Rights group slams Meta for silencing pro-Palestinian voices
"Meta's censorship of content in support of Palestine adds insult to injury at a time of unspeakable atrocities and repression...
Geostrategy
Business
ANB profit up 51 percent in H1
The growth was backed by net special commission income.
- The bank reported an increase in the net provisions for expected credit losses and other provisions.
- The second-quarter net profit jumped 39 percent to SAR 986 million from SAR 707.69 million in Q2 2022.
Business
Saudi Fund for Development commits $10m to boost tourism in Bahamas
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) and Bahamas have signed a $10 million agreement to build...
- Nassau Island set to accommodate 50 small businesses, Exuma Island to house 25 small businesses, and Grand Bahama Island to host an additional 25 small businesses.
- This is SFD's inaugural foray into The Bahamas, making it the 89th country to receive funding for a development project from SFD.
Business
IHG to open Hotel Indigo in Oxagon
Oxagon is a coastal industrial city in Saudi Arabia's NEOM.
- The 250-key Hotel Indigo property will be situated in the Oxagon’s first residential community and will open its doors in 2026.
- IHG currently operates 37 hotels across five brands in Saudi Arabia, including InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn.
Business
FAB second quarter net profit $1.14bn
The rise attributed to increase in net interest and non-interest income.
- For the first six months of 2023, the net profit was $2.19 billion, up 7 percent from $2.08 billion.
- The company said the operating income was $1.82 billion, up 37 percent from 2022.
Geostrategy
Security, trust: Tech titans promise watermarks on AI creations
Representatives from Amazon, Anthropic, Google, Inflection, Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI were to join US President Joe Biden later Friday to...
- Worry that imagery or audio created by AI will be used for fraud and misinformation has ramped up as the technology improves and the 2024 US presidential election gets closer.
- Commitments by the companies include independent testing of AI systems for risks when it comes to biosecurity, cybersecurity, or "societal effects," according to the White House.
Business
AD Ports Group, CMEC ink MoU
The two companies will explore opportunities globally.
- The two companies will cooperate in various fields including global industry and infrastructure development, financing, building.
- The agreement will be valid for three years and will focus on achieving complementary advantages, sharing resources.
Business
Turkey, UAE sign agreements worth over $50bn
Earlier this year, the two countries signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the aim of boosting trade to $40...
- The non-oil intra-trade between the two nations amounts to over US$103 billion from 2013 to 2022.
- This includes imports valued at US$56 billion, exports exceeding US$35 billion, and re-exports totaling over US$12 billion.
Business
Almarai trust certificates raise $750m
The dollar-denominated certificates have annual return of 5.23%.
- Almarai told Tadawul in a statement that the certificates will be listed on the Irish Stock Exchange under Euronext Dublin.
- The certificates were issued under the $200 million Trust Certificate Issuance Program updated by the company on July 14.
Business
ADIA acquires hotel portfolio
The portfolio comprises 27 hotels across Japan.
- The portfolio was acquired from Daiwa House Industry for $900 million and comprises a total of 7,124 hotel rooms.
- The acquisition was made along with a consortium led by Singapore-based private equity real estate firm, SC Capital Partners and Goldman Sachs Asset Management.
Business
Riyad Bank H1 profit up 27%
The rise attributed to increase in total operating income.
- However, this was partially offset by a drop in gains on disposal of non-trading investments, net fee and commission income, and dividend income.
- The three-month net profit jumped 23 percent to SAR 1.98 billion from SAR 1.61 billion in Q2 2022.
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Thuraya, nybl sign MoU
Business
DEWA okays H1 dividend of $843m
Business
Emirates Group H1 net profit $2.7bn
The profit was 138% higher than the $1.2 billion in H1 2022.
Business
GCC hails progress on implementation of unified tourist visa
Muscat -– In a significant stride towards enhanced regional cooperation, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has announced progress on the...
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Business
Rabigh 9M net loss $879m
The firm said unfavorable market conditions affected margins.
- In addition, Petro Rabigh complex was partially shut down for scheduled turnaround of its Phase II units starting Dec. 1, 2022, to Jan. 23, 2023, according to Argaam.
- The company narrowed Q3 2023 loss to SAR 1.14 billion from SAR 1.41 billion a year earlier, mainly due to improved refined products margin
Business
Zain posts highest-ever quarterly revenue
Tower infrastructure sale among factors responsible for the performance.
- The Q3 report also reveals a net profit of SAR 285 million, showcasing a growth of 234 percent compared to the corresponding period in 2022.
- The company said it has not only experienced growth in 5G revenue but also witnessed increased demand for consumer services.
Business
IHC 9M net profit $4.13bn
The Group's third-quarter revenues grew by 9.5 percent.
- In Q3 2023, IHC grew its total assets by 3.3 percent and reduced total liabilities by 1.3 percent (compared to December 2022).
- The Group intends to remain focused on optimizing its balance sheet and improving shareholder returns, IHC said in a statement.