Author: Mahdeehassan

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Chinese leader Xi Jinping to the Kremlin on Monday, in a visit that sent a powerful message to Western leaders allied with Ukraine that their efforts to isolate Moscow have fallen short. As he greeted Xi, Putin also said he welcomed his plan for “settlement of the acute crisis in Ukraine.” Xi’s visit showed off Beijing’s new diplomatic swagger and gave a political lift to Putin just days after an international arrest warrant was issued for the Kremlin leader on war crimes charges related to Ukraine. The two major powers have described Xi’s three-day…

Dubai: The first ‘Open Auction for Distinctive Vehicle Number Plates’ this year held by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Dubai on March 18 raised Dh38.21 million, it was revealed today. The sale topper was AA15, which sold for Dh5.22 million followed by AA20 for Dh3.78 million. The plate R76 was auctioned for Dh1.88 million; Y55555 brought back Dh1.7 million while X6666 fetched Dh1.32 million. RTA offered a total of 90 “fancy” plates for bidding in the auction. Such numbers represent important occasions, symbols, events and milestones in the lives of their respective bidders,…

The Supreme Court in Saudi Arabia has called on people to look for the crescent moon on Tuesday, the sighting of which would start the holy month of Ramadan. State news agency SPA reported that the country’s Supreme Court has requested anyone who sights the crescent moon, whether with the naked eye or using binoculars, to report it to the nearest court and register their testimony. Alternatively, they can contact the nearest relevant authorities to guide them. The sighting of the crescent moon marks the start of Ramadan for Muslims across the world. Pilgrims travelling to Makkah can obtain permits…

Umm Al Quwain: The Umm Al Quwain Department of Tourism and Archaeology announced the latest developments in the archaeological excavation of Siniya island in its third season, indicating the existence of the oldest pearling town in the Arabian Gulf located on Siniya island, which flourished between the late 6th and mid-8th centuries AD. The town is located near to the ancient Christian monastery (Siniya Monastery), which was discovered last year. Sheikh Majid bin Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Chairman of Umm Al Quwain Department of Tourism and Archaeology, said, “this is a discovery of major significance for the history of…

H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, Chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee; and Chairman of Expo City Dubai Authority, has submitted Expo 2020 Dubai’s closing report to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the governing body for all World Expos. Titled “The Expo 2020 Dubai Story”, the report is a complete account of the UAE’s Expo journey and joins the Bid Dossier and Registration Document to complete the trilogy of Expo 2020 Dubai publications officially presented to…

Qatar has announced the official working hours for Ramadan 2023. Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Sulaiti issued a circular determining working hours during the holy month of Ramadan for ministries, government agencies and public institutions. On the occasion of the advent of the holy month of Ramadan for the year 1444 AH, it was decided that the official working hours during the blessed month for civil employees will be five hours a day. Qatar Ramadan working hoursThe circular also advised that working hours should start at 9am and run until 2pm. The Ministry also said…

A collaboration is announced between Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and Alserkal Arts Foundation to deliver a series of three Dubai Public Art projects to bring inspiring and thoughtful art to the city’s public realm, including the Al Quoz Creative Zone, Shindagha Historic District, and Hatta. Following through on a joint commitment to support the development of artistic and curatorial excellence amongst UAE-based practitioners, each of the three public commissions will be led by an appointed curator. The first of these commissions will launch with an open call for Al Shindagha Historic District, where Munira Al Sayegh has…

Abu Dhabi: The UAE Moonsighting Committee will convene tomorrow (Tuesday) after Maghrib prayers to sight the crescent moon of the month of Ramadan. The committee invited all Muslims in the UAE to sight the crescent of the fasting month and requested anyone who sees the crescent to contact the nearest court to record the testimony. Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court called on Muslims living in the Kingdom to sight the crescent of Ramadan on Tuesday evening, March 21, Sha’aban 29. The court called on whoever sights the crescent – either by the naked eye or through binoculars – to report to…

Visionize Technology, the leading tech-hospitality company, announces the latest addition to its diverse portfolio with the recent signing of Bab Al Qasr hotel, a premium property, situated in one of Abu Dhabi’s prime locations on the Corniche. Covering 412 rooms, 265 residences and all the outlets, the aim is to enhance the guest experience, lower overall business costs and generate more revenue. The property is expected to witness an increase in the average spent per guest after the implementation of Visionize, mainly due to built-in smart marketing and upselling features, along with fantastic visual experience and a seamless multilingual interface.…

At an official ceremony on February 26th at the American University in Cairo (AUC), the Liu Shiming Art Foundation announced its latest efforts to promote global arts dialogue and support young artists. School and foundation representatives emphasized their commitment to artistic excellence and cross-cultural understanding through speeches. The first Liu Shiming Scholar at AUC was revealed during the event, along with the announcement of the donation of the sculpture “Silk Road” by acclaimed Chinese artist Liu Shiming. Dr. Ahmad S. Dallal, AUC’s President, expressed his appreciation to the Liu Shiming Art Foundation for its generous donations, including an endowed scholarship…