Zawiya 97: New cultural hub for handicrafts in historic Jeddah
Jeddah - Zawiya 97, a new cultural hub for handicrafts in Historic Jeddah, located next to Nassif House, combines heritage...
Arts & Culture
Creators HQ attracts 2,415 active members from 147 countries with combined following of over 2 billion
Dubai, UAE – Creators HQ, the first headquarters for content creators in the UAE and the Middle East, has seen...
Economy
Economy
Saudi Arabia’s Purchasing Manager’s Index rises to 57.2 points in Feb
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - The seasonally adjusted Riyadh Bank Saudi Arabia Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), formerly S&P Global Saudi Arabia...
- The PMI is a weighted average of five indices – new orders, output, employment, suppliers’ delivery times, stocks of purchases.
- In January, the index reached its lowest level in two years, indicating a strong but weaker improvement in Saudi non-oil private sector.
Geostrategy
Saudi Arabia to imprison, fine people for helping, employing illegal immigrants
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – The Directorate of Public Security stressed that anyone who facilitates the entry, transfer or employment of...
- The means of transportation used for bringing illegal immigrants will be confiscated.
- The housing unit used to shelter illegal immigrants will be confiscated, as per the law.
Business
Zain KSA net profit $335m
The company's fourth-quarter net profit was $78 million.
- The telecom services provider said its revenue rose 8.9 percent year-on-year (YoY) to an all-time high of SAR 9.9 billion in 2023.
- Gross profit increased 10 percent YoY. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) reached SAR 2.97 billion.
Geostrategy
OIC to hold extraordinary meeting on Israeli aggression on March 5
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will hold an extraordinary meeting of its Council of Foreign...
- OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha is expected to address the opening session, which will be preceded by a preparatory senior officials' meeting
- On October 11, 2023, Saudi Arabia hosted the extraordinary Joint Arab and Islamic Summit in Riyadh, organized by the OIC and the Arab League
Business
ADIB 2023 net profit $1.4bn
The bank achieved a Return on Equity of 27.1 percent.
- ADIB achieved record-breaking performance in 2023, with significant growth across all its businesses.
- Enhancing its digital presence, the bank saw a rise in actively digital customers through improvements to its mobile app.
Business
Dubai Taxi Company net profit up 54%
The company will pay a dividend of $19.33 million for Q4.
- Revenue for the year increased 11 percent year-on-year (YoY) to AED 1.95 billion, primarily driven by the strong performance of its taxi segment.
- DTC’s fleet size at the end of 2023 was more than 7,400 vehicles, with its taxis and limousines completing 46 million trips in 2023, an increase of 8 percent YoY.
Business
e& pledges $6 billion to advance connectivity in 16 countries
Barcelona, Spain -- e& Friday pledged to invest $6 billion between 2024 and 2026 in technological advancement, infrastructure development, and...
- This investment is set to provide accessible and affordable network connectivity and digital services across its 16 operating countries.
- For e& customers in emerging markets, new financial, health, and educational services will increasingly hinge on high-speed connections via fiber or wireless broadband, e& said.
Economy
Iran becomes world’s ninth biggest steel producer, says WSA
TEHRAN, IRAN – The Middle Eastern country has improved its global standing in steel production, becoming the ninth largest producer...
- In the first month of 2024, Iranian steel mills produced a total of 2.6 million tons of steel.
- The world's 71 steel-producing countries produced 148.1 million tons of steel in January 2024.
Business
Binaa Al Bahrain aims to create expansive mixed-use projects
ABU DHABI, UAE – Chairman of Eagle Hills International Mohamed Alabbar has said that US$4 billion joint venture Binaa Al...
- Binaa Al Bahrain aims to contribute to Bahrain’s long-term development through its iconic projects.
- The JV aspires to create job opportunities for Bahrainis in the real estate, hospitality and healthcare.
Business
UAE-based banks aggregate capital, reserves reach US$131bn by end of November 2023
ABU DHABI, UAE- The aggregate capital and reserves of banks operating in the UAE increased 13.3 percent, reaching US$131 billion...
- The aggregate capital and reserves of UAE-based banks increased 12.3 percent or US$14.4 billion during the first 11 months of 2023
- National banks accounted for 86.5 percent of the total capital and reserves of UAE-based banks logging $113 billion by end of November 2023
Zawiya 97: New cultural hub for handicrafts in historic Jeddah
Jeddah - Zawiya 97, a new cultural hub for handicrafts in Historic Jeddah, located next to Nassif House, combines heritage...
Arts & Culture
Company News
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MENA Brief: Key Geopolitical, Defence, and Innovation Updates – June 11, 2025
Regional tensions, high-stakes defence deals, and new innovation-led collaborations defined the Middle East and North Africa landscape on Wednesday. Here’s...
Analysis
MENA brief Jun 11: Umrah returns, ADGM surges, Abu Dhabi property market up
China has extended visa-free entry for up to 30 days to citizens of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain—boosting bilateral...
Geostrategy
From Iran Talks to Dubai Metro: Key Middle East Developments You Need to Know on June 10, 2025
Key developments across the Middle East today highlight regional diplomatic, economic and humanitarian trends
Economy
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Economy
MENA Outlook: Diversification, AI, and economic integration take centre stage
As the region pivots toward a post-oil future, recent developments across the Middle East and North Africa suggest an accelerating...
- Saudi government announced a $5.6 billion fertilizer JV between SABIC and Aramco, while also adopting new green building codes to reduce emissions
- From launching the world’s first AI-powered media council to streamlining family business, Abu Dhabi and Dubai are reinventing the regulatory ecosystem to attract global capital
Economy
IMF upgrades Saudi real GDP growth forecast to 6% in 2025, up from
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised upwards its forecast for Saudi Arabia's economic growth to...
- This adjustment from earlier estimates reflects the impact of extended oil production cuts and a slower-than-expected rebound in oil output.
- The IMF anticipates that inflation will remain contained, with an average annual rate holding steady at 2.1 percent in 2025 and easing slightly to 2 percent the following year.
Geostrategy
New WEF report reveals how tech convergence will reshape industries
Geneva, Switzerland – The World Economic Forum today released a new report examining how emerging technology combinations are reshaping industries...
- AI is a key enabler, making many emerging tech synergies commercially viable across industries.
- Digital twins, enhanced by AI and sensors, are expanding efficiency in sectors from aerospace to healthcare.