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1 week ago
Dubai Festival City Mall has announced plans to introduce a range of new brands this winter as part of its transformation strategy. The mall reported a 95 per cent gross leasing area (GLA) occupancy across over 332,000 sq. ft. and 400 stores, with a footfall of 23 million visitors last year. Hayssam Hajjar, Asset Management Director at Al-Futtaim Real Estate said: “Despite significant changes in the retail sector, such as the rise of e-commerce and shifting consumer behaviours, the demand for in-person shopping experiences remains strong. For years now, we have stirred several firsts for the city. We continue to lead with unique offerings, and this latest positioning is a testament to our enduring commitment to innovation.” Dubai Festival City Mall expands offerings The mall, which houses over 400 outlets including the UAE’s first IKEA, plans to introduce more than 30 new stores in 2024, with 24 of these being first-to-market brands. These additions will occupy a GLA of over 200,000 sq. ft. Recently, Market Island, described as the largest food hall in the Middle East, opened its doors. The 70,000 sq. ft. dining concept features over 16 first-to-market offerings from international brands. The mall has also unveiled new stores […]
1 week ago
The number of people who are illiterate in Sweden is expected to exceed 800,000 in winter of this year, with researchers expecting the number to soon reach 1 million, in large part due to mass immigration. The most recent survey by Statistics Sweden shows there are currently around 780,000 people between the ages of 16 and 65 who are illiterate in Sweden, but this number is soaring. “Each month, eight to ten illiterate students arrive,” said Rita Sommarkrans, SFI teacher in Västerås, to SVT. She added that if someone can’t read or write, it’s hard for them to find a place, pay their bills, or even book a doctor’s appointment. “If this trend continues, we risk having an entire generation of young people who are effectively functionally illiterate,” wrote Minister of Education Johan Pehrson and Minister of School Affairs Lotta Edholm in an introductory article. However, Swedish publication Fria Tider notes that the ministers are failing to explain what the main cause behind the massive illiteracy problem is in the country, which is mass immigration of illiterate adults from the Third World, which the allegedly conservative ruling government is failing to stop. Sweden: Majority of Malmö children are immigrants; researcher […]
1 week ago
Though “Diversity is Our Strength” is a cornerstone mantra of woke leftist ideology, it’s been steadily crumbling as people across the West observe the many real-world downsides of uncontrolled migration. Health officials in the United Kingdom have just hit that cornerstone with another sledgehammer, reporting that HIV cases in the UK soared by 51% last year to a 15-year high. According to a new report from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the UK counted just over 6,000 new cases in 2023. Notably, for the first time, more than half of them (53%) were attributed to people who were originally diagnosed outside the UK. Of that set, 75% of the carriers are African. The migrants are also spreading the disease amongst each other after arriving — 253 diagnoses were attributed to people who’d been in England less than two years. “The rise in HIV testing together with a higher and sustained positivity in black African heterosexuals may be suggestive of ongoing transmission. However, this number could also be affected by changing patterns of migration with a recent rise in people diagnosed with HIV abroad arriving in England.” – UKHSA The sudden surge in HIV cases may have doomed health agencies’ […]
1 week ago
Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE National Rail Network, has unveiled its new brand identity, featuring a revamped logo, mission, vision, and values. The rebrand aligns with the company’s comprehensive strategy, expansion plans, and future growth aspirations. Embodying the nation’s Spirit of the Union, the revamped identity represents the connectivity and cohesion between the various cities and regions of the UAE created by the railway network. Etihad Rail brand revamp The new brand identity aligns with the UAE’s leadership’s vision, under the guidance of Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Martyrs Families Affairs and Chairman of Etihad Rail, acknowledging the magnitude of the country’s national achievements over the past years. Etihad Rail’s new vision focuses on serving the UAE, by providing more opportunities and enhancing connectivity through a safe a sustainable railway network that links communities and industries. The company has achieved many milestones during the past period, including the launch of freight train operations, the integration of the UAE’s National Rail Network with the future passenger station in Sharjah, and the development of passenger train services. The Etihad Rail updated logo design is inspired by the eye […]
1 week ago
The UAE announced the launch of the second edition of the Great Arab Minds initiative, billed as the ‘Arab Nobel Prize’. The initiative honours exceptional Arab individuals whose remarkable achievements have helped drive progress and enrich knowledge both within the Arab world and globally. It also aims to reignite the Arab world’s remarkable spirit of scientific enquiry and leadership in such quests throughout history. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Great Arab Minds | نوابغ العرب (@greatarabminds) The second edition of Great Arab Minds will honour six winners, and the programme offers a total prize pool of AED 6 million, awarding AED 1 million to the winner in each category. This edition is expected to receive thousands of nominations from the Arab region and beyond. The awards’ six categories encompass medicine, engineering and technology, economics, natural sciences, architecture and design, and literature and arts. Nominations for both individuals and institutions will close on 31 October 2024. Nominations can be submitted on greatarabminds.ae/nomination-process/ While celebrating pioneers, innovators, and creators whose exceptional achievements forge new paths for their nations, Arab communities, and the world, the initiative also highlights Arab minds who serve as role models for younger generations, showcasing […]
