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Bapsi Sidhwa –  the celebrated Pakistani author whose works have left an indelible mark on global literature –  passed away on Wednesday at the age of 86 in Houston, Texas. Known for her poignant storytelling and deep cultural insights, Sidhwa’s death is a significant loss to the literary world, especially to the literary communities of Pakistan, India, and the global Zoroastrian diaspora. Sidhwa’s literary legacy is best exemplified by her groundbreaking novel Ice Candy Man (1991), which vividly depicts the horrors and chaos of the 1947 Partition of the Indian subcontinent. The novel, which was later adapted into the critically acclaimed film Earth (1998)…

Islamabad District and Sessions Court has granted interim bail to Bushra Bibi, wife of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, in cases filed against her regarding Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) November 26 protest. Bushra Bibi filed applications for interim bail in the cases registered at Tarnol and Ramna police stations. Duty Judge Shabir Bhatti approved her interim bail until January 13, subject to submission of surety bonds worth Rs50,000 each. She appeared in court alongside her legal team for the proceedings. The cases against Bushra Bibi pertain to alleged violations during the PTI protest, with further hearings scheduled to proceed in January.

Oil prices edged higher on Thursday in thin holiday trading, driven by hopes for additional fiscal stimulus in China, the world’s biggest oil importer, while an anticipated decline in U.S. crude inventories also provided support. Brent crude futures rose 11 cents, or 0.2%, to $73.69 a barrel by 0148 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at $70.25 a barrel, up 15 cents, or 0.2%, from Tuesday’s pre-Christmas settlement. China plans to boost fiscal support for consumption next year by increasing pensions and medical insurance subsidies for residents and expanding trade-ins for consumer goods, according to a finance ministry announcement on Tuesday.…

2024 was a year of joy for several celebrities across the globe as they embraced parenthood and welcomed the next generation of stars. Here’s a roundup of some of the most heartwarming celebrity baby announcements this year: Urwa & Farhan: On January 3, power couple Farhan Saeed and Urwa Hocane celebrated the arrival of their baby girl, Jahan Aara Saeed. Vikrant & Sheetal: Bollywood actor Vikrant Massey and his wife, Sheetal Thakur, welcomed their first child on February 7. Virat & Anushka: Indian cricket star Virat Kohli and Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma became parents to a baby…

MELBOURNE: Virat Kohli’s conduct came under the microscope in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne on Thursday after a clash of shoulders with teen debutant Sam Konstas but the incident did little to knock the Australian wonder boy off his stride. With Konstas well on top of India’s bowlers on day one, Kohli was booed by the Melbourne Cricket Ground after bumping into the 19-year-old as he walked down the pitch for a chat with opening partner Usman Khawaja at the end of the 10th over. Kohli and Konstas turned to face each other and exchanged words, prompting umpire Michael…

ISLAMABAD : Pakistan plans to acquire 40 J-35 stealth fighter jets from China, marking China’s first sale of fifth-generation warplanes to a foreign ally. The South China Morning Post reported that the jets would be delivered within two years, enhancing Pakistan’s defense capabilities and rebalancing regional dynamics. This development follows the visit of General Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, to Pakistan’s General Headquarters, where discussions with COAS General Asim Munir emphasized mutual trust, regional security, and deepening bilateral defense cooperation. The J-35, China’s second fifth-generation stealth aircraft, is designed similarly to the US F-35, highlighting China’s…

TASHKENT : Uzbekistan has introduced a series of transformative institutional reforms over the past five years to modernize its economic policies and enhance competition. Khalilillo Turakhujaev, Chairman of the Committee for the Development of Competition and Protection of Consumer Rights, has highlighted the nation’s commitment to reducing state presence in the economy and fostering fair market practices. The implementation of the “Yellow Pages Rule” has been a cornerstone of these reforms. This rule prohibits the establishment of a state-owned enterprise (SOE) if five private-sector entities are already operating in the same industry. This benchmark was established after robust market monitoring…

A Chinese commercial radar remote sensing constellation composed of 12 satellites has started its operation, according to PIESAT, a Beijing-based satellite firm. The announcement came after four PIESAT-2 satellites, which were launched into a 528-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit last week, successfully transmitted high-resolution images and data back to Earth. The latest satellites joined eight satellites that were previously deployed to space, creating China’s largest commercial radar remote sensing constellation: Nuwa, named after the Chinese goddess known as the creator of humanity. Nuwa’s satellites are arranged in three groups. The first group forms a wheel-like configuration, with a main satellite acting as a…

China has signed documents with Palestine to send two batches of emergency humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, according to the Chinese Embassy in Egypt. The signing ceremony, held in Cairo on Monday, was attended by Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang and Palestinian Ambassador to Egypt Diab al-Louh. “To ease the humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip, the Chinese government has continued to provide assistance to Palestine,” Liao said, adding that China has delivered multiple batches of emergency humanitarian relief supplies, including food and medicine, to the enclave through Egypt. He reiterated that China is willing to maintain close…

The Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) concluded its 13th session in Beijing on Wednesday. At the closing meeting, lawmakers voted to adopt a law on value-added tax, a decision on amending the Supervision Law and a revised Science and Technology Popularization Law. They adopted a decision on removing Wang Guanghua from the post of minister of natural resources and appointing Guan Zhi’ou to the position. President Xi Jinping signed four presidential orders to promulgate the laws and the decisions. Zhao Leji, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the closing meeting. The meeting decided to…