The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve has fallen below 300 million barrels, deepening concerns over Washington’s emergency oil cushion as prolonged Middle East supply disruptions force further withdrawals from government stockpiles. Federal inventory data for the week ended August 7 put the reserve at about 298.7 million barrels after a weekly draw of roughly 6.1 million barrels. That was the lowest level since 1983 and extended a sharp […]
Sydney Airport is facing intensifying scrutiny over air traffic control staffing after a cluster of runway and taxiway incidents exposed pressure on a system already struggling with delays, overtime and shortages of experienced controllers. Three safety events within two weeks have prompted investigations by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and raised questions about whether staffing resilience at the country’s busiest airport is keeping pace with traffic demand. […]
By Ashok Nilakantan Ayers For much of independent India’s history, the security response to communal violence and terrorism was essentially reactive: an attack occurred, intelligence agencies investigated it, police made arrests, and security forces moved in after violence had already begun. Over the past five years, however, India’s counter-terrorism architecture has been moving towards a […]
The article From reaction to prevention: India’s five-year turn against radicalisation appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).
Google has introduced a short course designed to teach people how to build functional applications with artificial intelligence, lowering the technical barrier for workers who want to create software without conventional programming skills. The “AI for App Building” course is built around the emerging practice of “vibe coding”, in which users describe what they want an application to do in everyday language and an AI system generates […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai A 60-day window for the United States and Iran to negotiate a durable peace agreement has expired without a breakthrough, leaving the Strait of Hormuz dispute unresolved and military and economic pressure intensifying across the Gulf. The deadline was part of an interim framework agreed in June after months of conflict. It was designed to halt fighting, restore commercial navigation through the Strait […]
Washington is preparing another escalation of economic pressure on Iran, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent promising measures without precedent even as the options left to exploit carry growing risks for energy markets, China relations and the US economy. Bessent has said new steps will be announced next week and described the strategy as combining extreme financial isolation with the continuing blockade of Iranian ports. The administration has […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai President Donald Trump has urged Americans to tolerate higher gasoline prices as the economic cost of stopping Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, while escalating tensions by saying he would soon declare the Strait of Hormuz US territory. Speaking in Garden City, New York, on Friday, Trump acknowledged the pressure that rising fuel costs were placing on households but argued that preventing Tehran […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai The UAE has pledged to defend its sovereignty and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz after another Adnoc vessel was attacked while crossing the strategic waterway, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s determination to keep its energy trade moving despite escalating maritime threats. Dr Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, said repeated attacks on Adnoc tankers would not force the country to […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai stocks ended lower on Friday as disappointing corporate earnings and escalating tension around the Strait of Hormuz weighed on investor sentiment, while Abu Dhabi’s benchmark managed a marginal gain. The Dubai Financial Market’s main index fell 0.4%, extending losses for a second consecutive session. Air Arabia and contractor ALEC Holdings were among the biggest drags after their quarterly results disappointed investors. Emaar […]
Anthropic is negotiating a possible $6 billion acquisition of artificial intelligence infrastructure company Decart AI, a transaction that could become the Claude developer’s largest takeover and strengthen its ability to reduce the soaring cost of running advanced AI models. The discussions remain unfinished and could still collapse. The proposed deal centres less on expanding Anthropic’s consumer product portfolio than on improving the economics of computing. Decart develops […]
The UAE has strongly condemned Iran over attacks on two ADNOC-affiliated vessels travelling through the Strait of Hormuz, describing the strikes as a serious violation of international maritime rules and a threat to regional and global energy security. The vessels were attacked on the evening of Thursday, August 13, while transiting the strategically important waterway. No crew members were injured and the situation aboard the ships was […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Oil prices edged higher on Friday as Washington’s warning that it could maintain a naval blockade of Iran indefinitely revived fears of tighter crude supplies, countering pressure from a sharp rise in US inventories and a weaker global demand outlook. Brent crude futures were up 1 cent at $87.08 a barrel by 0247 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude rose 6 cents […]
XRP trading on Binance has entered a markedly calmer phase, with its 30-day realised volatility falling to about 0.34, the lowest level in roughly three months, as traders assess whether reduced price swings could set the stage for a larger market move. The decline represents a sharp reversal from June, when the same volatility measure climbed to about 0.53 amid heavier trading activity and wider price fluctuations. […]
The yuan has gained about 3.6 per cent against the dollar this year, making it one of Asia’s strongest-performing currencies. The advance has persisted despite falling Chinese government bond yields and a widening yield disadvantage against US Treasuries, conditions that would normally encourage capital to favour the dollar. Strong export receipts and increased conversion of dollar earnings by exporters have instead provided sustained support for the currency.
