Latest from Mid East Info
Mid East Info
an hour ago
- Business
- Mid East Info
Mohamed Saif Al Suwaidi: Union Pledge Day is a Moment to Renew Our Commitment to National Values
Mohamed Saif Al Suwaidi: Following in the footsteps of the Founding Fathers… we will maintain the values of loyalty and affiliation His Excellency Mohamed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Fund for Development ADFD, said: 'Union Pledge Day is a historic occasion on which we honor the vision and dedication of the UAE's Founding Fathers, and their pivotal role in shaping our national identity, promoting and embedding the values and principles that continue to guide the country's developments journey. It is a day to renew our pledge of loyalty and service, and to reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that the UAE remains a leader on both the national and international stage.' 'On Union Pledge Day, we reaffirm our resolve to move forward with confidence toward greater achievements, inspired by the legacy of our Founding Fathers and guided by the vision of our wise leadership. They instil in us the belief that unity is the foundation of strength and success. At Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, we remain steadfast in fulfilling our development mission with dedication and purpose, ensuring that the UAE continues to thrive and shape a future that reflects the ambitions of its people,' His Excellency added.
Mid East Info
an hour ago
- Sport
- Mid East Info
MLBB Teams Battle for Glory on HONOR Magic7 Pro at Esports World Cup - Middle East Business News and Information
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – In the world of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, coordination and precision are everything. Following its support for MLBB at EWC 2024 with the HONOR 200 Pro, HONOR returns to the global stage this year with the more powerful Magic7 Pro – helping top players push for even greater performances on the world stage. At the Esports World Cup 2025, where the stakes are higher than ever, HONOR is once again powering elite MLBB athletes with its most advanced mobile gaming hardware as the official smartphone partner for the tournament. This partnership reinforces HONOR's dedication to elevating mobile esports, delivering uncompromised performance and smart AI-driven features tailored to the high demands of 5v5 strategic play. With real-time decision-making, perfect map awareness, and non-stop communication defining each match, MLBB teams competing on the Magic7 Pro will have every technological advantage in hand. At the core of the Magic7 Pro lies the Snapdragon® 8 Elite Mobile Platform, ensuring seamless execution of skills and ultra-low latency even in the most chaotic team fights. This is further supported by AI-powered optimization, including HONOR's Real-Time Rendering technology and AI Predictive Scheduling, which intelligently manage performance and temperature under tournament stress. Players can expect near full-frame gameplay from the opening draft to the final push. With MLBB matches running for extended periods across best-of series, endurance is critical. The Magic7 Pro's third-generation 5850mAh Silicon-carbon battery offers marathon longevity, while 100W wired and 80W wireless HONOR SuperCharge ensure teams are back in the lobby and fully charged in minutes. Combined with the HONOR E2 Chip's smart battery health monitoring, players can compete at full strength round after round. Visual clarity and response time can make or break an engagement in MLBB. That's why HONOR equips the Magic7 Pro with a 1-120Hz adaptive LTPO display – delivering sharp, fluid visuals with minimal power draw. Backed by 5000nits peak brightness, even the brightest stage lights won't obscure the virtual battlefield. And with AI Eye Comfort features, players can focus longer without strain during grueling multi-day events. Sound plays an underrated but crucial role in team-based play. The Magic7 Pro's spatial audio system and dual stereo speakers offer rich directional sound, so players can clearly hear pings, skill activations, and ally communications with clarity. Built-in AI noise reduction helps maintain crisp team comms no matter the venue environment. While every mobile game demands performance, MOBA titles like MLBB require precision under pressure. The Magic7 Pro delivers that with intelligent power and thermal management and the Ultra-wide Area Cooling System, allowing for sustained performance through extended matches – no throttling, no dropped frames, just pure competitive focus. As the Esports World Cup 2025 continues through August 24 in Riyadh, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang stands as one of the most watched and competitive titles on the global stage. With teams battling for glory, fans can expect an unforgettable showcase of teamwork, talent – and tech built to deliver at every level. Follow HONOR's official channels to experience every critical EWC moment and witness mobile esports history in the making. About HONOR : HONOR is a global leading AI device ecosystem company. It is committed to revolutionizing human-to-device interactions to bridge the AI ecosystem with all consumers in the agentic AI era and beyond. The company endeavors to open industrial boundaries through open, seamless collaboration to co-create a value-sharing ecosystem with industry partners. With an innovative product portfolio spanning AI phones, PCs, tablets, wearables and more, HONOR aims to empower every human, enabling everyone to embrace the new intelligent world.
