Bloomberg United Continental Holdings Inc.’s top communications executive is stepping down after leading the airline’s PR strategy through a tumultuous two-year tenure and worldwide scandal this April. Jim Olson, senior vice president of corporate communications, will resign effective from January 8 to pursue other opportunities, he said in a letter to employees. The decision was his own and he wasn’t ...

Bloomberg It took more than a decade, but California has a new law requiring extensive labelling of ingredients in cleaning products, and it got support from what might seem the unlikeliest of advocates: product manufacturers themselves. Companies like Procter & Gamble Co. and Easy-Off maker Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc, after years of arguing the need to preserve their proprietary formulas ...

Dubai / WAM In his capacity as the Ruler of Dubai, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, approved the Government of Dubai’s 2018 General Budget Law No. (21) for the year 2017, with AED 56.6 billion expenditure, according to the new budget classification. Featuring a 19.5 % year-on-year increase, the ...

ABU DHABI / WAM The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) revealed the value of UAE foreign aid to Yemen during the period April 2015 to November 2017, amounting to AED9.4 billion ($2.56 billion). In a report, MoFAIC said that the humanitarian aid covered a number of vital sectors, reflecting the UAE’s keenness to reduce the suffering of ...

ABU DHABI / Emirates Business The UAE’s successful bid for Category B Membership under the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council is a historic achievement and an important milestone in the country’s efforts to become one of the wo-rld’s leading maritime centers. Today, the world’s eyes are on the UAE, which has successfully outshone other major candidates to become the first ...

DUBAI / WAM Businesses in Dubai are more upbeat about the final quarter of 2017 compared to the previous quarter, driven by increased demand during winter months. The quarterly survey of Dubai Economy showed the composite Business Confidence Index (BCI) in Q3 increasing by 10.8 points and reaching 121.4 points, from 110.6 points in Q2 2017. The structural reforms and ...

Abu Dhabi / Emirates Business The peak pre-Christmas travel period is fast approaching with many travellers making plans for trips home or on holiday. The combination of the festive season and schools breaking up for holidays means the period from December 12 to January 5 will be a particularly busy time at Abu Dhabi International Airport, with up to 1.25 ...

Abu Dhabi / Emirates Business The Department of Urban Planning and Municipalities (DPM) announced the launch of its new registration system for all engineers in Abu Dhabi. The DPM initiative – Become an Abu Dhabi Registered Engineer – ensures all engineers living and working in the Emirate register their qualifications on its interactive website: https://eservices.adm.gov.ae /engineers/public/secure/login. Upon DPM approval, they ...

SHARJAH / WAM Air Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier, has been conferred the ‘Outstanding Achievement Award’ by the Aviation Achievement Awards, at this year’s Aviation Annual Gala Evening. The award is in recognition of the carrier’s robust performance over the last 12 months where it continued to expand and maintain a steady growth. ...

Dubai / WAM The UAE Cabinet reaffirmed on Sunday that the UAE will remain a firm supporter of the Arab identity of Jerusalem and of the legal status established by all international conventions as well as of the rights of the Palestinian people. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of ...