Arabian Post Staff -Dubai US President Donald Trump has temporarily halted Washington’s ship-escort operation through the Strait of Hormuz, saying talks with Tehran have made “great progress” toward a wider settlement after weeks of disruption to one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. The pause, announced on Tuesday, came only hours after Secretary of State Marco Rubio detailed a US effort that began on Monday […]
According to Bank Negara Malaysia’s (“BNM”) Annual Report 2025, Islamic financing continues to show strong growth, accounting for approximately 48% of Malaysia’s total financing or equivalent to RM1.219 trillion, reflecting increasing demand for Shariah-compliant offerings.
Through this partnership, IBPO aims to further strengthen its Shariah Governance framework and ensure that its financial products and programs are structured in accordance with recognised Shariah Principles. This reflects IBPO’s continued focus on transparency, responsibility and inclusivity across its financial services offerings while supporting BNM’s efforts to promote a progressive and inclusive Islamic Financial system.
The MOU signing ceremony was officiated by Andy Lim, Founder and Group Managing Director of IBPO Group Berhad and M. Aminuddin Bin Ismail, Managing Director of Afsha Shariah Advisory Sdn. Bhd.
In conjunction with this appointment IBPO is also introducing its latest financing program, i-Personal Financing. With Afsha’s appointment as official Shariah Advisor, IBPO’s Islamic financing programs including i-Personal Financing, i-Bridge Financing and Payday Financing will be supported by Afsha in ensuring consistent Shariah Compliance.
i-Personal Financing is designed to give customers easy access to cash based on their income levels. It offers responsible and affordable financing amounts along with flexible payment options of 3, 6, 9 or 12 months, aligned with monthly salary cycles for greater convenience and peace of mind.
All financing solutions are accessible via IBPO’s Online Customer Financial AI Portal which provides a 360-degree view of customers’ financial commitments including those with other financial institutions while offering AI-driven insights to help users better manage and optimise their finances. This initiative is part of IBPO’s ongoing efforts to leverage AI-driven capabilities to build an integrated financial ecosystem across the Group and its subsidiaries including IBPO Genesis Sdn. Bhd., IBPO Credit System Sdn. Bhd., IBPO Capital Ventures Sdn. Bhd. and IBPO Property Sdn. Bhd.
“We are proud to have Afsha as our official Shariah Advisor as we strengthen our position as Malaysia’s trusted choice for Islamic financing. This further reinforces our ongoing commitment to delivering inclusive, ethical and comprehensive Islamic Financial ecosystem that contributes positively to the economy and broader society. This allows us to deliver value to those seeking Shariah-aligned options, while remaining accessible to all, giving our customers greater confidence in what we provide,” said Andy Lim, Founder & Group Managing Director of IBPO Group Berhad.
“We are honoured to partner with IBPO Group Berhad as their official Shariah Advisor. At the core of actively disseminating Shariah principles across the financial sector, our mission is to enable our clients to achieve their optimum potential by ensuring that their policies and practices strictly comply with Shariah rules and regulations through the highest standards of professional competence. We look forward to guiding IBPO in structuring ethical and transparent Shariah-compliant financing solutions that meet the growing demand in Malaysia’s Islamic financial ecosystem,” said M. Aminuddin Bin Ismail, Managing Director of Afsha Shariah Advisory Sdn. Bhd.
Hashtag: #IBPOGroupBerhad #IslamicFinancing #ShariahCompliance
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
www.ibpo.com.my. 
