Gulf

‘Arab Alliance’ meets in Iraq in first visit in decades for an Egyptian leader

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and Jordan's King Abdullah met in Baghdad on Sunday during the first visit by an Egyptian head of state to…

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Iran dismisses Canada report on downing of airline as ‘highly politicised’

Iran criticised as "highly politicised" on Friday a report by a special Canadian forensic team that accused the country of incompetence and recklessness over the downing of a Ukrainian passenger…

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Saudi Arabia considers developing industrial zone in Oman

Saudi Arabia is considering developing an industrial zone in Oman and the two Gulf states have discussed the possibility in investment talks, the Saudi state news agency SPA reported. Saudi…

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Oman offers up to 10-year residency to foreign investors

Oman will start granting long-term residence visas to foreign investors, state media said on Wednesday, as the debt-burdened Gulf state pursues wide-ranging reforms to fix its shaky finances. The move…

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UPDATED: Iran says U.S. to lift oil sanctions, Germany cautious on matter

Iran said on Wednesday the United States had agreed to remove all sanctions on Iran's oil and shipping, although Germany cautioned that major issues remained at talks between Tehran and…

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US authorities seize Iran-linked news websites

The U.S. Justice Department said on Tuesday it seized 36 Iranian-linked websites, many of them associated with either disinformation activities or violent organizations, taking them offline for violating U.S. sanctions.…

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Iran says U.S. criticism of election is meddling

Iran accused the United States on Tuesday of interference for saying its presidential election on Friday was neither free or fair, Iranian state media reported. A U.S. State Department spokesman said on…

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President-elect Raisi backs nuclear talks, rules out meeting Biden

President-elect Ebrahim Raisi on Monday backed talks between Iran and six world powers to revive a 2015 nuclear deal but flatly rejected meeting U.S. President Joe Biden, even if Washington…

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Iran, world powers adjourn nuclear talks, resumption date unclear

Negotiators for Iran and six world powers on Sunday adjourned talks on reviving their 2015 nuclear deal and return to respective capitals for consultations as remaining differences still need to…

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UPDATE – Israel’s Bennett warns against nuclear talks with Iran’s “hangmen regime”

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Sunday called the election of Ebrahim Raisi as Iran's president a "final wake-up call" for the world, the Ynet news site reported. He said…

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Saudi air defences intercept 10 Houthi armed drones

Saudi Arabian air defences on Saturday destroyed 10 armed drones launched by Yemen's Houthi movement towards the south of the kingdom, state TV cited the Saudi-led coalition as saying. The…

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UPDATED: Raisi wins Iranian presidential election

Ebrahim Raisi, a hardline judge who is under U.S. sanctions for human rights abuses, secured a landslide victory on Saturday in Iran's presidential election after a contest marked by voter…

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Kuwait to allow entry of fully vaccinated non-citizens from Aug. 1

Kuwait will allow non-citizens to enter the country from Aug. 1 if they have been fully vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccines that have been approved by the Gulf state, the government…

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Emirates to restore almost 90% of passenger network by end of July

Emirates airline will operate close to 90% of its pre-pandemic network by the end of July as it restores more destinations and increases flights on other routes over the summer,…

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Polls open in Iran election

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called for a high turnout in the country's presidential election on Friday, in a contest likely to be won by a judge fiercely…

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Iran urges voters to take part in Friday’s presidential election

Iran's president appealed to voters to set aside their grievances and take part in a presidential election on Friday that record numbers of people are expected to boycott due to…

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Abu Dhabi begins trial of Sinopharm vaccine on children aged 3-17

Abu Dhabi is beginning a trial administering China’s Sinopharm vaccine to children aged 3-17. The trial will monitor the immune response of 900 children “in preparation to vaccinate children in…

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Oil rises as threat recedes of Iran supply resuming soon

Oil prices rose on Tuesday, with Brent gaining for a fourth consecutive session, as the prospect of extra supply coming to the market soon from Iran faded with talks dragging on…

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Khamenei set to tighten grip in Iran vote as frustrations grow

Iranians elect a new president on Friday in a race dominated by hardline candidates close to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with popular anger over economic hardship and curbs on…

