Tag: UAE

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Africa News UAE News

UAE renews support for peace and security in Africa

The UAE underlined the need to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and stressed that the accessibility of vaccines needs to be improved…reports Asian Lite News

The UAE has renewed its commitment to working with partners to maintain peace and security in Africa, including when elected to the UN Security Council for the 2022-2023 term.

It submitted a written statement to the UN Security Council’s ministerial open debate on addressing root causes of conflict while promoting post-pandemic recovery in Africa.

The debate was convened by China in its capacity as president of the Council for May 2021 and chaired by Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

The UAE underlined the need to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and stressed that the accessibility of vaccines needs to be improved. It also highlighted its initiatives, including a contribution of vaccines and logistics support to COVAX – a worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines as well as DP World’s partnership with UNICEF to support their leading role in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

UAE is also sending medical assistance to more than 25 African countries and is supporting the UN’s global relief efforts as host of the UN’s largest logistics hub in Dubai. It expressed concern over how the COVID-19 pandemic is threatening jobs in both the formal and informal sectors in Africa, noting that youth are disproportionately affected.

Underscoring the importance of investing in youth, UAE highlighted its US$500 million investment in African economies, with a focus on youth and digitisation through the “UAE Consortium for Africa,” which was announced in February 2020.

ALSO READ: Jerusalem violence: UAE to host Arab union meeting

Noting that terrorism and violence continue to be a destabilising factor in the African continent, including in the Sahel, UAE affirmed its commitment to strengthening collective efforts to boost security and stability in the Sahel. UAE also expressed support for the G5 Sahel Joint Force, including through the College of Defence in Mauritania.

It emphasised the importance of investing in development to achieve peace, including by rapidly scaling up solutions for inclusive climate adaptation and concentrating UN development efforts in fragile regions. To support such work, the UAE has joined with a number of countries to launch the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate, which catalyses public investment in climate-smart agriculture.

Additionally, the UAE stressed the need for the UN to continue strengthening cooperation with regional and sub-regional organisations in the African continent, such as the African Union and the Regional Economic Communities, to address complex peace and security challenges, including the root causes of conflict.

Furthermore, the UAE underlined the importance of empowering women, including them in decision-making, and ensuring their full, equal, and meaningful participation in all matters relating to peace and security.

In this regard, the UAE noted that the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Women, Peace and Security Initiative aims to boost the participation of women in the security sector and has trained more than 100 women cadets from the African continent.

ALSO READ: Jerusalem violence: UAE to host Arab union meeting

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India News UAE News

BR Shetty’s travel ban upheld in Indian court

Shetty and his business empire have been embroiled in alleged financial irregularities and fraud involving billions of dollars….reports Asian Lite News

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday rejected a petition to allow businessman BR Shetty travel to UAE, as it upheld a previous ruling in February.

Shetty and his business empire have been embroiled in alleged financial irregularities and fraud involving billions of dollars.

Shetty is the founder of troubled hospital operator NMC Health, UAE’s biggest hospital group listed in London.

It went into administration in April last year after months of turmoil over its finances and its disclosure of $6.6 billion in debt, it was reported.

“We are yet to examine the reasoned order in detail. However, there is no doubt that we will challenge it in the Supreme Court,” Shetty’s lawyer, Zulfiquar Memon, told Reuters.

Last year a consortium of Indian banks, including Bank of Baroda with $250 million in outstanding loans due from Shetty, had initiated travel restrictions on the NMC founder in an attempt to recover the debts. Several other Indian banks, including Federal Bank, have considerable exposure to Shetty-run firms.

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-Top News Arab News UAE News

Jerusalem violence: UAE to host Arab union meeting

Leaders around the world expressed concern about the escalating violence in Gaza, calling on both sides to show restraint….reports Asian Lite News

The UAE will host a virtual emergency meeting of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union on Wednesday to discuss the situation in Jerusalem and Al Aqsa Mosque.

The meeting will include speeches by speakers and representatives of Arab parliaments, and a closing statement.

The development comes as the cross-border violence, which erupted on Monday following weeks of rising tensions in the contested city of Jerusalem intensified exponentially over the last several hours.

