The uptake of solar around 2018 helped Pakistan avoid more than $12 billion in oil and gas imports up to February this year

China's President Xi Jinping warned against a return to the "law of the jungle" in international relations and called for closer economic ties with Spain as he met Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Tuesday, according to Chinese state media.

The meeting in Beijing came on the second day of Sanchez's visit as he seeks to position Spain as a bridge between China and the European Union, whose relations with the United States are under strain.

Xi told Sanchez the two countries should strengthen cooperation in the face of global "chaos and turmoil" and "a contest between justice and force", according to a readout of the talks from state broadcaster CCTV.

"Both China and Spain are principled countries that stand for justice. They should strengthen communication, consolidate mutual trust, and cooperate closely to oppose the world's regression to the law of the jungle," Xi said during talks in the Great Hall of the People.

"How a country treats international law and the international order reflects its worldview, its conception of order, its values, and its sense of responsibility," Xi said.

Spain and China should "seize opportunities" for cooperation in trade, new energy and technology fields, he said.

Sanchez welcomed China's role in seeking to resolve the conflict in the Middle East, after a first round of US-Iranian negotiations in Pakistan ended without an agreement.

"The role China can play is important in order to find diplomatic means that end this war and contribute to stability and peace," Sanchez told a news conference after the talks.

The Socialist leader said international law in the region "is being violated basically by one country", Israel, which has invaded Lebanon in its latest conflict with Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Sanchez referred to "those who commit violations or genocides, which is what we are seeing in Gaza, and let us hope the same does not happen in Lebanon, that crimes do not go unpunished".

- 'Unsustainable' trade balance -

The two leaders also discussed "the reforms our multilateral system needs to better recognise the multipolar reality of today's world", Sanchez said. 

The Spanish prime minister is seeking to strengthen economic ties with the world's second-largest economy but called China's trade imbalance with the EU "unsustainable" on Monday. 

He is on his fourth visit to China in four years and follows a steady flow of Western leaders visiting Beijing in recent months as President Donald Trump's tariffs and unpredictable foreign policy have rattled the US's traditional allies.

Spanish government sources said a primary goal of Sanchez's trip is to secure greater market access for agricultural and industrial goods, and to explore joint technology ventures.

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Sony Pictures Entertainment kicked off CinemaCon on Monday with a sneak peek of "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" and a new installment of "Jumanji".

Tom Rothman, president and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment, unveiled two posters for the latest Spider-Man film starring Tom Holland and Zendaya, set to hit American theaters on July 31.

The release comes four years after "Spider-Man: No Way Home" became the studio's highest-grossing film with approximately $1.9 billion in global box office receipts.

"It feels like nothing we've ever made," Rothman said at the Colosseum Theater in Las Vegas, before introducing lead actor Holland, who joined virtually. 

"It's the most emotional Spider-Man movie we've ever made, and in some ways, the most grown up," said Holland, who plays the arachnid superhero.

In a short clip shown at CinemaCon, where film studios bring in their stars and offer a sneak peek at their upcoming slate, Holland's Peter Parker faces the consequences of the decisions he made in the previous film, which ended on a cliffhanger.

Not only do his friends have no idea he exists, but his girlfriend MJ -- played by Zendaya -- has a new love interest.

Expectations for the film are high, with its trailer gaining millions of views since its release last month.

The film, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, will star Mark Ruffalo, Jon Bernthal and Sadie Sink.

Sony Pictures Entertainment also unveiled a first glimpse at "Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse", the animated spin-off due to hit theaters in June 2027. 

It closed its presentation with a clip from the third installment of "Jumanji".

Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black and Kevin Hart said that "Jumanji: Open World", set for release in December this year, will feature tributes to the late actor Robin Williams, who starred in the first film of the popular franchise.

- Box office optimism -

Sony Pictures Entertainment's presentation marked the start of CinemaCon, which this year focuses on optimism over the year's strong start at the box office. 

Rothman celebrated the progress, but noted that sales have not yet reached pre-pandemic levels.

"We all have urgent work to do," Rothman said. "For our part, that means delivering a variety of great films to all kinds of audiences. But you, my friends, have an urgent part to play." 

