Egyptian singer Tamer Husni has completed filming four
different music videos for songs from his latest album “Ili Jay Ahla” (What is
to come is better). The songs “Ili Jay Ahla”, “Dayman Ma’ak” (Always with You),
“Ma Tis’alneesh” (Don’t ask me) and “Akalimha” (Should I talk to her) were
filmed as music videos.

The first two songs were filmed under the direction of
director Yasser Sami and the remaining two by Hussam Al Husayni. The clips were
aired exclusively on the satellite music channels of ‘Mazika’ right after the
album was released in stores.

The album features 14 songs that varied in themes and
styles.

Originally Published On: www.albawaba.com – Original Article Here

Egyptian actress Zeina has returned to the scenes after
being away from some time for being placed on the black list of Egyptian stars,
who were considered to be supporters of the former regime of ousted Egyptian
President Husni Mubarak. The actress’s appearance was a surprise to all; where she
was photographed wearing the traditional Gulf abaya performing the pilgrimage
Umrah in Mecca.

Zeina appeared natural without any makeup on her face and
wearing the traditional black Gulf cloak and a black head cover.

Many had interpreted Zeina’s appearance as her way of
paving the way for her intent to permanently wear the Hijab, Islamic headdress,
and resign from her acting career, especially after becoming fed up with the
constant problems of the entertainment world and being placed on the blac list.

Originally Published On: www.albawaba.com – Original Article Here

Zizi revealed that her wish to return to acting is to satisfy her desire to work and not for financial reasons. Zizi noted that Mina advised her not to accept any offer to star in any project unless it suits her history and achievements as a prominent actress. She said that her daughter wants her to make a strong and memorable comeback to the scenes.

Originally Published On: www.albawaba.com – Original Article Here

While the UAE bond market celebrates a modest comeback, UAE stock markets failed to achieve superior returns in 2010. And their chances diminish as the clock to the year-end is ticking. But the times for stock pickers remain favourable.

It might be too soon to call it a year for 2010, but from a UAE investor’s perspective twenty-ten will be remembered as the post-crisis rollercoaster period. The “2010-menu” had all sorts of ingredients that traders fear: from the volcano-ashes to the Euro debt crisis; from a dried-up IPO-market to capital outflows; not to mention the long uncertainty over the restructuring of $24.9bn debt at the Dubai World group, which was eventually settled on September 11 this year. And now a limited war on the Korean peninsula makes the tricky year complete.

UAE recovering from double shock

“The UAE is recovering from a double-shock”, says Dr Masood Ahmed, the IMF Director for the Middle East and Central Asia.”The demand for oil and the price for oil went down, which affected the oil industry in the UAE. At the same time, asset prices, in particular in real estate went down, which affected the Dubai economy”.

As slowly the UAE economy glided into recession, as slowly it finds its way out of it. Traders call periods of no clear direction sideways movements. Private investors prefer clear directions in order to achieve superior returns. They are somewhat missing on the countdown to 2011.

Qatar Exchange posts solid growth

The contrast to competing GCC markets is too obvious. While the Qatar Exchange (QE) gained over 16.21% on a year-to-basis (as of the close of trading on November 14, before Eid holidays started), the DFM (down 6.46%) and the ADX (up 0.19%) are lagging behind.

In addition to the aforementioned external shocks, a number of internal queries prevent the UAE markets from advancing. A UAE insolvency law, which prevents individuals from being jailed when their cheques bounce is yet to be implemented. Also, the UAE has not adapted IFRS as an accounting standard, which is internationally accepted and helps firms to do cross-border business. Corporate governance and transparency standard are overall far behind those in Western countries.

And where has been the long-awaited rebound in the real estate market? Prices continue to fall, putting a burden on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) and the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) likewise. During the last six months Emaar failed to create shareholder value. At the DFM, market bellwether Emaar Properties failed to crack a key resistance at Dhs4, although with a price earnings ratio of 7.80, which is lower than the DFM’s real estate’s sector PE ratio of 11.80, the share is relatively cheap.

