RIYADH: Saudi Arabia continued to record robust business activity in March with the authorities approving 18 requests for economic concentration, official data showed. Last month, as many as 17 concentration requests were submitted to the General Authority for Competition. The authority also oversaw a notable influx of cross-border deals, encompassing 10 acquisitions, five joint ventures, … Read more
MOGADISHU: Somalia’s parliament has unanimously approved proposals to overhaul the country’s electoral system to reintroduce universal suffrage, a plan that has been criticized by some leading politicians. Last March, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud pledged to end the complex clan-based indirect voting system in place for more than half a century in the troubled Horn of Africa … Read more
CAIRO: Egypt received approval on Friday from the International Monetary Fund’s executive board for an expanded, $8 billion financial support program that enables the immediate release of $820 million, the IMF said in a statement.
BEIRUT: A war monitor said Israeli air strikes Friday on Syria’s Aleppo province killed at least 42 including 36 Syrian soldiers, the deadliest toll for the army since the Israel-Hamas war began. Israel has launched hundreds of air strikes in Syria since civil war there broke out in 2011, targeting army positions as well as … Read more
RIYADH: New energy and infrastructure projects in Nigeria and Malaysia will receive a funding boost, following the approval of $225 million in financing by the Islamic Development Bank. The developments, given the green light by IsDB President and Group Chairman Muhammad Al-Jasser, focus on socio-economic development and sustainability across key sectors.
Ambassadors urge Lebanon to elect president who can articulate national interests BEIRUT: The ambassadors of the Arab-International Quintet Committee on Lebanon have stressed the need to “accelerate the process of electing a new president.” They also indicated that “there does not necessarily have to be a direct link between what’s happening in Gaza and Lebanon.” … Read more
RIYADH: Saudi artist Dr. Sami Almarzoogi’s solo exhibition at L’Art Pur Foundation in Riyadh “Is This a Gold Bar?” demonstrates the benefits of never giving up on your passion. Presented in collaboration with Hafez Gallery, the showcase presents Almarzoogi’s diverse body of work, encompassing paintings, drawings and mixed-media pieces, which delve deep into his exploration … Read more
Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of blocking aid to Palestinians in violation of a UN court order RAFAH, Gaza Strip: Israel has failed to comply with an order by the United Nations’ top court to provide urgently needed aid to desperate people in the Gaza Strip, Human Rights Watch said Monday, a month after a … Read more
Saudi writer among six authors shortlisted for International Prize for Arabic Fiction RIYADH: Six novels have been shortlisted for the 2024 International Prize for Arabic Fiction, the winner of which will be revealed during a ceremony on April 28 in Abu Dhabi. The chosen works are: “Bahbel: Makkah Multiverse 1945-2009” by Saudi author Raja Alem; … Read more
RIYADH: More than SR180 billion ($48 billion) has been loaned to projects by the Saudi Industrial Development Fund over the last 50 years, according to figures released to mark the organization’s half-century. The total value of the 4,000 projects that the fund has invested in now stands at around SR700 billion. The leading financial institution … Read more