Emirates confirms that flights to and from Algeria are operating as scheduled, and services remain unaffected at this time. Customers with upcoming travel plans should proceed as booked.

Emirates will fully comply with any instructions or directives issued by government authorities and will provide timely updates to its customers, employees and partners should circumstances change.

Read more-Emirates adds Premium Economy to Dublin, Milan, Hong Kong

The airline also confirmed that currently, the last scheduled flight, EK757, will depart from Algiers on February 3, 2027. The entity also apologised for any inconvenience that this may cause their customers. Customers whose travel plans are impacted from this date are encouraged to consider alternative travel arrangements through their booking agents, an Emirates media report said.

Emirates expands reach in China through interline partnership with Loong Air

Emirates and Loong Air have signed an interline agreement, increasing Emirates’ footprint in China and offering the airline’s customers access to additional cities beyond its own gateways.

Starting immediately, Emirates customers will have access to 22 points across China operated by Loong Air via Hangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. The cities span several regions across East, Northeast, South, Central, and Southwest China.

The partnership offers customers the simplicity of booking multi-airline itineraries with a single fare, along with one seamless baggage policy and consistent fare conditions throughout their journey. Emirates’ expanded reach in China will further enhance connectivity for leisure and business travellers alike, unlocking convenient access to key domestic hubs including Zhengzhou, Changchun, Haikou, Xiangyang, and Dazhou.

Tickets can be purchased on www.emirates.com, Online Travel Agencies (OTA’s) and with all major GDS’ via travel agents. Customers booking through Emirates’ official website can also enjoy the convenience of online payment methods such as WeChat Pay and Alipay.

Emirates in China

The launch of an interline agreement with Loong Air is part of Emirates’ ongoing commitment to the Chinese market. Last year, the airline launched flights to two new destinations – Shenzhen and Hangzhou, and has further enhanced its product offerings by deploying its award-winning Premium Economy on these new routes, in addition to bringing back its iconic A380 on Shanghai flights.

Emirates has been operating in the Chinese mainland since 2004. Today, the airlineserves five major cities with 49 weekly flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hangzhou using a mix of A380s, A350s and Boeing 777s.

In addition to Loong Air, Emirates is also partnered with Air China, China Southern Airlines and Sichuan Airlines, offering customers access to more than 110 points in China beyond its own network, via its existing 5 gateways.

Under directives from Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ajman, the Ajman Department of Human Resources has launched the “Ajman Ramadan with the Family” initiative, mandating 100 percent remote work on Fridays for government entities during the holy month of Ramadan.

The initiative supports the objectives of the “Year of Family” and is designed to enhance work-life balance while strengthening family bonds during the holy month. According to a WAM report, the move aims to improve employees’ quality of life, reinforce social cohesion, and encourage stronger family communication.

Read more-Ramadan 2026 in Oman: Start date confirmed, working hours announced

The decision reflects Sheikh Humaid’s commitment to fostering a flexible working environment that recognizes the special nature of Ramadan and prioritises employee wellbeing. Officials said the approach is also expected to positively impact productivity and institutional performance.

In a circular issued to government entities, the department confirmed official working hours will run from Monday to Thursday, 9:00am to 2:30pm. On Fridays, working hours will be from 9:00am to 12:00pm, with all duties performed remotely.

The department emphasised that the initiative aligns with Ajman Government’s broader strategy to develop flexible and sustainable workplace policies in line with global best practices.

Private sector hours reduced across UAE

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) announced a two-hour reduction in daily working hours for private sector employees across the UAE during Ramadan.

The decision applies to all private sector establishments nationwide and is in accordance with the Implementing Regulations of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Employment Relationships and its amendments.

MoHRE clarified that companies may implement flexible schedules or remote work systems during Ramadan, provided they operate within the reduced daily hours and align arrangements with operational requirements.

DP World has announced the appointment of Essa Kazim as chairman of its board of directors and Yuvraj Narayan as group chief executive officer, marking a leadership transition aimed at supporting the company’s next phase of growth.

Essa Kazim currently serves as Governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre and Chairman of Borse Dubai. He brings extensive experience in financial and economic affairs, having previously held senior leadership roles across several national institutions.

Yuvraj Narayan steps into the role of group CEO with more than two decades of experience in financial management, corporate finance, supply chains and global trade. Since joining DP World in 2004, he has led multiple strategic and transformational initiatives that have underpinned the company’s international expansion and strengthened its position as an integrated global provider of end-to-end supply chain solutions.

Narayan has served as group chief financial officer since 2005, playing a key role in enhancing the company’s financial resilience and operational efficiency during periods of global trade volatility and expansion.

Read: DP World data shows Ramadan-driven spike in staple imports

talabat, the MENA region’s leading on-demand delivery platform, has capped off a resilient 2025 with strong financial performance and an ambitious vision for the future, announcing more than $100m in strategic investments for 2026 to scale its grocery and loyalty subscription offerings.

The company reported full-year gross merchandise value (GMV) growth of 28 per cent at constant currency to reach $9.5bn, while revenue grew 33 per cent to $3.9bn.

Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) hit $615m, representing a 6.5 per cent margin, with net income reaching $464m — margins that CEO Toon Gyssels described as “amongst the highest in the industry”.

