Author: arabcolumnist.com
ABU DHABI: UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Abu Dhabi on Feb. 26, 2026, and the two leaders discussed steps to strengthen bilateral ties during Prabowo’s working visit to the United Arab Emirates. The meeting took place at Qasr Al Bahr and focused on expanding cooperation and coordination in areas described by both sides as central to the long-standing relationship between the two countries. The leaders reviewed cooperation under the UAE-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, with discussions centered on development-related priorities. Topics included the economy and trade, renewable energy, technology, artificial intelligence, sustainability, food…
SEOUL: South Korea’s central bank kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.50% on Thursday, maintaining the Base Rate as policymakers balanced a steady inflation backdrop with improving economic momentum and ongoing financial stability concerns. The Bank of Korea’s Monetary Policy Board said it would hold the current level while assessing developments in domestic and external policy environments, including shifting global market conditions and exchange-rate volatility. In its latest assessment, the central bank said inflation was expected to remain stable near its target level and that economic growth was projected to continue improving at a stronger-than-expected pace. Consumer price inflation eased to 2.0% in January,…
WASHINGTON: UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan met U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance in Washington during an official working visit, as the UAE Foreign Ministry said the two sides discussed strengthening the long-standing strategic relationship between the United Arab Emirates and the United States. The ministry said the talks reviewed ways to broaden cooperation across key sectors that underpin bilateral engagement, as senior officials from both governments continued a series of high-level contacts in the U.S. capital this week. The UAE Foreign Ministry said the meeting covered expanding cooperation in the economy, investment, trade, advanced technology,…
ABU DHABI: UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, Feb. 24, to discuss bilateral cooperation within the framework of the two countries’ strategic partnership. The leaders reviewed ties across multiple areas and reaffirmed their commitment to advancing relations, according to details released after the talks. The meeting took place during Lula’s working visit to the United Arab Emirates. Sheikh Mohamed and Lula reviewed the progress of UAE-Brazil cooperation, with a focus on economic, trade and development links. The discussions covered cooperation in advanced technology, space, renewable energy and…
PALLEKELE: Pakistan batter Babar Azam made 25 off 24 balls as England beat Pakistan by two wickets on Feb. 24 in a Super Eight match at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, with England captain Harry Brook striking 100 off 50 deliveries to clinch a semi-final place. Pakistan posted 164-9 after choosing to bat, then had England 35-3 before Brook’s innings swung the chase, which ended at 166-8 with five balls remaining. Azam’s standing in the format is anchored by one headline milestone: he became the leading men’s T20 international run-scorer in late October 2025, passing Rohit Sharma’s previous mark of 4,231 runs. His…
BEIJING: Strong winds and blowing sand pushed air pollution higher in China’s capital over the weekend, with city meteorological authorities reporting a sharp rise in PM10, the coarse particulate matter closely associated with dust events. The citywide average PM10 concentration reached 175 micrograms per cubic meter by 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21, and forecasters said the peak was expected to exceed 500 micrograms per cubic meter later that day, a level described by local authorities as severe pollution. The episode coincided with the Spring Festival holiday period, a peak travel and tourism window, and reduced air quality was accompanied by gusty conditions that…
DUBAI: Jessica Pegula captured her first Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships crown on Saturday, beating two-time champion Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-4 in the women’s singles final to secure an early birthday milestone at a WTA 1000 event. Pegula, ranked No. 5, closed out the match in 73 minutes under the lights at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, lifting the tournament’s silver coffee pot trophy. She turns 32 on Tuesday and became the first American winner in Dubai since Venus Williams in 2014. Pegula set the tone immediately, controlling rallies from the baseline and stepping forward when openings appeared. She broke serve early and…
KOTA KINABALU: A powerful earthquake measuring 7.1 struck off Malaysia’s Sabah state on Borneo island early Monday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake hit shortly before 1 a.m. local time and was centered offshore north of Kota Belud, the USGS said, with the tremor originating deep below the surface. No tsunami warning was issued in connection with the event, and officials reported no immediate indications of damage or injuries in Sabah. The USGS reported the earthquake at magnitude 7.1 and a depth of about 619.8 kilometers, with an epicenter around 55 kilometers north-northwest of Kota Belud. The origin time was listed as 16:57:46…
NEW DELHI: India joined the Pax Silica initiative on Feb. 20 by signing the Pax Silica Declaration and a bilateral addendum titled the Joint Statement on the India-U.S. AI Opportunity Partnership at an event held on the margins of the AI Impact Summit. The documents were signed by S. Krishnan, secretary at India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor and U.S. Under Secretary of State Jacob Helberg. India’s minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and U.S. OSTP Director Michael Kratsios witnessed the signing. Pax Silica is framed by the signatories as a cooperation effort to build secure, resilient and…
NEW DELHI: Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday on behalf of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to participate in the India AI Impact Summit 2026, which runs in the Indian capital through Feb. 20. He was received at the airport by Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, India’s Minister of Communications, and was accorded a ceremonial red-carpet welcome that included cultural performances, according to UAE official communications. Sheikh Khaled later greeted senior Indian officials after arriving in the capital, where summit events and related meetings are being held across multiple venues.…