Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that the Kingdom will hold a joint Arab Islamic extraordinary summit here instead of two summits. “In response to the unprecedented circumstances in Gaza, and after consultation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the League of the Arab States...

PARIS, FRANCE -  A high-level Saudi delegation attended the Riyadh Expo 2030 Symposium, on the outskirts here, hosted by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, responsible for the Kingdom's bid to host the World Expo in 2030. The event took place in Meudon on Monday in the presence of representatives...

Doha, Qatar--Qatar's Planning and Statistics Authority has given out 769 building permits in various municipalities in the country during the past October, marking a 17% increase compared to the 655 building permits issued in the preceding month of September. According to the statement released today by the Planning and Statistics...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) and South Africa’s Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development have signed a protocol of health and technical requirements for imports of cattle, sheep, and goat meat. The protocol aims to accredit the regulatory body in South Africa by the...

NEW DELHI, INDIA - Recent reports of Saudi Arabia expressing an interest in buying a stake in the Indian Premier League (IPL) may have kicked up a storm in the media, but the top brass of the Board of Control for Cricket in India claim they are yet to hear anything...

Tokyo, Japan - Japan's government said on Friday that it plans to spend 2 trillion yen ($13 billion) to boost domestic production of strategically important semiconductors and generative AI technology. The planned outlays will include 700 billion yen ($4.6 billion) to support the construction of a Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC)...

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - Tadawul-listed companies reported a US$48.1 billion (SAR 157.09 billion) aggregate net profit for the third quarter of 2023, a decline of 19 percent from US$52.2 billion (SAR 194.75 billion) in the year-ago period. This was also due to the decline of Aramco’s Q3 profit by more...

VIENNA, AUSTRIA - The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) is extending a US$25.5 million loan to the Government of Benin to strengthen the technical and professional competences of the country’s workforce. The Ouidah Djougou Vocational Training Schools Project will support the transformation of the technical high schools in Djougou...

The emergency meetings of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation come after over one month of Israeli bombardment has killed more than 10,000 people in Gaza, many of them children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. With Israel's leaders rebuffing talk of a ceasefire until the captives...

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Industrial Production Index (IPI) fell by 11.2 percent year-on-year (YoY) in September 2023, extending its downtrend to the fifth successive month.  Data issued by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) showed that Saudi IPI fell to 122.99 points in September, according...

sraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said there will be no fuel delivered to Gaza and no ceasefire with Hamas unless the hostages are freed. Macron spoke to Netanyahu on Tuesday and the pair will talk again once Thursday's aid conference is over, the Elysee Palace said.

Manama, Bahrain--Export Bahrain and Alibaba.com have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to boost global trade and economic growth in Bahrain. The MoU signed during the 6th China International Import Exhibition held in Shanghai, will enable Export Bahrain and Alibaba.com to leverage their respective strengths and expertise to facilitate trade,...

Sharjah, UAE-- In a groundbreaking move to strengthen ties with burgeoning markets in Africa, the Sharjah Exports Development Centre (SEDC) is spearheading a trade mission to Uganda and Kenya. This strategic venture aims to bolster economic and investment cooperation, paving the way for a new era of business opportunities. Under...

Dubai, UAE - Dubai Investments, the leading investment company listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM), acquired additional 7.68 percent equity stake in Monument Bank Limited, a UK Based Digital Bank regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (UK) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (UK). This increases the Group’s holding in...

Macron had spoken on Tuesday to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the pair will talk again once the aid conference is over, the Elysee Palace added.

Amman, Jordan - Jordan's government has signed two deals with the German KfW Development Bank to secure a financial package totaling $140 million to develop its water sector. The deal was signed between Jordanian Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Zeina Touqan, and the German Minister of Economic Cooperation and...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-- Foreign direct investment (FDI) into Saudi Arabia amounted to $32.52 billion in 2022, revised upwards from $8 billion figure that had been published previously. According to SPA, the updated figure is a result of a new framework methodology for publishing FDI data in the kingdom which was...

Dubai, UAE-- The UAE is a key market for French businesses due to its strategic location as a hub and gateway to the entire region, said Axel Baroux, the French Trade Invest Commissioner to the UAE and the Regional Director of Business France in the Middle East. Speaking to the...

