Saudi Arabia Says Some Oil Producers Reach Deal to Extend Cuts

Gulf Arab oil producers have reached an agreement about a possible extension of output cuts beyond June to reduce stockpiles of crude, Oman's oil minister said. His Saudi Arabian counterpart confirmed that producers arrived at an initial deal on prolonging the cuts.

US Bans Passengers Of Middle Eastern Airlines From Bringing Electronics On Planes

The ban , which includes laptops, tablets, and video games, but does not include smartphones or medical devices, is effective for Royal Jordanian flights servicing New York, Chicago, Detroit, and Montreal. One official told NBC News that the message the airline sent was not an entirely accurate description of the forthcoming policy, to be announced Tuesday.

McCain makes secret trip to Syria to meet with US troops

In this Wednesday Feb. 22, 2017, photo released by Emirates News Agency, WAM, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, right, meets with John McCain, Senator of the United States of America and Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee at Al Shati Palace, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

UAE arms show comes as Yemen war, suspicions of Iran linger

Fighter jets screaming overhead and theatrical explosions marked the opening of an arms show Sunday in Abu Dhabi, as a bullet-scarred Emirati armored personnel carrier served as a reminder of the country's ongoing military campaign in Yemen. The Emirates announced over $1.2 billion in arms deals at the opening of the biennial International Defense Exhibition and Conference, known by the acronym IDEX.

Bank Mergers Spread in Mideast as Low Oil Signals Boom Days Over

Oil's more than 50 percent plunge over the past two years is forcing countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to cut state spending, tap reserves and combine some of their largest banks to reduce costs and duplication. International Bank of Qatar QSC said this week they are in talks to create the country's largest sharia-compliant bank and the third-largest such lender in the Middle East, with assets worth more than 160 billion riyals . Talks are at an early stage, according to the banks, which didn't give details on the structure of the possible deal.

Trump benefits from countries with anti-gay laws

Donald Trump is casting Hillary Clinton as an enemy of the LGBT community and women, using her family foundation's acceptance of contributions from Middle Eastern countries with widely-reported human rights abuses to hit his 2016 presidential rival on the campaign trail. In the wake of the Orlando massacre of 49 people, Trump cited Clinton Foundation's acceptance of up to $25 million in contributions from Saudi Arabia's government as a sign she is not dedicated to the cause of LGBT Americans.