DIAFA, the Abu Dhabi-based luxury hospitality investment platform affiliated with IHC Group, has completed a majority investment in Richard Caring’s hospitality portfolio in a deal described as ten-figure, placing a value of at least £1 billion on a collection of some of London’s best-known restaurants and private members’ clubs. The transaction brings The Ivy Brasseries, Caprice Holdings and The Birley Clubs under DIAFA’s control, while Richard Caring […]
China has announced 10 measures aimed at signalling goodwill towards Taiwan after a rare meeting between President Xi Jinping and Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan’s main opposition Kuomintang, offering easier tourism, broader trade access and a possible new party-to-party contact channel even as Beijing kept its conditions on sovereignty unchanged.
The package, unveiled on Sunday at the close of Cheng’s visit to China, includes moves to restore more flights across the Taiwan Strait, permit some residents of Shanghai and Fujian to visit Taiwan, ease standards affecting food and fishery imports, and allow selected Taiwanese television dramas, documentaries and animation to be broadcast on the mainland provided they meet Beijing’s content requirements. Chinese state media also said officials would explore a regular communication mechanism between the Communist Party and the KMT.
The announcement followed Cheng’s meeting with Xi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Friday, a politically sensitive encounter that stood out because China has refused to engage with Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, branding him a separatist. During the talks, Xi repeated Beijing’s long-held position that both sides of the strait belong to “one China”, said Taiwan independence was the main threat to peace, and called for efforts toward what he described as reunification. Cheng, presenting her trip as a peace mission, said people on both sides wanted stability, development and more balanced exchanges.
That combination of outreach and warning is central to the significance of Sunday’s measures. Beijing appears to be trying to show Taiwanese voters that practical benefits may be available through engagement with the opposition, while keeping pressure on the ruling Democratic Progressive Party and preserving the political precondition that any improvement in ties must rest on opposition to formal independence. The trade and tourism sweeteners may carry appeal for sectors in Taiwan that have long depended on mainland visitors and mainland demand for agricultural and aquatic products, both of which have been disrupted by years of political tension, pandemic-era restrictions and Chinese import curbs.
Taipei’s response was sharply critical. Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said Beijing’s unilateral concessions were “poisoned pills” dressed up as generous gifts and argued that healthy cross-strait exchanges should not be tied to political conditions. That reaction underscored the core divide between the two governments: China says the issue is domestic and insists on a one-China framework, while Taiwan’s administration says only the island’s people can decide their future and that Beijing should talk directly to its democratically elected government rather than sidestepping it.
The KMT, by contrast, welcomed the package and cast it as beneficial to ordinary people in Taiwan. That stance is consistent with the party’s longstanding preference for deeper economic and diplomatic engagement with the mainland than the ruling DPP supports. Cheng’s trip was the first by a KMT leader to China in a decade, making it symbolically important as well as politically divisive at home, where critics say opposition outreach risks strengthening Beijing’s narrative while weakening Taiwan’s bargaining position.
Any goodwill message from Beijing has also been complicated by events in the skies and seas around Taiwan. Reuters reported that Chinese military activity around the island continued during Cheng’s visit, and Taiwan’s defence ministry said warplanes were detected near the island as Xi met the opposition leader. That has allowed Lai’s administration and its supporters to argue that China is offering conciliation in public while maintaining coercion in practice. The contrast has sharpened a broader political argument inside Taiwan between those who say deterrence and defence spending are indispensable, and those who believe dialogue must have a larger role in reducing risk.
Washington has added another layer to the story. Raymond Greene, the top United States diplomat in Taiwan, said Beijing should abandon threats and military pressure and keep communication open with all of Taiwan’s political parties, especially leaders elected by the Taiwanese people. His remarks reflected a familiar United States position: support for dialogue across the strait, opposition to unilateral changes to the status quo, and insistence that talks cannot be divorced from the balance of deterrence.
