Greenlogue/AP Qatar’s greenhouse industry is projected to more than double in value by 2034 as investment in controlled-environment farming accelerates efforts to raise domestic food production and conserve water resources. Market research firm IMARC Group estimates the sector will expand from $226.9 million in 2025 to $600.1 million by 2034, equivalent to about QR2.18 billion at Qatar’s fixed exchange rate. The forecast implies compound annual growth of […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai has begun 10 days of official mourning following the death of Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Chairman of Dubai Police and Public Security and the younger brother of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The Court of Sheikh Mohammed announced Sheikh Ahmed’s death on Monday morning, September 21, […]
Microsoft has formally launched its India South Central cloud region in Hyderabad, expanding its domestic cloud footprint to four regions and positioning the new facility for large-scale artificial intelligence and mission-critical workloads.
The Hyderabad region operates across three availability zones and is designed to provide resilience for organisations running critical applications. Microsoft said the architecture is aligned with applicable regulatory and seismic requirements in India, while giving customers additional options for data residency, continuity and governance.
The company said the region is now live with a broad set of Azure services, with more cloud and AI capabilities scheduled to be added over the coming months. It is also intended to support Microsoft Foundry and other advanced AI services as capacity expands.
Puneet Chandok, president of Microsoft India and South Asia, said at the Microsoft AI Infrastructure Summit in New Delhi that the Hyderabad facility was built for advanced AI workloads and would serve as a strategic hub for Asia and the Global South. Microsoft also said its data centre regions across the country are now AI-enabled, combining specialised hardware, cooling systems and the platform infrastructure needed to run advanced models.
India South Central joins Microsoft’s Central India region in Pune, South India region in Chennai and West India region in Mumbai. Microsoft’s Azure region list identifies Hyderabad as India South Central and shows Central India as its paired region for disaster-recovery planning.
The Hyderabad expansion forms part of Microsoft’s $20.5 billion investment commitment to India, comprising a $3 billion investment announced in January 2025 and a further $17.5 billion commitment announced in December 2025. The company has linked that spending to cloud capacity, AI infrastructure and skills development.
The launch comes as data-centre investment accelerates across the country alongside demand for computing capacity needed to train and run AI systems. A Boston Consulting Group study cited by Microsoft estimates that India’s data-centre build-out could generate $140 billion to $200 billion in economic output through 2030. Microsoft said its infrastructure is intended to serve enterprises, start-ups and public-sector organisations.
Microsoft said Adani Group, Bajaj Finserv, HDFC Bank and PB Pay have signed up to use the new region. The company said local capacity would allow eligible cloud and AI workloads to be deployed closer to users and operations while supporting security, compliance and sovereignty requirements.
The region expands Microsoft’s Sovereign Public Cloud foundation in India. The company said its cloud regions provide capabilities aligned with Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology guidelines and are designed to help customers address requirements under the Digital Personal Data Protection framework, as well as sector-specific expectations from the Reserve Bank of India and CERT-In. Microsoft stressed that customers remain responsible for determining which rules apply to their workloads.
Capabilities expected to become available as services are rolled out include Azure confidential computing, Customer Lockbox and Azure Key Vault. These are intended to give organisations additional controls over data protection, encryption keys and Microsoft’s operational access, particularly for sensitive workloads.
Microsoft also highlighted the cooling design of the Hyderabad region, saying high-efficiency mechanical systems enable effectively zero water use for cooling. The company has tied the design to its broader 2030 sustainability goals, which include becoming carbon negative, water positive and zero waste.
Alongside the infrastructure launch, Microsoft said its AI-skilling programmes have reached more than 10 million people in India, halfway towards a target of 20 million by 2030. It also operates a 600-hour data centre training programme with Young India Skills University in Telangana aimed at preparing students for infrastructure and operations roles.
Jitin Prasada, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and Electronics and Information Technology, said the new region would strengthen the digital infrastructure required to support the IndiaAI Mission and expand the capacity available to developers, enterprises and public institutions.
