Indians welcome UAE's decision to allow vaccinated tourists
The suspension will include the suspension of the entry of travellers who were in these countries 14 days before coming to the UAE….reports Asian Lite News
United Arab Emirates on Saturday announced the suspension of entry for travellers and transit passengers from Indonesia and Afghanistan on national and foreign flights with effect from July 11.
The announcement was made by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Emergency Management Authority (NCEMA) in the UAE.
The suspension will include the suspension of the entry of travellers who were in these countries 14 days before coming to the UAE.
Transit and cargo flights to and from these countries will continue, as usual, the GCAA said in a statement.
However, the authorities said a few categories are exempted from the travel restriction. The excluded category should present a negative Covid-19 test obtained within 48 hours of departure, mandatory ten-day quarantine, and a PCR test at the airport as well as another test on the fourth and eighth days of entering the country.
According to the decision, the period of the required PCR test is reduced from 72 hours to 48 hours, provided that the tests are issued by accredited laboratories and carrying the QR Code.
People who are exempted from the decision include UAE nationals and their first-degree relatives; Diplomatic missions between the UAE and the two countries; Official delegations; Businessmen after getting prior approvals- and golden and silver residency permit holders; Holders of essential jobs according to the classification of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA); and Staffs of UAE embassies in the two countries and crews of foreign freight and transit planes.
Earlier, Dubai-based carrier Emirates has suspended passenger flights from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka until July 15, following the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government’s directives to curb the spread of coronavirus. (ANI)
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid issued directives to all government entities in the UAE to support national and international coding talents, reports Asian Lite News
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, stated that developing the digital economy is a major priority for the government.
The UAE believes that young minds and national expertise are the main pillars for building a flourishing digital future, based on science, knowledge, innovation and technology. The UAE’s successful experience in the field of digital and technological transformation will be a key enabler in implementing its strategic plans and promoting the development march.
On the occasion of announcing the launch of the UAE “National Program for Coders”, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid highlighted that the program aims to design a number of national initiatives for developing talents, expertise and innovative projects in the field of coding, accelerating the adoption of its applications and tools in various economic and future sectors, and developing a close link between coders and the public, private and academic entities.
Tele-cardiology: How Covid-19 changed healthcare from traditional to digital. (Photo Courtesy: Pixabay)
On Twitter, His Highness announced that: “Today we launched the National Program for Coders in collaboration with Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Cisco, IBM, HPE, LinkedIn, Nvidia and Facebook, with the aim of training and attracting 100,000 coders, establishing 1000 digital companies within 5 years and increasing investment in startups from AED 1.5 billion to AED 4 billion.”
In another tweet, H.H. added, “The National Program for Coders is a new step within the UAE national program to build our digital economy. The world a changing The pace of digital transformation is doubling Jobs are changing and survival will be for the most prepared, agile and well-equipped to keep pace with the global changes.”
His Highness added, “Our youth need to know that the future has new tools.. speaks a different language… and adopts online work methodologies. We want them to be at the heart of this future. The National Program for Coders aims to engage the local digital communities in the digital transformation of the UAE. It further highlights the UAE’s leading role in designing the future, embracing talents, entrepreneurs, academics, startups, global companies, and future investments globally.”
Sheikh Mohammed highlighted that “We target attracting the best international coders and providing them with the needed infrastructure to develop innovative ideas that serve the world … We aim to establish 1000 startups in the field of digital economy in the UAE within 5 years … We will support national coders to become among the best globally We will employ promising talents in developing 10 platforms for supporting social and humanitarian projects in the UAE.”
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid issued directives to all government entities in the UAE to support national and international coding talents; work with legislative bodies, business incubators, investment companies, universities and research centers to support coding-based initiatives and projects, whose work leads to promoting the skills of national cadres; and update the legislative laws in a way that keeps pace with the rapid global changes and meets the new technological requirements and challenges.
Under the supervision of the UAE Artificial Intelligence Office, the “National Program for Coders” aims to support national initiatives and future strategies in the UAE, designed for developing the capabilities of national talents, attracting global digital skills, and building the necessary infrastructure to establish broader innovation-based companies.
The program further enables coding entrepreneurs, businessmen and startups to support the digital transformation in various key sectors. It provides opportunities for cooperation with government and private sector entities in the UAE and abroad to implement promising ideas and turn them into comprehensive projects.
