Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world

WAMEthiopian Addisu Gobena won the gold in the 42.195 km course of the 23rd edition of the Dubai Marathon on Sunday with a time of 02:05:01 hours. Organised by the Dubai Sports Council, the 2024 Dubai Marathon kicked off on Sunday with three races – the 4km fun run, the 10km road race and the classic 42.195km marathon distance. Meanwhile, Ethiopia's Kitema Tekese won the women's title in the same category, with a record time of 02:16:07 hours. Runners raced on the Umm Suqeim Road close to the Dubai Police Academy with the 42.195km distance taking in Jumeirah Beach Road and passing in the shadows of the iconic Burj Al Arab and Madinat properties.

XIAMEN, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian Asefa Boki Kebebe claimed the men's title, while his compatriot Bekelech Gudeta Borecha took the women's gold in the 2024 Xiamen Marathon on Sunday morning. Felix Kiptoo Kirwa from Kenya and Othmane El Goumri from Morocco took the silver and bronze medals in 2:06:52 and 2:07:18 respectively. The women's title went to Borecha who clocked 2:22:54, while Fatima Ezzahra Gardadi from Morocco finished second in 2:24:12. As one of China's top marathons, the 2024 Xiamen Marathon has attracted 30,000 contestants. The Xiamen Marathon gained the World Athletics Elite Platinum Label in 2021, becoming the second Chinese marathon race to win this label after the Shanghai Marathon.

Stephanie King wears an oxygen mask while recording a video aboard her Alaska Airlines flight on Friday. I wasn’t sure what was going on and felt pretty scared,” she told CNN by phone Saturday. Several passengers closer to the hole in the plane were frantic and moved to empty seats away from the incident, King told CNN. Once the area was cleared, the de-boarding process started, King told CNN. It was eerie, actually, how quiet and calm everybody was just because it was so unreal,” she told CNN.

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The FAA has grounded more than 100 Boeing 737 Max 9 airplanes after a panel blew out from an Alaska Airlines plane mid-flight this weekend. That grounding, after the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes, lasted from roughly March 2019 to December 2020. Right now Chicago-based United has 79 of the 737 Max 9 planes. The airline has temporarily suspended service on all of them to conduct inspections required by the FAA. United Airlines released the following statement Saturday:

Dubai: Former world champion Paula Radcliffe says running can be fun and the advent of Super Shoes has only accelerated the growth of marathon in recent years. I think it is very special to me,” said Radcliffe, who ended her competitive running in the London Marathon in 2015. Hence, Dubai Marathon organisers have set a target of around 20,000 people to take part in the run. Dera Dida will be defending her Dubai Marathon title on Sunday. They train hard and for them a way to do well and be successful in life is through running,” Radcliffe said.

Somalia declared the pact between Addis and Hargeisa null and void and promptly recalled its envoy in Addis Ababa. AdvertisementBut Somalia is happy that its traditional allies stood by it. The African Union and Igad, urged both sides to de-escalate and discuss the matter amicably, something Mogadishu dismissed. Kenya endorsed the African Union position and asked both sides to respect territorial integrity of one another. There are reasons neighbours have asked for de-escalation, even as allies like Egypt firmly stood in the corner of Somalia (Egypt has a Nile dispute with Addis).

Orthodox Christians packed churches Saturday night for Christmas Eve services, a holiday overshadowed for many believers by conflict. Patriarch Kirill, leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, the world's largest Orthodox denomination, led elaborate and well-attended services at Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral. About 80% of believers are Orthodox, belonging to the Russian Orthodox Church, while around 14% are Catholics, living mainly in the west, north and center of the country. He usually attends Christmas Eve services and lights a candle in an Orthodox church. Dozens of Iraqi Armenian Orthodox Christians attended Christmas Eve Mass in Baghdad but the celebration was limited to Christmas prayers and rituals.

