ABU DHABI / WAM Spanning crucial sectors, such as agriculture, housing, energy, transport, industry and health as well as social services, to date, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) has allocated AED1.2 billion in Abu Dhabi government grants and concessionary loans to 18 development projects in Afghanistan. According to an ADFD country report marking Afghanistan’s Independence Day on August …

DUBAI / WAM The Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange (DGCX) and Ayedh Dejem Group, a conglomerate from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, have agreed to develop and launch the Middle East’s first-ever Shariah-compliant spot gold contract to be traded on an international exchange. The partnership enables both entities to increase their presence in the Saudi Arabian and wider GCC Islamic …

SHARJAH / wam The Sharjah FDI Forum 2017 will host a series of panel discussions conducted by regional and international investment experts. The annual foreign direct investment (FDI) event is held under the patronage of HH Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. Taking place on September 19 and 20, the third Sharjah …

ABU DHABI / WAM The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in co-operation with the Federal Tax Authority, has organised an awareness workshop on applying the tax system in the UAE, titled “VAT for Real Estate Sector and Registration Mechanism.” The workshop aimed at spreading awareness among real estate companies on the mechanism of applying value added tax (VAT) …

­­­­­­­­­­­Bloomberg Wal-Mart Stores Inc., racing to fend off Amazon.com Inc. and a fresh attack from European grocery discounters, gave a lukewarm earnings forecast for the third quarter, a sign that heavy spending aimed at maintaining its edge is taking a toll. The shares slid recently after the retail giant said that profit will be 90 cents to 98 cents a …

Bloomberg Uber Technologies Inc.’s co-founder Travis Kalanick fired back at investor Benchmark, saying its lawsuit seeking to oust him from the ride-hailing company’s board is based on “a fabrication” and accused the firm of threats and intimidation. Upping the ante on his fight with the venture capital firm, which holds a 13 percent stake in Uber, Kalanick said that Benchmark …

­­­­­­­­­­­Bloomberg The UK is preparing to give further details of its approach to Brexit next week when it lays out positions in at least three different areas that it wants to negotiate with the European Union. Prime Minister Theresa May’s government will publish two papers on Monday with more expected in the following days, as Britain and the EU gear …

Bloomberg Medopad Ltd., backed by pharmaceuticals giant Bayer AG, is looking to raise new funds, joining the clutch of fast growing UK startups that are mixing artificial intelligence and health care. A London-based mobile platform for health-care companies, insurers, doctors and patients, Medopad is working with UBS Group AG to raise up to $30 million from private investors, according to …

Bloomberg McDonald’s Corp. workers at two restaurants in England have voted in favour of a strike, in what would be the first industrial action by staff of the American fast-food chain in the UK. Employees at one site in Crayford, near London, and a second in Cambridgeshire were balloted following a dispute over the use of zero-hour contracts and the …

SINGAPORE / Reuters Freight rates for very large crude carriers (VLCCs) on Asian routes will remain under pressure for at least the next month, facing strong headwinds from a glut of tonnage, brokers said. “There are around 80 to 90 ships available for charter in the first 10 days in September – that’s about three ships for every cargo,” a …