At least 11 people died and a dozen were injured in a fire that erupted in a multi-storey shopping mall on Saturday morning near the Dalmia area on Rashid Minhas Road. Officials said the deaths were caused by suffocation and burns, while some of those injured fell off the stairs during evacuation and others suffered burn injuries. Meanwhile, Karachi Mayor …

Pakistani actress Hania Aamir known for her stylish attire and fun pictures, recently took the internet by storm with her snaps from a friend’s night out; seen in a catwoman outfit slaying all the way. “Mujhe Pyaar Hua Tha” star shared photos from friends’ night out on her official Instagram handle with the short caption “k.o” giving a cryptic message …

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has approached the Supreme Court for bail in the £190 million settlement case of Al-Qadir Trust. The PTI chairman approached the apex court following the rejection of his plea by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) 10 days ago. In the appeal, the Supreme Court had been requested to annul the IHC decision of Nov …

A petition has been filed with the Supreme Court (SC) seeking the removal of Dr Arif Alvi as president of Pakistan. The petition was filed by Ghulam Murtaza under Section 3 of Article 184 of the Constitution. Both the president and Law Ministry have been made parties in the petition. The petitioner argues that Dr Arif Alvi misused his powers as the …

URUMQI: After 280 days of trekking over 5,000 km, Absemet Kerem finally made it from Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, to Tian’anmen Square in downtown Beijing. The 24-year-old was so excited when he arrived in the capital that he could not fall asleep. He rushed to Tian’anmen Square at midnight just to get the perfect spot in the …

BEIJING: Beijing will promote wider opening-up of the services sector under the guidance of a work plan designed to support it in deepening the construction of the Integrated National Demonstration Zone for Opening up the Services Sector. Since Beijing became the country’s first Integrated National Demonstration Zone for Opening up the Services Sector in 2020, the city has taken the …

ADDIS ABABA: Director-General of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Jean Kaseya has hailed Africa-China cooperation in public health. Speaking to Xinhua recently, the Africa CDC chief underscored capacity-building support from China as a vivid manifestation of the positive outcomes of Sino-African cooperation in the health sector. “We are so proud as Africans to have this …

BANGKOK: Thailand is striving to revive its vital tourism industry with the help of social media influencers and key technology partners from China, the largest source of visitors to the Southeast Asian country before the pandemic. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has partnered with leading Chinese social media platforms, mobile payment providers, online travel agencies, and airlines to showcase …

GAZA: Buses carrying about 39 Palestinian prisoners departed on Friday night from the Israeli Ofer prison, which is located near the West Bank city of Ramallah, Xinhua correspondent on-site confirmed. The 39 Palestinians, including 24 women and 15 minors, were released as part of a Qatar-mediated truce deal between Israel and Hamas, local media reported, referring to the first temporary …

HEFEI: Volkswagen China Technology Company (VCTC), Volkswagen Group’s largest development center outside Germany, will launch an electric platform for the entry-level segment in 36 months, said Volkswagen Group on Friday. Derived from Volkswagen Group’s modular electric drive matrix (MEB), the new platform will form the basis for electric vehicles specifically tailored to the wishes of Chinese customers. Ralf Brandstaetter, chairman …

BEIJING: Chinese Premier Li Qiang met on Friday with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna in Beijing. Li said that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the relationship between China and France has enjoyed stable development. China stands ready to work with France to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads …

LHASA: Passenger throughput at Lhasa Konggar International Airport surpassed 5 million this year on Thursday, hitting a record high. Located in Lhasa, capital of southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, the airport started operation in 1965 and plays an increasingly prominent role in Xizang’s transportation system. In the past decade, it has gradually formed an air network covering major large and …

Daily workouts are important for maintaining good physical and mental health. They help strengthen muscles, improve cardiovascular fitness, and release endorphins that contribute to overall well-being. During Diwali season or any festive period, it can indeed be challenging to stay consistently on track with workouts, as social engagements and celebrations often take priority. However, it’s important to remember that occasional …

