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ISLAMABAD: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi is expected to arrive in Islamabad tonight with a small team, government sources said. A second round of Islamabad peace talks between the United States and Iran is expected as a result of important talks and discussions with the Pakistani mediation team, the sources added. A US logistics and security team is also already in Islamabad for the negotiation process.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi is expected to arrive in Islamabad tonight with a small team, government sources said. (Image credits: AFP)

Foreign Affairs

A second round of Islamabad peace talks between the United States and Iran is expected as a result of important talks and discussions with the Pakistani mediation team. 

Iranian delegation led by FM Araghchi expected to arrive in Islamabad tonight: govt sources

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump&#39;s administration said Friday that he has issued a 90-day extension to a shipping waiver, helping with the movement of oil and fertilizers around the United States amid supply disruptions from the war on Iran.&nbsp;An existing waiver, which temporarily allowed foreign flagged vessels to transport cargo between US ports, was due to expire by May 17. The latest move brings this end date to mid-August.&nbsp;&quot;New data compiled since the initial waiver was issued revealed that significantly more supply was able to reach US ports faster,&quot; said Taylor Rogers, a White House spokeswoman.&nbsp;&quot;This extension will help ensure vital energy products, industrial materials, and agricultural necessities are maintained,&quot; she added in a statement.&nbsp;She said Trump has issued a 90-day extension.&nbsp;US-Israeli strikes on Iran from February 28 plunged the Middle East into war, and triggered Tehran&#39;s retaliation in effectively closing off the Strait of Hormuz.&nbsp;This has caused an energy supply crunch as the waterway is a key route for oil and gas transportation, sending prices rocketing.&nbsp;US gasoline prices have also surged, piling pressure on household budgets ahead of key midterm elections.&nbsp;Under the 1920 Jones Act, which was aimed at promoting American shipbuilding, cargo moved by water between US ports has to be transported on vessels that are US-built, US-owned and registered under the US flag.&nbsp;But in March, the Trump administration granted a 60-day waiver to temporarily lift this requirement as economic fallout from the war intensified.&nbsp;Oil prices remain steep, even if they have come off recent highs.

Americas

The Trump Administration announced a 90-day extension of a shipping waiver to facilitate the transport of oil and fertilizers across the United States amid supply disruptions caused by the war on Iran.

US extends shipping waiver to aid energy supply

ISLAMABAD: A loud explosion and rising smoke from a forest area in Kishtwar district of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) triggered widespread panic on Friday, with the Indian Air Force moving quickly to deny reports of a downed aircraft. Local outlets reported panic in the Padder area of Kishtwar, a remote, mountainous district in the southern part of the territory. &quot;There are certain media outlets and social media handles claiming that an IAF aircraft has crashed near Kishtwar. This report is false,&quot; an Indian Air Force spokesperson said, as reported by several Indian news outlets. The spokesperson added, &quot;All media outlets are requested to verify information from official sources before publishing or transmitting.&quot; According to Hindustan Times, the sound was heard across the forest belt of Padder, where residents reported seeing heavy smoke billowing from the woods.&nbsp; Gulistan News Channel shared video footage on its Facebook page showing thick plumes of smoke rising from dense woodland, describing an explosion-like sound that sent residents into a panic. Greater Kashmir similarly reported smoke rising from the forest following the blast. Jammu Diaries posted a breaking update stating the cause had not yet been confirmed, with locals suspecting either unspecified activity in the area or a possible aircraft-related incident. According to the local media, authorities had conducted a mock air raid and blackout drill in Kishtwar just one day earlier. It reportedly involved sirens and simulated emergency responses, which may have heightened local sensitivity to unusual sights and sounds in the area. Deepak Sharma, a journalist with Times of Kishtwar who regularly provides live ground reports on local incidents, was among those tracking developments from the district. Independent, on-the-ground verification from the region remains severely restricted. Digital directives issued in IIOJK in April 2026, including a Social Media Usage Policy, have placed strict monitoring controls on online content. Such measures significantly limit the free flow of information out of the occupied territory. Reports of a plane crash spread rapidly across media and social media platforms before being formally denied by Indian military authorities.

