Abu Dhabi - The Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak ended a two-day visit in the United Arab of Emirates on Thursday after talks about economic cooperation with UAE leaders.

UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan discussed cooperation between the two countries in issues including trade and investment during Mubarak's visit to the oil-rich Gulf state on Wednesday.

The leaders also discussed the Middle East peace process and the Arab Peace Initiative for peace with Israel.

Abu Dhabi  - Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will arrive in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday on a "brotherly" two-day visit, the Emirates' official news agency WAM reported on Tuesday.

Abu Dhabi  - A group of nations dubbed the "Friends of Pakistan" agreed, in principle, Monday to throw a financial lifeline to Pakistan.

Specific sums to be committed were not named Monday. There will be another meeting of the group in January followed by a ministerial- level meeting in February that should set the specific amounts of assistance to be expected.

Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry, assistant foreign minister for South Asia Affairs, said the group plans to finance projects geared toward policing and security.

Abu Dhabi - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) appointed on Thursday a female Muslim marriage registrar, the first in the Gulf and second in the Arab world.

Fatma Saeed Obaid al-Awani, 33, will perform her job during office hours in court in the Gulf emirate of Abu Dhabi, officials said.

Fatima obtained a law degree from the college of Sharia and Law at UAE University in 2000. She has two children.

Last March, the UAE appointed Kholoud al-Daheri as its first female judge.

Abu Dhabi - German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, on the final stage of his Pakistan and Gulf tour, met with top United Arab Emirates (UAE) leaders Wednesday, with the talks concerning his initiative to help Pakistan.

Steinmeier met with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Deputy Premier Sheikh Hamdan for political talks and to help prepare for the conference of the "circle of friends of democratic Pakistan" to take place in mid-November in Abu Dhabi.

The initiative which Steinmeier proposed is to provide aid projects in Pakistan's health and energy sectors, in turn contributing to stabilising the country economically and politically.

Abu Dhabi - German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier arrived in the capital of the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, Abu Dhabi, on the last stop of his tour of Pakistan and the Gulf.