Author: i2wtc

Listen to article ISLAMABAD: The government spent Rs905 billion on development schemes in the last fiscal year, which was lower than the allocation and may now require a downward revision in the 2.7% economic growth rate that had been worked out on the basis of Rs1.1 trillion in expenses. Of the Rs905 billion, a little over half — or Rs456 billion — was spent during the last two months (May-June), also underscoring the need to revisit the current budget strategy that artificially suppresses expenses. According to provisional figures, the federal government spent Rs905 billion under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) in…

This photo taken on July 2, 2025 shows the lightboxes of Liu Guixiang (2nd R, bottom) and Xie Guiying (1st R, bottom) on a photo wall featuring survivors of the Nanjing Massacre at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, east China’s Jiangsu Province. A “lights out” ceremony for two survivors of the Nanjing Massacre who passed away this year was held here on Wednesday. On a photo wall featuring survivors of the Nanjing Massacre, the lightboxes of Liu Guixiang and Xie Guiying were dimmed off, and their colored photos then turned to…

Founded in 2022, ElevenLabs is an AI voice generation startup based in London. It competes with the likes of Speechmatics and Hume AI.Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty ImagesLONDON — ElevenLabs, a London-based startup that specializes in generating synthetic voices through artificial intelligence, has revealed plans to be IPO-ready within five years.The company told CNBC it is targeting major global expansion as it prepares for an initial public offering.”We expect to build more hubs in Europe, Asia and South America, and just keep scaling,” Mati Staniszewski, ElevenLabs’ CEO and co-founder, told CNBC in an interview at the firm’s London office.He…

A fireboat of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government performs a water gate ceremony for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy fleet in Hong Kong, south China, July 3, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy led by the aircraft carrier Shandong arrived here on Thursday morning. (Photo by Jia Xiaopeng/Xinhua)HONG KONG, July 3 (Xinhua) — A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy led by the aircraft carrier Shandong arrived in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Thursday morning. ■Soldiers line up on the deck of Zhanjiang missile destroyer during its visit to…

Listen to article ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) parliamentary committee has categorically rejected the Supreme Court’s Constitutional Bench verdict, which set aside its July 12, 2024, judgment. That ruling had reinstated PTI as a parliamentary party and allowed it to secure reserved seats in the legislature. Last week, the Supreme Court overturned its July 12 ruling on reserved seats, accepting review petitions and upholding the Peshawar High Court’s decision. As a result, the PTI lost its reserved seats. In response to the court’s ruling, PTI held a crucial meeting of its parliamentary committee in Islamabad on Wednesday to discuss the implications of…

Listen to article The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) restored on Wednesday all reserved seats in the National Assembly and four provincial assemblies, in line with Supreme Court’s recent decision.  According to a notification issued by the ECP, the commission has reinstated a total of 74 reserved seats: The move effectively nullifies earlier notifications that had de-notified candidates elected on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) ticket. The ECP has withdrawn its earlier notifications dated July 24 and July 29, 2024. The decision comes in compliance with the Supreme Court’s June 27, 2025 ruling, which addressed review petitions related to the allocation of reserved seats.…

Synopsys logo is seen displayed on a smartphone with the flag of China in the background. Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty ImagesThe U.S. government has rescinded its export restrictions on chip-design software to China, semiconductor software companies Synopsys and Cadence announced Thursday. “Synopsys is working to restore access to the recently restricted products in China,” the California-based software maker said in a statement. Its rival, Cadence, confirmed with CNBC that the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security, which falls under the Department of Commerce, had reversed the export restrictions.”We are in the process of restoring access to our software and technology…

This photo shows the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) in Hefei, east China’s Anhui Province, Jan. 15, 2025. (Xinhua/Huang Bohan)by Xinhua writers Yao Yuan and Cheng YunjieHEFEI, July 2 (Xinhua) — Residents of Hefei say the city has two suns — one suspends in the sky and the other lies in an industrial park in the city’s suburb.Hefei, capital of east China’s Anhui Province, is home to the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). It has been dubbed China’s “artificial sun” due to its unique fusion process, which simulates that of the sun. This facility lies at the heart of the…

Listen to article Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has challenged the state, asserting that if it can legally topple his government through constitutional means, he will leave politics if they succeed. “Don’t do anything unconstitutional — and even through constitutional means, you cannot do anything. Our government, our power, and everything belong to Imran Khan. He can instruct us to topple the government whenever he wishes. Our government cannot be overthrown through constitutional methods,” he said. Following a meeting of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) parliamentary party, Gandapur held a joint press conference with PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, Salman Akram Raja, and…

* Indonesia is currently the world’s largest producer of nickel and holds the biggest-known reserves of the metal, an essential component in EV batteries.* A new electric vehicle (EV) battery megaproject, whose groundbreaking took place on Sunday, is a nearly 6-billion-U.S.-dollar joint venture with China.* Chinese firms have played a pivotal role in bringing technology, capital and global market access to Indonesia, particularly in EV batteries and supply chain integration, said Kukuh Kumara, secretary general of the Association of Indonesia Automotive Industries.JAKARTA, July 2 (Xinhua) — The groundbreaking of a new electric vehicle (EV) battery megaproject in Indonesia set another…