News related to
across

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Emirates Global Aluminium has built new STEM laboratories in schools and universities across the UAE, expanding an education-industry programme aimed at preparing students for technical careers in manufacturing, engineering and advanced industrial sectors. The facilities have been developed with Al Samha School, Al Rahba School, Al Falahiya School, Dubai National School, Zayed University and the Higher Colleges of Technology. More than 2,600 students […]

Sahara AI’s SAHARA token suffered a steep sell-off on Tuesday after large on-chain transfers from wallets linked to the project triggered concern among traders, cutting the token’s value by as much as 60 per cent before a partial recovery. SAHARA fell from about $0.038 to an intraday low near $0.0129, then recovered to around $0.016 as heavy trading continued across major venues, including Binance. Turnover exceeded $250 […]

Nvidia has signed a wide set of artificial intelligence and data centre agreements with major South Korean companies, placing the country at the centre of its next phase of AI infrastructure expansion across Asia.

The agreements involve SK Telecom, SK Hynix, Naver, Doosan Group, LG Group, Hyundai Motor Group and continued discussions with Samsung Electronics, linking Nvidia’s graphics processors, AI factory architecture and robotics platforms with South Korea’s strengths in memory chips, telecoms, manufacturing, cloud services and industrial automation.

The deals were unveiled during Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang’s Seoul visit, which has underlined how South Korea is moving from being a supplier of critical memory chips to a broader AI infrastructure hub. The push comes as governments and large companies seek sovereign computing capacity, tighter control over data, and dedicated facilities capable of training and running advanced AI models.

SK Telecom plans to build a gigawatt-scale AI cloud in South Korea using Nvidia’s DSX platform, with the first AI factory expected to come online in 2027. The infrastructure is designed to support enterprise AI, robotics, industrial automation and agentic AI services, using SK Telecom’s network, data centre and corporate technology base.

Naver, one of South Korea’s leading internet and cloud companies, is expanding its sovereign AI infrastructure with Nvidia, starting with 55 megawatts of capacity and a plan to move towards gigawatt scale. The collaboration is aimed at serving businesses, public-sector users and industries seeking locally controlled AI platforms.

SK Hynix, already a key supplier of high-bandwidth memory for Nvidia’s AI accelerators, has entered a multi-year technology partnership to develop next-generation memory for global AI data centres. The agreement strengthens the role of high-bandwidth memory as one of the most important bottlenecks in the AI hardware supply chain, with demand rising sharply as large models require faster data movement between processors and memory.

Samsung Electronics remains part of the wider conversation around next-generation foundry and memory cooperation. Its semiconductor leadership held talks with Nvidia on advanced chip manufacturing and future high-bandwidth memory, including technologies beyond the current HBM4 generation. Samsung is also involved in manufacturing AI accelerator chips for other customers, keeping it central to Nvidia’s broader supply chain calculations even as SK Hynix maintains a strong position in premium memory.

Doosan Group’s cooperation with Nvidia extends the agreements beyond data centres into physical AI. Doosan Robotics is working with Nvidia’s simulation, robotics and on-device AI platforms to develop an agentic robot operating system, while Doosan Enerbility is expected to support power infrastructure for AI factories. Doosan Corporation’s electronics materials unit is also positioned to support next-generation data centre hardware through advanced materials used in AI accelerators.

LG Group is working with Nvidia on an AI factory focused on physical AI, mobility and data centre technologies. The partnership is expected to support LG’s work in robotics, autonomous driving, smart manufacturing and GPU cloud services, giving the conglomerate a platform for applying AI across consumer electronics, industrial systems and vehicle technologies.

Hyundai Motor Group’s cooperation with Nvidia is centred on mobility, manufacturing and robotics, including support for Hyundai’s AI Valley project in Saemangeum. The group’s ownership of Boston Dynamics gives it a strong position in humanoid and industrial robotics, while Nvidia’s platforms can support simulation, model training and factory deployment.

South Korea’s national AI strategy gives the corporate agreements wider significance. The country had already announced plans to secure more than 260,000 Nvidia GPUs, with more than 50,000 intended for public AI infrastructure and the rest allocated to major companies including Samsung, SK Group, Hyundai Motor Group and Naver. The latest agreements suggest that those commitments are moving into more defined industrial projects.

The expansion also reflects a shift in Nvidia’s business model. The company is no longer selling chips only as components; it is promoting full-stack AI factories that combine processors, networking, software, reference architecture and operations. That approach gives Nvidia deeper influence over how data centres are designed and operated, while offering partners faster deployment at a time when AI capacity remains constrained.

South Korea’s Science and ICT Ministry is also seeking priority access to Nvidia’s Vera Rubin GPUs, amid expectations that next-generation chip supply could face delays. The effort shows how advanced AI processors have become strategic assets for countries competing in model development, cloud infrastructure and industrial automation.

