Arabian Post Staff -Dubai United States forces struck Iran’s Qeshm Island on Monday in a limited military operation that American officials described as defensive, exposing continuing hostilities despite President Donald Trump’s public suggestion that a wider confrontation could be avoided. Three US officials confirmed the operation, with one saying it followed Iranian fire directed at an American aircraft. Another said Iranian surface-to-air missile activity had threatened US […]
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 November 2026 – Allianz Insurance Singapore (Allianz) has been voted Best Travel Insurance (Annual) for its Allianz Travel Protect product at the TripZilla Excellence Awards 2026, a testament to it’s strength as a trusted travel insurance provider for Singapore travellers.
Now in its 12th edition, the TripZilla Excellence Awards honours outstanding travel brands, destinations and organisations for their achievements and contributions to the travel industry. The awards celebrate those who continue to raise the bar and create meaningful experiences for travellers.
As a public-voted award, this recognition speaks to the trust that travellers in Singapore have placed in Allianz to protect their journeys. Designed for frequent travellers, Allianz Travel Protect’s Annual Multi-Trip plan provides coverage for unlimited trips throughout the year, with up to 90 days of protection per journey. Alongside comprehensive medical and trip disruption benefits, the plan also includes features such as rental car excess protection, frequent flyer miles protection, TCM treatment and sports coverage. Available in Silver, Gold and Platinum tiers, with Individual and Family options, Allianz Travel Protect is designed to give travellers greater confidence and peace of mind wherever their journeys take them.
“Being chosen by travellers themselves makes this award especially meaningful to us. Every vote represents someone who has placed their trust in Allianz, and that is something we never take for granted. As travel continues to evolve, we remain focused on delivering protection that is comprehensive, reliable and designed around the needs of today’s travellers,” said Ong Bi Ying, Chief Executive Officer of Allianz Insurance Singapore.
Coverage is subject to the terms, conditions, and exclusions of the Allianz Travel Protect policy. Please refer to the Policy Wording for full details. This policy is protected under the Policy Owners’ Protection Scheme which is administered by the Singapore Deposit Insurance Corporation (SDIC). This advertisement has not been reviewed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Hashtag: #Allianz #AllianzInsuranceSingapore
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Allianz Insurance Singapore Pte. Ltd.
At Allianz Insurance Singapore, we aim to secure the future and create a positive impact on society and the environment by leveraging our expertise in risk management. As we work toward strengthening our position as one of Singapore’s leading risk solutions providers, we deliver innovative and customer‑focused protection solutions for individuals, SMEs, and mid‑corporate clients – spanning Motor, Home Content, Travel, Personal Accident, Cancer, Hospital Income, and a comprehensive suite of commercial insurance offerings.
By Dr. Gyan Pathak The impressive political success of INDIA bloc’s New Delhi Ramlila ground rally on November 1 has clearly established an important milestone in Indian opposition politics. It indicates that this political movement centred round election irregularities, vote theft, and the demand of removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar is most […]
Greenlogue/AP Cleaner air policies could deliver up to $2.4 trillion in economic benefits by 2040, the World Bank estimates, as governments face mounting pressure to reduce pollution-related deaths and economic losses. The projection, contained in the bank’s report Accelerating Access to Clean Air for a Livable Planet, reflects the estimated value of deaths avoided through coordinated action on pollution and climate emissions. The study, published in March […]
Artificial intelligence developer Anthropic plans to offer shares worth up to 552.9 billion yen ($3.5 billion) to investors in Japan as part of its proposed US stock market debut, according to a regulatory filing released on Monday. The planned allocation represents a significant international component of the company’s initial public offering, potentially giving institutional and other eligible investors in Japan direct access to one of the largest […]
Japan is prepared to intervene against disorderly currency movements and excessive speculation, Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said on Monday, reaffirming close coordination with the United States ahead of its congressional midterm elections.
Katayama said Tokyo would continue operating under its existing understanding with Washington regardless of the election outcome, maintaining a common commitment to orderly foreign exchange markets while each government pursues its own economic objectives.
“We issued a joint statement together, and we will act in line with that,” she told a regular news conference. “If there are disorderly moves or excessive speculative movements, we will take action.”
Her comments came as investors assessed the implications of Tuesday’s American elections for the dollar, US government bond yields and the yen. The vote will determine control of the House of Representatives and Senate, potentially altering President Donald Trump’s legislative prospects.
Katayama stressed that Japan’s engagement with the US Treasury was continuing and that a change in congressional control would not automatically alter the officials responsible for currency discussions. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is her American counterpart.
“We have been in constant talks with them and will continue to do so,” she said, emphasising the importance of preventing disruptive movements rather than defending any particular exchange rate.
The yen traded around 157.8 against the dollar on Monday, remaining under pressure as traders weighed the possibility of renewed official efforts to support the currency. Katayama declined to judge whether the prevailing exchange rate was appropriate or to identify a threshold that might trigger official action.
She said market conditions had improved compared with the period when the Japanese currency weakened beyond 160 per dollar. Nevertheless, the government remained concerned about excessive volatility and transactions driven by speculation.
“I believe there is absolutely no wavering on either side in seeking to prevent excessive volatility, speculative moves and disorderly market developments, while pursuing our respective policy objectives,” Katayama said.