The National Program for Coders strategy focuses on 5 key pillars, namely: supporting coders, entrepreneurs, startups, large companies and the academic sector; developing a comprehensive platform for linking coders with local companies and universities; launching global initiatives supervised by a host of international trainers to enhance the efficiency of local talents; attracting the best International coding cadres to the UAE, and suggesting policies to empower the coding sector in cooperation with various government entities.
Several initiatives will be launched to support the strategy’s outputs, including a comprehensive platform to link coders with the private and academic sectors, supporting businessmen in finding specialized talents to develop innovative projects, granting the golden visa to the best international coders, developing the experiences of Emirati coders to become among the best globally, supporting national startups working in the field of digital economy, and empowering social and humanitarian coding-based projects.
As part of the support provided by the program, it will help various government entities find innovative coding-based solutions in cooperation with prominent coders, independent businesses, local startups and international coding companies. It will also oversee the development of Emirati youth coding skills, in addition to studying and defining local and global market needs and enhancing continuous cooperation with the academic sector.
The National Program for Coding, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, will grant golden visas to the best 100,000 coders worldwide. It will also provide a range of financing options to entrepreneurs and coders, support the implementation of their innovative projects and ideas, and establish digital companies to promote the competitiveness of the national economy worldwide.
102 plots were sold for AED628.89 million, 1,164 apartments and villas were sold for AED2.35 billion…reports Asian Lite News
A total of 1,705 real estate and properties transactions valued at AED5.3 billion were recorded in total during the week ending 8th July 2021, according to Dubai Land Department (DLD).
102 plots were sold for AED628.89 million, 1,164 apartments and villas were sold for AED2.35 billion, the DLD weekly report noted.
The top three transactions were a land in Hadaeq Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid sold for AED86 million, followed by a land that was sold for AED61 million in Island 2, and a land sold for AED86 million in Hadaeq Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid in third place.
Nad Al Shiba First recorded the most transactions for this week by 17 sales transactions worth AED39.06 million, followed by Hadaeq Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid with 16 sales transactions worth AED 204.95 million, and Jumeirah First with 12 sales transactions worth AED102 million in third place.
The top three transfers for apartments and villas were an apartment was sold for AED374 million in Marsa Dubai, an apartment was second in the list sold for AED216 million in Burj Khalifa, and thirdly it was an apartment sold for AED200 million in Palm Jumeirah.
The sum of the amount of mortgaged properties for the week was AED1 billion, with the highest being a land in Business Bay, mortgaged for AED250 million.
97 properties were granted between first-degree relatives worth AED984 million.
Discussions broadly focused on the UAE’s initiatives and advancements to improve its AML/CFT regime…reports Asian Lite News
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation welcomed a US Department of the Treasury delegation to discuss a range of issues related to anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT).
The US delegation was led by Paul Ahern, Acting Assistant Secretary and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Office of Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes.
During the visit, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Chair of the Higher Committee Overseeing the National Strategy on AML/CFT, held discussions with Ahern.
Ahern also met with Ahmed Al Sayegh, Minister of State, Khaled Mohamed Balama Al Tameemi, Governor of the Central Bank, and senior officials from UAE supervisory and regulatory agencies.
The US delegation was updated on the various initiatives and advancements taken by the UAE to improve the effectiveness of its AML/CFT regime, including the establishment of the Executive Office for AML-CFT and the ongoing work of the National Committee for AML/CFT.
Discussions broadly focused on the UAE’s initiatives and advancements to improve its AML/CFT regime and the work being undertaken by the six AML/CFT National Sub-Committees, including, an overview of the UAE’s AML/CFT National Strategy (2020-2023).
It also include the steps taken to enhance private sector outreach on AML/CFT issues, including recent targeted engagements for senior executives of Financial Institutions and Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions, and the establishment and launch of a long-term Public Private Partnership framework.
Also, the ongoing efforts of financial supervisors to effectively mitigate money laundering and terrorist financing risks etc.
It also discussed how the Central Bank and the Financial Intelligence Unit are working increasingly closer with financial institutions to facilitate the reporting of suspicious transactions.
“Strengthening the UAE’s AML/CFT framework is a critical national priority and is a central focus of the UAE leadership,” said Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh.
