Author: i2wtc

ISLAMABAD: In a move that might have come as a rude shock to many PTI leaders, Imran Khan, the jailed founder of the embattled party, has nominated the maverick chief of PkMAP, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, for opposition leader in the National Assembly. Achakzai’s nomination has provided grist to the rumour mill, churning out reports that Imran is increasingly unhappy with the PTI leaders over their failure to mount a formidable challenge against the coalition government which he accuses of stealing his party’s mandate. The development comes days after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified Omar Ayub Khan and Shibli…

The logo of Meta is seen at the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups at Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, France, June 11, 2025. Gonzalo Fuentes | ReutersMeta Platforms has paused hiring for its new artificial intelligence division, ending a spending spree that saw it acquire a wave of expensive hires in AI researchers and engineers, the company confirmed Thursday. The pause was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, which said that the freeze went into effect last week and came amid a broader restructuring of the group, citing people familiar with the matter. In a statement…

The logos of Walmart and Sam’s Club are pictured in Cuautitlan Izcalli, Mexico, January 30, 2025.Raquel Cunha | ReutersWalmart will report quarterly earnings on Thursday, as economists and investors try to gauge how U.S. consumers are responding to President Donald Trump’s decision to raise tariffs on dozens of countries across the globe.Here’s what Wall Street expects for the big-box retailer, according to a survey of analysts by LSEG:Earnings per share: 74 cents expectedRevenue: $176.16 billionAs the largest U.S. retailer, Walmart offers a unique window into the financial health of American households. As higher duties have come in fits and starts…

ISLAMABAD: In what is being seen as a goodwill gesture towards Islamabad, Afghanistan’s intelligence agency has arrested three suspected recruiters and commanders accused of collaborating with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other terrorist groups. The General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) conducted operations in the Paktika and Khost provinces, arresting Mullah Sangin Group’s commander, Hayatullah, alias Ghalchaki Tangiwal, along with two of his close associates, sources told The Express Tribune. GDA officials also dismantled the group’s local office during the raids. Sources said the suspects have been shifted to Kabul’s Pul-e-Charkhi prison. Hayatullah is accused of being one of the…

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, Afghanistan and China on Wednesday pledged to strengthen joint efforts against terrorism as Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urged the Taliban regime to take decisive and verifiable steps against the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). The foreign ministers of China and Pakistan travelled to Kabul to attend the trilateral meeting. This was Wang Yi’s first visit to Kabul since the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan. On the sidelines of the trilateral meeting, both Dar and Wang held separate bilateral talks with the Afghan authorities. The Chinese foreign minister told the Afghan acting prime minister, Mullah…

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella speaks at Axel Springer Neubau in Berlin on Oct. 17, 2023Ben Kriemann | Getty ImagesMicrosoft said last week that it plans to stop providing discounts on enterprise purchases of its Microsoft 365 productivity software subscriptions and other cloud applications.Since the announcement, analysts have published estimates on how much more customers will end up paying. But for investors trying to figure out what it all means to Microsoft’s financials, analysts at UBS said the change is already factored into guidance.”In our view, it is safe to assume that the impact of the pricing change” was included in…

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 ImagesElon Musk was ordered on Wednesday by a federal judge to face a lawsuit by voters accusing the world’s richest person of defrauding them into signing a petition to support the U.S. Constitution for a chance to win his $1 million-a-day giveaway.U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman in Austin, Texas said Jacqueline McAferty…

KARACHI: Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab on Wednesday said the city’s recent downpour was part of the wider challenge of climate change, which has also caused destruction in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir in recent days. Addressing a press conference, he said global warming and climate change were a reality and a test for administrations worldwide, citing the situations in New York, Dubai and Mumbai. The mayor said the heavy rains left residents facing difficulties, with criticism and political point-scoring further exacerbating the situation. He noted that Karachi’s stormwater drains have a capacity of only 40mm. “When rainfall exceeds this…

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, poses for a group photo while meeting with representatives from all ethnic groups and all walks of life in the plateau region in Lhasa, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, Aug. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)LHASA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday urged concerted efforts to write a splendid chapter of Chinese modernization in Xizang Autonomous Region when he met with representatives from all ethnic groups and all walks of life in the plateau region.Xi is…

KARACHI: At least 16 people, including women and children, lost their lives in various rain-related incidents across Karachi on Tuesday and Wednesday as the city was battered by heavy downpours. The fatalities occurred in wall collapses, electrocution, and drowning incidents reported in different neighborhoods. Two children drowned on Wednesday in the nullah near Al-Asif Square near Sohrab Goth and in the C-1 Area drain of Liaquatabad. Edhi Maritime Services teams launched rescue operations at both sites but were forced to suspend efforts at nightfall. According to Edhi officials, the search for the missing children will resume Thursday morning. Body of…