The trio of United States, China and United Arab Emirates are taking&nbsp;positions for their respective Mars missions in their starting blocks.

The three countries hoping to take advantage of the period of time when the Earth and Mars are nearest: a mere 55 million kilometres&nbsp;apart.

The UAE's Hope Probe,&nbsp;China's Tianwen-1,&nbsp;and Mars 2020 of the United States have all taken their positions in the summer race to land a space probe on Mars.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/uae-plans-to-send-a-probe-to-mars-a-first-for-the-arab-world-312136" hreflang="en">UAE plans to send a probe to Mars - a first for the Arab world</a>

The neighbouring planets only come this close once every 26 months, a narrow "launch window" based on their relative positions in space.

Space agencies from all three nations plan to send rovers to the Red Planet to look for additional signs of past life and potentially pave the way to, someday, step foot on its surface.&nbsp;The journey will take about six months.

The&nbsp;UAE's Hope&nbsp;Probe,&nbsp;the first interplanetary mission by an Arab country, launches on July 15.&nbsp;China&nbsp;plans to send its inaugural Mars probe, a small remote-controlled rover, between July 20 and July 25.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/boom-supersonic-jet-overture-to-begin-test-flights-in-2021-312216" hreflang="en">Boom Supersonic jet Overture to begin test flights in 2021</a>

By far the most ambitious project, the US Mars 2020, has a planned launch date of July 30.

The probe called Perseverance is expected to spend one Mars year (or about 687 Earth days) on the planet's surface collecting rock and soil samples that scientists hope will shed light on past life forms that may have inhabited the faraway planet.

The aim of subsequent missions will be to bring those samples back to Earth.

A fourth planned launch, the EU-Russian ExoMars, was postponed until 2022 due to the COVID-19 public health crisis.

Several dozen probes, most of them American, have set off for the Red Planet since the 1960s. Many never made it that far, or failed to land.

The drive to explore Mars flagged until the confirmation less than 10 years ago that water once flowed on its surface.

"It's the only planet where we've been able to detect past signs of life, and the more we learn about it more hope there is," Michel Viso, an astrobiologist at CNES, France's space agency said.

"It feels like something exciting is happening, and people want to be a part of it."

India and the European Union are also setting their sights on a Mars landing.&nbsp;In 2024, Japan plans to send a probe to explore the Martian moon Phobos.

As with the moon missions, different countries have invested heavily -- in reputation and cash -- on Mars exploration, with each looking to find their specific niche, Viso noted.

The holy grail, he added, is getting boots on the ground: "This represents the 'ultimate frontier' of space exploration."

So far, only the US has done detailed feasibility studies, and in a best-case scenario achieving that goal will take at least 20 years.

A swathe of Mars lander missions over the past five decades have met with varying degrees of success since the Soviet Mars 2 and 3 probes launched in 1971.

NASA's Curiosity lander, which arrived in 2012 and is designed to determine whether the planet's environment was ever able to support microbial life forms, remains operational on the surface, as does the Insight lander, which arrived in 2018.

The&nbsp;UAE&nbsp;is thinking even longer term. The oil-rich Gulf nation plan to establish a "science city" on Earth that will reproduce Mars' atmospheric conditions, with the goal of establishing a human colony on the Red Planet around 2117.

Supporting human life on Mars presents a number of logistical challenges.

Today's Mars is basically an immense, icy desert. About 3.5 billion years ago, it lost the dense atmospheric pressure that protected it from cosmic radiation.

Scientists are still trying to determine whether the planet was ever inhabited by metabolic life forms.

"Four billion years ago, the conditions on the planet's surface were very close to those which we had on Earth when life first appeared," including liquid water and a dense atmosphere, said Jorge Vago, the spokesperson for the European Space Agency's ExoMars initiative.

Taking up the mantle of its robot forebears, Perseverance will explore an entirely uncharted environment, the Jezero crater, a 28-mile wide area that is believed to have been the site of an ancient river delta.

The trio of United States, China and United Arab Emirates are taking positions for their respective Mars missions in their starting blocks. The three countries hoping to take advantage of the period of time when the Earth and Mars are nearest: a mere 55 million kilometres apart.

The trio of United States, China and United Arab Emirates are taking positions for their respective Mars missions in their starting blocks. The three countries hoping to take advantage of the period of time when the Earth and Mars are nearest: a mere 55 million kilometres apart. The UAE's Hope Probe, China's Tianwen-1, and Mars 2020 of the United States have all taken their positions in the summer race to land a space probe on Mars. Also read: UAE plans to send a probe to Mars - a first for the Arab world The neighbouring planets only come this close once every 26 months, a narrow "launch window" based on their relative positions in space. Space agencies from all three nations plan to send rovers to the Red Planet to look for additional signs of past life and potentially pave the way to, someday, step foot on its surface. The journey will take about six months. The UAE's Hope Probe, the first interplanetary mission by an Arab country, launches on July 15. China plans to send its inaugural Mars probe, a small remote-controlled rover, between July 20 and July 25. Also read: Boom Supersonic jet Overture to begin test flights in 2021 By far the most ambitious project, the US Mars 2020, has a planned launch date of July 30. The probe called Perseverance is expected to spend one Mars year (or about 687 Earth days) on the planet's surface collecting rock and soil samples that scientists hope will shed light on past life forms that may have inhabited the faraway planet. The aim of subsequent missions will be to bring those samples back to Earth. A fourth planned launch, the EU-Russian ExoMars, was postponed until 2022 due to the COVID-19 public health crisis. Several dozen probes, most of them American, have set off for the Red Planet since the 1960s. Many never made it that far, or failed to land. The drive to explore Mars flagged until the confirmation less than 10 years ago that water once flowed on its surface. "It's the only planet where we've been able to detect past signs of life, and the more we learn about it more hope there is," Michel Viso, an astrobiologist at CNES, France's space agency said. "It feels like something exciting is happening, and people want to be a part of it." India and the European Union are also setting their sights on a Mars landing. In 2024, Japan plans to send a probe to explore the Martian moon Phobos. As with the moon missions, different countries have invested heavily -- in reputation and cash -- on Mars exploration, with each looking to find their specific niche, Viso noted. The holy grail, he added, is getting boots on the ground: "This represents the 'ultimate frontier' of space exploration." So far, only the US has done detailed feasibility studies, and in a best-case scenario achieving that goal will take at least 20 years. A swathe of Mars lander missions over the past five decades have met with varying degrees of success since the Soviet Mars 2 and 3 probes launched in 1971. NASA's Curiosity lander, which arrived in 2012 and is designed to determine whether the planet's environment was ever able to support microbial life forms, remains operational on the surface, as does the Insight lander, which arrived in 2018. The UAE is thinking even longer term. The oil-rich Gulf nation plan to establish a "science city" on Earth that will reproduce Mars' atmospheric conditions, with the goal of establishing a human colony on the Red Planet around 2117. Supporting human life on Mars presents a number of logistical challenges. Today's Mars is basically an immense, icy desert. About 3.5 billion years ago, it lost the dense atmospheric pressure that protected it from cosmic radiation. Scientists are still trying to determine whether the planet was ever inhabited by metabolic life forms. "Four billion years ago, the conditions on the planet's surface were very close to those which we had on Earth when life first appeared," including liquid water and a dense atmosphere, said Jorge Vago, the spokesperson for the European Space Agency's ExoMars initiative. Taking up the mantle of its robot forebears, Perseverance will explore an entirely uncharted environment, the Jezero crater, a 28-mile wide area that is believed to have been the site of an ancient river delta.

US, China and UAE all set to take advantage of Mars' current position

The United Arab Emirates plans to test two million people, or about 20% of the population, for the novel coronavirus over the next two months after the infection rate spiked again following the lifting of restrictions, Reuters reported quoting a government spokesperson.

The United Arab Emirates plans to test two million people, or about 20% of the population, for the novel coronavirus over the next two months after the infection rate spiked again following the lifting of restrictions, Reuters reported quoting a government spokesperson. The regional business and tourism hub lifted the lockdown restrictions on June 24 in place since mid-March. It has gradually reopened commercial businesses and public venues and the emirate, or state, of Dubai, is set reopen to foreign visitors on Tuesday. "While it is worrying to see a slight increase in cases in the past few days, it is a reminder that we all should be responsible and committed to follow health practices," government spokesperson Amna al-Shamsi said late on Monday. "UAE health authorities continue to increase testing capacity for Covid-19, with additional 2 million tests to be performed in the coming two months, across the country," she said in comments carried on the government Twitter account. The UAE recorded 528 new cases on Monday, taking its tally to 52,068 with 324 deaths. The daily infection rate had dropped from a peak of over 900 in late May to average between 300 to 400, but rose over the weekend to some 700. Dubai's move to allow foreign visitors has not been implemented on the federal level in the UAE, which does not provide a breakdown of coronavirus cases for each of its seven emirates. Abu Dhabi, the largest and richest emirate, has restricted movement into the UAE capital, with people residing outside the emirate required to obtain a permit showing a negative COVID-19 test. Neighbouring Saudi Arabia has the highest count among the six Gulf Arab states at more than 213,700 infections with 1,968 deaths as of Monday. (With inputs from Reuters)

UAE to test two million people for COVID-19 in next two months as cases rise

The non-oil private sector of the United Arab Emirates grew in June for the first time this year. With this, the economy has recovered from months of contraction as the COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. Watch report.

UAE's non-oil trade recovers: Private sector jumps back to growth

The prayer room at the Sikh temple of Guru Nanak Darbar in Dubai stands empty and its floors are covered in plastic, as the venue makes a few adjustments while preparing to welcome worshippers back in.

Sikh temple Guru Nanak Darbar preparing to reopen

The United Arab Emirates will not receive passengers coming from Pakistan as of June 29 until a special COVID-19 lab is set up to test them, the civil aviation authority said on Sunday.

The decision also applies to transit flights originating from Pakistan, where the number of cases is rising rapidly, the General Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement carried on state media.

Dubai state carrier Emirates had already said it was suspending flights from Pakistan effective June 24.

Pakistan’s number of coronavirus cases on Sunday crossed 200,000 after 4,072 new infections were detected in the last 24 hours, while 83 people died of the disease, taking the death toll to 4,118, the health ministry said.

Out of the total 202,955 cases, 78,267 were identified in Sindh, 74,202 in Punjab, 25,380 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 12,395 in Islamabad, 10,261 in Balochistan, 1,423 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 1,027 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, according to the Ministry of National Health Services.

The United Arab Emirates will not receive passengers coming from Pakistan as of June 29 until a special COVID-19 lab is set up to test them, the civil aviation authority said on Sunday.

The United Arab Emirates will not receive passengers coming from Pakistan as of June 29 until a special COVID-19 lab is set up to test them, the civil aviation authority said on Sunday. The decision also applies to transit flights originating from Pakistan, where the number of cases is rising rapidly, the General Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement carried on state media. Dubai state carrier Emirates had already said it was suspending flights from Pakistan effective June 24. Pakistan’s number of coronavirus cases on Sunday crossed 200,000 after 4,072 new infections were detected in the last 24 hours, while 83 people died of the disease, taking the death toll to 4,118, the health ministry said. Out of the total 202,955 cases, 78,267 were identified in Sindh, 74,202 in Punjab, 25,380 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 12,395 in Islamabad, 10,261 in Balochistan, 1,423 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 1,027 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, according to the Ministry of National Health Services.

