Pay TV Network OSN To Launch WWE Channel In The Middle East

OSN has signed a five-year partnership with the wrestling network to distribute it as a premier channel in the MENA region.

Emirates’ Sheikh Ahmed Challenges US Airlines To Reclaim Marketshare

The airline chief said that the US carriers underestimated the level of competition when they signed the open skies policy in 1999.

Saudi Oil Minister Discusses OPEC With Russian, Algerian Officials

Under Saudi guidance, OPEC decided last November not to cut output, allowing oil prices to plunge.

IMF Says Egypt’s Reforms Starting To Spur Turnaround In Economy

The IMF projected growth to reach 3.8 per cent in 2014/15 and to rise to five per cent over the medium term.

Online Food Delivery Firm Foodpanda Acquires UAE’s 24h.ae

Food delivery business 24h.ae, founded in 2011, will continue with the current management and team.

Embassies In Yemen Close As Thousands Protest Against Militia Rule

The US, France and Britain have shut down their embassies while Germany said that it will soon follow suit.

Rocket Internet Buys Kuwait Food Delivery Service Talabat For $170m

Talabat operates in ME countries including Kuwait, Saudi and the UAE, cooperating with restaurants such as Burger King, KFC and Pizza Hut.

Stalled EU-GCC Free Trade Agreement Should Be Passed – UK’s Mandelson

The GCC and the European Union have remained in a stalemate regarding the agreement for several years.

US Airlines Disclose Details Of Bookings Lost To Qatar, UAE Carriers

US airlines are stepping up efforts to persuade the American government to alter or terminate the Open Skies pacts.

Oil Drops Sharply As IEA Expects Inventories To Rise

Oil stockpiles in member countries of the OECD may approach a record 2.83 billion barrels by mid-2015, said the IEA.

United States Closes Its Embassy In Conflict-Hit Yemen

Last month, Houthi fighters, who had captured the capital in September, seized the presidential palace, driving the President to resign.

Rosneft’s Sechin Slams OPEC, Warns On Possible Oil Shortage

OPEC ministers and delegates have blamed non-OPEC producers such as Russia, Mexico and Kazakhstan, as well as U.S. shale oil production, for the oversupply in the market.

Confident Gulf Bond Market Shrugs Off S&P Downgrades

S&P cut its outlook for Saudi Arabia’s “AA-/A-1+” foreign and local currency credit ratings to negative from stable and lowered ratings of Bahrain and Oman.

UN’s Ban Ki-Moon Urges Arab Leaders To Tackle Radicalisation

The UN secretary general said that Arab countries could tackle radicalisation by promoting interfaith dialogue and being attentive to people’s aspirations.

S&P Cuts Ratings On Middle Eastern Oil Producing Countries

Standard & Poor’s lowered its sovereign credit ratings on Bahrain and Oman, while lowering its outlook on Saudi Arabia.

US Welcomes UAE Decision To Base Fighter Jets In Jordan

The UAE had earlier suspended flights as part of the U.S.-led coalition conducting air strikes against ISIL.

GCC Countries Are Not Food Insecure – Expert

High fiscal reserves in the GCC act as a strong buffer from global food price fluctuations, an expert said.

Egypt Sets Retrial Date For Jailed Al Jazeera Journalists -Lawyer

Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed were sentenced to seven and 10 years in jail respectively last year.

Burning Of Pilot Galvanized Anti-Islamic State Coalition -U.S. Official

Muslim clerics also condemned the burning to death of the pilot, Mouath al-Kasaesbeh, saying such a form of killing was considered despicable by Islam.

Prince Charles To Tell Saudi King To Halt Blogger’s Flogging – Report

Charles embarked on a six-day tour of the Middle East this weekend.

Arab Leaders Bemoan Lack Of Strategy, Weapons Against Jihadists

ISIL fighters have brought large areas in Syria and Iraq under their control.

Gulf Institutional Funds Favour Japan, Asia, Shun Europe – Pictet

Middle East investors have began to look east as Europe’s economy struggle due to repeated fears over sovereign debt levels and weak growth indicators.

Aujan Coca-Cola To Invest $500m In MENA

The company, which manufactures beverage brands such as Rani and Barbican, said that it achieved double-digit growth last year.

Jordan Says UAE Sending Jets To Support Raids On ISIL

The UAE suspended flights as part of the US-led coalition conducting air strikes against ISIL because of concerns about search and rescue capabilities.

Stock News: Stronger Oil May Support Gulf Markets

Brent crude jumped 2.2 per cent to $57.80 per barrel on Friday, posting its largest two-week gain in 17 years.

Gulf Countries, Opposition Say Houthi Takeover In Yemen A “Coup”

Yemen has been in political limbo since the president and prime minister resigned last month after the Houthis seized the presidential palace.

OPEC+meeting

OPEC Delegates See Scant Hope Of Rapid Oil Price Recovery

Brent crude prices reached a near six-year low of around $45 in January.

UAE Sees No Defeat Of ISIL Without Iraq’s Sunnis – Newspaper

The UAE’s decision to withdraw its planes raised fears that regional support for the coalition air campaign might be slipping.

Gulf Banks Help Underwrite Region’s Aviation Boom

Figures from Airbus show that 47 per cent of its aircraft deals in the ME in the first 11 months of 2014 were funded by local banks.

Revealed: Top 10 Countries With The Cheapest Petrol Rates

The average price of petrol around the world ranged around $1.04 per liter, according to GlobalPetrolPrices.com