Author: Sam Allcock

Emirates has officially inaugurated a new daily flight service to Hangzhou, expanding its footprint in mainland China to five cities. The new route, operated by a Boeing 777-300ER, marks the second Chinese destination added by the airline within a month, following the launch of services to Shenzhen. Flight EK310 touched down at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport on 30 July to a warm welcome, including a water cannon salute and a reception by local dignitaries and airport officials. Passengers on the inaugural flight from Dubai received commemorative gifts such as Chinese tea tasting sets, certificates, and keychains. The new service represents…

Telness Tech, the fast-growing cloud-native telecom platform reinventing mobile operations, has appointed seasoned executive John Browett to its Board of Directors. The strategic move is expected to accelerate the company’s global momentum as it continues to reshape telecom for the digital era. Browett brings an extensive track record of boardroom and operational leadership, having served at the helm of globally recognized brands including Apple, Tesco, and currently, as Chairman of Octopus Group — the creators of Kraken Technologies, a company widely credited with transforming the energy sector through cutting-edge digital platforms. In his new role at Telness Tech, Browett will…

TELUS Digital, the global technology arm of TELUS International, has opened a new regional office in Dubai, marking its official entry into the Middle East. The move highlights the company’s strategic commitment to expanding artificial intelligence (AI)-driven customer experience (CX) services across the Gulf. The Dubai office will serve as a regional hub for delivering digital transformation solutions — including AI-powered automation, customer experience modernisation, digital strategy consulting, and experience design. With a growing demand for AI and smart solutions across the UAE and its neighbours, TELUS Digital aims to meet both government and private sector needs through local presence…

As the UN Food Systems Summit +4 concluded in Addis Ababa, a transformative voice took the global TED stage: Wawira Njiru, founder and CEO of Kenya-based Food4Education. Her TED Talk, released today, powerfully asserts that “Africa is not waiting for answers — it’s creating them.” Njiru’s journey began with a simple act — cooking and serving lunch for 25 children in a makeshift kitchen. That grassroots effort has since evolved into Food4Education, a public–private partnership delivering more than 500,000 hot, nutritious school meals every day to children across Kenya. The organization is now considered a model for school feeding infrastructure…

Renowned Egyptian actor Lotfy Labib has passed away at the age of 77 after a prolonged battle with illness, the Egyptian Actors Syndicate confirmed on Wednesday. A respected figure in the Arab world’s film and television industry, Labib was celebrated for his nuanced performances and decades-long career that left an indelible mark on Egyptian popular culture. His death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from fans, colleagues, and cultural institutions across the region. In a statement shared via social media, the Actors Syndicate mourned the veteran actor, writing: “The Actors Syndicate, headed by Dr. Ashraf Zaki and the Board of…

Moscow is preparing to welcome thousands of youth and families to a unique, citywide event — Forum Moscow 2030. Territory of the Future — designed to showcase the technologies, creativity, and lifestyles shaping the decades ahead. Running from August 1 to September 14, the forum spans 11 landmark venues and features a rich mix of interactive experiences across science, culture, sports, and digital innovation. Targeted at young people from around the world, including a growing base of visitors from the UAE and broader Middle East, the forum reflects Moscow’s ambition to present itself as a modern, future-ready metropolis. “Moscow is…

A powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck Russia’s remote Kamchatka Peninsula early Wednesday, triggering tsunami alerts across the Pacific and leading to mass evacuations in Japan and Hawaii. The earthquake, which hit near Petropavlovsk, is among the strongest ever recorded in Russia, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Japan’s Meteorological Agency reported that a tsunami measuring 1.3 metres reached the port of Kuji in Iwate Prefecture at 1:52 p.m. local time (0452 GMT). Authorities issued tsunami warnings for coastal areas and advised residents to seek higher ground. Japan’s national broadcaster NHK confirmed the tsunami was the result of the undersea…

Gulf Capital, one of the GCC’s largest private equity firms, has completed the sale of its majority stake in ART Fertility Clinics’ Middle East operations to IVI-RMA Global, the world’s largest assisted reproduction group. The deal, concluded after a competitive bidding process, is considered one of Gulf Capital’s most successful exits, delivering significant returns on invested capital. Acquired by Gulf Capital in 2020, ART Fertility Clinics rapidly expanded from a UAE-based operator into a major regional fertility platform. By the time of the sale, the group had established 15 clinics, including three in the UAE, one in Saudi Arabia, and…

BRABUS, the iconic German performance brand known for pushing the limits of automotive design, has made a striking entrance into the Middle East real estate scene with the launch of BRABUS Island, its first-ever branded residential project. The concept was unveiled in April at the Emirates Palace, where Dubai-based agency Innovation Crew delivered a high-impact event under extreme constraints. The regional debut was produced by Cosmo Developments, powered by Reportage Group, and sought to translate BRABUS’ aggressive black-on-black aesthetic into a physical experience—without altering the historic venue. The challenge was steep: no walls could be touched, the palace’s gold-laden interiors…

The average cost of a data breach for businesses in the Middle East has dropped significantly, according to IBM’s 2025 Cost of a Data Breach Report. The study found that companies in the region faced an average loss of SAR 27 million per breach this year, down 18% from SAR 32.8 million in 2024. The annual report, conducted by the Ponemon Institute and sponsored by IBM, analysed over 600 real-world breaches globally between March 2024 and February 2025. It included organizations based in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, providing insights into evolving cybersecurity dynamics in the region. IBM attributed the…