Author: Steven Sahiounie

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s biotechnology and genomics sector is likely to record double-digit growth as it plans to invest 2.5 percent of its gross domestic product in research and development by 2040, aiming to add $16 billion to its economy. 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports, including re-exports, saw a surge of 4.4 percent in February compared to the same period of 2023, official data showed. 

Lawmakers in Washington are reportedly working on measures to cut off sanctioned lenders from the global financial system

Apple’s smartphone sales in China dropped 19% in the first quarter of 2024 due to increased competition from local brands, a new report by Counterpoint Research has shown. 

The Russian Ministry of Economic Development has raised its 2024 forecast for the country’s growth, citing domestic consumer and investment demand.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received his Bahraini counterpart Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani in Riyadh on Tuesday. During the meeting, the close relations between their countries and ways to strengthen them in various fields were reviewed. The ministers also discussed the latest regional and international developments and efforts made with regard to them Source: Arab News

A massive dust storm blowing in from Africa has covered Athens and other Greek cities, tinting the sky yellow-orange, videos showed on Tuesday.  According to meteorological services, the Sahara dust storm will be accompanied by mud rains, mostly in the northern and western parts of the country. The storm coincided with elevated spring temperatures, intensifying its impact, local weather reports stated. The winds are expected to shift direction westward on Wednesday, resulting in lower dust levels “This is a phenomenon that occurs these months… it is usually accompanied by southerly winds and an increased temperature,” the director of research at the Institute…

The US has stopped hiding the true purpose of sanctions on Moscow, Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov said. “Washington has stopped hiding the true intent of its restrictive pressure on our country. It’s not about any mythical aspirations to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, but about banal opportunistic and predatory ambitions. A trivial scenario is in order: if the Americans cannot win in a fair economic competition, sanctions are used,” he pointed out, commenting on US officials’ statements about plans to increase pressure on Russia’s energy sector. Antonov stressed that US officials “use every opportunity” to threaten Russia with…

The director of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees hit back at Israel Tuesday, calling for a Security Council probe into the “blatant disregard” for UN operations in Gaza after some 180 staffers were killed.Philippe Lazzarini also revealed that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) had been able to partly offset a funding shortfall by raising $100 million from online donations since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out in October.His comments came a day after the release of an independent review that said Israel had not yet provided evidence supporting its claim that hundreds of UNRWA staff were…

A high-profile North Korean delegation is making a rare foreign visit to Iran, the state-run KCNA news agency has reported. The last time officials from Pyongyang made a publicly announced trip to Tehran was in 2019. A delegation headed by North Korea’s minister for external economic relations, Yun Jong Ho, departed for Iran by plane on Tuesday, according to the agency. KCNA did not reveal further details about the visit. In February, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a congratulatory message to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on the 45th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. Kim expressed confidence that “the traditional…