New Year: Dubai’s RTA announces free parking, public transport timings

The Metro will operate throughout Thursday and Friday

Bahrain-Manama

Bahrain central bank extends loan repayment deferrals on Covid crisis

The option to postpone installments is to be offered to all customers residing in the kingdom, whether individuals or companies

Blasts at Yemen’s Aden airport as new ministers arrive from Saudi

Eyewitnesses said they heard three blasts and gunfire at the airport

Bollywood park, Dubai parks and resorts

Dubai’s DXB Entertainments to hire advisers to evaluate Meraas’ offer

The board approved appointing KPMG and Shuaa Capital as financial advisers and Allen & Overy as legal adviser

Private schools in Dubai will open ‘as usual’ next week – KHDA

Abu Dhabi earlier announced that all school students in the emirate will have remote learning for the first two weeks of the new term

Dubai’s RTA launches GCC’s first digital nol card in partnership with Huawei

Digital nol card and nol Pay mobile app now available on Huawei AppGallery

e-learning study from home

Abu Dhabi announces e-learning for all school students for first two weeks of new term

The decision was made to protect the health and safety of students, teachers and school staff, officials said

Kuwait aims to vaccinate 80% of population by September 2021

As of Monday, 2,500 people were vaccinated and second doses will be administered from January 14

Saudi wealth fund PIF starts private security firm

The National Security Services Company, also known as SAFE, will focus on providing a range of specialised services

Dubai’s Emirates airline unveils premium economy class in its new Airbus A380

Premium economy offers 40-inches of leg space, a seat that is 19.5 inches wide and reclines 8 inches

Oman banks get more flexibility in financing stock investments

Oman’s central bank also said banking sector in the sultanate was “comfortably placed”

Low-cost airline Wizz Air Abu Dhabi to begin flights to inaugural destination Athens in Jan

The airline is also set to soon start flights from Abu Dhabi to Thessaloniki

UAE issues guidelines for manufacture of PPE

The system outlines technical specifications for the manufacture of face masks, protective and medical gloves, eye shields, medical clothing, etc.

Oman’s expat workforce down by 16% amid pandemic – report

Up to 272,126 foreign workers, mostly from Nepal, Uganda, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Egypt, have left Oman

Dubai airport

UAE extends tourist visa validity for additional month for free

The move aims to support tourists in the UAE since many countries have implemented temporary airport closures

UAE announces fuel prices for January 2021

This is the 10th consecutive month that prices have stayed unchanged

Etisalat

UAE’s Etisalat rolls out blockchain technology for HR functions

Employees can generate, access and utilise credentials round the clock without manual intervention

Up to 81% of MENA professionals are seeking remote jobs in 2021 – survey

The lockdowns have revealed to employees and employers alike that work can be successfully accomplished from home

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines resumes UAE flights

The carrier has restarted its operations from Dubai, scheduling seven flights per week

Gold heads for best close in six weeks

Bullion is set to post the first monthly gain since July after a run of losses prompted by the development of effective coronavirus vaccines

Digitalisation of oil and gas could unlock up to $2.6 trillion by 2025: DHL

Growth is expected to be subdued until at least till end 2021, report says

Damac sees UAE property market recovery in two years

The impact of Covid-19 and a likely reduction in the UAE population will hamper the revival

Metro timings, road closures for New Year’s Eve in Dubai revealed

Police officers will be deployed across all the tourist destinations in the emirate and will ensure that Covid-19 precautionary measures are implemented

UAE President Sheikh Khalifa

Abu Dhabi to establish a new Supreme Council for Financial and Economic Affairs

The Ruler of Abu Dhabi will be the Chairman of the council with the Crown Prince serving as Vice-Chairman

Saudi Arabia announces discovery of four new oil and gas fields

Saudi Aramco is continuing to work on determining the size and volume of discovered fields

Sheikh Mohammed

Sheikh Mohammed approves Dhs57.1bn spend in 2021 Dubai budget

The programme takes into account “the exceptional economic conditions of the fiscal year 2020″

Human

Cybercriminals to focus on remote and cloud-based systems in UAE next year

Remote and hybrid working likely to continue for many organisations, report says

Boris Johnson

Brexit trade deal: All the main details as EU, UK avoid chaotic breakup

The agreement, which runs more than 400 pages with an additional 800 pages of annexes, will be put to a vote in the UK parliament on Dec 30

Saudi’s King Salman invites GCC leaders for group summit in Riyadh

The 41st GCC Summit is set to be held in the Saudi capital on January 5, 2021

Dubai’s RTA announces change for maximum number of passengers permitted in taxis

All the passengers will need to sit at the back, leaving the seat next to the driver vacant