Gulf

Qatar’s World Cup turf needs chilled stadiums, desalinated water to thrive

Winter will come early to soccer stadiums in baking-hot Qatar when groundskeepers blast chilled air starting in September to ensure pitch turf thrives in the desert country for the World…

Read More Here

Iran says ‘significant progress’ made in Vienna nuclear talks

Talks in Vienna on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers have made "significant progress", Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Monday. Separately, Iran's top…

Read More Here

Iranian parliament sets six conditions for return to nuclear deal

DUBAI, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Iran's parliament has laid out six conditions for Tehran to rejoin the 2015 nuclear deal with global powers in a letter to President Ebrahim Raisi…

Read More Here

Iran not seeking nuclear weapons, needs atomic energy, says Khamenei

Feb 17 (Reuters) - Iran's supreme leader said on Thursday that it will further develop peaceful nuclear capacity to preserve independence, amid negotiations with world powers to revive a 2015…

Read More Here

US Navy eyes Israeli robot boats as Bennett visits Bahrain, official says

The U.S. Navy is considering adding unmanned Israeli boats to its Middle East operations, a U.S. official said, a move that could deepen Israel's growing role in regional military arrangements…

Read More Here

U.S. F-22 fighter jets arrive in UAE following Houthi attacks

U.S. F-22 fighter jets arrived at an air base in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over the weekend following a spate of unprecedented attacks in Abu Dhabi by Houthi fighters…

Read More Here

Qatar Petroleum no longer in EU antitrust crosshairs – sources

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Qatar Petroleum is unlikely to face further EU antitrust action three years after EU regulators opened an investigation into its 20-year gas contracts on concerns that these…

Read More Here

U.S. to help UAE replenish missile defense interceptors after Houthi attacks

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt, Feb 10 (Reuters) - The United States will help the United Arab Emirates replenish interceptors it uses to knock down incoming missiles following a spate of unprecedented…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Intercepted drone shrapnel injures 12 at Saudi Abha airport

Twelve people were injured at Saudi Arabia's Abha airport by shrapnel from a drone intercepted by air defences on Thursday, the Saudi-led coalition fighting Yeman's Iran-aligned Houthi group said. Air…

Read More Here

Bahrain introduces golden permanent residency visas to lure talent

Bahrain on Monday introduced a new permanent residency visa to attract talent and investment, part of a trend in Gulf states to offer more flexible and longer-duration visas amid regional…

Read More Here

Bahrain introduces “golden” permanent residency visas to attract talent

Bahrain on Monday introduced a new permanent residency visa to attract talent and investment, part of a trend in Gulf states to offer more flexible and longer-duration visas amid regional…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Iran nuclear talks will resume on Tuesday, EU confirms

VIENNA, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Indirect talks in Vienna between Iran and the United States on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal will resume on Tuesday, the European Union, which…

Read More Here

Saudi non-oil private sector January growth slows amid Omicron surge – PMI

DUBAI, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Growth in Saudi Arabia's non-oil private economy slipped again in January, falling to its slowest expansion rate since September amid a sharp rise in COVID-19…

Read More Here

UAE non-oil private sector growth slows in January as COVID restricts demand – PMI

DUBAI, Feb 3 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates' non-oil private sector growth fell in January to its slowest in six months despite notching a 14th straight month of expansion,…

Read More Here

Israel participates in huge U.S. Mideast naval exercise alongside Saudi, Oman

DUBAI (Reuters) - Israel is taking part in a huge U.S.-led naval exercise in the Middle East, for the first time publicly joining Saudi Arabia and Oman, two counties it…

Read More Here

UAE says it blocked drone attack, little-known group claims responsibility

DUBAI (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates said it intercepted three drones that entered its airspace over unpopulated areas early on Wednesday in the fourth such attack on the Gulf…

Read More Here

U.S. to send fighter jets and USS Cole to assist UAE after Houthi attacks

DUBAI, Feb 2 (Reuters) - The United States said it is sending fighter jets to assist the United Arab Emirates following missile attacks on the Gulf state launched by Yemen's…

Read More Here

Biden tells emir he will make Qatar major non-NATO ally

President Joe Biden promised Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, on Monday that he will soon designate Qatar as a major non-NATO ally, granting special status to a key…

Read More Here

Qatar seeks EU guarantees emergency gas stays within EU

Gas producer Qatar is asking the European Union to restrict resales of gas outside the bloc if it wants Qatar and other major gas suppliers to provide emergency supply in…