Mid East Info
an hour ago
- Business
- Mid East Info
Federal Tax Authority Announces AED 3.2 Billion in Tax Refunds for UAE Nationals Building New Residences by June 2025, and more than 18,000 Retailers are Connected to the Digital Tax Refund System for Tourists
Abu Dhabi,July 2025: The Federal Tax Authority FTA continues to see strong results from its digital VAT refund systems for eligible categories, maintaining high levels of accuracy and operational efficiency throughout 2025. The FTA today revealed the results of these systems for the first half of the year, including the VAT refund system for new residences for UAE nationals and the VAT refund system for tourists. The FTA announced that, since the launch of the service approximately eight years ago and up until June 2025, the total number of approved applications for VAT refunds related to new residences for UAE nationals reached approximately 38,000, amounting to a total value of AED 3.2 billion. This marks a significant increase from the 31,000 approved applications valued at AED 2.54 billion by June 2024, reflecting a 22.74% growth in the number of applications and a 25.72% increase in the value of refunds within the past year. The FTA also highlighted that more than 7,000 new applications for VAT refunds for UAE nationals building new residences were approved between June 2024 and June 2025, amounting to AED 653.1 million. Furthermore, in the first half of 2025 alone, 3,097 new applications were approved, resulting in refunds totalling AED 284.77 million. Digital Tax Refund System for Tourists: The FTA highlighted the continued significant expansion of the digital tax refund system for tourists, as the number of retail shops electronically linked to the system saw consistent growth across all emirates. By the end of June 2025, the number of outlets registered with the Authority and connected to the system had increased to 18,410 shops, compared to 17,720 shops by the end of 2024 and approximately 17,080 shops by June 2024. The FTA further noted that 697 outlets connected to the system in the first half of 2025, up from 540 outlets during the same period in 2024, marking an increase of over 29%. This brings the total number of outlets that have joined the digital tax refund system for tourists in the past two years, including the first half of 2025, to 3,390 outlets. With regard to the self-service machines that fully automate the tax refund process for tourists departing the country in approximately two minutes per transaction, which are available at major shopping malls, hotels, and departure points for tourists, the number of these machines reached 96 by the end of June. His Excellency Khalid Ali Al Bustani, Director General of the FTA, said: 'The indicators reflect the ongoing development and upgrade of our digital systems in line with global best practices, and in alignment with the UAE's digital transformation strategy. The Authority's initiatives in this regard have positively impacted the overall quality and performance of its services, particularly the digital VAT refund systems for eligible categories. 'Notable examples include the tax refund services for new residences for UAE nationals and VAT refund for tourists, which have undergone continuous improvement to streamline and expedite the refund process. 'Among the key initiatives in this area is the 'Maskan' smart application, which enhances the ease and convenience of VAT refunds for UAE nationals, and relies on paperless procedures with 100% fully digitised procedures.' Al Bustani added: 'As part of its efforts to develop digital services, FTA launched last December the world's first e-commerce purchases VAT refund system for tourists during their stay in the UAE, supporting the UAE's leadership in all sectors, including the tourism sector and the e-commerce sector, in continuation of what has been achieved in this field, where more than two years ago the Authority launched the digital VAT refund system for tourists, which is based on 100% paperless procedures and is constantly updated, and provides a digital platform that allows tourists to scan their passports easily, and automatically share their transactions as digital invoices, check their invoices through the shopper portal for a seamless shopping experience, and receive a refundable tax credit for their purchases in a convenient and fully digitalised manner.' His Excellency stressed that the Authority would continue to launch and implement various projects and initiatives in the field of digital transformation in the tax sector to keep pace with the government's digital transformation strategy placed for all services based on smooth and proactive digital infrastructure, supporting efforts to reduce bureaucracy and maintain high levels of customer satisfaction. About Federal Tax Authority: The Federal Tax Authority was established by Federal Decree-Law No. (13) of 2016 to help diversify the national economy and increase non-oil revenues in the UAE through the management and collection of federal taxes based on international best practices and standards, as well as to provide all means of support to enable taxpayers to comply with the tax laws and procedures. Since its inception in 2017, the FTA has been committed to cooperate with the competent authorities to establish a comprehensive and balanced system to make the UAE one of the first countries in the world to implement a fully electronic tax system that encourages voluntary compliance, with simple procedures based on the highest standards of transparency and accuracy – beginning from registration, to the submission of tax returns, to the payment of due taxes through the Authority's website:
