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 […]
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%, […]
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.
OpenAI’s claim that an unreleased artificial intelligence system has solved the Navier-Stokes existence and smoothness problem has triggered a dispute among mathematicians over the proof’s independence, attribution and use of research generated through commercial AI tools. The company said its internal model, described as significantly more capable than GPT-6 Astra, produced a proposed solution after an intensive effort involving as many as 10,000 AI agents. OpenAI released […]
Iraq plans to lift pipeline oil exports through Syria and Türkiye’s Mediterranean port of Ceyhan to more than one million barrels a day, as Baghdad accelerates efforts to diversify crude shipments away from vulnerable Gulf routes. Oil Minister Bassem Mohammed Khudair said Iraq was exporting about three million barrels per day in September and remained within its OPEC production ceiling, with current production capacity not exceeding 4.2 […]
Growth reflects Prudential’s continued investment in adviser development and career progression
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 September 2026 – Prudential plc (“Prudential”) has retained its No. 2 position among multinational companies in the 2026 Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) rankings. First-time qualifiers increased 14 per cent year-on-year, reflecting continued momentum in Prudential’s agency business and the impact of its strategy to build a more professional and productive agency force across Asia and Africa.
This momentum is reflected across Prudential’s markets:
Indonesia has held the No. 1 in-country ranking for more than a decade and continues to have the largest number of MDRT members in the market.
Hong Kong climbed three places in MDRT rankings to No. 3 globally and No. 2 in-country, with the second-highest number of Top of Table (TOT) and Court of Table (COT) qualifiers.
Singapore ranked No. 1 in-country for TOT qualifiers, with an 83.8 per cent MDRT member retention rate, and sits in the global top three. It also led the 2026 MDRT Culture of Excellence Awards, with 29 Agency Leader award recipients from a total of 68 winners worldwide.
In Africa, Prudential remains the only insurer represented in the MDRT Global Top 100 company rankings in the last three years, with Nigeria and Ghana each ranked No. 1 in-country.
In the Chinese Mainland, Prudential grew MDRT qualifiers 40 per cent year-on-year in the first half of 2026.
Prudential’s base of quality producers is driving year-on-year double-digit growth in new business profit per MDRT agent, as reported in its 2026 Half Year Results.
Pankaj Banerjee, Group Chief Agency Officer, Prudential plc, said: “Our agency transformation is gathering pace, and our direction is clear: we are building a higher-quality, more professional and more productive agency force, equipped to deliver the trusted advice our customers increasingly need, at every stage of their lives. The continued growth in first-time MDRT qualifiers reflects the progress we are making and the commitment of our advisers, agency leaders and colleagues to raising professional standards across the industry.”
As customer needs become more complex, particularly in health, protection and wealth planning, the demand for trusted, high-quality advice is rising. For Prudential, upholding agency excellence is about providing advisers access to learning, role models, communities and opportunities that help them progress and deliver better outcomes for customers.
This commitment is reflected in Prudential’s long-standing partnership with MDRT, which gives advisers access to a global professional community, learning opportunities and standards of excellence. At every stage of the adviser journey, Prudential continues to invest in attracting high-quality talent, strengthening capabilities and productivity. This includes equipping advisers with deeper wealth planning capabilities, insights and AI-enabled tools to meet evolving customer needs and drive sustained MDRT growth.
To accelerate this progress, Prudential recently established the MDRT Advisory Council, a Group-wide platform bringing together leading producers in 11 agency markets to share best practices, accelerate adviser growth and support advisers in their professional progression across the force.
Prudential’s commitment to adviser development was also reflected at the 2026 MDRT Global Conference in Sydney, where it was recognised as MDRT Premier Sponsor and joined by 400 of its advisers and agency leaders from across different markets.
As MDRT approaches its 100th anniversary, Prudential looks forward to continuing its partnership with MDRT with a focus on expanding development pathways, raising professional standards, and supporting the next generation of advisers to achieve their full potential.
Hashtag: #Prudentialplc
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Prudential plc
Prudential provides life and health insurance and asset management in Greater China, ASEAN, India and Africa. Prudential’s mission is to be the most trusted partner and protector for this generation and generations to come, by providing simple and accessible financial and health solutions. The business has dual primary listings on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (HKEX: 2378) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: PRU). It also has a secondary listing on the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX: K6S) and a listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: PUK) in the form of American Depositary Receipts. It is a constituent of the Hang Seng Composite Index and is also included for trading in the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programme and the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect programme.
Prudential is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential Financial, Inc. a company whose principal place of business is in the United States of America, nor with The Prudential Assurance Company Limited, a subsidiary of M&G plc, a company incorporated in the United Kingdom.
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Mashreqbank has raised $500 million through a five-year US dollar-denominated senior unsecured bond, with the pricing spread tightened to 115 basis points over US Treasuries as investor demand supported the transaction. The Dubai-based lender completed the Regulation S offering under its $5 billion Euro Medium Term Note programme after mandating a group of international and regional banks for investor calls earlier this week. […]
Snow Suen, 6 Wing, Tracy Chu and Karen Cheng join forces to support students
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 September 2026 – As the new school year begins, children are meeting new teachers, making new friends and taking on new challenges. They may feel excited about what lies ahead, but they may also experience nervousness and uncertainty. Save the Children Hong Kong has launched Every Moment Matters, a public awareness campaign on children’s mental health. The campaign brings together Children’s Mental Wellness Ambassador Snow Suen, celebrities 6 Wing, Tracy Chu, Karen Cheng and a group of child stars in a series of back-to-school cheer-up videos. The celebrity parents also share their parenting experiences to encourage the community to pay closer attention to children’s emotional needs during times of change, adjustment and growth.
