NEWS & INSIGHTS

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Millions of Muslims around the world on Monday marked the start of Ramadan, a month of intense prayer, dawn-to-dusk fasting and nightly feasts. Others will begin fasting a day later, Tuesday, due to a moon-sighting […]

Dubai’s biggest bank on Tuesday announced a collaboration with Uber, the US-based taxi-hailing service, which will offer customers free rides during Ramadan. Emirates NBD said in a statement that cardholders will get free rides during the holy month as part […]

Dubai-based solar energy developer, investment manager and asset manager, Phanes Group, has announced the launch of an office in Johannesburg, South Africa, its first African office. The company said in a statement that the office will act as a hub […]

Oman has taken legal actions against 437 expat workers and deported 286 of them for violating its labour law, reported local media. Officials detected the violations from May 29 to June 4, when a weekly report and inspection took place, […]

In Abu Dhabi, Philippine Ambassador Constancio R. Vingno Jr. led a lively celebration at Dalma Mall with thousands of kababayans treated to various games, prizes and a cultural show dedicated to Philippine’s flag evolution. Filipinos rank as the fourth largest […]

More than half of the UAE’s Western expats want to increase their savings in 2016, compared with 68 percent of Arab expats and 60 percent of Emiratis, according to a survey. The National Bonds Savings Index reveals the majority of […]

Saudi Arabia is targeting 1.5 million tourists by 2020, according to analysts. The Saudi Vision 2030 development initiative announced by Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman aims to increase the revenue generated from tourism to 18 percent in the next […]

Saudi Real Estate Co has agreed with US firm Starwood Hotels and Resorts to build two hotels next to a district of Riyadh which the government plans to develop into an international business zone. Starwood will manage a five-star hotel […]

Bahrain Real Estate Investment (Edamah), the real estate arm of Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, will invest $928 million (BD350 million) in the Hawar Islands project that will transform it into an eco-friendly tourism destination. Extensions on the two-stage project, which […]

Abu Dhabi General Services Company (Musanada) has announced it has completed 83 percent of the new Abu Dhabi-Dubai speedway which aims to cut congestion between the UAE’s two major cities. The execution of the new highway followed a detailed study […]

US-based hospitality management company Dream Hotel Group has announced the signing of its first hotel in the Middle East. The company said in a statement that it has inked an agreement with Qatar-based Al Alfia Holding to develop a Dream […]

The African island nation of the Comoros has said it is ready to consider taking thousands of stateless people denied citizenship in the Gulf state of Kuwait, newspapers reported on Monday. “If the issue is raised officially, we are ready […]