The National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) predicts cloudy weather and rainfall in few more days, though parts of the United Arab Emirates saw sunny skies on Tuesday. Residents welcomed rainfall wholeheartedly and felt reprieve from scorching heat that grappled the region since the beginning of April.

The met department predicts temperature between 20 and 35 degrees Celsius besides moderate to heavy rainfall in some areas. Many regions saw dust and sand making life tough for residents as visibility level dropped by 3000 meters in Al Zafrah in the morning.

Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos and Abu Dhabi government officials held a meeting at Emirates Palace discussing a wide range of issues concerning to education and its expansion in the country.

WAM, Emirates News Agency said that collaboration in the country is a bit difficult task due to variety of factors such as rigid laws, social disturbance and restrictions on women in the Emirati society.

The forthcoming Arabian Travel Market beginning in Dubai from early May is expected to highlight the initiatives of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) for propelling growth of the tourism sector. The event will see more than 45 Abu Dhabi tourism delegates witness the launch of more than 80 products first time in the region.

Mubarak Al Nuaimi, International Promotions Manager, ADTA, said, "The product line-up reflects the destination's expanded offering and includes transports suppliers, hotel operators, major attractions, hospitality management companies, travel agents, tour operators, an international sports resort, MSC Cruises as well as desert, island, beach and golf resorts."

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), a top-tier Islamic financial services group, has come up with a new competition dubbed as 'Design your Product', primarily for the youth of the nation.

10 card designs and 10 product names will be short-listed among the youth and the winners will get a special certificate entitled 'Founder of the ADIB product for Youth,' and fabulous prizes. Young people would also be asked to provide their feedback.

The 2011 International Public Relations Association Gulf Chapter (IPRA-GC) Conference stated at The Yas Hotel, Abu Dhabi today with participation of a large number of delegates belonging to regional and global media.

Tim Sebastian, former BBC journalist and founder of the internationally renowned Doha Debates delivered the keynote address of the conference titled "Reputation Management: Emerging Trends, Changing Dynamics."

The Nation Towers' Skybridge, which is the highest of its kind in the world, has been launched in the United Arab Emirates. The sky bridge, having height of 202.5 meter, adds yet another feather in the cap of nation. The sky scraper would provide great view of the city and attract a large number of tourists.

The 202.5 meters bridge was completed on April 10 by joining the two towers at the 50th and 54th floors. The tower beats the Petronas Towers in Malaysia which is now 30 meter smaller in height than the sky bridge. It would offer a 50-storey luxury hotel, office blocks and several shops giving impetus to the Abu Dhabi’s economy.

Full proof security arrangements were made for the ambitious President's Cup final between Al Jazira and Al Wahda football clubs. Police and the security agencies in the city did not want to take any chance and thus also deployed private security guards in the vicinity of the stadium.

Col Rashid al Ali, head of the security committee for the final match of the President's Cup, said that security cover around the private security guards had been made and separate routes for parking places were put in place for the convenience of visitors.

Abu Dhabi's International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC) is looking for the possibility of hiking stake in plastics maker Borealis. The Chief Executive of Borealis Mark Garrett said that IPIC could buy shares through an initial public offering (IPO).

IPIC owns 64 per cent stakes in Borealis while remaining 36 per cent are owned by OMV. Borealis is also working out plans to increase its geographical presence in the world especially across the fertilizers and polyolefins sector in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

His Excellency, Khadem Al Qubaisi, Chairman of Borealis' Supervisory Board and Managing Director of IPIC said that global outreach is not only meant for business growth but it should carry the people’s interests and ambitions.

Abdullah Al Kindi, Operations Director at the Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) said on Monday that issue and renew of residency visas will be linked with national ID cards in Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah. He said that this new service of 2011 will at first include these two emirates and other emirates where most of the expatriate community resides like Abu Dhabi and Dubai will be included under the new service in the forthcoming months.

Al Kindi , talking to Khaleej Times on the marginal issues of the ‘ID World Abu Dhabi said that for obtaining residency visas, it will be important for persons after completing the preventive health examinations, to register themselves for the EIDA ID cards.

Recently there was an announcement made by the Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: FME / New York Stock Exchange: FMS) that it has made an agreement with Abu Dhabi Health Services Co. PJSC (SEHA) with intention to handle the management of its dialysis facilities in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.  

It is the world’s largest provider of dialysis products and services, while SEHA is a public provider of health care services in the United Arab Emirates.

The lovers of the Womad (World of Music, Arts and Dance) weekend get prepared to have it again.  

The full programme of the world’s biggest music festival has just been started.  This will continue for three-day on April 9. Well there is no doubt about the presence of the favorites like Baaba Maal, Afro Celt Sound System. This time Dhol Foundation will take centre stage mot only at the Abu Dhabi Corniche but also Al Ain’s Al Jahili Fort. This WOMAD weekend is full of surprises.

