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Rulers offer Eid Al Adha prayers, meet well-wishers

October 16, 2013

Shaikh_Mohammed

Dubai, Oct 16: Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance; Shaikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai; Shaikh Majed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority; Shaikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and a number of Shaikhs offered prayers along with Shaikh Mohammed.

Shaikh Mohammed later received well-wishers at Zabeel Palace. Also present were Shaikh Hamdan; Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid, Shaikh Maktoum; and Mohammed Ahmed Al Murr, Speaker of the Federal National Council.

Ministers, dignitaries, top officials and members of Arab and Islamic communities in the country also offered Eid greetings, wishing good health for the UAE leadership and progress and welfare for the country.

His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, offered Eid prayers at Al Badee Musalla in Sharjah.

A number of Shaikhs, members of the Sharjah Executive and Consultative Councils and dignitaries also offered prayers with the Sharjah Ruler.

Later, Dr Shaikh Sultan received well-wishers at Al Badee Al Amer Palace, in the presence of Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah; and Shaikh Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah. The well-wishers wished him good luck, more progress for the UAE under its wise leadership of the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Their Highnesses the Rulers of the Emirates.

Greetings were also received from top officials, dignitaries, members of the Sharjah Executive and Consultative Councils, heads of federal and local departments, senior police officers, educational figures, tribal leaders, Emiratis and expatriate residents.

His Highness Shaikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, offered Eid prayers at the Grand Eid Musalla in the Khuzam area of Ras Al Khaimah.

Shaikh Mohammed bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah; a number of Shaikhs, citizens and members of Arab and Islamic communities also offered prayers along with the RAK Ruler.

After the Eid prayers, Shaikh Saud and RAK Crown Prince Shaikh Mohammed received well-wishers at Khuzam Palace.

Greetings were received from Shaikhs, dignitaries, top officials and heads of local and federal departments and police officers.

His Highness Shaikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Fujairah, offered Eid prayers at the Grand Musalla in Fujairah.

Shaikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, offered prayers with the Fujairah Ruler.

Shaikh Hamad later received well-wishers at Al Rumaila Palace. Greetings were received from Shaikhs, key officials, dignitaries, heads of federal departments, top army and police officers, members of Arab, and Islamic and Foreign communities wishing him good health, and the UAE under the leadership of the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, more progress and prosperity.

His Highness Shaikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Umm Al Quwain, and Shaikh Rashid bin Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Crown Prince of Umm Al Quwain, offered Eid prayers at the Shaikh Zayed Mosque.

Shaikh Saud later received a group of well-wishers who came to greet him on the occasion of Eid. Shaikh Saud received greetings from Shaikhs, heads of the local and federal departments, senior officials, tribal leaders, Emiratis and expatriates. They all wished the Umm Al Quwain Ruler well, and wished more prosperity to the UAE. The Ruler also accepted greetings from senior police officers and officials.

General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, performed Eid prayers on Tuesday morning at the Zayed Grand Mosque.

Lt. General Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior; Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs; Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Adviser to the UAE President; Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development; Shaikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research; a number of Shaikhs, senior military and civilian officials, members of diplomatic corps, and a group of Emirati and expatriates offered prayers along with Gen. Shaikh Mohammed.

General Shaikh Mohammed later received a number of well-wishers at Al Mushrif Palace.

Gen. Shaikh Mohammed also received and exchanged Eid greetings with Crown Princes and Deputy Rulers. He exchanged greetings with Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council; Shaikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai; Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah; Shaikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah; Shaikh Rashid bin Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Crown Prince of Umm Al Quwain, Shaikh Abdullah bin Rashid Al Mualla, Deputy Ruler of Umm Al Quwain; Shaikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman; Mohammed Ahmed Al Murr, Speaker of the Federal National Council and Abdullah Al Masoud, Chairman of the National Consultative Council.

He also exchanged greetings with a number of Shaikhs, senior officials and a number of senior armed forces’ officers, senior police officers, senior security officers, members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of international organisations, dignitaries, Emiratis and expatriates.

The well-wishers extended their greetings to the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, wishing prosperity to the UAE.

Gen. Shaikh Mohammed expressed his gratitude to the well-wishers, wishing more prosperity, security and stability to the UAE.

Shaikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region, offered Eid prayers at Muzairah Palace Mosque, Liwa, in the Western Region. A number of key officials and dignitaries, Emiratis and expatriate residents offered prayers along with Sheikh Hamdan.

Later, Shaikh Hamdan bin Zayed received well-wishers at Muzairah Palace. Greetings were also received from top officials, dignitaries of the Western Region, military and police officers, Emirati citizens and expatriate residents.

Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, received church leaders and clergymen on Tuesday at Zabeel Palace.

They called on Shaikh Hamdan to greet him and Emiratis on the advent of Eid, wishing more progress and prosperity for the UAE under its prudent leadership.

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News Network
May 11,2020

May 11: Saudi Arabia will triple its value-added tax rate and suspend a cost of living allowance for state workers, it said on Monday, seeking to shield finances hit by low oil prices and a slump in demand for its lifeline export worsened by the new coronavirus.

