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Qatar made their path to the 2026 World Cup more difficult after being held to a drab 0-0 draw by Oman in the opening match of the fourth round of Asia’s World Cup qualifiers Wednesday at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium.It was a below-par performance from both teams, as neither Qatar nor Oman showed the urgency expected in such a crucial fixture. The result leaves Qatar and Oman tied on a point each in Group A. To stay in contention for automatic qualification, Qatar will need to defeat the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday and rely on the outcome of Saturday’s encounter between Oman and the Emiratis.Only the group winners will earn automatic qualification for next year’s World Cup, to be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States. The runners-up will advance to a playoff against the second-placed team from Group B, which is being contested in Saudi Arabia, where Iraq and Indonesia are the other sides.Akram Afif squandered Qatar’s best chance early in the second half, while substitute Mohammed Muntari failed to get enough power on his shot as a resolute Oman held firm to secure a point.Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui had spoken beforehand about the pressure his side is facing in trying to qualify for the World Cup on merit for the first time. The 2022 World Cup hosts have historically struggled in the qualifiers, and that inconsistency resurfaced last night in a disjointed display.Lopetegui, who kept his squad selection under wraps on the eve of the match, handed debuts to 20-year-old Al Gharafa defender Ayoub Aloui and 25-year-old Al Rayyan goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada. He also left strikers Almoez Ali and Muntari on the bench, opting instead to start with Ahmed al-Ganehi and Edmilson Junior in support of mercurial star Afif.The Spaniard later said his playing XI decisions were influenced by injuries in the squad. “The starting lineup was ideal given the injuries, and all the players gave their best to achieve the desired result,” Lopetegui said after the match.Qatar dominated possession in the first half, with Sultan al-Brake and Edmilson causing early problems for Oman. But it was Carlos Queiroz’s side — seeking their first-ever World Cup appearance — who had the best opportunity when a wayward backpass from al-Brake almost caught out Abunada, forcing the debutant goalkeeper to concede a throw-in under pressure from Issam al-Sabhi.Boualem Khoukhi, who captained Qatar on the night, had the first look at goal in the 13th minute, but the defender’s shot flew wide of the target. Al-Sabhi continued to be Oman’s biggest threat, skipping past his marker with a neat turn in the 27th minute before seeing his powerful left-footed effort comfortably saved by Abunada.Qatar almost capitalised six minutes later when Mohammed al-Mannai slipped a clever ball through to Afif, who tried to catch Oman napping, but goalkeeper Ibrahim al-Rushaidi was alert to the danger and made a solid intervention.Nasser al-Rawahi came close for Oman, glancing a header just over the bar from a corner, while Qatar’s best effort before the break came from Afif, whose shot was easily dealt with by the Omani defence.Afif should have put the hosts ahead soon after the interval when the visitors gifted him possession inside their own half, but the Asian Player of the Year uncharacteristically side-footed wide of the post.Oman nearly punished Qatar in the 69th minute when Abunada rushed off his line to clear a cross, leaving his goal momentarily exposed, but Abdullah Fawaz’s long-range attempt failed to find the target. Almoez was introduced in the 57th minute for al-Ganehi, while Muntari also had a chance in the added time, but both could not inspire Qatar to victory as the teams settled for a share of the spoils.After the match, Lopetegui remained defiant, insisting his team had done enough to win. “We performed well throughout the match against a stubborn team that defended well and closed down spaces. Despite that, we created several opportunities but couldn’t convert them into goals,” the former Spain and Real Madrid coach said.“We will continue to pursue our dream of qualifying for the World Cup. Today’s draw against Oman hasn’t negatively impacted the team or added pressure ahead of the UAE match,” he added.Oman coach Carlos Queiroz — who previously had a brief stint with Qatar — was satisfied to take home a point. “We performed well and managed to stop Qatar’s attacks, which we expected given they were playing at home,” the Portuguese veteran said.“We knew the match would be tough, so we played with high spirit. Despite our solid defence, we also created chances but couldn’t score. A draw is the best result for both teams today. A loss would have hurt our chances of World Cup qualification. We don’t have much time before facing the UAE, but we’ll prepare well to keep our World Cup dream alive,” he added.

