BLOOMBERG President Joe Biden authorised a giant ConocoPhillips oil project in northwest Alaska that environmentalists argue has no place in a warming world, even as he sought to bar future drilling across US Arctic waters and lands. The approach represents Biden’s bid for a middle ground, as he seeks to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels while bound by ...

BLOOMBERG Oil tumbled, shaken by the biggest US bank collapse since 2008 as investors fled from risk assets and sought shelter in government bonds and gold. The failure of Silicon Valley Bank roiled markets as traders try to assess how the collapse will reverberate across the economy. Global benchmark Brent crude fell below $80 for the first time in more ...

BLOOMBERG For over a decade, Viridos Inc. was the centerpiece of Exxon Mobil Corp.’s heavily advertised push to develop climate-friendly biofuels from algae. The oil major slashed its support for the company last year. Now Viridos, based in La Jolla, California, has secured funding from a new group of backers. Viridos announced on Monday a $25 million round of financing ...

ABU DHABI / WAM Artificial Intelligence (AI) is crucial for the UAE in its ambitious efforts to tackle climate change, according to a senior Emirati official who graduated an AI programme from the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI). “Artificial Intelligence (AI) is set to play a fundamental role in the UAE’s transition to a green economy and ...

DUBAI / WAM Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) has announced 2022 annual results with strong performances across its businesses, hosting 1.98 million delegates with a robust visitation growth of 29%. The results were driven by 244 MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), business and consumer events. Of these, 97 exhibitions and conferences attracted 1.18 million attendees of which 38% were ...

SHARJAH / WAM Arada has introduced home sales for the first time in Sharjah with the launch of Sarai, the fifth phase at its woodland megaproject Masaar. With prices starting from AED20 million, the inclusion of a limited selection of 36 mansions in this phase of the fast-selling development comes amidst growing demand for ultra-luxury properties both in Sharjah and ...

BLOOMBERG Thai Union Group Pcl, one of the world’s biggest makers of canned tuna, is considering an exit from its loss-making Red Lobster unit less than three years after boosting its stake in the US restaurant chain. The first half of this year will be crucial in demonstrating whether management changes and an operational overhaul can trim losses at the ...

BLOOMBERG The global palm oil market is expected to tighten this year as floods and older trees constrain production in the world’s second-biggest supplier, according to a major Malaysian growers group. Indonesia and Malaysia may only see a marginal increase in output this year of less than 3%, respectively, Joseph Tek, the chief executive of the Malaysian Palm Oil Association, ...

BLOOMBERG FWD Group Holdings Ltd, the pan-Asian insurance company owned by Hong Kong billionaire Richard Li, has filed for a third time for an initial public offering (IPO) in the financial hub. The company resubmitted listing documents with updated financial data, confirming an earlier Bloomberg News report, after its September application lapsed. The insurer is still seeking to raise about ...

BLOOMBERG Consumer spending in China has picked up rapidly in recent weeks, especially on eating out and travel, giving a boost to an economic recovery that’s become increasingly reliant on local demand. High-frequency indicators of spending in some sectors have shown double-digit growth from a year ago, while leading travel companies and retailers have reported a strong increase in sales ...