Insights: General

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Qatar launches awareness campaign for labour law changes

New legislation to make it easier for expats to leave the country and change jobs is set to be brought in on Dec 13. A two-month awareness campaign to promote wider understanding of planned changes to Qatar’s labour laws gets underway this week. The initiative, being led by the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry

October 11, 2016

UAE fire-safety recommendations to be drawn up for buildings

DUBAI // Fire-safety authorities are working on guidelines to reduce the risk of fire spreading quickly on buildings with flammable cladding. Tests will be run by experts to see if fire barriers will keep residents safe in older buildings with combustible aluminium facades. “Each building will have different solutions depending on the percentage of cladding,

October 9, 2016

UAE fuel prices to rise in October

Motorists can expect price rises of roughly 2 to 3.5 per cent The UAE’s Ministry of Energy has announced that fuel prices will increase again in October after a slight price rise this month. From October 1, Super 98 will increase from Dhs1.75 a litre to Dhs 1.81, Special 95 from Dhs1.64 to Dhs1.70, E

October 5, 2016

Saudi Arabia’s new visa regime comes into effect

Saudi Arabia’s increase in visa fees for travellers is expected to earn the country millions of riyals from pilgrims without dampening tourism figures, say travel industry experts. The country’s new visa regime, which comes into effect on Sunday, does not affect pilgrims for Haj or Umrah travelling to the country for the first time. But,

October 1, 2016

UAE lifts its carbon reduction target

ABU DHABI // The UAE has committed to provide almost a third of its energy needs through clean sources by 2021. Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, on Monday said the country would obtain 27 per cent of its energy from nuclear and renewable sources, up from the previous commitment of

September 27, 2016

Dubai property set for return to growth next year, says Knight Frank

Dubai’s residential property market is heading for a “soft landing”, with a flattening of prices expected for the remainder of this year ahead of a likely increase next year, according to Knight Frank. The property consultancy’s latest Inside View report released yesterday says that after “a period of restraint” caused by lower oil prices and

September 23, 2016

Brexit Bulletin: Banks Already Plotting City Exodus

It’s planning time at London-based banks, and the U.K is digesting real post-Brexit data. Larger investment banks with their European headquarters in London are already making plans for their own withdrawal. Many plan to start the process of moving jobs from the U.K. within weeks of the government triggering Brexit, people briefed on the plans of four of the biggest

September 22, 2016

Contractors for Expo 2020 works to be named soon

Infrastructure works will be completed in 2018, says top official. Dubai: The initial works on the Expo 2020 site have commenced — with the land now ready and the Expo Dubai Bureau set to announce the names of contractors executing the infrastructure work. Najeeb Al Ali, executive director of Expo 2020, said: “We have an

September 22, 2016

UAE salaries still set to rise 4.6% next year

New policies governing inflation, including introduction of VAT, to fuel wage adjustments. Dubai: Although the economic environment has been challenging for many businesses, salaries of employees at some companies in the UAE have actually increased this year and are expected to rise over the next few years. The latest research conducted by Aon Hewitt indicated

September 18, 2016

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