The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has sought the details of PTI’s intra-party election from the PTI. The DG Law says that until the commission is satisfied, the election symbol cannot be issued. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said that if the party does not get the bat symbol, it will constitute a violation of fundamental rights. Petitioner Akbar …

At least 25 army personnel were martyred and several others injured in two separate terrorist attacks in Dera Ismail Khan in the wee hours of Tuesday. At around 3am on Tuesday, six terrorists attacked a police station in the Daraban area of Dera Ismail Khan, however, their attempt to enter the premises was foiled. The terrorists then rammed a vehicle …

The 3rd Belt and Road Forum (BRF) 2023 hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping with the announcement of 8 new principles has laid down the solid foundation for the future course of development under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that is entering into the new stages of high-quality progress across the globe. Over the past decade, China following a …

BEIJING: China’s total number of national high-tech industrial development zones had reached 178 as of the end of November, an official said Tuesday. In the first three quarters of this year, the economic output of these high-tech zones hit 12.33 trillion yuan (1.73 trillion U.S. dollars), a year-on-year increase of 7.11 percent, said Wu Jiaxi, deputy director of the planning …

BEIJING: A signed article by General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping titled “Building a China-Vietnam Community with a Shared Future That Carries Strategic Significance And Writing Together a New Chapter in Our Modernization Drive” was published Tuesday by the Nhan Dan Newspaper of Vietnam. The following is an English version of …

BEIJING: Building a community with a shared future for mankind should start from Asia, Chinese President Xi Jinping said. Xi made the remarks in a signed article carried by the Nhan Dan Newspaper of Vietnam on Tuesday prior to his visit to the country with the title “Building a China-Vietnam Community with a Shared Future That Carries Strategic Significance And …

BEIJING: China will keep its neighborhood policy consistent and stable, bringing more benefits to its neighbors through Chinese modernization and jointly moving forward Asia’s modernization process, said Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president. Xi made the remarks in a signed article published by the Nhan Dan Newspaper of Vietnam on Tuesday …

KUALA LUMPUR: The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is widely deemed as a “game-changer” transforming the economic competitiveness of its partner countries, said Ong Tee Keat, president of Belt and Road Initiative Caucus for Asia Pacific. The BRI has focused on connectivity, notably the physical connectivity through infrastructure development, which has also been instrumental in rebalancing the economic inequality across …

HARBIN: Grain production in northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, known as the country’s “grain barn,” reached about 77.88 billion kilograms in 2023, accounting for 11.2 percent of the country’s total, official data showed on Monday. Heilongjiang’s annual grain output has ranked first in the country for 14 consecutive years, with an output growth of 252 million kilograms from last year, according …

SUVA: Fiji has witnessed a significant increase in Chinese visitors, with a recorded revenue of 18.1 million Fijian dollars (8 million U.S. dollars) so far this year, local media has reported. According to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism Viliame Gavoka, Fiji welcomed over 22,000 Chinese visitors from January to October, a notable increase from 4,136 visitors during the …

PHNOM PENH: Cambodian medical practitioner Yon Sarat was all ears and took good notes when traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) experts on Monday presented treatment techniques during a training seminar here. The 36-year-old nurse at private-owned Polyclinic Hong En in Phnom Penh said the training seminar would give him a better insight into the use of TCM in disease diagnosis and …

KUANTAN, Malaysia: The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), a mega rail project in Malaysia being built by the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) has seen its first tracks being laid on Monday. Malaysian King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah is among the guests to witness the historic moment. He officially launched the track laying for the project in a ceremony …

BEIJING: After six years, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, will again pay a state visit to Vietnam at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong and Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong. The visit will not only consolidate and deepen …

BEIJING: A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson has expressed the country’s regret and disappointment at the U.S. veto of a recent resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. On Dec. 8, the United Nations Security Council voted on the ceasefire resolution drafted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but it was not adopted due to a veto from the …

