Author: i2wtc

Russia possesses 5,489 nuclear warheads, compared to 5,177 for the United States and 600 for ChinaUS President Donald Trump made the announcement aboard Air Force One as he returned to the United States from Asia. Photo: AFP WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he had ordered the Pentagon to start nuclear weapons testing “on an equal basis” to China and Russia — an announcement made just minutes before he held a high-stakes summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The move came after Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Moscow had successfully tested a nuclear-capable, nuclear-powered underwater…

Thomas Fuller | Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty ImagesAffirm is expanding its partnership with New York Life Insurance, a move that highlights how traditional financial giants are deepening their exposure to fintech-driven consumer lending.Under the new agreement, New York Life will purchase up to $750 million worth of Affirm’s installment loans through 2026, giving the payments company fresh off-balance-sheet funding to support roughly $1.75 billion in annual loan volume.The deal extends a relationship that began in 2023, when New York Life first started investing in Affirm’s asset-backed securities and other loan structures.To date, the insurer has funneled nearly $2…

A customer shops for Halloween candy at a Walmart Supercenter on October 16, 2024 in Austin, Texas. Brandon Bell | Getty ImagesThe scariest thing haunting Halloween this year isn’t a ghost, goblin or ghoul — it’s the price of chocolate.From Snickers to Reese’s to Twix, one of America’s favorite indulgences is getting more expensive, as tariffs, inflation and high cocoa prices squeeze profit margins and customers’ pocketbooks, possibly leading to fewer chocolate bars landing in trick-or-treat buckets this year.Chocolate prices have surged nearly 30% since last Halloween and almost 78% in the past five years, according to data from research firm…

Diminishing perspective of downtown London skyscrapersChunyip Wong | Istock | Getty ImagesA version of this article first appeared in the CNBC Property Play newsletter with Diana Olick. Property Play covers new and evolving opportunities for the real estate investor, from individuals to venture capitalists, private equity funds, family offices, institutional investors and large public companies. Sign up to receive future editions, straight to your inbox.The commercial real estate market has been historically slow to modernize, and yet it appears to be accelerating its adoption of artificial intelligence. Companies are moving beyond initial testing and exploration into more targeted applications that aim to redefine…

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on the sidelines of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea, Oct. 31, 2025. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)GYEONGJU, South Korea, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday that China is ready to work with Canada to bring China-Canada relations back to the right track of healthy, stable and sustainable development at an early date for the better benefits of the two peoples.This year marks the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Canada, as well as the 20th anniversary of the…

The United States has signed a 10-year defence framework agreement with India [Source: X] The United States has signed a 10-year defence framework agreement with India, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on his X account. Hegseth on Friday held talks with his counterparts from China and India, kicking off a series of meetings at an ASEAN defence summit in Malaysia as Washington seeks to strengthen regional security ties. Hegseth said that he told China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun the United States would “stoutly defend its interests” and maintain the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific, while voicing concern over Chinese…

RAWALPINDI/PESHAWAR: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Thursday announced a 13-member provincial cabinet, comprising 10 ministers, two advisers, and one special assistant. According to Express News, the cabinet members include Meena Afridi, Arshad Ayub Khan, Amjad Ali, Aftab Alam Khan, Fazal Shakoor Khan, Khaliqur Rehman, Riaz Khan, Syed Fakhar Jehan, and Aqibullah Khan. Muzzammil Aslam and Taj Muhammad have been appointed as advisers to the chief minister, while Shafi Jan will serve as the special assistant to the chief minister. The summary of the new cabinet members has been received by the Governor’s House, where Governor Faisal Karim Kundi signed…

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang speaks during the Live Keynote Pregame during the Nvidia GTC (GPU Technology Conference) in Washington, DC, on Oct. 28, 2025.Jim Watson | AFP | Getty ImagesNvidia CEO Jensen Huang said on Friday that artificial intelligence had reached a “virtuous cycle,” tipping the industry for continuous growth.Speaking at the APEC CEO Summit in South Korea, Huang said the vast improvements in AI models were leading to more investment in the technology, which was, in turn, improving the AI models even further.”We have now achieved what is called the virtual cycle,” he said on stage at the event,…

Police officers walk past the Supreme Court of Pakistan building, in Islamabad, Pakistan April 6, 2022. REUTERS ISLAMABAD: After almost one year of service, Supreme Court Registrar Muhammad Salim Khan has resigned from his position. He tendered his resignation, citing personal reasons after completing his 45-day leave. However, there are reports that some Supreme Court judges were not happy with him. According to an SC notification, Salim Khan had gone on leave from September 16 to October 30 for private reasons. The 67-year-old Salim Khan, a retired civil servant, had assumed charge as Supreme Court registrar on November 5 last…

This aerial drone photo taken on May 28, 2025 shows a view of the Yangpu International Container Port in the Yangpu Economic Development Zone in Danzhou, south China’s Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)BEIJING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) — As the world navigates a complex economic landscape fraught with chaos and uncertainties, many are turning their eyes on China’s in-the-making 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030).The plan, which is poised to steer the world’s second-largest economy toward high-quality growth, is far more than just a domestic blueprint, but will also unlock vast new opportunities for the world.FURTHER OPENING UPThe recommendations document for formulating the 15th…