Dubai announces free parking for Eid Al Adha 2025
Public parking will be free to use from June 5 to 8 in Dubai, the Roads and Transport Authority announced Monday as the country celebrates Islamic festival Eid Al Adha. Multi-level parking terminals will remain a paid service during the holiday.
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The National
43 minutes ago
- The National
Back to square one: Lebanon's local elections have taken the country in the wrong direction
Lebanon recently finished the last round of its municipal elections, and the message was not reassuring. Lists backed by the country's sectarian political parties were largely victorious. This anticipates a period of continued polarisation at a time when Lebanon needs to be unified around a project to benefit from the changing dynamics in the Middle East. Writing in the US-based International Policy Digest, Mohammad Fheili, executive in residence at the American University of Beirut, expressed a more general mood in Lebanon about where the country was going. Commenting on US President Donald Trump's recent tour of the Middle East, Mr Fheili noted that 'Lebanon [was] conspicuously absent from the conversation. Lebanon wasn't simply left off the agenda. It seems to have vanished from it altogether'. The mood among leading parties inside Lebanon seems blithely detached from the broader shifts in the region. The main Christian political party, the Lebanese Forces, took pride in its victories in the towns of Jounieh and Zahleh, while doing well in other Christian bastions. For the party's leader, Samir Geagea, this bodes well for parliamentary elections next year, when the Lebanese Forces hope to form an even larger bloc than the one they have today. Of particular urgency for Mr Geagea is not only to marginalise the Free Patriotic Movement led by Gebran Bassil, but also to push back against any potential electoral challenge by candidates supported by President Joseph Aoun, whom Mr Geagea quietly regards as a rival. Candidates backed by Hezbollah and the allied Amal Movement did well in the south and in the Baalbek-Hermel regions, but that was expected. Following the recent military defeat of Hezbollah by Israel, it was not likely that voters would oppose the party, displaying divisions that would only compound the Shiite community's setbacks because of the war. Similarly, in other areas, candidates backed by the political class did well. This was less visible in the Sunni community, given that Saad Hariri, once the dominant communal representative, failed to engage with the elections. However, renewed Saudi interest in Lebanon, albeit limited, and the downfall of the Assad government in Syria have helped revive a community that had often felt sidelined during the years of Hezbollah's hegemony. Yet if the elections were largely interpreted in domestic political terms by the sectarian political parties, Mr Fheili's doubts were reaffirmed when it comes to the region. A fragmented country, led by self-interested political parties focused on short-term gains to secure communal ascendancy, is hardly one optimally prepared for regional transformations. There may be exceptions to this. As my colleague Maha Yahya of Carnegie has noted, Mr Trump's decision to lift sanctions on Syria may have positive repercussions on Lebanon's banking lobby, which has systematically blocked financial reforms, fearing that banks may be forced to bear the greatest burden of losses from the financial collapse of 2019-2020. Today, if reconstruction resumes in Syria, Lebanon's banking sector anticipates playing a major role in the process. However, this can happen only if it agrees to a restructuring, allowing banks to refloat themselves. Until now, there has been resistance in the sector, both because there has been no agreement over who – banks, the state, or the central bank – would cover the largest share of losses and because restructuring may eliminate several banks. The reality is that many nations appear to have lost patience with Lebanon, which over the years has thwarted numerous efforts to reform its economy. The country is a graveyard for new approaches, as it remains under the thumb of political, financial and commercial cartels that unfailingly shoot down most ideas aiming to break a debilitating stalemate. Yet the message in Mr Trump's visit to the region was fairly evident. He seeks a world in which economic relations and self-interest prevail, but also, it seems, one in which China, Russia and the US have their spheres of influence. If that's his vision, the Middle East will remain an area of competition between the US and China, which implies that the countries of the region have much to gain by positioning themselves between rival superpowers. Yet Lebanon, once the quintessential middle-man country, is devoid of ideas, and is struggling with a geopolitical situation that is catastrophic. Israel's regional strategy has shifted to one of enhancing its security by fragmenting its Arab neighbours, and acting, or planning to act, with impunity inside their territories. This could be fatal for Lebanon. In light of this, Lebanon must press forward in its dialogue with Hezbollah to secure the group's disarmament. Only then will it be able to free the south of Israel's occupation and normalise the situation enough to think strategically about its regional place. This would reassure outside countries that it is progressing enough for them to provide vital foreign investment. But even that may not be enough if Lebanon doesn't overcome its incapacitating sectarian factionalism. Unless this happens and the Lebanese come together to shape a common vision for the future, the country will remain an afterthought – a place bleeding its youth to the advantage of more vibrant societies. Like a dried flower, it will be both beautiful and dead.