The distinction between exchange rate levels and the speed of currency movements is important for Japan’s intervention policy. Officials have repeatedly avoided committing themselves to a fixed dollar-yen rate, leaving room to respond when trading conditions threaten broader financial stability.
Monday’s remarks did not constitute an announcement of fresh intervention. They instead reiterated that the authorities retain the option of action and intend to consult Washington when necessary to preserve confidence in the functioning of international currency markets. Neither government disclosed a new operation or a revised bilateral arrangement on Monday.
Japan and the United States carried out coordinated yen-buying intervention on 31 July after persistent currency weakness raised concerns about market instability. Subsequent discussions between Katayama and Bessent reaffirmed their intention to discourage disorderly trading and maintain communication between their financial authorities.
At a meeting in North Carolina in August, the two finance chiefs agreed to continue cooperating on orderly currency movements. Katayama subsequently repeated that the policy stance established following their joint market action had not changed.
That understanding provides the immediate context for her latest assurances. It does not mean that every fluctuation in the yen will prompt intervention, or that the two governments necessarily share identical preferences about the currency’s value.
The approaching US elections add uncertainty because shifts in expectations for American fiscal policy can affect Treasury yields and the dollar. A change in the outlook for government borrowing or spending could influence the interest rate differential that helps shape demand for yen-denominated assets.
Such market responses remain contingent on the election result and subsequent policy decisions. Katayama offered no forecast for the vote or specific projection for the yen, concentrating instead on the established mechanism for communication with Washington.
Japan’s authorities also face domestic concerns surrounding the currency. A weaker yen can increase the local cost of imported fuel, food and other goods, complicating efforts to contain household expenses. Exporters, meanwhile, can benefit when overseas earnings are translated into yen, although the effects differ across businesses.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has acknowledged problems associated with an undervalued yen. Katayama referred to shared concerns expressed by Takaichi and Trump during their September discussions, while making clear that maintaining orderly trading remained the operational priority.
The finance minister also addressed fiscal administration on Monday, saying the government would seek greater precision and transparency in its estimates of tax revenue. Her comments on the budget came separately from the currency assurances.
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai French natural hydrogen explorer Mantle8 has obtained exclusive rights to negotiate an exploration agreement for Block 7 in Ras Al Khaimah, clearing the way for the emirate’s first dedicated geophysical survey of naturally occurring hydrogen. The arrangement with the Ras Al Khaimah Department of Energy allows the Grenoble-based company to begin a non-invasive investigation of the block’s underground geology before any decision on […]
Two-day exhibition on 14 and 15 November at St. Regis Singapore presents six Laguna Phuket developments, as more buyers make Phuket home
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 November 2026 – Banyan Group Residences returns with a two-day sales exhibition on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November 2026, presenting six signature developments from its Phuket collection in the Diplomat Room, St. Regis Singapore, from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Singapore buyers are already familiar with Phuket, and demand is shifting from holiday ownership towards long-term residency. This collection is designed for that shift: full-time homes within an established resort community, not just investment property.
The exhibition follows record first-half sales for Banyan Group Residences, up 38% year on year.
“Singapore has long been one of our most important buyer markets, and what we are seeing now is a shift in how buyers think about Phuket – not only as a holiday destination, but as a place to live,” said Stuart Reading, Managing Director of Banyan Group Residences. “More people are choosing to make Phuket home, and that is what makes it a sound long-term investment.”
Laguna Phuket is home to more than 70 nationalities, and across Phuket foreign buyers now account for over 60% of condominium purchases, many choosing to live in their properties rather than simply invest.
Banyan Group Residences expects to launch up to USD 1 billion in new luxury projects in Phuket over the next two to three years.
Ranked first in Asia and fifth globally for branded residences (Savills, 2025-26), Banyan Group Residences will showcase six developments at the exhibition, including some of the most exclusive it has ever released:
Banyan Tree Beach Residences Nerea
Just six three-bedroom duplex residences between Laguna Phuket’s lagoons and Bang Tao Beach, with yacht-inspired design, private pools and a home gym in each.
Banyan Tree Beach Residences Oceanus
Sixteen absolute beachfront residences on Bang Tao Beach, each with a private pool and up to 768 square metres of space – among the most luxurious condominiums ever released in Phuket.
Banyan Tree Beach Residences Varuna
Eight four-bedroom beachfront townhomes on Bang Tao Beach, each with a private lift, garden terrace and rooftop infinity pool facing the Andaman Sea sunset.
Angsana Golf Residences Topaz
Two- and three-bedroom residences and penthouses in three low-rise buildings overlooking Laguna Golf Phuket, with private rooftop pools.
Bellaguna Golf Residences
Low-rise buildings amid tropical gardens overlooking Laguna Golf Phuket, with one- to three-bedroom condominiums and two- to three-bedroom penthouses with private pools.
Bellaguna Lake Residences
One- to three-bedroom condominiums and two- to three-bedroom penthouses on the Laguna Phuket lagoon, with private rooftop pools on selected units.
Owners receive Sanctuary Club membership, with privileges at Banyan Group hotels, RAVA Beach Club and Laguna Golf access, plus a year of complimentary property management.
