Several Asian airlines said on Wednesday they were re-routing or cancelling flights to and from Europe because of tensions between India and Pakistan.

India attacked Pakistan and Pakistan said it had shot down five Indian fighter jets.

Taiwan’s EVA Air 2618 said that it will adjust its flights to and from Europe to avoid airspace affected by the clashes between India and Pakistan for safety reasons.

Read-Pakistan airspace ban: Indian airlines to suffer higher costs

One flight from Vienna will be diverted back to that city, while a flight from Taipei to Milan will be diverted to Vienna for refuelling before continuing on to its destination, the airline said in a statement to Reuters.

Korean Air said it had begun rerouting its Seoul Incheon–Dubai flights on Wednesday, opting for a southern route that passes over Myanmar, Bangladesh, and India, instead of the previous path through Pakistani airspace.

Thai Airways said that flights to destinations in Europe and South Asia would be rerouted starting early on Wednesday morning, warning this could cause delays to some flights.

Vietnam Airlines said that the tensions between India and Pakistan had affected its flight plans and would provide details regarding re-routing schedules later.

Taiwan’s China Airlines said it had activated its contingency plan and “taken a series of measures to ensure the safety of its passengers and crew”. It did not elaborate.

The website of Taiwan’s main international airport at Taoyuan, outside Taipei, showed that Wednesday’s China Airlines non-stop flight to London had been cancelled.

Set in the heart of Bahrain Bay, where turquoise, tranquil waters meet a stunning skyline, the Four Seasons Private Residences Bahrain Bay recently marked a major milestone – the completion and handover of its first batch of bespoke homes.

Since pioneering the concept of branded residences in 1985, Four Seasons has redefined luxury living by blurring the lines between home and hotel, offering residents a unique blend of privacy, exclusivity and world-class hospitality.

More than just a new address in the well-planned waterfront district, these 112 elegantly crafted and curated homes are an invitation to experience island living at its most refined.

Seamlessly connected to the iconic Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay by a private pedestrian and golf cart bridge, the residences deliver a lifestyle infused with the hotel’s legendary service, featuring exceptional amenities that blend luxury, comfort, and personalised service.

A warm welcome

The unveiling of the first batch of the residences was celebrated in style earlier this month, with media, VIPs and important guests in attendance.

Guests were treated to a curated afternoon hosted by the residences’ hospitality team, led by the poised and gracious Valencia Albuquerque, Director of Residences.

Speaking at the launch, Yusuf Haji, Sales Director at Bayside Developments, the visionary Bahrain-based company powering the project, said: “We are proud to become the brand’s 57th residences. It is the culmination of our ambition to introduce the world-renowned Four Seasons brand to Bahrain’s residential market, and to meet its exceptional standards without compromise.”

Haji added: “The project team has taken into account the impeccable standards required by this global hospitality marque, combined with the extraordinary vision of interior masters Rive Gauche London, which everyone can see brought to life here.”

Indeed, the project is more than just bricks and mortar – it’s a celebration of design and detail.

Crafted by global architecture firm Gensler, each home opens to sweeping views of Bahrain Bay, the iconic Bahrain World Trade Center, or the shimmering sea.

Residents are welcomed through an elegant porte cochere into a sunlit lobby featuring five-metre-high glass walls overlooking the bay, creating an inviting atmosphere for both casual and formal gatherings.

For leisure and entertainment, the development boasts a private open-air swimming pool with a landscaped deck inspired by the renowned designer Roberto Burle Marx, providing a chic space to relax and enjoy the year-round sunshine.

A state-of-the-art fitness centre offers natural lighting and views of the pool terrace, catering to individual workouts and personal training sessions.

The resident’s lounge, adorned with sculpted crystal chandeliers and artful furnishings, serves as a serene retreat for socialising or unwinding with a morning coffee.

Entertainment options include a private cinema equipped with red velvet chairs, leather walls, and advanced audiovisual technology, accommodating up to 15 guests for an immersive viewing experience.

Families will appreciate the dedicated children’s area, designed to stimulate creativity and learning, complete with a PlayStation-equipped room for older children.

Additionally, a multi-purpose room is available for hosting celebrations or business events, enhanced by world-class cuisine from the neighboring Four Seasons Hotel.

But perhaps what makes the residences truly extraordinary is the everyday luxury residents can expect.

