ABU DHABI / WAM Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in his capacity as Ruler of Dubai, issued Decree No. 20/2016 appointing Abdullah Mohammed Saeed Ghobash as Director-General of Dubai’s Financial Audit Department (FAD). The decree is effective from the date of issuance and will be ...

  ABU DHABI / WAM The Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, TAQA, finalised the issuance of US$500 million 3.625% senior notes due in June 2021 and US$500 million 4.375% senior notes due in June 2026. The proceeds of this issuance will be used for general corporate purposes and to pay back the US$1 billion bond maturing in October 2016. The ...

  Fallujah / AFP The IS group battled Iraqi forces and held civilians hostage on Wednesday to defend its bastion of Fallujah, where three weeks of fighting has forced tens of thousands from their homes. Security forces have retaken significant parts of southern Fallujah over the past two weeks and are now attacking the extremists in the Jbeil neighbourhood, officers said. ...

  HYDERABAD / AFP The southern Indian state of Telangana has declared a “high alert” for polio after an active strain of the virus was found in samples of sewage water in the state capital. RajeshwarTiwari, Telangana’s top health official, said on Wednesday that a vaccination drive will be launched next week after tests revealed the Type-2 polio virus in ...

  Tripoli / AFP Forces allied with Libya’s unity government said on Wednesday they had repelled a counter-attack by the IS group in the extremists’ coastal stronghold of Sirte. IS extremists hit positions controlled by fighters loyal to Libya’s UN-backed Government of National Accord west of the city with tank, mortar and sniper fire on Tuesday, according to a statement ...

  Washington / AFP In February, the richest world powers pledged more than $11 billion to help frontline states in the Middle East cope with the Syrian refugee crisis. But four months later, less than a quarter of the headline sum has been turned over and five million people are still at risk in an unstable region. Countries like Lebanon, ...

  South Sudan / AFP Aid workers in South Sudan have suffered an increase in attacks in recent weeks, the UN warned Wednesday, with three killed in May since the formation of a unity government. Violence continues despite efforts to end a civil war that broke out in December 2013, a conflict that has now seen 55 aid workers killed. ...

  Norway / ap US Secretary of State John Kerry met his Iranian counterpart in Norway on Wednesday to once again discuss Iran’s complaints that it’s not getting the sanctions relief it deserves under last year’s landmark nuclear deal. Kerry also raised the importance of Iran using its influence with Syria’s government to ensure humanitarian aid deliveries and respect a ...

  WASHINGTON With Venezuela spinning into chaos and collapse, the Obama administration has pondered how to nudge the imploding nation toward political change — without making Uncle Sam a target. The administration appears to have found the right formula this week. Secretary of State John Kerry announced Tuesday at a meeting of the Organization of American States that the U.S. ...

An ambitious European Union (EU) plan to curb migration from countries ranging from Lebanon to Nigeria could reduce pressure in Europe but would not fully eradicate the problem as some partners would need more engagement to resolve the growing phenomenon. The European Commission (EC) proposed to deploy 8 billion euros ($9.1 billion) over the next five years to tackle flows ...