Smoke billows into the air after locals reported hearing a blast in a forested area of Kishtwar district in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir on Friday. (Image credit: Jammu Diaries/Instagram)

India

A reported blast and rising smoke in Indian-occupied Kashmir’s Kishtwar district is causing panic and fueling plane crash reports, while the Indian Air Force is denying any aircraft incident.

Indian air force denies aircraft crash after blast shakes Indian occupied-Kashmir district

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting on Friday to review regional and global developments, according to the Foreign Office. In a post on X (Twitter), the ministry reported that Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch and other senior officials attended the meeting. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2047639696160047321&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=987dc93a65f384f01e40875cb16aefb7e12fc31d&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2047639696160047321"></iframe></div></div> Dar called for sustained and proactive engagement on priority issues, stressing dialogue as key to addressing regional challenges.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting on Friday to review regional and global development. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs/X)

Dar calls for sustained and proactive engagement on priority issues, stressing dialogue as key to addressing regional challenges.

Pakistan FM chairs meeting on regional, global developments

ISLAMABAD: India held state elections this week in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, two of its most politically consequential states. Both contests were shadowed by allegations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s federal government used its institutional power to tilt the outcome: through a televised address that opponents say broke campaign law, the mass deletion of voters from electoral rolls in West Bengal, and the forced removal of senior state officials by an election body critics say is no longer neutral. Five days before polls opened, Modi addressed the nation on Doordarshan and Sansad TV &ndash; &nbsp;India&#39;s state-owned broadcaster and parliament channel, both funded by the federal government. The address aired while the Model Code of Conduct was in effect. That code is a constitutionally recognized set of rules that bars incumbents from using government resources or platforms for political purposes once an election is called. Communist Party of India MP P. Sandosh Kumar filed a formal complaint with the Chief Election Commissioner, arguing the broadcast was &quot;political in nature&quot; and contained &quot;partisan assertions&quot; designed to sway voters, according to The Hindu. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called it an &quot;illegal campaign,&quot; as reported. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin warned that BJP campaign visits to his state were accompanied by the &quot;denial of funds&quot; for essential development, a reference to a persistent grievance among India&#39;s opposition-governed states that New Delhi withholds centrally allocated budgets as political leverage. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut separately stated the BJP was using government funds to bus specific voter groups to polling stations, according to The Hindu. Tamil Nadu: Fund denial, election coupons In Tamil Nadu, where the incumbent Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party faces a BJP-backed opposition alliance, the interference allegations ran alongside a separate financial scandal. The Madras High Court began hearing cases on April 16 against candidates from both major alliances over the alleged distribution of coupons worth between ₹8,000 ($84.86) and ₹10,000 ($106), redeemable at designated commercial outlets. Prosecutors say this method was designed to evade cash-seizure checks. By April 22, federal authorities had seized more than ₹1,000 crore (approximately $106 million) in cash, liquor, and inducements across both Tamil Nadu and West Bengal combined, according to The Hindu. West Bengal: Voter deletions In West Bengal, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) &mdash; a regional party that has governed the state since 2011&ndash; faces its toughest election yet against Modi&#39;s BJP. The central controversy before votes were cast was the deletion of roughly 12% of the state&#39;s total registered voters from the electoral rolls. The Election Commission of India, the country&#39;s constitutionally &lsquo;independent&rsquo; elections body, carried out the revision. Of the voters removed, 34% were Muslim, according to the Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore. This is well above the community&#39;s 27% share of the state&#39;s population. The TMC called the deletions a &quot;deliberate design&quot; to target its core supporters, per The Hindu. The BJP said the exercise was necessary to remove undocumented Bangladeshi migrants who had obtained fraudulent Indian identity documents through &quot;TMC-backed syndicates&quot;. India&#39;s Supreme Court ordered on April 17 that voters cleared by appellate tribunals before April 21 must be allowed to vote. Only 139 people were cleared in time for Phase I, as reported by local news outlets. Officials removed, forces deployed After the election was announced, the Election Commission transferred West Bengal&#39;s Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, Director General of Police, and Kolkata&#39;s top police officer along with 19 senior district police officers. This effectively removed the four most powerful state administrators from their positions. While the ECI has legal authority to transfer officials during elections, Banerjee called the moves &quot;political interference of the highest order&quot; and &quot;an assault on the Constitution,&quot; as reported by local media outlets, The West Bank CM stated the commission was &quot;campaigning for the BJP.&quot; Senior constitutional lawyer Kapil Sibal also said the commissioner&#39;s &quot;vocation&quot; appeared to be ensuring a BJP victory, as reported by The Hindu. On April 21, the TMC stated that federal paramilitary troops (deployed under ECI orders and operating outside state government control) used &quot;disproportionate criminal force&quot; against residents in Nandigram, the home constituency of BJP&#39;s state opposition leader. The ECI denied the claim. According to the Association for Democratic Reforms, 23% of West Bengal&#39;s candidates had declared criminal cases, and constituencies where multiple candidates carry criminal records rose 17% from the previous election. Tamil Nadu voted April 23. West Bengal&#39;s second phase is April 29. Results are due May 4.