UAE suspends receiving passengers from Pakistan over COVID fears

Abu Dhabi has imposed an inter-emirates travel ban for one week to curb further transmission of COVID-19. According to this new rule residents of Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Al Dhafra can travel within their cities. Watch report.

COVID-19  Pandemic: Abu Dhabi imposes inter-emirates travel ban for one week

The United Arab Emirates on Monday temporarily suspended all passenger and transit flights to control the spread of novel coronavirus.&nbsp;

The Emirati officials "have decided to suspend all inbound and outbound passenger flights and the transit of airline passengers in the UAE for two weeks as part of the precautionary measures taken to curb the spread of the COVID-19", the official state news agency, WAM said.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uae-reports-first-two-deaths-from-coronavirus-287746">UAE reports first two deaths from coronavirus</a>

They said that the move would be reviewed in two weeks and be enforced in 48 hours.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-reopens-mecca-medina-holy-sites-after-coronavirus-closure-report-284702">Saudi Arabia reopens Mecca, Medina holy sites after coronavirus closure: Report</a>

"Cargo and emergency evacuation flights would be exempt," the authorities said.&nbsp;

On Friday, the UAE reported its first two coronavirus deaths, with infections over 150 so far.&nbsp;

Abu Dhabi and Dubai have international airports and are considered as major travel hubs.&nbsp;

The latest announcement came hours after Dubai carrier Emirates said it would suspend all passenger flights by March 25.

However, it later reversed its decision, stating it "received requests from governments and customers to support the repatriation of travellers" and would continue to let passenger flights fly to 13 destinations.

Emirates had said it will continue its services to the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, South Africa, the United States and Canada.

"We continue to watch the situation closely, and as soon as things allow, we will reinstate our services," the airline's chairman and CEO, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum said.&nbsp;

The Middle Eastern countries have taken various measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, especially in the air transport sector.&nbsp;

The UAE stopped granting visas on arrival and refused to accept foreigners who are legal residents but are outside the country.&nbsp;

The United Arab Emirates on Monday temporarily suspended all passenger and transit flights to control the spread of novel coronavirus. The Emirati officials "have decided to suspend all inbound and outbound passenger flights and the transit of airline passengers in the UAE for two weeks as part of the precautionary measures taken to curb the spread of the COVID-19", the official state news agency, WAM said.

The United Arab Emirates on Monday temporarily suspended all passenger and transit flights to control the spread of novel coronavirus. The Emirati officials "have decided to suspend all inbound and outbound passenger flights and the transit of airline passengers in the UAE for two weeks as part of the precautionary measures taken to curb the spread of the COVID-19", the official state news agency, WAM said. Also read | UAE reports first two deaths from coronavirus They said that the move would be reviewed in two weeks and be enforced in 48 hours. Also read | Saudi Arabia reopens Mecca, Medina holy sites after coronavirus closure: Report "Cargo and emergency evacuation flights would be exempt," the authorities said. On Friday, the UAE reported its first two coronavirus deaths, with infections over 150 so far. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have international airports and are considered as major travel hubs. The latest announcement came hours after Dubai carrier Emirates said it would suspend all passenger flights by March 25. However, it later reversed its decision, stating it "received requests from governments and customers to support the repatriation of travellers" and would continue to let passenger flights fly to 13 destinations. Emirates had said it will continue its services to the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, South Africa, the United States and Canada. "We continue to watch the situation closely, and as soon as things allow, we will reinstate our services," the airline's chairman and CEO, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum said. The Middle Eastern countries have taken various measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, especially in the air transport sector. The UAE stopped granting visas on arrival and refused to accept foreigners who are legal residents but are outside the country.

UAE suspends all passenger, transit flights to halt COVID-19 spread

The United Arab Emirates on Friday reported the first two deaths from coronavirus in the country.&nbsp;

Abu Dhabi has reported 140 infections so far, of whom 31 have recovered, but no deaths.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/you-are-not-invincible-who-warns-young-people-on-coronavirus-287708">'You are not invincible': WHO warns young people on coronavirus</a>

"The Ministry of Health and Prevention has announced the first two deaths caused by the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, in the country," the Emirates News Agency reported.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-face-mask-more-than-protective-gear-287694">The face mask: More than protective gear!</a>

One of the individuals was a 78-year old Arab national who had arrived in the country from Europe.&nbsp;

"The cause of death was a heart attack, coinciding with complications from the coronavirus disease," the news agency quoted the ministry as saying.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-versus-the-internet-who-will-win-287686">Coronavirus versus the internet: Who will win?</a>

The other individual, a 58-year-old Asian national and resident of the UAE, had prior chronic illnesses, heart disease and kidney failure.&nbsp;

Like other countries around the world, the UAE has introduced restrictions on passenger arrivals but has not so far imposed confinement measures, and public spaces, such as shopping centres and restaurants, remain open.

More than 1,300 coronavirus infections have been detected in the Gulf region, with most cases initially identified among travellers returning from Iran which is one of the world's worst-affected countries.

The United Arab Emirates on Friday reported the first two deaths from coronavirus in the country. Abu Dhabi has reported 140 infections so far, of whom 31 have recovered, but no deaths.

The United Arab Emirates on Friday reported the first two deaths from coronavirus in the country. Abu Dhabi has reported 140 infections so far, of whom 31 have recovered, but no deaths. Also read: 'You are not invincible': WHO warns young people on coronavirus "The Ministry of Health and Prevention has announced the first two deaths caused by the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, in the country," the Emirates News Agency reported. Also read: The face mask: More than protective gear! One of the individuals was a 78-year old Arab national who had arrived in the country from Europe. "The cause of death was a heart attack, coinciding with complications from the coronavirus disease," the news agency quoted the ministry as saying. Also read: Coronavirus versus the internet: Who will win? The other individual, a 58-year-old Asian national and resident of the UAE, had prior chronic illnesses, heart disease and kidney failure. Like other countries around the world, the UAE has introduced restrictions on passenger arrivals but has not so far imposed confinement measures, and public spaces, such as shopping centres and restaurants, remain open. More than 1,300 coronavirus infections have been detected in the Gulf region, with most cases initially identified among travellers returning from Iran which is one of the world's worst-affected countries.

UAE reports first two deaths from coronavirus

Major&nbsp;concerts&nbsp;and&nbsp;events&nbsp;in the United Arab Emirates, an air transit centre as well as a tourism and business hub, have been&nbsp;cancelled&nbsp;or&nbsp;postponed&nbsp;as the coronavirus&nbsp;spreads&nbsp;in the&nbsp;Gulf.

There have been at least 1,641 cases of the&nbsp;virus&nbsp;in the&nbsp;Gulf&nbsp;region, mostly in Iran where 66 people have died. Cases have also been reported in other Middle East nations.

The March 5-6 electronic music Ultra festival at Abu Dhabi's 25,000-capacity Du arena and the March 21 K-pop concert Music Bank at Dubai's 17,000-capacity Coca Cola Arena have been&nbsp;cancelled.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/gulf-bourses-dive-as-coronavirus-hits-oil-price-283585">Gulf bourses dive as coronavirus hits oil price</a>

Organisers of Ultra, where electronic group Major Lazer and DJ Afrojack were to perform, cited travel restrictions imposed by some countries and airlines in the wake of the rapidly-spreading&nbsp;virus.

South Korea's national broadcaster KBS and crowdfunding platform Makestar, organisers of the K-pop concert, said Music Bank was&nbsp;cancelled&nbsp;because of the spread of the epidemic in South Korea and elsewhere.

The&nbsp;UAE, which has reported 21 cases, regularly hosts major conferences,&nbsp;concerts&nbsp;and sporting&nbsp;events, a significant draw-card for foreign visitors.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/handshake-no-thanks-coronavirus-changes-global-habits-283893">Handshake? No thanks! Coronavirus changes global habits</a>

The&nbsp;UAE&nbsp;central bank will reassess its forecast for economic growth in 2020 due to the coronavirus&nbsp;outbreak, an official said on Tuesday.

A women's forum and yoga festival in Abu Dhabi and a carnival in Dubai for the Hindu holi festival, all in March, have also been&nbsp;cancelled&nbsp;or rescheduled.

Meanwhile, American rapper and producer Russ said his March 27 concert in Dubai will now take place in November because of the&nbsp;virus.

"I know, wild lol (laugh out loud) but outta my control," he said on Twitter.

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🇦🇪🇦🇪🇦🇪🇦🇪 
 
I have to postpone the Dubai show due to the coronavirus. I know, wild lol but outta my control..but your tickets will all be valid for the new date which will be November 27 this year. 
 
Sorry again, I’m kinda shocked as well 😔 🤷‍♂️
— Russ (@russdiemon) <a href="https://twitter.com/russdiemon/status/1234538623669874696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Watch:&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

Dubai has&nbsp;postponed&nbsp;its March boat show until November and Abu Dhabi&nbsp;postponed&nbsp;the ITU World Triathlon event this month, after earlier cancelling a cycling tournament where two elite participants were diagnosed with the&nbsp;virus.

Major concerts and events in the United Arab Emirates, an air transit centre as well as a tourism and business hub, have been cancelled or postponed as the coronavirus spreads in the Gulf.

Major concerts and events in the United Arab Emirates, an air transit centre as well as a tourism and business hub, have been cancelled or postponed as the coronavirus spreads in the Gulf. There have been at least 1,641 cases of the virus in the Gulf region, mostly in Iran where 66 people have died. Cases have also been reported in other Middle East nations. The March 5-6 electronic music Ultra festival at Abu Dhabi's 25,000-capacity Du arena and the March 21 K-pop concert Music Bank at Dubai's 17,000-capacity Coca Cola Arena have been cancelled. Also read: Gulf bourses dive as coronavirus hits oil price Organisers of Ultra, where electronic group Major Lazer and DJ Afrojack were to perform, cited travel restrictions imposed by some countries and airlines in the wake of the rapidly-spreading virus. South Korea's national broadcaster KBS and crowdfunding platform Makestar, organisers of the K-pop concert, said Music Bank was cancelled because of the spread of the epidemic in South Korea and elsewhere. The UAE, which has reported 21 cases, regularly hosts major conferences, concerts and sporting events, a significant draw-card for foreign visitors. Also see: Handshake? No thanks! Coronavirus changes global habits The UAE central bank will reassess its forecast for economic growth in 2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak, an official said on Tuesday. A women's forum and yoga festival in Abu Dhabi and a carnival in Dubai for the Hindu holi festival, all in March, have also been cancelled or rescheduled. Meanwhile, American rapper and producer Russ said his March 27 concert in Dubai will now take place in November because of the virus. "I know, wild lol (laugh out loud) but outta my control," he said on Twitter. 🇦🇪🇦🇪🇦🇪🇦🇪 I have to postpone the Dubai show due to the coronavirus. I know, wild lol but outta my control..but your tickets will all be valid for the new date which will be November 27 this year. Sorry again, I’m kinda shocked as well 😔 🤷‍♂️ — Russ (@russdiemon) March 2, 2020 × Watch: × Dubai has postponed its March boat show until November and Abu Dhabi postponed the ITU World Triathlon event this month, after earlier cancelling a cycling tournament where two elite participants were diagnosed with the virus.

