BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Beninese counterpart, Patrice Athanase Guillaume Talon, announced the establishment of a China-Benin strategic partnership on Friday. The announcement was made when Xi held talks with Talon, who is in China on a state visit, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. During their talks, Xi noted that China-Benin relations have enjoyed …

BEIJING: Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with President of the Republic of Benin Patrice Athanase Guillaume Talon in Beijing on Friday. Noting that Benin is an important partner to China in West Africa, Li said the two countries have always maintained sincere and friendly relations, which have become a model of mutual respect and equal treatment among developing countries. Under …

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping will deliver a speech via video at the Global Trade in Services Summit of the 2023 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) on Saturday in Beijing. The speech by Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, will be broadcast live by …

BEIJING: China’s National Meteorological Center (NMC) renewed a yellow alert for rainstorms on Friday. From 2 p.m. Friday to 2 p.m. Saturday, heavy downpours and rainstorms are forecast in Fujian, Guangdong, Yunnan and Sichuan, according to the NMC. Some parts of these regions are expected to experience heavy rainfall, with maximum hourly precipitation surpassing 60 millimeters, accompanied by thunderstorms and …

BEIJING: The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee convened a meeting on Thursday to deliberate a set of regulations and a five-year plan (2023-27) concerning the education and training of officials. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the meeting. As noted in the meeting, training of officials is a leading, …

BEIJING: Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, met with President of the Republic of Benin Patrice Athanase Guillaume Talon in Beijing on Friday. Zhao said that China and Benin enjoy long-standing and profound friendship. In recent years, under the leadership of two heads of state, China-Benin relations have maintained a good momentum of development. Noting …

BEIJING: At the invitation of President Joko Widodo of Indonesia, the current ASEAN chair, Premier of China’s State Council Li Qiang will attend the 26th China-ASEAN Summit, the 26th ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit and the 18th East Asia Summit to be held in Jakarta, Indonesia from September 5 to 8, and pay an official visit to Indonesia, Foreign Ministry …

BEIJING: At the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, Antonio Tajani, Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy, will pay an official visit to China from September 3 to 5. During the visit, the two …

NANNING: As of July, the China (Guangxi) Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) had recorded a total of 858 billion yuan (about 120 billion U.S. dollars) of imports and exports since its establishment in August 2019, said local authorities on Thursday. The foreign trade handled by the pilot FTZ amounted to 37.4 percent of the total recorded by south China’s Guangxi …

VIENTIANE: Interest in Chinese language studies has been growing steadily in Laos, with the number of students taking Chinese courses in the Southeast Asian country increasing significantly. Many Lao students are interested in learning Chinese and applying for a Chinese scholarship, which will be a great help in bolstering their Chinese language proficiency and cultivating better career skills. The Chinese …

BANGKOK: Thailand’s rice export surged 11.9 percent year on year to 5.29 million tons as of Aug. 29 this year, official data showed on Thursday. The Southeast Asian country exported rice valued at 2.56 billion U.S. dollars in the first seven months of 2023, an increase of 20.73 percent from a year earlier, showed data from the Ministry of Commerce. …

HANGZHOU: In a compelling demonstration of its resolute green and low-carbon drive, China will power the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Games with renewable sources of energy. For the first time in the history of the Asian Games, the Hangzhou Asian Games, which is scheduled to kick off in late September, will achieve the goal of fully using green electricity as the …

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping Friday extended congratulations to faculty, students, and alumni of National University of Defense Technology (NUDT) as the university marks its 70th anniversary. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), sent a congratulatory letter to the university. In the letter, Xi acknowledged …

BEIJING: The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, strengthened 23 pips to 7.1788 against the U.S. dollar Friday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System. In China’s spot foreign exchange market, the yuan is allowed to rise or fall by 2 percent from the central parity rate each trading day. The central parity rate …

NANJING: Multiple institutions from China and Arab countries have jointly inaugurated an animation industry alliance at an ongoing forum held in the city of Suzhou, east China’s Jiangsu Province. The Sino-Arab animation industry forum opened on Wednesday. The event is primarily focused on fostering cooperation between China and Arab countries in intellectual property rights, talent training and the joint development …

ISTANBUL: The upcoming China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) will provide a solid platform to introduce some innovative projects to boost high-quality international trade, a Turkish scholar has said. Selcuk Colakoglu, director of the Ankara-based Turkish Center for Asia-Pacific Studies, told Xinhua recently that the CIFTIS would help shape the future of several industries, including carbon neutrality, artificial …

SHENZHEN: The city of Shenzhen in south China’s Guangdong Province activated a Level I emergency response for typhoon and flood control at noon Friday with the super typhoon Saola approaching. The city’s flood, drought and typhoon control headquarters ordered the suspension of construction, business operations and commercial activities from 4 p.m. and of public transportation from 7 p.m. School has …

WASHINGTON: Former U.S. President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on Thursday to charges of attempting to overturn his 2020 presidential election defeat in the southeastern state of Georgia. “As evidenced by my signature below, I do hereby waive formal arraignment and enter my plea of NOT GUILTY to the Indictment in this case,” Trump said in a court filing in …

PHNOM PENH: China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has played a crucial role in helping develop Cambodia’s infrastructure and connectivity, which are the key components to support trade and attract investment, a Cambodian scholar said on Thursday. Kin Phea, director-general of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, a think-tank under the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said under the BRI, China …

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping will deliver a speech at the Global Trade in Services Summit of the 2023 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) via video on Saturday in Beijing, the Ministry of Commerce spokesperson Shu Jueting announced on Friday.