Voters queue up to cast their votes outside a polling station during the West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections in Berhampore, Murshidabad district, on April 23, 2026. (AFP)

India’s elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal face allegations of interference, voter deletions and campaign violations, with government, parties and election officials trading accusations.

Modi broadcast, purged voter rolls shadow India's state elections

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar received a call from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday, according to Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In a post on X (Twitter), the Foreign Office said that both officials reviewed regional developments, including discussing the extended ceasefire. They also addressed Islamabad&#39;s diplomatic efforts tied to the &quot;US-Iran engagement.&quot; <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 746px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2047611533484863496&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F5472%2F&sessionId=d23373875d30d0193d7d7eb2deb86d59d8ece3a2&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Dar said sustained dialogue and engagement were needed to address outstanding issues and advance regional peace and stability at the earliest. Meanwhile, the Iranian foreign minister thanked Pakistan for its facilitation role.&nbsp; The two neighbors agreed to remain in close contact, the ministry reported. Pakistan, Russia foreign ministers discuss ties, diplomacy&nbsp;Meanwhile,&nbsp;Dar also&nbsp;spoke by phone with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday, according to the Foreign Office. The ministry said in a post on X that the two discussed bilateral relations and cooperation at multilateral forums in support of international peace and security. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 746px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2047651432686584188&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=e5f59afd24be9698e27c87e289e1ca732cd79374&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2047651432686584188">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Lavrov praised Pakistan&rsquo;s role in facilitating dialogue between Iran and the United States. Dar said Pakistan would continue efforts to promote dialogue and diplomacy to resolve issues. Both sides discussed rescheduling Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif&rsquo;s visit to Russia and agreed to remain in contact, the ministry reported.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar welcomes his Iranian counterpart on arrival at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on November 5, 2024. (MOFA/X) 

Pakistan and Iran’s foreign ministers spoke on Friday about ceasefire and diplomatic efforts, agreeing to maintain contact and continue engagement to support regional peace and stability.

Pakistan, Iran signal continued engagement on regional issues

DHAKA: Bangladesh is battling a heatwave and frequent power cuts, as soaring electricity demand outstrips limited generation capacity constrained by shortages linked to the Middle East war. Temperatures have hit 40C across a swathe of the country of 170 million people, forcing the government to impose load-shedding as demand exceeds supply. &quot;Neither my children nor I could sleep last night due to frequent power cuts. It was extremely hot,&quot; Mashuka Yasmin Mishu, a 35-year-old mother of two from northwestern Pabna district, told AFP on Friday. &quot;We have had power cuts before, but this year we cannot get electricity for even two hours at a stretch.&quot; The South Asian nation imports 95% of its oil and gas, much of it from the Middle East, where energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have been disrupted since war began in late February. &quot;We have a huge electricity generation capacity, but due to shortages of gas and fuel, we are unable to utilize it,&quot; senior energy ministry official Umme Rehana told reporters on Thursday. Anindya Islam Amit, the junior power minister, told parliament on Friday that electricity demand was 16,000 megawatts, against generation of 14,126 megawatts. &quot;Limited load-shedding was required,&quot; Amit said. &quot;To maintain fairness, we have decided to introduce limited, experimental load-shedding of 110 megawatts in Dhaka. It is not acceptable that urban residents enjoy comfort while farmers suffer.&quot; Bangladesh has also seen queues lasting several hours at gas stations this week, although Energy Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud has blamed panic buying and insisted the country has enough fuel.

