Category: Latest Updates

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

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai International Airport’s passenger recovery accelerated through the second quarter, with traffic climbing month by month as airlines restored capacity and international connections began returning after severe disruption to Gulf aviation earlier this year.DXB handled 13 million passengers between April and June. Monthly volumes increased from 3.5 million in April to 4.5 million in May and 5 million in June, a rise of about 43 per cent between the first and final month of the quarter.

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai WETEX 2026 will give greater prominence to advanced water technologies as Dubai seeks to strengthen water security, expand efficient desalination and accelerate the use of artificial intelligence in utility networks.The 28th Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition, organised by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, will run from 20 to 22 October at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The exhibition is being held under the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank’s board has approved plans to raise up to Dh1.75 billion through a rights issue, strengthening its capital base as the lender pursues faster expansion under its Vision 2035 strategy.The proposed transaction will involve the issuance of as many as 106.38 million new ordinary shares at Dh16.45 each. The subscription price represents a discount of about 28.8 per cent to ADIB’s closing price of Dh23.10 on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange on

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai’s Museum of the Future will close temporarily from September 1 as it begins its most extensive transformation since opening, replacing its main exhibitions with a new generation of immersive experiences scheduled to debut in early 2027.The landmark attraction has urged visitors to see its existing exhibitions before the end of August, bringing forward an earlier indication that the current visitor experience would remain available until around mid-September. Work on the redesigned museum will begin after

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai France and Saudi Arabia have unveiled a €6 billion leisure development near Paris that is expected to include three theme parks, with a flagship attraction built around the Dragon Ball manga and anime universe.The project will be developed around Cergy-Pontoise, about 30 kilometres northwest of the French capital, and is expected to create about 22,000 direct jobs. Qiddiya Investment Company, the Saudi entertainment and development group backed by the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, is set to

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai GEMS Education students have delivered another strong set of GCSE and IGCSE results, with 30 per cent of entries securing the highest 9-8/A grades and almost half reaching the 9-7/A-A benchmark across 23 non-selective schools.More than 4,250 students received results covering nearly 30,000 subject entries, with 48 per cent awarded grades 9-7/A*-A. The group recorded 4,177 Grade 9 awards, the highest grade available under the numerical GCSE grading system.The results marked a clear improvement from 2025,

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai’s landmark Toyota Building on Sheikh Zayed Road is set to be demolished in 2027, ending more than half a century as one of the city’s most familiar visual reference points.Officially named the Nasser Rashid Lootah Building, the 15-storey property is being progressively cleared ahead of demolition. Residents holding valid rental contracts can remain until December 2026, while other occupants have already begun moving out as management winds down operations at the ageing tower.The building dates

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Investcorp has acquired 20Cube 3PL Solutions for about ₹500 crore, strengthening the Bahrain-based alternative investment firm’s position in India’s expanding contract logistics market.The transaction gives Investcorp control of 20Cube’s domestic contract logistics operations while its founders, Anand Seetharaman and Ranjan Kedia, will continue to lead the business. The partnership plans to expand the company’s warehousing network, broaden its services and pursue acquisitions as manufacturers increasingly outsource supply-chain operations.Investcorp and 20Cube are also considering deploying a further

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Galva Hub Metal Coating is moving towards commissioning one of the UAE’s biggest hot-dip galvanising facilities after receiving 825 tonnes of zinc at its plant within Metal Park in Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi.The zinc delivery represents a key step before the large galvanising kettle can enter commercial operation. The metal will be melted inside the facility’s main processing bath, allowing Galva Hub to begin full-scale hot-dip galvanising of structural steel and other fabricated products. Operational

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Abu Dhabi National Oil Company has launched its ninth spot crude tender since the beginning of June, extending an unusually active sales campaign as the company seeks to keep supplies moving despite severe disruption around the Strait of Hormuz.The latest tender offers Upper Zakum, Umm Lulu and Das crude for loading in October and November. Bids are due by August 24 and will remain valid until August 26. Buyers are being offered several loading and transfer

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Dubai’s tourism sector is poised for a stronger final quarter of 2026 as international airlines restore services and additional capacity, providing a critical boost to hotel demand ahead of the winter travel season.The improvement in air connectivity is expected to lift hotel occupancy after a difficult first half marked by disruption to regional aviation and weaker international arrivals. Emirates has restored about 85 per cent of its pre-conflict capacity and continues to add flights, strengthening

