Wed by app: Abu Dhabi launches virtual marriage for all
Dubai, United Arab Emirates -- Couples from anywhere in the world can now get married using the Abu Dhabi government's...
Arts & Culture
ChatGPT to get parental controls after teen’s death
Paris, France -- American artificial intelligence firm OpenAI said Tuesday it would add parental controls to its chatbot ChatGPT, a...
Geostrategy
Science
UAE’s Sultan AlNeyadi achieves groundbreaking milestone as first Arab to perform spacewalk
The mission objectives included crucial tasks such as routing power cables and retrieving a Radio Frequency Group unit, contributing to...
- The mission objectives included crucial tasks such as routing power cables and retrieving a Radio Frequency Group unit, contributing to the station's operational capabilities
- Prior to Sultan AlNeyadi's spacewalk during Expedition 69, thorough safety checks were conducted to address challenges such as radiation, extreme temperatures, and space debris
Geostrategy
Saudi authorities foil attempt to smuggle 4 million captagon tablets
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi customs authority foiled an attempt to smuggle more than 4 million tablets of captagon through...
- On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia announced the seizure of more than 12 million amphetamine pills hidden in a shipment of pomegranate fruit.
- The vast majority of the region's captagon is produced in Syria and Lebanon and smuggled to its main consumer market in the Gulf.
Business
Dubai Investments okays 12.5% dividends
The group reported AED1.60bn as profit attributable to the shareholders.
- The surge in net profit was attributed to disposal of controlling interest on retained investment in Emirates District Cooling.
- The Board of Directors' recommendation to expand the board's size from seven to nine members was accepted by the shareholders.
Geostrategy
Libya green group battles to save country’s remaining forests
The "Friends of the Tree" group works to raise awareness about green areas around Tripoli that are quickly disappearing because...
- The group meets weekly to launch media campaigns and carry out activities to confront "the dangers facing Tripoli and other coastal cities", said Ramadan.
- Rainfall is scarce in the largely desert country, which is only starting to recover from the years of bloody conflict that followed the 2011 uprising.
Business
Dubai records $2.94 billion in weeklong real estate transactions
Dubai, UAE -- A total of 2,049 real estate transactions worth AED10.8 billion ($2.94 billion) were conducted during the week...
- The DLD report said that 172 plots were sold for AED 1.58 billion, while apartment and villa sales stood at 1,877, totaling AED 4.23 billion.
- The top three apartment and villa transfers were two apartments in Palm Jumeirah for AED58 million and AED 55 million respectively, and an apartment for AED 51 million in Al Ras.
Economy
Eurozone GDP grows 0.1 percent in first quarter as high inflation looms
Germany, the EU's biggest economy, saw growth stagnate at zero percent over the previous quarter. Year-on-year, Germany was the only...
- For the European Union overall, GDP expanded 0.3 percent over the previous quarter, according to the figures from Eurostat, the EU's statistics office.
- Inflation remains the bugbear in the eurozone, feeding through to higher wages that, while a short-term fillip, could give the ECB more reason to tighten monetary policy further.
Business
Borouge Q1 net profit $199m
The company reported revenues of $1.38 billion in Q1 2023.
- The company said with a significant cash balance of over $1 billion, Borouge repaid $500 million of its $3.65 billion loan, which resulted in interest cost savings.
- The company will pay a final dividend of $650 million to shareholders, bringing total post-IPO dividends for 2022 to $975 million.
Opinion
The devastating impact of online identity theft
While companies with robust defense measures witness decreased attack volumes as criminals target easier targets, account takeovers have a profound...
- Most online consumers reuse usernames and passwords, making them vulnerable to organized crime rings as the attack surface for account takeovers continues to expand
- While companies with robust defense measures witness decreased attack volumes as criminals target easier targets, account takeovers erode trust and cause emotional trauma
Geostrategy
Iran seizes US-bound oil tanker off Oman, says 2 missing in collision
The US Navy demanded the immediate release of the tanker, saying it was transiting international waters in the Gulf of...
- The latest flare-up comes only days after Tehran's Western rivals toughened sanctions on Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
- The Fifth Fleet initially blamed the Revolutionary Guards, but then said the capture was carried out by Iran's navy.
Business
Emirates Islamic Q1 profit up 76%
The total assets grew by 4% to reach AED 77.9bn ($21.21bn)
- The bank's total income surged by 74 percent, driven by higher core revenues due to improved financing and deposit mix with higher profit rates.
- Total assets grew by 4 percent from the end of 2022 to AED 77.9 billion, while customer financing and customer deposits increased by 3 percent and 2 percent respectively.
Most Read
Revenue from Saudi cinema may exceed $1bn by 2030KSA, UAE play well as e-gaming trends across GCCExclusive: Middle East’s retail sector rides on AR and hybrid shopping to become $600bn digital economyTECOM Group profit soars 13%UAE startups eye Saudi Arabia for growth, expansionSaudi Arabia leads GCC AI healthcare raceDisparity remains as Saudis, Emiratis see wealth gains
Wed by app: Abu Dhabi launches virtual marriage for all
Dubai, United Arab Emirates -- Couples from anywhere in the world can now get married using the Abu Dhabi government's...
Arts & Culture
Company News
Latest News
ADNOC Gas awards $550m contracts
Business
October 7 anniversary: Hamas praises ‘glorious’ moment in its resistance, Netanyahu says ‘we will win’
Hamas called the Palestinian resistance a testament of resilience against Israeli aggression, while Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel's commitment to crush Hamas...
Geostrategy
Dubai’s night beaches a cool solution to summer heat
With temperatures regularly topping 40 degrees Celsius, outdoor activities are severely limited. More than one million people have visited the...
Geostrategy
Casino operator Wynn wins UAE’s first commercial gaming license
Dubai, United Arab Emirates -- US casino operator Wynn has received the first commercial gaming operator's license to be issued in...
Business
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Geostrategy
Libya’s eastern administration lifts oil production, export blockade
The Benghazi-based administration, which controls most of Libya's oilfields, said in a Facebook post it was "lifting the force majeure...
- Libya is struggling to recover from years of conflict after the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that overthrew Moamer Kadhafi
- It remains split between a United Nations-recognized government of Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah and the rival authority in the east backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar
Geostrategy
Israel declares UN chief ‘persona non grata’ over Iran attack response
"Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran's heinous attack on Israel does not deserve to step foot on Israeli soil," said...
- Following Iran's missile attack on Israel late Tuesday, Guterres condemned the "broadening conflict in the Middle East", slamming "escalation after escalation" in the region.
- Israel has been a harsh critic of the UN, with ties between the state and the international body souring even more after the October 7 Hamas attacks.
Geostrategy
G7 says diplomatic solution is still possible in Middle East
Rome, Italy -- The G7 on Wednesday vowed to work together to reduce tensions in the Middle East and said a...
- Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called a telephone meeting of the body Wednesday to address the escalating Mideast crisis.
- "In a constantly evolving scenario, it was agreed to work together to promote a reduction of tensions at the regional level," said the statement released by the Italian government.