After a noticeable decline in global petroleum prices, there is a possibility of a significant reduction in petroleum product prices in Pakistan as well. On the global stage, the price of petrol has fallen by $12 per barrel, resulting in a current price of $102 per barrel, while diesel prices have dipped by $9 to settle at $117 per barrel. …

The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years on Saturday in a surprise assault that combined gunmen crossing into several Israeli towns with a heavy barrage of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip. As warning sirens wailed across southern and central Israel, including in Jerusalem, Israel’s military said it was on a war footing and …

Forcibly deporting Afghans from Pakistan could lead to severe human rights violations including the separation of families and deportation of minors, the United Nations warned Saturday. Pakistan recently announced a crackdown on migrants living in the country illegally, including 1.7 million Afghans, telling them to return to their home countries by Oct. 31 to avoid mass arrest and expulsion. The …

BEIJING: Boasting a 5,000-year civilization, China has been committed to promoting its cultural advancement while breaking new ground in pursuing modernization. President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, has always highlighted the work in the fields of communication, ideology and culture. Since the 18th CPC …

DAR ES SALAAM: Tanzanian authorities announced Friday that they have identified China, Russia and India as the country’s new strategic tourism markets. “As Tanzania is moving towards boosting its tourism industry, we have identified a number of new strategic tourism markets, including China, Russia, and India,” said Thereza Mugobi, director of tourism in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism. …

ZHENGZHOU: Central China’s Henan Province is eyeing greater opening-up through its participation in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), striving to build a “highland” of opening-up in the inland area, according to a local official. Over the past decade, Henan has steadily increased its involvement and influence within the BRI. Zhang Min, vice governor of the province, noted that Henan …

BEIJING: China resolutely opposes the move of the U.S. Commerce Department to place some Chinese companies on its export control “entity list,” a spokesperson with China’s Ministry of Commerce said on Saturday. The spokesperson made the remarks in response to a media query on the U.S. Department of Commerce recently putting a number of Chinese entities on its export control …

BEIJING: In June, a bowl of hybrid rice from Africa appeared as a special offering at the tomb of Yuan Longping, China’s “father of hybrid rice.” The gift was brought in person by Rakotoson Philibert, former Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture of Madagascar. Recalling that moment, Philibert said in a recent telephone interview that the hybrid rice developed …

HANGZHOU: Chinese swimmer Zhang Ziyang earned men’s marathon swimming gold medal Saturday at the Hangzhou Asian Games. The competition on the rainy morning saw 16 participants from nine countries and regions showcase their determination and skills. Zhang finished in one hour, 55 minutes and 45.8 seconds, closely followed by his teammate Lan Tianchen who clinched the silver medal by a …

CAIRO: At the Luxor temple, an enormous ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank of the Nile River, Huang Zhao, a Chinese tourist, was taking photos while listening to the tour guide on the temple’s history. “The temple is a masterpiece of art. I used to read many books on Egyptology, and visiting the archeological sites was a …

BEIJING: A large building foundation site has been discovered in the ruins of Zhongdu, the capital city of the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234), in Beijing, said the Beijing Archaeological Research Institute. The ruins of the erstwhile capital city are in today’s Fengtai District and Xicheng District in Beijing. It served as the Jin capital for over six decades in the dynasty’s …

GUIYANG: Zhou Piaopiao no longer has to cram herself into an overloaded vehicle for her journey to school in the mountainous region of southwest China’s Guizhou Province. A junior high student from Huishui County, she used to commute over 20 km in a hired vehicle, making the trip every Sunday and returning home every Friday. Things changed when a school …

KABUL: About two decades ago, very few Afghans could speak Chinese. Nowadays, the number of Chinese-speaking Afghans and Chinese learners is on a constant rise as many students prefer to learn the language. “I prefer to learn Chinese, because China is a rich country from any angle, and my future is brighter with speaking Chinese,” Afghan student Sayed Karim Nemati …

Pakistan’s software and IT sector is on the verge of becoming the country’s third-largest export sector, with industry insiders projecting export earnings to reach a substantial $3 billion in the fiscal year 2023-24. This impressive growth underscores the pivotal role of technology in driving the nation’s economic development. Speaking at the 12th Edition of the Bank of Future Forum (BOFF) …