More than two dozen Palestinians have been killed in the last day, including several children. Three Israelis died from Gaza rocket fire on Tuesday, DPA news agency reported.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacks on Gaza, which have targeted some 500 Hamas and Islamic Jihad positions since Monday, would intensify.

Israel-Gaza violence spirals

“This operation will take time, but we will bring security back to the citizens of Israel,” he said late Tuesday.

Hamas, which rules the coastal strip, would “receive blows it did not expect,” Netanyahu had said hours earlier in remarks after a meeting with military officials.

An Israeli military spokesperson said that at least 20 members from the two groups have been killed so far in Gaza, including senior officials, and some 150 missile-launchers had been destroyed.

ALSO READ:Gaza violence escalates as Israel intensifies crackdown
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Ramadan UAE News

Eid Al Fitr cannons at 5 locations

Officials indicated that the cannons have been set up in Zabeel Grand Mosque, Al Salam Masjid in Al Barsha, Al Mamzar Street, Burj Khalifa area, and the praying ground in Al Mankhool…reports Asian Lite News

The Dubai Police has recently announced the locations of Eid Al Fitr in five different areas across the emirate of Dubai.

Major General Abdullah Ali Al Ghaithi, Director of Organisations Protective Security and Emergency at Dubai Police, pointed out that the Dubai Police strives to keep the tradition alive as the shooting of cannons marks the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan and announce the beginning of Eid Al Fitr.

Major Abdullah Tarish Al Amimi, Commander of the Artillery Unit in the General Department of Protective Security and Emergency, indicated that the cannons have been set up in Zabeel Grand Mosque, Al Salam Masjid in Al Barsha, Al Mamzar Street, Burj Khalifa area, and the praying ground in Al Mankhool.

“Every year families gather to watch the Eid cannons. However, due to the ongoing pandemic and as per the announced precautionary measures against COVID-19, firing Eid cannons could be viewed only on TV as no one would be allowed to gather at the locations” Al Amimi added.

ALSO READ; UAE suspends arrivals from 4 countries
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-Top News Arab News UAE News

UAE, Bahrain open corridor for vaccinated travellers

This step also underscores the determination of the leaderships of the two countries to facilitate the movement of individuals and achieve the goals of their vaccination campaigns…report Asian Lite News

The UAE and Bahrain have adopted a safe travel corridor for travellers vaccinated against COVID-19, as part of their joint cooperation and coordination, and their joint efforts to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The travel corridor will enable people to travel between the two countries starting from the first day of Eid al-Fitr without the need to quarantine. They will be required to adhere to the precautionary measures adopted by the destination country, which were recently updated to ensure safer travel for everyone, the two countries said in a joint statement today.

This step also underscores the determination of the leaderships of the two countries to facilitate the movement of individuals and achieve the goals of their vaccination campaigns for all segments of the community.

Citizens and residents who wish to benefit from the quarantine exemption in both countries will be required to present proof that they have received the full dose of the COVID-19 vaccine through approved applications and certificates, most notably the Al Hosn app in the UAE and the BeAware Bahrain app in Bahrain. Moreover, passengers can also save their PCR test results on the two apps.

The strategic partnership between the UAE and Bahrain is important, in light of the significant challenges facing the world caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting their efforts to address and overcome the crisis, added the statement.

ALSO READ: Israeli firm inks landmark deal with UAE
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-Top News Ramadan UAE News

UAE issues safety rules for Eid prayers

Gatherings, shaking hands among other advisories issued; parents told to monitor children and educate them not to accept Ediya from strangers, reports Asian Lite News

Stressing that UAE is continuing its battle against the pandemic and highlighting the achievements if its national strategic plans, Dr. Saif Al Dhaheri, said that returning to normalcy is an effort from community awareness and leadership.

Al Dhaheri, the official spokesperson of the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA), said Eid al-Fitr prayers can only be performed for 15 minutes and must follow relevant precautionary measures, such as wearing facemasks and maintaining physical distancing.

People infected with Covid-19 who are being under treatment, those exposed to infected people, and people with chronic diseases are prohibited from going to Eid prayers, he added, that gatherings and shaking hands are also prohibited.

Prayers will take place in approved mosques and musallas around the country and services facilities will be closed, he noted, affirming that elderly people over the age of 60 and children under the age of 12 should not go to mosques for their own safety.

