DUBAI: Emirates, one of the world’s biggest long-haul airlines, reported a 21 percent rise in full-year profit on Sunday, but warned the outbreak of the new coronavirus hit its performance in the fourth quarter of the financial year.
The Dubai state carrier made $287.5 million in the 12 months to March 31, compared to $237.3 million a year earlier.
Revenue contracted 6.1 percent to $25 billion as the number of passengers carried fell 4.2 percent to 56.2 million.
Emirates blamed the drop in revenue on runway works at Dubai International airport last year, forcing the airline to reduce capacity for 45 days, and the coronavirus pandemic which has crushed travel demand.
The airline suspended regular, scheduled passenger flights in late March, though it has since operated some services for foreigners leaving the United Arab Emirates, while cargo flights continue to operate.
Emirates sister airport services company dnata saw profit drop by 57 percent to $168.4 million, which the company attributed to increased investment in its catering and airport services divisions and weak demand for the travel business.
Dnata’s profit would have been 72 percent lower had it not been for a one-time divestment, and the unit has started a review of its travel business which booked a $35.9 million impairment.
Profit at Emirates Group, which counts Emirates airline and dnata among its assets, fell 28 percent to $463 million. Revenue was down 4.8 percent to $23.3 billion.
Dubai carrier Emirates airline reports rise in annual profit
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Dubai carrier Emirates airline reports rise in annual profit
- Emirates made $287.5 million in the 12 months to March 31
- Emirates blames the drop in revenue on runway works at Dubai International airport last year
‘We just want peace’: Kashmiri nomadic shepherds yearn for stability amid India-Pakistan tensions
- The lives of these nomads revolve around seasonal migrations, seeking grazing grounds for animals on different altitudes
- But this season, a far greater uncertainty loomed in front of them in the form of India-Pakistan military incursions
MUZAFFARABAD: Muhammad Jahangir, 35, continuously walked for around four hours to finally find a green patch of land along the banks of Jhelum River, just outside the town of Garhi Dupatta in Azad Kashmir, where his goats could graze, and descended from the road to survey the riverside himself.
While the grass and tree leaves there were barely enough to feed his herd of around 250 goats and a few sheep, Jahangir let out a series of sharp, familiar whistles along with others in his group and the trained animals began moving down the slope to nibble at the patchy grass.
Jahangir hails from the Kashmiri Bakarwal community that comprises nomadic, pastoral people, who are known for raising sheep and goats, in both Pakistan and India-governed parts Kashmir, particularly in the Pir Panjal and Himalayan mountain ranges.
The lives of these Bakarwals revolve around seasonal migrations with their herds, seeking grazing grounds on different altitudes depending on the time of year, but this May a far greater uncertainty loomed ahead in the form of India-Pakistan military incursions.
“We’re coming from Kharian and our destination is Deosai,” Jahangir told Arab News, standing beside his flock a surprise truce between the two countries brokered by the United States (US).
“The situation ahead is said to be tense due to firing. Some of our Bakarwal groups are stuck near Panjkot Mali. We’ll decide whether to move ahead or not depending on the conditions.”
Jahangir and three of his fellows were en route to Deosai, a high-altitude plateau in Pakistan’s northern Gilgit-Baltistan region that is known for its lush-green meadows.
But they were forced to stop because of artillery, drone and missile strikes along the nearby Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border dividing Kashmir between Pakistan and India. Jahangir feared that if the situation continued to remain the same, they might not reach the highlands in time.
“We’ve heard that some people have lost their livestock, though we didn’t see it ourselves. Some families have already turned back from Neelum [valley in Azad Kashmir] and returned,” Jahangir said.
This particular group of nomads set out from Kharian over a week ago, traveling on the Grand Trunk Road and arriving in Muzaffarabad via Murree a resort town on the border of Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province. The four men managed the herd on foot, while their families had already moved ahead on horseback to set up makeshift camps along the way.
Devoid of modern gadgets like smartphones and GPS, these nomads rely on inherited knowledge to assess the direction of the wind, position of stars, and bends of rivers to navigate the challenging terrain, though some of them carry basic feature phones that often have no signals in the mountainous regions.
Once a celebrated lifestyle built on freedom and communion with nature, the nomadic way of living is now increasingly threatened by changing climate patterns, shrinking grazing grounds, and a lack of hospitality from settled communities along their traditional routes.
“People are so cruel [now], they don’t even let us stay near their lands,” said Farooq Ahmed, another nomad.
“If we find a little government land near the river, we rest our animals there, otherwise the locals stop us from going uphill. They say the grass and trees are theirs.”
For generations, these nomads’ migration to Deosai has been about survival — escaping the blistering summer heat of the lowlands and reaching the cool, high pastures where food is abundant and livestock can thrive.
But weeks of tensions between India and Pakistan over an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed 26 tourists on April 22, turned into a military conflict last week, leaving more than 60 people dead on both sides in four days of cross-border strikes and threatening the centuries-old nomadic way of life in the region.