Qatar is set to take on Saudi Arabia Monday in the third round of the West Asia Women's Volleyball Championship, hosted in Amman, Jordan. After opening the tournament with defeats to Jordan and Iraq, Qatar is determined to secure their first win and regain momentum in the competition. Following the Saudi Arabia match, Qatar will face Lebanon on Tuesday before closing out their campaign against Syria on Thursday. The championship provides a key testing ground for the Qatari squad as they aim to gauge their progress, sharpen their skills, and build stronger performances in regional contests.

Pakistan captain Salman Agha said India had “disrespected cricket” while Indian counterpart Suryakumar Yadav complained his side were denied the trophy after winning a fraught Asia Cup overshadowed by ill feeling on both sides.The two teams did not shake hands for the third Asia Cup match running as India won a thrilling final by five wickets in Dubai on Sunday.Suryakumar’s men then refused to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), who is also chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board and Pakistan interior minister.The Indian players instead celebrated retaining their regional crown by mimicking holding a trophy.Suryakumar told reporters: “I think this is one thing which I have never seen since I started playing cricket that the champion team is denied the trophy.“We took the call on the ground about not taking the trophy.”The Twenty20 tournament in the UAE was the first time the Asian cricket giants had met since a deadly military conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours in May.Tensions had been running high after the two previous matches in the competition saw political posturing and a series of flashpoints between the two teams.“If you tell me about the trophies, my trophies are sitting in my dressing room - all the 14 players and support staff. They are the real trophies for me,” said Suryakumar.“It appeared on the big screen that India is Asia Cup 2025 champion. It was a great journey and moment for us as a team.” The presentation ceremony was delayed for an hour before announcer Simon Doull said: “I have been informed by the ACC that the Indian cricket team will not be collecting their awards tonight. So that does conclude the post-match presentation.”Pakistan’s Agha said India’s actions during the tournament had been “bad for cricket”.“I think what has happened in this tournament is very disappointing,” Agha told reporters.“If they think they disrespected us by not shaking hands, then I say they disrespected cricket.“What they did today, a good team doesn’t do that. Good teams do what we have done. We waited for our medals and took them.“It’s been seen for the first time. I do not know where it will stop. What has happened in this tournament is bad for cricket.”In Sunday’s final, India’s third win over Pakistan in as many matches, India pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah bowled Haris Rauf for six and celebrated the dismissal with a crashing-plane gesture.Rauf had made a similar motion in the previous meeting between the two teams, appearing to mock India’s military action.Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan previously mimicked a gun celebration after hitting a half-century.Tensions spill into cricket India and Pakistan only meet in cricket on neutral territory in international tournaments because of long-simmering tensions between the arch-rivals.Both countries claimed victory in the four-day conflict in May that killed more than 70 people in missile, drone and military fire on each side.India tagged its military action against Pakistan “Operation Sindoor”, the Hindi word for vermilion, which married Hindu women wear on their foreheads.The name was seen as a symbol of Delhi’s determination to avenge those widowed in the April 22 attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which sparked the hostilities.“#OperationSindoor on the games field,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X after Sunday’s win.“Outcome is the same - India wins! Congrats to our cricketers.”Naqvi was quick to respond, saying: “If war was your measure of pride, history already records your humiliating defeats at Pakistan’s hands.”

