Author: i2wtc

Says Gilgit-Baltistan is Pakistan’s crown, northern gateway, and symbol of lasting friendship with ChinaPresident Asif Ali Zardari addresses the central ceremony marking the 78th Independence Day of Gilgit-Baltistan. Photo: PID President Asif Ali Zardari has said that the freedom enjoyed by the people of Gilgit-Baltistan serves as a reminder of the unfinished struggle of their ‘brothers and sisters’ in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). The president was addressing the 78th Independence Day ceremony on Saturday. The ceremony commemorated the region’s liberation from Dogra rule. The president reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination and highlighted G-B’s role…

Trade activity, general cross-border movement, remains suspended until further notice Afghan refugees wait in a queue to cross the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Torkham on October 27, 2023. PHOTO: AFP PAKISTAN: The Torkham border has been reopened for the deportation of Afghan nationals residing illegally in Pakistan. The border remained completely closed since October 11 due to heightened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, said Deputy Commissioner Khyber Bilal Shahid. However, it has now been partially reopened, after 21 days, solely to allow for the ongoing repatriation of illegally residing Afghan nationals in Pakistan. Read: Explained: Pakistan-Afghanistan border conflict Deputy Commissioner Shahid…

US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he arrives at Palm Beach International Airport on Oct. 31, 2025 in West Palm Beach, Florida.Samuel Corum | Getty ImagesU.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday said he’s ordered the Pentagon to begin planning for potential military action in Nigeria as he stepped up his criticism that the government is failing to rein in the persecution of Christians in the West African country.”If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced…

‘It’s my first time working with assistants, as I usually travel and paint alone’ Swedish mural artist Domi Forrest has brought her unique fusion of mythology, nature, and human connection to Pakistan, where she is creating two large-scale murals for the World Culture Festival in Karachi. “This is my first time working with assistants, as I usually travel and paint alone,” she told The Express Tribune, smiling as she looked over her unfinished sketches. On her first visit to Pakistan, Forrest described her experience as “an amazing one full of positive energy and kindness”. Internationally known for her symbolic and…

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella speaks during an event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the company at Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Washington, on April 4, 2025. Microsoft Corp., determined to hold its ground in artificial intelligence, will soon let consumers tailor the Copilot digital assistant to their own needs.David Ryder | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesMicrosoft will expand its employee base once again, CEO Satya Nadella told investor Brad Gerstner on a podcast that aired on Friday.The software maker’s workforce didn’t budge in the 2025 fiscal year, which ended in June. It stood at 228,000, with multiple rounds of layoffs lowering the…

Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger joins former President Barack Obama, during a campaign event on Nov. 1, 2025, in Norfolk, Virginia.Steve Helber | AP PhotoFormer President Barack Obama is encouraging voters to elect Democrats as governor in Virginia and New Jersey in elections this Tuesday that could signal the national mood 10 months into Donald Trump’s second presidency and a year ahead of midterm elections that could reshape it.Obama’s Saturday appearances for Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill contrast with Trump spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, leaving Republicans Winsome Earle-Sears in Virginia and Jack Ciattarelli in…

Pakistan’s science base seen as competitive edge, with potential to become future mineral hub US Critical Minerals Forum (CMF) President Robert Louis Strayer II, along with US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker, called on Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb to discuss enhanced cooperation in Pakistan’s minerals and mining sector. Talks focused on developing secure and transparent supply chains, promoting responsible investment, and advancing sustainable growth in Pakistan’s critical minerals landscape. The visit comes as Washington intensifies efforts to diversify global supply chains and reduce reliance on China for rare earth materials — a domain long dominated by Beijing. Read: Trump says…

Employee Adil Shehzad submits statement naming nearly 20 Pakistan Railways officials in scamPakistan Railways. PHOTO: FILE LAHORE: Three retired officers have been exposed for their role in the fraudulent allotment of Pakistan Railways’ residential quarters. These individuals allegedly signed backdated papers to make the allotments appear legitimate and to avoid suspicion. An employee implicated in the scam, Adil Shehzad, has submitted a written statement to the railway administration detailing the involvement of nearly twenty Pakistan Railways officials. He alleged that the scam involved state inspectors, clerks, photocopy operators, and executive engineers, all part of a well-formed network. According to documents…

New model uses AI forecasts to trigger cash transfers before overflow, helping families evacuate, protect assetsCitizen’s wade through the flooded area of Narowal, a city of Punjab, on August 27,2025. Photo: AFP With this year’s floods devastating rural regions and displacing countless families, it is more important than ever to have systems in place that can anticipate and pre-emptively provide aid to affected populations. The non-profit GiveDirectly is testing a new approach to flood relief, and that is to send money to households before water levels rise. Anticipatory cash assistance uses AI to forecast where floods will hit, and releases…

DIR: Fateha for the slain deputy chief of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Qari Amjad, continued for a second consecutive day on Saturday at the main mosque of Mayar Jandool. Large number of relatives, local residents, and friends from surrounding villages participated in the prayers. According to family sources, the condolence gatherings will continue for three days in line with local customs and traditions. Qari Amjad, whose real name was Amjad Ali, was killed along with three associates in an intelligence-based operation near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Bajaur on the night between Wednesday and Thursday. Military authorities handed over his body…