Dubai: Sheikh Hamdan exempts over 300 citizens from housing loans worth Dh101 million
Dubai's Crown Prince ordered the exemption of over 300 citizens from repaying their housing loans on June 4.
The decision ensures that 303 citizens are exempted from repaying housing loans worth Dh101 million ahead of Eid Al Adha.
The directives for the initiative are by Dubai's Ruler.
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The National
32 minutes ago
- The National
Syria tilts towards the West as Gulf capital drives post-Assad recovery
After more than a decade of war and isolation, Syria is edging back into the global economy. The signs are familiar: commercial flights have resumed, sanctions are being eased and its debts are being cleared. Gulf investors are circling. Infrastructure deals are being announced. The headlines suggest the country is on the cusp of reintegration. But this is not simply an economic reawakening. It marks a deeper geopolitical repositioning – one that places Syria within a widening western and Gulf-aligned bloc, as influence from Iran and Russia recedes. Syria's recovery will not be decided by GDP charts alone. It will depend on whether the country can reclaim enough political agency to rebuild on its own terms – or whether, like Iraq before it, Syria becomes a postwar economy designed around the interests of its financial and political sponsors. Sanctions relief from the US and EU has reopened the door to international investment in Syria, particularly in energy. The policy shift has catalysed a wave of Gulf-backed deals, most notably a $7 billion agreement involving Qatari, Turkish and US companies to rebuild Syria's power infrastructure. These developments signal more than capital flows, they point to a convergence of western and Gulf interests. The energy deal led by Qatari companies is the clearest bellwether. It follows a well-established template seen in postwar Iraq, where US and western firms including ExxonMobil and Shell helped rebuild the oil sector in ways that aligned output with western markets. With Russian and Iranian influence in Syria greatly diminished, its energy sector is being restructured to serve a different geopolitical order. Syria's new economic vision is increasingly shaped by partnerships with Gulf nations. Flights from Dubai-based airlines to the Syrian capital Damascus are resuming. Saudi Arabia and Qatar have paid Syria's arrears at the World Bank. Major regional banks are exploring correspondent relationships with Syrian institutions – something that was unthinkable just a year ago. The momentum is clear. This pivot also hints at Syria's eventual role in a broader integration of regional infrastructure. Syria is not formally part of the Iraq Development Road (IDR), a $17 billion infrastructure project that aims to facilitate trade between the Gulf and Europe through Turkey. But recent infrastructure moves suggest a potential alignment. Syria is negotiating a $300 million fibre-optic project with Gulf telecoms companies under the SilkLink initiative and it has signed agreements with Gulf and French firms worth more than $1.5 billion to develop its Tartus and Latakia ports. These projects aim to restore Syria's position as a logistical bridge and may yet dovetail with broader regional integration efforts, such as the IDR. Gulf support for Syria is driven in part by strategic considerations. With a population exceeding 20 million and a pressing need for reconstruction, Syria offers economic opportunities in sectors including energy and infrastructure, attracting interest from Gulf nations seeking to diversify their own economies beyond oil. Six months after former president Bashar Al Assad was deposed, Syria remains deeply unstable, but the direction of travel is unmistakable. Political volatility persists, with pro-Assad insurgents challenging the government, led by President Ahmad Al Shara. Sanctions have been eased, yet investors remain cautious. A true investment boom will require more institutional guarantees and credible reforms. Yet Syria's fundamentals are hard to ignore. Its geography gives it access to five key markets (it borders Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Israel and Lebanon) and a Mediterranean port system, offering direct access to Europe through the Suez Canal. It has natural resources, untapped agricultural capacity and a large, dispersed diaspora, including millions of highly educated Syrians who fled to North America and Europe after the civil war broke out in 2011. If Syria can secure peace and policy credibility, it has the potential to become, over time, a regional node for trade, logistics and skilled industries. So, what kind of state might Syria become? The Iraq model is one possibility, an externally funded recovery shaped by competing interests and vulnerable to internal fragmentation, though Syria's more diverse international backing could set it on a different course. Another, more aspirational model is the UAE, a service-driven economy boosted by expatriate talent and foreign capital. But unlike Syria, the UAE built from a foundation of stability and oil wealth. The more plausible path is somewhere in between: a hybrid economy rebuilt with Gulf capital and western acquiescence, plugged into regional logistics but still dependent on foreign support. However, Syria could become globally connected, but politically constrained, with its economic direction increasingly shaped by the terms set abroad. That raises longer-term questions about sovereignty. Syria remains heavily dependent on external support for reconstruction, currency stability and basic financial credibility. Its future will hinge on whether it can preserve any meaningful policy autonomy while accepting sustained foreign involvement. The signals to watch over the coming year will be telling: foreign direct investment, particularly in infrastructure and education; return migration from Europe and North America; and concrete steps towards institution-building. If the country invests in people, not just in roads and power plants, its recovery may be sustainable. If those signals fail to materialise, Syria risks being increasingly shaped by the interests of its backers. It is not returning to the global stage as a neutral actor. It is returning with its orientation, at least economically, tilted towards the West.
