Main headlines

May 1, 2013

Internet users in the UAE are being promised better internet connection with the introduction of a new under-sea cable
12:32 GMT

Internet user in the UAE are being promised “reliable and robust” services as a new undersea cable is to be introduced to bring faster speeds.

Egypt's bourse and banks are closed due to Labour day
12:17 GMT

Wednesday 1 May, May Day, has officially been designated as a holiday for bank and Egyptian Exchange (EGX) employees, with work set to resume on Thursday.

Egypt's President, Mohammed Morsi, has halted all privatisation plans
11:47 GMT

Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi said on Tuesday in light of Labour Day celebrations that the government will halt its privatisation policy and will not sell any more public companies.

Lebanon's media council is urging the Central Bank to help provide "soft loans"
11:38 GMT

The head of the Lebanon's National Audiovisual Media Council is urging Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh to help radio and TV stations in Lebanon obtain soft loans from commercial banks to enable these media outlets survive.

Egypt is to raise the fees for ships using the Suez Canal
09:59 GMT

Egypt will raise toll fees by 5% for oil tankers and petrochemical products and 2% for container ships and car carriers, said the Suez Canal Authority (SCA).

Oman is hoping for $10 billion in FDI in one its its economic zones
09:41 GMT

Oman's government expects $10 billion foreign direct investment in Duqm economic zone in the next five years.

Egypt's Shura council passed a draft law on Islamic bonds
09:07 GMT

Egypt's Shura Council (upper house of parliament) on Tuesday approved the Islamic bonds (Sukuk) draft law, reported a television channel.

lebanon's President is demanding answers as to why a powership stopped working
08:36 GMT

Lebanon's President Michel demanded answers on Monday to find out why the power-ship loaned from Turkey has stopped working.

Jordan's government has lowered fuel prices
03:58 GMT

Jordan's government on Tuesday decided to lower fuel prices as of Wednesday by around 5 per cent.

April 30, 2013

Saudi's are the world's biggest spenders abroad, according to a new survey
12:13 GMT

Saudi Arabians have been ranked the world’s biggest spenders abroad, with travelers budgeting an average of $6,666 per trip, according to a survey by Visa.

Pro-Assad hackers have launched another round of attacks on Western media outlets
11:51 GMT

Syrian hackers are launching cyber attacks on a series western media in an apparent effort to cause disruption and spread support for President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

The price of OPEC's daily basket edged upward in Monday's trading
11:35 GMT

The price of OPEC basket of twelve crudes stood at US$100.91 dollars a barrel on Monday, up slightly from Friday's trading.

The unemployment rate in Palestine hit 23 per cent, according to the statistics bureau
11:10 GMT

Marking Labor Day, which coincides on May 1, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said Tuesday that unemployment rate in Palestine in 2012 was 23%, or 256,000 people were unemployed.

Saudi Arabian visitors to of Ras Al-Khaimah make up a significant  proportion of the Emirate's tourism industry
10:52 GMT

Visitors from Saudi Arabia represent a small but high value and fast-growing proportion of the small Emirate of Ras Al-Khaimah's tourism sector, according to officials.

The tie-up between Egypt and Turkey's stock exchanges is due to be completed by September
10:46 GMT

A link-up between Egypt's and Turkey's stock exchange is projected to be finalised by the end of September 2013, Mohamed Omran, the head of the Egyptian bourse said Monday.