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Saudi Arabia increased its holdings of US Treasury securities by about $2.2 billion in June, lifting the portfolio to $142.5 billion and extending the Kingdom’s position among the largest overseas investors in US government debt.The June increase followed holdings of about $140.3 billion in May and left Saudi Arabia ranked 17th among foreign holders of Treasuries. The portfolio remained heavily weighted towards longer-dated securities, with $108.6 billion invested in long-term bonds and notes, equivalent to about

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai US emergency crude holdings have fallen below 300 million barrels for the first time in more than four decades as Washington continues drawing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to cushion energy markets from Middle East supply disruptions.Stocks in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve dropped by about 5.3 million barrels during the week ended August 14 to 293.4 million barrels. That was the lowest level since December 1982 and marked another sharp reduction in the emergency

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Saudi Arabia will host more than 2,200 participants from 100 countries in Riyadh for the 21st IDRA World Congress on Desalination and Water Reuse, placing water security, desalination technology and reuse at the centre of an international policy and investment gathering.The congress, scheduled for November 1-5, will be held in Saudi Arabia for the first time and hosted by the Saudi Water Authority under the patronage of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. More

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai The United States and Iran had not confirmed an extension of their 60-day peace framework on Monday, despite reports that the two sides had agreed to prolong the arrangement as its August 17 deadline arrived. Current reporting instead indicated that the negotiating period had expired without a broader settlement.The conflicting accounts injected fresh uncertainty into efforts to contain the conflict and restore normal commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Reports of an extension have

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai XRG has entered Venezuela’s energy sector after securing an interest in the offshore Loran gas licence, extending Abu Dhabi National Oil Company’s international investment arm deeper into Latin America’s natural gas and liquefied natural gas market.The Abu Dhabi-based company will participate alongside BP and UCC Oil and Gas Holding in the second phase of Loran, a large offshore gas resource within Venezuela’s Plataforma Deltana area. BP will operate the project, while the three partners are

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai ADQ has proposed buying all remaining shares in AD Ports Group for cash, potentially giving Abu Dhabi’s sovereign investment structure full ownership of one of the emirate’s most important ports, shipping and logistics businesses.The Abu Dhabi investment company, whose assets and investments were brought under the umbrella of sovereign investment platform L’IMAD earlier this year, holds about 75.42% of AD Ports Group. It plans a voluntary conditional cash tender offer for the approximately 24.58% it does

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai IntrospeXion is expanding psychological support for workers in demanding UAE operating environments, deepening its engagement with offshore and onshore teams as companies place greater emphasis on mental wellbeing, resilience and human performance.The specialist workplace mental health consultancy has been working with Blu Subsea Diving Services, a Dubai-headquartered subsea services company, providing support to employees exposed to the pressures associated with offshore, marine and other safety-critical operations. Blu Subsea confirmed that IntrospeXion founder and mental health and

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai The UAE is accelerating its push into global markets through a rapidly expanding network of trade agreements designed to strengthen non-oil exports, attract investment and give domestic businesses easier access to major economies.The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement programme has grown to 38 agreements since its launch in September 2021, extending the country's commercial reach across Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. Eighteen agreements are now in force, while others are moving through signing, ratification and implementation

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Iran has resumed crude loading at Kharg Island’s western terminal after a 25-day interruption, signalling a cautious restart at its main oil-export hub while Tehran expands alternative maritime and land-linked routes to reduce its exposure to the Strait of Hormuz blockade.Satellite imagery showed a very large crude carrier, or VLCC, berthed at the western terminal on August 12, the first vessel there since July 18. The tanker, about 333 metres long, had remained in the

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Riyadh has hosted an international education symposium aimed at giving young people a stronger role in defining what quality, excellence and fairness should mean in future education systems.The UNESCO Regional Center for Quality and Excellence in Education organised the event in cooperation with Yemen’s Ministry of Education as part of International Youth Day 2026. The programme brought together young people, education policymakers, researchers, experts and representatives of educational, youth and international institutions, with discussions centred

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai The UAE has pledged to defend its sovereignty and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz after another Adnoc vessel was attacked while crossing the strategic waterway, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s determination to keep its energy trade moving despite escalating maritime threats.Dr Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, said repeated attacks on Adnoc tankers would not force the country to change its approach. He said the UAE would continue pursuing a policy combining deterrence,