Italy: Referendum on easing citizenship rules thwarted by low turnout

Newswire Rome: An Italian referendum on easing citizenship rules and strengthening labour protections this week failed after hard-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni encouraged voters to boycott the vote. As polls closed on Monday, it emerged that many citizens had heeded Meloni’s call as only 30 percent of the electorate cast their ballots over two days […]

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France keen to strengthen educational ties with Pakistan

Abdullah Jan Lahore: France and Pakistan are poised to deepen cooperation in higher education following a high-level meeting at the French Embassy in Islamabad between renowned career counsellor Syed Abidi and the embassy’s cultural and education team. Under the stewardship of French Ambassador Nicolas Galey, bilateral relations have entered a new phase of vitality, with […]

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International tourists drive shopping surge in China

Henan Daily Zhengzhou: Favourable policies such as visa-free transit and a nationwide instant tax refund system are helping to make China an increasingly popular destination for international travellers, alongside strong global demand for “Made in China” products. At a DJI store in Beijing’s SKP mall on April 23, an American tourist browsed drones on his […]

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Governor Faisal Karim Kundi greets Italy on National Day

Liaquat Ali Islamabad: Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Faisal Karim Kundi this week attended a ceremony to mark Italy’s National Day on the invitation of the Italian Ambassador to Pakistan, Marilina Armellin. During the event, Governor Kundi joined the Ambassador and other distinguished guests in cutting a celebratory cake in honor of Italy’s National Day. Extending warm […]

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Pakistan, China join hands to launch major digital skills initiative for youth

Gwadar Pro Islamabad: In a landmark move aimed at equipping Pakistan’s youth with cutting-edge digital skills, the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP) on Friday afternoon signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with China’s ITMC, UNI International, and several leading Chinese vocational institutions. The agreement marks a major step forward in Pakistan’s efforts to build a […]

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China’s consumer goods trade-in program spurs 1.1 trillion yuan in sales

Henan Daily Zhengzhou: China’s consumer goods trade-in program has generated 1.1 trillion yuan (about 153.1 billion U.S. dollars) in sales in the first five months this year, the Ministry of Commerce said this week. As of Saturday, nationwide trade-ins had fueled a surge in transactions, including 4.12 million vehicles, 77.62 million units of household appliances […]

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Honouring cultural harmony: A melodic celebration of Portugal-Pakistan friendship

Celina Ali Islamabad: In a celebration of cultural harmony and enduring bilateral ties, Serena Hotels, in partnership with the Embassy of Portugal, hosted Soulful Strings: Portugal & Pakistan — a captivating musical evening that served as a vibrant tribute to the shared human spirit expressed through music. The event, part of Serena Hotels’ acclaimed Cultural […]

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Pakistan, UK to increase cooperation at multilateral fora

Celina Ali Islamabad: Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his British counterpart David Lammy yesterday agreed to enhance cooperation in multilateral fora, particularly the UN Security Council, state-run media reported. Pakistan and the UK enjoy cordial relations. These ties have translated into the two nations harbouring cooperation in military, economic, and educational sectors, with the […]

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Italy National Day celebrated

Ambassador Marilina Armellin underscores deep-rooted friendship between Italy, Pakistan Celina Ali Islamabad: Italy’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Marilina Armellin, this week underscored the deep-rooted friendship between Italy and Pakistan and reaffirmed Italy’s unwavering commitment to global peace and multilateral cooperation during a heartfelt address at a ceremony marking Italy’s Republic Day. Welcoming distinguished guests to the […]

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Bulgaria’s Ambassador Irena Gancheva unveils cultural exhibition highlighting Ancient Treasures of Bulgaria

Celina Ali Islamabad: As part of a growing commitment to cultural diplomacy and mutual understanding, Her Excellency Irena Gancheva, the Ambassador of Bulgaria to Pakistan, this week formally inaugurated an exhibition titled “The Ancient Treasures of Bulgaria” at a distinguished cultural venue in Islamabad. The exhibition, which opened to an enthusiastic audience of diplomats, historians, […]

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High Commissioner Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri invites attention towards climate issue

Canberra: Pakistani High Commissioner to Australia Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri invited attention towards the climate issue. “Glacial melting poses a grave environmental threat. Pakistan is particularly concerned, as it holds more glacial ice than any country outside the polar regions,” the envoy posted on X. More than three-quarters of the world’s glaciers are set to vanish […]

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Pakistan urges UNSC to act, not to remain bystander, as Israel kills and starves Palestinians

Celina Ali Islamabad: Pakistan this week urged the United Nations General Assembly not to remain a bystander while Palestinians were being slaughtered, maimed and starved. “The cries from Gaza cannot continue to be met with silence– the world cannot afford another day of inaction,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, […]

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Kazakhstan eager to improve academic ties with Pakistan

Lahore: The Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Pakistan, Mr Yerzhan Kistafin, visited the University of Health Sciences (UHS) here this week, accompanied by Dr Anar Turmukhambetova, Board Chairman and Rector of Astana Medical University, along with embassy officials Daniyar Altayev and Rana Irfan Haider. During the visit, the Kazakh delegation met with UHS Vice Chancellor Prof […]

