Germany: Is Germany's Oktoberfest heading to Dubai this year?

Last year Germany's famous Oktoberfest was cancelled. And this year? We're still not sure if it will happen yet in Munich due to Covid - but it looks like it could be heading to the desert...

Oktoberfest is to take place in Dubai, the largest city in the UAE, according to German media reports on Thursday.
The plan is to move the world’s largest folk festival to an area of ​​around 420,000 square meters near the Dubai Marina, Berlin Christmas market boss Charles Blume, who is one of the organisers, told Spiegel.

Read more at: Is Germany's Oktoberfest heading to Dubai this year? - The Local

Terrorism in the Sky? Counter-terror police ‘monitoring’ Emirates plane at JFK as 100 people reportedly fall ill - by Sam Sweeney

New York counter-terrorism police are “monitoring” the ongoing quarantine of an Emirates airplane at JFK airport in New York, after 100 people reportedly fell ill during a flight from Dubai.
 

Emirates Airline Flight EK203 touched down in New York around 9am ET Wednesday after the pilot contacted air traffic controllers, telling them that many of his 500 passengers appeared to be sick with fevers over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7 C) and several of them were coughing.

The Airbus A380 was met by rows of ambulances and police vehicles from Port Authority Police and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Rather than going to a terminal, the aircraft was instead directed to a hard-stand area so that  emergency medical response teams could investigate.

NYPD’s Counter-Terrorism unit said it was “monitoring” the quarantine in case the incident progressed above a medical situation and that it was working with the Port Authority and federal partners.

Read more: Counter-terror police ‘monitoring’ Emirates plane at JFK as 100 people reportedly fall ill (PHOTOS) — RT World News

Dubai-Netherlands: DEWA visits Netherlands to strengthen ties

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer

A senior delegation, headed by HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority ( DEWA ), is visiting the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The visit is strengthening ties, exchanging expertise, and promoting participation by Dutch companies in the first Dubai Solar Show, which will be held in conjunction with the 18th Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition (WETEX 2016) from 4 to 6 October 2016. WETEX is organised under the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance and President of DEWA .

The delegation includes Hussain Lootah, Executive Vice President of Transmission, Waleed Ali Salman, Executive Vice President of Strategy & Business Development, Dr. Yousef Al Akraf, Executive Vice President of Business Support & Human Resources, Matar Suhail Salem Al Mehairi, Vice President of Distribution Asset Management, Mohamed Al Shamsi, Vice President of Water & Civil Projects and Water Maintenance, Moza Al Akraf, CIO, Faisal Al Dashti, Senior Manager of Information Security, Ahmed Belarti, Senior Manager of Smart Services, Mohamed Abdulkarim Al Shamsi, Senior Manager of Sustainability & Climate Change, and Ahmed Abdullah, Senior Manager of External Communications.

During the visit, Al Tayer commenced his first meetings with Ahmed Aboutaleb, Mayor of Rotterdam, HE Abdallah Hamdan Al Naqbi, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and high-profile representatives of Dutch companies operating in energy, water and environment. Al Tayer praised the efforts of the UAE Embassy in the Netherlands.

In his speech, Al Tayer highlighted opportunities for cooperation between Dubai and the Netherlands, the potential of the energy and environment sectors in the UAE, and cooperation on renewable and clean energy projects, and plans that Dubai has for the future.

"Our nation is blessed with leaders who have a real vision of a brighter future that incorporates sustainability at the heart of our daily lives. HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, have both mandated that Solar Energy and sustainability are essential to the future of our nation," said Al Tayer.

"The UAE's commitment to combatting climate change and developing renewable energy is already well-established. As well as supporting the COP21 accords in Paris, the UAE hosts the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency. Dubai intends to generate 75% of its total power output from clean energy by 2050. This target is part of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum last November," added Al Tayer.

"This strategy has defined our efforts to develop the efforts of our Emirate and Dubai Electricity and Water Authority to bring solar power to our citizens and residents. The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park, which is the largest single-site solar park in the world, will generate 1,000 megawatts by 2020 and 5,000 megawatts by 2030, which will save approximately 6.5 million metric tons per year in carbon dioxide emissions," added Al Tayer.

Read more: DEWA visits Netherlands to strengthen ties - Zawya

'Solar Energy: Smart' solar palm trees power WiFi, phones in Dubai - by Saket S.

