Author: i2wtc

Flood-related disruptions also put pressure on prices of essentials, says finance ministryTrucks loaded with supplies wait to cross into Afghanistan at the Friendship Gate crossing point, in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border town of Chaman. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE ISLAMABAD: The government on Monday predicted that the inflation barometer would rise to 6% in the current month due to floods and closure of Pak-Afghan border, the two temporary factors that the central bank also cited to keep its policy rate unchanged. Flood-related supply disruptions and temporary border closures have put upward pressure on prices of a few essential commodities and inflation is expected to…

Cathie Wood, chief executive officer of Ark Investment Management LLC, during the Federal Reserve’s Payments Innovation Conference in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. Aaron Schartz | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood on Tuesday pushed back on fears of an artificial intelligence bubble, while flagging the possibility of a “reality check” on AI valuations.Speaking to CNBC’s Dan Murphy on the sidelines of Saudi Arabia’s Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh, Wood said that as interest rates begin to rise, “there will be a shudder” in markets.”We are going to reach a moment in the next…

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Monday announced a joint plan to bring a no-confidence motion against the incumbent AJK government, days after ten lawmakers defected from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to join the PPP, giving it a clear parliamentary edge. The move, approved by President Asif Ali Zardari and backed by the PML-N leadership, comes amid escalating rifts within AJK’s coalition setup and growing criticism of what both parties describe as the government’s “complete failure” to deliver on governance and stability. At a joint press conference in Islamabad, PPP leader Qamar Zaman…

U.S. President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping shake hands before their bilateral meeting during the G-20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan on June 29, 2019.Kevin Lamarque | Reuters The mere prospect of a U.S.-China trade deal is enough to send markets higher.On Monday stateside, the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite closed at record highs — with the broader market index breaking past the 6,800 level for the first time.And that’s before an agreement has been signed officially.”A lot of the forecasts for technology have been without the benefit of China, so once you can…

Guests enjoy the Fortune Global Forum 2025 Gala Dinner on October 26, 2025 at Diriyah Gate, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Cedric Ribeiro | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty ImagesMining executives have welcomed a sharp upswing in investor interest from the Middle East, as Gulf states seek to expand their critical mineral ambitions and take on established global players.Critical minerals refer to a subset of materials considered essential to the energy transition. These resources, which tend to have a high risk of supply chain disruption, include metals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements.”The interest in rare earths in this…

Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari speaks to the media during his visit to flood-hit areas in Kasur on Friday, Sept 5, 2025. Screengrab ISLAMABAD: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited the residence of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Monday for a meeting in which the two leaders discussed various issues including the ongoing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. According to sources, Bilawal was accompanied by Nayyer Bukhari, Humayun Khan and Jamil Soomro. JUI-F leaders Maulana Asad Mehmood and Mufti Abrar were also present in the meeting. Sources said the leaders consulted on parliamentary matters, including forthcoming legislation and…

Stock photo of a nuclear power plant.Larry Lee Photography | Corbis | Getty ImagesGoogle and American electrical utility giant NextEra Energy announced a partnership Monday to revive Iowa’s only nuclear power plant to meet growing low-carbon energy demand from artificial intelligenceThe Duane Arnold Energy Center, which closed in 2020, could begin operating in early 2029, pending regulatory approval.”Once operational, Google will purchase power from the 615-MW plant as a 24/7 carbon-free energy source to help power Google’s growing cloud and AI infrastructure in Iowa, while also strengthening local grid reliability,” the companies said in a press release.  The Central Iowa Power…

Security across Turbat city was further tightened to prevent any possible follow-up attacks QUETTA: The Kech Deputy Commissioner Basheer Ahmed Bareech narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on Monday when a motorcycle-borne explosive device detonated near his convoy in Turbat, injuring ten people, including nine Levies personnel. Separately, an attack on a police station in the Bhag Nari area of Kachhi district left the station house officer (SHO) martyred and two policemen injured, officials confirmed on Monday. The explosion in Turbat took place near the tehsildar’s office as the deputy commissioner was on his way back to his office. The motorcycle…

Afghan delegation believes that accepting Pakistan’s demands would be right course of action ISLAMABAD: The ongoing talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Istanbul have failed to yield any breakthrough on Islamabad’s key demand for a clear plan of action to dismantle terrorist infrastructure operating from Afghan soil. Officials familiar with the development said both sides held another round of discussions on Monday in the presence of Turkish officials mediating to bridge differences. However, till the filing of this report, the dialogue remained deadlocked, as the Taliban delegation refused to provide written guarantees. “The third day of the ongoing talks in…

President and CEO of Saudi’s Aramco, Amin H. Nasser, speaks during the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia October 29, 2024. Hamad I Mohammed | ReutersThink of Saudi Arabia and the first thing that comes to mind might be its massive, oil-derived wealth.While oil continues to drive Saudi Arabia’s economy, the kingdom is now expanding into areas such as artificial intelligence, tourism and sports to diversify its growth avenues.According to Saudi Arabia’s Minister for Investment Khalid Al Falih, more than half — 50.6% — of the Saudi economy is now “completely decoupled” from oil.”This percentage is growing,” Al…