Proposed agreement aims to improve and safeguard rights of about 500,000 Sri Lankans in Gulf kingdom
Author Archives: Staff Writer
Qatar’s Shard now 50% let as new tenants move in
Analysts see signs of improving office rental market at Western Europe’s tallest skyscraper
Saudi firm gets nod for $46m London property revamp
Al Murjan wins planning permission to redevelop building into 20 luxury apartments
Al Habtoor promotes exec to oversee $3bn Dubai project
Henning Fries becomes MD of hospitality unit; will lead work on Al Habtoor City development
Dubai’s Deyaar raises foreign ownership level to 25%
Developer’s board also says company is adequately capitalised to meet future expansion plans
Saudi’s SABIC inks deal for staff housing project
Riyadh development to include 685 residential units, shopping centres, sports clubs and schools
Jumeirah’s new unit appoints culinary director
Hotel giant’s new restaurants and bars division hires Austrian Christian Gradnitzer
Oman’s $1bn convention centre starts key hirings
Recruitment drive begins to find senior execs to run centre which is due to be completed in 2016
French firm tipped to win $2bn Saudi transport deal
Transport operator RATP Dev is recommended for contract to run buses in Riyadh for 10 years
Abu Dhabi seeks global retailers for new airport hub
Abu Dhabi Duty Free invites bids from companies to be part of new $2.9bn terminal building
Can we all stop talking about Dubai property?
Endless hype about the state of the emirate’s property market is only going to inflate it further, says Daniel Shane
Emirates inks codeshare deal with Australia’s Jetstar
Dubai carrier says agreement will open up new destinations Down Under and in South East Asia
Bahrain protests
Low-level clashes hit Bahrain on uprisings anniversary
Police deploy extra forces and close roads leading out of some villages around Manama
Qatar 2022
FIFA exec says World Cup 2022 can improve Qatar human rights
Theo Zwanziger tells EU panel that stripping Qatar of tournament could be counter-productive
Suspect held over Dubai ‘Pink Panther’ robbery in 2007
Borko Ilincic thought to be part of gang which carried out $15m jewellery raid at Wafi Mall
Proposal to wrap Dubai’s Burj Khalifa in reflective fabric
Think tank has proposed temporary design to cover world’s tallest building in spectacular exo-skeleton
Abu Dhabi-backed Carlyle asked to invest in UK’s Morrisons
A deal would be the biggest purchase of a British retailer since the 2007 buyout of Alliance Boots
Senior executive quits UAE’s largest lender
National Bank of Abu Dhabi’s head of consumer banking leaves; no replacement yet appointed
Aviation
Saudia aims to expand to 200 destinations
Saudi Arabia’s national carrier announces plan to more than double the number of routes to 200, but give no details of timeline
Saudi Arabia issues 1.7m work visas despite amnesty
New ministry figures reveal total number of foreign workers increased in the kingdom last year
Oman may sell assets if oil prices drop, says cenbank
Central bank report says borrowing on international markets may be another option for country
Lebanese army seizes top Al Qaeda-linked militant
Organised car bomb attacks on Shi’ite targets in Lebanon
Syria Crisis
Syria killing accelerates as peace talks falter
Opposition in Geneva proposes UN-monitored ceasefire
Dubai’s Drake and Scull says 2013 net profit rises 61%
Building contractor made a net profit of $50.37m, up from $31.3m in 2012
Maserati Middle East sales soar by 25%
Luxury Italian carmaker sells record number of vehicles, aims to double MEA sales by 2015
UK opposition urges FIFA to press Qatar on worker rights
New workers’ charter to protect migrant rights criticised for not going far enough
Kuwait Airways jet suffers technical issues over London
Flight forced to turn back after encountering hydraulic failure shortly after take-off
Dubai to host US customs checkpoint
Opening of customs facility in emirate follows on from checkpoint in neighbour Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi’s Etihad to announce new Sth American partners “shortly” – CEO
James Hogan also said the UAE carrier was looking to expand further into China
James Bond star calls for boycott of new Dubai shop
Roger Moore leads PETA campaign against Fortnum & Mason, due to open near Burj Khalifa this month, over sale of “unethical” foie gras
Qatar Airways puts Dreamliner on Singapore route
Doha airline currently flies to south-east Asia city state 14 times per week
Ex-Soros money manager to start Dubai hedge fund
Jadara to invest in frontier markets such as Argentina, Nigeria and Vietnam
Property Market
Unqualified valuers inflating Dubai property prices – analysts
Real estate experts warn developers use of different measuring systems is creating price discrepancies of up to 25%
Art Dubai reveals full 2014 fair programme
Eighth edition will include 85 galleries from 34 countries and more than 500 artists
The beauty of giving: The Story of One Yellow Bike
An Iraqi filmmaker hopes his short film will inspire others
Video: Motorist crashes into Ferrari showroom in Qatar
Officials declined to comment on rumours the driver was drunk when the incident occurred
Dubai ruler cleared by report into doping scandal
Report by former Met boss Lord Stevens clears Sheikh Mohammed of any wrongdoing in Godolphin scandal
Zain Bahrain said to launch IPO by end-Q2
Source says telecom operator will launch stock market flotation by end of June
Developer launches formal complaint against Nakheel over Palm beach ban
Vakson Real Estate says Palm master developer demanded one cheque for service charges
Bahrain’s Alba posts 74% drop in Q4 net profit
Aluminium Bahrain says it made $36m profit during three months to Dec 31
Aviation
BA launches Dubai course to tackle fear of flying
British Airways survey in the UAE found one in ten suffer from a real phobia
Iran’s biggest bank to sue the UK gov’t for up to $825m
Exclusive: Lawyer to lodge damages claim after Bank Mellat won case to have sanctions removed last year
ENEC gets nod for extra work on UAE nuclear plants
Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp says additional work will keep programme on track for 2020 completion
Omani telco posts 13% rise in Q4 net profit
Former monopoly Oman Telecommunications makes $77m profit in three months to Dec 31
Dubai’s DAE orders new planes worth nearly $1bn
Leasing firm Dubai Aerospace Enterprise orders 20 turboprop commercial aircraft from ATR
UK builder wins $181m deal for UAE’s Hard Rock Hotel
Carillion says branded Abu Dhabi hotel is set to be completed in Q1 2017
UAE’s Aldar looks to refinance $2.2bn of debt
Abu Dhabi developer plans to spend $1.22bn to complete existing projects, announce new schemes
Jumbo chief sees wearable devices among top buys in 2014
Vishesh Bhatia says action cameras, smart watches set to be big growth products this year
Bahrain Olympic Committee officials jailed
Two former BOC officials & a businessman have each been jailed for 2-3yrs for embezzlement, forgery
Qatar wealth fund pumps $412m into Harrods
Sovereign wealth fund reveals extent of investment into luxury London store since buying it in 2010
Minister confesses “no one wants Gulf Air CEO job”
Bahrain’s Transport Minister reveals national airline can’t find anyone willing to take on top job in last 12mths
Aviation
Qatar Airways expects to receive first A350s early
Aircraft could arrive ahead of scheduled delivery in December 2014, CEO Akbar Al Baker said
Yemen hands 29 Al Qaeda militants to Saudi Arabia
Yemeni defence ministry website said militants had Saudi nationality, had been handed over in the past few days
