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NEW YORK: Oil prices rose slightly on Tuesday in choppy trading, as investors focused on expectations the market is likely to become oversupplied and sought clarity on the trade dispute between the U.S. and China, the world’s two biggest oil consumers. Brent crude futures rose 23 cents, or 0.4%, to $61.24 a barrel at 11:38 a.m. ET (1538 GMT). The U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude contract for November delivery, set to expire on Tuesday, was up 22 cents, or also 0.4%, to $57.74. Both contracts had hit their lowest since early May on Monday, as record U.S. oil production and…

SHOSTKA, Ukraine (AP) — As the lights went out in her hometown, 40-year-old Zinaida Kot could not help but think about her next dialysis treatment for kidney disease. Without electricity, the machine that keeps her alive stops working. Kot is among millions of Ukrainians who are bracing for another winter of power cuts and possibly blackouts as Russia renewed its campaign of attacks on the country’s energy grid. Analysts and officials say that this year Moscow has shifted tactics, targeting specific regions and gas infrastructure.In some regions — mostly those closer to the front line in the east — the…

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — A court in Slovakia on Tuesday convicted the man in last year’s attempted assassination of the country’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico of a terror attack and sentenced him to 21 years in prison.Juraj Cintula was accused of opening fire on Fico on May 15, 2024, as the prime minister greeted supporters following a government meeting in the town of Handlová, located 140 kilometers (85 miles) northeast of the capital of Bratislava.The verdict was handed down by the Specialized Criminal Court in the central city of Banská Bystrica. Cintula and prosecutors can still appeal the verdict.Cintula,…

China’s economic and technological advances are being unfairly dismissed in the United States and other parts of the West as a result of hierarchical thinking, according to a theory dubbed “winology” that is taking hold among some online commentators.The term winology was coined by Chinese academics and refers to ways in which countries can both become a global leader in certain areas and be recognised as such.However, the theory argues that the West relegates China to the lowest tier of a global hierarchy – likened to the Indian caste system – that was shaped by two centuries of British and…

Hong Kong stocks extended a rally on Tuesday as investors continued to bet on easing US-China trade tensions.The Hang Seng Index rose 1.7 per cent to 26,286.47 at the noon break. The Hang Seng Tech Index surged 2.6 per cent.On the mainland, the CSI 300 Index rose 1.5 per cent and the Shanghai Composite Index added 1.2 per cent.Semiconductor Manufacturing International jumped 5.9 per cent to HK$76.05, smartphone camera-module maker Sunny Optical Technology Group added 4.2 per cent to HK$81.90 and China Life rose 7.6 per cent to HK$25.30.Making its trading debut, JST Group, a provider of software for enterprise…

Hong Kong stocks extended a rally on Tuesday as investors continued to bet on easing US-China trade tensions.The Hang Seng Index rose 1.5 per cent to 26,241.50 as of 9.50am. The Hang Seng Tech Index surged 2.3 per cent.On the mainland, the CSI 300 Index rose 0.4 per cent and the Shanghai Composite Index added 0.2 per cent.Semiconductor Manufacturing International jumped 4 per cent to HK$74.65, smartphone camera-module maker Sunny Optical Technology Group added 3.8 per cent to HK$81.60 and China Life rose 5.8 per cent to HK$24.88.Making its trading debut, JST Group, a provider of software for enterprise resource…

Three patrol ships left a Chinese base on Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands on Thursday and circled around a series of land features – some of which Vietnam has built facilities on – before returning to the reef on Saturday, according to Automatic Identification System data.The purpose of the patrol by the coastguard vessels – identified by the hull numbers 4301, 5009 and 21559 – was not clear. New collision of Chinese-Philippine ships in South China SeaNew collision of Chinese-Philippine ships in South China SeaIt took place at a time of heightened tensions in the South China Sea, where…

Wealthy families from across the world use Hong Kong and Singapore as twin hubs to expand in Asia, preferring real estate and private direct investments for long-term growth, according to a report by Julius Baer on Tuesday.Hong Kong and Singapore are a natural choice for affluent families with regional ties or pan-Asian investments, according to the Swiss bank’s 2025 Family Barometer annual report that tracked 2,500 family office experts in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America about their investment plans.“We are seeing families move beyond simply managing wealth – they are looking for institutional-style platforms that can support…

Japan’s proposed increase in visa fees and departure tax is an attempt to balance between dealing with overtourism and deterring misbehaving visitors at “the bottom of the pyramid”, according to industry observers.The government believes the present fees for visas and departure taxes are low in comparison with international standards, with the Asahi newspaper reporting that the additional funds would be used on improving tourism infrastructure and the education sector.If implemented, the proposal is expected to generate nearly 300 billion yen (US$1.99 billion) in revenue annually for Tokyo.Industry insiders say the small visa fee and departure tax increases are unlikely to…

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has sought Saudi investment to establish advanced copper refineries and downstream industries aimed at upgrading infrastructure, enhance geological mapping through the Geological Survey of Pakistan, and promote technology transfer. This information was shared by Commerce Ministry with National Assembly Standing Committee presided over by Jawed Hanif Khan. Dr Iftikhar Baig, Shaista Pervaiz Malik, Tahira Aurangzeb and Kiran Haider attended the meeting in person whereas Asad Alam Niazi was on zoom. Pakistan ranks fifth globally in copper reserves, with large deposits in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, offering considerable potential to become a major supplier in international markets. However, the…