Mid East Info
an hour ago
- Politics
- Mid East Info
UAE shapes sustainable development future through 2045 SDG report and global survey - Middle East Business News and Information
Report outlines five priorities for global development post-2030, backed by insights from a 55-country survey and grounded in UAE-led foresight and international cooperation. 20245 SDG Global Survey finds: 94.7% support moving beyond economic indicators, 85.4% support participatory policymaking, 70% back cross-sector approaches, 67.8% support regionally adaptable goals, and 64.9% believe AI and digitisation are more impactful than traditional policies. Dubai- New York, UN,July 2025: The UAE launched the 2025 edition of the 2045 SDG Report at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York City, as part of the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development 2025, organised by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. This took place at the headquarters of the United Nations, where H.E. Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange, Chair of the National Committee on SDGs welcomed the high-level attendees of the launch event, which included Her Excellency Savanna Maziya, Minister of Information and Communication Technology of the Kingdom of Eswatini, His Excellency Victor Verdon, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Paraguay, Her Excellency Seema Sami Iskander Bahouth, Executive Director of UN Women, His Excellency Eliot Minchenberg, Director of the UNESCO Office for Communication in New York and UNESCO Representative to the United Nations, Her Excellency Benjiran Herani Tajuddin, Permanent Representative of Brunei Darussalam to the United Nations, and Her Excellency Tsvai Yelma Sabo, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the United Nations, while the opening speech was delivered by H.E. Ambassador Mohamed Abushahab, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the UN. Created by the National Committee on SDGs 2025, the report builds on outcomes from the ministerial session held at the World Government Summit (WGS) 2025, in addition to recommendations from the high-level 2045 SDG roundtable held during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2025, and survey responses from the 2045 SDG Global Survey. During the forum, the UAE delegation also presented findings from the UAE-led 2045 SDG Global Survey, which gathered insights from participants across 55 countries, spanning a wide range of age groups and academic disciplines. Redefining Global Development Goals 2045: Titled 'Envisioning 2045: Comprehensive Pathways towards Sustainable Development,' the report outlines five key priorities: redefining SDGs for 2045; proactively future-proofing economies and societies; enhancing global cooperation at the leadership level; accelerating the transition of global development to a new phase; and establishing a shared international commitment to the future development agenda. The report positions the transition from current SDGs to a future-ready global framework as a necessary transformation that must be proactive, innovative, agile, and equipped to address emerging challenges. It also urges governments to embed future foresight into policymaking, calls on the private sector to help shape sustainable development through AI, circular economies, and responsible innovation, and encourages international organisations to apply lessons learned from the current SDGs to build inclusive and adaptable frameworks. The report emphasises the need to empower communities and individuals – especially women, youth, and vulnerable groups – to take an active role in contributing to the development agenda and shaping the future. It also highlights milestones from the SDGs in Action initiative, organised by WGS in Dubai in 2016, as a platform for advancing global dialogue and collaboration. The report's release at UN HLPF reflects the UAE's broader commitment to accelerating SDG progress, particularly in the five focus areas of this year's forum: SDG3, SDG5, SDG8, SDG14, and SDG17. These efforts are centred on three core pillars: innovation, partnerships, and strategic insight. Proactive Approach to Shaping Development Goals: His Excellency Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange and Chair of the National Secretariat on SDGs, described the report as a pivotal milestone in shaping the next twenty years of global sustainable development. He emphasised its foundation in practical pathways for international cooperation and its aim to define more comprehensive and impactful global goals. H.E. Lootah said, 'This report reflects the UAE's approach – anticipating challenges, strengthening global partnerships, and designing innovative solutions grounded in research, data, and evidence.' He added: 'The UAE is committed to building early global consensus on the 2045 SDG framework, building on lessons learned from the 2030 