DUBAI / WAM Under the patronage and presence of HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Airport Freezone Authority (DAFZA), the authority on Tuesday signed multilateral Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with several major entities under the Dubai Government. This is in line with the inauguration of the ‘Development of Governmental Services’ Innovation Ecosystem’ initiative which …

  DUBAI / WAM Noor Bank has been named as winner of the ‘Critics’ Choice Best Islamic Retail Banking Brand Award 2016,’ at the World Islamic Retail Banking Conference (WIRBC) Awards 2016, hosted by UK-based Cambridge Analytica. Chirodip Basu Roy, Head of Marketing Operations, Noor Bank, collected the award on behalf of the bank at an impressive gathering, which was …

  ABU DHABI / WAM ZonesCorp joined the Abu Dhabi Food Security Alliance at the SIAL ME exhibition , as part of ZonesCorp’s efforts to help improve food security and diversify the economy within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. ZonesCorp is planning to support the alliance by encouraging local agriculture and livestock farming with a series of initiatives that will …

  Washington / AFP US President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday tapped ExxonMobil chief Rex Tillerson as his nominee to be secretary of state, despite concerns on both sides of the political aisle about the oilman’s deep ties to Russia. The nomination was the one most awaited by observers at home and abroad as the 70-year-old Republican billionaire builds his cabinet …

  Moscow / AFP Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Tuesday announced he would run for president in 2018 after a court victory allowed the outspoken Kremlin critic to be a candidate. In an email sent to supporters, the 40-year-old anti-corruption campaigner said: “Presidential polls will take place in our country in 2018 and I have decided to take part in …

  Beijing / AFP China offered its sternest rebuke yet to Donald Trump, saying anyone who challenges Beijing’s interests in Taiwan will “lift a rock only to crush his own toes”. “If he tries to sabotage the One China policy or harm China’s core interests, ultimately he will lift a rock only to crush his own toes,” Chinese foreign minister Wang …

  Manila / AFP China is ready to give the Philippines weapons to help President Rodrigo Duterte wage his controversial war on drugs which has claimed over 5,000 lives, the Chinese ambassador to Manila said. Beijing has previously said it supports Duterte’s bloody crime war, which has been slammed by the United Nations and human rights watchdogs over alleged extrajudicial …

  London / AFP Hundreds of thousands of British commuters faced travel chaos on Tuesday as train drivers went on strike in what is expected to be the worst rail disruption in decades. Southern Rail, which runs trains between England’s south coast and London, warned of severe disruption as it cancelled more than 2,000 services after workers launched three days of …

  Beirut / AFP The UN said on Tuesday it had credible reports of pro-government forces in Syria’s Aleppo executing dozens of civilians including women and children as the crucial battle for the city neared its end. The UN human rights office said at least 82 civilians, including 11 women and 13 children, had been killed in recent days. UN rights …

  Ankara / AFP Turkey will intensify talks with Russia and other countries for a ceasefire to end the “humanitarian tragedy” in the Syrian city of Aleppo, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday. “Today, tomorrow, everyday, we will intensify our talks with Russia and other countries so we can find a solution to this humanitarian tragedy,” Cavusoglu said at a …