Abu Dhabi: Counsellor Yousef Saeed Al Abri, Undersecretary of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, welcomed Dr Mohammed Obaid Al Kaabi, Head of the Sharjah Judicial Department, and his accompanying delegation, to discuss avenues for strengthening cooperation and the exchange of knowledge and expertise in the field of judicial development, with a particular emphasis on digital technologies and innovation. According to Emirates News Agency, Al Abri highlighted the importance of the visit in activating cooperation with the Sharjah Judicial Department and exploring opportunities to strengthen and expand collaboration across various domains. This initiative aligns with the vision of His Highness Sheikh

Dubai: Dubai tourism has experienced a 3% year-on-year growth during the first quarter of 2025, as announced by Issam Kazim, CEO of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), a part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). According to Emirates News Agency, Kazim shared these insights at a press conference organized by RX Global in collaboration with strategic partners, including the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Emirates, IHG Hotels and Resorts, and Al Rais Travel. The conference was held to unveil plans for the upcoming Arabian Travel Market (ATM) event, scheduled to take place

Sharjah: The Sharjah Museums Authority (SMA) and the Africa Institute, Global Studies University (GSU), have reaffirmed their commitment to fostering cross-cultural museum learning through a coordination meeting. The meeting follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in October 2024, marking a new phase in the decade-long success of the SAWA Museum Studies Programme. According to Emirates News Agency, the coordination meeting aimed to explore avenues for collaboration in the upcoming 2025-2026 edition of the SAWA Museum Studies Programme, an initiative dedicated to enriching the knowledge and practical experience of museum professionals and students worldwide. Aisha Rashid Deemas, Director

Abu Dhabi: The Prayer of Anxiety by Mohamed Samir Nada was announced today as the winner of the 2025 International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF). The novel, published by Masciliana, was named as this year’s winner by Chair of Judges Mona Baker during a ceremony in Abu Dhabi that was also streamed online. According to Emirates News Agency, the judges selected the winning book from 124 submitted titles as the best novel published in Arabic between July 2023 and June 2024. The Prize was presented by Asma Siddiq Al Mutawa, founder of the Al Multaqa literary salon. In the novel,

Abu Dhabi: H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, held a meeting with Jean-No«l Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic, to discuss the strengthening of strategic relations between the UAE and France. According to Emirates News Agency, the meeting took place in Abu Dhabi and focused on enhancing cooperation across various fields. H.H. Sheikh Abdullah welcomed Minister Barrot’s visit and emphasized that the UAE and France share deep historical ties, with bilateral cooperation experiencing continuous growth. The discussions highlighted the alignment of both nations in their efforts

Sharjah: In an enlightening interview aired on Sharjah TV, His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, discussed his recent historical and intellectual work, “The Portuguese in the Sea of Oman: Events in Annals from 1497 to 1757.” The interview was conducted by Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Director General of the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority. The 21-volume series meticulously chronicles events from 1497 to 1757 AD, focusing on the region’s historical depth and the strategic importance of the Sea of Oman. According to Emirates News Agency, His Highness began the interview with an in-depth

Dubai: Dubai Land Department (DLD) announced the outcomes of its AI-powered Real Estate Advertising Governance Platform, which was launched during GITEX 2024. The initiative is part of the DLD’s ongoing efforts to enhance transparency and credibility in real estate advertisements across key marketing platforms, such as Property Finder, Dubizzle, and Bayut. These efforts align with Dubai AI Week’s objectives, which kicked off on Monday, 21 April, and runs until 25 April. According to Emirates News Agency, the platform has monitored over 279,000 real estate advertisements across these platforms since its launch; notably, 29% of the monitored listings were automatically modified

Abu Dhabi: St. Francis of Assisi Church in the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi held a memorial Mass today for Pope Francis, who passed away last Monday at the age of 88. According to Emirates News Agency, the Mass was led by Archbishop Christophe Zakhia El-Kassis, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United Arab Emirates, with the participation of Bishop Paolo Martinelli, OFM Cap., the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia. Members of the Christian community and representatives from diplomatic missions in the country attended the service. The Mass was also attended by Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi, Minister of