Dubai, UAE-- Aiming to boost trade and economic cooperation with New Zealand, Dubai Customs held a meeting with diplomats and economists from there to explore potential for economic growth. Ahmed Mahboub Musabih, Director-General of Dubai Customs and CEO of Ports, Customs, and Free Zone Corporation, engaged with a delegation of...

Abu Dhabi, UAE - The balance sheet of the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) surpassed AED594 billion ($161 billion) by the end of March 2023, marking the largest level ever in its history, a CBUAE report has revealed. In its budget report for March 2023, the apex bank said...

Erdogan was sworn in on Saturday after winning a historic election runoff on May 28 and named a new cabinet appointing market-friendly politician Mehmet Simsek as finance minister.

Doha, Qatar-- Rich Qataris are pouring millions of dollars into the country's luxury real-estate market, with residential sector and office sector being their main investment target. The conclusion was drawn in a report "Destination Qatar" prepared by leading global property consultancy, Knight Frank. With Qatar boasting the fourth highest GDP...

Dubai, UAE -- NEOM has finalized contracts worth SAR 21 billion ($5.59 billion) with investors for the expansion of the first phase of its residential communities to house the region’s growing workforce, making it one of the largest international public-private partnerships for accommodation. The bidders for the first phase of...

Dubai, UAE - Iran’s pivot to Russia and China has been driven by various factors, most notably the United States' withdrawal from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on May 8, 2018, says a study published by Middle East Institute.  Quoting Iran’s foreign ministry statement "the world is...

Abu Dhabi, UAE-- Abu Dhabi has succeeded in curbing the use of plastic bags by around 95 percent since the banning of the single-use bags in June 2022. The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) claims it has prevented over 172 million bags from entering the environment. In 2020, EAD...

Abu Dhabi, UAE--The Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) board of birectors has approved a proposal to exempt companies wishing to list their green or sustainability-linked bonds or sukuk in a local market from registration fees for the year 2023. The decision aims to highlight the actions taken by the UAE...

Abu Dhabi, UAE  -- Abu Dhabi will host the Middle East premiere of the eagerly-awaited Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One at a red-carpet event at Emirates Palace on June 26 to be attended by the movie’s cast and crew, including star Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie. Both...

WASHINGTON, US- The United States placed sanctions on Tuesday on several Chinese and Hong Kong firms it said were supplying Iran's ballistic missile program. The US Treasury said the Chinese companies shipped centrifuges for producing fuels, non-ferrous metals with potential military use, electronics and gyroscopes to already-sanctioned Iranian government bodies and...

DUBAI, UAE - The World Bank raised its global growth forecast for 2023 to 2.1 percent (in June 2023) from 1.7 percent  (in January 2023), thanks to greater-than-expected flexibility in major economies. In its latest report released in June 2023, the World Bank also expected the global growth to reach...

Dubai, UAE -- Non-institutional foreign investors increased their ownership in Tadawul-listed equities, excluding Saudi Aramco, to SAR 310.80 billion ($82.87 billion), in the week that ended on June 1, Argaam reported. The ownership of non-institutional foreign investors is represented by swap agreements, residents, and qualified foreign investors (QFIs). However, it...

NEW YORK, US -  US securities regulators sued Coinbase on Tuesday, alleging that the cryptocurrency platform's failure to register as a securities exchange venue exposed investors to risk. The complaint comes on the heels of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charges filed on Monday against cryptocurrency exchange Binance and founder Changpeng Zhao...

Dubai, UAE -- A total of 30 startups were attracted to Dubai by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy in the first quarter of 2023, the Chamber said Tuesday. Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, one of the three chambers operating under Dubai Chambers, said it cooperated with relevant government entities...

Hanoi, Vietnam-- With an eye on boosting trade and economic ties between the two countries, the UAE has formally begun negotiations toward a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Vietnam. The agreement once it has been completed will push the bilateral non-oil trade between the UAE and Vietnam beyond US$8.7...

Dubai, UAE - YouTube emerges as the most popular app among children in the UAE on Android devices, with 37.8 percent of children using the platform, says a study by Kaspersky, a cybersecurity company.  Google Chrome (54.4 percent) dominated on Windows devices.  The study also found that children worldwide predominantly...