“The UAE government has invested significantly in building an effective system to combat money laundering and terrorist financing and is actively deepening the dialogue between the public and private sectors. It is a privilege to explain the significant progress being made to our international partners, who we are committed to working closely with as we look to safeguard the integrity of the financial system.”
Al Menhali stressed that these competitions are also in the interest of the UAE players to compete with international talents and enrich their technical ability….reports Asian Lite News
The UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF), the governing body for the sport in the UAE, and Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro (AJP) will stage the AJP Tour Asia Continental Pro, which will see 700 athletes take to the mats at the Rashid Bin Hamdan Hall in Al Nasr Cultural and Sports Club, Dubai, across two days of action on 9th and 10th July, 2021.
The championship has attracted top-ranked participants, including black and brown belt holders, from several Asian countries. The Asia Continental Pro will give athletes the opportunity to improve their ranking, raise their fitness and secure their opportunity to participate in the Grand Slam rounds and other upcoming events on the world stage.
Mubarak Al Menhali, Director of the UAEJJF’s Technical Department, said, “This strong cooperation between the Federation and Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro is creating a solid base for world-class championships, which contribute to strengthening the status of Abu Dhabi as a home for jiu-jitsu and a preferred destination for elite champions of this sport.”
Al Menhali stressed that these competitions are also in the interest of the UAE players to compete with international talents and enrich their technical ability.
AJP Tour Operations Manager Rodrigo Valerio said, “The joint efforts between the UAEJJF and AJP Tour contribute towards achieving successes in the sport across the nation and position Abu Dhabi as the largest developer of jiu-jitsu in the world.”
The first day of the AJP Asia Tour event welcomes blue belt holders in the juvenile, adult, and masters categories, in addition to No-Gi competitions for purple, brown and black belts, which are limited to the adult male category exclusively.
Day two will see purple belt holders in the juvenile category take to the mats, in addition to the purple, brown and black belts in the adults and masters divisions. The AJP Asia Tour event winners are awarded 1,400 points, which makes it extremely important for professionals.
The new FAHR rules will also not apply to those aged under 16….reports Asian Lite News
UAE has issued new COVID-19 precautionary measures for customers and visitors to be implemented across all ministries, federal government entities and customer service facilities in the country.
The circular issued by Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) stipulates that, as of Sunday, 1st August, 2021, customers, visitors, employees of outsourcing or service companies, or any person other than employees of the entity will be prohibited from entering the headquarters of ministries, federal entities and customer service centres.
However, the circular excluded customers and visitors who have received two doses of UAE-approved COVID-19 vaccines, as well as non-vaccinated and exempt individuals who can present a valid negative result of a PCR test taken within 48 hours, provided that it shows on the Alhosn app.
The new FAHR rules will also not apply to those aged under 16.
The authority has called on all ministries and federal entities and centres to adhere to the provisions of the circular.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) announced 1,539 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of recorded cases in the UAE to 645,653.
According to the ministry, the infected individuals are from various nationalities, are in a stable condition, and receiving the necessary care.
MoHAP also announced 2 deaths due to COVID-19 complications, bringing the total number of deaths in the country to 1,849.
It called on all members of the society to cooperate with health authorities, adhere to the instructions and physical distance to ensure the health and safety of all.
The ministry also noted that an additional 1,525 individuals had fully recovered from COVID-19, bringing the total number of recoveries to 623,826.
Meanwhile, 67,438 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered in the past 24 hours.
The total number of doses provided up to Thursday stands at 15,795,853 with a rate of vaccine distribution of 159.71 doses per 100 people.
Dr. Al-Hosany said that she was talking to La Camera about the UAE’s role in accelerating the global energy transition…reports Asian Lite News
The UAE has become the global convener of choice for urgent international dialogues, according to Dr. Nawal Al-Hosany, UAE permanent representative to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
This is especially the case when it comes to renewable energy solutions and the global energy transition, she added, noting that a natural next step in this direction is hosting the 2023 UN Conference on Climate Change (COP 28).
In her article in The National, Dr. Al-Hosany narrated her conversation with Francesco La Camera, Director-General of IRENA, saying, ” he said something which struck a resonant chord.”
“When I first moved to the UAE [in 2019], I was not surprised by what was happening here, in terms of the modernisation of the nation,” he said. “But I didn’t expect the pace.”
