December 3rd, 2011 Amman - Gate2Play, the regional company specialized in e-payments and Zynga prepaid cards, participated in Dubai World Game Expo 2011, one of the largest international Expos specialized in the electronic gaming industry.

With a headquarter in Amman, the company said that its participation aims at reaffirming the presence of Jordanian companies within the sector, showcasing the company’s technical capabilities, while seeking investment opportunities or partnership to double the market share, currently estimated at USD 17 billion.

Held in Dubai for the fourth subsequent year, the Expo continues until the 3 December 2011.

“The event is a hub for the regional serving as a networking platform with colleagues and partners regarding technical solutions and developments in the sector that would help them to market their products in the region. I specifically mention international corporates seeking to increase their share of the Arabian market, one of the highest spending markets on IT, led by GCC” Mr. Muhanad Ebwini, CEO of Gate2Play.

“Being Zynga’s dealers in MENA, we will devout our participation in this year’s event to discuss the strategic agreement that has been signed with various telecom companies in the region for the purpose of providing Zynga’s prepaid cards for consumers. We also hope to achieve new partnerships and attract international companies seeking this market” he added.

Noting that Gate2Play is participating via Jordanian pavilion booth along with other companies specialized in e-games development. This expo is considered the largest annual event for the e-gaming industry, offering a variety of games including entertainment, online, mobile games, and educational software and programs.

It is worth mentioning that Zynga is considered one of the largest online games development company within social networks. There are more than 270 million users of its games from all around the world; more than 8 million of those reside in the Middle East, with Empire & Allies as the company’s newest addition, available in 12 languages, and the first strategic game branded with Zynga’s brand.

Muscat, 3 December 2011 – Nawras, Oman’s customer friendly communications provider is delighted to now be offering WiFi services for business entities which can in return sell or offer the services to their own customers. Abdullah Al Rawahy, Nawras Chief Strategy Officer, recently met with Khaled El Dalaty, Operations Manager, Dunkin Donuts, to launch the first Nawras WiFi hotspot in Muscat.

The inaugural Nawras WiFi service was unveiled at the colourful new Dunkin Donuts outlet at Al Khuwair where customers can enjoy a coffee while browsing the internet, checking emails or visiting social networks using this high speed broadband access powered by the reliable Nawras network.

Offered by Nawras Business under their Business Solutions portfolio, this latest service is designed for business customers in the retail industry who wish to offer a regulatory compliant WiFi service to enhance their customers’ experience.

Announcing the start of this new service, Nawras Chief Strategy Officer, Abdulla Al Rawahy, said, “Nawras WiFi service takes broadband usage to a new level. The availability of a secured and legal WiFi service at your establishment that can be sold or offered free to your customers is a reliable way to increase customer footfall and build loyalty for repeat visits.”

Khaled El Dalaty, Operations Manager, Dunkin Donuts, expressed his delight with the new service from Nawras and went on to say, “We at Dunkin Donuts are trying to give our customers exciting and new experiences, we are proud to provide free WiFi to our customers and to be the first company in Oman to offer Nawras WiFi. Everyone wants to stay in contact for business or personal reasons and we are pleased to partner with Nawras in making this possible at our Al Khuwair Dunkin Donuts outlet. We will soon have all Dunkin Donuts outlets covered with Nawras WiFi so that our customers can enjoy the cyber sphere in a Dunkin Donuts atmosphere.”

As with all its products and services, Nawras WiFi is easy to use. Customers simply request a WiFi access card at the same time as they buy their refreshments and then choose the applicable wireless network from their WiFi enabled laptop, tablet or handset. There are only two simple steps to follow in order to receive internet access and benefit from fast Nawras broadband.

In line with the company’s commitment to operating in a responsible way, Nawras is using totally recyclable paper cards for the new WiFi service. Furthermore, the cards are manufactured locally.

Businesses wishing to increase their number of customers by offering Nawras WiFi are invited to visit the company’s award winning website at www.nawras.om/wifi for full details of the service.  Alternatively, speaking to a friendly professional at any Nawras Store or calling 9501 1503 will allow Nawras to explain the great advantages of this pleasingly different service as well as its variety of competitive price plans and great value packages.

