Author: i2wtc

U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Argentina’s President Javier Milei during the 80th United Nations General Assembly, in New York City, New York, U.S., Sept. 23, 2025.Alexander Drago | ReutersThe Treasury Department has extended a financial lifetime to Argentina in apparent hopes of heading off an emerging market financial crisis that could spread to U.S. shores.In a move that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Thursday on social media site X, the U.S. is providing a $20 billion currency swap line with Argentina’s central bank — essentially exchanging stable U.S. dollars with volatile pesos.The move comes amid liquidity concerns in…

The accession ceremony of the Zidanku Silk Manuscripts (Volumes II and III) is held at the Hunan Museum in Changsha, capital of central China’s Hunan Province, Oct. 13, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Zhenhai)CHANGSHA, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) — Silk manuscripts dating back about 2,300 years have been returned to China, 79 years after they were smuggled out of the country, with their return resulting from cooperation between Chinese and U.S. cultural institutions.The second and third volumes of the Zidanku Silk Manuscripts, precious cultural artifacts dating back to the Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.), were on Monday officially repatriated to Hunan Province in central…

LAHORE/KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday strongly condemned Afghanistan’s recent provocations, reaffirming that Pakistan would defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity against all threats. In their separate statements, the president and the prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace, stressing that mutual cooperation, economic partnership and security coordination remain essential for lasting stability and prosperity in South Asia. President Zardari, in a statement issued by the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) media cell, noted that there were United Nations reports that “proved” terrorist attacks were carried out from the Afghan soil. However, he…

Participants attend the opening ceremony of the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 13, 2025. The Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women was held in Beijing on Monday. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)The opening ceremony of the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women is held in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 13, 2025. The Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women was held in Beijing on Monday. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)Participants attend the opening ceremony of the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 13, 2025. The Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women was held in Beijing on Monday. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)Participants…

ISLAMABAD: A few days ago, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with President Xi Jinping, with China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) high on the agenda. The leaders agreed that, building on past successes, it was time to give new momentum to CPEC’s implementation. Both sides decided to accelerate work on the second phase and align CPEC, Pakistan’s economic backbone, with the five corridors and Uraan Pakistan, built around the Five Es – Export, Energy, Equity, Environment, and Education. To guide future actions, an Action Plan was issued after the meeting. However, before moving to implementation, Pakistan must first “prioritise its priorities.” Based…

KARACHI: A significant downward trend in cotton prices across Pakistan and the world has led to a continuous decline in cotton product exports, raising fears that, like last year, a majority of cotton ginners may once again face heavy financial losses this season. The entire cotton chain is facing one of the worst economic crises in its history, while many textile and ginning factories have also begun to shut down. Cotton Ginners Forum Chairman Ehsan-ul-Haq told The Express Tribune that during the past week, the price of cotton in the local market dropped by Rs 500 per maund, bringing it…

Railway workers attend a celebration to mark eight years of seamless operation of the Chinese-built Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Kenya in Nairobi, Kenya, June 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Yahui)”The Mombasa-Nairobi SGR has connected us across different counties. I urge my countrymen to embrace the railway system because it is safe and creates jobs for my generation,” said a Kenyan assistant train dispatcher.NAIROBI, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) — Nestled in the remote southeastern Kenyan county of Makueni, the tranquil village where Damaris Mutinda grew up showed few signs of modernity, yet, it nurtured a spirit of resilience and determination in young…

ISLAMABAD: The National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) has announced that the nationwide polio immunization campaign will commence from Monday (today) across 159 districts of the country. According to the NEOC, during the week-long drive, more than 45.4 million children under the age of five will be administered oral polio vaccine drops. In addition to the polio vaccine, children will also receive Vitamin A supplements to help boost their immunity. The national campaign will be conducted from October 13 to 19, while in southern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the campaign will be held from October 20 to 23, the NEOC said. Over 400,000 health…

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly has underscored the collective responsibility of lawmakers to ensure a safe and nurturing environment for every child in Pakistan. The call was made during a session of the Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights (PCCR) at the Parliament House on Sunday. The meeting, chaired by PCCR Convener and Parliamentary Secretary for Science and Technology Dr Nikhat Shakeel Khan, deliberated on the alarming rise in child abuse cases across Pakistan. It focused on reviewing trends in child violence, abuse, and exploitation and examined the current conviction rates in these cases. Dr Nikhat opened the session by welcoming members…

U.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he disembarks from Air Force One upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport on the outskirts of Lod near Tel Aviv on October 13, 2025, as he travels to Israel and Egypt. Saul Loeb | Afp | Getty ImagesU.S. President Donald Trump on Monday declared the war in the Middle East is over, as he began a momentous trip to the region to finalize a peace deal for Gaza.Trump arrived in Tel Aviv earlier Monday to mark the release of Israeli hostages by Hamas after more than two years in captivity.As he arrived at the…