With a dedicated in-house concierge team, homeowners can enjoy everything from private chefs and spa treatments to housekeeping and personalised wellness services – all arranged effortlessly and tailored to their preferences.

“Living at the Four Seasons Private Residences will be unlike any other home ownership experience in the kingdom,” assured Haji.

A stunning location

Bahrain Bay itself is the jewel that frames this residential masterpiece. A neighbourhood of landscaped gardens, sunlit promenades, and calming water features, it offers serenity just minutes from the action.

Residents are within walking distance from The Avenues Bahrain and MODA Mall, and just a short ride from the hotel’s pristine beach and fine dining options.

With Bahrain’s Golden Visa providing long-term residency to foreign investors and families, the Residences offer not just a home, but a lasting connection to Bahrain – one that blends tradition and innovation, urban energy and island calm.

Click here to take a virtual tour.

In this interview, Yasunori Ogawa, president and CEO of Seiko Epson Corporation, and Neil Colquhoun, president of Epson META-CWA, discuss the strategic importance of the company’s Innovation Centre, regional market priorities, and the role of Japanese values in driving innovation and consistency across Epson’s global operations.

The Innovation Centre, which opened in Dubai in February, marks a significant step in the company’s regional growth strategy.

Spanning 1,100 square metres, the centre serves as a regional hub for collaboration, training, and customer engagement. It builds on over $13m in investments made by Epson across the Middle East, Türkiye, Africa, and Central & West Asia (META-CWA) between 2022 and 2024.

Epson launched the Innovation Centre in Dubai in February. Tell us more about this initiative and how it fits into your broader regional strategy.

Colquhoun: The Innovation Centre is part of a broader strategic roadmap that began a few years ago when Ogawa-san and I started working on how to expand our presence in what we see as a high-potential region — the Middle East and Africa. The first major step was establishing our regional head office in Dubai, which we officially launched in October 2024.

When I first arrived in the region in 2014, we had about seven or eight employees based in Jebel Ali. Today, that number has grown to 136, which reflects the tremendous growth we’ve experienced. We’ve seen consistent double-digit growth year-on-year for the last five to seven years, barring the Covid period.

The Innovation Centre is the next phase of this journey. It’s designed to bring us closer to our customers and, in turn, bring those customers closer to our R&D teams in Japan. We invest around $300m annually in research and development — a significant sum for a company of our size.

What role does this Innovation Centre play in enhancing customer experience and strengthening Epson’s innovation reputation?

Ogawa: The centre is all about proximity — to customers and to innovation. By expanding our team here, including product management and business functions, we’ve created a full-fledged independent operation. When we receive customer insights, we can now relay them directly to Japan without delay.

It also supports the creation of products tailored to local market needs. Generic products might work in some regions, but others — like here — require different specifications. Additionally, the centre helps reinforce our competitive edge. Many of the products showcased face competition from China and Korea, but through our principles of sho-sho-sei — which translates as efficient, compact and precision — and monozukuri — the art and science of manufacturing — we demonstrate our distinct value. The association with Japanese quality is strong in this region, and we want to reinforce that further.

So, this is a strategic step in a larger regional growth plan?

Colquhoun: This is a tactical component of a long-term strategic vision. The Middle East and Africa are key growth markets for us, and as local economies and businesses continue to develop, we see even more potential.

Which sectors have seen performers recently, and which are you targeting for future growth?

Colquhoun: Education remains a cornerstone of our regional strategy. We’ve established substantial partnerships with governments in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, supplying projection equipment to schools. Our high-brightness projectors, such as the Epson EB-L30000UNL, deliver up to 30,000 lumens, ensuring vivid and clear visuals even in well-lit classrooms

In addition to projection, our heat-free printing technology has been instrumental in educational settings. This technology reduces power consumption and minimises maintenance by eliminating the need for heat during the printing process, aligning with sustainability goals like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The healthcare sector has also benefited from our innovations. Facilities such as MediClinic have adopted our printers for their energy efficiency and rapid first-page-out times, which are crucial in medical environments where time and reliability are paramount.​

In the logistics industry, our high-volume printers and advanced scanning solutions support the sector’s digitisation efforts. Our scanners offer high-quality A3 and A4 scanning capabilities, integrating seamlessly with document management systems to streamline operations.​

Manufacturing is another area where we’ve seen growth, particularly with our SCARA robots. Models like the Epson SCARA G6 650mm Series are designed for precision and efficiency in compact spaces, offering cycle times as low as 0.35 seconds. These robots are increasingly utilised in regions embracing on-shoring, such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia and South Africa.

