Recent efforts by the Oman Ministry of Commerce and Industry are aimed at promoting the local production of goods, in an attempt to improve the national economy. Read More »

In October, Saudi Arabia will be dropping various subsidies and raising some municipal fees and other costs for both residents and visitors. Items that will cease to be subsidized include passports, driver’s licenses and some renewals of residence permits, according to a released list. Government officials note that all of this will be done in order to raise revenue. Read More »

Millennials comprise a significant portion of real estate buyers in the UAE, so classifieds website firm dubizzle has led a research study to look at how these individuals view home buying in the Emirates. The study looked at the attitudes of UAE citizens and expats. One thing the study found was that almost half of millennials surveyed want to purchase a home in the UAE. Read More »

Recent news reports reveal a stormy relationship between Bahrain and Qatar after Qatar released three sailors from Bahrain who had entered the country's territorial waters. According to Gulf News reports, the sailors were fishing on Aug. 13 when they were arrested by a Qatari guard. According to the sailor, a Qatari public prosecutor decided to hold the group for four days. Read More »

You might not have know it from observing most American communities Sept. 11-15, but this period included an important holiday celebrated by millions of people around the world –  Eid al-Adha, a major Islamic holiday. The theme of Eid al-Adha is one of sacrifice – the holiday derives from the story of Abraham and his son, who, in Judeo-Christian lore is Isaac and in the Islamic world, Ishmael. Read More »

Reports from Oman indicate the government has hiked tobacco taxes up to double the previous amount – after a tax freeze on tobacco products lasting 17 years. A Sept. 21 press release said some form of a tax increase on tobacco has been in the works for six years, but in November 2015, various Gulf leaders acted decisively to approve the outsized tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products. Read More »

In a region that's quickly modernizing, one of the Gulf area's primary cosmopolitan cities, Dubai, is determined to grow its health care system to the point where it offers medical tourism to the global community. Dubai authorities are announcing that with an investment of over $272.2 million last year, they expect to welcome around 1.3 million medical tourists within the next five years. Read More »

Ongoing tensions in Yemen continue to spill over into other parts of the Gulf, making for a volatile pilgrimage season in the region. One Qatari official, Emir Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, is asking countries that have by some accounts waged a proxy war in Yemen to try to stay good neighbors, to tamp down conflict over the annual hajj. Read More »

A new initiative initiated by the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Labor and Social Development and the Social Charity Fund is aimed at helping welfare recipients find gainful employment in the labor market. The “Tamkeen” program, as it’s known, will provide training and assistance with the recruiting processes with participating companies that have available job opportunities. Read More »

In a time when the Saudi economy is struggling, there is some glimmer of light for Saudi workers, particularly native citizens. A study by the Korn Ferry Hay Group shows big increases across the board for salaries in some industries, such as high technology and transportation and logistics. The study also found that over half of Saudi nationals have held the same job for at least five years. Read More »

Headlines from Cairo suggest that Egypt's inflation is now at an eight year high, challenging a government that has already been looking at central bank action and has taken out a $12 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund. A Sept. 8 Reuters article shows inflation in Egypt at 15.5 percent, up from recent months and towering far below what most national economies handle. Read More »

Kuwait is making large increases in its subsidized gasoline prices, with Gulf Business reports showing the price of low-octane gasoline rising 41 percent and high-grade gasoline rising 61 percent. The World Bank's country manager for Kuwait characterized the price hikes as “politically and economically bold.” and the response on the street is less positive. Read More »

The Fitch ratings agency has released a report for the government of Saudi Arabia that, to the layperson, might look a bit ominous. Fitch has affirmed the country's rating at AA- with a negative outlook in the report, in which Fitch analysts paint a complicated picture of the government's balance sheet. Also in the Fitch report is warnings about a rapidly changing labor market. Read More »

A new package delivery service called Fetchr NOW is bringing new opportunities to Dubai residents. The company has rolled out the new service in Dubai and plans to expand it to places like Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. For less than $11, customers can get packages delivered anywhere in the city or the service can "fetch" nearly anything that a customer wants. Read More »

The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention is announcing another round of price reductions for prescription drugs made by several dozen pharmaceutical companies around the world. The latest price cuts are the seventh, and last, is a series of reductions, some of which were even more extensive. This latest round, the ministry said, will translate to relief of $75.9 million to consumers. Read More »

The Qatar Investment Authority, Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, made a sizable investment last month in a real estate investment trust with assets that include the Empire State Building in New York. The move has generated some rather mild national press, but it is attracting scrutiny from some who have questions about this kind of foreign investment in U.S. infrastructure. Read More »

In an attempt to stabilize its national economy, Bahrain is reaching out to the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development with financing agreements for over $1 billion for infrastructure and housing projects. Along with pursuing financing, Bahrain’s leadership is also amping up its solar program.What role will renewables play in the new economies of the GCC nations with oil below $50 a barrel? Read More »

In Qatar, a company with ties to the government is looking to invest in solar energy in a big way as part of a larger trend toward renewables and away from oil. News reports this month said the company, Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTech) is working with the German companies SolarWorld and Centrotherm Photovoltaics AG to roll out more impressive arrays of solar panels. Read More »

A company in the Persian Gulf called Fathima Group is seeking to unveil seven new, superstore-style commercial structures with an investment of 200 million AED. Read More »

At a landmark event slated for Sept. 8-12, Sony is going to be showing off new products and services as part of promoting what's new at the established entertainment and electronics company.  Read More »