Saudi wealth fund makes senior hires, including Goldman banker

Goldman banker Eyas AlDossari will head investment advisory within the MENA Investments Division of the fund

Abu Dhabi’s ADQ in talks to invest $500m in Flipkart

Flipkart is seeking to raise at least $3bn

Dubai Shopping Malls

Dubai Summer Surprises 2021 mega sale returns in July

Spread across 10 weeks, it will be held from July 1 until September 4

Netanyahu’s reign over as Israel ushers in fragile government

The new coalition will govern with the slimmest majorities – commanding 61 of parliament’s 120 seats

Covid-19 Vaccine in Dubai

Covid-19: More than 2.3 million people vaccinated in Dubai

Eight out of every 10 people infected with Covid-19 in Dubai have not been vaccinated

Google startup accelerator

How Dubai Next can be a gamechanger for the startup ecosystem

Here’s how the platform can help champion innovation and reduce the failure rate among startups within the region

Air Arabia Etihad Airways

UAE’s Etihad and Air Arabia to permit mutual transfer of air miles and points

Etihad Guest members will now receive 1 AirReward Point for every 2 Etihad Guest Miles

UAE reports 1,969 Covid-19 cases, 2 deaths

The nationwide case count has risen to 597,986

Bahrain bans new work permits for people from red list countries

The directive is applicable to those outside the kingdom

Why clean energy’s corporate patrons are buying less this year?

Dubai to get 600MW additional clean energy this year

Clean energy is expected to account for 12 per cent of Dubai’s overall production by the end of 2021

Saudi Arabian hospitality firms weigh $2.4bn merger

Assilah Investment is the top shareholder in both companies

Abu Dhabi removes UK from ‘green list’ destinations in latest update

Malta has been added to the list, which includes 28 destinations in total

Saudi wealth fund PIF leads investment in $800m Middle East infrastructure fund

Aberdeen and Investcorp announced the fund two years ago with a view to channel investment into the Middle East’s health care, education and utilities industries

Saudi to create new public transport project with more than 400 buses in Makkah

The bus network consists of two stages and aims to serve pilgrims and residents of Makkah

Dubai external trade

Dubai’s non-oil external trade grows to Dhs354bn in Q1 2021

China remained Dubai’s largest trading partner in Q1 2021, with Dhs44bn worth of trade

Dubai’s RTA undertakes integrated transport project around Expo 2020 bus stations

The project will add 45km to the emirate’s cycling tracks network

Global food costs surge to decade high as drought parches crops

A United Nations gauge of world food costs climbed for a 12th straight month in May

Explainer: Is data the new oil in the GCC?

Technology has now become a key driver of economic growth in the GCC, with data already defining the region’s future, opines Maurits Tichelman, VP – Sales, Marketing, and Communications and GM – Global Markets and Partners, EMEA at Intel

Aramco sells $6bn of dollar-denominated Islamic bonds

The state-controlled company sold sukuk due in three, five and 10 years

Covid-19 update: UAE reports 2,190 cases, 7 deaths

The nationwide case count now stands at 591,613

Emirates Dubai Malta

Emirates to resume thrice-weekly flights from Dubai to Malta

Travellers from the UAE can avail of quarantine-free travel to the Mediterranean country

child care

UAE initiates Sinopharm vaccine study for children aged 3-17

The study aims to monitor the immune response to the vaccine in 900 children of different nationalities

Bal Krishen CEO and chairman Century Financial

Cover story: Why the chairman of UAE’s Century Financial feels its all about the journey, not the destination

It’s not just the view at the top that the company’s chairman and CEO Bal Krishen enjoys, but also the journey of reaching there

Emirates Development Bank

Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Development Bank closes $750m five-year bond

This was the second USD transaction issued under EDB’s $3bn Euro Medium Term Note programme

Dubai’s Emaar adds new contract clause after project delays

According to the founder, missed deadlines are a ‘real source of concern’

Facebook says it will expand remote work to all employees

Facebook also is expanding the number of workers who are allowed to move to other countries

Abu Dhabi fund ADQ offers to create large hospitality group

ADQ has proposed combining Abu Dhabi National Hotels Company with one of its portfolio companies, Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi’s ADIA is said to invest $1bn in Medline buyout

Medline is the biggest private US manufacturer and distributor of medical supplies

Dubai airport immigration

UAE bans entry of passengers from Zambia, DR Congo and Uganda

The directive comes into effect from June 11

Majid Al Futtaim, Yellow Door Energy to develop Bahrain’s largest private solar plant

The agreement will bring clean energy to The Bahrain Mall, operated by Carrefour Bahrain