News

Bloomberg Facebook Inc.’s messaging service WhatsApp was given a one-month ultimatum by one of Europe’s strictest privacy watchdogs, facing an order to stop sharing user data with its parent without getting the necessary consent. France’s data protection authority CNIL gave a sharp warning to WhatsApp by issuing a formal notice, criticising it for “insufficiently” cooperating. The decision comes a year ...

Bloomberg German business confidence unexpectedly weakened in December, while remaining close to its record, in a sign of nerves over the outlook for Europe’s largest economy. The Ifo Institute’s gauge of business sentiment declined to 117.2 from a revised 117.6 the previous month. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg predicted a reading of 117.5, matching November’s original number. Ifo’s gauge remains near ...

Bloomberg It’s quite a cocktail: throw in some profit-seeking techies, mix in the age-old Roman Catholic Church and add a twist of anti-globalism. What you get is a startup hub. A year ago, venture capitalists Stephen Forte of Fresco Capital Fund and Eric Harr of Imagine Ventures—both based in California— asked the Vatican to back a technology competition among startups ...

Dubai / Emirates Business The GCC’s first commercial vertical indoor farm, Badia Farms, has launched in Dubai with ambitious plans to pioneer the future of the region’s agriculture industry. Using the latest hydroponic technology and vertical farming techniques, the farm produces nutritious and pesticide-free leafy greens without the need for sunlight, soil or chemicals. Badia Farms has been established by ...

DUBAI / Emirates business The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is looking for planning to take the trade relations between the UAE and Hong Kong to the next level with seven global trade fairs to be held in Hong Kong early next year. The UAE is Hong Kong’s 17th largest trading partner and 17th largest import supplier. The total ...

Dubai / Emirates Business Dubai-based developer Omniyat has signed a facility agreement with Ajman Bank for AED 500 million. The financing will be used for the construction of an iconic mixed-use project at Dubai Water Canal in Business Bay. The project is a partnership between Omniyat, Saudi’s Rashed Al Rashed Group and Jenina Real Estate Development Company Ltd. — one ...

ABU DHABI / WAM The first unified electronic platform for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and air vehicles to be used in the UAE for recreational, ser-vice and commercial purposes has been announced. The platform, entitled “Unified Pilot System for Unmanned Aircraft Products and Systems,” is in line with UAE government’s keenness to provide a civil aviation environment and a safe ...

Abu Dhabi / WAM His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, on Monday received Team Abu Dhabi, who recently won the Formula 1 Powerboat World Championship title. The winners were accompanied by His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Adviser to the UAE ...

Abu Dhabi / WAM The Statistic Centre Abu Dhabi (SCAD), predicted that the coming period will witness further growth and prosperity in various areas, including in the sectors of commerce, manufacturing and services while stressing that Abu Dhabi’s import and export activities are key to its economic development. SCAD confirmed an increase in the value of imports during the third ...

Dubai / WAM The ENOC Group has announced the launch of its first ‘Sustainability Performance Report’ with the region’s first sustainability performance index for the oil and gas sector in Middle East to chart and monitor company’s performance over three pillars of sustainability including economic, social and environmental. The report highlights ENOC’s sustainability initiatives in line with the UAE Vision ...