News

Emirates sums up

The Emirates group of companies announced a record profit of $ 762 million for the 2005-2006 fiscal year, which ended March 31. Compared to last year, revenues grew by 5%.

Demand for airline services continues to grow, which allowed Emirates to set a new record for the number of passengers carried - 14.5 million in 12 months, which is 2 million more than the previous figure.

This year, the Emirates fleet increased by 16 ships and at the end of March consisted of 91 aircraft. By 2010, it is planned to increase the Emirates fleet to 156 ships, thanks to which the airline will be able to operate flights in 101 directions and transport about 26 million passengers annually.

As of March 31, Emirates had 26,906 employees, an increase of 9% over the fiscal year. For 12 months, Emirates has replenished with 60 cabin crew per week. Now the airline employs about 6,000 flight attendants of 100 nationalities, as well as 1,350 captains and first pilots representing 70 nationalities.

Monopolists will have to tight

The UAE leadership is seriously involved in consumer protection issues. In the near future, a state law on competition will be adopted, and the relevant committee will actively fight with the monopolists. These good intentions were published in a report submitted by the country's leadership to the World Trade Organization, of which the United Arab Emirates is a member.

As follows from the document, the UAE leadership is well aware of the need to protect the population of the Emirates from rising prices, not only for food and essential goods, but also for transport and rental housing.

Bachelors will be relocated to villas

Dubai Municipality has launched a campaign to free dormitory areas of the city from single single men and single women. Dubai residents have repeatedly complained to the authorities about annoying and unscrupulous individuals living in purely "family" houses. Now, representatives of the municipality decided to relocate bachelors to special areas.

“We are well aware that if single specialists or workers rent an apartment for two or three people, this does not cause any problems,” said Marwan Abdalla, head of the residential inspection department, in an interview with local journalists, “but in order to save money, they often live in one ten people or more. We’re going to end this. "

The first step towards the goal was a ban on renting apartments by employees of one organization if the number of potential residents exceeds a reasonable norm. In this case, the municipality offers company managers to rent villas.

According to official figures, today from 15 to 20 thousand single men and women live in residential areas of Dubai.

Sponsors will distribute social packages

On May 1, the UAE Ministry of Health begins registration of new compulsory health insurance policies. The first phase of the project will end in early June. Gradually, all residents of the UAE, without exception, should be included in the lists of the Ministry of Health.

Recall that from now on the medical policy of a foreign employee will be provided by its sponsor, and not by the state. Also, the sponsor must issue policies to the immediate family members of the employee who are dependent on him. The issuance of policies on hand will begin in January 2007. Sponsors are required to register all their employees with insurance companies authorized by the Ministry of Health and receive social benefits for each of them. A minimum insurance cost of 600 dirhams (over 150 USD) includes basic medical services, emergency calls and the treatment of certain chronic diseases. For sponsors who violate this instruction, strict sanctions are provided up to the closure of the enterprise.

We will wash more rationally

The municipality of Dubai, together with the Department of Water and Electricity (DEWA), as well as with Body Shop, has launched a massive campaign aimed at reducing the consumption of fresh water.

Dubai and the capital of the Emirates of Abu Dhabi occupy a leading position in the world in water consumption per capita. Only Dubai today produces more than 80 million gallons of wastewater per day, which is equivalent to a capacity of two tanks the size of the Principality of International Trade of the Principality.

The “Protect Water” campaign is aimed at educating the population of the city about the problems associated with the irrational use of water. Residents of the city will be offered to install special meters that control the flow of precious fluid. A study conducted by experts of the municipality showed that the largest amount of water per person is spent in working camps (700 liters per day), which is even more than in five-star hotels (600 liters), and much more than in villas and in apartments (250 and 200 liters, respectively).

On-line visa

The consular departments of the UK diplomatic mission in the UAE have begun issuing resident visas by e-mail.

Starting this week, all UAE residents can apply for a Kingdom visa online. Just find on www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk and fill out the necessary forms, accompanied by step-by-step instructions.

When all documents are completed, the system generates an e-mail message, which, together with information about the number of the visa application, is sent to the applicant’s electronic mailbox. He is then kept up to date via e-mail, reporting the cost of the visa, the necessary additional documents and other aspects of the visa process.

An invitation to an interview, if required, will also be emailed. When the visa is ready, its lucky holder will be informed of the exact place and time where he should bring the money, passport and photos. Despite all the innovations, the old “paper” version also remains valid. Further information is available at www.britishembassy.gov.uk/uae

The British consulates in Abu Dhabi and Dubai were the first in the Middle East to completely switch to using new technologies for issuing visas. According to official sources, this step was taken to simplify the procedure and reduce the waiting time. It was the first step in implementing the two-year plan to improve the quality of consular services for UAE citizens.

Islands will be divided later

Ali Larijani, secretary of the Supreme Council for National Security of Iran, recently visited Abu Dhabi to seek the support of his Gulf neighbors in the peaceful resolution of the crisis related to the nuclear dossiers of the Islamic Republic. During meetings with Their Highnesses, UAE President Sheikh Khalifa Al-Nahyan and Vice President Sheikh Mohammed Al-Maktoum, he said that his country would be grateful for any actions by the Emirates aimed at peaceful removal of tension.

