Latest news with #Dh7
Al Etihad
6 days ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
CBUAE imposes financial sanctions of Dh18.1 million on two branches of foreign banks
28 May 2025 17:11 ABU DHABI (WAM) The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) imposed financial sanctions on two branches of foreign banks operating in the UAE, amounting to Dh10,600,000 for the first bank and Dh7,500,000 for the second bank, pursuant to Article (14) of the Federal Decree Law No. (20) of 2018 on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Illegal financial sanctions were imposed based on the findings of examinations conducted by the CBUAE, which revealed violations and failures to comply with the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Illegal Organisations framework, and related regulations. The CBUAE, through its supervisory and regulatory mandates, endeavours to ensure that all banks and their staff, abide by the UAE laws, regulations and standards established by the CBUAE to maintain transparency and integrity of the financial transactions and safeguard the UAE financial system.
Al Etihad
08-05-2025
- Health
- Al Etihad
Abu Dhabi Biobank offers a life-saving opportunity at half the cost
8 May 2025 23:34 KIRSTIN BERNABE (ABU DHABI)Abu Dhabi resident Felize Flores-Navarro, a mother of three, wishes she had been able to bank her children's cord blood. As a cancer survivor, she was well aware of the life-saving potential that stored stem cells could hold. But, because the service was too expensive for her growing family, she and her husband had to let the opportunity battled cancer twice, the expat wanted to do everything possible to give her kids the best fighting chance if they ever need personalised treatment for a life-threatening disease."I know that not all cancers and conditions can be treated with stem cells from cord blood, but who knows when they may come in handy? Who knows what can be possible through the next scientific discoveries?" Navarro told blood, collected from a newborn's umbilical cord at birth, contains stem cells that can treat diseases such as leukaemia, lymphoma, sickle cell anaemia and certain immune disorders. It has been used in over 60,000 transplants worldwide, with ongoing research exploring its potential in new life-saving the UAE, private cord blood banking can cost anywhere from Dh20,000 to Dh38,000 - prices that are too steep for many expecting Dhabi Biobank, which is operated by global health champion M42, comes in as a game-changer as it offers the service at half the current market rates. Through the facility, families can get their newborns' cord blood stored for as low as Dh7,500."The pricing is offered as bronze (Dh7,500), silver (Dh10,000) and gold (Dh12,500) packages with different benefits, making it accessible and affordable for most families," Paul Downey, General Manager of Abu Dhabi Biobank, told lower rates, he added that the centre offers flexible payment plans, "including minimal upfront payments and customers can convert the payments to easy monthly instalments through participating banks."Since launching the new, affordable pricing in March, Downey said they've seen an encouraging response from the public. Life-Saving Treatments There is growing interest in cord blood banking, said Dr. Mai Mohammed Elsayed, an obstetrics and gynaecology specialist at Medeor Hospital in Abu Dhabi."As more families hear about its potential benefits - whether through discussions or emerging information - they're increasingly inclined to explore this option," she told Elsayed encourages families to consider the blood banking option, especially those "with a history of genetic disorders or medical conditions that could potentially be treated with stem cells" - as was the case with cord blood can be used to treat more than 80 disorders, said Downey of Abu Dhabi Biobank. "The cord blood stem cells can combat life-threatening and highly prevalent diseases like beta thalassaemia, sickle cell anaemia and other blood disorders."UAE-based oncologist Dr. Arwa El Dhuwaib enumerated other conditions that can be cured through stem cell transplants. These include malignancies like leukaemia, lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndrome, and neuroblastoma, some bone marrow failure and other types of hereditary anaemia. They can also be beneficial in treating metabolic diseases like Gaucher's disease, Hurler syndrome, and Niemann Pick syndrome; and immune deficiency diseases like severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). Saving the Life of a Loved One Besides its powerful therapeutic potential, cord blood offers an advantage in genetic matching."The newborn's cord blood can be a perfect genetic match for family members requiring stem cell transplants or therapies. The 25% chance of siblings being a perfect match can help save the life of a loved one in a family," Downey El Dhuwaib, however, noted certain limitations, including "a risk that cord blood stem cells already contain premalignant cells and cannot be used to treat the child; the same is applied when there is a known genetic defect in a family."Nevertheless, the potential of cord blood in regenerative medicine remains significant."The development of stem cell-based therapies has a big potential to revolutionise the field of regenerative medicine and to improve the lives of millions of people worldwide," said Dr. El Dhuwaib, a paediatric haematology oncology specialist at NMC Royal Hospital Sharjah."There are plenty of ongoing research and clinical trials on using cord-blood-derived cells to regenerate or promote the repair of damaged organs, especially in cases when medical needs to prevent or reduce degenerative disease are still unmet with current practice. Examples of these trials are in type 1 diabetes, arthritis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, and spinal cord damage," the specialist added. World-class Facility Abu Dhabi Biobank is the region's largest multi-modal cord blood collection and storage facility. Its centre in the capital's Masdar City can store up to 100,000 cord blood units and more than 5 million pan-human samples."We firmly believe that these capabilities, complemented by our scientific expertise, make us the partner of choice for families, entities and governments," Downey said. Families can register by visiting Abu Dhabi Biobank's website at The centre's hotline 800 213 can also connect families to an adviser, who can explain the banking options.