Every Moment Matters brings together Children’s Mental Wellness Ambassador Snow Suen, celebrities 6 Wing, Tracy Chu, and Karen Cheng to support students and share tips for navigating the return to school
Every Moment Matters reminds the public that emotional distress does not have a single, fixed appearance, and children may not always express their struggles in words. A quiet response, avoiding eye contact, or a closed door may point to pressure and distress that a child does not yet know how to communicate. With the campaign line “Before the moment is gone, start with a knock”, the campaign calls on parents, caregivers and the wider community to pay closer attention to children’s emotional needs. A simple knock represents respect, companionship and a readiness to listen. It can also create a moment in which a child feels safe enough to express themselves.
Celebrities join to help children navigate a new school year
Every Moment Matters brings together Snow Suen, 6 Wing, Tracy Chu, Karen Cheng and a group of child stars in the Starting the School Year Together video series. In addition to offering encouragement to students, the celebrity parents share practical ways to support children as they return to school.
Preparing for school begins with building a sense of security
A new school year may bring new teachers, classmates, school environments and more challenging schoolwork. Children may feel excited about these changes, but nervousness and uncertainty may also arise. Instead of repeatedly reminding children about the challenges ahead, parents can help them understand what to expect, give them time to adjust and offer positive yet practical support.
Children’s Mental Wellness Ambassador Snow Suen shared that when her younger child started kindergarten, she explained in advance that there would be teachers and classmates at school. She also reassured her child that she would be there to pick him up at the end of each school day, helping him develop a greater sense of security.
Actress Tracy Chu’s son also began pre-nursery at a new school. Before the term started, she took him to the area surrounding the school so that he could become familiar with the new environment and feel less unfamiliar or afraid on his first day.
Singer 6 Wing believes that ordering textbooks and completing summer homework are important back-to-school preparations, but helping children approach new challenges with a positive mindset matters even more. He said, “For a child, returning to school may mean entering a completely new environment. Parents can first give children time to experience the new environment and adjust at their own pace. Rather than focusing only on how difficult the new school year will be or how hard they must work, we can let them take things one step at a time.”
Begin with what matters to the child
When children return home from school, parents may be eager to ask what they have learnt or whether they are keeping up with their work. However, the celebrity parents featured in the videos believe that conversations can begin with the school experiences and feelings that matter most to the child.
Snow Suen shared that she usually begins by asking her children: “How was your day?”, “Did you have fun?” or “Did anything new or interesting happen today?” She noted that adults also want someone to care about how they feel after a day at work, and children need the same kind of attention. She also encourages parents to share their own experiences and feelings from the day, making communication a two-way exchange rather than a series of questions directed at the child. When daily sharing becomes a habit, children may become more willing to talk not only about interesting things that happen at school, but also about experiences that have made them unhappy. Snow Suen said, “Young children may not yet have enough experience to manage their emotions, so they need parents to talk with them and show that they care. Most importantly, children should know that, whatever happens, someone will support them and their parents will be there for them.”
6 Wing shared that when his children return home after the first day of school, he asks whether they were happy, whether school was fun and whether they made any new friends. He believes parents can first ask how children are adapting to the new school environment and social relationships, instead of immediately asking whether they are keeping up with the curriculum. Radio presenter Karen Cheng likewise believes that parents can begin with the matters children care about most. These might include who their class teacher is, which classmate sits beside them, and what they did with their friends during recess. Specific questions can help children recall and share their experiences, making it easier for the conversation to continue.
Karen Cheng believes parents can approach conversations from their child’s perspective by asking first about the people and experiences that matter most to them.
Adults may not be able to solve every problem a child encounters immediately, but they can pause, understand and respond to the child’s emotional needs in that moment. Continued presence and attentive listening can help children feel that they are not facing challenges alone and support them in developing a stronger sense of security.
Expert insights and thematic videos help caregivers respond to children’s mental health needs
Save the Children Hong Kong is rolling out a series of public education content and support resources on the campaign website. These include celebrity sharing, expert insights, public education videos and the thematic short film No Regrets. Together, these resources help parents, caregivers, and the public better understand the emotional distress children may experience, as well as how adults can respond.
Every Moment Matters is launching a series of public education content and support resources through the campaign website.
The thematic short film No Regrets, starring child actor Ariel So from Warriors of Future, calls on parents and caregivers to make the most of every opportunity to care for children’s emotional needs.
Kalina Tsang, CEO of Save the Children Hong Kong, said, “Every child deserves to be heard, and every adult has an important role to play. Adults may not be able to solve every problem a child faces immediately, but every seemingly ordinary moment can become an opportunity to make a difference.” She added, “Parents and caregivers can begin with everyday observation, patient presence and attentive listening. When a child is not yet ready to express themselves, adults can first offer respect and space. By noticing more and missing fewer moments, we have a greater chance of responding to children’s needs early.”
