Author: Arabian Media staff

India’s largest streaming platform JioHotstar has amassed more than 280mn subscribers in recent months driven by the popularity of the world’s richest cricket league, according to the company, almost as many as the world’s largest streamer Netflix has globally.JioStar, the six-month-old product of a merger of a unit from Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance media empire with Disney in India that is also backed by James Murdoch, now owns the digital and television rights for the tournament, previously split between the two rivals. Fans used to be able to watch matches on Reliance’s Jio for free, but since the merger, cricket fans…

Stay informed with free updatesSimply sign up to the European companies myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox.A Swedish start-up plans to tap into Europe’s soaring demand for explosives by setting up a new production facility for TNT, which it said will strengthen Nato countries’ security of supply.  Sweden Ballistics (Swebal) aims to produce more than 4,000 metric tons of TNT, used in many artillery shells, grenades and bombs, annually from the end of 2027. It said this would significantly boost European production, which is currently dominated by a single Polish company, leaving many of the region’s arms makers…

China has increased its ability to launch a sudden attack on Taiwan with faster-paced air and operations, new artillery systems and more alert amphibious and air assault units, according to Taiwanese and US officials and experts.One senior Taiwanese military official said Chinese air force and missile units that would play a role in a Taiwan invasion had improved to a point where they can “switch from peacetime to war operations anytime”.   Other Taiwanese defence officials said People’s Liberation Army operations now included continuous training of amphibious forces near departure ports for a Taiwan invasion, constant readiness of army aviation units…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.French President Emmanuel Macron has begun a six-day visit to Vietnam, Indonesia and Singapore in which he will tout France and Europe as trade and security partners of choice for a region buffeted by tensions between China and the US.The push for closer trade and security co-operation from Macron, who arrived in Vietnam late on Sunday, is intended to contrast with an increasingly militarily assertive China and the imposition of tariffs by US President Donald Trump on export-reliant countries in the region.“France,…

This article is an on-site version of our FirstFT newsletter. Subscribers can sign up to our Asia, Europe/Africa or Americas edition to get the newsletter delivered every weekday morning. Explore all of our newsletters hereGood morning and welcome back to FirstFT Asia. In today’s newsletter:Masayoshi Son floats idea of a US-Japan sovereign wealth fundChina’s cost-conscious tourists flock to Hong KongThe pride and pain of JapanophiliaSoftBank founder Masayoshi Son has floated the idea of creating a joint US-Japan sovereign wealth fund to make large-scale investments in tech and infrastructure across the US. What we know: The idea has been raised at…

Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for freeYour guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the worldThe EU is ready to advance trade talks with the US “swiftly and decisively” but needs Donald Trump to return to his original 90-day negotiation period, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday after a call with the US president.The discussion, in the first publicly disclosed call between the two leaders since Trump’s inauguration, came two days after the US president said he would impose 50 per cent tariffs on EU imports from June 1 in response…

Image: Dubai Media Office Dubai Land Department (DLD) has launched the Middle East and North Africa region’s first tokenised real estate investment project through the ‘Prypco Mint’ platform. The initiative, part of Dubai’s Real Estate Sandbox programme, is being carried out in collaboration with Prypco, and supported by the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), the Central Bank of the UAE, and the Dubai Future Foundation. Zand Digital Bank has been appointed as the banking partner for the pilot phase. The project enables users to invest in tokenised shares of ready-to-own properties in Dubai, with a minimum entry point of Dhs2,000.…

  The MICHELIN Guide Dubai 2025 recently unveiled its latest selection at a glitzy event. The fourth edition, announced at the Address Sky View hotel, features 119 establishments across more than 35 cuisine types, reflecting Dubai‘s diverse and booming culinary landscape. Three MICHELIN Stars awarded to these restaurants For the first time since the guide’s inception in 2022, two restaurants have been awarded the prestigious Three MICHELIN Stars, signifying exceptional cuisine worth a special journey. FZN by Björn Frantzén, a new addition to the guide, has earned Three MICHELIN Stars. This destination restaurant marks acclaimed Swedish chef Björn Frantzén’s debut…

Foreign leaders, celebrities, and everyday Americans have used gifts to the U.S. president to build relationships, show respect, and sometimes make unforgettable impressions on the world’s most powerful office, whether it’s a “flying palace” Boeing 747, presidential portraits painted on individual grains of rice, or a crocodile insurance policy. While federal law requires presidents to report gifts from foreign governments worth more than $480, all such presents belong to the American people—that hasn’t stopped gift-givers from getting creative. Below, we review some of the most memorable ones. Key Takeaways Presidents receive gifts as a show of respect, alliances, to build…

Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for freeYour guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the worldFederal Reserve chair Jay Powell called on students to protect democracy while praising American universities as “a crucial national asset”, days after the Trump administration escalated its attacks on higher education. “We lead the world in so many ways, including in scientific innovation and economic dynamism,” the US’s central banker told students in a commencement address at Princeton on Sunday. “Our great universities are the envy of the world and a crucial national asset.”This week the Trump administration barred Harvard University…