The annual budget of India is often an expression of not only the economic direction of the country over the coming year, but also the political intentions of the ruling party. The 2016 budget, which was presented in the Indian parliament on Monday, however, contains more political substance than economic heft. It reveals the political thinking of the Bharatiya Janata …

On Wednesday, the United Nations Security Council voted to impose a new round of sanctions on North Korea in response to both its January 6 nuclear test and February 7 satellite launch (widely believed to double as a missile launch test). The new sanctions have been characterized by various media sources as “sweeping” and the “toughest” yet imposed because they …

Singapore’s minister for foreign affairs, Vivian Balakrishnan, spent two days in China this week, meeting with Chinese officials to set a positive tone for both the bilateral relationship and the China-ASEAN relationship. It was Balakrishnan’s first visit to China since assuming his post in October 2015. In an op-ed for China Daily, Balakrishnan cited Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first prime …

RITIKA SHARMA / Emirates Business Roll, camera and, action. Given the number of Hollywood and Bollywood movies shot here, the world is well aware of the potential and the appeal of the Emirates capital as a hot spot for the film and television industry. Now, authorities recognise that too. Aiming to give a major boost to the Emirati film and …

ALKESH SHARMA / Emirates Business Considering the ever-mounting role of technology in almost all the domains of the corporate set-up, the reliance of the industry on intelligence services is bound to grow manifold in the coming years. According to Gartner’s 2015 Market Guide for Security Threat Intelligence Services, by 2018, 60 percent of enterprises will utilise commercial threat intelligence services …

Bloomberg The United Arab Emirates is seeking to establish Budapest as a bridgehead for onward flights in a move that could allow two of the Gulf region’s biggest airlines to carry people between central Europe and the USA. The application for so-called fifth-freedom rights concerns services to two points beyond Hungary, Saif Al Suwaidi, director general of the UAE’s General …

Sharjah / EMIRATES BUSINESS Bukhatir Education Advancement & Management (Beam) has been recognised for its pursuit of academic excellence through classroom technology and innovation after it was presented with a Promethean Centre of Excellence Award, thereby making two Beam schools the only ones in the Middle East to have attained the prestigious accolade. Robert Speed, Promethean Head of Middle East …

Dubai / Emirates Business Lacklustre growth in the West coupled with a slowdown in China and Russia means global fragrance houses are training their sights on the Middle East and Africa, with twelve of the world’s top 18 ready to line-up at Beautyworld Middle East 2016. According to analysts Euromonitor International (EMI), The Middle East and Africa (MEA) will be …

Ritika Sharma / Emirates Business From five star luxury yachts to eco-boats and personal submarines – the ongoing International Dubai Boat show has attracted the latest innovations in the GCC’s marine industry. The range of water crafts being exhibited at the show are a reflection of variety and novelty in the region’s industry. The 24th edition of region’s leading marine …

Dubai / Emirates Business Ladybird Early Learning Centre is set to change the face of pre-school education in Dubai when it opens its doors to little learners aged from 6 months to 5 years-old in July 2016. Located within Jumeirah Village Circle, the warm and welcoming purpose-built centre boasts state-of-the-art, environmentally-friendly facilities, and will follow the UK’s Early Years Foundation …