Save the Children Hong Kong calls on parents, caregivers, schools, child-facing organisations and the wider community to begin from this moment and continue paying attention to children’s emotional needs. Every Moment Matters will raise public awareness of children’s mental health in phases. The first phase focuses on recognising the signs, reminding adults that a child’s struggles may not always be visible. The campaign will then introduce a series of activities encouraging adults to create safe opportunities and spaces for children to express themselves, and to make respect and listening part of everyday family and community life: smallest knock, biggest talk.
Notes to Editors
Public education and support resources, including:
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Save the Children Hong Kong
Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In Hong Kong and around the world, we do whatever it takes – every day and in times of crisis – so children can fulfil their rights to a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. With over 100 years of expertise, we are the world’s first and leading independent children’s organisation – transforming lives and future.
Established in 2009, Save the Children Hong Kong is part of the global movement which operates in around 100 countries. We work with children, families, schools, communities and our supporters to deliver lasting change for children in Hong Kong and around the world.
DP World and GulfCap Africa have formalised their joint venture to develop the 222-hectare Mombasa Industrial Park, advancing a major special economic zone project intended to expand manufacturing and logistics capacity on Kenya’s coast. The companies signed a Shareholders Agreement at State House in Nairobi in the presence of President William Ruto, building on a partnership announced in August. The agreement establishes the ownership framework behind the […]
By K Raveendran India has spent the past four years demonstrating that energy security can sometimes be protected by refusing to choose sides. Russian crude offered discounts when Western sanctions rearranged the global oil market, Gulf producers remained indispensable despite the new relationship with Moscow, and purchases from the United States and other distant suppliers […]
Apple has unveiled the iPhone Duo, its first foldable smartphone, marking the company’s entry into a category and introducing the biggest physical redesign of the iPhone since the iPhone X. The book-style device was presented on Wednesday at Apple’s product event in Cupertino, California, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. The Duo folds into a passport-like form and opens into a larger display […]
China’s oil demand is expected to fall by 600,000 barrels a day, or 8.9%, in 2026, marking a third consecutive annual decline as high crude prices and faster electric-vehicle adoption curb fuel consumption, according to Sinopec Group’s research arm.
The Sinopec Economics & Development Research Institute said petrol and diesel would account for most of the reduction, with petrol demand projected to drop 8.7% from a year earlier to 149 million tonnes and diesel consumption to fall 11.4% to 164 million tonnes. Jet fuel demand, by contrast, is forecast to rise 1.3% to 41.55 million tonnes.
The forecast underscores a sharper structural shift in the world’s biggest crude importer, where transport electrification is steadily reducing dependence on petroleum fuels while the US-Iran war has pushed up energy prices and disrupted supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. The institute said the combination of high prices and changing transport patterns was weakening consumption across key refined products.
China’s oil demand has now declined for three straight years, according to the institute, strengthening evidence that growth in transport fuel use has peaked. The International Energy Agency has separately estimated that electric vehicles displaced about one million barrels a day of oil demand in China during 2025, roughly 15% of the road-transport demand that would otherwise have been required if the fleet had remained dominated by internal-combustion vehicles.
The IEA expects the displacement effect to deepen as the electric fleet expands, with electric vehicles in China projected to displace about 2.7 million barrels a day by 2030 under current policy settings. China already has the world’s largest stock of electric vehicles, and electrification is spreading beyond passenger cars into buses and heavy trucks, where diesel use has historically been substantial.
The IEA has said China’s transport oil consumption has flattened despite economic growth, as electric vehicles, gas-powered trucks and high-speed rail increasingly replace petroleum-based travel and freight.
The Sinopec research unit also lowered its outlook for crude processing, putting China’s 2026 refinery throughput at 697 million tonnes. Sinopec itself, the world’s largest refiner by capacity, has set a second-half oil throughput target of 113 million tonnes, broadly unchanged from the first half, according to its interim results.
Refining capacity is nevertheless expected to reach 952 million tonnes a year, equivalent to about 19.04 million barrels a day, in 2026. The research institute said tighter policy requirements and falling domestic demand would speed the closure of inefficient plants, particularly smaller and medium-sized refineries with limited product ranges.
It estimated that facilities representing 80 million to 100 million tonnes of annual refining capacity could leave the market. That would reduce national refining capacity to between 900 million and 910 million tonnes a year by the end of 2030, a contraction of as much as 5.5% from the 2026 level.
Weakness is also evident in petrochemicals. Although profits in China’s chemical industry rose by more than 50% year on year during the first seven months of 2026, the institute said apparent demand remained subdued. It forecast full-year ethylene-equivalent consumption to decline 8% because of high costs and inventory pressures.
The demand outlook has wider implications for global oil markets because China’s purchases have long been a major source of incremental consumption. Lower demand has helped restrain crude imports and limit price gains even as the conflict involving the United States and Iran has disrupted Gulf supply routes and tightened physical markets.
Brent crude climbed above $100 a barrel on Wednesday as renewed attacks raised fears of further supply losses. Yet weaker consumption in China remains an important counterweight to the supply shock, with traders weighing the effects of reduced imports against disruption across the Middle East.
