HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Atop many Christmas wish lists in economically troubled Zimbabwe is a travel document, and people are flooding the passport office this holiday season ahead of a price hike planned in the New Year. Nolan Mukona said he woke up at dawn to get in line at the passport office but when he arrived at 5 a.m. there were already more than 100 people waiting. Atop many Christmas wish lists in economically troubled Zimbabwe is a travel document and people are flooding the passport office this holiday season ahead of a price hike planned in the New Year. Atop many Christmas wish lists in economically troubled Zimbabwe is a travel document and people are flooding the passport office this holiday season ahead of a price hike planned in the New Year. The passport office has increased working hours to operate at night to cater to the growing numbers.

Qatar Airways has this week announced it’s 2024 network expansion, which consists of an expansion to Hamburg and a return to Venice. Without further ado, let’s get into it…Qatar Airways Expands to Hamburg, Venice Returns…Photo Credit: Harrison Rowe/AviationSourceQatar Airways has laid out the following scheduling for Hamburg and Venice flights, effective from June 12 and July 1 next year respectively:Doha to Venice departing at 09:00 and arriving 14:20 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Venice to Doha departing at 16:50 and arriving at 23:10 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Doha to Hamburg departing at 08:35 and arriving at 14:10 on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Engr.

ISLAMABAD, Dec 24 (APP): The Ethiopian Tourism Pavilion at the Karachi Feast received an overwhelming response, attracting an impressive influx of more than 25,000 visitors over the three-day extravaganza which concluded on Sunday. Caretaker Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Madad Ali Sindhi graced the Ethiopian Pavilion with his presence at the Karachi Festival on Saturday. An industrious endeavour by the Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in Pakistan emerged as a beacon of cultural richness and tourism allure during the Karachi Feast. The Ethiopian Tourism Pavilion gave a captivating display of Ethiopia’s multifaceted culture, rich heritage, and unparalleled tourism offerings. The cultural performances by the Ethiopian Embassy elicited immense applause, further enhancing the immersive experience for the Karachi audience.

On 19th December 2023, the Ethiopian Catholic Church has launched her Ten-Year Plan which was under preparation since July 2022 until September 2023. The strategic plan titled: Ethiopian Catholic Church Ten-Year Plan (ECC-TYP) is a long-term plan, which was completed at the end of 2015 in the Ethiopian calendar (September 2023) and is starting the execution phase as of 2024. All leaders of religious denominations have congratulated the Church in reaching to this big milestone and have promised to commit in working with the Catholic Church in addressing common issues. The Bishops conference will oversee, monitor and evaluate the implementation regularly. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ethiopia.

DNAKARACHI: The Ethiopian Tourism Pavilion at the Karachi Feast received an overwhelming response, attracting an impressive influx of more than 25,000 visitors over the three-day extravaganza which concluded on Sunday. Madad Ali Sindhi, graced the Ethiopian Pavilion with his presence at the Karachi Festival on Saturday. An industrious endeavor by the Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in Pakistan emerged as a beacon of cultural richness and tourism allure during the Karachi Feast. The Ethiopian Tourism Pavilion gave a captivating display of Ethiopia’s multifaceted culture, rich heritage, and unparalleled tourism offerings. The cultural performances by the Ethiopian Embassy elicited immense applause, further enhancing the immersive experience for the Karachi audience.

The fourth round of trilateral negotiations involving Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) ended this week in Addis Ababa, without an agreement. "Considering the importance of painstaking discussions to reach an agreement, Ethiopia and Sudan insisted on the continuation of the negotiations. Not only has Egypt taken part in these talks half-heartedly, but it has also worked against the success of the talks. The statements Egypt issued before and after each round of talks indicate this lack of genuine interest and commitment to reach an agreement. Recent reports also reveal that Ethiopia and Egypt had appealed to the United Nations Security Council on the issue of GERD.

Saudi soprano Reemaz Oqbi shines on global stageRIYADH: Saudi soprano Reemaz Oqbi recently enthralled an international audience with her voice as the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir took the world-renowned Metropolitan Opera House in New York City by storm. After dabbling in various genres, Oqbi found that classical music was where she could express herself best. Reemaz Oqbi, Saudi opera singerClassical music, a genre originating in Europe, has grown to cultivate an air of prestige, often with elitist stigma originating from Eurocentric beliefs. Reemaz Oqbi, Saudi opera singerIn one of her recent private shows, she performed “Habanera” from the opera “Carmen” by French composer Georges Bizet. The Saudi Music Commission hosted the International Opera Festival earlier this year in Riyadh.

Islamabad : Pakistan Works Department (PWD), Ministry of Housing and Works has upgraded and renovated as many as 2,385 houses and flats in various sectors of Islamabad during the last five and half years. “The PWD has carried out EM works of as many as 1,365 flats and houses while around 1,012 civil work is executed of different categories,” an official in the ministry told APP. Pakistan Public Works Department (PWD) representatives are seen in a meeting to review the progress of development projects. — Facebook/DhoIslamabadThe official said the ministry has owned as many as 5,253 houses and flats of categories-I to categories-V located in various sectors in the federal capital. He said the Capital Development Authority (CDA) was responsible for the maintenance and renovation of Pak Secretariat, Islamabad, therefore, no fund has been spent on ministry’s renovation.

