Kia EV9 GT
Kia’s EV9 GT is a performance‑focused, 2.7‑tonne electric SUV that packs 501 bhp and 546 lb‑ft of torque, accelerating from 0‑62 mph in 4.6 seconds. Priced at just over £82,000, it offers a 99.8 kWh battery with a WLTP range of 316 miles and a spacious six‑ or seven‑seat cabin. The model shares the EV6 GT platform, featuring dual motors, an electronically‑controlled limited‑slip differential and torque‑vectoring via braking. Reviewers praise its quick acceleration and roomy interior but note a busy infotainment screen and its large footprint.
Assurant and Hollandsnieuwe Introduce New Mobile Device Protection Offering in the Netherlands
Assurant announced a partnership with Dutch online mobile operator hollandsnieuwe to launch mobile device protection in the Netherlands. The offering includes a Standard plan covering accidental damage and a Premium plan adding theft and loss coverage. A fully digital enrollment...
Sagami Railway Unveils Sea-Creature Inspired Series 13000 EMU
Japan’s Sagami Railway, part of Sotetsu Holdings, unveiled the new Series 13000 electric multiple‑unit, featuring a sea‑creature‑inspired front design and eight‑car configuration. Built by J‑TREC’s Sustina family, the stainless‑steel EMU replaces the aging Series 8000/9000 fleet and is engineered for future driver‑only...
Procopiou Pushes Tanker Expansion with More VLCC Orders
Greek shipowner George Procopiou is expanding his crude carrier fleet with an order for four 306,000‑dwt VLCCs from Hengli Heavy Industry, placed through Dynacom Tankers. The contracts are valued between $400 million and $600 million. This deal marks the second VLCC order...
Accenture Named Official Partner of Leading Golf Governing Body, The R&A
Accenture has signed a six‑year agreement to become the Official Business and Technology Consulting Partner of The R&A, the governing body behind golf’s premier championships. The deal also names Accenture an Official Patron of The Open, the AIG Women’s Open...
Retail-to-Residential Conversions Gain Momentum in Canada
Retail‑to‑residential conversions are emerging as a national strategy to tackle Canada’s housing shortage by repurposing vacant department stores, suburban malls and under‑used parking lots. Developers highlight the advantage of fully serviced land, which slashes infrastructure costs compared with greenfield builds....
AI Legal Risks: Lisa Fitzgerald on Why Businesses Must Vet AI Use Cases
AI adoption is accelerating, but businesses often overlook legal risks tied to generative tools. Lisa Fitzgerald, partner at Norton Rose Fulbright, warns that feeding confidential or personal data into public AI platforms can trigger cross‑border data transfers, privacy breaches, and...
Satellites Show Extent of Iranian Precision Strikes
Satellite imagery revealed extensive damage to all four U.S. THAAD radar stations across the Middle East after precision Iranian missile strikes. The attacks also hit U.S. bases, KC‑135 tankers and a CIA facility, prompting the Trump administration to impose a...
Kenya Airways Boosts Cargo Ops via B747 Capacity Partnership
Kenya Airways has added a Boeing 747‑400 freighter through a capacity agreement with Terra Avia, raising its cargo lift from roughly 70 tonnes to about 180 tonnes. The airline plans to push capacity beyond 250 tonnes as part of a broader push to position...
Army Debunks ‘Fake IED’ Claims, Invites Media to Verify Recoveries in Imo, Anambra
On March 12, the Nigerian Army released images of recovered improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from Operation Eastern Sanity in Imo and Anambra states. The army refuted viral claims that the photos were fabricated, stating the images are authentic but geolocation...
KFC, Franchisees to Pay $28.8m to Settle Missed Rest Breaks Lawsuit
KFC and more than 80 franchise operators have agreed to pay $28.8 million to settle a class‑action lawsuit alleging they failed to provide legally required 10‑minute rest breaks. The claim, filed in 2023 and backed by the SDA union, says the...
Hyatt Announces the Opening of Andaz Lisbon
Hyatt Hotels Corporation has launched Andaz Lisbon, its first Andaz property in Portugal, located in the Baixa neighborhood overlooking Praça do Comércio and the Tagus River. The 170‑room hotel integrates Portuguese materials such as cork and mosaic with contemporary design...
