Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Saudi Arabia’s crude oil exports fell for a third consecutive month in May, reaching the lowest level recorded in more than two decades as conflict-driven shipping disruption across the Gulf constrained the kingdom’s ability to move supplies to overseas buyers. Exports dropped to 3.434 million barrels per day from 3.986 million bpd in April, data submitted to the Joint Organisations Data Initiative showed. […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai A prominent Katrina Kaif fan page has announced its closure after accusing the actor of failing to support students protesting over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and the police response to demonstrations in New Delhi. The Instagram account, named “katholic_fans”, had more than 71,000 followers and had spent years sharing photographs, videos and updates about Kaif. Its administrator said the decision to stop […]
A Russian-speaking cybercriminal has transformed techniques for bypassing Claude’s safety controls into a commercial artificial intelligence platform marketed for offensive penetration testing. The operator, using the online name Trim, moved from publishing a detailed jailbreak tutorial on a Russian-language cybercrime forum on 31 March to advertising a working product called AI Pentest Checker on 21 June. The three-month progression illustrates how quickly instructions for manipulating mainstream AI […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Embraer and Mubadala Investment Company have signed an agreement aimed at expanding aerospace manufacturing, services and technological capabilities in the UAE, strengthening the country’s role in the aircraft maker’s global supply and support network. The agreement establishes a framework for the two companies to assess industrial projects that could increase the amount of Embraer-related work carried out in the UAE and across the […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Sharjah Taxi has completed one million trips booked through the Yango app, marking a significant expansion of digital taxi use in the emirate since the service was launched in February 2025. The milestone reflects rising passenger demand for app-based access to regulated city taxis, combining digital booking, journey tracking and electronic payment options with Sharjah’s established public transport network. The platform allows customers […]
Project CAV3RN has adopted a new communication module that hides command-and-control traffic inside Outlook calendar events, marking a significant upgrade to the cyberespionage framework’s efforts to evade conventional network monitoring. The module, named AzureCommunication. dll, appears designed to replace an earlier component that exchanged instructions and stolen data through HTTP and WebSocket connections. It instead uses Microsoft Graph to access a compromised Microsoft 365 mailbox, turning calendar […]
SpaceX is approaching its first major post-listing share release, with stock worth about $116 billion becoming eligible for sale after the rocket and satellite group publishes its maiden quarterly results as a public company. The release could sharply expand the number of SpaceX shares available to investors and test demand following a volatile first month on the Nasdaq. Employees and some early shareholders will be permitted to […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai ExxonMobil has signed on as a Gold Sponsor of Angola Oil & Gas 2026, strengthening its position in the country as Luanda seeks billions of dollars in investment to sustain crude production and revive exploration. The conference will be held in Luanda on 9 and 10 September, bringing together energy companies, investors, financiers, service providers and policymakers. Angola is promoting an upstream investment […]
By Dr. Gyan Pathak Both Houses – Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha – of the Parliament of India adjourned for the second day of the Monsoon Session on July 21 amid protests by the opposition seeking discussion on the police “brutality unleashed” on students during their “March to Parliament” on July 20. The March was […]
The article Parliament Adjourned For The Second Day On Police Brutality Unleashed On Students appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Yemen’s Houthi movement has declared a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, adding another unofficial customs authority to one of the world’s busiest and most heavily armed stretches of water. Military spokesperson Yahya Saree announced on Monday that the measure would take effect immediately, apparently concluding that international shipping had enjoyed far too much clarity about which sea lane might be attacked next. The […]
By Dr. Gyan Pathak The issues of irregularities in examinations in India and the theft of donations in Ram Temple at Ayodhya rocked the parliament on the first day of the Monsoon Session on July 20 and that led to adjournment of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha until 12 PM just after obituary […]
The article Opposition Parties Rock Parliament In Support Of Fasting Sonam And CJP Protest March appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).
