Japan will from January attempt to extract rare earth minerals from the ocean floor in the deepest trial of its kind, the director of a government innovation programme said on Thursday. Earlier this week, the country pledged to work with the United States, India and Australia to ensure a stable supply of critical minerals, as concern grows over China’s dominance in resources vital to new techno
Bangladesh, the world’s second-biggest garment manufacturer, aims to strike a trade deal with the United States before President Donald Trump’s punishing tariffs kick in next week, the country’s top commerce official told AFP. Dhaka is proposing to buy Boeing planes and boost imports of US wheat, cotton and oil in a bid to reduce the trade deficit, which Trump used as the reason for imposing pa
President Donald Trump’s signature tax and spending bill was in limbo early Thursday as Republican leaders in the US Congress scrambled to win over a group of rebels threatening to torpedo the centrepiece of the president’s domestic agenda. Trump is seeking final approval in the House of Representatives for his Senate-passed “One Big Beautiful Bill” — but faces opposition on all sides of his fr
The cement industry ended FY25 on a subdued note as domestic sales declined by 3pc to 37.017 million tonnes, down from 38.181m tonnes in the previous year. However, exports surged by 39.5pc to 9.204m tonnes from 7.110m tonnes, according to data released by the All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA). Overall cement despatches — combining local sales and exports — registered margin
The Board of the Privatisation Commission approved the appointment of financial advisers for the divestment of Zarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd (ZTBL) on Thursday, marking it as one of the government’s priority transactions in the current privatisation pipeline. The decision made during a board meeting led by Muhammad Ali, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation, represents a significant adv