News

Abu Dhabi / WAM The launch of the 15th edition of the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (Idex) and the Naval Defence and Maritime Security Exhibition (Navdex) 2021 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec) heralded a period of recovery from the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, underscoring the importance of global cooperation in addressing the impact of the pandemic on ...

Bloomberg Democrats begin the final push for President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus bill this week, dropping any pretense of bipartisanship to quickly pass the package before an earlier round of benefits runs out. This will be the first real test for Democrats’ full control of government since former President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, with implications for the rest of ...

Bloomberg Romania’s economy outperformed the rest of the European Union (EU) last quarter as the government opted not to impose the kind of harsh lockdown that shuttered most of the continent. Output not only grew from the previous three months, but surged more than 10 times what analysts had expected. The expansion of 5.3% puts it ahead of all other ...

Bloomberg Around 1,000 European Union (EU) finance firms are expected to open their first offices in the UK after losing their passporting rights because of Brexit. Roughly two-thirds of the 1,500 money managers, payment firms and insurers that have applied for regulatory permission to continue operating in the UK previously had no physical operations in Britain, according to Financial Conduct ...

Bloomberg Europe’s consumer-facing companies face a critical choice for when the pandemic passes: should they exploit the expected pickup in business by raising prices? There’s likely to be a rush to hairdressers, restaurants and tourism agencies reopening when virus curbs end, fueled by pent-up demand and a hoard of cash accumulated after more than a year of forced saving. Some ...

Bloomberg The European Union (EU) unveiled several programs aimed at boosting the bloc’s civil, space and defense industries, including a low-earth orbit satellite infrastructure to rival Elon Musk’s Starlink network. The push will aim to provide reliable, secure and cost-effective connectivity for governmental and commercial communications, as well as high-speed broadband throughout Europe, the European Commission said on Monday. The commission ...

Bloomberg Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has extended a ban on movement between the country’s 20 regions for another month — until late March — as his new government tries to step up a vaccination campaign to counter the pandemic. A cabinet meeting chaired by Draghi prolonged travel curbs between regions until March 27 and maintained a 10 p.m. curfew, ...

NEW YORK / WAM At the 59th Session of the Commission for Social Development at the UN, the UAE underscored the importance of digital technologies, universal accessibility, and affordable connectivity to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and promote social development at the UN. Hessa Tahlak, Assistant Undersecretary of Social Development, reflected on how the UAE has made new and emerging ...

ABU DHABI / WAM The first day of the International Defence Exhibition (Idex) and the Naval Defence Exhibition (Navdex) 2021 has seen the UAE Armed Forces sign 19 deals, worth AED 5.03 billion, with local and international companies. The deals came on the first day of the two exhibitions, which will run until February 25. Staff Brigadier-General Mohammed Al Hassani, ...

BRASILIA / WAM Saleh Ahmed Al Suwaidi, UAE Ambassador to Brazil, discussed with Tarcísio Gomes de Freitas, Minister of Infrastructure of Brazil, ways of advancing overall cooperation between the UAE and Brazil, most notably in the infrastructure and investment sectors. They also addressed Brazil’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai. During the meeting, Al Suwaidi stated that relations between the two ...