BEIJING: China’s new energy vehicle (NEV) ownership has continued to climb, with NEVs in use rising to 20.41 million at the end of 2023, according to the Ministry of Public Security. The figure accounted for 6.07 percent of the country’s total vehicle ownership, the ministry said. The number of newly registered NEVs in use in 2023 was 7.43 million, marking …

GENEVA: The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) has confirmed that each team to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games will be allowed to include one non-competing (AP) athlete to replace an athlete for medical reasons. For the first time in the history of the Olympic volleyball competition, team rosters will increase from 12 to 13 athletes. The decision came following …

DAR ES SALAAM: The government of Tanzania on Tuesday thanked the Chinese government for dispatching medical teams to help improve healthcare for people in the East African country. Over the last six decades, more than 1,500 members of the Chinese medical team have been dispatched to Tanzania, said Paschal Ruggajo, director of curative services in the Ministry of Health, stressing …

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday congratulated Sheikh Hasina on her reelection as Bangladeshi prime minister. In his congratulatory message, Xi noted that China and Bangladesh are neighbors with traditional friendship. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 49 years ago, Xi said, the two countries have respected each other, treated each other as equals, and shared mutual benefits. Xi …

HARBIN: As the night unfolded amidst the radiant moonlight, visitors flocked to Harbin Ice-Snow World, a captivating dreamscape illuminated by dazzling lights and adorned with majestic ice sculptures, transforming the “ice city” into a vibrant tourism hotspot amid China’s winter travel spree. The capital of China’s northernmost province of Heilongjiang, Harbin is renowned as the “crown jewel of ice and …

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with President of the Republic of Maldives Mohamed Muizzu in Beijing on Wednesday. The two heads of state announced the elevation of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. Xi said that the people of the two countries established friendly ties through the ancient Maritime Silk Road, undertook productive cooperation in the …

Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Qatar Emiri Air Force joint aerial Exercise Zilzal-II has kicked off in Qatar. The exercise will mimic a near-realistic aerial warfare scenario coupled with real-time opportunity for the participating Air Forces to test their operational readiness. Exercise Zilzal-II, aimed at improving joint planning mechanism, is considered a historical benchmark to further solidify the existing defence …

The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the death sentence of later former president Pervez Musharraf’s awarded to him by a special court in 2019 in a “high treason case”. A four-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Athar Minallah conducted the hearing. The former …

In a groundbreaking move, Elon Musk’s social media giant, X, formerly known as Twitter, has announced its plan to introduce peer-to-peer payments within the year. The announcement, made on the platform, revealed that the move is part of X’s grand vision to usher in a “2024 revolution” by enhancing user utility and opening up new opportunities for commerce. While the …

The bodies of 11 people were recovered from a house in Takhtikhel area of Lakki Marwat. The bodies included women and children. Police reached the spot in the remote Tap Takhtikhel area of Lakki Marwat where someone reportedly broke into a house and killed 11 people, and escaped after locking the house from the outside. According to the police, the …

The Rawalpindi police have taken an important initiative by starting regular school classes for the city’s transgender population. The special classes are being conducted at the Islamia Higher Secondary School in Liaquat Bagh. A spokesman for the Rawalpindi police said that such an initiative for the education of transgenders had been taken for the first time in Pakistan. The district …

Senior judge of the Supreme Court Justice Mazahar Ali Naqvi has resigned from office.  The judge has sent his resignation to the president of Pakistan. A complaint against Justice Naqvi on charges of corruption and incomplete asset details was being heard in the Supreme Judicial Council. A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court had on Tuesday rejected an appeal for …

The Peshawar High Court has allowed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to contest the upcoming elections in February on its bat symbol. The court had earlier reserved its decision on the PTI’s appeal against the election commission’s decision to withdraw the symbol from the party and nullify its intra-party elections. The PHC accepted the PTI’s appeal and declared the election commission’s …

