Qatar Holding, Italy Fund Eyeing Versace

In April, Versace CEO Gian Giacomo Ferraris said the house may consider opening the company to outside investors to help fund expansion

Fairmont President: New Hotels For UAE And GCC

Hotels in Ajman, Fujairah and the delayed resort in Abu Dhabi will open alongside new projects in Riyadh and Amman.

Storm Clouds Over The Euro

Persistent problems weigh heavy on Europe

Where Are Oil Prices Headed In 2013?

US growth remains weak, the European debt crisis is dragging on and instability is affecting the Middle East’s oil supply.

Gold Jewellery Demand In Middle East Up By 15%

Asian and Middle Eastern markets drive growth in global demand in gold jewellery.

Egypt Says Disputes With DAMAC Are Resolved

DAMAC filed an international arbitration case against Egypt in 2011 over the conviction of its chairman and owner, Hussain Sajwani.

Cohn & Wolfe Takes Minority Share In WPP Sibling BPG

The new agency, to be called BPG Cohn & Wolfe, is the latest move in the international company’s expansion plans to grow across the region, India and Southeast Asia.

GCC Family Businesses Urged To Form Governance Structure

Succession planning is a major challenge affecting many of the region’s family businesses.

Struggling Singapore Airlines Fights Back Against Gulf

With a market value of $11 billion, Asia’s second biggest airline desperately needs growth. Profit slumped nearly 70 per cent in the year to March 2012.

Air Berlin Declines Further Etihad Finance Help

Germany’s second-biggest carrier, almost 30 per cent-owned by Etihad, suffered a first-quarter loss before interest and tax (EBIT) of 188.4 million euros ($244.5 million).

Sudan Sugar Firm To Export Animal Feed To Gulf

Sugar plant Kenana is mainly owned by the governments of Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Etihad Launches Daily Service To Amsterdam

The inaugural flight carried the code of the Dutch airliner KLM as it took off for Netherlands’ capital city on Wednesday morning.

Qatar’s QPI Hopes To Extend Centrica North America Deal

Centrica and QPI said in April they would buy Suncor Energy Inc’s gas business in Canada for C$1 billion ($986.73 million) in their first acquisition.

UK Backs Dubai As Expo 2020 Host

Regional diversity makes Dubai the first choice for Expo 2020 bid, says UK minister.

Nokia Lumia 925 UAE Launch In Early September

The smartphone manufacturer will launch the device in Europe and China in June, with other markets following shortly.

Oil Slips Below $103 As IEA Sees Market Easing

US shale oil will help meet most of the world’s new oil demand in the next five years, says International Energy Agency.

Tanzania Releases UAE, Saudi Citizens Held Over Church Bombing

The UAE Foreign Ministry announced that the Emiratis had been released on its Twitter account late on Sunday.

Carlyle Buys Stake In Jordanian Food Company Nabil

Carlyle raised $500 million in 2007 for its debut fund in the region. The fund now has five companies in its portfolio including Saudi Arabia’s General Lighting Co.

UAE Ministry Issues Lebanon Travel Warning

Emirati citizens advised not to travel to the popular Arab country after a demonstration by pro-Assad Syrians in Sidon.

SARS-Like Virus In Saudi Can Pass Person-To-Person

A virus from the same family triggered the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome that swept the world after emerging in Asia and killed 775 people in 2003.

Brazil Aims To Multiply Investments From UAE

The country is mainly eyeing investments in energy, logistics and infrastructure.

Indian Companies, GCC Banks In Global Cyber Heist

Rakbank suffered a $5 million coordinated heist at ATMs around the world in December while Bank of Muscat lost $40 million in February.

Exxon And Qatar To Ship US Natural Gas To Britain

Under the deal, the companies would send up to 15.6 million tonnes of LNG each year to their South Hook terminal in Wales from the Golden Pass plant in Texas.

Tensions Rise In Northern Iraq Oil Dispute

Kurdistan thumbs its nose once more to Federal Iraq in a long-running feud that threatens to boil over

Intercontinental Hotels Group Targets Long-Stay Guests

IHG will open its first Staybridge Suites in Beirut in July and a contract should be signed in Dubai “pretty soon”.

U.S. Requests Talks With Bahrain Over 2011 Labour Crackdown

The U.S. Labour Department issued a report in December, some 20 months after the general strike, that faulted the Bahrain government for the actions it took.

OPEC Appoints Saudi In Top Research Post Over Iranian Candidate

Saudi Aramco’s Omar Abdulhamid was appointed as the head of research, the second most senior post at OPEC.

Dow Chemical Receives $2.2bn In Damages From Kuwait

Last year, an international arbitrator told Kuwait’s Petrochemical Industries to pay up for pulling out of a K-Dow joint venture in 2008.

Low-Cost Carriers ‘Are The Future Of Aviation’

Industry leaders from flydubai, Lufthansa and Boeing discuss the future of low-cost travel at Arabian Travel Market.

Thailand Woos Middle East Honeymooners

The Southeast Asian nation hopes to see a five per cent annual growth in Middle East travellers.