Banyan Living
Owners can also opt into Banyan Living, the Group’s hospitality-led rental and management platform.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Banyan Group
Banyan Group (“Banyan Tree Holdings Limited” or the “Group” – SGX: B58) is an independent, global hospitality company with purpose. The Group prides itself on its pioneering spirit, design-led experiences and commitment to responsible stewardship. Its extensive portfolio spans nearly 130 hotels, resorts and reserves, over 30 branded residences and more than 140 spas and galleries in 28 countries. Comprising 14 hospitality and residential brands, including the flagship brand Banyan Tree, each distinct yet united under the experiential membership programme with Banyan. The founding ethos of “Embracing the Environment, Empowering People” is embodied through the Banyan Global Foundation and Banyan Management Academy. Banyan Group is committed to remaining the leading advocate of sustainable travel, with a focus on regenerative tourism and innovative programmes that elevate the guest experience.
About Laguna Phuket
Laguna Phuket is Asia’s premier integrated resort destination, set against the stunning backdrop of the Andaman Sea. Spanning over 1,000 acres, the resort features six luxury hotels, an award-winning 18-hole golf course, fine dining, luxury spas, and branded residences. Guests benefit from complimentary shuttle services, a cashless payment system, and access to world-class recreational and wellness facilities.
About Banyan Group Residences
Banyan Group Residences is the property development arm of leading hospitality pioneer Banyan Group, listed on the stock exchange of Singapore. With over 35 years of development experience and an impressive portfolio of residential brands to suit different lifestyles and budgets, it is Thailand’s leading lifestyle property developer with a strong and increasingly international pipeline of projects. The Group’s main residential brands include the flagship luxury Banyan Tree Residences, Angsana Residences, Dhawa Residences, Garrya Residences, Laguna Residences, Cassia Residences, Skypark, Laguna Lakelands, and Bellaguna.
Russian health authorities are investigating a mpox infection in a 38-year-old man hospitalised near Moscow, the third patient with the disease admitted to the same hospital within a month. Domodedovo Central Hospital, in the Moscow region, announced the diagnosis on Sunday, November 1, saying the patient had arrived with fever, a skin rash and swollen lymph nodes. His condition was described as satisfactory, and he was receiving […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Gulf governments are pressing for a diplomatic settlement with Iran amid fears that renewed US-Israeli attacks could trigger a wider and more destructive regional war. Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, told the IISS Manama Dialogue in Bahrain on Sunday that Gulf countries were seeking a negotiated escape from a confrontation they had tried to prevent. […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai BYD has designated the Gulf Cooperation Council its leading international expansion priority, announcing plans for additional investment, a regional spare-parts hub and broader technology operations beyond vehicle sales. Executive vice-president Stella Li said the Chinese automotive group intends to strengthen its dealership network and after-sales services while exploring opportunities in battery storage, autonomous driving and robotics across Gulf markets. “The GCC is my […]
Amari Pattaya, OZO North Pattaya and Amari Bangsaen recognised for integrating responsible operations, local engagement and measurable sustainability outcomes
BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 1 November 2026 – ONYX Hospitality Group, a leading hospitality management company in the Asia-Pacific region specialising in hotels, resorts, serviced apartments and luxury residences, has received three awards at the Ultimate Thailand Green Tourism Showcase 2026, organised by Thailand’s Department of Tourism as part of the Chonburi Smart Green Tourism initiative.
Amari Pattaya and OZO North Pattaya were recognised in the Creativity & Innovation category, while Amari Bangsaen received the Unique WOW Experience award.
The three awards demonstrate how ONYX Hospitality Group is translating sustainability into practical, locally relevant action across its properties in Chonburi. Together, they reflect a holistic approach to sustainability management, covering energy and water efficiency, waste management, carbon reduction, community and stakeholder engagement, recognised environmental standards and measurable results.
These achievements bring ONYX for Planet to life at property level. ONYX for Planet is the Group’s sustainability framework, integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles across its business operations and hotel management.
Guided by its Sustainably Crafted Hospitality philosophy, ONYX treats sustainability not as a separate programme, but as part of how it operates, makes decisions, manages resources and creates experiences. This approach includes responsible resource management and procurement, support for local communities and producers, talent development, and guest experiences that connect travellers more meaningfully with the destinations they visit.
Sukamal Mondal, VP – Operations and Sustainability & Community Engagement at ONYX Hospitality Group, said:
“For ONYX Hospitality Group, sustainability creates real value when our principles are translated into meaningful, locally relevant action. Every hotel operates within its own community and environment, so our approach must respond to that context while remaining aligned with ONYX for Planet.
“These awards recognise the work our teams are doing to make responsible practices part of everyday operations and guest experiences. As our approach matures, we are moving beyond individual initiatives to demonstrate impact: what has changed, what value has been created and, wherever possible, how progress can be measured. This is how we strengthen transparency and accountability as we grow.”
Beyond these property-level initiatives, ONYX Hospitality (Thailand) Co., Ltd. has achieved GSTC Hotel Multi-site Certification, demonstrating its alignment with internationally recognised standards for sustainable tourism. The certification was issued by Control Union Singapore Pte. Ltd., a GSTC-accredited Certification Body.
ONYX Hospitality Group has also partnered with CarbonWize to develop its ESG data management system and greenhouse gas emissions monitoring framework, strengthening the Group’s focus on measurement, transparency and accountability.
