Saif bin Zayed realises child's wish to become a police officer

posted on 20/05/2013

H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, has realised the wish of Amir Muhammad Al Falahi, a five-year-old with Thalassemia, to become a Captain in the police force and perform the work and duties of an officer.

Sheikh Saif, in a fatherly gesture, received Al Falahi who was wearing a military uniform with the rank of Captain, and exchanged a military salute and talked with him, reflecting the humanity of the Minister of the Interior.

Abu Dhabi Police allowed Amir Muhammad access to its facilities and took him in a patrol road on a tour through the streets of Abu Dhabi, where he symbolically issued a traffic violation ticket for an offending driver.

Amir expressed his happiness in achieving his wish to become a police officer during a welcome from the General Command of Abu Dhabi Police, demonstrating its vision of police leadership being concerned with the new generation.

Colonel Faisal Shu'aybi, Director of the Department of Strategy and Performance Development at the General Secretariat of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, met with Al Falahi at his office and encouraged him to achieve excellence in his studies, and to continue his success until graduating from the Police College in order to attain his wish to become a real officer. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

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UAE top MidEast performer for tourism receipts in 2012

posted on 20/05/2013

The UAE has topped the Middle East region for international tourism receipts in 2012, according to data released by the UN's World Tourism Organisation.

The UAE was ranked 31st in global list with receipts of about US$10bn, just ahead of Saudi Arabia which was placed 35th, with revenues of US$7.4bn.

Middle East tourism receipts totalled US$46.7bn last year, the Arabian Business quoting UNWTO report said, adding that international arrivals were down to 52 million, from 54.9m in the previous year.

The global list for international tourism receipts was topped by the US, Spain, France, China and Italy.

According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international tourism receipts hit a new record in 2012, reaching an estimated US$1,075bn worldwide, up four percent in real terms from US$1,042bn in 2011.

"It is encouraging to see that the growth in international tourist arrivals was equalled by a comparable increase in spending in spite of continued economic challenges" said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.

"Considering that tourism is a key export for many economies around the world, this result is good news as it provides foreign reserves to destinations, and contributes to job creation in tourism as well as in related economic sectors" he added.

By regions, the Americas (+7 percent) recorded the largest increase in receipts, followed by Asia and the Pacific (+6 percent), Africa (+5 percent) and Europe (+2 percent).

Receipts in the Middle East were still down by two percent; yet report a steady improvement compared to the decline recorded in 2011, the report said.

The Middle East made up a four percent share of total worldwide tourism receipts.

Among the emerging economy destinations, highest receipts growth was reported by Thailand (+25 percent), India (+22 percent), Poland (+13 percent), South Africa (+18 percent), Egypt (+14 percent), Vietnam (+18 percent) and Ukraine (+13 percent). – Emirates News Agency, WAM

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Twofour54 CEO Noura Al Kaabi highlights importance of Arabic Media Content Creation

posted on 20/05/2013

During a visit to Washington, D.C. last week, Noura Al Kaabi, Chief Executive Officer of twoFour54 Abu Dhabi, spoke at the Aspen Institute about ways to increase online Arabic media content, as well as the impact that the "content gap" has on the Arabic speaking community. The programme was organised with the assistance of the UAE Embassy in Washington, as part of the Emirates-Aspen Partnership.

The Aspen Institute briefing was attended by senior US government officials, business executives and other policy influencers and media industry representatives. Yousef Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to the United States, and other UAE Embassy diplomats were also present, along with Walter Isaacson, Aspen Institute President.

At the briefing, Ms. Al Kaabi also discussed the role of twofour54, the commercial arm of the Media Zone Authority-Abu Dhabi, which has become the home of 200+ local, regional and international media and entertainment companies.

The Emirates-Aspen Partnership was established in 2010 to develop a dialogue that will cultivate relationships between civic, business, and government leaders in the US, the UAE, and the broader Middle East.

The Emirates-Aspen Partnership organises events, round-tables and exclusive discussions that explore issues and opportunities figuring prominently in US-UAE relationships. The Partnership addresses issues ranging from catalysing science and technology innovation, the role of women in civil society, to the UAE as a key patron of arts and culture. The Emirates-Aspen Partnership provides an opportunity for UAE and US leaders of all sectors to share and examine best practices, and develop new partnerships as the United Arab Emirates continues its rise in the region and in the world. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

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Abdullah bin Zayed strongly denounces Iran's statement on Bahrain

posted on 20/05/2013

The UAE Foreign Minister, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, yesterday strongly criticised a statement issued yesterday by Iran's foreign ministry on sisterly Bahrain.

