Meta Platform announced that it is testing a monthly subscription service, called Meta Verified, which will let users verify their accounts using a government ID and get a blue badge, as it looks to help content creators grow and build communities.
The subscription bundle for Instagram and Facebook, to be launched later this week, also includes extra protection against impersonation and will be priced starting at $11.99 per month on the web or $14.99 a month on Apple's iOS system and Android.
Meta Verified will be rolled out in Australia and New Zealand this week, with gradual launches in other countries to follow.
Meta's foray into subscription services follows Twitter, which announced last month that Twitter Blue will be priced at $11 per month.
The social media giant's CEO Mark Zuckerberg has earlier said it was planning to launch several new products that would "empower creators to be way more productive and creative," while cautioning about the cost associated with supporting the technology for a large user base.
Other social media apps, like Snapchat and messaging app Telegram launched paid subscription services last year, as a new source of revenue.
Cultural and creative industries should be treated as a core pillar of national economic strategy, according to a new report launched by FTI Consulting in partnership with the World Governments Summit.
Dubai-based TECOM Group has reported a strong financial performance for 2025, driven by rising demand across its commercial, industrial and land portfolios.
Family-owned businesses are being encouraged to take a more active role in shaping sustainable investment and social impact, as leaders met in Dubai to discuss how family wealth can be positioned for the future.
The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the UAE and Vietnam has officially come into force, with an aim to "unlock investment opportunities in vital sectors such as renewable energy, technology and agriculture".
India's financial markets rallied sharply on Tuesday after a trade deal that slashed US tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 50 per cent, a development that investors said lifts a key overhang over the country's stocks, bonds and currency.
The United Nations Secretary-General has included a UAE national among a group of international experts selected to help guide the global response to artificial intelligence.
UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has honoured global peacebuilders and humanitarian advocates at the 2026 Zayed Award for Human Fraternity ceremony in Abu Dhabi.
Dubai has unveiled a long-term plan to create a more balanced and integrated urban environment as part of efforts to enhance quality of life and wellbeing.