PwC forecasts that AI could contribute US$320 billion to Middle Eastern economies by 2030, with healthcare predicted to see some of the largest gains relative to its current size

The region, fueled by ambition and massive investment, is rapidly advancing in technology and infrastructure, aiming to secure a leading role in the 4IR.

Truce mediators Egypt and Qatar accused Israel of blatantly violating the ceasefire deal by halting the aid, a move left trucks loaded with goods lined up on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing to Gaza.

Observing fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, requiring believers to abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours. Observant Muslims are also encouraged to donate to the poor.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Nearly 81.6 percent of Saudi individuals visited at least one cultural event or activity in 2024, according to the 2024 Household Culture and Entertainment Survey by the Kingdom's General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). The survey said that 85.3 percent attended at least one entertainment event or activity. The...

This is an increase of 85.7 percent over the previous year.

Washington noted European nations would have to have a seat at the negotiating table "at some point", following the first high-level official Washington-Moscow talks since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

In a statement on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was "committed to US President Trump's plan for the creation of a different Gaza", also promising that after the war, "there will be neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority" ruling the territory.

Paris, France - Saudi Arabian sports investment fund SURJ, linked to the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund, has acquired a minority stake in sports streaming platform DAZN, the two parties announced on Monday.The statement said the deal would focus on the Middle East and North Africa."As part of this agreement, SURJ and...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia's annual inflation rate in Jan 2025 reached 2 percent compared to January 2024, the kingdom's General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) said in its Consumer Price Index (CPI) report for January 2025. According to GASTAT, Saudi Arabia's inflation rate is considered the lowest among the...

Trump sparked a global outcry with his proposal for the United States to "take over" the Gaza Strip and to move more than two million Palestinians out of the war-devastated territory, citing Egypt or Jordan as possible destinations.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - Under a vast canopy of tents in the Saudi city of Jeddah, religious artefacts are on display alongside contemporary art pieces, part of the kingdom's bid to transform its image.The second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale, titled "And All That Is In Between", features as its...

Trump told Fox News Channel’s Bret Baier that "I would own it" and that there could be as many as six different sites for Palestinians to live outside Gaza -- under the plan which the Arab world has rejected.

The Sukuk were offered in a five-year and a 10-year tranche.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia said Wednesday it will not formalize ties with Israel unless a Palestinian state is established, after Israel's prime minister remarked that he thought normalisation with the Gulf kingdom was "going to happen"."Saudi Arabia will continue its relentless efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state with...

In a bid to boost prices, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) headed by Saudi Arabia and Russian-led allies have cut supply by almost six million barrels per day (bpd) since 2022. The OPEC+ alliance has repeatedly postponed putting some of the withheld barrels back on the market.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, marking his first foreign visit and signaling Syria’s realignment towards the Gulf after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad.

Visit Saudi, experience the warmth, generosity and hospitality of the people, Jerry Inzerillo tells TRENDS in an exclusive interview.

Beyond AI, new technologies will leverage artificial intelligence to drive the next phase of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Alphaeus Hanson, Chair of Jacksonville Global Shapers tells TRENDS in an interview.

The international community must prioritize cooperation and dialogue to overcome the challenges of a fragmented world, the Saudi delegation to the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2025 said today.Calling for global collaboration to shape a prosperous future, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah,...

The Trump administration faces a Middle East shaped by shifting alliances, unresolved conflicts, and evolving regional priorities, demanding a measured strategy to balance stability, diplomacy, and U.S. interests.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia's Industrial Production Index (IPI) increased by 3.4 percent in November 2024, compared to Nov 2023, according to the kingdom's ]General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT).This increase is driven by growth in mining and quarrying, manufacturing, water supply, sewerage, and waste management and remediation activities.Furthermore, the...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia maintained its first rank across MENA in terms of Venture Capital (VC) funding in 2024, witnessing a total VC deployment of $750 million (SAR2.8 billion).The "2024 Emerging Markets Venture Capital Report", published today by the venture data platform MAGNiTT, said the Kingdom secured the...

Saudi Arabia secured a $2.5 billion revolving credit facility from Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Credit Agricole SA, and Dubai Islamic Bank, with total 2024 bond funding reaching $50 billion, according to a Bloomberg report.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) on Monday announced its first murabaha credit facility for the sum of $7 billion as part of its medium-term capital raising strategy. The financing structure is supported by a diverse syndicate of 20 international and regional financial institutions, PIF said...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The seasonally adjusted Riyad Bank Saudi Arabia Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), formerly S&P Global Saudi Arabia PMI, dropped to 58.4 points in December 2024.The latest reading indicated a significant improvement in operating conditions in the non-oil private sector, while the index has remained above the neutral...

