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CULLMAN, Alabama – Germany-based REHAU on Tuesday announced plans to invest $50 million in expansion project that will create 125 jobs at its Cullman County facility, which recently secured a contract to build exterior polymer-based components for Mercedes-Benz’s Alabama-made SUV models.

The growth plans were announced at an event held at the REHAU Technical Center to mark 25^th anniversary of the opening of the Cullman plant, which got its start producing bumpers for the first-generation Mercedes M-Class.

“REHAU has played a vital role in the success of Alabama’s automotive industry for 25 years, and it’s great to see the company expand its operation in Cullman,” Governor Kay Ivey said. “This expansion and the 125 new jobs it will create will be vital to Mercedes-Benz’s growth right here in Sweet Home Alabama.

“This investment shows that the Alabama-Germany partnership has never been stronger,” she said.

REHAU supplies components to the current Mercedes-Benz GLE and GLS models of SUVs with conventional and plug-in hybrid drives made at the automaker’s sprawling manufacturing facility in Tuscaloosa County.

As the first major Mercedes passenger car production facility outside Germany, the Tuscaloosa plant is regarded as the nucleus of the automotive industry in Alabama. The plant is preparing to produce its first electric SUVs in 2022.

“Twenty-five years ago, REHAU followed Mercedes-Benz AG to the U.S. from the Bavarian town of Rehau to Cullman, Alabama,” said Automotive Plant Manager Dr. Venki Padmanabhan. “We were one of their earliest partners in launching their first SUV.

“Now, we are honored and excited that they have placed their faith in us once again to support the launch of their new models,” Padmanabhan added.

GROWTH TRAJECTORY

The project’s capital investment and job creation made it possible for the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs to provide a $700,000 grant to the city of Cullman toward a $1 million road project to service the REHAU plant. The City and County Commission will split the cost of the remaining $300,000 to resurface and rehabilitate two miles of 24th Street that serves REHAU and other area industries.

“ADECA is pleased to have played a role in the success and expansion of the company through infrastructure grants to the city of Cullman,” said Kenneth Boswell, the agency’s director. “We congratulate REHAU not only on 25 years of operation in Cullman but also on its continued success and expansion into new lines, which will create even more jobs.”

In August, REHAU celebrated with its employees the 25th anniversary of its production operations in Cullman. The plant opened in early 1996 with 30 employees. A second plant producing PEXa pipe for heating and plumbing applications was opened in 2007 and a technical center was added in 2015.

The REHAU Cullman operations have expanded numerous times to the current footprint of about 1 million square feet with nearly 800 employees.

“REHAU’s growth in Cullman is a tribute to both the company and the Cullman community,” said Dale Greer, director of the Cullman Economic Development Agency. “The plant has not only become an integral part of our community; its success has also played a significant role in making Alabama one of the largest automobile producing states in America.”

Mayor Woody Jacobs said the 25-year partnership between the community and REHAU has benefitted both the company and Cullman.

“Companies can grow where they have a quality labor force and a supportive community,” he said. “REHAU enjoys a great reputation worldwide for quality and innovation. I believe the Cullman facility contributes to those high standards. We are excited about REHAU’s continued success here.”

 

DUBAI, 1st September 2021 The UAE is all set to win their tomorrow’s second round opener against Lebanon on Thursday in the final round of the FIFA World Cup 2022 Qualifiers.
Addressing a pre-match press conference this evening, UAE manager Bert van Marwijk said he was confident of the ‘Whites’ ability to qualify, thanks to the huge support by the UAE Football Association (UAEFA), and importantly, by the loyal fans.
“We are well prepared and we are motivated and fully focussed on the first game,” he added.
The UAEFA announced that tickets for the game, to be staged at Zabeel Stadium in Al Wasl Club, can be purchased match tickets online via the website. According to the approved health protocol, attendance will be available at a rate of 60% of the available capacity of the stadium. Attending fans must show a negative PCR test result for a period not exceeding “48” hours from the date of the match, while adhering to the precautionary measures.

