It was confirmed early last week that relevant enterprises in Zimbabwe have obtained their respective export quotas, though physical shipments have yet to commence. Domestically in China, some lithium refineries have already secured their inventory for the second quarter, while others, particularly several large-scale producers, still face raw material gaps and are actively seeking supplies in the market. Arrivals of Australia’s spodumene in China have picked up in April, and spot inventories held by traders have stabilized for now, with no further decline observed. On the spot market, some traders have begun rolling over positions and are now quoting…
Author: Isla
The United Arab Emirates has issued a startling ultimatum to Washington, suggesting a historic pivot away from the US dollar amid regional tensions that are reaching a breaking point. As the Gulf nation navigates a rapidly deteriorating security landscape, its leadership has pointed the finger directly at President Donald Trump for the current volatility.Emirati officials have warned their US counterparts that if the UAE faces a dollar shortage, it may have to use the Chinese yuan or other currencies for oil sales and related transactions, according to The Wall Street Journal. Such a shift would pose a direct challenge to…
April 20, 2026NEW DELHI – President Lee Jae Myung said his upcoming summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi could take South Korea-India relations to “a completely different level,” as the ongoing Middle East war underscores the growing importance of closer cooperation.Lee admitted that “the relationship has not expanded as much as it could have,” while also noting that “considerable progress” has been made since the two countries established a special strategic partnership in 2015 across a wide range of areas, including politics, the economy and culture.Lee made the remarks in his opening speech at a dinner meeting with Korean residents…
Cristiano Ronaldo arrived in Dubai on Saturday ahead of the AFC Champions League 2 quarter-finals, with his club sharing behind-the-scenes moments from training.The official account of Al Nassr posted images of the forward during preparations, offering a glimpse into the team’s build-up to the knockout stage of the AFC Champions League. Al Nassr are set to face Al Wasl in the AFC Champions League 2 quarter-finals. The match will take place at 6 pm UAE time at Zabeel Stadium, with both sides competing for a place in the semi-finals.Their opponents, Al Wasl, are one of the UAE’s most established sides.…
The USD/JPY pair holds positive ground near 159.10 during the early Asian session on Monday. The US Dollar (USD) strengthens against the Japanese Yen (JPY) amid renewed tensions between the US and Iran during more than seven weeks of war in the Middle East.Iran denied it would participate in new peace talks with the US, hours after US President Donald Trump said its negotiators would head to Pakistan on Monday for a second round of peace talks with Iran, per Bloomberg. Trump said the US Navy fired upon and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship, while Tehran warned that ships approaching the strait would…
Best Film Ciao, UFO (Winner) Another World Sons of the Neon Night Back to the Past She’s Got No Name Best Director Patrick Leung Pak Kin (Ciao, UFO) (Winner) Shu Qi (Girl) Tommy Ng Kai Chung (Another World) Jonathan Li, Chou Man Yu (Behind the Shadows) Peter Ho-sun Chan, Han Shuai (She’s Got No Name) Best New Director Shu Qi (Girl) (Winner) Tommy Ng Kai Chung (Another World) Kung Siu Ping (Measure in Love) Juno Mak (Sons of the Neon Night) Kwok Ka Hei, Jack Lee Chun Kit (Unidentified Murder) Best Actor Leung Ka Fai Tony (The Shadow’s Edge)…
Barack and Michelle Obama, Joe and Dr. Jill Biden, Bill and Hilary Clinton and George W. Bush convened in Philadelphia on Saturday alongside leaders in media, sports and entertainment as part of a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States. The historic convening of every living former U.S. president and three out of four former first ladies was accompanied by conversations with actors like Nicole Kidman, current and former Saturday Night Live head writers Tina Fey and Colin Jost, Super Bowl champion Tom Brady and future NFL player Joshua Fernando Mendoza and musician Garth Brooks. Conversations were moderated…
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The prolonged dry season and extreme temperatures, known as “El Nino Godzilla,” are expected to hit Indonesia starting in April 2026. Indonesian Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman has assured that national food stocks are in a safe condition.Amran said the El Nino Godzilla phenomenon is predicted to affect Indonesia for six months. However, he urged the public not to worry about food availability.“Our rice stock currently stands at 4.9 million tons, which is predicted to meet needs for the next 11 months. It is safe,” Amran said during a visit to the Bulog Banjar Kemantren Warehouse in Sidoarjo, East…
KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian police have rearrested a Pakistani detainee who fled custody from Sungai Buloh Prison in Selangor earlier in April. The fugitive, identified as 24-year-old Muhammad Hassan, is believed to have survived for seven days by hiding in forests and sneaking into construction sites at night.Immigration director-general Zakaria Shaaban said the arrest was the result of six days of intelligence-gathering, assisted by information from the Pakistan Embassy.According to Bernama, Selangor police chief Shazeli Kahar said the inmate was successfully recaptured at about 5pm on April 18 by a team from the Intelligence and Special Operations Division of the…
Dubai International Airport (DXB) – the world’s busiest hub for international passengers – remains open but is running a pared-back timetable as the UAE works through the after-effects of recent regional air-space restrictions. In a detailed briefing on 18 April 2026, Dubai Airports said all three terminals are processing arrivals and departures, yet passengers should expect capped frequencies, uneven daily loads and occasional last-minute cancellations. The disruption traces back to late-February drone and missile attacks linked to the wider Gulf conflict, which prompted temporary airspace closures across the UAE. While a 5 April cease-fire allowed regulators to relax the most…