Author: News Desk

Bangladesh’s interim government is working to conclude two major trade deals with the United States and Japan ahead of national elections, aiming to expand market access and safeguard export earnings as the country prepares to graduate from least developed country (LDC) status. According to The Daily Star, Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman confirmed that the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Japan is set to be signed on February 6 in Tokyo. Meanwhile, talks are ongoing about the format of the U.S. trade deal, which was initially planned for February 9 in Washington and may now be finalized virtually. The U.S. agreement…

The Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has urged swift revisions and temporary guidelines on food safety inspections for imported goods, following the sudden enforcement of a new decree that led to significant delays and congestion of farm produce at borders. In a report submitted to Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and Deputy Prime Minister Lê Thành Long on Sunday, the ministry stated that the new food safety inspection regulations under Decree 46/2026/NĐ-CP had caused approximately 300,000 tons of goods to be stranded at land, sea, and air checkpoints. The backlog primarily affected vegetables, fruits, rice, cassava, and processed food…

Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) declared that 40 additional fish processing units (UPIs) have received export approval numbers from the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) to ship fishery products to the country. The ministry’s Head of the Marine and Fisheries Product Quality Control and Supervision Agency, Ishartini, said on Saturday that Indonesia has entered into a bilateral mutual recognition arrangement (MRA) on the equivalency of fishery product quality assurance systems. Ishartini said the agreement formed the foundation for negotiations, paving the way for Chinese authorities to grant approval for the newly proposed UPI numbers. “This…

South Asia’s definitive thought leadership dialogue, The Times Group’s ET NOW Global Business Summit 2026, co-powered by Spark Capital and Bennett University, will convene on February 13 and 14 in New Delhi. The edition will be held under the theme ‘A Decade of Disruption, A Century of Change,’ reflecting the profound transformations that have defined the past ten years. The past decade has been characterized by unprecedented disruption across geopolitics, climate, capital, and technology. Disruption is increasingly being seen not as an occasional event but as a near-constant factor shaping global dynamics. The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has significantly…

The United States has informed India that it could soon resume purchases of Venezuelan crude as an alternative to lessen its dependence on Russian oil imports, according to Reuters. The decision is part of a wider U.S. strategy to steer India’s oil imports away from Russia while reshaping energy relations between the two nations. Meanwhile, India is committed to slashing Russian crude imports in response to U.S. tariff hikes on Indian imports, and the nation is now set to cut volumes by several hundred thousand barrels per day over the coming months. The U.S. push to offer Venezuelan oil to…

U.S. President Trump on Thursday warned that the U.S. may impose a 50% tariff on aircraft imported from Canada, marking the latest escalation in his trade dispute with the country as tensions with Prime Minister Mark Carney intensify. The president said the move was in retaliation for Canada’s refusal to certify jets produced by Savannah, Georgia–based Gulfstream Aerospace. On Thursday, Trump wrote on Truth Social that the U.S. would revoke certification for all Canadian aircraft, including those manufactured by Quebec-based Bombardier, the country’s largest aircraft manufacturer. “If, for any reason, this situation is not immediately corrected, I am going to…

Bangladesh is considering levying import duties of 10–20% on cotton yarn, primarily imported from India, in anticipation of an indefinite strike by the nation’s textile millers. Bangladesh’s imposition of customs duties could disrupt the rebound in domestic cotton prices, which had declined in 2025 following duty-free imports from India. Industry estimates suggest that ending duty-free access could push yarn duties to nearly 37%, increasing raw material costs by around 60 cents per kilogram and directly impacting Bangladesh’s $28 billion knitwear export sector. During 2024–25, Bangladesh’s yarn imports from India climbed to 556.12 million kilograms valued at $1.79 billion, reflecting a…

The Federal Government of Nigeria revealed that it is taking steps to phase out imports of defense and security equipment, aiming to manufacture all required assets domestically within the next two to five years. Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defense, Bello Matawalle, made the remarks on Thursday in Abuja during the unveiling of the DICON X-Shield light tactical armoured vehicle, along with several civilian armoured vehicles manufactured locally. Matawalle, who was represented at the event by the Director-General of the Defense Industries Corporation of Nigeria, Major General Babatunde Alaya, said the push for indigenous defense manufacturing is merely the beginning…

Pakistan and China have unveiled a large-scale mineral cooperation initiative designed to attract $10 billion in new investment, with a goal of boosting annual mineral exports to $50 billion by 2035. The plan was declared at the China-Pakistan Mineral Cooperation Forum, held as the two countries mark 75 years of diplomatic relations. Pakistan’s Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal stated that the partnership focuses on industrial development beyond infrastructure, describing it as a key pillar of CPEC 2.0 and the country’s Uraan economic framework. He added that the initiative is expected to promote sustainable growth and generate employment opportunities. Pakistan and China…

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has expressed concern over proposed modifications to the U.S. ESTA program, cautioning that the changes could severely affect the nation’s travel sector and result in a substantial decline in international arrivals. A recent WTTC report indicates that the proposed changes could cause international arrivals to the U.S. to drop by 23.7% in 2026, equating to 4.7 million fewer travelers. The decline is projected to cost the U.S. economy $15.7 billion in reduced tourist spending, with the broader travel and tourism sector facing an additional $21.5 billion in economic losses. The U.S. Customs and…