US President Donald Trump has urged Iran to “get smart soon” and sign a deal, sharpening pressure on Tehran as efforts to end the conflict remain stalled and Washington weighs keeping a naval blockade of Iranian ports in place for months. Trump used a Truth Social post on Wednesday to accuse Iran of failing to reach what he called a “non-nuclear deal”, saying Tehran “couldn’t get its […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai has lowered a key entry barrier for property-linked residency, allowing sole owners of completed real estate to apply for a two-year visa without meeting the previous Dh750,000 minimum property value threshold. The revised criteria, published through the Dubai Land Department’s Cube platform, shift the visa framework away from a single asset-value test and towards ownership structure. Sole owners can now seek the […]
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 April 2026 – Direct Travel today announced the expansion of Avenir, its global travel platform, across its specialty market divisions, including Energy, Marine and Mining. Delivered through ATPI’s specialist businesses, Avenir provides a single global platform and unified service model for executive and project-based business travel, complementing the company’s established sector specific logistics and workforce mobility solutions.
With this expansion, organizations operating in complex and logistically demanding environments will benefit from a more consistent and scalable approach to business travel, bringing modern infrastructure to corporate travel while continuing to rely on proven specialist solutions for crew and workforce logistics.
A Comprehensive Approach to Specialty Travel
Industries such as energy, marine and mining manage multiple types of travel simultaneously, from large scale workforce and crew movements to executive, commercial and project travel. These needs are fundamentally different and require distinct solutions.
Avenir is designed to support traditional business travel within these sectors, bringing structure and consistency to:
This sits alongside ATPI’s established specialist services, which continue to manage:
Together, this creates a more coordinated and complete travel framework.
Strengthening Sector Expertise with a Modern Business Travel Platform
Avenir enhances ATPI’s specialist offerings by introducing a consistent global foundation for business travel, while preserving the depth and specialization of existing solutions.
“Our long-standing leadership in specialty travel is built on deep sector expertise and a strong focus on our customers, and we remain committed to strengthening how we serve these markets,” said Christal Bemont, Chief Executive Officer of Direct Travel. “As travel becomes more complex, that foundation becomes even more important. Avenir is an important step forward, giving our customers a more consistent approach to global business travel, combined with the specialized solutions they rely on to support their operations.”
Energy
With decades of experience supporting global energy organizations, ATPI delivers specialized travel solutions across offshore, project and executive travel. From complex international operations to high risk environments, the focus is on operational continuity, cost control and the safety and wellbeing of traveling personnel.
Marine
With a long history in maritime travel, ATPI supports global shipping and offshore organizations with highly coordinated travel services. Expertise in crew movements, vessel rotations and global logistics ensures reliable, efficient operations across ports and regions worldwide.
Mining and Other Specialty Markets
In mining and similarly complex sectors, ATPI provides tailored travel management solutions designed for remote operations and workforce mobility. This includes managing fly in fly out schedules, navigating challenging destinations and supporting safe, efficient travel for workers and project teams globally.
Specialist Technology and Capabilities
These sector specific services are supported by ATPI’s specialist technology and service capabilities, including Crewhub and Crewlink, which are designed to manage workforce mobility and crew travel at scale.
Improving Visibility and Consistency for Business Travel
While workforce and crew travel remain highly specialized, business travel within these sectors is often managed across fragmented regional systems.
Avenir brings greater consistency by enabling:
The result is better oversight, improved efficiency and a more streamlined experience for business travelers operating within complex global organizations.
Hashtag: #atpi #directravel #avenir #globaltravelplatform
https://www.dt.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/directtravelinc
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Direct Travel is one of the world’s largest travel management companies, focused on delivering exceptional, innovative solutions to every client and traveler. With a long history of proven market expertise, we blend advanced technology, superior service and expert insight to drive tangible value and meaningful savings across Corporate Travel, Leisure Travel, Meetings & Events and specialty travel businesses.
Through Avenir, our next-generation platform developed with leading technology partners, we provide the industry’s broadest inventory and a modern, real-time shopping experience that empowers travelers and simplifies program management. What truly sets us apart is the human care behind the technology, delivered by an experienced, passionate team dedicated to anticipating needs and delivering exceptional service at every step.
For more information about Direct Travel, visit www.dt.com
For more information about Energy, Marine, and Mining specialty travel, visit: https://www.atpi.com/energy-travel/, https://www.atpi.com/marine-travel/ and https://www.atpi.com/mining-travel/
By K Raveendran Abu Dhabi’s decision to walk away from OPEC marks more than a dispute over barrels. It signals a recalibration of Gulf power, energy strategy and security alignments at a moment when the Iran war has exposed the limits of regional consensus. For decades, the UAE operated inside a cartel system dominated by […]
The article UAE Break From OPEC Reshapes Gulf Oil Politics appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).