Nawras is dedicated to delighting customers in every aspect of their communication experience by delivering caring, excellent and pleasingly different services

DOHA, QATAR, 30 November 2011 ¾ CommScope, Inc., a global leader in infrastructure solutions for communications networks, will participate as a Bronze Sponsor at the DatacenterDynamics Doha conference, which will take place yesterday at the Intercontinental Hotel, Doha. The conference brings together IT professionals from across the region to address the latest developments in mission-critical IT infrastructure. The conference will be structured across three topic streams – Design, Build and Operate; Outsourcing Decisions; and IT Optimisation.

As a provider known worldwide for its high-performing networking solutions, CommScope at this event will highlight the latest innovations from its portfolio, including migration solutions for 1, 10, 40 and 100 GB data center networks.

CommScope has been working on a number of projects in Qatar and became over the years a trusted partner and advisor for many Qatari customers, including a project at a new international airport, where CommScope’s solutions are being deployed to support the airport’s critical communications network.

Ciaran Forde, CommScope vice president of Enterprise Sales, Middle East and Africa Region, stated, “Qatar has consistently been one of the largest developing markets in the GCC and as such is a priority market for CommScope.  Being a market and technology leader in advanced infrastructure solutions, with a key focus on data centers, we are committed to helping our customers and partners design and build networks that are ready for the future, and this way help them achieving the ROI they are looking for.”

CommScope offers a comprehensive line of SYSTIMAX® intelligent infrastructure solutions which power high-performance and reliable network communications that support cloud computing as well as users with high-bandwidth, mission-critical application requirements. Additionally, CommScope provides data center managers with easily deployable fiber and copper structured cabling solutions designed to help maximize storage area network (SAN) efficiency and profitability, regardless of the network’s unique needs – from ultra-high density fiber shelves to pre-terminated patching solutions.

“Hosted by an industry research organization on the forefront of technology, DatacenterDynamics Conference is the perfect place to showcase CommScope’s innovative, high-performance network infrastructure solutions that are helping IT professionals tackle these issues and, together, taking data centers to the next level,” Forde said.

CommScope will also be highlighting the importance of having intelligent infrastructure solutions for the data center and raise awareness to how critical the transmission infrastructure is within this environment.

Kuwait: 28 November, 2011 – Landmark Group the region’s leading retail and hospitality conglomerate, witnessed a tremendous response for the Beat Diabetes Walkathon from its supporters, sponsors and residents of Kuwait as thousands turned up to show their support towards the cause. This year’s event which was held under the patronage of the Ministry of Health and Dasman Diabetes Institute marks the second consecutive successful completion of the walk. The walkathon took place on Saturday, 19th November 2011; it began from The Yacht Club and ended at Green Island.

To reinforce the Group’s core message ‘Beat Diabetes – Take the Test’, free blood glucose testing booths were also set up and over 3500 people took the test.

Saibal Basu, Chief Operating Officer, Landmark Group, said: “We were extremely pleased to see the remarkable response received for ‘Beat Diabetes’. We appreciate the effort taken by every person who joined us at the walk, to spread the message and support the campaign.”

“We are also thankful to all those who partnered with us for the event. We extend special gratitude to our sponsors: Al Rai Media Group, Al Anba, Al Qabas, Al Seyassah, KUC, Arab Times, Kuwait Times, Al Yaqza, Layalina, Al Hadaf, Bazaar, AHLAN!, StudentTalk, TheTalk, Tariq Al Ghanim Limited (Catering Division), Safwan Trading & Contracting Co, KD Cow, Indian Doctors Forum, Nestle, Chiquita, Awal, and Mais Al Ghanim who helped us make ‘Beat Diabetes’ a big success.”

The ‘Beat Diabetes’ Walkathon was well received by the residents, a few commented by saying “I participated in the walkathon last year and am happy to say that this year it was organized even better this year, I am proud to be a part of this noble cause”, “Sometimes we do not have time to go to the local clinics, this way I am quite happy to get myself examined”, “It is good to know Landmark Group is raising awareness for a very important cause and is always  involved in doing such good community welfare events.”

Since its launch in UAE in 2009, the reach of the ‘Beat Diabetes’ campaign has grown rapidly it currently has a presence across 7 countries; United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and India

Doha, Qatar

The St. Regis Doha today confirmed that it will be the first St. Regis hotel in the world – and the first venue outside of America – to host a Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) jazz club, as part of the unprecedented global partnership between St. Regis Hotels & Resorts and JALC.