'Our Iranian neighbours have a real problem in understanding and identifying the way in which they deal with their neighbours,' Sheikh Abdullah told a press conference held jointly with his Australian counterpart Bob Carr.

'I understand that Iran is holding local elections. Yet it is still throwing its domestic troubles out into other states. Such an act is not that of a good neighbour, who should be a normal neighbour complying with Islamic Sharia and the teachings of the Prophet (PBUH),' Sheikh Abdullah added.

'The Islamic Republic of Iran should reconsider its methods and ways of dealing with its neighbours,' he said, adding that its policy has nothing to do with neighbourliness and Islam.

Expressing his hope that Carr's visit would take UAE-Australia ties to new heights in all fields, Sheikh Abdullah said Australia is a friend that has grown to become a large economic partner of the UAE in less than 20 years.

The UAE foreign minister noted that the UAE has maintained longstanding ties with Australia which have evolved steadily over the years in all fields.

'Thousands of Emirati students have graduated from universities in Australia and other thousands are still studying there," he said. Thousands of Emirati tourists are visiting Australia every year,' he added, praising the efforts made by Carr and his government to enhance relations with the UAE.

On the situation in Syria, the UAE foreign minister said:' Australia plays an important role in the UN Security Council through backing resolutions that serve the interests of the Syrian people and confront the tyrant regime which represses its people.' Sheikh Abdullah said that the international community was responsible for what is happening in Syria, commenting: 'The international community should not remain silent and helpless, failing to respond to the humanitarian issues.' 'How assistance can be delivered to the Syrian people in the absence of an agreed UN Security Council resolution in that respect? ' Sheikh Abdullah asked.

'If it's difficult for the UNSC to pass such a resolution, how can the major powers in the council address the second Geneva conference, 'he said, calling for a serious political action by all parties to stop the war machine in Damascus.

Answering a question about the possibility of a waiver of visa requirements for UAE citizens wishing to visit Australia, Sheikh Abdullah said: 'Today, we have the opportunity to discuss this issue and we have received positive indicators from the Australian foreign minister. The process requires more time and consultations between the two countries.' For his part, Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr hailed the UAE-Australia ties as 'strong and firm. ' Australia, he noted, is the largest economic partner of the UAE with trade exchange reaching US$ 6 billion. Nearly 16,000 Australians are living and working in the UAE.

There are more than 125 flights per week between the two countries He added that Australia is encouraging UAE students to visit it and join its universities. Processing of a student visa now only takes 14 days.

Speaking about Syria, Mr. Carr said Australia is concerned with the humanitarian crisis there, which is one of the worst worldwide.

He said that Australia was working with Syria's neighbours to assess the impact of receiving Syrian refugees.

He added that Australia is in favour of a peaceful transition of power in Syria and a plan for a future democratic system.

Australia, he added, wanted to offer a peaceful solution to the suffering of Syrians. Carr appealed to all parties involved in the Syrian crisis not to attack hospitals or civilians and to allow delivery of medical supplies.

Earlier, Sheikh Abdullah and Carr explored prospects of relations of cooperation and friendship and adequate ways of enhancing them to serve mutual interests.

The two ministers also exchanged views on the latest developments at regional and international levels and reviewed a variety of issues of mutual concern.

At the end of the meeting, they signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a joint committee to strengthen bilateral cooperation through the holding of high-level meetings. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

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United States Institute of Peace holds inaugural H.H. Sheikha Fatima Lectureship

posted on 20/05/2013

The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) recently launched Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Lectureship with an inaugural event on Thursday, May 9th. H.H. Sheikha Fatima Lectureship was established by USIP to recognise the role of women as peace builders, and will include one lecture per year for the next five years in order to foster a better understanding of the role women can play in the new era of global security and peace building.

Kristin Lord, Executive Vice President at USIP introduced Noura Al Kaabi, CEO of twofour54 Abu Dhabi, at Thursday's inaugural lecture, "Messengers of Peace". The lecture addressed the various ways that women can advance peace through media, public diplomacy and film, and featured remarks by Noura Al Kaabi, who spoke about the importance of education and tolerance; her role as a member of the UAE FNC and about the UAE's progress in elevating the role of women.

Joining Al Kaabi on the panel were, US Department of State Undersecretary, Tara Sonenshine, filmmaker Abigail Disney, and Former Special Representative to the United Nations, Margot Wallstrom. USIP's Kathleen Kuehnast, Director of the Centre for Gender and Peacebuilding moderated a discussion where each panellist shared examples of their work and discussed the importance of including women's voices in conflict prevention, resolution and peace processes.