contactus@ibpo.com.my enquiry@afshashariah.com 
A war that threatens the flow of one-fifth of the world’s oil supply should be dominating market pricing. It isn’t. President Donald Trump has pushed the US deeper into confrontation with Iran, locking policy into a narrow and dangerous path. The Strait of Hormuz remains under constant threat, energy flows are disrupted, and, as a result, oil has surged above $110 a barrel at points in recent […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Abu Dhabi’s EDGE Group and France-headquartered ICAPE Group have signed an agreement to explore joint development and local supply of critical electronic subsystems, strengthening the UAE’s drive to build more resilient defence and advanced-technology manufacturing chains. The memorandum of understanding was signed on 5 May at Make it in the Emirates 2026 in Abu Dhabi, where industrial localisation, supply-chain security and high-value manufacturing […]
Lebanese soldiers entered Beirut’s southern suburbs and detained suspected gunmen after celebratory fire and rocket-propelled grenades were discharged during a Hezbollah funeral, an unusual assertion of state authority inside one of the group’s most sensitive urban strongholds. The operation in Kafaat followed gunfire during a procession for Hezbollah supporters killed in Israeli strikes, with residents reporting panic as bullets rang out across densely populated neighbourhoods. Army units […]
Panthalassa has secured $140 million in Series B financing to push artificial intelligence computing into open waters, backing a plan to run inference workloads on floating platforms powered by ocean waves rather than land-based grids. Peter Thiel led the round, joined by John Doerr, Marc Benioff’s TIME Ventures, Max Levchin’s SciFi Ventures, Susquehanna Sustainable Investments, Hanwha Asset Management’s venture fund, Fortescue Ventures, Future Positive, Super Micro Computer […]
Bengaluru-based Pixxel and Sarvam have set out plans to build Pathfinder, a 200 kg-class orbital data centre satellite that would test whether artificial intelligence workloads can be processed directly in space rather than routed first through terrestrial cloud systems.
The mission, announced on 4 May 2026, is scheduled to reach orbit as early as the fourth quarter of 2026. Pixxel will design, build, launch and operate the satellite, while Sarvam will provide the artificial intelligence stack needed for training and inference on board. The partners describe the project as India’s first orbital data centre satellite, placing it at the junction of three strategic races: sovereign AI, commercial space infrastructure and the search for lower-latency computing systems.
Pathfinder is intended to carry data centre-grade graphics processing units alongside Pixxel’s hyperspectral imaging camera. That combination would allow the satellite to capture high-fidelity Earth observation data and analyse it in orbit using foundation models, instead of sending large volumes of raw imagery to ground stations for processing. The aim is to transmit insights rather than just data, cutting the time between observation and decision-making.
The approach could be valuable for environmental monitoring, agriculture, mining, resource management, disaster response and critical infrastructure tracking. Hyperspectral imaging can detect patterns invisible to conventional cameras by reading hundreds of spectral bands, making it useful for identifying crop stress, pollution, mineral signatures, water conditions and changes in land use. Adding on-board AI would make such systems faster and potentially more autonomous.
Pathfinder also reflects the pressure building around AI infrastructure. Data centres have become increasingly constrained by energy demand, land availability, cooling requirements and regulation. AI-focused facilities are especially power-intensive because training and running large models depend on specialised chips. Industry forecasts point to data centre electricity use crossing 1,000 terawatt hours by 2030, with AI workloads accounting for a growing share of consumption.
Orbital computing is being explored as one answer to that problem, though it remains technically difficult and commercially unproven at scale. Satellites can draw continuous solar power in certain orbits and process space-generated data close to its source. Yet the model must overcome radiation exposure, heat dissipation, launch costs, repair limitations, chip reliability, bandwidth management and the challenge of operating high-performance hardware in an environment far harsher than a ground-based server hall.
For Pixxel, the project marks a move beyond Earth observation into space infrastructure. The company has built its position around hyperspectral satellites and already operates Firefly satellites capable of capturing detailed environmental data. Pathfinder would test whether those sensing systems can be paired with in-orbit computing to create a more responsive intelligence layer.
For Sarvam, the mission extends its sovereign AI pitch beyond ground infrastructure. The company has focused on building language models and platforms designed for deployment in local contexts, including multilingual use cases. Running its models aboard an India-built satellite would give the company a high-profile demonstration of how AI sovereignty can include hardware location, data control and infrastructure independence, not just model development.
The announcement comes as global technology groups examine space-based compute. Google’s Project Suncatcher has explored satellite constellations fitted with AI accelerators and optical links, with prototype missions planned with Planet. Elon Musk has also spoken publicly about the possibility of data centres in orbit within the wider SpaceX and Starlink ecosystem. These ideas remain at an early stage, but they show that AI infrastructure is beginning to stretch beyond conventional cloud regions.
