Oman cuts spending, budget deficit to reach $8.6bn in 2016

State spending is estimated to fall 11 per cent in 2016 to reach OMR 11.9bn as oil prices squeeze finance

Logistics – one of the keys to a successful Dubai expo

Innovation in logistics and transport will be key to a successful Expo 2020, writes Mohammad Alkhas

Adapting to Darwinian forces across the business landscape in 2016

Low commodity prices, weakening currencies and slowing growth in China will continue to impact businesses

Sheikh Mohammed’s latest book Flashes of Wisdom hits shelves

The book contains quotes collated from various speeches, poems, books and other sources

Cartoon Network and Boomerang to enter MENA region TV network

Deal between network beIN and channel operator Turner will also bring TCM and CNN HD

Paris COP21, climate change and decarbonisation

As world leaders look at their climate policies in Paris, GCC nations should do the same

Etihad Airways’ passenger numbers grow by 17% in 2015

The airline carried around 17.4 million passengers last year

Saudi Arabia thwarts attacks, puts 532 ISIL suspects on trial

Officials said that the suspects belonged to six cells and were planning to attack security agencies and the US embassy in Riyadh

Saudi Aramco chairman says no concrete plan for listing – report

Khalid al-Falih said studies for a potential IPO were ongoing

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Dollar strength could see oil hit $20 – Morgan Stanley

US bank warns of further declines if the currency’s strength continues

Europe looks to ultra rich migrants to help fund crisis

Can wealthy migrants help solve Europe’s refugee crisis?

Powerful Chapala cyclone kills three on Yemeni island

Around 100 people were injured and hundreds of families were forced to leave their homes in the island of Socotra

GE opens new aviation tech centre in Dubai as part of industrial internet push

The new centre began operations three weeks ago and will work on developing localised digital solutions for airlines

UK begins work on first permanent military base in Bahrain

The military base, constructed at a cost of $23m, will be completed next year

Middle East funds turn negative on equities

Low oil prices, instability in the global economy and the prospect of monetary tightening have hurt sentiment

Delta cancels Dubai-Atlanta flights as subsidy row heats up

The cancellation of the service will be effective from February 11, 2016, the airline said

Qatar Investment Authority backs $8.6bn New York development

The Qatari fund has acquired a 44 per cent stake in the Manhattan West project from Brookfield Property Partners

Qatar rules out military intervention in Syria

Qatar has helped in arming, training and giving political support to the rebels throughout most of the four-year-old war

Briton arrested for alcohol in Saudi expected to be released

Karl Andree, 74, faced 350 lashes after being caught for producing and possessing wine

Saudi foreign minister says sees signs Yemen war nearing end

Most of Yemen’s territory that was captured by the Houthi rebels has been recaptured, he said

Michael Dell: ‘I am just on a really big adventure’

Dell CEO says he is ‘tremendously excited’ about pending $67bn acquisition of EMC

Emirates to operate one-off A380 flight to Sao Paulo

The flight will mark Emirates’ eighth year of operations in Brazil

Big quake in Afghanistan and Pakistan kills over 200

The 7.5 magnitude quake was centred 254 km northeast of Kabul in Badakhshan province

Saudi ambassador warns the UK of “repercussions” if mutual respect “breached”

His comments follow Britain’s strong criticism of human rights violations in the kingdom

Omani foreign minister meets Syria’s Assad

Oman sees itself as a conciliator in a volatile region

Dell to partner up with Middle East firms to build cloud services

Texan company to expand workforce and investment across MENA region

Etihad to launch daily A380 services to Melbourne from 2016

Deploying the A380 will increase the total number of two-way seats on the route by 26 per cent to over 11,500 per week

Oman, Japan to form $400m fund to invest in food sector

The fund will facilitate direct investment in GCC states by Japanese food and agribusiness firms

US, Saudi Arabia to bolster support for moderate Syrian opposition

US Secretary of State John Kerry met King Salman and other Saudi officials on Saturday

Up to 78% of Filipinos in the UAE plan Philippines property buy

New survey finds majority of the respondents plan to buy properties within a price ceiling of around Dhs 167,000