- Egypt Independent
Emirates opts for 30 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in revised deal
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - The Middle East's biggest carrier, the Dubai-based Emirates, announced on Wednesday a firm order for 30 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in a deal valued at $8.8 billion. The order, however, does not represent additional spending by Emirates because it replaces a previous agreement with the Chicago-based plane manufacturer at a near trade at list prices, which are negotiated by airlines. Emirates CEO and Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said the new order replaces a previous agreement for 150 777x Boeing aircraft. That $56 billion deal had been announced at the 2013 Dubai Airshow. Instead, Emirates said it is purchasing 126 of the 777x aircraft and 30 of the
- Arab News
Makkah siege: laying the ghost of 1979 to rest
JEDDAH: Today, Saudi Arabia's leadership is working to reverse the years of social regression triggered in part by the November 1979 siege of the Grand Mosque in Makkah. Speaking at the Future Investment Initiative conference in 2017 in Riyadh, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said: “We are returning to what we were before - a country of moderate Islam that is open to all religions and to the world.” And in an interview conducted last year, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said that before the Iranian Revolution and the siege of Makkah rocked the Muslim world, “we were just normal people developing like any other country in the world until the events of 1979.” If there is a specific date that
Why Seychelles has world's worst heroin problem
The island paradise of Seychelles is suffering from a drug epidemic of huge proportions. Known for its coral reefs, mangroves and white sandy beaches, 360,000 tourists travel to the Indian Ocean archipelago each year for a holiday of a lifetime. But look beyond the private islands, the boutique resorts and high-end restaurants, and the small nation is battling a heroin epidemic of huge proportions. Between 5,000 and 6,000 people out of a total population of 94,000 - the equivalent of nearly 10% of the working population - are addicted to heroin, according to the Agency for the Prevention of Drug Abuse and Rehabilitation (APDAR) in the Seychelles. Per capita, the Seychelles suffers from the highest
- english.alarabiya.net
Iran summons Swiss ambassador over US comments about unrest: Report
Iran's foreign ministry summoned the Swiss ambassador in Tehran on Wednesday over US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's support for protesters demonstrating about fuel price hikes, the official IRNA news agency reported. Iran told the Swiss envoy, who represents US interests in the Islamic Republic because Iran and the US do not have formal diplomatic ties, that the official US statements were an interference in Iran's internal affairs.
- Al Jazeera
Experts in India find out how 18,000 birds died in 10 days
After an estimated 18,000 birds are found dead along an Indian saltwater lake in the western state of Rajasthan, experts said they suspect avian botulism to be the cause. Migratory birds such as plover, shoveller, teal and mallard were the worst affected in the incident, which, according to experts, was unprecedented in India's wildlife history. More: India to implement nationwide citizenship count Indian soldiers killed after avalanche hits Siachen Glacier Police round up students in India's capital as fee protests grow According to local officials, tourists on November 10, while visiting Sambhar Lake - situated 80km (49 miles) southwest of Rajasthan's main city of Jaipur - noticed thousands
India's 'living bridges' get stronger as they grow
They're not the world's tallest or longest bridges, but a string of humble river crossings sculpted from tree roots in India are engineering marvels that contain lessons for modern architects. Researchers say these little-studied structures, which can stretch for up to 50 meters and last for hundreds of years, could help our cities adapt to rising temperatures associated with the climate crisis. "It's really incredible how strong they are and they are growing stronger over time. They are really anchored to the earth but they don't have any negative impact on the environment -- they part of it," said Ferdinand Ludvig, professor for green technologies in landscape architecture at the Technical
Brexit: Labour pledges new deal with no Irish Sea border
The Labour Party has said it will negotiate a new Brexit deal that would not effectively create a regulatory border in the Irish Sea. The party made the pledge in its general election manifesto. The deal agreed between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the EU would mean a regulatory border would be in place. Northern Ireland would continue to follow EU regulations on goods and agriculture but the rest of the UK would not. That is likely to mean new checks on some goods at Irish Sea ports, particularly on food products. Labour said it would avoid such a border through a deal in which the whole of the UK would have "close alignment" with the EU single market. 'Vital to protect manufacturing' The