DUBAI, 1st September, 2021 – The Dubai Financial Market (DFM) trade count today witnessed an increase of 161 percent on the first day of implementation of the minimum trading commission cancellation. Total number of trade count on today’s trading session reached to 6739 transactions, the highest level of daily trade count since the beginning of this year, compared to 2579 transactions on Tuesday.
Trade count of today’s session has also jumped 146 percent compared to its 2740 average year to date.
Additionally, the DFM General Index gained 13.6 points (0.50 percent) during today’s session taking its 2021 gains to 17 percent.
The DFM decision to waive minimum trading commission is part of its numerous initiatives aimed at promoting retail investors’ participation in the market and enabling them to avail its lucrative investment opportunities that include a diversified range of asset classes and financial products.
The immediate jump in trade count underlines that investors targeted by this initiative recognize its importance in reducing the transaction cost and consequently maximizes the potential returns.

YEREVAN, 1st September 2021 The Armenian National Interests Fund (ANIF) and Air Arabia Group, the Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) operator, today announced that the new national airline to be launched by their joint venture company will be named ‘Fly Arna.’

The name was chosen by the Board of Directors of the joint venture company from over 500 suggestions received in response to the ‘Name the Airline’ competition announced in July 2021. Following a comprehensive review, the name of the airline was chosen as ‘Fly Arna’ – with the word ‘Arna’ being derived from the name “Armenian National Airlines” by combining the first two letters of the words “ARmenian” with the first letter of “National” and the first letter of “Airlines”. The competition aimed to engage the citizens of Armenia to participate in naming their new national airline reflecting the commitment of ANIF and Air Arabia Group to promote stakeholder participation.
“I thank everyone for the active participation in the contest. It is both inspiring and a sign of a shared vision of a successful endeavour we all aspire for the project,” said David Papazian, CEO of ANIF. “Despite the current challenges of the pandemic, we are confident of the new opportunity that exists for “Fly Arna” to deliver a winning proposition that will benefit the nation and our people.”
Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, said: “The new name represents the aspirations of the people of Armenia and is the result of a national competition, underlining how the joint venture company prioritises the interests of the community. “Fly Arna” will mark the beginning of a new era for Armenia’s aviation sector, and also create significant value to the economy by boosting the tourism, hospitality and business sectors.”
More than 800 participants suggested the 500 names via email and on ANIF’s social media pages. The name was chosen to be most inclusive and reflecting the spirit of the joint venture company to transform the aviation sector of the country.
“Fly Arna” will operate as a low-cost passenger airline with Yerevan’s Zvartnots International Airport (EVN) as its base. The company will apply for the Airline Operation Certificate in the coming weeks. More details about the launch date, fleet, and destination network will be announced in due course.
ANIF and Air Arabia Group had announced the agreement to launch Armenia’s new national airline in July 2021.

CAIRO, 1st September 2021 – The UAE today participated in the 108th meeting of the Arab Economic and Social Council.
The meeting was held at the headquarters of the Secretariat-General of the Arab League, with the attendance of senior officials, to prepare for the ministerial meeting to be held tomorrow.
The country’s delegation was heading by Abdulaziz Al Nuaimi, Assisting Under-Secretary of the Commercial Affairs Regulation Sector at the Ministry of Economy.
The meeting’s agenda included several key items, such as the general agreement, the joint Arab electricity market, and the UAE’s request to host the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 28).

