Billionaire co-founder of technology conglomerate Alibaba, Jack Ma, who has kept a low profile since China’s regulatory crackdown on his companies in late 2020, visited Michelin star Bangkok restaurant Jay Fai.
The street-side restaurant, named after its 77-year-old owner and head chef Jay Fai — whose real name is Supinya Junsuta — posted Mr Ma’s picture with Ms Fai on its Instagram handle.
“Incredibly humble, we are honoured to welcome you and your family to Jay Fai's,” the restaurant's Instagram post said.
Founded in the 1980s, Jay Fai serves mostly Thai cuisine and wok-cooked seafood dishes, and is popular with food enthusiasts.
Located on Mahachai Road in the Samran Rat neighbourhood of Bangkok's Phra Nakhon district, Jay Fai is known for its green-tiled walls, simple tables and stools for seating.
Founded in 1999, Hangzhou-headquartered Alibaba specialises in e-commerce, retail, FinTech (Ant Group) and technology.
In December 2020, Chinese regulators launched an anti-monopoly investigation into Alibaba.
Mr Ma, a former English teacher, has been absent from the public realm since the abrupt halt of Ant Group's planned $35 billion listing in 2020.
In November, the Financial Times reported that Mr Ma had been living in Central Tokyo with his family members for nearly six months.
Mr Ma’s stay in Japan included stints in hot spring and ski resorts in the countryside outside Tokyo and regular trips to the US and Israel, according to the newspaper, which is owned by the Japanese media company Nikkei.
Alibaba and payments giant Ant are facing anti-trust scrutiny over risks to financial stability.
A 2010 offshoot of Alibaba, Ant was due to start trading on November 5, 2020, after raising at least $35 billion in an initial public offering that attracted more than $3 trillion in orders from retail investors in Shanghai and Hong Kong.
Last month, however, Ant Group’s consumer finance unit received approval to more than double its registered capital, a sign of improvement towards resolving regulators’ concerns.
On December 30, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission said it approved Ant’s request to raise the amount of registered capital for the consumer unit to 18.5 billion Chinese yuan ($2.7 billion) from eight billion yuan.
More on animal trafficking
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area
It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
Profile of Tarabut Gateway
Founder: Abdulla Almoayed
Based: UAE
Founded: 2017
Number of employees: 35
Sector: FinTech
Raised: $13 million
Backers: Berlin-based venture capital company Target Global, Kingsway, CE Ventures, Entrée Capital, Zamil Investment Group, Global Ventures, Almoayed Technologies and Mad’a Investment.
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Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
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Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
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Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
How to improve Arabic reading in early years
One 45-minute class per week in Standard Arabic is not sufficient
The goal should be for grade 1 and 2 students to become fluent readers
Subjects like technology, social studies, science can be taught in later grades
Grade 1 curricula should include oral instruction in Standard Arabic
First graders must regularly practice individual letters and combinations
Time should be slotted in class to read longer passages in early grades
Improve the appearance of textbooks
Revision of curriculum should be undertaken as per research findings
Conjugations of most common verb forms should be taught
Systematic learning of Standard Arabic grammar
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