Our textile printing solutions, including dye-sublimation technology, enable high-quality printing on various materials, from garments to promotional items. This technology supports businesses in producing vibrant, durable prints, catering to the growing demand for customised textile products.​

Lastly, our commitment to digital innovation is exemplified by our high-brightness projection technology. For instance, the teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi utilises over 700 Epson projectors to create immersive digital art experiences, showcasing the capabilities of our projection solutions in large-scale installations.​

Our ongoing investment in research and development ensures that we continue to deliver cutting-edge, sustainable solutions across these sectors, meeting the evolving needs of our clients and contributing to regional growth.​

You previously mentioned robotics. Is this another growth area for Epson in the region?

Colquhoun; Robotics — particularly in manufacturing — is another focus. Our SCARA robots are increasingly being adopted in assembly lines and automation applications. We expect strong growth in this sector as more industries modernise their operations.

Which business segments have performed particularly well for Epson in the META or GCC region?

Ogawa: We’ve seen standout performance in several key segments across the region, with the most significant growth coming from our consumer print business, particularly EcoTank. EcoTank has been a global success story — we recently crossed the 100 million milestone in global sales — and this region has played a crucial role in that growth. Our market share continues to climb, with provisional data for the last quarter showing yet another increase.

This success is down to a combination of strategic in-store execution with our retail partners and robust brand-building efforts.

Beyond consumer printing, we’ve also seen strong momentum in the education sector, securing major tenders in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait. Another bright spot is our high-brightness projector segment.

Finally, office printing has been a strong area as well, especially as more government and corporate clients choose Epson solutions to meet their sustainability goals — a clear competitive advantage for us.

Sustainability has become a key part of every business conversation. How is Epson responding to it?

Ogawa: Sustainability isn’t a trend for us — it’s embedded in our DNA and is a clear differentiator in this region. Our print technologies are designed to be energy-efficient, reliable, and clean, with fewer moving parts, which not only reduces energy use but also enhances longevity and reliability.

We’re also investing in future-focused innovations like dry fiber technology, which allows for paper recycling without water — a significant environmental leap. This technology isn’t limited to paper; we’re developing it for plastics and even fabric recycling, which opens up entirely new sustainability pathways.

Another exciting area is CO₂ separation technology, part of our broader goal to become underground resource-free by 2050. While still in early stages, we’ve begun building capacity, and over time we expect this to scale and support our global decarbonisation objectives.

From a commercial standpoint, this sustainability commitment is already yielding results. We’ve won major office printing deals across the Middle East — including in Saudi Arabia and Qatar — specifically because our products help organisations meet their environmental targets. And yes, in some cases, our products can even be powered by solar energy, making us a compelling partner for government and enterprise clients alike.

Epson’s values are key to its business success. How do you ensure those values are upheld consistently across all your regions?

Colquhoun: That’s a great question — and one that every global organisation wrestles with. You can have a powerful vision at headquarters, but without consistent execution across all regions, it remains just that: a vision.

At Epson, we’re deeply rooted in Japanese culture and values. These aren’t just ideas confined to our offices in Japan. We work very intentionally to bring them to life across every market we operate in.

One of the ways we ensure this consistency is through frequent global alignment. We hold regular president’s meetings — monthly or quarterly — where heads from around the world come together to align on strategy and execution.

Importantly, our business is locally incorporated, which means our teams have a direct line to our colleagues in Japan. Our product marketing teams talk to the head office every day. We have a dedicated global division that agrees on shared tactics, product positioning, and messaging, particularly around key pillars like sustainability.

But the relationship isn’t one-directional. It’s bi-directional. We feed back real-time insights from the markets: what’s resonating, what customers are responding to, and where adjustments are needed. That feedback loop allows us to localise messaging without losing the essence of our global identity.

Ultimately, it all comes down to the excellence of execution — and that’s my job. If our teams aren’t delivering consistently and up to standard, the head office will be quick to point it out. It’s a healthy accountability that keeps us sharp and ensures that our values are meaningfully and consistently expressed across every region where Epson operates.

International Holding Company (IHC) has posted a 41.1 per cent year-on-year jump in revenue to Dhs27.2bn in Q1 2025, driven by strong performance across its core verticals.

