Opinion Transport Art, beaches, culture: Jeddah commute makes sense to me Riyadh may be where the action is but serenity is found in Saudi Arabia's port city March 29, 2024
Employment Saudi Arabia unemployment fell in Q4 2023 Unemployment among Saudi Arabian nationals fell to 7.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023, from 8 percent during the same period in 2022, the government said this week, reflecting the growth of the non-oil sector despite an economic contraction. Unemployment among Saudi males was 4.6 percent, which was up from 4.2 percent the year […] March 28, 2024
Employment Bahrain launches minimum wage fund to bolster youth Lawmakers in Bahrain are to spend over BD200 million ($500 million) to lift the minimum wage of the kingdom’s citizens. The government hopes it will encourage more youth into the working world and stimulate the country’s economy. The initiative, run by Bahrain’s Labour Fund, which is also known as Tamkeen, received unanimous approval from the […] March 28, 2024
Economy Qatar woos foreign talent with 5-year residency permit Qatar has launched a residency permit aimed at attracting talented individuals and entrepreneurs. The permit programme, which is expected to open in the next few months, offers five-year renewable residencies to people with expertise in specific fields including the arts and scientific research. Applicants must either have a job offer in Qatar or demonstrate financial […] March 27, 2024
People & Lifestyle Mubadala to buy pharma company Kelix Bio Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Company has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Kelix Bio, a specialty pharmaceutical business in the UAE that focuses on delivering complex generics across emerging markets. The Kelix Bio acquisition is set to boost the UAE’s global standing in life sciences, state-own Abu Dhabi Media Office reported, quoting a Mubadala statement. […] March 26, 2024
Analysis Real Estate What Dubai’s united nations of property buyers want When purchasing a property in Dubai amenities are important to Brits, while Indian buyers are all about the return on investment, according to real estate experts. Last year Dubai recorded 1.6 million real estate transactions, a record 17 percent year-on-year increase, according to data from the Dubai Land Department. The demand comes from a largely […] March 25, 2024
Opinion Media & Advertising ‘Can you change it online?’ Six things a flack should never say to a hack Journalists and PRs are on the same side, kind of – but there are red lines March 22, 2024
Media & Advertising MBC Group buys stake in Anghami Shares of the Abu-Dhabi-based music streaming company Anghami rose by more than 80 percent this week after the release of a regulatory filing revealed that Saudi media company MBC Group has acquired a 14 percent stake. MBC Group, through its arm MBC Ventures, purchased four million ordinary shares of the Nasdaq-listed company. The purchase was […] March 22, 2024
Health Aster DM says India, GCC business split nears closure Hospital chain Aster DM Healthcare has confirmed that the separation of its GCC and Indian businesses and the proposed investment in the former by a Dubai private equity firm are nearing completion. The company agreed to sell a 65 percent stake in its Gulf business to a state-backed Fajr Capital-led consortium for $1 billion in November […] March 21, 2024
Health NMC and Dubai Islamic Bank end legal dispute NMC Healthcare has reached an out-of-court settlement with Dubai Islamic Bank, ending the long-running legal dispute between the two businesses. The healthcare operator had borrowed around $400 million from DIB, which is the largest Islamic bank in the UAE. The loan used collateral known as insurance receivables, which are payments by insurance companies for medical […] March 19, 2024
Opinion Lifestyle Abu Dhabi is getting serious in its bid to lure the wealthy Competition with Dubai is about more than country club fees March 18, 2024
Economy Saudi Arabia gives $800m in Ramadan social security aid Saudi Arabia has disbursed SAR3 billion ($800 million) to around 500,000 Saudis as a one-off social security payment during the fasting month of Ramadan. The amounts were deposited directly into bank accounts of beneficiaries of social security by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, on the basis of SAR1,000 ($270) per head of […] March 18, 2024
Health ‘Smart ring’ project aims to help fight chronic health problems A wearable “health ring” is being used by a Dubai-based healthcare technology startup to help combat the Middle East region’s metabolic diseases crisis. The company, Metabolic – which brands itself as meta[bolic] – has signed a partnership with the Finnish maker of the Oura Ring, and aims to stem the billions lost in healthcare systems […] March 16, 2024
Opinion People & Lifestyle Ukrainians in the UAE reflect on two years in geopolitical limbo They are living the best life they can in tragic circumstances not of their choosing March 15, 2024
People & Lifestyle Art trumps diamonds when it comes to luxury investment For Middle East investors, works of art are worth hanging on to. Artworks have more than doubled in value over the past decade, the latest edition of the Knight Frank Global Wealth Report reveals. It was a mixed year for luxury investments last year. Whisky, cars, handbags, furniture and wine lost value. Diamonds, coins and […] March 15, 2024
Video length: 03:32 VIDEO Health The Dubai spa charging AED90,000 to increase ‘healthspan’ Clinique La Prairie opened its fifth Longevity Hub-branded spa in Dubai last month and is preparing to open a $300 million health resort in Saudi Arabia’s Amaala giga-project next year. The “medical spa” receives 60,000 clients each year from the Middle East to its luxury facility in Montreux, Switzerland for longevity and preventative medicine treatments. […] March 15, 2024
People & Lifestyle UK’s non-dom shake-up to attract high earners to Gulf There is likely to be an influx of expats and returning nationals to the Gulf as a result of the UK’s abolition of non-domicile tax status from April 2025, experts told AGBI. ‘Non-doms’ live in the UK but claim to have a permanent residence in another country, so they do not pay tax on overseas […] March 15, 2024
Media & Advertising UK’s new media law threatens UAE’s Telegraph bid A likely decision by the UK to ban foreign governments from owning British newspapers and news magazines is being seen as a setback for a UAE-backed investment company’s bid to buy the Telegraph newspaper titles. Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay announced the ban on Wednesday, saying a new law will “rule out newspaper and periodical […] March 14, 2024
Real Estate Super-rich Muslims seek homes in Saudi holy cities Wealthy Muslims are keen to take advantage of golden residency visas in Saudi Arabia to buy nearly $2 billion of property in Mecca, Medina and Riyadh, according to new research. Just over 500 high-net-worth individuals from nine countries with a sizeable Muslim population – Algeria, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore and Turkey – […] March 14, 2024
Exclusive Real Estate Dar Global spin-off to use AI in real estate marketing Dar Global, the London-listed arm of the Saudi Arabian real estate developer Dar Al Arkan, is establishing a venture dedicated to finding technological solutions to real estate companies’ biggest challenges. Ziad El Chaar, CEO of Dar Global, told AGBI that the company’s new Propgenuis spin-off would introduce tools aimed at automating social media management for […] March 13, 2024
Opinion Infrastructure Saving the old with the new: how tech can revive historic cities Technology can help protect heritage locations from multiple modern threats March 12, 2024
Opinion Media & Advertising Pay attention to consumers’ changing behaviours during Ramadan Marketers are looking at ways to understand and capitalise on the days and weeks following Eid March 11, 2024