UAE

An Arabic-language satirical Israeli song criticising normalization between Israel and the UAE has gone viral in the Middle East this week, causing a stir online. The song “Dubai, Dubai” was performed by Israeli comedian and activist Noam Shuster-Eliassi and appeared as part of a comedy sketch on the Arabic-language station …

Mexico has dropped all COVID-19 entry requirements as of January. Together with El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica, there are now four countries in the world that dropped all covid-related entry restrictions. “These countries will see a boost in their visitors”, said Jeroen Vliex, Chief Commercial Officer of …

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group attacked the United Arab Emirates in what the group said was an operation using missiles and drones, setting off explosions in fuel trucks that killed three people and causing a fire near the airport of Abu Dhabi, capital of the region’s commercial and tourism hub. The strike on a leading Gulf Arab ally of …

A suspected Houthi drone attack near Abu Dhabi airport killed at least three people and sparked multiple explosions in the United Arab Emirates’ capital on Monday.By The Levant News newsdeskAn Abu Dhabi police statement said three tanker trucks carrying fuel exploded in the emirate’s Mussafah area after catching fire, with …

China said Friday it gained support on issues including the treatment of Uyghur Muslims from a number of Gulf states following talks between their foreign ministers at which they agreed to upgrade relations. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the ministers and Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf …

The U.N. Security Council has condemned the seizure of a United Arab Emirates ship and demanded that Yemen’s Houthi rebels immediately release the vessel and its crew. A press statement from the U.N.’s most powerful body called on all sides “to resolve the issue quickly and underlined the importance of …

Another unusual situation for tourism remains for 2022 as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It has marked a significant change for everyone in the sector. That is about to change. Newly instated members of the Executive Team of Dubai-based Welcome to the World (WttW) see in some of …

The United Arab Emirates has threatened to jail people who make fun of its anti-Covid measures after mocking photos and videos appeared online. Federal prosecutors said social media users could be punished under new laws which allow at least two years’ jail and 200,000 AED ($54,000) fines for sharing misleading …

Foreign ministers from the Gulf, Iran and Turkey were separately heading to China this week for talks, China’s foreign ministry said, while discussions were under way in Vienna on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and the Secretary General of Gulf Cooperation Council were …

France’s foreign minister said on Tuesday the United Arab Emirates would join a Saudi-French fund that aimed to provide support to the Lebanese people. Riyadh and Paris agreed in early December to establish a common humanitarian mechanism to alleviate the suffering of the Lebanese as a first step to Saudi …

Abu Dhabi solar energy firm Sweihan PV Power Company aims to raise more than $700 million through the sale of amortising green bonds, an investor presentation reviewed by Reuters on Monday showed. The project holding company, Sweihan, owns the Noor Abu Dhabi solar plant, the largest such facility in the …

Saudi Arabia, UAE, UK and the US backed Saturday a UN invitation to Sudan’s military leaders, political groups, and other parties to hold talks on ending the crisis started by the October 25 coup. “It is time to end the violence and enter into a constructive process,” UN special envoy Volker Perthes said …

The hijacking of a UAE-flagged cargo ship off the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah is a “flagrant violation” of the principles of international law, the Arab coalition said on Tuesday. The Rawabi had been transporting medical equipment from the remote Yemeni island of Socotra in the Arabian Sea to the …

President Michel Aoun on Tuesday stressed his adherence to “Lebanon’s official stance” as to “keenness on Lebanon’s Arab and international ties, especially with the Arab Gulf nations, topped by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.” “This keenness must be mutual, because it is in the interest of both Lebanon and the …

Israel’s Environment Minister said Thursday a clandestine oil deal that would have turned a scuba divers’ paradise into a waypoint for Emirati oil headed for Western markets has effectively been blocked. Tamar Zandberg told Israeli Army Radio that following a Justice Ministry opinion that her office had the authority to …

Jabal Haraaz is a mountainous region in the Southeastern Yemeni Peninsula. It is a collection of beautiful medieval villages. Coffee has been farmed and traded in the area since the 1400s. By Arthur BlokMost farmers in this region are from the Dawoodi Bohras, a highly literate and tight-knit community. Some …

The United Arab Emirates government has told some of its biggest business families that it plans to remove their monopolies on the sale of imported goods, the Financial Times reported on Sunday. The government did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment but state news agency WAM quoted a …

Dubai-based video platform Welcome to the World celebrates this month its first anniversary. It looks back on a dynamic and turbulent year with new license holders boarded from the United Arab Emirates to Greece and Mexico.By Arthur BlokWith a straightforward concept Welcome to the World is taking over the travel …

Foreign Ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council and the UK said that the strategic UK-GCC relationship is essential in promoting peace, security, stability, and economic growth in the Middle East region and beyond. Britain’s Foreign Secretary Liz Truss met foreign ministers of the GCC and its Secretary General at Chevening, …

“We have blocked the entry of dozens of oil tankers to the Gulf of Eilat”, said Israeli Environmental Protection Minister Tamar Zandberg, a member of the social democratic Meretz party.https://tpc.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html She described the move as a “huge and dramatic environmental achievement”, that was based on the ministry’s policy of zero …

The U.S. Navy announced Wednesday it tested a laser weapon and destroyed a floating target in the Mideast, a system that could be used to counter bomb-laden drone boats deployed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. The test Tuesday saw the USS Portland test-fire its Laser Weapon System …

A Gulf Cooperation Council summit has called for prohibiting Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hizbullah “from carrying out its terrorist activities and supporting terrorist militias that threaten the stability of Arab countries.” Lebanon’s ties with Gulf states have grown increasingly strained in recent years because of Hizbullah’s growing influence and its interference in …