During welcome remarks by USIP President Jim Marshall, the UAE was commended for the country's commitment to social development, education and humanitarian outreach initiatives. USIP Chairman of the Board, Robin West, also underscored the important role that the Lectureship plays in bringing together leaders from UAE, US and Europe to discuss issues of global importance.

It was through the generosity of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the wife of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nayhan - Founder and First President of the United Arab Emirates, that USIP named the north atrium of the headquarters building the "International Women's Commons" to advance the progress of women as peacemakers. H.H. Sheikha Fatima is a life-long advocate of social and economic development. As Chairperson of the General Women's Union of the UAE, The Family Development Foundation and The Motherhood and Childhood Supreme Council, H.H. Sheikha Fatima is known for her leadership and dedication to advancing the progress of women around the world. She has led many efforts to assure that women have equal access to educational and economic progress in the Emirates and throughout the Arab World.

The event, held at USIP headquarters, was attended by the UAE Ambassador to the United States, Yousef Al Otaiba, UAE Embassy diplomats and over 150 senior US government officials, members of the diplomatic community, business and community leaders. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

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UAE believes in 'a responsible and open world,' says Nahyan

posted on 20/05/2013

The United Arab Emirates believes in 'a responsible and open world, while we also believe in change,' the Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, said yesterday.

This, he said, was an essential part of the openness and tolerance which characterises UAE society.

In an interview with the editor-in-chief of the French language arts journal "L'Oeil", Sheikh Nahyan said that the UAE's status as an international transportation hub would allow it to attract tourists from all over the world to visit the major international museums being built on the island of Sa'adiyat. "Twenty years from now, Sa'adiyat will make a difference to the whole world in terms of cultural awareness," he said.

He went on to praise the agreement between the UAE and France for the opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum, adding that "it is an important responsibility for France and for its government to show the treasures of humanity to the world." Noting that he had welcomed his French counterpart, Aurelie Filipetti, to the inauguration of the 'Birth of a Museum' exhibition on Sa'adiyat last month, at which some of the first acquisitions for the Louvre Abu Dhabi were unveiled, Sheikh Nahyan described France as a 'champion of culture'.

The UAE, he said, had invested heavily in education, with institutions like the Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi and New York University Abu Dhabi being part of this. The Louvre Museum in Paris, he added, had 'a global responsibility' to share its treasures. The UAE was pleased to be part of this process and would welcome further such projects, he said.

The journal "L'Oeil" is a monthly magazine on art history, with a circulation of 30,000 copies distributed in France and other francophone countries. Its editor-in-chief, Fabien Simode, also contributes to another magazine, "Le Journal des Arts", appearing fortnightly with a circulation of 26,000 copies, which regularly reports on art activities in the UAE, such as the construction of the Sa'adiyat museums, art fairs in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and the Sharjah Biennial. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

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Lubna Al Qasimi discusses bilateral cooperation with Australia

posted on 20/05/2013

The Minister of International Cooperation and Development, Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi has discussed prospects of enhancing cooperation between the UAE and Australia in various international development and humanitarian issues.

The discussions came during a meeting at the ministry in Abu Dhabi yesterday with Australian Foreign Minister, Bob Carr, and his accompanying delegation. Pablo Kang, Australian Ambassador to the UAE was also present.

The UAE's efforts in support of international development, provision of relief to those affected by humanitarian crises and disasters in various countries of the world through coordination with all countries in the world were highlighted, particularly cooperation with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) over the past three years, which led to the country obtaining the honour of becoming the16th most generous country in the world in granting aid.

Sheikha Lubna emphasised that the philosophy of the wise leadership of the UAE has established the State's obligations towards others in the world, regardless of their nationalities and religions.

She also stressed that the UAE has given top priority to the issues concerning refugees and dealing with humanitarian crises in order to alleviate the suffering of those who have been displaced from their homelands, pointing out the presence of more than 40 Emirati Relief Foundations, which are providing support all around the world.

For his part, the Australian Foreign Minister lauded the UAE's efforts and achievements in terms of humanitarian action and international development, especially with regard to contributions to the alleviation of the suffering of Syrian refugees.

He stressed his country's keenness to deepen the channels of partnership and cooperation with the UAE, and the exchange of best practices and ways to provide support for humanitarian issues. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

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Dubai Women Establishment sign Memorandum of Understanding with The Protocol School of Washington

posted on 20/05/2013

Dubai Women Establishment (DWE) and The Protocol School of Washington (PSOW) yesterday signed a two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with a view to establishing programs that support and develop the vocational skills of women leaders, helping them to hone their capabilities and achieve greater personal and professional development.