Gulf News
03-05-2025
- Business
- Gulf News
Dubai gold rate is down near Dh7 this week - that's good for tourists
Dubai: For this weekend's shoppers, the Dubai Gold Rate is lower by just under Dh7 on a gram basis, at Dh362.5 for a gram of 22K (and Dh391.75 for 24K.) That's quite a sizable price drop in times when gold has consistently been pushing the ceiling in reaching for new highs. Potential shoppers will feel a bit disappointed in that the price drop was not by a bigger margin – at several points it did seem that the Dubai gold rate could close the week at around Dh357-Dh358 a gram. But, as jewellers say, there is always another week for things to change. Latest gold and remittance rates in UAE Even then, a near Dh7 a drop will find favour with tourist-shoppers, and there have been many in recent days. 'The UAE resident-shoppers dominated on April 30's 'Akshaya Trithiya', and now most of them will stay on the side-lines until they see a bit more of the price drop,' said a jeweller. 'But Dubai and UAE still has a sizable number of visitors/tourists – we are counting on them to keep the gold trade busy in the coming days.' More 'focused' jewellery designs The time has also come for UAE's gold retail sector to come up with more jewellery design options. Andrew Naylor is the Middle East and Public Policy head at World Gold Council. He reckons that the Dubai gold business is sitting on a potential gold mine of an opportunity. 'In Dubai, you've got a big and growing Chinese resident base,' said Naylor. 'They historically prefer 24K jewellery, heritage products, slightly lighter weight options now. 'Then there are the visitors to Dubai/UAE from Europe and further afield – and they come with different preferences on their choice of gold. 'There is a real opportunity for jewellers in the UAE to diversify their designs and options without neglecting their core customer base. If they do tap a more international buyer set, that could mean more growth down the line.' In fact, there had been talk of some Chinese retailers wanting to get into the local market. The UAE's existing jewellers have also 'experimented' with how they can do better in selling to new buyers coming to Dubai/UAE – whether as visitors or residents. (There is a telling anecdote about how one of UAE's biggest master-developers recorded Dh1 billion in sales of homes to Chinese investors last year – and reached the same tally of Dh1 billion in the first three months of 2025 alone…)
Gulf News
24-04-2025
- Business
- Gulf News
Dubai gold price surprises shoppers with near Dh7 jump after 3 days of drops
Dubai: The Dubai gold rate has gained a near Dh7 a gram early today, which will come as a complete jolt to shoppers in the UAE who had been hoping for a third straight day of price softening. The local gold price for a gram of 22K is Dh374.75, while for the 24K version, it's back to over Dh400. (The 24K gram is now at Dh404.65.) Shoppers and gold sellers were hoping to see the Dubai gold rate drop further to around Dh360 for a 22K today as global markets returned to positive territory and there was less hard talk over US tariffs and removing the Federal Reserve Chairman. Between now and May 1 is a crucial period for gold shoppers given that the Indian festival of 'Akshaya Trithiya' falls on April 30. (This along with another Indian festive buying period on 'Dhanteras' and Diwali later in the year represent some of the highest volume sales phase for gold in the UAE, outside of promotions during Dubai Shopping Festival, Dubai Summer Surprises, etc.) Shoppers shouldn't lose heart, gold retailers say, saying there is still time for prices to soften. 'These days, the way gold is moving, anything can change in 24 hours,' said an FX analyst. 'Even within 24 hours.' Correction – but not a crash What shoppers should not be expecting to see is a downright 'crash' in gold prices. 'If in any of these days, gold closes below $3,280 an ounce, that's a crash,' said Anil Dhanak, Managing Director at Kanz Jewels. 'Until then, it's all more of a price correction.' Now, it's interesting that bullion prices did drop to around $3,260 an ounce levels for a brief while in these last few hours before powering up to trade at $3,336 now. That means more of a correction. Earlier this week, the 22K Dubai gold rate was at its highest point of Dh388 as gold prices pummeled its way through to $3,500 an ounce. (And looked good for some more climbs...) Then a lot happened in the US over the week to cool markets down, and gold prices dropped as well. Book or not? The other big question for gold buyers is whether it makes sense to book and lock in prices for Akshaya Trithiya or not. (Booking ensures that they benefit from any price drops between then and the day of booking. If prices shoot higher, then they can still buy at the pre-booked rate. The only condition is the buying must be done in 30 days or so.) "I would say any price around Dh360 a gram would have been good to book," said a shopper, who plans to pick up a couple of gold bars whatever the Dubai gold rate is on April 30. Meanwhile, new jewellery stores keep opening in the UAE, because at the end of the day, resident shoppers and visitors are not going to shed their preference for the yellow metal - or for diamonds. The Indian jewellery retailer Arakkal Gold and Diamonds opened its biggest showroom in Sharjah, at the Safari Mall. Not just that, brought out 500 kilos in new gold designs.