He noted that relevant authorities will supervise the process of entry and exit from mosques to avoid overcrowding and organise prayers, adding that mosques will open 15 minutes before prayers and will be closed immediately after prayers.

Dhaheri stressed the importance of adherence to precautionary measures during Eid al-Fitr, including avoiding visits and family gatherings, wearing face masks and maintaining physical distancing with the elderly and those with chronic diseases.

He urged the public to exchange Eid greetings with friends and families via virtual platforms and to refrain from exchanging gifts and food between neighbours, and not give children Eid presents and cash bonuses.

ALSO READ:Israeli firm inks landmark deal with UAE

Meanwhile, Farida Al Hosani, official spokesperson of the UAE Health Sector, said that a study conducted on the efficiency of the national vaccination campaign, had revealed that non-vaccinated persons were vulnerable to severe complications caused by Covid-19.

Al Hosani added that the National Vaccination Campaign in the UAE continues to achieve its goals, with over 72.03 percent of the eligible criteria of the population (people over 16 years), and 79.03 percent of those over 60 years having been vaccinated.

She said that the UAE has provided over 11 million doses of the vaccine, at a rate of 113.10 doses for every 100 persons, while the number of Covid-19 tests carried out in the country exceeded 46 million.

”This makes the UAE one of the world’s most efficient examples in managing and curing the spread of the virus.” Al Hosani stressed that the country’s health authorities are closely monitoring the efficiency of vaccines, by observing the developments of clinical trials and their effectiveness in the community and tracking positive cases registered in the country.

Dubai Police urges precautionary measures

Lieutenant-General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-chief of Dubai Police, urged the public to abide by the precautionary measures against Covid-19 during the Eid holidays when visiting tourist places, beaches and commercial centres, as well as to practice social distancing and wear masks when in public.

Al Marri said that Dubai Police have stepped up their readiness to secure Eid Al Fitr and patrol internal and external roads of the Emirate, as well as markets, commercial areas and locations of intense congestion.

He also advised motorists to drive safely and to refrain from committing serious violations, such as speeding, overtaking and reckless driving that leads to serious accidents.

He called upon members of the public to stay informed about the latest safety tips and traffic updates published through the Dubai Police smart app and social media accounts.

Al Marri further urged parents to monitor their children and educate them not to accept Ediya from strangers. He also called upon the public to adhere to the safety and security regulations at homes to avoid accidents of fires, wishing them a safe and happy Eid.

ALSO READ:UAE suspends arrivals from 4 countries

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-Top News Asia News UAE News

UAE suspends arrivals from 4 countries

UAE suspends arrivals from 4 countries

Arrivals from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka will be suspended for all incoming passengers on national and foreign carriers, as well as those carrying transit passengers, starting from 23:59 on Wednesday, 12th May, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced it will bar entry of travellers from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka from May 12 amid a sudden surge in COVID-19 infections in these countries.

According to General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA), the entry from these four countries will be suspended for all incoming passengers on national and foreign carriers, as well as those carrying transit passengers, starting from 23:59 on Wednesday, 12th May, 2021, the state news agency WAM reported.

“Flights between the four countries will continue to allow the transport of passengers from the UAE to Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka,” the NCEMA said.

“This decision also includes extending the suspension of entry for travellers who were in these four countries in the 14-day period prior to arrival in the UAE,” it added.

Flights between these countries and the UAE will continue to operate, allowing the transportation of passengers from the UAE to those countries. It will also allow the transfer of some exempted groups from the four aforementioned countries to the UAE, with strict enforcement of precautionary measures.

These groups include UAE citizens, diplomats appointed by the UAE in these countries, official delegations, businessmen’s chartered flights, and those holding golden residency visa, provided that they undertake preventive measures that include quarantine for 10 days and a PCR test at the airport, as well as on the fourth and eighth days following the entry into the country.

Moreover, the validity of PCR test period has been reduced from 72 hours to 48 hours prior to travel from accredited laboratories that issue test results carrying a QR code.

Also read:UAE has the fastest mobile Internet in the world

The authority also confirmed that it is required for those coming from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka through other countries to stay in those countries for at least 14 days before being allowed to enter the UAE.

