Author: i2wtc

The U.S. Supreme Court revived on Thursday a redrawn Texas electoral map designed to add more Republicans to the U.S. House of Representatives, boosting President Donald Trump’s quest for his party to keep control of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections.The justices granted a request by Texas officials to lift a lower court’s ruling that had blocked the state from using the Trump-backed map, which could flip as many as five currently Democratic-held U.S. House seats to Republicans. The lower court concluded that the map likely was racially discriminatory in violation of U.S. constitutional protections.Republicans currently hold slim majorities in both chambers of Congress. Ceding control of either the House or Senate to the Democrats in the November 2026 elections would endanger Trump’s legislative agenda…

Authorities urge public to avoid area, allowing emergency teams to operate efficiently A fire broke out at a garment factory in the Export Processing Zone on Thursday. Thick flames and smoke were witnessed at the site. According to the spokesperson of Rescue 1122 (Sindh), the Central Command and Control received reports of the incident, after which rescue teams, along with ambulances and fire brigade trucks, were immediately dispatched to the site. The spokesperson said that efforts to control the fire are ongoing. No casualties have been confirmed yet, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. Factory workers were…

Government will hold discussions openly, listen to provinces’ stance, says FinMin The inaugural meeting of the 11th National Finance Commission concluded with parties agreeing to consider Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s share in the NFC award after the merger of FATA and PATA into the province. A working group will be formed to review federal and provincial shares. Its first session, originally scheduled for August 27, was postponed several times at the request of the Sindh government and the Prime Minister’s Office Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb described the meeting as an important step for fulfilling constitutional responsibilities. He noted that the term of the…

Lisa Jackson, senior vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives at Apple Inc., speaks during the TechCrunch Disrupt 2017 in San Francisco, California, U.S., on Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesApple’s general counsel, Kate Adams, and its vice president for environment, policy, and social initiatives, Lisa Jackson, are retiring from the company, the iPhone maker announced on Thursday. Jennifer Newstead, Meta’s chief legal officer, will become Apple’s new general counsel in March, and Jackson’s government affairs staff will report to her starting late next year, Apple said. The two executives, who both reported…

US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo speaks on the first day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on August 19, 2024. Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty ImagesCostco said Thursday that it is adding former Biden administration Commerce Department Secretary Gina Raimondo to its board of directors.The announcement came nearly a week after Costco filed a federal lawsuit seeking to recoup money that the retail warehouse club giant has paid so far this year to satisfy the legally disputed tariffs summarily imposed by President Donald Trump.Read more CNBC politics coverage”We are very pleased to nominate…

NEW YORK — Starbucks Workers United held a rally outside the Empire State Building on Thursday as its open-ended strike entered its third week and no signs of an impending resolution.Adding to the crunch of holiday shoppers and tourists, several hundred picketers gathered outside of the famous landmark, which is also the site of a swanky three-floor Starbucks Reserve location and the company’s regional headquarters. Members of other unions, like the AFL-CIO and Service Employees International Union, which is affiliated with Workers United, protested alongside baristas, chanting “No coffee, no contract” and “What’s disgusting? Union busting” between speakers.”Their fight is…

Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for French President Emmanuel Macron at the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 4, 2025. Xi held talks with Macron, who is on a state visit to China, in Beijing on Thursday. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)BEIJING, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday agreed to enhance political mutual trust, expand practical cooperation, promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and advance the reform and improvement of global governance.Macron is on his fourth state visit to…

Four people have died in a shooting incident on Thursday in Lachi Bazaar, Tehsil Lachi, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. According to the initial report, the incident occurred between two groups as a result of a personal dispute. Upon receiving the alert, the Rescue 1122 medical team responded promptly, reached the scene, provided first aid to all the injured, and shifted them to Lachi Hospital. Hospital sources confirmed that four people had died, while two critically injured individuals were referred to Kohat’s KDA Hospital due to their serious condition. Hassan, son of Jahangir, Zahir Zaman, son of Ashoor Zaman, and Mamoor, son of Najeeb…

An Ulta Beauty store in Concord, California, US, on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesUlta Beauty on Thursday raised its full-year sales outlook after topping Wall Street’s expectations for the fiscal third quarter. The beauty retailer said it now expects net sales for the year to be approximately $12.3 billion, higher than its previous expectations of $12 billion to $12.1 billion. That would would represent an increase from last fiscal year’s net sales of $11.3 billion. It expects earnings per share of $25.20 to $25.50, up from its prior expectations of $23.85 to $24.30.It…

No country can allow its citizens to malign, defame state, its institutions from abroad, says Naqvi British High Comissioner Jane Marriott and Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi The Government of Pakistan has submitted extradition documents for Shehzad Akbar and Adil Raja to the British High Commissioner, requesting their immediate return. “These individuals are wanted in Pakistan and should be handed over without delay,” Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi stated. Shehzad Akbar, a member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and served as an advisor to the now-incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Adil Raja is a YouTuber and a former Pakistan Army officer,…