Author: i2wtc

Nearly 1.9 million in Gaza at risk amid inadequate shelters, severe winter conditionsPolice officers stand guard at the main entry gate of Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad. Photo: File The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and the United Arab Emirates expressed concern over the worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, citing winter conditions, damaged infrastructure and shortages of essential supplies. In a joint statement, the ministers said almost 1.9 million people were living in inadequate shelters, including children, women, the elderly and medically vulnerable individuals. The statement commended UN agencies, including UNRWA,…

An aerial drone photo taken on Dec. 10, 2024 shows a hot spring hotel and a ski resort in Benxi, northeast China’s Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong)SHENYANG/HAIKOU, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) — This New Year holiday sees Chinese travelers heading to diverse winter destinations, seeking everything from northeastern ice and snow to southern sunshine and tropical beaches.In Benxi Manchu Autonomous County, Liaoning Province, the Yunshan Ski Resort awakens for peak season of winter sports. Across its six winding runs, the snow lies thick and compact, offering ideal skiing conditions. After several runs on the advanced slope, tourist Lin Ruyu removed her gear…

The Kashf Foundation is returning to television with its seventh production, Aik Aur Pakeezah, a compelling new drama written by Bee Gul, known for acclaimed plays like Talkhiyaan (2012) and Raqeeb Se (2021), and directed by Kashif Nisar, known for works like Mrs. & Mr. Shameem (2022). The drama stars Sehar Khan and Nameer Khan in lead roles, supported by Amna Ilyas, Nadia Afgan, and Case No.9 alumni Gohar Rasheed, Hina Khawaja Bayat, and Noorul Hassan. The teaser, released on January 1, 2026, gives audiences a glimpse into a story that addresses pressing social issues. Aik Aur Pakeezah explores cyber…

The polio vaccination drive in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s merged districts was hampered by a worsening security situation, resulting in population displacement that left the majority of over 935,000 children under the age of five—targeted for immunisation in 2025—unvaccinated, a local government official said on Friday. The official, who spoke to The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity, said that a jirga was held on December 24 at the Deputy Commissioner’s office, which had set January 5 as the official deadline for evacuation from Khyber’s Tirah area. However, residents had begun leaving earlier due to worsening conditions. He added that people displaced from…

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) unleashed unrelenting bullish momentum on the second day of the year, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index surging 2,679 points (+1.52%) to close over a historic mark of 179,000 points – blasting through the 177,000, 178,000, and 179,000 psychological barriers in a single electrifying session. PSX continued to witness strong bullish momentum as the KSE-100 Index closed at 179,035 points, gaining 2,679 points (+1.52%). PSX isn’t just keeping up — it’s outperforming most regional markets.For the third consecutive year, KSE-100 delivered double digit returns, making Pakistan’s stock market as one of the best performing markets globally.…

The notification was issued by the Prime Minister as Chairman of the Gilgit-Baltistan Council, following a recommendation from the caretaker chief minister and in accordance with constitutional provisions. PHOTO: Express A 14-member caretaker cabinet was officially notified in Gilgit-Baltistan on Friday, ending over a month of administrative uncertainty since the caretaker chief minister took charge. The appointments came more than five weeks after caretaker Chief Minister Justice (R) Yar Mohammad was sworn in on November 25, 2025. The new cabinet includes twelve ministers and two advisors, with one woman appointed among them. The long delay between the chief minister’s oath-taking…

ATC imposes 35 years additional imprisonment Rs1.5m fine as trial conducted in absence of accused An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad has handed down double life sentences to YouTuber Adil Raja, former army official Syed Akbar Hussain, and journalists Wajahat Saeed Khan, Sabir Shakir, Moeed Pirzada, Shaheen Sehbai, and Haider Mehdi. The sentences were announced by ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra in cases regarding “digital terrorism” against state institutions during May 9, 2023. The prosecution, represented by Raja Naveed Hussain Kiani, presented 24 witnesses before the court. On request of the prosecution, the trial was concluded in the absence of…

The Russian-U.S. national who hacked crypto exchange Bitfinex and stole nearly 120,000 bitcoin said he has been freed from prison early thanks to the bipartisan prison-reform law signed by President Donald Trump.Ilya Lichtenstein, 38, had been sentenced in November 2024 to five years in prison after pleading guilty to a money laundering conspiracy charge and admitting to the hack of crypto assets now valued in the billions of dollars.But late Thursday night, a post on Lichtenstein’s official X account declared, “Thanks to President Trump’s First Step Act, I have been released from prison early.”Courtroom sketch of Ilya “Dutch” Lichtenstein while…

A pedestrian passes in front of the Saks Fifth Avenue Inc. women’s store at Brookfield Place in New York, U.S.Allison Joyce | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesSaks Global named a new CEO on Friday as the retailer is reportedly on the cusp of filing for bankruptcy protection.The parent of high-end department store chain Saks Fifth Avenue, which is privately held, will now be led by Richard Baker, the company’s executive chairman, Saks said in a news release. He will continue to hold the executive chairman role.With the shakeup, three-decade long Saks executive Marc Metrick will leave the company. The news release said Metrick’s is…

Chipmaking stocks rallied to kick off 2026 as investors piled into the winning artificial intelligence-fueled sector following another big year of gains. Dutch chip equipment maker ASML surged 9%, while Micron Technology jumped 8% to start the new trading year. Lam Research and Intel rallied about 7% each, while Marvell Technology rose 5%.Advanced Micro Devices and Nvidia gained about 3% and 2%, respectively. In 2025, AMD gained 77% while Nvidia added 39%.Chipmaking stocks got a boost in 2025 from the ongoing AI buildout. Hyperscalers such as Amazon and Google have spent big to power unwavering datacenter demand. Last year marked…