Expanding satellite and hybrid IoT connectivity services across the Belt and Road Regions
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 September 2026 – HKT (SEHK: 6823) – PCCW Global, the international telecommunications service provider under HKT, and Druid Technology Co., Ltd. (Druid Technology), a Chinese mainland provider of intelligent IoT solutions, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the 11th Belt and Road Summit in Hong Kong. Under the MoU, the two companies plan to jointly deliver one-stop IoT solutions that combine satellite and hybrid connectivity in the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, Macao, and Belt and Road regions.
Frederick Chui, CEO, PCCW Global (left) and Li Guozheng, Founder and CEO, Druid Technology (right) signed an MoU at the Belt and Road Summit.
As a provider of intelligent IoT terminals and solutions, Druid Technology will leverage its expertise in device design, multi-network adaptation, data processing and platform integration, together with PCCW Global’s worldwide network services including roaming and cellular IoT to deliver one-stop, ready-to-deploy IoT solutions based on satellite and hybrid (satellite and cellular) connectivity. These solutions will support IoT applications such as remote tracking and monitoring for sectors including transportation, logistics, livestock farming and environmental management in remote locations and areas beyond the reach of conventional terrestrial networks.
Frederick Chui, CEO of PCCW Global, said: “PCCW Global is committed to delivering reliable connectivity and technology solutions through our extensive global network infrastructure. We are delighted to collaborate with Druid Technology and combine its expertise in intelligent IoT solutions with our own capabilities to strengthen our offering of one-stop IoT solutions for enterprise customers in both public and private sectors. Through this collaboration, we look forward to advancing the adoption of satellite and hybrid IoT solutions across Belt and Road markets, helping to meet the growing demand for reliable IoT connectivity and end-to-end solutions in remote and cross-border environments.”
Li Guozheng, Founder and CEO of Druid Technology, said: “We are pleased to become an integrated solutions provider for PCCW Global. By combining Druid Technology’s full-stack capabilities in intelligent IoT terminals, multi-system integration and physical world AI with PCCW Global’s leading global network infrastructure, we will provide customers with more comprehensive one-stop IoT solutions. We believe this collaboration will enable customers to deploy intelligent IoT applications more quickly and reliably, even in remote locations and other challenging environments.”
The solutions will cover terminal devices, network connectivity, data management and technical support. Leveraging its extensive global operational experience, PCCW Global will help accelerate the deployment of the solution across Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, Macao, the Belt and Road regions and global markets.
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.
US Treasury yields climbed on Wednesday as oil prices pushed above $100 a barrel, intensifying concern that higher energy costs could keep inflation elevated and persuade the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates at its September 15-16 meeting. The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield moved above 4.8%, touching its highest level since late 2023, while longer-dated yields remained under pressure as investors reassessed the inflation outlook and the […]
The transaction follows the landmark property’s March 2026 debut and marks the completion of the joint venture transformation of the Lake Como site into a five-star EDITION hotel
BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 September 2026 – Bain Capital, a leading global private investment firm, and Omnam Group, a Europe-based hospitality real estate developer and investor, recently announced the sale of The Lake Como EDITION to Sansiri Capital, the hospitality trophy asset fund of Sansiri Public Company Limited, a leading Thai real estate developer with more than 40 years of experience. The transaction marks the culmination of the partners’ transformation of the landmark Lake Como property into one of Italy’s most significant new luxury hospitality destinations. The transaction is expected to be completed in the next several weeks. Completion remains subject to customary closing conditions and required third-party approvals. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The Lake Como EDITION
Set on the shores of Cadenabbia, the property occupies a rare waterfront position opposite Bellagio, with access to Milan and Malpensa International Airport in approximately one hour. The landmark 19th-century palazzo was acquired by Bain Capital and Omnam Group in late 2021. An extensive redevelopment began in April 2022, reimagining the historic property as The Lake Como EDITION. The hotel opened in March 2026, just under six months ago, as part of Marriott International’s EDITION Hotels portfolio, introducing a new expression of contemporary luxury to one of Italy’s most iconic destinations.
Penthouse
At acquisition, Bain Capital and Omnam identified an opportunity to create a new luxury hospitality offering in a market characterized by strong international demand, limited five-star supply and significant barriers to new lakeside development. Acquiring the property with vacant possession enabled the partners to undertake a comprehensive repositioning rather than an incremental refurbishment.
The sale reflects growing international investor interest in distinctive, experience-led European hospitality assets and marks Sansiri’s strategic expansion into Europe’s luxury hospitality sector through the Sansiri Capital fund, further strengthening its portfolio of trophy assets. For Bain Capital and Omnam Group, the transaction demonstrates the value created by combining real estate investment, development expertise and leading hospitality partners to reposition a complex asset.
The redevelopment substantially reconfigured the property, reducing the former hotel’s room count from nearly 300 to 148 larger rooms and suites and creating a new spa and wellness building, alongside an extensive food and beverage and leisure offering. The transformation also incorporated the property’s distinctive waterfront amenities, including its floating pool and beach club.
The Pool
Ali Haroon, a Partner and Head of Europe Real Estate for Bain Capital, said:
“Lake Como is a strong example of how we approach real estate investing in Europe. We focus on sectors supported by long-term structural demand and opportunities where our capital, local relationships and hands-on capabilities can fundamentally transform an asset. Together with Omnam, we have taken a highly underinvested property in an irreplaceable location and created a contemporary luxury destination for the international market. This is exactly the type of complex, execution-led opportunity we seek across our Europe Real Estate strategy.”
