Government-owned Emirates Airline said today the global financial crisis will not curb the airline's expansion plans, reported Reuters. Emirates chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum was quoted as saying, 'we have no problem in our aircraft financing,' while he visited the Cityscape property exhibition in Dubai.

The number of passengers RJ transported increased from 255.000 in August 2007 to 295.000 in August this year, a 16% increase.

The emergence of the low cost airline industry as a star industry in its own right, both globally and on the regional level in the Middle East and North Africa region, is the subject of the 'Low Cost Airlines World MENA' conference, taking place 3-5 November in Al Ain, UAE.

SITA, the specialist provider of IT solutions to airlines and airports, today said there is overwhelming evidence from passengers surveyed at six of the world's busiest airports across five continents, that self-service is fast becoming the norm for passengers from Atlanta to Moscow and that the main challenge to even broader adoption of 'do-it-yourself' travel management is baggage.

Designed with the capability to handle 43 million passengers a year when fully operational, Emirates Terminal 3, scheduled to open on 14th October 2008, promises travellers the perfect start to an amazing journey from this avant-garde airport.

Announcing the results, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau's Middle East Office confirmed that the strongest growth was registered from the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait.

Among the other markets that were a major source of tourists to Sri Lanka during the nine month period included France, Finland, Norway, Japan Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, India, Australia and New Zealand.

MANAMA, Bahrain - Takaful International Co. has signed a joint cooperation agreement with Al-Hikma International School According to the agreement, Takaful International Co. provides comprehensive health coverage to the teachers and the members of the administrative staff of the school and their families.

DUBAI, UAE - International expatriate insurance specialist William Russell and Dubai Insurance have launched a bespoke international health insurance service for Gulf-based companies with more than 50 expatriate employees which allows large companies to tailor their cover to meet their exact requirements.

TEHRAN, Iran - The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) signed recently, in Tehran, a memorandum of understanding to pool their efforts and support activities of 1DB member countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

DUBAI, UAE - After more than a decade of Safe & Sound, the message of preventing breast cancer and promoting early detection is stronger than ever.

DUBAI, UAE - Dubai World, deeply committed to humanitarian campaigns and social welfare activities, announced that it will sponsor a gala event to be hosted by Kids with HIV Foundation, the Cape Town-based charitable organisation, to raise funds for HIV-affected children in South Africa.

ABU DHABI, UAE - Since the inception of the Breast Cancer Awareness Month program in 1985, mammography rates have more than doubled in many countries for women 40 years of age or older and breast cancer deaths have declined.

DUBAI, UAE - Dubai will host a two-day international conference during 15-16 October 2008 on learning disability among children with the objective of raising awareness about this crucial issue affecting thousands of children around the world and exploring how to help students succeed in secondary and post-secondary education.