US Secretary of State John Kerry warned Israel that building settlements on Palestinian land is a major roadblock to peace. In the most scathing remark, Kerry accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being most right-wing in country’s history. He blamed Netanyahu’s government of perpetual occupation of Palestinian territories. There is an ambiguity as to what would be Washington’s ...

  Dubai / Emirates Business Messe Frankfurt Middle East has rounded off another prosperous year in 2016, reporting robust growth across its event portfolio as it expanded into new markets and industry sectors. The Dubai-based trade fair organiser’s nine exhibitions combined featured 6,000 exhibitors from 60 countries in 2016, six per cent more than 2015, and representing a compound annual ...

  Dubai / WAM Dubai Municipality recently launched the international star system for rating services, encouraging the provision of quality services and measuring the levels of customer happiness using scientific methods. Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director-General of Dubai Municipality, said that the adoption of the initiative aims to improve the work mechanism of service provision, and raise the competitive level of public ...

  Sharjah / WAM In an effort to boost awareness, raise knowledge of the benefits of early detection and help dispel numerous myths surrounding breast cancer, Pink Caravan is organising a ‘Pink Caravan Children’s Ride’, on March 10, 2017 at Desert Palm Dubai. The horse ride is the main focus of the event and is open to both children and adults, ...

  Al Ain / WAM Al Ain Zoo, in the foothills of the Jebel Hafeet Mountains, concluded its eighth winter camp under the slogan “Ambassadors of Al Ain Zoo”, where schoolchildren between the ages of 8-13 years old were given an exciting and unique experience for 5 days of adventures, discovering wildlife and how to deal with it. The camp is ...

  Dubai / Emirates Business Dubai Parks and Resorts, the Middle East’s largest multi-themed leisure and entertainment destination, will host a dazzling New Year’s Eve celebration on December 31 called the ‘Celebrate Amazing Countdown.’ The event takes place starting at 9 p.m. inside Bollywood Parks Dubai in front of the magnificent Rajmahal Theatre and will feature live music, performances, family ...

  Moscow / AFP Russia President Vladimir Putin on Thursday announced a nationwide ceasefire deal to come into effect across Syria from midnight and that the warring parties had agreed to sit down for peace talks. The deal brokered by Russia and Turkey could represent a major breakthrough in nearly six years of war in Syria and comes a week after ...

  Moscow / AFP Russian officials probing the crash of a Syria-bound military plane said on Thursday that there was no explosion on board, but equipment was functioning abnormally when it plunged into the Black Sea. “There was no explosion on board, I can say that for certain,” said Sergei Bainetov, head of flight safety for the Russian airforce. “But an ...

  Istanbul / AFP Turkish authorities on Thursday detained a prize-winning journalist over a succession of tweets and articles for an opposition daily, state media said, as alarm grows over press freedom in the country. Ahmet Sik was detained on accusations of making “terror propaganda” and denigrating the Turkish Republic, the judicial authorities and police, according to the state-run Anadolu news ...

  Jerusalem / AFP Israel’s right wing dismissed US Secretary of State John Kerry’s speech on the conflict with the Palestinians on Thursday as a parting shot of little consequence, especially with Donald Trump soon taking office. One minister repeated his assertion that a Palestinian state will be “off the agenda” once expected ally Trump takes over, while others from what ...