myUAE Times

ATM kicks off today!

Dubai, UAE Middle East's largest travel and tourism event, Arabian Travel Market (ATM) opens its door today at Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Center (DIECC). This year's ATM is the largest ever edition with exhibitor base of 2,208 participants from 70 countries (8% increase from 2007). ATM is to run till May 9. Report by Gulf News here

Timings:

May 6 1- 7pm Meridian Club and trade visitors

May 7 11am - 7pm Meridian Club and trade visitors

May 8 11am - 7pm Meridian Club and trade visitors

May 9 4 - 9pm Meridian Club, trade and consumer visitors

Car park: FREE car parking available in car parking area B and C, opposite Novotel hotel and car park F, adjacent to Za'abeel Hall.

Shuttle buses: Will run from 9am between the car park areas and the exhibition hall entrances nearthe Novotel and Ibis hotels

Mahabba Award Festival d Abu Dhabi!

Abu Dhabi bakal menyaksikan kehadiran personaliti dunia Islam hujung minggu ini d Mahabba Award Festival 2008. Festival yang masuk tahun kedua ini bermula selepas peristiwa serangan ke atas keperibadian Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. Atas inisiatif beberapa individu, Mahabba Award Festival terjelma - penghargaan buat penggiat seni yang melahirkan rasa cinta dan mahabbah pada junjungan Muhammad s.a.w.

Shocking: 42% Saves Nothing!

In a shocking revelation in Gulf News yesterday, it was reported that 42% of the expat here in the UAE failed to save anything from their earnings. As cost of living continues to be the favorite subject among the expat community, Gulf News embarked in a survey to look into the major factors surrounding the expats.

Other revealing findings:

• 17% of the expats are in debt
• 28% have sent their family home (3 times higher than 2006)
• 45% have changed their accommodation due to the rising rent (14% increased vs. 2006)

The full report can be read here

What's your take in this matter? Is the UAE still the land of opportunity? Tell us about your views. Share it with others, please leave them at the comment section!

UAE News: Capital on the Spotlight!

Fewest ever vacancies in the Capital
Fewer than five out of every 1,000 flats and villas in popular residential areas of the capital are available to rent, property consultants say. It appears to confirm that the city’s vacancy rate is at its lowest ever, a situation analysts warn could hinder economic growth. More here

Rents in AUH continue to Soar!
The most in-depth study of rental prices in the capital was released yesterday, and broke down the increased costs by street and neighbourhood. The smallest increase was eight per cent for a two-bedroom apartment in Khalidiyah, while the largest was a hike of 50 per cent in just three months for single-bedroom units on Passport Road. More here

Capital's Plan to Attract More Visitors
Under the umbrella of the Travellers Welcome campaign, the emirate wants to promote itself as an upmarket city that retains the elements of being an authentic, friendly Arabian destination. Read further here

Abu Dhabi: Building a Creative City
In Abu Dhabi, a city of innumerable languages, home to migrants of all sorts – with various talents, some yet to be realised – there exists precisely this possibility. How might they together make both themselves and the city? Full article here

myUAE-PRO Dapat Sambut Menggalakkan!

LAPURAN AWAL Dubai, UAE Lebih 65 orang rakyat Malaysia hari ini bersama d foyer bangunan MATRADE Dubai bagi upacara pelancaran myUAE-PRO. Acara pagi tadi turut d serikan dengan kehadiran dan sokongan padu Konsul Besar Malaysia d UAE - Tuan Syed Mohd Hasrin, Trade Commissioner - Encik Noraslan Hadi, Pengarah Rantau MPOC - Encik Zafri Zawawi, Timbalan Pengarah Tourism Malaysia - Encik Mat Yusuf Che Nam dan wakil Malaysian Timber Council - Encik Azmir Husni.

Dalam ucapan pembukaan, Ariffin Mamat (selaku Pengerusi Protem myUAE-PRO) menggariskan tiga objektif utama myUAE-PRO (boleh d muat turun d sini).

Antara lain objektif myUAE-PRO ialah membantu memperluaskan peluang kerjaya bagi rakyat Malaysia, program perkembangan kerjaya profesional d kalangan rakyat Malaysia d UAE dan memberi sokongan awal kepada yang baru tiba ke UAE. Objektif yang d persetujui sebulat suara oleh ahli-ahli yang hadir juga akan bertindak membantu gerak kerja pejabat Konsul Besar dan ajensi kerajaan yang sedia ada d UAE.

