Author: i2wtc

Thanks to a series of visa relaxation measures, including unilateral visa exemption and visa-free transit, China’s inbound tourism is regaining momentum and redefining itself.by Zhong LingFrom the imperial grandeur of the Forbidden City to the misty peaks of Zhangjiajie and the dazzling skyline of Shanghai, China’s appeal is drawing more international travelers than ever. In the first half of 2025, foreign nationals made 38.05 million cross-border trips, up 30.2 percent year on year.Thanks to a series of visa relaxation measures, including unilateral visa exemption and visa-free transit, China’s inbound tourism is regaining momentum and redefining itself.Tourists from Italy visit the…

ISLAMABAD: A subcommittee of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) headed by Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail failed to evolve criteria for selecting judges for constitutional benches (CBs) as most members held the view that the Constitution does not empower it to do so. The five-member committee held a meeting on Thursday, August 21. Other members included Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Awan, Senator Farooq H Naek (from treasury benches), Senator Ali Zafar (from opposition benches), and Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) representative Ahsan Bhoon. Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi had earlier formed two committees led by Justice Mandokhail…

LAHORE: On the sidelines of the Pakistan Open MMA Championship on Friday, Omar Ahmed, the president of the Pakistan Mixed Martial Arts Federation, outlined an ambitious vision to establish Mixed Martial Arts as a premier sports property in the country, while detailing the significant systemic hurdles that stand in its way. A former kickboxer, Omar spoke candidly about the challenge of attracting advertisers in a market dominated primarily by the game of cricket. “Our purpose is to create a sport property in Pakistan,” Omar told Dawn. “At the moment, Pakistan Super League [PSL] is the only sports property of Pakistan.…

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will embark on a two-day official visit to Bangladesh from Saturday, the Foreign Office said on Friday. The trip, described as long overdue, had earlier been postponed twice — once in May following heightened Pakistan-India tensions after the Pahalgam attack. “On the invitation of the government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar will pay an official visit to Bangladesh on 23-24 August 2025,” the Foreign Office said in a statement. During his stay in Dhaka, Dar is scheduled to meet Chief Adviser…

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday constituted the 11th National Finance Commission to finalise a new resource distribution award, paving the way for a fresh showdown as the Centre seeks to win back lost fiscal space while the provinces prepare to hold their ground. In pursuance of Clause (1) of Article 160 of the Constitution, the president of Pakistan is pleased to constitute the 11th National Finance Commission (NFC) with immediate effect, according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Finance on Friday. The five-year life of the 10th Commission ended last month, which held a few meetings…

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said India’s “hostile mindset and resources” were behind terrorist incidents in Pakistan, reaffirming that the country’s armed forces were fully prepared to eliminate all forms of proxy warfare. He made the remarks during a meeting with a delegation of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) led by President Kazam Khan on Friday. Speaking to the delegation, Lt Gen Chaudhry said the armed forces of Pakistan, with the support of the public, were fully capable of defeating this “proxy war” being waged against the country. “All acts of terrorism in…

The Asian Development Bank will fund upgrades to part of Pakistan’s creaking railway system, replacing China, after prolonged delays in securing financing from Beijing threatened to put a strain on a strategic mining project, two sources said on Friday. An extensive revamp of 1,800 km of railways has been the centrepiece of a $60 billion Chinese investment programme in Pakistan announced in 2015 as part of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative global infrastructure push. A decade of negotiations, however, have yet to produce a finance package for the rail upgrades – the single biggest project under the programme with China. And…

An aerial drone photo taken on Aug. 22, 2025 shows farmers harvesting Gordon Euryale seeds in Huisheng Village of Dongxing Town of Jingjiang City, east China’s Jiangsu Province. As the Chushu of the solar terms is approaching, farmers across the country are busy working in fields. (Photo by Tang Dehong/Xinhua)An aerial drone photo taken on Aug. 22, 2025 shows a harvester reaping rice in a field in Daizhuang Village of Tianwang Town of Jurong City, east China’s Jiangsu Province. As the Chushu of the solar terms is approaching, farmers across the country are busy working in fields. (Photo by Zhong…

Google CEO Sundar Pichai gestures to the crowd during Google’s annual I/O developers conference in Mountain View, California on May 20, 2025. Camille Cohen | Afp | Getty ImagesAlphabet shares rose on a Friday report that Apple is in early discussions to use Google’s Gemini AI models for an updated version of the iPhone maker’s Siri assistant.The company’s shares rose more than 3% on the Bloomberg report, which said Apple recently inquired of Google about the potential for the search giant to build a custom artificial intelligence model that would power a new Siri that could launch next year. Google’s…

Flash floods struck Roshan valley in Ghizer district of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) early Friday after a glacier burst, damaging more than 100 houses and forcing hundreds of families to flee, said officials. Ghizer, about 200 km from G-B, was among the worst-hit valleys in the recent floods, with at least 10 fatalities reported. Last month’s torrential rains in G-B triggered flash floods and landslides, leaving over 200 tourists and travellers stranded. At least five people, including four tourists and one local resident, lost their lives. Authorities reported 14 to 15 major road blockages caused by boulders, debris, and sudden flooding, cutting off…