OpenAI has accused Elon Musk of staging a last-minute legal manoeuvre ahead of a jury trial due to begin on 27 April in Oakland, California, deepening a dispute that has grown from a fight over the company’s founding ideals into one of the most consequential courtroom battles in artificial intelligence. The latest exchange came after Musk amended his claims against OpenAI and Microsoft, widening the remedies he […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority said a temporary technical issue disrupted services across multiple channels on Sunday, affecting access to its app and website and triggering complaints from users who said they were unable to complete tasks such as parking payments. The authority said its team was working to restore services as quickly as possible, while asking customers for understanding as the problem […]
Adobe has issued an emergency update for Acrobat and Reader after confirming that a zero-day vulnerability tracked as CVE-2026-34621 is being exploited in the wild, putting Windows and macOS users on notice to install the patch quickly. The company assigned the update a Priority 1 rating, its most urgent category for product security bulletins, and said successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution. The flaw affects […]
Service My Car and PlusX Electric have formed a partnership aimed at making life easier for households in the UAE that own both petrol-powered vehicles and electric cars, as mobility providers race to adapt to a market that is adding EVs faster than the after-sales ecosystem has traditionally been built to handle. The agreement links a mainstream digital servicing platform with an EV-focused charging and support business, […]
Dubai has unveiled a parking-linked retail incentive that will allow motorists to recover paid parking costs as cashback when they shop at participating neighbourhood businesses, in a move that blends urban mobility policy with support for smaller traders. The initiative, called Spots for Shops, is being introduced by Parkin, the emirate’s public parking operator, with the first phase due to go live on the Parkin app in […]
Beijing has pushed its reusable space programme a step further with the launch of an experimental spacecraft that state media described as a technology-verification mission, underlining how the country is trying to cut launch costs, raise flight tempo and broaden the range of missions it can carry out in orbit. The spacecraft was launched on 7 February aboard a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, in what was the fourth publicly disclosed mission of this type since 2020.
Chinese authorities released only a brief account of the flight, saying the spacecraft would verify reusable-spacecraft technologies and support the peaceful use of space. No official duration was given, and no details were provided on the systems being tested, the orbit reached or the vehicle’s configuration. That secrecy has become a hallmark of the programme and makes it difficult to judge exactly how far the technology has advanced, but the pattern of repeated flights suggests a sustained effort rather than a one-off demonstration.
Chronology matters here. China’s first disclosed flight in September 2020 lasted about two days. A second spacecraft launched in August 2022 stayed in orbit for 276 days before landing in May 2023. A third mission, launched in late 2023, returned in September 2024 after 268 days in orbit. Those longer flights point to growing confidence in long-duration autonomous operations, recovery procedures and mission endurance. Outside observers have often compared the craft with the United States’ X-37B-style approach to reusable uncrewed orbital vehicles, though Beijing has not publicly confirmed such comparisons.
This mission also fits into a much wider acceleration in Chinese space activity. On 7 April, China used a Long March-8 rocket from the Hainan commercial launch site to place 18 internet satellites into orbit for the Qianfan constellation. On 11 April, it carried out a sea launch using a Smart Dragon-3 rocket from waters off Guangdong, sending up a test satellite aimed at supporting satellite internet technology. Taken together, those launches show a programme expanding on several fronts at once: reusable vehicles, commercial launch infrastructure and large low-Earth-orbit communications networks.
Beyond low-Earth orbit, China is tying these advances to a broader national space agenda. Beijing is aiming for a crewed lunar landing by 2030 and is developing the Long March-10 rocket, the Mengzhou spacecraft and the Lanyue lunar lander for that effort. At the same time, the Chang’e-7 lunar probe is scheduled for launch in the second half of 2026. That means the reusable-spacecraft programme should be viewed less as an isolated experiment than as one part of an expanding architecture that spans launch systems, spacecraft design, lunar exploration and space-based connectivity.
Money and industrial policy are also shaping the picture. Reuters has reported that Beijing is funnelling more support towards private launch companies as it tries to build capacity for large satellite constellations and reduce reliance on state-owned providers alone. CAS Space has targeted fresh capital for reusable rocket research, while LandSpace and other firms are also turning to capital markets. Separate policy changes have given reusable-rocket developers a faster route to listing, provided they meet technical milestones, showing how closely commercial launch activity is now aligned with national strategic goals.
Yet the programme’s momentum should not be mistaken for mastery. China is advancing, but it is still chasing a lead established by SpaceX in frequent booster recovery and reflight. On 3 April, Space Pioneer said the maiden flight of its Tianlong-3 reusable rocket had failed, and Reuters reported that no Chinese firm had yet demonstrated the ability to recover and reuse a rocket’s main stage. LandSpace plans another recovery test for its Zhuque-3 rocket this year, while the Long March-12B reusable rocket completed a static firing test in January ahead of later flight missions. Progress is visible, but so are the engineering gaps.
