Author: Editor

BRUSSELS, 15th August, 2026 (WAM) — Greenhouse gas emissions from the European Union’s economy rose again in the first quarter of 2026, but at a slower pace than at the end of last year. According to figures published today by Eurostat, the European Union’s statistical office, between January and March, 837 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent were emitted, up 0.3 percent from the 835 million tonnes in the fourth quarter of 2025. At the same time, the EU’s gross domestic product remained stable. The figure marks a slowdown compared with the last three months of 2025, when emissions had risen…

CAIRO, 14th August, 2026 (WAM) — Mohammed Ahmed Al Yamahi, President of the Arab Parliament, strongly condemned Iran’s blatant targeting of two tankers belonging to UAE company ADNOC while they were transiting the Strait of Hormuz. He stressed that repeated attacks on commercial vessels and international maritime routes constitute a dangerous escalation, a threat to regional security and stability and global energy security, and a flagrant violation of international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions. In a statement on Friday, Al Yamahi stressed that the security of international maritime routes, freedom of navigation and safe passage are not subject…

BEIJING, 15th August, 2026 (WAM) — China’s inclusive loans to small and micro enterprises maintained steady growth in the second quarter, official data showed Friday. Outstanding inclusive loans to small and micro enterprises reached 38.9 trillion yuan (about US$5.73 trillion) at the end of the second quarter, up 8 percent year on year, according to the National Financial Regulatory Administration. Outstanding inclusive loans related to agriculture stood at 15 trillion yuan, up 7.5 percent year on year. Friday’s data also showed China’s banking institutions held 498 trillion yuan in renminbi and foreign-currency assets, up 6.6 percent year on year, while…

QUITO, 14th August, 2026 (WAM) — Daniel Noboa, President of the Republic of Ecuador, received Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, and Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Republic of Ecuador. Al Olama conveyed the greetings of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai; and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, to President Noboa, along with their wishes for further progress and…

ROME, 14th August, 2026 (WAM) — Italy’s annual inflation rate fell slightly to 2.9 percent in July from 3 percent in June, according to the Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat). Italian news agency (ANSA) reported that Istat said the slight slowdown in inflation mainly reflected price dynamics in non-regulated energy products, whose annual increase eased from 13.3 percent to 11.4 percent, unprocessed food, from 4.4 percent to 3.6 percent, and miscellaneous services, from 2.5 percent to 1.8 percent. On a monthly basis, Istat’s consumer price index rose by 0.3 percent in July. Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, 14th August, 2026 (WAM) — AD Ports Group on Friday reported its strongest quarterly results on record for the second quarter of 2026, confirming the resilience of its diversified and integrated trade ecosystem amidst a challenging and volatile geopolitical and macroeconomic backdrop marked by conflict in and around the Strait of Hormuz. Revenue in Q2 2026 rose 47 percent YoY to AED7.08 billion, driven by the strong operational and financial performance of the Maritime & Shipping, Economic Cities & Free Zones (EC&FZ), and Logistics Clusters. EBITDA in Q2 2026 rose 49 percent YoY to AED1.74 billion, implying an…

SHARJAH, 14th August, 2026 (WAM)– As part of its efforts to leverage technology to support the sustainability of traditional crafts and develop methods for documenting them, Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council, in collaboration with Rubu’ Qarn Science and Technology, concluded the first phase of the Technology and Crafts Lab program. This three-phase program combines digital documentation, materials exploration, and experimental research. The first phase, which focused on digital documentation, took place from July 27 to August 2, 2026, at the Rubu’ Qarn Science and Technology Center. Participants learned about methods for documenting local crafts and cultural knowledge, while also exploring the…

ABU DHABI, 15th August, 2026 (WAM) — The organising committee of the 32nd Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival 2026 has announced the participation of 763 players across four major tournaments, with the first day of competitions set to take place Saturday, 15 August at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Abu Dhabi. A total of 112 players will compete in the International Masters Tournament, while 152 will participate in the Open “A” Tournament, 280 in the Open “B” Tournament, and 219 in the Juniors Tournament. The committee highlighted the significance of the participation of 300 UAE players, out of a total…

ABU DHABI, 14th August, 2026 (WAM) — Space42, the UAE-based AI-powered SpaceTech company with global reach, on Friday announced that its proposed share buyback programme of up to 2.5 percent of the company’s issued share capital, has been approved by the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), following shareholder approval in April at the General Assembly Meeting. The programme will be funded from the company’s existing cash resources and executed through open-market transactions in accordance with ADX and the Capital and Market Authority’s (CMA) regulations. All completed buybacks will be regularly disclosed by the company via the ADX website as required…

FUJAIRAH, 14th August, 2026 (WAM) — Fujairah International Airport, in collaboration with NAFFCO Group, inaugurated the NAFFCO Training Academy, which will be based at Fujairah International Airport. The opening reflects both organisations’ commitment to advancing specialised training and strengthening competency and preparedness in safety, firefighting and emergency response. The opening was attended by Capt. Esmaeil M. Al Boloushi, Director General of Fujairah International Airport; Ebraheim Al Qallaf, Deputy Director Manager of Fujairah International Airport; Eng. Arkan Adel, CEO Representative at NAFFCO; Eng. Mohamad Ali Mawed, Sales Director at NAFFCO; Capt. Yaqooub Al Nuaimi, Deputy General Manager of Fujairah Aviation Academy;…