Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Deals worth more than $26 billion were signed at the Real Estate Future Forum 2024, which ended Wednesday. Over 50 agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed during the event that focused on discussing new innovations, key challenges, emerging trends, and sustainable financing solutions in...

Hong Kong--Non-oil foreign trade value between the UAE and Hong Kong expanded in the past year, reaching $16.2 billion in the first 11 months of 2023. According to Dr. Patrick Lau, Deputy Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the United Arab Emirates has solidified its position...

Manama, Bahrain--Bahrain and South Korea have reviewed ways to enhance diplomatic, economic and parliamentary cooperation and partnership to benefit the two countries. In this connection, Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Political Affairs Undersecretary at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, has affirmed the keenness of Kingdom of Bahrain, under the...

The strict dress code for women has been the subject of heated debate since nationwide protests following the death in custody in September 2022 of Mahsa Amini. Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, had been arrested for allegedly breaching the dress code.

New York, United States - The United States will begin talks with Iraq on the withdrawal of US troops from this Middle Eastern country, CNN reported on Wednesday citing sources familiar with the matter. "The US and Iraq are close to agreement on starting the Higher Military Commission dialogue that was...

Palestinian Territories - Tank shelling on a UN shelter on Wednesday killed nine people in Gaza's main southern city of Khan Yunis, said the Gaza head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. "Two tank rounds hit building that shelters 800 people - reports now 9 dead and 75 injured," Thomas...

ABU DHABI, UAE - On the second day of the sixth edition of UMEX and SimTEX 2024, the accumulated value of deals signed on behalf of the Emirates Ministry of Defense (MoD) reached US$255 million (AED939 million). This was announced during a press conference held on Wednesday by Tawazun Council's...

The Western military alliance has said some 90,000 troops will take part in the months-long Steadfast Defender 24 exercise designed to test its defenses in the face of Russia's war on Ukraine. "The alliance will demonstrate its ability to reinforce the Euro-Atlantic area via trans-Atlantic movement of forces from North...

Abu Dhabi, UAE - EDGE Group entity Milrem Robotics signs a contract to supply 20 tracked robotic combat vehicles (RCVs) and 40 THeMIS unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Defense. EDGE Group said in a statement that the agreement represents the world's largest combat...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The value of Saudi Arabia's real estate transactions fell year-on-year by 11 percent to nearly SAR 193.45 billion ($51.58 billion) in 2023, Ministry of Justice data showed. The number of real estate transactions reached around 172,070 by the end of 2023, while the total number of...

Makkah, Saudi Arabia — Global halal market is projected to reach an estimated $7.7 trillion by 2025. Leading the expansion is the Islamic finance sector, followed by the food and beverage industry, pharmaceuticals, medical and health products, cosmetics, as well as travel and tourism. In education and health sectors, recent...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia is planning to start air mobility that is most advanced and safest in the Middle East. The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) is spearheading the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) initiative that encompasses a spectrum of innovative solutions, ranging from small, unmanned aircraft...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - The concept was controversial: a pop-up bar offering bellinis and spritzes that, while non-alcoholic, were served in chilled cocktail glasses in the capital of teetotalling Saudi Arabia. But although customers were initially wary of the experiment -– which coincided with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a...

Dubai, UAE--Dubai Customs has successfully processed more than 30.4 million customs transactions during the entire year of 2023. This set a new record for the highest number of customs transactions handled by Dubai Customs, showcasing a 17.5% growth compared to the 25.8 million transactions in 2022. This success is attributed...

Raisi will meet Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the capital Ankara, making a visit that was postponed twice -- once in November and once earlier this month -- because of spiraling tensions across the Middle East.

Dubai, UAE -- Dubai's real estate market recorded 510 sales transactions worth AED1.36 billion on Tuesday, in addition to 210 mortgage deals totaling AED1.95 billion, and 30 gift deals amounting to AED165.56 million, data released by Dubai's Land Department (DLD) showed. The sales included 446 villas and apartments worth AED949.04...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - The Saudi real estate sector has witnessed a remarkable surge in local employment, boasting a substantial increase from 12,000 to over 26,000 citizens working in the industry since July 2021. The significant 116% leap comes in the wake of the government's decision to prioritize the localization...