A road crash involving 127 vehicles on Shaikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Highway from Abu Dhabi to Dubai claimed one life besides injuring a large number of people.

Dense fog that engulfed the region on Saturday morning is said to be a major cause of fatal road accident. The General Headquarters of Abu Dhabi Police said that injured drivers and accompanying people were rushed to nearby hospital, condition of some of them is said to be critical.

Major-General Mohammed Al Awadi Al Menhali, Director-General of Police Operations at the Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters, said, “The accident was caused by both bad weather and human error. Despite poor visibility due to heavy fog, most of the drivers on Saturday morning did not abide by the rules.”

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company or ADNOC and Occidental Al Hosn, LLC, (Occidental), formed a joint venture for the $10 billion Shah Sour Gas Field project. The project, in which Abu Dhabi Gas Development Company Limited or Al Hosn Gas owns 60 per cent share, will be based on manage and operate the project and develop the Field.

The technologically challenging project will see equal contribution by both firms. The project involves special handling of the sour gas which is to be reserved within the Shah Field located onshore 180-km south-west of the capital.

The project worth $10 billion is expected to boost Abu Dhabi’s natural gas exploration activities besides increasing availability of natural gas for the local population.

GIBTM, the Gulf Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition saw more than 11 per cent increase in number of visitor’s to the event. The event held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre saw exhibitions by 275 companies compared to just 230 firms in the previous year at the same event.

GIBTM’s professional education program also remained attraction for visitors with delegate numbers broke its previous records. Lloyd Kenyon, GIBTM’s exhibition manager, said: “We have seen a great deal of optimism throughout the show and received very positive feedback.”

Cristal Hotels and Resorts, the most dynamic hotel brand in the region, and the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) is ready to actively participate in the event March 28-30, 2011.

Amr Menhali will head Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank or ADCB according to a recent announcement made by the Islamic Bank. Having vast experience in hand, Amr, a UAE national, was a person behind the launch of ADCB's Islamic Banking Business in 2008.

He has been associated with the ADCB since 2006 and acted as member of the Steering Committee in monitoring the project since its inception.

The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, one of the region's most important motorsport events, is all set to bring pride for GCC countries. Two Omani rally stars Nizar al Shanfari and Ahmed al Hajri will bring the event at culmination, at a challenging and stunning terrain in the Middle East.

Mohammed ben Sulayem, the Federation International de l'Automobile (FIA) vice-president for sport and chairman of the Desert Challenge organizing committee told, "The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is one of our region's most important motorsport events and we want our fellow GCC countries to be as proud of it as we are in the UAE."

Abu Dhabi government has decided to go ahead with its plans of establishing proposed nuclear power plants despite the havoc caused by incidents of radiation leak at Fukushima, Japan. The country said that there is no change in its plans over civilian reactors despite nuclear disaster in Japan due to earthquake.

Abdulla Saif al-Nuaimi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority, at the Arabian Power & Water Summit, asserted that nuclear energy is a need of the hour and must be brought in the country for addressing its growing electricity needs.

Officials of the International Code Council and the Department of Municipal Affairs (DMA) held a meeting yesterday for setting up revised guidelines for the construction sector of emirates of Abu Dhabi. DMA said in a statement that the new rules discussed in the meeting are aimed to encourage professionalism throughout the sector.

Ahmad Shareef, undersecretary at the DMA said, "The ICC and DMA have been working together to formulate the new Abu Dhabi building codes and to develop the best practice standards in the building and construction industry in the emirate.”

UAE nationals are all set to take part in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge which would start next month. Mohammed bin Sulayem, President of the Automobile and Touring Club for the UAE (ATCUAE) and Vice-President, FIA, said, that the country has a lot of expectations from its nationals and hoped that they would emerge winners by securing top five positions.

He further expressed, “We have grown accustomed to seeing UAE nationals finishing in top five positions, and this is something which fills us with tremendous national pride every year.”

Mubadala Development Co., an Abu Dhabi government-owned investor with stakes in Carlyle Group and General Electric Co. (GE), reported a total comprehensive loss of 315 billion dirhams because of declines in mark-to-market investments. Firm’s profit for the year 2010 declined to 1.1 billion dirhams ($300 million) from 4.6 billion dirhams during the corresponding period last year.

The oil dependent economy of Abu Dhabi is making efforts for diversification for deriving its growth from non-oil business. Mubadala’s Chief Operating Officer Waleed Al Mokarrab Al Muhairi said few months back that the country needs to diversify its business adding that emerging markets represent a “gaping hole”.