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RAWALPINDI: Security forces successfully thwarted an attempted infiltration and retaliated decisively against a cross-border attack by militants in the Kurram and North Waziristan regions, security sources told on Saturday. According to security sources, a group of 20 to 25 khawarij, in coordination with the Afghan Taliban, launched an unprovoked attack on Pakistani posts using heavy weaponry this morning. In a swift and effective response, Pakistani forces not only neutralised the infiltration attempt but also delivered a strong counterattack. Reports claim that over 15 militants, including Afghan Taliban members, were killed, with many others injured. The operation forced the Afghan Taliban to abandon…

The Punjab Police has procured 21 bulletproof single-cabin vehicles to enhance the safety of officers deployed in sensitive areas across the province. The initiative is part of broader efforts to equip law enforcement with secure and reliable resources for high-risk operations. According to police officials, each vehicle costs Rs9.1 million, bringing the total expenditure for the 21 vehicles to Rs192 million. The vehicles will be handed over to the officers once the bulletproofing process is completed. In addition to the current fleet, plans are underway to purchase 52 more vehicles to further bolster security for officers in challenging operational zones.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has announced that all banks across the country will remain closed for public transactions on Wednesday, January 1, 2025, in observance of a “Bank Holiday”. Therefore, all banks, development financial institutions, and microfinance banks across the country will remain closed for public transactions on Jan 1, 2025. The announcement clarified that while public transactions will not be processed, all employees of banks, financial institutions, and microfinance banks are required to attend work as per their routine schedules. During this time, customers are advised to plan their financial activities accordingly, as banking services like cash…

The Chinese Consulate in Karachi has donated essential health materials and medical supplies to the Pak-China Friendship Hospital (PCFH) in Gwadar, enhancing healthcare services in the region. The donation, which includes masks, gloves, and antiseptics, aims to support the hospital’s free healthcare for the local population. Inaugurated in May, the 100-bed hospital—part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework—offers advanced facilities like a modern laboratory, CT scanners, and ultrasound machines. Serving around 3,000 patients daily, the hospital combines with an existing facility to provide a total capacity of 150 beds, significantly boosting medical care in Gwadar.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is a strategic decision made by the three governments to promote regional connectivity, prosperity and stability. Xi made the remarks in his congratulatory letter to the commencement ceremony of the railway project. Noting that the construction of the railway reflects the shared aspiration of the three countries to open up this strategic corridor, Xi said that the commencement ceremony marks the transition of the project from conception to implementation, taking a critical step toward the goal of completion and operation. Xi emphasized the need for close collaboration among the…

Two radio telescopes with 40-meter-diameter antennas, one located in northeast and the other in southwest China, were put into use on Friday. These telescopes will aid in exploring deep space and unraveling cosmic mysteries. The two telescopes were built by the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHAO) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in the Changbai Mountain area in northeast China’s Jilin Province and in Shigatse in southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region respectively. Following the deployment of the two new telescopes, the Very-Long-Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) network in China now includes one control center in Shanghai and six stations: two in Shanghai…

A meeting of the Communist Party of China (CPC) leadership has stressed the importance of strengthening Party discipline and urged senior leaders to play an exemplary and leading role in observing Party rules. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, delivered an important speech while chairing the criticism and self-criticism meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, which was held from Thursday to Friday. Members of the Political Bureau conducted criticism and self-criticism at the meeting, focusing on consolidating and deepening the results of the Party-wide campaign on CPC discipline education, which ran from April…

China will adjust the import tariff rates and items on certain goods starting from January 1, 2025, in an effort to expand domestic demand and advance high-standard opening up, authorities announced Saturday. Provisional import tariffs, lower than the most-favored-nation rates, will be applied to 935 commodities next year as part of the annual tariff adjustment plan. This plan “will help increase the imports of quality products,” according to a statement from the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council. This tariff reduction aligns with the need to foster new quality productive forces through scientific and technological innovation, enhance people’s well-being,…

RAWALPINDI: Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said on Friday that no political leader’s desire for power should be more important than Pakistan’s interests. “All political parties and leaders are respectable to us. No individual, his politics and his desire for power are above Pakistan,” the military’s spokesperson said during a media briefing at the General Headquarters, Rawalpindi. The ISPR DG’s comments came in response to a question about purported backdoor talks between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the establishment. The reporter also mentioned that there were reports of a certain “officer” being involved amid…

The generative AI boom continued at pace in 2024, with smartphones becoming a key battleground for the technology’s development as Samsung, Google and Apple all introduced new AI tools to their devices. Many commentators and the tech firms themselves have said a big hurdle when it comes to generative AI features is getting them in front of as many users as possible – and building them into familiar devices such as smartphones became a key topic of the year when it came to rolling out new products. Samsung was first out of the blocks in January, when it announced Galaxy…