People queue up along a road, to refuel their vehicles at a filling station in Dhaka on April 21, 2026 amid Bangladesh's fuel crisis triggered by the Middle East war. (Photo by MUNIR UZ ZAMAN / AFP)

Bangladesh

Bangladesh faces severe heatwave-driven power cuts as fuel shortages linked to Middle East tensions strain electricity supply.

Bangladesh sweats as Mideast fuel shortages force power cuts

ISLAMABAD: Pope Leo XIV on Friday condemned the ongoing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/us-israel-war-on-iran-day-56" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">conflict in Iran</a>, saying too many innocent lives had been lost and calling on all parties, including the United States, to pursue&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-interior-minister-meets-us-ambassador-baker-to-discuss-peace-efforts" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">dialogue</a>&nbsp;and respect international law, according to Vatican News. The Pope made the remarks aboard the return flight to Rome following a four-nation&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pope-visits-eq-guinea-on-last-stop-of-africa-tour" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Apostolic Journey through Africa</a>, speaking to journalists departing from Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. &quot;As a pastor, I cannot be in favor of war,&quot; he said. &quot;I would like to encourage everyone to make efforts to seek answers that come from a culture of peace, not hatred and division.&quot; The pontiff said he had received a letter from families of children killed on the first day of attacks in Iran. He also told reporters he carries a photo of a Muslim child in Lebanon, spotted holding a &quot;Welcome Pope Leo&quot; sign during the papal visit. The child was later killed in the war&#39;s final phase, as reported by Vatican News. On the prospect of regime change in Iran, the Pope declined to take a position, saying the more pressing concern was protecting civilian lives. &quot;It is not even clear what regime currently exists after the first days of attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran,&quot; he said. Asked about Iran&#39;s recent execution of an opposition member, the Pope did not limit his condemnation to any single government. &quot;I condemn all actions that are unjust. I condemn the taking of people&#39;s lives. I condemn capital punishment,&quot; he said. &quot;Human life is to be respected &mdash; from conception to natural death.&quot; Migration Speaking in Spanish, the Pope addressed the migration debate ahead of his planned trip to Spain. He acknowledged a state&#39;s right to regulate its borders but said wealthier nations bear responsibility for the conditions driving&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/7900-people-died-disappeared-on-migration-routes-in-2025-un" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">emigration</a>&nbsp;from the Global South. &quot;Africa is often seen by many as a place to extract minerals, to take its wealth for the benefit of other countries,&quot; he said, per Vatican News. He called for greater investment in African nations so people are not compelled to leave. He added that regardless of policy, migrants remain entitled to basic dignity. &quot;When people arrive, they are human beings and deserve the respect that belongs to every human being,&quot; he said. Papal diplomacy Asked whether meeting with authoritarian heads of state amounted to lending them moral legitimacy, the Pope defended the Holy See&#39;s policy of maintaining diplomatic relations across governments. &quot;There&#39;s an awful lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to promote justice, to promote humanitarian causes,&quot; he said. The pontiff stated that quiet diplomacy had at times secured the release of political prisoners and addressed crises of hunger and disease, according to the Vatican News.

Pope Leo XIV speaks to journalists aboard the flight returning to Rome after his African tour, addressing war, migration and global conflicts. (Vatican News)

Europe

Pope Leo XIV condemned the Middle East War, citing civilian deaths, and said he cannot support war. He pontiff urged dialogue and respect for international law to end the conflict. 

Pope Leo XIV condemns Middle East conflict, calls for immediate peace talks

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has renewed its call for the immediate lifting of restrictions on education for Afghan women and girls, marking the International Day of Girls in ICT. According to a report by Afghanistan international, citing a statement released by UNAMA&nbsp;released on Thursday, April 23, access to education for women and girls is critical to fostering innovation, expanding employment opportunities, and ensuring a sustainable future in Afghanistan.&nbsp; The mission warned that the continued ban is not only a violation of fundamental rights but also a major obstacle to the country&rsquo;s development. According to UNAMA, 1,675 days have passed since authorities imposed a ban on education for girls beyond the sixth grade. During this time, an entire generation has been deprived of access to secondary and higher education, with long-term social and economic consequences. Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have enforced sweeping restrictions on female education, barring girls from attending secondary schools, universities, and other higher education institutions. The policies have drawn widespread condemnation from Afghan citizens, international organizations, and governments around the world. Numerous Islamic countries and global bodies have also called for the reversal of the restrictions, arguing that access to education is consistent with Islamic principles as well as international human rights standards. The Taliban, however, continue to defend their stance, describing the issue as an internal matter. Officials have repeatedly urged foreign actors not to interfere in Afghanistan&rsquo;s domestic affairs. Afghanistan remains the only country in the world where girls are prohibited from pursuing education beyond the sixth grade, a situation that continues to raise alarm among global advocacy groups and policymakers.