"Affordability is by far the hardest. Going to the movies must become affordable again," he added.

CinemaCon will also provide an opportunity to reflect on how to sustain the momentum in the industry, in a year that could bring significant changes -- such as the expected takeover of legendary studio Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount Skysdance.

"When you have consolidation of legacy studios, as we learned with Disney and Fox, the amount of movies produced goes down, prices go up, and we think that is bad for theaters," Michael O'Leary, CEO of Cinema United, which organizes the gathering, told AFP last week. 

CinemaCon, which takes place from April 13-16, will host presentations in the coming days from Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Neon, Walt Disney Studios and Amazon MGM Studios.

The event is also set to attract a host of stars, with Zendaya, Matt Damon, Timothee Chalamet, Tom Cruise and Christopher Nolan all expected to attend.

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Washington's decision to blockade Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz is sending tremors through global energy markets, raising fears of a fresh oil shock by threatening supplies to Asia.

Iran had continued to pump crude to Asia since the start of the Middle East war, partly shielded by its elusive "dark fleet". 

Roughly one-fifth of the world's oil normally flows through the vital waterway. In recent weeks, Iran has already tightened the screws, sharply slowing maritime traffic and reportedly charging transit fees.

Now the additional blockade of Iranian ports ordered Sunday by US President Donald Trump threatens to land another blow to global oil and gas supplies after the fighting damaged energy facilities in the Gulf states and blocked their exports through the Strait, said Amir Handjani of the US‑based Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft.

Just days after launching the war against Iran with Israel on February 28, the US temporarily eased some sanctions on Tehran to prevent an abrupt energy shock -- particularly for Asian economies. 

On Sunday, the Felicity -- a tanker operated by the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC)-- delivered two million barrels of oil to India, the first such above-board shipment since 2019, according to tracking site Tanker Tracker.

- Oil still flowing -

Iranian crude had been helping ease the market in meeting demand so far, Handjani told AFP, warning the blockade now threatens that fragile balance.

"What is the US Navy going to do? They're not going to confront Chinese, Indian and Pakistani merchant ships" loading in Iranian ports, he said.

"That's an act of war."

China remains the world's largest importer of Iranian crude, and on Tuesday said the US blockade was "dangerous and irresponsible." 

Oil prices, already climbing, will continue to surge, Handjani predicted.

Prices jumped eight percent to above $100 a barrel Monday in early Asian trading -- just hours after the blockade was announced. 

For expert Elisabeth Braw of the Atlantic Council, "it's a bit of a Hail Mary move" by Washington after it had "exhausted all options". 

Blockading merchant ships violates the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and is illegal, she noted.

According to data from commodities tracking firm Kpler analysed by AFP, Iran has exported an average of about 1.8 million barrels of crude per day by sea since early March. That is slightly above its 2025 average of around 1.7 million per day. 

Between March 1 and April 12, 58 oil tankers transited through the strait carrying cargo, AFP analysis of Kpler data showed.

Nearly 80 percent set off from Iranian ports -- mainly Kharg Island -- or flew the Iranian flag, hauling a total of 11 million tonnes of crude.

Many of those vessels belong to Iran's "dark fleet", made up of ageing ships operating for years in deep opacity -- with unclear ownership, false flags, lack of insurance or manipulated GPS data, all with the intent to dodge international sanctions, experts told AFP.

- Dark fleet advantage -

"It's actually surprising how effectively the dark fleet operated throughout the duration of the war," said David Tannenbaum, director at US‑based sanctions consultancy Blackstone Compliance Services.

"We thought that there would actually be a crackdown on the dark fleet but in reality, what happened was the (Trump) administration basically gave the dark fleet a shot in the arm and allowed them to export all this oil."

As sanctions eased, Iranian crude flipped "from trading at a 40-percent discount to a 10-percent premium," compared with previous pricing, Tannenbaum estimated.

"Because Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and other Gulf producers are seeing exports constrained or rerouted at great cost, Iran has managed to sustain flows at strikingly resilient levels," said Cyril Widdershoven, an analyst at Blue Water Strategy.

