Qantas flight to Dubai returns to Sydney due to technical snag

The Airbus A380 aircraft turned back an hour into its journey

Emirates resumes flights to Guinea capital Conakry

The airline had suspended flights to the city in 2014 over Ebola fears

Saudi princess to lead new women’s sports initiative

Appointment of Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan comes days ahead of the Rio Olympic Games, where four Saudi women will compete

Dubai schools allowed to raise fees by 6.4%

School fees hike approved in Abu Dhabi

51 private schools given green light to raise fees by 6 per cent

UAE non-oil private sector sees strongest hiring since May 2015

Monthly Emirates NBD index says growth in the sector hit a 10-month high in July

Legal view: What you should know about the UAE’s VPN law

No clarity yet about what exactly constitutes a “crime” when using VPNs

Saudi prepares rules for real estate funds amid housing push

Saudi Arabia aims to build 1.5 million homes over the next seven or eight years

Heritage hotel planned for Saudi UNESCO site Ad’Diriyah

The property will aim to imitate the design of the site’s mud buildings

Dubai to invest $270m in future accelerators programme

The programme, launched last month, includes seven future challenges to be addressed by companies and entrepreneurs

Etihad launches 787 Dreamliner to Shanghai

The aircraft increases capacity on the route by 14 per cent

Kuwaiti conglomerate doubles maternity leave for UAE staff

Alghanim also offers women an option to extend leave by four months without pay

Revealed: World’s top 10 most socially progressed nations

The UAE ranks high among the most socially progressed nations in the region

Kuwait reveals plans for smart, environmentally friendly city

South Saad Al-Abdullah city has been designed to accommodate 400,000 people

Passenger traffic at Abu Dhabi airport up 6.6% in first half of 2016

The UAE capital welcomed over 11.84 million passengers at its international airport in H1

Kuwait approves 83% petrol price increase

The new prices aim to put Kuwait in line with other Gulf States

Calls for return to Hijri calendar in Saudi over lost pay

Workers lose 15 days of pay each year under the current system, an analyst has claimed

UAE’s TRA clarifies that VPN law will not affect ‘legitimate’ users

The telecoms regulatory authority said that it is streamlining the use of VPNs in the country

Abu Dhabi’s Aldar Properties Q2 net profit up 9.7%

Aldar made a profit of Dhs 657.4m in the three months to June 30

Saudi appoints first female commercial judge

No woman has previously been appointed in any ministry judicial role

Saudi plans $1.1bn fund for smaller companies

The fund will invest in venture capital operations

Qatar’s Barwa Real Estate buys land for $175.8m in Saudi

The deal is part of Barwa’s plan to explore potential real estate investment opportunities in the kingdom

Road closure to hit motorists in Old Dubai, Karama

Rush hour traffic for those travelling between Karama and Old Dubai is expected to be impacted by improvement works

Former RAKIA CEO ends negotiations over alleged $1.5bn fraud

The businessman is facing further criminal charges following accusations of global embezzlement

Bahrain’s Ahli United Bank raises stake in Commercial Bank of Iraq

AUB acquired a 49 per cent stake in the bank in December 2005

Dubai-based camel milk producer receives VAT exemption

Value added tax is expected to be introduced in the UAE in 2018

Dubai Investments profit up 2% in H1

The firm’s CEO said it will continue to broaden its footprint and asset base

e-Gate pass system launched at Jebel Ali Free Zone

New passes to improve free zone access ahead of Expo 2020

Saudi approves $336m of projects in Jubail and Yanbu

The projects include commercial centres, hotels and residential buildings

Kuwait to invest $15.75bn in 2017-18 development plan

Financing of the current five-year development plan is being shared by the public and private sectors

Iraqi Airways plane makes emergency landing in Kuwait

The incident happened on a Boeing 767 that was heading to New Delhi