ABU DHABI / WAM The Federal National Council (FNC) discussed and passed ten federal bills as part of its mandate to develop the country’s legislative system, according to a report on the house’s activities in the first quarter of the year. The ten federal draft laws, which contain 178 articles, cover wide-ranging sectors including health, economy, transport, environment, security, investment, ...

ABU DHABI / WAM The UAE government is providing, through its official website, digital government services around the clock, to enable customers to complete their transactions remotely, ensuring their safety and supporting the country’s efforts to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) and limit its impact on all sectors. The UAE government offers 3,730 vital services, which include ...

ABU DHABI / WAM The Department of Government Support, which is represented by the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA) announced the full availability of Department of Economic Development “Commercial Licences” through Abu Dhabi Government Services ecosystem, “TAMM”, allowing business owners to easily access services and complete transactions digitally. The Department of Economic Development, ADDED, is the first government entity that ...

Bloomberg Mizuho Financial Group Inc will book a 32.9 billion yen ($306 million) charge on its securities holdings in the just-completed quarter due to the coronavirus-fueled stock market rout. The writedown stems from a “significant decline” in the fair value of some securities held by the group’s lending, trust banking and securities units, Tokyo-based Mizuho said in a statement. It ...

Bloomberg The economic fallout from the coronavirus epidemic will prevent almost 24 million people from escaping poverty in East Asia and the Pacific (EAP) this year, according to the World Bank. In a report, the Washington-based lender also warned of “substantially higher risk” among households that depend on industries particularly vulnerable to the impact of Covid-19. These include tourism in ...

Bloomberg Singapore health authorities said an elderly man with no recent travel history to affected countries died on Saturday, marking the sixth fatality for the city-state, according to an emailed statement. The nation’s Ministry of Health said the 88-year-old male permanent resident, who was admitted to intensive care on March 30, passed away after developing serious complications. The man had ...

Bloomberg Thousands of health officials across India are racing to identify people connected to at least 10 virus hotspots, as the infection rate continues to climb in the world’s second most populous country. In the capital New Delhi, more than 8,500 Muslims attended a gathering in mid-March that is now the focus of an urgent contact tracing effort stretching though ...

Bloomberg Australia’s New South Wales police are leading a massive marine operation in Sydney Harbour to provision five cruise ships that have been floating off the coast so they can return to their home ports, as authorities seek to cut the threat of coronavirus transmissions from the vessels. Dubbed Operation Nemesis, the plan has seen police on Saturday working with ...

Bloomberg Phuket in Thailand is on lockdown, with most transportation to the island banned, in the latest effort to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus in the usually popular tourist destination. The order will last for at least one month, according to Phuket Governor Pakkapong Taweepat. Boats, cars and trucks providing essential goods and services are exempted. Restricting access ...

Bloomberg Liquefied natural gas (LNG) traders are following the latest trend in the oil market by storing huge amounts of the commodity on tankers, hoping prices will rise before the ship docks. But while crude can sit for months or even years in a tank, super-chilled LNG tends to evaporate even in the specialised vessels that handle it. That limits ...