"Tehran has managed to set up a system that is sophisticated, decentralised, and remarkably difficult to disrupt without escalating into a full-scale maritime conflict," he added in a Saturday op-ed. 

Handjani said Iran is ready to withstand the blockade. 

Retaining control of Hormuz is "existential, it's life or death," both as a long-term security guarantee and a crucial source of funding for post‑war reconstruction, he added.

On the US side, Handjani said Trump will be watching how markets react.

If "the price of oil is going up, inflation is going up and the stock market's going down, he's going to start to panic," he said. 

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As the clock ticked down to US President Donald Trump's deadline to destroy Iran's civilisation last week, hope emerged from an unlikely corner, with Pakistan's prime minister first seeking -- and within hours securing -- a two-week ceasefire between the warring sides.

Now, with a round of talks concluded in Islamabad and frantic negotiations underway to secure a second go, Pakistan is basking in its new role as a regional peacemaker, analysts say.

"Pakistan very much wants to ride the momentum that it has been enjoying over the last few weeks as a critical mediator," Michael Kugelman, senior South Asia fellow at the Atlantic Council, told AFP.

It is a remarkable turnaround for a South Asian country long seen internationally through a security lens, as it battled armed extremists and separatists at home while being accused of supporting the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The mediator of peace talks had itself just fought battles with its neighbours last year -- Pakistan fought a brief but intense war with India in May, and two rounds of conflict with neighbouring Afghanistan, where Islamabad accuses the Taliban authorities of harbouring armed groups.

Raja Qaiser Ahmed, a professor of international relations at Islamabad's Quaid-i-Azam University, said Pakistan's robust military responses in both conflicts helped burnish its regional credentials.

"In international politics, the currency is power," he said. "When you have demonstrated it operationally, and now you are just building it up diplomatically."

Kugelman hailed Pakistan as "an unsung success story when it comes to strategic autonomy."

"Pakistan is looking to change global perceptions about its capacities as a global player," he said. 

"It does not like the fact that it has a poor global image and wants to essentially push back against its critics and show that it has the capacity to affect change and be influential on the global stage."

- Unique geography -

When the US-Israel war on Iran broke out, quickly engulfing the Middle East, Islamabad was careful not to take sides between Washington and Tehran.

Since US President Donald Trump took office, Pakistan has seen ties warm significantly, after Islamabad lauded him for having helped mediate the end of the conflict with India. Delhi denies Washington played a significant role.

A visit to Washington by Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif and powerful army chief Asim Munir followed, with Trump now often referring to the latter as his "favourite field marshal".

Pakistan shares a 900-km border with Iran, with whom it has maintained warm -- if sometimes testy -- relations, with the countries sharing significant cultural and trade ties.

Early on Sunday, when US Vice President JD Vance took the podium in Islamabad to declare that no agreement had been reached after marathon 21-hour talks, he was also quick to praise Pakistan.

He thanked Sharif and Munir by name, saying they "did an amazing job and really tried to help us and the Iranians bridge the gap and get to a deal."

Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf had similar words of thanks.

Asif Durrani, a former Pakistani ambassador to Tehran, said Pakistan had proven its importance with the talks, even if the first round did not lead to a deal.

"I think Pakistan is a power to be reckoned, and very much Pakistan is a player. Its geography is so unique that it cannot be ignored," he said.

As a neighbour of China as well, Pakistan has cultivated good relations with Beijing, which diplomats and Trump himself have said was key in getting Iran to the negotiating table.

Pakistan also has close ties with the Gulf nations that have been pulled into the conflict by Iranian retaliatory action. That includes Saudi Arabia, with whom it has a mutual defence pact.

On Monday, Pakistani PM Sharif said efforts remained underway to continue negotiations, and a second round of talks remained a possibility.

Vance, however, has taken a harder line, suggesting in an interview on Fox News that while further talks were possible, there was "no flexibility" on Iran's nuclear programme.

For Kugelman, even if there is a return to fighting, Pakistan would still emerge with its international image enhanced.

