UAE’s Air Arabia Says Buys 49% Of Jordan’s Petra Airlines

Petra Airlines will be rebranded as Air Arabia Jordan and the UAE carrier will establish a hub at Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport.

Revamped US Oil Hedges May Test OPEC’s Patience

Many US firms are racing to revamp their policies, cashing in well-placed hedges to increase the number of future barrels hedged, according to industry consultants.

Abu Dhabi Government Reveals UAE’s Public Holidays In 2015

There are 10 public holidays for all workers in the public sector.

Delayed Etihad Flight Held On Tarmac For 12 Hours, Passengers Say

Passengers said that they were asked to wait in the plane because Abu Dhabi International was too crowded with travellers from other stranded flights.

Three Saudi Guards Killed In Attack On Iraq Frontier

The guards were killed in a slight border skirmish when attackers shot at the patrol near Arar.

Massar Solutions Announces First Abu Dhabi Share Float Since 2011

The firm will seek to sell 240 million ordinary shares at Dhs2.4 ($0.65) each between January 11 and January 25, it said in a statement.

Stock News: Gulf Markets Fall On Weak Oil

Dubai’s index dropped 3.4 per cent as all but a handful of stocks fell.

Saudi’s SAFCO Halves Dividend For H2 2014

The figure is down from the SAR6 per share that the company paid for the corresponding period of 2013.

Blast Targets Houthi Base In Yemen Capital

The explosion left a hole in the wall of the building but no fatalities were reported.

Abu Dhabi Finance Firm TNI Says CFO Resigns, Replacement Named

Rami Hurieh took over as CFO effective from January 4 after the departure of Jean Ayoub, TNI said in a bourse filing.

Dubai Duty Free Sales Touch $1.9bn In 2014

Perfume was the top selling product in Dubai Duty Free during 2014, followed by liquor and gold, the airport retailer said.

UAE’s Tabreed Confirms Dhs2.6bn Loan Agreement

The new long-term facility was arranged by Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, First Gulf Bank and Mashreq , the firm said in a statement to the Dubai bourse

Rouhani Urges End To Iran’s Isolation

Rouhani’s call is in line with his preference for a greater public say on strategic matters, traditionally vested with the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Kuwait Finance Minister: Oil Price Fall Won’t Slow Development Projects

Ministers said that the government will not abandon subsidy reform.

Nakheel To Lease Retail And Office Space At Palm Jumeirah’s Golden Mile

The units are expected to open in April 2015, the developer said in a statement.

Bahraini Fund Mumtalakat Signs $500m Loan Deal – Sources

Signed just before the end of 2014, the loan is structured as a revolving credit facility.

Saudi Arabia To Create 300,000 Private Sector Jobs For Locals

The official did not reveal a specific timeline in which the government is aiming to make this quota possible.

Stock News: Markets Slide In Thin Trade As Oil Slips

Dubai’s index dropped 2.4 per cent with most stocks down.

UAE’s Dana Gas Says Receives $60m From Egyptian Government

Egypt has delayed payments to oil and gas firms as its economy has been hammered by almost four years of instability.

Saudi Arabia To Reopen Baghdad Embassy After 25-year Chill

Saudi Arabia closed its Baghdad embassy in 1990 after the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait.

Fog Causes Severe Disruption At Abu Dhabi Airport -Etihad Airways

The airport was closed for a little more than an hour from 2.30am local time on Saturday, Etihad said.

Dubai Says To Lift Spending 9% And End Deficit In 2015 Budget

Spending this year is projected at about Dhs41 billion ($11.2 billion), up from Dhs37.88 billion in the original budget for 2014, according to state news agency WAM.

Saudi King Needed Help Breathing Due To Pneumonia

A Saudi source familiar with the affairs of the royal family said the king would most likely stay in hospital for another week.

Bahrain Denounces Interference After Washington Criticises Arrest

The U.S. State Department expressed concern over the detention of a senior opposition leader on Wednesday, saying it would further inflame tensions in the country.

Saudi Arabia Captures Shi’ites Suspected Of Instigating Unrest

The man was one of 23 men wanted by Saudi authorities, who accuse them of serving the agenda of a foreign power.

Jailed Australian Journalist Seeks Presidential Deportation From Egypt

The High Court in Cairo ordered a retrial last week on the grounds of procedural flaws in the trial.

Saudi Aramco Halts Ras Tanura Clean Fuels Project

The energy project appears to be one of the first suspended in Saudi Arabia in response to the halving of the oil price in the last six months.

Crowded Skies In Southeast Asia Put Pressure On Pilots, Air Traffic Control

Pilots who have flown the Indonesia to Singapore route say it’s not unusual for delays to requests to increase altitude to avoid bad weather.

Oman 2015 Budget Raises State Spending At Expense Of Big Deficit

Government expenditure this year is estimated at OMR14.1 billion ($36.6 billion), up 4.5 per cent from last year’s original plan, the ministry said.

Anantara Opens New Luxury Island Resort In Doha

Banana Island Resort Doha is the group’s first property in Qatar.