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Blocked Online, ISIL Supporters Launch CaliphateBook

The site 5elafabook.com, which resembled Facebook but appeared unfinished, went live on Sunday then went offline again a day later.

Human Rights Or Business? Saudi Defence Accord Sparks Storm In Sweden

Analysts say the Swedish government’s change of tack in foreign policy could jeopardise billions of dollars in sales, particularly for defence-related companies

Sidelined In Tikrit, U.S. Says War On ISIL Will Be Won

Washington has been training and equipping the Iraqi army to fight back the ISIL militants.

France Wants UN Security Council Meeting On Minorities In Middle East

Laurent Fabius said that he would chair the meeting which would discuss the problems of Christians and other minorities in the region.

Egypt’s Orascom Construction Shares Rise In NASDAQ Dubai Listing

Trading on the Cairo stock market is expected to begin on Wednesday, the company’s chief executive said.

UAE Airlines Suspend Flights To Erbil On Security Woes

Emirates, flydubai and Etihad Airways have suspended flights to Erbil as ISIL destroys ancient cities in Iraq’s north.

Gunmen Kill More Than 12 ISIL Militants In Eastern Syria

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks.

GCC’s Rich Confident About Local Economies Despite Oil Price Fall

The Gulf’s wealthy prefer to invest in the region with 83 per cent of the high net worth individuals wanting to keep their assets closer to home, a survey said.

Egyptian Court Adjourns Trial Of Al Jazeera Journalists To March 19

A court last month released Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed on bail after over a year in detention.

Revealed: Gulf Expat Salaries Up Nearly 8%

Significant pay increases at C-level were among the factors driving overall salaries up over the last year, according to the Gulf Business 2015 Salary Survey.

Stock News: Gulf Markets Neutral To Negative After Oil’s Slide

Brent crude slid 1.2 per cent to $59.73 a barrel on Friday and posted its biggest weekly loss since January.

Almost 45% Of MENA Working Women Say Paid Less Than Male Peers

The majority of working women in the region (77 per cent) currently work for a male manager, finds new survey.

FIFA President Blatter Calls On Iran To Allow Women Into Stadiums

Iran is bidding against the UAE to host the 2019 Asian Cup and the ban on women is expected to damage their chances.

10 Foreigners Missing After Libya Oilfield Attack

Islamist militants attacked the Al-Ghani field last week, killing 11 guards.

Louis Dreyfus Ships Big US Ethanol Cargo To Middle East

Dreyfus is sending about 280,000 barrels of ethanol from the Port of New York to Jebel Ali in the UAE.

Egypt No Longer Sees Full Tourism Recovery In 2015

Tourism accounts for 11.3 per cent of Egypt’s economy and 19.3 per cent of its foreign currency revenues.

Syria’s Nusra Front Mulls Split From Al Qaeda On Qatar Backing

Sources in Nusra said that Qatar is encouraging the group to go ahead with the move, which would give it a boost in funding.

Oil Plunge Slows Deposit Growth At GCC Banks, No Liquidity Crunch

Deposits from governments, quasi-government bodies and national oil companies provide around 10 to 35 per cent of GCC banks’ non-equity funding.

Egypt Aims For Final Arabtec Housing Deal By Mid-March

Arabtec said last March that it had reached agreement with Egypt’s army to build a million homes at 13 locations around the country.

Etihad To Launch Daily Flights To Tehran From April

The carrier currently operates three flights a week between Abu Dhabi and the Iranian capital.

Kerry Briefs Iran’s Gulf Rivals On Nuclear Talks

Gulf countries fear that Iran is using its atomic programme to develop nuclear weapons capability, something Tehran denies.

GCC Rail Completion Date Could Be Pushed To 2020 – UAE Minister

The UAE and Saudi Arabia are thinking of beginning their partial operation of the network by 2018, said the country’s minister of public works

Two Malaysians Identified In ISIL Beheading Video From Syria

Mohd Faris Anuar and Muhamad Wanndy Muhammad Jedi, aged 20 and 25 respectively, were identified as the men involved in the beheading of a Syrian man.

Iran Rejects Obama’s Demand For 10-Year Nuclear Halt Work

On Monday, Obama said Iran must halt nuclear work for at least 10 years for a deal to be reached between Tehran and six major powers.

Vatican On Alert For Islamist Attack, But No Plot-Security Chief

ISIL militants have made threats against Catholic targets in Rome that have been given much space in Italian media.

Abraaj Sets Up $200m North Africa Healthcare Group

Abraaj will be the main investor in the healthcare group with $145 million, while three other investors will pitch in about $55 million.

EU Seeks To Bolster Middle East Quartet Via Arab Involvement

The idea is to have more frequent top-level meetings with Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt to ensure the region is more closely engaged at a time of change.

Iran Says Nuclear Deal Hinges On U.S. Will To Lift Sanctions

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif insisted that an agreement couldn’t be reached as long as sanctions existed.

Saudi Consul Released After Three Years As Hostage In Yemen

Abdullah al-Khalidi, Saudi Arabia’s consul in Aden, was seized in March 2012.

Egypt Got $23bn In Aid From Saudi, UAE And Kuwait In 18 Months

Investment Minister Ashraf Salman said the aid included oil shipments, cash grants and deposits in Egypt’s central bank.