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As regional tensions continue to rise, Pakistan has ramped up efforts to repatriate its citizens from Iraq and Iran. According to the Foreign Office, 268 Pakistani pilgrims have safely returned from Iraq via two special flights arranged from Basra to Karachi and Islamabad. In a statement on Monday, the Foreign Office spokesperson confirmed that the government is actively facilitating the safe and timely return of all remaining Pakistani pilgrims still stranded in Iraq. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in constant coordination with authorities to ensure the secure return of our citizens,” the spokesperson said. “Pilgrims are advised to stay…

 The federal government is considering delaying the implementation of pension reforms for armed forces personnel by one year, amid rising pressure and technical concerns raised by the Ministry of Defence, official sources told media on Monday. According to sources in the Ministry of Finance, the contributory pension system, which was approved by the federal cabinet for military employees to start from July 1, 2025, may now be postponed until July 2026. The move comes in response to concerns regarding the unique service structure and tenure of armed forces personnel, which differ from those of civilian government employees. The contributory pension…

China’s economy continued to grow steadily in May, demonstrating resilience amid ongoing external and domestic challenges, according to key economic indicators released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday. In May, the industrial output of major enterprises rose by 5.8 percent year-on-year, with a 0.61 percent increase from the previous month. This steady growth in industrial production underpinned overall economic stability, driven by the sustained recovery of the manufacturing sector and the momentum of emerging industries. A worker polishes components in a manufacturing workshop in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, June 16, 2025. /VCG The services sector also maintained…

A Chinese envoy on Monday called for efforts to put an end to unilateral coercive measures, saying they undermine the foundation of multilateralism and international rule of law. Fu Cong, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations stressed during a UN General Assembly debate that unilateral coercive measures run counter to the spirit of multilateralism and international cooperation as they place the domestic laws of one country above international law and the laws of other countries and trample on the principle of sovereign equality. He added that unilateral coercive measures also disregard the authority of the Security Council’s collective decision-making mechanism…

England wicketkeeper-batter Sam Billings has lavished praise on Pakistan’s premier batter Babar Azam, who has been signed by the Sydney Sixers for the upcoming 15th season of the Big Bash League (BBL). In a recent interview, Billings hailed Babar as a “King” acknowledging his stature in world cricket, and voiced enthusiasm about the prospect of seeing the prolific right-hander feature in the tournament. “He is King Babar Azam, as they call him. He’s been such a world-class performer for such a long time. Any competition featuring a player like Babar Azam benefits not only the Sixers, as you said, but…

BEIJING : U.S. chip giant Nvidia (NVDA.O), opens new tab will attend a major supply-chain expo in July in Beijing for the first time, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported on Tuesday. The third edition of the China International Supply Chain Expo will be held from July 16 to 20 and will welcome more than 230 new Chinese and foreign participants, CCTV reported. Nvidia is the market leader for artificial intelligence-related chips. The company is having to defend its decreasing share of the Chinese market while complying with increasingly strict U.S. export controls aimed at curbing China’s access to the types…

WASHINGTON : ChatGPT maker OpenAI was awarded a $200 million contract to provide the U.S. Defense Department with artificial intelligence tools, the Pentagon said in a statement. “Under this award, the performer will develop prototype frontier AI capabilities to address critical national security challenges in both warfighting and enterprise domains,” the Pentagon said. The work will be primarily performed in and near Washington with an estimated completion date of July 2026, the Pentagon said. OpenAI said last week that its annualized revenue run rate surged to $10 billion as of June, positioning the company to hit its full-year target amid…

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday said that China is ready to work with Kazakhstan to resolutely strengthen the friendship between the two countries and contribute more to regional, world peace and development with stability and positive energy of bilateral ties. Xi, who is in the Central Asian country to attend the second China-Central Asia Summit, made the remarks during his meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Astana. Xi said that China-Kazakhstan relations have withstood the test of international vicissitudes and have always maintained high-level development. He added that this is attributed to the geographical closeness and long-standing friendship…

MIAMI: The expanded Club World Cup has kicked off with healthy crowds, “Messi mania” and a festival atmosphere in Miami, giving an early vindication to world football body FIFA after fears of empty stands and global disinterest. FIFA controversially awarded Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami a backdoor route into the tournament, ensuring the sport’s biggest name would be there after he propelled soccer to new heights in a country often ambivalent to the world’s most popular game. Some 61,000 fans packed the Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday to watch the Argentine and teammates play Egyptian giants Al-Ahly in a goalless draw.…

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Astana, Kazakhstan, on June 16 for the second China–Central Asia Summit marks another milestone in reviving a historic bond shaped by the ancient Silk Road — a shared civilizational journey linking China and Central Asia. Today, as the world enters an era dominated by technology as a key driver of development, Central Asian countries have the opportunity to leverage a latecomer advantage by narrowing the digital gap, cultivating technical talent, and harnessing technology for poverty reduction and inclusive growth. Closing the digital gap: Role of the Digital Silk Road The rise of digital economy is reshaping…