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China has cemented its position as a global leader in artificial intelligence, while Hong Kong is carving out a niche as a specialised innovation hub, underpinned by the country’s strong governance and regulatory competitiveness, according to a global index.Technology breakthroughs such as the low-cost, highly efficient AI models introduced by start-up DeepSeek, combined with national support, propelled China to the forefront of the global AI race, alongside the US, the European Union and Japan, according to the latest report by think tank Deep Knowledge Group released on Wednesday.The Global AI Competitiveness Index, now in its fourth edition, included inputs from…

Nvidia earnings, the most important report of the quarter, will be out after Wednesday’s close, and AI rockstar CEO Jensen Huang will be on the hot seat to answer tough questions about the spiraling artificial intelligence spending promises and how these tech companies — big and not so big — are going to pay for them all. Club stock Nvidia has gained about 35% year to date, as of Tuesday’s close, trading around $181 each. That’s nearly double their lowest close of 2025 on April 4, just days after President Donald Trump first announced his so-called reciprocal tariffs. There have…

ROME (AP) — Ukraine has asked the Vatican to formalize its role facilitating negotiations over the return of Ukrainian children and civilians taken by Russia during the nearly four-year war, a Kyiv government official said Wednesday.President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made the request in a letter to Pope Leo XIV ahead of an audience Friday between the pope and a delegation of returned Ukrainian children and civilians. At a briefing Wednesday, the young people described being subject to Russian propaganda and their trauma at being separated from loved ones.Zelenskyy’s letter asked that Leo formalize the informal arrangement launched by Pope Francis in…

Bitcoin, the original cryptocurrency, has officially entered a bear market at the start of this month after falling 22% from its October peak near 126,000 dollars.   After having been up as much as 35% since the start of the year, the latest decline has reduced gains to less than 4% as of Friday.   Selling accelerated this week, with Bitcoin dropping to around 94,700 dollars on Friday—its lowest trading level in nearly six months.   A Bitcoin bear market   Pressure on Bitcoin has intensified as long-term holders appear increasingly willing to close positions and lock in profits after…

TERNOPIL, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian drone and missile barrage overnight on Ukraine’s western city of Ternopil killed at least 25 people, including three children, authorities said Wednesday. The attack hit two nine-story apartment blocks and injured dozens. This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors. Rescue workers put out a fire of a residential building which was heavily damaged by a Russian strike, in Ternopil, Ukraine, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Vlad Kravchuk) Rescue workers put out a fire of a residential building which was heavily damaged by a Russian strike, in Ternopil, Ukraine, Wednesday, Nov. 19,…

Indonesia’s free meals programme has come under fresh scrutiny following reports that Chinese-made food trays used in the scheme may have carried falsified safety and halal labels.The tray controversy is the latest in a series of challenges to confront President Prabowo Subianto’s ambitious flagship policy, which aims to provide nutritious meals to more than 82 million Indonesian children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers.Observers say the programme’s rapid scale-up has revealed significant regulatory and quality-control gaps – from procurement transparency and product certification to food safety and kitchen oversight – raising alarm among industry groups, consumer advocates and religious authorities.Jakarta relaxed…

Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL), one of the country’s leading energy companies, is reclaiming land from the sea to create a launch pad, which will allow the company to accelerate oil and gas exploration, reported Bloomberg on Wednesday. As per the report, the artificial island will be located 300km (190 miles) off the coast of Sindh, PPL’s General Manager Exploration and Core Business Development, Arshad Palekar, told the international media outlet on the sidelines of an oil and gas conference in Islamabad. “Planned with a height of six feet, the platform will prevent high tides from interrupting round-the-clock exploration work,“ he…

Ma, who had relinquished his control of the fintech company and resigned from all corporate roles at Alibaba, was seen accompanied by Ant Group chairman Eric Jing Xiandong and CEO Cyril Han Xinyi during his tour of the campus. Ant Group is an affiliate of Alibaba, owner of the South China Morning Post.Tuesday’s visit marked almost a year since Ma, who is still regarded as the spiritual leader of the Alibaba business empire he created, gave a rare public speech at Ant Group’s 20th anniversary in December, when he touted that “the changes brought by artificial intelligence in the next…

Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Sindh on Investment and Public-Private Partnership, Syed Qasim Naveed Qamar, met with Turkiye’s Consul General Ergul Kadak and Commercial Attaché Murat Ozmen at the Sindh Investment Department office to discuss areas of mutual interest. During the meeting, the special assistant provided a detailed briefing on investment opportunities in Sindh, including Dhabeji and Khairpur Special Economic Zones (SEZs), Karachi Education City, Marble City Karachi, and other sectors such as education, agriculture, energy, IT, infrastructure, water recycling, environment, and industry, read a statement. Qamar also highlighted government initiatives like the Sindh Transmission and Dispatch Company…

Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Sindh on Investment and Public-Private Partnership, Syed Qasim Naveed Qamar, met with Turkiye’s Consul General Ergul Kadak and Commercial Attaché Murat Ozmen at the Sindh Investment Department office to discuss areas of mutual interest. During the meeting, the special assistant provided a detailed briefing on investment opportunities in Sindh, including Dhabeji and Khairpur Special Economic Zones (SEZs), Karachi Education City, Marble City Karachi, and other sectors such as education, agriculture, energy, IT, infrastructure, water recycling, environment, and industry, read a statement. Qamar also highlighted government initiatives like the Sindh Transmission and Dispatch Company…