Dubai among top 25 global cities for 3rd consecutive year October 26, 2023 at 12:03AM

Dubai has retained its leading position in the MENA region on Kearney's Global Cities Index, ranking 23rd globally and claiming a spot in the top 25 for the third consecutive year. According to the report, prominent emerging hubs around the world, particularly in the Middle East, have seen incredible gains in their global city performance amid a changing profile of globalisation--and a new distributed geography of opportunity is emerging. Abu Dhabi, for instance, climbed ten spots on the global rankings as it strengthened its position as a leading international hub.

Sri Lanka confirms Chinese research ship headed to its shores October 24, 2023 at 11:11PM

Sri Lanka confirmed Wednesday the expected arrival of a Chinese research ship, following a visit by a spacecraft-tracking vessel last year that raised security concerns from neighbouring India. Last year, India expressed concerns over a Sri Lanka port call by Chinese research vessel Yuan Wang 5, which specialises in spacecraft tracking and which New Delhi described as a spy ship. A foreign ministry spokesman said the Shi Yan 6 had been authorised to dock in Colombo, where a Chinese state-owned company operates a deep-sea container terminal.

Malaysia gives nod for Australian miner Lynas to import, process rare earths until March 2026 October 23, 2023 at 11:04PM

The Malaysian government has granted Lynas Rare Earth permission to continue importing and processing rare earths until March 2026. This comes after Lynas proposed a new technology to extract radioactive elements from the waste it produces. The government had previously ordered Lynas to move its processes out of the country by the end of this year due to radiation concerns. The government now considers the extraction proposal feasible and believes it fulfills their decision to not allow the accumulation of radioactive waste.

Chinese FM Wang Yi to visit US this week for high-level talks October 23, 2023 at 10:23PM

China's foreign minister Wang Yi is set to visit Washington for high-level talks with US secretary of state Antony Blinken. The visit is seen as a potential precursor to a meeting between president Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month. The talks will cover bilateral, regional, and global issues as part of efforts to manage the US-China relationship and maintain open communication channels. The visit comes amid ongoing tensions between the two countries, including trade disputes and conflicts in the South China Sea.