The agreements carry risks as well as opportunity. AI factories require vast power supplies, expensive cooling systems and long-term commitments from corporate customers. Heavy dependence on one US chip supplier may also raise questions over supply security and bargaining power, even for a country with world-class semiconductor companies.

For Nvidia, the South Korean partnerships strengthen memory access, broaden its AI factory customer base and create new demand in robotics, cloud services and industrial AI. For South Korean companies, the deals offer a faster route into high-value AI infrastructure at a time when global competition is shifting from model development to the computing systems needed to run them at scale.

Apple Maps is preparing a major upgrade to its three-dimensional city experience, with 3D Gaussian splatting set to give users cleaner, sharper and more realistic urban scenes built from oblique aerial imagery. The shift marks a technical break from conventional mesh-based photogrammetry, the approach that has long powered digital city models but often produced warped tree canopies, distorted cables, softened building edges and streetscapes that appeared convincing […]

Dubai has launched a new phase of its Content Creators Programme to train emerging talent in cultural storytelling, digital production and responsible online communication, placing the initiative at the centre of the emirate’s push to expand its creative economy. The programme, led by Dubai Press Club in partnership with Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, focuses on helping creators produce cultural and creative content that reflects Dubai’s identity, […]

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Wizz Air will introduce Starlink-powered internet across its fleet from 2027, making one of Europe’s most cost-focused airlines the first ultra-low-cost carrier on the continent to commit to satellite connectivity at scale and raising fresh questions over how far budget aviation can stretch beyond its bare-fare model. The Hungary-based airline plans to install the SpaceX service on its next-generation aircraft, offering passengers high-speed, […]

China’s aluminium exports accelerated in May as overseas buyers turned to the world’s biggest producer to offset supply disruption triggered by the Middle East war, while crude oil imports dropped to their lowest level in eight years in a sign of strain across the country’s commodity flows.

Customs figures showed a sharp rise in outbound shipments of unwrought aluminium and aluminium products, extending the strong performance seen in April, when exports reached 598,000 metric tonnes. The increase underlined China’s role as the main buffer for a global market unsettled by production cuts, shipping delays and higher insurance costs linked to the conflict around the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

The aluminium surge came as China’s wider trade machine gathered pace. Total exports rose 19.4 per cent from a year earlier in May, beating forecasts and widening the trade surplus to more than $105 billion. Imports also grew 27.4 per cent, but the headline gain masked a sharp fall in crude purchases, with volumes down about 29 per cent as refiners leaned more heavily on inventories and cut some buying amid elevated freight and geopolitical risks.

Aluminium has become one of the clearest channels through which the Middle East war is reshaping industrial supply chains. Producers in Gulf states account for a meaningful share of non-Chinese primary aluminium supply, and disruption to power-intensive smelting, port activity and shipping routes has tightened availability for consumers in Europe, Asia and North America. Prices in London climbed to a four-year high this month as traders priced in the risk of prolonged supply constraints.

Chinese exporters have benefited from the opening. Producers and traders have increased shipments of semi-finished products and other aluminium categories where overseas premiums have risen faster than domestic prices. The price gap has improved margins for exporters, even as Beijing continues to manage capacity growth in a sector long associated with heavy energy use and emissions.

The market shift is particularly important for manufacturers in transport, construction, packaging, power infrastructure and renewable energy. Aluminium is widely used in electric vehicles, aircraft parts, solar frames, building systems and high-voltage transmission equipment. A sustained shortage outside China could raise input costs for industries already dealing with expensive financing, disrupted shipping schedules and volatile energy markets.

China’s advantage rests on scale. The country dominates global aluminium production and has built deep processing capacity across provinces such as Shandong, Henan, Guangxi and Yunnan. Its producers can move quickly when export margins improve, though output remains constrained by power costs, environmental controls and the national ceiling on smelting capacity.

The export rise also carries political sensitivity. Western governments have long argued that China’s industrial policies create excess capacity and depress global prices. A fresh wave of metal exports, even if driven by war-related shortages, could sharpen trade friction at a time when the United States, Europe and other economies are expanding scrutiny of Chinese goods in sectors ranging from steel and batteries to solar components and electric vehicles.

Crude oil tells a different story. China remains the world’s largest crude importer, but May’s decline showed how refiners are adjusting to uncertainty in Gulf shipping. The Middle East supplied a large share of China’s crude last year, with Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar among key reported suppliers, while Iranian barrels have continued to reach Chinese buyers through opaque trading channels.

Refiners have drawn on commercial and strategic inventories built during earlier periods of lower prices and heavy discounted buying. Weak domestic fuel margins have also reduced the incentive to import aggressively. Independent refiners in Shandong and state-run plants have faced pressure from high crude costs, capped fuel prices and softer demand growth as electric vehicles erode petrol consumption.

