US, Israel planned Ahmadinejad return in Iran regime change bid: report
Israeli and US officials had initially viewed former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a potential figure to lead Iran following...
Geostrategy
Riyadh Emerges as Escape Hub for Super-Rich Fleeing UAE After Iran Strikes
With airspace across parts of the Middle East locked down and thousands of flights cancelled or delayed, King Khalid International...
Geostrategy
Business
Burjeel Holdings net profit up
The company’s 2023 annual revenue rises to US$1.2 billion.
- The group continued to implement its geographic expansion strategy with the launch of the PhysioTherabia rehabilitation network in Saudi Arabia.
- It opened eight new centers in March 2024 in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Khobar, and Yanbu which significantly expanded its geographical reach.
Business
Over 105m people visit Dubai Mall in 2023
DUBAI, UAE – Dubai Mall welcomed a record 105 million visitors in 2023, a jump of over 19 percent on...
- Figures also showed a staggering 20 million people visited the mall in the first two months of this year alone.
- The mall's events and promotions in 2023 and the beginning of 2024 were a key driver of its foot traffic.
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.
US, Israel planned Ahmadinejad return in Iran regime change bid: report
Israeli and US officials had initially viewed former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a potential figure to lead Iran following...
Geostrategy
Company News
Latest News
ADIB H1 pre-tax profit $1.08bn
Business
UAE Cyber Security Council: Over 12,000 Wi-Fi breaches recorded in UAE since start of year
Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The UAE Cyber Security Council (CSC) has warned of the serious risks posed by using open...
Science
Creators HQ attracts 2,415 active members from 147 countries
Dubai, UAE -- Dubai’s Creator HQ, the first headquarters for content creators in the UAE and the Middle East, has...
Business
Buraidah date carnival boosts Saudi tourism and economy
Buraidah, Saudi Arabia -- The Buraidah Date Carnival witnessed growing economic and tourism activity, making it a key destination for...
Business
Most Read
Science
Austrian university develops technique to renew buildings without demolition
Vienna, Austria - A research team from Graz University of Technology in Austria has succeeded in developing an innovative fastening...
- The system enables the connection and disassembly of building components with ease, allowing the separation of long-term structural elements from shorter-lived components
- The project won the gold medal in the scientific research competition under the sustainability category and is regarded as a pioneering step towards smart construction
Economy
US developers report half of new electric generating capacity will come from solar
Washington, United States - Developers added 12 gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale solar electric generating capacity in the United States...
- Battery storage, wind, and natural gas power plants account for virtually all the remaining capacity additions for 2025, the survey noted
- About 27% (3.2 GW) of the solar capacity added so far in 2025 is in Texas, and developers plan to bring another 9.7 GW of solar online in Texas in the second half of this year
Geostrategy
Israel approves major West Bank settlement project, sparks international outcry
Israel has long had ambitions to build on the roughly 12-square-kilometre parcel known as E1 just east of Jerusalem, but...
- Critics say the settlement would effectively cut the West Bank in two, undermining hopes for a contiguous Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital.
- UN chief Antonio Guterres warned last week that constructing Israeli homes in the E1 area would "put an end to" hopes for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.