Sokongan Konsul Besar Malaysia

Konsul Besar Malaysia d UAE, Syed Mohd Hasrin pula dalam ucapan aluannya penuh yakin inisiatif yang d gerakkan oleh myUAE-PRO ini bukan sahaja akan memberi manfaat kepada rakyat Malaysia d UAE, malahan ianya akan memberi manfaat bagi rakyat Malaysia yang ingin mendapat matlumat berkenaan kerjaya dan perihal kehidupan d UAE.

Beliau menambah pihaknya akan memberi kerjasama dalam menjayakan objektif myUAE-PRO.

Hamza Yusuf in Abu Dhabi!

American scholar, Sheikh Hamza Yusuf is to speak at Abu Dhabi's National Theater on The Contribution of Islam to Western Civilization. The session will be held on April 21 (Monday), 7pm. All are welcome to attend.

Hamza Yusuf, formally known as Mark Hanson grew up in a Greek Orthodox and Catholic family. He accepted Islam in 1977. More on Hamza Yusuf here

The Arabian Business Power List!

It's out! The annual Arab list by Arabian Business has officially been released. The list of World's Most Powerful Arab for 2008 saw Saudi Prince, Al Waleed at numero uno. Iraq's football team caption Younes Mahmoud has been ranked at number two while Dubai World's Chairman - Sultan Ben Sulayem sits pretty at number three.

Al Waleed has been ranked as the most powerful Arab in the world for the past four years. He is also said the be the richest Arab in the world.

The 2008 list is claimed to be the most comprehensive compilation to date that includes influential Arabs who have the greatest impact in the past year as sports personality, doctors, scientist, academics (among others).

However, observers mentioned that the list is highly skewed towards the pop/media sphere - possibly due to the power these people possess among the majority of the Arab population (the young generation).

UAE has 21 on the list, having three among the top 10. The full list can be viewed here

Previous postings:
Gulf most admired companies here
Fortune's Power List here
Arabian Business rich list here

Muhammad, Rahmat buat Sekelian Alam!

12 Rabiulawwal muncul lagi. Memperingati hari lahir manusia yang d lahirkan bukan sekadar membawa berita gembira. Bukan sekadar buat manusia, d Arabia mahupun d mana jua. Dia d lahirkan sebagai rahmat buat sekelian alam!

Tunggul kayu pernah menangis atas "kehilangan" nya (Bukhari 55: 3585). Apakah kita yang mengaku pengikutnya tangisi hilangnya legasi pembawa rahmat sekelian alam ini dalam hidup kita?

12 Rabiulawwal bukan sekadar d peringati sekadar berkumpul. Berarak.

UAE News Round-up

Motorists told to be vigilant! Sandstorm to hit UAE on Saturday and Sunday; Temperature is set to go down with the arrival of the Shammal wind. Read it here and here

Dubai to have Prophet's Muhammad's museum soon! The museum to be under DACA (Dubai Authority for Culture and Arts) will be devoted to the life and message of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). More here

Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) tops Sovereign Fund list. With more than USD900 billion in assets, ADIA is the world's biggest SWF, leaving Singapore Investment Corporation a distant second. More here

Etihad to sponsor F1 team. Ferrari is set to fly high with UAE's air carrier, Etihad. Full story here

Khalifa Endorses Mohammad's List

Abu Dhabi, UAE The UAE Cabinet saw several changes in the creation of new portfolios and the inclusion of new faces in the line up. The new line up put forward by Prime Minister, Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum was endorsed by the President, Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Among the new comers are Dr. Hadef Jua'an Al Daheri (Minister of Justice) and two women cabinet members - Dr. Maitha Al Shamsi (Minister of State) and Reem Al Hashemi (Minister of State), bringing the total number of women in the Cabinet to four.

Shaikha Lubna who previously head the Ministry of Economy is now the Minister of Foreign Trade, while Mohammad Al Gergawi's Cabinet Affairs has been given the the status of full Ministry. Obaid Humaid Al Tayer replaced Dr. Mohammad Kharbash as the Minister of State for Financial Affairs.

Full list of the new Cabinet line up can be viewed here while profiles of new Ministers here