Read More Here

UAE to lift entry, transit ban on passengers from 12 African countries

DUBAI (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates lifted an entry and transit ban on on Saturday on travellers who had recently visited South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia and eight other…

Read More Here

Qatar could reroute some gas to Europe with U.S. mediation

LONDON, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Qatar will need help from the United States to persuade Doha's natural gas buyers to reroute some supplies to Europe in case a Russia-Ukraine conflict…

Read More Here

Iran sentences French national to 8 years’ jail for spying – TV

An Iranian court on Tuesday convicted French national Benjamin Briere of espionage, sentencing him to eight years in prison, BFM TV reported. Briere, 36, has been held in Iran since…

Read More Here

Dubai, Abu Dhabi residents on edge after Houthis attempt to strike again

Two missile attacks in a week on the United Arab Emirates have left some residents feeling on edge about security for the first time in the Gulf state's capital Abu…

Read More Here

UPDATED: UAE blocks missile attack as Yemen’s Houthis target region’s business hub

DUBAI, Jan 24 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates on Monday said it had foiled another Houthi missile attack following last week's deadly assault on the Gulf state as the…

Read More Here

UAE grounds most private drones for a month after Houthi attack

The United Arab Emirates has grounded most private drones and light sports aircraft used for recreational purposes for a month starting Saturday, the Interior Ministry said, following a deadly attack…

Read More Here

Iran, China and Russia hold naval drills in north Indian Ocean

Jan 21 (Reuters) - Iran, China and Russia held their third joint naval drills in the northern Indian Ocean on Friday, state TV reported. Navies from Iran's armed forces and…

Read More Here

Russia, China and Iran to hold joint naval drill on Friday

DUBAI, Jan 20 (Reuters) - China, Russia and Iran will hold joint naval drills on Friday, a public relations official from Iran's armed forces told semi-official ISNA news agency on…

Read More Here

Around 20 killed in deadliest coalition strikes on Yemen’s Sanaa since 2019

Air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen's Houthi group on the capital Sanaa killed at least 20 people overnight, including civilians, Houthi media and residents said, in one of…

Read More Here

U.S. condemns deadly Houthi attack on Abu Dhabi, UAE says reserves right to respond

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group attacked the United Arab Emirates, setting off explosions in fuel trucks that killed three people on Monday and caused a fire near the airport of Abu Dhabi, drawing…

Read More Here

Three killed in UAE fuel truck blast, Yemen Houthis claim attack

DUBAI, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Three fuel trucks exploded, killing three people, and a fire broke out near Abu Dhabi airport on Monday in what Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group said…

Read More Here

Saudi Arabia to build 14,000 km of railway, enact new investment law

Saudi Arabia will build 14,000 km (8,700 miles) of railway across country and is also preparing a new investment law to address the needs of investors, its investment minister Khalid…

Read More Here

Saudi energy min calls for flexibility in ‘complicated’ energy transition

RIYADH, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's energy minister said on Wednesday that the world needed more flexiblity as the transition to clean energy is "complicated", adding that the kingdom…

Read More Here

Saudi Arabia confirms over 5,000 daily Covid cases for first time in new record

Saudi Arabia has registered its highest daily number of new COVID-19 infections so far, health ministry data showed, breaking through 5,000 cases on Wednesday. Cases in the kingdom, which has…

Read More Here

Iran imposes sanctions on Americans over 2020 killing of top general

DUBAI, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Iran on Saturday imposed sanctions on dozens more Americans, many of them from the U.S. military, over the 2020 killing of General Qassem Soleimani in…

Read More Here

UAE non-oil private sector activity grows for 13th month running in Dec -PMI

DUBAI, Jan 5 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates' non-oil private sector expanded strongly in December, logging its 13th straight month of growth, a survey showed on Wednesday. The seasonally…

Read More Here

Daily COVID cases in Saudi Arabia above 1,000, continue to climb in UAE

Daily coronavirus cases in Saudi Arabia have climbed above 1,000 for the first time since August, while daily infections in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) haven crossed the 2,500-level. Authorities…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Houthis seize ‘hostile’ vessel off Yemen which Saudis say carried medical equipment

Jan 3 (Reuters) - The Iran-aligned Houthi movement that controls most of northern Yemen hijacked a United Arab Emirates-flagged cargo vessel carrying hospital equipment off the western Yemeni port of…

