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Experience Family Time Exceptionally Well Spent at Jumeirah Maldives Olhahali Island

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Jumeirah Maldives

From beach and water sports to coral planting and cinema under the stars, Jumeirah Maldives Olhahali Island offers an array of activities to keep little guests and families entertained

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, October 11, 2022/APO Group/ — 

Tucked away in the crystalline turquoise waters of the North Malé Atoll, easily reachable by speedboat and seaplane, Jumeirah (Jumeirah.com) Maldives Olhahali Island is the perfect family getaway. From exceptional dining experiences, tranquil spa facilities and awe-inspiring underwater adventures to a splash waterpark, indoor play area and family-friendly cinema, the luxurious all-villa resort offers something for everyone.

With 67 beach and over-water villas in one-, two- and three-bedroom configurations, Jumeirah Maldives Olhahali Island provides luxurious accommodation to suit families of all sizes. Boasting the largest villas in the North Male Atoll, featuring spacious living area and expansive outdoor spaces with private pool and rooftop terrace, the contemporary resort is the perfect property to enjoy time exceptionally well spent with your loved ones this summer.

With 67 beach and over-water villas in one-, two- and three-bedroom configurations, Jumeirah Maldives Olhahali Island provides luxurious accommodation to suit families of all sizes

Families can choose from a wide array of activities on offer to ensure guests of all ages will be well entertained. Complimentary family activities on offer include:

  • Kayak Race at Dive Centre: Participate in this challenge and see if you have what it takes to be the Olhahali Kayaking Champion. Suitable for children 4 and above if accompanied by an adult. Children 10 and above can ride the kayak on their own.
  • Cocktail Party with Maldivian Cultural Show at Coconut Beach: Join us as we introduce ourselves and indulge in an evening of fine cocktails and local ‘Bodu Beru’ music on the coconut beach. Suitable for children of all ages, they will be exposed to the culture of Maldives through performance arts. The cocktail reception has a variety of non-alcoholic mocktails for the children to enjoy as well.
  • Nature Walk at Fini Maizan: Take a stroll around the island with our gardening chief, as he takes you on an informative journey through the flora and fauna. Suitable for children of all ages.
  • Arts & Crafts at Island Studio: Get creative in this session filled with colour and imagination, brush up on your artistic skills and create a masterpiece to take home. Family activity, suitable for children 4 and above.
  • Learn Dhivehi at Café Lounge: Only spoken in the small nation of Maldives, Dhivehi is a rare language and learning the basics is quite easy. Family activity, suitable for children 6 and above.
  • Beach Volleyball at Water Sports Beach: Let’s get active in a fun-filled session of Beach Volleyball with the beautiful backdrop of the island lagoon. Suitable for older children and teens 12 and above, and adults.
  • Marine Talk at Dive Centre: Take part in a lecture with our in-house Marine Biologist, who will take you on a journey through the secrets of the underwater world. Suitable for older children and teens 12 and above, and adults.
  • Football for Teens and Adults at Team’s Football Ground: Join in for a game of the internationally loved sport where you will play with & against others in a friendly match. Suitable for teens 14 and above, and adults.
  • Children’s Swimming Lessons at Shimmers Pool: Swimming is an important skill for any child visiting or living near the shores. They will learn basic swimming strokes in this session. Suitable for children 6 and above, and adults.
  • Coral Planting at Dive Centre: Take part in our sustainability initiative and participate in the coral planting activity where you will make an active impact on the reefs. Suitable for children of all ages and parents. A good activity to introduce them to marine conservation and coral restoration.
  • Little Guest’s Cinema Under the Stars: Watch a movie under the glimmering stars of the Maldivian night sky. Suitable for children of all ages.
  • Stand-up Paddle Board Race at Water Sports Beach: Take part in this challenge and see if you can beat all the paddle-boarders of the island and become the island champion. Suitable for children 4 and above if accompanied by an adult. Children 10 and above can ride the paddle board on their own.
  • Towel Art Class at Kayto: Have you ever wondered how the beautiful & creative towel set-ups are done in hotels around the world? Take this chance to find out. Family activity, suitable for children 5 and above.
  • Treasure Hunt at Fini Maizan: Legends say that the pirates visited Olhahali Island eons ago and buried treasure in the island. Let’s go on an adventure to find it all. Kids Club activity, suitable for children 3 and above.
  • Children’s Marine Talk at PLAY Kids Club: Take part in a lecture with our in-house Marine Biologist, who will take you on a journey through the secrets of the underwater world. Kids Club activity, suitable for children 3 and above.
  • ‘Bodu Beru’ Session at Island Studio: Find your Maldivian rhythm with our champion Bodu Beru drummers and brush up on your musical abilities. Suitable for older children and teens 12 and above, and adults.

