Eight-country coalition aims to tax luxury air travel
Seville, Spain -- Countries including France, Kenya, Barbados and Spain on Monday launched a coalition to push for taxes on...
Business
Indonesia begins $5.9 bn EV battery project despite environment fears
Jakarta, Indonesia -- Indonesia broke ground Sunday on a $5.9 billion megaproject for EV battery production backed by Chinese giant...
Business
Business
BBC launches US paid subscription to news website
London, United Kingdom - The BBC, Britain's public broadcaster that is struggling with strained finances, on Thursday launched a paid...
- For $49.99 a year, or $8.99 a month, users will have "unlimited access" to the BBC's news articles, feature stories and the BBC News television channel, a statement said
- The BBC, which broadcasts across television, radio and online, said in March that it faced "unprecedented" challenges to funding
Business
Roblox’s Grow a Garden explodes online video game numbers
Paris, France -- A gardening game created by a teenager on online platform Roblox has attracted a record 21 million...
- More than 21 million players connected to Grow a Garden at the same time on June 21, buying seeds to cultivate a little patch of virtual land, harvesting crops.
- That shattered the record held by the adrenalin-packed Fortnite, which attracted 15 million concurrent users (CCUs) during an event in late 2020.
Business
Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos, his fiancee Lauren Sanchez arrive in Venice for lavish wedding
Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, are said to have booked out the city's finest hotels for a star-studded guest list...
- Bezos, the world's fourth-richest person, and his former television anchor bride-to-be were seen stepping off a water taxi at the Aman Hotel on the Grand Canal
- Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, are said to have booked out the city's finest hotels for a guest list rumoured to include Leonardo DiCaprio, Mick Jagger, and Kim Kardashian
Geostrategy
Oil slides, stocks rise as Iran-Israel ceasefire holds
The main international and US oil contracts briefly bounced off their lows as Israel and Iran accused each other of...
- Prices were also brought down by Trump saying that China could continue to buy oil from Iran, in what appeared to be relief from sanctions Washington had previously imposed.
- There was also relief that Iran has refrained from closing the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for about one-fifth of the world's oil supply.
Geostrategy
Oil prices seesaw as investors await Iran response to US strikes
US stocks edged higher while European markets retreated and Asian equities were mixed, with markets keeping a close eye on...
- They later dipped briefly into the red and then wobbled, standing down around one percent as European markets closed.
- Iran is the world's ninth-biggest oil-producing country, exporting just under half of the 3.3 million barrels it produces per day.
Business
Japan’s high-tech sunscreens tap into skincare craze
Tokyo, Japan -- When YouTuber Hannah Price set out to compare Japanese and Australian sunscreen, she wasn't expecting her deep...
- Companies that have perfected their secret formulas want to capitalize on booming demand, including selling to Japan's record influx of foreign tourists.
- The global skincare market was worth more than $115 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to $194 billion by 2032, according to Fortune Business Insights.
Business
Tesla expected to launch long-discussed robotaxi service, will use Model Y
New York, United States -- Tesla is expected to begin offering robotaxi service Sunday in Austin, an initial step that...
- The launch will employ the Model Y sport utility vehicle rather than Tesla's much-touted Cybercab, which is still under development.
- The long-awaited launch follows the dramatic meltdown earlier this month in relations between Musk and Trump, which saw a cascade of bitter attacks from both men.
Geostrategy
Aldar nets $953m in sales at Fahid
Aldar said 42 percent of the buyers are under the age of 45.
- Nearly 42 percent of buyers are under the age of 45, signaling growing demand for luxury wellness-focused living among younger demographics.
- Notably, 67 percent of buyers are first-time Aldar customers, demonstrating Aldar’s expansive reach and the appeal of the Group’s thoughtfully curated destinations.
Geostrategy
MENA Brief | June 19: GCC central banks hold interest rates steady, Diriyah House launched in London
As most currencies in the region are pegged to the US dollar, monetary policy follows the decisions taken in Washington,...
- Saudi-based Cluster2 Airports Company signed a strategic MoU with Airbus. The agreement will see the deployment of the Agnet Turnaround platform across Cluster2’s 22 airports.
- Saudi National Bank (SNB) has issued $1.25 billion in Tier 2 bonds at a 6% profit rate under its $10 billion Euro Medium Term Note program.
Opinion
How travel brands can target high-intent travelers in the MEA region
As tourism booms across the Middle East and Africa, travel brands face fierce competition. Success now means using data-driven, personalized...
- In a region defined by rapid digital adoption and evolving traveler expectations, the brands that thrive will be those that treat marketing as a journey, not a destination.
- Targeting high-intent travelers is no longer about one-off bookings or flash sales—it’s about long-term relationships, built through continuous, relevant engagement.
Eight-country coalition aims to tax luxury air travel
Seville, Spain -- Countries including France, Kenya, Barbados and Spain on Monday launched a coalition to push for taxes on...
Business
Company News
TomTom cuts 300 jobs
Business
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Musk kicks Kanye West off Twitter for ‘incitement to violence’
West has made a series of anti-Semitic comments recently, as the one-time titan of fashion and music appears to have...
Oman sees hospitality industry revenue fall 3.5%
The National Centre for Statistics and Information says domestic guest have supported the Oman's hotels.
Proof of Covid-19 vaccination, PCR test needed to enter Expo Dubai
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Cyberattack hits hundreds of US businesses
A US IT company urges customers to shut down their servers after the attack UN Security Council members recently warned...
Saudi Arabia to generate $150 billion in investments from its new transport policy
The government would provide thirty-five percent of the investments The rest of it, sixty-five percent, will come from the private...
Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos, his fiancee Lauren Sanchez arrive in Venice for lavish wedding
Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, are said to have booked out the city's finest hotels for a star-studded guest list...
Business
Oil slides, stocks rise as Iran-Israel ceasefire holds
The main international and US oil contracts briefly bounced off their lows as Israel and Iran accused each other of...
Geostrategy
Oil prices seesaw as investors await Iran response to US strikes
US stocks edged higher while European markets retreated and Asian equities were mixed, with markets keeping a close eye on...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Business
Tesla expected to launch long-discussed robotaxi service, will use Model Y
New York, United States -- Tesla is expected to begin offering robotaxi service Sunday in Austin, an initial step that...
- The launch will employ the Model Y sport utility vehicle rather than Tesla's much-touted Cybercab, which is still under development.
- The long-awaited launch follows the dramatic meltdown earlier this month in relations between Musk and Trump, which saw a cascade of bitter attacks from both men.
Geostrategy
Aldar nets $953m in sales at Fahid
Aldar said 42 percent of the buyers are under the age of 45.
- Nearly 42 percent of buyers are under the age of 45, signaling growing demand for luxury wellness-focused living among younger demographics.
- Notably, 67 percent of buyers are first-time Aldar customers, demonstrating Aldar’s expansive reach and the appeal of the Group’s thoughtfully curated destinations.
Geostrategy
MENA Brief | June 19: GCC central banks hold interest rates steady, Diriyah House launched in London
As most currencies in the region are pegged to the US dollar, monetary policy follows the decisions taken in Washington,...
- Saudi-based Cluster2 Airports Company signed a strategic MoU with Airbus. The agreement will see the deployment of the Agnet Turnaround platform across Cluster2’s 22 airports.
- Saudi National Bank (SNB) has issued $1.25 billion in Tier 2 bonds at a 6% profit rate under its $10 billion Euro Medium Term Note program.