A new species of palm tree has started sprouting around Dubai. But instead of producing dates, the fronds of the Smart Palm harness the sun’s energy to allow people to look up city information, access WiFi, and charge their phones, all for free.

Topped with nine leaf-shaped photovoltaic modules, a six-meter-tall Smart Palm can generate around 7.2 kilowatt hours per day, enough to operate without ever drawing off the grid.

The two prototype palms that have already been installed - one at a beach near the Burj Al Arab hotel and other at centrally located Zabeel Park - each carry a WiFi hotspot, eight charging stations for phones and tablets, and a touch-screen panel giving local details on things like weather and transportation.

The company behind the device, Dubai-based D Idea, says connectivity is just the start of the Smart Palm’s potential.

“Subsequent Smart Palms will have ATM machines and utility bill payment services,” said CEO Viktor Nelepa. “Our team has also started to find new ways in which the Smart Palm can support other forms of sustainable generation, specifically through air and water purification modules.”

Read more: 'Smart' solar palm trees power WiFi, phones in Dubai - The Globe and Mail

Middle East: Dubai, Doha ranked as best Arab cities for business and outranked Paris, Frankfort and Manchester

A new survey has rated Dubai and Doha as the best in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region for secured business and investment prospects.

Titled the ‘2013 people risk index’, the research was conducted by Aon Hewitt, the global human resources business of Aon plc. The survey measured risks that organizations may face in 138 cities with regards to recruitment, employment and relocation. It analyzed factors such as demographics, access to education, talent and development, employment practices and government regulations, to come up with the findings.

While Dubai once again retained its 2012 top regional position, it was trailed by Doha. However, Doha made an improvement of 11 points and was positioned at number 31 in the overall ranking. On the other hand, Dubai secured the 19^th position globally. Both Arab cities outperformed other major business hubs like Paris (36^th), Manchester (37^th) and Frankfurt (37^th).

Read more: Dubai, Doha ranked as best Arab cities for business - arabiangazette.com

Dubai: airline industry - Emirates begins flights from Dubai A380 superjumbo concourse

Dubai's Emirates Airlines began operations Wednesday from a $3 billion new concourse dedicated to Airbus' A380 superjumbos at the Gulf city-state's rapidly-expanding airport.

Concourse A, which cost $3 billion (2.3 billion euros) to build, gives Emirates -- one of the fastest-growing carriers -- an additional airport capacity of 15 million passengers a year, the company said.

The expansion takes place as the CAPA Centre for Aviation said Emirates could become this year the world's second-biggest carrier in terms of capacity, right after United Airlines, and way ahead of legacy European carriers.

Flight EK003 took off to London Heathrow from Concourse A, which will become "home of the Emirates A380," and add a capacity to handle 15 million passengers a year, said a statement by Emirates -- one of the world's fastest-growing carriers.

Read more: Emirates begins flights from Dubai superjumbo concourse - Channel NewsAsia

Internet: UN defends internet treaty rejected by most Western Nations for endorsing greater government control over cyberspace.

Envoys from nearly 90 nations signed the first new UN telecommunications treaty since the internet age on Friday, but the U.S. and other Western nations refused to join after claiming it endorses greater government control over cyberspace.

The head of the UN telecoms group pushed back against the American assertions, defending the accord as necessary to help expand online services to poorer nations and add more voices to shape the direction of modern communications technology.

Hamadoun Toure's remarks highlighted the wide gaps and hard-fought positions during the past 10 days of global talks in Dubai.

The negotiations essentially pitted the West's desire to preserve the unregulated nature of the net against both developing countries yearning for better web access and strong-arm states such as Iran and China that closely filter cyberspace.

The final break late Thursday came down to an ideological split over the nature of the internet and who is responsible for its growth and governance.

Iran, China, Russia, Gulf Arab and many African states - "which are no champions of freedom of speech  and other forms of human rights"  — insisted that governments should have a greater sway over the internet and sought to break a perceived Western grip on information technology. They also favored greater international help to bring reliable online links to the world's least developed regions and Gulf Arab states

Western nations, including the US, Canada and many EU nations worry that the new treaty could alter the tone of debates on the internet. Instead of viewing it as a free form network, they claim, it could increasingly be seen as a commodity that needs clear lines of oversight.

"A free and open internet with limited restrictions has been critical to its development into one of the greatest tools for empowering people to connect and share information globally," said U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, who represents part of Silicon Valley, in a statement. "There are countries and groups who wish to exert greater control over the internet in order to restrict or censor it for political or cultural reasons," she added. "We need to stand firm against those kinds of threats if we want the internet to continue as a vibrant engine for innovation, human rights, cultural and economic growth."