Additionally, families can also enhance their stay with a wide range of add-on watersports and culinary activities to keep little ones entertained*:

  • Semi Submarine at Dive Center: An experience that takes you underneath the waves to view the aqua-scapes and the colourful life through large viewing windows. Suitable for children of all ages, should be accompanied by an adult. This experience is a great way for them to marvel at the underwater world without having to snorkel/get wet.
  • Kids’ Banana Boat Ride or Fun Toy Ride at Dive Centre: Take part in this thrill-filled water sports activity as you get dragged around in a fun inflatable toy on the waves around the island. Suitable for children 6 and above, must know how to swim and should be accompanied by an adult.
  • Traditional Sunset Fishing at Dive Centre: Throw in your fishing line and watch the sunset as you wait for fish to nibble on your bait. Suitable for children 6 and above, must be accompanied by an adult.
  • Pizza Making Class at Shimmers on the Beach: Our masterful chefs will teach you on the best practices & secrets to the perfect pizza in this culinary learning session. Suitable for older children and teens 12 and above, and adults.
  • Latte Art Class at Café Lounge: Find out how the baristas make your cup of coffee look deliciously enticing in this latte class and learn the secrets to the perfect cup. Suitable for older children and teens 12 and above, and adults.

Families looking for the ultimate getaway can take advantage of Jumeirah’s Exceptional Summer Escapes offer for bookings made before 31st August 2022 for stays up until 30th September 2023. The offer includes 20% off the Jumeirah Flexible Rate when staying from three nights or more, plus USD 300 resort credit and complimentary 30-minute spa treatment when booking a 60-minute treatment session. In addition, Jumeirah One members can avail an additional exclusive 5% saving.

Please visit Jumeirah.com/Maldives for more information or contact us on reservations.jmh@jumeirah.com for bookings. In the meantime, stay connected via our social media channels and don’t forget to tag us in your posts with #TimeExceptionallyWellSpent.

*Additional charges apply

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Jumeirah Group

Business

Morocco: African Development Bank Mobilises €205 Million to Extend High-Speed Rail Line and Strengthen the Kingdom’s Mobility and Logistics Competitiveness

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African Development Bank

By improving travel flow between the Kingdom’s major economic and urban hubs, the project will promote more sustainable mobility and enhance territorial connectivity

RABAT, Morocco, July 9, 2026/APO Group/ –The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) approved €205 million in financing for Morocco to support the implementation of the Rail Infrastructure Development Support Project (PADIF) on 8 July.

 

The operation aims to strengthen the capacity and operational performance of the Kenitra–Marrakech railway corridor, which carries a significant share of the country’s passenger and freight traffic. It will do so by extending the high-speed rail line (HSR) and upgrading the existing railway infrastructure along this strategic corridor.

 

By improving travel flow between the Kingdom’s major economic and urban hubs, the project will promote more sustainable mobility and enhance territorial connectivity.

 

Beyond its positive impact on mobility, the project will support the transition to more sustainable and environmentally friendly transport modes and deliver significant economic benefits by reducing travel times and logistics costs.

 

In the long term, it will strengthen Morocco’s logistics competitiveness and reinforce its role as a strategic hub linking Europe and Africa

“By combining the extension of the high-speed rail line with the modernisation of existing infrastructure, this operation will help accommodate growing passenger and freight traffic, facilitate trade flows, and reduce travel times,” said Achraf Tarsim, Head of the African Development Bank Group’s Country Office in Morocco. “In the long term, it will strengthen Morocco’s logistics competitiveness and reinforce its role as a strategic hub linking Europe and Africa.”

 

The project includes the acquisition of equipment to modernise railway infrastructure along the Kenitra–Marrakech corridor and around the Casablanca rail hub. This includes the supply of new rails and track components for conventional rail lines and the high-speed network, to increase corridor capacity and sustainably improve operational performance.