DUBAI, 1st September, 2021 – Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA), the regulatory body of Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), today received Jens Martin Alsbirk, Consul-General and Head of Mission of Denmark in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, accompanied by Majid Naim Fayyad, Senior Commercial Advisor for the Energy and Maritime Sector at the Royal Danish Consulate, and Hussam Mansour, CEO of Waste Hero Denmark.
Dr. Juma Al Matrooshi, Deputy CEO of the DSOA, welcomed the delegation headed by Alsbirk, then escorted them to some of the key facilities at the DSO, including Dtec, the largest entrepreneur hub of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa, housing more than 1,000 start-ups from 75 countries.
Following the tour, the Consul-General was briefed about the DSOA’s waste management, sustainability, and CO2 emission initiatives. He also oversaw the DSOA’s efforts and practices in sustainability – the energy management system with more than 120,000 control points throughout the premises, reducing 30 percent of the DSO’s overall power consumption; the food waste machine, the sub-surface irrigation system covering a total area of 1.2 million square metres, reducing operational cost by 60 percent; the solar farm on the DSOA building rooftops spreading multiple DSOA projects and generating 400KW kilowatts in renewable energy per annum; more than 3000 recycle units positioned across the DSO, and the reverse vending machine installed at the Cedre Shopping Centre at the DSO.
Between 2015 and 2020, the DSOA installed more than 300 smart waste bins and 3,000 recycling bins, collecting more than 42,530 tons of general waste, and diverting approximately 35 percent of it to be recycled.
The Consul-General also introduced to Dr. Matrooshi, Hussam Mansour CEO of Waste Hero Denmark, a technology-driven company that offers smart waste management solutions, to explore possible collaborations with the DSOA.
Dr. Al Matrooshi highlighted the fact that from 2015 to 2020, the DSOA has contributed numerous initiatives to the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050.
He said, “At the DSOA, we are keen on playing a role in the realisation of the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai a global centre for clean energy and the green economy. We are open to expanding the horizons of the technology-driven and artificial intelligence-powered innovative concepts at the DSO through knowledge exchange with like-minded nations across the globe. Denmark had chosen the UAE as its only partner in the Middle East for its Carbon Diplomacy, and the DSOA is keen on playing a role in this experience transfer.”
Alsbirk lauded the DSOA’s advanced technological infrastructure and its conducive environment offered to tech companies and start-ups, as well as the authority’s innovative approach to include the community in its environment-friendly and sustainability activities, through initiatives such as the Community Farm, Smart Villas Competition, and Community Garden Competition.
Highlighting the DSOA’s efforts in environmental practices, he said, “We are impressed with the DSOA’s recycling and sustainability efforts that are aligned with the UAE’s vision and efforts to ensure a greener and sustainable environment across its emirates. We reiterate our pride in Denmark’s decision to select the UAE as its only partner in the Middle East for its Carbon Diplomacy, an initiative that Denmark started in 2020 to forge international cooperation and partnerships to achieve its ambitious target of 70 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030.
Bilateral trade between the two countries reached US$845 million in 2019. Between 2018 and 2019, the UAE’s total imports into Denmark increased from US$114 million to nearly US$399 million. Meanwhile, total exports from Denmark to the UAE also increased from US$396 million to US$446 million in the same timeframe. With both countries sharing a common vision for a greener future, bilateral ties between the UAE and Denmark are expected to reach new heights.

DUBAI, 1st September, 2021 – Dubai Maritime City Authority is keen to ensure maximum safety to maintain the safety of lives and facilities and to preserve the environment within the marine sector.
It aims to achieve this by following a series of standards for safety procedures for maritime means and consolidate Dubai’s leadership as a safe and leading marine destination for maritime entertainment.
Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, Executive Director of the Dubai Maritime City Authority at the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, recommended that operators of maritime means adhere to safety guidelines, stressing the importance of complying with the best practices used to ensure navigation safety.
Sheikh Saeed stated the need to adhere to the requirements of maritime safety, and the importance of preventive measures by the operator of the craft to avoid collisions resulting from negligence, as he is responsible for taking all measures and precautions.
This indicated that the Dubai Maritime City Authority followed certain procedures to investigate the occurrence of accidents or emergencies in the Dubai maritime sector, such as accidents of delinquency or the fall of a person from the marine craft or its sinking, or in the event of collisions or fires.
Regarding the requirements that must be followed to ensure the navigational safety of marine means, Sheikh Saeed stressed the need for all marine means to possess safety equipment such as life jackets, life rings, and fire extinguishing devices, and to ensure the validity of emergency flares and visual and audio distress signals.
He added that there are procedures that must be adhered to, which include a general inspection of the marine means, safety equipment, inspection of supplies, clothing and documents, as well as navigation procedures such as leaving the berth and safe sailing, including complying with maritime traffic rules, as well as a commitment to the return procedures such as ensuring that navigation lights are working, and the use of daylight signs, and navigational buoys while in Dubai waters.
Sheikh Saeed called for preserving the marine environment from any biological or chemical pollution factors such as sewage or industrial waste, radioactive pollution and pesticides. He instructed the marine craft operator to not throw solid or liquid waste into the water and make sure that there is no leakage of motor oils, in addition to carrying out periodic maintenance of the marine vehicle’s engine and monitoring the refueling process.

