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Airspace closure: UAE airlines announce flight cancellations

The decisions have disrupted travel plans for thousands of passengers and prompted rerouting of several flights

Nida Sohail
Nida Sohail

15 June, 2025

Airspace closure: UAE airlines announce flight cancellations
Image credit: Emirates/Website

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Major airlines across the UAE have announced a wave of flight cancellations and suspensions in response to escalating regional tensions and airspace restrictions affecting parts of the Middle East.

The decisions have disrupted travel plans for thousands of passengers and prompted rerouting of several flights, with carriers citing safety as their top priority.

Emirates suspends flights to four countries

Dubai-based Emirates Airline has temporarily suspended all flights to and from Iraq, Iran, Jordan, and Lebanon due to the evolving security situation.

The affected destinations include:

Amman, Jordan and Beirut, Lebanon — suspended until and including Sunday, June 22

Tehran, Iran, and Baghdad and Basra, Iraq — suspended until and including Monday, June 30

Read-Iran, Iraq airspace closure: DXB, Sharjah airports issue statement

Customers traveling through Dubai with final destinations in these countries — or those with onward connections via flydubai to suspended destinations — will not be accepted for travel at their point of origin until further notice.

Emirates urged affected travelers to contact their travel agent for rebooking or, if booked directly, reach out to the airline. Passengers are also advised to check flight status on emirates.com and update their contact details via the airline’s Manage Your Booking feature to receive timely alerts.

“We apologize for any inconvenience caused and continue to monitor the situation closely,” the airline said in a statement. “The safety of our passengers, crew, and operations remains our highest priority.”

Etihad cancels Tel Aviv flights, resumes Jordan and Lebanon routes

Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways also announced continued disruptions due to regional airspace closures, particularly affecting flights to Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon.

Flights between Abu Dhabi (AUH) and Tel Aviv (TLV) are canceled through June 17. Services between Abu Dhabi and Amman (EY 591/592) and Beirut (EY 581/582) are set to resume June 15 with revised schedules for passengers holding existing bookings.

Etihad noted it is rerouting multiple other services due to restricted airspace and will not accept transit passengers connecting through Abu Dhabi to canceled destinations.

“This remains a developing situation, and some delays may occur,” the airline said. “We are assisting impacted guests with alternative arrangements.”

Travelers are advised to check etihad.com, the airline’s mobile app, or call the Etihad Contact Centre for real-time updates.

Wizz Air suspends Tel Aviv and Amman routes

Low-cost carrier Wizz Air confirmed it is suspending all flights to and from Tel Aviv and Amman until June 20 amid ongoing instability in the region.

Additionally, the airline warned that flights overflying affected airspace — including services to and from Abu Dhabi Zayed International Airport — may also face disruptions.

Passengers can opt for free rebooking or request a full refund in WIZZ credits or to their original payment method. Those who booked through third parties should contact them directly.

Wizz Air urged travelers to monitor its website, app, or email and SMS notifications for the latest flight status and instructions.

“We continue to monitor the situation closely and thank all passengers for their understanding,” the airline said. “Safety remains our top priority.”

flydubai cancels routes across multiple countries

flydubai has also suspended flights to several destinations in response to the ongoing crisis and airspace restrictions:

Until June 16: Jordan, Lebanon, Syria

Until June 17: Minsk (Belarus), St. Petersburg (Russia)

Until June 20: Iran, Iraq, Israel

Passengers connecting through Dubai International Airport (DXB) with final destinations in affected areas will not be accepted for travel until further notice.

The airline advised customers to manage rebooking options online and keep contact information updated via the Manage Booking portal. Flight status updates are available at flydubai.com.

“Some flights may be rerouted or delayed. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding,” flydubai said, adding that it is closely monitoring the situation.

Air Arabia cancels broad range of flights

Sharjah-based Air Arabia announced cancellations across a wide range of destinations due to airspace closures and escalating regional tensions.

On June 14, flights to Iran, Iraq, Russia, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan were canceled.

On June 13, the airline had already suspended flights to Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and several of the same Central Asian and Caucasus countries.