India beat Pakistan by five wickets in the final to retain the Asia Cup title on Sunday, capping a remarkable unbeaten run with their third victory against their arch-rivals at this year's tournament.Put into bat, Pakistan could not capitalise on an 84-run opening stand between Sahibzada Farhan (57) and Fakhar Zaman (46) and were bundled out for 146 with five deliveries still left in their innings.Pakistan lost their last nine wickets for 33 runs in a spectacular meltdown with India's left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav (4-30) being the wrecker-in-chief.Tilak Varma anchored India's nervy chase with an unbeaten 69 and Shivam Dube (33) provided some support as they overwhelmed the target with two deliveries to spare at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium."Pretty amazing," India vice-captain Shubman Gill summed up their feeling after clinching their ninth Asia Cup title."(Finishing) the whole tournament unbeaten - it's pretty amazing to be in this position."Emotions ran high around the contest between the neighbours who engaged in a military conflict in May and Gill said India's ability to absorb pressure stood the reigning 20-overs world champions in good stead."The conversation was to take it as deep as possible," he said of India's chase."The target was not much but important to soak in the pressure. Losing three wickets early, never easy. The partnership with Sanju and Tilak, and then how Dube hit those big sixes - it was very important."Earlier, Pakistan got off to a strong start with Farhan leading their charge against an Indian attack weakened by the absence of their injured all-rounder Hardik Pandya.Pakistan scored 45 runs in the first six powerplay overs but soon stepped up on the gas.With Farhan in full flow and Fakhar playing the second fiddle to perfection, there was no inkling of the collapse lurking around until spinner Varun Chakravarthy (2-30) dismissed Farhan in the 10th over.Kuldeep then took over, tying the batters in tangles while Axar Patel picked up a couple of wickets to hasten Pakistan's collapse. Jasprit Bumrah also finished with two wickets.India's start was rather wobbly as they lost their in-form opener Abhishek Sharma, also the tournament's leading scorer, and skipper Suryakumar Yadav inside the first 10 deliveries of their innings.They slumped to 20-3 after Gill's exit but Varma and Sanju Samson (24) decided to rebuild the innings.Even that recovery would not have been possible but for the reprieve Samson, then on 12, got when Hussain Talat dropped him in the deep.Abrar Ahmed dismissed Samson to break the 57-run stand but Dube combined with Varma to take India closer to the target before falling in the penultimate over.Needing 10 runs from the last over from Haris Rauf, Varma hit the second ball for a six to effectively seal India's thrilling victory and triggering wild celebration in the Indian camp.

India secured their place in the Asia Cup final Wednesday as Abhishek Sharma starred with 75 in a comfortable 41-run win over Bangladesh in Dubai.The holders posted 168-6 batting first after stumbling following a quick start, but their spinners helped stifle Bangladesh to 127 all out.The result means Sri Lanka are out of the tournament, with Thursday’s Super Four match between Pakistan and Bangladesh to decide who faces India in Sunday’s final.Abhishek has enjoyed a remarkable start to his T20 international career with 783 runs from 22 matches at a strike-rate of 197.72.The opener set up victory with another brilliant innings, striking six sixes and five fours in his 37-ball blitz, which ended with a run-out caused by a mix-up with captain Suryakumar Yadav.Both Abhishek and fellow opener Shubman Gill, who made 29, started cautiously before the two took on left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed, smashing 21 runs off the fourth over.Abhishek reached his fifty off just 25 balls after Gill fell to leg-spinner Rishad Hossain.Rishad quickly struck again with the wicket of the promoted Shivam Dube, before the dismissals of Abhishek and Suryakumar, for five off 11 balls, left India on 114-4. Hardik Pandya ensured India reached a competitive total with a 29-ball 38 with four fours and one six.Jasprit Bumrah struck first to send back opener Tanzid Hasan for one in the second over of Bangladesh’s chase, before Saif Hassan and Parvez Hossain Emon, who made 21, put on 42 runs to steady the innings.But Kuldeep Yadav dismissed Parvez and Bangladesh soon lost their way as the Indian spinners took charge. Saif, who survived four dropped catches, played a lone hand to raise Bangladesh hopes. Kuldeep struck twice with successive balls before Nasum played out the hat-trick ball. Saif finally fell in the 18th over for 69 to Bumrah and Bangladesh were bowled out in 19.3 overs.BRIEF SCORE:SIndia 168 for 6 (Abhishek 75, Hardik 38, Rishad 2-27) beat Bangladesh (Saif 69, Kuldeep 3-18, Bumrah 2-18, Varun 2-29) by 41 runs

