United Arab Emirates

THE LEVANT NEWS — Dubai: Emirates reported on Thursday a 65-per cent jump in both half-year Group and airline profit. Emirates Group, the parent company of the airline and dnata, made Dh3.7 billion ($1 billion) in profit the six months to September 30, 2015, compared with Dh2.2 billion a year …

THE LEVANT NEWS — Abu Dhabi: Qasr Al Muwaiji, the birthplace of Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, will open this month as a museum celebrating his leadership and as a monument to the progress of the nation. Under the patronage of Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed …

The Levant News — by Simon Henderson for inFocus Quarterly – Fall 2015 — How does one write 2,000 words about links between Israel and the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which no official of any of the seven countries is publicly prepared to admit exist? The …

By Saeid Jafari for Al-Monitor — Two years ago, Hassan Rouhani was elected president on his promise of constructive engagement with the world, including Iran’s Arab neighbors. After winning the vote, Rouhani told an Al Jazeera reporter, “Our priority is improving our relationship with our neighbors. The states of the Persian Gulf are not …

by Adam Schreck for Associated Press — DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: The U.S. and Emirati governments launched a new Mideast digital communications center Wednesday focused on using social media to counter ISIS’ propaganda efforts online. ISIS supporters have deftly harnessed social media to spread the group’s slickly produced Hollywood-style film …

By Deborah Amos – Source: www.npr.org – The United Arab Emirates has been building its military strength for decades, but in 2014 it came out in the open as an ambitious regional power — and one that’s openly allied with the United States. The tiny country, perched on a peninsula …

Source: Gulf News – The UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has issued a public advisory on the responsible use of YouTube, warning that users are prohibited from “predatory behaviour”. The TRA said in its White Paper on YouTube that “stalking, threats and harassment of others” are also banned. Users were …

Source: Gulf News – The State Security Court in the UAE Federal Supreme Court has announced its verdicts in the case of the 15 men involved in the Al Nusra Front and Ahrar Al Sham (the Free Men of the Levant movement) cases on Tuesday. The first defendant, Mohammad Esmat …

Reuters – Jordan on Monday charged a top member of the Muslim Brotherhood with “souring ties with a foreign country” by criticizing the UAE after it designated his group as a terrorist organization. Zaki Bani Rushaid, deputy leader of the Jordanian branch of the Brotherhood, was arrested last month after …

IN COLLABORATION WITH MIDDLE EAST BUSINESS NEWS – Egypt said on Wednesday it had resolved a long-standing dispute over a land sale with Dubai-based conglomerate Al Futtaim Group, as the government seeks to clear a backlog of such disputes in order to win back badly-needed foreign investors. A cabinet statement …

IN COLLABORATION WITH MIDDLE EAST BUSINESS NEWS  – New aircraft and fresh routes will help Dubai’s flagship carrier Emirates grow profit by no less than eight to ten percent in coming months, its president said on Wednesday. “We will continue to grow at a percentage which is never going to …

THE LEVANT – The United Arab Emirates, which belongs to a US-led coalition fighting jihadists, on Saturday issued a list of 83 Islamist groups which it classified as “terrorist organisations”. The list, approved by the cabinet and published on the official WAM news agency, is similar to an announcement made …

THE LEVANT IN COLLABORATION WITH MIDDLE EAST BUSINESS – The UAE has been named one of the top 10 economies in the world for improving the business environment for local companies. The World Bank’s Doing Business 2015 report said the UAE had enhanced the administrative efficiency of its land registry, …

Source: The National – The new joint US-UAE financial counter-terrorism task force will be focused on combating extremist fund-raising and financial networks in the region, Abu Dhabi’s ambassador in Washington has said. The initiative comes as the US steps up efforts to choke off money flowing to ISIL from individual …

THE LEVANT  – The United Arab Emirates on Friday rejected a damning Human Rights Watch report claiming foreign maids from impoverished countries endure physical, sexual and emotional abuse in the oil-flush state. The report drew “hasty conclusions based on unrepresentative cases”, said Amna al-Meheiri, director of human rights at Abu Dhabi’s …

THE LEVANT – Oil-rich United Arab Emirates on Monday launched a project that aims to send the first Arab unmanned probe to Mars by 2021. The Gulf state set up the UAE Space Agency to supervise and finance the “Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology to execute and manage …

THE LEVANT – Dubai SME has launched a new hub to stimulate innovative entrepreneurial projects of the emirate’s youth. Presented to the public at Dubai Mall’s Star Atrium, the Hamdan Innovation Incubator (H2I) was established under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince …

THE LEVANT – Markets fell globally after a raft of weak indicators from Europe and China collided with concerns about the U.S. Federal Reserve’s plans to reduce monetary stimulus. Stock markets in the United Arab Emirates fell sharply on Sunday as declines on global bourses sparked a broad sell-off in …

THE LEVANT – A high-level Russian energy ministry delegation will meet UAE officials tomorrow to push for deals with the UAE, including oil concessions for Rosneft, and gas supply deals from Gazprom, the country’s two leading energy companies. Russia’s deputy energy minister, Yury Sentyurin, said he and other top Russian …

THE LEVANT – Labour Minister Saqr Ghobash Saeed Ghobash recently launched a special, remote-controlled smart drone to support the inspection squad at the ministry during their field campaigns, especially for recording violations at construction sites during the midday break period. Using the smart drone in inspection campaigns is part of …

THE LEVANT – Haj pilgrims paid company Dh2.5m and unknowingly entered Saudi Arabia with fake permits. Around 100 UAE Haj pilgrims were scammed by an unauthorised company that used fake Haj permits to let the pilgrims enter Saudi Arabia, the Executive Director of Islamic Affairs at the General Authority of …

