• Attack on Gaza’s Rafah inevitable, says Israeli PM

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to send ground forces into Gaza's southern Rafah city. The right-wing premier, whose security and war cabinets were also due to discuss latest international efforts towards a truce deal, stressed that "no amount of international pressure will stop us from realizing all the goals...
  • Iran signs big contracts to increase oil production

    Iran sealed contracts worth billions of dollars with domestic companies to boost its oil production in the face of Western sanctions. In a ceremony broadcast on state TV, the oil ministry and Iranian businesses signed deals worth $13 billion to increase daily oil production in six major fields.
  • Houthi, Hamas mull ‘encircling’ Israel in Lebanon meet

    Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels discussed "expanding confrontations and encircling" Israel in a meeting in Lebanon with Hamas and other Palestinian factions, a Houthi official told AFP. Houthi attacks on Red Sea ships since the start of the Israel-Hamas war have disrupted global trade, actions the rebels say are in solidarity...
  • Saudi Arabia takes part in global mineral and mining meet in Canada

    RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – A delegation comprising several entities from the Kingdom’s industry and mineral resources' system participated in PDAC 2024, Toronto, Canada under the umbrella of "Invest Saudi". The Saudi delegation was represented at the World’s Premier Mineral Exploration & Mining Convention by the CEO of the Saudi Geological...
  • Potential investors value Telegram at $30bn, says co-founder Pavel Durov

    MOSCOW, RUSSIA – The Telegram is valued by potential investors at more than US$30 billion, the co-founder of the social network Pavel Durov said. The US$30 billion valuation was made by global technology funds in particular, Durov said in an interview with The Financial Times. “Generally speaking, we see value...
  • Trump said he won’t ‘give a penny’ to Ukraine, claims Hungary Prime Minister

    BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has asserted that former US president Donald Trump told him during a meeting that he would "not give a penny" to the war in Ukraine -- a claim Trump's team did not comment on. Orban -- the only EU leader to have maintained...
  • Four space station crew members leave for Earth

    WASHINGTON, US – Four astronauts left the International Space Station on Monday and were bound for Earth following a more than six month mission. Led by American astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, NASA's Crew-7 arrived at the research platform last August aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon. The same spacecraft undocked on Monday morning,...
  • Iran agricultural, food exports hit US$5.5bn in 11 months

    TEHRAN, IRAN – The Ministry of Industry, Mine, and Trade said that Iran exported fisheries, livestock, agricultural and food products worth US$5.5 billion to over 130 countries during the first eleven months of the year. Rouhollah Latifi, the spokesperson for the Trade Development Commission at the Iranian Ministry of Industry,...
  • Amman Chamber of Industry exports for January-February 2024 reaches $1.3bn

    AMMAN, JORDAN - Amman Chamber of Industry (ACI) exports amounted to US$1.3 billion (JD926 million) during the last two months of 2024, compared to US$1.79 billion (JD1.272 billion) for the same period last year. According to statistical data obtained by Petra, exports of five sectors recorded an increase, while the...
  • Saudi Tourism Authority, Trip.com Group sign global agreement

    BERLIN, GERMANY – Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) and Trip.com Group have announced a significant global partnership, which will drive greater inbound tourists to Saudi Arabia as part of its Vision 2030 program. The joint effort aims to bring over 350 thousand additional tourists to Saudi over the course of the...
  • Western countries shelve plans to censure Iran at UN nuclear meet

    Western powers will not censure Iran over its lack of cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog at its Board of Governors meeting for fear of aggravating geopolitical tensions, diplomats said. Last week, the International Atomic Energy Agency said in confidential quarterly reports that Tehran's cooperation with the agency remained poor...
  • UNRWA head seeks General Assembly support after backlash

    The head of the UNRWA is set to defend his organization's work at the General Assembly, after crippling backlash over accusations that some employees were involved in Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel. Philippe Lazzarini warned in a letter to the General Assembly's president that his agency is at a...
  • Dubai International Boat Show helps in marine business