By Nitya Chakraborty After getting political and diplomatic advantage from the latest US-Iran ceasefire, China has started its preparation for hosting the U.S. President Donald Trump in its crucial summit in Beijing on May 14 and 15 this year. Earlier the summit was scheduled for March 31 and April 1 but Trump postponed that after […]
UAE authorities are advancing a Dh6 billion federal highway project designed to ease chronic congestion on the Dubai-Sharjah-Ajman corridor, pressing ahead with what officials describe as a strategic expansion of the national road network as population growth and commuting demand intensify. The scheme, reviewed this week by the UAE Infrastructure and Housing Council, centres on the Fourth Federal Corridor, a planned road of about 68 kilometres with […]
Moscow has opened a 33-kilometre tram corridor branded T2, a cross-city route that Mayor Sergei Sobyanin says is now the world’s longest urban tram diameter, linking Chertanovskaya metro station in the south with Novogireevo on Moscow Central Diameter line D4 in the east. The launch marks the second stage of the capital’s tram-diameter programme and extends a surface-rail strategy designed to ease pressure on the underground network […]
Tesla is developing a smaller, lower-cost electric sport utility vehicle in a move that could reopen its path into the mass market after years of focusing investor attention on autonomy, robotics and premium technology bets. People familiar with the plan told Reuters the company has approached suppliers in the past few weeks to discuss a compact SUV that would sit below its current line-up on size and […]
Greenlogue/AP Abu Dhabi’s 2PointZero Group has moved deeper into the renewable energy market in India through a new joint venture between its subsidiary ePointZero RSC and Adani Green Energy, extending a relationship between the two business groups and underscoring continued Gulf interest in large-scale clean power assets on the subcontinent. The venture will be executed through Minerva Holding, ePointZero’s renewable development platform in India, according to statements […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Mubadala Capital has closed its biggest Brazil-focused investment vehicle at about $900 million, exceeding its original $750 million target in a sign that large overseas investors still see room for opportunistic deals in Latin America’s biggest economy despite a tougher global fundraising climate. The fund, Brazil Special Opportunities Fund III, was backed by a $250 million anchor commitment from Mubadala Capital, the investment […]
Greenlogue/AP VinFast has rolled out a vehicle rental programme for commercial drivers in Indonesia and the Philippines, expanding beyond outright sales as it tries to deepen its position in two fast-developing Southeast Asian electric vehicle markets. The company said the scheme will let service drivers lease Green-series vehicles through authorised dealers in Greater Jakarta and Metro Manila, with daily rates starting at 312,500 rupiah in Indonesia and […]
XRP climbed sharply alongside Bitcoin, but the advance has yet to settle the bigger question hanging over the token: whether this is the start of a durable reversal or another rally inside a broader weak trend. Market data over the past week showed Bitcoin regaining ground towards the $70,000 mark, while XRP posted gains of about 5% at one stage before slipping back, reflecting stronger risk appetite […]
A high-speed TGV travelling from Dunkirk to Paris struck a military truck at a level crossing in northern France on Tuesday, killing the train driver and injuring passengers in a crash that has renewed scrutiny of rail safety on one of Europe’s most intensively used networks. Authorities said the collision happened in Pas-de-Calais, between Béthune and Lens, after the train hit a trailer carrying military equipment. Emergency […]
Strategy has bought another 4,871 Bitcoin for $329.9 million, extending the company’s long-running cryptocurrency accumulation plan and taking its total holdings to 766,970 BTC as of April 5, according to a regulatory filing released on April 6. The company said the latest purchases were made at an average price of $67,718 per Bitcoin, lifting its aggregate spend on the token to about $58.02 billion since it […]
Strong earnings, expanding EV infrastructure and a growing digital user base reflect OR’s ongoing transformation from traditional fuel retail to integrated mobility and lifestyle services — with OR positioning itself as a scalable platform for regional partnership across Asia.
BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 7 April 2026 – PTT Oil and Retail Business Public Company Limited (OR), Thailand’s largest energy and lifestyle retail operator, reported 2025 EBITDA of 20,357million baht (approximately USD 645 million), a 15.2% increase year-on-year, as net profit rose 47.8% to 11,304 million baht (approximately USD 357 million) despite a 9.0% decline in total revenue. The results reflect stronger cost management and a continued shift in the company’s growth strategy toward ecosystem-led expansion across mobility, retail and digital services.
To support that expansion, OR has committed 58,000 million baht (approximately USD 1.84 billion) under a five-year investment plan running from 2026 to 2030. The plan prioritizes mobility infrastructure development, lifestyle platform enhancement, EV charging network expansion, and innovation investment — with the aim of consolidating OR’s position as an integrated mobility and consumer ecosystem operator across the region.
