Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Saudi Arabia has moved to open its real estate market to foreign ownership, marking one of the most consequential shifts in the Kingdom’s investment policy as it seeks to diversify its economy and deepen capital inflows beyond hydrocarbons. The reform allows non-Saudis to buy a broad range of properties, including residential, commercial, agricultural and industrial assets, with the option to purchase land for […]
Photon HQ has released an open-source iMessage Kit that allows developers to automate Apple’s messaging system on macOS, a move that broadens access to a platform long guarded by Apple’s tightly controlled ecosystem. The toolkit enables programmatic interaction with iMessage through local databases and system scripting, opening the door to AI-driven assistants, workflow automation and experimental messaging tools that previously sat beyond the reach of independent developers. […]
Walmart plans to scale its drone delivery programme with Alphabet-owned Wing, aiming to serve about 40 million people across the United States by 2027 as it pushes automated logistics deeper into everyday retail. The expansion is designed to shorten delivery times for small items to under 30 minutes and sharpen competition with Amazon in fast fulfilment. The retailer intends to add drone operations to roughly 150 additional […]
Robinhood Markets has set out plans to build an Ethereum layer-2 network as part of a broader push to deepen its role in crypto trading, tokenised equities and on-chain yield products, arguing that anchoring the project to Ethereum’s security is central to winning user trust and regulatory confidence. The brokerage, best known for commission-free equity trading, says the layer-2 is designed to handle higher transaction volumes at […]
A large cache of personal information linked to 17.5 million Instagram accounts is being traded on dark web marketplaces, triggering renewed scrutiny of data protection practices at one of the world’s most widely used social media platforms. Cybersecurity researchers say the dataset, advertised by criminal brokers, contains usernames, email addresses, phone numbers and partial location details, information that could be exploited for identity theft, fraud and targeted […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai is positioning itself as a magnet for global content creators, with the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy setting out the emirate’s pitch as a base where talent, technology and market access converge. The chamber says Dubai’s ability to attract specialised creative professionals, alongside its digital infrastructure and business-friendly regulation, has become a decisive advantage for creators who depend on high-end production teams […]
Meta has secured access to as much as 6.6 gigawatts of nuclear power through a cluster of agreements with established utilities and advanced reactor developers, underscoring how the energy demands of artificial intelligence are rewriting the investment playbook for Big Tech and the power sector alike. The arrangements, involving power supply and development pathways with Vistra, Constellation, TerraPower and Oklo, aim to underpin Meta’s expanding network of […]
By Nitya Chakraborty U.S. commerce secretary Howard Lutnick’s stunning podcast on Thursday claiming that the bilateral India-US trade deal was almost ready but was not signed as Prime Minister did not call the U.S. President Donald Trump as was expected by the Americans. This lack of proper gesture on the part of the Indian PM […]
The article Modi Mustn’t Rush To Appease Trump On Trade Deal, Explore Options appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).
Polygon Labs has rolled out a new financial infrastructure initiative branded the Open Money Stack, positioning it as a foundational layer for what the company describes as the next stage in the evolution of Polygon’s blockchain ecosystem. Announced on January 8, the framework is designed to bring together payments, decentralised finance and tokenised assets into a unified, open system aimed at both developers and institutions seeking […]
Decentralised derivatives trading on public blockchains has crossed a defining threshold, with on-chain perpetual futures volumes touching about $12 trillion over the past year as traders migrated from centralised venues to faster, cheaper and more transparent rails. Data compiled across major protocols show that activity more than tripled through the year, with monthly volumes cresting near $1.8 trillion in October, underscoring how on-chain markets have matured from […]
President Donald Trump pressed executives from major oil companies on Friday to commit at least $100 billion of private capital to rebuild Venezuela’s depleted oil industry, but several leaders voiced deep reservations about the risks and structural barriers to doing business in the South American country. The meeting, held in the East Room of the White House and attended by representatives from ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips and other […]
RAKBANK has secured in-principle approval from the Central Bank of the UAE to issue a dirham-backed stablecoin, marking a significant step in the country’s effort to anchor digital finance within a regulated banking framework. The approval places the Ras Al Khaimah-based lender among a widening circle of UAE financial institutions seeking to deploy tokenised money for payments, settlements and treasury use as demand accelerates across regional and […]
Through Etiqa’s Project Firefly, Etiqa is taking proactive steps to preserve and sustain the ecosystem by planting 130 Sonneratia Caseolaris or locally known as Berembang saplings and 200 Sonneratia Caseolaris seeds, undertaking habitat restoration works, and mobilising 50 Etiqa volunteers for a community-driven initiative along Sungai Panjang, covering a total stretch of 10 kilometres. In addition, an awareness session was conducted by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Faculty of Science which aimed to educate participants on the ecological importance of fireflies and the need for long-term conservation.
