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Neil Halligan

Reporter

Neil is an Ireland-based journalist and editor who has worked with various media outlets in the UAE, including The National and Arabian Business. He has worked for local, regional and international media for more than 20 years

Neil Halligan
Parkin will collaborate with UK-based Skyports on Dubai's vertiports

Parkin signs deal to develop vertiports for Dubai air taxis

Parkin, the Dubai government’s parking management company, has signed an agreement to develop the support network for flying taxis in the emirate. Under the agreement Parkin and Skyports, a UK-based vertiport infrastructure developer, will collaborate on the provision of parking facilities at “vertiport” sites in Dubai, as well as developing new locations across Parkin’s network […]

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The company said the funding would allow it to enhance its AI research capabilities

UAE’s MGX part of OpenAI’s $6.6bn fund raising

UAE technology investment company MGX was among the investors in the latest round of funding for OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. OpenAI said it raised $6.6 billion from investors in the latest round, the largest ever venture capital deal, valuing the company at $157 billion.  Venture capital company Thrive Capital led the round with a […]

Passengers queue at Beirut-Rafic Al Hariri International Airport. Many airlines have suspended operations to Tel Aviv and Beirut

Airlines suspend flights to Middle East

Airlines in the Middle East have cancelled some flights and rerouted others after Iran fired more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel.  Shares in some European airlines and travel companies fell on Wednesday by up to 2.7 percent after Israel’s neighbours closed airspace and airline crews skirted the conflict zone.  Many airlines have suspended operations […]

Egyprt cotton

Egypt’s cotton fields expand as demand grows

The amount of land in Egypt devoted to growing cotton has increased by almost a quarter as global demand for the crop rises. The area available nationwide for cotton has expanded by 23 percent from 255,000 acres to 311,700, the Ministry of Agriculture announced.  It said 70,584 acres of the land (22 percent) has been […]

IRH and PIC will work to improve logistics in South Africa's ports, including Durban

IRH of Abu Dhabi to invest in South Africa

Abu Dhabi’s most valuable company is investing in mining, green energy and transport via Africa’s largest asset manager. International Resources Holding (IRH), part of International Holding Company, has signed an agreement with the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) of South Africa.  IRH and PIC have also agreed to create an artificial intelligence-enabled geoscience company to explore […]

Most of Terra-Gen's wind and solar projects are based in California and Texas

Masdar completes purchase of stake in green energy producer

UAE renewable energy major Masdar has completed its acquisition of a 50 percent stake Terra-Gen Power Holdings II, one of the largest independent renewable energy power producers in the US. Masdar bought the stake from US investment company Energy Capital Partners. No financial details on the deal, which was first announced in March, were shared. […]

Members of Saudi Arabia's security forces participate in a parade in Mecca. Military spending decreased by 6.3 percent in the first half of the year Video length: 06:31

Saudi Arabia cuts military spending as deficit increases

Saudi Arabia estimates its military spending will be 15 percent lower than budgeted this year, while capital expenditure rises, according to figures released on Monday. The kingdom’s budget deficit will increase to 2.9 percent of GDP in 2024, according to the preliminary budget statement released by the ministry of finance, as spending on the Vision […]

Tata Morocco WhAP 8x8

Tata signs deal with Morocco to build armoured vehicles

Morocco’s Department of Defence and India’s Tata Group have signed an agreement to build armoured combat vehicles in the North African country.  Under the agreement, Tata Advanced Systems, a subsidiary of the Indian conglomerate, will produce Tata’s WhAP 8×8 wheeled amphibious armoured platform in Morocco.  The project is expected to create 90 direct jobs and […]

Farmers harvesting cocoa in Amankwaatia village, Ghana. The cocoa industry employs 17% of Ghana's workforce

UAE pledges $30m for Ghana’s biodiversity push

The UAE and Ghana have signed a $30 million partnership for nature-based community development and climate initiatives. The agreement covers six areas of investment, including biodiversity corridors, which allow animals to travel from one patch of native forest to another, reforestation and agroecology – sustainable farming that works with nature. The partnership aims to deliver […]

Young women at a careers fair in Riyadh. The unemployment rate for women in Saudi Arabia was 10.8% in the second quarter

Saudi unemployment drops again in second quarter

The unemployment rate for Saudi nationals fell to 7.1 percent in the second quarter of 2024, government data shows, down from 7.6 percent in the first quarter and 8.5 percent in the same period a year ago. The overall unemployment rate, which includes expatriate workers, dropped to 3.3 percent in Q2, down from 4.1 percent […]