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SYDNEY: India were dismissed for 185 in their first innings on day one of the fifth and final Test against Australia in Sydney on Friday. After opting to bat, they crumbled under a relentless pace onslaught with Rishabh Pant top-scoring on 40. Scott Boland was the pick of the bowlers with 4-31 while Mitchell Starc took 3-49.

The China-Pakistan Young Engineers Exchange Program, held in Beijing from December 22-26, brought together nearly 40 engineers and professionals from over 20 institutions in both countries to enhance collaboration in water management, hydropower, and energy innovations. Organized by the Chinese Society of Engineers and the Pakistan Engineering Council, the program featured expert lectures, interactive discussions, field visits, and research tours. Participants explored topics like floating photovoltaic systems, pumped storage, dam safety, and energy storage technologies. Experts from top Chinese universities and companies shared insights, while engineers like Moaaz Awan and Aliyan Syed highlighted innovative solutions for Pakistan’s energy challenges. This…

Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Khalil-ur-Rehman Hashmi, emphasized the growing strength of Pakistan-China relations during a keynote address at an in-house roundtable hosted by the Institute of Strategic Studies (ISS). He highlighted China’s global rise, bilateral trade and economic ties, and the collaborative efforts of Pakistan’s mission in Beijing to deepen the partnership. The discussion underscored the importance of enhancing business-to-business and people-to-people exchanges and ensuring strategic foresight to maximize the partnership’s potential in a multipolar world. ISS Director-General Sohail Mahmood reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to fostering dialogue on Pakistan-China ties, particularly the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and its significance amid…

The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council on Thursday condemned Taiwan authorities led by Lai Ching-te for deliberately obstructing media exchanges between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits. Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the office, made the remarks after Taiwan authorities announced the suspension of a Fujian-based newspaper and its parent organization from stationing reporters in Taiwan for “engaging in united front work.” Chen said the Lai authorities have been restricting and obstructing cross-Straits exchanges and cooperation since taking office. Now they are making baseless accusations against a mainland media outlet, he said. For over 20 years, the…

Beijing recorded 290 days of good air quality last year, the highest since monitoring began, the municipal ecology and environment bureau said Thursday. The number of days with good air quality in the national capital accounted for 79.2 percent in 2024, marking an increase of 19 days compared to the previous year and a significant rise of 114 days compared to 2013. Summer Palace in Beijing, China, September 25, 2024. /CFP The number of days with heavy air pollution dropped dramatically, from 58 in 2013 to just two in 2024, a decrease of 96.6 percent. Beijing’s average concentration of PM2.5…

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called for efforts to ensure the effective implementation of policies and secure a good start for this year’s economic development during his inspection in the city of Jinan in east China’s Shandong Province. While conducting this inspection tour on Thursday, Li also stressed the need for efforts to implement policies as early as possible, seek fast progress with projects and ensure that measures yield tangible results. During a visit to a home appliance store, the premier said the government’s consumer goods trade-in scheme is of great significance to meet the needs of people for high-quality…

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, on Wednesday sent a New Year card in return to representatives of middle school teachers and students in the U.S. State of Washington, extending their New Year wishes. In the card, Xi and Peng said the year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. During the Second World War, China and the United States fought together for peace and justice, and the friendship between the two peoples stood the test of blood and fire and…

RAWALPINDI: The sentences of as many as 19 convicts have been pardoned after they appealed for mercy, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Thursday. A total of 67 convicts have filed mercy petitions, of which 48 have been processed to Courts of Appeal, whereas, pleas of 19 convicts have been accepted purely on humanitarian grounds, in line with the law, added the military’s media wing. Noting that the remaining mercy petitions will be decided in due course of time, following the legal process, the ISPR said that the 19 individuals, whose appeals have been accepted, shall be released after…

Pakistan has successfully achieved its key tax targets set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The tax-to-GDP ratio has reached 10.8%, surpassing this year’s target of 10.6%. According to the Adviser to the Finance Minister Khurram Shahzad, this is the highest tax-to-GDP ratio recorded in the past four years. The tax target of Rs6,009 billion for the first half of the fiscal year was also achieved by 94%, he added. In the first half of the fiscal year, from July to December, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) collected Rs5,624 billion in taxes, reflecting a 26% increase compared to the…

KARACHI  – Bulls continued to rule the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) as KSE-100 index surged to another historic high during intraday trading on Thursday. The benchmark 100 index gained 1,359.73 points to reach intraday high of 118,367.81 points compared to previous close of 117,008.08. The massive buying spree by traders comes amid expectations of economic stability in the country as the federal government has unveiled its ambitious plan to reform the national economy. On Dec 31, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated ‘Uraan Pakistan’ – a five-year national economic plan aimed at achieving sustainable development and economic stability. Addressing the gathering,…