Reem Mall gets nod from Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council

Following the approval, officials said that they expect to start work on the $1bn mall this year

Wamda Capital launches $75m MENA growth stage venture fund

The fund has invested in three companies including News Group International, Jamalon and LittleBits Electronics

Construction dispute values in the Middle East up 88% in 2014

Failure in administering the contract, poorly drafted claims and biased professionals were some of the top reasons for construction disputes in the Middle East, a new study shows

Gulf markets steady as investors await Greek referendum

Oil prices also subdued stock markets after Brent crude slid $1.75 to $60.32 a barrel on Friday

Saudi June non-oil business growth at record low

The PMI, a regular survey of businesses, reached its lowest level since August 2009

Saudi’s SABIC unit, South Korea’s SK form polyethylene project

Total investment will be about $640m for the technology and plant construction

DIFC starts work on $205m building in Gate Village

The new building will have a total built-up area of 200,000 square feet and will comprise of retail and F&B units along with office space

UAE non-oil business growth slows to 22-month low in June

The corporate survey attributed some of the slowdown to Ramadan, which began on June 18

New terminal with A380-size runway opens in Madinah airport

The terminal will be spread across three floors and includes an extended and widened runway

Saudi says ISIL supporter killed in fire exchange with police

The 32-year-old militant had been jailed in the past for six years on criminal charges

Saudi-led air strikes on Yemen cities kill 16 – Houthis

The United Nations last week designated the Yemen war as a Level 3 humanitarian crisis, its most severe category

A week after Kuwait bombing, Sunnis and Shi’ites pray together for unity

A suicide bombing on a Shi’ite mosque in Kuwait City on June 26 killed 27 and wounded more than 200

The trials and tribulations of renting a property in Dubai

By following a few simple steps renting in Dubai can become a lot easier, writes Toby Young managing director of propertyrights.ae

Phone review: Honor 6 Plus

An attractively priced and powered phablet entrant, although its worth seeing what else you can get for a few more dirhams

ISIL weaves web of support in Gulf Arab states

Kuwait attack has raised concerns about the number of young Saudi men willing to travel to attack Shi’ites in smaller Gulf countries, taking advantage of the visa-free travel

Five minutes with.. Christianna Tsiterou, founder, The Gift Concierge

Christianna Tsiterou is planning to bring luxury service The Gift Concierge to the whole of the GCC following its UAE launch

UAE to finish drafting corporate tax, VAT laws this quarter

Authorities are still evaluating the social and economic impact of the laws, but drafting was expected to be finished “very soon, an official said

Bahrain’s Cineco pens deal to open $6.5m Cineplex

Cineco will open a six-screen complex at Wadi Al Sail mall in Al Riffa, Bahrain

Saudi economy accelerates in Q1, may not be sustained

Gross domestic product, adjusted for inflation, grew 2.4 per cent from a year earlier in the first quarter

Dubai airport passenger traffic up 23 per cent in May

Passenger numbers climbed to 6.2 million in May – up from 5 million a year earlier

Emirates starts A380 Dusseldorf flights

Western city becomes third in Germany to welcome the superjumbo

Mohamed Alabbar to acquire stake in YNAP from Richemont

Emaar chairman Mohamed Alabbar launches real estate educational institute

The institute will develop a talent pool of senior managers and project developers in order to expand the UAE’s real estate sector

Dubai’s Drake & Scull increases GCC ownership limit to 100%

Nationals from the UAE currently hold 51.02 per cent of the company’s stock, with the remaining GCC nations owning 5.85 per cent

Abu Dhabi’s TAQA says not holding merger talks

The company “confirms that it is not engaged in merger discussions with any government or other entity”, it said in a statement to the bourse

More than 100 dead as militants, Egyptian army clash in North Sinai

The militants’ assault was the second high-profile attack in Egypt this week after a prosecutor general was killed in Cairo

Kuwait parliament approves budget with $27bn deficit

The budget for the year features spending of KD19.17bn and revenues of KD12.2bn, assuming an average oil price of $45 a barrel

The future of data centres

IoT and big data will transform the way we think about data centres, writes Fujitsu Middle East’s VP and MD

Oman central bank sets up Islamic banking department

The creation of a separate Islamic banking department will clear the way to develop the industry in the country

Kuwait arrests two police officers in crackdown on militants

About 90 people have been detained by authorities investigating the attack on a Shi’ite Muslim mosque in Kuwait City

Saudi’s Alwaleed to give $32bn to charity in coming years

Prince Alwaleed said some of the donated wealth will include his personal stake in his investment firm Kingdom Holding