In the end, it was supported by 89 countries in the 193-member UN telecoms union. Fifty-five did not sign, including the U.S.-led bloc of more than 20 nations, and others needing home country approval. The remainder did not have high-ranking envoys in Dubai.


Read more: UN group defends internet treaty rejected by Canada, U.S. - Business - CBC News

Gulf cools towards Muslim Brothers - Alain Gresh

Dubai’s chief of police, General Dahi Khalfan al-Tamim, claims that the Muslim Brotherhood is “a small group that has strayed from the true path.” He also says that the revolution in Egypt “would not have been possible without Iran’s support and is the prelude to a new Sykes-Picot agreement” (1). And that Mohammed Morsi’s election in Egypt was “an unfortunate choice.” Like many leading figures in the Arab world, Al-Tamin uses Twitter, where he has said: “If the Muslim Brotherhood threatens the Gulf’s security, the blood that flows will drown it.”

Throughout this summer, Al-Tamin criticised the Brotherhood, which he calls “a sinful gang whose demise is drawing near”, and called for their assets and bank accounts to be frozen (2). The authorities in the UAE, of which Dubai is a part, have brought around 60 of the Brothers to court, charged with plotting against the regime.

The pan-Arab newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat belongs to Saudi crown prince Salman’s family. Despite its reputation in the West, it has almost no autonomy in matters of Arab politics. The day after Mohammed Morsi’s swearing-in on 30 June, its editor, Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed, asked some questions (really those of the Al-Saud family) (3). Would Egypt’s new head of state fight terrorism and oppose Al-Qaida? Would he continue Egypt’s mediating role over Palestine? Would he genuinely support the Syrian opposition, given his opposition to any foreign military intervention? Would he back Jordan’s king Abdullah against the challenge from the Jordanian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood?

Al-Rashed wrote: “As Iran has long been a strong ally of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, will the new president decide to resume relations with Tehran under the pretext that Iran has embassies and ambassadors in the Gulf states?... Will he remain silent about Iran’s ideological and religious activities that have intensified ever since the ousting of Mubarak, as seen in Tehran’s support for local groups and attempts to spread Shia ideology among some Egyptian circles? This is something Al-Azhar [Sunni Islam’s leading institution based in Cairo] has already criticised, warning that Egypt could be threatened with sectarian conflict.”

These warnings, and many others in the Gulf press, have attracted little attention in the West, perhaps because they run counter to the prevailing view: that there is a broad alliance uniting the emirs of the Gulf and the Islamist movements in their wish to impose strict religious order and sharia, as though a shared conservative vision of Islam supersedes political considerations and diplomatic rivalries, national differences and divergent strategies.

Read more: Gulf cools towards Muslim Brothers - Le Monde diplomatique - English edition

Middle East set to benefit from Arab Entrepreneurship Education Strategy

The future of entrepreneurship education in the Arab world topped the agenda of the Entrepreneurship for Arab Schools which was recently hosted at the Qatar Foundation's Student Centre in Doha by INJAZ Al Arab, a non-profit organization and affiliate of Junior Achievement (JA) Worldwide.

The Entrepreneurship for Arab Schools, which brought together Arab Ministries of Education, the Arab League, World, business leaders and leading NGO's in the field, made plans on the way forward for an aligned Arab Entrepreneurship Education Strategy across the Arab region.

The meeting's objectives showed that it was imperative for an entrepreneurship education policy in Arab governments and launched a regional strategy for integrating entrepreneurship education into national school systems across the Arab World.

A collaborative ethos encouraged the participants to work in partnership towards a shared policy goal. 

EU-Digest

'Silent coup' rumors swirl as Zardari leaves Pakistan

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has traveled to Dubai after falling ill, fuelling rumors Wednesday of his possible resignation.

Close associates of the president told the Associated Press he is currently "unwell," but did not provide specifics. His condition did not appear to be life-threatening, they said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Zardari's office said he was undergoing routine medical tests and a check-up "as planned."

For more: World News - 'Silent coup' rumors swirl as Zardari leaves Pakistan

Terrorism; Obama Says Explosives Were U.S. Bound

Two packages containing explosive devices originating in Yemen and bound for two places of Jewish worship in Chicago set off a global terror alert on Friday. One package was found at a FedEx facility in Dubai, and another was found early Friday morning at an airport in Britain, sparking a day of dramatic precautionary activity in the United States.