NANNING: As China’s largest durian-import port in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Youyiguan used to handle durians imported mainly from Thailand. However, since gaining market access to China last year, fresh durians from Vietnam are now quickly catching up. Nong Liqing, the general manager of an import and export company based in Pingxiang City of Guangxi, where the vibrant …

Similar to doing an MOT on a car, scientists believe they can run a blood test to check how fast a person’s internal organs are aging, and even predict which ones might soon fail. The Stanford University team says they can monitor 11 major body parts, including the heart, brain and lungs. They tried it on thousands of adults, mostly …

Pakistan on Monday categorically rejected the judgement announced by the Supreme Court of India on the status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Pakistan, in a statement issued by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and later in a press conference by Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, made it clear that Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally-recognized dispute, which remains …

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has announced that it is in the process of implementing the ‘Cycling as an Alternative Transport’ project. According to the civic authority, over 146 KM of dedicated cycling lanes will be developed all over the federal capital under this project. It aims to reduce carbon footprint and traffic congestion through this project. CDA further stated …

Cricket Australia has taken several initiatives to cater to Pakistani fans including two stands surrounding the Pakistan dressing room that have been designated as the ‘Pakistan Bay’, creating a special zone for Pakistani supporters, upcoming cricket match at Perth Stadium between Pakistan and the opposing team. Pakistan Bay has been declared an alcohol-free zone. To enhance the matchday experience for …

Only 28,782 applications have applied so far for Hajj 2024, as the deadline for submitting applications under the official Hajj scheme approaches. The low turnout of applicants prompted authorities to explore alternative options to encourage more participation. As per data, only 24,446 applications were collected under the official regular scheme on Saturday. The sponsorship scheme, aimed at facilitating pilgrims, received …

Fashion designer and social media activist Khadijah Shah has been arrested by Quetta police on charges of murder and attempted murder. On the other hand, her detention order was withdrawn by the Punjab government on Monday, adding a new twist to the case. Quetta police arrested Khadijah on Monday afternoon, and the anti-terrorism court granted her two-day transit remand to …

Kuwait is set to launch a Family Visa option in early 2024, according to the Ministry of Interior’s considerations. The Article 22 visa applicants, catering to family or dependents, will be limited to specific expatriate categories like doctors, university professors, applied education professors, and counselors. The eligibility criteria remain undisclosed, as the ministry plans to form a committee to define …

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan talking to the media clarified in the air that PTI will not boycott the upcoming general elections. He said the Peshawar High Court (PHC) has stopped the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from taking final action on the intra-party elections. “If the case was not filed in the High Court, the Election Commission …

The Supreme Court of India (SCI) refused to take a call on the constitutional validity of the Centre’s move to scrap ‘Article 370’, a special status granted to the Occupied state of Jammu and Kashmir. After a 16-day-long hearing, the Supreme Court reserved its judgment on September 5. The 2019 declaration was “a culmination of the process of integration and …

GENEVA: The World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board adopted a resolution on Sunday, urging for prompt and unobstructed humanitarian aid access to the Gaza Strip. At the request of 17 member states, the Executive Board convened a special session at the WHO headquarters in Geneva to discuss the health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem. In his …

HONG KONG: Draped in a floor-length red ethnic costume, topped with an iconic embroidered flower hat, renowned Chinese dancer Yang Liping took to the stage at the Hong Kong Cultural Center, instantly igniting thunderous applause. The “Tan Dun WE-Festival” commenced on Wednesday, with Yang’s choreographed drama dance, “Rite of Spring,” taking center stage as the grand finale of the first …

BEIJING: Road, rail and air traffic in Beijing were disrupted on Monday following snowfall from Sunday evening, and local authorities have implemented measures to ensure the safety of the public. From 7 p.m. Sunday to 8 a.m. Monday, snowfall in the city reached 5.8 mm on average. The largest precipitation was seen in Fangshan District, reaching 10.2 mm, according to …

