UAE’s Al Etihad Credit Bureau Says It’s Operationally Ready

The federal credit bureau will help financial institutions in the UAE check the creditworthiness of consumers.

Bahrain Watchdog Eases Batelco Broadband Price Restrictions

Batelco’s share of retail broadband subscribers has fallen to 20-30 per cent in 2012 from 70-80 per cent in 2008.

Oman Air To Raise Capital By $519m As Annual Loss Widens

The carrier’s annual loss widened by 16 per cent to OMR113.34 million in 2013.

Qatar Spending To Rise 3.7% To $60bn In 2014/15

The budget is “the largest in the history of the state of Qatar,” Finance Minister Ali Sherif al-Emadi said.

Egyptian Soldier Killed, 3 Police Wounded In Attack On Bus

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

Emaar Launches Samara Villas In Dubai’s Arabian Ranches

The community will feature 177 villas in four styles.

Emirates Receives 46th And 47th A380s, Launches A380 To Gatwick

Dubai carrier’s double-decker fleet now the size of some international airlines

Over 11,000 Users Register For Dubai’s MyID Service

The service provides users access to over 250 government services.

GE Appoints New President, CEO For The GCC

Dalya Al Muthanna is the first UAE national to take on the senior position.

Obama-Saudi King Talks May Ease Friction But No Breakthrough Seen

Friday’s two-hour exchange in the Kingdom did not yield a shared statement or any evidence of policy changes.

UAE’s IT Spending To Top $4.6bn In 2014

The public sector will account for a major chunk of business IT spending in the UAE, a new report says.

Dubai’s Able Logistics Picks Shuaa To Lead Manage IPO

Buyout firm GrowthGate Capital plans to take Able Logistics Group public on the Dubai Financial Market around the end of 2014.

Kuwait’s Oil Exports Fall 3% In 2013

Kuwait’s declining oil export receipts were due to modest global demand and lower oil prices in 2013, a new report says.

Dubai Holding Unit Says 2013 Net Profit Up 178%

Dubai Holding Commercial Operations Group reported a 2013 net profit of Dhs3.3 billion.

Nakheel Awards Dhs700m Construction Contract For Warsan Project

The deal, awarded to Ginco General Contracting, covers the construction of 936 townhouses at Warsan Village.

Obama, Saudi King Discuss Syrian Rebels, Iran, Gulf Security

US President Barack Obama made the remarks during an official visit to the Kingdom.

BlackBerry Revenue Plunges 64%, Shares Drop

The Canadian firm’s share of the global smartphone market was below one per cent at the end of 2013.

Godolphin’s African Story Wins $10m Dubai World Cup In Track Record

Godolphin’s reputation suffered a blow last year when its former trainer Mahmood al-Zarooni was banned for administering anabolic steroids.

Saudi JV Jubail Refinery To Reach Full Output By Mid-2014

The joint venture, operated by France’s Total and Saudi Aramco, began a gradual startup of operations last year.

Qatar Buys Helicopters, Missiles In $23bn Arms Deals

The Gulf state announced deals with about 20 global companies, including with Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Airbus and Boeing.

Saudi Prince Muqrin Named Second-In-Line To Succeed King

Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz, a former intelligence chief in the Kingdom, has been appointed deputy crown prince.

Arab League Summit In Kuwait Merely Papers Over Rifts

Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain have accused Qatar of disregarding an accord not to interfere in fellow Arab states’ internal affairs.

HSBC Appoints New Head Of MENA Retail And Wealth Management

Khalid Elgibaly, formerly the chief executive of Standard Chartered in Pakistan, will take on the role.

Souq CEO: High Mobile Penetration In The GCC Boosting E-Commerce

The Dubai-based e-commerce site will invest part of the recent funding it received on developing its mobile technology.

Egypt’s EFG-Hermes Sinks To 2013 Loss On One-Off Charges

EFG-Hermes said the one-off charges totalled 761 million pounds, including 616 million in the fourth quarter alone.

LA Couple Get 3 Years In Jail In Qatar For Death Of Adopted Child

Matthew and Grace Huang were arrested in January last year after their eight-year-old adopted daughter, Gloria, died unexpectedly.

Dubai’s Damac Picks Banks For Potential Sukuk Issue

The Dubai developer has appointed Barclays, Citigroup, and Deutsche Bank as joint global co-ordinators.

Middle East Funds Bullish On Regional Equity Markets

Survey finds that 47 per cent of the funds expect to raise their equity allocations to the Middle East over the next three months.

Dubai’s RTA Awards Construction Supervision Contract For Water Canal Project

A joint venture between US-based Parsons and Halcrow has won the deal.

Egypt’s Sisi To Run For President, Vows To Tackle Militancy

Sisi toppled Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood last July after mass protests against his rule and has emerged as an influential figure.