The Lake Como EDITION
David Zisser, CEO and Founder of Omnam Group, said:
“The Lake Como EDITION has been an ambitious undertaking from the outset. Our vision was to take a remarkable historic property in one of the world’s most iconic destinations and give it new relevance through architecture, design and hospitality, while remaining deeply connected to the character of Lake Como.
Together with Bain Capital and an exceptional group of partners, we have taken that vision from acquisition and development through to the opening of a landmark new hotel. We are immensely proud of what has been created. The completion of this transaction is a significant milestone for Omnam and a testament to the strength of our development approach, while marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter for The Lake Como EDITION.”
The sale of The Lake Como EDITION marks the latest chapter in Omnam Group’s expanding presence across Europe, where an ambitious pipeline of projects is currently underway in Florence, Venice, Puglia and Sicily — each reimagining distinctive properties into internationally relevant lifestyle destinations.
The acquisition also marks a significant international investment for Sansiri Public Company Limited, bringing one of Lake Como’s newest luxury hospitality assets into its trophy-asset portfolio through Sansiri Capital, the hospitality trophy-asset investment arm.
Napat Thavisin, President of International Operations, Sansiri Public Company Limited and Managing Director of Sansiri Capital, said:
“The acquisition of The Lake Como EDITION marks a significant milestone in advancing Sansiri’s New S-Curve strategy. It strengthens our financial resilience and diversifies risk across our global hospitality portfolio. We remain focused on ultra-luxury trophy assets in gateway cities and high-demand leisure destinations—markets characterised by robust demand and inherently constrained supply. This disciplined capital-allocation approach is designed to maximise long-term shareholder value.
As Thailand’s No.1 most trusted luxury real estate developer, with 40 year of experience, Sansiri brings a proven record in global markets from The Manner SoHo, New York to the growth of Standard International prior to its acquisition by Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Leveraging this expertise, we look forward to stewarding this exceptional investment in The Lake Como EDITION under Sansiri Capital’s ownership, in collaboration with Marriott International, which will continue to operate the hotel, while further diversifying our revenue streams across major global currencies. Looking ahead, Sansiri will actively pursue trophy-asset investments in premier leisure and gateway destinations worldwide, reinforcing our position as a fully integrated global real estate and lifestyle investment platform.”
Hashtag: #Sansiri
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 September 2026 – In 2024, East West Barbershop (Dong Tay Barbershop) opened its first branch in Hungary, marking a milestone in its journey to take a Vietnamese barbering brand global. For Chairman Nguyen Hoai Thanh, Europe represents a demanding test of the company’s operational capabilities, technical expertise and adaptability.
East West Barbershop initially accepted losses to establish its foothold in Europe
Europe: A demanding test for a Vietnamese barbering brand
Founded in Vietnam in 2018, East West Barbershop has grown from a local men’s barbershop into a global men’s grooming brand.
In less than a decade, the chain has expanded across Vietnam and into international markets, becoming one of Asia’s prominent men’s grooming brands.
While expansion in Vietnam has been driven by growing demand for men’s grooming, operating in Europe presents a more complex challenge.
Tax regulations, business requirements, labor laws and working-hour rules are strictly regulated, while costs for premises, personnel and operations are significantly higher.
“Europe is a demanding market, with high service expectations and stringent regulations. To integrate into the market, we did not simply replicate our Vietnamese model in Europe.
I have traveled to Europe several times to study the market, adjust our operating procedures and enhance the customer experience,” said Nguyen Hoai Thanh, Chairman of East West Barbershop Vietnam Joint Stock Company.
These efforts are beginning to yield results. Its Hungary branch has built a base of returning customers, demonstrating that a Vietnamese brand can earn trust in a demanding market by respecting local standards while leveraging its own strengths.
East West Barbershop brings Vietnamese and European barbers together to exchange expertise, share experiences and learn from one another, turning its international expansion into a two-way journey of professional growth.
This reflects the spirit behind the name “East West”: Connecting professionals from different cultures to grow together.
From a haircut to an East-West cultural exchange
Vietnamese and European barbers differ in their professional cultures. In Vietnam, barbers often build close relationships with customers through everyday conversations, personalized advice and an ability to remember individual preferences.
East West Barbershop preserves these values internationally while adapting to European expectations of professionalism, precision, personalization and service consistency.
East West Barbershop brings Vietnamese craftsmanship and identity to Europe
From popular styles such as fades, undercuts and hair tattoos to services including shampooing, facial shaving, ear cleaning and massage, the brand aims to create a personalized grooming experience.
Its stores also feature greenery, bookshelves and relaxation areas, turning a haircut into a genuine moment of leisure.
Today, East West Barbershop operates more than 130 branches globally, with over 1,000 employees.
Behind these figures remains a simple ambition: To take Vietnamese barbering further through the skill and dedication of its barbers.
