The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) announced that the Sheikh Zayed Air Navigation Centre surpassed one million air traffic movements in 2024, reinforcing the country's status as a global aviation leader. This milestone was reached on December 22 with the arrival of Emirates Flight 305 from Shanghai, signalling a historic event in the country's aviation industry. The GCAA believes that this success represents the UAE's strategic location, cutting-edge infrastructure, and commitment to innovation. Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and also the chairman of the GC
Thailand has launched the "Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism & Sports Year 2025" campaign, led by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The campaign's ambitious goal is to attract 40 million foreign visitors and generate 2.8 trillion baht in tourism earnings this year. Thailand's tourism revenue in 2024 was 2.6 trillion baht, somewhat less than its objective of 3 trillion baht. Despite this, the country continues to rank in the top 14 worldwide tourism markets in terms of foreign visitor income, demonstrating its status as a top destination. Global e
Dubai has secured the eighth spot globally and the top position in the Middle East in the 2024 Global Power City Index (GPCI). This marks the second consecutive year Dubai has maintained this ranking. Released annually by Japan’s Mori Memorial Foundation, the GPCI highlights Dubai’s leadership in innovation, economic growth, and global connectivity. It is the only city in the Middle East in the top 10, reinforcing its status as a global hub for business, talent, and investment. Sheikh Hamdan, Crown Prince of Dubai, attributed this success to the city’s modern infrastructure, progr
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a 13-km section of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor on Sunday morning. This section, stretching from Sahibabad in Uttar Pradesh to New Ashok Nagar in east Delhi, marks the first entry of Namo Bharat trains into the capital. It connects Delhi to Meerut via high-speed trains. Modi also took a ride on a Namo Bharat train from Sahibabad to New Ashok Nagar. The journey lasted less than 10 minutes. The section, built at a cost of ₹4,600 crore, opened to the public at 5 pm with trains running every 15 minutes. HT traveled on the train from New Ashok Nag
Dubai's Tourism Sector 2024 Performance Report, covering January to November, highlights the emirate's impressive tourist numbers. In November, Dubai welcomed 1.83 million international tourists, following 1.77 million in January, 1.9 million in February, 1.51 million in March, 1.5 million in April, 1.44 million in May, 1.19 million in June, 1.31 million in both July and August, 1.36 million in September, and 1.67 million in October. Western Europe emerged as the top source of tourists, contributing 20% of the total with 3.298 million visitors. South Asia followed with 2.858 million touris
Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister, MK Stalin, has offered a $1 million prize for deciphering the Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC) script. Despite 100 years of effort, the ancient script remains a mystery. "We still can't fully understand the writing of this once-flourishing civilisation," Stalin said at a conference in Chennai marking the IVC's centenary. Sir John Marshall, an English archaeologist, announced the IVC's discovery on September 20, 1924. Stalin acknowledged the ongoing challenge. "For a century, experts have tried to solve this riddle. I’m offering $1 million to anyone who can suc
The Defence Ministry has declared 2025 as the "Year of Reforms" to modernize India's armed forces. This initiative aims to establish integrated theatre commands, enhancing joint operations among the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The reforms will focus on adopting advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, hypersonics, and robotics. Emphasis will also be placed on cyber and space domains to prepare for multi-domain operations. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that these reforms will strengthen India's defense capabilities, ensuring national securi
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has introduced a major update for UPI transactions. It now allows interoperability of prepaid payment instruments (PPIs) through third-party application providers (TPAPs). Previously, UPI payments were interoperable only through TPAPs for fund transfers. However, PPI-based transactions, like those involving digital wallets, worked only within the issuer’s system. In a statement, the RBI said, “UPI payments from/to full-KYC PPIs will now be enabled through third-party UPI applications.” This means PPI holders can send or receive UPI payments using ap
Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the crucial role of youth in driving the nation's progress on Thursday. Speaking at a Veer Bal Diwas event, he called for a futuristic approach to equip young people with skills in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). “This era has advanced from machines to machine learning,” Modi stated. He highlighted AI's growing dominance, replacing conventional software, and stressed the importance of preparing youth to tackle these challenges. The government, he added, is committed to nurturing young talent and
The Centre plans to send a human into the deep sea, likely aligning with India’s human space mission in early 2026. Union Minister of State for Science, Jitendra Singh, announced this on Thursday during the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami at INCOIS. Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mention of the Deep Sea Mission in a past Independence Day address, Singh highlighted the significance of this initiative. "We are planning to send a human into the deep sea. It’s a fascinating coincidence - one Indian in space and another in the deep sea," he