In line with Dubai Women Establishment's stated objective to launch new programs and initiatives aimed at strengthening the role of Emirati women as integral members of the UAE society, by encouraging and facilitating more participation within the workforce and local community; the MoU was signed by Ms Shamsa Saleh, CEO of DWE, and Ms. Pamela Eyring, President of the PSOW, in the presence of representatives from the two institutions at the DWE Head Offices.

The MoU will see the two entities collaborate to design various programs and training courses on topics of cross-cultural communication, business and social etiquette and diplomatic communications protocol, thus enabling UAE women to conduct themselves professionally during sensitive or senior level situations; which will further help them acquire valuable skills that will enhance their careers and professional experience. In addition to the exchange of experiences and information, and conduct studies, research and surveys related to women, and participating in conferences and forums International and reciprocal visits. Both parties also agreed to support and exchange experiences with each other in the areas of designing and suggesting other additional topics for programs catered to Emirati women.

On this occasion, Shamsa Saleh expressed her happiness to collaborate with The Protocol School of Washington. She said, "This agreement actively supports DWE's efforts to equip working women with the skills and opportunities to progress to senior executive roles within the regional business landscape. We look forward to working closely with The Protocol School of Washington and benefiting from their expertise in providing training programs necessary to nurture a qualified workforce of women leaders capable of confidently taking their place as business and community leaders." She added, "Under the wise guidance of Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Women Establishment and wife of HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs; Dubai Women Establishment has consistently opened channels of communication and partnerships with local and international institutions to benefit from their policies and initiatives that serve the interests of women. There is much to learn and share with our counterparts from other countries, and this exercise reflects our continuous efforts in this aspect." For her part, Pamela Eyring, President of The Protocol School of Washington, said, "We are pleased to fortify our relationship with the Dubai Women Establishment through this Memorandum of Understanding; whereby both parties can benefit from a mutual exchange of research and best practices in our respective fields." Ms. Eyring added: "after we opened our first regional office outside the US here in Dubai, we look forward to working closely with Dubai Women Establishment towards launching new programs with focus on women professional development". – Emirates News Agency, WAM

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UAE, US to enhance trade and business

posted on 20/05/2013

Dubai Airport Free Zone (Dafza) and Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport as part of a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two organisation assigned in March 2012, is building on its business networking acumen to jointly promote increased trade and business between the US and the UAE.

This is to make possible by mutually providing information and networking opportunities for business leaders, corporations, small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurs (SMEs) between the two international commercial hubs.

Since the signing of the MoU, both Dafza and DFW International Airport, which also has its own Foreign Trade Zone connected and affiliated with the airport, have been sharing best practices and investigating ways to further outreach to the business communities in both the UAE and US seeking to further expand their businesses into new international markets.

This continuing process has resulted in the coordination of a number of business and trade mission initiatives between the two regions, and a plan to increase the sharing of local business news and activities with the mutual distribution of local business newsletters. Additionally, DFW Airport's Commercial Development website, which provides detailed information on the US Foreign Trade Zone provides a link to Dafza's website to inspire potential investors to Dallas/Fort Worth to additionally consider Dafza as an operational regional hub for Middle East commercial expansion.

Dr Mohammed Al Zarooni, Director General, Dafza said, "The strategic alignment with DFW is a win-win agreement and I'm delighted to see some fruitful benchmarking practices between the various divisions of our entities. This is what we look forward to, with an objective to develop our services and enhance business partnership between our people and international investors particularly from the US,” concluded Dr Zarooni.

Jeff Fegan, CEO of DFW International Airport said, "As part of our growing reputation as the best entry point for business and travellers into the US, our success to date has been strongly influenced by our commitment to support and encourage our surrounding business communities and entrepreneurs to connect and seek opportunities abroad.”

"Since the launch of the daily Emirates Airlines flight between Dubai and Dallas/Fort Worth in February 2012 two of the most economically and commercially vibrant hubs in our respective regions are now directly connected, and with Dafza as our like-minded partner in Dubai, we are encouraging North Texas and American businesses to come to the UAE and use our and Dafza's extensive networks and expertise to confidently seek new business opportunities that lead to mutual growth. Likewise, with our own Foreign Trade Zone we are encouraging UAE based companies to consider Dallas/Fort Worth as a potential base for market expansion to the Americas,” Jeff Fegan added.

