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ISLAMABAD (DI NEWS) : President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday arrived in Urumqi, China. Upon arrival, the president was received by Governor of Xinjiang Erken Tuniyaz, Vice Governor Chen Weijun and Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong, President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release. Later, Governor Erken Tuiyaz accompanied the president to the state guest house in the same vehicle. The president’s visit to Urumqi will further strengthen Pak-China regional cooperation.

The federal government is preparing to introduce a mini-budget aimed at raising at least Rs50 billion to support flood victims’ rehabilitation and address a widening tax shortfall. Officials confirmed that new levies on luxury items and cigarettes are under consideration. The proposed mini-budget seeks to impose additional taxes on luxury vehicles, cigarettes, and imported electronic goods. A levy equivalent to the regulatory duty that was reduced in June could also be reinstated on imported products. According to Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officials, a five per cent levy on electronic goods is under review. The price threshold for this tax…

The International Organization for Migration said on Tuesday that at least 50 people had died after a vessel carrying 75 Sudanese refugees caught fire off Libya’s coast on Sunday. The IOM said it had provided medical support to 24 survivors. Libya has become a transit route for migrants fleeing conflict and poverty to Europe across the Mediterranean since the fall in 2011 of dictator Muammar Gaddafi during a NATO-backed uprising. As of February 2025, around 867,055 migrants from 44 nationalities were residing in Libya, according to IOM data.

Bangladesh beat Afghanistan by eight runs in the 9th match of Asia Cup at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.  Opting to bat first, Bangladesh won the toss and chose to bat first. The team scored 154 runs for the loss of five wickets in the allotted 20 overs. Tamim Iqbal led the innings with 52 runs, while Saif Hassan contributed 30 runs. Towhid scored 26 runs. Chasing a target of 155, Afghanistan managed 146 runs in their 20 overs and were all out. Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored 35 runs, Azmatullah 30, and Rashid Khan 20. For Bangladesh,…

Meta is expected to double down on AI-powered augmented reality products with new smart glasses at its annual Connect event on Wednesday, even as the company faces scrutiny over its handling of child safety on its social media platforms. At its Menlo Park, California-based headquarters, CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to unveil Meta’s first consumer-ready smart glasses with a built-in display, a device that analysts predicted will retail for about $800. Internally codenamed “Hypernova,” the glasses are expected to be launched as “Celeste,” analysts said, and will feature a small digital display in the right lens for basic functions such…

Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai has announced $230,000 in aid to help children affected by recent floods in Pakistan. The fund will be used to restore education by providing essential resources such as books, uniforms, and school supplies. Major grants announced Malala revealed in a video message that $200,000 will be given to the Idara-e-Taaleem-o-Agahi in the form of a grant. She also announced a $30,000 grant for the Mountain Institute for Education and Development (MIED). Both grants aim to ensure that flood-hit children can return to classrooms with the tools and resources they need. Focus on education recovery…

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday met with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol in Beijing. Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China stands ready to work with Cambodia, under the guidance of the strategic consensus of the two countries’ leaders, to strengthen high-level exchange and enhance mutual trust. Wang called on the two sides to accelerate the implementation of cooperation projects in various fields, make good use of the planning of the “Industrial Development Corridor” and the “Fish and Rice Corridor,” and deliver more…

China has built a robot arm trio to do maintenance work for future fusion reactors. Cracking fusion energy would mean cheaper, virtually limitless clean energy and a decarbonized global economy. The trio, described as a “remote-handling test platform,” was designed for the country’s Comprehensive Research Facility for Fusion Technology (CRAFT) and built under the lead of the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. It passed the final evaluation on Tuesday. It can operate in extreme environments with intense radiation, powerful magnetic fields and high heat. Core components of a fusion reactor, like the cladding and divertor, are under…

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has carried over 90 million passengers since it opened in October 2018, according to the bridge’s border inspection station on Tuesday. As of Monday, the Zhuhai port has handled more than 90 million travelers and more than 18.68 million vehicles. The bridge has seen strong traffic growth, with passenger numbers reaching 27 million in 2024. This year, 21.2 million passengers have already traveled, marking a 19 percent increase compared to last year. Additionally, annual trips are expected to exceed 30 million for the first time by the end of the year. The increase in individual travel…

China’s third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, recently passed through the Taiwan Straits to carry out tests and training missions in the South China Sea. This constitutes a regular arrangement in the aircraft carrier’s construction process, a Chinese defense ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday. Jiang Bin, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks in response to a relevant question, noting that the move is in accordance with relevant international law and practices, and it is not aimed at any specific target. “China is committed to peaceful development and pursues a defense policy that is defensive in nature, and…