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China’s railways have witnessed 258 million passenger trips so far during the 40-day Spring Festival travel rush this year, as the travel period passed its halfway mark, the national railway operator said on Sunday. On February 21, the 20th day of the 2026 Spring Festival travel season, about 17.19 million passenger trips were recorded, according to China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. The operator expected the passenger volume to remain high on Sunday, with an estimated 17.93 million trips. A total of 2,203 additional passenger trains have been scheduled to meet surging demand. Railway authorities have increased transport capacity on…

RAWALPIDI : Two soldiers were martyred when a convoy of the security forces was targeted by terrorists in Bannu while an intelligence based operation was being conducted on reported presence of Indian-sponsored terrorists, including a suicide bomber. A vehicle borne suicide bomber was intercepted by the leading group, foiling his nefarious design to target innocent civilians/ Law enforcement personnel in Bannu City, averting major catastrophe, Inter Services Public Relations said in a press release. During the conduct of operation, terrorists locations were located and after intense fire exchange, five militants were eliminated by the security forces. However, in desperation, the…

NEW YORK : Pakistan has warned that the United Nations liquidity crisis is directly undermining peacekeeping operations by reducing patrols, mobility and field presence, with serious consequences for mandate delivery, protection of civilians, deterrence against violence and the safety and security of peacekeepers. Speaking at the opening of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C34), Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN, said UN peacekeeping remains an indispensable instrument for maintaining international peace and security, adding that it is facing mounting political, operational and financial pressures that require collective reflection and action. Recalling Pakistan’s long-standing contribution…

ISLAMABAD/TIANJIN : As part of academic activities under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) University Consortium, the second Advanced Training Programme for Senior Academics from Pakistan higher education institutions concluded recently. Tianjin Foreign Studies University (TFSU), China, hosted the two-week programme for a batch of 24 academic staff members of universities. The CPEC Consortium of Universities is a collaborative academic platform established jointly by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan and the China Association of Higher Education (CAHE) to strengthen higher education cooperation between Pakistan and China under the CPEC unit in HEC. President TFSU Ms. Li Yingying; Vice President TFSU Mr.…

China’s ongoing 2026 Spring Festival holiday has broken multiple records in travel, leisure and consumption as people across the country make full use of the unprecedented nine consecutive days off. By extending the traditional seven-day holiday, the long break has facilitated a “segmented holiday” model. Consumers can first fulfill family obligations and then embark on long-haul leisure travel, channeling dormant liquidity into the hospitality, aviation, and service sectors. Unprecedented mobility China State Railway Group forecasts 15 million passenger trips on Friday, with 1,469 additional trains scheduled. As of 8 a.m. on Friday, a total of 298 million tickets for the…

ISLAMABAD : Mild tremors were felt in Islamabad and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Attock and Swabi, on Saturday. According to the Seismological Centre, the earthquake measured 4.4 on the Richter scale. The depth of the quake was recorded at 14 kilometres. Officials said the epicentre was located 11 kilometres northeast of the Burhan area in Attock district. No immediate reports of casualties or property damage were received. Tremors were also felt in various parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa a day earlier. The previous earthquake measured 5.6 in magnitude, with a depth of 73 kilometres. Its epicentre was located in the…

LAHORE : The Crime Control Department (CCD) has claimed a significant decline in crime across Punjab, particularly in Lahore, during a comparative review from May 2024 to May 2025. According to the CCD, special operations were launched in May last year, and a detailed performance review was presented at a recent meeting. In Lahore, murder cases dropped from 361 to 220, reflecting a 39 percent decrease. Attempted murder cases declined from 812 to 504, marking a 38 percent reduction. The department said robbery incidents decreased from 35 to 15, while house robberies fell from 33 to 6. Street crime incidents…

TEHRAN : Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said that Tehran would be ready to submit its plan for a nuclear agreement to the United States in the coming days, after President Donald Trump threatened military action. “The next step for me is to present [the] draft of [the] possible deal to my counterparts in the US. I believe that in the next two, three days, that would be ready, and after final confirmation by my superiors, that would be handed over to Steve Witkoff,” Araghchi said in an interview published online on Friday with the Morning Joe show on…

WASHINGTON : President Donald Trump imposed Friday an additional 10 percent tariff on imports into the United States after the Supreme Court struck down many of his sweeping and often arbitrary duties, delivering a stinging rebuke on his signature economic policy. Trump signed the tariff order in the Oval Office — saying on social media it was “effective almost immediately” — after spending the past year imposing various rates to cajole and punish countries, both friend and foe. The new duty is slated to take effect February 24 for 150 days, with exemptions remaining for sectors that are under separate…

Chinese authorities on Friday launched a Level-IV emergency response for major meteorological disasters. From Friday to Sunday, multiple northern regions are expected to experience strong winds and sandstorms, the China Meteorological Administration said, while activating a Level-IV emergency response for major meteorological disasters related to strong winds and sandstorms. On Friday, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) issued yellow warnings for strong winds and sandstorms, along with a blue alert for a cold wave. The Hukou Waterfall in Yan’an, Shaanxi Province, attracts many tourists, February 20, 2026. /VCG Strong winds are expected in areas including Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai,…