ABU DHABI: Arab Payments Week 2026 (APW 2026) officially launches today, bringing together senior policymakers, central bankers, commercial banking leaders, and fintech experts from across the world to discuss the future of payments in a rapidly evolving global landscape. Organized by Buna; The Arab Regional Payments Clearing and Settlement Organization owned by the Arab Monetary Fund, the forum highlights how …

Web Desk DUBAI: With a new year in full swing, Emirates wraps up its busiest month for family travel bookings across January – cementing its position as the international airline of choice for families. Throughout 2025, 84% of all Emirates’ bookings were made for travel in Economy Class, and group and family bookings accounted for 64% of all passengers who …

News Desk DUBAI: His Excellency Saeed bin Mubarak Al Hajeri, Minister of State and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Drug Establishment, today officially launched the Emirates Drug Establishment at the World Health Expo 2026 (WHX 2026). The event was attended by His Excellency Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of Health and Prevention; Her Excellency Fatima Al …

By Rafiq Vayani DUBAI/KARACHI: Visa (NYSE: V), a global leader in digital payments, together with HBL, Pakistan’s premier private sector bank, today announced the five winners of the 2026 edition of the She’s Next program in Pakistan, including an award for most sustainable business at an award ceremony held at Pearl Continental hotel. These winners included AIMAN SHAFIQUE – EV …

The partnership aims to integrate family growth concepts into urban spaces, aligning with the UAE National Family Growth Agenda 2031 and strengthening family-friendly community development. DUBAI: Union Coop has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UAE Ministry of Family to support the “Family First” program, an initiative focused on integrating family growth concepts into public and private urban spaces, …

By Rafiq Vayani SHARJAH: The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has successfully wrapped up its participation in Suhar Investment Forum 2026, held on February 4–5 in Suhar, North Al Batinah Governorate, Sultanate of Oman. The event featured participation from 929 delegates from across the globe, representing 32 countries, serving as a comprehensive platform that brought together business opportunities …

KARACHI: ABHI Microfinance Bank Ltd. (Abhi MFB) has entered into a strategic partnership with 1LINK to roll out 1GO Raast Person-to-Merchant (P2M) services, enabling merchants nationwide to accept instant digital payments through Raast using QR technology. The agreement was formalized at a signing ceremony where Mariam Pervaiz, Chief Commercial Officer – Abhi Microfinance Bank, and Najeeb Agrawalla, Chief Executive Officer …

By Rafiq Vayani DUBAI: Yango Ads, the AdTech division of Yango Group, has released its Ramadan 2026 demand playbook, outlining how brands across the Middle East can capture one of the region’s most commercially significant periods through a connected, full-funnel advertising strategy. Ramadan remains one of the most influential demand cycles in the Middle East, marked by a clear shift …

News Desk KARACHI: Meezan Bank, Pakistan’s leading Islamic bank and one of the largest banks in the country has signed an agreement with Freedom Bank Kazakhstan to establish a PKR Vostro Account, marking an important milestone in strengthening correspondent banking relations between the two institutions. The signing ceremony was held on 4 February 2026 at Serena Hotel, Islamabad, and was …

Abu Dhabi closed 2025 with one of the strongest performances in its real estate history, consolidating its position as a core pillar of the UAE property market. The capital now accounts for approximately 10–12% of the UAE’s total real estate transaction value, a notable shift for a market that was previously viewed as conservative compared to Dubai. According to ADREC …