Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim has been appointed acting Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court (PHC). President Asif Ali Zardari appointed Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim as Acting Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court under Article 196 of the Constitution. A notification of the permanence of the six additional judges of the Sindh High Court (SHC) was also issued. The appointment will be effective …

Credit to China Daily Rating Agency Fitch’s sovereign credit rating methodology and indicator system have failed to effectively and prospectively reflect the positive role of China’s fiscal policies, which are properly more proactive with better efficacy in boosting economic growth and, in turn, stabilizing macro leverage ratios, a senior official from the Ministry of Finance said on Wednesday. According to …

BEIJING: China’s consumer price index (CPI), a main gauge of inflation, edged up 0.1 percent year on year in March, official data showed Thursday. On a monthly basis, the CPI went down 1 percent in March, said the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). NBS statistician Dong Lijuan attributed the changes in CPI data to seasonal easing of consumer demand and …

BEIJING: Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday announced the country’s decision to take countermeasures against U.S. companies that participate in arms sales to China’s Taiwan region, including General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and General Dynamics Land Systems. The following is the full text of the decision: Decision on Taking Countermeasures Against General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and General Dynamics Land Systems (Issued on …

BEIJING: The recent meeting of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, with a Taiwan delegation led by Ma Ying-jeou has injected stability and positive energy into the relations across the Taiwan Strait. Wednesday’s meeting in Beijing marked the first time Xi had received Taiwan compatriots and delivered an important speech since the 20th …

The Punjab Police on Wednesday decried “fake propaganda” after a string of videos showing Pakistan Army officers allegedly assaulting and beating up cops in Bahawalnagar went viral on social media. “This matter in Bahawalnagar, which went viral on social media, has been taken out of context and exaggerated,” the police said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter. A day …

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Thursday said Pakistan’s economic outlook was uncertain, with high risks on the downside, as political uncertainty would remain a key risk to the sustainability of stabilisation and reform efforts. In its April 2024 ‘Asian Development Outlook’, the Manila-based lending agency said potential supply chain disruptions from the escalation of the conflict in the Middle …

German airline Lufthansa (LHAG.DE), opens new tab said on Wednesday it had suspended flights to Tehran due to the situation in the Middle East, which is on alert for possible Iranian retaliation for a suspected Israeli air strike on Iran’s embassy in Syria. An Iranian news agency briefly stoked tensions when it published an Arabic report on social media platform …

Google stated today that anybody utilizing the app would be able to access the AI-powered features inside Google Photos without needing to have a paid subscription. Features include Portrait light, Photo Unblur, and Magic Eraser. This will begin on May 15, which is, ironically, the day following Google’s annual developer conference. Because that’s how Google likes things to work, as …

Six children died and dozens more were injured after a school bus overturned near a village in Haryana’s Narnaul on Thursday morning. As per NDTV, the school was functioning despite a holiday for Eid-ul-Fitr, officials said. The bus which belonged to GL Public School overturned near Unhani village of Kanina. The District Education Officer said that after initial investigation it …

Pakistani player hoisted the green crescent flag in Australia and won five gold medals. In the under-13 category, Mahnoor Ali won the gold medal. Hazifa Shahid won the gold medal in U-13 Men’s Junior Open Squash Championship. In U-15 Men’s, Yahya Khan won the final. Under-17 Men’s and Women’s titles both went to Pakistan. In Men’s, Ibrahim Zeb won Gold …

A heart-wrenching tragedy occurred in Alipur’s Midwala area where a tailor Sajjad Khokhar resorted to an unimaginable act of brutality apparently over the so-called ‘burden of poverty and hardship’ mercilessly killing his wife and seven innocent children aged between six months and seven years sharp hammer. A heavy contingent of police including SDPO Alipur, SHO President Ismat Abbas, and dedicated …

ZHENGZHOU: Approximately 5,000 Chinese people attended a grand ceremony on Thursday morning in central China’s Henan Province to worship the legendary ancestor Huangdi, or the Yellow Emperor. Held in Xinzheng City, the ceremonial rituals included firing salute cannons, presenting flower baskets, burning incense, a worshipping ceremony, and tributes through music and dance. Sixty-four dancers performed Bayi, an iconic ceremonial dance …