In a recent development that has sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry, Bollywood stars Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor have been summoned for questioning in the high-profile Mahadev betting app case. The case has gripped attention due to its widespread implications and the involvement of several prominent figures. India’s law enforcement agencies discovered a network of individuals involved in running …

The Swabi Education Department on Friday suspended nine female teachers who refused to participate in polio duty during the recent anti-polio campaign. The department has suspended these teachers and initiated further disciplinary measures against them. According to the Swabi Education Department, female teachers across Swabi district had been trained to administer polio drops as part of the ongoing efforts to …

A 10-page medical report PML-N leader has been submitted to the Lahore High Court (LHC) that revealed that Nawaz Sharif still has symptoms of heart disease and needs continuous follow-up in London and Pakistan. Professor Carlo D’Mario consultant cardiologist at Royal Brompton Hospital released the report. The latest medical reports of former premier Nawaz Sharif were submitted to the LHC …

Renowned Pakistani mountaineer, Shehroze Kashif, has achieved yet another remarkable feat in his journey by successfully summiting Mount Cho Oyo. The 21-year-old climber is on the verge of breaking a world record, aiming to become the youngest mountaineer to conquer all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters. This latest triumph adds to his growing reputation in the mountaineering community, following his …

In another case of violence against minorities in India, a Muslim teacher was physically assaulted by a Hindutva mob in Ahmedabad. In a viral video on social media, multiple men can be seen assaulting the teacher in the presence of police and media persons. According to details, the Muslim teacher was attacked for organizing a show on religious tolerance, depicting …

Weather is expected to turn chilly in some parts of the country with the possibility of rain over the weekend.According to PakWeather, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Potohar region, Islamabad, northeast Punjab, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan are likely to receive rain with strong winds and thunderstorms. Furthermore, there is also a possibility of snowfall over the mountains, which would result in a decrease …

BEIJING: The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the country’s biggest lender, has stepped up financial support in the agricultural sector to boost its high-quality development. By the end of August, the balance of ICBC’s agriculture-related loans had reached approximately 4 trillion yuan (about 557.12 billion U.S. dollars), the lender said. The bank has developed a slew of financing …

ISLAMABAD: The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) allows countries of Global South to connect with each other, a Pakistani economist told Xinhua in a recent interview. “We have seen that China itself has come out of years and decades of poverty, and it has transitioned into a country that is fast developing. So for them to tailor a program …

BEIJING: China’s box office revenue generated during the eight-day Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday through Friday has exceeded 2.5 billion yuan (348.2 million U.S. dollars). Domestic films dominated the holiday revenue chart, with Zhang Yimou’s crime suspense movie “Under The Light” leading with around 828 million yuan, or 32 percent of the total, as of 9 a.m. Friday morning, …

PESHAWAR, Pakistan: A special campaign to control the dengue virus was launched in Pakistan as health workers in Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, have been engaged in fumigating to remove mosquitoes from public spaces. At least 155 new cases of mosquito-borne dengue fever have been reported from the South Asian country’s eastern Punjab province during the last 24 …

HANGZHOU: China successfully defended its title in the women’s basketball with a 74-72 victory over arch-rival Japan at the Asian Games here on Thursday. China, who sits second in the world rankings, surged to a 26-16 lead after the first quarter. After Japan tied at 72-all, Wang Siyu made a crucial layup in the final seconds to help China pocket …

LHASA: The Third China Xizang Trans-Himalaya Forum for International Cooperation released the Nyingchi Initiative in the southwestern Chinese city of Nyingchi on Thursday in a bid to deepen international cooperation in the trans-Himalaya region. Around the theme of “promoting the harmony of humans and nature, sharing the fruits of cooperation and development,” participating parties have had an in-depth exchange of …

STOCKHOLM: Norwegian author and dramatist Jon Fosse won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Literature “for his innovative plays and prose which give voice to the unsayable,” the award-giving body said on Thursday. The prize is awarded by the Swedish Academy and is worth 11 million Swedish crowns (about $1 million). Established in the will of Swedish dynamite inventor and businessman …