ALKHOBAR: With the lingering scent of freshly fried fish and the enticing aroma of brewed coffee, Alkhobar welcomed its first Seafood Festival recently, just a short walk from the corniche. A wide range of seafood is available to buy from local eateries, from fish tacos and poke bowls to traditional rice dishes and soups. The festival, which features about 30 booths, is not just about food, but also offers educational and recreational activities. “This festival represents a valuable opportunity to explore various flavors from around the world, with the participation of a selection of seafood restaurants. We have participated at another local festival before, but this is the first Seafood Festival outside in the fresh air, and honestly, I’m shocked at the crowd and how popular it is.

KARACHI - Caretaker Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Madad Ali Sindhi graced the Ethiopian Pavilion with his presence at the Karachi Festival on Saturday. On arrival, the minister was welcomed by Ethiopian Ambassador to Pakistan, Jemal Beker Abdula. The minister, on the occasion, witnessed mesmerizing cultural performances at the pavilion and savoured Ethiopian coffee which had become the centre of attraction at the Karachi Feast. Madad Ali Sindhi commended Ambassador Jemal Beker Abdula for the commendable initiative of introducing Ethiopian tourism and culture to Pakistan. Ambassador Jemal Beker Abdula extended gratitude to the minister for gracing the Ethiopian tourism pavilion with his presence.

ISLAMABAD, Dec 23 (APP): Caretaker Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Madad Ali Sindhi graced the Ethiopian Pavilion with his presence at the Karachi Festival on Saturday. On arrival, the minister was welcomed by Ethiopian Ambassador to Pakistan, Jemal Beker Abdula. The minister, on the occasion, witnessed mesmerizing cultural performances at the pavilion and savoured Ethiopian coffee which had become the centre of attraction at the Karachi Feast. Madad Ali Sindhi commended Ambassador Jemal Beker Abdula for the commendable initiative of introducing Ethiopian tourism and culture to Pakistan. Ambassador Jemal Beker Abdula extended gratitude to the minister for gracing the Ethiopian tourism pavilion with his presence.

That sets up a fast and furious special election on February 13 that could preview the parties’ standing among suburbanites — the nation’s most impactful voting group — ahead of the November 2024 election, when every House seat will be up for grabs. While Pilip, a mother of seven, is actually registered as a Democrat, she has twice won races for the county legislature on the Republican Party line. Based on early comments, a leading strategy in this special election will be to cast the opponent as an extremist. Thus, aside from the Israel-Hamas war, she has taken few publicized positions on hot button national issues that energize voters. Can Suozzi taint Pilip by reminding voters that, before repudiating him, Mazi had campaigned alongside Santos and said that he was an “amazing” friend?

RIYADH: Saudi authorities arrested 16,899 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday. According to an official report, a total of 11,033 people were arrested for violations of residency laws, while 3,493 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 2,373 for labor-related issues. The report showed that among the 769 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 39 percent were Yemeni, 58 percent Ethiopian, and 3 percent were of other nationalities. A further 80 people were caught trying to cross into neighboring countries, and 11 were held for involvement in transporting and harboring violators. Suspected violations can be reported on the toll-free number 911 in the Makkah and Riyadh regions, and 999 or 996 in other regions of the Kingdom.

Earlier this week, an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787 ran off the runway at Oslo Gardermoen prior to it’s departure. Incident: Ethiopian 787 Runs off Runway in Oslo Gardermoen Airport…Data provided by RadarBox.com. Ethiopian Airlines flight ET715 is a routine scheduled flight between Oslo Gardermoen Airport and Stockholm Arlanda, with the affected rotation being operated by ET-ATH. 📸VG pic.twitter.com/jZws9VLZCp — FL360aero (@fl360aero) December 21, 2023Ethiopian Airlines flight ET715 pushed back from a very snowy Oslo Gardermoen Airport on December 21 and taxied out to the active runway. It is understood that all occupants are safe, but air traffic in Oslo Gardermoen was disrupted as a result of this incident.

In a move which aims to bolster its operational efficiency, Virgin Australia has taken the decision to insource its Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne international ramp (baggage handling) operations, effective early 2024. Domestic Ramp OperationsVirgin Australia has been at the forefront of insourced domestic ramp operations across major airports, a testament to its commitment to quality service and operational control. Photo Credit: Virgin AustraliaFleet Expansion and OpportunitiesThe decision to insource international ramp operations is not just a response to the present but a strategic anticipation of the future. Virgin Australia is set to receive a new fleet of fuel-efficient aircraft, opening doors to growth and development. The Road Ahead: Seizing OpportunitiesAs Virgin Australia takes charge of its international ramp operations, the aviation industry sees a strategic shift that goes beyond immediate gains.