AFP They may look garish for some but Queen Elizabeth II’s brightly-coloured outfits are a power dressing tool that allow her to make an impression. Exhibits at the Buckingham Palace show range from her christening gown to the eye-catching bright green wool-crepe and silk dress she wore at one of her 90th birthday celebrations earlier this year. The queen’s ...

  AFP He might be known for his stilettoes, but Christian Louboutin’s latest collection is sportier than usual. The luxury shoe designer has teamed up with French e-concept store SportyHenri.com to create the official outfits for the Cuban National Team heading to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. The elegant non-performance ensembles will be worn by the delegation of over ...

  RITIKA SHARMA / Emirates Business Smart machines are set to change the DNA of global workplaces and the UAE will lead the game, IT whizzes believe. After driverless cars, virtual offices and the Museum of Future leading global digital trends, the country is soon expected to become home to robo-bosses. You read it right! Don’t be surprised anymore if ...

  ALKESH SHARMA / Emirates Business Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is one of the most innovative success mantras that smart enterprises are currently following in the UAE region. Aimed at empowering the workforce through the so-called ‘consumerisation of IT’, BYOD concept gives a freedom to employees to access latest technology and apps. The upcoming ‘BYOD Forum UAE’, in Dubai, ...

  ALKESH SHARMA / Emirates Business The recent pact between online payments network giant ‘PayPal Holdings Inc.’ and leading global financial service provider ‘Visa Inc.’ is likely to reap rich benefits for both multinationals in the UAE. The agreement, which is expected to end the history of animosity between the digital payments company and Visa Inc., was announced this week. ...

  Jeddah / TNS A Saudi-British agreement on free trade will see the light if both countries’ governments agree on its terms. This was stated by Chris Innes-Hopkins, executive director of the Saudi British Joint Business Council, in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper. Hopkins said the council was encouraging British investments in Saudi Arabia in particular, with the adoption of ...

  Reuters Libya’s Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG) will start lifting a blockade on eastern oil terminals over the next three days, though a resumption of exports will depend on the state of the ports, a spokesman said. The PFG, which protects Libya’s oil terminals and fields, has blockaded the major eastern terminals of Ras Lanuf, Es Sider and Zueitina for ...

  Reuters The Saudi Industrial Property Authority (MODON) has inked more than 6,000 industrial, logistic and services contracts for investments that exceed SR600 billion ($160 billion) and provide job opportunities for more than 520,000 employees. Sami Al-Hussaini, official spokesperson of MODON, told Asharq Al-Awsat that factories in the industrial zones have registered a remarkable rise during 2015, in addition to ...

  Jeddah / TNS The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture is planning to establish five agricultural companies in Sudan that specialize in fish farming, grain and fodder trade, animal farming and agricultural production. Sudan has allocated around one million acres for Saudi investment next to the Atbara Agricultural River, according to an executive agreement between the Saudi Ministry of Environment, ...

  Amman / TNS Amid a turbulent regional political and security environment, Jordan is wrestling with sluggish growth and high unemployment, according to a new World Bank report. Launched by the World Bank and the government in Amman, the report found that the economy slowed down for the first time since 2010, further widening Jordan’s output gap, with growth declining from ...