UAE

03 Feb 2021; MEMO: The UAE Ambassador to the United States, Yousef Al-Otaiba, confirmed that the Joe Biden administration is about to complete reviewing pending arms sales to the Emirates.

Al-Otaiba said: "Should they review it? They absolutely should, but they're going to find what we already know. It was done through a very straightforward negotiating process."

31 Jan 2021; MEMO: Dubai will roll out China's Sinopharm vaccine to the general public from Sunday as coronavirus infections surged to record levels in the Middle East tourism hub, the government said on Saturday, Reuters reported.

All Emirati nationals are eligible for the vaccine, the Dubai media office said in a statement.

30 Jan 2021; MEMO: The UAE has adopted law amendments that allow granting Emirati citizenship to investors, specialised talents, and professionals, reports The Khaleej Times.

The professionals include scientists, doctors, engineers, artists, authors, and their families.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai announced the new law on Saturday.

29 Jan 2021; MEMO: United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador to Washington Yousef Al-Otaiba considers that the announcement made by US President Joe Biden's administration regarding halting arms sales to the Emirates and Saudi Arabia was to be expected.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — After opening itself to New Year’s revelers, Dubai is now being blamed by several countries for spreading the coronavirus abroad, even as questions swirl about the city-state’s ability to handle reported record spikes in virus cases.

The government’s Dubai Media Office says the sheikhdom is doing all it can to handle the pandemic, though it has repeatedly declined to answer questions from The Associated Press about its hospital capacity.

25 Jan 2021; MEMO: The United Arab Emirates confirmed that it signed agreements with the United States on former President Donald Trump's last full day in office to purchase up to 50 F-35 jets, 18 armed drones and other defense equipment in a deal worth $23 billion, Reuters reports.

DUBAI/JAKARTA (Reuters) - Iran has asked Indonesia to provide details about the seizure of an Iranian-flagged vessel, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Monday, a day after Jakarta said it had seized Iran and Panama-flagged tankers in its waters.

Indonesia said on Sunday its coast guard had seized the Iranian-flagged MT Horse and the Panamanian-flagged MT Freya vessels over suspected illegal oil transfer in the country’s waters.

Khatibzadeh said that the seizure was over a “a technical issue and it happens in shipping field”.

DUBAI (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates on Sunday approved establishing an embassy in the city of Tel Aviv in Israel, the UAE government said on its Twitter account, citing a cabinet decision.

The UAE and Israel agreed to normalise relations in August.

DUBAI (Reuters) - Bahrain’s Gulf Air is in talks with Airbus and Boeing to delay some aircraft deliveries as the pandemic continues to distrupt global travel, its acting chief executive said on Sunday.

Airlines around the world have pushed back deliveries and cancelled orders, expecting a years-long recovery from the pandemic that has crushed global travel demand.

State-owned Gulf Air expects Airbus A320neo deliveries to be put on hold until 2022, though it hopes to receive at least three larger A321neos this year, Acting CEO Waleed Abdulhameed Al Alawi told Reuters.

19 Jan 2021; MEMO: Hours after Israel's announcement that travellers and returnees from Brazil and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) would be quarantined, the UAE has suspended the visa waiver agreement for Israelis, Israeli media reported on Monday.