The central banks of UAE and Qatar have told lenders to stop financing trade with Iran, bankers said, cutting another source of credit for a country struggling under Western economic sanctions imposed over its nuclear program.


The Gulf has a long history of trade with Iran, especially in Dubai where there is a large Iranian trading community, and Gulf banks had been expected to fill a funding gap for the import of grains left by European lenders banned from financing trade by EU sanctions.

The headline SABB HSBC Saudi Arabia Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 60.0 in January, from 57.7 in December. The increase signals a robust start to the year for firms operating in Saudi Arabia’s nonoil private sector, a statement from the Saudi British Bank (SABB).

Demonstrators clashed with police outside the Interior Ministry in Cairo on Sunday as anger mounts over a deadly stampede at a soccer match that killed dozens last week.

As international anger grows over reports of mass carnage at the hands of the Syrian regime, a U.N. Security Council draft resolution condemning Syria failed to be adopted Saturday after veto-wielding members Russia and China voted against it.

The two main Palestinian factions, Hamas and Fatah, agreed at a meeting in Doha yesterday that presidential and legislative elections must be held “quickly”, a top official told AFP.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas chief Khalid Mishal met to explore the formation of an interim Palestinian government to oversee the preparations for the polls and discuss the implementation of a reconciliation deal

A committee is looking into previous models of successful mega-events to develop plans to ensure sustainable economic benefits for Qatar and the region Qatar expects between 1.7mn to 3.7mn tourists a year by 2022, up from 900,000 currently, Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee secretary general Hassan al-Thawadi said yesterday.


 

When the Giants and Patriots take the field on Sunday in Indianapolis, they won't be doing battle in soft leather helmets with no face masks. And there definitely won't be some kid on the sideline ladling out water from a tin bucket to quench their thirst after a big play.

Some U.S. officials this year are expected to get smartphones capable of handling classified government documents over cellular networks, according to people involved in the project.


The phones will run a modified version of Google's Android software, which is being developed as part of an initiative that spans multiple federal agencies and government contractors, these people said.

Former British Open champion Paul Lawrie chipped in for an eagle and a birdie on his way to winning the wind-shortened Qatar Open on Sunday, shooting a 7-under 65 to hold off the challenge of Jason Day and Peter Hanson who finished four shots back

The New York Giants battled back to beat the New England Patriots 21-17 and win the Super Bowl with heart-stopping fourth quarter comeback capped by a six-yard touchdown run by Ahmad Bradshaw with 57 seconds left.

Bitterly cold weather sweeping across Europe claimed more victims on Sunday and brought widespread disruption to transport services, with warnings that the chilling temperatures would remain into next week.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez mounted a lavish celebration on Saturday to mark the 20th anniversary of the failed coup that helped launch his political career, as opposition leaders slammed the event as a blemish on the country’s democracy.