Concerts, sports events in UAE cancelled, postponed as virus spreads in Gulf

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/the-battle-for-libya-uae-calls-the-shots-275421">United Arab Emirates </a>announced Wednesday its first case of the new <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-confident-of-slaying-devil-coronavirus-death-toll-rises-to-132-277186">coronavirus</a>, in a family from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-sends-plane-to-virus-hit-wuhan-to-evacuate-citizens-277129">Wuhan</a>, in what is thought to be the first confirmed case in the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-unveils-middle-east-peace-plan-draws-flak-from-palestinians-277189"> Middle East.&nbsp;</a>

"The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention announced a case of the new coronavirus affecting people from one family coming from the city of <a href="Wuhan">Wuhan</a> in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-outbreak-beijing-drug-store-fined-434530-for-hiking-price-of-masks-277178">China</a>," the state news agency WAM reported, without saying how many were infected.&nbsp;

"It added in a statement that the health condition of those affected was stable and under medical monitoring."

The United Arab Emirates announced Wednesday its first case of the new coronavirus, in a family from Wuhan, in what is thought to be the first confirmed case in the Middle East.

The United Arab Emirates announced Wednesday its first case of the new coronavirus, in a family from Wuhan, in what is thought to be the first confirmed case in the Middle East. "The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention announced a case of the new coronavirus affecting people from one family coming from the city of Wuhan in China," the state news agency WAM reported, without saying how many were infected. "It added in a statement that the health condition of those affected was stable and under medical monitoring."

Coronavirus outbreak: UAE announces first case of new coronavirus, in family from Wuhan

United Arab Emirates announced first confirmed case of Chinese coronavirus in the Middle East. This is thought to be the first confirmed case in the Middle East.

UAE confirms first case of coronavirus

Libyan rival camps and their foreign backers will attend a summit in Berlin on Sunday to discuss ways to end a proxy war over the capital <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tayyip-erdogan-calls-on-europe-to-support-turkeys-moves-in-libya-275097">Tripoli</a> and the oil producer, which has displaced 140,000 and now more than halved the country's crude output.

Germany and the United Nations hope to persuade Russia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt to push their opposing camps to agree on a lasting truce in Tripoli, home to the internationally recognized government.

As with previous failed attempts, center stage of the one-day meeting will be occupied by eastern commander <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/general-haftar-ready-to-abide-by-ongoing-ceasefire-in-libya-germany-274749">Khalifa Haftar</a>, who in April started a campaign to take Tripoli. Western powers hope this time to put pressure on him to continue a ceasefire that has largely held for one week.

Haftar on Monday walked out on a Russo-Turkish summit, in contrast with his rival Fayez al-Serraj, the internationally recognized prime minister, who signed a lasting truce proposal put forward to both leaders.

Haftar, a former general from the regime of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tayyip-erdogan-calls-on-europe-to-support-turkeys-moves-in-libya-275097">Muammar Gaddafi</a> toppled in 2011, appeared confident this week when German foreign minister Heiko Maas visited him at his base outside Benghazi to ask him to come to Berlin.

He leaned back in his chair while Maas was leaning towards him to make his peace pitch, a picture from the meeting showed.

Haftar escalated the conflict on Friday when allied tribesmen shut down eastern oil ports, cutting oil production by 800,000 barrels a day. That will hit hard Tripoli, which benefits most from oil revenues.

Watch:&nbsp;US Secretary of state Mike Pompeo reaches Berlin for summit

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The one-day summit, which will also bring together US&nbsp;Secretary of States Mike Pompeo and European and Arab leaders, will not attempt to broker a power-sharing agreement between Haftar and Serraj.

Instead, the focus is on a lasting ceasefire to restart talks.

Haftar is backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, Jordan, Sudanese and Chadian fighters, and most recently Russian mercenaries, which helped him gain a bit on the Tripoli front. France has also given some support.

That has prompted Turkey to rush to Serraj's rescue by sending troops to Tripoli. Up to 2,000 fighters from Syria's civil war have also joined the battle to defend the capital, a UN&nbsp;official said on Saturday.

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In <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Berlin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Berlin</a> to engage world leaders and <a href="https://twitter.com/UN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UN</a> officials to work toward ending hostilities in Libya. Thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Germany?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Germany</a> for serving as host and leading this important initiative. <a href="https://t.co/W8tjlO9R45">pic.twitter.com/W8tjlO9R45</a>
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecPompeo/status/1218663923823628288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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"I mean this is a region-wide conflict broadening, and looking increasingly like Syria which is why the whole international community is getting together in Germany," a senior US&nbsp;state department official told reporters travelling with Pompeo.

Still, expectations were "moderate," the official added.

Tarek Megerisi, a policy fellow with the North Africa and Middle East program at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said there was no sign Haftar's backers were pushing him to stop the war.

"That means that obtaining a commitment to maintain this forum where all interfering actors meet in the form of follow-up committees would likely be the most valuable output Germany could achieve," he said.

Libyan rival camps and their foreign backers will attend a summit in Berlin on Sunday to discuss ways to end a proxy war over the capital Tripoli and the oil producer, which has displaced 140,000 and now more than halved the country's crude output.

Libyan rival camps and their foreign backers will attend a summit in Berlin on Sunday to discuss ways to end a proxy war over the capital Tripoli and the oil producer, which has displaced 140,000 and now more than halved the country's crude output. Germany and the United Nations hope to persuade Russia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt to push their opposing camps to agree on a lasting truce in Tripoli, home to the internationally recognized government. As with previous failed attempts, center stage of the one-day meeting will be occupied by eastern commander Khalifa Haftar, who in April started a campaign to take Tripoli. Western powers hope this time to put pressure on him to continue a ceasefire that has largely held for one week. Haftar on Monday walked out on a Russo-Turkish summit, in contrast with his rival Fayez al-Serraj, the internationally recognized prime minister, who signed a lasting truce proposal put forward to both leaders. Haftar, a former general from the regime of Muammar Gaddafi toppled in 2011, appeared confident this week when German foreign minister Heiko Maas visited him at his base outside Benghazi to ask him to come to Berlin. He leaned back in his chair while Maas was leaning towards him to make his peace pitch, a picture from the meeting showed. Haftar escalated the conflict on Friday when allied tribesmen shut down eastern oil ports, cutting oil production by 800,000 barrels a day. That will hit hard Tripoli, which benefits most from oil revenues. Watch: US Secretary of state Mike Pompeo reaches Berlin for summit × The one-day summit, which will also bring together US Secretary of States Mike Pompeo and European and Arab leaders, will not attempt to broker a power-sharing agreement between Haftar and Serraj. Instead, the focus is on a lasting ceasefire to restart talks. Haftar is backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, Jordan, Sudanese and Chadian fighters, and most recently Russian mercenaries, which helped him gain a bit on the Tripoli front. France has also given some support. That has prompted Turkey to rush to Serraj's rescue by sending troops to Tripoli. Up to 2,000 fighters from Syria's civil war have also joined the battle to defend the capital, a UN official said on Saturday. In #Berlin to engage world leaders and @UN officials to work toward ending hostilities in Libya. Thanks to #Germany for serving as host and leading this important initiative. pic.twitter.com/W8tjlO9R45 — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) January 18, 2020 × "I mean this is a region-wide conflict broadening, and looking increasingly like Syria which is why the whole international community is getting together in Germany," a senior US state department official told reporters travelling with Pompeo. Still, expectations were "moderate," the official added. Tarek Megerisi, a policy fellow with the North Africa and Middle East program at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said there was no sign Haftar's backers were pushing him to stop the war. "That means that obtaining a commitment to maintain this forum where all interfering actors meet in the form of follow-up committees would likely be the most valuable output Germany could achieve," he said.

Libyan rival camps to discuss ways to end crisis with an international summit in Berlin later today

Lighting struck the top of the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, on Friday as the United Arab Emirates dealt with severe rainfall. #Dubai #BurjKhalifa #UAE #WION

UAE: Lightning strikes the world's tallest building Burj Khalifa

Israel's&nbsp;foreign&nbsp;minister, Israel Katz, has postponed a&nbsp;visit&nbsp;to&nbsp;Dubai&nbsp;this month due to&nbsp;security&nbsp;concerns,&nbsp;diplomats&nbsp;said on Sunday, linking the decision to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-foreign-minister-to-visit-iran-saudi-arabia-to-discuss-developments-in-middle-east-273726">Iran-US&nbsp;tensions</a>.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/isreal-shares-its-regional-connectivity-plan-with-india-267101">Israel Katz</a>, who doubles as intelligence&nbsp;minister, had been scheduled to attend mid-month meetings in the Gulf emirate ahead of its Expo 2020&nbsp;Dubai&nbsp;but "on the instruction of&nbsp;security&nbsp;officials" would defer the&nbsp;visit, an&nbsp;Israeli diplomat said, without giving a new date.

Another diplomat, who also requested anonymity, said&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;was taking precautions lest its arch-foe Iran try to target Katz as part of retaliation against its US&nbsp;ally. The diplomat did not cite evidence to indicate any specific threat.

Decades-old hostilities between <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/libya-and-iran-top-agenda-in-merkel-putin-meeting-273573">Tehran and Washington</a> have boiled&nbsp;over&nbsp;in recent weeks, with a US&nbsp;strike killing a senior <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-warns-iran-against-massacre-as-protests-erupt-over-downing-of-ukrainian-airplane-273670">Iranian commander</a> and Iran firing missiles at Iraqi airbases hosting US&nbsp;forces in response.

Iran and&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;have been fierce regional enemies since the 1979 Iranian revolution.&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;has in recent years built up ties with Sunni Gulf states that share its worries about Iran.

Though it does not enjoy formal relations with the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iranians-step-up-protests-after-tehran-govt-admits-ukrainian-plane-strike-273779">United Arab Emirates</a>,&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;will have a pavilion at Expo 2020&nbsp;Dubai, which opens in October - participation that Prime&nbsp;Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israels-pm-benjamin-netanyahu-in-apparent-stumble-calls-israel-a-nuclear-power-272310">Benjamin Netanyahu</a> has described as part of "normalisation with the Arab states".

Israel's foreign minister, Israel Katz, has postponed a visit to Dubai this month due to security concerns, diplomats said on Sunday, linking the decision to Iran-US tensions.

