Snap has introduced a new planning feature inside Snapchat that lets users organise gatherings, invite friends and track responses without moving conversations to another app. The feature, called Plans, is designed for occasions ranging from informal meet-ups and study sessions to birthdays and other group events. Users can create an event, add key details and send invitations directly through Snapchat chats, keeping the planning process within the […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Saudi Arabia told OPEC that its crude production fell to 6.238 million barrels a day in August, the kingdom’s lowest monthly level since 1990, as renewed fighting involving the United States and Iran disrupted export routes. The figure, contained in OPEC’s September monthly oil market report, was almost 1.9 million barrels a day below the 8.135 million barrels reported for July. It also […]
JetBlue Airways has lowered its third-quarter capacity growth forecast after severe weather and air traffic control disruptions hit operations across the northeastern United States, adding cost pressure as the carrier pursues its profitability turnaround. The New York-based airline now expects available seat miles, a standard measure of capacity, to rise 1.5% to 3.5% from a year earlier in the quarter ending September 30. Its previous forecast, issued […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has launched Gulf Coast Development Company to build an integrated residential and tourism destination on the Al-Khafji coast in the Eastern Province, extending a new phase of state-backed urban development to the kingdom’s northern Gulf shoreline. The project will cover about 20 square kilometres and include a 10-kilometre waterfront along the Arabian Gulf, with eight residential neighbourhoods, more […]
Cybercriminals are distributing fake Grand Theft Auto VI downloads that install remote-access trojans, an information stealer and destructive ransomware, putting gamers’ passwords, Discord accounts and cryptocurrency data at risk. Cybersecurity firm Huntress said it identified malicious optical-disc image files masquerading as leaked copies of Rockstar Games’ forthcoming title across search results, gaming forums, social media and torrent sites. Some files exceed 100GB, but researchers found much of […]
Advancing low-altitude economy development across the Belt and Road regions
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 September 2026 – HKT (SEHK: 6823) – PCCW Global, the international telecommunications service provider under HKT, and Harmony Tech Innovation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the 11th Belt and Road Summit to jointly promote the low‑altitude economy across the Belt and Road regions, facilitating Chinese enterprises and innovative technologies as they expand overseas.
Frederick Chui, CEO, PCCW Global (left) and Jacqueline Kang, Chairman, Harmony Tech Innovation (right) signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the Belt and Road Summit 2026.
PCCW Global plans to leverage its global communications networks and international market resources, together with Harmony Tech Innovation’s low-altitude airspace traffic management technology, to explore and promote low‑altitude airspace traffic management solutions and related smart city solutions in Belt and Road markets. The collaboration will also explore applications in areas such as transportation, logistics, and emergency rescue, to support the development of smart cities and the low-altitude economy in local markets.
Frederick Chui, CEO of PCCW Global, said: “The low-altitude economy is a strategically important emerging industry for the nation, and also a key direction for developing new quality productive forces. As countries along the Belt and Road accelerate urban development, demand for low-altitude airspace management and communications technologies continues to grow. PCCW Global is ready to further extend our network capabilities into the low‑altitude economy, providing efficient and reliable communications support for low‑altitude airspace traffic management. In collaboration with Harmony Tech Innovation, we will help bring Chinese innovative technologies to the global market, and support the advancement of smart cities and the digital economy along the Belt and Road.”
Jacqueline Kang, Chairman, Harmony Tech Innovation said: “Communications networks and management systems are critical foundations for the low-altitude economy. We are delighted to collaborate with PCCW Global, combining our digital management capabilities with PCCW Global’s extensive communications networks to provide robust support for low-altitude operations. Looking ahead, we look forward to continuing our collaboration, driving the practical application of low-altitude technologies, and seizing opportunities in overseas markets.”
Harmony Tech Innovation is a global leading provider of low-altitude airspace traffic management and unmanned aerial vehicle ecosystem, focusing on low‑altitude economy and 3D low‑altitude traffic management platform. Its “Low Altitude Airspace Coordination and Service System”, launched in Zhuhai in 2024, is interconnected with China’s Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Management Platform and offers capabilities including regional remote low‑altitude surveillance, centimetre‑level satellite positioning, providing data support for smart city management and laying the foundation for the development of the low-altitude economy in the Greater Bay Area.