 

PADIF also incorporates a project management support component covering project ownership, engineering supervision, and the monitoring and evaluation of results and impacts, ensuring effective implementation.

 

By contributing to the development of resilient, sustainable, and high-value-added infrastructure, the operation is fully aligned with the African Development Bank Group’s Four Cardinal Points (https://apo-opa.co/4vWv2Mb) and the institution’s 2024–2029 Country Strategy Paper for Morocco. It also supports Morocco’s New Development Model and the Rail 2040 Plan, which aims to modernise the national railway network.

 

Since 1978, the African Development Bank Group has mobilised nearly €15 billion to finance more than 150 projects and programmes in Morocco. Its interventions (https://apo-opa.co/4wd803P) span strategic sectors, including transport, social protection, water and sanitation, energy, agriculture, governance, and the financial sector.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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Institute for the Management of State Assets and Holdings (IGAPE) Launches Initial Public Offering (IPO) of Angola’s Largest Telecommunications Company

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IGAPE

The transaction comprises the sale of 7,500,000 ordinary registered book-entry shares, representing 15% of UNITEL’s share capital, each with a nominal value of AOA 5,000.00

LUANDA, Angola, July 9, 2026/APO Group/ –The Institute for the Management of State Assets and Holdings (IGAPE) (https://IGAPE.MinFin.Gov.ao), acting as the selling shareholder, launched the Initial Public Offering (IPO) of a 15% stake in UNITEL, marking one of the largest capital market transactions ever undertaken in Angola.

 

The transaction comprises the sale of 7,500,000 ordinary registered book-entry shares, representing 15% of UNITEL’s share capital, each with a nominal value of AOA 5,000.00. Upon completion of the offering, all 50,000,000 shares, representing the company’s entire issued share capital, are expected to be admitted to trading on the Angola Debt and Securities Exchange (BODIVA).

The final offer price will be determined within a price range of AOA 36,036.00 to AOA 40,040.00 per share. The price will be set following the bookbuilding process, based on investor demand during the subscription period.

The IPO comprises two tranches. The Employee Offering reserves 1,000,000 shares, representing 2% of UNITEL’s share capital, for preferential subscription by eligible employees. The General Public Offering comprises 6,500,000 shares, representing 13% of the company’s share capital, together with any shares remaining unsubscribed under the Employee Offering.

The subscription period opens at 2:00 p.m. on 6 July and closes at 3:00 p.m. on 24 July 2026, allowing retail, corporate and institutional investors to participate in what is expected to be a landmark transaction for Angola’s capital market.

Investors may submit subscription orders through the participating financial intermediaries: BFA Capital Markets, Áurea SDVM, Distribuidora Valor SDVM, Eaglestone SDVM, Standard Invest SDVM and Hemera Capital Partners Securities. Orders may also be placed through Banco Caixa Geral Angola and Banco de Fomento Angola via their branch networks, digital platforms, websites, telephone banking services and email.

With more than 21 million customers and operations across all 18 provinces of Angola, UNITEL has been the country’s leading telecommunications operator for the past 25 years. The IPO provides Angolan citizens and investors with the opportunity to become shareholders in one of the country’s most established companies and to participate in its future growth while supporting the continued development of Angola’s capital market.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Institute for the Management of State Assets and Holdings (IGAPE).

 

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Ancient Port, New Voyages: Ningbo’s Smart Manufacturing Expands Global Trade Footprint via Maritime Silk Road

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China

COLOMBO, SRI LANKA- Media OutReach Newswire – 9 July 2026 – On July 4, 2026, the cultural exchange event Encounter & Insight: Dialogue Between Ningbo, China and Colombo, Sri Lanka took place in Colombo.

Separated by thousands of miles, the two millennia-old port cities reconnected, leveraging their ports as a bond and cultural exchanges as a cohesive force to hold in-depth talks on integrated port-city development and bilateral economic and trade connectivity.

This cross-Indian Ocean dialogue echoes the ancient Maritime Silk Road while charting a brand-new outbound development path. As a pivotal starting port of the ancient Maritime Silk Road, Ningbo is building a new global trade landscape powered by smart manufacturing.