Blockchain investigator ZachXBT has sharpened scrutiny of Sam Altman-linked World, accusing the biometric identity and crypto project of using a low-float token structure and incentives that placed poorer users at the centre of a controversial data-gathering model. The criticism, posted on X and amplified across crypto markets, focused on Worldcoin’s WLD token distribution, its iris-scanning sign-up system and the risk that verified accounts could be traded through […]
ZetaChain has paused cross-chain transactions after a smart contract attack targeted its GatewayEVM infrastructure, adding fresh pressure on interoperability projects that move assets and messages across multiple blockchains. The incident was flagged on April 27 when Blockaid warned users about an active exploit involving ZetaChain cross-chain contracts and urged anyone with approvals to GatewayEVM contracts on Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base and other EVM-compatible chains to revoke permissions immediately. […]
XRP has failed to convert its strongest exchange-traded fund inflows of 2026 into a meaningful price rally, leaving traders questioning whether institutional demand is strong enough to absorb persistent selling pressure across the token’s spot market. The token has slipped from about $1.51 to the $1.37-$1.40 range over the past two weeks, even as US-listed spot XRP ETFs drew about $81.6 million in net inflows in April […]
Conspiracy theories swept across social media after gunfire disrupted the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner at the Washington Hilton, turning a security emergency into another test of America’s fragile information system. The April 25 attack, which led to federal charges against 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, unfolded near the main screening area outside the ballroom where President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, senior officials, […]
Justice Department lawyers have asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit blocking parts of President Donald Trump’s planned White House ballroom, using language that legal critics say closely mirrors the president’s combative social media style and marks a striking departure from the department’s traditional courtroom tone. A motion filed in federal court argues that the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which brought the case, has no […]
The city’s merchandise trade gap widened to HK$89.1 billion in March 2026, equal to 12.6 per cent of the value of imports. Total exports rose 35.8 per cent year on year to HK$618.4 billion, while imports jumped 41.2 per cent to HK$707.5 billion, underscoring the unusual scale of the surge in cross-border goods flows through one of Asia’s main trading hubs.
The figures point to a mixed signal for Hong Kong’s externally oriented economy. Export growth was the strongest since early 2021, reflecting robust global demand for electronic components, telecommunications equipment, semiconductors and related supply-chain goods. Yet the sharper rise in imports left the city with a deficit larger than any monthly gap recorded over more than seven decades, highlighting the pressure created by front-loaded purchases, supply-chain repositioning and higher input costs.
For the first quarter of 2026, total exports climbed 32 per cent from a year earlier, while imports increased 37 per cent. The visible trade deficit for the quarter reached HK$168.4 billion, equivalent to 9.8 per cent of imports. On a seasonally adjusted basis, exports rose 18.4 per cent from the previous quarter, while imports advanced 20 per cent.
The most striking gains came from technology-linked categories. Exports of electrical machinery, apparatus, appliances and related parts rose by HK$99.8 billion, or 47.9 per cent, in March from a year earlier. Telecommunications and sound recording equipment exports increased by HK$40.2 billion, or 94.7 per cent, while non-ferrous metals shipments rose by HK$10.2 billion, or 175.9 per cent.
Imports showed a similar pattern, but with larger absolute increases in several categories. Purchases of electrical machinery and related parts grew by HK$106.2 billion, or 49.5 per cent. Telecommunications and sound recording equipment imports rose by HK$45.3 billion, or 93 per cent. Non-ferrous metals imports surged by HK$30.4 billion, a rise of more than 400 per cent, suggesting strong demand for materials used in electronics, data-centre infrastructure and advanced manufacturing supply chains.
The widening deficit also reflects Hong Kong’s role as a re-export centre rather than a conventional manufacturing economy. Goods imported into the city often move onwards to mainland China, Southeast Asia, the United States and Europe after financing, logistics, testing, repackaging or redistribution. During periods of strong global technology demand, import values can rise faster than exports if companies build inventories, reroute shipments or accelerate procurement to avoid transport delays.
Geopolitical tensions have added another layer of volatility. The war in the Middle East has pushed up energy prices, raised shipping risks and complicated trade routes linking Asia with Europe and the Gulf. Higher freight and insurance costs can lift the recorded value of imports, while uncertainty over maritime routes may encourage companies to bring forward shipments or diversify logistics channels. Hong Kong, with its deep financial links and dense regional supply-chain networks, is exposed to those shifts even when final demand originates elsewhere.
The export destination data showed broad-based strength across Asia and beyond. Shipments to Singapore more than doubled, while exports to Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan and mainland China recorded strong gains. Exports to the United States also rose sharply, reflecting resilient demand for electronics and technology-linked goods despite continuing trade friction and tariff risks. Shipments to the United Kingdom declined, indicating uneven demand across advanced markets.
On the import side, increases were recorded from most major suppliers. Purchases from the United Kingdom, Korea, India, Vietnam, the United States and mainland China all rose substantially, underlining the geographically diverse nature of the procurement surge. Mainland China remained central to the city’s trade flows, both as a supplier and destination, while Southeast Asian economies continued to gain prominence in electronics and component supply chains.
The data suggest that Hong Kong is benefiting from the global investment race in artificial intelligence, cloud computing and advanced electronics, but the gains come with greater exposure to external shocks. Demand for AI servers, chips, networking equipment and related components has lifted trade volumes across Asia, while higher energy prices and shipping uncertainty are adding costs and complicating timing decisions for importers.