Scalability across dynamic markets

The fourth quarter showcased continued momentum, with GMV climbing 21 per cent year-on-year to $2.5bn, driven by robust order volume growth across all markets and surging adoption of talabat pro, the company’s loyalty subscription programme.

Revenue for the quarter reached $1bn, up 26 per cent, while adjusted EBITDA grew 13 per cent to $156m.

“I am very pleased to report that in 2025, we demonstrated the strength and scalability of our business model by delivering robust growth and profitability despite a dynamic operating environment,” said Gyssels. “We achieved GMV growth of 28 per cent at constant currency with an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 6.5 per cent and a net income margin of 4.9 per cent, amongst the highest in the industry.”

The company’s performance met or exceeded guidance across all key metrics, with adjusted free cash flow reaching $559m, equivalent to 5.9 per cent of GMV and representing a cash conversion ratio of 91 per cent.

Strategic growth drivers are gaining traction

talabat’s diversification strategy is yielding results, with its groceries and retail (G&R) segment significantly outpacing food delivery growth.

G&R GMV surged 45 per cent in Q4 to $788m, now representing 32 per cent of total GMV compared to 27 per cent a year earlier.

Non-GCC markets also demonstrated strong momentum, with GMV growth of 57 per cent reaching $501m for the quarter.

The company’s GMV-to-revenue conversion ratio improved to 42 per cent, up from 40 per cent in the prior year, reflecting higher contributions from talabat mart and subscription revenues.

Investment plan for 2026

With the full support of its board, talabat is launching a disciplined investment cycle for 2026, earmarking more than $100m for two strategic priorities: scaling talabat mart, its grocery integrated vertical, and enhancing talabat pro across all eight markets.

For talabat mart, investments will focus on improving affordability to accelerate customer adoption, increasing store density to reinforce its speed-led value proposition, and expanding supply chain infrastructure to enhance product assortment and availability. The company expects these investments to be offset over the long term through higher advertising and non-merchandising revenue, noting “strong early traction already demonstrated in the best performing talabat mart markets.”

The talabat pro subscription programme, now available across all eight markets following successful launches in Egypt and Iraq in 2025, will receive incremental investments to enhance value for both customers and vendors.

The programme already delivers benefits including free delivery, booster discounts, on-time guarantee, priority support, dine-out discounts, and partner services such as streaming and ride-hailing.

“As we enter 2026, we are now taking a deliberate step to invest more in our business with the full support of our Board,” Gyssels explained. “We have earmarked more than $100m in ecosystem investments for 2026 as we aim to expand our multi-vertical subscriber base by enhancing the value proposition of our talabat pro loyalty subscription programme and scaling talabat mart, our grocery integrated vertical. While this will weigh on near-term margins, we are confident this is the right strategy to maximise shareholder value in the medium and longer term.”

Final dividend

Reflecting robust cash generation and confidence in the business outlook, talabat‘s board has recommended a final dividend of $219m, bringing total dividends for 2025 to $421m, exceeding previous guidance of $400m. This represents a 90 per cent payout of reported net income, demonstrating the company’s commitment to shareholder returns alongside growth investments.

For 2026, talabat expects GMV growth of 11-14 per cent at constant currency, Adjusted EBITDA of $510-540m, net income of $280-310m, and free cash flow of $370-400m. The guidance incorporates instashop’s expected performance and reflects the near-term margin impact of strategic investments.

The board and management remain aligned that this disciplined approach will strengthen competitive positioning, build capacity for future growth, and maximise long-term shareholder value, while maintaining the dividend policy of 90 per cent of net income.

Read: talabat Kitchens raises network to 30+ hubs across MENA

Authorities in the UAE and Kuwait have dismantled an international drug trafficking network and seized more than 14 million Captagon pills in a joint operation, officials said.

Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad Al Nahyan, chairman of the National Anti-Narcotics Bureau, said the operation reflected close coordination and intelligence sharing between the General Department of Anti-Narcotics at Dubai Police and Kuwait’s anti-narcotics authorities.

The shipment, concealed inside sacks of corn and distributed across five containers, contained 2 tonnes and 250 kilogrammes of Captagon tablets, totalling 14,062,500 pills, Dubai Police said.

Authorities said the consignment had arrived through the port of an Arab country. Three Arab nationals were identified as linked to the shipment and were arrested while unloading the sacks in preparation for storage. The entire quantity of narcotics was seized.

Dubai Police said the concealment method was designed to evade inspection procedures.

The operation followed detailed intelligence analysis and information exchange between Emirati and Kuwaiti authorities, enabling specialised teams to intervene before the drugs could enter circulation.

The chairman of the National Anti-Narcotics Bureau said the operation underscored the strength of relations between the UAE and Kuwait and highlighted the level of operational integration between the two countries.

He said such cooperation enhances regional security and helps curb cross-border trafficking networks.

A significant operation targeting organised drug networks: Dubai Police

Dubai Police described the seizure as one of the most significant operations targeting organised drug networks and said combating narcotics remains a top security priority.

Authorities reiterated their commitment to preventing the UAE from being used as a transit or storage hub for illegal substances.

Officials said intelligence and operational cooperation between the two countries would continue to counter organised drug networks and disrupt supply chains.