politics

UAE, Cyprus Presidents discuss boosting strategic partnership

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Excellency Nikos Christodoulides, President of the Republic of Cyprus, held discussions today focused on enhancing cooperation as part of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations.

During talks at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia – held during His Highness’ official visit to Cyprus – President Christodoulides welcomed the UAE President, expressing confidence that the visit would help advance bilateral ties across various domains, and praising His Highness’ commitment to deepening these relations.

The two sides explored opportunities to boost collaboration across key sectors, including the economy, trade, technology, renewable energy, education, culture, tourism, and other areas that support mutual development. They reaffirmed that the UAE-Cyprus Comprehensive Strategic Partnership provides a strong platform for further advancing bilateral relations.

They noted Cyprus’ forthcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union and expressed confidence that it would provide additional opportunities for dialogue and cooperation between the UAE and the European Union.

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed noted the strength of the two countries’ partnership and its steady development. He highlighted the launch of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement between the UAE and the European Union as a significant step towards unlocking new opportunities for trade, investment, and economic cooperation, noting its potential to strengthen the UAE’s ties with Cyprus as both countries work more closely together within the wider EU framework.

The discussions also addressed a range of regional and international issues of shared interest, notably developments in the Middle East and the importance of fostering peace and regional stability. Both sides stressed the importance of ongoing cooperation in delivering humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, reflecting their shared commitment to alleviating the humanitarian impact of conflicts and crises.

They affirmed that the UAE and Cyprus would continue working with partners to provide further assistance to the people of Gaza through all available channels. Both leaders also emphasised the need to expand opportunities for dialogue and diplomatic solutions to resolve conflicts in the region and around the world.

The talks were attended by the delegation accompanying His Highness during the visit, as well as a number of Cypriot ministers and senior officials.

At the conclusion of his official visit, His Highness departed Cyprus.

Story by WAM

People

UAE Urges Public to Improve Online Safety

The UAE Cybersecurity Council has urged the public to begin the new year by adopting smarter cybersecurity habits.

In an official post on its social media channels, the council highlighted the importance of following simple guidelines to stay safe online. These include securing home Wi-Fi networks, keeping devices and software up to date, verifying the safety of websites and applications before use, regularly reviewing app permissions, and deleting old or unused accounts.

The council also stressed the need to encrypt emails, use secure digital networks when connecting to public Wi-Fi, and back up important data.

It added that adopting these measures can help individuals better protect themselves and their information as the new year begins.

Story by Gulf News

Culture

Oulu, Trenčín Named 2026 European Culture Capitals

The cities of Oulu in Finland and Trenčín in Slovakia have been selected as European Capitals of Culture for 2026.

The European Union annually names several cities as European Capitals of Culture to underline Europe’s cultural diversity and honour the cultural and artistic identity of each region.

The two cities replace Chemnitz in Germany’s Saxony and the Slovenian-Italian border twin cities of Nova Gorica/Gorizia.

WAM

People

Beyoncé becomes fifth billionaire musician: Forbes

Grammy-winning artist joins husband Jay-Z and artists like Taylor Swift following the success of Cowboy Carter tour

Beyoncé is now a billionaire, according to a report from Forbes – becoming the fifth musician to obtain the status.

The Grammy award-winning artist, 44, has joined the world’s wealthiest people following the success of her Cowboy Carter tour, which grossed more than $400m in ticket sales, and an additional $50m in merchandise sales. Her previous Renaissance world tour brought in about more than $579m.

Her husband, Jay-Z, was the first musician to become a billionaire on Forbes’s list in 2019. Rihanna, Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift have also achieved the elite status.

Though Beyoncé has launched several ventures including a hair care brand, Cécred, a whiskey label called SirDavis and a clothing line called Ivy Park, most of her personal wealth comes from her music – including revenue from her catalogue and from her global tours – according to Forbes.

In 2010, she founded Parkwood Entertainment, a management and production company, bringing control of all her artistic ventures – including music, concerts and documentaries – in house.

Her 2024 album Cowboy Carter was critically acclaimed, winning Beyoncé her first album of the year Grammy. The tour that followed the album’s release was the world’s highest-grossing music tour of 2025. The three-hour production included guest appearances by her husband, children and former Destiny’s Child bandmates.

“Across any category of the entertainment industry, there is practically no enterprise more lucrative than a musician who can sell out stadiums,” Forbes wrote – noting that the concert tour employed 350 crew members, used 100 semi-trucks worth of equipment, and required eight 747 cargo planes to move the show from city from city.

Beyoncé began her career as a member of the pop group Destiny’s Child before launching her solo career in the early 2000s. She holds the record for most-awarded and most-nominated artist in Grammy history. The artist also made an estimated $50m for the 2024 “Beyoncé Bowl” half-time show for the NFL’s Christmas game, and $10m for starring in Levi’s commercials.

The artist – who sang on her track Pure/Honey, “It should cost a billion to look this good / But she make it look easy ‘cause she got it” – has now officially got it.

In 2025, there are more than 3,000 billionaires around the world, according to Forbes.

The Gurdian