Dubai, UAE-- Airline industry is expected to clock net profits in the region of $9.8 billion in 2023, which is more than double the previous forecast of $4.7 billion, according to the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) outlook for 2023. Airline industry operating profits are expected to reach US$22.4 billion...

Abu Dhabi, UAE - Foreign companies and other non-resident juridical persons will be subject to UAE Corporate Tax on income derived from real estate and other immovable property located in the UAE and will be required to register in the UAE for Corporate Tax purposes, the UAE Ministry of Finance...

Dubai, UAE -- Dubai Financial Market (DFM) saw on Monday a direct deal on 5.25 million shares of Taaleem Holding Group worth AED 17.16 million ($4.65 million). The Group's share closed 7.78 percent higher at AED 3.6 ($0.98) after trading of more than 32 million shares at the value of...

The European Commission announced May 27 that Twitter had decided to leave the code of practice, to which other major online platforms such as Google, Microsoft and TikTok continue to adhere.

Dubai, UAE -- Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) Monday announced a partnership with Dubai-headquartered cryptocurrency exchange Bybit, in which the exchange will provide financial support totaling AED 500,000 for new crypto businesses looking to set up at the region’s largest community of Web3 and blockchain businesses – the DMCC Crypto...

Carpenter Michel Robillard crafted the wooden 2CV's wings out of walnut and its chassis from pear and apple tree wood, with the same famous curves as the post-war French classic.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY -  Airlines will fly 4.35 billion passengers this year, close to the 2019 record as the industry bounces back from the Covid pandemic, an industry group said on Monday. The sector will also be back in the green, with net profits forecast to reach $9.8 billion in 2023, or...

Dubai, UAE -  Around 70 percent of top-performing teams in the GCC have a higher percentage of women, underscoring the positive impact of gender diversity on organizational success, a survey by Bain & Company has revealed.  Leading the way in this transformation are the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar,...

Muscat, Oman-- Looking to entice investors to the country's fisheries sector, Fisheries Development Oman (FDO) is taking part in Saudi International Marine Exhibition and Conference (SIMEC) event, Aquafish Second Edition, with a plan to highlight Oman's flourishing fishing industry and lucrative investment opportunities it offers. The event, taking place from...

Sharjah, UAE-- In order to supply water from Al Zubair station to Al Shanouf suburb, Sharjah Electricity Water and Gas Authority (SEWA) has concluded the extension project of a crucial main pipeline with a diameter of 800mm. This significant endeavour, initiated in mid-July 2022, utilised environmentally friendly materials to ensure...

Vienna,  Austria – OPEC+ has decided to adjust the level of overall crude oil production to 40.46 mb/d, starting 1 January 2024 until 31 December 2024. This was announced by the global organisation in a statement following the 35th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting in Vienna today. According to the...

Abu Dhabi, UAE--The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) has launched what it dubs as a ‘Corporate Tax Virtual Workshops’ awareness platform, designed to provide knowledge and support for taxpayers who are subject to corporate tax. The new feature forms part of the steps the FTA has taken to ensure a smooth...

DUBAI, UAE - US special climate envoy John Kerry has met senior Emirati officials in Abu Dhabi, including the head of the United Nations' upcoming climate change conference, official media reported on Sunday. The choice of Sultan Al Jaber, chief executive of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), to head...

CASABLANCA, MOROCCO -  Hundreds demonstrated on Sunday in Morocco's economic capital Casablanca to protest against the surging cost of living in the North African country and urged action by the government, AFP correspondents said.   Protesters from the Democratic Labor Confederation (CDT) rallied in Casablanca's historic center "to shout out our...

Biochar, a substance produced by heating the cocoa husks in oxygen-free environment, could be used to capture 2.6 billion of CO2.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia has advanced three ranks in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings in 2023, with 25 Saudi universities securing a presence in the global performance index. The number of Saudi universities was 22 in 2022 within the international ranking, which sorts universities that impact achieving...

Doha, Qatar--QatarEnergy, and its joint-venture partners TotalEnergies, Petrobras, and PETRONAS Petroleo Brasil Ltda. (PPBL) has signed the production sharing contract (PSC) for the Agua-Marinha block. The contract was awarded to the consortium on 19 December 2022 in the 1st Cycle Permanent Offer round by Brazil's National Agency of Petroleum, Natural...