Fireflies play an important role as indicators of mangrove ecosystem health, which in turn supports environmental balance and benefits surrounding communities. However, across Malaysia, firefly populations are declining due to rapid habitat loss caused by river pollution, deforestation, and increasing light pollution along mangrove-lined rivers. These threats not only endanger native species but also affect the livelihoods of local fishermen and villagers who rely on healthy river ecosystems and firefly-based eco-tourism. Protecting congregating firefly zones through the preservation of adequate vegetation buffers along riverbanks is therefore critical to ensuring the long-term survival of these species and the sustainability of local livelihoods.
Fukhairudin Mohd Yusof, CEO of Etiqa General Insurance Berhad (EGIB) said, “We initiated Etiqa’s Project Firefly as conserving native firefly species is deeply connected to the well-being of the communities that co-exist around them. By conserving firefly habitats, we are not only protecting an irreplaceable part of Malaysia’s biodiversity but also helping sustain the eco-tourism and river-based livelihoods of Sungai Panjang residents. This reflects Etiqa’s purpose in Making the World a Better Place that includes meaningful environmental action which strengthens both nature and society, creating long-term value for future generations.”
Mr. I.S Shanmugaraj, Executive Director of Malaysia Nature Society says, “Fireflies are natural indicators of a healthy mangrove ecosystem, and their presence reflects the overall condition of our rivers and surrounding environments. We commend Etiqa for taking proactive steps through Etiqa’s Project Firefly to address the growing threats of habitat degradation along fireflies corridor. Meaningful conservation requires collective action, and we hope this initiative will inspire more companies to collaborate with environmental organisations and local communities to protect biodiversity while supporting sustainable livelihoods for the long term.”Hashtag: #Etiqamy
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Etiqa is a multi-channel distributor of Insurance and Takaful products via its 10,000 agency force, 44 branches and 17 offices, over 490 bancassurance network (via Maybank branches, third-party banks, as well as co-operatives and brokers) through its presence in Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia and Cambodia.
In striving to make the world a better place, Etiqa’s Sustainability journey focuses on internal initiatives that reduces its carbon footprint and increases its social impact, as well as external solutions that allow its clients to do the same.
Crypto exchange OKX has cut a significant portion of staff from its institutional business as part of a wider global restructuring, people familiar with the matter said, marking one of the most substantial internal overhauls at the company since it began expanding beyond retail trading. According to one source with knowledge of the changes, roughly one-third of the institutional sales team has exited, either through redundancies or […]
Boltz has raised $28 million in fresh funding while entering a strategic partnership with Pfizer that underscores the accelerating push by major drugmakers to embed artificial intelligence deeper into biomolecular research. The deal combines Pfizer’s extensive scientific datasets and therapeutic development expertise with Boltz’s open-source foundation models designed to analyse and generate biological data, aiming to shorten discovery timelines and improve the odds of clinical success. The […]
Families heading to Global Village are being welcomed by a child-focused programme that blends large-scale play, character encounters and evening spectacle, as Wonderers’ Kids Fest runs from January 9 through February 15 with access included in the venue’s entry ticket. Operating daily between 4pm and 10pm, the festival has been positioned as a centrepiece of the winter calendar for households seeking structured, screen-free entertainment alongside the destination’s […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Abu Dhabi Fund for Development has unveiled a new financing push aimed at reshaping how water projects are funded and delivered across developing economies, signalling a shift towards larger-scale capital mobilisation and technology-led solutions. The initiative, branded as the Abu Dhabi Global Water Platform, sets out to mobilise $2 billion from domestic and international financiers to back projects that improve water access, […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Turkish Airlines has broken ground on a broad package of infrastructure projects valued at more than 100 billion lira, signalling a long-term commitment to expand capacity, resilience and training as global aviation demand continues to normalise. The carrier said the programme, equivalent to about $2.3 billion at prevailing exchange rates, spans eight new facilities across several locations in Türkiye and is designed to […]
