Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi on Monday said that the energy ministry has chalked out recommendations to tackle the issue of inflated power bills which have resulted in countrywide protests and would present them in the federal cabinet meeting tomorrow. The public has taken to the streets in large numbers since Saturday over exorbitant electricity bills on the back of …

A school on Indonesia’s main island has partially shaved the heads of more than a dozen girls, its headmaster said on Monday, after they were accused of wearing their Islamic hijab headscarves incorrectly. Activists say Muslim and non-Muslim girls have been forced for years to wear a hijab in conservative parts of the nation of 270 million people, which moved …

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday said it would wrap up the delimitation of national and provincial assembly constituencies “as soon as possible” and ensure that polls were immediately held after the exercise. The assurance was held out to delegations of the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and the Mutahidda Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P), who had consultative meetings with the ECP …

Pakistani drama “Fairytrale 2” has garnered immense fandom, after the recent episode fans have expressed their love and joy in a fascinating way. The drama serial featuring Sehar Khan and Hamza Sohail as Umeed and Farjaad respectively, recently went viral again with its vibrant and lively scenes from Farmeed’s wedding events. Fans expressed immense love and praise for their favourite …

The wait is finally over, and cricket enthusiasts across Pakistan are buzzing with excitement as the nation unveils its much-anticipated kit for the upcoming 2023 ODI World Cup. With all eyes on the event set to take place in India, the reveal ceremony was a moment of collective pride and fervor. Draped in a rich forest green hue, the new …

The dengue fever is witnessing a rapid upsurge in Islamabad, with an additional 11 cases having been reported within a span of 24 hours. As per the latest report, the cumulative count of dengue-infected patients in the capital city has now escalated to 61. Throughout this year, statistics reveal that 77% of the dengue-affected individuals are males, while the remaining …

A wave of nationwide protests has swept across Pakistan as disgruntled citizens took to the streets to voice their grievances against exorbitant electricity bills. The escalating bills have driven people from various cities and towns to unite in demanding the elimination of what they view as excessive taxes embedded within their electricity charges. Hafizabad In Hafizabad, Anjuman Tajran led a …

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar is scheduled to chair another meeting today regarding possible relief to the masses in electricity bills. NEPRA, the Power Division and DISCOs will give a briefing on the possible relief, electricity theft, losses and recoveries. The public response to inflated bills will also be taken into consideration during the meeting. A briefing will also …

The Islamabad High Court has resumed hearing PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s appeal against his sentence in the Toshakhana criminal case. A division bench comprising IHC Chief Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri is conducting the hearing. The court has asked the lawyer of the election commission, Amjad Pervaiz, to present arguments. He was unable to attend the previous …

Lawyer Imaan Mazari has been re-arrested from outside Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi as soon as she was released after securing a post arrest bail earlier in the day. A few hours ago, the Anti-Terrorism Court of Islamabad had approved the post-arrest bail petitions of lawyer Imaan Mazari and former MNA Ali Wazir, and ordered that they be released. However, as soon …

“Britain is particularly bad for ultra-processed food. It is storing up problems for the future. If we do nothing, a tidal wave of harm is going to hit the NHS.” Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, an associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said more research was needed to understand the links between ultra-processed foods and cardiovascular disease. “For example, we …

The death of 10-year-old Fatima Furiro would have passed sadly but quietly had it not been for the two graphic videos that turned up on social media. The little girl’s body was this week exhumed for a postmortem examination, days after the videos mysteriously appeared online. One appeared to show signs of torture on Fatima’s body, while the other showed …

BEIJING: Beijing has registered 306 medical social workers so far, said the Beijing Municipal Health Commission on Monday. Of the total, 194 social workers now work at the city’s grassroots-level medical institutions, up 131 percent compared to the number recorded in 2019. Starting last year, Beijing has promoted medical social work across the city. Currently, 33 general hospitals, 27 specialized …

XINING: A total of 3,228 tombs have been found at the ruins dating back more than 3,000 years in the plateau province of Qinghai in northwest China, archaeologists said Monday. The ruins, located in Balong Township in Dulan County, are believed to be a cluster that combined tombs and residences during the period between 1,500 BC and 1,000 BC. A …

