Gulf

Saudi confirms first case of Omicron coming from a north African country

Saudi Arabia confirmed its first case of the Omicron COVID-19 variant coming from a north African country, the state news agency said on Wednesday. Omicron, first reported in southern Africa…

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Dubai government considering Emirates IPO – airline president

The Dubai government is considering an initial public offering of Emirates airline, the flagship carrier's President Tim Clark said on Monday, as authorities work to boost activity on the local stock market.…

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EU, Russia, Iran upbeat as nuclear talks resume amid skepticism

EU, Iranian and Russian diplomats sounded upbeat as Iran and world powers held their first talks in five months on Monday to try to save their 2015 nuclear deal, despite Tehran taking…

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Dubai approves housing projects worth 3.8 bln dirhams

DUBAI, Nov 28 (Reuters) - The emirate of Dubai has approved housing projects worth 3.8 billion dirhams on Sunday, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said on Twitter. The project…

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New UAE criminal code among 40 legal changes in reform push

The United Arab Emirates said a new criminal code would come into force in January as part of what it called the most sweeping legal reform in the Gulf state's…

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Low expectations on nuclear talks as Iran creates facts on the ground

World powers and Iran return to Vienna on Monday for a last ditch effort to salvage a 2015 nuclear deal, but few expect a breakthrough as Tehran's atomic activities rumble…

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Saudi Arabia halts flights from more African nations

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Interior halted flights from and to Malawi, Zambia, Madagascar, Angola, Seychelles, Mauritius and the Comoros Islands on Sunday owing to concerns related to the spread of…

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Two planes bring more migrants back to Iraq from Belarus

ERBIL, Iraq, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Two flights brought hundreds of Iraqis who had sought to enter the European Union back to Iraq from Belarus on Friday, as more migrants…

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Saudi Arabia to allow more digital banks, central bank governor says

DUBAI, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia will give operating licences to more digital banks, Central Bank Governor Fahad al-Mubarak said on Thursday at a financial forum in Riyadh. The…

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UAE general accused of torture elected as Interpol president

Global police agency Interpol elected Emirati Inspector General Ahmed Nasser Al-Raisi as its president on Thursday, despite accusations from rights groups that he failed to act on allegations of torture…

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Turkish trial in Khashoggi killing “nearing deadlock” -journalism watchdog

A Turkish court resumed a trial over the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi on Tuesday, as a journalism watchdog described the case as "nearing deadlock" and said the hearing needed to…

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Israel signals readiness to escalate Iran confrontation amid nuclear talks

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett signalled readiness on Tuesday to step up Israel's confrontation with Iran and reiterated that his country would not be bound by any new Iranian nuclear deal with world powers. Indirect…

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Saudi-led coalition warns of danger to global trade south of Red Sea

CAIRO, Nov 22 (Reuters) - The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen said it detected indications of an imminent danger to navigation and global trade south of…

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UAE to introduce new standards for bullion trade

DUBAI, Nov 18 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said on Thursday it would launch a responsible sourcing scheme for gold refiners in February and planned to publish monthly…

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Dubai eases visa rules, UAE makes labour laws more competitive

In the latest move to boost the United Arab Emirates' economic competitiveness, Dubai on Tuesday announced a five-year multiple entry visa to facilitate business trips for foreign employees of firms based in…

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Juggernauts grab spotlight from jumbos at Dubai Airshow

DUBAI, Nov 14 (Reuters) - The nuts and bolts of post-pandemic trade loomed over the first major aerospace event since the coronavirus crisis on Sunday, as planemakers touted new freighters…

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UPDATED: People flee homes as quakes strike southern Iran, killing at least one

DUBAI, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Two strong earthquakes struck southern Iran near the port of Bandar Abbas on Sunday, prompting residents to flee their homes and killing at least one…

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Iran-backed militia staged drone attack on Iraqi PM – officials

A drone attack that targeted the Iraqi prime minister on Sunday (November 7) was carried out by at least one Iran-backed militia, Iraqi security officials and militia sources said, weeks after pro-Iran…

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Dubai aims to attract 25 million tourists in 2025

