Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Wego, the leading travel app and largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), has reported a significant increase in travel interest to India in the first half of 2024. Data from January to June 2024 shows a 40.71% year-on-year rise in...

France and the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday signed a "strategic partnership" on artificial intelligence (AI) aimed at boosting cooperation between them, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told AFP.

Dubai, UAE - The 31st edition of Arabian Travel Mart, 2024, taking place from May 6 to May 9, is poised to welcome over 2,300 exhibitors and representatives from more than 165 countries, with 41,000 attendees expected. The theme of this year's event is ‘Empowering Innovation: Transforming Travel Through Entrepreneurship.’...

“2024 has opened up to an interesting and promising phase of growth within our sector. As proptech leaders, we can see a more diversified demand and we are positive of the impact this will have in the months to come. We look forward to supporting the market by empowering property...

Dubai, UAE - The UAE's total assets abroad, encompassing both governmental and private investments, have reached $2.5 trillion as of early 2024. Jamal Bin Saif Al Jarwan, chief of the UAE International Investors Council, said that UAE investments abroad are performing well despite global economic fluctuations. The UAE secured the top...

Dubai, UAE - The UAE was recognized as the top destination for international professionals seeking employment visas. According to the Annual Global Hiring Report by the Global HR platform Deel, industries like financial services, IT, computer software, marketing, advertising, and management consulting are leading in attracting international talent to the...

Dubai, UAE - More than 70% of surveyed retailers in the UAE have experienced increased revenue and higher customer footfall since adopting digital payments,  a study conducted by Visa in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), titled 'Value of Acceptance’ has revealed. The study focused on two groups of merchants - those...

Speaking at the closing press conference, the Emirati chair of the so-called MC13 gathering, Thani Al Zeyoudi, acknowledged the shortcomings. "Despite our best efforts, we failed to agree on some texts which are of great importance to many of our members," said Al Zeyoudi, who also serves as the UAE's foreign...

Speaking on the first day of MC13, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala highlighted a need to "reform the multilateral trading system" and boost international cooperation. "Looking around, uncertainty and instability are everywhere," the WTO chief said, adding that the world is in an "even tougher place today" compared to two years...

The deal aims to facilitate "the flow of foreign direct investment... particularly to developing and least-developed" countries with the aim of fostering sustainable development, according to the text. WTO chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala called it a "pioneering agreement that promises to help its signatories attract the foreign direct investment they want...

World Bank President Ajay Banga said that "what's going on Gaza, but also the challenges of Ukraine... and the Red Sea" are among the top challenges to the global economic outlook. "When you add variables to what is turning out to be probably the lowest growth of the last 55...

Despite maintaining its ties with Israel since the Israel-Hamas war began in October, the UAE has been at pains to express solidarity with Palestinians as anger mounted in the Arab world over the conflict.

Tokyo, Japan - After a brief awakening, Japan's Moon lander is out of action again but will resume its mission if it survives the two-week lunar night, the space agency said Thursday. The unmanned Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) touched down last month at a wonky angle that left its...

"Container shipping... has declined by almost 30 percent," said Jihad Azour, director of the IMF's Middle East and Central Asia department, adding that "the drop in trade accelerated in the beginning of this year."

London, United Kingdom - The head of Britain's Telegraph Media Group has stepped down, the company announced on Friday, as the government probes its contentious proposed takeover by a United Arab Emirates-backed fund. TMG and parent company Press Acquisitions Limited said that chief executive officer Nick Hugh, in the post since...

Dubai, UAE - A missile hit a Greek-owned cargo ship off Yemen, a maritime risk management company said on Tuesday, following a string of attacks in the Red Sea by the Houthi rebels. "A Malta-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier was reportedly targeted and impacted with a missile while transiting the southern Red...

Doha, Qatar - The Palestinian team hope to reach the knockout stage of the Asian Cup for the first time to "put a smile on the faces of the Palestinian people", one of its players said on Saturday. The tournament in Qatar is taking place against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas...

The announcement came hours after a British-navy maritime security agency said armed men boarded the Greek-owned, Marshall Islands-flagged St Nikolas off Oman and changed course towards Bandar-e-Jask in Iran. Four or five "unauthorized boarders are reported to be wearing military-style black uniforms with black masks", the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations...

On his fourth regional trip since the war began, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Saudi Arabia after talks in Abu Dhabi. Blinken "emphasized the importance of preventing further spread of the conflict", during talks with United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a US...

Dubai, UAE - The Emirates is to put 84 people on trial for terror-related offenses, state media said on Saturday. The Gulf state's attorney general ordered the trial of "mostly members of the terrorist organization of (the) Muslim Brotherhood", official news agency WAM said. In 2013, the UAE tried 94 activists,...

Dubai, UAE – Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, particularly Dubai, have secured top positions for residential property investment in 2024, the inaugural "Housearch Investment Index" highlighted in its report. The trend underscores the region's appeal as a stable and reliable investment haven, especially amidst cooling property markets in...

The company deals in risk management infrastructure for digital assets.

Dubai, UAE - The OPEC oil cartel said Saturday there was no "single solution" to the energy transition as pressure grows to agree a phase-out of fossil fuels at the COP28 climate talks. "There is no single solution or path to achieve a sustainable energy future," said a speech by OPEC secretary...

Despite efforts by the OPEC oil cartel to block any text targeting fossil fuels at COP28, Chinese envoy Xie Zhenhua told reporters that "some progress" has been made on the issue. "If we do not resolve this issue, I don't see much chance in having a successful COP28," he said.

