Kuwait’s Zain Launches Share Sale Of Iraqi Unit

The telecoms operator will offer 55.9 million shares at one dinar each.

Flydubai Adds Hotel Bookings Online

Tie up with global travel wholesaler Tourico Holidays provides passengers with access to more than 36,000 hotels

REVEALED: Top 50 Banks In The Gulf

Gulf Business reveals the 50 biggest banks in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman as ranked by full-year 2012 assets.

Lufthansa Open To Future Co-operation With Gulf Airline

The German airline’s CEO Christoph Franz said that Lufthansa may enter a partnership, but there was “no rush.”

Turkish PM Erdogan Denounces Riots In Turkish Cities

Hundreds of police and protesters have been injured since riots began on Friday.

UAE Creates $15bn Aluminium Firm In State Merger

The new entity, Emirates Global Aluminium, will be jointly held by Dubai Aluminium (Dubal) and Emirates Aluminium (Emal).

Zain Saudi To Defer Paying $1.49bn In Licence Fees

The rescheduled payment, spread over seven years, will be treated as a commercial loan.

Saudi Arabia Buys 525,000 Tonnes Hard, Soft Wheat

The wheat is of optional origin from the European Union, Australia and North and South America.

Emirates Launches Tokyo Haneda Services

Airline now serves both Tokyo airports and new service operates as a codeshare with Japan Airlines

GCC Countries To Consider Action Against Hezbollah

The GCC has called Hezbollah’s involvement in Syria “sectarian intervention”.

Dubai Property Investors Face Dhs172m Loss On Hydra Projects

The Abu Dhabi developer has sold three plots of land to help meet its creditor obligations, but is still facing a huge deficit in its debts to the Abu Dhabi courts.

Dubai Retailer MAF Delays Hybrid Bond Sale Citing Weak Market

The Majid Al Futtaim group planned to partly finance the $683 million acquisition of Carrefour’s stake through a hybrid bond.

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Private Equity In The GCC: Who Will Survive?

The regional PE market is still in its nascent stages, but with consolidation on the way, only the best players will survive.

Etihad Expands To South America, Launches Flights To Brazil

The Abu Dhabi carrier will offer non-stop flights to Sao Paolo three times a week.

Construction Begins On Dubai’s Largest Mosque

Up to 25 per cent of the construction work on the Khalifa Al Tajer Mosque has been completed.

Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank Repays Govt Funds In Full

The lender has repaid the remaining Dhs2.6 billion of a Dhs6.6 billion loan facility it borrowed from the government.

Bahrain Budget Deficit Widens To $601m In 2012

The deficit was lower than the BD1.33 billion initially foreseen and is equivalent to two per cent of GDP.

UAE’s Taqa Takes Over BP’s Harding Field In North Sea

The move was part of an acquisition of BP assets in the North Sea agreed in 2011.

Alwaleed’s Kingdom Holding Sells $40m Mauritius Hotel Stake

The Saudi company sold its stake to Hawaii-based Outrigger Hotels and Resorts.

Saudi And Egypt Sign $1.6bn Deal To Link Power Grids

The project will allow both countries to share power of up to 3,000 megawatts.

Dubai’s ENOC Cuts Diesel Price

Emirates National Oil Co (ENOC) has cut the retail price to Dhs3.50 a litre.

REVEALED: Top 10 Richest Countries In The World

Qatar and the UAE feature on the list of the world’s richest nations as measured by GDP per capita.

Lessons From The Cyprus Bank Heist

Depositors anywhere could have their money stolen at some point. Do you want to find yourself in that position?

A Shift Of Focus For Solar Energy In ME

We now know why but need to determine how, says Hannes Reinisch, senior manager for renewable energy and sustainability, PwC.

Dubai’s Property Sector Goes Back To The Future?

Has Dubai learned its lesson from the property slump that saw prices drop almost 60 per cent five years ago?

OPEC Coasts Towards Deal With Oversupply Fear On Hold

Triple digit oil has encouraged development of U.S. shale oil in North Dakota and Texas, some of which is the most costly in the world.

Dusit Residence And Suites Doha Opening Late 2013

High-rise property in West Bay will further stoke competition in the city’s hospitality sector

Qatar Hires Managers For First World Cup Stadium

Regional firm KEO International has been appointed project manager and LA-based Aecom Technology Corp was named as design consultant.

Kuwait’s Burgan Gets Approval For Stake Buy In Maltese Bank

The lender has received regulatory approval to buy a 25 per cent stake in Malta’s Fimbank.

UAE Among Top 10 Most Competitive Nations In The World

The nation moved up eight spots on IMD’s annual world competitiveness ranking.