Inside the UAE’s integrated approach to food security
Professor Tareq Osaili, Vice Dean, College of Health Sciences, Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Sharjah, says the...
Opinion
Iran floats 30-day roadmap to end conflict; Trump signals scepticism
Iran has put forward a fresh 14-point proposal to the United States, calling for a resolution of tensions within 30...
Geostrategy
Economy
Saudi Arabia, UAE rank among top 20 nations globally for AI talent density
With the goal of becoming one of the world’s top 10 countries in AI research and application by 2030, Saudi...
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) enters top 150 universities globally for producing AI talent, becoming the highest-ranked university in Middle East
- Saudi Arabia offers some of the most competitive compensation packages for AI talent globally, with top scientists earning a median annual salary of USD 420,000, tax-free
Business
DIFC records 25 percent rise in registered firms in H1 2025
Dubai, UAE -- Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading global financial center in the Middle East, Africa and South...
- The total number of active registered companies reached 7,700, up from 6,153 in H1 2024 - a 25 percent year-on-year increase.
- The number of professionals working in DIFC rose to 47,901, marking a significant 9 percent increase from 43,787 a year earlier.
Economy
GCC countries record $587.8 billion in nominal GDP by end of Q4 2024
Muscat, Oman -- The nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries reached US$587.8 billion by...
- The contribution of non-oil activities to the GCC's nominal GDP reached 77.9 percent by the end of the fourth quarter of 2024,
- The manufacturing sector contributed 12.5 percent to the GDP, while wholesale and retail trade accounted for 9.9 percent.
Business
DP World mobilizes $1 billion in working capital to boost trade flow
Dubai, UAE — DP World Trade Finance has mobilized more than US$1 billion in working capital to support businesses across...
- This was achieved through a combination of DP World’s own lending operations and partnerships with over 32 global financial institutions.
- DP World Trade Finance has enabled trade across Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe, supporting sectors such as agriculture, metals, automotive, and engineering.
Business
ADIB H1 pre-tax profit $1.08bn
Q2 pre-tax net profit increases by 14 percent.
- Total income for H1 2025 rose 11 percent to AED5.9 billion, up from AED5.3 billion in H1 2024.
- Non-funding income rose 15 percent year-on-year to AED2.3 billion in H1 2025, up from AED2 billion in the prior-year period.
Business
Mawani adds FRS1 shipping service to Jeddah Islamic Port
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia -- The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has added CStar Line's new Far East-Red Sea service (FRS1) to...
- The service connects the port to to five regional and international ports: Ningbo, Shanghai, and Nansha in China; Aqaba in Jordan; and Ain Sokhna in Egypt.
- This move is part of Mawani's efforts to improve the Kingdom's ranking in global performance indicators and support national export activity.
Geostrategy
Global gas flaring surges again, costs $63bn in lost energy: WB
Washington, UAE -- Global gas flaring surged for a second year in a row, wasting about $63 billion in lost...
- Flaring, the practice of burning natural gas during oil extraction, reached 151 billion cubic meters (bcm) in 2024, up 3 bcm from the previous year.
- While some countries have reduced flaring, the top nine largest-flaring countries continue to account for three-quarters of all flaring.
Business
Dubai real estate transactions exceed $117.34 billion in first half of 2025
The number of new investors in the market reached 59,075, with investments totaling $42.74 billion, a 22 percent increase in...
- According to data issued by the Dubai Land Department, the number of real estate transactions reached 125,538, up from 99,947 during the same period in 2024, an increase of 26%.
- Women played a pivotal role in driving market activity, investing AED73.2 billion during this period with 34,792 transactions made by 30,487 female investors.
Business
ADNOC shifts OMV stake to XRG
XRG is ADNOC's wholly-owned international investment company.
- This transfer, which is subject to regulatory approvals, is aligned with ADNOC’s strategy to consolidate its international growth investments under XRG.
- ADNOC is also progressing with preparation for the proposed establishment of Borouge Group International, which is set to be a top-four global polyolefins producer.
Business
Saudi leads MENA in VC funding for H1, surpassing 2024’s full-year total
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia retained the top spot across the Middle East and North Africa region in terms of...
- Saudi Arabia's H1 VC share is 56 percent of the total capital deployed in the region.
- The report also revealed that Saudi Arabia achieved a record number of 114 VC deals for the first half of 2025.
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
Inside the UAE’s integrated approach to food security
Professor Tareq Osaili, Vice Dean, College of Health Sciences, Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Sharjah, says the...
Opinion
Company News
Latest News
To build a knowledge economy, the GCC must bet on its young minds
In Saudi Arabia, more than 60 percent of the population is under 30, and across the GCC, over 50 percent...
Opinion
Who has been invited to be on Trump’s Gaza boards?
The White House said there would be a main board, chaired by Trump himself, a Palestinian committee of technocrats meant...
Geostrategy
Global economy set for “sturdy growth” in 2026, MENA growth to outpace global economy
The Middle East and North Africa region is expected to outperform the global economy in 2026, with GDP projected to...
Economy
Most Read
Business
UAE’s AI Office announces Google Gemini as top model in ‘AI in the Ring’ Index
Dubai, UAE - The UAE’s Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications Office announced that Google Gemini has ranked...
- Gemini earned the top ranking following a review of over 400 questions and 5,200 generated responses from 11 major language models
- A Committee of Emirati experts evaluated the outputs to identify which models demonstrated the strongest cultural understanding
Business
GCC countries attract $523.4bn in foreign investment in 2023
Muscat, Oman -- The GCC countries have seen a steady rise in foreign investment, according to data from the Statistical...
- Intra-GCC investments rise to $130 billion, aided by infrastructure, technology improvements, and modern legislation boosting regional business attractiveness.
- Capital markets grow to $4.2 trillion as corporate profits improve and institutional investments continue despite global economic uncertainties.
Geostrategy
Riyadh, Washington seal major defense agreement amid Saudi push for two-state roadmap before Israel normalization
Saudi Crown Prince said that his kingdom wanted to normalize relations with Israel through US President Donald Trump's Abraham Accords,...
- The agreement comes within the framework of the long-standing strategic partnership and the deep-rooted ties that have united the two countries for more than ninety years
- It affirms that Saudi Arabia and the United States are capable security partners, able to work together to confront regional and international challenges and threats.