Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The Gulf Cooperation Council has hailed Qatar's efforts for its role in the ceasefire between Israel and Palestinians that came into effect on Sunday. Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the GCC, said the Qatari diplomacy has been successful in dealing deal with several international and...

TEHRAN, IRAN - Iranian authorities have arrested eight people for "leading" a workers' strike at a key gas site in the south of the country, local media reported on Sunday. "Eight main leaders of the workers' strike in the South Pars projects have been arrested by the intelligence services," Akbar Pourat,...

Dubai, UAE - Dubai has given a boost to its beach tourism by opening three new beaches for night swimming in Jumeirah 2, Jumeirah 3 and Umm Suqeim 1. The 800-metre-long night-swimming beaches feature lighting systems, which enable residents and tourists to swim around the clock, and electronic screens that...

TEHRAN, IRAN- Iran has summoned Iraq's ambassador to protest over the presence of Iranian opposition groups at an official ceremony in Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, media reported on Sunday. Quoting the foreign ministry, ISNA news agency said that during Saturday's meeting Tehran expressed its "strong objection" to the invitation of members...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia will be enhancing partnerships in the digital sector with Estonia and Denmark, according to the kingdom's Digital Government Authority (DGA) which held several meetings with officials during a visit to these countries. Governor of DGA Ahmed Mohammed Al-Suwayan held meetings with Luukas Ilves, Estonia's...

Doha, Qatar--Qatar Chamber (QC) has urged Vietnamese companies to benefit from the investment climate in Qatar and the investment incentives and facilities granted by the state to foreign investments in all sectors. Qatar Chamber board member Ali Abdullatif Al Misnad lauded the close relations between Qatar and Vietnam in all...

Following international pressure, Damascus agreed to let the UN use the Bab al-Salama and Al-Rai crossings, operated by Turkish-backed rebels, to bring in food and medical supplies for three months. The permission had been set to expire May 13, so Syria's decision was welcome news for those affected as well...

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia--The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group has signed 77 financing agreements worth $5.4 billion with 24 member countries during its annual meeting in Jeddah. The four-day event hosted dozens of agreements, panels, summits, and business-to-business meetings with the high-level participation of its member countries. The agreements aim to...

Tehran, Iran--Iran's trade with six Arab states has vaulted to $35.11 billion in the fiscal year of 2022-2023, according to the latest data released by the Islamic Republic. According to Iran Customs Administration, the Islamic Republic traded 58.25 million tons of goods (excluding crude oil exports) worth $35.11 billion with...

ABU DHABI, UAE- Oman and Etihad Rail Company signed an agreement with Vale, one of the world’s largest mining companies, to explore utilizing rail to transport iron ore and its derivatives between Oman and the UAE. It is likely to connect Vale’s industrial complex in Sohar Port and Freezone to...

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - Al-Hilal president Fahd Bin Nafel refused to comment on the possibility of signing Lionel Messi, insisting his Saudi Arabian side is "more important than just one player", as fans clamor for the World Cup winner. "Don't ask me about Messi," Bin Nafel told reporters when asked after...

Amman, Jordan - Jordan's trade exchanges with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) surged by 42% in 2022 compared to the previous year, according to statistical data released by the Amman Chamber of Commerce.  The kingdom's trade exchanges with ASEAN reached $1.8 billion in 2022, up from $1.3 billion...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-- Saudi Arabia and Iran have discussed ways to strengthen the ties between the two countries in a meeting between the kingdom's Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan and the Islamic Republic's Economy Minister Ehsan Khandouzi. The meeting took place on Friday in Jeddah on the sidelines of the Islamic...

  Dubai, UAE - AI-driven cloud-based gaming platform, The Game Company, raised $5 million during their pre-seed round in December. The funds will be used to accelerate the development of The Game Company's  platform and leverage AI technology to create an interconnected multi-role ecosystem. Their approach to create a unique...

Riyadh,  Saudi Arabia - Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah discussed in a phone call on Friday, with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, bilateral relations and the ongoing war in Ukraine. During the call, the two ministers also exchanged views on a number of regional...

Dubai, UAE -- A total of 3,112 real estate and property transactions, valued at AED 9.4 billion ($2.55 billion), were conducted during the week ending May 12, according to figures released by the Dubai Land Department (DLD). The DLD weekly real estate report noted that 170 plots were sold for...