Ed Sheeran has said his “heart has been broken” by the scale of civilian suffering in Gaza, while apologising for mistakes made amid the dispute over rapper Macklemore’s removal from his United States tour. Addressing fans at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Saturday, Sheeran described the situation in Gaza as “catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate” and said the humanitarian toll had forced him to speak publicly […]
Greenlogue/AP Beam Middle East and Masdar City Free Zone have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore the deployment of smart-energy and clean-mobility technologies across the Masdar City ecosystem in Abu Dhabi. The agreement will allow Beam Middle East to introduce and supply advanced energy systems for potential use within the sustainable urban district, including off-grid electric-vehicle charging infrastructure, solar-integrated e-bike systems and other clean-energy mobility technologies. […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai Electronic Security Centre has unveiled SARAAB, an artificial intelligence model built to detect deepfake videos, presenting the Emirati-developed system at GISEC Global 2026 as authorities intensify efforts to counter AI-enabled cyber fraud and manipulation. The open-source model was developed entirely by a team at the Dubai Electronic Security Centre, or DESC, and is designed to analyse video frame by frame for signs […]
A malware campaign using the EtherHiding technique has exploited the Polygon blockchain to conceal and dynamically rotate command-and-control infrastructure while stealing banking and cryptocurrency credentials from infected users. Security researchers tracing the operation said it has been active since at least November 2025 and has compromised at least 31 legitimate business websites across several countries and industries. The campaign has evolved from deploying a general-purpose PowerShell backdoor […]
Gold prices were little changed on Monday, holding close to a one-week high as investors balanced persistent Middle East tensions against expectations that US interest rates could remain elevated for longer. Spot gold was almost flat at about $4,379.74 an ounce in early trade, while US gold futures for December delivery slipped 0.1 per cent to $4,419.40. The metal had climbed to a one-week high on Friday […]
US President Donald Trump will expand a planned meeting with Gulf officials in New York this week to include Iraq and Jordan, broadening consultations with Arab governments as Washington weighs its next steps in the conflict with Iran. The meeting is expected on Tuesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, where leaders and senior officials from the six Gulf Cooperation Council states are due […]
Abu Dhabi’s International Holding Company has identified Fount Trust as its ultimate parent above Royal Group Holding LLC, formalising the ownership structure that followed an earlier restructuring. IHC said on Monday that the change affects the legal ownership chain but does not alter its ultimate beneficial ownership, operations, strategy or business activities. Royal Group continues to exist and operate within the structure, while IHC remains governed by […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Qatar’s prime minister has called for Gulf states to act together to restore regional stability and help secure a settlement between the United States and Iran, arguing that the war should force governments to rethink how security is organised across the Gulf. “We are hoping this war is a wake-up call for everyone,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said on Sunday at the […]
European electricity prices for the coming winter have risen to their highest levels since the 2022 energy crisis, with German January contracts trading above €180 a megawatt-hour as gas supply concerns and geopolitical disruption tighten the market across the continent now. The German benchmark on the European Energy Exchange is more than 60 per cent higher than a year ago, signalling growing concern over the cost of […]
Cybersecurity researchers have documented two attacks involving Settra ransomware, exposing a repeatable post-compromise playbook that combines legitimate remote-management software, recovery sabotage and efforts to erase forensic evidence. Huntress said the incidents affected a consumer services and retail organisation in July and a manufacturing company in September. Settra was first observed publicly in June, but the two investigations provide fresh detail on how operators maintain access after compromise […]
North Korean cyber operators posing as recruiters have compromised at least 30,000 devices in more than 100 countries, using fraudulent job interviews to infect technology professionals and steal cryptocurrency, authorities from four countries have disclosed. The campaign, attributed to a group tracked as WaterPlum and widely known as Contagious Interview, targeted web designers, software engineers, freelancers and specialists in cryptocurrency, blockchain and Web3 technologies between about December […]
Security researchers participating in OpenAI’s bug bounty programme penetrated employee accounts and reached the company’s private GitHub monorepo after using Anthropic’s Claude models to develop an exploit chain. The July operation was carried out by three researchers at cybersecurity start-up Hacktron AI, who said they combined a vulnerability in software used by OpenAI’s community forum with a flaw in the company’s single sign-on configuration. OpenAI later fixed […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai President Donald Trump returned unexpectedly to the White House on Saturday after cutting short a weekend at Camp David, as a Houthi missile attack on Riyadh pushed the renewed Saudi-Yemen conflict into the kingdom’s capital. The White House gave no explanation for Trump’s early return, which came a day before he had been scheduled to leave the presidential retreat in Maryland. The timing […]
By K Raveendran Donald Trump now possesses one of the most formidable economic weapons available to an American president against countries sustaining Russia’s energy revenues. Yet, the decision on how aggressively to wield it is complicated by a contradiction that Washington cannot easily escape: squeezing Russian oil out of the international market could also push […]
Spain’s data protection authority has disclosed its first notified personal-data breach in which an artificial intelligence agent allegedly carried out several stages of an intrusion, including vulnerability discovery, data modification and access to billing records. The Agencia Española de Protección de Datos said the incident involved an agent using a known large language model and marked a significant shift in the operational use of AI in cyberattacks. […]
Attackers are actively exploiting a critical vulnerability in the WooCommerce Wholesale Lead Capture plugin to upload PHP webshells onto WordPress sites, with more than 100,000 exploit attempts blocked since June, Wordfence data shows. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2026-27540, affects versions 2.0.3.1 and earlier of the premium plugin and allows unauthenticated attackers to upload arbitrary files to a vulnerable server. Wordfence rates the bug 9.8 on the CVSS […]
The European Union has urged the United States to reconsider its decision to deny visas to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinian officials seeking to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York, intensifying diplomatic pressure on Washington before the gathering. Anouar El Anouni, a spokesman for the European External Action Service, said on Saturday that the bloc regretted the extension of the visa denial […]
Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club moved to the front on the opening day of Round 7 of the Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship at Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi on Friday, with Al Jazira Jiu-Jitsu Club second and M. O. D UAE third. The first day of the three-day Gi round featured Under-18, Adults and Masters competitors, with results across the divisions contributing to club standings as […]
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 19 September 2026 – Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee rolled out various measures to develop Hong Kong’s key economic centres when he unveiled the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) (2026-2030) and his fifth Policy Address on September 16.
