DUBAI / WAM Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, witnessed the third meeting of signatories to the Raptors MoU (memorandum of understanding) for the conservation of migratory birds of prey in Africa and Eurasia. The meeting took place at the Sheraton Mall of the Emirates Hotel in Dubai. Under the theme “Working Together for the Conservation ...

BLOOMBERG  New Philippine central bank Governor Eli Remolona signalled that further monetary policy tightening is still on the table for the Southeast Asian country, and said it’s “premature” to talk about cutting the key rate. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas remains on the “tightening side” as it monitors upside risks to inflation, including El Nino and wage hikes, Remolona said ...

BLOOMBERG  Federal Reserve policymakers are primed to resume raising interest rates this month and remain open to a further increase later in the year. While officials were encouraged by a step-down in price pressures last month, they’re not inclined to pronounce an end to their battle to rein in inflation that has repeatedly surprised them with its persistence. Contributing to ...

BLOOMBERG  Traders who drove the pound to its best week of the year have a lot riding on the next inflation report, where even a faster-than-expected rate could work against them. Pricing in the options market suggests investors are already revving up to sell, concerned that something in the economy will eventually break under the weight of ever-higher rates. Positioning ...

BLOOMBERG  Elon Musk, who has hinted for months that he wants to build an alternative to the popular ChatGPT artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, announced the formation of what he’s calling xAI, a company with a mission to “understand the true nature of the universe.” xAI said its team will be led by Musk and staffed by executives who have worked ...

BLOOMBERG  The arrival of Meta Platforms Inc’s Twitter challenger further complicates the investment case for social media firms Snap Inc and Pinterest Inc, whose share price recoveries lag their larger rival. Facebook parent Meta is by far the dominant player in the sector, and that is extending to its stock this year. Shares have outperformed by leaps and bounds, with ...

DUBAI / GULF TIME Hot on the heels of the SpongeBob SquarePants takeover of the Lush Kitchen Box, Lush is excited to announce that there are more products in the SpongeBob SquarePants collection launched globally in June. Renowned for innovating packaging-free cosmetic items — such as bath bombs, shampoo bars and solid bar soap — the whole collection is designed ...

DUBAI / GULF TIME Samadhi, a new wellness concept with a mission to provide a sacred space for the community to flow and replenish life balance, is now open in 491b Jumeirah 3. The destination offers yoga classes, a sauna, an ice bath, a private pool, retail, hair therapy treatments, café, state-of-the-art amenities, and a wide variety of experiences from ...

DUBAI / GULF TIME Another Mars, an innovative wellness and healing destination, opened its door recently in Jumeirah. The concept elevates the industry by providing next-level healing and wellness offerings. Featuring an array of spa and massage treatments, meditation groups, and sound healing therapies, the two-story space with chic luxury interiors and a tranquil ambience, creates a whole new definition ...

ABU DHABI / WAM The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre (SZGMC) in Abu Dhabi received 3,334,757 visitors in the first half of 2023, a 127 percent increase compared to the same period last year. The visitors comprised 914,195 worshippers, and some 2,388,437 tourists, of which 1,684,409 visited the mosque and 704,028 visitors to the mosque’s visitor centre and market, a ...