Optical-electronic hybrid computing provider Xizhi Technology listed on the HKEX on 28 April, raising HKD2.53 billion (USD323 million) and becoming the world’s first listed AI silicon photonics chip company. Davis Polk, Zhong Lun Law Firm, Haiwen & Partners, Hogan Lovells and Fangda Partners advised on the transaction. AI silicon photonics chips use light (photons) to perform computation, accelerating matrix operations in AI through optical transmission and interference. This technology is regarded among industry circles as a promising route to overcoming bottlenecks in computing power. Xizhi Technology issued 13.8 million shares at an offer price of HKD183.2 per share. On debut,…
Author: Isla
In recent days, Australian media have widely reported that the MV Al Kuwait, the world’s largest live cattle export vessel, has set sail from the Port of Darwin carrying more than 17.000 head of cattle to Indonesia. Initially, the ship was scheduled to export sheep to the Middle East. However, the ongoing war in Iran has halted the live sheep trade. For Australia, Indonesia has long been a key partner as it is the largest market for its live livestock exports. According to 2025 data, Indonesia purchased approximately 583.418 head of cattle at a price of USD4,00 per kilogram of…
Apr 29, 2026 European Union steel producers are positioning for a market recovery following a period of subdued profitability, according to a report from Reuters.Market demand within the EU has not yet returned to levels seen in 2022. However, steel prices have increased more rapidly than anticipated recently. This price rise is attributed to higher energy costs and a decrease in imports from outside the bloc, resulting from new EU protective measures.Oddo BHF analyst Maxim Kogge stated that current conditions for the steel industry are generally favorable, with the exception of demand. He pointed out that the EU has structurally…
Lloyds earnings jump by a third but UK economic outlook worsens London Evening Standard Source link
If you have a big budget and it’s privacy you’re after, Siri Sala is just the ticket. This White Lotus-famous villa, located along the quaint Bangkok Noi canal across the river from the Grand Palace, only opens to one party (of up to 12 guests) at a time. That means you and your crew will have the five bedrooms, lounger-lined lap pool, the indoor-outdoor spa, and game room all to yourselves, and a private chef who whips up Thai and western comfort food at the drop of a hat. The villa is a passion project of its Thai-Filipino owners, who…
April 29, 2026 — 3:32pmSaveYou have reached your maximum number of saved items.Remove items from your saved list to add more.AAABeijing: A high-stakes meeting between Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng has been disrupted by an awkward incident when Chinese officials attempted to usher Australian media out of the room before she had completed her opening remarks.One Chinese official moved in front of the Australian government’s official cameraman obstructing his efforts to film Wong’s prepared statement.Wong had arrived at The Great Hall of People in Beijing at the start of a busy one-day blitz on the…
Bankers who left Dubai during the worst of the Middle East conflict have begun returning to the UAE as the ceasefire between Iran and the US moves into its fourth week.A senior executive, who left Dubai for England with their family last month, told The Banker that they are “tentatively” moving back. “We will obviously monitor the situation but we feel it is safe enough to return,” they said.Want to continue reading The Banker?Benefit from expert analysis, exclusive data and rankings, clear insight into innovation, regulation and strategy, and the context you need to stay ahead of critical developments in…
Thailand’s travel trade is voicing opposition to a proposed 1,000 baht (US$31) exit tax for Thai nationals, warning that additional levies could strain the aviation sector. Proposed by tourism and sports minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul under a 1983 act, the government could enact the fee to fund domestic tourism campaigns. Concerns grow in Thailand’s travel sector over a proposed exit tax that could raise costs for outbound passengers; Suvarnabhumi Airport, pictured Adith Chairattananon, honorary secretary-general of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), representing trade entrepreneurs who recently met the minister, questioned the timing and rationale. “With the recent Passenger Service…
We are pleased to expand our analytical capabilities in China with the introduction of JEOL 400 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) testing, delivering powerful structural analysis and high quantitative accuracy to good manufacturing practice (GMP)-compliant pharmaceutical testing and quality control (QC). A new level of molecular insight under GMP conditions From research and development to commercial production, NMR delivers high-resolution structural clarity and quantitative precision, ensuring every batch meets the highest standards of identity, purity and quality. This non-destructive analytical technique complements chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques across the entire drug lifecycle, enabling: Active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) structure confirmation – verify…
The decision was shocking. But the announcement April 28 that the UAE was leaving OPEC caps years of tension where the desert state chafed under the cartel’s quotas, and recently, encountered severe strain in its relationship with Saudi Arabia, the group’s most potent force by far. Though it had felt strains before, it was the war in Iran that pushed the UAE over the edge. “The war suddenly made job one for the UAE ‘take the money and run,’” says Steve H. Hanke, professor of applied economics at Johns Hopkins University. “First, OPEC stood partially in the way, now the…