
Insights: General
Cultural awareness, expat life and practical guides for anyone building a life or career in the Middle East.
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Petrol prices go up by 10 per cent for May in UAE
Abu Dhabi: Fuel prices have gone up for the month of May, Ministry of Energy announced on Thursday. The new prices for May are Super 98-Dh1.78, up from Dh1.62 in April, Special 95-Dh1.67, up from Dh1.51, E Plus-91-Dh1.60, up from Dh1.44. Diesel price increased from Dh1.56 per litre in April to Dh1.60 for the month


Oman sets out new 20-year tourism plan
Oman has unveiled a 20-year strategy to double visitor numbers to five million per year by 2040. The strategy hinges on developing the tourist spots of Musandam, the Hajar Mountains, the Frankincense Trail in Salalah, the city of Muscat and the surrounding deserts and making them “destinations in their own right”, the Oman Ministry of
April 26, 2016
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Dubai Opera’s first show sells out in less than 3 hours
Tickets for the opening show at Dubai Opera sold out in less than three hours, it was revealed on Monday. All 2,000 tickets to see singing legend Plácido Domingo were quickly snapped up after going on sale on Sunday, with buyers from more than 20 countries. The theatre, which is located in Downtown Dubai and


UAE industries hiring right now, according to latest employment index
Dubai: The overall job market is still facing some headwinds, but recruitment activity in certain industries is now picking up, a new research showed. The Monster Employment Index, a monthly gauge of the labour market in the Middle East based on tens of thousands of job listings online, indicated that hiring in certain sectors like


Is Dubai a good place to bring up children?
Is Dubai a good place to bring up children? Ah yes, the million-dollar question. I’m sure every Dubai expat is asked this at least five times per trip home. But there is no simple answer : it depends on the age of the children, what your long-term plans are and your own attitude to being


United Arab Emirates: New Visa Application Process Requires Appearance at Typing Center
The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA) has introduced a new electronic system for submission of visa applications which requires the foreign employee to appear at one of approximately 600 approved typing centers in Dubai, but eliminates the need for multiple appearances at a GDRFA branch. Most entry permits for visitors


Hospitality firm Louvre plans 40 budget hotel in MENA by 2021
Louvre Hotels Group has announced plans to expand its presence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) by opening 40 budget and economy hotels over the next five years. Driving the group’s expansion in the region will be two of its fastest-growing brands – Première Classe and Campanile, said Rami Moukarzel, vice president –


Boutique developer reveals plan to build 2,200 Dubai homes
Ellington Properties, a boutique property development company, on Wednesday announced plans to build more than 2,200 residential units including apartments, townhouses and villas, in Dubai.The company, jointly set up by industry veterans and joint managing directors Robert Booth and Joseph Thomas, has announced a pipeline of 14 residential projects for the emirate.Ellington said in a


Kuwait strike boosts oil despite failure of Doha talks
Kuwait strike boosts oil despite failure of Doha talks Oil prices rebounded on world markets on Tuesday after a plunge caused by the failure of Opec and other producing nations, including Russia, to agree to a deal to freeze output at a meeting on Sunday in Doha. The main reason for Tuesday’s price recovery appeared
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