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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

The prestigious three-day 10th World Retail Congress, being co-sponsored by Majid Al Futtaim and the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, got underway Tuesday in Madinat Jumeirah, marking the first time Dubai has served as the host nation for the event. The gathering is expected to draw over 1,000 industry leaders and retailers while highlighting the region’s opportunities. Read More »

This tastefully updated villa is located in Dubai's sought-after The Springs residential development. The villa boasts a bright and inviting floor plan with 1,793 square feet of living space and includes a gorgeous reception room and dining area, a handsome home study, a sizable laundry area and an upgraded modern kitchen with all the conveniences. Read More »

Oman Insurance Association recently named a new board of directors headed by Chairman Sayyid Nassir Al Busaidi of Oman United Insurance Company, with Rawny Khadr of Dhofar Insurance and Lloyd East of RSA Middle East being named deputy chairmen. Srinivasan AR of Falcon Insurance was named treasurer and Adil Al Lawati of Al Futtaim was named secretary. Read More »

Ooredoo Group has increased its 4G service offerings to five markets with the launch of 4G services from Ooredoo Tunesia. Ooredoo now provides super-fast 4G digital services to Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Indonesia and Tunisia, expanding the group’s footprint to one of the largest in the region. Ooredoo customers can now take advantage of the faster, more efficient 4G services. Read More »

The GSMA Association rated Vodafone Qatar as a premium operator for its roaming services. The association, which represents the interests of mobile operators, rates operators every year based on compliance with the most current roaming standards. "We are delighted by GSMA's recognition of our premier roaming standard," Vodafone Qatar Chief Operating Officer Mohamed Al Sadah said. Read More »

The third edition of the Global PR Summit Middle East on June 1 and 2 in Bahrain is expected to draw public relations and communications experts from such businesses as Google, MasterCard, Nissan, STC, P&G and Cruises Lines International. The summit will deal with various topics including trends and challenges regarding regional communications and crisis communications. Read More »

Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Director General Mohammed Helal Al-Muhairi recently spoke before an audience gathered to assess oil prices, the economic climate and their effects on the nation’s private industry. Al-Muhairi summarized Abu Dhabi’s current economic stance during a seminar titled “The Emerging Market Slowdown, Low Oil Prices and the Abu Dhabi Private Sector.” Read More »

Global content specialist MEC Wavemaker combined content strategy, social, partnerships, SEO and creative services to recently launch in 10 markets, including the Middle East. MEC Wavemaker, which aims to create content that improves a brand's performance, driving insights and offering recommendations to optimize performance, plans to launch in 20 more markets later this year. Read More »