XICHANG: China launched a Long March-2D carrier rocket on Thursday to place a group of three remote sensing satellites in space. The three satellites of the Yaogan-39 family were launched at 3:36 p.m. (Beijing Time) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan and entered the planned orbit. This mission is the 485th flight of the …

BEIJING: The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee convened a meeting on Thursday to deliberate a set of regulations and a five-year plan concerning the education and training of cadres. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the meeting. The training should consider maintaining cadres’ firm ideals and convictions a fundamental …

BEIJING: The 11th national congress of returned overseas Chinese and their relatives opened in Beijing on Thursday morning. Leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the state including Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Han Zheng attended the event and extended their congratulations. Li Xi delivered a speech on behalf of …

Summer is a season known for its scorching temperatures and the need for refreshing foods and drinks. However, for individuals with diabetes, it’s important to be cautious about their choices to maintain stable blood sugar levels. Below we discuss foods that diabetics should avoid consuming this summer. 7 foods or drinks that diabetics should avoid this summer: Coconut water While …

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar directed the Immigration and Customs authorities to provide all facilities to the overseas Pakistanis at the airports. While presiding over a meeting over on economy, the caretaker prime minister said that overseas Pakistanis are a valuable asset and their valuable services for the stability of the country’s economy must be appreciated. In the context of …

Tokyo, a bustling metropolis known for its innovation, quirky cafes, and unique experiences, is now home to a café that takes the concept of a power nap to new heights. Imagine, a cafe where you can grab a quick power nap without having to lie down or find a comfortable chair. It’s a concept that might sound bizarre at first, …

In a bid to cater to passengers seeking a more peaceful and child-free travel experience, airlines are introducing “adults-only” sections on their flights, signaling a shift in the way we fly. Corendon Airlines, a Turkish carrier, is set to launch its “adults-only” zone on flights between Amsterdam and Curacao starting this November. The unique offering aims to provide travelers without …

Hareem Farooq is one of the most prolific actresses and loves to maintain strong connections with her fans through social media. She always comes up with mesmerising snaps on her social media accounts. Sometimes she shares her daily life activities; other times she posts her photoshoots. This time around, she shared snaps of her bridal photoshoot, in which she is …

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has decided to suspend the country’s membership due to non-payment of the annual subscription fee. The Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), a part of the Ministry of Science and Technology, failed to settle its dues despite repeated reminders and emails from the ISO. Renowned worldwide as an independent and non-governmental organization, ISO …

The business community of Lahore has taken a stand against the mounting electricity bills and surging inflation by declaring a widespread shutter-down strike on 2 September. Mujahid Maqsood Butt, the President of the Traders Association, issued a statement today confirming that markets throughout Lahore will be closed on Saturday. This comes as a direct response to the burden of exorbitant …

The government is finally looking to import 100,000 tons of sugar from Brazil as a potential shortage is on the cards during the two-and-a-half months before the sugarcane crushing season begins in late November. Interestingly, the July 2023 exports stood at 5,542 tons which is more than five times higher than the quantity exported during June 2023, but we will …

The authorities have shared their plan with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to provide relief to the nation heavily burdened by sky-high electricity bills. However, the Fund has been assured that none of its targets agreed upon by the previous government would be compromised. Caretaker Minister for Finance Dr Shamshad Akhtar said on Wednesday that a team comprising Pakistani authorities …

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Thursday froze 13 bank accounts of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) due to non-payment of Rs8 billion in Federal Excise Duty (FED). According to FBR officials, the national carrier’s bank accounts associated with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) would also be frozen. “A decision has been made to register a first information report (FIR) …

A fire killed 15 people Thursday in a small apparel factory in a Philippine residential area, where firefighters were delayed by flooding, traffic and a wrong address, a fire protection official. Most of the victims appeared to be factory workers and carpenters who were sleeping in rooms when the fire broke out Thursday morning. Some were found dead on an …

A speeding work train slammed into a group of workers doing nighttime track maintenance in northern Italy early Thursday, killing five of them, authorities said. The crash occurred shortly after midnight at the station in Brandizzo, a town in Italy’s Piedmont region. Piedmont Gov. Alberto Cirio provided the death toll and said the crash’s cause was under investigation. Brandizzo Mayor …

At least 73 people died when a fire ripped through a five-story building in Johannesburg that had been overtaken by homeless people, officials said Thursday. A social media post on the city administration’s official account confirmed the latest death toll, adding that at least 52 others were injured. Johannesburg spokesman Robert Mulaudzi said earlier that the blaze that broke out …

Pakistanis living in the UAE have said they are sending more money this month to their families back home to cover their higher utility costs. Widespread protests in cities and towns have taken place in the South Asian country in recent days over soaring electricity bills, with many refusing to pay charges that have increased by more than three times …

The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday dismissed the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) plea asking the top court to revisit its order of holding elections to the Punjab Assembly on May 14. “The court will intervene whenever the Constitution is violated,” Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial remarked during the hearing. In a unanimous judgment on April 4, …

NEW DELHI: Tickets for the marquee World Cup clash between India and Pakistan in Ahmedabad on Oct 14 were sold out within an hour after the International Cricket Council’s ticketing partner opened its exclusive pre-sale window, the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency reported on Wednesday. While there will be another round of general sale for the India-Pakistan match …

RAWALPINDI: Police have arrested a couple over allegations of torture of an eight-year-old maid who was employed at a house in Bahria Town as a babysitter. The case was registered against the couple on Wednesday at the Bahria Town police chowki by Fazeel Ahmad, a resident of Khanpur Katora tehsil in Rahimyar Khan. Mr Ahmad claimed that they had sent …