BEIJING: Chinese stocks closed higher on Thursday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index up 0.23 percent to 3,034.25 points. The Shenzhen Component Index closed 0.03 percent higher at 9,300.77 points. The combined turnover of stocks covered by the two indices reached 812.8 billion yuan (about 114.5 billion U.S. dollars), down from 830 billion yuan on the previous trading day. Stocks …

BRUSSELS: An official from China’s Ministry of Commerce lodged serious representations to the European Commission here Wednesday on the EU’s recent moves that affect bilateral trade relations. The EU decided on Tuesday to initiate subsidy investigations into Chinese wind turbine suppliers under its Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR), marking the fourth probe targeting Chinese firms in just two months. The EU’s …

Most recently, the US rating agency Fitch has intentionally downgraded China’s sovereign credit rating outlook to negative from stable which faced strong rejection from the Chinese policy makers. They termed it biased and flawed and ignored basic parameters of judging the real strength and diversification of the Chinese macro-economy, which has further strengthened during first quarter of the 2024 in …

Pakistan cricket team captain, Babar Azam, has wished his fans Eid Mubarak by sharing some special photos on this joyous occasion. After performing the Eid prayers, Captain Babar Azam reportedly visited his ancestral home, where he spent quality time with his brothers and friends. Amidst the festivities, Babar went on to the roof of his house and took stunning photos, …

The Pakistani nation Wednesday marked Eid ul Fitr with prayers for brethren in Gaza, who have been facing death and destruction for the past six months at the hands of oppressive Israeli forces. At least 33,360 Palestinians have been confirmed killed in six months of war, which began on October 7, Gaza’s health ministry said in its latest update, with …

Bushra Bibi, the former first lady, has reached Adiala Jail under tight security arrangements to meet her husband, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Founder Imran Khan, on the auspicious occasion of Eidul Fitr. Accompanied by security personnel, Bushra Bibi was escorted from her residence in Bani Gala, where she is also under house arrest, to Adiala Jail, where Imran Khan is currently …

A woman shops at a market on the eve of Eid al-Fitr in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan on April 9, 2024. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal) A woman has her hand decorated with traditional henna designs at a market on the eve of Eid al-Fitr in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan on April 9, 2024. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal) People shop at a market on the …

BEIJING: China’s top legislator Zhao Leji met with President of the Federated States of Micronesia Wesley W. Simina in Beijing on Wednesday. Zhao, chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said that China is willing to work with Micronesia to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and continuously enrich the connotation of China-Micronesia …

BEIJING: China on Wednesday urged the United States to fulfill its commitment of not supporting “Taiwan independence” and to cease sending the wrong signals to separatist forces. “We urge the U.S. side to abide by the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiques with concrete actions,” said Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office …

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Beijing. Xi asked Lavrov to convey sincere greetings to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, Xi said China and Russia have embarked on a new path of harmonious coexistence …

BEIJING: Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has clinched the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, announced that his campaign had raised 50.5 million U.S. dollars at a major fundraiser in Florida last week. This figure broke the record of 25 million dollars in fundraising in a single political event set by incumbent President Joe Biden, a Democrat. For a long time, …

The upcoming general elections in India are just around the corner, and tensions are running high as the Modi govt faces criticism over its actions. Accusations of spreading hatred and anti-Muslim propaganda have been leveled against the govt by opposition parties, particularly in response to the Congress’s 2024 election manifesto. According to the Modi govt, the Congress’s manifesto echoes the …

Pakistani duo Mehwish Ali and Mahnoor Ali won the Australian Open Junior Squash Championship quarterfinal match defeating the Australian opponent 0-3 and reaching the semi-final. Mahnoor Ali defeated the Kiwi player 0-3 in the quarterfinals. Suharsh Ali was defeated in the quarter-finals. Now, Sahresh Ali will play the fifth-position match. The Australian Junior Open (AJO) is the pinnacle event on …

