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Saudi energy giant Saudi Aramco has begun output from the first phase of its vast Jafurah gas field, signalling a major milestone in the Kingdom’s shift toward natural gas. The project, valued at around $100 billion, has an initial production capacity of 450 million cubic feet per day, according to the Saudi Finance Ministry’s 2026 budget statement.

The field holds an estimated 229 trillion standard cubic feet of raw gas along with 75 billion stock tank barrels of condensate—making Jafurah the largest non-associated gas development in Saudi Arabia and among the largest shale-gas plays outside the United States.

Completion of the first development phase allows Aramco to begin supplying sales gas domestically. The company plans to ramp production gradually and aims to reach a sustainable output of 2 billion cubic feet per day by 2030.

To support its gas-processing infrastructure, Aramco earlier sealed an $11 billion lease-and-leaseback agreement with a consortium led by Global Infrastructure Partners, part of BlackRock. Under the deal, a newly formed subsidiary, Jafurah Midstream Gas Company, will lease the processing and fractionation facilities — which Aramco will then lease back for a 20-year period. Aramco retains majority ownership with a 51% stake, while the investor group holds 49%. The transaction is designed to inject capital without constraining production volumes.

Aramco’s move reflects a broader strategic shift. By ramping up gas production, the company aims to reduce domestic reliance on crude oil for power generation — thereby freeing more crude for export. Gas from Jafurah is expected not only to meet domestic power and utility needs but also to provide feedstock for petrochemicals, hydrogen, and potentially emerging sectors such as AI data-centres.

Analysts view Jafurah as a potential game-changer for both Saudi Arabia and global gas markets. With reserves comparable to major U. S. shale plays and a projected daily output of 2 bcf by 2030, the project could make Saudi Arabia a more prominent natural-gas exporter or LNG player — a significant rebalancing from its traditional role as an oil-dominated supplier.

Through this transformation, Aramco underlines its long-term aim of reinventing its energy portfolio — aligning with efforts to diversify the country’s economy and meet shifting global demand patterns.

The government of Saudi Arabia expects its borrowing to increase next year, driven by ongoing financing needs and a broad backdrop of monetary easing, according to a projection by CI Capital. The analysis suggests that softer interest rates and tightening liquidity could compel Riyadh to tap debt markets once again to meet fiscal and development commitments. Total government spending in the approved 2026 budget stands at 1.31 […]

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange Group has launched a new index — the FTSE ADX Dividend Stars Index — aimed at giving investors exposure to companies listed on ADX with strong dividend records. The index, now live, initially comprises 17 constituent companies selected for their consistent dividend performance and diversified operations across multiple sectors of Abu Dhabi’s economy. Those 17 constituents accounted for […]

An East-meets-West digital fashion experience — uniting Paris Fashion Week insights with local talent in a fun, future-forward showcase for all ages, driving Hong Kong’s digital economy From 22 November – 2 December 2025 at AIRSIDE Gate33 Gallery HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 4 December 2025 – Organised by the Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC), curated by digital fashion innovator FabriX, and sponsored by […]

Finding the best conference room in Abu Dhabi is essential for hosting productive meetings, impactful presentations, and memorable corporate events. As the emirate continues to grow as a global business hub, its meeting and event spaces have evolved to match world class standards.  Whether you are planning a board meeting, training session, investor presentation, or full scale corporate gathering, Abu Dhabi offers state of the art venues […]

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 December 2025 – XTransfer, World’s Leading B2B Cross-Border Trade Payment Platform, announces the publication of the industry’s first Unified Global B2B Trade Settlement Network and Risk Control Platform Whitepaper. The whitepaper presents an end-to-end framework designed to resolve long-standing inefficiencies in B2B cross-border payments and establish a secure, scalable, and standardized global trade infrastructure for SMEs. X-Net, a […]

Belgium has rejected a proposal by the European Union to channel frozen Russian assets toward a major financial aid package for Ukraine, dealing a blow to efforts aimed at sustaining Kyiv’s war-time finances. The plan envisioned a €140 billion “reparations loan,” backed by immobilised Russian central-bank reserves held largely in Belgium’s Euroclear, but Belgian leaders argued the risks are too high—legal, financial and reputational.

