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Chinese leaders convened in Beijing on December 10 and 11 for the annual Central Economic Work Conference, a meeting widely viewed as the compass for China’s economic trajectory. Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the meeting and delivered a keynote address reviewing economic performance in 2025, assessing emerging challenges, and outlining priorities for 2026, the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). Leaders emphasized that next year’s policies will focus on “pursuing progress while ensuring stability” and “improving both quality and effectiveness,” outlining eight core tasks, including boosting domestic demand, promoting innovation, deepening reform and opening-up, advancing low-carbon development, and…

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday rejected Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti’s petition to postpone local government elections in Quetta. Bugti filed the petition on Monday, citing the deteriorating law and order situation in the provincial capital and the suspension of internet services as reasons for postponing the local government elections in Quetta. In its written order today, the ECP said that the polls will be held as per the previously announced schedule. The Election Commission stated that polling in Quetta district will take place on December 28, 2025, saying that all institutions must assist in accordance…

ISLAMABAD : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar said on Wednesday that if one person is targeted or “minus,” then no one will remain afterwards, and the situation will spiral out of control. Speaking to the media outside Parliament House, Barrister Gohar said, “This is not the business world where you remove one of two and the other stays. If you minus one, none will be left. Water cannons were used on Khan Sahib’s sisters — enough is enough.” He stated that no one is being allowed to meet PTI founder Imran Khan, and whoever comes for a meeting is…

BANGKOK/PHNOM PENH : Thailand and Cambodia accused each other of targeting civilians in border attacks on Wednesday, as U.S. President Donald Trump said he would make a telephone call to stop the fighting and salvage a ceasefire he brokered in July. The Southeast Asian neighbours have blamed each other for the clashes that started on Monday, and remain at odds over a diplomatic solution to months of simmering tension. Asked about the prospect of further intervention by Trump, a Thai government spokesperson said there had been no talks with him so far, while Bangkok’s position was that negotiations should not…

WASHINGTON/TOKYO : The United States has for the first time criticised China for aiming radars at Japanese military aircraft during a training exercise last week, an incident over which the Asian neighbours have given differing accounts amid escalating tensions. The run-in near Japan’s Okinawa islands comes after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi triggered a dispute with Beijing last month with her remarks on how Tokyo might react to a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan. China claims democratically governed Taiwan and has not ruled out using force to take control of the island, which sits just over 100 km (62 miles)…

BEIJING: Twelve people have been killed in a residential fire in the southern Chinese city of Shantou, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday. The blaze broke out on Tuesday at 9:20 p.m. (1320 GMT) in a four-storey building and was extinguished about 40 minutes later, Xinhua said. An investigation into the cause of the fire is under way. The incident comes as the death toll from Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades climbed to 160 on Tuesday.

TOKYO/MOSCOW : Japan has scrambled jets to monitor Russian and Chinese air forces conducting joint patrols around the country, the Japanese defence ministry said late Tuesday, amid rising tensions between Tokyo and Beijing. Two Russian Tu-95 nuclear-capable strategic bombers flew from the Sea of Japan toward the East China Sea to rendezvous with two Chinese H-6 bombers, and performed a “long-distance joint flight” in the Pacific, the ministry said. Four Chinese J-16 fighter jets joined the bombers as they made a round-trip flight between Japan’s Okinawa and Miyako islands, it added. The Miyako Strait between the two islands is classified…

ISLAMABAD : The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved the release of $1.29 billion to Pakistan under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF), urging Islamabad to continue strict monetary policies and push ahead with structural reforms. The IMF called for expanding and simplifying the tax base, adjusting electricity and gas tariffs, and accelerating energy sector reforms to reduce circular debt and improve efficiency. It also stressed the need for state-owned enterprise reforms, privatisation, better governance, and an improved business environment. The lender noted that despite recent floods, Pakistan has made progress in stabilising its…

KARACHI : The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) extended gains to reach fresh high on Wednesday as recent economic developments, including loan tranche approval by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), boosted investor confidence. During intraday trading, the KSE-100 index gained 752.66 points to hit 170,209.04 points milestone, reflecting a change of 0.44 percent compared to previous close of 169,456.38 points. IMF has approved $1.2 billion for Pakistan after clearing two loan tranches under the country’s ongoing reform programme. The decision follows a staff-level agreement reached in October and marks a significant step in supporting Pakistan’s economic stabilisation efforts. The approval includes…

LAHORE : Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said on Wednesday that protecting human rights is the core vision and top priority of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). In her message on International Human Rights Day, the chief minister said the first complete charter of human rights was delivered in the Farewell Sermon, adding that Islam is the greatest advocate of human rights. “The Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) presented an extraordinary charter of human rights and gave humanity an eternal and universal message,” she stated. Maryam Nawaz said that December 10 is observed worldwide to raise awareness about the importance of…