Category: Latest Updates

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai Multi Commodities Centre has formally brought the world’s largest silver bar into regulated tokenised investment, allowing eligible investors to buy fractional digital interests linked to the 1,971kg Guinness World Record asset.The launch makes the bar the first tokenised commodity asset issued under the DMCC-Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority tokenisation framework, advancing Dubai’s push to create regulated markets for real-world assets represented digitally.Tokinvest, a Dubai-based virtual asset platform regulated by VARA, is issuing the fractional interests as

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Abu Dhabi has introduced the Gulf region’s first Digital Skills Card, giving employers and regulators a blockchain-backed way to verify professional qualifications and skills through a QR code.The Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council, or QCC, launched the credential with Union Assessment and Quality Accreditation, known as UAC, on Monday. Each card is tied to a certification awarded through personnel conformity programmes accredited by QCC and delivered by UAC, creating a digitally verifiable record that professionals

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Saudi low-cost carrier flynas has agreed to acquire a 10 per cent stake in Swissport Saudi Arabia for about SAR50 million, pairing the investment with a five-year exclusive ground-handling agreement covering its network across the kingdom.The transaction, signed on September 6 and disclosed to the Saudi Exchange on Monday, also gives flynas an option to buy an additional 10 per cent of Swissport Saudi Arabia when the handling agreement is renewed. Completion of the share purchase

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Oman and Yemen have signed two agreements to connect the electricity grids of Dhofar and Al Mahra, opening a cross-border supply route designed to improve power reliability in eastern Yemen.The agreements, concluded in Salalah on Sunday, cover an interconnection between Oman’s Dhofar Governorate network and the grid serving Yemen’s Al Mahra Governorate. The project will initially supply Hawf and Shahn before extending service to Al Ghaydah, the provincial capital, according to official statements from both sides.Hawf

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Etihad Salam Telecom Company signed 29 strategic partnerships during LEAP 2026 in Riyadh, using the four-day technology gathering to widen its portfolio across connectivity, cloud services, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and enterprise digital solutions.The company, known as Salam, said the agreements formed the centrepiece of its participation as a strategic sponsor and supported its shift from a traditional telecommunications provider towards an integrated digital transformation partner for government bodies, companies and communities across Saudi Arabia.Salam’s chief executive,

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Bahrain has signed its Participation Contract for Expo 2030 Riyadh, establishing the formal framework for its pavilion, programmes and visitor experience at the six-month World Expo.The agreement, signed in Manama on September 3, moves Bahrain’s participation from confirmation and preparatory work into detailed planning and implementation. It was signed by Sheikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, president of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, and Talal Al-Marri, chief executive officer of Expo 2030 Riyadh.Under the

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has established Gulf Coast Development Company to build a large tourism and residential destination along the Al-Khafji coastline near Kuwait, extending the sovereign wealth fund’s investment drive into the northern Eastern Province.PIF said on Monday the new company would develop the project with private-sector partners and local and regional investors, targeting demand for housing, hospitality and tourism facilities in an area positioned to attract visitors from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Saudi Arabia is preparing to give the International Atomic Energy Agency enhanced verification and monitoring powers over sensitive nuclear activities under its planned civil nuclear partnership with the United States, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said on Monday.Grossi said the arrangements being developed would not amount to Saudi Arabia formally adopting the IAEA Additional Protocol, the agency’s standard instrument for expanded inspections. However, he said the planned authorisations would be “very, very similar” to some of

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Burjeel Specialty Hospital has introduced Sharjah’s first positron emission tomography/computed tomography service, giving cancer patients in the emirate access to advanced molecular imaging for diagnosis, staging, treatment planning and follow-up.The PET/CT service operates within the hospital’s Nuclear Medicine Department and is integrated with Burjeel Cancer Institute, linking imaging findings with multidisciplinary oncology teams. The hospital said the arrangement is intended to allow patients to complete specialised scans in Sharjah rather than travel to another emirate for

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai OPEC+ producers have agreed to keep their October oil production quotas unchanged, resisting pressure for another supply adjustment as war-related disruptions continue to remove millions of barrels a day from Middle Eastern output.Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman decided at a virtual meeting on Sunday to maintain September’s required production levels through October, OPEC said. The seven countries also reaffirmed their commitment to full compliance with the wider OPEC+ agreement and said they

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Emirates has introduced an electrically powered Premium Economy seat with a full-height adjustable privacy divider, a feature the Dubai carrier says is a world first for the cabin category.The seat is debuting on newly delivered Airbus A350 aircraft and marks Emirates’ first fully electric Premium Economy product. Passengers can raise or lower the divider using seat controls and lock it at the desired height, creating greater separation while resting, dining or working.The upgraded A350 Premium Economy

