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Business ties between mainland China and the Middle East were deepening, with Hong Kong playing a pivotal role as a value‑added “superconnector”, panellists said at the Belt and Road Summit on Thursday.“There are a lot of opportunities happening between the two countries [Oman and China],” said Ibrahim Al-Eisri, chief investment officer of private markets at the Oman Investment Authority, who spoke during a panel discussion on exploring new markets and industries. “We have seen a big flow of investments coming last year.”The Omani sovereign wealth fund has invested more than US$2 billion across Greater China through a diversified portfolio that…

India is keen on tariff talks with the United States, but it is expected to stand its ground even as the bilateral relations sour on issues ranging from trade to foreign policy.In the face of the 50 per cent tariff imposed on Indian goods, Delhi is neither “desperate nor cornered”, according to analysts.Signalling a hardening of America’s position on the tariff issue, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Friday that he expected New Delhi to say “sorry” and cut a deal with Washington.By then, Indian businesses would have realised they could not thrive without the US, Lutnick argued, calling…

When North Korea unveiled a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) development a day before its leader visited China last week, it was sending a message to Beijing and Washington that it would not renounce its nuclear weapons, according to analysts.The trio stood side by side, looking out over Tiananmen Square during the parade on Wednesday, marking the first time since 1959 that the leaders of the three countries had attended the event in Beijing.It was also the first time Kim had taken part in a multilateral diplomatic event since rising to power in 2012, and his first visit to China…

Asset prices reflected an optimistic mood on Wednesday, as Bitcoin (BTC) regained the $112,000 level, trading at $112,366.98, while European stocks opened higher, with analysts increasingly emphasizing that the odds of recession or stagflation raised by the shocking US jobs data are receding.   The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) published a striking update on Tuesday, showing that the economy likely added 911,000 fewer jobs than previously reported over the 12 months through March 2025.   For much of last year, equity and crypto investors bet that a strong labor market would keep the economy on track despite persistent…

The commerce ministry said on Thursday that Pakistan’s exports held steady at $5.11 billion during the first two months of FY26 despite a difficult global trade environment, with growth in key sectors and regional markets. This development was revealed during a high-level meeting to review Pakistan’s trade performance during the first two months of the current financial year 2025–26. The meeting noted that Pakistan’s exports remained stable at $5.11 billion, while the textile and apparel sector remained the mainstay of exports with a 10% increase, reaffirming its role as a backbone of Pakistan’s export economy, read a statement. Encouragingly, Pakistan’s…

Artificial intelligence agents are emerging as an instrument of transformation in the workforce, with the potential to replace humans in traditional roles, according to computer scientist Lee Kai-fu, founder and CEO of the Chinese start-up 01.AI.“The basic unit of a company will evolve from a human being to an AI agent,” Lee said on Thursday at a summit on disruptive technologies hosted by Swiss bank UBS. AI agents are software apps that use AI to autonomously execute tasks and achieve goals on behalf of users.Lee pointed out that AI agents could operate around the clock, be replicated infinitely, and scale…

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — An envoy of U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Washington has lifted sanctions on Belarus national air carrier, Belavia.John Coale, Trump’s deputy Ukraine envoy, made the announcement at a meeting with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk, the Belarusian capital.Video of the announcement was posted by Belarusian state media as it became public that the country had freed dozens of prisoners.The meeting took place almost a month after Trump spoke to Lukashenko about releasing imprisoned dissidents.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Belarus has freed 52 prisoners, and…

Avanceon Limited (AVN), a Pakistani technology company headquartered in Lahore, has secured high-value strategic projects worth $8.8 million across the Middle East region. The listed company shared the development in its notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Thursday. “Avanceon Limited is pleased to announce the successful acquisition of $8.8 million worth of strategic projects across the State of Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE),” read the notice. The projects will be delivered through AVN’s regional subsidiaries and are closely aligned with the national development visions of the respective countries, supporting goals such as…

Hello, I am Priyanka Salve, CNBC’s senior correspondent for India, writing from Singapore. This week, I look at how global and local electric car makers are betting on the world’s third-largest car market in hopes of capturing the attention — and wallet share — of the Indian middle class.A Tesla Model Y is on display inside the company’s first showroom at the Bandra-Kurla Complex in Mumbai, India, on July 15, 2025. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesThis report is from this week’s edition of CNBC’s “Inside India” newsletter which brings you news and market commentary on the emerging powerhouse. You…

Malaysian mothers are being pressed into acting as “personal debt collectors” as fathers refuse or fail to pay child maintenance, a study published this week has found, with weak enforcement in the country’s sharia courts identified as an aggravating factor.The 2024 Telenisa Report by women’s rights group SIS Forum, released on Tuesday, is based on findings from cases handled by its free legal aid clinic throughout last year, which largely helps low-income Muslim women seeking advice on divorce, maintenance, custody and violence.The latest study, the ninth edition since 2016, found that 42 per cent of cases were related to child…