Author: i2wtc

United States President Donald Trump welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron to the White House on Monday for discussions on Ukraine, European security and trade. Macron, who has built a cordial rapport with Trump, was the first European leader to visit him since the beginning of his second term on January 20. The French leader’s visit came at a time of growing public tensions between Europe and the US, especially over the continent’s security and over the fate of Ukraine in its war against Russia. Here are some key takeaways from the Trump-Macron talks. Despite friendship, Macron not afraid to challenge…

Germany’s chancellor-presumptive has come out swinging against the United States administration of Donald Trump, hours after winning Sunday’s federal election. “After [President] Donald Trump’s remarks last week … it is clear that this government does not care much about the fate of Europe,” said Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), in a televised discussion on election night. He called for German “independence” from the US. On February 18, Trump called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “modestly successful comedian”, who had become “a dictator without elections” who had “done a terrible job”. It was a dramatic reversal from…

A Home Depot store in Louisville, Kentucky, on Aug. 14, 2023.Jon Cherry | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesHome Depot will report its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings on Tuesday, as higher interest rates and home prices challenge the housing market and dampen demand for do-it-yourself projects.The company is expected to release results around 6 a.m. ET and hold an earnings call at 9 a.m. ET.Here’s what Wall Street expects for the home improvement retailer, according to a survey of analysts by LSEG:Earnings per share: $3.01 expectedRevenue: $39.16 billion expectedHome Depot has faced a more difficult backdrop for selling supplies for home improvement projects.…

Listen to article New gas and oil reserves have been discovered in Waziristan, marking a significant step in domestic energy exploration. Mari Energies, the operator of the block, confirmed the discovery at the Spinam-1 well, which began drilling on 28 May 2024. The well has produced 12.96 million cubic feet of gas per day along with 20 barrels of crude oil. The company holds a 55% stake in the Waziristan block, with Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and Oil and Gas Investment Limited (OPI) as joint venture partners. Mari Energies stated that the discovery would contribute to strengthening Pakistan’s hydrocarbon…

RAWALPINDI: New Zealand have been a thorn in Pakistan’s ambitions of late, so it was only fitting that they should be the side to pull the plug on the green shirts’ hopes at the Champions Trophy. A sizeable crowd had gathered at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Monday, and the disappointment of Pakistan’s loss to India the previous night was still palpable. Bangladesh held the key to Pakistan’s slim chances of progressing and, naturally, were being cheered on by the fans: every hit to the fence being met with rapturous applause, that is, until the crowd fell silent when they…

Biden administration left the house with a harsher take on China and Trump is yet to make it worse. One month into the office, Trump has made some highly unpredictable moves, forcing dramatic changes in the US government. The Trump effect has been double-edged; where some of the executive orders have been criticized domestically, others have been appreciated at home and abroad. Where on the one hand, his take on US’s policies on diversity faced stark criticism after he declared the existence of only two genders in the USA on his very first day; on the other hand, he was…

Fenerbahce manager Mourinho said Galatasary’s bench had been ‘jumping like monkeys’ during the Turkish Super Lig match.Turkish football club Galatasaray has accused Jose Mourinho of making “racist statements”, saying it will initiate criminal proceedings against the Fenerbahce manager over his comments following the teams’ 0-0 draw in the Super Lig. While it was unclear which statements Galatasaray was referring to, Mourinho said the home side’s bench had been “jumping like monkeys” and that the match would have been a disaster if a Turkish referee had been in charge. Monday’s game was refereed by Slovenian Slavko Vincic after both clubs requested…

LAHORE: A wave of criticism has engulfed the Pakistan cricket team following their six-wicket defeat to India in Dubai, a result that was decisive in Pakistan’s ouster from the ICC Champions Trophy, an event which they are hosting. India and New Zealand advanced from the four-team group as both the sides won their respective matches against Bangladesh and Pakistan. Pakistan’s dismal performance in the tournament has ignited widespread dismay among former cricketers and fans alike, particularly given Pakistan’s status as tournament co-hosts. The defeat to India, played in conditions traditionally favourable to Pakistan, has amplified concerns about the team’s current…

Listen to article ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday showed reluctance to slap a carbon levy, which the International Monetary Fund wants the government to introduce in an effort to raise funds for the promotion of new energy vehicles as part of its resilience conditions under a new $1 billion loan facility. The brief discussions about the new carbon levy took place during the kick-off meeting to finalise the Resilience and Sustainable Facility (RSF) – an IMF loan package that is largely meant to prepare climate-vulnerable nations for disaster management. The government officials did not support the carbon levy proposal due to its implications…

Here are the key developments on the 1,097th day of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.Here is the situation on Tuesday, February 25: Fighting Politics and diplomacy Russia’s Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova said Moscow and Kyiv reached an agreement with the Red Cross to evacuate residents from the occupied Russian region of Kursk. The United Kingdom posted a notice on its government website announcing 67 new sanctions against Russia. The targets include global companies supplying to the Russian military and extending the regime on shipping by 40 vessels. Washington and Moscow officials are scheduled to meet again in Saudi Arabia,…