Did Fake Comments Sink SoCal Clean Heat Rules? Advocates Want Answers.
Southern California regulators rejected a landmark clean‑heat rule that would have pushed electric heat pumps and phased down new gas heaters, after receiving more than 20,000 public comments opposing the proposal. An investigation by the Los Angeles Times found that...
JP Morgan Shipping Arm Books Suezmax Trio at Samsung Heavy
JP Morgan’s Bermuda‑based shipowner Global Meridian Holdings has placed an order for three new suezmax crude carriers with Samsung Heavy Industries. The contract, valued at roughly KRW 400 billion ($268 million), translates to about $89.3 million per 157,000‑dwt vessel. Deliveries are scheduled between the...
IHG Brings World’s First and Largest Luxury Hotel Brand Back to Manila
IHG Hotels & Resorts announced the signing of InterContinental Manila, a 212‑key luxury hotel slated to open in 2032 in Bonifacio Global City. The project marks the brand’s return to the Philippine capital after more than 15 years, underscoring IHG’s...
US Government to Set Conservators over Homeless Veterans
The U.S. Department of Justice and the Veterans Affairs (VA) have agreed to let VA attorneys serve as special assistant U.S. attorneys, giving them authority to initiate state‑court guardianship or conservatorship actions for homeless veterans who lack family decision‑makers. The...
Eskom Marks 300 Days without Load Shedding
Eskom announced 300 consecutive days without load shedding, highlighting a sustained recovery of its generation fleet. The utility's energy availability factor (EAF) averaged 65.85% for the fiscal year, surpassing the 70% mark on 83 occasions. Unplanned outages fell 53% to...
IHG Hotels & Resorts Appoints Neetu Mistry as Managing Director for UK & Ireland
IHG Hotels & Resorts announced Neetu Mistry as Managing Director for the UK & Ireland, overseeing more than 400 open and pipeline hotels across its eleven brands. Mistry brings over two decades of hotel industry experience in the UK and...
South32 Too Risky for Predators, Says Outgoing CEO
South32 CEO Graham Kerr, who will depart after 12 years, says the Perth‑based miner is too risky for larger acquisition predators. He highlights a strategic pivot toward base metals, targeting 90% of production in that sector within 18 months, with...
Motto by Hilton to Debut in Australia with Sydney CBD Property
Hilton announced the debut of its Motto by Hilton lifestyle brand in Australia with the signing of Motto by Hilton Sydney City Centre on York Street. The 152‑room hotel, slated to open in late 2027, will feature flexible room types,...
What Are Your DDoS Testing Options in 2026?
Enterprises must validate DDoS defenses through simulated attacks, and three primary testing models exist in 2026: fully managed services, self‑service tools, and automated cloud‑based solutions. Managed testing offers the highest realism and expert reporting with low internal workload but requires...
Hilton Strengthens Goa Portfolio with the Opening of Hilton Garden Inn Goa Calangute
Hilton announced the opening of Hilton Garden Inn Goa Calangute, its first Garden Inn brand in the state, adding a 116‑room upscale hotel in the heart of North Goa’s tourist hub. Developed with Kokra Resort & Spa, the property offers a...
China Demands Proof After Costa Rica Blames UNC2814 for ICE Cyberattack
Costa Rica’s state electricity and telecom provider ICE suffered a cyberespionage breach that extracted roughly nine gigabytes of internal email data, which officials linked to the China‑affiliated group UNC2814. The attribution, based on intelligence from Google’s Mandiant unit, follows a...
Waldorf Astoria Kuala Lumpur Unveils Landmark Culinary Collaborations
Waldorf Astoria Kuala Lumpur announced a sweeping culinary partnership with Michelin‑starred Indian chef Garima Arora and celebrated French‑Asian chef Jean‑Georges Vongerichten. Arora will open Yaari, a modern Indian restaurant that reimagines regional dishes and street‑food classics. Vongerichten will launch three...
Turning Browsers Into Buyers: Preezie Brings In-Store Service Online
Preezie has introduced an AI Shopping Assistant that transforms Australian retail websites into virtual sales associates, delivering conversational, context‑aware guidance. By ingesting product catalogs, size charts and policy data, the assistant can answer natural‑language queries, suggest bundles, and recommend fit....
