Author: admin

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday held meetings with several African dignitaries who are in China for the opening ceremony of the fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, as well as the Ministerial Meeting of Coordinators on the Implementation of the Follow-up Actions of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Changsha, the capital of central China’s Hunan Province. The African dignitaries Wang met with include Somali Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali, Mozambican Foreign Minister Maria Manuela dos Santos Lucas, and Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey. In his meeting with the Somali foreign minister, Wang said that the heads…

China and the United States will further leverage the China-U.S. trade consultation mechanism to maintain communication and dialogue, enhance consensus and reduce misunderstandings, as well as strengthen cooperation, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday. When asked about the key topics discussed at the first meeting of the China-U.S. trade consultation mechanism – and whether China raised demands regarding U.S. high-tech restrictions – ministry spokesperson He Yadong said the two sides had reached a principled agreement. This included implementing the important consensus reached by the two heads of state during their June 5 phone call, as well…

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) soared to new heights on Thursday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index crossing the 125,000 mark for the first time in the bourse’s history. The index gained 1,138 points in early trading to reach 125,490, marking an increase of nearly 0.91%. This follows Wednesday’s strong performance, when the index surged 2,328 points to close at 124,352.68 — a jump of 1.91% from the previous day’s close of 122,024.44. Market analysts attributed the bullish trend to across-the-board buying in key sectors including oil and gas exploration, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, cement, steel, and commercial banking. “The momentum is largely…

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday took notice of a significant and controversial salary hike granted to the Senate chairman and the National Assembly speaker. Sources privy to the development said,  the premier has sought a detailed report from both the Chairman Senate and the Speaker National Assembly regarding the salary revision. A decision on the matter will be taken in light of the report’s findings, the sources added. The move comes in the wake of a notification issued by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs confirming a considerable increase in the monthly remuneration of the two presiding officers. As per…

The federal government has introduced a new tax on petrol and diesel vehicles as part of the Budget 2025–26, targeting all internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles — both locally manufactured and imported. According to the Finance Bill 2025–26, a fixed levy will now be charged on ICE vehicles based on engine capacity, with the rate applied as a percentage of the vehicle’s total price. The levy will be collected from manufacturers and importers at the source, though it is widely expected that the additional cost will ultimately be passed on to consumers. As per the government’s classification, vehicles with engines:…

The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the Earth’s atmosphere has surged to 430.2 parts per million (ppm) — the highest level recorded in millions of years — according to new data released by researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego. The measurement was taken at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii, a globally recognised benchmark for tracking atmospheric CO₂. The new figure reflects an increase of 3.5 ppm over the past year, rising from 426.7 ppm in May 2024. Climate scientists have long warned that continued reliance on…

LAHORE : World Day Against Child Labour is being observed across the world including Pakistan today (Thursday). The theme of the day this year is “Progress is clear, but there’s more to do: let’s speed up efforts!” World Day Against Child Labor aims to focus attention on the global extent of child labor and the action and efforts needed to eliminate it. Each year on 12 June, the Day brings together governments, employers and worker organizations, and civil society, as well as millions of people from around the world to highlight the plight of child labourers and what can be…

Light tremors were felt in several areas of Karachi during the early hours of Thursday, causing panic among residents though no casualties or damage were reported. According to the National Seismological Centre, the earthquake occurred at 1:44am and had a magnitude of 2.6 on the Richter scale. The epicentre was located in the Malir area, with a depth of 10 kilometres. The tremors were felt in parts of Quaidabad, Landhi, Shah Latif Town, and Malir. The unexpected shaking prompted citizens to come out of their homes, many of whom could be seen reciting Kalima Tayyaba in fear.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Thursday forecast rain accompanied by thunder and strong winds in various parts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). According to the Met Office, strong and dusty winds are expected in the plain areas of Punjab, with light rain likely in cities such as Talagang, Jhelum, and Rawalpindi. Isolated showers accompanied by thunder are also predicted in Murree, Galiyat, Attock, and Chakwal, particularly during the evening and night hours. Islamabad and its surrounding areas are likely to witness extreme heat during the day, with the possibility of thunderstorm-driven rain at a few locations by night,…

Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat has announced the appointment of headmasters in 35,000 government schools across the province. In an official directive issued to the School Education Department, the minister emphasized that permanent headmasters will be appointed after many years of vacancies in these key positions. The decision includes an additional monthly compensation of Rs 10,000 for appointed headmasters. Rana Sikandar Hayat stated that the lack of permanent leadership in schools has negatively impacted the quality of education. “The appointment of permanent headmasters will strengthen administrative control and improve the overall educational standards in schools,” he said. The education…