News from the United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates

OCTOBER 24

A local human rights group on Tuesday called on the United Arab Emirates authorities to speed up trials of Islamists detained over alleged threats to state security but dismissed concerns of possible torture and abuse raised by some families and activists. | Reuters

OCTOBER 15

The United Arab Emirates is ready to evacuate a Pakistani schoolgirl shot in the head by the Taliban for further medical treatment, a top official said on Sunday. | AFP

OCTOBER 9

Iran warned the United Arab Emirates that it would consider cutting diplomatic ties on Tuesday if the federation pressed its claim to three disputed tiny Gulf islands which both countries say are theirs, Iranian media reported. | Reuters

OCTOBER 4

Human Rights Watch on Wednesday called on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to immediately open an investigation into recent physical assaults on Ahmed Mansour, a prominent opposition and human rights activist. | al-Ahram

OCTOBER 2

Public schools across the UAE are to put in place advanced electronic infrastructure complete with fourth-generation, high-speed networks in a concerted effort to strengthen the overall standard of learning and complement standard curriculums. | Gulf News

OCTOBER 1

The United Arab Emirates won’t extend its deadline for banks to comply with new rules that cap lending to governments and state enterprises, said Saif al-Shamsi, assistant governor at the central bank. | Business Week

SEPTEMBER 26

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa of Bahrain arrived today on a fraternal visit to the UAE. | Khaleej Times

SEPTEMBER 25

An Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec) official has assured the public that four nuclear energy units set to be built in the country will be completely safe. | Gulf News

SEPTEMBER 20

Islamists detained in the United Arab Emirates have confessed to setting up a secret organisation with an armed force whose aim was to take power and establish an Islamic state, local media reported on Thursday. | Reuters

SEPTEMBER 19

A top UAE official denied reports that the Gulf state had toughened visa rules for tourists from labour-exporting South Asians nations banning low-income visitors on Wednesday. | Business Recover

SEPTEMBER 13

The UAE government is set to open a fully equipped Syrian refugee camp in Jordan to accommodate a mass exodus of civilians fleeing an escalating civil war at home. | Gulf News

SEPTEMBER 12

Etisalat, the United Arab Emirates' biggest telecommunications company, aims to raise up to $502 million by selling most of its stake in PT XL Axiata, in Indonesia's biggest block offering since December 2010. | Economic Times

SEPTEMBER 11

The UAE is keen to invest in renewable energy projects in Saudi Arabia, a top official said yesterday. | Gulf News

SEPTEMBER 6

The Arab League’s Ministerial Council has reaffirmed the United Arab Emirates’ sovereignty over the three islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa. | Khaleej Times

SEPTEMBER 5

The UAE ranked 24th out of 144 countries globally in the Global Competitiveness Report, released yesterday by the World Economic Forum. | Khaleej Times

SEPTEMBER 4

The UAE signed a final agreement to eliminate double taxation on income with the Republic of Fiji on Monday. | Khaleej Times

AUGUST 30

Yesterday the UAE again called on Iran to seek a resolution to the long dispute over the islands of Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunbs. | National

AUGUST 29

The United Arab Emirates is committed to all the principles on which the Non-Aligned Movement was established, Dr. Anwar Mohammed Gergash said in a statement at the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Tehran. | Khaleej Times

The United Arab Emirates condemned the violation of human rights of of Muslim Rohingya minority in Myanmar, and denounced recent acts of violence, killings, threats, compulsory eviction and incineration of their homes. | Bahrain News Agency