Dubai, UAE -- UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has discussed the longstanding strategic partnership between the UAE and France with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. They also explored opportunities to further expand bilateral cooperation across various sectors, WAM reported. Macon affirmed the commitment to further strengthening...

Muscat, Oman - The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries met here on Thursday to address the obstacles affecting inter-country trade and to discuss the establishment of a common market. The 64th meeting between Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Trade Cooperation Committee and Committee for Standardization Affairs was attended by the GCC...

Amsterdam, Netherlands – Saudi Arabia and Netherlands on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on energy on the sidelines of the  World Hydrogen 2023 Summit & Exhibition.  The event was attended by the Saudi Minister of Energy Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud. The MoU aims to establish a...

ABU DHABI, UAE - Masdar has signed an agreement with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to cooperate on a major international knowledge project setting out the means to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030. During the UAE Climate Tech Forum in Abu Dhabi, Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO...

ABU DHABI, UAE - ADNOC Logistics & Services (ADNOC L&S) announced on Thursday it has signed an agreement with SeaOwl for the design of unmanned Remotely Operated Vessels (ROV). The ROVs are capable of transporting vehicles, equipment and supplies to and from offshore sites, reports say. The innovative design of...

Dhahran, Saudi Arabia -- The Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco) denied reports that its plans for blue hydrogen were temporarily suspended.The company confirmed in a statement today that its goal to produce up to 11 million tons of blue ammonia, a carrier of blue hydrogen, by 2030, remains unchanged,...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia's Industrial Production Index (IPI) increased by 4.1 percent in March 2023, compared to the same month last year, mainly due to an increase in production in the mining and quarrying activity, manufacturing and electricity and gas supply. The kingdom's General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT)...

Abu Dhabi, UAE-- The UAE's gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated to have grown 7.6 percent in 2022, shored up by economic activity across all sectors. The conclusion was made in an annual report released by the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE), which said that the UAE's...

Rabat, Morocco: Morocco and the United Kingdom signed on Tuesday a Strategic Framework for Cooperation on climate action, clean energy and green growth. Signed by Moroccan foreign minister Nasser Bourita, and the UK Minister of State for the MENA region Lord Ahmad, the agreement aims to facilitate Morocco’s accelerated transition...

Dubai, UAE -- The UAE had become a center for foreign investments, leading Arab, regional and global rankings in attracting investments, said Dr. Khaled Hanafi, Secretary-General of the Union of Arab Chambers on the on the sidelines of the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) 2023. Hanafi stressed that business owners in...

Dubai, UAE - A delegation of Palestinian business executives including 21 start-up representatives visited Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy. It is the first-ever business meeting between Dubai and Palestine, with the delegation involved in 237 meetings, one of the highest ever. Participants at the event included Hashim Shawa, Chairman of...

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The UAE Ministry of Finance has issued a decision on conditions under which a "person may continue or cease to be deemed an exempt person,”. An official statement said the decision clarifies rules to ensure that businesses remain eligible for a corporate tax exemption if they...

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- ADNOC has announced its intention to float a 15 percent minority stake in ADNOC Logistics & Services  on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX). The offering is expected to open on May 16, 2023, subject to regulatory approvals and other relevant considerations. ADNOC L&S is a...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--Saudi Arabia and South Korea have signed two agreements on Tuesday for future mobility and roads in the latest move to boost cooperation between the two countries. The memorandums of understanding call for cooperation in the future of mobility and innovation in the transport and logistic services sectors...

Doha, Qatar: Qatar and Spain have launched the Qatar Spain Innovation Program (QASIP), a joint venture between the Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation (QRDI) Council and the Spanish Centre for the Development of Technology and Innovation (CDTI). The program is geared to support collaborative research and development projects across all...

Muscat, Oman--The Central Bank of Oman (CBO) has raised $36.35 million by way of allotting treasury bills on Tuesday, the bank said in a statement. The statement said the value of the allotted treasury bills amounted to $26 million, for a maturity period of 28 days. The average accepted price...

Abu Dhabi, UAE -  The UAE is growing the number of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations from 500 to 800 in the next few years.  This was stated by the country’s Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei,  on the sidelines of the ongoing World Utilities Conference...

