Middle East media agencies win big at Cannes

Memac Ogilvy Dubai and Leo Burnett Beirut won big at the awards

Market volatility to intensify as Brexit vote looms

Expats urged to keep a close eye on their investments as Thursday’s vote approaches

British Airways suspends flights to Sharm al-Sheikh ‘indefinitely’

British and Russian governments banned their airlines from flying to Sharm al-Sheikh because of security concerns

Boeing confirms signing airplane deal with Iran Air

The agreement marks Boeing’s first sale to Iran since its Islamic Revolution in 1979

UAE’s Crescent Enterprises invests in Africa’s Mara group

The investment was made into e-commerce platform Mara Shopping and Mara Xpress

oil-big7

Global oil companies cautious ahead of Iran’s licensing round

The licensing round for international oil companies is expected to be launched on Tuesday

Iranian official says Bahrain will ‘pay price’ for insulting Shi’ite cleric

Bahrain stripped the citizenship of Shi’ite cleric Isa Ahmed Qassim on Monday

Revealed: 10 countries with the lowest business taxes

All the GCC countries, but Oman, appear on the list

Different Arab money

GCC companies should start preparing for VAT, excise tax

New PwC report urges regional firms to ensure systems are in place for the new taxes

Investigators start analysis of damaged EgyptAir black boxes

Sources said it would require “lots of time and effort” to fix the black box recorders

Why the GCC’s future could lie in greater union

EY MENA chairman and CEO Abdulaziz Al Sowailim on how GCC countries are responding to oil price volatility

Small international banks begin entering Iran

The world’s big banks have continued to stay away because they fear being penalised by remaining US sanctions

Why public-partnerships are key for future GCC growth

PPPs allow investment in public infrastructure to be accelerated

Human

Cyber attacks from terrorists ‘just a matter of time’

In the first quarter of 2016 alone, there were 2.2 billion cyber attacks globally

Iran files complaint with ICJ to recover $2bn frozen in US

The assets held in New York are part of the Iranian bank’s foreign currency reserves

EgyptAir crash: Wreckage found at sea

Flight MS804 crashed on May 19 killing all the 66 people on board

What the Microsoft-LinkedIn deal means for the Middle East

Microsoft announced a $26.2bn acquisition of LinkedIn earlier this week

Oil output freeze by Saudi, Russia to have 'miniscule' impact on oversupply

Global oil market will return to surplus in early 2017 – IEA

The agency said demand growth in 2017 is likely to be flat at around 1.3 million barrels per day

Powerful blast outside Beirut bank

There have been no reports of casualties so far

Iran says 80% of oil contracts with Europe are operational

Iran plans to sell 600,000 to 800,000 barrels per day to European buyers

Gulf states drop down Global Peace Index

Saudi Arabia fell from 95 in 2015 to 129 this year, while the UAE went from 49 to 61

Gulf investors hold back on UK property deals

The country’s looming Brexit vote means many are taking a wait and see approach

Gulf investors urged to hedge their bets as Brexit vote looms

The British pound could fall “perhaps sharply” if the UK votes to leave the European Union

UAE’s Aramex to sell Sydney courier unit to Australia Post

The logistics company acquired Sydney-based Mail Call Couriers in 2014

Peak oil demand expected after 2050, if prices stay under $100

New report by Bank of America Merrill Lynch says transport demand will determine peak

Saudi-Egypt causeway to enable 30 minute cross border travel

Plans for the crossing were revived during King Salman’s visit to Egypt in April

Oil up on Saudi, Russia meeting

Have low oil prices changed the GCC’s spending patterns?

Diversification remains the key element for GCC countries in the current climate

Iranians will be unable to perform haj this year

Iran has refused to sign a deal with Saudi for haj arrangements

Defence partnerships can boost economic and regional security

Regional governments should be prioritising defence industrial partnerships, writes Ivor Ichikowitz

Why GCC companies should implement job levelling

Regional companies can help their employees improve their career paths