    DUBAI, UAE – Dubai International Boat Show has wrapped up following a hugely successful week of high-value boat sales, important discussions addressing industry developments, groundbreaking agreements and partnerships set to shape the future of the yachting world. The exhibition, which concluded on Sunday, is recognized as one of the most...
  • US military begins dropping aid into war-torn Gaza

    Israel's top ally the United States said it began air-dropping aid into war-ravaged Gaza, as the Hamas-ruled territory's health ministry reported over a dozen child malnutrition deaths. The start of the US relief operation came hours after President Joe Biden, who has pushed Israel to allow more aid in, announced...
  • Total value of Saudi Arabia’s export of dates reaches US$389m in 2023

    RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - According to data released by the National Center for Palms and Dates (NCPD), the value of Saudi Arabia's date exports increased by 14 percent in 2023, reaching US$389 million (SAR1.462 Billion), compared to US$341 million (SAR1.280 billion) in 2022. By the end of 2023, the number...
  • Hamas says Israeli military action kills 7 hostages in Gaza

    Hamas said that seven more hostages seized during its unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7 had died because of Israeli military operations in Gaza. Meanwhile, four more children have died of "malnutrition and dehydration" in war-torn Gaza, the Hamas-ruled territory's health ministry said, the latest such reported deaths...
  • Energy-related global CO2 emissions hit record levels in 2023, says IEA

    PARIS, FRANCE – Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions rose to a record level in 2023, but the growth slowed from previous years thanks to continued expansion of clean technologies, the International Energy Agency said on Friday. CO2 emissions from energy rose by 1.1 percent in 2023, increasing by 410 million tonnes to a...
  • WTO ministers struggle to forge deals as talks go into overtime

    ABU DHABI, UAE – World trade ministers were locked in disagreement Thursday on fisheries subsidies, agriculture and digital customs duties as a major WTO conference was extended beyond its scheduled deadline. With no signs of a breakthrough at the World Trade Organization's 13th ministerial conference (MC13) in Abu Dhabi, officials pushed...
  • Iran launches imaging satellite Pars 1 from Russia

    Iran announced the launch of a remote sensing and imaging satellite into orbit from Russia, according to state media. The launch of "Pars-I" with the Russian Soyuz-2.1b launcher was broadcast live by state television in Iran. The satellite was launched "from Russia's Vostochny launch base", some 8,000 kilometers east of...
  • WTO approves services trade rules, overcoming objections

    The set of rules will streamline authorization requirements and ease procedural hurdles faced by businesses, according to a press release. It will help reduce the costs of global services trade by more than $119 billion every year, it added.
  • WTO launches US$50m fund for women entrepreneurs in developing countries

    ABU DHABI, UAE - The director general of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Sunday launched a $50 million fund to help female entrepreneurs in developing countries to export more using the opportunities offered by the digital economy. The announcement came ahead of the 13th ministerial conference of the WTO...
  • UAE to provide US$10m grant to support WTO initiatives, says foreign minister

    ABU DHABI, UAE – Emirates Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan has announced that the UAE will provide a US$10 million grant to support key initiatives of the World Trade Organization (WTO), whose 13th Ministerial Conference is being held here. Sheikh Abdullah said that the grant...
  • As truce talks resume in Cairo, people in Gaza suffer from hunger

    Heavy fighting rocked besieged Gaza as aid agencies warned of looming famine and new talks were held in Cairo towards an Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release deal. The White House sent Middle East envoy Brett McGurk for renewed talks, a day after a UNSC resolution calling for a ceasefire was...
  • Stock markets diverge before Nvidia results, Federal Reserve minutes

    Stock markets diverged as traders awaited earnings from US tech darling Nvidia, in addition to minutes from the Federal Reserve that could shed fresh light on the outlook for interest rates. Wall Street shares fell at the opening bell, with downbeat guidance from other tech companies dampening the mood ahead...
  • Dutch court upholds $50bn payment award in Yukos case

    THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS -  A Dutch court quashed an appeal by Russia in a record $50-billion case on Tuesday, paving the way for a payment to former shareholders of dismantled oil giant Yukos. The decision is the latest in a legal tug-of-war over Yukos which broke up in the early 2000s...
  • Global operation smashes ‘most harmful cyber crime group’

