Susan Boyle wax statue revealed at Madame Tussauds

LONDON: 50 year-old singer, Susan Boyle, who received international attention through the show 'Britain's Got Talent', immortalized in Madame Tussauds wax sculpture collection of the British.

Wax statue was unveiled at the seaside resort of Blackpool, northwest England. Susan Boyle wax spend a budget of £ 150,000.

Susan Boyle twins appeared wearing a black dress which is owned by Susan Boyle.

The singer is also immortalized in Madame Tussauds wax sculpture, among others, Justin Bieber, Lady GaGa and Taylor Swift.

Sindh, Balochistan CNG stations shut down for 36 hours

KARACHI: All Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations in Sindh and Balochistan closed down their operations for 36 hours from midnight of Friday till noon on Sunday.

On late Friday, long queues of vehicles were witnessed at CNG stations.

According to Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) spokesman, this was mutually agreed in a meeting of the SSGC's top management and the elected representatives of several CNG associations at SSGC Head Office on Thursday, presided by SSGC's Deputy Managing Director Azim Iqbal Siddiqui.

The decision was taken in the larger interest of maintaining uninterrupted gas supply across the company's franchise areas in Sindh and Balochistan.

There was a need for this decision keeping in view of Bhit Gas Field Annual Turn-Around (ATA), which has been in effect since April 12.

It was also agreed between the SSGC and the representatives of CNG associations that the company's monitoring teams will be strictly checking all the stations during this 36-hour agreed shut-down.

The CNG stations found operating during the agreed shut down period of 36 hours will have their gas supply disconnected and will not be restored for 24 hours beyond the closure period and until the filing of a 'non objection certificate' (NOC) from the respective CNG association.

72 dead in Syria's bloodiest day of unrest

AMMAN: Syrian security forces killed at least 70 protesters on Friday, rights activists said, the bloodiest day in a month of escalating pro-democracy demonstrations against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad.

Syrian rights organisation Sawasiah said 70 civilians had been killed across the country, in the biggest demonstrations to sweep Syria so far.

Wissam Tarif, director of human rights group Insan, gave a similar death toll. "At least 72 people have been killed so far. The number of injured exceeds 80 people in Homs and its villages and the villages (near the southern city) of Deraa," he told.

It was not possible to independently confirm the figures.

Tens of thousands of people had taken to the streets of cities across Syria and called for the "overthrow of the regime", reflecting the hardening of demands which initially focused on reforms and greater freedoms.

The protests went ahead despite Assad's lifting of the state of emergency the day before. Ending the hated emergency rule, in place since the Baath Party seized power 48 years ago, was a central demand of demonstrators, who also seek the release of political prisoners and dismantling of the security services.

Friday's violence brings the death toll to about 300, according to rights activists, since the unrest which broke out on March 18 in the southern city of Deraa. Activists cited the highest toll in the nearby village of Izra'a where protesters had been trying to head for Deraa. Residents said 14 people were killed.

"Izra'a is in the dark. No mobile phones or landlines working. People have been talking from villages near to Izraa but not in the town," said Wissam Tarif of human rights organisation, Insan, who had 12 confirmed killed in Izra'a.

Syrian television said eight people were killed and 28wounded, including army personnel, in attacks by armed groups in the village. It added an armed group had attacked a military base in the Damascus suburb of Muadhamiya.

As in the Tunisian and Egyptian uprisings, citizens are rebelling against both a lack of freedom and opportunity and security forces' impunity and corruption that has enriched the elite while one-third of Syrians live below the poverty line.

PTI’s sit-in against drone attacks today

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) will stage sit-in in Peshawar tomorrow (Saturday) in protest against US’s drone attacks on Pakistani soil, Geo News reported.

Besides, Imran Khan, the chief of PTI, some other political leaders and member civil society will also speak on the occasion.

Secretary Information PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter, Zahid Hussain, briefed media at the venue where PTI will stage sit-in.Briefing media, he said PTI activists from all over country will gather at Naran Garden in Hayatabad area on Saturday morning, commencing sit-in to register protest with the government against US’s drone attacks on Pakistani land and would continue till Sunday evening.“

A caravan comprising PTI’s activists, led by chief Imran Khan, will leave for Peshawar from Islamabad on Saturday morning at 9am, ” he informed. PTI’s activists from Hazara Division will join Imran Khan-led caravan at Hassan Abdal place while more activists will join them at Attock, Jehangirah and Nowshera places, he revealed.

All political parties except the government’s coalition partners have been invited to join sit-in, he added.

Militants' back broken, says COAS

ISLAMABAD: Military has broken the back of militants, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani said in a speech on Saturday.

Addressing a Passing Out Parade of 123rd PMA Long Course at Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, General Kayani said Pakistan army was fully aware of the internal and external threats faced by the country.

"In the war against terrorism, our officers and soldiers have made great sacrifices and have achieved tremendous success," he said in a speech.

"The terrorists' backbone has been broken and Inshallah (God willing) we will soon prevail."

General Kayani said that the nation gives its priority to the independence and sovereignty of the country over any other thing.

COAS told cadets that this is the beginning of a long course, adding that they would get the chance to lead the most courageous army.