Domestic activity is also widening. Agnikul Cosmos and NeevCloud have explored related orbital infrastructure concepts, indicating that private space and compute companies see a possible market in distributed cloud systems that span Earth and orbit. Defence, climate intelligence, telecommunications and sovereign data processing are likely to be among the first areas of interest if the technology matures.
Pathfinder’s immediate importance lies less in replacing terrestrial data centres and more in validating whether orbit can host meaningful AI workloads. The satellite is expected to test power management, thermal control, real-time inference, data processing and model performance under operational space conditions. Success would give Pixxel and Sarvam a foundation for more advanced orbital compute systems, while failure would expose the engineering and economic limits of the concept.
The project also fits a broader shift in satellite design. Spacecraft have traditionally acted mainly as sensors and transmitters, collecting data for later analysis on Earth. Pathfinder points towards satellites that can interpret what they observe, prioritise what should be sent down and support faster decisions for governments and commercial users.
Commercial adoption will depend on cost, reliability and demand. Ground-based cloud systems remain cheaper, easier to maintain and vastly more scalable. Orbital compute will need to prove that its advantages — lower latency for space data, resilience, solar access and sovereignty — justify the complexity of placing advanced AI hardware in space.
For now, Pathfinder gives the space and AI sectors a test case with wider implications. It places Pixxel and Sarvam among early movers trying to turn satellites from data collectors into active computing nodes, while testing whether the limits facing AI infrastructure on Earth can be partly addressed above it.
OpenAI plans to open its Trusted Access for Cyber programme to government cyber defenders across federal, state and local levels, marking a broader push to place advanced artificial intelligence tools in the hands of public agencies responsible for protecting critical systems. The expansion is aimed at agencies handling national security, emergency response, public health systems, benefits delivery, municipal infrastructure and other services that face rising digital threats. […]
Gobind, who is also national chairman of the Democratic Action Party and MP for Damansara, called on Inspector-General of Police Khalid Ismail to state whether individuals and companies cited in the allegations had been questioned, and to outline the next steps in the investigation. His intervention has kept public scrutiny on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission at a sensitive moment, with the agency preparing for a leadership change and facing questions over institutional independence.
The allegations centre on claims that a network of businessmen worked with MACC officials to pressure company executives, including through raids and investigations, in order to influence ownership and control of businesses. MACC and outgoing chief commissioner Azam Baki have denied wrongdoing, describing the claims as unfounded. Police have said they have so far found no evidence of MACC involvement, while investigations ordered by the government remain under public watch.
Gobind said transparency was essential because the allegations were specific and involved named individuals, companies and officials. He said the probe must extend to every person, entity and officer implicated in the complaints, adding that the matter touched directly on market integrity and trust in national institutions. He also said the Securities Commission should explain whether it had examined any possible market manipulation, particularly if force or pressure was allegedly used to transfer shares in companies.
The issue has drawn wider political attention because DAP is a key component of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government. Party leaders have argued that a denial by MACC is not enough to settle the controversy and have backed calls for a Royal Commission of Inquiry with powers to compel evidence and testimony. That position has placed pressure on the administration, which came to power promising institutional reform and stronger action against corruption.
Azam’s tenure has been marked by both high-profile enforcement action and repeated scrutiny. He has led MACC since March 2020 and continued beyond the usual retirement age through contract extensions in 2023, 2024 and 2025. His current term ends on May 12. The government has appointed former High Court judge Abdul Halim Aman as the next MACC chief commissioner from May 13, after the King assented to the appointment on the advice of the prime minister.
The appointment came ahead of a planned Kuala Lumpur rally demanding Azam’s removal and broader reforms at MACC. Activist groups behind the campaign have called for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into controversies surrounding the agency’s leadership, a parliamentary mechanism to vet future chief commissioners, fixed tenure for the top post and stronger safeguards to ensure MACC is accountable to Parliament rather than the executive.
The controversy has revived long-running concerns about the structure of Malaysia’s anti-corruption framework. MACC is a central enforcement body in the country’s governance system, but critics have argued that its leadership appointment process leaves room for political pressure. Supporters of reform say the agency’s credibility depends not only on pursuing graft cases but also on being seen to operate independently when allegations touch its own officers or senior leadership.