The fall in crude imports may help ease immediate pressure on global oil markets, but it also reflects the vulnerability of China’s energy security to maritime disruption. The Strait of Hormuz remains central to crude and liquefied natural gas flows, and any prolonged interruption would force Beijing to rely more on stockpiles, pipeline supplies from Russia and Central Asia, and alternative seaborne routes.

For commodity markets, May’s trade data showed a split picture. Metals exports are expanding where China can monetise overseas shortages, while energy imports are being managed more cautiously to reduce exposure to war-driven price spikes. Copper imports slipped from April, suggesting that parts of the manufacturing supply chain remain uneven despite the strong headline export performance.

Advertisements

Apple has unveiled a major overhaul of Siri and a broad set of child safety tools at its Worldwide Developers Conference, placing artificial intelligence and family controls at the centre of its next software cycle. The new Siri AI is available immediately for developer testing across iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27 and visionOS 27, with support for watchOS 27 due in a later developer beta. A […]

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Riyadh Air has opened ticket sales for daily flights between Dubai and Riyadh from 18 June, adding a new premium operator to one of the Gulf’s busiest business and leisure corridors as Saudi Arabia accelerates plans to turn its capital into a global aviation hub. Flights will operate between Dubai International Airport and King Khalid International Airport using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, placing wide-body […]

Bumblebees have been shown to solve a complex tool-use puzzle without being trained, strengthening evidence that advanced problem-solving is not confined to humans, apes, elephants and other large-brained animals. Researchers from universities in Finland found that buff-tailed bumblebees could move a small ball beneath an artificial flower suspended above them, climb on to the ball and reach a sugar-water reward. The task was designed as an insect-scale […]

Iran and Israel moved back from direct confrontation on Monday after a sharp exchange of missile and air attacks threatened to rupture fragile diplomacy across the Middle East, with both sides saying they had halted strikes for now after a public appeal by U. S. President Donald Trump. Tehran said its offensive operations against Israel had stopped, but warned that attacks would resume if Israel continued to […]

Paytm plans to add about 4,000 employees over the next nine months as the digital payments company pushes deeper into artificial intelligence, product development and merchant services, even as it cuts a smaller number of roles after its performance review cycle.

The hiring programme would expand the workforce of One 97 Communications, Paytm’s parent, by about 10 per cent from a base of roughly 40,000 employees. The company is also expected to reduce about 1 per cent of its staff, or nearly 400 employees, as it removes overlapping functions and redirects resources towards areas tied to revenue growth, automation and financial services distribution.

The planned additions will run through March 2027 and cover product, technology, artificial intelligence and senior leadership roles. Paytm has already added more than 800 employees over the past two months and is in the process of recruiting the next tranche as it widens its merchant network and builds AI-led tools across its platform.

The move reflects a broader recalibration inside the Noida-based fintech company after two years of regulatory pressure, cost discipline and business restructuring. Paytm is seeking to convert its large base of users and merchants into higher-value customers for loans, investments, insurance and other financial products, while keeping a tight watch on employee costs and operating expenses.

Chief Executive Officer Vijay Shekhar Sharma has been working to rebuild confidence after the Reserve Bank of India imposed severe restrictions on Paytm Payments Bank in 2024 and later cancelled the licence of the independently held affiliate in April 2026. One 97 Communications holds 49 per cent in the payments bank, while Sharma owns the remaining 51 per cent.

The banking affiliate’s closure has continued to shape staffing decisions. Most of Paytm Payments Bank’s employees have already exited over the past two years, with some absorbed into other parts of the fintech group. The remaining few hundred employees at the bank are expected to leave as the winding-down process advances.

Paytm’s latest hiring plan comes after a year in which the company sharply reduced headcount. Average on-roll employees fell from 43,960 in FY24 to 39,368 in FY25, a decline of about 4,600 people. A large portion of the workforce remains tied to sales, underlining the importance of merchant acquisition and field distribution in Paytm’s model.

The company’s restructuring has coincided with an improvement in profitability. Paytm posted four consecutive profitable quarters and reported its first full-year profit since listing, with FY26 net profit of about ₹552 crore compared with a loss of ₹663 crore in FY25. Revenue for FY26 rose to about ₹9,291 crore from ₹7,625 crore a year earlier.

For the March 2026 quarter, One 97 Communications reported a consolidated net profit of about ₹184 crore, compared with a loss of about ₹540 crore in the year-earlier period. Revenue from operations rose 18.4 per cent year-on-year to ₹2,264 crore, supported by payments services and financial services distribution.

The improved performance has given Paytm more room to invest in growth areas, but the company is still balancing expansion with caution. Its shares have gained around 7 per cent over the past year, though they remain more than 50 per cent below the 2021 initial public offering price, a reminder of investor concerns over profitability, regulation and the durability of its business model.

Artificial intelligence has become central to Paytm’s operating strategy. The company has used automation to reduce repetitive work in customer support, risk management, merchant servicing and internal processes. The next phase appears focused less on replacing headcount across the board and more on redeploying resources towards AI-enabled products, data-driven lending, fraud control and personalised financial offerings.