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Kuwait Finance House-Bahrain has joined Fintech Forward 2026 as a Diamond Sponsor, adding its backing to the fourth edition of Bahrain’s flagship financial services forum scheduled for October 7 and 8.The bank said it will also operate a pavilion in the exhibition area at Exhibition World Bahrain, where visitors will be able to learn about its digital banking services and technology-led offerings.Fintech Forward 2026 is hosted by the Bahrain Economic Development Board and supported by the

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai The UAE has approved the rollout of an artificial intelligence curriculum across all public and private schools, pairing classroom instruction with large-scale teacher training and a new AI-assisted decision-making system for the federal Cabinet.The decision, announced after a Cabinet meeting chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, makes AI education part of the national school framework across all stages. The curriculum is designed to

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Al Mazunah Free Zone has lifted cumulative investment above OMR141 million after localising four new projects in the first half of 2026, according to figures released by its operator, the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates, or Madayn.The four projects carry investment of more than OMR620,000 and cover industrial and logistics activities as well as export offices. Together they will occupy more than 2,415 square metres, adding to the zone’s leased area, which now exceeds 1.4

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Ajman has completed a three-city tourism roadshow across Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad, using the campaign to deepen commercial ties with travel companies and promote the emirate more prominently in UAE holiday itineraries sold in India.The Ajman Department of Tourism, Culture and Media said the programme, held from August 30 to September 4, brought together travel agents, tour operators and other tourism partners for business-to-business meetings, destination presentations and workshops. The department used the events to present

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Jazan University has launched a project to establish the Jazan Future Skills Center, partnering with Atomcamp Arabia under the sponsorship of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology during LEAP 2026.The university said the centre is intended to accelerate technology localisation, develop specialised local expertise and strengthen national capabilities in artificial intelligence and other digital fields. It will also support entrepreneurship, startups and closer links between academic training and industry needs in the Jazan region.Jazan

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dell Technologies and Armada have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop containerised mobile and edge data centre solutions across Saudi Arabia, targeting organisations that need computing and storage capacity close to operations.The agreement, announced on Friday after being signed during LEAP 2026 in Riyadh, sets a framework for combining Dell’s enterprise hardware and infrastructure stack with Armada’s specialised mobile, containerised data centre systems. The companies said the model is intended for projects requiring rapid, flexible

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Nasdaq Dubai has listed $713 million of dual-currency green bonds issued by Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited through its Dubai International Financial Centre branch, adding another sizeable sustainable debt transaction to the exchange.The offering was issued under ICBC’s $20 billion Global Medium Term Note Programme and comprises two three-year tranches carrying the theme China-Arab States Renewable Energy Cooperation. The first is a $300 million floating-rate note priced at the Secured Overnight Financing Rate, or

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai stc Bahrain has signed a strategic partnership with Tata Consultancy Services to transform its IT operations, introducing managed services and advanced automation as the telecoms provider seeks a more scalable, resilient digital infrastructure.The agreement, announced during LEAP 2026 in Riyadh, will focus on modernising stc Bahrain’s technology landscape and establishing what the company describes as a future-ready operating model. The programme is intended to improve organisational agility, system reliability and service delivery while creating a technology

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Keeta Drone has resumed commercial drone deliveries in Dubai after securing regulatory approvals from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, restarting service from Silicon Central Mall to eligible areas around Dubai Silicon Oasis.The company said customers can place food orders through the Keeta app from participating restaurants and beverage outlets, with autonomous drones carrying eligible deliveries to designated collection points. Orders can be collected from lockers at Rochester Institute of Technology Dubai or at the Emirates Building

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai The UAE’s non-oil private sector expanded at its fastest pace since December 2024 in August, as stronger demand and output lifted business conditions despite continued caution over hiring.The seasonally adjusted S&P Global UAE Purchasing Managers’ Index rose to 55.3 from 52.7 in July, moving further above the 50 threshold that separates expansion from contraction. The reading marked a second successive monthly acceleration and pointed to a marked improvement in operating conditions across the non-oil economy.New business

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai TotalEnergies and ExxonMobil will hold dedicated procurement workshops in Luanda on September 8, giving Angolan suppliers direct access to information on contracting requirements and opportunities linked to the companies’ upstream operations.The sessions form part of the pre-conference programme for Angola Oil & Gas 2026, whose main conference and exhibition will run on September 9 and 10 at the Centro de Convenções de Talatona. Organisers say the workshops are intended to help domestic service providers understand procurement