Dubai Airport Freezone is currently home to over 1,600 companies from various industry sectors, including aviation, freight and logistics, IT and telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, engineering, food & beverage, jewellery and cosmetics. Located strategically within the boundaries of Dubai International Airport, Dubai Airport Freezone offers a range of modern facilities with a state-of-the-art infrastructure.

International investors can enjoy dynamic growth through Dubai Airport Freezone's excellent incentive packages including 100 per cent tax exemption, 100 per cent foreign ownership and no currency restrictions. Situated at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa, the Dubai Airport Freezone is a gateway providing access to over 2.5 billion consumers.

Located halfway between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, DFW International Airport is the world's fourth busiest, offering nearly 1,750 flights per day and serving 57 million passengers a year. DFW provides nonstop services to 145 domestic and 49 international destinations worldwide. – The Gulf Today

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Abu Dhabi Airport to see active movement in summer

posted on 20/05/2013

Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) yesterday announced that airlines from around the globe will be increasing their weekly number of flight departures and arrivals at Abu Dhabi International Airport during the coming months.

This summer, Abu Dhabi International Airport expects to receive 1,065 flights a week, a 15% increase compared to the 956 weekly flights during the summer months of 2012.

The number of weekly seats available will also increase to 32,004, demonstrating an 11% growth compared to the 28,751 seats available each week during summer 2012.

Commenting on the increase, Eng. Ahmad Al Haddabi, Chief Operation Officer at Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), said: "The increased flight frequency inbound and outbound demonstrates the trust airlines have in the attractiveness of Abu Dhabi as a business and tourist destination. An increase of over 10% in aircraft movement so far in 2013 also attests to Abu Dhabi's growth towards becoming an international aviation hub. ADAC looks forward to offering summer passengers and airline partners seamless, world-class service during this popular time for travel." Several key airlines have increased their weekly flights to and from Abu Dhabi International Airport and the recent addition of airlines adding new routes to Abu Dhabi has also increased the amount of weekly flights at the capital's airport. Similarly, the aggressive expansion plans of Etihad Airways and its partnerships with other leading international airlines has impacted positively on increased flight frequency. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

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Etihad airways boosts services and operations at Abu Dhabi airport

posted on 20/05/2013

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has finalised the agreement to acquire three airport services companies, which will accelerate and consolidate the development of in-flight catering services, ground handling and cargo operations at Abu Dhabi International Airport.

Formerly part of Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), the three companies, Abu Dhabi Airport Services (ADAS), Abu Dhabi In-Flight Catering (ADIFC), and Abu Dhabi Cargo Company (ADCC), are being incorporated, subject to receipt of regulatory approvals, into Etihad Airport Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Etihad Airways.

The companies, which employ more than 4,000 people, are being integrated into the airline's existing organisational structure to maximise synergies and operational scale. The re-engineered business units will continue to provide the full range of ground handling, catering and cargo services to Etihad Airways and other airlines at Abu Dhabi International Airport, dedicated to customer excellence and commercial viability.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways' President and Chief Executive Officer, said: "This acquisition follows international best practice and is critical to the continued growth of the airline, and more importantly to the sustained growth and development of Abu Dhabi's aviation industry in general as envisioned in the Abu Dhabi Plan 2030. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

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Sharjah Int’l passenger traffic rises 14% in April

posted on 20/05/2013

Passenger traffic at the Sharjah International Airport jumped to 14 per cent with a total of 716,951 passengers recorded this April compared to the 629,444 passengers recorded in April 2012, according to the traffic report issued by the Sharjah Airport Authority.

Sharjah International Airport recorded a total of 5,380 aircraft movements in April 2013, slipping by 2.5 per cent compared to the 5,518 movements recorded in April 2012. The report also revealed that the airport handled around 24,246 tonnes of cargo in April 2013. In addition, Sea-Air Cargo registered 2,051 tonnes.

Ali Salim Al Midfa, director general of Sharjah Airport Authority, said: "This is an important milestone that reflects the consistent growth in passenger traffic we have seen over the past years. We expect this growth momentum to be maintained during the summer period. It's a clear indication that our confidence in the continued growth at Sharjah International Airport is well placed.” – Khaleej Times

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Jafza - DP World's US$30m infrastructure project on track

posted on 20/05/2013

The US$ 30 million Jafza - DP World joint project to build a new Gate 4 and restructure Roundabout 6 is moving on track.

The initiative, launched in September 2012, is scheduled to finish and become fully functional in the first quarter of 2014. On completion, the project is expected to make the traffic flow and the connectivity to and from the Free Zone smooth and seamless.

