The European Union and Greenland are set to sign a joint declaration on a strengthened partnership when European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visits Nuuk on September 6 and 7. She will travel to Greenland’s capital alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. The pair are expected to meet Greenland’s premier, Jens-Frederik Nielsen. It will be von der Leyen’s second visit to Nuuk. In March 2024, she opened the European Commission’s office there. She also signed cooperation agreements worth close to €94 million covering education, skills and clean-energy inves
Indonesia imported 11.4 million metric tons of nickel ore from the Philippines between January and July this year. The imports were worth $696.5 million, Statistics Indonesia said. That compares with 6.82 million tons imported over the same period in 2025, according to the agency’s data. Indonesia holds the world’s largest nickel ore reserves. It controls around 45% of the global total and remains the biggest nickel exporter. The government has tightened its annual mining quota to support prices. It approved a range of 260 to 270 million tons for 2026. That is down from 379 milli
Iran and Oman have reached a significant temporary agreement aimed at facilitating maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, offering a positive step toward restoring stability and confidence in one of the world’s most important shipping routes. Under the new arrangement, ships will be able to use a designated maritime corridor approximately 11.3 kilometres wide. The route represents an important practical development for international shipping and could help improve the movement of energy supplies through the region. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the agr
India-EU relations are stronger than they have been in years, according to EU Ambassador Herve Delphin. As he prepares to conclude his tenure in India, Delphin said greater strategic understanding has strengthened cooperation across multiple sectors. He described the recent Free Trade Agreement as the result of realism and pragmatism from both sides. Delphin said the latest negotiations were effectively "FTA-2", separate from the original talks that began nearly two decades ago. Both sides identified shared priorities and negotiating red lines early, helping accelerate discussions
Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore have reaffirmed their commitment to keeping the Strait of Malacca free, open and safe for international shipping. The three countries share primary stewardship of the vital waterway, which carries more than a fifth of global seaborne trade. The Strait provides a major shipping route between the Middle East and East Asia, making its security important for global trade and energy supplies. The commitment came during a two-day maritime conference involving officials from Southeast Asia and countries including China, France, Germany and Saudi Arabia.
Dubai ranked first globally for new Greenfield FDI projects in cultural and creative industries in 2025. According to the Financial Times' FDI Markets, Dubai attracted 754 projects, leading 233 cities tracked worldwide. London followed with 227 projects, while Singapore recorded 197, Riyadh 157 and Bengaluru 132. Dubai's projects generated 19,304 new jobs, highlighting the city's growing role as a global hub for the creative economy. Greenfield FDI capital inflows reached $3.756 billion, placing Dubai second globally for investment value. Investment covered advertising, program
The European Union recorded a €21.8 billion goods trade deficit in Q2 2026, its first quarterly deficit since 2023. Imports from non-EU countries reached €701.8 billion, while exports totalled €680 billion during the quarter. The reversal was largely driven by energy products, where the deficit widened from €71.3 billion to €101.1 billion. Deficits also increased for raw materials and other manufactured goods during the second quarter. Meanwhile, the EU's machinery and vehicles surplus declined from €24.9 billion to €23.2 billion. However, some sectors performed s
Mumbai has entered the world's leading workcation destinations in IWG's 2026 Work from Anywhere Index. The city was the only Indian destination scoring 77 points in the global ranking. Bangkok topped the list with 106.5 points, followed by Tokyo at 96.5 and Barcelona at 95.5. The index evaluates cities across climate, broadband, accommodation, transport, culture, food and flexible workspace availability. Mumbai performed particularly well for transport, flexible workspaces, climate and accommodation. However, broadband quality, local events and happiness scores lowered its overall
Doosan Enerbility has secured a 930 billion won ($671.3 million) contract to build a combined-cycle gas power plant in Oman. The 1,600-megawatt facility will be built west of Muscat and is scheduled for completion in April 2029. Doosan Enerbility will form a consortium with China’s Sepcoiii Electric Power Construction to deliver the project’s engineering, procurement, and construction work. Doosan will also supply key equipment, including steam turbines and generators, for the power plant. The project was awarded to a consortium comprising Qatar’s Nebras Power, Emirates Util
CULines will launch its new Japan–Straits–Malaysia (JSM) shipping service on September 5, 2026. The service will provide a direct maritime link between Japan and key markets across South Asia, the Middle East, and the Red Sea. The new route aims to strengthen CULines’ intra-Asia shipping network. It is designed to offer shippers faster and more reliable connectivity across major Asian trade corridors. The JSM service will operate through a slot-exchange partnership with Ocean Network Express (ONE). The cooperation allows both shipping companies to share vessel capacity and expand