Tuesday, January 20th, 2026
Xi congratulates Central African Republic president on reelection
BEIJING, JAN. 20: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday congratulated Faustin-Archange Touadera on his reelection as president of the Central African Republic. In his message, Xi noted that in recent years, China and the Central African Republic have continued to deepen political mutual trust. The two sides have also firmly supported each other on issues involving their core interests and major concerns, and steadily advanced exchanges and cooperation across various fields, he added. Xi said that he attached great importance to the development of China-Central African Republic relations. He expressedRead More
Gul Plaza tragedy: Holy Quran copies remain unharmed despite devastating blaze
KARACHI, JAN 20: A devastating fire at Gul Plaza on Karachi’s MA Jinnah Road has left the city grieving, while rescue officials reported an extraordinary sight inside the building’s mosque after flames were extinguished. After the fire was brought under control, rescue teams continued clearing debris and searching for missing persons when a video recorded by a rescuer began circulating on social media. The footage shows rescue personnel entering the smoke-filled mosque on the plaza’s first floor, where copies of the Holy Quran were found completely unharmed and untouched byRead More
Rwanda Envoy highlights women-led economic engagement
ISLAMABAD, JAN 20 /DNA/ – The High Commissioner of Rwanda to Pakistan, Ambassador Harerimana Fatou, delivered a keynote address at the 4th All Pakistan Women Chambers Presidents International Conference on Thursday, focusing on the theme of “Collective Leadership for Inclusive Growth.” The conference, organized by the Islamabad Women Chamber of Commerce & Industry, brought together leading female business figures and chamber presidents from across Pakistan to discuss strategies for inclusive economic advancement. In her speech, Ambassador Fatou underscored the transformative potential of inclusive growth for national economies. She placed specialRead More
Sindh introduces grading system for matric, intermediate exams; scraps marks results
KARACHI: The Sindh government on Tuesday abolished the marks system across provincial education boards, approving a grading framework for matriculation and intermediate examinations. Universities and Boards Minister Ismail Rahoo said that the marks-based examination system has been replaced with a modern grading system in line with Inter Boards Coordination Commission (IBCC) policy decisions. He added that the reform aimed to ensure uniformity among education boards nationwide and confirmed that a GPA system would be introduced after the grading framework is fully implemented. In its notification, the Sindh government stated thatRead More
Federal, Balochistan govts agree to launch ‘Peoples Train Service’
ISLAMABAD, JAN 20: The federal and Balochistan governments have reached a key agreement. They will launch the ‘Peoples Train Service’ and other joint projects. A high-level meeting was held to finalize the plan. It was chaired by Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi and CM Sarfraz Bugti. Minister Abbasi called it a historic decision for Pakistan Railways. It marks the first provincial-level devolution in the organization’s 78-year history. He praised Balochistan for taking the lead in this practical implementation. The train service is a strong example of federal-provincial cooperation. CM Bugti stressedRead More
Study Warns: Hot food in plastic releases high levels of microplastics
A recent analysis of past studies has revealed a significant health concern. It shows hot food stored in plastic releases far more microplastics. For example, hot coffee in a plastic cup releases thousands more particles than cold coffee. Heat dramatically increases the leaching of these tiny plastics. Daily ingestion of microplastics is linked to serious health risks. These include hormonal issues, diabetes, and reproductive problems. The research also points to an increased risk of several cancers. Scientists say this unintentional consumption is a growing problem. The primary source is single-useRead More