Dr. Al-Hosany said that she was talking to La Camera about the UAE’s role in accelerating the global energy transition and securing a future of clean energy access for all, on the latest episode of On Renewables, the UAE Mission to IRENA’s videocast.
“The reason La Camera’s observation about the pace of the UAE’s transformation hit home is this: it serves well to be reminded of how much our nation has achieved in such a short time, and how much we can achieve in the critical years ahead.
“We’ve become so accustomed to our achievements in the fields of renewable energy and climate action that we should not forget what those achievements are. Not only for what has been done, but for what can be done,” she said, adding that the UAE is home to three of the world’s biggest solar plants and it has become so integral to the UAE identity as an incubator of renewable energy solutions.
With 3.2 million solar panels installed across 8 square kilometres, Noor Abu Dhabi can produce 1.2 gigawatts of clean electricity, and meet the energy demands of up to 90,000 people. And soon, the Al Dhafra Solar Project, which set a record low tariff of US$1.35 cents per kilowatt-hour, is set to be almost double the size of Noor.
In Dubai, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which set the original benchmark for the world’s largest single-site solar park, spread over 77 square kilometres, has just seen the inauguration of a first-of-its-kind green hydrogen project.
“It is worth noting that these projects were made possible thanks to international collaborations,” Dr. Nawal Al-Hosany explained. “In the instance of the two Abu Dhabi solar projects, that’s with leading Chinese firms – Jinko Solar Holding and China Machinery Engineering Corp for Noor and Al Dhafra, respectively. And in the case of the green hydrogen project, it is with close technology- and knowledge-transfers with Germany’s Siemens Energy.”
And that’s just for projects at home. The UAE has been a pioneer in bringing clean energy to countries around the world. “To date, the UAE has invested US$16.8 billion in renewable energy ventures in more than 70 countries around the world. And in small island developing states and least-developed states alone, it has invested more than US$1bn.”
“Countries from the Caribbean to Eastern Europe have benefitted from the UAE’s mission to make clean energy more accessible to all, regardless of socioeconomic circumstance. The nation’s leadership has pursued this model for good reason. What we see when we collaborate across borders is that costs come down, the economic opportunity goes up and society at large reaps the rewards,” she went on to say.
Dr. Al-Hosany said that having provided the headquarters of the world’s leading authority on the global energy transition for more than a decade, “the UAE is perfectly situated to host the world’s biggest climate change conference”.
This will enhance DP World’s capabilities, particularly in Africa, building on its extensive infrastructure of ports, terminals and economic zones….reports Asian Lite News
DP World announced an offer to acquire JSE-listed Imperial Logistics, an integrated logistics and market access company with operations mainly across the African continent and in Europe.
This will enhance DP World’s capabilities, particularly in Africa, building on its extensive infrastructure of ports, terminals and economic zones.
DP World’s cash offer of ZAR66 per share implies an equity consideration of around ZAR12.7bn (around US$890mn).
It represents a premium of 39.5 percent to the Imperial share price as of 7th July 2021 on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and a 34.2 percent premium to the 30-day volume weighted average price.
This transaction is subject to Imperial’s shareholder approval and other customary completion conditions including regulatory approvals.
Imperial is an integrated logistics and market access solutions provider with a presence across 25 countries, including a significant footprint in the high growth Africa market.
The Group focuses on fast-growing industries including healthcare, consumer, automotive, chemicals, industrial and commodities.
“The acquisition of Imperial will help DP World to build better and more efficient supply chains for the owners of cargo, especially in Africa,” said Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO, DP World.
“Imperial’s operations are complementary to our network of ports, terminals and logistics operations on the continent. Like DP World, Imperial’s biggest asset is its people, and we look forward to welcoming employees of Imperial into the DP World team on successful conclusion of the transaction.”
Port of Dubai Emirate, located on Jebel Ali district.(wikipedia)
Dubai Civil Defense, Dubai Police and other related authorities, took rapid action at the site to fully put out the fire in under 40 minutes…reports Asian Lite News
Jebel Ali Port authorities are continuing an extensive investigation into the cause of the fire that broke out uesterday in a container in a ship carrying flammable materials.
In a statement today, Jebel Ali Port said the Dubai Civil Defense, Dubai Police and other related authorities, took rapid action at the site to fully put out the fire in under 40 minutes.