Passengers transiting through Sharjah or Abu Dhabi to these destinations will not be accepted for travel at their origin airports until further updates are issued.

Several other flights have also been rerouted or delayed as a result.

RIQ: IHC names new AI-native reinsurance platform

RIQ is supported by more than $1bn in initial equity commitments and is targeting over $10bn in liabilities

Gulf Business
Gulf Business

15 June, 2025

RIQ: IHC names new AI-native reinsurance platform
Image: ADGM/ For illustrative purposes

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International Holding Company (IHC) officially named its new global reinsurance platform as Reinsurance Intelligence Quotient (RIQ).

The new entity is headquartered in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the international financial centre in the UAE capital.

The announcement follows last month’s launch of the platform and marks a key milestone in a strategic partnership between IHC, BlackRock, and Lunate aimed at reshaping the global insurance sector through innovation, scale, and collaboration.

Read: IHC, BlackRock, Lunate partner to launch global reinsurance platform

RIQ is positioned as a next-generation reinsurance company, combining artificial intelligence and human expertise to advance global risk transfer.

Here’s what RIQ will handle

Its AI-native infrastructure is designed to enhance underwriting accuracy, capital deployment, and real-time decision-making.

The platform will offer reinsurance solutions across Property and Casualty (P&C), Life, and specialised segments, with an initial focus on high-growth markets. RIQ’s strategy emphasises the role of AI in improving risk selection, cost efficiency, and client servicing.

RIQ’s Board of Directors will be chaired by Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber and includes Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, Syed Basar Shueb, Sofia Abdellatif Lasky, and Mark Wilson.

“With the unveiling of RIQ, we take a bold step toward shaping the future of global insurance,” said Al Jaber. “RIQ reflects our ambition to build a trusted, tech-forward reinsurance champion that connects global capital with high-growth markets, all from the heart of Abu Dhabi’s thriving financial center.”

The company is progressing through final regulatory steps with the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of ADGM ahead of full operational launch.

RIQ is supported by more than $1bn in initial equity commitments and is targeting over $10bn in liabilities. Its backers say the platform is designed to transform both regional and global reinsurance markets.

“RIQ is the embodiment of IHC’s vision to invest in the next frontier of global financial services,” said Syed Basar Shueb, CEO of IHC and board member of RIQ.

Mark Wilson, CEO of RIQ, added, “Our new name signals our long-term commitment to building a high-performance, AI-native reinsurance company with the scale and agility to lead in a rapidly changing world.”

RIQ will continue to build its team, pursue selective partnerships, and expand global capabilities with the continued support of BlackRock and Lunate.

Trump reports over $600m in income from crypto, golf, licensing fees

According to reports, a meme coin released earlier this year by the president — $TRUMP — alone has earned an estimated $320m in fees

Reuters
Reuters

15 June, 2025

Trump reports over $600m in income from crypto, golf, licensing fees
Image: Getty Images

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Donald Trump reported more than $600m in income from crypto, golf clubs, licensing and other ventures in a public financial disclosure report released on Friday that provided a glimpse of the vast business holdings of America’s billionaire president.

The annual financial disclosure form, which appeared to cover the 2024 calendar year, shows the president’s push into crypto added substantially to his wealth but he also reported large fees from developments and revenues from his other businesses.

Overall, the president reported assets worth at least $1.6bn, a Reuters calculation shows.

What the financial disclosures reveal

While Trump has said he has put his businesses into a trust managed by his children, the disclosures show how income from those sources still ultimately accrue to the president — something that has opened him to accusations of conflicts of interest.

Some of his businesses in areas such as crypto, for example, benefit from US policy shifts under him and have become a source of criticism.

“President Trump, Vice President Vance, and senior White House staff have completed required ethics briefings and financial reporting obligations,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an emailed statement to Reuters. “The Trump Administration is committed to transparency and accessibility for the American people.”

The financial disclosure was signed on June 13 and did not state the time period it covered.

The details of the cryptocurrency listings, as well as other information in the disclosure, suggest it was through the end of December 2024, which would exclude most of the money raised by the family’s cryptocurrency ventures.