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia -- President of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Muhammad Al-Jasser held today held discussions with senior officials of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited (ICBC) and the Bank of China (BOC). The ICBC Bank Chief Business and Management Officer Wang Kun, expressed interest in the sukuk...

Abu Dhabi, UAE-- The UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has issued a law, as the ruler of Abu Dhabi, establishing the Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology Council (AIATC) for developing and implementing policies and strategies related to research, infrastructure and investments in artificial intelligence and advanced technology...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia aims to attract 150 million visitors by 2030, with the tourism sector expected to contribute SR750 billion ($200 billion) to the national economy, the kingdom's Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb said during his address at the Real Estate Future Forum in Riyadh on Monday....

A surge in tech titans including Apple, Amazon, Nvidia and Facebook parent Meta on Friday pushed New York's S&P 500 index to its first new all-time high since early 2022 thanks to bets on lower borrowing costs this year.

SAN FRANCISCO, US - Forty years after igniting a PC revolution, Apple's Mac is stronger than ever and could reach new glory due to AI computing -- or be left behind. Apple launched the Macintosh in 1984 with a history-making television ad pitching the machine as an anti-establishment blow against a...

"Breaking the shackles of slavery, the country should rise, taking lessons from the past," Modi said, speaking outside the temple to the Hindu deity Ram, built on grounds where a mosque stood for centuries before it was torn down in 1992 by Hindu zealots incited by members of his party.

Davos, Switzerland -- Thdfe potential dangers of AI, particularly its influence on upcoming elections and the escalation of military conflicts, is being seen as one of the major risks for businesses in 2024.This was underscored by a panel of CEOs from leading global companies, including Amazon's Andy Jassy, Intel's Pat...

MANAMA, BAHRAIN - The Information eGovernment Authority (iGA) has published its foreign trade report of Bahrain for Q4 2023, covering trade balance, imports, exports of products with national origin, and re-exports. The value of imports has increased by 5 percent, reaching US$3.92 billion (BD1.476 billion) during Q4 2023 in comparison...

Sharjah, UAE -- Real estate deals worth more than AED 1.4 billion ($381 million) were inked at ACRES 2024, organized by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department (SRERD). The exhibition, which was held from Jan 17-20, was attended by citizens, residents, investors,...

Paris, France - Forty years ago Steve Jobs revolutionised personal computing by launching the Apple Macintosh, the first PC with a user-friendly mouse and graphical interface that helped the machines enter the everyday lives of people for the first time. Jobs, playing the showman inventor to perfection in a black suit...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia's Premium Residency Center on Sunday revealed a list of priority specializations that qualify individuals for Special Talent Residency. The electronic portal of the center outlined that this particular residency is designed for individuals with advanced capabilities and experiences in scientific, administrative, and research fields,...

Kampala, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Eng. Waleed Al-Khereiji stressed on Sunday the imperative to halt military operations in the Palestinian territories in a way that ensures the protection of civilians in line with international laws and humanitarian principles. Speaking on behalf of Custodian of the...

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - Around 9,000 demonstrators marched through Brussels on Sunday calling for an end of Israel's fierce bombardment and fighting in Gaza, in a pro-Palestinian protest that ended in the EU district. The march came a day before EU foreign ministers will meet their Israeli, Palestinian, Egyptian, Saudi and Jordanian...

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The UAE recorded the second-highest increase in the number of new foreign investment projects around the world after the US in 2023, a report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said. The number of these projects increased by 28 percent compared to...

Built more than a decade ago at the height of Iraq's civil war which tore apart the multi-faith, multi-ethnic country, authorities say the wall must remain to prevent the threat of jihadist violence, even as security has gradually improved across the country. There are three tightly controlled checkpoints in the...

WASHINGTON, US - NASA has lost contact with its tiny helicopter Ingenuity during the hard-working craft's 72nd flight, the space agency said. The agency's engineers are attempting to re-establish communications, which ended abruptly on Thursday as the craft was making its descent from a test flight, NASA said late on Friday....