Climate campaigners have viewed Jaber with deep suspicion due to his position as the head of UAE national oil firm ADNOC, but he has sought to assure sceptics by stating that a phase down of fossil fuels was "inevitable".

The other countries that signed up to the declaration include Britain, Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland,  France, Hungary, South Korea,  Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania,  Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden,  Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates.

Methane -- which is potent but relatively short-lived -- is a key target for countries wanting to slash emissions quickly and slow climate change. That is particularly because large amounts of methane are simply leaking into the atmosphere from fossil fuel infrastructure.

Dubai, UAE - Dubai-based Emirates on Thursday announced an order for 15 long-haul Airbus A350-900s, bringing to 110 the number of additional aircraft the company has ordered at this year's Dubai Air Show. "The A350-900s will add to our fleet mix and we are pleased to announce additional orders for this...

Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Considering opposing views, exchanging ideas and developing pathways for collaboration are essential to improving lives and protecting the planet in an increasingly polarized and fragmented world. That was the key message of the opening sessions of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the Global...

Frankfurt, Germany - The postponement of a Palestinian author's award ceremony at the Frankfurt Book Fair due to the Israel-Hamas conflict triggered condemnation Monday from high-profile authors, while several Arab publishing groups withdrew. The annual fair is the world's biggest publishing trade event, bringing together thousands of book industry players and...

Dubai, UAE - The gem and jewelry trade between India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has seen substantial growth, thanks in part to the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).  India’s Gem and Jewelry Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) reported that approximately 30% of the gems and jewelry imported by...

New Delhi, India - Indian government has given the green light for the export of 75,000 tonnes of non-basmati white rice to the United Arab Emirates, reports in Indian media said.  The decision comes in the wake of restrictions placed on non-basmati white rice exports on July 20, aimed at...

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - A Pablo Picasso masterpiece expected to fetch at least $120 million at auction went on show Monday in Dubai, kicking off a set of rare viewings outside the United States. "Femme a la montre", the 1932 portrait of Marie-Therese Walter, Picasso's mistress and "golden muse", is...

Tel Aviv, Israel - Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has welcomed the launch of the ambitious India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) as the "largest cooperation project in our history" that will have a profound impact on the Middle East, Israel, and the world. Leaders from the United States, India, Saudi...

Abu Dhabi, UAE - The financial wealth of United Arab Emirates (UAE) is anticipated to experience a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.5%, rising from $1 trillion to $1.3 trillion from 2022 to 2027, according to a new report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG). The BCG report, titled ‘Global...

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - The second pilot of a helicopter that crashed off the coast of the United Arab Emirates has been found dead, authorities said Monday, days after he was declared missing. A first pilot was confirmed dead on Friday after the Bell 212 helicopter went down the night before...

Dubai, UAE - Alif, a Central Asian fintech leader, is expanding its presence into the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the launch of Alif Pay. This new venture is geared towards offering a range of financial services and global remittance solutions to meet the needs of UAE residents. Among the...

New Delhi, India - President Biden, along with the leaders of India, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is likely to ink a railway deal to connect the Middle East during the G20 Summit in New Delhi, a report published in Axios.com said.  The initiative aims to establish...

"The foreign minister and I agreed that we should work together to increase the number of direct flights, the tourism, the trade volume, the investment," Eli Cohen said during a ceremony to inaugurate Israel's new embassy. The embassy in the capital Manama will replace the first embassy Israel opened in...

Dubai, UAE - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has established a federal entity responsible for regulating gaming activities within the country. This move has attracted attention, especially considering that gambling has long been illegal in the conservative Gulf region, the UAE news agency WAM reported.  Ras Al Khaimah, one of...

Dubai, UAE - An airport terminal able to handle up to 45 million passengers a year will open in Abu Dhabi in November, state media said Thursday, accelerating competition in the crowded Gulf market. Terminal A in the oil-rich United Arab Emirates capital, touted as one of the world's biggest, will...

Dubai, UAE - The Barclay family is reportedly making a bid to regain control of the Telegraph newspaper group. Months after relinquishing ownership due to financial struggles, the family is said to be enlisting support from investors based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to facilitate their comeback, Guardian newspaper...

Algiers, Algeria - Abdelkader Bengrina, the leader of Algeria's National Construction Movement and a member of the government coalition, has reiterated his criticism of the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) involvement in the Maghreb and Sahel region, citing concerns over the tensions it creates for Algeria. Speaking during the National Symposium...

The company achieved property sales of $5.5bn in the period.

Kuwait City, Kuwait - Kuwait has barred hit film Barbie from cinemas over concerns about "public ethics", officials have said, also confirming a separate ban on a horror movie featuring a transgender actor. Barbie and Talk to Me both "promulgate ideas and beliefs that are alien to the Kuwaiti society and...

"The situation in Ain al-Helweh camp has now calmed down," Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi said referring to south Lebanon's restive Palestinian camp. "Security and intelligence services... have no information that the situation could spin out of control and spill over to other camps," he said.

The film titled 'Talk to Me' features Australian actor Zoe Terakes. (AFP)

Dubai, UAE - Human rights groups have accused Saudi Arabia of detaining five relatives of a US citizen who pursued a commercial lawsuit in Pennsylvania against royals including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The five detainees appeared briefly on Monday at the Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh, which was established in...

Tehran, Iran - Iran's Revolutionary Guards launched naval drills on Wednesday near strategic Gulf islands controlled by Iran but claimed by the United Arab Emirates, state media said. The manoeuvres, which were being held mainly near Abu Musa island but also around Greater and Lesser Tunb, came two weeks after the...

Almost half of Arab youth are keen on starting their own businesses in the next five years, signaling a significant preference shift from government to private sector jobs.