Trump ready for trade deal with China, calls talks with President Xi ‘friendly’

Newswire Washington: US President Donald Trump this week said his conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping was friendly and he thought he could reach a trade deal with China. The leaders of the world’s two biggest economies discussed issues including TikTok, trade and Taiwan in a phone call before Trump took office. Since taking office, […]

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Aseefa Bhutto Zardari inaugurates People’s School project

Liaquat Ali Islamabad: Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, First Lady of Pakistan, Member National Assembly, and Chairperson of Sindh Peoples Welfare Trust (SPWT), this week inaugurated the groundbreaking ceremony for the People’s School, a transformative educational initiative aimed at fostering quality education and youth empowerment. The Sindh Peoples Welfare Trust (SPWT), founded by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto […]

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France calls on EU to delay, water down sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements

Mark Segal Paris: The government of France has called for a significant implementation delay and major amendments to some of the key European sustainability reporting and environmental due diligence regulations introduced over the past few years, in a bid to help reduce bureaucratic burdens and simplify compliance obligations for companies, and for small and medium-sized […]

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China: Consistent progress seen in environmental protection

Henan Daily Zhengzhou: Despite facing challenges in environmental protection amid efforts to boost its economic recovery, China has made consistent progress over the past year, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment said. In 2024, the average density of PM2.5 particulate matter in the country’s 339 major cities was 29.3 micrograms per cubic meter, down 2.7 […]

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China to boost consumption, expand imports in 2025

Henan Daily Zhengzhou: China will further implement the special campaign to stimulate consumption, actively expand imports and attract foreign investment this year, according to a national commerce work conference held in Beijing this week. The country will step up efforts to implement the consumer goods trade-in program, according to the meeting. More diversified consumption scenarios […]

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Queen Mary of Denmark opens up the royal couple’s Circular Annex house

Copenhagen: Just 40 minutes from Copenhagen, where the Danish royal family’s official residence Amalienborg is located, you’ll find Fredensborg. With its village-like atmosphere, tall trees and shimmering Esrum Lake, peace and tranquillity reign. Here is the Baroque Fredensborg Palace, and the publicly accessible Palace Garden, renowned as an example of Baroque garden design. Nearby is […]

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Aseefa Bhutto for resolution of Khyber Pakhtunkhaw issues

Liaquat Ali Islamabad: First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari this week urged for development in Khyber Pakhtunkhaw . In a meeting with Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Faisal Karim Kundi, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari discussed pressing issues faced by the province, including the deteriorating law and order situation and the alarming rise in polio cases. During the meeting, concerns […]

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China confident of continuous economic recovery in 2025

Henan Daily Zhengzhou: When setting economic growth targets for 2025, China will consider both needs and possibilities and ensure coherence with medium and long-term planning, an official with the country’s top economic planner said this week. A senior National Development and Reform Commission official, Yuan Da, told a press conference that China’s economy will face […]

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Italy PM says she is ‘in tune on many issues’ with Keir Starmer

Angela Giuffrida Rome: Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, has said she is “in tune on many issues” with her British counterpart, Keir Starmer, especially “the fight against mass illegal immigration” and the need to explore “innovative solutions” when it comes to processing asylum claims, touting Italy’s controversial agreement with Albania. Meloni told the weekly magazine […]

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Denmark to boost Greenland’s defence after Trump repeats controversial remarks seeking US ownership

Celina Ali Islamabad: Denmark moves to boost Greenland’s defence capabilities after US President-elect Donald Trump doubles down on controversial remarks of US dire to control the arctic nation. The Danish government this week announced a major plan to bolster Greenland’s defence capacity just hours after US President-elect Donald Trump publicly repeated his desire to purchase […]

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Surprised why fish only cut Pakistani internet cables: Bilawal Bhutto

Liaquat Ali Islamabad: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari this week criticised the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz)-led government over “slow internet speed” in the country, wondering why fish only cut Pakistan’s undersea fibre optics cable. “PML-N’s politics is based on motorways … infrastructure for our generation is digitalisation, internet and its speed,” Bilawal, […]

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France, Pakistan have excellent diplomatic, political relations: Ambassador Nicolas Galley

Celina Ali Islamabad: French Ambassador to Pakistan Nicolas Galley said this week that Pakistan and France currently have excellent diplomatic and political relations. Economic, trade and diplomatic relations between Pakistan and France will be further promoted, he said. He expressed these views during a meeting with Sardar Zahoor Iqbal, Chairman of France-Pakistan Business Forum FPBF […]

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Aseefa Bhutto launches anti-polio campaign in Nawabshah

