EU Visa Waiver Agreement For Emiratis Takes Effect

Officials from the European Union and the UAE signed the final agreement, validating visa free travel for Emiratis to the EU region.

Saudi Arabia Mulling Land Operations On Yemen Border

US Secretary of State John Kerry began negotiations in Riyadh on Thursday to pause the campaign of airstrikes launched by a Saudi-led coalition on March 26.

United Kingdom Votes In Most Unpredictable Election In Decades

Final opinion polls showed PM David Cameron’s Conservatives and Ed Miliband’s opposition Labour Party almost in a dead heat.

Oman’s Bank Sohar Says $104m Rights Issue Oversubscribed

In total, shares worth OMR53.28 million were bid for under the capital increase, which saw 228.8 million new shares sold to investors.

Will Low Oil Prices Impact Middle East Hotels’ Performance?

CBRE Middle East’s Associate Director Phil Rist talks about the impact of oil price volatility on Middle East’s hotels.

Houthi Shells Kill Five In Saudi Border Town

One shell landed near security forces patrolling near the prison in Najran, killing an officer, while another killed four Saudi civilians.

Kerry Pushes For Pause In Yemen Fighting In Saudi Meetings

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States was deeply concerned with the worsening humanitarian conditions in Yemen.

Starwood To Double Its Middle East Portfolio In 5 Years

The group’s mid-market brands represent nearly 50 per cent of the company’s pipeline in the region.

MasterCard Doubles Card Numbers In Middle East, Africa

Partnerships with governments have helped the company boost card numbers in the region, a senior official said.

Yemen Conflict Opens Door To Al Qaeda, Says Top EU Diplomat

A Saudi-led Arab alliance has been conducting air strikes against Houthi fighters in Yemen since late March.

Doha Says German TV Team Probing Qatar Labour Rights Lacked Permit

Reporter Florian Bauer as well as a cameraman and a sound engineer were detained as they filmed migrant workers in the capital Doha.

No Place For Military Threats In Nuclear Talks, Says Iran’s Khamenei

Khamenei repeated his cautious support for the nuclear talks, saying that the country’s “red lines” should be respected by the Iranian negotiators.

King’s Changes Make Saudi Policy Less Predictable

Since inheriting the throne, King Salman has embarked on a war in Yemen, restructured the oil sector and shaken up the line of succession.

Saudi’s Khodari Expects Government Compensation For Labour Fees

In 2012, the Saudi goverment introduced a levy of 2,400 riyals ($640) a year for every foreigner whom a company employs above the number of its Saudi workers.

Houthi Missiles Hit Saudi Border Town; Airforce To Retaliate

The projectiles struck a girls’ school and a hospital in Najran, which is only two miles from Yemen’s border, officials said.

Officials Call For Open Skies Policy, Single GCC Visa To Improve Regional Tourism

With parts of Middle East in turmoil, industry officials look optimistically at intra-regional tourism.

Saudi Finance Minister: Our Position Is Very Strong Despite Cheap Oil

The minister was also optimistic that the global economy was emerging from its slump, but that one couldn’t expect a return to growth levels of 10 years ago.

Saudi Hardware Retailer SACO’s IPO Meets Strong Demand

SACO, a popular supplier of building tools and mechanical equipment in the kingdom, offered 2.88 million shares to individual investors.

Egypt Economic Policies Starting To Pay Off, IMF Says

Egypt came close to fiscal and balance of payments crises after the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011.

UAE Non-oil Business Growth Picks Up In April

Output, new orders and employment all rose more quickly during the month, with the output index climbing to 62.0 points from 60.7.

Egypt To Attract 20% More Tourists This Year – Minister

About 2.15 million tourists visited the country in the first quarter, up 6.9 per cent from a year ago.

Saudi Non-oil Business Growth Slows, Impact Of Royal Largesse Fades

Employment continued to increase but at a slower pace.

UN Urges Saudi-Led Coalition To Stop Targeting Yemen Airport

The statement comes as the UN prepared a plan to set up an air-bridge to bring humanitarian workers into the country.

France, Qatar Sign $7bn Rafale Warplane, Missile Deal

The deal covers the sale of 24 Dassault Aviation-built Rafale fighter jets.

Emirates: Working On “Point-By-Point” Rebuttal Of US Carriers Subsidy Report

The airline’s president Tim Clark states that its success is making Emirates a “scapegoat.”

Saudi-Led Alliance Hits Airbase In Yemen’s Sanaa -Residents

The aircraft also targeted a camp of forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, in Arhab district north of the city.

Stock News: Saudi Arabia Rises On Oil, Egypt Falls On Tax Concerns

Brent crude hit a new 2015 high of $66.93 per barrel on Thursday before easing slightly on Friday.

Yemeni Houthis Call On UN To End Saudi Strikes

The United Nations says the conflict in Yemen has killed 600 people, wounded 2,200 and displaced 100,000 since September.

Saudi Border Guard Killed On Yemen Frontier

Private Gharbi Rajah al-Hassan al-Mujaishi was patrolling on Thursday morning in the Hareth sector in Jizan province when he was killed.

RBS Returns Qatar Banking licence, Country Head Departs

RBS, 79 per cent owned by the British government, is shrinking its corporate and institutional banking business in the Middle East.