World’s only Dragon Ball theme park launched in Saudi Arabia’s Qiddiya City
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – The Board of Directors of the Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) revealed on Sunday the launch of...
Arts & Culture
Iraqi PM to visit Washington for troop talks
Washington, US – President Joe Biden will welcome Iraq's prime minister on April 15 for talks on the US troop presence,...
Geostrategy
Business
FAO says world cereal production to reach record high in 2023-24
ROME, ITALY - World cereal production is predicted to hit a record high in 2023-24, according to the latest Cereal...
- FAO raised its 2023 global cereal production forecast to 2 819 million tonnes, indicating a 1.1 percent increase from the previous year.
- The higher forecast almost entirely reflects better prospects for global wheat production, now pegged at 783.3 million tonnes.
Economy
‘Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture likely to rise by 7.5% in next decade’
PARIS, FRANCE - Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture are expected to increase by 7.5 percent in the next decade, said...
- Projected greenhouse gas emissions are less than half the projected output growth.
- This output indicates a significant fall in the carbon intensity of agricultural production.
Science
AI robots at UN say they could run the world in a better way
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - A panel of AI-enabled humanoid robots told a United Nations summit on Friday that they could eventually run...
- Some of the most advanced humanoid robots were at the UN's two-day AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva.
- They were assembled for what was billed as the world's first press conference with a packed panel of AI-enabled humanoid social robots.
Market Report
Asian markets decline as US data spark interest rate fears
Asian stocks tumbled again after another round of strong US data reinforced expectations the Federal Reserve will resume its interest...
- Minutes from the Federal Reserve's last meeting showed officials plan to ramp up borrowing costs again this month.
- Equity-buying sentiment was hammered again by news that US private firms created twice as many jobs as expected in June.
Business
Energy prices may jump if output slashed, warns Shell CEO
LONDON, UK - Shell's chief executive told the BBC on Thursday that cutting gas and oil output would be "irresponsible" because...
- The official warned that strengthening demand from China and cold winter weather in Europe could send energy prices and bills surging.
- Domestic electricity and gas bills sky-rocketed after key energy producer Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine early last year.
Business
Verition opens office in DIFC
MENA is an important market for Verition.
- Verition’s strategic positioning of its Dubai headquarters gives it access to DIFC’s financial and innovation ecosystem
- Verition has a broad international footprint with offices in Greenwich, New York, London, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Business
Meta launches Twitter rival Threads, 10m sign-ups in first few hours
More than 10 million people have signed up to Threads, Meta's rival to Twitter, within the first few hours of...
- Threads is the biggest challenger yet to Elon Musk-owned Twitter, which has seen a series of potential competitors emerge but not yet replace it.
- Celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Shakira and Hugh Jackman, as well as media outlets including The Washington Post, Reuters and The Economist join.
Geostrategy
All voices must be heard in transition, sustainability debates: OPEC
Secretary-General of OPEC Haitham Al Ghais, speaking at the 8th OPEC International Seminar in Vienna, reiterated the organization's keenness to...
- Ghaith said the concept of sustainability relates to how we fulfil the needs of current generations without compromising the needs of future generations.
- He asserted the importance of oil in the global energy mix and the industry's primary role in reducing carbon emissions.
Business
Meet EU ‘gatekeeper’ definition, say seven tech giants
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - Seven tech giants, including Amazon and Apple, have informed the European Union they meet the threshold to come...
- The firms are Google parent Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, TikTok owner ByteDance, Facebook umbrella Meta, Microsoft and Samsung.
- The firms stated they had revenue and user figures big enough to be classed as "gatekeepers", EU internal market commissioner Thierry Breton said.
Geostrategy
Egypt, Turkey appoint ambassadors after a decade
Egypt and Turkey said they had appointed ambassadors to each others' countries for the first time in a decade, in...
- Cairo and Ankara both issued statements announcing "the upgrading of diplomatic relations between them to the level of ambassadors".
- Relations were severed a decade ago when Sisi, then Egypt's defense minister, ousted the Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, an ally of Turkey.
World’s only Dragon Ball theme park launched in Saudi Arabia’s Qiddiya City
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – The Board of Directors of the Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) revealed on Sunday the launch of...
Arts & Culture
Company News
Latest News
Spain to increase UNRWA funding after donors suspend aid
MADRID, SPAIN - Spain said on Monday that it would give an additional US$$3.8 million (3.5 million euros) in aid to...
Geostrategy
No Middle East escalation, urges EU foreign policy chief after US strikes
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called on all parties to avoid further escalation in the Middle East after...
Geostrategy
UAE is the most popular destination for global workers, says report
Dubai, UAE – The United Arab Emirates is the most popular country for international talent seeking employment visas, a report...
Business
Most Read
Economy
China economic slowdown to continue for the next four years, says IMF
BEIJING, CHINA - China's economic slowdown is likely to persist in the coming years as the Asian giant struggles with sagging...
- The world's second-largest economy last year saw some of its slowest growth in decades
- A debt crisis in the property sector added to geopolitical tensions and weakening global demand.
Business
Spain urges WTO meet in UAE to address de-globalization
ABU DHABI, UAE - Madrid wants the upcoming 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) here next...
- The ministerial meeting (MC13) will convene representatives of 164 nations and trading blocs.
- MC13 will seek key reforms to the global trading system, including expanding WTO membership .
Business
Norway’s sovereign wealth fund posts record US$213bn profit
Oslo, Norway - Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the world's biggest, said Tuesday it raked in a record profit of 2.2 trillion...
- Fueled by revenues from Norway's state-owned oil and gas companies, the fund is aimed at financing future spending in the generous welfare state
- Around 71 percent of its portfolio was dedicated to equities, with stakes in 8,859 companies worldwide -- or 1.5 percent of all listed stocks