Passenger traffic could exceed earlier figures, says Dubai Airports’ CEO
DUBAI, UAE – The airport here has "every chance" of breaking its record for passenger traffic this year after surpassing pre-pandemic...
Business
Energy transition led Saudi Arabia to halt oil expansion, says official
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – The Kingdom's surprise decision to halt a planned expansion of its oil production capacity reflects ambitions to...
Business
Geostrategy
Ukraine urges China to condemn Russia attack
Russia's claim on Saturday to have unleashed its new hypersonic Kinzhal missile would mark a new escalation of its campaign...
- In a fresh setback, Ukraine officials admitted they had ‘temporarily’ lost access to the Sea of Azov
- However, Russia has effectively controlled the coastline for weeks after surrounding Mariupol
Geostrategy
US says ‘troubled’ by Assad visit to ally UAE
Assad's surprise trip on Friday was his first official visit to an Arab country since civil war erupted in his...
- On Friday, Assad and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan discussed the ‘fraternal relations’ between the two countries
- Talks also centered on efforts to ‘contribute to the consolidation of security, stability and peace in the Arab region and the Middle East’
Business
GCC airfares soar as oil prices rise
The amplifying factors include sanctions against Russia’s aviation sector, which cast a global pall over the aviation industry.
- Several Arab airlines have decided to raise the prices of their tickets slightly
- Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways increased fares to all destinations from March 7
Geostrategy
Arab Parliament hails EU decision to sanction Houthi group
The Arab Parliament (AP) welcomed the decision by the Council of the European Union to include the Houthi terrorist militia...
- The Council’s amended regulation follows the recent UN Security Resolution which designates Houthis a terrorist group for the first time
- The Arab Parliament affirmed that this decision is an important step to put an end to the terrorist acts carried out by the Houthi coup militia
Geostrategy
Ukraine offers dialog as Russia continues urban attacks
Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky made a fresh appeal for talks with Moscow on Saturday, even as the two sides have...
- Russia's offensive remains largely stalled, with troops about 30 kilometers east of the capital Kyiv and facing heavy resistance
- They had made no further progress into Kharkiv, which they have encircled, and Ukrainians were also defending Chernihiv
Economy
Russian wheat flour supply to Palestine to resume
The Palestinian Authority is already engaged in ongoing national efforts to diversify international markets that supply Palestine with basic commodities.
- About 15,000 tons of Russian wheat flour are scheduled to arrive in Palestine by the end of this month
- This comes despite the current Russian-Ukrainian crisis and its effects on global supply chains, especially food
Economy
Ukraine conflict could cut global economic growth by one point: OECD
Those countries "that have a common border with either Russia or Ukraine" would be particularly affected, while bearing the brunt...
- Growth in the eurozone risked being cut by up to 1.4 percentage points, according to the OECD.
- It also warned against the risk of a "sharp increase in poverty and hunger", particularly in developing economies.
Geostrategy
COVID cases increasing once again, especially in parts of Asia: WHO
After several weeks of declines, reported cases of COVID-19 are once again increasing globally, especially in parts of Asia, WHO...
- In the past week, the agency has seen an 8 per cent increase in detection of COVID-19 cases, with more than 11 million positive test results.
- In the last 30 days of more than 400,000 sequences sampled, 99.9 percent are Omicron, and 75 percent correspond to the BA.2 variant..
Geostrategy
Number of Italy bound under-18 Tunisian migrants quadruples in four years
A record number of irregular migrants under 18 years old reached Italy from Tunisia last year, more than quadrupling in...
- Tunisia has become a major conduit for migrants seeking to reach European shores, particularly the Italian island of Lampedusa.
- Some 2,731 minors completed the journey last year, up from 561 four years earlier, a Tunisian social group reported.
Arts & Culture
Ukraine invasion shows democracy is shaking: Artist
What Ai Weiwei calls the current "crisis of human rights and freedom of speech" is portrayed in a life-size replica...
- He was speaking at the Albertina Modern gallery where the show, "In Search of Humanity", opens Wednesday.
- The new exhibition, which he described as "critical and radical", displays several works that are responses to the experiences of those fleeing war and persecution.
Passenger traffic could exceed earlier figures, says Dubai Airports’ CEO
DUBAI, UAE – The airport here has "every chance" of breaking its record for passenger traffic this year after surpassing pre-pandemic...
Business
Company News
Verition opens office in DIFC
Business
Latest News
Countries must cooperate to battle sandstorm threat, say UN, Iran
Countries in the Middle East, Africa and Asia must work together to combat sand and dust storms made increasingly severe...
Geostrategy
G20 adopts Leader’s Summit declaration, says Indian PM Modi
NEW DELHI, INDIA- Indian prime minister and G20 host Narendra Modi said on Saturday the body had reached consensus on...
Geostrategy
UAE President, Indian Prime Minister discuss strengthening bilateral, trade ties
NEW DELHI, INDIA - UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met to...
Geostrategy
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Geostrategy
West blocked Russian assets worth $280bn, says US treasury
Washington, US - The REPO (Russian Elites, Proxies and Oligarchs) task force, set up to search and freeze Russia-related assets, estimates the...
- “The total value of assets is estimated at around $280 billion, the majority of which is held in the European Union,” the US Department of the Treasury said.
- Reportedly, the task force has completed its “initial effort to map and account for Russian sovereign assets that are immobilized and held in REPO member jurisdictions".
Geostrategy
Saudi Nazaha, Interpol discuss ways to enhance cooperation
LYON, FRANCE - President of Saudi Arabia’s Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority ‘Nazaha’ Mazin bin Ibrahim Al-Kahmous on Friday visited the...
- The two sides discussed cooperation between Nazaha and Interpol in the field of combating corruption and cross-border crimes.
- The discussions touched on recovering funds and assets related to corruption and pursuing fugitives in such cases.
Arts & Culture
Saudi clubs spent $875.4m on new players from June 1- Sept 1, says FIFA
Spending by Saudi Arabian football clubs in the transfer window just closed was second only to that by teams in...
- Much of the Saudi Pro League's business was done with English Premier League clubs, which received $698 million in overseas transfer fees.
- The Pro League's net spend, deducting money received from selling players, was $907 million, placing it behind Premier League's net spend of $1.39 billion.