The group’s profit after tax reached Dhs4.1 bn, with a net profit margin of 15.2 per cent.

“Our Q1 2025 performance reinforces the strength of IHC’s diversified model and the growing impact of our strategic investments across global markets,” said Syed Basar Shueb, CEO of IHC. “As we expanded our portfolio, we continued to drive improved operational performance and enhance recurring revenue streams, ensuring resilience and stability across our business segments.”

Total assets rose to Dhs416.6bn as of March 31, up from Dhs 401.8 bn at the end of 2024, reflecting IHC’s disciplined capital allocation and strategic expansion.

Return on equity stood at 9.9 per cent, underscoring the company’s sustained value creation.

Real estate and hospitality sectors lead revenue growth for IHC

Revenue growth was led by the real estate segment, which surged 53.3 per cent year-on-year and contributed 42.5 per cent of total revenue.

The growth was driven by robust demand for existing inventory and the successful launch of new projects. The marine and dredging segment delivered an 18.0 per cent rise in revenue, backed by increased project activity and international diversification.

Hospitality and leisure also recorded exceptional performance with a 96.6 per cent rise in revenue, reflecting higher occupancy rates and strong demand across key assets.

Real estate and construction assets grew 4.9 per cent to Dhs170.7bn year-on-year, supporting IHC’s continued expansion strategy in this high-growth sector.

“Beyond delivering strong financial results, we are shaping the industries of tomorrow through dynamic value networks,” Shueb added. “By connecting innovative businesses, strategic partnerships, and operational excellence, we are building a platform designed for sustained global relevance. IHC remains committed to being a catalyst for economic growth and innovation, while delivering long-term value to our shareholders and stakeholders worldwide.”

IHC said it remains well-positioned to seize emerging market opportunities, supported by its dynamic investment strategy, operational resilience, and commitment to sustainable global growth.

Strategic highlights: At a glance

1. Multiply Group acquired a 67.91 per cent stake in Spanish fashion retailer Tendam, strengthening IHC’s global apparel footprint.
2. Gridora Infrastructure Platform, joint venture with ADQ and Modon Holding, launched to drive large-scale infrastructure projects in the UAE and abroad.
3. Alpha Dhabi increased ownership in National Corporation for Tourism & Hotels (NCTH) to 73.7 per cent, consolidating premium hotel assets.
4. IHC, ADQ, and First Abu Dhabi Bank partnered to launch a UAE Dirham-backed stablecoin to promote blockchain innovation and digital payments.
5. Modon Holding entered the UK market through a 50 per cent joint venture in the 2 Finsbury Avenue development.
6. Al Ain Farms sgned a Dhs85m agreement to acquire Al Jazira Poultry Farm, enhancing its market share in the UAE.
7. PureHealth acquired a 60 per cent stake in Hellenic Healthcare Group, Greece’s largest private healthcare provider, for $2.3bn.
8. MoU signed with Lunate to explore enrolling employees in the Ghaf Benefits plan, reflecting IHC’s focus on human capital.
9. IHC led a delegation of subsidiaries at the World Economic Forum to foster strategic international partnerships.

Dubai’s RTA has informed drivers of expected delays on Emirates Road towards Sharjah due to maintenance and rehabilitation works. The affected area is between Dubai-Al Ain Road and the Al Amardhi-Al Awir Road intersection, with disruptions occurring on weekends from 5:00pm to 8:00pm.

Read-Dubai traffic: RTA mulls flexible working hours, remote work policies

The delays are expected to continue until August 30, 2025. The RTA advises drivers to plan their journeys in advance to ensure timely arrival.

As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance traffic flow across Dubai, the RTA has upgraded the traffic light system at the intersection of Al Doha and Halab Streets. The improvements include the addition of a new lane on Al Doha Street—boosting road capacity and enabling smoother movement through the signal.

The authority has also developed 200 parking spaces to serve the Community Development Authority in Hatta and constructed a temporary gravel road from the Makan district towards the Hatta-Dubai Road. Traffic flow has also been improved at the intersections of King Salman Street with Braih and Al Gharbi Streets in the Jumeirah Beach Residence area, allowing the tram to operate at traffic signals while maintaining smooth vehicle movement.

Additional parking spaces have been provided at Emirates National School, Al Khawaneej. Motorists can also find a new lane on Dubai-Al Ain Road towards Dubai, beneath the Hind City Bridge.