Israel's foreign minister, Israel Katz, has postponed a visit to Dubai this month due to security concerns, diplomats said on Sunday, linking the decision to Iran-US tensions. Israel Katz, who doubles as intelligence minister, had been scheduled to attend mid-month meetings in the Gulf emirate ahead of its Expo 2020 Dubai but "on the instruction of security officials" would defer the visit, an Israeli diplomat said, without giving a new date. Another diplomat, who also requested anonymity, said Israel was taking precautions lest its arch-foe Iran try to target Katz as part of retaliation against its US ally. The diplomat did not cite evidence to indicate any specific threat. Decades-old hostilities between Tehran and Washington have boiled over in recent weeks, with a US strike killing a senior Iranian commander and Iran firing missiles at Iraqi airbases hosting US forces in response. Iran and Israel have been fierce regional enemies since the 1979 Iranian revolution. Israel has in recent years built up ties with Sunni Gulf states that share its worries about Iran. Though it does not enjoy formal relations with the United Arab Emirates, Israel will have a pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, which opens in October - participation that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described as part of "normalisation with the Arab states".

Israel: Foreign Minister Israel Katz postpones Dubai visit over 'security' reasons

The United Arab Emirates' energy minister said on Wednesday he saw no immediate risk to oil passing through the vital gateway of the Strait of Hormuz after Iran attacked bases housing US&nbsp;forces in Iraq.

Iranian officials have said the missile strikes were a response to Friday's killing of top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-fires-missiles-at-us-bases-in-iraq-272811">Also Read: Iran fires ballistic missiles at US bases in Iraq</a>

The situation is not a war, and what is happening now should not be exaggerated, Suhail al-Mazrouei said on the sidelines of a conference in Abu Dhabi, capital of the UAE, an OPEC producer.

"We will not see a war," he added. "This is an escalation between the United States, which is an ally, and Iran, which is a neighbour, and the last thing we want is more tension in the Middle East."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-50-killed-in-stampede-at-iranian-generals-funeral-burial-postponed-272796">Also Read: At least 50 killed in stampede at Iranian general's funeral, burial postponed</a>

Oil prices were about 1% higher on Wednesday, but well below highs hit in a frenetic start to the trading day after the missile attacks raised the spectre of a spiralling conflict and disruption to crude flows.

Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh was quoted by the semi-official ISNA news agency as saying on Wednesday that Tehran was benefiting from rising oil prices, and also called on the United States to quit the region.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/all-is-well-so-far-so-good-says-trump-after-irans-missile-strikes-at-us-bases-in-iraq-272818">Also Read: All is well, so far, so good, says Trump after Iran's missile strikes at US bases in Iraq</a>

"The trend of oil prices is up and this benefits Iran ... Americans should stop disturbing the region and let the people of the region live," Zanganeh said.

OPEC's Secretary-General Mohammed Barkindo told the conference in Abu Dhabi that oil facilities in Iraq, the second-biggest producer in OPEC, were secured and output was continuing.

He said global spare oil capacity stood at around 3-3.5 million barrels per day (bpd), with the majority held by Saudi Arabia, the top producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Watch:&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/iran-threatens-to-attack-us-allies-272909/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

No supply shortage seen

The UAE's Mazrouei said OPEC would respond to any possible oil shortages if needed, within its "limitations". But he saw no sign of a supply shortage, with healthy demand and global oil inventories hovering around the 5-year average.

"We are not forecasting any shortage of supply unless there is a catastrophic escalation, which we don't see," he said.

Barkindo said he was confident that leaders in the Middle East were doing everything possible to restore normal conditions.

The region was shaken last year by attacks on oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz and an assault on Saudi energy plants that initially halved the kingdom's crude output.

Washington and Riyadh blamed their common foe Iran, also an OPEC member, for those strikes, a charge Tehran denied.

Barkindo said the forecast for global demand growth was around 1 million BPD, adding this was "not robust and not alarming".

Asked what message he would send to U.S. President Donald Trump, Barkindo told the gathering that the United States' emergence as a leading oil and gas producer should carry shared responsibility for energy market stability.

"The continued task of the OPEC+ to maintain stable oil markets on a sustainable basis is a shared responsibility of all producers including the US," Barkindo said.

"OPEC alone can't shoulder that responsibility. We invite the United States to join us in this noble objective," he added.

OPEC and its allies, a grouping is known as OPEC+, has been capping production since 2017 to avert oversupply and support prices. The US is not part of this oil supply management agreement.

The United Arab Emirates' energy minister said on Wednesday he saw no immediate risk to oil passing through the vital gateway of the Strait of Hormuz after Iran attacked bases housing US forces in Iraq.

The United Arab Emirates' energy minister said on Wednesday he saw no immediate risk to oil passing through the vital gateway of the Strait of Hormuz after Iran attacked bases housing US forces in Iraq. Iranian officials have said the missile strikes were a response to Friday's killing of top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad. Also Read: Iran fires ballistic missiles at US bases in Iraq The situation is not a war, and what is happening now should not be exaggerated, Suhail al-Mazrouei said on the sidelines of a conference in Abu Dhabi, capital of the UAE, an OPEC producer. "We will not see a war," he added. "This is an escalation between the United States, which is an ally, and Iran, which is a neighbour, and the last thing we want is more tension in the Middle East." Also Read: At least 50 killed in stampede at Iranian general's funeral, burial postponed Oil prices were about 1% higher on Wednesday, but well below highs hit in a frenetic start to the trading day after the missile attacks raised the spectre of a spiralling conflict and disruption to crude flows. Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh was quoted by the semi-official ISNA news agency as saying on Wednesday that Tehran was benefiting from rising oil prices, and also called on the United States to quit the region. Also Read: All is well, so far, so good, says Trump after Iran's missile strikes at US bases in Iraq "The trend of oil prices is up and this benefits Iran ... Americans should stop disturbing the region and let the people of the region live," Zanganeh said. OPEC's Secretary-General Mohammed Barkindo told the conference in Abu Dhabi that oil facilities in Iraq, the second-biggest producer in OPEC, were secured and output was continuing. He said global spare oil capacity stood at around 3-3.5 million barrels per day (bpd), with the majority held by Saudi Arabia, the top producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Watch: No supply shortage seen The UAE's Mazrouei said OPEC would respond to any possible oil shortages if needed, within its "limitations". But he saw no sign of a supply shortage, with healthy demand and global oil inventories hovering around the 5-year average. "We are not forecasting any shortage of supply unless there is a catastrophic escalation, which we don't see," he said. Barkindo said he was confident that leaders in the Middle East were doing everything possible to restore normal conditions. The region was shaken last year by attacks on oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz and an assault on Saudi energy plants that initially halved the kingdom's crude output. Washington and Riyadh blamed their common foe Iran, also an OPEC member, for those strikes, a charge Tehran denied. Barkindo said the forecast for global demand growth was around 1 million BPD, adding this was "not robust and not alarming". Asked what message he would send to U.S. President Donald Trump, Barkindo told the gathering that the United States' emergence as a leading oil and gas producer should carry shared responsibility for energy market stability. "The continued task of the OPEC+ to maintain stable oil markets on a sustainable basis is a shared responsibility of all producers including the US," Barkindo said. "OPEC alone can't shoulder that responsibility. We invite the United States to join us in this noble objective," he added. OPEC and its allies, a grouping is known as OPEC+, has been capping production since 2017 to avert oversupply and support prices. The US is not part of this oil supply management agreement.

United Arab Emirates sees no immediate risk to oil flow through Strait of Hormuz

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) yesterday upped the ante on its efforts to boost tourism in the country by introducing a multiple-entry visa scheme for all nationalities. The visa will be valid for five years.

"#UAE Cabinet chaired by @HHShkMohd, approves new amendment for tourist visas in #UAE," the government of Dubai Media Office tweeted, referring to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/uae-entities-to-invest-up-to-7-billion-in-india-uae-food-corridor-piyush-goyal-256334">UAE</a> prime minister and ruler of Dubai.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UAE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UAE</a> Cabinet chaired by <a href="https://twitter.com/HHShkMohd?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HHShkMohd</a>, approves new amendment for tourist visas in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UAE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UAE</a>. The new tourist visa will be valid for 5 years and can be used for multiple entries and is open for all nationalities. <a href="https://t.co/T2gZolAkjy">pic.twitter.com/T2gZolAkjy</a>
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) <a href="https://twitter.com/DXBMediaOffice/status/1214178579514372096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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According to Sheikh Maktoum's Twitter handle, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/uae-crown-prince-arrives-in-pakistan-to-boost-bilateral-ties-271674">the UAE</a> currently attracts 21 million tourists a year.

"The new tourist visa will be valid for 5 years and can be used for multiple entries and is open for all nationalities," the Dubai Media Office wrote.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/uae-crown-prince-arrives-in-pakistan-to-boost-bilateral-ties-271674">UAE Crown Prince arrives in Pakistan to boost bilateral ties</a>

Before this provision was introduced, travellers from Africa, a few South American countries, many Arab states, and non-European Union European countries needed visas.

The deliberation and decision-making on the process happened during the cabinet's first meeting of the year which was chaired by Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.&nbsp;

No details regarding the visa application fee have been released yet.

(With inputs from AFP)

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) yesterday upped the ante on its efforts to boost tourism in the country by introducing a multiple-entry visa scheme for all nationalities.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) yesterday upped the ante on its efforts to boost tourism in the country by introducing a multiple-entry visa scheme for all nationalities. The visa will be valid for five years. "#UAE Cabinet chaired by @HHShkMohd, approves new amendment for tourist visas in #UAE," the government of Dubai Media Office tweeted, referring to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE prime minister and ruler of Dubai. #UAE Cabinet chaired by @HHShkMohd, approves new amendment for tourist visas in #UAE. The new tourist visa will be valid for 5 years and can be used for multiple entries and is open for all nationalities. pic.twitter.com/T2gZolAkjy — Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) January 6, 2020 × According to Sheikh Maktoum's Twitter handle, the UAE currently attracts 21 million tourists a year. "The new tourist visa will be valid for 5 years and can be used for multiple entries and is open for all nationalities," the Dubai Media Office wrote. Also read: UAE Crown Prince arrives in Pakistan to boost bilateral ties Before this provision was introduced, travellers from Africa, a few South American countries, many Arab states, and non-European Union European countries needed visas. The deliberation and decision-making on the process happened during the cabinet's first meeting of the year which was chaired by Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. No details regarding the visa application fee have been released yet. (With inputs from AFP)

In a bid to boost tourism, UAE launches multiple-entry visas for all

The Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates arrived on Thursday in Islamabad for a day-long visit.&nbsp;

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan was received by PM Imran Khan at Nur Khan airbase, on the outskirts of Rawalpindi.

Khan personally drove the Crown Prince to the Prime Minister's Residence, where the two held a one-on-one meet, presumably to discuss ways of further enhancing cooperation among the two Islamic nations.

The Emirates are a very important player for the Pakistani market. Pakistan imports a large proportion of its goods from the UAE, second only to China. However, the Emirates are the fifth largest destination for Pakistani exports.

The visit by the crown prince comes amidst a controversy wherein Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan skipped the Muslim summit in Kuala Lumpur, after the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE stressed against it. The two Arab monarchies are among the largest suppliers of funds and investment for the crumbling country.

The Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates arrived on Thursday in Islamabad for a day-long visit. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan was received by PM Imran Khan at Nur Khan airbase, on the outskirts of Rawalpindi.

The Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates arrived on Thursday in Islamabad for a day-long visit. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan was received by PM Imran Khan at Nur Khan airbase, on the outskirts of Rawalpindi. Khan personally drove the Crown Prince to the Prime Minister's Residence, where the two held a one-on-one meet, presumably to discuss ways of further enhancing cooperation among the two Islamic nations. The Emirates are a very important player for the Pakistani market. Pakistan imports a large proportion of its goods from the UAE, second only to China. However, the Emirates are the fifth largest destination for Pakistani exports. The visit by the crown prince comes amidst a controversy wherein Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan skipped the Muslim summit in Kuala Lumpur, after the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE stressed against it. The two Arab monarchies are among the largest suppliers of funds and investment for the crumbling country.

UAE Crown Prince arrives in Pakistan to boost bilateral ties

The Dubai government will spend a record 66.4 billion dirhams&nbsp;in 2020 as part of its budget, hiking outlays to stimulate the economy and support the Expo 2020 world fair, state news agency WAM tweeted.

The figure is higher than the 56.8 billion dirhams budgeted in 2019, which was a marginal increase from 2018, according to its budget plan last year.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/sales-of-grounded-boeing-737-max-gather-pace-at-dubai-airshow-263161">Dubai</a>, which is hosting the Expo 2020 from October, had earlier projected its economy will grow 3.2 per cent&nbsp;in 2020, faster than the 2.1 per cent&nbsp;growth in 2019.

Dubai - with a diversified trade and tourism economy and one of the seven territories of the United Arab Emirates - is banking on Expo 2020 to boost economic activity as the event, organisers say, could attract 11 million foreign visitors.

Dubai has faced a real estate market downturn since prices peaked in 2014, following a recovery in the aftermath of a property crash in 2009.

Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum also adopted a three-year budget cycle from 2020 to 2022 with total expenditure of 196 billion dirhams, the Dubai Media Office said in a separate tweet.

The Dubai government will spend a record 66.4 billion dirhams in 2020 as part of its budget, hiking outlays to stimulate the economy and support the Expo 2020 world fair, state news agency WAM tweeted.

The Dubai government will spend a record 66.4 billion dirhams in 2020 as part of its budget, hiking outlays to stimulate the economy and support the Expo 2020 world fair, state news agency WAM tweeted. The figure is higher than the 56.8 billion dirhams budgeted in 2019, which was a marginal increase from 2018, according to its budget plan last year. Dubai, which is hosting the Expo 2020 from October, had earlier projected its economy will grow 3.2 per cent in 2020, faster than the 2.1 per cent growth in 2019. Dubai - with a diversified trade and tourism economy and one of the seven territories of the United Arab Emirates - is banking on Expo 2020 to boost economic activity as the event, organisers say, could attract 11 million foreign visitors. Dubai has faced a real estate market downturn since prices peaked in 2014, following a recovery in the aftermath of a property crash in 2009. Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum also adopted a three-year budget cycle from 2020 to 2022 with total expenditure of 196 billion dirhams, the Dubai Media Office said in a separate tweet.

Dubai 2020 budget sets record spending to boost growth, support Expo 2020

Sri Lanka arrived for the first Test cricket tour of Pakistan in 10 years on Monday following the deadly 2009 attack on their team that plunged Pakistan into sporting isolation.

"The arrival of Sri Lankan team is a historic occasion and we are delighted to host the two-match Test series starting from Wednesday," said Pakistan Cricket Board chief executive Waseem Khan.

The first Test starts in the garrison city of Rawalpindi on Wednesday, while the second begins in Karachi on December 19.

A video tweeted by the PCB showed the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sri-lankan-cricket-team-to-go-ahead-with-pakistan-tour-despite-terror-fears-250656">Sri Lankan team</a> arriving in Islamabad and being escorted by armed security forces.

The tour marks the return of Test cricket to Pakistan after a decade of isolation triggered by the attack in Lahore, which killed eight people and wounded several cricketers.

For years, Pakistan has been forced to play all its home matches in a neutral venue the United Arab Emirates as foreign teams refused to tour the country over security fears.

But as security has improved Pakistan has hosted a smattering of smaller matches including Twenty20 series with Zimbabwe and the West Indies, and an increasing number of domestic league matches featuring international players.

But until now no team has returned for a Test match, the five-day format considered the pinnacle of the game.

Sri Lanka toured Pakistan for three one-day internationals and as many Twenty20s in September and October and said they were satisfied with the security arrangements before confirming the Test tour.

Sri Lanka arrived for the first Test cricket tour of Pakistan in 10 years on Monday following the deadly 2009 attack on their team that plunged Pakistan into sporting isolation.

Sri Lanka arrived for the first Test cricket tour of Pakistan in 10 years on Monday following the deadly 2009 attack on their team that plunged Pakistan into sporting isolation. "The arrival of Sri Lankan team is a historic occasion and we are delighted to host the two-match Test series starting from Wednesday," said Pakistan Cricket Board chief executive Waseem Khan. The first Test starts in the garrison city of Rawalpindi on Wednesday, while the second begins in Karachi on December 19. A video tweeted by the PCB showed the Sri Lankan team arriving in Islamabad and being escorted by armed security forces. The tour marks the return of Test cricket to Pakistan after a decade of isolation triggered by the attack in Lahore, which killed eight people and wounded several cricketers. For years, Pakistan has been forced to play all its home matches in a neutral venue the United Arab Emirates as foreign teams refused to tour the country over security fears. But as security has improved Pakistan has hosted a smattering of smaller matches including Twenty20 series with Zimbabwe and the West Indies, and an increasing number of domestic league matches featuring international players. But until now no team has returned for a Test match, the five-day format considered the pinnacle of the game. Sri Lanka toured Pakistan for three one-day internationals and as many Twenty20s in September and October and said they were satisfied with the security arrangements before confirming the Test tour.

Sri Lanka arrive for first Tests in Pakistan since 2009 attack

Russia's&nbsp;military&nbsp;export sales have not fallen despite US&nbsp;sanctions, the head of state conglomerate&nbsp;Rostec&nbsp;said on Monday.

Rostec, whose business includes weapons manufacturer Kalashnikov as well as&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;Helicopters and United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), is among&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;firms that have been affected by&nbsp;sanctions&nbsp;imposed on the country over the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and other factors.

Rosoboronexport, the state agency for&nbsp;exports&nbsp;and imports recorded&nbsp;military&nbsp;sales of $13.7 billion in 2018, slightly higher than the previous year,&nbsp;Rostec&nbsp;head Sergey Chemezov told reporters at the Dubai Airshow.

Sales for 2019 are expected to be like that of 2018 as the company has already recorded over $11 billion currently, he said.

“It is growing, that means our production is of higher quality and reliable.”

Chemezov said Russia would also continue its&nbsp;military&nbsp;cooperation with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates with several projects underway despite some western countries shunning the two Gulf states because of their role in the Yemen war.

Some countries such as Germany, Norway and others have restricted sale of arms to countries engaged in the Yemen war.

Russia always cooperates only with legitimate governments and has always advocated a diplomatic settlement of the conflict in Yemen. “At the same time, Saudi Arabia is our partner," Chemezov said.

Several projects are underway in cooperation with Saudi Arabia, including plans for a Kalashnikov plant in the Kingdom, he said, declining to give more details as negotiations are not yet completed.

Chemezov said there had been interested from the Middle East for Russia’s single-aisle passenger jet, the MC-21, that would compete with similar jets from Airbus and Boeing.&nbsp;Discussions are ongoing but no contract has been signed with any Middle East buyer, he said, declining to name potential customers.

Currently, there are orders for more than 170 of the planes, mostly from airlines in Russia.

“Regular production” of around 72 aircraft per year is planned. The first deliveries will begin in 2021, he said.

Asked whether an advance payment of $800 million was made by India to Russia relating to the S-400 long-range surface-to-air missile systems, Chemezov said the advance payment was done.&nbsp; “I don’t want to clarify the numbers, negotiations are underway, 2025 is the completion date.”

Russia's military export sales have not fallen despite US sanctions, the head of state conglomerate Rostec said on Monday. Rostec, whose business includes weapons manufacturer Kalashnikov as well as Russian Helicopters and United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), is among Russian firms that have been affected by sanctions imposed on the country over the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and other factors.

Russia's military export sales have not fallen despite US sanctions, the head of state conglomerate Rostec said on Monday. Rostec, whose business includes weapons manufacturer Kalashnikov as well as Russian Helicopters and United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), is among Russian firms that have been affected by sanctions imposed on the country over the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and other factors. Rosoboronexport, the state agency for exports and imports recorded military sales of $13.7 billion in 2018, slightly higher than the previous year, Rostec head Sergey Chemezov told reporters at the Dubai Airshow. Sales for 2019 are expected to be like that of 2018 as the company has already recorded over $11 billion currently, he said. “It is growing, that means our production is of higher quality and reliable.” Chemezov said Russia would also continue its military cooperation with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates with several projects underway despite some western countries shunning the two Gulf states because of their role in the Yemen war. Some countries such as Germany, Norway and others have restricted sale of arms to countries engaged in the Yemen war. Russia always cooperates only with legitimate governments and has always advocated a diplomatic settlement of the conflict in Yemen. “At the same time, Saudi Arabia is our partner," Chemezov said. Several projects are underway in cooperation with Saudi Arabia, including plans for a Kalashnikov plant in the Kingdom, he said, declining to give more details as negotiations are not yet completed. Chemezov said there had been interested from the Middle East for Russia’s single-aisle passenger jet, the MC-21, that would compete with similar jets from Airbus and Boeing. Discussions are ongoing but no contract has been signed with any Middle East buyer, he said, declining to name potential customers. Currently, there are orders for more than 170 of the planes, mostly from airlines in Russia. “Regular production” of around 72 aircraft per year is planned. The first deliveries will begin in 2021, he said. Asked whether an advance payment of $800 million was made by India to Russia relating to the S-400 long-range surface-to-air missile systems, Chemezov said the advance payment was done. “I don’t want to clarify the numbers, negotiations are underway, 2025 is the completion date.”

Russian military exports unaffected by United States sanctions: Rostec CEO

The United Arab Emirates' top legislative body on Wednesday approved a&nbsp;fourth&nbsp;term in office for reclusive&nbsp;President&nbsp;Sheikh&nbsp;Khalifa&nbsp;bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, state media reported.

"The Supreme Federal Council of the United Arab Emirates renewed its confidence in His Highness&nbsp;Sheikh&nbsp;Khalifa&nbsp;bin Zayed Al-Nahyan... for the&nbsp;fourth&nbsp;mandate&nbsp;of five years, in accordance with the constitution," official news agency WAM reported.

Sheikh&nbsp;Khalifa&nbsp;took over as the&nbsp;UAE's second&nbsp;president&nbsp;in November 2004, succeeding his father as the 16th ruler of &nbsp;Abu Dhabi, the federation's richest emirate.

