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European Union ministers have urged Brussels to take a “tough” response to China’s latest restrictions on rare earth exports.He added that he had received “a lot of concerned calls from European industry, especially car companies”.Last week, Beijing announced further controls that meant products with small traces of rare earths as well as processing equipment would need a licence.The latest curbs were widely believed to be designed to give Chinese President Xi Jinping leverage against his US counterpart Donald Trump should the pair meet in South Korea at the end of the month, but European firms fear they will be caught…

The Pentagon’s coming defence strategy report will contain major changes in the US’ plans to counter China’s military and economic strength, according to Chinese defence researchers.The new National Defence Strategy, a road map of defence priorities for each US president’s term, is expected to be released in the coming weeks.According to a Defence Department memo in May, the report will “prioritise defence of the US homeland, including America’s skies and borders, and deterring China in the Indo-Pacific”.US news outlet Politico reported last month that, in the new document, the US would prioritise homeland security over perceived threatens from China and…

A viral hot mic moment in which Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto was heard asking US President Donald Trump if he could meet his son Eric shortly after the Gaza ceasefire summit in Egypt has raised questions about Jakarta’s diplomatic strategy and whether the move was tied to any business agenda.The offhand exchange, however, is not expected to have much political bearing in Indonesia as observers note Prabowo enjoys strong support back home.The brief conversation between the two leaders, captured after a press conference at the Sharm el-Sheikh peace summit on Monday, took place as Trump stepped offstage after delivering remarks…

Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL), a major energy company in the country, has announced a strategic partnership with Turkish Petroleum Overseas Company (TPOC), a subsidiary of Turkiye’s national oil company TPAO, under the farm-out process of the Eastern Offshore Indus C Block. The partnership is aimed at boosting offshore exploration and strengthening Pakistan-Turkiye energy cooperation, PPL said in its filing to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Tuesday. “PPL is pleased to announce a major milestone in the farm-out process of the Eastern Offshore Indus C Block, marking the beginning of a strategic collaboration with TPOC, a wholly owned subsidiary of…

Pakistan Services Limited (PSEL) announced on Tuesday that Thatta Cement Company Limited had acquired PSEL’s 28% voting shares. The development was shared in a notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) today. The notice informed that Thatta Cement has acquired 9,107,800 shares of PSEL for Rs710 per share, which amounts to Rs6.45 billion. “On account of this acquisition, our total shareholding in Pakistan Services Limited has 9,107,800 voting shares, which represent 28% of the total issued voting shares of the company,” read the notice. Back in July, AKD Group Holdings (Private) Limited, formerly known as Aqeel Karim Dhedhi Securities (Private)…

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) plans to launch the Hang Seng Biotech Index Futures next month, as offshore investors show heightened interest in mainland Chinese biopharmaceutical stocks listed in the city.The new futures contracts platform, which is expected to commence trading on November 28, aims to offer investors a risk management tool for “one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic sectors”, the exchange operator said on Tuesday.Built on the Hang Seng Biotech Index, the platform will track the performance of the 30 largest Hong Kong-listed Chinese pharmaceutical and medical device companies, whose shares can be bought and sold by…

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) plans to launch the Hang Seng Biotech Index Futures next month, as offshore investors show heightened interest in mainland Chinese biopharmaceutical stocks listed in the city.The new futures contracts platform, which is expected to commence trading on November 28, aims to offer investors a risk management tool for “one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic sectors”, the exchange operator said on Tuesday.Built on the Hang Seng Biotech Index, the platform will track the performance of the 30 largest Hong Kong-listed Chinese pharmaceutical and medical device companies, whose shares can be bought and sold by…

China is harnessing an ancient mental calculation technique to train soldiers as “human abacuses” for high-stakes combat scenarios where advanced technology might fail.The initiative reflects China’s strategic push to blend traditional methods, such as the abacus and paper-based calculations, with modern warfare tactics.The state broadcaster showed a recent drill simulating radar failure in which Xu predicted the trajectories of three targets in just seconds by analysing their direction, altitude and speed using mental mathematical techniques and analogue tools. Her calculations enabled precise targeting, showcasing the technique’s effectiveness, CCTV reported in the programme first aired in August.Captain Xu Meiduo has mastered…

As US President Donald Trump continues to hail the peace plan to end the Israel-Gaza conflict, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has urged caution, saying he was not invited to the ceasefire signing ceremony in Egypt due to his concerns over the deal’s details and its durability.On Monday, Israel began releasing nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners during the first phase of the deal, while Hamas militants released 20 surviving Israeli hostages kidnapped during its assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.The raid by the Palestinian group sparked the bloody two-year war, which has killed nearly 70,000 Palestinians, with the UN…

Mari Energies Limited (MARI), one of Pakistan’s largest exploration and production companies (E&P), has disclosed that it is actively engaging with global mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP to attract foreign investment and unlock Pakistan’s untapped mineral potential. According to details shared during the company’s analyst briefing, which was attended by brokerage house AKD Securities, Mari Energies is conducting geological surveys in collaboration with foreign operators as part of its diversification strategy into the mining sector. “Management disclosed engagements with global mining firms such as Rio Tinto and BHP to monetise Pakistan’s mineral potential. The upcoming financial close of Reko…