The new Gate 4 will put in place 16 lane entry and exit facility to enable smooth passage. Gate 4 at present provides only 3-lane entry and 2-lane exit facilities. The Gate is meant for passenger vehicles only.

Roundabout 6 will be replaced with a flyover that will facilitate seamless traffic flow directly from the container terminal to Jafza customers and major exit gates. The flyover will serve passenger vehicles as well as freight movement. The internal road network will facilitate connections to other parts of the Free Zone, which were served by Roundabout 6 before the restructuring.

Ibrahim Mohamed Al Janahi, Deputy CEO of Jafza and Chief Commercial Officer of Economic Zones World, the parent company of Jafza, said: "The project is in a real sense an engineering feat. On completion, it will make Jafza one of the most seamless Free Zones in the world. The project reflects Jafza's commitment to provide its customers the best and the smoothest operating environment, which will eventually enable them to optimise their productivity and improve the bottom line." The infrastructure upgrade will further improve freight turnaround time for more than 7,000 companies who have chosen Jafza as their home. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

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UAE growth quickens to 4.4% in 2012

posted on 20/05/2013

Economic growth in the UAE accelerated to 4.4 per cent in inflation-adjusted terms in 2012 from a downwardly revised 3.9 per cent the previous year as activity picked up across all sectors, its statistics office said on Sunday.

"One of the most important factors is the role played by good and stable oil prices in general over the last year,” the National Bureau of Statistics in the OPEC member said in a data commentary.

"All economic activities saw positive improvement in their growth rates in 2012, which has positively reflected on the value of the country's GDP (gross domestic product),” it said.

Oil prices averaged US$112 per barrel last year, up from US$109 in 2011, the office said, adding that the non-oil sector share on the Gulf country's real GDP was estimated at 67.3 per cent in 2012. – REUTERS / Khaleej Times

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Masdar showcases innovative projects in Rotterdam

posted on 20/05/2013

Bader Al Lamki, director of Masdar Clean Energy, delivered a keynote speech last Wednesday stressing the importance of collaboration and co-innovation as a pathway to accelerate the technologies and policies needed to address global energy needs and water security. The speech was delivered during the "Powering Progress Together" forum - an event co-hosted by Royal Dutch Shell (Shell) and the city of Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Al Lamki provided a powerful narrative showcasing some of Masdar's innovative projects as examples for how working together can result in tangible, meaningful progress, "Masdar has a powerful story to share. Through partnerships and sharing risk, we are demonstrating that renewable energy can be commercially viable and deliver social and environmental benefits." The "Powering Progress Together" forum brings together specialists from business and academia to discuss the challenges the world will face from meeting demand for energy, water and food.

Masdar is Abu Dhabi's multi-faceted renewable energy company advancing the development, commercialisation and deployment of clean energy technologies and solutions. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

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Dewa launches Dh105m substation

posted on 20/05/2013

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, or Dewa, has launched a new 132/11 kV substation with a capacity of 150 megavolt amperes in Dubai Marina, at a total cost of Dh105 million.

Of the total cost, Dh100 million is set aside for the station and the rest for laying cables linking it to the main network. The project, which completed recently, is part of Dewa's continuous efforts to enhance its electricity transmission networks.

"Dewa is focused on enhancing the efficiency of its networks to meet growing demand. We are moving forward with the implementation of key projects, demonstrating our vision to become a sustainable world-class utility and contributing to the social and economic development of the Emirate of Dubai. By providing stable and uninterrupted supplies of electricity and water, we are extending support to consolidate Dubai's leading position in the region, and strengthen its role as an economic and financial destination,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and chief executive of Dewa.

"The new project aims to strengthen the capacity of our networks to provide electricity in the Dubai Marina area. We have extended an additional 320 metres of 132 kV ground cables to connect the new substation to the main distribution station at The Palm Jumeirah, and the distribution station in Jebel Ali, which will result in increased stability of supplies to our customers, at all times,” added Al Tayer.

The new station features the latest technologies, ensuring reliability and efficiency, and serving Dubai's ambitious growth plans. Another 17 substations are under construction, in addition to DEWA working on upgrading the existing ones and introducing new technologies in line with the highest international standards. – Khaleej Times

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Dubai Metro transports 33.3 million commuters in 1st quarter of 2013

posted on 20/05/2013

During the first quarter of 2013, Dubai Metro managed to achieve a significant increase in the number of commuters carried compared to the same period last year, as the use of both Red and Green lines has increased with over 33 million passengers from January to March 2013.

