Three companies that are part of the unnamed gold trading group were each fined Dh450,000, the Ministry of Economy said. Reuters
Three companies that are part of the unnamed gold trading group were each fined Dh450,000, the Ministry of Economy said. Reuters
Three companies that are part of the unnamed gold trading group were each fined Dh450,000, the Ministry of Economy said. Reuters
Three companies that are part of the unnamed gold trading group were each fined Dh450,000, the Ministry of Economy said. Reuters

UAE reviews plans to launch federal gold trading platform


Fareed Rahman
  • English
  • Arabic

The UAE is reviewing plans to launch a federal platform for gold trading to strengthen the country’s role in the global gold and jewellery market.

Technical plans for the platform and for establishing a comprehensive database of all of the main players in the country's gold industry were reviewed at a meeting of the Emirates Gold Bullion Committee, chaired by minister of state for foreign trade Thani Al Zeyoudi.

The committee also reviewed the progress being made with the introduction of the UAE Good Delivery Standard, a quality benchmark for the production of high-quality gold, state news agency Wam said on Friday evening.

The committee is “confidently progressing on the path toward reinforcing the country's positions as a global hub for gold and precious stones trading and further facilitating doing business while bringing added value to this vital sector in order to contribute to increasing non-oil GDP,” Mr Al Zeyoudi said.

The minister said that the committee has made tangible progress in implementing policies aimed at bolstering gold trading to ensure the development of robust legislation conducive to spurring further growth in the sector.

“The Emirates Gold Bullion Committee is determined on ensuring the enforcement of international standards and criteria to ensure greater transparency and bolster the gold trade,” he said.

Gold and jewellery is an important sector to the UAE's economy, with precious metals and diamond trading constituting a significant part of the country’s total non-oil exports.

Gold topped the list of commodities  making up Dubai's 2020 external trade at Dh213 billion ($58bn), followed by telecoms (Dh153bn), diamonds (Dh64bn), petroleum oils (Dh57bn) and jewellery (Dh47bn), figures released by the Dubai government last week showed.

The Gold Bullion Committee's meeting also discussed ways of boosting the efficiency of the nation's customs outlets to handle the expected growth in gold trade and the prospects of accelerating co-operation with strategic partners to address local and international challenges.

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The specs
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Some of Darwish's last words

"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008

His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.

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Director: Jared Hess

Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa

Rating: 3/5

SCHEDULE

Thursday, December 6
08.00-15.00 Technical scrutineering
15.00-17.00 Extra free practice

Friday, December 7
09.10-09.30 F4 free practice
09.40-10.00 F4 time trials
10.15-11.15 F1 free practice
14.00 F4 race 1
15.30 BRM F1 qualifying

Saturday, December 8
09.10-09.30 F4 free practice
09.40-10.00 F4 time trials
10.15-11.15 F1 free practice
14.00 F4 race 2
15.30 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi

Test

Director: S Sashikanth

Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan

Star rating: 2/5

Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

War and the virus
BMW M5 specs

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Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

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Who are the Soroptimists?

The first Soroptimists club was founded in Oakland, California in 1921. The name comes from the Latin word soror which means sister, combined with optima, meaning the best.

The organisation said its name is best interpreted as ‘the best for women’.

Since then the group has grown exponentially around the world and is officially affiliated with the United Nations. The organisation also counts Queen Mathilde of Belgium among its ranks.

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The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo

Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm

Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km

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On sale: now

Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
  • Drones
  • Animals
  • Fireworks/ flares
  • Radios or power banks
  • Laser pointers
  • Glass
  • Selfie sticks/ umbrellas
  • Sharp objects
  • Political flags or banners
  • Bikes, skateboards or scooters
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
TOP 5 DRIVERS 2019

1 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 10 wins 387 points

2 Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes, 4 wins, 314 points

3 Max Verstappen, Red Bull, 3 wins, 260 points

4 Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, 2 wins, 249 points

5 Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, 1 win, 230 points

England squad

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale 

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Coady, Marc Guehi, Reece James, Harry Maguire, Tyrone Mings, Luke Shaw, John Stones, Ben White

Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Conor Gallagher, Mason Mount, Jordan Henderson, Declan Rice, James Ward-Prowse

Forwards: Tammy Abraham, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Raheem Sterling