Google has released this year's trending searches in the Middle East and North Africa, with sporting events and regional conflict topping the list in the UAE.
The UAE's population showed significant interest in cricket matches. The Men's T20 World Cup was the most-searched sports events, followed by the Indian Premier League, and the Euro 2024.
People in the UAE also used Google search to follow news of war in Palestine, the US election, the CrowdStrike outage, and the Monkeypox disease.
Football remained the undisputed king in Saudi Arabia, with the fierce rivalry between Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr fuelling passionate searches.
Saudis turned to Google Search to delve deeper into their heritage, posing questions like "What is the total tourism spending in Asir?", "In what year was oil discovered in Saudi Arabia?".
In Egypt, the participation of the Egyptian National team in the Olympics ranked first, followed by various local, regional and global topics including the war in Palestine and the US elections. Egyptian footballer Mohamed Abdelmonem topped the personalities list.
The UAE's Attorney-General, Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, has ordered the referral of 13 defendants and six UAE-registered companies to the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal (State Security Court) on charges of illicit trafficking in military materiel, forgery and money laundering.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has honoured the winners of the 'Erth Dubai Awards', recognising their contributions to preserving the emirate’s cultural and social heritage.
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, has met with France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, to discuss regional developments and bilateral ties.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has announced a nationwide programme of events to mark International Workers’ Day on May 1, in collaboration with government and private sector partners.
The UAE’s transport and supply chain system continues to operate efficiently, affirmed Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, adding that it reflects the country's "high level of resilience in addressing regional challenges".
Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minster of State, has reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to working with regional and international partners to end the conflict in Gaza and advance a path towards a two-state solution.