Although the US-brokered ceasefire between India and Pakistan remains intact, sporadic violations have been reported by locals in Azad Kashmir.
For Ahmed, this truce offers little assurance.
“We just want peace,” he said. “It has become a problem for everyone, every human being is suffering now.”
Saudi Arabia adds over 1,000 hotel keys as summit opens with major deals
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector saw a boost on the opening day of the Future Hospitality Summit, with more than 1,000 new hotel keys announced across several high-profile agreements.
Key signings on Sunday included new hotel developments in Jeddah, Madinah, and Qassim, underscoring sustained investor confidence in the Kingdom’s ambitious tourism expansion plans.
Among the notable announcements was BWH Hotels’ partnership with Optimal Real Estate and Rsoukh Trading Co. to develop five new properties across Jeddah and Madinah. The move signals a major step forward in the group’s regional expansion strategy.
“We signed five hotels between Jeddah and Madinah,” said Mujahid Pasha, director of development Middle East at BWH Hotels, in an interview with Arab News on the sidelines of the event.
“The partnership only brings five hotels, but these five hotels represent about 1,000 keys in total,” Pasha added.
The centerpiece of BWH’s announcement is a 540-room Best Western Premier property in Madinah, located just 600 meters from the Prophet’s Mosque.
“This is one of the big hotels we just signed today,” said Pasha. “We talk about an upper, upscale offering, which is our Best Western Premier brand.”
Another highlight is a luxury WorldHotels Elite property on King Road in Jeddah — often referred to as the “Golden Mile” due to its prime location. The development will include 215 guest rooms and approximately 300 office units as part of a broader mixed-use complex.
“WorldHotels is our luxury and high-end offering,” said Pasha. “The King Road doesn’t have any luxury offerings, so we wanted to use that brand.”
Three additional hotels will be introduced under BWH’s SureStay brand—its economy and midscale portfolio—including two SureStay Studios and one SureStay Hotel.
“These brands are not in the region as well. The first in the region will be in Saudi Arabia,” Pasha noted, confirming that two of the SureStay properties will be in Jeddah and one in Madinah.
BWH Hotels, which operates 18 brands globally, is leveraging its diverse portfolio to target a broad range of travelers and budgets.
In another development, Amsa Hospitality announced a new four-star hotel project in Qassim in collaboration with Alkayan Alarabi. The property will be located within the Al-Kayan Avenue mall on Al-Imam Al-Bukhari Road.
“This is a new hotel, newly developed, with 174 keys including suites, meeting rooms, gym, two restaurants, and a spa,” said Amsa CEO Muin Serhan.
Designed to serve both business and leisure travelers, “the hotel is currently under development and is expected to complete development by the end of this year with official operations expected later in the first quarter of next year,” Serhan added.
Rounding out the day’s announcements, IHG Hotels & Resorts and Ashaad Co. signed an agreement to develop three new hotels in Jeddah and Alkhobar, further adding to the Kingdom’s growing hospitality portfolio.
Beyond real estate deals, the summit spotlighted the industry’s growing focus on talent development. Organizers launched the inaugural NextGen Investment Forum, aimed at addressing workforce challenges in the tourism and hospitality sectors.
“For the first time at FHS Saudi, we proudly introduce the NextGen Investment Forum, a new platform dedicated to addressing one of the most critical issues and urgent challenges in our history—investing in our people,” said Jonathan Worsley, chairman and CEO of The Bench, which organizes the hospitality event.
Worsley emphasized the hospitality sector’s global economic impact.
“Hospitality and tourism is a massive industry, a massive force in today’s contribution to global gross domestic product,” he said.
“It’s the world’s third largest economic sector,” Worsley added, citing 357 million jobs worldwide and a $1.1 trillion contribution to global GDP.
According to summit figures, the industry will require 100 million additional jobs over the next five years to meet rising demand. In Saudi Arabia alone, a $110 billion investment in the sector is set to deliver 362,000 hotel rooms by 2030.
“We need an additional 1 million jobs in the Kingdom by 2030,” Worsley stated. “The foundations of sustainable growth must begin with education and training.”
The NextGen forum aims to bridge the gap between education and industry by fostering dialogue on training, investment, and talent retention.
“We’re bridging the gap between academia and what the industry needs—exploring funding and investment opportunities in hospitality education and enhancing the industry’s appeal to retain talent and reduce turnover,” Worsley said.
During a panel discussion on global tourism trends, Harry Theoharis, member of the Hellenic Parliament and candidate for secretary-general of the UN World Tourism Organization, praised Saudi Arabia’s transformation.
“Saudi Arabia’s tourist plans, if anything, are one of the biggest success stories,” he said.