Afghanistan’s embassy in New Delhi has closed as diplomats appointed by the Afghan government ousted by the Taliban two years ago failed to secure visa extensions from their Indian hosts, the outgoing ambassador said in a statement on Friday. India does not recognise the Taliban government which seized power in 2021, and had allowed Ambassador Farid Mamundzay and mission staff …

Renowned singer and actor Ali Zafar took a stand against the ongoing atrocities in Palestine during the Distinctive International Arab Festival Awards (DIAFA) held in Dubai. After receiving the Best Singer award, Zafar used his platform to speak out on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. At the prestigious ceremony that honored artists from various countries, including India, the US, Lebanon, …

Spokesperson of Foreign Office Mumtaz Zahra Baloch reiterated Pakistan’s demand for immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the main responsibility for this is on the Security Council. “After the cease-fire, an international conference should be convened to find a lasting solution to the Palestinian issue,” she added. “It is the duty of pro-Israeli countries to put pressure on Israel for a …

Multan traders Friday rejected the announcement of the Punjab government to smart locks in Multan division to battle smog. All public and private schools remained closed but traders rejected the idea of smart lockdown and expressed their concerns over government’s decision to close the business centers. Trader association central president Sultan Mahmood said traders have rejected the decree issued by …

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman refused to answer the questions of the Attock police investigation team which came to interrogate Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi in case related to May 9 riots. Imran Khan replied to Police team that he would only answer in consultation with lawyers or in their presence. Former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi was investigated by …

The caretaker government took a policy reform decision to get rid of capacity payments in future and establish a wholesale market in the electricity sector. The Energy Committee of the Cabinet gave approval. How wholesale market will work? In the first phase, the wholesale market will be introduced for bulk and up to one MW consumers. Domestic consumers will be …

A four-day truce between Israel and Hamas came into effect, with captives held in Gaza to be released in exchange for Palestinian women and children detained in Israeli prisons. The truce, broke by mediation of United States, Qatar and Egypt, begun after prolonged delay of 24 hours and killing of over 1,400 Palestinains mostly children after October 7 surprice attack …

Senior General Manager Domestic Cricket Junaid Zia said on Friday that it is always crucial for the players to perform well in the National T20 Cup in a bid to grab the opportunity of playing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Expressing his thoughts on the domestic T20, Zia asserted, ‘’It is for the first time that many teams are …

BEIJING: China’s foreign exchange market recorded transactions worth a total of 16.24 trillion yuan — equivalent to 2.26 trillion U.S. dollars — in October, official data showed on Friday. The transaction volume of the client market totaled 2.71 trillion yuan last month, and that of the interbank market came in at 13.53 trillion yuan, according to the State Administration of …

BEIJING: The shipping throughput of the Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydropower project, had reached 160 million tonnes as of 6 p.m. Thursday, surpassing the highest level recorded in previous years, the Ministry of Transport said Friday. Breakdown of the figures showed the dam’s ship locks had a throughput of 156 million tonnes, while the dam’s ship lift had …

BEIJING: Some 81,000 China-Europe freight train trips have been made to date, providing services for 217 cities in 25 European countries, a National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) official said on Friday. “China-Europe freight trains have reshaped the international transport routes in Asia and Europe, built a new platform for economic cooperation, and helped ensure the stability of global industrial …

BEIJING: At the invitation of Kazakhstan’s First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar and Turkmenistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, Vice Premier of the State Council Ding Xuexiang will visit Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan from Nov. 26 to 30, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning announced on Friday. Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political …

HONG KONG: Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation said on Thursday that the passenger volume of the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL) reached over 17 million as of Nov. 19, which has surpassed the total number of passengers in 2019. The Hong Kong section of the high-speed rail resumed service earlier this year. According to its …

BEIJING: China on Friday published a document titled “Vision and Actions for High-Quality Belt and Road Cooperation: Brighter Prospects for the Next Decade.” The document was formulated by the Office of the Leading Group for Promoting the Belt and Road Initiative. In the next decade, all parties will be encouraged to strive towards equal cooperation and mutual benefit, propelling Belt …