China’s Maritime Silk Road (MSR) is an integral part of Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The Suez Canal, Red Sea, and Gulf of Aden are essential to the success of the MSR and, consequently, to the BRI. The disruption in Red Sea has once again highlighted the strategic importance of the Chinese BRI which is indeed a mega project …

MALE: Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu has said he intends to promote economic, trade, tourism, investment and cultural cooperation with China during his state visit to the country starting on Monday. “China is and will continue to be a key partner in the social and economic development of the Maldives,” the Maldivian president told Xinhua in a written interview before leaving …

BEIJING: A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Tuesday said that the mutual visits of table tennis teams of young players added a new chapter to the stories of China-U.S. friendship and new impetus to people-to-people exchanges. Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a daily press briefing in response to a query on the visit of the Peking University table …

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulations Wednesday with his Tunisian counterpart, Kais Saied, on the 60th anniversary of China-Tunisia diplomatic relations. In a message, Xi said China and Tunisia, with a profound traditional friendship, have witnessed sound and steady growth of bilateral ties since they established diplomatic ties 60 years ago, no matter how the international landscape evolves. Xi …

BEIJING: China is on track for a bumper travel season, with travel authorities and tourism industry players expecting record-breaking journey numbers during the upcoming Spring Festival, adding new steam to the country’s economic recovery. The Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 10 this year, is China’s biggest festival and a day for family reunions. It will serve as an important …

GUIYANG: In front of the village gate, Gun Shuixin and more than 10 other men stood on both sides of the road, holding up muskets and pulling the triggers aiming toward the sky. With the crisp gunshot, plumes of white smoke emitted from the muzzle. Curious tourists standing nearby pulled out cell phones and cameras to capture the memorable moment. …

KUALA LUMPUR: Chinese shuttlers got off to a strong start at the Malaysia Open as they advanced in five categories here on Tuesday. In the men’s singles first round, seventh-seeded Shi Yuqi overcame Rasmus Gemke of Denmark 20-22, 21-12, 21-10, while Lu Guangzu outmatched Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia 16-21, 21-19, 21-15 in one hour and 17 minutes at the Axiata …

BEIJING: The total length of China’s operating high-speed rail tracks reached 45,000 km by the end of 2023, data from the national railway operator showed Tuesday. The operating mileage of China’s railway network amounted to 159,000 km, according to a work conference of the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. In 2023, the fixed-asset investment in the country’s railway sector …

BEIJING: Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao said on Tuesday that China, the world’s top trader in terms of goods, is making steady progress toward its goal of becoming a trader of quality. Wang, when delivering a special report on the nation’s foreign trade development at an economic climate seminar held in Beijing, said that China’s foreign trade had withstood downward …

BEIJING: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday presented China’s diplomatic work for 2024, saying that China will always be confident and self-reliant, and fulfill its duties as a responsible major country. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when addressing a symposium on the international situation and …

In the second meeting of the Trilateral Defence Collaboration held on Tuesday at the GHQ, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye discussed potential collaboration in defence equipment technologies including research and development. According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the three sides reaffirmed the salience of “combining the intellectual, technical, financial as well as human resources of …

Peanuts stand out for their delightful flavour and versatile applications, making them a popular choice worldwide. Whether enjoyed as snacks or transformed into peanut butter, millions of people prefer peanuts for their delicious taste and adaptability. During the winter season, individuals actively seek the numerous benefits associated with peanuts. They are linked to heart health, mental well-being, and the prevention …

Former Indian cricketer and current Haryana Deputy Superintendent of Police, Joginder Sharma, has been implicated in a case related to the suicide of a Hisar resident. Known for bowling the crucial last over in the inaugural ICC T20 final in South Africa in 2007, Joginder Sharma later joined the Haryana Police as DSP. The FIR registered by Haryana Police includes …

