ABU DHABI / WAM The Arab Youth Centre (AYC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced on Wednesday that 11 youth delegates from the Arab region have commenced their roles as Youth Development Delegates to support countries across the region to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Youth Delegates are the first cohort in a new initiative between the ...

ABU DHABI / WAM A top US diplomat has expressed his admiration to the UAE leadership for its effective crisis management and upholding the values of religious freedom. John Rakolta, the US Ambassador to the UAE, said, “In recent weeks, we have witnessed a tremendous change in how we move, how we work, how we live. We have seen populations ...

FUJAIRAH / WAM Fuel stockpiles used by shippers and for power generation jumped to a record high at the Port of Fujairah in the UAE, the strongest sign yet of dwindling storage space for oil products in the region as demand evaporates due to the coronavirus pandemic. Stockpiles of heavy distillates and residues, used by shippers and for power generation, ...

Bloomberg A panel of Indian government ministers advised Prime Minister Narendra Modi to partially lift the lockdown imposed on March 25 to control the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, people with knowledge of the matter said. Areas with large clusters of Covid-19 cases will remain closed, the people said, asking not to be identified as the discussions are private. The ...

Bloomberg Japan has earmarked $2.2 billion of its record economic stimulus package to help its manufacturers shift production out of China as the coronavirus disrupts supply chains between the major trading partners. The extra budget, compiled to try to offset the devastating effects of the pandemic, includes 220 billion yen ($2 billion) for companies shifting production back to Japan and ...

Bloomberg Malaysia will hand out 24.62 million masks, four for each household, while advising people to only use them if they have symptoms, Defense Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said in a statement on Wednesday. The global stance on wearing masks has started to shift over the past few weeks. Neighbouring Indonesia ordered citizens to wear face masks when they leave ...

Bloomberg The Hong Kong government is set to announce a fresh round of stimulus measures to shore up the crippled economy, with a local media report saying the total could exceed $12.9 billion. The aid package will mostly be dedicated to subsidising wages in sectors hit by closures and restrictions imposed to curb the deadly virus, according to the South ...

Bloomberg India’s TVS Motor is among prospective bidders considering making an offer for Norton Motorcycles of UK, which went into administration in January, people with knowledge of the matter said. TVS has approached Norton’s administrators about a potential deal, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the information is private. The British firm is being overseen ...

Bloomberg Nissan Motor Co’s priority is to conserve cash while making better use of its assets instead of selling them, Chief Operating Officer Ashwani Gupta said, as the struggling carmaker confronts an existential challenge from the pandemic that’s upended the global economy. The shift in strategy offers an early indication of a recovery plan that will be unveiled next month, ...

Bloomberg Sweden’s biggest wind farm began producing power this month, and the region’s nuclear reactors are feeling the heat. Vasa Vind AB’s Askalen started commercial output on April 1, increasing supplies in a market already bloated by a massive surplus of water for power generation. A day later, two units at Vattenfall AB’s Forsmark nuclear plant north of Stockholm curbed ...