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Qatar’s economy contracted 7 per cent year on year in the first quarter of 2026 as conflict-driven disruptions sharply reduced hydrocarbon production, official data showed, overwhelming continued growth across much of the non-energy economy.Gross domestic product fell to 170.8 billion riyals from a revised 183.7 billion riyals in the first three months of 2025, according to figures released by Qatar’s National Planning Council. Compared with the fourth quarter of 2025, output declined 7.9 per cent.The

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Jordanian air defences intercepted and destroyed eight missiles early Monday as Iran launched retaliatory attacks against US military facilities in Jordan following an American strike on Iranian forces near the Strait of Hormuz.The Jordan Armed Forces said the missiles had penetrated the kingdom’s airspace and were destroyed before they could threaten civilians or property. Its statement did not identify the missiles’ origin, but it came shortly after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had launched

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai The Central Bank of the UAE has ordered a special and urgent examination of Banque Misr’s branches in the country after US authorities identified the lender’s UAE operations as a primary money laundering concern and proposed cutting their access to the US financial system.The regulator said the examination would include a forensic, in-depth lookback covering the period cited by US authorities, with particular focus on transactions involving companies named in the American statement. It is also

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Gulf companies are pouring money into artificial intelligence, but many are finding that rapid adoption is not translating into measurable financial returns as weak data foundations, fragmented technology systems and governance gaps constrain deployment at scale.Around 84% of organisations across the Gulf are using AI in some form, yet only about 11% have reached a level where scaled deployments are producing clearly measurable value. The gap is sharpening scrutiny of spending decisions as executives move

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Jordan’s industrial exports to the UAE jumped 29% in the first half of 2026, adding about JD45 million to their value as manufacturers expanded sales across major regional and global markets.The increase implies industrial shipments to the UAE reached roughly JD200 million during the January-June period, compared with about JD155 million a year earlier. The JD45 million gain is equivalent to about 233 million UAE dirhams and came as Jordan’s overall industrial exports advanced 8.9%.Total

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Emirati women held shares worth about Dh39 billion on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange at the end of July, accounting for 94 per cent of the value of all shares owned by women on the market and underscoring their growing weight in the UAE’s capital markets.Close to 125,000 active Emirati women investors participate on ADX, placing them at the centre of an expanding pool of individual investors as Abu Dhabi seeks to deepen its capital markets

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Abu Dhabi is strengthening international partnerships on water and energy resilience as it seeks to translate its integrated resource-management model into practical cooperation with governments, regulators, researchers and technology companies worldwide.The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy used World Water Week 2026 in Stockholm to present the emirate’s approach to protecting water supplies, improving energy efficiency and building infrastructure capable of maintaining essential services amid climate, population and economic pressures.The delegation was led by Dr Abdullah Humaid

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Americana Restaurants International Plc has signed an exclusive development agreement to bring Taco Bell back to the UAE, opening the way for a phased expansion of the Mexican-inspired quick-service restaurant brand into additional GCC markets.The UAE will be the first market developed under the agreement with Taco Bell UK and Europe Ltd, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands Inc. The partners have not disclosed the number of restaurants planned, the locations of the first outlets or

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Bayut has launched an artificial intelligence-powered search feature that allows UAE property seekers to describe the homes they want in everyday language, reducing their dependence on conventional menus and filters.Called AI Search, the tool lets buyers, tenants and investors enter detailed requests covering location, budget, property type, number of bedrooms, amenities and lifestyle preferences. A user could, for example, ask for a two-bedroom apartment in Dubai Marina with a sea view below a specified budget

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Federal government employees in the UAE will be allowed to adjust their working hours as children return to classrooms for the 2026-2027 academic year, giving parents greater scope to manage school drop-offs and pick-ups without disrupting government services.The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources has issued its annual “Back to School” policy to ministries and federal entities, setting out flexible attendance arrangements for employees with school-age children. The measures take effect as most pupils prepare to

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Venezuela is weighing whether to leave OPEC, raising fresh questions about the producer group’s cohesion only months after the United Arab Emirates ended its membership and further weakening the organisation’s hold over global oil supply.No final decision has been taken in Caracas, but the possibility has emerged during discussions with US officials as Venezuela seeks to rebuild its battered petroleum industry and attract large-scale foreign investment. A withdrawal would carry particular symbolic weight because Venezuela was

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Qatar Investment Authority has backed autonomous trucking company Gatik in a $200 million funding round aimed at expanding driverless freight operations across major North American supply chains.The Series D financing was co-led by QIA and Koch Disruptive Technologies, with Millennium Management, ARK Invest, Intact Private Capital and Arca Continental among the other participants. Gatik plans to use the capital to expand its commercial fleet, technology infrastructure and workforce as retailers and consumer goods companies seek additional