Through its partnership with SP Group, ONYX is exploring energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions across suitable properties in Thailand. At Amari Don Muang Airport Bangkok Hotel, SP Group’s Cooling-as-a-Service solution has been operational since April 2026 and is expected to reduce energy consumption by more than 40%, save approximately 900,000 kWh of electricity and reduce carbon emissions by around 449 tonnes annually.
Together, the awards and Group-level initiatives demonstrate how ONYX for Planet connects locally relevant action with recognised standards, stronger measurement and operational outcomes. As ONYX Hospitality Group expands across the Asia-Pacific region, this integrated approach will remain part of its long-term business strategy, supporting responsible growth and meaningful value for guests, people, communities and destinations.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About ONYX Hospitality Group:
ONYX Hospitality Group, a reputable force in the Asia-Pacific hospitality industry, operates a collection of comprehensive yet complementary brands – Amari, OZO, Shama and Oriental Residence – catering to the distinctive needs of discerning business and leisure travellers across the region where it has deep expertise. In addition to its brand portfolio, ONYX Hospitality Group also operates additional hospitality services across spa and food & beverage. With six decades of management experience, the company extends its innovative solutions throughout the region, upholding internationally recognised standards and ensuring optimal operational manoeuvrability. By fostering enduring relationships with like-minded business partners, ONYX Hospitality Group delivers unparalleled experiences in a dynamic and competitive market, meeting the ever-evolving demands of travellers.
Britain has defended public backing for Rolls-Royce’s return to the narrowbody aircraft engine market, arguing that international competition and the need to protect aerospace employment justify government involvement despite the manufacturer’s strong profits. Industry Minister Blair McDougall said on Friday that governments had traditionally shared the risks associated with developing aircraft engines. His comments followed an agreement between Rolls-Royce and the government on a proposed £2.5 billion […]
By Dr. Gyan Pathak Real earning of workers in India remained unchanged and there was low quality of employment growth in recent years. Even though extreme poverty in India has been reported declined to 2.6 per cent by World Bank’s Poverty & Equity brief for India released on October 30, 2026. Poverty, Prosperity, and Planet […]
By Ashok Nilakantan Ayers WASHINGTON: With exactly 60 hours remaining until Election Day on November 3, 2026, the battle for control of the United States Congress has reached a fever pitch. Driven by plunging approval ratings for President Donald Trump—which hit a historic low of 37% in the October 30 Emerson College Poll—the political landscape […]
OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman met senior Samsung executives in South Korea on Saturday as the companies pursue cooperation on artificial intelligence infrastructure amid mounting pressure on global memory chip supplies. Samsung said approximately 50 executives from its electronics, financial services and biotechnology businesses attended the meeting at its human resources development centre in Yongin, south of Seoul. The discussions focused on how artificial intelligence could transform […]
US President Donald Trump’s description of Norway as a “shithouse country” has prompted a pointed response from its tourism agency, which is promoting the country’s scenic public toilets after his attack over the Nobel Peace Prize. Visit Norway has circulated a campaign highlighting unusual and picturesque lavatories under the slogan “Norway makes shithouses great again”, turning the president’s remarks into an opportunity to advertise the country’s landscapes. […]
Oil prices finished October with a fourth consecutive monthly gain as an attack on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz and renewed threats to Saudi energy infrastructure heightened fears of further disruption to Middle East supplies. Brent crude futures for December settled on Friday at $117.64 a barrel, up 2.4 per cent, while US West Texas Intermediate crude closed at $104.12, gaining 2.08 per cent. Brent […]
The capital will be deployed in stages across three new business lines, beginning in Brazil.
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 October 2026 – 10 CENTS CAPITAL SDN. BHD. (“10 CENTS CAPITAL”) has completed US$20 million in financing. With the capital, the well-known Malaysian investment holding company is adding three business lines of its own to its investment activities and will deploy the funds in phases, starting in Brazil.
John Lee, Head of International Markets, 10 CENTS CAPITAL.
How the capital will be deployed The three new lines are AI business applications, global multilingual marketing and cross-border B2B trade. Part of the capital will build the technology and service base, including AI tools for customer research, marketing content and localisation, and the service model the business will run on. Another part will support cross-border B2B operations: research, information management and enquiry handling.
The remainder is set aside for market development, beginning with market entry in Brazil, the plan’s first market. Local operations there will be handled by its Brazil operating brand, VIVAMOMENTO.
Strategic rationale Since 2022, 10 CENTS CAPITAL has backed companies across digital technology, e-commerce, consumer services and enterprise services. The three new lines extend that experience into businesses the company builds and runs itself, in areas it already knows well. Funding technology, service and market development together gives each line a complete foundation from the outset, instead of one assembled piece by piece.
“Completing this financing opens a new chapter for our company,” said 10 CENTS CAPITAL Director Peter LIEW. “We will deploy the capital with discipline, one stage at a time, so that each new business stands on a base strong enough to carry the next.”
Outlook Deployment will proceed in phases, starting in Brazil, with further markets to follow as the new business develops. 10 CENTS CAPITAL will report progress at tencentscapital.com/news, and business and media enquiries are welcome via the contact page.