New Delhi, India - Corporate behemoth Tata Group has again been awarded title sponsorship rights of the Indian Premier League for five years, for a record sum of $300 million, the national cricket board said on Saturday. Tata already holds the title sponsorship for the IPL and its sister competition, the...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - The average cinema ticket prices decreased by over 16% in 2023 compared to the previous year, revealed a panel discussion of the prominent leaders in the Saudi cinema industry. The panel, consisting of cinema industry leaders, film specialists, and enthusiasts, underlined the remarkable performance of the...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - The city of Yanbu witnessed on Friday evening the closing ceremony of the 5th edition of Saudi Dakar Rally, and the 46th in the history of the world rally, after an exciting competition for 14 days in 12 stages, with a distance exceeding the 7,500 km....

BEIRUT, LEBANON - "Good morning, madame. This is the bank calling. Are you at home?"   Since the Israel-Hamas war broke out more than three months ago, residents of southern Lebanon have been receiving strange phone calls from Lebanese numbers and from people speaking in Lebanese accents. The voices on the...

Dubai, UAE--The first edition of the Japan Kyoto Trade Exhibition 2024 is all set to kick off this Monday, 22nd January, at Dubai World Trade Centre. The three-day exhibition, jointly hosted by the governments of Kyoto, Japan, and the Department of Economy and Tourism in Dubai (DET), is expected to...

Davos, Switzerland - Pakistan and Dubai signed two agreements totaling over $3 billion on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. The agreements will focus on collaboration in railways, economic zones, and infrastructure projects. One of the key agreements involves the establishment of a rail-based dedicated freight corridor...

Dubai, UAE-- Saudi Arabia's Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan said the Middle East needs a strong Saudi Arabia to contribute and that the future outlook looked positive despite recent shocks. The minister was speaking at Davos in a session titled "Saudi Arabia: Continuing Efforts towards a More Sustainable Economy". Al-Jadaan said...

Davos, Switzerland — Saudi Arabia will host a special meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Riyadh this April, Saudi Economy and Planning Minister Faisal Al Ibrahim said on Thursday. Speaking at the panel 'Saudi Arabia: The Course Ahead', Faisal Al Ibrahim said the event will focus on global collaborations,...

Paris, France - World oil supply will continue to rise this year, the International Energy Agency said on Thursday, as it predicted that demand growth would continue a downward slide throughout 2024. The Paris-based IEA, which advises oil-consuming nations, said it expects increase in global oil demand to halve from 2.3...

ISTANBUL, TURKEY -  Turkish first division club Basaksekir on Thursday sent Israeli midfielder Eden Karzev on loan to Maccabi Tel Aviv following a probe into his repost of a social media message calling for the release of hostages held by Hamas. The Istanbul side launched disciplinary proceedings against Karzev earlier this week...

SAN FRANCISCO, US - Google CEO Sundar Pichai has warned employees that more layoffs are in store at the search engine giant as it focused on new priorities, including artificial intelligence. "These role eliminations are not at the scale of last year's reductions and will not touch every team. But I...

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- EDGE, one of the world’s leading advanced technology and defense groups, has announced that it will conduct a six-month trial on a major public security initiative with the São Paulo state government. The partnership was announced during a high-level delegation visit by senior government members to...

Davos, Switzerland -- The Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Cabinet's member, and Climate Affairs Envoy, Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir has called for diversification of energy sources to meet the increasing global demand for energy. The minister made these remarks Wednesday at a session titled “Bold Steps for a...

TOKYO, JAPAN - The winner of Japan's most prestigious literary award has acknowledged that about "five percent" of her futuristic novel was penned by ChatGPT, saying generative AI had helped unlock her potential. Since the 2022 launch of ChatGPT, an easy-to-use AI chatbot that can deliver an essay upon request within...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Turkish-based Tosyali Holding is making nearly $5 billion investment in a new steel plant in Saudi Arabia, Bloomberg reported. The investment is part of Tosyali Holding's broader expansion strategy, which encompasses ventures in Algeria, Angola, Senegal, and Spain. “Our aim is to make the best quality...

Sharjah, UAE--The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has held discussions with the Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development (AAAID) to support business community and foster trade and investment between the two entities. The discussions took place at the chamber's headquarters, where Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Aramco's President and CEO, Amin Nasser, anticipates a surge in global oil demand, projecting an increase of 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) to reach 104 million bpd in 2024. “This is after rising by roughly 2.6 million bpd in 2023," Nasser said. "Higher demand,...