Author: i2wtc

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), agreeing to advance its next phase through five new corridors designed to expand cooperation in key economic sectors. At their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the two leaders emphasized that the Pakistan-China partnership was unique and unparalleled and agreed that this bond should be reflected through enhanced cooperation across multiple fields. Prime Minister Shehbaz reaffirmed the desire to continue working closely with China for the successful implementation of the next phase of upgraded CPEC,…

Marc Benioff, co-founder and CEO of Salesforce, attends the 50th World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 21, 2020.Denis Balibouse | ReutersThere was a moment, during the pandemic-fueled growth days of 2020, when Salesforce surpassed Oracle by market cap. Marc Benioff had finally toppled his mentor, Larry Ellison.That moment is long gone.Salesforce’s stock price has dropped 25% this year, the worst performance in large-cap tech and the second-steepest decline in the Dow, beating only UnitedHealth. Meanwhile, Oracle has jumped 34%, outperforming most of its peers and well outpacing the major indexes.The two companies that were once about even by…

A version of this article appeared in CNBC’s Inside Alts newsletter, a guide to the fast-growing world of alternative investments, from private equity and private credit to hedge funds and venture capital. Sign up to receive future editions, straight to your inbox.The revolution in private markets and private lending is setting the stage for a sweeping investor shift out of publicly traded stocks and into alternatives, according to Apollo Global CEO Marc Rowan.With the stock market increasingly driven by passive investing and indexing, and dominated by a handful of mega-tech stocks, investors seeking diversification will need to start turning to the rapidly…

At least five militants attacked the Frontier Corps (FC) Lines in Bannu, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) on Tuesday, triggering an exchange of fire with security forces and police, officials said. Police said the assault began with a suicide bomber ramming an explosive-laden vehicle into the FC lines, causing a powerful blast that damaged nearby houses and spread panic among residents. District Police Officer Bannu, Saleem Kalachi, is leading the operation as a heavy police contingent and Quick Response Unit reinforcements surround the site. All roads leading to the FC Line have been sealed. RPO Bannu and DPO Bannu are leading from the…

A worker prepares orders at an Amazon fulfillment center.Jason Alden | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesAmazon is eliminating a program that allows members of its Prime subscription program to share free shipping benefits with people outside their household.The company began notifying users in recent days that it plans to end the Prime Invitee Program on Oct. 1, according to a notice viewed by CNBC.”We are writing to inform you that the Prime Invitee Program, which allowed sharing Prime’s fast, free delivery with others, will end on October 1, 2025,” the notice states. “Your invited guests will be notified directly about this…

All-rounder Faheem Ashraf bowled a career-best spell of 4-27 as Pakistan needed 170 to win against Afghanistan in their Twenty20 International tri-series encounter in Sharjah on Tuesday. Both teams observed a minute of silence for the flood victims in Pakistan and the earthquake victims in Afghanistan before the match. Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan said that they would aim for crossing 170 after winning the toss and batting, but his team fell just short of that mark as Pakistan’s bowlers, led by Faheem, kept the lid on scoring. Faheem was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan, picking a career best…

An Activision Blizzard’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare video game is inserted into Microsoft’s Xbox One video game console.Michael Ciaglo | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesCall of Duty, one of the most successful video game franchises of all time, will be coming to the big screen with the help of Paramount.The studio announced Tuesday that it had inked a deal with Microsoft-owned Activision to develop, produce and distribute a live-action feature film based on the first-person shooter game.”As a lifelong fan of Call of Duty this is truly a dream come true,” David Ellison, chairman and CEO of Paramount, said in…

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Russian President Vladimir Putin held an important meeting on Tuesday in Beijing ahead of upcoming events in China. The two leaders pledged to strengthen bilateral relations across trade, energy and regional connectivity. Shehbaz praised Putin’s role in fostering closer relations, saying, “Relations between the two countries have improved during the past years on the basis of mutual interests.” The prime minister specifically mentioned that following their previous meeting at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, both sides agreed to enhance delegations’ visits. The two countries also signed new protocols in key sectors including agriculture,…

Dario Amodei, Anthropic CEO, speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box outside the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 21st, 2025.Gerry Miller | CNBCAnthropic on Tuesday announced it has closed a $13 billion funding round at a $183 billion post-money valuation, roughly triple what the artificial intelligence startup was worth as of its last raise in March.The most recent funding round was led by Iconiq, Fidelity Management & Research Company and Lightspeed Venture Partners. Other investors including Altimeter, General Catalyst and Coatue also participated, Anthropic said.”This financing demonstrates investors’ extraordinary confidence in our financial performance and the strength of their collaboration with…

Starbucks’ new protein-packed beveragesSource: StarbucksStarbucks plans to tap into consumers’ protein obsession by launching protein-packed cold foam and lattes starting Sept. 29.From “gym bros” to users of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, many Americans are trying to consume more protein, with the goal of building or maintaining their muscle mass and feeling more satiated after meals. Roughly a third of U.S. consumers said they loved high protein in the second quarter of 2025, up from 24% three years ago, according to Datassential, which tracks restaurant menus and consumer preferences.Customers who add Starbucks’ protein cold foam to their grande beverages can expect…