Beijing, China - The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday raised its 2023 economic growth forecast for China, citing stronger consumption and recent policy measures announced by Beijing. After a tough year for the world's number-two economy, there have been flickers of life in recent weeks, with third-quarter expansion coming in more...

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - Global patenting activity soared to new records in 2022, fueled by Indian and Chinese innovators, but an uncertain economic outlook is weighing on further growth, says the World Intellectual Property Organization report. Even as global filings for trademarks and designs dropped, innovators from around the world submitted...

Manama, Bahrain - Batelco, part of the Beyon Group, announces its latest service “Mobile Peering” for members of the platform. Batelco is the first in the MENA region to offer a Mobile Peering service, which is an open interconnecting solution, enabling mobile operators and Internet Packet Exchange (IPX) providers to...

Ajman, UAE-- The Department of Economic Development in Ajman (Ajman DED) has reported an 11 percent growth in the total number of economic licenses issued during the third quarter of 2023. According to a report published by Ajman DED, professional licenses came in first place with 51% of the total...

Dubai, UAE-- Describing the COP28 as a huge moment for the world and the UAE, Andrew Griffith, Economic Secretary to the UK Treasury, said the whole world's eyes "will be here." Speaking to the media in Dubai, he said that sustainable finance will be central to the global event. He...

Abu Dhabi, UAE - The National Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism and Financing of Illegal Organizations Committee (NAMLCFTC) and UAE supervisors, issued guidance on combating the use of unlicensed virtual asset service providers. Prepared by the supervisory subcommittee, the guidance aims to educate licensed financial institutions (LFIs) and...

Paris, France - The food and agriculture system adds at least $10 trillion in "hidden costs" to the global economy every year due to unhealthy diets, emissions and undernourishment, a UN agency said on Monday. The Food and Agriculture Organization said it conducted an analysis in 154 countries to determine the...

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - Remittances by expatriates in Saudi Arabia dropped 13 percent year-on-year (YoY) to US$2.6 billion (SAR 9.9 billion) in September, according to recent data released by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA). On a month-on-month (MoM) basis, expat remittances in the Kingdom declined 8 percent, or US$229 million...

"By doing so the European Union will spend a total of 100 million euros in humanitarian aid for the civilians in Gaza," EU chief von der Leyen told EU diplomats in Brussels. Von der Leyen said flows of aid into Gaza from Egypt "remain too small" and the EU was...

Dubai, UAE -- The first Emirates flights operating with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) provided by Shell Aviation have taken off from Dubai International Airport (DXB). Emirates’ flight EK 412 bound for Sydney on 24th October was among the first to operate with SAF. Shell has supplied 315,000 gallons of blended...

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – The Kingdom’s ministry of investment and ministry of foreign affairs launched the second phase of issuing a "Visiting Investor" business visit e-visa. This service is offered to foreign investors as part of the Kingdom’s efforts to boost investment, consistent with Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to...

Tehran, Iran--Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Monday accused the United States of "encouraging" Israel to kill and carry out "cruel acts" against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Gunmen from the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas stormed across Gaza's border with Israel on October 7, killing about 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and...

Amman, Jordan-- Jordan and Lebanon have called for the speeding up of international efforts to stop the war on Gaza and prevent a spillover of the conflict in the region. The exhortation to halt the destruction of life and property in the besieged enclave of the Gaza Strip came in...

Sharjah, UAE-- The emirate of Sharjah is seeking to boost economic and investment cooperation with Uganda and Kenya. In this connection, the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) will dispatch a trade mission to Uganda and Kenya to enhance ties with the two African nations. Led by the Sharjah...

DOHA, QATAR – Qatar's non-energy private sector continued to experience improving business conditions at the start of the final quarter of 2023, according to the latest Purchasing Managers’ Index™ (PMI®) survey data from Qatar Financial Center (QFC). Output, new orders and employment all expanded in October, and the 12-month outlook remained...

AL-KHOBAR, SAUDI ARABIA - The Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce (FEDCOC) is scheduled to host the first Gulf-Egyptian Business Forum on November 22-23. Held under the theme "Business - Investment - Partnership," the event is organized by the Federation of Gulf Cooperation Council (FGCC) chambers in cooperation with FEDCOC,...

