01/08/2020
UAE business community lauds government for new five-year tourist visa
Move to boost leisure, business tourism and give job seekers more time to explore local employment opportunities
Legal, Tax, Regulation & Compliance
01/07/2020
Winston & Strawn to close Dubai office in Q1 2020
Law firm restructuring its Middle East ops to meet ‘clients’ evolving legal needs and increased demand for cross-border services’
01/07/2020
Dubai sets the pace for disruptive governance
The setting up of the Dubai Council will ensure cutting-edge governance, with a focused approach to different areas, including the economy, to make it resilient, stronger, and more sustainable.
01/07/2020
Herbert Smith Freehills Advises Uber on US $3.1BN Acquisition of Middle East Operator Careem
The deal, which saw Careem become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Uber, operating under the Careem brand, is another example of Herbert Smith Freehills' ability to work seamlessly across borders.
01/07/2020
Bahraini women move to forefront of banking
The percentage of Bahraini women in the total Bahraini workforce in the financial sector has now reached 39%
01/07/2020
Better operating conditions
The regional banking sector has been severely tested but thanks to their respective governments’ support, the banks successfully withered the storm.
01/06/2020
Qatar bans crypto trading and storage: report
Digital forms of securities as well as the other financial instruments under the purview of the watchdog or the Qatar Central Bank are still legal.
01/06/2020
'Bahrain businesses need to gear up for NBR inquiries'
Muhammad Naveed, businesses should also expect; public and private rulings – on the industry level in the VAT treatment of specific products and arrangements; guides and clarifications
01/06/2020
ADIB provides $80mln Sharia'a-compliant financing to Oman Shipping Company
The facility will allow OSC to enhance its debt position by reducing overall financing costs
01/06/2020
Kuwait’s Burgan Bank to sell its majority stake in Bank of Baghdad
The transaction will reduce group-wide non-performing loans and will improve the bank's asset quality
01/06/2020
Turkey’s Regulatory Board CMB Moves Against Bitcoin
The CMB will likely emphasize surveillance, regulation, and audit of Bitcoin, as well as for cryptocurrencies in general, according to BeInCrypto Turkey.
01/06/2020
UAE Reviews Plans To Combat Terrorism, Money Laundering In February
In July, the UAE delegation to the United Nations presented to the Security Council a clear picture of the country's efforts to create the legal structure to combat terrorism and organised crime
01/06/2020
Kuwait finance house-Bahrain signs an agreement with Kooheji real estate to provide special financing for 'One Bahrain bay' project's clients
The start of a prosperous strategic alliance
01/06/2020
Saudi Arabia bans combined insurance and reinsurance businesses
The restrictions follow on from reports in 2017, when SAMA warned that it was preparing tougher rules for re/insurers
01/03/2020
Qatar, Australia trade reaches new heights
Australian Ambassador Jonathan Muir said: “These numbers are a sign the economic relationship is in good shape and that Australian companies remain strongly engaged in Qatar.”
01/03/2020
Green finance grows in Middle East as Etihad signs loan
The loan follows the creation of Etihad’s Sustainable Development Financing Framework, which stipulates the potential projects that ESG, green or sustainability-linked funds can be used for.
01/03/2020
Qatar blocks crypto asset services
Cryptocurrency firms have been shutting down all over because of stricter anti-money laundering regulations.
01/03/2020
Saudi Arabia Bans Insurance and Re-Insurance Activities within the Same Firm
The agency said it had taken the decision to increase the stability of the insurance sector, boost its contribution to national economic growth and reduce "wrong practices" in the industry.
01/03/2020
CII and Lloyd’s join forces with DIFC to boost insurance sector
As part of the collaboration, DIFC will join forces with Lloyd’s and the CII to develop a number of courses alongside the roll-out of a series of events and programmes developed in partnership with DIFC Academy.
01/03/2020
Financial group: ‘Hundreds of millions of dollars missing’ from Cayman fund
These “concerns” relate to an alleged discrepancy between sale proceeds from the fund’s investment in an airport infrastructure project in the Philippines, Clark Global City, and the amounts distributed to the limited partners of The Por