Those on board Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 described an unnerving experience during the 20 minutes of the flight, which was destined for Ontario, Calif., but returned to Portland International Airport in Oregon on Friday night. As yellow oxygen masks dangled above their heads, a powerful wind tore through a gaping hole that showed the night sky and the city lights below. A passenger, Vi Nguyen of Portland, said that she woke up to a loud sound during the flight. “I open up my eyes and the first thing I see is the oxygen mask right in front of me,” Ms. Nguyen, 22, said. “And I look to the left and the wall on the side of the plane is gone.”

Helen, a 5-year-old migrant girl from Venezuela traveling with her family and seeking asylum in the United States, covers herself from the cold during the celebration of Epiphany Day, at the border between Mexico and the United States, in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, January 6, 2024.

On Friday an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 was left with a large hole in the side when a window panel blew out seven minutes after takeoff from Portland, Oregon. US aviation officials have ordered all Boeing 737 Max 9 planes to be inspected after the incident. A Max 8 jet operated by Lion Air crashed in Indonesia in 2018, and an Ethiopian Airlines Max 8 crashed in 2019. And in December, Boeing told airlines to inspect the planes for a possible loose bolt in the rudder-control system. Australia's air regulator -the Civil Aviation Safety Authority- says there are currently no Boeing 737 Max 9s flown by any airlines in Australia.

JUNE 2020: Boeing begins a series of long-delayed flight tests of its redesigned 737 MAX with regulators at the controls. APRIL 2021: Boeing halts 737 MAX deliveries after electrical problems re-ground part of the fleet. JULY 2023: Boeing's first delivery of the 737 MAX 7 is delayed to 2024. AUGUST 2023: Boeing identifies a new 737 MAX supplier quality problem involving improperly drilled holes on the aft pressure bulkhead. SEPTEMBER 2023: Boeing 737 MAX deliveries fall to their lowest levels since August 2021.

A window panel blew out on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 Max seven minutes after takeoff from Portland, Oregon, on Friday. Affected travelers should work with Alaska Airlines’ customer service directly to rebook tickets, according to SFO airport duty manager Anthony Nguyen: Newark Liberty International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Orlando International Airport, Tampa International Airport and Puerto Vallarta International Airport. No flights scheduled to depart from San José Mineta International Airport or Oakland International Airport were impacted by the cancellations. ”After federal officials on Saturday ordered the immediate grounding of Boeing 737-9 Max jetliners, one additional flight – operated by United Airlines – was canceled at SFO. A Max 8 jet operated by Lion Air crashed in Indonesia in 2018, and an Ethiopian Airlines Max 8 crashed in 2019.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said the bill was an “illustration of our commitment to safeguard our unity, sovereignty & territorial integrity as per international law”. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 amid a civil war in the country’s south and has operated autonomously since. Hargeisa, Somaliland’s capital, claims the borders of the former British protectorate of Somaliland in northern Somalia. The spokesperson for Turkey’s foreign ministry also expressed its support for the “unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity” of Somalia. The deal has divided public opinion across Somalia and Somaliland, sparking several demonstrations and counter-demonstrations against the handover of territory to Ethiopia, with which Somalia has a history of conflict.

A diplomatic exhibition focusing on Ethiopia’s past and current diplomatic achievements is set to be held next week, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA)The Ethiopian Diplomacy Week will take place ‪from January 11 to February 2, 2024‬. MoFA’s spokesperson Ambassador Meles Alem told the press today that showcasing Ethiopia’s long history of diplomacy is one way to highlight its role in Africa, the Horn of Africa, and global venues. The exhibition aims to inspire Ethiopians to discover more about their country’s diplomatic history and to help them appreciate its potential, build trust, and contribute in the future, the ambassador said. Per the spokesperson, the event is also important in preserving the institution’s memory and showing the potential for new diplomatic avenues in the future. The exhibition will be held at the Science Museum in Addis Ababa under the theme “From an African Hub to the World Stage.”