Cape Town / Bloomberg South African furniture retailer JD Group Ltd. plans to close about 260 stores employing thousands of workers as it seeks to stabilize its finances. About 1,800 employees will be affected, according to the company, although a trade union put the figure at 4,110. The closings are key to securing the employment of JD Group’s remaining employees, …

Pyongyang / Bloomberg Change is in the air in North Korea. After years of being ranked by Skytrax as the world’s worst airline, national carrier Air Koryo is undergoing a revolution, according to interviews with passengers and travel agents. New planes, new in-flight entertainment options, smart new uniforms for the cabin attendants, even business class. It’s all part of supreme …

ABU DHABI / WAM H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, on Monday received the visiting International Monetary Fund Director General, Christine Lagarde, at the ministry. During their meeting, they discussed cooperation between the UAE and IMF, latest economic developments, as well as other issues of mutual interests. Sheikh Abdullah welcomed Lagarde, noting …