East West Barbershop’s European journey is more than opening another store. It demonstrates that a Vietnamese brand can enter international markets through craftsmanship, professionalism and a distinctive identity. Hashtag: #EastWestBarbershop
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HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 September 2026 – The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) released its Global Innovation Index (GII) 2026 on September 8, revealing that the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou metropolitan cluster, located in Southern China, has once again secured the top position among the world’s 100 leading innovation clusters. This marks another triumph for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), solidifying its status as a global powerhouse for scientific advancement and technological entrepreneurship.
The annual GII ranking evaluates innovation activity through three core metrics: international patent filings via WIPO’s Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), scientific publications and the number of venture capital deals. For this year’s ranking, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster filed 2,259 PCT applications, published 4,060 scientific articles and had 138 venture capital deals, all per 1 million inhabitants over the past five years.
Welcoming the announcement, a spokesman for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government said the ranking reaffirms the outstanding innovative capacity and the innovation and technology (I&T)-supporting financing ecosystem of the GBA.
“Expediting I&T development has been a policy priority of this Government,” the spokesman added, highlighting the HKSAR Government’s continuous development of the original grant patent system and introduction of the patent box regime, which offers tax concessions for intellectual property income to promote innovation.
The HKSAR Government’s strategic investments are already yielding tangible results. The number of start-ups in Hong Kong has surged from over 1,500 in 2015 to more than 5,200 in 2025. The city’s two I&T flagships—Hong Kong Science Park and Cyberport—have collectively nurtured around 20 unicorns to date.
A landmark development in this trajectory is the official opening of the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone (the Loop Hong Kong Park) in December 2025. Over 100 technology enterprises and institutions have already signed leases and begun moving in. The Loop Hong Kong Park is poised to serve as an important platform for basic scientific research, commercialisation, pilot production, and international I&T collaboration within the GBA.
Furthermore, the establishment of the San Tin Technopole Company Limited in June 2026 is set to develop 210 hectares of I&T land in the San Tin Technopole, which is located in Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis development. It will create a vital node for integrated upstream, midstream and downstream industrial development, alongside the Loop Hong Kong Park.
Hong Kong’s financial machinery remains a cornerstone of its innovation success. The city boasts a vibrant private equity market with assets under management nearing US$250 billion, ranking second in Asia after the Chinese Mainland.
Looking ahead, Hong Kong will proactively align its strategy with the National 15th Five-Year Plan to fortify its position as an international I&T centre. The city will also further deepen collaboration with GBA sister cities, and contribute to the nation’s efforts in building a modern industrial system and achieving high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and strength.
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Iran has warned crews aboard oil tankers in Kuwaiti and Bahraini ports to leave their vessels immediately, threatening retaliatory strikes after US forces destroyed five Iranian crude carriers in an escalation of the conflict around the Strait of Hormuz. The warning, issued by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, said tankers at anchor or alongside port facilities in the two Gulf states could […]
MACAU SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 8 September 2026 – Melco Resorts & Entertainment has achieved notable success at the tenth anniversary edition of the prestigious Trip.Gourmet Restaurant Rankings and Fine Dining Awards. Presented with a total of five accolades, the achievement reinforces Melco’s position as a premier global leader in hospitality and commitment to Macau’s ongoing development as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.
Jade Dragon at City of Dreams Macau was honored with the highest distinction Black Diamond recognition
The honors were presented at the award ceremony celebrations in Singapore on September 8, 2026. The five award-winning restaurants at Melco representing the pinnacle of fine dining excellence include:
Jade Dragon (City of Dreams) was honored with the highest distinction Black Diamond recognition. Creating culinary masterpieces that set the standard for gastronomic excellence in Macau and beyond, Jade Dragon is the only Chinese restaurant in the world awarded with MICHELIN three stars and Black Pearl three diamonds.
Alain Ducasse at Morpheus (City of Dreams) captured the distinguished Diamond accolade for its legendary French classics. Alain Ducasse at Morpheus is honored with MICHELIN two stars and Black Pearl one diamond.
Yí (City of Dreams) garnered the prestigious Platinum status for its innovative Chinese cuisine. The Black Pearl one-diamond restaurant distills Chinese gastronomy to its essence in a creative take on seasonal dining through its signature dishes.
Sushi Kinetsu (City of Dreams) was awarded the Platinum status for its outstanding authentic Edomae sushi craftsmanship. It holds MICHELIN one star and Black Pearl one diamond.
Pearl Dragon (Studio City) attained the Platinum status. The MICHELIN-starred restaurant fuses modern flair with timeless Cantonese tradition for an exquisite dining experience. Crafted from the finest seasonal ingredients, Pearl Dragon’s dishes are rooted in Cantonese culinary traditions and masterfully infused with Chaozhou essence.
Mr. Lawrence Ho, Chairman & CEO of Melco, said, “Achieving five major honors at the tenth anniversary of the Trip.Gourmet Awards is a great testament to our unwavering commitment to world-class hospitality. This milestone belongs entirely to our extraordinary culinary and F&B team colleagues. Their continued dedication, creativity and tireless pursuit of excellence ensure that every guest enjoys an unforgettable journey with us. I am deeply thankful to our team for their hard work and passion. We look forward to working together to continue driving forward Macau’s reputation as a global culinary destination.”
