The UAE has announced a 'Green Intellectual Property' agenda to boost its position in sustainable innovation and attract advances in green technology. The program intends to expedite patents in environmentally friendly areas, decreasing approval time to three months rather than the normal six months to a year. The measure is designed to increase the UAE's competitiveness by attracting professionals in renewable energy and environmental technology. Abdulla bin Touq, Minister of Economy, described it as a "new milestone" in promoting sustainable innovation. To put the roadmap into action, th
Malaysia has set ambitious targets for Indian tourist arrivals in 2024, hoping to welcome 1.6 million visitors from India. This follows a good performance in 2023, when more than a million Indian tourists visited Malaysia, considerably boosting the country's tourism growth. Southern India played an important role in this success, accounting for more than half of all arrivals. Recognising this potential, Tourism Malaysia has stepped up its efforts by establishing a dedicated sales mission in major Indian cities. From February 3 to 7, the campaign will span Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Kochi, i
Singapore's tourism industry is on track for a strong rebound in 2024, with India emerging as a prominent participant, claiming a seat among the top three visitor source markets. According to the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), 1.2 million Indian tourists are scheduled to visit the city-state this year, highlighting India's prominence in Singapore's tourism industry. While China leads with 3.08 million arrivals, followed by Indonesia with 2.49 million, India's strong performance highlights Singapore's expanding attraction to Indian travellers. This overall rebound in international tourist a
A new phase of the Talent Attraction and Retention 2031 strategy has been launched by the UAE Cabinet, solidifying the nation's standing as a global centre for highly qualified individuals. Initially launched in 2021, the program seeks to draw and keep talent in several vital industries. Key industries include technology, biotechnology, advanced industries, financial services, biotechnology, healthcare, renewable energy, aviation, food and water technology, and the creative economy are the emphasis of the plan. The UAE hopes to strengthen its standing as a top location for international kn
Thailand has taken a huge step towards expediting its immigration process by implementing the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), often known as the "TM.6 online" system. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has established this digital portal to make entrance formalities easier for international visitors and travellers. The TDAC system is intended to replace the existing TM.6 paper form and make admission into Thailand more efficient. By eliminating the need for physical forms, the new approach speeds up immigration procedures and improves the entire visitor experience. Visitors can now p
Chandrika Tandon, an Indian-American artist, achieved a historic event by winning her first Grammy Award at the age of 71. She won the Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album award for Triveni, a collaboration with three-time Grammy-winning South African flautist Wouter Kellerman and Japanese-origin cellist Eru Matsumoto. Tandon, overcome with delight, thanked everyone in her award speech in Los Angeles. "Music embodies love, light, and laughter." Let us be surrounded by love, light, and laughter. "Thank you to everyone who makes music," she stated. On Instagram, she remarked on the impor
Jewar International Airport is all set to become Asia's largest airport, with regular operations set to commence in April, according to India's Minister of Civil Aviation, Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu. During his presentation to the Rajya Sabha, Naidu confirmed that preparations for the airport's opening are on track. Validation flights were successfully completed in December, representing a critical milestone in the project's timeframe. Major airlines, including Air India and IndiGo, were clearly excited to begin operations at the new airport. This construction is projected to transform India
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore made history on Thursday by conducting a 5.5-hour spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS). This achievement is noteworthy for both astronauts, as Williams sets a new personal and collective record for time spent on spacewalks. During the 5-hour and 30-minute spacewalk, Williams and Wilmore successfully removed a radio frequency group antenna assembly off the ISS's truss. They also took surface material samples from the Destiny laboratory and Quest airlock. NASA has stated that these materials would be analysed as part of ong
Dubai International Airport (DXB), the world's busiest international airport, has reached a new record of 92 million passengers in 2024, representing a remarkable 6% rise from the previous year. This feat demonstrates Dubai's robust post-pandemic recovery and ongoing prominence as a worldwide aviation hub. Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, celebrated the milestone on social media, noting that DXB had also registered 440,000 air movements, with 106 airlines linking the city to 272 destinations in 107 countries. DXB is the world's busiest airport for the tenth year in a r
A revolutionary high-speed rail service connecting Abu Dhabi and Dubai has been launched, reducing travel time to 30 minutes. The new line, introduced by Etihad Rail, would see trains travel at speeds of up to 350 km/h, going past popular tourist attractions and urban monuments. The route will have six stations: Reem Island, Yas Island, Saadiyat Island, Zayed Airport, and places near Dubai's Al Maktoum Airport and Jaddaf. Although building has not yet begun, network designs have been completed and contract tenders have been submitted. Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled and Sheikh Hamdan stresse