That shift mirrors a wider trend in the technology and fintech sectors, where companies are cutting roles in legacy or routine functions while hiring for engineering, machine learning, product design, compliance technology and platform operations. For Paytm, the challenge is sharper because its business relies on both software capability and a large physical merchant network.

The company began in 2010 as a mobile recharge platform before expanding into wallets, QR-code payments, Soundbox devices, payment gateways and financial services. Its growth accelerated after the 2016 currency note withdrawal pushed millions of merchants and consumers towards digital payments.

The competition drew over 40 global submissions to decarbonise beef and dairy supply chains, with winning solution set to scale across one of Asia’s leading retail networks

HONG KONG SAR- Media OutReach Newswire – 9 June 2026 – DFI Retail Group (DFI or the Group), a leading Asian retailer, and The Mills Fabrica, a global collaborative hub propelling sustainability-focused innovations in the techstyle and agrifood sectors, named Number 8 Bio as the winner of the DFI Sustainability Innovation Challenge 2026. This announcement follows the Final Pitching event, which was held on 5 June, World Environment Day. The Australia-based innovator was recognised for BetterFeed™, a range of proprietary feed additives that cut enteric methane from grazing cattle and sheep while improving the productivity of every animal that uses it. The team takes home a HK$120,000 grant and the opportunity to partner with DFI to scale its solution across the Group’s regional beef and dairy supply chains.

Representatives of DFI Retail Group, The Mills Fabrica, and the judging panel jointly presented the award to Thomas Williams, CEO and Co-Founder of Number 8 Bio, who was named the winner of the Challenge.
Representatives of DFI Retail Group, The Mills Fabrica, and the judging panel jointly presented the award to Thomas Williams, CEO and Co-Founder of Number 8 Bio, who was named the winner of the Challenge.

Scott Price, Group Chief Executive, DFI Retail Group said: “Tackling Scope 3 emissions requires collaboration across the value chain, and we are pleased that the Challenge has created opportunities for innovators to test and scale practical solutions within real operating environments. We look forward to seeing how they support our progress towards more sustainable and resilient food systems.”

Meet the Winner: From Pitch to Pilot Across Asia’s Supply Chains

Number 8 Bio has built a feed additive that does two jobs at once. BetterFeed™, a family of proprietary organic small molecules, free of bromoform, reduces enteric methane from grazing cattle and sheep, which is responsible for both the majority of livestock emissions and a 12% loss of nutritional energy from every pasture. By stopping that methane from forming, BetterFeed™ redirects the recovered energy straight back into animal growth and production, a genuine win for farmers’ bottom lines as much as for the climate. Winning the DFI Sustainability Innovation Challenge opens a pilot pathway across DFI’s beef and dairy supply chains, including with Mengniu Dairy and Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited (CPF).

Thomas Williams, CEO and Co-Founder of Number 8 Bio said, “We are grateful for the exposure to such a high-calibre ecosystem, from fellow innovators addressing the same problem from different angles to the investors and industry players. The conversations alone have accelerated our thinking in ways that months of independent work could not.”

A Global Search Anchored in Asia: Addressing the Region’s Beef and Dairy Decarbonisation Challenge

Across Asia, rising incomes and urbanisation continue to drive demand for meat and dairy products. Supporting the transition to lower-emission production will be key to ensuring the long-term resilience of food systems while meeting evolving consumer expectations.

Launched in December 2025, the DFI Sustainability Innovation Challenge was designed to bridge innovation and implementation by connecting global innovators directly with DFI’s extensive supply-chain network.

Through The Mills Fabrica’s global scouting network across 30 countries, including university research institutions, venture capital and startup-incubator networks, the Challenge attracted over 40 submissions from five continents. These solutions ranged from novel feed, feed additives and biomanufacturing to AI and SaaS data platforms, processing innovations and energy management systems. Nearly half were at commercial-ready maturity, reflecting a strong pipeline of scalable solutions rather than early-stage concepts.

Cintia Nunes, General Manager, Head of Asia, The Mills Fabrica said, “The next phase of climate innovation is not just about discovering new technologies but helping them scale in ways that create tangible change. DFI is an industry leader willing to put real supply-chain access and pilot pathways behind climate-tech innovators. We are committed to deepening this partnership with DFI and to working with more forward-looking partners, so that the most promising innovators get the partnerships, capital and pilots they need to translate their work to commercial impact.”