Anwar’s government has made anti-corruption enforcement a major plank of its reform agenda. Since taking office in 2022, his administration has overseen investigations involving former senior officials, political figures, military procurement and state-linked financial matters. The approach has won praise from some governance advocates, but it has also faced claims of selective enforcement from opponents and unease among allies when politically sensitive cases remain unresolved or unpublished.
The “corporate mafia” allegations carry additional weight because they involve not only possible misconduct by public officers but also the risk of abuse in the corporate sector. If executives were pressured to sell shares or surrender control of businesses through investigations or enforcement threats, the case would raise questions about investor protection, corporate governance and the ability of regulators to shield markets from coercive conduct.
By T N Ashok The verdict from India’s sprawling five-state assembly elections of 2026 has redrawn the country’s political map with a force few had anticipated. What began as a routine electoral cycle across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry has culminated in something far more consequential: a consolidation of power for the […]
The article Fall Of Two Regional Pillars Mamata And Stalin Weakens Fight For Federal India appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 5 May 2026 – SEMICON Southeast Asia (SEMICON SEA) 2026 was officially launched today at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), bringing together policymakers, manufacturers, suppliers, researchers, investors and emerging talent from across the global semiconductor ecosystem for three days of industry dialogue, technology showcases and business engagement.
The opening ceremony was officiated by YB Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), and attended by SEMI leadership, the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) led by the Chief Executive Officer Datuk Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid, and senior executives from global semiconductor companies.
Held under the theme ‘Transform Tomorrow’ in strategic partnership with MITI and MIDA, SEMICON Southeast Asia 2026 is expected to welcome more than 20,000 innovators, policymakers and technology experts. The three-day event focuses on key industry priorities including manufacturing scale-up, advanced packaging, intelligent manufacturing and workforce development, as companies respond to demand driven by artificial intelligence, high-performance computing and advanced electronics.
Datuk Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid, Chief Executive Officer of MIDA, said Malaysia is approaching the next phase of semiconductor growth as an active builder rather than a beneficiary of global trends.
“The semiconductor industry is at an inflection point, and Malaysia intends to be at the centre of what comes next. Under the MADANI Economy Framework and the New Industrial Master Plan 2030, we are not simply maintaining our position in the global semiconductor supply chain, we are deliberately reshaping it. The NIMP 2030 sets a clear direction for the E&E sector to move beyond assembly and test into design, advanced packaging and innovation-driven manufacturing, and MIDA is here to make that transition real. The RM28.5 billion secured by the E&E sector in 2025 is proof that global confidence in Malaysia has not wavered. What we are now building is the ecosystem to match that confidence, through supply chain integration, local capability development and the kind of high-value partnerships that platforms like SEMICON Southeast Asia are uniquely placed to catalyse,” said Datuk Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim.
“SEMI’s role has always been to bring together the global semiconductor ecosystem, and that responsibility becomes even more important as the industry grows in scale and complexity. Today, innovation is no longer confined to a single segment. It requires closer alignment across design, manufacturing, materials and supply chains. SEMICON Southeast Asia provides a platform to bridge these different parts of the ecosystem, enabling stakeholders to engage in more meaningful collaboration and move from discussion to execution,” said Ajit Manocha, President and CEO of SEMI.
“As demand continues to be driven by artificial intelligence, high-performance computing and advanced electronics, the ability to coordinate across regions and capabilities will be critical. SEMICON Southeast Asia 2026 is not only about showcasing technology, but about strengthening the partnerships needed to support long-term industry growth and resilience.”
The event features key leadership programmes including the Executive Leadership Summit, MIDA Strategic Semiconductor Forum and Seminar, Sustainability and Energy Summit, TechZoomers Challenge and TalentCONNECT, reflecting SEMICON Southeast Asia’s role not only as an exhibition platform, but as a convening point for leadership, capability and execution across the region’s semiconductor ecosystem.
Marking over a decade of strategic collaboration, MIDA and SEMI today reinforce 12 years of a transformative partnership dedicated to elevating Malaysia’s standing in the global semiconductor value chain. This enduring alliance remains anchored on three core pillars designed to future-proof the nation’s industrial landscape:
SEMICON Southeast Asia 2026 runs from 5–7 May 2026 at MITEC, Kuala Lumpur, with participation from companies and organisations across Asia, the United States and Europe.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
MIDA is the government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA partners with investors at every stage of their journey, supporting sustainable growth and long-term value creation for Malaysia. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow MIDA on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok and YouTube.