The 71-year-old has rarely been seen in public since 2014, when he had surgery following a stroke, although he has continued to issue rulings.

His brother, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-in-abu-dhabi-seeking-13-billion-in-investments-256090">Abu Dhabi</a> Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, has been seen as the de facto ruler of the&nbsp;UAE&nbsp;in recent years.&nbsp;

But&nbsp;Sheikh&nbsp;Khalifa&nbsp;was at the helm of the&nbsp;UAE&nbsp;as it began its global rise, with services-oriented Dubai emerging as a global tourism and trade hub and Abu Dhabi pumping around 90 per cent of the OPEC member's crude.

His rule has also seen the&nbsp;UAE&nbsp;extend its regional influence as far as Yemen, the Horn of Africa and Libya while taking a particularly hostile stance on the Arab Spring uprisings.

He was ranked by Forbes as 37th on its list of "the world's most powerful people" in 2015.

The United Arab Emirates' top legislative body on Wednesday approved a fourth term in office for reclusive President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, state media reported.

The United Arab Emirates' top legislative body on Wednesday approved a fourth term in office for reclusive President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, state media reported. "The Supreme Federal Council of the United Arab Emirates renewed its confidence in His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan... for the fourth mandate of five years, in accordance with the constitution," official news agency WAM reported. Sheikh Khalifa took over as the UAE's second president in November 2004, succeeding his father as the 16th ruler of Abu Dhabi, the federation's richest emirate. The 71-year-old has rarely been seen in public since 2014, when he had surgery following a stroke, although he has continued to issue rulings. His brother, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, has been seen as the de facto ruler of the UAE in recent years. But Sheikh Khalifa was at the helm of the UAE as it began its global rise, with services-oriented Dubai emerging as a global tourism and trade hub and Abu Dhabi pumping around 90 per cent of the OPEC member's crude. His rule has also seen the UAE extend its regional influence as far as Yemen, the Horn of Africa and Libya while taking a particularly hostile stance on the Arab Spring uprisings. He was ranked by Forbes as 37th on its list of "the world's most powerful people" in 2015.

UAE approves fourth mandate for President Sheikh Khalifa

Baloch women in Quetta city organized a protest against enforced disappearances in the south-western province of Balochistan.

The protesters led by Mama Qadir Baloch of 'Voice for Baloch Missing Persons' blamed Pakistan's secret agencies for abducting Rashid Hussain, a Baloch political activist, and a student.

Rashid was arrested by the 'United Arab Emirates' secret police from Sharjah in November 2018 and handed over to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-taliban-talks-afghanistan-slams-islamabad-india-says-closely-monitoring-development-253844">Pakistan</a>'s law enforcement agencies in June this year. 
 
He has since been kept in an undisclosed location that has further added to the miseries of his family regarding Rashid's safety and well being.

Rashid's sister, Farida Baloch, said that it has been over three months since Pakistani authorities claimed that Rashid was deported to the country but he has not been presented to any court of law nor has he been provided with a legal representative.

Watch Video: Enforced disappearances continue in Balochistan

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"We were thinking that he will be produced in court after a few days in remand. But, authorities have not produced him anywhere. We have no information about his whereabouts. In our opinion, a person cannot disappear like this. If you have charges against him, he should be produced in court," Farida said.

She added, "This is against the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-nations-rights-chief-says-troubled-by-hong-kong-violence-253918">UN human rights</a> convention and he should be given a free and fair trial."

Thousands of abducted Balochs have been kept under illegal detention and are not being released, the women alleged while staging demonstrations.

Protestors stated that the disappeared people still continue to languish in illegal torture cells of Pakistan military and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Enforced disappearances still take place in Balochistan with full immunity and the Pakistani state institutions have repeatedly failed to act against such inhuman crimes of state agencies.

Baloch women in Quetta city organized a protest against enforced disappearances in the south-western province of Balochistan. The protesters led by Mama Qadir Baloch of 'Voice for Baloch Missing Persons' blamed Pakistan's secret agencies for abducting Rashid Hussain, a Baloch political activist, and a student.

Baloch women in Quetta city organized a protest against enforced disappearances in the south-western province of Balochistan. The protesters led by Mama Qadir Baloch of 'Voice for Baloch Missing Persons' blamed Pakistan's secret agencies for abducting Rashid Hussain, a Baloch political activist, and a student. Rashid was arrested by the 'United Arab Emirates' secret police from Sharjah in November 2018 and handed over to Pakistan's law enforcement agencies in June this year. He has since been kept in an undisclosed location that has further added to the miseries of his family regarding Rashid's safety and well being. Rashid's sister, Farida Baloch, said that it has been over three months since Pakistani authorities claimed that Rashid was deported to the country but he has not been presented to any court of law nor has he been provided with a legal representative. Watch Video: Enforced disappearances continue in Balochistan × "We were thinking that he will be produced in court after a few days in remand. But, authorities have not produced him anywhere. We have no information about his whereabouts. In our opinion, a person cannot disappear like this. If you have charges against him, he should be produced in court," Farida said. She added, "This is against the UN human rights convention and he should be given a free and fair trial." Thousands of abducted Balochs have been kept under illegal detention and are not being released, the women alleged while staging demonstrations. Protestors stated that the disappeared people still continue to languish in illegal torture cells of Pakistan military and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Enforced disappearances still take place in Balochistan with full immunity and the Pakistani state institutions have repeatedly failed to act against such inhuman crimes of state agencies.

Balochistan: Women protest against enforced disappearances in Quetta

US President <a href="http://cms.wionews.com/world/trump-announces-new-us-sanctions-on-iran-central-bank-250885">Donald Trump</a> on Friday approved sending American troops to bolster Saudi Arabia's air and missile defences after the largest-ever attack on the kingdom`s oil facilities, which Washington has squarely blamed on Iran.

The Pentagon said the deployment would involve a moderate number of troops - not numbering thousands - and would be primarily defensive in nature. It also detailed plans to expedite delivery of military equipment to both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Reuters has previously reported that the Pentagon was considering sending anti-missile batteries, drones and more fighter jets. The United States is also considering keeping an aircraft carrier in the region indefinitely.

Watch: Saudi Arabia presents proof against Iran

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"In response to the kingdom`s request, the president has approved the deployment of US forces, which will be defensive in nature and primarily focussed on air and missile defence," US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said at a news briefing.

"We will also work to accelerate the delivery of military equipment to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE to enhance their ability to defend themselves."

The Pentagon's late Friday announcement appeared to close the door to any imminent decision to wage retaliatory strikes against Iran following the attack, which rattled global markets and exposed major gaps in Saudi Arabia's air defences.

Trump said earlier on Friday that he believed his military restraint so far showed "strength," as he instead imposed another round of economic sanctions on Tehran.

"Because the easiest thing I could do, 'Okay, go ahead. Knock out 15 different major things in Iran.' ... But I’m not looking to do that if I can," Trump told reporters at the White House.

But the deployment could further aggravate Iran, which has responded to previous US troop deployments this year with apprehension. It denies responsibility for the attack on Saudi Arabia.

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement, which has been battling a Saudi-led military coalition that includes the UAE, has claimed responsibility for the strikes.

Did attack launch from Iran?

Relations between the United States and Iran have deteriorated sharply since Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear accord last year and reimposed sanctions on its oil exports.

For months, Iranian officials issued veiled threats, saying that if Tehran were blocked from exporting oil, other countries would not be able to do so either.

However, Iran has denied any role in a series of attacks in recent months, including bombings of tankers in the Gulf and strikes claimed by the Houthis.

US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, have fingered southwest Iran as the staging ground for the attack, an assessment based at least in part on still-classified imagery showing Iran appearing to prepare an aerial strike.

They have dismissed Houthi claims that the attacks originated in Yemen.

One of the officials told Reuters the strike may have been authorized by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The United States is wary of getting dragged into another conflict in the Middle East. It has troops positioned in Syria and Iraq, two countries where Iranian influence is strong and Iran-backed forces operate openly.

US officials fear Iran`s proxies might attempt to strike American troops there, something that could easily trigger a broader regional conflict.

Saudi Arabia has said it was attacked by a total of 25 drones and missiles, including Iranian Delta Wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and "Ya Ali" cruise missiles.

US Marine General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said officials were still hammering out the best array of capabilities to defend Saudi Arabia, noting the difficulty combating a swarm of drones.

"No single system is going to be able to defend against a threat like that, but a layered system of defensive capabilities would mitigate the risk of swarms of drones or other attacks that may come from Iran," Dunford said.

US President Donald Trump on Friday approved sending American troops to bolster Saudi Arabia's air and missile defences after the largest-ever attack on the kingdom`s oil facilities, which Washington has squarely blamed on Iran.

US President Donald Trump on Friday approved sending American troops to bolster Saudi Arabia's air and missile defences after the largest-ever attack on the kingdom`s oil facilities, which Washington has squarely blamed on Iran. The Pentagon said the deployment would involve a moderate number of troops - not numbering thousands - and would be primarily defensive in nature. It also detailed plans to expedite delivery of military equipment to both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Reuters has previously reported that the Pentagon was considering sending anti-missile batteries, drones and more fighter jets. The United States is also considering keeping an aircraft carrier in the region indefinitely. Watch: Saudi Arabia presents proof against Iran "In response to the kingdom`s request, the president has approved the deployment of US forces, which will be defensive in nature and primarily focussed on air and missile defence," US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said at a news briefing. "We will also work to accelerate the delivery of military equipment to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE to enhance their ability to defend themselves." The Pentagon's late Friday announcement appeared to close the door to any imminent decision to wage retaliatory strikes against Iran following the attack, which rattled global markets and exposed major gaps in Saudi Arabia's air defences. Trump said earlier on Friday that he believed his military restraint so far showed "strength," as he instead imposed another round of economic sanctions on Tehran. "Because the easiest thing I could do, 'Okay, go ahead. Knock out 15 different major things in Iran.' ... But I’m not looking to do that if I can," Trump told reporters at the White House. But the deployment could further aggravate Iran, which has responded to previous US troop deployments this year with apprehension. It denies responsibility for the attack on Saudi Arabia. Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement, which has been battling a Saudi-led military coalition that includes the UAE, has claimed responsibility for the strikes. Did attack launch from Iran? Relations between the United States and Iran have deteriorated sharply since Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear accord last year and reimposed sanctions on its oil exports. For months, Iranian officials issued veiled threats, saying that if Tehran were blocked from exporting oil, other countries would not be able to do so either. However, Iran has denied any role in a series of attacks in recent months, including bombings of tankers in the Gulf and strikes claimed by the Houthis. US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, have fingered southwest Iran as the staging ground for the attack, an assessment based at least in part on still-classified imagery showing Iran appearing to prepare an aerial strike. They have dismissed Houthi claims that the attacks originated in Yemen. One of the officials told Reuters the strike may have been authorized by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The United States is wary of getting dragged into another conflict in the Middle East. It has troops positioned in Syria and Iraq, two countries where Iranian influence is strong and Iran-backed forces operate openly. US officials fear Iran`s proxies might attempt to strike American troops there, something that could easily trigger a broader regional conflict. Saudi Arabia has said it was attacked by a total of 25 drones and missiles, including Iranian Delta Wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and "Ya Ali" cruise missiles. US Marine General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said officials were still hammering out the best array of capabilities to defend Saudi Arabia, noting the difficulty combating a swarm of drones. "No single system is going to be able to defend against a threat like that, but a layered system of defensive capabilities would mitigate the risk of swarms of drones or other attacks that may come from Iran," Dunford said.