DUBAI, 1st September, 2021 – The National Olympic Committee (NOC) will begin a series of field visits on Monday to conduct surveys on sports federations, associations and organisations, to assess their technical capacities at the national level.
The survey, involving 31 first and second-level federations, will comprise 11 pillars covering all aspects of work.
The committee invited all sports federations to fill in a questionnaire with the required information, which must be returned before 5th September, 2021.
The committee will start with the UAE Football Association on 6th September, 2021, followed by the UAE Basketball Association the next day, then the UAE Handball Federation on 8th September, 2021.
The survey will continue at a rate of four visits per week at all sports federations, ending on 27th October, 2021, with a visit to Emirates Aerosports Federation.
The survey’s 11 pillars include the federations’ technical strategies, their numbers of registered athletes and technical staff, the names of eligible athletes who can qualify for the Paris Olympics 2024, and their financial resources.
Mohammed bin Sulayem, Secretary-General of the Committee, said conducting surveys and the sharing of required information by sports federations is the first practical step to analysing their working environment and drafting technical reports that include performance indicators for their departments and administrations.

SHARJAH, 1st September, 2021 – During the Sharjah Media Council (SMC)’s regular meeting, which was conducted, on Wednesday, chaired by H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the SMC, the council expressed its gratitude to H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammad bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, for allocating a plot of land for an endowment project, worth AED10 million.
The endowment project’s funds will go entirely to help the humanitarian cases covered on the Sharjah satellite channel’s “Pain and Hope” programme.
The meeting took place at Al Suhub Rest Area in Khor Fakkan and was attended by the members of the council, including Dr. Khalid Omar Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Media City (Shams), Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Director-General of the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority (SBA), Tariq Saeed Allay, Director of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), and Hassan Yaqoub Al Mansouri, Secretary-General of the Sharjah Media Council (SMC).
The council addressed several items on the agenda, including the development of media in the Emirate of Sharjah, as well as projects and initiatives for 2021.
Dr. Al Midfa reviewed Sharjah Media City’s most prominent projects, including the “Shams Business Centre,” which comprises three new premises, fitted for the city’s business owners and licenced enterprises, indicating that they are to be received during the current year.
Al Midfa also briefed the members on the most outstanding achievements to date, to develop the media and its technical aspects in a way that favours all beneficiaries and participants in the Sharjah Media City, while maintaining the highest quality standards with its services.
Khalaf looked over several reports, including one on the “Pain and Hope” programme and its endowment project, as well as reports on viewership rates for the SBA’s channels and electronic platforms.
Allay gave a presentation on the SGMB’s preparations for the tenth edition of the International Government Communication Forum, which will be held on 26th and 27th September, 2021, at the Expo Centre Sharjah under the theme “Historic lessons, Future ambitions,” with senior government officials and elite experts in attendance.
Allay also emphasised the significance of establishing a broad framework for news networks on social media platforms, as well as their supervision, to enhance their role and develop their media content under the emirate’s directions and government institutions.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi and members of the SMC toured Al Suhub Rest Area, one of the most recent quality tourist developments in the city of Khor Fakkan, which is located at an altitude of 600 metres above sea level.

