Top Iranian adviser visits mediator Oman, as Iran and U.S. prepare for talks
A senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader said on Tuesday that negotiations with the United States must remain focused on the nuclear issue and be g...
China’s central bank has announced a new set of measures to strengthen financial support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), aiming to help them navigate external uncertainties and maintain stable operations, according to a senior official at the People’s Bank of China (PBOC).
“The moderately loose monetary policy adopted by the People’s Bank of China helps expand funding available to the real economy, lower financing costs for businesses, especially the SMEs, and enhance their operational stability,” said Ding Zhijie, head of the PBOC’s Research Institute, during the latest episode of China Economic Roundtable, a talk show hosted by Xinhua News Agency.
Ding highlighted that the PBOC has intensified its credit support to smaller firms and taken steps to ease their interest burdens. By the end of April, inclusive loans issued to micro and small enterprises reached 34.3 trillion yuan (approximately 4.77 trillion U.S. dollars), marking an 11.9 percent year-on-year increase—outpacing the overall loan growth.
Financing costs have also declined, with the average interest rate on newly issued corporate loans falling to 3.2 percent in April, 50 basis points lower than the same period last year.
In a further move to boost credit access, the central bank has added 300 billion yuan to its relending quota to support the agricultural sector and small businesses.
Ding also underscored the importance of the entrepreneurship guarantee loan, a policy tool introduced in 2016 to foster job creation and innovation. He noted that the central bank will continue to urge banks across the country to implement the policy more effectively to expand financial support and help stabilize employment.
U.S. skiing great Lindsey Vonn underwent surgery in an Italian hospital on Sunday after her attempt to win Olympic downhill gold ended in a violent crash just seconds into the race at the Milano Cortina Winter Games.
JD Vance arrived in Armenia on Monday (9 February), becoming the first sitting U.S. Vice President to visit the country, as Yerevan and Washington agreed to cooperate in the civil nuclear sector in a bid to deepen engagement in the South Caucasus.
António José Seguro’s decisive victory over far-right challenger André Ventura marks an historic moment in Portuguese politics, but analysts caution that the result does not amount to a rejection of populism.
J.D. Vance met Azerbaijan's president Ilham Aliyev in Baku on a rare visit by a sitting U.S. vice president, signalling a renewed push to deepen cooperation with Azerbaijan on energy, security and regional stability.
Hamas has strongly condemned new Israeli government decisions to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank, warning the measures pose an “existential threat” to Palestinians and are designed to consolidate Israeli control over the territory.
J.D. Vance met Azerbaijan's president Ilham Aliyev in Baku on a rare visit by a sitting U.S. vice president, signalling a renewed push to deepen cooperation with Azerbaijan on energy, security and regional stability.
A scheduled visit to Ankara this week by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will seek to “resolve all our problems at the table,” Ömer Çelik, a spokesman for Türkiye’s ruling AK Party, has said.
The European Union is preparing a further expansion of its sanctions against Russia, with Central Asia emerging for the first time as a distinct point of focus.
Azerbaijan and the United States signalled closer economic ties on Monday (9 February) as President Ilham Aliyev hosted a delegation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, highlighting the country’s investment appeal and growing interest from American companies.
“Peace is not just about signing treaties - it’s about communication, interaction and integration,” Sultan Zahidov, leading adviser at the AIR Center, told AnewZ, suggesting U.S. Vice President JD Vance's visit to the South Caucasus could advance the peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
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