1 week ago
Gold stores at a main market in the Saudi port city of Jeddah are believed to have suffered heavy losses after a fire had swept through the site earlier this week. It is extremely difficult to tally the amounts of gold that were burnt inside stores at the market because of the blaze, according to a jewellery expert. “They were exposed to high temperatures that might have melted them,“ said expert Ahmed Al Amudi. “However, it is possible to rehabilitate the non-molten or damaged quantities by cleaning them,” he told local sources. Estimating heavy losses wreaked from the fire, he added that the market had nearly 100 gold stores, making the site a major destination in Jeddah for gold hunters. “The overlap of stores hampers the process of counting the quantities, especially the unique types of diamonds and the so-called antiques, which are expensive. Some of them may reach millions of riyals in value,” he explained. The expert also expected that some gold, kept inside safes at the time of the fire, probably survived damage or melting, but its amount may be small. “Moreover, a large number of gold stores do not have insurance due to difficult requirements,” Al Amudi […]
1 week ago
With a decade-low tariff in place and both the festive and wedding seasons approaching, there is expected to be a mad dash for gold in India this year, according to a new report from Nikkei. The country is the world’s second-largest gold consumer after China. India’s festival and wedding season begins Thursday, leading up to Diwali on Nov. 1. During this auspicious period, gold purchases surge as it symbolizes luck and financial security. Gold is also a popular gift for brides and families during weddings. India saw gold imports surge to a record $10.1 billion in August—more than double compared to a year ago and triple July’s $3.1 billion—according to the Indian Commerce Ministry. The Nikkei report says that the spike followed the government’s late-July decision to cut import taxes on gold and gold dore, a semi-pure alloy, by 9%. The duties now stand at 6% for gold and 5.35% for gold dore, the lowest rates since June 2013, after remaining above 10% for over a decade. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the tax cut aims to boost domestic value addition in gold and jewelry. Following the duty reduction, retail gold prices dropped by around 4,000 rupees ($47.80), with 10 grams of 24-carat gold priced at approximately 70,000 […]
2 weeks ago
Coldplay, the iconic British band set to hold a concert in Abu Dhabi in January, announced their plans for retirement in 2025. This revelation has sent shockwaves through the music industry and left fans worldwide both saddened and curious about the reasons behind this monumental decision. The rock music icons revealed their retirement plans during a recent conversation with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1. Chris Martin, the lead singer of the seven-time Grammy-winning band, revealed that the group plans to retire following the release of their 12th studio album. The veteran singer said right from the band’s inception, they had always strived not to compromise with the quality of their music, and becoming too prolific may hamper that. “We are only going to do 12 proper albums and that’s real,” Martin told Lowe. “Having that limit means the quality control is so high right now and for a song to make it, it’s almost impossible, which is great. “And so, where we could be coasting, we’re trying to improve,” he added. Martin also emphasised that good things should always come to an end. “There’s only 12 and a half Beatles albums. There’s about the same Bob Marley, so all of our heroes. and […]
2 weeks ago
Saudi Arabia and Japan will celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations in 2025, and Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is endorsing a wide range of commemorative events to be held both in Japan and the Kingdom. A commemorative logo has been released, which features a combination of a palm tree, a symbol of Saudi Arabia, and cherry blossoms, a flower synonymous with Japan. Japan’s foreign ministry on Monday issued guidelines for next year’s celebratory events under its purview. The guidelines state that events should aim to deepen mutual understanding, and promote cooperation between Japan and Saudi Arabia, particularly in areas such as culture, art, sports, education, tourism, economics, and science, and should take place during, or close to, 2025. Anyone wishing to organize an event can obtain further information from the Second Middle East Division of Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Embassy of Japan in Saudi Arabia, or Consulate-General in Jeddah. Only events that are approved will be able to use the official logo.
2 weeks ago
Saudi Arabia has witnessed an incredible rise in lifestyle tourism as the Kingdom looks to establish itself as a global holiday hub. According to the Ministry of Tourism, the tourism sector, particularly the leisure and holiday segments, witnessed substantial growth, due to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 directives. The ministry said that the Kingdom welcomed 17.5m international tourists between January and July 2024, a 10 per cent increase over the same period in 2023 and a 73 per cent increase compared to the 2019 figures. Saudi tourism boost Most striking is the 656 per cent increase in the number of tourists arriving specifically for entertainment and holiday purpose. The ministry said that 4.2m tourists arrived for these purposes in the first seven months of 2024, a 25 per cent increase over the previous year and an enormous leap over pre-pandemic levels in 2019. These impressive results highlight the success of the Kingdom’s long-term tourism strategy, under Vision 2030, which seeks to transform Saudi Arabia into a global tourism destination. The Kingdom had set the goal of 100m tourists by 2030, but achieved this milestone in 2023, seven years ahead of schedule. Saudi Arabia was acknowledged as the fastest-growing G20 country in the […]
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