Zawya
an hour ago
- Zawya
Etihad celebrates first flights to Prague, Warsaw
ABU DHABI - Etihad Airways is celebrating the launch of flights to two new destinations in Central Europe – Prague and Warsaw. On Monday 2nd June, the UAE's national airline operated its inaugural flight to the enchanting Czech capital Prague, one of 16 new destinations the airline will add this year. On 3rd June, the airline touched down in Warsaw for the first time, adding the vibrant Polish capital to its expanding European network. "Our new Prague and Warsaw services open doors to countless possibilities," said Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer at Etihad Airways. "These new routes create a bridge between two remarkable regions, connecting travellers from the Middle East to the heart of Central Europe, while offering seamless connections via Abu Dhabi to destinations across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, the Indian Subcontinent and Australia.' Operating on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, the services feature 28 Business Studios and 262 Economy Smart seats. To celebrate Etihad's expanding network, the airline has launched a competition, The Extraordinary Challenge, daring guests to compete in a race to visit 15 of the airline's new destinations, including Prague and Warsaw, to win five million Etihad Guest miles.
Zawya
an hour ago
- Zawya
AD Ports Group opens Tbilisi Intermodal Hub
UAE - AD Ports Group, an enabler of integrated trade, transport and logistics solutions, has announced the inauguration of the first phase of Tbilisi Intermodal Hub, Georgia's first modern, bonded container and intermodal terminal, and a key logistics link in the group's emerging Central Asian transport strategy. The state-of-the-art, rail-linked logistics centre connects the Caspian and Black seas through Georgia, forming a vital part of the Middle Corridor, the shortest trade route between Asia and Europe. The inauguration was attended by Irakli Kobakhidze, Prime Minister of Georgia; Levan Davitashvili, First Vice Prime Minister of Georgia; Ahmed bin Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State in the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ahmed Ebrahim AlNuaimi, UAE Ambassador to Georgia; Giorgi Janjgava, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, the Georgian Ambassador to UAE; as well as Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO of AD Ports Group; Jemal Inaishvili, Founder of Inveco; and Abdulaziz Zayed Al Shamsi, Regional CEO - AD Ports Group. Al Sayegh said: 'Under the visionary leadership of the UAE Government, we are committed to enhancing international cooperation with strategic global partners who share our vision for mutual benefit and sustainable prosperity. The inauguration of Tbilisi Intermodal Hub exemplifies this commitment by actively developing global trade routes and creating market opportunities for UAE and Georgian businesses." AD Ports Group owns a 60% stake in Tbilisi Intermodal Hub, and the rest is held by Inveco, a local Georgian investment advisory firm, and Wilhelmsen Group. The first phase of Tbilisi Intermodal Hub is Tbilisi Dry Port, an Inland Container Depot (ICD) handling container cargo delivered by rail and truck. The group and its partners plan to expand the facility significantly by early 2026 to add long-term warehousing, additional container yards and truck parking, and a fourth railway spur, to transform it into a full-service import-and-export logistics hub for all of Central Asia, a fast-growing region that AD Ports Group is targeting as a strategic growth corridor. Captain Al Shamisi said: 'The inauguration of the first phase of Tbilisi Intermodal Hub is a significant step in our long-term plan to develop the Middle Corridor into a viable East-West trade corridor through Central Asia, where the volume of goods is expected to triple by 2030, according to The World Bank. Under the wise guidance of our leadership in the UAE, AD Ports Group is dedicated to pioneering the strategic, low-impact trade corridors of a sustainable future. With our investments in Tbilisi and elsewhere along the Middle Corridor, we are strengthening global supply chains through investments