The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry said Wednesday it will host a series of three workshops on Jan. 18, 20 and 25 on best practices for businesses in conjunction with its 9th cycle of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Business Award. The cycle began in November with an event featuring several speakers on business excellence, technology and innovation issues. Read More »

Glasspoint Solar recently announced its staff has passed 50 percent Omanisation and will likely pass 70 percent during the first quarter of this year. Omanization is a government regulated quota program requiting companies to maintain a certain percentage of Omani workers. Glasspoint raised its percentage of Omani workers from 11 percent to 50 percent last year. Read More »

Mohammed Ibrahim Al Subeaei & Sons Investment Company (MASIC) has been tapped to manage the new Swissotel Al Khobar in Saudi Arabia.The Switzerland-based Swissotel Hotels & Resorts has entered into an agreement to have MASIC representatives oversee the day-to-day operations of the new, 180-room hotel being built in the MASIC Business Park development. Read More »

Oman Oil Marketing Company (Omanoil) said Tuesday that it has recently donated $39,000 to support the South Al Batinah branch of the Omani Association for Elderly Friends. The Omani Association for Elderly Friends is a nonprofit that improves the lives of senior citizens through partnerships with public and private companies. The organization has several branches across Oman. Read More »

Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) and Drydocks World have signed a memorandum of understanding on a joint industrial venture aimed at providing comprehensive maritime services to the UAE and Gulf Cooperation Council. ADSB provides construction, repair and refit services for vessels. Drydocks World provides maritime services to the shipping, offshore, oil, gas and energy sectors. Read More »

Ooredoo said it has inked a deal to provide Oman Munitions Production Company (OMPC) with customized services for Internet, business data, mobile applications and voice applications. OMPC officials said the packages will help support their factory operations, while Ooredoo officials touted the agreement as an example of their company's commitment to economic development in Oman. Read More »

There is still time to participate in Shop Bahrain, and Al Osra Supermarket, a gold retail outlet of the initiative, is one place shoppers can get special bargains and earn points to win prizes. Shop Bahrain, the largest shopping initiative in the country will conclude on Jan. 23. Shoppers who purchase items at Al Osra will get three Shop Bahrain points for each dollar they spend. Read More »

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has adopted Argus as its official price data provider for all of its analysis and reporting as of Jan 1. OPEC's choice follows a trend of other agencies and countries counting on Argus. The International Energy Agency adopted Argus prices in 2012, Chile and Ecuador in 2014 and Columbia and Portugal this year. Read More »

Qatar Foundation Research and Development (QF R&D) is partnering with the Korea Institute of Science & Technology Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP) program so both initiatives can use strategies from the other to develop and grow offerings. Read More »

A commercial from telecom company Zain Kuwait was recently ranked the fourth best in 2015 on a top-10 list of Middle East and North Africa commercials compiled by the advertising and media publication Campaign Middle East. Read More »

The Al-Afandi Group announced Tuesday that it will work with the Royal Commission in Yanbu to build a 55,000-square-foot solar panel manufacturing facility -- the largest in the region. Read More »

Grace Century recently completed three months of work with its first student from the American University of Ras Al Khaimah Internship Program: Adam Dzhamalov of the Russian Republic of Chechnya. Grace Century is a private equity and research company based in the UAE. Read More »

A syndicate of Middle Eastern banks recently invested $69 million in LOLC Finance PLC, a major financial services provider in Sri Lanka. The money will be disbursed in two waves. Read More »

Digital signage took center stage at the Sign, Graphics and Imaging (SGI) Dubai Expo, which took place Jan. 10 through 12 at the Dubai World Trade Center. By 2020, IEC Electronics' Abdul Rahman Falaknaz told the audience during his SGI presentation, digital signage could be a $20 billion industry. Read More »

Shop Bahrain held its third raffle Friday at Bahrain Mall. The raffle is part of a 30-day celebration of Bahrani culture, hospitality and tourism that hopes to promote Bahrain as a family-friendly destination for local and international visitors by showcasing shopping deals and entertainment. Read More »

Kuwait Finance House was a sponsor for the fifth Construction Industry Expo, which was held last month at the Jumeirah Kuwait Hotel. The event brought together government agencies, industry experts and more than 70 participating companies, with interests in various parts of the construction trade. Read More »

New Year's Day marked a milestone for Qatar Airways, as its first scheduled flight took off from Doha, Qatar, to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in California. Los Angeles is the eighth U.S. destination for Qatar Airways. Read More »

Egypt's largest petrochemical plant will soon be automated, thanks to a new $150 million partnership between Emerson Process Management and Carbon Holdings. Emerson will provide technology and services to help automate Tahrir Petrochemicals Project in Ain Sokhna, Egypt. Read More »

The Dubai Health Authority recently recognized Canadian Specialist Hospital as Dubai's most paperless medical institution. The award focuses on how thoroughly a hospital has adjusted its record-keeping practices to meet the standards of the Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model. Read More »

Sultan Telecom was one of several companies showing off their wares between Dec. 8 and 10 at the third Gulf Defense and Aerospace Exhibition, held at the International Fairgrounds in Kuwait. The event was coordinated through the Ministry of Defense. Read More »