Author: i2wtc

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has implemented another condition of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) by amending the powers of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). Under the new arrangement, the FBR will now only be responsible for tax collection, while tax policy formulation will no longer fall under its jurisdiction. According to sources, the government has activated the Tax Policy Office within the Ministry of Finance. Following this change, the FBR will serve solely as a tax collection agency, whereas the newly established office will handle all matters related to tax policy formulation. Sources said that Dr Najeeb Ahmed Memon…

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessett said Sunday he, too, has “felt pain” from China refusing to buy U.S.-grown soybeans during a trade conflict with President Donald Trump because “I’m actually a soybean farmer.”Bessent’s comment came during an interview with ABC News’ “This Week,” where he said that trade negotiations with China in the past two days had led to a “substantial framework” that he believed would alleviate American soybean farmers’ concerns about the boycott.Trump is set to meet later this week with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea.Bessent, a former hedge fund executive whose net worth is estimated by Forbes…

This photo shows Airbus’ second Final Assembly Line (FAL) for A320 family aircraft in Tianjin, north China, Oct. 22, 2025. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)TIANJIN, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) — Airbus inaugurated its latest Final Assembly Line for A320 family aircraft in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin earlier this week, marking a milestone in the European aerospace giant’s 40-year journey in China and signaling a broader trend of foreign enterprises doubling down on their commitments to the world’s second-largest economy.The new facility underscores the company’s robust confidence in China’s aviation market, resilient supply chain and business-friendly environment.Airbus’ growth in China mirrors its…

Afghan Taliban fighters patrol near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in Spin Boldak, Kandahar Province, following exchanges of fire between Pakistani and Afghan forces in Afghanistan on October 15. Photo: Reuters LANDI KOTAL: Panic spread among residents of Bara’s Akakhel area in Khyber tribal district after a group of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists unexpectedly appeared at a local cricket match, only to deliver a message of reassurance rather than threat. According to local sources, the TTP vehicle was seen passing near the village ground where dozens of spectators were watching a cricket match. On spotting the vehicle, many villagers fled the scene,…

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has ruled that cruelty within marriage is not confined to physical violence but also includes psychological, verbal and emotional abuse, as well as behaviour that makes it impossible for a woman to live with dignity and safety in her home. In a detailed 17-page judgment authored by Justice Ayesha Malik, the court set aside the verdicts of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) and family court, ruling that a court cannot grant khula without the woman’s consent, adding that psychological abuse in a marital relationship is as grave as physical violence. The court further held that a…

Ban Ki-moon, chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia and former UN secretary-general, speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Seoul, South Korea, Oct. 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin)Ban Ki-moon warned that rising unilateralism and protectionism are undermining the spirit of international cooperation that underpins the United Nations, saying that China can play an “independent and constructive” role in defending multilateralism and advancing global governance reform.SEOUL, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) — The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) should lead economic cooperation and shared prosperity in the region by upholding multilateralism and working together on climate action, supply chain stability and digital standards, Ban…

PUBLISHED October 26, 2025 Pakistan is home to approximately 20,000 Sikhs. A small minority compared to the millions who lived in Punjab before Partition. There are roughly 200 historical Sikh shrines noted by Iqbal Qaiser in Historical Sikh Shrines in Pakistan. The Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) currently manages around 21 gurdwaras, according to their website. In these sanctuaries, kirtan is the heartbeat of Sikh liturgical life. The Sikh Gurus made music central to worship. The Guru Granth Sahib, Sikhism’s scripture, stands out among world religious texts, which are arranged by Raags, which are the melodic frameworks in Indian…

U.S. President Donald Trump listens to Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet ahead of a ceremonial signing of a ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia on the sidelines of the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Oct. 26, 2025.Mohd Rasfan | Via ReutersU.S. President Donald Trump said he was confident of hashing out a deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping, whom he is expected to meet next week, after top economic officials from both countries reached a preliminary consensus in trade talks that concluded on Sunday.U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer…

A Long March-3B carrier rocket carrying the Gaofen-14 02 satellite blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Oct. 26, 2025. (Photo by Wang Yinjie/Xinhua)XICHANG, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) — China on Sunday sent a new satellite into space from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in its southwestern Sichuan Province.The Gaofen-14 02 satellite was launched at 11:55 a.m. (Beijing Time) aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket and entered the planned orbit successfully.This satellite is capable of efficiently acquiring high-precision stereo imagery on a global scale, providing fundamental geographic information support for national economic development and national…

PUBLISHED October 26, 2025 KARACHI: Being the kind of film-buff who inhales films and exhales dialogue, eats popcorn for breakfast and quotes Kubrick for dessert or someone who doesn’t just watch movies but lives inside them, I always feel overwhelmingly sad when a favourite actor dies. It feels like losing a part of my own story, blurring the lines between film and reality. Diane Keaton who died on October 11 at the age of 79, was one of my favourite actors. An era has ended. A Gen Z reader will visualise a sad face and broken heart emojis right her.…