Developed in 2003 by the Chinese pharmacist Hon Lik, concerns are growing over the risk of teens becoming hooked on nicotine through candy-colored disposable vapes.

Hong Kong, China - Gold prices soared to a record high above $2,100 on Monday as traders grow increasingly confident the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates in the new year. The precious metal struck $2,135.39 in early Asian trade, topping the previous all-time high set in 2020, during the pandemic....

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) imposed the penalty on the China and Hong Kong offices of the "Big Four" auditing company on Thursday. The two offices issued identical statements on Friday saying it was "highly regrettable that a number of employees engaged in the improper sharing and use...

Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang said his country has promoted the targets for carbon peak and carbon neutrality, adding that while fulfilling its international obligations, China has made efforts to help other developing countries cope with climate change. He made the comments while addressing the G77 on the sidelines of...

Gina Raimondo unveiled a series of  restrictions on the export of advanced chips to China, including those used in the development of AI, to prevent their use by Beijing for its military. She said that Nvidia had developed a product that performs just below the limit set by her department...

"This declaration is the moment when food truly comes of age in the climate process, sending a powerful signal to the nations of the world that we can only keep the 1.5 degree goal in sight if we act fast," said the group's CEO Ani Dasgupta.

Abu Dhabi, UAE--The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) and the People’s Bank of China today signed an agreement to renew the currency swap between the UAE and China and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance technical and technological cooperation in the development of central bank digital currencies. The...

Beijing, China - China's central bank and several government agencies unveiled 25 new measures Monday to support private economy. These initiatives aim to diversify financial avenues for private businesses, marking a continued effort to bolster the sector crucial for the country's economic progress. According to Global Times, these measures represent...

The firm announced in May to purchase land for $37 million in India.

Shanghai, China -- In a bid to attract Chinese tourists, the Saudi Tourism Authority recently concluded its first, and the largest, international promotional campaign in China, which resulted in a 277-percent surge in bookings. Running from November 17 to 23, 2023, the campaign unfolded as a grand spectacle, reaching millions...

Beijing, China--China's top diplomat Wang Yi will visit New York this week to hold a United Nations Security Council meeting on the Israel-Hamas conflict, Beijing's foreign ministry said on Monday. "As it holds the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council this month, China will hold a high-level meeting on...

Zhongzhi Enterprise Group managed assets worth more than one trillion yuan ($141 billion), according to investment bank Nomura. But the group has been caught up in China's real estate crisis, leaving it now unable to repay investors.

Both main crude contracts slipped more than one percent on news that the much-anticipated gathering of the major producers would be put back by four days to November 30. Reports said the decision was made after Angola and Nigeria pushed back at lower targets urged on them, with Saudi Arabia...

Seoul, South Korea - Binance boss Changpeng Zhao has become the most powerful cryptocurrency figure to fall in a two-year period chaotic even by the standards of the notoriously volatile industry. Zhao stepped down as CEO of Binance -- the largest crypto exchange in the world -- after he and the...

Binance's guilty plea is part of coordinated action including with the Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Department of Justice said. Its violations included its failure to prevent and report transactions with groups like the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and...

Stockholm, Sweden - Battery group Northvolt said on Tuesday it had developed a new sodium-ion battery, a technology using less critical minerals which could lessen dependence on China. "The world has put high hopes on sodium-ion, and I'm very pleased to say that we've developed a technology that will enable its...

"The collective punishment of Palestinian civilians through the unlawful use of force by Israel is a war crime. The deliberate denial of medicine, fuel, food and water to the residents of Gaza is tantamount to genocide," said South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) has signed a three-year currency swap agreement with the Central Bank of China. The maximum value of the swap is 50 billion Chinese yuan ($7.02 billion). The agreement is part of the financial cooperation between the two central banks, which works...

Moscow, Russia - President Vladimir Putin will take part in an online BRICS summit on the escalation of the situation in the Middle East, the Kremlin press service said on Monday. "On November 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin will take part in an extraordinary BRICS summit (in the videoconference format)...

Dubai, UAE--The Dubai Financial Market (DFM), Nasdaq Dubai, and Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to further strengthen the ties between the capital markets of Dubai and China. This partnership marks a significant milestone in cross-border collaboration. It will not only facilitate the exchange of...

Following the outbreak of the war last month, Chinese officials, including Foreign Minister Wang, called for an immediate ceasefire and a "cooling down" of the situation. China has historically been sympathetic to the Palestinians and supportive of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Officials will include the foreign ministers of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and Indonesia, as well as the secretary-general of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. "During the visit, China will have in-depth communication and coordination with the joint delegation of foreign ministers of Arab...

Shanghai, China - US restrictions on advanced computer chips are forcing China's tech giants to rethink their ambitious AI-powered projects, analysts say. E-commerce titan Alibaba on Thursday became the latest Chinese firm to admit to feeling the bite of US sanctions, as it abandoned a plan to spin off its multi-billion-dollar...

Dushanbe, Tajikistan - Tajikistan announced plans Friday to link with China's telecommunications network in order to improve the mountainous, landlocked country's internet access, as Beijing's influence in Central Asia grows. Tajikistan has one of the slowest internet services in the world despite improvements in recent years, with all traffic going through...

Alibaba is a key player in China's expansive digital economy and the operator of a major online shopping platform. The Hangzhou-based group's performance is considered a barometer of domestic consumption, which has flagged in recent months.