Hashtag: #10CENTSCAPITAL
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About 10 CENTS CAPITAL
10 CENTS CAPITAL SDN. BHD. (Registration No. 202201025952 (1471649-V)) is a well-known Malaysian investment holding company incorporated on 18 July 2022. Focused on business growth and long-term value, it works with companies through capital investment, strategic support and resource connections across four areas: digital technology, e-commerce, consumer services and enterprise services. Company news: tencentscapital.com/news.
By Ashok Nilakantan Ayers WASHINGTON: More than 39 million Americans have already voted. The Democratic candidates are campaigning on the cost of living, and US President Donald Trump is taking his fight into Republican strongholds. The early-voting surge signals intense engagement—but its political meaning remains uncertain. As the United States enters the final stretch of […]
LOS ANGELES, USA – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 October 2026– Drivers in Los Angeles spend an average of approximately 87 hours each year in rush-hour traffic, equivalent to more than three full days. According to the INRIX 2025 Global Traffic Scorecard, this figure is slightly lower than the 88 hours recorded the previous year, while Los Angeles moved from eighth to tenth place among the world’s most congested urban areas.
For commuters, however, this time can be an opportunity: 15 minutes to review a presentation, a few moments to prepare for an important meeting, or a quiet transition from family life to the workday ahead. The key is finding ways to make these moments more meaningful and begin each day in a more positive frame of mind, contributing to overall well-being and happiness.
The in-vehicle experience plays an important role in making that difference. J.D. Power’s 2026 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, which evaluates the emotional appeal and ownership experience of 78,514 new-vehicle owners during the first 90 days of ownership across 37 attributes, found that electric vehicles outperformed internal combustion engine vehicles in nearly every category. The largest gap was in the powertrain category, where EVs scored 109 points higher on a 1,000-point scale.
A 2018 study conducted by the University of York in the United Kingdom also reported positive changes among drivers who switched from diesel vehicles to electric vehicles, including improved concentration, greater calmness and a stronger sense of happiness.
Together, these findings highlight how a morning commute can become a more positive start to the day – with less stress, greater comfort and a stronger sense of control. Rather than allowing rush-hour traffic to drain their energy, commuters can turn their journey into an opportunity to prepare, recharge and feel ready for the day ahead.
This is the spirit behind “Start Strong. Arrive Ready.”, the message Green SM, a Vietnamese-born all-electric taxi service, has chosen to introduce its experience to the U.S. market. Through every electric ride, Green SM aims to help passengers begin their day feeling more positive, comfortable and energized.
Making Every Moment Before Work Count: How a Smoother Ride Enhances the Passenger Experience
This experience comes to life through the VinFast VF 8, a D-segment electric SUV in Green SM’s fleet in Los Angeles. Its spacious interior, clean cabin and smooth, quiet performance offer passengers a welcome moment of comfort amid the pace of urban life. Whether heading to the office or an important appointment, passengers can use the journey to finish emails, review key talking points for a meeting, or simply relax and recharge before the day begins.
A pleasant journey is shaped not only by the vehicle, but also by the quality of service. Green Driver partners are carefully selected and trained, with an emphasis on professionalism, courtesy and attentive service throughout every ride.
For customers booking through the Green SM app, available features provide information about drivers, vehicles and routes, helping passengers follow their journeys and stay informed along the way. Fares and promotional offers are also displayed clearly, making it easier for customers to compare options and choose a ride that suits their needs.
Whether it is a morning ride before an important meeting, a transfer from a hotel to an event venue, or a series of journeys packed into a business trip, Green SM aims to make urban mobility more comfortable and convenient. After all, the value of a ride lies not only in getting passengers to their destinations, but also in helping them arrive feeling relaxed, in control and ready for whatever comes next.
From Vietnam to Los Angeles: Bringing Green Mobility to More People Through the Five Green Goodness Pillars
In mid-October, Green SM officially launched its all-electric taxi service in Los Angeles, marking the brand’s first entry into North America and expanding its global footprint to nine markets. Customers can book rides through the Green SM app, contact the call center or hail a vehicle on the street, with options to meet a range of mobility needs, from everyday commutes and longer journeys to airport transfers.
Across its markets, Green SM builds its service experience around the 5 Good Promises: Good Cars, Good Drivers, Good Price, Good Experience and Good for the Environment. In Los Angeles, these principles are reflected in an all-electric VinFast fleet, transparent fares and promotional offers, professional drivers, attentive service and rides with zero tailpipe emissions.
To celebrate its launch, Green SM is offering special promotions to customers in Los Angeles. New users can enjoy 50% off their fares, up to $12 per ride, on their first five trips. Customers can also sign up for Green Pass membership free of charge and receive 10 discount codes each month, with each code offering 30% off a fare, up to $10.
Founded in Vietnam in 2023, Green SM has steadily expanded its operations, bringing all-electric mobility services to markets around the world, including Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, the Philippines, India, Kazakhstan, Denmark and the Netherlands. The brand has completed approximately 850 million trips covering nearly 6 billion kilometers, helping reduce more than 800,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions, equivalent to the amount of carbon absorbed by approximately 36 million trees.
In the U.S., Green SM says it will progressively strengthen its local operations and recruit and train drivers from the local community, creating additional employment opportunities while contributing to the transition toward greener transportation in Los Angeles and the surrounding region. Alongside its expansion, the brand will continue investing in its fleet, technology, people and service quality, with the goal of building a sustainable, long-term presence in the U.S. market.