Markets rarely break for one reason. Right now there are four forces pulling at global equities simultaneously, and none of them has fully played out yet. Investors heading into next week need to understand all four, because treating any single one in isolation misses the bigger picture. Start with the rotation nobody predicted a month ago. Tech has stalled while old-economy value has caught a bid. The […]
US stocks rose on Monday as chipmakers recovered from last week’s sell-off, reassuring investors that artificial intelligence remains perfectly capable of generating profits, provided nobody asks where the profits are. The S&P 500 gained about 0.6%, while the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite advanced roughly 0.9%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average posted a smaller rise as traders concentrated on semiconductor shares, corporate earnings and the comforting possibility that another […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai DUBAI — The World Economic Forum has recognised UAE PASS as a global model for integrated digital government infrastructure, confirming that civilisation can function without citizens carrying a folder containing six photocopies, three passport photographs and a letter proving that the letter exists. The recognition places the UAE’s national digital identity system among leading examples of how governments can connect public and private […]
Electric cars with comparable specifications became substantially more affordable in Germany between 2020 and 2025, even as the typical advertised price rose sharply because manufacturers expanded their ranges towards larger and more expensive vehicles. Inflation-adjusted list prices for battery electric vehicles fell by about 18 per cent over the five-year period after differences in weight, engine power and driving range were taken into account. Prices for comparable […]
SHANGHAI, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 July 2026 – On 17 July, the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) officially opened in Shanghai. UnionPay unveiled three proprietary AI technologies developed for the financial sector at the Shanghai exhibition area: financial transaction time-series foundation model, the Agentic Payment Open Protocol (APOP) framework, and a privacy-preserving large language model inference solution. As the AI era unfolds, the showcase highlights UnionPay’s continued commitment to accelerating the adoption of digital and intelligent technologies.
On 18 July, UnionPay hosted the Release of Phased Achievements of the National Pilot Base for AI Application (Financial Sector) at the UnionPay Center alongside WAIC 2026. The event brought together more than 100 representatives from commercial banks, Chinese and international partners, leading technology companies, academia, and research institutions. During the event, UnionPay released its “1+6+N” AI achievements framework, announced a series of industry partnerships, and launched a joint initiative calling for greater collaboration on the development and governance of the financial industry. These achievements demonstrate the progress of the National AI Application Pilot Base in building an open innovation platform that accelerates AI adoption across the industry.
Dong Junfeng, Chairman of China UnionPay and UnionPay International, attended the event and delivered a keynote speech. He noted that AI is rapidly reshaping the financial industry. Since the National AI Application Pilot Base was launched in 2025, it has delivered a number of meaningful outcomes through close collaboration across the industry. Mr. Dong elaborated on the vision for the development of the base from through three dimensions: sharing, collaborative governance, and mutual benefits. First, by pooling computing resources, data and models on a centralized public platform, the base helps address industry challenges such as the high cost of computing resources and data silos. This lowers barriers to AI adoption across the financial sector. Second, the base has strengthened AI security by building robust safeguards for large language models and applying AI to enhance transaction risk management and cybersecurity. Such efforts are made to support a safer and more resilient financial ecosystem. Third, the base is accelerating the AI adoption across real-world use cases. It has incubated a range of commercial AI solutions spanning agentic payments, credit risk management, consumption promotion and merchant digital transformation, turning technological innovation into tangible business value. Looking ahead, the future of AI + Finance holds enormous potential. UnionPay looks forward to working with partners across industries to build an open, shared, and well-governed financial AI ecosystem that supports the development of new productive forces through technological innovation.
A highlight of the event was the official launch of UnionPay’s “1+6+N” AI achievements framework.
The “1” represents a unified portal—the National AI Application Pilot Base. Built on a “One Portal, Six Centers” structure, it integrates six specialized centers covering models, datasets, applications, talent development, supply-demand matching, and financial services. Together, the platform currently hosts 11 models, 14 datasets, 59 demonstration applications, and 61 service offerings, bringing together 145 core resources in total.
The “6” refers to six independent and controllable capabilities, including computing resources scheduling through a trusted intelligent computing sharing platform, high-quality financial datasets, finance-specific foundation models, AI-powered financial security services, financial AI standards, and a pilot testing sandbox that supports model training and evaluation. Together, these six capabilities form the base’s shared technology foundation, providing ecosystem partners with the core technical infrastructure.
