Lebanon on bumpy road to public transport revival
Beirut, Lebanon - On Beirut's chaotic, car-choked streets, Lebanese student Fatima Fakih rides a shiny purple bus to university, one...Economy
Generative AI’s most prominent skeptic doubles down
Vancouver, Canada -- Two and a half years since ChatGPT rocked the world, scientist and writer Gary Marcus still remains...Technology Geostrategy Social Tech & Media
Abu Dhabi Chamber sets up working group to support startups, SMEs
ABU DHABI, UAE – The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI) has formed a working group specifically for...This initiative aims to support and represent the interests of startups and SMEs in the region.
The goal is to make Abu Dhabi the top choice for business in the Middle East and North Africa by 2025.
TAQA, JERA sign pact with SATORP to develop plant in Saudi Arabia
ABU DHABI, UAE – Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA), together with JERA Co., Inc on Thursday announced that they...They will develop a greenfield industrial steam and electricity cogeneration plant for Amiral petrochemical complex.
The Amiral petrochemical complex is expected to house one of the largest mixed-load steam crackers in the Arab Gulf region.
Rise in remittances hikes demand for Jordanian dinar, says chamber of commerce
AMMAN, JORDAN – Rising remittances from the Kingdom’s citizens working abroad has contributed to increasing demand for Jordanian dinar.Exchange companies...There are positive indicators suggesting a stabilization in Jordan’s economy.
Presently the currency exchange sector comprises 250 firms across Jordan.
Dubai’s media revamp key to navigate new horizons
"There is a need to double efforts to develop a comprehensive blueprint outlining necessary policies to drive the media sector...Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed emphasizes the need for an immediate overhaul in Dubai's media sector.
Proactive steps aim to align Dubai's media with international best practices and ethical standards, he adds.
Qatar looks to boost tourism sector by streamlining regulations
Doha, Qatar-- Qatar is looking to develop "plans and strategies" to streamline procedures and regulations in order to solve solve...Chairman of Qatar Tourism Saad bin Ali bin Saad Al Kharji said Qatari tourism sector has witnessed significant development in recent years
Al Kharji said that it is one of the main pillars of the state's strategy for economic diversification under the Qatar National Vision 2030
GCC leads the charge in global sustainability efforts
The region is spearheading sustainability initiatives to address climate challenges, with Saudi Arabia making significant strides towards renewable energy and...The bloc is spearheading sustainability initiatives to address climate challenges, with Saudi Arabia making significant strides towards renewable energy and clean technology.
The EU's $3.6 billion climate tax on shipping pushes for greener maritime practices, while the environmental toll of war demands global accountability and swift action.
Jordan oil imports decline in January, boosting trade balance
Amman, Jordan--Jordan's import bill for crude oil, derivatives, and mineral oils saw a notable decline in January this year, according...According to the Department of Statistics, there was a decrease in the value of oil imports, totaling $361m for January, compared to $427.36m the last year
The fall had a positive impact on Jordan's trade balance, with the overall value of imports declining by 19.7% in January compared to the previous year
Ten years from home World Cup, Saudi sizes up ‘huge challenge’
As the only bidder, Saudi Arabia was anointed host of the 2034 World Cup last October by FIFA. Infrastructure is...To host the 48-team World Cup, the country needs 14 all-seater stadiums capable of holding at least 40,000 people, according to the bid document
Saudi sports ministry is preparing to issue tenders worth 10 billion riyals ($2.69 billion) to build and expand football venues, according to domestic media
Regulated dollar transactions on the rise in Iraq, says central bank
With dollars dominating the country's economy, Baghdad has imposed a series of restrictions on the use of American greenbacks domestically....Transactions through the Central Bank electronic platform -- which ensures compliance with SWIFT -- have considerably increased, the bank's vice governor Ammar Khalaf told
"At the beginning of 2023, transactions were at $50 million per day. Now, we have around $200 million, which is consistent with the size of Iraq's economy," he added
Geopolitical tensions boost oil, weigh on equities
Geopolitical tensions sent oil prices climbing and weighed on equities as investors also continued to worry about prospects for interest...Moscow has escalated its aerial attacks on Kyiv, targeting key infrastructure in the wake of Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil facilities.
Russia is a key producer of oil, while the Gaza-Israel war has given rise to worries about Middle Eastern crude supplies.
