United Kingdom renationalizes first train operator under Labor reforms
London, United Kingdom -- Britain's South Western Railways on Sunday becomes the first private train operator to be returned to...
Economy
Anthropic’s Claude AI gets smarter — and mischievious
San Francisco, United States -- Anthropic launched its latest Claude generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) models on Thursday, claiming to set...
Business
Economy
Saudi Arabia pursues AI hub future: PIF Governor
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Governor of Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan on Thursday positioned Saudi Arabia as...
- Yasir Al-Rumayyan, speaking at the FII PRIORITY summit in Miami, highlighted the fund's focus on sectors like education, healthcare, artificial intelligence
- By investing in technological advancements, the PIF aims to propel the Kingdom towards a more diversified and resilient future
Business
Saudi Arabia, China sign MoU to develop air transport cooperation
Beijing, China - Saudi Arabia and China on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop air transport cooperation. The...
- The MoU was signed during the visit to China of Saudi civil-aviation officials
- The areas of cooperation outlined in the MoU include expanding the number of air transportation stops
Business
Saudi media ministry and Google join forces for digital transformation
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Ministry of Media and Google have joined forces in a strategic collaboration aimed at driving...
- The collaborative effort intends to introduce specialized programs to enhance the skills of local media professionals, journalists, and content creators
- The partnership seeks to share global best practices in the media sector, with a particular emphasis on leveraging artificial intelligence tools, especially within newsrooms
Geostrategy
Saudi foreign minister seeks G20 action on Gaza
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan called on G20 nations to apply pressure for...
- Prince Faisal voiced these sentiments during the inaugural session of the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- The Saudi minister underlined the imperative for international institutions to uphold their commitments globally and adopt clearer stances
Economy
Saudi Arabia’s trade surplus remains stable at $26bn
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia's trade surplus remained stable at SR97 billion ($25.8 billion) in the fourth quarter of...
- The report indicates a 14.4 percent decline in merchandise exports during the fourth quarter compared to the same period in 2022
- Non-oil exports experienced a 1.2 percent decrease, with the chemical industry products, constituting a third of non-oil exports, witnessing an 18 percent decline
Business
Over 6,000 F&B companies join Dubai Chamber of Commerce in 2023
DUBAI, UAE – President and CEO of Dubai Chambers Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah has revealed that 6,478 new Food and...
- The total number of F&B companies registered with Dubai Chamber of Commerce stood at 22,585 at the end of 2023.
- Dubai Chamber of Commerce launched 11 business groups dedicated to the industry, eight of which were set up in 2023.
MENA print media revenues fell 30% from 2018 to 2022: survey
The report stresses the urgent need for MENA news organizations to overhaul business models, adopt digital strategies, and diversify content...
- The analysis also forecasts a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of -4% up to 2027, which could cause total MENA revenues to fall even further to US$1.2 billion
- The figures also show that while digital advertising revenues are slowly increasing at a rate of 1% per year, print advertising revenues are set to slump by 11.3% by 2027
Business
Saudi tech firm Alat to ally with Softbank, Carrier Corp, Tahakoum, Dahua Tech
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Alat Company, a subsidiary of the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), has announced four global partnerships...
- Amit Midha, global CEO of Alat, said the goal is to aid partner companies in reducing emissions and transitioning towards carbon-neutral production
- Midha emphasized Alat's commitment to leveraging clean energy sources such as solar, wind, and green hydrogen integrating sustainability measures across operations
Arts & Culture
Saudi film industry gets boost with $100m investment fund
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -The Middle East Financial Investment Company (MEFIC Capital) has unveiled the establishment of the Saudi Film Fund,...
- The strategic fund is an outcome of an agreement involving the Cultural Development Fund, MEFIC Capital, and Roaa Media Ventures
- The Saudi film production market has experienced impressive growth, boasting an annual growth rate exceeding 25%
Saudi retail is 23% of non-oil GDP, expected to grow to $122.6bn in 2024
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing Majed Al-Hogail said on Monday that the...
- Saudi Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing Majed Al-Hogail emphasized the crucial role of the retail sector as a major economic driver
- He expressed optimism that discussions at the summit would contribute to the sector's development and overall service enhancement
Most Read
Revenue from Saudi cinema may exceed $1bn by 2030KSA, UAE play well as e-gaming trends across GCCExclusive: Middle East’s retail sector rides on AR and hybrid shopping to become $600bn digital economyTECOM Group profit soars 13%UAE startups eye Saudi Arabia for growth, expansionSaudi Arabia leads GCC AI healthcare raceDisparity remains as Saudis, Emiratis see wealth gains
United Kingdom renationalizes first train operator under Labor reforms
London, United Kingdom -- Britain's South Western Railways on Sunday becomes the first private train operator to be returned to...
Economy
Company News
Latest News
Microsoft retires Skype, the online voice and video call pioneer
San Francisco, United States - Microsoft on Friday announced it was retiring Skype, the online voice and video call pioneer...
Science
Saudi Arabia, Gulf neighbours say Ramadan to start on Saturday
Observing fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, requiring believers to abstain from eating, drinking, smoking...
Arts & Culture
Most Read
Business
UAE announces top-up tax for multinational enterprises
Abu Dhabi, UAE - The Ministry of Finance has announced the issuance of Cabinet Decision No. 142 of 2024 on...
- The top-up tax will apply to entities that are members of Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) operating in the UAE with annual global revenues of €750 million or more
- To bolster the UAE’s competitiveness as a leading investment hub, the top-up tax has been structured to exclude Investment Entities
Geostrategy
UAE, France discuss bilateral ties, sign AI cooperation deal
Paris, UAE - UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and French President Emmanuel Macron of France explored various...
- Both sides emphasized collaboration in AI, climate action, energy, and sustainable development initiatives
- They signed the UAE-France Framework for Cooperation in AI, including a 1GW AI Campus investment
Geostrategy
Saudi Arabia says no Israel normalization without Palestinian state
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia said Wednesday it will not formalize ties with Israel unless a Palestinian state is established,...
- Both US President Donald Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden have backed Israel and Saudi Arabia having diplomatic relations
- Riyadh paused tentative talks on the matter early in the Gaza conflict and hardened its rhetoric as the war continued