Pakistan kept their Asia Cup campaign alive with a hard-fought five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in a Super Four clash in Abu Dhabi Tuesday.With both teams having lost their opening fixtures of the second round, defeat wasn’t an option and Pakistan’s bowlers rose to the occasion tying Sri Lanka down to 133-8 on a featherbed of a pitch.Chasing what looked a modest target, Pakistan made heavy weather of it.After a brisk opening stand of 45, their innings went into free fall at 80-5.But a cool-headed 58-run partnership off 41 balls for the sixth wicket between Mohammad Nawaz and Hussain Talat steadied the ship and saw them home with 12 deliveries in hand.Nawaz struck a breezy 38 off 24 balls, while Talat anchored the innings with an unbeaten 32 off 30.Earlier, pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi set the tone with the new ball, nipping out Sri Lanka’s in-form openers inside his first two overs.The left-arm quick returned at the death to dismiss top-scorer Kamindu Mendis and closed with figures of three for 28 – a spell that put Pakistan on the front foot.Talat and Haris Rauf chipped in with two wickets apiece, while leggie Abrar Ahmed bowled with miserly precision, giving away just eight runs in his four overs and dismissing fellow leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga.Sri Lanka, unbeaten in the first round with three wins on the trot, have hit a brick wall in the Super Four, losing to Bangladesh on Saturday and now to Pakistan.With only India left to play, their chances of making the final are hanging by a thread.Put in to bat, Sri Lanka slumped to 58-5 and looked set to be bundled out inside 20 overs.But Kamindu Mendis dug in, compiling a fighting 50 off 44 balls with three fours and two sixes, his third half-century in T20Is.He stitched together a 43-run stand with Chamika Karunaratne for the seventh wicket, but the former champions were still left high and dry.BRIEF SCORES:Pakistan 138 for 5 (Nawaz 38*, Talat 32*, Theekshana 2-24, Hasaranga 2-27) beat Sri Lanka 133 for 8 (Kamindu Mendis 50, Afridi 3-28, Talat 2-18, Rauf 2-37) by five wickets

Qatar Media Corporation (QMC) has participated in the 62nd Assembly of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU). QMC’s Director of International Co-operation Office Abdullah Ghanem al-Mohannadi led the Qatari delegation to the event held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The assembly addressed the role of media in preserving national and cultural heritage. Qatar’s participation reflects its commitment to introducing the country’s national efforts in the field of media, and opens new prospects for media cooperation between media institutions in the Asia-Pacific region and the State of Qatar.

Spinner Nasum Ahmed produced a miserly spell to help Bangladesh beat Afghanistan by eight runs Tuesday and keep their Asia Cup hopes alive.Bangladesh posted 154-5 batting first as opener Tanzid Hasan starred with his 52 off 31 balls in Abu Dhabi.Nasum and fellow spinner Rishad Hossain then took two wickets each before pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman returned figures of 3-28 to help bowl out Afghanistan for 146.Taskin Ahmed also claimed two wickets as he wrapped up the innings with the final ball of the match.Bangladesh ended Group B with two wins and one defeat in their three outings.Their chances of reaching the Super Four stage will depend on the final match of the group between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka on Thursday.Bangladesh will go through if Sri Lanka win, but an Afghan victory would see them progress and leave the Sri Lankans and Bangladesh to be split on net run-rate.Left-arm spinner Nasum rocked the Afghanistan chase early when he struck with the first ball of the innings to trap Sediqullah Atal lbw and then grabbed the key wicket of Ibrahim Zadran, for five, in the fifth over.He returned figures of 2-11 from his four overs.Rishad dismissed Gulbadin Naib caught and bowled for 16 with his leg-spin and then sent back the dangerous Rahmanullah Gurbaz for 35 to dent Afghanistan.Azmatullah Omarzai attempted to revive the chase with three sixes in his 16-ball 30 but holed out off Taskin.Skipper Rashid Khan made one final push with a quickfire 20 but fell to Mustafizur, who struck again to be on a hat-trick which was avoided by Fazalhaq Farooqi.Earlier Tanzid put on an opening stand of 63 with Saif Hasan, who made 30, as the two racked up 59 in the powerplay.Rashid broke the stand as he struck in his first over by bowling Saif and Afghanistan's spinners soon took control.Left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmad trapped skipper Litton Das lbw for nine to further peg back Bangladesh.Tanzid raised his fifty off 28 deliveries but fell to Noor in the next over.Towhid Hridoy added a 20-ball 26 but although Bangladesh managed just 67 runs in the final 10 overs, it proved enough for the win.

