A pledge by Syria's central bank on Sunday to take action to support the pound is already looking hollow, raising speculation the authorities may no longer be willing to burn up reserves defending the currency.

Dubai World Central, the emirate's second airport, is to open for passenger flights from Oct. 26 with two carriers operating, following repeated delays, Dubai Airports said Wednesday.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Sunday it would continue talks with Egypt aimed at agreeing possible financial aid after meeting with government officials seeking a US$4.8 billion loan to relieve a currency and budget crisis.

Oil-rich Abu Dhabi on Sunday officially opened the world's largest concentrated solar power plant, which cost US$600 million to build and will provide electricity to 20,000 homes.

Sri Lanka is turning its newest international airport opening Monday into a tax-free zone to attract aviation-related industries, a top official said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed a coalition deal Friday with rival parties to form the next government, a spokesman said, in an agreement that was stalled for weeks due to tough negotiations.

It's 1 a.m. and the sprawling airport in this desert city is bustling. Enough languages fill the air to make a United Nations translator's head spin.

Iran is to reduce its dependence on oil income and boost non-oil exports in its budget to counter the “heavy” impact of sanctions, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a television interview late on Saturday.

Palestinians blocked roads and held marches across the West Bank on Monday to protest the fate of thousands of their countrymen held in Israeli jails and demand the release of four detainees on hunger strike.

Finding jobs for United Arab Emirates (UAE) citizens is one of the government's top priorities, the prime minister told hundreds of state officials on Monday during a forum to discuss his economic policies.