From Vietnam to Los Angeles, Green SM’s global journey represents more than an expansion of its brand footprint. It is also an opportunity to bring a greener, more comfortable mobility experience to people in major cities around the world.
Because a productive day can begin with a better ride. Start Strong. Arrive Ready.
Ridger Delivers MUX Private AI Deployment to Shum Wong & Co., Solicitors in Hong Kong
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 October 2026 – Ridger, an AI infrastructure company, today announced the official delivery of its MUX private AI solution to Shum Wong & Co., Solicitors in Hong Kong. The solution features MIMO, the world’s first AI-native storage system, making Shum Wong & Co., Solicitors the first law firm in Hong Kong Northern Metropolis to deploy it.
Representatives from Ridger, Shum Wong & Co., Solicitors, xFusion, and Richee at the delivery ceremony for the first MUX private AI deployment in Hong Kong Northern Metropolis.
Representatives from Ridger, Shum Wong & Co., Solicitors, xFusion, and Fadada’s RicheeAI team attended the delivery ceremony. During the event, Ridger presented the firm with the “Global AI Pioneer Law Firm” certificate in recognition of its forward-looking investment in private AI infrastructure.
The solution brings together AI-native storage and compute infrastructure, a dedicated large language model (LLM) environment, and AI applications tailored to legal workflows. Operating entirely within the firm’s own security perimeter, it marks a significant step toward enabling Hong Kong’s legal profession to harness the productivity of generative AI while safeguarding client data and meeting compliance requirements.
About the Deployment
In space-constrained Hong Kong, Ms. Careen H.Y. Wong, Founding Partner of Shum Wong & Co., Solicitors and Vice President of The Law Society of Hong Kong, set aside room in the Firm’s latest office in the Northern Metropolis for a standard equipment rack, ready for on-premise AI. It is more than a space decision: it reflects her view of the future of legal services—that while harnessing AI to improve efficiency, a firm must retain control of its data and technology boundaries, so that sensitive materials are always properly protected.
Under the engagement, Ridger built a privately owned, independently operable AI foundation for Shum Wong & Co., Solicitors, comprising high-performance storage and data infrastructure optimized for AI workloads, together with a dedicated LLM platform over which the client retains full control of model weights and the inference environment. The platform supports use cases including contract review and risk flagging, legal research and case-law retrieval, large-scale document review in due diligence, drafting and multilingual translation of legal documents, and internal Knowledge Base question answering. It also provides role-based access control, tiered permissions, comprehensive audit trails and content provenance to meet enterprise-grade governance requirements.
Called MUX, the private solution lets the firm begin with no barrier and without capital-intensive build-out or a dedicated server room, scaling on demand; it natively supports Hong Kong’s common law system and integrates seamlessly with existing systems such as email, document management and calendar, embedding AI into lawyers’ daily work. MUX can be ordered directly through Ridger’s website (https://ridger.tech), out of the box.
The delivery reflects the collaboration of legal expertise, AI infrastructure, compute platforms and industry applications: Shum Wong & Co., Solicitors defined the requirements for data confidentiality and on-premise deployment from its actual practice; Ridger provided the end-to-end MUX solution and led its design and integration; xFusion supplied the FusionXpark local AI compute platform and technical support; and Fadada provided the Richee Legal AI Agent Platform, leveraging specialized AI agents and skills to support lawyers in their daily work and improve workflow efficiency. Ridger notes that while an AI model determines capability for a moment, AI infrastructure determines long-term competitiveness.
Why Private AI Matters for the Legal Sector
1. Safeguarding client confidentiality and legal professional privilege
Client materials, transaction documents and dispute information handled by law firms are protected by legal professional privilege (LPP) and strict professional duties of confidentiality. Disclosure to third parties—including public cloud services—may be treated as a waiver of privilege, causing it to be lost and the materials to become disclosable in subsequent proceedings. Private deployment keeps storage, processing and inference entirely within the firm’s own environment, with no disclosure to external providers, preserving privilege and confidentiality at source.
2. Embedding data sovereignty and regulatory compliance
The solution aligns with Hong Kong’s Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486) and is designed with reference to the Privacy Commissioner’s “Checklist on Guidelines for the Use of Generative AI by Employees” and the “Model Framework on AI: Personal Data Protection,” as well as The Law Society of Hong Kong’s 2024 position paper on the impact of AI on the legal profession and the Manifesto on “Legal Ethical Code of Conduct Regarding the Deployment of AI.” It embeds the principles of lawfulness, transparency, traceability, interpretability, security and appropriate human oversight into a unified AI governance framework.
For a firm handling cross-border work, the same private environment also addresses the requirements of the major jurisdictions: for Mainland China, it aligns with the Personal Information Protection Law, the Data Security Law and data-export mechanisms such as security assessments and standard contracts; for Europe, it maps to the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and standard contractual clauses; for the United States, it meets the confidentiality and competence duties under the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and Formal Opinion 512 on generative AI. Because data always remains within the firm’s own perimeter, the firm can confidently meet local data-confidentiality and regulatory expectations wherever its clients are based.