The opposition centres on statements from Bart De Wever, Belgium’s prime minister, who described the plan as “fundamentally flawed”. He warned that using the frozen assets at this stage could trigger lawsuits, force Belgium to shoulder massive liabilities, and destabilise confidence in the euro. De Wever rejected broad incentives offered by the European Commission and demanded legally binding guarantees from other EU member states before any commitment.

Backing Ukraine with frozen Russian funds had gained traction as European leaders scrambled to meet Kyiv’s projected needs through 2026–2027. Analysts estimate that Ukraine faces a budget shortfall of more than €135 billion over the next two years, with defence expenditures alone ballooning. The EU had considered not just using interest on the frozen assets — which has supported a G7-backed aid programme so far — but deploying the assets themselves as collateral to unlock large-scale funding.

Yet the European Central Bank has refused to provide emergency liquidity for the proposed loan, citing its mandate forbidding direct monetary financing to governments under EU treaties. The refusal undermines the viability of the scheme, especially since liquidity back-stops were meant to reassure markets and protect institutions like Euroclear from sudden liability.

Some EU member states and financial experts contended that employing frozen assets would free up taxpayer money and symbolically re-affirm Europe’s stance that Russia must pay for its aggression. Academics have pointed out how using immobilised reserves could offer Ukraine immediate relief without expanding EU sovereign debt. The Commission is reportedly exploring fallback options, such as joint borrowing backed by the EU budget or bilateral loans, but those alternatives are expected to carry higher costs and slower disbursement timelines.

Opposing countries argue the plan violates property rights, jeopardises investor confidence and could provoke Russian retaliation, both legally and economically. Euroclear itself has warned of potential lawsuits and damage to its reputation as a global securities depository if assets are re-purposed in this way.

With less than three weeks remaining before a planned EU summit, Belgium’s refusal complicates efforts to finalise a unified approach. Brussels appears unlikely to shift position without assurances that risks will be shared evenly — a prospect many member states view as tantamount to signing a blank cheque.

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SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 December 2025 – As Singapore’s economy continues to evolve, the pursuit of education is no longer a linear journey. For many learners, choosing between full-time and part-time study has become a pivotal decision, one that shapes long-term career prospects, financial planning, and personal development. At the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM), flexibility is a core commitment. Offering over 140 full-time […]

BALI, INDONESIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 December 2025 – The winners of the 2025 Asia Corporate Excellence & Sustainability Awards (ACES) were announced in Bali, Indonesia. He Eye Specialist Hospital Group (HESH), Stock Code: 301103, a technology-driven publicly listed company in China’s eye health sector, was named a winner. The ACES awards aim to recognize Asian enterprises that set benchmarks in resilience, innovation, and sustainable […]

The grip of Chromium on the global browser ecosystem has grown so wide that many users now assume every modern browser is built on Google’s open-source architecture. That perception has taken root partly because major names such as Microsoft Edge, Opera, Brave, Vivaldi and Arc all rely on Chromium’s Blink rendering engine, creating a sense that browsing itself has become synonymous with Google-aligned foundations. The dominance is […]

Concerns over Oracle Corporation’s massive borrowing to fund its artificial-intelligence ambitions have pushed its debt instruments into territory unseen since the 2008 financial crisis. The company’s bonds have sold off, yields on maturing notes have climbed, and its credit default swap spreads have surged — signalling growing investor anxiety about the sustainability of its heavy spending on cloud and AI infrastructure. The sell-off follows disclosure that Oracle […]

Greenlogue/AP New Murabba, the massive urban redevelopment project in Riyadh, has formalised a partnership with the US Green Building Council to embed global sustainability standards into its design, construction and operations. The memorandum of understanding signed between the two organisations establishes a framework to explore how international systems such as LEED — including its latest LEED v5 as well as LEED for Communities — can be applied […]

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Saudi Arabia approved its 2026 state budget, confirming total government expenditure at 1.31 trillion riyals and setting revenues at approximately 1.15 trillion riyals, signalling a planned deficit of 165 billion riyals—equivalent to 3.3 percent of gross domestic product. The projected spending level is only marginally lower than the 2025 outlay, reflecting a continued commitment to funding national priorities and long-term economic diversification. Forecasts […]

Geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty, tariffs, and cyber risks pose liability challenges for the boards of corporations of all sizes. The increasing number of insolvencies around the globe is becoming a major issue for executives. Claims severity and settlement costs are increasing, especially in the US, while the commercial financial lines insurance market remains highly dynamic. SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 December 2025 – Around the […]

HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 December 2025 – In December 2025, UnionPay International (UPI) and the National Payment Corporation of Vietnam (NAPAS) officially launched a pilot program for cross-border QR payments connecting China and Vietnam. This program aims to further enhance the mobile payment experience for Chinese tourists in Vietnam and foster closer economic, trade, and cultural exchanges between the two countries. In October […]

The Arab Investment & Export Credit Guarantee Corporation reported that the collective gross domestic product of Arab countries rose by 1.7 percent to about US$3.8 trillion in 2025, even as the region grappled with significant geopolitical tensions. The bulk of the growth remained concentrated in a handful of large economies — Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Algeria and Iraq — which together account for nearly 73 […]

Abu Dhabi-headquartered Mubadala Energy and PLN Energi Primer Indonesia have formalised a Heads of Agreement to supply natural gas from the Andaman Sea, a step set to reshape Indonesia’s energy supply landscape. The arrangement centres on output from the Tangkulo gas field, located roughly 65 kilometres off North Sumatra, which is estimated to hold over two trillion cubic feet of gas-in-place. Under the pact, resources from Tangkulo […]

Iraq’s Oil Ministry has launched a formal process to invite a handful of major US oil companies to directly negotiate the takeover of the 75 percent stake in the West Qurna-2 oil field — currently held by Lukoil — following international sanctions imposed on the Russian company. The ministry’s announcement emphasises that transferring control to a US operator would support global market stability while preserving Iraq’s vital […]

OceanX has completed its first research mission in Timor-Leste, carrying out fourteen days of integrated science and exploration across the northern coast and Atauro Island region. Dili, Timor-Leste – Media OutReach Newswire – 2 December 2025 – The mission brought together scientists from KAUST, the University of Florida, the University of Western Australia, and Timorese counterparts to investigate biodiversity, whale ecology, and seafloor structure in one of […]

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi for a two-day visit aimed at reviving and expanding energy and defence cooperation with India. His agenda includes proposals for increased Russian oil exports alongside renewed offers of missile systems and fighter jets, as part of efforts to restore ties challenged by global pressure on Moscow.

The visit coincides with heightened scrutiny of India’s oil and weapon imports from Russia, but also signals Moscow’s determination to deepen the “special and privileged strategic partnership” with New Delhi. Kremlin officials, including Russia’s deputy prime minister overseeing trade, emphasised that the India-Russia forum planned around the summit would explore ways to diversify bilateral trade, extend industrial cooperation and foster joint investments across high-technology and raw-material sectors.

On offer are new arms deals including advanced air-defence platforms and additional batches of combat aircraft. Negotiations are expected to cover the procurement of more units of the S-400 missile system and potential acquisition of fifth-generation Su-57 jets and the next-generation S-500 air-defence shield. Although India has widened its defence procurement sources over recent years, Moscow remains one of its leading suppliers, bolstered by long-standing familiarity and legacy hardware in the armed forces. Analysts note that these proposed arms deals would reaffirm Russia’s influence in India’s defence posture, even as New Delhi attempts to balance Western and Russian dependencies.

Energy cooperation is another key pillar. Russia is offering discounted crude oil supplies under new trade arrangements, including through intermediaries and possibly via joint ventures or extraction projects in Russia’s Far East and Arctic regions. This appears geared toward circumventing Western sanctions on Russian energy exports, while ensuring that India retains access to competitively priced hydrocarbons. At the same time, Indian officials are conscious of growing trade imbalances caused by large-scale Russian imports and have flagged the need to augment Indian exports to Russia, particularly in equipment, raw materials and food products.