Historic oil output cuts agreed by Riyadh and other major producers have given only limited support to prices after they sank on oversupply caused by a war for petroleum market share between the kingdom and its fellow oil titan Russia.

Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, is also being hit hard by measures to fight the new coronavirus, which are likely to curb the pace and scale of economic reforms launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

"The cost of living allowance will be suspended as of June 1, and the value added tax will be increased to 15% from 5% as of July 1," Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan said in a statement reported by the state news agency. "These measures are painful but necessary to maintain financial and economic stability over the medium to long term...and to overcome the unprecedented coronavirus crisis with the least damage possible."

The austerity measures come after the kingdom posted a $9 billion budget deficit in the first quarter.

The minister said non-oil revenues were affected by the suspension and decline in economic activity, while spending had risen due to unplanned strains on the healthcare sector and the initiatives taken to support the economy.

"All these challenges have cut state revenues, pressured public finances to a level that is hard to deal with going forward without affecting the overall economy in the medium to long term, which requires more spending cuts and measures to support non-oil revenues stability," he added.

The government has cancelled and put on hold some operating and capital expenditures for some government agencies, and cut allocations for some reform initiatives and projects worth a total 100 billion riyals ($26.6 billion), the statement said.

Central bank foreign reserves fell in March at their fastest rate in at least 20 years and to their lowest since 2011, while oil revenues in the first three months of the year fell 24% from a year earlier to $34 billion, pulling total revenues down 22%.

"The reforms are positive from a fiscal side as greater adjustment is essential. However, the tripling of VAT is unlikely to help that much in 2020 revenue wise with the expected fall in consumption," said Monica Malik, chief economist at Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank.

She said she kept unchanged her deficit forecast of 16.3% of GDP for this year, which already factors in a greater than previously announced spending cut.

About 1.5 million Saudis are employed in the government sector, according to official figures released in December.

In 2018, Saudi Arabia's King Salman ordered a monthly payment of 1,000 riyals ($267) to every state employee to compensate them for the rising living costs after the government hiked domestic gas prices and introduced value-added tax.

DIFFICULT TIMES

A committee has been formed to study all financial benefits paid to public sector employees and contractors, and will submit recommendations within 30 days, the statement said.

In late 2015, when oil prices fell from record highs, the kingdom slashed lavish bonuses, overtime payments and other benefits once considered routine perks in the public sector.

In a country without elections and with political legitimacy resting partly on distribution of oil revenue, the ability of citizens to adapt to such reforms is crucial for stability.

"Tripling the VAT will test the limits of the balance between revenues and consumption as the economy dives into a deep recession. The move will impact consumption and could also lower the expected revenues," said John Sfakianakis, a Gulf expert at the University of Cambridge.

"These are pro-austerity and pro-revenue moves rather than pro-growth ones," he said.

Hasnain Malik, head of equity strategy at Tellimer, said the VAT rise could bring about $24-$26.5 billion in additional non-oil fiscal revenue. The rise would hit consumer spending further but was a needed step towards fiscal sustainability, he said.

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News Network
April 20,2020

Sharjah, Apr 20: Air Arabia announced on Monday it will operate new repatriation flights from four cities in India to Sharjah carrying UAE nationals back home.

The special flights will operate from Mumbai and Delhi to Sharjah International Airport on April 20 while special flights will operate from Kochi and Hyderabad to Sharjah International Airport on April 22.

Air Arabia remains committed to bring stranded citizens back home as well as supporting requests to operate repatriation flights and is working closely with UAE authorities in this regard, the airline said.

Air Arabia announced earlier that it’s operating a mix of repatriation flights as well as cargo flights during the month of April to multiple destinations.

Further information about the repatriation and cargo flights is available on the website or can be obtained by contacting the Air Arabia call centre on 06 5580000 or respective travel agent.

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Agencies
August 4,2020

Beirut, Aug 4: A massive explosion has shaken the Lebanese capital of Beirut, with a very high number of casualties expected.

A warehouse at the Beirut Port caught fire on Tuesday afternoon, triggering a huge explosion, Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA) reported.

Several smaller explosions were heard before the bigger one occurred.

Abbas Ibrahim, the head of Lebanon’s General Security, said that “highly explosive materials” confiscated earlier had been stored at the site.

Footage shared on social media captured the moment of the bigger explosion, with a colossal shock wave seen traveling fast across several hundreds of meters and shrouding the area in thick smoke.

The blast left enormous material damage to the surrounding buildings and structures. But it was not immediately known how big an area was affected.

There was also no immediate casualty count. Graphic amateur video from the scene showed bodies strewn on the ground, with their clothes blown off.

The NNA said rescue operations were underway. Ambulances were seen heading toward the scene in central Beirut.

Lebanese LBC television channel quoted Lebanon’s Health Minister Hamad Hasan as saying that the blast had caused a “very high number of injuries” and “extensive damage.”

Beirut Governor Marwan Abboud said an unspecified number of firefighters dispatched to extinguish the initial fire had been killed in the explosion.

“As they were putting out the fire, the explosion took place and we’ve [lost them],” he said, breaking down on live TV.

The explosion comes at a time when the Arab country is passing through its worst economic and financial crisis in decades, and amid rising tensions with Israel.

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