Middle East

Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways has expressed “top level interest” in the UK airline Virgin Atlantic, according to reports.

According to the Sunday Times newspaper, the chief executive of Etihad has written to Deutsche Bank, who Virgin Atlantic hired last year to examine the aviation market and identify growth opportunities, to express his interest in acquiring the airline.

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad has so far refused to comment on the reports.

Al-Rashed International Shipping has established its position as a leader in shipping services in the Persian Gulf. General manager Ravi Varrier explains to Gay Sutton why the human touch is so important.

Jeff Daniels takes a look at how the health delivery system of Abu Dhabi is providing its citizens with the best medical facilities possible.

Over 60 years ago, Britain helped change the health expectations of the world by introducing a universal health service to people who previously had nothing. At times, though, buildings and facilities in the NHS don’t seem to have changed all that much in half a century, so it makes an interesting comparison to see how the Emirate of Abu Dhabi is doing it in the 21st century. 

Iraq has given the go-ahead for Royal Dutch Shell to build a dock in the Shatt al-Arab waterway, to help move heavy equipment to the Majnoon oilfield.

Shell is to fund construction of the 25-metre quay, which will be used to move materials from the sea port at Umm Qasr near Basra to the Majnoon oilfield it is developing—a transportation method that is faster, safer and easier than moving materials by truck.

Israel’s Koor Industries has announced the sale of its subsidiary MA Industries, the world’s biggest maker of crop protection chemicals, to China National Chemical Corp (ChemChina).

The deal, which values MA at $2.4 billion, will see Koor retain 40 per cent of the maker of fungicides, pesticides and herbicides. ChemChina will buy the 53 per cent of MA currently held by the public for $1.27 billion, and will pay Koor $168 million for an additional seven per cent.

HSBC Holdings has said in a report that Qatar may have to lift a moratorium on further development at North Field, the world's largest natural gas reservoir, in order to generate enough electricity to stage the 2022 World Cup.

According to a report by Bloomberg, analysts from HSBC Holdings suggested that increased power needs due to the influx of labour and energy requirements for new hotels could encourage the moratorium on additional gas exploration at North Field to be lifted.

The story of Target Engineering Construction Company is intrinsically linked to growth and development over the past four decades in the Middle East. Ayman Taji has masterminded the company’s steady growth throughout that period; and here he talks to Andrew Pelis about the legacy he will leave behind when he shortly steps down from his role.