Exclusive: Wealthy Russians Seek Second Citizenship To Beat Western Sanctions

Second citizenship expert says he has seen a significant jump in interest from Russian millionaires in the last month.

Hamad International Airport Takes Off

Ten airlines are now operating out of the $17 billion facility and all others will switch by May 27

Oman Telco Nawras Q1 Profit Rises 14%

The firm made a net profit of 8.8 million rials ($22.86 million) in the three months to March 31, a statement said.

Middle East Funds Become More Cautious On UAE -Survey

The April survey marks the first time since last September that the ratio of managers who are bearish on UAE equities exceeds the ratio of bullish ones.

Bahrain, Russia Sign Investment Deal Amid Western Sanctions

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) said it had signed a deal with Bahraini sovereign wealth fund to identify and work together on investment opportunities in their countries.

Bahrain Jails Five For Plotting To Bomb 2013 F1 Race

Bahrain’s official news agency did not name the five but said they had confessed to the plot.

Abu Dhabi’s TAQA To Price $750m 10-Yr Bond Tues

The transaction was formally launched to price at 115 basis points over midswaps, a document from the lead banks said.

Middle East Defence Spending To Reach $920bn By 2020

Around $27 billion will be injected into the Gulf economy through defence deals by 2020, new research says.

Emirates To Start Daily Brussels Flights

Dubai carrier targets premium business traffic to and from the EU capital

Dubai’s MAF Tightens Pricing Ahead Of $500m Bond Sale

High demand for the offering has helped MAF reduce the prospective cost of its borrowing.

$1bn New York University Abu Dhabi Construction Completed

The project was designed by award-winning architects Rafael Vinolycovers and developed by state-owned investment company Mubadala.

Unpatched OS Increasing Vulnerability of Saudi PC Users

Cyber security company Secunia found that 17.4 per cent of users had unpatched versions of WinXP, Win7, Win8 or Windows Vista.

Two Senior Bankers Leaving UAE Lender NBAD – Sources

NBAD, 70 per cent owned by the Abu Dhabi government, has been realigning its business under new chief executive Alex Thursby, who took charge last summer.

RAK Properties Records Dhs42 million Q1 Profit

Ras Al Khaimah’s biggest property developer gained revenues of Dhs86 million for the first three months of the year.

Etihad Airways Boosts Flights To Middle East Destinations

The airline is increasing its services to Beirut and Amman from July.

Etihad Inks Partnership Deal With Philippine Airlines

The agreement includes codesharing, frequent flyer reciprocity, airport lounge access, air pass agreements and cargo cooperation between two airlines.

ISG Secures $35m Refurbishment Contract With Kempinski

The project will include the upgrade and refurbishment of all 393 guest rooms

King Abdullah Football Stadium To Open Thursday

The 60,000 seat venue has taken 14 months to construct.

Arabian Travel Market 2014: What To Expect

This year will see around 2,500 exhibitors and 66 national pavilions as industry players look to tap into the region’s lucrative travel and tourism sector.

UAE’s Agthia Reports 32% Net Profit Rise in Q1 2014

The company’s first quarter growth was mainly driven by higher net sales and an overall improvement in margins.

Wealthy Middle Easterners Make Up 60% of Second Citizenship Applicants

Europe was the most popular location for second citizenship applicants, due to its proximity to the Middle East, as well as security and investment benefits.

Oman Cement Q1 Net Profit Falls 47%

The company’s net profit fell to 3.70 million rials ($9.61 million) in the first quarter of the year compared to 6.94 million rials in the same period of 2013.

UAE Grants China Right To Develop Abu Dhabi Oil Fields

The UAE concession system allows oil producers to acquire equity in hydrocarbon resources from the country, with ADNOC usually holding a 60 per cent stake in each joint venture.

RAK Ceramics Says Major Shareholder To Sell 30.6% Stake

Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al-Qasimi, a member of the ruling family of Ras Al Khaimah, has agreed to sell 250 million shares in the company, a bourse statement said.

Commercial Bank Of Qatar Q1 Net Profit Rises 8%

The bank earned a net profit of 548 million riyals ($150.5 million) for the opening three months of 2014.

MSCI To Cut Weights Of Some Qatar, UAE Stocks

The document said the weightings of eight stocks would be reduced “as they may pose accessibility issues to international institutional investors”.

Qatar’s Al Jazeera Files $150m Damages Claim With Egypt

The company filed a compensation claim on Monday for what it said was damage to its media business inflicted by Cairo’s military-backed rulers.

UAE Lender NBAD Warns Over Falling Margins As It Posts Flat Profit

NBAD’s chief executive said fierce competition combined with global interest rate pressure was starting to drive down the profitability of lending.

Emaar May List Malls Unit On Dubai Financial Market -Sources

Company officials previously said there might be a dual listing on Nasdaq Dubai, the smaller of the emirate’s two exchanges, and London.

Abu Dhabi Sees Sharp Decline in Hotel Rates

Average daily room rates in the capital decreased 14 per cent, reducing revenue intake for each room.