ABU DHABI, 1st September 2021 (WAM) – UFC returns to Yas Island in Abu Dhabi with another blockbuster event, headlined by two highly anticipated world championship bouts.
UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz goes for his second successful title defense when he takes on No. 1 ranked contender Glover Teixeira. In the co-main event, UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling look to settle the score with former titleholder and No. 1 ranked contender Petr Yan.
UFC 267: BLACHOWICZ vs. TEIXEIRA will take place Saturday, Oct. 30 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, with the main card starting at 10 p.m. GST. The first preliminary bout will kick off at 6:30 p.m. GST.
UFC 267: BLACHOWICZ vs. TEIXEIRA will also headline Abu Dhabi Showdown Week, which will feature city-wide activations, including: fan events, fitness showcases and much more in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi).
UFC 267: BLACHOWICZ vs. TEIXEIRA tickets will go on general sale Wednesday, Sept. 1 at 1:00 p.m. GST and are available through Ticketmaster.ae and etihadarena.ae starting from AED 495. Tickets are limited to six (6) per person.
Blachowicz (28-8, fighting out of Warsaw, Poland) looks to build on his recent momentum that not only saw him capture UFC gold, but also hand middleweight champion Israel Adesanya the first loss of his career. A 14-year MMA veteran, he holds spectacular KO wins over Luke Rockhold, Dominick Reyes and Corey Anderson. Blachowicz now has his sights set on taking out another dangerous finisher to continue building his legacy atop the 205-pound ladder.
Teixeira (32-7, fighting out of Danbury, Conn.) hopes to make good on his second UFC title shot by stopping Blachowicz in emphatic fashion. A decorated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt with heavy hands, he has delivered memorable victories against Thiago Santos, Anthony Smith, Rashad Evans and Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson. Teixeira is now gunning for his sixth consecutive win by dethroning Blachowicz to achieve his dream of becoming UFC champion.
Sterling (20-3, fighting out of Uniondale, N.Y.) plans to cement his UFC bantamweight championship reign by delivering a dominant performance in the rematch against Yan, who he defeated via disqualification in March. A skilled grappler, he has earned notable wins over Cory Sandhagen, Pedro Munhoz and Jimmie Rivera. Sterling now vies to put his rivalry with Yan to bed by netting another show-stealing submission victory.
Yan (15-2, fighting out of Yekaterinburg, Russia) is gunning to avenge his disqualification loss to Sterling by reclaiming the UFC bantamweight championship. A Master of Sport in MMA and boxing, he has secured thrilling KO victories against Jose Aldo, Urijah Faber, Douglas Silva de Andrade and Teruto Ishihara. Yan now intends to get the last laugh against Sterling by finishing the New Yorker and once again taking his spot at the top of the 135-pound division.
Additional bouts on the card include:

No. 5 ranked lightweight contender Islam Makhachev (20-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) looks to take out his first former UFC champion when he meets No. 7 Rafael Dos Anjos (30-13, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

No. 7 ranked Magomed Ankalaev (15-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) takes on No. 8 Volkan Oezdemir (17-5, fighting out of Fribourg, Switzerland) in a clash of light heavyweight contenders

Top heavyweights collide when No. 5 ranked contender Alexander Volkov (33-9, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) squares off with surging No. 8 Marcin Tybura (22-6, fighting out of Uniejow, Poland)

No. 12 ranked welterweight contender Li Jingliang (18-6, fighting out of Beijing, China) aims to spoil the return of undefeated Khamzat Chimaev (9-0, Stockholm, Sweden by way of Chechnya, Russia)

No. 11 ranked strawweight contender Amanda Ribas (10-2, fighting out of Varginha, Minas Gerais, Brazil) faces No. 12 Virna Jandiroba (17-2, fighting out of Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil) in a clash of talented grapplers

Ricardo Ramos (15-3, fighting out of Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil) looks for another vintage win against rising prospect Zubaira Tukhugov (19-5-1, fighting out of Grozny, Chechen Republic, Russia) at featherweight

Makwan Amirkhani (16-6, fighting out of Turku, Finland by way of Kurdistan) locks horns with Tristan Connelly (14-7, fighting out of Vancouver, BC, Canada) in an intriguing featherweight bout

Hu Yaozong (3-2, fighting out of Beijing, China) makes his first Octagon appearance in nearly three years when he faces Alen Amedovski (8-2, fighting out of Rome, Italy) at middleweight

Tagir Ulanbekov (13-1, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) hopes to continue his momentum when he takes on Allan Nascimento (18-5, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) at flyweight

Shamil Gamzatov (14-0, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia) hopes to remain undefeated when he battles Michal Oleksiejczuk (15-4 1NC, fighting out of Leczna, Poland) at light heavyweight