"I think that even if the war resumes, it will not suffer reputational cost. I would argue that if anything, it's enjoyed reputational boost because it's been able to push back against criticism that it doesn't have the capacity to pull off this type of diplomacy," he said.

"It's also strengthened its image. It's been able to project itself as a peacemaker."

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Three men went on trial Tuesday over the theft of a priceless gold Romanian helmet from a Dutch museum, a brazen heist that sparked shockwaves in Romania and the art world.

In January 2025, thieves used explosives and sledgehammers to break into the Drents Museum in the north of the Netherlands, making off with the 2,500-year-old Helmet of Cotofenesti and three gold bracelets.

The robbery sparked a massive manhunt and police arrested the trio just days afterwards.

But the whereabouts of the haul remained a mystery until earlier this month, when authorities made a dramatic reveal of the helmet and two of the bracelets at a news conference at the museum.

The treasures were recovered after authorities cut a deal with two of the suspects -- the third denies all involvement in the heist.

The suspects, identified as Jan B. (21), Douglas Chesley W. (37) and Bernhard Z. (35), face charges of theft and the destruction of the museum.

Questions remain over the whereabouts of the third bracelet.

Aside from a minor dent in the helmet, the haul was in excellent condition and is expected to be returned to Romania soon.

The Dutch government had set aside 5.7 million euros ($6.5 million) for a likely payout following the robbery.

The pieces were on loan from a Bucharest museum, whose head was promptly sacked for lending the works out in the first place.

Dutch museums and galleries have been targeted by thieves in the past -- including in November, when works by artist Andy Warhol were taken, and in 2020, when a Van Gogh was stolen from a museum.

The heists have prompted calls for better security to protect valuable artworks.

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Botswana has signed energy and mining exploration agreements with Oman as it seeks to deepen economic ties with the sultanate, the presidency said.

The Southern Africa nation has been courting Gulf states as it seeks to diversify an economy heavily reliant on diamonds, of which it is the world's leading producer by value.

President Duma Boko and Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq agreed to develop a 500-megawatt solar photovoltaic plant with battery storage, the presidency said on Monday.

The two sides also signed a joint exploration agreement covering copper, gold, graphite and iron ore.

A separate infrastructure deal includes storage at Namibia's port town of Walvis Bay and the Tshele Hills Strategic Petroleum Depot to bolster supply security. 

The presidency did not disclose the value of the deals. 

Botswana relies on diamonds for about a third of its gross domestic product, but revenues have fallen sharply due to weak prices and rising competition from lab-grown stones, which has curbed demand.

In March, S&P Global Ratings downgraded the country's long-term foreign and local currency sovereign credit ratings, citing "structural weakness in global diamond demand."

"The downgrade reflects our view that global diamond demand will likely remain weak for longer, weighing on Botswana's already-strained economy and public finances," the New York-based agency said. 

Boko used his visit to France last week to meet employers federation MEDEF and publish an article in business daily La Tribune touting Botswana's appeal to investors.

The country is among several African governments and firms seeking a stake in De Beers, the world's leading diamond company, as the industry grapples with a prolonged downturn.

De Beers is majority-owned by British mining giant Anglo American, with a 15 percent stake held by Botswana. 

In February, Anglo American cut the value of De Beers by $2.3 billion after reporting similar impairment charges in 2025 and 2024, leaving the unit with a value of $2.3 billion.

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The founder of Chinese property giant Evergrande has pleaded guilty to charges of fraud and bribery, a court said on Tuesday, the latest blow for what was once the country's leading developer.

Evergrande's rise was propelled by decades of rapid urbanisation and rising living standards, but in 2020, its access to credit dramatically narrowed when the government introduced curbs on excessive borrowing and speculation.  

The company defaulted in 2021 after struggling to repay creditors.

Founder Xu Jiayin, known as Hui Ka Yan in Cantonese, was reportedly held by police in 2023, with Evergrande saying he had been subjected to measures "due to suspicion of illegal crimes".