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Saudi Arabia Railways has launched five new logistics routes aimed at accelerating cargo movement between Gulf ports, inland industrial centres and cross-border markets, in a move designed to strengthen the Kingdom’s position in regional and international trade. The new network combines rail and road links, tying Arabian Gulf gateways to central and northern regions, with onward access to the Red Sea and […]
Three ransomware operations — Qilin, Akira and DragonForce — were behind 40% of the 672 attacks logged worldwide in March, according to Check Point Research, highlighting how a criminal market that still looks fragmented on the surface is being pulled by a smaller group of high-output players. Check Point said Qilin accounted for 20% of published attacks, Akira 12% and DragonForce 8%, while 47 separate groups were […]
Greenlogue/AP Climate litigation is exerting growing force over energy policy, with judges and international tribunals increasingly shaping how governments approve projects, regulate emissions and weigh the costs of climate harm. That legal shift is becoming especially significant for Africa, where policymakers and lawyers are pressing for a stronger voice in rulings that could affect development choices, energy access and the pace of transition across a continent that […]
S&P Global Ratings has lowered its growth expectations for both the UK and Egypt, saying the economic fallout from conflict-linked disruption across the Middle East is feeding through energy prices, trade routes and business confidence. For Egypt, S&P cut its forecast for real GDP growth in the 2025-2026 fiscal year to 4.7 per cent from 4.8 per cent, while also trimming the following year to 4.3 per […]
By Nitya Chakraborty After getting political and diplomatic advantage from the latest US-Iran ceasefire, China has started its preparation for hosting the U.S. President Donald Trump in its crucial summit in Beijing on May 14 and 15 this year. Earlier the summit was scheduled for March 31 and April 1 but Trump postponed that after […]
Meta Platforms has unveiled Muse Spark, its first new flagship artificial intelligence model in about a year, marking a pivotal moment in Mark Zuckerberg’s attempt to restore the company’s standing against OpenAI, Google and Anthropic after a period of criticism around its earlier Llama releases. Muse Spark began rolling out on 8 April through the Meta AI app and the meta. ai website in the United States, […]
Amazon’s Sparrow robot is moving the company’s automation drive beyond lifting shelves and sorting parcels into one of warehouse robotics’ hardest jobs: selecting individual products of different shapes, sizes and surfaces from bins and placing them into totes for the next stage of fulfilment. Introduced as an AI-enabled picking arm, Sparrow marked a notable step in Amazon’s effort to automate item handling while keeping human workers in […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Attacks tied to the widening confrontation with Iran could spill far beyond the battlefield and damage global health, food security and the environment, the UAE told an international summit in Lyon, urging governments and institutions to rally around a “One Health” strategy that treats human, animal and ecosystem health as inseparable. The intervention came at a high-level gathering hosted by France on 7 […]
DataBank and Goodman Group have formed a 50-50 joint venture to build a 32MW data centre in Vernon, California, betting that one of the most capacity-starved digital infrastructure markets in the United States will stay tight as demand from artificial intelligence, cloud and enterprise customers keeps rising. The project is due to begin operations in December 2026 with an initial 6MW, with the remaining capacity scheduled to […]
Lumen Technologies has used its latest letter from chief executive Kate Johnson to sharpen a message it has been building for more than a year: the company wants investors, customers and partners to see it less as a legacy telecom carrier and more as a high-capacity digital networking platform built for artificial intelligence workloads. In the letter, Johnson said 2025 was a “pivotal year”, set out plans […]
The head of the International Monetary Fund on Monday defined the direction of glbal economic travel with unusual clarity. “All roads now lead to higher prices and slower growth,” said managing director Kristalina Georgieva in an interview. The IMF had expected global growth of 3.3% in 2026. Six weeks of war centred on Iran and the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz have already forced a rethink. […]