BEIJING: China’s top legislator Zhao Leji held talks with Adel Al Asoomi, speaker of the Arab Parliament, on Monday in Beijing, calling for enhanced exchanges between the two legislative bodies. Zhao, chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said that under the strategic guidance of the leaders of China and Arab countries, China-Arab relations have achieved leapfrog development. …

ADDIS ABABA: Sileshi Kebede, who was awarded the Chinese government scholarship for the 2023-2024 school year, believes he is one step closer to his dream of contributing to his country’s socioeconomic development. After a farewell party organized by the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia for Ethiopian students receiving Chinese government scholarships for the 2023-2024 academic year Thursday, Kebede and other 25 …

BEIJING: The Pujiang Innovation Forum will be held in Shanghai from Sept. 9 to 11, the Ministry of Science and Technology announced at a press conference in Beijing Monday. The forum, which carries the theme “Open Innovation Ecosystem: Innovation for Global Connectivity,” will focus on international cooperation in science and technology, and issue updates on the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor …

DHAKA: BRICS is set to bring further positive, stabilizing and constructive strength to the world with China playing a key role in global development affairs, said a Bangladeshi politician. Chinese President Xi Jinping is committed to his “community with a shared future for mankind” concept, M Sadrul Ahmed Khan, a leader of Bangladesh’s ruling Awami League party, told Xinhua. Describing …

BUDAPEST: Norwegian standout Jakob Ingebrigtsen retained his men’s 5,000m title on the final day of the World Athletics Championships here Sunday, while Victor Kiplangat of Uganda clinched the men’s marathon. In the men’s 5,000m final, 22-year-old Ingebrigtsen made a powerful surge in the last 100m, finishing first with a season-best time of 13:11.30. He edged out Mohamed Katir of Spain …

BEIJING: China’s internet users totaled 1.079 billion by June 2023, an increase of 11.09 million since December 2022, alongside steady growth in digital infrastructure and internet applications, a report revealed Monday. China’s internet penetration reached 76.4 percent, according to the statistical report on China’s Internet development released by the China Internet Network Information Center. Regarding digital infrastructure improvements, the report …

BEIJING: China halved the 0.1 percent stamp duty on stock transactions effective Monday to invigorate the capital market and boost investor confidence, according to the Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration. Historically, the stamp duty reduction has significantly boosted the securities market, said He Daixin, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. In April 2008, Chinese …

HOHHOT: The China-Arab International Research Center on Drought, Desertification and Land Degradation was inaugurated Sunday during an international forum on desert control, showcasing China’s commitment to sharing its expertise gained from the Kubuqi desert control. The establishment of the research center was among the outcomes of the first China-Arab States Summit last year. On Sunday, the center announced the launch …

SELANGOR, Malaysia: Protesters gathered in the Malaysian state of Selangor and chanted slogans against Japan’s dumping of nuclear-contaminated wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the ocean. People of all age groups held placards that stated their mounting worries over the potential long-lasting environmental pollution, denouncing Japan’s irresponsible action. Tens of thousands of signatures from across the …

ADDIS ABABA: Ethiopia’s entry into the BRICS mechanism is expected to facilitate the country’s economic growth, and help forge strong and lasting political cooperation with the BRICS family, Ethiopian experts have said. BRICS leaders agreed on Thursday to invite six countries, namely Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to join the group. Their membership …

HEFEI: German enterprises are doubling down on their investment in China’s fast-growing new energy vehicle (NEV) industry, or planning to do so, to tap the market potential of a country that has 1.4 billion people. The country has seen a significant increase in the production and sales of NEVs this year. During the first seven months, China’s NEV output was …

SUVA: The Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission in Fiji has condemned Japan’s discharge of nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the ocean, urging the Pacific Island leaders to stand in solidarity to oppose Tokyo’s move. The commission said in a statement that the right to a clean and healthy environment is linked to other fundamental human rights like the right to life, health, …

BAGHDAD: The Iraqi Foreign Ministry on Sunday held a ceremony in Baghdad to mark the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Iraq and China. Iraqi Deputy Minister for bilateral relations Mohammed Hussein Bahr Al-Uloom said in his speech that “the Iraqi-Chinese friendship is historical and rooted through the ages.” “The relations between the two countries have made great progress on …