3. Eliminating the hidden risk of “shadow AI”
Where a firm offers no convenient, approved AI tool, individual lawyers may turn to consumer-grade public chatbots for work, creating “shadow AI” that sits outside IT and compliance visibility—unapproved, unlogged and unaudited, with unknown data flows and no clear accountability. MUX channels that demand into a single, visible, auditable controlled environment, giving lawyers the efficiency they want while bringing every use under the institution’s governance and oversight.
4. Keeping institutional knowledge within the firm
The case law, templates and practical know-how accumulated by a firm are core competitive assets. A private platform continuously refined on the firm’s own corpus keeps these assets within the institution and compounds their value over time, rather than depositing them with an external vendor.
5. Ensuring control and business continuity
Private deployment insulates the firm from external API changes, model versioning, service outages or shifts in vendor strategy, giving it full control over capabilities, upgrade timing, cost and availability — a foundation for durable, long-term AI adoption.
Executive Quotes
“For industries built on trust and confidentiality, such as the law, the value of AI should never come at the price of data sovereignty,” said Ray Hu, General Manager Asia-Pacific Region of Ridger. “Private deployment lets a firm turn generative AI into auditable, governable and sustainable productivity without crossing confidentiality lines. We are proud to set this benchmark with Shum Wong & Co., Solicitors”
Ray Hu, General Manager Asia-Pacific Region, Ridger
“In Hong Kong, office space is scarce and precious, but data sovereignty is worth setting aside a place for. Building our own AI infrastructure lets us embrace AI while always safeguarding our clients’ trust and the boundaries of our profession.”
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Ridger Company Limited
Ridger is a technology company focused on data and storage infrastructure for the AI era. The company provides private, high-performance AI infrastructure and solutions that enable enterprises to deploy and run large models and AI applications within their own security perimeter. Through its proprietary storage and data management technologies, Ridger helps clients safeguard data sovereignty, security and compliance while fully realizing the business value of artificial intelligence.
Texas regulators have suspended permits linked to new data centres as Governor Greg Abbott seeks to curb a construction boom that has provoked voter opposition ahead of November’s midterm elections. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality confirmed this month that it had paused permits for construction and infrastructure directly supporting data centres. The commission provided its account after a watchdog examination of permitting records highlighted possible gaps […]
Led by Blockchain Capital, the funding will accelerate the expansion of PhotonPay’s stablecoin-centric Financial OS, connecting stablecoin liquidity with global fiat networks to unlock digital assets for everyday corporate operations and cross-border settlement.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 October 2026 – PhotonPay today announced the closing of a $40 million Series C funding round led by Blockchain Capital, with participation from new investor SBI Group and follow-on investments from existing investors IDG Capital, GL Ventures, and Lightspeed Faction. Blacksheep Technology acted as exclusive financial advisor to PhotonPay on the transaction.
The new capital will support the expansion of PhotonPay’s stablecoin-centric Financial Operating System (Financial OS), with investment focused on enhancing multi-asset wallet capabilities, expanding global card issuing, strengthening local clearing infrastructure in key markets, and developing an agent-ready financial execution layer.
As of August 2026, PhotonPay’s annualized transaction volume reached US$65 billion. The company has secured 34 payment and financial licenses and regulatory authorizations across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and serves over 200,000 business customers across more than 200 countries and territories.
As stablecoins move beyond crypto-native use cases into corporate treasury, settlement and commercial spending, PhotonPay sees the next phase of global finance not as a choice between stablecoins and fiat currencies, but as the convergence of both. Its Financial OS connects on-chain liquidity with the banking, clearing and card networks businesses rely on for everyday operations.
“Moving money across borders in seconds means little if it still takes days to put that capital to work,” said Lewison Chen, Founder and CEO of PhotonPay. “Stablecoins are accelerating global money movement, while local clearing and global card issuing connect that liquidity to local settlement and everyday business spending. Our Financial OS brings these capabilities together, making the underlying infrastructure far less visible to businesses, even as it becomes more essential than ever.”
“At the same time, business software is becoming increasingly autonomous,” Chen added. “AI is shifting financial workflows from people manually operating fragmented tools toward systems that understand business intent and coordinate execution across assets, accounts and financial rails. That creates the foundation for agentic commerce. Stablecoins change how money moves. AI changes how it gets put to work. But commerce is still what money is for.”
Moving Money Across Assets and Markets
PhotonPay’s Financial OS brings together multi-asset wallets, global money movement, foreign exchange, local clearing, and global card issuing through an integrated API-first architecture. This unified system gives businesses access to the financial capabilities they need to manage and deploy funds across markets.
Stablecoins sit at the core of this architecture. PhotonPay’s multi-asset wallet connects stablecoin liquidity with fiat balances, integrating asset conversion, foreign exchange, and local clearing into a single connected workflow. This enables businesses to move funds across supported on-chain and traditional financial networks, turning digital asset liquidity into purchasing power for local payments and everyday corporate spending.
Supporting this dual-rail infrastructure is PhotonPay’s established global financial network. Businesses can open local collection accounts in 17 key markets and receive funds in more than 60 currencies. On the payout side, the network supports over 100 payment routes across local clearing systems, bank transfers, and digital wallets, including payouts to 74 major local e-wallets. Approximately 97% of payout transactions reach recipients within hours or on the same day, with 68% arriving in real time.