Diljit Dosanjh is referred to by his admirers as a “beeba munda (good boy)”. The actor-singer was recently seen in a major role in the film Crew and collaborated with Ed Sheeran during his concert in Mumbai. However, the actor-singer’s friends have shockingly claimed that Diljit is married to an Indian-American woman and has a son in a profile published …

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced the launch of an air ambulance service and the declaration of Peshawar’s Hayatabad area as a healthcare city. Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur chaired a meeting of the health department at the Chief Minister’s House, where these decisions were made, signalling a proactive approach towards improving healthcare infrastructure and accessibility. During the meeting, Chief …

Pakistan Army took the initiative to celebrate World Health Day across various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, organizing special events aimed at raising awareness about healthy living. In districts such as Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Swat, Dir, and Chitral, the army hosted events with the goal of educating the public about the importance of maintaining good health. The army set up …

According to the European Union’s climate change monitoring service, the world just had its warmest March on record, ending a 10-month streak in which every month set a new temperature record. According to a monthly bulletin from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), every one of the past 10 months has been the hottest on record globally when compared …

The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) is actively spearheading efforts to unlock Pakistan’s vast mineral potential. It is fast-tracking the establishment of a Mines and Minerals Division at the federal level to revitalize the mining sector by harmonizing policies and regulations nationwide. By fostering coordination between federal and provincial bodies, the SIFC aims to attract both domestic and foreign investment …

The Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has issued a high alert for heavy rains and potential storms set to hit Lahore and various parts of Punjab during Eidul Fitr celebrations. The director general of PDMA, Irfan Ali Kathia, highlighted the likelihood of intermittent stormy rains between tomorrow and April 15, urging citizens to remain vigilant and prepare accordingly. The heavy …

PPP’s Yousaf Raza Gilani and PML-N’s Saidal Khan Nasir have been elected Senate chairman and deputy chairman unopposed, as the opposition PTI boycotted the elections to the two constitutional offices. They were elected unopposed, as no other candidate submitted nominations against them in the stipulated time period, with the PTI boycotting the elections. Earlier, the session of the Upper House …

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday announced the 17-member Pakistan squad against New Zealand. PCB selection committee Abdul Razzaq, Muhammad Yusuf, Asad Shafiq, Wahab Riaz, and Bilal Afzal held a press conference at PCB Headquarters in Lahore. Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Muhammad Rizwan, Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Muhammad Iftikhar, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Muhammad Amir, Muhammad Irfan, Fakhar Zaman, …

BEIJING: During U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s visit to China, China clearly expressed its serious concerns to the U.S. side about U.S. sanctions on Chinese companies, tariffs levied on Chinese goods, and restrictions on investment in China, according to China’s Ministry of Finance. Addressing a press briefing regarding Yellen’s visit from April 4 to 9, Vice Minister of Finance Liao …

BEIJING: China stands ready to work with neighboring countries to expand the convergence of interests, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday. Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a daily press briefing when answering a relevant query. According to media reports, April has witnessed a host of high-level visits from Southeast Asian countries to China. Indonesian President-elect Prabowo’s …

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is expected to undertake an official visit to Pakistan in the third week of April as part of efforts by the two neighbours to remove mistrust after the two exchanged missiles in January. There is no official word yet from either side about the exact dates of the Iranian president’s visit but sources said Raisi would …

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former prime minister and a leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), on Monday approached the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the registration of a new political party. Abbasi arrived at the ECP office in Islamabad today where he submitted an application for the registration of the new political party. Along with the application, he also …

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) rejected on Monday the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) request seeking deferment of tomorrow’s elections on the slots of Senate chairman and deputy chairman. The party has decided to boycott the elections. Earlier today, five PTI senators filed the petition, claiming the current electoral college was incomplete and therefore ‘unconstitutional’, as Senate polls were not held in …

The Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) has announced the discovery of a gas reservoir during the drilling of a well in Sindh, in a significant development for the energy sector. According to OGDCL, the gas deposit, totalling 1.24 million standard cubic meters, has been found in Sajawal, marking a promising addition to the country’s tight gas reserves. The …