Liaquat Ali Islamabad: First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari this week launched an anti-polio campaign in Nawabshah on Monday. The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader and PPP Women’s Wing Central President Faryal Talpur chaired a meeting to inaugurate the anti-polio campaign in Nawabshah and distributed certificates among the members of anti-polio team. Aseefa Bhutto also administered […]

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Don’t take orders from anyone: Italy PM Giorgia Meloni

Newswire Rome: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni this week defended her friendship with tech billionaire Elon Musk, affirming that her relationship with anyone does not interfere with her leadership role or Italy’s policy. PM Meloni made the remarks while speaking in a parliamentary session ahead of the European Union summit in Brussels. During her address, […]

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France: Most powerful nuclear reactor finally comes on stream

Paris: France this week connected its most powerful nuclear power reactor to the national electricity grid in what leaders hailed as a landmark moment despite years of delays, budget overruns and technical setbacks. The Flamanville 3 European Pressurized Reactor in Normandy started providing electricity to French homes at 11:48 am (1048 GMT) Saturday, the EDF […]

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Maryam Nawaz urges Huawei to invest in Pakistan, especially in Punjab

Celina Ali Islamabad: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif this week visited Huawei Technologies’s Bantian headquarters in Shenzhen Longgang district and vowed to enhance cooperation. According to a statement released here by Huawei, she met Huawei’s Government Affairs Director Wang Chengdong to discuss various initiatives to make Lahore a modern digital city. She also discussed […]

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Denmark pledges support for Malaysia’s green transition initiatives

Newswire Kuala Lumpur: Denmark is deeply committed to supporting Malaysia’s green transition through knowledge, strong public-private partnerships, and investments, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said this week. He said Danish companies are eager to contribute Danish solutions to Malaysia through the newly established Green Transition Alliance, which will be a part of Denmark’s future […]

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Bilawal Bhutto calls for united efforts to safeguard human rights

Liaquat Ali Islamabad: Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari this week called for united efforts to safeguard and promote human rights as the cornerstone of a just, inclusive, and peaceful society. In his message on the occasion of International Human Rights Day being observed globally on December 10, he said that human […]

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Italy advocates for two-state solution for Israel and Palestine

Newswire Rome: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Rome this week, emphasizing the importance of achieving a “lasting political solution” through a two-state solution, News.az reports citing foreign media. According to an Italian government statement, she confirmed her country’s commitment to a “lasting political solution based on the two […]

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New PM Francois Bayrou says he knows ‘difficulty’ of France’s situation

Paris: France’s new Prime Minister Francois Bayrou says he is well aware of the scale of France’s financial and political problems, comparing the country’s budget deficit to the Himalayan mountain range. “No one knows better than me the difficulty of the situation,” Bayrou said at a handover ceremony with former Prime Minister Michel Barnier. “I […]

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Queen Mary of Denmark marks her first year as monarch by unveiling a spectacular tiara created from a historic diamond belt

Copenhagen: Queen Mary of Denmark has celebrated her first year as monarch in spectacular fashion, unveiling a dazzling tiara repurposed from a historic diamond belt. The Australian-born royal, 52, known for her penchant for heirloom diadems, has breathed new life into the unique accessory. In a video shared by Amalienborg Palace on Tuesday, Mary is […]

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Bilawal Bhutto praises Kundi’s multi-party moot

Liaquat Ali Islamabad: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari this week praised a multi-party conference (MPC) held in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to discuss the deteriorating law and order situation in Kurram while calling out the PTI-led provincial government for “practising their extremist politics at the expense of the people”. KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi […]

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China extends tariff exemptions on certain U.S. goods until Feb. 28, 2025

Beijing: China will continue to exempt certain U.S. goods from additional tariffs until the end of February next year, the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council said this week. According to a statement issued in April, these items from the United States were excluded from the tariff countermeasures against the U.S. Section 301 measures […]

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Denmark Embassy, UNODC, NACTA kick off peace project through football match

Celina Ali Islamabad: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in partnership with National Counter Terrorism Authority NACTA (NACTA) and support from the Embassy of Denmark, Islamabad this week kicked off the project ‘Strengthening Pakistan’s Response to effectively prevent the spread of violent extremism virtually and amongst youth in vulnerable communities (SPREE)’ by organizing […]

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Bilawal Bhutto for ‘National Action Plan 2.0’ to combat terror

Liaquat Ali Islamabad: Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari this week stressed the need for the ‘National Action Plan 2’ to combat terrorism in the country, following terrorist attacks against foreigners, civilians, and armed forces. “The government never desires for any citizen to lose their life in incidents of unrest. We hope both the […]

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