Computer classes in Afghanistan (Photo: Wikimedia commons)

Afghanistan

United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan urges Kabul’s authorities to lift the ban on girls’ education, warning it harms rights and the country’s future.

UN renews call to lift Afghan Taliban restrictions on girls’ education

BEIJING: Thousands snapped selfies beside sleek Chinese electric vehicles on Friday at the world&#39;s biggest car show in Beijing, where automakers are seeking to lure buyers in a cut-throat market. Rows of influencers posed in front of gleaming models at the cavernous international exhibition center in the capital, darting to suitcases stuffed with outfit changes, while animated CEOs worked the crowds in front of massive LED screens. Legacy overseas brands such as Volkswagen, Toyota and BMW once dominated in China, but have lost market share in past years to domestic firms that beat them to the electric vehicle revolution and undercut them on price. Chinese manufacturers including BYD, Xiaomi and Xpeng are now also at the forefront of integrating AI software and autonomous driving technology into their EVs. The Auto China exhibition, hosted at two side-by-side venues, spans 380,000 square meters, according to organizers &ndash; more than 50 football pitches. More than 1,400 vehicles from hundreds of Chinese and foreign companies are on display from Friday, when the show opened to industry professionals and the media, and later to the public from April 28 until May 3. At the sprawling expo, crowds cheered as XPeng chief executive He Xiaopeng took the stage beside the Chinese company&#39;s latest model, the GX, a six-seat electric SUV. The imposing 5.2-metre vehicle incorporates AI technology and is aiming at breaking into the luxury market, he said. It would soon be followed by humanoid robots this year, He promised, and eventually by flying cars, which XPeng hopes to mass-produce. Foreign automakers are increasingly collaborating with Chinese firms to keep pace with technological advances. BMW has partnered with Chinese battery maker CATL, while Audi is using Huawei&#39;s driving assistance systems and Volkswagen is developing EVs together with Guangzhou-based Xpeng. XPeng President Brian Gu told reporters that companies were &quot;leveraging their respective strength to collaborate with China&quot;, a trend he said would continue both domestically and overseas. Gu has his eyes set on export markets including Europe and the Gulf. Asked by AFP how Trump&#39;s tariffs were affecting Xpeng, he said only that the US market remained an important one. Fierce competition This year, companies are also jostling to sell space, analysts say, with roomy SUVs&#39; new growth area targeting customers prioritizing seating and comfort. China &quot;has become a customer retention and replacement/upgrade-driven market, and these big SUVs address that need,&quot; independent analyst Lei Xing wrote in a blog this week. Firms have flooded the domestic market in recent years with trade-in schemes, offering huge discounts to customers to give up their old car for a new one. The fierce price war led Chinese officials last year to call for tighter price monitoring and improving long-term regulation of competition. But newcomers appear unfazed, Lei wrote, naming at least eight EV brands from Chinese automakers that have cropped up over the last two years. Electric vehicles, an area China dominates, are also gaining traction as rising global oil prices linked to the Middle East war push drivers away from fossil fuel-powered models. Manufacturers are now competing on driving range. Xiaomi chief executive Lei Jun recently completed a 1,300-kilometre trip from Beijing to Shanghai in the SU7 Pro electric sedan, stopping only once to recharge during the 15-hour drive.

BYD-owned premium brand Denza Z model car is displayed at the Beijing Auto Show in Beijing on April 24, 2026. (AFP)

Artificial Intelligence

At Beijing’s massive auto show, Chinese EV makers showcase advanced AI vehicles, intensifying competition with global brands, while price wars, innovation, and export ambitions reshape the world’s largest car market.

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