SEMI® is the global industry association connecting over 4,000-member companies and 1.5 million professionals worldwide across the semiconductor and electronics design and manufacturing supply chain. We accelerate member collaboration on solutions to top industry challenges through Advocacy, Workforce Development, Sustainability, Supply Chain Management and other programs. Our SEMICON® expositions and events, technology communities, standards and market intelligence help advance our members’ business growth and innovations in design, devices, equipment, materials, services and software, enabling smarter, faster, more secure electronics. Visit www.semi.org, contact a regional office, and connect with SEMI on 
LinkedIn and 
X to learn more.
Dubai food group IFFCO is poised for provisional liquidation after months of debt restructuring talks failed to produce agreement, pushing a major Gulf consumer-goods business into a court-led process as creditors seek to protect assets and stabilise operations. A lender group led by HSBC Holdings has initiated legal proceedings to take control from the owners, with FTI Consulting nominated to act as provisional liquidator. The move follows […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai UAE authorities condemned a wave of missile and drone attacks on civilian sites after national air defence systems intercepted 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles and four unmanned aerial vehicles on May 4, preventing wider damage in an escalation that has sharpened security concerns across the Gulf. Three people suffered moderate injuries and were taken to hospital, with officials identifying them as […]
ECOVACS is rolling out limited-time, high-impact deals on Amazon India from 8th to 13th May, with discounts of up to 75%, making this the perfect moment for first-time consumers to switch from manual to intelligent cleaning and upgrade their routines with cutting-edge technology. ECOVACS’ entry-level range makes that transition seamless.
From everyday dust to hard-to-reach corners and even windows, ECOVACS Robotics cleaning solutions deliver full-home coverage, blending intelligent technology with powerful performance and seamless automation to take the stress out of summer cleaning.
The DEEBOT N50 Pro OMNI brings this vision to life with a powerful combination of vacuuming and intelligent mopping, effortlessly tackling dust, debris, and pet hair across all floor types. With up to 300 minutes of runtime, anti-hair tangle technology, and intuitive app-enabled controls, users can easily customize schedules, zones, and cleaning modes right from their smartphones or wearable devices—making smart living feel truly effortless.
Enhancing this experience further is the All-in-One OMNI Station, which streamlines maintenance with automated mop washing and drying, auto-refill, and dust emptying—delivering a hygienic, hands-free cleaning routine that keeps your home consistently fresh with minimal effort.
For homes with more compact layouts, the DEEBOT MINI is also part of the lineup. Designed to take up less space while still offering the All-in-One OMNI Station and a hands-free cleaning experience, this is another ideal choice for users seeking efficiency without compromising on performance.
As modern homes face rising levels of dust and pollution, maintaining cleanliness in homes goes beyond just floors. Windows, constantly exposed to outdoor dust and changing weather conditions, require equal attention to keep living spaces truly spotless. ECOVACS’ WINBOT robotic window cleaners address this by effectively removing dust, rain stains, and pollution buildup, leaving windows crystal-clear and helping your home shine from the inside out.
Beyond windows, the WINBOT MINI is also designed to clean a wide range of glass surfaces, including glass panels, balcony glass, and shower screens — ensuring comprehensive coverage across vertical spaces in the home.
Its compact and slim design enables it to access and clean areas that are often difficult to reach, such as narrow windows, spaces behind grills or railings, and other tight or confined surfaces. This makes it a practical solution for urban homes where accessibility can be a challenge.
Explore ECOVACS’ Summer Holiday deals to unlock special, limited-time pricing. Make the switch smarter this summer—to faster, easier, and more effective deep cleaning—at your fingertips. Visit ECOVACS’ official marketplace to grab these can’t-miss deals!