The third edition of Future Fest will take place on January 26-28 at Expo Center, Lahore. As Pakistan’s largest tech event, Future Fest will host 100,000+ attendees, 300 speakers, and international guests, bridging the global perspective to the top 50 industries of Pakistan during this crucial economic period. Future Fest is supported by the world’s leading companies, including Hashoo Group, …

Film star Fawad Khan recently opened up about navigating the Indian film industry’s “politics” and his preference for a low-key approach in a conversation with his friend and actor Ahmad Ali Butt. Fawad debuted in Bollywood in 2014 with the film ‘Khoobsurat’, but later fell victim to an Indo-Pak artist ban. Before his big crossover, he was already one of …

The Punjab government on Tuesday decided to cancel the artificial rainfall programme due to the absence of the required clouds. Sources divulged that two aircraft from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were presently stationed at Lahore Airport, awaiting approval from the meteorological department to proceed with the artificial rainfall operation. It had been disclosed that the Meteorological Department has not …

The International Cricket Council (ICC) declared the Newlands pitch, where India secured victory against South Africa in less than two days last week, “unsatisfactory” on Tuesday. India triumphed by seven wickets in Cape Town last Thursday, levelling the two-match series in a contest that lasted a mere 107 overs, marking it as the shortest Test match to yield a result. …

Negotiations are underway between the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) regarding the allocation of seats in NA-242. Sources divulged on Tuesday that for the provincial seats in NA-242, the MQM-P is anticipated to nominate its candidate, whereas the PML-N is showing a preference for presenting its own candidate. Ongoing discussions are in progress between MQM and …

Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan has been arrested in the case of May 9 attack on the General Headquarters (GHQ) of the Pakistan Army also. Imran Khan is incarcerated in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail on judicial remand in two references of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), while his release orders in the cipher case were …

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday appointed Gabriel Attal as prime minister following the resignation of former head of government Elisabeth Borne, announced the presidential palace, the Elysee. In a short press release, the Elysee noted that the President of the Republic appointed Gabriel Attal as Prime Minister, and tasked him with forming a government. From 2020 to 2022, …

BEIJING: Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered an important speech at the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) on the morning of January 8. He emphasized that after ten years of unremitting anti-graft efforts in the …

URUMQI: Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region received more than 265.44 million tourist visits from home and abroad in 2023, a year-on-year increase of more than 117 percent, hitting a record high. Its revenue from tourism soared nearly 227 percent year on year to more than 296.7 billion yuan (41.78 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023, according to the regional culture …

MOSCOW: Russia will maintain the combat readiness of its strategic nuclear forces at the highest level, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday. “One of the key (priorities for the Russian armed forces) is to maintain the combat readiness of the nuclear triad at the highest level, which in turn ensures global strategic balance,” Shoigu said during a conference call …

BEIJING: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday presented China’s diplomatic work for 2024, saying that China will always be confident and self-reliant, and fulfill its duties as a responsible major country. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when addressing a symposium on the international situation and …

BEIJING: Beijing authorities on Monday issued a trial guideline for the protection and utilization of over 1,000 historical building in the capital city. From 2019 to 2021, Beijing released a list of a total of 1,056 historical buildings in three batches. These buildings, which span some 700 years, spread across 11 districts within the city. With diverse functions and architectural …

XICHANG: China sent a new astronomical satellite into space on Tuesday to observe mysterious transient phenomena in the universe comparable to the flickering of fireworks, with the aim of unveiling the violent and little-known aspects of the cosmos. The satellite, named Einstein Probe (EP), uses a new X-ray detection technology inspired by the lobster eye. It was launched at 3:03 …

GUIYANG: Yao Zuhui, a 47-year-old villager from Jiu’an Township, vividly recalls her mother’s advice over two decades ago that marrying to one outside her hometown would bring the benefit of being able to keep her shoes clean as there would be no more coal ashes. Located in Guiyang, the capital city of southwest China’s Guizhou Province, Jiu’an was home to …