Speaking at the White House Friday afternoon, President Obama called the packages a “credible terrorist threat against our country,” and confirmed that they “did apparently contain” explosives. Earlier reports had said that the device found in Britain did not.

The wide-scale alert spread to the United States on Friday morning, when officials isolated two cargo planes at airports in Newark and Philadelphia and searched them for packages originating in Yemen, and New York police searched a delivery truck in Brooklyn. None of the shipments reaching the United States from Yemen were found to contain explosives.

Two Air Force F-15 warplanes escorted a civilian passenger plane from the United Arab Emirates into Kennedy Airport in New York. Cable news networks trained cameras on the skies over New York as the passenger jet, Emirates Flight 201, arrived and landed safely. An American military spokesman said that two Canadian CF-18 combat aircraft were diverted from a training mission to trail the flight across Canadian air space, and when it passed into American air space, two Air Force F-15 warplanes took over escort duties.

For more: Obama Says Explosives Were U.S. Bound - NYTimes.com

Ukraine's Sex Trade: Now More Voluntary, Harder to Fight - by Mauro Bottaro

It took less than a decade after the collapse of the Soviet Union for Odessa to become a hub for the international sex trade. The conditions were just about perfect. The bustling port on the Black Sea was an easy gateway from the poorest parts of Ukraine, Romania and Moldova to Western Europe and the Arab states.

"The real action is in the Emirates, Dubai or Antalya in Turkey," says Masha, a stick-thin 19-year-old who teeters a little on her heels. "Don't be confused," she says. "Nobody takes us by the hair and drags us onto the ships." She gestures toward the mouth of the port. "Those are like the gates to freedom for a lot of us," she says.

For more: Ukraine's Sex Trade: Now More Voluntary, Harder to Fight - TIME

Luxury Airbus 380 jumbo jet makes first trip from Dubai to Beijing

Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, signalled its commitment to support the growing trade and tourism relationship between Dubai and China with the arrival of flight EK306 at Beijing Capital International Airport, marking the first scheduled Airbus A380 service to China.

The world's largest commercial aircraft landed in the world's most populous country to a water cannon welcome, with VIPs from Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA), Beijing Terminal 3 and the gathered media looking on.

The 517-seat aircraft offers 14 flat-bed First Class Private Suites with electrically-operated doors, 76 fully-flat seats in Business Class, all of which have mini bars and aisle access, and 427 comfortable contoured seats in Economy spread across four roomy cabins on the lower deck. A personal satellite phone is fitted to each seat on the A380 aircraft, which also carries a seat-back SMS and email service, along with seat-to-seat calling and a "My USB" personal picture viewing facility.


For more: Luxury Airbus 380 jumbo jet makes first trip from Dubai to Beijing - People's Daily Online

Greece and Dubai are fixed now - by Philip Davis

Angela Merkel: "A good European is one who abides by the European treaties and national law and thus sees to it that the euro zone’s stability isn’t harmed. That’s our guidance for all decisions today and tomorrow, and also for the future.”

ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet took some pressure off Greece today by extending the bank’s emergency lending rules, saying its bonds won’t be cut off from ECB refinancing operations next year. Adding even more boost to the market, now that Goldman Sachs has stopped out their sheeple on long Euro bets, their analysts tell us today that the IMF may be giving Greece $27Bn in aid, helping to boost the EURO.

For the complete report: Thursday Thrills: Greece and Dubai Are 'Fixed' -- Seeking Alpha

Euro Ministers Hope Dubai Fallout Limited - NYTimes.com

For the complete report from the NYTimes.com click on this link

European finance ministers said on Tuesday they saw only limited fallout from Dubai's debt troubles but that it showed the global financial crisis had yet to end. Ministers from the euro currency zone sounded cautiously confident about potential problems beyond the Gulf as financial markets recouped some of the losses incurred after Dubai World holding company said last week it could not pay its debts. Swedish Finance Minister Anders Borg, arriving for talks in Brussels on reducing deficits and tightening financial regulation following recession in Europe, said European bank exposure appeared so far to be "reasonable."