Optasia Posts R4.4bn Revenue on Maiden JSE Results
Optasia, the AI‑driven fintech, posted R4.4 billion revenue for 2025, a 76% year‑on‑year increase, surpassing its IPO guidance. Adjusted EBITDA rose 52% to R1.9 billion, delivering a 43.2% margin, while normalized net income grew 57% to R973 million. The company expanded its user...
Hilton Accelerates Multi‑Brand Growth in Brazil with Plans to Double Portfolio by 2030
Hilton is accelerating its multi‑brand expansion in Brazil, aiming to double its hotel count from roughly 30 to 60 properties by 2030. The company opened Tru by Hilton Chapeco, Hampton by Hilton Caraguatatuba Serramar and DoubleTree by Hilton Caracol Canela...
An Activity-Rich Island Escape Awaits Families This Easter at Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives
Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives has launched a week‑long Easter programme aimed at families, featuring beach games, snorkelling, crafts and a dedicated Kids’ Club agenda. The highlight is an Easter Sunday dinner buffet with global flavours, a chocolate fountain and live crêpe station....
Ni‐Atom Induced Interface Water Reorientation Around Ru Clusters for Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Reaction
Researchers introduced single Ni atoms into Ru clusters supported on nitrogen‑boron doped carbon to manipulate interfacial water structure for alkaline hydrogen evolution. The Ni atoms shift the charge distribution of Ru, causing K⁺·H₂O hydrate molecules to reorient and bind more...
The World’s First Self-Balancing Electric Motorcycle Is Now Entering Production
OMOWAY has begun mass production of the OMO X, the world’s first self‑balancing electric motorcycle. The bike relies on an OMO‑ROBOT architecture that combines vision sensors, high‑speed computing and a control‑moment gyroscope to keep the vehicle upright without rider input. In...
Proposed New Copyright Bill Sparks Debate over AI and Image Rights
Kenya’s Copyright and Related Rights Bill 2026 aims to replace the ageing 2001 Act and align the nation with WIPO standards, but it omits any regulation of artificial intelligence and provides no guidance on image rights. Intellectual‑property lawyers warn that...
Why the Federal Government Is Going After California's AI Laws
President Donald Trump signed an executive order threatening legal and financial pressure on states with what he calls “burdensome” AI regulations, singling out California’s Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act (SB 53). SB 53, effective January 2026, obliges large developers of frontier AI...
How Frankfurt Airport Is Making the Energy Transition Real
Frankfurt Airport’s operator Fraport is executing a multi‑pronged renewable energy plan that combines long‑term offshore wind power purchase agreements with on‑site vertical photovoltaic installations. Starting mid‑2026, an 85 MW PPA with the He Dreiht wind farm will supply roughly 372 GWh of...
US Launches Sweeping Forced-Labour Trade Probe
The U.S. Trade Representative has opened Section 301 investigations into 60 of America’s largest trading partners for failing to block imports made with forced labour. The probe zeroes in on cotton, garment and apparel supply chains, with China’s Xinjiang region a...
As Compliance Becomes More Critical, What Can HR Do?
HR leaders in the UK now face intensified enforcement of the National Minimum Wage and tighter Home Office scrutiny of employee visas, with the Fair Work Agency set to take over wage oversight in April. Penalties can exceed £20,000 per...
Rizzo Cycles Reconstructs the Unno Horn XC in 3D Printed Titanium
Rizzo Cycles’ master frame‑builder Rubén Durán has fabricated a boutique Unun Horn XC bike featuring a 3‑D‑printed titanium front triangle and custom geometry for taller riders. The one‑off frame sells for €4,500, weighs just under 11 kg, and retains the Horn’s...
Government to Set Taxi Fares for Bolt, Uber in Kenya
Kenya’s government plans to introduce a national taxi pricing model that will mandate standardized fares for ride‑hailing platforms such as Uber and Bolt. The policy seeks to curb aggressive price wars and provide drivers with more predictable earnings while potentially...