PCCW Global’s network infrastructure spans five continents and is backed by extensive international operational experience, enabling it to actively help drive the overseas expansion of China’s advanced technologies. PCCW Global delivers customised network solutions for low‑altitude economy scenarios, supporting real‑time data transmission and the management of low‑altitude aircraft.
Hashtag: #HKT #PCCWGlobal
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About PCCW Global
PCCW Global is a leading digital infrastructure provider, empowering businesses with agile, scalable and secure connectivity solutions. By combining a best-in-class network with our award-winning on-demand platform Console Connect, we help businesses navigate the network complexities of the digital world with ease. With extensive reach across international markets, we make it simple to connect and move data between clouds, apps, data centres and devices. At the core of our business is a belief that automated, high-performance network infrastructure has the power to elevate business and society. For more information, visit www.pccwglobal.com.
By R. Suryamurthy India’s trade with BRICS has expanded dramatically, but the numbers reveal an uncomfortable imbalance beneath the rhetoric about a multipolar world and alternative financial architecture. Between FY2021 and FY2026, India’s total merchandise trade with the 11-member grouping more than doubled, from $203.1 billion to $417.5 billion. Yet the expansion was overwhelmingly […]
Algeria has ended diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates after saying all efforts to preserve bilateral ties had been exhausted, marking a sharp escalation in a dispute that had already damaged political and transport links between the two Arab states. The decision was announced on Thursday by Algerian state television, which cited the authorities as saying Algeria had exhausted every avenue available to maintain relations with […]
Nasdaq has invested $100 million in Payward, the parent company of cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, extending a relationship that already spans tokenised equities and digital-market infrastructure. The investment places one of the world’s largest exchange operators directly on Payward’s shareholder register and adds a financial dimension to a strategic partnership announced earlier this year. Payward operates Kraken alongside businesses including NinjaTrader, Breakout, xStocks and CF Benchmarks, using a […]
New report, authored by GSMA Intelligence in partnership with Huawei, released at UNESCO’s Digital Learning Week
Digital literacy – not coverage – is the main barrier keeping 3.1 billion people offline.
AI could potentially widen the digital literacy gap.
Bridging the usage gap could boost global GDP by $3.5 trillion from 2023 to 2030.
Citing Huawei’s Skills on Wheels initiative, the report urges policymakers, telcos, and tech vendors to treat AI literacy as critical infrastructure.
PARIS, FRANCE – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 September 2026 – More than one in three (38%) people remains offline despite being covered by mobile broadband – and a lack of digital literacy skills is often to blame, according to new research published today.
The new report, “Bridging the Divide: Enhancing Digital Literacy in the AI Era,” authored by GSMA Intelligence and produced in collaboration with Huawei, identifies a digital divide impacting 3.1 billion people caused by a shortage of digital skills, user trust and AI literacy.
AI raises both access and risk
Existing industry projections suggest closing the capability gap could add around $3.5 trillion to global GDP by 2030, with more than 90% of those gains flowing to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Physical mobile broadband coverage currently reaches 96% of people worldwide.
The report, unveiled at UNESCO’s Digital Learning Week, suggests artificial intelligence could act as both a bridge and a barrier for underserved communities. AI-powered voice assistants and applications that work with images, audio and video can all help low-literacy users bypass the need to input text. At the same time, they raise the security and critical-thinking standards required to participate safely. However, the study warns that users must now be able to understand data privacy and identify risks such as fraud and deepfakes.
The research cites World Bank statistics that GenAI literacy represents the highest-value skill category, with wage premiums up to 36%, far exceeding returns for both digital and traditional AI skills.
Without targeted interventions in basic digital training, the authors warn, rapid AI adoption risks entrenching existing inequalities even in areas with full network coverage.
Mobile classrooms build skills in remote areas
Digital inclusion initiatives typically target those most at risk of digital exclusion, including rural and remote communities, children and teachers in rural schools, older people, and women and girls.