Under Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong will focus on strengthening the four centres, developing the hub for high-calibre talent, consolidating and enhancing its competitive edge as an international city.
Hong Kong’s status as world-renowned international financial, maritime and trade centres as well as an international aviation hub underpin the city’s high-quality development and provide a firm foundation for the city’s long-term stability and prosperity.
“We will consolidate and enhance Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre, and stay committed to our global positioning,” Mr Lee said. “Hong Kong will deepen the development of its global offshore Renminbi business and capital market, develop an international asset and wealth management centre and international risk management centre, enhance the securities market and expand fixed income and commodity trading.”
Hong Kong has become the world’s largest cross‑boundary wealth management centre this year, and the HKSAR Government will continue to develop a more attractive asset and wealth management ecosystem, Mr Lee said.
Hong Kong will develop a commodity trading ecosystem with gold as an entry point by driving the development of the clearing system, storage, supply, and infrastructure related to gold trading. The city’s central clearing and settlement system for gold will be officially launched in the first quarter of 2027.
“The significance of the First Five-Year Plan for Hong Kong lies in a mindset shift; we must plan Hong Kong’s financial development with a longer-term vision and broader perspective to adapt with flexibility and diversity,” said Christopher Hui, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury. “Each of our initiatives centres around one objective, which is to elevate Hong Kong from a ‘corridor of capital’ to a ‘destination of choice’.”
Hong Kong was ranked the world’s fifth‑largest entity in merchandise trade in 2025. The HKSAR Government announced plans to consolidate and enhance Hong Kong’s status as an international trade centre, playing a greater role in the high‑level opening up of the Chinese Mainland.
Since the Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global was established last October, it has provided assistance, including listing and raising capital in Hong Kong, aligning with overseas standards, acquiring industry certifications and fulfilling compliance requirements for more than 340 Mainland enterprises.
The Task Force will strengthen collaboration with professional organisations to train talent for the GoGlobal initiative and enhance professional services, among other areas.
“In alignment with the National 15th Five-Year Plan’s call to advocate and practise true multilateralism, the First Five-Year Plan proposes to continue expanding international economic and trade network,” said Algernon Yau, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development.
“We will actively forge free trade agreements and investment agreements with economies that are of development potential or strategic locations. Meanwhile, we will expand our network of overseas offices, and leverage the combined networks of our overseas Economic and Trade Offices, InvestHK, and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council offices globally to deepen overseas ties and step up trade and investment promotion.”
As an international maritime centre, Hong Kong has ranked fourth globally in maritime comprehensive strength for seven consecutive years. The Five-Year Plan will drive a “volume to value” transformation of the Hong Kong Port, capitalising on its strengths in high value‑added maritime services, to develop Hong Kong into a “Global Maritime Capital”.
To promote high value-added services, the industry will develop “Finance + Shipping”.
Taking advantage of the city’s well‑established maritime finance, insurance and maritime arbitration under common law, Hong Kong will build an integrated ecosystem under which Hong Kong‑invested enterprises adopt Hong Kong law, take out Hong Kong insurance and choose for arbitration to be seated in Hong Kong.
Regarding aviation, Hong Kong’s passenger throughput recorded a year‑on‑year increase of 15% last year, to 61 million, with flights to over 220 destinations. The city’s air cargo throughput reached 5.07 million tonnes, making its airport the world’s busiest cargo airport for the 15th year since 2010.
To strengthen development as international aviation hub, Hong Kong will expand its aviation network, and diversify business opportunities.
The HKSAR Government will continue to take the initiative to visit South America, Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East and the Caucasus to expedite the conclusion of new air services agreements and the expansion of traffic rights, thereby assisting the industry in exploring new passenger and cargo sources.
As for building Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology centre, the HKSAR Government will step up its efforts to promote artificial intelligence (AI) applications across various trades, and continue to strike a balance between encouraging innovation and protecting security, thereby enhancing Hong Kong’s international competitiveness in AI development.
In alignment with the national strategic technology areas, Hong Kong will focus on core technologies such as life and health, AI and robotics, microelectronics, new energy, advanced manufacturing and new materials. It will also continue to raise the ratio of Total Domestic Expenditure on Innovation Activities to Gross Domestic Product, striving to reach 3% after 2030.
CrowdSec has said a supply-chain attack involving compromised TanStack npm packages led to the unauthorised copying of about 170 private GitHub repositories after credentials linked to a departing employee were exposed. The cybersecurity company said its investigation, completed with assistance from GitHub, traced the breach to an OAuth token obtained after the employee’s account was compromised in the May TanStack attack. The repositories were downloaded on May […]
Hackers who physically removed a Flock Safety roadside camera were able to copy much of its internal storage, uncover an encryption key and access tens of thousands of video clips and data linked to about 1.6 million images generated over 21 days. The compromise involved a single camera taken from above a roadway and did not amount to a remote breach of Flock Safety’s cloud network. The […]
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