THE LEVANT – Developer Nakheel has awarded a contract worth almost AED120 million ($32.6 million) for infrastructure work at its Al Furjan community in Dubai. The agreement with Dubai-based Target & Jima Construction Company covers the construction of 16km of roads and the preparation of nearly 500 third party villa …

THE LEVANT – A ‘bingo’ deal? You’ll know it  when you see it,” says Jassim Alseddiqi. “Before you execute that transaction, before you get the money. The ‘bingo’ feel of the transaction happens when you first source it.” Alseddiqi knows that moment better than most. As the chief executive of …

THE LEVANT – One of the UAE’s biggest food and beverage groups has announced the appointment of a new CEO. Agthia Group named Iqbal Hamzah as CEO, effective immediately, having previously held the position of Group chief financial officer and company secretary. Since May, he has also been acting CEO. …

THE LEVANT – Increased regulations in Dubai have meant that property speculation has become more difficult, according to Rera CEO. Speaking during a real estate seminar at CityScape, Rera CEO Marwan Bin Ghalita said the Land Department has made a number of changes aimed at reducing the number of speculators, …

THE LEVANT – The Corporate Perception Indicator: A Global Survey from Main Street to the Executive Suite polled 25,000 individuals from the general population and 1,800 business leaders in 25 countries, including the UAE, on their opinions about the role of corporations in society and the economy. International polling firm …

THE LEVANT – A former Sony Pictures Television Arabia producer, who launched Arabic versions of popular western TV shows such as The Voice, Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!, Ugly Betty and Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, has set up a Dubai-based production company aimed at targeting the reality TV sector, …

THE LEVANT – A second financial market, which will exclusively trade shares in private companies, is set to start operating in the UAE within the next few months Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister and ruler of Dubai, has approved the Second Market plans after …

THE LEVANT  – By Courtney Trenwith  -Whether or not you lived in Dubai during the economic crash, you would have no doubt heard the stories of luxury Ferraris and Lamborghinis abandoned at the Dubai International Airport car park, while countless debtors fled the emirate unable to repay the mountains of …

THE LEVANT – Deyaar Development on Sunday unveiled the masterplan of its upscale AED3.5 billion ($952 million) ‘Midtown by Deyaar’ project which will include a total of 27 buildings. The 5.5 million sq feet masterplan comprises two hotels on the northern and southern tips, along with 13 separate residential buildings …

THE LEVANT – An attorney for a Motorola subsidiary asked New York’s top state court on Tuesday to allow it to freeze the assets of a Turkish family held by a branch of an international bank in the United Arab Emirates. US District Judge Jed Rakoff in Manhattan in 2003 …

THE LEVANT – The design of the new cruise terminal at Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi will celebrate the UAE’s cultural heritage. Unveiled at the cruise event Seatrade Med 2014 in Barcelona, the terminal will feature traditional arabic ornaments, colours and shapes combined with modern architecture, with a lattice-work roof …

THE LEVANT – Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA) on Saturday announced plans to set up the Dubai Technology Entrepreneurship Centre, the largest entrepreneurship centre in the MENA region. Set to be launched in Q1 2015, DTEC will encompass over 3,600 square metres in Dubai Silicon Oasis, the free zone technology …

THE LEVANT – As regulatory approval is granted for the construction of Barakah units 3 and 4, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) has stepped up efforts to develop a skilled Emirati workforce to staff the country’s growing nuclear sector. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) …

THE LEVANT – New rules issued by the United Arab Emirates’ securities market regulator aim to develop local currency bond and sukuk markets in the Arab world’s second biggest economy. In meetings with potential issuers and financial firms in Abu Dhabi and Dubai this week, the Securities and Commodities Authority …

The Levant – People across the world will be able to have 360-degree virtual tours of Dubai’s tourist landmarks and attractions. Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, announced the upcoming launch of Dubai 360.com via his Instagram …

Approximately 600,000 visitors flocked to Dubai through the various entry points on the emirate during Eid Al Fitr holiday, according to the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA). Major General Mohammed Al Marri, Director General of GDRFA-Dubai, said that the department welcomed 597,652 visitors from 197 different countries, …

THE LEVANT – Diversion work for the construction of flyovers on Al Wasl Road and Jumeirah Beach Road will begin soon, even as work on all three phases of the Dubai Canal project is ongoing. A senior Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) official told reporters that the layout for the diversion is being …

Source: Gulf News –   Work on phase one of the Dubai Tram project is nearing completion with 11 trams ready to roll out in November. The trams have arrived in Dubai and technical and operational tests are being conducted on a daily basis. Served by seven stations on a …

Vice President and Prime Minister of the U.A.E.  Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has instructed the U.A.E. Suqia Water Aid Foundation to give top priority to the provision of potable water to Gazans who are suffering acute shortage of water as a result of Israeli bombardment, and to act …

The National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking organised a ceremony to mark the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, launched by the United Nations to promote international cooperation to eradicate the crime of trafficking. The day is held every year on July 30. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Anwar Mohammad …

The employment visa for a worker sponsored by governmental bodies will cost Dh200 per year, while the visa charge for workers employed by the private sector or free zones will be Dh250 per year. A new visa fee structure signed by Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy …

  A Dh373-million grant from the UAE could soon pave the way towards diagnosing and treating a host of rare and complex diseases in children. The grant, made by Her Highness Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Al Nahyan, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation …

The National,  a  local newspaper based in Abu Dhabi highlighted the need for more quality content in Arabic, the seventh most spoken language world wide, as an overwhelming majority of the estimated 140 million Arabic-speaking internet users would prefer to access information in their own language, and said that U.A.E. is in …