Increased services, logistics demand

Nevertheless there is light at the end of the tunnel. Axiom Telecom’s IPO at the Nasdaq Dubai, scheduled for the beginning of December breaks an 18-month “radio silence” at the UAE primary market. Axiom, founded in 1996 by Faisal Al-Bannai, runs some 500 telecom retail outlets in eight countries. Beside the Middle East, the retailer with its iconic orange logo also operates in the UK and India.

“We see increasing demand in the UAE for services and logistics”, says the IMF’s Dr Ahmed. In fact, shares of logistic provider Aramex, which are listed at the DFM, have surged over 40% during the last six months. Nasdaq Dubai’s heavyweight DP World, on the other hand, has been trading sideways since October 24th, after it rallied 50% from July to October. DP World then failed to break the resistance level at $0.60. In the construction sector, contractor Drake and Scull International (DSI) resisted the downturn. Its shares added over four percent during the last six months.

Regarding the DMF and ADX market indices a year-end rally can only occur if investors see better prospects for the coming year and if there are no better alternative investments than stocks.

Originally Published On: www.ameinfo.com – Original Article Here

* Middlemen companies bring in billions for former colony

* Shadowy world helps Chinese gamblers sidestep currency
controls

* AERL listed to help industry shake dodgy reputation

* “Everything is clear and transparent”-CEO

By Farah Master

MACAU, June 30 (Reuters) – Lam Man Pou, chairman of
Nasdaq-listed Asia Entertainment and Resources Ltd , one
of Macau’s major VIP gambling room promoters, is confident that
without companies like his, Macau’s turbocharged revenues would
not exist.

AERL is among 190 so-called “junket operators” in Macau, the
world’s largest gambling market with revenues quadruple that of
Las Vegas, its neon-lit American rival. Macau’s gambling
revenues for January-May reached $13 billion compared with $10
billion earned in Las Vegas for the whole of 2010.

The city’s junket operators act as middlemen to attract
wealthy mainland Chinese gamblers to the former Portuguese
colony, providing them with credit to circumvent China’s opaque
foreign currency controls.

Macau casino operators, including Steve Wynn’s Wynn Macau
and MGM Resorts’ MGM China , are
highly reliant on junket operators because they bring in about
70 percent of the glitzy enclave’s total gambling revenue.

“Why are Macau revenues four times bigger than Vegas? It’s
because of the junket industry. Without us it would not be the
same,” Lam said, speaking to Reuters in Galaxy Entertainment’s
new $2 billion casino, where AERL runs a VIP room.

Some junket operators have in the past been linked to
China’s notorious triad criminal gangs and some have murky
dealings when it comes to collecting debts from customers. A
lack of transparency is common in the industry, with most firms
keeping a low profile.

A Reuters report in March revealed concerns that Macau is
becoming vulnerable to money laundering and terrorist financing
activities and the enclave’s triad network appears to be
expanding.

AERL, with a market cap of $145 million, says it is one of
the first junket operators trying to explain how the junket
business works, aiming to shake off the industry’s dodgy
reputation.

“A lot of people don’t understand the industry, so we listed
to show people what kind of company we are. As a listed firm,
everything is clear and transparent,” said the company’s chief
executive, Leong Siak Hung.

Macau, formerly a hotbed for piracy and corruption on the
tip of China’s southern coast, is the only place mainlanders are
allowed to legally gamble in casinos. The government is trying
to transform the enclave into an international tourist
destination and shift away from over-reliance on junket
gamblers.

An hour away from Hong Kong by ferry, Macau has transformed
itself in recent years with the arrival of Las Vegas casino
moguls setting up swanky multi-billion properties,
Michelin-starred restaurants and luxury shopping malls, all to
cater to the dominant Chinese customer.

TRANSPARENT, REAL

AERL’s share price has been under pressure due to concerns
over flawed accounting standards of U.S. listed Chinese firms,
said Lam, a former junket agent. But he shrugged off concerns
that it would impact long-term investor sentiment.

“Our balance sheet is real, our figures can be verified from
casino owners,” he said, adding that the figures were also
submitted to Macau’s Gaming Inspection Bureau. “We are real and
when the figures are real there can’t be any problem in the
end.”

