Saudi wealth fund PIF hires former IFC official as chief economist

PIF, which is chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, manages over $250bn in assets

Saudi philanthropist Princess Al-Bandari dies

She was the CEO of the King Khalid Foundation and associated with several NGOs

Several shops shut down in Saudisation drive after illegal expat practices exposed

Saudisation is now mandatory in several retail sectors in the kingdom

Saudi energy minister optimistic on commitment to OPEC+ oil supply cut

Conformity with the cuts in the first two months of this year are less than levels seen in 2017 and 2018

Abu Dhabi’s ADNOC awards Japan’s Inpex Corp onshore exploration concession

The 35-year concession is for Onshore Block 4, and Inpex will invest up to Dhs646m in the block

New ‘paperless’ Dubai rental platform to provide tenants Ejari contract in ‘few minutes’

Tenants can complete five services online including finding a home, signing the tenancy contract and arranging DEWA services

UAE weather: Rains expected with low visibility warning

Strong winds, reaching speeds of up to 60km/hr in the coastal and mountainous areas, are forecast in the country

Saudi stocks set to receive $20bn windfall as kingdom joins major indices

Saudi stocks join the FTSE Emerging All Cap Index this week

One Saudi national killed, another injured in New Zealand terror attack

Those killed at the mosque shootings on Friday included Muslim nationals from across the world

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed meets Zimbabwe President in Abu Dhabi

The two leaders discussed improving ties in areas such as investment and economy

Dubai sets up committee to ensure city readiness for Expo 2020

The six-month event will begin on October 20, 2020

Saudi introduces new regulatory amendments to improve zakat collection

The government will assume the zakat liability on state-issued debt instrument

Saudi’s Flyadeal to decide on Boeing 737 MAX order after crash investigations

Flyadeal ordered 30 Boeing 737 MAX 8s last December with purchasing options for 20 more in a deal worth $5.9bn

GCC telcos: Innovation on speed-dial

How regional telecommunication companies are pushing the tech limits in increasingly new and exciting ways

Why Saudi’s family businesses need to focus on succession planning

Family businesses need to have a solid family constitution and corporate governance framework in place

Five key skills needed to work in start-ups in the MENA region

With the region encouraging entrepreneurship, more jobs are expected to be available for graduates in start-ups

Abu Dhabi state investor Mubadala halts business with Goldman Sachs amid 1MDB lawsuit

Mubadala subsidiary IPIC filed a lawsuit against Goldman Sachs last year in relation to its dealings with Malaysian state fund 1MDB

Premier Inn opens its largest regional hotel in Dubai

The 389-room Premier Inn Al Jaddaf is the brand’s seventh hotel in the UAE

Flydubai says Boeing 737 MAX remains integral to future strategy

The airline is one of the biggest customers of the MAX aircraft, having ordered 250 jets since 2013

Saudi Aramco shifts strategy in China to boost oil sales

The state-oil company is reportedly seeking new buyers, including smaller, independently run refiners

Akon, Pitbull among singers confirmed for concerts in Saudi this month

The Sharqiah season, running from March 14-30, will see cultural events across the Eastern Province

Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways posts third consecutive annual loss in 2018

The airline’s net loss narrowed to $1.28bn for last year

Dubai’s DP World posts 10% rise in 2018 profit despite global trade tensions

The company’s full-year revenue was $5.65bn versus $4.72bn a year ago

Ethiopian Airlines crash: Saudi victim’s body not yet located

The Saudi national was among the 157 people who died when the Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed on Sunday

Saudi firm AHAB files for financial restructuring under new bankruptcy law

Creditors have been pursuing AHAB and Saad Group since they defaulted on about $22bn in combined debt in 2009

Motorists urged to be careful as fog envelops the UAE

Police urged those driving to avoid taking videos of the weather on their phones

Saudi Real Estate Refinance Co issues $200m sukuk

SRC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund PIF, aims to accelerate housing construction

Dubai’s Global Village extends current season by another week

The tourist destination has pushed back its closing date for the current season to April 13

Abu Dhabi Airports freezone waives licence fees for new companies

The freezone has also received approval for an exclusion of VAT in designated zones

Arada adds student accommodation to $6.5bn Aljada project

The Sharjah-based real estate developer has launched a 2,600-bed purpose-built student accommodation hub called Nest