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About Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited
The Company, with its American depositary shares listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (Nasdaq: MLCO), is a developer, owner and operator of integrated resort facilities in Asia and Europe. The Company currently operates City of Dreams (www.cityofdreamsmacau.com) and Altira Macau (www.altiramacau.com), integrated resorts located in Cotai and Taipa, Macau, respectively. Its business also includes the Mocha Clubs (www.mochaclubs.com), the only non-casino based operation of electronic gaming machines in Macau. In addition, the Company operates Studio City (www.studiocity-macau.com), a cinematically-themed integrated resort in Cotai, Macau. In the Philippines, the Company operates and manages City of Dreams Manila (www.cityofdreamsmanila.com), an integrated resort in the Entertainment City complex in Manila. In Europe, the Company operates City of Dreams Mediterranean, an integrated resort in Limassol, in the Republic of Cyprus (www.cityofdreamsmed.com.cy) and licensed satellite casinos in other cities in Cyprus (the “Cyprus Casinos”). In South Asia, the Company operates the casino and manages the Nüwa hotel at City of Dreams Sri Lanka (www.cityofdreamssrilanka.com), an integrated resort in Colombo, Sri Lanka. For more information about the Company, please visitwww.melco-resorts.com.
The Company is majority owned by Melco International Development Limited, a company listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, which is in turn majority owned and led by Mr. Lawrence Ho, who is the Chairman, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.
BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 8 September 2026 – On September 4, Qwen Conference Thailand 2026 was held in Bangkok, bringing together industry leaders, developers, AI creators, government organizations, universities, and technology partners to explore advances in AI and the future of AI-powered industries.
AMAP Platform, Alibaba’s global provider of spatial intelligence and location-based solutions, joined the conference to share its technologies and real-world applications in global location services and spatial intelligence with businesses and developers from Thailand and around the world.
At the event, AMAP Platform’s Head of Overseas Business presented the company’s global strategy for spatial intelligence and highlighted solutions across key industries, including two-wheeler mobility, logistics and delivery, and travel.
For two-wheeler mobility, AMAP Platform provides multilingual POI search, motorcycle route planning, restricted-road avoidance, ETA estimation, and navigation, helping businesses deliver smarter and more efficient mobility experiences.
For logistics and delivery, location services support key stages across the delivery lifecycle, from order planning and delivery operations to network optimization, helping businesses improve delivery efficiency and operational decision-making.
For travel, multilingual POI search, multimodal route planning, and real-time navigation support a seamless journey from destination discovery to on-the-go navigation.
AMAP Platform is also expanding spatial intelligence into a broader range of industries, including e-commerce and AIoT. Through standardized, easy-to-integrate location services, AMAP Platform enables businesses worldwide to embed mapping and spatial intelligence into their products and operations, unlocking new opportunities for business growth and AI-powered industry innovation.
Hashtag: #AMAPPlatform
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Scientists examining Nepal’s catastrophic August glacier collapse have identified accelerating movement in satellite images before the slope failed, strengthening hopes that high-resolution monitoring could provide warning of some future Himalayan glacier disasters. The 26 August failure high in the Lhende catchment near the Nepal-China border sent ice, rock, mud and water down the Bhote Koshi-Trishuli river system, devastating settlements and infrastructure. Nepalese authorities say the disaster has […]
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 8 September 2026 – Global digital business services leader TP (ex-Teleperformance) has been named Frost & Sullivan’s 2026 Asia-Pacific Company of the Year in Customer Experience Management Services, the analyst firm’s top honor recognizing the market participant that exemplifies visionary innovation, market-leading performance and customer care. TP was recognized for combining AI orchestration, operational discipline, and measurable customer impact across Asia-Pacific.
Frost & Sullivan credited TP’s ability to move AI from experimentation into live operations, which Frost identified as one of the most urgent gaps in the industry. TP applies AI across the service delivery lifecycle to help teams become productive faster and improve service quality at scale. This starts with AI-enabled recruitment and onboarding, extends into simulation-based training that helps customer experts build proficiency before handling live interactions, and continues through workforce management and AI-assisted coaching. In quality assurance, TP now reviews every transaction rather than the small sample the industry has traditionally relied on, sharpening coaching precision, compliance visibility and operational learning.
“As AI becomes embedded into customer operations, enterprises need outcome-based models that orchestrate AI and human agents to improve productivity and deliver measurable business value,” said Dave Rizzo, President and CEO, APAC, TP. “TP designs workflows that use AI to elevate human work, while linking productivity gains to the business outcomes clients want to achieve. Being named Frost & Sullivan’s Asia-Pacific Company of the Year recognizes the progress we are making in delivering that transformation for clients across the region.”
Frost & Sullivan highlighted TP’s work with a major hospitality brand in Singapore as an example of this approach in practice. The engagement went beyond operational delivery to integrate technology across legacy and modern systems, while also implementing an AI-enabled knowledge platform that delivers trusted, context-aware answers to customer inquiries across multiple operational teams and lines of business. Together, these capabilities supported a broader redesign of the service infrastructure behind a high-touch, premium customer experience. Beyond individual client engagements, TP’s operations across Asia-Pacific play a dual role in TP’s strategy as both a delivery engine and a business development engine in a high-growth demand market. Frost & Sullivan noted that TP’s regional footprint enables it to respond to different language, regulatory, cultural, and operational requirements.
