Al Meera Consumer Goods Company recently signed deals with two contractors to build six new stores in Qatar. The retailer has chosen Al Muftah Contracting Company to construct four of the shopping centers while Al Khayarin Group Contracting and Trading will create the other two. The shopping centers will located in Al Khor, Azghawa, Leabaib, Rawdat Aba El Heran, Saileya and Umm Qarn. Read More »

Property Hunter has listed a two-bedroom apartment in the Porto Arabia luxury apartment complex, one of Qatar's hotspots, for $824,074. The apartment features two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and offers more than 1,800 square feet of living space. Large windows bring a lot of light in and offer stunning views of the marina outside the apartment. Read More »

Bahrain-based regional financial services group GFH Financial Group (GFH) completed the annual general meeting (AGM) for the year ending Dec. 31. “2015 was a positive year for GFH, despite challenging market conditions,” GFH Chairman Ahmed Al-Mutawa said. During the meeting, Al-Mutawa summarized the group’s business transactions and revealed the financial results for 2015. Read More »

Port of Salalah SPS, also known as Salalah Port Services Company SAOG, recently signed a lease agreement to develop a small to mid-size fuel terminal in the Port of Salalah with Oman Oil Marketing Company (omanoil). Scheduled for completion by the end of 2016, the terminal venture will support omanoil’s potential and future growth. Read More »

A recent panel discussion titled "Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV) and Corporate Entities Component in Investment Banking & Asset Management" highlighted the importance of promoting Bahrain as a hub for SPVs. The discussion was hosted by the Bahrain Asset Managers Association (BAMA) in partnership with the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) and the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB). Read More »

The 11th edition of the Spring of Culture festival, organized by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA), Economic Development Board (EDB), the Shaikh Ebrahim Centre for Culture and Research and numerous art galleries, is running through April. The festival is comprised of cultural events and activities including exhibitions, concerts and theatrical productions. Read More »

BECO Capital, a venture capital firm that provides early-stage growth capital and hands-on operational support for technology companies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, recently reported that the tech entrepreneur sector in the area has achieved tenfold growth lately. The company said the technology ecosystem has been growing with the help of major players including angel investors, incubators, accelerators, venture capital firms and government initiatives. Read More »

As reported in Bloomberg news and other venues, Qatar’s government is looking to get involved in the U.S. in a big way. The country's sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority, has opened a New York office and is aggressively looking to acquire U.S. assets with $35 billion. At the same time, Qatar and its related investors are also spending money elsewhere around the world. Read More »

A nonprofit human rights advocacy group called Freedom House publishes annual 'Freedom in the World' reports, rating countries around the world for their track records on items such as press freedom and overall human rights. Read More »

An agreement between Kuwait and the Italian government allows the former to gain 28 Eurofighter Typhoons, 22 single-seat and six twin-seat aircrafts, each of which will feature the E-Scan radar and will be of Tranche 3 standard. Read More »

Moody’s Investors Service recently stated that the National Bank of Kuwait has improved the strength of its capital base and supported additional business growth, maintaining its position as an important financier for several projects in the area. Read More »

Hilton Worldwide has signed a management agreement with Universal Management Group to open the mid-market Hilton Garden Inn Doha on C Ring Road. Read More »

The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) anticipates improving its bilateral relations with China at the China-UAE Trade and Cultural Exchange Summit 2016, which is hosted in Chengdu, China. Read More »

The Council of Saudi Chambers and research firm The Business Year held a discussion last month called "Strategic Transformation to Boost Economic Growth" to enhance awareness of opportunities available to business professionals in Saudi Arabia. Read More »

More jobs will be created in the U.K. with the announcement of plans to develop a multi-million dollar joint venture between the Oman Drydock Company and Babcock International, a British defense company, according to Defense Secretary Michael Fallon. Read More »

Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise has recently expanded its retail line of desk phones for businesses. Read More »

U.S. newspapers have reported that the Qatar Foundation, a nonprofit founded in 1995 by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, has paid $400 million in 2014 to host six U.S. universities in a facility near Doha, Qatar's capital Read More »

Students from three educational institutions in Oman recently participated in the Shell Eco-marathon Asia 2016, a four-day competition that involves teams of students building energy-efficient vehicles and testing them on a track. Read More »

The Dubai Chamber of Commerce (DCC) recently released an analysis showing that the retail market size in Dubai has reached $35.4 billion since 2015, demonstrating that there have been sustained yearly growth rates. Read More »

Commercial Bank of Kuwait has partnered with Agoda.com, in cooperation with Visa International, to offer direct discounts on hotel stays. Read More »