China is counting on one crucial advantage as it seeks to grind out a deal to ease its high-stakes trade war with the United States — dominance in rare earths.Used in electric vehicles, hard drives, wind turbines and missiles, rare earth elements are essential to the modern economy and national defence.AFP takes a look at …
Rare earths: China’s trump card in trade war with US Read More »
Cash-strapped Sri Lanka on Wednesday announced a 15 percent increase in the electricity price to shore up revenues for the state-run utility, in line with conditions imposed by an IMF bailout.The Public Utilities Commission said it allowed the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to charge the higher rates from Thursday, six months after a controversial reduction …
Sri Lanka raises electricity price in line with IMF bailout Read More »
China’s vice premier and top trade negotiator said Beijing was ready to “strengthen cooperation” with Washington, Chinese state media said Wednesday, following trade talks in London it said had made substantial progress.US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick expressed optimism after a full day of negotiations that concerns surrounding rare earth minerals and magnets “will be resolved” …
China says ready to ‘strengthen’ cooperation with US after trade talks Read More »
The Switch 2 has smashed records to become the fastest-selling console ever after gamers snapped up 3.5 million units in its first four days, Nintendo said Wednesday.Featuring a bigger screen and more processing power, the console is an upgrade to the original Switch — the third best-selling console of all time.It was released last Thursday …
European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde warned Wednesday that “coercive trade policies” risked harming supply chains and the global economy, and called for a de-escalation of a tariff standoff that has wiped billions off markets.Lagarde, one of the world’s most influential central bankers, is visiting Beijing this week for talks with local counterparts on the …
ECB’s Lagarde slams ‘coercive trade policies’ in Beijing visit Read More »
A sprawling new mine is gouged into the lush rolling hills of northeast Myanmar, where civil war has weakened the government’s already feeble writ, and pollution levels are rising downstream in Thailand.The complex is one of around a dozen extraction operations that have sprung up in Shan state since around 2022, in territory controlled by …
Asian stocks rose Wednesday as investors welcomed a China-US agreement to lower trade tensions that stoked hopes the economic superpowers will eventually reach a broader tariff deal.After two days of high-profile, closely watched talks in London, the two sides said they had set up a framework to move towards a pact, following negotiations in Geneva …
Asian equities rally after China-US framework on trade Read More »
Nintendo said Wednesday it had sold a record 3.5 million Switch 2 units worldwide in the first four days after the console was launched.”This is the highest global sales level for any Nintendo hardware within the first four days,” the Japanese video game giant said in a statement.Featuring a bigger screen and more processing power, …
Nintendo says sold record 3.5m Switch 2 consoles in first four days Read More »
Niagara Falls, Canada is often packed with visitors, but hotel rooms in the tourist city are currently occupied by hundreds of people who did not come for sight-seeing. Indigenous Canadians from remote communities thousands of kilometers away have been forced to flee their homes because of raging wildfires and are staying at Niagara Falls hotels. Among them …
Fires force Indigenous Canadians to tourist town of Niagara Falls Read More »
Two years after a historically devastating summer, Canada is once again facing a massive fire season, with burned areas already exceeding year-to-date averages from recent years. More than 220 active fires were burning across the country Tuesday, with half of them considered out of control. More than 3.3 million hectares (12,700 square miles) have already been consumed …
Experts warn Canada’s wildfire season likely to be massive again Read More »