The Finalists: A Global Cohort Tackling Beef and Dairy’s Hardest Climate Problems
The finalists represent leading approaches to reducing ruminant emissions, including novel feed additives, synthetic biology, AI-enabled monitoring, genetic optimisation, and waste-to-renewable resources:

  • Provectus Algae (Australia): Creator of Surf’N’Turf®, a scalable seaweed-based feed supplement designed to reduce ruminant livestock methane emissions. Powered by Provectus Algae’s proprietary Precision Photosynthesis® and AI-enabled biomanufacturing platform, Surf’N’Turf® has demonstrated enteric methane reductions of up to 98% while improving feed efficiency and supporting lower-emission livestock systems.
  • AbacusBio (New Zealand): A genetics consultancy working in over 30 countries. Its Methane Sire Selection Tool is an app that generates a selection index to help select breeding sires for genetic methane reduction, balancing total and intensity emissions cuts with on-farm profitability metrics.
  • eVerse.AI (India): Their dual-track platform is revolutionising dairy sustainability and productivity, leveraging cutting-edge innovation. GreenCow harnesses methane measurement tech and eco-friendly interventions to generate verified carbon credits, empowering farmers to monetise their sustainable practices. ConnectedCow, a SaaS platform, integrates biometric ID with AI-driven insights to optimise milk yield, fertility, and herd health, providing a unified dashboard for monitoring productivity, breeding, and methane.
  • Kinava (South Korea): G2E Company (Green Waste to Energy) applies Hybrid Hydrothermal Carbonization to convert organic waste — livestock manure, food waste, wood waste, and sewage sludge — into odorless biofertilizer, biocoal, biocokes, biochar, and biogas in under three hours, using 70% less energy than conventional drying. Kinava’s first commercial plant has processed 100T/d pig manure since 2024, with a cassava-to-biocoal pilot plant also installed in Thailand in 2025.
Finalists pitched to a panel of leading academics and industry experts in ruminant nutrition, environmental science, agri-food sustainability, and corporate decarbonisation strategy. The pitching day brought together the DFI Management Committee, leading regional beef and dairy suppliers, academic experts, and ecosystem partners, enabling direct engagement between solution innovators and industry stakeholders.
In addition to formal pitches, all finalists presented their solutions through a dedicated Product and Technology Showcase, facilitating deeper discussions on pilot and deployment opportunities.

Erica Chan, Group Chief Legal, Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, DFI Retail Group added: “We are pleased that this partnership with The Mills Fabrica has identified technologies with real commercial potential. Their global network and deep expertise in sustainability innovation helped us connect with a very strong cohort of climate-tech innovators. What impressed us most was the commercial readiness of the solutions. These are practical technologies with the potential to reduce emissions, strengthen supply chain resilience, and support more sustainable food systems.”

DFI Retail Group and The Mills Fabrica will continue to provide ongoing mentorship, ecosystem connections, and access to its global network, both to the winner and to the wider finalist cohort.

Hashtag: #DFIretailGroup #TheMillsFabrica #Sustainability

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

DFI Retail Group

DFI Retail Group is a leading Asian retailer driven by its purpose to “Sustainably Serve Asia for Generations with Everyday Moments”. At 31 December 2025, the Group and Maxim’s operated 7,580 outlets and employed more than 79,000 people across 12 markets. The Group is committed to delivering quality, value and service to consumers across the region through trusted brands, strong local market positions, and a broad retail ecosystem supported by extensive store networks, digital capabilities and efficient supply chains. The Group operates a portfolio of well-known brands across five key divisions: health and beauty, convenience, food, home furnishings and restaurants under Maxim’s.

OpenAI has widened access to ChatGPT Lockdown Mode, extending an advanced security setting beyond enterprise deployments to eligible personal accounts and self-serve Business users as concern grows over prompt injection attacks and data leakage risks in web-connected artificial intelligence tools. Eligible users on Free, Go, Plus and Pro plans, along with self-serve ChatGPT Business accounts, are being given access to the feature through the Security section of […]

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Orange Jordan and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit have convened private-sector roundtables under the PASS programme, widening efforts to connect startups with established companies as Jordan pushes entrepreneurship-led job creation and digital growth. Three sessions were held in Amman, Irbid and Aqaba under the title Private Sector Roundtable – PASS Project, bringing together startups, corporate representatives and ecosystem partners to examine how young […]

A fast-moving malware campaign tied to Shai-Hulud has expanded its attack on software developers through newly weaponised Python Package Index artefacts, raising concern that poisoned open-source dependencies are being used to steal credentials, compromise build systems and spread across trusted code repositories. The latest wave adds 23 malicious PyPI package-version artefacts to an operation already linked to Mini Shai-Hulud, Miasma and Hades activity. The broader campaign now […]

Apache HTTP Server 2.4.68 has been released with fixes for 13 security vulnerabilities affecting core functions and widely used modules, prompting administrators to prioritise upgrades across internet-facing systems that rely on the open-source web server. The update, released on 8 June 2026, addresses flaws spanning memory corruption, privilege escalation, denial of service, cross-site scripting and unsafe handling of backend responses. The affected versions stretch across much of […]

Europe’s largest airline groups have warned Brussels that extending carbon charges to long-haul international flights would lift fares, raise cargo costs and deepen a dispute over how aviation should pay for its climate impact. Chief executives from major carriers including Air France-KLM, IAG, Lufthansa, Ryanair, easyJet, TUI and AirBaltic have urged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen not to widen the European Union’s Emissions Trading System […]

SANYA, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 June 2026 – As the morning sun bathed Sanya Bay in golden light, a group of international tour operators began their exploration of the city. From June 4 to 5, delegates participating in the Overseas Tour Operators Hainan Tour 2026 visited Sanya for an in-depth familiarization tour of its luxury resort hotels, coastal cultural and tourism destinations, and duty-free shopping complexes.