Throughout the Jazz Age, The St. Regis Rooftop Ballroom in the landmark hotel in New York City played host to some of the finest jazz musicians in history. The rich musical legacy is now coming to Qatar thanks to the new agreement, which will bring a range of cultural and educational opportunities to the people of Qatar.

The historic achievement of bringing the world-renowned JALC name to Qatar was made possible with the support of Resorts Development Company, the parent company of The St. Regis Doha and Al Gassar Resort.

Mr. Omar Alfardan, President of Resorts Development Company, said: “Qatar continues to emerge as a leading cultural hub, not just in the region but globally. Jazz as a leading art-form will help to enhance and build a thriving music, art and cultural scene here. With Doha increasingly becoming an international cosmopolitan city with a range of nationalities from all over the world, a unique and genuine jazz venue will contribute to enhancing the city’s popularity.”

“It is important to note that more and more Qatari nationals are travelling the world and becoming interested in jazz, and that will help ensure a strong response to this new centre in Doha,” he added.

Jazz at Lincoln Center is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and growing audiences for jazz. Through this partnership, jazz programming will be developed at The St. Regis Doha, led by Wynton Marsalis, Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, providing both the novice and aficionado the opportunity to experience world-class jazz.

“Throughout the history of jazz, musicians from Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie and Dave Brubeck have brought people from all cultures together through this music. It is an honour for Jazz at Lincoln Center to continue that tradition with St. Regis,” said Marsalis, who will attend a special naming ceremony for the club in December.

Tareq Derbas, General Manager, The St. Regis Doha, said: “We are delighted to welcome Jazz at Lincoln Center to its new home at The St. Regis Doha. We have promised our customers unmatched luxury and a rich range of entertainment options, and we believe that our signature venue, Jazz at Lincoln Center Doha, will delight and inspire our guests. I would like to thank our owner and the team responsible for beginning this exciting new era for jazz in the Middle East.”

The opening of Jazz at Lincoln Center Doha and The St. Regis Doha further solidifies Qatar as an emerging centre of culture, commerce and leisure in the Middle East. The hotel, scheduled to open early next year, promises to bring the legendary St. Regis luxury to this thriving commercial and business region.

“We are thrilled with the opportunity to work with St. Regis to reach new audiences and to support our mission of growing and inspiring audiences for jazz around the globe,” said Lisa Schiff, Chairman of JALC.

The agreement is part of a wider global partnership, which will see the two New York icons together to jointly-conceptualise and create a series of jazz clubs around the world in multiple new St. Regis hotels.

“Jazz is an innate part of the St. Regis legacy, and it is exciting to see a new generation of affluent travellers passionate about this social and cultural tradition,” said Paul James, Global Brand Leader for St. Regis Hotels & Resorts. “As St. Regis continues to grow globally, we look forward to working with Jazz at Lincoln Center, which is uniquely positioned to bring the authentic jazz experience to life for our guests and for music enthusiasts around the world.”

Sovereign wealth funds from Qatar and Kuwait led pledges on Thursday to invest almost $3bn in cash-strapped Morocco, cementing ties between Arab monarchies at a time of political turmoil in the region.

Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund and the Moroccan state agreed to establish a 50-50 investment joint venture worth $2bn that aims to help Rabat fund major development projects, a statement from the Moroccan government said.

Visiting Qatari ruler Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and Morocco’s King Mohammed attended the signature ceremony for the agreement in Rabat to set up the joint venture fund between the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and its Moroccan equivalent.

QIA’s Qatar Holding, Kuwaiti Investment Authority’s Al Ajial Investments and Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund Aabar Investments also agreed on Thursday with Morocco’s Fund for the Development of Tourism to inject AED20.8bn ($2.5bn) into a newly-created vehicle called Wessal Capital.

It will focus on the development on new resorts in Morocco, a statement from the tourism ministry said.

United Arab Emirates Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan also attended the signing ceremony for the setting up of Wessal.

“The four partners will equally contribute to Wessal. It will be 25 percent for each of them,” said a source familiar with the matter.

“Wessal will create an investment firm led by Morocco to fund investment opportunities proposed under Morocco’s tourism development plan by 2020,” added the source.

An invitation earlier this year for Arab kingdoms Morocco and Jordan to join the Gulf Cooperation Council signalled that monarchies in the region were trying to strengthen links in the face of the “Arab Spring” uprisings.

Morocco’s tourism ministry said the creation of Wessal was the “result of a partnership that consolidates the historical and brotherly ties between Morocco and Gulf Arab countries”.

