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AstraZeneca (AZN.L), has signed an AI-led research agreement with China’s CSPC Pharmaceutical Group (1093.HK), worth up to $5.3 billion, which would help the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker develop therapies for chronic conditions, it said on Friday. The deal marks the latest effort by AstraZeneca to revive its business in China, its second-biggest market, where it has faced several challenges including the arrest of its China president last year and potential fines related to imports. Under Friday’s agreement, the two companies will collaborate to discover and develop pre-clinical candidates, including a small molecule oral therapy for immunological diseases, with CSPC conducting AI-driven research in Shijiazhuang…

Pakistan on Friday strongly condemned the Israeli military’s early morning airstrikes on Iran, calling the attack an “unacceptable” violation of international law and a grave threat to regional peace and stability. In an official statement, the Foreign Office expressed deep concern over what it described as a clear breach of Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, saying the Israeli assault was “unjustified and contrary to the principles of the United Nations Charter.” “Pakistan strongly condemns Israel’s military strikes inside Iranian territory. These actions are a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter,” the FO spokesperson said. “Iran, as a…

Israel has launched what it described as “preemptive, precise, combined offensive” strikes against Iran, targeting key elements of the country’s nuclear program and long-range missile capabilities, according to a senior Israeli military official, as reported by international media.  Iran’s government has not yet commented on the strikes. IRGC Chief General Hossein Salami Killed in Israeli Strikes: Iranian State Media General Hossein Salami, the commander-in-chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has been killed in Israeli airstrikes, according to multiple Iranian state media outlets. The reports emerged hours after Israel launched a series of overnight preemptive strikes targeting what it…

US President Donald Trump made bold remarks about his role in international diplomacy during a surprise appearance at the opening night of Les Misérables at the Kennedy Center, where he attended the event alongside First Lady Melania Trump. Speaking briefly to reporters outside the venue, Trump said, “I stopped a nuclear war with trade. Nobody can do that. I told them—India and Pakistan—that it’s been a long-time rivalry over Kashmir. I can solve anything.” The president appeared confident as he recounted his recent diplomatic efforts regarding the armed conflict between India and Pakistan in May. “I’m the only one who could’ve stopped…

Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates have agreed to maintain close coordination, and continue working together to advance shared goals of regional peace and prosperity. The understanding was reached during meeting between Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. The meeting underscored the deep-rooted, brotherly relations between Pakistan and the UAE, built on mutual trust, shared values, and a history of close cooperation. The two leaders discussed a wide range of bilateral, regional, and global issues of mutual interest,…

Beijing is set to launch the world’s first “4S store” dedicated to embodied artificial intelligence (AI) robots, marking the latest push to commercialize advanced robotics in the country. The facility, unveiled on Wednesday at a press conference, is scheduled to open in a robotics industrial park in Yizhuang, southern Beijing, during the 2025 World Robot Conference, which is set for August 8 to 12. Similar to traditional automobile 4S models – referring to “sales, service, spare parts and surveys” – the store will offer robot sales, maintenance, parts supply and customer information services. According to the press conference, the robot…

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…