QNB Singapore has announced successful participation as a ‘Gold Sponsor’ at the recently concluded GTR Asia 2025 event held in Singapore.This year's gathering proved to be a “remarkable platform” for trade and finance professionals, featuring engaging formats that maximised audience participation and dialogue.Throughout the event, attendees engaged with a variety of highlights, including the dynamic Trade Showcase hosted by GTR Ventures, which highlighted innovative solutions and emerging trends in trade finance.The new boardroom scenario session focused on global trade security provided essential insights into pressing industry challenges, while in-depth discussions, fireside chats, and interactive presentations enriched the experience for all participants.A key feature of the event was the ‘Asia Bank to Bank Forum’, hosted by the Bankers Association for Finance and Trade (BAFT), where leading discussions on banking and finance addressed the unique opportunities and challenges faced in today's economic landscape.“As a Gold Sponsor, QNB Singapore was proud to be part of such a vital event that brings together a diverse range of stakeholders, from international banks to fintech firms,” said Silas Lee, CEO, QNB Singapore. “The discussions and exchanges at GTR Asia 2025 have provided valuable insights into the evolving trade finance sector, and we are excited to continue fostering these connections within the industry.”The GTR Asia 2025 event serves as a crucial forum for addressing the rapidly changing dynamics of trade finance, equipping professionals with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the complexities of the region’s trade operations.

Reigning 20-overs world champions India look overwhelming favourites to retain their Asia Cup title with Suryakumar Yadav leading a crack squad that can sweep aside rivals and any geopolitical distraction in the tournament beginning Tuesday.The September 9-28 tournament had looked in limbo after four days of military conflict between tournament hosts India and bitter neighbours Pakistan in May this year.The eight-team competition was subsequently moved to the United Arab Emirates but the geopolitical undercurrents were palpable with several former India cricketers demanding a boycott of matches against Pakistan.With New Delhi backing the Indian cricket board’s stance of playing Pakistan in multi-team events only, the Asian Cricket Council, which organises the Asia Cup, is confident its flagship tournament would prove a success.With an eye on the T20 World Cup next year, India gave an indication of how seriously they view the tournament when they picked pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.The 31-year-old is played sparingly to manage his all-format workload and India will hope to benefit from the wily seamer’s craft both in the powerplay and the death overs.Test captain Shubman Gill has been recalled to reinforce a batting lineup teeming with serious power-hitters like Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma, currently the top-two T20 batters in official rankings, as well as skipper Suryakumar.Arch-rivals Pakistan will enter the tournament low on experience but high on confidence after winning a tri-series, also involving Afghanistan and hosts UAE, on Sunday.“We wanted to prepare in a way that helps us for the Asia Cup and we’ve done that,” Pakistan captain Salman Agha said on Sunday.“We’ve been doing really well since the Bangladesh home series. Finally, we’re in very good shape and fully prepared for the Asia Cup.”Having ignored former captains Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan will need sustained contribution from their batters against tougher opposition.Afghanistan lost to Pakistan in Sunday’s final in Sharjah but skipper Rashid Khan counts their familiarity with conditions as a major gain.“It’s important for us to learn from these conditions ahead of the Asia Cup,” Rashid, who will lead Afghanistan’s spin-heavy attack, said.“Over the last eight-nine months, we haven’t played much T20 cricket together and a series like this gives us positive energy. I think it’s going to be a great and exciting Asia Cup for us.”Under Litton Das, a new-look Bangladesh will be itching to prove their mettle having lost the likes of stalwarts Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Tamim Iqbal to retirement.Afghanistan play Hong Kong in the tournament opener in Abu Dhabi Tuesday.Preliminary stage matches: Sep 09, Tue: Afghanistan vs Hong Kong, Abu DhabiSep 10, Wed: India vs UAE, DubaiSep 11, Thu: Bangladesh vs Hong Kong, Abu DhabiSep 12, Fri: Pakistan vs Oman, DubaiSep 13, Sat: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka, Abu DhabiSep 14, Sun: India vs Pakistan, DubaiSep 15, Mon: UAE vs Oman, Abu DhabiSep 15, Mon: Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong, DubaiSep 16, Tue: Bangladesh vs Afghanistan, Abu DhabiSep 17, Wed: Pakistan vs UAE, DubaiSep 18, Thu: Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan, Abu DhabiSep 19, Fri: India vs Oman, Abu Dhabi

HE the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal al-Thani participated in the ‘Qatar Vision 2030’ session, held as part of the ‘Asia Leaders’ conference organised by Goldman Sachs in Hong Kong.The event brought together leading Asian corporations and prominent Qatari businessmen and major national companies. On the sidelines of the conference, the minister held a series of bilateral meetings with senior executives of major global corporations.Among them was Xiaomi Corporation, where discussions focused on opportunities for co-operation in areas such as cloud data centres, supply chain development, and other strategic initiatives of mutual interest. The minister also met with the leadership of Baidu Inc, where both sides explored prospects for collaboration in robotaxi technologies and regional cloud computing services.The talks further addressed potential avenues of partnership and considered Baidu’s plans to expand its presence in the region.

