A Portuguese DJ who lives at home with his parents in Dubai has become the owner of a 2.42 hectare island in Canada's Nova Scotia after winning a competition run by Liv, an online bank run by Emirates NBD. Former newspaper reporter Brendan Lopez, 27, also won AED 100,000 in addition to Hollpoint Island in Nova Scotia. Lopez was among 20 finalists in the 'Win a Private Island' competition, a spot he earned by earning loyalty points on the Liv mobile banking app and participating in a final competition to determine the winner. “I don't even know what an Ejari contract looks like. I don't have a house of my own. I still live with my parents - and now I own an island. I can't believe it,” Lopez was

The launch of Air Arabia Abu Dhabi could spark a battle for the skies in the UAE, according to leading aviation experts. Etihad Airways and Air Arabia have signed an independent joint venture agreement to create the UAE capital's first low-cost carrier, to operate out of Abu Dhabi International Airport. Analysts have drawn comparisons between the new airline and the successful partnership operated in neighbouring Dubai between Emirates airline and Flydubai. Air Arabia Abu Dhabi launched to cater for growing demand in the region for more affordable travel Tobias Rueckerl, CEO of London-based Advanced Aviation Consulting (ADAVCO), told Arabian Business: “In my opinion the cooperation between Etihad

An Iraqi government source has challenged the story of the arrest of an Iranian opposition journalist put forward by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Ruhollah Zam, who Iran's IRGC claimed to have captured in a “complex operation,” was in fact arrested by Iraqi intelligence services in Baghdad and handed over to Iran, according to an Iraqi government source cited by media reports.

Iran-backed militias deployed snipers on Baghdad rooftops during the Iraq's deadliest anti-government protests in years, two Iraqi security officials told Reuters. The deployment of militia fighters underscores the chaotic nature of Iraqi politics amid mass protests that led to more than 100 deaths and 6,000 injuries during the week starting October 1. Such militias have become a fixture in Iraq with Iran's rising influence. They sometimes operate in conjunction with Iraqi security forces but they retain their own command structures. The Iraqi security sources told Reuters that the leaders of Iran-backed militias decided on their own to help put down the mass protests against the government of

Martial arts movie star Jackie Chan has announced that he wants to make films in Saudi Arabia after being honoured with the Joy Excellence Award in Riyadh. Chan, along with Jean-Claude Van Damme, Aquaman star Jason Momoa and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, made his first visit to the kingdom which lifted a decades-old ban on cinemas last year. The Joy Entertainment Industry Forum was a two-day event organized by the Saudi Arabian General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and brought together leading global entertainment personalities and executives interested in investment and growth opportunities in the kingdom's entertainment sector. Joy Entertainment Industry Forum was a two-day event organized

US President Donald Trump's withholding of $391m in military aid to Ukraine was linked to his request that the Ukrainians look into a claim - debunked as a conspiracy theory - about the 2016 US election, a senior presidential aide said on Thursday, the first time the White House acknowledged such a connection. Trump and administration officials had denied for weeks that they had demanded a "quid pro quo" - a Latin phrase meaning a favour for a favour - for delivering the US aid, a key part of a controversy that has triggered an impeachment inquiry in the House of Representatives against the Republican president. But Mick Mulvaney, acting White House chief of staff, acknowledged in a briefing

Dubai-based Emirates Airline is actively searching for Omani cabin crew and has planned a recruitment open day this weekend in Muscat, the airline said in a statement. The statement noted that the event will take place on Saturday, October 19 at Park Inn by Radisson Muscat. “The airline is looking for both men and women with an open-minded, helpful, friendly and service-oriented attitude to deliver its award-winning on-board experience to customers,” the statement said. Although not mandatory, candidates are being encouraged to complete an online application from the Emirates Group careers website prior to the event. To be eligible, applicants must be at least 21 years of age at the time of joining