DUBAI, UAE - The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MoHRE) has launched awareness guidebooks for private sector companies and Emirati private sector employees to raise awareness on Emiratization-related decisions and initiatives in the country. The guidebooks also provide information on the benefits provided by both the Ministry and Nafis...

BONN, GERMANY - Artificial intelligence (AI) can make substantial contributions to climate-resilient and low-emissions development. UN Climate Change’s Initiative on Artificial Intelligence for Climate Action (#AI4ClimateAction) explores the role of AI as a powerful tool for advancing and scaling up transformative climate action in developing countries. In line with the...

Further south, a 22-year-old Palestinian was "killed by Israeli occupation bullets in Nuba, northwest of Hebron," the ministry said. Meanwhile, a 17-year-old Palestinian "succumbed to his wounds after having been hit by Israeli occupation bullets several days ago in Al-Eizariya" also on the outskirts of Jerusalem, the ministry said.

In Jerusalem, hundreds came together outside Netanyahu's residence with more explicit calls for his resignation. The nine months leading up to October 7 saw mass protests over his hard-right government's divisive judicial reforms that opponents have called a threat to Israeli democracy.

VIENNA, AUSTRIA – High-level representatives from the member states of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), international organizations, experts from over 145 countries gathered here to explore solutions for moving towards net-zero and meeting the Sustainable Development Goals. The two-day International Vienna Energy and Climate Forum, which concluded on...

Abu Dhabi, UAE--PureHealth has joined hands with Dell Technologies to utilise generative artificial intelligence (AI) across healthcare services including in early disease detection, medical data analysis and personalised treatment plans, further enhancing the health ecosystem in Abu Dhabi. The collaboration will harness the collective resources and technologies of both companies...

Abu Dhabi, UAE--Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) has published "Sustainable Finance Framework" establishing criteria and eligibility requirements that determine which projects are labelled “green”, “social”, or “sustainable”. The framework will determine the eligibility of projects for the bank to finance or refinance, including the issuance of green, social and sustainability...

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – The Kingdom’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources announced issuing 174 new industrial licenses in September, at a total value of US$1.4 billion (SAR 5.3 billion).  A total of 82 factories started actual production in September, with total investments of US$506 million (SAR 1.9 billion), the...

Astana, Kazakhstan - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, saying "crimes against humanity" were being committed in Gaza. Erdogan has strongly supported the Palestinians in the face of Israel's war with Hamas, attending pro-Palestinian rallies and positioning himself as a mediator...

DUBAI, UAE –The Dubai Customs apprehended a traveler arriving from a European country who was trying to smuggle various small drugs that were cleverly concealed within his luggage. The items included 292 hallucinogenic pills, five hallucinogenic stamps, 13.84 grams of hallucinogenic powder, 7.38 grams of crack cocaine and 274.59 grams...

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the Supreme Council Members, rulers of the Emirates, along with their grandsons, today raised the UAE flag nationwide on the occasion of the ‘’UAE Flag Day'' marked annually on November 3. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice...

Abu Dhabi, UAE - Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and HSBC Bank Middle East Limited are working together in the first regional collaboration of its kind to develop digital fixed-income securities, paving the way for the introduction of a broader array of capital market use cases in the Middle East....

Dubai, UAE-- Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has held discussions with a delegation from Germany on how to boost cooperation in clean and renewable energy. In this regard, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA), received a high-level delegation from the German region of Lusatia, led by...

Tehran, Iran-- Iran has ramped up its oil production to 3.4 million barrels per day (bpd), up from about 2.9 bpd. This was stated by Iranian Oil Minister, Javad Owji, according to whom it is part of the government strategy to boost production. The minister made the remarks on the sidelines...

Abu Dhabi, UAE--The UAE and Jordan have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to create a framework for investment cooperation in key areas including infrastructure and development projects, while further strengthening the two countries’ enduring strategic partnership. The agreement was signed between the Ministries of Investment of the UAE and...

Panama City, Panama - The operator of the Panama Canal, the passageway for cargo ships between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, said Tuesday that it would gradually limit the number of daily crossings due to drought. Traffic will be reduced to 25 ships a day from Friday, down from 29, and...