MEXICO CITY: FIFA has released about 40% of the hotel rooms it had blocked in Mexico City for the FIFA World Cup 2026, the city’s hotel industry group said, returning roughly 800 rooms to general availability over the past month about three months before the tournament opens in the capital. The…

ROME: UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome during a working visit, as the two countries reviewed cooperation under their strategic partnership. The talks included economic and political engagement between the United Arab Emirates and Italy,…

MUMBAI: Canada has announced a new package of education and research measures with India that includes scholarship funding for Indian students and the creation of “hybrid” study and research presences in India tied to Canadian institutions. The initiatives were presented alongside Canadian and Indian officials and higher-education leaders under a…

ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates is strengthening its role as a regional and global center for aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul, supported by a large aviation market and expanding fleets operated by Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai and Air Arabia. Industry research cited in recent sector updates put the UAE’s aircraft…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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.…