Adnan Al Hammadi, Chief Executive Officer of the Rail Agency, Road and Transport Authority, stated that this year has witnessed an obvious growth in the number of the Metro's commuters compared to the same period of last year, adding, "this is what we seek to achieve through our annual schemes by setting a diversified package of initiatives and activities that contribute to attracting all segments of society to use the Metro as the premier means of transportation, as it is featured to be secure, safe and luxurious at the same time.

The Red Line's Deira City Centre Station ranked on top in attracting around 1,643,115 commuters between January and March, while the Green Line's Al Fahidi station came first in the same period with 1,372,303 commuters. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

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Mohamed bin Zayed assigns Al Qubaisi to run Abu Dhabi Housing Authority

posted on 20/05/2013

His Highness General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, in his capacity as Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council, has issued a resolution assigning Saif Badr Al Qubaisi to take on the responsibilities of the Director of the Abu Dhabi Housing Authority. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

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Nahyan bin Mubarak receives reaccreditation certificate for Future Centre from USA Ambassador to UAE

posted on 20/05/2013

Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development and Honorary President of Future Centre for Special Needs, has stressed the state's interest in providing decent living for all categories of Special Needs.

He noted that such a care is deep-rooted in the wise and balanced policies outlined by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, whose legacy is followed up by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

This came during reception of the Future Centre for Special Needs of the certificate for reaccreditation and implementation of the Competent Learner Model (CLM) from Tucci Learning Solutions Inc, from Michael H. Corbin Michael, Ambassador of the United States of America to UAE.

Present were Mohammed Abdul Jalil Al Fahim, Chairman of the Centre, Dr Mowafaq Mustafa Juma, Director of the Future Centre, members of the Board and other dignitaries.

Sheikh Nahyan congratulated the Centre for this achievement.

For his part, the US envoy said the high calibre accreditation is issued to the institutions that meet required procedures.

Future Centre has successfully implemented CLM in its Autism Unit for last five years. It now serves 21 learners under the model and has 7 certified instructors of which three are also certified coaches. The staff training is ongoing and more teachers will be certified soon. Future Centre plans to open one more class under the model in the near future.

With ABA based CLM training the teachers are equipped to formulate appropriate lessons, structure the learning environments, deliver and monitor the effects of the curriculum to develop the learner's skills required to be a Competent Learner.

It was the foresight of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan and leadership of Dr. Mowafaq Mustafa, Director of Future Centre, that has made it possible for this project to remain successful for this renewal.

CLM accreditation is the biggest honour an organisation can achieve for its implementation standards required. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

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DHA’s strategy will promote Dubai as health tourism hub

posted on 20/05/2013

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, was briefed on Sunday on the four-pronged strategy of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), which builds on Sheikh Mohammed's long-term sustainable development vision for promoting Dubai as a favourite destination for health tourism in the Gulf, Middle East and world.

During a visit to the DHA's headquarters, Sheikh Mohammed attended a presentation by DHA Director-General Isa Al Maidour about the DHA strategy 2013-2025, which seeks to deliver four goals: prevention and awareness; easy access to health services; quality; and investment and competitiveness.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai; and a number of senior officials were also present on the occasion.

Al Maidour told Sheikh Mohammed that the strategy would be delivered through 43 initiatives backed by an enhanced control plan and Key Performance Indicators (KPI).

Sheikh Mohammed was also informed about the DHA's three-phase plan to find urgent solutions to pressing challenges dealing with customer service in the short term, administrative and technical affairs in the medium term and strategic issues in the long term.

During the presentation, Sheikh Mohammed viewed designs for proposed health projects within the strategy, including: the rebuilding of Rashid Hospital at a total cost of Dh3 billion, with a capacity of 900 beds, expanding the current trauma centre to 160 beds; expanding the out-patient clinics to 160 treatment rooms; establishing new centres for heart, cancer, kidney and cosmetic surgeries in addition to six new specialised centres.

The strategy, he said, also envisaged two five-star hotels to serve those accompanying patients.

Other future projects viewed by Sheikh Mohammed include the expansion of the Care Home for the Elderly and three other hospitals : Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Hospital, Al Maktoum Hospital and Al Khawaneej Hospital.

Sheikh Mohammed also launched a website for measuring customer satisfaction.

Sheikh Mohammed said he was satisfied with the DHA's short and long-term strategy and expressed his support for projects that aimed to provide comprehensive healthcare and protection to members of the community. – Khaleej Times

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The Hamdan International Photography Award wins best “award” website prize

posted on 20/05/2013

The Hamdan International Photography Award (HIPA) was awarded the Pan Arab Web Awards Academy Gold Award in the Awards category.