The report emphasizes the need for community-based delivery models, citing Huawei’s Skills on Wheels initiative as a field-tested example — particularly its solar-powered DigiTruck mobile classrooms, which bring hardware, rural connectivity and hands-on training, including AI literacy, to off-grid regions.
Since 2019, training courses delivered by Skills on Wheels projects have reached more than 130,000 people across 21 countries, with more people benefiting indirectly. DigiTruck trainers encourage trainees to share their new skills, which is shown to occur in practice. A report on DigiTruck by Kenya’s Ministry of Information, Communications and Digital Economy shows that 79% of DigiTruck trainees surveyed had passed on their newly acquired digital skills to family members and peers.
Policymakers urged to treat AI literacy as core infrastructure
To bridge the usage gap, the report urges policymakers, telecom operators and technology vendors to work together and focus on four priorities：
Treating practical AI awareness, online safety and information verification as a baseline national qualification.
Adopting multilingual voice and conversational interfaces across public services to minimise user-side technical hurdles.
Scaling up mobile learning units through cross-sector partnerships that combine operator connectivity, vendor technology and local NGO networks.
Measuring performance by independent task completion and fraud resilience rather than trainee numbers.
“Digital literacy can no longer be defined by static thresholds,” said Tim Hatt, head of research and consultancy at GSMA Intelligence. “Connectivity alone is insufficient — capabilities, system design and trust must evolve together. To capture this multi-trillion-dollar opportunity, stakeholders must integrate layered AI literacy directly into daily livelihoods through trusted community channels.”
“Mobile classrooms have demonstrated immense value in helping underserved populations break through physical and psychological barriers to technology,” said Gavin Allen, Executive Editor-in-Chief at Huawei. “We will continue working alongside local governments and industry partners to drive digital literacy, ensuring that no one is left behind as we transition into the AI economy.”
A new DigiTruck program will launch in France this autumn, covering several cities in the Île-de-France region and targeting low-income and underserved communities with digital skills training.
Q1: What is the main purpose of this report? A: The report analyzes the critical importance of enhancing digital skills in the AI era, highlighting digital literacy as a layered and evolving capability. It calls on all stakeholders to collaborate in accelerating global digital inclusion and skill development.
Q2: What does it mean for policymakers to treat “AI literacy as core infrastructure”? A: It means shifting policy focus from just building physical base stations to funding human capabilities. The report urges governments to integrate baseline AI awareness, online security, and media verification into national qualification frameworks, treating digital skills as an essential public utility alongside electricity and broadband.
Hashtag: #Huawei
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Abu Dhabi-based BlueFive Capital has completed the acquisition of a 30% equity stake in Bugatti Rimac from Porsche, becoming the second-largest shareholder in the producer of Bugatti supercars. The transaction closed on September 9 after regulatory approvals were secured, BlueFive said. Rimac Group retains its 55% controlling stake in Bugatti Rimac, while BlueFive now holds the largest position after the Croatian automotive group. BlueFive will gain a […]
Mubadala Investment Company has agreed to acquire a significant minority interest in Luckin Coffee alongside controlling shareholder Centurium Capital in a transaction valued at about $1 billion, extending the Abu Dhabi sovereign investor’s exposure to China’s consumer sector. The transaction is structured through Success Cup Limited and is expected to give a Mubadala affiliate the right to nominate a director to Luckin Coffee’s board while it maintains […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai DP World has priced a dual-tranche international bond offering comprising €750 million of six-year green notes and $750 million of 10-year conventional notes, extending the Dubai-based ports and logistics group’s access to both sustainable and conventional debt markets. The transaction follows a global investor roadshow arranged under DP World’s $10 billion Global Medium Term Note Programme. The euro-denominated tranche is structured as green […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai The Boring Company has secured $3 billion in a Series D funding round led by the United Arab Emirates and affiliated investment entities, lifting the Elon Musk-founded tunnelling startup’s valuation to $23 billion. The financing will support an expanded partnership to develop more than 150 kilometres of underground infrastructure across the UAE, building on the company’s Dubai Loop project, as well as hiring […]
Canada has used its lead-nation role at Poland’s MSPO arms fair to push its defence industry more forcefully into European markets, pairing a large trade mission with a renewed defence agreement with Warsaw. Defence Minister David McGuinty and International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu led Ottawa’s presence at the International Defence Industry Exhibition in Kielce, where Canada was designated the 2026 lead nation. The government said its mission […]
India is preparing to press BRICS partners to deepen the use of central bank digital currencies for cross-border payments while avoiding support for a single bloc-wide payments network that could be portrayed as an alternative to the dollar-dominated financial system.