Through his mouth, Tehran condemned the American policy of double standards and Washington’s actions aimed at disuniting the Gulf countries by exacerbating the differences between Shiite and Sunni Muslims. Larijani expressed his confidence that the leaders of the Arabian countries under no circumstances would support the anti-Iranian machinations of the United States.

In the history of relations between Iran and the UAE, there are many sharp points. Suffice it to mention at least three oil islands in the Gulf (which one side calls Persian and the other Arab), whose jurisdiction is still undefined, or the nuclear power plant that Iran is building in Bushehr. The safety of this coastal facility has long been a concern in the Emirates, not to mention the opposite of Bahrain and Kuwait.

However, Larijani received favorable attention from the sheikhs. A recent statement by George W. Bush about the possibility of a Pentagon nuclear strike against Iran made Tehran and Abu Dhabi forget their differences for a while. A possible escalation of the Iran-US conflict will inevitably affect the economies of all countries in the region, regardless of their degree of involvement in hostilities. Therefore, the Emirates, where more than 300,000 Iranians live, reaffirmed their commitment to a peaceful resolution of the current Gulf crisis, speaking out for "peaceful, neighborly actions without violence and upheaval," based on constructive dialogue and mutual understanding.

The support of the UAE has gained particular importance for Tehran in connection with the consultations held at that time in Paris by representatives of the Russian, US, Chinese, British, French, and German Foreign Ministries regarding the Iranian nuclear dossier.

4000 hosts on one branch

The washed-up island The Palm Jumeirah, the project of which many skeptics considered unrealizable, will receive the first guests at the end of this year. Five years have not passed since the solemn laying day, and it is already called one of the best resort areas in the world. To realize the grandiose plan, 94 million cubic meters of sand and about 7 million tons of rocky soil had to be dumped into the sea.

At a ceremony scheduled for November 30, 2006, the first 4,000 guests will receive keys to new homes. Among them there are both local residents and foreign nationals. According to Ahmed bin Suleim, executive president of Nakheel (published in the Al-Bayan newspaper), in December 1350 villas will find their owners on one of the island’s 11 crown branches and 2650 apartments in 20 buildings on the east coast of its trunk. .

The rented apartments will be serviced at the highest level, and the formalities will not take much time, says Manal Shahin, Nakheel's CEO for Marketing.

The center will look after export

Under the auspices of the Executive Council of Dubai, an Export Development Organization will open. It will have to develop, improve and implement a strategy to increase its volume, as well as open new foreign markets, creating favorable conditions for investment in the export sectors of public and private business.

The new organization is exempted from any taxes, which is confirmed by decree No. 10 of the ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Al-Maktoum. The scope of its activities will include consultations for businessmen, assistance in the development of export-oriented industries, as well as the formation of long-term partnerships in the international market, for which she has been given representative powers.

This structure will be managed by the Administrative Council of seven people, including the chairman and his deputy. At meetings held at least once a quarter, he will make decisions by a majority vote. Material support for the new organization will be provided both from the budget of Dubai and through self-financing.

Elite jets will be more

The Dubai-based Elite Jets airline specializing in the transportation of VIP customers has recently replenished its fleet with Raytheon Hawker 1000. But that’s not all: in July, the company plans to purchase the same-brand aircraft, but with the 850XP code. His salon is recognized by many as one of the largest and most luxurious in its category. Under the terms of an agreement recently signed between Elite Jets and Al Naboodah Travel and Tourism, luxury aircraft will primarily serve the clients of this travel company. Representatives of Elite Jets proudly spoke about these and other achievements at the Arab Travel Market (ATM) exhibition. Even the fact that the event turned out to be the thirteenth in a row did not prevent them from posting their stand.

In November 2004, Elite Jets received a certificate from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, which gives it the right to conduct operations at the Mejlis terminal of the international airport of this emirate.

Russian woman conquered sugar

Sahara Center Shopping Mall, Sharjah's leading entertainment and shopping center, has announced the first two winners of a two-month promotion. During it, every woman who spent at least 200 dirhams at the Sahara Center received the right to participate in the competition, the four winners of which received gift vouchers for 100 thousand dirhams each. Russian Valentina Kopteva and Lebanese Rula Esber successfully passed the first two stages of the competition for the title of Queen of the Sahara. Both ladies won an impressive number of prizes, including gift vouchers that can be used in all departments of the mall. In addition, the set of gifts included cosmetics, perfumes and body care products, as well as jewelry and Damas watches. It was also Al Jaber sunglasses, ladies fashion and accessories from Enzo.

Valentina Kopteva was inspired by the victory and was filled with determination to continue to participate in the competition until the end. “I was brought here,” she says, “the desire to buy gifts for relatives and friends before leaving home. Now, thanks to the vouchers, I can please them even more.”

The competition caused such a high interest that even representatives of the stronger sex declared their desire to participate in it. Throughout the campaign, its progress was covered by the Sahara Center broadcasts, which were conducted on Wednesdays at a frequency of 107.8 FM.

Watch the video: Hurricane Dorian makes landfall in North Carolina l ABC News (March 2024).