Doha, Qatar-- Qatar Chamber and Turkish officials from the Trabzon Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI) and the Manisa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) have discussed ways to boost investment cooperation in a meeting in Doha. QC first vice-chairman Mohamed bin Twar Al Kuwari met at the chamber's premises...

Abu Dhabi, UAE--Emirates Development Bank (EDB) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development’s Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) to continue its support of the Financial Ecosystem Programme. The MoU signing took place on the first day of the at Make It in the...

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM -  The EU exported US$1.1 billion (€1.1 billion) worth of bicycles in 2022 (both electric and non-electric, a rise of 22 percent compared with 2021), according to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union on the World Bicycle Day. The imports were double the exports, with US$2.6...

PARIS, FRANCE - Renewable power capacity is expected to jump by a third this year globally as growing policy momentum, higher fossil fuel prices and energy security concerns drive expansion of solar and wind power, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said. The growth is set to continue next year with...

Dubai, UAE - Middle Eastern airlines carriers posted a 38 percent increase in traffic in April compared to the same month in 2022, demonstrating a positive recovery trend in the aviation industry,  according to the latest report from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).  With a capacity increase of 27.8...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia's Minister of Sports, Abdelaziz Al-Faisal, has reportedly added fuel to the speculation surrounding Lionel Messi and Karim Benzema's potential moves to the Gulf country, effectively ending their careers in European football.  Benzema is said to have received a staggering €400 million offer from an...

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- AstraZeneca has announced the launch of its revolutionary cancer medication, IMJUDO® (tremelimumab) in the UAE. The launch makes the UAE one of the first countries in the Middle East to receive access to the medication that marks a significant advancement in the treatment of cancer. Clinical...

The UAE will host three high-level Council meetings in June, aiming to promote interfaith dialogue, address climate change impacts on worldwide conflicts.

Cape Town, South Africa -- Saudi Arabia Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, met Friday with Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on the margins of the Ministerial Meeting of Friends of BRICS Group in Cape Town. Regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to...

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The UAE's economic growth is expected to remain robust, averaging 4.6 percent from 2022 to 2024, driven by higher oil prices and improved business confidence, according to the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF). The AMF's "Arab Economic Outlook Report" forecasts a 4.2 percent growth rate for the...

Dubai, UAE - Dubai has scrapped the 10-day grace period for visitors whose tourist visas have expired, Arabian Business reported on Friday.  Previously, individuals who overstayed their visas were allowed an additional 10 days in Dubai before facing penalties. However, Dubai has now followed other emirates in removing this grace...

Abu Dhabi, UAE - Eight new projects were announced on Thursday during the Make it in the Emirates Forum in Abu Dhabi. The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and its partners signed Memorandum of Understanding with high-growth companies covering key areas, including manufacturing, banking, oil & gas, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare...

Dubai, UAE - Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on Thursday approved the new futuristic development masterplan of Palm Jebel Ali. Part of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, Palm Jebel Ali is one of a series of projects being undertaken by Dubai-based real estate master developer...

DUBAI, UAE -  The UAE is poised to play a pivotal role in global trade with its exports projected to reach around US$544 billion (AED2 trillion) by 2030, showcasing a robust annual growth rate of 5.5 percent. according to a Standard Chartered research study. The report, titled 'Future of Trade:...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia's merchandize exports decreased by 14.6 percent in Q1 2023, compared to Q1 2022, a report by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) said. The value of exports amounted to SAR 313.5 billion ($83.6bn) in Q1 2023, down from SAR 367.1 billion ($97.86bn) in Q1...

Dubai, UAE -- First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) has raised $600 million from an offering of a five-year bond, which is the first green bond issued by a financial institution in the MENA region in 2023. The green bond was upsized to $600 million from the initial $500 million after...

Washington, United States -- The White House on Thursday announced economic and visa sanctions against Sudanese leaders responsible for breaking a ceasefire and provoking "appalling" bloodshed. "We are following through by levying economic sanctions, imposing visa restrictions against actors who are perpetuating the violence," National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said...