A thousand years ago, merchant vessels from Mingzhou Port set sail southward loaded with Yue Kiln celadon porcelain, passing through Ceylon to deliver Oriental crafts across the Indian Ocean coasts. Precious gemstones and spices traveled the same sea route back to regions south of the Yangtze River, laying the groundwork for the earliest cultural exchange between the two ports through trade. Today, the cargo carried by giant cargo ships has undergone a dramatic transformation. Beyond traditional daily necessities, intelligent equipment, digital home appliances and industrial robots now dominate shipments.

Official statistics show that Ningbo’s exports of intelligent equipment, including mechanical arms and industrial robots, hit 440 million yuan in 2025, surging more than 40% year-on-year. From January to May this year, Ningbo’s exports of mechanical and electrical products maintained steady growth, reaching 247 billion yuan, a 4.1% year-on-year increase and accounting for 58.0% of the city’s total export volume. The new energy foreign trade sector saw explosive growth, with exports of new energy vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic products jumping 138.4% year-on-year, with electric vehicle exports skyrocketing 215.9%. Smart manufactured goods are continuously expanding the scope of Ningbo’s foreign trade.

Complementing the Colombo forum, an exhibition highlights Ningbo’s outstanding going-global enterprises and their products, vividly illustrating the profound shift in Ningbo’s trade structure.

Alongside time-honored Maritime Silk Road staples such as celadon porcelain and silk, Ningbo’s smart manufactured products—including AI translation glasses, intelligent outdoor gear and digital small home appliances—occupy prominent display spaces across the venue. In Sri Lanka, Ningbo smart water meters are widely adopted nationwide, while handheld cooling fans and intelligent kitchen appliances have entered ordinary households.

Leveraging Colombo Port’s transshipment advantages, massive volumes of Ningbo smart manufactured goods are distributed onward to Europe, the Middle East and beyond. What Ningbo exports today is no longer mere commodities, but a complete outbound solution integrating technology, brand value and after-sales services.

Faced with mounting challenges including homogeneous global market competition and rising trade barriers, Ningbo’s manufacturing sector has abandoned the old model of low-cost OEM production, relying on intelligent transformation to consolidate its competitive edge in overseas markets.

Over more than a decade of digital transformation efforts, Ningbo has achieved full digital upgrading of all industrial enterprises above designated size. A large number of local factories have built unmanned black-light workshops and flexible production lines, escaping vicious price competition through continuous technological iteration. Represented by five specialized, sophisticated, distinctive and innovative enterprises dubbed Ningbo’s “Five Little Tigers”—famous for their core proprietary technologies, including highly sophisticated visual inspection equipment, heat-resistant materials, sun-proof coatings, puncture-proof materials and self-drilling fasteners—these niche manufacturers have developed differentiated technical routes and full-spectrum production capacity, cementing irreplaceable competitiveness for Ningbo smart manufacturing on global markets.

Beyond trade expansion, Ningbo has built a supporting cultural communication system to ensure “products go global, accompanied by local culture”.

The launch of Sri Lanka’s first “One-Meter Cultural Space” cultural station during the Colombo event marks a tangible milestone of Ningbo’s go-global initiative. Built on enterprises’ overseas outlets, these miniature cultural exhibition halls integrate intangible cultural heritage crafts, urban stories and smart products, enabling overseas clients to experience cutting-edge manufacturing while gaining insight into Ningbo’s profound cultural heritage.

During the twin-city story-sharing session, Ningbo entrepreneurs based in Sri Lanka and local designers blending Chinese and Sri Lankan aesthetics shared stories of bilateral exchanges. Economic and trade ties have evolved into a bond for people-to-people communication, bridging divides in cross-cultural trade.

From Tang-dynasty celadon porcelain sailing across the Indian Ocean to intelligent equipment shipping to every corner of the globe, Ningbo, the ancient Maritime Silk Road port, has preserved its enduring gene of openness. Where exchanges once relied purely on commodity trade, today smart manufacturing underpins a stable, diversified and high-value-added global trade network.

The Ningbo-Colombo dialogue stands as a vivid microcosm of this transformation: the port still links lands and seas, yet the core of its trade has undergone a full intelligent upgrade.

Rooted in its historical legacy as a key Maritime Silk Road hub, Ningbo has consolidated its industrial foundation through a decade of digital development, expanded global market reach via worldwide port networks, and softened trade cooperation through cultural exchanges. This brand-new outbound shipping route forged by smart manufacturing has not only reshaped the city’s foreign trade landscape, but also delivered a replicable port-city development model for Chinese manufacturing to go global.

 

 

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