A hardcoded API key embedded in ClickUp’s public website exposed 959 corporate and government email addresses and more than 3,000 internal feature flags for over a year, intensifying scrutiny of security controls at widely used software-as-a-service platforms. The exposure was tied to a production JavaScript bundle that loaded before authentication, allowing anyone inspecting the page source to extract a third-party SDK token and send an unauthenticated request […]
Vect 2.0 has emerged as a fast-evolving ransomware-as-a-service operation capable of striking Windows, Linux and VMware ESXi systems, raising concern among security teams responsible for hybrid corporate networks and virtualised infrastructure. The group’s latest tooling marks a shift from single-platform extortion campaigns towards attacks designed to spread across workstations, servers and hypervisors. That matters because ESXi environments often host multiple virtual machines on a single physical server, […]
Abu Dhabi’s decision to leave OPEC and the wider OPEC+ alliance from May 2026 is set to redraw the balance of influence inside the oil producers’ bloc, with the first market impact likely to be muted while Gulf export routes remain constrained by the war around Iran. The move removes one of OPEC’s biggest producers from a system built on coordinated supply limits, voluntary cuts and quota […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Abu Dhabi’s decision to leave OPEC and the wider OPEC+ framework from May 1, 2026 has introduced a new fault line in global oil diplomacy, raising questions over the future discipline of a producer alliance that has shaped crude supply policy for decades. The move ends nearly six decades of UAE participation in OPEC and removes one of the group’s most important Gulf […]
Business-to-business marketing teams are entering 2026 with a sharper problem than ranking on search results pages: how to make their brands visible inside AI-generated answers that buyers increasingly use before visiting a supplier’s website. Mark Lydon, senior content marketing manager, has framed the shift as a move from search engine optimisation to answer engine optimisation, reflecting a wider change in how procurement teams, technology buyers and enterprise […]
Digital Dubai has released a whitepaper introducing the AI Integration Matrix Framework, a government-wide model designed to move artificial intelligence use from scattered pilots to a coordinated operating system across public entities. The framework marks a new stage in Dubai’s effort to embed advanced digital tools into public administration, with an emphasis on interoperability, secure data use, institutional readiness and measurable service improvements. It is aimed at […]
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright has said ships could resume passage through the Strait of Hormuz without every mine being removed, raising hopes of a faster reopening of one of the world’s most important energy corridors while leaving unresolved questions over risk, insurance and maritime security. Wright said a workable channel could be created for vessels moving in and out of the Gulf, rather than waiting for […]
Google has withdrawn from a $100 million US Department of Defense contest to build voice-controlled technology for autonomous drone swarms, stepping away after its proposal had advanced in the competition and reopening questions over how far major AI companies are willing to go in military work. The company notified the government on 11 February 2026 that it would not continue in the challenge, only weeks after submitting […]
BlueNoroff has intensified its campaign against cryptocurrency executives by combining fake Zoom meetings, AI-generated video lures and fileless PowerShell malware in an intrusion that gave attackers access to a North American Web3 company for 66 days. The operation, first detected after an intrusion began on 23 January 2026, marks a sharper turn in North Korea-linked cyber activity against digital asset businesses. Instead of relying on crude phishing […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Emerging-market assets came under pressure as investors moved towards the dollar, cutting exposure to riskier currencies and equities before the Federal Reserve’s policy decision and amid rising doubts over artificial intelligence spending and stalled Middle East peace efforts. MSCI’s emerging-market currency gauge fell 0.3 per cent, with most major developing-economy currencies weakening against the greenback. The Philippine peso, the rupee and the Thai […]
North Korean state-linked hackers have intensified attacks on cryptocurrency companies by combining fake video meetings, AI-generated identities and “ClickFix” infection tactics to compromise executives, founders and staff with access to wallets, exchanges and investment infrastructure. A large spear-phishing operation attributed with high confidence to BlueNoroff, the financially motivated arm of the Lazarus Group, targeted a North American Web3 company through a manipulated calendar invitation that led to […]
Hugging Face’s LeRobot robotics framework is facing scrutiny after disclosure of a critical remote code execution vulnerability that could allow unauthenticated attackers to run arbitrary commands on affected systems through exposed inference services. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2026-25874, affects LeRobot versions up to 0.5.1 and carries a critical CVSS 4.0 score of 9.3. The issue centres on unsafe deserialisation in the framework’s asynchronous inference pipeline, where Python’s […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Etihad Airways has launched a codeshare partnership with Air Cambodia, widening its Southeast Asian network and giving travellers a single-ticket connection from Abu Dhabi and beyond to Siem Reap through Phnom Penh. The agreement allows Etihad customers to book journeys from across its international network to Siem Reap, the gateway to the Angkor Wat temple complex, via the Cambodian capital. The arrangement includes […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Abu Dhabi has moved to leave OPEC and OPEC+, ending nearly six decades inside the producers’ group and sending a sharp signal through an oil market already strained by geopolitical risk, supply disruption and shifting energy strategies. The decision, announced on Tuesday and set to take effect on May 1, marks one of the most consequential breaks inside the oil-exporting bloc since Qatar’s […]