Pressure intensified after the US and Japan intervened to strengthen the yen at the end of July. The operation marked the first coordinated action by Washington and Tokyo to support the Japanese currency since 1998, following a slide that took the yen to four-decade lows. US authorities had also alerted major banks to be prepared for possible intervention through the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, highlighting Washington’s concern about excessive currency volatility.
The yen subsequently surrendered roughly half of its initial gains, but the intervention had broader consequences across Asian foreign-exchange markets. South Korea’s won, the Singapore dollar and the Taiwan dollar have shown relatively high correlations with yen movements, while several other regional currencies have been less sensitive. The spillover has reinforced a wider trend towards appreciation in currencies exposed to North Asian trade and investment flows.
For Beijing, the stronger yuan presents a complicated policy trade-off. Appreciation reduces the local-currency cost of imported commodities and can provide some insulation against inflation generated by energy prices. It can also create more room for monetary easing because policymakers need to worry less about triggering capital outflows or destabilising depreciation.
The cost is greater pressure on exporters at a time when foreign demand has become an increasingly important support for economic activity. China’s export machine has remained resilient while household consumption, property investment and parts of the private economy have struggled to regain momentum. A rising yuan makes Chinese products more expensive abroad and reduces the value of exporters’ overseas earnings when converted back into local currency.
The People’s Bank of China has appeared increasingly willing to moderate the currency’s advance. Daily yuan reference rates have been set weaker than market expectations at times, signalling a preference for slowing appreciation rather than allowing the currency to rise unchecked. China operates a managed exchange-rate system in which the central bank establishes a daily midpoint and permits the onshore yuan to trade within a defined band around that fixing.
The yuan traded around 6.75 per dollar on Wednesday after strengthening through the 6.80 level earlier this year. Exporters have continued selling dollars when the US currency rises, while central-bank guidance has kept the appreciation gradual. Market forecasts generally point towards further controlled yuan strength rather than a rapid revaluation.
The currency’s resilience highlights an unusual divergence inside China’s economy. Long-term sovereign yields have declined as investors price weak domestic demand and subdued inflation, while the yuan has strengthened because of trade surpluses and exporter dollar conversions. China’s current-account surplus has expanded significantly as manufacturing exports have outpaced imports and domestic spending.
That divergence could influence the timing of the next monetary-policy move. One scenario would see the central bank reducing its benchmark policy rate by 10 basis points to 1.3 per cent before the end of the year, using currency strength as protection against depreciation pressure. Expectations remain divided, however, with many economists anticipating unchanged rates through 2026 as policymakers assess inflation, financial stability and the effectiveness of previous easing measures.
July inflation data strengthened the case for additional support. Consumer-price growth slowed to its weakest pace in six months, while producer-price pressures eased, renewing concerns that deflationary forces could return if domestic demand remains subdued. Higher energy costs had previously reduced expectations for further easing.
Currency policy is also becoming more closely tied to trade tensions. China’s expanding manufacturing surplus has generated demands among trading partners for a stronger yuan, particularly as exports of vehicles, machinery, electronics and clean-energy equipment increase. A materially stronger exchange rate would weaken some of that competitive advantage but could also reduce political pressure surrounding trade imbalances.
Earlier this year, Singaporean drivers crossing into Malaysia began receiving SMSes that appeared to come from a government transport agency, claiming they had outstanding road charges to settle. Those who clicked the link and entered their payment details had their banking credentials stolen — at least 10 victims lost a combined S$24,000. Around the same time, a separate wave of phishing messages impersonating a well-known delivery service tricked victims into making payments for fake parcel notifications, resulting in another S$22,000 in losses.
These are the kinds of everyday scams — a convincing text message, a familiar brand name, a moment of inattention — that Allianz Scam Protect is designed to cover. In the first three months of 2026 alone, more than 7,800 scam cases were reported in Singapore with losses exceeding S$144.4 million. Singapore has now lost more than S$4 billion to scams since 2019.
The name change reflects how Singaporeans actually talk about these incidents. When someone loses money after clicking a phishing link in an SMS, they don’t think of it as a “cyber incident” — they call it what it is: a scam. By renaming the product, Allianz ensures that every Singaporean searching for protection against scams can find it immediately. The coverage hasn’t changed — but the name now speaks the same language as the people it protects.
