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Alma Kadragic, Senior International Real Estate Reporter

Dr. Alma Kadragic is Visiting Professor and Academic Program Director at the University of Wollongong in Dubai where she is establishing graduate programs in communications and the humanities. Formerly director of the Zayed University Media Center in Dubai, she has been studying economic development in the United Arab Emirates for five years. She covered the US and Europe during 16 years with ABC News as producer and bureau chief, leaving broadcasting to create and manage Alcat Communications International, a public relations and marketing agency with headquarters in Poland.

She is the author of two books, A Handbook of Public Relations published in Poland (1996, 1997) and Globalization and Human Rights from Chelsea House (2005); chapters in books on economic development and broadcasting; and numerous articles on public relations, media, and entrepreneurship. Dr. Kadragic earned a Ph.D in English literature from the City University of New York after completing the M.A. and B.A. degrees at City College of New York.

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Danish Architects BIG Win Another Big Contract for Greenland's National Gallery

Danish Architects BIG Win Another Big Contract for Greenland's National Gallery

(NUUK, GREENLAND) -- This is a dateline I've never had the chance to write before, but in following the accomplishments of the Danish architects BIG, I have to do it now because they've won the competition to design the National Gallery of Art of Greenland in the country's capital, Nuuk. Read More

 
Dubai's Emaar Properties Looks to Foreign Markets Like Los Angeles to Drive New Revenues

Dubai's Emaar Properties Looks to Foreign Markets Like Los Angeles to Drive New Revenues

(DUBAI, UAE) -- As real estate prices continue to drop in Dubai and Abu Dhabi given the ever growing oversupply of residential and commercial space, some of the UAE's top developers are looking outside the country for new markets. Read More

 
Danish Architects to Design Different Residential Building at West 57

Danish Architects to Design Different Residential Building at West 57

(ABU DHABI - COPENHAGEN - NEW YORK) -- For the second week in a row, I find myself writing about a Danish firm of architects who have been winning international competitions and gaining huge contracts. Normally, I would try to find another topic for the column, but since this concerns my home town the Big Apple and frankly real estate news in the UAE and GCC is kind of slow, Read More

 
Aldar's 2010 Financial Results Reflect Severity of Abu Dhabi's Real Estate Slowdown

Aldar's 2010 Financial Results Reflect Severity of Abu Dhabi's Real Estate Slowdown

(ABU DHABI, UAE) -- Aldar Properties PJSC, Abu Dhabi's property development, investment and Management Company, yesterday announced its full year results for 2010, reporting a loss of $370 million before impairments and fair value losses. The loss for the year, ... Read More

 
Dubai Cancels Tiger Woods, Donald Trump Projects as Financial Crisis Lingers

Dubai Cancels Tiger Woods, Donald Trump Projects as Financial Crisis Lingers

(DUBAI, UAE) -- The big names are feeling the brunt of the financial crisis in Dubai even though some parts of the real estate industry seem to be doing better. This week Donald Trump and Tiger Woods learned that their signature projects were being cancelled. Read More

 
BIG Architects Wins International Competition for Iconic Waste to Energy Plant

BIG Architects Wins International Competition for Iconic Waste to Energy Plant

(COPENHAGEN- DENMARK) -- Once again, the BIG architectural firm has won an international tender against major competitors, this time to deliver an energy plant that converts waste into power. That might be enough in itself, but the plant to be built in Copenhagen, Denmark, ... Read More

 
Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Partners with Gulf Related in Sowwah Island Mixed-Use Development

Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Partners with Gulf Related in Sowwah Island Mixed-Use Development

(ABU DHABI, UAE) -- Mubadala Real Estate & Hospitality (MREH) announced this week it has formed a joint venture with Gulf Related, a regional real estate development company. Read More

 
Real Estate Prices Stagnant in UAE's Northern Emirates in Q-4

Real Estate Prices Stagnant in UAE's Northern Emirates in Q-4

(DUBAI, UAE) -- The Northern Emirates property market has stayed relatively stagnant during the last quarter of 2010 with minimal price or rental movements. Continued supply, most notably in Sharjah will at some stage put downward pressure on rental prices, but connection to electricity, water and sewerage is a problem, slowing the pace of supply throughout the Northern Emirates, according to data from Asteco Property Management. Read More

 
Abu Dhabi's Motor World to Create New District for Auto Dealers

Abu Dhabi's Motor World to Create New District for Auto Dealers

(ABU DHABI, UAE) -- Motor World, Aldar Properties' custom-designed destination for new and used car showrooms and servicing facilities, is set to transform Abu Dhabi's car retail market when it opens its doors in April. Read More

