Kuwait City, Kuwait -- Kuwait has signed a deal worth $4.1 billion with China to complete the construction of a major port, as the oil-rich country seeks to diversify its economy with a bigger role in global trade. The State Audit Bureau, a government oversight body responsible for monitoring public...

In addition, Kuwait hosted a major joint meeting between the GCC and the United Kingdom in October focused on a Free Trade Agreement which is bound to open broader trade and investment opportunities for Kuwait and other GCC nations, the author adds.

Geneva, Switzerland - Talks on forging a groundbreaking treaty to combat the scourge of plastic pollution were floundering Saturday, with progress slow and countries wildly at odds on what the proposed agreement should cover. The negotiations, which opened on Tuesday, have four working days left to strike a legally-binding instrument...

Regional tensions, high-stakes defence deals, and new innovation-led collaborations defined the Middle East and North Africa landscape on Wednesday. Here’s your quick briefing:

 Dubai, UAE -- The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has kicked off 2025 with a remarkable surge in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity, according to the latest EY MENA M&A Insights 2024 report. The first quarter of the year saw a substantial 31 percent increase in deal volume,...

The latest campaign abolishes naturalization by marriage, which only applied to women, and revokes citizenship granted to wives since 1987. Official data shows 38,505 women were naturalized by marriage from 1993 to 2020.

While developing countries paid a record US$1.4 trillion to service debts, the non-oil sectors in the GCC countries are fueling growth and diversification,

Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah called on the international community to implement "an immediate ceasefire, providing international protection for innocent civilians and ensuring the opening of safe corridors and the arrival of urgent humanitarian aid".

Oil prices shoot up as Biden suggests that Israel might target Iranian oil facilities, while GCC Arab states, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, reassure Iran of neutrality in the conflict between Tehran and Israel.

Iranian authorities have announced the arrest of 12 people accused of "collaborating" with the country's arch-foe Israel, local media reported on Sunday. Meanwhile, Iran has enhanced efforts to build relations with its Arab neighbors by holding talks with Arab leaders at the United Nations.

Qatar agreed on Monday to supply Kuwait with 3 million tons per annum (mtpa) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for 15 years, the second such deal since 2020 as Kuwait imports the fuel to help meet rising demand for power generation, Asharq Al-Awsat online daily reported. The state-owned QatarEnergy and...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Wego, the leading travel app and largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), has reported a significant increase in travel interest to India in the first half of 2024. Data from January to June 2024 shows a 40.71% year-on-year rise in...

New Delhi, UAE - The number of Indians living in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries has crossed nine million, India's Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, told Parliament yesterday. Indians are employed in a wide range of professions from highly qualified fintech, healthcare, information technology, engineering...

Kuwait City, Kuwait -- A fire killed 49 people in Kuwait when it ripped through a building housing nearly 200 foreign workers on Wednesday, the government said. The blaze, which broke out in the six-story building south of Kuwait City at around dawn, also left dozens of people injured, the health...

Kuwait entered new political turbulence in May when the 83-year-old emir, Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah, dissolved parliament just six weeks after elections. He also suspended some provisions of the constitution. He then named the second government since he took over as head of state in December.

Made up of three component units, the huge Al-Zour refinery is one of the biggest in the Middle East. It was officially inaugurated on Wednesday, months after its output reached full capacity of 615,000 bpd. "We have succeeded in reaching an unprecedented refining capacity of 1.83 million bpd both domestically and abroad,"...

Kuwait's emir approved a new cabinet Sunday two days after he dissolved the parliament elected only weeks earlier, and he and the new government assumed some of the assembly's powers. Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmed al-Sabah on Friday dissolved the most powerful elected legislature in the Gulf and suspended articles of the...

The state's ruler attributed his move to the "interference" of some MPs in the emir's powers and others imposing "conditions" on helping to form a government. "We have faced difficulties and obstacles that cannot be tolerated," he said in a speech broadcast on state television.

Vast swathes of land across the desert region are seeing the sprouting of new special zones to entice big business to set up shop. But can the model work to power the GCC economy?

Kuwait City, Kuwait - Opposition lawmakers maintained a majority in Kuwait's parliament, results showed Friday, after the Gulf state's third parliamentary vote in as many years held just months into the new emir's reign. Opposition candidates won 29 seats in the 50-member assembly, according to results carried by the official KUNA...

Tokyo, Japan--The UAE exported 44.1 percent, namely 31.3 million barrels, of Japan's crude oil needs in February 2024, according to the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy in Tokyo. The agency, part of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, stated that the amount of crude that Japan imported...

The company is recommending a cash dividend of 10 percent.

Gaza City, Palestinian Territories - The Palestine Red Crescent said five people were killed and dozens wounded by gunfire and a stampede during an aid delivery Saturday in northern Gaza, where famine looms. AFP video footage shows a convoy of trucks moving past burning debris near the distribution point in pre-dawn...

The Bank's general assembly also approved 6% in bonus shares.

Operating profit for 2023 was recorded at US$59 million.

