Tue, 21-Oct-2025

Pakistani exhibitors make final preparations as China import expo nears

BEIJING: Pakistani, as well as other exhibitors from across the world have geared up, while organisers have gone all out for final preparations for the upcoming China International Import Expo (CIIE), scheduled to be held offline in Shanghai from November 5 to 10. Though China’s weeklong National Day holiday is ongoing, Pakistani businessman Habib Ur … Read more

Iran’s first president Abolhassan Banisadr dies at 88

TEHRAN: Iran’s first president after the 1979 Islamic revolution, Abolhassan Banisadr, died in a Paris hospital on Saturday aged 88, the official news agency IRNA said. “After a long illness, Abolhassan Banisadr died on Saturday at the (Pitie-)Salpetriere hospital” in southeast Paris, IRNA reported, citing a source close to the former president. Banisadr was elected … Read more

US, China chief trade negotiators hold ‘candid exchange’

WASHINGTON: US Trade Representative Katherine Tai spoke with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He to discuss Chinese commercial practices that Washington deems unfair. This was the second consultation between the chief trade negotiators from the world’s two biggest economies after relations were damaged under former US president Donald Trump. The two last spoke in May. “During … Read more

Sri Lanka allows sharp rise in food prices to ease shortages

The Sri Lankan government has ended price controls on essential foods in a bid to end black market trading, as food shortages worsen amid a foreign currency crisis. The cabinet decided to free prices for milk powder, wheat flour, and sugar and liquefied petroleum gas, hoping it would increase supplies. “[The] prices could go up … Read more

Iran’s new central bank chief wants to rein in inflation

Iran’s new central bank governor Ali Saleh-Abadi has said he intends to implement strict monetary policy to control inflation, as the country battles a severe economic crisis. “The most important priority of the central bank is to control inflation, and with the help of the government’s economic team… we (will) try to stabilise various markets … Read more

Pandemic to cost Arab economies $200 billion by end of 2021: World Bank

World Bank

RIYADH: The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region’s economic losses will amount to almost $200 billion by the end of 2021 as a result of the pandemic, Arab News quoted the World Bank, as saying. The region’s GDP contracted by 3.8 per cent in 2020 and is forecast to grow by 2.8 per cent … Read more

UAE first Gulf country to announce net zero strategy

RIYADH: The UAE has announced the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative, a national drive to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, making the Emirates the first to do so in the MENA region, WAM reported. The initiative, announced at Expo 2020 Dubai, aims to underpin dynamic economic growth alongside positive environmental impact. The UAE … Read more

Saudi, Dubai ports launch development works at Jeddah Islamic Port

RIYADH: Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) and Dubai Ports World launched the construction works for the first phase of the Southern Container Terminal development project at Jeddah Islamic Port, SPA reported. The development work will be carried out in four phases, with the project scheduled to be completed by 2024. It includes improvements that will enable … Read more

Britain looks to Gulf countries for new trade deal

LONDON: Britain will take its first step towards trade negotiations with the six-country Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), asking British businesses what they want an agreement to cover, Reuters reported. Trade Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan is targeting a deal with the GCC, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, as she looks to … Read more

Philippines’ Nobel Prize winner Ressa says award for ‘all journalists’

MANILA: Veteran Philippine journalist Maria Ressa on Saturday said her Nobel Peace Prize was for “all journalists around the world”, as she vowed to continue her battle for press freedom. Ressa, co-founder of news website Rappler, and Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov were awarded the prize on Friday for their efforts to “safeguard freedom of expression”. … Read more

China’s President Xi vows peaceful ‘reunification’ with Taiwan

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Saturday that the Taiwan question arose out of the weakness and chaos of the Chinese nation, and it will be resolved as national rejuvenation becomes a reality. “This is determined by the general trend of Chinese history, but more importantly, it is the common will of all Chinese … Read more

Chinese firms keen to invest in Pakistan’s oil, gas sector

Crude Oil Prices

BEIJING: A delegation from the China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Company (CPP) and China Zhenhua Import and Export Company called on Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque at the embassy. Led by Qi Huang, general manager of CPP, and comprising senior executives from China Zhenhua, the delegation discussed their plan to invest in the development … Read more

Flour mill-owners threaten strike from October 12

Flour mills asks to voluntarily reduce

LAHORE: The Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) Punjab Chapter has announced to go on a strike from Tuesday, October 12, 2021, if the ambiguities in the official wheat release policy were not removed till Monday. Addressing a press conference, PFMA Punjab chairman Tahir Hanif Malik and group leader Asim Raza Ahmad said that the flour … Read more

