Zijin Mining, a prominent Chinese company, has recently been granted approval to proceed with the second-phase expansion of the Julong copper project situated in Tibet. This significant development received the green light from the Tibet Autonomous Region Development and Reform Commission, signaling a pivotal step forward in the project's evolution. The proposed expansion endeavors to substantially augment the operational capacity of the Julong copper project, elevating its daily processing capacity from the existing 200,000 tons to a formidable 350,000 tons. Such a substantial increase is poised to establish the Julong mine as the foremost single copper mining operation in China in terms of both mining and processing scale, underscoring its strategic importance within the domestic mining landscape. In tandem with the expansion plans, Zijin has publicly disclosed its commitment to invest a staggering sum of 17.46 billion yuan, equivalent to approximately $2.42 billion, into the augmentation of the Julong copper project. Notably, this substantial investment will be entirely self-financed by Julong Copper, reflecting the company's confidence in the project's long-term viability and potential for profitability. Looking ahead, upon the successful completion of the expansion endeavors and associated construction activities, the Julong mine is slated to commence full-fledged production operations by the culmination of 2025. This projected timeline underscores the concerted efforts and meticulous planning involved in bringing such large-scale mining projects to fruition, ensuring that they adhere to stringent regulatory requirements while meeting the evolving demands of the global copper market. The approval for the second-phase expansion of the Julong copper project in Tibet marks a significant milestone in Zijin's strategic objectives and underscores its commitment to fostering sustainable growth within the mining sector. As one of the leading mining companies in China, Zijin's ambitious expansion plans for the Julong project underscore its proactive approach towards capitalizing on opportunities for growth and maximizing the potential of its mineral assets. Furthermore, the approval granted by the Tibet Autonomous Region Development and Reform Commission underscores the collaborative efforts between regulatory authorities and private enterprises to promote responsible and sustainable development within the region. By adhering to stringent regulatory frameworks and incorporating best practices in environmental stewardship and community engagement, Zijin is poised to set new benchmarks for excellence in the mining industry while fostering positive socio-economic impacts in Tibet and beyond. From an operational perspective, the expansion of the Julong copper project represents a significant technological and logistical undertaking, requiring meticulous planning and execution to ensure seamless integration with existing infrastructure and operational processes. With an enhanced processing capacity of nearly 350,000 tons per day, the Julong mine is poised to capitalize on economies of scale and achieve greater operational efficiency, thereby enhancing its competitiveness within the global copper market.     Source: Chemanalyst

Pakistan’s traders blocked traffic to protest the prolonged delay in the Multan Road expansion project, which remained incomplete for the last 10 years. On Monday, shopkeepers along Multan Road closed their shops and demanded completion of the project. The protesters stood amidst sewage water that had overflowed due to the municipal committee’s negligence. They raised slogans against the caretaker chief minister and the district administration for failing to address the sewage issue, which had caused a great deal of inconvenience for them. Local leader Sheikh Amir Saleem said the incomplete road and sewage problem had severely impacted their businesses. Despite assurances from the chief officer of the Municipal Committee, the traders refused to end the protest, completely obstructing traffic on Multan Road. Later, the deputy commissioner sent ADCR Abida Fareed and Executive Engineer (highway) Shahid to meet with the protesting traders. They assured the traders of a prompt clean-up and promised that the Multan Road expansion project, from Kachehri Chowk to Ganesh Wah, would be completed soon. Moreover, Deputy Commissioner Mian Usman Ali took action against the contractor and SDO (local government) Mohammed Nabeel, for failing to complete the main road of Thermal power, which had been in a state of disrepair for the past three years. The deputy commissioner set one-month deadline for completion of the road, warning of action in case of non-compliance. Source: DAWN

Car-sharing giant Uber used aggressive techniques to push into global markets, according to a new report. The company allegedly considered how to frame violence against its drivers in a bid for public sympathy. When US-based company Uber sought to expand its business abroad, it lobbied politicians to relax labor and taxi laws, sought to thwart regulators and law enforcement, and channeled cash through tax havens like Bermuda, according to an investigative report released Sunday. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, a nonprofit network, searched over 100,000 items of Uber’s internal communications in order to offer an unprecedented look into the ways Uber defied taxi laws and upended workers rights. The documents at the heart of the investigation were first leaked to the UK newspaper The Guardian, which offered to share them with the consortium. Why does the report mention Emmanuel Macron? Among the allies Uber found in the French government was reportedly Emmanuel Macron, who served as the Economics Minister from 2014 until 2016. Uber believed Macron, now president, could encourage his country’s regulators to be less conservative in their interpretation of rules limiting the company’s operations, according to the investigation. Opposition deputies denounced Macron after the report came out, accusing him of brokering a secret deal with the company. When contacted for comment by the AFP news agency, Macron’s presidential aides said the politician was in contact with the company in the normal course of his ministerial duties. As the economy minister, Macron has naturally been in contact with many companies involved in the profound change in services that has occurred over the years mentioned, which should be facilitated by unravelling certain administrative or regulatory locks. What is Uber? Uber is a ride-sharing app that functions similarly to a taxi dispatch in numerous countries around the world. It has successfully encroached on local taxi markets, forcing down prices and driving numerous competitors out of business and rendering some taxi firms insolvent in the process. The company was founded in 2009. Since then, it has brought down the economics of the taxi business in many countries of the world either directly or due to similarly functioning regional or local competitors with a similar business model as Uber. What is it that Uber did to gain market share? While it is unclear what if any laws Uber may have broken in pursuit of shattering regulations, the report said an army of lobbyists including several who were aides to former US President Barack Obama aggressively sought terms favorable to the company’s bottom line. The journalists consortium’s so-called Uber Files reveal the depths the company went to in its bid for market share in more than two dozen countries. In at least six countries, Uber used a kill switch to block access to company servers during government raids, including once in Amsterdam, on an order given by the CEO at the time, Travis Kalanick, according to the investigation. The report also accused Kalanick of leveraging violence against Uber drivers in France by traditional taxi drivers as an opportunity to gin up support for its own fleet of drivers. Uber is accused of funneling profits through the off-shore tax haven of Bermuda in a bid to skip out on its tax bills. The company sought to deflect attention from its tax liabilities by helping authorities collect taxes from its drivers, according to the reporters working for The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. What has the company said in response to the allegations? Commenting on the claims of unfairness in competitive practices, Uber spokesperson Jill Hazelbaker said mistakes had been made in the past. Hazelbaker said when CEO Dara Khosrowshahi was named in 2017, he had been tasked with transforming every aspect of how Uber operates. When we say Uber is a different company today, we mean it literally: 90% of current Uber employees joined after Dara became CEO, Hazelbaker said.

