Buraidah, Saudi Arabia -- The Buraidah Date Carnival witnessed growing economic and tourism activity, making it a key destination for thousands of visitors from across the Kingdom, the Gulf, and the world. The event combined morning date auctions with a variety of cultural and entertainment activities held in the evening...
Saudi budget deficit narrows sharply
Better days for Saudi economy seem to be on the horizon as the kingdom’s budget deficit has narrowed sharply in the first six months of this year.
Umrah permits for double-jabbed Saudis aged 12-18
Saudi nationals aged 12-18 can obtain Umrah permits if they have received two doses of Covid-19 vaccine, the ministry of Hajj and Umrah has said. Local media reports said the ministry’s announcement follows the inauguration of the 2021 Umrah season on August 10.
US announces extra $165 mln in Yemen aid
Yemen's conflict flared in 2014 when Iran-backed Huthi rebels seized the capital Sanaa
Riyadh leads Q2 Saudi Arabia residential market boom
Latest review by global property consultant Knight Frank says apartment values in Saudi capital grew by 7.6 percent year on year.
Saudi falcon sells for $72,000, setting record
The sale took place at the International Falcon Breeders Auction or IFBA at the Saudi Falcons Club or SFC in Malham, North of Riyadh.
Middle East’s largest wind farm produces first carbon-free MWh
The project, Saudi Arabia's first, is being developed by leading renewable energy companies EDF Renewable and Masdar.Saudi borders reopen for vaccinated pilgrims
Authorities in the ministry responsible for coordinating foreign pilgrims will from Monday begin "gradually receiving Umrah requests from various countries of the world," the Saudi Press Agency reported.Covid infects unvaxxed Saudis galore
Saudi Arabia’s health officials are warning people that Covid-19 was spreading rapidly among unvaccinated in the kingdom.
SVC provides 75 startups with nearly $250m
Saudi Venture Capital Company (SVC) has funded nearly 75 startups since its birth in 2018, providing them with about $250 million.
Saudi Arabia gets a pat on the back from US
Saudi Arabia has received warm praise about its improved rankings on a number of global lists from the US State Department. In its recently published annual Investment Climate Statements on more than 170 countries, the US State Department highlighted the achievements made by Saudi Arabia.
Saudi British Bank posts $245m net profit in Q2, year after big losses
A year after posting billions in losses, Saudi British Bank (SABB), an affiliate of HSBC Holdings, has posted a sizeable net profit of $245 million in the second quarter of 2021.Saudi Arabia asks pupils to take two jabs in order to attend school
With the government having made clear that only fully jabbed students aged 12-18 would be allowed to attend classes during the new academic session, Saudi Arabia is urging students to make appointments for taking the vaccine.
Investors expect Aramco to post high profit after strong first half
Investors are waiting with bated breath for Saudi Aramco to post its first half results and the expectation is that the company will post high profits.
Gulf workers’ top data skills least utilized by employers
A survey says making full use of the analytic expertise core requirement for the Gulf to continue competing globally.
Saudis set sights on space, seek partners for their program
Saudi Arabia has decided to put its space program high on the list of its agenda, and in this regard a team of the kingdom’s officials is traveling around Europe seeking partnerships with leading companies.At $690m, Saudi gaming market is next big thing in region
Saudi Arabia has seen a sharp rise in the gaming market among its population, with total gamers running into 21 million and the market growing at 4.1 percent this year.
PMI: Saudi non-oil economy expands but challenges ahead
PMI falls for the first time in four months in July. The downgrade driven by weaker growth in output, new orders and employment.
Saudi Pension Agency posts 9.5 percent returns in 2020
The kingdom’s Public Pension Agency said on Sunday that it had recorded 9.5 percent returns on investments in 2020. Its investments are distributed in most countries, both in developed and emerging markets.
Saudi Arabia to ally with global players to tap $20b cultural wealth
Looking to tap into its pristine cultural wealth, Saudi Arabia is planning to partner with global players, including international museums, to generate about $20 billion in revenues, and create 100,000 jobs.
Unvaccinated workers in Saudi Arabia may lose leave days
Human Resources Ministry asks institutions to seek health ministry-approved vaccination proof from employees.
Saudi Arabia: Unvaccinated employees to face axe
Any government or private facility that is accommodative towards unvaccinated individuals risks penalties and fines.Engie roped in for energy-efficiency project at Riyadh airport
The project is aimed at reducing energy demand and costs at the airport and ensuring reliable supply through clean and renewable energy sources.
Covid-19 infection: 12 die in Saudi Arabia, two in UAE
The total number of recoveries in the Kingdom increased to 507,374 after 1,285 more patients recovered from the virus.Saudi Arabia arrests 12,000 foreign violators of various laws
In a wide crackdown on those violating various laws of the kingdom, Saudi Arabia has arrested more than 12,000 violators of residency, work and border security systems in one week, according to an official report.
