The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Ministry of Tourism and Environment of the Maldives, and Huawei have launched a new initiative to modernise the management of the South Ari Marine Protected Area (SAMPA) under the Tech4Nature programme. The project aims to safeguard the region’s iconic whale shark population while balancing the growing pressures of tourism through the use of digital technology and real-time monitoring tools. SAMPA is the Maldives’ largest marine protected area and a globally important year-round aggregation site for whale sharks, attracting
Britain has secured a record volume of solar power capacity through its latest renewable energy auction, the government announced on Tuesday, marking a major step toward its clean energy goals. The auction offered guaranteed electricity price contracts to renewable energy developers and resulted in 6.2 gigawatts of onshore wind, solar, and tidal projects winning support. Of this, solar dominated with around 4.9 GW, the highest ever secured in a single round. The UK aims to largely decarbonise its electricity sector by 2030, a target that will require a rapid expansion of renewable sources
Sharjah has been selected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to participate in the pilot phase of its Early Childhood Care and Education – Progress Assessment and Transformation Tool, marking a significant milestone for the Emirate’s early childhood sector. The selection highlights Sharjah’s sustained efforts to strengthen early childhood systems through evidence-based policies, strong governance, and high-quality care and education services, reinforcing its reputation as a regional model for early childhood development. This recognition
Bhutan and the United Arab Emirates share strong and steadily expanding relations, with significant scope to deepen cooperation across sustainability, renewable energy, trade, and investment, Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay has said. He emphasised the need to strengthen bilateral engagement in key economic sectors, highlighting Bhutan’s vast renewable energy potential as a major area of collaboration. “We need to do more in terms of trade and investments,” Tobgay noted, pointing to Bhutan’s fast-flowing rivers as a critical natural resource for generating clean hydropower that can s
Mauritius witnessed a strong surge in Indian tourist arrivals in 2025, with visitor numbers rising by 35 per cent to 75,808, according to the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority. The growth was largely driven by luxury travellers and multi-generational families, underlining the island’s increasing popularity among Indian tourists. MTPA Chairman Dinesh Burrenchobay highlighted India as a key source market, currently ranking fifth for Mauritius after the UK, France, Germany, and CIS countries. He said the island now aims to make India its fourth-largest tourism market by building on the
Dubai is set to get the world’s first ‘Gold Street’, a street constructed using gold, as part of the emirate’s newly launched Gold District. The announcement was made as Ithra Dubai officially unveiled the ambitious project, with further details to be revealed in phases. Positioned as the emirate’s new ‘Home of Gold’, the Dubai Gold District aims to bring together the entire gold and jewellery ecosystem under one destination. The district will feature retail, bullion, wholesale trade, and investment, offering a comprehensive platform for the global gold industry. It already h
Thailand’s Ministry of Finance has reaffirmed its optimistic tourism outlook for 2026, projecting that the kingdom will welcome about 35.5 million foreign tourists this year, a key driver of its economic recovery and growth strategy. The forecasted figure comes after Thailand registered 32.97 million international arrivals in 2025, a slight drop from the previous year but signalling a continued rebound in global travel demand. While still below the pre-pandemic high of nearly 40 million visitors in 2019, the 2026 projection underscores confidence that tourism will remain a central pillar
Qatari energy company Nebras Energy has strengthened its footprint in Oman’s power sector by acquiring significant stakes in two major gas-fired power projects awarded by Omani authorities over the weekend. Doha-headquartered Nebras Energy, recently rebranded from Qatar Electricity & Water Company (QEWC), has secured a 49 per cent stake in the 1,700 MW Misfah Power Project in Muscat Governorate and a 30 per cent stake in the 877 MW Duqm Power Project in Al Wusta Governorate. Both projects were awarded by Nama Power and Water Procurement Company, Oman’s single buyer of electricity a
Dubai has concluded the first international Green Artificial Intelligence Conference, organised by the Zayed International Foundation for the Environment under the patronage of Lt General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, in cooperation with Dubai Police Academy and Curtin University Dubai. The two-day conference, held from January 24 to 25 under the theme “Harnessing Technology for Environmental Sustainability,” brought together more than 150 researchers, policymakers, and green-economy experts from the UAE and overseas. Participants included environmen
UNICEF and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen collaboration in Cameroon in support of child rights, youth engagement, and responses to humanitarian and climate-related emergencies. The two-year partnership will combine the expertise, networks, and resources of both organizations to reach vulnerable children and young people, especially in regions affected by conflict, displacement,t and climate shocks. A key focus is expanding UNICEF’s U-Report and U-Responders initiative, which mobilizes youth as community leade