BEIJING: China’s vehicle sales rose 27.4 percent year on year and 4.1 percent month on month in November, reaching 2.97 million units, latest data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed Monday. The nation’s vehicle output in the same month hit 3.09 million units, up 29.4 percent year on year and 7 percent compared to the previous month, the …

DUBAI: Iran and Saudi Arabia will start formal talks next week to resume direct scheduled flights between Tehran and Riyadh and other cities, an Iranian official told the state-affiliated news agency ILNA on Sunday. Regular flights would be another step towards restoring ties between the two Middle Eastern rivals. A Chinese-mediated agreement in March restored diplomatic relations after years of …

Bollywood is gearing up for a massive box office battle as two of its biggest stars, Prabhas and Shah Rukh Khan, are set to lock horns with their respective films, Salaar and Dunki, releasing on December 21 and 22, 2023, respectively. Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, SRK’s Dunki also stars Vicky Kaushal and Taapsee Pannu. On the other hand, the action-thriller …

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told the gathering that Doha will continue to pressure Israel and Hamas for a truce despite “narrowing” chances. Qatar, where several political leaders of Hamas are based, has been leading negotiations between the group and Israel. Sheikh Mohammed said hostages were released from Gaza because of negotiations and not because of …

This day commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948. President Dr Arif Alvi reaffirmed Pakistan’s dedication to upholding citizens’ rights as outlined in the country’s Constitution, the UDHR, and other international agreements. In a message on the occasion, President Alvi said the Constitution guarantees fundamental rights …

Pakistan’s mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed on Sunday was ruled out of the first Test match against Australia, which is set to begin in Perth on December 14, marking a severe setback for the team. During a recent first-class game against the Prime Minister’s XI, Abrar took one wicket and bowled a total of 27 overs before leaving the field due …

Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) Saturday released its National Corruption Perception Survey 2023 which shows the judiciary among the top three most corrupt institutions in Pakistan. Police are the most corrupt, followed by tendering and contracting and judiciary. Education and Health departments have been evaluated as the 4th and 5th most corrupt institutions. Local Government, Land Administration and Customs, Excise and …

KHUZDAR: A police official was martyred while two others sustained injuries after their vehicle was hit by a magnetic improvised explosive device (IED) in Khuzdar, Balochistan on Sunday. According to the police, Counter Terrorism Department’s (CTD) Station House Officer Mohammad Murad embraced martyrdom in the blast after his car was targeted on the Sultan Ibrahim road. The police added that …

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that he does not have any political rivals as “neither any player nor anyone else” can compete with him in politics. Addressing the party’s rally in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kohat district on Sunday, the PPP chief took a veiled jibe at his political opponents, saying that they are contesting elections for their …

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir has left for the United States (US) on his maiden official visit since his assuming office in November last year, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Sunday. In a brief statement, the military’s media wing said the army chief is scheduled to meet senior military and other government …

BEIJING: The Research Center for Archaeology of Yan Culture was established in Beijing on Sunday, aiming to promote the synergetic development of archaeological research and cultural undertakings in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. The Yan state was one of the major states in northern China from the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046-771 B.C.) to the Warring States period (475-221 B.C.), whose culture mainly …

CHENGDU, China: China sailed past South Korea 8-1 to complete an unbeaten run and win the first edition of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Mixed Team World Cup here on Sunday. Both teams remained undefeated prior to the final day, but the gold medal match turned out to be a lop-sided affair. Top-ranked mixed doubles pair of Wang Chuqin …

NAIROBI: Kenyan President William Ruto on Saturday called for elimination of bottlenecks that were slowing down growth of youth-led enterprises in Africa, worsening poverty and unemployment. Speaking at the official opening ceremony for Youthconnekt Africa in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, Ruto stressed that abolishing obsolete policies and regulations and hastening integration will be key to spurring growth of start-ups owned …