The 10-day Qassim Truffle Festival, currently in its fourth year, features 18 booths showcasing truffles, a dedicated auction area and 32 booths for local producers.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Renowned luxury fashion designer Brunello Cucinelli shared his insights on building a global brand and the future of fashion with Saudi creatives and entrepreneurs during a special event hosted by the Cultural Development Fund (CDF) in AlUla.The event, held in collaboration with the Fashion Commission, brought...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The Dakar Rally 2025, the largest and longest race in the world of motorsports, is set to kick off on Friday from Bisha, marking the sixth consecutive year the Kingdom hosts this thrilling event.Over 800 participants are poised for the fierce competition, which runs until January...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia’s trade balance recorded a 30% monthly growth, achieving a surplus of SAR 20.769 billion ($5.6 billion) in October 2024, according to the Kingdom’s recently released global trade bulletin. This marks an increase of over SAR 4 billion ($1.08 billion) from SAR 15.999 billion ($4.32...

Manufacturers see AI as critical for decarbonization (66%), improving ESG scores, energy monitoring (55%), advancing digital twins (68%), and enabling predictive maintenance (64%), driving sustainability and operational gains.

Last week, in an interview with Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television, Sharaa said Saudi Arabia "will certainly have a large role in Syria's future", pointing to "a big investment opportunity for all neighbouring countries".

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – The value of assets under Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) assets—both domestic and foreign—in the Saudi financial market recorded an annual growth of 37 percent (by nearly SAR 43 billion or $11.44bn) by the end of the third quarter (Q3) of 2024.This brings...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Unemployment rate among Saudi nationals reached 7.8 percent in the third quarter of 2024, a year-on-year increase of 1 percentage point from the similar period last year.Data released by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) said that the Saudi and non-Saudi labor force stood at 66.6 percent,...

Paris, France -- Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk's startup xAI said it had raised $6 billion from investors in its latest funding round, as it battles stiff competition in the artificial intelligence market.The firm, whose flagship product is the Grok chatbot, garnered support from US venture capitalists, chipmakers NVIDIA and AMD,...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – The number of employees in tourism-related activities in Saudi Arabia increased by 5.1 percent in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, reaching 959,175, according to the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT).GASTAT's Tourism Establishments Statistics bulletin for the second quarter of...

The occupied Golan is home to about 23,000 Druze Arabs, whose presence predates the occupation and most of whom retain Syrian citizenship, as well as around 30,000 Israelis.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Fireworks and drones depicting the iconic golden World Cup trophy lit up the sky in Saudi Arabia's capital Wednesday after FIFA confirmed the Gulf kingdom would play host to the tournament in 2034.While the news was hardly a surprise, with Saudi Arabia emerging as the sole candidate...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Landmark talks on desertification are set to conclude in Saudi Arabia this week amid doubts that pledged funds will make a meaningful difference in the fight against the growing scourge.The 12-day meeting of parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), known as COP16, has already...

London, United Kingdom -- Britain's leader Keir Starmer makes his first trip to the Gulf as prime minister from Sunday, seeking to attract investment from the region's oil-rich states, Downing Street announced.Starmer will first visit the United Arab Emirates and then travel to Saudi Arabia, before stopping off in Cyprus on...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Artificial intelligence (AI) has contributed to saving 150 million sheets of paper and conserving 1.5 billion liters of water, Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA) President Abdullah bin Sharaf Alghamdi said on Wednesday.In a speech at the Saudi Green Initiative Forum 2024 held on the sidelines...

The French president said they want to involve both European and non-European allies who are ready to move in this direction but who are waiting for France.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- French President Emmanuel Macron and over 100 CEOs besides members of OPSWF, asset managers, and private equity fund representatives attended the seventh annual summit for the One Planet Sovereign Wealth Funds (OPSWF) Group in Riyadh on Tuesday.Among the attendees was Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Governor Public Investment Fund...

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,

According to World Bank Group President Ajay Banga, “The new Knowledge Hub being created by the World Bank Group and Saudi Arabia is a key step forward to scale up".

An agreement for the purchase of 10% equity stake was signed in June 2024.

Macron is beginning the first state visit by a French president to Saudi Arabia since Jacques Chirac in 2006, cementing what the presidency calls a "very close relationship". He arrives as France's less than three-month-old minority government faces the prospect of being forced out by a no-confidence vote in the...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia will host the COP16 UN conference on land degradation and desertification next week as the top oil exporter pitches itself as an environmental defender despite criticism of its role at climate talks.UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called the meeting for the United Nations Convention to...

The 22-member OPEC+ group led by Saudi Arabia and Russia was due to decide on its 2025 output policy at a ministerial meeting originally scheduled for Sunday.

Cities must adopt EVs alongside shared transport, robust infrastructure, clean energy, and inclusivity, says Jamie Wylie, an urban mobility expert.