Assad’s Army Stretched But Still Seen Strong In Syria’s War

Military experts say the Syrian army looks set to remain the strongest player in a war that has killed more than 191,000 people.

Jet Airways Launches Fifth Daily Service Between Dubai And Mumbai

The airline will deploy a Boeing 737-800 aircraft to operate the new service, which will begin from October 14.

Middle East Banks Buy Vast Majority Of Landmark Goldman Sachs Sukuk

Middle East investors bought 87 per cent of the Goldman sukuk, while 11 per cent went to Europe and two per cent to Asian investors, a document from lead arrangers showed.

Emirates To Fly ‘One Off’ A380 To Tehran

Dubai carrier ponders regular double-decker services to Iranian capital

German Chancellor Merkel Sees Closer Energy Cooperation With Qatar

Qatari ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is currently visiting Berlin.

GCC Banks Record Strong Growth Despite Low Interest Rates

Improving asset quality and falling credit losses have offset the downside of lower net interest margins, Standard & Poor said in a report.

New iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus Get Rave Reviews, Called “Excellent”, “Beautiful”

Apple launched the new phones on September 9, and they go on sale from September 19 onwards.

Egypt Reaches $8.5bn Funding Goal For Suez Canal Expansion

The Suez Canal project includes the development of 76,000 sq km around the canal into an international industrial and logistics hub.

Islamic State Supporter Warns Of Attacks Against U.S – SITE

The posting on the Minbar Jihadi Media website condemned “intervention in the affairs of other peoples” and said it would trigger an equal response, SITE said.

Iran’s Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Leaves Hospital After Operation

Official media said the 75-year-old Iranian leader was in good health.

Almost 86% Of GCC Firms To Hire Over The Next Three Years

Business confidence has grown in the UAE with more than 45 per cent of the respondents expecting the Expo win to have a positive impact on their growth plans.

Several Arab Countries Offer To Join Air Campaign On Islamic State, Says US

US officials declined to identify which Arab countries made the offers in joining the emerging coalition against the jihadists.

Libyan PM Accuses Qatar Of Sending Planes With Weapons To Tripoli

Libyan Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni said that he will consider breaking off relations with Qatar if it continued to interfere in Libya’s internal affairs.

Qatar-Based Cleric Criticises US Role Against Islamic State

Sheikh Youssef al-Qaradawi, an Egyptian-born cleric based in Doha, said Washington was acting in its own interests.

Fate Of United Kingdom Hangs In Balance After Latest Scotland Polls

Scotland will hold a historic referendum on independence this Thursday to decide whether to remain as part of the UK.

Malaysia Airlines MH17 Tragedy Could Have Been Averted – Emirates Boss

Sir Tim Clark says information regarding the presence of missiles on ground in Eastern Ukraine was withheld from airlines.

Australia Commits Military Forces To Fight Islamic State

A 600-strong force will be deployed to the UAE and be based at a U.S. headquarters, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said.

Sisi Says Coalition Must Battle Islamic State And Others

Sisi said any international coalition to combat terrorism “should be comprehensive and not exclusively target a specific organisation or eradicate a certain terrorist hotspot”.

Islamic State Video Purports To Show Beheading Of UK Hostage David Haines

Haines, a 44-year-old father of two from Perth, Scotland, was kidnapped last year while working for the French agency ACTED.

U.S. Wins Arab Support For Syria/Iraq Military Campaign

The Arab states agreed in a communique to do more to stop the flow of funds and fighters to Islamic State and help rebuild communities “brutalised” by the group.

As Air Accidents Rise, Will Aviation Insurance Premiums Follow Suit?

The rise in accidents has set the bills soaring for aviation insurers, with firms looking at annual losses worth $2 billion this year.

Why Libya Desperately Needs To Clean Up Its Act

Without a settlement, Libya’s economy could run dry.

GCC Firms Commit Investments Worth $19bn In West Africa

Abu Dhabi firm Trojan General Contracting committed investments worth $16 billion in various infrastructure projects in West Africa.

Kerry Urges Arabs To Back Campaign Against Islamic State

In a strong measure of support, Saudi Arabia has agreed to host training camps for moderate Syrian rebels.

Oman’s Renaissance To Revive Listing Plans For Topaz Arm – Sources

Dubai-based Topaz Energy and Marine dropped its $500 million London listing plans in March 2011, citing market volatility as the reason.

Saudi To Host Training Of Moderate Syria Rebels As Part of U.S. Strategy Against IS

U.S. officials declined to specify where on Saudi territory the rebels would be trained.

Saudi Billionaire Prince Alwaleed-Backed Twitter To Raise $1.3bn Through Debt Offerings

The San Francisco-based company said it would use part of the net proceeds for general corporate purposes.

Retailers Seen Unlikely To Warm Up To Apple Pay

The NFC technology, which uses wireless technology to transfer data over short distances, has failed to catch on due to the high costs involved.

Oman Fund Working With Bulgaria To Solve Corpbank Problem

Corpbank, in which Oman’s SGRF is the second-biggest shareholder with a stake of about 30 per cent, was hit by a run on deposits in June.

Google Launches 360-Degree Views Of Egypt’s Pyramids, Says Received Govt Support

Users of Street View on Google Maps can explore the Pyramids and five other landmark sites in Egypt.