The U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is adding strain to Washington’s relations with China and India, as Beijing hardens its rhetoric and New Delhi faces rising energy risks. Getty The U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is not only squeezing Iran but also ratcheting up pressure on two of its most consequential…
Hong Kong’s finance chief has expressed confidence that the city will climb to at least second place in the global ranking of international financial centres within 10 to 15 years. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Wednesday at the HSBC Global Investment Summit that the city offered stability and prosperity in uncertain times, citing…
Editor’s note: Moses Becker is a special political commentator for News.Az. He holds a PhD in political science and specializes in interethnic and interreligious relations. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the position of News.Az. The principle of an empire is continuous expansion and the widening…
HSBC and a consortium led by Standard Chartered have been awarded Hong Kong’s first stablecoin issuer licences, marking the city’s latest step towards embracing cryptocurrency’s most-traded cash substitute in its bid to become a global digital asset hub. “The two applicants have experience in traditional financial and risk management, which fits the mission of stablecoins…
[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] As artificial intelligence (AI) adoption accelerates worldwide, Hong Kong is sharpening its focus on applying AI technologies across various domains to make life easier, more efficient and more connected for citizens and businesses alike. Building on Hong Kong’s smart city strategy and its…
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Iran war is darkening the outlook for the world economy — whether or not a fragile ceasefire holds, the head of the International Monetary Fund warned Thursday. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the fund will downgrade its forecast for the world economy next week. “Had it not been for this…
A two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran is unlikely to significantly ease fuel prices in the near term without a complete end to the conflict, Hong Kong economists have warned, citing uncertainties in the volatile situation. Economist Simon Lee Siu-po of the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Shenzhen Finance Institute said that uncertainties…
Editor’s note: Moses Becker is a special political commentator for News.Az. He holds a PhD in political science and specializes in interethnic and interreligious relations. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the position of News.Az. After the collapse of the USSR and the achievement of independence,…
A popular UK city centre is undergoing a major £19million transformation (Image: Google Maps) A popular UK city centre is undergoing a major £19million transformation aimed at boosting the local economy and attracting more visitors. The scheme will see wide-ranging improvements across parts of Wolverhampton, including brighter and wider streets, more public spaces for events,…
CHONGQING, CHINA – JANUARY 07: In this photo illustration, the Manus logo is displayed on a smartphone screen, with the Chinese national flag visible in the background, on January 7, 2026 in Chongqing, China. Cheng Xin | Getty Images News | Getty Images Tech circles from Silicon Valley to Shenzhen buzzed when Meta acquired Manus,…