Emirates, flydubai to increase network of codeshare flights in 2019

The two airlines jointly carried 3.29 million customers on codeshare flights last year

UAE announces $5m aid package for Syrian refugees in Lebanon

The funding is aimed at helping refugees during the winter months

Dubai’s Al Habtoor denies link with entity mulling acquisition of Leela hotel group

Indian media reports claimed that Rashid Al Habtoor had revealed plans to buy the Indian hotel chain

Saudi to provide cash incentives to private sector employers to hire locals

The government will offer support for Saudi employees earning between SAR4,000 and SAR10,000 per month

Abu Dhabi’s Etihad proposes to invest in Jet Airways at 49% discount

Etihad already owns a 24 per cent stake in the struggling Indian airline, which has been roiled by financial difficulties

Dubai hotel Jumeirah Al Qasr completes room upgrades

Changes designed to provide guests with a ‘rich yet modern’ guest experience

Loan growth, higher margins boost Dubai bank Emirates NBD’s Q4 net profit

The lender reported a 10 per cent rise in fourth-quarter net profit

Ras Al Khaimah zipline set to reopen this week following helicopter crash

The zipline was closed down due to a tragic helicopter crash late last month that killed all the four people onboard

Dubai skyline

Dubai’s non-oil sector growth eases, with job cuts in construction, travel and tourism

The Emirates NBD Dubai economy tracker index fell to its second-lowest reading in over two years in December

Saudi sees domestic energy use falling due to hike in gas, power prices

The kingdom is also investing heavily in its renewable energy sector

First Abu Dhabi Bank plans to raise $750m in sukuk

FAB is the first issuer in the Gulf to tap the international sukuk market this year

UAE telco du reveals plans for health blockchain solution

The solution will help verify if blood bags and pharmaceutical products are authentic across the medical supply chain

Revealed: The biggest hotels on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah

At present, the Palm has 18 hotels and hotel apartments that are operational with several more in the pipeline

Dubai radio presenter James Aramouni dies at 28

James Aramouni joined Shock Middle East in October 2017 as the Dance 97.8 Drive Time presenter

Abu Dhabi’s Masdar to buy wind farm stakes from John Laing Group

Masdar said it was buying stakes in the Rocksprings wind farm in Texas and the Sterling wind farm in New Mexico

Abu Dhabi-bound Etihad plane returns to Manchester after reports of ‘loud bang’

Abu Dhabi airline says there was a “technical issue” with the aircraft

Abu Dhabi’s ADNH signs Dhs1.6bn loan to fund acquisition of Dubai hotels

Abu Dhabi National Hotels announced in November that it would acquire five hotels from Emaar

Acwa power solar panels

Abu Dhabi’s investment into renewable energy reaches $2.2bn

Among the emirate’s big investments are the Dhs2.2bn Shams 1 project, and Dhs3.2bn Noor Abu Dhabi

US’s Pompeo: Saudis assured me of accountability for Khashoggi murder

During meetings lasting 80 minutes total, Pompeo said he had raised human rights issues and discussed Yemen

RTA taxi bookings in Dubai hit record 12m in 2018

The number of bookings was up 17 per cent from 2017’s 10.5m

Abu Dhabi’s Taqa says investments in 2018 reached $30bn

The company said it had coped with declining oil prices by reducing expenditures in 2018 by $750m

Saudi foreign ministry denies reopening Damascus embassy

The UAE re-opened its embassy in Damascus last month

Bahrain’s Investcorp, Coller form $1bn European private equity fund

The deal also includes fresh capital for any follow-on investments and future investments

Drone users in Saudi now require permits to operate them

Drones need to be registered for commercial as well as personal usage

Saudi’s Riyad Bank selects Goldman to advise on merger talks with NCB

A merger between the banks would create a combined bank holding $183bn in assets

Revealed: World’s best and worst passports for travel in 2019

The UAE, which has risen by five spots, ranks highest in the region

US’s Pompeo meets Saudi leaders, cancels Kuwait visit

The US official is cutting short the rest of his Middle East trip to attend a family funeral

ACWA plans to make solar panels as part of SoftBank and Saudi fund’s $200bn project

Last year SoftBank announced plans to create the world’s biggest solar power project in Saudi Arabia

Dubai Parks and Resorts records almost 2.8 million visits in 2018

Average occupancy at the Lapita hotel rose to 60 per cent in 2018, compared to 35 per cent in 2017

Pics: Fairmont opens 298-room Riyadh hotel, its first in the Saudi capital

The luxury hotel is located at the Business Gate community