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ANTONY-BLINKEN-MAHMOUD-ABBAS-STATE-DEPT

Antony Blinken back in the Middle East as Israel crisis rages on: 8 countries on tour list

Blinken’s visit to the region comes amid an escalation to the crisis in the Middle East

Saudi Arabia e-visas now available to residents of 63 countries photo-courtesy-WAM

New business registrations surged in Saudi Arabia in 2023

In its latest bulletin, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Commerce announced a 23 per cent rise in company registrations for the final quarter of 2023

Saudi businessman survives -50°C, 60 mph winds to reach South Pole

Saudi Arabian adventurer and businessman Badr Al-Shebani has trekked to the South Pole in Antartica and endured tough conditions

Saudi PIF increases stake in MEPCO to 23.08%

Saudi wealth fund PIF hikes stake in MEPCO to 23.08%

The fund said the investment will enable MEPCO to expand its production, raise its operational efficiency, and support environmental sustainability

UAE, Saudi Arabia non-oil sector grew strongly in December

UAE non-oil sector grew strongly in December, Saudi maintains solid growth

Both the Riyad Bank Saudi Arabia PMI and the S&P Global UAE PMI remained way above the 50-mark that separates growth from contraction

PIF-owned SRC extends refinancing deal with Alrajhi Bank - GettyImages-1667969985

PIF’s SRC extends refinancing deal with Alrajhi Bank, total value hits SAR10.8bn

The extension of this agreement is aimed at advancing the goals of the Vision 2030 Housing Program

red sea

How could Red Sea tensions affect oil and gas shipping?

About 12 per cent of world shipping traffic transits the canal and 4-8 per cent of global LNG cargoes have passed through it in 2023

flynas carries 11 million passengers in 2023

Saudi Arabia’s flynas carries 11 million passengers in 2023

The budget carrier launched 57 new destinations and inaugurated its fourth operations base at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah

BRICS SUMMIT-SOUTH AFRICA

Russia’s Vladimir Putin officially welcomes UAE, Saudi into BRICS

Two GCC nations, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, are now formally part of the BRICS bloc

Saudi Arabia e visa

Saudi wealth fund PIF splashes $31.6bn in 2023

Big-ticket purchases included $4.9bn for US gaming company Scopely, $3.6bn to buy Standard Chartered’s aircraft leasing division and $3.3bn for steelmaker Hadeed

Shareek programme to suppport Saudi Arabia's private sector

Saudi Arabia’s new regional headquarters mandate goes into effect

Saudi Arabia has officially activated its new mandate for companies with large tenders to host their regional offices in the country

Saudi Arabia’s foreign reserves fell from SAR1.57tn the previous month

Unemployment for Saudis rises slightly to 8.6% in Q3

The unemployment rate for Saudis is still lower than the 9.9 per cent recorded in the same period a year ago, according to data from the kingdom

Saudi Arabia’s NEOM launches lifestyle community Norlana

Saudi Arabia’s NEOM unveils plans for lifestyle community Norlana

Located on the coastline of the Gulf of Aqaba, the lifestyle community will have a 120-berth marina that will serve as an international hub for superyachts

Saudi’s Mawani inks four contracts worth SAR1bn

Saudi Arabia’s Mawani signs four contracts worth SAR1bn

The authority signed the contracts with Zamil Marine Services and Naghi Marine Company to provide diverse maritime services

Masdar

Top marks for GCC nations in digital connectivity index

Countries in the GCC are ranking among the highest in the world when it comes to the state of their digital connectivity in 2023

Red Sea shipping

Oil eased ahead of Christmas break on possible future Angola output increase

Brent crude oil futures fell 32 cents, or 0.4 per cent, to settle at $79.07 a barrel

The Lynas Rare Earths Ltd. processing plant in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, on Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022. Lynas, the only key supplier of the critical minerals outside China, has won further financial backing from Washington to build a plant in the US. Photographer: Carla Gottgens/Bloomberg

Saudi Arabia studies graphite, rare earths trading platform

The kingdom has been studying setting up the trading platform in the second half of 2023 but a decision is not expected any time soon

Tourism boom: Saudi Arabia’s international visitor numbers soar 142%

More tourists than ever before are visiting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as inbound visitor numbers have more than doubled since 2022

Oracle generative AI

Oracle targets training 50,000 Saudis in AI, latest tech

The training is set to form part of an initiative called ‘Mostaqbali’ (My Future), and will be supervised by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.

flynas takes delivery of 3 A320neo aircraft

Saudi budget carrier flynas takes delivery of 3 A320neo aircraft

The airline has taken delivery of 18 out of 19 new A320neo aircraft scheduled for delivery in 2023

BNPL startup Tamara raises $340m, now valued at $1bn

BNPL startup Tamara now valued at $1bn after raising $340m

With this transaction, the BNPL platform will have raised a total of $500m in equity funding, and well above $400m in debt financing

Red Sea - shipping - logistics

Oil shipments on Maersk vessels could re-route via Cape: Reports

The Middle East crisis is already raising shipping and insurance costs through the critical Red Sea area

oil

Oil market comfortably supplied despite OPEC+ cuts: Insight

Production restraint by OPEC+ allies has been more than offset by output growth from US shale firms and other sources

NEOM - UTAMO

Saudi’s Neom announces new destination for art and entertainment

Set to be built along the Gulf of Aqaba, Utamo, is crafted as an immersive destination for art and entertainment

Saudi Aramco enters Pakistan with a 40% stake in GO

Saudi Aramco to acquire 40% stake in Pakistan fuel retailer GO

The state-energy firm said the transaction is subject to certain customary conditions, including regulatory approvals

MBC Group sets price range for IPO, seeks to raise $222m

Saudi Arabia’s MBC Group gets $14.5bn orders for IPO

The pricing of SAR25 per share implies a market valuation of around SAR8.3bn at listing

SAXO BANK OUTRAGEOUS PREDICTIONS - 2024

Outrageous Predictions 2024: Saxo Bank picks 8 global events to keep an eye out for

Looking ahead to 2024, Saxo Bank sees a world at an inflection point, with the familiar road of the last decade coming to an end

NEOM launches new food company Topian

Saudi Arabia’s NEOM unveils new food company Topian

The company will spearhead the kingdom’s efforts to ensure food security, mitigate climate change and achieve net-zero emissions by 2060

QIDDIYA CITY

Qiddiya City megaproject brand unveiled by Saudi Crown Prince

Qiddiya City expects to attract an anticipated 48 million visits per year with its never-built-before array of world-class attractions and venues

Saudi Arabia allots $100m for Sudan humanitarian crisis

Saudi Arabia approves 2024 state budget, forecasts SAR79bn deficit

The budget estimates expenditures of SAR1.3tn in 2024 and total revenues of SAR1.2tn