The 1 Billion Followers Summit concluded its second edition in Dubai on Thursday, with its hashtag #1BillionSummit engaging over 489 million users to rank among the week's most followed hashtags worldwide.
The two-day summit organised by the New Media Academy reiterated the importance of digital content creation to its over 7,000 attendees, which included 3,000 content creators, 195 speakers from 95 countries, and over 300 local and international journalists.
It also saw 24 panel discussions covering the latest challenges, trends and opportunities in creative industries with the world's leading social media pioneers.
Saeed Al Eter, Chairman of the UAE Government Media Office, said the summit was "a new affirmation of our country's strong presence in every positive change aimed at advancing means of communication among people".
Alia Al Hammadi, CEO of the New Media Academy, added that the vibrant regional and global engagement with the summit asserts Dubai's leadership in providing a nurturing and supportive environment for creative industry professionals and emerging talents. It also solidifies the city’s position as a preferred destination for content creators and influencers of various nationalities and cultures.
Global equity markets, including from the U.S., Europe and Asia, rose while oil prices fell on Wednesday, as traders cheered news of ceasefire proposals to de-escalate the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Australia's centre-left government has introduced legislation in the parliament to double penalties for fuel price gouging on Wednesday as global supply disruptions due to the Iran war triggered fuel shortages in some rural regions.
Gulf markets ended mixed on Tuesday, with Qatar extending losses while other bourses steadied as investors parsed conflicting signals on potential US-Iran talks.
Australia and the European Union on Tuesday signed a trade deal marking the culmination of years of negotiations, as Europe seeks to diversify its export markets and expand ties beyond its traditional partners.
Weaponising the Strait of Hormuz is an act of economic terrorism with global impact far beyond energy markets, asserted Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, while addressing CERAWeek in Houston, Texas.