#News

Kuwait city

Covid-19: Indian variant detected in Kuwait – health ministry

No details were revealed about how many cases were detected and whether they were found among citizens or expats

Dubai Shopping Malls

Dubai Summer Surprises 2021 mega sale returns in July

Spread across 10 weeks, it will be held from July 1 until September 4

Armed drone from Yemen lands on school in Saudi’s Asir

No injuries were reported in the incident

Covid-19 Vaccine in Dubai

Covid-19: More than 2.3 million people vaccinated in Dubai

Eight out of every 10 people infected with Covid-19 in Dubai have not been vaccinated

Why clean energy’s corporate patrons are buying less this year?

Dubai to get 600MW additional clean energy this year

Clean energy is expected to account for 12 per cent of Dubai’s overall production by the end of 2021

Dubai external trade

Dubai’s non-oil external trade grows to Dhs354bn in Q1 2021

China remained Dubai’s largest trading partner in Q1 2021, with Dhs44bn worth of trade

Hajj 2021

Saudi Arabia to allow only residents and citizens to attend Hajj 2021; limits number of pilgrims to 60,000

The first phase of online registrations for Hajj will be open from June 13-23

Emirates Development Bank

Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Development Bank closes $750m five-year bond

This was the second USD transaction issued under EDB’s $3bn Euro Medium Term Note programme

Abu Dhabi Alhosn

Abu Dhabi makes Alhosn green pass mandatory for entry to public spaces including malls, restaurants and cinemas

The new directive will take effect from June 15, and will be applicable to those who are aged 16 and over

Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Charity Hospital Dubai

Upcoming cancer charity hospital in Dubai raises Dhs220m

The Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Charity Hospital will open in 2023 and provide free treatment to low-income patients

Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai

Dubai to get 10 new schools in upcoming academic year

The new schools will offer Australian, UK, US and IB curricula

Saudi Arabia Visas

Saudi to extend validity of visas until July 31 for expats stranded abroad

The extension will be done automatically and at no cost to the visa holders

UAE introduces ‘green pass’ on Alhosn app to show vaccination and infection status

The Alhosn status will turn from green to grey once the PCR test validity ends, and to red if a test result is positive

Abu Dhabi

UAE residency visas: Covid-19 test now required prior to medical screening in Abu Dhabi

Starting from June 7, a PCR test must be taken not more than 72 hours prior to visiting an AHS centre for a visa medical test

Dubai airport

UAE suspends entry of passengers from Vietnam

The entry ban is applicable to those who have been in Vietnam 14 days prior to their arrival to the UAE

Abu Dhabi Ports

ADX lists $1bn bonds issued by Abu Dhabi Ports

The exchange’s market capitalisation increased 27 per cent during the first quarter of 2021 to Dhs940bn

Emirates Development Bank, Commercial Bank of Dubai

Emirates Development Bank, Commercial Bank of Dubai sign MoU for SME lending programme

CBD can offer up to Dhs10m financing to an SME, and 50 per cent of the facility amount will be either guaranteed or co-lent by EDB

Paul Griffiths Dubai Airports CEO

Dubai Airports CEO expresses uncertainty over UAE being removed from UK’s travel red list soon

Paul Griffiths added that the UAE is working on a vaccine passport system which will help facilitate travel

Oman

Oman: Sweeping relaxation of internal Covid-19 restrictions; entry ban extended for UK, India, Pakistan

Oman’s land borders will be reopened with permission granted to Omanis and GCC citizens residing in the sultanate to cross them

Air Canada

Air Canada to resume direct flights between Dubai and Toronto

It has begun operating the Toronto-Dubai leg as of June 1, with the Dubai-Toronto flights slated to commence from Thursday, June 3

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi to issue discounted tourist visas for Israelis, Egyptians, Armenians and Georgians

Passengers will be able to apply and pay for the visa via the carrier’s website itself

Abu Dhabi solar car park

Abu Dhabi’s largest solar-powered car park to open at international airport

The energy generated will be used to power the car parking facility, with excess energy fed to other sections of the Abu Dhabi International Airport

Covid-19 Vaccine UAE

Dubai: Covid-19 vaccinations can now be booked over WhatsApp

To access the Dubai Health Authority’s 24×7 WhatsApp hotline, users will have to add 800 342 to their contacts

IVC Evidensia

Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala invests £350m in UK-headquartered IVC Evidensia

IVC Evidensia is Europe’s largest veterinary care provider

petrol fuel prices

UAE raises petrol prices for June 2021

This is the fourth consecutive month that fuel prices have increased within the country

Covid-19 testing UAE 4

Abu Dhabi reiterates home quarantine guidelines

All those who are registered for home quarantine can conduct a free walk-in PCR test

Abu Dhabi Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine Sotrovimab

Abu Dhabi offers walk-in appointments for Pfizer jab; new Covid-19 treatment approved in UAE

The UAE has become the first country to both license and enable immediate patient use of the antibody drug Sotrovimab

Expats in Kuwait must have a monthly salary of over $8,300 to hire Filipino domestic workers – report

Kuwaiti nationals are not included in the new salary requirement clause

UAE warns of strict penalties for acts of public indecency

A repeat offender will face imprisonment for a period of not less than three months and a fine of up to Dhs100,000, or one of the two

UAE events Covid-19

UAE: Only individuals vaccinated against Covid-19 can attend events

Additionally, they must obtain a negative PCR test result not more than 48 hours before the event