Morocco has devised a plan worth 100 billion dirhams in investment to join the world’s top 20 holiday destinations and double tourism receipts to 150 billion dirhams by 2020.

Tourism is Morocco’s main source of hard currency, contributes close to 10 percent of its gross domestic product and directly employs 450,000 people.

Muscat, – Nawras, Oman’s customer friendly communications provider is creating winners every day through its current SMS & WIN promotion and today is delighted to be announcing the first winner of the monthly Toyota Prado prize.  Nawras Chief Executive Officer, Ross Cormack, congratulated Hilal Al Habsi as he presented him with the keys to his new car - the first of three top prizes of Toyota Prados. 

Receiving his fantastic prize, Al Habsi said, “This is the first prize I have ever won. I never expected to win a car and I am overjoyed and really surprised.  This promotion is so easy to enter and I had fun answering the questions.  Now to find myself the owner of a brand new Toyota Prado is truly amazing.  Thank you – I certainly have got more with Nawras!”

To date, more than 30 Nawras winners have already picked up 1000 Omani Rials each. The first Nawras prize winners are shown on the promotion’s website at www.nawras2win.com.  Following each prizewinning draw, winners’ names are added to the list.

Until 7 January 2012, Nawras is giving away 1000 Omani Rials every day as well as a Toyota Prado each month.  To be in with a chance of winning, customers simply enter the SMS & WIN promotion.

Any Nawras customer can join in the thrilling promotion today by simply sending an SMS with the keyword WIN to 91999. This SMS and each subsequent SMS sent to 91999 at just 500 Baiza gives one virtual credit to exchange for wallpaper. Participating customers will also receive a password and a link where wallpaper content can be viewed, selected and downloaded. Virtual credits can be collected and redeemed at any time up until 7 April 2012.

After sending the first SMS with WIN to 91999, customers can start to have fun by answering questions in a Trivia Game, gaining points and increasing their opportunity of winning one of the fantastic prizes on offer. Customers have multiple chances to win by testing their general knowledge on a range of subjects, such as lifestyle, history, geography and sport.

All answers sent via SMS to 91999 (for only 500 Baiza) are rewarded with points.  Correct answers receive 20 points while 10 points are given for an incorrect response. Scores can be boosted through special challenges or by answering questions at certain times of the day when bonus points are available.   As customers collect more points they increase their chance of being one of the daily cash prize winners or monthly winners of the Toyota Prados.

Showing how Nawras customers always get more, not only is there an opportunity to win great cash prizes and luxury cars but for every SMS sent to 91999, Nawras will also be giving away 50 Elite Program points  to collect and redeem for free talk time and free SMS.

Nawras Customer Champions call the winners from customer care number 22001555.  Winning customers are invited to visit the Nawras main office or their local Nawras Store to verify their details and find out how to collect their prize.  Nawras is not asking for any personal information to be given over the phone.

This exciting SMS & Win promotion is running until 7 January 2012. Further information can be found by visiting www.nawras2win.com.

Kuwait: – Under the patronage of the Ministry of Health and Dasman Diabetes Institute, Landmark Group - the region’s leading retail and hospitality conglomerate, today marked the successful completion of its second consecutive ‘Beat Diabetes’ walkathon in Kuwait. Over five thousand people participated in the walk this year and more than 3500 people took the free blood glucose test.

From the Yacht Club till the Green Island, an occupied Arabian Gulf Street was booming with walkers who arrived to support the cause and spread awareness about this growing epidemic. The walkathon is an annual event launched by the Landmark Group as a part of its ‘Beat Diabetes’ corporate social responsibility initiative, to raise understanding and awareness about diabetes amongst people.

The Beat Diabetes walkathon is held in November since the month is commemorated as the World Diabetes Month and November 14 being World Diabetes Day. The morning began with the campaign’s launch ceremony at the Yacht Club, attendees included senior officials from the Ministry of Health, Dasman Diabetes Institute and Saibal Basu, COO, Landmark Group - Kuwait. They were joined by the Group’s employees and thousands of supporters of the cause from all age groups.

A warm-up session was performed by Landmark group staff for all the participants to kick start the walk. A healthy breakfast was served after the event, courtesy Nestle, Awal, Kdcow, Mais Al Ghanim, Tariq Al Ghanim Limited (catering division) and Suma fruits.

