Afghanistan’s fresh fruit exporters face mounting losses as the closure of a key land route into Pakistan leaves over 200 trucks carrying tomatoes, onions, grapes, and apples stranded at the Torkham crossing, halting trade with South Asian markets. According to the Dry Fruit Exporters Union, fresh fruit shipments have virtually stopped, although limited quantities of […]
Goldman Sachs flagged mounting risks to global supply chains of rare earths and other critical minerals, emphasising China’s dominance in mining and refining, and outlining challenges for nations seeking to build independent supply chains. China expanded export curbs on rare earths on October 9, adding five new elements and extra scrutiny for semiconductor users ahead of an […]
Air quality in India’s capital New Delhi deteriorated to hazardous levels on Tuesday with readings the highest in the world, according to Swiss group IQAir, partly due to the use of firecrackers during Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. The Supreme Court of India last week relaxed a ban on firecrackers in the city, permitting […]
The desert-region of Al Dhafra in Abu Dhabi has once again opened its gates to the world of dates, inaugurating the fourth annual edition of the Al Dhafra Dates Festival & Auction under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in the region. The festival, scheduled to run until October 26, 2025, is […]
Hardline conservative Sanae Takaichi was elected Japan’s first female prime minister on Tuesday, shattering the nation’s glass ceiling and paving the way for a decisive turn to the right. An acolyte of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and an admirer of Britain’s Margaret Thatcher, Takaichi received 237 votes in the lower house election to choose […]