Dubai plans to merge the departments of economy and tourism and hopes to attract 25 million tourists in 2025, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai's Crown Prince,…

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UAE to audit all gold refineries in crackdown on illicit trade

LONDON, Nov 8 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates will require all gold refineries to undergo annual audits to ensure their suppliers are responsible, it told Reuters, in an effort…

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UPDATED: Kuwaiti government resigns, possibly helping to end political standoff

Kuwait's government on Monday submitted its resignation to the ruling emir, a move which along with an amnesty pardoning political dissidents could help end a standoff with opposition lawmakers that…

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Abu Dhabi to allow non-Muslim civil marriage under family law shakeup

Non-Muslims will be allowed to marry, divorce and get joint child custody under civil law in Abu Dhabi according to a new decree issued on Sunday by its ruler, state…

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Iraqi PM safe after drone attack on residence, military says

BAGHDAD, Nov 6 (Reuters) - A drone laden with explosives targeted the residence of Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in Baghdad early on Sunday in what the Iraqi military called…

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Iran thwarts pirate attack on oil tanker in Gulf of Aden – TV

DUBAI, Nov 1 (Reuters) - The Iranian navy thwarted a pirate attack against an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden on Monday, Iranian state TV said. "Before crossing…

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Saudi to bid to host Expo 2030 world fair

Saudi Arabia intends to bid to host the Expo 2030 world fair, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said, part of the de facto ruler's push to transform the kingdom's…

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UAE to withdraw diplomats from Lebanon -statement

Oct 30 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates has decided to withdraw its diplomats from Lebanon and ban its citizens from visiting the country, UAE Minister of State Khalifa Shaheen…

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Saudi Arabia licenses 44 companies to open regional headquarters in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday it had licensed 44 international companies to set up regional headquarters in the capital Riyadh under the kingdom's push to become a regional commercial hub…

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Iran state media says gasoline distribution returning to normal after cyberattack

DUBAI, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Iran's state news agency IRNA reported on Wednesday that gasoline distribution is returning to normal a day after a cyberattack which affected 4,300 gas stations…

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Qatar’s ruler says citizenship laws to be amended, slams excessive tribalism

Qatar's ruling emir on Tuesday warned the Gulf state against excessive tribalism he said endangered national unity, proposing a plan to promote equal citizenship through changes to legislation that has…

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United States envoy says Iran nuclear deal effort is at ‘critical phase’

Efforts to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal are at a "critical phase" and Tehran's reasons for avoiding talks are wearing thin, a U.S. official said on Monday while raising…

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Saudi imports from UAE jump back up in August

DUBAI, Oct 25 (Reuters) - The value of Saudi Arabia's imports from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in August increased by about 31% month on month, official data showed on…

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UPDATED: Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia targets net zero emissions by 2060

RIYADH, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's crown prince said on Saturday that the world's top oil exporter aims to reach zero-net emissions by 2060 and will more than double…

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Prince Charles says “dangerously narrow window” to accelerate climate action

RIYADH, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Britain's Prince Charles, in recorded remarks at an environment event in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, said there was a "dangerously narrow window" to accelerate climate…

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Saudi Sept oil supplies to China up 2%, Russian volumes down 18%

Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, kept its ranking as China's top crude supplier for a 10th month in September, increasing its volumes by 2% from a year earlier,…

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Iran not ready to resume Vienna talks, wants to discuss texts first -EU official

Iran is not ready to return to talks with world powers over its nuclear programme yet and its new negotiating team wants to discuss the texts that will be put…

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Dubai’s DP World says long time until shipping supply chain disruptions end

There is no end in sight to the shortage of shipping containers, port congestion and sky rocketing freight rates that have rattled global trade, the chairman of Dubai ports giant…

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Cleric Sadr wins Iraq vote, former PM Maliki close behind – official

Shi'ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's party was the biggest winner in an Iraqi election on Monday, increasing the number of seats he holds in parliament, according to initial results, officials…

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Iraqi forces capture deputy of IS slain leader Baghdadi – PM

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iraq has captured Sami Jasim, a high-ranking member of Islamic State in charge of the group's finance and a deputy of slain leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Prime…