The “N” represents a portfolio of benchmark use cases, standardized AI solutions, and demonstration applications built on this technology foundation. These applications span five key areas—intelligent payments, inclusive finance, consumption growth, risk management and compliance, and operational excellence—building a multi-tier product portfolio serving consumers, merchants, local governments and financial institutions. This accelerates the application of AI capabilities across diverse use cases.
Together, the “1+6+N” framework of the base connects computing power, data, models, and use cases and forms an end-to-end value chain. By addressing common industry challenges—including limited computing resources, data silos and the high cost of AI deployment—it delivers standardized and widely accessible AI capabilities, providing the financial industry with reusable, highly secure and one-stop AI solutions for intelligent transformation. This also reflects UnionPay’s commitment not only to driving its own business growth, but also to enabling the industry through foundational capabilities and reinforcing financial infrastructure for the AI era.
These achievements have already been made available to industry partners and are beginning to create value. For banks, acquirers and other financial institutions, UnionPay’s shared infrastructure enables rapid access to mature financial AI capabilities without the need to build systems from scratch, significantly reducing both technical barriers and implementation costs. For merchants, UnionPay offers AI-powered marketing, digital analytics and intelligent risk management tools to support smarter operations, improve customer engagement and enhance operational efficiency, enabling even small and medium-sized businesses to benefit from AI innovation. For technology companies and other ecosystem partners, the base enables partners to rapidly adapt AI products for financial applications and complete compliance validation, accelerating the commercialization of technological innovations.
The event also featured six rounds of partnership signing ceremonies, covering areas including AI-themed card, cross-border agentic payment ecosystem development, AI-powered operational empowerment for merchants, joint commercialization of pilot base innovations, and broader ecosystem collaboration across the financial industry chain.
Following the signing ceremonies, UnionPay released the Initiative on the Collaborative Development and Governance of AI Applications in Financial Services, with representatives from participating organizations joining the stage to witness its launch. Building on the “1+6+N” framework, the initiative calls on industry stakeholders to collaborate in four areas: First, advancing trusted AI systems that serve the real economy by establishing governance mechanisms for traceable and explainable algorithms while safeguarding data privacy and security; Second, strengthening collaboration among industry, academia, research institutions and users, leveraging the base to jointly advance core technologies and develop independent and secure financial AI infrastructure; Third, promoting openness and inclusiveness by sharing mature AI models, testing services and implementation solutions to reduce the cost of intelligent transformation, particularly for SMEs; Fourth, improving lifecycle governance through tiered risk management, enhanced compliance standards and coordinated risk prevention. The initiative calls on all industry stakeholders to work together by jointly strengthening the foundation, unlocking greater value through shared capabilities, and reinforcing collaborative governance, with the goal of advancing the sound development of AI in the financial sector and driving digital finance through technological innovation.
Hashtag: #UnionPay
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Key takeaways:
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 July 2026 – Most Malaysians practice the same unspoken rules: take off your shoes at the door, keep the noise down after 10pm, ask for permission if you are bringing durian into someone else’s house, and whatever you do, don’t be the reason the neighbour complains. A new survey by YouGov, commissioned by Airbnb, suggests these habits don’t stay home. For most Malaysians, they travel.
The survey of 1,000 Malaysians who had stayed in a homestay in Malaysia within the past year found that 85% consider being a respectful homestay guest to be highly important, and 9 in 10 describe themselves as good or excellent guests*. But what sets Malaysian travellers apart isn’t just their attitude – it’s the reason behind it. The top motivators for good behaviour are common sense (61%), respect for the host (60%), and personal values (59%)*.
Malaysians also link their behaviour to something larger – seeing considerate guesting as a natural extension of Malaysian values of respect and consideration for others*. 82% say they would genuinely feel bad if their behaviour disturbed a neighbour during a stay, and 4 in 5 feel a sense of responsibility towards the surrounding community*.
Malaysians are not just polite, they go above and beyond
Good intentions, it turns out, translate into action. Around 60% of respondents surveyed stated that they consistently exhibit considerate behaviours during stays – keeping noise down after dark, parking without blocking others, following house rules, and disposing of rubbish properly. Two-thirds of those surveyed treat homestays like how they would treat their own homes, doing things beyond basic house rules. During their recent homestays, the majority of guests surveyed reported that they washed all the dishes before checking out, took out the rubbish, and tidied up the space — with some going even further to leave thank-you notes, water plants, or tidy beyond anything they’d touched. And 77% say they regularly check house rules before or at the start of a stay, not because they have to, but because they want to get it right.