Kuwait City, Kuwait--Kuwait dissolved parliament on Thursday after a protracted stalemate between cabinet ministers and lawmakers dragged on despite the accession of a new emir in December. The official KUNA news agency said a "royal decree was issued to dissolve the national assembly" elected last June following a proposal by the...

From Saudi Arabia to the UAE and Qatar to Kuwait, governments across the region compete to jumpstart industrial sector but doubts remain whether it can be pulled off.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the 38-year-old de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, greeted Sheikh Meshal at the airport in Riyadh as trumpets played, 21 rounds were fired and the Saudi Falcons, the air force's aerobatics team, put on an air show, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.

The 2024 outlook for the MENA region's project market is exceptional, with an anticipated surpassing of $270 billion in value, according to a latest report.

The reactions to the top UN court's ruling Friday in the Israel-Gaza case were split along the lines of the war raging in the Palestinian territory. Saudi Arabia welcomed the ICJ's decision and called for the international community to "hold Israel accountable" for "violations" of international law.

Abdullah al-Yahya, a former ambassador to Argentina, was named in the coveted role as part of a hand-picked cabinet of 13 led by Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Sabah al-Salem Al-Sabah. It is the first government under emir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, who came to power last month after the death...

"First of all, they are not proportional. All of these constitute disproportionate use of force," Erdogan told journalists after Friday prayers in Istanbul. Oman, a mediator in attempts to end Yemen's long-running civil war, expressed its "worry" at the strikes on Houthi rebel military targets that, according to the Houthis,...

Abu Dhabi, UAE - The UAE passport has climbed two positions to secure the 11th spot in the 2024 Passport Index by Henley & Partners. This advancement allows UAE citizens visa-free access to 183 countries. The UAE has been the most improved nation on the Index over the past decade,...

The firm plans to incorporate one-to-one tutoring services.

Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, who was sworn in as emir last month, named Sheikh Mohammed Sabah al-Salem Al-Sabah, a popular ex-foreign minister, as the new premier. He replaces Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf al-Ahmed al-Sabah, son of the late emir whose death has raised hopes of a political shift in the country.

In 2023, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait collectively advanced in technology and sustainable development, achieving global integration.

The company has outlined a collective investment of $4.2b.

According to the Kuwait Central Statistical Bureau, the upward trend was mainly attributed to rising prices across all major groups impacting key indices, especially food, education, and clothing. The food and beverages sector experienced the most notable increase, with its index surging by 5.81% in November compared to the same...

Officially taking over from his half-brother Sheikh Nawaf, who passed away on Saturday, Sheikh Meshal is faced with the task of pulling the country out of longstanding political paralysis and reforming a bloated public sector that have turned Kuwait into one of the Gulf's most laggard states.

KUWAIT CITY, KUWAIT - Kuwait's emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who was defense minister when Iraq invaded the oil-rich country in 1990, was laid to rest Sunday in a low-key funeral, a day after he died aged 86. Foreign leaders and envoys later paid their final respects, including the Saudi crown...

The Gulf country sees a seamless transition of power as Sheikh Meshal ascends to emir following the death of Sheikh Nawaf, amidst global condolences and internal challenges.

"With great sadness and sorrow, we mourn... the death of Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait," said a statement aired on Kuwaiti state television. In November, Sheikh Nawaf was admitted to the hospital "due to an emergency health problem", according to the official KUNA news agency.

The deal is valued at 256 million Kuwaiti Dinars ($832 million).

Kuwait City, Kuwait -- The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) of Kuwait has inked a KD 6.7 million ($21.7 million) agreement with Finland's Vaisala company to implement a state-of-the-art surface observation system and airport meteorological system at Kuwait International Airport. Emad Al-Jalawi, the Acting Director-General of DGCA, told KUNA...

Dubai, UAE - The OPEC oil cartel said Saturday there was no "single solution" to the energy transition as pressure grows to agree a phase-out of fossil fuels at the COP28 climate talks. "There is no single solution or path to achieve a sustainable energy future," said a speech by OPEC secretary...

The Gulf Railway aiming for completion by 2030, will link GCC nations with a comprehensive rail network, marking a new era in regional transportation and economic integration.

“COP28 is attracting significant interest from various participating countries and will serve as an important forum for climate enthusiasts. This reflects the commitment of people who are eager to enact change and preserve the planet by taking serious steps towards a better future,” President Whipps adds.

Pausing of rate hikes by global central banks amid fluctuating inflation rates influences global markets, with specific impacts in the MENA region, says a new report.

Dubai, UAE - The much-anticipated Hindi-language action film Tiger 3, starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif, has reportedly been banned in Gulf states Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar. Released on the occasion of Diwali, the film has marked its entry into the record books as the highest-grossing Diwali day release. While...

"Our stance on the Palestinian issue is unequivocal. The Palestinian people's right to resistance, including reclaiming their occupied land and confronting the Zionist entity, will persist," he adds, expressing optimism that the next phase would promote "greater unity and efficacy for Arab causes".