Trump administration sending troops to bolster Saudi defences after attack

Former President Pranab Mukherjee here on Tuesday said that the bilateral relationship between India and United Arab Emirates (UAE) has matured and transformed into a comprehensive strategic partnership.

"Relationship between India and UAE are expanding in various aspects of the business. It would not be incorrect to say that the bilateral relationship has matured and transformed into a comprehensive strategic partnership," said Pranab Mukherjee while speaking at the launch ceremony of India International Excellence Award 2019.

"In the 1970s and 1980`s Indian migration to UAE drastically increased with the expansion of the oil industry and growth of free trade. At present Indian population in UAE is about 3.3 million making it highest concentration of Indian nationals outside India," said Mukherjee.

"Indian forms the largest expatriate community UAE and UAE have generously embraced our people and encourage them to flourish and prosper," he said.

"I am indeed very happy to know that the Indian community has played a major role in the economic development of UAE which has been acknowledged and appreciated by the host nation. Remittances rose to 13.8 billion US Dollar with majority NRI owned business. Significant investment has been made into healthcare, retail, hospitality, real estate, construction and other sectors of Indian economy," said former President.He said that many of the awardees have been recognised for their work in UAE.&nbsp;

Former President Pranab Mukherjee here on Tuesday said that the bilateral relationship between India and United Arab Emirates (UAE) has matured and transformed into a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Former President Pranab Mukherjee here on Tuesday said that the bilateral relationship between India and United Arab Emirates (UAE) has matured and transformed into a comprehensive strategic partnership. "Relationship between India and UAE are expanding in various aspects of the business. It would not be incorrect to say that the bilateral relationship has matured and transformed into a comprehensive strategic partnership," said Pranab Mukherjee while speaking at the launch ceremony of India International Excellence Award 2019. "In the 1970s and 1980`s Indian migration to UAE drastically increased with the expansion of the oil industry and growth of free trade. At present Indian population in UAE is about 3.3 million making it highest concentration of Indian nationals outside India," said Mukherjee. "Indian forms the largest expatriate community UAE and UAE have generously embraced our people and encourage them to flourish and prosper," he said. "I am indeed very happy to know that the Indian community has played a major role in the economic development of UAE which has been acknowledged and appreciated by the host nation. Remittances rose to 13.8 billion US Dollar with majority NRI owned business. Significant investment has been made into healthcare, retail, hospitality, real estate, construction and other sectors of Indian economy," said former President.He said that many of the awardees have been recognised for their work in UAE.

India-UAE have transformed and matured into strategic partnership: Pranab Mukherjee

Foreign Ministers of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-foreign-minister-to-visit-pakistan-today-247502">Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir</a>, respectively, arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday to discuss the Kashmir issue that has been persistently internalised by Pakistan since India changed the constitutional status of the region.&nbsp;

Giving an update on the arrival of the foreign delegates, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi took to Twitter saying that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir will be discussed as the EU Parliament, along with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation`s (OIC) Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC), "calls for an end to the curfew" in the region.

During the one-day visit, Al Nahyan and Al-Jubeir will hold meetings with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, reported The Express Tribune.

The Saudi Foreign Minister had earlier visited Pakistan in March as part of Riyadh`s efforts to de-escalate tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad that had emerged in the aftermath of the airstrike conducted by Indian Air Force at Balakot.

Showing the so-called solidarity with the Kashmiris on its part, Pakistan has reached out to numerous countries, including the Middle East, and China, ever since the Indian Parliament last month revoked Article 370 and Article 35 (A) of the Indian Constitution that accorded special status to the region.

However, the cash-strapped country has been repeatedly snubbed by the international community over its efforts after New Delhi time and again denied any third party interference in the issue, calling it to be a "strictly internal" matter of the country.

Instead of addressing pressing issues like struggling economy, rising inflation, and poverty, Pakistanis have been concentrating more on Kashmir, with the Foreign Minister himself apprising the United Nations over the matter more than thrice in a month.

Qureshi wrote, "Have been reaching out to 2-4 FMs every day to keep the world updated about the daily atrocities and worsening conditions" in Jammu and Kashmir, adding, "The humanitarian crisis unfolding has caught the world`s attention."

The news of the Foreign Minister`s visit came after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan dialled Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as part of Islamabad`s nefarious designs to deflect the regional developments amid the ongoing tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad over the Kashmir issue.

Pakistan is also looking forward to raising the Kashmir issue during the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York next month.&nbsp;

Foreign Ministers of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, respectively, arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday to discuss the Kashmir issue that has been persistently internalised by Pakistan since India changed the constitutional status of the region.

Foreign Ministers of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, respectively, arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday to discuss the Kashmir issue that has been persistently internalised by Pakistan since India changed the constitutional status of the region. Giving an update on the arrival of the foreign delegates, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi took to Twitter saying that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir will be discussed as the EU Parliament, along with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation`s (OIC) Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC), "calls for an end to the curfew" in the region. During the one-day visit, Al Nahyan and Al-Jubeir will hold meetings with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, reported The Express Tribune. The Saudi Foreign Minister had earlier visited Pakistan in March as part of Riyadh`s efforts to de-escalate tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad that had emerged in the aftermath of the airstrike conducted by Indian Air Force at Balakot. Showing the so-called solidarity with the Kashmiris on its part, Pakistan has reached out to numerous countries, including the Middle East, and China, ever since the Indian Parliament last month revoked Article 370 and Article 35 (A) of the Indian Constitution that accorded special status to the region. However, the cash-strapped country has been repeatedly snubbed by the international community over its efforts after New Delhi time and again denied any third party interference in the issue, calling it to be a "strictly internal" matter of the country. Instead of addressing pressing issues like struggling economy, rising inflation, and poverty, Pakistanis have been concentrating more on Kashmir, with the Foreign Minister himself apprising the United Nations over the matter more than thrice in a month. Qureshi wrote, "Have been reaching out to 2-4 FMs every day to keep the world updated about the daily atrocities and worsening conditions" in Jammu and Kashmir, adding, "The humanitarian crisis unfolding has caught the world`s attention." The news of the Foreign Minister`s visit came after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan dialled Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as part of Islamabad`s nefarious designs to deflect the regional developments amid the ongoing tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad over the Kashmir issue. Pakistan is also looking forward to raising the Kashmir issue during the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York next month.

UAE, Saudi Foreign Ministers arrive in Pakistan to discuss Kashmir issue

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/why-the-cia-doesnt-spy-on-the-uae-245781">United Arab Emirates</a> has confirmed launching air strikes on Yemen's interim capital <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/saudi-coalition-launches-airstrike-against-separatists-in-aden-242344">Aden</a> targeting "terrorist militias" after the government there announced the raids hit its troops.

A foreign ministry statement late Thursday said "precise and direct air strikes" on Wednesday and Thursday hit the militias.

The Abu Dhabi statement added that they had planned to target a Saudi-led military coalition, of which the UAE is a key member, backing the Yemen government against Iran-aligned <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/drone-shot-down-in-yemen-houthi-group-responsible-us-officials-244640">Huthi </a>rebels.&nbsp;

The UAE said it acted in "self-defence" after attacks by "armed groups affiliated with terrorist organisations".

"The military operation against the terrorist militias was based on confirmed field intelligence that the militias prepared to target the coalition forces -- a development which required a preemptive operation to avert any military threat," it said.

"The strikes against the Arab Coalition were launched by armed groups affiliated with terrorist organisations. These armed groups attacked the Arab Coalition at Aden Airport, causing two injuries to the coalition forces," it added.

"Accordingly, the Coalition responded as per their right of self-defence to protect the security of their forces," said the statement which was carried by the Emirates' official WAM news agency.

Watch video: Houthi attack on military parade in Yemen kills more than 30

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On Thursday Yemen's government accused the UAE of launching air strikes in Aden in support of separatists who say they have regained control of the southern city.

"The Yemeni government condemns the Emirati air strikes against government forces in the interim capital Aden and in Zinjibar, which resulted in civilian and military casualties," Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammad al-Hadhrami said in a tweet.

Yemeni Information Minister Muammar al-Iryani later tweeted that the alleged UAE strikes had killed 40 combatants and wounded 70 civilians.&nbsp;

Abu Dhabi has trained and supported secessionists who seek an independent southern Yemen, despite being a key pillar in the coalition backing the government against the Huthi rebels.

The United Arab Emirates has confirmed launching air strikes on Yemen's interim capital Aden targeting "terrorist militias" after the government there announced the raids hit its troops.

The United Arab Emirates has confirmed launching air strikes on Yemen's interim capital Aden targeting "terrorist militias" after the government there announced the raids hit its troops. A foreign ministry statement late Thursday said "precise and direct air strikes" on Wednesday and Thursday hit the militias. The Abu Dhabi statement added that they had planned to target a Saudi-led military coalition, of which the UAE is a key member, backing the Yemen government against Iran-aligned Huthi rebels. The UAE said it acted in "self-defence" after attacks by "armed groups affiliated with terrorist organisations". "The military operation against the terrorist militias was based on confirmed field intelligence that the militias prepared to target the coalition forces -- a development which required a preemptive operation to avert any military threat," it said. "The strikes against the Arab Coalition were launched by armed groups affiliated with terrorist organisations. These armed groups attacked the Arab Coalition at Aden Airport, causing two injuries to the coalition forces," it added. "Accordingly, the Coalition responded as per their right of self-defence to protect the security of their forces," said the statement which was carried by the Emirates' official WAM news agency. Watch video: Houthi attack on military parade in Yemen kills more than 30 × On Thursday Yemen's government accused the UAE of launching air strikes in Aden in support of separatists who say they have regained control of the southern city. "The Yemeni government condemns the Emirati air strikes against government forces in the interim capital Aden and in Zinjibar, which resulted in civilian and military casualties," Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammad al-Hadhrami said in a tweet. Yemeni Information Minister Muammar al-Iryani later tweeted that the alleged UAE strikes had killed 40 combatants and wounded 70 civilians. Abu Dhabi has trained and supported secessionists who seek an independent southern Yemen, despite being a key pillar in the coalition backing the government against the Huthi rebels.