Industry analysts say that despite calls for Macau to focus
on the broader mass market through the construction of new
leisure and entertainment facilities designed to attract the
Chinese holiday maker, junket gambling is here to stay.

“Junket operators have been around for decades and they are
an essential part of the Macau gaming landscape. This is being
increasingly recognised by the corportisation of these
businesses,” said Macau-based Andrew Scott, chief executive of
World Gaming Magazine.

Wealthy Chinese gamblers are set to keep flooding Macau’s
fluorescent lit main peninsula and the developing Cotai strip,
provided the Chinese government does not tighten visa
restrictions as it has before, say analysts. Goldman Sachs
predicts Macau’s market is likely to reach $50 billion within
the next three years.

Concerns that China’s moves to tighten domestic liquidity
will impact credit availability for the VIP sector are overdone,
analysts say.

Even as China raises the required reserves for its banks,
Macau will still able to maintain double-digit growth, according
to Leong, the chief executive of AERL.

“VIP customers still have ample assets,” Leong said. “It is
still affordable for them to gamble. Chinese consumers are
becoming richer and richer.”

(Editing by Matt Driskill)

Originally Published On: www.reuters.com – Original Article Here

Two new reports on Dubai’s residential market show that prices continued to fall in most areas of the emirate in the first quarter of this year, but there are signs that prices are beginning to stabilise in some neighbourhoods, especially in the higher end of the sector.

With nearly 8,000 new units being completed in the first quarter, the overall residential market in Dubai will continue to be oversupplied and prices are expected to slide even further over the remainder of 2011, Jones Lang Lasalle said in its Dubai Real Estate Market Overview Q1 2011.

A further 20,000 units are expected to be completed by the end of this year, bringing the total residential stock to 338,000. Villa prices fell around 6% across the emirate in the first quarter to Dhs883 per square foot, JLL said. However, the report emphasized that there are pockets of stabilization within Dubai’s high-end residential sector. “Lending will remain a key factor in the recovery,” the report noted. “The residential market will likely see improved lending during 2011 as more banks are injecting liquidity into the mortgage market.

New data from Cluttons also finds that high end villas are performing better than the rest of the market. “Villa developments such as Arabian Ranches, Meadows and Palm Jumeirah have seen little to no movement over the last three months, which bodes well for the recovery,” the property consultancy said. “Other villa locations, such as Victory Heights and Motor City have seen moderate drops of 3.6 % down from Q4 2010.”

Residential real estate transaction levels were higher in January and February as financing became more available, with mortgage rates now available for as little as 4.99%, Cluttons noted. Similar to villas, apartments at the lower end of the market are seeing the largest decreases, with prices in areas such as Discovery Gardens and International City falling by 8.9%, Cluttons said. By comparison, units in high-end locations such as Dubai Marina, Old Town and the Palm Jumeirah saw price drops of 3.7% during the same period, reflecting a “flight to quality”.

As new supply is added, apartments are likely to represent 79% of the residential stock in Dubai by the end of the year, JLL said.

Apartment leases drop 8%-10% from Q4 2010

On the rental side, Cluttons said that apartment leases dropped by between 8%-10% from Q4 2010. “The villa rental market has proved to be slightly more resilient in the more established freehold areas but is expected to soften as we move into the summer,” the consultancy said. “Villa prices and rentals are expected to fall in some areas due to the ever-increasing supply of notable new freehold units in developments such as The Villa, Falcon City, Sports City and Jumeirah Village.”

Cluttons said that the new developments’ lack of amenities and infrastructure was curbing their demand, while at the same time putting pressure on prices in other areas.

On a positive note, Qatar’s move to liberalise its visa regulations could put more pressure on the UAE to implement similar changes, which would provide a major boost for Dubai’s residential market, JLL said.