    LONDON, UK - An international operation led by UK and US law enforcement has severely disrupted "the world's most harmful cybercrime group", the Russian-linked ransomware specialist LockBit, officials announced on Tuesday. LockBit and its affiliates have targeted governments, major companies, schools and hospitals, causing billions of dollars of damage and extracting...
  • Red Sea issue puts Yemen peace process on hold

    DUBAI, UAE- As Houthi attacks roil the Red Sea and Western air raids target the rebels, moves to end Yemen's long-running war are at a standstill, threatening further woe for a country on its knees. As recently as December, painstaking negotiations were gaining ground and the United Nations said the warring...
  • Several nations eager to join Charter of Cooperation, says OPEC Secretary-General

    ABU DHABI, UAE - Secretary-General of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries Haitham Al Ghais said that OPEC is in active talks with several nations eager to join the OPEC+ Charter of Cooperation, following the recent accession of Brazil. The names of these countries will be announced after the completion...
  • UAE, Russian Presidents discuss regional and global developments

    ABU DHABI, UAE - President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan spoke by telephone to President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin to discuss bilateral relations and opportunities to further strengthen UAE-Russia ties. During the telephonic conversation on Monday, Putin expressed his gratitude to Sheikh Mohamed for the UAE’s successful...
  • Spain to increase UNRWA funding after donors suspend aid

    MADRID, SPAIN -  Spain said on Monday that it would give an additional US$$3.8 million (3.5 million euros) in aid to the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, which is facing a cash crunch after several nations suspended their funding. Over a dozen countries, including major donors the United States, Germany, Britain...
  • QatarEnergy, Mitsui ink pact

    The agreement provide for a rise in condensate volumes.
  • UAE is the most popular destination for global workers, says report

    Dubai, UAE – The United Arab Emirates is the most popular country for international talent seeking employment visas, a report reveals.   The global HR platform,Deel, has released findings from its Annual Global Hiring Report and revealed UAE attracts a large number of international talent. This marks a significant milestone...
  • US to sell drones worth $4bn to India to bolster its defenses against China

    The United States approved a $4 billion sale of state-of-the-art drones to India, offering a new edge to the growing US partner. The sale marks a milestone in Indian purchases of American weapons after New Delhi's reliance on weapons from Russia, which have been increasingly controversial due to sanctions over...
  • Number of millionaires in BRICS likely to rise by 85 percent in 10 years, says report

    DUBAI, UAE - The total investable wealth currently held in the BRICS bloc amounts to US$45 trillion and its millionaire population is expected to rise by 85 percent over the next 10 years, a report said.   There are currently 1.6 million individuals with investable assets of over US$1 million...
  • Spain urges WTO meet in UAE to address de-globalization

    ABU DHABI, UAE - Madrid wants the upcoming 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) here next month to address the potential challenges of de-globalization and its impacts on global supply chains, Minister of State for Trade of Spain Xiana Mendez said. “The main challenges we may...
  • Hamad Al Marar is EDGE CEO

    EDGE has a local and global orderbook of over $5billion.
  • UAE plans to issue bonds, Sukuk valued at $1.3bn in Q1 2024, says official

    HONG KONG - UAE Ministry of Finance Undersecretary Younis Haji Al Khoori announced that the ministry's issuance of bonds and Sukuk in 2023 totaled around $2 billion (AED7.7 billion). For Q1 2024, the ministry is planning to issue bonds and Sukuk valued at US$1.3 billion (AED5 billion), he said. Speaking...
  • Hub71-backed ABHI to set up global headquarters in Abu Dhabi

    DUBAI, UAE - With support from the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), Hub71-backed ABHI, an embedded finance platform founded in Pakistan, is advancing to its next growth stage by establishing its global HQ in Abu Dhabi to grow its international operations. ABHI joined Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, in...
  • Dubai wins right to host 349 business event in 2023