Together, these everyday actions show that many Malaysians see short-term rentals and homestays as more than just one-off accommodations but an invitation into someone else’s home and community.
The durian dilemma
That same care also shows up in sticky, durian-sized situations. Durian season is here, prices are at an all-time low, and so is the age-old question of how to enjoy it without upsetting the neighbours in shared spaces. The report shows that Malaysians are mindful about strong-smelling food in shared buildings. Notably, rather than risk inconveniencing their host, 8 in 10 respondents say they would either ask the host first, eat durian outside or in the car park, or avoid bringing it altogether*. It’s a small gesture, but it captures something real: Malaysians don’t need a rule for every situation. They already know how to read the room.
A familiar way for Malaysians to travel
Short-term rentals are now part of the fabric of how Malaysians travel and of the neighbourhoods they travel through.
Among respondents, 60% say they choose short-term rentals or homestays for better value for money, 46% cited home-like amenities such as kitchens and laundry facilities, and 44% the ability to stay together as a group*. The survey also suggests that home-sharing has become a familiar part of many Malaysian neighborhoods. Among respondents who say that there are short-term rentals or homestays in their neighbourhoods, 96% have no objections – with 71% even expressing that they’re comfortable having one next door – reflecting growing familiarity with home-sharing across communities.
Where host standards meet guest expectations
Airbnb’s internal data reflects the same picture. From March 2025 to March 2026, over 97% of stays made in Malaysia on Airbnb were completed without any complaints or reported issues**. Guest Favourite listings in Malaysia – homes recognised for consistently delivering outstanding guest experiences – grew by over 40% between March 2024 to March 2026***. When guests arrive as good neighbours, the whole ecosystem benefits.
For Airbnb, the data tells a consistent story: a community that takes pride in the experience, on both sides of the door.
Amanpreet Bajaj, Airbnb’s Country Head for Southeast Asia and India, said, “At Airbnb, the most meaningful travel experiences happen when guests feel connected not just to a place, but to the people and communities around them. That comes down to small acts of consideration and kindness — neighbourly traits that come naturally to many Malaysians. As more people choose home-sharing for group trips and shared experiences, we want to continue fostering a culture of respectful travel, helping domestic and inbound travellers understand local customs, community expectations, and what it means to be a thoughtful guest. Together, we can ensure the benefits of travel are felt not just by guests and hosts, but by the neighbourhoods that welcome them.”
Helping travellers stay like good neighbours
As part of its commitment to responsible travel, Airbnb has launched the Good Guest Guide – a practical resource offering tips on how to enjoy Malaysia like a local while being a respectful guest and neighbour. The guide builds on Airbnb’s existing platform measures, including reservation screening technology, a global disruptive party ban, and the Guide to Responsible Hosting in Buildings, which provides hosts, guests, and strata communities with a Code of Conduct, a Neighbourhood Support Line, and reference by-laws for short-term rental activity in Malaysian buildings. From August 2026, the guide will be available for hosts to feature in their listings and will be emailed to all first-time guests booking in Malaysia.
*Based on a survey conducted by YouGov between 22 May – 8 June 2026, commissioned by Airbnb, of 1,000 Malaysian citizens aged 18–45 who had travelled domestically and stayed in a short-term rental or homestay within the past 12 months.
**Based on internal Airbnb data for stays booked in Malaysia from March 2025 to March 2026
***Based on internal Airbnb data for listings in Malaysia from March 2024 to March 2026
Hashtag: #Airbnb
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 5.5 million hosts who have welcomed 2.5 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.
Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem has taken direct charge of MMC Port Holdings following the immediate departure of group chief executive Azman Shah Mohd Yusof, placing Malaysia’s largest port operator under the control of its Emirati executive chairman. An internal company memorandum dated July 12 instructed employees to direct matters previously handled by the group chief executive to Bin Sulayem’s office. It did not explain Azman Shah’s departure […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Iran has claimed that ballistic missiles and drones destroyed several US military aircraft stationed in Jordan, widening a fast-escalating exchange of attacks across the Middle East. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the operation targeted US fighter jets and aerial refuelling aircraft at military facilities in Jordan. It claimed several aircraft were destroyed and others seriously damaged, but offered no independently verifiable evidence. […]
By Nitya Chakraborty Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s announcement last week to return to her country in December this year ending her exile in India, has created big interests in global diplomatic circles, apart from India and Bangladesh. In an interview to the Reuters, she said that she intends to return to her own […]
The article Decoding Sheikh Hasina’s Announcement On Returning To Dhaka In December appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).
Aveline San, CEO and Head of Banking at Citi Hong Kong said the AI Day was designed to help students translate innovative ideas into real-world applications, with a strong focus on human-centered design and the responsible use of AI, bringing their purpose-driven ideas one step closer to real-world impact.
With the help of Citi AI mentors and David Kwan, Founder and CEO of AI advisory platform JobsTaylor, student teams from six secondary schools worked on concept testing, building app prototypes and applying AI to enhance user experience. The Citi mentors also shared their own experience in using AI to raise productivity and address business pain points at work.
Vicky Kong, Head of Wealth for Asia North and Australia at Citi, who served as a judge at the pitch competition final commended the students for their creativity, energy and passion for driving positive change. She encouraged them to stay curious, embrace feedback and build on their ideas beyond the competition as they continue their innovation journey.
In a fireside chat moderated by Sarah O, Head of Digital Growth & Cards and Unsecured Lending Sales at Citi Hong Kong, the students also had the opportunity to learn from Dr. Miles Wen, Co-Founder and CEO of Fano Labs who shared his entrepreneurial journey, experience in navigating the startup ecosystem, as well as advice on dealing with challenges and setbacks.
Organized by the SEED Foundation, the IdeaPOP! program has engaged over 3,000 students in Hong Kong since its inception in 2022. Participants have developed more than 750 technology-based solutions aimed at addressing local societal needs.
Click HERE to download the photos
Photo 1:Aveline San, Citi Hong Kong’s CEO and Head of Banking(middle in the front row) hosted an AI Day for students at Citi’s office alongside Citi AI mentors, Ken Lo, SEED Foundation CEO (left in the front row) and David Kwan, Founder and CEO of JobsTaylor (right in the front row) guiding students on turning their ideas into real-world social solutions.
Photo 2: Vicky Kong, Head of Wealth for Asia North and Australia at Citi (right), Dr. Miles Wen, Co-Founder and CEO forFano Labs (middle) and Sarah O, Head of Digital Growth & Cards and Unsecured Lending Sales at Citi Hong Kong (left)exchanged ideas on the art of pitching and entrepreneurial mindset with student teams during the workshop. Dr. Wen shared his own entrepreneurial journey as well as advice on navigating the startup ecosystem and mastering investor pitches.
Hashtag: #Citi
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Uganda has begun a 42-day countdown towards declaring its Ebola outbreak over after the final confirmed patient tested negative twice and was discharged from hospital on Thursday. The patient, a national of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, had been receiving treatment at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala. Health authorities said the country could be declared free of the outbreak if no additional infections are detected […]
Guardian Fire Services has acquired Nebraska-based Midwest Protection Services, extending the Investcorp-backed fire and life safety platform into the Omaha market as consolidation accelerates across the US safety-services industry. Financial terms were not disclosed. The transaction is Guardian’s second acquisition since Investcorp bought the Nashville-headquartered company from Northern Lakes Capital in December 2025, highlighting an early push to expand the platform through regional purchases. Midwest Protection Services […]
The US military has disabled an oil tanker sailing towards Iran’s main crude export terminal, marking the first publicly disclosed attack on a commercial vessel since Washington renewed its blockade of Iranian ports. A US aircraft fired Hellfire missiles into the smokestack of the empty, Curaçao-flagged M/T Belma after the vessel ignored repeated warnings while crossing international waters towards Kharg Island. The strike left the tanker unable […]
https://news.airbnb.com/ms
