Dubai  - The volume of air traffic through the United Arab Emirates (UAE), one of the Middle East's key transport hubs, will continue to grow in 2009, although the rate of growth is expected to slow down, a civil aviation official said on Thursday.

Saif Mohamed al-Suwaidi, the Director General of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), said that the number of flights in 2008 had increased by around 10.3 per cent compared to 2007, reaching 489,000 flights.

Jerusalem, Dec. 25, 2008 -- Foreign Minister, H. H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, joined Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian Prime Minister, Dr. Sallam Fayyad, to attend the Midnight Mass at the Church of Nativity here in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, to mark the Christmas for all the various Christian denominations.

Dubai, 25 Dec, 2008 - Tatweer Dubai, a member of Dubai Holding, today announced Taasees, an integrated one-stop centre offering the services of 10 UAE government departments, has commenced operations from its premises at the Dubai Industrial City headquarters.

As the largest of its kind facility in the UAE, Taasees features 14 counters to provide optimum ease of service to business partners operating in and around Dubai, as well as to the general public wishing to seek its comprehensive benefits.

Sana'a, Dec. 25, 2008 -- A convoy of trucks carrying 115 tons of relief assistance, including food items, winter cloths, blankets and other essential items, has arrived in this Yemeni town of Seyun as part of a humanitarian programme launched by the UAE Red Crescent Authority to help alleviate the sufferings of the victims of the flood that hit Wadi Hadramaut in recent time.

The RCA delegation accompanying the convoy distributed the relief assitance to the affected families in the town of Shubam.

Jerusalem, 25 Dec. 2008 - UAE Foreign Minister H. H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan has reiterated commitment to the Arab initiative for peace with Israel, describing it as the "solution for all the region's problems." Speaking at a joint press conference with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazin in the West Bank's city of Bethlehem, Sheikh Abdullah said he was honoured to meet with Abbas and the Palestinian people.

Dubai, Dec 24 : The England team was fined for maintaining a slow over-rate during its six-wicket defeat against India in the first Test played in Chennai between 11 and 15 December.

Jeff Crowe of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees imposed the fines after Kevin Pietersen's side was ruled to be one over short of its target when time allowances were taken into consideration.