Allianz Scam Protect covers financial losses from phishing, smishing, stolen payment credentials, and unauthorised transactions (up to S$25,000 for Gold; up to S$60,000 for Platinum), as well as online shopping disputes involving undelivered, damaged, or incorrect items. Existing policyholders will see the updated name at their next renewal — no action is required.
Allianz Scam Protect is available from S$8.91 per month at www.allianz.sg and through Allianz’s network of authorised distribution partners. For enquiries, customers may contact the Allianz Customer Service Team at +65 6222 1919 (Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm, excluding public holidays).
Hashtag: #AllianzInsuranceSingapore
https://www.allianz.sg/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/allianzinsuressg
https://www.facebook.com/allianzsg
https://www.instagram.com/allianz.sg/
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
At Allianz Insurance Singapore, we aim to secure the future and create a positive impact on society and the environment by leveraging our expertise in risk management. As we work toward strengthening our position as one of Singapore’s leading risk solutions providers, we deliver innovative and customer‑focused protection solutions for individuals, SMEs, and mid‑corporate clients – spanning Motor, Home Content, Travel, Personal Accident, Cancer, Hospital Income, and a comprehensive suite of commercial insurance offerings.
Businesses across the UAE that use music commercially will face a new licensing regime from December 2026, bringing restaurants, hotels, shopping centres, gyms, airlines and broadcasters within a standardised system for paying music copyright and related-rights fees. The Collective Management in Music Guide establishes a framework for licensing the public and commercial use of protected music. It will apply to restaurants, cafés, hotels, floating hotels, shopping malls, […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely constrained as faltering diplomatic efforts between the United States and Iran deepen uncertainty over one of the world’s most important energy corridors. Only eight vessels were tracked transiting the strait on Tuesday, compared with a 10-day average of about 12. Seven entered through Iranian waters and only one, a coal carrier, exited. The figures followed […]
US Senator Bernie Sanders has urged OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta to pause the development of advanced artificial intelligence, arguing that emerging evidence of autonomous behaviour and powerful biological capabilities shows existing safety protections may no longer be sufficient. The Vermont senator addressed his demand to OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei and Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg. Sanders said the companies should honour […]
South Korea has approved the removal of the 1 million won threshold from its cryptocurrency Travel Rule, requiring regulated virtual asset businesses to exchange sender and recipient information for transfers of every size as Seoul tightens safeguards against money laundering. The Cabinet approved amendments to the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Reporting and Using Specified Financial Transaction Information on Tuesday, August 11. The expanded Travel Rule […]
OPEC crude production climbed sharply in July as Gulf producers restored output disrupted by the Iran war and restrictions on tanker movements through the Strait of Hormuz, extending the oil market’s recovery from severe supply losses earlier this year. Production by the 11-member Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries increased by about 1.17 million barrels per day from June to 19.85 million bpd. Iraq recorded the largest […]
MARA Holdings sold about 23,093 bitcoin for $1.6 billion during the first half of 2026, marking a major reversal from the cryptocurrency miner’s earlier strategy of accumulating and retaining virtually all the bitcoin it produced. The figure, disclosed in the company’s quarterly regulatory filing, represents cumulative sales during the six months ended June 30 rather than a single transaction carried out on Monday. Social-media posts describing the […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Iran has appointed veteran Revolutionary Guards commander Mohsen Rezaei as secretary of its Supreme National Security Council, reshaping the country’s security leadership while negotiations with Oman over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz approach a decisive stage. Rezaei replaces Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, another former Revolutionary Guards commander who had held the powerful post since March. Zolghadr has been moved to a political advisory […]
Google has opened its latest artificial intelligence weather technology to researchers worldwide after tests showed its cyclone forecasting system could deliver more than a day of additional warning on storm tracks, strength and damaging winds. The company has released the code and model weights for WeatherNext 2 alongside WeatherNext Cyclones, allowing meteorological agencies, scientists and developers to adapt the technology for research, operational forecasting and specialised regional […]
AI Financial Corp has sold its main operating subsidiary for a $12 million secured promissory note and shares in the buyer, marking a dramatic reversal for a fintech company that surged past a $1 billion market valuation after tying its fortunes to the Trump family’s cryptocurrency venture. The Las Vegas-based company, formerly known as ALT5 Sigma Corp, completed the sale of Quebec-based ALT 5 Sigma Canada Inc […]
