UAE says over 100,000 Syrians given visas since 2011

More than 242,000 Syrian nationals currently live in the country

Majority of UAE firms planning international expansion

Around 10.4 per cent of all firms planning global expansion are from the UAE, a new poll showed

Indian police investigate accusation Saudi official raped Nepali maids

The two women, aged 30 and 50, told police they were raped, assaulted, starved and held hostage over several months in Delhi

Gulf firms turn to banks to fund big projects as state coffers squeezed – SocGen

A drop in oil prices, which hit a six-and-a-half-year low last month, has pushed some Gulf state budgets into deficit for the first time in years

Yemen coalition readies for 10,000-troop Sana’a offensive

Al Houthi rebels seized the city in September last year

Qatar sends 1,000 ground troops to Yemen battle – Al Jazeera

A total of 1,000 Qatari soldiers, backed by 200 armoured vehicles and 30 Apache helicopters have reportedly been deployed

Gulf oil ministers to meet on Thursday amid price slide

Oil prices have more than halved since peaks hit in summer last year due to abundant supplies

Doha Bank partners with India’s Reliance, led by Anil Ambani

The agreement is aimed at generating new business opportunities in the GCC and India

Carlson Rezidor to enter Iraq

The 260-room hotel will be located in Erbil’s Western suburbs, about 3kms from the airport

UAE, Bahrain say 50 soldiers killed in Yemen attack

The incident took place in the oil-producing Marib area of central Yemen near the border with Saudi Arabia

India and UAE: A firm handshake

The recent visit of the Indian Prime Minister promises renewed focus on economic and political ties between the two nations

Saudi Arabia satisfied with Obama’s assurances on Iran deal

Saudi King Salman met with Obama at the White House on Friday to seek more support in countering Iran

Dubai’s DIFC aims to have 100 Indian firms by 2024

Dubai’s financial freezone is looking to Indian and other Asian markets to fuel its growth over the next 10 years

Obama scores policy win in securing votes for Iran nuclear deal

The list of US senators backing the deal has now reached 34

War prevents 13m children from attending school in MENA – UN

Attacks on schools are one of the main reasons why many children cannot go to classes, a report by UNICEF said

Saudi Arabia, U.S. near deal for two Lockheed warships

The deal, valued at well over $1bn, could be reached by the end of this year

Obama to assure Saudi king of US help to counter Iranian threat

King Salman will meet Obama on Friday as part of his first US visit since ascending to the throne in January

UAE’s Arabtec says no progress on mega Egypt housing project

The company announced over a year ago that it had agreed in principle with the Egyptian government to build one million homes in the country

Oil prices continue to drop as US oil inventory surges

Oil prices dropped to their lowest level in over six years last week

UAE, UN to jointly host global manufacturing summit in Abu Dhabi

The inaugural summit will be held in the second half of next year

Huawei plots 10 Middle East customer service centres

The plans come following the launch of the company’s Dubai location this week

Satellite images show Islamic State destroyed major temple at Palmyra – UN

The images show the remains of the Temple of Bel at the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Geneva-based United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) said on Twitter

Egypt sets parliamentary election date in October

Egypt has been without a parliament since June 2012 when a court dissolved the democratically elected main chamber

Despite smartphone glut, Apple’s new iPhones still awaited in UAE

The company is expected to unveil its latest iPhones on September 9

Saudi-led coalition air strike kills 36 Yemeni civilians -residents

Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri denied the strike had hit a civilian target

French thieves pose as Gulf Arab tourists, rob hotel guests

The thieves pretended to have lost their keys in order to gain access to the rooms of wealthy Arab tourists at luxury hotels in Europe

About 22% of Gulf firms say they only ‘talk about innovation’

A new survey shows that Gulf firms are not big risk takers in terms of innovation

Crude oil could reach $55 by year-end after “bumpy ride” – analyst

Oil prices remain challenged by over-supply in the market and the likelihood of decreased demand from China

Egypt summons UK ambassador over criticism of Al Jazeera trial

British Ambassador John Casson said that Egypt’s stability should be built on freedom of the press and freedom of expression after the court sentenced the three journalists to prison

Apple expected to unveil new iPhones at Sept. 9 event

The company is widely expected to unveil the iPhone 6S and the iPhone 6 Plus S