Hashtag: #ECOVACS
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Kenya is moving to keep more value from its minerals at home, signalling a sharper shift from raw exports towards processing, refining and manufacturing as global competition for critical minerals intensifies. President William Ruto set out the policy direction while opening the 2026 Kenya Mining Investment Conference and Expo in Nairobi, telling investors and government delegations that Kenya no longer wants to serve mainly as a supplier […]
Matein Khalid It is significant that Abu Dhabi joined Opec from the moment the emirate exported its first barrel of oil in 1967, four years before the birth of the UAE itself. For 59 years the UAE was a member of Opec enduring an era of multiple shocks, wars, revolutions, recessions, banking crises, oil price wars, supply shocks, embargoes and the pandemic. Saudi Arabia has been the ultimate power […]
By Nitya Chakraborty The results of the five assembly elections available on Monday May 4 give unmistakeable signs of further consolidation of the BJP pan India and fresh setbacks for the opposition INDIA Bloc. Two stalwarts of the opposition Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal and M. K. Stalin in Tamil Nadu have been defeated. While […]
The article State Assembly Results Signal Big Pan India Consolidation Of BJP appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).
Dubai has moved a new cluster of mega projects from ambition to execution, tying transport, aviation, finance, mobility and artificial intelligence into a single development push aimed at reshaping how the emirate lives, works and competes. The programme is anchored by the Dubai Metro Blue Line, the expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport, future mobility systems, a major widening of Dubai International Financial Centre and an AI-powered […]
Greenlogue/AP Ethiopia’s drive to turn abundant renewable electricity into wider power access and cheaper transport has gained fresh backing from Europe, with new UK and EU-linked investments targeting electric mobility, transmission upgrades and rural electrification. The latest financing adds momentum to Addis Ababa’s wider strategy of using hydropower-led electricity generation to cut fuel imports, expand industrial capacity and speed up the shift to electric vehicles. The UK […]
Wall Street’s latest rally is being driven less by relief over geopolitics than by a force investors can measure more easily: earnings. Morgan Stanley strategists say the strength of US corporate profits, led by technology companies, is giving equities enough support to look beyond the market risks created by the Iran conflict and the disruption around the Strait of Hormuz. The bank’s team, led by Michael Wilson, […]
The 19th Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, held from April 24 to May 3, brought together nearly 1,000 companies from 26 countries and regions across two venues for the first time. Its 380,000 square metres of exhibition space, spread across 17 halls at the China International Exhibition Center in Shunyi and the Capital International Convention and Exhibition Center, made it the largest edition in the event’s history.
Organisers recorded 1.28 million visitors, including about 65,000 overseas attendees, underlining the show’s growing appeal beyond China’s domestic market. A total of 1,451 vehicles were displayed, including 181 world premieres and 71 concept cars, placing the event among the most active global platforms for new model launches.
The numbers told only part of the story. Auto China 2026 was dominated by a clear shift from conventional vehicle launches to software-defined mobility, artificial intelligence, battery breakthroughs and advanced driver assistance. Carmakers used the show not merely to present new models, but to demonstrate how quickly vehicles are becoming technology platforms.
China’s home-grown manufacturers were at the centre of the exhibition’s momentum. BYD, XPeng, Nio, Geely, Chery, Dongfeng and Huawei-linked brands showcased vehicles and systems aimed at defending their lead in the world’s largest car market while accelerating overseas expansion. Their focus was sharply aligned with consumer demand for longer range, faster charging, smarter cabins and more automated driving functions.
BYD highlighted fast-charging and low-temperature battery performance, including technology designed to charge under conditions as cold as minus 30 degrees Celsius. CATL drew attention with new battery systems promising ultra-fast charging and longer driving ranges, including a version of its Shenxing battery that can charge from 10 per cent to 98 per cent in about six and a half minutes. These advances added further pressure on global rivals still working to close gaps in battery cost, charging speed and supply-chain depth.
Huawei’s presence illustrated the growing power of technology suppliers inside the automotive ecosystem. Its intelligent driving systems, HarmonyOS cockpit technology and vehicle partnerships featured prominently across several brands. The company’s Qiankun advanced driving system was presented as part of a broader push into AI-assisted mobility, with claims of stronger collision avoidance and more natural in-car interaction.
XPeng used the event to promote intelligent driving features that can detect when a driver is unable to control the vehicle, pull over automatically and alert emergency services. Nio displayed its three brands, Nio, Onvo and Firefly, together at the same booth, signalling a wider product strategy covering premium, family and mass-market electric segments.