Saudi economy likely to grow nearly five percent this year
Saudi economy is expected to grow 4.8 percent in 2021 from 2.2 percent last year, according to the estimates of Capital Economics. The eonomic growth may surge to 6.3 percent in 2022, it adds.Saudis queue up for vaccines as delta variant strikes world with force
Saudis have been queuing up in larger numbers in the last 10 days with the arrival of August 1 deadline, requiring everyone to get one dose of the vaccine.Cruise liner sets sail from Saudi Arabia for first time
Two days after Saudi Arabia unveiled its first cruise ship terminal at the port in Jeddah, MSC Bellissima, a vessel longer than three football fields, set sail for the first in a series of voyages.
Doctors in Saudi Arabia separate Yemeni baby from twin
The procedure to separate her took seven hours and 45 minutes and involved a team of 25 medical staff including doctors, technicians and nurses.
Saudi Arabia invites more than 80 British companies for business
The companies that attended the Saudi workshop were from fields including innovation, technology, space, research, and development.
35-day-long date festival to begin on Sunday in Saudi Arabia
More than 4,000 young men and women will take part in the festival, which will run for 35 days and will include various programs targeting all the segments of the society.Saudi minister on a visit to Bosnia preaches coexistence
Saudi Islamic minister urges people to disseminate moderation, promote a culture of tolerance and coexistence, in accordance with Islamic values.
CEOs of listed Saudi firms resign in unusual numbers
At least 26 CEOs have resigned from the listed companies of Saudi Arabia in just last six months as the stresses of the Covid pandemic have taken a heavy toll on the mental health.
Key to growth seizing $3trn tech opportunities: Saudi minister
Al-Ibrahim says Saudi Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution will lead the country’s endeavors in providing solutions to global challenges.Saudi Arabia to penalize trade in human trafficking
Saudi Arabia will criminalize and combat human trafficking through a set of actions and measures that ensure human dignity and protect it from all forms of abuse and exploitation.Saudi FM reviews ties with French diplomat in Paris
The two top diplomats discussed issues concerning the Middle East, and the developments in the international arena. The meeting was also attended by the Saudi ambassador to France.
26m Saudis receive vaccine against Covid so far
Saudi Arabia has vaccinated more than 26 million people against the coronavirus ever since the kingdom began to inoculate its population a few months back.Saudi Arabia opens seven mosques after sanitization
The kingdom reopened 1,909 mosques closed due to Covid-19 infections after cleaning measures during the past 173 days.Saudi Arabia to reopen to vaccinated tourists from Aug 1
The move comes after a 17-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, Riyadh did not announce any lifting of restrictions on the umrah, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
12 die in Saudi Arabia from Covid as infection lingers
Twelve people have died in Saudi Arabia from COVID-19, taking the total count of people having succumbed to the disease until now to 8,212. Nearly 1,300 people have tested positive for the Covid infection on Thursday.
Saudi public-private alliance to launch $15b tech fund
In order to advance the digital infrastructure in the kingdom, Saudi Arabia will launch a $15 billion technology fund in partnership with private companies.Fully-vaccinated Saudi citizens can fly abroad from Aug 9
Also eligible for travel are citizens who recovered from virus six months ago and those who were infected six months earlier and vaccinated with a single dose.From grey to green: world cities uprooting the urban jungle
The reforestation is part of an $11-billion green initiative that also includes creating 3,000 parks in the Saudi capital.
Mawani inks deal with UFC to build silos at key Saudi ports
Once the silos are built, the at Jazan and Ras Al Khair ports will have a total storage capacity of 2.88 million tons of grain.Yanbu Port in Saudi Arabia receives first cruise ship
One of Saudi Arabia’s oldest ports in the Red Sea, Yanbu usually sees traffic of cargo and passengers, and even some Hajj pilgrims.Saudi tourism fund adopts cloud computing to help investors
Tourism Development Fund, which was set up in June, says use of Oracle Cloud applications will enhance data integration, increase productivity, reduce costs.Three-year exit ban for Saudis breaking Covid-19 travel rules
Saudi Arabia has officially recorded more than 520,000 cases of coronavirus, of which 8,189 have resulted in deaths.Saudi ICT infrastructure market set for 9% growth by 2030
The country’s ICT infrastructure market value stood at $1.54 billion in 2020, and is being fueled by several factors.Saudi Arabia dairy market to grow at 5.66% CAGR
Valued at $5.72 billion in 2020, the market is expected to expand to $7.94 billion by 2026, said market intelligence firm TechSci ResearchSaudi Central Bank has a plan to create 200,000 jobs
If the Saudi Central Bank’s (SAMA) plan to increase the number of locals working in the financial sector succeeds, it could end up creating nearly 200,000 jobs for Saudi citizens.Saudi Arabia may host two F1 races in 2021
Saudi Arabia might host an extra Formula One race this year in order to help the organizers of the race to fill a gap on the calendar due to the Covid pandemic.
