Gold slump raises doubts over safe-haven appeal

China is assessing potential strategic advantages as the United States redirects military resources toward the Middle East amid the ongoing war in Iran, raising questions about the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific region.

The question of why some nations thrive while others languish in poverty and political instability has preoccupied scholars, policy-makers, and citizens alike for decades. 

In Bangladesh, we are very good at reacting. We debate inflation, reserves, elections, and floods. Our policy imagination is often tied to the immediate crisis at hand.

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) has retained its position as the world`s most valuable banking brand for the 10th consecutive year, with its brand value increased 15% from $79.1 billion in the previous year. Overall, the total brand value of the top 500 banking brands stood at $1.8 trillion, marking five consecutive years of growth.

At its narrowest navigable point, the Strait of Hormuz is just 21 nautical miles (38.9 km) wide, with shipping lanes only two miles across in each direction. Yet through that corridor passes roughly one-fifth of global petroleum liquid consumption.