Employees of electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) consumed free electricity worth Rs. 8.19 billion in 2022, according to Senator Mushtaq Ahmed. In a post on X, the Senator highlighted that according to data provided by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), power sector employees consumed 340 million free electricity units. As many as 189,000 employees benefited from free electricity units, …

The Taliban have banned women from visiting the Band-e-Amir National Park, a popular tourist destination in Afghanistan. The Taliban have a history of implementing bans on women doing certain activities, including preventing them from attending schools and working. The ban on visiting the Band-e-Amir national park is the latest in a long list of restrictions on women’s rights since the …

Iran’s enrichment of uranium continues based on a framework established by the country’s parliament, nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami said on Sunday when asked about reports regarding Tehran slowing down its 60% enrichment. “Our nuclear enrichment continues based on the strategic framework law,” Eslami said, referring to a related legislation. Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that Iran had …

Russian investigators said on Sunday that genetic tests had confirmed that Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of the Wagner mercenary group, was among the 10 people killed in a plane crash earlier this week. Russia’s aviation agency had previously published the names of all 10 people on board the private jet that crashed in the Tver region northwest of Moscow on Wednesday. …

Despite the statement made by Shehbaz Sharif, PPP leader Syed Khursheed Shah has said that he does not see PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif returning to Pakistan in October. On Friday, after meeting his brother in London, Shehbaz had said that after consultations with the party’s senior leadership, it had been decided that Nawaz “will return to Pakistan in October”. Shehbaz …

CHANGCHUN: Investment deals worth 84.48 billion yuan (about 11.59 billion U.S. dollars) were reached during the 14th China-Northeast Asia Expo, which concluded Sunday in Changchun, capital of northeast China’s Jilin Province. A total of 99 projects were signed during the five-day expo, setting a new record in terms of project investment scale, said Lyu Haiqiang, deputy director of the executive …

BEIJING: As of 10 p.m. on Saturday, China’s summer box office revenue had surged past 20 billion yuan (2.78 billion U.S. dollars), a new record high for summer box office sales in the country. From a pre-pandemic high of nearly 17.8 billion yuan in 2019, China’s summer box office revenue has rocketed to a new level of 20 billion yuan, …

SHANGHAI: The cultural tourism market in east China’s metropolis of Shanghai witnessed rapid growth in the first half of this year, surging in terms of traffic and revenue, data from local authorities shows. In the first six months, Shanghai received more than 139 million domestic visitors, generating tourism revenue of more than 155 billion yuan (about 21.56 billion U.S. dollars). …

COPENHAGEN: Defending champions Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan of China took a straight-game victory over Apriyani Rahayu and Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti of Indonesia in the Badminton World Championships women’s doubles final here on Sunday, becoming the first women’s pair to win four golds in the tournament’s history. The top seeds, playing their fourth final in six appearances at the …

BEIJING: Chinese institutes have released a complete assembly of the reference genome of Nipponbare rice, according to the Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen (AGIS). In 2005, the reference genome of the current commonly used Nipponbare rice was initially released, confirming that this rice research had entered the era of genomics. However, there was a long-standing barrier that had hidden three …

URUMQI: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday stressed the importance of firmly grasping the strategic positioning of Xinjiang in the overall national situation and building a beautiful Xinjiang in the process of pursuing Chinese modernization. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when he …

CAPE TOWN: The South African parliament issued a statement Saturday on the success of the 15th BRICS Summit held in Johannesburg, hailing the outcomes of this “historic” summit as a “testament” to the visionary leadership and unwavering commitment of the BRICS nations. “The 15th BRICS Summit outcomes encapsulate a robust spirit of international collaboration, underscoring multilateralism, peaceful conflict resolution, and …

SYDNEY: A fluffy festival has been staged in Australia’s Sydney over the weekend, bringing a joyful, educational and inspiring experience for cat and dog lovers. The Cat Lovers’ Festival and the Dog Lovers’ Festival, held in the Sydney Showground at the Olympic Park, featured more than 200 cats and over 800 dogs from different breeds. Besides animal shows and various …