Abu Dhabi / WAM Al Dhafra Festival announced that a hundred shops have been built as part of this year’s festival to cater for the growing popularity of the annual event, which continues to provide great trade and economic opportunities for people in the Western Region. Commenting on the announcement, Abdullah Al Qubaisi, Director of the Communications Department of Cultural ...

  Abu Dhabi / Emirates Business Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), ranked second for UAE foreign aid contributions in 2015 according to a report titled ‘UAE’s Foreign Aid in 2015’ by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC). ADFD’s expenditure amounted to AED2.70 billion (US$736.73 million), other funds and charitable organisations contributed AED1.76 billion and the UAE ...

  Abu Dhabi / Emirates Business ADNOC Distribution announced the opening of Al Muhathab service station in Umm Al Quwain as part of its ongoing efforts to consolidate its service station network across the UAE. The company has leveraged its extensive expertise and unique capabilities in the construction of the new service station in order to meet its customers’ dynamic ...

  Dubai / Emirates Business Dubai Trade, the single window for cross-border trade and smart trading solutions and a DP World company, recently recognised strategic and media partners during its first appreciation ceremony. The ceremony was part of Dubai Trade’s strategy to support partnerships between the public and private sectors and to encourage trade relations in Dubai. It was attended ...

  Dubai / Emirates Business The board of directors of Smart Dubai Office (SDO) held its 7th meeting, which was presided over by HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, chairman of the board, as part of its mission to fulfill the mandate of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler ...

  Sharjah / Emirates Business Children in Sharjah are being given the chance to enjoy a festive mind and body boost at Sharjah Ladies Club (SLC). The club, which is dedicated to providing leisure and educational activities for women and children, is hosting a ‘Winter Wonderland’ camp, which will run till January 5, featuring an array of interactive and educational ...

Moscow / AFP A Russian military plane crashed on its way to Syria on Sunday, with no sign of survivors among the 92 onboard, who included dozens of Red Army Choir members heading to celebrate the New Year with troops. The Tu-154 plane crashed in the Black Sea shortly after taking off from the southern city of Adler where it had ...

  Riyadh / AFP A Saudi soldier was killed in a cross-border firefight with Yemeni rebels, the interior ministry said on Sunday. A border post was attacked overnight by Houthi rebels, a spokesman said, adding that one soldier wounded in the exchange died before reaching hospital. He was the latest of at least 111 Saudi soldiers and civilians to die in ...

  Jakarta / AFP Indonesian police on Sunday shot dead two terror suspects and arrested two more, only days after foiling separate plans by an IS-linked group for a Christmas-time suicide bombing near the capital. The pair were fatally shot at a house in Purwakarta 100 kilometres (62 miles) east of the capital Jakarta after allegedly resisting arrest. “We ordered them ...

  Jerusalem / AFP Israel was defiant on Sunday over a UN vote demanding it halt settlements in Palestinian territory, after lashing out at US President Barack Obama over the “shameful” resolution. The Security Council passed the measure Friday after the United States abstained, enabling the adoption of the first UN resolution since 1979 to condemn Israel over its settlement policy. ...