Met office predicts dry weather for Sindh
Police arrest three outlaws, recover illegal weapons
Cleanliness week drive in full swing in Paharpur Tehsil
Weekly inflation falls slightly
One Day Workshop on Pakistan Citizen Portal Held at Shah Abdul Latif University
DC inaugurates 4-day anti-polio campaign
PM reaffirms resolve to further strengthen ties with Turkiye
ASHGABAT, Dec 12 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Friday reaffirmed his firm resolve to further strengthen bilateral cooperation with Turkiye in all areas of mutual interest including political, energy, economic, defence and investment.
During a meeting with President of the Republic of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on the sidelines of the International Forum dedicated to the International Year of Peace and Trust in Ashgabat, the prime minister expressed his satisfaction at the frequent leadership level engagements between the two countries this year.
During the meeting, the two leaders reaffirmed the significance of the historic and deep fraternal bonds between the two nations, that were rooted in shared values and a common aspiration for peace and prosperity.
The prime minister expressed his satisfaction at the convening of the 16th session of the Pak-Turkiye JMC that would ensure implementation of the decisions of the 7th HLSCC, a press release issued by the PM House said.
While identifying energy, petroleum and minerals as priority sectors, the prime minister welcomed Turkish interest and investments in these areas.
He urged the two sides to ensure the timely implementation of the recently signed MOUs/agreements in these critical sectors. He said that Pakistan sought to benefit from Turkish expertise in the privatization of distribution companies. In this regard, it was decided that Ministerial level exchanges between the two countries would take place very soon.
The prime minister underscored the importance of regional connectivity as manifested by the revival of the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul rail network.
Both leaders also exchanged views on regional as well as global developments. The prime minister appreciated
President Erdogan’s bold leadership and strong commitment to peace efforts in Gaza.
He also thanked Turkiye for its constructive role in facilitating talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban regime but stressed that peace would only be possible if Pakistan’s security concerns were fully addressed.
President Erdogan thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for his views , particularly his kind words and expressed his desire to work together with a view to build stronger ties between the two countries.
Man dies in tractor-trolley accident
Magnitude 6.7 earthquake hits Japan’s northeast region, tsunami advisory issued
TOKYO, Dec 12 (WAM/APP): An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.7 hit Japan’s northeastern region on Friday, prompting a tsunami advisory for waves up to 1 metre (39 inches) high from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
The quake struck at 11:44 am (0244 GMT) off the coast of Aomori prefecture with a depth of 20 km (12 miles), after a bigger, 7.5-magnitude earthquake hit the same region late on Monday.
After Monday’s earthquake, the government issued a special advisory warning residents across a wide area, from Hokkaido in the north to Chiba, east of Tokyo, to be on alert for an increased possibility of a powerful earthquake hitting again within a week.
The tremor on Friday measured 4 on Japan’s 1-7 seismic intensity scale.
Severe floods force mass evacuations in US state of Washington
WASHINGTON, Dec 12 (WAM/APP): Severe rainfall has triggered major flooding in the US state of Washington, prompting evacuation orders for tens of thousands of residents.
Governor Bob Ferguson has urged people in threatened areas to leave and follow instructions from local authorities. Up to 100,000 residents are believed to be affected by evacuation orders.
“We’re looking at a historic situation, expecting 2 feet [61 centimetres] higher than the record flood level,” Ferguson said in a post on X.
Ferguson said more than 30 major highways had been closed to traffic. The governor also declared a statewide emergency to rapidly mobilise funds and additional personnel.
The National Guard has been deployed to assist with rescue operations in the flooded regions. Helicopters and boats have been used to bring people to safety. Dozens of rivers have overflowed their banks, inundating towns and farmland.
The heavy rainfall in the north-west of the United States is being driven by a weather phenomenon known as an atmospheric river, a band of extremely moist air that can deliver intense rainfall for days.