Read More Here

Israel open to ‘good’ Iran nuclear deal, but wants tougher Vienna terms

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Tuesday that Israel would not automatically oppose a nuclear deal with Iran but world powers must take a firmer position. "We are not the…

Read More Here

Oman to require workers to have vaccination certificate

Dec 27 (Reuters) - Oman will not allow employees in the public or private sectors to enter their workplace without a vaccination certificate that proves they are fully vaccinated, the…

Read More Here

Crypto exchange Binance gets in-principle nod from Bahrain

DUBAI, Dec 27 (Reuters) - Binance has received in-principle approval from the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) to become a crypto-asset service provider in the kingdom, the company said on…

Read More Here

UAE plans to scrap monopolies of some big merchant families – FT

The United Arab Emirates government has told some of its biggest business families that it plans to remove their monopolies on the sale of imported goods, the Financial Times reported.…

Read More Here

Saudi suffers first civilian losses in Yemen conflict in years after Houthi rocket hits shop

Saudi Arabia has launched a “large-scale” offensive on Yemen after a Houthi missile attack killed two civilians in the south of the kingdom over the weekend in what is thought…

Read More Here

Iran bars travellers from parts of Western Europe over Omicron fears

Iran has banned the entry of travellers from Britain, France, Denmark and Norway for 15 days as part of curbs following the discovery of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of…

Read More Here

COVID-19 infections rise again across Gulf states

DUBAI, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Coronavirus infections have started rising again across the six Gulf Arab states after months of low or falling figures, data from health ministries showed on…

Read More Here

Etihad Airways to divest several businesses

DUBAI, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Etihad Airways will divest several support service businesses to a new aviation company owned by Abu Dhabi state holding firm ADQ and to Abu Dhabi…

Read More Here

Crypto exchange Binance signs agreement with Dubai World Trade Centre

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance on Tuesday said it has signed a cooperation agreement with Dubai World Trade Centre Authority (DWTCA), which is working to establish an international virtual asset ecosystem. The Dubai World…

Read More Here

Saudi-led coalition destroys drone, strikes targets in Yemen’s Sanaa

A Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen destroyed a drone sent over southern Saudi Arabia early on Monday, and coalition air strikes hit parts of the Houthi-controlled Yemeni capital of Sanaa, Saudi state media said. The drone was launched…

Read More Here

Gulf summit seeks to show solidarity amid Iran tension

Gulf Arab leaders gather on Tuesday for an annual summit expected to stress cohesion after a deep rift, at a time of regional concern over Iran and rising economic rivalry within the oil-producing…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Ground-breaking meeting between Israeli and UAE leaders

ABU DHABI, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan hosted Israel's Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Monday in the first ever public meeting between…

Read More Here

Iran warns of “heavy price” after report of U.S.-Israeli military drill plans

A top Iranian military official warned of a "heavy price" for aggressors, state media said, after a report of U.S. and Israeli plans for possible military drills to prepare for…

Read More Here

Dubai says it welcomed 4.88 million visitors in Jan-Oct period

Dec 11 (Reuters) - Dubai welcomed 4.88 million visitors in the period January- October 2021, its Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) said on Saturday, adding that international visitors in…

Read More Here

Blinken held ‘productive’ talks with Europeans on Iran nuclear deal

LIVERPOOL, England, Dec 11 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a "productive" meeting with counterparts from Britain, Germany and France on Friday, discussing the way forward for…

Read More Here

World powers to test Iran’s good faith over commitment to June texts

World powers will assess over the next few days whether Iran is serious in nuclear negotiations after it indicated it was ready to continue talks on the basis of texts…

Read More Here

Bahrain parliament approves value-added tax increase to 10%

DUBAI, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Bahrain's parliament has approved the doubling of value-added tax to 10%, a member of parliament said, a reform that is part of plans to fix…

Read More Here

Saudi crown prince will start tour of Gulf region on Monday

Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will start a tour of Gulf Arab states on Monday ahead of an annual Gulf summit this month that comes…

Read More Here

In Khashoggi’s shadow, Macron holds Saudi talks with crown prince

OHA, Dec 4 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron held face-to-face talks in Saudi Arabia on Saturday with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, becoming the first major Western leader to…

Read More Here

Cementing ties with France, UAE places $19 bln order for warplanes, helicopters

DUBAI, Dec 3 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates ordered 80 Rafale fighter jets and 12 military helicopters on Friday, deepening economic and political ties with France through an arms…

Read More Here