A public hearing was held Monday and Tuesday on a case against Xu for "illegally absorbing public deposits, fundraising fraud, illegally issuing loans, illegally using funds, fraudulently issuing securities, disclosing important information in violation of regulations, embezzlement and (corporate) bribery", a court statement said.

"Xu Jiayin pleaded guilty and expressed remorse in court," the statement from the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court in southern Guangdong province said, without elaborating further.

Evergrande Group and its real estate arm also stood trial this week.

Evergrande is accused of a list of crimes including fraud, bribery and illegally issuing loans. Its real estate arm faces a charge of fraudulently issuing securities.

The court said it would announce a verdict at a later date.

- Giant's fall -

Listed in Hong Kong in 2009, Evergrande surged to a peak market value of more than $50 billion under the stewardship of founder Xu.

But fortunes reversed in 2020 under the new borrowing regulations from Beijing.

Subsequent years saw a drawn-out struggle across the industry to complete construction projects as shares plunged and cash flows choked.

A Hong Kong court issued a winding-up order in January 2024, ruling that the company had failed to come up with a suitable debt repayment plan.

Last August, it delisted from the Hong Kong stock exchange. 

Xu, 67, was once one of China's richest billionaires and a member of China's top political advisory body.

His wealth and status have since plummeted, as Beijing has moved to crack down on corruption in the financial sector.

Evergrande's saga -- and similar issues faced by other property giants including Country Garden and Vanke -- have been closely followed by observers assessing the health of the world's second-largest economy.

The crisis has also dampened consumer sentiment at a time when Chinese officials are pushing for a new growth model driven more by domestic spending rather than investment.

New home prices in China have been contracting for nearly three years.

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Pope Leo XIV is expected in the Algerian city of Annaba on Tuesday, where he will walk in the footsteps of influential Christian theologian Saint Augustine on day two of a historic trip to the north African country.

The American pontiff on Monday became the first pope ever to visit Algeria, the first stop on a tour of four African nations, although the opening day of his trip was almost overshadowed by harsh criticism from US President Donald Trump.

In northeastern Annaba -- formerly the ancient Roman city of Hippo -- Leo will visit vestiges of the city's historical past, as well as a reception centre run by Catholic nuns for impoverished elderly people. 

The city was the one-time home of Augustine, whose autobiographical "Confessions" is a seminal work within the Christian tradition.

In the afternoon, Leo will celebrate Mass at the hilltop Basilica of Saint Augustine in the presence of clergy from across Africa.

The pontiff has previously referred to himself as a "son" of the saint, and belongs to the Augustinian order.

- Forgiveness -

In his first speech in Algiers, Leo paid tribute to victims of the country's 1954-1962 war of independence from France and called for "forgiveness".

His remarks came amid heightened tensions between Algeria and France, and followed a meeting days ago with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Vatican.

The pope also called on Algeria's leaders "not to fear" greater public participation in political life, calling for a "vibrant, dynamic and free civil society".

Since the pro-democracy Hirak protests in 2019, which called for sweeping reforms and greater transparency, human rights groups have reported shrinking freedoms and greater controls over public space.

"Authorities are called not to dominate, but to serve the people and foster their development," Leo said.

- 'No fear' of Trump -

His recent exhortations for peace in the Middle East, where the US-Israeli war on Iran has embroiled much of the region, have drawn the ire of Trump.

Prior to the pope's trip, the US president accused Leo of "toying with a country (Iran) that wants a nuclear weapon", adding that he was "not a big fan" of the pontiff.

He doubled down on the criticism Monday following an outcry, saying he had "nothing to apologise for", and that the pope was "wrong".

Aboard the papal plane on Monday, Leo told reporters: "The Gospel says... blessed are the peacemakers."

"I have no fear, neither of the Trump administration, nor speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel," he added.

The pope is slated to leave Algeria on Wednesday for Cameroon, before travelling on to Angola and Equatorial Guinea.

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US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Monday a "major" defense partnership with Indonesia following a meeting with the Southeast Asian nation's defense minister at the Pentagon. 

"We are elevating our relationship to a Major Defense Cooperation Partnership, in recognition of the strength and potential of our bilateral defense ties," Hegseth said in a statement on X. 

