Flydubai Opens Dubai Business Class Lounge

Free wifi, food and beverages available to the airline’s premium passengers at Terminal 2

Egyptian Verdict Due For Three Jailed Al Jazeera Journalists

All three have been held at Egypt’s notorious Tora Prison for six months, in a case that has drawn criticism from Western governments and human rights groups.

Saudi’s GSFMO Says Buys 780,000 Tonnes Of Wheat In Tender

Saudi Arabia has become a major importer of hard and soft wheat since abandoning plans for self-sufficiency in wheat in 2008.

Restaurant Chain Just Falafel Signs Deal For 10 More US Outlets

The fast food chain will open restaurants in the Texan cities of Houston and Austin, as part of its expansion.

Saudi’s SAFCO Says Plant Start-Up Delayed, Trims H1 Dividend

The delay in the start-up of the plant was due to construction work falling behind the original timetable, a statement to the Saudi stock market said.

Barwa Real Estate Selling Project To Qatari Diar For $2.5bn

The stake will be sold to Labregah Real Estate Co, a wholly owned subsidiary of Qatari Diar, the developer said in a statement on Qatar’s bourse.

Saudi Shipper Bahri Plans Long-Term Financing To Replace Vela Buy Debt

The purchase of Vela paves the way for a deal which makes Bahri the world’s fourth-largest owner of very large crude carriers (VLCCs).

Expo 2020 Attracting Students, Professionals To Dubai – Expert

The six month long event is also encouraging business colleges to set up base in the emirate.

Oman Power Firms To Start Trading Monday After IPOs Attract Demand

Al Suwadi Power Co and Al Batinah Power Co, each offered a 35 per cent stake to the public in offerings worth a combined $162.9 million.

UAE Announces Ramadan Working Hours For Public Sector

Federal government and ministry employees will work from 9am to 2pm.

Exclusive Interview: Masafi CEO Reginald Randall

Randall faced waves of uncertainty when UAE water exports were banned. The Masafi CEO reveals how he got the ship firmly under control with a new plant in Turkey.

UAE Businessman Khalaf Al Habtoor Buys Intercontinental Budapest Hotel

The acquisition is Al Habtoor’s second hotel in the Hungarian capital.

Oman Scraps Price Controls For Most Goods, Inflation Impact Seen Minor

Under new rules announced last week, permission will only need to be sought to increase prices of essential items such as rice, tea and fish.

Abu Dhabi Exchange Signs Bonds Listing, Trading Agreement

As per the deal, bonds can be listed and traded through the exchange by local and international investors, with NBAD using its account with Euroclear to process the transactions.

Renegade General Urges Turks, Qataris To Leave East Libya

Turkey and Qatar both have supported the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist movement which has been declared a “terrorist” organisation by Egypt and Gulf countries.

Dubai Tram Is Almost 93% Complete- RTA

The tramway’s stations are also almost complete, confirms RTA chairman Mattar Al Tayer.

Apple’s iPhone 5 Named UAE’s Most Popular Smartphone In Q1 2014

Samsung Galaxy S3 was the second most commonly used smartphone with 2.7 per cent of market share, followed by iPhone 5s that had 2.5 per cent share, official data reveals.

French City Nice Most Popular Destination For UAE Private Jet Users

Paris and London are the second third most favoured destinations, according to a study by Private Jet Charter.

Saudi’s Almarai, Pepsico To Invest $345m In Egypt

The investment will be conducted through Egypt’s International Company for Agro-Industrial Projects.

UAE Warns Against Lebanon Travel Following Friday Bombing

UAE officials have also urged Emirati citizens in Lebanon to leave the country immediately.

Saudi King Stops In Cairo To Visit Egypt’s Sisi

King Abdullah, on his way home from Morocco, did not leave his plane, which was on the ground at Cairo airport for just over an hour.

Different Arab money

Growth In UAE, Saudi, Qatar Drawing Global Funds To Set Up Shop

Nomura Asset Management and Lazard Asset Management have opened new offices in Dubai this year.

Dr. Nasser Saidi: Understanding The MSCI Upgrade

The founder and president of Nasser Saidi & Associates explores the impact of the Emerging Market Upgrade on the UAE and Qatar.

Bahrain Struggles With Unrest, Competition To Remain Business Hub

Following unrest in the country, some foreign financial firms have moved staff to Dubai.

Saudi’s King Abdullah Economic City Pivots To Tourism

King Abdullah Economic City, the Kingdom’s mega project, is shifting focus to become a local tourism hub from its initial plans of being a financial centre.

Former CEO Of Dubai’s Arabtec Says Will Hold On To Stake

Hasan Ismaik who resigned from Arabtec on Wednesday, holds a 28.85 per cent stake in the company.

Etihad Cargo Among The World’s Top 10 Performing Global Air Cargo Operators

The cargo operator was included in the list after seeing record April and May tonnage.

Emirates To Launch A380 On San Francisco, Houston Routes

The airline will add over 135 seats to San Francisco and 137 seats to Houston after it launches the jumbo A380 on these routes.

GCC Visitors Spend $500,000 On First 4 Days Of World Cup In Brazil – Visa

The amount represents a five-fold increase compared to the same period (June 12 – June 15) in 2013, said Visa.

Dutch Companies Hit By Saudi Retaliation For Politician’s Anti-Islam Campaign

Populist politician Geert Wilders published stickers critical of Islam in the green and white colours of the Saudi flag last December.