that foster economic growth and job creation, by creating efficient trade pathways that cater to the emerging economies of Central Asia.' As it expands in its second and third phases, Tbilisi Intermodal Hub will process many types of cargo, including containerised vehicles, and forms of containerised bulk and break-bulk commodities such as minerals, ores, and fertilizers playing an important role in the supply chains of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, as well as an East-West crossroads for goods between China and Europe. Tbilisi Intermodal Hub's soft launch commenced on May 3 when it received its first shipment of 30 containers, each carrying over 26 tonnes of cargo, via rail link from an MSC ship docked at Georgia's Black Sea Port of Batumi. An inland extension of Batumi and the Port of Poti, Georgia's key seaports, Tbilisi Intermodal Hub will play a vital role as a logistics staging hub accelerating trade flows across the Caucasus region and Central Asia. The facility has received both customs zone authorisation and Georgia's first railway infrastructure operation and safety certification, from the state Rail Transport Agency. Jemal Inaishvili, Founder of Inveco, Georgia, said: 'The inauguration of Tbilisi Intermodal Hub is a major step for the development of the logistics sector in Georgia and Central Asia. Leveraging its extensive expertise in port operations and logistics, AD Ports Group is introducing advanced management practices to Georgia's logistics sector. This collaboration not only enhances the operational efficiency of the Tbilisi Intermodal Hub but bolsters economic ties between the UAE and Georgia.' The inauguration of the Georgian intermodal logistics hub is a milestone in the group's strategy of developing the Middle Corridor into a viable, modern high-volume trade corridor linking China and Europe by overland route through Central Asia with the Group's ports and maritime assets in Türkiye and Pakistan. Spanning 7,000 km and requiring a journey of 10 to 15 days, the Middle Corridor is expected to handle up to 1.9 million Twenty Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) of container cargo annually by 2040, as manufacturers seek to avoid longer seaborne routes. Beyond serving the Georgian Black Sea ports of Poti and Batumi as a depot for international shipping lines, the intermodal facility will function as a regional logistics hub for goods destined for neighbouring countries such as Armenia and Azerbaijan. Tbilisi Intermodal Hub is designed for scale and efficiency, featuring three 600-metre-long railway spurs, two dedicated locomotives for shunting connected to the main rail sorting station, a 50,000 sq m container yard equipped with brand-new three-unit reach stackers, and Class B warehouse, covering 2,500 sq m, and a fleet of forklifts and customs-licensed weighing scales. In a second phase to be completed by early 2026, a fourth rail spur will be added, as well as a Class A warehouse covering 9,800 sq m, and additional container yards. Tbilisi Intermodal Hub will initially handle up to 96,000 TEUs annually. The facility enables flexible cargo flows from Central Asia and the Far East via multiple transport modes -- railcars, shipper-owned containers, and trucks -- with seamless cross-docking to ocean carriers for global distribution, and vice versa. By early 2026, the second phase of construction will more than double the annual handling capacity of Tbilisi Intermodal Hub to up to 200,000 TEUs. Besides its connection to Georgia's national rail network, Tbilisi Intermodal Hub has direct access to the country's international highways, bypassing city congestion, and close proximity to major border crossings— being only 70 km from both Armenia and Azerbaijan, and just 7 km from Tbilisi International Airport. The inauguration of Tbilisi Intermodal Hub marks a significant milestone in AD Ports Group's mission to enhance global trade routes and logistics capabilities. This state-of-the-art facility not only strengthens the economic ties between the UAE and Georgia but also positions both nations as pivotal players in the Middle Corridor, AD Ports said. Copyright 2024 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