Foreign automakers also used Beijing to reset their China strategies. Volkswagen introduced China-focused electric models and AI-driven cockpit features developed with local partners, including XPeng and Horizon Robotics. BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota presented products tailored to a market where customers increasingly expect high-end digital functions even in mid-priced vehicles.
The competitive pressure remains intense. China’s passenger car sales fell sharply in the first quarter from a year earlier, reflecting weaker subsidy support, cautious consumers and price competition across the sector. Exports, however, continued to expand strongly as China-made vehicles gained ground in Europe, Southeast Asia, Latin America and other growth markets.
That divergence shaped much of the discussion around the exhibition. Domestic demand is tougher, margins are thinner and consolidation risks are rising, yet China’s automakers and suppliers are moving faster on product cycles than many overseas competitors. More than 80 new models were launched in China in March alone, a pace that underscores the speed of iteration in the market.
Auto China 2026 also showed that global expansion is entering a new phase. Chinese manufacturers are no longer relying only on exports. Several are building or planning overseas production bases to reduce tariff exposure, ease regulatory concerns and strengthen local market access. Hungary, Turkey, Southeast Asia and Latin America have emerged as important destinations for investment.
Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson’s claim that he has been kept outside crypto’s most powerful policy and industry circles has sharpened a wider argument over influence, visibility and technical delivery in the digital-asset sector. Hoskinson, who co-founded Ethereum before building Cardano through Input Output Global, said in an interview that he had been excluded from key conversations despite Cardano’s sustained engineering output. His remarks landed as development metrics […]
Tamil Nadu’s vote count pointed to a dramatic political rupture on Monday, with actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam emerging as the strongest challenger to the ruling DMK and threatening to redraw the balance of power in one of the country’s most important industrial states.
Trends through the afternoon showed TVK ahead in more than 100 seats in the 234-member Assembly, close to the 118-seat majority mark. The AIADMK alliance was holding second place in several tallies, while the DMK, led by Chief Minister M K Stalin, slipped sharply from its dominant position. The count remained fluid, with leads shifting by constituency and round, but the scale of TVK’s performance confirmed that Vijay’s first full electoral test had moved beyond symbolism.
The most striking signal came from Kolathur, Stalin’s long-held constituency in Chennai, where TVK candidate V S Babu established a lead during counting. Udhayanidhi Stalin also faced pressure in Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni, intensifying the perception of an anti-incumbency wave cutting through the DMK’s urban and welfare-heavy support base. Vijay himself was leading in both seats he contested, strengthening expectations that he could become central to government formation if TVK sustains its advantage.
TVK’s surge is particularly significant because Tamil Nadu has for decades been shaped by two Dravidian blocs, with the DMK and AIADMK alternating in power. Vijay entered politics with a campaign built around corruption allegations, youth unemployment, social justice language and a promise to offer an alternative to entrenched party networks. His appeal among young voters, first-time voters and urban families appears to have translated into a statewide challenge rather than a personality-driven protest vote.
The outcome carries implications well beyond party politics. Tamil Nadu is a manufacturing and export powerhouse, with deep clusters in automobiles, electronics, textiles, leather, engineering, logistics and renewable energy. Chennai and its surrounding industrial belt host major auto and component manufacturers, while Hosur, Sriperumbudur, Coimbatore, Tiruppur and Ranipet have become key nodes in supply chains tied to smartphones, electric vehicles, garments and precision manufacturing.
Investors will be watching whether a possible TVK-led government preserves policy continuity. The state has benefited from a predictable administrative culture, skilled labour, ports, highways, renewable energy capacity and sector-specific industrial policies. Major projects involving Tata Electronics, Foxconn-linked supply chains, Hyundai, Renault Nissan, Ola Electric, VinFast, Tata Motors’ Jaguar Land Rover facility and a wide network of small suppliers rely on stable land, power, logistics and labour arrangements.
Vijay’s party has promised cleaner governance and a people-focused administration, but it is yet to demonstrate how it would manage fiscal pressures, industrial incentives, welfare spending and Centre-state relations. Tamil Nadu’s welfare model is expensive, and any new government would inherit commitments on subsidies, social schemes, infrastructure projects and public-sector obligations. A sharp shift in policy could unsettle investors, while a calibrated transition could allow TVK to combine political change with economic stability.
