Egypt wins $ 8 bn Saudi and UAE aid, names PM
Source: Arab News (Read full story)
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Former UN diplomat Mohamed ElBaradei was named deputy president for foreign affairs. News quickly followed of $ 8 billion in grants, loans and fuel from Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Saudi Arabia approved $ 5 billion in aid to Egypt and the UAE has offered $ 3 billion in desperately needed support for the economy . The Saudi funds comprise a $ 2 billion central bank deposit, $ 2 billion in energy products, and $ 1 billion in cash, Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf said.The UAE will make a $ 1 billion grant to Egypt and a $ 2 billion loan, state news agency WAM said. The $ 2 billion loan would take the form of an interest-free deposit with Egypt’s central bank, WAM said.
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‘Vote buying’ alleged ahead of NA election – ‘Multimillion-dinar fund’ set up
Source: Kuwait Times (Read full story)
Concern over vote buying emerged as a main topic of discussion in candidates’ statements Monday, as former MP and minister Ahmad Al-Mulaifi warned of the “spread of political money in the third constituency” where he is running. “People are talking about third constituency candidates who brag about having millions of dinars to buy a parliament seat and people’s willpower,” he said in statements to Al-Rai. He further criticized the government’s “suspicious silence” over the issue and urged the Interior Ministry to investigate the matter and hold vote buyers accountable. Meanwhile, Al-Qabas quoted observers in a report yesterday who expressed suspicions over the motives of mass appointments the Cabinet announced during its weekly session Monday.
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Qatar plans to spin off petroleum firm
Source: Arab News (Read full story)
Qatar’s new leadership is expected to accelerate plans to spin off its prized asset, Qatar Petroleum, from the Energy Ministry to allow the world’s biggest liquefied gas producer to grow more quickly abroad at a time of rising rivalry from new producers. Qatar’s global LNG market dominance is under threat as new producers in the United States, Australia and East Africa will flood the market with new volumes in the next few years. Industry sources say Qatar hopes that the spinoff will speed up decision making — something Qatar’s outgoing emir has asked from the new leadership in general when transferring power to his son last month. “In many ways it (the plan) would increase efficiency,” a source at Qatar Petroleum said. “The rationale behind the desire for international growth is the moratorium, as the growth potential at home is limited.”
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Yemen’s National Dialogue Paralyzes Government
Source: Al Monitor (Read full story)
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The excessive focus on the dialogue has brought everything else to a halt. Other efforts that are probably more important for Yemen from the perspective of Yemeni citizens have gone down the drain. Additionally, the dialogue spared the government from having to answer tough questions. Instead, the government threw important tasks onto the dialogue table, especially since governmental officials were busy preparing for the dialogue as representatives of political parties instead of the government, as was the case with parliament. More than 30 Members of Parliament, (MPs) of different political parties are taking part in the national dialogue that requires, according to its bylaw, full devotion to its agenda, something that makes the dialogue mission impossible to achieve given the specified time frame. The mission is supposed to be realized within six months, half of which has already passed.
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The GCC’s Future Generation Of Rulers
Source: Arabian Business (Read full story)
Last month Qatar surprised the world as its Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, stepped down from his position at the still-sprightly age of 61 and handed power over to his son. The succession of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, 33, demonstrated how forward thinking the tiny Gulf state is, not only in its aggressive overseas investments and political brokering, but also on domestic matters. While no such transferring of power is expected anytime soon from Qatar’s neighbouring countries, Gulf Business takes a look at some of the next generation of GCC leaders who could possibly rule the Gulf in the future alongside Sheikh Tamim.
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Emirates Airline to open the world’s first public commercial flight simulators
Source: The National (Read full story)
Emirates Airline is to open an aviation-themed attraction in London featuring the world’s first public commercial flight simulators. The Emirates Aviation Experience, which opens next month, is located on the south side of Emirates Air Line, a cable car link across the Thames in London. The new attraction is the first of its kind globally. “This high-tech facility will bring to London a one-of-a-kind insight into the dynamic world of aviation,” said Tim Clark, the president of Emirates. “The purpose of this centre is to provide a fun, yet educational overview of just what it takes to successfully get a 560-tonne aircraft off the ground and 40,000 feet into the sky. Our aim is to explain the intricate science of modern aviation, in a hands-on, entertaining and instructive environment.”
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