Saudi wealth fund may close its biggest-ever loan deal this week

The Public Investment Fund is raising about $15bn from a group of international banks to finance new investments

covid-19 vaccine dubai

Dubai expands Covid-19 vaccine eligibility criteria

Those aged 60 and above with a resident visa issued in any emirate, but residing in Dubai, can register for the vaccine

Dubai-listed Emaar Properties and Emaar Malls announce merger plans

As part of the transaction, the existing business of Emaar Malls will be reconstituted in a wholly owned subsidiary of Emaar Properties

DIFC employee savings plan locks in $127m in assets under management in first year

Within one year, 19,182 members of the DIFC workforce have been enrolled in the plan

Dubai UAE

Dubai Culture to grant 10-year residency visas to 1,000 individuals in upcoming phase

Since the announcement of the Cultural Visa in 2019, Dubai Culture has received 261 visa applications from 46 countries

HSBC appoints Mohammed Al Marzouqi as head of global banking in the UAE

Mohammed was previously head of Abu Dhabi coverage for HSBC global banking

Emirates Dubai Australia

Dubai’s RTA, Emirates sign agreement to cooperate in asset management

This agreement follows the Dubai government’s directive for government entities to leverage the expertise of semi-government and private organisations

Covid-19 update: UAE reports 2,721 cases, 1,666 recoveries and 15 deaths

The nationwide case count has now risen to 396,711

Whats On Saudi

UAE-based lifestyle brand What’s On launches new website for the Saudi market

The site will focus on food, news, travel and local culture in Riyadh and Jeddah – with expansion to more cities towards Q4 2021

Mosque Dubai Ramadan tent

Covid-19: All Ramadan tent permits in Dubai are cancelled

The Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department said that no tents are allowed outside mosques, houses or any other public places during Ramadan

Etihad Hub71

Etihad to become official partner of Abu Dhabi’s tech startup venture Hub71

Hub71, is a flagship initiative of Ghadan 21, Abu Dhabi’s accelerator programme for business in the capital

Revealed: Top TikTok influencers in the GCC

TikTok’s approbation in the region continues to gain momentum

NCB, Samba shareholders approve merger to create Saudi National Bank, kingdom’s biggest lender

Operations under the new name and structure are planned to start on April 1, 2021

Dewa Jebel Ali Power Generation and Water Production Complex

Dubai’s DEWA bags Guinness record for largest single-site natural gas power facility

The complex can generate 9,547 MW of electricity

Oman Muscat

Oman suspends commercial activities from March 4-20

Restaurants and cafés across the country must close daily between 8pm-5am

Wealth fund newbie comes into focus in Abu Dhabi’s $1 trillion sovereign hub

ADQ has over 100 employees and its combined portfolio of 90 companies have more than 70,000 people working for them

Saudi missile 2

Five civilians injured, property damaged in missile attack in Saudi’s Jazan

The military projectile, launched from Yemen, fell on a public street in the Saudi city

UAE’s Amanat buys Cambridge Medical in $232m deal

Cambridge Medical and Rehabilitation Center is a post-acute care and rehabilitation provider

Mohamed Mahmoud Al Khaja Israel UAE

UAE ambassador Mohamed Mahmoud Al Khaja meets Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin

Apart from Rivlin, Al Khaja also met with Gabi Ashkenazi, Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs, in Tel Aviv

Covid-19 update: UAE reports 2,526 cases, 17 deaths

The death toll in the UAE has risen to 1,238

Fireworks at Global Village S25 (1) copy

Dubai’s Global Village to resume ‘musical fireworks’

The venue had announced on February 3 that all shows and street entertainment will remain suspended

Sacha Jafri The Journey of Humanity Dubai

Sacha Jafri attempts to raise Dhs110m with record 17,000 sqft painting in Dubai

The artwork was created over 28 weeks in the ballroom of the Atlantis, The Palm from March to September 2020

UAE bans import of eggs, live birds from Estonia, Romania

The announcement was made by the UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment on Monday morning

Tencent Cloud to set up cloud data centre in Bahrain

The data centre will be the first in the MENA region and will go live by the end of 2021

Emirates Dubai Khartoum

Emirates to operate daily flights between Dubai and Sudan’s capital Khartoum

The daily flights will commence from March 9, 2021

Customers flying Dubai’s Emirates can now purchase empty adjoining seats, starting at Dhs200

The airline has also introduced discounts on excess baggage rates to support demand from customers

ADCB expands mortgage business, acquires portfolio from Abu Dhabi Finance

Customers are expected to transfer to the ADCB banking platform during the first half of 2021

Astral Aviation Sharjah

Kenyan cargo airline, Astral Aviation, begins flights to Sharjah

There will be two flights per week from Nairobi in Kenya to Sharjah using Boeing 767 aircraft

Trump’s Dubai golf expansion gets delayed until at least 2022

The 18-hole course designed by Tiger Woods is reportedly facing another delay

Oman transfers stake in biggest oil block to new energy firm

Energy Development Oman will hold the country’s 60 per cent stake in Block 6