“Prudent action ensured that operations were not affected in any way due to the incident, which occurred in the older Terminal 1, used only for small ships. Terminal 2, 3 and 4 of the Port, where big ships dock and offload their cargo, continued normal operations even during the incident,” it added.
”Casualties were avoided also due to the quick action of Jebel Ali Port’s officials who ordered an evacuation of the vessel and the immediate area when a leakage and smoke was seen,” it went on to say.
Following the fire, Dubai Civil Defense, Jebel Ali Port, Dubai Police and other relevant authorities also took immediate measures to ensure operations across the Port, including Terminal 1 where the incident took place, continued normally without any interruption.
Meanwhile, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Suhail Al Mazrouei , has said that the UAE took swift action in containing the fire at Jebel Ali Port.
“We appreciate and commend the efforts of the teams who contributed to containing the fire that broke out at 11:55pm on Wednesday, July 7th, 2021, due to a blaze onboard the container ship “Ocean Trader”, he said in a media statement on Thursday.
At the helm of the rescue operations were the DP World, UAE Region team, the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority and personnel from the Dubai Civil Defence and the Dubai Police, he added, noting that the evacuation procedure of the ship’s crew and workers on the berth was carried out promptly.
While containing the fire and ensuring no fatalities, the rescue team also took the necessary safety measures to ensure that there were no radioactive materials on the ship, the minister said.
By holding the forum at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, Dubai Tourism sought to highlight the enormous significance of Expo 2020 to Dubai’s tourism industry and the gathering pace of recovery in the events sector, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk
Dubai Tourism held its first bi-annual ‘City Briefing’ for 2021 at the newly built Dubai Exhibition Centre, highlighting the sector’s promising performance since the reopening of the city to international tourists a year ago.
As efforts intensified across the tourism ecosystem to accelerate momentum in this year, the forum featured a detailed presentation on Expo 2020, the multi-faceted mega event which runs from 1 October, 2021 to 31 March 2022.
Presided by Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism, the forum hosted over 1,000 key executives from leading establishments in the hospitality, travel, and tourism sectors.
In the forum, Dubai Tourism held regular dialogues with key industry leaders to exchange insights and work with them to ensure the industry is seamlessly aligned with tourism growth initiatives and strategies.
By holding the forum at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, Dubai Tourism sought to highlight the enormous significance of Expo 2020 to Dubai’s tourism industry and the gathering pace of recovery in the events sector.
“Dubai has continued to lead global tourism recovery and has constantly set new precedents in how to safely yet effectively open internationally and critically stay open,” Helal Almarri commented.
“Dubai has placed us in prime position to drive growth, especially since we see Expo 2020 as a global pivot to pioneer the future of international tourism and business. The emirate’s tourism rebound in the second half of 2020, leading to industry stabilisation in 2021, is also a reflection of the crucial support extended by our stakeholders and partners.”
“As the city prepares to host the region’s first world expo, as well as play a leading role in the UAE’s Golden Jubilee celebrations, we look forward to making significant progress in 2021 and beyond,” he added.
Incremental increase in tourist arrivals month on month from markets that are open delivered 3.7 million international overnight visitors in the July 2020 – May 2021 period. Dubai Tourism’s partners and stakeholders expressed their appreciation for the multi-pronged strategy to combat the pandemic, leading to the reopening of the city to global travellers in July 2020.
Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer, said: “Dubai’s leadership understood the critical importance of providing a road map for the safe return and revitalisation of the economy through meticulous planning, a coordinated public-private approach and strong partnerships across the travel and tourism sectors.”
Paul Griffiths, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Airports, said: “Despite the challenges during a period that was the most turbulent time in the history of international air travel, Dubai Airports retained its position as the world’s busiest international airport for the seventh consecutive year with 25.9 million passengers in 2020. After having welcomed nearly six million passengers in Q1 2021, DXB now looks set for a stable second quarter and the outlook for the second half of the year looks positive thanks to the seasonal travel rush and upcoming major international events including the Dubai Expo 2020 and the Dubai Airshow 2021.”
Dubai Airports has taken significant steps to minimise the impact of new travel requirements on customer journeys through the airport. The operator along with the Dubai Health Authority and Pure Health recently opened a 20,000 square-feet in-house lab that can process up to 100,000 PCR samples collected from passengers at DXB daily, providing reports within a few hours.
