Author: Ramalaan Nasser

LinkedIn owner Microsoft has announced a fresh round of job cuts, with around 670 roles set to go. The social network company says the jobs affected are across its engineering, talent and finance teams. It comes after LinkedIn axed 716 jobs in May and follows cuts at other big tech firms. “Talent changes are a difficult, but necessary and regular part of managing our business,” the firm wrote in a post on the LinkedIn website. The latest job cuts represent about 3% of the company’s workforce of 20,000 staff. LinkedIn makes its money through job ad listings and premium subscriptions…

The Executive Committee overseeing the development of the Integrated Economic Zone at Al Dhahirah Governorate (EZAD) yesterday held its second meeting in 2023 under the chairmanship of Eng. Ahmed Hassan Al Dheeb, Deputy Chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) and Chairman of the committee. During the meeting, the Committee discussed the status of the establishment of the Omani-Saudi Company, which will manage and operate EZAD. It also addressed the development plan for EZAD infrastructure facilities, the In-Country Value, and how to identify investment opportunities for EZAD targeted sectors. It also highlighted the most…

The first ever seaplane company launched in Saudia Arabia, Fly Red Sea, has celebrated the take-off of its first seaplane flight. A subsidiary of Red Sea Global, described as ‘the visionary company behind some of the world’s most ambitious development ventures, including luxury regenerative tourism destinations such as The Red Sea and Amaala,’ Fly Red Sea is the first seaplane company launched in the kingdom. It operates a fleet of four Cessna Caravan 208 seaplanes, each equipped with luxury interiors, capable of transporting up to nine guests for scenic tours or six passengers (and their luggage) for transfers to water-based…

Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing Majed Al-Hogail said that the newly constituted National Center for Inspection and Oversight (NCIO) will work, in cooperation and coordination with the relevant government agencies, to develop a plan to unify inspection and oversight activities among various government agencies. Al-Hogail, who is also chairman of the Board of Directors of NCIO, said that the new center will contribute to improving the business environment in the Kingdom. The Council of Ministers on Tuesday approved the establishment of NCIO, which aims to coordinate inspection and oversight activities between government agencies. “This mechanism will be…

The big, wide, wonderful three-day Permian Basin International Oil Show kicked off with a bang Tuesday morning inside and outside the Ector County Coliseum with 750 exhibitors and as-yet untold tens of thousands of wide-eyed, jovial attendees who work in the energy industry. Show President Larry Richards said this biennial exhibition that began in 1940 is particularly notable for its array of the latest oilfield technology. “The biggest thing is the amount of new technology,” Richards said. “I have been coming here since 1992 and I’ve been on the Oil Show board for 20 years and it’s amazing to see…

Fifteen Egyptian tech startups have been selected for the first batch of the 500 Global in Egypt Scale Up Programme, which aims to assist founders in scaling their businesses. Run by 500 Global, one of the world’s most active venture capital firms, in partnership with the Egyptian Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), the initiative is a seven-week programme dedicated to pre-Series A and Series A startups in Egypt. Designed to empower founders through personalised mentorship and growth techniques, the programme sets the stage for their future success. The programme kicked off on October 1 at the Creativa Giza Hub,…

Trade and economic cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia will see strong growth momentum in the years ahead, driven by the alignment of economic interests and concerted efforts to enhance synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Saudi Vision 2030, said analysts and company executives. Saudi Vision 2030 represents a transformative economic and social reform agenda that is opening up Saudi Arabia to global opportunities. It is also fostering improved communication and coordination between China and Saudi Arabia on regional and international matters. While the core of China-Saudi Arabia business relations has historically revolved around the oil trade, Saudi…

A crowd of what appeared to be several hundred protesters in the southern Druze city of Suwaida, Syria, chanted slogans targeting the Syrian government Saturday on the seventh day of a growing movement calling for economic and political reform. An economic crisis across Syria has hit the general population hard, making daily life extremely difficult and sparking protests that seemingly are causing ripples to several other parts of the country. Activists in Suwaida said they are not trying to overthrow the government but to prompt leaders to try harder to improve the economic situation, citing the deteriorating exchange rate of…

Berlin, Warsaw (11/8 – 60) The Russian invasion of Ukraine has yet to see an end. Russia has mobilized everything in its power to overcome Ukraine, including recruiting citizens of Kazakhstan to join its military forces. Russia lures Kazakh citizens through digital recruitment advertisements, recently prominent on a number of the country’s internet user pages. Several pop-up ads have started appearing on the internet pages of Kazakh residents, announcing openings for enlistment in the Russian army, with a joining-up bonus of more than USD 5,000. The advert cleverly targets the patriotic soft side of the Kazakhs, displaying flags of the…

The footballer returned a tennis ball across the net 637 times in an hour in one of his most exhausting challenges ever. A professional tennis player facing off against a footballer using his feet on the tennis court – that would be an unusual sight anywhere. But for this footballer, Mehdi Hobe Darvish, such feats are not uncommon as he actively seeks them out in an effort to set world records. At an exhibition event in northwestern Tehran on Thursday afternoon, he was joined by Amir Hossein Badi, one of Iran’s top tennis players, on an open-air tennis hardcourt located…