Khaleej Times
22-04-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Some UAE tourists spend over Dh7,000 on luxury experiences; here's why they choose the Emirates
Many tourists are influenced by targeted ads when planning their trips across the UAE, a report by Yango Ads revealed. This statistic highlights a growing importance of data-driven advertising strategies in the tourism sector. Yango Ads, which has released its 2025 Tourism Industry Guide, also stated in its report that the UAE continues to rise as a preferred destination, with over 20 per cent of CIS travellers choosing it in 2024 and many spending over Dh7,000 per trip on premium accommodations and experiences. The top influencing factors for destination choice include pleasant climate which accounts for 58.6 per cent, cost of travel, visa convenience and rich cultural experiences. Dubai's luxury experiences Hotels, airbnbs and travel agents emphasise how they leverage user data to craft personalised advertising campaigns that highlight Dubai's luxury experiences. David Ganji, managing director, The Holidave Travel, said, 'We study booking patterns, reviews and seasonal trends to understand what travellers are looking for.' This helps businesses suggest the right destination, hotels, and experiences to their clients at the right time. 'We personalise travel experiences for UAE-bound tourists by using Google analytics and social media that help us understand what travellers really want. For example, when people search online for luxury hotels, shopping, or family activities in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, we see these trends through targeted ads and customer feedback. This allows us to suggest the perfect holiday based on their interests and budget,' added Ganji. Similarly, if a traveller is interested in a premium experience, agencies make sure to offer luxury hotels. 'This would include offerings like Atlantis The Palm, Armani Hotel at Burj Khalifa, or The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, along with private airport transfers and VIP-style city tours. 'For adventure lovers, we suggest activities like sky diving, hot air balloon rides, or zip-lining at Jebel Jais — the UAE's highest mountain. Our team follows the latest trends, season offers, and guest reviews to ensure that every traveller gets a trip that matches their preferences — whether it's luxury, adventure, shopping or relaxation. This way, the holiday is not 'one size fits all', but instead feels unique and memorable for each visitor," said the managing director. Smarter campaigns The study also revealed that 41.7 per cent of users use search engines, 21 per cent engage with Telegram ads, and nearly 20 per cent rely on social media — making timing, placement, and content more critical than ever. Evgenii Pavlov, General Manager at Yango Ads MEA, said, 'With data-backed insights like these, UAE tourism operators, hotels, and resorts can run smarter campaigns to attract the right tourists, at the right time, with the right message.' Meanwhile, as travel preferences evolve, even owners of holiday homes are leveraging data-driven insights to craft personalised experiences that cater to the growing demand for luxury, privacy and exclusivity. Shilpa Mahtani, co-founder and managing director of bnbme holiday homes by Hoteliers said, 'We harness user data — including search history, location and demographics — to create highly tailored advertising campaigns showcasing Dubai's luxury offerings. Our personalisation strategies include premium preferences-based personalisation." "High demand for privacy and exclusivity drives us to promote villa-style accommodations, beachfront apartments, and residences with panoramic views of landmarks like the Burj Khalifa. Guests also seek bespoke concierge services, including private chefs, chauffeur-driven cars, yacht charters and desert safaris," she added. After premium preferences-based personalisation, the group focuses on experience-based personalisation. "We curate customised itineraries based on guest profiles — whether solo travellers, corporate visitors, honeymooners, or families — ensuring every aspect of their stay is aligned with their preferences and expectations,' added Mahtani.
