World economic growth to remain at 2.8 percent in 2025: UN report
The World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) 2025 report shows that despite withstanding a series of mutually reinforcing shocks, global...
Economy
Saudi Arabia retains first rank in MENA Venture Capital funding in 2024
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia maintained its first rank across MENA in terms of Venture Capital (VC) funding in...
Business
Geostrategy
Travellers rush to leave Lebanon amid spiking tensions
Several airlines including Lufthansa and Air France have delayed or suspended flights to Lebanon, and countries have issued urgent calls...
- Fears have spiked that months of cross-border violence could degenerate into all-out conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, who last fought a devastating war in the summer of 2006.
- Embassies have repeatedly urged their citizens to leave Lebanon while commercial flights are still available.
Geostrategy
Thousands bid farewell to Ismail Haniyeh in Qatari capital
Haniyeh was laid to rest in Lusail, north of the capital Doha, following funeral prayers at the Gulf emirate's largest mosque...
- "In this moment, I buried my soul under the dirt and I departed. I departed with all the pain of the world in my ribs," she captioned the video uploaded on X.
- Mourners earlier on Friday lined up inside Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab Mosque, where Haniyeh's casket, draped in a Palestinian flag, was briefly carried in.
Geostrategy
Iran, allies ready Israel response as funerals held for Haniyeh, Shukr
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, addressing the funeral of the Lebanese group's top military commander, said Israel and "those who are...
- The international community has called for calm and a focus on securing a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip -- which Haniyeh had accused Israel of obstructing.
- The prime minister of key ceasefire broker Qatar said Haniyeh's killing had thrown the whole Gaza war mediation process into doubt.
Business
British Petroleum to develop four new oil and gas fields in Iraq
Baghdad, Iraq -- Iraq signed an agreement with British energy giant British Petroleum on Thursday to develop four oil and gas...
- BP is one of the biggest foreign players in Iraq's oil sector, with a history of producing oil in the country dating back to the 1920s when it was still under British mandate.
- According to the World Bank, Iraq has 145 billion barrels of proven oil reserves -- among the largest in the world -- amounting to 96 years' worth of production at the current rate
Geostrategy
UNSC to hold emergency meeting over Hamas chief’s killing
The meeting has been requested by Iran and supported by representatives of Russia, China and Algeria, said a spokesman for...
- Iran's UN envoy Amir Saeid Iravani called on members to "condemn unequivocally and strongly the acts of aggression and terrorist attacks" by Israel.
- He also urged council members to take "immediate action to ensure accountability for these violations of international law," including potential sanctions.
Arts & Culture
World Rally Championship to add Saudi Arabia race to calendar
Paris, France -- World Rally Championship announced Wednesday that it will add races in Saudi Arabia, the Canary Islands and Paraguay...
- Rally Saudi Arabia will end the season on November 27-30 with the event in the Spanish archipelago on April 24-27 and the race in South America on August 28-31.
- It also added the Canary Islands and Paraguay to its calendar next year. Rallys in Croatia, Poland and Latvia are no longer on the circuit.
Business
Day after UAE-Chile CEPA, Dubai Chambers and Pro-Chile sign MoU
Under the MoU, both parties will coordinate events aimed at strengthening ties between exporting companies from Dubai and Chile and...
- The CEPA is projected to increase non-oil bilateral to $750 million by 2030, more than doubling the US$306 million shared in 2023.
- Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, said the CEPA is expected to come into effect within the next six months.
Business
BP H1 profits down 79%
Revenue dropped 8 percent to $98 billion in the same period.
- BP said increased volume and lower exploration write-offs were "partly offset by increased depreciation charges and higher costs".
- The group earlier this month flagged to markets that its latest earnings would take a sizeable hit from a cut to oil refining in Germany.
Geostrategy
Gaza official says 300 killed in Khan Yunis as army ends assault
"Since the beginning of the Israeli ground invasion of the eastern part of Khan Yunis province, the civil defence and...
- The Israeli military launched the assault on July 22 to halt rocket fire from the area, which already saw heavy fighting earlier this year.
- Last week, it said troops had retrieved the bodies of five Israelis from the area.
Business
Saudi trains over 1,000 nationals in coastal tourism market
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The Saudi Red Sea Authority (SRSA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, has implemented two...
- The training, which focused on customer service experiences and safety principles, was conducted as part of the second edition of the Tourism Trailblazers Program.
- SRSA aims to provide over 210,000 jobs by 2030 and contribute more than SAR 85 billion to the GDP that same year.
World economic growth to remain at 2.8 percent in 2025: UN report
The World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) 2025 report shows that despite withstanding a series of mutually reinforcing shocks, global...
Economy
Company News
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Family-friendly ‘Astro Bot’ wins highest award at Oscars of video games
Los Angeles, United States -- Video game "Astro Bot" -- a family-friendly sci-fi adventure -- was named 2024's Game of the...
Business
Boeing to boost 787 production
The firm will invest$1bn to ramp up production in South Carolina.
Business
‘A matter of pride’: Saudis rejoice as World Cup bid approved
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Fireworks and drones depicting the iconic golden World Cup trophy lit up the sky in Saudi Arabia's...
Arts & Culture
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Business
Google unveils its most advanced Artificial Intelligence model, Gemini 2.0
San Francisco, United States -- Google on Wednesday announced the launch of Gemini 2.0, its most advanced artificial intelligence model to...
- CEO Sundar Pichai said the new model would be marking what the company calls "a new agentic era" in AI development.
- Gemini 2.0 is initially being rolled out to developers and trusted testers, with plans for broader integration across Google's products.
Geostrategy
Crunch time for Saudi-hosted drought, desertification talks
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Landmark talks on desertification are set to conclude in Saudi Arabia this week amid doubts that pledged funds...
- The 12-day UNCCD COP16 meeting has announced billions in funding for drought response and land restoration.
- The UNCCD said 1.5 billion hectares (3.7 billion acres) of land must be restored by decade's end and that at least $2.6 trillion in global investments were needed.
Business
Air passenger numbers to top five billion for the first time in 2025: IATA
Geneva, Switzerland -- Air passenger numbers are forecast to top five billion for the first time next year and the sector's...
- Total industry revenues are forecast at $1.007 trillion, helped by falling oil and fuel prices, "the first time that industry revenues top the $1 trillion mark," IATA said.
- Airlines have been hit by rising fuel costs since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 but IATA said it expected this factor to ease next year.