HERAT, Afghanistan: Walking on his saffron farms in west Afghanistan’s Herat province, local businessman Abdul Shakor Ehrari said the U.S.-imposed sanctions on Afghanistan have undermined the export of saffron, a cash cow for locals, as the exporters cannot receive money from their clients via the banking system. “The main problem that we are facing is money transaction via the banking …

YANGON: The 2023 Chinese Film Week in Myanmar kicked off on Thursday with screening of five Chinese movies at the China Cultural Center in Yangon. The film week, which will run until Nov. 27, is jointly organized by the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar, the China Media Group and the China Cultural Center in Yangon. Myanmar’s Union Minister for Information U …

LANZHOU: Eight people were killed in a road accident in northwest China’s Gansu Province on Friday morning, local authorities said. The accident happened at about 8 a.m. in Minqin County of Wuwei City, where a minibus and a pickup truck collided, leaving eight dead and three injured. The injured were rushed to a local hospital. Cause of the accident is …

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday sent a congratulatory letter to the World Conference on China Studies — Shanghai Forum. Xi pointed out that China studies are not only the studies of historical China, but also the studies of contemporary China. Chinese civilization has a long history and has been enriched and developed through exchanges and mutual learning with …

The Indian-bound plane made an emergency landing at the Jinnah International Airport Karachi in the wee hours of Thursday after a passenger’s health worsened mid-air. According to sources, the flight was going to Hyderabad Deccan from Jeddah, when the health of the passenger worsened after a heart attack. The pilot of the flight sought permission for an emergency landing at …

A US warship patrolling the Red Sea intercepted multiple attack drones launched from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen on Thursday, the US Central Command said. “On the morning (Yemen time) of November 23, the USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) shot down multiple one-way attack drones launched from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen,” CENTCOM said on X, previously Twitter. “The ship and crew …

Mohammad Abu Salmiya, director of Al-Shifa Hospital the largest medical facility in Gaza was arrested by the Israeli army on Thursday, Al Jazeera reported. Evacuation orders were also given to the Indonesian Hospital, another major hospital in the besieged enclave. Citing a doctor and media reports, it said that Salmiya was arrested along with several other “senior doctors”, Khalid Abu …

Former England captain, Michael Vaughan commented on a recent video posted by ex-Pakistan captain Babar Azam, in which Azam is seen practicing for the upcoming three-match Test series in Australia. Recently, Babar posted a video on X showcasing him honing his batting skills during a practice session. The caption reads, “Back in the harness.” The video caught the attention of …

Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain and 8-time Ballon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi will face 5-time Ballon d’Or winner, Cristiano Ronaldo in February 2024 when the two will collide for an exhibition match. The match has been termed as the ‘Last Dance’ which links to possibly the final encounter between these two giants of the sport. Messi’s Inter Miami versus Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr …

The Sindh High Court (SHC) recently issued a directive to suspend the Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) of officials from the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA). This decision was made in response to delays in the city’s anti-encroachment efforts. Justice Nadeem Akhtar of the SHC, while addressing a petition concerning commercial activities on residential land in Karachi’s Gulzar Hijri area, …

Finland is confronting a significant workforce shortage, particularly in critical sectors such as healthcare, personal care, social work, daycare teaching, and construction. EURES, the European cooperation network of employment services, reports that Finland’s working-age population is anticipated to decline in the coming years, primarily due to an increasing retirement rate. While there is a rise in the number of immigrants …

The government of Punjab had decided to keep schools closed on Friday and Saturday in the wake of ongoing smog in the province. This was announced by Caretaker CM Punjab, Moshin Naqvi, during a press conference. It is important to note that the decision will only apply to Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Sargodha and Sahiwal divisions. The caretaker CM also …

The Bahria Town Karachi has occupied 3,031 acres of additional land than what was agreed with the Supreme Court. This was revealed in a report submitted to the apex court by a 10-member survey team headed by the Karachi commissioner on the land occupied by Bahria Town, Karachi. The Supreme Court resumed the hearing of the case of non-payment of …