goals to create a more sustainable and equitable future for all.' H.E. Lootah noted that while UN's official discussions on post-2030 development goals will begin in 2027, the UAE has already engaged international thought leaders since 2023. Platforms such as the SDGs in Action Forum at WGS have so far convened over 170 global leaders to shape this vision. The report stands as a strategic contribution to the future international development agenda, reflecting the UAE's role as a pioneer in advancing global sustainable development through evidence-based, practical initiatives that anticipate the future and serve humanity. UAE Call for More Resilient and Inclusive Development Goals: The UAE delegation also presented findings from the 2045 SDG Global Survey, which gathered insights from participants across 55 countries, spanning a wide range of age groups and academic disciplines. The results highlighted a strong global appetite for rethinking how progress is defined, implemented, and measured beyond 2030. 94.7% of respondents supported expanding the definition of progress to go beyond conventional economic growth indicators. Additionally, 85.4% stated that engaging people in decision-making and policymaking increases their level of engagement and participation in achieving SDGs. The survey further indicated that 70% of participants backed a collaborative, cross-sector approach to sustainable development that is not limited to the government's role. Another 67.8% supported the establishment of flexible development goals that can be adapted to regional contexts and priorities. Furthermore, 64.9% of respondents expressed the belief that AI and digitisation will surpass traditional policies in terms of impact and effectiveness in driving results. UN High-Level Political Forum: The HLPF on Sustainable Development is the UN's central platform for reviewing and advancing SDGs. Established in 2012, the forum plays a pivotal role in monitoring national and international progress on the 2030 Agenda. Participating delegations at HLPF conduct assessments of progress toward the SDGs, with this year's forum featuring in-depth reviews of five priority goals: SDG3 (ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages); SDG5 (achieving equality and empowering all women and girls); SDG8 (promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all); SDG14 conserving and sustainably using the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development); and SDG17 (strengthening and revitalising the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.
Mid East Info
an hour ago
- Business
- Mid East Info
Ministry of Finance and Federal Tax Authority Announce Amendment to Excise Tax on Sugar Sweetened Beverages Through Introduction of a Tiered Volumetric Model
The Ministry of Finance and the Federal Tax Authority FTA have announced an amendment to the excise tax mechanism applied to sugar sweetened beverages (SSB's), introducing a tiered volumetric model that links the tax value on each litre of a sugar sweetened beverage to its sugar content per 100ml. The higher the sugar content per 100ml, the higher the tax per litre, marking a shift from the flat rate currently applied to these beverages. This amendment is part of the UAE's broader efforts to promote public health, reduce the consumption of high-sugar products, and encourage manufacturers to lower sugar levels in their beverages. The announcement follows a proactive approach aimed at providing suppliers, importers, and stakeholders sufficient time to prepare for the upcoming changes. This includes updating internal systems, reviewing product formulations, and ensuring that their records with the Federal Tax Authority are aligned with the requirements of the enhanced model. The updated mechanism is scheduled to take effect at the beginning of 2026, pending the issuance of the relevant implementing legislation. The Ministry of Finance stated that this enhanced model reflects the UAE's commitment to adopting flexible financial and legislative tools that promote healthy lifestyles. Unlike the previous model, which was based on product classification, the new system ties the tax rate directly to the level of sugar content, and by extension, to the associated health impact. This approach incentivises manufacturers to reduce sugar levels and empowers consumers to make more informed dietary choices. This direction also supports efforts to strengthen Gulf-wide tax policy integration and reinforces the use of taxation as a strategic tool to advance sustainable development goals. The Ministry confirmed that comprehensive awareness campaigns will be launched—jointly with the Federal Tax Authority and relevant health and regulatory entities—to ensure a smooth transition and full readiness across the business ecosystem once the legislative tool is in place. Notably, the system was developed in close coordination with the Ministry of Health and Prevention to ensure alignment with national health objectives and to deliver measurable improvements in dietary consumption patterns. Businesses across the UAE will be granted sufficient time to prepare for the implementation of the new mechanism. Additional details will be announced in the coming period to support businesses in achieving full compliance with the updated policy.