The United States is prepared to move forward with the sale of F-35 fighter jets and drones to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday, after reports the UAE intended to suspend discussion of the deal. A UAE official on Tuesday told Reuters …

The United Arab Emirates is walking a diplomatic high wire between superpower ally Washington, new friend Israel and old adversary Iran as it seeks to avoid a costly regional conflict that could torpedo its trade and tourism ambitions. Abu Dhabi hosts Israel’s prime minister this week and will receive a U.S. delegation …

KSA and UAE urged Lebanon, in a joint statement, “to make political and economical reforms and to limit the possession of arms to the legitimate state institutions.” “Lebanon shouldn’t be an incubator for organizations and groups that target the security and stability of the region, such as terrorist Hizbullah,” the …

Iran expressed hopes Monday to turn the page in its ties with the United Arab Emirates during a rare visit by a senior official from the Gulf Arab country. UAE National Security Advisor Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al-Nahyan arrived in the country earlier Monday at the invitation of Ali Shamkhani, …

Iran on Monday accused France of “destabilizing” the Gulf region after Paris signed a record 14-billion-euro deal with the United Arab Emirates for 80 Rafale fighter jets. “We must not ignore France’s role in destabilizing the region,” foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh told a news conference.  “We expected France to …

The coronavirus pandemic will likely cost the global tourism sector $2 trillion in lost revenue in 2021, the UN’s tourism body estimated last month, calling the sector’s recovery “fragile”. “We now have the unique chance to smart investments and to sustainably change the industry for the better”, said Stefanie Schachtschabel …

The UAE’s defense ministry said the acquisition of French Rafale fighter jets would complement the UAE’s planned purchase of American F-35 fighter jets, which has been slowed due to Washington’s concerns about Abu Dhabi’s relationship with China. In an arms procurement for 17 billion euros ($19.2 billion), the Gulf state …

Dubai’s DP World has pulled out of a joint bid with an Israeli company to privatise Israel’s Haifa port, Israel’s privatisation body said. Israel is selling its state-owned ports and building new private docks in an effort to encourage competition and bring down costs. DP World had signed an agreement with Israel …

France announced multibillion-euro deals Friday to sell fighter planes and combat helicopters to the United Arab Emirates, aiming to boost military cooperation with its top ally in the Persian Gulf amid their shared concerns about Iran. The UAE is buying 80 upgraded Rafale warplanes in a deal the French Defense …

France will sign several major deals with the United Arab Emirates on Friday, with two sources saying Paris could finally seal a multi-billion dollar Rafale warplane sale, as it looks to deepen economic and political ties with Abu Dhabi. French President Emmanuel Macron begins a two-day trip to the Gulf …

A senior Emirati official said on Tuesday the United Arab Emirates would soon send a delegation to Iran as part of efforts to improve ties with rival Tehran. “I hope that it is the sooner the better and all our friends are aware of it,” Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to …

Congratulations are in order for Lindsay Lohan. The Dubai-based actress has just announced her engagement to her partner Bader Shammas. The Hollywood star shared the news with her 9.7 million Instagram followers, posting a series of coupled-up snaps that showed off her diamond engagement ring. Lohan, 35, wrote: “My love. …

French President Emmanuel Macron will go on an official trip to the Gulf region, visiting Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar between Dec. 3 and 4, the Elysee presidential office said on Friday. France maintains strong relations with the Gulf States, in economic and cultural terms, but also in terms of security.  …

The United Arab Emirates has held talks with the Taliban to run Kabul airport, going up against Gulf rival Qatar in a diplomatic tussle for influence with Afghanistan’s new rulers, according to four sources with knowledge of the matter. UAE officials have held a series of discussions with the group …

The Fund for the Development of Culture and Arts is an official partner of the cultural programs of the National Pavilion of Uzbekistan, which is participating in the world exhibition EXPO 2020 Dubai. At the World Expo 2020 in Dubai, the National Pavilion of Uzbekistan has been showcasing the country’s …

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed held talks with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Sunday, state news agency WAM reported. During the meting, which took place at the Al-Shati Palace in Abu Dhabi, the two sides discussed the existing strategic relations between the UAE and the …

French finance minister Bruno Le Maire said on Sunday that France will work with the United Arab Emirates on new projects in the energy sector including renewables and hydrogen fuel. “Reaching zero carbon emissions by 2050 is an important goal, and we want to work with the UAE on this …

A Progressive Socialist Party delegation led by MP Taymour Jumblat and MP Wael Abu Faour has met with al-Mustaqbal Movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri in the United Arab Emirates, al-Jadeed television reported. PSP sources meanwhile told al-Jadeed that the talks were “comprehensive” and that several topics were discussed. PSP general …

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will travel to the Middle East on Thursday to meet with leaders in Bahrain and the UAE. In Bahrain, Austin will meet with senior government officials to affirm the strength of the US’ defense partnership and discuss joint priorities in the Middle East, the …

There is more to sustainability than protecting the natural environment. Modern-day companies must consider their social, economic, and cultural impact as well. Dubai-based global travel platform Welcome to the World does exactly that, it considers its social and economic impact in all its affiliates, destinations, and that of its users.By …

A top delegation from the United Arab Emirates will visit Tehran soon as the Gulf state works to de-escalate tensions with Iran, senior Iranian and Gulf officials told Reuters on Wednesday. A Gulf official said a high-level delegation is expected to visit Teheran soon but they declined to confirm whether …

The United Arab Emirates is taking steps to de-escalate tensions with Iran as part of a policy choice towards diplomacy and away from confrontation, a UAE senior official said on Monday. Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said the Gulf state remains deeply concerned about Iran’s behaviour in …