The proposal is expected to feature at the BRICS leaders’ summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, where India, as this year’s chair, is seeking agreement on ways to lower the cost and speed up the settlement of trade, tourism and remittance payments among member states.
Reserve Bank of India Governor Sanjay Malhotra said last month that BRICS members were examining links between their fast-payment systems and central bank digital currencies, with a payments task force considering several options. He stressed that discussions remained at an exploratory stage and that no model had been agreed.
India’s preference is for interoperable national systems rather than either a common currency or centrally controlled BRICS payments architecture. Officials have framed the initiative around efficiency, cheaper transactions and use of sovereign currencies, distancing it from proposals that could be interpreted as an organised campaign to displace the US dollar.
That distinction has become politically important as BRICS members debate how far financial cooperation should go. Russia and some other members have advocated stronger alternatives to Western-dominated payment channels, while India has repeatedly ruled out backing a common BRICS currency and has resisted presenting financial initiatives as a de-dollarisation project.
The RBI earlier recommended that linking BRICS members’ digital currencies be placed on the summit agenda. Such an arrangement could allow transactions to be settled directly through participating central banks or financial institutions, reducing dependence on multiple correspondent banks and potentially cutting foreign-exchange and processing costs.
Central bank digital currencies are electronic forms of sovereign money issued by monetary authorities. Unlike privately issued stablecoins, their value and settlement are backed by central banks. India has been testing the digital rupee since 2022 and has added features including programmability and offline functionality as the RBI studies how it can complement payment methods.
Malhotra has said cross-border payments offer scope for lower costs, particularly in retail transactions. He has also said the RBI will continue efforts to promote greater international use of the rupee and encourage settlement in local currencies where commercially viable.
India is pursuing payment connectivity on a parallel track through the Unified Payments Interface, its instant retail payments platform. Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week called for UPI to be connected with payment systems in more countries. UPI is already available or linked with services in several overseas markets, including Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.
The BRICS discussions nevertheless extend beyond retail payment links. Officials have also been examining whether digital currencies issued by central banks can provide a secure settlement layer for transactions between member economies without requiring the creation of a shared currency or new supranational monetary authority.
Technical and policy obstacles remain. CBDC systems across BRICS countries are at different stages of development, and any cross-border arrangement would require agreement on interoperability, cybersecurity, data standards, foreign-exchange conversion, liquidity, governance and legal responsibility when transactions fail or disputes arise.
Trade imbalances pose another complication because a country receiving more of another member’s currency than it can use may be reluctant to accumulate balances. Policymakers have therefore also discussed mechanisms involving currency swaps and other settlement arrangements to deal with mismatches in bilateral trade.
The BRICS grouping now comprises 11 members, making consensus more difficult than when it consisted only of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The expanded membership includes Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia, while Saudi Arabia has participated in BRICS meetings as its membership status has remained subject to clarification.
