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Saudi Arabia

Etihad and Saudia extend partnership

UAE’s Etihad and Saudia launch new loyalty programme, renew codeshare agreement

Members of Etihad Guest and Saudia’s Alfursan programme can earn and redeem miles on flights across both carriers’ networks

saudi arabia covid-19 vaccine

Saudi says vaccination needed to use public transport, enter government and private offices

The restrictions will come into effect from August 1, 2021

Lebanon Foreign Affairs Minister Charbel Wehbe

UAE, Saudi, Bahrain, Kuwait condemn Lebanese foreign minister’s comments on ISIS

Several GCC states summoned the Lebanese ambassador to their respective countries to protest the statements

Citi appoints Wassim Al-Khatib as Saudi CEO

Al-Khatib will be responsible for Citi’s regulated business in Saudi Arabia

Saudi ultra-luxury project may raise up to $2.7bn in 2022

Amaala, on the northwestern coast of Saudi Arabia, won’t tap markets until next year

First Saudi tech startup that could go public picks HSBC for IPO

Jahez has also been expanding in other areas such as last-mile logistics and cloud kitchens

King Fahd Causeway

Saudi Arabia reopens King Fahd Causeway link to Bahrain

Ten new lanes have been added to the departure area, taking the total number of lanes up to 27

Saudi Arabia Airport

Saudi resumes international travel with ban on 13 countries including India, Lebanon

The ban will also extend to “any other country that is yet to control the pandemic”

Saudi Arabia Quarantine

Saudi Arabia introduces 7-day paid institutional quarantine for unvaccinated arrivals

The cost of the quarantine will be included in the ticket prices, with airlines responsible for arranging the accommodation

Saudi Arabia halts some Brazil poultry including JBS plants

The Saudi Food and Drug Authority said imports from the plants will be suspended from May 23

Bahrain, UAE condemn Israel over clashes at Al-Aqsa Mosque

In a statement, Bahrain’s foreign minister called on Israel to immediately stop any further provocation of the people of Jerusalem

Explainer: How has Saudi’s tourism sector coped with the Covid-19 crisis?

The kingdom is investing more in tourism infrastructure than any country in the world today, opines Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO, Saudi Tourism Authority

Google startup accelerator

Google opens registrations to MENA tech startups for accelerator programme

The three-month long programme will commence in mid-July 2021 and is for ‘Seed to Series’ startups in the region

UAE’s Mashreq to use Oracle’s Transaction Banking platform

The platform is expected to help Mashreq respond more efficiently to the funding needs of local businesses and address capital diversification too

Saudi Arabia may bar overseas Hajj pilgrims again – report

Last year, Saudi Arabia restricted the hajj pilgrimage to Makkah to a ‘very limited’ number of Muslims

Saudi Arabia’s Real Estate Development Fund appoints Mansour bin Madi as CEO

He previously held the fund’s general manager’s post

Saudi private-sector employment rises for first time this year

PMI in the United Arab Emirates rose to 52.7 from 52.6 in March, the highest since July 2019

Saudi Aramco’s profit soars in Q1 as crude prices rise

Brent crude has gained over 30 per cent this year to top $68 a barrel

saudi arabia coronavirus

Covid-19: Saudi warns of hefty fines, jail term and deportation for violators of quarantine rules

Fines ranging from SAR100,000 to up to SAR1m will be imposed on those found guilty of ‘spread rumours or false information’ on social media

Saudi Arabia names former Aramco dealmaker as economy minister

The new minister, Faisal Alibrahim, had been vice minister of economy and planning since 2018

Schlumberger-backed Arabian Drilling planning Saudi IPO

Arabian Drilling may complete a deal on Riyadh’s stock exchange before the end of the year

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia to lift travel ban on citizens from May 17

Citizens under the age of 18 are permitted to travel, provided they submit an insurance policy approved by the Saudi Central Bank prior to doing so

Saudi Arabia considers starting homegrown electric-car maker

The project is linked to existing plans to build up automotive infrastructure in the country

Chemicals maker Sabic’s profit surges as economies reopen

Revenue rose 24 per cent year-on-year to SAR37.5bn and 14 per cent from the previous quarter

Royal Commission for AlUla unveils $15bn opportunity for public-private partnerships

Upon completion, the wider development strategy for AlUla in 2035 aims to deliver 38,000 new jobs

Saudi Arabia Alula

Saudi Arabia: How AlUla’s development reverberates a message of inclusion, sustainability and culture

The ‘Journey Through Time’ Masterplan is an enormous opportunity for the local residents

Saudi Crown Prince discusses Vision 2030, reveals plan to sell Aramco stake to energy firm

The kingdom has no plans to introduce an income tax, Prince Mohammed confirmed

Saudi Arabia destroys bomb-laden boat off Yanbu in Red Sea

An investigation is ongoing

Saudi developer clinches $3.7bn green loan for The Red Sea Project

The financing is the first riyal-denominated credit facility to receive green financing accreditation

Saudi Aramco

Aramco weighs sale of stake in natural gas pipelines

The company is also conducting a strategic review of its upstream business