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China’s second batch-produced AG600 “Kunlong” amphibious aircraft has successfully completed its production test flight in Zhuhai City, south China’s Guangdong Province, Aviation Industry Corporation of China said on Sunday, marking a step toward customer delivery and operational deployment. A four-member test crew piloted the AG600-1102 aircraft, carrying out a series of missions including ground taxiing, general inspections, mission system evaluations and high-altitude flight tests. Following a smooth landing, the aircraft was confirmed to be in sound condition, with its control system normal and all systems in stable operation. It then departed for Yichang in central China’s Hubei Province for painting.…

Sahiwal Coal Power Plant under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Ten years ago, on July 31, 2015, a patch of farmland between Sahiwal and Okara became the launchpad for one of Pakistan’s most consequential energy projects. In just twenty-two months, an astonishing timeline for a utility scale thermal station, two 660 megawatt supercritical units rose from the ground, synchronized, and entered commercial operation in 2017, bringing a combined 1,320 MW onto the grid well ahead of schedule. That sprint from groundbreaking to generation set the tone for everything that followed: precision in execution, discipline in operations, and a commitment to…

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) kicked off the week on a positive note as the KSE-100 index surged by more than 500 points, regaining the crucial 147,000 level it had lost in the previous session. Market opens with strong momentum Trading began on Monday with an early gain of 188 points, setting the tone for a bullish day. Moments later, the index had climbed sharply, eventually closing at 147,075 points, up by 584 points compared to Friday’s close. Recovery after last week’s dip On Friday, the benchmark index had slipped below the 147,000 threshold, ending the week on a negative…

The Senate is set to withdraw a private bill seeking to ban social media use for children under 16, after objections from key stakeholders. PPP senators behind the proposal confirmed that a revised draft will be reintroduced with significant changes. Why the bill was withdrawn According to sources, stakeholders raised strong objections to the proposed 16-year age limit, as well as the punishments outlined in the draft. Concerns were also expressed over the requirement to block accounts of minors and the penalties for non-compliance. On the instructions of the party leadership, PPP senators Masroor Ahsan and Sarmad Ali have agreed…

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro has urged India to halt its imports of Russian crude oil, warning that the purchases are helping Moscow sustain its war in Ukraine. Writing in an opinion piece for the Financial Times, Navarro said India’s growing energy ties with Russia undermine its claim of being a strategic partner of the United States. “If India wants to be treated as a strategic partner of the U.S., it needs to start acting like one,” he wrote, adding that New Delhi was “cozying up to both Russia and China.” The sharp remarks come as Washington escalates pressure on…

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif have called for collective response to climate change through advancement of Green Pakistan Programme. In their separate messages on launching of nationwide Monsoon Tree Plantation Drive on Monday, they said more than 41 million saplings will be planted across the country during this campaign — between August and October. The president said at this critical time, when climate change has already brought destruction to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other parts of the country through floods and cloudbursts, we must act decisively to plant more and more trees, the Pakistan Peoples Party…

Pakistan has reported two new polio cases, raising the country’s total to 21 this year. Health authorities have confirmed infections in Lower Kohistan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Badin (Sindh), prompting tighter vaccination measures in the affected districts. Details of new cases According to the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC), a six-year-old girl from Union Council Pattan in Lower Kohistan and a 21-month-old girl from Union Council Matli-II in Badin have tested positive for the poliovirus. This brings the tally of polio cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to 13 and in Sindh to 6. Earlier this year, Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan each reported one…

Scorching heat hampered efforts to contain 20 major wildfires across Spain on Sunday, prompting the government to deploy an additional 500 troops from the military emergency unit to support firefighting operations. In the northwestern region of Galicia, several fires have converged to form a large blaze, forcing the closure of highways and rail services to the region. Southern Europe is experiencing one of its worst wildfire seasons in two decades, with Spain among the hardest-hit countries. In the past week alone, fires there have claimed three lives and burned more than 115,000 hectares, while neighbouring Portugal also battles widespread blazes.…

Thousands of Israelis took part in a nationwide strike on Sunday in support of families of hostages held in Gaza, calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach an agreement with Hamas to end the war and release the remaining captives. Demonstrators waved Israeli flags and carried photos of hostages as whistles, horns, and drums echoed at rallies across the country, while some protesters blocked streets and highways, including the main route between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. “Today, everything stops to remember the highest value: the sanctity of life,” Anat Angrest, the mother of hostage Matan Angrest, told reporters at…

Monsoon rains have returned with varying intensity across Pakistan, soaking Karachi, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. While the downpours have brought relief from scorching heat, they have also triggered flooding in low-lying areas and disrupted daily life. Karachi braces for more rain The Meteorological Department has forecast light to heavy showers in Karachi until August 22. Late-night drizzle on Sunday kept parts of the city damp with the sea breeze coming to a halt, while humidity levels climbed to 78%. The current temperature is around 30°C but feels closer to 35°C due to high humidity. Winds are blowing at just 5…