Markets reel over Nakheel default fears

Alarm at news that Dubai World’s property arm was restructuring a bond due in December amid fears about implications of default

In the gift of private hands

Middle East companies are increasingly breaking with tradition by becoming involved in charitable endeavours and launching their own social responsibility programmes

Individuals lay foundations for charity

Entrepreneurs in the Middle East are setting up institutions to channel some of their wealth into improving their societies. The work of four of them is profiled here

Comment: Philanthropy needs more support

Charitable giving is unusually high and continuing to grow in the Arab world, but the sector lacks professional structures, scrutiny, expertise and incentives

Dubai World asks for debt ‘standstill’

Dubai World, a conglomerate owned by the emirate’s government, is asking its creditors for a six-month ‘standstill’ on its obligations

Lex: Dubai

The emirate’s hopes of becoming a world financial centre are proving to be nothing more than an Ozymandian dream

Moody’s statement on Dubai downgrades

Bankers push for action on Saudi groups

Want UK to raise concerns about two Saudi companies that have defaulted on billions of dollars of debt