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Pakistan invites Japan to join mineral sector drive through joint ventures, value addition

Abdullah Jan Islamabad: Pakistan this week invited Japan to invest in its minerals sector through joint ventures focused on exploration, processing and value addition, with commerce minister, Jam Kamal, holding high-level meetings in Tokyo this week, the government said in a statement. The outreach is part of Pakistan’s broader push to attract foreign investment and […]

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Umar Rehman Malik lauds President Asif Ali Zardari for signing law to stop child marriages

Liaquat Ali Islamabad: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Umar Rehman Malik this week lauded President Asif Ali Zardari for signing the bill into law to stop child marriages. “Historic Step Towards Protecting Our Children. President Asif Ali Zardari has officially signed the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Bill, 2025, into law,” he said in […]

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In the computer age, China gives the world another option

Ding Gang Those born in the 1950s are the first ferrymen of the computer civilization. We’ve witnessed the digital revolution unfold, upgrading our skills and capabilities alongside each new version of Windows. Through this journey, we’ve developed a profound understanding of what an “operating system” truly means to modern life. Without Windows, countless software applications […]

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Expanding visa-free ‘circle of friends’ shows China’s focus on openness, cooperation

Global Times China’s visa-free “circle of friends” has once again expanded. Effective June 1, China began implementing a trial policy that unilaterally grants visa-free entry to citizens of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay. Beginning June 9, the policy will also apply to Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain. These initiatives vividly reflect China’s diplomatic […]

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National Day: Italy can play role of ‘peace builder’ in ‘volatile’ global, regional scenario: Atta Tarar

Celina Ali Islamabad: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar this week said Pakistan look to Italy as an important country which could play the role of peace builder in the volatile regional and global scenario. Addressing the celebration ceremony of Italy’s National Day, he said Pakistan and Italy share a rich history of […]

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France to ban smoking on beaches, parks and bus stops from July 1

Newswire Paris: France will ban smoking in all outdoor places that can be accessed by children, including beaches, parks and bus stops, the health and family minister announced this week. Famed as a country where smokers linger over cigarettes on cafe terraces or strolling down cobblestone streets, France has increasingly tightened restrictions on tobacco use […]

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Xi says China ready to work with Germany to open new chapter in all-round strategic partnership

Henan Daily Zhengzhou: Chinese President Xi Jinping said this week that China is ready to work with Germany to open a new chapter in their all-round strategic partnership, to steer China-EU relations toward new progress and to make new contributions to the stable growth of the world economy. Speaking to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over […]

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Bilawal Bhutto condemns politicisation of water through violation of IWT

Liaquat Ali ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari this week condemned the politicisation of water through violations of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), calling it a form of “hybrid warfare.” He warned that if such actions continue, future generations would face conflicts over water resources. Bilawal criticised India’s assertion of a “new […]

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China’s tax cuts boost high-tech, manufacturing growth in 2024

China Economic Net Beijing: China’s main policies supporting sci-tech innovation and the development of the manufacturing industry saw tax cuts, fee reductions and tax refunds totalling 2.63 trillion yuan (about 366.75 billion U.S. dollars) in 2024, official data showed on Wednesday. These policies accelerated the cultivation of new quality productive forces and promoted the high-quality […]

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Henan’s e-commerce transaction volume hits 324.16 billion yuan in Q1

Henan Daily Zhengzhou: Henan’s e-commerce sector remained stable in the first quarter of 2025, with total goods and services transactions reaching 324.16 billion yuan, according to data released by Henan Provincial Bureau of Statistics on May 14. Service-related and consumer-facing transactions continued to grow at a relatively fast pace. In the first quarter, service transactions […]

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High Commissioner Jane Marriott discusses UK-Pakistan ties with Punjab CM

Newswire Lahore: British High Commissioner Jane Marriott called on Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz here and discussed a wide range of issues, including matters of mutual interest, bilateral cooperation, education, investment, environmental protection, and governance reform. A luncheon was also hosted in the honour of outgoing Political Advisor to British High Commission Zoe Ware on […]

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Rule of law in Italy under EU scrutiny

Newswire Rome: A closed-door hearing at the European Parliament could have been an opportunity for the Italian government to engage seriously on European Union concerns over the rule of law in Italy and make clear commitments to uphold core EU values. Instead, the government sent lower-level officials to attend, and a leading MEP of Prime […]

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High Commissioner Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri highlights rural culture of Pakistan

Canberra: Pakistani High Commissioner to Australia Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri this week highlighted the rural culture of Pakistan. “Bull racing – Raw energy of rural life in Pakistan,” he posted on X along with a beautiful picture to support his statement. A traditional sport deeply rooted in the cultural fabric of rural Punjab, Bill racing continues […]

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Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad backs UN chief’s plan for world body’s restructuring to enhance its effectiveness

Celina Ali Islamabad: Pakistan this week threw its weight behind UN Secretary-General’s UN80 initiative aimed at enhancing the word body’s effectiveness, emphasizing that it core mandate of maintaining world peace & security must remain paramount. “We welcome the UN80 Initiative as a timely and important step towards making the UN leaner, more efficient and fit […]

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