With the FIFA World Cup kicking off tomorrow, football fans across the UAE are putting the final touches on trips they have spent months planning. Flights have been booked, match tickets secured, and itineraries mapped out as supporters prepare to travel across Mexico, Canada, and the United States to experience the tournament from the stands. For some, the journey is about reliving memories from Qatar 2022. For others, it is a chance to support their national team alongside family members. But all share one thing in common: months of preparation leading up to football’s biggest event. Dubai resident Mohamed Elhag…
Author: Editorial Team
DUBAI — Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said it launched strikes on US targets in the region, including military bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan in retaliation for US strikes on Iranian ports and islands in the Strait of Hormuz. In a statement carried by state media on Wednesday, the IRGC said it launched drone attack on the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and the Ali Al Salem base in Kuwait, as well as a long-range missile strike on an air base in Azraq, Jordan. It said it attacked 21 US targets and destroyed four of them, including an F-35…
AgenciesDUBAI — The United States has launched multiple waves of air strikes on Iran prompting retaliation from Tehran, after President Donald Trump blamed the Islamic Republic for a US military helicopter crash off the Strait of Hormuz early Tuesday. The Associated Press reported that the Apache helicopter that crashed went down after colliding with an Iranian drone, but it was not clear whether the collision was intentional. According to US officials, Iran used a drone to launch the attack on the helicopter. But it’s not clear whether the Iranian drone had deliberately attacked, an unnamed US official told CBS News.…
The mango season has arrived in the UAE, and markets in Dubai are filling up with popular varieties from India, Pakistan, Yemen and Fujairah. However, shoppers may notice that prices are slightly higher than at the start of last year’s season, traders told Khaleej Times. At Dubai’s Waterfront Market, boxes of Pakistani Chaunsa mangoes (up to 2.8 kilograms) are selling for around Dh40, while Sindhri varieties are priced at about Dh55 for a 3kg box. Indian mangoes like Alphonso are selling for around Dh50 per box, while the Mallika, Badami, Banganapalli, and Dussheri varieties are priced between Dh35 and Dh45…
Rashed Hareb and Rajneel Kumar. First-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings emotional and functional viability to the renting experience. Dubai — Rentify, a leading fintech and proptech innovator, has introduced Rentify BELONG, a first-of-its-kind rental rewards program in the UAE. Rooted in the idea that belonging is what truly makes a place feel like home and for many, that home is the UAE; Rentify BELONG goes beyond transactions to create a deeper sense of connection and recognition for residents. “Home isn’t a transaction, it’s a feeling,” said Rashed Hareb, Co-Founder & CEO, Rentify. “Belonging is what makes the UAE truly home for millions of residents,”…
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 3 percent in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same period last year, driven primarily by non-oil activities, according to estimates released by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). Non-oil activities added 1.7 percentage points to overall GDP expansion, while oil activities contributed 0.8 points. Government activities and net taxes on products contributed 0.3 and 0.2 percentage points, respectively. GASTAT reported that both oil and non-oil activities grew by 2.9 percent year-on-year during the quarter, while government activities grew by 1.5 percent. The economic sectors of finance, insurance,…
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s real GDP reached $1.31 trillion in 2025, while non-oil activities accounted for 55% of the economy. The figures were highlighted in the National Transformation Program (NTP) 2025 Annual Report, which showcased progress across economic development, investment, tourism, digital transformation, environmental sustainability, and quality of life indicators. The report noted that foreign direct investment inflows climbed to $35.5 billion in 2025, nearly five times higher than in 2017, while non-oil GDP expanded by 4.9% during the year. More than 700 international companies have established regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia, reflecting growing confidence in the Kingdom’s business environment.…
UAE travellers are increasingly questioning why the attractive “starting from” airfare and holiday package prices they see in advertisements often differ from the prices available when they are ready to book. Travel industry experts said the discrepancy is largely driven by dynamic pricing systems, limited promotional inventory, seasonal demand, and the timing of bookings rather than misleading advertising. According to Imtiaz Hussain Nasir, CEO of Pinoy Tourism UAE, most advertised fares are based on a limited number of seats available at the lowest price point at the time a promotion is launched. “The biggest reason is that most advertised prices…
Dan Schulman, the CEO at Verizon, has reaffirmed his message on the widespread impact of AI on the workforce. His belief is that the technology will replace “a large percentage” of work handled by customer service representatives. In an interview with Bloomberg, Schulman said AI would cause “disruption in certain job functions” but pointed to customer care as an area where the technology could be applied quickly and effectively. In his view, the technology could be used to handle simple customer queries, including recovering a lost password or checking a billing amount. For more complex requests, Schulman said human employees…
TEHRAN — Iran’s football federation has said the United States has revoked its allocation of fan tickets for the group stage of the World Cup just days before the start of the games, accusing the cohost of obstructing the attendance of Iranian supporters amid a bitter diplomatic row. “With less than three days remaining until the start of the 2026 World Cup … the United States has once again acted to obstruct the presence of Iranian supporters at the stadiums hosting the national team’s three group stage matches,” FFIRI said in a statement on Tuesday. The World Cup, co-hosted by…