Author: i2wtc

Heavy machinery, vehicles torched; later two abductees released, 18 still missing Unidentified gunmen reportedly attacked a construction company’s camp in Khuzdar district and ‘abducted 20 labourers’. The assailants also torched several vehicles and heavy machinery, causing extensive damage to the site. Officials said the incident occurred in the remote Kaleri area of Naal, about 80 kilometres from Khuzdar. Armed men reportedly blocked the highway before storming the private company’s camp and crush plant. The company had been working on a key road project linking Khuzdar to Basima in Washuk district—part of Balochistan’s ongoing development plans. According to Levies officer Ali…

Shares of Advanced Micro Devices jumped more than 6% on a report that IBM can utilize the company’s chips to run certain quantum computing algorithms.IBM gained about 6%.Reuters reported on Friday that a paper will publish next week showing that IBM can run a quantum error-correction algorithm on AMD’s field-programmable gate array chips.Representatives from AMD and IBM didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.In August, the two companies announced an agreement to develop quantum computing capabilities and integrate technologies. IBM has also said it plans to debut a quantum computer by 2029. The technology utilizes quantum mechanics to address problems…

My top 10 things to watch Friday, Oct. 24 1. The long-awaited September consumer inflation report, delayed because of the ongoing government shutdown, came in slightly cooler than expected at an 3% annual rate. While still above the Fed’s 2% target rate, the stock market liked the number. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said he has called off trade talks with Canada . 2. Intel shares rose almost 7% this morning after a comeback quarter. Demand for PCs was strong, five years past the Covid pull-forward in demand. Now the refresh is off a larger base. Windows 11 is helping that,…

IRVINE, Calif. — Taco Bell is going all in on beverages, starting with its Live Más Café concept.The Yum Brands chain unveiled the drink-focused store format last December, with the first location in Chula Vista, California. Ten months later came the second location, near the University of California, Irvine, campus. By the end of the year, Taco Bell is projecting that it will have 30 Live Más Cafés in its portfolio, across Southern California, Dallas and Houston.Unlike McDonald’s now-defunct CosMc’s spinoff, which had its own standalone locations, the Live Más Café lives inside existing Taco Bell restaurants. Customers order at…

State Bank of Pakistan. Photo: File LAHORE: When the federal government together with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) announced a subsidised housing loan scheme for first-time home buyers, many breathed a sigh of relief. For the first time, families dreaming of a modest house in cities like Lahore finally had a government-backed path. But as the fine print comes to light, scepticism is creeping in. Senior Executive Committee Member of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ali Imran Asif, called it a welcome step, but one that must have clear objectives, otherwise it will plateau. He warned that…

New York Attorney General Letitia James is set to plead not guilty Friday morning in federal court in Virginia to a fraud case tied to mortgage records she signed in 2020.James is a longtime antagonist of President Donald Trump, who publicly urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to target her weeks before she was indicted.James’ arraignment in U.S. District Court in Norfolk is set to begin at 11 a.m. ET. She faces one count each of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution.James has decried the charges as “baseless,” calling her indictment “nothing more than a continuation of…

A man sits next to trucks parked at the Torkham border crossing, after Pakistan closed border crossings with Afghanistan, following exchanges of fire between the forces of the two countries, in Torkham, Pakistan, October 12, 2025 Photo: Reuters KARACHI: Pakistan on Thursday partially restored the Afghan Transit Trade after a 10-day suspension caused by intense clashes between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban. Around 300 vehicles had been stranded at various points for around two weeks. Transit trade operations would initially be resumed via the Chaman border. A detailed notification has been issued by the Directorate of Transit Trade (Customs), according…

Tesla CEO Elon Musk lashed out at the leading shareholder advisors on Wednesday, shining a spotlight into a corner of Wall Street that wields enormous influence among the largest institutional investors. Musk said proxy advisors Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass Lewis “have no freaking clue” after ISS last week recommended shareholders reject Musk’s near $1 trillion pay package, labeling them “corporate terrorists” on a call with analysts after Tesla’s latest earnings report. “They have made many terrible recommendations in the past,” the billionaire entrepreneur said, referring to advisors including ISS and Glass Lewis. Their past advice “would have been extremely…

This photo taken on Sept. 2, 2024 shows part of a solid-state lithium metal battery in Yibin, southwest China’s Sichuan Province. (Xinhua/Tang Wenhao)BEIJING, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) — Chinese scientists have recently made significant advances in overcoming critical obstacles in solid-state batteries, pushing their performance to new heights.Solid-state batteries, widely regarded as the next generation of lithium battery technology, hold promising potential for applications in new energy vehicles and low-altitude aviation.Previously, a 100-kilogram battery could power a vehicle for about 500 kilometers, but recent breakthroughs promise to extend that range beyond 1,000 kilometers.At the heart of a battery are lithium ions,…

Punjab government suspends licences of 28 weapons dealers, while shops of several unlicensed dealers been sealed ISLAMABAD: Endorsing a request from the Punjab government, the federal government on Thursday banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), declaring it a proscribed organisation under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The decision – taken during a federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif – followed deadly clashes during recent anti-Israel protests near Lahore that left several people dead. According to a press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the federal cabinet “unanimously” approved the ban. During the meeting, the Ministry of Interior presented a summary…