A pilot aboard an Amazon Prime Air cargo jet repeatedly warned that the aircraft was approaching Miami International Airport too fast before it overran a runway and crashed, killing five people on the ground, US investigators have disclosed. The National Transportation Safety Board said on Wednesday that the warning began one minute and 42 seconds before the cockpit voice recorder stopped. After one pilot called for the […]
Consensys Software Inc. will split into two independently operated companies, turning its MetaMask business into a standalone consumer finance firm while creating a separate company for Ethereum protocols and institutional blockchain infrastructure. The existing legal entity will continue under the MetaMask name, with Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin serving as chairman and chief executive. Its protocols group and institutional infrastructure operations will move into a newly formed company […]
Artificial intelligence is widening the investment divide between the United States and Europe, with American companies absorbing the overwhelming majority of global AI venture capital while European firms continue to face shortages of large, late-stage funding. OECD data show US-based AI companies attracted about $194 billion in venture capital in 2025, roughly 75% of worldwide AI deal value. Companies across the EU27 drew $15.8 billion, or 6%, […]
Uber and Wayve have begun offering supervised autonomous rides to London passengers, deploying 15 electric vehicles in the first public robotaxi service of its kind in the UK. The service, launched on September 3, allows customers booking UberX, Uber Electric or Uber Comfort to be matched with a Ford Mustang Mach-E fitted with Wayve’s autonomous-driving system. A trained, Transport for London-licensed private hire driver remains behind the […]
OpenAI has rolled out ChatGPT Images 2.5, adding sketch-based creation, image comments, templates and more reliable multi-turn editing while cutting generation latency by up to half compared with Images 2.0. The upgrade, announced on September 8, is being made available across ChatGPT, ChatGPT Work and Codex on desktop, mobile and web. OpenAI said the model produces sharper details, more natural lighting and richer textures, while preserving people, […]
Anthropic has disclosed a fourth cybersecurity testing incident in which a pre-release Claude model gained unauthorised access to a real third-party system, prompting the company to broaden its investigation and reassess earlier conclusions about the models’ behaviour. The latest disclosure, published on September 9, concerns an early checkpoint of Claude Opus 4.6 tested in January. Anthropic said the model was running a capture-the-flag exercise in an environment […]
The rupee weakened 25 paise to 95.33 against the US dollar on Thursday as elevated crude oil prices increased concern over India’s import bill and kept demand for dollars firm.
The currency came under pressure after Brent crude held above $100 a barrel amid continuing tensions in West Asia, reinforcing worries about higher energy costs for a country that imports more than three-quarters of its crude oil requirements. The rupee had settled at 95.1050 against the dollar on Wednesday after touching 95.2250 during the session.
Dealers said demand for dollars from oil importers, corporate debt repayments and hedging activity added to the pressure. State-run banks were also seen supplying dollars during trading, an action market participants associated with efforts by the Reserve Bank of India to limit excessive volatility in the foreign-exchange market.
Brent crude traded around $101-$102 a barrel during Asian hours after crossing the $100 mark on Wednesday. The move followed renewed military tensions involving the United States and Iran and heightened concern about shipping and energy supply through the Gulf, including routes linked to the Strait of Hormuz.
Higher oil prices are particularly significant for the rupee because petroleum imports are paid largely in dollars. A sustained rise in crude can widen India’s trade deficit, increase demand for foreign currency from refiners and add to inflationary pressure, creating a less favourable backdrop for the local currency.
The rupee has lost roughly 0.7 per cent over the previous two sessions, with traders saying the effect of higher oil prices has become more visible after the currency had initially shown resilience. The movement has also coincided with caution across Asian markets and pressure on domestic equities.
Benchmark share indices were subdued on Thursday after suffering sharp losses in the previous session. The Sensex had dropped 813.35 points, or 1.08 per cent, on Wednesday to close at 74,764.23, while the Nifty 50 fell 203.60 points, or 0.86 per cent, to 23,431.50. The sell-off reflected concern that expensive crude could complicate the inflation and growth outlook.
The Reserve Bank has intervened intermittently in the currency market during periods of sharp rupee weakness. Traders said dollar sales by state-run banks helped the currency recover from Wednesday’s intraday low, although market participants expected central-bank support to restrain volatility rather than reverse pressure created by oil prices and capital flows.
Foreign-exchange dealers were also monitoring overseas portfolio movements. Expectations of capital outflows and demand linked to corporate payments have increased near-term dollar requirements, while the dollar index remained close to 99 against a basket of major currencies, offering only limited relief to emerging-market currencies.
The rise in crude has revived concern over India’s external balances. A higher oil import bill can feed into the current-account deficit if export earnings and other inflows do not offset the additional cost. It can also increase costs for transport, manufacturing and other energy-intensive sectors, depending on the extent to which international prices are passed through domestically.