KARACHI: Pakistani ecommerce logistics startup Rider, backed by YCombinator, is looking into acquiring BlueEx, the only listed express courier logistics company in Pakistan. Venture funding in Pakistan plummeted to $6.8 million during the third quarter of 2023, dropping 87.7% year-on-year from the $55 million during the corresponding period in the previous year, after a global funding crunch and troubling macroeconomic …

In an unexpected turn of events, it came to light that no opening ceremony was planned for the Cricket World Cup 2023, an Indian media report said on Oct 3 (Tuesday). According to the Times of India, a source familiar with the matter had confirmed that an opening ceremony was never planned for the World Cup. The report quoted the …

The Foreign Office (FO) said on Thursday that the ongoing operation against illegal immigrants in the country was not targeted at any particular nationality. FO Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch made the remarks while responding to questions during her weekly press briefing in Islamabad. On Tuesday, the caretaker government gave an ultimatum to all undocumented immigrants, including Afghan nationals, to leave …

HANGZHOU: China’s karateka Li Qiaoqiao clinched the women’s kumite 68kg gold medal on the sport’s opening day at the Hangzhou Asian Games here on Thursday. After sailing past Palestine’s Hala Alqadi 9-0 in the semifinal, Li had another comfortable contest in the final, taking down Laura Alikul of Kazakhstan 4-0. “Thanks to my team. Without their work, I couldn’t have …

Jogging is a form of exercise that involves running at a slower pace than sprinting, typically done at a steady and continuous rhythm. It is a popular cardiovascular activity that helps strengthen muscles, improve stamina, and burn calories. Jogging helps to stimulate digestion and can aid in relieving symptoms of constipation and digestive issues. Along with this, jogging is a …

Singer and composer Azaan Sami Khan has given fans a sneak peek into his highly anticipated ‘Azaan The Album’ by dropping an album trailer. A visual treat directed and produced by the visionary duo, Nabeel Qureshi and Fizza Ali Meerza of FilmWala Pictures, the trailer offers a tantalizing glimpse into what’s to come, leaving enthusiasts on the edge of their …

A New Delhi Court Family Court Judge Harish Kumar granted divorce to Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan on grounds of cruelty inflicted on the cricketer by his estranged wife Aesha Mukherjee. Both (Australian citizens) tied the knot in 2012 and have a 10-year-old son—Zoraver Dhawan. The judge accepted Dhawan’s accusations against his wife and stated Aesha was unable to prove the …

Lahore has once again topped the list of world’s most polluted cities, as its Air Quality Index on Thursday morning was recorded at ‘Unhealthy’. According to IQAir, a Swiss air quality monitor, Lahore had the highest level of pollution in its air in the world, which has been categorized as ‘Unhealthy’ with its air quality index measured at 175 around …

Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh has launched an indefinite hunger strike in Dibrugarh jail in Assam, along with nine fellow detainees. All detainees were held under the National Security Act (NSA) early this year after much movie-drama in Punjab. The protest began after lawyer’s access was restricted to them within the jail premises. Outside the confines of the prison, Kirandeep Kaur, …

The State Bank of Pakistan in clarification over its warning that depositors could lose their deposits in banks, said that the banking system in Pakistan is stable the deposit system is safe and there is sufficient capital in the system. The statement issued said Pakistan has improved its ability to withstand severe shocks in the banking sector under a strong …

The World Bank (WB) has strongly recommended higher rates of the federal excise duty (FED) on cigarettes. The World Bank’s latest report ‘Pakistan Development Update’ said that a substantial revenue gain of 0.4 percent of GDP could be achieved if the current rate on premium cigarettes (Rs. 16.50 per cigarette) was also applied to standard cigarettes. The report said that …

As thousands of individuals remain infected with conjunctivitis across Pakistan, Sindh and Punjab have issued another health advisory. Health departments of the two provinces have warned people about the potential spread of the Nipah virus. The alerts have been issued after reports of numerous individuals being infected with the virus in India. So far, Pakistan hasn’t reported any cases of …

The Pakistan State Oil (PSO) has once again suspended fuel supply to Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) over unpaid dues. Multiple PIA flights faced delays due to the suspension of fuel supply at Lahore airport. PK-747 from Lahore to Madina and PK 305 from Lahore to Karachi were delayed for hours. The PIA spokesperson assured that the delayed flights will take …