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Coming weeks are decisive for Iran nuclear deal, Merkel says

JERUSALEM, Oct 10 (Reuters) - The coming weeks are decisive for the future of the nuclear deal with Iran, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday, adding that every day…

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Iraqis vote in general election, a test for democratic system

BAGHDAD (Reuters) -Iraqis were voting on Sunday in a general election many said they would boycott, having lost faith in the democratic system brought in by the U.S. invasion of…

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Magnitude 5 earthquake jolts southwestern Iran

Anadolu Agency - A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5 shook southwestern Iran on Saturday, according to Tehran University's seismological center. In a statement, the center said the quake struck at the…

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US and Taliban set for talks in Doha in first high-level talks since pullout

A U.S. delegation will meet with senior Taliban representatives in Doha on Saturday and Sunday in their first face-to-face meeting at a senior level since Washington pulled its troops from…

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Ten injured in 2 drone attacks at Saudi’s King Abdullah airport

Ten people were injured in two explosives-laden drone attacks at King Abdullah airport in the southern Saudi city of Jizan late on Friday and early on Saturday, the Saudi-led coalition…

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Dubai property prices higher but rents continue to fall – CBRE

Average residential property prices in Dubai rose 4.4% in the 12 months to August, the highest annual growth since February 2015, real estate investment firm CBRE Group said on Thursday.…

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Dubai’s Sheikh Mohammed ordered phones of ex-wife and lawyers to be hacked, UK court says

LONDON, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum ordered the phones of his ex-wife and her lawyers to be hacked as part of a "sustained campaign…

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Abu Dhabi’s Etihad seeks to hire up to 1,000 cabin crew

Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways said on Monday it planned to hire up to 1,000 cabin crew as travel demand rebounds with the easing of international border restrictions and it increases…

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UPDATED: Seven more killed in Oman following tropical storm Shaheen

Seven more people were killed in Oman as heavy winds and rain swept through the country after tropical storm Shaheen made landfall, the national emergency committee said on Monday on…

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Dubai Expo revises worker fatalities to six after including COVID-related deaths

Expo 2020 Dubai, a major world fair that opened last week, on Sunday said three workers on the project had died after contracting COVID-19, revising up the number of fatalities…

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Cyclone Shaheen approaches Oman, flights delayed

Tropical Cyclone Shaheen bore down on Oman on Sunday, prompting authorities to delay flights to and from the capital, Muscat, and to urge residents to evacuate coastal areas. A child…

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Qatari women unsuccessful in first legislative elections

Voters chose none of the 26 women who stood for election in Qatar's first legislative elections on Saturday, disappointing candidates who had wanted to lend a voice for women and…

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UPDATE – Qatar’s first legislative elections see 44% voter turnout

DOHA, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Qataris voted on Saturday in the Gulf Arab state's first legislative elections for two-thirds of the advisory Shura Council, a process that has stirred domestic…

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Expo 2020 Dubai kicks off with lavish opening ceremony

The first world fair to be held in the Middle East, Expo 2020 Dubai, opened on Thursday with a lavish ceremony of fireworks, music and messaging about the power of…

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Israeli PM says Iran has crossed nuclear ‘red lines’; Tehran calls it ‘full of lies’

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Monday that Iran had crossed "all red lines" in its nuclear program and vowed that Israel would not allow Tehran to acquire a…

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Under U.S. sanctions, Iran and Venezuela strike oil export deal – sources

Venezuela has agreed to a key contract to swap its heavy oil for Iranian condensate that it can use to improve the quality of its tar-like crude, with the first…

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Israeli PM to meet UAE, Bahrain ministers in New York

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will meet ministers from Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, his first meetings with Gulf leaders since taking office in…

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UAE announces ministerial changes including finance, environment

United Arab Emirates Prime Minister and Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced ministerial changes on Saturday, including new finance and environment ministers. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin…

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Iran wants resumption of nuclear talks that leads to lifting U.S. sanctions -Raisi

DUBAI, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Iran wants a resumption of nuclear talks with world powers to lead to the removal of U.S. sanctions, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi told the annual…

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