Given the speed at which the Trump family has made deals during his ascent to the presidency, the filing is already a time capsule of sorts, capturing a period when the family was just starting to get into crypto but was largely still in the world of real estate deals and golf clubs.

A meme coin released earlier this year by the president —$TRUMP — alone has earned an estimated $320m in fees, although it’s not publicly known how that amount has been divided between a Trump-controlled entity and its partners.

In addition to the meme coin fees, the Trump family has raked in more than $400m from World Liberty Financial, a decentralised finance company.

The Trump family is involved, also, with a bitcoin mining operation and digital asset exchange-traded funds.

In the disclosures, Trump reported $57.35m from token sales at World Liberty.

He also reported holding 15.75bn governance tokens in the venture.

Trump Media assets

The wealth of the Republican businessman-turned-politician ranges from crypto to real estate, and a large part on paper is tied up in his stake in Trump Media & Technology Group, owner of social media platform Truth Social.

Besides assets and revenues from his business ventures, the president reported at least $12m in income, including through interest and dividends, from passive investments totaling at least $211m, a Reuters calculation shows.

His biggest investments were in alternative fund manager Blue Owl Capital Corp and in government bond funds managed by Charles Schwab and Invesco.

The disclosure often only gave ranges for the value of his assets and income; Reuters used the lower amount listed, meaning the total value of his assets and income was almost certainly higher.

Trump’s properties in Florida, other places

The disclosure showed income from various assets including Trump’s properties in Florida.

Trump’s three golf-focused resorts in the state — Jupiter, Doral and West Palm Beach — plus his nearby private members’ club at Mar-a-Lago generated at least $217.7m in income, according to the filing.

Trump National Doral, the expansive Miami-area golf hub known for its Blue Monster course, was the family’s single largest income source at $110.4m.

The income figures provided are essentially revenues, not net profits after subtracting costs.

The disclosure underlined the global nature of the Trump family business, listing income of $5m in license fees from a development in Vietnam, $10m in development fees from a project in India and almost $16m in licensing fees for a Dubai project.

Trump collected royalty money, also, from a variety of deals – $1.3m from the Greenwood Bible (its website describes it as “the only Bible officially endorsed by Lee Greenwood and President Trump”); $2.8m from Trump Watches, and $2.5m from Trump Sneakers and Fragrances.

Trump listed $1.16m in income from his NFTs – digital trading cards in his likeness — while First Lady Melania Trump earned around $216,700 from license fees on her own NFT collection.

Read: Eric Trump on why the Gulf is the future of luxury real estate

Iran, Iraq airspace closure: DXB, Sharjah airports issue statement

Passengers are advised to check with their airlines for the latest updates and rebooking options before heading to the airport

Nida Sohail
Nida Sohail

14 June, 2025

Iran, Iraq airspace closure: DXB, Sharjah airports issue statement
Image credit: Dubai Airports

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Some flights at Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) have been cancelled or delayed due to airspace closures over Iran, Iraq, and Syria.

View post on X

“We’re working to manage the disruption and support affected guests,” DXB said in a statement posted on its official X account.

Read-Flightradar data shows airline diversions as Israel strikes Iran

Passengers are advised to check with their airlines for the latest updates and rebooking options before heading to the airport, and to allow extra time for arrival. DXB added that field teams are on-site to assist and thanked travelers for their patience and understanding.

Sharjah Airport has also urged passengers to regularly monitor their flight status, as several cancellations and delays have been reported due to the airspace closures in the region.

A WAM report noted that passengers should contact their airlines directly to confirm flight status before heading to the airport to ensure a smooth travel experience.

Sharjah Airport reassured travelers that it is closely monitoring the situation in coordination with relevant authorities and is implementing all necessary operational measures to maintain the highest standards of safety and service.

According to Flightradar24 data, airlines cleared out of the airspace over Israel, Iran, Iraq, and Jordan on Friday after Israel launched attacks on targets in Iran. Carriers have diverted or cancelled flights to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.

Israel stated on Friday that it had targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories, and military commanders at the start of what it described as a prolonged operation to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.

Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport was closed until further notice, and Israel’s air defense forces remain on high alert for potential retaliatory strikes from Iran.

Israeli flag carrier El Al Airlines announced it had suspended flights to and from Israel and was relocating some aircraft out of the country. Israir Airlines also stated it was evacuating planes from Tel Aviv and anticipated the airport would remain closed through the weekend.

Many global airlines had already suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv after a missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels landed near the airport on May 4.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Fire in Dubai Marina high-rise under control, no injuries reported

According to reports, 3,820 residents from the building’s 764 apartments have been safely evacuated

Gulf Business
Gulf Business

14 June, 2025

Fire in Dubai Marina high-rise under control, no injuries reported
Image courtesy: Dubai Media Office/ X

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A fire that broke out late Friday in a 67-storey residential tower in Dubai’s Marina district has been brought under control, the Dubai Media Office (DMO) said on Saturday.

Dubai Civil Defence teams worked for six hours to extinguish the blaze, evacuating all 3,820 residents from the building’s 764 apartments without any reported injuries, according to DMO.

Authorities confirmed that all residents had been safely evacuated and the situation was under control.

View post on X

Dubai Marina fire: Residents’ safety a priority

Fire in Dubai Marina high-rise contained, no injuries reported
Images Dubai Media office/ X

Images shared by Dubai Media Office on social media platform X showed smoke continuing to rise from the tower hours after the fire had been contained.

The authorities said on X: “control measures remain in place and the situation is fully managed by the firefighting teams.”

Authorities are now working with the building’s developer to secure temporary housing for displaced residents. The authorities have said that the safety and wellbeing of those affected remained the top priority.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Read: Air India Ahmedabad-London flight crash – 241 confirmed fatalities, one survivor

G42 establishes Europe & UK subsidiary, eyes AI infrastructure growth

The establishment of the new entity follows G42’s increasing presence in Europe, which includes recent announcements of data centres and compute clusters in France and Italy

Gulf Business
Gulf Business

13 June, 2025

G42 establishes Europe & UK subsidiary, eyes AI infrastructure growth
Image: G42

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G42, the Abu Dhabi-based artificial intelligence and advanced technology group has launched G42 Europe & UK, a new subsidiary headquartered in London.

The entity will focus on providing tailored AI solutions to the private sector and collaborating with governments and industry partners to develop critical AI infrastructure across the UK and continental Europe.

G42 Europe & UK will be co-chaired by two technology leaders: Omar Mir, an international board member at World Wide Technology, and Marty Edelman, group general counsel of G42.

Mir brings over two decades of global tech industry experience, having led initiatives in 5G, edge computing, cloud, and AI services across the UK, Europe, the US, and the Middle East.

Edelman oversees legal and compliance strategy for G42’s global operations and has been key in shaping the group’s governance as it expands into new markets.

Read: Stargate UAE: G42, OpenAI, Oracle, NVIDIA, SoftBank, Cisco to build AI cluster

Leveraging G42’s expertise

“Our goal is to harness G42’s proven AI expertise and localise it for European and UK businesses — fuelling digital transformation, enhancing competitiveness, and building resilient, sovereign AI infrastructure in partnership with public and private stakeholders,” said Omar Mir, co-chair of G42 Europe & UK.

Marty Edelman, also co-chair, added, “UK and Europe represents a dynamic market with immense opportunity for AI-driven innovation. By establishing a dedicated hub in London, we strengthen our ability to serve clients with deep regulatory understanding and world-class technology solutions.”

The establishment of the new entity follows G42’s increasing presence in Europe, which includes recent announcements of data centres and compute clusters in France and Italy, alongside growing interest from other regional countries.

G42 Europe and UK plans to leverage G42’s global network of supercomputing nodes, data centres, and AI capabilities. It aims to deliver scalable, secure, and end-to-end AI services, ranging from strategic advisory and model development to infrastructure deployment and managed services.

These services will target sectors such as financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, and energy. The new subsidiary will also work with national and regional authorities to advance data-sovereignty initiatives and support the deployment of next-generation AI infrastructure.

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