Helipads planned alongside three Dubai metro stations

The helipads will be used during emergency situations for medical evacuation, officials said

Emirates’ Jennifer Aniston TV ads to cost $20m

The advertisements are scheduled to begin running this October, a senior spokesperson confirmed

Twitter launches self service ad platform in the UAE

The service, now available in 200 countries, targets small and medium-sized businesses

Dubai’s DIFC aims to have 100 Indian firms by 2024

Dubai’s financial freezone is looking to Indian and other Asian markets to fuel its growth over the next 10 years

Saudis consider blanket imposition of urban land tax

In March the cabinet approved in principle the idea of taxing undeveloped land in urban areas

Damac says will deliver first homes in Dubai South in six months

The NAIA Tenora project by Damac features 270 serviced hotel apartment units

UAE August non-oil business growth climbs to six-month high

The seasonally adjusted Emirates NBD UAE Purchasing Managers’ Index rose to 57.1 points last month from 55.8 in July

Saudi Arabia, U.S. near deal for two Lockheed warships

The deal, valued at well over $1bn, could be reached by the end of this year

Obama to assure Saudi king of US help to counter Iranian threat

King Salman will meet Obama on Friday as part of his first US visit since ascending to the throne in January

Saudi’s Mobily Ventures invests in Dubai-based logistics app Fetchr

The app facilitates package pick-up and delivery via a phone’s GPS coordinates

VOX Cinemas wins rights to operate 12-screen cineplex at Grand Hyatt

The cineplex will be VOX Cinemas’ 12th outlet in the region and the third new location in the last four months

Oil price slump to start affecting Saudi banks -S&P

S&P said historical data suggested there was a clear link between non-performing loans and oil prices

Dubai launches workshops to promote business opportunities for Expo 2020

The initiative will highlight steps taken to ensure transparency of the procurement process for Expo 2020

Bahrain postpones plan to remove meat subsidies

The plan, which had been due to take effect on September 1, will now be delayed until October on the orders of Bahrain’s Prime Minister

Dubai’s Jumeirah signs deal to manage $1bn tower in Business Bay

The tower is expected to open in 2020

Passenger traffic at Dubai International airport up 29.6% in July

The emirate’s airport welcomed 6.68 million passengers during the month

Marka to launch Australian plus-sized fashion brand City Chic in UAE

Retailer Marka plans to open three City Chic stores in the UAE before the end of 2015

Kuwait charges 26 for smuggling weapons from Iran

The arrests come after the country uncovered a weapons cache that was allegedly smuggled from Iran

UAE’s Arabtec says no progress on mega Egypt housing project

The company announced over a year ago that it had agreed in principle with the Egyptian government to build one million homes in the country

UAE real estate market feels pinch of low oil prices – Cluttons

Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah recorded a drop in property values as oil prices slumped by over 50 per cent in the last 12 months

UAE, UN to jointly host global manufacturing summit in Abu Dhabi

The inaugural summit will be held in the second half of next year

Saudi Aramco fire caused by electrical short circuit, officials confirm

The blaze, which happened earlier this week, killed 10 people and injured more than 200

Dubai’s DIC sells alumina products maker Almatis

The deal is the latest divestment by the Dubai government-owned group to repay its debts

Dubai’s Nshama launches prime residential apartments at Town Square project

The units will be located at the main square of the project alongside a retail precinct and a hotel

Majid Al Futtaim opens new City Centre Me’aisem at IMPZ

The Dhs 275m mall features 53 retail outlets and is anchored by a Carrefour hypermarket

Saudi Telecom spending billions to cope with data traffic – CEO

STC said that it is continuing to invest in both mobile and fixed networks while modernising their IT systems

Iranian investment in Dubai property to rise if sanctions ease

Local and global businesses previously used Dubai as hub for their Iranian operations, the consultants said, predicting this would again become common practice

SKAI closes Dhs 1.1bn finance package for Dubai Viceroy hotels

The syndicate for the dual Islamic and conventional facility is backed by a mixture of local and Chinese banks

DIFC Courts wins consultancy deal for Kazakhstan financial centre

Kazakhstan’s president said DIFC was the model for the planned Astana International Financial Centre

India’s Taj exits hotel in Dubai’s Deira

The exit brings an end to a 14-year partnership between Taj and property owner Juma Al Majid Group