Music streaming service Spotify launches in the UAE, MENA region

The company said services would now be available in 13 Arab markets

Binance

Swiss cryptocurrency firm X8 obtains Islamic finance certification

The company also plans to launch a crypto-exchange that would include a Sharia-compliant component

Saudi, US agree to end refuelling support for Yemen war

The Saudi-led coalition said it could now conduct its own inflight refuelling

Saudi, UAE among world’s top 10 most dominant powers

The ranking was based on a survey of 21,000 people

Gulf executives mostly positive about 2019 – survey

Oxford Business Group said rising oil prices had improved the outlook of most executives

HSBC sees doubling of commercial bank’s MENA profit by 2023

The commercial bank, which includes trade finance, cash management and capital financing, reported profit of $199m in MENA in 2017

Revealed: Best employers in the Middle East

Those on the list were found to have better employee engagement and lower attrition rates

Iran minister: Saudi, Russian oil output cannot compensate for Iranian crude

US is pushing allies to cut imports of Iranian oil to zero and will reimpose sanctions on Iranian oil next month

Uber launches new safety measures in Middle East

Drivers and passengers have access to several new services

UAE falls, Bahrain, Saudi rise on HSBC expat ranking

The average annual salary in the UAE was found to be the sixth highest globally at $155,039

UAE, Kuwait, Saudi each pledge $833m in aid to Jordan

The country’s agreed the aid package in Makkah earlier this year

Kuwait, Saudi, UAE finance ministers to sign off on Jordan aid

The three countries have pledged to provide $2.5bn in support after mass protests in Jordan over austerity measures

Saudi makes $200m grant to Yemen central bank

Yemen’s currency, the riyal, has lost more than half its value against the US dollar

SAUDI-CONFLICT-YEMEN-COALITION

Saudi forces destroy two boats filled with explosives targetting Jazan port

The boats operated by Houthis were intercepted and destroyed, causing “minor damage”

US plans launch of ‘Arab Nato’ in January

The formation of the alliance has been complicated by a regional rift that has seen Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt cut ties with Qatar

Trump says he wants two-state solution for Middle East conflict

The United States’ Arab allies are strong proponents of a two-state solution

Oil hits four-year high as US sanctions on Iranian crude loom

Brent crude prices touched a session peak of $82.20, the highest since November 2014

‘We protect the Middle East countries, they would not be safe for very long without us’ – Trump

The US President urged OPEC to lower oil prices

US seeking to negotiate a treaty with Iran

Iran has rejected US attempts to hold high-level talks since President Donald Trump exited the nuclear deal

Missile from Yemen damages mosque, house in Saudi’s Asir

The number of ballistic missiles fired towards the kingdom stands at nearly 200

Two Saudi pilots killed in helicopter crash

Officials said the helicopter crashed in Yemen following technical issues

Saudi destroys missile fired at Jazan province

No casualties were reported during the attack

Saudi coalition seizes main road linking Yemen’s Hodeidah to Sanaa

The Western-backed military alliance has resumed its offensive in the city after the collapse of peace talks

Pompeo says Saudi, UAE trying to avoid civilian harm in Yemen

Without the certification, US tanker aircraft would have been restricted in the refueling of Saudi-led coalition aircraft

Bahrain ranked top, Kuwait, Saudi bottom of expat destination ranking

The three Gulf states stood at opposite ends of the InterNations ranking

Egypt set to release Lebanese tourist jailed over Facebook post

A Cairo court in July found Mona el-Mazboh guilty of deliberately spreading false rumours

Yemen peace talks collapse in Geneva after Houthi no-show

Confidence-building measures such as prisoner releases, increasing humanitarian access, and reopening Sanaa airport were discussed with the government

Tour operator Thomas Cook says it found e-coli in Egypt hotel where Britons died

John Cooper and his wife Susan Cooper died at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel last month

Saudi says 26, including two children, wounded by shrapnel in missile attack

At least 112 civilians in the kingdom have been killed in missile attacks from Yemen since 2015

Saudi forces intercept another missile from Yemen ‘targeting civilian areas’

This is the second missile attack targetting Jazan in the last two days