Deadly new coronavirus a “serious risk” in hospitals
The new Middle East coronavirus that has killed 38 people after emerging late last year is a serious risk in hospitals because it is easily transmitted in healthcare environments, infectious disease...
View ArticleFrance makes new offers to Qatar
France has made new offers on supplying military equipment to Qatar and is optimistic about the outcome, French President Francois Hollande said in an interview published on Sunday. France is the top...
View ArticleEmir of Qatar’s entire abdication speech
Below is the text of outgoing Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani’s abdication speech in which he handed over power to his son. The speech was translated by Mahmoud Habboush and published by...
View ArticleQatar will pursue its “independent behaviour”
Qatar’s new emir said on Wednesday the Gulf Arab state would not “take direction” from anyone, in an accession speech suggesting the young leader would pursue the assertive, independent-minded foreign...
View ArticleEtihad working towards Jet deal deadline
Etihad Airways is working towards meeting a July 31 deadline to win regulatory approvals on its planned $379 million purchase of a stake in India’s Jet Airways, the Abu Dhabi-based carrier said on...
View ArticleMiddle East respiratory syndrome not a public emergency
After an emergency committee meeting on Wednesday, the World Health Organisation concluded that the Middle East respiratory syndrome, although ‘serious and of great concern’, is not a public health...
View ArticleThree Britons freed from Dubai after being jailed for drugs
Three Britons jailed for more than a year in Dubai on drugs charges have been freed as part of an amnesty for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a British legal charity said on Saturday. The three were...
View ArticleEtisalat’s largest acquisition yet
Etisalat, the Gulf’s biggest telecommunications operator, has entered into exclusive negotiations with Vivendi to buy the French firm’s 53 per cent stake in Maroc Telecom for EUR4.2 billion The...
View ArticleEmiratis advised about Schengen visa
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the UAE has reminded all citizens with travel plans to Europe to obtain their Schengen visas ahead of time, reports national news agency WAM. Emiratis who are...
View ArticleMERS coronavirus claims another life
A Saudi man has died of the coronavirus Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), the Saudi Health Ministry said on Saturday, raising to 39 the number of deaths from the SARS-like virus in the kingdom...
View ArticleIMF tells Dubai to slow down
Dubai’s economy and property market are recovering so quickly that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) fears another bubble could form as a result. Earlier this week, the IMF warned the emirate that...
View ArticleQatar Dreamliner returns to service
A Qatar Airways 787 Dreamliner grounded last week amid reports of a problem with an electrical panel in the aircraft has resumed flying, the airline said on Wednesday. The jet, known as A7-BCB, landed...
View ArticleEtihad Airways plans more partnerships
Etihad Airways, which has aggressively expanded its global reach through codeshares and minority stake investments, expects to build alliances in China and the Americas as the Abu Dhabi-based carrier...
View ArticleBarclays considers sale of UAE retail business
Barclays Plc is conducting a strategic review of its retail banking operations in the United Arab Emirates which could lead to a sale of the business, according to two sources familiar with the matter....
View ArticleThe ‘weight’ is over for Qatar Airways passengers
Doha-based Qatar Airways has revised its current baggage allowance in light of its rapidly broadening network. Passengers of Qatar Airways worldwide will enjoy an enhanced baggage allowance with...
View ArticleEmirates plans to more than double US destinations
Emirates Airline plans to more than double its network of U.S. destinations in the next three to five years to a total of 15 U.S. cities, up from seven currently, a company official said. Emirates...
View ArticleNew MERS-coronavirus cases bring global total to 102
Eight more people in Saudi Arabia have contracted the MERS coronavirus, bringing the number of confirmed infections worldwide in the past year to 102, of whom almost half have died, the World Health...
View ArticleQantas underlying profit doubles
Qantas Airways Ltd, Australia’s flagship carrier, doubled its underlying annual profit as shrinking losses on its international arm offset tougher competition on its lucrative domestic routes, sending...
View ArticleEtihad sees clearance for Jet deal
Etihad Airways expects a US$600 million investment in Jet Airways to be cleared by Indian authorities imminently, as it further extended a deadline for regulatory approval that ended on August 31, the...
View ArticleAndroid KitKat unwrapped
As Google’s Android passed one billion activations earlier this week, the internet giant has joined hands with leading food and beverage company Nestlé to release its latest mobile operating system,...
View ArticleArab triathlon champion killed while cycling in Dubai
Arab triathlon champion Roy Nasr was killed when he was hit by a car while cycling in the United Arab Emirates city of Dubai, local newspapers reported on Saturday. He was 49 years old. Lebanese...
View ArticleQatar Airways’ and British Airways’ frequent flyer partnership in full flight
Fast-growing airline Qatar Airways has announced an immediate partnership with British Airways (BA) for a shared frequent flyer programme. The agreement allows Qatar Airways Privilege Club and BA...
View ArticlePapa Murphy’s pizza to go – to the GCC
Pizza giant Papa Murphy’s has announced the opening of its flagship store in Dubai, expanding for the first time outside of the US and Canada. With the aim of “redefining pizza” in the UAE, the US...
View ArticleAbu Dhabi to invest $5 billion in Russia infrastructure
Abu Dhabi plans to invest $5 billion in Russian infrastructure in a venture to be set up with the country’s state-backed private equity fund, aimed at funding toll roads, ports and airports, the...
View ArticlePrince Alwaleed to hold on to Twitter stake
Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal says he will not sell any of his shares in microblogging site Twitter Inc when it goes public, and expects the firm’s IPO to hit the market later this year...
