Monday , 16 February 2026

News

OFID extends $70.5m loan to Jordan to help mitigate Covid-19 impact

VIENNA / WAM The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) has announced the signing of a $70.5 million loan agreement with Jordan to help mitigate the socio-economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic by providing social safety net programmes and stimulus packages that aim to retain workers across various economic sectors and create new jobs. According to OFID’s statement, the Fund …

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Oil tumbles to 11-week low as virus spread hits outlook

Bloomberg Oil plunged to an 11-week low, extending losses after the worst week since October, as new waves of Covid-19 threatened fuel demand. Futures fell below $66 a barrel in New York, while wilting timespreads showed the market is faltering. Goldman Sachs Group Inc downgraded its economic growth forecast for China as the country imposed measures to contain virus flare-ups, …

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Saudi Aramco Q2 profit soars to 300% on demand recovery

DHAHRAN / WAM The Saudi Arabian Oil Company Aramco announced on Sunday its second quarter 2021 financial results, reporting a 288 percent increase in net income from the same quarter of last year to $25.5 billion and declaring a dividend of $18.8 billion. The Company’s net income for the first half of the year was $47.2 billion, representing a 103 …

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UAE welcomes appointment of UN special envoy for Yemen

ABU DHABI / WAM The UAE has welcomed appointment of Hans Grundberg as the UN Special Envoy for Yemen and reiterated its support for all efforts aimed at finding a peaceful solution towards ending Yemeni crisis. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation praised the pivotal role played by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to bring about stability in …

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Boeing 737 Max arrives in China for flight tests

Bloomberg A Boeing Co 737 Max 7 has arrived at the Shangai airport for flight tests by Chinese authorities, the Paper reported. Chinese aviation officials last month signalled they are open to conducting flight tests on the plane in a step towards lifting its grounding after more than two years. China was the first nation to ground the Max, acting …

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Oil drops again as China Delta outbreak threatens demand

Bloomberg Oil declined for a third day as the coronavirus spread in China and a report showed a surprise build in US crude inventories. West Texas Intermediate futures slumped as much as 3.4%. The delta strain of Covid-19 has been detected in almost half of China’s 32 provinces in two weeks, and at least 46 cities have advised residents against …

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Worldwide 5G network infrastructure revenue to hit $19.1b in 2021: Gartner

DUBAI / Emirates Business Worldwide 5G network infrastructure revenue is on pace to grow 39% to total $19.1 billion in 2021, up from $13.7 billion in 2020, according to the latest forecast by Gartner, Inc. Communications service providers (CSPs) in mature markets accelerated 5G development in 2020 and 2021 with 5G representing 39% of total wireless infrastructure revenue this year. …

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Experts from 13 nations discuss date palm cultivation, production

ABU DHABI / WAM The Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East and North Africa (AARINENA) has signed a cooperation agreement with Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) to establish and operate research, technology and innovation platform for an integrated production system for date palm in the Middle East and North Africa region, according to …

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Makkah Grand Mosque gets ready to receive Umrah pilgrims

MAKKAH / WAM/ SPA The Technical and Service Authority at the Grand Mosque in Makkah has intensified its preparations for the Umrah season. Sterilisation and perfuming processes of the Grand Mosque and its outdoor parks are going on round the clock to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. More than 4,000 workers are sterilising the Grand Mosque and related …

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Oil posts fourth monthly gain as demand eases virus fears

Bloomberg Oil posted its fourth straight monthly gain as steady demand and tight supplies calmed concerns that a new wave of Covid-19 infections would cripple energy consumption. Futures in New York ended the week 2.6% higher. While cases of the virus’s delta variant have surged in recent weeks, mobility and other data point to strong demand in key economies that …

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