    DUBAI, UAE - Dubai consolidated its status as a central hub for international business events in 2023, with the city winning a record 349 bids to host international conferences, congresses, meetings and incentive travel programs. Driven by Dubai Business Events (DBE), the city's official convention bureau, the wins reflected a...
  • Tata Group retains IPL sponsorship rights for record $300m

    New Delhi, India - Corporate behemoth Tata Group has again been awarded title sponsorship rights of the Indian Premier League for five years, for a record sum of $300 million, the national cricket board said on Saturday. Tata already holds the title sponsorship for the IPL and its sister competition, the...
  • UAE ranks first in Arab world in labor-resilient countries, says report

    Dubai, UAE - Against the backdrop of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Whiteshield announces the release of the Global Labor Resilience Index (GLRI) 2024. As the world confronts the profound challenges of global warming and the urgency of transitioning to a sustainable future, the impact on labor markets looms large,...
  • EU worried Red Sea attacks could spark inflation

    European Union economy commissioner Paolo Gentiloni warned that violence in the Red Sea sparked by Houthi attacks on shipping could push up energy prices and inflation in the bloc. "We know that we're starting this year with subdued growth, increasing concerns on the downside risks caused by the geopolitical tensions,"...
  • Saudi Arabia unveils 45,000-seat multi-use stadium in Qiddiya City

    RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - The Board of Directors of the Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) announced on Monday the launch of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium, an iconic multi-use venue set to further enhance Qiddiya’s philosophy of the Power of Play. Upon opening, it is anticipated to host some of...
  • Global personal computer shipments decline 14.8 percent in 2023

    DUBAI, UAE - Worldwide PC shipments totaled 63.3 million units in the fourth quarter of 2023, a 0.3 percent increase from the fourth quarter of 2022, according to preliminary results by Gartner, Inc. This marks the first time that quarterly shipments have increased after eight straight quarters of decline, a...
  • Several MoUs signed at Future Minerals Forum in Saudi Arabia

    RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – The third edition of the Future Minerals Forum (FMF), organized by the Kingdom’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, has witnessed the signing of several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) between a number of government agencies, companies and institutions. New exploration sites were announced as well as...
  • FAB issues first Sukuk globally in 2024

    ABU DHABI, UAE - First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) has issued a five-year US$800 million Sukuk at US Treasury +85bps, which resulted in an all-in yield of 4.779 percent. This marks the first Sukuk issued globally in 2024 and stands as the region's first offering for the year. The final...
  • 2023 hottest recorded year as Earth nears critical threshold

    PARIS, FRANCE - The year of 2023 was the hottest on record, with the increase in Earth's surface temperature nearly crossing the critical threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius, EU climate monitors said on Tuesday. Climate change intensified heatwaves, droughts and wildfires across the planet, and pushed the global thermometer 1.48 C...
  • Energy companies to test CO2 capture in Brazil undersea oil field

    PARIS, FRANCE  - A consortium of Brazilian, British, French and Chinese energy firms will test new technology aimed at capturing CO2 in an undersea oilfield off Brazil in an effort to reduce emissions, TotalEnergies said on Monday. The pilot unit will separate oil from CO2-rich natural gas at the bottom of...
  • Resilient supply chains are essential to global trade: Expert

    DUBAI, UAE – For over 30 years, globalization has been the evergreen megatrend as global trade has helped lift some one billion people out of poverty, an expert has said. Yin Zou, the Executive Vice President of Corporate Development, DHL Group, wrote in the World Economic Forum that the COVID-19...
  • Aramex partners with Bollywood film Dunki starring Shah Rukh Khan

    DUBAI, UAE - Aramex, a global provider of comprehensive logistics and transportation solutions, announced a collaboration with the movie, Dunki starring Bollywood Shah Rukh Khan. The partnership marks Aramex as the official brand partner for the movie and is a showcase of the brand’s commitment to expanding its presence in...
  • FAO says global food prices fell 13.7 percent in 2023

    World food prices fell in 2023, with considerable declines for grains and oils as supply concerns eased, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization said. The FAO's cereals price index fell 15.4 percent last year, "reflecting well supplied global markets" compared to 2022, when prices soared after Russia's invasion of Ukraine,...