View ArticleCourt ruling fires British debate on Muslim veils
A British judge ruled on Monday that a Muslim woman could not give evidence at her trial wearing a full-face veil, sparking debate about whether Britain should follow other European countries and ban...
View ArticleQatar looking less likely to bid for Versace
Qatar is looking less likely to bid for the iconic Italian fashion house Versace despite holding talks with the group earlier this year, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters....
View ArticleDAMAC picks Deutsche, Citi for London IPO
DAMAC Properties, a privately held Dubai property developer, has hired two international investment banks to help arrange an initial public offering of shares in London and join a growing list of Gulf...
View ArticleJust Falafel to go public as soon as October
Just Falafel, a United Arab Emirates-based franchise restaurant offering the traditional Arab food, has hired an advisor to help arrange an initial public offer of shares on the Nasdaq Dubai bourse as...
View ArticleBlackBerry unveils new flagship smartphone
BlackBerry Ltd launched its new Z30 flagship smartphone on Wednesday, as it battles to win back market share despite uncertainty around its future. Once a pioneer in the smartphone arena, BlackBerry...
View ArticleEtihad Airways plans expansion push into India
Etihad Airways is expanding operations in India with more flights and wide-bodied jets, building on its deal with India’s Jet Airways as it eyes growth in one of the fastest growing markets. The Abu...
View ArticleBBM available on Android and iPhone devices
After months of waiting, iPhone and Android users will soon be able to download the iconic messaging application: BlackBerry Messenger (BBM). An official statement from BlackBerry, formerly known as...
View ArticleTurkey will probably never join the EU – Ankara negotiator
Turkey will probably never join the European Union because of prejudicial attitudes by the bloc’s existing members, Ankara’s chief EU negotiator said, in what appeared to be the first high-level...
View ArticleThrowing money away: UAE ready to become cashless society
When compared to more than 30 economies around the world, the UAE has been ranked as “rapidly moving away” from being a primarily cash-heavy society, according to a global study by MasterCard. The...
View ArticleFIFA criticised for ‘inadequate’ response to Qatar’s alleged violation of...
FIFA has, once again, been criticised by human rights organisations for its ‘weak’ and ‘inadequate’ response to the alleged mistreatment of thousands of migrant workers in Qatar, ahead of the World Cup...
View ArticleCebu Pacific Air opens the skies to 500,000 Filipino expats
Cebu Pacific Air (CEB), the Philippines’ largest airline, has touched down in Dubai for a new non-stop service to the country’s capital, Manila. It is the first airline from the Philippines to land in...
View ArticleEtihad raises stake in Virgin Australia
Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways said on Thursday that it raised its equity stake in Virgin Australia to 19.9 per cent, reaching a threshold set by Australian regulators. The Gulf carrier raised its stake...
View ArticleSaudi Arabia under fire over fire at United Nations
Saudi Arabia’s rights record came under fire at the United Nations on Monday, critics accusing the kingdom of jailing activists without due process and abusing the basic rights of Saudi women and...
View ArticleQatar’s Ooredoo eyes listing in London or other markets
Ooredoo, Qatar’s telecom operator, may list on the London Stock Exchange or another major bourse as it seeks to attract more liquidity to its shares, its CEO said. A listing outside the Gulf would also...
View ArticleBBM downloaded by 20 million new users
In the week since BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) has been made available to iPhone and Android users, the messaging application has been downloaded by 20 million new users across both platforms. This...
View ArticleFirst property firm in Dubai to launch IPO since market crash
As Damac Properties looks to broaden its investor base, the luxury developer has revealed its plans to raise approximately $500 million by selling global depositary receipts (GDRs) on the London Stock...
View ArticleCanada supports Dubai’s bid for World Expo 2020
Canada has become the latest country to publicly support Dubai’s bid to host the World Expo 2020, describing the emirate as “best placed” to bring together the most diverse groups of people from around...
View ArticleQatari fund invests in BlackBerry debt offer
Qatar Holding LLC is among a handful of investors that have put money into BlackBerry’s $1 billion convertible debt offering, a source familiar with the financing plan said on Wednesday. The Qatari...
View ArticleDubai represents ‘openness’ to the world
As the date for the announcement of the winning city of the World Expo 2020 draws near, France’s second-largest city has emerged as a supporter of Dubai winning the bid. In a public statement, Lyon...
View ArticleJadoPado.com globalised through Shop and Ship
JadoPado has become the latest e-commerce player in the UAE to partner with Shop and Ship, the online shipping delivery service by logistics firm Aramex, to cater to an international customer base....
View ArticleBritish Airways relaxes restrictions on electronic devices
Restrictions on using handheld devices during flights are being relaxed, as British Airways (BA) will soon become Europe’s first airline to allow its customers to use their electronic devices during...
View ArticleAudi announces AED111.5 billion global expansion
Audi is planning an extensive investment programme for the next five years and, between 2014 and 2018, a total of AED111.5 billion (€22 billion) will flow into new models, innovations and the...
View ArticleDubai ruler says treatment of jailed American was unsatisfactory
The prime minister of the UAE said on Monday that the treatment of a US citizen who spent nine months in jail for posting a parody video on YouTube was unsatisfactory, and suggested it was a mistake...
View ArticleMatt Damon: ‘We can overcome the global water crisis in our lifetime’
For Hollywood actor Matt Damon, access to clean drinking water and toilets are of paramount importance in maintaining health around the world. Speaking to journalists in Davos, on the sidelines of...
View ArticleLufthansa calls Etihad potential investment in Alitalia ‘unfair competition’
UAE national carrier, Etihad airlines, has expressed interest in investing in Alitalia, however, a decision has not yet been made. A tie-up with Etihad could boost Alitalia’s liquidity and allow it to...
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