Saudi Arabia’s non-oil private sector slipped into contraction in March, with business conditions deteriorating for the first time since August 2020 as conflict across the Middle East disrupted supply chains, delayed exports and hit customer demand. The Riyad Bank Saudi Arabia Purchasing Managers’ Index fell to 48.8 in March from 56.1 in February, dropping below the 50-point threshold that separates growth from contraction. Data for the […]
By Nantoo Banerjee The Reserve Bank of India and the government may officially deny or even pretend to ignore the adverse impact of the continuous downhill journey of the Indian Rupee against the US Dollar on the economy, the disturbing trend, if not contained, is bound to lead the heavily import-reliant nation to high inflation […]
VAT filing errors are surprisingly common. Most aren’t intentional—they’re honest mistakes that happen because the rules are easy to misunderstand or because records are disorganized. The problem is that the tax authority doesn’t distinguish between careless errors and intentional fraud. Getting proper VAT return filing in the UAE done right the first time saves money and stress. Missing or misfiled invoices The most frequent error is missing […]
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 6 April 2026 – SPEED (Sistem Perolehan Elektronik Dinamik), developed and operated by CDC International Sdn Bhd (CDCi), has won three industry awards in recognition of its contribution to digital procurement and enterprise software. The platform received two honours at the Malaysia National Business Awards 2026 and one at the Malaysia Technology Excellence Awards 2026, all presented by Asian Business Review. The awards were for Excellence Award – Computer Software, Initiative Award – Digital Transformation Consulting and Enterprise Software – Government Organisation.
The awards reflect SPEED’s growing role in helping government and institutional organisations modernise procurement through more structured and transparent digital systems, in line with the MADANI agenda’s emphasis on integrity, accountability and good governance. Its adoption by organisations such as FAMA, RISDA, MARA and PERKESO further underscores the platform’s growing relevance across diverse public sector and institutional settings.
SPEED is a digital procurement ecosystem comprising SPEED Procurement, SPEED eWorks and integrated Supplier Management capabilities. Designed to support end-to-end procurement processes within a structured and auditable environment, the platform helps strengthen oversight, supports audit readiness and addresses longstanding procurement challenges such as fragmented systems, manual workflows and limited visibility across supplier engagement.
Through a centralised approach, SPEED enables organisations to manage sourcing, evaluation, contract administration and reporting in a more systematic manner. Its implementation across agencies and institutional bodies has contributed to stronger compliance, improved process efficiency and more consistent governance through standardised workflows and consolidated data management.
The ecosystem further supports wider supplier participation through structured onboarding and profiling, helping to create a fairer and more transparent procurement environment.
Chief Executive Officer of CDC International, Putri Nurul Ida Yahya, said the recognition reflected the growing importance of digital procurement in strengthening governance across organisations.
“SPEED was built to help organisations manage procurement with greater clarity, discipline and accountability. As procurement requirements continue to evolve, our priority is to ensure the platform remains practical, consistent and responsive to those needs,” she said.
She added that CDCi would continue strengthening the platform to meet a wider range of institutional procurement requirements.
These recognitions mark another milestone for SPEED as CDCi continues expanding its role in digital procurement across institutional and public sector environments.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About SPEED
SPEED (Sistem Perolehan Elektronik Dinamik) is a governance-driven digital procurement platform designed to support the full procurement lifecycle within a secure and scalable environment. Deployed across statutory bodies and institutional organisations in Malaysia, it enables structured procurement execution, policy compliance and audit readiness, while connecting procuring entities to a nationwide supplier ecosystem. SPEED is developed, implemented and operated by CDC International Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian enterprise solutions provider specialising in system-led procurement governance.
