Author: admin

The world faces an escalating energy dilemma known as the “energy trilemma.” Its three sides are: sustainability (clean energy), accessibility (energy security), and affordability (equity). Achieving a balance among these three objectives is extremely difficult even under the best circumstances, but it becomes far more complex on the global level given the huge diversity in energy systems, constraints, and contexts across regions and countries around the world.   This is a global issue that concerns Europe as much as it does sub-Saharan Africa. Some countries are rich in cheap and abundant fossil fuels but struggle to achieve carbon reduction targets.…

Pop Mart, the world’s most valuable toymaker, rose on Friday after the company launched a new line of gold jewellery to cash in on the growing popularity of its toys.The company started selling gold beads, pendants, bars and ornaments under its Popop jewellery brand, featuring one of its main characters, Baby Molly, at its stores in Beijing and Shanghai, according to a statement on Pop Mart’s official WeChat account. The items are priced between 980 yuan (US$137) and 56,800 yuan.Pop Mart had teased the launch of the gold jewellery on WeChat last Friday.Pop Mart forayed into jewellery with Popop in…

KARACHI: Stricter regulations are needed around the import of used cars, which is hurting the local auto sector, industry sources say. They also believe a cascading tariff structure – where import duties increase with the degree of processing of a product – should be codified into law as it helps the country save $1.25 billion per annum by substituting imports with domestic production. Talking to Business Recorder, Shehryar Qadir, Senior Vice Chairman of Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts & Accessories Manufacturers (PAAPAM), called for placing a permanent ban on commercial used-car imports. He also believes Pakistan should build labs that…

The euro rose slightly in the European market on Friday against a basket of global currencies, maintaining its gains for the second consecutive day against the US dollar, on its way to achieving a new weekly gain, supported by the European Central Bank meeting, which turned out to be more hawkish than markets had expected.   In line with expectations, the ECB kept interest rates unchanged for the second consecutive meeting. Sources confirmed that European monetary policymakers believe there is no need for further rate cuts to achieve the medium-term inflation target.   Price Overview   • Today’s euro exchange…

Apple is likely to delay Chinese shipments of its new iPhone Air, the thinnest model ever, as the company works with mainland authorities to resolve regulatory issues related to the use of an embedded SIM.As of Friday morning, Apple had revised iPhone Air ordering details for the mainland, replacing the original launch schedule with “release information to be updated later”. Previously, the company stated that pre-orders would start at 8pm Friday local time, while deliveries would begin on September 19.At 5.6mm thick, the iPhone Air requires an eSIM. The other new models introduced earlier this week – the basic iPhone…

A week has passed since China held its Victory Day parade but fans have kept up the national pride momentum by buying missile toys and creating trend videos.In one shop, a pillow replica of the DF-5C comes in green, brown and white, and in three sizes up to 160cm (61 inches). The website said the item had become the most popular attraction in the shop, drawing more than 2,000 views and over 200 orders.“Sleep with the DF-5C pillow, as it provides the highest sense of security,” the description for the toy said. “It covers the entire globe.” 06:07What did China’s…

China’s consumer robotics start-ups are finding new growth opportunities in overseas markets, providing a new development model for the country’s manufacturers as they attempt to escape problems wrought by excess capacity and destructive price wars at home.These up-and-coming robotics firms are leveraging mature supply chains and rapid product iteration cycles to compete on technology and speed, industry insiders and analysts said, quickly turning tech innovation into market presence and pricing power.One firm has garnered a great deal of attention with its series of hybrid snow-blowing, lawn-mowing robots, engineered to withstand extreme cold and heavy blizzards while clearing household gardens and…

The worst seems to be over for Hong Kong’s property sector, with more investors likely to snap up distressed assets in the coming months and home sales set to continue improving as the market anticipates faster interest-rate cuts, according to a JPMorgan researcher.The city’s real estate industry had been battered, with several listed property developers seeking to renegotiate the terms of loans, said Karl Chan, head of Hong Kong property research at the US investment bank. However, there was no reason the market could not return to peak form, with prices and rents of homes, offices and retail spaces setting…

First National Equities Limited (FNEL) announced on Friday that FNE Developments (Private) Limited, a subsidiary of the company had commenced operations. The company informed this in a notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) today. “This strategic step marks FNEL’s formal entry, through its subsidiary, into Pakistan’s infrastructure and real estate development sectors,” the company wrote. It added that the subsidiary was established to undertake large-scale projects in collaboration with leading stakeholders across the public and private sectors. “This expansion will diversify FNEL’s business portfolio and also unlock new avenues of growth, positioning the company at the forefront of value…

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has ordered the suspension of a proposed 700 billion won (US$503 million) infrastructure loan for a bridge-building project in the Philippines due to corruption concerns, even though Manila insists no such agreement was ever signed.Seoul’s decision has raised questions about investor confidence in the Philippines, where a sprawling corruption scandal over flood control projects has already shaken public trust.The optics of a key partner pulling back over corruption fears despite Manila’s denial could prompt greater scrutiny of project financial management in the Philippines from other foreign donors and investors, according to analysts.Lee said in a…