United Arab Emirates confirms Aden air strikes on 'terrorist militias'

Why the CIA doesn't spy on the UAE

The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen moved on Monday to work out a ceasefire as nominal allies in the south of the country turned on each other in a power struggle that has fractured the military alliance.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen moved on Monday to work out a ceasefire as nominal allies in the south of the country turned on each other in a power struggle that has fractured the military alliance. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the main powers in Yemen's Sunni Muslim coalition, formed a joint committee to oversee a ceasefire between UAE-backed southern separatists and Saudi-backed government forces in the provinces of Abyan and Shabwa, said a joint statement carried on state media. "Internal dialogue, and not fighting, is the only way to resolve internal Yemeni differences," Saudi vice minister of defence, Khalid bin Salman, tweeted on Monday. "We are working with the UAE for security and stability in Aden, Shabwa, and Abyan and ... to unify ranks and voices to combat terrorist threats, whether from the Iran-backed Houthis or from al Qaeda and Daesh (Islamic State)," Khalid, a son of the Saudi king, said. Separatists forces early this month took over the southern port of Aden, the interim seat of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's government, and last week extended their reach to the capital of nearby Abyan. Southern fighters and government forces have also clashed in the oil-producing Shabwa province. Both sides are part of the Saudi-led, Western-backed coalition that intervened in Yemen in 2015 against the Houthis, who ousted Hadi's government from power in the capital Sanaa in late 2014. But the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), which seeks self-rule in the south, seized control of Aden after accusing a party allied to Hadi of being complicit in a Houthi attack on southern forces. The standoff has exposed a rift between regional allies Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which in June scaled down its presence in Yemen under Western pressure to end the devastating war but continues to support thousands of southern separatist forces. The violence in the south complicated UN efforts to implement peace deals elsewhere in the Arabian Peninsula state and pave the way for negotiations to end a war that has killed tens of thousands and pushed Yemen to the brink of famine. The Saudi-UAE statement urged all parties to cooperate with the joint committee to disengage and redeploy troops and reiterated a Saudi call for a summit in the kingdom to resolve the standoff. It also stressed the need to preserve "the interests, security, stability, independence and territorial integrity of the Yemeni people under the leadership of the legitimate president of Yemen". Hadi’s government has said it would not participate until separatists ceded control of sites they had seized. The separatist STC has said it would not hand over control of government military camps in Aden and other areas until the Islamist Islah party, a backbone of Hadi's government, and northerners are removed from positions of power in the south. The Houthis, who have recently stepped up missile and drone attacks on Saudi cities, point to Aden as proof that Hadi, who resides in Riyadh, is unfit to rule. The movement denies being a puppet of Iran and says it is fighting a corrupt system.

Saudi-led coalition moves to stabilise south Yemen as allies face-off

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/prime-minister-narendra-modi-departs-for-france-to-attend-g7-summit-245430">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a> on Sunday offered prayers at the Shreenathji Temple in Manama, shortly before his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/mann-ki-baat-pm-modi-issues-a-clarion-call-to-make-india-plastic-free-245433">departure for France</a> to attend the G7 summit.

While in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Modi had made a "special purchase" using his RuPay card to offer as Prasad in the Shreenathji Temple.

The purchase was made from what appeared to be an Indian Sweets shop in the country.

"Thank you Bahrain for the warmth and affection PM @narendramodi concludes his historic visit with prayers at the 200 years old Shreenathji Temple in #Manama, the oldest temple in the region. The temple reflects the pluralism of Bahraini society," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar wrote on Twitter.

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Thank you Bahrain for the warmth and affection 
 
PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> concludes his historic visit with prayers at the 200 years old Shreenathji Temple in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Manama?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Manama</a>, the oldest temple in the region. The temple reflects the pluralism of Bahraini society. <a href="https://t.co/no1fei2UPs">pic.twitter.com/no1fei2UPs</a>
— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/MEAIndia/status/1165497785069834240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The Prime Minister was on the last leg of his three-nation tour.&nbsp;His visit to Bahrain marked the first by an Indian Prime Minister to the country.

During his stay, Modi held a bilateral meeting with his Bahraini counterpart, Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, following which a string of Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) was exchanged in the fields of culture, space, solar energy and on the roll-out of RuPay card.

The visit to the Shreenathji Temple was the last planned engagement by the Prime Minister in Bahrain and marked the successful completion of his three nation-tour. The tour came ahead of the G7 summit in Biarritz, where India has been invited as a partner country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday offered prayers at the Shreenathji Temple in Manama, shortly before his departure for France to attend the G7 summit. While in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Modi had made a "special purchase" using his RuPay card to offer as Prasad in the Shreenathji Temple.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday offered prayers at the Shreenathji Temple in Manama, shortly before his departure for France to attend the G7 summit. While in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Modi had made a "special purchase" using his RuPay card to offer as Prasad in the Shreenathji Temple. The purchase was made from what appeared to be an Indian Sweets shop in the country. "Thank you Bahrain for the warmth and affection PM @narendramodi concludes his historic visit with prayers at the 200 years old Shreenathji Temple in #Manama, the oldest temple in the region. The temple reflects the pluralism of Bahraini society," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar wrote on Twitter. Thank you Bahrain for the warmth and affection PM @narendramodi concludes his historic visit with prayers at the 200 years old Shreenathji Temple in #Manama, the oldest temple in the region. The temple reflects the pluralism of Bahraini society. pic.twitter.com/no1fei2UPs — Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) August 25, 2019 × The Prime Minister was on the last leg of his three-nation tour. His visit to Bahrain marked the first by an Indian Prime Minister to the country. During his stay, Modi held a bilateral meeting with his Bahraini counterpart, Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, following which a string of Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) was exchanged in the fields of culture, space, solar energy and on the roll-out of RuPay card. The visit to the Shreenathji Temple was the last planned engagement by the Prime Minister in Bahrain and marked the successful completion of his three nation-tour. The tour came ahead of the G7 summit in Biarritz, where India has been invited as a partner country.

Bahrain: PM Modi offers prayers at Shreenathji Temple in Manama

The Ministry of External Affairs has announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting West Asian countries the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain from August 23 to 25.

The Ministry of External Affairs has announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting West Asian countries the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain from August 23 to 25. The prime minister will be visiting the UAE on August 23 and will be meeting Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He will also be conferred the Zayed Medal, UAE's highest civilian award. In April this year, UAE announced that it will be honouring PM Modi with its highest civilian award. In a tweet in April, the crown prince said that PM Modi has been conferred the award for boosting India UAE ties. He tweeted, “We have historical and comprehensive strategic ties with India, reinforced by the pivotal role of my dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave these relations a big boost. In appreciation of his efforts, the UAE President grants him the Zayed Medal.” Address to Indian Community in Bahrain by Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during the forthcoming visit. For participation register at https://t.co/M1lFyQLVAJ — India in Bahrain (@IndiaInBahrain) August 17, 2019 × PM Modi's second stop will be Bahrain from August 24 where he will be holding talks with Prime Minister of Bahrain Prince Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and call on King of Bahrain Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Later he will address members of the Indian community, something that has become a permanent focus of his foreign visits. There are 350,000 Indian nationals living in the West Asian country. Bahrain launched ‘Little India in Bahrain’ project in November 2015 to acknowledge and mark the contribution of the Indian community to the history and progress of Bahrain. We have historical and comprehensive strategic ties with India, reinforced by the pivotal role of my dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave these relations a big boost. In appreciation of his efforts, the UAE President grants him the Zayed Medal. — محمد بن زايد (@MohamedBinZayed) April 4, 2019 × The visit will be part of his visit to France where he has been invited as a special guest for the G7. The 45th G7 summit will take place from August 24 to 26, 2019, in Biarritz, France. India–United Arab Emirates relations United Arab Emirates was one of the first OIC or Organisation of Islamic Cooperation countries to welcome the Indian government's decision to remove the special status for the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. The UAE envoy to India Dr Ahmad Al Banna while taking note of the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir and removal of Article 370 called it internal matter of India said "We expect that the changes would improve social justice and security and confidence of the people in the local governance and will encourage further stability and peace". Recent years have seen India and UAE coming closers and an increase in a number of high-level visits between the 2 countries. Indian PM Modi first visited the country in August of 2015 which was followed by the visit of Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in 2016. The following year the Crown Prince was the chief guest at India's republic day parade and again in 2018 PM Modi visited the country and was the chief guest at the sixth World Government Summit in Dubai. With Bahrain, the focus is on increasing bilateral ties, especially economics and trade. There are 23 branches of prominent Indian banks/companies registered in Bahrain and India’s total capital investment into Bahrain between January 2003 & March 2018 has been estimated at approximately US$ 1.69 billion.

PM Modi to visit Bahrain and UAE from August 23 to 25

Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019 is aimed at reducing regional disparity and improving efficiency, said Dr Ahmad Al Banna, the UAE ambassador to India.&nbsp;

''UAE has taken note of the Indian government’s decision of non-operationalisation of some sections of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution related to the state of Jammu and Kashmir,'' says Dr Ahmad Al Banna, the UAE ambassador to India, was quoted as saying.

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Dr Ahmad Al Banna, the UAE ambassador to India: The reorganisation of states is not a unique incident in history of independent India &amp; that it was mainly aimed at reducing regional disparity&amp;improving efficiency. It is an internal matter as stipulated by the Indian Constitution. <a href="https://t.co/HWsRDsGEjH">https://t.co/HWsRDsGEjH</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1158712804196716544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The reorganisation of states is not a unique incident in the history of independent India and that it was mainly aimed at reducing regional disparity and improving efficiency, he said.

It is an internal matter as stipulated by the Indian Constitution.

The government on Monday revoked Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and proposed that the state be bifurcated into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

The revoking of Article 370 was supported by several parties in the Rajya Sabha on Monday including Chandrababu Naidu-Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Mayawati's BSP, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's AAP, AIADMK, AGP, Akali Dal and RPI.

However, the Congress, CPM, CPI, DMK, SP, IUML and KC(M) voted against the resolution as the JD(U), TMC and NCP walked out the Rajya Sabha.

Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019 is aimed at reducing regional disparity and improving efficiency, said Dr Ahmad Al Banna, the UAE ambassador to India.

Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019 is aimed at reducing regional disparity and improving efficiency, said Dr Ahmad Al Banna, the UAE ambassador to India. ''UAE has taken note of the Indian government’s decision of non-operationalisation of some sections of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution related to the state of Jammu and Kashmir,'' says Dr Ahmad Al Banna, the UAE ambassador to India, was quoted as saying. Dr Ahmad Al Banna, the UAE ambassador to India: The reorganisation of states is not a unique incident in history of independent India & that it was mainly aimed at reducing regional disparity&improving efficiency. It is an internal matter as stipulated by the Indian Constitution. https://t.co/HWsRDsGEjH — ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2019 × The reorganisation of states is not a unique incident in the history of independent India and that it was mainly aimed at reducing regional disparity and improving efficiency, he said. It is an internal matter as stipulated by the Indian Constitution. The government on Monday revoked Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and proposed that the state be bifurcated into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The revoking of Article 370 was supported by several parties in the Rajya Sabha on Monday including Chandrababu Naidu-Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Mayawati's BSP, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's AAP, AIADMK, AGP, Akali Dal and RPI. However, the Congress, CPM, CPI, DMK, SP, IUML and KC(M) voted against the resolution as the JD(U), TMC and NCP walked out the Rajya Sabha.

J&K Reorganisation Bill aimed at reducing regional disparity: UAE 

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