1

From the spectacular underwater suites at Atlantis Sanya, to the colorful street-art alleys of Tianya Town, and the rooftop infinity pool at Sanya Conifer Resort, each stop gave the visitors a fresh impression of Hainan. Many visitors paused to capture the scenery, remarking with delight: “Sanya is full of surprises!”

Exploring Luxury Resorts and Applauding World-Class Service

At 10 a.m. on June 4, the tour operators arrived at Atlantis Sanya. Upon entering the lobby, they were immediately captivated by the resort’s massive aquarium, where sharks, rays, and other marine creatures glided gracefully through the water. The group was visibly amazed.

The group toured both the ocean-view suites and the resort’s signature underwater suites. In the latter, floor-to-ceiling windows offer direct views into the aquarium, allowing guests to lie in bed and watch marine life drift by as if they were beneath the sea.

“The underwater suite concept is truly unique. Very few hotels in the world can offer an experience like this,” said tour operator Vivian He from Hong Kong. “The dreamlike setting would make an outstanding feature for honeymoon packages and would appeal strongly to younger travelers. I’ve already taken plenty of photos and videos on my phone and plan to use them for promotion when I return.”

The group then traveled to Hyatt Regency Sanya Tianli Bay in Tianya District. Strolling through palm-lined gardens, they were greeted by breathtaking views where the infinity pool seemed to merge with the sea and sky beyond. Many guests stopped to take photos, fascinated by the striking visual effect, which made it look as though water flowed directly into the ocean.

“The design is incredibly clever. It gives you the urge to dive right in and swim toward the sea,” said Julia, a tour operator from Germany, while taking photos of the stunning view. Having worked in the European outbound travel market for many years, she was visiting Sanya for the first time. “In Europe, hotels with sea views like this often come with a very high price tag. Hainan offers excellent value for money. Combined with China’s visa-free policy for travelers from 86 countries, it has tremendous appeal for European visitors.”

The hotel’s representative introduced the group to the property’s all-ocean-view suites, children’s amusement facilities, and its distinctive pink-sand beach. Natthapat, a tour operator from Thailand, showed particular interest in these features. “The children’s facilities and the pink-sand beach are perfect for family travel products. When I return home, I’ll discuss with my team how we can incorporate this destination into our product offerings.”

The delegation then proceeded to Rosewood Sanya. The hotel’s sky lobby, located on the 14th floor, offers sweeping 270-degree ocean views. Equally impressive was the elevated infinity pool on the 13th floor. Suspended between sea and sky, the pool’s edge appears to merge with the horizon, creating a spectacular setting from every angle.

“This is one of the most visually stunning hotel pools I’ve ever seen,” said Amy, a tour operator from Australia, while admiring the view from the poolside. She noted that Australian travelers also have a strong preference for luxury resort experiences, and the design aesthetic and sense of privacy here align perfectly with the expectations of the high-end market.

Throughout the visit, many tour operators actively exchanged business cards with hotel sales representatives, inquiring about partnership opportunities, group rates, and capacity for group reception. A tour operator from Southeast Asia said that he hopes to bring a group of high-end family travelers to experience Sanya’s luxury resort offerings.

Tianya Town’s Artistic Transformation Resonates with Tour Operators

The delegation also visited Tianya Town, where they experienced the unique charm of this “seaside arts village.” From the colorful mural-covered walls at the entrance of Huanglong Street, to the pure-white architecture of Sanya Guanxia Seaview B&B, and the cave-inspired interiors of Malt Cave Seaview Café, every corner became a favorite photo stop.

“This is completely different from the fishing village I imagined,” said Eter, a tour operator from Georgia, pausing at the iconic “18° North Latitude” landmark to examine the coordinates displayed on the wall. She noted that the destination could be easily integrated with the coastal tourism resources of Sanya, Lingshui, and Wanning. “Visitors are drawn to places with distinct geographic markers, which give the destination a sense of occasion.”

A local guide accompanying the group explained that in recent years, Tianya Town has undergone a series of small-scale renovations and refined upgrades. While retaining the original layout and character of a traditional fishing village, it has incorporated contemporary artistic elements, evolving into a popular photo-friendly destination. Today, Tianya Town is home to dozens of seaview guesthouses, cafés, and cultural and creative shops, making it especially popular among younger travelers.