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Two thirds of eligible people in Dubai fully vaccinated against COVID-19

About two-thirds of people eligible for inoculation against COVID-19 have now received two doses of the vaccine in Dubai, the tourist and business hub of the United Arab Emirates, Dubai…

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Qatar Airways to resume flying UK and Irish citizens to London starting Friday

Qatar Airways wrote in a tweet on Thursday that it would resume flying British and Irish nationals and UK residents to London from Qatar and across their network starting on…

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Emirates Restarts Flights To Malta Via Larnaca

Emirates has announced it will resume three weekly services to Malta via Larnaca, Cyprus, from 14 July 2021, further expanding its European network to 34 destinations, and offering customers worldwide…

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10

Jun

Al Jazeera network targeted in cyber attack

Pan-Arab satellite network Al Jazeera said it was subjected to continual hacking attempts over recent days but the cyber attack on Qatar's flagship broadcaster had been fended off. Al Jazeera's…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Kuwait City, Kuwait

Fishing boats are anchored in the harbor near Kuwait central fish market, in Kuwait City, Kuwait. Photo: EPA-EFE/NOUFAL IBRAHIM

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UAE non-oil private sector recovery continues but pace softens slightly – PMI

The United Arab Emirates' non-oil private sector expanded for a sixth consecutive month in May, though it did so at a place slightly lower than in April and employment shrank…

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Iran’s biggest navy ship sinks after fire in Gulf of Oman

Iran's largest navy ship the Kharg sank on Wednesday after catching fire in the Gulf of Oman, but the crew were safely rescued, Iranian media reported. No further explanation was…

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Photo Story – Iran’s presidential election campaign

A woman walks past a huge poster depicting Iranian presidential conservative candidate Ebrahim Raisi in a street in Tehran, Iran, 31 May 2021. Iranians will vote in a presidential election…

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Iran fails to explain uranium traces found at several sites -IAEA report

Iran has failed to explain traces of uranium found at several undeclared sites, a report by the U.N. nuclear watchdog showed on Monday, possibly setting up a fresh diplomatic clash between Tehran and…

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Iran says progress made in nuclear talks but issues remain

Iran and six world powers have made significant progress in talks to revive their 2015 nuclear deal but important issues still need to be resolved, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman…

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Saudi Arabia lifts ban from travelers arriving from 11 countries

Saudi Arabia is lifting a ban on travelers arriving from 11 countries that it imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus, the Saudi state news agency said, but will still…

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Saudi oil exports in March rise to $14 billion

The value of Saudi Arabia's oil exports in March rose by 75% year on year to 52.3 billion riyals ($13.95 billion), official data showed on Wednesday. Non-oil exports increased by…

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Vaccines mandatory for people attending all ‘live events’ in UAE

The United Arab Emirates said vaccinations against COVID-19 will be mandatory for people attending all "live events" from June 6, as the country pushes a vaccination campaign which has consistently…

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Oil steady near one week high as prospect of Iran glut wanes

Oil prices were steady on Tuesday, holding around one-week highs after jumping more than 3% the previous session as investors tempered expectations of an early return of oil exporter Iran…

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Emirates performing better than expected

Emirates is performing better than it had initially forecast, the Dubai-based airline's president said in an interview broadcast on Monday. "We are a lot further on and much better than…

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Saudi-led coalition in Yemen foils Houthi attack south of Red Sea

The Saudi-led military coalition engaged in Yemen thwarted an "imminent" Houthi attack using an explosives-laden boat south of the Red Sea, Saudi Arabian state media said on Monday. A coalition…

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Dubai house prices to rise for first time in six years in 2021

Dubai house prices will rise for the first time in six years this year, supported by a swift vaccine rollout that has lifted hopes for an overall economic recovery, according…

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UAE asks to host 2023 UN climate change conference

The United Arab Emirates has asked to host the COP 28 international conference on climate change in 2023, Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan said on Sunday. The…

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Photo Story: Iran’s IRGC unveils new drone called Gaza

