Dubai

DUBAI (Reuters) - Boeing’s 737 MAX took center stage at the Dubai Airshow on Tuesday as the U.S. planemaker prepared to announce orders for dozens of aircraft as it seeks to restore confidence in the jet amid a worldwide grounding, people familiar with the matter said.

Boeing was expected to announce the orders, which could be worth $5-6 billion, a day after securing the first firm order for the aircraft since the grounding from Turkey’s SunExpress.

Global regulators banned commercial flights of Boeing’s fastest-selling jet in March after two fatal accidents.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran on Monday alternatively downplayed and demonized ongoing protests across the country that have killed at least five people and renewed pressure on the government as the country struggles under the weight of U.S. economic sanctions.

DUBAI/United Arab Emirates/, November 18. /TASS/: Transfer of shares of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) to Rostec is scheduled to be completed in the first half of 2020, CEO of Rostec Sergei Chemezov told reporters on Monday.

"Transfer of UAC shares to Rostec is in progress. It will take some more time, but I hope that we will complete it in the first half of next year. After that, we must reorganize the entire air cluster, make three or maybe four divisions. There will be civilian, military, transport division, and possibly the fourth, strategic aviation," he said.

DUBAI/United Arab Emirates/, November 18. /TASS/: Russia has launched production of S-400 missile defense systems for India and the contract on their delivery will be fulfilled by 2025, CEO of Russia's state hi-tech corporation Rostec Sergei Chemezov told Dubai Airshow 2019.

"The advance payment has been made. I don’t want to specify an exact figure, but there is an advance payment. We have launched production and the work is underway, and everything will be implemented as scheduled. The contract will be fulfilled by 2025," Chemezov said.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s supreme leader on Sunday cautiously backed the government’s decision to raise gasoline prices by 50% after days of widespread protests, calling those who attacked public property during demonstrations “thugs” and signaling that a potential crackdown loomed.

DUBAI/United Arab Emirates/, November 17. /TASS/: Russia is ready to take part in developing Turkish fighter jets of 4++ and fifth-generation and offer its technologies, Head of Russia’s Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation Dmitry Shugayev told reporters at Dubai Airshow-2019 on Sunday.

"As for developing advanced aircraft, now the sides are in technical talks on 4++ generation aircraft and are also holding the first preliminary consultations on the fifth-generation jet," Shugayev said.

DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Aramco is worth up to $1.7 trillion at the IPO price range set by the oil giant on Sunday, below the $2 trillion targeted by Saudi’s crown prince but still vying for the title of the world’s biggest IPO.

However Aramco cannot sell the shares directly to investors in the United States and other markets, as the deal will now be restricted to Saudis and foreign institutions, who can invest in shares in the kingdom’s stock market.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s supreme leader on Sunday backed the government’s decision to raise gasoline prices and called angry protesters who have been setting fire to public property over the hike “thugs,” signaling a potential crackdown on the demonstrations.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s comments came as authorities shut down the internet across Iran to smother the protests in some two dozen cities and towns over the rise of government-set prices by 50% as of Friday.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Protesters angered by Iran raising government-set gasoline prices by 50% blocked traffic in major cities and occasionally clashed with police Saturday after a night of demonstrations punctuated by gunfire, in violence that reportedly killed at least one person.

The protests put renewed pressure on Iran’s government as it struggles to overcome the U.S. sanctions strangling the country after President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers.

DUBAI (Reuters) - United States Air Force Chief of Staff David Goldfein on Saturday pressed Gulf Arab states to reconcile differences and unify military capabilities as tensions with Iran simmer.

Washington sees an ongoing dispute that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and non-Gulf state Egypt have with Qatar as a threat to efforts to contain Iran and has pushed for a united front.