Author: Bebirera

CNN — Oil powers Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been invited to become members of the BRICS group of developing nations in its first expansion in over a decade. Also invited are Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and Argentina, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Thursday as he wrapped up the annual summit of the group in Johannesburg. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said the kingdom was awaiting details from the BRICS group on the nature of the membership, and would take an “appropriate decision” accordingly. All six countries invited had already expressed an interest in joining. The BRICS group currently includes Brazil, Russia,…

Kenya, South Africa, Seychelles, Tanzania and Morocco are becoming favourite destinations for explorers African destinations such as Kenya, South Africa, Seychelles, Tanzania and Morocco are increasingly becoming more popular among UAE travellers for multiple reasons including ease of visa process, more services by local airlines and cost efficiency. Travel industry executives say that residents are also keen to explore new destinations as many of them have already experienced the traditionally popular tourist countries such as Georgia, Azerbaijan etc. In addition, Dubai tour operators are also aggressively introducing new packages for residents who are looking to explore the African continent. Mir…

Agreement between Manufacturers’ Association of Israel and the UAE’s Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone includes business delegations and networking meetups to foster economic ties Israel and the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday inked an agreement to foster business and manufacturing ties and boost relations with institutions in industry, trade, and investment. The Manufacturers’ Association of Israel (MAI), the umbrella organization for industrial and manufacturing companies, signed a memorandum of understanding with Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ), a government-run business and industrial hub and free-trade zone in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah. The agreement signed by RAKEZ chief government…

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Turkish parliament on Friday held a swearing-in ceremony for 600 lawmakers elected in last month’s vote. On May 14, Turkey held the most anticipated elections in its modern history. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) emerged victorious despite an ongoing economic crisis that saw the lira lose value and the aftermath of February’s devastating earthquake that killed over 50,000 people. The parliament is made up of members of 17 political parties who ran in the election as part of three alliances, the People’s Alliance, the Nation Alliance, and Labour and the Freedom Alliance. AKP…

Kuwait Clearing Company (Maqasa) recently organized a workshop on women empowerment for its employees and Boursa Kuwait. The workshop’s aim was to promote gender diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. The workshop was moderated by two experts in the field, Maha Al-Baghli and Bodour Al-Sumait, who shared their insights and experiences on how women can thrive in the professional environment. Maha Al-Baghli, founder and managing Director of Safira Company in Kuwait, was recognized for her leadership and contributions to the business community and corporate social responsibility, and Bedour Al-Sumait, Safira Operation Manager and President of Business and Professional Women in…

Oman’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi met with Annalena Baerbock, Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany, during his visit to Germany to participate in the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue. The meeting discussed the friendship and constructive cooperation between the Sultanate and the Federal Republic. It focussed on the major joint projects that the two sides aspire to achieve, especially in the fields of renewable energy, green hydrogen, and its promising derivatives and technologies. The two sides discussed how to advance these projects in a way that secures mutual benefits and enhances their strategic partnership. Both sides stressed their keenness to…

More than 5,400 people residing in Kuwait have applied for asylum in other countries since 2018, according to a recent study. The majority of those seeking asylum were stateless people known as the “bidoon”, the Arabian Gulf Centre for Studies and Research, a think tank in Kuwait, said. About 120,000 bidoon live in Kuwait. People from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Lebanon living in Kuwait were among those who applied for asylum. Most of the asylum applications were to the UK, Canada, the US, France, Germany and Scandinavian countries. Kuwait’s population in 2022 was estimated to be 4.4 million, with foreigners accounting for about…

Think you are up for a salary hike this year? Businesses in the UAE reckon they need to, as counter to inflation costs and more. Image Credit: Shutterstock Dubai: Businesses in the UAE could come up with a 4.4 per cent salary hike this year, a marginal hike on the 4.2 per cent gain employees got in 2022. This is according to a survey of nearly 500 businesses in the UAE by WTW, an advisory firm. Organisations are raising their pay packets for three specific reasons: 80 per cent say they are concerned about inflation (and trying to match inflationary…

US actress Lindsay Lohan shared a rare photograph with her Kuwaiti husband Bader Shammas on Christmas Eve. Lohan shared a pair of selfies on Instagram, one of which features the couple posing in front of a white Christmas tree. Shammas is not a regular fixture on Lohan’s Instagram feed, which is littered with posts praising her closest friends, as well as promotional posts for her latest film. The actress, who recently starred in her comeback movie for Netflix called “Falling for Christmas,” lives with Shammas in Dubai. In July, the “Mean Girls” star shared a picture of her and Shammas,…