Author: i2wtc

Taiwanese Defense Minister Wellington Koo says it’s in the US’s ‘national interest’ to maintain the status quo in Asia.Taiwan has said it’s “impossible” for the United States to retreat from the Asia Pacific, despite growing doubts about US President Donald Trump’s willingness to uphold Washington’s security commitments. “We indeed noticed the fast-changing and tricky international situation and deeply understand that we can’t just talk about values but not national interests,” Taiwanese Defense Minister Wellington Koo told reporters on Monday. “So we must ask: Keeping the peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, including the status quo in the Taiwan Strait…

Employees move semiconductor testers on the assembly line of the Advantest Corp. plant in Ora, Japan on Aug. 10, 2012.Tomohiro Ohsumi | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesAsian tech and chip-related stocks fell Tuesday after U.S. President Donald Trump made it clear that tariffs on Mexico and Canada would go into effect as planned.Trump said the U.S. would impose 25% tariffs on goods imported from Canada and Mexico, adding that there was “no room left for Mexico or for Canada” to negotiate an alternative to the tariffs. Trump also said he would impose an additional 10% tariff on imports from China, having already levied 10% duties that came into…

LAHORE: It was a quiet Sunday, the buzz of the Champions Trophy conspicuous by its absence in Lahore. The last-four lineup had been confirmed; the stage reached at which any tournament across any sport builds towards its crescendo. Any excitement, if there was any, was discreet, unnoticeable. India’s takeover of the first International Cricket Council tournament in Pakistan in nearly three decades was complete. Pakistan was left picking the pieces, it now has to start afresh in its bid to inject enthusiasm back into the tournament. On Sunday, none of the semi-finalist teams were in the country. They were all…

Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC), attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) — The National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s national legislature, held a press conference on Tuesday, one day ahead of the opening of its annual session.Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th NPC, briefed the press on the session. ■Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC), attends a press conference at the Great…

Listen to article The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has called for a crackdown on tax evasion in Pakistan’s real estate sector as negotiations begin for the release of a $1 billion loan tranche in Islamabad. This demand is part of the ongoing discussions aimed at securing the next tranche of the $7 billion loan program. Pakistan has assured the IMF that it will activate the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) to address tax evasion in the sector. As part of the plan, authorities intend to take action against individuals involved in declaring false property values, with penalties including imprisonment and fines. Agents…

Shoppers outside a Target store ahead of Black Friday in Clifton, New Jersey, on Nov. 26, 2024.Victor J. Blue | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesTarget will report fiscal fourth-quarter earnings on Tuesday and show investors whether it is driving more full-price sales of discretionary merchandise, which has long been the retailer’s primary money maker. Here’s what analysts are expecting from the big-box store, according to consensus estimates from LSEG:Earnings per share: $2.26Revenue: $30.8 billionTarget is expected to report a decline in earnings after the company raised its fourth-quarter sales forecast in January but left its profit outlook unchanged after cutting it in…

Listen to article Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced the 8070 Ramadan Relief Package 2025, a Rs20 billion initiative to support low-income families across Pakistan ahead of the holy month of Ramzan. The scheme aims to provide 4 million eligible families with cash assistance of Rs10,000, as well as subsidies on essential food items, through a streamlined digital distribution system. This system is designed to replace the long queues at Utility Stores that were previously seen during Ramadan. Two-Tier relief initiative The 8070 Ramadan Relief Package consists of two components: Cash Assistance: Eligible families will receive Rs10,000 in direct financial aid to…

Nvidia’s headquarters on Feb. 26, 2025, in Santa Clara, California.Justin Sullivan | Getty ImagesMalaysia said it will take “necessary action” against Malaysian companies if they are found to be involved in a fraud case linked to the alleged movement of Nvidia chips from Singapore to China.That comes after Singapore Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam reportedly said on Monday that the servers in the fraud case may have contained Nvidia’s artificial intelligence chips which were then sent to Malaysia.On Feb. 27, Singapore charged three men with fraud, with local broadcaster CNA saying it understood the cases are linked to the alleged…

“BMW has made significant investments in research and development (R&D) in China to meet market demands. The innovations developed in China serve not only the local market but are also promoted globally, driving overall technological progress,” a BMW board member said.MUNICH, March 4 (Xinhua) — Innovations from BMW’s Chinese factories not only drive local development but also enhance the overall technological capabilities and production efficiency of the company through its global network, said Milan Nedeljkovic, a board member responsible for production at BMW Group.”BMW factories implement unified global standards during production, and our global production network is highly coordinated, with…

Listen to article The Punjab government has officially launched registration for the CM Punjab Laptop Scheme 2025, which aims to provide 110,000 latest-generation laptops to outstanding students. The initiative also includes 2,000 laptops reserved for minority students. The scheme is open to students who have completed their matriculation or intermediate education. Provincial Minister for Education Rana Sikandar Hayat, while announcing the launch of the laptop scheme, stated that under this initiative, 110,000 students will receive the latest generation laptops from the Chief Minister of Punjab. The scheme is open for BS students of public sector educational institutions in the first and second…