Venture Global: A Promising Way to Play the Energy Crisis
The Middle East conflict has reignited a global gas supply shock, pushing European natural‑gas prices up 70% in a week and reviving demand for U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG). Venture Global (NYSE:VG), a fast‑growing U.S. LNG producer, leverages modular plant...
MG Mulls Positioning Shift as European Production to Lift Prices
MG, owned by China’s SAIC, is moving toward building its first European factory, likely in Spain or Hungary, to produce electric vehicles for its strongest market. The shift will erase the 45% tariff that currently penalises Chinese‑built EVs, but it...
CPO Crunch: Stoking Procurement’s Creative Fire
The upcoming Procurement Leaders CPO‑only retreat, Ovation, will spotlight "Creative fuel, visionary futures," giving chief procurement officers dedicated time to explore right‑brain thinking alongside geopolitics, AI and resilience. Speakers include the LSE president and a creative‑agency CEO, underscoring a push...
Europe's Grid Capex Surge Lifts RAB, but Credit Impact Varies Sharply Across Utilities
European integrated utilities are confronting a structural surge in grid‑focused capital expenditure as electrification and renewable integration accelerate. The heightened spending supports long‑term earnings visibility but creates near‑term pressure on leverage and external funding. Credit resilience diverges: Iberdrola, E.ON and...
IAA Gives Support for SEC Proposed Definition of Small Advisory Firms
The SEC has proposed redefining a "small" investment adviser by raising the assets‑under‑management threshold to $1 billion, up from the current $5 million benchmark that includes a balance‑sheet test. The Investment Adviser Association (IAA) strongly supports the change, citing inflation, higher regulatory...
Strong 2025 Results Support Portuguese Banks as They Face a More Uncertain 2026
Portuguese banks posted resilient F2025 results, with profitability bolstered by sizable provision releases, strong fee generation and higher other income that offset declining net interest margins. Asset quality improved, reflected in lower non‑performing loan ratios and higher coverage, while capital...
Sephora to Open First Stores in Scotland
Sephora UK announced it will open its first Scottish locations this summer, with stores in Edinburgh’s St James Quarter and Glasgow’s Silverburn Shopping Centre. The Edinburgh store occupies 4,961 sq ft and the Glasgow venue 5,048 sq ft, together offering a broad mix of Sephora‑UK exclusives...
Chart of the Week: The IT Factor
In 2025 IT‑related mergers and acquisitions captured a larger slice of the overall deal market than in any prior year, according to Pitchbook data. The chart shows the IT share of total M&A value climbing to a new high, driven...
Podcast Movement Evolutions Announces Return to SXSW for 2027
Podcast Movement announced that its Evolutions conference will return to South by Southwest in 2027, following a successful debut within the SXSW ecosystem in 2026. The three‑day event featured high‑profile talent such as Maya Hawke, Andy Grammer, and MrBallen, alongside...
Greensea IQ Releases Virtual Training Simulator for Bayonet AUGVs
Greensea IQ has launched a virtual training simulator for its Bayonet Autonomous Underwater Ground Vehicles (AUGVs). The game‑based platform uses a high‑fidelity physics engine and integrates with Greensea’s Workspace software, allowing operators to practice missions, respond to environmental events, and...
Du and Huawei Partner to Deliver 10 Gbps 5G-A Network Experience
UAE telecom du has signed an MoU with Huawei to roll out a 10 Gbps‑class 5G‑Advanced (5G‑A) network across the United Arab Emirates. The partnership will deploy Huawei’s U6G radio and 3‑component carrier aggregation to deliver ultra‑large bandwidth in both outdoor...
‘Great Steal’: TUC Rallies Workers to Defend Employment Rights Act
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has launched a petition to defend the UK’s Employment Rights Act after Reform UK pledged a “Great Repeal Bill” that would scrap the act along with other legislation. The campaign has gathered more than 23,400 signatures,...
Employers Are Buying Health Insurance Blind: It’s Time to Demand Data Transparency
Employers spend billions on health insurance yet lack visibility into plan performance, such as denial rates and appeal outcomes. Premiums continue outpacing wage growth while coverage rules increasingly dictate whether care is delivered. Insurers have resisted sharing operational data, leaving...