib medical officer at the Zoo said in order to save the animals from heat precautionary measures were taken. Ice blocks were supplied in the cages of tigers, lions and other animals; air coolers were working round the clock to keep the cages cool; multivitamin supplements were being given; bamboo screens were hung to protect birds from scorching sun, sources explained.

The doctor said a premature female Mufflen sheep was born in the Zoo on Wednesday raising the number of this specie to 21.It is European breed sheep, it was learnt. (APP)

Wedding set for Bahrain and Saudi royal families

MANAMA: Friends become relatives, that is what has happened to the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The son of Bahrain’s king and the daughter of Saudi Arabia’s monarch have gotten engaged

According to the official news agency of Bahrain, the king’s fifth son Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad has gotten engaged to Saudi King Abdullah’s daughter. She is the 15th daughter of the King and her name was not given by the news agency.

The engagement comes at a time when protests have taken place in Bahrain calling for a political change and the country’s forces have been helped by Saudi forces to quell those protests.

 

KP govt disowns Qasim Mosque’s decision

PESHAWAR: The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has disowned the decision made from Qasim Ali Khan Mosque to observe 1st fast of the holy month of Ramadan on August 1.

Talking to Geo News, provincial Minister for Religious Affairs Namroz Khan said that no government official attended before and after the announcement from Qasim Ali Khan Mosque, adding that the provincial government did not make any announcement to observe 1st fast on August 1.

Namroz Khan said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government fully disowned the announcement.