Internet access and telephone networks across Iran were cut late on Thursday after crowds poured onto streets and residents shouted from rooftops in multiple cities, according to witnesses and digital rights monitors, marking a sharp escalation in nationwide unrest. Demonstrations flared after an appeal by exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi for a coordinated show of defiance, prompting gatherings in the capital Tehran and other urban centres. Within […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Sharjah Public Libraries has drawn its centennial programme to a close after a year of events that traced a century of public access to knowledge in the emirate, ending with a children’s puppet theatre performance at the Heart of Sharjah and creative workshops at Kshisha Park. The finale brought together families, educators and cultural practitioners, reflecting the institution’s long-standing focus on literacy, learning […]
MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 January 2026 – Paymentology, the leading global issuer processor, has shared a new ‘Quick Start Guide’ that gives fintechs, banks and brands a clear route to launching card programmes in the Philippines. Created with consulting firm Flagship Advisory Partners, the guide turns market structure, operating models, regulatory roles and delivery steps into a practical path from idea to go-live.
Card adoption in the Philippines is accelerating at pace. New virtual banks are launching, and rural banks are expanding their models with modern payment methods, all to meet the needs of hundreds of millions of transactions and a rapidly digitising population. In 2025, Filipinos used 283 million cards to move PHP 11.3 trillion, with debit driving five billion annual transactions, prepaid topping 100 million cards and commercial cards surging at 21% growth a year. That mix creates prime conditions for new programmes, provided issuers set clear responsibilities, choose a model that fits and plug into local rails like BancNet.
Minh Ha Truong, Head of Growth Asia Pacific at Paymentology, said: “Launching cards in the Philippines isn’t just about speed to market, it’s about building a sustainable model that can scale within a highly localised ecosystem. This guide distils the practical decisions issuers need to make around operating models, compliance and local rails like BancNet, so they can focus on delivering differentiated products and sustainable growth.”
Paymentology’s Quick Start Guide for New Card Programmes in the Philippines shows issuers how to pick the right operating model – whether technical processing, programme management or co‑branded – and how to define responsibilities across the ecosystem. It also explains how licence sponsors and programme managers can reduce compliance burden while maintaining control of the customer experience. What’s inside the Quick Start Guide for New Card Programmes in the Philippines:
Erik Howell, Partner at Flagship Advisory Partners, also commented: “Launching a card product here involves a specific mix of licensing, scheme requirements, operating decisions and the use of local rails. Working with Paymentology, we’ve brought these elements together in a way that helps issuers approach the market with clarity and confidence.”
The Quick Start Guide to Card Programmes in the Philippines is available to download now at: https://www.paymentology.com/guide/issuing-new-card-programmes-philippines
Hashtag: #CardProgramme #Payments #NextGenerationPayments #Fintech
https://www.paymentology.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/paymentology/
https://x.com/Paymentology
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Solana Mobile plans to distribute its long-awaited SKR token on January 21, marking a significant step in the company’s effort to build a self-contained mobile ecosystem around blockchain applications. The token will be airdropped to users of the Seeker smartphone and to developers participating in Solana Mobile’s app environment, according to an announcement made on Wednesday. The launch places Solana Mobile at the centre of a growing […]
Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East will stage its opening rounds of the 2026 season at Dubai Autodrome on 24 and 25 January, bringing one of the region’s most competitive one-make racing championships back to the United Arab Emirates after an interval away from the circuit. The event will be hosted by Porsche Centre Dubai and Northern Emirates, part of Al Nabooda Automobiles, and is expected to draw […]
ADNOC Drilling has formally entered Oman’s onshore drilling services sector, marking a strategic expansion beyond its core home market after completing the purchase of a controlling stake in a land-rig joint venture with SLB that operates six rigs in the sultanate. The move positions the company to participate more directly in Oman’s upstream development plans at a time when regional producers are prioritising operational efficiency, drilling intensity […]