For first time in three months, Pakistan reports less than 1,000 Covid-19 cases

coronaa sop

ISLAMABAD: After more than three months, Pakistan’s daily Covid-19 cases dropped below 1,000, showed the data issued from the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) on Friday. The NCOC, the department leading Pakistan’s campaign against the pandemic, said that 912 new Covid-19 cases were reported on Thursday. Earlier on July 5, Pakistan reported 830 confirmed … Read more

Journalists Maria Ressa, Dmitry Muratov win Nobel Peace Prize

OSLO: The Nobel Peace Prize was on Friday awarded to journalists Maria Ressa of the Philippines and Dmitry Muratov of Russia for their fight for freedom of expression in their countries. The pair were honoured “for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace,” said the chairwoman … Read more

China warns US forces’ training to Taiwanese troops may cause “serious harm”

WASHINGTON: US special operations forces have been quietly training Taiwanese troops for months, a move which China warned Friday could cause “serious harm” to relations between Washington and Beijing. A contingent of around 20 special operations and conventional forces has been conducting the training for less than a year, the Pentagon official, who declined to … Read more

China’s probe found two billion years old volcanic rocks on Moon: research

SYDNEY: The basaltic volcanic rocks, collected as part of China’s Chang’e-5 probe from the Moon, were about 2 billion years old, marking the youngest volcanic rocks identified on the Moon so far, according to an international research published in the journal Science on Friday. Professor Alexander Nemchin from Space Science and Technology Center of Australia’s … Read more

Board of Investment assures facilitation to foreign investors

ISLAMABAD: The government is committed to protect and encourage foreign investments and the Board of Investment (BoI) has assured to facilitate the investors and help them execute their investments. The BoI organised an investment promotion seminar to apprise the potential foreign investors on investment policies and opportunities in Pakistan. Board of Investment secretary Fareena Mazhar … Read more

SSGC organises 17 e-Kachehri sessions in September

KARACHI: As part of its continued efforts to adhere to the directives of PMDU for organising Khuli Kachehris (both online and in person), focused to eliminate the causes of concerns of its valued customers, Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) organised 17 e-Kachehri sessions in Sindh and Balochistan, a statement said. The main session was chaired … Read more

Ufone, MicroEnsure introduce family health insurance

KARACHI: Pakistan’s telecom operator, Ufone and MicroEnsure, a subsidiary of the Micro Insurance Company Group, have collaborated to introduce a convenient and affordable health insurance product “U-Sehat Family” in Pakistan, a statement said. The insurance product brings every Pakistani Ufone user within a virtual health safety net through its affordable, easy to understand and hassle-free … Read more

KCCI grieved over loss of lives in Balochistan quake

KCCI

KARACHI: The leadership of Businessmen Group (BMG) and office-bearers of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) have expressed deep grief and sorrow over the loss of lives caused by a horrifying earthquake of 5.9 magnitude, which struck Balochistan on Wednesday night. In a joint statement, Businessmen Group chairman and former president of the … Read more

NKATI calls for action against local producers’ cartel

KARACHI: North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI) president Faisal Moiz Khan has expressed concern over the artificial scarcity created by the local producers of industrial raw materials and the skyrocketing prices, and appealed Adviser to the Prime Minister Imran Khan on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood to take action against stock-pilers of … Read more

‘I could hear people crying out for help’: Balochistan earthquake survivors recall scary moments

ISLAMABAD: Shahzaib Ahmed, a 14-year-old boy from Balochistan, was not sure whether he was dreaming or it was for real when a powerful earthquake rattled his house in the wee hours of Thursday. “I was in my deep sleep when I felt that my bed was shaking intensely. I thought I am having a bad … Read more

England cricket chairman quits following criticism to cancel Pakistan tour

LONDON: The England and Wales Cricket Board announced on Thursday that chairman Ian Watmore was stepping down with immediate effect, following criticism of the decision to cancel a tour of Pakistan. Watmore, 63, has reached a “mutual agreement” with the board to leave his role following the end of the domestic season after just over … Read more

New Zealand ready to tour Pakistan, says Ramiz Raja

PCB took action after news broke in media 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja announced on Thursday that the New Zealand cricket team has agreed to tour Pakistan. Briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC), the PCB chairman said that the Black Caps were working on a timeline for the series, and assured the lawmakers that he would announce … Read more

Syrian refugee lady starts own business in Beirut camp

BEIRUT: Determination, perseverance and creativity are Fatima Khalifa’s main ingredients for a promising career, a dignified life and the hope to achieve more in the future. Fatima, a 40 year-old Syrian refugee, arrived at Beirut’s Burj Barajneh camp with her six-year-old daughter in 2013, but failed to find a job that can secure a decent … Read more