However, Cargo flights will continue to operate between the UAE and these countries.

The authority called upon all travellers affected by the decision to follow up with the relevant airlines to change or reschedule their flights and to ensure their safe return to their final destinations without delay.

The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) announced 1,507 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of recorded cases in the country to 537,524.

According to the ministry, the infected individuals are from various nationalities, are in a stable condition, and receiving the necessary care.

The ministry also announced two deaths due to COVID-19 complications, bringing the total number of deaths in the country to 1,615.

The ministry 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. It also noted that an additional 1,476 individuals had fully recovered from COVID-19, bringing the total number of recoveries to 517,805.

Meanwhile, the UAE has announced that 40,414 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered during the past 24 hours.

The total number of doses provided up to today stands at 11,186,348 with a rate of vaccine distribution of 113.10 doses per 100 people.

Also read:Israeli firm inks landmark deal with UAE

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-Top News Arab News UAE News

Israeli firm inks landmark deal with UAE

Ecoppia, an Israeli world leader in robotic cleaning solution for solar scripted history with a multilateral collaboration with UAE-Israel-India, reports Asian Lite News

Ecoppia, an Israeli world leader in robotic cleaning solution for solar with its manufacturing base in India and over 2,700MW of global projects in its portfolio, became the first-of-its-kind success story of a multilateral collaboration with the UAE-Israel-India Trilateral by signing its first landmark deal in the UAE with the support of the International Federation of Indo-Israel Chambers of Commerce (IFIICC).

The deal includes a multilateral collaboration with a leading global renewable energy partner of IFIICC.

Reuven (Ruvi) Rivlin, President of the State of Israel; Dr. Ron Malka, Ambassador of Israel to India; Pavan Kapoor, Indian Ambassador to the UAE; Dr. Ahmed Abdul Rahman AlBanna, UAE Ambassador to India; Sanjeev Kumar Singla, Ambassador of India to Israel, who are all founding patrons of IFIICC, and Jonathan Miller, Special Envoy for Energy, Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs congratulated Ecoppia’s CEO Jean Scemama and IFIICC Founder & Chairperson Merzi Sodawaterwala for this landmark achievement.

Ecoppia’s innovative fully autonomous, water-free robots will allow this arid region to achieve optimal productivity while saving precious water resources.

The announcement comes as the Abraham Accords peace agreement signed between Israel and the UAE have certainly paved the way for friendships and business partnerships across the region. India being a friend of both the UAE and Israel is clearly the preferred partner to leverage the global potential of the UAE, Israel and India Trilateral.

Dr Ron Malka, Ambassador of Israel to India and founding patron of IFIICC, who was the first to identify and highlight the potential of Israel-UAE-India Trilateral congratulated Ecoppia and IFIICC for the success and said that he was proud to witness that the seeds sown by us are bearing good fruit.

He added, “This confluence of Israeli cutting-edge technology, manufactured in India, and imported from India to UAE for the benefit of its citizens, have so much potential, and this is only the beginning of it. I applaud the vision, determination, leadership and commendable achievements of the IFIICC by creating such landmark multilateral partnerships that will result in significant impact for all nations.”

Dr Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al Banna, Ambassador of the UAE to India and founding patron of IFIICC, said, “There is tremendous potential in the trilateral cooperation between Israel, the UAE and India and multilateral cooperation with other countries and I welcome such great success stories of Ecoppia through the IFIICC led by Merzi Sodawaterwala, who is leading from the front in harnessing the innovation and international business potential of the Abraham Accords that will benefit the world.”

Pavan Kapoor, Ambassador of India to the UAE and founding patron of IFIICC, who was the Ambassador of India to Israel from March 2016 to September 2019, said, “Global goals of sustainable development can only be achieved through international cooperation. This requires players to come together to share know-how and efficient manufacturing techniques. The project by Ecoppia, involving collaboration between Israel and India and the UAE, exemplifies how such efforts can bear fruit in this direction. Full credit to Merzi Sodawaterwala and IFIICC for making this happen.”

Sanjeev Singla, Ambassador of India to Israel and founding patron of IFIICC said, “The project by Ecoppia can go a long way in realizing the potential of collaborations among India, Israel and the UAE, and in advancing the goal of sustainable development. My felicitations to everyone who is working to make it a success.”

