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  Istanbul / AFP Turkey on Monday said it wanted international air support for its army’s assault on the extremist-held Syrian town of Al Bab where the military is facing tough resistance from IS extremists. Turkish forces have for weeks joined pro-Ankara Syrian rebels in fierce fighting for Al Bab, taking increasing casualties as they approach closer to the centre. Turkey ...

  Sochi / AFP Russian rescuers found on Monday the first parts of the Syria-bound military plane that plunged into the Black Sea, as officials said they do not suspect terrorism as the reason for the crash that killed 92 people on board. The Tu-154 jet, whose passengers included more than 60 members of the internationally-renowned Red Army Choir, was heading ...

  BEIJING / AP Chinese authorities are clamping down on streaming video over social media amid a proliferation of online-only television content and live-streaming. The State Administration for Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television is requiring social media platforms like WeChat and Weibo to obtain licenses to broadcast video or audio, while also demanding that content distributed over social media ...

  Bloomberg If you think air pollution in China has been bad, just look at Mongolia. Levels of particulate matter in the air have risen to almost 80 times the recommended safety level set by the World Health Organization — and five times worse than Beijing during the past week’s bout with the worst smog of the year. Mongolian power ...

  DENVER / AP A budget ski resort in western Colorado came up with an eye-popping offer — a $700 lift ticket, the most expensive in the nation. Only this lift ticket comes with a sweet bonus: a pair of handcrafted skis made from Colorado wood. Gimmicky? Sure. But Sunlight Mountain Resort says that in an era of increasing ski-industry ...

  MINNEAPOLIS / AP Minnesota’s first-in-the nation ban on soaps containing the once ubiquitous germ-killer triclosan takes effect Jan. 1, but the people who spearheaded the law say it’s already having its desired effect on a national level. The federal government caught up to Minnesota’s 2014 decision with its own ban that takes effect in September 2017. Major manufacturers have ...

  Dubai / WAM Aimed at revitalising economic activity in the emirate of Dubai, the Dubai Municipality is carrying out many development projects including construction of new markets and commercial complexes, and expansion and maintenance of existing markets at a total cost of AED2.5 billion. Hussein Nasser Lootah, Director-General of the municipality explained that the civic body manages about 5,000 shops, ...

  Dubai / WAM Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) have discussed cooperation and plans to encourage the use of electric vehicles and promote the Green Charger initiative. This came up during a meeting between Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA, and Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of ...

  Abu Dhabi / Emirates Business Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), ranked second for UAE foreign aid contributions in 2015 according to a report titled ‘UAE’s Foreign Aid in 2015’ by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC). ADFD’s expenditure amounted to AED2.70 billion (US$736.73 million), other funds and charitable organisations contributed AED1.76 billion and the UAE ...

  Abu Dhabi / Emirates Business ADNOC Distribution announced the opening of Al Muhathab service station in Umm Al Quwain as part of its ongoing efforts to consolidate its service station network across the UAE. The company has leveraged its extensive expertise and unique capabilities in the construction of the new service station in order to meet its customers’ dynamic ...