 
Qatar's 2022 World Cup Announcement Impacts Local Property Markets

Qatar's 2022 World Cup Announcement Impacts Local Property Markets

(DOHA, QATAR) -- The immediate impact of FIFA's decision to host the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is more confidence in the local property market, with the volume of sales and leasing enquiries increasing, according to the latest data from Asteco Property Management. Read More

 
Mourjan Marinas IGY Continue Middle East Expansion with Signing Oman's 'The Wave'

Mourjan Marinas IGY Continue Middle East Expansion with Signing Oman's 'The Wave'

(DUBAI, UAE) -- Mourjan Marinas IGY's portfolio of projects across the Middle East continues to expand following the announcement this week that it will manage and operate the new world-class marina at The Wave, Muscat, Oman's newly developed premier waterfront destination. Read More

 
Abu Dhabi Inaugurates International Building Codes in 2011

Abu Dhabi Inaugurates International Building Codes in 2011

(ABU DHABI, UAE) -- Few buildings in Abu Dhabi are more than 15 years old, but crumbling facades and interior deterioration of plumbing and electrical systems are not uncommon. One of the reasons is that there were no standard building codes. Read More

 
As Abu Dhabi's Government Takes Over Yas Island Assets, Aldar Announces New Restructuring Plan

As Abu Dhabi's Government Takes Over Yas Island Assets, Aldar Announces New Restructuring Plan

(ABU DHABI, UAE) -- The Abu Dhabi Government has stepped in to alleviate the financial problems of Aldar, the emirate's leading developer associated with Yas Island, Al Raha Beach, and Al Bandar. Aldar Properties PJSC today unveiled a series of steps ... Read More

 
Dubai Apartment Rents Stabilizing in Q4 as Tenants Move to Value

Dubai Apartment Rents Stabilizing in Q4 as Tenants Move to Value

(DUBAI, UAE) -- According to the latest report from Asteco, an increased supply of high quality, affordable apartments led to considerable tenant movement across Dubai in Q4 2010. In addition, apartment rental rates declined by just 3 percent during the same period, the lowest quarter-on-quarter fall of the year, an indication that the market may be stabilizing. Read More

 
Hideaways Club Launches City Collection of Luxury Apartments

Hideaways Club Launches City Collection of Luxury Apartments

(DUBAI, UAE) -- The Hideaways Club, a global property company specializing in equity ownership and management of a collection of international luxury property investment funds, announced this week that it is launching its second fund, The Hideaways Club City Collection, a portfolio of luxurious global city apartments. Read More

 
Abu Dhabi Residential Rents Dip in Q4 as Sales Stagnate

Abu Dhabi Residential Rents Dip in Q4 as Sales Stagnate

(ABU DHABI, UAE) -- Rental levels in Abu Dhabi continued to decline depending on location, quality, and price in Q4 2010, according to a new report published this week by leading UAE property management company Asteco. Read More

 
The Ritz-Carlton Qatar's Director of Public Relations Promotes Luxury Hotel Group's Brand in the Middle East

The Ritz-Carlton Qatar's Director of Public Relations Promotes Luxury Hotel Group's Brand in the Middle East

(DOHA, QATAR) -- Claudia Hardt started New Year 2011 with a new job, Director of Public Relations for The Ritz-Carlton Hotels of Qatar. Area General Manager Hoss Vetry made the announcement on December 29, practically the last gasp of the old year. Read More

 
Big Events and Attractions Boost Abu Dhabi Hotels and Tourist Services

Big Events and Attractions Boost Abu Dhabi Hotels and Tourist Services

(ABU DHABI, UAE) -- It's been called "arguably the world's most exciting new tourism hotspot" by Travel Weekly UK magazine, and in November the number of people who came to Abu Dhabi jumped significantly, probably due to the big events and attractions that have been advertised around the world. Read More

 
Hamptons MENA to Market Luxury Polo Resort in Marrakech, Morocco

Hamptons MENA to Market Luxury Polo Resort in Marrakech, Morocco

(DUBAI, UAE) -- Hamptons MENA, the property services company, will market The Address Jnan Amar Marrakech, a luxury polo retreat created by SIAMA (Morocco), a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia-based Azmi Abdelhadi Group. The Address Hotels + Resorts is a luxury brand developed by Emaar Hospitality Group. Read More

 
Dubai's Emaar Counting on Saudi Arabian Mega Projects in 2011

Dubai's Emaar Counting on Saudi Arabian Mega Projects in 2011

(RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA) -- As operations in Dubai have slowed, Emaar is counting on its master-planned communities in Saudi Arabia to take up some of the earnings slack. Earlier this month, Emaar Middle East showcased Jeddah Gate and Al Khobar Lakes, ... Read More

 
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