Its shares rose over 6 percent on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

Observers say Beijing is massively investing in AI, to the point where it may soon be able to change the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific, and perhaps beyond. And that has profound implications for a world order that has long been dominated by the United States.

Central to the discussions was the commitment to restore military-to-military communications, previously severed after a visit by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan in 2022. The US raised concerns over China's military buildup around Taiwan and urged respect for the upcoming elections in the self-ruled island, slated for January.

According to a report "Fragile Equilibrium: LNG Trade Dynamics and Market Risks" China has surged ahead of Japan to become the world's largest LNG importer. The US became the top LNG exporter in 2023. The IEF's secretary general said that demand for LNG has grown and continues to "enhance energy...

San Francisco, US - US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping will try to prevent the superpowers' rivalry spilling into conflict when they meet for the first time in a year at a high-stakes summit in San Francisco on Wednesday. With tensions soaring over issues including Taiwan, sanctions and...

Foxconn is China's largest private-sector employer.

The country has been installing renewable energy capacity at breakneck speed, with new solar in 2023 alone amounting to twice the entire installed capacity in the US. the analysis, released by climate site Carbon Brief, said. The ramp-up in installation is all but guaranteed to push fossil-fuel electricity generation and...

New Delhi, India - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up a marathon diplomatic push on Friday in India after a whirlwind Middle East trip and G7 talks, saying Israel's pauses in its Gaza offensive would "save lives" but more was needed. "Far too many Palestinians have been killed," Blinken...

Tokyo, Japan - Japan's government said on Friday that it plans to spend 2 trillion yen ($13 billion) to boost domestic production of strategically important semiconductors and generative AI technology. The planned outlays will include 700 billion yen ($4.6 billion) to support the construction of a Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC)...

Manama, Bahrain--Export Bahrain and Alibaba.com have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to boost global trade and economic growth in Bahrain. The MoU signed during the 6th China International Import Exhibition held in Shanghai, will enable Export Bahrain and Alibaba.com to leverage their respective strengths and expertise to facilitate trade,...

Brent crude, the main international contract, briefly dropped more than 2 percent to hit $79.80, before bouncing back above $80 per barrel. Meanwhile, the main US contract, WTI, slumped as far as $75.44 per barrel, also hitting its lowest level since July.

Both sides appear willing to patch things up, with Washington sending a number of top officials to Beijing this year in a bid to reestablish high-level dialogue. US President Biden has said he expects to meet Chinese leader Xi on the sidelines of a summit in San Francisco next week...

Sotheby's and Christie's will be moving a host of big-ticket lots, though they may still have a hard time topping last year, when total sales hit a record $16 billion.

Beijing, China - The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday raised its 2023 economic growth forecast for China, citing stronger consumption and recent policy measures announced by Beijing. After a tough year for the world's number-two economy, there have been flickers of life in recent weeks, with third-quarter expansion coming in more...

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - Global patenting activity soared to new records in 2022, fueled by Indian and Chinese innovators, but an uncertain economic outlook is weighing on further growth, says the World Intellectual Property Organization report. Even as global filings for trademarks and designs dropped, innovators from around the world submitted...

The upcoming summit is being organised by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), a 57-member bloc of majority Muslim countries. It will be Raisi's first visit to the kingdom since the two countries agreed to restore diplomatic relations after seven years of estrangement, a deal brokered by China in March.

Hong Kong, China - Markets rallied again Monday following another strong performance on Wall Street, as below-forecast US jobs data fanned optimism that the Federal Reserve had reached the end of its interest rate hiking cycle. After a tough year for traders, the bank's decision last week to pause on monetary...

Dubai, UAE-- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and China have called for a closed-door meeting of the UN Security Council on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict for Monday. The UN Security Council will discuss, in particular, the strikes on the Palestinian refugee camp Jabalia in the north of the Gaza Strip and...

During parliamentary hearings, State Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said the move to revoke the treaty was a response to the United States' "cynicism" and "boorish attitudes" on nuclear weapons.

"Russia is dependent on willing third-country individuals and entities to resupply its military and perpetuate its heinous war against Ukraine and we will not hesitate in holding them accountable," said Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in a statement. The Treasury added on Thursday that Russia has been exploiting "otherwise legitimate economic...

London, United Kingdom – UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Thursday hosts political and tech leaders at the inaugural global AI safety summit, predicting the technology will radically alter society for generations to come. The release of ChatGPT and other generative AI systems, which are capable of quickly producing text,...

Abu Dhabi, UAE - Setting up a "loss and damage" fund for poorer nations hit by climate change dominated preliminary talks on Tuesday, one month before COP28 in Dubai where delegates look set to tussle over the future of fossil fuels. Around 70 ministers have gathered since Monday at the Emirates...

His wearing of the badge, which has come to symbolize the oppression of Jews since its imposition in Nazi-occupied Europe, was swiftly criticized by Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust memorial, which urged him to wear the Israeli flag instead.

SHENYANG, CHINA – Investments in the country’s northeast have grown over the past years as several multinational corporations put in more money or enhanced investments in the area. One such investment is in the mega Saudi-Chinese petrochemical project in Panjin City, Liaoning Province, by Aramco and joint venture partners NORINCO...

There is a sense of relief on trading floors that the Israel-Hamas conflict has been contained so far, with optimism growing that other regional players including Iran and Saudi Arabia will not get involved. After surging almost three percent Friday on fears of a wider conflagration, both main contracts tumbled...