Dubai Airport set for record start to 2025: 4.3m guests in 15 days
Dubai, UAE -- Dubai International Airport (DXB) is on track to welcome 4.3 million guests in the first 15 days...
Business
Business
Eyes on Bank of Japan as unions announce big wage hikes
Tokyo, Japan -- Japan's largest trade union said Friday it had secured the highest wage hikes since 1991 in preliminary data...
- The Rengo union said that in spring wage talks so far, its members had secured pay rises of nearly 5.3% on average, compared with 3.8% at this point last year.
- Wage growth has been sluggish in Japan for decades, and the government partly blames this for the economy's woes.
Geostrategy
UAE rises to seventh rank globally in UN gender balance index
Dubai, UAE -- The UAE advanced to the seventh rank globally in the Gender Inequality Index 2024, issued by the...
- The UAE rose from its 49th place in 2015 and 11th place in 2022 from Gender Inequality Index 2024 by the UNDP.
- The UNDP announced UAE's achievement during the meetings of the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, being held until 22 March in New York.
Geostrategy
UN probe: ‘No exchange of fire’ before Israel shelled media in Lebanon
Two Israeli shells hit the group in quick succession as they were working near the border village of Alma al-Shaab...
- UNIFIL's investigation found that as there was no exchange of fire at the time of the incident, "the reason for the strikes on the journalists is not known".
- An AFP probe into the attack, jointly conducted with Airwars, an NGO that probes attacks on civilians in conflict situations, pointed to a tank shell only used by Israeli army.
Science
SpaceX mega rocket lost in final phase of third test flight
The sleek mega rocket is vital to NASA's plans for landing astronauts on the Moon later this decade -- and...
- Starship's third launch test in its fully stacked configuration was its most ambitious yet and the company said it was able to meet many of its objectives.
- These included opening and closing Starship's payload door to test its ability to deliver satellites and other cargo into space.
Business
Gulf Cooperation Council’s first UAE Bond ETF launched by Lunate Capital
Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The launch of Gulf Cooperation Council's first UAE bond Exchange Traded Fund (ETF), which will list...
- The Chimera JP Morgan UAE Bond UCITS ETF will track the performance of the JP Morgan MECI UAE Investment Grade Custom Index.
- The ETF will hold Investment Grade sovereign, quasi-sovereign and corporate bond issues with at least $500 million in face amount outstanding.
Business
Majid Al Futtaim net profit is $735m
The Group reported a 12% increase in EBITDA to $1.25 billion.
- MAF – Properties recorded a 20 percent YoY increase in revenue to AED 6.9 billion and 21 percent increase in EBITDA to AED 3.6 billion.
- The Group's net debt increased to AED 15 billion, primarily due to investments in working capital.
Business
ADNOC Drilling to pay $358m dividend
This brings the total dividend for 2023 to $717 million.
- The dividend will be paid on or around 3rd April 2024 to all record shareholders as of 21st March 2024.
- ADNOC Drilling said the annual distribution is expected to grow by at least 5 percent per annum on a dividend per-share basis over the next three years (2024-2026).
Business
Parkin record-breaking IPO raises $428m
The offer was oversubscribed 165 times for all tranches combined.
- Dubai Investment Fund (selling shareholder) had announced 749 million shares, or 24.99% of Parkin's total issued share capital, for the IPO.
- Parkin is expected to commence trading on the DFM on 21st March 2024. At listing, the company will have a market capitalization of AED 6.30 billion ($1.72 billion).
Saudi families utilize henna art to encourage kids in fasting
Arar, Saudi Arabia -- In a unique and creative initiative, families in Saudi Arabia's Northern Borders Region are using henna body...
- The practice involves drawing intricate henna patterns on the hands of young girls, often featuring symbols related to Ramadan and fasting
- These designs serve as a visual reminder for the children to refrain from eating and drinking during daylight hours
Geostrategy
‘Multilateral approach needed to address Gaza crisis’
The 'Amalthea' initiative, recently announced by Cyprus, is crucial for the efforts to launch the maritime corridor and the UAE...
- A concerted international effort is underway to open humanitarian corridors to Gaza, with a focus on a maritime corridor for urgent aid delivery.
- The 'Amalthea' initiative, aiming to safely ship aid from Cyprus to Gaza by sea, marks a critical step in international efforts to alleviate the crisis.
Dubai Airport set for record start to 2025: 4.3m guests in 15 days
Dubai, UAE -- Dubai International Airport (DXB) is on track to welcome 4.3 million guests in the first 15 days...
Business
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Masdar acquires Saeta Yield
Business
Pro-Palestinian protesters take Israel sculptures from UK university
London, United Kingdom -- A pro-Palestinian group took two sculptures of Israel's first president from a UK university in a protest marking...
Geostrategy
Saudi, US FM says could move ‘quite quickly’ on some deals with US
Since last year Saudi Arabia has been bargaining hard for a defense pact with the United States as well as...
Geostrategy
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Geostrategy
Rethink needed to make sustainable tourism work
"Growth at all costs no longer an option," says world-renowned tourism policy, planning and development expert Dr Marina Novelli in...
- Success should also be measured by more inclusive social indicators, moving from purely quantitative to qualitative assessments linked to making tourism a valuable sector.
- Coordinated efforts between government agencies, private companies, and civil society should ensure that sustainable practices are implemented across the tourism value chain.
Business
UAE records 37% increase in greenfield FDI to $16 billion in 2023
Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The UAE has witnessed a 37% increase in greenfield investments in 2023 to reach US$16 billion,...
- Sectors such financial services, industrial equipment, and transportation and warehousing played an important role in contributing to this growth.
- The most prominent countries involved in these investments were the US., India, the U.K., Saudi Arabia, and France.
Geostrategy
Saudi Arabia opens resort island at futuristic mega-city NEOM
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia's planned futuristic mega-city known as NEOM announced on Sunday the opening of its "first physical...
- The Red Sea island, known as Sindalah, is "spread over 840,000 square meters" (200 acres) and will be set to receive "up to 2,400 guests per day by 2028".
- NEOM is best known for The Line, twin mirror-encased 170-kilometre-long skyscrapers meant to extend inland from the coast.