“The company’s centers of excellence in Asia-Pacific contribute to the development of solutions across AI, machine learning, natural language processing, analytics, and automation. This gives the region a role beyond labor delivery. It becomes a capability engine for global transformation,” said Krishna Baidya, Vice President, ICT Practice, Frost & Sullivan.
Frost & Sullivan also highlighted TP’s approach to reframing the traditional onshore-versus-offshore debate. Across Asia-Pacific, TP supports offshore, nearshore, onshore and hybrid delivery models, using technology and local market capabilities to balance cost efficiency, service quality, language requirements and regulatory needs. This flexibility allows TP to tailor delivery models to the realities of individual markets rather than relying on a single approach.
With operations in close to 100 countries and services spanning more than 170 markets, TP combines global scale with regional delivery depth, technology and human expertise. Across Asia-Pacific, this is translating into measurable outcomes, including an agentic triage use case that reduced referral-to-booking turnaround from approximately 24 hours to minutes while improving booking conversion. The recognition reflects how TP is evolving its digital business services for the next phase of AI-enabled transformation while keeping human oversight, empathy, judgment and relationships central to the service model.
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AboutTP in SINGAPORE
TP in Singapore is part of the TP Group, a global leader in digital business services which consistently seeks to blend the best of advanced technology with human empathy to deliver enhanced customer care that is simpler, faster, and safer for the world’s biggest brands and their customers. The Group’s comprehensive, AI-powered service portfolio ranges from front office customer care to back-office functions, including high-value digital transformation services, collections and operations consulting. It also offers a range of specialized services such as interpreting and localization, visa and consular services, and recruitment process outsourcing services. The teams of multilingual, inspired, and passionate experts and advisors, spread in close to 100 countries, as well as the Group’s local presence allows it to be a force of good in supporting communities, clients, and the environment.
Malaysia is considering Huawei’s Ascend 910C processors for a RM2 billion sovereign artificial intelligence project, potentially placing Chinese hardware at the centre of infrastructure designed to keep sensitive national data under domestic control.
The government is seriously evaluating Huawei’s AI accelerators for the initiative, although no final procurement decision has been announced and the number of chips under consideration remains unclear. The project would be operated by state-linked Telekom Malaysia, which was selected through a public tender and already works with Huawei on cloud infrastructure.
The deliberations put Malaysia at the centre of a widening contest between Washington and Beijing over the technology underpinning artificial intelligence. US officials have warned that use of Huawei’s Ascend 910C could violate American export-control rules, while Malaysia has maintained that technology decisions should serve its national interests and comply with applicable laws.
Huawei’s 910C is the company’s flagship AI accelerator currently available at scale. Malaysia is considering that product rather than the newer Ascend 950 series, which remains in limited production. Huawei has sought to expand sales of its AI systems beyond China as US restrictions continue to limit its access to advanced foreign semiconductor manufacturing technology.
Telekom Malaysia’s existing AI computing service uses Nvidia processors, highlighting the competing technology options facing Kuala Lumpur. The government is also discussing another tender process that could give Nvidia and other US suppliers a more direct opportunity to compete for the sovereign AI contract.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has repeatedly argued that Malaysia should build domestic technological capability rather than remain solely a consumer of systems developed overseas. His government formally established AI Malaysia Berhad under the Digital Ministry in July to lead its ambition of becoming an “AI Nation” by 2030 and to strengthen national AI development, governance and deployment.
Sovereign AI has become particularly important to the government because the proposed infrastructure is intended to process information that could include sensitive government, military and intelligence material. Kuala Lumpur wants such data to remain within Malaysia, reducing dependence on foreign-controlled computing environments and giving national institutions greater authority over storage and access.
Anwar has also questioned the implications of the US Cloud Act, which allows American courts in specified circumstances to compel US technology companies to provide electronic data even when it is stored abroad. Speaking to university students in April, he described the law as unreasonable while acknowledging the difficulty of challenging Washington on the issue.
US officials have raised separate security concerns about Huawei equipment being used to handle intelligence-related material, including information supplied by foreign governments. A State Department spokesperson said secure technology was essential to economic prosperity and warned that suppliers susceptible to government manipulation could pose risks to critical infrastructure, privacy, intellectual property and national security. The statement did not name China or Huawei.
Malaysia’s National Security Council officials are expected to visit Washington later this month for discussions that will include the technology issue. The talks come as the United States promotes American AI hardware, software and applications across developing markets and considers government-backed financing packages to strengthen the international position of US suppliers.
The current evaluation follows an earlier controversy in May 2025, when a deputy communications minister said a Malaysian AI initiative would deploy 3,000 Huawei Ascend chips. Her remarks were withdrawn shortly afterwards, and the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry clarified that the project concerned was privately driven, not endorsed or coordinated by the government.
At the time, the ministry said any government AI infrastructure programme would require legal, operational and reputational due diligence. It also reaffirmed Malaysia’s commitment to applicable export-control laws while asserting the country’s sovereign right to formulate policy according to national interests.
Malaysia’s National AI Action Plan for 2026-2030 calls for responsible adoption, stronger domestic capabilities and globally competitive locally developed solutions. The programme links AI deployment to economic productivity, public-sector transformation and governance, placing infrastructure choices within a strategy.
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