Islamabad, Pakistan -- Since being ousted from office by a vote of no confidence last year, former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan has vowed he will captain the country a second time. But on Tuesday, the one-time international cricket star was arrested as he appeared at Islamabad High Court to face...

The deal would mean Messi potentially joins his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi league. There was no confirmation from Messi's current club Paris Saint-Germain, who noted simply that he was under contract until June 30 when contacted by AFP.

Doha, Qatar— More than ten million passengers traveled through Qatar’s Hamad International Airport in the first quarter of the current year, marking a 44.5 percent jump. The airport, according to Qatar News Agency, received 3.56 million passengers in the month of January, followed by 3.24 million in February, and 3.5...

Doha, Qatar-- Uzbekistan has called for establishing a joint forum for businessmen in Doha or Tashkent to review investment opportunities in both the countries. The appeal was made by the visiting Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade, Laziz Kudratov. During his meeting with Qatar Chamber Chairman, Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia is launching tourism projects worth SAR 1.5 billion ($400 million) in the targeted destinations around the kingdom.  The Saudi Ministry of Tourism has sponsored ‘The Collective’ initiative launched by Kerten Hospitality, a hotel investment firm, to establish its projects under one umbrella.  The announcement...

Kuwait City, Kuwait--The Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) has announced the latest allocation of issuance of bonds and tawarruq valued at $1.05 billion. In a statement, the CBK said that the value of the first issuance amounted to KD 160 million (about USD 528 million) for three months with a...

Doha, Qatar - Fifty companies listed on Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) have reported a combined net profit of $3.45 billion for the first quarter of 2023. This represents a decrease of 10.04 percent from the same period last year, where the net profit was $3.85 billion. The industries sector saw...

Sharjah, UAE - Sharjah's GDP has grown by 5.2 percen to AED 136.9 billion ($37.05 billion) compared to AED 130.1 billion ($35.13 billion) in 2021.  The non-oil sector has reported a 5.2 percent increase, bringing the total to AED 133.4 billion  (36.08 billion) in 2022 compared to AED 126.8 billion...

Abu Dhabi, UAE-- Designed to achieve a common Arab vision for the digital economy, the Arab Federation for Digital Economy and the Union of Arab Chambers signed a cooperation agreement at the Entrepreneurs Investment Summit, held in parallel with the Annual Investment Meeting 2023 (AIM) in Abu Dhabi. The agreement...

ABU DHABI, UAE - The Statistics Center - Abu Dhabi (SCAD) has released the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) estimates report for 2022, unveiling a remarkable 9.3 percent  growth by the end of the year, compared to 2021. The new figures position the Emirate as the fastest-growing economy in the Middle...

Unlike other companies that use vertical-launch rockets, Virgin Galactic uses a carrier aircraft that takes off from a runway, gains high altitude, and drops a rocket-powered plane that soars into space before gliding back to Earth.

ABU DHABI,  UAE - Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), a leading Islamic financial institution, has been appointed as a primary dealer for UAE's Federal Treasury Sukuk Program. This new program has been launched by the federal government of the UAE, through the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and aims to issue...

Dubai, UAE -- More than 40,000 people – including 30,000 visitors – attended the 30th edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which concluded last week in Dubai. This not only represents a year-on-year increase of 29 percent in attendees compared to 2022, but it also represents a 5 percent increase...

Tehran, Iran – Iran’s trade with BRICS member states reached 47.99 million tons worth $38.43 billion in fiscal 2022-23. In fiscal 2022–23, Iran's trade with the BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—amounted to 47.99 million tonnes worth $38.43 billion, up 14 percent in value and 0.81 percent in...

Abu Dhabi, UAE - Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC), has been selected as the Chair Elect of the World Nuclear Association (WNA) Board of Directors. The position sets Al Hammadi on track to take over as the Chairman of...

Jabbet Al-Dhib , Palestinian Territories -- Israeli forces on Sunday demolished a Palestinian primary school in the occupied West Bank, citing safety issues and drawing sharp criticism from the European Union which had funded the project. Palestinians hurled rocks at Israeli forces who fired tear gas at them as bulldozers moved...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The real GDP of Saudi Arabia grew by 3.9 percent in the first quarter of 2023, compared to Q1 of 2022. Flash estimates of GDP for Q1 of 2023, issued in a report by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), showed a 5.8 percent increase in...