Global card issuing extends these capabilities into programmable business spending. Through PhotonPay’s APIs, businesses and platforms can issue virtual and physical cards, configure granular spending controls, and embed card payments directly into their software and automated workflows. Over the past 12 months, PhotonPay issued 4.4 million cards, up 275% YoY.
Beyond its first-party payment solutions, PhotonPay makes its infrastructure available through embedded finance, enabling technology platforms to natively integrate global accounts, payments, and card issuing into their own products. The company now serves more than 100 enterprise and platform partners, extending the reach of its Financial OS into industry-specific workflows.
From Financial Intent to Agentic Commerce
As AI agents assume active operational roles, financial infrastructure must evolve beyond API access to enable programmable, policy-governed execution. It requires systems capable of translating high-level instructions into coordinated financial actions, with deterministic controls governing how those actions are executed.
In May 2026, PhotonPay and Mastercard completed a live agentic payment demonstration using a tokenized PhotonPay card, validating AI-initiated transactions across existing global card networks.
Building on this milestone, PhotonPay is developing standardized financial interfaces designed for developers and AI agents. With planned support for the Model Context Protocol (MCP), PhotonPay aims to make account information, balances, card functions, and payments accessible as composable financial primitives, allowing AI agents to securely retrieve context and initiate financial workflows within defined authorization boundaries.
To govern this agent-ready layer, PhotonPay is developing a policy-based execution framework designed to enforce programmable authorization rules, spending limits, and transaction-level controls. The framework is intended to enable AI agents to coordinate financial tasks across supported accounts and assets, while ensuring that execution remains subject to explicit, enforceable policies set by businesses.
PhotonPay is also advancing its AI-assisted risk review capabilities, designed to identify complex cases for human assessment. Together, these initiatives reflect a foundational principle of autonomous finance: AI may interpret intent and coordinate tasks, but financial execution must remain governed by verifiable authorization, deterministic controls, and auditable records.
“Connecting financial networks is only the beginning. The real breakthrough is abstracting that complexity behind a unified, programmable financial layer, so businesses and AI agents can move from intent to execution within clearly defined boundaries,” said Chen.
Simple on the Surface, Deep by Design
The promise of a Financial OS is simplicity: enabling businesses to manage assets, route money, and execute payments through a unified financial operating layer. Yet delivering that simplicity requires deep financial infrastructure beneath the surface.
While stablecoins accelerate borderless value transfer, turning that liquidity into local settlement, supplier payments, and corporate spending still depends on established banking relationships, domestic clearing rails, foreign exchange infrastructure, and global card networks. Each market brings its own regulatory and operational requirements.
For PhotonPay, building a Financial OS means abstracting these fragmented global networks into a programmable, interconnected financial system. The objective is not to eliminate financial complexity, but to manage it within the underlying infrastructure, so businesses can operate without having to navigate these systems themselves.
“AI can simplify how businesses interact with financial services, but it cannot replace the infrastructure required to deliver them,” said JP Pi, Chief Compliance Officer at PhotonPay. “Establishing local financial capabilities takes years of investment, institutional partnerships, and regulatory engagement. Software or AI models alone cannot replicate that depth. The simplicity businesses experience is the result of that heavy lifting, not a substitute for it.”
PhotonPay has engineered a financial foundation spanning both stablecoin and fiat rails, connecting multi-asset conversion with local clearing networks. Institutional partnerships with J.P. Morgan, Standard Chartered, and DBS, alongside connections to domestic payment systems such as Brazil’s Pix and Mexico’s SPEI, form the backbone of this network.
The new capital will enable PhotonPay to strengthen its local clearing and compliance infrastructure in existing markets while expanding into new jurisdictions, scaling the reach of its Financial OS across corporate spending, embedded finance, and agentic commerce.
“Businesses want one provider that can handle their payments across currencies and markets, whether they’re using bank transfers, stablecoins or cards. Lewison and his team have spent a decade building the banking relationships, licenses and local payment infrastructure to deliver that. We believe PhotonPay’s ability to bring these capabilities together gives it a strong advantage as businesses adopt stablecoins for everyday payments.” – BCAP，Yuanhan Li，Partner
“As stablecoins become increasingly integrated into global payment systems, bridging digital assets with traditional financial infrastructure will be essential to unlocking their real-world potential. PhotonPay’s established global payment network and its vision for a stablecoin-centric Financial OS align closely with SBI Group’s strategy to advance digital financial infrastructure and expand the practical adoption of digital assets. We look forward to supporting PhotonPay’s continued growth and exploring opportunities for strategic collaboration across the SBI Group ecosystem.” – Eiichiro So, CEO & Managing Director of SBI Ven Capital
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About PhotonPay
Founded in Hong Kong in 2015, PhotonPay is a global fintech company building a next-generation, stablecoin-centric Financial Operating System (Financial OS). Its API-first architecture brings together multi-asset wallets supporting stablecoins and fiat currencies, global money movement, foreign exchange, global card issuing, embedded finance, and local clearing infrastructure, connecting digital and traditional financial rails within an integrated financial system.
PhotonPay operates 16 offices worldwide, employs nearly 600 people, and holds 34 payment and financial licenses and regulatory authorizations across the Americas, Europe and Asia. The company serves businesses across more than 200 countries and territories.
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