Arab leaders propose Gaza reconstruction under Palestinian Authority, reject Trump’s takeover plan
The prospect of the Palestinian Authority (PA) governing Gaza remains far from certain, however, with Israel having ruled out any...
Geostrategy
Morgan Stanley sees upswing in MENA M&A deal volumes and values
After a challenging year where M&A activity in the Middle East and North Africa took a tumble, Morgan Stanley forecasts...
Business
Saudi Aramco’s quarterly profit drops 15% on low oil prices
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Energy giant Saudi Aramco reported a 15 percent year-on-year drop in third-quarter profit on Tuesday, citing prices...
- The fall in net income to $27.56bn from $32.58bn in 2023 is the seventh consecutive quarterly drop for Aramco, one of the world's biggest companies by market capitalization.
- Aramco is the chief source of revenue for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 reform agenda, which aims to remodel the Gulf kingdom's crude-reliant economy.
Interview
Securing the digital future: AI and global cooperation foster cyber resilience
While AI accelerates the detection and management of threats, cybercriminals also leverage this technology for sophisticated attacks, says WEF's cybersecurity expert Filipe Beato.
- Beato said cyber risks are among an organization’s highest priorities, and the threat keeps increasing, a fact emphasized by WEF since 2020.
- With the increased connectivity and dependencies of critical sectors and services, improving ecosystem cyber resilience requires collaborative action.
Geostrategy
B-52 bombers arrive in Middle East: US military
Washington, United States -- American B-52 bombers have arrived in the Middle East, the US military said Saturday, a day after...
- "B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers from Minot Air Force Base's 5th Bomb Wing arrived in the US Central Command area of responsibility," the military said.
- The United States announced on Friday evening that it was sending the bombers, fighter and tanker aircraft and ballistic missile defense destroyers to the Middle East.
Geostrategy
Pro-Palestinian protesters take Israel sculptures from UK university
London, United Kingdom -- A pro-Palestinian group took two sculptures of Israel's first president from a UK university in a protest marking...
- "Today, Palestine Action have marked 107 years since the Balfour Declaration, by taking two sculptures of Israel's first president, Chaim Weizmann," the protest group said.
- Palestine Action also sprayed the London office of charity Jewish National Fund (JNF) with red paint.
Geostrategy
Saudi, US FM says could move ‘quite quickly’ on some deals with US
Since last year Saudi Arabia has been bargaining hard for a defense pact with the United States as well as...
- Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman last month ruled out recognizing Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state.
- Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan reiterated that normalization was "off the table until we have a resolution to Palestinian statehood".
Business
DAE 9M net profit $310m
The company said this was a 54.9 percent YoY increase in net profit.
- Profit before tax settled at $326.6 million for the same period, compared to $207.5 million last year.
- Total revenue was $1.017 billion for the nine months, a YoY increase of $27.9 million, or 2.8 percent.
Economy
Global economy faces ‘low normal’ growth, widening inequality gap
The organization’s Trade and Development Report 2024 warned that this new “low normal" growth is insufficient to tackle pressing development and...
- While the global South experienced robust annual growth rates of 6.6 percent between 2003 and 2013, that figure has fallen to 4.1 percent over the past decade.
- This has made it harder for nations to expand social services, cover rising energy transition costs and manage mounting public debt.
Geostrategy
Rethink needed to make sustainable tourism work
"Growth at all costs no longer an option," says world-renowned tourism policy, planning and development expert Dr Marina Novelli in...
- Success should also be measured by more inclusive social indicators, moving from purely quantitative to qualitative assessments linked to making tourism a valuable sector.
- Coordinated efforts between government agencies, private companies, and civil society should ensure that sustainable practices are implemented across the tourism value chain.
Business
UAE records 37% increase in greenfield FDI to $16 billion in 2023
Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The UAE has witnessed a 37% increase in greenfield investments in 2023 to reach US$16 billion,...
- Sectors such financial services, industrial equipment, and transportation and warehousing played an important role in contributing to this growth.
- The most prominent countries involved in these investments were the US., India, the U.K., Saudi Arabia, and France.
Geostrategy
Saudi Arabia opens resort island at futuristic mega-city NEOM
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia's planned futuristic mega-city known as NEOM announced on Sunday the opening of its "first physical...
- The Red Sea island, known as Sindalah, is "spread over 840,000 square meters" (200 acres) and will be set to receive "up to 2,400 guests per day by 2028".
- NEOM is best known for The Line, twin mirror-encased 170-kilometre-long skyscrapers meant to extend inland from the coast.
Arab leaders propose Gaza reconstruction under Palestinian Authority, reject Trump’s takeover plan
The prospect of the Palestinian Authority (PA) governing Gaza remains far from certain, however, with Israel having ruled out any...
Geostrategy
Company News
SHUAA okays MCB tranches
Business
Latest News
Saudi PIF’s assets up by $11.44bn by the end of third quarter 2024
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – The value of assets under Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) assets—both...
Business
Maysa Sabreen made first woman chief of Syrian central bank
Damascus, Syria -- Syrian authorities have appointed Maysa Sabreen as interim central bank governor, a bank official told AFP on Tuesday,...
Economy
Unemployment rate among Saudi nationals 7.8 percent in Q3
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Unemployment rate among Saudi nationals reached 7.8 percent in the third quarter of 2024, a year-on-year...
Economy
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Economy
UAE real GDP grows by 3.6% in first half of 2024, says economy minister
Non-oil sectors' contribution to GDP reaches 75%. Economy minister Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri says the growth reflects the dynamic...
- The Minister said that the robust growth of non-oil sectors during the first half of 2024 reflects the dynamic nature of the UAE's economy.
- Transportation and storage activities led economic growth in the first half of 2024, with an impressive 8.4 percent growth rate.
Business
Cambridge study warns of perils in AI-driven ‘intention economy’
London, United Kingdom -- Conversational artificial intelligence (AI) tools may soon "covertly influence" users' decision making in a new commercial frontier...
- The marketplace emerging for "digital signals of intent" could, in the near future, influence everything from buying movie tickets to voting for political candidates.
- Our increasing familiarity with chatbots, digital tutors and other so-called "anthropomorphic" AI agents is helping enable this new array of "persuasive technologies".
Geostrategy
20-day-old baby Jumaa al-Batran dies from ‘severe cold’ in Gaza
Marwan al-Hamas, head of field hospitals in Gaza, confirmed the death. He said it brought to five the total number...
- Jumaa's twin brother remains in the intensive care unit at a local hospital, the health ministry in territory said.
- "There is no electricity. The water is cold and there is no gas, heating or food," said Yahya al-Batran, the father of the child.