Starting a business in Dubai is exciting. Running it means managing finances, taxes, and compliance alongside everything else. Most small business owners aren’t accountants. You need someone in your corner who is. The market for accounting services for small businesses in Dubai is crowded. Hundreds of firms compete for your business. Some are excellent. Others cut corners. Knowing what to look for saves you money and headaches. […]
Greenlogue/AP Al-Baha Municipality has launched a one-hour lights-off campaign aimed at cutting carbon emissions and building public support for sustainability, joining a broader national effort to link local action with Saudi Arabia’s environmental targets. The “Al-Baha Green Hour” initiative saw non-essential lighting switched off in 28 buildings and across several neighbourhoods, while safety-related lighting remained in operation. The move, announced on March 28, was framed as both […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Uber has launched a five-day promotion in the UAE offering 20 per cent off rides to selected destinations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, in a campaign aimed at steering more residents and visitors towards local shopping, dining and cultural districts at a time when consumer-facing businesses are navigating softer momentum across the non-oil economy. The offer began on April 3 and runs until […]
Dubai has moved to shore up business confidence with a fresh set of fee deferrals and administrative easings under a wider AED1 billion support package, as the emirate seeks to protect cash flow, sustain hiring and cushion sectors exposed to regional disruption. The measures, announced this week and effective from 1 April, cover hotels, holiday homes and businesses across the wider economy for periods of three to […]
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 1 April 2026 -Tim Ho Wan, the dim sum brand hailing from Hong Kong under the Jollibee Group, continues to be recognized in the Michelin Guide Hong Kong & Macau, with its Sham Shui Po store receiving the Bib Gourmand distinction in the 2026 edition. The Bib Gourmand distinction is awarded to restaurants that offer high-quality food at excellent value for money, reinforcing Tim Ho Wan’s long-standing positioning.
Carrying forward a legacy of excellence. Tim Ho Wan’s culinary team upholds the brand’s signature Cantonese craftsmanship, sustaining the consistency and quality behind its 17 consecutive years of Michelin recognition— its most recent earned under the Jollibee Group.
The recognition marks the 17th consecutive year the same store has been included in the Michelin Guide—a milestone achieved during Tim Ho Wan’s first full year under the Jollibee Group following its acquisition in January 2025. Over the past year, the brand has focused on strengthening systems, chef training, and food quality, reinforcing the consistency that has long defined Tim Ho Wan in its home market.
“Tim Ho Wan’s recognition in the Michelin Guide is a reflection of the care and discipline behind the brand,” said Ernesto Tanmantiong, Jollibee Group Global President and CEO. “At the Jollibee Group, we are committed to growing brands like this in a way that stays true to their roots while allowing more people around the world to experience what makes them special.”
Founded in Hong Kong in 2009 by chefs Mak Kwai Pui and Leung Fai Keung, Tim Ho Wan quickly rose to prominence after earning a Michelin star within its first year. Its Sham Shui Po branch, opened in 2010, has since remained a consistent presence in the Michelin Guide, underscoring the brand’s enduring culinary standards.
Scaling a Heritage Brand Through Operational Discipline
Under the Jollibee Group, Tim Ho Wan has strengthened its operating model to support consistent execution and long-term growth across markets.
Ongoing investments in kitchen systems, chef training, menu development, and store operations have enhanced consistency across locations while preserving the craftsmanship rooted in its Hong Kong origins. The continued recognition in Hong Kong reinforces the market’s role as the brand’s culinary and operational benchmark.
“These capabilities allow us to stay true to what makes Tim Ho Wan special, while ensuring we can deliver that same experience consistently as we grow,” said Sheng Lee, Chief Executive Officer of Tim Ho Wan.
“This recognition reflects the discipline of our teams in delivering consistent quality day in and day out. We remain focused on elevating our craft through rigorous training, responsible sourcing, and thoughtful service so that high-quality meals remain welcoming to guests around the world,” Lee added.
A Distinct Concept for Global Expansion
Tim Ho Wan’s combination of quality and value positions it as a distinctive concept in the global restaurant landscape.
Supported by strengthened systems and operating discipline, the brand offers a compelling platform for growth across international markets—anchored on consistency in its home market and enabled by replicable operating standards.
