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China is making significant strides in reducing its contribution to climate change through improved industrial production and transportation efficiency, as well as by cutting carbon emissions, said Clifford Cobb, a renowned U.S. scholar on sustainable development. Cobb praised China’s ongoing efforts in building an ecological civilization and its green development initiatives, which have garnered worldwide attention. The Loess Plateau in Pingliang City, Gansu Province, northwest China, August 6, 2024. /VCG Cobb, director of the U.S. Institute for Postmodern Development of China, highlighted China’s leadership in alternative energy production, noting that “these features of China’s formation of an ecological civilization are…

US firms operating in China are optimistic about their future in the country, according to a report released by the American Chamber of Commerce in South China (AmCham South China) on Wednesday. Seventy-three percent of the firms reported a positive or very positive overall return on investment in China in 2024. The report, which surveyed 316 companies in the region, found that 76 percent of those surveyed plan to reinvest in China in 2025, with a sizable number of these setting aside under $10 million each, accounting for 77 percent of the total. A notable six percent of the companies…

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has asked senior Party officials to take on new responsibilities and initiate fresh actions in advancing Chinese modernization. Xi made the remarks after reading through the annual work reports of senior Party officials recently submitted to the CPC Central Committee and to the general secretary. The officials included members of the Political Bureau and the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, members of the leading Party members’ groups of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the State Council, and the National Committee of the Chinese…

TASHKENT : Pakistan and Uzbekistan on Wednesday signed several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements to further bolster cooperation between the two countries in diverse sectors. The MoUs and agreements included MoU between Tashkent and Lahore, cooperation agreement between news agencies, inter-agency agreement on Youth Affairs, agreement on cooperation in the field of science technology and innovation. The two countries also signed agreements in the fields of visa-free travel of diplomatic passport holders, military intelligence, internal affairs, professional and technical training and training of diplomats. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev were also present in the…

Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are engaged in discussions over climate financing and economic reforms, with the global lender objecting to proposed sales tax concessions on locally manufactured electric vehicle (EV) parts. The third round of talks is set to take place today, covering key issues, including climate adaptation funding, tax reforms, and energy sector adjustments. The Ministry of Industries and Production had earlier proposed tax exemptions on raw materials used for EV manufacturing. However, the IMF has urged that tax rates in the new EV policy should align with standard fiscal norms. Sources privy to the discussions…

TASHKENT : Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday was accorded a guard of honour as he arrived at the Tashkent Congress Center to meet President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and hold the delegation-level talks. As the prime minister arrived at the venue of the formal welcome reception, the Uzbek president warmly received him. The national anthems of Pakistan and Uzbekistan were played, which followed the guard of honour by the smartly-turned out contingents of the Uzbek armed forces which the prime minister reviewed along with President Mirziyoyev. Later, both President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif introduced their respective…

Pakistan’s aggressive opening batsman Fakhar Zaman is reportedly planning to retire from One Day International (ODI) cricket following the upcoming Champions Trophy, according to sources close to the player. The 36-year-old left-handed batter, who has represented Pakistan in 86 ODI matches, has allegedly discussed retirement plans with close associates in recent weeks. “Champions Trophy will be my last ICC tournament. I want to take a break from ODI cricket,” Zaman reportedly said during these consultations. Sources indicate that ongoing health issues have played a serious role in this decision. Zaman continues to battle hyperthyroidism and has been advised by doctors…

Heavy snowfall continued to wreak havoc in the upper regions of the country, claiming three lives in an avalanche in Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s Neelum Valley while disrupting travel and communication in several areas. According to officials, three young men lost their lives when an avalanche struck the mountainous Dodgai area of Neelum Valley. The search operation to recover their bodies, which was halted overnight due to extreme weather, resumed on Tuesday. Akhtar Ayub, in-charge of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), stated that continuous snowfall in the valley has hampered rescue efforts. “We are facing immense difficulties due to…

DeepSeek is looking to press home its advantage. The Chinese startup triggered a $1 trillion-plus sell-off in global equities markets last month with a cut-price AI reasoning model that outperformed many Western competitors. Now, the Hangzhou-based firm is accelerating the launch of the successor to January’s R1 model, according to three people familiar with the company. Deepseek had planned to release R2 in early May but now wants it out as early as possible, two of them said, without providing specifics. The company says it hopes the new model will produce better coding and be able to reason in languages beyond English.…

US President Donald Trump has announced the introduction of a new immigration initiative—the ‘Gold Card’—which will offer wealthy foreign investors a direct pathway to American citizenship for a payment of $5 million. The announcement, made from the Oval Office on Tuesday, was pitched as a “premium version” of the existing Green Card, with the aim of attracting high-net-worth individuals to the United States. “We are going to be selling a Gold Card,” Trump declared during his address. “We are going to be putting a price on that card of about $5 million.” He stated that the new initiative would replace…