“These small but beautifully designed destinations are exactly what many European travelers are looking for,” said Zhang Jing, a tour operator from Ireland. “Many European visitors are keen to experience local culture and everyday life when they travel. Tianya Town combines fishing village stories, artistic ambiance, and seaside accommodations. It has tremendous appeal.”

Inside one of the town’s cultural and creative stores, the visitors showed great interest in souvenir products featuring traditional Li ethnic totems. France, a tour operator from the United States, even inquired on the spot about purchasing the products in bulk as gifts for clients.

Meanwhile, Korean tour operator Lee Jae-hyun was particularly impressed by the town’s photogenic appeal. “Every corner is picture-perfect. Young people in Korea love destinations that look great in photos. If Tianya Town were included in independent travel packages, I’m sure it would be very popular.”

Duty-Free Shopping Drives Strong Interest and New Cooperation Opportunities

On the afternoon of June 4, the tour operators continued their familiarization tour with visits to Sanya Conifer Resort and Pullman Oceanview Sanya Bay Resort & Spa.

At Pullman Oceanview Sanya Bay Resort & Spa, the group was introduced to the hotel’s comprehensive conference facilities and family-oriented amenities. Guests were particularly intrigued by the hotel’s exclusive underground passageway, which provides direct access to Sanya Bay Beach.

Sanya Conifer Resort, meanwhile, impressed visitors with its iconic 70-meter-high rooftop infinity pool. Offering panoramic views of the Sanya Bay coastline, the elevated waterscape has become one of the hotel’s signature attractions. Its distinctive architectural design also earned high praise from the international tour operators.

Later that day, the delegation arrived at the final highlight of their Sanya tour—a self-guided visit to the CDF Sanya International Duty Free City. As the world’s largest single-building duty-free shopping destination, the complex brings together more than 800 international brands.

Aziz, a tour operator from Malaysia, found himself spoiled for choice in the cosmetics and fragrance section. “Malaysian travelers love duty-free shopping. The selection of brands here is impressive, and the pricing is highly competitive. If duty-free shopping can be combined with resort stays as part of a travel package, I believe it would be extremely well received by the market.”

Julia, a tour operator from Germany, was equally impressed by the scale and variety of the shopping complex. “European travelers enjoy purchasing luxury goods and cosmetics, and Sanya’s duty-free advantages are very clear. I believe Sanya has the potential to become a new favorite destination among European visitors.”

After several days of exploration across Hainan, tour operators from around the world expressed strong interest in developing partnerships in sectors ranging from sports tourism and wellness travel to cultural and leisure tourism. Shirley, a tour operator from Australia, paid particular attention to Hainan’s sports tourism resources. “Hainan has outstanding assets for sports tourism, especially golf and coastal outdoor activities. These resources are ideal for developing sports-focused holiday products. Australian consumers are passionate about sports travel, and I plan to introduce Hainan’s sports tourism offerings to the Australian market.”

According to officials from the Sanya Municipal Bureau of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports, the city has launched several new international air routes since the beginning of this year, contributing to steady growth in inbound visitor arrivals. Looking ahead, Sanya will continue to improve its inbound tourism services and strengthen international market outreach, encouraging more global tour operators to include the city in their product portfolios.

Sunny Hainan, heart’s desire. Although the two-and-a-half-day familiarization tour was brief, it provided tour operators from around the world with a firsthand look at Sanya’s diverse tourism offerings and strong hospitality capacity. More importantly, it allowed visiting industry professionals to identify tangible opportunities for future cooperation. With the continued expansion of international flight connections and the ongoing optimization of inbound travel policies, Sanya is embracing the world with an increasingly open and welcoming outlook, ready to receive more visitors from across the globe.

Hashtag: #SanyaTourismBoard

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Oil markets lurched higher on Monday as renewed Israeli strikes on Iran and attacks on Lebanon revived fears that the Middle East conflict could threaten energy flows through one of the world’s most critical crude corridors. Brent crude rose by more than $4 a barrel at one stage, climbing above $98 before paring gains, while West Texas Intermediate also advanced sharply as traders priced in a higher […]

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai World Trade Centre generated a record AED25.03 billion in economic output in 2025, underscoring the growing weight of large-scale business events in Dubai’s wider growth strategy and its push to deepen links with global trade, investment and innovation networks. The 2025 performance, equal to about $6.82 billion, marked a 12 per cent year-on-year rise and was driven by 108 large-scale exhibitions, international […]

Xbox Game Pass lost “millions” of subscribers after Microsoft lifted the monthly price of its Ultimate tier from $20 to $30 in October 2025, exposing the limits of consumer tolerance for subscription gaming even at one of the industry’s most heavily promoted services. Matthew Ball, Xbox’s chief strategy officer, said at The Game Business Live that the company “shed millions of subscribers over the span of a […]

Investment by leading industry institute supports Tracr’s evolution to becoming an independent, industry-wide platform for natural diamond provenance

LAS VEGAS, US – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 June 2026 – De Beers Group and GIA (Gemological Institute of America) today announced the signing of a definitive agreement for GIA to acquire a 30 per cent shareholding in Tracr, the De Beers Group-backed company behind the development of the pioneering diamond provenance blockchain-driven platform.