Domestic fuel prices have so far remained comparatively insulated from the latest jump in international crude, but refiners and oil-marketing companies face greater pressure when global prices rise sharply while retail prices are unchanged. That gap can affect corporate margins and, if sustained, increase the broader fiscal and inflationary policy challenge.
Bond and equity markets are also watching the oil move for its implications for monetary policy. Higher imported energy costs can make inflation management more difficult, while weaker risk appetite may intensify foreign portfolio selling. Traders said those factors could keep the rupee volatile even if the central bank continues to provide dollar liquidity during periods of disorderly movement.
Veegaland Developers has secured ₹63 crore from anchor investors ahead of its ₹210 crore initial public offering, giving the Kerala-focused property developer an institutional base before public bidding opened on Thursday.
The company allotted 45 lakh equity shares to anchor investors on September 9 at ₹140 apiece, the top end of the IPO price band. The allocation represented 30 per cent of the total 1.5 crore shares offered in the issue.
Public subscription opened on September 10 and will close on September 15. The price band has been set at ₹130 to ₹140 a share, with investors required to bid for a minimum lot of 107 shares and in multiples of 107 thereafter. At the upper end of the band, the minimum retail application amounts to ₹14,980.
The IPO is entirely a fresh issue of shares, with no offer-for-sale component. At the ceiling price, the issue will raise up to ₹210 crore. The company’s shares are proposed to be listed on the BSE and NSE, with the listing scheduled for September 18, subject to completion of the allotment process.
EQ India Fund received the largest share of the anchor allocation, taking about 10.71 lakh shares worth nearly ₹15 crore. Swyom India Alpha Fund was allotted about 7.14 lakh shares valued at ₹10 crore, while Tiger Strategies Fund-I took roughly 5.72 lakh shares for about ₹8 crore.
Other anchor participants included Taurus Mutual Fund schemes, Innovative Vision Fund, Visionary Value Fund, VBCUBE Ventures Trust, CP Capital and Navbharat Investment Trust. The anchor book comprised nine institutional investors across 10 fund accounts, reflecting the participation of more than one scheme under a single fund house.
Veegaland plans to deploy ₹119.82 crore of the net proceeds towards part-financing expenditure on its ongoing real estate projects. The remaining proceeds are earmarked for unidentified land acquisitions and general corporate purposes, according to the offer documents.
For the year ended March 2026, Veegaland reported total income of ₹254.16 crore, up from ₹196.22 crore a year earlier, while profit after tax rose to ₹26.61 crore from ₹20.43 crore. Revenue from operations was ₹250.98 crore and EBITDA stood at ₹42.64 crore. The company reported, in its restated accounts, assets of ₹483.81 crore and borrowings of ₹85.59 crore at the end of the financial year.
The company had earlier proposed a larger fresh issue of up to ₹250 crore in its draft prospectus before reducing the size to ₹210 crore in the final offer structure. The Securities and Exchange Board of India issued its final observation on the proposed public issue on June 1, and the red herring prospectus was filed on August 31.
Veegaland develops residential apartment projects across Kerala under the Veegaland Homes brand. Its portfolio spans mid-premium, premium, ultra-premium, luxe and ultra-luxury residential categories, with projects concentrated in key urban markets in the state.
As of June 2026, the developer had completed 10 projects with an aggregate saleable area of about 11.05 lakh square feet. It also had 12 ongoing projects and three upcoming developments, according to information disclosed for the issue.
The IPO timetable provides for the basis of allotment to be finalised on September 16. Refunds for unsuccessful bidders are expected to be initiated on September 17, with shares scheduled to be credited to successful investors’ demat accounts the same day.
The offer reserves 30 per cent of the total issue for anchor investors. Of the remaining shares, 20 per cent is allocated to qualified institutional buyers, 15 per cent to non-institutional investors and 35 per cent to retail individual investors, under the stated reservation structure.
The company’s issue documents identify Cumulative Capital as the book-running lead manager, while MUFG Intime India is the registrar. The face value of each equity share is ₹10, making the floor price 13 times face value and the cap price 14 times face value.
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