Efforts to revive large-scale trade go beyond energy and defence. The India-Russia forum accompanying the summit is expected to chart cooperation in civil nuclear projects, space technology, and high-tech industrial ventures. Signals from the Russian side underscore a long-term vision of a resilient, multifaceted partnership rooted in historical ties. While geopolitical pressures from Western capitals and tariffs on Indian goods pose real challenges, both Moscow and New Delhi appear keen to insulate their bilateral engagement from external strains.

Tesla is advancing a bold push toward delivering unsupervised Full Self-Driving to customers before the end of 2025, riding on technological progress, regulatory shifts and a faster rollout of robotaxi services. CEO Elon Musk recently reiterated the company’s commitment to achieving true autonomy, underpinning Tesla’s ambition to transform mobility globally. The company’s roadmap has gained momentum as its robotaxi programme — launched in June 2025 in Austin, […]

Growing sophistication in artificial-intelligence driven video and audio forgery has sent shockwaves through financial systems and public trust alike, with 2025 emerging as a watershed year in deepfake-enabled fraud. Losses tied to deepfake scams are widely estimated at over $50 billion annually — a stark indicator of how rapidly cybercrime is evolving. Fake videos that convincingly mimic celebrities, corporate executives or even family members are now being […]

Amazon has begun shipping its most advanced phased-array terminal, dubbed Leo Ultra, to select enterprise customers as part of a preview programme for its satellite broadband service Amazon Leo — the rebranded successor to Project Kuiper. The company claims the terminal can deliver download speeds up to 1 gigabit per second and upload speeds reaching 400 megabits per second, representing a bold push to challenge incumbent players […]

At the third edition of the Saudi International Handicrafts Week, held at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh, veteran craftsperson Wu Jianmei rose to the spotlight as exhibitors and visitors gathered to experience global artistry. Wu Jianmei took a seat in the bright red-themed China pavilion, her fingers deftly guiding a needle in a demonstration of Xiang embroidery — a traditional art form that has earned her acclaim over a career spanning more than four decades. Her calm poise and meticulous stitching drew a steady stream of visitors who paused to watch each slender thread breathe life into the fabric.

Organised by Heritage Commission, Banan has brought together over 400 artisans representing more than 40 countries for 2025. China holds the title of Guest of Honour, a symbolic showcase of its cultural heritage in a pavilion designed to present more than a thousand handmade pieces alongside live craft demonstrations. The pavilion features lacquerware, fan-making, batik techniques and complex embroidery — each presented by skilled heritage bearers chosen to represent China’s rich craft traditions.

China’s role this year coincides with the 35th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia, as well as the designation of 2025 as the Year of Handicrafts in the Kingdom. Officials accompanying the Chinese delegation underscored the ambition to promote cross-cultural understanding and elevate artisanal craftsmanship within a broader creative economy. Among those present was the Chinese ambassador, who visited the China pavilion and praised the global scope of the event and the Kingdom’s support for heritage-driven cultural exchange.

Visitors to Banan were drawn not only to the China pavilion but to a wider tapestry of worldwide craftsmanship. Traditional techniques from Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Oman, Bahrain and Jordan featured prominently, alongside booths from European, African, Asian, and Middle Eastern artisans. Demonstrations ranged across wood carving, clay pottery, metalwork, weaving and shadow-puppet craft.

A special interactive zone called “Banan Story” offered families and children an opportunity to engage hands-on with materials and tools under guided supervision, helping younger attendees connect playfully with global craft techniques. This initiative reflects a broader strategy by the Heritage Commission to foster intergenerational appreciation of handcrafts, encouraging younger audiences to explore cultural diversity through creativity.

For many, Wu Jianmei’s presence at Banan served as a powerful cultural bridge. Her Xiang embroidery pieces — delicate and intricate — symbolised a living history: patterns and stitches that carried stories of generations. Locals and expatriates alike watched in quiet admiration as the needle moved, building intricate motifs destined for display or sale. Her work has previously been exhibited in major institutions, a testament to her stature in the heritage-arts community.

VISHNU RAJA
RYO YAMADA
HITORI GOTOH
IKUYO KITA
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