UAE Non-Oil Business Activity Surges to Nine-Month High in December

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 The United Arab Emirates' non-oil private sector recorded its fastest expansion in nine months in December 2024, buoyed by strong domestic demand and increased business activity, according to the latest S&P Global Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) report. PMI Highlights Robust Growth The seasonally adjusted UAE PMI climbed to 55.4 in December from 54.2 in November, signaling robust growth well above the 50.0 threshold that separates expansion from contraction. This marked the third consecutive monthly increase, underscoring sustained recovery in the non-oil sector. Key drivers of growth included a notable rise in new business activity. The new orders subindex rose sharply to 59.3 in December from 58.0 in the previous month, reflecting strong domestic demand. Challenges Amid the Growth While domestic demand flourished, export growth slowed, with the export orders subindex dropping to a seven-month low. Additionally, businesses faced mounting backlogs due to capacity constraints,...
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Monkeypox: Fear over mistreatment of LGBTQ community in Qatar rises

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LGBTQ community

Yet again, Qatar is in the news for all the wrong reasons. In the countdown to the FIFA World Cup 2022, Qatar's stringent policies and discriminatory practices against the LGBTQ community are raising concerns among rights groups and sports fans seeking to visit the country for the tournament.

Amid these circumstances, the rapid transmission of monkeypox in countries across the world is raising concerns over the protection of the LGBTQ community, particularly in Qatar. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while a number of people have contracted monkeypox, some groups including the LGBTQ community are at greater risk of exposure to the disease.

"Anyone, anyone, can develop and spread monkeypox infection, but many of those affected in the current global outbreak identified as gay and bisexual men," said Dr. John Brooks, chief medical officer for the CDC's Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Dr. David Heymann, former head of WHO’s emergencies department, also pointed to a link between the spread of monkeypox to sexual transmission among gay and bisexual men at two raves held in Spain and Belgium.

 Concerns over LGBTQ rights in Qatar

In view of this development, rights groups have expressed fear over the mistreatment of the LGBTQ community in Qatar due to the monkeypox outbreak.

Over the years, LGBTQ people have been facing unprecedented discrimination in Qatar due to the conservative laws of the Arab nation. As per recent media reports, several hotels in Qatar are refusing to provide accommodation to same-sex couples from foreign countries ahead of the FIFA World Cup. Qatari laws have banned homosexual relations in the country, targeting violations with severe punishments.

LGBTQ fans have also expressed their reservations about travelling to the country after it was reported that the Qatari officials may take away rainbow flags.

Meanwhile, cases of monkeypox have already been reported in the US, UK, Australia, France and Germany among other countries in Europe.

 

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