India, UAE, Israel’s trilateral trade could reach $110 bn by 2020

Tapping into the mutual strengths of India, Israel and the UAE could propel the trilateral trade between the countries to a high of $110 billion by 2030, top diplomats and members of the business community have said.

The comments were made at an event organised by the International Federation of Indo-Israel Chambers of Commerce (IFIICC) to discuss the ongoing business collaborations being pursued through IFIICC’s leadership across sectors.

The international business potential backed by Israeli innovation, UAE’s visionary leadership and strategic partnership of both nations with India could be $110 billion by 2030, Ambassador Ilan Sztulman Starosta, Head of the Israeli mission in Dubai, said in a press release issued by IFIICC.

Echoing similar sentiments, AlBanna, said that UAE and India’s bilateral trade is projected to grow from $60 billion in 2020 to $100 billion by 2030. UAE is a gateway to the world and this trilateral with India and Israel could benefit the world.

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Technology UAE News

2,000 yr-old extinct date palm’s genome sequenced

The researchers germinated the seeds, conducted whole genome sequencing of the germinated samples and used this genome data to examine the genetics of these Judean date palms….reports Asian LIte News

Researchers from New York University (NYU) Abu Dhabi’s Centre for Genomics and Systems Biology have successfully sequenced the genome of previously extinct date palm varieties that lived more than 2,000 years ago.

They did so using date palm seeds that were recovered from archaeological sites in the southern Levant region and radiocarbon-dated from the 4th century BCE to the 2nd century CE.

The researchers germinated the seeds, conducted whole genome sequencing of the germinated samples and used this genome data to examine the genetics of these Judean date palms.

This study marks the first time researchers have sequenced the genomes of plants from ancient germinated seeds.

By examining the genome of the (Phoenix dactylifera L.) species that thrived centuries ago, Professor of Biology Michael D. Purugganan and his NYUAD colleagues, along with research partners in Israel and France, were able to see how these plants evolved over a period of time.

In this case, they observed that between the 4th century BCE and 2nd century CE, date palms in the eastern Mediterranean started to show increasing levels of genes from another species, Phoenix theophrasti, which today grows in Crete and some other Greek islands, as well as southwestern Turkey, as a result of hybridisation between species. They conclude that the increasing level of genes from P. theophrasti over this period shows the increasing influence of the Roman Empire in the eastern Mediterranean.

Their findings have been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA.

“We are fortunate that date palm seeds can live a long time – in this case, more than 2,000 years – and germinate with minimal DNA damage, in the dry environment of the region,” Purugganan said. “This ‘resurrection genomics’ approach is a remarkably effective way to study the genetics and evolution of past and possibly extinct species like Judean date palms.”

He added, “By reviving biological material such as germinating ancient seeds from archaeological, paleontological sites, or historical collections, we can not only study the genomes of lost populations but also, in some instances, rediscover genes that may have gone extinct in modern varieties.”

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Tech Lite UAE News World News

UAE has the fastest mobile Internet in the world

This significant achievement adds one more feather to the UAE’s cap…reports Asian Lite News

The UAE leads a global mobile index as the country with the fastest mobile network speed in the first quarter of 2021, according to the latest data from Ookla, a global leader in fixed broadband and mobile network testing applications, data and analysis.

This significant achievement adds one more feather to the UAE’s cap, and comes at an opportune time with the recent declaration of 2021 as “Year of the 50th” as the nation celebrates its milestone Golden Jubilee.

With a download speed of 178.52 Mbps in March, the country overtook South Korea and Qatar in the mobile broad speedtest. The UAE also overtook both countries in January and February, with download speeds of 183.03 Mbps and 177.10 Mbps, respectively.

The Speed Test Global index, which assesses over 135 countries, compares internet speed data from around the world on a monthly basis. Data for the index comes from the hundreds of millions of tests taken by real people using the speed test every month.

Mobile network speed is a major contributing factor to the well-being, economic wealth and social prosperity of a nation. This achievement has a lot of favourable implications for a enabling environment for future aspirations, country’s ICT agenda, productivity of businesses, amongst others.

Also read:UAE among top 10 in finance, tax competitiveness indexes