Author: i2wtc

Researchers Li Gang, Liu Jianhua and Zhou Benzhe (L-R) pose for a group photo at the ultra-low temperature high magnetic field quantum oscillation experimental station of the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 26, 2026. China has achieved a 35.6 tesla all-superconducting magnet in an experiment facility, setting a new record, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said on Tuesday. The all-superconducting magnet, with a central magnetic field of 35.6 tesla and a usable aperture of 35 millimeters was conducted with the Synergetic Extreme Condition User Facility. It is a…

ISLAMABAD: Major opposition parties, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), are gearing up for protests on February 8 to mark the second anniversary of the general elections, but a unified opposition front appears elusive as key parties on Monday announced separate agitation plans. Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayeen Pakistan (TTAP), a grand opposition alliance in which PTI is a major stakeholder, held a meeting in Islamabad with its head and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mahmood Khan Achakzai, in the chair. The meeting was convened to fine-tune the strategy for the February 8 protest. Separately, Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam (F) also unveiled its plans for…

Under the EU’s Digital Markets Act, Apple is required to allow developers to freely inform customers of alternative offers outside its App Store.Gabby Jones | Bloomberg via Getty ImagesThe Apple and Google Play app stores are hosting dozens of “nudify” apps that can take photos of people and use artificial intelligence to generate nude images of them, according to a report Tuesday from an industry watchdog. A review of the two app stores conducted in January by Tech Transparency Project found 55 nudify apps on Google Play and 47 in the Apple App Store, according to the organization’s report that…

U.S President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington, DC, on Feb. 13, 2025.Andrew Caballero-reynolds | Afp | Getty ImagesThe ink is barely dry on the European Union and India’s historic trade deal but all eyes are now on how President Donald Trump will react to the free trade agreement that’s widely seen as a strategic hedge against the U.S.’ volatile trade policies and tariff threats.The deal, which was confirmed earlier Tuesday, has taken almost two decades to agree and will see the trading behemoths gradually cut tariffs to zero on the majority of each other’s imports,…

From left, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platforms; Lauren Sanchez; Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com; Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet; and Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, during the 60th presidential inauguration in the rotunda of the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 20, 2025.Julia Demaree Nikhinson | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesIf 2025 was the year Wall Street came to grips with massive artificial intelligence infrastructure spending from tech’s megacaps, 2026 looks to be more of the same. But as the price tag for AI goes up, so do expectations for the returns on investment. Earnings season kicks off this week for tech’s…

LAHORE: Growing stress on key economic indicators has intensified doubts about achieving the official growth target for the current fiscal year, as exports, investment and agriculture continue to struggle despite some improvement in macroeconomic conditions. While inflation has shown a notable decline and external accounts appear relatively stable for now, the real economy is yet to show signs of a broad-based recovery. These concerns have been raised by business leaders, who believe that the 3.2% growth projection set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) may be difficult to achieve under prevailing conditions. Former executive committee member of the Lahore Chamber…

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, who is on an official visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 27, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)BEIJING, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday welcomes Finnish enterprises to “take a swim in the vast ocean of the Chinese market” to enhance their global competitiveness.Xi made the remarks in his meeting in Beijing with visiting Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, calling on both sides to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in areas such as energy transition, circular economy, agriculture and…

Industry in uproar, says SBP is overly cautious when businesses need single digits for revival, survivalState Bank of Pakistan. Photo: File KARACHI: The business and industrial community has reacted sharply to the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) decision to maintain the policy rate at 10.5%, terming it a major setback to industrial revival, export competitiveness and economic recovery. Leading trade bodies and industry associations expressed deep disappointment, arguing that the status quo reflects an overly cautious monetary stance disconnected from prevailing economic realities. Atif Ikram Sheikh, President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), described the…

The TikTok logo is displayed at a TikTok office on Jan. 23, 2026 in Culver City, California. Mario Tama | Getty ImagesTikTok’s U.S. app, now under majority American ownership, said a recent wave of glitches and content disruption was due to a power outage at one of its data centers, pushing back against claims that the platform was censoring political speech.Users have reported issues with their accounts since the video-sharing app began operating under a newly-formed U.S.-led joint venture, following months of political pressure over its Chinese ownership.Against the backdrop of a tense political environment in the U.S., a growing number of…

(1st row from L to R): Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, President of Angola and Chairperson of the African Union Joao Lourenco and Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney react as they attend a family photo event during a G20 Leaders’ Summit plenary session at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg on November 22, 2025. Gianluigi Guercia | Afp | Getty ImagesWith the resurgence of U.S. dominance in the West and the apparent ripping up of the rules-based international order, some are looking to the world’s “middle powers” as…