The partnership covers "military modernization and capacity building," "training and professional military education" and "exercises and operational cooperation," according to a joint statement. 

"Both nations reaffirm their shared commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific," the statement said.

Jakarta said the partnership was an "opportunity to reinforce national defense capacity," but insisted that "free and active foreign policy, national interests, and full respect for state sovereignty" would be maintained.

It said that a US proposal to grant American military aircraft access over Indonesian airspace was being "carefully reviewed".

"It still requires further discussion through technical mechanisms and applicable national procedures," the Indonesian Ministry of Defense statement added.

Indonesia has the strongest military in Southeast Asia, according to the Global Firepower defense analysis site.

While Jakarta says it maintains a non-aligned diplomatic posture, last year it joined the BRICS bloc of emerging economies that includes Russia and China.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto met with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Monday for oil talks.

But Prabowo has also signed a trade deal with US President Donald Trump and joined his so-called "Board of Peace".

The country is strategically located on the Malacca Strait –- the world's busiest chokepoint for oil and petroleum liquids, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

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© Agence France-Presse

Lebanese and Israeli representatives are scheduled to meet in Washington Tuesday for US-mediated talks on ending the war in Lebanon, but the prospects of an agreement appear slim.

Naim Qassem -- the leader of pro-Iran Hezbollah, which is battling Israel -- called for the talks to be scrapped before they even began, describing them as "futile."

Lebanon was pulled into the region-wide Iran war on March 2 after Hezbollah attacked Israel. 

Since then Israeli strikes -- including an extremely heavy attack on Beirut on April 8 -- have killed more than 2,000 people and displaced more than one million, despite international calls for a ceasefire. And Israeli ground forces have invaded south Lebanon.

The meeting mediated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio will include the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to Washington and the US ambassador to Beirut.

"The Israeli and Lebanese governments are engaging in open, direct, high-level diplomatic talks -- the first such talks since 1993 -- brokered by the United States," a State Department official said on condition of anonymity.

"This conversation will scope the ongoing dialogue about how to ensure the long-term security of Israel's northern border and to support the government of Lebanon's determination to reclaim full sovereignty over its territory," the official added.

But the two sides remain diametrically opposed.

"This dialogue between Israel and Lebanon... is aimed at disarming the Hezbollah terrorist organization, removing them from Lebanon, and establishing peaceful relations between our two countries," Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian told journalists on Monday.

"We will not discuss a ceasefire with Hezbollah, which continues to carry out indiscriminate attacks against Israel and our civilians," Bedrosian said.

- 'Expectations are low' -

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday that "we want the dismantling of Hezbollah's weapons, and we want a real peace agreement that will last for generations."

On the Lebanese side, President Joseph Aoun said Monday he hoped the Washington talks will yield "an agreement... on a ceasefire in Lebanon, with the aim of starting direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel."

US diplomats have meanwhile found themselves in a difficult position in recent days regarding the Lebanon conflict, fearing that it might hinder talks with Iran, which failed to achieve a breakthrough on Sunday in Pakistan.

President Donald Trump's administration insists on the disarmament of Hezbollah, but also respect for Lebanon's territorial integrity and sovereignty, while simultaneously upholding Israel's rights -- positions that appear difficult to reconcile.

It would take "a lot of imagination and optimism to think" that the issues between Israel and Lebanon can be solved in Washington Tuesday, a former Israeli defense official told journalists on condition of anonymity, adding that "expectations are low."

"It will be very difficult to reach any agreement, and Israel will create a buffer zone in the north very similar to what we have in Gaza," the former official added.

According to a poll by the Israel Democracy Institute, the results of which were published on Monday, 80 percent of Jewish Israelis "think that Israel should continue the fighting in Lebanon against Hezbollah, regardless of developments vis-a-vis Iran, even if this results in friction with the US administration."

Hezbollah entered the Middle East war on March 2 to avenge the death of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed on the first day of the Israeli-American offensive on February 28.

Israel hit back with large-scale, deadly air strikes across Lebanon, and a ground offensive in the country's south.

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