Beyond the TarmacThe Asia-Pacific region’s aviation industry is back on the growth trajectory.The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the global body of airlines, predicts 9% growth for Asia-Pacific in 2025.Which means, a region that has struggled to shrug off the strictures of Covid-19 is once again posting the highest growth rate in the world.Aviation in Asia-Pacific supports $890bn in GDP and 42mn jobs, with the potential to increase to $2.3tn in GDP and 62mn jobs by 2043.Analysts say rising middle-class populations, particularly in China, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, are fuelling demand for both domestic and international travel.Asia is the epicentre of global e-commerce (China and Southeast Asia leading), driving robust demand for air cargo and integrated logistics.Asia-Pacific is home to some of the world’s most dynamic tourism markets. Countries like Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, and Australia continue to record strong inbound flows. Analysts believe regional tourism agreements and visa liberalisation policies are expected to boost connectivity.The UNWTO and IATA forecast Asia-Pacific to contribute more than half of global passenger growth over the next two decades.“Most countries have crossed the line of pre-COVID figures and are experiencing increasing air travel demand,” says Sheldon Hee, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Asia-Pacific.“Four of the most populous countries in the world are in our region and all are young, emerging economies with a fast-growing middle class. We are even seeing some significant visa relaxation policies.“But the resumption of growth comes with challenges,” he adds. “The profit margin for 2025 is expected to be just 1.9%, or $2.60 per passenger. Aviation in Asia-Pacific must become more economically robust to meet demand with a high level of customer service delivered cost-efficiently.”Airport and airspace capacity are naturally the main considerations. On the positive side, there are at least 90 new airports under construction or in the planning stage, including significant gateways in Australia, India, and Vietnam. Each is a sign that the relevant government has aviation development on its agenda.“But there is more room for collaboration,” says Hee. “Airlines don’t need over-investment in facilities that would require deeper cost recovery. Development must be calibrated correctly, and airlines must be part of the conversation so that investments are correctly staged.”To assist passenger throughput — especially amid narrow margins — digitalisation in both passenger and cargo operations is essential. Every efficiency will count.Digitalisation and contactless travel centred on IATA’s ‘One ID’ will also be key enablers in enhancing the customer experience.India’s ‘Digi Yatra’, a facial recognition system for verified domestic customers, is leading the way but interoperability will be critical.Meanwhile, airspace is also being upgraded across the region but there is a notable bottleneck in the Bay of Bengal where aircraft get bunched for a variety of factors.The different levels of maturity in this diverse region mean there are also plenty of areas still reliant on older equipment, which leads to inefficiencies on a broader scale.Air cargo is an important part of needed capacity as Asia-Pacific is a major origin point for the booming e-commerce trade. Cargo revenues are often critical to the profitability of a flight, and this is certainly the case in Asia-Pacific.Trade barriers and tariffs could change traditional flows but demographic conditions and the desire to trade more within the region mean there are multiple opportunities for air cargo ahead.Although the outlook remains positive for this sector, there are inefficiencies to address. Paper is still commonplace in the region and optimisation based on the ONE Record has plenty of room for growth.“The industry is also doing a lot of work to make the carriage of dangerous goods (DG), and particularly lithium batteries, safer,” says Hee. “Good progress is being made but this work is especially pertinent to Asia-Pacific given the manufacturing in the region. We must educate the upstream shippers about the need for correct DG packaging and documentation.”IATA said it continues to work with governments and aviation authorities to promote the benefits of aviation and the business case for unlocking capacity.Undoubtedly, Asia-Pacific will remain the fastest-growing aviation region globally, led by China and India. Regional connectivity, tourism, and cargo are estimated to expand strongly.That said, the region’s air traffic management systems need modernisation to handle rising volumes efficiently and safely. Despite expansion, congestion at major airports in the region remains a major concern.