Author: Editorial team

As temperatures climb, many UAE residents begin looking for ways to stay active without feeling the heat. Add to that rising airfares amid ongoing regional tensions, and the idea of a staycation makes more sense than international travel. This one-day itinerary in Abu Dhabi taps into exactly that. Starting in the afternoon and stretching into the next day, it spans four stops, moving from immersive digital art you can walk through to life-sized dinosaurs, and from deep dives into the UAE’s past to spaces that bring global culture under one roof, all within 24 hours. What makes it work is…

Luxury dining brand GAIA has begun relocating its Dubai-based teams to international destinations as part of its summer 2026 expansion, aiming to preserve jobs while maintaining service standards across markets. The move, led by Fundamental Hospitality, will see staff deployed to seasonal pop-ups in destinations such as St Tropez and Bodrum, aligning operations with where its global clientele travels during the summer months. At a time when many hospitality businesses adjust headcount during quieter periods, the group said it has prioritised continuity for its workforce by offering international placements instead. “Our summer pop-ups are not just about being present in…

SANYA, China, 30th April, 2026 (WAM) — The UAE maintained its impressive continental form as it concluded its participation in the 6th Asian Beach Games, held in Sanya, China, from 22nd to 30th April 2026, with a major achievement after topping the standings among participating Arab nations and finishing seventh in the overall medal table. The Games brought together 1,790 athletes representing 45 Asian National Olympic Committees, competing across 14 sports, 15 disciplines and 61 events. The UAE fielded a 31-athlete delegation across four sports: jiu-jitsu, sailing, beach soccer and open water swimming. The delegation secured six medals, all in…

AL AIN, 30th April, 2026 (WAM) — The Asian Chess Federation (ACF) has released a report highlighting a substantial increase in the number of players and officials in the UAE and across Asia as of January 2026. Hisham Al Taher, Secretary-General of the ACF, stated that the UAE now has 3,745 registered players, consisting of 2,461 males and 1,284 females. Among these, 590 players are internationally rated, with 163 currently classified as active internationally rated players. The report also detailed the UAE’s officiating strength, which includes 44 international arbiters (34 men and 10 women), 20 FIDE-rated arbiters, and 67 national…

Running a marathon is hard enough and doing it in a kandura feels learning to move all over again. “You can’t open your legs naturally,” said UAE resident Sedique Ahamed, who has set a Guinness World Record at the London Marathon. “After 25km, every step needed attention.” For the 35-year-old runner, the 42.2km race was less about speed and more about control. While the kandura felt manageable in the opening kilometres, the challenge quickly shifted. “The kandura actually felt okay in the first 5–10 km. I even thought, ‘this might be manageable.’ But after 15 km, I started to feel the difference,”…

  Dining is not an impersonal experience. Behind every memorable meal that one has had, there is a person — a chef, a waiter, a helper — who’s warmth has etched the experience in your minds and hearts. Today, as the hospitality industry navigates uncertainty, a unique initiative has been designed to help the workers — from bartenders, waiters, chefs and baristas to hostesses, supervisors and back-of-house teams — affected by current circumstances. The Art of Hosting, a local catering and events agency, has launched a programme, Family Meal, to support them by offering gourmet meals prepared by top chefs.…

SEOUL, 1st May, 2026 (WAM) — South Korea’s exports exceeded US$80 billion for the second consecutive month in April, jumping nearly 50% from a year earlier on the back of robust shipments of semiconductors, government data showed Friday. Outbound shipments totaled $85.89 billion last month, up 48% on-year, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, according to Yonhap. The April tally marks the second-highest monthly export figure for the country, following an all-time high of $86.6 billion recorded in March. Imports rose 16.7% on-year to $62.11 billion last month, resulting in a trade surplus…

ABU DHABI, 30 April (WAM)– H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, has received Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic, to discuss overall regional developments. During the meeting, the two top diplomats reviewed the repercussions of Iran’s unprovoked and terrorist missile attacks that targeted the UAE and a number of brotherly and friendly countries on regional and international peace and security, as well as on international maritime security, energy supplies and the global economy. The French minister reaffirmed his country’s solidarity with the UAE and its…

Followers of Dubai Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, on X, are more used to tweets from him announcing major projects, new milestones on the emirate’s path to being the best city in the world to live in, or glimpses of his personal life. On Thursday, April 30, 2026, a brief but powerful message was conveyed by the UAE royal through the social media platform. “The soul of Dubai is found in its people,” Sheikh Hamdan, who also serves as UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, said in the…

DUBAI, 30th April, 2026 (WAM) — Mashreq Bank recorded a net profit after tax of AED1.927 billion during the first quarter of 2026, compared to AED1.792 billion in the same period of 2025, reflecting a growth of 8 percent year-on-year, while net profit before tax reached AED2.28 billion, marking a 9 percent increase year-on-year. According to a statement issued today, the bank recorded revenues of AED3.426 billion during the first quarter of the current year, compared to AED3.12 billion in the corresponding period last year, representing a growth of 10 percent. Total assets reached AED344.305 billion by the end of…