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  • US Leaders Call for Calm in the Middle East, Even as More American Forces Head to the Region

    Calling for calm in the Middle East, top U.S. national security leaders said that they and allies are directly pressing Israel, Iran and others to avoid escalating the conflict, even as the U.S. moved more troops to the region and threatened retaliation if American forces are attacked. “It’s urgent that everyone in the region take stock of the situation, understand the risk of miscalculation, and make decisions that will calm tensions, not exacerbate them,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the close of a meeting with Australian leaders.

  • Mapping the Growing U.S. Military Presence in the Middle East

    The United States maintains a considerable military presence in the Middle East, with forces in more than a dozen countries and on ships throughout the region’s waters. That presence has expanded in 2024 as the United States focuses on deterring and defeating threats from Iran and its network of armed affiliates in the region, including Hamas (Gaza Strip), Hezbollah (Lebanon), the Houthis (Yemen), and several Iraq- and Syria-based militant groups.

  • Oracle’s second cloud region in Saudi Arabia to help kingdom harness AI’s full potential

    Oracle has opened its second cloud region in Saudi Arabia, giving a boost to Riyadh's digital transformation strategy, as it aims to help the kingdom's economy harness the full potential of artificial intelligence. The move, part of a $1.5 billion investment commitment announced by the US technology company in the Arab world's biggest economy, will help public and private organisations migrate to the cloud, Texas-based Oracle told The National on Tuesday.

  • Saudi PIF Has Poured $750 Million Into Depleted AR Firm Magic Leap

    Magic Leap, which has raised at least $3.5 billion, said it needs additional funds later this month and again in January and June 2025 “to meet its obligations as they fall due,” according to a company report filed in the UK. The firm has a “realistic expectation” of getting the funding from an unnamed investor, according to the filing from its European operations.

  • Saudi Aramco Sees Oil Demand Rising by 1.6 Million Bpd in Second Half of 2024

    Global oil demand is expected to rise by between 1.6 million and 2 million barrels per day (bpd) in the second half of the year, Saudi Aramco’s chief executive Amin Nasser said on Tuesday, noting that the past week’s selloff in oil doesn’t reflect fundamentals. Aramco sees total global oil demand at 104.7 million bpd for the full-year 2024, the top executive of the world’s largest oil company said on the second-quarter earnings call.

  • Saudi Aramco to Return $31 Billion to Shareholders, Government Despite Profit Dip

    Saudi Arabia's national oil company on Tuesday posted a quarterly net profit of $29.07 billion, down from the $30.83 billion it reported for the same period last year, after it sold less crude oil and its refining margins weakened, offsetting robust oil prices in the quarter.

  • ACWA Power to commission 2.6 GW of Saudi solar projects by end-2024

    Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power Co (TADAWUL:2082) will commence operations in the second half of 2024 for four domestic solar projects with a combined capacity of 2,620 MW and a total investment of SAR 11.5 billion (USD 3.06bn/EUR 2.81bn).

  • Saudi Aramco stock climbs on Q2 results, dividends

    Shares of Saudi Aramco (2223.SR) are trading higher after the company met second quarter net income expectations and will pay a quarterly dividend totaling $31.1 billion. Yahoo Finance reporter Ines Ferré breaks down the details, analyzing the company's financials and providing insights into the broader oil industry landscape.

  • Revolutionizing GCC Logistics: Impact of the Proposed Kuwait-Saudi Railway

    The Kuwait-Saudi Railway, a groundbreaking infrastructure project set to stretch 650 kilometers and connect Kuwait City with Riyadh by 2028, could revolutionize logistics in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. This rail link promises to bring about significant improvements in efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and environmental sustainability, marking a transformative moment for the region’s logistics landscape.

  • Distressed companies on rise in Saudi Arabia and UAE, study says

    The number of distressed companies in the UAE and Saudi Arabia has increased by almost 9 percent in the past year, with the sectors most at risk including chemicals, commodities and specialised retail. Concerns also surround the consumer-facing food and beverage industry in both countries, according to a report from consultancy Alvarez & Marsal. A&M defines distressed companies as those that have “significant” deficits in terms of both their financial and earnings situation.