China
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Pakistan plans debut Panda bond issue to tap Chinese capital markets
Pakistan is also evaluating alternative external borrowing options, including Eurobonds and commercial debt facilities, as it looks to replace a $3.5bn funding arrangement from the United Arab Emirates and maintain adequate foreign currency reserves.
Copper nation - Indonesia races to become an EV supply chain powerhouse
Indonesia’s ability to scale its copper output and refining capacity places it at the centre of the 'Green Cold War', allowing it to navigate between major powers by offering a high-capacity alternative to more volatile mining jurisdictions.
Taiwan's circle of friends has shrunk to 12 thanks to Beijing pressure
In 1969, Taiwan stood at the peak of its formal diplomatic standing, recognised by approximately 70 countries as the legitimate government of China. Today that number is 12.
Solar-plus-storage fall below those of fossil fuels - IRENA
wRenewable power paired with battery storage is becoming cost-competitive with fossil fuels for around-the-clock electricity supply, according to a new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
Africa-focused Atlantic Lithium agrees $210mn takeover by China’s Huayou Cobalt
Huayou Cobalt, a major Chinese battery materials producer, has been actively securing lithium, cobalt and nickel assets globally amid a domestic drive to strengthen supply chains for the electric vehicle sector.
Beijing becomes the chessboard as Iran pre-empts Trump-Xi summit
Araghchi's pre-emptive trip to Beijing, 14 days before Trump meets Xi, has put Iran's interests on the table before Washington can carve them off.
Super El Niño threat could add to Iran war inflation shock
A growing risk of a “Super El Niño” later this year is fuelling concerns among economists and commodity traders that it will only add to the inflation shock already on the way as a result of spiking energy prices due to the Iran war.
Europe’s Russian Arctic LNG imports from Yamal hit record high in first four months of 2026
The EU imported more Russian Arctic liquefied natural gas in the first four months of 2026 than in any equivalent period since the Yamal LNG project began exporting in 2017, according to new analysis of Kpler shipping data.
China’s Treasury sell-off gains pace as fault lines appear in dollar dominance
That China is increasing its share in non-US sovereign debt at the same time many countries are purchasing Treasuries is classic China, with Beijing now starting to don the puppetmaster’s gloves.
India's changing FDI landscape
Capital with adversarial Chinese or Pakistani ownership will hit a wall that each successive regulation has made harder to get around.
China's lithium push in Latin America locks region into raw materials trap, report warns
Beijing controls 65% of global lithium refining while Latin America supplies the raw materials and absorbs the environmental costs. A new report warns the region risks permanent relegation to the bottom of the energy transition value chain.
Exports lift China factory activity as domestic demand remains weak
China’s purchasing managers’ indices for April indicate that the supply shock stemming from the Iran war pushed price pressures higher, while manufacturing output continued to accelerate.
Low-carbon sources met all of 2025’s electricity demand growth - OWID
Solar and wind energy have grown quickly in recent years, but global electricity demand has grown faster. So while their share of electricity generation kept rising, it wasn't enough to push fossil fuels into absolute decline.
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Chinese scientists pioneer industrial process to convert CO₂ into jet fuel
Chinese scientists have developed an industrial pathway for converting carbon dioxide directly into jet fuel using an inexpensive iron-based catalyst, according to research published by the Shanghai Advanced Research Institute.
Russia turning Siberia into an AI computing hub with China as biggest customer
One of the advantages of Siberia is its freezing cold and the abundant hydropower is extremely cheap. The Kremlin is planning to turn the frozen wastes of its mythical tundra into one of the biggest AI data hubs on the planet.
China signs billions worth of contracts with Turkmenistan, but no financing
China - Central Asia Monitor: April 24-30, 2026.
Nigeria’s NNPCL signs MoU with Chinese companies to revive refineries with equity partnership model
Nigeria’s state oil company entered wants Chinese firms to accelerate the overhaul and restart of the state-owned 210,000-bpd Port Harcourt and 125,000-bpd Warri refineries amid soaring oil prices.
Coal mines are leaking vast amounts of methane into the atmosphere and almost no one is measuring it - Ember
Almost five years after 159 countries signed the Global Methane Pledge committing to cut anthropogenic methane emissions by 30% by 2030, coal mines are releasing roughly the same amount of the potent greenhouse gases.
Is Russia quietly blocking the development of the Middle Corridor?
Mysteriously, the project to build the transit route’s most critical piece of infrastructure, Anaklia deep sea port in Georgia, remains stalled.
COMMENT: We are fighting the wrong war
Imagine if an alien bug invaded the earth. I'm not talking about the big slick black monsters that bite your head off from the Alien franchise. I'm talking about tiny little nondescript bugs that gnaw away at plants and have a taste for concrete.