The World Bank has outlined the role it can play as India looks to fund its ambitious National Rail Plan over the next 30 years, which envisages almost 8,000 km of high-speed corridors and another 8,000 km of dedicated freight corridors (DFCs), involving funds to the tune of Rs 40 lakh crore. The World Bank top brass shared its vision for the Railways and what it proposes at a presentation to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and other top brass last week. The National Rail Plan and the National Infrastructure Pipeline recommend a total of 13 bullet-train corridors across India, including the under-construction Mumbai-Ahmedabad one. They are on routes like Mumbai-Nagpur, Hyderabad-Bengaluru, Varanasi-Patna, Patna-Kolkata, Delhi-Udaipur, Delhi-Chandigarh-Amritsar, Nagpur-Varanasi, Amritsar-Pathankot-Jammu, Chennai-Mysuru via Bengaluru, Mumbai-Hyderabad, and Varanasi-Delhi via Ayodhya. However, there is no clarity on how to fund them, or the new DFCs. The Bank has offered its expertise starting from handholding execution of partnership with private players, to development of intermodal stations and upgrading of existing lines. “Aim to build 8000 km of DFC and 8,000 km of High Speed Railway in 30 years. How to pay for it?” the presentation poses, offering “World Bank interventions” as a solution. The presentation, seen by The Sunday Express, foresees “open access” in future DFCs, and within three years, commercial financing of the country’s freight infrastructure, through “asset recycling”, “bond issuance” etc. In passenger services, the Bank proposes PPP partnership in developing new high-speed routes as well as the commuter rail network. A World Bank India spokesperson did not respond to queries regarding the meeting. Once developed, the commuter networks will attract higher-income passengers, the Bank notes, while there would be a rise by 20% in traffic being carried on freight corridors. According to the presentation, together the measures would reduce Indian Railways share of infrastructure ownership costs by $6.5 billion, and ultimately help the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation Limited to finance the expansion of its network. Currently, the 508-km high-speed railway line from Mumbai to Ahmedabad is being laid with loan from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), while around 3,000 km of two DFCs are being constructed with aid from the World Bank in the eastern part of India and from JICA in the west. As part of national commitment to carbon reduction, the share of Railways in freight must increase from the current 27% to 45% by 2030. Officials noted that investment from private sector and financial institutions is key to the success of the plan, and the World Bank’s pitch is being viewed in that context. Sources also pointed out that things would ultimately boil down to specific numbers regarding how much the World Bank is willing to fund. “Global financial institutions have a limit regarding the exposure they can have in one sector, in a country or even a region,” an official said. Source: The Indian Express

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has inaugurated the expansion work for the longest runway in the country at Cox’s Bazar airport. She inaugurated the project work after joining the program virtually from her Ganabhaban residence on Sunday. She said, this airport will be one of the most eye catching coastal cities of the world. By this time runway of Cox’s Bazar airport has been expanded to 9 thousand feet from 775 feet and the width has been expanded to 200 feet from 100 feet. After completion of the first phase work runway of the airport will be expanded by 1,700 feet. After completion the length will be 10,700 feet. Mentionable that the length of the runway of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport is 10,500 feet. According to that calculation Cox’s Bazar airport will be the longest runway of the country. In this connection Civil Aviation Association of Bangladesh (CAAB) chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mufidur Rahman told media that the Prime Minister inaugurated the expansion work. It was scheduled to expand additional three thousand feet from nine thousand feet, but considering the environment of Cox’s Bazar it was decided to expand the length by 1,700 feet. There will be central line light. There will be precision approach lighting beneath 900 meters of the coast. He also said, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is the main architect of the project. Expansion works are being done following her directions. The premier decided to expand it when she visited the airport in 2017. With inclusion of this airport, Cox’s Bazar airport will be the fourth international airport of the country. AH