A handout photo made available by Iranian revolutionary guard corps (IRGC) official website Sepahnews shows the new drone called 'Gaza' at an undisclosed location in Iran. The IRGC unveiled the…

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Dubai eases COVID-19 restrictions, allows full hotel capacity

Dubai on Monday eased COVID-19 restrictions, allowing hotels in the regional tourism hub to operate at full capacity and permitting concerts and sports events where all attendees and participants have…

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UPDATED: Saudi Arabia to reopen to foreign tourists soon

Saudi Arabia plans to soon reopen to foreign tourists, a senior tourism official said on Monday after the kingdom announced the lifting of quarantine restrictions for certain foreign arrivals. The…

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No alternative to vaccine passports, says Dubai airport boss

The boss of the world's busiest airport for international passengers has said Covid passports are the only way to restart mass foreign travel. Dubai Airports chief executive Paul Griffiths told…

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UAE attracts foreign investments of $20 billion in 2020

Foreign direct investment (FDI) into the United Arab Emirates rose to $19.88 billion in 2020, up 44.2% from the previous year, the government said. Contributing to this figure were large…

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Abu Dhabi to allow quarantine-free travel from July 1

Abu Dhabi plans to remove quarantine restrictions for global travellers from July 1, except for those travelling from India, and will expand its green list of countries until then to boost tourism…

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Two main contenders for Iranian president register candidacy for election

The two main contenders to become Iranian president, hardline judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi and former parliament speaker Ali Larijani, registered on Saturday to run in next month's election. The June…

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Iran’s former hardliner President Ahmadinejad to run again for elections

Iran's hardline former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday registered to run again in an election in June which is being seen as a test of the legitimacy of the country's…

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Iran has enriched uranium to up to 63% purity, IAEA report says

Iran has enriched uranium to up to 63% purity at its above-ground Natanz enrichment plant, even higher than the 60% it had announced, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday…

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U.S. military ship fires 30 warning shots after encounter with Iranian vessels

A U.S. Coast Guard ship fired about 30 warning shots after 13 vessels from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) came close to it and other American Navy vessels in the…

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Saudi Arabia’s GDP contracts 3.3% in Q1 on oil output, non-oil economy recovers

Saudi Arabia's economy shrank 3.3% in the first quarter from a year earlier, hit by oil output cuts, but the non-oil economy expanded 3.3%, recovering from the pandemic, according to…

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UAE to bar entry to travellers from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka

The United Arab Emirates will bar entry for travellers from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka starting on Wednesday. It is part of measures to contain the spread of the…

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Iran confirms talks with Saudi Arabia, promises best efforts

Iran confirmed publicly for the first time on Monday that it is in talks with its regional arch rival Saudi Arabia, saying it would do what it could to resolve…

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Saudi to make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for all workers

All public and private sector workers wishing to attend a workplace in Saudi Arabia will be required to have taken a COVID-19 vaccination, the human resources ministry said on Friday,…

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Iran – Senior Swiss diplomat found dead

DUBAI (Reuters) -The first secretary at the Swiss embassy in Tehran was found dead on Tuesday after falling from a high-rise building where she lived in the north of the…

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Washington denies Iran state media report saying prisoner swap agreed

DUBAI, May 2 (Reuters) - Iranian state television said on Sunday that Tehran would free four Americans accused of spying in exchange for four Iranians held in the United States…

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Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange says Israeli firms can join

The Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange (DGCX) said on Sunday qualified Israeli companies could now join and use its trading services and platforms. It said approval from the Israeli Securities…

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Iran nuclear talks make progress and will resume Friday, Russia says

VIENNA, May 1 (Reuters) - Indirect talks between Iran and the United States on bringing both sides fully back into compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal are making steady progress…

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Saudi crown prince says he will further centralise policy-making

DUBAI, April 28 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, said he will further centralise policymaking to ensure the success of his drive to diversify the economy. In an interview aired on Saudi state TV late on Tuesday, he said the kingdom…

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Iran sentences British-Iranian aid worker to another year in jail

An Iranian court sentenced British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe to another year in jail, just weeks after she finished a prior five-year sentence, a decision Britain called "inhumane". When Zaghari-Ratcliffe…

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