The agreement marks a significant milestone in Tracr’s evolution towards independence and reflects GIA’s confidence in the platform’s role as an industry-wide infrastructure to advance natural diamond provenance and traceability at scale.

GIA’s investment – which builds on a 2023 initiative to include diamond provenance information registered on Tracr’s platform on eligible GIA diamond grading reports – represents a significant step in this transition, reinforcing Tracr’s long-term credibility across the diamond value chain.

Al Cook, CEO of De Beers Group, said: “Consumers deserve to know where their diamonds come from and they should feel more confident in their understanding of each diamond’s source. At De Beers we have been providing provenance data on diamonds through Tracr for several years and we believe that delivering provenance should become an industry standard. Following our promise to open Tracr up to broad ownership, we are proud to be partnering with GIA as Tracr evolves into an independent, industry-wide platform. We will work alongside GIA to advance provenance transparency for the entire diamond sector.”

Pritesh Patel, President and CEO of GIA, said: “At GIA, our mission has always been rooted in trust, integrity, and consumer confidence. Our collaboration with Tracr over the past several years reinforced our belief that combining source-based blockchain provenance with GIA’s independent grading and identification expertise can help unlock a new level of transparency for the diamond industry. As Tracr continues to scale globally, we see a tremendous opportunity to deliver meaningful, verifiable provenance information from the source to the consumer. We are proud to deepen our commitment through this investment and help shape the next evolution of transparency, traceability, and trust across our industry.”

Jillian Wolk, CEO of Tracr, said: “The start of Tracr’s evolution into an independent platform, as a result of GIA’s investment, creates a strong foundation for the future. I am excited to continue scaling the platform and bringing more producers on board, which will support Tracr in enabling the individual journey of every registered diamond to come to life. Each stone carries its own narrative, defined by its source and the craftsmanship that has shaped it, and as Tracr continues to grow we have a fantastic opportunity to help reveal those unique stories.”

De Beers has been developing Tracr since 2018 and it is now a leading distributed diamond blockchain platform that starts at the source, registering diamonds at the point of recovery. In 2023, De Beers opened the platform to the wider diamond industry, positioning Tracr as an industry-wide, scalable solution for rough-to-polish verification of natural diamond provenance, which starts at a stone’s source.

Today, more than five million rough diamonds have been registered on Tracr at source, representing around two-thirds of De Beers’rough diamond production by value. Since January 2025, single country of origin for De Beers diamonds has been available on Tracr, with all newly sourced De Beers rough diamonds of one carat and above being registered on the platform.

Hashtag: #NaturalDiamonds #Diamonds #DeBeersGroup #GIA #Tracr





The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About De Beers Group

Established in 1888, De Beers Group is the world’s leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining, marketing and retailing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers Group employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world’s largest diamond producer by value, with diamond mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. Innovation sits at the heart of De Beers Group’s strategy as it develops a portfolio of offers that span the diamond value chain, including its jewellery houses, De Beers Jewellers and Forevermark, and other pioneering solutions such as diamond sourcing and traceability initiatives Tracr and GemFair. De Beers Group also provides leading services and technology to the diamond industry in the form of education and laboratory services via De Beers Institute of Diamonds and a wide range of diamond sorting, detection and classification technology systems via De Beers Group Ignite. De Beers Group is committed to ‘,’ a holistic and integrated approach for creating a better future – where safety, human rights and ethical integrity continue to be paramount; where communities thrive and the environment is protected; and where there are equal opportunities for all. De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo-American plc group. For further information, visit.

About GIA
An independent nonprofit organization, GIA (Gemological Institute of America), established in 1931, is recognized as the world’s foremost authority in gemology. GIA invented the famous 4Cs of Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat Weight and, in 1953, created the International Diamond Grading System™ which is recognized around the world as the standard for diamond quality.

Through research, education, gemological laboratory services and instrument development, the Institute is dedicated to ensuring the public trust in gems and jewelry by upholding the highest standards of integrity, academics, science and professionalism.

By Nantoo Banerjee It is good that the government has finally decided to introduce the Producer Price Index (PPI) as a more reliable inflation tracker than the Wholesale Price Index (WPI). However, it may not be desirable to dump WPI entirely after a period of the next five years. Wholesale price levels remain highly valuable […]

The article Producer Price Index Is Welcome Though WPI Need Not Be Dumped appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

VISHNU RAJA
RYO YAMADA
HITORI GOTOH
IKUYO KITA