For the DMK, the trends represent a severe test of its governance record. Stalin’s administration has promoted Tamil Nadu as a trillion-dollar economy contender, pushed investment summits, expanded electronics manufacturing and defended its welfare programmes. Yet voter fatigue, price pressures, local grievances, perceptions of dynastic control and the attraction of Vijay’s outsider image appear to have weakened the ruling party’s hold.
The AIADMK, despite remaining competitive in parts of western and southern Tamil Nadu, also faces a strategic challenge. TVK’s ability to draw votes across urban, semi-urban and rural seats threatens to disrupt the opposition space that the AIADMK had hoped to consolidate. If no party crosses the majority mark, negotiations with smaller parties and alliance partners could determine the next government.
The Google Cloud India AI Hub, being developed with AdaniConneX and Nxtra by Airtel, is designed as a gigawatt-scale private cloud and data centre network across three campuses near the port city. The investment is planned over 2026-2030 and marks Google’s biggest infrastructure commitment in the country, combining hyperscale computing, subsea cable connectivity and clean-energy-linked operations.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu laid the foundation stone for the project on April 28, 2026, alongside Union electronics and IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, state IT and HRD minister Nara Lokesh, Google global infrastructure vice-president Bikash Koley and senior representatives of Adani and Bharti Airtel. The project follows Google’s October 2025 announcement that Visakhapatnam would host its first gigawatt-scale AI hub in the country.
The development is expected to occupy about 600 acres across locations including Tarluvada, Rambilli and Adavivaram. State officials have projected the facility’s operational launch around September 2028, though large data centre campuses of this scale typically move through phased commissioning as power, cooling, network and security systems are completed.
Google’s plan goes beyond a conventional cloud facility. The hub is intended to support AI workloads for services such as enterprise cloud computing, consumer applications, advanced model deployment and data-intensive digital platforms. Its location on the east coast gives Visakhapatnam a strategic role in subsea connectivity, with plans for international cable landings that can improve bandwidth, reduce latency and strengthen links between India, Southeast Asia and global cloud regions.
AdaniConneX, the joint venture between Adani Enterprises and EdgeConneX, is expected to lead major elements of data centre construction and power-linked infrastructure. Nxtra by Airtel will support data centre development, fibre connectivity and cable landing infrastructure. Airtel’s existing telecom backbone and Adani’s energy and infrastructure capabilities give the project domestic execution partners at a time when AI infrastructure is becoming capital-intensive and geopolitically sensitive.
The project also fits into a wider policy push to reduce dependence on overseas compute capacity. Demand for AI infrastructure has expanded rapidly as startups, banks, telecom operators, public agencies and manufacturing groups test generative AI, automation and data analytics. Large language models and AI inference services require dependable access to graphics processing units, high-density power systems, liquid cooling, resilient connectivity and local data storage.
Visakhapatnam’s selection reflects Andhra Pradesh’s attempt to position itself as a technology and logistics corridor after years of competition from established hubs such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune and the National Capital Region. The port city already has an industrial base, naval presence, road and rail connectivity and a coastline suited to cable infrastructure. The state government is banking on the Google project to attract hardware suppliers, energy providers, construction contractors, cloud specialists and AI startups.
Employment claims around the project have been ambitious, with state leaders citing the possibility of hundreds of thousands of direct and indirect jobs through construction, operations, supply chains and associated services. The more immediate employment impact is likely to come from civil works, electrical systems, fibre deployment, facility management, security and engineering support. Higher-skilled roles in cloud architecture, AI operations and chip-level systems may depend on how quickly local training pipelines are aligned with industry needs.
Power and water use will be closely watched. Gigawatt-scale data centres require enormous electricity supply and sophisticated cooling systems, making renewable energy procurement, grid stability and water stewardship critical. Google has said the project will be tied to a long-term clean energy strategy and community programmes covering water, skills, maritime trade modernisation and women-led businesses. Delivering on those commitments will be essential for public acceptance, especially as data centres worldwide face scrutiny over their environmental footprint.
