Author: Steven Sahiounie

RIYADH: The global hospitality industry is increasingly investing in technology to improve the guest experience, with artificial intelligence playing a key role in automating tasks like booking, check-ins, and housekeeping management. 

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BEIJING: China’s May industrial output lagged below expectations with the property sector still weak, adding pressure on Beijing for policy support to shore up growth, but retail sales beat forecasts thanks to a holiday boost, according to Reuters.

NEW DELHI: Oil prices slipped in Asian trading on Monday after a survey on Friday showed weaker US consumer demand and as May crude production rose in China, the world’s biggest crude importer, according to Reuters.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s annual inflation rate held steady at 1.6 percent for the third consecutive month in May, driven by rising housing rents, according to official data. 

Qatar’s foreign trade surplus amounted to QR17.4bn in May 2024 with as much as 60% of exports going to the Asian region, according to the official data.

The Asian country’s automakers sold over 13 million new vehicles globally in 2023, according to researcher JATO Dynamics

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has been reelected for a second term by lawmakers, following a historic coalition agreement between his African National Congress (ANC) of the late Nelson Mandela and the Democratic Alliance (DA), setting aside their long-standing rivalry. Ramaphosa secured the late Friday vote with 283 votes, defeating Julius Malema, leader of the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), who received 44 votes. Earlier, the DA, which pushes a liberal, free-market agenda, announced it would support Ramaphosa as part of an agreement with the ANC, the party that led the anti-apartheid struggle, to form a unity government. Critics argue…

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi arrived in Jeddah on Friday to perform Hajj as the first day of the annual pilgrimage got underway. El-Sisi arrived in the Kingdom on Thursday and later prayed at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. Wearing the ihram, the president was seen off by the governor of Madinah Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz earlier on Friday at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport. Source: Arab News

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Italy, Türkiye’s Communications Directorate said on Friday. “The meeting addressed relations between Türkiye and Brazil, Israel’s atrocities in Gaza and what must be done to stop them as well as global developments,” the directorate said in a statement on X. Underlining that Tel Aviv “has become increasingly isolated lately,” Erdogan said “the pressure on Israel must be increased and sustained in order to end the oppression,” the statement added. Israel has faced international condemnation for its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since Hamas’ attack…