Hipa had launched its new website in March in line with the launch of the third season of the award "Creating the Future”. The current HIPA website is available in four languages; Arabic, English, German and Mandarin Chinese.

Hipa beat 420 other organisations throughout the Arab world in this category.

The new website was designed to improve the submission process for photographers wishing to submit photographs in this season's competition as well as visitors wanting to learn more about the award and the art of photography.

Websites were judged on aspects such as website design, user-friendliness, and various other technical aspects related to the programming of web pages. – Gulf News

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Jumeirah partners with Aston Martin

posted on 20/05/2013

Jumeirah group on Sunday announced its sponsorship of celebrated luxury sports car manufacturer, Aston Martin, at the 41st Nürburgring 24-hour race.

Jumeirah group's vice president for Europe, Derek Picot, said: "We are extremely proud to announce Jumeirah's sponsorship of Aston Martin and our upcoming support at the 41st Nürburgring 24-hour race. As two luxury brands with a shared passion for luxury and a commitment to excellence, we look forward to building upon this prestigious centenary partnership through the consistent support of Jumeirah hotels and resorts around the world.” – Khaleej Times

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UAE studio aims to make cartoon blockbuster

posted on 20/05/2013

The next children's cartoon blockbuster could be created in the UAE, if an ambitious team of animators has its way.

Blink Studios see no reason why the next SpongeBob SquarePants or Ben 10 cannot come from the Middle East.

The team has created, written and produced animated cartoons since being launched in 2005.

They hope to appeal to young audiences not only in the UAE, but around the world.

The studio is part of Twofour54, Abu Dhabi's media zone, which supports local creators and artists.

Blink is promoting its Arab roots with two new projects. The first, called Pearl Hunters, is inspired by the nation's pearl-diving history.

The action-adventure story follows a team of superheroes who draw their powers from mystical pearls, set against a backdrop that the keen eye might recognise as Dubai, albeit underwater.

The company is pitching the programme international channels including Cartoon Network Arabia, Al Jazeera and MBC3.

Another major project for the team is JO-HA, which is largely based on Arabic folklore.

"There is no greater power than that of media to change perception and to exhibit values that Arabs carry," said Nathalie Habib, Blink Studios' executive producer and general manager.

"The strongest medium is content that can be watched, enjoyed and yet portray how great, wonderful and rich in values the Arab world truly is."

It is a message shared by Twofour54's chief executive, Noura Al Kaabi, who travelled to Washington last week to highlight the importance of Arabic media to US government officials and industry representatives.

Blink's projects sound fun, but it is difficult to convince financial backers that a cartoon about superheroes and talking animals is a worthwhile investment.

"Investors, broadcasters and influential media figures have yet to recognise and understand the financial returns that animation can bring back," Ms Habib said.

"We spend the majority of our time in Blink educating, explaining and proving to such people how the numbers work and hopefully we are closer to making a change of ideology on this level."

Blink is also looking to broaden its horizons and is working to break into the feature film market, with a major announcement expected in coming weeks.

A major past success for Blink was Driver Dan's Story Train, co-produced with the UK-based 3Line Media.

The programme was first broadcast in English on Britain's CBeebies channel in January 2010 and in Arabic, under the title Captain Karim, on Baraem. – The National Read more: http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/uae-studio-aims-to-make-cartoon-blockbuster#ixzz2Tnv5mfJk

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Four wolf cubs born at the Breeding Centre in Sharjah

posted on 20/05/2013

The Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife, located in Sharjah Desert Park, witnessed the birth of four wolf cubs at the centre's division for Arab wolves.

Viewed roaming around with their mother, the cubs were born in the late winter, early spring months where they were kept in a den until they were two months old. While wolf cubs are usually born weak, they are kept in a den for several weeks before they are gradually introduced to their environment. After a period of two months, the cubs will be ready to join the pack of adult wolves and start learning how to hunt for their own food. – Gulf News

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WWE returns to UAE with John Cena and Ryback

posted on 20/05/2013

Superstar wrestling returns to Abu Dhabi in October. After wowing fans last year, the WWE heads back to the capital with three bouts at Zayed Sports City on October 10-12.

Hitting the Abu Dhabi mats are crowd favourites including John Cena, Sheamus, Mark Henry and Ryback. "We are thrilled to bring WWE's electrifying experience back to Abu Dhabi,” said WWE vice-president Gerrit Meier. – The National

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