“We’ve seen Saudi Arabia transform itself from a very specific and niche market of religious tourism, which was the staple of Saudi Arabia, to a very vibrant, very energetic, very young-oriented destination attuned to the wills of the young population,” Theoharis added.
More than 1,000 global tourism leaders, investors, and operators have convened in Riyadh for the Future Hospitality Summit, held from May 11–13 at the Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah. Centered on the theme “Where Vision Shapes Opportunity,” the event features panels, investment showcases, and strategic signings shaping the future of hospitality in Saudi Arabia and beyond.
Saudi crown prince, Al-Sharaa discuss Syria’s stability and security
- Al-Sharaa thanked Saudi Arabia for its “continued support,” highlighting the Kingdom’s role in strengthening Syria’s territorial integrity and stability
RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Syria’s President Ahmed Al-Sharaa held a phone call on Sunday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
During the call, the crown prince and Al-Sharaa discussed the latest developments in the Syrian Arab Republic, and reviewed all efforts to support its security and stability, SPA added.
According to a Syrian Presidency statement, Prince Mohammed “reiterated the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting Syria’s security and stability, encouraging political solutions that preserve the country’s unity, and contributing to its reconstruction.”
He also emphasized Saudi Arabia’s keenness to expand economic and investment ties with Syria in the period ahead, the statement added.
Al-Sharaa thanked Saudi Arabia for its “continued support,” highlighting the Kingdom’s role in strengthening Syria’s territorial integrity and stability.
Endangered vulture spotted in Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders
- With a 3.1-meter wingspan and weighing up to 14 kilograms, the black vulture is one of the largest of the old world raptors
- Its population numbers have plummeted in the past two centuries because of habitat loss and human activity
RIYADH: An endangered Eurasian black vulture was spotted near the village of Linah in Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders region, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The sighting of the bird, which began its migration about 2,000 kilometers away in Armenia, underscores the reserve’s importance as a sanctuary for migratory species.
With a 3.1-meter wingspan and weighing up to 14 kilograms, the black vulture is one of the largest of the old world raptors. Its population numbers, however, have plummeted in the past two centuries because of habitat loss and human activity.
Nasser Al-Majlad, chairman of the Aman Environmental Association, said that the region’s location — bridging Asia, Africa and Europe — coupled with its diverse terrain and lush vegetation, attracts more than 300 bird species every year.
Al-Majlad said that the consistent passage of migratory birds reflects ecosystem stability and enriches the cultural landscape, adding that the phenomenon offers residents and researchers unique opportunities to study avian biodiversity.
Saudi Arabia’s Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve Development Authority and the Northern Borders region’s Aman Environmental Association marked World Migratory Bird Day 2025 on May 10-11 by advocating for the conservation of migratory birds under the theme “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-Friendly Cities and Communities.”
The events highlighted the ecological significance of the reserve and the Northern Borders region more widely.
Saudi Arabia’s annual participation in World Migratory Bird Day aligns with global conservation goals.
This year’s theme emphasized integrating bird-friendly practices into urban development to mitigate challenges such as habitat fragmentation.
The Northern Borders region is a vital migratory corridor, its strategic geographical location bridging Europe, Africa and Asia.
Migratory birds play an important role in the ecosystem by dispersing seeds, controlling insect populations, and enhancing biodiversity, making them a vital element in sustaining the environmental life cycle.
Taliban govt suspends chess in Afghanistan over gambling
- Gambling is illegal under the Taliban government’s morality law
- An Afghani cafe owner said he would respect the suspension but that it would hurt his business and those who enjoyed the game
KABUL: Taliban authorities have barred chess across Afghanistan until further notice over concerns it is a source of gambling, which is illegal under the government’s morality law, a sports official said on Sunday.
The Taliban government has steadily imposed laws and regulations that reflect its austere vision of Islamic law since seizing power in 2021.
“Chess in sharia (Islamic law) is considered a means of gambling,” which is prohibited according to the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice law announced last year, sports directorate spokesperson Atal Mashwani told AFP.
“There are religious considerations regarding the sport of chess,” he said.
“Until these considerations are addressed, the sport of chess is suspended in Afghanistan,” he added.
Mashwani said the national chess federation had not held any official events for around two years and “had some issues on the leadership level.”
Azizullah Gulzada owns a cafe in Kabul that has hosted informal chess competitions in recent years, but denied any gambling took place and noted chess was played in other Muslim-majority countries.
“Many other Islamic countries have players on an international level,” he told AFP.
He said he would respect the suspension but that it would hurt his business and those who enjoyed the game.
“Young people don’t have a lot of activities these days, so many came here everyday,” he told AFP.
“They would have a cup of tea and challenge their friends to a game of chess.”
Afghanistan’s authorities have restricted other sports in recent years and women have been essentially barred from participating in sport altogether in the country.
Last year, the authorities banned free fighting such as mixed martial arts (MMA) in professional competition, saying it was too “violent” and “problematic with respect to sharia.”