Time Magazine: Economic Meltdown - Will Dubai's Financial Problems Spread Around the Globe? - by Andrew Lee Butters

For the complete report from TIME click on this link

Will Dubai's Financial Problems Spread Around the Globe? - by Andrew Lee Butters

The rulers of the United Arab Emirates city-state of Dubai have for months breezily dismissed concerns about Dubai World, the government's main holding company for investments and real estate developments. "We are not worried," said Dubai's Emir, Sheik Mohammad bin Rashid al-Maktoum, at a press conference two months ago, despite the fact that Dubai has debts that are at least 100% of GDP — and may be closer to 125%. When critics later complained that Dubai had no realistic plans for paying off its debts, al-Maktoum told them to "shut up." But on Thursday, as Dubai's government announced it was seeking a halt to its debt repayments ahead of a $4 billion bill due on Dec 14, spin was at a minimum. So many worried investors tried to join a conference call for bond holders of Nakheel, a property company owned by Dubai World, the lines collapsed.

EU-Digest/Bloomberg.com: Dubai Crisis May End in ‘Major’ Default, BofA Says - by Tal Barak Harif

For the complete report from Bloomberg.com click on this link

Emerging-market stocks around the world have slumped for two days on concern a debt restructuring by Dubai World, with $59 billion of liabilities, will add to the $1.72 trillion of losses and writedowns from the global credit freeze. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index fell 1.9 percent to 940.30 as of 1:55 p.m. in New York, extending this week’s decline to 2.6 percent. Dubai, which borrowed $80 billion in a four-year construction boom to transform its economy into a tourism and financial hub, suffered the world’s steepest property slump in the recession. Home prices fell 50 percent from their 2008 peak, according to Frankfurt-based Deutsche Bank AG.

Note EU-Digest: So could Dubai actually go down? It's certainly possible. In the past, Abu Dhabi, Dubai's oil-rich neighbouring emirate, has regularly given Dubai loans to keep things ticking over. There's a strong feeling Abu Dhabi might come to the rescue again, but there are no guarantees. It should be pointed out that Dubai's $80 billion debt isn't massive by global standards. But the collapse of an entire nation like it was the case with Iceland, would again raise questions as to whether the Global Financial Crises is really is over.

The National: QE2 arrives in Dubai to start new life - by Tahira Yaqoob

QE2 arrives in Dubai greeted by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai,flotilla of yachts and the Airbus A380

For the complete report from The National click on this link

QE2 arrives in Dubai to start new life - by Tahira Yaqoob

One by one they appeared on the horizon, circling and sounding their horns, white sails bobbing on the waves. More than 100 yachts, navy frigates and speedboats were giving chase, like paparazzi pestering an A-list starlet. Leading the flotilla was Dubai, the super sized yacht owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Its decks were crammed with Emiratis keen for a glimpse of a legend. But even the 535ft Dubai looked small compared to the 963ft liner towering over it.In their midst, dwarfing all around, its size still enough to take your breath away, was the Queen Elizabeth 2. Belching black fumes, and gracefully cutting through the water, this great ocean liner was on the last leg of her final voyage, preparing to drop anchor in a new port and, after nearly 40 years of service, ready to enjoy an opulent retirement.The ship will be transformed into a luxury floating hotel permanently moored alongside the Palm Jumeirah.

Gulfnews: Sweden approves Dubai's OMX offer

For the complete report from the Gulfnews click on this link

Sweden approves Dubai's OMX offer

Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority has approved Borse Dubai's 32 billion crown (euro 3.6 billion) cash offer for Nordic stock exchange operator OMX AB, Borse Dubai said in a statement on Saturday. This translates into an 'all-cash offer' at euro 28.21 for each share to the shareholders of OMX, Borse Dubai said in the statement. The bid has also been recognised by the financial supervisory authorities in Iceland and Finland.

The move comes a few days after the US authorities cleared the deal involving Nasdaq. Once the offer is completed, Nasdaq will buy all of Borse Dubai's shares in OMX, through a combination of cash and new Nasdaq shares.

Gulfnews: Holland opens investment office in Dubai - by Robert Ditcham

For the complete report from Gulfnews click on this link

Holland opens investment office in Dubai-by Robert Ditcham

The Netherlands has announced the opening of a Dutch Investment Office in Dubai to promote trade and investment between itself and the GCC region. Dutch officials say the government-run office, which offers its services free of charge, will sustain bilateral relations between the Netherlands and the UAE, as well as promote Dutch products and investment opportunities.

The announcement comes on the heels of a mutual agreement between the Netherlands and the UAE to avoid double taxation.