UAE GROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]
US Imports to UAE Worth $12 Billion Last Year [May 31]
“US imports to the UAE topped $12 billion last year – a six-fold increase in the last decade, according to US Assistant Commerce Secretary Suresh Kumar, Zawya.com reported Monday. The UAE is one of the largest markets for American goods and services imported to the region, Kumar added. US foreign direct investment in UAE in 2008 was worth more than $3.4 billion, and UAE companies’ foreign direct investment in the US was worth more than $2.7 billion in 2008, he said. Last year, China surpassed the US as the largest importer of goods into the UAE..” [Complete Report]
Journalists’ Association Calls for International Intervention [May 31]
” The UAE Journalists’ Association has called on the International Federation of Journalists and other international organisations to intervene and determine the whereabouts of Gulf News reporter Abbas Al Lawati. Mohammad Yousuf, chairman, said in a press statement, that he has made extensive calls to Jim Bu Melha, President of the Federation and the General Secretariat in Brussels, urging them to take immediate action to determine the fate of Al Lawati, who has not been in contact since 2am on Monday. He added that urgent letters have also been sent to international organisations for the protection of journalists, and has called on them to form an international investigative committee to bring those responsible to justice. The attack was a violation of international laws and flagrant aggression that took place in front of the whole world, Yousuf said..” [Complete Report]
UAE Condemns Freedom Flotilla Attack [May 31]
“The UAE has condemned Israel’s violent attack on the Freedom Flotilla on Monday. The attacks against the flotilla lead to the death of at least 19 civilians, and wounded many others. The UAE condemned this violent act that occurred on international waters and violated international laws by targeting civilians. Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, said in a statement made on Monday that he called on the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) to carry out the necessary investigations on the attack, as well as submitting a clear report of this matter to the UN. Shaikh Abdullah said that the attack on civilians traversing across the sea to deliver aid to the Palestinian people strongly defied international laws, and is an unprovoked response against an act of humanitarian intentions. He added that Israel must be held responsible for its actions, calling on the Security Council to arrange an emergency meeting to address this issue and take the necessary procedures..” [Complete Report]
Growing Population Needs Twice as Many Doctors [May 31]
“The number of doctors and nurses needs to double over the next decade to cope with an ageing and rapidly expanding population, new figures have revealed. A report from the Health Authority-Abu Dhabi (HAAD) estimated that the capital would need up to 102 per cent more doctors, from the current 5,300 to as many as 10,700. The number of nurses will need to rise by as much as 101 per cent, from 6,900 to 13,900. The report also pointed to shortfalls in fields including paediatrics, gynaecology and orthopaedics. The transience of the UAE’s expatriate population is an additional hurdle. Some 16 per cent of doctors quit their jobs each year – so to increase numbers by just five per cent hospitals would need to hire more than a fifth of their workforce each year. Some 13 per cent of nurses quit each year. “If churn rates remain at their 2009 level, this will require some 1,600 doctors and almost 1,800 nurses to be recruited annually,” the HAAD Statistics 2009 report stated..” [Complete Report]
UAE, Hong Kong to Collaborate on Developing Tourism [May 31]
“The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Hong Kong will collaborate on increasing tourist flow in both places, and both governments have agreed to take part in each other’s cultural events. The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) and the Hong Kong Special Administration Region (HKSAR) agreed on the collaboration after exchanging tourism data on the performance of their respective tourism sectors in 2009 and 2010. Tourism in Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi was low in 2009, with the Asian region receiving around 29.5 million visitors, a rise of only 0.3 percent from 2008, while Abu Dhabi recorded only two percent increase in its total number of guests. Hong Kong authorities said the Gulf region, India and Russia were its top three emerging markets, while the Abu Dhabi authorities said Hong Kong has played a key role in its greater China market development strategy..” [Complete Report]