OR’s existing infrastructure provides a significant base from which to execute that strategy. The company’s nationwide service station network currently serves 3.9 million users per day, one of the consumer touchpoint frequencies in Thailand, with a target to reach 5 million daily users by 2030. The network integrates fuel retail, EV charging under the EV Station PluZ brand, food and beverage, health and wellness, and lifestyle services. Café Amazon, OR’s coffee chain, operates more than 4,600 outlets in Thailand and international markets, contributing to sustained consumer traffic across the network. Most recently, OR announced a joint venture with Centara to develop budget hotels at PTT Stations, targeting 70 to 80 rooms per site alongside existing amenities — a move that extends the network’s role from daily convenience into overnight hospitality.
OR is expanding EV Station PluZ further in step with its existing fuel network as electric vehicle uptake accelerates across Southeast Asia. The move reflects both the region’s shifting policy landscape and growing infrastructure demand, with OR positioning the mobility transition as a long-term growth opportunity and a gateway for partnership-driven market entry across the region.
OR’s digital platform reinforces the physical network’s reach. The blueplus+ loyalty application has accumulated 9.3 million registered members, with a target of 14 million by 2030. Beyond driving repeat visits, the platform gives OR granular visibility into consumer behavior across its entire ecosystem — enabling personalized engagement, cross-selling across business lines, and new revenue streams that a purely physical network could not unlock. With membership scale still growing, OR sees the model as a strong foundation for data-led consumer engagement as it pursues regional expansion across Asia.
OR is also in discussions regarding cross-border expansion models that would allow regional dealers, investors and operators to access its ecosystem infrastructure. OR is positioning itself to potential partners not as a conventional energy retailer but as an integrated lifestyle and mobility platform with the operational scale and digital capabilities to support localized deployment across diverse Asian markets.
“Our strategy is simple: to integrate and create synergy through a scalable and sizable model. We’ve built a profitable digital-physical ecosystem and are now seeking strategic partners to unlock growth in Asia’s fast-moving mobility and consumer sectors.,” said M.L. Peekthong Thongyai, Chief Executive Officer of PTT Oil and Retail Business Public Company Limited.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About OR
PTT Oil and Retail Business Public Company Limited (OR) is a leading Thai energy and retail company with operations across 10 countries. OR operates through four core business groups: Mobility Business, providing energy solutions via PTT Station, PTT Lubricants, PTT LPG, and EV Station PluZ; Lifestyle Business, featuring Café Amazon, one of Asia’s largest coffee chains, along with convenience stores and space management; Global Business, driving international growth with over 400 PTT Stations and over 300 Café Amazon outlets; and OR Innovation Business, developing new ventures and sustainable solutions through technology and innovation.
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has opened a new Al Mutakamela vehicle testing and registration centre in Al Qusais, adding fresh capacity to a part of the city with heavy residential and commercial traffic and extending access to licensing services for motorists in the eastern districts. The facility began operations on 6 April and is intended to ease processing for both private vehicle owners and business customers. […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai AirAsia X has raised ticket prices by between 31% and 40% and lifted fuel surcharges by as much as 20% after jet fuel costs surged following the Iran war, according to Group Chief Executive Officer Bo Lingam, underscoring how quickly conflict in the Middle East is feeding into Asian aviation costs and passenger fares. The Malaysia-based low-cost carrier said average jet fuel prices […]
VAT filing errors are surprisingly common. Most aren’t intentional—they’re honest mistakes that happen because the rules are easy to misunderstand or because records are disorganized. The problem is that the tax authority doesn’t distinguish between careless errors and intentional fraud. Getting proper VAT return filing in the UAE done right the first time saves money and stress. Missing or misfiled invoices The most frequent error is missing […]
Justin Bieber’s headline-grabbing purchase of a Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT for about $1.3 million in January 2022 has become one of the clearest symbols of how sharply the NFT market has deflated, with comparable pricing for the collection now hovering around $11,000 to $12,000. The singer bought Bored Ape #3001 for 500 ether at a time when digital collectibles were commanding extraordinary sums, fuelled by celebrity […]
Ether traded just above the $2,000 mark on Sunday, holding a level that traders have treated as a key psychological floor, while BitMine Immersion Technologies’ continued accumulation of the token added to a broader argument that institutional buyers still see value in the market after a bruising first quarter. The second-largest cryptocurrency by market value was priced at about $2,055 in Sunday trading, little changed on the […]
Robinhood chief executive Vlad Tenev has sharpened his argument for a radical overhaul of market structure, saying the practice of shutting exchanges at the end of each trading day is a “legacy design choice” and that tokenisation could help create a financial system that works more like the internet. The remarks land as Robinhood expands beyond its retail-broker roots and as major market operators push blockchain-based versions […]
Dubai Municipality has unveiled a Dh150 million plan to install electric-vehicle supercharging facilities across 600 public parking spaces at parks, beaches and recreational sites, in a move aimed at widening access to charging beyond roadsides, malls and fuel stations. The scheme, announced on Friday, is being rolled out with Emarat EV Charging Stations Company, known as UAEV, and its first phase will bring 75 supercharging stations serving […]