BEIJING/CAIRO -- China will make imports from 53 African nations tariff-free in phases starting Friday, in a move that is in stark contrast to the U.S., which has taken a turn toward protectionism, and that will provide Beijing with a secure source of raw materials.

TOKYO -- Mitsubishi Motors plans to begin producing and selling hybrid vehicles in Japan as early as 2028, aiming to tap into the popular sector amid sluggish sales of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.

BRISBANE, Australia -- Chinese-owned battery maker Automotive Energy Supply Corp has sold a majority stake of its only U.S. battery plant to Fixx Energy, which signed a multiyear deal to supply battery cells to energy storage supplier Fluence Energy.

MUMBAI -- The Indian military drone manufacturing industry is expected to enter a phase of rapid growth in coming years, as the order books of local makers swell following the South Asian nation's conflict with Pakistan last year, which has boosted their profiles as low-cost makers.

TOKYO -- Japan's Toto may be best known for churning out toilets, bathtubs and kitchens, but its earnings are now anchored by a very different kind of product: high-precision ceramic components used in the kind of semiconductor manufacturing equipment crucial to sustaining the artificial intelligence boom.

KYIV -- The man spoke in Russian in a calm, businesslike tone. "If you do not agree now to collaborate with me and my superiors, next week we will send you an interesting video," he said. "You will see your son suffering. He may lose parts of his body."

BANGKOK -- Thailand's central bank on Wednesday kept its policy rate unchanged at 1%, leaving room for future cuts amid economic uncertainties posed by the U.S.-Iran war.

MUMBAI -- The Indian military drone manufacturing industry is expected to enter a phase of rapid growth in coming years, as the order books of local makers swell following the South Asian nation's conflict with Pakistan last year, which has boosted their profiles as low-cost makers.

HONG KONG -- The Chinese government has suspended issuances of new robotaxi licenses, after a recent outage of Baidu's driverless fleet raised concerns over the roadworthiness of the nascent technology, people with direct knowledge of the matter told Nikkei Asia.