January, 2020

• 15 January

  Mobile app spending, usage hit record $310bn in 2019

  

  Bloomberg Mobile app spending and usage hit a record in 2019 and show no signs of tapering off this year as faster cellular connections and more big-name video streaming services come online, industry tracker App Annie says. In the past year, mobile apps accumulated $120 billion of global consumer spending, with games accounting for 72% of that. Advertising brought in ...

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• 15 January

  UAE to save AED11bn through blockchain implementation

  

  Dubai / WAM The UAE could save over AED11 billion through implementing advanced blockchain technologies, a joint whitepaper by Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution UAE, C4IR UAE, Dubai Future Foundation and World Economic Forum, revealed. The report cites both Dubai Blockchain Strategy in 2016, and the Emirates Blockchain Strategy in 2018. Statistically, in addition to the cost savings, the ...

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• 15 January

  Sharjah eyes more tourists from Europe

  SHARJAH / WAM The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), continues to work towards establishing a strong foothold in the Northern European tourism market. Efforts to draw in more visitors from the region will commence this year with its upcoming participation at the Matka Nordic Travel Fair in Helsinki, Finland. Set to take place from January 15 to 19, ...

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• 15 January

  Masdar inks deal to develop first floating solar plant in Indonesia

  

  ABU DHABI / WAM Masdar, one of the world’s leading renewable energy companies, signed a power purchase agreement (PPA), with Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), the state electricity company in Indonesia, for the first floating solar photovoltaic (PV), plant in the country. Dr Sultan bin Ahmad Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and Chairman of Masdar, and Zulkifli Zaini, President Director, ...

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• 15 January

  Nation Brand Office begins its operations

  DUBAI / WAM The Nation Brand Office of the UAE has officially begun its task of unifying and coordinating the message of promoting the UAE’s capabilities to the rest of the world, and has also released official guidelines for the use of the Nation Brand with the launch of its new website portal: www.nationbrand.ae. The Nation Brand Office, which holds ...

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• 15 January

  Mohamed, Egypt president attend Barnis Military Base inauguration

  

  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, and Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, President of Egypt, along with several representatives of Arab and foreign countries, attended the inauguration of the Barnis Military Base located in Southern Military Area of the Red Sea Governorate. ...

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• 15 January

  Masdar launches first green real estate investment trust

  

  ABU DHABI / WAM Masdar, a subsidiary of Mubadala Investment Company and one of the world’s leading renewable energy and sustainable real estate companies, has announced the launch of a sustainable real estate investment trust (REIT) — the first ‘green’ REIT to be introduced in the UAE. The REIT was launched at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), by Ahmed Ali ...

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• 15 January

  Etihad targets net zero emissions by 2050

  

  ABU DHABI / WAM Etihad Airways on Wednesday announced its commitment to a minimum target of zero net carbon emissions by 2050 and halving its 2019 net emission levels by 2035. In a press release issued by Etihad on Wednesday, coinciding with Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, the company said that its ambitious environmental targets will be achieved through a mix ...

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• 15 January

  Emirates, Trip.com group sign strategic agreement

  

  DUBAI / Emirates Business Emirates on Wednesday announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Trip.com Group, a world’s leading one-stop travel service provider. The agreement was signed in Shanghai by executives of both companies, signalling the start of a strategic cooperation between Emirates and Trip.com Group and allowing the airline to expand its reach in the ...

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• 15 January

  Arada sales rise by 33% in 2019

  

  SHARJAH / WAM Arada announced that its total value of sales rose 33% in 2019 compared to the previous year, boosted by significant investor interest in Sharjah’s megaproject, Aljada. The total number of units sold by Arada increased by 86% against the previous year. Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of Arada, said, “2019 was a very strong year ...

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