Author: i2wtc

William_potter | Istock | Getty ImagesThe latest version of U.S. President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill” could make it cheaper for semiconductor manufacturers to build plants in the U.S. as Washington continues its efforts to strengthen its domestic chip supply chain.Under the bill, passed by the Senate Tuesday, tax credits for those semiconductor firms would rise to 35% from 25%. That’s more than the 30% increase that had made it into a draft version of the bill. Companies eligible for the credits could include chipmakers such as Intel, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and Micron Technology, provided that they expand their advanced…

A drone photo shows harvesters reaping wheat in the fields in Pantang Village of Lizhuang Town, Shangqiu City, central China’s Henan Province, June 4, 2025. (Photo by Li Heng/Xinhua)ZHENGZHOU, July 2 (Xinhua) — Beneath the blazing midday sun in Zhangzhuangli Village, Qingfeng County, in central China’s Henan Province, an intelligent patrol drone soared into the sky, tracing graceful arcs against the clear blue backdrop.Below, driverless harvesters swept through golden wheat fields with surgical precision, funneling grain into waiting trucks, while nearby sensors activated smart irrigation systems to quench the soil’s thirst drop by drop.These scenes come from the first wheat…

Listen to article ISLAMABAD: The Power Division said on Tuesday that there was no plan to impose a surcharge on electricity bills to bear the cost of commercial loans taken from banks to retire circular debt. An official of the Power Division revealed this during a public hearing conducted to consider a motion of the division seeking tariff reduction of up to Rs1.15 per unit due to rebasing. The division informed the hearing that average national tariff would be slashed from Rs32.73 per unit to Rs31.59 per unit – a decline of Rs1.14. Officials said that base tariff for all consumers, except…

An aerial drone photo shows a view of a dock operation area at Chancay Port, Peru, on June 21, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)CHONGQING, July 2 (Xinhua) — A cargo train loaded with 84 TEU of complete vehicles departed from southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality on Monday. These vehicles will travel through the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor to reach a Chinese port, and then board an ocean-going vessel bound for Chancay Port in Peru.This marks the first time the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor has connected to Chancay Port. The cargo train will reach Beibu Gulf Port in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang…

Listen to article ISLAMABAD: In a move reflective of deepening political unease, the parliamentary party of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to administer fresh loyalty oaths to its lawmakers, amid concerns of possible defections following a Supreme Court verdict on reserved seats. According to a report by Express News on Tuesday, the PTI has convened a crucial meeting of its parliamentary party in Islamabad on Wednesday. All members of the national and provincial assemblies affiliated with the party have been directed to attend. Party insiders said that the primary focus of the meeting will be the evolving political dynamics in light of…

In a recent webinar organised by the Asian Institute of Eco-civilization Research and Development (AIERD), Vice President of the Center for China and Globalization Prof Victor Gao praised Pakistan for its pivotal role in establishing China-US relations, which he called one of the most significant game-changing events in modern history. Gao highlighted Pakistan’s critical mediation role, referring to it as an exemplary model of diplomacy. He emphasised that Pakistan had made an exceptional contribution to humanity by bridging countries from diverse backgrounds, fostering global development and peace. According to him, the strengthening of China-US relations had not only accelerated globalisation…

Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla Inc., during a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa’s president, not pictured, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. Jim Lo Scalzo | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesTesla shares have dropped 7% from Friday’s closing price of $323.63 to the $300.71 close on Tuesday ahead of the company’s second-quarter deliveries report.Wall Street analysts are expecting Tesla to report deliveries of around 387,000 — a 13% decline compared to deliveries of nearly 444,000 a year ago, according to a consensus…

This undated file photo shows a researcher demonstrating the lunar 3D printing process at the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory in Hefei, east China’s Anhui Province.  (Xinhua)HEFEI, July 1 (Xinhua) — A groundbreaking 3D printing system developed by Chinese scientists has explored using only on-site-sourced lunar soil to build habitats, paving the way for the large-scale, on-site construction of lunar research stations.The Deep Space Exploration Laboratory in Hefei, Anhui Province, has successfully prototyped a lunar regolith 3D printer that eliminates the need for Earth-sourced construction materials, according to Yang Honglun, a senior engineer at the lab.He revealed that the system uses…

Listen to article ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has announced that each parliamentarian will be granted one prohibited bore licence for personal security. The announcement was made during a meeting of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Interior, chaired by Senator Faisal Saleem on Tuesday. The committee chair expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of arms licences being issued to parliamentarians, prompting Naqvi’s response. The minister also directed the interior secretary to look into complaints regarding the performance of the DG Passports. The committee discussed security concerns, with the minister agreeing that areas with poor law and order would see an increase in licence…

A kid poses for photos with panda decorations at a celebration event held in Victoria Park in Hong Kong, south China, July 1, 2025. Celebrations were held here to mark the 28th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Chen Duo)Citizens pose for photos at a celebration event held in Victoria Park in Hong Kong, south China, July 1, 2025. Celebrations were held here to mark the 28th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Chen Duo)A kid poses for photos with panda decorations at a celebration event held in Victoria Park in Hong…