Originally Published On: www.ameinfo.com – Original Article Here

As part of its ongoing efforts to meet the changing needs of its subscribers, and in line with its goal to expand the range of services it offers to the Jordanian market, Umniah announced the launch of its Mobile Yellow Pages Service. The service will be provided to all Umniah subscribers as a result of a partnership agreement with Yellow Pages Jordan that will enable subscribers to enquire about contact information for various institutions, shopping outlets, and local service companies operating in different sectors, via their mobile devices while on the go.

This service will allow Umniah subscribers to access over 200,000 contact numbers for more than 49,000 companies listed in Jordan’s Yellow Pages Directory. Subscribers can access the service by dialing 1345 and requesting the desired number, after which the number will be sent to the subscriber via an SMS message. The call charge is 10 piasters.

Ihab Hinnawi, CEO of Umniah, affirmed the company’s ongoing interest to offer its subscribers the latest, cutting-edge services, in order to help ease and facilitate their day-to-day activities whilst providing them with a valuable bundle of services that is continuously updated.

In turn, Joseph Abi Khalil, CEO of Yellow Pages, expressed his pride to be partnering with Umniah and offering its subscribers the Yellow Pages Service. He also highlighted the importance of such a partnership that has the ability to reach over 2 million Jordanians as Umniah’s subscriber base represents a significant segment of the community.

Originally Published On: www.ameinfo.com – Original Article Here

Boutique public relations agency Bidaya Corporate Communications has launched BidayaEM2 (Establish, Monitor, Engage and Measure), its new social media and online engagement service. BidayaEM2 helps businesses manage their online presence and strengthen their digital communications with their stakeholders, accommodating the recent shift in global and regional communication practices.

“The world is moving online as digital and social media play an increasingly central role among individuals and businesses alike. Voices online have an undeniable impact and they’re changing expectations, mindsets and – most importantly – the way companies communicate with their customers,” Bidaya’s Founder and CEO Jumana Twal says.

Going online is no longer an option, she stresses, stating that if businesses are to remain sustainable and progress, they must tap into online conversations to learn who is talking about them, what is being said, who the influential voices in their industry are, where their target communities are hanging out online and what their trending topics are.

To that effect, BidayaEM2 provides customized strategies that guide clients through the social media landscape, positioning their brand where it fits and evaluating the quality of their services and products amongst key competitors. By capitalizing on BidayaEM2, companies can enhance their customer service, communications, marketing, sales and even management activities.

As established experts in building, maintaining and improving its clients’ image, Bidaya specializes in advanced corporate communications and public relations (PR) at all levels. Bidaya has been providing its clients with PR solutions since 2005, fusing traditional and contemporary tools to come up with unique and inspired PR strategies and platforms that give clients a distinctive and healthy corporate reputation.

Originally Published On: www.ameinfo.com – Original Article Here

Lebanese singer Nelly Maqdasi completed filming the music
video for her new song “Ya Arab” (Oh Arabs) under the direction of Lebanese
director Fadi Haddad. The clip was filmed in numerous filming locations around
Lebanon, and talked about a Bedouin girl that is full of pride.

The song is written by poet Nizar Francis and composed by
Ziyad Barji. Through this song, Nelly continues her usual style of singing in
the Bedouin accent, which was her acquired style since the start of her career.

Originally Published On: www.albawaba.com – Original Article Here

Egyptian actor
Hani Salama has denied the existence of sex scenes in his new film “Wahad
Saheeh” (One True), and that these scenes were the reason that several
actresses declined to take part in the film. Hani also said that the film does
not promote polygamy, despite that his character marries three different women.

Hani Salama said in a statement to the internet website MBC.net
that the film is a romantic social drama and there are no sex scenes.

Hani also said that Yusra Al Lawzi, Ghada Adel and Dunia
Samir Ghanim declined roles in the film, but not due to sex scenes, and that
his character marries multiple women because he was in
search of the perfect love and could not find everything in one woman.

Hani also said that filming was delayed due to the events
of the revolution that erupted in Egypt on January 25 and the curfew
implemented.

The movie co-stars Rania Yousef, Basma, and Kinda
Alloush, and Jasmine Raees. The scenario was written by Tamer Habib, and the
film is directed by Hadi Bagori, his first direction experience.

Originally Published On: www.albawaba.com – Original Article Here