A Global Brand Rooted in Hong Kong
From a 20-seat dim sum shop in Hong Kong to a globally recognized brand, Tim Ho Wan continues to demonstrate how culinary heritage and operational discipline can come together to create a strong and scalable business.
The latest Bib Gourmand recognition reinforces Tim Ho Wan’s position as a globally relevant dim sum brand—rooted in Hong Kong and supported by the Jollibee Group’s platform for sustained and disciplined growth.
Disciplined Growth Backed by the Jollibee Group
The continued recognition also reflects the Jollibee Group’s approach to scaling heritage brands through operational excellence and long-term stewardship.
“Tim Ho Wan’s sustained recognition reflects the strength of its heritage and the discipline behind its execution,” said Richard Shin, CEO of JFC International and Global Chief Financial and Risk Officer of the Jollibee Group. “At the Jollibee Group, we focus on strengthening the systems and platforms that allow brands like Tim Ho Wan to grow while preserving the authenticity and craftsmanship that made them successful.”
System-wide sales (SWS) expanded significantly from Php1.3 billion in 2024 to Php8.1 billion in 2025, highlighting the brand’s accelerating scale and growing contribution to the Group’s global operations.
In its home market, Tim Ho Wan has strengthened its core Hong Kong footprint, doubling its store network to 10 locations within approximately one year. Recent store openings have delivered attractive payback periods (circa 1.5 years) and profitability, reinforcing confidence in the brand’s unit economics and disciplined growth approach.
Growth has been broad-based across both company-operated and franchise markets. Sales performance strengthened across markets such as Hong Kong, Singapore, and China, while franchise markets, including the Philippines, Vietnam, and Japan, continue to build momentum, further validating the brand’s strong international resonance and scalability.
The brand also reached an important milestone in its global expansion with the opening of its first company-operated North America store in Irvine, California, marking a significant step in establishing a direct presence in one of the world’s largest consumer markets. This re-entry into North America reflects the transportability of the brand’s operating model and positions Tim How Wan for a new phase of long-term growth and further global brand development.
Hashtag: #JollibeeGroup
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About Jollibee Group
Jollibee Foods Corporation (PSE: JFC) (the “Company”) is one of the world’s fastest-growing restaurant companies, driven by its purpose of spreading joy through superior taste. It manages and operates a portfolio that includes 19 brands (the “Jollibee Group”) with over 10,000 stores and cafés across 33 countries.
The Jollibee Group’s portfolio includes nine (9) wholly-owned brands (Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, Yonghe King, Hong Zhuang Yuan, Smashburger and Tim Ho Wan), five (5) franchised brands (Burger King, Panda Express, Yoshinoya, Common Man Coffee Roasters, and Tiong Bahru Bakery in the Philippines), and ownership stakes in other key brands like The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (80%), Compose Coffee (70%), SuperFoods Group that operates Highlands Coffee (60%), and bubble tea brand Milksha (51%). The Company also has membership interests in Tortazo, LLC, along with Chef Rick Bayless, for Tortazo in the U.S. and in Botrista, a leader in beverage technology.
The Jollibee Group’s global sustainability agenda, Joy for Tomorrow, underscores its commitment to sustainable business practices across food safety, employee welfare, community support, good governance, and environmental responsibility, among others. These focus areas are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
The Company has been recognized as the Philippines’ Most Admired Company by the Asian Wall Street Journal, named one of Asia’s Fab 50 Companies, and listed among Forbes’ World’s Best Employers and Top Female-Friendly Companies. The Company is also a four-time Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award recipient and featured in TIME’s World’s Best Companies and Fortune’s Southeast Asia 500 List.