Khaleej Times
8 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Buy 2, get more: Big Ticket's limited-time June offer is here
Big Ticket's June promotion is turning heads and not just for its Dh25 million grand prize. This month, customers have even more reasons to play, with exciting ticket bundle offers available throughout the month of June. From 1 – 30 June, online customers will receive a Buy 2, Get 2 Free offer on both Big Ticket and Dream Car tickets. Those purchasing in-store at Zayed International Airport or Al Ain Airport, the offer gets even bigger: Buy 2, Get 3 Free for Big Ticket, and Buy 2, Get 4 Free for Dream Car. You can get up to six entries in one go, boosting your chances without spending more. At the center of it all is the Dh25 million grand prize, guaranteed to one lucky winner during the 3 July live draw. Three additional winners will also walk away with Dh75,000 each on the same night. Throughout the month, the excitement continues with weekly e-draws, where three winners every week will each receive Dh150,000. That's a total of 12 winners before the grand draw takes place. Also, part of this month's promotion is The Big Win Contest. Customers who purchase two or more cash tickets in a single transaction between 1–25 June will automatically enter for a chance to attend the live draw in person. Four finalists will be selected and are guaranteed to win cash prizes between Dh20,000 and Dh150,000, with names announced on 1 July. Luxury car fans can also get in on the action. This month's Dream Car giveaway features the Nissan Patrol, with the draw taking place on 3 June. Following that, the Range Rover Velar takes the spotlight on 3 August. Whether you're aiming for millions, a dream car, or one of the many weekly prizes, June is packed with opportunities to win, and the month-long Buy 2, Get More offer makes joining easier than ever. Tickets are available now at Zayed International Airport, and Al Ain Airport. Stay updated with all the latest announcements and prize draws by following Big Ticket on social media. The weekly E-draw dates: Week 1: 1st – 9th June and Draw Date – 10th June (Tuesday) Week 3: 17th – 23rd June and Draw Date- 24th June (Tuesday) Week 4: 24th – 30th June and Draw Date- 1st July (Tuesday)
Sharjah 24
9 hours ago
- Sharjah 24
Sharjah Ruler welcomes more Eid Al Adha well-wishers
Greetings from various segments of society His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah accepted Eid Al Adha greetings from sheikhs, senior officials, citizens, residents, dignitaries, tribal representatives, and members of various communities, who came to extend their congratulations on this blessed religious occasion. Prayers and blessings for the occasion The well-wishers extended their heartfelt congratulations and blessings on this cherished occasion, praying to Almighty God to re-visit this occasion on His Highness with continued health and well-being, upon the United Arab Emirates with greater progress and prosperity, and upon the Arab and Islamic nations with peace, blessings, and abundance. Attendance of senior officials and dignitaries The reception was attended by Sheikh Khaled bin Abdullah Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Ports, Customs and Free Zones Authority; Sheikh Salem bin Abdulrahman Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Ruler's Office; Sheikh Khalid bin Issam Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Civil Aviation Department; Sheikh Mohammed bin Humaid Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Statistics and Community Development; Sheikh Majid bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Districts Affairs Department; Sheikh Khalid bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Prevention and Safety Authority; Sheikh Saud bin Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Director General of the Sharjah Digital Authority; along with several sheikhs; His Excellency Abdulrahman bin Mohamed Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention; His Excellency Rashid Ahmed bin Al Sheikh, Head of Al Diwan Al Amiri, and a number of department heads, government officials, and citizens.