Commenting on the event, Saibal Basu said, “The number of participants who joined the walk today is undeniably remarkable and overwhelming. Diabetes prevalence is growing alarmingly across the world and the Middle East region has some of the highest numbers. The best way to manage and control the condition is to adopt a healthy lifestyle. We thank every person who joined us here today to spread this message and support the campaign.”

Recent figures from International Diabetes Federation report indicate that, the number of people living with diabetes around the world is expected to rise from 366 million in 2011 to 552 million by 2030, unless swift action is undertaken. This equals to approximately three new cases, for every ten seconds of the year. Kuwait has one of the highest rates of prevalence in the world and we need to act and take control of diabetes now.

Basu also added, “We would like to thank our sponsors’ efforts in making this campaign a success in the region: Al Rai Media Group, Al Anba, Al Qabas, Al Seyassah, KUC, Arab Times, Kuwait Times, Al Yaqza, Layalina, Al Hadaf, bazaar, AHLAN!, StudentTalk, TheTalk, Tariq Al Ghanim Limited, Safwan, kdcow, Indian Doctors Forum, Nestle, Chiquita, Awal, and Mais Al Ghanim.”

Since its launch in UAE in 2009, the reach of the ‘Beat Diabetes’ campaign has grown rapidly it currently has a presence across 7 countries; United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and India

Doha, Qatar :Microsoft today announced that Qatar University has implemented a variety of Microsoft solutions toenhance the educational experience for its 10,000 students and 1600 faculty and staff. These solutions are an integral part in helping the university to facilitate operational efficiencies and optimizing its IT infrastructure to meet its increased requirements and support its future growth plans.

The university has implemented Windows 7 Enterprise Operating System across its computing infrastructure, which has helped staff and students be more productive in addition to enhancing desktop security, and reducing IT costs.Qatar University is also using the Microsoft Office 2010 suite to provide a more efficient way to manage and organize communications and work collaboratively across its user community.

Qatar University has also deployed Microsoft’s Hyper-V virtualization technology in a private cloud environment to provide virtual desktops for students in or outside the university.The Hyper–V technology has helped the university to dramatically increase the number of virtual servers available, supporting new applications and providing a robust testing environment.By virtualizing servers, Qatar University has managed to reduce hardware costs by over 30 per cent.

Saeed Al-Athba, Chief Information Officer, Qatar University said, “Our objective was to achieve a dynamic, secure, and scalable computing infrastructure that responds to our expanding needs and provides the best educational experience possible. The out-of-box integration of Microsoft solutions has helped us develop a secure and easy–to-use computing environment.With the help of Microsoft, we have also establisheda solid foundation for future technology projects in addition to reducing licensing and support costs.”

“We are delighted to be working with Qatar University to deliver a superior computing infrastructure for their diverse needs,” said Naim Yazbeck, Country Manager, Microsoft Qatar located at Qatar Science & Technology Park.Through our integrated desktop, communication and collaboration tools, we want to use ICT as a tool to empower students and teachers and transform the educational environment across Qatar University.”

By upgrading to Exchange Server 2010, Qatar University has given its students, faculty, and staff more flexible, reliable communications capabilities with a better email experience. The move to Exchange Server 2010 helped the university build the platform for a unified communications infrastructure that offers a range of flexible communications choices. The university will also soon adopt Microsoft Lync to provide instant messaging and videoconferencing capabilities on every desktop.

China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (Sinopec) and Kuwait Petroleum Corp on Friday started building their joint refining and petrochemical complex in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, the top Chinese oil refiner said.

The 59bn yuan ($9.3bn) project, including a 300,000-barrel-per-day refinery and a 1m tonne-per-year ethylene cracking unit, was expected to come on line in 2015, Sinopec said in a press release.

The National Development and Reform Commission, a powerful ministry in charge of major project approvals, gave its nod for the project in March.

KPC has said it is still looking to partner with an international oil company for some of its 50 percent stake in the project in Zhanjiang in western Guangdong.

The project will secure Kuwait, the world’s seventh-largest crude exporter, a stable outlet for its oil as it aims to more than double crude exports to China to 500,000 bpd, while giving the world’s second largest oil buyer a steady supply as demand keeps pace with solid economic growth.

In 2009, KPC briefly tapped potential investors Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Dow Chemical Co, but the companies did not commit to form a consortium.

Kuwait said in April that it was in talks with BP Plc and other major energy companies over a possible role in the refinery project.