Voltify has raised $30 million in seed funding to push an ambitious plan to electrify freight rail without the cost and disruption of stringing overhead wires across vast rail networks, positioning the startup at the intersection of climate technology, industrial infrastructure and freight logistics. The company said the round was co-led by venture capital firm Aleph and Fortescue, with backing from Menomadin, J-Impact, The Dock and other […]
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 1 April 2026 – OceanX today announced A Shared Voyage: OceanX China 2026, a joint U.S-Chinese goodwill mission that will bring together 10 American and 10 Chinese early-career ocean scientists, students, and instructors in pursuit of their shared goal to better understand the ocean and each other. OceanX is the ocean exploration, science, and education initiative founded by Ray and Mark Dalio. This initiative will be the first voyage of OceanX’s flagship research and media vessel, OceanXplorer, to China, starting in Hong Kong on March 29 and concluding in Shanghai on April 8, 2026.
The mission is an extension of the 42-year relationship Ray Dalio has had with China and its people, and it is delivered in collaboration with the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA), the Second Institute of Oceanography (SIO), and the China-U.S. Exchange Foundation (CUSEF). The mission’s goals are to promote high quality people-to-people exchanges between nations, advance ocean literacy and scientific understanding, and equip participants with the skills to communicate the importance of our shared ocean to broader audiences.
Expanding Access to Ocean Science and Education
The China 2026 program represents a milestone in OceanX’s global engagement efforts, creating new opportunities for students and researchers to access hands-on learning at sea. Participants from the United States and China will take part in a structured program designed to build practical knowledge, develop interpersonal connections, and strengthen individual capabilities in ocean science, operations, and communication.
“At this time of great conflict in the world, I believe more than ever in the power of people-to-people exchanges to create mutual understanding” said Ray Dalio, Founder of OceanX. “Understanding the ocean is a shared interest for both the U.S. and China—and for the scientists and students who are on this joint mission. It is a thrill to see them working together.”
Hands-On Learning Across Science, Operations, and Media
The program delivers a structured curriculum that combines lectures, workshops, and applied learning experiences across three focus areas:
Marine Exploration: Ocean data collection methods, ecosystem observation, and introductions to oceanographic research tools
Operations: Life aboard a research vessel, including equipment demonstrations such as ROV operations, water sampling, and microscopy
Media & Communication: Science communication and media production training to support clearer public understanding of ocean issues
Participants will develop individual and small-group projects as part of the program, focused on applying knowledge gained throughout the voyage. They will also forge new connections and build mutual understanding with their peers.
“Understanding the ocean requires both scientific insight and the ability to communicate it clearly,” said Vincent Pieribone, Co-CEO and Chief Science Officer of OceanX. “This program is designed to give participants exposure to the tools, technologies, and storytelling approaches that are shaping how ocean science is conducted and shared.”
Inspiring the Next Generation of Ocean Leaders
By combining advanced marine technology, scientific research, and immersive storytelling, OceanX is working to broaden access to ocean discovery and inspire future generations to engage with ocean science.
“A Shared Voyage: OceanX China 2026 represents an important opportunity to support ocean education and public awareness,” said Ms. Lyu Tin, director of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs, Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA).
“This initiative highlights the importance of continued investment in ocean science education and capacity building,” said Prof. Huang Wei, Chinese Chief Scientist for the mission and research at Second Institute of Oceanography (SIO).
A Shared Voyage: OceanX China 2026 supports OceanX’s mission to unlock the ocean’s sustainable potential through science and education, while advancing ocean literacy and long-term stewardship. Hashtag: #OceanX
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About OceanX
OceanX is a nonprofit working to unlock the ocean’s sustainable potential. Through a dual focus on science and education, we’re building a new paradigm where humanity and the ocean mutually thrive. Our approach is fueled by exploration, leveraging advanced research, multimedia educational programs, cross-sector partnerships, and advanced technology to help transform how people understand and value the ocean. Our work strives to fortify biodiversity and increase the sustainable use of ocean resources to help ensure the ocean remains a foundation for human wellbeing and potential. OceanX is a nonprofit operating program of Dalio Philanthropies. For more information, visit www.oceanx.org and follow OceanX on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
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